《Fated to Be Loved by Villains》 Prologue Prologue (EP-0) Marriage Proposal Prologue - Marriage Proposal The butterfly effect sucks. Of course, there is nothing wrong with the phenomenon proposed by the theory. Different conditions give varying results. However, its existence proved that a small decision has the power to alter a person''s destiny. ¡°My dear.¡± Therefore, it sucks. Well, for me at least. To put it simply. I''ve had a few choices I regret in my life. Choices that led me into this situation. Why, there''s typically that one thing. I shouldn¡¯t have played that damned game. [ Savior Rising ] In short, academy genre shows. The drama between innocent youth, usually featuring complex and multifaceted characters. While, at the same time, retaining familiarity and archetypes. It¡¯s a good game. If only I didn''t get stuck there. Does that even make sense? Could someone get dragged in a game for playing it? I''m completely oblivious as to why this happened. Is it because some God-like being willed it or the attachment I have with the main character? Like usual, I completed the game, saw through the ending, had my fun and then went to bed. The next time I opened my eyes, I was already here. ¡°My dear. Are you listening?¡± I didn''t answer. Maybe that person wouldn''t notice that I¡¯m here and go away. Oh, please. ¡°I already knew you''re in there. You¡¯d better open the door.¡± ¡°...¡± At least, that''s what should''ve happened, if things went the way they''re supposed to. ¡°...¡± In the first place, not being involved with this woman was better for me. More images flood my mind. The illustrations and CGs I saw in the ''original work''. A bloodied Elnore building mountains of corpses with her black longsword. Elnore, with her red eyes flashing fiercely, commanding an army of demons and monsters. Etc., etc. What''s certain though, was that regardless of where you look, she leaves one consistent impression. She''s a ¡®frightening villain¡¯. Yes, that''s no secret. This woman is the ¡®Final Boss¡¯ of this Sera World. If the protagonist doesn¡¯t stop her, she''ll eventually throw the whole world in a fire pit. A person of such caliber and significance should have just passed by an extra like me, nothing more. ¡°You know why I came all the way here.¡± However, in the end, it''s too late. The butterfly wings had already fluttered and blew the gust of fate that led me to this current situation. Her red eyes coldly stared at me, while her grip on the sword''s handle tightened. The heavy atmosphere became even more serious. Her mouth parted once more. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again, Dowd Campbell.¡± A ¡®storm¡¯ had brewed with the flap of the butterfly''s wings. ¡°Will you marry me?¡± ¡°...¡± Really... I still couldn''t wrap my head around this simple yet full-of-implications question. Dowd Campbell. The heir to a minor lord of a remote region with not the slightest recognition. A freshman-nobody at the Academy. And a bottom dwelling, unrecognized extra of this world. And such a person now is... He''s being proposed to by a woman who would destroy the world within a few years. Chapter 1.1 Chapter 1.1 (EP-1.1) Meeting 001 - Meeting ¡ñ So, how did this happen? ¡ñ The Campbell Baron Family is a small noble family located in a small barony on the outskirts of the Empire. I think they''re only mentioned once in Sera¡¯s main story? There were no dungeons with monsters in the area and the main industry was also just simple dairy farming. The lord and his family are actually just friendly neighbors. Naturally, the slightest accident or event would cause a big uproar, as if the world had been overturned. Namely. The Lord¡¯s son entering the Imperial Academy. A rare spectacle of the residents of the territory collectively crying, as if they''re being abandoned.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°You¡¯re leaving at last, Dwod.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Baron Armin Campbell, a warm and kind middle-aged man, hugged me while wiping away his welling tears. ¡°You are the pride of our territory. Please take care of yourself and graduate safely.¡± ¡°Of course, don''t worry.¡± I separated from Father with a confident smile. He may look like this, but he''s built with pure hard muscle. Dairy farming and farming in general are hard jobs, so even if you don¡¯t specifically train your body, you''ll be toned. ¡°However, never get into a fight. The Imperial Academy is a place where high-ranking children from all over the empire gather. It¡¯s best for small barons like us to be as inconspicuous as possible...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, really.¡± Doubling the confidence level in my smile, I cut off Nagging Season 1823718029837. Well, his worries were not unfounded considering the main story of Savior Rising. An aristocratic family with weak prestige would be easily swept up in all sorts of power struggles between the powerful and eccentric high-ranking nobles. Fortunately, I also don''t have the slightest intention of violating my father¡¯s advice. < Status Info > ¡¸Dowd Campbell¡¹ Strength: F Agility: F Endurance: F Luck: F Power: F < Skill Info > [ No Skill in Possession ] ¡°...Yes, it¡¯s true that I don¡¯t particularly want that, but...¡± After such exchanges, I finally departed from the estate. Though, unlike the beginning, the territory residents'' and my parents'' expressions were a little strange seeing me off. Anyways, what''s good is good. And thus, my low-key Academy Life as an extra is about to begin! ¡ñ I really thought of that. I was envisioning a truly hopeful future. Ah, those dream-filled days. ¡°Do you need a doctor? You don¡¯t look so good.¡± ¡°No, I''m okay, thank you.¡± Actually, no, I''m not okay. As someone who decided to commit to being an extra, meeting the person in front of me was horrifically unfortunate. ¡°...¡± I glanced at the other person impassively reading the newspaper and sipping tea. Elnore Elinalise La Tristan. The most likely candidate for the Final Boss. ¡®How did I end up traveling with someone like this?¡¯ Thinking so, I couldn''t help but let out an inward sigh. The train bound for Elfante Imperial Academy has two-person rooms. You have no choice since you can''t choose which person you want to share the room with, it''s completely random. It''s just that if the person you''re with was this terrifying, it''s probably okay to lament. This type of luck was astonishingly horrendous. ¡®Why would a Duke¡¯s Daughter get a cheap compartment that the countryside Barons use anyway?¡¯ As I was thinking about that, an answer suddenly came from the other side. Her gaze was still fixed on the newspaper. ¡°Duke Tristan cares a lot about public image. He focuses on creating a friendly image rather than making us ride first class just because we''re from a noble family.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you didn¡¯t make the stupid mistake of thinking out loud. Your expression is just funny.¡± The Student Council President laughed as she said one thing after another. ¡°The thoughts of the people who ride in the same compartment as me are all the same. You were simply giving off a similar look to them.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± It seems like this wasn''t a one time occurrence. Well, as Duke Tristan''s daughter, she¡¯s a huge celebrity that''s almost on par with the Royal Family. A lot of people must''ve felt pressured by her presence. ¡°Rest assured, you won''t be harmed just by being involved with me. I''m sorry for worrying you.¡± ¡°...¡± [T/N: Please do report any typos and mistakes, comment down below or report it on Discord (here)] Chapter 1.2 Chapter 1.2 (EP-1.2) Meeting 001 - Meeting However, she cares too much for another person. ¡®Isn''t this different from the one in my memory?¡¯ In the game, this person obviously didn¡¯t care about other people. She judges everything by value, a perfectionist that never tolerates flaws. Finally, she''s arrogant who always sees others as beneath her. Those were the characteristics that I remember of Elnore. By the way, what is this delicately thoughtful look you''re showing me right now? Regardless if it''s her description or how she''s portrayed, this was undeniably strange. ¡°Do you have any other questions? It doesn¡¯t seem like you''re convinced.¡± ¡°No. It''s just that you''re surprisingly nice.¡± Hearing this, Elnore removed her gaze from the newspaper for the first time. Her eyes slightly narrowed. ¡°Surprising?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Have you heard anything bad about me? Have we met before?¡± ¡°...¡± That¡¯s because I know you¡¯re one of the possible people who''ll destroy the world. However, it was only after meeting the main character did her villainous transformation begin. It all stemmed from the inferiority complex to the main character, who was considered perfect in all aspects, and has a talent that far surpasses herself. Of course, you might wonder how the world will end just because of an inferiority complex, but the real problem is the ¡®curse¡¯ that this person has. ¡®Gray Devil.¡¯ Thinking of Duke Tristan, and the name of the existence inside Elnore, I couldn''t help but smile bitterly It''s the worst of the ¡®devils¡¯, the King-Class villains. It''s so bad, in fact, that it appears in the myth of creation. The moment that it''s released, the world is practically over. And the trigger is the moment when Elnore¡¯s mental collapses. Throughout the story, Elnore constantly had friction against the main character, and when her mentality collapsed, the demon took over her body. After that... It¡¯s the end of the world. Other than the main character fully growing, the destruction cannot be stopped even if the whole world banded together. ¡°...¡± "I thought you had an explosive personality, turns out you don''t," I basically said this towards someone like that. I must have gone crazy. ¡°...I¡¯ve just heard a lot about you being strict.¡± Elnore stared at me for a while, then sighed. I wondered if my improvised excuse worked. ¡°You''re a strange man, aren''t you?¡± ¡°Yes, that''s what I often hear.¡± I blurted with an awkward smile, before immediately looking out the window. I want to refrain from continuing this conversation further. ¡°...¡± I quickly got up from this embarrassing position. After a while, the Student Council President also stood up. She looked down at the ground, tidying up her messy hair and uniform. Perhaps it''s because of the ambiguous mood, but her nape and face were slightly red. Um, what now? Should I apologize first? ¡°I''m sorry-¡° ¡°It''s alright, you were just trying to save me.¡± What? ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve had such radical contact with a man, but thank you. I know your intentions, so there is no need to apologize.¡± ¡°...¡± Did she interpret it that way? I just rushed in knowing that she has a shield. It seems that from Elnore¡¯s point of view, I was protecting her from the impact. Well, she didn¡¯t know that I knew the existence of the shield in advance. As I was thinking about that, Elnore said another thing. ¡°You, what¡¯s your name?¡± What? This person, according to the setup, doesn''t she only ask the name of someone she likes? I feel like if I answer something now, we''ll be involved often in the future. ¡°...You, what¡¯s your name?¡± However, I can''t just say, ¡®What for?¡¯ to someone in front staring directly at me. Rather, it''s the worst option. ¡°I''m Dowd Campbell.¡± ¡°Dowd, Dowd, Campbell, Campbell.¡± Elnore closed her eyes and muttered my name a few times, then nodded. ¡°Got it, I won''t forget it. I will definitely pay you back later.¡± No, you can just forget about it. Like can''t we be as far away from each other as possible? As I was thinking that with an awkward smile, something suddenly appeared in front of me. [ You have gained the villain''s favor! ] [ Satisfied Special Gift awakening conditions! ] [ Obtained the skills ¡®Desperation¡¯ and ¡®Fatal Charm¡¯! ] ...What the fuck? *T/N: Skill names are subject to change (like if I think something sounds cooler or more appropriate according to what the skill does) Chapter 2.1 Chapter 2.1 IMPORTANT:I don''t have the raws for this novel and could only translate up to the free chapters (Episode 15) so if anyone has the raws, feel free to dm me on discord at DuhLion#4454 (EP-2.1) Meeting #2 002 - Meeting #2 ¡ñ The accident was quickly resolved. Turns out that damage due to falling rocks happens quite often because of the mountainous terrain, so there were safety measures already prepared. The fact that there were no deaths or even serious injuries in such a major accident proved that fact. I mean, the train literally rolled! I was just unlucky by having the room I''m staying at get directly hit by the boulder, almost dying in the process. The students quickly transferred to another mode of transport and went straight to the academy, where they received the highest level of medical care in case something was wrong. Getting such full body checks naturally leaves you some time. I could finally examine my situation. Gift #1- Fated Love [ Obtain rewards as you gain favorability of characters with an evil alignment. ] I looked at the description written at the bottom of the window screen dumbfounded. With such conditions, no wonder I couldn''t find anything no matter what I did. Baron Campbell¡¯s territory was so remote that it¡¯s even hard to find anyone with a neutral alignment, let alone an evil one. Naturally, I couldn''t awaken my special gift since the basic conditions weren¡¯t met. Sighing, I turned my attention towards the skills section.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only < Skill Info > [ Skill: Desperation ] [ Class: ??? ] [ Gain stat enhancement at the moment of danger. The lower the chance of survival, the stronger the effect. ] [ Skill: Fatal Charm ] [ Class: ??? ] [ People with evil alignment are more likely to get attracted to you. The more extreme the alignment, the stronger the effect. ] [Desperation] is probably an ability that helps in survival and combat. Although the activation condition of ¡®moment of danger¡¯ is a little ambiguous, a skill with a stat-enhancing effect will definitely be great. ¡°Nominally, it is. Perhaps this whole thing will be just an accident as well.¡± The medical officer replied with a sigh. ¡°But we¡¯ll have to think about whether it really is an accident.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I heard you were riding with Princess Tristan?¡± ¡°...What about it?¡± ¡°And you¡¯re from a baron family without a decent background, right?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°I am giving you serious advice. I am also a graduate of Elfante Academy, and like you, I came from a nameless noble family.¡± The medical officer continued with a bitter smile. ¡°Do you think it''s a coincidence that in so many rooms, yours was the one that got hit?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Duke Tristan has many enemies. Before it was fine as you had no choice, but it would be best to avoid them from now on. If you associate yourself with high-ranking nobles, aren''t you the only one seeing blood in the end?¡± Even if you don¡¯t say it, I already know that man. In an academy where all sorts of evil lurk, would that person really have the title of final boss candidate for nothing? It''s fated that you are in danger of dying just by being next to them. If it¡¯s a problem... < Gift-related Character Notification > ¨‹ Elnore [ Trust Level 1 ] [ D-2 until related events occur ] ... Whether I like it or not, I''m already stuck with this person. F_ck. ¡ñ IMPORTANT:I don''t have the raws for this novel and could only translate up to the free chapters (Episode 15) so if anyone has the raws, feel free to dm me on discord at DuhLion#4454 Chapter 2.2 Chapter 2.2 (EP-2.2) Meeting #2 002 - Meeting #2 The entrance ceremony ended in a blink of an eye. Naturally, the ever glorious Elfante Imperial Academy''s freshmen were the cream of the crop. Genius from this town, royalty from that. A barbarian from far beyond the mountains. Even, a thief who made a name for themselves in their hometown. etc. Elfante Academy accepts any type of human as long as they have talent. Of course, since they carry the name ''Imperial'', only those who are nobles or have a recommendation from a noble will be accepted as students. Of course, as it is a congregation of different types of people, this damned academy has no peaceful moments all year round. For example, the ¡®practical evaluation¡¯ that takes place right after the entrance ceremony. ¡°Now that the entrance ceremony is over, we''ll proceed with the evaluation-¡± ¡°The evaluation method proceeds with different types of practical exercises including one-on-one sparring-¡± Yes, it¡¯s an educational institution, but there still needs to be different classes. I watched the teaching assistant try to control the students in lining up, and was idly left to my own thoughts. The event was happening, but the melancholy that went beyond that was eating away at me. ¡°...¡± I''mma be honest. I¡¯m already tired of the situation. I obviously thought of such a possibility when coming here, but meeting the Student Council President felt like everything went wrong. No, it''s precisely a problem caused by the fact that I suddenly got a related event after the gift opening, which I didn''t even think of. As someone who takes a big part in all the main events that exist in Sera, wherever that person is spells trouble. The moment I got entangled with them, my original plan was as good as over. Farewell to an extra''s peaceful life. Welcome dreadful in-game scenarios. And facing that scenario is Dowd Campbell with the brilliant all-stat F. How can you not be depressed? ¡°Alright, students, divide yourselves into groups and conduct 1:1 sparring-¡± The assistant¡¯s words only entered one of my ears and passed through the other, still absorbed in my thoughts. So, am I just going to give up on that? No, that¡¯s not it. Even if there is no answer, shouldn¡¯t I try everything I can? It''s my life that''s at stake here. ¡®The immediate goal is...¡¯ Let''s get this over with first. Most of the eyes looking at me were either pity or ridicule. Sparring partners were usually those people around the same level, but those who missed out on choosing one like dear me will experience hell. Naturally, only the people who ¡®no one wants to fight¡¯ remained. ¡®Ah.¡¯ I sigh inwardly as I looked at ¡®my opponent¡¯. It was a woman with orange hair mixed with some red. She was wearing shabby, worn out sportswear and had a plain longsword on her waist. However, there is this bizarre ¡®presence¡¯ that couldn''t be hidden even with this plain impression. She exuded ungodly amounts of charisma that it feels like I''ll get overwhelmed just by facing her. I turned my gaze and looked at her name tag which said, [Elijah Krisanax]. I know her. No, it''s impossible to not know someone who''s on par with Elnore. ¡°Um, hello?¡± The greatest genius in the world. The protagonist of the world of ¡®Savior Rising¡¯, who will later grow into the hero, greeted me with an awkward smile. ¡°...¡± This, isn¡¯t this terrible? Although the main character¡¯s stats at the start are not very high, this same person would later destroy a mountain range with a single strike, whether it¡¯s a sword or magic. Even now, she is a real budding talent. Even before entering the academy, she joined the knights and monster subjugations. She''s even conquering dungeons by herself. She had accomplished numerous feats that''s unbelievable for a student. This can be seen from the fact that she was specifically avoided among the freshmen, who were full of talent. Of all the new students, she''s probably the most famous. It is no exaggeration to say that the current gap in combat power between me and her is catastrophic. I could really die... ¡°...?¡± Wait a minute. I dug a little deeper into my thoughts. I recalled the ¡®abilities¡¯ I have, the ¡®information¡¯ about the other person and my immediate ¡®goal¡¯. Finally, I came to a conclusion. ¡°...Hello.¡± I shook the shy girl''s hand and thought to myself. This. Maybe this isn''t a crisis, but an opportunity. ¡ñ Chapter 3.1 Chapter 3.1 (EP-3.1) One Punch 003 - One Punch Beatrix is Elfante Academy''s Student Council Secretary and had been the President''s confidant for over 10 years. That also meant that she was the most angry than anyone else when it comes to Elnore running late for an appointment. ¡°That woman really went crazy...!¡± Beatrix gritted her teeth, as she watched the time tick on her wristwatch. If anything, shouldn''t the most important person like the Student Council President be the one to arrive 10 minutes early? ¡°Se, senior! Count Creitan has just arrived...!¡± ¡°Marquis Galanti is here...!¡± And as the cherry on top was these types of news, which were only fueling her anger. Elfante''s entrance ceremony was not just an ''academy event''. It''s also a gathering of the Empire''s key figures looking to build relations. To think that she''s unable to keep even the most basic thing like time commitment in front of such people...! As Beatrix tried to douse her rage, someone opened the door of the Student Council room. It was a blood-soaked Elnore. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone, even Beatrix, was silent. Meanwhile, Elnore walked into the room and put her sword down on the desk with a sigh. Eventually, one of the students couldn''t hold it any longer and hiccupped at the bloody sight. "Something wrong?" It''s only then did Elnore notice the strange silence. Beatrix massaged her throbbing temple and replied. ¡°I have so many questions, but I''ll sum it up in one, so please answer me straight. What have you been doing?¡± ¡°Just some clean up.¡± Having been together for 10 years, Beatrix instantly knew that this was something that shouldn''t be talked about in public. She got it so fast, in fact, that she deserved praise. ¡°...I have to apologize, but the President and I will take care of things from here. I''d like to ask everyone to leave.¡± Beatrix kindly sent off the other students with a bright smile. However, as soon as the last one left, her expression instantly darkened into a devil''s. ¡°What did you do this time?¡± This wasn''t even supposed to be the topic, there''s something more urgent right now. ¡°Elnore.¡± "Eung?" ¡°Everything''s good and all, but you''ll be late if you don¡¯t change and get ready. Shouldn''t you hurry up if you don''t want to die?" ¡°...¡± Saying this sentence to someone, who just killed 12 professional assassins, requires the highest level of courage. However, the determination in Beatrix''s eyes was firm. Elnore deeply sighed deeply with a hint of annoyance. ¡°...I get it, I get it. I hope the sparring is fun at least. If I have to face those snakes, shouldn''t I have fun at least?¡± ¡°You won''t have to worry about that.¡± Having said that, Beatrix rummaged through the information in her head. ¡°If you go now, you''ll catch a freshman who''s famed to be a prodigy. The match is Elijah Krisanax vs. Dowd... Dowd... what was it?¡± ¡°Dowd Campbell?¡± Beatrix''s eyes widened. "Yes, but how did you remember? That guy has nothing going for him.¡± After a bit of silence, Elnore smirked. ¡°He¡¯s an odd man.¡± ¡°Odd?¡± "Yes." Otherwise, there''s no way she''d say something like this from the get go. As if she knew the darkness within her, Elnore rose from her seat with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we''ll be late if we don''t hurry." "...Your attitude is a little different from before? You look expectant?" "The man''s interesting, that''s all." Elnore chuckled. "Let me see what you got in this sparring." ¡ñ Chapter 3.2 Chapter 3.2 (EP-3.2) One Punch 003 - One Punch If there''s gambling culture in this academy, betting on my side and winning would rake in a lot of cash because of the extreme ratio. On the polar opposite, they''ll terribly lose if I lose. This was the current atmosphere of the crowd right now. Everyone''s eyes were full of anticipation, that is in how I would get crushed. Even I agree with them. In this situation, I didn''t even think of betting on myself to get a reverse sweep because that''s never going to happen. ¡°How long do you think he''ll last?¡± ¡°How long? Shouldn''t he be looking in getting the least injured?¡± "Well, what talent would a guy who crawled out of some trashy baron family have?" These were the types of conversations all around, however, I have no intention of refuting them. This kind of ridicule was actually good since most wouldn''t even care, knowing such obvious results. ''This is just sad...'' With that thought in mind, I looked at the other person. It was just a girl warming up, doing some stretches. However, to my eyes, she was like a giant serpent with its mouth wide open and tongue flicking towards its prey. If you replace me with a mouse, it might have more chances. My only saving grace was this. [ Skill: Desperation ] [ Class: ??? ] [ Gain stat enhancement at the moment of danger. The lower the chance of survival, the stronger the effect. ] My stats were a joke, complete garbage. It wouldn''t be strange if I died after getting hit once. No matter how you look at it, this was a ''moment of danger'', right? ¡°...¡± This could turn horrific. I wondered if I''m betting too much on a weird skill with question marks as its class. ''Ah, I don''t know.'' Now that some courage right there. In this world, the existence of ''devils'' is taboo to even mention. It''s a harbinger of disasters. It wouldn''t be strange if Duke Tristan tried to kill her immediately upon hearing these words. ''...Well, I can''t say she''s wrong.'' The problem is that they''re tied to a devil. It''s not that they''re ''like'' a devil, but people who actually signed a contract with the devil. Further, this person has a deep-seated grudge towards Duke Tristan. It''s probably a grudge that dates way back in the family history, so it''s not like I can''t understand where it''s coming from... ¡°... But I was just riding in the same cabin as her though?¡± ¡°You remind me of that person, which annoys me, so I was gonna make it painful for you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°However, seeing your skills made me reconsider. Should we just pretend to fight each other and end it? You don''t want to get hurt either, do you?" She winked while whispering at me. Well, I''m sure she''s doing this for my own good. However, this doesn''t really make sense for my current situation. My life is at stake and I badly needed to exponentially grow within two days. And the only way to achieve that is doing the opposite of that. In other words. ¡°I think you should just hit me as painfully as you want.¡± "...Yes?" ¡°I quite like her.¡± I have a reason to antagonize this person. Elijah blankly blinked. Though, it soon changed to a convinced face. ¡°She has a good public image, doesn''t she? Something like that definitely trick people. However, that''s just all-¡± ¡°- Facade. I know. In fact, I have a rough idea of her actions." ¡°...¡± Chapter 3.3 Chapter 3.3 (EP-3.3) One Punch 003 - One Punch Elijah''s expression hardened in an instant. ¡°...Are you serious?¡± ¡°I like her as much as you hate her.¡± That''s a lie. Heck, I didn''t even want to be involved with Elnore. Mainly because I don''t want to, you know... die! But right now, this is the only way to get Elijah to seriously attack me and trigger the skill. Anyway, according to the story timeline, Elnore should be meeting with high-ranking nobles at this moment. There''s no way she''d pay attention to me in such an important event... [ Skill: Fatal Charm has been activated. ] [ The villain''s favor towards you has greatly increased! ] [ Rewards are added to the Gift tab! ] ¡°...¡± So I don''t know why these messages suddenly popped up. As I looked at her in bewilderment, the hard-faced Elijah was popping her neck. "Is that so?" Left with no choice, I gritted my teeth and struck with my bare fist. I have no time to pull out any weapon. Also, this is clearly a ''moment of danger.'' The skill will definitely activate. I don''t know how much it''ll help, but it should have some impact. [ A moment of danger has been detected. ] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX Class. ] ''...EX grade?'' Isn''t this the highest class? However, there was no time to express my surprise. -! -!!! -!!!!!!!!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Elijah met my fist. Then, her body flew at an invisible speed and landed on one side of the building wall. ¡ñRe?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only Chapter 4.1 Chapter 4.1 (EP-4.1) Aftermath 004 - Aftermath Paradoxically, people don''t react as much to shocking things compared to minor ones.Even as Elijah was being carried away by the emergency team after getting smashed into the wall, there was only a heavy silence. If someone were to breath a little too heavily, it would probably be heard by everyone due to the extreme lack of sound.It felt like everyone''s souls had left their bodies.¡°Victory, Dowd Campbell.¡± At the same time the dumbfounded referee announced the results... "...What was that?!"¡°What did that guy do?!¡± A deafening uproar erupted from every direction.Who is Dowd Campbell? What the hell is going on in Baron Campbell''s territory? No, this is not the time for this, gathering information is the priority.Amidst the chaotic world around me, I simply stood in solitude while staring blankly at the sky.I.An F allstat.A bottom dwelling freshman with only two unknown skills under his belt.Right now, on the first day of admission to the academy.The literal start of my academy life... I somehow defeated the main character with one punch. ¡°...Ah, f_ck.¡± How do I explain this? ¡ñThe Elfante Imperial Academy is one of the best educational institutions in the continent. The only places that could compete with it are, at most, the Holy Land''s [Great Temple] or the Tribal Union''s [Fighting Furnace]. With an institution like that, the faculty were naturally exceptional.¡°...¡±¡°...¡± However, the current situation was arguably completely outside of everyone''s expectations.And even such people couldn''t hide their surprise.In a magic crystal embedded in the center of the table, a video of Elijah Krisanax getting KO''d in one punch was being played repeatedly.¡°This case.¡±The Knights Faculty Head said in a heavy tone.¡°This student named Dowd looks like an excellent con artist.¡±"... Isn''t your evaluation too harsh, Conrad?"¡°It just doesn''t make any sense.¡± The middle-aged man with a cross-shaped scar on his face shook his head and replied to the president''s smiley words.¡°Anyone with some insight would have noticed this as soon as they saw him. This Dowd Campbell had nothing going for him before the start of the spar. No fighting capabilities nor skills. But..." He then manipulated the video to the moment when Elijah got hit. As an avid supporter of Elijah Krisanax, Marquis Kendride would definitely not want to compromise Elijah''s ''marketability''. ¡°...¡± Conrad''s expression hardened.Politics in a space that was clearly established for teaching?If you find a talented student, you should treat them accordingly. ¡°But it would be a big loss for the academy to abandon a student who clearly stands out. Anyway, whether he is a fraud or not will be revealed sooner or later. Let''s wait and see.¡± The president continued with a light smile, seemingly to have read Conrad''s thoughts.Conrad''s eyes widened. ¡°What do you mean?¡±¡°There are a lot of interesting freshmen this particular year. A few with strong personalities that need to be managed separately.¡±Although the tone used was still light. ¡°If this student is good enough for the president to say that... then he must have a role to play. For them.¡± It was undoubtedly significant.¡ñI''ve been thinking of ways to work out the aftermath of knocking out the main character.I''ll need to solve this problem in the future. ¡°...¡± No, it''s already a problem now.Currently, there are countless people clamoring outside my dorm for a chance to meet me. Alas, I have no way of dealing with this right now.Thanks to my outstanding performance, my reputation and the attention on me has skyrocketed. [ Shocking Sparring Defeat Of Marquis Kendride-vouched Rising Star?! ] [ Featured Article: Hot Topic Dowd Campbell. Who Is He? ] I''ve discovered one unnecessary fact about the media.There is no difference between the original world and this game world I got transported into.I bitterly smiled looking through the number of tabloids giving nonsensical information about me in just one day.There''s some sh?t about me being the hidden child of the Imperial Knight Commander, ''Kadra''. Speaking of, ''Kadra'' is the strongest being secretly raised by the academy.Are you kidding me?Well, there are still some things that are salvageable in this media dumpster fire.Having locked myself in my room for a day, collecting information about the current situation, there''s bound to be something that stands out. [ The Kendride Family, Headed By Marquis Kendride, Officially Requests An Explanation From The Elfante Academy- ] [ Experts Claim The Match Was Rigged- ]The reaction to the sudden rise in fame isn''t as good as expected.Elijah was a ''supernova'' who has accumulated a mountain of achievements even before entering the academy. It''s not strange if she has a solid fan base.Naturally, it would be difficult to applaud Extra A popping out of nowhere and taking the star down in one blow.''Well, that can''t be helped.'' I don''t care what others say about me. My goal is to survive and see through the ending.The future me will definitely have to do something about the butterfly effect that''s created by beating the main character from the first day of admission.I''ll need to get stronger and survive whilst taking appropriate measures on the situation.Rather than that. < Gift-related Character Notification > ¨‹ Elnore Elinalise La Tristan [ Trust Level 1 ] >>> [ Trust Level 2 ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ D-1 until related events occur ] ¨‹ Baron Armut [ Curiosity Level 2 ] [ Rewards Available! ] ¨‹ Viscount Lupen [ Curiousity Level 1 ] [ Rewards Available! ] ¨‹ Viscount Gront [ Interest Level 3 ] ... [Previous Chapter][Index][Next Chapter]Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com Chapter 4.2 Chapter 4.2 (EP-4.2) Aftermath 004 - Aftermath Right. I couldn''t stop myself from smiling, looking at the people listed in the gift-related character window. Perhaps the amount of names was influenced by [Fatal Charm], but blasting Elijah away was a spectacle in itself. I then organized each of their information. Likeability seems to go up in the following order; Curiosity ¡ú Interest ¡ú Trust. It feels like there are more above, but this is my current reach. Then, there''s up to 5 levels in each stage. The highest one is, of course, Elnore at Trust Level 2. ''It''s a bit weird.'' The ''important villains'' in the story must have seen me, but I can''t find any of their names. There''s only those near-extra characters. There could be several reasons. For example, some are just egotistical and do not care about others. Some are just born crazy, with a different perspective on life. The problem is. The final boss, who should have the least interest in me, is the one with the highest likeability! At the very least, she''s at Trust Level 2 compared to others who are just in between curiosity ~ interest. As for why? ¡°...¡± I have no idea. Elnore''s related event will be tomorrow. Well, there''s no reason to refuse a reward coming your way. I was able to overpower the main character with one of the two skills I received as a reward. So I''m looking forward to what''s to come. [ Received Gift Reward from ''Elnore''. ] [ ¡®Attribute: Tristan Style Swordsmanship¡¯ has been acquired! ] < Mastery Info > [ Attribute: Tristan Style Swordsmanship ] [ Grade: Basic ] [ Duke Tristan''s masterful swordsmanship. ] [ ¡ö Can exert a certain level of power regardless of weapon. ] [ Raise your attribute level to gain more benefits! ] ¡°...this again.¡± It''s great. As expected of a reward from the final boss. After giving out a skill that can directly shoot its class to EX, it now gave a high performance attribute. Duke Tristan is one of the best swordsmen in the entire empire. It can be said that the power of the skill is already guaranteed. ¡°...¡± [ Rewards Currently Unavailable! ] ¡°...¡± Why is she here? "Hmm." I thoughtfully stroked my nonexistent beard. I''m pretty sure that gift-related characters are only those considered as ''villains'' who ''favors'' me. ¡°...Hmm.¡± No, like legit, why is she here? Doesn''t she have no connection to either conditions? At this time, my brainstorming was cut short by a sudden knock on the door. ¡°Ah, is this Mr. Dowd Campbell''s room?¡± ¡°...¡± It was a familiar voice. ¡°This is Elijah Krisanax. May I come in?" ¡°...¡± Scowling, I couldn''t help but let out a sigh. It seems that she''s not a good person after all. I have no idea why she came here out of the blue, but I can only hope that she''ll leave if I don''t make any sound. ¡°I''ve already asked the teacher, I know whose dorm this is. If you don''t answer, I''ll break myself in." This f_cking b?tch...! ¡°...I pray for whoever that teacher is would freeze to death.¡± ¡°Oh, so you were inside.¡± Despite my direct response, only a clear voice returned from the other end. "Could you open the door? There''s something I want to tell you." "...Talk about what?" "Well, maybe we could get to know each other a little bit?" "..." I felt a headache. Facepalming, I let out a groan. Dowd Campbell. Day 2 of Admission to the academy. My fate began to intertwine with the main character. I''m going crazy. ¡ñ Chapter 5.1 Chapter 5.1 (EP-5.1) Exam 005 - Exam ¡°Aiiyaaa~.¡± Elijah brushed the dust off her clothes. Until now, she''s been trying to befriend Dowd Campbell, but was eventually kicked out by the Supervisor. ¡°Couldn''t you just accept? How narrow-minded.¡± However, despite grumbling so much, Elijah''s head was still filled with Dowd Campbell. It''s been a while since she''d met such an interesting person. Although there are rumors that the sparring was fraudulent and rigged. Elijah''s intuition was tingling. The talent of the man who defeated her in one punch is real. Though, she''s unsure of what method he used. ''He''s definitely got something, that man.'' She could tell that he''s more than what he seems on the surface. She was also the kind of person who gets restless about something if it''s not answered. Thus, to draw a reasonable conclusion, she thought... What would be the best position to learn that talent, watch from the side and gradually find out what kind of person he is? That is by befriending him! There''s no harm in getting close. ''...But I don''t know how to be friends with a man.'' She grew up in an all-girls monastery. Since childhood, the existence of men was always unknown to her. There were few opportunities to even talk to the opposite sex, let alone make friends. However, she had no intention of giving up. ''But that attitude...'' No matter where and how she tried to, she couldn''t get past him, as if he''s the embodiment of an iron wall. It even made her embarrassed despite her thick skin. She had to tactically retreat for now... ¡°Ayat.¡± Perhaps too preoccupied with her thoughts, as she turned the corner at the end of the hallway, Elijah bumped into someone coming from the other side. "Sorry, I wasn''t careful." "No, I..." Elijah tried to reflexively respond. However her voice trailed off upon seeing who the other person was. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± The Student Council President, Elnore, asked while Elijah unconsciously grabbed her sword. However, she immediately despaired. ''...I can''t win. Never.'' She inwardly groaned as she instantly gauged the gap between their strength. Although she currently has skills that are comparable to a regular knight, the other person was just built different. Regardless of where and how she stabs that person, she could only see herself dying in the end. ''This is Duke Tristan''s...'' Elnore''s worthy of being the daughter of a master swordsman, who is regarded as the peak of the continent. Achieving this level when she''s only a few years older than Elijah was a great feat. It was evident that she did not like that. ¡°Dating between new students is prohibited.¡± "...Pardon?" What the hell is she talking about all of a sudden? "Anyway, it''s forbidden." ¡°Is there such a school rule...?¡± ¡°I just made it.¡± ¡°...¡± Yes, in principle, the Student Council President has that right. However, it wasn''t meant to be abused in this way. ¡°So, from now on, you cannot visit Dowd Campbell''s room.¡± ¡°Um, what relationship does the Student Council President have with that person?¡± Elnore fell silent at her words. The silence was so long it made Elijah feel awkward despite the one asking the question. ¡°... There''s nothing between us.¡± It was a very difficult answer. It also felt like it had numerous complaints mixed in. As if she hated having that kind of relationship status. ¡°Alright then, please keep in mind what I just told you.¡± Elijah''s face grew blank as she watched Elnore leave. ¡°What the hell?¡± How can you do this when you''re not in any relationship with that person? Elijah couldn''t understand why someone as high as the Duke''s daughter would write a man''s name in large fonts on the outside of a letter envelope and deliver it. I heard that Dowd Campbell came from an unremarkable baron family. What businesses does she have from someone like that. -I quite like her. -Facade. I know. In fact, I have a rough idea of her actions. Then, Elijah suddenly remembered these words. These were what Dowd Campbell had said the other day. He spoke as if he already knew the Student Council President. ¡°Hmm.¡± It was like a eureka moment. The puzzle pieces seem to fit together. The Student Council President says she has nothing to do with the man but has. The same man whose identity is still shrouded in mystery... ''There is something here...!'' These two are clearly hiding something. Digging deeper into this might lead to some complicated backstory. There could be a big secret about Duke Tristan! Elijah''s intuition was screaming. "Great. Let¡¯s continue trying to befriend him and gather some info.¡± If Dowd himself heard all this, he might also scream. ¡ñRe?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only Chapter 5.2 Chapter 5.2 IMPORTANT:I don''t have the raws for this novel and could only translate up to the free chapters (Episode 15) so if anyone has the raws, feel free to dm me on discord at DuhLion#4454 (EP-5.2) Exam 005 - Exam Elfante Academy''s admissions and class assignments were done in two phases. The first was a group assignment that was weeded out through 1:1 sparring. After that, there''s the ''class placement'' exam that evaluates the student''s overall ability in detail. Students will be grouped according to their performance in the 1:1 sparring. I was assigned to the top group thanks to beating the next Hero candidate. Looking around, this group was riddled with confident faces who are proud to belong to this group. ¡°...¡± I''m the only odd one out, sticking out like a sore thumb. There are many reasons for that, but this woman was the biggest one. I glanced at Elijah, who''s in the same group. She made eye contact with me and waved. Her smile was almost appalling. ¡°...¡± Didn''t I beat her to death yesterday? There is nothing good about me getting involved with the main character. The more I interact with important people in the story, the more my life is at risk. In that respect, just Elnore alone is already too much to handle. I have to avoid her as best as I can. < Gift-related Character Notification > ¨‹ Elijah Krisanax [ Curiosity Level 4 ] >>> [ Curiosity Level 5 ] [ Rewards Currently Unavailable! ] [ Close to favorability status change! ] [ She is an important character. A special event will trigger after a successful status change! ] Why is her favorability soaring? What is it really? The timing was too perfect for it to be a coincidence. She would be having an ''event'' today, and she''s also somehow the one leading my group in the entrance exam. At this point, it would be more strange if nothing happens during the exam. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move into the exam venue first. I will entertain questions there.¡± I looked around nervously as I follow behind Elnore into the stadium. I don''t know what will happen. However, this was all for naught. There was no need for it to begin with because the situation was presented in the easiest way possible. As soon as I entered the stadium, the entrance suddenly closed shut with a bang. At the same time, all the lights inside the building went out. As if there was a sudden power outage. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Silence lingered in the dark room. Finally, one guy asked in a bewildered voice. ¡°Hey, you said you''re going to entertain questions, right? Is this also part of the exam?¡± Well, I guess I can answer that for you. [ ''Elnore'' Related Event Occurs! ] ¡¾Event: Subsequent Assassination Attempt¡¿ - Assassins are still out to target her! - Protect her from getting hurt! This was not part of the exam. It''s a trap! "..." Dowd Campbell. Day 3 of Admission to the academy. My life is already in danger. F_ck. ¡ñ IMPORTANT:I don''t have the raws for this novel and could only translate up to the free chapters (Episode 15) so if anyone has the raws, feel free to dm me on discord at DuhLion#4454 Chapter 6.1 Chapter 6.1 (EP-6.1) Assassination Attempt 006 - Assassination Attempt ¡ñ ¡°It seems that communication is blocked.¡± Elnore said after examining the devices around. ¡°Don''t worry too much, the academy will take action. ¡± Of course, the reason why the students are not freaking out was because of Elnore, calmly controlling the situation. In fact, rather than just being calm, it''s almost scary that her face didn''t change throughout all this. It even had me thinking if she''s capable of displaying emotions. ¡°Then do we just have to wait here?¡± A dwarven student anxiously asked. Looking at his wand and robe, they''re probably an aspiring Mage. "No, I don''t think so. ¡± Elijah, who had been silent the whole time, spoke with her arms folded. She continued with a smile as Elnore turned. ¡°Rather, if you don''t move, you might be in big trouble. Do you agree? ¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I am sure the President noticed it too. We''re not the only ones here. ¡± Elnore''s expression slightly distorted. Seeing this reaction, the students were puzzled. These two seems to have already figured out the situation. ¡°...¡± How did they do it? I have a mission window, that''s why I know. Are they, perhaps, using a skill similar to those martial arts masters? I guess they''re the main character and the final boss for a reason. ¡°It seems that they''re not here for a friendly exchange considering that the President is here. ¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°The President belongs to a prestigious family, I reckon that''s a good enough reason to think so.¡± She''s saying that it was a crime aimed at high ranking nobles, but this was sarcasm. The Tristan Family commit evil like breathing, trouble naturally follows them. Seemingly to have interpreted it that way, Elnore''s gaze cooled. ¡°You better choose your words carefully, freshman.¡± ¡°Ah, I wasn''t referring to anything.¡± Elijah innocently smiled at Elnore''s reaction.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com Now that I think about it, she was also pretty clever in the original game. She knows how to handle people. ¡°Anyway, wouldn''t it be better to move somewhere than wait here?¡± And no, I didn''t forget that the mission was to protect Elnore. However, let''s think for a moment here. Common sense, if you will. ''Would that woman need protection?'' She''s the Final Boss that could defeat the Hero Party, including the main character, alone. Why should I risk my allstat F @ss? Can''t I just leave them to the central hall and attract the assassin''s aggro, and hide until the situation is over? ¡°I can''t reveal it now, but it''s important. I''ll explain it later. ¡± I declared in a firm, serious voice. Ah, it''s technically not a lie. After all, what could be more important than saving my life? ¡ñ ¡°It worked.¡± I murmured and as I walked in a dark corridor. I was worried if it would work, but it seems that defeating Elijah in one punch boosted me. As expected, does credibility come from performance? The goal is to hide until the event is over. In the first place, Elnore is the assassins'' target. There is a high probability that they wouldn''t even care about me. I''ll just quietly enjoy myself somewhere, like pass some time- ¡°Wait, student!¡± -Well, that''s not happening now. It seems that I, indeed, have bad luck. Thinking inwardly, I looked at where the voice was from. A middle-aged man rushed towards me. ¡°You''re really alive...!¡± Soon, he arrived in front of me. On his chest was a faculty nameplate. He looked like he was having a hard time moving because of the darkness. His movements did seem uncomfortable. ¡°Can you escort me somewhere? I''ll ask others for help. ¡± ¡°... But the power in the building is cut off?¡± ¡°Ehei, this little thing can be fixed quickly. Should we restore it first?¡± I looked at the faculty without answering. Hmm. This man... [ Danger Detected. ] [ Hostility detected, no direct threat yet. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to F Class. ] Chapter 6.2 Chapter 6.2 (EP-6.2) Assassination Attempt 006 - Assassination Attempt He''s blatantly lying without batting an eye. F_ck. ''An assassin?'' If there''s ¡°hostility¡± coming from someone in this situation, what other things could they be? No, shouldn''t they be after the MC''s group that I had sent to another place? Why am I meeting an assassin like this? My bad luck is simply impeccable. "...Sure." I answered with a forced smile. Still, I think I can make do with this. ¡ñ ''This is easier than I thought.'' Hasmed thought as he looked at the student in front of him. The man looked like an ordinary student without any particular features. It was foolish of him to be deceived so easily without having any doubt. Of course, even a quick-witted person would easily fall for Hasmed''s performance. So you really can''t blame the kid. Crescent Moon''s Hasmed. The head of this assassination squad. He was a famous face-changing assassin, known for perfectly copying his victim''s identities. And his next target was this student. Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com ''If I''m a fellow student, even that Tristan girl won''t expect it.'' He''s heard that an earlier team was already caught and wiped out by that devilish woman. On the contrary, he''s wiping his forehead with a sigh of relief. ¡°It could have been dangerous if it was a half-strong guy, lucky~.¡± ¡°... What the heII are you talking about?¡± ¡°I wasn''t sure at first so I hesitated. And if I tried to fight a half-strong guy, it could''ve been really dangerous. I probably would''ve been jumped, wouldn''t I?¡± "What?" "Rhinitis, shaking fingers, weird walk... It''s relieving to see the habits I knew." ¡°...!¡± Hasmed''s face hardened. This guy was also looking at him. This was unexpected. He was always hunting others, but now he was in a position where he was being hunted by his prey! ''I can''t let this guy die easily.'' Hasmed has to make him spit out on how he knew all that before killing him. After vowing so, Hasmed rushed immediately. Even if the other person knew all that, his combat power remains nil. Hasmed will finish him at one go! ¡°Let''s see, Desperation is at A Class...¡± However, this guy was acting strange, mumbling unknown sounds despite Hasmed rushing at him. He even picked up a stick on the ground nearby as if it would do something. ''Ridiculous!'' He sneered in the inside and swung his blade for a fatal blow. However. The scene that followed was completely beyond his expectations. Chapter 7.1 Chapter 7.1 (EP-7.1) Assassination Attempt #2 007 - Assassination Attempt #2 ¡ñ ¡°What, you''re nothing special like I thought?¡± ¡°Ye, yeah...¡± No, that¡¯s because you guys are way beyond the student level. Elijah thought so and looked around at the groaning assassins spread out on the floor. From their skills, it was clear that they have lived on the edge of knives for a long time. It makes no sense for students to just subdue these people. ¡®Of course, there are people who can¡¯t be judged with common sense...¡¯ She then looked at the person quietly retrieving their sword with a wry smile, after single-handedly slaughtering the enemies. Even the other students, who had the power to easily deal with the leftover assassins, showed a sense of awe mixed with fear when they looked at this person. However, such a reaction was normal towards someone who subdued this many assassins with an undrawn sword. Among the best swordsmen on the continent was the Princess, praised as the greatest talent of all time. The swordsmanship she displays is in a realm where even Elijah, who had gone through numerous battles, could not help but admire. ¡®How many people on the continent can imitate that?¡¯ The Tristan Style Swordsmanship is a highly advanced skill where one is considered a genius just by being able to imitate it. And if one is able to master it, one could destroy common sense regardless of weapon. It was said that even a stick can be used to kiII. ¡°...?¡± Lost in her thoughts, Elijah suddenly noticed something. Elnore¡¯s hand was shaking. It was as if she was putting up with something excruciating. From an experienced point of view. It¡¯s as if she''s frustrated that she can''t "kiII" the other person. It looked like her body was screaming to pull out her sword and start hacking. ¡°...¡± Elijah felt silent goosebumps. Then as if noticing her gaze, Elnore subtly hid her hand behind and said. ¡°...It looks like we''ve subdued them all.¡± It was a clear signal not to talk about what she had just seen, to which Elijah agreed. If she tried to touch on the topic now, she might have a sword come and send her to the heavens.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com ¡°Yes, I think we should hand them over to the academy-¡° Elijah suddenly stopped mid sentence. It was because she found a shining blue jewel on the body of one of the assassins. It was a short-range communication device. Something that she''s seen several times before when subjugating monsters. This means that there are still others in the building that these guys keep in ¡®contact¡¯ with. ¡°A, aaaaak-!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t answer, I¡¯ll cut off the other side too.¡± ¡°Y, yes! He''s here!¡± Upon hearing that, Elnore threw the screaming assassin to the ground. She was stunned for a bit before running out, leaving the other students who remained still. ¡°Wait! What the heII is this madness!¡± Breaking an arm and ¡®threats¡¯ were not the same as pulling out a real sword and slashing a body part off! Elnore''s personality seemed to have turned a 180¡ã as soon as she heard that there was an assassin named Hasmed in the building. Elnore sighed and answered Elijah, who had quickly caught up. ¡°Because I needed an answer urgently. Lives are on the line and there''s medical equipment nearby.¡± ¡°...¡± That said, who would do such a thing without hesitation? ¡°What was that for...!¡± ¡°They said the assassin kills and steals his victims identity. Who do you think would be the easiest to target in this building right now?¡± Elijah was speechless. Come to think of it, there was one. One person who dared to separate from the group saying it was ¡®necessary¡¯. ¡°...No way.¡± Elijah said firmly. ¡°Did he use himself as bait to lure the strongest opponent there?¡± Logically speaking, this is just all speculation. You can''t just know that such an assassin is coming in the first place. And even if you did, why would you risk your own life to do such a dangerous thing- -I, quite like that person. ¡°...¡± -It''s possible. Now, it was clear that this assassination attempt was aimed at Princess Tristan. And it was evident that Elnore agrees, seeing that she kept her mouth shut without answering. ¡°I¡¯ll have to go there and check.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this? What is the relationship between you two...?¡± ¡°...Didn¡¯t you say that there''s nothing between you two?¡± Elnore said. ¡°At least as far as I know.¡± But, unlike before. She wasn''t even sure of herself now. ¡ñ Chapter 7.2 Chapter 7.2 (EP-7.2) Assassination Attempt #2 007 - Assassination Attempt #2 No matter how you look at Elfante Academy, it''s difficult to regard it as a normal educational institution. The fact that there are things that would never be in a normal school is already widespread among outsiders. Since it is such an old and mysterious place, there there are all kinds of ¡®abnormalities¡¯ in the school itself. Secret rooms hidden everywhere, ghosts that pop out randomly certain times, and certain buildings that are said to hold legends... Hasmed was familiar with those things. He had heard more than a few thousand things, but it had been a long time since he had memorized them all. Regardless, he''s a well-known professional assassin. If he''s unable to deal with a situation at this level, then he doesn''t deserve such a reputation. Hence, when he saw the translucent blue ''membrane'' on his arm, he couldn''t help but be stunned. ¡®The Guardian''s Soul...!¡¯ It''s a suppressive defensive barrier and has the effect of greatly reducing the power of the weapon wielded by the attacker within the specified range. Although it is said to appear in some buildings, both the exact time and place when it happens is random. But why did this appear here? As Hasmed was thinking that, the student in front began to approach him with the stick. ¡®Fool!¡¯ Hasmed snorted. Even with a weapon-disabling barrier, a trained assassin themself is a weapon. Further, Hasmed ranks top among such assassins. What can a kid do with a stick? Like what could that weak ass body without a hint of combat skill do? At least, this was what Hasmed thought. Until... The first blow. -! -!! A storm-like series of attacks raged in an instant. In the blink of an eye, Hasmed was screaming. His vital had been hit and couldn''t hold in the scream. However, the psychological shock was hitting him more than the physical pain. ¡®I can¡¯t follow his moves...!¡¯ As a top rank assassin, there are only a few sword styles in the continent that he can''t identify. Not to mention, if it was wielded by a swordsman who could exert this much power with an object that was not even a sword to begin with! ¡®Tristan Style Swordsmanship!¡¯ Why is it that he couldn¡¯t read the skills of a guy who could execute such a technique? ¡®...!¡¯ It was then that epiphany dawned on him. If what he''s thinking is right... ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have messed with this guy from the start...!¡¯ Hasmed thought as he helplessly fell to the ground. ¡ñ [ Successfully used Attribute! ]Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com [ Attribute: Tristan Style Swordsmanship Proficiency Increased. ] ¡°...¡± Ah, yes. ¡°Spread the word to not approach Princess Tristan. Even an assassin like you almost died trying.¡± I don¡¯t know who this guy¡¯s boss is, but given that this happened during an academy event, there¡¯s a good chance they''re no ordinary lunatic. Even with this failure, there is a high chance that they''ll try again and again, ultimately stacking Elnore¡¯s ¡®Corruption¡¯. Gradually increasing the odds of the Gray Devil being unleashed. Hence, it''s best to cut off any kind of attempt at their source. Hasmed is a well-known assassin in his own right. Shouldn''t something like this deter others to take on the assassination request? ¡°...¡± Hasmed¡¯s expression turned strange. ¡°What are you going to do if I don¡¯t keep my promise? If you let me go, we might aim for Princess Tristan again?¡± Actually, I don¡¯t think so. Knowing the ¡®Vagabonds¡¯ in the original work, he definitely won''t. They¡¯re not the type who would go against someone who saved their life. Strangely enough, they are criminals who strictly upholds honor. But let¡¯s spit some talk here. ¡°Try again, then.¡± I continued with a smirk. ¡°I''ll still be there to protect her.¡± ¡°...Is Princess Tristan that precious to you?¡± ¡°You can think of it however you want.¡± Let''s just gloss over it since it''s a pain to explain in detail. Saying ''because she favors me'' will lead to more questions. This should be fine... [ Skill: Fatal Charm Activated! ] [ The skill efficiency is extremely high! ] [ The Villain¡¯s favor has greatly increased! ] [ The Villain¡¯s favor has greatly increased! ] [ The Villain¡¯s favor has crazily increased! ] [ The Villain¡¯s favor... ] ¡°...¡± What is this? As soon as I finished talking, system prompts began to madly appear one after the other, effectively blocking my vision. Uh. No way. ¡°...¡± Turning my head slightly, I see a wide-eyed Elnore at the end of the hallway. It was clear that she had heard everything. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± I''m in deep shi?. I don¡¯t know why, but I feel that way. ¡ñ Chapter 8.1 Chapter 8.1 (EP-8.1) Crazed Swordsman 008 - Crazed Swordsman ¡°This is a mess, a mess.¡± Beatrix groaned with her head buried on the desk. The situation was obvious just by looking at the piled up documents that had piled up like mountains. The President of Elfante Academy was outraged by the bloodshed inside the academy. Not to mention that it was during an official event. So much so that there''s an official letter ordering to find the ringleader in just less than a day after the incident. The problem was that if one were to look at the route and time the assassins infiltrated, it was clear that there was an ''insider'' helping them. This fact is probably a big part of why the president was so angry. Beatrix slightly lifted her head, then said with narrowed eyes. ¡°Still, all of you who were present will receive commendations for subduing that many armed personnel without a single casualty.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Beatrix¡¯s expression slightly distorted hearing the soulless reply. ¡°...The problem is that guy, Dowd Campbell. He¡¯s missing from the list of people to receive a commendation. I don''t know why and there¡¯s no reason for him to be excluded. I think he''s deliberately trying to be low-key.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°The academic team is definitely working on something. It seems like they''re preparing something big, with that guy as the center.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I''mma hit you if you answer like that one more time.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± A sitting Elnore was blankly staring at the ceiling, as she casually caught the ink bottle flying towards her. Seeing her do that without even turning her head was deserving of her title of Princess Tristan, however that didn¡¯t make Beatrix less angry. ¡°What''s wrong with you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You''ve been like that the whole day. Where is your mind wandering off to?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°People coming after you is nothing new, but this time feels a little different. I don¡¯t know who, but seeing how they openly committed two assassination attempts in a short period of time shows that they''re very determined.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°I guess so¡ª It¡¯s not a one and done thing, s?upid. Do you think that someone stubborn would give up just because they failed this time? Are you sure they''re not going to try again?¡± Elnore, who was looking at Beatrix, turned her gaze back to the ceiling. Beatrix could only let out a heated sigh. ¡°...I do not know. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, I won¡¯t help you if you don¡¯t tell me either.¡± ¡°Beatrix.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If Archduke Tristan finds out¡ª¡± However, Beatrix was forced to shut her mouth. As soon as she said that, it felt like the temperature in the entire room had gone down several degrees. ¡°...Yes, that old man would be displeased.¡± Elnore replied in a frosty voice. This wasn''t the attitude you''d expect from a daughter to her father, but Beatrix didn¡¯t put too much thought to it. He didn''t even contact his daughter after two assassination attempts. You don¡¯t have to ask to know what the relationship between the two is like. So, she decided to change topics. ¡°This situation is kind of... weird. How did he seduce you-¡° ¡°I didn''t get seduced.¡± Beatrix laughed at the sight of a disgruntled Elnore twirling the ends of her hair. It''s probably like that since she wouldn¡¯t care about what others had to say. ¡°Anyway, if he had been kind to you in any way, you¡¯re usually the first to question why.¡± The environment molds a person. Sadly, Princess Tristan was in an environment where it''s a must to assume that there''s some intention behind everything rather than trusting people¡¯s pure kindness. But now, strangely enough, this woman was trusting this man. As if something had compelled her into it. ¡°It seems so.¡± Considering her usual tendency, it was unprecedented for someone to approach and impact her that quickly and greatly. Elnore should be aware of this too. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we test it out?¡± ¡°What test?¡± ¡°We''re just going to take a closer look.¡± ¡°...What are you talking about?¡± Seeing Elnore smile instead of answering, gave Beatrix goose bumps. She felt a sense of foreboding. At least when this woman had this look, things wouldn''t remain quiet. ¡°Hey, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Let''s go get something to eat. It¡¯s about time.¡± ¡°Don''t change the subject-!¡± ¡ñ [Previous Chapter][Index][Next Chapter] Chapter 8.2 Chapter 8.2 (EP-8.2) Crazed Swordsman 008 - Crazed Swordsman I glared at the letter in my hand.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com It bears the seal of the Elfante Academic Team so it should be genuine. Its mana imprint is difficult to forge. The problem was the content of the letter. [ Student Dowd Campbell''s class is not yet available for viewing. ] [ The Academic Team is working on a project to produce the best results. ] [ You can expect good news. ] No. I don¡¯t want to expect anything. Can¡¯t you just put it me a suitable class and leave me alone? I have no idea what kind of grand project they''re working on. ¡®In the first place...¡¯ It was strange for the academy to suddenly send me a letter like this personally. Although an accident happened in the middle of it, the situation was settled smoothly. That is to say, class assignment should have gone back to normal. In fact, the main character¡¯s party, including Elijah, took the test after the accident and were assigned to a ¡®special class¡¯. Why can''t I have that streamline process? Why am I the only odd one out? ¡°...I don''t know.¡± I muttered as I kept the letter away. There''s no point in focusing on things without an answer. Instead of that, this... < System Message> [ Confirmed completion of class assignment after admission. ] [ The first main quest has been completed. ] [ Updating additional information! ] The first main quest I received was ¡®Complete the Class Assignment after Admission¡¯. Since the system gave a prompt, the requirements have been met. But this was a problem. [ Main Quest ] [ Successfully solve the incident that will happen at the freshmen welcome party! ] [ D-3 ] [ Reward: Exclusive Equipment Material ] The freshmen welcome party was an event marking the beginning of Sera¡¯s ¡®Quarter¡¯. To be precise, it¡¯s about choosing which character path the main character would take. Their would-be ¡®profession¡¯ is determined on what they''ll take interest in. Ranged marksman, melee warrior, support priest or wide-area mage... You can say that it''s the staple. Maybe giving me materials for ¡®Exclusive Equipment¡¯ was a part of that. Exclusive Equipment is equipment that can be developed by specializing in a field. Once fostered to completion, its power would be overwhelming. Though, in the beginning, it can only perform simple functions. In other words, if I decide on the main professions like the main character, I will be given specialized growth equipment. Having that taken care of is a good thing. ¡°...¡± But it''s dangerous. Like the main character, Elijah, Elnore would also ''grow'' into her final boss form. Of course, she is the top predator of the academy right now, but there is no reason to waste this now when I could get heIIa good skills in the future. ¡°...¡± But then, I would have to prepare for the event in 3 days without this. Fortunately, I know where to get things that will help me survive. ¡°Huu...¡± I breathed out a long exhalation and faced my goal in front. It is an old warehouse within a long walking distance outside the academy building. However, for a rundown place, it was exuding extreme irony as it had no reason to be plastered with all kinds of defensive magic, including perception-damping spells. It is called the ¡®supply room¡¯ among the faculty. Though, for Sera veterans, it''s familiarly known as an ¡®Item Farm¡¯. It''s generally used to store educational materials and equipment. However Elfante¡¯s history is deep, and it contains mountains of unique relics. Among them are things that only players who have played the game know the value of. There¡¯s only one thing I¡¯m aiming for. ¡®Divine''s Ultima.¡¯ It is an early survival item that brings the strongest impact in Sera if properly used. It''s originally an item that belongs to the second chapter boss, ¡®Yuria Greyhounder¡¯. She was nicknamed as the ¡®Crazed Swordsman¡¯, a crazy bi?ch who slices up anyone who comes within a certain distance. ¡°...¡± I''m actually worried that snatching such an item from an important person in advance would bring heavy implications. However, I have no choice if I want to prepare for the event in 3 days. None of the shi? in this world is my fault, but why am I being so hard-pressed? In any case, Yuria is incredibly strong, hence why she''s a chapter boss. But she can''t cause problems if she''s not able to grow. ¡°Alright then.¡± Let''s farm some items then head back. Nothing would go wrong, right? ¡ñ 5 minutes later. I was cursing myself for making such a statement. I looked at the black-haired girl who was silently swaying in front of me. Tears were welling up in her eyes. A petite body that barely reached my neck and an appearance that resembles a cat. Overall, she did not look much from a child. I could even call her cute if it wasn''t for the fact that she''s pointing a sword at my neck. [Can you please stay still?] Such ¡®words¡¯ floated in the air. This woman doesn¡¯t speak with her voice, she expresses herself this way. And by saying that, you mean... ¡°...So it¡¯s easier to slice?¡± [Yes.] You crazy bi?ch. This was none other than Yuria Greyhounder, the Chapter 2 Boss. And my life is being threatened by such a person right now. ¡°...¡± Why can¡¯t things go smoothly? ¡ñ Chapter 9.1 Chapter 9.1 (EP-9.1) Crazed Swordsman #2 009 - Crazed Swordsman #2 The plan was perfect. No matter how much Elfante decked out their security, they don''t know of players who could treat the ¡®supply room¡¯ like their front yard. Although if you get greedy and take too much, it''s very likely that you''ll get caught and punished. But even so, taking a few necessary items is essential for progress. It is said that you can navigate through a route even with your eyes closed. And if you can use the ¡®point shop¡¯ like me and have plenty of points to spend, this is the easiest way to break through. ¡ò Haste Potion [ Item: Consumable ] [ Price: 100pts ] [ Speeds up the user¡¯s movements within a certain amount of time. ] ¡ò Shadow Mask [ Equipment: Accessory ] [ Price: 100pts ] [ Hides the wearer¡¯s face and modulates the voice. ] ¡ò Catwalk Shoes [ Equipment: Shoes ] [ Price: 200pts ] [ Eliminates noise in footsteps! ] Taking the potion allowed me to quickly weave through the various security nets, while the mask hides my identity from the video recording magic set up everywhere. Finally, the Catwalk Shoes block any signs of my infiltration. It was a cost-effective combination of stealth and speed. With this, I was able to evade many of the security in the academy. ¡®...Having points is nice.¡¯ Just by using only a few hundred points, I quickly infiltrated the supply room which normally take days of preparation. In terms of performance, it could compare to an Assassin''s C Class Stealth skill. The only flaw it had is that it disappears after usage. Still, it¡¯s a big advantage to be able to access all kinds of items. Items that cost more than a few thousand points could even turn a disaster around. ¡°Whew...¡± Exhaling, I climbed out of a window and jumped down in a half-exhausted state. The Haste Potion temporarily gave me some speed. However, my stamina is still hot F trash. Even a simple exercise like this was hard. ¡®I''m dying...¡¯ Thinking so, I rummaged through my pockets. I happen to have the right thing for a situation like this. ¡ò Rejuvenating Biscuits x2 [ Item: Consumable ] [ Price: 50pts ] x2 [ Is your body tired? Recover your stamina with these biscuits! Peanut flavor, 10 pieces per bag! ] [ Remaining Points: 2,000pts ] ¡°...¡± And as she stretched out her arms, her yawns gradually subsided, sensing something strange. Her yellow eyes stared blankly at the surroundings. And soon, our eyes meet. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Let¡¯s put her down... I held the girl with both hands and made her stand. For a few seconds, we were just silently staring into each other¡¯s eyes. Then finally. The girl realizes that she has been ¡®held¡¯ by a man she has never seen before. Her immediate lightning-like reaction was grabbing the handle of the sword she was clutching. [ A moment of danger has been detected. ] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX Class. ] Yep. I¡¯m f*cked. ¡ñ There are many reasons why a character is classified as evil in Sera, but one of the criteria for classification is ¡®Karma¡¯. To put it simply, it''s the ¡®number of kills¡¯. Depending on how many people you killed, your affinity would lean more towards the bad side. In that context, one''s Karma could easily get corrupted. Hence the devil, a key villain throughout the entire scenario, usually approaches people with high karma first. And a person who is at the extreme of such system is currently right in front of me. She''s normally not harmful. Unless you get close. ¡°...¡± What happens when you get close? Well... Let''s just say that this person''s Karma dunks on Elnore, who is known to kill people, with an overwhelming number. The one who killed the most people in this academy right now is this little girl. ¡°...!¡± And looking at the sword flying towards me, I can fully understand how that was possible. The main character Elijah couldn¡¯t even react to the EX Class Desperation and was blown away in a single punch. And yet, now, I could only react to the trajectory of Yuria''s sword. ¡°-...!¡± Realizing that it''s a true life-or-death situation, my concentration heightened to the point where the world seems to have slowed down. . . . [T/N: Still looking for RAWS]Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com Chapter 9.2 Chapter 9.2 (EP-9.2) Crazed Swordsman #2 009 - Crazed Swordsman #2 Unlike the spar with Elijah, this attack had the intention to kill. I parried the first blow to my neck using the incense burner I was holding in my hand. It''s a relic and won¡¯t be easily destroyed just from a few attacks, making it a good substitute for a shield. Zeng-! Sparks flew with a sound. ¡®What a monster...!¡¯ Despite having enhanced strength with enough power to blow away a human like a feather, my body felt numb. It was absurdly powerful for an attack done without proper stance and right after waking up. Fortunately, I know how to avoid being beaten. I threw my body backwards and rolled. This is a s?upid move if you¡¯re in combat. It has no meaning other than keeping a distance from the opponent. However, against this girl, this was a good move. As soon as my body touched the floor, I instinctively measured the distance between us. ¡®Three and a half steps.¡¯ It¡¯s a distance where I can reach her without the risk of getting sliced. Meanwhile, Yuria remained rooted on her spot. She exhibits near invincible combat power against opponents who entered within a ¡®three steps¡¯ range from her. Inversely, she cannot invade within ¡®three steps¡¯ of the opponent. A human being forced to distance herself from everyone. The ¡®curse¡¯ on this person was designed that way. [Can you please stay still?] Of course, seeing that sentence floating in the air with that teary eyes, it was clear that she wasn¡¯t too happy about me not being within range. ¡°...So it¡¯s easier to slice?¡± [Yes.] I expected that much. Though I''m stuck in quite a bit of a dilemma. A wall at the back and Yuria''s sword in front. I am safe as long as I''m more than three steps away, but I have no way of escaping in this situation. I could risk it for the biscuit and pass through her, but with such intense hostility, that''s the last thing I want to do. I''d rather try negotiating first... ¡°...?¡± Wait a minute. Negotiate. I can negotiate. Some ideas started to come to mind. As someone who''s forced to keep a distance from everyone, Yuria¡¯s life was solitary. This was all an unexpected encounter. So considering that she prefers an environment where there are ¡®few people¡¯ and with a ¡®constant state¡¯, assuming that is not too far off. The faculty members have their own residence and would not come here unless it''s for business. People in such an environment always suffer chronically. ¡°...¡± Yuria asked blankly. Seeing dozens of floating question marks, she must have been quite taken aback. ¡°Someone I know said to take care of you.¡± [Someone you know...?] Actually, that person doesn''t exist. However, saying this BS will help later. It would''ve been impossible to create a variable like this in the original game. But at the same time, if it was the original game, I wouldn''t have encountered Yuria in the supply room. With that said, shouldn¡¯t I take advantage of the opportunity of meeting her here? This would make things run more smoothly for me in the future. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your sister is doing well in the Holy Land.¡± The key is to deliver this information in advance. Yuria¡¯s body visibly stiffened hearing this. ¡°The Emperor won¡¯t pay you or your sister any attention for the time being. He still has to deal with those hidden at the academy.¡± The girl tightly embraced her chain-wrapped sword that never once left her side. Although it was a small action, the swirl of emotions it brought was terrifyingly intense. It''s all because of that person that Yuria has come to Elfante Academy, far away from her hometown Holy Land, and living a life like this. Originally, this would be covered in detail in Chapter 2. But she at least deserves to know some general information about her one and only family. ¡°...¡± My eyes couldn''t help but linger on the sword that Yuria was holding. It didn''t look like it had any special features on the outside, but it''s actually a terrifying high rank item in Sera. Yuria actually plays the role of a kind of ¡®seal¡¯ that suppresses its fangs. The curse associated with the three steps also comes from that thing. She''s probably under constant threat of mental corruption even worse than Elnore. Shouldn¡¯t we give her some hopeful news to ease her suffering? [You, who are you? Where did you come from...] ¡°I''ll get going now.¡± I can''t possibly tell her that in detail. ¡®Because there is no such thing in the first place.¡¯ Uh. If a lie is too long, its tail will easily get stomped on. It would be better to mysteriously exit while I still can. On the way, I made sure to pick up the incense burner that''s on the floor due to the aftermath of the previous collision. Someone from the Holy Land would know the value of this item, but Yuria seemed too shocked by what I said and didn¡¯t to pay any attention to this. Thank god...! It¡¯s worth the talk...! ¡°...I¡¯ll come again.¡± Still, I left her with a farewell message. Even if I can no longer go to the supply room and steal in the future, I¡¯m sure there will be one more time. Look out for me then. Eung? ¡ñ [T/N: I''ll only release character illustrations as they are introduced in the story. If you want to get spoiled in advance, you can visit the discord] Yuria Greyhounde Chapter 10.1 Chapter 10.1 (EP-10.1) Angel...? 010 - Angel...? Madam Ophelia, the Supervisor of the freshman dormitory, is a gentle person in many ways. She always has a warm smile and doesn¡¯t get angry, maintaining a lovely squint. She is also a beauty with rich blonde hair, which made her all the more popular among the students. However, the fact that she received the title of ¡®Madam¡¯ shows that she''s not just an easy person, and a regular Knight on active duty. It is almost a heavenly feat for green horns who have just entered the academy. Being a regular Knight is an enviable job that requires one to be a talent of at least the 5th Rank, which is the minimum standard to even be considered. ¡°Is everyone here-?¡± Of course, that isn''t really apparent right now, especially with her being so soft spoken.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com With a wry smile, I followed Lady Ophelia, who is leading the freshmen from the front. The atmosphere is reminiscent of that of a mother duck leading her little ducklings behind. We''re currently in the highest hill in Elfante Academy, the Grande Hill, where you could see all the nearby facilities. It is the best place to introduce new students to the overall structure of the academy. ¡°That¡¯s the dormitory. I think everyone is familiar with where it is, right? The facilities used by each department are different ¡ªover there is a physical training room mainly used by the School of Knights, while over there is the magic training hall used by the School of Magic...¡± As for me, these explanations were just a repeat of what I already know. Elfante¡¯s curriculum is divided into five Schools, with each representing a field. Knight, Magic, Utility, Crafting, Theology. This is not just exclusive to Elfante, the Tribal Union and Holy Land also follow the same system. Starting from the welcome party that will be held in a few days, the freshmen will choose their majors and minors, and the same goes for the main character. ¡®... Actually, the Schools here are different.¡¯ They may be called ¡®Schools¡¯ but looking at the ''facilities'' and their size, it is not an exaggeration to say that each is a small city of their own. True to its reputation as one of the best educational institution on the continent, the amount of land and budget allocated to each School is staggering. The same applies to the Holy Land and Tribal Union. Elfante Academy, Great Temple, Fighting Furnace. The reason why there are so many high-quality staff among the academy faculty is because their main job is monitoring and guarding the Void Zone. And as to not waste manpower, they also serve as teachers on the side. ¡°...¡± However, considering the main scenario, it is not so unlikely that the real devil will be released. I feel dirty. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a famous place passed down even in myths? Can we go closer and take a look?¡± ¡°Uh-um-¡± Seeing several students, whose eyes were burning with passion for learning, Madam Ophelia pursed her lips and scratched her cheek. Seeing this, I calmly kept my backpack. Part of the reason why Madam Ophelia is called ¡®Mommy¡¯ by players is because she wouldn''t reject a request from the students. What will follow is already obvious... ¡°Then, shall we only go as far as Seraph-nim''s protection allows-? It¡¯s safe as long as we''re inside-¡° Right. ¡ñ Another name for the messenger of God revealed in mythology is an angel. As an existence that appeared together when the devil awakened and began to plunge the world into chaos, the angel delivered various blessings and knowledge to humans. It is said that an angel''s power could boil the sea and overturn mountains. A Seraph is a name given only to special beings among the angels. It can be said that they have a status that is almost equivalent to that of a demigod by wordly standards. ¡°Then we''ll have lunch around here-¡± And such an existence had set up a protective barrier with enough stability that people could have a leisurely meal near the Void Zone. In the first place, the reason why the academy is able to exist near here is because of this barrier. The sight of bright white light clusters floating around is a spectacle, which naturally garnered the admiration of the students. After settling down and taking out their lunchbox, one of the students asked Madam Ophelia another question. ¡°Oh, I heard that priests often visit this area. This is one of the few pieces of evidence that we can use to study the power of angels, right?¡± ¡°That''s right-?¡± Chapter 10.2 Chapter 10.2 (EP-10.2) Angel...? 010 - Angel...? ¡°Then, have you ever seen an angel in person?¡± The student continued to ask with sparkling eyes. It was a reasonably curious question. Legend has it that angels, who normally dwell in another plane of existence, would descend to the human world and bestow mortals ¡®blessings¡¯ or ¡®gifts.¡¯ Each one is extremely powerful, and it is said that the blessings and gifts would go down in history. The stakes for theologians or priests seeing an angel is high. As far as I know, it¡¯s a legend based on facts. Of course, there''s naturally some conditions. ¡°Well, I''ve seen numerous fancy ceremonies and rituals performed while I''m on duty, but there was never a case where an angel appeared-¡± The student who asked Madam Ophelia the question nodded in understanding at her answer. After all, it''s an angel we''re talking about here. Can such an existence just be summoned at will? However. ¡®...It''s actually easier than what everyone thinks.¡¯ I approached Madam Ophelia while thinking to myself. ¡°Excuse me, can I eat a little further away?¡± ¡°Hmm-?¡± Madam Ophelia tilted her head, her expression asking, ''why?'' ¡°I feel a little uncomfortable eating here.¡± ¡°...Ahh-¡° However, after hearing my words and looking around, she nodded her head. I had defeated Elijah with one punch and was also in the scene of the crime during the attempted assassination of Princess Tristan. My reputation naturally skyrocketed after such events. Of course, most of the gazes on me don''t look so pleased. In fact, there is a high possibility that they are on the bad side. Further, me subduing Hasmed during the entrance exam and simply letting him go could lead to a lot of problems. That''s why Elijah and Elnore, who witnessed it, also remained silent. In other words, the public''s perception of me is that I''m a freeloader who did nothing while Princess Tristan was being assassinated and a fraud that cheated to defeat the next hero candidate. Rumors tend to be blown out of the proportion. However, those who follow and believe such gossip without a second thought are people who don''t like me in the first place. A nameless noble from an unknown no-root baron family is undeserving of the spotlight. ¡°Try not to go too far, okay¡ª? It''s dangerous-¡° ¡°Yes.¡± Of course, what they say or think is none of my concerns. On the contrary, I am grateful for such opposition as it made Madam Ophelia agree to my request to leave. ¡®Let¡¯s see...¡¯ I walked somewhere far enough where I wouldn''t be bothered by anyone. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough holy water compound to plug the gap in the barrier! Can I borrow some?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do one thing right, can you as$hole? Give me the brush, I''ll do it myself. Zoomers these days can¡¯t do anything right. Back in my day-¡° ¡°...¡± Listening to their conversation, I''m glad I came alone. If devout believers saw this scene, they would have passed out foaming on their mouths. ¡°Um, by the way Squad Leader. You know that human over there?¡± ¡°Yeah, who''s he?¡± ¡°You mean the one that''s been staring at us since earlier?¡± ¡°It probably just a coincidence. Still, it¡¯s nice that he¡¯s quiet. Those annoying bas?ards spawn out of nowhere and cause ruckus...¡± Alright, let¡¯s think about this. What meaning would a grand ceremony or ritual really hold in front of such people? They''re dragged out for manual labor that they didn''t want to do. They roll around like dogs, feeling like shi? and wanted to die. They''re in a sensitive state where they want to kiII someone constantly trying to talk to them. What would happen if dozens or hundreds of people flock to them and recite Buddhist scriptures or Bible verses over and over, and over again? There is a reason why angels do not show themselves. All the above is just annoying to them. People are lucky a disaster hasn''t befallen them. On the contrary, what they want is something very simple and primitive. I sighed and took out the ¡®offerings¡¯ I brought from my bag. Generic alcohol with high alcohol content and lacking subtlety, but with a strong and distinct taste. There''s also meat I bought at a reasonable price at the market. These are simple and rough taste that commoners enjoy, but there¡¯s nothing like it. It¡¯s a kind of special set for construction workers. This is probably the best way to rejuvenate from doing intense labor. Pyeonyuk (sliced meat) with a glass of makgeolli (rice wine) after a serious sweat sesh. What more can you want? ¡°...The guy got good taste. Did he pick what we like?¡± ¡°Should I ask for a little...¡± ¡°We cannot descend to the material world without the acknowledgement of the human who called us. The conditions aren¡¯t met, so what''s the point of asking...¡± ¡°Ajusshis.¡± When I said this, the chattering angels around me suddenly quieted down. They realized that I am aware of their presence. With a smile, I continued. ¡°If you just work and don''t eat, you''ll eventually wear your bodies out.¡± The angels¡¯ eyes turned upside down. [T/N: this chapter gave me a headache] Chapter 11.1 Chapter 11.1 (EP-11.1) Orientation 011 - Orientation The laws of the hidden world apply differently than in the material world. Even if you just use a single portion of food as a burnt offering, the people here can all drink, play music and do other things. ¡°Ah... I''m wasted...¡± ¡°This is the good shi?...¡± ¡°...¡± As a result, there''s a bunch of drunken angels currently lying on the floor. I''m watching all this while holding up a sigh. However. Regardless of how much they look like wasted drunkards right now, if they are put in the material world, each and every one of them is a being capable of a power comparable to that of a military corps. There¡¯s no need to do anything disrespectful. ¡°Hey, I ate well.¡± The one with the reddest face among the scattered angels stood up. Obviously... it was the Lord Angel. Among the angels present, he''s clearly the one with the highest rank. ¡°Thanks to you, working became enjoyable for a bit. It''s been a while, and who knows when we''re able to experience this again.¡± ¡°They''re not feeding you at work?¡± ¡°What kind of food would there be in this world? We don¡¯t even have physiological needs.¡± ¡°...Do you have something else then?¡± ¡°Look at our condition. What do you think?¡± ¡°...¡± Oh my God. Doesn¡¯t that mean that they''re on military service for eternity without pay? According to the setting, this race is virtually immortal in the hidden world. What angels? They''re just winged slaves. ¡°Don¡¯t think about useless things, now tell me.¡± As I was giving the other person a sympathetic look, the Lord Angel smiled and pointed at something. It was the still-smoking Divine''s Ultima incense burner. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You came to us because you wanted something. Tell me and I''ll give it to you.¡± Around me were loud mumbling of Iya~ Squad Leader is so hot~ He''s alive~ The angels twisted, nonessential rambles were dizzying. ¡°...¡± But, well, he''s not wrong. Even though the purpose of the Ultima was simply to reveal the hidden world, the reason why it is classified as a ¡®survival¡¯ item is that when you encounter this side in the game, it''ll unconditionally get infused with divine protection. ¡°Say what you want and I''ll do the best I can.¡± However, it was totally unexpected that they''ll just give it to me before I could even negotiate. I¡¯ve even prepared dozens of bargaining chips specifically for them. While I was blankly staring at this development that had worked so well for me, the main angel continued. ¡°You just don''t decide to offer things to air. Looking at you, it seems that you know the rules and laws of angels.¡± ¡°...To be honest, I kinda do.¡± ¡°I can tell just by looking at your expression. Usually, humans I¡¯ve seen get scared right away when they hear these words.¡± A ferocious smile crept across his face. ¡°But you... You remained calm and even planned on how to live through to see the next day. People like that typically have a long life.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Trust me, the average person don¡¯t do that. You''re a bud waiting to bloom.¡± Again, it''s an onerously high evaluation. I¡¯m just trying because I don¡¯t want to die. But this is still coming from an angel. I''ll need to give it some serious thought. This is pretty important- ¡°Squad Leader, you''re talking nonsense after receiving the good shi??¡± ¡°Come here quickly, use the shovel not eat it.¡± ¡°Look at these little f*cks. Hey, you sons of bi?ches became my superiors all of a sudden, huh-¡± ¡°...¡± It will be important. Maybe. Hopefully... ¡ñ ¡®This is great.¡¯ Thinking so, I looked at the incense burner in my hand. The protections I received from the angels were quietly dwelling inside. < Item Info > [ Divine''s Ultima ] [ Item Grade: C+ ] [ This incense burner has been used for ancestral rites for a long time. It has been influenced by the divine who exist in the hidden world and have acquired special powers. ] ¡ò Built-in Skills ¡ò ¡ö [ Penance ] [ Skill Grade: C ] [ Temporarily converts all additional stats to ¡®Endurance¡¯. ] [ Consumes a small amount of mana. ] ¡ù [ This skill can be evolved! ] Upon evolution, the skill changes to [ Proof of Faith ]! ¡ö [ Guardian Shield ] [ Skill Grade: C ] [ Creates a protective shield that absorbs incoming attack once. ] [ Consumes a small amount of mana. ] [ The strength of the shield is affected by the ¡®Endurance¡¯ stat. ] [ Has a 20 second cooldown. ] ¡ù [ This skill can be evolved! ] Upon evolution, the skill changes to [ Stigmata ]! . . . {T/N: This is yesterday''s chapter, but I fell asleep before I could upload} Chapter 11.2 Chapter 11.2 (EP-11.2) Orientation 011 - Orientation Looking at the effects that can be used right away, it is quite useful. Among the stats, ¡®Endurance¡¯ is mainly related to health. It is in charge of the body¡¯s resilience, stamina and durability. This makes it heavily tied to survival. The higher it is, the more effective the protective equipments or abilities. If this is combined with the stat-raising Desperation skill, it would create a combo perfect for protection and survival. ¡®And...¡¯ The key point is that it can evolve. It will take time as the only way to evolve it is to use it as much as possible and increase the proficiency. But the ability of the skill to grow is definitely a merit. The performance of all the things that can ¡®grow¡¯ in the world of Sera rapidly increase as their level goes up. Getting this from the very beginning of the scenario is a great boon. This was a good initiative that led to receiving the protection of the Lord Angel. ¡®Isn¡¯t this a good that I got this now? With this, I have more time to grow.¡¯ Of course, being able to meet an angel itself is possible after Chapter 2. But being able to interact directly with a main angel would take a longer time than that. Receiving protection from such an existence for free is huge. The problem is this. [ Consumes a small amount of mana. ] I looked at such sentences on the skill window with gloomy eyes. Generally, skills require mastering related traits, such as magic power and divine power. But I don''t know any one of those, they''re nothing but pies in the sky.Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com Elfante students learn this type of knowledge from childhood, meaning the academy doesn''t''t teach it. ¡°...¡± In this situation where I can¡¯t learn magic right away, I have to find a way to use temporarily. I probably won''t get it right here, but I can get it with a ''clue''. ¡°Here, here! This is a magic gun that was refined by the Firearms Department of the Crafting School! Come now and get 10 free shots of 10 bullets made from grinded spirit stones! If you perform well, there will be prizes!¡± ¡°Who would come to such an unpopular department? Are you lying?¡± Judging from the self-deprecating remarks, they seem aware of the fact that their department is exceptionally non-mainstream among the Knight departments. Knights have the highest prestige among the main armies of the empire, thus regular Knights are a target for envy. However, the probability of becoming a regular knight is extremely low in the Magic Research Department. At best, they''ll probably land a job as an office worker if it worked out well. ¡®If I get along with them, there would be no other place that''s as comfortable as here.¡¯ True to the department¡¯s name, they find weaknesses of magic, investigate their ecology, and establish an overall ¡®strategy¡¯. They''re nothing flashy so people tend to ignore them. However, the information you get here makes for a pretty big difference in the future scenarios. These are the people who will provide tremendous help in Chapter 1 of the scenario. Of course, since it is a non-mainstream department, it is not attracting new students, which really is discouraging. So let¡¯s give some encouragement. ¡°I''m not lying, my partner is coming. Also, it will be very crowded here soon.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Well, the person coming is someone you can call famous.¡± Saying so, I checked my magic wristwatch. It''s about time they arrive. It''s an ¡®experienced¡¯ freshman who knows that this kind of study, despite looking modest, is extremely helpful in practice. ¡°Hello! Is this the Magic Research Depart...ment...uh...?¡± The person that came in through the tent of the booth gradually quieted down. It''s probably because they found me. I gently waved my hand towards them. ¡°Hi.¡± I originally didn¡¯t want to get involved with this person. But I changed my mind. Especially after listening to the advice of the Lord Angel. So, I decided to change my course of action altogether. ¡°Is the offer for getting to know each other still valid?¡± Elijah Krisanax looked stunned. {T/N: This is today''s chapter} Chapter 12.1 Chapter 12.1 (EP-12.1) Orientation #2 012 - Orientation #2 ¡°There are three coming at your 9 (o¡¯clock) right about... now.¡± ¡°...¡± Elijah swung her sword with a heavy expression. The dummy wolf, that was about to launch an ambush in the dark, was swept away by the blow. ¡°Two more from the ceiling. Their vital is the neck.¡± ¡°...Excuse me, ''instructor''.¡± She called as she decapitated two bat-shaped dummies in an instant. ¡°Ah, watch your step, there''s a tile trap. On your right is a paralyzing poison launcher, you can break that.¡± ¡° ''Instructor,'' I have a favor.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This is good and all, but can you please help me instead of just giving ''instructions''...?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°...¡± Elijah¡¯s face contorted even more, but she eventually chuckled and added. ¡°Were you not the one who tried to beat me up on the first meeting just the other day?¡± ¡°...That''s true.¡± ¡°And were you not the one who said you wanted to apologize? That you''ll do anything I ask?¡± ¡°...I did.¡± ¡°So what''s the problem now?¡± ¡°...Yes, I''m sorry.¡± When I suggested that ¡®we get closer,¡¯ it was her who delightedly rushed here. You have to keep your word. ¡°...¡± And even if I want to help, I can¡¯t. I am about as useful as a bug, with these puny stats. It would be better if I just gave out orders and let her do all the fighting. ¡®And...¡¯ It''s become clear while going around this artificial dungeon that Desperation will not be triggered unless there is ¡®malice¡¯ threatening my life. That¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t work on these dummies that are simply repeating programmed actions. So what does this point suggest? Desperation is not omnipotent. Like most things, it''s clearly flawed and imperfect. The complacency that this skill will save me in every situation is something I should quickly throw away. ¡®I must raise my stats.¡¯ Stats are like your athleticism that can be used in all situations. In the end, personal growth is indispensable. Especially when you consider that the performance of items and skills is also affected by stats. As I was thinking, Elijah grumbled next to me again. ¡°Still, the instructor has skills and could probably do better than me. With two of us working together, we can break through much faster-¡± ¡°Oh, Conrad. What are you doing here?¡± Unfortunately for Evan, the owner of this voice also did not help the atmosphere at all. Seeing the person entering the booth with several pale-faced assistant professors from the Magic School, Evan almost suffered actual breathing problems. ¡°I can say the same to you, Percy. You rarely go out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I came out to see the freshmen. I like seeing the potential talents.¡± ¡°...¡± Conrad silently looked at the half-dead assistant professors from behind the woman called Percy. ¡°...A new tool, no, you¡¯re not looking for graduate students?¡± ¡°Well, if they want to come out of their own volition, you won¡¯t stop them, right?¡± Percy Siston Levantin, the head of the Magic School. She replied with a smile. ¡°So, you haven¡¯t answered yet. What are you doing?¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone I¡¯m keeping an eye on these days.¡± Conrad replied as he turned his gaze back to the screen. Percy¡¯s gaze naturally followed to that direction. ¡°Oh, I know that child. Isn''t she the next hero candidate?¡± After saying that, Percy¡¯s gaze moved to the stage clear record on the side panel. I guess this is to be expected. The clearing speed of each passing each section is much faster than normal students. The next Hero candidate is indeed noteworthy... ¡°No, not her.¡± ¡°...?¡± Persie tilted her head and looked at the other student. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°Dowd Campbell.¡± ¡°Ah, the con artist?¡± Even though she doesn¡¯t go outside her lab as often, she still knew the recent rumors and noise around this freshman. This guy conned a win against the hero candidate during the sparring. ¡°...But why are you watching a scammer?¡± ¡°Looks like he knows that too.¡± Conrad replied with a snort. ¡°This guy¡¯s talent is real.¡± ¡°Talent?¡± Persie furrowed her eyebrows and stared at the screen. Talent... What talent? No matter how she looked at it, it just looks like he''s getting a free ride from the hero candidate. ¡°This is why Mages who only roll around with pens are no good.¡± ¡°Why are you picking a fight now?¡± ¡°This feat, this record can never be set just by the hero candidate alone. Rather, the main body is over there.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± Percy asked with her head tilted, but Conrad simply turned his gaze back to the screen instead of explaining in detail. Chapter 12.2 Chapter 12.2 (EP-12.2) Orientation #2 012 - Orientation #2 It''s even clearer to see from a distance. Just the sheer absurdity of what this man is doing right now. ¡®...Interesting.¡¯ In fact, there are some occasional events where freshmen get good records. But, in the end, most just end up as a fluke. It''s really not a display of true skill. In that sense. How is this man just blazing through this? ¡®He''s calculating everything.¡¯ It''s as if he knew the location of the monsters relative to the hero candidate, and then send out instructions at somehow the right timing. Each of his subsequent moves made it seem like he was seeing through the enemy''s pattern. Every judgment he makes at every instance is a near-perfect answer. He may look like he was just standing and ordering around, but he was actually playing a complex and elaborately arranged artificial dungeon as if it were placed in the palm of his hand. I can assure you on this. This ¡®freshman¡¯ is the sole person among Elfante''s history of students breaking through the dungeon in such a way. It''s almost like... ¡®He''s fought on the battlefield thousands of times.¡¯ This is the only explanation. Because it just doesn¡¯t make sense to have this kind of ability without any practical experience. And ¡®surviving combat¡¯ and living to develop this ability suggests that this guy is hiding something more than just what''s on the surface. ¡°...¡± This is why I''m curious. If he ¡®directly¡¯ participated in the dungeon raid with the hero candidate, what would the result be? If one person is already doing this much, what would happen if he participated himself? ¡°No, I just can''t bring myself to believe. I don''t understand no matter how I look at it.¡± Speaking of, this s?upid mage beside me had been annoying for a while now. ¡°Then do you want to bet on it?¡± ¡°A bet?¡± ¡°Do you remember the record you and I set in the mock battle during our freshman year?¡± ¡°I do, what about it?¡± Conrad and Percy were a freshman duo that''s said to be the most legendary team up of all time. The record they set in the mock battle still remains as the undisputed number one of all time. ¡°I bet he¡¯ll break it.¡± Percy¡¯s eyes widened. This sentence could mean two things. One is literally being connected to the devil, pledging with evil to achieve outstanding feats. The second is a metaphorical expression of ¡®madness¡¯, which is present in the Duke''s bloodline. It''s an expression of extreme violence and the loss of reason that occurs in bursts from time to time. As time passes, the Tristan Family were notorious for their miserable later years, which overshadows their achievements. Elnore is also not free from such a curse. Rather, in her case, it''s particularly extreme. She alone knew of aspects of Elnore that could never be revealed to the public. ¡°...Is it very serious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about. It¡¯s not entirely because of that.¡± Elnore smiled and wiped her sweat off with a towel. ¡°There was something I wanted to remember.¡± ¡°What do you want to remember?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a move I learned from my mother when I was little, when I just started learning the sword... But I can¡¯t quite recall it. That¡¯s why I was checking my swordsmanship right from the beginning.¡± For a woman who normally doesn¡¯t show even the slightest emotion, Elnore is being really sentimental right now. But instead of pointing it out, Beatrix encouraged her. Elnore¡¯s feelings for her father and mother are on the polar opposites. Her mother died when she was young, so you can understand why she''s like that. ¡°Well, don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. If I exhaust myself, I won¡¯t care about most things.¡± ¡°Really? Well, I have something to tell you.¡± Elnore''s gaze turned to Beatrix. ¡°...Tell me about what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this because you asked me to let you know of all the information about it. A junior told me this earlier.¡± ¡°So, what is it?¡± ¡°Dowd Campbell is with the next hero candidate in a mock battle. People say they''re in a bet with the Deans-¡± Sparks flew from Elnore¡¯s eyes. ¡°So, you''re saying that the two of them are stuck together?¡± ¡°...¡± Well, I guess this is more important than being in a bet with the Deans. ¡°The mock battle is a two-person challenge, so the two of them need to stick together, no?¡± Elnore sprang up immediately, her sweat splattering everywhere, but she didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°Didn''t you just say you''re too exhausted to care about most things?¡± ¡°Shut it, and tell me where it is.¡± This crazy woman. Beatrix had already been overworked as of recently, and now her temples began to throb with a headache again. Chapter 13.1 Chapter 13.1 (EP-13.1) Double 013 - Double ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± Elijah suddenly threw out such a question as I was warming up before entering the final stage. Seeing someone like her say that with a dumbfounded expression really shows the absurdity of the situation. ¡°I know that instructor is good, but can you really challenge the previous record...?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Elijah blankly opened her mouth. She was unable to utter words upon hearing such a wild reply that was said a matter of fact. ¡°...You have high confidence. Is there any reason for that?¡± Of course there is. The monsters in this artificial dungeon have patterns. As someone who knew them like it''s at the back of my hand, targeting their vitals is as easy as one, two and three. It¡¯s not that difficult to get the timing right. And, above all. [It¡¯s Conrad. Are you ready?] ¡°A long time ago.¡± [Good. In this last section, you are able to choose the difficulty. Naturally, the higher the difficulty, the more points you get-] This is where my confidence stems from. ¡°Please make it the highest difficulty.¡± [...] After a moment of silence, the person speaking on the other side suddenly changed. [Listen up freshman. I know that you''re confident, but isn''t this too much?! Even if you lose the bet, there is no penalty, so why go this far...?! The highest difficulty is no different from a real battle! Death is highly probable!] Basing from the voice, that should be Percy. She might sound angry, but it''s apparent from her concern that she''s a true teacher who really cares about her students. ¡°Yes, I am aware.¡± In that level of difficulty, the monsters will literally be coming after you with the intent to ¡®kiII¡¯. ¡°Since it doesn¡¯t make any sense otherwise.¡± [...Yes?] ¡°Because anything easier than that isn¡¯t worth the effort.¡± [...] I smiled at the thought of her stun-locked expression. And it is easier for me that way. ¡ñ ¡°Why did you agree to that?¡± ¡°Why not, didn¡¯t we also go on this difficulty as freshmen?¡± ¡°Not at the Colosseum. They could really die there.¡± Percy said with a bitter expression. The Colosseum, the last section of the artificial dungeon, is all about defeating as many monsters as possible that are being infinitely summoned. In other words, recklessly raising the difficulty would summon more and more monsters, which can become really dangerous without any countermeasures. ¡°But still, setting a new record is a completely different story. The Colosseum produces stronger monsters the further you-¡± Percy suddenly stopped her sentence midway. It''s probably because she saw that the monsters that appeared in the second wave were also shattered by Dowd¡¯s sword just like the ones before. ¡®...Uh?¡¯ There was a big question mark on top of her head. The situation that followed shattered the common sense she knew. Even the third wave suffered the same fate. Swing, swing, swing. At the same pace, regardless of how strong the opponent is, it always ends with the same result. ¡®...¡¯ Were monsters could be beaten so easily? Even when Conrad and her broke the all-time record, they didn''t do it with this ease. This is just like cutting down weeds. It was not a battle, but a simple repetitive task. It looked so absurdly easy that even the hero candidate''s hard fought battle next to it was being overshadowed. It should get harder the longer this goes on and the stronger the waves are, so why is the situation the same as before? Is there any bug in the system? ¡®...No, there''s wasn''t.¡¯ It¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s not that trivial. The more she watched the video on the screen, the more that feeling became more and more concrete. ¡®He''s getting stronger.¡¯ As his enemies get faster and stronger, Dowd Campbell also get faster and stronger. ¡®How could this be...!¡¯ As she was immersed in her thoughts, the death counter of the monsters recorded on the screen were accumulating at a tremendous speed. More than 10 monsters were hunted within a minute after starting. By the time half of the time limit passed, Conrad and Percy''s record had already been broken. Still, Dowd Campbell¡¯s pace did not slow down. Rather, it''s the opposite, he''s actually getting faster and faster. As if the stronger the opponent, the stronger he becomes. And just like that, the time limit was up. It was so silent that you could even hear someone breathing. [ Congratulations! Incredible Feat! ] [ You broke the All-time Record! ] [ Team Dowd Campbell & Elijah Krisanax hunted a total of 100! ] The teacup that Percy was holding fell and shattered on the floor. But no one even spared a glance at it. Everyone was looking at the record with bewildered expressions. ¡°Bravo.¡± Inside the intensely quiet room, only the applause of Conrad, who had a fierce smile on his face, could be heard. Chapter 13.2 Chapter 13.2 (EP-13.2) Double 013 - Double ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine.¡± It is, in many ways. Attributes are mostly built up from real combat experience, so this event significantly increased my proficiency in the Tristan Style Swordsmanship. ¡°Fine?¡± Next to me, Elijah was patting her forehead. Why are you getting angry? ¡°No, this...¡± She stared at the papers in her hand in disbelief. On the other side, Conrad was wearing a proud expression while Percy looked lost as she handed it over. It says that we can select and rent an item from Elfante¡¯s ¡®Vision Warehouse¡¯. ¡°Doesn''t it need the Imperial Family''s permission to open the Vision Warehouse...?¡± ¡°That''s why it''s written as for ''rent''. Otherwise, if it''s ''awarded'', there will be a problem.¡± I calmly replied, but this was a very big deal. Just the act of opening the Vision Warehouse was a rare event itself, only happening twice in the entire game. And both of those openings were only possible after resolving major events in the story. This is absolutely not something you can do as a freshman. Above all, Percy, the Magic Faculty Dean, has given permission to ¡®request anything¡¯... ¡®This is really good.¡¯ This is a very good start even for a veteran like me. ¡°...¡± As I was in my thoughts, Elijah looked at me with a strange expression. ¡°Mister, I''ve noticed that you¡¯re always calm regardless of anything.¡± {T/N: changed Instructor to Mister since it felt weird, just realized Mister is also applicable } ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°You already planned out everything. It feels like you already knew what to expect. Hmm...¡± She said while thoughtfully stroking her chin. What? ¡°Umu, yes. I should prepare at least one surprise.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I have been thinking about it before, but it became clearer during the mock battle. If I don¡¯t do something now, I would lose it sooner or later.¡± ¡°...¡± What is she saying? I looked at Elijah in confusion, but she just grinned and held her fist out in return. ¡°...What''s this?¡± ¡°Oh, a fist bump. Don¡¯t men do this with their friends?¡± ¡°...¡± This is new. She seems to have a good affinity with people like in the original game, but there is something different somewhere that I can''t quite put my finger on. Our fists bumped and Elijah hurried away with a bright smile. ¡°Then, see you tomorrow, Mister! I¡¯ll be sending you a letter back to your dorm!¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing her say those words was making me worried. In the first place, she''s saying that we''ll meet tomorrow. < Gift-related Character Notification > ¨‹ Elnore [ Trust Level 5 ] [ Close to favorability status change! ] [ She is an important character. A special event will trigger after a successful status change! ] [ D-1 until related event occurs ] Having said that, Elnore handed me a letter. What is this now? ¡°...Make sure to open it somewhere quiet. Alright, then...¡± After saying that, Elnore left just like a passing wind. She seemed embarrassed handing this over. ¡°...¡± But what is it though? Both Elijah and Elnore are suddenly giving me letters. I gotta go and see what''s the deal. ¡ñ ¡°I shouldn''t have opened them.¡± I squeaked like a dying old man. On the desk were Elijah¡¯s and Elnor¡¯s letter. They have the same content. An invitation to be their ¡®partner¡¯ at the freshmen welcome party. ¡°...¡± In fact, being a ''partner'' is not a big deal in itself. It¡¯s just going around and having fun together during the event. So to speak, a date. It''s the fresh spring bloom of youth. But I know the implications of this event since this happened in the game. The favorability of the rejected party drastically drops, and later, there would be a severe penalty when proceeding with the related scenario. It''s to the point that it''s no different than digging your own grave. That''s why, I usually choose the character that I can ¡®bypass¡¯ or at least able to handle. ¡°...¡± But the people involved in this is the main character and the final boss! Regardless of who I choose, hell is the only thing that''s waiting for me. If I turn either of them into enemies, my life would be no different than a candle in a storm. Events cannot be avoided either. As mentioned before, this is part of the ¡®main quest¡¯. Not participating in the event would most likely lead straight to death. How about rejecting both? Then the penalty would be doubled! It¡¯s still death. I''m stuck in quite the predicament, having enemies on all sides. This is a life or death situation. No, this is just unfair. Especially so when this isn''t even considered a real date. In the first place, there is no goddam way these two would ask me out for a date. The last time I checked, their favorability status is only at ¡®Curiosity¡¯ and ¡®Trust¡¯. It¡¯s not something like ''affection''. It would be more appropriate to call them ''interest''. ¡®I can¡¯t just die like this.¡¯ I gritted my teeth and squeezed every bit of power from my braincells. Think Dowd Campbell, think! There has to be a way to save my life without antagonizing either of them...! ¡°...Ahah.¡± At this time, a plan came to mind. A plan that would inevitably lead to death if it fails, but could overcome the situation if it succeeds. ¡°...¡± It¡¯s kind of trashy though. But this is the only way out. My life is at stake here, I don¡¯t have a choice...! I closed my eyes and began to flesh the plan out, extracting key information in the event. ¡°It''s worth the shot...¡± It doesn¡¯t seem impossible, does it? ¡°...¡± Come to think of it, no matter who I choose, I''m practically dead. Therefore... ¡°...Why not both?¡± All I have to do is to not get caught, right? {T/N: Join the discord for status updates and emergency announcements} Chapter 14.1 Chapter 14.1 (EP-14.1) Monster Trouble 014 - Monster Trouble The Berkeley Hall, where the freshmen welcome party is held, is one of the largest and most complex buildings in Elfante. In order to receive and control the influx of freshmen from all over the continent at once, there is no other way than a building of this size. In other words, unlike the enticing name of ''Freshmen Welcome Party'', the atmosphere of the actual event was no different than being in the middle of a market. So much so that I pity the faculty members shouting their throats off, and trying to control the students in any way possible. This is good news as it significantly reduces the chances of me being ¡®caught¡¯. People don¡¯t have time to care about other people. So now it¡¯s time for this. ¡ò Clone Walker [ Item: Special ] [ Price: 1,000pts ] [ Creates an alter ego that mimics the main body¡¯s personality and behavior. You''re able to use buffs! ] [ Remaining Points: 1,000pts ] An alter-ego that feels almost no different from my real body. It can even learn my usual behavior and conversation patterns, and move on its own. Of course, it''s not perfect, but I am able to add to it. ¡ò Buff: Enhanced Charisma [ Item: Special ] [ Give it some personality! You can add various properties. Two options currently available! ] Option: Cool Gentleman [ You''re not smooth and you''re clumsy! Why don¡¯t you wrap it up with some coolness? ] [ Price: 500pts ] Option: Pheromone [ Become a playboy! Your every move has an added point that makes it easier for the opposite sex to like you! ] [ Price: 500pt ] [ Remaining Points: 1,000pts ] I can apply the cool gentleman option to the clone. So that even if I control the clone a little loosely, they''ll just wrongly assume that I''m doing cool shi?! As for the pheromone. ¡°...¡± I will not buy it. I will never buy it! Not for Elijah, and especially, not for Elnore. Her favorability is rising faster than a h0rny rabbit''s thrusts. No matter how fatal my charm skill is, it''s still growing way too fast. To the point where I start to doubt whether or not this person was actually easily seduced. ¡®I¡¯ll have to eventually deal with it someday.¡¯ I smiled bitterly at that thought. I know that running away will not solve the problem. After all, that person is the most important character in the scenario related to the Gray Devil. There are many scattered problems that must be solved in order to reach the ending. As long as I have my gift, I will inevitably be involved. [ Body ¨C Option: Applied Pheromone! ] [ Clone ¨C Option: Applied Charisma! ] ¡°...¡± What the f*ck?! Why was pheromone purchased, and it''s even applied to me? In the first place, can this be put in the main body? ¡®...Come to think of it.¡¯ I got startled earlier and tapped the shop window. But how in the heII it resulted with this? ¡°Why are you spacing out...¡± Elnore, who had come closer, stopped mid sentence as soon as our eyes met. [ Pheromone effect is applied to the target ¡®Elnore¡¯! ] No. Don''t do that. Please! Elnore¡¯s eyes widened and her breathing gradually became ragged. An alarm immediately goes off in my head. I''ve already seen this before...! [Skill: Fatal Charm has been Activated...] [... Skill ineffective! ] [ The target forcefully resisted the feeling of affection! ] ¡°...¡± Yes. I have indeed seen this pattern before. Though, the system prompt is a bit strange. I don¡¯t know how and why she''s suppressing it, but I guess this is good for me? As I mulled over such thoughts, Elnore had regained her expressionless look and was muttering something while patting her chest. ¡°Calm down. It''s noisy.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it for you.¡± Then who did you say that to? ¡°I was talking to my heart.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It was noisy.¡± I didn''t even know how to respond to that. Elnore just said that without a change in expression. This woman, as in the original work, is seriously sometimes in the 4th Dimension. ¡°...Let¡¯s go.¡± After saying so, she began moving. By now, the clone would have made contact with Elijah. We need to move anyway to run into them. But I¡¯m a little worried about the pheromone effect. It will be fine, right...? Chapter 14.2 Chapter 14.2 (EP-14.2) Monster Trouble 014 - Monster Trouble It was, quite frankly, a series of crises. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a place that sells some snack over there. Shall we go eat a bit?¡± [ Skill: Fatal Charm has been Activated...] [ ...Skill ineffective! ] ¡°...I quite like that... What a coincidence.¡± Oh. Truly a coincidence. In the first place, I don¡¯t even know your taste in food. ¡°This button is nice. Do you want it?¡± [ Skill: Fatal Charm has been Activated...] [ ...Skill ineffective! ] ¡°Just in time, one just fell off and needed a replacement. You''re always so attentive of... me. Um.¡± ¡°...¡± I''m intentionally giving her strange things like a button, but she''s somehow finding meanings behind them. It is to the point that even I am fascinated by the way she interprets each and every trivial action I make. It''s driving me nuts. ¡®My head hurts...¡¯ Still, I¡¯m glad I''m accompanying her without much problem. The clone on Elijah¡¯s side also seems to be getting along well. If it''s like this, it won¡¯t be a big deal if I just proceed as it is now. With some free time, I was able to scout the landscape in the reception hall. Overall, it''s just groups of students socializing with the seniors of their chosen major. I am not officially assigned to any class yet, so I don''t receive that kind of guidance. ¡°By the way, have you decided on a major?¡± ¡°Ah, I did.¡± This is actually a matter of considerable concern. In the world of Sera, choosing a ¡®major¡¯ means deciding on your main ''build''. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of the Theology Faculty.¡± Hearing this, Elnore¡¯s expression instantly darkened. ¡°...It¡¯s a waste of your talent if you don''t enter the Knights Faculty. How about you reconsider?¡± Well, that''s definitely a fair thing to say. I mean, I''ve experienced the power of the Tristan Style Swordsmanship, paired with the Desperation skill. But I chose this path for a reason. ¡°There is something I want to learn in the Theology Faculty.¡± ¡°What do you want to learn?¡± ¡°There''s something I''ve been meaning to protect.¡± Uh. Mainly my life. Divinity-related skills are the most ¡®survival¡¯ specialized builds among all the builds that exist in Sera. You can tell just by looking at the blessings that have been put into the Ultima. Especially if I am able to obtain high-level skills such as ¡®miracle¡¯ later on. I could be rest assured. Anyway, it must be a build that complements my goal of surviving till the end. ¡®And...¡¯ What follows immediately after this freshman welcome party is the ¡®Secret Society Storm¡¯, which is Chapter 1. ¡°...¡± It''s pure straight fact without any exaggeration. This is all I can say for now. Elnore blankly blinked her eyes with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°...I felt it from the first time we met, but you are a very strange person.¡± ¡°Haven''t I told you? I hear that often.¡± With that reply, I stood up. Fortunately, it doesn¡¯t seem like Elnore is having any signs of mental collapse. I''m satisfied with the result- [ Skill: Fatal Charm has been conditionally Activated! ] [ Great timing! You have planted foreshadowing that will make you explosively liked in the future! ] [ The next time the skill is successfully activated, the effect will be tripled! ] [ The possibility of awakening a second gift increased! ] ¡°...¡± ¨CI did something. What ''planted foreshadowing''? Why do these types of things keep popping up? It was fine not long ago, but now it''s being weird again. I couldn''t help but sigh inwardly, when... -! -!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Out of the blue, a huge explosion suddenly occurred. ¡°...?¡± No, like it really is without warning. What is this? In an instant, heII let loose. The entire floor collapsed due to an explosion that erupted from the basement, and a huge hole appeared in the Berkeley Hall. ¡°In the basement...!¡± ¡°What in the world?!¡± Screams and shouts were coming from every direction. It was a somewhat familiar sight. At the same time, my body went cold. ¡®This...!¡¯ The explosion was an intentional sabotage. The basement is where the monsters were being kept. Monsters were running rampant. Obviously, the ¡®main quest¡¯ event that takes place at the freshman welcome party is now underway. However, it¡¯s much bigger and more terrifying than I remember. In the first place, there was no huge explosion. At most, it was just a few monsters being released and going wild! I quickly checked the clone¡¯s location. My plan is definitely... [ Clone Location: Floor B1 ] [ Status: Seriously Injured ] [ Companion: Elijah Krisanax ] ¡°...¡± Well, f*ck. {T/N: We hired an editor, now pick what you prefer. Note that if you choose the 1st option, updates will halt for 3-5 days to have the editor edit the chapters} Loading... [Previous Chapter][Index][Next Chapter]UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m Chapter 15.1 Chapter 15.1 [T/N: Wasn''t feeling the best recently, but I''m better now] (EP-15.1) Monster Trouble #2 015 - Monster Trouble #2 Elijah Krisanax¡¯s impression of Dowd Campbell can be summed up in one word. Weird. His whole person is completely elusive. He acts differently, like an onion where the more layers you peel, the more questions pop up. ¡®...Is he angry?¡¯ He had not said anything at this freshman welcome party. He accepted the partner request without complaints, so I thought we could talk about things while walking around today. He had said not a word of his own accord. At best, he''ll reply with an, ¡®En¡¯ or ¡®OK.¡¯ Normally, she would feel a bit out of place, but she could never have known that there''s an ¡®option¡¯ hindering her perception. ¡®...How should I deal with an angry man?¡¯ And fortunately for Dowd, she boasted the social capabilities of an ape when it came to dealing with the opposite sex. If it was work, she could slap some steel on her face and manage, but friends in equal footing? Her brain lags. Even if he''s really angry, she can¡¯t do anything. After all, didn¡¯t she try to beat him up on their first meeting? It is a little strange that we would be angry about it at this time, but she also can''t deny that it''s a possibility. ¡®But if I dig a little deeper here, I might be able to get information about Duke Tristan...¡¯ Walking around with that thought in mind, she unknowingly arrived at the basement of Berkeley Hall at some point in time. They accidentally walked into a deserted place. They were the only ones around here right now. ¡°Uwa...¡± Elijah couldn''t help but frown as she looked at the cages lying around. Inside were live monsters. They were obviously brought to the academy as research materials. ¡®There''s even a medium-sized monster. Oh my gosh.¡¯ At least a squad of regular knights must be dispatched to be able to deal with a medium-sized monster. It''s not something you can just keep inside an academy full of students.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com ¡°The faculty are also very irresponsible. No matter how special we are, this isn''t worth it...¡± She clicked her tongue and moved closer to the cage, bowing her head. Maybe it was because of that. The discovery of a monster caged in a location that would never be seen from the outside. ¡°...¡± Even before being fully aware of it, her brain, which had seen countless similar creatures in combat, had already completed its calculations. This. Exploded within seconds. ¡°Sir, you have to avoid-!¡± As soon as she said that, a heat wave rose in front of her eyes. Elijah¡¯s body froze at the same time as the brightly approaching flames engulfed her vision. She normally would have been able to nimbly dodge. However, the pure white flame triggered something deep inside her memory. -Elijah, hide here, here! Never come out! -Damned devil followers, this way! Try killing me, you f*cking bi?ches! Explosions. Flames. Screams. Stomps. Fishy smell. Burning family photo. The reflection of the blade flashing in the pool of stagnant blood. Dead bodies. ¡°...!¡± But before she could shake off those images, the flames were already inches away from her. ¡®Danger...!¡¯ As that thought passed through her head. Someone ran into her. What followed is a violent collision with the floor. A groan came out of Elijah¡¯s mouth as she rolled several times. ¡°Eueum...¡± Now, an injured body, 6 monsters. ¡°This is nothing.¡± Especially so, when it comes to protecting someone. It really was this way for her. ¡ñ [ Main Quest Renewed! ] [ Main Quest ] [ Monster trouble! Keep the situation under control! ] [ Heavy penalty will be imposed if there''s too many casualties! ] [ Reward: Exclusive Equipment Materials ] Why not just kiII me then? You unleash a bunch of monsters in a crowd of newbie freshmen and you want me to keep the casualties as low as possible? ¡°Wait, where are we going!?¡± ¡°I need to do something! President, please inform the priests!¡± I replied to Elnore, who shouted when she saw me move in haste. ¡°We need to protect the students!¡± I shouted while moving. ¡®Priority first.¡¯ While Elnore would bring the priests to treat the injured and reduce casualties, the most important thing is still the initial response. In the first place, we need to reduce the number of injured by reducing the number of monsters before they could get out of the basement. With that thought in mind, I hurriedly ran into the basement and saw an appalling scene. ¡°...Uh.¡± Elijah was currently fighting. Surrounding her were monsters and my clone laying on the floor. Five of the six monsters had already been defeated, with the last one only needing the final blow. ¡°...¡± These are not artificial monsters in a mock battle, but 5 real monsters and yet she dealt with all of them with just a piece of rebar? Is she still human? Well, in the first place, Elijah was not a character who will directly participate in battles. Before she awakens as a full-fledged hero, she''s always on the somewhat calculated side. If she''s fighting like this even before that, that means that there is someone she really wants to protect. ¡°...¡± But wasn''t there only my clone here? And why do I have an ominous feeling about this? ¡®...Ahh, I don¡¯t know!¡¯ I first retrieved the clone before she notices that there''s two identical people. In the meantime, Elijah had delivered the finishing blow to the last monster. She let out a sigh, as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. ¡°Whew...¡± With the clone now retrieved, our eyes meet as I sit idly by. ¡°...!¡± Elijah''s expression suddenly turned bright. Even though she was exhausted and unable to even lift an arm, she was proudly smiling. ¡°...That''s a relief.¡± [ Favorability level of the target ¡®Elijah Krisanax¡¯ has changed! ] [ Favorability level has been upgraded from ¡®Curiosity¡¯ to ¡®Interest¡¯! ] [ Redeemable rewards will be added! ] [ Chances of awakening the second gift has increased! ] [She is an important character. Main scenario has been changed! ] ¡°...¡± Chapter 15.2 Chapter 15.2 (EP-15.2) Monster Trouble #2 015 - Monster Trouble #2 I didn¡¯t want to see this notification. I don¡¯t know what the heII happened for this to appear out of the blue. ¡°Are these all the monsters?¡± I asked such a question. But the reply I got was bewilderment. ¡°Sir, this is the first thing you ask as soon as you wake up?¡± ¡°...?¡± But I just arrived though. ¡°If any monster escapes, people will die! Quick!¡± The main quest comes first. I don¡¯t know how severe the penalty imposed in the scenario is, but I definitely want to avoid getting to that situation. When I urged her, Elijah helplessly patted her forehead in stupor. ¡°You''re really... Is this really just how you are?¡± With a sigh, she plopped on to the floor. Her stamina has reached its limit after defeating 6 monsters in a row with an injured body. ¡°I missed a medium rank monster. It''s probably going to the first floor by now. If you go as fast as you can, you can probably catc...¡± She was dozing off mid way through her sentence. ¡°Thanks!¡± She probably didn''t hear that. Anyways, I quickly dashed towards the first floor. With this cursed stamina, even just going up and down the stairs was difficult as heII. But I managed to push through with heavy breaths. Elfante had an ¡®isolation barrier¡¯ that''s activated in the case of emergency. Currently, the nearby faculty and staff had evacuated the students inside and was barely maintaining the barrier. This was a wise decision. Since the combat personnel in the academy are probably already coming this way after hearing the chaos, staying put is much better than fighting. Rather, the latter would just lead to casualties. The problem is. -! -!! -!!! The barrier would constantly shake every time the medium rank, bear-like monster would smash it with its paws. And this is despite using all current means to reinforce the barrier. In the first place, even regular Knights need a good amount of preparation when facing medium rank monsters. Being able to hold out like this is already good. ¡®The priest...!¡¯ It would be ideal if Elnore managed to bring a priest with her. Due to the nature of their field, priests can reliably reinforce barriers. Even if there''s only one priest, we can drag out the situation for time as long as we like. Breathlessly scouting the area, I finally spotted Elnore at the corner of my eyes. Seeing that she''s with someone in a robe, she must have succeeded. She''s indeed capable. I already have a lot of things to take care of. Right now, if I don¡¯t focus on the main quest, I¡¯ll be in big trouble! I prepared the Ultima then slashed the Rosario on my left arm, drawing out blood. A bluish light enveloped the Rosario along with a burning pain. This was an emergency tool that all priests have in case of an emergency. After mixing it with blood, it can used as a small magic power battery. ¡°Alright.¡± I let out a sigh and put the Rosario into the incense burner. The magic incense burner immediately reacted to it and began to emit blue light as well. [ Skill ¡®Penance¡¯ is available! ] [ Skill ¡®Guardian Shield¡¯ is available! ] Right after checking the windows that popped out one after the other, I immediately threw myself between the medium rank monster and the barrier. ¡°Wha-, what?¡± ¡°Student! What are you doing!? Get away right now!¡± I could hear the panicked voices of the faculty behind the barrier. For anyone, this was just outright crazy. [ A moment of danger has been detected. ] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX Class. ] The other skills also started to kick in. [ Skill: Penance Activated. ] [ Converting all additional stat to Endurance. ] [ Skill: Guardian Shield Activated. ] [ Creating shield. ] A translucent blue shield appeared before my eyes. A shield that was the result of Penance and Desperation combo. I don¡¯t know how strong it is, but even a medium rank monster shouldn''t be able to break it easily. ¡°Student! What are you doing!? Run away now! Leave this to us...!¡± ¡°...I can''t run away, that''s why I''m here.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Keep the students safe. I¡¯ll stall for time.¡± Yes, this is it. My purpose is to buy time, not to kill the monster. This should work, somehow. ¡°...¡± The murderous yellow eyes of the bear-like monster were ferociously glaring at me. I took a deep breath as we saw each other eye to eye. Let''s calm down. If I make a mistake, I will die. That''s why.. ¡°Bring it, bear!¡± I can¡¯t make mistakes. Chapter 16.1 Chapter 16.1 (EP-16.1) Charmed First and foremost, I checked the objective. I then turned my gaze to the heavily breathing drooling bear monster in front of me. ¡®No killing.¡¯ With this in mind, I waved to Elnore, who had already drawn her sword, to not come closer. She¡¯s probably more of a monster than the one in front of me; powerful enough to easily end its life in minutes. ¡®But...¡¯ Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves here. The main purpose of the main quest is not ¡®kill the monster¡¯, but ¡®reduce casualties¡¯. Medium rank monsters have at least one or two special abilities on top of their basic combat skills. If it has something like ¡®Acid Blood¡¯ or ¡®Death Corruption¡¯, even if we win, it would be a pyrrhic victory. There¡¯s a high likelihood of deaths occuring because of the aftermath. All in all, it¡¯s best to entrust this job to the regular knights. Killing the monster now will do no good. Moreover, this just popped up in front of my eyes. < System Message > [ !Urgent Mission! ] [ 0 current casualties, what a feat! ] [ Since no one has died, let¡¯s try not to kill even the monster, shall we? ] [ Successfully hand over the monster to the Knights of the Academy! ] [ Upon successful completion, the level of the main quest reward, ¡®exclusive equipment materials¡¯, will increase! ] ¡°...¡± This is the same as saying that a crazed murderer is also a person with a life and should be treated the same as their victims. However, the reward at stake is unmistakably attractive. It can be said that the materials used to craft exclusive equipment determine more than half of its performance. It is what determines the upper limit of how far it can grow. ¡®Well then.¡¯ Let¡¯s just hold on. Thinking of this, I smiled at the monster which ferociously raised its front paw. That is a bone breaking strike if you are unlucky enough to get hit. But like what I did in the mock dungeon before, reading the attack patterns of ¡®monsters¡¯ is no different than flipping through a book, as a veteran gamer who had grinded countless hours into the game. So no fighting and just holding up the strong shield? ¡®I can do that with my eyes closed.¡¯ So from here on out, it¡¯s just ¡®repetition¡¯. ... Not a battle. ¡ñ The Tristan Duke Family is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious families in the empire since its inception. The title of a Duke alone was enough to intimidate people. However, that long line of history and popularity also comes with as many negativity. Even if there was no Marquis Kendride, there would still be people who would want the Duke Family¡¯s fall. And the priest was one of those snakes. ¡°Did you not hear what I said? Didn¡¯t I say that I didn¡¯t bring a Holy Relic?¡± Suppressing the urge to slap the living shi? out of this high nosed middle-aged, Elnore calmly said. That man¡¯s existence is growing on her too rapidly. Even Elnore herself is surprised by her behavior. It¡¯s dangerous if she gets dragged over- ¡°Angel¡¯s Blessing...! How could a student, that mad man, do that!¡± Suddenly, Elnore heard the priest murmur which made her turn her gaze towards Dowd. Blessing? Even a formal priest has to go through a long prayer to be able to use it, and a freshman uses it just like that? ¡®...No.¡¯ It¡¯s actually not particularly strange that that guy could use something like that. He has shown many times that he¡¯s hiding dozens of talents under that veil. " " While Elnore was thinking in a daze, she suddenly heard a frightened exclamation beside her. ¡°...He¡¯s fine after using a blessing? How...!?¡± Hearing the priest say that, Elnore¡¯s eyes also widened. Invoking a blessing without a Holy Relic will put a heavy load on the user¡¯s body and mind. But, somehow, isn¡¯t that man standing intact? ¡°Wow. He knows that?¡± Elnore then turned to the newcomer. It was Elijah, who struck the priest in the back of the head, knocking him out. ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I just took out the trash.¡± ¡°...Where were you?¡± ¡°I fainted until a while ago, I just woke up.¡± After her nonchalant reply, Elijah weakly sat down. ¡°That¡¯s a method that combat priests often use. It¡¯s something you always have in your body and only use it when needed. It¡¯s a technique that can only be used after 10 years of practice. How did he know that?¡± If Dowd heard of this, he probably would have been speechless. He wouldn¡¯t use such a cumbersome and complicated method. He¡¯s literally just using the blessing he stored in an item. However, after hearing that, a new idea was forming in Elnore¡¯s head. 10 years of studying divinity. ¨CThere is something I want to learn in the Theology Faculty. Learning about blessings for a long time and pursuing the study upon entering the academy. Of all things, this field is the most direct way to lift the Tristan Family¡¯s curse. ¨CThere¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to protect. Something..., someone? There¡¯s someone I¡¯ve been meaning to protect. ¨CI am trying to protect you. There¡¯s no need to think too hard. And who is that ¡®you¡¯ again? -... -...!!!!! . . {T/N: Will start uploading the novel to Foxaholic from now.} Chapter 16.2 Chapter 16.2 (EP-16.2) Charmed My heart was pounding loudly again. So much so that it hurts. ¡°...¡± No, no. Elnore closed her eyes and pressed her chest with both hands. I can¡¯t let myself be consumed. I have to push it out. I know nothing of that man and what his intentions are. I¡¯m not even sure what he meant by that. ¡®Elnore, keep your mind straight-¡® However, Elijah¡¯s voice pulled Elnore out from her concentration once again. ¡°He favors you quite a lot.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s a blessing built into the body, it doesn¡¯t mean that there is no burden. That person must be pushing his limits right now.¡± If Dowd heard this, he¡¯d probably be too embarrassed and speechless to say anything. In terms of pain, the only discomfort he¡¯s experiencing is from his left arm, which he had slashed with the rosario. However, Elijah, who had no way of knowing such a fact, calmly continued. ¡°I mean there¡¯s no need to go through such risk when it can be finished in a minute.¡± -...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My heart throbbed even more. Each beat started to sting. Elnore leaned slightly. She was getting short of breath. ¡°...What are you talking about?¡± ¡°If there is a casualty under your jurisdiction, it will damage your reputation. Otherwise, why would he intentionally drag out the time by not fighting to kill? Look.¡± Elnore could barely open her eyes and looked towards Dowd. And, on the other side, was a one-sided abuse. Yes, an abuse since it¡¯s too embarrassing to even call it a battle. Dodging, blocking, and bouncing back all the attacks with minimal movements. Dowd was reading every attack of the monster. It was the same as what happened in the mock battle. It¡¯s as if he knows everything, down to the smallest of things, about the opponent. ¡°A person who could do that much would have been able to kill it a long time ago, don¡¯t you think? There¡¯s no point in helping.¡± That¡¯s true. But still. ¡°...There¡¯s no reason to do something like that.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there?¡± Elijah replied with a smile. Elnore was biting her lips until blood came out. She also remembered something. -I, quite like that person. Elnore bit her lip harder and managed to shake that thought off. She then took a step forward, preparing to draw her sword. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°...if what you said is true, then that man is putting himself in pain. I¡¯ll go and help.¡± That¡¯s what she thought. However, Dowd motioned her away. ¡®...Why?¡¯ Elijah giggled seeing her bewildered. ¡°Iya, how romantic. Is he catching the sword for you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He¡¯s telling you not to come because you might get hurt.¡± Heat suddenly surged from Elnore¡¯s heart. It was not the usual sinister energy, but a surprisingly hot feeling. It felt like someone had lit a fire into her veins. " " ¡°...what you said, everything, could just be speculation.¡± [ The second gift awakening is imminent! ] [ The target ¡®???¡¯ is interested in you! ] ¡°...¡± I feel more desperate now than confronting a medium rank monster 1 vs 1. I don¡¯t know what happened, I don¡¯t know how it happened and I don¡¯t know where to even begin. Just know that I¡¯m in deep shi?. Following Elijah, changes will now occur in the main scenario. I don¡¯t know what the gift is, but I¡¯ll be getting another soon. In addition, an unidentified character took an interest in me. ¡®I¡¯m f*cked...!¡¯ I got nothing else to say other than this. While I was mulling over my fate, a knight came up to me and handed me a bottle of water. ¡°Good work out there. Here, want some? You look a little tired.¡± He is one of the knights dispatched to subdue the monster. ¡®...it was a monster.¡¯ It was almost terrifying to see the three of them clean up a medium rank beast in just a few seconds. This shows the power of the regular knights that the students aspire. ¡°Student, I cannot praise you enough. If it wasn¡¯t for you, who knows how many casualties there would have been.¡± Seeing that he even tapped me on the shoulder apart from the already kind words, it seemed that he was treating me kindly. It was a big deal for a regular knight to treat a student with this much respect. ¡°You¡¯d be catching eyes anywhere with that kind of skill. Better keep your eyes open at all times, alright? By the way, are you an aspiring Theology major?¡± ¡°...Yes. I am indeed planning on taking up Theology.¡± I answered before pointing to one side where the hero and final boss were. They were trying to rip off the head of the priest that had refused to use the blessing earlier. ¡°Also, can you lend them a hand over there? If you leave them alone, they might really start killing.¡± ¡°...Well, he seems like a rat so it doesn¡¯t really matter if he dies. But looking at you, I guess it is true that people with good talent have a good character, am I right?¡± No, actually, I do not have such a pure intention. Rather, I was thinking of a way to make use of that priest. Uh. It¡¯s better to get some use out of something rather than just disposing of them. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. Take this.¡± The knight then handed me a letter. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯m told that you should open it alone.¡± I let out a sigh as I watched the knight leave to continue his duties. Another letter? As I pondered, another window popped up in front of my eyes. [ Main Quest Complete! ] [ Go to the designated location to claim your reward! ] [ Location: Atallante Swansong¡¯s Office ] I am no stranger to the name Atallante Swansong. Because she is the current president of Elfante Academy. She¡¯s rumored to be an immortal who have lived for over a thousand years. She¡¯s a key player in the main scenario. ¡°...?¡± Wait a minute. The President? My eyes widened upon opening the letter. Reading the contents, this is definitely from Atallante. Though, it¡¯s more of an ¡®invitation¡¯ rather than a letter. This person. She wants to have a private meeting. ¡°...¡± Why? What for? Chapter 17.1 Chapter 17.1 EP ¨C 017.1 ¨C Face-to-Face In Sera¡¯s worldview exists the concept of perpetuity. If you go beyond a certain level in any field, you will be able to unite with the will that encompasses the world... Of course, it¡¯s hard and complicated. And thus the humans who managed to reach such eternity are given a kind of ¡®power¡¯ as a reward. A power that can extend to the laws of nature that are beyond the interference of the human body. There were scattered anecdotes like legends about the first Archduke Tristan, who is considered one of the strongest knights of all time as a representative Eternal, splitting time and space with his sword. It was said that no armor was useful against him, as he could cut through the very space itself with a single swing. That he could cut away the day, turning the ¡°morning¡± into ¡°evening¡±... That same person created the Tristan Style Swordsmanship that I am using. It¡¯s a ridiculous story. Hence why, it¡¯s just a ¡®legend¡¯ with no indication of it actually happening. ¡®But that¡¯s probably not the case.¡¯ Considering the strength of the Eternal in front of me, it could be said that the story was handed down without exaggeration. Atallante Swansong. An Eternal who was granted the power of ¡°immortality¡±. She¡¯s famous not only in the empire, but throughout the continent. ¡°Oh, student. You¡¯re early.¡± However, such a legendary existence looks no different than a short girl. Looking at the vitality flowing through her violet-colored hair and eyes, no one would be able to tell that this is a thousand-year-old monster- ¡°Student?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± I hastily took my seat upon hearing that voice. ¡°Thank you for accepting my sudden invitation, you must have been surprised.¡± She had a kind tone and smile. Probably to smoothen the conversation. ¡°...¡± But I know what kind of person Atallante is. Despite having lived for a thousand years, she hates wasting time more than anyone else. If she decided to have a ¡®sit down¡¯ with me, that means that she had an equally important business. ¡°Do you know why I called you here, Dowd Campbell?¡± ¡°I am uncertain.¡± ¡°I have some bad news, and even worse news. Which one would you like to hear first?¡± ¡°...¡± Why isn¡¯t there anything good? ¡°Let¡¯s start with the bad first.¡± ¡°Hmm~ Student Dowd Campbell has already been involved in several incidents even before being assigned to a class.¡± The President then put on a monocle and looked through some documents. Is there a record of my involvements? ¡°...I didn¡¯t intentionally participate nor cause any of those incidents.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what makes it jarring. In Elfante¡¯s long history, we¡¯ve had all sorts of students. But I have never seen a student causing such a stir before their first class.¡± Imagine, you still haven¡¯t been assigned to a class while all the other students already started with theirs. Naturally, that would raise some suspicions. ¡°It¡¯s hard to like it knowing that I¡¯m being manipulated.¡± However. She didn¡¯t expect one of those specific ¡®means¡¯ to be mentioned. Atallante¡¯s eyes narrowed and asked back. ¡°...What did you say?¡± ¡°As you mentioned earlier, I have been involved in several large-scale cases. With so many eyes watching, there¡¯s bound to be rumors one way or another.¡± Dowd Campbell calmly continued. ¡°The hegemonic powers are currently in the midst of chaos. It wouldn¡¯t be strange for numerous people to contact me at this time. Everyone is trying to reel in shining talents by hook or crook.¡± Indeed, there are such news all over. Tribal Union¡¯s coup d¡¯e?tat, huge organizational changes in the Holy Land. Power struggle over the throne, etc. The continent was in turmoil. The same goes for the Golden Triangle. On the surface, they are good neighbors living in harmony and helping each other, but behind the scenes, they are engaged in a fierce competition to recruit the best talent. ¡°...¡± However, this is by no means something that a mere student can obtain, analyze, and logically infer information on their own. Even more so if it was the son of a baron who did not have the right to access such advanced information. And yet, this man is casually talking about such things. Like it was a natural thing. Atallante smiled inwardly. ¡°However, there¡¯s nothing but crickets. All I can say is that someone is artificially suppressing information about me. Or...¡± ¡°Or?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a step further and everyone is collectively pretending not to know. I don¡¯t why or how you would do that.¡± If Atallante didn¡¯t have a reputation to uphold, she would¡¯ve stood up and began clapping like a seal. It was an accurate judgment. He was excellent at weighing information and situations, and filling in the gaps. ¡®Political sense, also a pass!¡¯ In fact, Dowd occupied an important position in future ¡®plans¡¯. Atallante was worried if he was lacking in a lot of things, but now, she¡¯s not disappointed at least. No, rather, she was pleased that a jewel of this level was discovered among the students. It¡¯s probably because of her excitement from meeting a talent, but she unconsciously leaked things she shouldn¡¯t have at the current ¡®stage¡¯ of the plan. ¡°First of all, I would like to apologize about controlling the information. But I want you to know that it is an essential part.¡± ¡°...Is it a big deal if I stand out?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Atallante continued with a smile on her face. ¡°The world will end.¡± ¡°...¡± Chapter 17.2 Chapter 17.2 EP ¨C 017.2 ¨C Face-to-Face It was fun to finally see the opponent¡¯s poker face crack. Looking at Dowd¡¯s bewildered expression, Atallante continued with a chuckle. ¡°I am not lying. But it won¡¯t happen right away just because rumors are spreading. However, there is no doubt that the chances of that happening will increase.¡± ¡°...the end of the world, no, just what are you talking about...?¡± ¡°For now, just focus on school life. Anyways, you¡¯ll find out sooner or later. The academy is also doing its best to prevent that.¡± Having said that, she handed Dowd a piece of paper with a smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a look at this first?¡± It contained a big symbol. ¡°I asked you about the devil earlier, right? It¡¯s because of this.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°This is the symbol of a group called the ¡®Purifier¡¯ .¡± Dowd¡¯s expression turned solemn. ¡®He knew this too?¡¯ Thinking so, Atallante calmly continued. ¡°It¡¯s not well known to the public, but they¡¯re a pretty infamous group of devil worshipers. They¡¯ve been identified to be the one behind for Princess¡¯ Tristan¡¯s attempted assassination and the monster sabotage.¡± Devil worshipers. Like the name suggests, it¡¯s a group of people that worship the devil, the enemy of all mankind, as a God and gunning for its ressurection. Their existence is like that of a cancerous tumor to society. ¡°With already two attacks on the Princess, there is no guarantee that there will not be a third.¡± ¡°...Why are you telling me this?¡± But instead of answering, Atallante just wore a mysterious smile. She¡¯s already given enough information about the plan. She can¡¯t say any more than this. Thinking so, she took something out of the drawer. " " If she can¡¯t tell him the details, shouldn¡¯t she at least show her sincerity? ¡°Would you like to take this?¡± It was a small black ¡®card¡¯. On the surface, it looked nondescript, but Dowd¡¯s eyes widened when he saw it. He was being quite expressive. ¡®...Does he know what this is?¡¯ As she was thinking that, she heard from the other side. ¡°...Is it okay for the President to just hand out things like this?¡± ¡°...¡± Atallante paused for a moment. His words was implying that even the president shouldn¡¯t just give away something this valuable to others. Does he really know what it is? No, there¡¯s no way. Even within the academy, this is something that only a very few people, including her, know about. If he knows what this is, it¡¯s not just simply about being smart to put pieces of info together. It¡¯s almost psychic.UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m ¡®But, maybe.¡¯ Atallante asked once more with some anticipation. ¡°You sound like you know what it is?¡± ¡°This, in a week¡¯s time, at the Gregory Hall-¡± Dowd couldn¡¯t speak any further. It was because Atallante burst out laughing at such a natural answer. ¡®Ah, truly, a fine piece.¡¯ This man always subverts her expectations. I took a deep breath and organized my thoughts. They¡¯re a notoriously vicious early boss, so much so that they gained the moniker of ¡®newbie cutter¡¯. Even with [Desperation] , considering their ¡®speciality¡¯... I could really die. ¡®But with this...¡¯ I turned the black card over in my palm. Things could be a lot easier than I thought. It all depends on how I use the materials I get from the space that I¡¯ll enter using this. I organized the ways I can utilize. The Monster Research Department, the access to the Vision Warehouse and Percy¡¯s one-time request ticket. If I use them all strategically... ¡®...It¡¯s possible.¡¯ I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something I can create that will make the Purifier boss fight go smoothly. ¡°Ah, here you are. I was looking for you.¡± As I was walking down the hallway, I suddenly someone calling me which snapped me out of my thoughts. It was the Knight Faculty Dean, Conrad Baltador. ¡°You were looking for me? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Your class is still undecided, but there was a notice from the Academic Affairs Committee that you can¡¯t fall behind because of that. Take this.¡± ¡°...¡± The Dean was telling me this himself. Am I so special for them to treat me like this? ¡°It¡¯s a temporary class. You can take classes together with these students starting tomorrow.¡± ¡°...¡± No. Alright. Got it. Are you kidding me? ¡°...Is this correct?¡± ¡°Is there anything wrong?¡± Uh, there is. With trembling hands, I pointed to the list of students. Class President. Elnore Elinalise La Tristan. Vice President. Elijah Krisanax. I don¡¯t need to look at the other students. I can already smell the scent of doom just from these two names. Why am I being put into the same class as these two, of all people? ¡°Is this correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why is the Student Council President taking classes with the freshmen...?¡± ¡°Ah, right. About that.¡± Then Conrad said with a cool smile. ¡°It¡¯s the President¡¯s order, so it can¡¯t be wrong.¡± ¡°...¡± Come to think of it, I remember her talking about some homework. Try to get along well with them. ¡®I suddenly had the urge to kill someone, that hag.¡¯ It mean it. ?¡Á?¡Á?¡Á? {T/N: *translation error fix* Magic Research Department to Monster Research Department} Chapter 18.1 Chapter 18.1 EP ¨C 018.1 ¨C Class I feel like dying. Not figuratively, but literally. ¡°-The sword is the most basic weapon, suitable and flexible for any situation-¡± The professor¡¯s words entered through one of my ears while immediately exiting to the other. In the first place, it¡¯s just the basic stuff. There¡¯s really no need to listen to it. ¡°Professor, I have a question.¡± And the fact that it¡¯s the most basic also goes hand in hand on why on earth is this person is taking this class. The blood drained from the professor¡¯s face when the expressionless Elnore, who was to my left, raised her hand. ¡°Of course, what is your concern, Princess Tristan?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think the theory is too lengthy? All of that knowledge doesn¡¯t work much in real combat.¡± ¡°I apologize. I will correct it.¡± The professor stiffly laughed and said that. It was a very bizarre sight, where the student casually commenting on the class with the professor agreeing, but no one refuted it. If it¡¯s Princess Tristan, no one would dare to point that out. Nobody. Except for one. ¡°Uh, I was listening?¡± Elijah to my right retorted with a smile. She didn¡¯t look intimidated by Elnore¡¯s cool gaze at all. ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me you think that this kind of tabletop conversation is helpful in actual combat?¡± ¡°Classes are at the discretion of the professor. You are not ¡®forced¡¯ to attend.¡± Elnore closed her mouth in displeasure. Unlike Elijah, who is a freshman like me, Elnore knew that she didn¡¯t need to be here. From what I heard from Atallante, Elnore ¡®wanted¡¯ to join the class. ¡°Put me with him,¡± she said. ¡°But even if it¡¯s a basic class, it should be more practical than this-¡° ¡°Now that¡¯s just biased to one opinion-¡± The war of words intensifies. The professor who should be leading the class was left unable to say anything; not against the next hero candidate and the Duke¡¯s daughter. ¡°Then what do you think?¡± ¡°Yeah. What do you think, professor?¡± And thus, this is why I feel like dying. They went back and forth between each, before eventually throwing the bomb at me. ¡°...I think it¡¯s better to continue the class for now.¡± The professor looked so pitiful shivering and turning blue in front. So I went with this for now. With this, Elnore¡¯s brows slightly furrowed while bright smile blossomed on Elijah¡¯s face. The professor also let out a relieved smile. ¡°Alright, one more win.¡± There are many reasons why Elnore reigned as the final boss, but the combination of these two skills accounted for a large portion of her close range combat power. Apart from boasting monstrous aggression, her body was as durable and tenacious as a weed. So even if you managed to land a hit, you¡¯re nowhere near of knocking her down. In terms of body-related techniques, it can be regarded as a combination with the highest efficiency. And then... [ Received Gift Reward from ¡®Elijah¡¯. ] [ Obtained 2,000 points! ] [ Current Points: 2,000pts] Instead of something special, Elijah just gave me points. Still, as the main character, the points were quite generous. However, I wish there was something more... < System Message > [ You have exerted more than a certain amount of influence on a character with a good alignment! ] [ Second gift awakened! ] [ ¡®Skill: Evil Ruler¡¯ has been obtained! ] ¡°...¡± I really awakened another gift! Gift #1- Fated Love [ Obtain rewards as you gain favorability of characters with an evil alignment. ] Gift #2 ¨C He Who Touches Pitch Shall Be Defiled Therewith [ Obtain rewards as you gain favorability of characters with a good alignment. ] [ However, this is given at a much smaller level than those with evil alignment. ] [ Instead, if you taint a character with a good alignment with negative tendencies beyond a certain level, you will receive a great reward! ] < Skill Info > [ Skill: Evil Ruler ] [ Grade: E ] [ Bewitch characters of the good alignment that you have sufficiently influenced. ] [ Character under Evil Ruler must do one thing you asked for. ] [ Characters Under Rule: None ] I read the text in front of me. ¡®...Hmm.¡¯ Then I read it again No. I don¡¯t quite understand. To sum it up. Does that mean that if I make a good guy bad, I get a reward? That¡¯s... ¡°...¡± Is that right? T/N: Big/long chapter next update Chapter 18.2 Chapter 18.2 EP ¨C 018.2 ¨C Class It was soon the last subject for the day, which was ¡®Introduction to Survival Science¡¯. The class will be held at walking distance from the academy in a beautiful verdant forest named, ¡®Fairy Forest¡¯. On the outside, it looked no different than your typical jungle. But it sharing a history with Atallante, an Eternal, meant that it¡¯s far from ordinary. The forest harbored all kinds of beasts, magical plants, and rare minerals. Some could literally kill you. At this time, Elnore and Elijah also finally quieted down. It could be that they got tired from constantly fighting. But the real reason was that there¡¯s no arguing here, not with the one in charge of the class. ¡°Welcome, chicks.¡± Conrad spoke indifferently. However, facing the Knights Faculty Dean, the freshmen were visibly nervous. After all, anyone with some knowledge of the state of Elfante knew the notoriety of this class. ¡°Survival science is the product of practical combat skills gathered by miners and dungeon explorers. If you don¡¯t want to die, pay attention.¡± The Dean¡¯s appearance was not at all exciting. Moreover, talking about death right off the bat doesn¡¯t exactly help with the heavy atmosphere. However, for generations, it was customary for the Dean to lead the first class. There was no way around it. You can clearly tell that this was an important subject. In fact, some students¡¯ eyes were gleaming eagerly because of the extra hiring credit, which is especially advantageous in the Imperial Family recruitment. ¡°The task is simple.¡± But Conrad¡¯s following words immediately doused those passionate flames. ¡°Bring me something I like from the forest. I¡¯ll give you all 10 minutes.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ah, and also, just scream loudly if you feel like you¡¯re about die. I¡¯ll come and save you. However, don¡¯t expect a high mark.¡± ¡°...¡± Amidst the deafening silence, a student carefully raised their hand. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°...Um, are there no rubrics?¡± ¡°Like I said, bring me something I like. You¡¯ll be graded accordingly.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Remember little chicks, life is a battle. Now, you have 5 minutes to prepare.¡± ¡°And Student Council President, please help me in grading.¡± While the other students were busy contemplating Conrad¡¯s words, I was in my own bubble just staring at the status window. Gift #2 ¨C He Who Touches Pitch Shall Be Defiled Therewith [ Obtain rewards as you gain favorability of characters with a good alignment. ] [ However, this is given at a much smaller level than those with evil alignment. ] [ Instead, if you taint a character with a good alignment with negative tendencies beyond a certain level, you will receive a great reward! ]Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only I have no idea what this means. ¡®Taint a character with a good alignment with negative tendencies¡¯ is too abstract. ¡®...Well, at least, it should be relating to ¡®bad¡¯.¡¯ I mean the name of the gift itself had negative connotations. ¡°Mr., wanna go together?¡± Elijah suddenly asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. Well, I¡¯m not interested. ¡°You can go with your friends.¡± I said while while pointing at the ¡°main character party¡± gathering nearby. The warrior Luca, the mage Falco, the healer Trisha and the marksman Grid. After the assassination incident, they became friends. ¡°...Um, Mr. is also my friend, so why not go together?¡± ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Uh, like legit, she can¡¯t be with me. Elijah needs to get acquainted with the main character party right away. As the only saviors of the world, they need to grow powerful as soon as possible. I¡¯ll only be hindering them if I tag along. ¡°And we¡¯re not that close, are we?¡± ¡°...¡± Elijah pouted discontentedly at my remark. ¡°...This makes me sad, really. Ah, Whatever!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly inside. I especially appreciate that awareness now. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but she wanted to be friends that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Because I can really rile him up with this. ¡°Is it because you feel hard-stuck after seeing the person you made your goal got defeated in one hit? Is that why you don¡¯t believe that the sparring was fair?¡± His eyebrows twitched. This was the crux of the situation. He can deny it all he wants but he had no reason to pick a fight against me if it¡¯s not this. ¡°And.¡± I added with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s say it was indeed a fraud, what would you do?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that even if I am a scammer, I¡¯d be better than you.¡± Tallion¡¯s face contorted in anger. ¡°...Then, let¡¯s make a bet.¡± Her said with gleaming eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s see who gets the better grade in this! How about that?¡± [ Gift Prerequisites Met! ] [ The other party was enraged! ] [ You¡¯ll be rewarded for your opponent¡¯s humiliating defeat! ] " " Alright. Got him. ¡ñ ¡°...Hey, Student Council President.¡± Conrad looked bewildered. Meanwhile, Elnore¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡°Although I did ask you to help me grade the outputs, I didn¡¯t ask you to do a sloppy job.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been sloppy.¡± ¡°...¡± Conrad wordlessly looked at the paper that Elnore had given him. This was what she did as soon as he gave her the grading tools. ¡°Then can you please explain why Dowd Campbell got a perfect score when the class hasn¡¯t even started yet?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He got a full marks.¡± What is she saying? Conrad squinted at her but Elnore continued, still expressionless. ¡°It seems that you are not satisfied.¡± ¡°Would you be if you¡¯re in my shoes?¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll observe him more closely and write down why he got a perfect score. I¡¯ll come back after going into the woods.¡± ¡°...You just wanted to stick with him from the very beginning, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Elnore calmly replied. ¡°I just don¡¯t want him to be alone with that freshman, Elijah.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have a feeling that something is going to happen between them inside. Please let me join.¡± ¡°Thank you for being honest.¡± It was indeed the case. Conrad grinned. ¡°Stay put, before I kick you out for disrupting the class.¡± ¡°...¡± However, just because she¡¯s being honest, it doesn¡¯t mean that Conrad would just accept everything. Chapter 19.1 Chapter 19.1 EP ¨C 019.1 ¨C Class (2) As a healer, Trisha¡¯s presence in the ¡®Hero Party¡¯ was subtle. Whether it¡¯s in combat or anything else, there¡¯s not much for her to do. However, the reason why she¡¯s never ignored in the group was because she had her own strengths. It¡¯s her job to keep everyone on the same page and get along, and is responsible for livening up the mood. Currently, Trisha was feeling distressed in fulfilling that role. ¡®Oh no...!¡¯ Although the effect of Divine power varies greatly from person to person, the special abilities it brings are no secret. And Trisha¡¯s ability was seeing people¡¯s emotions. ¡®Why is she like this...?¡¯ She trembled when she saw Elijah¡¯s current state. Although Elijah was bright and smiling like usual, her emotions were surging violently like a strong current underwater. To put it simply, she is furious...! ¡°...This should be the last one.¡± Luca said after cutting a wolf-like monster in two with his massive double-edged axe. ¡°Given the presence of these powerful monsters, there should be something here.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Listening to Lucas¡¯s words, Falco raised his monocle. His gaze was focused on the bluish rocks scattered nearby. ¡°It¡¯s a rare mineral deposit. We shouldn¡¯t get a low score if we take a couple.¡± ¡°Oh, then let Luca handle it.¡± ¡°...come and help, Grid.¡± As the reluctant Grid got dragged along, Trisha approached Elijah. Elijah was just silent and seemed lost in her thoughts. Even now, her emotions were still churning with insidious colors. Finally, Trisha could no longer bear to watch on the side. ¡°Hey, Elijah.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Is something bothering you?¡± Trisha cautiously inquired, but Elijah only shook her head and smiled. ¡°No, none at all.¡± Lie. The dark energy welled up as she said that. ¡°I am here if anything is troubling you. I don¡¯t want you to take it all on your own.¡± ¡°Eh, you¡¯re my friend. Of course I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ... Lie. Trisha broke out in a cold sweat. Emotions reflect a person¡¯s disposition. Using her ability, she¡¯s able to observe its color and roughly guess people¡¯s ¡®personality¡¯. Now, if Trisha were to say the most unique people she¡¯s seen as of late, it would be none other than Princess Tristan and Elijah. The Princess¡¯ color was basically a gray of nothingness. However, black matter would surface from time to time. It was like sticky ink, that¡¯s how dark it was. But it looked like she¡¯s suppressing it. ¡®... I¡¯ve seen it a few times.¡¯ Although not common among the general populace, it isn¡¯t strange to see from someone in the Tristan Family. Elijah¡¯s normally white colored emotions were creeping into a gloomy mess. She has to say something here...! ¡°I, I¡¯m sure that person didn¡¯t mean it!¡± ¡°Then why did he say that?¡± ¡®How would I know?¡¯ But she can¡¯t possibly say this. ¡°Uh, it, isn¡¯t it because he¡¯s being considerate for you?¡± ¡°... Considerate?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Dowd from a small barony with no backing? He probably thought that if he sticks to you, who¡¯s the hero candidate, it¡¯ll bring you a lot of trouble. Many will definitely get dissatisfied with it...! So, he¡¯s preventing that from happening now...!¡± ¡°...¡± Trisha managed to squeeze out an excuse. And although the rationale was weak, at least she¡¯s not wrong. ¡°...¡± It even made Elijah think about it, her hand on her chin while pondering. ¡°...Is it necessary to go that far? No, he is the kind of person that does things without saying anything... But still, it¡¯s only between friends...¡± ¡°You can see it for yourself the next time. He¡¯ll definitely say that he didn¡¯t mean it when he said you weren¡¯t close! Eun!¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll draw a line with you until his status become a bit more stable! Deep inside, he probably feels very close with you...! Yep, that¡¯s it...!¡± ¡°... Really?¡± Please stop asking more questions. Please understand and let your anger go. Trisha hopefully thought. ¡°Oh, wait. Isn¡¯t that Tallion?¡± Fortunately for Trisha, she was saved by these words from the men gathering minerals next to them. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°About a 30-minute walk from here.¡± ¡°...You can see that, Grid?¡± It was Grid who spoke, as he was staring into the distance. As a long-range marksman, his eyesight was naturally very good. ¡°By Tallion... you mean Viscount Armand¡¯s son? They¡¯re good at using spears, right?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a bit strange. I¡¯ve never seen him so angry. And is he muttering curses?¡± ¡°...He¡¯s cursing?¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s see...¡± Grid frowned and focused on Tallion¡¯s mouth. ¡°...I swear. I¡¯ll kill that bastard. I¡¯ll kill that dog scammer. I¡¯mma kill him. I¡¯ll turn you to a skewer... Wow, how bloody.¡± Everyone¡¯s heads turned at Grid¡¯s words. Tallion Armand was known as the epitome of human excellence and restraint. The most perfect role model. What made such a person be this angry during class? ¡°...¡± There¡¯s only one. Elijah flinched upon hearing the word, ¡®scammer¡¯. Chapter 19.2 Chapter 19.2 EP ¨C 019.2 ¨C Class (2) I had no intention of provoking the guy that much. All I wanted was to experiment on the gift¡¯s reach. [ Target ¡®Tallion¡¯s anger has reached the threshold! ] [ Giving indelible shame! ] [ Negative tendency has been imprinted! ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Skill: Evil Ruler has been activated. Obtained 1 command right over the target! ] ¡°...¡± It worked so well. Well, it wasn¡¯t really anything special in the first place. It was an obvious route that any freshmen would take. A talent like Tallion would¡¯ve done the same. That¡¯s why I just went ahead and tried to hit all my targets. I even threw in some of these lines, just in case the provocation wasn¡¯t enough; ¡®It¡¯s really amazing! You¡¯re always behind!¡¯ ¡®Thanks for the materials!¡¯ ¡®Thank you for your incompetence!¡¯ ¡®If you try a bit harder, you might catch up!¡¯ All of which were from the original story. The polite sarcasm was pristine. That¡¯s roughly... I¡¯ve repeated it about 25 times. ¡°...¡± Well, he¡¯s really mad ¡®mad¡¯ right now. Thinking so, I quickly ran away from the pursuing Tallion. I couldn¡¯t care less about class, I¡¯m about to get skewered by a damn spear! [ Danger Detected. ] [ Determined as attempt to injure. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to C Class. ] This even came up. I wouldn¡¯t die, but the model student was definitely angry enough that he¡¯d break my jaw. ¡®The problem is...¡¯ If he keeps chasing me like this, I¡¯ll eventually have to face him at some point. I really don¡¯t want to fight Tallion right now. President Atallante herself warned me to not stand out. Nothing good will happen, especially since this guy is related to the big boss, Purifier. Angering him is fine, but if I fight and accidently hammered him too hard, I¡¯m risking of losing the ¡®connection point¡¯ between him and the Purifier. I don¡¯t want that. ¡°Hey!¡± So, I tried to talk it out with Tallion, who¡¯s still chasing me with a hideous look from behind. ¡°Look, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s my loss and split the harvest in half. How about that?¡± [ Danger Escalated. ] [ Determined as attempt to seriously injure. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to B Class. ] ¡°...¡± Well that didn¡¯t work. I wasn¡¯t even trying to agitate him this time. Right now, I just kept running away from the angry, demonic Tallion. ¡®...But won¡¯t I eventually get caught like this?¡¯ ... Is she still angry about this? Am I not speaking nothing but truth right now? ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Meanwhile, Trisha¡¯s eyes started to twinkle when she heard me and poked Elijah in the side. Immediately after, Elijah asked. ¡°...Sir, did you know that this would happen?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Did you know that he would act like that from the beginning?¡± Did I know that Tallion would be so angry? I purposely agitated him so how could I not know? ¡°How can I not know? Anyone with some sense can tell.¡± ¡°...Is that why you didn¡¯t come with me before? Were you afraid that he¡¯d harm me too?¡± ¡°...?¡± Uh, no? I don¡¯t understand what me provoking Tallion has got to do with you being harmed. [ Favorability of the target ¡®Elijah¡¯ has been increased! ] [ The favorabilty level has been upgraded to ¡®Interest Level 2¡¯! ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Due to the good inclination of the character, the reward has been reduced! ] ¡°...¡± I had no clue why this suddenly popped up here. While I was at a loss, Elijah sighed and turned her head to Trisha. ¡°Trisha, would you mind removing the barrier?¡± ¡°Uh, why?¡± ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just.¡± After saying that, she suddenly reached for her sword. ¡°I¡¯ve always hated nosy people. Especially meddling in others¡¯ relationships.¡± ¡°...Uh, Elijah?¡± Trisha stiffly called out. Elijah¡¯s current expression wasn¡¯t something a hero candidate should have. ¡°You have to return the favor of harming your friend in the same way, right?¡± ¡®I haven¡¯t been able to relieve some stress lately. This is good.¡¯ As she muttered something like that, the following message appeared: " " [ Target ¡®Elijah¡¯ has been influenced by you and is feeling intense anger towards target ¡®Tallion¡¯! ] [ Negative tendency has been imprinted! ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Skill: Evil Ruler has been activated. Obtained 1 command right over the target! ] ¡°...¡± What¡¯s this. What the hell is going on? Chapter 20.1 Chapter 20.1 EP ¨C 020.1 ¨C Class (3) Tallion found himself a little surprised. Was killing intent this easy to create? ¡®That bastard...!¡¯ With gritted teeth, he looked around with bloodshot eyes. In truth, the noble part of Tallion understood the current situation to some extent. If the other party was able to play around him, he clearly has the superior skills. Tallion knew that he should apologize for his rudeness. ¡°...¡± Marquis Riverback will be disappointed once he catches this. Recalling the one who helped him get admitted to the academy and his family¡¯s benefactor, Tallion couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. As someone with the potential and expected to surpass surpass the hero candidate Elijah, his benefactor would definitely be displeased seeing his poor state. But that doesn¡¯t mean that he wouldn¡¯t hit back after being provoked for 25 times. ¡°Tallion?¡± That¡¯s what he thought. Until he heard a voice calling him in front. ¡°...Elijah?¡± Tallion tilted his head in confusion seeing a smiling Elijah approach him. Why is she here so suddenly? ¡°Long time no see, it¡¯s been a while since the last monster subjugation, no?¡± Tallion hesitated. He and Elijah had both participated as apprentices in a joint monster subjugation under the command of Marquis Kendride. ¡®...She remembered.¡¯ Thinking so, Tallion inwardly smiled. ¡®It¡¯s been so long, I thought she wouldn¡¯t remember. Much less as someone who suffered a crushing defeat.¡¯ As peers around the same age and skill, it would¡¯ve been strange if they didn¡¯t spar. Of course, the result was disastrous for Tallion. Regardless of how many people say that Elijah was only ¡®slightly¡¯ above him, he knew better than anyone else that that slight difference was akin to an insurmountable wall. Even, it¡¯s an honor to be recognized by such a brilliant talent. ¡°Indeed, Elijah. It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°What were you doing here?¡± ¡°...Oh nothing, I was just looking for someone.¡± Tallion awkwardly coughed and glossed over. Ever since their first meeting, Elijah was his motivation to train and surpass. He naturally wouldn¡¯t want her to know that he was chasing someone out of anger. ¡°Is that so? Who were you looking for?¡± ¡°Uh, just some annoying guy...¡± ¡°What plans do you have once you found him?¡± ¡°...¡± It was around this time that Tallon felt something amiss. Although Elijah was still smiling, her words were carrying a chilly air. ¡®Did she always have this image?¡¯ No, she didn¡¯t. When he met her before, she definitely has a slightly aggressive side. However, she¡¯s a prim and proper model citizen through and through. What she¡¯s showing now was something else entirely. But it didn¡¯t feel ¡®insidious¡¯. ¡°Tell me. What were you planning on doing?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Nosy know-it-alls are annoying. And I¡¯ve never seen someone like that with pure intentions...¡± Elijah paused for a moment. Her expression suddenly changed, seemingly to have thought of something. Then, she revised her words. ¡°...I¡¯ve only seen one. The rest were guys who only look out for their own interest, isn¡¯t that so?¡± ¡°Elijah, I-uh, I...¡± Elijah snapped her fingers and stopped Tallion in his tracks. Then the already fragmented spear shattered into powder. This time, Tallion didn¡¯t even know what the hell happened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear excuses, understand?¡± Tallion dryly swallowed his saliva. It seems that he¡¯s the ignorant idiot here. If you don¡¯t want to get pummeled then... Don¡¯t touch Dowd Campbell. Heck, don¡¯t even go near him. ¡°Okay. You seem to have understood, just don¡¯t do it in the future.¡± ¡°... Wait.¡± ¡°Do you still have something to say?¡± Looking at Elijah smiling coolly, Tallion flinched, but he was determined to ask this question. He was dying from curiosity. ¡°Who is that guy Doud Campbell exactly?¡± Why would such a talented individual behave to such an extent that even her personality changed? Who the hell is Dowd Campbell? Elijah responded with a smirk. ¡°He¡¯s someone who knocked me out, someone with far superior skills than mine.¡± ¡°...Wasn¡¯t that a scam?¡± ¡°Mr. is not the kind of person who would do that. If you continue to think that, you might kiss death before you know it.¡± ¡°...¡± But despite the threat, Tallion was in no state to respond. It was true that the hero candidate was defeated with a single blow? ¡®...What kind of monster is he?¡¯ At least Elijah¡¯s strength was still within the realms of understanding, but the other person was just completely incomprehensible. Why isn¡¯t he publicly known if that¡¯s the case? ¡°...So it¡¯s fortunate that I¡¯m not dead yet?¡± ¡°Yes, now you¡¯re getting it. I basically saved your life.¡± Tallion trembled when he saw Elijah answering like that while shaking her head. Did he unknowingly challenge a monster to a fight? ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with that person? How did you find out?¡± At this point, he couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and asked the question. But unlike before, there was no immediate response. Rather, Elijah¡¯s expression turned solemn. Then, after some pondering. ¡°No, we¡¯re just good friends, right? On the other hand... Yes, that¡¯s probably it.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Maybe, for now. Uh. That¡¯s about it... I guess? I mean, it¡¯s not that big of a deal to me personally...¡± ¡°...What did you say?¡± ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t know! Anyway, we¡¯re friends for now!¡± The way she¡¯s acting right now was just like the Elijah he knew before. Maybe she hasn¡¯t completely changed as a person. ¡®...But what does she mean by friends ¡®for now¡¯?¡¯ His questions were left unanswered. Chapter 20.2 Chapter 20.2 EP ¨C 020.2 ¨C Class (3) ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t ever bother you again.¡± Dowd was dumbfounded, as he watched Tallion bowing his head and apologizing. Seeing Elijah smiling on the side only made him feel more bewildered. ¡®...What did she do to make him so docile?¡¯ As expected of the hero candidate, her preaching skills are extraordinary. After Tallion disappeared, Trisha suddenly approached me with a solemn look, as I was on my way to get my items graded. ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Dowd.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°...Please be nice to Elijah. No, but don¡¯t be too nice either.¡± ¡°...¡± What is she talking about all of a sudden? Staring at her wide-eyed, Trisha continued with slight tremors. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know it yet, and I also didn¡¯t realize it until now, but there¡¯s something off about Elijah. It could get bad if mishandled.¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± ¡°When I saw her fight Armand¡¯s eldest son earlier, she was on the verge of crossing the line, to the point where one side could have been seriously hurt. Normally, Elijah would have just sent him away, she wouldn¡¯t have drawn her sword like that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am certain that whenever Mr. Dowd is mentioned, she gets dark... No, she gets extremely angry. Should I say that it¡¯s like she¡¯s losing her sense of judgement?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It could get worse in the future. Mr. Dowd might get implicated if she didn¡¯t like something.¡± Thank you for the deathly ominous warning. ¡®...Why are there so many dangerous things these days?¡¯ I thought as I watched Trisha disappear with quick steps. Seriously, it feels like the whole world is against me. I turned my gaze away, sighing. First off, I need to check the system prompts that popped up earlier. ¨‹ Elijah Krisanax [ Interest Level 1 ] >>> [ Interest Level 2 ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Negative Mark 1 Stack ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Character has partly changed under your influence! ] [ She is an important character. Increase the mark stack to get something special! ] [ Evil Ruler usable for 1 time! ] ¨‹ Talion Armand [ Negative Mark 1 Stack ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Historically lost sanity under your influence! ] ¡°...¡± I am at a loss. ¡°So did you fight?¡± ¡°We fought.¡± What a crazy school! The Student Council President is fighting the Dean just because? The area literally looked like it was bombed, with craters everywhere. It¡¯s like the aftermath of a fight between two kaijus. ¡°So knocked her out and gave her to the Student Council. Man, her skills have really improved...¡± He was saying this proudly. ¡®...Still, the Dean overpowered Elnore.¡¯ Even if she¡¯s the Final Boss, she¡¯s still in her growth phase. Looking at it now, it seems that she hasn¡¯t even reached half of her peak strength yet. ¡°What¡¯s my grade?¡± I asked with a bitter smile, while Conrad checked the items inside the bag I brought. ¡°Perfect score. Just the quantity alone, you¡¯re in first place.¡± ¡°...¡± Didn¡¯t he judge it too fast? Then, as if he knew what I was thinking, Conrad snorted and said. ¡°What you¡¯ve brought are high-quality materials, that¡¯s on the same level as the ones procured by experts.¡± ¡°...Yes, I guess so.¡± Although the intention was to piss Tallion off, it is indeed true that they are all high-quality. ¡°Take that and go see Percy. She¡¯ll like it.¡± " " ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You also have a wish ticket from her anyway, so might as well get some extra points.¡± Conrad said with a smile. ¡°...How so?¡± ¡°She¡¯s been complaining to me that she¡¯s missing most of the things you brought. So if you appear with it right now, you¡¯ll look like a savior.¡± Hmm. Is that so? ¡°Then can I ask for something a little bigger with the wish ticket using this?¡± ¡°What is it? She¡¯ll probably able to do most things.¡± ¡°Uh, so...¡± I took a moment to organize my thoughts. There are many conditions required to capture the ¡®Purifier¡¯, but the first thing that comes to mind... ¡°I¡¯d like to ask for a bomb with enough power to explode the entire academy..¡± ¡°...¡± Conrad immediately shut his mouth. Chapter 21.1 Chapter 21.1 Finally finished with exams! EP ¨C 021.1 ¨C Confrontation ¡°So Conrad just let it go easily? Do you often get misunderstood from saying strange things?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Then you probably have a terrible sense of perception. There¡¯s already a few of such incidents from what I¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Be careful with your words. The way I see it, your campus life will be riddled with all sorts of disasters because of it.¡± Well, that¡¯s a bit harsh. I thought while Percy flipped through the production draft I had prepared. Percy Siston Levantin, the Magic Faculty Dewn, is a competent researcher recognized by the Mage Tower. The humankind in the world of Sera has achieved most of their technological development through magic engineering. Therefore, being recognized by the Mage Tower, which was the hub of such technology, was a remarkable feat. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of her achievements in magic, but despite her approaching the age of getting gray hairs, she looked no different than a woman in her late 20s. Well, anyway. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Why would ask me to make something like this?¡± It was, without a doubt, a weird request. ¡°This is more like a cannon than a bomb. I already thought you went crazy for asking a weapon that could explode the entire academy. But you also want me to make it all focus on one point?¡± A valid point, understandable. It definitely feels more like a portable cannon than a bomb.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only Rather than covering a wide area, I want it to hit a precise point at the right time. ¡°The actual production will be done by the internal workshop of the Crafting Department. I just need the Dean to design the explosion source and an outer shell to contain it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the hardest part. It¡¯s already a challenge to prepare that much firepower. Now, you also need a strong container to store that amount of force. Student, do you think I¡¯m a god or something?¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve already made something similar before.¡± Percy frowned and shut her mouth after hearing my words. Among the ¡®weapons¡¯ that this person produced at the Mage Tower, products with similar performance had even gone into actual production. But it was scrapped due to some kind of ¡®accident¡¯. After some silence, Percy said with a hint of difficulty. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you know that. It was a long time ago.¡± ¡°You were a god of magic engineering, what happened?¡± In fact, if it had not been for this ¡®accident¡¯, she might have risen to become the ¡®successor¡¯ of the Mage Tower. No one would be able to complete this request other than Percy. She¡¯s not just the Magic Faculty Dean for nothing. ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t know if I should say this.¡± What? ¡°...Youth love drama? The world, yes?¡± ¡°Ah, no, ah, I, I said nothing, nothing! You didn¡¯t hear anything! Forget everything I said!¡± Why is she so flustered? Although her character was a bit clumsy, seeing her act like this made it seem like she had said something she really shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°More importantly, what about the materials to make this!¡± Then Percy hurriedly changed the topic. ¡°We would need the internal explosives to act as gunpowder. And we need a material that has good strength, junction and elasticity, and magic conductivity for the outer shell! It¡¯ll be really difficult to find them!¡± ¡°...For now, please calm down. I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± I sighed and said. Although she said that to change the topic, the point itself is valid. The material for the explosion and its container are both important. ¡®We should focus on this.¡¯ I fiddled with the black card I received from Atallante previously. It was the key to another world. If I can get inside, it shouldn¡¯t be that difficult to find the materials that Percy said. Surviving inside would be a challenge in itself, but... ¡®For that...¡¯ I only need two things to help me with it. ¡°Dean, didn¡¯t you say something else when you gave me the wish ticket before?¡± ¡°Yes, yeees?!¡± ¡°...Didn¡¯t you say that the hero candidate and I can each pick an item from the Vision Warehouse?¡± It was a privilege obtained by breaking the mock battle record. ¡°Then can I ask you for the items we can take out?¡± I wrote the name of two items on a piece of paper as I said that. These two are subtle when used separately, but has an extreme effect when used together. I may be asking for Elijah¡¯s behalf, but I was carrying her during the mock battle. If she has any complaints, I have my say. ¡°...¡± And when Percy saw the item names, she finally regained her composure. The reason was that it was too absurd. She might have already understood the reason for taking out these two items. ¡°...Have you really gone crazy?¡± ¡°...¡± Ma¡¯am . Why would you ask me that? Chapter 21.2 Chapter 21.2 EP ¨C 021.2 ¨C Confrontation Elfante is actually not that strict than one might expect, especially for freshmen.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only They guarantee the students the right to self-study rather than forcing them in a confined class. Either way, what they achieve solely depends on them. ¡®...It¡¯s quite large.¡¯ This is why I can slack off like this. Strolling with aching legs, I walked down the hallway. I¡¯m looking for Elijah. I¡¯ll be using the ¡®key¡¯ that Atallante gave me tomorrow, and her cooperation is essential to my plan. ¡®Maybe...¡¯ She¡¯s probably in the Monster Research Department club room. In the original game, she was a junior in this Department. But this place is really too damn big. My legs are hurting, yet there¡¯s still a long way to go to my destination. As I was musing to myself. ¡°Ah, are you Dowd Campbell by any chance?¡± Someone suddenly called out to me, which sent chills running down my spine. Turning to see who it was, I saw a man dressed in formal wear approaching me. He had a polite smile, a kind-looking face, and a gentlemanly demeanor. He looked like a successful young entrepreneur. ¡°...¡± However, I knew for a fact that this was all on the surface. Insidiousness disguised as courtesy, malice wrapped in goodness, and hostility covered with politeness. ¡°I was looking for you, but it¡¯s a coincidence to meet you here.¡± Bullsh?t. He must have been monitoring my every move. The odds of such a coincidental meeting with this person in a hallway with no one around was slim to none. ¡°...Do you know me?¡± ¡°Ah, forgive me for the late introduction. I am Galdier Riverback. I run a charity foundation called the ¡®House of Purification¡¯.¡± He handed me a business card while saying so. Oh I know you, alright. Marquis Galdier Riverback. The big boss of Chapter 1, the ¡°Purifier,¡± and the leader of the devil-worshipping cult ¡°PURIFIER.¡± [T/N: there¡¯s two ¡°Purifier¡± but they are spelled differently in Korean so I¡¯ll just capitalize the cult name like how the author spelled out the word] The charity foundation is just a money-laundering front for his cult. ... Yeah, whatever. What¡¯s important is why he suddenly appeared here. What does he want from me? ¡°I have had a great interest in Mr. Dowd Campbell for some time now. I have been wanting to contact you, but the opportunity never presented itself .¡± Despite not having said a word, Marquis Riverback had already led the conversation in his direction. ¡°I have a story I would like to share. Would you mind joining me for a meal sometime?¡± Then I just need to wait for the thing to be made and strengthened. But, after that. ¡°...¡± I need one more thing. I changed my course. There was someone I need to find first before going to Elijah. Soon, I arrived at the infirmary and knocked on the door. ¡°Elnor. Are you there?¡± ¡°...Dowd?¡± Elnore¡¯s startled voice came from inside. I heard that after fighting the Dean and passing out, she was in bed the whole day. ¡°...What is it? Hold on. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°No need, please rest easy. It¡¯s just a simple matter.¡± ¡°What is it? Is something the matter?¡± ¡°Are you free in three days?¡± ¡°...Eung?¡± ¡°Can you go somewhere with me? It¡¯s at ¡®Twilight Iris¡¯.¡± Elnore went silent in the room. There was a long silence along with heavy breathing. Then, a slightly trembling voice sounded. ¡°...Isn¡¯t that the famous dating place, no, a very expensive restaurant? Why would you go there...¡± ¡°Nothing in particular, I just want to go there with you.¡± There was a loud sound from inside the room, as if something had fallen. ¡°...¡± Why is this person like this? ¡°...Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°...¡± Right. That¡¯s a relief. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you in three days...?¡± ¡°...Okay.¡± I stepped back after hearing her voice that sounded different than usual. ¡®...But I¡¯ve secured the most important person.¡¯ The rest is just gathering the means to use in the plan. All right. " " It looks like the next three days are going to be pretty busy. Chapter 22.1 Chapter 22.1 EP ¨C 022.1 ¨C Hidden World Being friends with someone for 10 years, meant that you have a lot of experiences and knowledge of each other. Including, those hidden from the public¡¯s eyes. In other words, Beatrix not only knew but even became somewhat used to Elnore¡¯s bizarre behavior that appears from time to time. ¡°Hey.¡± Still, there are times that even she couldn¡¯t stand it. She doesn¡¯t know why but Elnore has been looking like an anxious addict since earlier. She would just sigh or her eyes would turn bloodshot out of nowhere. She was acting like a rollercoaster, up and down. ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°...¡± The pen Elnore was holding in her hand snapped. Beatrix sighed when she saw the pen made of solid ore breaking like some kind of rotten twig. This amount of force that Elnore was exerting with her hand was a sign that she¡¯s ¡®holding back¡¯ something. Hence why her response was rather brusque compared to the usual. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me of it. I just barely convinced myself to forget. I can¡¯t focus on my work.¡± ¡°...Then explain why, bi?ch.¡± Beatrix curtly pursued, but Elnore simply shook her head instead of answering. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll get resolved if you talk about it. Don¡¯t worry about it. If anything, aren¡¯t you working hard right now?¡± This, Beatrix had to admit. Although Elnore wasn¡¯t a lazy slob, her current working momentum was simply terrifying. ¡°...But this is for the better. It¡¯s pretty busy lately.¡± ¡°There¡¯s indeed a strange amount of administrative work. Is there some important project going on or something?¡± ¡°They say it¡¯s a transfer student from the Tribal Union. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of the name.¡± Hearing this, Elnore frowned and checked a nearby document. ¡°Are they the forces behind the coup? The Chief¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Yes. The Empire accepted this.¡± If she was indeed the Chief¡¯s daughter, then she¡¯s basically a celebrity comparable to the Imperial Family. A VIP figure of this status would most likely have an ¡®entourage¡¯ which the academy, that normally insists on equality among students, had to acknowledge. In fact, it would not be unreasonable to say that it¡¯s their whole family tree who have fled en masse from the power struggle. ¡°In addition, there will also be a regular delegation from the Holy Land next semester. The Saintess herself is coming.¡± ¡°...¡± Elnore wordlessly nodded and kept the documents away. Though, her expression was more strained than before. ¡°...If it¡¯s a regular delegation, isn¡¯t it just a matter of convention? Why would such a high figure need to move herself?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. There are rumors that the academy has made some requests. They also say that the president¡¯s influence was strong on this one.¡± Elnore¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Why are you so upset?¡± ¡°Even with just these bits of information, it¡¯s very clear that the academy is up to something.¡± ¡°I suppose so. It¡¯s not like their the type to shy away from things like this.¡± The headache she barely managed to control was coming back. ¡°He asked me to meet in three days. So shouldn¡¯t I finish all the work until then?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How can I not see him for three days? That¡¯s too much-¡° ¡°...This is the last warning. Get to work.¡± Beatrix coldly declared. Elnore pouted and picked up another document. Fortunately, the contents interested her. ¡°The Full Moon Festival is in three days?¡± ¡°Oh, has it already come to that time?¡± The Full Moon Festival. " " It is the most celebrated day among the imperial holidays. Even the academy faculty and staff who are working next to the Void Zone take a break at this time. ¡®Hence why it¡¯s also the time when the defense is the most vulnerable.¡¯ As someone who grew up wielding the sword, that¡¯s all Elnore can think of. Surprisingly, such a holiday coincided with the day she¡¯ll be meeting Dowd. She smiled and put away the documents related to the Full Moon Festival. Anyway, all she needs to remember is that three days later is an important day. In more ways than one. ¡ñ < System Message> [ Updated additional information on the Main Quest! ] [ Main Quest ]¡¼ Chapter 1 ¨C Purifier ¡½ [ Successfully resolve the events in ¡®Twilight Iris¡¯! ] [ D-3 ] [ Reward: Branch benefit from the main scenario! ] I looked at the system window in front of me. This came up after receiving the invitation from Marquis Riverback. ¡®Branch benefit.¡¯ I scratched my cheek as I read what¡¯s written on the rewards section. I know about this reward as it randomly appears a few times in the game. Originally, if you refuse Marquis Riverback¡¯s ¡°offer¡± in the Twilight Iris, what would follow is either a high stakes escape or battle. Chapter 1 is all about fast-paced progression. Branch benefit basically adds a much easier option than the original two outcomes. ¡®That¡¯s nice.¡¯ As a Chapter 1 boss, you don¡¯t need to worry about the PURIFIER anymore once you¡¯ve beaten them at once. At least, it¡¯s far better than the subsequent chapter bosses that require repeating boss battles. It¡¯s just a little difficult to do it all in one go. ¡®That¡¯s why I brought this person here.¡¯ Thinking so, I look at Elijah, who was rubbing her hands saying that it was cold. We¡¯re currently in a quite high altitude. ¡°...¡± Chapter 22.2 Chapter 22.2 EP ¨C 022.2 ¨C Netherworld She will be of great help in this endeavor. I initially thought persuading her would be difficult, but she didn¡¯t even need to listen to what it was and just agreed straight up. ¡°We¡¯re friends. Is there anything to worry about?¡± ¨CShe¡¯s even so enthusiastic about it. I called out to Elijah with a smile. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Take this.¡± Elijah tilted her head in wonder when she saw the item I held out. ¡°...What it this?¡± ¡°You will need it.¡± This is the only explanation I can give right now. Her asking what it was was natural. After all, what I gave her was a several meters long iron rod. One couldn¡¯t even imagine what it was used for. Meanwhile, I¡¯m holding a disc that¡¯s big enough for to fit at least two humans. Nonetheless, Elijah took the rod and then looked up at the sky, checking her watch from time to time. We¡¯re currently at the rooftop of Gregory Hall, a building that originally served as a spire and is now being used as an observatory. Although it falls a bit short compared to the clock tower at the center of the academy, it is one of the tallest buildings in Elfante. ¡°...I know you asked me for help but what are we trying to do in a place like this?¡± ¡°For the gathering.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°Wait a little.¡± I said while focusing at the sky. Soon, what I had been waiting for began to unfold. ¡°...Uh?¡± Elijah uttered in confusion as a cluster of light suddenly began to gather at a height so high that it was even difficult to see from the observatory¡¯s viewpoint. Even in Elfante, where all kinds of abnormal things happen, this phenomenon only comes once every few months for only a very short amount of time. Hence, most faculty members, let alone students, are unaware of it. It¡¯s natural for Elijah to be confused. ¡°Alright, get ready.¡± ¡°Yes, yes? How, what should I prepare for?¡± I then instructed the fidgeting Elijah to hold the stick to the ground, to which I rolled the disc over on the tip. It looked like a spoon lying on the ground. ¡°Great, now lie down here.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°Quickly.¡± Saying that, I flop down onto the disc. I tap the seat next to me and urged her to do the same. In any case, it is a place filled with complex and powerful restrictions. ¡°But that is if it¡¯s done normally.¡± ¡°...Why do you say that?¡± Elijah¡¯s expression suddenly became strange. She probably noticed that her body was ¡®fixed¡¯ on the disc. This was because I activated it by pressing the button underneath the disc. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± As Elijah was silent, wondering what was going on... There¡¯s the sound of the iron rod that she had been laid down earlier being driven into the floor. ¡°...Mr..¡± ¡°Eung.¡± ¡°No way, no, is it what I¡¯m thinking it is?¡± ¡°Eung.¡± The rod bent into an arch. And the disc tilted at an angle. Yes. It¡¯s just like a ¡®catapult¡¯ before launching a stone. These two items are a set. However, they have very limited use and cannot be used for multiple purposes. That¡¯s why they been gathering dust in Elfante¡¯s Vision Warehouse. But its performance was certain. It was originally designed to shoot ¡®projectiles¡¯ at a very fast speed and high into the sky, with terrifying momentum. Naturally. It has enough power to ¡®launch¡¯ me and Elijah to that portal. ¡°Are we going in there now?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± ¡°...In the Netherworld, without any equipment?¡± " " ¡°It¡¯s okay. It will be over soon.¡± Uh. It should work. I confident that it will. It¡¯s definitely dangerous, though. ¡°...¡± At this time, Elijah suddenly smiled broadly. ¡°You really are crazy, fck.¡± ¡°...¡± Before I could even respond. Elijah and I were shot into the air at a terrifying speed. Chapter 23.1 Chapter 23.1 EP ¨C 023.1 ¨C Netherworld (2) As we got closer to the portal, the light cluster started to vibrate menacingly. It¡¯s like warning us to stay back, otherwise there would be problems. And it¡¯s true, if we just try to directly launch our way through, we would just bounce off. So, at this time, I took out the black card that the President gave. I threw it as soon as we were about to get in contact with it. The light cluster wriggled which tore a hole in the space itself. At the same time, I set a timer for exactly 2 minutes. ¡®...This is the limit of Atallante¡¯s access pass.¡¯ Originally, this was end-game content that was only given to players who had achieved ¡®Eternal¡¯ status. The black card was something like an identification given to these high beings. Without this, I¡¯d be ¡®quarantined¡¯ once I enter the other side of the portal. It was being strictly managed. ¡°...¡± In other words. The Netherworld is a crazy place that even an Eternal like Atallante is only allowed entry for two minutes. Occasionally, depending on the route you take, you might have to enter this place again during the main scenario and not just in the DLC. ¡®...Absolutely not.¡¯ Really. Please no. God forbid that happens. I¡¯ll also work my ass off to prevent that from happening. ¡°Wow.¡± A surprised exclamation came out of Elijah¡¯s mouth as soon as she entered the portal. ¡°I thought it would be straight hell as soon as we enter, but this...¡± ¡°Yeah, I get what you mean.¡± Well, it might look pretty right now but it couldn¡¯t be more terrifying. Various objects of all shapes and colors are scattered throughout the place, as if various filters were overlayed on top of the real world terrain. Astral bodies. Forgotten ancient objects. Spirits. All of them are powerful and dangerous. ¡°Try to not carelessly touch things. They are dangerous.¡± Elijah was just about to touch a white haze that was floating nearby, and immediately snapped her hand back in a flurry after hearing my words. If ever something bad does happen, there¡¯s still the angel¡¯s protection. However, it¡¯s best not to come into contact with objects from the Netherworld as much as possible. ¡°...but how high did we go up? How much higher do we need to go?¡± ¡°Just a little more.¡± In fact, if it were just simply entering and exiting the portal, there would have been a more suitable flying item from the Vision Warehouse and not this makeshift ¡®catapult¡¯. But there¡¯s a reason why I used such a primitive method, that is, to obtain the items that existed in the ¡®Gregory Hall¡¯s Highest Level¡¯. ¡°...Coming to such a high place reminds me of the old days.¡± Elijah, who was in free flight with me, suddenly muttered. ¡°You¡¯re familiar with this experience?¡± ¡°My older brother is as crazy as Mr. He had thrown me from the top of the mountain without any equipment since I was little. Looking at it that way, aren¡¯t you two the same?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He always saves me in the end, and say that this was to train my courage.¡± ¡°...¡± No wonder she¡¯s still strangely calm even in this situation. ¡°That idiot really loved heights.¡± Elijah continued with a smile. ¡°...I wonder where and what is he doing now?¡± The longing was clear in her tone. ¡°...¡± Although I¡¯m no scientist, I¡¯ve already proven my actions to be correct, in this world built on top of the game system several times. This should be safe enough. ¡°What do you mean those are the pupils-¡± Just as Elijah was about to ask such a question, she immediately shut her mouth. That¡¯s because she saw the color of the sky change for a moment before immediately returning to its original state. This phenomenon was caused by a being closing and opening its eyes. To put it differently. What looks like the sky right now was simply the ¡®white¡¯ part of the being¡¯s eyes. And the ¡®pupil¡¯ looked like a huge dot. At this moment, Elijah finally realized that we were being watched. ¡°This is, this is crazy-!¡± With a deafening roar, the ¡®sky¡¯ receded. [ A moment of danger has been detected. ] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX Class. ] Specifically, the ¡®Netherworld beast¡¯ that sensed us pulled its head back and was now approaching us with its jaws wide open. ¡®...this is why the Netherworld is hell.¡¯ Mind you, this is a ¡®trash mob¡¯ of this world. A creature at the bottom of the food chain. ¡°M, Mr., this, damn it!¡± Elijah drew her sword as she said so. Her whole body was trembling and tears were welling up in her eyes. ¡°Ge, get behind me!¡± ¡°...Are you sure it¡¯s safe to go that route?¡± ¡°You saved me before! This time, I¡¯ll...!¡± ¡°...¡± I see, I understand how you feel. And for that, thank you. The courage and mental strength to put yourself in the face of danger without even knowing the opponent was amazing. Definitely deserving of a round of applause. But fighting that thing with our current strength alone is suicidal. ¡°Calm down, we¡¯re not here to fight that thing.¡± Saying so, I reminded her of the sack I gave earlier. At this moment, our soaring bodies were about to stop. All that remains was a free-fall downwards. ¡°From now on, gather everything that comes pouring down.¡± ¡°Pour, pour down?!¡± ¡°That thing.¡± I pointed to the white lumps pouring out of the beast¡¯s open mouth. ¡°Take as many as you can. It can be used in a lot of places.¡± ¡°Y, you really have the time to think about that right now?!¡± But despite my instructions, she was screaming in protest. Elijah was more concerned about our lives being in danger, to which she was not wrong. ¡®...Still, it¡¯s absolutely necessary.¡¯ To do so, I even bought two more sacks and spent 1,000 points. If my calculations were correct, we wouldn¡¯t be in a situation where we¡¯d die. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s right.¡¯ Can I use ¡®it¡¯ here? [ Skill: Evil Ruler has been activated. ] [ Triggering command right to target ¡®Elijah¡¯. ] Chapter 23.2 Chapter 23.2 EP ¨C 023.2 ¨C Netherworld (2) ¡°Relax, it¡¯s fine.¡± When I said that, Elijah¡¯s trembling suddenly stopped. ¡°...Uh?¡± I couldn¡¯t imagine that before this calmness, she was just on the verge of tears. Even she, herself, was shocked for such a sudden change. ¡®The effect is better than I thought?¡¯ I hesitated because the term ¡®command¡¯ was a bit ambiguous, but just by telling her to calm down, it removed her fear of death. I don¡¯t know how far it can go specifically, but it¡¯s for certain that it¡¯s persuasion power is not ordinary. ¡°Have you calmed down?¡± ¡°...Uh, yes, yes. Somehow. So, uh? what is it again?¡± ¡°Then put that thing in.¡± Then I tried giving her the sack again. ¡°It¡¯s necessary, alright? Believe it or not, we are safe.¡± ¡°...¡± Elijah looked at me with questioning eyes, but rather than answering, I checked my watch instead. 10 seconds remaining. The beast¡¯s jaws was getting closer and closer. It was coming at us faster than we were falling. But because of it, the white lumps were also falling quickly. ¡°...Ahh, I don¡¯t know. Why can someone be calm in this situation?¡± With a half-giving up expression, Elijah finally followed my lead and opened her sack to catch the falling white lumps. This and a humongous creature larger than the mountain coming to devour us was quite the strange sight to see. 9 seconds. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan! We¡¯re almost there!¡± Her words had a double meaning. Above is the gaping maw of the beast while below is the hard ground. It¡¯s either death by vore or death by fall. Still, there was nothing to plan or say. ¡°Just... Watch your step.¡± There¡¯s no room for mistakes here. As the main character, her life is precious. ¡°Yes?!¡± One second left. As the alarm on the watch went off, the world that had just been filled with various filter-like colors returned to its original state. The ¡®entry permit¡¯ that allowed us to enter the world has expired and thus we got forcibly expelled. ¡°Ehut... Cha.¡± At the same time, we made a ¡®soft¡¯ on the ground. Basically, expending the time limit and getting kicked out makes it so our coordinates are ¡®newly generated¡¯. What does that mean? In other words, in the current situation, the only force that would affect me and Elijah is the momentum from jumping from this two-story building. Kung, kung. A series of thuds rang out. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Elijah looked around with a dazed expression, before ignoring everything for now and checked the sack¡¯s contents. [ Gregory Hall¡¯s Spirit ] [ Item: Epic ] [ Grants contact with the spirit of a legendary figure. ] [ Ectoplasm Blob ] x3 [ Material: Special ] [ A mysterious substance only secreted by Netherworld beings. Can maximize certain properties depending on the catalyst. ] Right, so. The Gregory Hall¡¯s Spirit will be used as a material for my exclusive equipment. While the Ectoplasm Blob will be used for the ¡®cannon¡¯ I asked Percy to make. ¡®...Good.¡¯ Although it was risky, this was a very good harvest. ¡°Mr.¡± A shaking Elijah suddenly called out as I was in my thoughts. ¡°...No way, did you plan this all from the beginning?¡± ¡°Uh? What?¡± ¡°Going up to the Netherworld, getting unknown things, being chased by a monster, and a safe landing. Ahhh, I don¡¯t know how it works. Anyway, did you know that this was going to happen?¡± ¡°...I guess?¡± She silently recalled what had just happened. When the unidentified giant monster had opened its mouth and was coming to devour them. ¡®Relax, it¡¯s fine.¡¯ She was so scared. It felt like she was going to die. But when that man told her to calm down, she suddenly felt relieved. It really felt like that. His words just pierced straight through her heart. ¡®It¡¯s strange. Really strange.¡¯ At first glance, he seems indifferent and just blurts out things carelessly. But if you were to stay by his side for a little while, you would realize that he always seems to see things that others can¡¯t. Most of all. He would always do things that strike people¡¯s hearts during crucial moments. ¡®They¡¯re a little bit similar?¡¯ Her brother had always remained stuck in her heart for the better or worse. He¡¯s mischievous, insensitive, and usually only play silly pranks. Sometimes, she wonders if there¡¯s another dolt like him in the world. But at the same time. No matter what adversity, he would always rise up and overcome it. No matter how strong the opponent is, he never backs down. Above all. Whenever she is in danger, he always rushes to her rescue. He was her only hero in the world. Didn¡¯t he used to say that every time? ¡®Relax, it¡¯s fine.¡¯ " " ¡°...¡± And, oddly enough. After experiencing the previous situation, that man called Dowd strangely reminds her of him- ¡°Aaaaahhhh-!¡± Elijah groaned and slapped her cheeks with both hands. ¡®Crazy, are you insane!?¡¯ How could she compare her brother with that person! In the first place, he¡¯s someone else¡¯s man! And he said he likes Princess Tristan! It¡¯s disrespectful to compare someone involved with that damn family to her brother! ¡°So annoying! That Mr., ahh it¡¯s irritating!¡± Yeah, that guy is annoying! -Relax, it¡¯s fine. ¡°...¡± His voice once again echoed in her mind. But, Elijah immediately shook her head and shouted again at the top of her lungs. ¡°I really hate you, Mr.!¡± She was screaming so much that her face started to get red. It was as if she was trying to force out a voice that was coming from inside of her. ¡ñ ¡°Aaaaahhhh-!¡± ¡°So annoying! That Mr., ahh it¡¯s irritating!¡± ¡°I really hate you, Mr.!¡± ¡°...¡± I suddenly heard such words echoing as I was dragging my sacks. ¡®She¡¯s really angry, huh...?¡¯ I should apologize properly next time. Otherwise, I might really get killed... [ The favorability of the target ¡®Elijah¡¯ has greatly increased! ] [ The favorability level has been upgraded to ¡®Interest Level 4¡¯! ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Reward has been reduced due to the good alignment of the target! ] ¡°...¡± In the meantime, I don¡¯t know why this suddenly popped up. No. Why are you here, seriously? Chapter 24.1 Chapter 24.1 EP ¨C 024.1 ¨C Full Moon Festival Atallante silently rubbed her eyes. It was clear that she was trying to regain her composure. She¡¯s been in this state ever since she checked what was inside the sack I gave her. ¡°Is this what I think it is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re thinking of, but it is a relic.¡± ¡°...¡± After a moment of silence, Atallante finally asked. ¡°...You went to the Netherworld?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She rubbed her face, looking perplexed. ¡°...Why do you look disheveled?¡± ¡°I stopped by at Dean Percy¡¯s and handed over two Ectoplasm Blobs. She was so surprised that she fired lightning magic.¡± ¡°...¡± Actually, I was lucky. The other graduate students around that time didn¡¯t look as unscathed. ¡°So, does this satisfy you?¡± She previously promised me another gift if I ¡®satisfied her¡¯. This should be enough, right? ¡°It¡¯s not about being satisfied... Even if you don¡¯t give this to me and take it to the Mage Tower instead, I¡¯ll still buy this with a pile of gems.¡± Ectoplasm and a thought body. Atallante replied while massaging her temples. A thought body is an object that said to contain the consciousness of ¡®great men¡¯ who had done great achievements. And Ectoplasm is an ultra-rare material that is barely obtainable in units of 30 to 50 grams per year even in the Mage Tower. Depending on the processing method, it¡¯s utility is almost universal. According to the type of catalyst it¡¯s mixed with, it can be made even harder than diamonds, or be processed into explosive weapons that show power similar to tactical weapons. And I just handed over two blobs of it weighing in kilograms, so Percy naturally had a seizure. ¡°...Alright. A promise is a promise, I¡¯ll give you a gift.¡±Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°A gift is good, but would you mind if I ask for a request instead?¡± ¡°A request?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like you to ¡®bestow¡¯ the thought body to an item.¡± Atallante¡¯s brows furrowed at my words. ¡°...If you¡¯re talking about bestowing a thought body onto an object, are you focusing more on the future rather than the present?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Processing the thought body directly into an equipment would produce an item with particularly outstanding performance. However, if you ¡®bestow¡¯ it to an already existing item, the consciousness of that thought body would slowly awaken and would accumulate effects that can¡¯t be simply compared to superior equipment. Obviously, I chose the latter. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a while now.¡± Atallante said with a deep sigh. ¡°Why are you going to such lengths?¡± ¡°Yes. Unless you¡¯re a fool, anyone would come to the same conclusion.¡± I continued with a sigh. ¡°...How much more are you willing to go?¡± The President chuckled. But I didn¡¯t get an answer in the end. ¡ñ So that¡¯s what this is. I checked the amulet wrapped around my wrist. It¡¯s something the president made after a whole day¡¯s work. [ Soul Linker ] [ Exclusive Equipment ] [ Enchantment: Epic ] [ An item imbued with a great spirit that can awaken by increasing synchronization rate. ] [ Always retain magic power due to the influence of the great spirit. ] [Currently Charged Magic Power Rate: 100%] [ Current Synchronization Rate: 0% ] Originally, in order to raise the synchronization rate, other jobs must constantly feed the item rare materials. There¡¯s no other way. Even though Epic Enchantment might be intimidating, I don¡¯t need to do such a thing in the first place. ¡®Because my job is that of a priest.¡¯ I took out the incense burner I always have with me with a smile. When I brought it to the amulet, a tiny bit of golden light emanated from the Soul Linker. [ Current Synchronization Rate: 0.01% ] That¡¯s right. Spirits generally respond sensitively to divinity. For a priest, they could increase their synchronization rate just by naturally developing their skills. The spirit will simply respond with them on its own. It¡¯s an exclusive item for a reason. ¡®The spirit should fully awaken by Chapter 2.¡¯ Speaking of, even if you scour the entire game, there are less than 20 that have the modifier ¡®Epic¡¯ attached. The effect that I¡¯ll enjoy once it awakens will be worth all the wait. Since it¡¯s an amulet type item, it synergizes well with divinity and blessings used by priests. Just obtaining and growing it at this timing alone is unbelievable. If I start steadily growing it, it¡¯ll be one of the key pillars for clearing Chapter 2 onwards. ¡®The fact that it¡¯s charged with magic power is also good.¡¯ It¡¯s especially a useful function for me who has zero innate abilities and needs to pull magic power from elsewhere to use skills. Having this item alone right now is worth its price. I need magic power to use two skills. ¡°Ah, you.¡± ¡°...Hello.¡± Of course, this person¡¯s help is essential for this time. I kept the amulet and looked at Elnore, who was waving her hands in front of me. [ Main Quest ]¡¼ Chapter 1 ¨C Purifier ¡½ [ Successfully resolve the events in ¡®Twilight Iris¡¯! ] [ D-0 ] [ Reward: Branch benefit from the main scenario! ] [ Related events will soon occur! ] Chapter 24.2 Chapter 24.2 EP ¨C 024.2 ¨C Full Moon Festival Let¡¯s deal with this first. ¡°Have you been waiting?¡± ¡°No, I also just got here not too long ago.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief. You look like you¡¯ve dressed up more than usual....¡± It¡¯s not like she dressed like a hobo before, just that she usually wears her uniform. But today, she¡¯s wearing a loose sky blue dress and was adorned with all sorts of jewelry. Speaking of, she¡¯s wearing makeup now? ¡°...Am I?¡± Elnore slightly smiled at my words. ¡°Yes, it must have taken a very long time to perfect.¡± ¡°I got ready in the morning and came here, so about six hours.¡± ¡°...¡± What did she say about not waiting and just got here again? ¡°...Well, that¡¯s not a long wait. Don¡¯t feel burdened.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying, I can spare 6 hours whenever...¡± ¡°...Then, shall we go?¡± I sighed and said to Elnore, who was starting to be unreasonable. As I gently grabbed her wrist and led her away, I could feel Elnore¡¯s body twitch. ¡°Dowd?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be crowded.¡± The Full Moon Festival is in full swing. With so many attendees, it¡¯ll be easy to lose someone in the sea of people. ¡®Is it uncomfortable?¡¯ To be honest, I have no idea on how I should distance myself from a woman. The reason was also very simple. It¡¯s because I¡¯ve never had such an experience in my life. Let alone dating, Dowd Campbell didn¡¯t even have friends of the opposite sex. I¡¯m a bit sad now. ¡°Well, it certainly seems that way.¡± ¡°...¡± Elnore smiled and took her hand away. Ah, I guess it was uncomfortable... ¡°This is how you escort a lady.¡± Holding hands is a sign of respect and trust towards the other person. It should not be neglected. You grasp firmly and with dignity. Having said that, Elnore gently held my hand. With our hands touching, I could feel her warmth on my skin. ¡°I won¡¯t lose you, this way.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Will you lead the way?¡± I stared at Elnore with my eyes wide open. ¡°...Elnore, did you just smile?¡±UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m More precisely, she had a light smile that seemed a bit shy. Whereas, in the main story, Elnore looked like she¡¯s in constant suffering. The Gray Devil¡¯s energy bubbling from within and her rivalry with Elijah. On top of it all, she had to maneuver through muddy politics as a Tristan. She¡¯s always under extreme pressure, both physically and mentally. All of which add up and chip away at her mental state. I know from the game that Elijah uses honorific, but Tallion? And didn¡¯t he also just chased me around to beat me not long ago? What¡¯s with the sudden politeness? ¡°I simply wanted to do such for Mr. Dowd.¡± Tallion humbly bowed his head and replied. Come to think of it, he was like this originally. Before his fall into the darkness, I remember him being a diligent and sincere ace student. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such. We¡¯re in the same class anyway.¡± ¡°Then I will call you Hyeongnim. You¡¯re older than me, right?¡± ¡°...¡± Well, he¡¯s not wrong. In Elfante, being in the same class doesn¡¯t equate to similar ages. The problem is. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Marquis Riverback often talks about Hyeongnim. He¡¯s very interested in you, you know?¡± Tallion¡¯s reply made my eyebrows frown. ¡®That guy...¡¯ Perhaps, he only approached me because I was close with Elijah and Elnore. However, Marquis Riverback is a snake. He wouldn¡¯t put so much care and attention to me if he¡¯s were simply going to use me as a bridgehead to the two women. ¡°Anyways, welcome to the Twilight Iris. Please enjoy your stay.¡± I faced Tallion who said so with a cheerful smile. ¡°...¡± Come to think of it, there had been a message that the main scenario had changed since Elnore and Elijah¡¯s favorability increased. It is now clear that the effect has reached this far. Marquis Riverback¡¯s interest has shifted from ¡®Elijah¡¯ to ¡®me¡¯. ¡®The story...¡¯ So, that means... the chance of me having a good time in this restaurant today is practically zero. ¡°Tallion, do you happen to be wearing a necklace or something?¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± Tallion looked startled at my question and fidgeted around his neck. It was a necklace with an emblem engraved in the middle. It was an item I remember. ¡°This was given by the House of Purification. The foundation run by Marquis Riverback. Only a few talented people sponsored by them could have it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As expected. Since the scenario got twisted like my arm. Shouldn¡¯t I also set a trap card of my own? [ Skill: Evil Ruler has been activated. ] [ Exercising command right to the target ¡®Tallion¡¯. ] ¡°Don¡¯t wear it today.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°And do your best to prevent others from wearing it if you can. Understand?¡± ¡°...¡± I patted the dumbfounded Tallion on the shoulder and entered the restaurant. ¡®...Yeah, well.¡¯ With this alone, I took a considerable ¡®advantage¡¯ against Marquis Riverback. ¡°Ah, Mr. Dowd Campbell. Welcome.¡± Inside, a smiling Marquis Riverback greeted me. ¡®Bring it on, you bastard.¡¯ This is just the beginning. Chapter 25.1 Chapter 25.1 EP ¨C 025.1 ¨C Full Moon Festival (2) [ Main Quest is renewed! ] [ Main Quest ] [ The villain is trying to capture you! ] [ Skillfully overcome this ordeal! ] [ The faster you resolve it, the better the reward! ] [ Reward: Branch benefit from the main scenario! ] Seeing this pop up, I looked at the person in front of me. Marquis Galdier Riverback, also known as the ¡®Purifier¡¯. ¡®...To be honest, this guy is nothing special.¡¯ He¡¯s but a puppet that moves as he¡¯s told. He¡¯s just a clever little worm, not worthy of being a Chapter 1 boss with the enormous status of a Viscount. Nonetheless, he¡¯s still a successful transport businessman and a famous philanthropist, who runs a charity foundation that¡¯s well-known even within the empire as a whole. Their slogan was giving opportunities to talented individuals who are unable to develop their potential due to their circumstances and undesirable environment. ¡®He¡¯s very articulate in this sense.¡¯ But in fact, this was simply to lay the groundwork. He builds trust with the people, then slowly gaslight them in listening to everything he says. Naturally, this results in death. Take the people he brought with him right now, all of whom looked strong. More than that, they are willing to sacrifice their lives for his sake. All it takes is a word from Marquis Riverback. I secretly glanced at the tattoos on their necks. It is the seal of the PURIFIER, a group of devil worshipers. ¡®Is it one of the factions?¡¯ The main enemies of the scenario are devils and devil worshipers who they influenced. Basically, they hate humanity and peace, and consider unleashing chaos and evil in the world as their lifelong goal. They have nothing else to do. And the PURIFIERS are especially obsessed with the Tristan Family. The story goes that the devil lives in the Tristan Family¡¯s bloodline. They are aware, to some extent, of the fact that the resurrection of the ¡®Gray Devil¡¯ is related to this lineage. They are the ones who threw a boulder at Elnore in the train, sneaking professional assassins into the school and detonated the bomb at the freshman welcome party and releasing the caged monsters. ¡°Princess Tristan, long time no see.¡± Seeing him smile as he saw Elnore, I really want to applaud his straight brazenness. Meanwhile, when Elnore entered the restaurant and saw Marquis Riverback, her expression hardened even more. ¡®Pretty sure they aren¡¯t in good terms.¡¯ So he was expecting, at least, something special from the man to warrant this phenomenon. However, the man in front of him was disappointing. He was the embodiment of a talentless fool that it was almost unbelievable. ¡®But the Prophet...¡¯ He swallowed saliva with his dry mouth at the thought of his ¡®Master¡¯. A being called the Prophet by devil worshipers. All devil worshippers, including the PURIFIERS, were merely tools to him. Marquis Riverback¡¯s position as a Viscount and his reputation as a prominent businessman in the empire were all due to a single word from the Prophet. The Prophet¡¯s influence, power, and evil had already seeped like poison into the three hegemons, and its tentacles had reached every corner of the continent. Compared to him, Marquis Riverback¡¯s position as a Viscount was nothing but a bug. ¡°...¡± And yet, such an existence was interested in this insignificant man in front of him. Marquis Riverback couldn¡¯t figure out why, but one thing is clear. His original plan of approaching the hero candidate was changed to approaching this man because of the Prophet. ¡°Do you know why I called you here, Mr. Dowd?¡± But first, he has to ¡®encourage¡¯ this man to his side, just like what he intended to do with the hero candidate. To be exact, it¡¯s to blackmail him into cooperating with them. ¡®Things are going perfectly.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t know what the hell this man was thinking, but he delivered their main target, Princess Tristan, in front of their doorstep. Its currently the Full Moon Festival so the security is at its weakest due to the festive atmosphere. ¡®The grace of God shall descend to this Heaven and Earth.¡¯ Devil energy is sensitive to chaos and fear. So if blood and death drown this festival, the slumbering devil inside Princess Tristan will definitely respond. The Prophet has professed the Tristan family¡¯s lineage as related to the devil. Now, all his extensive preparation and years as a Viscount is finally culminating today. ¡®The plan is perfect.¡¯ The Prophet had bestowed the position of Viscount upon him for this moment. There was no room for error, not the slightest mishap. ¡°...¡± Now, this Dowd, person. If he doesn¡¯t comply, then Marquis Riverback could just threaten him with death. And since he seems to have a good relationship with the Princess, they can use that as well. He¡¯s like a dung bettle rolling around in manure. As Marquis Riverback was deep in his thoughts, Dowd, who had been munching on a piece of meat, suddenly looked back at him with a blank stare. ¡°What?¡± ¡°...¡± Chapter 25.2 Chapter 25.2 EP ¨C 025.2 ¨C Full Moon Festival (2) Hearing such a lax tone, Marquis Riverback sighed inwardly. It felt so stupid. Why did the Prophet had him meet this guy? But he suppressed the pathetic feeling and continued. ¡°I asked if you knew why I called you here.¡± ¡°Ah, that.¡± Dowd Campbell¡¯s voice was still relaxed.UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m ¡°Aren¡¯t you just going to babble about resurrecting the devil or something?¡± He said those words with such leisure. Meanwhile, Marquis Riverback unknowingly held his breath at this sudden turn. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s currently the Full Moon Festival where the security is at its weakest. Aren¡¯t you aiming to create a bloodbath to resurrect the devil?¡± He was casually listing out information as if he had read Marquis Riverback¡¯s mind. ¡°Since the Marquis deals with transportation business, you should have no problem in smuggling the goods inside the Golden Triangle. You can easily disguise the monsters as something else in the transport.¡± This was his plan that, other than the Prophet, was kept hidden from the devil worshipers¡¯ executives specifically for security reasons. ¡°You set up bombs all around and detonate them at once, and unleash the monsters. Meanwhile, the knights on standby will have to deal with the assassins.¡± Everything flowed out of his mouth without pause. It was no different than an attitude one would use in chatting, while eating a delicious meal. Dowd took another bite and continued. ¡°The multiple assassination attempts on Princess Tristan and the monster stampede at the welcome party don¡¯t really matter. In the first place, the fact that the monsters and assassins successfully caused a disturbance meant that the basic conditions for using them were met. You were initially just testing the waters. ¡± It wasn¡¯t just his plan, but even the moves he¡¯s taken and his intentions. This guy had seen through everything accurately. The same plan that he thought was perfect until now. The plan that only he and the Prophet knew, and worked hard on for many years. In just a few seconds, everything was laid bare by the man he thought as a fool. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, really.¡± " " Ah, this sauce is delicious. Dowd Campbell said with a smirk. Still. It looked like he¡¯s more interested in the meal than ¡®that kind of thing¡¯. Watching this, Marquis Riverback unconsciously clenched his chair¡¯s armrest. A thick drop of sweat ran down his forehead to his nose, but he didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to it. ¡°You, just who are you?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you always the reckless and aggressive type? What are you pretending to be polite about for?¡± [ The villain is in awe of your slyness! ] [ Rewards Available! ] ¡°...¡± What slyness? Seriously? Well, anyway. ¡°My men should already be on their way downstairs to subdue Princess Tristan. They are the cream of the crop that¡¯s been selected through the House of Purification project.¡± Marquis Riverback said with a look of composure. I guess he was talking about the guys from before. ¡°You may have disrupted my plan, but we can still proceed with it as long as you¡¯re here. They are all strong individuals who are comparable to knights. Even Princess Tristan will be subdued.¡± He seemed confident in himself. ¡®...Well, they¡¯re not really bona fide knights.¡¯ Knights are super humans rumored to have blue blood flowing in their veins. Regardless, if Marquis Riverback¡¯s men are comparable to the level of a knight, then it¡¯s understandable where he got such confidence. It¡¯s just that I had to interrupt you in your speech. ¡°Try it, then.¡± When I said that, Marquis Riverback was bewildered again. ¡°...What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Try it.¡± I brought Elnore to this place for a reason. Even if she¡¯s the final boss, there haven¡¯t been many opportunities to see her majesty properly until now. In the first place, she was always suppressing her madness because of mental limitations. However, as far as I know. ¡®...It¡¯s better to let it loose sometimes.¡¯ Considering the context, it¡¯s just right. It¡¯s not that there isn¡¯t a way to get rid of it completely, but it¡¯s currently impossible. Until then, it¡¯s better to let it out. More importantly, these are ¡®devil worshipers¡¯, so she can proceed without any guilt. ¡°...¡± If she can release it without any restraint, one would see why she is the final boss. ¡°It¡¯s good that they¡¯re elites.¡± Simply because... ¡°They¡¯ll be good punching bags for Elnore.¡± Elnore didn¡¯t get trapped. They were trapped with Elnore. Chapter 26.1 Chapter 26.1 EP ¨C 026.1 ¨C Full Moon Festival (3) ¡°Stand up.¡± Elnore slowly lifted her eyes as one of the surrounding men said so. ¡°Follow me. We have somewhere to be.¡± ¡°Somewhere?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At least they weren¡¯t indicating that they were moving to serve the next course of the meal. In the first place, they had been displaying a threatening gesture by deliberately showing their bladed weapons. ¡°...¡± However, instead of immediately responding to their demands, Elnore simply furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°I hope that someday, there will be a man who truly understands me. Someone who will accept my everything. When was the last time I had such a hope? I can¡¯t even remember anymore.¡± As her low-pitched voice sounded, the people around her all frowned. It was a natural reaction as no sane person would just start a hopeless monologue while being surrounded. ¡°You know, hope is a dangerous thing. It makes humans blind. I¡¯ve been fooled a lot too.¡± ¡°Hey. What are you babbling...¡± Elnore grabbed a wine bottle nearby and gulped down the whole thing. It was an outrageous act that didn¡¯t fit her status as a noblewoman. But strangely, it didn¡¯t feel out of place. It was a sign that she had been suppressing something for a long time. ¡°But sometimes, there are things that don¡¯t betray you.¡± ¡°...I told you to stand up.¡± The man, who spoke first, irritatedly strode towards Elnore. He was clearly going to force her to stand up. Elnore looked several times smaller compared to the man¡¯s giant, well-trained body. However, the next moment. Elnore grabbed the man¡¯s big arm. ¡°...!¡± Blood gushed out of the spot where she held, as the man¡¯s muscles tore and his bones shattered. Just as the man¡¯s eyes widened and was processing the situation in shock, without skipping a beat, Elnore grabbed his head and slammed it onto the table. The wine bottle she had just been drinking from also fell from the impact. Blood sprayed and glass shards scattered everywhere. ¡°...What!¡± As the people around her drew their swords in fear, Elnore simply smirked and casually threw the completely unconscious man aside. From the beginning, they never thought it would be easy to face her. But they also didn¡¯t think that they wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. After all, everyone here is a warrior deserving of such confidence. They are steel-like talents forged in the melting pot of real combat. They are the elites of the elites that Marquis Riverback trained to the best of his abilities. However. What stands before them right now is... What is in front of them right now is not just a ¡°skilled swordsman.¡± Rather, all the human-like sensations she had just moments ago were wiped away, replaced by an unidentifiable brutality and hostility. This is... the ¡°something¡± that takes on the form of Princess Tristian. It is as black as ink, so much so that it doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s even human! ¡°So. Be ready to kill.¡± Well, anyway. It¡¯s a gift from that man. Her face is still expressionless like usual. But if Dowd saw her now, he would probably think that Elnore was ¡°genuinely smiling.¡± As if causing harm without the fear of repercussion is the most fun and enjoyable thing. ¡°That way, you¡¯ll be able to hold out a little longer.¡± Subsequently. Absolute mayhem ensued. ¡ñ In total, it took 3 minutes and 30 seconds. That¡¯s how long it took Elnore to reach us. ¡°...Impossible...¡± Looking at the dazed Marquis Riverback muttering like that, I would have probably bust out laughing on a regular day. But, isn¡¯t this a bit too much? ¡°...Are you okay?¡± As I asked in a stiff voice, Elnore pursed her lips and tossed the two bloodied bodies away. Watching her drag them around like they were trophies gave me chills. ¡°Well, it was refreshing. I think I¡¯ll be fine for a while.¡± ¡°...¡± Elnore was in the first floor at the entrance of the restaurant, while Marquis Riverback and I are in a special room on the top floor. But right now, this person has managed to single-handedly slice through dozens to hundreds of people who were densely packed together, and make their way up here. An elite force that Marquis Riverback could boast of being ¡®comparable to the Knights¡¯ were wiped out by her. All while wearing a one-piece dress. And in just a few minutes. ¡®Isn¡¯t this a real monster...?¡¯ Chapter 26.2 Chapter 26.2 EP ¨C 026.2 ¨C Full Moon Festival (3) I can assure you of one thing. This is crazy. Even an EX-level Desperation wouldn¡¯t cut it. With the EX level Desperation stat boost, I should be able to deal with 5 to 10 people. But against dozens to hundreds of elite troops? It would already be considered good if I can hold out even for a few seconds. Even Marquis Riverback, whose confidence was soaring just now, abruptly blanked out. After all, the tower that he¡¯s built up over many years was destroyed in just a few minutes by one person. As I was at a loss for words, Elnore¡¯s brows furrowed as if she suddenly remembered something. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± Calmly throwing away two bloodied corpses, she came towards me. ¡°Come to think of it, it was not a good idea.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°It was hard. I could have been hurt. How could you make me do this?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you take responsibility?¡± She was lying through her teeth without even batting an eye. She has not one scratch and looked better than a brand new porcelain. Rather, didn¡¯t you get rid of all the stress, even enjoyed it...? ¡°It did feel great but this isn¡¯t a date, no, that, anyway, you should make it up to me!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go out together again next time. Alright?¡± ¡°...Should I?¡± It doesn¡¯t feel like I really have the grounds to refuse right now. ¡°Um. You should. You¡¯ll have to take responsibility for other things later.¡± What is the other thing that I have to take responsibility for? What should I take responsibility for? As I sighed at the incomprehensible words, a window suddenly appeared before me. [ Checking the current condition of target ¡®Elnore¡¯. ] [ Current favorability is ¡®Dear¡¯ or higher. The unique debuff ¡®Madness¡¯ has been improved under your influence. ] [ Conditions for Exclusive Quest have been met. ] < Exclusive Quest Triggered! > [ ¡®Elnore Elinalise La Tristan¡¯ Exclusive Quest is added to the Gift Tab. ] [ Clearing the quest will unlock higher favorability level than ¡®Dear¡¯. ] [ Clearing the quest will grant significant benefits to the main scenario. ] ¡°...Hah.¡± Marquis Riverback bitterly laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have to resort to this.¡± I watched as Marquis Riverback pull something out of his pocket in a daze. Perhaps, it¡¯s a cursed item that allows a person to borrow corrupt power for a short time. ¡®What follows after this is...¡¯ Marquis Riverback awakens as the Purifier, and a boss battle follows immediately after. Since it ended too easily, there¡¯s a high chance that a new branch will be added... [ A new branch has appeared. ] [ Branch: Essence Emergence ] [ The difficulty level has significantly increased! ] [ In addition to the reward, ¡®Devil¡¯s Essence,¡¯ an item related to the ending, will be given. ] [ The target ¡®???¡¯ will take even more interest in you! ] ¡°...¡± What the fck? As I was perplexed by the message that appeared before my eyes, Marquis Riverback finally took ¡®something¡¯ out that wriggled like a living creature¡¯s heart. There seems to be an unknown, endless sticky darkness oozing at the center of it. As soon as I saw this, a chill ran down my spine. The feeling of ¡®things are seriously going wrong¡¯ crept up my whole body. ¡®Devil¡¯s Essence...!¡¯ This sht. No, stop this fcking sht. That¡¯s not something that should appear in Chapter 1. Simply being able to use some of the corrupt power and becoming a ¡®demon¡¯ after eating that are entirely different things! ¡°Elnore, cut off his arm! Don¡¯t let him eat that!¡± ¡°...?¡± At my big reaction, the shocked Elnore immediately drew her sword and lunged towards Marquis Riverback. ¡°Receive the grace of God.¡± However, Marquis Riverback had already shoved the essence into his mouth. And the next moment. -! -!!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!! The whole Twilight Iris building was consumed by surging darkness. Chapter 27.1 Chapter 27.1 EP - 027.1 - Purifier ¡°...Do! Dowd! Are you okay!¡± I hear a voice calling me like that amidst my faint consciousness. Then I could feel a hand pulling me out from the rubble of the collapsed building. Dust and broken debris tumble from my body. ¡°...Elnore?¡± As I was dragged out, I met eyes with Elnore, who was looking at me with a worried look. ¡°You...!¡± Elnore''s eyes shook as she fully confirmed my condition. I''m probably pretty injured. Well, I was helplessly crushed by a collapsed building. ¡°...¡± This is what happens when the skill doesn¡¯t activate. As I confirmed before in the mock dungeon, the skill would only react to attacks that are ''hostile.'' If it was simply a building collapsing due to the aftermath of the impact, then Dowd Campbell''s F stats will remain as is. ¡®Fractures, concussion, dislocated joints...¡¯ My vision was shaky as I feel warm liquid flowing down my face. I was dizzy and uncomfortable. ¡°...Huu.¡± Right. This is how it goes. An insect-like existence''s life, whose stats are all F, is as fragile as a candle in the wind. There''s simply no other way around it. ?...This is amazing.? With quivering eyes, I stared up at the sky where a mutated Marquis Riverback floated. The Devil''s Essence that he swallowed earlier is now lodged in the middle of his chest, pulsating like a heart. With demonic energy wrapping around his body like armor, he was already too far gone from being human. An abomination. There is no other way to put it. ?When the Prophet gave me this, I wondered if there would even be a situation where I would use this.? He grinned as he looked down at me and Elnore. ?I¡¯ll admit it. You were more troublesome than I thought. ? Then, he flew up to a higher altitude. ?However, will you be able to handle this?? Yeah. I wonder about that too, you btch. ¡®...Straight from the first chapter.¡¯ I can''t believe this worldly bullsht. Looking at Marquis River back swiftly flying away, I inwardly sighed. It¡¯s a speed that I didn''t even try to think of catching up to. Originally, the ¡®corrupted power¡¯ that Marquis Riverback would have used is generally like a devil by-product. It''s a power that humans have researched and crudely mimicked. On the other hand, the ¡®Devil''s Essence¡¯... They are items that contain the ¡®remnants¡¯ of the devil. Using it will turn one into a demon, able to wield a very small portion of their power. ¡°...This.¡± His expression rapidly changed by the second. He''s probably quickly organizing the current situation in his head. "I just want to confirm one thing." "What is it?" "...Did Marquis Riverback lead this incident?" He had dropped the honorifics. He may be asking a question, but he already seemed half-convinced. He was probably told to ¡®make sure to wear the necklace¡¯ several times on a regular basis. I smiled at the anger in Tallion''s eyes. Well, he ain''t no npc. As someone designed to be Elijah¡¯s rival, his ability to judge and act in an emergency could not be compared to ordinary students. ¡°We can discuss responsibility and mistakes later. For now, if we don¡¯t deal with that, this place will become hell.¡± He somehow stabalized his shaky gaze and aptly conveyed. I have gained his ¡®trust¡¯ by making him take off the necklace. And now, it¡¯s time to reap this advantage. ¡°Listen to me carefully. If you make even one mistake, it''s over.¡± I proceeded to give him instructions. At first, he was listening to me with a serious expression, then it changed to absurdity, and in the end, he was looking at me like he was looking at a madman. ¡°...That, is that even possible?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It has to. I didn''t run around everywhere for nothing. If you can¡¯t do that much, it''s the end. ¡°Then, what about Hyeong-nim...?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to take care of something else.¡± ¡®I have two goals.¡¯ The first is to prevent civilian casualties in the area. The Man Eaters are still sluggish right now, but as time passes and the demonic energy grows thicker, they will become faster and stronger. Most of the ¡®instructions¡¯ I just gave Tallion were just to block them. And the second goal is... ¡°We need to cut the root.¡± We need to eliminate Marquis Riverback, the source of the demonic energy. That''s what I''m going to do. ¡°Do you know where he went?¡± Elnore asked in a low voice. She''s probably asking how we could chase after someone flying that fast. ¡°Yes, well. I have my guess.¡± Should I say that I have an idea? Actually, there is only one. I can¡¯t make mistakes. Chapter 27.2 Chapter 27.2 EP - 027.2 - Purifier Merchants are quick-witted. If you ask why Marquis Galdier Riverback became a devil worshiper, that would be the most fundamental answer. He had risen from a mere black market merchant to the position of a Viscount, enjoying wealth and honor that he could never have imagined before. And all that was just by joining the ''winning'' side. ¡®Their power reaches every corner of the continent.¡¯ A devil ''follower''s'' power is formidable, without question. Among them, the power of the ¡®Chosen Ones¡¯, who are the closest to the Prophet, could literally boil the sea, crack the earth and split the heavens. Compared to them, he was but an insect crawling under their soles. The reason he survived for so long was because he always reminded himself of that fact. Thus, after confirming it himself, he decided to stand on their side without hesitation. It''s probably because of the quick thinking unique to merchants, but he can infer that no one on the continent could dare stand against them. At this very moment, Marquis River back could never be more confident that he picked right. ?Huuu...? An almighty sigh escaped his mouth. An overwhelming amount of demonic energy coursed through his body. So much so that he could crush weak beings just by pressure alone. This was the power he gained just by accepting a little of the ''new god''s'' grace. ?At this level...? Carrying out the mission would be a breeze. To resurrect the devil, he needed to bring despair and confusion everywhere. Kill a man, kill a couple, and then, simply continue piling up the corpses. He can start with that. He happens to be just in the right place for that. ?Go.? He muttered as he reached his hand out to the ¡®barrier¡¯ in front of him. It was the one near the Void Zone, said to have been set up by a seraphim. Normally, this place would be heavily guarded. Let alone, breaking through it, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to damage it. But since it''s the Full Moon Festival, it was easy. Not to mention that he now possesses the devil¡¯s power. Even if he still couldn''t break it, he could put a dent on it. Considering the special nature of the Void Zone, this alone would lead to an unimaginable disasters. ¡®...This is ultimately the key.¡¯ The riots going on in the city right now are nothing more than a smoke screen distraction. Probably all available armed forces are concentrated there. Meanwhile, his real goal is here. ¡°Hey, stop moving.¡± Unfortunately. Not everyone was stupid. ¡ñ ?...How did you know?? Marquis Riverback, who was trying to damage the barrier, stiffly asked. ¡°Like I said earlier. It¡¯s obvious.¡± Marquis Riverback, should I say...? I smirked as I read the system log. And this too... < Gift-related Character Notification > ? Elnore Elinalise La Tristan [ Love Level 1] [ ¡®Skill Copy Ticket¡¯ is available! ] The last reason is this. The ''Love Level 1'' and Skill Copy Ticket. With this, even against an enemy that we can never beat at our current level, we''d have a fighting chance. While I was in my thoughts, Marquis Riverback sighed and raised his demonic energy. ?...Well, no matter. ? A reverberation of demonic energy began to brew like a storm around him. It was so potent and dense that if you let your mind slip for even a little, you''ll faint. What¡¯s absurd is that this isn¡¯t even the full release of demonic energy ¨C it¡¯s but a ¡®prelude¡¯ to the attack. ? I just need to kill you and secure Princess Tristan. This is actually better. Since you''ve served yourselves up in your own accord, you''ve saved me the trouble of searching. ? From this point on, we will fight this guy. Taking a deep breath, I said to Elnore. ¡°Elnore, promise me one thing.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It''s going to be painful. It''ll be excruciating. You might even hate me...¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± At first glance, it might sound like an impatient request to get to the point, but... If someone were to meet that straightforward gaze, they would give a slightly different response. Whatever you say is fine. I''ve already accepted it, so don''t worry and tell me. That''s what it means. ¡°...¡± I couldn''t help but laugh at myself. It was always like this. The level of trust this person places in me is unbelievable. That''s why, I must live up to that trust. ¡°No matter what happens. Without fail.¡± I replied with direct eye contact. ¡°I will get us out of here alive, okay?¡± ¡°Hmm, okay.¡± ¡°So.¡± I looked away from Elnore and turned to Marquis Riverback. ¡°Whatever happens, please trust me.¡± Uh. Really. What I''m about to do is insane. As I thought so, Marquis Riverback rushed towards us like a raging tsunami. Chapter 28.1 Chapter 28.1 EP - 028.1 - Purifier (2) ¡ò Minor Healing Potion x2 [ Item: Consumable ]UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m [ Price: 1,000pt ] x2 [ Can recover from minor injuries. ] [ Remaining points: 0pt ] [ !Warning! ] [ ''Purifier'' Boss Battle in progress. Due to the influence of demonic energy, recovery is weakened. ] For a Minor Healing Potion, it was filthy expensive. Although potions are rare in Sera, it''s still hella expensive. Moreover, its effect is even weakened because of the boss battle. And despite having spent all my points, the pain from my twisted joints was only slightly alleviated. However, this was a desperate situation. ¡°...¡± Gritting my teeth, I dodged the attack flying towards me. Each ''Chapter Boss'' in the world of Sera has a unique skill. They basically have an extra sword that you can¡¯t find in normal opponents. And that¡¯s why Marquis Riverback was called the Purifier rather than ''Grunt A''. -! As the demonic energy emitted by Marquis Riverback was about hit Elnore, a shield appeared before her and bounced the attack off with a loud bang. It was the same shield that had previously protected Elnore in the train accident. ?Fool, you can''t stop me!? However, despite being able to fend off a huge boulder with ease, the shield was completely shattered as Marquis Riverback¡¯s attack swung back like a boomerang. Yes, this was his skill. He''s able to ''dissolve'' some of the power of an opponent¡¯s attack or defense. It was as if he''s ''purifying'' them. ¡°...Ah, damn it.¡± This was really too much. A shield of that caliber can''t just be broken like glass. Alas, Marquis Riverback''s power soared exponentially after the demonic transformation. [ A moment of danger has been detected. ] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX Class. ] [ !Warning! ] [ Confirmed existence of opponent''s unique skill ¡®Purification¡¯. ] [ Skill: Desperation downgraded to C Class. ] And to rub salt on wounds, this happened. The disparity between EX Class and C Class is roughly the same as a person who can K.O. the future hero with one punch and a normal person who works out regularly. It was a heaven and earth difference! Gritting through the pain and screaming inwardly, I forcefully rolled to the side, which was no different than torture to a seriously injured body. Moreover, his rational judgment has become increasingly blurred due to the influence of the demonic energy. He''s also throwing a fit and using crude words, rather than his usual dignified formal language. This becomes even more evident once you consider his style of faking formality till death. But what does this all mean? It means that it is the perfect time to set up a trap. ¡°...We have to bring him to the academy.¡± I whispered to Elnore, who was carrying me like a burden. Due to the Full Moon Festival and the emergency that occurred in the city, the outskirts of Elfante were most likely deserted right now. The Deans and the President are probably all focused in the city, so we can''t really expect any support from them. However, this also means that we are free to do things without worrying about collateral damage. This was my aim. With that thought in mind, I continued to repeat the routine I''ve done so far. Get hurt a little, buy time, lure him away. It¡¯s just a matter of giving him enough to relish and not lose his attention. Despite severely lacking in many aspects, I was enduring it somehow. I''m doing the same this time too. I avoid the attacks he throws at me, and instruct Elnore to launch a counterattack, followed by dodging to minimize the damage caused by his retaliation as much as possible- ?...By the way.? He suddenly said in the middle of the battle. At this moment, I could feel chills running through my spine. There was something amiss. For starters, he was speaking in a voice that maintained reason, unlike his rage-filled voice from earlier. This guy. Was he just pretending to be ''lured'' by us all along? ? Do I look like a fool to you? Did you seriously think that I wouldn''t notice you trying to lure me away? ? As he said that, Marquis Riverback¡¯s chest suddenly trembled and the darkness inside him stirred. It was as if the demonic energy he''s been lashing out at us until now was just the leftovers of the bigger one he''s been collecting. And by the sight of it, a sense of crisis, stronger than anything else in my life, constricted my body. Just like how I hid my ¡®intentions¡¯ from this guy, he also hid something and responded back! ? You''re the kind of person that''ll ruin everything if left alone. ? Then from the chest, Marqui Riverback''s heart, a murky darkness started to spread out. Despite it being the evening, it was clearly visible as if it was repelling every wave and particle of light in its path. [Surely, you''re done with that.] Subsequently. The soaring ¡®dark curtain¡¯ descended upon me. [ Soul Linker Activated. ] [ Magic Power Received. ] [ Skill ¡®Penance¡¯ has been used. ] [ Skill ¡®Guardian Shield¡¯ has been used. ] That was the last thing I remember. Chapter 28.2 Chapter 28.2 EP - 028.2 - Purifier (2) The first thing I felt when I regained consciousness was excruciating pain, as if my whole body was being torn apart. ¡°...!¡± I opened my mouth, but not a word came out. It felt like my brain was wired into a power supply and was pumped directly with electricity. My body was convulsing uncontrollably. ¡°... K-kuluk...!¡± After coughing out coagulated blood, I took a look at the current state of my body. My left arm was utterly destroyed. Both my lower and upper body were completely smashed, torn and broken. Not a single part of my body was saved from being wedged with pieces of nasty-looking stone, glass fragments and tree branches. My whole body was in tatters. How I am alive right now was a even question. It''s a miracle with the kind of injuries I had sustained. ¡°...¡± Regardless, I tried to force myself up. ¡°...Ah, ack...!¡± My vision was stained red. And my body was trembling all over. From deep within my nerves, I felt a spark of new sensation that I have never experienced before in my life. ¡°...¡± Alas, I fell right back to the ground as I gasped for air. I was wholly immobile. ¡°...Fck.¡± Cursing, I supported myself with my healthy right arm and reached out for the Divine''s Ultima, that was in the edge of my vision. If I hadn''t been able to create a shield at the very last moment, I would have died. Demonic energy is particularly vulnerable to divinity. And it¡¯s because of this advantage that the power of the attack was reduced. ¡°...Are you kidding me, really.¡± In the meantime, I could hear a round of laughter. I could see the academy building not too far away. Just from that attack, I had flown over hundreds of meters from where Elnore and I fought against Marquis Riverback. I''m seriously relieved that I didn¡¯t die in one shot. ?Did you survive that?? Though, hearing this made me reconsider that maybe I am not so lucky. Barely able to turn my body, I saw Marquis Riverback walking toward me from a short distance away. Even with that demonic energy-filled body, I could clearly see that mocking smirk. ?You''re much more tenacious than I thought. The Prophet would be pleased.? After saying that, he reached out to my face. ?Looks like you¡¯ve exhausted all your cards.? Then, demonic energy started to gather on his palm. ?To be honest, you were a great opponent. If you meet a friend in hell, you can confidently brag about it.? ¡°...¡± There is no way out. The downgraded Desperation wouldn''t be able to withstand it. Not even an upgrade to EX class would change anything. I can¡¯t even move my body at this point. But there''s still one thing left. -! -!!! A sword suddenly cut through the air and slashed Marquis Riverback¡¯s neck. It was a terrifying blow that could cut down even steel, but it only slightly penetrated his skin before getting repelled. The wound also healed instantly as if it was never there. However, thanks to this, the impending attack towards me was canceled. ?...You''re really quite the persistent pair. You''ll make a good couple.? Elnore retrieved her sword and quickly approached me as he grumbled. ¡°It''s okay...¡± Elnore was about to say something but stopped. She only looked at me and kept her mouth shut. I''m finally here. Propping myself up using the wall, I struggled my way to the gates. Due to the chaos that had ensued in the city, there was not a single guard in sight. So I have no help to even count on. -!! A person suddenly crashed on the wall beside me. ¡°...¡± It was Elnore. The level of injuries she sustained couldn''t even be limited to she looked ''wrecked''. If it wasn¡¯t for the tattered dress, I wouldn¡¯t be even able to recognize her in such a ghastly state. ?She was really like a pest, annoying. I already broke all her limbs, but she would still crawl and grab on my legs. It¡¯s terrible, really.? ¡°...¡± ?So, what are your plans now? Do you have anything more hidden?? Unable to control my body anymore, I limply knelt in front of Marquis Riverback. I could still see that laughing smirk on his face. Then I turned my gaze towards Elnore. Elnore had faint shallow breaths, but she still met my eyes with difficulty. She was giving me an apologetic gaze. ¡®...No.¡¯ You did a good job. Otherwise, I couldn''t have come this far. ?Anything else?? ¡°...¡± ?This is boring.? Having said that, Marquis Riverback reached out. Demonic energy started gathering. ¡°...!¡± Elnore, who was stuck on the wall, tried wriggling her body to move. Alas, it was all futile. Her current state already reached the limit just by breathing. -! A black beam pierced through my chest. It was certain death. A shallow scream escaped from Elnore¡¯s mouth. ?I was expecting something special after coming all the way here... turns out it''s just nothing.? I hear these words as my vision gradually turned black. ¡°...¡± A smile curved on my lips. There''s nothing to hide, you fcking bastard. ¡°...Hey.¡± Amidst my crumpling body, I glared at him with all my might. ¡°I won.¡± The moment this guy had stepped ¡®inside¡¯ the academy... My plan began. ?...Yes?? I could hear Marquis Riverback''s confused voice distantly. Through my flickering vision, I could see something ¡®condensing¡¯ inside Elnore¡¯s body as she screamed. And. [ Skill: Fatal Charm has been activated. ] Just as my consciousness was about to get cut off, I saw a window pop up. Yeah, nice to meet you. Honestly, I didn''t want to meet you, but given the circumstances, I had no other choice. [ ????? ???????????????C??????????????3?4??????????????e????3?4??????i??????????????????????? ??????????????????????1?4????????????????O??????????????¡ã???????????????3????????????????????????? ?????????? ???????????????A?????????????????????????????????????? C????????????????A??????????????????¡¤???????????????????I?????????????????¡À????????????????¡Á??????????????¡¤?????????????????????????????????1??????????????O?????????????? 3?4??????????????] {*Target... XXXXX.... you....XXXX} With that message. The world turned to gray. Chapter 29.1 Chapter 29.1 EP - 029.1 - Purifier (3) ¡°This works?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Silence spread around Elijah¡¯s words. Perhaps it''s because everyone all share the same sentiment. Man Eaters were strewn all over and wriggling the ground. ¡®...Everyone was against it at first.¡¯ Elijah chuckled, sword resting on his shoulder. When Tallion first told everyone about the "plan," they thought he was crazy. Even Elijah, who was urgently summoned here, would have reacted the same way if she hadn''t been told that it was Dowd Campbell who came up with this plan. In a state of emergency of monsters appearing in the city, the standard solution would be to call the knights and buy time until civilians evacuate. No matter what anyone says, the strongest force in the Empire is the knights, and there are always knights residing in and around Elfante. However, what about Dowd¡¯s plan that Tallion told them about? ¡®...We can deal with this with a dozen or so students, a few knights, and several academy professors.¡¯ Recalling the contents of the plan, Elijah still found it absurd even now and let out a bitter laugh. It was basically just to round up the nearest people around and throw them to deal with the monsters. To put it bluntly, it was a death wish. It had been quite some time since demonic power manifested, and Man Eaters were classified as enemies of humanity. Even if their intelligence had deteriorated, they possessed simple but brutal combat capabilities that even warriors find difficult to deal with. Therefore, dealing with Man Eaters is fundamentally based on the premise that "more humans" will confront "fewer Man Eaters." So, the fact that less than 20 humans had unilaterally suppressed hundreds of Man Easters was almost miraculous. The motivation behind the plan was even more absurd. ¡®...There would be too many casualties.¡¯ If civilians are evacuated while waiting for the knights to be dispatched, casualties inevitably occur in the process. However, if they just subdue all the Man Eaters before that, they could eliminate such risk. Truly a man with great foresight. When it comes to the conviction of saving people first during a crisis, Elijah couldn''t help but doubt that this man was more keen than her, despite being the hero candidate. ¡®Is there any special reason?¡¯ Elijah tilted her head in wonder. ¡°Good job.¡± As she was having such thoughts, the Dean of the Knights School, Conrad Baltador, approached her and patted her on the shoulder. He was one of the people who supported this plan, along with President Atallante, who had participated in the battle. Because their influence was so strong, the plan was executed as is, shutting down the opposition. ¡°I''m relieved that both the Dean and the President are here. If even one of you wasn''t, such an achievement might not have been possible.¡± It really was. No, to be exact, if even one human here was missing, this achievement would have been impossible When viewed separately, it''s a series of completely unrelated coincidences, but there is one focal point that connects all of these coincidences. ¡°Uh, Dean.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Has that person been preparing for this a long time ago?¡± Conrad laughed instead of answering. All the actions taken up until now, the people that Dowd has met, and the resulting outcomes - all point to this situation. Dowd Campbell has been designing a response to an unnoticed threat since the beginning. Everyone set in their positions. From the beginning, that person had expected that something like this would happen and prepared for it meticulously ¡®It''s impossible if even one person is missing.¡¯ It¡¯s a tightly knit plan from the beginning to end! Elijah said disheartened. ¡°...What kind of person is he, really?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. In the first place, it could really be just a series of coincidences.¡± Conrad replied while scratching his head. ¡°But if that''s really the case, then I feel like there shouldn''t have been one more thing.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Have you seen Tallion during the battle?¡± That''s true. If he was there, he would have undoubtedly been a great asset, but his absence was puzzling. ¡°What do you think he is doing right now?¡± ¡°...¡± Elijah¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°You think he''s planning more?¡± A boisterous laughter was what she got instead of an answer. It had a carefree tone that didn''t require any further questioning as to what it meant. ¡°Seriously.¡± What kind of person is he? Elijah sighed and tilted his head back to relieve the fatigue from the battle. ¡°Eung?¡± Suddenly, her entire field of vision was covered in ¡®gray¡¯. Like a smoke that spewed out from somewhere, it rapidly expanded. It endlessly covered the sky, space, and eroded everything in its path. And then. Everything stopped. ¡ñ [T/N: I held on c28.2 hoping for this chap to not end on a cliffhanger (and double update instead like this), but this one is also a cliffhanger. Fck me Next chap is appx 2k words and lore] Chapter 29.2 Chapter 29.2 EP - 029.2 - Purifier (3) Time went still. No, not figuratively. Time literally stopped. ¡°...¡± Even with a hole in my chest, my consciousness remained intact and I could perceive the world clearly. However. Everything except my consciousness remained still. From Marquis Riverback''s twisted face in front of me, to the blood from my pierced chest, nor could I feel the wind. Even the air flow had stopped. Everything was dyed gray. It was frozen like a photographed landscape. ¡°...¡± Everything but one. And that was. Something was "descending" into my field of vision. The figure''s gentle descent is seemingly unaffected by gravity. No, the laws of physics for that matter. Pure white hair flowing down to one''s ankles, crimson eyes that''s redder than blood, flawless white skin without any blemish, and an immaculate body uncovered by a single thread. This figure, this woman, looks familiar. If given a few years to mature, Elnore would look just like this person. But this was not Elnore. You can tell just by looking. Because if it were Elnore, or simply any human... They wouldn''t exude such a level of "evil." for new novels ¡®The Gray Devil.¡¯ In the game, it never really revealed its true form directly. It only appeared as a form of boss battle by possessing Elnore at the climax. So, the figure before me right now is basically an "avatar." The Devil''s Essence that Marquis Riverback infused with his body just contained a small piece of the devil¡¯s power. When all the fragments are pieced together, the real devil can be summoned. The Gray Devil fragments scattered throughout the scenario pool together in various events within the game, ultimately converging in Elnore. It is inevitable. In other words, the avatar in front of me right now is only a small part of it. The ''authority'' it possess is insignificant compared to the Gray Devil''s true form, and the duration it can materialize is only short-lived, at most a few tens of seconds. But even so. [ A moment of danger has been detected. ] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX Class. ] Just by having this avatar front of me, the deactivated Desperation turned on again. ¡°...¡± It was ridiculous, fck. ''Her'' presence alone brought the entire world to a standstill. And her gaze made me threatened for my life. In other words. If I were to directly meet her eyes right now, I would die. That''s how vast the gap is. While I was thinking that, the ''devil avatar'' taking on Elnore''s form approached me. At the same time. [ ???????????????A?????????????????????????????????????? C????????????????A??????????????????¡¤???????????????????I?????????????????¡À????????????????¡Á??????????????¡¤?????????????????????????????????1??????????????O?????????????? danger ???????????????A?????????????????????????????????????? C????????????????A??????????????????¡¤???????????????????I?????????????????¡À????????????????¡Á??????????????¡¤?????????????????????????????????1??????????????O?????????????? ] [ 3?4??????i??????????????????????? ??????????????????????1?4????????????????O??????????????¡ã???????????????3??????????????????????? ???????????? situation ????? 3?4??????i??????????????????????? ??????????????????????1?4????????????????O??????????????¡ã???????????????3????????????????????????????????????. ] [ 3?4??????i??????????????????????? ??????????????????????1?4????????????????O??????????????¡ã???????????????3???????????????????????peration raised to EX Class. ] My system window was broken. It''s like a part of it has been ¡®ripped off¡¯. ¡°...!¡± Of course, the Purifier also downgraded Desperation, but this is a whole different ball park. Just standing in front of this person... Made it seem like the entire ''system'' was rendered powerless. ¡°...¡± That''s right, the Gray Devil was originally depicted with such abilities. A transcendent being that distorts even the fundamental laws of the world just by staying still. The Gray Devil approached me a step further. ¡®...I want a lot of things.¡¯ As the Gray Devil, despite having a fraction of her full power, naturally has countless powerful skills. It''s just that except for this one, all the other skills have broken descriptions, making them unrecognizable. It''ll be basically like playing a lottery. If it drastically cuts my life force when used, or is only activated by killing someone close to me or any horrible effects, it will bring about irreversible results. ¡®In the first place, what I can get right now...¡¯ Although it is very a specific skill, this would help in the immediate situation. With that thought in mind, I copied the skill. [ ¡®Skill: King of Pandemonium¡¯ has been copied. ] As this window appeared, the Gray Devil''s eyes widened. She might not know the specifics, but in that fleeting moment, she knew that something has changed within me. Moreover, she was looking back and forth between herself and me, indicating that she realized that I took something from her. ¡°!¡± Then she clapped her hands with a big smile on her face. She was congratulating me. It''s strange seeing a more mature version of Elnore engaging in childish behavior. However, when I think about the true nature of this existence, I can''t bring myself to laugh. This woman. She might be carefteely smiling, but she can absolutely destroy the world. ¡°...¡± And finally, time has come to an end. With her time on this earth exhausted, the Gray Devil started vanishing into particles. For one last time, she looked at me and said while still smiling. ¡°I3?4u? ? A?o? ?loveA?| C?I???you¡± A voice reminiscent of a noisy radio with the frequency turned up pounded my eardrums. ¡°Okay3?4e3?4i?¡ã? UC3?4e3?4i?¡ã? Uthen ??????????????¡± However. ¡°SeeC3?4e3?4i?¡ã? UC3?4e3?4i?¡ã? U??C3?4e3?4i?¡ã? U later.¡± She couldn''t finish her last sentence as her avatar body dissipated. ¡°At that time, definitely. You-¡° It was a clear voice that I will never forget. ¡ñ As the gray receded from the world, time began to flow again. I''m now back at the entrance of the academy with Marquis Riverback in front of me and Elnore pinned on the wall. ?...What the hell... just happened...?? Marquis Riverback looked around bewildered. He seems to understand that something happened, but he has no idea what it was. On the surface, nothing has changed. Except for one thing. [ Skill: King of Pandemonium has been activated. ] [ You have unconditional advantage against demonic beings for 5 minutes! ] [ Canceled enemy¡¯s unique ability ¡®Skill: Purification¡¯. ] [ A moment of danger has been detected. ] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX Class. ] Standing up, I delivered a powerful uppercut right to Marquis Riverback''s chin. ?...!? With a sound akin to an explosion, Marquis Riverback''s body shot up several meters into the air. Yeah, that''s right. This cool, solid feeling. It''s been a while. ¡°Hey.¡± I smirked at Marquis Riverback, who hurriedly regained his balance in the air. My body was brimming with vitality. It almost feels like I''m reborn. ¡°Round 2. Bring it on.¡± No more running with a tail between the legs. It''s back to Dowd Campbell, who one punched the hero candidate. Time to instill some manners in this btch. Chapter 30.1 Chapter 30.1 EP - 030.1 - Purifier (4) It was satisfying to finally hit back at Marquis Riverback. ?You little punk!? In reality, not much has really changed. I am still being pursued by Marquis Riverback, and there isn''t much of a way to deal significant damage to him. The absolute advantage I gained is great, but it is limited to erasing the opponent''s ''unique'' ability. Of course, considering that most of the unique abilities are incredibly powerful, negating them is a powerful effect of its own. However, it''s still difficult to overcome the current situation. Thanks to the activation of King of Pandemonium, I erased the unique skill ¡®Purification¡¯, but I can''t erase the devastating difference in stats between me and him. ¡°Uh, crazy fck.¡± As I throw myself to the side, a sculpture next to me shatters into pieces from a black beam that flies past. Fortunately, there is no collateral casualties from all the attacks coming at me. It''s probably because the students and faculty evacuated to the deepest part of the academy, following the emergency guidelines, with regards to the chaos in the city. I can thank Marquis Riverback for doing such a thing. ¡®That''s a problem...!¡¯ Turning my head, I saw a veil of darkness spreading around Marquis Riverback''s body. It was the same thing that struck me earlier and sent me flying hundreds of meters. The skill description was: [ Skill: Black Mist ] [ Class: A ] [ Demonic remnant from the Devil''s Essence. It can corrode nearby targets with demonic energy. Various applications are possible depending on the user''s abilities. ] It''s a skill that demonized bosses who have consumed the Devil''s Essence commonly possess. It allows for versatile offensive and defensive applications using demonic energy. Its offensive capability inflicts painful damage on anything that approaches within a certain range, and a defensive power that repels most attacks. This alone is dizzying, but there are additional headaches. [ Skill: Blessing of the Dark Soul ] [ Class: A ] [ All physical abilities are strengthened by the Devil''s Essence rooted in the body. Adds regenerative abilities. Gives strong immunity to all physical damage. ] ?...? ¡°Hmm, I''m not sure if this ability is anything good, really. I just happen to get it. I briefly crossed paths with someone, and they told me to take it. But after using it, it feels a bit cheesy.¡± ?...You, you...? ¡°Wait, Marquis Riverback, is the ability you worked your ass off for years to obtain worse than this? Surely that can''t be...¡± ?Shut up!? Hmm, that''s right. Indeed, there''s nothing quite as effective in provocation as using polite language. I continue to taunt and run while chuckling at the chasing, fuming Marquis Riverback. With his vanity and conceited character, it''s close to impossible for him to maintain a rational judgment when provoked. Even though he could effectively pressure me by exploiting the difference in our stats, he is only chasing after me and launching attacks impulsively like some child throwing a fit. With this, I could manage to get away just by using the un-nerfed Desperation. Of course, I was not just running away blindly without reason. ¡®Not much time left.¡¯ Checking my watch, the ¡®promise time¡¯ is due soon. In that case, I need to temporarily get rid of this guy. ¡°...Eum.¡± I confirm my current position and intentionally slowed down my fleeing speed. ?Die!? Naturally, Marquis Riverback''s attacks came at me like missiles. [ Soul Linker Activated. ] [ Magic Power Received. ] [ Skill ¡®Guardian Shield¡¯ has been used. ] Chapter 30.2 Chapter 30.2 EP - 030.2 - Purifier (4) The translucent shield generated by infusing magic into the Ultima shattered upon impact with Marquis Riverback''s magic. Since I didn¡¯t stack it with ¡®Penance¡¯, my durability stat was garbage. It''s basically impossible to endure such an attack. Still, since it¡¯s divine power, it was able to block it once. This was the inherent advantage against demons. It is also largely thanks to this why I was able to escape this far relatively easily. ¡®...Come to think about it, it makes no sense.¡¯ The ''King of Pandemonium¡¯ that could negate a demon''s unique ability and having divine power-imbued skills... It¡¯s an incredibly powerful combination against demonic enemies. Even at this current stage, where my growth is practically non-existent, I can still make ample use of it. As the shield shattered, Marquis Riverback''s magic scatters in the surroundings. Witnessing this, he snickered. ?Ha! Big words for someone who only knows how to run and hide...? However, he suddenly stopped mid sentence and shut up. It''s because the magic that bounced off after breaking my shield destroyed part of the ¡®Cathedral¡¯ nearby. The holy relics were exposed. I purposely set up the shield angled, so that it would hit there. Fragments of stained glass rain down along with pieces of holy relics. Since this was a cathedral built inside Elfante ¡®Imperial Academy¡¯, it was naturally built using only the highest quality materials. The dispersal of holy power within would be akin to a grenade explosion, scattering its influence in the surroundings. Radiant white light began to flash in every direction, which is all divine power. ¡°Try taking a look at what¡¯s around you?¡± I turned around with a grin. From behind, I hear Marquis Riverback''s howl as his entire body burns brightly, fully exposed to the divine power. ¡®Good.¡¯ This should stall that guy for a while. It should be enough time for me to go to the rendezvous point and collect the item. Tallion is sharp and reliable. If I specified the time accurately, he will undoubtedly perform the task accordingly. In fact, by the time I arrive at the rendezvous point, the alarm also started beeping... ¡®Alright.¡¯ I then caught Tallion rushing towards me at full speed, holding the ''requested item,'' in my field of vision. Seeing that, I smiled and reset my watch. However, Marquis Riverback decided not to pay it any heed. Even though Dowd has been resurrected from the dead and received an unknown power, he was still a bug that he could chase and eventually crush. At best, it would just be some crude trick. He''ll finish this now, once and for all. ?I''ll make you feel pain, I''ll make you experience hell! I will make you beg to kill you instead!? He shouted and accelerated forward. Black haze spread around him, as he raised his speed to the limit. This slick rat was always running, and it infuriates him to the core. This time, he won''t let that happen again. However, Dowd Campbell didn¡¯t even budge. He had defended the attack with the divine power shield a few times before, but he did not show any signs of running away now. ?...?? At this point, despite being consumed by anger, Marquis Riverback felt that something was off. What the hell is he doing? ¡®...If I kill him here, it will be over!¡¯ He had repeatedly drawn magic from the amulet he wore on his wrist, before injecting it to the incense burner in his arms. However, looking at the amulet now, it seems to have been exhausted all of its magic power. The last time was probably its limit. Now, this guy doesn''t even have the means to defend himself! With that thought in mind, he raised his hand with a vicious smile and started gathering demonic energy. The distance between them was close. He had no defense, and considering the difference in strength, dodging is even more impossible. He couldn''t stop his relishing expression from coming out as he imagined this guy being torn to pieces. ¡°I''ve told you before. Try taking a look at what¡¯s around you.¡± However, at the same time as those sentences were uttered. Marquis Riverback¡¯s body suddenly froze. No, he was ¡®fixed on to¡¯ to be exact. On a disk lying on the floor. ¡®...A disk?¡¯ Why would this kind of thing be here? He blinked his eyes in bewilderment. With a squeaking sound, the pole connected to the disk dug to the floor. ¡°Eum.¡± Dowd said with a smirk. He was also on top of the disk. ¡°Good thing I didn''t return it.¡± With such a sentence. The bodies of the two men were launched into the air with terrifying force. Chapter 31.1 Chapter 31.1 EP - 031.1 - That''s What Happened ?What''s the point of this?? Marquis Riverback brought up while in the air. It was an expression of absurdity mixed with thick ridicule. He was literally chasing this man with his demonic flying ability. Naturally, he would have doubts what flying high like this would do. Much less, if it would even work. ¡°Well, of course, I have my reasons.¡± However, Dowd simply shrugged and replied. He seemed to be hiding something even here, but Marquis Riverback snorted and raised his hand. This was merely prolonging his puny life for a few more seconds. ?Hah, I guess you''re just at this level. Alright, go die...!? He''s finally going to kill him. At least, that''s what would have happened if the black mist emanating from the essence embedded in his chest didn''t suddenly disappear. No, it didn''t just stop there. His entire body began to "melt away." His skin, form was just collapsing, like a wax figure melting close to fire. ?What...!? Marquis Riverback looked down at his body with a bewildered expression. ?What is this...!? His body has fused with the essence he received from the Prophet. He had an invincible body that even this cunning guy couldn¡¯t do anything about. So, why is this happening? ¡°Let''s think logically, shall we? Some common sense.¡± Seeing Marquis Riverback''s reaction, Dowd smirked and said. He did so while casually turning off the beeping alarm on his wristwatch. It''s almost as if the alarm had been set, knowing that this would happen exactly at this moment. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange that you, who didn¡¯t even have a decent fighting ability, can continue to use such strong abilities without restrictions?¡± ?What...?? ¡°That¡¯s one of the representative side effects of fusing with the Devil''s Essence. Burnout. Using too much magic to the point where your body collapses. Didn''t your Prophet explain that when they gave it to you?¡± ?...What, nonsense, I don''t believe, no-? In fact, he had not heard of such side effects. This was meant to be a ¡®sign of loyalty¡¯. ¡°It would have been really dangerous if you weren''t so conceited and didn''t take your time after you ate the essence. I don''t have that many cards.¡± Saying so, Dowd pulled out the cylinder on his waist. Just a few minutes ago, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to relax like this. In front of the transformed Marquis Riverback, all I could do was run away with all my might. But now. I could even sit back and watch as Marquis Riverback''s body collapse in real time. It''s just that I won''t be doing that. I will be making sure he''s thoroughly defeated. Dowd silently smirked and manipulated the cylinder case. It contained processed Ectoplasm, primed for explosion, imbued with divine power. ?...? ¡°Do you have any last words?¡± The divine powered bomb exploded. ¡ñ ¡°You did excellent, Tallion.¡± ¡°...don''t mention it.¡± Tallion, who had been waiting at the prearranged "landing point," looked up at the sky with an awkward smile. Due to the effect of the divine powered bomb I just detonated, a terrifying light was scattered around, reminiscent of a polar light phenomenon. ¡®As expected, it got incredible firepower.¡¯ I smiled while looking at it too. The Devil¡¯s Essence itself is such a dangerous item that if it''s not dealt with using such intense firepower, it could cause a big problem. Even if Marquis Riverback''s body collapses, the essence itself could survive and parasitize onto another nearby living being. While I didn''t expect something like that to happen, it was wise to have prepared such an intense level of firepower from the beginning. ¡°...¡± To think that a small fraction of one''s power could bring forth such a thing, and the devil behind it was residing within Elnore''s body, or even Elijah who would later grow powerful enough to take down such an existence. It once again makes me realize what level of monstrosity I''m dealing with. And I managed to survive that. Thinking about this, I turn around. ¡°Uh, brother? Where are you going now...!¡± ¡°I need to go somewhere!¡± Saying that, I hurriedly rush off. My destination was the wall outside the academy, where Elnore was stuck. ¡®...I need to make it up to her.¡¯ I did give her the most basic first aid to prevent any serious problems, before I lured the Purifier away. However, for my sake, she was the one who had it the most difficult and worked the hardest. At the very least, I should personally escort her to the infirmary. While running with that thought in mind, several messages appeared in front of me one after another. [ Main Quest Completed! ] [ Granting Rewards! ] [ Received ¡®Evil Essence 1x¡¯! ] [ Received ¡®Hero Fragment 1x¡¯! ] [ Received 5,000pts! ] As those messages floated up, two gems appeared in my hand with a halo of light. One emitted a pure white radiance, while the other exuded ominous black smoke. [ Evil Essence ] [ Item: Story ] [ A material that can interact with epic items. Something special will happen when fused! ] [ Hero Fragment ] [ Item: Story ] [ A material that can interact with epic items. Something special will happen when fused! ] ¡°...¡± Chapter 31.2 Chapter 31.2 EP - 031.2 - That''s What Happened I momentarily stopped running and just stared. ¡®...You''re giving me all of this?¡¯ These are items that could literally change the the entire scenario. Most items that had the word ''epic'' attached to them were as important to the story as their powerful effects. By influencing these items and determining their "alignment," various butterfly effects can occur throughout the entire scenario. Fusing the Hero Fragment gives random effects related to the "good alignment", while fusing the Evil Essence results the same but related to the "evil alignment" instead. Depending on which item you fused until a specific event occurs, the outcome of certain individuals becoming stronger, weaker, dying, or surviving can completely change. Even for the boss of Chapter 2, the "Ruined Boy King," the clear difficulty can vary greatly depending on how these items are utilized. {T/N: "Boy King of the Ruined Kingdom" simply changed to "Ruined Boy King"} To be precise, it''s practically impossible to clear the boss without them. ¡®But to give me both.¡¯ Originally, you would only get one; either the Evil Essence or the Hero Fragment. Perhaps, it''s because the difficulty of the quest went up and so the reward increased to match it. In fact, to have these as a reward was more than enough to cover all the hardships I¡¯ve experienced. Just one alone could already greatly change the scenario, and I now have two. With a smile, I put away the Evil Essence for now. I have no immediate use for it at the moment. The Hero Fragment on the other hand... [ Do you want to fuse the ¡®Hero Fragment¡¯ with the item ¡®Soul Linker¡¯? ] [ Y/N ] I chose ''Y'' without hesitation, and the white gem melted into the amulet I''m wearing. [ Soul Linker ] [ Exclusive Equipment ] [ Enchantment: Epic ] [ ¡®Hero Fragment¡¯ Fusion ] [ An item imbued with a great spirit that can awaken by increasing synchronization rate. ] [ Always retain magic power due to the influence of the great spirit. ] [ Current Charged Magic Power Rate: 0%] [ Current Synchronization Rate: 9.98% ] [ First Stage Spirit Awakening is imminent! ] [ Upon the awakening of the spirit, special effects from the Hero Fragment will also be unlocked! ] ¡®Nice.¡¯ The Hero Fragment is an epic item that, when fused with a positive inclination item, grants various positive effects. The synchronization rate also increased significantly as I feed it items, so as long as I steadily improve my priest skills abilities, it should awaken quickly. By then, we''ll see what this dormant ¡®great spirit¡¯ really is. However, my eyebrows suddenly furrowed as another message appeared before me. [ Confirming the use of a story item! ] [ A dedicated quest for ''Elijah Krisanax'' will be created! ] [ Meet the conditions to start the quest! ] [ The probability of getting involved with the ¡®Heretic Inquisition¡¯ increases! ] ¡®...What?¡¯ The sudden ''creation'' of the main character¡¯s dedicated quest immediately caught my eye. Elijah''s dedicated quest holds such significance that it even affects the scenario and the ''ending.'' And yet, it''s already appeared now? On top of that, the probability of me getting involved with the Heretic Inquisition, which is one of the two top notorious organizations in the Empire, increased? ¡°...¡± When necessary, I even briefly delved into the underworld, but even then, I would prefer to avoid the Heretic Inquisition. They are the last thing I want to get entangled with among the "villains" in the game. ¡®Dragon Fang, Feinol.¡¯ A Half Dragon Mage with exceptional magical abilities but an inversely proportional extreme temperament, and a key character in Chapter 4. In terms of simple risk, many would even say that this person was worse than the final boss of Chapter 4, ¡®The Investigator.¡¯ What would happen if I met this person and my Fatal Charm passive triggers? ¡°...¡± I don¡¯t even want to imagine. ¡®But this...¡¯ I just fed the amulet the Hero Fragment, and this all came with it. Which means these events are related to the awakening of the spirit inside. ¡®Could it be that what''s inside this amulet is possibly larger than I thought?¡¯ As I pondered such thoughts while looking at the amulet, the outer walls of the Academy soon came into view within my sight. I could see where Elnore was stuck. ¡°Oh, Dowd. You''re here?¡± ¡°...¡± However, there was no sign of Elnore. Rather, I was greeted by a waving President Atallante. When did she get here? ¡°I''ve personally escorted the Student Council President to the ward, then came back. She''s badly injured, but she will recover soon. She won''t experience any lasting effects thanks to your first aid.¡± Atallante rapid fire said to me those words one after another, as she walked towards me with a smile on her face. Her lips were arched into a smile. ¡°...Are you angry?¡± Yup, she''s really mad. Her eyes aren¡¯t smiling at all. I could feel cold sweat run down my back. ¡°Oh, is it obvious?¡± ¡°...¡± She''s not even trying to deny it. If I don¡¯t want to die here, I need to carefully listen as to what she has to say. ¡°...It looks like you''ve been through quite a trouble.¡± She burst into cheerful laughter that echoed throughout the office. ¡®...Why is she suddenly like this?¡¯ It is such a sudden drastic emotional change and caught me off guard. ¡°...Looking at it from a President''s perspective, I can''t help but be ashamed of putting such a heavy burden on a student.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The plan itself had been completed long ago. However, I couldn''t just bring myself to impose such a heavy load on a student. I was delaying it till the final confirmation.¡± ¡°...So, what exactly.¡± ¡°I didn''t intervene in your activities to assess your capabilities. If you fell short even slightly, I was prepared to give up immediately... But you have proven yourself flawlessly. Yes.¡± She started saying mysterious words, which made my eyes roll. What? Uh. What is going on really? ¡°And I have also witnessed your determination to overcome any obstacles that come your way. Thus, I am now confident that I can reveal it.¡± Having said that, Atalanta sighed and straightened her back. Dignity dwells in the eyes. It was the look in the eyes that felt the dignified presence of a perpetuator that had passed through it for over a thousand years. ¡°Dowd Campbell.¡± The solemn voice made me stand upright. what the heck What are you talking about? ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed beforehand that the academy is plotting something around you.¡± ¡°Ye, yeah.¡± That''s right. Is she going to talk about that now? ¡°What I''m about to tell you is a secret that no one else should know about. The only involved parties are the imperial family, the War Chiefs and Warrior Chiefs of the Tribal Union, and the Pope and Archbishops of the Holy Kingdom. Only a very select few know the whole story.¡± ¡°Uh, what, yes?¡± ¡°After all, this matter concerns the survival of the world.¡± Uh, uh? It''s that serious? What on earth...! ¡°First, let me tell you about the ultimate goal of the plan.¡± Atallante continued in her solemn voice. ¡°The fate of the entire continent is at stake.¡± Her eyes carried an overwhelming charisma, even commanding the air around her. A plan with the "ultimate goal" that determines the fate of the continent, spoken by an immortal being that has lived through over a thousand years. ¡°I want you to have several wives.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± I tried cleaning my ears. Maybe I head it wrong. I coughed in confusion. Then after a few blank blinks, I finally gave a response to Atallante. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°No, yes?¡± ¡°What are you curious about?¡± Atallante''s confident questioning gave me a splitting headache. Ugh. No, what the heII is going on? ¡°Was the sentence not understandable? I mean, um. Harem, you know? Harem. Polygamy. I want you to do that...¡± ¡°Hold on. Wait just a moment.¡± I weakly grabbed my head and stopped Atallante on her tracks. ¡°Let me get this straight.¡± Ya. No. But no matter how you look at it. ¡°There is a plan that only a minuscule fraction of the most influential and powerful individuals on the continent knows about, and it''s so important that it determines the world''s survival, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And the ultimate goal of that plan is for me to have a harem?¡± ¡°To be precise, you must seduce a few people.¡± Atallante shrugged and said. ¡°The Student Council President, whom you''d risk your life, is among those people. This is also the most important part.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°All the necessary means to accomplish that will be supported by the continent''s nations, be it overtly or covertly.¡± ¡°...¡± I could barely catch my breath. ¡°So, in other words.¡± With a constricted feeling, I somehow managed to say the last sentence. Without any understanding of the reasons or the omitted middle processes, if I were to summarize what this person has been saying so far... The conclusion. ¡°If I don¡¯t have a harem, the world will end?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± This is insane. I couldn''t come up with any other reaction. ¡°...Why, could you please explain the reason?¡± In sharp contrast to my dying voice, Atallante bursts into laughter. Chapter 32.1 Chapter 32.1 EP - 032.1 - Please ¡°Actually, the remnants of the devil are not that rare.¡± Atallante continued. ¡°While the revival of the devil''s true form ceased with the last exploits of the Hero who wielded the Holy Sword, its remnants are still scattered throughout the world.¡± After the devil was ripped apart, its fragments were scattered throughout the world. Most of them exist in the form of wills and tend to cling to objects or places, but the most dangerous type were those that use humans as ''vessels''. Once all the ''conditions'' are met, the Fragment would manifest through that vessel. Just like the Gray Devil fragment manifesting in Elnore before. ¡®The problem is...¡¯ Once a devil fragment manifests through a vessel, the other fragments would gather around that person, driven by an almost unavoidable inevitability. That''s why vessels are the most important, and at the same time, dangerous entities. They essentially serve as agents for the resurrection of the devil. ¡°...¡± I let out bitter laugh inside. In the same vein, Elnore, who has manifested the devil once, will likely undergo significant changes. It is highly probable that a part of her ''emotions'' will be greatly amplified. It¡¯s my job to lead her to the best possible outcome. ¡°If those devil fragments manifest in the material world, it would cause a catastrophic disaster.¡± Yes. I know. There''s something similar that had happened before. The Crimson Night incident. A disaster that occurred when a human possessing several fragments of the ¡®Red Devil¡¯ manifested them all at once. It was also this incident that swept away the family of the current hero candidate, Elijah. ¡°...¡± One of the powers of the Red Devil is ¡®Hellfire¡¯, the ability to control near-infinite flames. Of course, regardless of the number of fragments, it''s impossible to completely recreate it. But, nevertheless. When I saw it in the game''s CG, it didn¡¯t really touch me. But if it was an accident that happened in real life, the horror of it would be unimaginable. One human. Erased several cities entirely from the map. In just one night. ¡°That¡¯s why when I noticed the erosion happening, the power of the Gray Devil, I came here at full speed. Since it extensively occurred through Princess Tristan, we need to subdue it as soon as possible to reduce the damage.¡± At that time, it could be said that Atallante was desperate. This was a fragment of the ¡®Gray Devil¡¯, the strongest being among the rulers of Pandemonium. A power that can kill even a thousand-year-old Eternal. Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com No, more than that. ¡°...Were you aware that Elnore was a vessel of the Gray Devil?¡± ¡°I had my suspicions. But with the evidence this time, I''m now certain.¡± Atallante received my words with a smile. ¡°The people that the Holy Land and Heresy Inquisition within the empire will dispatch are very competent in that regard. Even if they can¡¯t pinpoint who exactly the ¡®vessel¡¯ containing the Devil Fragment is, they can come up with a group of candidates.¡± This sentence was followed by a sigh. This was great. Because the Devil Fragments seek hosts on their own. They attach themselves and lie dormant, remaining undetected for a long time. Once they eventually manifest in the material realm, they would inflict the most devastating damage. Thanks to this, I remember that even in the game, the presence of the fragments and who they attached to were completely random. In other words, they have the ability to gather information detailed enough on candidates to create a list. Of which, it includes the things I am unaware of. It would be a big help. ¡°Of course, most people like you did not have a good end. As you would expect.¡± The majority of vessels are not ordinary humans, and the devils themselves are catalysts for chaos, always carrying numerous tragedies and disasters in their wake. If all of them were to converge, it would be beyond what a single human could bear. ¡°But.¡± But what, is there something else? After saying that, Atallante smiled. ¡°Only once.¡± There has been a case where a vessel carrying a devil''s fragment and a person with similar spiritual qualities as me met. True love blossomed and they survived to the end. It happened above all miraculous odds. ¡°What do you think happened?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The fragment dwelling in the vessel completely vanished from the material realm.¡± As a result, without any ¡®medium¡¯ to manifest with, the devil was practically sealed. And since there''s no vessel, the possibility of other fragments converging is also blocked. ¡°The exact conditions are unknown. There are stories that you must love each other even in death, or that it only occurs when you truly, passionately love the other person. It¡¯s only happened once, so nothing specific is known. However, there is no dispute that a ¡®loving relationship¡¯ is the key.¡± It¡¯s a beautiful story. True love destroying the seeds of ruin. Yes. ¡°...¡± But, for some reason, I kept feeling a chill down my spine. ¡°Do you know what, student?¡± Atallante grinned. ¡°The vessel candidates identified so far are, well.¡± It was a really unpleasant grin. ¡°They coincidentally all women.¡± ¡°...¡± The chill felt cooler. Unless you¡¯re an idiot, you should be able to figure out where this is heading. ¡°...So.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You want me to seduce all of them and eliminate the fragments?¡± Atallante smiled softly. ¡°It''s an opportunity bestowed by the Heavens. Being someone with such a nature, what would capturing a couple of maidens'' hearts be?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Of course, it won''t be easy. The devil worshippers aiming for the resurrection of the devil will continue to target you, and the vessels themselves are not ordinary individuals either. However...¡± Atallante politely bowed her head. ¡°I humbly request student, Dowd Campbell.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The devil fragments are steadily converging through the vessels. As time goes by, more and more fragments will gather. At this rate, the destruction of mankind is inevitable. It''ll only be a matter of time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please, I beg of yoh. I will do everything to help. Whatever this old fool can do, I will do it. So, I implore you.¡± Please save humanity. Those words faintly echoed in the office. [T/N: If you like simple lofi music, please consider checking out my Spotify] Chapter 32.2 Chapter 32.2 EP - 032.2 - Please When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a white ceiling. It was a familiar sight. After all, Elnore was forced to visit this place not long ago due to Conrad''s ''insistence''. ¡°...¡± This was Elfante''s infirmary. She''s inside the campus, not in the outskirts where she fainted. Then. ¡®What about Dowd?¡¯ What happened to him? This was the first thing that came to her mind and she hurriedly stood up. ¡°...!¡± But it was a decision she immediately regretted. Her body was so battered that she couldn''t even speak, much less bear a sudden movement. At the same time, she let out a silent scream from the ensuing agony¡ª ¡°...Eum?¡± Elnore''s eyes slightly widened as she looked down at her body. It didn''t hurt as much. Of course, it was still painful. But compared to the injuries she sustained, this level of pain was a breeze. ¡®Has my recovery... become faster?¡¯ As the daughter of a renowned swordsman, she had a certain level of physical prowess. However, even considering that, this recovery speed was abnormal.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.come to think of it, the sinister aura that''s always raging in her heart, feels much calmer than usual. Recalling her last bits of memory, it felt like something had devoured her entire body from within before she lost consciousness. ¡®Something has changed.¡¯ As she looked down at her body, Elnore tilted her head. It felt as though the composition of her body had completely changed. As if the energy that had only been within her heart had affected her entire body. ¡°Hwa, the patient has regained consciousness! Call the doctor!¡± While she was lost in thoughts, one of the nurses suddenly exclaimed in surprise upon seeing her awake. It seemed that she¡¯s not the only one with the impression that there''s no way she could''ve recovered so quickly. Also, as soon as the nurse said that, the door forcefully opened. Before she could even form the impression that the doctor had arrived, the curtain beside her bed was violently pulled back. ¡°Hey, are you okay?!¡± Beatrix, whose face was stained with urgency, vehemently bombarded her with questions. ¡°You can remember, right? Can you move? How, how properly...!¡± ¡°...Calm down.¡± ¡°Two people saying something, wouldn¡¯t it just be a coincidence?¡± ¡°...¡± No. Isn''t that just a coincidence? Elnore is just interpreting it the way she likes. ¡®Isn¡¯t it strange?¡¯ Like, it really is. She knew Elnore cared a lot about Dowd before, but it¡¯s a bit strange that this was what came to her mind as soon as she woke up. There were signs of it before, but this is... She doesn''t know. ¡®...It feels like her obsession is getting worse?¡¯ Is there any reason? It''s worrying. Beatrix thought so, but then she shook her head. Although it is concerning, there was something that needed to be conveyed immediately. ¡°Unnecessary thoughts aside, it''s been hard these days.¡± ¡°It must have been tough while I was absent.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just tough, it was very difficult. People are barging in.¡± ¡°... People are barging in?¡± Beatrix sighed. ¡°Two people. They say there will be two big names coming.¡± Elnore tilted her head. Beatrix is the secretary of the Student Council and is used to mingling with high status. Who could make her struggle so much? ¡°First is the Saintess. She will be coming next week. The Holy Land pushed the idea so strongly that the empire had no choice but to comply.¡± ¡°Did you hear the reason?¡± ¡°There is something they must investigate. And the Saintess would probably lead it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The commotion between you and Dowd Campbell. It seems that the Heretic Inquisition is also keeping an eye on it. Everyone''s in an uproar.¡± Seeing Elnore''s furrowed expression and silence, Beatrix let out a sigh. Indeed, it''s not a trivial matter. The Holy Land''s Saintess is a renowned figure known throughout the continent. As a representative of God, she may not possess substantial power like the Pope or the Archbishop, but in terms of symbolic significance, she is the most legitimate figure on the continent. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone who would be happy to see someone like that come in saying ¡®there¡¯s something to investigate¡¯. That''s why Beatrix hesitated before revealing the following news. ¡°And this is something I was planning to tell you later, but since we''re on the subject, I''ll let you know now.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Your father is coming to the academy. Sir Gideon.¡± Sparks flew from Elnore¡¯s eyes. Chapter 33.1 Chapter 33.1 EP - 033.1 - Training As a gathering place for the privileged in the continent, the three academies always have a high influx of people. Thanks to this, the post town on the way to the Golden Triangle are always full of bustle and life. Even the luxury accommodation where the Holy Land''s Saintess stay wasn''t free from the surrounding noise. ¡°...¡± The Saintess, Lucien, rose from the bed with an exhale. Her two-tone hair, a mix of gold and white, slid smoothly over her pristine white robe. As she breathed out, a cloud of cigarette smoke rose into the air. A Saintess and a cigarette. It was a bizarre combination that would make a devout believer''s eyes roll. But she didn¡¯t seem to care and even took out a new one. ¡°Could you please close the window?¡± ¡°Eung? Ah, was I interrupting?¡± The ¡®boy¡¯ who was sitting near the window turned his head towards her in response. It was a young man in his late teens, clad in full body armor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just watching the people This city is lively, it feels good.¡± ¡°The sound is fine, but the light is annoying.¡± ¡°Do the modern-day Saintesses find the light bothersome?¡± ¡°Just a personal habit. I''ve spent most of my life in a dark chapel.¡± ¡°Don''t suddenly delve into such dark topics. You''re making me want to hit you.¡± ¡°...You are, in name, my escort knight. Please choose your words.¡± It was a very disrespectful tone for speaking to the continent''s Saintess, but Lucien showed no particular reaction other than that. Because considering this man''s personality, he would not do such a thing even if he died and came back to life. ¡°You''re not even afraid anymore. You were so nervous when we first met.¡± ¡°I would rather believe that the Emperor is a saintly man than you hitting women, Varkasus.¡± The boy chuckled as he closed the window. ¡°I must say, we have become too close.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, a bit much for a devil worshiper and a Saintess, no?¡± Lucien raised her head and looked at the other person. ¡°...¡± As soon as she did, she felt a suffocating pressure enveloping her entire body, causing her to grit her teeth. Since the window had just been closed, blocking the only light source, she couldn''t make out the boy''s expression as it''s dark. However, his distorted ''form'' was clearly evident. Incomprehensible, repulsive, disgusting, terrible. While it may be invisible in the light, but the moment darkness falls, the boy would reveal his ¡®true nature¡¯. An indescribably distorted, eon-old monster. Even she, who has one of the most sacred powers in the church, can barely maintain her composure when facing this grotesque existence, let alone subdue it. ¡°...Don''t worry.¡± She smiled wryly at the sight. ¡°You guys might be better than the human holding my leash.¡± Indeed, it was. Since receiving the ''shackles'' of being a Saintess of the Holy Land, Lucien had never once regretted having ties with these humans. Compared to the demons disguised in human skin, the devil worshipers were far better. ¡°Thank you for that.¡± The boy responded with a smirk, yawning as he spoke. ¡°But in the end, you also have a purpose for cooperating with us, don''t you? What was it again? You mentioned something about searching for someone?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lucien nodded slightly. ¡°...someone precious to me is in Elfante.¡± In a voice full of determination, she continued. ¡°There is something I must do.¡± This is her answer. ¡ñ ¡¸ My Dear Son, It''s almost summer. I heard that summer around there is especially hot. I sent a freeze stone and some fruits produced in the territory to add to your diet. Share it with your friends. . . . I heard that around this time of year, Elfante holds a visit event. Unfortunately, it will be harvest season soon and it would be difficult for me to attend myself. So I will send Butler Herman instead. He can accompany you to the official events and be there if you need anything. Don''t worry about the estate; it''s peaceful. You''ve always been a clever child, so we''re not overly worried. That''s all for now. P.S. If you have any close female friend, bring her over during your vacation and introduce her. Isn''t it time for this old man to see his grandson¡¯s face? From Armin Campbell. ¡¹ ¡°...¡± With a dull expression, I folded the letter while holding a bunch of grapes. Yes, grapes. They''re from our territory and their quality is excellent. However, I feel so depressed right now. ¡®A close female friend.¡¯ Knowing his personality, it''s probably just a joke. Well, I can think of a few names that I can take with me. Like Elnore, or maybe Elijah. But if I were to bring either of them to the estate during the vacation, well. ¡°...¡± I don¡¯t even want to imagine. Who knows what kind of disaster they''ll bring. The problem is, considering my current situation, the likelihood of it ending with just these two is extremely low. ¡®Please save humanity.¡¯ I sighed, recalling the ''mission'' Atalante entrusted to me not long ago. And that is, to seduce all of the devil vessel candidates. ¡°...¡± I massaged my throbbing head. The president called it a ¡®request¡¯, when in fact, there was never an option to ''decline''. If it is inevitable that I will get entangled with the devil vessels one way or the other, and they become obsessed with me, there would be no way I can survive other than turning them favorably towards me. I¡¯m sorry, Father. The promise I made when I first set out, to never attract attention, was becoming increasingly impossible to keep as time passes. ¡®...I don''t know.¡¯ Well, the more I brood about this, the more complicated it will get. So right now, let''s just focus on solving what''s in front of us one by one. < Gift-related Character Notification > ? Elnore Elinalise La Tristan [ Love Level 1 ] [ Exclusive Quest ''Curse Inheritance'' has been created! ] [ D-7 until Exclusive Quest-related events occur ] ¨‹ Gideon Galestead La Tristan [ Curiosity Level 1 ] [ Exclusive Quest ''Curse Inheritance'' has been created! ] [ D-7 until Exclusive Quest-related events occur ] Starting with this. [ Main Quest ]¡¼ Chapter 2 ¨C Ruined Boy King ¡½ [ Related events will occur soon! ] Chapter 33.2 Chapter 33.2 EP - 033.2 - Training I¡¯ve been waiting for this. ¡®...Surely, in a week.¡¯ As mentioned in the letter, there is an event that always happens in Elfante around this time of year. It''s a class observation event with the house representatives of the students. Simply judging by the name, it¡¯s really not a big deal. However, if it¡¯s a place where a lot of privileged people gather, such an event is bound to get twisted from all the varying interests clashing. Their presence is to intimidate, not be intimidated. And the more privileged they are, the more they care not to be looked down upon. Now, the event has been blown out of proportions with considerably increased significance. So much so that people, who don¡¯t even understand why they are there, sometimes appear. And since Elnore and Gideon''s Exclusive Quests were created at the same time, well... It''s obvious how things will unfold. ¡®...I will finally see his face.¡¯ Gideon Galestead La Tristan. Originally, there wouldn''t even be a chance to make contact with such a person. Because in most of the main scenario, he always appear as dead. ¡°...¡± Ah, but that doesn''t mean that Elnore is going to slit his throat. While she does dislike him, she wouldn''t commit patricide. However, it''s true that their relationship is complicated. Gideon... for ''certain reasons,'' has been cold towards Elnore ever since she was a child. And Elnore, influenced by that, also hasn''t been particularly fond of him either. Rooted from a certain event involving Elnore''s ''mother,'' their relationship completely shifted. But in all the storylines, the trigger for the complete collapse of Elnore''s mental state and awaken as the Gray Devil''s vessel always starts with Gideon''s death. So it''s not like they''re blood enemies. Remembering what happens, I couldn''t hold in my sigh. Right, so I know all this. ¡®What¡¯s certain is that...¡¯ If I ever come face to face with this person, there will definitely be something to "take away" there. It would be of great help in confronting the main antagonist of Chapter 2, the ''Boy King''. ¡°...¡± It might be rude to think of the Empire''s strongest knight like that, but it can¡¯t be helped. The danger I am in is in the extreme, where I could die at any given moment. I can''t do nothing. Even more so from Chapter 2 onwards. ¡®The Enlightened.¡¯ Executives of the devil worshippers, the main villains of the scenario. They start appearing prominently from Chapter 2, and the Boy King is one of them. They possess power that far surpasses that of the Purifier who have consumed the Devil''s Essence, reducing him to a speck of dust. ¡°...¡± In the first place, it''s not a boss battle designed to be won through conventional means. If you think about what kind of character the Boy King is, it becomes even more apparent. ¡®So, that¡¯s that.¡¯ In the end, solving it will start with Gideon¡¯s event that is just around the corner. If I can exactly get what I need, the progress will be much smoother. ¡®For now, he''s classified as a villain.¡¯ Considering the way his character is setup and how he''s portrayed in the scenario, it does align to some extent. With his background, how you treat him is key. Now what does this mean? ¡®I don¡¯t know how much effect Fatal Charm will have.¡¯ My gift becomes stronger the more extremely aligned to evil the other person is. In that case, with someone like Gideon, who is hard to read, it''s uncertain to what extent it will be effective. ¡®And, well...¡¯ I have a plan. So that even if I cannot rely on Fatal Charm on this one, I have a backup to still get the thing I need to help myself. However, in order to do that, I have to improve. After fidgeting for a while, Elnore finally looked back at me. Her eyebrows were slightly raised more than normal. ¡°...How is it?¡± ¡°...¡± So, are you going to teach me swordsmanship or not? You still didn''t give me an answer. ¡°Ora, quite the interesting topic you got over there.¡± Hearing the newcomer''s voice, Elnore¡¯s ''happy'' expression immediately crumpled. ¡°...You have no business interfering. Step aside.¡± ¡°Ehei, is learning swordsmanship limited to one teacher?¡± Elijah replied with a smile, which made Elnore¡¯s eyebrows grow fiercer. ¡°...Dowd asked me, not you. This is unrelated to you-¡± ¡°Oh, but before entering the academy, I had good experience as a swordsmanship instructor. While the Princess probably haven''t taught anyone before, right?¡± ¡°...¡± Despite her menacing demeanor, it seems that Elnore¡¯s personality is still the same. She didn''t lie to have taught someone to just counter Elijah, and simply stayed silent. She can be quite stubborn in peculiar ways. I smiled and suggested to Elijah. ¡°How about we learn together? I do think that Elnore can provide us some great insights.¡± Well, this is the truth. As far as skill is concerned, there is still a clear gap between the two. If Elnore were to teach her, Elijah would have a lot to learn. Anyway, considering the scenario, Elijah¡¯s growth is essential. In that sense, this is a good opportunity to foster her development. ¡°...¡± Elijah pouted at my words, while Elnore¡¯s expression relaxed. ¡°Um, is that so?¡± However, Elijah grinned as if she remembered something. ¡°Then she''ll be the ¡®lone¡¯ instructor, while we learn ¡®together¡¯?¡± Hearing this, Elnore¡¯s expression darkened again. ¡°...¡± Don¡¯t fall for these childish provocations. Please. ¡°...Since you insist, be an instructor yourself, then.¡± Saying so with a sigh, Elnore¡¯s expression relaxed again. But as soon as she heard that, Elijah grinned. As if this was what she''s been aiming for all along. ¡°Oh, is that so? It''s a competition then?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Me or the Princess, who is the better teacher?¡± ¡°...¡± Why does it have to be like that? As I squinted at that thought, Elijah continued. ¡°Naturally, whoever is better should be the one ¡®regularly¡¯ teaching in the future, don''t you think so?¡± ¡°...¡± What is she talking about now? I didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°...Ha.¡± Elnore laughed as she brushed her hair. ¡°Looks like the fledgling freshman has a big ambition. Are you challenging me now?¡± ¡°Oh, but I don''t think Princess would be good at teaching?¡± ¡°Can you take responsibility for that statement?¡± No. Hello, I''m here too. Hey! Chapter 34.1 Chapter 34.1 EP - 034.1 - Training (2) It''s fair to say that Elnore and Elijah have both reached a profound level in the field of swordsmanship. On one side is the person who will destroy the world, while on the other is the person who will save it. Hencewhy, I''m mulling over this. Their skills and teaching abilities are completely different. ¡°Why are you taking a step back! Use that brain in that thick skull of yours!¡± ¡°You call this swordsmanship? This more like flirting than fighting. Are you trying to seduce your enemy?¡± ¡°...¡± Watching the two''s fierce back and forth made my head throb. To be exact, they are having a heated discussion about my ¡®curriculum¡¯. Their overwhelming passion has drawn the attention of everyone in the gym, probably wondering what on earth is happening over here. ¡®...At first, they started relatively amicable.¡¯ But the debate that initially began with mutual respect and courtesy has now devolved to personal attacks. ¡®Come to think of it, was it always like this in the story?¡¯ These two, well... They''re inherently incompatible. Recently, I was hoping that they would at least become somewhat friendly through my mediation, but it seems like that''s a too far-fetched idea. The Tristan Duke Family and the Hero. These two are destined against each other until the end of the scenario. That''s just how the setting is defined. ¡°...¡± So. Unless I intervene, the story will continue as it is. ¡®The further I go, the more I¡¯ll need these two.¡¯ Just looking at the Purifier boss battle, an item that shouldn''t be here, appeared. for new novels Considering this variable, who knows what''s waiting for me ahead. And the only people that can defeat the devil is the devil''s vessel herself and the hero who has received the angel''s blessing. These two are my most reliable allies. Their assistance is essential for the progression of the scenario. ¡®...Isn''t this also in the game?¡¯ Depending on the route you take, their relationship can improve to a fairly good level. However, if I want to directly use the ¡®situation¡¯ to my benefit. It would get dangerous. Mainly. A playboy that''s caught is as good as a cold corpse. How much more would the consequences be if the final boss and the main character is involved? If exposed, I''ll be ripped to shreds. Literally. Having said that, Elnore demonstrated a few simple movements. ¡®Oh, ohoh...¡¯ Starting with the footwork, shifting your center of gravity, precise gaze control, and the upper body''s posture. With each step being accompanied with a detailed explanation. I thought that she would end up being the same with Elijah, but she''s actually teaching standard. ¡°Give it a try.¡± ¡°Yes, this much should be...¡± Saying so, I grabbed my sword and attempted the downward strike. But. ¡°...¡± ¡°...Um.¡± ¡°...Uh...¡± I failed miserably. No, this is harder than I expected. I thought it would be a simple downward motion, but in reality, it''s a struggle just to avoid falling over while trying to maintain balance. This is especially true for an untrained person like me. Without the Desperation skill, just holding on to the sword was an ordeal in itself. Not to mention swinging it. The expressions of those who were watching around me were ambiguous. If it were obvious that I was simply a novice, they might have found it cute and cut me some slack. But with such an artistic h?o?r?r?e?n?d?o?u?s? failure, the atmosphere was more like, "What was that?" ¡°...At this level, shouldn''t you start by training your body before swordsmanship? Would it even make sense to receive instruction right now? No, didn''t you handle monsters easily...?¡± Even Elijah had a puzzled look on her face. However. ¡°No, you did well.¡± When Elnore said that expressionlessly, everyone''s looks became strange. ¡°...Yes? That was good?¡± ¡°That''s right. You could use it in real combat.¡± ¡°...¡± Facing Elijah, whose face was saying, ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Elnore drew her sword with a sigh. ¡°Watch closely.¡± Standing in front of the training dummy, Elnore raised her sword. ¡°Heup!¡± She slashed straight down. However, it looked clumsy through and through just like the one I did earlier, not a hint of proper posture. Frankly, it''s embarrassing to even call it a ''strike''. It''s just trying to avoid falling over. Normally, the sword strike would''ve done near zero damage and simply bounce off the dummy. But then... -! -!!! -!!!!!!! Chapter 34.2 Chapter 34.2 EP - 034.2 - Training (2) It sounded as if there was a bomb exploding. The dummy shattered into powder-like fragments, creating a crater on the ground as if it had been hit by a meteor, and the shockwave even reached the walls - leaving visible cracks. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone in the training room stared at the scene with their mouths wide open. ¡°See?¡± Elnore flatly said, as she retrieved her sword. ¡°There is nothing wrong with your stance.¡± ¡°...¡± She continued without batting an eye. ¡°So, starting today, this man will receive regular training from me. Do you understand?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Dowd Campbell did a splendid job. There is no problem with his learning capabilities.¡± ¡°...Hey, Student Council President.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don''t you just want to meet him every day?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°...Is that right? What does even a lecture mean to a person of this level in the first place-¡± ¡°I said no. I only accept rebuttals in a duel.¡± ¡°...¡± While Elijah squinted in silence, my gaze remained glued on the wreckage that Elnore had left. ¡®...Is she stronger than before?¡¯ I know that her exceptional physical ability was formidable, but it was unlikely that she could display this level of power at this point in time. There is only one hypothesis I could come up with. ¡®Has she fused with the fragment to that extent already?¡¯ If a devil¡¯s vessel is rapidly progressing in strength, there is no other possibility. Completely fusing with the fragment would boost one''s stats and would give rise to special abilities. This is a fortunate development that could greatly help me in the scenario, but it''s not entirely pleasant either. Especially considering how events usually unfold within the game. ¡®Devil vessels are greatly influenced by each other¡¯s presence.¡¯ If Elnore has fused with the fragment to this extent, it is highly likely that other vessels with devil fragments will also be affected, increasing the likelihood of awakening the devil within them. ¡°To be honest, she''s not a good person to touch right now.¡± Atallante took out a key with a sigh. Nonetheless, she seems to have accepted my request, like a noble who listens to anything I say. Still, she couldn''t just do it without giving me a word of warning. ¡°Her existence itself is a risk factor that can trigger a war between the Empire and the Holy Kingdom. I didn''t hide her out of sight in Elfante for nothing.¡± With a serious face, Atallante continued. ¡°And, you know about the upcoming class observation, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°During the event, members of the Holy Kingdom, including the Saintess, will be staying in Elfante. Yuria Greyhounder''s existence must not get exposed during that time.¡± With a wry smile, I nodded in response to Atallante''s words. Certainly, if Yuria''s existence rises to the surface, that itself would be a disaster. ¡®Precisely, the problem lies in the sword she''s holding...¡¯ The Holy Kingdom''s national treasure, which creates a ¡®Curse of Severance¡¯ that prevents people from getting close to the wielder. Likewise, the wielder can''t get close to other people. It¡¯s an item that Yuria stole and ran away with a long time ago. As I¡¯ve said before, this is the reason why she manically cuts down anything that comes three steps within her. Quite literally, if Yuria is caught with the sword, there¡¯s a high possibility that things will go haywire between the two countries. That¡¯s how important the Holy Kingdom regards it. ¡®...That being said.¡¯ The closer the distance between herself and the other person, Yuria¡¯s fighting power also skyrockets. Especially if the distance is within two steps. Even if Elnore and Elijah attack at the same time, they''ll probably still lose. The reason why Elnore and Elijah¡¯s close combat skills are only ¡®top tier¡¯, and not the ¡®strongest¡¯, is because of Yuria¡¯s existence. ¡®...¡¯ The problem is that the national treasure of the Holy Kingdom, in conjunction with the Boy King, inevitably stirs a major incident in the Academy. It''s also a key item in Chapter 2. ¡°So, I need to at least know what business you have with her. If I deem it too dangerous, I have no choice but to reject this request.¡± Atallante solemnly said. ¡°The curse itself is highly dangerous, and politically, its very existence is no different than a ticking time bomb. There are many reasons why important people like you shouldn¡¯t be in contact with someone like her. Your actions must be completely devoid of any risks.¡± ¡°Ah, then you can be rest assured.¡± No matter how dangerous Yuria may be, it''s not that risky for me to go there. It''s just a way for my divinity and swordsmanship to rapidly grow at the same time. I answered with a smile. ¡°It''s nothing grand, I just want to have a little sword spar.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I plan to do this every day for the next week or so.¡± Atallante''s expression rapidly soured. Chapter 35.2 Chapter 35.2 EP - 035.2 - Preparations [...You''re here again?] However, the next morning, the man came in the same way. At the same time she woke up, with the same sword, and at the same distance. Briefly engaging in combat, and then withdrawing. Finally, he threw her some food and disappeared. ¡°...¡± Yuria pondered as she stared at the lunchbox left behind by the man. Yesterday, it was 9 hours. Today, it was 12. Her brain, which had rarely been put to use due to living a monotonous savage life, was being pushed to its limits. ¡®Could there be something special he wants from me?¡¯ She thought of a reasonable hypothesis. The first time they met, he said he was ¡®asked¡¯ by someone to take care of her. It seems that there has been a recent change in that regard. ¡®...But what''s with the sword fight?¡¯ In the end, she couldn''t reach a conclusion until she fell asleep. ¡°Are you awake?¡±Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com The next day, the man came again. Following the same routine, he threw her a lunchbox. ¡°Hey, do you know?¡± But this time, he didn''t leave right away and engaged in small talk with her. It was simply trivial conversation. He talked about the happenings at the Academy, the current nice weather, and something he found amusing recently. Really, it was a dreary story with no value whatsoever. She didn¡¯t even respond. She didn''t know anything, so she had nothing to give back. Meanwhile, the man just tells his stories as he pleased. ¡°...¡± However, for Yuria, who has not had the opportunity to interact with people for a long time. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she had a "human" conversation. ¡°Hey!¡± However, perhaps because the man stayed longer than usual, someone came to pick up him up. It was someone Yuria knew, President Atallante. The person who provided her a place to hide and stay. ¡°I warned you not to stay for too long! How many times have I told you that if someone like you gets hurt, it will cause a big problem...!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit too rude to just exchange swords and then leave. And it''s not dangerous if you chat a little farther away. I''m just being friendly, what are you getting so antagonistic about?¡± ¡°Student always like to talk misleadingly! I¡¯m telling you not to stay long because I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll cause an accident while talking nonsense!¡± ¡°...That, I can¡¯t argue.¡± Yuria heard such a conversation in the distance, as the man got dragged away by Atallante. Perhaps they thought Yuria wouldn''t hear them, but it was futile because she was keenly listening. ¡®A student, huh.¡¯ She managed to gather a few fragmented pieces of information. He obviously knows about her curse. He''s a student at the Academy and someone impressive enough for Atallante to personally take care of. And yet... He wants to be friends with someone like her. ¡°...¡± -You will be alone until you die. [ Attribute Grade promoted from ¡®Basic¡¯ to ¡®General¡¯! ] < Mastery Info > [ Attribute: Tristan Style Swordsmanship ] [ Grade: General ] [ Current Proficiency: 0% ] [ Master Sword Technique of the Tristan Duke Family. ] [ ¡ö Can exert a certain level of power regardless of weapon. ] [ ¡ö When equipped with a longsword, can use ¡®Deflect¡¯. ] [ ¡ö When equipped with a longsword, can partially ignore the opponent''s defense and inflict damage. ] ¡°...¡± The speed of progression is unusually fast. Even though I had some prior accumulation of proficiency, going from Basic to General proficiency in just 7 days is a crazy achievement. Wasn''t it supposed to take at least a month? ¡®And the listed effects...¡¯ Deflection is a common parrying technique in the game. By timing the defense against the opponent''s attack, you can negate the damage and gain a turn to counter-attack. The ability to ignore defense and inflict damage. It is exactly as described. It''s simple yet powerful. ¡®...Alright, then.¡¯ With these two things, it should be sufficient. I can consider all the preparations done. < Gift-related Character Notification > ? Elnore Elinalise La Tristan [ Love Level 1 ] [ Exclusive Quest ''Curse Inheritance'' has been created! ] [ D-1 until Exclusive Quest-related events occur ] ¨‹ Gideon Galestead La Tristan [ Curiosity Level 1 ] [ Exclusive Quest ''Curse Inheritance'' has been created! ] [ D-1 until Exclusive Quest-related events occur ] To get the results I want in tomorrow''s ¡®Class Observation¡¯ event. ¡°...I should go to bed early today.¡¯ The accumulated fatigue in my body from fighting Yuria every day is no joke. I fell asleep as soon as I got back to the dorm. Then... [ Skill: Fatal Charm Activated! ] [ The Villain¡¯s favor has greatly increased! ] [ Target ¡®Yuria''s'' favorability raised to Interest Level 1! ] [ Rewards are added to the Gift tab! ] I was greeted by such a message the next morning. ¡°...¡± What the hell is this? . . . [T/N: I''m terribly sorry for the lack of updates in all of my projects. This past few months has been rough for me. But don''t worry, I''ll pick up the steam and will strive for at least an update every other day] Chapter 35.1 Chapter 35.1 EP - 035.1 - Preparations The worst thing about nightmares is that you can¡¯t escape them even if you close your eyes. So was the dream that Yuria Greyhounder had every day. [Young Lady, why... Why?] The restless voices of the dead constantly echoed in her ears, the smell of blood lingers on her hands, and the pieces of flesh at her feet that she didn''t even recognize anymore. Corpses formed a mountain. And everything was her doing. The gardener who cultivated a small bonsai with her, the housekeeper who made her favorite carrot cake for dessert with a warm smile, and the maid who always gives her a nagging but is worried about her wellbeing. All of them. She cut down everyone. Just because they were within ''three steps'' of her. ¡°...¡± She screamed at the top of her lungs. She didn''t mean to. She didn''t want this to happen. No, never. Shedding tears of blood, she pleaded while vomiting. Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com However, not a single word is reached. Her mouth won''t open. Everyone glared at her with resentful eyes, wishing upon her curses as they morph into a cold corpse. Then, she saw a man emerging from the sea of bodies. A robe of pure gold. A pure white wand. A swinging rosary. A man boasting a perfect beauty as if he''s meticulously created by a God. Yuria knew who it was. The Pope. The pinnacle of all religious figures in this era. [Are you still hoping for someone to save you?] An eerie sound, like a jade bead rolling on a tray, echoed out. [Are you still hoping to get close with someone?] However. To her, it was the voice of a ¡®predator¡¯ that made her body shake just by hearing it. [You cursed apotropaic.] She dreams of this. Always. [You will be alone until you die.] It ended with the Pope''s whisper. ¡ñ ¡°...!¡± Her eyes opened with a shallow scream. Her whole body was drenched in cold sweat. ¡°...¡± Yuria Greyhounder rubbed her face and looked out the window. It wasn¡¯t the first time she''d seen someone ¡®receiving¡¯ her attack. Especially if it''s about three steps. The way her sword works is the closer the opponent, the more her combat abilities increase. Likewise, the farther the opponent within her range, the less powerful her attacks are. The problem is... ¡®This is the second time, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ On their first meeting, this man also got attacked after closing the distance. That''s why, afterwards, when he completely disappeared, she understood. ¡°...¡± -You will be alone until you die. These words that she always hear in her dreams echoed in her mind. That''s right. She knows very well that it is her destiny. After all, who on earth would want to get entangled with someone who''ll slice you up if you get even an inch closer than permitted. ¡°Okay. Judging from your swings, you seem healthy. Have you been well?¡± Except for this strange man in front of her. As Yuria looked at the man perplexed, he slumped down and caught his breath. It seems that the intense exchange they just had has exhausted him considerably. [...What is, what the hell?] Characters formed by manifesting divine power floated before her eyes. As someone afflicted by the Curse of Severance, she couldn''t use her vocal cords. Hence why she''s communicating this way. It was a question filled with complex doubts. What is the point of doing this? What the hell are you doing? Last time, he just disappeared and didn¡¯t come back for a while. Then now, he suddenly came back with a sword and competed against her. Moreover, he skillfully maneuvered within her "danger zone." As if he knew about her curse. ¡®...No, what is it really?¡¯ Truly, his existence is just incomprehensible. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? I''ll occasionally come to bring you food.¡± However, the other party simply replied like so. In fact, along with those words, a lunch box filled with food slid towards her. ¡°Eat. I''m taking my leave. Someone will get angry if I stay for too long.¡± ¡°...¡± Yuria blankly stared at the man leaving. What kind of person is he, really? The day passed just like that. She spent the rest of the day pondering over thoughts of that man while attending to her tasks. ¡®What''s going on? What kind of person is he?¡¯ She was accustomed to the solitary life. She had plenty of time for thinking. ¡®It''s probably just a whim.¡¯ In the evening, just before she''s about to sleep, she successfully came to that conclusion and wore a satisfied smile. It was the result of thinking only of him for 9 hours. Yeah, that''s right. He hadn¡¯t shown himself for a while after visiting her once. It will probably be the same this time. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 EP - 036 - Class Observation < Gift-related Character Notification > ¨‹ Yuria Greyhounder [ Interest Level 1 ] [ Rewards Available! ] I stroked my chin as I stared at the system window in front of me. ¡®...Interest Level 1 right from the get-go.¡¯ I guess it''s because her affiliation is evil, that''s why her favorability progressed faster than normal. It¡¯s all the more if you consider that Elijah was still at Interest Level 4. I have no idea how this happened. ¡°...¡± Well, when has this ever happened at a time I expected? And this. [ Received Gift Reward from ¡®Yuria¡¯. ] [ ¡®Skill: Swordsman''s Focus¡¯ has been acquired! ] < Skill Info > [ Skill: Swordsman''s Focus ] [ Grade: B ] [ Temporarily grants heightened focus during combat. When used, reaction speed and precision are maximized. ] ¡®...Is this allowed?¡¯ Desperation increases my stats, therefore increasing my physical abilities. However, this particular type of enhancement had a different feel to it. It maybe graded as B, but if combined with Desperation, the performance it would yield would be close to a cheat. Even when used alone, the benefits that can be gained during combat would be tremendous. ¡°Young Master! Long time no see!¡± As I was thinking so, I saw a gentleman in a suit waving at me from afar. Butler Herman is an elder who has served the Campbell Family for a long time. He has been with the family longer than my own father, who is the master of the house. With the above said, Herman had a peculiar aura that only a master of their craft exuded. Everything he does felt unhurried and relaxed. ¡°...Is Elfante always like this?¡± ¡°You could say that.¡± Yet, even someone like Herman couldn''t hide his surprise by the scale of the event that is Elfante''s Class Observation. In fact, there''s not that a lot of people nearby. However, if you look closer on who they are... There were big-time merchants, nobles, and even a nation''s royalty. Who would''ve thought that such giants would gather in one place for some school ¡®class observation¡¯? ¡°No, even so...¡± Herman brushed his beard and looked at the massive square arena in the center of the building. ¡°...That, doesn''t it seem a little dangerous?¡± Herman''s gaze was drawn to the magitech display installed near the arena. With such a heavyweight crowd, the class observation is filled with things that deviates significantly from its original purpose. Presenting subpar spectacle that would bore high-profile people, that came here from all over the place to watch, is simply impossible. That''s why they''ve prepared this. A student battle royale. ¡°...¡± This isn''t an event you''d normally expect to find in an academy but rather in a colosseum. However, surprisingly, this is a historic tradition that''s been going on since the early days of Elfante''s establishment. Truly a dreadful place. ¡°But, if I may ask, is the Young Master also participating in the middle there?¡± ¡°...Well, yes.¡± Herman said with worry. However, I can¡¯t just let this opportunity pass. This is my only chance to capture Gideon''s attention. ¡°...I don¡¯t know if the Lord will be proud or terrified with this.¡± I smiled wryly as Herman said so. ¡®We''re not even at the terrifying part yet.¡¯ Be it Elijah or Elnore, no joke, even one of them will turn the whole territory upside down. ¡ä¡äThis matter... concerns me. It seems like all sorts of people are in attendance. I even saw people from the Holy Kingdom on my way here.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± I responded with a squint. Considering the timing and affiliation, that group probably includes the Saintess and the ¡®Boy King¡¯. Their time of arrival was much faster than expected. Originally, the earliest they come should''ve been the next month. ¡®As expected.¡¯ The flow of the scenario is accelerating. The fact that both of them are coming here means that both the Holy Kingdom and the devil worshipers are starting to make big moves. The reasons may be different for each, but it is clear that both sides want something within this academy. ¡®...I have some rough ideas on what they might be.¡¯ And my task is to make it hard for them. I neither want to get close to the Holy Kingdom nor the devil worshipers. As I pondered, Herman continued with a smile. ¡°Well, since it''s an event with a large number of participants, it would be nice to show a great performance. It will also increase your popularity among the female students.¡± ¡°...Yes, well.¡± ¡°That''s right, isn¡¯t there another event following the class observation? It will be easier to find a partner. I heard that the Lord also met the Lady there...¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± You shouldn''t bring up such scary stories. I could feel cold sweat rolling down my spine as Elijah and Elnore¡¯s faces came to mind. ¡®I got work to do...¡¯ That is, to impress Gideon, who will be among the crowd, using the Tristan Style Swordsmanship. < Mastery Info > [ Attribute: Tristan Style Swordsmanship ] [ Grade: General ] [ Current Proficiency: 0% ] [ Master Sword Technique of the Tristan Duke Family. ] [ ¡ö Can exert a certain level of power regardless of weapon. ] [ ¡ö When equipped with a longsword, can use ¡®Deflect¡¯. ] [ ¡ö When equipped with a longsword, can partially ignore the opponent''s defense and inflict damage. ] The key thing here is the second effect. Deflect. It''s a parrying technique that can neutralize the opponent''s attack if timed correctly. It''s a system that exists in almost every game in some shape or form. And. For a veteran who has mastered the ¡®timing¡¯ in the game to a perverted level, one would be able to create some pretty interesting situations. Gideon paused for a moment, before he continued. ¡°...He definitely learned something. How much did he learn? A few months? A year?¡± ¡°Hey, hold on. Wait a moment.¡± Facing such sudden questions, Conrad responded bewildered. ¡°They seem quite close, but I don''t know anything about learning swords or something similar. Besides, he¡¯s a freshman. It¡¯s only been two months since he came to the academy.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± Confusion crossed Gideon¡¯s face. Cosidering how he usually doesn¡¯t show any emotion on his face, no matter the circumstance, this was very unusual. ¡°...it can¡¯t be. That''s definitely our family''s-¡± ¡°All players, mutual salute!¡± The resounding voice of the referee in the center of the arena cut off Gideon''s words. ¡°Ready!¡± At this time, everyone in the arena took their positions. The Knights School with their weapons, Mage School with their spells, and Theology School with their blessings and miracles. ¡°Begin!¡± With the referee¡¯s declaration, the arena quickly plunged into chaos. You are left to fend for yourself, no allies other than your own efforts, and surrounded by enemies from all sides. It¡¯s a messy mix of multiple battles unfolding in every direction. In an instant, nearly half of the participants were wiped out. Even in the ongoing battle, the numbers were also dwindling at a terrifying speed. Likewise, the hidden gems were also quickly getting uncovered. Conrad smiled as he looked down at the arena. The reason why such a crude and savage event had continued for so long was because it''s amazing at what it does. That is, to find talent. Some individuals would showcase their true worth in such chaotic combat situations. With enemies on all sides, they would display overwhelming skills and abilities. ¡®There are already some decent ones.¡¯ A man wielding a spear, overwhelming his surroundings. Conrad was familiar with him. Tallion Armand. The eldest son of Viscount Armand. And there''s also a woman with only her fists and some gloves on, knocking down everyone around her. But her deep hood made it difficult to see her face. ¡®These two are the most overwhelming.¡¯ At the freshman level, these two are almost beyond the standard. If it weren¡¯t for Elijah, the hero candidate, they''re more than capable of aiming for the top of their grade. ¡°So, what do you think? See...¡± Just as Conrad turned his head to ask the opinion of the person next to him, he suddenly stopped. It was because he noticed that Gideon¡¯s gaze never once moved. The Empire''s strongest knight was solely focused on one person right from the beginning. ¡°...¡± Dowd Campbell. As soon as the sparring started, he positioned to a corner of the arena and holed himself there, not moving a single step. Yes. That¡¯s all. ¡®...He¡¯s holding up well.¡¯ Though, he remained on the defensive. Standing in place, blocking and repelling those who come at him. Well, it''s a survival strategy, it''s not hard to understand. But compared to the previous two stars, he''s only like a firefly next to them. ¡°This is unexpected. Did you like such a modest way of fighting?¡± ¡°Is that all you see?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°In my eyes, it looks a little different.¡± Saying so, Gideon rose from his seat and walked towards the fence. It was as if he wanted to get a closer look at the man. ¡°...¡± Gideon laughed. ¡°You''re laughing now?¡± There''s not even a point denying it. It felt like a puzzle he had been pondering for a long time was solved all at once. Take Mt. Tai as your own. This is what the Sword Saint said. He continued to watch the man standing in a secluded spot, defending against the attacks. However, it wasn''t simply defending while standing still. He anticipated every attack, waited for the perfect moment, and "deflected" them. ¡®The basics of Tristan Style Swordsmanship.¡¯ Deflection. The fundamental technique of ''bouncing off'' the opponent''s attack to create an opening. But used to its extreme. Magic, miracles and blessings, Everything was nullified as if blocked by a massive wall. With just that, the opponent''s attacks were rendered futile, as they stumble and lose their ground. And with those openings, he inserts a light attack and effortlessly push the opponent back. ¡®...a freshman.¡¯ What a joke! If he''s "just" a freshman, then the Empire''s Knights, including himself, are nothing more than inexperienced novices. Conrad¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the other party''s expression from the side. A twisted smile hung on Gideon¡¯s lips. It was as if he had discovered something genuinely interesting. Or. ¡®It''s not just about defending.¡¯ It was an expression of ¡®Win-win¡¯[1]. The Empire¡¯s strongest knight to a mere freshman. ¡®You win by blocking.¡¯ Fancy attacks and all, they mean nothing. Everything is optimized. Standing in place, not moving a single step, all while creating a suffocating pressure. It almost looks like... ¡°Mt. Tai.¡± This is probably the ¡®virtue¡¯ that the First Archduke Tristan spoke of. Gideon¡¯s eyes flashed fiercely. & & & TL Notes: [1] ''Win-win'' or ????????(Hoseungsim) is the hunger or desire to succeed or win. *specific term/word taken from https://fireemblemwiki.org/wiki/Rivalry Chapter 37 Chapter 37 EP - 037 - Class Observation (2) [ ¡®Skill: Fatal Charm¡¯ Activated! ] [ Villain¡¯s favorability has greatly increased! ] [ Rewards are added to the Gift tab! ] Eum. That''s right. I smiled as I glanced at the audience. I can¡¯t see where Gideon was because there''s simply too many people. But since I got this system prompt at this time, it only meant him. ¡®...Actually, this is a scam.¡¯ The setting of the story was that the foundation of the First Archduke Tristan''s swordsmanship is the ¡®basics reaching the peak¡¯. Anticipating everything the opponent will do and moving one step ahead, dominating the opponent through defense alone. ¡°...¡± Of course, if someone could do that, there wouldn''t be any opponents they couldn''t defeat. It''s a level of swordsmanship where one could slice through space and distort time. If you can''t do such a thing, you wouldn''t even be at the starting point. And, if you can actually do that, then that¡¯s a whole different story. ¡®...I can use Elnore later.¡¯ In the game, it''s called ¡®Infinite Veil¡¯. It is an absolute defense that blocks and deflects all attacks, needing nothing but a single sword. Compared to such an insane skill, what I''m doing right now is practically a joke. However, I can roughly imitate the effect. Swords, magic, miracles and blessings. Whatever it may be. As long as I know the timing, I can ¡®deflect¡¯ all of them using Tristan Style Swordsmanship. ¡°What, what is this?¡± ¡°How can you use a sword against magic...!¡± I casually knocked down the poor confused fella who said that. Even when Desperation is only raised to C Grade, it''s more than enough to deal with an average freshman. Having my back to the corner covers my blindspot, so I don¡¯t need to worry about attacks coming from behind. I could simply focus on the students in front. As a result, only a total of three people, including myself, were left standing on the arena. Well, one person... ¡°I will forfeit.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t beat Hyeongnim anyway. 2nd and 3rd place have the same reward, right?¡± Tallion readily raised his hand, while saying so. His clean forfeit declaration was so surprising that even the referee was taken aback. ¡°...What were you even doing here then?¡± ¡°Oh, I came because they said there''s prize money.¡± ¡°...¡± Aren''t you the son of a Viscount, why are you impoverished? Don''t you have pocket money? ¡°I have to pay an additional fine for getting involved with Marquis Riverback.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah. Oh, by the way.¡± As Tallion exited with light steps, he passed by me and slightly lowered his head. ¡°Be careful of that person, Hyeongnim.¡± At the end of Tallion¡¯s finger was the last other person on the arena, who''s wearing gloves. They were cracking their knuckles. Purple hair poked out from their hood. Judging by their physique... ¡®...A woman?¡¯ As I frowned, Tallion spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m just here for the money... but that person over there seems a bit dangerous.¡± ¡°Dangerous?¡± ¡°She seemed to enjoy beating people, and has been tormenting her opponents to the end.¡± In fact, I could see several students lying around, half covered in blood. As Tallion left the arena, I scanned the other party from head to toe. ¡°...¡± Yes. I totally agree with what Tallion said. A person like that would thrive in a place like this. ¡°What, you''re not coming?¡± As I looked at her with a firm expression, she suddenly said. ¡°Then shall I go?¡± Then, a chill ran down my spine. It¡¯s a familiar feeling. This was the same gap that I felt when I faced Elijah without any stat boost. [ A moment of danger has been detected. ] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX Grade. ] ¡°...!¡± As soon as the opponent''s figure "disappeared," I instinctively activated the skill. [ ¡®Skill: Swordsman''s Focus¡¯ has been activated! ] [ Reaction speed and precision has been increased! ] I can understand that I''m starting to get Gideon''s attention, but who is this supposed to be? ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Of course, what is even more incomprehensible is the current situation. Right after the sparring, I was kidnapped by someone as I was leaving the arena. A maid standing nearby hands me a cup of tea. Of course, I don''t have time to care about such things. Because the person I was facing in front was enough to make me break out in a cold sweat. ¡°...It is an honor meeting you, Archduke Tristan.¡± He simply closed his eyes and nodded. It¡¯s been this way since earlier. It feels suffocating if I leave it quiet for too long. The atmosphere felt like ice. There''s a certain aura emanating from him that puts those around on edge. And, this person is a leading powerhouse of the Empire that could not only erase me, but also my entire family''s territory with a single word. This is just one of the many reasons to be nervous about. ¡®...I did expect him to be interested.¡¯ For some reason, this man has great interest in the swordsmanship of the First Archduke Tristan. Just by showing him a little bit of insight, he immediately called me for a 1:1 meeting. Or, perhaps, it''s because of his daughter. ¡°Dowd Campbell.¡± I jumped in surprise hearing him suddenly talk like that. ¡°What is your relationship with my daughter?¡± ¡°...¡± It sounded like a father grilling his daughter¡¯s boyfriend, but I know that that''s not what he meant. ¡°...The Princess always helps me. She has been of great assistance in my academy life-¡± ¡°Did you learn the sword from her?¡± No. This is a signal. I forced a smile in front of Gideon, who''s exuding an icy chill. ¡°...She only taught me the simple downward slash.¡± Gideon¡¯s eyes, which were closed, slowly opened. The sharpness of his eyes made me feel like he could cut me with just his gaze. I could feel my palms getting moist. ¡°Then where did you learn our family''s swordsmanship?¡± ¡°...¡± Facing his gaze, I took a deep breath. Yes. There¡¯s no way he wasn¡¯t able to recognize it. From here, it becomes crucial. In fact, this is the beginning of the plan in Chapter 2 Boy King. First things first, let''s do what we do best. ¡°I''m sure the Archduke is aware of it.¡± And that is. Scamming. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°The Sword Saint has always been unpredictable. Even going as far as discovering ¡®talented children¡¯ in rural areas.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°With enough talent, he even teaches them the difficult Tristan Style Swordsmanship.¡± Gideon¡¯s eyes narrowed. The coldness in the air seethed even stronger, threatening to freeze up my blood. Of course, that''s a lie. The Sword Saint, who is both the teacher of Archduke Tristan and the current head of the Elfante Knights School, is a person who repeatedly seeks out geniuses throughout the continent and trains them in swordsmanship. As his existence is hardly known to the public, just the fact that I know his identity adds some credibility to my lie. ¡°...Are you implying that we''re under the same teacher?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I dryly swallowed hearing Gideon say that. Next, the game starts. To be honest, this lie will easily be exposed. Someone like Gideon has plenty of ways to verify the truth. ¡°...¡± That''s why, I have to cover it up. ¡°And, he entrusted me with a request. He asked me to do something if I ever meet the Archduke.¡± From what I¡¯ve experienced so far. The best way to hide a tree is to create a forest. A big lie to cover a little one. ¡°...Request?¡± So, what I¡¯m going to do is... ¡°Archduke Tristan.¡± Keep on scamming. ¡°How about learning the sword from me?¡± And if I''m gonna do it. I''ll do it as grand as possible. [T/N: I will change the update schedule to weekly (on weekends like today) instead of every other day since I see that most dont like the cut up(parts) chapters. I''ll be following slightly below the standard of 3 chapters a week of big groups, and only guarantee 2 chaps since the word count of this novel varies. Of course, I''ll do 3 if the chaps are short.] Chapter 38 Chapter 38 EP - 038 - Scam Sometimes, if people are too dumbfounded, their reaction wouldn''t be as expressive. Looking at Gideon''s unchanged poker face, it seems that it''s true. ¡°...¡± No, is this really dumbfounded? Say something, anything. ¡°...¡± But the silence continues. He just gazed at me with an emotionless expression. Then, he snapped his finger. In empty space. ¡°...?¡± What is he doing? I have no idea what he''s doing, so I just stayed still. ¡°Learn the sword from you?¡± Finally, after a long time, these words broke the silence. ¡°Master asked for it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Gideon fell silent again. As if trying to measure something, he continued to gaze at me with slightly narrowed eyes. ¡°...You don¡¯t seem capable of that.¡± Again, it''s only after a long silence, did words come out of his mouth. And well, his words is only natural and for him to think that- ¡°You, are already dead.¡± Having said that, Gideon flicked his fingers. And at the same time. -! The space right in front of me was ¡®cut¡¯. It''s as if someone put it in the void of nothingness in advance. ¡®...Intangible Sword?¡¯ A skill that allows for a fatal strike even without a sword. A state where killing an opponent is just a matter of snapping one''s fingers. Although it is not at the level of the First Archduke Tristan, who can slice through entire spaces, it is still a crazy skill that can penetrate through most armor when used with a sword. There are records of it even piercing through dragon scales. ¡®...Is he insane?¡¯ No, isn¡¯t this near the final tier of knight skills? This made me truly realize that the title of the Empire''s Strongest Knight couldn''t just be obtained by playing cards. Considering the unknown whereabouts of the current Sword Saint, there is practically no one else in the Empire who can use this skill, and reaching such a level of mastery. Meanwhile, here I am conning such an existence. ¡°You have to be better than me to teach me. But you couldn¡¯t even react.¡± Gideon continued, still expressionless. ¡°If you¡¯re going to make a ridiculous proposal, why don¡¯t you make it a little more believable?¡± ¡°I simply thought there was no need to react to something unfinished.¡± But. ¡®...Got you.¡¯ I inwardly smiled. If I did react even a little bit, it would simply expose my weaknesses. But because I didn''t show any reaction, I still have an opening I can exploit. ¡°What?¡± ¡°If it was a completed technique, the ''action'' itself would have been omitted. Don''t you think so?¡± ¡°...¡± for new novels Originally, this is information that no one should know It is only an imitation skill, and not a single soul should know the completed version. ¡®...Except me.¡¯ Uh. Really. Even though it was a movement used by a character in a game, I perfectly understand the direction, completion, and application of this skill. I have grounds to ¡®pretend to know¡¯ as much as I want. ¡°...¡± In fact, Gideon¡¯s eyes slightly widened when he heard my words. He should agree with me. He knows best that this is incomplete. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Silence follows. Gideon was glaring at me with a slight frown. ¡®...¡¯ However, it is different from before. Because I can clearly feel that I have the upper hand. I can just sit back and relax. Calculations are probably racing like mad in Gideon¡¯s mind right now. Like ''who is this guy?'' Or ''what''s his identity?'' Despite showing his strongest skill, this kid saw through it while sitting and doing nothing. ¡°...You¡¯re quite good with your tongue.¡± He''s backed off and will continue observing for now. Which is a relief for me. I''ve passed the most difficult obstacle. The worst case scenario was that he put a blade to my throat, believing that I was mocking him. Fortunately, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. Perhaps the points I scored during the previous sparring was playing a role here. Then, one more thing. ¡°Try to increase the rotation a bit more.¡± ¡°What?¡± But I never said a word about doing it for free. I want compensation. ¡ñ I looked down at the sheet of parchment in my hand with a grin. After I made this demand, Gideon was hesitant. But it was completely overturned with my remark, "So you don''t want to learn swordsmanship?" I can¡¯t help but laugh thinking about it. [ Exemption Writ ] [ Item: Special ] [ This document delegates the privilege of exemption granted to Archduke Tristan for one instance. ] Being granted the privilege of exemption means that, in short, regardless of the situation, one will never face the judgment of the law. Even for an Archduke like Gideon, possessing such an extraordinary legal authority is enough to cause a sensation. This aligns with the reason why he is assigned as a "villain." ¡®The Empire''s Executioner.¡¯ Hidden in the background, he takes on all sorts of dirty tasks from the imperial palace. However, although he seems to hold unparalleled power, in the end, he''s tied down in a leash by the imperial palace. ¡°...¡± I couldn''t help but sigh when I think of the garbage littering the imperial palace. It would be best if I don''t get involved with them. Anyway, obtaining this is a remarkable achievement, even if it''s only for ''one time.'' ¡®...Midterms are coming up soon, right?¡¯ Going through the timeline in my head, it¡¯s about time for the event to happen. An event that marks a pivotal moment and the official start of Chapter 2 in the scenario, involving Saintess Lucien and the Boy King. It is also the time when one of the villains who accounts for a large proportion of the scenario, the ¡®Pope¡¯, makes his entrance. And I''ll be there. Making sure that the Boy King and the Pope is screwed over. ¡°...¡± Um. Originally, doing so would be sprinting to your own death, but the mess will be taken care of by Archduke Tristan, who gave me this document. This is enough. ¡®Oh, one more thing.¡¯ Come to think of it, I obtained something else besides this. Gift #1- Fated Love [ Obtain rewards as you gain favorability of characters with an evil alignment. ] ¡õ First Enhancement [ The more evil characters acknowledge you, the more rewards you receive. ] ¨‹ Related Individuals Crescent Moon''s Hasmed Riverback Galdier Gideon Galestead La Tristan [ Rewards Available! ] ¡®Gain their acknowledgment?¡¯ The meaning is a bit vague, but I can grasp the general nuance. Perhaps the more they feel fear, admiration, or awe towards me, the more rewards I can obtain. So, what''s the reward? [ ¡®Skill: Guidance¡¯ has been obtained! ] < Skill Info > [ Skill: Guidance ] [ Grade: E ] [ If you improve the ability of an evil character, the same ability is added. The added ability can be used temporarily in the same manner. ] ¡°...¡± I halted as soon as I read the description. ¡®...Am I going crazy or what?¡¯ If I improve others'' abilities, I can acquire those same abilities? Although it comes with the limitation of being temporary, I literally have just established a teacher-student relationship with the Empire''s strongest knight. One can only see it as an incredibly opportune reward, the timing couldn''t be better. ¡°...¡± And, in addition. This skill will be giving me wings to what I am about to do. I stride towards the Student Council room. I am, of course, looking for Elnore. We need to do something together. ¡®The ability I need to grow...¡¯ After improving my swordsmanship, the next one to develop is my divinity. It won''t be long before I awaken the consciousness of the spirit embedded in the amulet, and divinity itself will play a significant role in the upcoming Midterm Exam event. And right now, I''m about to employ one of the easy methods to enhance it. ¡°I''m looking for Professor Griver Lanfeld. Is he currently in his office?¡± ¡°Ah, that bast... I mean, the Professor is on probation right now, so he¡¯s probably in the Theology School''s faculty building. You can try finding him there.¡± ¡°I see, thank you.¡± Hearing such a response from the faculty member on the way brought a smile to my face. Professor Griver Lanfeld is that guy. The priest affiliated with Marquis Riverback''s faction, who intentionally refused to unleash his blessing, when Elnore asked him to, during the commotion at the Freshman Welcome Party. I still remember how people were on the verge of death because of inaction due to his political interest. If I hadn''t intervened, Elijah and Elnore would have killed him on the spot. It¡¯s obvious why he¡¯s on probation. With the r evelation of Marquis Riverback''s association with devil worshippers, all related individuals are being punished. Naturally, he wouldn''t be safe either. His reputation within the academy is in the gutters. ¡°...¡± A chuckle slipped out of my mouth. In other words. No one would give much care even if something were to happen to him. ¡®It''s not like I spared him for no reason.¡¯ Now is the time to make full use of him. Albeit, I might be a little rough. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 EP - 039 - Spiritual Body ¡°...Therefore, divine power is an energy that fundamentally exists within the bodies of all human beings, the creations of God. It is unlike the magic power or dharma that the chosen are born with. However, that''s also why it''s difficult to train to be used in practice.¡± Professor Griver Lanfeld swallowed the anger boiling from within as he spoke. The atmosphere in the class was a mess, no matter how you look at it. In the first place, there''s already not that many people attending. And now, most of them aren''t even listening. Even those who had once made efforts to catch his eye and get a good evaluation are now ignoring him without a care. ¡®...If only that bastard wasn¡¯t a devil worshipper.¡¯ He gritted his teeth, thinking of Marquis Riverback. Since the Marquis was a young and prosperous businessman, Griver thought that he would be enjoying a sweet filling by using the Marquis. But, in the end, all he got was a damned gangjeong[1]. That''s right. An empty gangjeong. Griver didn''t care whether Marquis Riverback was a devil worshipper or not. The only thing that matters was whether he brings him benefits. In that sense. ¡°Um, I have a question.¡± Griver wasn''t having this person raising his hand. Dowd Campbell. This was the guy who took his emergency tool and erected the barrier during the monster incident. ¡°Then, what is the best way to quickly increase the total amount of divine power and proficiency in blessing?¡± ¡°...The best way to increase divine power and proficiency is by actually using it.¡± He replied in a stern voice. ¡°Don¡¯t ask for the obvious. That¡¯s a very low-level question for an Elfante student.¡± ¡°Yes, my bad.¡± ¡°Devote yourself to training. I''m ashamed to even listen to that.¡± Although Griver intentionally used such an aggressive language to belittle the other person, the guy was simply smiling without any sign of anger. However. Those eyes weren¡¯t smiling at all. ¡°...¡± Griver felt a chill run down his spine and averted his gaze. He could clearly feel something weird coming from that side. ¡°...That''s it for today''s class.¡± He didn''t really want to spend any more time facing that guy. In that context, he ended the class a bit earlier than usual. Walking along the corridor, Griver thought about the student named Dowd. ¡®...He looks like that person.¡¯ A person who has spoken once through Marquis Riverback. A strange person who calls themselves the Prophet. He''s never seen their face or anything, but he vividly remembers the chilling impression he felt from them. The eerie sensation he felt from that guy just now is very similar to that. Hell, they might even be the same person. ¡®Well, either way, won''t cross paths in the future.¡¯ Now in his office, he thought with a smile. Then he took out a letter from the compartment under his desk, which was filled with information he would ¡®sell¡¯. They were all advanced information and secrets he obtained while teaching as a professor at the Academy. ¡®The Empire has always had many enemies.¡¯ He would sell this off and then disappear. This could potentially kill people or cause a lot of damage. But it was none of his business. However. ¡°Yeah, well. I apologize for interrupting your happy future daydream.¡± He suddenly heard a voice close by. At the same time, he felt a strong impact at back of his head. ¡°Aren''t you being too heartless to choose harm but wishing for yourself to be safe?¡± It was a familiar voice. Because it was the same person who he had just seen in class. Dowd Campbell. And the one trampling over his fallen body was Princess Tristan. ¡°...You, what do you think you''re doing!? How dare a small dog baron lieeeekk-!¡± His words were cut off in a grotesque manner. Elnore¡¯s kick immediately dislocated his arm.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°...Hey, Elnore. You''re being too aggressive right from the start.¡± Dowd complained, but Elnore only shrugged it off. ¡°It was just caressing him.¡± ¡°...¡± Caress? This? Elnore felt the gaze directed at her, but she calmly responded without batting an eye. ¡°I didn''t insult him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I''m being very patient.¡± ¡°...Well, anyway.¡± After a few fake coughs, Dowd pulled out a book from his pocket. It was a textbook that contained basic prayers commonly given to new Theology students. ¡°...Wait a minute, so...¡± After reading it for a while with a frown, Dowd finally stammered something out. It was an awkward prayer. ¡°-so warmth may dwell in you. Heal.¡± Then, a faint white divine power snaked around his arm. ¡°...Hmm, so this is it. I''m getting the hang of it.¡± ¡°...¡± Griver looked at Dowd, who was proudly speaking, with an incredulous expression. This was a very poor execution of blessing even for a freshman, so what on earth is he so proud of? Alas, as soon as he showed that expression surfaced on his face, Elnore kicked his other arm. ¡°Euuuuukk-!¡± ¡°...Hey, Elnore. I told you to go slow.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this slow enough?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hmm, that''s strange. The family interrogation training always started by stripping the skin off-¡± ¡°You! What do you want, whaaaaargh!¡± As Griver said that through tears, Dowd replied with a cough. ¡°Well, since we both know, let''s make it quick and easy. Who in the academy were you trying to sell this information?¡± ¡°...¡± Griver suddenly stopped his struggles despite the intense pain. This was something he couldn¡¯t give up. The existence of the seed planted by the Prophet hiding inside the academy. Because he knows that if he reveals this, he would never be safe. ¡°...I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking aboaaaaakk-!¡± With a bitter smile inside, Elnore continued with difficulty. ¡°He must have done something terrible to you.¡± ¡°Something terrible?¡± ¡°If it''s that person, he would definitely think it''s a waste of time for me to interact with anyone.¡± Ah, that''s true. Even in terms of the setting itself, Gideon have always despised such interactions. Because of this, Elnore¡¯s relationship pool is extremely narrow. Unless it¡¯s someone like Beatrix, who''s her friend for 10 years. ¡®...It''s all because of a reason.¡¯ I can''t explain it here. It''s a story that will be revealed later in conjunction with the main scenario. ¡°He didn¡¯t really do anything like that. But it was a little scary.¡± Well, if I had failed with my lies, I could have died right there on the spot. I would be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t scared. ¡°But well, I somehow managed to resolve it. I think I''ll continue to see him in the future.¡± ¡°...What, you''ll continue seeing each other?¡± Hearing Elnore ask such a question, I simply answered with a shrug. ¡°Yes, well. He is an important person to me.¡± ¡°...Important? To you? That person? Why?¡± Elnore said in an incredulous voice. Uh. Isn¡¯t that obvious? There are plenty of things I can absorb from that person with "Guidance," and he plays a significant role in the main scenario. And, above all. ¡°Because he''s related to you. He''s your family.¡± In the end, this person is the most important. In order to reach the ending, isn¡¯t it the most important thing to control the final boss? And Elnore, hearing my words... Her face turned red? ¡°...¡± I blinked a couple of times. ¡®...Did she just blush?¡¯ Her? The person who seems like they could win against a stone in being stone-faced? ¡°You, that means, so...¡± Elnore struggled. ¡°You consider him important because he''s my family, and will continue to see each other... that...¡± Then, she kept her mouth shut. It seemed like she couldn''t bring herself to say the rest. ¡°...Couldn¡¯t have you set the mood first or tell me beforehand? It¡¯s a little hard to react when you say it like that out of the blue.¡± ¡°...¡± I''m not sure what''s going on. [ Favorability level of the target ¡®Elnore Elinalise La Tristan¡¯ increased! ] [ The favorability level has been upgraded to ¡®Love Level 2¡¯! ] [ Rewards Available! ] I realize I said something wrong. Uh. ¡ñ ¡°Young Master, have you caused another accident?¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± As I returned to my quarters, Herman looked at me with a worried expression. Why is he like this? ¡°As someone who has served the Young Master for a long time, I feel like you have once again ignited someone''s heart without any awareness.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It has always been like this. Even now, in Baron Campbell¡¯s territory, there are countless women shedding tears for you, Young Master...¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± He''s talking as if I''m some kind of natural playboy. Unjustly accusing me. ¡°...This old man really can''t tell if the Young Master really doesn¡¯t know or ju...¡± I heard Herman muttering something from behind, but I ignored it and quickly entered my room. There''s something I need to check. [ Soul Linker ] [ Exclusive Equipment ] [ Enchantment: Epic ] [ ¡®Hero Fragment¡¯ Fusion ] [ An item imbued with a great spirit that can awaken by increasing synchronization rate. ] [ Always retain magic power due to the influence of the great spirit. ] [ Current Synchronization Rate: 10% ] [ The First Stage Spirit Awakening can now be unlocked! ] [ Would you like to proceed? ] [Y/N] ¡°...Hu.¡± The reason why the Gregory Hall¡¯s Spirit is recognized by players as an item that needs to be used especially quickly, is because most of the Spirits that come out when it is enchanted with other items are ¡®Great Figures¡¯ that can bring the player a tremendous amount of growth. It''s not an Epic Grade for nothing. The problem is. ¡®...It''s randomized.¡¯ While there''s no doubt that there are great spirits, the specific individual assigned changes randomly each time. So, I hope that I get the optimal figure for me. There are plenty of crazy folks like "The Killer Ghost of the Misty Forest" or "The Giant Eater." ¡®...They''re definitely not ordinary even among the great figures.¡¯ As soon as they started to awaken, a series of events related to Elijah and the Heretic Inquisition took place. They will undoubtedly be an exceptional case. ¡®Please be someone good, please be someone good...!¡¯ With that in mind, I pressed the Y button on the status screen. Subsequently, a tremendous energy surged into the amulet. Amidst the swirling ethereal energy, an ''image'' emerges. At the dawn of a battlefield, a lone knight was carrying a tattered flag. Armor shattered, body battered and wounded, yet pushing forward with unwavering determination. Indomitable. Was the first word that came to mind. ¡°...!¡± I recognize that figure. ¡®...This.¡¯ Perhaps. This might be even more incredible than I thought. With that in mind, a spectral figure suddenly emerged before me. ¡ñ TL Notes: [1] Gangjeong (??????) is a Korean snack that is hollow on the inside. So Griver is saying that Marquis Riverback was an empty shell. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 EP - 040 - Spiritual Body (2) [ Upon the awakening of the spiritual body in ¡®Soul Linker, ? functions are unlocked. ] [ Confirming fusion of the ''Hero Fragment''. ] [ The level of the unlocked skill is enhanced. ] [ ¡®Skill: Image World¡¯ has been unlocked. ] As the spirit revealed its form, a white veil unfolded around me. It¡¯s as if the entire background was being swept away with pure white. It was similar to the ¡®erosion¡¯ phenomenon that occurred when I summoned the Gray Devil, exerting its influence in the surrounding area. While it''s not as powerful as erosion, which literally stops time itself, this is by no means weak. [ Soul Linker ] [ Exclusive Equipment ] [ Enchantment: Epic ] [ ¡®Hero Fragment¡¯ Fusion ] ¡ò Built-in Skills ¡ò ¡ö [ Image World ] [ Skill Grade: A ] [ Summon a spiritual body to create a unique domain in the surrounding area. Within the domain, certain abilities possessed by the spiritual body can be used. As the spirit level increases, the wider the range of the domain and the more abilities to use. ] Current Available Ability [ Attribute: Solidarity ] [ To a knight, comrades are family. You can partially share the buffs you have to nearby allies. ] ¡°...¡± Sharing buffs... is possible? Does that even make sense? Of course, there''s a caveat especially with the term ''partially,'' implying that the full extent of the buffs may not be transferred. However, there are no restrictions on the number of individuals or the grade of the buff that can be shared. And it is limited within the range of the domain. ¡®About a few meters.¡¯ At the very least, it''s at a range where it can be effectively utilized in close combat. Though, the fact that the recipient of this skill is a trash with an All-F stat, and heavily relies on ridiculous buff skills to resolve situations, couldn''t be more perfect. ¡®...It was a good decision to get it quickly.¡¯ Yes, really. It¡¯s not an epic item for nothing. To think that I got such a crazy skill this early. As I was thinking so, the spiritual body fully materialized in front of me. A visor covering the face and a full-body plate armor. But what stood out the most was the lion''s head emblem engraved on the breastplate. It''s the standard equipment of the Imperial Guards. They are considered the strongest unified force in the continent. The difference between an ordinary person and a regular knight is often compared to that between a newborn baby and an adult. And the difference between a regular knight and an Imperial Guard is depicted in a similar significant gap. And among the Imperial Guards, there are those who wear the ''Lion Breastplate.'' They are behemoths who stand at the pinnacle even among such monsters. ¡®Guardians.¡¯ A group comprised of only the strongest knights of the era. They were a group that was a close match to Gideon, who is currently hailed as the strongest in the Empire. Hence why, they''re treated in such a high regard. They were the ones who got deployed during the ''Crimson Night,'' the incident that swept away Elijah''s family, and ultimately decapitated the main instigator. ¡°...¡± It''s such an unbelievable achievement, that it''s surreal. As seen in the boss battle against the Purifier, devil energy itself summons creatures from the Pandemonium to the material realm. Especially if several fragments were gathered at the same time. And yet, against someone who could summon thousands of demons with a single gesture, a few dozen people, who were urgently deployed, successfully dealt with the situation. So, any one of them deserves to be called a hero. However. I think I know who this is. ¡°...Nice to meet you, Guardian.¡± Upon hearing my words, the knight''s gaze slowly turned towards me. [Who are you? Where is this?] The spiritual body''s voice echoed inside the Image World. As expected, it was the voice of a young man. It has the same feel from someone I know. For a human to become a spirit, they cannot simply be great. There has to be a "lingering attachment." It''s like having an unfulfilled goal that they couldn''t achieve before death, preventing them from closing their eyes even in death. Something along those lines. And among the deceased Guardians, there is only one person who would carry such sentiments. ¡°I have heard many things about you.¡± [...What?] It''s true. Not just in game knowledge, but also from someone else. ¡°Nice to meet you, Caliban.¡± The spiritual body''s movement came to an abrupt halt. Caliban Krisanax. Granted with the title the ''Knight of Dawn.'' The strongest and last Guardian. Even on a low estimate, he possesses combat power on par with a top expert like Gideon. A key figure in Chapter 4. And. ¡°Not long ago, your sister said that we look alike.¡± He is the older brother of the hero candidate, Elijah. ¡ñ [ Checking the current condition of target ''Elijah''. ] [ Current favorability level below ''Trust''. Confirmation of contact with target ''Caliban''. ] [ When favorability reaches ''Trust'', an Exclusive Quest will be unlocked. ] [ ¡®Heretic Inquisition ¡¯ is starting to take an interest in you! ] I read through all the messages that popped up. ¡°Good for you, Elijah!¡± ¡°I knew it would turn out like this! You always talk about it!¡± ¡°Ah yes! Take her with you! Please, feel free!¡± Luca, Grid, and Falco all said so excitedly, as they patted Elijah¡¯s back. It felt like they were genuinely celebrating a good news that happened to their friend. ¡°...¡± What''s up with this atmosphere? ¡°...Um, is this something worth celebrating?¡± When I cautiously asked that, Mage Falco swept his nose and replied. ¡°No, Elijah has been singing songs about wanting to take the midterm exam with you. She probably felt threatened seeing you constantly around the Student Council President. This time she said she wanted to do something toge-¡± But he was cut off by a fist being lodged in his face. Seeing him collapse like a puppet with no strings, he probably fainted in one hit. ¡°Ah, um, the teacher recommended it, so it''s a big deal! Yes!¡± ¡°...¡± With a still-clenched fist, Elijah said so in a slightly brash tone. Her face was a bit flushed, and her breathing was rapid. ¡°...Are you okay?¡± Isn''t she overdoing it a bit? She doesn''t seem to be in a normal state. With that doubt in mind, I asked Elijah. She rolled her eyes while scratching the back of her head. ¡°Yes, I''m okay! Of course! Ha, haha!¡± ¡°...No, seriously, she received an invitation from the guy she cares a lot of, she couldn''t be more-¡° As Sniper Grid was saying this, he too received Elijah''s fist. Watching from the side, Warrior Luca admired the clean execution of the move. It seems like he also fainted instantly, falling straight to the ground. ¡°Really, I¡¯m fine! I''m okay!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Okay, let''s get out of here for now! Before we hear any more nonsense!¡± Good, she seems okay. Leaving this place is a good suggestion as well. [...What is your relationship with my sister?] Caliban''s bewildered voice sounded from the amulet, I ignored it and instead turned to Elijah. ¡°Un, that''s good. But we have one more stop.¡± ¡°Yes? Where to?¡± ¡°We''re forming a team. We need one more person.¡± To be precise, we needed someone related to Saintess Lucien. ¡°...¡± Honestly, having them involved in this event is the worst case. But there''s no choice. ¡°Elijah.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Have you heard of the equipment room?¡± That is why. It''s time for the monumental debut of the one and only Swordmaster-nim. ¡ñ ¡°...So, this regular delegation consists of Saintess Lucien Greyhounder and her escort knight. Thank you for graciously permitting this, President.¡± ¡°You''re too kind, Your Holiness.¡± At first glance, this was just a friendly conversation. In fact, Atallante had a polite expression on her face as she faced the man behind the long-distance communication magic orb. However, inside, she was fervently grinding the other person to the ground. Thoughts that between educated intellectuals, could get one kicked out. ¡®As if you didn''t just threaten to stab Elfante if I didn¡¯t give permission.¡¯ What a disgusting human. Atallante¡¯s evaluation of the Pope could be summed up in one sentence. Saint Credo Paul II. The current Pope. A sly individual who would casually stab people in the back with a smile on his face. He''s a repulsive snake that treat people lesser than worms under the guise of being the leader of the greatest and largest religious group on the continent. Furthermore, his divine power surpassed the current era''s strongest, reaching a level that contends with the mightiest in history. ¡®What is he thinking sending the Saintess here?¡¯ Most of the talents gathering in Elfante were individuals with his influence, especially those suspected of being devil¡¯s vessel candidates. Saintess Lucien was one of them, but even Atallante couldn''t fathom the true intention behind this move. The Saintess. A religious symbol of the Empire and Holy Land. Handing over such an individual to the Empire without any hesitation was a striking, and strange decision. He was demanding to make it happen ¡®as soon as possible¡¯ and even threatened just to ensure the Saintess gets into the academy. He definitely has something planned behind his back. ¡°Showing gratitude with empty hands is meaningless. So I wish to offer a small favor to the President.¡± His next words naturally followed that context. ¡°Elfante is currently in the middle of its midterms, isn''t it?¡± Atallante¡¯s expression twisted slightly. ¡®...The midterms?¡¯ What reason could a figure as significant as the Pope have to concern himself with the students'' affairs? Especially with something as insignificant as midterm exams. The difference in scale is too vast that it''s impossible to guess what his intentions are. ¡°...That¡¯s right. However, it is entirely an internal event within the academy, Your Holiness. You don''t need to concern yourself with such insignificant matters-¡° ¡°No.¡± The Pope cut her off in a clear voice. ¡°Give Lucien a task, President.¡± But unlike his voice... ¡°She will undoubtedly be of help.¡± His gaze was venomous. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 EP - 043 - Midterm Exam (2) ¡°How...¡± A Knights School student said with a trembling voice, as he witnessed the giant kite shield shattering completely. It was a family heirloom, a symbol of the household that had proven its performance on the battlefield throughout the years. Although his father exaggeratedly claimed that it could even block falling meteorites, it was undoubtedly a reliable piece of equipment. And yet. ¡°Hey.¡± The human who just turned the shield into scrap metal with their ¡®bare fist¡¯ scratched their head and said. Irritatedly, even. ¡°That''s it? Really?¡± This was coming from someone who defeated dozens of students without any weapons, just their bare hands. Most of the students at Elfante are confident in their abilities. And among them, even if it''s just a select few, some could be considered as skilled as the professors. However, it''s highly likely that even they couldn''t guarantee a victory in this situation. They probably wouldn''t even last that long. Not to mention. Even from the perspective of a Knights School Student that specializes in the physique, it was evident that the opponent didn''t utilize even a fraction of their true power. This just means that there is that big of a difference between their ¡®trained¡¯ body alone. Considering that abilities that strengthen the body typically involve multiplying basic physical capabilities, this person''s ''true strength,'' is truly... ¡°What kind of monster are you...!¡± ... Frightening. ¡°Bullsht.¡± However, the other person simply sneered at such words. ¡°The problem is that you guys are weak.¡± Riru Garda snorted and kicked the student in the head. With a grunt, the student''s body rolled backward. This kind of violence was undoubtedly excessive for a midterm exam, which would end by simply taking their necklace. Riru also couldn''t feel any enthusiasm for such violence. Isn¡¯t it natural for the weak to be beaten by the strong? But before any unnecessary guilt could even set in, she was consumed by endless frustration. ¡®Why can''t I find anyone decent?¡¯ Ever since her exile after the Tribal Union''s ¡®Civil War¡¯, the time she spent in the Empire was nothing short of a prison sentence. Having obtained a student status that she never experienced, she was poking here and there for places to fight. Battlefield. Combat. Life and death. For someone whose entire life could be summed up with these three words, the academy was too peaceful. ¡®At this age, killing at least one person is already to be expected.¡¯ Because of the barren environment surrounding the Tribal Union, unless one grew up as an exceptional warrior, survival is impossible. By comparison, the people in the Empire were weak and indecisive. It''s only natural for frustration to arise. She didn''t even use her powers. ¡°...¡± Except for one guy. There was one individual who could keep up with her speed. His name was... ¡®Do... do... What was it?¡¯ Unfortunately, Riru¡¯s memory wasn¡¯t very good. Anyway, that guy. The one who saw through her using Law Power. ¡°...Ha.¡± Law Power is a special power granted only to a tiny number of individuals in the Tribal Union. Not to mention the Empire, but even within the Tribal Union, there are only a handful of people who have witnessed its use firsthand. So seeing through it just like that means one of two things. Either he knows how to use it himself. Or he has met someone who does. And if at least one of the two is satisfied. Then he perfectly fits Riru''s conditions for ¡®someone she needs to fight against¡¯. Especially considering why she and her clan were ''exiled'' from the Tribal Union. ¡°Ah, where can I find him? I want to hit him at least once.¡± ¡°If you do something like that for no reason, Riru Garda, you''ll be expelled from the academy. Since you''re in exile, it might be better to keep a lower profile, don''t you think?¡± Hearing her name casually called, Riru flinched and she immediately turned around. It was an unfamiliar individual. Dressed immaculately in uniform, a black longsword, silver hair and red eyes, and a name tag that reads ¡®Elnore¡¯ on her chest. The Student Council President. Riru had heard that the Student Council President was one of the people who knew her identity. And, above all. ¡®...There''s capable people after all.¡¯ Riru, who had roughly gauged the other person¡¯s skills level, smiled with satisfaction. She''s not sitting as the students'' representative for nothing. She''s a worthy opponent that Riru is willing to risk her life to fight against. She looks weaker than her, but still at a level that could give her a run for her money. ¡°The violence you are committing has already gone too far. As an overseer of this exam, I can''t just let it go. I''m quite busy, but I got summoned because of you.¡± ¡°So what are you gonna do about it?¡± Riru smirked and raised her fist. ¡°Are you going to kick me out?¡± She had a feeling it''d turn out like this. Oh how she wished that Elnore would draw her sword, and charge at her with genuine intent to kill. That''s what she had been thinking. ¡°I will make you leave. Though, not by my own hands.¡± Having said that, Elnore pressed a switch she took out from her pocket. At the same time, white light emanated from the necklace Riru was wearing. Before she could react, an aura had already enveloped her entire body. Riru frowned. ¡®Divine Power?¡¯ It didn''t feel like it''s going to harm her. More like there''s a strong intention to "remove" her from the Grand Plain. There''s such a blessing on all of the students¡¯ necklaces? ¡®...Has the Empire ever had someone with such powerful divine abilities?¡¯ A blessing that teleports the target to another location, it''s quite an advanced technique. Not to mention distributing it to all the students currently in the Grand Plain She even thought of the ridiculous idea that the Holy Land''s Saintess was here. Of course, even the Saintess wouldn''t be able to support all this. This is a magnitude that needs at least 10 Archbishop level personnel to stably operate it. If it''s less than that, well. It would only serve the purpose of inflicting torture on the user. This is especially true when ¡®Divine Power Depletion¡¯ is considered. Lost in these thoughts, she soon received a response from the other person. ¡°Anyway, go and cool your head. This may be a competition, but fighting for barbaric reasons like you are is prohibited in Elfante.¡± ¡°...Are all the Empire''s people just cowards? It seems like your father taught you so.¡± So they''re all in on this...? ¡°Anyone who raise their sword at a trash is a comrade!¡± ¡°Look at how you fought first then tell me, you scumbag!¡± ¡°...¡± Hmm. I don¡¯t have anything to refute. They were easily repelled by Elijah and Yuria. In the first place, what could freshmen really do against the Hero Candidate and a devil vessel? Rather than blocking the blocks, it was more difficult to control Yuria''s distance and not have her within three steps of anyone. But this is exactly the problem. From an outsider''s perspective, me suddenly pulling the leash look like I was forcefully dragging Yuria around like a slave. ¡®...I saved you guys.¡¯ I never meant for it to be weird. Never...! [Why are they so angry? I¡¯m fine.] No. Even if the person involved says such things, it doesn''t explain the situation at all. It wasn''t a good look. Elijah smiled bitterly at the sight of Yuria tilting her head as she wrote out. ¡°Still, this time won''t be easy.¡± Elijah eyes narrowed as she looked at the people in front. The previous raids were relatively small-scale, but the group in front of us right now consists of almost a hundred people. Seeing all these people gathering here with the intention of taking me down feels strange. ¡®...Are they all Elijah''s fans?¡¯ Superfans can be so scary. I knew this would happen when I teamed up with her. ¡°This would need more than just fighting to get through all of this. If only we could bypass this, it would lead us straight to the sanctuary. Why does it have to be like this...¡± Even for Elijah, who had effortlessly dealt with the previous attacks, this number of opponents is overwhelming. It''s not just a large number; it''s a perfectly balanced combination of the Knights School, Magic School, and Theology School. To simply break through this combination with just three people would be an absurd idea. ¡°No. This is fine.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± Uh. Rather, I was waiting for something like this. Mainly in terms of honing my abilities. Improving skills through actual combat is one way, but there is a skill that can only be utilized when you have ''comrades'' and ''large-scale enemies.'' ¡°...¡± Obviously, that''s only possible when combat is possible. But the current gap between us and them is like the difference between the Heavens and Earth. But I have a ''way'' to narrow that gap. If the opponents are balanced, there is only one way to break through. Overwhelming power. ¡°...¡± With a smirk, I tap the amulet lightly. Ajusshi. Wake up. [...Uh? Huh? What?] Caliban drowsily muttered inside the amulet. Thanks to my insufficient Divine Power, this person spends most of his time sleeping. Unless I specifically wake him up, he stays in a kind of hibernation state. I whisper quietly to the amulet. ¡°Could you please do me a favor and come out.¡± [...I don''t know what''s going on, but it seems dangerous.] At the same time Caliban muttered that, a white curtain unfolded around us. [ Spiritual Body has been summoned! ] [ Skill: Image World has been activated! ] [ Buffs are shared with nearby ¡®party members¡¯! ] And here. ¡°Oi.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± I looked at the wide-eyed Elijah and whispered. ¡°I apologize in advance. You can hit me as much as you want later. I''ll take it all.¡± Even I think that this is a bit... overkill. But this is necessary. Anyhow. Before she can respond, I pulled her tightly with one arm, drawing her closer to my body. [...Look at this guy. Did you wake me up just to show me this?] As soon as Caliban said with a chuckle. ¡°...!¡± While Elijah''s body stiffened, and Yuria''s eyes widened from the side. I smiled at the crowd in front, which suddenly fell silent. ¡°But you see, you guys.¡± Calm and collected, I spoke nothing but the facts. ¡°What gives you the right to take this guy?¡± Smiling slyly at the astonished crowd, I said. ¡°I never said I would give her to you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Does the ¡®owner¡¯ need a stranger''s permission?¡± Silence spread all around. It went on for a long while. As Elijah¡¯s face turned flush, piercing screams echoed in the surroundings ¡°Kill that bastard-!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tear you up, you some of a bit-!¡± The various curses and shouts were soon drowned out by even louder roars as students, equipped with their weapons, rushed towards us. Oh wow, that''s scary. But the scarier they charge at me, the better. [ A moment of danger has been detected. ] [ Determined the situation could result in serious injury. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to A Grade. ] Now then. The term ''buff'' generally refers to a skill that enhances the target''s abilities. In other words... [ Confirming activation of ''Skill: Image World''. ] [ Sharing ¡®Skill: Desperation (A Grade)'' with target ''Elijah'' and target ''Yuria''. ] That''s right.. ¡ñ Notes: [1] Tribal Union power from ''magic'' to ''Law Power'' for differentiation Chapter 44 Chapter 44 EP - 044 - Midterm Exam (3) ¡°With this... it''s done!¡± As Falco shouted, a group of students was swept away by his wind magic. Simultaneously, Luca, who had swiftly approached the area in a lightning-like motion, retrieved all their necklaces. It all happened in such a short period that they didn''t even have a chance to react. ¡°Nice, let''s bounce!¡± Continuing with a roar, Grid held back the pursuing group of students, while Trisha deployed a protective barrier. Luca also picked up the slow-footed Falco and retreated together. It was a flawless execution. ¡°Great job, guys!¡± As they withdrew to a safe spot, Trisha hopped and applauded energetically. Indeed, what they just did was commendable. So much so that even the praise felt inadequate. ¡°With more than 9 necklaces, this should give us a perfect score!¡± Most of the groups consisted of around three to four students, each battle was a challenge. After all, they are students of the Elfante Imperial Academy. They wouldn''t just donate their necklaces. ¡°It should.¡± Falco grinned as he checked the map. It was a map of the Great Plains distributed to all the students. In addition to displaying the terrain and landmarks, it also shows the current ranking of the ''top group'' who had collected the most necklaces. ¡®We are...¡¯ All four of them had easily secured a place in the top-scoring section among the hundreds of freshmen. Rather, it''s more surprising that they didn''t lead as number one. 3rd place. This was where they got placed even with their score. ¡°...¡± The rumours when he enrolled in the academy were nowhere near lies. Falco smiled and scanned the names of the people that ranked above them. Second place is... ¡®Feinol Raifec? Was there such a person...?¡¯ Falco was familiar with the exceptional freshmen. However, this was a completely new name for him. Then. ¡°...Wait a second. Is this person alone?¡± ¡°What?¡± The others huddled around, hearing such a revelation from Falco. ¡°They alone collected 15 necklaces without forming a group? How?¡± ¡°Why are these monsters in our class...¡± Trisha let out a sigh of exasperation, but Falco just smiled and brushed it off. Well, getting third place was already confirmation of a perfect score. There''s no need to be gloomy about it. More importantly, who was first, that it made someone with 15 necklaces only number two? ¡®Ah, it¡¯s Elijah''s group.¡¯ A wry smile formed on Falco''s face as he confirmed their identities. Dowd Campbell, Elijah Krisanax, and Yuria Greyhounder. It was the group of the next hero candidate. A group of standouts among the freshmen. As for the number of necklaces... ¡°...¡± Falco blinked for a moment. ¡°Wait, is this broken?¡± ¡°Why?¡± The others gathered around again to check the numbers. And soon, they immediately understood Falco''s bafflement. Because. ¡°...It''s over 100?¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone was at a loss for words. ¡ñ When they first got together, there was a voice among the students asking if this was too excessive. After all, no matter how bad the other party was made to be, gathering more than 100 people against three was overkill. Everyone probably shared similar thoughts. Ah, they were so arrogant. They thought that having ''just'' a hundred people was something. ¡°...!¡± Elijah and Yuria pulled out their swords and swung at them, but they did not have any special intent. They probably only wanted to counterattack since opponents were coming after them. However, the result was... In the first second. The moment their swords were drawn, reactions were already coming from all around. Air pressure surged and the surrounding objects were swept away, as if a typhoon was sweeping through. Then two seconds. Anything in the path of the swords was successively swept away by the tremendous torrent. The faces of students who intuitively realized how much power this has turned pale. Three seconds. The two swords collided with the approaching students nearby. At the same time... The whole landscape was ¡®torn apart¡¯. -! -!! -!!!!! The ground was upheaved. Rocks in the path of the sword strikes were pulverized, trees were uprooted and sent flying into the sky, and the group of students rushing in was all sent bouncing away. But it didn¡¯t stop there. The extended burst of force swept through the back, sending the students who were preparing spells or blessings tumbling. It wasn''t quite as dramatic as launching them all into the sky, but they fell like autumn leaves in a gust. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Silence hung heavily in the atmosphere. What the hell was this? Even some knights who have honed their body-enhancing techniques to the extreme wouldn''t be able to produce such a spectacle. To create a typhoon by swinging a sword, that kind of thing can only be found in fairy tales or myths! ¡°...¡± It did seem like that happened. When they went into the Netherworld farming ectoplasm, Elijah got really mad and I made that promise to her. But why is she suddenly bringing this up now? I felt uneasy. ¡°Then I have two wish coupons now, right?¡± Seeing my expression, Elijah smiled mischievously. Her look just doubled my anxiety. ¡°...What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Se¡ªcret. I won''t ask twice, I''ll do a one for two, alright?¡± Elijah giggled as she stuck her tongue out. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you after the midterm exam, so please take good care of me then.¡± ¡°...After?¡± As I was wondering why specifically that time, suddenly, an earlier comment made by our family butler popped into my mind. -Isn''t there an event happening soon? It''ll be easier to find a partner. I heard that the House Lord met the Lady there... ...No. Surely she''s not talking about that, right? If she really is, I''ll have to take her with me to our territory. As I was silently breaking out in cold sweat, Yuria raised her hand. [I...] ¡°Hm? What is it?¡± [...I don¡¯t think it''s strange that you declared yourself the owner.] ¡°...¡± [Actually, it might even be better...?] Elijah and I locked eyes. We seemed to have a tacit agreement not to pay attention to the floating characters on the side. Elijah cleared her throat and asked. ¡°By the way, Mister. Are you familiar with Margrave Kendride?¡± ¡°...? No?¡± Margrave Kendride acts something like a foster father to Elijah. One of the most prominent Holy Knight on the continent. In the game, you have a chance to get him as a companion character in the later stages of the game. I remember him as a sustain character, with a combination of rigorous combat skills and high-level divine abilities. ¡°Your fighting styles are very similar.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. You''re good at close combat, you handle blessings well, and you know exactly when and where to strike. If the Marquis himself sees it, he''d probably take quite an interest.¡± ¡°...Tell him it''s unnecessary.¡± Gideon and Margrave Kendride''s oil and water relationship is infamous among the great nobility. If it weren''t for the Imperial Family''s intervention, they would have already had several wars long ago. And, though it''s not official, I have a sort of informal ''teacher-student'' relationship with Gideon. I see him on a regular basis. The moment I get involved with Margrave Kendride, chaos is guaranteed. ¡®I wonder how Gideon is doing.¡¯ Right now, he''s probably deep into training somewhere under my direction. But once he comes out... his growth will be impressive. Truly. ¡°...Honestly, it''s already noticeable. It''s just a matter of time.¡± Ignoring the mumbling Elijah, I gaze ahead. ¡°Oh, we have arrived.¡± A small stone building surrounded by a blue hemisphere. It is the sanctuary that marks the end of the midterm exam. Once you enter and submit the necklaces, the event ends. ¡®...It''s unlikely that it''ll end this smoothly.¡¯ A wore a wry smile as I looked ahead. Considering the experience I¡¯ve had so far, there¡¯s no way it will end peacefully inside. The midterm exam has always been the beginning of a big event in Sera. No exceptions. ¡°Why are you standing still, should we not go in?¡± ¡°...No, let¡¯s go.¡± Of course, I still have to go. With that thought, I approached the sanctuary. I pushed the heavy stone door and step inside, where... ¡°...Wait.¡± Elijah exclaimed in a panic. ¡°What, what is this? Is this also part of the test? No, still, this doesn''t make any sense...!¡± Because inside, there was a person sprawled on the ground, covered in blood. It''s a horrific sight. It¡¯s almost as if someone intentionally tortured them. ¡°...¡± And. ¡°...!¡± The moment I recognized ''who'' it was, a chilling sensation gripped my heart. This is someone I know. Unfortunately. Why unfortunate? Because there was a person near me right now who should never have seen this person like this. Turning to the side, I see Yuria staring blankly in that direction. Vacant. Perpetually. Her eyes was devoid of light. As if her mind just collapsed. ¡°...Unnie?¡± Then, an empty ''voice'' came out of Yuria instead of ¡®letters¡¯. A window popped up in front of me. [ Main Quest ] ¡¼ Chapter 2 ¨C Boy King ¡½ [ Stop the rampage of the Apotropaic magic possessing the ''Curse of Severance''! ] [ If ¡®Lucien Greyhounder¡¯ or ¡®Yuria Greyhounder¡¯ dies, it will be deemed as failure! ] [ Reward: 1x Sanctification''s Echo ] [ Reward: 1x Evil Seed ] Yup. What did I just say? Fck. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 EP - 045 - Duel Divine Power, unlike other abilities, is an ability that every individual possesses. In other words, you could say it''s one of the "components" of the body. That also means, unlike other abilities that become unusable for a while once depleted, when all of the Divine Power is drawn out, the rebound was quite severe. Whatever happens, well. The Saintess in front will be showing everything from one through ten. ¡°Uu... uk...¡± Organ damage, muscle ruptures, cells within the body necrotizing and rapidly regenerating, it''s a repetitive vicious cycle. For an ordinary person, this level of rapid consumption of Divine Power would be fatal. She''s enduring it because she''s the Saintess of the Holy Land. Lucien coughed a mouthful of blood, as it dripped into the divine barrier drawn on the floor. ¡°...¡± The moment I realized the ¡®meaning¡¯ of the barrier, a hollow laughter escaped my lips. ¡®...Is she supplying Divine Power to the entire Great Plains by herself?¡¯ She, alone, was providing the Divine Power needed for the barrier surrounding this vast area and the blessings on the necklaces given to all the students. An ordinary priest might not even be able to handle a few dozen people, let alone the insane burden required for an entire expanse. ¡°...Please hold on, I¡¯ll save you!¡± Any sensible human being can tell that something is very wrong. If it were someone who considered rescuing people to be their responsibility, it would be strange for them not to step forward. Elijah drew her sword and focused her breath. Breaking the entire floor would likely destroy the barrier. That''s probably what she''s aiming for. ¡°Oh no, this won''t do, student.¡± A voice suddenly sounded, while a heavy blow landed on Elijah¡¯s sword. With a ''ting'' sound, the sword flew and got embedded in the ceiling. ¡°...!¡± Elijah''s eyes widenedin surprise as she saw her sword get sent flying, which even tore through her palm. To orchestrate such a scene, there must be a significant ''gap in skill'' between the two parties. Even though she couldn''t have anticipated the existence of an opponent, she''s the hero candidate and is on par with a regular knight. In other words. The person wearing the equipment of a ''Battle Priest'' of the Holy Land right now was of a high enough level, where it''s hard to find such expertise even on a national scale. A high-ranking Battle Priest, a possessor of combat strength that truly befits the title of a ''human weapon.'' ¡°...¡± I quickly scanned the name tag on his chest. Klein Garrison. ¡®...I¡¯m not the type to meet here in the first place.¡¯ A minor antagonist who briefly appears in Chapter 2. Given his prominence, he''s an unexpectedly strong figure. In the first place, the option to fight and capture him is practically non-existent. As evidenced by how Elijah was rendered powerless in a single blow, it''s clear that he''s not someone a student can handle. Then, his gaze briefly shifts to Yuria before eventually returning to Elijah. This is as expected. The truth about Yuria still isn''t fully grasped in the Holy Land it seems, the fugitive who stole the national treasure. This itself serves as a catalyst that leads to the highlight of Chapter 2. It''s safe to say that this part remained the same as the original. ¡°The Saintess voluntarily undertook this act of ¡®service.¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t it be rude to intervene in her noble intentions?¡± ¡°...Are you telling me she willingly got herself into this state? That doesn''t make any sense!¡± Elijah remained undeterred, even after being incapacitated with a single blow. She retorted to Klein with a determined spark in her eyes. It''s undoubtedly a valid argument, but in the Holy Land I''m familiar with, such words would be easily shrugged off by these insane people. Just look at the immediate situation. ¡°Hmm, an intriguing perspective. Shall we hear it directly from the Saintess, then?¡± After saying that, Klein turned his head towards Lucien with a sly smile. ¡°Tell me, Saintess. Did someone force you?¡± ¡°...¡± Lucien gritted her teeth. Even now, she was enduring a level of agony akin to being dismembered alive. Demanding such an answer so brazenly from someone undergoing such excruciating pain is simply disgusting and sinister. ¡°...Ah, no.¡± However. The response that came out was unmistakably affirmative. Lucien replied in a terribly cracked voice. Even now, blood dripped down from the corner of her mouth, but she continued speaking. ¡°This, I, am. I''m, willing.¡± ¡°...¡± As Elijah was left dumbfounded, her mouth agape, Klein continued speaking with that smile still etched on his face. [ Skill: Desperation raised to Grade A. ] As soon as this window popped up, I activated the skill. [ ¡®Skill: Swordsman''s Focus¡¯ has been activated! ] [ Reaction speed and precision are increased! ] The world began to slow down. With the combination of Desperation and Swordsman''s Focus, Klein''s attack whose power far exceed mine, become clearly visible. I drew the sword from my waist and met his attack. -! Klein¡¯s face was once again plastered with a vile smile. Even the knights of the Empire who are in the same realm as a high-ranking battle priest would hesitate to directly engage with them. While they may possess finesse with the sword and physical resilience, battle priests can layer various types of buffs onto their weapons. Dealing with them by just exchanging blows is simply impossible. A student blindly doing so was nothing more than a mockery. However. If the timing is right, I have a skill that can render any damage ¡®null¡¯. As soon as his attack came, I ¡®deflected¡¯ at the exact moment. [ Perfect Deflection! ] [¡®Attribute: Arcane Gale¡¯ has been activated! ] [ Returning a portion of the opponent¡¯s attack! ] All the ''attack blessings'' imbued into his sword strike were reversed and unleashed back towards Klein. -! His body was propelled at a terrifying speed, creating a cloud of dust as he crashed against a wall. ¡°...¡± Of course, the reflected damage wasn''t that major. Considering that Desperation was only raised to A Grade, he clearly didn''t unleash a full-powered attack. A high-ranking battle priest wouldn''t crumple just from receiving a bit of his own attack. However. The expression of pure bafflement on his face was golden, looking like a big mouth who suddenly ate a fly. A high-ranking battle priest, someone who''s regarded as one of the top combatants in the country, was sent back by a mere academy student. He''s probably in immense shock. ¡°You know, you''ve been blabbering nonsense for a while now.¡± I supported Lucien, who was still coughing, to her feet. Once we stepped outside the barrier, her coughing finally subsided and she stopped vomiting blood. The white aura around Yuria also began to recede as she approached Lucien with teary eyes. Alright. This side is safe for now. Setting Lucien down, I took a piece of parchment and approached the still-dazed Klein, who was stuck in the wall. ¡°What was it again, an international problem?¡± ¡°...?¡± I grinned at the blank Klein. Well, his response was reasonable. This isn''t an issue that a mere student can lightly address. It''s a matter that could potentially turn the entire continent upside down. But. So what? I threw the parchment, hitting Klein¡¯s face. ¡°What is this...!¡± His expression contorted, while I responded with a wider smile. ¡°I don¡¯t have gloves. So let''s make do with this.¡± ¡°...¡± His twisted face froze once again. There¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t know why I would throw a glove at his face. Yes, that¡¯s right. A duel challenge. I inwardly offered an apology to Gideon. You''ll have a bit of trouble later, Archduke. This is going to cause quite a stir. ¡°By Exemption Writ, my actions henceforth is the responsibility of the Imperial Family and the Tristan Duke Family.¡± Since he''s always threatening with international power, then I''ll summon an authority on part with that. Oh yeah, the Holy Land? I have the Imperial Family and Archduke Tristan, so what? With that said. It''s time to take out the trash. ¡°You, let''s have a dance.¡± Starting with this one. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 EP - 046 - Duel (2) ¡°...What were you thinking?¡± Atallante murmured while holding her face. It was a mixture of anger and lamentation. I don''t have anything to say. She''s running around trying to clean up the mess I''ve caused. Despite the fact that what I''ve done is a colossal diplomatic and political disaster, she still went ahead and handled all the necessary procedures for the upcoming duel. I guess she''ll trying to accommodate everything I do. Of course, that doesn''t ignore the fact that this was crazy. ¡°An academy student requested a high-ranking battle priest to a duel. Were you fully aware of what you did?¡± She questioned with a sigh. ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as I answered so in a flat voice, Atallante''s sigh deepened. ¡°Regardless of your exemption, you have caused quite a stir. Even the Imperial Family and Tribal Union have started paying attention to this matter.¡± Atallante spoke in a hushed voice. ¡°Why did you do this? Considering your disposition, it''s hard to believe you did it without reason.¡± I smiled at her words. The reason? for new novels Of course, there''s a reason. ¡°You told me to seduce the devil vessels. I found one. This is all part of the plan.¡± ¡°...I have already confirmed that a ¡®fragment¡¯ manifested in Yuria Greyhounder.¡± Atallante replied in a somber voice. ¡°She was already one of the possible vessel candidates, but her manifestation was the fastest. This speed is undoubtedly unexpected.¡± Definitely. The list of ''candidates'' she gave contained various names. Given the circumstances and conditions, there were several people who were more likely to manifest their fragment faster than Yuria. For example, Riru Garda, a key character in Chapter 3, and Feinol Raifec in Chapter 5. Yet, it was Yuria who manifested the fastest... ¡°...Is it because of my frequent contact?¡± ¡°...¡± Atallante gave a wry smile. The nature of my soul, ''loved by all evil.'' No matter which way you look at it, it''s a trait that''s designed to reel in the ''devil fragments''. ¡°Do you know what the ''butterfly effect'' is, President?¡± ¡°...Yeah? What is it about?¡± What is it about? It''s about how much of a btch it is. Ever since I got involved in the main scenario, it never seemed to favor me. Every choice I made so far just kept on growing bigger and bigger, and it always comes back to this. ¡®...Ultimately, I''m the cause of it all.¡¯ Honestly, hoping everything will go according to the ''original'' while doing what''s convenient for me is quite conscienceless. Still, I was going to overlook most things and just move forward. I''m just surviving. I didn''t really think of even touching the story. But. Still. There is a limit. Yuria and Lucien. They were significantly affected by my presence. Yuria might have never awakened as a vessel her whole life and Lucien wouldn''t have experienced extreme torture. ¡°...¡± Then Elnore and Elijah''s faces also flashed through my mind. Them too. I''ll eventually have to face the consequences. ¡°Well, anyway.¡± I said with a bitter smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any reason why I shouldn¡¯t have saved her right away. Rescuing someone from torture isn¡¯t a bad thing, is it?¡± The ¡®gust from the butterfly''s wings¡¯ that triggered the current situation was, after all, caused by me. That''s why, I will take responsibility. ¡°...¡± Atallante looked at me in the eye for a moment before sighing again. It looked like she resigned herself to the situation. ¡°A high-ranking battle priest is no random thug. There will undoubtedly be a reaction from the Pope''s side. They might even observe directly.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, it''s not a situation we can just brush off.¡± Atallante¡¯s gaze sank. ¡°The Pope is dangerous. I don''t know what you''re planning, but if you get involved, it might be wise to reconsider.¡± I fully understood Atallante¡¯s words. After all, this wasn''t just anyone were talking about, it''s the Pope. Credo Baor II. The strongest among the priest class and the leader of the Holy Land. Even in the game, he was a villain who tormented players until the late stages. Some might even argue that dealing with him was more challenging than the devil worshippers, who were the biggest hurdle in the scenario. Even someone as capable as Atallante couldn''t just intervene. It''s not like she''s simply watching Lucien suffer for entertainment, rather, her intervention would be as effective as throwing eggs at a rock. In other words, he''s nothing but danger. However. I have to do this now. I don¡¯t have a choice. ¡®...This is so dogsht.¡¯ This situation is just absurd. I can¡¯t afford to fail the main quest, otherwise my life would be game over. Because of my constitution, I have to tie the knots of the devil vessels that keep on intertwining with me, and at the same time, take care of their mental health. Else, who knows how the devils they harbor would rampage. ¡°...¡± Well because of my gift, the devils naturally like me, so it might not matter. But depending on the devil''s disposition, they could genuinely chop off my limbs, throw me into some isolated cell, and rear me like livestock. They''re called ''devils.'' I can''t even begin to imagine what twisted definition their affection is. The fact that the Gray Devil within Elnore simply treated me and then withdrew is very unusual. So. 1. Clear the main quest. 2. Get close to the devil vessels and manage their mental. If I can''t do both of these things, I''m dead. The difficulty level is off the charts. ¡°...¡± ¡®...There''s someone else who uses such an irrational ability?¡¯ ¡®Right. Yes. There was.¡¯ To that question, the Pope responded with a subtle smile. ¡®Though it''s a bit ambiguous to call it a person.¡¯ He never revealed who it was, but Klein was grateful to be given such information. It was clear by observing how Dowd kept up with his attacks. He was bridging the gap between student level and a high-ranking battle priest, that''s akin to heaven and earth. It¡¯s ridiculous. If Klein had rushed in with no knowledge and used his full power from the start, he might have been completely overwhelmed. ¡®However.¡¯ That same ability not only responded to the difference in their individual strengths. It was also sensitive to how much ''hostility'' the opponent harbored. In that case, Klein just needed to take action without putting too much ''intent''. There probably wasn''t a human who could perfectly exert that level of control, but even this significantly diminished Dowd''s power compared to before. And at the moment, that alone was enough. Dowd, who had lightly countered his attacks, couldn''t deflect any of his strikes now. Far from counterattacking, he was either hit or barely managing to defend against them. And here. ¡®Blessing stack.¡¯ The light emitted by the swirling characters intensified. This was when the unique ability of battle priests, began to reveal its true worth, growing stronger over time. His already vicious physical abilities were further amplified, bolstering his momentum. The slight gap between the two just a moment ago started growing wider. Attacks that couldn''t be deflected or blocked began to accumulate, and wounds started to appear on Dowd''s body. From here on, that gap would only get bigger. His defeat was already set in stone. The sardonic smile reappeared on Klein''s face. The situation was unfolding like he expected. As the blessings stacked, Klein grew stronger, and the wounds on Dowd¡¯s body gradually increased. ¡°...¡± If there¡¯s anything Klein didn''t like. It was that the other party was still expressionless. As if this irreversible, hopeless situation was within his calculations. Which lead to Klein, in displeasure, do the following action. ¡°Oi.¡± After a round of exchanges, Klein, who had left a long gash on Dowd''s arm, slightly stepped back and said. ¡°How about this? If you start begging for mercy, I won¡¯t leave you with too deep of an injury.¡± ¡°...¡± Though, Dowd''s face remained dull. There was not even a response. Seeing this, Klein''s fury turned up a notch. ¡°As long as it''s not life or death, anything goes. So, do you want to experience what it''s like being torn apart alive? I''ll make sure that you wish to be dead instead.¡± He tried to threaten the other party. Yet, nothing. Absolutely no change. Dowd still looked blunt. ¡°Oh. What a coincidence.¡± Just that. ¡°I''ll also do that to you now.¡± He finally received a reply, but it was this. ¡ñ As I said those words, a look of disbelief filled Klein''s face. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°No, as you said, it¡¯s not life or death.¡± I replied while scanning the floating window in front of me. ¡°I need to make sure that you''ll live. You might just die right away if I don''t let you stack your blessings.¡± ¡°...¡± Klein''s expression momentarily went blank. It seems that he couldn''t comprehend the words I just said. But soon, an eruption of anger akin to a volcano appeared on his face. ¡°...You bastard. Are you saying that you were letting the blessings stack?¡± ¡°I guess you''re not that stupid, after all.¡± Klein''s eyes immediately went bloodshot. ¡°I see that you still have the leisure to engage in such a meaningless provocation.¡± ¡°Well.¡± First of all. I don''t have that much leeway. I was busy calculating in my head. Like how the actions I''m about to take mean. Or what aftermath they''ll bring. Second. It is not a meaningless provocation. I''m merely stating facts. If the blessings aren''t sufficiently stacked, this guy will really die within seconds against me. ¡°...I¡¯d rather it just be a provocation too.¡± I probably have at most a few dozen seconds. But, that¡¯s enough. ¡°Ha. Let''s see how far that cocky mouth can go¡ª¡± ¡°Hey.¡± I let out a sigh and interrupted. Come to think of it. The reason the Holy Land is on my as$ is ultimately because they''re interested in the ¡®devil¡¯s power¡¯. Because it''s necessary to fulfill the Pope''s lifelong ambition, the ''great endeavor.'' The power of transcendents that twists even the laws of the world. ¡°A really serious piece of advice.¡± So. I''ll show it to you then. ¡°If you don''t want to die right away, shut your mouth and focus.¡± Right after I said so. [ ¡®Skill: Guidance¡¯ has been used. ] ¡þ Currently Available Features ? Divine Descent - Wrath { Elnore } [ Checking Devil Energy. ] [ ¡®The Fallen''s Seal¡¯ is responding. ] The world... Was dyed gray [T/N: Got sick after the school''s reopening ''fun'' run in prime heat. Of course I recovered much earlier than this but I prioritized doing Taming the Villainesses first as it''s my main project. I''m almost halfway done with c47 and posted it so click next after this] Chapter 47 (Unfinished) Chapter 47 (Unfinished) EP - 047 - Duel (3) Come to think of it. It makes no sense for the devil to descend as the person attempting to summon it didn''t even get chosen by them. And although I did activate the skill, the spread of color around me wasn''t as distinct as when Elnore awakened the fragment within her. Originally, it probably won''t even adhere to my body and would simply scatter. However. [ ''The Fallen''s Seal'' responds. ] [ The devil energy gathers around the Fallen''s Seal. ] Yes. I expected this. I don¡¯t know exactly what the Fallen''s Seal does. And its description was also broken in the system window. ¡°...¡± I couldn''t help but let out a bitter smile. If you think about what role the ¡®seals¡¯ that devils leave on humans in the game, it¡¯s clear that this will have a big impact on me in some way in the future. I don¡¯t know, but it could affect my mind as deeply as the vessels with actual devil fragments in them. But, for now. I can imitate a vessel for a very short time using this. ¡°...¡± The world slowed down. It¡¯s similar to before. However, there is a clear difference from Elnore''s. At that time, when the devil energy touched the world, everything stopped moving. Whereas now, it is moving, albeit slowly. To the extent that I can grasp it with my naked eyes. ¡®...That¡¯s why.¡¯ A wore a wry smile. The gray devil¡¯s basic ability, ¡®Erosion¡¯, is the power of absolute control over any space its energy touches. Even with only one fragment in a vessel, it will activate. This slow movement meant that even with the help of the seal, I can''t even use the most basic ability. Nevertheless. I can''t faintly see her. The Gray Devil in the form of Elnore. It''s so obscure that even the outline is barely visible. It''s natural since I''m not a complete vessel. But it''s also thanks to this that there''s less pressure. While before it felt like I would die just by meeting her eyes, now it''s bearable. ¡°...¡± She slowly descended from the sky and approached me without saying a word. She has the same expressionless face as Elnore usually does. Though, compared to the childlike reaction she had shown before, this was foreign. ¡°...¡± And seeing those crimson eyes meticulously scanning the scars on my body, that feeling was reinforced. In other words, she''s expressionless, but not emotionless. ¡®...Ah, I see.¡¯ She''s angry. She pouted and stomped her foot. Her expression was still blank, but I could feel her dissatisfaction with the current situation. She''s probably saying something like, "Why do you keep getting hurt everywhere you go? Take care of yourself." ¡°...¡± It¡¯s interesting. Compared to other devils, she seems to show a ''human perspective'' of affection. If she were the ''harsh'' type like the White Devil or Blue Devil, when they descend like this, whether I''m hurt or not, they''d try to restrict or confine me as they please. Knowing this, I summoned her with some confidence. ¡®...I can''t help it.¡¯ In that sense, I bitterly smiled. Time hasn''t completely stopped, it''s just moving very slowly, but this is enough. ¡°...¡± She eventually stopped stomping her feet but her cheeks were still puffed up. Maintaining that expression, she approaches me a little more. Then she reached out and touched my chest. ¡°WhereA?| C?I???go¡± She finally said something. ¡°HitC3/4e3/4i?¡ã?UC3/4don''t get.,??????????????. ???I?????????????????¡À????????????????¡Á??????????????hurt.¡± ¡°...¡± Yeah, I''ll remember that. I never imagined I would hear such warm words from a devil. Then, a faint light rose from my chest [ Attribute added to the devil energy gathered in the ¡®Fallen''s Seal¡¯. ] [ While the energy remains, all your physical abilities are greatly increased by the power of the ¡®Gray Devil¡¯. ] [ All your attacks will gain an additional advantage against ''Holy Blessings''. ] ¡°Hit3/4i?¡ã?Uas much3/4i?A?|C?return.¡± ...I guess that¡¯s why she raised my physical abilities. Well, it''s more than enough. I can tell just from the power coursing through my body right now. With this much, I''d stomp on Klein in no time. But after doing this, as if she had used up all the power she could manifest, her body began to disintegrate and scatter. ¡°...¡± As before, she smiled and parted her lips. Her existence was depleted to the point that her voice isn''t audible anymore, but I can still read her lips. ¡®I love you. See you later.¡¯ It¡¯s a familiar sentence. This guy, the last time we met at the Purifier boss fight, she said this to me right before we parted ways. And. ¡®At that time, definitely. You.¡¯ I remember that clearly as well. But, this time. ¡®With me, to the end of the world-¡® She added such words. ¡°Ah, come to think of it.¡± Dowd smirked. ¡°It''s okay as long as I don¡¯t kill you, no?¡± -! -!! The pain continued without stop. His nose was completely crushed, and the thick, crimson blood was everywhere. Then, a kick sent his head crashing into a nearby wall, which left spiderweb-like cracks on the surface. ¡®He''s toying with me...!¡¯ Dowd could''ve knocked him down long ago if he wanted. The power difference was overwhelming. This wasn''t a fight to begin with. His opponent was treating him like a bug! ¡°St, stop...!¡± Another blow. His recently regrown teeth shattered once again, sending pieces flying all over. He had not gotten a chance to recover at all. Then came another strike. He could feel a lump of blood rising in his throat after getting punched in the abdomen. Just like this, he continued getting pummeled, taking blow after blow. To the point where blood pooled in puddles on the arena. Kick, punch, knee... Repeat. Finally, Klein couldn''t take it any longer, and he screamed. ¡°Stop, stop it! I was wrong! That''s enough...!¡± His will to fight was long gone. And whether the Pope was watching was a secondary concern. Escaping the excruciating pain that felt like his whole body was being torn apart was the most urgent matter! Wirh the scream, where he had thrown away all his pride and dignity, Dowd briefly halted his actions. ¡°...!¡± Perhaps, he stopped because of his plea. He looked at his opponent with a glimmer of hope. And then... He felt shivers running down his spine. There was nothing in the other party''s eyes. He was indifferent despite all this heated violence. Like he''s just doing ¡®work¡¯. ¡°Hmm.¡± Just. As if it were only natural that this level of suffering befall the ''enemy'' he had judged. His subsequent words followed the same trend. His voice still flat. ¡°No.¡± The last thing Klein remembered was a fist flying at his face. ¡ñ What do you mean, ''you were wrong''? You shouldn''t have tortured someone from the start. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± I looked at Klein, knocked out cold on the ground, then glanced around. There was a stifling silence. It¡¯s probably because a student just beat up a high-ranking battle priest, but it was also because of the power I had just displayed. I''m sure most of the people here have noticed. That what I just wielded was the ¡®devil¡¯s energy¡¯. ¡®It would be strange if they''re shocked.¡¯ I had briefly triggered the power of the Gray Devil, one of the most potent among the devils''. According to the setting, there''s more than one or two groups drooling for such power. However, it''s natural for them to be surprised since I, who they never considered, was the one wielding this power. Furthermore, unlike ordinary vessels who would lose their minds and run amok, I remained perfectly in control of this ability. Even delving into history, there probably hasn''t been a single instance like this. ¡®...That¡¯s because I¡¯m not a real vessel.¡¯ This is just an imitation. If it were a genuine vessel skillfully handling the devil energy, this level of control is just child''s play. What I''m showing is merely a taste. However, I''ve likely succeeded in implying to everyone here the image of a "human who can rationally control the devil''s power." Just that alone completely changes my standing. ¡°...¡± A sad way to put it is, the support that Atallante mentioned from the major powers about helping manage the vessels, likely didn''t mean they''ll provide me with tangible support. They acknowledged my "necessity" but not necessarily my "worth." But from what I showed here. A lot will change in the future. ¡°...¡± As for how much. Well, enough to be able to do this. ¡°Heo... peueuk...¡± I grabbed the spouting Klein by the collar and began dragging him. And then, I tossed him into one of the spectator seats. -! As Klein¡¯s body flew, a shallow scream sounded. But no one got hit. Because his body was blocked by a ¡®holy barrier¡¯ mid-air. ¡°...What is the meaning of this?¡± Saint Credo Baor II. The current Pope. Had there not been a barrier, he would have directly collided with Klein''s body. ¡°Don''t you see it, Your Holiness?¡± I continue speaking with a smirk. ¡°I''m picking a fight with you right now.¡± Everyone''s jaws around us dropped. Chapter 48: Setting the Stage Chapter 48: Setting the Stage ? Setting the Stage ? ¡°Picking a fight with me, you say...¡± A languid voice flowed out from the Pope¡¯s mouth. ¡°There must be something that just doesn¡¯t sit right with you. Please, do tell.¡± Even as he casually spoke, he had a calm composure to an almost terrifying degree. It was almost as if this situation had no relevance nor meaning to him whatsoever. ¡°...¡± Well, so what? I just needed to convey my intentions anyway. With a wry smile, I gestured with my chin towards Klein, who had collapsed on the ground. ¡°For now, please stop sending bastards like this to harass the Saintess. You know the saying right? The water at the summit of a mountain must be clear for the water at its base to be clean as well. Because of your dirty and sinister thoughts, your subordinates reflect upon you by acting out like the unrestrained bitches that they are.¡± The mouths of the surrounding spectators gaped once again. They couldn¡¯t seem to believe that such words were being spoken to one of the most powerful figures on the entire continent. Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°Also, there¡¯s something you¡¯re desperately looking for right now, right?¡± I was referring to Yuria¡¯s sword, the national treasure of the Holy Land. ¡°Don¡¯t bother, that thing is mine. If you insist though... Let¡¯s say that you¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± My short-term goal was to somehow deal with the source of the Curse of Severance. There were only four days left to do so. Only then, would I be able to gain the means to clear Chapter 2. Thus, to achieve this goal, I needed to stop this guy from going in a mad rush to try to get his grubby hands all over the treasure. ¡°...Thank you for the advice.¡± His voice flowed smoothly once again, almost as if nothing I said fazed him. ¡°Your Holiness...¡± I let out a faint smirk, as my words echoed throughout the chambers. ¡°That wasn¡¯t advice, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± For reference, most of the individuals attending my audience with the Pope would have already gone through a considerable amount of trials and proved their capabilities. Each had their special abilities and unique nature that made them shine enough to get to where they were now. That meant jack shit though, since their reactions were exactly the same. Unique who? Their silence was accompanied by astonishment. ¡°How dare you! Who do you think you are to act this way!¡± I looked towards the person who shouted that out, his voice shrill with overwhelming anger. Huh, he seemed like quite the ancient-looking priest. He was probably the Chief Aide of the Pope. ¡°In the first place, we all heard you say that you were the one who was picking a fight with us! Although the duel itself couldn¡¯t be helped because it is proper procedure to respect it, resorting to this unnecessary brutality and disrespect is completely unacceptable! The Holy Kingdom will never overlook such actions!¡± ¡°So what?¡± When I gave him that nonchalant response, the priest¡¯s jaw dropped in shock. ¡°...What did you just say?¡± ¡°So what if you won¡¯t overlook it. What are you going to do? Kill me?¡± ¡°...¡± The priest¡¯s body began to tremble, his mouth still hanging open. If he just stayed still without saying anything, he would¡¯ve at least looked mildly composed and respectable. However, now, with his entire face reddened and his beard quivering, he looked like a complete joke. ¡°Using... Using such a brute in an honorable duel! Are Duke Tristan and the Imperial Family in their right minds?¡± ¡°If you want to talk about sanity or shit, look at yourself in the mirror first! You¡¯re the one who looks like a crazy bastard!¡± I wasn¡¯t the one who said that. A nearby individual who had been silently observing this situation until now, spoke up as he rose from his seat. His entire body was covered in muscles and scars, perfecting the stereotype of an ancient barbarian warrior with his attire and appearance. ¡°When you bullied that Saintess chick or whatever she was called, even though she was clearly innocent, we didn¡¯t do jack to you. It¡¯s fair, since it¡¯s none of our business.¡± A laid-back voice echoed. ¡°But this case is different. Even the Tribal Alliance knows who that kid is, knows how important he is. The moment you send a trained soldier against a kid who isn¡¯t even a warrior yet, we¡¯ve already suspected that something was amiss.¡± The warrior let out a chuckle and continued to smirk as he spoke. ¡°But even with all the cards stacked against him, you still lost overwhelmingly, so shut the fuck up. What that kid does from now on is a perfectly acceptable use of his rights as a victor.¡± I instinctively let out a bitter laugh internally. ¡®...It is as expected but...¡± I already expected that someone would back me up if I openly challenged the Pope. That was why I started this fiasco in the first place. However, the ¡®importance¡¯ that this man talked about was something that arose just now, when he saw me handling the devil¡¯s power without any penalties. So obviously, there was a reason why he took my side. ¡°...¡± In other words... From now on, I¡¯ve become ¡®prey¡¯ who held the attention of not only the Imperial Family, but also the War Chiefs of the Tribal Alliance. It seemed like I was bound to face all sorts of bothersome issues in the future. As I mulled over these bitter thoughts, the priest was furiously addressing the words of the Chief. ¡°Please refrain from speaking without comprehending the full story! This is a matter of the Pope¡¯s safety!¡± ¡°So what, you old fossil? I¡¯ll repeat what the kid said earlier. What are you gonna do about it? Are you going to kill me or something?¡± With that, the priest instantly shut his mouth. This time, it wasn¡¯t that he was at a loss for words because he was so angry. It was because he could read the killing intent oozing from the lunatic¡¯s eyes. Even the faces of nearby individuals, who weren¡¯t even the target for such murderous energy, started to go pale and blue from the pressure and fear. ¡°Even our Tribal Alliance¡¯s Chieftain can¡¯t order me around. So why should I listen to you? I don¡¯t give a shit about what people from other countries say. Got it?¡± ¡°...¡± In a way, this situation was just a continuous series of diplomatic disasters, but even so, the priest remained silent. Moreover, the Pope didn¡¯t say a word either. ¡®...Ha...¡¯ To be honest, I had a pretty good idea why they kept their silence. I counted the number of marks near the neck of the War Chief. The warriors of the Tribal Alliance tattooed their body with fang marks equal to the number of monsters they have hunted alone. ¡®Ten marks.¡¯ Another thing to note was that what the Tribal Alliance hunters called ¡®monsters¡¯ were at the level of drakes or basilisks. Although they couldn¡¯t compete with special-grade monsters, such as dragons or the Four Cardinal Gods, they were still magical beasts at the level of a natural disaster if one was to run amok. In other words... This individual had hunted down ten of such monsters alone, when the Imperial Knights wouldn¡¯t dare to face even one of them unless their Captain was present. In that regard, his achievements were even greater than Gideon¡¯s or Atallante¡¯s, who were both renowned monsters in their own right. ¡°...¡± I knew who this man was. Hatan U-Jul. He was the War Chief of the ¡®Blue Dragons¡¯, one of the main tribes in the Tribal Alliance, and the world¡¯s greatest monster hunter. He was also a recurring antagonist who frequently appeared in Chapter 3. Moreover, he was a tenured professor at the ¡®Forge of Struggle¡¯, an esteemed institution with influence akin to Elfante. With all these titles and accolades draped all over him, it was easy to understand why they would let him strut around like a thug without repercussions. To be more precise, they probably wanted to avoid confronting a fucking lunatic like him. ¡°Also, you.¡± And now, that very same lunatic directed his gaze towards me. ¡°I like your spirit. Even without considering the peculiar power you wield, you have the capabilities to become an exceptional warrior.¡± System Notification [ Skill: Fatal Charm is activated. ] ¡°Seraph.¡± Simultaneously with his call, a woman who had been quietly waiting by his side offered him a cup. As expected of the headquarters of the Church, the cup was adorned with the symbols of fate, however, in contrast to them, the dark liquid inside emitted an unmistakably unholy aura. ¡°...¡± Silently, the Pope took a sip of the drink, as a deep sigh escaped his lips. Having unfathomable levels of divine power was a double-edged sword. After all, the human body was not able to withstand the backlash, even if only a small percentage was unleashed. To expel the lingering energy within his body, he had to constantly carry and consume such substances. Creating such items would undoubtedly cause immense suffering for someone. Perhaps, they would even need to sacrifice their lives. However, he didn¡¯t care in the slightest. ¡®...At the very least, until I achieve my goals.¡¯ He would do whatever it took, no matter the cost. To complete the ¡®Great Covenant¡¯ that he had devoted his life to. His next command stayed consistent with this line of reasoning. ¡°Use the teleported battle priest as materials for the Chimera Project. He will be quite a useful battery.¡± He had no need for failures. It wasn¡¯t like casually throwing away a high-ranking battle priest would bring about huge repercussions anyway. ¡°I understand. I will announce that he passed away while receiving ample treatment.¡± The woman called Seraph lowered her head quietly as she received his command. However, the Pope tilted his head in confusion because she did not act instantly to carry out his order as she usually did. ¡°Seraph? Is there some kind of a problem?¡± ¡°...May I ask a question?¡± ¡°You may.¡± It was an unexpected situation. He never expected that she, someone who was akin to a perfectly obedient doll, would ask a question to him. ¡°Why did His Holiness accept that man¡¯s proposition?¡± ¡°...Ah. Are you talking about the matter regarding the Greyhounder sisters?¡± The Pope let out a bitter laugh. Certainly, anyone would find it strange that he had nonchalantly indulged the request of a youth who openly displayed disrespectful behavior. However... ¡°He threatened me, so I had no other choice.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± A dazed mutter slipped out of Seraph. Threatened? Rather, after the commotion he caused, wouldn¡¯t the Pope have the right to pressure that insolent man, Dowd, instead? Given the Pope¡¯s authority, it was only natural to think that way. ¡°That youth¡¯s ¡®value¡¯... You must know it too, Seraph.¡± However, the Pope merely continued with a sigh. ¡°The Empire, the Tribal Alliance, and even us. We already knew that boy had some sort of connection with the ¡®Devils¡¯. Additionally, we have seen him skillfully handle some aspects of that power during the duel.¡± With just that alone, Dowd Campbell¡¯s value had risen to an impossible level. In the entire history of the world, there had never been a human capable of such feats. While the support of the Tribal Alliance¡¯s War Chief may have been partially due to their compatible personalities, the value of Dowd¡¯s existence probably played the most significant role in Hatan¡¯s decision. Moreover, the first thing Dowd Campbell did, after declaring himself as such an existence in front of everyone, was to pick a fight with the Pope first. ¡°As soon as he so blatantly confronted me, he ¡®showed¡¯ everyone that there¡¯s an disagreeable relationship between him and me. That alone was enough for him to ¡®win¡¯ against me.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Since others now know about our ill relations, if anything were to happen to him, handling the brunt of the aftermath will entirely fall onto me and the Holy Land.¡± Seraph, who blinked for a moment, suddenly hardened her expression and faced the Pope. The Pope laughed bitterly once again. Indeed. She finally seemed to have understood now. ¡°If anything unfortunate happens to Dowd Campbell¡¯s well-being, the Tribal Alliance and the Empire will first suspect that the Holy Land orchestrated something. They¡¯ll use that as a pretext for an amalgamation of espionage activities and unreasonable demands.¡± ¡°But we would never orchestrate something like th...!¡± ¡°In truth, the relationship itself isn¡¯t that important.¡± The Pope interrupted with a low voice. ¡°International politics are ultimately based on the logic of power. If the balance of power is maintained, you can hold the other party accountable for misdeeds, regardless of the truth. In that regard, any matter regarding Dowd Campbell is an unimaginably strong justification. Since everyone considers themselves as valuable, he demonstrated his own worth through this duel.¡± And as a result... ¡°...Arrange for some intelligence and operative personnels to be placed near Dowd Campbell. We must provide him with assistance no matter what.¡± Ironically, the Holy Land were now trapped in a situation where they had to ¡®protect¡¯ Dowd Campbell, who openly picked a fight with them. As soon as something were to happen to him, the Empire and the Tribal Alliance would use it as an opportunity to exert significant pressure on the Holy Land. This was also what the Pope meant when he said he was ¡®threatened¡¯. In such a situation, confronting Dowd Campbell forcefully would only lead to him navigating the entire circumstance in a way that benefits him. ¡°...If you say so, Your Holiness.¡± With a slightly trembling voice, Seraph spoke. ¡°It is impossible to believe but... The fact that they even sent an appeal to Your Holiness to personally witness the affairs in Elfante was because...¡± ¡°That¡¯s what that boy requested.¡± The Pope chuckled coldly. ¡°It was part of his plan all along. He knew it would turn out like this.¡± ¡°...¡± Seraph fell silent with bewilderment as goosebumps rose all over her arms. Purposefully requesting such an absurd duel. And shortly thereafter, challenging the Pope like a rabid dog. Everything that seemed like the actions of a madman was actually a plan with such meticulous calculations for every circumstance. All this. From a single student. Moreover, against one of the strongest nations on the entire continent. To put it simply, a single student¡¯s machinations were enough to completely turn the tables against a nation that was among the top powers of the continent. The Pope let out a quiet sigh. This feeling... He had felt it in the past as well. ¡®...He¡¯s similar to that man.¡¯ From the way he had the ability to ¡®suddenly become powerful¡¯ when he was weak, to the overall atmosphere he exuded. He was terribly similar to the most chilling and unpleasant ¡®thing¡¯ the Pope had ever encountered. ¡°In any case, we will undoubtedly meet again someday.¡± Perhaps, those two as well. They might encounter each other soon. It was an intuitive feeling that ran down his spine. The Pope once again wiped his face with a sigh. His expression remained as emotionless as always, but his eyes were also still gleaming brightly. ¡®Dowd Campbell.¡¯ That name. He would never forget it. TLN: Hi everyone! The previous translator has asked us to take on this novel since he will be getting busier and won¡¯t be able to do justice to it. So chapters 1-47 are credited to DuhLion(he gave us permission to upload them on our site. We will also re-edit them soon!) The plan for now is at least 4 chapters/week. We are very happy to get our hands on this novel and hope you will all enjoy it! Don¡¯t forget to join our discord! to stay updated on the novel. I¡¯ve also uploaded all the illustrations there. Lastly, if you like this novel you can rate/review it here. Cheers! Chapter 49: Conversation (1) Chapter 49: Conversation (1) ? Conversation (1) ? The situation was resolved far more quickly than I thought. Anyway, since the central figure of the incident, the Pope, had chosen not to make a big deal out of it, it would be difficult for others to interfere or complain as well. ¡°...Still, thanks to this incident, there will likely be more factions interested in getting involved with you.¡± Atallante stated her concerns while sighing. ¡°From now on, the Empire and the Tribal Alliance will become more active in regards to observing you. It would be wise to steel your heart and prepare yourself in advance.¡± ¡®You don¡¯t need to tell me that, Headmistress.¡¯ ¡°...This outcome is inevitable anyway.¡± If I were to progress further into the main scenario, I¡¯d have to face those cliques whether I liked it or not. If anything, it would be better for me to draw their attention sooner than later so that I could hold the initiative to set up the stage however I wanted. Whether it was the Tribal Alliance¡¯s War Chiefs or the Imperial Family, various schemers would go all out to pursue their own interests. Not to mention, even the Holy Land would be trying to get a piece of my ass. Just by having the status where it¡¯d be impossible for them to recklessly touch me, I could prevent most of their attempts to manipulate me. Well, this still wouldn¡¯t prevent all the troublesome issues coming my way later, though. ¡°More importantly, what happened to the matters regarding the sisters?¡± Anyway, anything related to my new status could wait until later. The most important part of Chapter 2 was still the sisters. In fact, the reason why I laid my hand on the Holy Land was partly because of them. ¡°The Saintess still hasn¡¯t fully regained consciousness. But, there¡¯s nothing serious, she should wake up in a day or two. As for her younger sister, she¡¯s practically joined at the hip while nursing her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± My brain was overheating as I tried to theorize the multitudes of scenarios that needed to be resolved. ¡°In that case, will they be prepared to follow the delegation¡¯s schedule?¡± ¡°...Are you seriously saying that after I saved you, even while getting reprimanded by the Pope?¡± ¡®Sorry Headmistress, that¡¯s literally the most important part of my plan, so it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ I chucked at Atallante, who glared at me for acting so nonchalantly. In the Holy Land, delegations were regularly dispatched to thoroughly inspect and survey the entire region off Elfante while performing their ¡®blessings.¡¯ And getting involved in this was the first step in breaking the Curse of Severance on Yuria¡¯s sword. As the event itself would become a trigger to treat her trauma. ¡®There¡¯s not much time left...¡¯ I had three days at most. Considering how the ¡®Purifier Boss Battle¡¯ went back in Chapter 1, it would be better to always assume that shit would hit the fan, and the worst-case scenario would happen. Additionally, taking into account what would come 3 days from now, it was correct to assume that the events surrounding the ¡®Boy King Boss Battle¡¯ would explode in chaos. . In other words... If I couldn¡¯t dissipate the Curse of Severance on Yuria, it would be Game Over. ¡°When the Saintess regains her consciousness, please send word that I¡¯d like to see her.¡± Well... I already cleared any bothersome conflicts with the Holy Land that could pose a threat on my plan. So, what remained was... ¡°...I should probably talk to them about their ¡®wish¡¯.¡± To truly bestow salvation upon them. System Notification [ The Main Quest has been completed! ] [ 1 ¡®Echo of Sanctification¡¯ has been received! ] [ 1 ¡®Seed of Evil¡¯ has been received! ] While looking at the windows that popped up, I stroked my chin with delight. I had already fulfilled the quest¡¯s clear conditions by rescuing Lucien earlier, but due to my various other tasks, I was only receiving the rewards now. [ Echo of Sanctification ] Type: Growth Material ¨C Divinity Description: When fused with items related to ¡®Divinity¡¯, it can raise the item¡¯s grade by one level. I gazed at the blue gemstone in the palm of my hand. ¡®Not too shabby, ain¡¯t it?¡¯ Usually, the reward items for main quests varied depending on who was primarily involved in the quest. Anyone could see that the reward was clearly related to Lucien and Yuria, both of whom were obviously users of divine power. ¡®And...¡¯ Luckily, I had an item that fit perfectly with this new reward. With a snort, I examined the palm-sized incense burner in my hand. Most likely, in the original game, when the Divine¡¯s Ultima was upgraded, it would also enhance the embedded skills. ¡®Penance,¡¯ which can turn all additional stats into endurance, and ¡®Guardian Shield,¡¯ which can summon a shield as tough as one¡¯s endurance stat. Both were already useful in their current states, but considering the usual level of enhancement when consuming growth materials like the ¡®Echo of Sanctification¡¯, it was already a foregone conclusion that they would become much more powerful. ¡®It seems like the Crafting Department will have their work cut out for them.¡¯ I would probably need to go to them sometime soon in order to request various tasks, so while I¡¯m there, I might as well ask them to use this to enhance the Ultima. With that thought in mind, I swiped to the next window. Aside from this, there was one more item I had acquired. [ Seed of Evil ] Type: Special Currency Item Grade: Rare Description: Can be exchanged for special skills in the Point Store. Current Amount Owned: 4 This. In addition to what I obtained from Elijah and Tallion, after clearing the main quest this time, the total quantity of Seeds of Evil that I owned was increased to 4. Originally, I planned to use it for the Purifier Boss Battle, but because I couldn¡¯t find any suitable skill back then, I saved it instead. ¡®But now...¡¯ With 4 of them, there was definitely a skill worth buying. For example... [ ¡ò Scan ] I knew I was the one who asked her to do it, but I thought it was a task that was nearly impossible to achieve. ¡®What can I say? As expected of the Final Boss.¡¯ As I was admiring her nigh-omnipotence, she held her waist with both hands and pushed her chest forward. She let out a fake cough. All of these actions, with the same emotionless expression. ¡°You could be a bit more thankful to me...¡± Suddenly, I grabbed Elnore and pulled her into my embrace, hugging her tightly. It was an unintentional action driven by the sudden burst of joy I felt. ¡°You worked so hard, Elnore! Really, truly, thank you so much! I¡¯ll make sure to repay you later!¡± ¡°...¡± I left Elnore frozen in the same pose, as I rushed away in quick strides. After all, I had to meet the individual who was the ¡®target¡¯ of this information right away. ¡°...¡± Elnore silently looked down at her uniform. With an expressionless face, she removed her outerwear and neatly folded it, draping it over her arm. ¡®...I should store this somewhere safe.¡¯ Hm. At the very least, she had no intention of washing it for as long as possible. While having such inexplicable thoughts, she suddenly recalled Dowd¡¯s ¡®hands¡¯ that pulled her into his embrace just moments ago. ¡®They were... Bigger than expected, no?¡¯ In that case, it might be better to make the size of the ¡®ring¡¯ that¡¯s being crafted just a tad larger. ¡°...¡± ¡®When he receives it, what kind of expression will he make?¡¯ ¡®Surprised? Pleased? Or perhaps...¡¯ ¡®He¡¯ll immediately...¡¯ ¡®Give his consent...?¡¯ ¡°...Let¡¯s not have unnecessary expectations.¡± While muttering to herself, she resumed walking with determined steps. However... The corners of her mouth were tilted ever so slightly. A sign that she could not hide her anticipation, no matter how hard she tried to. One common misconception held by those who have witnessed the future becoming the past an uncountable number of times was the belief that such a person would not value time at all. That misconception couldn¡¯t be further than the truth. Valkasus was someone who understood better than anyone else how precious the ¡®the present time¡¯ was. His hobby of appreciating landscapes was a testament to such a philosophy. The Academy¡¯s Clock Tower. When one sat inside this towering structure that seemed to pierce the sky, they could see the sun passing beyond the heavens better than anywhere else in this world. As the sunlight vanished and darkness gradually crept in, the appearance of his arm, positioned in a place where the light did not reach, changed. That wasn¡¯t the right word to describe it, as it was more so that it revealed its ¡®essence¡¯. The contours of his arm melted down, transformed within the darkness, emitting a venomous aura. This was the price that he had to pay for carrying the weight of immortality. The shackles imposed upon him by the natural laws of the world. ¡°...¡± For a moment, he gazed at this phenomenon, before chuckling and stroking it. ¡°...I suggest you go to the gym once in a while.¡± And just as those ominous words ended, someone ascended to the top of the clock tower, panting heavily in exhaustion. Any healthy Elfante student could get to where he was as long as they put in a little effort, but this particular student was so drained out of his stamina, as if he had traversed through life and death just to come here. Seeing his swollen eyes and heavy breath, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Valkasus were to mock said student, but instead, he addressed him with respect. ¡°You are Dowd Campbell, am I wrong?¡± ¡°...Do you...heuk...know...me?¡± ¡°Take a seat first, try to catch your breath.¡± With that, Valkasus gestured towards a seat with his gaze. While staggering, Dowd took a seat next to him and finally spoke after gasping to catch his breath for a while. ¡°How do you know me?¡± ¡°The Prophet went to great lengths to give information about you, so how could I not know? It was mentioned that you¡¯d be the biggest obstacle to the task I must complete.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Dowd nodded slowly, as he responded curtly. In his mind, he was recalling all the information he knew about the individual sitting before him. The Boy King. The ¡®Backdrop¡¯ of Chapter 2. As for the reason why he was called ¡®Backdrop¡¯ instead of the Final Boss was because he wasn¡¯t someone that can be beaten in combat. The King of the Ruined, who had laid in rest for thousands of years. Rather than a ¡®human¡¯, his monstrous existence was far closer to a ¡®phenomenon¡¯ or ¡®concept¡¯. A ruler who willingly took on the most terrible form, as a price for a simple and warm wish that all his subjects would remain happy for a long time. Such a person would cause a catastrophe here. Considering the main scenario, Dowd already knew the answer he¡¯d give to his question. Nevertheless, he still prayed that the Boy King wouldn¡¯t give out the absurd answer that he expected. ¡°...Are you planning to kill everyone here, resurrect them, and turn them into the Ruined for you to rule over?¡± Valkasus nodded solemnly. The subsequent words rang out with such a simple and nonchalant tone. ¡°Three days from now.¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd let out a heavy sigh. TLN: Changed Atallante¡¯s position from President to Headmistress¡®Backdrop¡¯ refers to how Valkasus is a major part of Chapter 2 but not the actual final boss. He¡¯s more like part of the setting or the one who the entire chapter is BASED on but doesn¡¯t play any relevant role except killing everyone in the game¡°Ruined¡± actually refers to undead! It¡¯s just the specific name of Valkasus¡¯ undead! ENJOY!! You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 50: Conversation (2) Chapter 50: Conversation (2) ? Conversation (2) ? System Notification [ Using ¡®Scan¡¯. ] [ Gathering information on the target. ] [ A 24-hour cooldown applies before reuse is available on the same target. ] With a heavy sigh, I activated the skill. [ Valkasus Alan Armada: Status Info ] [ General ] Strength: C Agility: C Endurance: C Luck: F Power: F [ Special ] Magic Power: F Law Power: F Divine Power: F Valkasus was a key figure in Chapter 2. Seeing his stats alone, you¡¯d wonder why they named the chapter¡¯s title after him. Considering that the average stat of a person was around C grade, it seemed like he was only a little stronger than me, whose stats were all in F grade except for my Divinity, which had barely crossed into D grade. However, this being¡¯s true value lay elsewhere. [ Valkasus Alan Armada: Status Info ] [ Misc. ] Current Number of Forbidden Jutsu Engraved: 2,134,423 ¡°...¡± Looking at the numbers on the window made my head spin due to shock. Although it was a characteristic not displayed in a typical stat window, this was the driving force that made Valkasus an unstoppable monster. Forbidden Jutsu was one of the forgotten ancient Jutsu. It was a concept similar to engraving ¡®techniques¡¯ on the body in advance to use when truly needed. However, the upper limit of power that could be exerted with a single Forbidden Jutsu was overwhelmingly strong, even if you were to compare it with the three major powers; magic, law and divinity. But, here¡¯s food for thought... The number of people who were obsessed with gaining as much power as possible, regardless of the strength they already had, weren¡¯t small. But, even those guys couldn¡¯t handle the drawback the Forbidden Jutsu had. This was the reason why the Jutsu had been lost in time. What exactly was the drawback? It was a simple one; using it required you to lose your own life. Straight up. No way around it, if you were to use it, you¡¯d die. End of story. GG. ¡°...¡± And now, in front of me... There was a being who had embedded over two fucking million of such Forbidden Jutsus into his own body. Perhaps, it would be enough to amount for an entire ¡®kingdom¡¯. The Boy King who bore the weight of a fallen kingdom. The last ruler of the Kingdom of Armada. The person who sealed his own subjects with Forbidden Jutsu. The being who ¡®collected¡¯ them into his own body. ¡°Are you done examining me?¡± Valkasus, who was still gazing at the sky, spoke in an unchanging calm voice. His words made me let out a bitter smile. It seemed as if he was already aware of everything I would do ¡°It would be difficult to use it during battle. I doubt there would be anyone like me who would just sit down and let you calmly inspect them while in the midst of combat.¡± ¡°...Normally, when I use it, most people wouldn¡¯t notice.¡± ¡°The Prophet seemed to be quite concerned about you, you know? In the future, you may have to face all the ¡®Chosen Ones¡¯ because of this.¡± ¡°...¡± While I had prepared myself already for that event, hearing it directly from another person made it all the more hellish. As Valkasus had stated, the ¡®Chosen Ones¡¯ were individuals who could scan information even from a distance, a skill that could be evaluated as ¡®impractical¡¯. However, in my perspective, these same individuals could kill me dozens of times after just a few seconds of observation. It was also why they were often the ones who took on the role of the Final Boss in most chapters. ¡°...I doubt there will be many at your level of prowess anyway.¡± Even though there were plenty of monsters among them, when it came to pure combat power, there weren¡¯t many who could surpass Valkasus. There might be quite a few who could come close though. This man had the power to single-handedly destroy a small nation if he so desired after all. ¡°...¡± After hearing my words, Valkasus scrutinized me up and down with his discerning eyes. ¡°You... Do you really know everything?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Prophet has already tipped me off. Apparently you¡¯ve gained understanding about all of our plans and information.¡± ¡°...¡± Now, that was quite unexpected... To what extent had this bastard known about me? When I began racking my brain over this newfound information, Valkasus let out a chuckle as he continued. ¡°But, if you¡¯ve really known who I truly am, isn¡¯t it a little strange for you to come all this way to have a conversation with me?¡± He had a point. Not only was he an existence who could annihilate an entire country alone, he also nonchalantly stated earlier that he would kill everyone in the academy in three days. Only a crazy motherfucker would approach him after knowing all this information. And I was one of those crazy motherfuckers. But, as he had said... ¡°...I mean, I already know everything.¡± I flopped onto the seat next to Valkasus, who was staring at the now setting sun, as I continued. ¡°Including why you are trying to go through with this in the first place.¡± At this point, a logical person would probably ask a very obvious question. Why was such a terrifying person introduced so early? During Chapter 2, practically the very start of the game? The answer to this question was much more simple than you might think. This person lacked the most important aspect that generally defined an ¡®enemy¡¯ of humanity. Evil Intent. Valkasus was not an evil person. Even if you were to consider his declaration to commit a massacre in three days. Severer. ¡°...¡± As long as Yuria held that sword, anyone who approached her would be struck down, including Lucia. Even if she was the Saintess, there were no exceptions. Her eyes were momentarily filled with contempt and revulsion. Given the circumstances surrounding how that sword became a national treasure, such a reaction from her was perfectly justified. ¡®...But for now...¡¯ She pushed her feelings aside. There were more important matters at hand. Instead, she scrutinized her sister intensely. She checked for any signs of ¡®deterioration¡¯ from the curse and the smallest changes that might have occurred since their last encounter. Although the traces of her arduous life on the run were evident everywhere, luckily, there did not seem to be any parts of her that deteriorated significantly. ¡®...Thank goodness.¡¯ Lucia wiped away a tear that had welled up in her eyes and murmured softly to herself. She had hoped that, despite the mistreatment in the Holy Land, Yuria would be better cared for in the Empire. However, there was obviously no clear guarantee that that would be the case. Thankfully, besides the fact that she lost a bit of weight, she seemed to be in good health. There were also no visible signs of harsh treatment. ¡®I¡¯m so glad you didn¡¯t seem to have suffered too much here, Yuria.¡¯ As she was thinking this, Lucia¡¯s gaze locked onto something. She found a ¡®collar¡¯ around Yuria¡¯s neck. ¡°...¡± Her expression instantly froze. A collar? Why on earth would a human be wearing something like this? Yuria... What kind of treatment was she being subjected to in the Empire? ¡°...Lord Dowd, please...¡± In front of Lucia, who was starting to have murderous thoughts, Yuria began to mumble in a pleading tone. ¡°I¡¯ll serve you as my master, so please, don¡¯t do something so cruel...¡± Perhaps, if Dowd had been present currently, he could have explained the significance and circumstances behind Yuria wearing this collar and assured Lucia that the ¡®cruel¡¯ things Yuria was murmuring was just a plea to not leave her behind. Unfortunately, the man in question was not here. ¡°...¡± Lucia¡¯s face morphed into a twisted expression of shock and dismay. ¡®Who on earth is this Dowd...!¡¯ How beastly and monstrous of a person was he to make her adorable little sister utter such words even in her sleep...!? ¡®...I will make you regret this. I swear it...!¡¯ Anger flared up in her mind, as it raged like a fire. The next morning. I stretched and got up, preparing for the day ahead. The bold move I made yesterday was still playing in my mind. Valkasus didn¡¯t give me any notable response. He just smiled at me, as if to say, ¡®Do as you please¡¯. ¡®...Yeah, well...¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m gonna do whatever the fuck I want then.¡¯ Did you think I wouldn¡¯t? I mean, it wasn¡¯t like he said he wouldn¡¯t take the bet anyway. So, I¡¯d just continue as planned. To stop Valkasus, save him, and make him my slave... No, I meant ¡®subordinate¡¯ LOL oops. ¡®And...¡¯ This was the first step. When I woke up in the morning, I checked the letter that was placed next to my bed. [ The Saintess has regained her consciousness. She also wants to talk to you, so it would be best to find her as soon as possible. ¨C Headmistress ] POG. For once, the timing was great. It aligned perfectly with my plan. In just two days, Chapter 2 would begin with an assault on the academy. At that time, my aim would be to lift the curse that was on Yuria¡¯s sword, the ¡®Severer¡¯. ¡®Originally, that would only happen at the end of Chapter 2.¡¯ Normally, you¡¯d have to suppress Yuria, who appears as the Final Boss at the end of the chapter, and then recruit her as a comrade. Sad to say, but I wouldn¡¯t have enough time to do all that. Luckily, I could still make it work somehow. There were always ways to bend the rules after all. Additionally, if I could release the curse on the sword... Yuria would become a crucial element of my strategy for Chapter 2. ¡®...It does come with certain conditions though.¡¯ Once the curse was lifted from the Severer, its wielder, Yuria, would become a powerhouse of close combat, even surpassing Eleanor and Iliya in ¡®specific situations¡¯. She could handle both of them even if they were to attack simultaneously. And in Chapter 2, there were plenty of conditions that could be met to definitively create at least one of these ¡®special situations¡¯. ¡®If I think about how to trigger it...¡¯ For the ¡®cheat¡¯ I was thinking of, I would need the cooperation of the Saintess no matter what. Besides, I needed to recruit her assistance anyway, so it was far more favorable that she asked to meet me first. At least, that was what I was thinking... System Message [ The target ¡®Lucia¡¯s¡¯ anger has crossed the threshold! ] [ Currently kindling the will to take vengeance on you! ] [ Marked with Negative Tendency! ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Skill: Evil Ruler has been activated! Obtained 1 command right over the target! ] Until I saw this window that had appeared while I was asleep. ¡°...¡± How strange. Didn¡¯t I save this person by fucking over the Pope? Why was something like this taking a massive shit all over my plans...? TL/N: We changed a lot of the names to more appropriate forms! Here is a list below! Elijah ¨C> Iliya Atallante ¨C>Atalante Elnore ¨C> Eleanor Lucien ¨C> Lucia Yuria ¨C> Yuria We will continue to update you guys when a name changes! Have fun reading! You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 51: Curse Removal (1) Chapter 51: Curse Removal (1) ? Curse Removal (1) ? ¡°...It¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± I carefully gave out a retort after seeing the chilling gaze that was directed at me. No, seriously, what the hell? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It wasn¡¯t like I was some kind of serial pervert with weird kinks or some shit like that. I literally just did what Yuria asked of me. It felt like if I didn¡¯t listen to her, that girl would have been completely possessed by the Devil and gone on a rampage. ¡°After several years, I finally reunited with my younger sister, my only family.¡± However, Lucia continued with the same cold atmosphere. ¡°But as soon as we had reunited, I found out that my only family apparently doesn¡¯t seem to mind serving some foreigner as her master.¡± ¡°...¡± The fuck was she on about with this ¡®master¡¯ bullshit? I wished she would stop saying that title because just hearing it made me feel like shit. After all, every human was equal in the world. Praise equality! Well, Sera¡¯s worldview was inspired by a feudal society, but yeah anyway... ¡°Apparently, Yuria said that as long as that man doesn¡¯t leave her, it doesn¡¯t matter what is done to her. Moreover, to show how eager she is, she said she¡¯d even put a collar on herself and hand over the leash to him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I was curious as to why she became so obsessed, so I did a little research on my own. It turns out that Yuria was completely isolated from everyone, she couldn¡¯t meet any other person. She said that person was the only person who cared for her.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°She said that person suddenly disappeared one day without a word, making her cry a sea of tears alone. She even prayed several times, begging to see him again until he reappeared.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well, in that kind of situation, I think anyone would become obsessed with that person, there¡¯s no need for another special reason for it, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, can you explain which part I ¡®misunderstood¡¯?¡± ¡°...¡± As I remained silent, unable to answer, the Saintess glared at me with stern eyes and asked once again. ¡°So?¡± ¡°...None, but...¡± When she summarized it like that, I did sound like an irredeemable piece of shit. I admit it. ¡°Still, let¡¯s put that aside for now. Even if you played a part in this, it¡¯s clear that it¡¯s not entirely your fault that Yuria went this far.¡± Lucia sighed as she said this and I nodded like a broken machine. Cold sweat ran down my face. ¡®Yes, please. Let¡¯s just move on, I beg you.¡¯ ¡°Besides, I¡¯m greatly indebted to you. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to pay it back.¡± Shortly after, Lucia respectfully bowed towards me. ¡°...I heard that you confronted the Pope and demanded that he doesn¡¯t interfere with us anymore.¡± Unlike earlier, her tone was extremely polite. One could even say there was a hint of sorrow in it. ¡°With just the strength of us two sisters, we would have never escaped from his grasp in our lifetime. Meeting you was nothing short of a miracle, truly.¡± ¡°...¡± System Message [ The favorability of the target ¡®Lucia¡¯ has greatly increased! ] [ The favorability level has been upgraded to ¡®Interest Level 1¡¯! ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Reward has been reduced due to the good alignment of the target! ] I scratched my cheek as I looked at the window before me. ¡°...You¡¯re exaggerating.¡± Well, I had to deal with the Pope eventually whether I liked it or not, anyway.. Among the antagonists, there were a few that could be dealt with somewhat peacefully, but that would never be the case for the Pope. ¡°...¡± Honestly, I understood what he wanted. To put it very simply, he was trying to build a ¡®paradise¡¯; His own ideal utopia on the plane of existence beneath Heaven. Regardless of what he was actually doing, he could always gaslight himself to think that he was doing something noble and all that shit. However, unlike Valkasus... He was a fucking trash. I would never cooperate with him, no matter how much I needed to. As the scenario progresses to the latter stages, he would reveal more of his true nature. ¡°And, well... He won¡¯t divert his attention away from you for long. It wouldn¡¯t be weird for him to shift his attention back to you at any time.¡± Throughout the scenario, the Greyhounder Sisters had one of the main storylines that ran alongside scenarios related to the Pope. It was true that I had temporarily neutralized his interference through my oh so subtle negotiation. However, in the end, the Homunculi only had their immunity from the Holy Land and the Pope until the Pope¡¯s plan was completely shredded to pieces. Until then, their situation remained precarious. Moreover, considering what I could achieve if I continued to develop these two as a pair, all the way until the end of the scenario, it became even more important to remain wary of the Pope¡¯s intentions. ¡°...Certainly, that¡¯s true.¡± Lucia replied with a slightly gloomy tone. ¡°Yuria and I are essential to the Pope¡¯s ¡®Great Covenant¡¯. I don¡¯t intend to give up on resisting but...¡± As she continued, a bitter smile adorned the Saintess¡¯ beautiful face. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I have any intention of taking what you¡¯ve done for granted. How can I express my gratitude¡ª¡± ¡°Alright then. Can you grant me some of my requests?¡± ¡°...¡± Lucia¡¯s expression instantly turned blank. She seemed a bit taken aback that I spoke as if I¡¯d been waiting for this moment. Bruh, why were you so surprised?¡¯ Nothing in this world was free, you know?Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°...Requests, you say?¡± ¡°Yes. Requests.¡± ¡°Of course, I shall listen to whatever you have to say, but despite my grandiose title of ¡®Saintess¡¯, what I can actually do is...¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t really expect much from you anyway, Saintess.¡± Yep. I really didn¡¯t expect much from her. It would be heartless and tactless of me to expect something extravagant from someone who had been oppressed by the Holy Land not too long ago. ¡°...¡± Lucia¡¯s expression slightly soured. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°...Wait, why do you look so disheartened? You were about to say that you can¡¯t do much anyway, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but hearing you say it directly in front of my face is a bit...¡± ¡°...¡± Timidness must run in the family, huh.... Even with her dyed hair and delinquent aura that seemed like she might chew gum and spit at any moment, Lucia was unexpectedly the epitome of an introvert. ¡°...First of all...¡± Anyway! Onto more important things! There were two things that I wished for. ¡°Please help me improve my proficiency in abilities related to divine protection. There aren¡¯t many people in the Church who are even close to being as competent as the Saintess in that regard, right?¡± I intended to entrust this person with the training needed to expand my divine power, which was currently hovering between grades E and D, having barely escaped from F. Since I was going to ride or die with the priest skill tree, all abilities using divine power were essential. In that regard, this person should be of great assistance. ¡°That request isn¡¯t all that difficult. By any chance, could you tell me how much divine power you have...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s at the level of dogs, bugs, and worms.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It takes me about three minutes to create the simplest Grace of Healing. I think the Saintess could do around 200 of those at once, even without divine artifacts, no?¡± ¡°...Could you tell me what level of proficiency you¡¯re aiming for?¡± ¡°My goal is to reach about a third of what you¡¯re capable of in a month.¡± I needed to roughly achieve at least that level to be of real help to the problems I¡¯m currently facing. If I considered just the issues that will immediately affect my ¡®Divine Power Utilization¡¯, it was even more urgent. Solving Eleanor¡¯s household curse, finding Iliya¡¯s Holy Sword which involved Caliban in Chapter 4, and dealing with future issues entangled with the Heretic Inquisition... None of them were easy tasks. Actually, with my current growth rate, it would be impossible for me to achieve them. However, if I could truly achieve that level of proficiency, my range of adaptability would also greatly expand in turn. I would be able to handle any situation that arises, no matter how complicated or difficult it turned out to be. ¡°...¡± ¡°Because it was necessary, blud...¡± When have I ever done something thoughtless, you fool? I have to be at least on the status of the Saintess to gain access to the places I needed to go. And, just as I foresaw, the final location of this scheduled event was one of such places. ¡°...This place seems more and more impressive every time I come.¡± The Heart of the Star This dome-shaped building was a space where one could clearly feel the immense divine power residing, even from the outside. It was a facility found only within the three academies that surround the Void Zone. Its role was to supply power to the barriers surrounding the academies. This was a place where even a person like the Saintess could not enter on a whim. It would be a miracle for someone like me to be able to enter. Originally, the itinerary would be to just go in, offer some prayers of thanks, and then leave. Well, big emphasis on the ¡®originally¡¯ part. ¡°I heard during class that the holy relics left by the Seraphs are still intact inside. Apparently, those holy relics serve as a perpetual power supply to the barriers. Isn¡¯t that incredible?¡± Iliya continued to mention various things with a slightly excited voice. Well, she was technically an existence born to have a strong interest in the ¡®celestial¡¯ and ¡®angels¡¯. In the first place, the person she idolized the most was Caliban, a Holy Knight. ¡°And apparently, there is also a security system to prevent terrorist activities!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°If you tamper with the holy relics inside, the guards prepared by the Seraphs will jump out to take care of its security! The angels really took their work seriously!¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°...¡± Since Iliya excitedly chatted away, I gave her bland reactions out of courtesy, but suddenly she stopped talking. She must have finally realized something was strange. There were only three people who had entered the ¡®Heart of the Star¡¯ right now. Me. Yuria. Iliya. The rest were all waiting outside. This was the situation I specifically arranged with my request to the Saintess. ¡°...What is this?¡± Her eyes had narrowed instantly, looking towards me with suspicion. She must have sensed something strange and ominous instinctively. ¡°What are you cooking?¡± ¡°What cooking...¡± I yawned and looked at the massive ore that had appeared before us. This was the ¡®Heart of the Star¡¯, as well as the reason why this building was named as such. It was also the material that Iliya would eventually use to craft her Holy Sword. A whole ass perpetual engine. ¡°...¡± Iliya¡¯s expression twisted even more as her ominous premonition grew. Meanwhile, I slowly approached the Heart of the Star. ¡°Mister. You wouldn¡¯t, right?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t what?¡± ¡°...That... You wouldn¡¯t, right?¡± I didn¡¯t know what ¡®that¡¯ was. But if she was talking about ¡®this¡¯, then, she was correct. I drew my sword and immediately struck the Heart of the Star. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A frozen silence stifled the surrounding area. ¡°What the fuck are you doing, you crazy bitch?! Are you actually fucking insane, you psycho?!¡± I chuckled at the figure of Iliya screaming hysterically. ¡°It¡¯s fine. This much won¡¯t even leave a scratch.¡± ¡°The problem isn¡¯t whether it leaves a scratch or not...!¡± -... -... -...!!!! Immediately after the Heart of the Star sensed the ¡®impact¡¯, it emitted a red light in all directions. Obviously, it didn¡¯t seem particularly friendly. As the Heart of the Star began to ¡®beat¡¯ faster, the light followed, growing brighter and stronger. Almost as if it was trying to ¡®summon¡¯ something. ¡®YOSH. This is it.¡¯ Meanwhile, I chuckled while observing this phenomenon. ¡°Yo, by the way. I agree with you. The angels really do take their work seriously.¡± ¡°What are you even saying all of a sudden?!¡± ¡°So, I wanted to have a little meeting with them ASAP.¡± I had mentioned this time and time again, but the Curse of Severance was one of the most malicious curses in the game. Attempting to alleviate it quickly was not something an average person could do. That¡¯s why, for removing that curse, I would need the assistance of the angels, who were basically specialists in this field. ¡®However...¡¯ A Seraph was among the highest ranking angels; a being I could not easily meet. Aaanywaay... You see, there were two ways to meet a busy person. The first was to book an appointment in advance. But fuck that, I only had three days left. ¡°...¡± And the second way was... To cause an incident. A reaaaaally fucking huge incident. So that it would be reported all the way up there. ¡°...Yeah, I forgot for a moment but...¡± Iliya had started to mutter with a soulless expression. ¡°This guy was always one crazy motherfucker.¡± ¡°...¡± As soon as that hurtful comment was spat out. -! -!!! -!!!!!!!!! A burst of red light erupted, enveloping the interior of the dome with an overwhelming aura. TL/N: Hierarchy of Angels: Highest orders Seraphs Cherubs Thrones Middle orders Dominions Virtues Powers Lowest orders Principalities Archangels Angels You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 52: Curse Removal (2) Chapter 52: Curse Removal (2) ? Curse Removal (2) ? In reality, even if it was a security system prepared by the Seraphs, merely touching it wouldn¡¯t immediately trigger mass hysteria or cause the Seraphs themselves to emerge. Let¡¯s say that an important facility was being infiltrated and alarms started blaring, would the higher-ups come running to stop the trespasser by themselves? Of course not. Logically, the first ones who¡¯d come running would be the ¡®security force¡¯. -! And the security force that angels usually deployed was the Automaton, an autonomous combat doll equipped with a core. A mechanical giant made of steel marched its way out from within the light cluster. Fitting of its size, every stomp of the giant made the entire dome tremble. ¡°...An Automaton made of starsteel? How are the three of us supposed to deal with something like that!?¡± Iliya let out a scream of panic. Speaking about starsteel, it was the metallic substance making up the core of the Heart of the Star that I just struck. In terms of strength, hardness, or any other criteria, it was the highest-grade metal that one could wish for in this world. Like, there was a reason why they used it as a base material for the Holy Sword. As Iliya mentioned, a couple of mere students would never be able to take it down. We would at least need to bring someone at the level of a department head to match the power difference. ¡°...¡± I remained silent as I stared ahead. System Notification [ A moment of danger has been detected. ] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to Grade A. ] Grade A, huh? The fact that it didn¡¯t get raised to EX grade felt strange, but... This was probably because they were just machines that followed predefined commands. And so, they failed to fulfill the ¡®hostile intent¡¯ condition during the grade adjustment process of the Desperation skill. ¡°...¡± I let out a bitter laugh. Well, when someone openly tried to harm a holy relic left by the Seraphs, it honestly didn¡¯t matter whether it was an angel or a machine that came out. The thing was, because of the ¡®Commandments¡¯, angels were prohibited from directly harming someone anyway. Even in situations where they had to resort to force, they still couldn¡¯t directly intervene. As such, the reason why this machine was so sluggish was because it was trying to find a way to subdue its opponent without using force. ¡®...When you think about it, it¡¯s quite ironic.¡¯ Devils relatively had more freedom to intervene in the material world. Fragments of their main bodies were already scattered throughout the material world, and even though their followers might not flaunt their status, they were enormous in number. Additionally, under the right conditions, they could manifest themselves directly through the Vessels by using the fragments that they attached. In contrast, angels could, at most, only indirectly provide graces or blessings to someone. For their actual body to emerge directly into the material world, it required more than just a Devil¡¯s Fragment attaching itself to a Vessel; it demanded a level of complexity beyond the Vessel going wild. ¡°...¡± This situation happened because of the ¡®Commandments¡¯. A covenant made between those old men at the pinnacle of Heaven and the rulers of Pandemonium. It was a really important setting in the latter parts of the scenario as it could directly influence the game¡¯s ending itself. Hmm, how should I put this... Heaven and its angels were technically an ally to humanity. However, their stance wasn¡¯t as concrete as you might think. An example of this could be someone like the Pope. He could wield an enormous amount of divine power, but was not necessarily an ally to humanity, nor was he ¡®good¡¯. The main reason behind this phenomenon was that there were ¡®factions¡¯, even within Heaven itself. ¡®...Anyway...¡¯ Thanks to the contents of the Commandment, the means by which the angels could influence the material world were extremely limited. Therefore, when they wished to do something in the material world, their influence was usually concentrated on a single human. In the material world that we lived in, we called this human a ¡®Hero¡¯. And by ¡®Hero¡¯, I was talking about the orange-haired girl next to me who was drawing her sword while clenching her teeth. ¡°Seriously! You! I can¡¯t anymore¡ª!¡± While saying this, she tried to approach me, but I extended my palm towards her. Anyone could tell that it was clearly a gesture to tell her not to come any closer. ¡°...No, what...? What is it this time?!¡± ¡®Dude, I know you¡¯re irritated and all, but...¡¯ ¡®This time, I didn¡¯t bring you along to get help in battle.¡¯ ¡®On the contrary...¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t join in.¡± In the current situation, it would be better if she did not get involved at all. ¡°...¡± Iliya¡¯s mouth opened slightly, as her pupils trembled with a fierce intensity. ¡°...What... Uh... What... What are you... What do you mean...?¡± ¡°Hm? I meant exactly what I said.¡± As I mentioned before, the setting of the game was that a human who received concentrated graces and blessings from angels was called a Hero. Additionally, our MC over here was currently a Hero ¡®Candidate¡¯. Considering that she was supposed to be officially appointed as the Hero, if any traces of her involvement were left behind in what I was about to commit, a shitshow would bound to happen. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t need you because you¡¯re weak or unhelpful, okay? So don¡¯t start fanfictioning weird thoughts on your own.¡± Of course, I couldn¡¯t explain every little thing in detail. The Karen nature of those in Heaven were often far worse than the Devils in Pandemonium. There was a high chance that they would try to dig into how someone like me, a complete outsider, knew about the inner workings of Heaven. ¡°Then why...!¡± ¡°Whoops.¡± Before Iliya could say anything again, the Automaton raised its weapon and struck down at my location. There was no need for me to trigger Swordsman¡¯s Focus. An A Grade in Desperation was more than enough to handle this. The problem was, I didn¡¯t really have a means to deliver an effective blow on it. ¡®Well, I guess that¡¯s why these Automatons are the best thing they could pick as a guard.¡¯ The reason why angels frequently used Automatons, even with their sorely lacking attack power, was because they were optimal for ¡®buying time¡¯. These motherfuckers just wouldn¡¯t die. Even if Desperation was EX Grade instead of A Grade, it would still take a tremendous effort for me to take it down. ¡¸It looks quite tough. Can it even be cut with a sword?¡¹ Next to me, Yuria displayed such words while tilting her head. She didn¡¯t react to my actions like Iliya did, and she showed zero signs of tension even though a gigantic and powerful enemy had appeared. ¡°...¡± As I lightly dodged another attack from the Automaton, my mind started drifting elsewhere. I realized this quite often, but Yuria¡¯s emotions were definitely more twisted than normal people. The majority of potential Vessels for Devils were like that, but she was particularly worse even among them. To be more specific, most of her emotions seemed to be concentrated in a direction related to ¡®me¡¯. Joy, sadness, fear, anger. Honestly, anything, really. ¡®...That¡¯s lowkey scary...¡¯ It really do be like that sometimes. I guess it could be because, due to the nature of the White Devil, she had already undergone fusion between the Devil¡¯s Fragment and her own soul. Regardless, it was still hella terrifying. After all, I couldn¡¯t even begin to guess what kind of bullshit her sporadic emotions would cause in the future. As such, Yuria became sullen and suddenly stopped walking. It felt like I was looking at a puppy that brought back a frisbee and was waiting for her owner to pat her on the head. ¡¸Won¡¯t you praise me...?¡¹ ¡°...¡± I reluctantly picked up a long stick that came out of the demolished Automaton. Using this, I gently stroked Yuria¡¯s head from afar. ¡°...Good girl. Well done.¡± ¡¸Hehe...¡¹ I wonder... Should I be happy because she still liked me, even after I treated her like this? Or should I be terrified instead...? ¡°...Are you kidding me? What are you two even doing? ¡°...¡± ¡®Shut up.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯ve only been dissing me since earlier.¡¯ Well, it wasn¡¯t like I had time to hear her rebukes anyway. Since the Automaton was destroyed in an instant, the angels would probably be in Code Red at this moment. Someone would come out soon. And just as I was thinking this... The radiant mass of light in the surroundings surged even brighter. -! Then, from within the white light, a winged figure in white armor appeared. A woman with blue hair that reached all the way down to her feet. She was someone I was familiar with. In the first place, females were extremely rare among angels. A Virtue15th ranked in angel hierarchy. Not a name! Similar to Archangels, Seraphims, Thrones, etc. . With qualities of nobility and virtue, they were known to bestow ¡®miracles¡¯ upon humans who dwelled on the surface. When considering the hierarchy of angels in Sera, she was quite high-ranking; around the level of a high-ranking government official. ¡°A-An angel?!¡± Beside me, Iliya was gaping in shock. Well, I guess from her perspective, it was probably akin to seeing a celebrity in person. However, to be honest, I was also surprised by the appearance of this specific angel. ¡®...Higher ranked than I expected.¡± From the very start, I never expected to come face to face with a Seraph. Those boomers would only show their faces near the end of the scenario. No matter how much of a commotion I caused, it would be impossible to meet them. After all, position-wise, they were antipodes of Devils. That was why, I thought maybe some random low-ranking angel would come out, but who would have imagined that a Virtue appeared instead. What a surprise. ¡®...Honestly, isn¡¯t this pretty nice?¡¯ All things considered, this was a pleasant surprise. It¡¯d help to save me some time. I needed to negotiate with a high-ranking angel in order to lift the Curse of Severance, but since she was only a Virtue... I could ¡®rip her off¡¯ more than I had originally planned. Time to take a more radical approach. ¡°...This commotion. I see that you were the one who caused it?¡± The angel wore a compassionate smile as she spoke in a chiming voice. ¡°...¡± However, when I looked into those eyes, it made quite the contrast to the demeanor she wished to retain. The corner of her eyes were trembling and even her lips couldn¡¯t stop twisting, as her supposedly benevolent smile continued to fall apart. She was fucking pissed. Well, a tyrannical superior gave her a task to handle and someone was fucking with it. She had all the right to be upset. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were thinking when you committed such an act but...¡± The Virtue spread her wings wide. Her golden feathers majestically fluttered. Subsequently, divine power began to gather ominously around her. ¡®I think what happens next would be...¡± More than often, angels would employ mental ¡®suppression¡¯ in situations where they could not physically overpower their target. They¡¯d directly infiltrate their opponent¡¯s mind to manipulate their actions without causing direct harm. Instead of trying to cause me serious harm, she¡¯d simply restrain me as punishment for fucking around places where I shouldn¡¯t be. ¡°Are you prepare¡ª¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m prepared. Hurry up and do that shady thing you angels always do.¡± ¡°...¡± As I interrupted the angel¡¯s threatening words, she momentarily turned speechless as she blankly stared at me. Oops. You can¡¯t deny that, can you? ¡®...I can¡¯t even begin to comprehend why they shamelessly call it divine power when its nature is so wicked.¡¯ I deeply sighed, my thoughts wandering elsewhere once again. A significant amount of skills that used divine power interacted with the mind. Allegedly, the compatibility between the two was good. And it seemed like even ¡®holy¡¯ and ¡®pure¡¯ beings such as angels freely exploited this without a care. ¡®Bruh, what kind of angel resorts to brainwashing or mind manipulation?¡¯ ¡°You really need to be taught a lesson!¡± With that, the Virtue shot her divine power towards me. Shortly thereafter, I felt a sensation of something ¡®intruding¡¯ into my consciousness. It was probably similar to a feeling of someone else¡¯s mind mixing with mine. It was the divine power that an angel directly manipulated. Even a powerful opponent wouldn¡¯t be able to resist it. ¡°...¡± I let out a wry smile. But, well... From my perspective, I was practically welcoming the angel¡¯s actions with both arms. ¡®She just activated my trap card. GG.¡¯ If she was ¡®infiltrating¡¯ my mind directly... I had prepared some glorious surprises for her. ¡°...!¡± And in the next moment... The angel¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. TL/N: Hey guys! I know there has been a lot of complaints about slang, memes, cringe, and inconsistent with previous TLer! So I¡¯m here to clear everything up with you! The author of FLV uses quite a lot of slang, Korean humor, and Korean idioms/sayings. I try my absolute best to translate a funny Korean joke into an English one. Obviously, it misses the mark sometimes, so I will try to make the humor more pleasant from now on. Bear with me! However, please know that we are ALWAYS keeping in line with the author¡¯s intentions AND tone. I never pull something out of nowhere, just because I want to troll you guys. If you feel like the character¡¯s personality, attitude, or word choice has changed, it has not. This leads to how it seems inconsistent with the previous TL. Once again, I will repeat. When I¡¯m translating, I follow what the author wants. If Dowd seemed eloquent before, but now, he seems like a NEET? That¡¯s because HE ALWAYS WAS. So PLEASE, be understanding even if you are not happy with the changes in personality. The author meant Dowd to be one of us! A gamer, webnovel reader, anime lover, etc. That makes him just the more relatable, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love to see him as more time passes. About references: This novel is INCREDIBLY difficult to add every single nuance and reference. If you wish to know a brief list, there has been: WOW, LOL, Chainsaw Man, Abrahamic religions, Naruto, etc. It takes a long time to research all of these and try to bring the best experience to you guys! Please understand and show this novel (and our team) a lot of love! With that, I will briefly mention a release schedule because a lot of people have been asking: Our goal is to have at least 4 chapters per week. This week¡¯s daily releases were special because we have just started the novel. However, you can depend on us to deliver consistent chapters every week. Who knows? Maybe if you guys shows enough love, I¡¯ll release daily :)) And for our premium readers: We will have 5 premiums next week! And maybe more the following ???? We¡¯ll see! Anyway, look forward to the adventures of our yandere-rizzler MC! I¡¯ll always try my hardest to allow you guys to read the best TL quality of all the lands. GIVE US LOVE AND SUPPORT! I WANT TO SEE ONLY GOOD VIBES IN THE COMMENT SECTION AND DISCORD! I hope you guys enjoyed today¡¯s chapter! See you tomorrow! -DOMINUS You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls 1 5th ranked in angel hierarchy. Not a name! Similar to Archangels, Seraphims, Thrones, etc. Chapter 53: Curse Removal (3) Chapter 53: Curse Removal (3) ? Curse Removal (3) ? Honestly, the ability to run through other¡¯s minds to subdue them was a pretty dumb skill. In a way, it was just combat without physical force. The user would just infiltrate the opponent¡¯s subconscious, defeat them in a duel, then do it over and over until they surrendered. After that, the user would coerce them with divine power, making them agree to certain conditions and that was it. ¡®So this is how it¡¯s actually implemented, huh?¡¯ While nodding my head, I looked around at the entirely white space, void of anything and anyone. This seemed to be my subconscious. It seemed like this divine power worked by plopping the two of us in the middle of this new plane. ¡°...Eh?¡± And as expected, the Virtue was looking around at the surroundings, just as I was. Albeit, with a somewhat bewildered expression. ¡°W-What¡¯s this? Why is there nothing here?¡± When I heard her exclamations of confusion, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Indeed, my current situation was a bit special. ¡®...I think the subconscious is said to be directly influenced by Karma, right?¡¯ I scratched my head as I tried to recall my memories. Oh yeah, there was this thing called the Karma Counter, a measurement of someone¡¯s disposition, whether you could categorize them as evil or good. The Karma value accumulated not only from murder, but also from other wrongdoings. Conversely, through acts of kindness adhering to universal moral standards or through mental discipline, the Karma value could also gradually get lowered. Your subconscious would display a hellish atmosphere when you had a high Karma value, while if you had a low one, it would display idyllic and harmonious scenery. That was why, my ¡®empty¡¯ subconscious was quite a peculiar sight. Perhaps it meant that I couldn¡¯t be categorized as either good or evil? ¡°We-Well! It might look a bit unusual! But don¡¯t think for a single second that I¡¯m just an angel for show! You made a big mistake!¡± The Virtue confidently stood upright, boosting her confidence with her own exclamations. ¡°No matter who the opponent is, angels are the best when it comes to mental discipline through penance and restraint! No matter who the opponent is, we never falt¡ª¡± ¡°Just a moment ago, you seemed quite flustered though.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s not the case!¡± Hm... Instead of penance and restraint, it seems like they are the best at being utterly shameless, yeah? ¡®...To be fair, this person has always been this way.¡¯ Among angels, females were already extremely rare, and if she was a Virtue of ¡®Elfante¡¯, it didn¡¯t take a genius to narrow down her identity. Users often called her Klutzy Angel. Heaven was so rigid and highly regulated that even breathing properly was difficult. But within such an environment, there was a certain heterogeneously lax angel. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were thinking by dragging an angel into your subconscious, but you¡¯ll surely regret it! Okay?¡± With that, Klutzy Angel spread her wings wide open. Then, a tremendous white aura began to surge around her. She certainly had overwhelming divine power. It was on par with or even greater than the divine power I had felt when directly facing the Pope. Even though angels were limited in exerting their power in the material world, within a subconscious, they could freely wield their entire strength. ¡°...Uh yeah, but... How should I put this?¡± While scratching my head, I met her eyes directly. ¡°I think it would be better for you to prepare yourself, for now....¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°The subconscious is directly linked to the soul, you know?¡± If I recall correctly, that was the setting in this world. It was a space that unfolds based on the information stored in the soul. Klutzy Angel creased her brows, as she frowned slightly. ¡°Yeah, so what? That means you¡¯re more at a disadvantage. Most abilities of material world beings are tied to their physical forms, so in a mental space, angels, who are spiritual entities, are always far superi¡ª¡± ¡®Uh...I don¡¯t think you have time for such an exposition, my dear Klutzy Angel.¡¯ I sighed and cut her off. ¡°Hey. I said that because whenever a space that is ¡®connected¡¯ to my soul is created, there are those who¡¯d rush over like a lunatic.¡± If I remembered the explanation Atalante gave correctly... My ¡®soul¡¯s personality¡¯ was exceptionally good at attracting something. A certain extreme ¡®something¡¯. One of them was literally near my physical body in the material world. ¡°Ah, she¡¯s here.¡± Simultaneously with my words, Klutzy Angel¡¯s expression quickly stiffened. That was because she could feel something was squeezing their way into this space. Of course, it was a bit... misleading to simply say that she was ¡®coming¡¯. -... I also wouldn¡¯t use ¡®appearing¡¯ in this instance... -...! It was probably more fitting to say that she was ¡®descending¡¯. The landscape of my previously empty mental world was subsequently dyed ¡®white¡¯. It encroached so quickly that it was more apt to describe it as being ¡®splashed¡¯ white than ¡®dyed¡¯. However, the sensation emanating from that color was far from pure or clean. Rather, it was so white that it felt like my mind might shatter. Just looking at it made me feel like I would lose my mind because it gave off an immense sensation of ¡®obsessiveness¡¯. It honestly wasn¡¯t easy to provoke discomfort with such a color, but there was one being that could make it a reality. ¡°...¡± Klutzy Angel¡¯s wings thumped against the ground. Her mouth hung open. Her pupils shook. ¡°A Devil...?¡± As her muttering echoed... A girl ¡®ripped apart¡¯ the space and revealed herself. Just that singular action was enough to make the entire space tremble. ¡°E-Eeeeek-!¡± Klutzy Angel fell flat on her ass as she saw all of the divine power she spread get devoured by a white demonic power. Seemed like her legs had gone weak. ¡°Why would I do that for free?¡± ¡°...¡± Klutzy Angel chewed on her lips. She wanted to bombard him with swears, but her current predicament made it impossible for her to say anything aloud. ¡°W-What do you want!? I¡¯ll give you anything s-!¡± ¡°A holy relic that can conditionally alleviate the Curse of Severance¡± ¡°...¡± Klutzy Angel began to chew on her lips even more severely. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t be able to make this decision on her own. The Curse of Severance was a particularly malicious curse, ranking highly even when considering the entirety of Sera. In order to weaken it, she would need to bring something quite valuable, even to Heaven. However... ¡°I-I¡¯ll give it! I¡¯ll give it to you so...!¡± That¡¯s fucking right. You had no choice anyway, you bumbling idiot. However, this much wasn¡¯t enough for me. ¡°Swear it. Oh also, put one wing as collateral.¡± ¡°You, how do you also know the regulations of ange...! E-EEEEEK-!¡± In the end, with snot and tears running down her face, Klutzy Angel followed my requests(?) and swore it on her wings. Well, I mean. If she didn¡¯t... I guess she could just die here. ¡®Death¡¯ in a mental space would directly influence the physical body as well. With great fatality at that. [...Not eating?] The White Devil spat out such a question, clearly displeased. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m just gonna let you know in advance, so...¡± I took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°If you touch even a strand of her hair, I¡¯m never going to forgive you.¡± ¡°Wh-What are you doing right now...! How could you possibly fight against a Devil...!¡± I smirked at Klutzy Angel¡¯s bumbling response. Who said I was fighting? Not me. Have you heard anything from me? I don¡¯t think so. Of course I couldn¡¯t fight her. I whipped out the sword on my waist and placed it on my own neck. ¡°If you don¡¯t listen, I¡¯m going to kill myself.¡± ¡°...¡± [...] ¡®Well, I won¡¯t actually do it. But what are you gonna do about it, huh?¡¯ If I understood the White Devil¡¯s personality properly, she would go fucking bonkers at just the thought of ¡®He might actually do it¡¯. It could seem a bit much to treat my admirer like this, but if she was going to make me choke on her love and affection without even asking for my opinion, there was more than enough reason to at least gaslight her by this much. And just as planned, as soon as I mentioned such words, her pupils started shaking like crazy. She bit her lips. Anyone could see she was beyond anxious. As silence befell amongst the White Devil and Virtue, I continued to speak with a smirk. ¡°So, release the angel and get us out of this place. I¡¯ll deal with you later.¡± [...Deal with me?] ¡°You know what I mean. Won¡¯t we meet again later?¡± I spoke calmly, looking straight into her eyes. Well, in the end, I was destined to ¡®meet¡¯ her, and the rest of the Devils, face-to-face even. Since she was a Devil, she must have instinctively felt it as well. [...] For a long while, she stayed quiet, before opening her mouth again. [...That¡¯s...A promise?] ¡°Promise.¡± I nodded my head in affirmation. Promise or not, it was something that was fated to happen anyway. [...Okay.] With that, the White Devil pouted as she dropped Klutzy Angel onto the ground. Klutzy Angel collapsed back to the ground, the breath knocked out of her body. Then, the White Devil¡¯s fragment, who had taken on the figure of Yuria, slowly stepped towards me. She immediately began to stroke the outside of the mask covering my face. It was something I always wore whenever I was with Yuria. Of course, I wore it today as well. ¡°...¡± The portion of the mask that the White Devil¡¯s hand touched felt like it was melting. Although she didn¡¯t overwhelm me as much as the Grey Devil, her position as the White Devil was definitely not for show. ¡°...¡± Oh, right. I finally remembered why I always wore a mask when meeting Yuria. Uhhhh, it was to prepare for the case where Yuria would become the ¡®Vessel¡¯ of the White Devil, just like she was currently, [Face.] Oh fuck. This was... The trigger for the White Devil¡¯s ¡®rampage¡¯. There was an event that occurred the moment she recognized my face. Even among the Devil-related ones, I remember it being so fucked up that it was in the honorary rankings for dogshit events. [Show me...Later, for sure.] ¡°...¡± No fucking way. There was no shot that I¡¯d ever show it to you. As I engraved this resolve into my very soul... My subconscious completely crumbled away. TL/N: Hey guys! I¡¯m sick so I¡¯m going to take a break for a few days. But don¡¯t worry! There still will be 4 chapters a week. Hope you guys enjoyed and found this chapter better than the other ones. I think I¡¯m slowly approving! Please always give this novel a lot of love! ¨C DOMINUS You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 54: Butterfly Effect Chapter 54: Butterfly Effect ? Butterfly Effect ? After concluding all my business, I walked out of the dome, only to see the Saintess clutching her head with a heavily twisted expression. There was a lit cigarette in her hand. ¡°...Is it okay for the Saintess to smoke?¡± ¡°When I¡¯m stressed, yes, it¡¯s okay. If I don¡¯t do this, I probably would¡¯ve just died ages ago.¡± ¡°...¡± Why was she suddenly making such an ominous remark? ¡°I¡¯m having a hard time right now as well. Because of you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Did you know? When one contains divine power beyond a normal amount, there are times when they can communicate with beings from the Astral Realm.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There¡¯s an angel in that building who is very angry with you. They kept screaming about how trashy you are. Their voice is ringing in my head.¡± ¡°...Is that so...?¡± Well, I didn¡¯t actually need her to tell me that. Seeing this was enough to tell me all I needed to know. System Message [ Target ¡®Virtus A1101¡¯ recognizes you as irredeemable trash! ] [ Marked with Negative Tendency! ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Skill: Evil Ruler has been activated! Obtained 1 command right over the target! ] ¡°...¡± These days, it felt like my reputation was plummeting to the ground quite frequently. Well, shit, it wasn¡¯t like there was anything that I could do. Actually, fuck it. There was something more important than that. I brought out several metal ingots the size of Lucia¡¯s forearm in front of her. As soon as she saw them, Lucia¡¯s expression quickly turned serious. ¡°...This is...¡± No matter how much she shit on me, she was still the Saintess. She seemed to have recognized what it was right away. I mean, it was a bit hard not to know, since the ¡®Heart of the Star¡¯ inside that dome was made out of this exact material. [ Starsteel Ingot ] Type: Material ¨C Weapons and Armor Description: It has high conductivity for all types of powers, but is especially compatible with divine power. It can only be damaged by Starsteel or Pandemonium Metal. ? Strong resistance to all curses when crafting equipment. ? When combined with specific materials, it has special effects. Just looking at it made me cum a little. As expected of the core material for the protagonist¡¯s signature weapon, it was practically smothered in all kinds of utilities. ¡°Where on earth did you get this much starsteel? This is a metal that only appears in myths¡ª!¡± ¡°Well, if you want to nitpick, isn¡¯t the being inside, the one who is cursing me, also someone who only appears in myths?¡± ¡°...¡± Lucia closed her mouth as if to say, ¡®Wait, he got a point.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m planning to give Yuria a present by using one of these.¡± When I continued talking while scratching my cheek, Lucia¡¯s eyes briefly lost her focus. ¡°...Sorry?¡± Then, she blinked her eyes a few times in succession. It seemed like she was slowly digesting the significance of what she had just heard. Suddenly, she jumped up from her seat. With a look of astonishment, she alternated her gaze between the starsteel ingot and me. ¡°W-Wait, just a moment. This is starsteel we are talking about! In some cases, wars would have broken out to obtain just half the amount you just gave me!¡± Yep, that was true. This thing definitely wasn¡¯t your average everyday commodity. But the curse on your younger sister wasn¡¯t some ordinary curse either, you know? ¡°Well, I¡¯m not even giving you all of it anyway. I¡¯ve set aside the amount I¡¯m going to use, so just take it.¡± I wasn¡¯t lying. This was barely half of what I had ripped off from that Virtue. After all, I intended to save the rest for other purposes. ¡°That¡¯s not the issue he¡ª!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, there will be problems if I don¡¯t give you two at least this much.¡± With a determined tone, I said those words. When I said that the Curse of Severance was one of the most vicious things in existence, I wasn¡¯t spewing some exaggerated bullshit. The amount that I got from blackmailing that Virtue was almost enough to make a holy relic, but it would still be impossible to remove the curse in its entirety with only that much. ¡°...That is...indeed true.¡± Lucia responded with a gloomy expression, her head drooped as she fell silent. ¡°However, only receiving one-sided favor like this¡ª¡± ¡°Nope.¡± I interrupted with a serious tone. ¡°Both of you are that important to me. I can afford to give you some of these, so just take it.¡± ¡°...¡± To be more precise, to effectively utilize Yuria in the upcoming Chapter 2 Boss Battle, they had to receive this starsteel. Considering the roles that these two sisters would play in the Boy King Boss Battle, I could not emphasize enough how important this matter was. It wasn¡¯t only for their sake, but it was for mine as well. ¡°In the first place, this is just the beginning. I intend to stay with you for a long time. Just consider it a token of my sincerity.¡± And, well... This girl was one of the key figures of the late-game main story line, the ¡®Pope Subjugation¡¯. Giving away mere chunk of starsteel wasn¡¯t even that big of a de¨C System Message [ The target is aware of your history with women and therefore has doubts. Resists seduction! ] [ However, she eventually fails to resist! ] [ The favorability of the target ¡®Lucia¡¯ has slightly increased! ] [ The favorability level has been upgraded from ¡®Interest Level 1¡¯ to ¡®Interest Level 1.5¡¯! ] ¡°...¡± ¡®What the fuck is this shit?¡¯ ¡®What seduction did I do? What the fuck did resisting it even mean?¡¯ ¡°...Please don¡¯t do this to me. Please.¡± Lucia, with a deeply blushing face, opened her mouth with a stammer. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I only had suspicions before, but now I¡¯m certain. Just how many girls have you seduced like this?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°When you¡¯re saying words that would cause misunderstandings, there¡¯s a line that you should never cross... If I didn¡¯t know Yuria was in this state, I might have been fooled by you too...¡± ¡°...What does that even mea¡ª?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Don¡¯t make me explain my own words, you shameless person!¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd Campbell, recipient of a second lifetime achievement. Someone the Saintess labeled a shameless person. How far have I fallen? ¡°Anyway!¡± The Saintess, still with a red face, continued speaking after clearing her throat a few times. ¡°The last time you helped, you said nothing in this world is free. So, what do you want from us this time?¡± She was definitely quick on the uptake. As expected, it seemed like the fuckery she had gone through while roleplaying as the benevolent Saintess was not a waste at all. ¡°Yes, well. Um. It¡¯s not that big of a deal but...¡± I tried to choose my words carefully. Like, really, REALLY, carefully. As I mentioned time and time again, these two sisters were the key figures of the Boy King Subjugation. Because of this, their roles were also quite...spectacular. Yes. Totally. However, I found that when I usually explain these kinds of things, I¡¯d get misunderstood way too often. That was why, I had to explain the plan in a more stable and careful mann¡ª ¡°You know, I can tell that your request is fucking deranged just by looking at your expression, so just cut to the chase and say it. What do you want?¡± ¡°...¡± Why was she so mean to me...? Honestly, I was already prepared for the fact that everything wouldn¡¯t follow what was ¡®predetermined¡¯. However, I guess I should¡¯ve paid more attention... As always, the butterfly effect was more of a motherfucking pain in the ass than I anticipated. [ Main Quest ] ¡¼ Boy King ¡½ [ ¡®Academy Assault¡¯ Incident: D-1 ] I read the window in front of me. ¡®Only one day left now, huh?¡¯ Various things happened, but I had prepared everything I could for now. She knew something about me. Honestly, it was more likely that it wasn¡¯t anything important. Rumors about me had spread to the point where anyone could easily know who I was. It wasn¡¯t difficult to assume that she had probably heard some random tidbits. However... Something...felt off. ¡°Mmm, So...¡± The masked woman nodded while briefly humming. ¡°Do you happen to know what the ¡®butterfly effect¡¯ is?¡± ¡°...¡± I stopped in my tracks as I heard some eerily familiar words. ¡°Originally, I had no interest in you. I didn¡¯t even plan to come here today. However, little by little, you caught my attention, and now, you¡¯re the only one I can see.¡± A strange feeling crept in. A shiver ran down my spine. ¡°All your actions led to this result; me being here today. It¡¯s a textbook definition of the butterfly effect, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Honestly, since you always prepared ahead of time, I thought you¡¯d be more meticulous and have that calculative mastermind vibe...¡± The masked woman leaned forward with her hands behind her back. ¡°But that¡¯s not the case at all. You¡¯re much more peculiar than I thought. You¡¯re so ordinary that it made you somewhat special. It¡¯s quite strange that someone like you still holds the upper hand, even when entangling with Devils.¡± The strange feeling intensified, becoming more and more concrete. Throughout the entire continent, only a few humans knew about my involvement with ¡®Devils¡¯. And even among the leaders of superpowers, only a certain few had such information. As she started throwing such information casually, I stopped considering her as a normal human. ¡°This is why I like you. I like you so much more now that I went out my way to see you directly, instead of just hearing stories about you.¡± Even with such words, the masked woman¡¯s demeanor remained utterly unchanged. Calm, quiet, and did not seem harmful at all. ¡°...Who are you?¡± ¡°Just know that I am Mr. Dowd¡¯s Number 1 Fan. I might value you much more than those devil-affiliated girls who are desperately chasing after you, okay?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that it¡¯s unpleasant to have those cursed bitches anywhere near you.¡± And right when those words flowed out in her composed voice... ¡°I want to kill them all whenever I see them hanging around you, acting as if they amount to something. How dare they do such a thing when they know nothing about you? Seriously, they need to know their places.¡± At this point, it was inevitable that I would break out in a flood of cold sweat. I couldn¡¯t understand what she was saying at all. The demeanor she gave off remained the same. It was as harmless and ordinary as ever. No matter how I looked at it, there was no threatening atmosphere. However, even though this was the conclusion I came with rationally... Instinctively, I felt that this person was ¡®dangerous¡¯. I felt it more strongly than ever before. The feeling was so overwhelming that my head started to spin. There was no physical pressure whatsoever, but I found myself involuntarily stepping back before I even realized, due to the ¡®twisted sensation¡¯ emanating from her. ¡°Only I can understand you. Only I can see through your ¡®true self¡¯.¡± The masked woman giggled. For every step I retreated, she matched with her own step, as she advanced. ¡°In this world, I am the only one. Only me. Only I can face you as an equal. The only ¡®villain¡¯ capable of that is me. Even the Devils can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°...You...¡± ¡°The others are just puppets that dance to your tune. They¡¯re just pieces on a chessboard. No matter how you look at them, they lack the brilliance that you have.¡± She continued in a voice mixed with laughter. In her usual calm tone, she poured out sentences dripping with such venom that it made me dizzy. ¡°So boring. So annoying. I want to kill them all. I want to kill them all and leave only you and me in this world. Life would be a bit more enjoyable that way.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± It felt like my stomach was turning inside out. I was barely able to squeeze out my voice ¡°Mmmm...¡± The masked woman took a step back, smiling slightly. ¡°You can just remember me as someone who came to scout you, okay?¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯t finished preparing for Valkasus¡¯s assault, have you?¡± A chill ran down my spine. ¡°It seems that you have several ¡®measures¡¯ prepared to counteract him...But the important ¡®deployments¡¯ aren¡¯t finalized yet. There should probably be at least four near the Clock Tower. Even if only that part is set up properly, you could easily subdue Valkasus.¡± I froze. I couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°The plan is perfect. Also, the measures are appropriate. I would¡¯ve done the same. However...¡± This bitch. ¡°If the timing of the incident was moved up by just ¡®one day¡¯, most of your plan would be neutralized, right?¡± She was repeating the exact same actions that I had been doing to my ¡®enemies¡¯ until now. Anticipating everything they would do and then unleashing a counter-punch one step ahead. ¡°I want to expect something more from you.¡± The woman gazed towards the Clock Tower and continued. ¡°About the disturbance that I will cause starting from now... I don¡¯t think I could handle it if I was in your position. However, if it¡¯s you...¡± Once again.... ¡°If it¡¯s you, you can do something about it, right?¡± The sentences continued to pour out. ¡°You can make me fall for you even more, right?¡± With that, she pulled out something from inside her clothes. Although it looked similar to a tiny awl... I knew what it really was. ¡°...Sky Splitter?¡± ¡°Oh? As expected, you know it?¡± How could I not? This item marked the beginning of Chapter 2. It completely disabled the surrounding barrier, allowing Valkasus¡¯s Forbidden Jutsu to permeate throughout the entirety of the academy grounds. A truly powerful and rare artifact. Only the Leader of the Devil Worshippers would even know of its existence, let alone possess one. ¡°...¡± I clenched my fists tightly. If that was the case, this proved... Who the woman before me really was. ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet.¡± The masked woman swept back her hair before speaking. ¡°Hello, Dowd Campbell. I am the Prophet. It¡¯s not my name, but that¡¯s what people call me.¡± The Prophet. Leader of the Devil Worshippers. ¡°But, you see, by any chance...¡± She left me one last line. ¨C Do you know the ¡®butterfly effect¡¯? And soon after... A huge light burst out from the Sky Splitter. As the light hit the dome-shaped barrier in the sky, web-like cracks started to spread. ¡°...¡± As I watched this scene that all but signified the start of the Chapter 2 Boss Battle... !! Alert !! [ A change in the scenario has occurred! ] [ An Emergency Event has occurred! ] [ The remaining time for the Main Quest has drastically decreased! ] I had only one thought on my mind. Do I know the butterfly effect? Yeah. I know. ¡°...¡± I knew it better than anyone. It was my true mentor that taught me this one fact; In this world, absolutely nothing would go my way. [ Main Quest ] ¡¼ Boy King ¡½ [ ¡®Academy Assault¡¯ Incident has begun! ] [ Protect the Academy! ] Yep. I¡¯m fucked. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 55: Boy King (1) Chapter 55: Boy King (1) ? Boy King (1) ? ¡°Phew... Another day has passed...¡± As Iliya spoke in an exhausted manner, Trisha, who was walking alongside her, let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Aren¡¯t you pushing yourself way too hard these days?¡± Her words were true. The classes at Elfante¡¯s Knight School were well known for its rigorous nature. Even among them, the training course Iliya had been enduring lately was infamous for being exceptionally demanding. Her seemingly masochistic tendencies and the additional one-on-one training sessions with the Dean after class had even reached the ears of Trisha, a Theology School student. It was to the extent that it had become a hot topic of discussion among students. They wondered if this was what one had to undergo to become a Hero Candidate. ¡°...Well, you know...¡± Iliya pursed her lips before speaking once again. ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling quite inadequate lately.¡± ¡°...Inadequate?¡± Her seemingly ridiculous words were met with Trisha¡¯s incredulous voice. Inadequate? Where exactly was the inadequacy she spoke of? It had been a well-known fact that there were absolutely zero freshmen who could even compare to half of Iliya¡¯s competence. Even Talion, whom people had some expectations for, got utterly demolished the moment they crossed swords. ¡°...Trisha, do you know Heaven¡¯s Automaton?¡± ¡°Huh? Where did that suddenly come from?¡± Of course she knew. Heaven, located within the Astral Realm, used them as weapons when they needed to intervene in the Material Realm. Because of their incredibly tough exteriors, it was immensely difficult to harm them in any way, thus making them a formidable opponent to all humans in the Material Realm. From what she knew, an academy student shouldn¡¯t have had the opportunity to meet something like that though... ¡°One of the freshmen was able to cut it down in one strike. ¡°...¡± ¡®What? What kind of monster is she talking about?¡¯ ¡°And once again, that freshman has a connection with Teach... I don¡¯t know how that person keeps getting intertwined with such women...¡± As Trisha observed Iliya¡¯s ¡®Color of Emotions¡¯, she jumped in surprise. It was black again, even though it had been white for quite a while. ¡°...R-Really? Still, I doubt there¡¯s anything special between Mr. Dowd and that freshman. Didn¡¯t you say he had already fallen for the Student Council President?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a bit more complex than that.¡± Iliya let out a sigh before continuing. ¡°Even though so many girls desire and chase after him, he never seems to like any of them. Not even a little.¡± ¡°...¡± Didn¡¯t that mean he was just a trashy philanderer? Although such a thought came up oh so naturally, Trisha swallowed the sentence back down her throat, hiding it behind her sealed mouth. No matter how tough she seemed, Iliya was someone who was sensitive regarding this matter. She couldn¡¯t speak out of turn. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried. I¡¯m worried that he will suddenly stop paying attention to me one day.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Iliya¡¯s expression turned dark in an instant. Almost as if she was remembering a bad memory. ¡°Last time, he even removed me from combat. Doesn¡¯t it sound like a red flag to you?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Trisha slowly blinked for a brief moment. ¡®No, wait. Uh, I thought she was...?¡¯ Weirdly, the focus of the conversation was off. Why was this discussion continuously leaning towards her combat prowess? ¡°...Uh, Iliya?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Uh, weren¡¯t we talking about Mr. Dowd¡¯s ideal type...?¡± For a moment, silence fell upon both of them. ¡°...No. Anyway, since that person is stronger than me, isn¡¯t it likely that Teach would focus on her and not me?¡± ¡°...¡± Um. For some reason, her friend always had questionable common sense. Since when did the pursuit of youth turn into a speculative arena for ranking who was stronger than the other? ¡°Why do you think that way?¡± ¡°How do I put it... Isn¡¯t that part of me the only thing that keeps me competitive and in the running?¡± ¡°...Where did that conclusion even come from?¡± Iliya shut her mouth, clenching her teeth as she did so. After kicking the ground a few times for no apparent reason, she cleared her throat with embarrassment. ¡°I-I mean...If you take my fighting prowess away from me, I¡¯m basically worth nothing...¡± As she looked at Iliya squirming, Trisha speechlessly grabbed her forehead. She realized that this girl had really a long way to go. ¡°...Be more confident. You¡¯re pretty popular among the boys, you know?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true though?¡± ¡°...¡± It was true though. Trisha could not fathom why IIiya was always in firm denial over something like this. ¡®...Her looks are pretty, her skills are incredible, she gets along with everyone...¡¯ In truth, from her perspective as a friend, Trisha felt that Iliya was wasted on someone like Dowd, who had a rather questionable history with women. She wished Iliya would realize that fan clubs weren¡¯t made for no reason. ¡°...Well, anyway. So that¡¯s why I¡¯ve been training hard lately! Maybe if I do that, Teach would, uh... You know... Spend more time with me...?¡± ¡°...¡± However, her way of thinking itself was completely and utterly wrong. Trisha gave up trying to convince her and shifted her gaze upwards. ¡°...Huh?¡± When she did, she was startled. The reason? Because she saw a towering ¡®pillar of light¡¯ that seemed to shatter the sky. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not sure...¡± -... In the midst of their conversation... The pillar of light struck directly at the barrier encompassing the entire academy. With that, the protective barrier, the same one that the Seraphs had laid long ago, began to form web-like cracks. ¡°...!¡± Both Iliya and Trisha¡¯s faces turned pale instantly. They weren¡¯t too sure what the exact situation was. However, there was no one in the academy who didn¡¯t know what losing the protective barrier meant. Firstly, there was the Void Zone nearby, the place where the Devils¡¯ ¡®true bodies¡¯ were sealed. Secondly, if the protective barrier disappeared, an indescribable calamity would undoubtedly strike this place. And just a few seconds later... In the distant Void Zone, a massive shroud of darkness surged up, contrasting with the pillar of light. Almost as if it immediately detected the damaged barrier. And shortly after... ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Through the cracks on the barrier, a black darkness began to scream as it rushed in. Main Quest: ¡¼ Chapter 2 ¨C Boy King ¡½ ¡°You!¡± At the sound of a familiar voice, I turned my head. Eleanor was rushing towards me with her sword drawn. Perhaps, even in the midst of this chaos, instead of avoiding this commotion, her first thought was to find me no matter what, so she had been searching the entire academy grounds for me. ¡°Are you okay? You need to get out of here quick¡ª!¡± ¡°Eleanor.¡± I grimly made eye contact with Eleanor. However... ¡°...I cannot run away. I need to solve this first.¡± Right now, this was the only thing I could say. As soon as she heard my words, Eleanor¡¯s eyes shook intensely. ¡°Solve this? What nonsense are you¡ª! This is not something for a mere student to handle!¡± ¡°...As long as I can come up with a solution, I can do it.¡± Rather, I had no choice but to do it. Or else... ¡°If I don¡¯t, I will die.¡± ¡°...¡± Yes, I gave her zero context and went straight to the conclusion, but this was the best explanation I could give at the current moment, I clenched my teeth once again. If I were to think hard enough, I should be able to find a solution. It would definitely come to me. However, my focus continued to break apart. My head was spinning even faster now. Right at that moment... Eleanor grabbed my shoulders tightly. ¡°You.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will not ask for the reason. There must be some circumstances pushing you to do this. But there is one thing you should be certain of.¡± Eleanor looked at me dead in the eye. ¡°If you die, I will die as well.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Think of it as a matter of life and death for two lives now. Find a way to survive. I will do whatever I can to help.¡± ¡°Eleanor, what are you say¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you not to die! I don¡¯t know what is going on, but I¡¯m telling you not to die no matter what!¡± Her agitated voice hit me like a hammer. I did not expect this person to make this kind of voice. It was only then that I could see her face properly. There were tears welled up at the corners of her eyes. It was a face that contrasted starkly with her usual impassive expression. It seemed as if I was that precious to her. ¡°...¡± Okay, look, sorry for doing this when you¡¯re so serious but... No, really, I¡¯m really sorry, but... I couldn¡¯t help but feel a reflexive laugh bubbling inside me. You see, it didn¡¯t seem like she knew how to use the muscles on your face properly. It was as if this was her first time making this kind of face. ¡°...Mm.¡± When I suddenly covered my face and lowered my head, Eleanor looked at me as if puzzled. ¡°...Dowd?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s nothing.¡± Because of the situation at hand, I choke down the laughter in my throat. However, thanks to that, I felt refreshed... My vision had returned. My mind had cleared. My composure was regained. ¡°Please wait a moment, Eleanor.¡± I smiled slightly in gratitude. Shortly after, I closed my eyes and sank deep into my thoughts, accelerating them to their limits. I checked the ¡®cards¡¯ I had and assessed the current situation. ¡°...¡± A spark ignited in my mind. I had it. A solution. It came in a flash of insight. And Eleanor, who had been watching my expression, nodded slowly. ¡°You seem to have finally organized your thoughts.¡± ¡°...Yes. As expected, resolving the situation immediately is close to impossible.¡± ¡°Then, are you going to run away?¡± ¡°No.¡± With a sigh, I gaze at Eleanor. Run away? Who? Me? Nah, never. That bitch had set up all of this to fuck me over. As such, what I needed to do was simple. ¡°I said it¡¯s close to impossible, not that it¡¯s impossible.¡± I would confront it head-on and fucking demolish it. There were inevitably going to be many clashes with the Prophet in the future. However, I was never going to show myself getting swayed by some childish prank from the very beginning. ¡°Eleanor, do you trust me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I asked if you trust me. I need your help.¡± ¡°...¡± It was a conversation we had before. After all, it was the exact same words I had said when facing the Purifier. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± And the response that came back was the same as well. Eleanor looked me straight in the eyes and opened her mouth. ¡°What do I need to do?¡± A grin spread across my face upon hearing those words. Time. In the end, it was all about time. If that motherfucker gave me 10 minutes, I would have died. Even if it had been 20 minutes, I would have been utterly annihilated. However, I, coincidentally, and rather luckily, had... 30 minutes. ¡°...Let us go, Eleanor.¡± Accompanied with a sigh, my voice practically resonated with determination. ¡°After all, we have to cut off the head of a millennium-aged monster in 30 minutes.¡± It was the perfect amount of time for me to sort out this situation. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 56: Boy King (2) Chapter 56: Boy King (2) ? Boy King (2) ? The setting sun. A sight that had always brought special memories to the Boy King. Such a phenomenon still held true even now, despite him having seen through more scenes than any person would ever experience. Family. Siblings. Friends. Acquaintances. He recalled the memories of everyone gathering while laughing loudly together, raising their glasses in celebration under the setting sun and the emerging moon. That was the Armada Kingdom¡¯s final day. A memory of a time when everyone smiled and accepted the impending ¡®destruction¡¯. Even after thousands of years, it still rooted itself firmly in his mind. It could be said that this memory was the only thing left between him and death. ¡°...¡± He closed his eyes and let out a shallow sigh. A venomous aura that could even crumble a sturdy stone building was emitted from inside him.. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left.¡± The origin of that venom was ¡®something¡¯ within his chest, which was bubbling and stirring even at this very moment. ¡°Soon...¡± He muttered while clutching his chest. There really wasn¡¯t much time left. Until he could fulfill the ¡®promise¡¯. ¡°...¡± Suddenly, his gaze lingered at a distant place. A pair of a man and a woman was visible. Among them, the man was the one who seemed to capture Valkasus¡¯ attention. ¡°...¡± Suddenly, a smile crept onto his face. If what the Prophet had said was true, that man already knew his reasons for doing this. That man probably knew what he was capable of. The identity of the ¡®thing¡¯ that he was entangled with to end up like this. And yet... -I will save you, Valkasus. You and your kingdom. He made such an audacious statement. That bold proclamation. ¡°...If you really can pull it off...¡± -Please become my subordinate. For life. Even if it was an outrageous request such as that... ¡°There¡¯s nothing I wouldn¡¯t do.¡± With those words, Valkasus looked up at the sky. The sun would set soon. Simultaneously, it also meant there wasn¡¯t much time left until the ¡®end¡¯. ¡°...Don¡¯t keep me waiting for too long.¡± And... ¡°I¡¯ve already waited long enough.¡± Such bitter murmurs faded away into the empty sky. ¡°So, what is the plan?¡± Eleanor brought up such a question while carrying me like a piece of luggage. Honestly, this method of transportation made me feel like my dignity as a human had been thrown away, but whatever. I¡¯d do this all day if it meant we could move quickly. ¡°Our opponents will be extremely difficult to handle, especially the ones around the Clock Tower.¡± From the Arrays that Valkasus had summoned, all sorts of Ruined were pouring out. However, as Eleanor had pointed out, the most powerful ones were concentrated around the Clock Tower, where their ¡®real body¡¯ was. To safely deal with a medium-grade monster, it would take three or four official knights. And there were dozens of such creatures surrounding a single location. Even someone like Eleanor said that the difficulty of this operation was ¡®beyond normal.¡¯ ¡°Currently, we can¡¯t possibly take them all down one by one.¡± The time given to us was a measly thirty minutes. However, considering the time needed to deal with Valkasus and the boss battle, we were left with only five to ten minutes. It was impossible for us to break through that horde within that timespan. ¡°We need to delegate that responsibility to others.¡± ¡°But looking at the current situation, I don¡¯t think there are any more manpowers available.¡± Like she said, most of the official knights that resided within the academy were already engaged in repelling the Ruined that attacked other areas. There was no way in hell we could ask them for assistance in breaking through that horde. However... ¡°No, there are still some.¡± The Prophet had definitely believed that I wouldn¡¯t have any of my measures properly prepared if she caused this disturbance a day early. However, I still had one card available. And they were people who were basically specialists when it came to the undead. ¡°Eleanor, I need you to find someone.¡± The landscape rushed past us at a terrifying speed as I issued my command. ¡°For now, we need to get to higher ground.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± With that, Eleanor kicked against the ground a few times. ¡®What the fuck? Is she actually human? Isn¡¯t she just a monster?¡¯ Because the landscape changed drastically with each kick of her feet, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that it was utterly nonsensical. It was even more so when I saw the ground shattered into pieces with every step. If only one fragment already did this, how strong would she be if she gathered all three? ¡°Is this enough?¡± While I was contemplating such thoughts, Eleanor had reached a high vantage point where the surroundings were clearly visible. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s enough.¡± With that, I described the characteristics of the people I was looking for. ¡°Blue hair, slightly taller than the average citizen of the Empire. Males in their twenties to mid-thirties. At least three or more of them are together. Their characteristic is... ¡®Incredibly¡¯ ordinary-looking.¡± ¡°...What?¡± My strange description prompted Eleanor¡¯s puzzled voice, but this was honestly the best way to describe them. This was because they were people in a profession that intentionally puts in effort to have a forgettable appearance. As such, describing their characteristics were a bit...difficult. ¡°And, most importantly...¡± This would be the part that only Eleanor could detect. And that was precisely the reason why I needed her. ¡°As soon as you see them, you¡¯ll feel a great discomfort.¡± Even if they hid their characteristics... The traces of ¡®exorcism rituals¡¯ they had honed to the extreme could not be concealed. To the extent where a Devil¡¯s Vessel couldn¡¯t help but be extremely sensitive to it. And even among them, the elites would exude a far more uncomfortable presence. ¡°Please find them. They are definitely nearby.¡± Considering the contents of their mission, they were unlikely to move far away from me. In fact, Eleanor, who looked around doubtfully while hesitating to follow my instructions, soon let out a frown. ¡°...What a nonsensically accurate description. They¡¯re not far from here. All the conditions match them perfectly.¡± As expected. ¡°Can you get closer?¡± ¡°I can.¡± Once again, the scenery changed. After jumping around and smashing a few building floors, Eleanor landed in front of several men. ¡°Hieek¨C!¡± However... The distance between us never shortened. The rate at which they were dying couldn¡¯t keep up with their regeneration rate. In game terms, these beings had such insane regenerative abilities that they could go from 0% health to 100% in just ten seconds. However, their regenerative capabilities wouldn¡¯t matter if it only took three seconds for their opponents to burn away all that regenerated health. According to the game lore, once some conditions are met, that flame could even completely ¡®annihilate¡¯ some high-ranking existences in Pandemonium. While these monsters were born from Forbidden Sorcery, their measly medium-grade was not a match for the flames that could eradicate high-grade monsters. ¡®As expected.¡¯ This was the terrifying thing about the members of Seras¡¯ Hidden Forces. While they were unremarkable in most aspects, they were incomprehensibly powerful in their ¡®specialized¡¯ fields. In the first place, they had trained and meticulously measured the amount of law power, magic power, and divine power ¡®needed¡¯ for this single purpose since childhood. Basically, they were raised under extreme OCD. ¡®...It would¡¯ve been so nice if they weren¡¯t neutral NPCs though.¡± Because Seras herself was a character closely tied to the Pope from the very beginning, the original work didn¡¯t have any possible function to recruit these guys as my comrades. It would¡¯ve been nice if I could somehow establish a friendly relationship with them. How unfortunate indeed. As I was thinking along those lines... System Message [ Checking the current conditions of the target ¡®Seras¡¯. ] [ Your overall demeanor matches Seras¡¯s ideal type perfectly! ] [ If she meets you in person, the probability of her falling in love at first sight is extremely high! ] [ ¡®Skill: Fatal Charm¡¯ preemptively activated! ] ¡°...¡± Uhhhhh... The fuck was this? This skill... It actually worked on people I haven¡¯t even seen yet? I stared at the window incredulously as sentences started to appear one after another. System Message [ Pioneering a new branching route! ] [ The likelihood of gaining the favorability of target ¡®Seras Evatrice¡¯ has skyrocketed! ] [ Upon a successfully established relationship with the target, conditions for a Special Quest will be met! ] Special Quest: The Ultimate Dark Secret! [ A quest related to ¡®Seras Evatrice¡¯ is now available! ] [ Upon completion, the target will submit to you! ] [ Upon completion, you will receive significant benefits in the main scenario! ] [ Upon completion, you will become the owner of the ¡®Oath of the Crescent Moon¡¯ ] ¡°...¡± A laugh of disbelief escaped my lips. No. I mean, sure, the item I mentioned was somewhat important to Seras... But ¡®submitting¡¯ to me and even handing over the ¡®Oath of the Crescent Moon¡¯? ¡®...Isn¡¯t this fucking insane?¡± The Oath of the Crescent Moon referred to all the Hidden Forces under her sole control. In other words... Once this special quest was completed... She would bring not only herself, but also the entire organization she had been managing to me. Didn¡¯t that mean the exorcists here would also become my ¡®subordinates¡¯? ¡°...¡± What the fuck? There was definitely some kind of catch here. So scary... Why would she go that far...? ¡°...This is an unbelievable display of power.¡± As my sanity was fading away, Eleanor suddenly appeared by my side, speaking in an incredulous voice. ¡°I can¡¯t believe just three of them are able to push back such a large number of middle-grade demonic creatures. I would have believed it if you said you had brought back the Guardians who disappeared in the annals of history.¡± ¡°...¡± Yeah, you¡¯re right. And right now, I had a quest that could swallow all those guys whole and make them my bitches. Honestly though, it felt like I was being spoon fed to the extent where I was actually getting dizzy but... ¡°...Then, we...!¡± Right now, it was not the time to focus on that. System Notification [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX Grade. ] Uh, you know... Since, a gigantic club made of flesh slammed down in front of me. -! -!! As Eleanor and I rolled in different directions, a monstrous giant with revolting flesh and tangled sinews let out an ear-piercing scream. ¡®Here it comes¡¯ I took a deep breath and faced the opponent. This was a mini-boss battle, just like how it was in the original game. It was the battle against the Flesh Tearer. ¡°...It doesn¡¯t look easy.¡± Eleanor slowly drew her sword. ¡°If it¡¯s a special-grade monster... Even our full combat power may not be enough. Dowd, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Taking a deep breath, I started racking my brain. Elapsed time: 5 minutes. Remaining time: 25 minutes. After calculating the estimated time to get to the boss battle, the time limit to break through this was... ¡°We have to finish this in under a minute.¡± WIthin that time frame, we had to get past this creature. A creature that had the power to single-handedly fuck up a city and come back to life no matter how many times we kill it. ¡°...¡± Yes, those words sounded absurd, I know. Also, Eleanor¡¯s gaze, who was looking at me as if I belonged in a mental asylum, all but reaffirmed how truly ridiculous it was. However... ¡°To be honest, even a minute was a generous estimate.¡± ¡°...¡± Yep. In reality, it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. I was worried about those fuckers that would latch onto us while we were dealing with the Flesh Tearer, but thanks to the exorcists, they were gone, yeah? ¡°...Dowd.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I actually think lunatics aren¡¯t so bad, in their own way. Actually, I think I could possibly like them.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°As such, I won¡¯t chase you away or rebuke the fact that you¡¯re a madman, so do not worry too much.¡± Thank you. Among the recent disses against me, this was the softest one yet. Truly. Thank you. Just as I was questioning the whereabouts of my standards... -! The gigantic abomination made of flesh charged towards us. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 57: Boy King (3) Chapter 57: Boy King (3) ? Boy King (3) ? Once again, the club made of flesh slammed down beside me. Its destructive power was overwhelming. The ground where the impact hit was completely destroyed and the resulting shockwave alone made nearby buildings tremble. Compared to other special-grade demonic creatures, this one held its grade for a simple reason. Although it did not have any special ability, it was tough and powerful. It was like this bastard completely maximized those two stats. ¡®I would¡¯ve been fucked if it wasn¡¯t so slow!¡¯ As tough as it was, it was incredibly slow for a ¡®special-grade¡¯. A quite noticeable weakness even when compared to high-grade demonic creatures. Because of that... It wasn¡®t difficult to avoid its repetitive attack patterns. But at the same time, we hadn¡¯t managed to launch any counter-attacks either. ¡°...¡± Eleanor gave me a quick glance from the side.. She was probably wondering if it was really possible to break through this monstrosity in under a minute. Well... Ironically, this method was way faster. System Notification [ Using ¡®Scan¡¯. ] [ Gathering information on the target. ] [ A 24-hour cooldown applies before reuse is available on the same target. ] It was true that most of Scan¡¯s abilities were focused on examining the target¡¯s ¡®stats¡¯, but under special conditions, it had some additional features. For example, if I had already ¡®observed¡¯ the target for a sufficient amount of time... ¡°Thirty seconds have passed. How are you expecting to kill this thing?¡± ¡°Behind its left elbow. At the back of its right calf.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°That is the location of its ¡®core¡¯. Hitting it would deal some effective damage.¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor suddenly laughed as she gazed at me. ¡°How absurd. Sometimes, I feel a sense of inferiority when I¡¯m with you; it feels like all the common sense I have learned just breaks apart.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Analyzing an Undead¡¯s weakness is a difficult task even for official knights. And you managed to figure it out in just 30 seconds?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Uh, well... It isn¡¯t because I¡¯m great or talented or whatever... The skill is just OP...¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s just doing what it¡¯s worth since, you know, it ate 4 Seeds of Evil. Do you even know how rare those things are?¡¯ Whatever. Anyway... ¡°...However, even if we have such information, it still seems too difficult to kill.¡± Eleanor retreated several meters with a single backstep as she replied. She seemed to have superior physical abilities, even after my Desperation skill activated at the EX Grade. Regardless, her follow-up was rather pessimistic. ¡°The outer shell looks incredibly sturdy. Even if we disregard its immortality, trying to pierce it with a sword seems imposs¡ª¡± ¡°I never planned on killing it from the start.¡± All I said was that we needed to ¡®break through¡¯ in under a minute. I never said we had to kill it. To achieve that, however... ¡°Eleanor, you are the only person I can count on for this.¡± Although my conscience slightly stung, I opened my mouth while making a gesture. ¡°Please block this monster and make sure it doesn¡¯t go anywhere else.¡± In reality, there was no one else but her who could do it at the moment. The exorcists were too busy burning the endlessly regenerating Ruined. ¡°...¡± Eleanor¡¯s wide eyes stared at me, there was a mixture of astonishment and incredulity in her expression. Honestly, if she were to verbally abuse me right now, I¡¯d accept it. A one-on-one showdown with a special-grade demonic creature? Obviously, it wasn¡¯t something I should be telling an academy student to do. However, I wasn¡¯t just saying this without any basis. [ Skill Info ] Name: Descent ¨C Wrath Grade: S Description: When the subject¡¯s ¡®Wrath¡¯ reaches its limit, a portion of the power of the Devil¡¯s Fragments stored in the body will be used. As long as this skill was triggered, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible. Rather, she¡¯d be able to do it effortlessly.. ¡°...¡± In other words.... To get through this situation smoothly... She needed to get angry. Very, very angry. ¡°Uh...By any chance, are you angry right now?¡± If my absurd command made her mad, it would be an instant success. As such, I held a little bit of hope as I asked that question. ¡°What an honor. You trusted me to such an extent?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will put my life on the line to achieve what you say. In response to your trust I¡ª¡± No... That wasn¡¯t the reaction I wanted... Man, why did it seem like she would believe me even if I said the sun would rise from the west? ¡°No, uh...Well...¡± Eventually, I confessed honestly. ¡°...I needed you to get angry. You would probably become stronger if you do.¡± I wasn¡¯t even convinced by that pitiful and crude explanation, but Eleanor simply narrowed her eyes in response. ¡°Certainly, it did seem that way.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You met Riru Garda before, yes? I nearly cut her throat for trying to take you away.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°At that time, I did feel something strange, just as you said.¡± No wait, that was just Riru¡¯s personality. She probably just wanted to fight me and rashly spoke without thinking. The Riru that I knew may be a sadist, but she wouldn¡¯t go so far as to kidnap me. She wasn¡¯t that much of a barbarian, you know? Anyway... ¡°Hmmm, so I need to get that furious...¡± Eleanor, who was pondering deeply while moving around to avoid the incoming attacks, suddenly had a change in expression, as if she had come up with something. ¡°You. How about you try swearing at me.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°If you swear at me, it might make me angry.¡± ...Really? Alrighty then. Let¡¯s try to come up with something that would anger her... Hm... ¡°Eleanor.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± I carefully chose my words. I didn¡¯t really want to insult her, but since she asked for it... Let¡¯s start with something reallyyyy soft. ¡°To be honest, sometimes I feel like we don¡¯t look good together, so....¡± System Message [ Due to your influence, target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ has fallen into despair! ] [ Her movements has slowed! ] ¡°...¡± Why? What the fuck did I even say to cause that? ¡°...S-Stop it.¡± Eleanor was trembling as she told me to stop. Her face remained expressionless, but there were slight tears forming in the corners of her eyes. ¡°...I haven¡¯t even started though.¡± ¡®Is obviously fucking absurd.¡¯ The Ruined that have covered the entire academy? It was only a fraction of his strength. Such a feat was lightweight for someone who was capable of wielding hundreds of thousands of Forbidden Sorceries. As I said, if he truly unleashed his power, it was impossible for a player to deal with him in the first place. That was why it was Yuria who was the original final boss of Chapter 2, not him. However... [ Evil Essence ] Type: Story Description: A material that can interact with epic items. Something special will happen when fused! ¡°...¡± There was a method that could grant me a comeback, even against Valkasus. I briefly rolled the black gem held in my palm. It was an item I received after defeating the Purifier. ¡®Nine out of ten people would choose the Hero Shard instead.¡¯ If one asked a Sera player which story item they would choose between Evil Essence and Hero Shard, they would definitely answer the latter. After all, this item was originally only recommended for hardcore users who purposefully raised the difficulty themselves. In a game where the majority of enemies were classified as evil, using this item would just strengthen that concept even further. No sane individual would choose to do this. However... What about those crazy otakus who needed to go touch grass? Those sweaty fuckers who knew everything about this game from A to Z? To put it simply, what about users like me? Well, those users would all choose this item. Hands down. After all, if, by any chance, they had to engage in ¡®battle¡¯ with Valkasus, this item was practically the sole answer. Just as I had such thoughts... ¡°Did you finally hit the gym? Youth is nice. To gain stamina that quickly in a short period... How impressive.¡± I finally reached the top of the clock tower. And across from me... There was Valkasus. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t really work out. It¡¯s just that my physique is a bit unique.¡± ¡°What kind of physique is it?¡± ¡°A physique that grows stronger in actual combat.¡± Valkasus bursted into laughter. ¡°...¡± However, instead of reacting to it, I slowly scrutinized him. This scene was just like when we first met. The sun was gradually setting and the darkness was slowly spreading around. Like before, he was sitting on the railing of the Clock Tower, gazing at the sky. And so, I recalled the words I said back then. ¡°...Do you remember our promise?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Valkasus rose from his seat. ¡°...¡± And with that alone... The very air completely transformed. ¡°!¡± It felt like the weight of my entire body had suddenly increased dozens of times, as the pressure threatened to crush me. In that brief instant, the violent shock shook my consciousness, making me involuntarily kneel. My head was spinning and all the joints and bones in my body seemed to creak. ¡°...¡± This is fucking crazy. Are you kidding me? He hasn¡¯t even done anything yet. All he did was stand while revealing a bit of his ¡®aura¡¯... And that was enough to reduce me to this state. ¡°Can you do it?¡± A flat voice flowed from Valkasus. ¡°The thing about me... Is that I hate Devils. I also found those who worship them disgusting as well.¡± As he said that, Arrays of Forbidden Sorcery began to form around the Boy King. Each of them contained ¡®Cursed Technique: Force¡¯, capable of easily tearing apart someone like me. ¡°...Those who made me and my kingdom suffer for thousands of years were the Devils after all.¡± And those Arrays were increasing by dozens, hundreds, thousands, until... They covered every visible space. All of them were created in an instant by this one person. And without much effort either. ¡°But even so, do you know why I¡¯m cooperating with that person called the Prophet?¡± Yeah. Of course I know. Because she was the only existence that could ¡®liberate¡¯ him and the kingdom he carried with him. ¡°...It¡¯s because there was no one else that could give you that certainty.¡± With a bitter laugh, I rose to my feet. It felt like my whole body was falling apart. But it was okay. I could still endure it. I could still fight. Though it was a long time ago... I... Had overcome something that was much worse than this, just to survive. ¡°The certainty to kill you.¡± Valkasus smiled. ¡°Indeed, it seems you know everything already.¡± The Boy King responded with a relaxed tone. ¡°The Prophet made a pledge. If I ¡®clean¡¯ this academy entirely, that person would kill me.¡± This was one of the contents that also appeared in the main scenario. The reason he was committing all these problems was because his very life-long wish for ¡®death¡¯ was at stake. Since millions of Forbidden Sorceries were crammed into his one body, he was a human incapable of dying even when he wanted to. This was the reality unless ridiculously extreme methods were used. ¡°If you are unable to pull it off, I will proceed as planned. With sincerity.¡± Every human in this academy would be cleansed. And this man was actually capable of doing such a thing. However... ¡°I promised, didn¡¯t I?¡± I smirked as I inspected the clock. ¡°That I would save you and your kingdom.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t rashly make such a promise without knowing how to fulfill it.¡± Excluding the time it took to get up here, there were 10 minutes left. If I didn¡¯t conclude the boss battle within that time-frame, the barrier that Atalante was reinforcing would break. Her ability to hold on was essentially a time limit. In other words... If I couldn¡¯t win against this person within 10 minutes, I would die. Was it possible? ¡°...¡± I didn¡¯t even need to ask such a question. ¡®It¡¯s hella easy.¡¯ It definitely was. At the same time I was thinking that... ¡°Then...¡± The Arrays around me started to emit a dazzling light. I took a deep breath and readied myself. ¡°Prove it to me. Prove that you¡¯re not just all talk.¡± Chapter 2 Boss. Boy King Raid. The battle has begun. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 58: Boy King (4) Chapter 58: Boy King (4) ? Boy King (4) ? ¡°Are you planning to face me by yourself?¡± Right before preparing to drown me in Forbidden Sorcery, Valkasus asked such a question. He probably believed that the current power difference between us was like that between an elephant and an ant. ¡°Did you even hear yourself? Of course not.¡± Obviously, even I couldn¡¯t pull off such a stunt without the right tools and preparations. So, I called over some people to come around this time. They should be arriving soon... ¡°Aaaaaahhh¡ª!¡± ¡°Kyaaaaaahh¡ª!¡± [Wooooaaahh¡ª!] ¡°...¡± What a colorful chorus of screams. With a mixture of two people¡¯s voices and one person¡¯s letters, a cluster of bodies flew from below towards the balcony of the Clock Tower¡¯s top floor. System Notification [ ¡®Skill: Stigmata¡¯ activated. ] I used the Ultima¡¯s built-in skill to cast a protective barrier that cushioned their fall. Compared to the previous version, Guardian Shield, Stigmata had a much thicker divine power layered onto the barrier. It surrounded the trio, bouncing them off the walls and floor, but still keeping them safe. ¡°I will never, ever, do this again! I¡¯m an expert so I have to lead? What kind of bullshit reason is that?! Who in the world is an expert at something like this?!¡± As soon as Stigmata was released, Iliya rushed out first while barking in annoyance. She certainly seemed to have outstanding stamina, thanks to her extremely physical-oriented class. On the other hand, Lucia and Yuria looked pale and were practically crawling around. ¡°Why are you complaining so much when it wasn¡¯t even that bad for you...?¡± [That¡¯s right, this much isn¡¯t too¡ª] Next to me, Yuria, who was about to agree with my words, couldn¡¯t even finish displaying her words in the air as she covered her mouth. It seemed like she was holding back her nausea. ¡°...¡± Well, yeah. It was certainly true that this method basically shredded the entire safety regulation book, if there even was one. The device that launched them here was the ¡®catapult¡¯ that Iliya and I used to enter the Astral Realm together. Hm, maybe I should give it a name later. I was kinda getting attached to it at this point. ¡°...Your exact instructions were to just set up a trajectory without any safety measures or equipment and launch us up to a place a few hundred meters from the ground within five minutes! And you have the audacity to call me on my complaints?! Huuuh?!¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing her grit her teeth in anger, I honestly didn¡¯t have much to say. It was true that all I told her was for the three of them to hug each other tightly and ¡®fly¡¯ up here as a group. I should probably just be grateful that she followed that crazy command without questioning me. ¡°I had no other choice.¡± I chuckled and turned around. ¡°After all, if I didn¡¯t at least use such a method to quickly bring the three of you here, this would have been an opponent that I couldn¡¯t deal with.¡± If they had come even a few minutes late, it would¡¯ve been Game Over. We only had a mere ten minutes after all. ¡°...¡± I briefly turned my head and checked the ¡®Starsteel Circlet¡¯ that Yuria was wearing. It seemed that the Crafting School¡¯s Professor Vulcan had made quite the effort. Even when they flew while huddled up, there were no signs of danger. While she ¡®wore¡¯ it and while it was ¡®activated¡¯, Yuria¡¯s Curse of Severance would be incredibly weakened. It was to the extent that the curse was temporarily lifted. The effect was quite simple. When she wore it, Yuria could only use the Curse of Severance on ¡®what she wanted to sever¡¯. It was similar to using the Curse of Severance as an attack buff. ¡°Lucia.¡± ¡°...Valkasus.¡± While I was thinking about such thoughts, the Boy King chuckled as he recognized Lucia, who was standing up. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you would cooperate with me back then? How saddening.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ah well, that was a joke. Still, it¡¯s a relief to see your younger sister healthy.¡± For a moment, Lucia closed her eyes and bowed her head. It seemed like she was feeling guilty. Perhaps, she, too, understood why Valkasus sought death. It was a heavy burden for one to engrave Forbidden Sorcery made from the souls of people who willingly sacrificed their lives. For Valkasus, he sought his own death to free the souls of his subjects from his body. ¡°...Your kingdom will be saved.¡± Suddenly, the Saintess made a bold statement. ¡°Because this man will make it so.¡± ¡°...¡± Valkasus slowly nodded his head. ¡°I see.¡± From his voice, though, he didn¡¯t sound convinced at all. As the sun completely set beyond the horizon and darkness enveloped the scenery... Valkasus¡¯ true body was revealed. His appearance was eerie, as if his very essence was melting into a form without a distinct shape. Almost as if he was fully integrated into the darkness that covered the entire world. From another perspective, it was almost as if he controlled it all as well. ¡°...¡± Seeing this transformation, Iliya let out a faint groan while tightly gripping the hilt of her sword. Her hand was slightly trembling. There was no way she didn¡¯t realize the fact that she was facing a monster of such a caliber. ¡°Can we even defeat...that?¡± Iliya asked with concern, but... ¡°As long as you all listen to me without any questions.¡± I just gave a simple answer. To be more precise... ¡°No one else can defeat that except me.¡± In the first place... Out of the many Sera sweats. I was the first one to successfully break through the ¡®combat¡¯ route of Valkasus. People called me crazy back then, but I succeeded. ¡®If you ask me why...¡¯ ¡®Well, I found him quite likable, even though he was a boss.¡¯ I thought about how to efficiently ¡®use¡¯ him and this was the only way I found. That was why I made a promise with him prior to this. To use him as a ¡®subordinate¡¯. ¡°...Even if this guy were to drown, I bet he would still blabber on.¡± Right as Iliya let out a chuckle while dissing me again... ¡°Well, I think we¡¯ve talked enough.¡± A venomous aura emanated from Valkasus¡¯s breath. Basically, it was a sign of attack. System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX Grade. ] ¡°Shall we begin?¡± ¡°Here I come!¡± Accompanying Lucia¡¯s voice... Forbidden Sorcery surged from all directions. Over the eons that spanned millenia, Valkasus had traversed countless battlefields. Perhaps, that was his desperate attempt to search for the most likely environment to fulfill his only wish, death. No, rather... He was the one starting to fall behind. If it continued like this, then undoubtedly... It could end in his defeat. ¡°Ha... HAHAHAHAHA!¡± Valkasus bursted into laughter. ¡°Surely it won¡¯t end just with this. Surely you can show me more!¡± Yes. Now, he knew with certainty. The certainty that this man was not all talk! The certainty that he could back up his words! ¡°Come forth! Try to end my life!¡± Though it did not quite fit the content of his words... His voice was filled with such endless joy. My lower eyelids were burning because my brain was working to its limits. ¡®...Are you fucking with me? This is insane...!¡¯ It had been a while since I used my head this much. ¡®...I swear, at this rate, I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ I was maximizing my reflexes at every moment through intense concentration, squeezing out various countermeasures even when there were no gaps to exploit. Calculating the movements of four people simultaneously, according to the boss battle¡¯s pattern, was laborious beyond expectation. If I did not give the Starsteel Circlet to eliminate Yuria¡¯s ¡®restrictions¡¯ in advance, even a sweat like me would have failed from the very beginning. ¡°...¡± While breathing heavily, I looked ahead. It was the same pattern. Several Formations threaded with Forbidden Sorcery emitted light once again. I instantly calculated and deduced what kind of attack it was based on the shape and casting time. An onslaught of darkness that sweeps the entire horizontal distance. At least three of them. ¡°Lucia. Rank 37 Prayer 112. Pull out four of them and scatter them in each direction. Yuria, follow the Prayer¡¯s trajectory and stand by. Iliya, duck for three seconds, then stand up and move forward three steps.¡± It was the formation that we continued to use. Lucia weakened the attack, Yuria defended against it, and Iliya seized the opportunity to gradually accumulate damage. The pattern would end at the fourth second. As such, I prepared the next counterattack. ¡°...I get that it¡¯s good we¡¯re holding up!¡± Iliya shouted with incredulity. ¡°But could we even kill that thing? I¡¯ve slashed it so many times already!¡± ¡°He can¡¯t be killed.¡± ¡°...¡± I smirked at Iliya who was glaring at me. ¡°I¡¯m saying we can¡¯t kill him by continuing what we¡¯re doing right now.¡± What I was doing right now was, in a way, akin to chipping away at a mountain with a pickaxe. He definitely received some damage, but to actually kill would take an endlessly long time. Obviously, it was neither practical nor efficient. Well, the current strategy was more like a build-up to the finale. ¡°What are you even saying?¡± ¡°People are easier to deceive than you think.¡± Especially if something continued repeatedly. Even when it hadn¡¯t even been promised, people often ended up perceiving it as ¡®natural¡¯¡¯. So... Even this ¡®simple¡¯ play of attack and defense was purposefully being continued according to my plans. ¡°...¡± I glanced at the clock. Without a chance to explain to a puzzled Iliya, I continued with the next command. ¡°It¡¯s coming!¡± Two minutes left. At this rate, the moment I had been waiting for should be coming at any moment. After all, the reason I had set the time limit to ¡®ten minutes¡¯ was because within that time frame, I could definitely see this pattern at least once. Thorn of darkness generated tumultuously from all directions. ¡®Just as expected.¡¯ It was the pattern I had been continuously waiting for. This was the most crucial phase when raiding the boss battle. Because unlike other patterns, this one also blocked the opponent¡¯s ¡®vision¡¯. ¡°...¡± So. I also prepared my countermeasure here. After Lucia saw this sight, she immediately created another Prayer. Up to this point, it was the same. However... System Notification [ ¡®Skill: Proof of Faith¡¯ activated. ] [ All stat bonuses are converted to ¡®Endurance¡¯ and ¡®Divine Power¡¯. ] System Notification [ ¡®Skill: Stigmata¡¯ activated. ] This time, I was going to add a bit of a ¡®different element¡¯. After simultaneously activating two of Ultima¡¯ built-in skills, I injected much more power into defending the Forbidden Sorcery. ¡°Get up, you yangban1A Korean way to say aristocrat or gentleman. Does not have a specific translation so kept as yangban!¡± [...Not even calling me by name now, huh?] I woke up the sleeping Caliban and activated another skill. System Notification [ ¡®Skill: Image World¡¯ activated! ] [ Sharing ¡®Skill: Proof of Faith¡¯ with targets within range. ] Shortly after, the Forbidden Sorcery was blocked. And a counterattack immediately followed. Valkasus was no fool, he already expected a counterattack and had prepared various defensive Sorceries. This defense was just like the ones before, originally prepared to counter ¡®Iliya¡¯s attacks¡¯. However... -! -!!! Unlike before, the attacker didn¡¯t retreat from such Forbidden Sorcery. On the contrary, she approached while ¡®cutting through¡¯ it all. ¡°...!¡± The surprised Valkasus instinctively looked towards the side that was blocking the Forbidden Sorcery. After all, it was a completely different situation from the combat formation that had been continuing until now. However, on that side... ¡°...Wow...Teach. You. Better. Be prepared. To face. Me. Later...¡± Iliya, who had been flooded with all the buffs casted, barely defended against the Forbidden Sorcery with a drained expression. And, of course, the remaining members... ¡°Surprise.¡± Broke through the darkness. Yuria, whom I had grabbed by the leash and thrown, appeared. It was all for this one blow. I had simplified the pattern to this extent to make this person ¡®get used to it.¡¯ The landing point was just one step away from Valkasus. And as I had mentioned before, within that distance... There was a firepower that could one-shot ¡®every character¡¯ in the scenario. The Starteel Circlet flashed. Unlike before, it meant that Yuria now recognized the target in front of her as ¡®something that needs to be cut¡¯. ¡°Oh no...!¡± At the same time Valkasus spat out those words of bewilderment... Severer rushed out like lightning and pierced through Valkasus¡¯s heart. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls 1 A Korean way to say aristocrat or gentleman. Does not have a specific translation so kept as yangban Chapter 59: Boy King (5) Chapter 59: Boy King (5) ? Boy King (5) ? ¡°It hit!¡± Iliya clenched her fist tightly in triumph. It was because anyone could see that the blow was essentially a checkmate to this battle. ¡°...¡± However, instead of cheering with her, I silently prepared for the ¡®next¡¯ phase. -! Nearby, the Arrays of Forbidden Sorcery writhed. Valkasus¡¯ body also remained standing upright without staggering. ¡°...!¡± Soon after... From the Arrays, an eerie light emerged, showing no signs of weakening even when compared to before. Yuria stepped back with wide eyes of surprise. Both Iliya and Lucia also looked in that direction, stunned. ¡°It¡¯s not...¡± A faint voice echoed in the chaotic uppermost level of the Clock Tower. ¡°...Enough yet. It¡¯s still far from enough.¡± I had to agree with him. The constraints placed on him obviously wouldn¡¯t be so easily removed, just stabbing his heart wouldn¡¯t cut it. In the first place, the constraint on him was that he needed to ¡®die in one-on-one combat¡¯. Basically, even if three people tried to beat him to death, he still wouldn¡¯t die. And... Even if he could, he¡¯d probably reject it. After all, if his life was extinguished without fulfilling the constraint, the Forbidden Sorcery would be forever bound to his flesh. ¡°I can¡¯t. Go. Alone. My kingdom... Is still¡ª!¡± That was why, even with a fatal wound that pierced his heart... He desperately held on. The surrounding Arrays exploded with light. Yuria let out a short scream as she was thrown back by the impact. ¡°...He¡¯s not dying even after this? What kind of existence is he¡ª?!¡± ¡°Hey.¡± I interrupted Iliya¡¯s sentence with a sigh. ¡°Go down the Clock Tower. Take the Saintess with you. If you don¡¯t go down now, you¡¯ll get swept away.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll handle him by myself.¡± Iliya and even Lucia widened their eyes in surprise. Clearly, Valkasus was in a worse condition than before. Honestly, it could be said that he was in a berserk state. So I understood their reaction. If someone were to tell me that they would face him alone, even I would react the same way. ¡°Please stop saying such crazy things...! How can Teach even think of facing that alone...!¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t crazy.¡± I mean... You guys had done everything you could. In the first place, cornering him to this extent and dealing a blow to his heart was a huge contribution. I could never have done it alone. ¡°...¡± Nevertheless... From this point on, I had to do it alone. System Message [ ¡®Skill: Evil Ruler¡¯ activated. ] [ Using command rights on targets ¡®Iliya¡¯ and ¡®Lucia¡¯! ] [ The targets are absolutely obedient to your commands! ] ¡°Go. It¡¯s better if I do this alone. Saintess, take Yuria with you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Without using this, these two probably would not listen to me even if they were to die. Lucia seems to have taken it somewhat well, as she hesitated for a while before nodding. However, Iliya... She was staring at me as if I had struck the back of her head with a hammer. Her pupils were trembling, as if she had taken a severe shock. System Message [ Target ¡®Iliya¡¯ has received a great shock because of your statement! ] [ Her confidence has sharply decreased! ] [ Marked by Negative Tendency! ] System Message [ Negative Tendency Triple Stack! ] [ Significant changes in personality! ] [ Changes in behavioral patterns! ] [ Increased dominance over the target! ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Skill: Evil Ruler has been activated. Obtained 1 command right over the target! ] ¡°...¡± I seriously couldn¡¯t understand why my command right kept replenishing itself every time I used it on her. No, more importantly... The message that appeared was somewhat unsettling. Confidence dropped sharply? Increased dominance? What the fuck? ¡°Teach.¡± ¡°Go.¡± As she tried to speak to me with a tearful voice, I told her to go. I could think about that later. For now, I needed to focus on Valkasus. Lucia, Yuria, and the still hesitating Iliya went down the stairs leading below the Clock Tower. ¡°...Well then.¡± I gazed at Valkasus, whose heart was pouring out darkness. I took out the Evil Essence and brought it towards Soul Linker. From the perspective of Caliban who was within, he would probably be freaking out. After all, he served as a Guardian, the highest-ranked title a Holy Knight could ever achieve. [...Heh.] Inside the amulet, I could only hear the sounds of him snorting in laughter. [What are you scheming again?] ¡°I like how you¡¯re acting as if you¡¯ve seen me scheme before. You do realize that all you do is sleep all day, right?¡± [Even though it looks like I¡¯m sleeping all the time, I see everything I need to see, kid. That¡¯s why I know that there¡¯s a reason behind everything that you do.] Yep. Then you saw it accurately. System Notification [ Would you like to fuse ¡®Evil Essence¡¯ with the item ¡®Soul Linker¡¯? ] [ Y/N ] I touched Y immediately. [ Soul Linker ] Type: Exclusive Equipment Enchantment: Epic Fusions: [ ¡®Hero Shard¡¯ Fusion ] [ ¡®Evil Essence¡¯ Fusion ] #1 Spirit: Caliban ¨C Guardian, Knight of Dawn Currently Charged Magic Power Rate: 0% Current Synchronization Rate: 12% < Additional Features > ¡ö Skill: Image World As such messages continued to appear... System Message [ By fusing ¡®Evil Essence¡¯, new features are added! ] [ Special slot for Evil Spirits is unlocked on Soul Linker! ] [ Only souls with an evil disposition can be added to the slot! ] I nodded my head while looking at the window. This was it. In the hazy journey where even his own existence faded away, he was like an extinguished flame searching for embers. Once, he looked back at the ashes that were once his mind and conscience... He found himself doubting whether he even existed anymore. The sense of defeat sprouting within a broken body could shatter even the most resolute will. I moved forward, feeling all the emotions he had accumulated over thousands of years and all the thoughts that had ever touched his mind. And beyond the memories that seemed to continue endlessly... At last.. I faced a boy sitting quietly in the dark space. ¡°Valkasus.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Valkasus.¡± ¡°You¡¯re truly out of your mind.¡± ¡®Yeah, I heard that particular phase a lot.¡¯ As I let out a bitter laugh, the boy in front of me swept his hair before speaking. ¡°...The subconscious is considered one of the most complex and dangerous among all the spaces accessible through special powers. Yet, you voluntarily entered such a place. You would¡¯ve been better off experiencing a proper life and death in the Material Realm instead.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°If you were unlucky, you might have ended up drifting in my memories forever. Did you know what you were getting into?¡± I was aware of such a setting. Even so... ¡°...I did it because not too long ago, I realized it would have a good chance of success.¡± This plan was created after I entered my subconscious with the Virtue and was able to get a rough ¡®feel¡¯ for it. While I didn¡¯t do much inside, I could understand how it worked by taking a glance. As such, I had confidence that I wouldn¡¯t be swept away, even if I were to go inside Valkasus¡¯ subconscious. ¡°I understand you, after all.¡± This thought came to me ever since the first time I met him in the scenario. Valkasus and I...Were quite similar. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Even if it is for people that are important to you, getting forced into a fucked up journey doesn¡¯t feel that great. I also know how that feels, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Of course, when considering how long the journey lasted, you¡¯ve been at it for much longer than me.¡± Valkasus looked at me with a stunned expression, but instead of explaining further, I let out a bitter laugh. I just hoped he would understand that I had been through some tough times too. ¡°Also...¡± Above all else... ¡°You must have been lonely.¡± He had to be alone. Everyone dear to him had left. He was stranded in a world full of pain and sorrow. I knew what that felt like. Out of everyone, I would understand him the best. After all, there was no one I could shed tears for, nor was there someone who would shed tears for me. I remembered the evenings when I had stared vacantly at the torn wallpaper of that empty house. The days when I had looked up at the sky for hours, trying to escape from reality and to find a destination I wanted to fly to. Just like how this person always watched the sunset, as if wanting to escape from the pain. Just like how this person reminisced about the last moment surrounded by his loved ones. ¡°And so, there was something I wanted to do for you.¡± It could be said that it was second-hand satisfaction on my part. Since I couldn¡¯t do it myself, I wanted to give it to him instead. ¡°...I want to give you your revenge.¡± Something that the past me had given up on. Valkasus, too, had put it off to a distant day, for the sake of liberating his kingdom¡¯s people who were bound to his body. When I existed as a player outside of the game, it was just a thought, but... Now, this place was my reality. If it involved real individuals, it was not impossible to put my thoughts into truth. ¡°Give me my revenge, you say...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that you have something unfairly taken from you.¡± Mother. Father. Family. Brothers. Acquaintances. Friends. Subjects. His entire kingdom. Everything precious to him. Everything he had sworn to protect. ¡°The Cursed Speech User who sealed your kingdom within your body is still alive.¡± ¡°...¡± I also understood the pain of having something taken away. So, at the very least, I could give back the thing that he deserved. His right to take revenge on the bastards who acted as they pleased. I could give him that opportunity. The Cursed Speech User who had cursed him would appear as a boss in the later stages of the scenario. At that time... I would crush that fucker¡¯s head together with him. ¡°I will grant you the right to take revenge on that bastard. I swear it.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re saying that the price is to bind my soul to you, yes?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a fair deal? I mean, you promised to become my subordinate in the first place.¡± A smile gradually crept over Valkasus¡¯s face. ¡°...What fair deal?¡± As he said that, he got up from his seat. As he placed his hand onto his heart, he kneeled down. Even I, who was ignorant of rituals, knew what this meant. ¡°Just by accepting this, the Forbidden Sorcery bound to my body will be released, and my subjects will return to the cycle of reincarnation. After all, you have broken through all the prohibitions.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Dowd Campbell. I swear on the blood of Armada.¡± This was the greatest pledge that this Boy King could offer. ¡°My heart, my pride, my soul. All of it is yours.¡± ¡°...¡± In response to the straightforward declaration, I awkwardly scratched my cheek. ¡°...I¡¯m just a country bumpkin noble, so I¡¯m not really sure how to proceed in this situation.¡± ¡°Is there even a need to know? You¡¯re now in a position where you can command me with a single gesture.¡± ¡°...¡± Huh, was this person like Caliban...? He adapted way too easily to the fact that he had become someone else¡¯s subordinate. ¡°...More importantly, can I ask you one thing?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Valkasus swept his hair back silently. After a period of silence, he finally opened his mouth again. ¡°It feels like you know a lot. It is almost to the point where it feels like there¡¯s nothing you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let me ask you a question. Did you say you would bring me to that being while knowing what kind of hardships await you?¡± ¡°...¡± The Cursed Speech User was a bastard I had to meet anyway, so I was just setting up an insurance policy. After all, Valkasus would be a very useful ally. It was obvious that I¡¯d be able to utilize various things by binding his soul to Soul Linker. As I had mentioned before, this person was one of the strongest bosses in the entire game. Just having his soul bound to me would be a tremendous help in clearing the scenario. ¡°...Well, as an opportunist, a petit bourgeois, and an egoist, it¡¯s a decision that came out after calculating that it was in my favor.¡± ¡°No.¡± Valkasus chuckled. ¡°The choice to ignore and move past it was always an option for you.¡± His incomprehensibly meaningful voice continued. ¡°If you knew as much as you do, you could¡¯ve chosen to ignore it, despite what would happen to others, and just survive by yourself. The fact that you gave that opportunity up and ran the difficult path was your choice. It is clear, even when only considering what you have done for me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Dowd Campbell. You¡¯re just someone who can¡¯t bear to see someone suffering in front of you. You¡¯re not an opportunist, a petit bourgeois, or an egoist.¡± ¡®You¡¯re a good-natured person. So good that no ordinary person could truly grasp your intentions.¡¯ Such words resonated throughout the dark space. ¡°...You¡¯re not getting anything no matter how much you compliment me. Are you trying to suck up to me now that I am your master?¡± ¡°Oh, was I caught?¡± ¡°...¡± I couldn¡¯t help but feel it again. This person was just like Caliban. They both adapted to the situation way too fast. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 60: Homecoming (1) Chapter 60: Homecoming (1) ? Homecoming (1) ? [ Soul Linker ] Type: Exclusive Equipment Enchantment: Epic Fusions: [ ¡®Hero Shard¡¯ Fusion ] [ ¡®Evil Essence¡¯ Fusion ] #1 Spirit: Caliban ¨C Guardian, Knight of Dawn Currently Charged Magic Power Rate: 0% Current Synchronization Rate: 12% < Additional Features > ¡ö Skill: Image World #2 Evil Spirit: Valkasus ¨C Forbidden Sorcery User, Last King of Armada Current Synchronization Rate: 10.00% < Additional Features > ¡ö Skill: Forbidden Sorcery ¨C Basic At the same time as that window passed before my eyes... My consciousness was pulled back into the Material Realm. ¡°...Ugh.¡± At first, pain so intense that I couldn¡¯t express it properly with words, struck me. Then, I felt something more otherworldly... I felt a strangely soft sensation on my head. ¡°...¡± I blinked, trying to figure out what was happening. Beyond my slowly returning vision, someone¡¯s face came into view. Crimson eyes were looking down at me, as if trying to devour me. ¡°...!¡± Startled, I tensed up involuntarily, making the pain increase several fold, causing me to moan and droop back down. My whole body was a mess. Back when I defeated the Purifier, I was at least healed instantly, but this time, I didn¡¯t have such a luxury. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°...Eleanor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It seems like you haven¡¯t forgotten my face.¡± Eleanor seemed several times colder than usual. The chill she exuded was practically dripping onto me. ¡°...Uh, Eleanor?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°...¡± Yep. She certainly was. So, uh, there was a question that became even more important now that I knew she was angry. ¡°...If you¡¯re so angry, why are you giving me a lap pillow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m angry, so I can do whatever I want.¡± ¡°...¡± Yep... Whatever you say... I let out a wry smile. After a few moments of just breathing, I looked around with great effort. ¡°What a scene.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The Forbidden Sorcery released from Valkasus¡¯ collapsed body had now completely enveloped the sky. It was almost as if the heavens had opened up, and the spirits were ascending one after another. Well, that expression was actually quite close to the truth. With this, the Armada Kingdom had attained its salvation. After all, their souls would return to the cycle of reincarnation and be reborn in a new body. That was the common sense of this world. Yet Valkasus had spent all those years suffering just to achieve this minimal right for his subjects. ¡°...¡± I raised my arm with difficulty and looked at the amulet hanging from it. White and black light mixed to emit a grey one from inside. It was probably because Caliban and Valkasus were both sleeping in there. ¡®...I¡¯ll see you later.¡¯ Just like Caliban, Valkasus would likely spend most of his time asleep until I had enough divine power again. I hoped the time when I could easily wake them up and have a proper conversation with them would come soon. Just as I had this thought, a stream of messages suddenly appeared before my eyes. System Notification [ Main Quest Completed! ] [ Rewards Received! ] [ 1 ¡®Evil Essence¡¯ Received! ] [ 1 ¡®Hero Shard¡¯ Received! ] [ 10,000pt Received! ] System Notification [ This Quest was subjected to an Emergency Event. Additional Rewards Received! ] [ Special Interaction with ¡®Heretic Inquisition¡¯ Added! ] [ Feature will be immediately activated upon contact with members of the ¡®Heretic Inquisition! ] My gaze scrolled down the messages until stopping at one particular part. The rest was good and all, but the last sentence was particularly important. ¡®...Hmm...Heretic Inquisition...¡¯ In a survey conducted on Sera users, the ¡®group least wanted as an enemy¡¯ category was dominated by the Heretic Inquisition with an uncontested first place. There were several reasons for that, but the powerful presence of the ¡®Companion¡¯ character within that group was the main reason. ¡®I¡¯m not gonna go out of my way to look for them.¡¯ I would have to meet them sooner or later, but I¡¯ll try to postpone it for as long as possible. Right now, I could count the number of humans more directly entangled with the Devils than I was in just one hand. It was safe to say that there was no chance that the Heretic Inquisition would welcome my existence when they considered ¡®Devil Hunting¡¯ as their profession. ¡®Well, that¡¯s that.¡¯ There was one more thing I had to remember. You see, after clearing the Valkasus Boss Battle via the battle route, there was something that was ¡®opened¡¯. System Notification [ 1 Trigger Condition for Hidden Event ¡®???¡¯ Met! (1/3) ] There we go. Savior Rising was a surprisingly well-made game, and it even offered special rewards whenever the main scenario was cleared using unconventional methods instead of the ¡®orthodox¡¯ way. The ¡®Hidden Event¡¯ mentioned here was one of them. It was a reward that popped up when the main scenario had been thoroughly completed. And this... ¡°...Why are you looking at me like that?¡± I smirked in response to the grumpy Eleanor. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± She looked almost dignified in a way. ¡®...This alone probably won¡¯t be enough.¡¯ Just like Iliya had assumed, Trisha was racking her brain while maintaining an extraordinarily level-headed manner. Although she hadn¡¯t always seen it, Elfante¡¯s Student Council President had a terrifying obsession for Dowd Campbell. Especially considering what the ¡®Pilgrimage Homecoming¡¯ was usually used for by students at Elfante, she would definitely not miss Iliya¡¯s intentions. As such, in order to get the upper hand, Iliya also had to use a very VERY strong card. ¡°Also, let¡¯s write a letter.¡± ¡°...Huh? What? Eh?¡± Unable to follow along, Iliya¡¯s eyes were practically spinning as Trisha handed her a pen and placed a piece of paper in front of her. ¡°Write exactly what I say.¡± She then took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°Recipient. Margrave Kendride.¡± Iliya¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Your complexion doesn¡¯t look that great, Dowd.¡± Atalante¡¯s voice, filled with concern, came from across the room. ¡°I heard you had a serious injury not long ago. If you find it difficult to focus, you should rest up more.¡± ¡°...No. I¡¯m fine.¡± Honestly, there was nothing wrong with my physical body. It was just... There was another problem that I had. With a slightly pale complexion, I wiped my face. I had been thinking about this a lot lately, but my improvisational skills were certainly improving day by day. I mean, that was probably because unexpected things kept blowing up in my face ever so frequently. Basically, whenever something unrelated to me popped up, I was getting better at quickly formulating courses of action and guidelines to resolve such surprises. System Message [ Target ¡®Margrave Kendride¡¯ has started to take an interest in you. ] [ A related event will be generated soon! ] But, seriously. Couldn¡¯t they just give me some time to breathe? Please. ¡°...¡± Margrave Kendride. Iliya¡¯s foster father. Duke Gideon Tristan¡¯s eternal rival among the high nobility. The strongest Holy Knight of the current generation. ¡®What does this guy even want from little old me...?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve been through quite a lot this time.¡± Atlante, who obviously didn¡¯t have a clue about my feelings, let out a sigh and continued speaking. ¡°The Empire, the Holy Land, the Tribal Alliance... All three nations had suddenly taken an interest in your whereabouts. Moreover, not soon after such an incident happened, a major terrorist attack fell upon Elfante. I can¡¯t recall such major incidents happening one after another...¡± The Headmistress pushed her glasses up. ¡°Even so, it is way too early to be relieved.¡± Her words were dead serious. ¡°As I mentioned before, the Devil Worshippers will continue to come after you. In my opinion, this incident is also related to that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°All incidents will continue to revolve around you from now on. I think you should assume that something else will happen soon, so stay busy preparing.¡± ¡°...I agree.¡± Although there had been so many incidents, in reality, I had only finished the second chapter of the game. There was still a long way to go in the scenario, and resolving the issues with the Devil¡¯s Vessels were far from complete. In order to survive, I couldn¡¯t stop increasing my strength. And above all... That bitch was a problem. The woman who suddenly popped out and then disappeared. The Prophet. The Leader of the Devil Worshippers. ¡®...Was that motherfucker originally a woman?¡¯ I didn¡¯t recall it being so. Out of all the elements of the scenario that I remembered, only the Prophet existed outside my ¡®knowledge¡¯. In this world, which was built on a game system where everything moved according to my knowledge, her existence was the only one who defied my expectations. I knew about everyone else... But, at least for that person, I had no idea what thoughts and intentions she was harboring. ¡°However!¡± Atalante immediately spoke up with a cheerful voice, as if she saw my darkening expression getting lost in my thoughts again. ¡°A human can¡¯t just keep on working, right? You¡¯ll break down if you push yourself too much, you know?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Originally, the vacation was supposed to start shortly after the midterms. But due to the recent assault, the entire academy¡¯s functions are temporarily suspended. Since we can¡¯t hold classes, we¡¯re planning to let everyone take a break a little earlier.¡± ¡®So you¡¯re telling me to take a break too?¡¯ The Headmistress winked as she said that. However... ¡°...I do want to take a break as well, but...¡± The definition of a vacation was to rest, right? Yeah. It was. However, for me, there was a low chance of experiencing something as difficult as rest. ¡°But?¡± ¡°But there¡¯s the Pilgrimage Homecoming Ceremony. Do you know about it, Headmistress?¡± ¡°Of course, I know about it...?¡± The Headmistress cocked her head in perplexion. After all, it was one of the main ¡®romance¡¯ events in the game. During the vacation, students would make arrangements and visit each other¡¯s hometowns. But, among the nobility within the Empire... How should I explain this... Honestly, it was basically treated as a date trip between students. Although it was not an officially organized event by the academy, it was a long-standing tradition among students. As such, there was even dedicated personnel to manage it. ¡°...¡± I handed the documents I received from such personnel to Atalante. The contents were something I absolutely didn¡¯t want to do. I would rather die. Really. Seriously. Truly. Because it seemed as if they would either kill me or commit suicide, I was unable to reject either side in the past. The result of that was now laid in those documents. ¡°...This is a joke, right?¡± Atalante let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Iliya Krisanax. Eleanor Elinalise La Tristan.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The Hero Candidate and the Lady of the Tristan Duchy. With just one of these two, most territories would be turned upside down.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...But you¡¯re going to go to your hometown... With both of them? To ¡®Baron¡¯ Campbell¡¯s territory?¡± ¡°...¡± I wish it was a joke too. I really do. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 61: Homecoming (2) Chapter 61: Homecoming (2) ? Homecoming (2) ? ¡°Good. It¡¯s done.¡± While wiping away the surrounding holy water, Lucia finished the sanctification. Yuria, who was carefully seated inside a circular barrier with the names of Seraphs sequentially written, slowly sheathed Severer, which she had been holding. ¡®...The speed should have slowed a little.¡¯ Lucia looked at Yuria, who was wearing the Starsteel Circlet, with a worried gaze. The ¡®white stem¡¯ extending from Severer¡¯s scabbard had reached all the way to Yuria¡¯s wrist. It wasn¡¯t something that was supposed to be there. This was a sign that the curse had started to corrode her body gradually because she had been attached to Severer for too long. Although Lucia had slowed down the process dramatically by doing sanctification and curse removal daily, the cursed artifact was still rooted in her little sister¡¯s body like a disease. ¡°...¡± Severer. One of the oldest artifacts ever discovered by humanity. The only record left about it was that the ¡®Miracle of God¡¯ would descend upon the surface if the curse progressed until the end to completely devour the user. In the first place, her sister was an artificial life form created by the Pope with the sole intention of getting devoured by such an artifact. As such, from the moment she first grasped the sword, it became physically impossible to remove that thing from her body. ¡®...If...¡¯ If Yuria had been ¡®devoured¡¯ as intended by the Pope, thus becoming a ¡®charm against evil¡¯ and was forcibly ¡®merged¡¯ with Lucia... What kind of state would Lucia have been in now? Just thinking about it was enough to make her shudder. While she was lost in such thoughts, Yuria took hesitant steps forward. Despite the Starsteel Circlet she wore, it was clear that her actions were driven by an ingrained habit developed over many years, thus making her discomfort all the more visible. ¡°...¡± Lucia cautiously approached one step at a time. After all, she couldn¡¯t afford to take the risk of stepping inside the three-step radius, just in case an incident actually happened. However, even when she moved inside the danger zone, Yuria didn¡¯t react. Lucia, who had been preparing divine protection as a precautionary measure, let out a relieved smile. ¡°...!¡± A brightly beaming Yuria threw herself into Lucia¡¯s arms. She nuzzled her head against her sister, almost as if she was acting like a baby. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s okay to be close to each other now. Big sis won¡¯t run away.¡± Lucia chuckled while stroking her head. It was such a warm moment that her earlier worries seemed almost insignificant. It had been several days since they could touch each other, but it was like this every time they did so. Yuria was like a puppy that had finally reunited with its owner after a long ti¡ª ¡°...¡± That was definitely not a sentence that should come up when thinking about her little sister. Startled by her own impious thoughts, Lucia instinctively made the sign of a cross and murmured a prayer. ¡°...Big sis?¡± Seeing her in such a state, Yuria tilted her head in confusion. As she gazed at her innocent expression, Lucia¡¯s guilty conscience squeezed her heart even harder than before. Lucia opened her trembling lips with great difficulty. ¡°Uh, Yuria. How about we start by removing that collar...?¡± Truthfully, it was inevitable that such despicable thoughts would appear when Yuria was wearing something like that all the time. But strangely, Yuria¡¯s expression became clouded at the suggestion. ¡°...Why?¡± ¡°...¡± Lucia found herself wanting to ask the same thing. ¡°No, but... Mr. Dowd gave me this as a gift...¡± As Yuria fiddled with the collar with both hands and gave such a muddled response, a headache started to creep upon Lucia. It was always like this. Yuria would obediently listen to anything else he said, but when it came to this topic, she would always push back and refuse. ¡°Big sis, do you not like Mr. Dowd?¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be normal to not like him? He put a collar on someone¡¯s precious little sister, and, while it couldn¡¯t be helped, he even grabbed her and threw her around like some kind of object. ¡°...¡± But, still... If she were asked if she disliked him, she would naturally say no. Although she couldn¡¯t understand his intentions, the fact remained that he was helping the two sisters without any apparent reason. ¡®You can stay as you are at the academy for the time being.¡¯ She remembered hearing those words not too long ago. Not long after the incident with Valkasus was wrapped up, he relayed such a message while handing over an official document from the Holy Land. ¡®For the time being, they won¡¯t be able to lay a hand on you. So, during this time, stick with Yuria and do your best to prevent Severer from encroaching on her further.¡¯ At the time, she was so incredulous that she didn¡¯t even have a chance to ask how he got such a document from the Holy Land. She wasn¡¯t sure what he did to the Pope, but at the moment, it seemed like the Holy Land was willing to grant any request that he had within reason. With all his capabilities and his effort to help the two sisters at every turn, there was no reason to dislike him at all. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike him.¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I like him...!¡± Seeing her sister retort with a huff, Yuria tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Why are you getting angry?¡± ¡°...¡± It was as Yuria said, it wasn¡¯t something to deny so aggressively and angrily. However, it somehow felt like she was losing if she freely admitted that she saw him in a favorable light. ¡°...It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Mmm, because Mr. Dowd was brought up, I suddenly miss him.¡± However, her reaction didn¡¯t seem to bother Yuria that much, seeing how quickly she stated such things. She was always like this. While she could go half a day separated from that man without saying a word, after a day, she would start getting visibly anxious, and after two days, she would go all out trying to find him. He had mentioned earlier today that he was leaving somewhere, but he seemed to take such things into account because he said he would return in two days. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go out. We¡¯ve finished everything we need to do here after all.¡± With that, Lucia calmly took Yuria¡¯s hand and headed for the hallway. Whenever she completed the sanctification, she had to report that she was done with the room to the academy staff who let her use it. ¡°Oh my~ Did you finish early today~?¡± ¡°I¡¯m always grateful, Dame Ophelia. I apologize for always troubling you.¡± Lucia bowed to the female knight with abundant blonde hair. The freshman dormitory supervisor, who perpetually seemed laid-back, was the person who had always lent an empty room to the girl so that they could work comfortably without being disturbed by others. ¡°...But, what are you doing right now?¡± Lucia asked as she looked at the massive wooden door that Dame Ophelia was holding onto. Considering she was a knight, she was definitely capable of moving objects of that size on her own, but why was such a thing being carried in the hallway in the first place? ¡°Ah~ There was just a bit of an issue inside the dormitory~¡± ¡°An issue?¡± ¡°The door hinges came off in one of the rooms~ So this is a spare to fix it~¡± ¡°...Why did something like that happen?¡± ¡°It seemed two female students got really angry when they found out they¡¯d be going together for the Pilgrimage Homecoming~ So, they broke the door to get inside~ That male student really is something~¡± ¡°...¡± This was no different from expressing the desired intent of an ¡®official exchange¡¯ between ¡®households¡¯. In other words... It means that both of them wanted a rather ¡®serious conversation¡¯ to take place in the presence of my family members. ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, may I leave first and help the Baron prepare for the reception? I believe we should make proper preparations to welcome these guests.¡± As the castle gradually came into view, Herman brought up this proposal. ¡°...You may do so.¡± ¡°Young Master.¡± When I slightly turned my head to look at Herman, the butler was staring at me with a worried expression. ¡°I have no intention of blaming you. From the standpoint of someone who has served you for a long time, I never believed that the Young Master would live quietly in Elfante. I thought that something like this might happen from the very beginning.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Perhaps no one among the locals believed it either. You¡¯re someone who drove people away with just some eye contact. How could someone like that live quietly, as if they¡¯re dead? How ridiculous...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Of course, even after taking that into account, this situation still is unexpected. After all, the households of the two ladies are quite... impressive.¡± Herman sighed as he continued. ¡°As such, in order to handle either side without causing harm, a great amount of work will be needed. Of course, I believe that the Young Master can do it somehow.¡± ¡°...¡± With that, I sighed inwardly as I watched Herman get off the carriage and head to the castle. Yeah. You¡¯re right. Agreed x 100 Still, there was one silver lining in this entire fiasco. As mentioned before, the ¡®Pilgrimage Homecoming Event¡¯ was the only time throughout the entire scenario where I could mediate and resolve the friction between the two girls. ¡°...¡± Of course, given the situation, I knew that I was going to have a difficult time, just like Herman had said. As I contemplated this while getting off the carriage, the familiar scent of my hometown wafted through my nose. Both Iliya and Eleanor disembarked from the carriage at the same time. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± There was a palpable chill in the air. Was it winter already? Why was there a blizzard next to me? While Iliya and Eleanor hadn¡¯t always gotten along perfectly, this level of tension was something else entirely. They themselves were clearly aware of the significance of dragging out the household carriages. At this point, it was possible that all three of us would continue to walk in silence until we entered the caste. ¡°...¡± ¡®I think I¡¯m about to die.¡¯ The atmosphere was so stifling. I couldn¡¯t breathe. Please, someone, send me some oxygen... It would be okay if there was an ¡®aggressive¡¯ event happening, so just give me anything...! ¡°You worthless bug, how many times have I told you to deal with this in advance? How many times?¡± ¡°...I have already explained, Viscount Goldic. I cannot comply with the contents of your request.¡± ¡°...¡± Yeah, uh... I knew I kinda hoped for something like this to happen, but I didn¡¯t want it to be this aggressive... As I poked my head into my father¡¯s office, I saw my father with an awkward expression and a fat man pouring out swears at him. ¡®If it¡¯s Viscount Goldic...¡¯ I know this person as well. A noble from a neighboring territory. He was the lord of the Goldic territory, known for its mining as its primary industry. He had continuously pressured us to sell the iron ore veins allocated within our territory. From what I knew, this had caused my father a great deal of stress. ¡°Where are the locals supposed to live if their homes are taken?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t my problem. Perhaps they should blame themselves for being in such a pitiable situation. After all, didn¡¯t they choose to live in the territory of a worthless Baron?¡± Seeing the quiet figure of my father, Viscount Gooldic continued with smug laughter. ¡°If not, should I personally evict those bastards by force? Huh? Do you even realize who is backing me?¡± ¡°...Viscount Goldic. They are all innocent and honorable people.¡± However, this time, his behavior was quite abhorrent. Although he was known for being aggressive and temperamental, he still had maintained some degree of composure in the past. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± As I entered the room while uttering these words, my father turned towards me with a surprised expression. It seemed like he didn¡¯t want to show his son such a shitfest upon his return home. ¡°Welcome back, Dowd. Since you must have a lot of fatigue from your travels, go rest for now and-¡± ¡°No, this is perfect. You claim that your son is capable enough to enroll in Elfante, right? It would be quicker to resolve this matter by discussing with him instead. Dealing with you is so frustrating that¡ª¡± With those words, Viscount Goldic attempted to approach me, but he frowned when two silhouettes promptly blocked his way. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Your attitude is quite insolent and your manners are unbefitting of nobility. It would be better for you if you calm down and talk about what your business here is.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Eleanor and Iliya spoke with slightly twisted expressions. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but insulting other in this matter is not acceptab¡ª¡± ¡°Hah. At best, they¡¯re probably from some insignificant household if they were brought here by the son of a mere Baron. Hey, step aside.¡± Viscount Goldic continued to derisively laugh while sneering. ¡°I have business with that trash¡¯s son, not you.¡± Upon hearing his words, a chill ran down my spine. No like... I wasn¡¯t really angry about being insulted and sworn at. Honestly, it was better that I was insulted than having my father insulted. But... The real problem was that after hearing those words... I could instinctively feel that the two women in front of me were ¡®really fucking pissed off¡¯. ¡°...Trash¡¯s son. And an insignificant household, huh.¡± Eleanor smirked while Iliya let out a disbelieving laugh. However... ¡°You have insulted my precious person. You have insulted his close friend. And you have even insulted my household.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. The same words can be applied to me as well.¡± Eleanor who spoke such words. And Iliya who added on such comments. Their eyes were not laughing at all. ¡°Is it right for me to believe that you are prepared for what is to come?¡± The atmosphere turned icy. However, unlike earlier, it wasn¡¯t an atmosphere born out of tension between the two girls. It was an icy presence from a hostile who had designated a ¡®target to vent their emotions on¡¯. ¡°...¡± I took a step back involuntarily. After all, I instinctively felt the absolute shitstorm coming this way. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 62: Homecoming (3) Chapter 62: Homecoming (3) ? Homecoming (3) ? ¡°H-Has the Young Master returned?¡± ¡°The Young Master has returned?¡± ¡°Is that really true?!¡± ¡°...¡± Herman barely suppressed a sigh that tried to burst out and gestured to the maids who were gathered around, indicating that they should stop their chatter and focus on working. While watching the maids dispersing with a hand placed on his forehead, a slightly amused voice mixed with laughter came from beside him. ¡°It seems like that Young Master¡¯s karma is quite deep. I wonder if he can handle it.¡± ¡°He has been clever since he was young, so I think he¡¯ll manage on his own, Hana.¡± ¡°He has always been an outstanding person. However, I still didn¡¯t expect him to bring such individuals with him.¡± The Head Maid, Hana, spoke while gazing beyond the window where the carriage was visible. ¡°Margrave Kendride and Duke Tristan. How incredible. Have you already reported this to the Baron?¡± ¡°Right now, it¡¯s a bit... you know? I heard that Viscount Goldic just arrived.¡± Herman¡¯s tired demeanor was completely understandable to Hana as well, as she gave out a bitter smile. ¡°...Count Chester has been showing an unusual amount of interest in our territory lately. The Baron must be having a hard time.¡± If one were to ask who was the most powerful nobles within this area, Count Chester would be mentioned without a doubt. Viscount Goldic was merely that man¡¯s lackey. ¡°It is indeed a strange occurrence.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Count Chester has been here a few times before. He was ambitious, but he at least held some amount of decorum. I doubt he would try to forcefully take someone else¡¯s land like this.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s come over him. Maybe there¡¯s some problem within his territory.¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t seem like the time for us to worry about someone else¡¯s territory.¡± After saying that, Hana looked out the window once again. ¡°Especially when such prestigious households bring their carriages to our territory... Normally, this implies something, right?¡± Herman accurately understood the hidden meaning behind her words and couldn¡¯t suppress a sigh this time. ¡°...They won¡¯t go as far as proposing a marriage.¡± ¡°You seem quite certain about this, hm?¡± ¡°Both families are in such a high position that just the hint of a marriage proposal would cause a political storm. If such rumors were circulating, the heads of the households themselves would have attended.¡± ¡°...¡± Herman¡¯s words made Hana¡¯s bitter smile even more noticeable. Meanwhile, Herman¡¯s expression was one of inexplicable unease. ¡°Have you read this before? It just arrived via a magically engineered carrier pigeon.¡± Hana handed Herman a letter. ¡°Perhaps these two households are more serious than we thought.¡± What was imprinted on the envelope was a divine emblem. Even among them, an emblem with 3 wings indicated the highest authority; Excluding the Pope, only two others were qualified to use it. The Archpriest, head of the Great Temple, as well as the Saintess, the representative of all devotees of such a religion. And the contents written were... ¡°Could this be a forgery?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like a lie, Herman. Unless they were utterly insane, no one would ever pretend to be the Saintess. The authenticity of the divine emblem has also been confirmed. ¡°...¡± A dizzying sensation momentarily enveloped his entire body, but it didn¡¯t take too long for him to regain his composure. In any case, both Hana and Herman were veterans in their line of work. They were used to unexpected situations erupting out of nowhere. Still, it was the first time for them to experience an event of such a great magnitude. ¡°...Gather all available personnel. We need to be very well prepared.¡± If what was written in this letter was true... The Saintess herself would also be residing in this territory. This alone was already a big deal. However, the other individuals would become an even bigger deal than that. Unlike the Sainteess, who was highly regarded in a ¡®symbolic¡¯ way, these ¡®two individuals¡¯ held true power that was counted among the top in the entire continent. ¡°For now, make sure to alert everyone. At least for the next few days, no incidents can happen within the territo¨C¡± Just as he was about to give such an order... The sound of an explosion came from the office upstairs. Following it was the sound of someone getting beaten. Do you even know who I am, blah blah blah...If you mess with me, Count Chester won¡¯t stay quiet, yada yada yada. For a moment, such screams were accompanied by squeals akin to a pig getting its throat cut. Then, it suddenly quieted down. ¡°...¡± His previous words felt like a jinx since a terrifying incident had occurred. Moreover, it took place in the very place where an incident must never occur. At this moment, Viscount Goldic was supposed to be having a conversation with Baron Campbell. Both of them were undoubtedly the most valuable people to their territory right now. While thinking this, a pale Herman was about to rush upstairs, but his body stiffened once again. ¡°...I never knew a person could be this heavy with just an abundance of fat. It¡¯s almost commendable that he was lazy to this extent.¡± ¡°Well, wasn¡¯t it good since we could beat him up a little longer? He held up better than we expected, didn¡¯t he?¡± As such words were exchanged... Two women were descending down the stairs while dragging a bloodied Viscount Goldic. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing this, Herman and Hana fell silent at the same time. Meanwhile, Dowd approached them with a gloomy expression. ¡°Herman, please prepare a carriage.¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± ¡°If he rides the fastest one, it won¡¯t take long to get to the Goldic Viscounty, right?¡± ¡°Young Master, I will gladly follow your orders, but I at least require an explanation. What in the world happened...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just... Ugh...¡± Dowd held his head with both hands. ¡°There¡¯s a possibility that his territory will be possessed by a new owner, something like that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s all you need to know.¡± After hearing such an explanation, Herman couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask anything else. The interior of Viscount Goldic¡¯s castle was so heavily guarded that it was almost unbelievable that his territory was a mere Viscounty. Of course, since the territory¡¯s primary industry was mining, there were always plenty of sturdy men compared to territories of similar size, making it easier to mobilize them as military resources. However, in cases such as today, where ¡®special guests¡¯ arrived, its defenses were even more pronounced. ¡°Since the Viscount himself has gone, everything should be finalized by the end of today. Please do not worry too much.¡± The administrator of the Goldic Viscounty was sweating profusely as he spoke. Sitting across him was the Head Chamberlain of Chester County, who sat with a discontent look on his face. ¡°...¡± And this guy was supposed to be a Holy Knight... As I pondered that thought, a window popped up in front of me. System Message [ You have made great contributions through the buff you applied to your ¡®Party Members¡¯! ] [ AP received! ] [ You can use AP to increase the proficiency of a desired Mastery! ] At least I could calm myself down by looking at this. Wasn¡¯t this the reason I kept Image World activated even though it had zero practical effect? ¡®Let¡¯s see...¡¯ I decided to invest all my points into a single Mastery. System Message [ Proficiency has increased significantly! ] [ Mastery Grade has been upgraded from ¡®Basic¡¯ to ¡®Common¡¯! ] [ Mastery Info ] Mastery: Forbidden Sorcery ¨C Basic Grade: Common Proficiency: 0% Description: You can carve Tattoo onto your body by sacrificing mediums. Depending on the shape of the Tattoo, you can generate Arrays with different effects. [ ¡ö You can only use living beings as mediums. ] [ ¡ö You can currently carve a maximum of 6 Tattoos. ] [ ¡ö The power of the Array increases with the number of Tattoos carved. ] [ ¡ö Increasing proficiency will allow you to carve more Tattoos and generate more type of Arrays. ] Not bad. This should be enough to meet the basic requirements needed for me to drag out Valkasus later and learn Forbidden Sorcery from him. No matter how great Forbidden Sorcery was, calling him over to teach me how to use it with only 3 Tattoos was like killing a chicken by dropping an atomic bomb: an utter waste of his prowess. As I finished organizing my thoughts, something else was attached beside the window where I invested my points. System Log [ ! Unconfirmed Record ! ] [ Target ¡®Gideon¡¯ has unlocked a skill under your influence. ] [ ¡®Tristan Style Swordsmanship: Zandatsu¡¯ is added to the target¡¯s skill set! ] [ Ability is added to ¡®Skill: Guidance¡¯! ] Seeing that it was labeled as a log and not a message, it seemed that this had happened a while ago. It must have automatically surfaced after not being checked for a while. Checking the timestamp, it popped up around the time I was fighting Valkasus. I was probably too preoccupied to notice it. ¡®He did it.¡¯ I chucked while reading through the contents. This meant that he had faithfully completed the ¡®homework¡¯ I gave when I lay met him; the next step of the Intangible Sword. The problem was... System Log [ The favorability of the target ¡®Gideon¡¯ is skyrocketing! ] [ A related event will be generated soon! ] This was also attached to it. ¡°...¡± Suddenly... A terrifying thought crossed my mind. Based on my past experiences, whenever this game mentioned something like ¡®related event will be generated soon¡¯ or whatever, it usually meant that the event would come literally days later. But, the problem was that there was another guy that also popped up besides Gideon. System Log [ Target ¡®Margrave Kendride¡¯ has begun to take interest in you. ] [ A related event will be generated soon! ] Gideon and Margrave Kendride. If I were to rank pairs of nobles within the Empire who were on bad terms with each other, these two would undoubtedly be number 1 of such a list; they were practically cats and dogs. And I had events generated ¡®simultaneously¡¯ regarding both of them. Furthermore, it was heavily implied that it would happen soon. ¡°...¡± So... If I were to make a wrong move... Duke Tristan and his daughter. Margrave Kendride and his foster daughter. There was a possibility that I had to deal with both combinations at the same time. With me right in the middle. ¡®...Just the thought of it...¡¯ Made it hard for me to breathe. This wasn¡¯t a joke. If it really came to that, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the situation escalated to a point where they just declare war on each other. Their relationship was just that bad. ¡°...¡± ¡®Well, surely it won¡¯t go that far!¡¯ Even among all the nobles of the Empire, they were considered the most high-ranking nobles! What were the chances that they would personally come to this remote villa¨C ¡°Nice. We finally reached the castle. Let the real game begin from now on.¡± ¡°Hehe. Are you ready to give up?¡± System Message [ An event related to ¡®Margrave Kendride¡¯ has occurred! ] ¡¾ Event: First Impression¡¿ Description: ¨C Margrave Kendride has taken significant interest in you. Although it¡¯s mostly unfavorable, the Margrave is a person who only believes what he sees! ¨C Try to leave him the best impression possible while in the Goldic Viscounty¡¯s castle! Something good might happen if you do so! ¡°...¡± Okay. For now, one thing was highly likely. I was going to see at least one of them in this place. Fuck me. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 63: Kendride (1) Chapter 63: Kendride (1) ? Kendride (1) ? Viscount Goldic opened his own office at the behest of someone else. At least, that was the mildest way to put it. It was a lot better than saying someone grabbed him by the head and smashed open the door with his face. ¡°...¡± The administrator of the Goldic territory stared blankly at the woman who had ¡®used¡¯ his unconscious lord and then tossed him into the office like trash. ¡°...You carried him all the way here despite him being unconscious, and this is what you brought him for?¡± ¡°Well, at the very least, there is certain etiquette that requires the owner¡¯s permission.¡± While hearing such a conversation, the administrator¡¯s lips continued to tremble, unable to find words to respond. After all, this entire situation was so absurd that his brain couldn¡¯t even follow along. So... ¡°...All the soldiers have been defeated? Is this a joke?¡± What he was being told was that, in a couple of hours, three academy students had singlehandedly overwhelmed the territory¡¯s entire military strength and even breached the castle, practically turning it into some farmer¡¯s market down the street. ¡°They did their best.¡± A man who had followed the two women from behind chimed in with a noticeably regrettable tone. At the very least, it could be said that they had done their jobs by not fleeing even when facing these two natural disasters. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, the Head Chamberlain of Chester County and the administrator were both at a loss for words once again. Meanwhile, the white-haired woman walked unhesitatingly towards Viscount Goldic¡¯s desk and casually opened every drawer there. ¡°I¡¯ll take this.¡± In an instant, she retrieved a stamp with the territory¡¯s crest on it while nonchalantly talking to Viscount Goldic, who was squirming on the floor. He whimpered out a baby-like babble, but, in truth, it was practically impossible to consider it a human language. It would probably sound something like ¡®Absolutely not¡¯ blah blah or ¡®You can¡¯t do that¡¯ bleh bleh or something of the sorts. The woman just shrugged her shoulders and continued speaking without any concern. ¡°Indeed. Thank you for your hospitality. I¡¯ll make sure the transfer process of the territory is done properly at my own headquarters.¡± ¡°W-Wait! What is the meaning of all this violence?!¡± A man who had been so stunned that he hadn¡¯t been able to react properly until now, stood up in indignation. ¡°Whoever you are, you will pay for this!¡± He was right. No matter how insignificant a Viscount may be, Viscount Goldic was unquestionably a noble of the Empire. The law wouldn¡¯t tolerate this kind of violence in any way. ¡°Assaulting a noble and trespassing in a territory to commit such illegal a¡ª!¡± The administrator was about to continue, but his voice suddenly faded away. It was probably because Eleanor shot him a cold gaze. ¡°I guess I should elaborate.¡± Eleanor continued with a relentless tone. ¡°I have already mentioned that I maintained proper procedures. In essence, I did not commit such actions without a reason.¡± ¡°Wh-What do you mean?¡± ¡°Insulting the household of a rank of at least a Marquis is more than enough to be considered a legitimate reason for dispute. Moreover, if the party providing the reason loses in such a dispute, it is not difficult to confiscate their territory.¡± With that, a nameplate flew towards the administrator¡¯s face. An identification card bearing the crest of the Tristan Duchy hit the administrator¡¯s forehead and slid down. ¡°The Tristan Duchy will handle this matter with the official procedures. If you have any complaints, you can appeal to the Imperial Supreme Court.¡± ¡°...¡± The administrator glanced at the nameplate in disbelief. But, soon enough, his face turned pale. He realized that this article was genuine. ¡°...¡± With a pale expression, the administrator alternated between looking at the collapsed Viscount Goldic and the woman who threw the nameplate. It was evident that the lord, who he had served for 20 years, made an incredibly grave mistake. Moreover, it was against monsters that should never be touched. ¡®...Then, I should...!¡¯ His decision was quick and his actions were even quicker. It was the moment when the bonds formed over 20 years shone ever so brightly. A determined resolve filled the administrator¡¯s face. ¡°Viscount Goldic.¡± ¡°...Uuuuh.¡± ¡°It has been an honor serving you all these years.¡± WIth that, the administrator quickly stormed out of the office. It was a clear assertion that he had no involvement in the incident caused by his lord. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± As everyone in the room contemplated the futility of loyalty in the face of overwhelming power, Eleanor took out a piece of paper and quickly wrote something. Soon thereafter, she stamped it with the lord¡¯s seal and handed it to Dowd. ¡°Dowd.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°From today onwards, you are a Viscount.¡± ¡°...¡± It was the moment when an entire Viscounty was just delegated over, as if appointing a class representative. System Mesage [ Granted the noble title ¡®Viscount¡¯! ] [ ¡®Stat: Power¡¯ is adjusted from F to D ] [ Now capable of ¡®Dungeon Conquest¡¯ ] [ Now eligible to participate in ¡®Joint Demonic Creature Conquest¡¯! ] As I looked at such windows appearing one after another in front of me, I wiped my forehead. ¡®...This is fucking nuts.¡¯ Excluding the rewards from the main scenario, the most significant growth events in the game were through ¡®Artifact Exploration¡¯, such as Dungeon Conquests and Joint Demonic Creature Conquests. However, both of these events were exclusive to ¡®nobles with territories¡¯. As seen from before, even something like the Sky Splitter could shatter the barrier made by Seraphs. This further exemplified that ¡®powerful artifacts¡¯ could display tremendous strength. After all, there was even a route where players would give up everything else just to receive a territory. From the very beginning, players would just focus on raising favorability with the Imperial Court in order to achieve this goal. ¡®To be fair, the quicker you acquire territories the better.¡¯ for new novels As the scenario progressed towards the later stages, events related to ¡®major households¡¯ became much more frequent. As such, having a foundation of influence and not having one could make a significant difference when mingling with such people. The ¡®Power¡¯ stat was displayed on the status window for a reason after all. The higher it was, the more events it unlocked. This would help me greatly when it came to resolving the upcoming battles in Chapter 3 ¡®Apostle of the Reversed Sea¡¯. In that chapter, there would be many encounters with the Tribal Alliance, as the contents consisted of numerous ¡®negotiations¡¯ with them. Certain branching routes would only open up for those with the authority of a lord. Of course, in a way that significantly lowered the clear difficulty of the chapters. ¡°...Am I allowed to just casually accept something like this?¡± Considering how important it was, I had already planned to obtain such authority later on. However, I never expected to receive it easily like this. ¡°Considering what you have been doing so far, someone would¡¯ve snatched you away from me and given it to you anyway. So, it is not a big deal.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And legally, if there¡¯s a huge disparity in ranks... Mm. It could disrupt interactions between households. At the very least, the rank of a Viscount wouldn¡¯t cause major objections.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Just think of it as a starting level to the titles you¡¯ll gradually receive from now on.¡± ¡°...¡± She rashly tossed me the title of a Viscount with such nonchalance while labeling it as a mere starting level. Words could be spoken into existence. ¡°...Margrave?¡± Iliya¡¯s voice, shaky and distraught, made the Head Chamberlain stare at the figure before him. ¡°...Margrave? What, no, no way¡ª!¡± By the way, the poor sod mentioned about the Ruler of the North or whatever earlier. You know, the one with the authority for immediate judgment? Yeah, you see... The dude he was talking about was right in front of us. ¡°I told you to call me Dad, kid.¡± The man chuckled. With him being so close, the overwhelming presence emanating from this man became even more palpable. His huge and strong physique, comparable even to the Automaton that had been sent flying earlier. Tattered pants. A completely exposed upper body. Muscles that rippled with vitality and a multitude of grotesque scars crossing over his entire figure. Although his appearance suggested a martial artist that had wandered for a long time, I was aware that he had little interest in martial arts. Rather, this was none other than his own version of ¡®Proof of Faith¡¯. ¡°...¡± In the world of Sera, Holy Knights were divided into two major categories. People known as ¡®Holy Knights¡¯ typically referred to individuals who embodied the image of angels, who were the Messenger of God. As such, these Holy Knights trained themselves according to that stigma. One type adhered closely to the traditional image of angels; thus, they were faithful, virtuous, noble, and placed great emphasis on dignity and conduct. Basically, figures like Caliban were considered the pinnacle of this type; they wielded overwhelming strength and served as a Guardian, the role model of all knights. Within the knighthood, Holy Knights often implied this traditional image. I mean, makes sense, no? It looked good. And was popular. Except... Within academic circles, there existed a rather niche group that believed in the ¡®true figure of angels¡¯. These guys found a profound inspiration and fascination in the bodies of angels that were honed to their limits through their daily extreme physical labor. As such, these crazy fucking gym ra¡ª I mean, this physical fitness group dedicated themselves to never ending discipline and penance to reach the true figure of angels. And the pinnacle of that particular approach was this man. The world¡¯s greatest masochistic pervert who¡¯d jump into battlefields without a single weapon, clad only in his naked body and bare fists. Kraut Bellium La Kendride. A.K.A. Margrave Kendride. ¡°However, I¡¯ll deal with whoever this Chester guy is later. There¡¯s something more urgent right now, you see.¡± With those words, the Margrave turned away from the Head Chamberlain and walked briskly toward us. ¡°W-Why are y-you here...?¡± And as Iliya saw him approaching... She started back stepping with an expression ¡®filled with horror¡¯. Considering that she still maintained her composure even when confronting the Boy King or when she risked her life, this was a surprising scene. ¡°I¡¯ve received your letter, but its content sounded fishy. I felt I should come and see for myself; Who the bastard bullying my daughter really is.¡± The Margrave turned his gaze towards me this time. ¡°So.¡± Then... ¡°Are you Dowd Campbell?¡± The current era¡¯s strongest Holy Knight asked me with a fierce smile while baring his teeth. And just with that... My knees wobble. I wanted to take a step back. Was this how people felt when they encountered a tiger without a weapon in hand? However... ¡°...¡± While watching him, I chose my words very carefully. ¡¾ Event: First Impression¡¿ Description: ¨C Margrave Kendride has taken significant interest in you. Although it¡¯s mostly unfavorable, the Margrave is a person who only believes what he sees! ¨C Try to leave him the best impression possible while in the Goldic Viscounty¡¯s castle! Something good might happen if you do so! Even with a mere glance at the event window regarding this person, it was clear that Kraut didn¡¯t approach me with favorable intentions. And his following words confirmed that. ¡°He¡¯s nothing special. He looks like a pair of dried up chopsticks. So, I heard you¡¯re the one making my daughter suffer?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®It¡¯s you we¡¯re talking about. Everyone would look that way to you...¡¯ Even as I inwardly let out a bitter laugh, I was still racking my brain. Since this event had popped up, a certain ¡®plan¡¯ came to mind. ¡°...Did you come all this way just to see little old me, Margrave?¡± I managed to say these words calmly, with a refined voice. Considering the difference in status between the two of us, it could be seen as audacious. However, with someone like him, he would probably appreciate this kind of attitude more. Indeed, Kraut¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing my words. His expression seemed to say, ¡®Look at this lil shit?¡¯ ¡°Look at this little shit go. I like your courage, Kid.¡± The fierceness in his laughter intensified. ¡°But you know...I don¡¯t really like bastards who aren¡¯t my friends acting all arrogant.¡± It felt like my whole body was being torn apart. The pressure emanating from this person was just at that level: Literally built different. ¡°...!¡± ¡°...!¡± Eleanor and Iliya turned toward me with a sense of urgency. Both were making gestures trying to dissuade me. ¡°...¡± Huh, look at these two being perfectly in sync. What a rare sight. To be fair, they were probably panicking that hard. Perhaps they wanted to say, ¡®Please don¡¯t act like the lunatic that you usually are. Please don¡¯t do anything crazy while facing this person,¡¯ but... ¡°...Then let¡¯s be friends.¡± ¡°What?¡± As direct as his attitude was, the way to deal with this man was much simpler compared to Gideon. Unlike Gideon, where I had to find various angles to break down his walls and gain his trust, it was possible for me to instantly resolve the situation even when our meeting was this abrupt. Even the event window said, this person ¡®only believes what he sees.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s not drag it out. There¡¯s a quick way for men to become friends. You should know too, right?¡± That was why, I just needed to show him. By doing what this person liked. ¡°Wanna have a fight, Margrave?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s square up.¡± Eleanor and Iliya were simultaneously letting out a silent scream. Honestly, their faces kinda looked like the Scream. ¡°...¡± ¡®C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be like that...¡¯ ¡®This might be more doable than you guys think.¡¯ You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 64: Kendride (2) Chapter 64: Kendride (2) ? Kendride (2) ? The Goldic territory was a region primarily driven by miners. As such, these guys were unbelievable when it came to digging holes. In other words, it wasn¡¯t difficult at all for Kraut and I to find a deep pit suitable for exchanging blows. ¡°Any regrets?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Why are you talking to me like I¡¯m a dead man walking...?¡¯ Well, actually, I understood why he said such a thing. A similar confrontation happened with Gideon as well. Except this time, I had to actually trade blows with this Kraut. ¡°If I was going to have regrets, I wouldn¡¯t have provoked you in the first place.¡± Kraut smirked before taking a step back. It seemed like he was preparing for a direct attack. ¡°U-Uh, Margrave...¡± ¡°Call me Dad.¡± ¡°...Father. I¡¯ll fight in your place, so...!¡± ¡°Iliya.¡± Kraut¡¯s gaze shifted towards Iliya, who was timidly speaking from outside the pit. He had just asked her to call him Dad, showing that he truly doted on her, but it seemed like this was the one thing he couldn¡¯t concede on no matter what. Huh, I never knew that human eyes could actually glitter like that. Even Iliya, who had always been adamant about never backing down in any situation, turned as stiff as a board when she saw the brightness of the Margrave¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do not interfere.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Sometimes, you can¡¯t properly know others until you exchange blows with them. Even if you won¡¯t understand them deeply, it¡¯s possible to sense what kind of person they are to a certain extent.¡± Although his theory practically smelled like sweat because, you know, he was a gym ra- No, I mean physical fitness lover... I was grateful that he had such thoughts. It meant his mind wasn¡¯t just filled with thousands of ways to torment me. Of course, even if he was up against an academy student like me, he still wouldn¡¯t pull back his blows. That didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d act irrationally, though. Basically, he wasn¡¯t someone who¡¯d start ripping off people¡¯s heads just because he didn¡¯t like them. ¡°Let¡¯s set some rules before starting.¡± Just hearing these subsequent words made it evident that his action was, by all means, rational. He smirked before continuing. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you. Instead, if you lose consciousness, it¡¯ll be your defeat.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°On the other hand, if you can land even one hit on me properly, we¡¯ll call it quits. Got it?¡± On the surface, it seemed like he was being lenient. But, in reality, it was a proposal that would elicit a bitter laugh. ¡®...His ceiling is lower than the Battle Priest from before, but...¡¯ If Klein, the guy I beat before, was given two hours to buff himself with Graces, then it would be possible for him to become stronger than the Margrave. After all, their distinctive trait was the ability to become endlessly stronger over time. However, the Imperial Holy Knights, especially those in the same category as Kraut, had incredibly high base stats from the very beginning, though it came at the cost of their lack of the ability to become progressively stronger. As such, their ceilings could be lower than that of Battle Priests, but their floors were unreasonably high. And among those guys, the strongest of them all, Margrave Kendride... System Notification [ Using ¡®Scan¡¯. ] [ Gathering information on the target. ] [ A 24-hour cooldown applies before reuse is available on the same target. ] [ Kraut Bellium La Kendride ] < Character Info > Characteristic: Margrave of the North ¨C Ruler of the Snowfields Status: Feeling heated up because he wants to give a beating to the kid in front of him. < Status Info > [ General ] Strength: S+ ( 2x effect due to influence of Mastery ) Agility: S+ ( 2x effect due to influence of Mastery ) Endurance: S+ ( 2x effect due to influence of Mastery ) Luck: B Power: S [ Special ] Magic Power: S Law Power: F Divine Power: S [ Techniques ] Unarmed Combat: SS+ ¡°...¡± ¡®Holy shit, is he even a human?¡¯ for new novels While he didn¡¯t charge at me seriously, the gap between us was like that between a rabbit and a bear. If I got careless, I could actually die. Even Eleanor, who could be considered the standard of a strong body, was practically a walking living tank with her all S-Grade stats in Strength/Agility/Endurance. However, not only were his stats higher than Eleanor¡¯s, but it was also inflated by two times because of the influence of his Mastery. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, his Unarmed Combat technique, practically made for close quarters, was right below EX-Grade. Basically, it was considered the highest level of Unarmed Combat in this world¡¯s lore. ¡®...Honestly, there¡¯s no way I can even endure, much less resist.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like this person was some academy student. Even with Swordsman¡¯s Focus, where I could deflect with perfect timing to avoid damage, it was impossible to face someone like him. All I could do was use all of Ultima¡¯s Built-In Skills to minimize the pain. He probably knew about this level of difference when he set those rules. So, in essence, he was testing how much I could endure when he casually beat the shit out of me without using his full strength. ¡°Yes. I accept.¡± ¡°...¡± As such, my nonchalant acceptance would be interpreted in one of two ways. Either I was an idiot who didn¡¯t understand his implication. Or I was a lunatic who had the biggest balls of steel known to mankind. ¡°However, I have one condition as well.¡± ¡°...¡± Upon hearing this, he definitely saw me as the latter. ¡°Go ahead and yap. Since your bravery is quite commendable, I¡¯ll listen to it.¡± ¡°If I win, please grant me one thing I desire.¡± ¡°...Win? You?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention earlier that it would be my victory if I landed a proper hit?¡± He probably didn¡¯t realize what the rules were even though he said it himself. After all, according to common sense, it was absolutely impossible for me to be the victor. ¡°...¡± Kraut seemed to ponder for a moment. He was probably wondering what gave me the confidence to say such a thing. ¡°Do as you wish. However.¡± But considering his personality, he would likely draw a straightforward conclusion. ¡°I won¡¯t hold back, okay?¡± What was his conclusion? It was simple. He just needed to find out while beating the shit out of me. As Kraut approached while cracking his knuckles, I finished checking my last preparations. System Notification [ Using ¡®Skill: Guidance¡¯. ] ¡þ Currently Available Techniques ? Descent ¨C Wrath { Eleanor } ? Tristan-Style Swordsmanship ¨C Zandatsu { Gideon } What a beautifully arranged set of skills from the father-daughter duo. However, this time, the situation called more for the father than the daughter. System Notification [ Activating ¡®Tristan-Style Swordsmanship ¨C Zandatsu¡¯ through ¡®Skill: Guidance¡¯. ] This was the skill I had confirmed through a system message before entering the castle earlier. And if this person also properly understood my ¡®goal¡¯ that I had told Gideon before... Kraut remained silent as his expression turned ice cold. Killing intent oozed from all over his body. ¡°...Even entertaining you has become tiresome. A bastard with all bark and no bite is utterly disgusting.¡± With that, he walked toward Dowd with a sigh. The speed was noticeably slower than before, but the ¡®hostility¡¯ in his movements was incomparable compared to before. Almost as if... He genuinely intended to kill his opponent. ¡°You should live while lying down for the time being. Don¡¯t approach Iliya again.¡± A blue mark ran along the Margrave¡¯s arm as it burned with light. The patented ability of Holy Knights specialized in Unarmed Combat: Materialization of Fortitude. His body, which was already a lethal weapon in itself, exuded an even more murderous aura. And in the moment that fist struck, aiming directly at Dowd¡¯s head... ¡°...!¡± Chills ran down Iliya¡¯s arm as goosebumps rose. Because at that very moment, the battered Dowd suddenly lifted his head. And the expressions on his face... Was an expression she knew very well. That was... Dowd¡¯s face when he pulled out his ¡®card¡¯. -... The first second. Dowd extended his right arm, enveloped in a shield of divine power, towards the fist swung by the Margrave. Obviously, it was a futile effort. In an instant, the shield shattered into pieces as the Margrave¡¯s fists reached Dowd¡¯s right arm. It was not a clash of bodies. Rather, Dowd¡¯s entire right arm was ¡®split¡¯ as if a huge broadsword had embedded into it. From the torn body, blood spurted out like a fountain, spraying in all directions. However, thanks to that. Thanks to sacrificing his entire body. The physical force distinctly contained in the fist was significantly reduced. It could be due, in part, to the Margrave being surprised by the sudden turn of events and slowing down the speed of his fist. Because of this, there was a momentary gap. The next second. Dowd pulled away that very arm while drawing his left arm, the arm holding the sword. After taking a step back and creating enough space to swing his sword.... [ Tristan-Style Swordsmanship ¨C Zandatsu ”ØŠZ ] ¡ª¡ª¨C!!!!!!!!!! A single blow containing a massive ¡®shockwave¡¯ struck deeply into Kraut¡¯s body. Inside the deeply dug pit, another crater formed. After getting hit by the sword, the Margrave¡¯s body flew away just like how Dowd had been flung around like a ball so far. Almost as if... All the blows he had dealt to Dowd were ¡®returned¡¯ all at once. ¡°Consciousness, intact. One blow, dealt.¡± While covered in blood, with his completely limp right arm dangling onto his body like a rag... ¡°I won, right?¡± Dowd Campbell smirked faintly. The first thought I had... It fucking hurts. It actually hurts like a bitch. Fuck. It felt like a chunk of flesh was connected to the right sight of my body instead of an arm. It was to the extent where my brain outright refused to send commands to the motor neurons in it. The second thought I had. < Skill Info > Skill: Tristan-Style Swordsmanship ¨C Zandatsu ”ØŠZ Grade: S Description: Reduces 60% of damage when defending against an opponent¡¯s attack with a sword. Accumulates damage received from the opponent. The accumulated damage is stacked and added to the next attack when the skill is activated. The effect is amplified as the user¡¯s health decreases. If I didn¡¯t have this, I would be dead. Even though Ultima¡¯s Built-In Skill was heavily invested into endurance and divine power stats, every single attack from Kraut shook my bones and made my organs tremble. Eleanor¡¯s father, thank you...! I will definitely repay this favor...! ¡°...¡± Across from me, Kraut was looking at me with a shocked expression. Although there wasn¡¯t any substantial damage, it seemed like the fact that he allowed me to strike him was incomprehensible to him. ¡°...I will not ask what method you used. After all, it is common to have a hidden card. Even I have one.¡± The voice that followed was soaked with those very thoughts. ¡°How were you able to go to such lengths?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Caught off guard by the unexpected question, I blinked my eyes as Kraut continued with an expression of absurd disbelief. ¡°Even I would not be able to come up with such extreme combat methods. Even the barbarians in the north, who are crazy about training and fighting, don¡¯t engage in such suicidal antics.¡± ¡°...¡± Huh... Really? I guess I¡¯ve been getting hurt so often while rolling around recently that my senses in that regard became a bit dulled. Like, wasn¡¯t it kind of a bargain if only my entire right arm was blown away? ¡°In other words...¡± Kraut chucked and got up. ¡°That is more than enough reason to keep Iliya near you.¡± With that, a window appeared in front of me. System Message [ The favorability level of the target ¡®Kraut¡¯ has been elevated to ¡®Curiosity Level 5¡¯! ] [ Reward has been reduced due to the Good disposition of the target! ] I could finally let out a sigh of relief. This much should be enough to say that I had gained quite a bit of recognition from him. To put it simply, I had managed to accomplish the intended goal. Like Gideon, Kraut was someone who could have a significant impact on the main story if I maintained a good relationship with him. The difference between having his assistance and not was huge when finding the Holy Sword in Chapter 4. ¡°...I¡¯m just letting you know in advance, but I haven¡¯t fully acknowledg¨C¡± ¡°Ah, just drop it already. A man shouldn¡¯t whine after losing so miserably.¡± ¡°...¡± Sure, I had one arm completely shattered while rolling around, but I made such a comeback because I wanted to have the last word. Sighing internally, I looked outside the pit. Iliya was staring blankly at me. It kinda looked like something had possessed her. ¡°...She should¡¯ve undergone some change as well, right?¡¯ Anyway, she, along with Eleanor, was someone I had to carry through the scenario until the very end. With utmost importance. That was why I asked for such a wish from Kraut. If he couldn¡¯t help me, at the very least he shouldn¡¯t hinder me. Thus, it resulted in a situation where I had fought this hard and got this hurt ¡®for her¡¯. I also had the intention to lift her spirits a bit because recently, she seemed way too upset because of me. Hopefully this would improve her moo¡ª System Message [ Checking the state of Negative Mark Stacks on the target ¡®Iliya¡¯! ] [ From a state of ¡®Despair¡¯, she has been charmed by your appearance! ] [ All harmful effects of Negative Marks are lifted ] [ Significant changes occur in her personality! ] [ Dominance over target has explosively increased! ] [ The target¡¯s favorability level has been elevated to ¡®Trust Level 1¡¯! ] [ Additional rewards available! ] [ Conditions for the target¡¯s Exclusive Quest have been met! ] [ Quest is now available! ] [ Relevant content is added to the Gift Tab! ] ¡°...¡± Yeah, okay. I expected it to increase, but... What the fuck is all this? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 65: Stormy First Family Meeting (1) Chapter 65: Stormy First Family Meeting (1) ? Stormy First Family Meeting (1) ? When it came to Baron Armin Campbell, there would be no one among his people who would speak ill of him. He was a competent and amiable lord who had always dove into the front lines to tackle difficult tasks, was considerate of those beneath him, and handled official matters calmly and cooly. And Armin himself was proving why he received such evaluations in real-time. Anyone would agree to such an evaluation after simply seeing him not flee from the person in front of him. ¡°...Is the tea to your liking?¡± In truth, after taking into account who the person in front of him was, the fact that he uttered such a question was ridiculous. As befitting of a lord that was void of extravagance, he had brewed a mediocre tea with old leaves and herbs. Since there had rarely been visitors from other territories, he hadn¡¯t adequately prepared items for hospitality. Rather, he¡¯d use that money to replace one of the local¡¯s farming equipment instead. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± However... The person in front of him was someone who had seen and possessed treasures from all the mountains and seas of the Empire. And he merely made such a remark. Gideon Galestead La Tristan. The highest authority in the Empire, second only to the Emperor himself. No matter how one looked at it, he wasn¡¯t someone who¡¯d visit the territory of a Baron, and without any attendants to boot. ¡®Lady Tristan was already overwhelming enough...!¡¯ ¡®Not only that, the Duke Tristan himself had come as well?¡¯ ¡®What in the world is going on?¡¯ Inwardly, he was sweating buckets, as he scrutinized the person before him from top to bottom. From his attire, one wouldn¡¯t have guessed that he was a major noble. Bandages wrapped around his entire body. His clothes were tattered. A single sword hanging from his waist and a body that was as sturdy as a rock. Rather than a major noble, he seemed more like a wandering swordsman who had dedicated himself to his journey and had disconnected himself from the secular world for a long time. ¡°...I apologize, Your Grace. It¡¯s a bit embarrassing, but in this remote rural area, this is all we have to offer so I give my sincere apolo¡ª¡± ¡°No need.¡± Gideon emptied his tea cup. The tea was undoubtedly crude and bitter, but he seemed unaffected. ¡°You have nothing to be ashamed of.¡± ¡°...¡± Armin blinked in surprise. ¡°On my way here, I saw the people smiling and laughing. It¡¯s quite a feat to be able to make everyone wear such expressions, even in a peaceful place like this.¡± Just with that, he could instantly tell how Armin Campbell treated the people of his territory, ¡°It implies that you are giving up many things for your people. Raise your chest with pride, Baron Campbell.¡± At the very least, it was clear that the Baron governing this small and remote territory was a much better human being than the nobles who only thought about their authority over their subjects, instead of the obligations and duty that came with their position. How long had it been since he encountered such a ¡®true¡¯ noble? Gideon thought as such before nodding. ¡°That must be why your son has grown with such character.¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± Armin responded blankly to the sudden statement. ¡®No, wait... Why is my son even being brought up in this conversation?¡¯ ¡°...Forgive me, but what¡¯s your relationship with Dowd...?¡± ¡°Our relationship is one of master and disciple.¡± Armin¡¯s jaw dropped. Oh my gosh. His son was acknowledged as the disciple of none other than Duke Tristan? Although Armin had always thought his child was clever from a young age, he didn¡¯t realize he had such extraordinary talent! ¡®Sending him to the academy was a good decision...!¡¯ With such thoughts, Armin was marveling at his own past decision. It was truly the right thing to do to provide his son with such an educational opportunity, even if he had to squeeze out the meager resources of his impoverished territory. It was just an effort to provide more help to the locals in the future, but it unexpectedly led to such incredible connections. ¡°Thank you very much, Duke Tristan. To give such a valuable opportunity to my child. As a token of appreciation, is there anything I can offe¡ª¡± ¡°...No.¡± Gideon replied with furrowed brows. ¡°I do not know what you¡¯re misunderstanding, but I am the disciple.¡± ¡°...¡± Armin¡¯s expression froze. It was as if his brain function had stopped in an instant. What in the world was this person saying? ¡°I visited the territory this time to receive a interim evaluation.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He had assigned me some homework, and at least in my eyes, I was able to produce a successful result. It¡¯s time for me to receive new homework.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I can only hope that my efforts have led me to the right path.¡± At the sight of Gideon smiling bitterly, Armin¡¯s brain received another shock akin to a lightning strike. Right now. Duke Tristan... [ Interest Level 4 ] >>> [ Trust Level 1 ] [ Rewards available! ] Although the favorability level jumped by 2 levels, which was still quite a remarkable feat of itself, it didn¡¯t bring about any significant change for me. From my experience, the changes in favorability levels for characters with a Good disposition would usually only give me points. However, what was more concerning were the sentences that followed. System Message [ 3 Negative Mark Stack ¡ú Negative Mark Released ] [ Due to the released effect, a new state will be assigned. ] [ Target is now in a ¡®Charmed¡¯ state for you. ] [ Effect of ¡®Gift #1: Fatal Charm¡¯ is applied to the target as well! ] ¡°...¡± So... Even though this kid had a Good disposition, she was now affected with the same increase in favorability towards me as characters with an Evil disposition. That also meant that if she successfully grew and acquired different skills, they could be shared with me through the Guidance skill. And, attached to the previous window... System Message [ Due to the ¡®Negative Marks,¡¯ a character with the Good disposition was influenced negatively and is now charmed by you! ] [ You have met the enhancement condition for ¡®Gift #2: He Who Touches Pitch Shall Be Defiled Therewith¡¯! ] [ If you meet the same condition again, the related Gift will be enhanced! ] Immediately, the first Gift that was enhanced brought forth an effect that strengthened one of my most broken skills: Guidance. If this was the skill that got enhanced, it was impossible not to be curious about what would come out next. ¡°...¡± As I scanned through such a window and entered the castle, I sensed one thing: The atmosphere was as frigid as it was before. Iliya¡¯s red face still had no sign of receding as she moved inside. Meanwhile, Kraut had a displeased expression as he followed behind her, and Eleanor sullenly glared at Iliya while walking inside as well. It felt incredibly similar to when we first arrived here as we moved inside without a word. If anything, the atmosphere now seemed more fucked than ever. ¡°...¡± How strange. Weren¡¯t we supposed to have broken the ice a bit after fucking up the Goldic Viscounty? Why was the atmosphere still this tense? ¡°...I should monitor more closely from now on.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine how many people would be brought here by such a clueless and dense person. I was willing to turn a blind eye as long as you remembered your priorities. But if you are this unaware of the people around you...¡± ¡°...Unaware?¡± ¡°Consider yourself fortunate that you haven¡¯t been devoured by someone until now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°After all, even I find it hard to endure at times.¡± Due to the eerie sensation I felt, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to respond as I walked into the castle. Thanks to that, I oh so thoroughly enjoyed the suffocating atmosphere, reliving the sensation of everyone walking in silence. However, unlike before, there was nothing to alleviate this icy tension. As such, I gloomily entered my father¡¯s office. ¡°...I¡¯m bac¡ª¡± System Notification [ Detected a moment of danger. ] [ Determined that a life-threatening situation is imminent due to something nearby. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to A-Grade. ] Why is this suddenly activating...? I blinked my eyes in surprise with such thoughts, but sadly, my curiosity was soon satisfied. ¡°...Gideon?¡± ¡°..Kraut?¡± Margrave Kendride and Duke Tristan. The two individuals, who were well-known to have a terrible relationship, locked eyes. They both blinked in astonishment, expressing that they didn¡¯t expect to meet the other. And then.... -... -... -...!!!! Everyone present turned pale at the palpable surge of killing intent that simultaneously emanated from the two figures. ¡°...¡± The first thought that immediately crossed my mind was... ¡®...Why wasn¡¯t it activated as EX?¡¯ After all, the ¡®direct¡¯ meeting of these two was undoubtedly a disaster. In many different ways. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 66: Stormy First Family Meeting (2) Chapter 66: Stormy First Family Meeting (2) ? Stormy First Family Meeting (2) ? Despite the intensity of the ongoing rivalry between Margrave Kendride¡¯s household and Duke Tristan¡¯s household, it was not as deeply-rooted as one might think. To be more precise, before Kraut and Gideon became the heads of their respective households, the two families were merely engaged in subtle power struggles to determine who was the Empire¡¯s foremost major noble, with no actual feud to speak of. However... After these two took over as family heads in recent times, many assessed that the relationship between the two households had crossed an irreversible threshold. And this fact was clearly evident within the office of Baron Campbell. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone silently endured this tense atmosphere. If killing intent could exist in a material form and cause some sort of phenomenon, it wouldn¡¯t have been odd for this small office to explode and fly to the stratosphere. ¡°So.¡± The first one to break the silence was Kraut. ¡°Why is this shitty dweeb here?¡± Gideon¡¯s face contorted. For someone who rarely showed any change in expression, this was incredibly unprecedented. And his subsequent actions emphasized this. ¡°...There¡¯s no reason for me to respond to a bastard no different from a barbarian.¡± Unexpectedly, Duke Tristan¡¯s statement seemed to openly mock the Margrave. Kraut¡¯s face also contorted in an instant. ¡°...Now, why don¡¯t we take it easy, Dweeb?¡± However, instead of exploding in anger, Kraut lowered his voice. ¡°If it was up to me, I would rip your limbs apart and I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like to chop off my head. But this is not the right place.¡± Brawling in Baron Campbell¡¯s peaceful territory was not what he wanted. After all, he was not inclined to cause harm to innocent people; Especially not against a competent noble who managed his territory extremely well. ¡®...This guy is still calm even in the midst of all this.¡¯ Seeing Dowd expressionlessly watching the surroundings, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle in disbelief. The young man was utterly composed, even in the midst of such a heated exchange. There was no way that he wasn¡¯t aware that Duke Tristan and himself, two of the most prestigious nobles of the Empire, had gathered just because of him. ¡°If we fight, this entire territory will be annihilated. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of that as well.¡± ¡°...¡± Duke Tristan remained silent as he faced Kraut. For Kraut, he could not help but be inwardly surprised at such a reaction. ¡®This fucker is actually agreeing with me?¡¯ Normally, even while knowing it was a valid point, they would have continued to exchange veiled threats with gritted teeth. Everyone in the Empire knew that Kraut and Gideon were openly hostile enough to engage in such mutual displays of animosity. However, at this moment, Gideon was conveying a non-verbal affirmation with his silence. It was almost as if he, too, did not wish harm upon this territory. At this moment, it seemed that the territory and the people in it were more important than the long-standing animosity that they held. It was highly probable that... ¡®...Is this kid really that important to him?¡¯ Kraut¡¯s sharp gaze alternated between Gideon and Dowd as he scrutinized them carefully. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind of connection existed between these two, but... If anything, it meant that he could now more confidently demand what he wished for. ¡°I¡¯m sure that you also know the proper traditions when it comes to the Pilgrimage Homecoming.¡± Kraut spoke calmly as he continued. ¡°Our family visited this guy¡¯s hometown with him. As such, it¡¯s this Dowd guy¡¯s turn to visit our hometown next. While it does seem like your family has tagged along as well, if he promises to visit us first, we will withdraw without any fuss.¡± With that, Margrave Kendride glanced at Dowd, who was still nonchalantly listening to the conversation. ¡®...This guy... He has potential.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just because Iliya obviously had feelings for him. If Kraut considered how much of an impression Dowd Campbell had made on him in such a short period of time, he undoubtedly had ¡®investment value¡¯. Putting aside his own personal feelings, Dowd had already proven his abilities in various ways. He had managed to survive a fight with Margrave Kendride and was even able to land a blow on him. Moreover, he was merely an academy student. Even among those who had survived the harsh and turbulent North, there weren¡¯t many who could claim such a feat. ¡°...¡± However, as if rendering such thoughts irrelevant... Dowd, who had been expressionless until now, began to look increasingly uncertain. It was because he had already grasped how the situation would unfold. In essence, this was all about setting his priorities. Duke Tristan and Margrave Kendride. Externally, it would seem like a negotiation process on who Dowd would visit first. But internally, the sentiment between the two sides was more along the lines of ¡®This guy belongs to us, so fuck off¡¯. Although the two major noble households favored by the Empire were practically thirsting for him, Dowd¡¯s expression showed no signs of improvement. That was because... ¡°...I don¡¯t care about such child¡¯s play.¡± Regardless of which side he chose, the other party would not appreciate such a decision. At all. Gideon spoke with a rigid voice. ¡°However, it¡¯s unsettling to send a man of such caliber to a backward land with nothing but ice.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°After all, isn¡¯t the North the gathering place of losers and runaways?¡± Kraut chuckled. However, in contrast to such a reaction, a blue aura had enveloped his entire body. It was none other than the combat stance of Holy Knights specialized in Unarmed Combat: ¡®Fortitude¡¯. After all, the sentence Gideon had just uttered was something that could not be ignored, given the history of the Margrave of the North¡¯s household. ¡°...I was going to go easy on this motherfucker, but he keep chirp¨C¡± ¡°How about this?¡± Suddenly, such words fell, interrupting the gradually hostile atmosphere. It was Dowd Campbell, who had remained silent until now. Side Quest: Disturbance! End of Quest: D-1 Description: It seems that Count Chester continues to incite conflicts in the surrounding territories. Find out the reason and resolve it! Reward: 1 Intermediate-Grade Artifact Huh, all of these events happened to coincide with the time that this quest ends... ¡®...The timing of this quest is a bit fast though.¡¯ If it was a Side Quest related to Count Chester that gave an artifact and had such a number of entangled events... There was nothing else it could point to besides that. An event that formed a ¡®positive¡¯ branching route in the relationship between Eleanor and Gideon. ¡°...¡± When I recalled the ¡®contents¡¯ of such an event, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitter laugh. It wasn¡¯t a walk in the park to achieve it after all. Still, the fact that I could achieve it so early on was a significant merit of itself. That was why I went out of my way to express it as ¡®giving a task¡¯ to Gideon and Kraut. If I couldn¡¯t manipulate those two as my puppets, it was almost impossible to get the desired results. After all, it was a branching route that would heavily influence the Exclusive Quest related to Eleanor¡¯s household. ¡°Coachman. How much longer until we reach the Chester County?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there!¡± I was currently moving with this many people to Chester County precisely because of that as well. As the saying goes, strike while the iron is hot. After all, it was only human nature to immediately resolve it when something this important comes up. ¡°But, Son.¡± While I was pondering such things inside the rattling carriage, across from me, my father asked a question with a worried expression. ¡°...Are you sure there aren¡¯t any others coming to our territory now?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is it possible that there are more women that you have unintentionally made a pass at...?¡± Father... How is it possible for a man to seduce women without knowing it himself? < Gift-Related Character Alert > ¨‹ Lucia Greyhounder [ Interest Level 1.5 ] [ Related Event Occurs in D-1 ] ¨‹ Yuria Greyhounder [ Interest Level 4 ] [ Related Event Occurs in D-1 ] [ 1 Skill Copy Ticket Available! ] ¡°...¡± This one wasn¡¯t caused by me flirting or whatever, okay? But it seemed like there would be more people coming. Unfortunately. ¡°How ridiculous.¡± Count Chester spat those words with noticeable annoyance. ¡°Margrave Kendride? Duke Tristan? Say something that makes more sense. Why would such people involve themselves in the affairs of a mere Baron?¡± ¡°B-But, Margrave Kendride really was there.¡± ¡°You must have seen wrong. Maybe it¡¯s some lunatic impersonating Margrave Kendride.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The last time that person left the North was ten years ago. He has not come down to the secular world ever since Duke Tristan¡¯s wedding. Why would such a person come to some backwater countryside...?¡± ¡®No, that wasn¡¯t it...¡¯ The Head Chamberlain was pale as he recalled his memories. The manly strength, spirit, and even the looks. All of it was identical to the information about Margrave Kendride. However, it was clear that Count Chester did not even have an ounce of intention to believe what he said. To be fair, it was incomprehensible for such individuals to be here after all. ¡°Stop concerning yourself with something unnecessary and quickly seize more land from the surrounding territories instead. If we don¡¯t do that, we are all dead. Do you understand?¡± The Head Chamberlain readily agreed. He swallowed hard in fear and anxiety. Currently, Count Chester was devoting all his resources into forcefully acquiring ¡®land¡¯ from neighboring territories. It was because of the ¡®monster¡¯ he had found within his own territory. Though it was only at the hatching stage, given more time, it would inevitably become a calamity capable of devouring the entire territory. As he recalled such information, a voice suddenly echoed from the distance. ¡°My Lord! My Looord¡ª!¡± It was one of the knights. His face was incredibly pale as if he had seen a ghost. Count Chester tilted his head before responding. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why do you look like that?¡± ¡°Another noble is visiting. You have to go see them quickly, My Lord!¡± ¡°...Visiting? There shouldn¡¯t be anything arranged though. Who is it?¡± Realistically, it was an incredible discourtesy to visit without notifying him in advance. As such, if it was someone who was lower in rank, Count Chester intended to give quite a severe treatment as punishment. ¡°It¡¯s Baron Campbell!¡± A Baron? He had no idea who it was. If that was the case, he could likely drive them away after giving significant humiliation. As Count Chester was about to voice such thoughts, the knight continued. ¡°He is being escorted by Margrave Kendride and Duke Tristan!¡± ¡°...¡± Count Chester¡¯s face looked like a fat question mark had been embedded onto it. After all... It was a sentence that was utterly incomprehensible to him. ¡°...Margrave Kendride and Duke Tristan are escorting a Baron?¡± ¡°...Yes!¡± ¡°...¡± A deep silence fell. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls 153 Chapter 67: Subjugation Force (1) Chapter 67: Subjugation Force (1) ? Subjugation Force (1) ? Contrary to expectations, Count Chester was someone who could assess situations quite quickly. However, someone like him often revealed critical weakness in seemingly trivial matters. For example, he trusted in his own judgment far too much that he would willingly walk into an obviously dangerous situation. According to his judgment, he deemed it highly unlikely for the two most prestigious nobles from the Empire to simultaneously escort Baron Campbell. As such, this initial response could be considered as a serious misjudgment. Mobilizing a substantial armed force to face Baron Campbell might not have been a completely wrong move. If there were actually lunatics who were impersonating such important people, the entire situation would be cleanly handled by driving them away or beheading them for such an egregious crime. And in the extremely unlikely case that they were actually Margrave Kendride and Duke Tristan, having an armed force itself was not a huge deal. It could be passed off as an unavoidable response due to territorial circumstance. The problem was... These two individuals decided to mercilessly crush him based solely on the audacity of bringing armed forces in front of them. ¡°...Um, isn¡¯t this enough now?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Amidst the groans of the wounded soldiers around them, Kraut dismissed Dowd¡¯s opinion with a smirk. While officially, it was Baron Armin Campbell who had visited the territory, it was actually this young man, his son, who wished to confront the Count in the first place. Perhaps the Count should have quickly sensed that the situation was off after recognizing such a fact. ¡°A guy who bullies others needs to realize his own weakness by getting mercilessly trampled. That¡¯s the only way he won¡¯t do such actions again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just trying to eloquently articulate your desire to vent your anger, Barbarian.¡± ¡°...Even when I put it nicely, this fucker still talks shit. Yeah?¡± Though Kraut¡¯s forehead was pulsating as he uttered these words, Gideon who made such a statement merely shrugged his shoulders without paying much attention. ¡°However, I agree with the essence of what he said.¡± Gideon walked steadily towards the prostrating Count Chester. Even the Emperor would find it difficult to treat a Count like this, however, the terrifying aura that these 2 major nobles emitted somehow transcended such bounds. ¡°If you wish to torment someone, you should¡¯ve prepared two graves. I couldn¡¯t help but sigh when I saw you walk out here without any countermeasures. If you had attempted to buy some time by sending a proxy, then at the very least, I would¡¯ve thought you had some semblance of self-awareness.¡± Cold sweat dripped down from Count Chester, as he avoided Gideon¡¯s gaze. Until this morning, he probably couldn¡¯t have imagined receiving such treatment in the reception room of his own castle. But what could he do? This was now his reality. ¡®Why are these bastards suddenly....!¡¯ Count Chester¡¯s eyes were darting around as he glanced at the two individuals standing next to either side of him. Even when the Head Chamberlain had provided such information, he thought it to be a lie, but now there was no room for a semblance of doubt. These two individuals emitted an inexplicable aura that proved that they were the ¡®real¡¯ deal. The Empire was a much simpler county than one would think. It prioritized efficiency over everything. Its simplistic system was to never fail to reward a merit and never let a crime go unpunished. And according to such a system, the two major nobles were the most valuable assets to the Empire, thus they had the corresponding authority that came with it. As a result, these two individuals were the most ¡®powerful people¡¯ in the entire Empire. If that wasn¡¯t enough, this monstrous duo overturned the entire County in less than 20 minutes. He had heard that the Goldic Viscounty was annihilated by these two, but in comparison, the County was several times larger and was also far superior in terms of both the competence and number of soldiers. Even so, the Goldic Viscounty lasted a few hours. In comparison, his own territory couldn¡¯t withstand a single hour before crumbling completely. ¡°T-There were reasons for such actions! I apologize!¡± Count Chester spoke in a voice strained from the extensive physical labor that he experienced. Of course, if his wounded escort knights nearby were to see this, they would think it wasn¡¯t that severe of any injury. There wasn¡¯t a single person around who hadn¡¯t had their limbs broken or hadn¡¯t thrown up blood. It was all the result of the havoc created by the two monsters before them. ¡°Reasons? What reasons could there be?¡± The young man in front of him retorted with an apathetic expression, almost causing the blood vessels in Count Chester¡¯s eye to burst. ¡®How dare this lowly successor of a baron display such irreverent behavior in front of¨C!¡¯ ¡°Gugh...!¡± At least that was what Count Chester was thinking before he collapsed and rolled on the ground once again. It was probably because someone had lightly kicked his side. ¡°...Gugh, Uhuh, Ughh...!¡± Of course, from the perspective of the one who got beaten, it wasn¡¯t a light one at all. Flashes of light flickered before his eyes. Saliva started to flow in abundance from his mouth due to the overwhelming pain. Considering the dark red blood that flowed from his mouth, it was clear that a broken rib had pierced his lungs. ¡°...Gideon.¡± Seeing this, Dowd sighed while calling out to Gideon, who had delivered such a blow. However, Duke Tristan paid no attention and only replied in an indifferent tone. ¡°I didn¡¯t like his expression, so I had no choice.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There are no master-disciple relationships where the disciple can stay silent while his master is insulted.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t Eleanor also do something similar? As expected, like father, like daughter.¡¯ As Dowd was thinking this while wiping his face in exasperation, Count Chester, who was vomiting blood, and Kraut both wore confused expressions after witnessing such a scene. Master and disciple? These two? Wait no, in the first place, why was a mere successor of a baron addressing a duke so casually? However... ¡°By the way, the Homunculus sisters will be added to the lineup as well.¡± [...] ¡°I also know it¡¯ll be tough, okay?¡± The Saintess had already sent word through a carrier pigeon that she was entering my territory. However, I had quickly suggested that she should join us in the mountains that Count Chester had talked about. Once such members all gathered, trouble was bound to occur. However, from my perspective, this was an important event that required everyone to be present, even if I had to face the consequences for gathering such people. This was evident from the subsequent conversation. [By the way, I know you gathered such powerful individuals, but are you still planning to go after that thing?] ¡°Huh?¡± [I think you already have a rough idea, but the opponent is a Vessel saturated with a Fragment. Even if you bring many formidable people with you, a decision to subjugate it should not be made so easily.] That was a fair concern. But... ¡°It¡¯s not a humanoid Vessel.¡± [Hm?] ¡°From the current state of the phenomenon I heard, it seems that the Fragment was hidden somewhere and a random demonic creature unluckily fused with it. Since the opponent is only at that level, there¡¯s a high chance of successfully subjugating it with these members.¡± [...You seem to know a lot about the Vessels?] ¡°I at least know that it¡¯s not a case of a humanoid Vessel going berserk, which is a fortunate thing.¡± A bitter smile formed on my face. ¡°...My condolences about the Guardians, Caliban.¡± The Holy Knight inside the amulet fell silent. As the person responsible for suppressing a crisis caused by a humanoid Vessel going berserk, Caliban clearly knew what I was talking about. This man was so strong that he could be considered equal to monsters like Gideon and Kraut. However, even with similarly skilled comrades, Caliban had barely managed to contain the situation by sacrificing his life along with his colleagues. ¡°So, to ensure such accidents don¡¯t happen again, I have to subjugate it now.¡± In that aspect, the Fragment Absorption event of the Vessel was an event that had to go in a ¡®favorable¡¯ direction, even if I had to directly intervene. After all, even with the same Absorption event, depending on how the ¡®conditions¡¯ were met, the state of the Vessel could be a difference of heaven and earth. Following this event, Eleanor¡¯s personality would change, whether it was in a good way or a bad way. And it was my task to control it in a direction as far away from ¡®berserk¡¯ as possible. ¡°...¡± While in such contemplation, I gazed towards Eleanor and Gideon, who were preparing to board the carriage with their equipment. They were ignoring each other. Wait, no. It wasn¡¯t at such a measly level; It was a thorough level of indifference that made me question whether they could even see each other. ¡®...I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ Those two had been accumulating misunderstandings about their relationship for almost a decade. Honestly, this was a rather natural reaction. However... After this event was over, perhaps they would show a slightly different si¡ª [...Hey.] While I was thinking such hopeful thoughts, Caliban suddenly spoke up as if something had occurred to him. ¡°Yes?¡± [Didn¡¯t you say your goal was to stop that lady from going berserk?] ¡°Yeah, so?¡± [...] Caliban briefly turned silent. It seemed like he was lost in thought. [Who¡¯ll join the gathering? Just tell me the women.] ¡°...The Hero Candidate, Lady Tristan, Saintess sisters...? That should be all, I think. Why?¡± After a moment of silence, Caliban chuckled. It was a laugh that gave me a strange and ominous feeling. ¡°...Why are you laughing like that?¡± [No, it just seems like it¡¯ll be fun.] ¡°What will?¡± [Isn¡¯t this the first time they will all gather and see each other?] ¡°...Well yes, but why?¡± [You¡¯re fucked, Kid.] ¡°...¡± Hey, Mister. What did you mean by that? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 68: Subjugation Force (2) Chapter 68: Subjugation Force (2) ? Subjugation Force (2) ? The task I gave Gideon and Kraut was simple. I¡¯d support the person who contributed more to solving Chester County¡¯s problem through the Demonic Creature Conquest. ¡°...¡± Actually, it could be considered incredibly risky. While the origins of the demonic creatures spread across the entire Empire had not been properly identified, it was certain that these creatures had always formed clusters and lived together. There was a reason why regular Demonic Creature Conquests were a large-scale event. If you were to subjugate one, the rest would swarm out as if disturbing a hornet¡¯s nest, so everyone prepared thoroughly for such a case before going. According to the general classification of demonic creatures, Low-Grade demonic creatures were equivalent to the combat power of a regular Knight. While there was a record of Iliya singlehandedly dealing with several times that number, that was because she was a special case. During a Demonic Creature Conquest, there were dozens, or in severe cases, hundreds of such demonic creatures pouring out. Therefore, the danger was all too apparent. However... Even with such danger, if there were two individuals who couldn¡¯t even be considered as human anymore, the story would become quite different. -!!! A wolf-like demonic creature shattered under Kraut¡¯s fist. I had already seen dozens of them suffer the same fate. Demonic creatures were something that couldn¡¯t even be pierced by ordinary swords or spears, let alone with your own fists. Yet, that person was effortlessly bursting them like balloons as he slaughtered them with his bare hands. Even Iliya, who fought with her life on the line against six of them, looked dispirited as she watched such a sight. It had only been a few minutes, but the number of demonic creatures that had crossed into the afterlife was already over twenty. What about Gideon, you asked? ¡°Fu.¡± With a short exhale, Gideon drew his sword. A Flash Sword that was nearly at the level of being invisible. The sword stroke cut through the air, instantly swept away the demonic creatures around him. Although it was a light movement, within its trajectory, only the vital points of all the demonic creatures were severed. While Kraut was hearty and ferocious, ripping apart anything he got his hands on, Gideon exhibited precise and accurate combat techniques, reminiscent of a machine. At this rate, it wasn¡¯t a conquest nor a subjugation. Instead, it seemed more like ¡®labor¡¯ where they grinded down anything that faced them, almost akin to weeding. Caliban had doubts about where I could manage such individuals, but the clear answer to that was here. There was no need to manage them. They were so powerful that just leaving them to their devices would solve everything. ¡°...Is that the level of the two warriors that represent the Empire...¡± ¡°...¡± As Iliya sighed in admiration at such a sight, Eleanor remained silent, as if in agreement. Unlike Iliya, Eleanor probably had some unfavorable emotions towards her father, but there was no room for her to deny those words. The achievements of those two were truly at an awe-inspiring level. ¡°...¡± By the way... System Message [ The proficiency of target Eleanor¡¯s ¡®Mastery: Tristan-Style Swordsmanship¡¯ ¡®is increasing! ] [ The proficiency of target Iliya¡¯s ¡®Mastery: Sustained Combat¡¯ ¡®is increasing! ] I didn¡¯t drag these two out here for no reason. All things considered, those two were the epitome of geniuses. To put it in another way, they were monsters. They could absorb everything in real time, just by seeing the way someone stronger than them fought. ¡®Perhaps by the end of the subjugation...¡¯ The development of their Masteries would be noticeable. Then, I could inherit their acquired Masteries through the form of a Gift. It was the definition of killing two birds with one stone. Hm? What was I doing while those monsters were fucking around, you asked? ¡°Oh, this one isn¡¯t dead yet.¡± I was collecting the demonic creatures that had collapsed nearby. They were on the verge of death, but there were still some lingering signs of life. ¡°...¡± It might look crude, but this was also necessary labor, okay? As I raised the amulet towards the near-dead demonic creature, its body began to glow with radiant particles and soon orbited around me. System Message [ You have obtained a medium for a Tattoo of ¡®Forbidden Sorcery¡¯. ] [ Through this medium, you can carve patterns on your body. The effect of the each Forbidden Sorcery varies depending on the form of the pattern. ] ¡®Let¡¯s fucking go.¡¯ The condition to use Forbidden Sorcery was more restrictive than one might think. After all, only living organisms could be used as its medium. According to the system, for a living organism to be acknowledged as a medium, it had to satisfy one of two conditions. There had to either be ¡®consent¡¯ from the party becoming a medium, or it had to be when said party was on the verge of death. No suitable living organisms around me would fulfill the former and I didn¡¯t even want there to be either. On the other hand, the latter required an ability to precisely predict the moment just before their death, which I didn¡¯t possess. In that aspect, the current subjugation was, without exaggeration, the only opportunity for me to activate Forbidden Sorcery. ¡°Is this the right way to do it?¡± [Yes. You chose a good medium. Demonic creatures are very efficient.] Valkasus responded as such within Soul Linker. For now, the number of demonic creatures I had picked up like this was approaching five. At the very least, I could display the minimum performance of the Mastery by carving a Tattoo according to a pattern. [Originally, Forbidden Sorcery is a type of Sorcery that puts a burden on the body of its carver. You can tell just by looking at my previous appearance.] A voice mixed with a bitter laugh followed. [Once Forbidden Sorcery is carved, it can¡¯t be erased. So originally, it must be chosen very cautiously, but...] ¡°But?¡± [I can recommend you a few Arrays. Why not try using them once? It¡¯s a product of my ambitions.] ¡°...¡± [You are currently with the world¡¯s greatest Forbidden Sorcerer. Trust me.] Valkasus said this with a voice of pride. He wasn¡¯t wrong. Where else could I find an expert of his level in this specific field? ¡®...Let¡¯s see...¡¯ Should I trust him this once? While following Valkasus¡¯s instructions, I quickly drew the Tattoos on my arm and completed the Array. The number of Tattoos weren¡¯t many, so I couldn¡¯t do large-scale abilities such as summoning an army of Ruined or calling forth a Special-Grade demonic creature, as Valkasus did. Even so, out of all the types of Sorcery, Forbidden Sorcery had the most powerful abilities. Hopefully, this will be something decent... System Message [ ¡®Forbidden Sorcery: Seal¡¯ Acquired! ] [ This ability will be added to the Skills Tab! ] ¡°...¡± As I read the contents of this new technique, I fell into silence. I really hoped for a good ability, but... ¡°Doesn¡¯t this only utilize 5 Tattoos...?¡± [Don¡¯t worry. It will get stronger later.] As I heard Valaksus¡¯s voice that seemed to say ¡®I did well, right?¡¯, I could only let out a forced chuckle. Yeah, he did well. So well that it was ridiculous. Although I managed to deflect it a bit, such measly damage was quickly regenerated by [Super Regeneration]. I couldn¡¯t read the beast¡¯s expression, but it seemed like the wolf was in high spirits. System Message [ Contact with ¡®Adaptive Skin¡¯ of the demonic creature! ] [ The effectiveness of the corresponding weapon is reduced by 90% against the target demonic creature! ] ¡®So this is how it works.¡¯ How unfair. Just by blocking my attack it rendered one of my equipment useless. While I understand that it was a rare mutant, this was still a bit much. There clearly was a reason why Sera users would grind their teeth when encountering these types of creatures. ¡°You idiot! Why would you use your weapon like that! That sword is now useless!¡± From behind, Kraut yelled in frustration. ¡°Run away! Fighting beyond this point is a waste of¡ª!¡± Just before Kraut could finish his sentence, he promptly closed his mouth. It was because I had dashed toward the demonic creature once again. Seriously, I said it was okay because it really was okay. I never intended to defeat it like this. In a way, this was just to lull it into complacency. -...? The demonic creature seemed bewildered. It was a natural reaction when a human, who had even lost their weapon, charged at it barehanded. But soon enough, a sneer appeared in its eyes, as it raised its front legs again. It probably intended to finish me off with a single blow, even disregarding its own defense. After all, it would think I had no means of attack. However... System Message [ Using ¡®Forbidden Sorcery: Seal¡¯! ] [ Target silenced! ] The Array engraved on my arm shone. At the same time, an Array identical in shape, but much larger, was created under the wolf¡¯s body. The color that permeated the wolf¡¯s body.. Was ¡®cleansed¡¯. -...! The wolf¡¯s eyes widened. It seemed to have instinctively sensed that something had changed; a fatal danger had emerged. After all, the abilities that protected it had ¡®vanished¡¯ in an instant. However, it was already too late. [ Mastery Info ] Mastery: Arcane Gale ÑY¼²ïL Grade: Basic Description: If you accurately ¡®deflect¡¯ the opponent¡¯s attack with precise timing, you can return a considerable portion of the damage to the opponent. Even though it was a sword that had lost its ¡®attack ability¡¯, I could still use any ¡®techniques¡¯ derived from Tristan-Style Swordsmanship. As its foreleg was deflected, simultaneously, the physical force generated by the wolf was returned right back at it. In order to finish me off with a single strike, it swung with full force, thus, the energy in its attack was immense. As such, I managed to penetrate the leather that would¡¯ve been burdensome for me to deal with alone and had cut deep into its chest, almost to the point where organs were visible. And then... System Message [ Using ¡®Skill: Stigmata¡¯. ] I created a shield of divine power and ¡®squeezed it in¡¯ the wounded area. Due to this, the gap in the slightly opened leather widened significantly. Although it lacked any attack capabilities, it was quite a useful shield in terms of toughness. As such, I could also use it this way. It was one of the niche techniques I had acquired while grinding as a Sera sweat. And before the demonic creature could even scream in agonizing pain, I thrusted the sword into the gap where its heart could be seen. -...! -... And with just that... Light faded from its eyes. After staggering, it collapsed to the ground. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± After seeing the wrecked body of the demonic creatures, everyone¡¯s jaws dropped. And when the huge body made a dull sound as it fell to the ground, it seemed like everyone was at a loss for words. ¡°...Hey, Dweeb. That took five seconds, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°4.7 seconds.¡± After Kraut and Gideon exchanged such words in awe... ¡°Wh-What, What... What was that just now? How. What. What did you just do, Teach?¡± Iliya exclaimed in shock. Her reaction was perfectly understandable. After all, even I was astonished when I saw this for the first time. [ Skill Info ] Forbidden Sorcery: Seal Grade: 5 Tattoos Description: Restricts the opponent¡¯s skill usage for a certain period of time. Duration: 0.3 seconds. A debuff skill with an extremely simple effect. However, as seen from the description... It was a cheat. Crazy shit right there. To the point where it felt like it was shameless of Valkasus to say it would become stronger in the future. ¡®...It was a good decision to slot him into my spirit collection.¡¯ With such thoughts, I had a wry smile on my face as I fondled the amulet on my wrist As expected, a Final Boss of a chapter wasn¡¯t one for no reason. I continued to gaze at the fallen demonic creature. There could be something to pick up here. ¡®I mean look at it. It¡¯s clearly a pile of ingredients.¡¯ The demonic creature¡¯s body itself was top-quality material for equipment. No, even more so, especially with such a rare mutation. As I giddily approached it, I overheard a conversation between the two major nobles nearby. ¡°...The more I see it, the more useful that guy seems. He has good senses when it comes to fighting. I should also use that method of widening wounds with a shield.¡± ¡°Go away, Barbarian. It¡¯s none of your business. I was the one who established a relationship with him first.¡± ¡°You fucker. Does sharing something make it wear out faster? Huh?¡± ¡°It does. Get lost.¡± ¡°...¡± Come to think of it... Gideon had a tendency to get strangely childish whenever Kraut got involved. Was it because they were rivals? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 69: Subjugation Force (3) Chapter 69: Subjugation Force (3) ? Subjugation Force (3) ? ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Next to the crackling bonfire, Eleanor and Iliya were silently staring at the ground. Since it didn¡¯t seem right to assign camping preparations to two major nobles, Eleanor and Iliya took it upon themselves to handle all the camping preparations despite their status. ¡°Tent, sleeping bags, preserved combat rations. Wow, this brings back memories...¡± ¡°...Have you done something like this before?¡± ¡°Many times. Not at the Campbell Barony though.¡± ¡°...?¡± Although Dowd uttered such an unclear explanation, his words didn¡¯t seem to be a lie as the camping preparations were finished quickly and efficiently thanks to him. After that, he disappeared with the Duke and Margrave to discuss ¡®subjugation plans,¡¯ leaving the two behind to stand watch. ¡®What in the world did he even do in the past?¡¯ He was someone with so many hidden talents that it was suspicious. For example, this thing in particular was something that people in the military would learn. ¡®...Come to think of it.¡¯ In the first place, the reason why they had grown so friendly was because Iliya had forcibly squeezed herself into his life to find out what kind of person he was. The reason behind that was because she suspected he had some kind of connection with the Tristan Household. However, as time went on, she seemed to continue to stick around him more because of how genuine of a person he was rather than basing it on any ulterior motive, but still... ¡®What is the relationship between these two?¡¯ As she observed Eleanor poking at the bonfire, such a thought crossed her mind. There was no doubt that they were close. Both of them were the first to depend on each other in emergencies, this fact was easily noticeable. If that was the case... Why did he... ¡®Leave Iliya entirely in my hands. I¡¯ll make sure you never regret such a choice.¡¯ Why did he utter such words? Iliya let out a fierce glare, barely managing to calm the rising heat that was reaching her ears. ¡®...I-It¡¯s not like I have any feelings for him yet or something!¡¯ In any case, her ¡®resentment¡¯ towards the Tristan Duchy was still intact. Despite the man frequently saying or doing things that touched her heart in uncomfortable ways, he was misunderstanding greatly if he thought she had fallen for him! Until that part was resolved, she had no intention of receiving his feel¨C! ¡®...Uh, wait a minute.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t that sound like she¡¯d automatically accept him if that matter was resolved? ¡®N-No, it¡¯s not like that...!¡¯ As she struggled to come up with an excuse for god knows who, Eleanor suddenly jumped up from her seat. Seeing her trembling while holding a sword, it was evident that she was quite scared. It was fascinating to see her unchanged expression despite the situation though. ¡°...!¡± Iliya¡¯s gaze also sharpened. The fact that the other person showed such a reaction clearly indicated that some sort of threat was near¡ª ¡°...¡± But, as soon as she saw what was facing the tip of Eleanor¡¯s sword, her expression quickly went blank. ¡°...What are you doing to a bug?¡± Eleanor looked down at the ground with an expression of disbelief. There was an organism wriggling that was almost the size of a human palm. ¡°...This is a bug? Isn¡¯t it the remains of a demonic creature?¡± ¡°Countryside bugs all look like this. Is it your first time seeing one?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®What kind of demonic land is the countryside?¡¯ As Eleanor briefly entertained such a thought, Iliya walked over and casually picked up the creature. A golden beetle. And a particularly large one at that. ¡°Ah, so nostalgic.¡± ¡°...Nostalgic?¡± ¡°There were a lot of them in my hometown. We used to play around with them like this.¡± With a wide smile, Iliya skillfully handled the bug. It squirmed while it crawled along from her hand through her arm. ¡°...¡± Seeing this, Eleanor tumbled backwards. Even when the bug crawled up to her face, Iliya just laughed as if it tickled. ¡°Don¡¯t get caught by a scary person and live a long, long life~¡± After playing with it for a while, Iliya finally let the bug go and waved her hand with an amused expression. ¡°...Student Council President? What are you doing?¡± Eleanor was curled up in the distance, almost as if she was trying to deny reality. She held her drooped head while trembling and shaking so much that it looked like she had seen a ghost. ¡°Don¡¯t come close, you monster...!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Who was the one that cut people into pieces without changing her expression? What was she even on about?¡¯ ¡®Wait, is she scared of bugs?¡¯ After pondering such a thought, Iliya sat by the bonfire once again. Still, it was a rare sight to see. She could have never imagined this side of her since the other girl always exuded a stoic atmosphere and an expressionless face at the academy. Besides, she seemed to be the type to break an evil spirit¡¯s neck with her bare hands if one were to appear in front of her rather than being scared. ¡°...¡± She gazed at Eleanor, who was carefully returning to the bonfire while squirming her toes. If she had never approached the people of the Tristan Household because she always thought them as trash that were no better than Devils... And, she would¡¯ve never discovered this side of Eleanor. ¡®...Even this...¡¯ That man was the reason behind this. If it wasn¡¯t for him, she would¡¯ve never even considered interacting with Eleanor. ¡°Um, hey. President.¡± The reason she called out to her so suddenly was probably because she had such thoughts. It was a question that she would never ask under normal circumstances, but she had a strong intuition that if she didn¡¯t bring it up now, there would never be another opportunity. ¡°President, do you have a bad relationship with the Duke?¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyebrows twitched at the question. ¡°...What¡¯s your intention behind that question?¡± ¡°If you think I¡¯m being intrusive, you don¡¯t have to answer. However...¡± While looking straight into Eleanor¡¯s eyes, she continued. ¡°I got beaten up a lot of times while training with the Margrave since I was very young. So, I think he¡¯s a bit scary, but still...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I can clearly feel that he is doing it for me. Just rushing over to help me when he should be busy is enough evidence to prove that.¡± Major nobles were people whose every move could become a sensational piece of rumors. Despite having representatives to handle affairs in their respective territories, the ultimate decision-maker was still themselves. The fact that he ran over all the way here after just receiving a single letter was enough to convey how precious she was to him. Moreover, they weren¡¯t biologically related. Instead, they were just a foster family. However, the relationship between Eleanor and Gideon was... ¡°...It feels like you consider him as an enemy.¡± Gideon¡¯s attitude towards Eleanor was terrifyingly constant. Utter disregard. It was almost as if he didn¡¯t recognize Eleanor¡¯s existence at all, as he showed no reaction regardless of whether she was nearby or not. Eleanor¡¯s attitude was somewhat similar. However... Unlike Gideon, whenever she looked at him, an unmistakable animosity flowed from her eyes. ¡°It seemed strange. Is there any reason a child would glare at her parent like that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re indeed being intrusive, Iliya Krisanax.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Well, figures.¡¯ Iliya nodded with a bitter smile. ¡°But, I can give you an answer.¡± ¡®Huh? Really?¡¯ As Iliya stared at her with wide eyes, Eleanor continued in a composed voice. ¡°...¡± Eleanor flinched at her words, but Yuria continued to look around without any concern. Her hand was fondling the collar as if she was anxious. ¡°...I wish he could touch this a bit.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Or maybe grab it and toss me like he usually does...¡± ¡°...What kind of habit have you developed?¡± As Lucia complained with an exhausted voice... Iliya who was watching this scene suddenly felt a chill run down her spine as she swiftly turned her head. Eleanor¡¯s body was now beyond flinching and had started to tremble. ¡°...May I ask your name?¡± ¡°U-Um?¡± At her words, Yuria turned her head towards Eleanor. ¡°I¡¯m Yuria Greyhounder. Are you... Lady Tristan?¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you, Yuria Greyhounder. As you said, I am Eleanor Elinalise La Tristan.¡± Her sentence itself was polite. However, for some reason, the chill Iliya felt just intensified. ¡°May I ask what relationship you have with Dowd Campbell...?¡± Yuria tilted her head. It seemed as if she was trying to figure out a good way to describe their relationship ¡°... He¡¯s someone very important to me?¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor¡¯s expression convulsed, almost as if it was cracking. ¡°Then, that collar is...?¡± ¡°Mr. Dowd put it on me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I feel better when I have it on. Of course, it was the best when he grabbed the leash and dragged me arou¡ª¡± When she heard those words, a flashback of the recent conversation played in Illiya¡¯s mind. ¡®I can¡¯t distinguish between him playing with fire or him having ¡®real¡¯ intent. It¡¯s a bit problematic if there¡¯s another woman who went further than me. I might find it intolerable.¡¯ A woman who couldn¡¯t even tolerate seeing that man hug another woman... Had now met a girl who wore a collar, saying she enjoyed it when that man dragged her around by the leash. ¡°...¡± A small contemplative sound escaped from Iliya. ¡®...Mr. Dowd... aren¡¯t you in big trouble?¡¯ He really was. ¡°...I found it, but...¡± I packed the magically engineered telescope as I said this. A visible grey aura was sporadically flowing from the middle of the mountain. ¡°It seems much more difficult to subjugate than I thought.¡± The fact that the demonic aura was noticeable, implied that the Devil¡¯s Fragment had deeply fused with the demonic creature. In other words, the difficulty level of the battle could have risen even higher than expected. ¡°It looks dangerous. WIthout a divine power specialist, we might have some trouble.¡± Although Kraut said such words, instead of responding, I just descended from the tall rock with a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯ve already called one over.¡± They had probably arrived at the base camp by now. ¡®Speaking of the base camp...¡¯ There was a reason why Gideon and Kraut were the only ones I brought along this time. System Log [ Targets ¡®Iliya¡¯ and Eleanor¡¯ are engaging in a sincere conversation. ] [ The bond between these two characters has slightly deepened!! ] [ Forming a party of members that has built bonds with each other provides various adjustments in ability! ] ¡®That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about.¡¯ While progressing through side quests, events that formed a ¡®bond¡¯ between party members occasionally occur when they stick together. Especially if they were placed in the same ¡®accommodations¡¯ as each other. Main Quests usually progressed quickly within a few days, while side quests tended to have a longer, winding path. It seemed that such a design was part of the game settings. ¡°Hey, Dweeb. Why haven¡¯t you said anything since earlier?¡± ¡°...¡± Kraut suddenly threw such words at Gideon, who was standing next to him in a daze. Instead of answering, Gideon just gestured randomly with his hands in silence. ¡°...It¡¯s none of your business, Barbarian.¡± After cutting Kraut off with a blunt voice, Gideon turned around and walked away somewhere. ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m going to hunt some demonic creatures nearby.¡± Even though tomorrow was the day of the subjugation, he suddenly declared that he was going for an unnecessary battle. However, neither Kraut nor I tried to stop him. After all, we both knew that he couldn¡¯t rest easy unless he cut something. ¡°Hey.¡± With a slightly lower voice than before, Kraut gazed at me and spoke. ¡°You know his current state is serious, right?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re scheming something to use that state of his?¡± ¡°...How did you know?¡± ¡°Look at this fucker not even trying to hide it.¡± Kraut chuckled before replying. ¡°I can tell instantly. After all, you¡¯re no fool, but you still chose to bring such an uncontrollable guy all the way here.¡± With a sigh, he continued. ¡°Do you know about the curse related to that Dweeb¡¯s household? If we make even the slightest mistake in our strategy, we could all die because of him.¡± ¡°...¡± Of course I knew. However... Improving the relationship between him and Eleanor was an essential step in freeing their household from the curse. To achieve that, it was much better for Gideon to maintain his current state. ¡°...If you help me, it will be resolved a lot easier than you think.¡± ¡°Well, whatever. Since I¡¯m already involved in your ploy, I¡¯ll see what you can do. Do whatever you want. I¡¯ll let you use me however you wish for now.¡± Kraut turned to me with a smiling face. ¡°But.¡± However, his eyes were not smiling at all. ¡°If something goes wrong and Iliya gets hurt, I¡¯m going to kill you, okay?¡± ¡°...¡± I knew it. This guy was a hopelessly doting father. ¡®...Caliban would be pleased if he saw this.¡¯ I pondered as such while looking at the amulet on my wrist. The reason why this man was so devoted to Iliya was also because of a ¡®promise¡¯ he made with Caliban. Well, the full story would unfold in Chapter 4 anyway, where the main focus of the story was Iliya. As such, establishing a relationship with Kraut now would undoubtedly be helpful at that time. ¡°...That won¡¯t happen, so let¡¯s go back. We need to be well-rested for the subjugation tomorrow.¡± With that, I turned around. Since all the tasks are finished,I just needed to finalize the plan. Perhaps I could actually relax a bit tonig¡ª System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX-Grade. ] System Message [ ! Alert ! ] [ It is recommended to return to the camp immediately! ] ¡°...¡± The fuck? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 70: Gideon (1) Chapter 70: Gideon (1) ? Gideon (1) ? Eleanor Elinalise La Tristan treasured Dowd Campbell. At some point, if she were asked to summarize her own feelings, that would be the only answer that would come out of her mouth. However, what she herself did not realize was... ¡°...I...¡± When it came to something that was related to that man... She would react intensely... More intense than she had thought... Much, much more intense... ¡°He told me that we¡¯ll become family... But why is he... with another woman¡ª¡± There was a newfound emotion mixed in her voice. The ¡®aura¡¯ pouring out from her heart also felt like it was spreading throughout her whole body. ¡°T-That...!¡± It wasn¡¯t simply that she was angry because another woman engaged in ¡®that¡¯ kind of action with him. Rather, it was because she felt like an ¡¯experience¡¯ she hadn¡¯t had with that man yet was taken from her by another person. At the very least, she should have all of his ¡®firsts¡¯. How dare another woman have that experience with him! ¡°I can do it much better than her¡ª.!¡± Not only could she put a leash around her neck, but she could also do all kinds of things for him! Why did he decide to go to another woman instead of asking her first! ¡°...¡± Iliya, who was silently watching her from the side, narrowed her eyes. ¡®No wait, the reason for her anger was a little weird, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡®Seriously, how does that man have so much influence over her...?¡¯ ¡®...That aside.¡¯ Her expression soon became serious. Regardless of the reason, the aura that Eleanor was emitting wasn¡¯t normal. Although Eleanor herself was in a state of confusion and couldn¡¯t grasp her feelings properly, it felt like she could turn hostile against Yuria at any moment. Also, the aura she exuded was the same one that Iliya had experienced before. The grey aura that covered the entire area during the Full Moon Festival. And if she went a little further in her memory... There was another time when she encountered it. The red night, the cursed day when her entire family was swept away. ¡®...A Devil?¡¯ ¡®No, there¡¯s no way.¡¯ Of course, there were stories about Devils dwelling in the veins of the Tristan Duchy. However, it was illogical to suddenly think that the Lady was emitting such an aura. It was far more likely that it was just her misunderstanding. ¡°...¡± After all, if this really was the aura of a Devil... The Heretic Inquisition should have already turned upside down long ago. There was no way that those people, who went crazy trying to detect Devils, hadn¡¯t noticed this. Not to mention that the person in question was someone as famous as THE Lady Tristan herself. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call a Devil¡¯s Vessel the enemy of all mankind. Unless the Imperial Family or a power equivalent to it was suppressing such information, those Vessels should have been dealt with much earlier. ¡®No, I went too far. There¡¯s no way they would do that.¡¯ Iliya let out a bitter laugh as she stood up. As far as she was aware, the Imperial Family wasn¡¯t that wicked. That was why she decided that it would be better to focus on resolving the current situation rather than making unnecessary suspicions. ¡°...Wait, Lady Tristan. Please calm down for no¡ª¡± Right when Iliya tried to calm Eleanor, her gaze caught on to something. Dowd Campbell, rushing urgently into the camp. ¡®...Wait, since when did he wear a mask?¡¯ As she cocked her head in confusion, she noticed the mask on Dowd¡¯s face. ¡®Well, anyway. He has good timing.¡¯ ¡°Ah, Teach! Come here and take care of this!¡± ¡°I was going to even if you didn¡¯t tell me.¡± Dowd approached Eleanor without slowing down at all. Seeing that, Iliya felt that something was off and started frowning when... ¡°...Dowd? What are you do¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a brief talk.¡± He approached a bewildered Eleanor before embracing her. ¡°...!¡± And right then and there, he lifted her up as if carrying baggage. Then, he dashed out of the camp in an instant. ¡°...¡± ¡®What in the world is he doing?¡¯ ¡°W-Wait, Dowd. Put me down! There are so many things you need to explain!¡± ¡°Okay, sure.¡± Upon hearing Eleanor¡¯s words, Dowd stopped in his tracks. Then, as he gently lowered her to the ground, Eleanor briefly blinked in surprise. She never expected him to comply with her words so easily. ¡°...¡± Regardless of that, though... There were more pressing matters at hand. Eleanor clenched her fist and lifted her chin. Flames seemed to flicker in her eyes. ¡°...Who are...those women? What kind of relationship do they have with¡ª!¡± ¡°They¡¯re my friends. They¡¯re different from you, Eleanor.¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor, who was passionately pouring out her voice, stopped in an instant. Hearing his words, her eyes widened. ¡®Huh? This man...?¡¯ ¡®What did he just say?¡¯ ¡°...D-Different?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a special person to me.¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor bit her lips as her fists trembled. Somehow... He was different from the usual Dowd. Originally, whenever such topics arose, he would have these hazy eyes and did absolutely nothing besides breathing and waiting to see how it turned out. But now... How should she put this... His gaze was filled with certainty and his face was filled with determination. This was the Dowd who was always clear about his goals. In other words... This was the appearance she often saw on the battlefield, where he always shone brightly in emergencies. ¡®Somehow, he¡¯s co¨C¡¯ As she was about to think that, Eleanor startled and shook her head inwardly. ¡®No, I couldn¡¯t be swayed.¡¯ ¡®...He¡¯s not cool...!¡¯ The man was not cool at all. Eleanor repeatedly reminded herself of this fact, as if to engrave such a sentence into her brain. There could be no doubt about that. Regardless of how she actually felt in her heart, for now, she had to think as such in her head. Because this was the time for her to get angry with this man! Eleanor tried to force out a fierce glare. Usually, she could do it effortlessly, but somehow, it was especially difficult when this man was supposed to be the target of her sharp eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t try to get out of this with such vague words¨C!¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll tell you straight.¡± Dowd¡¯s calm voice continued. ¡°Eleanor, you are the most precious person to me. More than anyone else. You don¡¯t have to worry about every little thing like that.¡± ¡°...¡± The sharpness in her eyes began to soften. ¡®No.¡¯ ¡®So.¡¯ ¡®So like...¡¯ ¡°...¡± She quickly turned her gaze away. After all, if she kept locking eyes with him, she felt like she would unintentionally be swayed by this man. Her mouth went dry. Even though she was supposed to get angry, Eleanor couldn¡¯t understand why she herself felt like she did something wrong. It was a weird feeling. It was to the point that she felt she should forgive him since she had already said enough. ¡°...Huh? But there¡¯s no reason not to give him¡ª¡± ¡°There is.¡± With that, I gestured around. Everyone except Kraut were standing still with their weapons ready. Yuria, Eleanor, Iliya, and even Gideon who disliked losing to Kraut in any way. After all, I ordered them to. ¡°Spare it. There is a real enemy we need to face.¡± If I had to choose a reason for only sending Kraut to beat the shit out of it, it was because he would be the least burdened by such a task. In terms of combat tenacity, he was a monster that could be ranked at the top in this entire game. Whether the Devil¡¯s Fragment was deeply fused or not, dealing with an Intermediate-Grade demonic creature alone was not an issue. The real thing to be concerned about was... ¡°...¡± I silently glanced at Eleanor and Gideon. In the end, the key figures of this boss battle were those two. ¡®...I should prepare in advance.¡¯ With such a thought in mind, I checked the system window. System Notification [ 1 Trigger Condition for Hidden Event ¡®???¡¯ Met! (1/3) ] The condition for the hidden event that I fulfilled during the battle with Valkasus. If I fulfilled all of it, then... I could obtain the most crucial means to lift the curse on Eleanor¡¯s household during her exclusive quest. ¡®If my assumptions are correct...¡¯ In the original scenario, the only route to save Gideon, who was destined to die without fail, was by clearing this exclusive quest. To do that, I needed to fulfill all the conditions for this hidden event before Chapter 5, where Eleanor¡¯s corruption branching route triggered. Otherwise, well... From then on... Instead of being an antagonist for show like now, I would witness Eleanor transforming into a true villain. ¡°...¡± Various images of a corrupted Eleanor flashed through my mind. Events such as when she expressionlessly massacred a man¡¯s entire bloodline in front of him, as he begged to just spare his child. Or when she imprisoned all the civilians of her own territory in one building, set it on fire, and then stood still while watching them burn to death. That was the type of monster she would become. If she was completely corrupted, of course. ¡°...What is it?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± As she tilted her head with a puzzled look in response to my gaze, I shook my head. I couldn¡¯t let her become like that. Ever. ¡®...So.¡¯ To prevent such a sight, I had to trigger the second event here. As I prepared myself, I looked towards Kraut, who was mercilessly pounding the bear demonic creature on the ground. ¡°Heut.¡± Shortly after, Kraut threw the demonic creature like a pebble and instantly did an Argentine Backbreaker in the air to slam it back down. Then came the submission. The choked bear demonic creature couldn¡¯t even scream as it writhed on the ground. There was no chance to use demonic aura or anything for the matter. It was getting shit on, unable to even breathe. ¡°Haha, put some strength into it!¡± ¡°...¡± Every time I saw him, I kept wondering... Is that fucking thing really a human being? How could he easily play around with an Intermediate-Grade demonic creature that was fused with a Devil¡¯s Fragment using just his raw physical prowess? With a sigh, I stood up. Since it was getting pulverized to such an extent, it was time for the ¡®transition¡¯ to take place. ¡°Margrave. Step back a bit.¡± ¡°What? This is the perfect time to¨C¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll get hurt.¡± Kraut didn¡¯t even have a chance to ask what I meant. From the body of the half-dead demonic creatures, a grey demonic aura began to erupt. ¡°...!¡± The entire surrounding area slowed down. It was the activation of a limited version of the Grey Devil¡¯s Authority. Corrosion In this slowed-down world, a small gem-like object emerged from the bear demonic creature¡¯s mouth. ¡°W-What is that...!¡± And Lucia, who sensed the ¡®killing aura¡¯ emitted by the gem, exclaimed in astonishment. Despite its small appearance... The malice emanating from it was so overwhelming that it felt like it could blind anyone who simply looked at it. ¡°...!¡± Gideon¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of this. This man was probably the only one who knew ¡®what¡¯ it was. And he was also the only one who knew what would happen next. The Devil¡¯s Fragment, sensing the impending ¡®death¡¯ of its original Vessel, attempted to instinctively seek a different Vessel. And, conveniently, there was a human here that was already infiltrated by one Fragment. -... -!!!! Soon after... In this slowed-down world, the Devil¡¯s Fragment shot towards Eleanor like an arrow. It aimed to integrate into a Vessel that could let it remain in the Material Realm for the longest time. As such, it made the most efficient choice; a Vessel with one Fragment already fused. However... Someone interfered with its trajectory. Even in this slowed-down world, there was someone who displayed superhuman strength to stand in front of Eleanor. ¡°...¡± Gideon looked dazedly at the Devil¡¯s Fragment embedded in his chest. He had purposefully blocked it with his own body so that it couldn¡¯t fly towards Eleanor. And then... -!!!!!!!!!!! The grey aura flowing from the Fragment engulfed his entire body like an electric current. From Gideon¡¯s gritted teeth, a painful exhale escaped. ¡°...Everyone.¡± Under normal circumstances, he could have probably resisted getting ¡®devoured¡¯ by this Fragment. However, he was currently heavily plagued by the madness that had descended upon his household. As such, there was hardly any room for him to resist. ¡°Get away... From me...!¡± And Gideon probably knew exactly how an individual ¡®behaved¡¯ when encroached by a Devil¡¯s Fragment for the first time, After all, he had ¡®faced¡¯ such an individual in the past. His eyes began to emit a reddish light, as he breathed heavily. He was on the verge of losing his sanity. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, run away! From now on, I will perceive all of you as enemies!¡± To be more precise, he would perceive all living organisms as targets to be killed. It was because Devils inherently bore enmity towards all living entities in the Material Realm. In other words... From now on, the ¡®Strongest Knight of the Empire,¡¯ while wielding the energy of the ¡®Grey Devil¡¯, would come to kill us with his full power. However... ¡°Gideon.¡± I chuckled. The grey aura that had spread around was almost entirely stuffed into Gideon. Since it could now move more freely, it even tried rotating his arm. ¡°Just stay calm and leave it to me.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°I knew it would turn out like this from the very beginning.¡± I already knew that he would block the Devil¡¯s Fragment with his body when it went for Eleanor. And I also knew he would quickly get encroached because of his half-sane state. ¡®Oh, Gideon...¡¯ ¡®Why do you think I gathered all these members in the first place?¡¯ ¡®You think I gathered them only to defeat a single demonic creature bearing a Devil¡¯s Fragment?¡¯ ¡°Well, wasn¡¯t your visit primarily to see how much stronger you¡¯ve become?¡± These members were... ¡°Well then. Let¡¯s see how well you did your homework.¡± The force that would subdue the ¡®Strongest Knight of the Empire¡¯ who was infused with a ¡®Devil¡¯s Fragment¡¯. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 71: Gideon (2) Chapter 71: Gideon (2) ? Gideon (2) ? System Notification [ Using ¡®Scan¡¯. ] [ Gathering information on the target. ] [ A 24-hour cooldown applies before reuse is available on the same target. ] [ Gideon Galestead La Tristan ] < Character Info > Characteristic: Duke Tristan Status: ... < Status Info > [ General ] Strength: S+ Agility: S+ Endurance: A Luck: F Power: S+ [ Special ] Magic Power: SS+ Law Power: F Divine Power: F [ Techniques ] Swordsmanship: SS Mana Mastery: SS+ Intuition: SS+ < Misc. > [ ¡®Devil¡¯s Fragment¡¯ is currently encroaching the target! ] [ Currently at 0%, 2 minutes left until encroachment is complete! ] Amazing. If I were to consider only the stat values, his stats were lower than Kraut, but they were incredibly balanced. As expected, the title Strongest Knight of the Empire, was definitely not for show. And even among such stats.... ¡®...This guy can¡¯t be evaluated as human either.¡¯ His Swordsmanship was SS+, the same grade as Kraut¡¯s Unarmed Combat, not to mention that his ¡®Mana Mastery¡¯ and ¡®Intuition¡¯ were in the same grade as well. To put it shortly, in regards to the usage of magic power, he was unmatched. His ability to instinctively find the most efficient decisions during a battle was almost godlike. There was a reason why he was Kraut¡¯s equal despite the significant difference in their stat values. From my perspective, who enjoyed fighting by hitting the opponent¡¯s weak points with pre-planned strategies, his Masteries couldn¡¯t help but make me sigh. ¡°So...¡± After hearing the ¡®goal¡¯ of this battle that I just revealed, Kraut spoke with a sardonic laugh. Gideon, with eyes gradually emitting a more sister red light, slowly stood up, drawing his sword. It was clear evidence that he was descending into madness. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to suppress the Empire¡¯s Strongest, who is completely raving mad, ¡®alive¡¯?¡± ¡°No.¡± Strictly speaking, neither Gideon nor this person was the ¡®Empire¡¯s Strongest¡¯. Though, if it was narrowed to ¡®Knights¡¯ or ¡®Holy Knights¡¯, this would be somewhat accurate. ¡®...If those monsters in the Imperial Palace didn¡¯t exist, he wouldn¡¯t be wrong.¡¯ With a bitter smile, I contemplated such thoughts. After all, those guys weren¡¯t just at a level of being powerful. Well, anyway. There was one more thing that he got incorrect besides that. ¡°He isn¡¯t completely insane. I¡¯m pretty sure his combat decisions will be better than usual.¡± The suppressed madness of the household should have erupted and the Devil¡¯s Fragment, which wishes to kill any living being, would be encroaching upon him. With those two being active, if anything, it¡¯d only buff his capabilities for killing people instead of giving him debuffs. ¡°...Are you really planning to kill everyone here?¡± Kraut growled in a low voice. Needless to say, subduing someone was much more difficult than outright killing them. Not to mention that this was the buffed Gideon. Even with Kraut¡¯s assistance, it was doubtful that we could succeed. However... ¡°When I said I would fight you, everyone¡¯s reactions were the same as now, right?¡± ¡°...¡± The match-up wasn¡¯t good, subduing him alive was impossible, blah blah whatever. There were many things to be anxious about but.... ¡°Margrave.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°If this really was impossible, I would have already run away.¡± ¡°...¡± The reason why I was doing this was because it was possible despite the dangers. I mean, I also treasured my life, okay? If I wasn¡¯t sure that it¡¯d work, I wouldn¡¯t have attempted it in the first place. ¡°Anyway, uh, what was I saying? Oh yeah, like I mentioned before, the goal is to ¡®endure¡¯...for the next two minutes.¡± As I scratched my cheek, I chose my words carefully. ¡°Since everyone heard the plan, let¡¯s move accordingly. I keep repeating myself, but this really won¡¯t take long.¡± I continued with an apathetic voice. ¡°Let¡¯s quickly dunk on the Duke and go home.¡± ¡°...¡± As everyone looked at me as if to say, ¡®How can you talk about the Duke like that?¡¯.... ¡°¡ª!¡± Gideon charged towards us with a roar. They said, to take down a Knight, first you¡¯d have to take down the horse they rode first. To apply that in this situation, against us, the first thing one should do was subdue the Saintess, someone who lacked any sort of combat strength despite her capabilities for providing support. ¡°...!¡± Even among top-tier Knights, Duke Tristan was praised for his unmatched tactics during battle. By compressing and expelling magic power behind him, he even surpassed Kraut¡¯s speed in an instant. No one could react properly. However... ¡°You shall not pass!¡± Fortunately, in that aspect, there was a very reliable bodyguard. After all, there was a person who could sever anything within a close range. As long as her opponent was within two steps in her range. The Starsteel Circlet flashed. The ancient curse that had continued for so long it bordered on eternity, imparted a terrifying power into Yuria¡¯s sword. -! However... As sparks flew, Yuria¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°He blocked that?!¡± Iliya screamed in astonishment. Yuria¡¯s one blow had even cut the Starsteel Automaton in half at this exact same distance. However, Gideon managed to block it even while he was in the middle of rushing forward. His flawless Mana Mastery, the angle of his arm, the gait of his footwork, and even the exact surface of contact with his sword. In real combat, an ordinary human would find it difficult to properly consider even one of these. However, Gideon managed to control every one of these tiny variables, thus creating a miracle-like result. And Gideon, who blocked Severer, ¡®pushed¡¯ Yuria aside, with movements akin to that of flowing water. ¡°...!¡± Seeing this, Yuria¡¯s eyes widened. In reality... Yuria exhibited near-invulnerability in combat against opponents who entered her range, but if she was simply ¡®ignored¡¯, it would completely neutralize her. There was no way Gideon knew about Yuria¡¯s ability. After all, I hadn¡¯t introduced my party members to each other. It was just that his Intuition, which always chose the path closest to the correct answer, judged that there was no reason to confront her any further after exchanging a single blow with her. ¡®...What a monster.¡¯ Even though he didn¡¯t have something like my ¡®game knowledge¡¯ to help him analyze information, his conformance and timing was at a level almost comparable to mine. In other words, it meant there was virtually no gap between someone with a strategy guide built into their head and someone who was fighting in real-time. It wasn¡¯t without reason that such flashy stats were attached to this man¡¯s status window. Subsequently, Gideon¡¯s sword, emitting a sinister light, flew towards the Saintess. Lucia¡¯s face, exposed in the killing intent that seems to burn all the surrounding air, paled. However... There was already someone ¡®waiting¡¯ in front of him. It was me, who knew from the very beginning that he would aim for Lucia. System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX-Grade. ] System Message [ ¡®Skill: Proof of Faith¡¯ activated. ] [ All stat bonuses are converted to ¡®Endurance¡¯ and ¡®Divine Power¡¯. ] [ ¡®The Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯ reacts! ] What was needed here was... [ Skill Info ] Skill: King of Pandemonium Grade: A -Bow Down to the Great Monarch!- Description: Embody the dignity of Hell¡¯s Absolute Ruler. Upon usage, grants unconditional advantage against demonic beings for 5 minutes. This. If the Authority of the White Devil was resisted before with the Fatal Charm skill, then the Authority of the Grey Devil could be somewhat offset with this. System Message [ ¡®Skill: King of Pandemonium¡¯ Activated. ] [ Gained an absolute advantage against demonic enemies! ] [ Facing a target with parallel abilities. ] [ Resisting target¡¯s unique ability ¡®Authority: Corrosion¡¯! ] As everything else slowed down... Only I moved perfectly fine. ¡°This is enough, right?¡± Until now, I had never used this against her before, but I needed it right now. With a smirk, I opened my mouth. After all, I had to ¡®negotiate¡¯ with her. ¡°Come out. Let¡¯s talk.¡± With those words... The world was dyed in shades of grey. Her body felt heavy. That was the first thought that crossed Iliya Krisanax¡¯s mind. ¡°...¡± She was dazed, as if her consciousness was drifting in an open sea. She had experienced this before. Previously, it was the same as the grey aura that enveloped all visible space during the Full Moon Festival. Everything within her range of sight seemed to have come to a complete halt. However, unlike back then, she could now move her body with some effort. ¡®...Huh? How is that even possible?¡¯ Did something special change with her? She couldn¡¯t really recall anything like that in her memories. She didn¡¯t know why, but since it was possible now, she should try moving her body. As she lifted her eyes with some struggle, the first thing that caught her eye was grey. And what came next into view was... ¡°How did it feel, controlling ¡®your descendant¡¯ for 2 minutes? Not bad, right?¡± Even in this slowed-down situation, Dowd moved as usual. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t perfectly normal, since he was a bit ¡®slower¡¯ than normal, but compared to Iliya, who could barely lift her eyes, he could move at much more ordinary speeds. And, the one hearing such words across from him was... ¡°...!¡± It felt like her field of vision was burning. Just looking at it felt like venom was flowing into her optic nerves. Incomprehensible, disgusting, dreadful. No matter how many unpleasant words were used, there was no phrase that could describe something as evil as ¡®that¡¯. She couldn¡¯t even look straight at its figure. It felt like her mind was being contaminated. ¡°Did you purposefully...¡± Moreover, the ¡®voice¡¯ coming from that direction was even worse. ¡°Call3?4i?¡ã?Ume and ¡À????????????????¡Á??????????????¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤???????????????????I???????????????????? C????????????????A??????????????????¡¤???????????????????I?????????????????¡À????????????????this man?¡± A horrible noise made it impossible to understand. As she suffered from a pain that felt like her organs twisting, the man in front of her eyes spoke calmly. ¡°Just promise me one thing.¡± Wait... How could that man talk so nonchalantly with that thing? ¡°Later, just once. When I ask, infuse into Gideon. After all, I had purposefully staked the lives of everyone here to create a suitable ¡®foundation¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± Come to think of it, from the very beginning, before entering into combat, he said they had to ¡®endure¡¯ for 2 minutes. He never said they would win. All of this seemed like the groundwork for ¡®something¡¯ he was talking about right now. ¡°So it would be nice if you quietly infused into Eleanor now. You have to gather all three Fragments within her anyway. Isn¡¯t that more convenient for you as well?¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya startled. Although she didn¡¯t understand what exactly he had just said... She instinctively realized it was crucial information. ¡°I know I can¡¯t ask something like that from you guys without a suitable price. So.:¡± As she pondered over that thought, Dowd suddenly took off his top. ¡°...¡± Hm. Perhaps going through that hardship to secure her vision wasn¡¯t entirely in vain. Iliya had such thoughts as she intensely stared at Dowd. In the current situation, there didn¡¯t seem to be anyone who would condemn her for looking at him anyway. However, something strange soon caught her eye. ¡®...What is that?¡¯ A ¡®tattoo¡¯ engraved on his chest. No, calling it just a tattoo seemed inadequate. Rather, it was ¡®rooted¡¯ in his body and ¡®supplying¡¯ something. Almost as if... It had the intention to ¡®change¡¯ that man into something else. ¡°As payment, I will dedicate a part of my ¡®future¡¯ to you.¡± ¡°...¡± Although there were no words... Iliya instinctively sensed it. The monster across from Dowd was deeply shocked after hearing such words from him. No. To be more precise, it was more correct to say that it was expressing its ¡®sorrow¡¯. ¡°At first, I wondered what this was... But after thinking about it carefully, I got a rough idea. You see, I met someone called the Prophet not long ago.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t know exactly ¡®who¡¯ she is... But I at least know she¡¯s someone who became like that because of me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You¡¯re stopping this ??????????????¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤?????????????????????????????????¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤?????????????????????????????????¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤?????????????????????? right? To prevent me from becoming like her.¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya flinched. Just now. When Dowd spoke, it felt similar to when that monster opened its mouth. Almost as if they were becoming more alike. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Just let it progress until the end. I have already prepared myself anyway.¡± ¡°N3?4i?¡ão. Yi?¡ã?Uou cou¡À????????????????¡Á????????????????ld3?4e3?4...¡± ¡°...To match her level, it appears I have to do at least that much.¡± Dowd sighed as he continued. ¡°If I can¡¯t deal with her, I¡¯ll die anyway.¡± With that, he looked around. As if he was capturing every person frozen in the grey space in his eyes, one by one. ¡°...And all these people will die too.¡± And, maybe it was just her bias, but... It felt like the latter part of his sentence was much more sincere than his earlier words. ¡°...¡± Subsequently, the monster that had been sadly looking at Dowd for a while... Slowly approached him. It was hard to discern, but it seemed to be embracing him. Almost as if to comfort him. As if mourning on his behalf for the difficult path he was about to take. ¨C I love you. See you again later. Such words flowed out subsequently. ¨C At that time, for sure. You. Among everything that had been said so far, even Iliya could understand this one thing clearly. ¨C And me together, until the end of the world. It was a sentence filled with pure affection. ¨C What we couldn¡¯t achieve before, let¡¯s eternally- And before that sentence could finish. The grey disappeared abruptly from the world. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 72: Grade Skipping Chapter 72: Grade Skipping ? Grade Skipping ? ¡°...¡± The first thing Gideon realized when he woke up was the fact that he was lying on an old wooden bed. He inferred that he was most likely at the Campbell Barony. Because, to his recollection, there was no other land nearby that could provide such a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. ¡°Since you seem to be struggling to grasp the situation, I¡¯ll briefly summarize it for you.¡± Before he could fully gather his thoughts, a voice came from the side. The owner of the voice was Dowd Campbell, the man who was leisurely reading a book with his leg stretched out. ¡°We¡¯ve cleanly finished the subjugation and all the other members have disbanded. There were no casualties and Margrave Kendride had returned to his territory.¡± He spoke in a calm tone without even turning his gaze toward Gideon. ¡°Since the Margrave seemed to have suffered a lot in this subjugation, I¡¯ve decided to visit the North during the next Pilgrimage Homecoming. You have no objections, right, Your Grace?¡± ¡°...¡± There was no way that he had any. The fact that the incident ended without a major catastrophe was more than enough for him. Gideon looked down at his chest. His last memory was that of the Devil¡¯s Fragment flying towards him and embedding itself there. ¡°The Devil¡¯s Fragment has been successfully fused with Eleanor. It¡¯s her second one now.¡± ¡°...!¡± Gideon widened his eyes as he abruptly stood up. ¡°What in the world does that me¡ª¡± ¡°If we were to prevent that thing from fusing with her, that would be the same thing as turning a blind eye to her condition. But, I assume that you know that, don¡¯t you?¡± Gideon¡¯s pupils shook. ¡°Even if the Fragments are attached to a different person, in the end, they¡¯d gather towards someone with the highest ¡®compatibility.¡¯ Out of all the humanoid Vessels, the Heretic Inquisition stated that he had the highest compatibility in history, no?¡± ¡°...You.¡± His voice trembled. ¡°How on earth¡ª?¡± ¡°I know that the Imperial Court is keeping such information from spreading. I also know they¡¯re using that as leverage to make you work to your bones.¡± Accompanied by the sound of flipping pages, Dowd continued to talk with a flat tone. Even though this wasn¡¯t a topic that should be brought up with such nonchalance. ¡°And I also know what you¡¯ve been doing to protect Eleanor.¡± The reason why he tried to eradicate the madness of his household was for his daughter¡¯s sake, after all. After listening until this point, Gideon didn¡¯t even know what question to ask and could only let his hand tremble while maintaining his silence. This was all because the words that came out of this man¡¯s mouth were the nightmares that had been haunting him for his entire life. ¡°Putting that aside, let me congratulate you on successfully removing the Devil¡¯s Fragment ¡®without killing¡¯ that person, even though it was infused into you. Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯ve been researching all along?¡± Even his ¡®goal¡¯ was brought to light. With the same nonchalance. The man¡¯s words flowed out smoothly, almost as if he was discussing the weather. ¡°So, as someone who¡¯s casually revealing information that only you would know, I suggest you listen to my proposal.¡± Dowd yawned, closing the book with a thud. ¡°I¡¯ll give my full cooperation to protect Eleanor. To be more precise, I¡¯ll prevent the ¡®catastrophe¡¯ that will inevitably come her way.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°However, I¡¯d prefer if you completely leave the method to me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Trust...has been more or less established between us, hasn¡¯t it? You know that my only intention is to help both of you, at least.¡± If he had intended to do something nefarious, he could have done it dozens of times already. That was what he was trying to imply. Hearing this, Gideon responded with difficulty. ¡°...Is attaching two Fragments to that child also part of your plan?¡± He found it hard to believe, but every word that this man had spoken so far was undeniably true. As for how he managed to find out about such things, it didn¡¯t matter. This man wasn¡¯t the type to give an explanation for free. In other words, there was no way for Gideon to find that out at the moment. However, he still felt the need to at least understand the reason behind his action. ¡°You already know what would happen if those three Fragments¡ª¡± ¡°As I mentioned before, the three Fragments gathering to Eleanor is an inevitability. However, it will become a different story if I¡¯m ¡®involved¡¯ throughout the whole process.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to say that I won¡¯t let you experience what you¡¯ve gone through in the past. Going out of my way to make the Fragment ¡®stop over¡¯ at you was also part of that process.¡± With those words, a scene unfolded in Gideon¡¯s mind. Summer. Library. A day where cicadas were noisily buzzing. That one day flipped over his entire life. In his hand, a blood-stained longsword. On the floor, a corpse. ¡°...¡± ¡®This man...¡¯ ¡®Even know about that?¡¯ ¡®How much did he know? How far did he plan? How far did he foresee?¡¯ Gideon went silent as he watched Dowd stretching. ¡°Ah, Dowd. You¡¯re he¡ª¡± As he was pondering such thoughts, someone walked into the room. It was Eleanor. Her gaze lingered on Gideon, who was now sitting up on the bed. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Silently, Eleanor¡¯s gaze fixed onto him before swiftly turning away. ¡°...The heirloom you requested from Chester County has arrived. They said that a carriage is waiting for you.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go out right away. The Intermediate-Grade artifact came as well, right?¡± ¡°Mm. I¡¯ve even confirmed the certificate.¡± With just those words, Eleanor quickly turned around and left the room. Although to others, they could appear like they were still ignoring each other¡¯s existence... I scrutinized such windows that continued to pop up. The message that needed to be especially paid attention to was the last sentence. Since it was blinking as if there was more to it, so I tapped it to check further. System Message #1 [ Target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ holds confusing emotions towards target ¡®Gideon¡¯. ] [ The existing hatred towards this target is alleviated! ] [ Some changes occur in the main scenario¡¯s branching routes! ] [ Condition for Hidden Event Fulfilled! ] System Message [ 1 Trigger Condition for Hidden Event ¡®???¡¯ Met! (2/3) ] There we go, Baby!. I had suffered all this time just for this one thing. It was that crucial of a requisite. But why was it labeled as #1? Were there others? System Message #2 [ Target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ realized that target ¡®Dowd¡¯ is much more popular than expected! ] [ Possessive Desire intensifies! ] [ Due to her Possessive Desire, preparation for planned actions are expedited! ] [ ¡®Engagement Ring¡¯ production schedule is accelerated! ] ¡°...¡± No wait. Hold on. What the fuck did I just read? ¡°...What have you been doing during the break to be in such a state? You look like a walking corpse.¡± ¡°I gained the recognition of the Margrave of the North, improved the strained familial relationship between the Duke and his daughter, and additionally, they are planning to confer a Viscounty on me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Also, apparently, Lady Tristan is currently crafting an engagement ring for me.¡± The expression on Headmistress Atalante¡¯s face seemed to say, ¡®I told you to rest, but what in the world have you done while you were gone?¡¯ Yeah, I know, right? The only silver lining was that thanks to all the various things that occurred, the dilemma of choosing between Eleanor and Iliya seemed to have disappeared. Honestly, whichever side I picked would¡¯ve only led to a hellish result. However, due to the incident that had happened with Gideon, I ended up choosing to have an ¡®exchange¡¯ with Margrave Kendride first. ¡°...First, I¡¯ll share some of the issues I¡¯ve already heard.¡± The Headmistress let out a sigh as she spoke. ¡°Suddenly jumping from a status of a student to a peerage of Viscount is quite a significant matter. After all, the faculty will have to treat you differently from now on.¡± ¡°...Wait a minute. Is it fine to just acknowledge something like that so easily? When Eleanor had just acted however she wished and thrown some land my way, I thought dealing with all of it would be a pain in the ass. However, hearing Atalente¡¯s explanation, it sounded like everything had been resolved. Was she even allowed to so arbitrarily decide the succession of a territory in the Empire? ¡°Firstly, all the lands near Baron Campbell¡¯s area are considered the most remote even out of remote lands. Honestly, it¡¯s highly likely that the Imperial Court doesn¡¯t care much about what happens with those lands.¡± ¡°...¡± Okay, that one was a little harsh. Our land wasn¡¯t a cursed land, you know? ¡°There are no special resources, no notable characteristics, and it¡¯s not really a shady place either. Isn¡¯t that also why you don¡¯t seem to have any interest in managing the territory? ¡°...¡± Right... Well honestly, to me, gaining the territory was more about obtaining the entrance pass to Dungeon Conquests and Artifact Explorations. I had casually tossed the management aspect to my father before fleeing to the academy. Maybe I would visit once in a while during vacations to inspect it. ¡°And secondly...¡± Atalante pushed her monocle up before continuing. ¡°All this was possible because it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s the Tribal Alliance, the Holy Land, or the Empire¡¯s Imperial Court, you¡¯re quite the hot potato for all of them. I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten how flamboyantly you made a name for yourself in front of the Pope, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Since the Imperial Court wouldn¡¯t want to argue with such a precious resource over something like this, they would absolutely not obstruct you. If they do so, the Holy Land or Tribal Alliance will think it¡¯s their chance to win you over into their respective countries.¡± Huh, That... actually made sense... I didn¡¯t know I was that much of a hot potato though. However, there was one thing that I was curious about... ¡°...Why have you looked so displeased since a while ago?¡± ¡°Because everything that I said is connected, Dowd.¡± Atalante rummaged through her desk before pulling out a document. ¡°When a student¡¯s accomplishments are recognized to the point of becoming Viscount during their enrollment, we have no choice but to make them skip a grade. To put it simply, it¡¯s hard for us to continue treating you as a freshman.¡± ¡°...But, I didn¡¯t do anything...¡± ¡°It is what it is. After all, there are things we can¡¯t ask of a freshman.¡± As I listened to Atalante, I received the document and read it. It contained rules to be followed when a freshman was promoted to be a second-year student. ¡°...¡± And as soon as I saw this, my face instantly stiffened. ¡°Becoming a second-year student allows you to participate in an incredibly wide range of events and activities both inside and outside the academy. Among them, there are exchanges with other academies. As such, it seems that the rulers of the continent were eagerly waiting for you to enter the second year.¡± I examined the very last item on the document. Invitation. To the Forge of Struggle. In one week. ¡°...Also, among them, it seems that the Tribal Alliance, in particular, had a keen interest in you.¡± I knew about this event as well. The ¡®Academy Exchange Student¡¯ Event. After all, this was none other than a prelude to the beginning of Chapter 3. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 73: Intercession (1) Chapter 73: Intercession (1) ? Intercession (1) ? ¡°Um, Trisha?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve scolded me enough?¡± Iliya made a tearful face as she pleaded. Her hands were held up in the air as they trembled, clearly showing their fatigue. The reason for it was because she had reported her ¡®progress¡¯ during the vacation to her hawk-eyed friend as soon as she returned to her dorm. ¡°No way! It was a golden opportunity! The least thing you should have done was get him to promise a one-on-one date with you!¡± ¡°B-But, he said that he¡¯d come to Margrave Kendride¡¯s territory on the next vacation...¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t write to Margrave Kendride just for such empty promises! There¡¯s no mention of you getting along better with him in any part of your report!¡± ¡°...¡± She¡¯s terrifying. Though they were of the same age, Trisha¡¯s advice on youth ventures were mostly given with the ferocity of a tiger, especially when she poured out her wisdom. ¡°...Lower your hands for now and come sit down.¡± Trisha sighed and patted the space beside her on the bed. She thought to herself that she shouldn¡¯t just scold her. After all, the black energy that filled Iliya¡¯s heart seemed much lighter than before. ¡°Can you tell me what exactly happened there?¡± ¡°...Um.¡± While massaging her arm, Iliya pondered as she recalled her memories. -Leave Iliya entirely in my hands. I¡¯ll make sure you never regret such a choice. Somehow, that memory was the first one to come to her mind. ¡°...I¡¯m not sure, but I did hear that... He considered me a very important person to him...¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing Iliya say such words with puppy-like joy made Trisha¡¯s eyes sharpen once again. The way she became so giddy after hearing such vague words assured Trisha that her friend was too far gone. Of course, after Iliya saw Trisha¡¯s sudden change in expression, she hastily added an explanation. ¡°W-Wait, l-listen to me first, okay?! What he said was true! I know it sounds vague, but it definitely isn¡¯t a bad development!¡± Iliya explained in detail about everything that had happened during the vacation to Trisha. Of course, she omitted the questionable parts that involved things such as how they joyfully turned an entire Viscounty and County upside down and about their fight against Duke Tristan, who was encroached by an unidentified object. ¡°...¡± However, after hearing the entire story, Trisha sent her an even more incredulous look as she rubbed her forehead. ¡®...This guy sounds like a complete player, doesn¡¯t he?¡¯ In truth, part of the reason why she sent Iliya to go with Lady Tristan was because she wanted to probe the man¡¯s attitude, At the very least, if she could find out that he had no feelings for Iliya, she could tell her friend to give up. But... The situation somehow became even more ambiguous. Iliya¡¯s condition worsened and the relationship between that man and Lady Tristan didn¡¯t seem to deteriorate. She couldn¡¯t even imagine how he even managed to do that. ¡®How can both the Hero Candidate and the Lady of a Duchy become lovestruck for a single person at the same time...¡¯ As she rubbed her forehead due to the incoming headache, she let out a groan. It was obvious what would happen if it continued like this. She would clearly see Iliya¡¯s emotions fluctuating between heaven and hell day by day, depending on Dowd¡¯s reactions. ¡®Even so, letting it be is not a good idea either...¡¯ In truth, Iliya almost didn¡¯t have any ¡®advantage¡¯ compared to Lady Tristan. While she wasn¡¯t a person to be looked down upon in every aspect, Lady Tristan was just way superior to her in almost everything. ¡®Since that¡¯s the case, then the only thing she could do to gain his attention is...¡¯ Go on an offensive. Not a half-hearted offensive. A total offensive. Appeal to him, appeal to him, continuously appeal more aggressively to him! Never-ending appeals! ¡°Iliya. Listen carefully.¡± So, using that as a basis, Trisha poured out a long speech to Iliya. ¡°H-How can I say such things...? I-I mean, wouldn¡¯t that make Teach feel burdensome? If someone like me starts getting all over him like that¡ª¡± ¡®This is hopeless.¡¯ As she watched Iliya hesitating while mumbling in fear just from the idea of saying such things, a boiling sensation surged within Trisha¡¯ chest. ¡®Seriously, this girl didn¡¯t even get flustered in a life-threatening situation, but somehow, she couldn¡¯t even say these simple words! What is wrong with her?!¡¯ ¡®If she can¡¯t do at least this much, she¡¯ll be drowning in tears later!¡¯ ¡®...There¡¯s no choice.¡¯ Since this was the case, what she should do the most right now was to make Iliya spend more time with that Dowd guy. A few upcoming academy events came to her mind. And among those, the event that Dowd would definitely get involved in would be... ¡°Iliya. I¡¯ll give you two assignments as homework for now.¡± ¡°...Homework?¡± ¡°Yeah. One you have to complete by today and the other within a week.¡± ¡°No wait, even the professors don¡¯t give me homework that often, what are¡ª¡± Trisha¡¯s glaring eyes practically lit with hellfire. ¡°If I tell you to do it, just do it.¡± ¡°...¡± It was a determined and firm attitude that didn¡¯t allow even a millimeter of compromise. Let¡¯s talk about the Tribal Alliance a bit. It was one of the three most influential nations in the continent. It ran under a system where the Chieftain led an alliance consisting of various Tribal War Chiefs. As seen from the titles and the country name, the image of a ¡®Barbarian Warrior¡¯ would best fit this nation. ¡®...The problem is that only their appearance matched that image.¡¯ The thing was, they adopted such an appearance just because they were following tradition. Surprisingly, the Tribal Alliance was the most ¡®scientifically advanced¡¯ nation in Sera. It was a place where almost science fiction-like items were commonplace, unlike the Empire or the Holy Land. While not as great as the Magic Tower, as they were commonly acknowledged as the hub of technology, the Tribal Alliance still occasionally showcased technological capabilities that surpassed the medieval fantasy worldview of Sera that other nations had. When considering individual combat capabilities alone, the warriors of the Tribal Alliance were the strongest out of them all. Their training was not inferior to other countries, and above all, the technological prowess of their equipment had set them apart. However, their fatal flaw was that their ¡®numbers¡¯ were horrifyingly low compared to the other two nation¡¯s forces. ¡®Guess that¡¯s what made it balanced.¡¯ The balance set by the Sera development team had been achieved by giving each nation a distinct advantage. A quick comparison of the primary forces of each nation, which included ¡¯Knights¡¯, ¡®Juggernauts¡¯, and ¡®Battle Priests¡¯, easily illustrated their characteristics. Knights boasted an above-average strength in all aspects and also had the largest numbers. However, they lacked any outstanding features. Overall, they were average. Juggernauts had the highest overall individual combat capability but despite their elite capabilities, they were small in number. In the first place, I was the one who requested for the freshmen to be allowed to take this test. I guess it wasn¡¯t empty words when Atalante said she would help me with everything she could. As a result, some of the people who took the test would probably pass it ¡®unconditionally¡¯. Basically, they were essential manpower in order for me to progress through Chapter 3. ¡®The problem is...¡¯ Among the people I had to take, there was probably one who¡¯d vehemently refuse, even if I were to force them. < Gift-Related Character Alert > ¨‹ Riru Garda [ Curiosity Level 1 ] [ ¡®Fatal Charm¡¯ skill conditionally implanted! ] [ The next activation of the skill will provide a 2x effect ] [ Related Event Occurs in D-5 ] Riru Garda was someone incredibly important in Chapter 3. Although she was a character with an evil disposition, she was not an antagonist in the scenario. On the contrary, she was a ¡®crucial character¡¯ for clearing Chapter 3. ¡®...The process of making use of her is a bit ridiculous though.¡¯ Clearing Chapter 3 depended on the process of ¡®rehabilitating¡¯ this person¡¯s bad side. She was different compared to Eleanor and Yuria. In their cases, it was a bit unfair to say that they had an evil disposition. On the contrary, Riru had certain tendencies that could undoubtedly be classified as evil. She enjoyed beating the shit out of people and she was insanely violent. When it came to combat, she¡¯d turn into a lunatic. There was also her tendency to ignore the shit out of weak people, and so on... ¡°Mm?¡± As I pondered such thoughts, someone was approaching us at full speed from a distance. It was barely dawn and the sun had just started to reveal itself, but seeing that their entire body was drenched in sweat, it was clear that they had been running around this area for quite some time. Fluttering purple hair, a body of hardened muscles without a single ounce of fat, and numerous scars covering such a figure. A familiar person While wiping off sweat, I looked towards her, Riru Garda. ¡®Seriously, what a savage...¡¯ ¡°...¡± Her gaze also briefly lingered on me. After all, it was not the first time we¡¯ve met; we had encountered each other once during Observation class. Maybe she¡¯d even greet me. However, her gaze directly fell on the necklace I was wearing as her eyes widened slightly. Her brows furrowed for a moment. From the way she opened and closed her mouth, she seemed to be wanting to say something. ¡°...¡± However, after alternating between my face and the necklace with a hesitant gaze... She deliberately averted her eyes and passed by me and Talion. It was almost as if she was convincing herself that it had nothing to do with her. ¡°...¡± I had a bitter smile on my face as I watched Riru getting further away at an incredible pace. Considering her personality, it wouldn¡¯t have been strange for her to pick a fight with me. Regardless of the consequences, she was the type of person who would charge head-first if she thought it would be a fun fight and if I remembered our previous encounter correctly, I was quite a suitable match for such conditions. However... Riru Garda was the daughter of the Chieftain and was currently attending the Empire¡¯s academy as a student. This peculiar situation indicates that the relationship between Riru and the Tribal Alliance was incredibly complex. From her perspective, anything that reminded her of her hometown was more than enough to make her run away. ¡°...I do believe that it is better not to get involved with her.¡± Talion said this with a serious voice. ¡°The entire department branded her as a mad dog. I¡¯ve heard she has already violated the rules more than ten times. All of them were rules related to assaults.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. The rumors about her are rampant. People even wonder where exactly she came from because she still avoided being expelled despite causing so many incidents.¡± After complaining as such, Talion then let out a bitter smile. ¡°However... Even when I consider myself quite diligent, I still can¡¯t be compared to her.¡± His dispirited voice continued. ¡°She seems like a training fanatic. I¡¯m usually the first one to get up and train among people of the same year, but I¡¯ve never seen her do anything other than running and exercising all day. I don¡¯t even know when she began to run today as well.¡± ¡°She¡¯s always been like that.¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± Although she didn¡¯t show it, Riru Garda was someone who worked harder than any other person in this world. ¡°She isn¡¯t as bad as she looks.¡± It was one of her ¡®good sides¡¯ hidden beneath that violent attitude of hers. If you were to dig a bit deeper, she was actually someone that had quite a few good qualities. < Gift-Related Character Alert > ¨‹ Riru Garda [ Curiosity Level 1 ] [ ¡®Fatal Charm¡¯ skill conditionally implanted! ] [ The next activation of the skill will provide a 2x effect ] [ Related Event Occurs in D-5 ] Maybe, if my conjectures were right... During this Exchange Student Selection Test and the ¡®Related Event¡¯ that precisely coincided with it, such a side of her would be revealed. As I contemplated such thoughts while looking at the system window... Next to me, Talion stroked his chin with a ¡®Hm¡¯. ¡°Senior Brother, do you know?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°There are also quite a few wicked rumors about you within the department.¡± ¡°...What rumors?¡± ¡°Apparently, you¡¯re an amazing piece of shit who simultaneously seduces several women that ordinary people can¡¯t even approach.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Beside Iliya and the Student Council President, during the midterms, I heard you collared a ghost-like woman who would cut anything that came close and walked her around on a leash. If that wasn¡¯t enough, apparently people even witnessed the Saintesss sticking around Senior Brother fairly often...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, have you found a new prey this time?¡± Shut up. Please, just shut the fuck up. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 74: Intercession (2) Chapter 74: Intercession (2) ? Intercession (2) ? Lucia spoke while taking a deep breath. ¡°...Yes, by changing the order of the Prayer a bit, the effectiveness of the Grace becomes significantly greater. It might be a bit challenging, but with some practice, you¡¯ll get the hang of¡ª¡± ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°...¡± Lucia fell silent as she saw a two-colored divine barrier appearing before Dowd. Internally, she struggled to suppress a scream. Anyone would harbor such feelings upon witnessing Dowd immediately putting into practice what she had just taught. ¡®You said it¡¯s your first time...¡¯ She looked at him while hiding her tearful expression. Back when she started teaching him, she was really enthusiastic about it. After all, it was her one in a thousand chance to correct this man¡¯s ¡®attitude¡¯. While she didn¡¯t want him to treat her with reverence like what other people did because she was the Saintess, she at least wanted to prevent him from whimsically involving her and Yuria in various matters and just disappearing afterwards. To put it simply, she didn¡¯t need him to treat her like a Saintess, she just didn¡¯t want him to treat her like a slave! ¡®This is definitely supposed to be challenging though...¡¯ Among all Special Powers, divine power was a power that was possessed by everyone, but it was clearly the most unpredictable and volatile out of them all. In essence, it was easy to start learning it but difficult to master it. So when this man claimed that he would raise his divine power to a third of hers within a month, she had merely snorted doubtfully. In the first two days, her prediction actually seemed accurate. When Dowd struggled to memorize any Prayers and couldn¡¯t even correctly implement the most simple of Graces, she inwardly yelled in delight. ¡®I knew it, this person isn¡¯t perfect!¡¯ ¡®I finally found his flaw!¡¯ That was why she decided to help him with his divine power study, to make him realize how important she was and to prevent him from leaving Yuria behind while casually playing around with other women. Also, she wanted to make him more dependent on her in the future. Once upon a time, she dreamed of such a scenario. But all those hopes and dreams had vanished today. ¡°...¡± He was learning fast. Way too fast. He was undoubtedly a beginner when it came to ¡®handling¡¯ divine power. However, once he grasped the core of the matter, he absorbed all the knowledge she taught him like a sponge. She could not even begin to fathom how much he had learned in no more than half a day, from lunch to dinner. Even she had struggled for at least a week to master the ¡®Intercessory Prayer¡¯ she had just taught him! ¡®No wonder he set such an unreasonable condition...¡¯ Suddenly, realization struck her. The goal that he had set when starting these lessons... He had genuinely thought that it could ¡®happen¡¯! There was no doubt about that now! ¡®So this is how it feels.¡¯ Compared to Lucia, who looked at him as if he was an actual monster, Dowd himself was just manipulating his divine power absent-mindedly. He was someone who was well-versed in the skill system of Savior Rising. He literally knew everything. Merely ¡®utilizing¡¯ something like this was something he had done hundreds of times in the game. The only challenge was the difficulty in ¡®handling¡¯ divine power, but he managed to overcome that after struggling with Lucia for a few days. Basically, it was like being in a game where he had memorized everything from start to finish but he couldn¡¯t plug in the controller. ¡°And the next thing I will teach you i-is...¡± Half in tears, Lucia rummaged through the paper she had prepared. She had thought that she could finally take the initiative instead of always being at the mercy of this man. However, after only a few days of starting the lessons, more than half of the one-month curriculum she had prepared was already gone. ¡°Uh so like, Activating um, multiple Graces, uh in combina¨C...¡± ¡°Ah, I think it works like this.¡± With a Swoosh, several divine shields appeared around Dowd. ¡°...¡± Lucia trembled as she put down the paper. ¡°Just do it on your own.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing well even without my teachings! I even prepared several tips suitable for beginners...! You, idiot, hic, sob...¡± ¡°...¡± At this point, she was beyond tearing up, as she even started sniffling. As Dowd remained silent, the classroom¡¯s door, which had only the two of them inside, creaked open. While rubbing her eyes, Yuria entered. After glancing around at the awkward atmosphere in the classroom, she opened her mouth with a drowsy voice. ¡°Mr. Dowd, are you bullying Big Sis again?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never bullied her...¡± ¡°Big Sis is a lot more delicate than she seems so please treat her more attentively. She really wants to play the role of the eldest so at least pretend to depend on her, okay?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Was this really something you should say in front of the person in question?¡¯ As Lucia pondered such thoughts, Yuria yawned again and continued. ¡°It¡¯s better for you to stop for today and come out. Dame Ophelia asked me to tell you that.¡± With that, Yuria disappeared from the classroom. Seeing her leave, Dowd spoke with a monotone voice. ¡°Hasn¡¯t her condition suddenly improved recently?¡± When they first met, she couldn¡¯t even properly use her voice, so she communicated by displaying words in the air. However, nowadays, even when Lucia was not around, she could still speak properly in most cases. It was to the extent that it seemed like there was almost no inconvenience in her daily life. ¡°Lately, the curse from Severer has been corroding her at a much slower rate. It¡¯s all thanks to you. Thank you.¡± Lucia offered her thanks even as she sniffled. Indeed, she was the Saintess. Even in such a situation, she didn¡¯t forget the manners ingrained in her. However, instead of responding, Dowd only narrowed his eyes. ¡°You should watch over her carefully for the time being. You need to be careful after all.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Rather than giving her an explanation, Dowd only gave out a bitter smile. After all, that was because... He had experienced cases where the ability of a ¡®Vessel¡¯ increased explosively. It was the same phenomenon with Eleanor after the Purifier event. The fusion rate of the Fragments and Vessel increased, causing a drastic enhancement in the target¡¯s physical specifications. And along with that, there was also an event that would follow. ¡°...¡± Frankly, there was nothing he really needed to say to Lucia. After all, the one who needed to be careful was Dowd himself. When the fusion rate of the first Vessel, Eleanor, increased, it didn¡¯t take long for the second Vessel, Yuria, to appear. And now, the fusion rate of the second Vessel, Yuria, was increasing. In other words... It was a sign that another ¡®Vessel¡¯ would appear once again. System Log [ Successfully mastered divine power! ] [ The proficiency of ¡®Mastery: Divine Power Mastery¡¯ has increased. ] [ Proficiency has made rapid progress! ] [ The Mastery¡¯s grade has been promoted from ¡®Basic¡¯ to ¡®Common¡¯! ] [ Mastery Info ] Mastery: Divine Power Mastery Grade: Common Description: Manifests various Graces using divine power. This ability is the foundation for all techniques wielded by Battle Priests. [ ¡ö Can manifest up to two identical Graces. ] [ ¡ö Can use all Graces derived from ¡®Beginner-Grade Prayers¡¯! ] ¡®Not bad.¡¯ I nodded at the results achieved by receiving lessons from the Saintess for a few days. ¡®With this, I could now activate buffs myself other than the built-in Graces in Ultima. Of course, they only had simple and brutish effects because they were only Beginner-Grade Prayers. ¡®Red Grace¡¯ increased offense, ¡®Blue Grace¡¯ increased defense, ¡®Yellow Grace¡¯ increased agility, and so on... As mentioned, they were very simple stat boosts. While the effects themselves did not seem that impressive, from the perspective of someone possessing skills like ¡®Desperation¡¯ or ¡®Image World¡¯, which amplified the efficiency of such buffs several times over, it was quite exceptional and significant. ¡®Alright, time to check it one more time.¡¯ ¡¸Dowd Campbell¡¹ < Status Info> [ General ] Strength: F ( Rank-Up: 98% ) Agility: F ( Rank-Up: 98% ) Endurance: F Luck: F Power: D After days of enduring muscle pain all over my body while training with Talion day and night, it seemed like all my efforts were paid off. At this point, with just one day left until the Exchange Student Selection Test, my stats were on the verge of ranking up. ¡®Considering I had only been doing it for a week, it really has increased a lot.¡¯ Originally, I expected it to take about a month for this amount of growth. That was probably because he had set a ¡®trap¡¯. Teuk. Someone grasped Riru¡¯s arm from behind her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop here?¡± I knew that person as well. He was the Barbarian Warrior Luca. Behind him, his comrades, who were preparing to eat, widened their eyes. Archer Falco. Mage Grid. Priest Trisha. Excluding Iliya, they were all the members of the ¡®Hero Party¡¯. It seemed that the male student insulted Riru knowing that if she retaliated with force, there were people who would block her. Considering Riru¡¯s current reputation, the Hero Party would never tolerate such ¡®injustice¡¯ after all. ¡°...Huh? What are they doing over there?¡± While Iliya voiced her surprise beside me, Riru shrugged off Luca¡¯s arm with a frown. ¡°Get lost.¡± ¡°I told you to stop. I don¡¯t know what you heard, but immediately punching someone first isn¡¯t right.¡± Honestly, from my perspective who knew everything, she was justified in using such violence. Forget the law, that male student deserved to get beaten to death. After all, he severely insulted Riru¡¯s family... Considering the state of Riru¡¯s ¡®family,¡¯ the people who were currently living with her, she was more than justified to do so. ¡°...¡± Riru sighed and turned towards Luca. Killing intent flashed in her eyes. ¡°I said, get lost.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I don¡¯t know how many times you¡¯ve beaten up your department¡¯s classmates, but you¡¯re going too fa¡ª¡± Before Luca could continue, Riru¡¯s fist struck him squarely in the face. Yep. That temper was the issue here. Instead of explaining a little so he could understand her, she would always hit first, ask questions later. The male student who provoked her probably set up this trap because he knew that. ¡°T-That! What a crazy bitch!¡± Although Iliya screamed as such, Luca only grimaced slightly as he took a few steps back; he appeared to suffer no significant damage. A fist-sized shield of divine power was created in front of his face. It was Trisha, holding her Catalyst with a nervous expression. ¡°S-Stop! Why are you being so violent!¡± At Trisha¡¯s cry, Grid and Falco, who had been watching the situation from afar, tightened their expressions and drew their weapons. It seemed they couldn¡¯t just watch quietly when their friend was getting hit. ¡°...You wanna try me?¡± Seeing that, Riru laughed even more fiercely. Not only was it a four-to-one situation, but the four people were in a group that were rumored to be the strongest among the freshmen. Even so, she didn¡¯t back down at all. ¡°Fine. Bring it on.¡± ¡°...¡± Luca, who had been silently watching this, sighed before speaking. ¡°...How long are you going to live like this?¡± Riru stopped for a moment. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Even if this is a faraway foreign land, there are still a few people who are from the same country.¡± Luca¡¯s calm voice continued. ¡°I am Luca Han-Chai from the Hyrule Mountain Range. I know about the situation of the Tribal Alliance and who you are. The Daughter of the Chieftain. The last bloodline of the Great Leader.¡± Riru¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°I heard you were exiled all the way here because of your violent temper. Was it not enough for you to smear the Chieftain¡¯s reputation to such an extent? Do you wish you spit on his face even further?¡± ¡°...¡± Riru fell silent for a moment. However, it was not because he hit the mark. Laughter trickled out of her mouth. However, the emotions that filled her pupils were the complete opposite of such laughter. After all, that, of itself, was Riru¡¯s Royal Ire. The face of every student nearby turned purple. It was because the killing intent that oozed out of Riru seemed to burn the entire surrounding atmosphere. ¡°Luca Han-Chai of the Hyrule Mountain Range.¡± Without a single ounce of emotion, a voice as cold as ice flowed from Riru. ¡°I will remember you. I will kill you. No matter what.¡± ¡°...It seems we already passed the point where we can resolve this peacefully, right?¡± Upon hearing Riru¡¯s words, Grid and Falco sighed. ¡°I-I¡¯ll go help them and come back!¡± ¡°Just leave them be.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± I stopped Iliya who was trying to rush over to them. ¡°They aren¡¯t weaklings. If it¡¯s four-to-one, they can win against her.¡± Assuming Eleanor¡¯s combat power was 10 after absorbing two Fragments and Iliya¡¯s combat power was around 5, the combined combat power of those four would be approximately 7.5 when fighting together. In essence, no matter how strong Riru was, she couldn¡¯t handle such a level alone. ¡®...I¡¯m pretty sure she gets fucked up here.¡¯ After that, Riru experienced some changes in her mental state and felt her own shortcomings, thus becoming friendly to the members of the Hero¡¯s Party. That was how the story progressed if I remembered correctly. As such, all I needed to do was let it happen just like the original game and only get the things that I needed. If it was a Riru who had killed her temper, it wasn¡¯t difficult to persuade her into returning to her ¡®hometown¡¯ through this Exchange Student Event. Probably. System Message [ Devil¡¯s Aura is sensed. ] [ ¡®The Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯ reacts! ] At least it should¡¯ve turned out like that, smooth sailings all around. Except this fucking message decided to pop up in front of me. ¡°...¡± A chill ran down my spine. When I gazed at Riru, a ¡®blue aura¡¯ was densely emanating from her body. It was familiar. After all, I had already seen something ¡®similar¡¯ twice already. Devil¡¯s Aura. ¡°...¡± ¡®Are you kidding me?¡¯ ¡®I know I recognized the signs from Yuria that a new Vessel will appear, but still, isn¡¯t this way too quick?¡¯ More chills ran down my spine. Riru was considered a main candidate to be a Vessel even in the original game, but it was the case where she held the ¡®Blue Devil¡¯... The Hero Party? Those fodders didn¡¯t stand a chance of withstanding her in combat. I wasn¡¯t kidding when I say it wouldn¡¯t be strange at all if all four of them were to die here. ¡°...¡± And, of course... That couldn¡¯t happen. Even though they were far inferior to Iliya, the Hero Party was still a crucial part of the story. If even one of those bastards died, the whole scenario would come to an end. Then, what was I supposed to do in this current situation? ¡°...¡± My thoughts were fast and my decision was even faster. I opened the window and took a deep breath. ¡°...Teach?¡± Even after hearing Iliya¡¯s voice filled with suspicion... I immediately threw myself out of the window. It was quite high, but I had to get there as quickly as possible. ¡°...! This crazy fucker¡ª!¡± Although I could hear Iliya cursing behind me, my body had already started falling out of the window. Thud. I landed on the ground with a loud noise. Everything around me was completely obliterated in my wake. ¡°...¡± One of my legs was obliterated as well. It seemed like a severe fracture. However, this level of injury was not enough to make me scream. It was merely a scratch to my current self. I got up nonchalantly and limped towards Riru and the Hero Party. Every person in sight was staring at me with widened eyes. Their faces seemed to say, ¡®What the fuck is with this lunatic?¡¯ In such a situation... ¡°You guys.¡¯ I stood in front of Riru. As if shielding this person behind me. Then, I spoke to the Hero Party. ¡°If you continue, you¡¯ll die, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± Riru¡¯s eyes widened. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 75: Intercession (3) Chapter 75: Intercession (3) ? Intercession (3) ? Contrary to the circulating rumors, Riru Garda was not the kind of person who¡¯d attack others thoughtlessly. In truth, the majority of the cases that seemed like she was giving out one-sided violence were carried out under cold and calculated reasoning. She was aware that she was an easy target. That was why, to avoid troublesome situations, she decided that beating everyone into submission with overwhelming strength and planting the seed of fear within them was the best approach. After all, she herself was more than aware that she was a kind of existence that would never fit within the academy. ¡®There are only weaklings here.¡¯ That was her first impression when she arrived at the Academy and it never changed ever since. But there were two individuals that were an exception to that. Her head had been filled with thoughts of wanting to provoke one of them, but that particular person was incredibly elusive. Where and why was that person wandering about so much? Perhaps that was the reason why even the Empire highly valued such a powerful warrior. ¡°If you continue, you¡¯ll die, you know?¡± And that person was right in front of her. ¡®...This guy is definitely...¡¯ She had seen him once during the Observation class. The way he managed to compete quite well against her was vividly etched into her mind. ¡°...¡± She sent the man a perplexed gaze. Meanwhile, he was standing in front of her, facing the group of people in front of them. Almost as if he was trying to protect her, who was standing behind him. ¡°...Senior Dowd?¡± Mage Falco of the Hero Party spoke in a confused voice. ¡°Senior?¡± ¡°I mean, you are a second-year now. We are still freshmen.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°...Anyway, putting that aside, why are you trying to stop us?¡± ¡°I literally just told you. You guys will die if you continue.¡± The expressions of the entire member of the Hero Party stiffened at the same time as Riru furrowing her brows. After all, no matter how one interpreted it, the intention behind his sentence was obvious. ¡°...Why are you siding with such a woman?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s siding with who, now? ¡°...¡± Falco glanced at the blood dripping from Dowd¡¯s head with a look of incredulity. If that was the case, then why did he intervene even at the cost of obliterating his own body? He thought that unless there was a very good reason, there was no point in doing such a thing. ¡°...Hey, guys.¡± Trisha, who had been silently watching, grabbed everyone¡¯s arms and pulled them towards her. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here.¡± ¡°What? No wait, in the the first place, she¡¯s the one who start¡ª¡± ¡°Remember that we¡¯re the ones who jumped into this situation without understanding it properly.¡± ¡°...¡± Her words were correct. After only considering her bad reputation, they had rashly assumed that Riru did something wrong once again to cause this situation. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not a hard problem to solve.¡± After saying that, Dowd turned to approach the male student who had initially faced off against Riru. His appearance, as he limped while blood dripped from his entire body, gave off an odd pressure. ¡°What did you say to her before this happened?¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t say any¡ª!¡± ¡°Stop lying.¡± Dowd let out a grin. Seeing such a carefree grin emerging from his bloodsoaked face made the male student¡¯s face instantly turn pale. It was as if he asked while knowing what had happened. In the end, under such seemingly omniscient pressure, the male student stuttered out the words he had spoken previously. ¡°...Woah.¡± ¡°...¡± At the same time that Grid and Falco frowned, Luca made a troubled look. The reason was because of the extremely vulgar language that the male student uttered. And those extremely inappropriate insults were directed directly towards Riru¡¯s family. ¡°...While using violence is prohibited, in this case, when an extraordinary amount of malice was involved, I think it¡¯s perfectly justified to enact it.¡± The words that the male student uttered were so bad that even Falco, the one with the most moderate temper among the Hero Party, made such a remark. Meanwhile, Luca, who knew about Riru to some extent, sent Riru an apologetic look. ¡°...I must apologize.¡± Luca bowed his head. ¡°Insulting the clan of a warrior of the Tribal Alliance is akin to challenging them to a death battle. I was short-sighted in this matter.¡± Of course, I had something to believe in. System Message [ Checking the current status of target ¡®Riru Garda¡¯! ] [ More susceptible to the influence of ¡®Skill: Fatal Charm¡¯ than before! ] [ Target¡¯s anger is subsiding! ] This was the same case as Eleanor and Yuria. Devil¡¯s Vessels were extremely susceptible to my skills. As such, I was confident that she wouldn¡¯t directly pose a significant threat to me. So, yeah... Well... Although I had been feeling something hot running down my head since earlier and one of my legs was completely fucked... I still managed to block the power of a Devil appearing at this very moment. Considering that, the price I had to pay was cheap. Not to mention that I managed to save the entire Hero Party as well. It seemed that my sincere plea that they would die if they fought against her had resonated quite well within them. ¡®You guys get it, don¡¯t you? I¡¯m doing this for your own good.¡¯ ¡°...But Senior, she seems to listen to you well. I understand why you took her side now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°As expected, the rumors are indeed true. Even that mad dog became docile in front of Senior.¡± ¡°...¡± As I tied the dream catcher to Riru¡¯s wrist, who kept avoiding my gaze, the Hero Party left such disturbing words as they disappeared. ¡®Rumors? What rumors? I don¡¯t know what you guys are talking about! I¡¯m sure there aren¡¯t any rumors about me!¡¯ ¡®Even if there¡¯s any, I don¡¯t know anything about it!¡¯ Such thoughts came to mind as I finished tying the dream catcher around Riru¡¯s wrist. Anyway, my second gain was this accessory. This thing was so important that I had to bow down my head to a pissed off Riru so that she could accept it. ¡®An opportunity to increase my Endurance stat...!¡¯ I was being 100% serious when I said that if Riru did not accept this, I would regret it. Luca¡¯s dream catcher was an object that could open a hidden branching route in Chapter 3. Since Luca only gave it when the player¡¯s credibility was at a MAX, I would¡¯ve only been able to receive this if I spent my time gaining his trust for a good while. And there was an ¡®Endurance Stat Exclusive¡¯ item that could only be eaten when taking the hidden branch route. The endurance stat was one of the hardest stats to increase. These days, my body already couldn¡¯t catch up to my exploits, so in my perspective, there was nothing more precious to me than this...! ¡®Well, anyway if it¡¯s this much.¡¯ I think I managed to conclude this situation quite decently. Considering Riru¡¯s character background, the mere emergence of a ¡®hope¡¯ that she could return to the Tribal Alliance would very likely lead her to passionately participating in tomorrow¡¯s Exchange Student Selection. After all, until now, she had probably felt that her faraway hometown was akin to looking at a sour grape. With her abilities, passing the test shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. As such, once I placed her in the Forge of Struggle, the purpose of recruiting her would be no different than fulfilled. ¡°...It¡¯s tied properly. Can I go now?¡± Riru, who had been avoiding my gaze continuously since a while ago, said as such in a cautious voice. ¡®What is wrong with her?¡¯ ¡®Is she that angry that I interfered?¡¯ ¡®If so, then I should discreetly run away as if I¡¯m invisible.¡¯ As I tried to move with such thoughts, my body suddenly got caught in midair. ¡°...Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡®W-Why are you doing this?¡¯ ¡®I really tried my hardest to not piss you off...!¡¯ Beyond the gradual loss of my sanity, I heard Riru¡¯s wavering voice. ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult for you to walk with that body.¡± When I turned my gaze to her, she had caught my clothes tightly between two fingers. She still had her head turned away from my eyes. ¡°...Follow me. I¡¯ll at least give you some first-aid.¡± And with that sentence... The ¡®third gain¡¯ abruptly popped up. System Message [ Skill: Fatal Charm is activated! ] [ The efficiency of skill activation is extremely high! ] [ The favorability level of target ¡®Riru Garda¡¯ has drastically increased to ¡®Interest Level 1¡¯! ] [ Rewards Available! ] ¡®...The fuck?¡¯ You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 76: Intercession (4) Chapter 76: Intercession (4) ? Intercession (4) ? ¡°...Hey, Riru.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is this...necessary?¡± ¡°Yes. You can¡¯t walk, remember?¡± ¡°...¡± Bruh. I swear, it would be better for me to just walk to my death rather than being in this state. Dowd Campbell. A man who had legally reached adulthood quite some time ago... Was currently being piggybacked by a girl who was 10 cm shorter than him. ¡®...Fuck it. I don¡¯t even know anymore.¡¯ If someone were to see this, I was more than ready to die in embarrassment. To divert my mind, I quickly checked on something else. < Gift-Related Character Alert > ¨‹ Riru Garda [ Curiosity Level 1 ] >>> [ Interest Level 1 ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Favorability level has increased explosively in a short period of time! ] [ Special Rewards Available! ] ¡°...¡± I couldn¡¯t lie to myself anymore. It did increase... While I had seen messages mentioning that the skill was conditionally implanted before, even after considering that, it was ridiculous how explosive the magnitude of this increase was. It was normal for the Vessels¡¯ favorability level to quickly increase even if I did something miniscule, but even among those guys, Riru stood out. Excluding Eleanor, whose favorability instantly reached Trust Level 1 since the very start, this was the most explosive increase I had so far. ¡®...In a way, I guess it¡¯s a fortunate outcome.¡¯ Riru, who held the Blue Devil within her, was like a powder keg that needed to be handled very carefully. Getting close to her quickly was a very favorable condition since it made ¡®managing¡¯ her way easier. As mentioned before, once things went awry, dealing with her, along with the White Devil, would become the most troublesome. Blue Devil. The Devil of Wrath. Some users even half-jokingly remarked that she was actually scarier than the Grey Devil, the final boss of the entire game. ¡°...¡± In other words, those remarks were also half-serious. Honestly, the Blue Devil did not give off as threatening a vibe as one might think. When she descended in her ¡®true form¡¯ like the Grey Devil did, she wasn¡¯t a particularly crazy existence among the other Devils. Additionally, she wasn¡¯t lurking around looking for an opportunity to devour me like the White Devil did either. In truth, it wouldn¡¯t be far-fetched to say that her nature was relatively mild compared to other Devils. However, she wasn¡¯t without a problem of her own... It was really, really easy for her to go berserk. This was why they made remarks about her being scarier than the final boss. Unlike other Devils, who were hard to see besides special cases, she would instantly descend into the Material Realm at the slightest hint of something going awry. Moreover, if the Vessel was Riru... ¡°...¡± While there were various conditions for the Devil within the Vessel to go berserk, most of them were difficult to trigger without external factors. Eleanor would go berserk if her mind became more unstable than usual. Meanwhile for Yuria, it was being away from the target she was obsessed with for too long. However, the only one who could land an extremely effective blow on Eleanor¡¯s diamond-like mentality was me, and the target Yuria obsessed over was me as well. Basically, as long as I didn¡¯t get involved, things wouldn¡¯t get that dangerous with them. However, in the case of the Blue Devil... Her berserk condition was simply ¡®getting angry¡¯. As seen in the recent situation, if she started crossing the threshold of ¡®Wrath¡¯ on her own, then certain signs gradually began to appear. And if she got even more pissed off, she would just say ¡®Fuck it¡¯, before going berserk and descending. Even if the Blue Devil became just half as angry as when Eleanor used the ¡®Descent ¨C Wrath¡¯ skill, the surroundings would¡¯ve already turned into scorched earth. ¡°...¡± Unfortunately, the human hosting such a Devil just had to be the woman with anger management issues. She was literally a ball of anger. There was a good reason why people called her a mad dog. That was also why I didn¡¯t object to getting dragged along by her. Frankly, I could easily deal with this level of injuries using the various Graces that I had learned, but I didn¡¯t want to risk pissing Riru off by refusing her favor. You never knew when, where, or how this person would get angry...! ¡°...¡± Well, actually, that wasn¡¯t the sole reason. If my memories were correct, when ¡®invited¡¯ to Riru¡¯s house, there was someone I had to meet there. That person would be of great help to my future endeavors. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°...Nothing.¡± ¡®Does she have eyes on the back of her head?¡¯ I was silently gazing in Riru¡¯s direction when such a blunt sentence was instantly thrown my way. ¡®...Let¡¯s just ignore her and receive my rewards.¡¯ While making a conscious effort to not pay attention to her, I tapped on the window to collect my rewards. System Notification [ Claiming ¡®Riru¡¯s¡¯ Gift Rewards! ] [ ¡®Mastery: Iron Man èFÈË¡¯ Received! ] [ Mastery Info ] They were probably the members of her clan. ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend. Don¡¯t bother the guest and go inside.¡± Riru gestured dismissively, as if they were bothersome. However, despite her apparent annoyance, her face displayed a ¡®humane warmth¡¯ that she never showed in school. After all, she only ever showed two kinds of expressions within the academy: expressionless or angry. ¡°Lie down. I¡¯ll go bring the medicine.¡± With that, Riru brought the kids with her into a bamboo blind that drooped on one side before disappearing. ¡°...¡± I let out a laugh while glancing around. The reason why I could afford to look around was because I was having the entire living room to myself. This building was maintained with an almost stubborn adherence to the traditions of the Tribal Alliance, exuding their distinct culture. The interior of the huts of Native Americans probably looked similar to this. Amidst this, a particular detail caught my eye. I looked towards the ¡®necklaces¡¯ hanging on the walls and the ¡®incense¡¯ burning in front of them. ¡°It is to honor those who¡¯ve ascended to the sky.¡± It was an elderly woman¡¯s voice. When I turned my head, I saw a small woman lying in the shadows, there was a smoking pipe in her mouth. ¡°...¡± No, calling her ¡®small¡¯ was a bit misleading. Her build undoubtedly showed that she originally had a strong physique. However, both her legs and one of her arms were gone. As if someone had cut them off. ¡°A lot of things have happened lately. I¡¯m sorry you had to come to such a messy house, Child.¡± ¡°...Please, don¡¯t be sorry.¡± I calmly received her words. ¡°I don¡¯t even remember how long it has been since I¡¯ve entered such a warm place.¡± In this dilapidated home on the verge of crumbling, only the tools for burning incense and those necklaces were remarkably well-preserved. It was clear how much effort was taken to manage them, even at a quick glance. In essence, it showed what connection they had with the owners of the necklaces during their lifetime. The old woman cackled. ¡°I appreciate your words.¡± The elderly woman smoothly lifted her body before moving towards me. It was astonishing how such movements were possible in her state. She was supporting her entire body with just one arm. I noticed the scars all over her body. It was the body of a veteran who had overcome countless adversities. I had also been rolling around lately, but my wounds were nothing compared to her. ¡°Your eyes are full of intelligence. You are a child with a remarkable nature.¡± The elderly woman scrutinized my face for a while. ¡°That¡¯s why it makes me more curious. Why would you come here?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There is no way a child like you wouldn¡¯t know where this place is and what has happened to this old woman. So, why?¡± ¡°...¡± Was this something one could figure out after merely seeing someone¡¯s eyes? Without exemption, all the powerhouses of this world were weird people. I let out a bitter smile before speaking. ¡°I am Dowd Campbell. A nobody with no impressive background to boast about.¡± I took out the Lion¡¯s Necklace. It was a token from Hatan that was only given to ¡®a promising talent¡¯ in the Tribal Alliance. This granted the ¡®minimum level of right¡¯ I needed to talk with this person from now on. ¡°It is nice to meet you for the first time, Kasa Garda.¡± Kasa Garda. Riru Garda¡¯s grandmother. The world¡¯s strongest brawler whose Unarmed Martial Arts rivaled even the Sword Saint of the present era. And the former Chieftain of the Tribal Alliance who had been dethroned due to a ¡®coup d¡¯etat¡¯ ¡°...I came to talk about your granddaughter.¡± The elderly woman had a faint smile on her face. ¡°You want to talk about my granddaughter, you say... Well then. What do you wish to say?¡± I carefully organized what to say. Whenever these moments came, I had always been cursed at for being utterly shit at expressing myself properly. But not this time. As such... This time, I was choosing my words meticulously in order to convey my intentions in the most straightforward way. I had to aim for perfection. ¡°I would like your help in developing an intimate relationship between me and Riru.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I wish to go all the way within ten days.¡± ¡°...¡± No wait. Judging by her reaction, it didn¡¯t seem like this was it. ¡°...May I provide a few more details? I think I misspoke a little.¡± Fortunately, I managed to add some supplementary explanations before Kasa could split my head apart. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 77: Surprise (?) Attack Chapter 77: Surprise (?) Attack ? Surprise(?) Attack ? [...You know.] Caliban¡¯s voice could be heard from within the amulet. [From now on, if there¡¯s something important that you need to say, let me check it first before you start speaking. You¡¯re usually great at using your brain, but why are you like this in these kinds of situations...?] ¡°...¡± It might actually be better to do that from now on. Thank you in advance, Caliban. ¡°...I see that you¡¯re a child who bears catastrophes at the tip of your tongue.¡± Kasa Garda clicked her tongue. That was her reaction after hearing my explanation. ¡°I understand what you are trying to say. So this is what you meant by an intimate relationship.¡± At least this time, it seemed that I had successfully conveyed what I had in mind. ¡°A colleague, is it? You wish to become a fellow disciple with Riru.¡± Kasa fell silent for a moment. The ¡®Fighting Arts ¨C Stance¡¯ that I ripped off from Riru was a style created by her. At the very least, when her body was still ¡®intact¡¯, Riru would have learned from her. And I had just asked her to teach it to me as well. ¡°...¡± To be fair, it was an incredibly impolite request. As for the Tribal Alliance, there was another thing that was just as important; their combat techniques. What I was doing was the equivalent of asking someone for their trade secrets. ¡°...Hm.¡± And... As I watched Kasa put down the smoking pipe with a snort, I took a deep breath. It wouldn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that something would undoubtedly happen if I were to talk about something like this. System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX-Grade. ] System Message [ ¡®Skill: Proof of Faith¡¯ activated. ] [ All stat bonuses are converted to ¡®Endurance¡¯. ] System Message [ ¡®Skill: Guardian Shield¡¯ activated. ] [ Creating 2 simultaneously due to the influence of ¡®Mastery: Divine Power Mastery¡¯! ] At the same time I activated the skills I prepared in advance... -! A blow akin to a flash of light exploded. The speed was so fast that the process of the movement seemed to be completely disregarded and only the beginning and end remained. ¡°...¡± As I looked at the fist that stopped right in front of my nose, I gulped, almost choking on my own spit. Despite converting all the stat bonuses from the EX-Grade buff into Endurance and deploying two shields that had become even tougher due to such changes, I ¡®barely¡¯ managed to block the punch that this person had thrown so effortlessly. Such power came from that very body. From a messy blow without even a properly set center of gravity. ¡°...¡± However, if I were to put it in a more positive light... Despite the means, I did ¡®indeed block it¡¯. A blow of a powerhouse in the world who was even known as the Fist Saint, right in front of my nose. ¡°So you do have the qualification to utter such arrogance.¡± While grinning, Kaya pulled back her fist and picked back up the smoking pipe. Seeing that, I exhaled a sigh of relief. ¡°...I have fulfilled the conditions, Kasa.¡± The Lion¡¯s Necklace, the proof that I was a promising talent recognized by someone with at least the status of a War Chief. And the competence to withstand the strike of the ¡®instructor¡¯ by any means necessary. Those were the criterias that one had to fulfill to be accepted as a disciple in the Tribe Alliance. ¡°...¡± Kasa, who let out a long plume of smoke, fell silent for a moment. ¡°When you said you¡¯ll go all the way within ten days, I assume that you meant you¡¯ll be learning all of my techniques within that span of time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Child, are there some circumstances that forced you to push yourself this far?¡± Could she stop reading my mind? To answer that question, yes, that was how it was. The reason I had set that time limit was because Chapter 3 would actually last for ten days starting tomorrow. My goal was to learn all of this person¡¯s Fighting Arts before Chapter 3¡¯s ¡®Final Event¡¯ that will take place after those ten days. Otherwise, it was safe to say that the probability of clearing this chapter would drop drastically. Though, apart from that, there was also one more reason why. ¡°...I wish to help Riru.¡± Considering Riru¡¯s immediate ¡®goal¡¯, it was true that I had some intention of simply helping her as well. ¡°Help?¡± ¡°The reason she lives so diligently is because she wishes to reclaim the authority and honor that you have lost, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m talking about the things that have been taken away by unjust people.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°After all, there¡¯s no one else who can do it besides herself.¡± It was a truth that was clear just by examining our surroundings. In the Tribal Alliance, the meaning behind a clan was virtually identical to the word commonly known as ¡®family¡¯. The number of members was also not much different from such a word. In that sense, the number of burning incense around me implied that... Excluding Riru, the last survivors of this clan were the children Riru just took with her and Kasa herself. ¡°She¡¯s a stubborn and prideful person. She won¡¯t stop until she actually achieves it.¡± The fact that she ¡®alone¡¯ had built this large building, shabby but capable of sheltering her entire remaining clan, was more than enough proof. In the Tribal Alliance, the space where the clan members lived had to be within the buildings that they themselves had constructed. It was their tradition. Furthermore, in the Tribal Alliance¡¯s tradition, the elderly and children were excluded from the ¡®labor force¡¯. Even after being driven out of the Tribal Alliance, Riru Garda still stubbornly maintained that tradition. A building this big meant there was a tremendous amount of labor involved. That didn¡¯t factor in the fact that she didn¡¯t know anything about construction. #1 [ The madness of target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ has alleviated! ] [ Corruption decreased! ] #2 [ The madness of target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ has alleviated! ] [ Corruption decreased! ] #3 [ The madness of target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ has alleviated! ] [ Corruption decreased! ] . . . ¡°...?¡± ¡®The fuck is this?¡¯ Looking at the date and times, these had occurred during the past week when I had been running away while trying not to stand out to Eleanor. All twenty four messages were exactly the same. Eleanor¡¯s madness was alleviated and her corruption had decreased. ¡®...I haven¡¯t done anything though?¡¯ I didn¡¯t know what it was, but for now, it seemed like a good thing for me. Honestly, considering Eleanor¡¯s nature, I was pretty sure that she would go fucking insane as soon as I started evading her. As such, I was planning to pacify her sometime soon, but it seemed that both the symptoms I was worried about had been decreasing without me knowing. ¡°There you are.¡± Holy fu¡ª. I turned around in surprise at the sudden voice nearby. It was someone I knew. Vizsla. Although he looked like a disgustingly ordinary man, his real identity was an exorcist, an elite agent of the Holy Land. I had received his help before during the Valkasus Boss Battle. Seeing that he was still inside the school, it seemed he was maintaining his undercover identity well. ¡°...Why did you suddenly come see me?¡± ¡°I came because I have a message to convey to you. After all, your safety is important in a lot of ways for the Holy Land as well.¡± With that, Vizsla let out a reluctant sigh. ¡°...There¡¯s intelligence from various sources that there is a large-scale operation targeting you. Be prepared for it.¡± ¡°...¡± It was about time it happened. Well, I could guess what it was. As I had repeatedly mentioned, the Chapter 3 boss, [Apostle of the Reversed Sea], was an extremely cunning bastard. Considering that bastard¡¯s nature, there was a high possibility that they found my existence highly irritating. As such, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for the bastard to try various schemes on me. ¡°...Was a famous assassin hired?¡± ¡°Bail of the Four Leaves. Do you know the name? I heard he¡¯s quite famous in the underworld.¡± Of course I knew. He was a member of the assassination organization ¡®Vagabond¡¯, operated by the Apostle of the Reversed Sea. A quite formidable enemy. ¡°...Got it. Thanks for the information.¡± ¡°Be careful. He¡¯s no ordinary guy. Although you handled the previous two attacks well...¡± ¡°...?¡± Wait. ¡°Two attacks?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that more than 20 assassins were dispatched. Your abilities are formidable, so it seems that you have handled them safely. However, the one being sent this time is on a whole different level, so I wanted to personally convey the informa¡ª¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been attacked though?¡± ¡®The fuck is he even saying?¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Vizsla and I awkwardly made eye contact. ¡°No wait, is the information from your side trustworthy?¡± ¡°...The Holy Land is the best at gathering intelligence even among the superpowers. There is no doubt that it¡¯s accurate.¡± ¡°I already said I haven¡¯t been attacked though?¡± ¡°Anyway, I have delivered the necessary information.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Always be prepared, Dowd Campbell. He¡¯s no ordinary assassin.¡± As Vizsla disappeared with such words, I looked at him incredulously. ¡®...Well, anyway.¡¯ I didn¡¯t really understand what the fuck he meant by two attacks when there was more than twenty assassins involved, but... Considering he came to personally deliver such information, it was highly likely that it was not a lie. The expected time for the surprise attack was probably tomorrow. It was highly likely to happen before the start of the ¡®selection test¡¯. ¡®...I don¡¯t really want to face him.¡¯ Even within Vagabond, Bail was a particularly difficult opponent for me. He was the type where strategies did not work on him and he simply crushed everything with brute force. However, it wasn¡¯t like he was going to willingly retreat just because I didn¡¯t like it. I had to fight, even if I didn¡¯t want to. I needed to prepare thoroughly and repay in kind. Next day. The selection test had begun... In the end, the assassins had not even shown a hint of themselves. ¡°...¡± ¡®Why aren¡¯t they coming?¡¯ System Message [ The madness of target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ has alleviated! ] [ Corruption decreased! ] ¡®And why the fuck are you suddenly appearing again?¡¯ You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 78: Ring (1) Chapter 78: Ring (1) ? Ring (1) ? Bail of the Four Leaves was an assassin proudly affiliated with Vagabond. He was well-known for his high speed swordsmanship, a product from his four-swords style. In addition to the double blades he wielded, he had another two that he controlled through telekinesis. It was said that he could turn his opponents to minced meat with ease by using his dazzling and swift attacks, which possessed four times more trajectories than your average swordsmen. ¡°...¡± And now, those very swords had all been shattered. Bail looked at his beloved swords with a blank look. As he traversed countless battlefields, he had become worthy of being called a veteran in his own right and they had been the reliable companions that had been by his side the entire time. They were excellent blades that would receive respect anywhere he went. But, someone had obliterated those very swords with only their ¡®bare hands¡¯, as if they were nothing but toys. ¡°Mm.¡± Eleanor nodded as she looked down at her own hands, clenching and unclenching them nonchalantly. After wearing a pair of gauntlets, she somehow ¡®caught and destroyed¡¯ the sword strike that Bail put all his power and magic into. ¡°...¡± ¡®How could this even happen?¡¯ Although he had heard the rumors that Lady Tristan was someone with extraordinary skills for her age, this was not something that could be explained by just that much. After all, what she had done would only be possible if they had at the very least two or three level differences. ¡°...Ridiculous.¡± He spoke such words with a groan. ¡°I¡¯ve often heard stories that even at a young age, you demonstrated martial prowess that were almost miraculous, but it seems the title of a genius isn¡¯t enough to describe someone like you.¡± The remains of his comrades, who had been mobilized for this ¡®surprise attack¡¯, were scattered around. Their bodies were in grotesque states; some had their corpses exploded in certain areas, some had their limbs ripped off. All of this was caused by a woman who hadn¡¯t even drawn her sword. ¡°So, how did you find out about this place, Lady?¡± They had surely maintained strict control over information about themselves, so how did she manage to find them all the way here and carry out such acts? ¡°I just happened to find some people whose target overlapped with mine.¡± Eleanor responded to Bail¡¯s question while wiping the blood off her cheek. ¡°An overlapping target?¡± ¡°Recently, I felt like Dowd has been avoiding me. So, I decided to follow him around.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°As I did, I found quite a few people doing the same thing as me.¡± ¡®If he was avoiding her, wouldn¡¯t there be a reason for it?¡¯ Usually, in such a case, one would at least try to understand the other¡¯s sentiments and give them space. How in the world did she unhesitatingly come up with the option to follow him? As an incredulous Bail fell into silence, Eleanor shrugged her shoulders before continuing. ¡°So I investigated the matter a little.¡± The next moment... Before Bail could even react, Eleanor approached him and gripped his arm. ¡°...!¡± Without even a chance to scream in pain, his body rose into the air. Then, it was fully swung to the opposite side, slammed back into the ground. The area of the arm she held was torn apart, as if it had gone through a crusher, his internal organs were deformed when slamming into the ground, a few of his ribs were fractured, and his paralyzed spine was followed by a concussion. In less than a second, a person with formidable strength had suffered multiple fatal injuries. At that moment, Bail seriously pondered the sentence he had thought of earlier. ¡®A genius who didn¡¯t seem her age, my ass.¡¯ ¡®...She¡¯s just a monster...!¡¯ This undaunted power surpassed her capability that he had heard beforehand. It was as if she had explosively gained strength in a short period of time due to some incident. She had to at least have the specs of Margrave Kendride, who was no different from a human tank. Moreover, Lady Tristan was the successor of a ¡®swordsmanship noble household¡¯, not someone who specialized in Unarmed Combat like that man! ¡°I found that most of my questions would be answered if I were to do this first¡± ¡°...¡± He very much understood how she managed to gather an abundance of information about them. Facing such a monster, no matter how much resistance one put up, the outcome was inevitable; they would lose their life. Even though they were fellow assassins, it was ultimately a business relationship. Most of them were individuals who prized their life above all others. As such, she should judge that he wasn¡¯t running away from her because he disliked her, but because he was trying to look out for her. It wasn¡¯t because he knew she was preparing something, but because he couldn¡¯t help but avoid her due to the timing. ¡°...¡± No, to be more precise... She didn¡¯t think she could endure it if she didn¡¯t think that way. The reason why she went around killing these assassins wasn¡¯t just to let out her anger. If that man actually rejected the ¡®ring¡¯ she dearly carried with her... ¡°...Heup.¡± Bail inhaled deeply as he looked up at Eleanor. It was because he saw the dense fog of killing aura pouring out of her body and encompassing the surrounding space. It was to the extent that it would¡¯ve been better to just talk about the mind-numbing and insane topic that they were discussing earlier. ¡°...But, why are you curious about such things?¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor snapped back to her senses and looked down at Bail. ¡°I want some advice.¡± ¡°Advice?¡± ¡°About the situation, dialogue, or overall atmosphere. What moved your heart?¡± ¡°...¡± Bail pondered desperately. After all, he sensed that he had to give an extraordinarily excellent answer at this very moment. ¡°...The wildness? How raw her feelings were? At least that was how my wife was.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Putting aside whether I would die or not after getting married, she proposed with an attitude that either I married her now or one of us would die right then and there.¡± ¡°...¡± After a moment of silence, Eleanor nodded. It seemed she was quite pleased with what she heard. ¡°Thanks for the advice. I¡¯ll try it as it is.¡± ¡°...¡± Following that statement, Bail¡¯s expression turned pale when he saw Eleanor not just lifting her leg, but actually drawing her sword. ¡°...Wait. I responded well to everything you asked so far.¡± ¡°Do not worry. I have no intention of killing you in acknowledgement of that.¡± ¡°...¡± Then what in the world was this? ¡°I¡¯m threatening you. I can¡¯t just let you go when you tried to kill Dowd, right? ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make a few proposals that you cannot refuse, so listen and decide. Will you die or will you obey?¡± Eleanor continued in an even tone. ¡°First of all, start off with spilling everything about the client¡¯s identity and any related information regarding them. Understood?¡± ¡°...¡± Suddenly, Bail realized this truth. Perhaps it was better to just die instead. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll at least make a promise to you.¡± Eleanor suddenly played with the ring in her hands as she sighed. ¡°If it ¡®succeeds¡¯, I¡¯ll make sure to return the favor in some way.¡± ¡°...Succeed? When are you planning to make your attempt?¡± Eleanor stroked her chin for a moment, lost in thought. She had received some good advice; there was no reason to delay. If so... ¡°Today.¡± Regardless of what it was, big issues should be resolved quickly. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 79: Ring (2) Chapter 79: Ring (2) ? Ring (2) ? ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Atalante and I faced each other without a word. The gaze we exchanged contained a profound sense of pity for each other. Of course, I roughly understood why she was looking at me like this. ¡°I guess I look haggard, huh?¡± ¡°...You seem to be aware of it yourself.¡± ¡°You say that, but you aren¡¯t any better yourself, Headmistress.¡± ¡°...¡± Well, in my case, it was natural since I was using all my focus and efforts to avoid Eleanor these days. I never expected to see Atalante in such a half-dead state, though. ¡°...Anyway, this is the result of your request. It¡¯s a list of students selected for the Exchange Students event.¡± The methods for the selection test were quite simple. They chose the students based on their ¡®superior performance¡¯ compared to their competitors. From their exceptional crafting abilities, combat abilities, resourcefulness; Anything was fine, as long as the selected individuals had outstanding abilities. It was quite the fair method to open the doors of opportunity for everyone. Of course, as was the case of everything in the world, some people were just treated ¡®more fairly¡¯ than others. I glanced through the list of students that Atalente had handed me. All the names of the people I had ¡®recommended¡¯ were there. Iliya, Yuria, Lucia, Talion. ¡®The Exchange Student Event lasts a total of ten days...¡¯ As soon as we arrived at the Forge of Struggle, we would be busy running around everywhere, so there wouldn¡¯t be a time where we would all gather as a group. However, certain individuals still had to be placed in their respective ¡®position¡¯. And that was especially true for people whose presence was crucial to overcome this chapter. ¡°...You even managed to put Riru on the list?¡± As I spoke to Atalante as such, she responded with a ghostly smile, as if her soul had left her body. Almost as if the main reason she had ended up in her current state was related to that. ¡°...It was a diplomatic nightmare.¡± Atalante wiped her face as she spoke. ¡°You roughly know about the Tribal Alliance¡¯s situation, right?¡± ¡°...They said that they just recently had a regime change by coup d¡¯e?tat, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit much to call it a coup d¡¯e?tat. After all, this is a common occurrence in their country.¡± Befit of the term ¡®Alliance¡¯, the Tribal Alliance was essentially a republic that was led by a gathering of War Chiefs from various powerful tribes. Among the War Chiefs, the most powerful would reign as the Chieftain and this was decided by duels between candidates elected through votes. ¡°...Is it okay for a country with such power to decide their politics with duels?¡± ¡°It¡¯s their tradition, so it can¡¯t be helped. After all, they are more closed-minded and stubborn than any other group on the entire continent.¡± Atalante chuckled as she replied. Of course, the fact that their country was still thriving was because no matter which War Chief was chosen as the Chieftain, they were all capable individuals who could pull their weight. However... ¡°...¡± This time was an exception. The current Chieftain was someone that would chaos throughout the entire continent unless he was quickly ¡®dragged down¡¯. ¡°After defeating the previous Chieftain Kasa Garda, Alan Ba-Thor, the War Chief of Black Wolf, was inaugurated as the new Chieftain.¡± Atalante, who mentioned such a name, let out a deep sigh. Her reaction seemed to imply that it was excruciatingly tiresome just to recall his name. ¡°...I heard he was originally a docile and considerate man, but lately, he seems to have completely changed. I had to cash in all the connections I could find to be able to send Riru Garda as an exchange student.¡± ¡°...You must have had a hard time.¡± I was being sincere. Honestly, if it wasn¡¯t for Atalante, persuading that person as he was ¡®now¡¯ would have been close to impossible. Cutting off three of Kasa Garda¡¯s limbs, ¡®falsely accusing¡¯ Riru Garda and expelling her from the Tribal Alliance along with Kasa, and even exterminating her entire clan. All those events happened because of him. ¡°...¡± To be more precise, it was due to the ¡®person behind-the-scenes¡¯ manipulating him. As Atalante had mentioned, the Alan I knew from the original game was not someone who would do such things. The reason why he did this was because he got involved with those fucking Devil Worshippers. ¡°Putting that aside, how are you?¡± Atalane let out a sigh. ¡°You told me Lady Tristan was preparing a ring, right¡ª¡± After seeing me break out in cold sweat, the Headmistress instantly closed her mouth. ¡°...Are you sure you don¡¯t need any help? The reason why I haven¡¯t been doing anything is because you¡¯ve been refusing my help...¡± ¡°If anything, you helping me would be counterproductive.¡± There was no way she could be of any help. How was she going to prevent Eleanor from delivering that ring to me without pissing her off and making her go berserk? ¡°I heard you have been avoiding Lady Tristan lately, but the problem won¡¯t be solved just by¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªI know better than anyone that it won¡¯t.¡± For now, I knew for sure that I had to solve it no matter what, but... My current situation was no different from desperation. To the point where even the skill that shared the same name could not help me in this case. If I received the engagement ring? ¡ú As soon as Yuria, who was fused with the White Devil, noticed, there was a high likelihood that I would die on the spot. If I didn¡¯t receive the engagement ring? ¡ú There was a high likelihood that Eleanor would go berserk. And as expected, the likelihood of my death would skyrocket. Either way, it¡¯d spell my death. And the reason I was running away recently was because I couldn¡¯t think of a solution regardless of how hard I tried. ¡®...It¡¯s also a problem that she has fused with two Fragments.¡¯ The difference between a Devil¡¯s Vessel possessing two Fragments instead of one was like the difference between heaven and earth. With one Fragment, all they would do is berserk and reveal themselves only in emergencies. But from two Fragments onwards... The ¡®unspoken connection¡¯ between the Devils and their Vessels became stronger. In essence, it was possible for Eleanor to gradually make contact with the Grey Devil¡¯s ¡®will¡¯, albeit weakly. And even I did not know what actions she would take and how she would take them. ¡®...She was always nice to me, though.¡¯ Although the Grey Devil had always displayed steadfast favor to me... If I completely rejected it... Or if I went one step further and ¡®cheated¡¯ on her, then, well... Even I didn¡¯t really know whether she would forgive me, you see? ¡°...For now, I just need some time. If I think about it for a few days, I¡¯m sure a good method would come¡ª¡± !!!!!!!!!!! Devil Alert !!!!!!!!!!! [ ¡®Devil-Related¡¯ Emergency Event Occurred! ] [ This is a critical event! ] [ If you do not take the correct actions within the time limit, you will die! ] [ Event related to target ¡®Eleanor¡¯! ] [ Return to the dormitory right away and prepare yourself! ] ¡°...¡± ¡®The fuck?¡¯ Eleanor glared at herself with fierce eyes as she inspected her appearance. She had meticulously adorned herself to a state of perfection. She had been inspected multiple times by Beatrix, took almost the entire day grooming herself to reach such an appearance, and had even spent an entire fortune on her and that man¡¯s matching ¡®tokens of promise¡¯, made by the most famous designer in the Kagenoff Institution. After ensuring her preparations were perfect, she confidently walked into the dormitory. ¡°Oh my, President~? What brings you to the freshmen dormitory~?¡± ¡°I came to meet someone, Dame Ophelia.¡± As Eleanor spoke with a voice filled with determination, Dame Ophelia cocked her head. ¡°Is it Dowd again~? Since he didn¡¯t really have any scheduled classes today, he¡¯s in the dormitory, but it might be better not to disturb him, you know~?¡± ¡°Is there a reason?¡± ¡°No, he just seems to be in a really bad state today~ When I saw him earlier, he looked completely pale and sweating profusely~¡± ¡°...¡± Indeed, when it came to that man, his wits had always excelled in certain aspects and sorely lacked in others; it was a difference of heaven and earth. This time, there was no doubt that he had already noticed why she came and what she had resolved to do. Her heart was torn apart. With just that one sentence... It was as if it broke into a thousand pieces. Her legs wobbled because she couldn¡¯t even stand properly. Her throat tightened. Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°You should at least give me a chance to choose, right?¡± ¡°I-I-I¡ª¡± She didn¡¯t even know what to say. Her head was spinning. ¡®It hurts.¡¯ It hurted her so much that she felt like she was dying. She couldn¡¯t breathe. Her chest hurted so much. ¡°...¡± Even amidst the sensation of her entire body being torn apart, the sentence she had just heard pierced her mind. Choice? What choice? A different woman other than her? [And if he doesn¡¯t become yours¡ª] That voice echoed in her mind. It was the voice she had just heard. However, it echoed much louder than before. It was to the point where her consciousness seemed to leave her body. It was so strong it felt like her rationality was being completely devoured in her mind. If she were to truly yield to such words, if this man didn¡¯t become hers, then she would rather¡ª ¡°The size doesn¡¯t fit.¡± ¡°...?¡± Eleanor opened her eyes wide. ¡®This man...¡¯ ¡®What did he just say?¡¯ ¡°See? Look at it. It¡¯s hard to put it on.¡± As she hastily raised her head to examine Dowd, there he was, struggling to push the ring onto his finger. ¡°Aren¡¯t we usually supposed to go and choose this kind of thing together? Why did you get it made after only doing a simple eye test?¡± ¡°...¡± Her mouth hung wide open. She still didn¡¯t know what to say. However, her silence had a completely different meaning from earlier. ¡°Let¡¯s go together sometime later, Eleanor.¡± Dowd smiled brightly. ¡°Things as important as this are originally chosen together by the prospective marriage couples.¡± ¡°...¡± Ah. This man. Was this real? ¡°...Dowd.¡± She gave Dowd a slap. With a ¡®Keuk¡¯, Dowd rolled on the floor, but instead of apologizing, she blushed while huffing. ¡°D-Don¡¯t tease me!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-I... T-This time... You... R-Really were... T-This is real, right¨C?!¡± As she spat out the last words, she had grabbed Dowd, who was wriggling on the floor, and was practically swinging him around in the air. And while doing so, Eleanor¡¯s face was filled with ¡®genuinely bright laughter¡¯ for the first time in her life. It was not the faint and subtle expression that sometimes trickled out. She was feeling a level of joy that felt like it could change her entire life. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then! Let¡¯s just go right now! I¡¯ll go wherever you say! Just say it!¡± ¡°...E-Eleanor, please let g¨C, if this continues, I¡¯ll di¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let everyone back at home know as well! T-There¡¯s a lot of things to take care of so I¡¯ll see you soon!¡± With that, she threw Dowd back into a corner of his room. There was indeed a lot to take care of after all. A smile that she couldn¡¯t hide continued to form on her lips. ¡°Oh my, Eleanor~ Did you come out ear¡ª?¡± It was to the point where Dame Ophelila, who was at the entrance, was so astonished that her jaws dropped. ¡°E-Eleanor? Uh, W-Why is y-your face like that? Did something happen~?¡± ¡°Dame Ophelia, the world is truly beautiful.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Life is worth living!¡± After only conveying such words, Eleanor ran out of the dormitory at tremendous speeds. ¡®Indeed, life was worth living.¡¯ ¡®To think that a person could be this happy!¡¯ ¡°...Has she finally gone crazy?¡± She was so happy that she ended up ignoring the muttering that came from behind her. As cold sweat trickled down, I glared at the window in front of me. System Message [ Time Remaining ] [ 00: 00: 03 ] System Message [ Corruption Value of target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ decreases from 122% ¡ú 0%! ] [ Successfully resolved the ¡®Eleanor¡¯ related event before the time limit! ] [ Death is canceled! ] Dowd Campbell. Miraculously succeeded in returning alive at a point where only 3 seconds remained before death. Since the system called it the ¡®correct action¡¯, I pondered what kind of bullshit that was for a long time. In the end, it seemed that my last action was the correct one. If I didn¡¯t accept the ring just now, I would have died right then and there. It was a sudden event, but I managed to resolve it somehow...! ¡°...¡± However, it wasn¡¯t like I could rest easy. Why, you ask? !!!!!!!!!!! Devil Alert !!!!!!!!!!! [ ¡®Devil-Related¡¯ Emergency Event Occurred! ] [ This is a critical event! ] [ If you do not take the correct actions within the time limit, you will de! ] [ Event related to target ¡®Yuria¡¯! ] [ Find a way to survive! ] System Message [ Time Remaining ] [ 12: 00: 00 ] Dowd Campbell Remaining lifespan extended from 3 seconds to 12 hours. ¡°...¡± ¡®Yeah, to put it simply, I¡¯m fucked.¡¯ You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 80: Desperation Chapter 80: Desperation ? Desperation ? ¡°Yes!¡± Iliya, who saw her name on the publicly listed ¡®Exchange Student List¡¯, clenched her fist and exclaimed with excitement. Luca, Grid, Falco, Trisha. When she checked the names of all her friends lined up together, she smiled brightly again. It seemed that the last few days of hellish training with her friends weren¡¯t in vain. ¡°With this, we can go together, Trisha!¡± ¡°Iliya, I-I can¡¯t breathe!¡± Iliya excitedly hugged Trisha from behind, causing her to let out a scream. However, Iliya didn¡¯t seem to care at all, as she refused to release Trisha from her embrace. ¡°Thanks to you, I can stay close to Teach too!¡± Previously, Trisha had said Dowd Campbell would very likely be on this list, pressuring Iliya into taking the selection test to become an exchange student. Not only that, she also told Iliya that if she didn¡¯t go with him, the other girls would continuously support and pester him. She added that if Iliya didn¡¯t want to fall behind, she had to work hard. Iliya felt like she had made the right decision to follow her friend¡¯s advice. ¡°W-Wait, Iliya. First, we need to come up with a plan.¡± After all, there were many unfriendly names on the list that was right in front of them. ¡°...The Student Council President, the person you mentioned... Yuria, the Saintess, and even that mad dog...? Wow, this is going to be interesting.¡± Iliya¡¯s expression slightly darkened as Trisha listed off the names of the selected students. It was true that normally, exchange students were selected based on their abilities, regardless of their year. However, even despite that, the list felt oddly crowded with freshmen. Generally, the ¡®school year¡¯ was the most basic unit to measure the student abilities within the academy. However, this time, it felt as if they centered their selection around the ¡®freshmen.¡¯ Specifically, those people that were related to Dowd Campbell. ¡°That¡¯s why you need to stay focused, Iliya.¡± Trisha said calmly. ¡°To tame that stud of a man, you need your own special weapon!¡± ¡°...Trisha. Aren¡¯t you a cleric?¡± ¡®What¡¯s with her word choice?¡¯ ¡®How could she call a perfectly normal person a stud?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t kid yourself, he¡¯s not a perfectly normal person by any means.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Try asking anyone in the academy about him. Let¡¯s see if they describe him as such.¡± ¡°...¡± Even Iliya couldn¡¯t refute that. ¡°...That aside, what do you mean by having my own special weapon?¡± ¡°It means you need some unique charm that other girls can¡¯t replicate no matter what.¡± ¡®Do I have something like that?¡¯ ¡®I mean, the reason why I became extremely depressed a while back was because I didn¡¯t have anything that could be of help to that man...¡¯ ¡°You don¡¯t necessarily have to do something. As long as you know something about that man that others don¡¯t, you can just start from there.¡± ¡°...¡± If that was the case, she did have one thing. Back when Duke Tristan was encroached by an unknown entity and went on a rampage... That man had confronted a ¡®monster¡¯ which form she couldn¡¯t even discern. In a state where time had all but stopped, she vividly remembered the figure of Dowd conversing with it as if he ¡®knew it well¡¯. There, he pledged to keep everyone from meeting their deaths by ¡®sacrificing¡¯ something of his own. ¡®...I never asked him about it.¡¯ That event definitely wasn¡¯t something he could easily tell others. As such, there was no way that other people would know about it. ¡°...Hey, Trisha.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You know, about Teach...¡± After getting lost in thought for a while, Iliya suddenly uttered an important point. ¡°I kinda have this feeling that he¡¯s getting along with something extremely horrible.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Can we work out on something based on that?¡± ¡°...Why don¡¯t we just slowly think about what your special weapon could be for now?¡± Trisha was a kind person. And as a kind person, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to shout at her closest friend to stop saying such nonsensical bullshit. ¡°...Hm?¡± At that moment, Iliya noticed their surroundings turned unusually quiet. She quickly turned her head around. Only to find out that this phenomenon was caused because everyone¡¯s attention was focused in one direction. And Iliya, who managed to catch a certain someone¡¯s figure in the corner of her vision... Immediately understood why this phenomenon happened. ¡®...She¡¯s incredibly beautiful.¡¯ Such thoughts came to Iliya¡¯s mind without her realizing. Her height was so short that she could be mistaken as a kid. However... Even in a place where so many people were gathered, the beauty condensed in her appearance grabbed everyone¡¯s attention. Almost as if... She wasn¡¯t the ¡®same being¡¯ as others. As if a whole ¡®different existence¡¯ was mixed inside that appearance of hers. ¡°...¡± The student raised her wand silently and dragged it across the names stuck onto the wall. And then Iliya instinctively read the name where the wand had stopped. ¨C 1st Year, Faenol Lipek She had heard of the name before. Even with herself being the Hero Candidate, she was only ¡®one¡¯ of the strongest of the freshmen. And the reason why that was the case was because of this person. When it came to magic, she was dubbed as the greatest genius in history. A monster that even Headmistress Atalante claimed could surpass even herself in magic. ¡°...¡± ¡®So, she was that kind of person...¡¯ But that was the extent of Iliya¡¯s impression of her. Although her appearance stood out, their paths never crossed, so she found no need to care about her. That was what Iliya had thought. At least until Faenol, after having checked her own name, frowned while letting out a ¡®Hm¡¯. As if she didn¡¯t see ¡®another name¡¯ that she was trying to find. -... I would die. But this time, I really didn¡¯t know how to finesse out of this...! ¡°...Within nine hours, at least something...¡± While muttering as such, I got up from my seat. If it was a plan, I could roughly sketch it out in my head. Considering Yuria¡¯s routine these days, she was probably working hard right now with Lucia to release her curse. This time limit probably signaled that she would come after finishing that matter. If that was the case, what I needed to do was... Within the remaining time, I had to devise the optimal condition by taking into account all three manpower and resources arou¨C [...You know...] Right as I was about to continue such thoughts... I heard Caliban¡¯s voice. [Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re acting too leisurely for now?] ¡°Huh?¡± [If your words are true and that Devil has tremendous prowess in gathering information, don¡¯t you think she¡¯d somehow be able to find out about this without meeting you in person?] ¡°...What do you mean?¡± [I don¡¯t understand on what basis you think that the lady will come to find you after exactly nine hours.] Caliban spoke with an incredulous voice. [Someone is coming in the corridor right now. A woman.] Chills ran down my spine. As I turned my gaze urgently towards the door, I could actually hear someone¡¯s footsteps. Though, thanks to Dame Ophelia¡¯s temporary repair of the door, I couldn¡¯t see who was on the other side. As I stared in that direction completely frozen, I could hear someone knocking on the door. ¡°...Mister Dowd.¡± It was Yuria. Sweat dripped down my face. ¡°Are you inside? There¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°...Uh, Yuria. I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯m a bit busy right¡ª¡± ¡°...Why?¡± Her voice sounded as calm as usual. However, something felt different. Normally, if she said something like this, she would only inquire about the reason with genuine curiosity. But now... I could feel sticky and viscous emotions underlying her sentence. ¡°Why are you busy?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please tell me. Why are you busy?¡± ¡°...Well, you see...¡± ¡°I saw the President at the Student Council Room earlier. I happened to see her by chance while walking through the corridors of Garrison Hall.¡± My heart dropped. By the way, Garrison Hall was the name of the building where Yuria and Lucia were always sticking together. It was a distance away from that place to the Student Council Room. So far away that it would be difficult for them to even notice each other. However... ¡°...She was wearing a ring on her finger.¡± Yuria accurately said such a sentence. ¡°...¡± At that distance, Eleanor would almost look like a dot. Yet, she ¡®accurately¡¯ noticed the ring on her finger somehow. Even if it was the White Devil who boasted an almost supernatural ability when it came to gathering information about the target of her obsession, this was way too¡ª! ¡°But as soon as I saw that...¡± The chill in Yuria¡¯s voice thickened even further. ¡°Strangely... Strangely, you see. It felt like I should immediately come to find you.¡± Before I knew it, I had taken a step away from the door. I haven¡¯t even seen her directly yet. ¡°I. Continuously. Hear. Voices. In. My. Head. Continuouslycontinuouslycontinuously.¡± Then... With a Crack... The entirety of the temporarily repaired door twisted. Yuria, standing on the other side, had struck it with her fist. ¡°It said. It said. Mister Dowd would leave me. That you would. That you would. Form an eternal love with someone else.¡± Crack. The door spat out fragmented pieces and its shape became even crumpled. ¡°You¡¯re not, right?¡± Again, Crack. She peeled off the entire plywood, creating a ¡®gap¡¯. And through that gap... Both of Yuria¡¯s hands came in. With a screech, that gap grotesquely widened. From the cracks of the broken door, I could see Yuria¡¯s face. Her eyes were completely blank. The face that always let out a faint smile at me was now expressionless. Not only were her pupils white but also her hair was dyed in the color of the Devil she was fused with. A white aura that seemed to freeze the entire surroundings spilled out from her whole body. [You¡¯re not, right¡ª?] Instead of a ¡®voice¡¯, ¡®text¡¯ flowed out. The meaning was crystal clear. The ¡®evil aura¡¯ entrenched in her body was getting stronger to the point where even the Starsteel Circlet she wore couldn¡¯t suppress it. System Message [ Corruption Value of target ¡®Yuria¡¯ is about to exceed 100%! ] [ Confirmed details regarding change in progress! ] [ Time limit will be changed! ] !!!!!!!!!!! Devil Alert !!!!!!!!!!! [ Time Remaining ] [ 9: 17: 19 ] ¡ú [ 0: 00: 30 ] ¡°...¡± ¡®System, you motherfucking piece of shit.¡¯ You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 81: Good Luck, Future Me Chapter 81: Good Luck, Future Me ? Good Luck, Future Me ? System Message [ Time Remaining ] [ 00 : 00: 29 ] The world in front of me was spinning. ¡®How the fuck am I supposed to survive this¡ª!¡¯ ¡°Caliban, is there any way you can he¡ª¡± [I¡¯ve never really dated anyone before, so I can¡¯t offer any useful advice. Sorry.] ¡°...¡± ¡®This useless fucker.¡¯ ¡®What worth do you even have other than your status as a Guardian? Huh? HUHH?¡¯ [...How harsh.] Ignoring Caliban¡¯s grumbling, I turned towards the other spirit within Soul Linker. ¡°Valkasus¡ª!¡± [...I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help either. I¡¯m sorry.] ¡°...¡± Even Valkasus, who I had faith in, turned his back on me. ¡®You lived for so long...! You had an abundance of life experience...!¡¯ ¡®Why can¡¯t you give me at least one piece of decent advice...!¡¯ [...I¡¯ve never dated anyone either. This matter really is beyond my abilities, so I can¡¯t help you. I understand that you desperately wish to get some kind of help. Still, how could you ask someone who has been single for over a thousand years?] ¡°...¡± [How about practicing how to play dead? It isn¡¯t too late to start doing it. If you put your entire body and soul into acting, there is a chance she might be deceived...] ¡®I am never going to ask you for advice in the future.¡¯ ¡®You fuckers do realize that I¡¯m about to die here, right?!¡¯ [No, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll die. If you were someone who¡¯d die from something like this, you¡¯d have been a corpse long before already.] [I agree. I have faith that you¡¯ll somehow figure things out.] ¡°...¡± [I¡¯m going to bed now. It¡¯s still a bit tough to stay awake for too long...] With that, Valkasus¡¯s connection was immediately cut off. He actually went to sleep. Why did I endure all those hardships to consider these fuckers as comrades? In the midst of my dizziness, I looked towards Yuria who looked terrifying as she literally ¡®ripped¡¯ through the door to enter it. [Mister Dowd... Why... Aren¡¯t you answering...?] System Message [ Time Remaining ] [ 00 : 00: 15 ] My blood ran cold when I saw the time remaining. Was there seriously no way out of this? Not even one? ¡®If you put your entire body and soul into acting, there is a chance she might be deceived...¡¯ At that moment... The words I heard just before from Valkasus flashed through my mind. Wait. Acting? ¡°...¡± I quickly surveyed my surroundings. The appropriate ¡®props¡¯ quickly caught my eye. In my mind, I mustered up the strength of my entire body and soul to piece together a plan. I recalled the settings of the game. I analyzed the ¡®preferences¡¯ of the person right in front of my eyes in great detail. Honestly, this plan was fucking ridiculous. But there was no other choice to get through this situation. [...If you¡¯re going to leave me again like that.] In that moment, Yuria¡¯s hand, which had reached right in front of me, slithered up my body like a snake. System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX-Grade. ] As a series of windows popped up simultaneously, Yuria continued to speak as if she had lost her mind. [It would. Be better. For the. Two of us. To be. Together. Forever¡ª] A chill ran through me. If this continued, Yuria might actually just grab my throat and strangle me. ¡°...¡± So, before that happened. I gently grabbed her hand and stopped her. ¡°This isn¡¯t funny, Yuria.¡± [...What?] I desperately manipulated the muscles in my face. I created an expression and set the appropriate tone of voice and atmosphere. First, before I got started... ¡®...I¡¯m sorry, Eleanor.¡¯ She probably couldn¡¯t hear me, but as someone with a conscience, I had to at least apologize. ¡®I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry.¡¯ ¡®However, I had no choice if I wanted to survive.¡¯ ¡®Please fucking work.¡¯ It was to the extent that she realized it wasn¡¯t for no reason that her Big Sis was always wary around this man. However... ¡°Yes.¡± After seeing him answer her question so decisively... She felt that there was nothing more she could do. Because whether he was trash or whatever... ¡°...¡± He was ¡®trash that liked her the most¡¯... And she had a feeling that she could accept any side of him. Yuria stroked the scarf hanging from her collar with a flushed face. With this, he had even given proof that his heart would not waver after all. ¡°...You aren¡¯t lying, right?¡± Instead of ¡®text¡¯, her ¡®voice¡¯ trickled out. With just one word, the buzzing that had been continuously ringing in her head disappeared in an instant. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°You really aren¡¯t lying, right? ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t leave me for someone else, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The pounding pulsation of her heart became even more pronounced. As if possessed, Yuria fondled the scarf tied to her collar. ¡°...Mister Dowd...And my...token of promise.¡± As she continued to repeat that to herself... It was a sentence that felt like it was permeating her heart. ¡°...So, at least until we graduate from the academy, I would prefer that you don¡¯t talk about it with others. I plan to make everything public after I¡¯ve sorted everything out smoothly.¡± ¡°...¡± While struggling not to show the cold sweat that poured like a waterfall down my back, I barely controlled my facial muscles, which began twitching with the onset of spasms. After managing to pull off that Casanova act earlier, which was completely out of character for me, I couldn¡¯t afford to get exposed now. It seemed that my earnest efforts had paid off, as Yuria, who clearly hadn¡¯t noticed my condition, timidly nodded with her entire face flushed. The Devil¡¯s Aura emanating from her entire body had long disappeared without a trace. ¡°Do you feel a bit relieved now?¡± ¡°...¡± Nodding again. ¡°...Alright. I¡¯ll see you later then.¡± Nodding once more. With her face red to the tip of her ears, Yuria, like an unoiled machine, practically creaked out of my room. The fact that she remained in that state even until her figure had completely disappeared at the end of the corridor clearly indicated that she hadn¡¯t fully digested everything she had just heard. ¡°...¡± And I was no different. ¡®What the fuck did I do just now?¡¯ [Unbelievable. Incredible. I did believe that you¡¯d somehow survive no matter what though.] I sighed before speaking to a chuckling Caliban. ¡°...Caliban.¡± [What.] ¡°What do I do now?¡± [How should I know that, you fucking trash.] ¡°...¡± I kept my mouth shut when he spit out that retort.. Yeah, sure, I deserved to be cursed at. But, how was I going to fix this? [I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve lived long enough to see someone two-timing with Devils. Serious question, do you think you can handle this?] ¡°...Theoretically, yes.¡± I just needed to simultaneously make Eleanor and Yuria believe that they were ¡®my sole partner¡¯. Until I graduated from the academy, finished the entire main scenario, and, according to Atalante, bloomed ¡®true love¡¯ between the Devil¡¯s Vessel and me to seal their aura. [So.] Caliban spoke in a flat voice. [You¡¯re talking all grandly, but doesn¡¯t it just mean that you¡¯re going to continue to two-time them without getting caught?] ¡°...¡± [Against two Devil¡¯s Vessels who could destroy the world if they go berserk?] ¡°...¡± [Aren¡¯t you going as exchange students with both of them tomorrow to the Tribal Alliance?] ¡°...Yes, I am.¡± [Then there¡¯s a high chance that those two will continue to see each other¡¯s faces, right?] ¡°...Yes, there is.¡± [So, what are you going to do about it?] ¡°Caliban.¡± I took a deep breath and responded in a chilly and serious voice. ¡°Please stop shoving that harsh reality onto me. I¡¯m seriously considering offing myself right now.¡± [...] ¡®I don¡¯t know what I should do either, you bitch.¡¯ ¡®You know what? I¡¯ll just trust the future me to handle this situation.¡¯ You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 82: Sea Train (1) Chapter 82: Sea Train (1) ? Sea Train (1) ? First, there was one thing I could be relieved about. Eleanor and Yuria each sat in different compartments inside the train heading to the Tribal Alliance. Since they wouldn¡¯t run into each other, I could assume that my life wouldn¡¯t end immediately, at least not before we got to the Forge of Struggle. ¡®...I¡¯m saved...!¡¯ It felt like tears of relief were about to well up, but it was still way too early to indulge in that feeling. Rather, I should start confirming the things that needed to be checked. System Log [ ¡®Skill: Fatal Charm¡¯ if activated! ] [ The favorability level of target ¡®Yuria¡¯ has elevated significantly from ¡®Interest Level 4¡¯ to ¡®Trust Level 5¡¯! ] [ Special Rewards Available! ] ¡®It increased by how many levels? What the fuck?¡¯ I sighed inwardly and started operating the window. System Log [ Receiving ¡®Yuria¡¯s¡¯ Gift Rewards. ] [ Receiving 1 ¡®Skill Copy Ticket¡¯. ] It was just as I predicted. Since it went up by this much, I could more or less be sure to receive the Skill Copy Ticket. In Yuria¡¯s case, I already had one saved, so now I had a total of two. Wow, the Skill Copy Ticket was copied! ¡°...¡± Looking at the spoils made me feel depressed. Instead of receiving clues for the upcoming threat, I received these things instead. It was hard not to feel that way. At least they came at a good time. ¡®Alright, time to eat those spoils.¡¯ I had been wanting to devour some of Yuria¡¯s skills for a while now, but I hadn¡¯t been able to because I couldn¡¯t meet these conditions. [ Skill Info ] Skill: Conquest of the Devil ½µÄ§ Grade: Unique Description: Those who have faced curses for a long time naturally become familiar with ways to resist them. [ ¡ô Opens the VS. Curse Related Stat, ¡®Devil Conquest¡¯. ] This was what I was talking about. A Unique Skill was a skill that could only be learned by a specific character in this entire world. And this ¡®Devil Conquest¡¯ stat was something that existed for Yuria alone. Since her character itself was so greatly influenced by the corruption of the curse from Severer, a separate ¡®stat¡¯ existed for her that could resist it. However, if I had a skill that could grant me access to that same stat.... [ Skill Info ] Skill: Desperation Grade: ??? Description: Gain stat enhancement at the moment of danger. The lower the chance of survival, the stronger the effect. It meant I could enhance it with Desperation. Considering that it had the ability to insanely pump up ¡®stats¡¯ in ¡®moments of danger¡¯, it was safe to say that I could naturally gain strong resistance to danger from ¡®curses¡¯. ¡®...I can use this pretty effectively in this chapter.¡¯ The main enemies of Chapter 3 were ¡®Demonic Creatures¡¯. Reversed Apostle of the Sea. A Tamer who wielded terrible powers sleeping beneath the sea. When confronted, one of the abilities I would naturally encounter the most was ¡®curses¡¯. The Devil Conquest stat would be a great help in dealing with such things. And the remaining Skill Copy Ticket was... ¡°...¡± An insurance. When it came to Yuria, it was a good idea to always have at least one at hand. Even more so if I considered the kind of reaction the White Devil would show if I accidentally revealed my ¡®face¡¯. I didn¡¯t have one laying idle all this time for nothing. Right as I had these gloomy thoughts... A window suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. System Message [ Confirming that 2 Vessels have reached at least ¡®Trust Level 5¡¯! ] [ Confirming that the difficulty progress of the Main Scenario has risen significantly! ] [ Searching for elements that would make for smoother progress! ] ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ I swear, this was the first time I had ever seen the system use the phrase ¡®smoother progress¡¯ since I had possessed this body. Was it originally such a conscientious lad? System Message [ Checking the current status of target ¡®Iliya¡¯! ] [ Determining the ¡®Favorability Level¡¯ of target. ] [ Condition satisfied! ] [ Determining the ¡®Personality¡¯ and ¡®Interpersonal Relationships¡¯ of target. ] [ Condition satisfied! ] [ Determining the ¡®Devil Confrontation Ability¡¯ of target. ] [ Condition satisfied! ] [ Congratulations! The target will soon be given the role of ¡®??¡¯s Sidekick¡¯! ] ¡°...?¡± ¡®I don¡¯t know dude...¡¯ ¡®If you could also tell me what kind of role Iliya just received, maybe I¡¯d react positively to your congratulations.¡¯ ¡®...Sidekick?¡¯ Considering it said this was for the sake of smoother progress, it probably was not a bad thing. I had no idea what the fuck it was trying to determine by checking all those criteria. When seeing the phrase about determining Devil Confrontation Ability or whatever, it did seem like it was related to her though. ¡°What have you been staring at since earlier?¡± Kasa Garda, who was cackling while watching my expression across from me, asked while lighting her smoking pipe. She was selected to come with me because it would be good if she stuck with me and Riru as the chapter progressed. Originally, she was supposed to sit in the seats for the elderly and handicapped, but she stubbornly refused. She said that she was by no means an ¡®elderly¡¯ or a ¡®handicapped¡¯ person and was only having a little trouble moving around. ¡®...It sounds ridiculous, but...¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡®And you¡¯re telling me that Kasa told me to bring that kind of person back with me...¡¯ ¡®In a train that was hard to even stand properly on.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but laugh bitterly. Now I understood the reason why she called this ¡®training¡¯. I felt it as soon as I tried to get to the ceiling by going up the ladder. ¡®...F-Fuck, I¡¯m gonna die...!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t some walk in the park to maintain balance and move at the same time. My legs were trembling, my eardrums were screaming, and my entire body was urging me to vomit out everything that was inside my stomach. However, it seemed like my efforts to risk my life by exercising with Talion had paid off. Even without Desperation, I could ¡®at least move around¡¯ even though it took some effort. If it was the old me, I¡¯d probably just collapsed on the floor while throwing up constantly. ¡°...Heup.¡± After somehow getting on top of the ceiling, I moved awkwardly and crawled across the top of the train. After what seemed like an eternity passed, I finally began to see the person I was looking for in the far distance. ¡°Riru-!¡± Riru was cracking her neck and knuckles, ready to rush towards the massive bird-like High-Grade Demonic Creature that was currently circling around the train. Hold up, how was she so okay with this kind of situation? The wind was blowing like crazy from all directions and a massive wave was crashing onto the train, making it difficult to even stand properly. ¡°Come, eheup, over here! We have to go ba¨C!¡± ¡°...What?¡± Riru responded with an incredulous voice to my words. ¡°Go back where? No wait, in the first place, how did you even find me?¡± Perhaps from her perspective, she was probably wondering why I was interrupting her when it was the perfect time for her to play an active part right now. However, I was in a situation where I had received Kasa¡¯s orders and needed to follow them by bringing her inside. When considering her personality, if she directly said the word ¡®training¡¯, it would be wise for me to follow it to a T. Otherwise, she might say how I couldn¡¯t even follow one mere order and make me do something even more hell-like later on. ¡°...And wouldn¡¯t it be better to take care of your own body first? I think you¡¯ll die if you continue like that, you know?¡± She seemed to be saying, ¡®Your face is beyond blue, approaching a vivid yellow.¡¯ I inwardly screamed at Riru who said such words. ¡®Yeah, I also know it¡¯s not safe, but...!¡¯ ¡®If we don¡¯t turn back now, I¡¯m going to get whipped like a bitch by Kasa later. Please. Fuck.¡¯ I wanted her to somehow notice my plight and come back inside with me. Let¡¯s try to convey that message to her somehow. ¡°Ah, the dangerous thing is- keuh, cough, if we don¡¯t return, right now, puheok-! I might really uheuk-!¡± Because the wind and waves continuously bitchslapped my face, I couldn¡¯t even complete my sentence properly and Riru¡¯s eyes, who saw this pitiful sight of me, narrowed. ¡°...¡± Fuck me. It was true that anyone would agree that I looked pathetic. Even if I got ridiculed, there was nothing I could¡ª System Message [ ¡®Skill: Fatal Charm¡¯ is activated! ] [ The favorability level of target ¡®Riru¡¯ has increased from ¡®Interest Level 1¡¯ to ¡®Interest Level 2¡¯! ] [ Rewards Available! ] Eh? ¡°...What are you doing, trying to save me with merely that level of skill? What do you mean dangerous? It¡¯s not even a real situation.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Prioritize yourself more than anything, okay? Yourself. Not anything else. If you can¡¯t even protect your own body, why are you fussing around to try and protect me? You¡¯ll just become a bother.¡± While saying that, Riru awkwardly scratched her head in embarrassment. Her tone was harsh, but she couldn¡¯t even look me straight in the eyes. Also, maybe it was just me, but it kinda looked like a slight blush had risen on her face. ¡°...Still, thank you. I¡¯ve received your feelings.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®No, hold up. Wait.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re talking like that right now...¡¯ ¡®But it¡¯s not whatever the fuck you¡¯re thinking.¡¯ ¡®Stop doing weird shit and just come back to Kasa with me...!¡¯ Such thoughts instantly came to mind, but this time, I couldn¡¯t even utter a proper sentence because I was too busy retching. And in the meantime, Riru was gathering Law Power from her body. In terms of combat power, Riru was someone who could win against an Eleanor who had devoured one Fragment. If she also utilized Law Power, she would actually be able to fly all the way towards that High-Grade Demonic Bird from this place. Soon after, Law Power gathered in her legs and a savage smile appeared on her face. And for some reason, perhaps sensing a threat in her appearance, the bird-like demonic creature also turned to look at Riru. System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX-Grade. ] ¡°...¡± I realized that something was strange at that moment. Suddenly, vitality surged through my body. An ominous premonition descended down my spine. ¡°Wait, Riru¡ª!¡± Something was wrong. The ominous premonition felt so strong. However, that shout from me was rendered useless, as Riru had already leaped into the air like an arrow. As I frantically looked towards the High-Grade Demonic Bird, I saw a yellow energy gathering around its body. From my perspective, who knew what that was, the future was glaringly clear. This person. If she rushed in there just like this, she would die. Unless I did something about it. ¡°...!¡± Right as I urgently stood up and gripped Ultima within my hand... -!!! The High-Grade Demonic Bird unleashed an explosive blitzkrieg at Riru. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 83: Sea Train (2) Chapter 83: Sea Train (2) ? Sea Train (2) ? ¡°The simulation has begun.¡± ¡°Video team, operating normally.¡± ¡°Artificial Demonic Creature team, operating normally.¡± ¡°Safety Countermeasure team, operating nor¨C¡± Hatan U-Jul nodded as he heard the reports coming in one after the other near the situation room. ¡°They made it well.¡± Such words came out with a satisfied voice. From the perspective of someone who had directly hunted High-Grade Demonic Creatures, he was confident that there was no one among the students who would realize that was fake. Of course, it could seem a bit harsh for inexperienced kids who most likely had no real combat experience, but... ¡®True talent only emerges when a person is pushed to their limit.¡¯ The name, Forge of Struggle, of itself was given with the intention of exposing students to the most merciless environment possible. Wasn¡¯t it natural that steel became stronger the more it was hammered? In that perspective, the current virtual simulation was satisfying enough to make Hatan smile. ¡°You know, I can¡¯t get used to this every time I see it.¡± His smile disappeared as soon as he heard the voice coming from beside him. A woman grinning with half-closed eyes. Although the surroundings were filled with people dressed in outfits that exuded a barbaric feel unique to the Tribal Alliance, this woman¡¯s attire gave off an air of a civilized individual. The following words also clearly reflected this difference. ¡°I can¡¯t believe people who look like this are handling state of the art devices that would only be used in the Magic Tower. The Tribal Alliance becomes more bizarre of a place the more I see it.¡± ¡°...Chief Priest Tatiana.¡± Hatan sighed and brushed his hand through his hair. ¡°Please, if you came to observe, could you just keep your mouth shut and watch?¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± In response to the harsh words, the woman stuck her tongue out and slyly raised her hands. From Hatan¡¯s perspective, her appearance was so despicable that he wanted to punch her in the face right then and there, ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too harsh? What did I do so wrong?¡± Hatan¡¯s expression sank even further. ¡°Then let me be straightforward right here and now.¡± Compared to earlier, his words were now tinged with killing intent. ¡°I don¡¯t like you, Chief Priest. Consider it a stroke of luck that you haven¡¯t immediately died at my hands considering what you did to Alan.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He was my friend. He may be as stupid now as he was back then, but still, he was brave, he knew honor, and he was a warrior who fought fairly.¡± ¡°...¡± As Tatiana continued to grin without a response, Hatan¡¯s frosty voice continued to pour out. ¡°He wasn¡¯t someone who would do something as insane as challenging the Chieftain, who was properly ruling the Alliance, out of the blue, cutting off three of her limbs, and even annihilating her entire clan.¡± That was exactly what happened. He proceeded to duel with Kasa Garda, who had the respect and admiration of all warriors, and despite everyone¡¯s opposition, he had cut off all three of her limbs. Hatan¡¯s words were all true. All of this happened after this woman became known as the Chief Priest of his tribe. Moreover, the ¡®process¡¯ of the duel itself... ¡®...It was horrifying.¡¯ Hatan gritted his teeth as he recalled the scene at the time. It was by no means a duel that was conducted fairly. To be more precise, it was too disgraceful to even call it a duel; Instead, it was a ¡®massacre¡¯. After all, aside from the duel participant, the majority of Kasa Garda¡¯s clan were murdered on that day. ¡°All Chieftain Alan has done is ascended to a position to rule the Tribal Alliance in accordance to a fair duel. He is suitable in both authority and legitimacy. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°...¡± As such, the limits of his patience were being tested by not punching this woman who nonchalantly spoke such bullshit. Instead of responding to her, Hatan continued with his next orders to the personnel in the situation room. ¡°...Track the vital signs of the guys on the train.¡± ¡°Roger!¡± Given the technological capabilities of the Tribal Alliance, obtaining this level of information from everyone there shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. Besides, this process was essential for them. After all, vital signs revealed a vast amount of information. It made preventing accidents easier and allowed them to assess how cool-headed an individual was when handling this situation. Those were the guys with a low heart rate, minimal fluctuations of emotions, and quick decision-making abilities. As long as a real Demonic Creature¡¯s heart was inserted, there was no way to remotely shut it down. The only way was for him to enter the simulation site and take it out himself. However, there would certainly be casualties during the time he took to enter. As Hatan¡¯s expression contorted at such a thought... ¡°Just a moment, War Chief! Something¡¯s strange!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We¡¯re detecting a massive energy!¡± Someone in the situation room shouted as such. ¡°Massive energy? What-¡± And before Hatan could even finish his sentence... -! -! -!! A ¡®Grey¡¯ aura... Explosively flooded out from within the train. From a glimpse between the gaps of the broken train, it seemed as if two women, with their swords drawn, had shot out a blow from that very spot. ¡°What in the...!¡± At the same time someone let out such a shout... The entire screen went blank. ¡°...Are you alright?¡± I had to confirm that first. Looking at the stunned Riru, who I ended up embracing in my arms, it seemed her condition was fine. Actually, it was a countermeasure I thought of on the spur of the moment. The ¡®Stigmata¡¯ skill, which used all available means to boost Endurance, had even completely blocked Kasa¡¯s strike. I had generated that in the right spot to ¡®collide¡¯ with Riru and I caught her falling body mid-air before escaping from the Demonic Bird¡¯s attack trajectory. It was probably the best way to protect someone who couldn¡¯t change directions in mid-air. I didn¡¯t know about defeating the Demonic Bird, but at the very least, there wasn¡¯t a better plan than this if my aim was to protect her. Moreover, it actually succeeded as well. ¡°...¡± Yeah. The problem was that I succeeded. As cold sweat broke out, I turned my head towards the direction of the approaching footsteps while ¡®still holding Riru in my arms¡¯. ¡°...I came because I heard your voice from above.¡± Eleanor sheathed her sword as she spoke. I alternated my gaze between making sure her sword went back into her scabbard and the aftermath of the ¡®strike¡¯ that she had unleashed. The ceiling of the train that had received her strike first was cut more cleanly than expected. Of course, I wasn¡¯t trying to say that the chunk of ply metal that wasn¡¯t even the main target of the strike was fine. It had been blasted away by it, after all. I was just saying that because it was in a way better state than the thing that had actually received that strike behind it. The strike, which extended straight upwards from inside the train, sliced through a portion of the train like tofu and continued extending. Then it practically turned the High-Grade Demonic Bird in its path into dust, shattering it into ¡®fragmented pieces¡¯. And it extended for a long while before even demolishing the ¡®outer wall¡¯ in the form of a dome that was enclosing this simulation set. Thanks to that, the sky could actually be seen now. It was to the extent that seagulls could be seen between the sparks from the wires sticking out of the broken outer wall. ¡°I came thinking I needed to rescue you as quickly as possible in such an emergency situation.¡± And... If I was unlucky, I might end up being hit by an attack of that magnitude. Eleanor spoke with a bleak expression. ¡°Who is that woman?¡± Together with that voice, I looked at the window that came out right in front of my eyes. System Message [ Corruption Value of target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ has increased by 50%! ] [ The target enters a state of ¡®suspicion¡¯! ] [ During the ¡®suspicion¡¯ state, the rate of increase in Corruption Value is doubled! ] ¡°...¡± Who was the guy who said that there wouldn¡¯t be any risk of me dying before we got to the school grounds? I swear I¡¯ll fucking kill him. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 84: Suspicion Chapter 84: Suspicion ? Suspicion ? Riru Garda was someone who was incredibly quick at grasping the situation. Even though she had just experienced an unimaginable threat of death just a moment ago, she could quickly assess how the ongoing situation was unfolding. ¡°So, about that...¡± Dowd Campbell seemed to want to say something. He appeared just as tense as the woman approaching him was fierce. It was as if she was several times more of a threat than the gigantic Demonic Bird they had faced just moments before. ¡°...¡± Seeing this, Riru unwrapped Dowd¡¯s arm that was around her, abruptly standing up. ¡°...I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but...¡± And then, her mouth began to move before her thoughts did. ¡°Are you threatening this guy right now?¡± ¡°Step aside. This has nothing to do with¡ª¡± ¡°It does.¡± With a bewildered expression, Eleanor stopped in her tracks. She seemed so baffled that she didn¡¯t even know how to react. This was probably something that no one in this place had anticipated. After all, even Dowd was staring at her with a stunned expression. ¡°...Wait, what kind of relationship do you ha¡ª¡± ¡°At the very least, just know that I owe him a life debt because of his actions a moment ago.¡± If someone asked her why she was doing this, Riru wouldn¡¯t be able to provide a clear answer either. However, doing nothing after receiving favor of any kind from someone did not sit well with her conscience. There was no doubt that her mind had recognized that this man, at the very least, held enough ¡®value¡¯ for her to take such actions. ¡°If you intend to do something to this guy, then you¡¯ll have to get through me first.¡± It would be a lie if she were to say that she wasn¡¯t afraid. After all, the person in front of her was someone even she knew very well. It was because she remembered being overpowered once by her ¡®spirit¡¯ before. The Student Council President of Elfante. She was a woman who had easily obliterated the gigantic Demonic Bird that was about to kill Riru in just a single strike. There was no doubt that if they were to fight, she would be destroyed in mere seconds. It would be a miracle if she could even endure one bout. ¡°...¡± Even... Riru still assumed a fighting stance, desperately trying to calm her trembling arms. She steeled herself before glaring at her opponent. ¡°...?¡± And, strangely enough... Instead of retaliating, her opponent¡¯s spirit seemed to wane. To be more precise, it seemed like she was ¡®shocked¡¯. Her face even showed signs of sadness. ¡°...Alright. That¡¯s enough.¡± And before Riru could even think about this strange phenomenon, another voice intervened in the situation. It came from the mouth of a woman who had appeared through a Teleportation Spell that was casted in the air. ¡°...!¡± As soon as she identified who it was, Riru¡¯s expression immediately turned almost demon-like. The night when most of her clan members died... She could never forget, even in her dreams... That face. That utterly nonchalant face with those half-closed eyes and giggling expression, almost as if she was the Devil incarnate. This was the woman who was responsible for ¡®handling¡¯ her entire clan while Alan and Kasa carried out their duel. ¡°Chief Priest...!¡± Riru let out a snarl. Although her voice was filled with such dense killing intent that it was at the level of a beast¡¯s roar, Tatiana, who was confronting it head-on, still wore the same grin. ¡°Everyone did a terrific job in passing the exam! You are truly the best of the best!¡± At the sight of Tatiana intentionally ignoring her, Riru¡¯s expression contorted even more horribly. Her fists became tightly clenched. She yearned to immediately punch that face she wished so desperately to rip apart. However, before she could do so, a hand pulled her back. When she turned around, she saw that it was Dowd¡¯s hand. He shook his head. ¡°...¡± Riru also knew that it wasn¡¯t a wise decision at all. No matter the circumstance, she was still in the position of an exile, chased away from the Tribal Alliance, while Chief Priest Tatiana was the closest confidant of the current Chieftain, Alan Ba-Thor. Just confronting her would invite an unimaginably immense backlash. It was obvious that this man would try to stop her right now. And, more than anything... ¡°You can¡¯t win against her.¡± Dowd¡¯s words pierced into Riru¡¯s eardrums. An intense surge of anger overcame her, enough to make her mind go blank. However, she couldn¡¯t deny that his words were true. Chief Priest Tatiana was powerful. She had single-handedly faced and murdered the Chieftain¡¯s clan, which consisted of elite warriors even when compared to the rest of Tribal Alliance. ¡°For now.¡± So, when that man spoke such words... With widened eyes, Riru had no choice but to turn around and look at him. While she remained speechless and still for that brief moment, Dowd had already stood up, passing by her to approach Tatiana. ¡°Nice to meet you, Chief Priest Tatiana.¡± They did not even know each other for that long, there were no special experiences, and they weren¡¯t even on good terms. ¡®...It would¡¯ve been better if she was that type instead...¡¯ Eleanor still remembered how that woman tried to pick a fight with her by saying she would steal Dowd away. If she was trying to use him like that, she would¡¯ve already torn Riru in half by now. However, just a little while ago... The woman was sincerely trying to ¡®sacrifice¡¯ herself for Dowd. Not ¡®out of interest¡¯, but in order ¡®to protect¡¯ him, she tried to sincerely fight against Eleanor. What sort of unspoken connection did the two have for her to act in such a way? ¡°...¡± Her head drooped low. Her body language clearly showed an endless amount of depression at the thought of this. When she reached this point, she couldn¡¯t help but imagine the worst-case scenario. Perhaps, that man... Even after receiving a ring from her... Was forming a ¡®relationship¡¯ with another woman that was as intimate as the one with her. She didn¡¯t want to believe it was true, but... Perhaps even the ring he gave her was merely a ¡®temporary measure¡¯ to keep her from becoming disappointed. [...So, what are you going to do?] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [What are you going to do if you¡¯ve confirmed that he¡¯s really cheating?] ¡°...First, I will have to kill that woman.¡± [...] For now, this part was already a lost cause to Beatrix. After all, Eleanor had been thinking about it so matter-of-factly from the beginning, so she didn¡¯t think there was any room for her to say anything that would be taken into account. However, the answer she didn¡¯t hear earlier was... [What about that Dowd?] ¡°...I haven¡¯t thought about what to do to that extent yet.¡± Beatrix flinched. After all, the appearance of Eleanor when she said such things... It was so foreign that even for someone like her, who had watched over her for over ten years, it was the first time she had seen such a side of her. ¡°...Rather than killing him, there should be a better ¡®method¡¯. I absolutely do not want to do something like that to him. I want to keep him by my side, no matter what.¡± There was something else encroached in her voice. ?And, above all else....? Just looking at the thing stirring within Eleanor was enough to blind her eyes. ?Just killing him... Is too simple of a punishment, isn¡¯t it?? [...] Seeing such an appearance, Beatrix began to recall something else. That guy, Dowd... He better not be cheating. Or else, even she was not sure what could happen. [T-Then, isn¡¯t it a good idea to at least confirm it first?] At the very least, talking about this seemed like a much better idea than hearing disturbing stories about killing someone. After all, it seemed that leaving Eleanor as she was now would lead to some kind of incident. Eleanor raised her head slightly in reaction to Beatrix¡¯s words. ¡°Confirm it?¡± [You only have suspicions, but you don¡¯t have any evidence, right? If so, you just need to confirm whether it¡¯s true or not from now on! I¡¯ll also collect information about that guy!] ¡°...¡± Eleanor slowly raised her head at her words. Although her movements still seemed gloomy... Unlike before, her body language showed a clear willingness to listen. ¡°...As you say, in that case, it¡¯s a good idea to thoroughly confirm my suspicions.¡± [How are you going to do it?] With Eleanor appearing much more energized than before, Beatrix smiled slightly. It was because she also felt much better after seeing Eleanor stroke her chin, as if she had come up with a good idea. At the very least, boosting her friend¡¯s energy was an achievement in it¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t I just need to closely monitor him?¡± [...What?] ¡°How he sleeps, when he wakes up, who he meets, what he eats, who he talks with, and who he smiles at. Everything. Without missing a single speck of information.¡± [...] ¡°I¡¯ll find out if there is someone who is intercepting the affection that should be fully given to me. If there is, I will find out with my own two eyes which bitch it is.¡± [...] ¡°I should start now. I¡¯ve done something similar before, so it will be much ea¨C-¡± Correction. While Eleanor had regained her energy, the cost was that he would face an extreme amount of harassment in the future. ¡®...I¡¯m sorry, Dowd.¡¯ Beatrix sincerely apologized in her heart to someone she had never even met. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 85: Friendly Duel (1) Chapter 85: Friendly Duel (1) ? Friendly Duel (1) ? ¡°Alan Ba-Thor¡¯s authority as the Chieftain remains valid. While a significant number of War Chiefs in the Alliance are expressing discontent, the desired level of control is being maintained.¡± Tatiana¡¯s voice softly descended in the empty private room. As the Chieftain¡¯s closest confidant, she was able to use a spacious private room so that her ¡®regular reports¡¯ were not hindered in any way, but even so, she never let her guard down. Half-closed eyes and a smiling face. The reason for that was simple. Because the Prophet had ordered her to act this way. She always adhered to the orders she received from the Prophet. Even if she had to put her life on the line. [What about the artifact used to brainwash that person? Is it still working properly?] White steam rose from the masked face that asked such a question. The Prophet was undoubtedly in the Northern Region of the Empire at this moment. To be exact, in the territory under the rule of Margrave Kendride. It was said that something was being ¡®prepared¡¯ at that place. ¡°Yes. It should at least continue to function as intended for the desired period of time.¡± [I see. If any problems arise with it, we will miss many interesting scenes. You better manage it properly. Do you understand?] ¡°I receive your orders¡± [No need to go overboard. You just have to keep it as it is during the ten days when the exchange students from Elfante are staying over there.] If someone were listening, those words would probably only sound like the babbling of madmen. Just to witness an ¡®interesting scene¡¯ during an ¡®Academy Event¡¯ which would last for a mere ten days... They had brainwashed the leader of a continental superpower so that they could use him in whatever way they wished. [This is an unusually precious opportunity where four Devil¡¯s Vessels are all gathered in one place. We can¡¯t just let it pass, can we?] ¡°...Did you just say four?¡± She had already met two of the mentioned Vessels. Eleanor Elinalise La Tristan. The Grey Devil¡¯s Vessel. Yuria Greyhounder. The White Devil¡¯s Vessel. But there were actually two more? [The Blue Devil and... The Red Devil. Both are present in that location right now. I am able to feel it, you see. Though, from now on, we¡¯ll have to find out who the Vessels are.] ¡°...I will keep that in mind. To ensure a satisfactory resu¨C¡± [Ah- nono, no need to put in too much effort. They¡¯ll eventually come to us anyway.] With that, the Prophet yawned before waving Tatiana off. [After all, we have the world¡¯s most efficient ¡®trap¡¯, don¡¯t we?] ¡°...¡± Indeed, that was true. Wasn¡¯t there a man whose existence was literally a magnet for the Devil¡¯s Vessels? However, there was one thing that still puzzled her. ¡°...May I ask one thing?¡± [Mm? You are usually so submissive and obedient, but suddenly you¡¯re asking questions? What¡¯s the occasion?] ¡°Why are you only giving that man... ¡¯Trials that are possible to overcome¡¯?¡± First, Marquis Riverback. Second, the Boy King Valkasus. Through those battles, that man had only grown stronger. He had even gradually built closer relationships with the Devil¡¯s Vessels, enough to call them his companion. Considering the nearly omnipotent and omniscient abilities of the Prophet, the only way that man could produce such results was because the Prophet had given him trials that could be overcome. Without that, there was no way such results could be produ¡ª [I¡¯ve never done such things, though.] ¡°...Excuse me?¡± [I was sincerely trying to kill him. Although I haven¡¯t really used my full power, the level of the conditions I set needed a miracle to happen for him to even remain breathing.] ¡°...¡± [He was able to overcome them with such efficiency with solely his abilities. It¡¯s pretty interesting to see every time it happens, you know?] ¡°...¡± With a giggle, the Prophet continued. [Well, if you are looking for a reason why I don¡¯t use my full power even while knowing that is because... It¡¯s not a bad thing for us if he gets stronger and stronger.] ¡°What... Does that mean?¡± [After overcoming more trials, that man will get stronger and his relationship with the Devil¡¯s Vessels naturally becomes closer. That, in itself, is good for us, isn¡¯t it? It actually becomes easier to achieve our ¡®goal¡¯, doesn¡¯t it?] All those facts aligned with conditions necessary to reach the ¡®final goal¡¯ that the Prophet had longed for. After all, even though the end goal that she and that man sought were probably different, both of their primary goals were to ultimately gather all the Fragments of the Devil¡¯s Vessels; And paradoxically, that man was undoubtedly a huge help in achieving this. [Simultaneously, I like that it¡¯s never dull to watch Dowd flounder around in a desperate attempt to survive.] Seeing the speechless Tatiana, the Prophet let out another burst of laughter. [Are you jealous?] ¡°...¡± [You look extremely upset because I complimented him.] At the Prophet¡¯s playful voice from across the video call, Tatiana remained silent for a while. The Prophet was probably doing this on purpose. After all, there was no way the Prophet did not know how Tatiana, someone who would devote her entire body and soul for the Prophet, would feel when hearing such words. [Yes. I¡¯m doing it on purpose.] ¡°...¡± [Try to kill him to the best of your ability. It won¡¯t be easy. After all, neither that cunning Marquis Riverback nor the strongest Forbidden Sorcerer, the Boy King, were able to. I wonder, how would you fare against him?] ¡°...¡± [Perhaps I could compliment you if you seem more fun than that man?] ¡°...¡± [Cheer up, Apostle of the Reversed Sea. Isn¡¯t it more advantageous for you if you¡¯re near the sea?] The call ended with that. After sitting in silence for a long while, Tatiana nodded her head and stood up from her seat. ¡°...¡± For a brief moment, she suddenly looked at her necklace that she had always worn. A jewel embedded in the middle was blinking a dull green light. If she closed her eyes, she could hear the ¡®thing¡¯ inside of it calling for her; ¡®An enormous presence¡¯ near the Forge of Struggle. Apostle of the Reversed Sea. The last survivor of a tribe forgotten in history that served the ancient existence buried beneath the sea. She would use all her strength... To kill Dowd Campbell. WIthin ten days, by any means necessary. ¡°The killing intent trickled out in a stream. When I massaged your body just now, it started bursting out like crazy.¡± ¡°...Ah. That¡¯s how.¡± After all, I felt ¡®something¡¯ as well. It seemed that it was so uncouth and rough that even I, who was incomparably dense when it came to these things, could feel it. ¡°Exactly how much love are you receiving from that person for her to act this way?¡± ¡®I don¡¯t know either, my guy.¡¯ It was Eleanor. She had been following me since this morning. I probably wouldn¡¯t have even known if Riru didn¡¯t tell me. ¡®...Why is she like this?¡¯ Although I had no clue why she decided to do something like this... It was still scary. Like, deadass. Even now, whenever I got just a tiny bit closer to Riru, I felt a tingling sensation running all over my body. ¡°...Putting that aside, we should start moving soon.¡± After seeing the clock, I sighed while stretching. Thanks to the exercise with Riru from early in the morning, I felt utterly exhausted, but I couldn¡¯t afford to lay around and rest like this. After all, the first Exchange Student Event, ¡®Friendly Duel¡¯, was scheduled soon. ¡®...Friendly my asshole.¡¯ It was said that this event resulted in injuries, from minor to serious, due to the characteristic of people not wanting to be inferior to the academies of other countries. Of course, rather than such a characteristic, what was more important to me was... ¡®...An opportunity to raise my Endurance stat.¡¯ If I achieved excellent results in this event, I would have a chance of obtaining a fairly decent item with the ¡®Token of Promise¡¯ that Riru had received from Luca. Even if only for that reason, I couldn¡¯t afford to take this lightly. ¡°...But will you be okay?¡± As I had such thoughts, Riru, once again, used only her mouth to convey such words. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°To be honest, with your skill, it would be difficult to find someone who could be your duel partner.¡± That... Was a legitimate concern. After all, I was nothing without my Desperation state. How many times now had I been looked down on because I looked weak? ¡°But you know, if you can¡¯t find an opponent, then you¡¯ll probably have to stay alone in the empty waiting room corridors twiddling your thumbs, right?¡± ¡°...¡± The goosebumps from earlier returned in full force. ¡°Can you guarantee that when you¡¯re alone, that woman will do nothing to you?¡± ¡°...¡± Ah. The arena, where exchange students from the Empire were scheduled to compete and test their skill against the Tribal Alliance¡¯s students, was filled with excitement. Of course, most of the enthusiasm came from the Tribal Alliance while the members from the Empire stood half-dead in the waiting room. With a few exceptions, this friendly duel, taking place in the Forge of Struggle, was no different from an execution ceremony for most Elfante students. Although it might be different in other fields, the individual combat abilities of the Tribal Alliance warriors were already widely-established. And Badel Gup-Ta, who had applied for this event, laughed mockingly while looking at the students from the Empire. ¡®These fucking Empire weaklings.¡¯ With a greatsword the size of his height slung over his shoulder, he watched the Empire students with contempt. As expected, there was still no one worthy of catching his eyes. There was virtually no change from a year ago. It was absurd that these weaklings were considered members of the same ¡®Three Superpowers¡¯ that his country was a part of. He had also applied to last year¡¯s event with that thought in mind. ¡®Ah, what a joyful memory that was.¡¯ He could still vividly feel the sensation of his fists when he smashed the Empire students to the point of shattering their teeth, as they begged him for mercy. ¡®Is there anyone here I can beat the shit out of just like I did back then...¡¯ Regardless of his wishes, students from the Forge of Struggle and Elfante had to freely find their opponents because this event was meant to be friendly. In that regard, Badel had a particular knack for finding weak opponents. Although he had quite some confidence in his own abilities, he much rather enjoyed tormenting his opponents slowly by controlling his strength, after all. A suitable ¡®prey¡¯ quickly caught his eye. ¡®...He doesn¡¯t even seem like a man.¡¯ A man endlessly looking around with a pale face. His eyes continued to wander around anxiously. He voluntarily approached other students and pleaded with them for a duel. However, the students from the Forge of Struggle all frowned and shook their heads, one after another. It was clear that they didn¡¯t want him because he was ¡®too weak¡¯. Every time they did so, even more despair crept over the man¡¯s face. ¡®...What a weird guy.¡¯ With such abilities, it was obvious that he would get absolutely pummeled. This was... How do you put it... His attitude seemed like he had to ¡®find an opponent at all costs¡¯, even if he had to get beaten up. Almost as if he was being pursued by someone. Although it was a bit weird... His weak appearance and uncertain attitude was undoubtedly Badel¡¯s ¡®preference¡¯. He glanced at the name tag. Dowd Campbell. ¡°Hey, you. Let¡¯s fight.¡± ¡°Oh, really?!¡± When he approached and uttered those words, the man¡¯s expression lit up instantly, making Badel inwardly mock him with laughter. Badel approached the guy who was enthusiastically shaking his hand without a care in the world and whispered sinisterly in his ear. After all, he wanted to see the bastard¡¯s expression as he froze in fear. ¡°How stupid of you to be happy. You should prepare yourself instead. It was too late to back out as soon as I became your opponent. From now on, when the duel starts and until the event ends, I will continue to make you su¡ª¡± ¡°Thank you...!¡± ¡°...¡± Badel was left speechless by the unmistakable sincerity of his response. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 86: Friendly Duel (2) Chapter 86: Friendly Duel (2) ? Friendly Duel (2) ? After ten minutes into the duel... Badel was feeling a genuine terror. ¡°Won¡¯t you be using any weapons?¡± ¡°If I use something like that, it¡¯ll be over too quickly.¡± He recalled the short question and answer session they engaged in when they started the duel. Badel had actually never used a weapon in any of the previous duels he had been in. From start to finish, he had always used his bare fists to pummel his opponents. After all, his preference was to enjoy watching his opponents suffer in agony. ¡°Really? You¡¯ll beat me with your bare fists?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Nice. That¡¯s great.¡± In hindsight... He should¡¯ve been more cautious from the moment his opponent¡¯s face brightened up at those words. ¡°...Have you gone crazy, you bastard?¡± And due to that carelessness, he was stuck in the present time, muttering those words with a trembling voice. The difference in their abilities were overwhelming. That was why he had chosen to duel with this man in the first place, so that he could slowly and leisurely torment him. However... -! His fist landed squarely on Dowd¡¯s jaw. That fact was undoubtedly true, even his skilled combat senses were informing him so. As long as they were human, that blow would be enough to make them collapse. After all, receiving a fist to the jaw would undoubtedly rattle one¡¯s brain. However... This man refused to fall. Just like how it was countless times now. He staggered back a step or two, then nonchalantly cracked his neck before walking back towards him. ¡°Ah, that was good.¡± The voice, that seemed to say he was genuinely enjoying it, made shivers run down Badel¡¯s arm. ¡°...Why don¡¯t we stop the duel here? You should go to the infirmary and get treat¡ª¡± ¡°Why?¡± His tone, which sounded like he genuinely didn¡¯t understand what Badel was talking about, made the latter take a step back. It was an instinctive movement. ¡®...Did I just take a step back? During a duel against a bastard of the Empire?¡¯ As soon as he realized this truth, his face contorted tightly. Harsher blows rained down on Dowd. Each blow held so much force that it made anyone who was watching them end up pitying the poor guy getting pummeled. Dowd¡¯s body was thrown around in all directions. Flesh jutted out and blood spurted like a fountain. However... ¡°...I chose my opponent well. Nice.¡± This time as well... Even though he was practically in a half-dead state, he let out a laugh. ¡°...¡± Badel¡¯s face was gradually turning pale. If it had just been a weakling putting on airs, he would have welcomed it. After all, he felt a certain satisfaction in thoroughly crushing such a person. ¡®But, with this bastard...¡¯ He was genuinely ¡®enjoying¡¯ a situation where he was being unilaterally beaten. Almost as if he had received some tremendous gain! ¡°Again.¡± At the sight of Dowd muttering as such while walking towards him, Badel¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but fill with terror. ¡®What in the world am I doing right now?¡¯ ¡®In the first place, is this even a duel?¡¯ ¡®No, is this bastard even a human?¡¯ ¡°...Don¡¯t come any...closer.¡± ¡°Why? That blow just now was good. One more ti¡ª¡± ¡°I said don¡¯t come closer¡ª!¡± With a completely pale face, Badel staggered back and tried to press a red button that was placed on the stage. If he pressed it, the duel would probably be declared over by surrender. Normally, he would never press it, but compared to facing this somewhat monster of a man, he thought that a brief humiliation would be better. However, a hand dripping blood grabbed him. ¡°No.¡± Dowd spoke urgently. There was a desperate anxiety in his eyes that went beyond his already frantic voice. ¡°No, don¡¯t do that. You can still do more, right? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ll beat me until the time is up?¡± ¡°...¡± At Dowd¡¯s almost subservient smile as he held Badel¡¯s arms, Badel¡¯s face turned even paler. Normally, it wasn¡¯t the kind of face that he should be scared of. But, how out of place his face was managed to make Badel almost go insane. ¡°You can do it. You¡¯re still full of energy. Why are you the one surrendering when I¡¯m the one getting beaten the shit out of? Are you fucking with me right now?¡± ¡°Hieek...!¡± ¡°Keep your promise. Please. I¡¯m begging you.¡± ¡°Go away...!¡± In the end... With a shrill scream, Badel had no choice but to press the surrender button. ¡°Mmm...¡± As my opponent ran while shivering, as if he had seen a ghost, I could only watch him with a saddened expression. It was such a shame. System Log [ Engaged in combat with an opponent who used remarkable Fighting Arts! ] [ A new set of movements will be added to ¡®Mastery: Fighting Arts ¨C Stance Á¢Ê½¡¯! ] [ Engaged in combat with an opponent who used remarkable Fighting Arts! ] [ A new set of movements will be added to ¡®Mastery: Fighting Arts ¨C Stance Á¢Ê½¡¯! ] [ Engaged in combat with an opponent who used remarkable Fighting Arts! ] [ A new set of movements will be added to ¡®Mastery: Fighting Arts ¨C Stance Á¢Ê½¡¯! ] . . . System Log [ Successfully continued the battle despite serious injuries! ] [ Proficiency of ¡®Mastery: Iron Man¡¯ increased. ] [ Successfully continued the battle despite serious injuries! ] [ Proficiency of ¡®Mastery: Iron Man¡¯ increased. ] [ Successfully continued the battle despite serious injuries! ] [ Proficiency of ¡®Mastery: Iron Man¡¯ increased. ] . . . He really wasn¡¯t half-bad. By just standing there while getting beaten was enough to stack up the proficiencies of two of the Masteries. This was something that would only be possible if I were to face up against a fairly formidable foes. If only he could continue on for a little longer... Too bad he suddenly ran away for some reason... System Message [ Target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ is extremely furious at the fact that target ¡®Badel¡¯ dared to strike you. ] [ She radiates intense hatred toward the target! ] ¡°...¡± Because of that, the chances of this person harassing me had increased. Moreover, she was still spying on me. After all, if they hadn¡¯t been watching me, this window wouldn¡¯t have popped up. ¡®Badel, why did you run away...!¡¯ ¡®You said you would keep fighting me until the time runs out...!¡¯ ¡°That Badel got scared and ran away...!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Empire has an insane motherfucker like him...!¡± ¡°He is such a madman that I can¡¯t help but be impressed...!¡± ¡°...¡± The murmurs and glances of the Tribal Alliance students nearby pierced my heart. ¡®Why are you guys saying those things? It¡¯s hurtful.¡¯ ¡®...Anyway, let¡¯s check the important things.¡¯ Eleanor wouldn¡¯t come out even if I tried to find her anyway. I might as well just see what I had gained instead. [ Mastery Info ] Mastery: Iron Man èFÈË Grade: Basic Proficiency: 88% Description: Warriors of the Tribal Alliance repeatedly put themselves in extreme situations in order to constantly train their ability to react to such situations. It is very risky, but effective. [ ¡ö Endurance to various injuries and pain is increased. Reduces the intensity of pain and allows for easier movement even when severely injured. ] [ ¡ö Effects are proportional to the Endurance stat. ] First, the one Mastery that I gained proficiency in after getting beaten like a dog. Even though I had only used a simple first aid kit to apply some medicine and wrap some bandages, my wounds were healing at a noticeable speed. Unless the medicine was unbelievably excellent, if I had taken this much damage, I would usually have to empty my remaining points to buy an expensive potion from the Point Store. And, more importantly... ¡®It doesn¡¯t really hurt, though?¡¯ The effect written here said it reduced the ¡®intensity of pain¡¯. But, it was a lot more impactful than I expected. If I practiced and refined it well enough, it could become one of my trump cards in this chapter. The pain that I actually felt when I got beaten the shit out of wasn¡¯t that severe, you know? As such, I had thought that she would have set up all kinds of interference. ¡°Then, what does the second ranker wish for?¡± ¡°...Mm.¡± Iliya looked around with an awkward expression. She seemed to find it difficult to adapt to this hostile atmosphere. ¡°...Can I think about it a bit and tell you later? I¡¯m still not sure what I want.¡± ¡°Do so when you¡¯re ready.¡± She probably decided to act cautiously since she felt if she were to ask for something, she¡¯d also get insulted by the surrounding crowds. Nevertheless, just as before, Tatiana easily agreed. After all, there was no reason not to accept her suggestion. ¡°Then, you?¡± ¡°...Can I also think about it a bit more?¡± Originally, I had several requests I had to make right away. For example, the right to access the Forge of Struggle ¡®Workshop¡¯, a place that was absolutely necessary to visit at least once in the game. Or the right to accompany Riru to her homeland for the Endurance stats. However, that bitch¡¯s attitude was somehow suspicious. The fact that she accepted Riru¡¯s request without a word was already more than enough proof for me to think as such. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing the way she casually accepted made my eyes narrow even further. ¡®What¡¯s her game? What¡¯s she planning?¡¯ While I was thinking that way... Tatiana descended from the dais and stood in front of me. The people around us were looking in her direction with questioning glances. ¡°Especially, if it¡¯s a request from you, then I don¡¯t mind anything, Dowd Campbell.¡± Even while being subject to all these eyes on her one body, she still had the same smile that was always plastered on her face. She approached just a little closer to me. As if she wished to whisper in my ear. ¡°Since, you¡¯re going to die in this place anyway.¡± At the same time as such words... From the necklace she was wearing, a green light began to flicker. The meaning behind that statement could be immediately noticed. There was no need for words to explain it. A wide space in the ¡®sea¡¯ near the dome-shaped Forge of Struggle started to ripple. It moved at the same rhythm as the flickering of her necklace. An extremely... ¡®Ominous¡¯ movement. Tatiana¡¯s half-closed eyes widened slightly. ¡°I heard that your characteristic was to always plan and prepare for everything, Dowd Campbell.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s your weakness.¡± The virulence of her voice seeped into my ear. She came even closer towards me and hugged me gently. People nearby seemed slightly surprised by this sudden action, but she paid no attention to them. ¡°If I were to summon ¡®that,¡¯ everyone here would die, perhaps, myself included.¡± Madness oozed out from her slightly widened eyes, making my head spin. The unique chaos of a madman melted into her mutterings, further strengthening that dizzying sensation. ¡°Even so, I¡¯ve been waiting and waiting just for this moment. The moment when you come out of the Academy ¡®structure¡¯.¡± ¡°Perhaps you didn¡¯t predict that I would act so recklessly, but... ¡°Since the Prophet ordered me to kill you with all my might, I am going to burn every ounce of my existence in this place to make sure yo¡ª¡± She continued to speak, but... ¡°Hey. Shut the fuck up for a moment.¡± ¡°...¡± I frantically cut off Tatiana¡¯s words. Her expression momentarily froze, looking utterly stunned. However, I didn¡¯t have time to care about shit like that. ¡°I get that you want to kill me and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve prepared some tricks or whatever bullshit that you¡¯re confident with! I get all of that, okay?! But¡ª!¡± This bitch did seem to be immersed in her own world and had planned something tremendous, but... That wasn¡¯t the primary thing I needed to focus on right now. ¡°Back off, please!¡± I desperately tried to break my body free from Tatiana¡¯s tight ¡®embrace.¡¯ ¡°...¡± Sadly, I couldn¡¯t. Regardless of the fact that she wasn¡¯t specialized in combat, Tatiana was still the final boss of a chapter. It was clear that her physical abilities were far superior to mine. My struggles were truly no different from an insect crawling around. ¡°...Teach, what are you doing?¡± Besides me, Iliya spoke in an incredulous voice at the sight of my excessive actions, but... I was being serious. ¡°You said that there was a high probability that you would also die if you summoned that, right?! That means that it¡¯s possible for you to live as well!¡± Going beyond mere seriousness, my vision was actually spinning. I was so frantic that I was on the verge of losing my mind. I barraged the stunned Tatiana with even more words. ¡°If you don¡¯t let go right this instant, even that low survival probability will vani¡ª!¡± However... Before I could finish my sentence... System Message [ Target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ is enraged to the point of losing her rationality at the sight of your body rubbing onto the body of another new woman! ] [ Target is in a state of ¡®suspicion¡¯! ] [ Corruption Value of target has increased threefold! ] [ Corruption Value of target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ has exceeded 300%. ] [ Target is entering a ¡®berserk¡¯ state! ] [ The estimated damage range is the entire ¡®Forge of Struggle¡¯! ] [ The probability of survival is 0% ] ¡°...Fuck.¡± As that message popped up along with my nausea... -... Everything around me... Started to break down. ¡°...Uh. Uh?¡± ¡°Wh-What¡¯s happening?¡± Such murmurs began to trickle from people nearby. Since they, too, had instinctively realized that ¡®something¡¯ was happening. The first second. Grey energy surged in all directions. Everything started to gradually slow down. Just like how it always did when the Grey Devil manifested. ¡°...¡± However... A Devil¡¯s ¡®berserk¡¯ wouldn¡¯t just end after merely this much. The following second. The world split apart. ¡°What the?!¡± ¡°Holy shit¨C!¡± Screams erupted from all around. As if someone had sliced this dome-shaped structure in half with a giant sword, the space became distorted and stretched grotesquely, splitting the entire building. This building that had been painstakingly built over many years by thousands, if not tens of thousands of humans. One of the greatest architecture in the continent, constructed with the highest level of technology in the entire world... As if the defense facility, force field, and even the Seraph¡¯s barrier were futile... In just a single second... Was split in half... And had crumbled into pieces. ¡ª-!!!!!!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The noise of the collapsing building made my ears ring. Even the people screaming themselves hoarse were drowned out by the sound of the dome splitting apart. At the scene of such immense destruction, not only did people lose their minds, but some broke into loud sobs, and others just completely lost consciousness. ¡°...This is...insane...!¡± In the midst of that hell, I turned my head frantically to find the perpetrator of this chaos. And the one I was looking for could be easily found. It was Eleanor, who had somehow joined the crowd at a certain point in time. And the moment I saw her... I realized a chilling fact. All of this was not something Eleanor had ¡®intentionally¡¯ caused. The person responsible for this was just silently standing there, not doing anything besides breathing, but it seemed like the world couldn¡¯t bear its presence, so it had crumbled. All of these actions were completely void of any hostility. How did I know this? ¡°...¡± Eleanor¡¯s eyes, which were redder than blood, confirmed this fact. ?...I have already held back one time. In the case of Riru Garda, I had continuously stepped back and thought that it could just be my own misunderstanding.? Right now, in this place... ?However, it¡¯s impossible for me to endure. Twice.? The only person Eleanor sincerely ¡®wished to harm¡¯. The only person she, who could exert this much power just by standing in place, would pour out her full strength onto was... ?Who is that woman, Dowd?? Me. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 87: A Dramatic First (1) Chapter 87: A Dramatic First (1) ? A Dramatic First (1) ? The Forge of Struggle, that had been completely divided in half, tottered before collapsing. It looked as if someone had cut an apple in half and each piece fell to the ground. Everywhere around, people were losing their balance, tumbling while screaming. ¡°Teach, we need to quickly get¡ª!¡± ¡°What are you doing?! Why are you standing around¡ª?!¡± The screams of Riru and Iliya could be heard as well. But, those sounds started to become more distant from my eardrums. They gradually slowed down and faded away. ¡°...¡± Actually, it wasn¡¯t a metaphor, my surroundings were ¡®slowing down.¡¯ The reason for this was the dense grey aura that emerged from Eleanor¡¯s body. It encompassed everything around me. It was the Grey Devil¡¯s Authority, ¡®Corrosion¡¯. It was the ability to exercise absolute dominion over all nearby spacetime. And when thinking of its appearance in the original game, a space that was under a state of Corrosion went beyond simply stopping time; It also distorted the very fabric of space, ultimately resulting in tearing apart everything. When the Grey Devil revealed her true power, it could even reach such a phenomenon. The ability to ¡®erase¡¯ a part of the world. Since she hadn¡¯t collected all three Fragments yet, the true power of the Final Boss wouldn¡¯t be revealed. Nevertheless, this much power would be enough to obliterate the entire Forge of Struggle without much difficulty. System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX-Grade. ] Amidst the slowed down world, such a message appeared before my eyes. Except for a very small part in the main scenario, in most cases, a Devil¡¯s berserk event was pretty much a ¡®Game Over¡¯. As could be seen from the fact that it happened without me doing a single thing, the saying that a Devil in berserk would cause the destruction of the world were not empty words. ?...? And... The piercing glare from Eleanor¡¯s red eyes, as she floated in the air even though there was no space to stand on, was undoubtedly hostility verging on killing intent. It wasn¡¯t for no reason that the system window displayed a 0% probability of survival. In the first place, my attempts to survive were rendered meaningless because of the power gap between us. If the Grey Devil herself emerged, then I could somehow try talking with her, but even that was impossible right now. When a Devil¡¯s Vessel went on berserk, it didn¡¯t mean that the Devil herself would descend. Instead, the Vessel¡¯s inherent evil disposition would be insanely amplified by the influence of the Fragments. Although the Vessel contained the Devil¡¯s demonic aura, the one causing this phenomenon was not the ¡®Devil¡¯, but Eleanor ¡®herself¡¯. In other words... There was no way out of this. This was a certain death for me. I felt the blood draining from my entire body. [Get your shit together, you idiot! Why are you standing around like that?! Are you looking for death?!] Amid such sensations, Caliban¡¯s roar broke through my daze. [...Wouldn¡¯t she understand if you just explained to her that it wasn¡¯t your intention? Weren¡¯t you also writhing around, desperately trying to escape?] Caliban spoke in a serious voice after seeing my expression. Previously, right before I was about to receive the ring from Eleanor, he still acted carefreely. But now, it seemed that even he wasn¡¯t able to maintain such a feeling. It was obviously because, at this moment, the force bursting out of Eleanor was incredibly tumultuous. ¡°...That won¡¯t solve anything.¡± [What?] ¡°If she was able to accept a rational explanation, then, her state wouldn¡¯t be called ¡®berserk¡¯, would it?¡± It felt like this was the result of her venting all her displeasure for me. In other words, it wasn¡¯t a problem that could be solved by persuading her with words. Rather than listening to my explanation, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if she were to immediately drew her sword and cut me to¡ª ¡°...¡± Huh, wait. As I was thinking that, my mind became clearer. The system window said the probability of survival was 0%, right? The impact of me kicking off the ground shattered the floor beneath me before a shockwave rippled out. Due to that influence, the already tottering and unstable surroundings shook like crazy. Almost as if an earthquake had occurred. ¡°...Holy fuck¡ª!¡± Nearby, I could see Iliya shouting in slow motion and Riru slowly gaping her jaw in surprise. And then... Almost as if I was a rocket filled with propellant, my body shot up. ¡°...¡± It really was a bit absurd. I had only increased by one grade. From F-Grade to E-Grade. Although my previous increase in stats was already unbelievable, what I was doing now could match the specs of Eleanor who had eaten 2 Fragments, even if it wasn¡¯t at the level of Kraut yet. Contemplating how absurd the skill I possessed was, I sequentially activated my other skills. System Notification [ ¡®Skill: Proof of Faith¡¯ activated. ] [ All stat bonuses are temporarily converted to ¡®Endurance¡¯. ] Right before colliding with Eleanor, I fully braced myself to endure some punishment. From what I could tell... This was probably going to be quite painful. ¡°...Heugh...!¡± The moment I collided with her, the air was knocked out of my lungs. It felt like I had tackled an electric pole with my bare body. And, compared to the pain that followed, even that was nothing. ¡°...!¡± Due to direct contact with Eleanor¡¯s body, the Grey Devil¡¯s aura instantly burrowed into my body. It felt like my entire body was melting as it burned in flames. This sensation made me instantly realize how much the Grey Devil had been holding back for my sake. Although I had become somewhat desensitized to pain recently, this was hell at an unbearable level. ?...? However, even as I went through this process... Eleanor didn¡¯t even budge an inch. She continued to float silently in the air, in a state of complete stillness, and seemed utterly unaware of my collided figure. This was undoubtedly true, judging how she remained in such a state, even as I hung onto Eleanor¡¯s body while gasping in pain. [...Alright. What are you going to do after sticking to her like this?] ¡°Caliban.¡± With a mutter, I get into position. Since there was no solid ground to step on, I had to support my entire body with only my arms, which made it quite challenging, but... At least, this made it possible for me to get to my desired position. A position where me and Eleanor¡¯s face was ¡®directly facing¡¯ each other. ¡°First experiences are usually good if they¡¯re dramatic, right?¡± Well, actually, this might be a bit too dramatic, but... It do be like that sometimes. [What kind of bullshit are you¡ª] Before that sentence could continue... My lips enveloped Eleanor¡¯s. ¡°...!¡± And then... Eleanor¡¯s pupils, which were blank until now, suddenly widened. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 88: A Dramatic First (2) Chapter 88: A Dramatic First (2) ? A Dramatic First (2) ? The last thing she remembered was the explosive wrath she felt when she saw Dowd embracing another woman. Even right now, everything was just a blur to her. The act of thinking felt so meaningless, almost as if a fog was covering her entire consciousness. She realized that there was something crumbling down nearby and people around her were screaming. But all those sounded so faint, as if they came from a faraway place. ¡°...¡± As her gaze wandered in the air for a moment... In the monochrome landscape, akin to a faded photograph, she could vaguely see the contours of a person gazing down at her. It was a mysterious atmosphere, floating in the air as if defying gravity. The only thought that came to mind was her acknowledgement that even a peculiar figure without a single stitch of clothing could have such a presence. However... Even with just that vague outline, she could at least recognize its ¡®shape¡¯ clearly. If she were e to age just a few more years, maybe she would look like this. ¡®...Mother?¡¯ In her daze, that was the first word to cross her mind. After all, it was someone she had seen many times in her dreams. Someone she missed the most. However, there was one thing she could feel for certain. Although the shape was identical... She was not the same existence as the mother she remembered. The ¡®essence¡¯ was as different as heaven and earth. -... ¡®Something¡¯ that took the form of her mother was desperately trying to say something to her. ¡®Stop doing that. Please stop.¡¯ It felt like something was trying really hard to stop her. However, that voice didn¡¯t get through. Almost as if in her ¡®current state¡¯, that existence¡¯s voice didn¡¯t reach her. ¡°...¡± And then, even that figure quickly disappeared. Eleanor gazed at the vanishing figure with a dazed expression. ¡®...What am I doing...?¡¯ However, even in a state where her head was in the clouds and she could barely muster such a thought... A wicked voice that seemed to slither like a snake could be heard all too clearly. -Why don¡¯t you just do it? Do what? -Don¡¯t you want to make that man yours forever? ¡°...¡± -You don¡¯t want to feel hurt anymore, right? But still... Dowd was Dowd. -If you don¡¯t want to kill him, you can just turn him into your puppet, you know? Then, she remembered. She had heard this voice before, back when she tried to give Dowd a ring for the first time. However, this time.... It was much harder to ¡®resist¡¯ than at that time. Almost as if, compared to before, it had taken over more parts of her. ¡®...I don¡¯t want to.¡¯ She barely managed to conjure up such a thought as she shook her head. No matter how angry he made her. No matter how much he hurt her. Dowd was still Dowd. Kill him? Make him a puppet? She didn¡¯t wish to harm that man like how the voice was telling her to. -I said do it. -Hurry. However, such a voice burrowed into her dazed consciousness. It was gradually increasing in volume, to the point that her ears were ringing. However, as that voice continuously got louder and louder and louder like that.... Right when she thought that she couldn¡¯t endure it any longer... It suddenly disappeared. ¡°...¡± She couldn¡¯t understand the situation. Since she did not know the reason for its disappearance, all she could do was blink her eyes blankly. She examined the surroundings with the sliver of reason that had returned to her. In order to understand even a little of what was going on, she strained her dazed eyes with all her strength. And thanks to her focusing her consciousness on her ¡®sight¡¯... Eleanor could see Dowd¡¯s face right in front of her. Not only that, she could also feel the touch of his lips enveloping hers. ¡°...¡± She had heard Beatrix fiercely argue many times that a first kiss tasted like cherries. But, instead of that, she could only feel a prickly sensation and the stale taste of dust. Then again, it was laughable to compare her first kiss to cherries or whatever, especially when her surroundings were literally crumbling to pieces. After all, there was no doubt that this man didn¡¯t prepare anything special before he pressed his lips against hers. ¡°...¡± Wait, he pressed his lips against hers...? Right. That. It was that. A kiss. ¡°...¡± Only then was she clearly aware of her surroundings. In this monochrome world, akin to a faded photograph... Only she and Dowd could move properly. As if in this stopped world, only she and him existed. Moreover, in a state where their lips were pressed together. Her eyes widened even further than before. A kiss? A kiss? Seriously? This man, to her? ¡°...Can you...Not come closer?¡± Eleanor stopped me while gasping. ¡°If you come closer right now, it will be dangerous in many ways.¡± ¡°...¡± At her words, my expression stiffened once again. When she said it was dangerous, it could be interpreted in various ways. Even though she was feeling better at this moment, this was right after she had already gone berserk once. This meant that it was more than probable enough that there were aftereffects. In fact, the Grey Devil¡¯s aura had not completely dissipated yet. After all, the world was still frozen. Moreover, Eleanor¡¯s state of ¡®suspicion¡¯ was still active. As such, what I needed to do from now on was clear. I composed myself and opened my mouth to speak to Eleanor again. After all, I needed to think of something that would further ease her mood. System Message [ Effect of ¡®Title: Playboy¡¯ is displayed! ] [ Revisions are attached to your actions! ] ¡°Eleanor.¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± ¡°Recently, just hearing your voice makes my heart flutter. If I don¡¯t see you for a few hours, I want to see you again. It makes me want to thank God everyday before I sleep for blessing me with such a fiance.¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor¡¯s jaw dropped. And I, who had spat out such words, was horrified as well. No. Wait a fucking minute. Halt. Hold. Chotto Matte. I didn¡¯t intend to say anything like this. It was as if my mouth moved on its own, beyond my control. Stop it. Don¡¯t fuck with me. SHIT, DON¡¯T FUCK WITH ME...! This was undoubtedly because of that Title bullshit. I had to immediately deactiva¡ª System Message [ Requested the deactivation of Title: Playboy. ] [ It is the only Title. Deactivating is impossible! ] MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ¡°...I-I see. You were having such thoughts?¡± While I silently screamed inside, Eleanor avoided my gaze and fidgeted. At the very least, it was fortunate that she didn¡¯t seem as angry as before, but... My following actions due to the influence of the ¡®Title¡¯ couldn¡¯t be seen as fortunate at all. ¡°Eleanor.¡± ¡°...What is it this time?¡± I steadily approached Eleanor, whose face was still burning red, and lowered my head. I embraced her into my chest before pressing my lips on her forehead. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°...¡± Even though I couldn¡¯t quite see her in this position, there was no doubt that Eleanor had stiffened with only her mouth moving, as it opened and closed. After all, she would find it ridiculous. And I felt the same way. Stop it. Please stop it, Title or whatever you are. If this continues, I¡¯m going to die of embarrassment...! However, even such screams were in vain. My body, which was already far beyond my control, pressed my lips against Eleanor¡¯s forehead once again and whispered in her ear. ¡°I love you.¡± Faint whimpers and moans resonated against my chest. I could clearly feel Eleanor¡¯s body trembling. Although I couldn¡¯t see her face well because it was burrowed into my body, judging by how her ears were red to the very tip, I could tell what state she was in without even needing to see her with my own two eyes. [Wow, whOA, WOAH! AHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAAH-! I-I can¡¯t b-breat-! Heuk, I-I¡¯m going to die! STOP! PLEASE!] What the fuck was this dead person saying? Bro, you already died once. No, rather than that, I also really wanted it to stop, okay? Fucking hell. Soon after, I tried to lower my head once again to press my lips against her, but Eleanor extended her arms and stopped me. ¡°D-Don¡¯t...¡± ¡°No.¡± Although her words said not to do it, her arms didn¡¯t have any strength in it as I gently pulled it down. This was even despite the fact that Eleanor could have easily pushed me away if she so wished. I pressed my lips against her again and whispered. ¡°S-Stop... Dowd... People around us are watching. I said, they¡¯re watching¡ª¡± Time had stopped, so no one should be watching us, but Eleanor seemed to be embarrassed that there were people around since she kept mumbling. However... ¡°Just let them watch.¡± My fucking piece of shit mouth responded as such to Eleanor¡¯s desperate voice before lowering my head. Once again, I pressed my lips against her and whispered. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°Ah, t-this...¡± Once again, my lips... ¡°S-Stop... Stop!¡± ¡°Are you not angry anymore?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not! I said I¡¯m not!¡± ¡°...¡± At the same time as Eleanor said this while nearly welling up in tears... A window appeared before my eyes. System Message [ Target Eleanor¡¯s state of ¡®suspicion¡¯ has been released! ] [ The fluctuation of the Corruption Value has been properly corrected! ] ¡°...¡± Yeah, okay. Great. I managed to pull it off. At the price of my dignity. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 89: Restoration Chapter 89: Restoration ? Restoration ? ¡°But, what in the world is this?¡± These were the first words that Eleanor, who had just regained her senses after a while, spoke. Although she was still a little flustered, she looked around with a more composed demeanor than before. The surroundings were still frozen in time. The grey colored world showed no signs of resuming its flow of time. ¡°I have a feeling that...somehow, this phenomenon has a ¡®connection¡¯ with me.¡± Eleanor raised her hand and lightly touched the grey aura that was clustered around her. ¡°Do you happen to know what this is, Dowd?¡± She clasped and unclasped her fists, moving the grey aura back and forth. ¡°...Who knows?¡± I could only give her that vague answer. ¡°It seems like something you shouldn¡¯t delve too deep into, though.¡± ¡°...? Delve too deep?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a feeling of mine. Also, Eleanor, please promise me you won¡¯t try to look into it too deeply.¡± ¡°If you say so... I won¡¯t... It doesn¡¯t seem to be of harm to me at this very moment anyway.¡± Although the promise was practically forced upon her, it only prompted a tilt of Eleanor¡¯s head before she accepted it easily. She herself could probably never imagine that the unidentifiable power she possessed was actually a ¡®Devil¡¯, even in her wildest dreams. ¡®...The existence of Devils, of itself, is the most closely guarded secret, after all.¡¯ Those who knew about the mechanisms of the current Devil¡¯s Fragments and Vessels were far and few between. The handful of people who knew about my ¡®constitution¡¯, which made me unconditionally loved by Devils, were probably the only ones who knew. And excluding them, there was only.... [The Heretic Inquisition?] Yep. Exactly. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitter laugh when I heard Caliban¡¯s voice from inside the amulet. After all, the chill contained in his voice was abnormal. The enmity this person had against that group was likely to be immense. After all, if only that group was just a little... ¡®normal¡¯, he and his fellow Guardians would have survived during the Crimson Night Incident. ¡®Anyway...¡¯ At this very moment, revealing the truth of their existence to a Devil¡¯s Vessel would be the worst gambit. It wasn¡¯t for no reason that I had not been honest with them so far. ¡®...The Main Scenario would start to go awry.¡¯ You see, their reactions were quite a sight when they found out that they were ¡®Vessels¡¯. Then again, there was no way that telling them the fact that they carried the literal enemy of mankind within their body would have a positive influence on their mental state. Considering that a Devil¡¯s Vessel going berserk is dependent on their own mental state, such action was essentially suicide. Moreover, each and every one of these Devil¡¯s Vessels possessed an enormous weight on the scenario. The true value of their importance was highly likely to be revealed in the upcoming events; For the Blue Devil, imbued within Riru, it would be during the highlight of this chapter, ¡®Great Duel¡¯, and for the White Devil, imbued within Yuria, it would be during the ¡®Holy Land Invasion¡¯ of Chapter 6. If these people were made aware of this truth, causing the entire scenario to be completely derailed, there was no doubt that it would never be a good thing from my perspective. Moreover, if the subject in question was the Grey Devil, the key axis that the entire game passed through, there was no good reason to precisely explain that existence to Eleanor. She would find out some time soon anyway. Chapter 5 of the scenario was set against the backdrop of Eleanor acquiring the third and last Fragment, so at that point, there was no way she herself did not know what was in her. At least until then, it was right for me to just quietly hold my tongue. ¡°...I think I can get used to it very quickly.¡± While I was having a plethora of thoughts, Eleanor was moving the Grey Demonic Aura that was spread around her, manipulating it to create complex shapes in the air. It was a proficiency at the level that, if someone were to see it, they would think she had been training for a long time. System Message [ Hidden Stat of target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ has been unlocked! ] [ From now on, the target can manipulate ¡®Grey Demonic Aura¡¯! ] This... was understandable. She had fulfilled the conditions to some extent. After all, she was a Vessel that had consumed two Fragments and had even gone berserk once, so it was a no-brainer that a Devil¡¯s power would be somewhat unlocked. ¡®Am I... Supposed to be happy about this?¡¯ Honestly, even in the future, if I got involved with other Devils and made even the slightest mistake, there was a very high chance that they would explode like what had just happened. However, even considering that, Eleanor was one of my strongest allies. Even more so if she could use the Grey Devil¡¯s Aura. ¡°Then, can you do something with that?¡± It would be good to test that power first. I requested as such to Eleanor, who continued to manipulate the Grey Demonic Aura. ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°...Something that could sort this out.¡± With that, I looked around. The obliterated Forge of Struggle, that was completely divided in half due to Eleanor going berserk, caught my eye. ¡®...It¡¯s still the key background for Chapter 3, you know?¡¯ In its current state, it would be impossible to proceed with the scenario or anything, for that matter. Just now, I realized once again how influential the actions of this person were. To turn one of the most famous buildings on the continent into this sorry state in just a few seconds... ¡°...Sort it out, you say...¡± Eleanor cocked her head. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try... I have a feeling that there¡¯s something I can do about it.¡± Subsequently, Eleanor slowly closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and manipulated the Demonic Aura. At the same time... The world was ¡®rewound¡¯. ¡°...!¡± ¡®What the fuck? This is insane.¡¯ My jaws dropped. Before, during the Purifier Boss Battle where she manifested a Grey Devil¡¯s Fragment, she had once restored the hole in my heart by ¡®rewinding time¡¯. It was almost like rewinding a video. What was happening right now was exactly the same phenomenon. However, the difference was that this time, her entire field of vision was being rewound, not just one place as it did before. The shattered dome that was cracked in half was mended. The people who fell out of the building and into the sea because of the aftermath were returned back inside the building. Explosions that had happened here and there, as well as the debris and objects from the building raining down; All of it was returned to its previous state. Eleanor and I also floated, as we were positioned back to where we were right before this chaos had occurred. I stood in front of Tatiana, at the place where I requested what I desired, and Eleanor was near the crowd, where she had looked over such a scene. It only took a few dozen seconds for the Forge of Struggle to cleanly return to its original state, as if nothing had happened. As the question of whether one person should have such power kept repeating in my mind... A window appeared before me. System Message [ Target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ has used ¡®Grey Demonic Aura¡¯! ] [ Fusion rate of the second Fragment has significantly increased! ] ¡®...What?¡¯ In horror, I activated Scan on Eleanor. System Notification [ Using ¡®Scan¡¯. ] As if nothing had happened. ¡°When Riru enters her clan¡¯s district, please give me the right to go to¡ª¡± When I was continuing these words, from inside the amulet, Caliban spoke up once again. [Hey, let me ask one thing.] ¡®Hm? What is it?¡¯ [If she can control such tremendous power, why did you so desperately block her from using it earlier?] ¡®Ah? That?¡¯ ¡®Well, if she were to use that power too often, rather than making her overpowered and be able to steamroll everyone, a more terrifying ¡®side effect¡¯ would appear instead.¡¯ [...What?] ¡®No, really. I¡¯m being serious.¡¯ ¡®You see, if the second Fragment¡¯s fusion rate increases that quickly¡ª!¡¯ The more the fusion rate increased, the more Eleanor¡¯s dark side, incited by the Fragment, would strengthen. It meant that it would become incredibly likely that her Corruption Value would see-saw and spazz out depending on her mood. Considering the shitfest that happened from a single berserk, it was best to avoid causing such cases as much as possible. ¡°...¡± And although I used a temporary shock method to block it... If she happened to berserk one more time later... ¡®At that point, I¡¯ll actually have to marry her...!¡¯ As far as I could think of, if Eleanor went berserk again, that was the sole ¡®measure¡¯ to suppress her. I couldn¡¯t even imagine what kind of newly-wed life was awaiting me after I got caught in her clutches. [...So, to summarize...] From the amulet, Caliban suddenly let out a burst of laughter before continuing. [You told the lady to not use that power because the more she uses it, the more likely it is that you have to marry her?] ¡°...¡± [You know what I¡¯m going to say, right?] ¡®No, wait. I get it. I know I¡¯m a fucking trash¡¯ ¡®Yes, I know it¡¯s pretty shitty of me to be so stubbornly against a marriage after everything I¡¯ve done so far. But still, that¡¯s the one thing that I could never do. Ever.¡¯ ¡®Even when considering the existence of the other Devils, the moment I was left with that sole choice to prevent Eleanor from killing me would be the moment where I¡¯d turn into a corpse...!¡¯ [I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t really want to stop you when you¡¯re trying so hard, but...] Caliban continued with a nonchalant voice. [Whenever you go out of your way to evade something, it always seems to mean that it will eventually blow up in your face.] ¡°...¡± [It seems like it is already a confirmed future that you will be at the mercy of that lady, so... It¡¯s only a matter of when, right?] ¡°...¡± [Perhaps it¡¯s not too far out in the future?] ¡®Please.¡¯ ¡®Please be quiet.¡¯ ¡°...Yuria?¡± With a dubious voice, Lucia gazed at Yuria, who was receiving a lap pillow from her. Usually when she was in Lucia¡¯s embrace as she was now, Yuria would calmly enjoy the warmth until going out like a light. After all, this was the routine she always went through after the Sanctification needed to slow down the curse from Severer. This routine didn¡¯t change even after traveling to the Forge of Struggle and sharing a room together. However, at this moment... Yuria¡¯s ¡®appearance¡¯ was not normal. ¡°...Big Sis. Did Big Sis not feel that just now?¡± ¡°...¡± Instead of her usual sleepy eyes, Yuria spoke with a slightly narrowed glare. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Something...rewound. Just now.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡®What is she saying?¡¯ ¡®Rewound? What?¡¯ As those thoughts came into Lucia¡¯s mind... Someone knocked on the door. Her expression immediately crumpled into a frown. ¡°...Who is it? I haven¡¯t made any particular appointments, though?¡± Even if it was a foreign country, she was still the Saintess; Someone who was treated as a VIP in the Holy Land. It was not normal for someone to abruptly come find her like this without scheduling an appointment. However, the person outside the door didn¡¯t seem to care about this fact and started speaking. ¡°You felt that just now as well right?¡± A female voice. She had a gentle and well-mannered tone. And at those words... Yuria flinched. Although those words were not spoken to any specific person, it seemed like she was clearly aware that the sentence was directed towards her. ¡°...I asked, who are¡ª¡± Lucia, who saw her sister¡¯s expression, tried to question as such, but the courteous voice from earlier did a complete 180, as more words were spat out. ¡°You, shut your mouth. If I recall correctly, I did not give permission for an inferior lifeform to speak, right?¡± There was a genuine contempt in that voice. As if it was sickening for her to even trade words with Lucia. ¡°...¡± Utterly stunned, Lucia¡¯s jaws dropped. ¡®Wh-What was wrong with this lunatic?¡¯ ¡°Inferior lifeform?! How dare¡ª!¡± ¡°I have come to see you. Yuria Greyhounder.¡± She once again spoke in a courteous voice while utterly ignoring Lucia. ¡°I am Faenol Lipek. I am a court mage affiliated with the Heretic Inquisition.¡± ¡°...¡± As Yuria expressionlessly looked beyond the door... ¡°...I have an urgent matter that I wish to tell you.¡± Her words continued. Undoubtedly, her words were... ¡°Regarding the man known as Dowd Campbell.¡± Coated with a thick venom. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 90: Sea King (1) Chapter 90: Sea King (1) ? Sea King (1) ? ¡°...Mm.¡± While I fiddled with an object similar to a PDA, I let out a sigh. To put it simply, this was something similar to a newspaper. However, instead of using paper, they used an ¡®electronic device¡¯ instead, completely on brand with the technological capabilities of the Tribal Alliance. There was an article written on it that said the Tribal Alliance Chieftain, Alan Ba-Thor, himself would come to the Forge of Struggle to inspect and visit. The news made headlines on all the channels, meaning it was undoubtedly important news. ¡®She must be getting anxious.¡¯ Superficially, it might sound like it was just news about a prestigious individual visiting the academy, but Tatiana always followed him closely behind, so I couldn¡¯t let my guard down. It wasn¡¯t my intention, but it seemed she had gotten quite nervous after Eleanor completely fucked all her plans up. Getting Alan to make a move was a type of ¡®insurance.¡¯ She got hit over the head by Eleanor once already, so she undoubtedly called him over to ensure that she could deal with me once and for all. After all, if Eleanor were to try to kill her with all her might, he had enough capabilities to at least buy her some ¡®time.¡¯ ¡°...¡± Well, that was what she thought, anyway. The Grey Devil¡¯s Vessel in her berserk state was the Final Boss of the game, you know? Did she seriously think that she could stop her with merely that much? Though, from my perspective, that was a little meaningless since I was against using Eleanor¡¯s power, whether I liked it or not. Not just because I didn¡¯t want to get married, but also because the fusion rate increase itself was a precondition for calling forth new Fragments. Speaking of, the third fragment... It had the most significant impact among all the main events of the scenario. It wasn¡¯t by chance that it was placed randomly behind the scenes. Anyway... [ Main Quest ] ¡¼ Apostle of the Reverse Sea ¡½ < Quest Info > [ 5 days left until the ¡®Great Duel¡¯ incident! ] [ The boss battle follows immediately after this incident! ] The good thing for me was that as long as Tatiana adopted such a ¡®cautious¡¯ attitude, she wouldn¡¯t be doing shit like sending assassins or summoning something during this period of time. She had already tried to use her full power to confront me before witnessing Eleanor¡¯s strength and freaking out. As such, she wouldn¡¯t be thinking about killing me in earnest until the means to counteract such power were in place. ¡°...¡± And during that moment of respite, it was the perfect time to improve my specs. With such thoughts, I looked at Riru, who was performing the traditional ancestral rites of the Tribal Alliance. On top of the coastal cliffs, a bare landscape consisting only of dead grass that had long dried up and withered, she had lit a fire and was burning necklaces with it. ¡°Please open the path, Sky.¡± Riru, who closed her eyes and murmured, quietly placed another necklace on the fire. ¡°So that the warriors can return home.¡± Previously, these necklaces were carefully kept in the run down house that Riru had built. The purpose of those was as identity cards for the Tribal Alliance warriors. This place was one of the few places in the dome-shaped Forge of Struggle that had a clear view of the sky. And as you¡¯d expect from such a place, the smoke produced from all the burning scattered directly into the air. ¡°...¡± Riru, who raised her head silently, watched the scattering smoke. For a while, she stared at that sight without a word. It looked like she was holding back tears. Considering the setting... These should be the belongings of her clan members who had died instead of Riru and Kasa in order to save them on the night that Alan Ba-Thor applied for a ¡®Great Duel¡¯ to take over command from the previous Chieftain, Kasa. The reason why she insisted on returning to the Tribal Alliance was so that she could perform this ritual, to honor the warriors who weren¡¯t even able to be properly buried in their homeland. After all, there was a widely held belief that warriors, who weren¡¯t given proper funeral in the land of their respective tribe, could not return to the ¡®Homeland of Warriors¡¯ that dwelled in the sky. ¡°...¡± And as that smoke spread... I glared intensely below the coastal cliff. [What are you doing?] ¡°Memorizing.¡± [Memorizing? Memorizing what?] ¡°The path.¡± [...Path? What path? There¡¯s nothing there but the sea, though?] ¡°There¡¯s something like that. And it¡¯s all here.¡± I could feel Caliban giving me a confused look from inside the amulet. It was understandable. After all from the outside, it looked like there was nothing there except the crashing waves. Not to mention that it seemed like I was staring at the tides as well. However, I wasn¡¯t spouting bullshit. There really was a path there. I did not request this to Tatiana first for no reason. The way to increase my Endurance stat and essential hints on how to split open the chapter boss¡¯s head were all here. ¡®Inside¡¯ of those raging waves. The reason why I came here was to examine that. After all, I could only see them from here. ¡°...Thank you.¡± And as I was doing so... Riru, who had sat and watched the bonfire for a long while to make sure all the necklaces turned into ashes, suddenly spoke up. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have the opportunity to fulfill this....wish within such a short period.¡± ¡°...¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. Considering the progress of the original game, the fact that Riru had been able to come here in the first place was impossible without receiving Luca¡¯s necklace. If I didn¡¯t intervene in the middle, there was a high possibility that it would not have actually happened. Although it was fortunate that this seemed to have at least immensely lessened one of this person¡¯s emotional burdens... ¡°What are you going to do from now on?¡± To my question, Riru went silent once again. After thinking for a long while in this deep silence, she spoke again with a determined voice. ¡°...I will seek revenge.¡± ¡°On who are you referring to?¡± ¡°On all those related to the deaths of my clan.¡± Riru continued with an icy voice. ¡°I will kill them all with my own hands. It¡¯s my natural right in order to honor those who had died unfairly one last time.¡± I had no intention of disagreeing with her words. Provide continuous mental care for Riru to ensure that she wouldn¡¯t get angered beyond a certain point. Not get my head split apart by Eleanor and Yuria. Receive Fighting Arts training from Kasa. To put it simply, the entire academy would turn dozens of times more dangerous than usual during this period of time. ¡°...Then why were we being called outside? Shouldn¡¯t we be in a safe place inside the aca¡ª¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Hatan let out a smirk. A smirk that made him seem like the incarnation of ferocity itself. ¡°It¡¯s precisely at times like these that we should be more active in killing those fuckers.¡± ¡°...But isn¡¯t the risk of dying much higher? The basic strategy when going about a Demonic Creature Conquest is to target the time when they¡¯re weaker to minimize casual¡ª¡± ¡°What are you even saying? The greater the risk, the greater the reward.¡± ¡°...¡± The Empire student who was trying their best to argue fell silent at such words. It seemed that they were only now realizing that the people here had a completely different mindset than them. This place was originally like this; a place where only the nutjobs obsessed with fighting survived. They were taught to rush in head first. The stronger their opponent was the greater their fervor. It wasn¡¯t for no reason that the students of the Empire, who approached everything with a rational mindset, were looked down upon and got shit on by these people. Even Riru, who was called a mad dog in Elfante, wasn¡¯t considered that violent here. Did I need to say anything more? ¡°Well, I¡¯ll at least provide you with the most minimum safety measure. If you feel like you¡¯re about to die, call me. I¡¯ll come to rescue you.¡± With that, Hatan looked around at the students with a chilly gaze. ¡°Of course, for the bastards that don¡¯t even have skills nor balls... I believe they aren¡¯t worth staying at this academy anyway. It¡¯s safe to say that they will receive the lowest possible score.¡± ¡°W-Wait a minute please. The scores we receive in the Forge of Struggle will also convert to our grades back at our academy...¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Then, you guys just need to hunt. What is the problem?¡± At his nonchalant response, the Empire students turned pale, but Hatan didn¡¯t seem to care as he continued to speak. ¡°And the first part of the Hunter¡¯s Night is ¡®Sea Hunting¡¯. The one who catches the strongest creature first will earn the greatest honor!¡± Hatan pointed to several boats anchored near the coast. The boats were equipped with harpoons, nets, and other miscellaneous hunting equipment. ¡°We have already prepared the boats for you. Now, get going!¡± With these words, the students from the Forge of Struggle each let out a roar before beginning to divide into groups and board the boats. On the other hand, the students from the Empire wore incredulous expressions and remained still. ¡°...Is that it?¡± Beside me, Talion spoke with a dejected voice. ¡°Without explaining how to use the boats, how to find Demonic Creatures to hunt, what to do if we find them, or anything? ¡°Why would they need to tell us that?¡± Riru, who was with me, responded with an even more incredulous voice. ¡°The quickest way to become proficient in hunting is to clash and gain firsthand experience. After all, learning from your mistakes after failure is the best way to learn.¡± ¡°So she says.¡± I chuckled and patted Talion on the shoulder, as his expression seemed to say, ¡®What kind of dogshit are you even on about?¡¯ These guys were the only ones here who could be in my team right now. After all, Eleanor, Iliya, and even Yuria and the Saintess all claimed to be busy and had forcibly excused themselves. ¡°...¡± I had no idea what they were so busy with that they were immersing themselves with their own things after coming all the way here, but... In the end, Riru and Talion were the only two that were suitable enough to go with me. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t know about Sea Hunting, it¡¯s just hunting while riding on a boat for a day. It¡¯ll be insanely fun.¡± While walking towards the boat with me, Riru grinned as she spoke. The way her pupils were practically sparkling showed that she was beyond excited. As if she felt my gaze, Riru then tilted her head before questioning me. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? ¡°Nothing. I just felt like you really belong in the Tribal Alliance.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You look happy here, compared to back at the Empire. You were literally angry 24/7.¡± ¡°...Are you tooting your own horn or something? When you¡¯re the one who brought me here?¡± Riru grumbled as such before scratching the back of her head in silence. Maybe it was just my imagination, but it kind of looked like her face had reddened just slightly. ¡°...? What.¡± When I turned towards Talion, who kept tapping at me from the side, this time, it was this bastard¡¯s eyes that were sparkling as he had his fists tightly clenched. ¡°As expected of Senior Brother.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I did feel like you had your eyes on her last time, but as expected, you immediately started your conquest to add another¡ª¡± ¡°...You¡¯ll steer the boat.¡± As punishment for speaking such nonsense, I handed him the hardest role on the boat. ¡°...I have to steer the boat for an entire day alone? It is possible, but still, it seems a bit¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any intentions of staying out for that long either. Let¡¯s catch a big one as fast as possible and return.¡± ¡°I like that. Catching a big one and returning, you say? What do you want to go for? A Kraken? A Giant Sturgeon? Or-¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t going there just to hunt, Riru.¡± ¡°...What?¡± At the bewildered Riru, I responded with a chuckle. As slightly shown before, Chapter 3¡¯s Apostle of the Reversed Sea was connected to the ¡®Existence of an Ancient Era¡¯ that was under the sea. Just as the name implied, the bastard was outrageously strong. And in order to clear the chapter without the help of a Devil.... It was also necessary for me to make contact with an existence that was fairly ¡®outside of the norm¡¯. And this was the task I had to continuously do throughout the duration of the Hunter¡¯s Night. There were things that were only possible when those Demonic Creatures were particularly strong, you see. ¡°We are going to go meet the king of this sea.¡± For now... I needed to start with the sea, the homeground of that bastard. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 91: Sea King (2) Chapter 91: Sea King (2) ? Sea King (2) ? ¡°How do I use¡ª Kyaaaak!¡± Trisha, who had just finished her shower, was fiddling with an object on the dressing table when a stream of water suddenly sprayed all over her, causing her to let out a scream. This happened because she pressed a button in the center. With her face getting trenched, some tears came out of her eyes. Due to how it looked like a simple metal rod at a first glance, she never expected water to come out of it at all. ¡°Haah, there are so many fascinating things here, but I need to figure out how to use them. But, I can¡¯t even get my head around it, you know? Iliya¡ª¡± As she turned her head while saying those words, she suddenly fell silent. On the other side, Iliya was nonchalantly drying her hair with a machine that emitted hot wind. ¡°...How are you using that thing so well?¡± ¡°I just knew how to.¡± ¡°...You just knew how...?¡± When Trisha responded with an incredulous face, Iliya nodded expressionlessly. ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Strange...¡¯ The Iliya Trisha knew was someone who was unimaginably ignorant of the ways of the world. Even when she considered the fact that the other girl had grown up in an abbey, she still found her ignorance was ridiculous sometimes. But, what about the current Iliya? ¡®Normally, at this point, she¡¯d be clinging onto me while going all ¡®Trisha help~¡¯...¡¯ With such thoughts, Trisha tilted her head. Currently, Iliya was casually using unfamiliar things that even Trisha, who was known among her circle of friends as someone who had the strongest ability to maintain her livelihood, was having difficulties with. It was to the extent that an outsider would probably believe that she had grown up with such devices due to how natural she looked when using them. ¡®Oh yeah, she has been acting a little strange lately, right...?¡¯ This friend of Trisha¡¯s had always been stated as quick-witted and sharp, but the ¡®learning ability¡¯ she had shown lately seemed to have gone beyond just that. To put it simply... It felt like Iliya could grasp anything instantly as soon as she saw it. As if her ¡®understanding¡¯ and ¡®insight¡¯ had increased considerably. Considering how she used to droop pathetically whenever she struggled to read a sentence that was even a little bit too long, the disparity was more than noticeable. It was as if she had gained a special ability. ¡°...¡± However, putting that aside... Iliya¡¯s current appearance was at a state that was impossible for Trisha to simply ignore. ¡®It seems to be getting better, but...¡¯ Not long ago, Trisha recalled that Iliya had shared her lunch with ¡®Teach¡¯ and jumped around in joy over that fact. She also mentioned something about him enjoying the lunch or whatever. However, right after the recent Friendly Duel and after she received some kind of prize, her face had been devoid of expression, as if she was contemplating about something. Just like how she looked right now. Even when considering today, when some important event called the Hunter¡¯s Night or whatever where students with excellent grades were selected, Iliya refused to participate with an utterly disinterested attitude. ¡°...Don¡¯t you think you should pay attention to your grades a bit?¡± ¡°I did well during the Friendly Duel, so missing the night of hunting or whatever it was for a day won¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°...And what if it affects you negatively on the matter of the joint practical exercise with the Holy Land next semester? That¡¯s also based on grades, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cross that bridge when I get there.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®How irresponsible.¡¯ Although, judging by the color of her emotions, it was a relief that she didn¡¯t seem that depressed, but compared to when it was completely plastered in pink, her current state definitely wasn¡¯t a good sign. It was true that Iliya originally had a tendency to go through a roller coaster of emotions whenever that man was involved, but even so, this kind of gap between her emotions was way too severe. In the end, Trisha couldn¡¯t help but speak up with a sigh. ¡°Is there something that¡¯s bothering you again?¡± ¡°...Eh? Huh? No, nono.¡± ¡°...¡± Trisha let out another sigh. This time, deeply. ¡°Iliya.¡± ¡°...Yeah?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re refusing my help because you don¡¯t want to trouble me or whatnot, I¡¯m going to get angry at you, okay?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m helping because I want to. Not because someone else told me to. Do you understand?¡± ¡°...But stiiiil...¡± Iliya pouted her lips. ¡°You know, every time I consult you about problems regarding Teach, it feels like I¡¯m troubling you and I feel sorry about it, you know...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s even more so if it¡¯s related to that person.¡± ¡°...Huh? What do you mean?¡± ¡°...He¡¯s someone that even I can¡¯t predict or understand. Personally, I find it a bit interesting.¡± From her perspective, someone who specialized in human observation, there weren¡¯t many people that were as strange as him. Since he was already involved with Iliya, Trisha thought that it wouldn¡¯t be too bad to find out more about him. ¡®...It¡¯s so faint that I can¡¯t even see it.¡¯ Although it wasn¡¯t an extreme case like Faenol, where she couldn¡¯t see her color at all, Dowd had never displayed clear enough emotions to tell what exactly he was thinking. Despite there being an entire line of girls who treated him favorably, his emotions never radiated any kind of color that signified he was ¡®fond¡¯ of them. It was as if... ¡°...He was forcibly suppressing his own feelings.¡± ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± ¡°N-No. Nothing.¡± As Iliya¡¯s eyes widened at the words that she unintentionally spoke aloud, Trisha shook her head. There was no good reason to talk about anything regarding that man¡¯s state. ¡°No, tell me a bit more in detail. Did you say Teach is purposefully suppressing his own feelings?¡± However, Iliya had already locked onto the topic. She even stopped brushing her hair, dragging her chair closer to Trisha. ¡°...U-Um...¡± At the sight of that firm attitude, Trisha could only give in. Her cheeks trembled before she continued to explain. As a matter of course, she still didn¡¯t want to talk about her ability. After all, if it was revealed that she possessed such an ability, people wouldn¡¯t be looking at her nicely. That was why she kept her explanation as vaguely as possible. ¡°I mean, like... When I see his actions, It just seems like that man thinks that something would go terribly wrong if he was discovered to have feelings for or be fond of someone.¡± ¡°You think that too, Trisha?!¡± While she touched her nape while having such thoughts, the words that came from Faenol... Still vividly remained in her brain. -Do you really think that? -... -Even though there are so many charismatic and attractive women among that man? -... Disregarding the stiffened Yuria... Faenol continued her words. -If you¡¯re confident, I won¡¯t stop you. But if you ever need help, please contact me anytime. -... -I¡¯ll be waiting. Yuria touched the pendant Faenol gave her with a gloomy expression. ¡®...No.¡¯ Dowd was not someone who would deceive her. No, he had to be so. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it. ¡°Yuria!¡± As she pondered such thoughts, the door suddenly burst open. It was Iliya, gasping for breath. ¡°A-Are you here to see Big Sis? Right now, it¡¯s her designated worship hours, so she¡¯s probably at the cathedral...¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see you, not the Saintess!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ ¡®Me?¡¯ ¡®Not Big Sis?¡¯ Although she wasn¡¯t sure about her childhood before she grasped Severer, ever since she could remember, she had always spent time alone. As such, this was the first time someone had come to find her. ¡°Uh... That... I¡¯m sorry... To think you came all this way to find someone as insignificant as me¡ª¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t the time to say those kinds of things. We have something to do together!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Something to do?¡¯ Originally, she would have just adequately refused. Even though she was wearing the Starsteel Circlet, her body was still housing one of the most powerful curses in human history. If she were to go berserk, she¡¯d certainly cause an incident or two. Moreover, didn¡¯t she just hear from Faenol that there was a powerful existence connected to her that even her older sister, the Saintess, could not regulate? ¡°How could you say such things? We¡¯re friends!¡± ¡°...¡± If only Iliya did not say something like that, then she probably would have refused as she usually did. ¡®F-Friend?¡¯ ¡®I-is it okay for her to say such a grandiose word so easily?¡¯ Yuria, who was extremely fluttered, continued her words in a stutter. ¡°D-Did we h-have... S-Such a decisive event... T-That c-could allow us to call e-each other that?¡± Her human relationships roughly included: Family-Big Sis Most Precious Person-Dowd People she was thankful for-Dame Ophelia, who provided her with a facility, and Headmistress Atalante, who welcomed her into Elfante ...It could be summarized entirely like this; Truly, the very pinnacle of minimalism. However, to think that someone like her, who could compress all her human relationships into a single hand, would be called a friend. That was too...Too... ¡°...F-Friends. Yes. Uh, ehem.¡± Sweet of a word to refuse. ¡°Uh, what... Is the thing we need to do together...?¡± ¡°We have to go save Teach together!¡± At those words, Yuria flinched. ¡®Go save him? Is he currently in some kind of danger?¡¯ ¡°Right now, he¡¯s with this person called Riru Garda, but if the Student Council President nearby sees that, a big problem could¡ª¡± Iliya definitely wasn¡¯t at fault for seeking Yuria¡¯s help. After all, she was the most skilled person among the people she knew. And whether it was intentional or not, she was a reserved person and she got along well with Dowd. However... What she failed to realize was... ¡°That person called Riru Garda.¡± Just ¡®how¡¯ good Yuria and Dowd¡¯s relationship was. ¡°Are they... A woman?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is that person a woman?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Judging from your reaction, she¡¯s a woman.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Okay. Shall we go now? Where is that person right now?¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ Iliya was sure that her intention was to ask Yuria to help her tip off Dowd, so that he wasn¡¯t caught and utterly obliterated by Eleanor. But... ¡®Why is she reacting so coldly?¡¯ ¡®...It kinda feels like I avoided an uncertain landmine, just to step on a definite landmine?¡¯ That monologue was probably far more accurate than Iliya would think. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 92: Sea King (3) Chapter 92: Sea King (3) ? Sea King (3) ? Dowd Campbell was a strange person. If someone were to ask Riru about him, she¡¯d have nothing more to say other than that. One could see how strange he was just by seeing what he was doing right now, in the middle of the sea where storms raged and massive waves splashed. ¡°Pull the side brake there. And turn the wheel to port by thirty degrees.¡± ¡°...What is a side brake?¡± ¡°You just have to press the button to the left of the helm.¡± He acted as if he had been handling Tribal Alliance ships for more than a dozen years. At first, she was running around, trying to help here and there, but now, she sat quietly with a petulant expression. ¡°...¡± Once again, she confirmed how strange of a person he was. Not only did he know about the existence of Law Power, something that only a few people in the whole Tribal Alliance could control, he could also handle the boat like a professional. The same boat that was notoriously difficult to even turn the engine on if one hadn¡¯t received formal training. The more she watched him the more she wondered if the man¡¯s ability had limit at all. And as she watched him, her mind naturally wandered to a certain question. ¡®...What part of me made that kind of guy interested? To the point that he treated me this well?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t understand his intentions. Everything he did seemed to be planned from start to finish and he made a conscious effort not to engage in meaningless actions. Nevertheless, for some reason, he... Had been treating her so well. Whether it was during her confrontation with Luca or during the emergency situation on the train. The fact that he treated her so well without any explanations made her bewildered. ¡®So annoying.¡¯ She mumbled such words deliberately, but it didn¡¯t really assist her in disliking him. Frankly, no matter how nicely one put it, Riru and Kasa Garda, people who were both chased out of the Tribal Alliance, were nothing more than a ¡®nuisance.¡¯ Although this was the case for any ruler chased out of a position of power, their position was even worse than that since the very person who chased them out with his own two hands was in the position of power now. Anyone with a brain could tell that nothing good would come out of being related to people like them. Yet, this guy... With his nonchalant attitude, he kept ¡®prioritizing¡¯ her. In the brief period of time they had spent together, she noticed that... Whenever she seemed to feel ¡®negatively¡¯ about something, he¡¯d intervene and alleviate those feelings. It was as if he couldn¡¯t stand seeing her angry. ¡°...¡± Considering all that, how could she just obstinately dislike him? Looking at the current status of Kasa and herself, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for him to evade them like a plague, but instead, he did the opposite... -Isn¡¯t he doing that because he likes you? -...Stop saying nonsense, Granny. -It¡¯s not nonsense. Men are all like that. Most of them first express their feelings by being nice without explaining anything. Suddenly, the conversation she had with Kasa came to her mind. When she found out that he had approached her while knowing about Kasa¡¯s existence, she was surprised. Adding to that surprise, he even managed to gain Kasa¡¯s recognition and became her disciple. She still didn¡¯t know how did he even manage to do that. Even so... -That¡¯s why you should respond to him properly. He¡¯s someone you have to seize no matter what. But, the most surprising thing was the fact that Kasa went to such an extent when she was talking about him. Kasa wasn¡¯t someone who¡¯d talk behind people¡¯s backs to begin with, and it was even rarer for her to acknowledge other people. After all, Kasa was a bit... Narrow-minded... No, actually, her narrow-mindedness was on an entirely different dimension compared to other people. Even Riru, someone who could reduce the students, who were considered the cream of the crop in the Empire, to pulp as long as she could land her punches on them, was only considered as a brawler who had ¡®barely passed the level of a novice¡¯ by Kasa. -Seize? What does that mean? -Your face is passably decent... Do whatever you need, at any and all costs, to seize a spot besides him. He¡¯s someone worth that much effort. -...You know... I get that he¡¯s a bit strange, but... ¡®Was this really something she should be saying to her own granddaughter?¡¯ She remembered back then she grasped her forehead while giving a response that was filled with such perplexion. -I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s as great as what you¡¯re saying, Granny. Perhaps, a hint of resentment and jealousy were mixed in that response as well. -You told me that I had only barely passed the level of a novice or whatever and I understand that. But, why did you accept him when he merely claimed that he¡¯d reach the peak of your style in the span of ten days? The main reason why she trained everyday, from morning to afternoon, suffering while doing so, was because she wished to perfect the Fighting Arts, ¡®Stance,¡¯ that Kasa failed to reach. It was the technique of the Chieftain known as the Fist Saint, the strongest brawler of them all. The compilation of movements that she accumulated for the majority of her life. A style that could be considered as Kasa¡¯s own life. The collection of all her struggles, efforts and accomplishments. And there was only one final step remaining before it could be perfected. At the very least, that was the case from Riru¡¯s perspective. For Kasa though, she always said in self-deprecation that this one step was a wall that was far taller than anything she had accomplished throughout her life. -Indeed, I accepted him. -... And that was also the reason why Riru couldn¡¯t understand the reason behind her actions. After all, it was something that Kasa herself claimed that it was difficult to attain. For her to agree to such an unreasonable demand from a dummy who didn¡¯t even recognize the F in Fighting Arts, Riru simply couldn¡¯t get her head around it. -That guy, he doesn¡¯t know anything; Breathing techniques, flow, form, poomsae1In Korean, it¡¯s a sequence of Taekwondo techniques! So basically, it¡¯s a sequence of techniques, or combinations, that you learn/memorize in order to earn your ¡°belt¡± or proficiency., he doesn¡¯t know anything. Why are you entrusting your lifelong dream of reaching the pinnacle off Fight Arts to someone like¡ª -That¡¯s not what¡¯s important, Riru. However, Kasa dismissed her question with just a single sentence. But, there was nothing there. Nothing at all. ¡°...How strange. During the Hunter¡¯s Night, there should at least be something swarming around. Why is there nothing?¡± He was right. Normally, during this period of time, the Demonic Creatures would become more active than usual. It was normal for small to medium-sized Demonic Creatures to occasionally pop out. However... Right now, there was nothing. It was as if someone swept them all away beforehand. ¡°That foolish face of yours looks amusing. Did you come here to find some prey?¡± That remark came so suddenly, prompting the gazes of everyone on the boat to simultaneously turn towards the direction of that voice. There was a formation made up of several boats. Standing at the head, a man with an enormous figure and a suspicious smile approached. Riru recognized the face. ¡°...¡± Krun Ger-Do. The successor for the War Chief of a tribe that respected the Blue Boar of Ger-Do Plateau. They were bastards who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to jump into major crimes like drugs or human trafficking. She remembered how Kasa had rebuffed and denounced them often. Due to this, they were the most uncooperative and nitpicky bastards for the Garda clan. Moreover, now that her status was that of an exile, there was no doubt that they would be even more ruthless in their evil conducts. ¡°It seems that even Demonic Creatures can detect the scent of an exile incredibly well. Seeing as how nothing is around you, you bitch.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Such bullshit.¡¯ His deceptive mockery was utterly meaningless. It meant jack. This was probably a scheme that was initiated to ensure that Riru received low scores during the Hunter¡¯s Night. Given how petty these bastards could be, this much was practically a given. ¡°...Let¡¯s go somewhere else. There¡¯s no reason to face these guys.¡± Saying that, she swiftly turned away from him. Usually, she would¡¯ve obliterated his jaw right there and then. However, she would only lose if she went against them right now. The bastard was a candidate to be the next War Chief. Within the Tribal Alliance, an exile like her couldn¡¯t even compare to him when it came to position and authority. Right now, those who were on that ship were the best warriors of his tribe, the warriors who¡¯d be chosen to be personal escorts of a War Chief. Prioritizing her own emotion to fight them here would only make her a nuisance to the guys who were with her. ¡°Are you running away? THE Riru Garda? Ha, HAHA!¡± ¡°...¡± Riru let out a sigh. Trying to disperse her wrath with that sigh. In any case, she realized that the best thing she could do was to just back down. Although she was someone who wasn¡¯t used to suppressing her anger, she was able to come to that conclusion at least. ¡°As expected of the bitch who couldn¡¯t even protect her own clan! You¡¯re no better than a bug!¡± That would¡¯ve been the outcome, if the other guy didn¡¯t say such words. Riru¡¯s movements came to an abrupt halt. Rage surged within her. It burned, turning her mind blank. The feeling bubbled up from deep within her chest. After taking a deep breath and calming her thoughts for a moment, she spoke once again. ¡°...What did you just say?¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t understand what you were thinking when you decided to you set your feet on the Tribal Alliance¡¯s land once again, but you really fuck off before you show an even more pathetic display. There¡¯s no tribe that will welcome a traitorous bitch like¡ª¡± In the middle of his speech, Krun suddenly collapsed just like that. It was probably because someone had violently flipped his chin over with a hook. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t talk so carelessly just because you have a fat and pierced mouth.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Unless you don¡¯t value your life.¡± With a dazed expression, Riru blankly watched Dowd, who had somehow crossed over to Krun¡¯s boat before delivering a punch to his jaw. ¡®...Again...!¡¯ ¡®This guy is doing this kind of shit again.¡¯ ¡®Why? Why does he keep doing this?¡¯ ¡®Whenever she tried to hold it in... Whenever she barely held it in to avoid being a nuisance... He got angry in her place, as if to tell her she didn¡¯t need to make such an effort. How could he do something like this to a bastard who wasn¡¯t even worth fighting with, even at a quick glance...! -Isn¡¯t he doing that because he likes you? ¡® ...So.¡¯ Riru thought to herself. There was no way. What reason would he have to ever like someone like her? If it was a man with this much ability, he would probably think he would be better off with another girl instead of her. It was utter nonsense to think that he wanted her. -It¡¯s not nonsense. Men are all like that. Most of them first express their feelings by being nice without explaining anything. However... Kasa¡¯s words continued to circle inside her mind. -Let¡¯s see if that¡¯s going to happen or not. Whether you completely fall for that nobody, according to you, or not. ¡®There¡¯s absolutely no way! It¡¯s never going to happen!¡¯ She repeated those words to herself. But... ¡°...¡± If someone were to ask her if she really meant to say those words... She wouldn¡¯t be able to give them an affirmation. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls 1 In Korean, it¡¯s a sequence of Taekwondo techniques! So basically, it¡¯s a sequence of techniques, or combinations, that you learn/memorize in order to earn your ¡°belt¡± or proficiency. Chapter 93: Sea King (4) Chapter 93: Sea King (4) ? Sea King (4) ? [...I wonder if it¡¯s necessary to go that far?] Hearing the answer that came from the other side of the communication screen, Tatiana bit her lip. Originally, she had absolutely no intention to seek help from the Prophet. After all, even though the Prophet had ordered her to kill that man, she hadn¡¯t offered any items for her to use. However, considering the power she had experienced not too long ago... With just her current power, it was too much for her to handle. [Shouldn¡¯t it be enough to just call the Chieftain for now? You even want to use that artifact?] ¡°...Judging from the circumstances, the time axis has been twisted once.¡± Tatiana barely managed to let out a reply. She could feel her mouth going dry. ¡°Even among the Rulers of Hell, only the most powerful existences can cause such an unbelievable event. There is no doubt that this had happened because of the Grey Devil¡¯s Fragment.¡± She had known for a while that the Grey Devil slumbered within Lady Tristan, but she had never expected her to use her power so... ¡¯Devotedly¡¯ for that man. However... [Hm...Who knows. It¡¯s probably not like what you¡¯re thinking.] But, the Prophet¡¯s response was completely different from what she expected. ¡°...Excuse me?¡± [It probably didn¡¯t come out just to help that man. If the time axis only got twisted, that meant the Devil didn¡¯t descend with its true form.] Tatiana blinked. ¡°...What... Does that mean?¡± [If the Grey Devil¡¯s true form had directly descended, things wouldn¡¯t have ended with just the time axis getting twisted. That means, what happened back then was just the Vessel going berserk. Am I wrong?] ¡°...¡± Tatiana was at a loss for words. After all... Even after such a phenomenon had occurred, this woman had merely dismissed it as ¡®nothing¡¯ compared to when a Devil¡¯s true form manifests. [And, if a Vessel goes berserk... He would definitely not be pleased about it. No matter how much unconditional love he gets from the villains, his constitution wouldn¡¯t be of a help to him if the Vessel was filled to the brim with malice.] Unfathomable explanations continued to pour out. Of course, it was only a matter of course. When it came to understanding Devils, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that the Prophet was the most knowledgeable person among all the humans in the Material Realm. ¡°...Does that mean... There isn¡¯t any reason to worry...?¡± [Well, more or less~ That man won¡¯t intentionally make a Vessel go berserk just to use their power. Though, I guess it won¡¯t hurt to give it to you. If that man dies this time as well, it¡¯ll be a little troublesome for me.] ¡°...?¡± Tatiana looked at the Prophet, as if doubting what she had just heard. ¡°...Did you just say ¡®this time as well¡¯?¡± [Yep.] The Prophet let out a giggle before answering. [That man... A Devil did something terrible to him a while ago. And he died because of it.] ¡°...?¡± ¡®Aren¡¯t the person we¡¯re talking about currently living well right now?¡¯ Such a thought crossed Tataiana¡¯s mind, but the Prophet continued on as if it was nothing significant. [If it happens again, I¡¯ll get a little sad, you know~] Tatiana¡¯s eyes widened. After all... Within that answer... There were countless complex emotions mixed inside. Has this woman, someone who had always adopted an inhumanly nonchalant attitude persona, ever revealed this much emotion before? From remorse, sadness, anger, irritation, and most of all... Regret. It was as if this woman, who always seemed like they knew everything in advance...This woman, who detested any variables that were added to their decisions... There was something that even she couldn¡¯t do anything about. Shocked by this revelation, Tatiana widened her eyes even further and stiffened, before suddenly realizing something odd. ¡°...But, Prophet. Didn¡¯t you order me to kill that man?¡± [Right, I did that, didn¡¯t I?] ¡°Then, why¡ª¡± ¡®Why are you acting as if you don¡¯t want to see his death?¡¯ ¡®Didn¡¯t you tell me that you had thrown an ordeal that could legitimately kill that man?¡¯ Just as Tatiana tried to question her with such doubts... [That guy is like a spring.] The Prophet gave her a strange response.. ¡°...Excuse me?¡± [The more intense the pressure he receives, his power springs up several fold of that very intensity. He¡¯s basically a guy who grows faster the more he is under the threat of death.] ¡°...¡± [He¡¯ll probably grow more, as much as you try to kill him. If you succeed in killing him, then... Well, it means it was fated to be a ¡®failure¡¯ this time as well. Or something like that, I guess.] ¡®Failure? What is she even talking about?¡¯ Tatiana¡¯s expression stiffened. After all, the Prophet¡¯s attitude right now felt inexplicably out of place. ¡°...Prophet.¡± [Yeah?] ¡°I apologize for my rudeness. But, I have one question.¡± Right now, this woman¡¯s words and actions seemed as if... ¡°All of your actions and goals seem to be aimed at ¡®making that man stronger¡ª-¡¯¡± [You know.] Tatiana immediately shut her mouth. Cold sweat dripped down. She could feel the emanating chill coming from the Prophet¡¯s voice. [Let¡¯s stop it at that, okay?] ¡°...¡± Tatiana bowed her head without a word. She could earnestly feel the pressure that signified she was stepping on the line. To the point that she could feel that this topic was undoubtedly the Prophet¡¯s ¡®reverse scale¡¯. Fortunately, the Prophet, who saw that she had shut her mouth, immediately returned to her usual light-hearted voice. [Well, anyway.] With a sulky face, Riru continued. ¡°...What are you planning to do with this guy?¡± I had placed all the guys whose equipment had been looted on the boat. I was going to send them back to the docks. All of them except for one guy whom I tied up tightly with a rope. It was the guy who badmouthed Riru out of nowhere. ¡°I¡¯ll use him as a sacrifice, of course.¡± Since I wasn¡¯t able to find a sacrifice until now, this was simply perfect. Just like how you had to use your gums if you didn¡¯t have teeth, I had to at least use this guy if there wasn¡¯t a suitable Demonic Creature. ¡°...Sacrifice?¡± Riru narrowed her eyes as she scrutinized the tied-up pig. His state did look a bit odd, to say the least. To put it into words... ¡°...It kinda looks like bait being hung on a fishing rod, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Talion¡¯s comment made me chuckle. Since it was much more accurate than I thought. ¡°You did mention that you needed a...sacrifice... But is there a situation where we need a human-sized one...?¡± ¡°Of course there is.¡± After saying those words, I gave Talion a command. We held the guy at both ends. ¡°Throw it as far as you can on the count of three. One, two, three.¡± Following this, the body flew into the air, drawing an arc. Perhaps it was because Talion and I threw it with all our strength; that enormous figure turned into the size of a fist rather quickly. I could hear the sound of someone falling into the sea with a splash, before being followed by a scream. He had been sprawled unconscious all this time and seemed to have only regained consciousness after falling into the water. While ignoring the guy¡¯s sputtering screams, I glanced at my watch. ¡®It¡¯s not too late.¡¯ The creature was quite the rare bastard. Even within the game, it was notorious for needing to match all sorts of conditions in order to meet it. If I were to wait at this exact place while holding a similar-sized ¡®sacrifice,¡¯ during this specific time on the Hunter¡¯s Night... There was a creature that would come out to eat it. A very, very terrifying creature. As I recalled that information, I controlled the ¡®fishing rod¡¯ connected to the fat pig¡¯s rope. I dipped it into the water, then pulled it out, then dipped it into the water, and pulled it out again. To make it look like a tempting prey, I moved it in a rather flashy way. ¡°Uu, uphew, y-you, s-son of bitches! What the hell is this! I am Krun Ger-Do! The successor of a War Chief!¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°The fuck do you mean ¡®I see¡¯? Pull me out immediately! If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll pay a harsh¡ª!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°...¡± As Riru watched me indifferently handle that guy, she sighed and intervened. ¡°In any case, you still need to be careful. Even if he doesn¡¯t look like much, like he said, he¡¯s still a War Chief¡¯s successor. The Tribal Alliance won¡¯t stand still, you know?¡± ¡°Let them do as they please.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°In any case, as long as they went out of their way to provoke you, that meant they were picking a fight with me as well. So, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°...¡± And hearing that... Riru closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. Her body language seemed to be pondering why this guy spoke this type of shit as naturally as breathing. ¡°...Why is that such a natural conclusion.¡± Riru responded with a weak voice, but it was hard for me to focus on that at the moment. You see, that thing was about to ¡®take the bait.¡¯ ¡°...The wind... Stopped.¡± Talion was the first to notice. The storm that had been raging around us had come to a halt. The waves that had been surging in the sea also subsided. It was like the calm before the storm. ¡°...¡± Come to think of it, that was a terrifyingly fitting description. After all, there was no word that would suit the existence, which would now reveal itself, better than ¡®storm¡¯. ¡°Hold on tight.¡± I spoke to Talion and Riru, who were looking around quizzically. ¡°Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to keep your balance.¡± Following that... Right in front of me, where Krun was... ¡®Something¡¯ was gradually revealing itself. First came the enormous horns. When Riru saw the two horns on top of its head, she stiffened, as if she had realized something. Since it was her, she probably knew it already. Exactly what this existence was. ¡°You.¡± Riru¡¯s voice was trembling as she spoke. ¡°...Didn¡¯t you clearly say that we were meeting an indigenous being?¡± ¡°It is an indigenous being.¡± ¡°That?!¡± I chuckled at the screaming Riru. Well, strictly speaking... Since it had continued to occupy this vicinity and lived here for a long time, you could classify an indigenous organism. It was just a bit much to call it a ¡®Demonic Creature¡¯...Since its ¡®level¡¯ was way too high. After the horns, its figure revealed a body covered in scales. Whiskers. And, unmistakable even from so far away... A ¡®Dragon Heart¡¯ pulsating from its chest. Sea Serpent. Though it was said to be a distant collateral line, it still belonged within the Dragon race, which was classified as one of the strongest Demonic Creatures in this world. And that very monster had revealed itself right in front of us. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 94: Sea King (5) Chapter 94: Sea King (5) ? Sea King (5) ? ¡°H-Hieeeek-!¡± Even from a distance, I could hear Krun¡¯s horrified voice as he floated there as a sacrifice. At least during this moment, I had no thoughts of shitting on him for being a coward. After all, even Talion and Riru had their mouths wide open and didn¡¯t seem to intend to close them anytime soon after seeing the existence right before their eyes. ¡°...Is that a dragon? From the Myths of Creation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called a Sea Serpent, but strictly speaking, it¡¯s not that kind of dragon.¡± In the world of Sera, dragons were not such... ¡®Insignificant¡¯ creatures. They played a role in maintaining the entire world, so even in the game, they wouldn¡¯t reveal themselves unless it was truly a special case. Of course... That did not mean that the Sea Serpent was an easy opponent. At the very least, in terms of specs related to ¡®combat power¡¯, although they were inferior compared to the real deal, they were still at a level where they could proudly call themselves as part of the dragon race. Just looking at what followed proved that. System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ A powerful adversary that can potentially become hostile is observing you. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to A-Grade. ] ¡ª!!!! As soon as the Sea Serpent, which had revealed its gigantic figure, opened its mouth and let out a roar, an ear-shattering shockwave spread through the surroundings, as if tearing the air itself apart. The roar contained a ¡®wave¡¯ terrifying enough that Talion and Riru covered their ears in horror and collapsed beside me. ¡°Fuck¡ª This¡ª Just from this roar alone¡ª!¡± Such words trickled through Riru¡¯s clenched teeth. Beyond a certain grade, a Demonic Creature¡¯s roar would possess a special effect; Before entering combat, it would cut down the opponent¡¯s stats. Considering that this roar was something that came from an existence that was a part of the dragon race... System Message [ Physical Defense decreased! ] [ Magic Resistance decreased! ] [ You instinctively feel fear due to the difference in status. Physical movement becomes sluggish! ] I guess it was safe to say that it was more a curse skill than just a roar. Your average mages would need to spend several tens of minutes to barely cast a debuff at this level, but this fucker just needed to scream to do it. ¡®...Wait, isn¡¯t it actually a curse?¡¯ In the game, a dragon¡¯s roar was classified as a curse. Fortunately.... Since they classified it as such, I had a skill that could reasonably counter it.. [ Skill Info ] Skill: Conquest of the Devil ½µÄ§ Grade: Unique Description: Those who have faced curses for a long time naturally become familiar with ways to resist them. [ ¡ô Opens the VS. Curse Related Stat, ¡®Devil Conquest¡¯. ] This was what I was talking about. The thing I ripped off Yuria. System Message [ Rolling ¡®Devil Conquest¡¯ Stat... ] [ Resistance successful. You will not be affected by any negative effects! ] There you go. Jackpot! While Riru and Talion were still lying on the ground, gasping for breath, I was able to move without trouble. So, I activated the emergency safety device of the boat. A blue force field was generated near the boat. The roar that had been echoing in our ears was blocked, allowing those two to stand up, barely. ¡°...How can you move so freely after facing that kind of existence¡ª?!¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve been training hard lately.¡± ¡°...¡± What I got from her as a reply was a gaze that said, ¡®That isn¡¯t something that someone who became half-dead just from a little bit of running should say!¡¯ I was telling the truth, though. This was the result of my advance planning. If I didn¡¯t rip off the ¡®Devil Conquest¡¯ stat in advance, I would¡¯ve been paralyzed like those two. ¡°...That aside, what are we going to do about that guy?¡± Talion said as he pointed toward the limp Krun, who was a distance away from our boat. It seemed like the roar made him faint since he hadn¡¯t been moving for a while now. ¡°Mm.¡± I nodded my head before yanking back the fishing rod connected to him. As Desperation A-Grade was applied to my stat, it was not difficult at all to fling the pig into the air if I used all my strength. After drawing a large arc, he flew way past the back of the boat before falling into the sea with a splash. Alright, with that, the dude would have a lesser chance to be killed by the Sea Serpent. ¡°...Is that enough?¡± ¡°People won¡¯t die just from hearing someone¡¯s yell.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He might be traumatized, though.¡± I mean, he just needed to float around the water to survive from now on. Since he was a successor of a War Chief, he should have at least one item that could prevent him from drowning, right? Whatever state he was in, as long as he didn¡¯t die, we were all good. ¡°As expected of Senior Brother. You¡¯re merciless for someone who has the same gender as you.¡± ¡°...Are you trying to say that I¡¯d treat a woman differently?¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± ¡°...¡± Shush. ¡°If you guys have time for small talk, think about how to immediately get out of here instead!¡± Seeing us bicker, Riru whispered quietly. She seemed to have no intention of needlessly provoking the existence in front of us. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention to attack us yet.¡± Indeed. The Sea Serpent, whose sacrifice had disappeared right before its eyes, was alternately looking at where the sacrifice had been and at us while blinking its large eyes. I felt a bit sorry for Riru, who made such an assumption, but... ¡°We can¡¯t win!¡± ¡°...¡± I continued to speak to the dazed Riru. ¡°In the first place, how could we win against something like that? It¡¯s a dragon! We can¡¯t win even in a million years!¡± ¡°...Then why did you pick a fight with it in the first place, you crazy motherfucker¡ª!¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s necessary!¡± No matter what the situation was, I loved to plan things up from the very start in a step-to-step manner. Bringing Talion along to the Tribal Alliance was to use him for this very moment and extracting the Devil Conquest stat from Yuria was also to make good use of it now and for later. And, as for what I was trying to do to the Sea Serpent... I wasn¡¯t trying to fight it, but... How should I put this... I was going to leave an ¡®Imprint¡¯ on it. So that it would make a ¡®specific reaction¡¯ whenever it saw me. And... Such groundwork would undoubtedly be of crucial help later on. Specifically, at the . ¡°That¡¯s great and all, but if we continue like this, we¡¯ll be wiped out! We at least need a way to fight back¡ª!¡± ¡°Of course there¡¯s a way!¡± Saying that, I pounded on the cockpit door. ¡°Talion! Slow down!¡± ¡°What?! If we slow down now, the boat will immediately cap¡ª!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, just hurry up!¡± ¡°...Seriously, I don¡¯t care anymore!¡± After that scream, he made the boat slow down. Almost immediately, it became exposed to the enormous tsunami and swayed violently. However, that gave Riru and I a very brief chance to move. ¡°Heup!¡± When that moment came... I grabbed Riru and jumped to the top of the boat. Since the boat had a mast, when I came up all the way here with a single bound, the altitude itself felt different. It was to the point that I could feel the anger filled within the Sea Serpent¡¯s pupils. Seeing us, the Sea Serpent lifted its foreleg. It seemed to be intending to strike us down on the spot. If that strike actually connected, forget about us, the entire boat would be smashed to pieces. That was why, at this moment, I should... ¡°Riru.¡± ¡°What?! If we don¡¯t move quickly, we¡¯ll get screwed by that¡ª-¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± ...Adjust Riru¡¯s position. I gently put her down behind me and finely adjusted her position. So that... It appeared as if I was covering this person with my body to ¡®protect her¡¯. And then, I embraced her deeply. In order to make us look like lovers. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Riru spoke with a voice that sounded like she was holding back, even as she reached her limits. ¡°...What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m devising a way to fight the Sea Serpent.¡± ¡°...This?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I confidently replied to Riru¡¯s soulless voice. ¡°...¡± Obviously, my words sounded like absolute nonsense on the surface... But this was the only way to get out of my current ¡®situation¡¯. While the Sea Serpent was important... ¡®Something¡¯ that would come after was also as important. I sneakily opened the system window. And I read through the ¡®logs¡¯ written there. System Log [ An emergency event may occur soon! ] ¡®...If someone is subjected to something multiple times, they¡¯d gain the ability to learn from it.¡¯ What I had realized over the past few days was that the obsession of the Devils was much greater than I thought. Even Eleanor, who was generally mild and gentle when it came to matters regarding myself, went berserk after a few situations were blown out of proportion, causing it to go awry. In other words.... By now, even without anyone teaching me, I had learned through my experiences that ¡®something¡¯ that was more sensitive about my ¡®relationships¡¯ than Eleanor would arrive about now. With that thought in mind, I naturally took out one of my countermeasures. Seeing this, Riru forgot about the situation for a brief moment and blinked her eyes in a daze. ¡°...What¡¯s with the mask all of a sudden?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t wear it, I¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Seriously. Without it, I¡¯m fucked.¡± Because a certain someone was coming. Even when compared to the Sea Serpent, it was someone that could cause phenomena close to natural disasters.... That someone was dozens, no, hundreds of times more terrifying. And as I had such thoughts... ¨C!!!!!!!! Someone, filled with rage from head to toe, swung a ¡®white sword strike¡¯... And it split the Sea Serpent¡¯s forelegs, which were about to descend upon us, in two with just one blow. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 95: Gaslighting (1) Chapter 95: Gaslighting (1) ? Gaslighting (1) ? Blue body fluid splattered in all directions. Inside my arms, I could see Riru with her mouth agape. It was understandable, after all, the same being that she and Talion desperately tried to run away from had suffered such a fatal wound from just a single strike. ¡°...¡± I turned around while making sure my mask was still on. Beyond the tsunami, I could see a boat skipping across the water, approaching us from a distance. At the forefront was Yuria, Severer drawn in her hand. ¡°Heup!¡± First thing first. The loot. I caught the Sea Serpent¡¯s severed foreleg that had begun to fall down after that one blow. ¡®Gottem.¡¯ A dragon¡¯s body was an equivalent to a treasure chest. All parts of its body could be used in a variety of ways. The materials I had collected so far would undoubtedly come in handy at some point. ¡®...That aside...¡¯ ¡®Sheesh, it really only took her a single strike...¡¯ Most weapons wouldn¡¯t even scratch its scales. Too bad it had to face a monster who was able to slice through an Automaton made of Starsteel with a single strike, well under the condition that her target was within her range. Unless it was a real dragon, there was no way something at the level of that Sea Serpent could deal with such an attack. This outcome came with a problem though... Just look at the space between Yuria and the Sea Serpent she just fucked over. Even at a glance, no way in hell that they were only three steps apart. ¡®...Seriously, what the fuck?¡¯ ¡®How did she become so strong?¡¯ System Message [ Corruption Value of target ¡®Yuria¡¯ has exceeded 90%! ] [ Due to the influence of the ¡®White Devil¡¯ imbued in the item ¡®Severer¡¯, the curse on target ¡®Yuria¡¯ has become even stronger! ] ¡°...¡± ¡®Huh? There was that kind of effect? First time I¡¯ve ever heard about it...¡¯ Imagine if I hadn¡¯t given her the Starsteel Circlet to remove the side effect where she¡¯d indiscriminately slash anyone in her sight... Something horribly wrong might have happened long ago... ¡®...Still, the fortunate part is...¡¯ With this kind of power, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to engrave the ¡®Imprint¡¯ on the Sea Serpent as I originally intended. Even in the game, certain Demonic Creatures, to be exact, those powerful enough to receive special treatment, could be engraved with special Imprints through battles. Using said Imprints, one could partially release a set of ¡®interactions.¡¯ Those interactions included taming them as mounts, summoning them during battles or receiving special items from them. In the Sea Serpent¡¯s case, the Imprint made it harbor an intense sense of ¡®wrath¡¯ towards the opponent who inflicted severe injuries upon it. -!!!! The Sea Serpent¡¯s eyes flashed with rage as it turned towards Yuria. Although one of its forelegs was severed, the bastard was technically still a dragon. It still possessed a tremendous combat po¡ª ¡°Know your place.¡± the distance, I could hear Yuria coldly recite such words. -! Another white sword strike followed. This time, its remaining foreleg flew away. The Sea Serpent screamed in agony as it writhed. -!! Then, she took another swing. A part of the Water Dragon¡¯s body was sliced off. -!!! Another swing. It was one of its legs this time. -!!!! Another swing. A part of its tail. ¡°...¡± At this point, Talion and Riru¡¯s expressions changed into something that went beyond astonishment. Again, it was understandable, since that woman was... Turning the Water Dragon¡¯s body into minced meat with every swing of her sword. ¡°...Am I dreaming right now? A dragon is being mutilated and hacked apart by a single human?¡± ¡°Even the Dragon Slayer from the legends couldn¡¯t toy with them this easily...¡± And, for once... ¡°...I agree.¡± I wasn¡¯t free from such a reaction. While I had expected some kind of stat enhancements due to the Devil¡¯s influence... As such, she was reacting this way because she knew that the question I had the audacity to raise was even more insane than playing with fire inside a powder keg. But even so... ¡°...¡± Though I did not have zero experience with love, this was the conclusion I had reached after racking my brain again and again. It would actually make my life easier if I displayed this kind of attitude at least once. Relationships were always a two-way street, not a one-way alley. In other words... No matter how lopsided the relationship between a Devil and a human was... As long as ¡®she¡¯ loved ¡®me¡¯... She wasn¡¯t the only one holding a dagger in her hands. System Message [ Effect of Title ¡®Playboy¡¯ is displayed! ] [ Revisions are attached to your actions! ] ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever asked for your help. Right?¡± As soon as she heard my cold voice, Yuria¡¯s body visibly froze stiff. The atmosphere was even colder than I had intended it to be. This was probably the first time she had seen this side of me. Although there may be varying levels of intensity, the behavior I had displayed whenever I had met her so far was mostly consistent goodwill. No matter what she did, I accepted her with open arms, I did everything she wanted, and I even played with her often. To put it simply, it was the first time she had seen my current appearance; Me who was seething with ¡®anger.¡¯ ¡°...No, wait, no, that¡¯s not important. In the first place¡ª¡± Yuria stammered as she opened her mouth with difficulty. She probably wished to argue what was important to her right now; Why was I with another woman, once again, without telling her? However... ¡°It¡¯s important to me, though?¡± Before she could do that, I cut her off completely. It was important to finely manipulate the atmosphere. Getting too angry would bring the opposite effect of what I intended. I could never forget the ¡®difference in weight class¡¯ between us. She was a Devil that could send my head flying if I made just the slightest mistake. Any violent or aggressive expressions that could shatter the relationship itself was strictly prohibited. Since that would instantly lead to death. However... Establishing a sense of urgency or danger that the relationship could potentially be ¡®warped¡¯ was more than possible. ¡°Just now, I was trying to handle that Sea Serpent according to my plan and without your help. It was going well and if you hadn¡¯t intervened, I could have achieved the results I wanted.¡± Obviously, that was a load of bullshit. Without Yuria, I would most likely have died. However, now was the time to foster perception. Something along the lines of: Because of ¡®your mistake¡¯, ¡®I¡¯ suffered damage. ¡°...N-No, r-rather than that, right now, why is Mister Dowd¡ª¡± ¡°Even in this situation, you are still acting so selfishly.¡± As the slightly discouraged Yuria started to speak, I cut her off with an even colder voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that the Sea Serpent was important to me?¡± Yuria¡¯s body flinched. She hunched up even further, even going as far as taking a step back. The wrath that filled her pupils turned faint. ¡°...¡± Even if it was a relationship between a Devil and a human... The most fundamental parts remained the same. I don¡¯t want to disappoint the person I like. I don¡¯t want to be abandoned by that person. In other words, at this moment... She was scared. This woman, who had not moved an inch while mutilating a dragon with a few swings of her sword, was terrified just because of a few of my words. Just because of the possibility that our relationship would go awry. And because of my attitude, which was much colder than usual. ¡°...¡± Even as I spoke, my heart was aching. I was already scared of the words Caliban would throw my way. However, even so... ¡°You know...¡± For my future, I had to shut my eyes and say this shit properly. ¡°For the first time, I¡¯m a little disappointed in you.¡± Yuria¡¯s eyes began to shake like crazy. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 96: Gaslighting (2) Chapter 96: Gaslighting (2) ? Gaslighting (2) ? Reflecting back, Dowd had always been like sunshine to Yuria. Despite almost having a horrifying experience from the very first time they met, he had never avoided her. Instead, he was the one who had always approached her first. Excluding her older sister, he was the only one who knew about her condition. Despite that, he still offered his company and assistance. He was the only one who provided her a bridge to the world, allowing her to interact with others and live as she did now. He enveloped her dark and damp world with warm sunshine. However... That very same person.... ¡°For the first time, I¡¯m a little disappointed in you.¡± While emitting an atmosphere as cold as ice, he articulated each word, as if driving it home. Such a sentence flew like a knife, stabbing deep into her heart. As if she had actually been physically beaten, Yuria couldn¡¯t help but backpedal a few steps. Without realizing, she clutched her chest tightly. ¡°...¡± It hurt. In the beginning, she had definitely come here in anger. Even until just a while ago, a ¡®voice¡¯ kept echoing in her head, whispering how she needed to do something to this man, who continued to meet other women. But now... Such things weren¡¯t important. Her hands were trembling. Tears welled up in the corner of her eyes. She lost strength in her legs. Chills ran down her entire body. She was scared. In case...Just in case.... This man... Would become disappointed in her and never look her way again... ¡°...¡± It was just her anxiety taking over at the moment. But even so.... The mere ¡®chance¡¯ that such a thing could happen... It was unbearable. ¡°U-Um, so...¡± She opened her mouth with great difficulty, as her trembling voice trickled out. An excuse. She had to at least make some kind of an excuse. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t t-trying to do that, I-I w-was...¡± She desperately tried to force her voice out, in hopes he would have his fury relieved, even if it was just by a little. However, before she could even finish her sentence... ¡°I didn¡¯t say this to hear your excuses.¡± A stern voice cut her off. She flinched so hard, as if she was struck by a lightning bolt. Her movements stiff, barely managed to raise her head as she met Dowd¡¯s eyes. The usual warmth lingering in his eyes was nowhere to be found. In its place was a piercing gaze overflowing with ire, as if he was looking at a mortal enemy. Even through the mask he wore, it felt heartbreakingly clear. At the sight of his cold wrath, she spoke out of reflex. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry...¡± Yuria sniffled as she fell to her knees; Her legs had completely given out. ¡°I r-really w-wasn¡¯t t-trying t-to do that, I-I, s-so-¡± She never had any intention to harm this man. It was...just... Her greediness overflowed a little. Only love me. You said I was precious to you. You said I was the most important to you. Even while deceiving other women, you said our love, our bond, was the truest one. So, prove it to me. Tell me I¡¯m the most dear to you. All she did was project such a desire to this man, ¡°I-I promise I w-won¡¯t d-do that f-from now on, from n-now on, I-I¡¯m really s-sorry, I¡¯m s-sorry, so p-please-¡± Please don¡¯t look at me with such eyes. Please treat me warmly like before. Please. Please don¡¯t abandon me. I¡¯ll do anything. I... I can¡¯t live without you. ¡°...Then, can you promise me?¡± And right as her mind spiraled deep into the abyss, such words shined down on her. Unlike before, at the very least, she couldn¡¯t feel the coldness in his voice. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done it on purpose anyway.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°However, I don¡¯t want this to happen again in the future, so for the time being, I want some space.¡± ¡°...!¡± Yuria¡¯s expression turned into one of desperation. No wait, but, if he did this... Her anxiety rose, perhaps because she felt that she and this man could start growing apart from¡ª ¡°Yuria.¡± Before she could even continue her thoughts... Dowd¡¯s hand grazed the collar she always had fastened on her neck. To be more precise, he touched what was tied there; A handkerchief engraved with the crest of the Campbell Viscounty. It was the present he had given her before, as a ¡®token of promise¡¯. She could feel his warmth. Yuria instinctively reached out with both hands to tightly grasp Dowd¡¯s. As if this tiny bit of warmth would disappear at any moment if she didn¡¯t do so. ¡°B-But, But¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make a promise too.¡± Her sobs were covered by Dowd¡¯s voice. ¡°If you keep your promise, I, too, will never disappoint you again.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Yuria.¡± System Message [ Due to the actions taken against ¡®Yuria¡¯, a subsequent event will be triggered! ] [ Related event for ¡®Faenol¡¯ will be generated! ] < Gift-Related Character Alert > ¨‹ Faenol Lipek [ No Favorability Level ] [ Related Event Occurs in D-2 ] Hm. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like one of those events that were an express train to death. You know, like how it was for Yuria and Eleanor, when the favorability levels skyrocketed nonstop, as if it was an 8-ton truck that lost its fucking brakes. In the end, it was my fate to meet her as well. Though, I had tried my best to avoid her so far. Faenol ¡®Deathwish¡¯ Lipek. The main character of Chapter 4, ¡®Crimson Night¡¯. Ranked first as the character most commonly chosen by Sera users as a ¡®character that could blow up the entire fucking game in your face if encountered recklessly¡¯. She had quite a few similarities with Yuria. Moreover, among all the characters that made an appearance, like Yuria, she held the position of a ¡®Chapter Final Boss¡¯. There was also a high probability that she was one of the ¡®Devil¡¯s Vessels¡¯ as well. However... When simply considering the danger she possessed, hers far surpassed Yuria. Merely encountering her would be enough to make me scared for my life. ¡®...If it¡¯s in two days, then...¡¯ It was when the second phase of the Hunter¡¯s Night, ¡®Volcano Zone¡¯, began. Similar to how I bitchslapped the Fear Imprint onto the Sea Serpent, at that location, there was another Demonic Creature that I had to ram an ¡®Imprint¡¯ into. ¡®So, I¡¯m going to meet her there, huh?¡¯ ¡®...I should thoroughly prepare myself.¡¯ To be honest, Faenol¡¯s behavior patterns were a lot more predictable than you would expect. Despite the variety of chaotic reactions that Devil¡¯s Vessels displayed due to my constitution, I could still roughly estimate how she would conduct herself when encountering me. ¡°...¡± The problem was that I couldn¡¯t prevent it even though I fucking knew. I didn¡¯t go out of my way to avoid her for no reason, you know? While I was lost in such thoughts, another window appeared before me. System Message [ Due to the actions taken against ¡®Yuria¡¯, a subsequent event will be triggered! ] [ Related event for ¡®Riru¡¯ will be generated! ] < Gift-Related Character Alert > ¨‹ Riru Garda [ Interest Level 3 ] [ Related Event Occurs in 3H ] ¡°...¡± The fuck was this? There wasn¡¯t even a few days¡¯ delay for this. It would happen in three hours. ¡°...Riru?¡± ¡°What.¡± When I spoke to her, Riru replied with a slight edge to her voice; She was staring at the Sea Serpent¡¯s severed foreleg, loaded onto the stern of the boat. She had continuously been in this state since earlier. Perhaps she was frustrated at herself for not being able to fight against the Sea Serpent and instead, had only cowered in fear. ¡°...What are you thinking right now?¡± ¡°...¡± For a moment, only silence returned. ¡°...No, it¡¯s just that...¡± RIru continued with a deep sigh. ¡°...From the very beginning, you came here with the intention to catch this thing, right?¡± ¡°...? I guess so?¡± I guess that¡¯s true. After all, I expected Yuria to come looking for me. Though, there was a decent amount of luck involved when it came to sorting out the aftermath. ¡°So that¡¯s what I should have emulated.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You asked me what I was thinking, right?¡± Riru let out a sigh before responding. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t I able to do it like you? I shouldn¡¯t have hesitated to use any means or methods in pursuit of my goal.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I now understand that Granny didn¡¯t choose you without a reason. That¡¯s what I was thinking. If I wanted to get stronger too, I shouldn¡¯t have lived in moderation.¡± That was the lesson she learned after seeing my garbage, piece of shit actions? Was this right? As I blankly gazed at her, Riru scratched her head. ¡°You know. That Eleanor girl. Where is she right now?¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± Why were you curious about that, dude? For real, why? ¡°...No, just.¡± Riru continued to sheepishly scratch the back of her head. ¡°Whatever. It¡¯s nothing. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± ¡°...¡± The vague response made me whip my head back to the system window, as I scoured it once more. < Gift-Related Character Alert > ¨‹ Riru Garda [ Interest Level 3 ] [ Related Event Occurs in 3H ] So, you¡¯re telling me she¡¯s trying to look for Eleanor right now and some event will materialize in 3 hours? Hm. ¡°...¡± I hope nothing much happens. Seriously. Please. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 97: Struggle (1) Chapter 97: Struggle (1) ? Struggle (1) ? ¡°Did you really just catch a few Man-Eating Fish and actually expected me to grade that?¡± The student, who had laid out the Demonic Creatures on his ship, turned pale at the cold words that Hatan just uttered. Among the Demonic Creatures that could be hunted in the surrounding sea, the Man-Eating Fish were considered to be quite high in rank. But to think that this was the reaction he received. ¡°It¡¯s the Hunter¡¯s Night, you know? The. Hunter¡¯s. Night. The time when all kinds of Demonic Creatures pop out everywhere. When I was your age, I could beat the shit out of them with my bare hands. Understood?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®This crazy fucking boomer.¡¯ Though such a thought crossed the faces of all the students present, unfortunately for them, Hatan was someone who had the skills to justify such a boomer mindset. It wasn¡¯t for no reason that he was the only hunter in history to successfully hunt High-Grade Demonic Creatures by himself. ¡®...They¡¯re all below par.¡¯ Hatan swept back his hair, which was wet from the rain, and clicked his tongue once. Since it was the Hunter¡¯s Night, he thought there would at least be a few people who would achieve some noticeable results. But the result disappointed him. ¡®...Is there really no one here who can meet my expectations?¡¯ He didn¡¯t even expect them to hunt a High-Grade Demonic Creature like he did. But still, he expected them to hunt those with a decent level, at least. ¡°W-War Chief! War Chief Hatan!¡± To make things worse, this bastard spawned out of nowhere. How could he not be frustrated? Hatan turned towards the one calling his name, barely suppressing the blood vessels that were about to pop on his forehead. Krun Ger-Do. The son of Velua Ger-Do, who always annoyed the shit out of him due to his arrogant attitude in every War Chief Assembly. ¡°...Here, shouldn¡¯t you be calling me ¡®Dean?¡¯¡± It would be a lie to say that his previous behavior didn¡¯t factor into his current fury; After all, a terrifying aura began to pour out from Hatan, that was in no way suitable when dealing with a student. In fact, even Krun, who was stomping towards him in a huff, froze for a moment when seeing such an expression. ¡®Pathetic bastard.¡¯ After swallowing down such words, Hatan spoke in a voice tinged with irritation. ¡°What is it, Krun? If it¡¯s nothing much, then fuck off.¡± ¡°T-There are bastards who have committed violence against me, a War Chief successor.¡± Hatan wiped his face, before sweeping back his hair. He felt an unbearable headache. ¡°So? The fuck do you want me to do about it?¡± ¡°...What did you just say?¡± Krun flinched and took a step back. It was because killing intent gradually surged from Hatan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hey, you. Blue Boar Tribe¡¯s War Chief successor.¡± A snarl escaped from his lips. ¡°If you got the shit beaten out of you, get revenge with your own hands. Solve shit with your own hands, whether it¡¯s with those drugs or that criminal syndicate your tribe is so proud of. Don¡¯t be pathetic and whine to me for help.¡± ¡°...¡± Krun¡¯s face was now beyond pale and had started to turn purple. At the sight of this, Hatan sneered dismissively. Considering this bastard¡¯s usual conduct, it was obvious what had happened. He probably couldn¡¯t rid himself of his old habits and provoked the Garda clan. Hatan did not expect him to be so one-sidedly beaten like a drum and driven away, though. But anyway, it wasn¡¯t something he wanted to get himself involved in. His job was to encourage students to play dirty and petty among themselves. After all, through such fights, they could surely mature. ¡®...Was that guy with her?¡¯ Hatan frowned and tried to recall his memories. Dowd Campbell. He was someone who particularly stood out among the people of the Empire, whom he mostly disregarded. ¡®He¡¯ll have a bit of a hard time. Poor punk.¡± Krun was second to none when it came to playing dirty. If the two got tangled up in such a manner, it was highly possible that Dowd would have a rough time dealing with the bastard¡¯s petty tricks during the Hunter¡¯s Night. But, well... He didn¡¯t look like the type of guy who was unable to resolve just that much. Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡°The last boat is returning!¡± ¡°Last? Who¡¯s on board?¡± ¡°Riru Garda, Talion Armand, and Dowd Campbell!¡± ¡®Speak of the Devil.¡¯ Hatan let out a wry smile as he faced towards the boat¡¯s direction. Though, his expression soon turned slightly grim. ¡®What¡¯s with that atmosphere?¡¯ Dowd, with cold sweat dripping down on his pale face. Riru Garda, wearing a noticeable frown. And Talion Armand, who sat at the helm with a blank face, as if he had been through some bizarre experience. ¡°...Go back and tell the Chief Priest.¡± With a sigh, he ordered the assistant next to him. According to Hatan¡¯s conjecture, there was no doubt that Riru Garda was aiming for ¡®Imploration,¡¯ so that she could meet the Chieftain. However... ¡°Tell her that no one is going to go meet the Chieftain in person this time around.¡± She would definitely be pleased. After all, she had been going out of her way to ensure that the Chieftain would not interact with others. Though, from Hatan¡¯s perspective, he could only let out a snort of disdain; he was almost certain that Tatiana had fiddled with Chieftain Alan¡¯s mind. ¡®...The more people the Chieftain meets, the sooner people will realize that he is not in a normal state.¡¯ As such, unless one made a huge contribution or achievement during this Hunter¡¯s Night, she would have definitely tried to eliminate any opportunity to have an audience with the Chieftain. If those guys came back in such an atmosphere, there was no way they caught any game that was particularly special or noteworthy. Basically, it was over. ¡°Hey. What do you think it will be?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I mean the Demonic Creature. How exceptional does it have to be for her to give permission?¡± ¡°...Unless they brought back an Intermediate-Grade Demonic Creature by themselves, like how the War Chief did, she would reject it for not having enough justification.¡± Hatan started at the assistant¡¯s response. That was the record he had set as a student. One that had never been broken before. ¡°Who knows. Judging by her attitude, even if they caught a High-Grade, she would merely commend them with some words.¡± ¡°...There is no way she would actually do that, right? There has never been a student who had successfully hunted an Intermediate-Grade Demonic Creature besides the Dean. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± When I spoke with such thoughts in mind, Riru mumbled while avoiding my gaze. ¡°...No.¡± Considering this person¡¯s usual confident and magnanimous way of speaking, this attitude was completely out of character. It was as if they felt embarrassed when they looked at me. ¡°G-Go ahead first. I have something else to do.¡± ¡°...¡± No, fuck, so like...What is that something else? Huh? The fuck is it? She kept going out of her way to avoid showing or talking about it while I was present. However... < Gift-Related Character Alert > ¨‹ Riru Garda [ Interest Level 3 ] [ Related Event Occurs in 1.5H ] The problem was that this gave no signs of disappearing. ¡°W-What are you doing? I already told you to go quickly. D-Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± To make things worse, she was trying to send me off even more aggressively than before. Almost as if there was something she had to do only when I was absent. ¡°...Fine, then.¡± If you want to play like that, then I had my own ways as well. When Riru brightened up at my response, I muttered inwardly. ¡°Caliban.¡± After confirming that Riru was quite a distance away, I spoke to Soul Linker. [Mm?] ¡°As expected, I should follow her, right?¡± [...] ¡°That¡¯s the most rational thing to do. Right?¡± [...I swear, you sound like you¡¯re gradually becoming more braindead the more time passes.] ¡°...¡± It would have been nice if he just said I was adapting to survive instead. ¡°-So, my relationship with Dowd right now is quite harmonious. It was all thanks to your advice.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s fortunate.¡± Bail replied, cold sweat dripping down his back. It could be said that his reaction was quite natural. Especially considering that the person he was talking to was able to knead a 5kg steel ingot by using just a few fingers. Recently, Eleanor had been complaining that her usual exercises couldn¡¯t make her break out in sweat. So, she started to do something as batshit crazy as that as an exercise to make her grip stronger. Although the transcendental superhuman strength this woman displayed whenever they had their ¡®regular contact¡¯ had become increasingly monstrous with each encounter, Bail still couldn¡¯t help but think that this new exercise of hers was a bit too extreme. ¡°If he is going to do something as intense as that to me... Then, I guess I can tolerate him seeing other women for a bit.¡± Eleanor already knew that Riru Garda and Dowd were together right now. However, that man had done... ¡¯That¡¯ to her not too long ago. Unless he was a playboy who was so trash that he belonged in the sewers with the rats...Surely, he wouldn¡¯t purposely try to lead other girls on, right? As Eleanor blushed slightly and lightly grazed her lips with a finger, Bail swallowed dryly before beginning to speak. ¡°Also, the Vagabond... The ¡¯Usurpation¡¯ project you requested has almost finished.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± Eleanor was literally molding the ingot into a ball as she responded. ¡°It will be a good wedding gift for Dowd.¡± ¡°...Are you serious? You¡¯re going to use an organization as big as this for just that purpose?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Eleanor smirked, turning her head to his direction. When she slightly applied some force into her hand, the steel ingot tore like paper. ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± ¡°...¡± As if there could be any. As Bail quickly sealed his mouth, Eleanor suddenly frowned before getting up from her seat. It was because she sensed someone¡¯s presence outside her private room. ¡°...Is it a guest? I¡¯ll contact you later.¡± With that, Eleanor ended the video call. She would¡¯ve never been able to anticipate who was standing there before she opened the door leading to the hallway. ¡°...Riru Garda?¡± Eleanor cocked her head, puzzled by this unexpected visitor. After all, she couldn¡¯t think of a reason why this person would come find her. ¡°Hey.¡± Riru let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this, you see.¡± ¡°...About what?¡± ¡°Granny once said this; people get stronger a lot more quickly when they fight for their lives and struggle to achieve what they want.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡®What in hell is this woman talking about?¡¯ As Eleanor blinked with such thoughts contained in her pupils, Riru cracked her knuckles and continued. ¡°And in my opinion...I think there¡¯s a way I can satisfy both those methods through you.¡± ¡°What in the world are you talking a¡ª¡± ¡°So.¡± Then, Riru cracked her neck as well. ¡°Let¡¯s have a go.¡± ¡°...What?¡± She looked so nonchalant as if this was the most obvious thing to her... ¡°Let¡¯s try killing each other once. With that guy, Dowd, as the bet.¡± Eleanor¡¯s face surged with killing intent at an alarming rate. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 98: Struggle (2) Chapter 98: Struggle (2) ? Struggle (2) ? Yeah, okay. Sure. It was great and all that I managed to successfully follow her. But what kind of fucked up situation was this? [Shouldn¡¯t you stop them?] ¡°...Stop that?¡± When I saw Riru and Eleanor enter the arena, such a response came out automatically. ¡°If I interfere, it¡¯ll just turn into an even bigger shitfest, you know?¡± [...I do agree with that, but...] Caliban let out a bitter laugh. [Does that mean you¡¯re just going to let those two fight?] ¡°...¡± I knew that would be disastrous in its own way as well. If they fought right here and now, one of them would die. Most likely, it would be Riru. And the moment Riru died, the foundation in clearing Chapter 3 was as good as lost. ¡®...That person is absolutely necessary.¡¯ I didn¡¯t say the equipment needed to be shared with another person for no reason. After all, in this chapter¡¯s boss battle, we had to face both Tatiana and Alan at the same time. When taking Tatiana¡¯s abilities into account, there would be times when it was impossible to use ¡®weapons¡¯. So, it was not an exaggeration to say that Riru was the only one who could deliver effective strikes with her bare hands. ¡°...Let¡¯s just watch for now. It¡¯s not like it only does harm.¡± Considering the original game¡¯s progression, there was a narrative that when Vessels clashed with each other, their skills rapidly improved. Apparently they stimulated each other¡¯s Devil¡¯s Aura, thus dragging out their latent abilities. Of course, most of the time, it led to catastrophic situations, but judging by the current situation, it wasn¡¯t like there were only negative parts about it. After all, I was someone who earnestly wished for Riru¡¯s growth. [Anyway, doesn¡¯t that just mean it¡¯s already half-certain that an incident is about to happen?] ¡°...¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. [What are you going to do when that happens?] ¡°...¡± I stroked my chin at Caliban¡¯s question. Finally, I gave him a serious response, wearing a stony expression on my face. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll all work out fine, right?¡± [...] ¡°You can¡¯t even answer that, can you?¡± [...] Yeah, no. I knew you couldn¡¯t. In any case, I believed in myself... That I¡¯d do whatever the fuck it takes to survive when any fatal threat comes my way...! [...Aren¡¯t you just slowly starting to give up now as well?] ¡°...¡± Yeah, he wasn¡¯t wrong. As expected of the academy that encouraged fights among students the most out of the three academies, the arena in the Forge of Struggle was a state-of-the-art facility. You need look no further than the medical station; it healed the patient¡¯s injuries to a level that was almost magical. At the very least, there was no need to worry about dying, no matter how many clashes and explosions occurred in this place. And, honestly... Right now, such help was more desperately needed than anything else. ¡°...¡± From the outside, Eleanor didn¡¯t seem to be that angry. In the first place, she always wore an expressionless face, so it was impossible to read her emotions just by looking at her. Even so, she could certainly feel it. Killing intent. The tingly sensation that was crawling up her skin was undoubtedly that. She wasn¡¯t imagining it, it was as real as it could be. ¡°...¡± She steadied her breathing. There wasn¡¯t really a particular reason why she chose Eleanor out of the many people in the Forge of Struggle. It was just that she instinctively felt that this person was the most dangerous among all the humans near her right now. Simply because of the experience they had before... And also because her senses had been ringing alarm bells ever since the ¡®awards ceremony¡¯. That was a monster she should never go up against. ¡°...¡± However... She was going to fight that very monster. ¡°...I know who you are, Riru Garda.¡± While she was lost in such thoughts, such a sentence was sent her way. ¡°Any warrior of the Tribal Alliance would look for an honorable fight and a glorious death. I am fully aware of such a disposition.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°The thought of you using Dowd as part of such a process doesn¡¯t make me feel any particular emotion now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So I shall forgive you if you at least withdraw now. Or else.¡± Eleanor took a single step towards heer. A familiar feeling. It was as if her entire body was being sliced by a blade, even though there had been no physical danger that had come her way. She wanted to back down. They had faced each other many times, but even now, she desperately wished to turn her back and run away. ¡°...¡± However... This time was different. ¡°...At first, that was how it was.¡± Riru began to speak in a gloomy voice. ¡°Even until some time ago, my head was filled with thoughts of... ¡¯Using¡¯ him to accomplish my goals.¡± She herself understood why Eleanor showed such a reaction. After all, in the past, Eleanor reacted most intensely when Riru, in an attempt to get on her nerves, mentioned that she would take away her lover. If you receive something from someone, return their favor, even if you have to stake your life. Kasa had taught her as such. So, even if it was to avoid receiving future help... She had to grow strong enough to protect him at least once by eliminating the thing he was most terrified of. Risking her life and clashing with this woman was a part of such progress. ¡°...Fear? What does Dowd fear?¡± Riru¡¯s face was covered with incredulous disbelief. ¡°Are you really asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s you. You and the swordswoman who wields that white aura.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He seemed afraid of you two from time to time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he be able to gain at least some peace of mind if I defeat you and make you never approach him again?¡± As a seasoned warrior on the battlefield, this was a fact that she could assert. Moreover, as a capable unarmed combatant with extreme sensitivity to emotions, she could state this truth with even more certainty. That man, from time to time, was afraid of these two women. Such a sensation was conveyed vividly. Eleanor¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°...You¡¯re talking utter nonsense.¡± ¡°...¡± Riru¡¯s expression became slightly serious. This woman, who had always treated her as if she were a mere nuisance, had reacted in a sincere manner to that statement. In other words, this could be considered an ¡®opportunity¡¯. An opportunity to see this woman¡¯s full power. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not that you¡¯re in denial?¡± She began to provoke Eleanor. ¡°You guys don¡¯t look good together, though.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Why do you think he accepted you? It¡¯s because he had no choice. You kept throwing yourself onto him like¡ª¡± As soon as such words were spoken... ¡ª-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A flash of light exploded in front of Riru¡¯s eyes. Dirt and dust turned the surroundings into a fog of smoke. ¡®That was dangerous...!¡¯ With such thoughts, I looked at Riru, who was retching while vomiting blood. She was a complete mess. If I hadn¡¯t just used that skill, she would have died on the spot. As soon as she left the stage, she would not have been able to receive any support from the medical station. ¡°...¡± With cold sweat dripping down my back, I looked at the completely devastated stage, courtesy of Eleanor¡¯s sword swing from just a moment ago. How did she even manage to think about fighting something like that? ¡°...Are you okay?¡± ¡°...¡± As I whispered in a volume that Eleanor couldn¡¯t hear, Riru¡¯s eyes kept rolling backwards. ¡°...Don¡¯t help me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said don¡¯t help me!¡± Riru spoke with clenched teeth. It was a voice filled with shame and humiliation. And somehow, it also sounded tearful as well. But more than that, I witnessed a chilling sight that made my blood run cold. ¡°This time, I don¡¯t need your help! There¡¯s still so much I owe you, so don¡¯t make the list any longer...!¡± A blue aura was spreading. I didn¡¯t know why, but this person became extremely angry as a result of my help. ¡°Riru.¡± For now, I opened my mouth. Above all else, I had a duty to calm this person¡¯s ire. However, I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. What should I say? I didn¡¯t even know why she got so angry in the first place...! However, if I didn¡¯t reassure her right now, there was no doubt that it would become a massive problem. As such, I opened my mouth to calm her down. System Message [ Title ¡®Playboy¡¯ recognizes your situation! ] [ After recognizing the situation and target, it composes the optimal sentence to overcome the current crisis! ] ¡°...¡± No. Please don¡¯t. Don¡¯t do that. When I saw the system window that popped up in front of my eyes, goosebumps rose all over my body. Although I applied it quite usefully when pushing away Yuria before, I still remembered what this son of a bitch did to calm Eleanor down. If this fucker handled the part that I didn¡¯t ¡®plan¡¯... It was going to fucking spit out whatever ridiculous shit it want¡ª! ¡°There is no need for you to feel indebted to me because of my help.¡± As soon as the sentence popped out of my mouth before I could even finish my thoughts... ¡°After all, it was all my choice. I wanted to do it.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I like you, Riru Garda.¡± Riru¡¯s expression instantly turned blank. ¡°...¡± And mine did as well. W-What... What the fuck did I just say? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 99: Vow Chapter 99: Vow ? Vow ? System Message [ ¡®Skill: Fatal Charm¡¯ is activated! ] [ The favorability level of target ¡®Riru Garda¡¯ has soared from ¡®Interest Level 3¡¯ to ¡®Trust Level 1¡¯! ] [ Rewards Available! ] System Message [ Verifying that crisis has been averted. ] [ Title ¡®Playboy¡¯ has been deactivated! ] Yeah, okay. Great. Cool. I get all that, but... I really couldn¡¯t sympathize with the last part about how the crisis was averted. Reflexively, I checked Eleanor¡¯s figure, who was gazing at me while standing on the center of the stage. No way in hell that she didn¡¯t hear what I had just told Riru. The fact that she alternated her gaze between me and Riru with a look of disbelief was more than enough proof of that. System Notification [ Using ¡®Scan¡¯. ] [ Gathering information on the target. ] [ A 24-hour cooldown applies before reuse is available on the same target. ] [ Elnore Elinalise La Tristan ] Characteristic: Grey Devil¡¯s Vessel (2 Fragments), Lady Tristan Status: Intensely contemplating the meaning of Dowd Campbell¡¯s ¡®I like you¡¯. The only fortunate thing was that, upon hearing those words, she didn¡¯t immediately throw herself at me, trying to end my godforsaken life. It bought me some time. Enough to make up some bullshit to go through this situation. ¡°...Y-You, what on earth are you sa¡ª¡± Riru, who was being held in my arms, stuttered with a face flushed to the tip of her ears. Her expression clearly showed that she herself could not believe what she had just heard. I was in complete agreement. If I was sane, I would never have been able to say such things. Especially not in front of Eleanor. [He¡¯s racking his brain~ Dowd Campbell¡¯s racking his brain~] ¡°...¡± [I wonder how you¡¯ll survive this time. Wow, I¡¯m so excited already.] Has the world ever witnessed a person who was as fucking unhelpful as him? How could you say such things when someone¡¯s life was in danger? [Why don¡¯t you just be honest with her? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to go like ¡®My situation is like blah blah blah, so can you cooperate?¡¯ or whatever?] No. How many times do I have to tell you that I¡¯d die if I were to do that? As soon as I informed the Vessels about the existence of Devils, the already twisted scenario would likely descend into chaos. Soon, I would be entangled with Faenol as well, and when that happened, the events would become even more catastrophic since it would involve the Heretic inquisition. I was already getting fucked left and right because of my relationships with the Devils, but it could go beyond even that and unfold a shitfest that was beyond salvation. Basically, I wouldn¡¯t be able to progress at all. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I could just sit still here and die. I combed through my memories. The game settings, Eleanor¡¯s current condition, the Grey Devil¡¯s disposition, everything. As if my Swordsman¡¯s Focus skill was activated, my thought process accelerated, making it feel like my entire surroundings were slowing down. [Damn, it seems like this is a checkmate. Is there any way out for you?] In such a situation, Caliban spoke with a voice mixed with amusement. [Last time, it ended by slamming your lips over hers. What will you use this time to calm her?] ¡°...¡± [Even if you do that again, the issue this time is way too big to contain, so I don¡¯t think she would listen to you, right?] I agreed. However, still, just brazenly doing something like you said is way too¡ª ¡°...¡± Wait... Brazenly doing something? ¡®Perhaps, couldn¡¯t that actually be...¡¯ ¡®Possible?¡¯ Even I, who was the progenitor of this idea, got dizzy when I thought of it, but... There was no doubt that it would work. [...Your face doesn¡¯t look all that bright, though?] Just because it would work, didn¡¯t mean that it was a good thing for me. Honestly, I really didn¡¯t want to go that far...! However, the scene unfolding right before my eyes spared me from such meaningless concerns. After all, Eleanor, who was in the center of the arena, ¡®launched¡¯ herself straight in my direction. At this point, her physical abilities had transcended being mere excellent and reached the level of a walking man-made disaster. ¡°...What does that mean, Dowd?¡± She was covering her face, flushed to the tip of her ears, with both her hands. She was extremely out of breath as well. ¡°H-How could you say s-such things i-in front of o-other people, have y-you actually g-gone insane?!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®I know, right?¡¯ I found myself miserable, deplorable, and distressing for saying such things completely sober without even the activation of the Playboy Title. But the effect was clear. After all, Eleanor, who had been filled with rage, could not even think properly due to the topic I had just brought up. However.... Even though Eleanor had calmed down, there was plenty of room for a problem to occur from the ¡®other side¡¯. ¡°...¡± I snuck a glance at Riru. Surely enough, her expression had turned icy. Near her body, a faint blue aura could even be observed with the naked eye. Yeah. I know. I get it. A man just confessed that he liked her, then proceeded to casually bark absolute dogshit about taking her in as a concubine; If it was me, I would have been so enraged, something inside me would have snapped. As such, I needed to take further action. ¡°...¡± I took a deep breath and tapped the amulet with my finger several times. This was something that was possible to do since they were people who could read the sentences in my mind without me needing to say it aloud. Valkasus. Please. I beg you. I¡¯m sorry for waking you up after such a long time and immediately assigning you a task like this, but...! [...You really lead quite the colorful life, don¡¯t you?] A voice full of pity flowed out from Soul Linker. At the same time, Riru¡¯s eyes widened. Even if it was Eleanor, who could detect all kinds of auras and energies because of her insane General stats, there was no way she could sense a very tiny note written by using ¡®Forbidden Sorcery¡¯. And thanks to that, Riru, who was about to vent her anger, suddenly wore a bewildered expression. It was probably because she felt ¡®letters¡¯ being carved on top of her skin. While using a pressure that was at the level of rubbing someone with a finger, I was drawing a text on top of that person¡¯s skin. And with that... I carved ¡®words¡¯ that would be able to calm this person down. After all, I only had a few Tattoos, so my Forbidden Sorcery abilities were only at this level. [Cooperate. Death if don¡¯t. Save me.] A shoddily written sentence. It meant that if she didn¡¯t cooperate with me, we would both die right here and now. Fortunately, it seemed as if she understood, since Riru¡¯s eyes widened even further. ¡°A-A concubine for r-raising t-the c-children...¡± Eleanor muttered with a tone of disbelief. With her face reddened as if it were about to burst, she alternated her gaze between me and Riru. ¡°L-Let¡¯s have t-this conversation a-again later¡ª!¡± With those words, Eleanor left the room. She left a crater with a single stomp and, at the same time, she vanished at a speed that left an afterimage. It felt like something out of a manhwa. ¡°...¡± Yeah, okay. I survived this time as well. But at what price...? [What do you think? Soon enough, you¡¯re going to get sucked dry until you become a dad. Congratulations, sheeeesh. I¡¯m jealous. So impressive. How amazing.] ¡°...¡± Shut the fuck up. [But how do you plan to deal with that Yuria lady?] Wot? [If she hears that you¡¯re taking someone as a concubine, she won¡¯t sit still, right? Her level of obsession is many times more severe even when compared to Lady Tris¡ª] ¡®...Caliban.¡¯ I replied with a transcendent smile, as if I was above such unimportant things. ¡®Let¡¯s cross that bridge when we get to it.¡¯ [...] ¡®There¡¯s no point in worrying about it now, so isn¡¯t it better to see how the situation turns out before figuring it out?¡¯ [Didn¡¯t you just do that exact same thing and all that¡¯s left for you now is to get sucked dry?] ¡°...¡± [You know~ I don¡¯t even know what to say. I¡¯m looking forward to what kind of things you¡¯d do to dig up more of your own graves¡ª] I released the amulet from my hand and let it clatter onto the floor. Sorry, Valkasus. Only Valkasus. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 100: Chieftain (1) Chapter 100: Chieftain (1) ? Chieftain (1) ? ¡°I¡¯m back, Granny.¡± ¡°You came back ear¡ª What happened to you?¡± Unbecoming of her, Kasa Garda was startled. Seeing her granddaughter always come back drenched in sweat was a familiar sight for her, but returning with bruises and injuries covering every corner of her body like this was not a common occurrence, even from her perspective. Without a doubt, she had been in a fight and returned utterly battered. While such incidents used to happen relatively frequently in the past, they had become fairly rare recently. ¡°Did you become like this after training with that guy?¡± Kaya asked with an incredulous voice. Basic exercises to improve Dowd Campbell¡¯s stamina was something she had already been making Riru supervise everyday. Even the person in question had his doubts about why he was spending his time on such physical training rather than learning proper ¡®techniques¡¯, but due to Kasa¡¯s stubborn insistence, it had continued everyday. Anyway... Getting injured to this extent from just that much training was absurd. After all, even Riru was pouting, denying her suspicions, as she shook her head. ¡°Obviously not.¡± ¡°Then how did you end up in this state?¡± Riru fell silent for a moment at Kasa¡¯s question. She was clearly in deep thought, pondering whether it was right to consult Kasa about this. ¡°...Hey, Granny.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°...¡± Riru pursed her lips with hesitation for a long while, before finally managing to speak. ¡°...That Lady Tristan. Do you know about her?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of her. Isn¡¯t she well-known throughout the entire continent as the swordsmanship genius? What about her?¡± ¡°What is a good way to train if I want to fight and win against her?¡± Kasa¡¯s expression was filled with questions. ¡°...Why against her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just... I somehow ended up fighting her once.¡± Riru stroked her chin in contemplation as she continued. ¡°...I thought I could become immediately stronger if I fought against her.¡± There wasn¡¯t much time left until the end of the Hunter¡¯s Night which also meant there was not much time left until she could directly confront the Chieftain. In that case, she needed to try out every possible means that could make her stronger. And... It wasn¡¯t like that was the only reason either. ¡°Also...¡± Riru, who was about to continue, let out a sigh instead. In her mind, the incident from earlier came rushing back. The unidentifiable power that Dowd Campbell had used to engrave that sentence on her arm. [Cooperate. Death if don¡¯t. Save me.] ¡ªShe was sure that was what he said. But, the problem was... Depending on the interpretation, it could be seen as a slightly different sentence. It could potentially mean that if Dowd Campbell ¡®himself¡¯ did not ¡®cooperate¡¯, he would die. So... Combined with his usual tendencies of being ¡®scared¡¯ of Eleanor, quite a novel conclusion could be drawn. ¡°I¡¯m not certain yet, but...¡± Riru fidgeted awkwardly. ¡°I feel like someone is getting threatened.¡± ¡°...What?¡± As Kasa responded in a bewildered tone, Riru pouted. ¡°...You know...¡± Her embarrassment was abundantly clear, but, without a doubt... ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be pitiful if someone were to be forced into marriage against their own will?¡± Her determined ¡®will¡¯ was more than apparent in the tone of her voice. Honestly, if one guessed how the Chief Blacksmith in charge of the Hall of Flame would look like, it was normal to think of a rough and rowdy old man. However, surprisingly, the person responsible for managing the equipment of the best educational institution of the Tribal Alliance was light years away from such an image. For one, it wasn¡¯t even a person. [User Recognition. ID Verification. Elfante 2nd-Year Exchange Student Dowd Campbell. Welcome to the Hall of Flame.] ¡°...¡± Description: Gauntlets with various effects from the usage of all kinds of high-quality materials. [ ? Dragon Scales: Receives Endurance that never breaks or wears out in any situation. ] [ ? Ectoplasm: Displays a very high fusion rate with various Special Powers. When enhancements or buff skills are casted on the equipment, the effect is doubled. ] [ ? Starsteel: Highly resistant to various curses and reacts most sensitively to the divine. ] [ ? Adaptive Leather: Automatically copies the target¡¯s attributes when struck. On the second hit, automatically weakens the target¡¯s attribute. ] ¡®It¡¯s perfect.¡¯ This was why until now, I didn¡¯t use all the materials I collected right away and waited for Sephira instead, It was because the properties of all the materials I inputted were perfectly integrated. No cap, this should easily match the ¡®Holy Sword¡¯ that Iliya would obtain in the next chapter. Of course, it couldn¡¯t compete with the Holy Sword¡¯s full potential as it was the protagonist¡¯s exclusive weapon, but it was definitely still an excessively good equipment for just one person to receive. It would never break, could be enhanced more easily than your average equipment, had curse resistance and was sensitive to divine power. And, most importantly... The feature at the end that ¡®weakens the target¡¯s attribute¡¯, was... An ability that could practically snipe Tatiana. The name was quite funny, though; It almost felt like I needed to place stones on the glove. ¡®...Riru will probably be pleased if I bring this to her.¡¯ The reason I made two pairs was because one of them had to be given to Riru. If that person received such a fine piece of equipment, she would undoubtedly be deligh¡ª System Message [ Special Interaction between the ¡®Blue Devil¡¯s¡¯ Vessel ¡®Riru Garda¡¯ and the ¡®3?4?????????????????????????????????A?????????I??????????????A????????????????????????????U??????????????¡¯¡¯s Vessel ¡®Eleanor¡¯ unfolds. ] [ The frequency of contact between the two Vessels will increase! ] ¡°...¡± Okay first, I could understand very well why Riru couldn¡¯t be a lady. Still, what was fortunate was that the nuance of the system window suggested it was not a particularly threatening situation. If it was an event that posed a threat to my life, this bastard, considering its features, would have already warned me to go and stop it quickly. ¡®...Well, a point of contact should have been formed.¡¯ Not only did they clash on their own when I didn¡¯t bridge any gap between them, but they also interacted several times even without my involvement. However, considering Riru¡¯s personality, she wouldn¡¯t want to meet Eleanor for some time since she lost so overwhelmingly to her just a while ago. As such, it was a mystery to me why their frequency of contact would increase at all. Why in the world would that happen? ¡°Ah, you are here.¡± As I was lost in such thoughts, a very unpleasant voice resounded in my ear. When I turned my head, I saw Tatiana. As always, she had her machine-like smile on her face. ¡°...¡± I didn¡¯t know why, but this bitch, who had been silent until now, had suddenly revealed herself in front of me. She probably wasn¡¯t intending to have a battle right here and now in an effort to kill me. After all, she would think that her head would immediately fly off due to Eleanor the moment that she did. Until some means to ¡®suppress¡¯ her were created, the possibility of any armed demonstration here was very low. As I frowned slightly, Tatiana spoke in a light voice. ¡°The Chieftain will soon arrive at the Forge of Struggle. Everyone is preparing for the welcome ceremony.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± I guess it was around that time. After all, the news about that man visiting here had been circulating for a few days now. ¡°And...¡± Tatiana smiled. ¡°He apparently wants to see you first, Dowd Campbell.¡± In contrast, my expression crumpled even further. ¡®...She¡¯s already letting me make contact with Alan?¡¯ No matter how I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t understand the reason for that. That was a hidden card which was normal for this bitch stash away. She didn¡¯t need to reveal it to me already and leak such information. ¡°Ah.¡± However, Tatiana remained indifferent to my expression and just continued talking. ¡°On your way there, can you bring Riru Garda and Kasa Garda with you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The Chieftain wishes to see those two as well.¡± Truly, that sentence wasn¡¯t pleasant to the ears. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls 1 Korean slang for revolutionary technology that is far beyond its era. Chapter 101: Chieftain (2) Chapter 101: Chieftain (2) ? Chieftain (2) ? If one were aware of Yuria Greyhounder¡¯s identity, the question, ¡®Why does this woman always have someone around her?¡¯ would immediately come to their minds. Probably, the most accurate impression they had on her was that they barely saw her alone. But, if that person knew that she harbored two existences that could cause cataclysms, they would freak out when they saw her by herself. She was a walking human time bomb; One that carried two uncontrollable entities within her. And... Faenol Lipek knew this better than anyone else. Mages affiliated with the Heretic Inquisition received an almost disgusting amount of detailed information about Devils and their Vessels. This was only natural, as it was their lifelong duty to purify the world of those things. As such, it wasn¡¯t a surprise for them to be educated to the bone about those things¡¯ danger and evil nature. Not to mention that in her case... She didn¡¯t even need formal education; She could actually ¡®sense¡¯ those things herself. ¡°...¡± Faenol closed her eyes and suppressed the ¡®aura¡¯ she felt within her own heart. Both Lady Tristan and Yuria, both of them were having a hard time because they didn¡¯t know the identity of ¡®this¡¯ existence. However... She was more than aware of what kind of existence it was. Dreadfully so. To the point that it made her sick. ¡°You went out of your way looking for me.¡± She looked towards the other person with a grin. As Faenol began to talk, across from her, Yuria nodded with a gloomy expression. The other woman had laid her heart bare, saying that she came here without even telling the Saintess, the person who played the role of her guardian. She even told Faenol the reason why she came looking for her. ¡°...I think Mr. Dowd hates me.¡± The tone of her mumble was so depressing to the point that one would shrink in despair by just listening to it. It was a reaction that could easily be inferred after hearing all of Yuria¡¯s stories. This woman was extremely sensitive to the favor of others, especially because she had lived alone for a considerable amount of time. It was even more so since she harbored the ¡®White Devil¡¯, whose trigger to going berserk lies in these kinds of issues. ¡°...¡± Faenol raised the teacup she had taken out without saying a single word. Every little move of that man named Dowd was truly laughable. From her perspective, what he had done was nothing more than clowning around. A farce. The absurdity of his action could be seen from what he had done to Yuria. He was just making an excuse, like your usual playboy. However... ¡°Of course. There will never be a case where you regret my assistance.¡± Faenol could not afford to lose out on that man called Dowd. Even if it was because of ¡®this thing¡¯ slumbering in her heart. Regardless of how ridiculous these Devil¡¯s Vessels might seem because of how easily they get swayed by his absurd words, she could not let her true feelings be noticeable. Even if she had to use everything and anything.... That man had to be kept within her ¡®clutches¡¯. ¡°For now...¡± As such... What she had to do now was use this windfall she received to the fullest. The first step in doing so was... ¡°Shall we start by taking off your clothes?¡± ¡°...My clothes?¡± ¡°Yes. All of it.¡± Yuria¡¯s expression distorted scandalously. Come to think of it... After I showed off Eleanor¡¯s existence, the extent of Tatiana¡¯s threat and pressure was severely limited. Although it wasn¡¯t my intention, it seemed like, through that, I had put strong pressure on her instead. ¡®Thanks to that, I¡¯ve gained quite a bit of leeway and time.¡¯ This was also the reason why I was windingly roaming around right now, trying to leave Imprints on the Sea Serpent, a different Demonic Creature in the Volcanic Zone, and then another Demonic Creature during the period of the Hunter¡¯s Night. Considering the Main Quests so far, the speed of progression was practically at a crawling pace. And, as always.... This damn world I had came to kept on trying to fuck me over. There was no way it would allow me to progress so easily. As proof of that, there was this person right in front of me, the Chieftain of the Tribal Alliance himself. ¡°...¡± Nauseating. That was the first thought I had. And... Even on my way here, I felt that something was strange... ¡°Why did you not bring Riru Garda and Kasa Garda?¡± ¡°...Would you bring them if you were in my position, Chief Priest?¡± Starting from the reaction she showed when I came here alone after handing over Riru to Eleanor. It would be quite troublesome if Riru, who harbored the Blue Devil of Wrath, went berserk after getting involved in this bitch¡¯s imperceivable wicked schemes. As such, I decided to come alone and leave her with Eleanor, so that Tatiana could not easily mess with her. But still... ¡°...Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Those two are more like a ¡®hobby¡¯ to me anyway.¡± This bitch just shrugged her shoulders and brushed the topic aside. As if anything I did with them was fine with her. The following event was even stranger. Usually, the process of announcing the Chieftain was quite a grand ceremony in itself. Just look at the Hunter¡¯s Night. The biggest reward you could receive after going through that event, the event that could rouse the entire Forge of Struggle into action, was to meet with the Chieftain directly and implore your desire to him. Yes, his authority was the weakest among the three superpowers. But, you were still meeting the leader who governed an entire country. It was still a matter of great importance. However... All of the usual processes were skipped. I was facing Alan Ba-Thor in the ¡®audience chamber¡¯. There was not a single entourage, much less a War Chief. The reason was evident as soon as I saw him. As long as she could kill me, nothing else mattered. And she implied all of this as if it meant nothing to her. As if it was just a matter of course since the Prophet had commanded her to do so. ¡®...This bitch has lost her mind.¡¯ I realized the instant I saw her rush at me before while disregarding her own life, but... This fucker was an absolutely batshit crazy bitch. There was no other way to describe her. ¡°...¡± Cold sweat ran down my back. Honestly speaking, I was completely fucked in the ass. After all, this was a super ultra massive variable that distorted the entire premise of the boss battle I had been planning. I had prepared all this time for a fight against Tatiana and Alan. NOT fighting against Tatiana AND numerous ancient monsters from the deep sea! At least I could stop Eleanor from going berserk, even if I had to throw my body onto her. But if I considered an existence with the same power as her purely coming at me with the intention to kill... ¡°...¡± Just thinking about it made me shiver. It was just another way to tell me to fucking die. Even so... Although the reason I didn¡¯t give up on life and suicide straight away was partly thanks to experiencing similar situations several times, thus gaining some form of tolerance to this kind of bullshit... Ultimately, it was all because there was a point that I was ¡®skeptical¡¯ about. I barely stopped my hair from whitening out of stress as I spoke. ¡°...Then let me ask one last thing.¡± I did not expect the other person to answer willingly, but I was half sure about my theory, so I was just asking to confirm. ¡°Why are you showing me this in advance?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you¡¯re really trying your best just to kill me, then there¡¯s no reason to show me this right now. Moreover, there¡¯s no reason to just let me off the hook for not bringing Riru and Kasa either. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Honestly speaking, it was just Game Over if she summoned that thing right here and now. In other words, this bitch had some ¡®different intention¡¯ when calling me here. And that¡¯s exactly why I kept my calm, even at this very moment. ¡°...That person...¡± Tatiana spoke in a monotone voice. At the very least, when she was speaking these words... There was no indication of her usual amusement mixed in her voice. Almost as if... She was jealous that I took away something that she was supposed to receive. ¡°Is keeping an incredibly close eye on you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Such a being told me to refrain from causing a calamity that would crush you without even being able to resist. I was told to at least make you resist to the best of your ability, as you scramble around.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°One day, Dowd Campbell. That¡¯s the grace period that person had given you by ordering me.¡± ¡°...¡± So... What she was trying to say was that within a day, I had to find a way to defeat a monster that was as strong as Eleanor in her berserk state. Fuck. ¡°...¡± The audacity of her to announce that kind of bullshit with such a flat tone... ¡°Give it your best shot. Squirm and struggle desperately. There¡¯s nowhere to run, so the only option left is to fight.¡± Her words were undoubtedly... ¡°Against the reversed sea that will soon sweep over you.¡± A death sentence. ¡°...Fuck.¡± Leaving Tatiana and Alan behind, as soon as I came out of the ¡®audience chamber¡¯, I involuntarily spouted out a curse. To be honest, my situation was quite hopeless. Throughout the progress of the scenario so far, I had never faced such a rapidly overblown boss with such a short preparation time. ¡°...¡± I felt my chapped lips as I wiped my face. One day. It was just one day. Twenty four hours from now. No matter how much I racked my brain, trying to organize the things I needed to do within that time span... There was no way in hell it was possible with the manpower ¡®I currently had on hand¡¯. Then, there was only one option left. Originally, I planned to never get involved with her, but now, I had no choice but to borrow a helping hand from her. < Gift-Related Character Alert > ¨‹ Faenol Lipek [ No Favorability Level ] [ Related Event Occurs in D-1 ] I had to meet the one person I would rather die than make contact with. Much faster than planned. As I was lost in such thoughts... Suddenly, a window popped up in front of me. System Message [ This action is likely to trigger a Special Interaction with ¡®Yuria¡¯! ] [ It is recommended to equip the Title ¡®Playboy¡¯ in advance! ] ¡°...¡± Wait, no like... I only had one Title, so it wasn¡¯t like I could equip any other titles, but... What the fuck were these two doing right now? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 102: Incarnation (1) Chapter 102: Incarnation (1) ? Incarnation (1) ? For now, I needed to sort out the things that I had to do. There were barely twenty hours left. Within that time span, I had to prepare the means to withstand a boss battle on the level of Eleanor in her berserk state. ¡°...¡± When only looking at the proposition, it seemed overwhelmingly daunting. Like, how was I even supposed to achieve that? ¡®...I should start with what I can do.¡¯ What I had to do was to deal with the urgent issues, one at a time. It reminded me of the time when I was facing Valkasus. Panicking or succumbing to fear wouldn¡¯t help. My countless experiences proved that. [...Well, I don¡¯t know about that.] As I was lost in such thoughts, from inside Soul Linker, Caliban smirked. [It doesn¡¯t seem like this particular problem can be so simply explained with just that.] ¡°Excuse me?¡± [I know that you¡¯ve had nerves of steel since long before, but even considering that, your current state is undeniably strange.] His words continued. [No matter how thick someone¡¯s nerves are, at the very least, their survival instincts would be triggered when they feel a threat to their own life.] Not to mention that this particular someone had their plans foiled when he wasn¡¯t even halfway done. Normally, when one was in this kind of situation, some kind of ¡®reaction¡¯ should have occurred. Caliban fell into a brief moment of silence. [Just look at the guy sleeping in the room next to me. Back when you faced the Boy King, you were completely different from now.] ¡°...What are you trying to say?¡± Usually, Caliban would only give me his cooperation when it was necessary. Most of the time, he¡¯d only mock me gleefully while acting like a bystander. However, there were times when he got into his serious mode. Those times were either when my life was in danger... Or when I was swept up by something related to ¡®Devils.¡¯ [You... Hasn¡¯t something about you changed?] A chilling voice trickled out. [I¡¯m talking about what¡¯s engraved on your chest.] I looked down at the Fallen¡¯s Seal engraved on my chest. If I were to check the system window, the following message would greet me. System Log [ Stage 1 Restriction of ¡®The Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯ is released. ] [ Your attribute will gradually change from ¡®human¡¯ to ¡®¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤?????????????????????????????????¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤?????????????????????????????????¡¯. ] [ The more intimate relationships you form with ¡®Devils¡¯, the faster the attribute change will occur. ] Certainly... I had been forming very close relationships with Devils recently.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com As Caliban said, there was no doubt that the point in time when something would begin to change had already passed. ¡°...¡± I briefly fell silent after hearing his voice half mixed with disgust. He was someone who had died alongside his comrades after being deployed to take care of a Red Devil¡¯s Vessel who was in her berserk state. There was no way he had any positive feelings left for such things. [Things that involve Devils never end well. At the very least, I wish you specifically do not get entangled with them.] Caliban continued with a stiff voice. [After all, if you get involved, there is a high probability that Iliya will get tangled up in it too.] ¡°Iliya and I do not have that special of a relationship, Caliban.¡± [For now.] ¡°...¡± [From the perspective of her big brother, I can tell just by observing next to you. As long as she is already caught in your evil hands, there is no chance for her to escape. If you don¡¯t push her away blatantly, she won¡¯t be able to come to her senses even till the end...] Caliban fell silent for a moment and then chuckled bitterly. [And you don¡¯t have any intention to let her go, do you?] ¡°...It isn¡¯t what you think.¡± [Whether romantic feelings are involved or not, you intend to keep Iliya by your side until the very end, right? Even though I may not know things in details, such as the deep memories you have hidden away, I¡¯m still able to feel the intentions and emotions that you brought to your mind.] ¡°...¡± [Honestly, I don¡¯t care how many people attach themselves to you. You seem like someone who is worth at least that much. But still, sooner or later, you have to decide. Make Iliya your legal wi¡ª] ¡°I¡¯m busy right now, so can you spare this nonsense for later?¡± ¡®What the fuck are you on about? She¡¯s your own sister, you know?¡¯ ¡°...Anyway, we¡¯re going to meet someone you hate with a burning passion.¡± There were obviously several reasons why I shunned the human called Faenol. One, the fact that she was the Final Boss of Chapter 4. Two, the fact that she was a Devil¡¯s Vessel. Starting from Yuria¡¯s face, her entire body turned bright red. As I witnessed such a phenomenon, I even thought it was fascinating how tremendous the speed of her flush was. Yuria¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. Her mouth opened. She took an incredibly deep breath. [As expected of Dowd.] ¡°...¡± [Wow, I mean. Just opening a door unfolds this kind of situation? Are you actually the protagonist of some third-rate novel?] Accompanied by Caliban¡¯s voice that was mixed with forced laughter, a window appeared before my eyes. System Message [ Effect of Title ¡®Playboy¡¯ is displayed! ] Ah, I see. So this was why I was told to equip it in advance. To at least be of some help when making excuses. ¡°...Wait. There¡¯s a reason for th-¡± But, before I could even finish my excuse, Yuria¡¯s shrill scream resonated loudly in the surroundings. From that encounter, I managed to gain one piece of information. The fact that Yuria¡¯s specs had risen considerably. I already noticed this when she turned the Sea Serpent into rags with just a few slashes, but now, I knew for sure that it happened. After all, even though Severer was still in its scabbard, she still almost turned me into a pulp with just a few swings. System Log [ Successfully continued the battle despite serious injuries! ] [ Proficiency of ¡®Mastery: Iron Man¡¯ increased. ] Why else would the proficiency of this Mastery increase unless I got absolutely fucked in the ass? ¡°...¡± But still, I survived. That was the important part. Basically, before I could even properly prepare for the boss battle tomorrow, I had narrowly avoided an unsightly death of my head flying off at the hands of an ally. ¡°...Hm.¡± Instead, I was half minced-meat; Faenol stroked her chin while looking down at such a state of me. ¡°Are you alive?¡± ¡°...Somehow.¡± The first thing that caught my eye was the entirely fucked up room due to Yuria going wild while crying and screaming. After that, she shouted ¡®Mr. Dowd, you idiot-!¡¯ or some shit like that before dashing off somewhere. As I pulled myself together and collapsed in front of the table, Faenol very casually poured a cup of tea. ¡°It is nice to meet you, Dowd Campbell.¡± Faenol smiled brightly as she extended her hand for a handshake. ¡°...¡± After vacantly gazing at that, I soon grabbed her hand. And at the same time... [...] Within Soul Linker, I could vividly feel Caliban¡¯s horror and dismay. Seeing as we even made physical contact, there was no way he wouldn¡¯t be able to feel that aura. [...No, No way. You¡¯re kidding me. Don¡¯t fuck with me right now.] Yeah. I told you. [This bitch, I-I, definitely...!] Killed her. Faenol, as Caliban said, was a being who had died once. Caliban and all the Guardians expended their lives to defeat her, after all. And, although the outward appearance he remembered might be different, this was the exact same being, The main culprit behind the ¡®Crimson Night Incident¡¯ that swept away Iliya¡¯s entire family. ¡°So...¡± Faenol ¡®Deathwish¡¯ Lipek. The Final Boss of Chapter 4. The first ¡®completed¡¯ Vessel in the scenario, who possessed ¡®all¡¯ the Fragments of the ¡®Red Devil¡¯. In other words... ¡°What brings you here to see me?¡± Going beyond a Vessel who simply held Devil¡¯s Fragments... She was the only existence that transcended into an ¡®Incarnation¡¯ that harbored a ¡®Completed Devil¡¯. And that very same existence smiled softly towards me. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 103: Incarnation (2) Chapter 103: Incarnation (2) ? Incarnation (2) ? In the world of Sera, there were various kinds of divine beings. From the Existence of an Ancient Era deep in the sea that Tatiana served to the Gods in the Astral Realm that ruled over angels and were worshiped by the Holy Land. Even the Devils of Pandemonium were included in this illustrious list of existences. In terms of strength, beings from the Astral Realm and Pandemonium were the most powerful, but they were just a fraction of the elements that made up the entire world. And Incarnations were existences chosen by such beings as the ¡®ones closest to them¡¯; Those who were specifically selected to wield their power in the most effective ways. In the original game, the easiest Incarnations to encounter were Vessels that had collected all the Devil¡¯s Fragments. And among them all, Eleanor, who became the Grey Devil¡¯s Incarnation, was the one you¡¯d stumble upon the most. Since she was the Final Boss, it was an inevitability that all the Devil¡¯s Fragments would be gathered to her, without you needing to fulfill anything specifics.. ¡®...Also, she is the only one you could communicate with when in that state.¡¯ Maybe it was because she was chosen from the very beginning? Out of all the Incarnations, Eleanor, who had collected all the Fragments, had the least amount of ¡®side effects¡¯. Even among those existences, there was virtually no one who could become like her. That was why, you could consider that being chosen as an Incarnation gave you no benefit whatsoever. An incarnation with a completely intact body or personality was an extremely rare case. Look at Alan for example. He became an Incarnation of the Riptide, but his body had transformed to the point that he could never return to his original appearance. But, those who reached the realm of an Incarnation could easily perform unreasonable feats that were impossible to explain by any laws. For example... Coming back to life despite dying once. ¡°The amulet looks fascinating.¡± Faenol remarked as such while gazing at Soul Linker erratically emitting light. This phenomenon was caused by Caliban. It seemed he still found it hard to believe that the person in front of him was the very same being he had once killed. ¡°...There¡¯s no need to worry about it.¡± I hid Soul Linker behind me. At the moment, nothing good would come out of revealing this person¡¯s existence. After all, the reason why I came here this time was to seek her cooperation. ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect you to come see me first.¡± Faenol elegantly sipped her tea. Considering the setting, she was undoubtedly a young lady of a noble household. That was why she had the tendency to ignore anyone who wasn¡¯t a member of a noble household; Thinking that they didn¡¯t belong in the same level as her. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been deliberately avoiding me until now?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to look so surprised. I¡¯ve always been listening to information about you.¡± Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com She let out a faint smile. ¡°I can understand the intention behind the way you treat me reasonably well.¡± Why did every woman I meet have so much interest in me to the point of being creepy? Yes, I knew I had this special constitution, but wasn¡¯t this a little too much? ¡°Still, you¡¯re quite alright, compared to the bugs that swarm around nearby.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It is even more so in this barbaric place. It¡¯s a backwards country where reason can not be found anywhere, as they believe in everything and anything if it¡¯s a tradition. Don¡¯t you think so as well?¡± Each and every word she uttered was something that could get her stabbed with a knife if she were to say it out loud through the entirety of the Tribe Alliance. In this country, the tradition of a tribe held a status close to a religion. After all, even though anyone would agree that Alan Ba-Thor¡¯s extortion of statutory power was a bizarre circumstance, they all acknowledged the regime change all in the name of tradition. However, Faenol¡¯s voice, which spewed out such crazy sentences, was not agitated at all; Rather, it went beyond calm and could even be considered serene. Almost as if she was nonchalantly expressing her true feelings. ¡®...In the whole universe, only I exist.¡¯ I groaned inwardly, recalling a sentence that best described Faenol. She was an egalitarian in the truest sense. After all, she saw every human except herself as mere garbage. Well, at least Yuria and I had something that could make her unable to look down on us. ¡®...She went berserk as soon as the Fragments gathered because she was this kind of person, after all.¡¯ As seen in Eleanor¡¯s case, the more Devil¡¯s Fragments were collected, the more the negative aspects of the target¡¯s personality got amplified.. The Crimson Night Incident had probably occurred because, unlike other Vessels, this woman had no intention of suppressing the negative effects transmitted by the Fragments. [...If that¡¯s the case, we have to kill this bitch right here and now.] ¡®...Caliban.¡¯ [Damn it, it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know either. She is a walking calamity. I don¡¯t know how she came back to life after dying once, but if we leave her alone, then¡ª!] ¡®You promised me.¡¯ To not do anything foolish. There was a perfect example right in front of me. When Faenol went berserk during the Crimson Night Incident, the only way to stop her was to kill her. ¡°And the Heretic Inquisition is currently judging that some kind of ¡®relationship¡¯ manifested between you and the Vessel, leading to this miracle.¡± My eyes narrowed at those words. Atalante had mentioned something similar before. She had said that my relationship with the Vessels were the only means to seal them. After saying those words, Faenol took a moment to collect her breath. ¡°...In other words, it¡¯s possible that a Devil¡¯s Vessel who has ¡®fallen¡¯ for you may give you the ¡®right to control¡¯ its power based on how precious you are to it. That¡¯s the conclusion they had come to.¡± Atalente had said something similar as well. I had no way of knowing the process, but didn¡¯t she say it was possible to seal the Devils if I formed a relationship with them? And what this girl was saying right now was the process of such a phenomenon. ¡°...¡± Alright. Okay. I get it and all, but... Having heard that much, I could kinda predict what would follow. And it was not something I would find pleasing at all. ¡°...Judging from your tendencies, I do believe you already know about this. I have returned from the dead once before.¡± Faenol continued with a voice that was void of any emotion. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll experience it later, but let me tell you in advance. It was not a pleasant experience.¡± ¡°...Isn¡¯t death like that for everyone?¡± ¡°No, not death.¡± Faenol wore a hollow smile. ¡°...This... ¡¯Life¡¯ that has... Nothing... After death.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I ¡®resurrected¡¯ through part of the Authority given to me as the Red Devil¡¯s Incarnation, but... It cost me something quite precious in return.¡± Yes, that was for certain. I knew very well what she had ¡®lost¡¯ while undergoing such a process. As I mentioned earlier, among Incarnations, this girl was a rare case where she reached such a state without any side effects. But, I might need to attach one more explanation to that. Strictly speaking, this girl also had a ¡®flaw¡¯. ¡°...¡± And that flaw... Was a bit more terrifying than one may think. To the point where she would be far more scared of living right now than being dead. It was even enough for their ¡®mutual interests¡¯ to align. What a strange thing to think about, huh? Going beyond a Vessel, a completed Incarnation was attached to the Heretic Inquisition, who were known to denounce anything related to Devils. However.... The Heretic Inquisition wished to capture and exterminate all Devils. And Faenol knew that she fell into such a category. So, the conclusion that those two reached was that... In the end, the most convenient ¡®tool¡¯ in achieving both of their goals was me. As such, it was incredibly obvious what she would ask of me. ¡°Dowd Campbell. I will cooperate with whatever you wish. Since I¡¯m currently standing in as the Acting Inquisitor for the Heretic Inquisition, I will give you my cooperation using my authority. However, I would appreciate it if you could grant me just one thing.¡± Faenol grinned as she opened her mouth. ¡°Could you seduce me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please make me fall in love with you. Through that relationship, help me suppress the Devil imbued inside me.¡± Such words sank heavily in the tense air of the reception room. ¡°That way, I can finally die again.¡± You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 104: Speedrun (1) Chapter 104: Speedrun (1) ? Speedrun (1) ? [...Say that again.] ¡°...I asked for you to send me some materials related to sexual techniques.¡± [...] On the other end of the call, Beatrix wrapped her hand around her chin and fell into deep thought. She opened her mouth, hesitated for a moment, before closing her mouth again. It seemed she didn¡¯t even know where to start. In the end, seemingly to have given up on everything, she grabbed her head and spoke with a resigned tone. [What kind of bullshit did that fucker do this time?] ¡°...¡± Even though Dowd was blatantly getting sworn at, Eleanor couldn¡¯t find it in herself to defend him this time. And when thinking about the words that would follow, this feeling weighed onto her even more heavily. ¡°Dowd...s-said...c-c-chi-ch¡ª¡±¡± Eleanor stammered out the sentence with a face flushed bright red. It was understandable. The sentence she wanted to say was something that could embarrass even herself; A woman who had never shown any emotion on her face. [...Ch? What? Did you malfunction? Are you broken?] ¡°He...said...we...should...have...a...child.¡± [...] ¡°A-And, I thought it wouldn¡¯t be too bad to have at least one before conducting the ceremony.¡± With a soulless expression, Beatrice, who had been silent for a brief moment, began to speak with great difficulty. [Why did that topic suddenly come up?] ¡°...He announced his intention to accept a concubine for childcare, so he...uh...said we should...p-push ahead w-with such plans...soon.¡± [Eleanor.] Beatrix took a deep breath. The tone that came out of her mouth was lower than usual. It was her attempt to stay calm and talk nicely without exploding. Or at least, she tried to. It was a nice try, though. [Are you insane¡ª?!] ¡°...¡± Eleanor instantly shut her mouth at the expected reaction. After all, even if the culture of encouraging both legitimate wives and concubines was prevalent among high nobility, that didn¡¯t mean the parties involved would be happy about it. Moreover, Beatrix was someone who knew very well that Eleanor had consistently given Dowd her pure love. No matter how the words were structured and constructed, there was no chance she would take it graciously. [You, you...How can you talk about such a thing so easily...! A concubine?! A bastard who just received a mere Viscounty dares to demand such a thing first from the Young Lady of a Duchy? How does that make any sense¡ª!] ¡°...¡± Unbecoming of her usual self, Eleanor continued to get scolded as she bowed her head and pursed her lips. Except for her father, she had never experienced such a treatment from another person in her entire life. However, if the person involved in her discussions with Beatrix was Dowd, this wasn¡¯t an unusual thing. [You idiot! And you aren¡¯t angry at him?! It should be him who should get on his knees and beg for your acceptance! He is the one who should be showing his belly like a dog! How can you be so easygoing just because he mentioned that he wants to have a child with you¡ª!] ¡°...But...¡± Even while continuously hearing such admonitions, Eleanor stammered out her words. Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡°...H-He asked for it to that extent...If I refuse, i-it might hurt h-his feelings, right?¡± [...] Going beyond mere anger, Beatrix now looked at Eleanor with an expression closer to utter horror. There should be limits even when one was blinded by love. He asked her to accept a concubine since he would have a child with her? And she just accepted that without hesitation because she was worried he would get his feelings hurt?! Was this really the same person who had previously declared that she would kill any woman around him if she wasn¡¯t his top priority?! [If you let him get a concubine, there¡¯s a chance that he won¡¯t prioritize¡ª] ¡°I don¡¯t think such a case would ever happen.¡± [What?] ¡°He won¡¯t have time or luxury to focus on someone other than me when we¡¯ll be having our children.¡± [...?] Mm. Wait a moment. Something was odd. The focal point of the conversation seemed off. Beatrix paused for a moment, reflecting upon their recent conversation. Wait, previously... Didn¡¯t she say she was fine with ¡®at least one¡¯ before conducting the ceremony? [...] Ah. I see. Beatrix met Eleanor¡¯s eyes with a look of realization on her face. [...How many children are you thinking of having?] ¡°...?¡± ¡°...That shouldn¡¯t be the case.¡± Even in the original game, Eleanor, who had her head cut off by Iliya during the Final Boss Battle, remained dead. It was just that this phenomenon occurred because she was none other than the Incarnation of the Red Devil; An existence with an Authority that was insanely tenacious in matters related to life force. ¡°Your goals align either way, don¡¯t they?¡± I tapped Soul Linker as I continued speaking. ¡°You want her dead, the Heretic Inquisition wants Faenol dead, and she herself wants it as well.¡± The problem was... When put into perspective... Even the Guardians, the Empire¡¯s greatest knights, and the Heretic Inquisition, who didn¡¯t shun away from any means if it meant hunting Devils, were not able to find a way to ¡®completely¡¯ kill Faenol. In the end, such a bizarre request fell on my lap instead. [Do you really intend to do as she wishes?] ¡°...¡± Well... Yeah, I guess I had to. I was talking about her request for me to seduce her. Her theory was that the closer my relationship with a Devil¡¯s Vessel was, the more ¡®control¡¯ I had over the power of a Devil. If this was true, then the more favorable she felt towards me, the greater the possibility became of sealing the Red Devil. Basically, it meant skipping the entire final boss battle of Chapter 4. In the original game, only Iliya, wielding the Holy Sword, could inflict anything resembling a ¡®hit¡¯ on existences related to Devils. If such an effect could indeed be achieved by just that, there was no reason for me to not try it out. It was a tremendous difference that allowed me to immediately understand why messages about ¡®Scenario Changes¡¯ or whatever popped up when I met her. ¡°...¡± Of course, that was one thing. What was more important was that, by agreeing to such a request, I had been delegated the authority of the Heretic Inquisition from her. That meant, I would be able to endure all the ¡®backlash¡¯ for what I needed to do from now on using that authority. From now on... I could not delay even for a single moment. All the tasks lined up in front of me must be dealt with at the fastest speed possible. First and foremost... Like I did with the Sea Serpent, I needed to leave an ¡®Imprint¡¯ on each Demonic Creature which were virtually permanent tenants of the zones nearby the Forge of Struggle. Although there was usually a great burden of danger when it came to doing such work on Demonic Creatures as strong as the Sea Serpent, at the very least, I could not give up on this. It was honestly an essential component that I needed to complete for this boss battle. As such, I even had to mobilize methods that I originally had no intention of using. [ Main Quest ] ¡¼ Apostle of the Reversed Sea ¡½ [ 21H left until the ¡®Great Duel¡¯ Incident! ] [ The boss battle will follow immediately after the incident in question! ] Once again, the time remaining seemed to have significantly shortened compared to before. ¡®Damn it, I can¡¯t trust the time limit this fucker gives anymore.¡¯ With such thoughts in mind, I confirmed two blue lights sequentially flaring on the magically engineering communication device in my arms. They were signals; One from Talion, who went to Eleanor, and the other from Iliya, who went to Yuria. It probably meant that they smoothly handled the tasks I requested them to do. ¡°...Okay.¡± And next to me, Riru, who was in the same group as me, was cracking her neck and knuckles. ¡°In the Hunter¡¯s Night, the sea held the least importance, unlike the Scorching Zone, Snowfield Zone and the Jungle Zone. From today until the end of the period, it¡¯s practically a free-for-all in those zones.¡± Riru spoke excitedly with sparkling eyes, as if she was a child who had just found Santa Claus. ¡°It¡¯s best to go to the Scorching Zone first. We can obtain essential components that are necessary for long-term survival in the wilderness by hunting the Demonic Creatures in that area. Then, based on the obtained materials, we can choose the next route by making the wisest judgements poss¡ª¡± ¡°...Riru.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± I halted a very excited Riru¡¯s tirade. From her perspective, it might feel like going on a picnic. Even I could see that. Originally, I also had a lot to do here. I intended to experiment with Valkasus¡¯ Forbidden Sorcery, check out the newly acquired equipment, and slowly test how strong the skills I had gained so far were. And above all, I was going to humor Riru, regardless of what she wished to do. However... What I needed to do right now was to prepare for the boss battle tomorrow by any means necessary. Even if it meant shattering this person¡¯s romanticism and expectations into itty bitty pieces. I looked towards the steel gate opening in front of me. The heat of the Scorching Zone was transmitted intensely. ¡°Sorry, but this time, we don¡¯t have time for hunting or anything like that.¡± The ¡®Flame Demon¡¯ of the Scorching Zone. The ¡®Ice Tiger¡¯ of the Snowfield Zone. The ¡®Horned Ogre¡¯ of the Jungle Zone. Their status was not lacking at all, even compared to the Sea Serpent; Special-Grade Demonic Creatures commonly referred to as calamity-grade. However... In this current situation, I had to reach out to these existences that were dangerous to even meet. And as long as I had even brought out such a card... The time I needed to spend taking out all three of them was... ¡°...I¡¯ll finish it within 5 minutes.¡± There was a mountain of things I needed to do in just one day. And I could not delay for even a single second.. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 105: Speedrun (2) Chapter 105: Speedrun (2) ? Speedrun (2) ? ¡°...Five minutes?¡± Riru¡¯s immediate response was as predictable as expected. First: A reaction that showed how she failed to understand anything. ¡°...What are you going to do in five minutes? Are you saying you¡¯re going inside?¡± ¡°...I said, I¡¯m going to hunt down the Warden inside within five minutes.¡± Second: Denial. ¡°It¡¯s not the time for jokes. The Scorching Zone is filled with Demonic Creatures that are incomparably more dangerous than the ones we hunted in the¡ª¡± ¡°Yes. And I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll catch the most powerful and dangerous one in five minutes.¡± ¡°...¡± After hearing me repeating myself again, finally she realized that my words weren¡¯t a slip of the tongue or nonsense I chose to spout. Riru, who was looking at me with a face surpassing horror and verging on despair, soon held her forehead and sighed deeply. ¡°...You¡¯re making that face again.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same face you had when you said you would catch the Sea Serpent.¡± Riru crossed her arms and glared at me. ¡°Anyone else would think it¡¯s just ridiculous nonsense. But for some reason, you act like you¡¯re really sure it would work.¡± ¡°...¡± How strange. Her words sounded like a compliment... But her tone was filled with anger... ¡°Whenever you make that face, you always babble about crazy shit as if it¡¯s a walk in the park.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, fine. Go on. Say it. What do you plan to use me for this time? You didn¡¯t bring me here without any reason, right? Are you not going to include me in your nonsensical plan?¡± Her words were spot on, I couldn¡¯t even rebuke her. Eleanor, paired and sent off with Talion. Yuria, paired and sent off with Iliya. There was a reason why I divided the teams in such a manner. This team was no exception. I had a very specific use in mind for her. ¡°Riru.¡± Saying so, I tightly grasped both of Riru¡¯s arms with my hands. ¡°...Eh?¡± Riru blinked dazedly at this sudden action. As I closed the distance between us while holding her arms, her face rapidly turned red. ¡°...What...are you doing?¡± Her voice trembled slightly. I was prepared to hear her say something like, ¡®How dare you lay your hands on me?¡¯, followed by a punch to the chin, but fortunately, doing this much didn¡¯t seem to be that bad for her. Well, considering that she didn¡¯t immediately crack my head open like an egg when I mentioned bullshit about concubines, she must have some degree of favorability towards me. That was why... At the very least, I was confident she wouldn¡¯t immediately kill me for what I was about to do. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± I continued, locking eyes with Riru¡¯s trembling pupils. ¡°...What is it?¡± ¡°This is about you and me.¡± ¡°...¡± Realizing that my expression was far more serious than normal, her body started to tremble. The trembling evolved to tremor; her entire body was practically wriggling about. At the same time, the flush on her face deepened even further. ¡°...Wh-What i-is it about? Stop beating around the bush and just say it.¡± ¡°...¡± What was she so embarrassed about? This was the same person who led a rough life, someone who¡¯d wildly beat the shit out of anyone who got in her way. Never did I expect that she would become so... Unstable... Almost dangerously so... After I approached her like this... Her face was as red as a ripe tomato. Her eyes were spinning. Maybe it was just my imagination, but even her breathing seemed a bit shallow. [Usually, someone like her is unexpectedly weak to physical affection. After all, other men definitely wouldn¡¯t have gone near her because they got scared of her.] ¡®Caliban.¡¯ [Yeah?] ¡®Why are you talking so much when you haven¡¯t had much experience with romance either?¡¯ [...] ¡®I already know all about how you were too busy with swordsmanship training and knight duties to have time for that. Smh.¡¯ As I inwardly clicked my tongue, I meticulously double-checked my words before voicing them out. So... < Gift-Related Character Alert > ¨‹ Riru Garda [ Trust Level 1 ] [ Rewards Available! ] About this... Setting the reward aside... Since her favorability was already at Trust Level 1, it should be high enough for me to get away with what I was about to do. ¡°Do you remember when I said I would take you as my concubine?¡± ¡°...Y-Yes, I guess t-that did h-happen?¡± I added another remark to Riru, who was glaring at me as if she wanted to kill me. ¡°I don¡¯t really like women with shitty personalities.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Try to fix that temper of yours that flares up at every little thing. Eleanor doesn¡¯t do that, you know?¡± System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation to be a significant, massive, and absolute threat to your life. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX-Grade. ] System Message [ You voluntarily did something so batshit crazy that it is no different from throwing your life away as if it¡¯s worthless! ] [ The enhancement condition of ¡®Skill: Desperation¡¯ has been unlocked! The condition in question has been added to the Gift Tab! ] ¡°...¡± Okay, for now, it seemed that the drug was working pretty well. The problem was that it was working too well. Hatan U-Jul took on serious strides as he entered the control room. After all, it was the Hunter¡¯s Night, one of the most important events in the Forge of Struggle. Therefore, as a Dean and a War Chief, it was only natural for him to feel heavily burdened. ¡°Scorching Zone. No issues with the control system.¡± ¡°Snowfield Zone. No issues with the control system.¡± ¡°Jungle Zone. No issues with the control system.¡± Hatan nodded slowly as he received these reports. ¡°Track the vital signs of all students.¡± Laying down such an order, Hatan checked the visuals of each ¡®hunting ground¡¯ displayed on the screen. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that the scenes unfolding were the most chaotic in the history of this institution. Intermediate-Grade Demonic Creatures that normal students wouldn¡¯t even be able to escape from, let alone confront, were sprawled everywhere. And even the High-Grade Demonic Creatures, who were supposed to be slumbering even during this period of time, were frequently visible. It was to the extent that even signs of the ¡®Rulers¡¯ of each Demonic Zone were detected; beings that one might see once in decades. After all, the presence of the Sea Serpent, Ruler of the Sea, had already been confirmed. ¡®It shouldn¡¯t have been this chaotic originally.¡¯ It was indeed a bit strange. From the perspective of an experienced hunter, the most logical reason for these Demonic Creatures to awaken would be the presence of a stronger Demonic Creature nearby. However... What being could possibly make these Wardens, Rulers of their respective Demonic Zones, so fearful? It was utterly incomprehensible. ¡®...But still, this year...¡¯ As tumultuous as the environment was, it was fortunate that someone stood out just as much, shining far brighter than others. Hatan smirked as he recalled the guy who had recently succeeded in the insane feat of ¡®dragon hunting¡¯. There was no doubt that he was an extraordinary person. ¡®If it¡¯s him...¡¯ He might not just stop at the Sea Serpent and instead, hunt another Ruler in a different Demonic Zone. It would be a great undertaking that was not easily achieved even by warriors who had left their names in history, let alone students. Perhaps he might even go beyond two and reach three. And if that happened... In front of all the War Chiefs, he would receive the title of ¡®Great Hunter¡¯, a title not given to anyone since the establishment of the Tribal Alliance. Even Hatan, known as the greatest hunter in modern times, could not even dare to think of receiving such a title. And more importantly, that man would gain the authority that came with being recognized by ¡®all the War Chiefs¡¯. At the very least, when it came to dealing with ¡®Demonic Creatures¡¯, the entire Tribal Alliance would have no choice but to heed his words. ¡°-an. Dean!¡± While Hatan was lost in such thoughts, someone reported to him in an urgent voice. ¡°Rulers have emerged s-simultaneously in three Demonic Zones! They are currently engaged in battle!¡± ¡°...¡± Hatan glanced at his watch. Only 3 minutes had passed. But what the fuck did he just hear? ¡°...Check again that it¡¯s not a device malfuncti-¡± ¡°The Ruler of the Jungle Zone and the Ruler of the Snowfield Zone are dead!¡± ¡°...¡± What. Didn¡¯t you say they just emerged? Didn¡¯t you say the battle had just begun? Before Hatan could utter another word, the report continued from an employee who looked like they had lost their breath. ¡°F-For now, we will transmit the visuals from the Scorching Zone, the only area where a Ruler of a Demonic Zone is still alive!¡± With those words, the screen began to display the scene of the Scorching Zone. At the very center of the screen were Riru Garda, emitting a blue aura from her body for some reason, and one man. And the following scene that unfolded from those two was... Undoubtedly... A sight that could be called a natural disaster. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 106: Speedrun (3) Chapter 106: Speedrun (3) ? Speedrun (3) ? The Flame Demon, an age-old Demonic Creature, had long reigned as the Ruler of this Scorching Zone. Its massive body could truly be said to boast the majesty of a Giant of Fire. ¨C... And that giant rose up, waking up from its long slumber. Normally, it should currently be in the midst of hibernation, but it had forced its eyes open, drawn by the potent smell of an overwhelming ¡®presence¡¯. -... The Flame Demon immediately fell into thought. What kind of existence could possibly dare to make it feel this way? At the very least, it had to witness who it was with its own two eyes. With such a resolution, the Flame Demon fully rose from its slumber. The flames of mana wrapping around its body held the grandeur of a disaster; the mana flowing endlessly mixed with its breath, enough to cause an ultra high temperature flame just on its own. As it made its grand appearance and stepped out of its nest, other High-Grade Demonic Creatures nearby ran away with their hearts in their mouths, utterly terrified to death. After all, the Ruler of this vast Scorching Zone had revealed its overwhelming majesty to the entire firmament. -... Its eyes then turned towards the direction where it felt the most powerful aura. The far distant sea. The Flame Demon was familiar with what was lurking beneath. The Sea Serpent. The Ruler of the Sea with strength comparable to its own. -...? However, something was strange. The Sea Serpent¡¯s aura which could always be felt from there was absent. Instead of the expected aura, something much more sinister could be sensed. Below the depths where the Sea Serpent usually dwelled... In a much deeper place. -...! And the Flame Demon, instinctively detecting this aura, flinched. Although the Flame Demon itself was a considerably ancient being, what dwelled within those depths was... Not just ancient, but something that was closer to indescribable. Merely looking at it brought an unpleasant feeling crawling up from the depths of its consciousness. Upon feeling this, it unconsciously stepped back a few paces, then froze in shock because of a truth it realized. It was scared. The Flame Demon itself was scared. An existence, who had reigned over this area as a Ruler for ages, was now afraid of the being in the deep sea. Without even facing it directly, just the aura that emanated from there was enough to cause this phenomenon. -... Shocked, it became rigid and only later did it detect a ¡®change¡¯ happening nearby. -...? It could feel something strange. Something much closer than the monstrous entity far in the sea was approaching. As the Flame Demon turned its head towards that direction, a similarly unfathomable scene was unfolding. -... The Flame Demon looked at the ground and the sky alternately with a questioning look. What had happened? Had the laws of the world changed while it slumbered? Why? Why were bastards that should be walking on land floating in the air? -!!!!!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Screams and howls filled the air; Courtesy of the Demonic Creatures that were all hit by something and sent flying in the air in a half-obliterated state. Moreover, among them were powerful High-Grade Demonic Creatures that even the Flame Demon itself would be wary of. Golems of Fire, made of mana stones of flames, larger in size than even itself. Hellhounds that could tear through most defensive gear with just its teeth and claws. Even Fire Spirits that were capable of turning the entire area into ashes by pouring out demonic spells of fire. Each and every one was a calamity if let loose outside this Scorching Zone. And yet... Those existences were being flung into the air, screaming in groups of at least dozens at a time. -...? And if it scrutinized such a scene in greater detail, it would only deepen the questions and doubts the Flame Demon harbored on what the hell was happening in the world. For there was a human ¡®punching away¡¯ these respectable Demonic Creatures as if they were pounding out feathers. As they ran, they merely swung their hands, as if flicking away dust. It felt as if they were nonchalantly removing some troublesome obstacles that were in their way. However, despite such weak and lackluster movements... -! A Golem of Fire shattered to pieces when hit by their fingertips. -!! A Hellhound was split in half from a casual halfhearted kick. -!!! The blaze conjured by a Fire Spirit pouring out all its strength just ¡®bounced¡¯ off their bare body as they advanced. Each and every one of these Demonic Creatures that were close to a calamity were effortlessly handled as if they were mere toys. What was this? Where the hell did this monster come from? -... As if its soul had left its body, the Flame Demon looked blank towards them, then focused more intently on the humans. They were an odd pair, fitting for such bizarre sights. ¡°Why do you keep running away...? Huh? I told you to explain, right?¡± Immediately after, a hand grabbed my collar while wrapped in a blue aura; of course, the owner of it was Riru. Her eyes were lifeless; There was no focus in them at all. Clearly, she had lost her fucking mind. ¡°...¡± Uh. But, um hey, you know... I would like to answer, but I¡¯m kinda suffocating. Since I was hanging in the air, grabbed by my collar, it was impossible for me to breathe. A choked voice leaked out. My vision flickered. ¡°You, you, you definitely said you liked me befor-¡± Riru, veins popping on her forehead, tried to continue to say something, but... ¡°Yes. That¡¯s as far as you go.¡± There was a ¡®red aura¡¯ that interrupted. Interfering with the blue aura emanating from Riru, it slapped her hand away. [...] From within Soul Linker, I could feel Caliban¡¯s displeasure rapidly increasing. The reason for that was... Red Devil¡¯s Aura. ¡°...¡± When I turned my head, I saw Faenol standing on a rock, holding a staff. I had called her here in advance. I knew I would definitely need her around this time. While smiling slyly, a red aura bloomed from her body. Unlike Riru, who had let her aura flow wildly in her surroundings, hers was clearly controlled and disciplined. ¡®...The only Vessel that is able to control her Devil.¡¯ While recalling this characteristic, I sighed inwardly. I had no intention of using her in an actual ¡®battle¡¯, but it was necessary to utilize her to deal with Riru at this very moment. After all, only a Devil could counter another Devil. I was able to survive thanks to her knocking Riru¡¯s hand away. ¡°...Who is she?¡± ¡°Faenol Lipek. I¡¯m running for the next candidate to be Mr. Dowd¡¯s lover. Nice to meet you, Waiting Line Senior.¡± ¡°...¡± As Riru looked at Faenol, grinning and waving, with an incredulous expression... While her focus was elsewhere, I took the opportunity to attach the mana stone I got from Faenol onto Riru¡¯s body. It was a ¡®teleportation¡¯ mana stone that any moderately skilled mage could make. The set coordinates were the outermost area of the Forge of Struggle. The effect was immediate. Riru, with the mana stone attached, disappeared in an instant. ¡°...Ah, I actually almost died.¡± While coughing, I stood up from where I had collapsed. A fresh blue bruise was marked on my neck where Riru had just grabbed me. Despite all the cheat skills I had plastered myself with, I still suffered this much; It was truly difficult to grasp the extent of power that the Devil¡¯s Vessels possessed. ¡°...Isn¡¯t this just pushing back the issue by avoiding it now?¡± While observing my condition, Faenol said this with a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯ve done everything you asked, but what is even the point of this?¡± ¡°It buys some time.¡± ¡°...¡± Faenol frowned. ¡°...The Blue Devil is heavily influenced by its Vessel. Haven¡¯t you been paying a lot of attention to that from the very start?¡± ¡°I have.¡± ¡°Yes. But if you just provoke her and then fling her away to somewhere else without a proper explanation, won¡¯t that just make her even angrier?¡± ¡°It will.¡± I rummaged through the destroyed body of the Flame Demon while rubbing my neck. There was something in here I needed to find, after all. ¡°...Then how do you plan to soothe someone who¡¯s that angry? If the Vessel goes berserk, like the case of the Grey Devil before, this entire area will-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to soothe her.¡± I sighed in response to Faenol¡¯s words. As I did so, her expression instantly went blank. ¡°...Excuse me?¡± ¡°I said, I¡¯m not going to soothe her.¡± I deliberately provoked her and flung her away with such thoughts in mind from the very start. To make sure her head positively fumed with anger. To make the Devil¡¯s Aura flow more intensely. ¡°...¡± Throughout the entire progress of this chapter, I really took care to not make Riru angry, but... Seeing Alan¡¯s current state made me change my mind a bit. As I said before, to face an unbeatable boss, I needed to do some batshit crazy things myself, to a level even Tatiana couldn¡¯t predict. Although going out of my way to meet Faenol was part of that plan, I needed something more... ¡¯effective¡¯ than that. And so, I gave it more thought. What was the craziest thing I could do within manageable limits? What was a mean strong enough to smoothly get through the boss battle? And that led me to this conclusion. ¡°I¡¯m going to make the Blue Devil go berserk once.¡± Well then... Let¡¯s take a look at Riru in her purest form. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 107: Omen Chapter 107: Omen ? Omen ?Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com Talion Armand was someone who took pride in his own abilities. It was understandable given that he could even compete with Iliya, who had received the title of Hero, a distinction reserved only for the most promising talent in the continent. Recently, however, he had been feeling the widening gap between himself and her, almost akin to a difference between heaven and earth. As such, his confidence has wavered a bit lately. Dowd Campbell always seemed to attract and become entangled with monstrous individuals. Despite his limited social circle, the capabilities of those around him were so absurd that any concerns about his few interpersonal relationships were virtually meaningless. For instance, other than Iliya... First, there was the Saintess of the Church and a terrifying swordsman who could kill a dragon with a single blow; both came as a set. Then, there was Riru Garda, who even Iliya, a fellow freshman, wouldn¡¯t dare to provoke recklessly was included in this terrifying list. Moreover, those individuals were completely devoted to him. ¡®...Devoted?¡¯ Well, at times, their excessive favorability was a little problematic, but anyway... When standing next to that man, it was inevitable for him to feel that he was such a small person. ¡°...¡± And Talion had realized one more truth. The fact that it was silly of him to even feel that way. In the first place, the sense of inferiority born from comparison would only really hit home when one felt that they are ¡®similar¡¯ to the person they are compared to. If the counterpart was a monster, a sky above the sky... Then the fact that he felt inferior was completely preposterous in the first place. ¡°I found it!¡± They were in a certain frozen land, where mana-powered blizzards raged. In this place, there was a Ruler; A tiger with the size of a house, the Ice Tiger. Thanks to the blue jewels that adorned its entire body, it possessed defensive capabilities at the level of defensive gear made from rare metals. It was a Demonic Creature that possessed innate elemental magic from birth. Demonic Creatures titled as Special-Grade were never considered as ¡®prey to hunt¡¯ and the Ice Tiger was no exception. They were more like creatures of legend for the hunters, unbelievable existences used to scare children with sayings such as, ¡®Behave well or the Ice Tiger will get you!¡¯. These Special-Grades were so formidable that even a battalion of official knights, who each could easily face Intermediate-Grade Demonic Creatures, would only have a possibility to subjugate these monsters. Above them were only the dragon race, beasts from other dimensions, and the Four Cardinal Gods, who were last seen decades ago. But now... This Ice Tiger had met an opponent that was able to ¡®tear it apart¡¯ in a blink of an eye. ¡°...¡± When he first entered this hunting ground and was requested to eliminate the Ice Tiger with Eleanor in 5 minutes, he thought that was just an exaggeration from that man, a way to tell them to do the deed quickly. Among the students, it was already well-known that Elfante¡¯s Student Council President was a combatant who possessed historic levels of strength; but even so, wasn¡¯t she still just a student? Or that was what he thought. Until Eleanor abruptly let out a punch without moving from where she was standing at upon meeting the Ice Tiger. ¡°...?¡± At first, he thought that she had lost her mind. After all, she was a swordsman, yet her sword remained unsheathed against such a powerful foe. Not to mention that what she threw wasn¡¯t even a serious punch, just a casual thrust as if she was pushing something in the air. The motion she made was bizarre, as if she didn¡¯t have the slightest intention to even hit her opponent. However... Alongside that light motion, a ¡®grey aura¡¯ burst forth from Eleanor¡¯s body. And at the same time... -!! -!!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The scenery before him was ¡®ripped apart¡¯ in its entirety. And even the Ice Tiger, who was swept away by such an aura, was shredded into pieces without a chance to resist. Dowd had instructed them to instill ¡®fear¡¯ to it, so it didn¡¯t seem like she killed it, but it was definitely one step away from dying. All that was achieved from this single mind-boggling attack. Talion could only watch with his mouth agape at the sight. ¡°...¡± This person... ¡®...No, wait.¡¯ ¡®Could she even be called a person anymore?¡¯ As a descendant of a distinguished martial family, Talion could tell that the technique Eleanor unleashed did not fit into any known categories of Special Power such as Fortitude or Divine; It was something he had never seen before. The only candidates that could wield such power were beings considered as mere fantasy by the academic circles: Existences of the Astral Realm or Devils, the Rulers of Pandemonium. ¡°...¡± ¡®Devil...¡¯ ¡®Wait, Devil?¡¯ He narrowed his eyes, gazing towards Eleanor. The blood of Devils runs in the veins of the Tristan Duchy. Though a mere whisper, it was a whisper that had always circled around in the Empire¡¯s high society. Although it sounded absurd... What if it did not possess a metaphorical meaning? What if there was actually some connection between the family¡¯s bloodline and Devils? ¡®...No, there¡¯s no way.¡¯ It was way too ridiculous to even consider. For a prominent major noble household of the Empire to be entangled with such things? If it were true, the Empire would have already been in an uproar multiple times over. In the first place, no one even knew where such rumors came from. ¡®...Father did say he heard that the Imperial Family may have spread it, though.¡¯ But that was even more absurd than the original rumor. Why would the Imperial Family do that? Especially to the Tristan Duchy household who had been unrivaled in their loyalty to the Imperial Family for generations? Unless it was to ¡®pressure¡¯ them purposely, it made absolutely zero sense. ¡°...Um, Student Council President.¡± Of course, regardless of that... Right now, the spectacle before him was undeniably insane. Talion spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°How did you do that?¡± Upon hearing his words, Eleanor simply shrugged her shoulders before responding. At the very least, for future chapters, it was better to always make sure Gideon¡¯s combat power was above Eleanor¡¯s. ¡®After this chapter ends, it seems like it is necessary to also go check on our Duke¡¯s progress.¡¯ System Message [ Target ¡®Eleanor¡¯ is becoming more accustomed to the Devil¡¯s Power. ] [ The fusion of the second Fragment accelerates. The Vessel starts to become affected! ] After all, I had to in order to deal with this. As I had mentioned before... I couldn¡¯t stand to see Eleanor becoming a murderer, even if I became blinded. While I was frowning at such a window, the pager in my hands emitted a ringtone. It was a call from Iliya. [Ah, Teach. This side¡ª] ¡°Is the Imprint also finished over there?¡± [...] Iliya paused for a moment at my question. [...No, so like. About that. We did finish, but...] On the other side of the screen, Iliya turned to look behind. Behind her, the body of the Ruler of the Jungle Zone, the Horned Demon, was visible. And so was Yuria, who was looking down at it with her sword drawn. [Teach, didn¡¯t you say this thing won¡¯t die?] ¡°...? That¡¯s a mana life form, so it won¡¯t die, probably.¡± Just like the Ice Tiger, the Flame Demon, and the Unicorn. Mana life forms connected to the elements didn¡¯t die easily. This was the most significant trait that allowed them to break through all the competition from the formidable Demonic Creatures nearby and occupy the position of a Ruler. Even the Flame Demon, didn¡¯t I even after I blew its head apart in one strike. [This thing¡¯s dead, though?] ¡°...What?¡± [It¡¯s not resurrecting. Since it¡¯s like that, was the Imprint or whatever properly engraved?] ¡°...¡± At her words, I took a closer look at the screen. White aura was rising from Yuria¡¯s sword. Nearby, the Unicorn was completely bisected from head to toe, lying motionless. It was not even showing signs of returning to its elemental form for resurrection, like the Flame Demon I killed. ¡®...She actually killed it?¡¯ ¡®How did she do that?¡¯ ¡®You can¡¯t even attempt that in game unless you use a glitch...¡¯ Fortunately... The answer to ¡®how¡¯ such a thing was possible soon appeared before my eyes. System Message [ Target ¡®Yuria¡¯ is becoming more adept at utilizing the Devil¡¯s Power. ] [ A new curse in the ¡®Severer¡¯ is unlocked. ] [ The target¡¯s Stage 1 Fusion Rate has reached 99%. ] [ The second Fragment of the ¡®White Devil¡¯ will soon appear. Related events are updated! ] ¡°...¡± ¡®Hey, you fucker.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m busy enough already¡¯ ¡®Please, spare me.¡¯ [...She seemed a bit mentally unstable ever since she came here. Is that really okay, Teach...?] I scrutinized Yuria, who was reflected on the screen. Her eyes were out of focus. Standing there without moving, she looked down at the corpse with dead eyes. Even at a first glance, her state didn¡¯t seem normal. ¡°...¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what she was thinking since the last time I saw her was when she was changing her clothes. She looked very upset, though, similar to how she was after the recent gaslighting I did. [...If we leave her like this, she might cause an accident soon.] ¡°...I¡¯m sure she will. Just let her be.¡± [...] As Iliya looked at me speechlessly, I just scratched my head instead of following up with some sort of explanation. At the very least, based on my experiences so far... Omens of ominous things that seemed would happen to me had never missed their mark. If there was even the slightest hint, bad things would definitely happen. So, what did I need to do in such a situation? Instead of thinking about ¡®fixing¡¯ it, it was better to use it as a ¡®momentum¡¯. First, I had already triggered Riru¡¯s temper to explode... And this was the second. [...What?] ¡°Iliya.¡± As Iliya questioned with suspicion, I let out a sigh. ¡°Do you perhaps know the saying ¡®curing poison with poison¡¯?¡± Poison could be managed with poison. If only one poison was released, it was just a deadly poison, but... If two were released... That could be used as ¡®medicine¡¯. ¡®...This will be quite interesting.¡¯ Honestly speaking... I was curious about tomorrow. After all, I couldn¡¯t help but look forward to how Tatiana would react to what I was going to do, you know? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 108: War Chief Assembly (1) Chapter 108: War Chief Assembly (1) ? War Chief Assembly (1) ? Hatan U-Jul struggled to suppress his headache. ¡°...I¡¯ve said it several times, but it didn¡¯t just die once and started its resurrection process. It¡¯s been confirmed that it was annihilated. Its existence itself can¡¯t be detected.¡± Everyone fell silent. It was a silence that often followed when people heard something utterly ridiculous; A silence born from the inability of their thought processes to comprehend the current situation. Even though it was asked repeatedly, someone, unable to hold back, spoke up again. [...The Unicorn of the Jungle Zone is completely dead?] ¡°Yes. With certainty.¡± [And all the other Rulers of the Demonic Zones also suffered harm that is equivalent to annihilation.] ¡°Yeah.¡± [And all of this was done by¡ª] ¡°One man and two hunting parties acting on his orders. If you ask me one more time, I¡¯ll take it as a challenge to duel.¡± As he spoke these words with barely restrained anger, a hush fell over the other War Chiefs. An emergency assembly of all the War Chiefs wasn¡¯t a common occurrence, but if his words were true, it wasn¡¯t hard to understand why this meeting was called. [It¡¯s an unprecedented event.] One of the War Chiefs murmured in a low voice. It was extremely rare for anyone to kill the Rulers of the Demonic Zones during the long history of the Tribal Alliance, let alone erase their very existence. Even the achievement of hunting a single Ruler was enough to be recognized as the greatest hunter of their time. But to have hunted the Rulers from all four Demonic Zones? [...According to the traditions of the Tribal Alliance, that person must be given a fitting reward.] ¡°The title of Great Hunter has to obviously be given.¡± [That¡¯s not what I mean, Hatan. You know it as well, don¡¯t you?] The War Chief who spoke sighed before continuing. [...Given the nature of the Alliance, someone who accomplishes a ¡®great feat¡¯ that has never been recorded in history deserves more than just a title.] Never fail to reward a meritorious service nor to let a fault go unpunished. Reward and punishment. It was the tradition of the tribes. For someone who achieved such an incredible feat, it wouldn¡¯t be right to just throw a title at them.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com Even if that person was an outsider. As the conversation continued with a heavy undertone, everyone fell silent once again. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Though everyone remained quiet, they were likely all thinking the same thing. This was something that none of them present could achieve. Even the Chieftain of the Tribal Alliance wouldn¡¯t be able to. So, what reward would be fitting for someone who accomplished such a feat? [Is it really that big of a deal?] But, as always, there was someone who, out of personal dislike, would wish to belittle the achievements of even those who accomplished such great feats. ¡°Velua.¡± Hatan sighed as he looked in that direction. Velua Ger-Do. The War Chief of the Blue Boar, the most problematic tribe of the Alliance. He was also the father of Krun Ger-Do, who had recently been beaten up by Riru Garda and Dowd Campbell after provoking them. [Well, anyway. Seeing as how this conversation is going, it seems like all of you want to give that guy something incredible. But doesn¡¯t it require unanimous agreement from all the War Chieffs?] ¡°...Are you possibly saying that you would oppose it?¡± [I said it before. Is it really that big of a deal?] The more the conversation continued, the more evident it became. ¡®...That bastard must have ratted them out to his father.¡¯ Seeing as he was displaying such unreasonable jealousy, it was clear he was being obstinate out of personal grudges. ¡®That idiot. The next time I see him I¡¯ll definitely fold him in half.¡¯ ¡®Ah, so it was him, huh?¡¯ After all, that guy mentioned he would give something to Riru with his authority as the next War Chief. It was obvious that he would have told his father. [Do you know why you¡¯ve been called here?] I looked at Utad, who spoke with a calm tone. ¡°Didn¡¯t you call for me in order to discuss the reward that will be given to me? I know that the Alliance has an inclination to especially value hunters.¡± [...You seem to know about the Alliance quite well. Yes. You¡¯re right.] Utad responded with an interested smile. [What you have achieved is unprecedented in the history of our Alliance. As you may already know, it is only right to give such a person a reward in turn.] [I have said it before, but I¡¯m against it. I¡¯m fine with giving the title of Great Hunter, but nothing beyond that.] [Velua. Don¡¯t be too spiteful.] [Ha. I¡¯m merely exercising my legitimate right as a War Chief-] I silently watched the holograms of the War Chiefs exchanging these words. ¡®...Well, I mean...¡¯ Honestly speaking... ¡°This isn¡¯t the issue right now.¡± I would certainly secure that reward. For the future of the Tribal Alliance, there was a position that I had to ¡¯seat¡¯ Riru in. As an opportunity for that. And all my previous efforts to rehabilitate Riru were all for this purpose. However, for now... The situation I needed was just to have ¡®all¡¯ the War Chiefs together like this. After all, there was something I urgently needed their permission for. [...] [...] Hearing my words, Velua, Utad, and the other War Chiefs all looked at me with questioning gazes. [...What do you mean that¡¯s not the issue?] ¡°For now, giving me the title of Great Hunter seems to be unanimously agreed upon by everyone here. Is that correct?¡± [That¡¯s right. It wouldn¡¯t make sense if you couldn¡¯t have that title after achieving such a feat.] At Utad¡¯s response, I paused for a moment. Honestly, the predominant emotion I felt was apologetic. The Tribal Alliance, as mentioned several times before, was a very closed-off group. It was not a common situation to allow an outsider like me into such a gathering of their leaders. And seeing as he spoke to me first, it seemed this person had facilitated this situation in an attempt to care for me. Basically, it meant what I was about to do didn¡¯t justify ¡®harming¡¯ someone like him. I should apologize later. ¡°...Then, I believe I have the right to exercise one legitimate right.¡± The title of Great Hunter was the highest authority when it came to dealing with ¡®Demonic Creatures¡¯, thus even the War Chiefs needed to consult me about such a category. I, for one, had merely hopped on the Devil Bus for a free ride, so I didn¡¯t need such an impressive modifier. Just the authority to have the other War Chiefs listen to me was enough. ¡°...Currently, the Tribal Alliance and the Forge of Struggle are in an unprecedented crisis.¡± Before, there was a time when such a crisis was about to happen, but thanks to Eleanor blowing it up massively, it had disappeared. But, now... Perhaps as a backlash, such a threat had multiplied and was heading this way. ¡°I¡¯m proposing this as someone who received the title of Great Hunter.¡± And to overcome such a situation... ¡°Please temporarily hand over the ¡®entire¡¯ Forge of Struggle to me.¡± This entire ¡®academy¡¯... Had to become a piece on my chessboard. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 109: War Chief Assembly (2) Chapter 109: War Chief Assembly (2) ? War Chief Assembly (2) ? [You must be out of your mind. Ha!] I turned towards the speaker. Velua Ger-Do. He was definitely someone who harbored ill feelings towards me, probably due to the beatings I had given Krun before. He probably had been talking shit about me. [Hand over the entire academy? What in the world is that even supposed to mean? Are you suggesting we sell it off to you or something? A place that is no different from the cradle of the Tribal Alliance?] Since the speaker was Velua, it might sound like he was just being argumentative, but even I understood this kind of reaction. Given its small population, the Tribal Alliance itself was obsessed with nurturing each individual as an elite. It wasn¡¯t for no reason that Hatan, a War Chief, also served as a Dean. As such, well... I didn¡¯t really expect to be given the entire academy either. ¡°Exercising full authority as a proxy would suffice. Access to facilities, authority over personnel deployment, permission to carry out equipment... Anything I wish.¡± An academy of the Golden Triangle of itself was one of the major triggers in the scenario. To optimize its use, I had already decided on the ¡®owner¡¯ of it. And it wasn¡¯t me. ¡°Just for a few hours. That should be enough.¡± After I added such words, the surroundings fell silent. It was surely a ridiculous request from their perspective as well. [...Setting aside the absurdity of your demand...] The immediate follow-up illustrated this perfectly. One of the War Chiefs spoke in an incredulous voice. [In the first place, what threats are coming our way? Without any explanation, your demand is nothing but bullshit coated with bravado.] ¡°I don¡¯t need to tell you. I can just show it to you right away.¡± [...What?] ¡°Shall we make a bet?¡± I responded to the War Chief who had just spoken. ¡°Soon, a calamity will occur at such a magnitude that no one here will be able to handle it. As such...¡± When saying these kinds of things, confidence was key. I had to continue speaking with an unwavering face of steel, as if even a knife piercing it wouldn¡¯t draw blood. After all, this would make the other party wonder, ¡®What makes this fucker so confident to say such things¡ª¡¯, or something similar to that. ¡°If the crisis I show is ¡®beyond even the ability of the War Chiefs to handle¡¯ and I manage to get rid of it right here... Then you¡¯ll listen to me. How is that?¡± [...So, what you¡¯re saying is...] Utad, who had been silently listening to me until now, spoke in a voice full of disbelief. [An unprecedented crisis, undetected even by the technology of the Forge of Struggle, is imminent. And only you know of its existence. And you alone can stop it.] ¡°Yes.¡± [...And you have the power to get rid of it instantly right here and now?] ¡°Yes.¡± The faces of all the War Chiefs who heard me changed bizarrely. There were those who doubted, those who turned pale in surprise, and those who scoffed. Velua Ger-Do, who had harbored ill feelings towards me from the very start, looked like his anger had reached the very top of his head, as if it was about to pop like a kettle. [...This is not even worth listening to.] Velua spat out such words. [It¡¯s nonsense that is not even worth considering. Have you forgotten your place just because you received the title of Great Hunter? Just because of a mere fluke?] ¡°Come on, let¡¯s be reasonable. How could it be a fluke for someone to get such a title?¡± [...] ¡°Have you ever even touched a hair on one of the Rulers of the Demonic Zones? Have you forgotten your place after dealing drugs and committing crimes everyday?¡± I threw his words right back at him. Yes, those words were blatant provocations towards him. After all, the apple didn¡¯t fall far from the tree; The shallow nature of Krun Ger-Do was almost entirely inherited from his father, Velua. Even if it was just one absurd provocation like this, I was sure he would bite. [...] Just like that. Look at him getting all serious and worked up over a single sentence. [...You talked about a bet, didn¡¯t you, you bastard?] Velua growled with an extremely low voice. [What do you stake if you fail?] His eyes glinted ominously. He was probably looking to manipulate the situation to my disadvantage. However... ¡°Take whatever you want, even if it¡¯s my life.¡± What I wanted was for him to initiate this quarrel. Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com [...What?] ¡°I said I¡¯ll do anything you want. If you don¡¯t believe me, we can even go through a vow.¡± At the same time as I responded... Hatan, who had been quietly observing this situation, smirked and Utad, as expected, let out a sigh. By saying this, the bet had been ¡®established¡¯ without giving the other War Chiefs a chance to intervene or stop it. It was definitive enough that he wouldn¡¯t be able to back out later. [...You seem quite confident, you bastard.] Indeed, now that I had said this, even Velua, who had brought it up in the first place, seemed flustered. He was trying his best to not show it, but... It seemed he didn¡¯t expect me to so boldly declare that he could take whatever he wished from me. ¡°I¡¯m confident. But anyway, let¡¯s end the conversation here and get straight to the bet.¡± With that, I approached the console embedded in the center of the table and started operating it. This place served as both a conference room and a type of command control center. As a result, if I used the nearby equipment, I could thoroughly observe the surroundings of the academy. ¡°Now, there isn¡¯t much time left until the thing I¡¯ve been talking about appears.¡± I checked the clock. And then, I inspected all the video cameras available nearby. [...Are you sure about this?] As I did so, I heard Caliban¡¯s voice from within Soul Linker. [That woman, Tatiana, said she would give you just one day, didn¡¯t she? Isn¡¯t there still a long time left until then?] ¡®...If you were going to stop me, why didn¡¯t you do it earlier instead of now?¡¯ [Obviously it¡¯s because you wouldn¡¯t do such a thing without thinking it through.] How nice that he at least knew that about me. Perhaps... Even these Demonic Creatures that were strong enough for even Hatan to surrender to them... Instinctively felt a ¡®threat¡¯ approaching, powerful enough to make them momentarily stop in their tracks. [Wait a minute.] One of the War Chiefs spoke as if his soul had left his body. [...Isn¡¯t that... A person?] Indeed. That was a person ¡®running¡¯ on the sea. [...] [...] Everyone in the room fell silent at this bizarre scene that was impossible to understand. Well, um, how should I put this? This wasn¡¯t about being athletically gifted or skillfully using Special Powers. This wasn¡¯t a sight that could be explained within such boundaries. It was as if they were twisting the laws of the world by themself. They were kicking off the surface of the water, running at a terrifying speed as if it were solid ground. They ran so intensely that each step caused a tsunami to rise behind them. And, as far as I knew... There was only one being capable of creating such a spectacle. The person running on the sea was enveloped in a ¡®blue aura¡¯ that burst so explosively that it covered the entire screen. ¡°...¡± Yeah. That was none other than Riru. Pissed off out of her fucking mind. The very person I dropped in the middle of the sea by using a mana stone from Faenol. You see, I precisely calculated where to fling her away in order to deliberately make sure these Demonic Creatures would be in her ¡®path¡¯ when looking for me. ¡°Now then.¡± As everyone looked towards this scene, stunned, my voice descended upon the silence. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll take care of these Demonic Creatures.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Ignoring Hatan¡¯s incredulous voice, I snapped my fingers. ¡°Yap.¡± And at the same time... -!! ¨C!!!!!!!!! The nearby Krakens opened their mouths wide and rushed towards Riru. Several Demonic Creatures, each as large as a house, charged towards Riru. It was the very definition of a desperate crisis. ¡°...¡± Well... For the Demonic Creatures, that was. ¡°Get loooooooost¨C!!!¡± Riru shrieked as she charged directly at them. And then... All the Krakens that collided with her... Were ¡®pulverized¡¯ on the spot. Like eggs smashing against a rock. It was a scene that defied common sense, given the disparity in size between them. [...!] ¡°...!¡± Everyone in the room gaped in horror at this sight. Even I, who knew this would happen, felt cold sweat running down my back at this display of power. How brutal. That was the Blue Devil¡¯s Authority, [Pulverization]. While wielding the Devil¡¯s Power, anything that touched her body would be shredded to itty bitty pieces, just like that. Regardless of the opponent¡¯s size, defense, or durability. Seriously, fuck all of that. Just a touch would rip them to shreds. ¡°...¡± On the bright side... With this, Phase 1 was skipped completely. There was still another battle ahead, but there was no need to fight those terrifying Demonic Creatures right now. And on the other hand, the negative part that even such gains couldn¡¯t cover was... ¡°Dowd Campbellllllllllll¡ª!!!¡± As I was lost in such thoughts, Riru¡¯s shriek virtually boomed from the screen. As if to respond to her call, the blue aura surrounding her body surged even more explosively. ¡°Come out right this instant-! I¡¯ll kill y¡ª¨C!¡± Before the sentence could finish, I quickly turned off the screen. And then, I turned towards the War Chiefs who were looking at me with pale faces of shock. ¡°...I won the bet, right? I kept my word. All of it.¡± I got rid of a crisis that no one here could have handled. Moreover, while standing still in this room. It was a clear fact that couldn¡¯t be argued against. [You did keep it, but...] ¡°Yes.¡± [Isn¡¯t that thing coming to kill you right now? Can we really consider that your own abili¡ª] ¡°But I got rid of the crisis.¡± [...] ¡°I am the cause and the reason, right?¡± If a promise was already made, you shouldn¡¯t change it, okay? So hurry up and fucking hand over the keys to the academy. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 110: Curing Poison With Poison (1) Chapter 110: Curing Poison With Poison (1) ? Curing Poison With Poison (1) ? Tatiana gently caressed the necklace hanging around her neck. Before her eyes was the body of Alan, writhing with tentacles embedded all over. As a turquoise light leaked from the necklace, the movements of those tentacles grew increasingly violent. She could hear the sounds coming from under the sea. The wicked voice that echoed in her ears. ¡®Just a little...longer...¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t take long until the entity she served would be summoned. With that in mind, Tatiana accelerated the progression of the ¡®ritual¡¯, taking in a deep breath. Considering she promised a one-day grace period, this was no different from hitting him from behind, completely blindsiding him. However... ¡®...If I don¡¯t do this much...¡¯ She wasn¡¯t certain she could kill that man definitively. Though she hated to admit it, Dowd Campbell was a human of freakish capabilities. Even if he had not tried to kill Dowd outright, that man had still fought and defeated the Boy King. In terms of strength, he was one of the most powerful ¡®Chosen Ones¡¯, the most capable beings among the Devil Worshippers. Few could face him in a direct confrontation and win. [Yo, Apostle.] ¡°...¡± However... How did the saying go? Speak of the devil and he doth appear? Someone who could almost certainly match the Boy King in a direct duel was now contacting her. Tatiana pushed her eyes open with great difficulty, looking at the screen that appeared beside her. The man on the screen was draped in all sorts of ornaments. Although he looked somewhat nouveau riche externally, Tatiana, who knew his true nature, could not help but snort at his shallow disguise. [Are you struggling? Need my help?] His tone was incomparably frivolous. She could vividly feel him belittling her desperate efforts in conducting the ritual. As if questioning why she was pouring so much of her energy into such a meaningless chore. ¡°...¡± However, instead of responding with anger, Tatiana kept her mouth shut. Even the Prophet acknowledged him as the ¡®worst human in the world¡¯, A villain that even the Prophet, who dreamt of the resurrections of the Devils and the destruction of the world, was amazed at. That was the extent of the ¡®malice¡¯ and ¡®karma¡¯ contained in this man. In other words... He was an existence who had the unbelievable strength to have survived without repercussions, even after gaining all of such titles. The most powerful Cursed Speech User in history. The culprit who made the Boy King wander for ages while burdened by an entire kingdom. ¡°...What is it, Talker?¡± [Nah, it¡¯s just a message from the boss.] The man known as Talker responded with a grin. [Boss said you can play your little games if you want, but you shouldn¡¯t forget the original goal.] ¡°...¡± [Killing that man is all well and good, but we didn¡¯t give you the ¡®Seal¡¯ just for that. You know that as well, right?¡±] At that, Tatiana turned her head, glancing at Alan. In case a Devil went berserk, there was a means to ¡®control¡¯ it temporarily. Said means was the artifact that replaced this man¡¯s heart. Probably, it would only work once, and even then, it wouldn¡¯t last long, but... It was definitely powerful enough to ¡®hold back¡¯ the Grey Devil inside Lady Tristan, even if she went berserk. And she clearly remembered what the Prophet had told her when handing it over. [You just need to do your part as a water ghost well.] Talk continued with a smirk. [The boss and I will handle the really important stuff. Got it?] Tatiana bit her lip until it bled. The Prophet had instructed her to ¡®just hold that man back¡¯. As if implying that they only expected her desperate efforts to ¡®kill¡¯ that man to result in that trivial outcome. And that Tatiana, the Apostle of the Reversed Sea, could never kill that man even if she were to use everything she possessed. It was almost as if they had that much trust in the capabilities of that man. ¡°...¡± The Prophet regarded that man as... ¡®Important¡¯ to a suspicious degree. Despite having only recently met face to face... The Prophet¡¯s attitude seemed as if they had known that man for a very long time. ¡®...It should have been me...¡¯ She should have been the one to receive such attention. She should have been the one to earn such a degree of trust from that being. These thoughts pounded in her head like crazy, but Tatiana¡¯s voice that trickled out was still apathetic, as if those thoughts didn¡¯t affect her at all. ¡°I already know, Talker.¡± [Oi, is that all? We haven¡¯t seen each other in a while, so can¡¯t we at least greet each other¡ª] ¡°If you¡¯re going to talk nonsense, then farewell.¡± That assumption of mine seemed to be correct as they showed their agreement to Hatan¡¯s voice that was mixed with a snort of incredulous laughter. ¡°The plan itself makes sense, though.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s so impressive that I wonder how an outsider knows so much about the functions of our academy, from A to Z. But...¡± Hatan continued with a sigh. ¡°You just said those wrecked Krakens were the ¡®First Summoning¡¯, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As I mentioned earlier, the Apostle of the Reversed Sea Boss Battle was in the form of tower defense. Following those, other Demonic Creatures would continually be summoned, descending upon the academy. ¡°Yeah. I get that monsters strong enough to call those things ¡®chumps¡¯ will pop out, but...¡± Hatan continued with an incredulous voice. ¡°How many people did you say are being deployed on that front?¡± ¡°Five.¡± Me. Iliya. Yuria. Saintess Lucia. And Talion. Eleanor could not come. After all, the opponent would surely have ¡®prepared¡¯ for her. It was actually better to leave her alone... Especially considering the ¡®aftermath¡¯ of the boss battle. ¡°...You¡¯re saying five students will take that on.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you joking right now? What can you do with just five¡ª¡± ¡°No, no. You¡¯re taking it the wrong way.¡± I cut off Hatan¡¯s doubts instantly and responded. ¡°It¡¯s not just five people. Five people is enough.¡± ¡°...¡± My confident answer silenced the room once again. [...I see why Luca said that about you now.] Utad¡¯s sentence broke the long silence. ¡°Excuse me?¡± [He told me to keep an eye on you. He said that though you¡¯re crazier than a lunatic, if I kept watching, I would definitely realize something.] ¡°...¡± Did he really go around saying that? ¡°...Have you realized anything then?¡± [Certainly. I¡¯ll tell you later.] With that, Utad smirked and continued. [For now, I second it. We don¡¯t have the right to refuse anyway.] ¡°Utad. Are you being serious?¡± [I am serious, Hatan. I want to bet on this audacious young man.] ¡°...Tch.¡± Hatan clicked his tongue while scratching his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Do whatever you want.¡± With that... The other War Chiefs also showed various reactions of agreement, be it sighs or something else. The only one who remained silent until the end was Velua, but so what? He already lost the bet to me, so he had no say anyway. ¡°But, while we move according to your plan...What will you do?¡± Hatan¡¯s question made me frown reflexively. ¡°...I have something to do.¡± ¡°Yeah, okay. I get that. So, what is it?¡± ¡°Finding a way to survive.¡± No matter how much Tatiana slowed Riru¡¯s speed of approach... In the end, it was quite self-explanatory that Riru was rushing at full speed to smash apart my head. In essence, I also had to find a way to stop that. ¡°...Uh, how should I put it...¡± I continued with a grim tone. ¡°I have someone I need to nag, so that they get extremely infuriated.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Hatan responded incredulously, but... I was serious. I needed someone else to get as angry as Riru, no... I needed someone to get even angrier than her, so that they would rush to kill me. System Log [ Target ¡®Yuria¡¯ is becoming more adept at utilizing the Devil¡¯s Power. ] [ The target¡¯s Stage 1 Fusion Rate has reached 99%. ] [ The second Fragment of the ¡®White Devil¡¯ will soon appear. Related events are updated! ] Alright. It¡¯s your turn, Punk. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 111: Curing Poison With Poison (2) Chapter 111: Curing Poison With Poison (2) ? Curing Poison With Poison (2) ? Iliya Krisanax was someone who had the right to boast about her social skills. The fact that she managed to somehow strike up a conversation in Greyhounder¡¯s current state alone was enough to affirm that no one would dispute such a proposition. ¡°...Ah, excuse me, Miss Yuria.¡± Iliya opened her mouth, a drop of cold sweat trickling down her forehead. ¡°I-I think y-you should relax a little. I-If Teach was really angry at Miss Yuria, he wouldn¡¯t have asked for a favor like this...¡± ¡°...¡± Yuria turned towards her silently. Funnily enough, the first thought that came to Iliya¡¯s mind when looking at her was ¡®white¡¯. It was something that others couldn¡¯t relate to. After all, the impression Yuria gave, from head to toe, was black. No one in their right mind would even perceive her otherwise. And Iliya would share the same sentiment if she hadn¡¯t been watching a certain something ¡®bloom¡¯ from her body. ¡°...I definitely did what Mr. Dowd asked properly... Right...?¡± The white aura Yuria exuded only proved to strengthen Iliya¡¯s impression. Iliya moved her gaze, starting from the sword the other girl was holding before sweeping through her entire body. ¡®Yep.¡¯ ¡®White.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s no mistaking it.¡¯ The shape of ¡®White Yuria¡¯ inside her body was emitting a terrifying aura. ¡®...I see it, I see it, I said I see it...!¡± Iliya barely managed to stabilize her trembling lips as she thought this. Lately, she had been unusually ¡®sensitive¡¯ to things around her. Trisha told her that she had strangely become too ¡®smart¡¯ or something like that. Iliya herself didn¡¯t feel particularly smarter, but there was something she certainly realized. The fact that she could see ¡®freaky things¡¯ very clearly. Like the ¡®something¡¯ inside Lady Tristan and the ¡®something¡¯ inside Yuria right now. Things that used to look so vague that she could barely notice the outlines were now crystal clear! ¡°O-Of course. Teach will be satisfied as well.¡± ¡®No, there¡¯s no way he will be!¡¯ Dowd clearly only asked Yuria to ¡®adequately subdue¡¯ the Unicorn she was sitting on, not to fucking kill it to the point that it couldn¡¯t even resurrect. However, how was she supposed to just say that? Either way, Dowd said ¡®I¡¯m counting on you¡¯ and stuck her next to Yuria. Considering his inclinations, he had most likely ¡®calculated¡¯ that she would somehow be able to calm Yuria down when she was in this state. As such, she felt the need to live up to that expectation. ¡°...¡± If one asked why she needed to do that, her face would probably turn red, screaming at the person to stay quiet. In any case, she had to do it. Yep. She had to, mhm. After all, doing it would make it easier for her to ¡®request¡¯ something from him later. ¡®I will get back what I¡¯m owed by severalfold...!¡± She couldn¡¯t define exactly what she wanted to get back, but at the very least, this time, she swore to herself that she wouldn¡¯t be used by him for free. At the very least, she¡¯d get him to go out somewhere with her for two days¡ª ¡°Miss Iliya.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°What are you thinking about right now?¡± Iliya stifled a gasp. Yuria was looking at her with dead eyes. The shape of White Yuria inside her practically shot out a piercing glare. Almost as if she had read her thoughts about Dowd. Even before this, she used to react sensitively to topics related to Dowd, but since Iliya started to see the white shape clearly, Yuria had virtually become a ghost when it came to noticing such matters. ¡°It¡¯s-it¡¯s nothing at a-al-allllll...!¡± Though her throat was tightened in fear, Iliya barely managed to say that. Tears welled up in the corner of her eyes, but she pushed them back with all her might. For now, she needed to change the subject. A conversation. They had to have a conversation. She could smell something. It smelled like the man was ¡®walking on a tightrope¡¯ with his life on the line. Her mind began to run at tremendous speeds. ¡®...There¡¯s a good chance that...¡¯ Maybe... She was the only one who realized this fact. Originally, she wouldn¡¯t have even had a chance to squeeze next to Dowd Campbell, who was surrounded by such terrifying women. But what if she could be the only one who understood the man¡¯s ¡®behavior¡¯ and ¡®feelings?¡¯ What if she could become a companion who he could comfortably approach, unlike the other women? Could this be an opportunity for her to secure a ¡®unique¡¯ position next to Teach? ¡®...Huh. Wait. What. Oh myyyy...?¡¯ ¡®Wasn¡¯t this...¡¯ ¡®Perhaps...¡¯ ¡®A chance to win?¡¯ Whether it was Eleanor or Yuria, she might be able to outstrip them all, like a cheetah that started late...! ¡°...So, this is something....¡¯ While she was lost in such thoughts, Yuria quietly threw out such a sentence. ¡°...I can¡¯t yield to anyone else. It is a security that ensures that the memories of me and Mr. Dowd belong to only¡ª¡± Right when Yuria was continuing her sentence... The collar was released with a click. The handkerchief tied next to it also slipped down smoothly. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A heavy silence fell. With a dazed expression, Iliya looked back and forth between the loosened collar and the handkerchief fallen on the ground. Then, like an unoiled machine, her head turned unnaturally with a creak. And there stood the person who had undone the collar. ¡°...Mr. Dowd?¡± As Yuria asked with a trembling voice, Dowd nodded while wearing a mask that even Iliya was familiar with. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s Mr. Dowd.¡± ¡°...That... Why, why...?¡± Yuria stammered out such words with great difficulty, the light in her eyes dying out completely. ¡°Oh, this?¡± Dowd, however, responded nonchalantly to her question. ¡°I¡¯m going to confiscate it for a while.¡± ¡°...Why...that...why...would you...?¡± As Yuria spoke with a voice that sounded like her neck was getting choked, Dowd shrugged his shoulders. ¡°You see...¡± However... His voice lacked any kind of emotion. ¡°It seems to suit someone that isn¡¯t you as well.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of putting it on Miss Lucia for the time being. What do you think?¡± ¡°...¡± Something clicked within Iliya¡¯s mind This fucker wasn¡¯t just walking on a tightrope with his life on the line. He was literally courting death! He wasn¡¯t fucking sane! While Iliya was thinking as such in horror... Yuria drew her sword with a completely blank expression. Then... ¡ª-!!!!!!! A white flash erupted. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 112: Curing Poison With Poison (3) Chapter 112: Curing Poison With Poison (3) ? Curing Poison With Poison (3) ? System Message [ Target ¡®Iliya Krisanax¡¯ is on the verge of awakening the ¡®Eye of Truth¡¯. ] [ Upon awakening this ability, the subject will be designated with the role, ¡®Sidekick of Survival¡¯! ] [ Great luck will be given when doing ??? with the target! ] ¡°...?¡± What the hell? Eye of Truth? Sidekick of Survival? that last line wasn¡¯t even properly displayed. ¡®...These features weren¡¯t even in the original game, I¡¯m sure...¡¯ Come to think of it, when I first entered the Forge of Struggle, a window about some ¡®role¡¯ being designated to that woman had popped up. It didn¡¯t seem like a bad thing since it said luck would be given, though... [I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re looking at, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the time for that.] ¡°...¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. Hearing Caliban¡¯s words, I looked at the giant slash that suddenly burst forth far away in the Jungle Zone, where the Unicorn was. That attack was the same one that shredded the Sea Serpent in just a few blows. It was impossible to not notice it at a first glance from this distance. The good news was that it wasn¡¯t my head that was flying off right now. Strictly speaking, that thing was still ¡®me¡¯ though. [ ¡ò Clone Walker ] Item: Special Price: 1,000pt Description: Creates a duplicate that mimics the personality and behavior of the original body. It can also interact with other buffs! [ Remaining Points: 4,000pt ] It had been a while since I used this guy. Though it was immediately obliterated as soon as I used it. ¡®...At the very least, it should buy some time.¡¯ Of course, considering the level of her ¡®obsession¡¯, it was obvious that she would realize that was a fake and she¡¯d come after me to cut my neck afterwards. With that thought, I switched the window. !!!!!!!!!!! Devil Alert !!!!!!!!!!! [ ¡®Devil-Related¡¯ Emergency Event Occurred! ] [ This is a critical event! ] [ If you do not take the correct actions within the time limit, you will die! ] [ Event related to target ¡®Yuria¡¯! ] [ Find a way to survive immediately! ] !!!!!!!!!!! Devil Alert !!!!!!!!!!! [ ¡®Devil-Related¡¯ Emergency Event Occurred! ] [ This is a critical event! ] [ If you do not take the correct actions within the time limit, you will die! ] [ Event related to target ¡®Riru¡¯! ] [ Find a way to survive immediately! ] ¡°...¡± Seeing the window filled with red alerts made me sigh. Amazing. A double event. A double whammy of Devil-Related Emergency Events. At this rate, even if I brought Gideon, Kraut, Atalante... Or anyone else with that level of strength, I would still 100% die, huh? [Despite having those thoughts, you seem pretty relaxed.] As Caliban tossed such words at me from within Soul Linker, I responded with a grin. ¡®Well, because I am.¡¯ [...How come?] ¡®Because even if things go wrong, what¡¯s the worst that could happen to me? At most, I¡¯d just die, no?¡¯ [...] You know, after experiencing various life-threatening events, despite all my efforts to avoid them, it wasn¡¯t a surprising thing that my sense of danger would become numb. Since my daily life turned to absolute shitfest no matter what I did, simple threats like these felt like a breeze. What? Two Devils went berserk at the same time and both were trying to kill me? Sure. Try me. If I die, so be it. [...] ¡®...Shut up.¡¯ [I didn¡¯t say anything.] ¡®You were calling me a crazy fucker in your head just now.¡¯ [I won¡¯t deny it.] Even I myself realized that, but... I didn¡¯t do shit for no reason. He really should understand that at the very least. Not to mention that my goal of calling this person here was to solidify said reasons. ¡°...What did you say to Yuria to make her do something like this?¡± In front of me, The Saintess asked with a blank expression, gazing at the smoke billowing far away in the Jungle Zone. Her voice carried a certainty that only Yuria could ever create such a scene. ¡°...¡± There was absolutely no way that she approached Yuria with such soft intentions. ¡°...And this also means that the Imperial Family is keeping a close eye on Yuria.¡± ¡°...¡± At that, Lucia¡¯s expression darkened. Strictly speaking, the Heretic Inquisition operated separately from the Holy Land. They consulted with them, but the ones running it were actually the Imperial Family. As such, her reaction was understandable. How could she be happy hearing that another malicious person of authority had taken an interest in them after barely escaping the clutches of the Pope and the Holy Land? ¡°So, this time you will need to... ¡®Root it out¡¯. Focus more on that than worrying about me.¡± If my thoughts were correct... As long as I was able to ¡®calm down¡¯ Yuria, who went berserk... There was a high likelihood that my already skyrocketing value would soar even further in the eyes of the Imperial Family. To the point that their attention couldn¡¯t help but shift from Yuria to me. Lucia bit her lip until it bled. ¡°...Once again, you¡¯re saying that you will sacrifice yourself. For us sisters.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Throughout the entire scenario, the Imperial Family held the most powerful authority and was also the most closed off. The fact that I had not even seen a single agent from them, despite having already met the Pope and the Chieftain, proved this. Personally, I would welcome any opportunity to get involved with them. There also wasn¡¯t really anything to¡ª System Message [ Target ¡®Lucia¡¯ feels intense guilt towards you! ] [ Marked with Negative Tendency! ] [ 2 Stacks of Negative Marks! The subject is about to fall into a ¡®Negative¡¯ state! ] [ When resolving the ¡®Negative¡¯ state, ¡®Fatal Charm¡¯ is applied, skyrocketing the target¡¯s favorability level! ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Skill: Evil Ruler has been activated! Obtained 1 command right over the target! ] ¡°...¡± Wait, what? Was this one of the Gift Skills? The one where I would receive a reward if I made a person with a good disposition fall into a negative state? It had been so long since I had seen this window that I had forgotten I even had this skill. Since I didn¡¯t even use it intentionally, this felt a bit bewildering. ¡°...Ah, you really don¡¯t need to feel burdened.¡± As I said this while waving my hands, Lucia nodded with a gloomy expression. Even though she held the title of the Saintess, without the backing of the Holy Land, the title really was just a formality. There was no chance they would help Lucia now either. In the end, she probably reacted this way because she knew she had no other choice. However, the system window that popped up didn¡¯t show any signs of disappearing. That meant she was still feeling guilty. ¡°...¡± Ugh. Whatever, let¡¯s deal with that later. I had much more pressing matters at the moment. ¡°...But, Mr. Dowd.¡± As I was thinking as such, Lucia spoke with a worried voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t there one more?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You may be able to handle Yuria with the help of me and Valkasus, but the other one...¡± The Saintess trailed off. She was probably talking about the Blue Devil. Wait, but how did she sense that? I couldn¡¯t believe she was able to detect the presence of Riru, who was currently rushing towards us from far out at sea. ¡°Yeah, well, I have a way to deal with that one too.¡± ¡°...What kind? Don¡¯t tell me it also involves you throwing your own body in the cross¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, it¡¯s just...¡± A bead of cold sweat ran down my face. About that, um. It was not a solution I could really discuss in front of the Saintess. ¡°...It¡¯s a bit difficult to tell you.¡± ¡°Why is that? Does it involve you sacrificing yourself again¡ª¡± ¡°...You said earlier that you did not want to hear anything lascivious, right?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Leaving a dumbfounded Lucia, I quickly turned away. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m counting on you to do what I requested please!¡± ¡°No, wait a moment. M-Mr. Dowd! Just now, what did you mean by¡ª!¡± I dashed off, leaving behind Lucia¡¯s voice, who was trying to desperately stop me. Anyway, as mentioned earlier, we were now right before the true highlight of this chapter. There was someone I needed to meet for a ¡®final check¡¯. Someone who would play the role as the last puzzle piece in clearing this chapter. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 113: Transfer Chapter 113: Transfer ? Transfer ? An expected time and an expected place. The person I was looking for was sitting quietly right where I thought they would be. It was also a place I had visited once before. The territory of the Garda clan, the place where Riru had previously burned the belongings of the deceased to perform a funeral ritual. ¡°...Chieftain. Fist Saint. Kasa Garda.¡± I quietly said such words to Kasa¡¯s back, Who was sitting on the coastal cliff with a pipe in her mouth. ¡°I have come to receive your teachings.¡± As soon as she heard that, Kasa cackled. ¡°Ah, we did have that kind of relationship, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°...¡± Indeed, it was a bit laughable to bring up such words. Kasa and I never really had any significant interaction as master and disciple. So far, I had just been doing basic physical training with Riru, just as this person told me to. ¡°How did you know I was here?¡± Without a word, I sat down beside Kasa. ¡°...I always knew you liked this place.¡± The reason why the Garda Clan claimed ownership of this place was because of her own personal taste. ¡°Especially if, like now...¡± I continued with a sigh. ¡°You found the situation... Interesting enough to ¡®watch¡¯. I figured that you¡¯d be here to do that.¡± As it had already been shown several times, Kasa Garda¡¯s ¡®insight¡¯ was far from ordinary. It was almost as if she could see through the essence of everything, so much so that one might think that it was her actual talent instead of fistfighting. In other words... She came here to chew on some popcorn while watching me getting chased by two Devils who were out to kill me. ¡°You don¡¯t see multiple fuses hanging on one person¡¯s tail everyday.¡± Kasa cackled once again. ¡°I know you did that on purpose, but do you really have to go that far?¡± ¡°...¡± As expected from someone of her caliber. Even though we did not have much contact, she understood very precisely what situation I was in right now. ¡°...Then you must know why I came to see you.¡± I set down the things I had packed in a bundle on the ground. ¡°There is not much time left, Kasa.¡± Unicorn¡¯s Horn, Sea Serpent¡¯s Scale, Flame Demon¡¯s Heart, Ice Tiger¡¯s Claw. These were the things I created after putting all the materials I collected from hunting the Rulers of the Demonic Zones into AI Sephira at the Hall of Fire. I glanced at my watch and continued. ¡°...There is only about 30 minutes left.¡± ¡°You managed to hold out until there was only that much time left. Didn¡¯t you always say that you needed my Fist Law?¡± ¡°I always believed in you.¡± And that trust was still valid. Although the world had blindsided me and fucked me over at every turn until now, there were some thing that would never change. At the very least, those who bore the title ¡®Saint¡¯ were already considered superhuman and Kasa, the Fist Saint, was one of them. There was definitely a reason why she only made me do basic physical training. As such, there was also a reason why she had merely waited in place until I came to find her here at the very last moment. ¡°...You must have something you want to show me. Am I correct?¡± ¡°...¡± This was how it was in the game as well. During the progression of the scenario, if one met the conditions and managed to become her disciple through a Personal Quest, it was normal for her to make the player do some weird physical training. Most players would get tired of the process, since it consumed time and offered little practical reward, thus just skipping the quest altogether. However, if they endured until the very moment before the boss battle, she would ¡®demonstrate¡¯ one critical move. Based on what I had seen so far, it was an event where she would suddenly present an absurd finishing move while saying, ¡®I see this technique suits you best¡ª¡¯. ¡®...I don¡¯t know how seeing it once makes me able to replicate it immediately, though.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know how it worked either; When Iliya saw it, she always seemed to have some epiphany in a cutscene and the skill just came soaring in. Maybe the system just let her use it in one way or another. And, since that ¡®game-like¡¯ laws had been applied so far, I believed the same would happen to me. Since I knew all of this, I had not said anything until now. I calmly responded to Kasa¡¯s words. That much, I already knew. I pulled off all kinds of crazy shit thanks to the knowledge of a true sweat; A privilege I had received as someone who possessed this body. However, despite that, there would definitely be crises that even I could not handle. And there would be people that I eventually ¡®lose.¡¯ But still... ¡°...It wouldn¡¯t be them.¡± At the very least... I could not lose those women, who would do anything and everything for me because they liked me. Of course, that included the two who were coming to tear me apart right now because they were half out of their minds. After all, the reason I made them like that in the first place was because I couldn¡¯t stand to see something happen to those two. ¡°...¡± If my thoughts were correct... Making those two go berserk right here and now was the only way to save them from the ¡®threat¡¯ that was approaching. ¡°Hm. You¡¯re talking about the women who are dangerous enough to cost you your life if you¡¯re not careful, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ordinary people would abandon such a situation and run for their lives. Is there any special reason why?¡± ¡°...¡± I closed my eyes and responded. ¡°...I don¡¯t want to go through the same experience twice.¡± In the world, there were memories that were enough to experience just once. Etched into the mind, into the soul. Leaving scars that would not heal even after decades pass. ¡°Getting dumped in three seconds is an experience that I only want to experience once.¡± ¡°...¡± Kasa definitely didn¡¯t understand what I meant, but she just let out a bitter smile and nodded. ¡°...I see your soul is one that bears many scars.¡± Without replying, I just scratched my head with a bitter smile of my own. It certainly was not a memory I was proud of. ¡°So, Child. Because you are who you are, there¡¯s something you can do.¡± At those words, my expression became serious. If I remembered correctly, this was the line that came up in the game right before Kasa ¡®transferred¡¯ a technique. Soon, ¡®Law Technique¡¯ began to circulate through Kasa¡¯s body. Law Technique was an incredibly rare talent even within the Tribal Alliance. Right now, the only people around me who could use it were Kasa and Riru. ¡®...This is the first time I¡¯m seeing it used properly.¡¯ Law Technique had one of the most peculiar features among all other Special Powers. After all, it was one of the few abilities that could cause ¡®miracles¡¯ through sheer human will. Although it was a vague description, there was no other way to explain it. What was certain was... Among all the Special Powers, it was the most high-risk high-reward. It wasn¡¯t for no reason that I freaked out and stopped Riru from using it once before. ¡°You just need to train your body. You just need to create a basic vessel that can ¡®imitate¡¯ what I¡¯m about to show you. There¡¯s not much else you need to receive from me.¡± Kasa grinned and said. ¡°I can only show it to you once.¡± Then... The Fist Saint pulled back her arm. Under the pulled arm, Law Technique formed. That arm slowly extended outwards. ¡°Don¡¯t miss it.¡± It was a leisurely gesture that extended towards the sky. The movement was far too relaxed to be considered a strike. It was unbelievably slow for an attack from someone known as the Fist Saint. However, with just that one move... ¡°...Holy shit.¡± The sky... Collapsed. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 114: The Curtain Rises Chapter 114: The Curtain Rises ? The Curtain Rises ? In cartoons or manhwas, there was a common trope. Said trope was when someone¡¯s punch caused a dramatic change in the environment. Like cracking the ground in a vast area or shattering dozens of stories buildings. It was a way for the showmaker to depict a certain person¡¯s incredible strength. And right now... Even when taking that trope into consideration, the scene unfolding before my eyes was still ridiculous. If there had been some massive physical blow, then I wouldn¡¯t have been so astonished. However, what I just witnessed at the end of Kasa¡¯s punch thrown towards the sky was... The ¡®night¡¯... Collapsing. -.. -... -.....!! The sky, which was supposed to darken over time... Seemed to ¡®fracture¡¯ for a brief moment. Like a shattered mirror, its surface twisted, broke, and peeled away; Through the distorted space, bright ¡®sunlight¡¯ which should not exist at this time, seeped in. ¡°...Holy...fucking...shit.¡± I continuously muttered curses under my breath while looking up at this sight. I understood what exactly this implied. ¡®...The dimension itself was twisted.¡¯ I groaned when that thought came to my mind. If I were to speak with the game¡¯s term, this was pretty much a one-hit kill AoE. Only powerhouses of this world would survive within that range, anything else would be obliterated by ¡®just a touch.¡¯ The first and strongest Sword Saint in history, the First Duke Tristan, was said to have sliced the sky with his sword, bringing night to replace the day. Although it was only for a moment and in a very localized area... Kasa had recreated that very scene just from a swing of her fist. ¡®...Does this even make sense?¡¯ I forced myself to stand despite my wobbling legs. Yes, I knew that she didn¡¯t obtain the title Fist Saint by chance after playing some card games, but still... Once again, I realized how outrageously lucky I was to have blocked her punch once. ¡°Law Technique is...¡± While I remained completely stunned, Kasa¡¯s voice dropped in front of me. ¡°A Special Power based on ¡®willpower¡¯. The world knows it as something unique to the Tribal Alliance, but that¡¯s only because we are often exposed to extreme situations, the ideal environment for awakening it. In reality, this is something that anyone can use.¡± After saying this, Kasa slowly sat down. It was because the artificial body parts made from materials that came from the Rulers of the Demonic Zones were crumbling to pieces. Despite being made from such high-quality materials, they became like this after being used just once. Honestly though, it was surprising they even lasted that long. ¡°And since its activation came from one¡¯s mind, unlike Magic Power or Divine Power, it technically has no ¡®limit.¡¯ It feeds on one¡¯s desperate wishes, desperate desires... The extent of your ¡®will,¡¯ that¡¯s what determined its limit.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If your will can reach the sky, then you can even break the sky like this.¡± In other words... It didn¡¯t matter that it wasn¡¯t her original body and she only had a hastily made artificial one. It meant she could do something like this even after attaching something like that to her body. Because she willed it to be. ¡°If it is you, you can surely do it too. It may not produce the same result, but you should be able to follow it in a similar manner.¡± Kasa, who was still acting nonchalantly even after doing that grand act, sat back down and picked up the pipe lying next to her. ¡°I would never teach anything to those who couldn¡¯t learn.¡± A familiar line. In the game, after she said this line, Iliya would be granted a skill. ¡®...Hm.¡¯ But, what about me? Even when I saw that scene, I just felt impressed. I didn¡¯t feel any enlightenment or something similar to that. At the very least, the way to use¡ª System Message [ You have witnessed an outrageous realm! ] [ A new function is added to ¡®Mastery: Fighting Arts ¨C Stance Á¢Ê½¡¯! ] [ ¡®Stance ¨C Breaking the Sky¡¯ is added to your movements! ] System Message [ You have received valuable teachings! ] [ You have acquired ¡®Mastery: Law Technique Mastery¡¯! ] ¡°...¡± Ah, there we go. I mean, it wasn¡¯t like I expected some earth shattering scene of enlightenment, but doing it like this made it feel too underwhelming. Then again, having things handed on a silver platter like this suited me. ¡°Seeing from your expression, it seems like you have gained something.¡± After seeing my face, Kasa chuckled and said as such. Technically, I guess I really gained something. Responding to her words, I let out a sigh. ¡°...With such prowess, how did you even get your limbs cut out?¡± Although Alan Ba-Thor was a formidable powerhouse, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stand a chance against Kasa¡¯s technique, even if he attacked with three truckloads of people. Hearing my question, Kasa just shrugged in response. In this vast ocean, the gaping hole was strikingly visible. It was big enough to engulf the entire Forge of Struggle. The water ¡®rising¡¯ from inside the hole was like the sea was creating tides. Reversed Sea. What an apt name. And within that... -... -... -....!!! A ¡®cursed¡¯ existence... An invader from another dimension that should never mix with ¡®this world¡¯ emerged. It felt like filthy sludge from the gutter was creeping into the mind; The mere existence of this being seemed to scatter curses all around. The first thing I noticed were its enormous tentacles. While spewing blood and curses, ancient hieroglyphics engraved there were emitting a strange light. Just one of those tentacles was big enough to engulf and crush the entire Forge of Struggle, but most of the body remained deep into the sinkhole. This was just a ¡®part¡¯ of the whole. The full size of this being was beyond comprehension. ¡°Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°...There isn¡¯t just one of them.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± As Talion spoke in a despondent voice, I nodded. Originally, we were supposed to deal with just one, but... There were three of them here. This was the result of Tatiana appointing Alan Ba-Thor as an Incarnation, her surefire strategy to kill me. She had summoned three of such beings that were far beyond my control to ensure that I was killed, regardless of the cost or whatever the fuck happened to anyone else. ¡°Talion.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You practiced maneuvering this boat when we went against the Sea Serpent before, right? It was a rehearsal for what is about to come.¡± ¡°To escape from something like that, even that level of practice is...!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important.¡± In reality... There was an even greater threat that even made ¡®such a being¡¯ seem trivial. Well, actually, there were two. ¡°...Excuse me?¡± Along with Talion¡¯s dazed response... The enormous body of that being rising before us was... ¡®Pulverized¡¯ in an instant. ¨C!!!!!!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Producing a sound as if heaven and earth were split into two, the Existence of an Ancient Era that was emerging from the ocean let out a painful scream. ¡®...It didn¡¯t die instantly.¡¯ As expected of a Chapter Boss, it didn¡¯t disappoint. To think that it would not die instantly even after colliding with ¡®that¡¯. ¡°DOWD CAMPBELLLLLLL¡ª¡ª¨C!!!!!!!¡± Even through the horrifying shriek, a clearly distinct voice could be heard. Far away on the horizon, a single person ¡®running over the sea¡¯ bellowed. Talion muttered an apology without even realizing it, indicating that the voice was laden with that much ominous hostility. ¡°COME OUT BEFORE I KILL YOUUUUUU¡ª¡ª¨C!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± ¡°...¡± Yeah, no. I would die if I went out. With a sigh, I gestured to Talion. ¡°Book it.¡± ¡°Yessir.¡± The boat started speeding away. For now... Chapter 3 Boss Battle. The Apostle of the Reversed Sea. The Existence of an Ancient Era beneath the sea. The curtain rose, as the subjugation battle commenced. And at the same time as that... !!!!!!!!!!! Devil Alert !!!!!!!!!!! [ ¡®Devil-Related¡¯ Emergency Event Occurred! ] [ This is a critical event! ] [ If you do not take the correct actions within the time limit, you will die! ] [ Event related to target ¡®Riru¡¯! ] [ Find a way to survive immediately! ] The evasion maneuver to survive against two Devil¡¯s Vessels begins. ¡°...¡± It probably wasn¡¯t just my imagination that the latter seemed far more catastrophic than the boss battle itself. ¡°...It¡¯s so hard to be this popular, isn¡¯t it? Feels like I could die from all this attention.¡± ¡°I agree with that dying part at least¡ª!¡± You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 115: Blue Devil (1) Chapter 115: Blue Devil (1) ? Blue Devil (1) ? ¡°So, What¡¯s the plan?!¡± Talion skillfully turned the helm and threw out such words. I knew it, having him practice was a good decision. He was able to keep the balance and steer the ship even in the middle of this mess. ¡°Plan... Plan, you say...¡± Right, I had something you could call a plan, but... Could I even call it as such, though? ¡°First, let¡¯s make use of this situation.¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± I looked at Riru, who was rapidly catching up in the distance. Her running speed was even faster than the boat, which was already at full throttle. The distance between us was shrinking at a quite frightening pace. Considering how pissed off she was, I had to offer something pretty valuable to calm her down. For example... Something pretty precious to me. That was why, as an exchange for that, I should at least make use of this situation to the fullest. ¡°...You¡¯re still thinking of satisfying your greed in this kind of a situation?¡± ¡°...¡± Towards Talion¡¯s words, which almost sounded like a scolding, I kept my mouth shut. So what, you brat? You had a problem with that, huh?! I did feel my sense of crisis turning into something more like a life-risking game in such situations, but it was much better than trembling and getting squashed under pressure. In any case... ¡°With this, one of them will remain subdued for a while...¡± As I said this, I looked at the first tentacle wriggling out of the sinkhole in front of me. After getting thrashed by Riru while trying to make a majestic appearance, it was now stuck motionless with its body twisted. This wasn¡¯t an unfamiliar scene to me as I¡¯ve seen it a few times before in the game. Whenever it took heavy damage, it would enter this exact groggy state, unable to regain its senses for a period of time. ¡®...With this, the intro is skipped.¡¯ After fighting the first tentacle that popped out, the next phase in the boss battle was to dive into the sinkhole below and face the ¡®main body¡¯. But, I could save a lot of time and resources by ¡®tossing¡¯ Riru inside. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± I ignored Talion¡¯s unpleasant and hesitant gaze. Yeah, yeah, the way I expressed it was a little off, but... You got my point, right? It would make things easier if I were to toss her onto all of the three bosses. ¡®...The only problem with that is...¡¯ She¡¯d inevitably go berserk during the process. After all, Tatiana must have embedded ¡®that kind of thing¡¯ in Alan for such use. Considering the mechanism of the Incarnation shown in the game, Alan was definitely stuck into one of those three giant cephalopods. ¡°...¡± I gritted my teeth. Honestly... If possible, I didn¡¯t want to let Riru see that, After all, even I almost threw up when I saw it. It really was such a disgusting sight. However... ¡®...It¡¯s something that¡¯s bound to happen whether I like it or not.¡¯ Even if I tried to prevent it from happening, Tatiana would force it on Riru somehow. Especially now, while I was drawing Riru into a berserk state, entirely skipping the first phase. Chances were, she¡¯d make Riru go fully berserk and get her to kill me in the process. That was an effective solution for her to utilize. As seen with Eleanor before, I had to rely on my luck to subdue a Devil who had gone berserk. ¡°...¡± Well, except that bitch overlooked one thing. The fact that it would be better for the Blue Devil to go all out in her berserk state. That way, it would give me a much higher chance of survival. I wasn¡¯t kidding. ¡°For now, just take this.¡± With a sigh, I took out Ultima and handed it to Talion. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°A holy relic. Even someone who can¡¯t handle Divine Power like you should be able to resist curses somewhat.¡± ¡°I appreciate the thought, Senior Brother. But I can handle this much!¡± Talion replied with a vigorous voice, his face was filled with sweat but he still looked energetic. Around us, black fog billowed out from the flesh scattered by Riru¡¯s explosive power. Those were the residue of malignant curses that would drive any ordinary person mad upon contact. ¡°Take it. Even if you¡¯re fine, that thing you have with you could still be affected.¡± I pointed at the ice cat suffering above Talion¡¯s head. As I did so, Talion¡¯s expression changed to one of realization. ¡°Wait a moment, then what about Senior Brother...!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I actually needed to ¡®reduce¡¯ such resistance. And Desperate enhanced ¡®all stats¡¯. The Devil Conquest state on my status window was also under that effect. That couldn¡¯t happen. ¡°If my resistance is too high... Uh... You see...¡± I scratched my head before continuing. ¡°I can¡¯t get ¡®devoured¡¯ by her.¡± ¡°...¡± Could you please... Stop looking at me like that... Her head felt hazy. Everything in front of her eyes was painted blue. ¡°...Something¡¯s off.¡± Talion squinted his eyes, observing Riru stopping in her tracks. She had been chasing me at a terrifying speed, but for some reason, she suddenly stopped. System Message [ Target ¡®Riru¡¯ is enraged by an unthinkable sight! ] [ Corruption Value of target ¡®Riru¡¯ has exceeded 300%. ] [ Target is entering a ¡®berserk¡¯ state! ] [ The estimated damage range is a ¡®10km radius¡¯! ] [ The probability of survival is 0.3%! ] ¡°...¡± I tightly closed my eyes and apologized to Riru. ¡®Sorry.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m truly sorry.¡¯ ¡®Please, forgive me for making you see such a thing, Riru.¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡®I swear, I¡¯ll make sure...¡¯ ¡®That the one who did this will pay the price.¡¯ And I was about to take the first step in that process. ¡°Stop!¡± As soon as I saw Riru¡¯s movements stop, I immediately instructed Talion. Then, as soon as the boat stopped, I used it as a springboard to ¡®fly¡¯ towards her. ¡°Wait, Senior Brother?!¡± Talion¡¯s cry of horror echoed from behind me. Charging at full speed towards a human who had been effortlessly destroying everything in her path seemed crazy, but... System Message [ ¡®Skill: King of Pandemonium¡¯ is activated. ] [ Gained an absolute advantage against Devil-type enemies for the next 5 minutes! ] [ Facing a target with parallel abilities. ] [ Resisting target¡¯s unique ability ¡®Authority: Pulverization¡¯! ] Fortunately, I had the ability to resist such Authorities, even if it could only last for a few minutes. I flew swiftly and crashed into Riru, who was standing dazed above the sea. Normally, my body should have been completely destroyed upon contact, but thanks to the skill, I remained relatively intact. System Message [ The Aura of the ¡®Blue Devil¡¯ is felt! ] [ ¡®The Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯ reacts! ] While noting such messages were popping up, I clung to Riru, supporting my body with hers. It felt similar to when I clung to Eleanor, who was floating in the air. Apparently those on the verge of going berserk wouldn¡¯t react much, even when I stuck to them like glue. ¡°...Hello. Nice to meet you.¡± And... Amidst the surging blue aura that was about to explode... I whispered carefully to Riru. ¡°I¡¯m Dowd Campbell.¡± As if I was greeting someone for the first time. ¡°...I have come with an offer you can not refuse.¡± I continued while letting out a sigh. ¡°Shall we talk? Blue Devil.¡± -... Silence. Followed by another silence. At that moment, suddenly... The blue aura emanating from Riru¡¯s body swiftly ¡®wrapped¡¯ around me. System Message [ Detecting a ¡®Mental Barrier¡¯ activated against you! ] [ Rolling ¡®Devil Conquest¡¯ stat for resistance... ] [ Rolling ¡®Devil Conquest¡¯ stat for resistance... ] [ Rolling ¡®Devil Conquest¡¯ stat for resistance... ] [ Resistance failed! ] [ Entering the target¡¯s ¡®Image World¡¯! ] Good. That was how it should be. Judging by the number of resistance rolls, it was a close call. If I had Ultima with me, I might have actually resisted this attempt. As my consciousness faded, I chuckled with such thoughts. [Nice to meet you too, Dowd Campbell.] And beyond my waning consciousness... I heard that voice. It was definitely... [I have been waiting to meet you like this.] An extremely calm and composed voice. [My Husband.] So much so that it could make one forget for a moment that this was the voice of a ¡®Devil¡¯. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 116: Blue Devil (2) Chapter 116: Blue Devil (2) ? Blue Devil (2) ? It had been quite a while since I last entered the Image World. The last time I did this was when I was engulfed in my own Image World due to the Divine Power of that one Virtue. Considering my Karma, being completely neutral, that world was bleak and desolate without anything in it. ¡°...¡± But, this world I was in had a completely different atmosphere than mine. Maybe because it wasn¡¯t my Image World, but Riru¡¯s. ¡®...How brutal.¡¯ Well, just from looking at the surroundings, it was obvious that this world was hers. After all, only her mental space could be so... ¡®Barren¡¯... The land was withered, the sky was dyed red and there was a harsh and violent blizzard. Beneath me was snow so deep that it drew my feet in every time I took a step forward. It was a cold and painful world. Now, I wasn¡¯t exactly an expert in psychology, but if I ever heard someone¡¯s mind was associated with such an image, I could tell that there was something wrong with them. However... As I looked around a little more, I realized that this wasn¡¯t all there was to it. I dragged my feet and arrived in front of a ¡®flower garden.¡¯ Compared to the snow-covered withered land that filled this space, it was only the size of a handspan, but... It was still a green land lush with new foliage. ¡°Warm, isn¡¯t it?¡± Hearing that remark, I turned my head. On that green land, someone was lying leisurely. Its voice sounded gentle, completely unfit for the occasion. But precisely because of that, I could immediately tell its owner. ¡°As someone who¡¯s practically living here, I can say it really is better to have something like this than having all the space filled with coldness. I don¡¯t think you can imagine how comfortable this feels like.¡± It was someone who gave off the ¡®blue¡¯ impression from their head to toe. That impression didn¡¯t come from their skin, as it was painted in pale white, but the blue particles that they emitted from all over their body. They were Riru, not wearing a single stitch of clothing. To be more precise, they were the Blue Devil, who was taking on her form. Normally, most Devil¡¯s Fragments would reside in the Mental World of their host, though. ¡°You don¡¯t seem very surprised? Usually, people would be surprised to see Riru like this.¡± The Blue Devil threw such a remark with a light smile. As she said... She carried a relaxed and languid atmosphere. The tone of her voice was warm and cozy. Her eyes were drooping as she was lying on the grass, as if she was on a picnic and was about to take a nap. Considering that the real person always showed a stiff or strong impression, following the stereotype of a ¡®Female Warrior,¡¯ this gap in appearance could be described as awkward. ¡°...I had formed a hypothesis, you see.¡± Saying that, I sat down in front of the Blue Devil. ¡°All the Devil¡¯s Fragments I¡¯ve met had completely different vibe than their ¡®original possessor.¡¯¡± Compared to Eleanor, who always suppressed her emotions, her Fragments felt innocent and soft, like that of a child. As for Yuria, who was always trying to be inconspicuous and suppressing her own violent tendencies, her Fragments were stubborn, selfish and violent. ¡°...I was thinking, maybe the Devil fused with the Vessel is continuously expressing the emotions that the host had been suppressing.¡± This meant that these were the parts that Riru had been suppressing, now fused with the Blue Devil¡¯s Fragment. Indolence. Laziness. Peace. ¡°...¡± And that... Was a completely different appearance from the ¡®Devils¡¯ I knew in the game. In the game, though there weren¡¯t many chances to face Devils directly, there was no precedence of them ¡®interacting¡¯ with their Vessels in this way. Which meant... In this world I had transmigrated to... The existence known as ¡®Devils¡¯ might be slightly different from the ¡®Final Bosses¡¯ seen in Sera. They might have similar abilities and characteristics, but they were not filled with ¡®evil and malice¡¯ solely for the purpose of destroying the world. Rather, they felt much more... ¡®Human.¡¯ ¡°...That¡¯s a fun hypothesis.¡¯ Instead of responding to my words, the Blue Devil just said as such and let out a slight smile. ¡®Well, I can find out about that later.¡¯ Right now, the fact that the Blue Devil¡¯s Fragment had such a tendency greatly influenced the ¡®negotiation¡¯ I needed to undertake. If it had been like the White Devil¡¯s Fragment, who wouldn¡¯t even listen to me and just attacked me, such a calm ¡®conversation¡¯ wouldn¡¯t have been possible. I knew that and in order to meet this being, I had provoked Riru to such an extent. ¡°You said you have an offer I can¡¯t refuse, right?¡± The Blue Devil slightly lifted her body. ¡°I¡¯m personally curious about what you¡¯ll offer as ¡®compensation¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± At those words, I took a deep breath to calm my mind. Even though we were talking calmly right now, the other side was still a Devil. A being that had entered the realm of transcendence in this world; Someone that could easily erase someone like me with just a flick of a finger. ¡°I won¡¯t accept anything vague or noncommittal.¡± The Blue Devil spoke with a slightly faded smile. ¡°...This space... Hasn¡¯t been around for long.¡± She spoke while touching the grass around with her hand. ¡°It means that after all this time, Riru, who had been pushing herself forward as if being chased by something, is sincerely touched by the memory of being with someone. Enough to make her value it as something warm and precious.¡± I looked towards the being before me, who was smiling broadly as she said this. ¡°It is probably because of your influence.¡± Riru Garda. Someone whose entire psyche was stained with struggle and violence. Until not so long ago, she shouldn¡¯t have it this badly. But, after Kasa had her limbs cut off, all her clan members died, and she was banished to the Empire... She was stuck in a foreign land far from home, without a single person to trust... However, before I could even voice these thoughts, the Blue Devil¡¯s hand had already reached my chest. The exact spot where the ¡®Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯ engraved by the Grey Devil was located. ¡°...Heh. As expected of her. She left quite a large stamp.¡± ¡°A stamp?¡± ¡°A declaration. This is mine. Do not touch. Something like that. The white one hasn¡¯t seen this yet, right?¡± ¡°Probably... Not...¡± At that time, we busily exchanged what we wanted and our place of business was broken apart without a chance for her to see. ¡°I thought so. If the white one had seen this, she would have gone to pick a fight with 3?4??????????????e????3?4??????i??????????????????????? ??????????????????????1?4???????????????? right away.¡± The Blue Devil pouted her lips as she spoke. ¡°Everyone used to be like that. Even though we could have shared it. Always being so stubborn, claiming it as their own. Always saying they¡¯ll never let the others have it. Allllll~ of them were like that. Always just filled to the brim with greed...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never had something of my own to complain about. I¡¯ve always been expected to yield as if it was a matter of course.¡± When she put it like that, it sounded like childrens squabbling over a toy, but... This was a dispute among Devils, who were transcendent beings. ¡°So...¡± After pouring out these words, the Blue Devil smirked. ¡°This time, I think I¡¯ll be a bit greedy too. Especially since I even received such an offer.¡± Following that, her hand lingered on the Fallen¡¯s Seal. A blue aura surged around it. System Message [ The Sign of the ¡®Blue Devil¡¯ is added to the ¡®Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯! ] [ The change in your attribute from ¡®Human to ¡®¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤?????????????????????????????????¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤?????????????????????????????????¡¯ is accelerating. ] [ A transformation is imminent! ] ¡°With this, the ¡®promise¡¯ is done. I¡¯ve even left my stamp too.¡± The Blue Devil giggled. ¡°It¡¯s more like a contract, but for one day, you will become my ¡®subordinate.¡¯ You must do whatever I ask.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m in your care.¡± I answered while dripping cold sweat profusely. ¡°Good. Then, what do you wish for me to do?¡± ¡°...I would like you to calm down Riru who¡¯s on the verge of going berserk.¡± ¡°The Vessel¡¯s berserk state is a phenomenon separate from the Fragment. I¡¯m sure you know that too, right?¡± Of course. If it wasn¡¯t, Eleanor wouldn¡¯t have tried to kill me directly before. Given the nature of the Grey Devil, she wouldn¡¯t have just stayed still and watched as that happened. However... ¡°You can do it, can¡¯t you?¡± It might not be possible for other Devils, but this one was an exception. The Devil of Wrath. A Devil who was easy to see in the scenario, but was equally easy to subdue. At the price of her berserk state being incredibly easy to trigger, calming her down was also much easier compared to other Devils. ¡°Just momentarily calming Riru down will suffice for now.¡± It was an ironic request to ask the Devil of Wrath to quell her anger, but... In order to calm Riru, who was on the verge of going berserk, mental intervention at the level of a Devil was the only solution. And this being was the only one I could ask. ¡°After that, I¡¯ll handle everything myself.¡± ¡°...Is that all? It seems like there¡¯s not much for me to do compared to what you¡¯re offering.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s one more thing I wish to request of you.¡± It wasn¡¯t about dealing with the Reversed Sea that was currently outside. Instead, it was something I needed ¡®after¡¯ it. As I explained, the Blue Devil nodded with a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s not too difficult either. Very well.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After saying that, I silently gazed at her. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°...Please refrain from doing anything too excessive.¡± Leaving ¡®myself¡¯ in her care for a day, well... I could roughly guess what she might do. At my words, the Blue Devil chuckled. ¡°I am looking forward to it, though.¡± The Blue Devil cackled before speaking. ¡°The white one might be the most obsessive one, but most Devils dislike having their possessions taken away from them. Even among them, 3?4??????????????e????3?4??????i??????????????????????? ??????????????????????1?4???????????????? has always been in a different league power-wise, so others have never taken away their possession, but...¡± Virulence... ¡°This time, I. I, who have never coveted the belongings of the others...¡± Like a serpent¡¯s tongue... Burrowed into the inside of my earflaps. ¡°Will dye that being¡¯s possessions in ¡®my color¡¯.¡± Then, warmth brushed against my ear. This time, it was the Blue Devil¡¯s tongue that was truly stretched out, slowly licking near my ear. ¡°Please take care of your body, my Husband.¡± It was warm and intense. A voice that seemed to tickle, packed with a shallow laugh, pounded right into my head. ¡°Soon enough, I¡¯ll come to devour you.¡± ¡°...¡± Alright. I got ya. You had no intention of showing any leniency whatsoever, didn¡¯t you? With a wink, those were the last words she uttered... As my consciousness was rapidly pulled back to the outside. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 117: Reversed Sea (1) Chapter 117: Reversed Sea (1) ? Reversed Sea (1) ? Her mind felt foggy. She had been feeling this way since a while ago, but now, it had become much worse. ¡°...¡± Riru looked at her own trembling hands. She felt the desire to kill that fucking bitch and grind her to dust as soon as possible. The overwhelming power boiling inside her convinced her that she was strong enough to do that. ¡®...No.¡¯ Then, she realized that the bitch wasn¡¯t the only problem. All the annoying and infuriating things that had happened recently came to her mind, one after another. And she wished nothing but to crush them all with this strength she possessed. ¡°...¡± Faintly, she was aware that there was something wrong with her, but even that feeling was overwhelmed by a torrent of emotions that shook her entire consciousness. Irrational anger. An unreasonable urge to destroy. -Hello, Riru. And then, in such a state, a familiar voice echoed in her ears. Familiar was truly the only real way to describe it. After all, it was ¡®her own¡¯ voice. ¡°...¡± Riru stared blankly in the direction of that voice, with unfocused eyes, ¡®Who is this?¡¯ ¡®Why is she taking on my form?¡¯ -This method of conversation... How should I put it? Among the Vessels who possess one Fragment, you are the only one who can converse like this. In the others¡¯ case, even if they want to, the gap in their ¡®status¡¯ is too wide, they simply can¡¯t do it. I guess there is a benefit of being a weakling, after all. ¡®...Fragments? Vessels?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t understand anything. As these thoughts floated vaguely in her mind, the other party continued speaking. -If it was up to me, I actually want to help you, but... I already made a contract, so I can¡¯t. We all are bound by contracts, after all. The voice continued as it kept on spouting incomprehensible words while giggling. ¡°...You. Who are you?¡± -I am your feminine side. It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve talked, hasn¡¯t it? ¡°...¡± -Just kidding. Hihi. The voice, which laughed lazily, soon spoke again. This time, its tone was far more serious than before. -You¡¯ll find out soon enough, but... I really can¡¯t tell you now. Those Heretic Inquisition bastards are nearby, I can smell them. It¡¯ll be better for both of us to not unnecessarily get involved with them, you know? ¡°...If you¡¯re only here to spout nonsense, then you should get lost you fucking ghost... Or whatever you are...¡± -Oh my. If you could respond like that, it means quite a bit of your consciousness has returned. The unidentifiable ¡®something¡¯ that took her form now touched Riru¡¯s forehead. Then... Suddenly, her consciousness became clear. The wrath clouding her mind dissipated in an instant. -Well, I can tell you this much, at least... As Riru stood there, dumbfounded, the other party spoke again. -I¡¯ll see you in a few days, Riru. ¡°...What?¡± -By then, there¡¯s something fun we can do ¡®together¡¯. Understand what I mean? Though she couldn¡¯t understand a single word the being uttered... She felt drawn in. Riru didn¡¯t know why she felt that way, but the sensation that she felt was clear. At the same time, the blue aura emanating from her body disappeared all at once. ¡°Huh? Woah!¡± As soon as the blue aura vanished, she lost the ability to stand on the sea and plunged into the water. Fortunately for her, she was able to swim, so she was able to easily float to the surface. But... ¡°What the. What am I doing¡ª¡± Before she could finish her words. She saw Dowd Campbell clinging tightly to her body. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯ ¡®Since when had he been there?¡¯ His eyes were closed, it seemed like he was unconscious. Looking around, she saw pieces of flesh and blood scattered everywhere. ¡°...¡± ¡®How did I get in this situation?¡¯ As she tried to follow up such thoughts... Dowd, who had been lying motionless, moved and hugged her tightly. ¡°...!¡± Startled, she turned to look at him. ¡°If you regained consciousness, then, get off¡ª!¡± In response, she immediately spoke in an irate voice. The blue aura that had disappeared earlier started to seep from her body once again. She refused to be played like a fiddle by this man ever again. Though she didn¡¯t know what he would say, if she heard him making another weird excuse, she might actually¡ª ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± But, the low tone that came out of his mouth made her freeze. She immediately realized that he was different from usual. Normally, he never showed his true feelings. Anyone with a sense of awareness would know that he always had ulterior motives hidden away deep inside. However, right now... Dowd closed his eyes for a moment and let out a sigh. ¡°Riru.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The bastards who did that will pay.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will make that happen.¡± And Dowd¡¯s eyes while speaking as such... ¡°And I, from this moment onwards...¡± Were fixed on the giant sinkhole being recreated in the nearby sea. Phase two. The true form of the Reversed Sea. The ¡®God Kings¡¯ worshiped by Tatiana. The most powerful beings that woman could summon. ¡°Will prove that I have the ¡®ability¡¯ to face that bastard.¡± With those words... A ¡®marine creature¡¯, so gigantic it seemed it would tear apart heaven and earth, finally revealed its enormous form from beneath the sea. ¡°ElkiaaaaAAAK-!¡± ¡°...¡± Sitting on the cliff, Kasa, with narrowed eyes, tapped her pipe on the ground. Yes. While she did expect someone to arrive around this time... She didn¡¯t realize they would appear with such a fuss. The old woman turned to look at the person who emerged from behind her, still with her eyes narrowed. ¡®...I see that this child has unbelievable talent.¡¯ Kasa thought so as she watched the orange-haired girl with tearful eyes charged towards her. Behind her, she was followed by a stumpy girl leaking white aura behind her like a ghost. ¡°I keep telling you the one who caused trouble is Teach, but why are you doing this to me-!¡± ¡°However, Miss Iliya. You definitely seem to know where Mr. Dowd is. You seem to be hiding it from me. Maybe if I torment you a bit, you¡¯ll tell me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything, even if you interrogate me in that weird tone¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°KYAAAAAAK-!¡± After Iliya narrowly dodged a white slash flying at her with terrifying speed, Yuria kicked off the ground and leaped to the space beside her. It was a movement that was close to teleportation, but... Iliya ¡®reacted¡¯ to that speed too. She twisted her entire body to avoid the slash and used the centrifugal force to knock away the black-haired girl who was charging at her with a scabbard. ¡°Ooooh.¡± While spectating, Kasa involuntarily let out a sigh of admiration at her efficient movements. Her instantaneous adaptability and sense were already way beyond a student¡¯s level. Just seeing how the black-haired girl, who charged so fiercely, was effortlessly thrown off more than proved this fact. The distance she was being thrown was considerable;The girl flew over Kasa¡¯s position and even over the coastal cliff. ¡°...¡± She probably wouldn¡¯t die. That girl didn¡¯t seem like an ordinary girl, so she should be fine even after falling off that cliff. In the first place, when considering what that guy Dowd said, her flying off the cliff was probably the... What was it again... ¡®Plan¡¯. Right. Rather than the one who fell off the cliff, the girl in front of her seemed far closer to dying. ¡°Huff! Heuak! Ahaaaahk...! Teach...I won¡¯t...listen...to you...ever aga...ahhhh...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°B-By the way, who are you?¡± ¡°...Have you caught your breath?¡± Kasa chuckled at Iliya, who spoke as if she was a foot away from death. ¡°You can say that I¡¯m the master of the person you call ¡®Teach.¡¯¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya looked at Kasa with an unpleasant gaze. Was that really something she would show such a reaction to? Kasa thought as such, cocking her head. ¡°...Can that person even cover such an age difference? Exactly how broad is his striking range...¡± ¡°...Stop talking nonsense. Come and sit next to me.¡± Kasa grabbed her aching head with her remaining arm. ¡°You¡¯re the Hero Candidate, aren¡¯t you? Then you can¡¯t miss what¡¯s about to happen.¡± Iliya¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°Somewhat.¡± Kasa put the pipe back in her mouth. Tobacco was always her good companion. And if there was such an interesting spectacle, it was even more so. Her gaze rested on the coast, where a gigantic monster was emerging from beneath the sea. It was near where Dowd and Riru were located. Not just one, but three in total. It seemed like an impossible battle. ¡°...Ancient Gods from another dimension are monsters that require the power of an entire nation to even consider fighting.¡± He was definitely covered in all kinds of wondrous abilities, but... No single human could face them. However... Her gaze wasn¡¯t on the ancient monsters emerging from the sea. No, instead... ¡°Watch carefully, Future Hero. This will surely help you reach that realm.¡± Her focus remained... ¡°From now on, you shall witness a human fighting and defeating the impossible.¡± On a single man, who was charging alone towards such an insurmountable foe. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 118: Reversed Sea (2) Chapter 118: Reversed Sea (2) ? Reversed Sea (2) ? ¡°Activating the Demonic Essence Tracking System. Scanning for all signs within range.¡± ¡°Relocating all to the target area near the academy¡¯s coast.¡± ¡°Initiating acceleration sequence. Entering artificial manifestation.¡± Hatan nodded upon hearing these consecutive reports. This was the operation to gather the Demonic Essences of all the Rulers of the Demonic Zones, excluding the still-living Sea Serpent and the confirmed to be annihilated Unicorn, in one place. According to Dowd Campbell¡¯s request, this process, which normally would take several months to a year, could be done in a ¡®much faster¡¯ pace and they had to do it at a ¡®designated location¡¯. ¡®...They would all think I¡¯m crazy for doing this.¡¯ Now it became apparent why that guy demanded ¡®full authority¡¯ over the academy. Even for the Forge of Struggle, the most technologically advanced of the three academies, it was a tall order to undergo an operation that would forcibly ¡®resurrect¡¯ two Special-Grade Demonic Creatures. To exaggerate a bit, it was almost a miracle akin to reviving the dead. Apart from the Magic Tower, only the Tribal Alliance could pull off such a feat. -Are you really going to fulfill that request, Hatan? Hatan turned his head to look at the hologram of the only War Chief who had followed him to the command room. Utad Han-Chai. Unlike the other War Chiefs, who expressed various concerns, he was the only one who agreed with Dowd Campbell¡¯s plan. ¡°You agreed to it too, so why are you spouting something different now?¡± -I understand that there must be some reason behind it, but I can¡¯t fathom his intentions. Utad let out a sigh and continued. -I don¡¯t doubt that man¡¯s capability, but I can¡¯t understand why he would want to resurrect the already subdued Rulers of the Demonic Zones. And it¡¯s not just that... His gaze then shifted to the screen in the situation room. As he did so, the existence that was causing this ¡®incident¡¯ was emerging right then. -...He¡¯s doing so in a situation where such a monster is making its appearance. When one sent their gaze toward that overwhelming presence, they could understand Utad¡¯s concerns completely. Hatan and Utad simultaneously groaned at the sight of the gigantic, human-shaped cephalopod emerging from beneath the sea. Even from a glance, it was clear that it was a ¡®long-lived¡¯ Demonic Creature. Due to their nature of growing by consuming other Demonic Creatures, the age of a Demonic Creature often symbolized strength. To exemplify this, the Four Cardinal Gods and the Dragon race, considered to be the strongest Demonic Creatures in the Material Realm, were thousands of years old. ¡°Presence of a new Demonic Creature is detected!¡± One of the reporting faculty members made this announcement. ¡°...It is an interdimensional entity! Identifiable Grade is...!¡± The following sentence was no different from a scream. ¡°A-A Demonic Creature a-aged at least a thousand years old! An Ancient God Class-!¡± ¡°...¡± -... Hatan and Utad simultaneously turned speechless. Its age was more than a thousand years old? Hunters could only joke about hunting Rulers of the Demonic Zones because it was absurd to think that anyone could subdue them. Yet, what had appeared was a monster that made even those Rulers look like children. Moreover, there were three of them. ¡°When was the last time a Demonic Creature beyond the Special-Grade was discovered?¡± -It¡¯s been over a hundred years. After all, no Demonic Creatures even came close after the Four Cardinal Gods. ¡°Am I supposed to say that it¡¯s a relief? At least it¡¯s not several thousand years old like them.¡± They exchanged these words in a dazed voice before falling into silence. Perhaps, they were thinking about the same thing. ¡°...He¡¯ll die, right?¡± -...He probably will. That man was skilled, but even he couldn¡¯t possibly win against such adversaries, at least they thought so. Even if he were to run away, there was no way that he could guarantee his survival. ¡°...He probably didn¡¯t expect such monsters to appear, right? Otherwise...¡± He wouldn¡¯t have made the crazy suggestion to face them with just a few people. Utad remained silent at Hatan¡¯s words. ¡°Let¡¯s just pray that he¡¯s not all bark and no bite.¡± They hoped he could, at the very least, take down one of them. After all, that would allow some room for strategy against the remaining two. While everyone was thinking as such.... The following scene unfolded in an entirely unexpected direction. ¡°To deal with Demonic Creatures of that level, we only have historical records of it, so there are many uncertainties involved. But there¡¯s one thing in common in those records.¡± Kasa said as gazed at the emerging giants with tentacles all over their bodies. Ancient God Class. Among the Demonic Creatures appearing from interdimensional rifts in the Material Realm, excluding those from Pandemonium and the Astral Realm, they were among the most powerful. And there was a reason why they were treated as such. ¡°Each one of them possesses at least one inconceivable ¡®Authority¡¯.¡± Though they did not reach the level of near reality manipulation like some Devils, if it was a Demonic Creature as long-lived as that, they still surely possessed some unimaginable ability. ¡°And that bastard seems to have the Curse of Invulnerability.¡± Kasa concluded this upon seeing the Demonic Aura enveloping its entire body. Iliya, standing beside her with wide eyes, asked in a daze. It was far, far away. It was refined and high. It was beyond comprehension and interpretation, or even ¡®admiration¡¯. Dowd¡¯s strike just now had reached such a realm. ¡°...H-How did he...?¡± She had never heard of him training in such things or having an extraordinary talent in that field. What in the world was that just now? ¡°...Did Teach have that much talent in Fighting Arts?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kasa smiled wryly, responding to her. ¡°His talent in that area is utter trash.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°In fact, most of his combat-related talents are trash. He can¡¯t even come close to your brilliant talent.¡± She bluntly belittled Dowd, leaving Iliya speechless. ¡°But, he was good at handling ¡®Law Technique¡¯. Because he¡¯s that kind of person.¡± Kasa continued, exhaling a long puff of smoke. ¡°He¡¯s the kind of person who would do anything for a goal he set. It sounds abstract, but his ¡®willpower¡¯ is top-notch, after all.¡± ¡°...Willpower?¡± Most people would have given up. Since it was that man they were talking about, there was a high likelihood that he already knew that three such monsters would appear. If it was an ordinary person, they would have given up, sat down, cursed their fate, and got crushed to death. However, in that situation... That man... Found a way to prevail, using any means necessary. He approached Kasa, a stranger, and prepared for this moment long ago. Of course, that man most likely possessed something unique in him. It wasn¡¯t certain what method he used, the fact that he knew something like this would happen in advance was a significant part of his success. Still... At the foundation of such a feat, where a single human ¡®obliterated¡¯ a monster of that level... Laid one key truth. Willpower. The unwavering belief that he would never retreat from a goal that he had set. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what you need to learn, Future Hero.¡± Kasa continued with a grin. ¡°Indomitability.¡± The best outcome was to survive and ensure that no one around got hurt. He never gave up on that. No matter who the opponent was or how dire the situation... He never stopped struggling to achieve the best outcome. Even if it seemed insane to others, even if he became a mess, even if it was ridiculous, even if his dignity hit rock bottom, even if he was scorned and ridiculed... He never compromised with himself. With his beliefs. ¡°...¡± Iliya watched in silence... As if mesmerized. With the expression of someone who had discovered their ¡®utopia¡¯... She never took her eyes off the scene. -... -...!!! But then, startled by a resounding roar, Iliya turned to look at the giant. Despite being utterly battered, it was still alive. ¡°It survived even after being hit by that...?¡± ¡°It hadn¡¯t been given the title Ancient God for no reason. Of course it wouldn¡¯t die from just one measly hit like that.¡± While listening to Kasa¡¯s words, Iliya suddenly noticed Dowd doing something odd. He was vacantly staring at his arm. To be more precise, at the magically engineered watch on his wrist. ¡°And considering his nature, he obviously must have ¡®prepared¡¯ something else.¡± As if something was about to ¡®happen¡¯ right around this time. ¡°...Right on time.¡± And at the same time Dowd murmured those words... ¡°Hey, it¡¯s good to see you here.¡± A ¡®pure-white¡¯ aura surged nearby. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 119: Reversed Sea (3) Chapter 119: Reversed Sea (3) Reversed Sea (3) As I wore the flipped mask, the body of the Reversed Sea, taking the form of a giant, crumbled away. Just like what happened to the Sea Serpent before, its enormous figure was finely chopped and dismantled by a white slash. As if rendering his previous life force, which had barely survived my earlier strike, meaningless, it was neutralized in one hit and disintegrated into the sea. Too bad I didnt have the leniency to react to that sight. I was too exhausted to do so. No, really, it felt like I could die at any moment now. Sweat poured down my body as I gasped for breath. Just by throwing a single punch, I felt like I had expended all my energy. I just imitated it, though! This is bullshit! I thought to myself while panting for breath. No, seriously It was great and all that even a rough imitation produced this level of power, but If the rebound was this severe, I couldnt even imagine the strain on my body if I were to fully perfect this technique. System Message [ A fantastical use of Law Technique! ] [ Proficiency in Mastery: Law Technique Mastery greatly increases. ] System Message [ You have imitated a technique of a far away realm, even if only crudely! ] [ Perfection Progress of Mastery: Fighting Arts Stance greatly increases! ] At least there was a silver lining. All this effort wasnt for nothing. I scanned the system window that appeared before my eyes. [ Mastery Info ] Mastery: Law Technique Mastery Grade: Proficient Proficiency: 0% Description: You can manipulate the Special Power Law Technique based on your willpower. [ The output is determined based on the Willpower the caster harbors. The extent of the subjects hopes or desires for a particular objectives calculates the Willpower. ] [ It is possible to fuse Law Technique with other Special Powers. ] Huh? This was the first time Ive heard that you could fuse Law Technique with other Special Powers. The game didnt have something like this because Iliya didnt have a branching path that allowed her to handle Law Technique. And as I pondered about this [What are you looking at, Mr. Dowd?] A text that sent shivers down my spine appeared in my field of vision. As she always did when she was on the verge of going berserk, Yuria communicated through text instead of voice. When I glanced over, I saw her standing on a massive rock that came from God knows where while emitting white aura in streams. No, wait. I knew where it came from. She sliced off coastal rock the size of a house and dragged it here. Seeing how the surface was so cleanly cut, as if it was paper, made the sight even more absurd. Yo, thanks for saving me. [I didnt save you. I just cut it because it was in the way. I have a lot of explanations I want to hear from] Before she could continue that sentence - -!!!! The Reversed Sea, now in the form of a hideous mass of flesh which couldnt even be called a body anymore, started to move again. What an enormous vitality. Its life force made even Yuria, the same person who drove it into such a state, looked at it with an incredulous look. [Unbelievable. Its still alive?] As for me, this outcome wasnt surprising. After all, I knew that it was afflicted with the Curse of Invulnerability. There was a reason why I chose to beat it with my bare fists. No matter how powerful the strike of a Severer imbued with Devil Fragments was, as long as it was a weapon, it wouldnt be able to kill it. Thanks to that !!!!!!!!!! Another curse poured forth from that body. It was a malicious black wave that felt several times more vicious, even when compared to what I shattered earlier. Its viciousness made me feel that any life that was caught by it would die instantly. System Message [ Detected a Curse Wave targeting you! ] [ Rolling Devil Conquest Stat for resistance ] [ Resistance successful! ] While I managed to dodge it using Guardian Shield with ease, the fact that the resistance check occurred from this distance just showed how vicious that attack was. I was familiar with this sight as it appeared in the game. The final stage that triggered when you dropped its health to a near-death state. In this phase, I couldnt just come close to it and try to obliterate it like what I did earlier. Not only was it a toil to approach it when it was spamming instant-death attacks everywhere, but also, considering the rebound from using Breaking the Sky just now, my limit was to hit each of the remaining two bastards with it once. Which meant I had to rely on Yuria to finish this one off. That was why I purposely induced her berserk state and brought her here. And so, I also prepared one more thing for this. I carefully casted my gaze below the sea. There was a tumultuous energy stirring there. Its about time it came out. And as I acrobatically leapt over the two The Sea Serpent and the Reversed Sea, who were in our path, were split in half with a single blow. The two were split on both sides without even a chance to let out a scream. The Sea Serpent, being an Elemental Lifeform, could be resurrected later, but seeing how the Reversed Sea turned into ashes, its death was pretty much confirmed. How incredible. Since it was an impromptu strategy pieced together for the situation, I didnt expect it to work this well. On the verge of going berserk Yuria? Absolutely cracked. [Mr. Dowd.] While thinking this, I gazed at Yuria. She was smiling brightly, covered in the bodily fluids of the Reversed sea and the blood of the Sea Serpent. Though she was smiling Her eyes were lifeless. [Youll actually die if I catch you, okay?] I already knew that, you brat. However And then, there were two. I looked at the remaining two giants. And I also spotted the Flame Demon and Ice Tiger taking shape nearby, just as requested from the Forge of Struggle. To me, they both looked like disposable grenades now. Ones that were able to very briefly lift the Reversed Seas Curse. Since they were all engraved with the Fear Imprint, it should be convenient to use them like that. I smirked and organized the pattern Id need to execute. First, Id have to strip their outer layer with Fighting Arts, then shove those Rulers of the Demonic Zones inside. After that, Yurias sword would finish them off. It was a simple job. I just needed to repeat it like a laborer on a conveyor belt. Lets finish this quickly. Until now, Ive been making so many preparations. Suffered through so many hardships. So At least for right now, I wanted to go for a more comfortable and simple route. That way I could quickly wrap things up and prepare for the aftermath. By the way, I cant find that bitch anywhere. Come to think of it, it was quite strange. She had summoned the beings she served and even deployed a major piece like Alan. But she was nowhere to be seen. What exactly was she doing? Well, I had a rough guess of where she might have gone. That was why I should quickly chase after her. With such thoughts, I immediately leapt towards the second giant. Eleanor Elinalise Tristan preferred full-body pajamas with polka dots. They were comfortable since she had been wearing them since she was young, and by now, she had grown so accustomed to them that changing to something else was difficult. Of course, she knew that it was a somewhat embarrassing outfit for a grown woman, so she tended to avoid showing it to others. That was the reason why she was beyond annoyed when she heard knocking on the door just before falling asleep. But She was too lazy to change her clothes. The knocking sounded again. Eleanor sighed, annoyed to the brink. Looking at the clock, it was now deep into the night. She wondered, who could have visited her during this hour? It was already so noisy outside as well, but now this happens too Dowd was nowhere to be seen. The whole academy seemed busy for some reason. Then there were those unwelcome guests who kept visiting, which irritated her. And, to emphasize once again, Dowd was nowhere to be seen. She was already easily irritable since it felt like she was lacking that mans constituents in her body. As such, it would be troublesome if they kept annoying her like this. Ah, She couldnt stand it. Next time she saw Dowd, she should at least demand a hug and a kiss before Lady Tristan. Are you there? The voice from outside the door interrupted Eleanors daydream. It was true she had been receiving many uninvited guests lately. However, even considering that This was a voice she never imagined she would hear at this place and at this time. Chief Priest Tatiana? Its been a while. Have you been well? What brings you here at this hour? Nothing much. Its just Tatiana continued with a grin on her face. Theres someone I would like to introduce to you. Immediately following those words A massive explosion occurred in the room where Eleanor was staying. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistlsRread latest chapters at novelhall.com Chapter 120: Bisection Chapter 120: Bisection Bisection The situation room was enveloped with silence. It was so quiet that even a slightly louder breath would be clearly heard. Eventually, the ongoing silence was broken by a sentence that trickled out from Utads hologram. -Hatan, tell me. What? -Am I dreaming? Who knows. Hatan forced out a chuckle as he responded to Utads words. I mean, wouldnt it be disgusting if both of us are dreaming the same dream? - Actually Thats more believable than the current situation Utad thought as he glared at the screen in front of him. Not long ago, they could only hope that Dowd would at least handle one of the Ancient Gods that appeared. However, those creatures had all turned into dead bodies sprawled around the sea. And this all happened in less than three minutes. - But, that wasnt all. To use the Rulers of Demonic Zones like some kind of grenades to peel off the curses was an unheard method to begin with. And even considering the curse had been rendered powerless, there was still a woman who could slice through an Ancient God in a single blow. But the biggest question of all. -Was Law Technique originally that easy of a Special Power to handle? Utads words were met with Hatans silence. Using Law Technique was easy in theory. The Special Powers output was determined by someones intense desire for something, and that was all there was to it. To put it in a little more perspective, it sounded like something that once could activate when they were suffering from hunger for a few days. However, if that were true, then the power wouldnt be so limited to the Tribal Alliance only. Truth of the matter was, simple desire wasnt enough to trigger it. One also needed a mental fortitude which reached almost the same level of a venerable monk who had attained Nirvana. They didnt know what it was, but there was something that man strongly wished for. That something was noble and idealistic. Is that evaluation even fitting for him? -What? I mean, he seems like a playboy who gets swept up in trouble whenever theres even the slightest possibility of it happening. Am I wrong? - I didnt get to observe him closely, but it feels like hes exactly that kind of a person. -Lets at least acknowledge that he has great talent. Hatan chuckled when he realized that Utad implicitly agreed to his words. Now, I wonder what his demands will be later? Hatan let out a sigh. This matter was briefly mentioned at the War Chief Assembly; The most fundamental value of the Tribal Alliance was never failing to reward merits and never letting faults go unpunished.. So, it was impossible for them not to give anything to someone who had done this much. -Lets think about that later. Utad continued with a sigh. -It doesnt seem like hes in any state to make such demands to us at the moment anyway.. His words were true. On the screen, Dowds reflected face when staring at the person in front of him, showed more worry and anxiety than when he was dealing with the three Ancient Gods. [Have you given up now, Mr. Dowd? Youve only been standing there.] It seemed like he couldnt delay facing this white thing any longer. System Message [ Confirming Special Power Law Power is depleted. ] [ Overloading is causing strain on your body! ] [ Further output may cause organ rupture leading to death! ] System Message [ Successfully continued the battle despite serious injuries! ] [ Proficiency of Mastery: Iron Man increased. ] [ Proficiency of Mastery: Iron Man has advanced to Common! ] [ New effects added! ] Along with such messages, something welled up in my throat. As I wiped it off my mouth, I noticed that it was blood. No matter how compatible I was with Law Power, using Breaking the Sky three times in a row was simply too much, who woulda thought. Fucking hell, Im never gonna do this shit again. Even now, I felt nauseous and my vision was shaky. I had faced death countless times, but this was the first time I had received a warning about the possibility of my organs getting ruptured. It seemed like the saying great power comes great responsibility was true, after all. [ Mastery Info ] My movement, which she surely didnt anticipate, caused Yurias eyes to widen, and in that moment, I grabbed her and dragged her onto the Array. Seeing the sword pierce my body, I closed my eyes tightly. Please, just dont die in one hit! Even if she was currently the strongest in terms of power behind a single attack, I had confidence in my survival ability. This much is worth a try! Thinking that, I pushed her body onto the Array, and a bright white flash burst nearby once again. It was bright enough to cover my entire field of vision. [!] The white light emitted from the Array definitely had an effect. After all, the white aura surrounding Yurias body visibly weakened upon contact. It was evidence that the Demonic Aura was temporarily weakened by the Saintesss Divine Power. Which meant Uh. I could hear Yurias dazed voice. Her hair, which was chillingly white, had turned black at some point. Light returned to her pupils. She had regained her sanity, if only for a moment. Nice. As expected of the Saintess. It was a truly fitting result of the person who had been grappling with Yurias body every day, suppressing the curse. Have you regained your senses? I spoke while sighing towards her. What a relief. Hearing my voice, she slowly turned to me Then, she examined me with a sluggish gaze. Her eyes slowly moved down below my face. Perhaps She was looking at the part where her sword hit me. And then, her eyes widened greatly. Ah. Immediately after A moan akin to death throes trickled out of her mouth. Ah, Ah, Ah Ah, Ah Ah, Ah She covered her face with both hands, as if tearing at it. Tears streamed down from her eyes. Almost as if She had seen a horrific scene she couldnt bear to look at. Hey. Why are you acting like this? Your reaction is a little scary At that moment I realized something strange. Why Doesnt it hurt at all? Surely, after tanking that hit, part of my body should feel pain at least. System Message [ Fatal injury detected. ] [ Mastery: Iron Man blocks the sensation of pain. ] As I looked at such a message with cold sweat breaking out I looked down. Due to Yurias attack My entire body was almost split in half. Ah, right. Even monkeys fell from trees sometimes. Sure, I had always been good at surviving things, but I wouldnt always succeed in surviving. W-Wait a minute. M-Mr. D-D-Dowd? Why, uh, why? Is, is this, what I, what I did? Along with Yurias voice, who sounded like she had completely lost her mind System Message [ HP Below 1%! ] [ You are on the verge of death! ] Blood poured out from my mouth with terrifying force. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 121: Seal (1) Chapter 121: Seal (1) Seal (1) Being suddenly caught up in a battle was not a common occurrence for Eleanor. In the first place, it was the first time her room exploded out of nowhere while she was just in her pajamas and also the first time she was suddenly attacked by a person wielding a sword in such a situation. To think that it was an indiscriminate assassination attempt without any signs or reasons. As the Lady of the Tristan Duchy, she had faced many tough situations, but this was the first time she encountered such a sudden battle. Of course, even considering that, the disadvantage she was currently experiencing was definitely far from the norm. After becoming an adult Had there ever been a time when she was pushed back in combat to this extent? You said there was someone you wanted to introduce to me, Chief Priest Tatiana. Eleanor breathed heavily, glaring at the people in front of her. They definitely are not ordinary people. They indeed have the capability to so confidently confront me. Two people were standing far back with their arms crossed. One was Tatiana and the other was a frivolous-looking man, bedecked with ornaments all over his body. And, standing right in front Was a masked woman who spoke in a nonchalant tone. She was the person who had appeared out of nowhere and attacked Eleanor with a sword after the massive explosion. How about you end it here and give up? You know you cant win, right? Eleanor frowned deeply at the relaxed voice that flowed out. The tone was half-mocking her, just listening to it made her feel irritated. Well, I dont know. Im not the type to run from a fight that was picked on me first. The masked woman let out a light chuckle. You really havent changed. As stubborn as always. I have seen you so many times, yet youve never shown a different response. Not even once. I have never met a suspicious person like you, though. She was telling the truth. There was no way that Eleanor wouldnt remember such an unpleasant person as this masked woman, even if she only ever met her once. No. However The masked woman retorted in a low voice. We have met many times. An excruciatingly tiresome number of times. She couldnt understand what in the world she was saying at all. Eleanor sighed and got up. Rather than paying attention to such an incomprehensible talk, she thought it better to focus on trying to escape. Her eyes narrowed, fixing onto her opponent. The face of Eleanor, watching the masked woman casually swing her sword around, hardened. At a glance, it was obvious that there was a vast difference between their capabilities. Forget being trained to her own level of extreme refinement; The masked woman barely possessed a body that had reached an average level. Originally, such a person should have fallen helplessly under her barrage of attacks. -! Eleanor lunged forward, kicking off the ground. A flash-like strike, just as always. With a body exuding superhuman physical power and swordsmanship honed to the extreme, normally, someone with such a frail body would be overwhelmed and crushed on the spot. However -! She was bounced off. Eleanor barely regained her faltering balance, gritting her teeth slightly. At that moment, the opponents sword grazed her shoulder. A shallow, yet definite scar was etched on her body. Its strange. There was a problem. Just now, once again This woman suddenly became stronger. The overwhelming difference in power between them was clsoed in an instant. As if she had a trait that made her suddenly stronger when her life was in danger. The stronger Eleanor attacked, the stronger the trait seemed to become. She had seen a similar type of person once before. Not just similar, but a person who seemed to have the exact same kind of trait. You. Eleanor opened her mouth with a chilling voice akin to frost. Are you related to Dowd in some way? The masked woman just shrugged her shoulders. Even if I am, do I need to tell you? Instead of asking that, it would be better if you just die here. Eleanor sighed once again. I cant do that. You talk quite confidently for someone who hasnt landed a single effective hit so far. On what basis are you I have to give birth to a child. I made a promise with Dowd. The masked woman fell silent for a while at Eleanors words, spoken with utmost sincerity, and then sighed heavily. Well, whatever. Try your best then. That would only be possible if you survive, anyway. Then they faced each other again, swords in hand. It was a scene that had been repeated a few times until now. The outcome of the current clash would be likely similar as well. It was unbelievable, but in close combat against this woman, Eleanor was actually being pushed back. Is there no other choice? Do I have to use it? Eleanor thought as such, adjusting the aura wriggling inside her. She had been reluctant to use this strength ever since the Ice Tiger hunt with Talion. After all, it felt like her very essence was completely changing because of it. Skills were still being faithfully applied even in this situation, huh? But now was not the time to focus on that. Is that really the issue right now?! Even in this situation, why are you still! I shook my head at the Saintesss angry voice. No, that wasnt the problem. If my thoughts were correct Beyond it being simply ineffective and harmful, there was no need or it at all. My consciousness started to sink deeply. I checked my original purpose thoroughly. I barely maintained consciousness, considering what was the best decision I could make to survive in this situation. Even with a body bolstered by all sorts of cheat-like skills, I only had a few tens of seconds left. Panicking felt like a waste of time. Saintess. After saying that I conveyed my words to the Saintess as clearly as possible with hand gestures. Telling her to hand over the amulet she was wearing to me. I received Soul Linker that the Saintess was offering with trembling hands, before barely clasping it onto my wrist. [You fuc- Damn it! Stay awake! Keep your mind focused! One wrong move here and its all over!] [Can you hear me?! Im about to set up the Array right now, so just stay still!] As soon as Soul Linker was connected, the voices of Caliban and Valkasus screaming simultaneously echoed in my mind. Be quiet. Speak softly. I lost too much blood. It was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain consciousness. Valkasus. My request was for Valkasus. At this moment, my life depended on whether this person could fulfill this request. Is a teleportation spell possible? Teleportation was a high-level spell for any system of Special Powers. It was incredibly difficult to implement. Frankly, Faenol being able to send Riru flying off that far away just from one mana stone was a bizarre case. However, if this person couldnt do it, I was as good as dead. [The number of Tattoos engraved on your body is too few to send you far. The limit is only about one-tenth of the mana stone you used on that lady called Riru.] Thats enough. Fortunately, it seemed that such a situation would not occur. As expected of the greatest Forbidden Sorcerer in the world. He readily agreed to such an absurd request. I passed these coordinates to Valkasus. And then Mr. Dowd, t-the b-blood, the blood N-No, i-its m-my fault. Its my fault- P-Please, pleasee- I also left some words for this girl, who was sobbing her eyes out. Its okay, Yuria. I mustered the last of my strength to leave those words. Its not your fault. It truly wasnt. I had caused her a lot of heartache, so wasnt it only fair to take a hit like this at least once? Besides I had no plans of dying yet. Caliban. I muttered in my fading consciousness. Just make one promise with me. [If its some tacky clich like a last wish or will, Im not listening. Dont even think about dying.] I chuckled at the slightly tearful voice. Its not like that, so dont worry. I cant with this Ahjussi. He was always so sarcastic, but in reality, he was actually quite caring. When I make excuses later, please listen. Dont get angry. [What?] Though Caliban responded as if baffled I was being completely serious. After all, it would be troublesome if he tried to kill me later because of what this person would see from now on. That was not a low probability at all, considering that he was a former Guardian. Following that, the Forbidden Sorcery conjured by Valkasus wrapped around my body. The scene before my eyes changed instantaneously. This place was the student dormitory provided by the Forge of Struggle. To be more particular, it was where Eleanor was located. It was half destroyed, broken, and crumbling here and there. Clearly, a battle had taken place. And if it was about now, then surely Dowd? Eleanors voice knocked on my ears. Good. It seemed like I had come to the right place. And considering this persons usual disposition The reaction she would show at the sight of my fucked up state was already determined. System Message [ The aura of is felt! ] Nice. Just what I wanted. System Message [ The Fallens Seal reacts! ] [ You have had sufficient interactions with Devils! ] [ Your attribute changes from human to ! ] Then As such a window appeared before my eyes My consciousness faded away. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 122: Seal (2) Chapter 122: Seal (2) Seal (2) Dowd Campbell getting hurt wasnt an uncommon sight for Eleanor. It was only natural, considering that she had faced several life-threatening situations not long after meeting this man. But, even if that was the case His current state was Dowd? It took some time for her to take in and accept the situation. Her sound mind couldnt quite discern the exact identity of the lump of flesh in front of her. Dowd? A voice of disbelief trickled out of her lips. Her mind turned blank as her heart raced wildly. Apostle. Is this your doing? Across from her, such words reached her faint consciousness. A voice filled with such chilling killing intent that made her skin crawl emanated from the masked woman. It was as if she was angry about this man being in such a state. No. I did leave three Ancient God entities behind, but the likelihood of them inflicting such injuries is Nonexistent. Yes. I know that, but how could he end up like this? Tatiana. I entrusted one single thing to you. Why cant you handle it properly? I apologize. Hearing this conversation made Eleanor realize. The reason why this man ended up like this was because he was entangled in the incident those bastards had caused. - - !!!! An insidious aura churned in her heart. Everything around her slowed down. No, this wasnt merely her personal perception; Time actually slowed down. This was a familiar sensation to her. The entire world slowed with her at the center, and she felt like she had control over all of space. She inhaled heavily, spinning that aura fiercely. Without a doubt, she vividly remembered using this energy before to turn back time. Of course There was a risk that everything nearby could be swept away if she did that. She might even cause enormous damage to some important facilities in the foreign nation. With her status as one of the major nobles from the Empire, as a consideration, she might end up being publicly denounced by the entire continent. But She didnt give a shit about any of that. Even if other people died, and everyone around them got swept away As long as she could save this man Even if she had to bear all the consequences herself! -Therefore, I implore. At that moment, she heard a voice. Holding onto her fleeting rationality, she turned her head and saw the man she had been watching intently since earlier; He was holding a ritual tool in his hand speaking such words. She saw him grasping one of the ornaments attached to his body. A small bell, obviously a strange item filled with spiritual power. However, the strength emanating from the bell at the moment Was far from that mere level. -Therefore, I implore. And then Those words resonated and a gentle wave spread out from the bell. Merely maintain purity All the Demonic Aura emanating from Eleanor vanished in an instant. But it didnt end there. The aura that was always emitting from her heart disappeared. As if it never existed in the first place. ! Her eyes widened in astonishment. While she might not know exactly what resided within her, she knew that it wasnt something that could easily be influenced by others. And yet Because of the words spoken by this man, all the aura she was about to invoke vanished. No. What she experienced wasnt exactly something like that. The aura didnt disappear due to interference or some kind of suppression. Instead, it was deleted. You cant use it, can you Miss? As her body froze in shock, Eleanor heard those words. How could you bring out such dangerous things? I understand you want to save that guy, but if you unleash something you cant even control, everyone here will just die, you know? Her trembling eyes turned towards the provokingly ear-grating voice. Cursed Speech . Im considering it. Such a conversation was heard. They were planning to do something to Dowd. They were about to take away her most precious thing Right before her eyes. Dowd. Just before her breath ceased, Eleanor faintly uttered as she saw Dowd hanging over the Prophets shoulder. Dowd. She couldnt let that happen. The future where that man would be controlled by the likes of them could never happen. However, her body wouldnt obey. Pinned to the wall, she couldnt even twitch a finger. As despair engulfed her Wait a minute. Boss. What. There is something strange about that guy. The thing that was engraved on Dowds chest Began to pulse While containing something that harbored a blackness. Prophet! Tatiana was the first to sense the danger. She, who was aiming her wand at Eleanor, hastily sent a curse towards the Prophet. At the same time as a turquoise wall appeared between the Prophet and Dowd, their bodies were flung in opposite directions. Meanwhile The black aura that had started to spew from his chest quickly spread around in billows. Prophet, are you alright?! Though Tatiana cried out such words The Prophets gaze was blankly fixed on Dowd. As if She couldnt believe what she was seeing. The Fallens Seal? The Prophet muttered those words in a daze. As if She was witnessing something that should never happen. No, why, why did you do such a thing? From her voice Why did you go so far for those cursed bitches-! Despair could be felt. Fuck. Damn it. Get away from him! Following that Talker, who had maintained a light-hearted tone until now, shouted at the Prophet with a voice filled with anxiety and simultaneously Removed several ornaments that wrapped around his entire body. It was a contrasting sight to when he had only used one against Eleanor. -Therefore, I implore. -Therefore, I implore. Merely maintain pu- But before he could complete the phrase A massive wind struck in Talkers direction. It was a phenomenon caused by Dowd, who had been kneeling and sitting on the ground, with just a punch he threw from his position. Without any Special Power nor aura included. Purely physical power had caused the phenomenon. What the fu What is this! While Talker had to backpedal a few steps, unable to complete the sentence due to this The black aura that he couldnt eliminate completely gathered around Dowds body. Hey, youre kidding me. Talker let out a sudden uncontrollable laughter as he looked on. In his mind, he recalled a truth he had known. A law that had not changed throughout the long years he had lived. There were a total of six entities for Devils. White, Blue, Red, Brown, Purple, and finally Grey. If that was the case, then What in the world was he looking at right now? A bizarre sight, that was the only way he could put it. His entire body was surrounded by black aura, as if he was wearing full black armor. This feeling of grotesqueness, eeriness, and discomfort, all mashed and mixed together. Was undoubtedly Ive never heard or seen anything like a Black Devil, damn it. A Devil. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 123: Seal (3) Chapter 123: Seal (3) Seal (3) What did you say? Black Devil? Narrowing her eyes, Tatiana spat out those words. What a load of nonsense. How could beings like the Devils be created so easily? Anyone with a certain level of knowledge about Material Realm and other dimensions could easily understand how ridiculous of a notion that was. Even the Ancient Gods, beings who possessed the power to blow up the entire Forge of Struggle, were only as powerful as a mouse in front of a cat compared to those beasts of the Astral Realm or the Pandemonium. And said beasts could be reduced to dust with a thought by the Devils. The Angels of the Astral Realm. And the Devils of Pandemonium. They were the most powerful beings in the entire multidimensional universe. Godly existences whose mere manifestation could turn the entire Material Realm upside down. Yet this guy was trying to imply that such a being was artificially created. Strictly speaking, he is not really a Devil. Talker said while sweeping off all the ornaments hanging on one of his arms. Rosaries, Crosses, Charms, Relics of Saints, Bracelets engraved with Ouroboros A variety of ornaments, each containing sorcerous and religious symbols, filled both his hands in an instant. Each and every one could be treated as a national treasure in any country. But he treated them as if they were disposable items, easily worn and discarded. True Devils will invoke a greater impact than this. The moment their true bodies manifested, both of us would be sent straight to the underworld. In other words, its an express ticket to our demise. But, that isnt happening right now, as you can see. It was a bit shameful to say this, as even among the true Devils, the most powerful one resided within Lady Tristan and he had leisurely subdued it with a single ornament just a moment ago. But that was only because Lady Tristan herself had a remarkably low proficiency in handling that strength. However, this bastard Was a little different. He couldnt really say that he possessed the inherent overpowering presence of a True Devil. However The intimidation that he gave off sent shivers down Talkers spine, before spreading through his whole body. It was enough to tell him that he was something far beyond an immature Devils Vessel. And both Talker and Tatiana realized that If they couldnt subdue him here and now, a great disaster would befall them later on. Its too late to purify him. Talkers brain whirred as he observed the black aura enveloping Dowds body. There was a stark difference between his aura and Ladys Tristans immature one. From that, Talker could tell that the man was on the level where it was possible for him to facetank his abilities without even giving them a single glance beforehand. Then again, Dowd immediately severed his ability with a blast of wind the moment he sensed Talker was about to use it. In other words, trying to do the same thing again would be futile. Besides Even if he were to use his True Speech, Devils were in a hierarchy incomparable to anything else in the multidimensional universe. Mere sorcery of the Material Realm could never control their power. In other words, if Talker couldnt even suppress the Devils Aura that had fully bloomed and materialized to that extent Then, we just need to fight and beat it to submission! After all, the fact that it didnt feel like a True Devil meant there was a high chance that its combat power was lower. With that in mind Talker started the first exchange. Several ornaments that he pulled out all shone at once. They aided a Cursed Speech User, who could converse with the laws of the world, in communicating more smoothly. And the Cursed Speech User could now deliver a much stronger wish than before. As a result -Song of Songs1The Song of Songs, also called the Canticle of Canticles or the Song of Solomon, is an erotic poem, one of the five megillot in the Ketuvim, the last section of the Tanakh., I wish. -Song of Songs, I wish. -O Flame, that lights a loveless life. Light up the world. He could now perform such acts. As the flowing sentences ended, Tatiana let out a shallow moan at the sight of the flame materializing in the air. The Primordial Flame. Something that was known to be able to melt even the scales of a Juvenile Dragon. A technique known to be used by the Angels of the Astral Realm. In the Material Realm, it was practically a technique from legends. And this bastard Just recreated it right on the spot in a matter of seconds. His understanding of sorcery, knowledge of the multidimensional universe, combat experience, all of it is Completely overwhelming. Tatiana never enjoyed being involved with this man, but she had to acknowledge his skill. Indeed, he was a monster even among the Chosen Ones; The Executives of the Devil Worshippers. It was to the extent that his reputation for being able to subdue even the Boy King in an one-on-one didnt seem exaggerated at all. Shall we see how you handle this extremely incompatible match-up! With such a spirited shout, fireballs immediately flew towards Dowd. The powers wielded by the Angels of the Astral Realm were, naturally, abilities that formed a supreme polarity with the creatures of Pandemonium. At least, as far as Talker knew, it boasted the power to completely burn a Vessel with a single Fragment without there even being a chance to resist. That bastard would have to brace for significant loss if he wished to use the Devils Aura to suppress this. Beneath the dark aura wrapped around Dowds body, something flashed. It was an amulet shining on his wrist, even while he was in such a state. Simultaneously, several Arrays floated above his arm. Though they were Arrays made of merely five Tattoos, insufficient to block the Primordial Flame, they were still capable of slightly diverting their trajectory. Originally, the attack should have struck its target instantly upon launch, but Dowd moved through the gap created by these minor disruptions. He avoided all attacks with acrobatic movements, traversing the ceiling and wall as if gravity applied differently to him. Forbidden Sorcery? Are you kidding me?! As if he was filled with malice that demanded such actions. This feels like utter shit. Talker spoke in a low, sunken voice while looking at this scene. It wasnt necessarily a feeling of sadness for a fallen comrade. You. Are you fucking around with me right now? The bastards actions made it clear. Ill be a fool not to realize this. From the very beginning, his goal was not to fight Talker, but to kill Tatiana. The way he acted as soon as the opportunity arose proved it. Not attacking immediately, despite being capable of doing so, was to make Talker misunderstand that he had lost his reason. This guy, from start to finish, had Talker dancing on his palm. He had predicted his actions, reactions, and how the situation would unfold, even in that state. In the end, Talker was manipulated into cornering Tatiana with his own hands. To be honest, I meant to just deal with you adequately, without trying too hard. And it wasnt just that. Right now, this bastard Used the Authorities of two different Devils simultaneously. It makes no sense. Setting aside how that was even possible If Just if If it was possible to simultaneously handle the powers of two different Devils Did that mean controlling more than that was also possible? Then what in the world was the final point? This was a stretch, but Could he wield the powers of all the Devils? Then Exactly how much of a monster did that make him? I really need to kill you right Stop, Talker. Talker turned around incredulously at the voice that restrained him. There stood the Prophet, still looking dazedly at Dowd. What? I said stop. The Prophet continued with a sigh. We cant kill that. At least not in that state. If he can use multiple Authorities, it means his very attribute has changed from a human. How do you know that? Wait, what does that even mean in the first place? The Prophet shut her mouth tightly. Her actions seemed filled with an emotion like a deep wound was being gouged. As if Dowd, in that form, evoked some terrible memories in her. Well retreat for now. We can always get another chance. The sentence that followed, thought, carried none of that emotion. But next time Her gaze lingered on Eleanor, embedded in the wall. Well make them pay. Her voice was undoubtedly filled with firm hatred. Talker looked back and forth between Dowd and the Prophet with an incredulous look. Though his face was blatantly expressing the question, Have you lost your mind? The Prophets demeanor remained unwaveringly obstinate. Ugh fine. Have it your way. In the end, Talker raised his hands in resignation. The Prophets gaze lingered on Dowd, who was crossing his arms while watching them. Having achieved his goal by killing Tatiana, he seemed to indicate he had no intention of fighting them further. It was as if Just like how she couldnt kill him He also couldnt kill her. It was an attitude that both sides knew each other very well. See you next time, Mr. Dowd. Upon seeing his intention, the Prophet continued with a sigh. I had no idea you would make such a contract using yourself as collateral, but A portal tearing through space opened. It was the effect of one of the artifacts the Prophet possessed. A hyper-spatial transporter that teleported her anywhere regardless of distance. I hope you attain the future you desire Unbefitting of her The last sentence the Prophet left was This time. Spoken in a voice tinged with something akin to sorrow. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls 1 The Song of Songs, also called the Canticle of Canticles or the Song of Solomon, is an erotic poem, one of the five megillot in the Ketuvim, the last section of the Tanakh. Chapter 124: Promises Should Be Kept (1) Chapter 124: Promises Should Be Kept (1) Promises Should Be Kept (1) System Message [ status deactivated! ] The black aura dissipated from my body. Gasping for breath, I collapsed on the spot. In that state, I patted myself, feeling for the body that Yuria had broken. Every part of it was still attached. Nothing was loss. As expected, after undoing the mutation once, it seemed like my body returned to a state where, using the Systems terms, it was restored to full HP. Almost no sensation of it remains, though. I flexed my fingers, barely recalling the recent memories. Only a vague outline of them remained, blurry like an afterimage. It felt like I was acting according to some sort of a plan, but At that moment, even as I moved my body, everything felt Numb. I instantly understood why Eleanor, when she was influenced by the Devils Fragments in the game and her personality was completely altered, committed such dreadful acts without blinking an eye. How should I put it? It was like watching myself from a third persons perspective. A chilling sensation, as if I was controlling a game character. If possible, I didnt want to experience it again. I let out a bitter smile. Well, that wouldnt happen. Id definitely end up using it often in the future. Considering what I had been through so far, I couldnt even keep track of the near-death experiences I had gone through. And those numbers would only going to increase from now on. As I stood up, sighing, with that thought Tatianas corpse caught on my foot. The corpse created by my very hands. Though I wasnt fully conscious due to the mutation while committing the act, I could still feel the sensation clearly in my hands. I held my trembling left hand and took deep breaths. A natural reaction to extreme stress. In the case of Marquis Riverback, it didnt feel like killing a person. I just detonated a divine power bomb and watched him turn to ash. This was the first time I had killed someone in such a way that made me truly feel like a murderer. At least that was the case As Dowd Campbell. How fucking ridiculous of me. I sighed and calmed my hands. It was laughable to be mentally shaken by something like this now. In the first place, this person deserved death anyway. As I was thinking about this System Log [ Due to the acquistiion of status, Skill: Soul Devouring is acquired! ] Such a window appeared before my eyes. I blinked in a daze and looked at it. The fuck was this? [ Skill Info ] Skill: Soul Devouring Grade: A Description: Collects the souls of those whose lives you have directly ended. Can be processed in various ways. System Message [ Skill: Soul Devouring is used! ] [ The soul of Tatiana Grachel has been absorbed! ] [ Soul Linker allows you to check the status of the target! ] What? I looked at the amulet on my wrist incredulously. As I did so, a small window popped up above the amulet. [ Current Collected Souls List ] [ Tatiana Grachel ] [ Specialty: Curse ] [ Form: Soul ] [ Processing Options ] Subordinate as a familiar Use as an enhancement material for an item Resummon in full form (Becomes annihilated after one use) This Wasnt too bad. First, the options were broad. I had to start carefully weighing which options were the most effective, but fortunately, none of them seemed useless. Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com And more importantly What I needed to check right now was Caliban. This person. Honestly, I couldnt predict how he would react after seeing the shit that I just turned into. Id rather not have a falling out with someone who could see right into my head. [] Inside Soul Linker, only deep silence returned. As I swallowed dryly, waiting for a response [Wow, you survived this time too.] A nonchalant voice returned. [How did you even survive all that? Youre too much. Its so admirable that its annoying.] How should I put it With that, she walked down the hallway with slumped shoulders as I watched her back in bewilderment. [Leave her be.] Such a voice came from within Soul Linker. What? [No matter what you say now, it probably wont change her reaction, so you dont need to reassure her. I understand how she feels, you see. One things for sure though; It wont harm you or affect you negatively later on.] Caliban chuckled and continued. [Dowd. I mean this with all my heart when I say this, but] Yes. [Go to hell.] What is with you all of a sudden? [Just because. Im sickened by how you have such a devoted lady clinging onto you.] What is bro yapping about? Youre spouting shit that only you can understand. Hey! Are you alright?! As I looked at Soul Linker incredulously, I heard a voice from behind me. It was Hatan, who detected the shitfest that was happening and came running alone. Whatisall this? And then As he scanned the scene, he immediately swallowed his words at the disaster. It was to the point where, upon seeing Tatianas body, he lost his ability to speak and just stared at me blankly. There seems to be a lot to hear from you. Hatan spoke while looking like a headache was creeping up on him. Of course, I agreed with him. Although it seemed a bit off-topic Strictly speaking I did save the Forge of Struggle at least two or three times. Excuse me, War Chief Hatan. What is it? Uh, you see, its just a reminder, but As such, it was not simply about hearing my situation. Get ready to be absolutely stripped of all your money. Hand over my reward. Every single bit of the good stuff. When Riru Garda regained consciousness, the sun had already almost finished setting. ! As she abruptly sat up and looked around, she found herself in the infirmary of the Forge of Struggle. It seemed like someone had brought her here after she lost consciousness on top of the sea. Her last memory was of being held in the arms of Dowd Campbell, her strength fading until her eyes closed. He had held her tightly until then. Almost like a lover. Recalling this, Rirus face turned bright red. But soon after, she quickly shook her head, realizing now as not the time for such thoughts. Theres a lot I need to find out. First, she needed to check what happened after she fell unconscious. With that thought, Riru, who tried to get off the bed, suddenly groaned from the pain engulfing her entire body. Her head hurts. The pain was sharp and piercing throughout her body, but the headache almost felt as if it was splitting her head apart. [Are you awake?] Moreover, bizarrely, she was even hearing a voice in her head. It was as if it wasnt coming from someone next to her but echoing from inside her ears. [That isnt because of the headache, though.] Riru blinked, feeling like the voice was reading her mind. [We talked once before, Riru. Didnt I say wed meet again soon?] With those words A translucent figure, identical to Riru herself, appeared before her eyes. There was no other way to describe it. After all, it was unmistakably Rirus own figure. Though for some reason, she was not wearing a single thread of clothing. [Mmm Indeed, it really does work. This is quite shocking.] [Even considering that Im the weakest among my sisters, to think that communication is possible even without gathering two Fragments.] As she stood agape at this sight, the naked, translucent Riru floated in the air, giggling. [Well, so the reason Ive revealed myself like this is because theres something we need to Receive from Dowd Campbell, you see] And to the speechless Riru, she continued talking. With a voice dripping with arousal and seductive allure. [Riru. Shall we go do something nice together?] Riru had no idea what that nice thing could be, but Without a doubt It was definitely not about doing something healthy and progressive together. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 125: Promises Should Be Kept (2) Chapter 125: Promises Should Be Kept (2) Promises Should Be Kept (2) Kasa Garda let out a burst of laughter as she looked at the nameplate resting on her hand. It was an item Dowd Campbell, who had appeared out of nowhere, tossed to her. And it was definitely something that shouldnt be handled so lightly. After all, it was the equivalent of the Imperial Seal of the Empire. The symbol of the Chieftain. Up until now, it had always been in Alans possession. How did you even obtain this? Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com Kasa asked in a dazed voice, addressing Dowd, who nonchalantly handed it to her without any explanation. Well, the situations chaotic right now. The Chieftain is dead, the entire alliance is in disarray, and Im the one who cleaned up the whole mess. With a little negotiation with the War Chiefs, it wasnt hard to take this little thing away from them. His words did make sense. For the Tribal Alliance, having their Chieftain manipulated to such an extent by someone was definitely a shameful event. In fact, the War Chief Assembly was currently in a state of unprecedented chaos. But still This thing wasnt such an easy thing to obtain. To clarify, it was true that the position of a Chieftain didnt hold the same dignity and power as the Empress of the Empire or the Pope of the Holy Land. After all, it was a position that could be challenged anytime; Kasas downfall against Alan was proof of this. It was determined by who was the strongest among the War Chiefs rather than someone who fundamentally ruled over the Tribal Alliance. However, even so It was still a role representing one of the three Superpowers. It was not a position where the decision-making power could be casually handed over to an outsider. So, as Kasa posed her query filled with such doubts She was met with another ridiculous response. Nah, its just Casually blurted out by the man in front of her. I told them to fight me if they have a problem with it. I said, since the position is determined by that kind of outdated method, why do they even make such a fuss? Im still asking nicely, why cant you just hand it over? Yeah, something along those lines. And that answer made Kasa burst out in laughter. Well, that makes sense. After all, Kasa had heard about how Dowd had broadcasted his fight against the Ancient Gods live to the War Chiefs and also repelled unidentified who attacked the place where Lady Tristan was staying. In the first place, they also knew who taught me the Law Technique I used to defeat the Ancient Gods. So, they didnt treat me as an outsider, but a direct disciple of yours. This response was also another one worthy of her chuckle. While his skills were laden with all sorts of tricks, deceit, and swindling, he had proven himself sufficiently. As for authority, it seemed he had leveraged her name to settle matters. Then, at this point, there was something she absolutely had to ask. What are you scheming? Excuse me? With achievements and authority that could potentially secure the highest power in a Superpower, you could have obtained anything you wanted. But this man Acquired such a position and handed it over to her, not even bothering to claim it for himself. Which means, you have an entirely different desire. There are various answers to that, but if youre looking for the most relatable one to you, its because it will make Riru happy. That child? Honestly, its too early to use such a reason just for the mere position of Chieftain. This is just the beginning, after all. Dowd awkwardly scratched his head as he spoke. Youve seen what your granddaughter is harboring, havent you? Kasa slowly nodded. She had clearly seen with her own two eyes the aura emitted by Riru. And it was hard to deny what it was. Devils are the common enemy of the entire continent. While some covet their power, fundamentally, they are considered beings that must be exterminated for the sake of humanity. Dowd spoke in a serene voice. Then With a sigh, he dropped a bomb. To fundamentally rip apart and fix that perception, I have no choice but to spread my influence starting from the top echelons of the continent. Kasas eyes widened. In other words What this man was saying was that Are you saying that Devils are not enemies of humanity? Yes. However Dowd answered as curtly as he always did. They are not enemies. And I will prove that. It was a statement filled with omissions. Why were they not enemies? How did he plan to prove it? The position of Chieftain is just the start. The Imperial Court of the Empire, the Church Headquarters of the Holy Land I have to make all of them owe me a debt. At least to the point where they will comply with my requests without question. It was an absurd claim with unbelievable motives; A plan only a lunatic could come up with. However When he spoke about why he was doing it His voice was filled with conviction and certainty. Including Riru, to make all the people who harbor such things happy, that is the only way. Kasa let out a laugh of disbelief. In other words You might end up turning all of humanity against you, Child. Deep-seated hatred isnt something that could be changed easily. Youre saying youre willing to fight against all of humanity for the sake of your women. Do you understand that? Im just trying to reveal the truth. Kasa burst into laughter once again. System Message [ Target Seras Evatrice begins to take interest in you earlier than expected! ] [ The target will soon arrive at Elfante Imperial Academy! ] What the fuck? What were you cooking?! I knew of Seras. She was the master of the Oath of the Crescent Moon, a covert organization under the Holy Lands Pope. And Was highly likely, a Devils Vessel. Unlike other Devils whose roles were randomly assigned in each chapter, Seras was a predetermined entity, akin to Faenol and Eleanor. She was the one who harbored the Purple Devils Fragment. Though I may not have met her in person, there had been a few interactions before. In the first place System Log [ Checking the current conditions of the target Seras. ] [ Your overall demeanor matches Serass ideal type perfectly! ] [ If she meets you in person, the probability of her falling in love at first sight is extremely high! ] [ Skill: Fatal Charm preemptively activated! ] Wasnt she someone that had something like this show up way in advance? If she joined in this situation, it was like adding a bomb when I was already walking a tightrope among Devils. And the timing wasnt even good either. You see, I somehow cleared this chapter while walking on a tightrope through disgusting shitfest around me. And this was the result. System Log [ Target Yuria feels severe despair! ] [ Target Lucia feels severe guilt! ] [ Target Eleanor feels severe powerlessness! ] [ Target Faenol seems to want to ask you a favor! ] [ Find a way to comfort them! ] I felt cold sweat breaking out because of this sense of crisis. This was strange. I thought I did a pretty good job when it came to walking on the tightrope, so why was everyone in this state? And what the fuck was up with the last one? How the fuck was I supposed to fix this? Someone please save me You are here. I was at a loss for what to do in the face of the system window that made me dizzy just at the sight of it. But then The voice I least wanted to hear right now came from behind. Turning around stiffly like an unoiled machine, I faced the person who uttered those words. Riru? Are you healthy now? Im healthy. An awkward silence followed. At a glance, she seemed no different than usual But when I observed her closely Something was a bit Off. She was someone who usually dressed neatly, albeit plainly, but now her clothes were a mess. Due to it being disheveled here and there, more of her firm bare skin was shown than usual. Perhaps it was just my imagination, but her face also seemed flushed. For some unknown reason, she was sweating all over. She definitely didnt look normal. It felt like she had been forced into this state by something. [Oooh damn, shes here. You agreed to be under her mercy for a day, right?] [Thats why you shouldnt make promises so lightly.] Why do you sound so happy? [Promises should be kept. Good luck. You got this, Dowd Campbell.] Shut up. You! You, just shut the fuck up! You dont look so good. Maybe you should rest mo When I blurted out in haste Hey. Riru cut off my words. She trudged towards me. As she got closer, the strangeness became more apparent, Her breath carried a mix of heated sighs and sweetness. The corner of her eyes were slightly drooped. Her gaze dripped with honey, as she firmly grabbed my collar. There was a great sense of urgency in her actions. Inwardly, I was sweating bullets as I watched her. Im free today. And no ones in the room Im staying at. Chills ran down my spine. Do you want to come over and eat something? Uh, Riru. Come and eat. No, like Were you really going to invite me to eat? You sure you werent going to eat me instead? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 126: Promises Should Be Kept (3) Chapter 126: Promises Should Be Kept (3) Promises Should Be Kept (3) You saidif I bring himto the roomyoull release this state. Riru murmured such words. She was clearly aware that her current state was not normal. Her breaths were irregular. Not only that, her body felt like it was on fire, burning through her veins. And, above all If she was in a normal state, she wouldnt be doing such things. Butwhat is thisall about?! To others, it might look like she was yelling into thin air, but the reality was that she was stuck in a precarious situation. Yes. Right after she dragged Dowd into her room, following the instructions of someone who put her in this state Her body, out of her own control, immediately struck Dowd Campbell hard on the back of his head. And there was only one being present that could do such a thing. [Oh my, but I couldnt have moved your body to hit him, could I?] Rirus floating Spirit or something similar giggled as she spoke. [Although this man usually seems weak, he becomes incredibly strong in moments of danger. I had no choice but to hit him in a surprise attack.] It was as if she knew Dowd Campbell very well. Even in her abnormal state of body and mind, anger surged through her vividly. Who the fuck did she think she was? A ghost or spirit or whatever, dared to act as if she knew this man better than she did? At the very least, to this man, she Um H-He said hed take me as a c-concubine! Although even she herself found it slightly pathetic to think about, that was the highest level of affection this man showed her. Thinking about it made her feel dejected, prompting the floating spirit to giggle. [Of course. Its already a given that you will enter into such a relationship with Dear Husband.] Followed by those giggles, such outrageous words came out of her mouth. Dear Husband? As Riru blinked in shock, another sentence mixed with laughter followed. [Dear Husband, Riru. Mine and yours. Our Dear Husband.] All Riru could do was gape. W-What are you saying all of a sudden? [Even though that fact is already decided, if you wish to take a more advantageous position, you have to do things like this.] Completely ignoring her question, the spirit approached the fallen Dowd. And then, placing her hand on his chest, the Seal engraved there began to resonate with a blue light through the clothes. [Hoit.] Following that Dowd abruptly sprang up. He seemed to be controlled by the spirit through that Seal. And as he got up, he immediately rushed towards Riru. KYAKKK! She involuntarily let out a scream the moment she felt his body touch hers. To think that she, who had trained relentlessly every day in the Tribal Alliance to become just a bit stronger, would let out such a silly scream. Even after considering she wasnt in her normal state, it was undoubtedly humiliating. As she looked up while feeling a sense of self-loathing She saw that Dowd Campbell had pinned her down on the bed. Both his hands were holding each of hers down firmly. His hands were large and warm. And she could feel his pulse. Maybe this could actually feel quite goo W-What am I thinking! Riru bit her lips hard to regain her senses. Wake up! Get your shit together! Right now, both she and this man were being manipulated by the strange spirit floating around. They needed to regain their senses and act properly! She should first start by giving a sharp warning to this man. Thinking so, Riru opened her mouth to speak to Dowd. Or at least that was her plan Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst. She clenched her teeth and let out a deep breath. Just hearing that one sentence was almost enough to make her lose consciousness because of the happiness flooding her mind. Ridiculous. Am I such an easy woman? [If you really dislike it, you can just throw this man off. I dont know, hit him or something.] Riru closed her eyes tightly. If she continued to meet Dowds eyes like this, she wouldnt be able to refute that statement. Y-Youmade my bodystrange. [Even so, you have the ability to at least break free. And you know that already too.] [Ive been in your head for quite a while now, Riru. Do you think I dont know what kind of thoughts youre usually having?] And then Something forcibly made her open her eyes. Following that, Dowds face, which had come right in front of her very nose, caught her gaze. At the same time His eyes, the very gaze she had been trying so hard to avoid, met hers. Her heart dropped with a thud. For a moment, Riru stopped breathing. A warm sensation spread in her lower belly. Huh? Was this man always, uh So cool? She wasnt sure if he seemed particularly more striking due to her current state, but She felt drawn in, as if getting lost in his eyes. It felt like she was being conquered just by looking at him. In the meantime, Dowd had loosened the front of the clothes she was wearing. Although it was a very deliberate act, Riru couldnt even think of resisting and just watched him doing his thing. Ah This Yeah She wanted to be conquered by this man. So much so that it didnt matter how it came to be. She felt like she wanted him too. It felt like she was falling into a trance. Yep. Ah. Yeah? Eh? Were these actually my thoughts? What am I even thinking right now? As such thoughts spun in her head Dowd, holding her nearly undone clothes, spoke. Riru. Ill take it off, Riru. No. As she groaned out those words, another provoking remark came from the side. [Isnt it a little too much to act so stubbornly after going this far? Dont you think its time for you to be honest with your] I said. I absolutely dont want it in this way-! With those words Riru threw a punch with all her might, landing it squarely on Dowds jaw. His body flew away, almost breaking the sound barrier, before crashing spectacularly and getting embedded into the wall. [Heh?] It was quite a sight to behold when the spirit, which had only been speaking in a relaxed voice until now, sounded utterly dumbfounded. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 127: IF Side Story - A Midsummer Nights Dream Chapter 127: IF Side Story - A Midsummer Night''s Dream IF Side Story A Midsummer Nights Dream The chapter in question is an IF Side Story! It has nothing to do with the main story, dealing with content that asks, What if this happened?. Sometimes, before falling asleep, ones mind could be flooded with all sorts of thoughts. The night Riru Garda went to bed was a prime example of this phenomenon. Hey. [What is it, Riru?] Riru stared silently at the look-alike spirit floating above her in the air. The way her lips twitched, it was clear she was hesitant to voice her thoughts. [Judging by your expression, are you thinking about Mr. Dowd?] [Seeing that youre too embarrassed to speak, I assume youre having an erotic fantasy.] This was how it always went when she talked to the spirit. She knew her way too well. Both in a good way and a bad way. Then again, that was why she could bring up such a topic in the first place. Besides, the spirit probably already knew what she was thinking anyway. You know, back then, when I was with him A scene from a few days ago replayed in Rirus mind. The beautiful memories of being with him were- [Ah, the day Mr. Dowd was controlled by me and pinned you onto the bed?] Why do you have to put it that way? While she was glaring at the spirit, it giggled and continued. [Why? Do you regret punching him in the jaw that day?] I dont regret it. She was sure that shed do the same thing if it happened again. It was just What if, back then Riru took a deep breath. If I hadnt fought back [Are you asking what would have happened?] Riru frowned silently. She turned her body, facing away from the spirit. Unfortunately, the spirit could move freely in the air and quickly floated in front of her. [Are you curious about that?] No. Riru turned her head away again. [Then why are you hesitating to talk after calling for me?] Shut up. Im going to sleep. [] Watching Riru close her eyes, the spirit let out a wicked smirk. [Fine.] Of course, Riru didnt notice it because her eyes were closed. [Goodnight, Riru.] And because of that Riru missed the spirit placing a hand on her head as it said those words. It was a dream. She could tell that much. Otherwise, the sensation couldnt have been so perfectly recreated from that time. Riru. Ill take it off, Riru. Riru looked up blankly at the person in front of her. Ah, its Dowd. The man she liked. With a murky consciousness as if sunk deep in water, she barely managed to acknowledge this fact. Riru? Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com Whats wrong? She stared dazedly at the man. This Is a dream. Considering his condition at that time, it was impossible for him to be speaking so naturally. Now, it almost felt like The real Dowd was holding her in his embrace. If its a dream It should be okay So Without even being aware of what she was saying Yeah. I want to see it. Upon hearing this, Riru hesitantly loosened her arms around the pillow. Then, Dowd gently lowered it, revealing only her eyes. Meeting her downcast, feverishly melted gaze, Dowd felt his climax, already at its limits, intensify. I Cant hold back Anymore, so He gasped as he continued. Show me Your face. I want to see it As I come Saying this, he slightly lifted the pillow. This time, she did not resist. Hazy air was expelled from below and a boiling liquid rose up the urethra. Rirus legs tightly wrapped around his waist while her arms also pulled his neck towards her. It seemed like she was accepting Dowd with her whole body. His upper body leaned over hers and as Rirus lips met Dowds, semen vigorously poured out from the tip of his manhood, which was touching her cervix. Ah, euh Euh. Even as their tongues intertwined stickily, Riru continued to let out shallow moans in a frail voice. Every time his cock pulsed and ejaculated against her cervix, she could feel her womb contract. This man loved her. He wanted her. Such thoughts flitted through her blurred consciousness. That thought instantly became feedback and the satisfaction, happiness, bond, and ecstasy of all these feelings combined surged through her entire body. Her womb, which had already been lowered as much as it could, gently enveloped his tip again. As if throwing a tantrum because it was still not enough, it further urged his ejaculation. Dowd Dowd She called his name in an exhausted voice, continuing to kiss him. They exchanged saliva frantically, entwining, sucking, and licking each others tongues. She was so sensitive that it felt as if her entire body had become an erogenous zone. When he slightly slid down her waist, a tingling sensation like an electric shock flowed through her nerves. Did it feel good, Riru? Yeah, y-yeah, it was good, so goooood She spoke in a languid voice, practically dripping with sweetness. M-More. Do it a bit more. Just pour a little more into me- As she begged like this, she looked at Dowds penis as it emerged from her pussy. She wanted to bury her head into it and smell it. To taste it by frantically running her tongue all over it. She wished to please him by serving it. It felt like it would be satisfying to gently caress it, making him twitch with pleasure. She wanted him to cum on her. It was fine even if he treated her like an object, shoving his dick down her throat and letting semen pour inside. Having it sprayed on her face was appealing too since she would feel marked as his possession. Anything and everything was fine, so please, please, just give it to me She pleaded in a yearning voice, but That might be difficult. He answered with a wry laugh. W-Whyyy-? I-I feel this good, though. And I-Im waiting like this- So hurry- Riru. Dowd spoke while stroking her head. Its morning now. And the dream Ended there. It was morning. She could hear the birds chirping. But for some reason, her body felt heavy and sluggish. How to put it? It felt like she had a really pleasurable, uncomfortable, and strange dream. As she thought so, Riru tried to get up. At least she would have if it hadnt been for the squelching sound from her lower body. Riru looked down at the bed with a stiff expression. A bad premonition crept up. What. And then Her face turned completely red as she slightly lifted the blanket. It was wet. Everything. Even the sheets. It was all too clear what the fluid that drenched it was. Following that W-What is this-?! A scream that could practically break dawn itself to cause daybreak burst out in her room. [] And The Blue Devil attached to the ceiling watched her appearance, giggling. [Did you enjoy it, Riru? Well, you know. Since you were so curious last night.] [How did you like the version of Mr. Dowd I created to be your ideal type? It seemed like you liked it.] You, youUUU- [Lets see. Surely, the fact that you said, M-More. Do it a bit more. Just pour a little more into me is-] SHUT UPPPP! You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 128: Promises Should Be Kept (4) Chapter 128: Promises Should Be Kept (4) Promises Should Be Kept (4) As dust rose from the wall where Dowd was hurled at, Riru gasped for breath and lifted herself up. [Its my first time seeing someone throw away a meal given on a silver platter so spectacularly.] Such words trickled out from nearby, but Riru just glared in that direction with tearful eyes. No matter how I think about it, this isnt right! At the very least Neither I nor that man should have our first experience in such a manner. This is no different than crime! [This is what I was talking about. You cant keep acting this soft.] The spirit uttered such words. Until just now, she had been speaking in a disinterested tone, regardless of the words that came out of her mouth, but this time There was an unusual chill imbued in her voice. [Its because youre this soft that things always get taken from you.] What? [Can I be frank with you?] The spirit turned smoothly towards her. Her expression still seemed languid, with her drooping eyes unchanging, but The carefree smile that was there before was now gone. [Tell me. Do you think you can surpass all the other women around him?] A few images came to Rirus mind. There were definitely women who knew this man earlier and better than she did. Some of them acted even more aggressively than her so that they could monopolize him to themselves. [Those women wouldnt be the end of it. More of them will crowd around Dear Husband in the future too. Do you understand now?] [Not only that you have zero experience with men, you also dont know how to socialize or dress up. You dont even know what kind of thing this man likes. Now, do you really think someone like you can compete with those women?] However So? Riru, her eyes wide open with pride, began to speak in a resolute voice. What of it? [] Taken aback by her bold words, the spirit widened its eyes. I dont care about those women. Indeed, as this spirit said It didnt seem like she could squeeze next to this man and compete on equal terms with the women around him. She might fall behind. She might have to painfully watch other women advance ahead of her after a crushing defeat. But still At the very least, he had never backstabbed me or betrayed my trust. Thats why, I shouldnt do so either. She didnt want to do something against his will in such an unfair manner. Even if she did, she wanted it to be done in her way; fair and square. To obtain his true feelings She would not resort to such trickery! [] Hearing those words. The spirit chuckled and casted its gaze down at her. [Uh-huh. As expected, its no use. I only wanted to see if things would proceed differently in this branching route, but youre always so stubborn whether its now or later] ? What are you talking about? When Riru posed such a question to the spirit, the latter smiled at her before replying. [Well, most of us are like that But my time axis in particular, is twisted I know youll be this stubborn until the day you die] Can you see the future or something? [Rather than see, its more like Ive already experienced it Or something like that Even among the many branches, there are certain things that will never change. One of them is that youll never get intimate with Dear Husband until a certain point.] For Riru, the answer that came out of the spirits mouth was something beyond her comprehension. Though, she managed to catch one thing. Get intimate? [Yes.] What does that [Youll sleep with him. In the future, youll even bear his child No, children. Lots of them.] Hearing that answer, Rirus face immediately turned red as if she was about to explode. Y-Youre telling me I-Ill D-Do such things L-Later? [In fact, youll do it a lot.] [Even when Dear Husband asks if he has to do it today because hes physically exhausted, you beg him for one more child and forcibly drag him to the bathroom. It happens frequently.] D-D-Dont m-make m-meD-Dont m-make me laugh. Y-You.Y-Youre just making things up, arent you?! [Hm. Look at you suspecting the validity of my claims before anything else. Typical response coming from a virgin who has never even held a mans hand.] Riru froze, as the spirit hit her where it hurt. S-Shut up! As she retorted, Rirus eyes began to swirl. She was embarrassed. Her face was burning, to the point that tears started coming out of her eyes. [This is also the case during the first time you two sleep together. Youll bluff about having a wealth of experience out of pride, but once you are stuck with him, you cant even resist when Dear Husband pinned you down.] E-Eee- [Even though he only calls you cute, your heart will start to race and youll begin endlessly beg him to hold you tight] S-Shut UP! SHUT UPPPPP-! Because of the relentless, unfiltered mental assault, Riru let out a scream. At this, the spirit chuckled and floated around her. [Still, Im being sincere when I said that Im doing this for your sake. I genuinely hope you wont regret anything.] Riru looked at the spirit with incredulous eyes. In what way was it for her sake to do something like this? Its nothing. After saying that, Riru turned around and ran towards the Forge of Struggle. Acting as if she couldnt handle it if she were to speak any further. ? What was wrong with her? I had my suspicions, but there was no point in asking her since it didnt seem like shed answer it. With that in mind, I boarded the train. Though the place was noisy, the atmosphere was so peaceful that it was hard to believe that just a few days ago, the whole academy was under attack by terrifying Demonic Creatures. [You can be proud, you brat. They can live so peacefully because of your hard work.] Whats with the sudden lip service? I chuckled at Calibans words and went to my assigned compartments. Sitting alone in the peaceful train compartment, I stared blankly out the window. Hm. How long has it been since I had a moment to myself like this? System Log [ Target Yuria feels severe despair! ] [ Target Lucia feels severe guilt! ] [ Target Eleanor feels severe powerlessness! ] [ Target Faenol seems to want to ask you a favor! ] [ Find a way to comfort them! ] Of course, it was probably only because the ones that would have swarmed me if I was alone were all in this state. But still, I needed to comfort all of them. Recently, I tried reaching out to them, but they would all just run away at the sight of me, so I couldnt even succeed a single time. Apparently, the feeling of guilt they had just by facing me was far too strong. Seeing as how these people, who would normally cling onto me, were now avoiding me, it meant they were beyond disheartened. Where should I even start? I pondered as such, scratching my head. Still, I should slowly talk to them one by one. With that thought, I let out a sigh. I could still talk to them, after all. I only needed to find the right timing to approach them. Ah, there you are. Well, except for this one. As she barged in without invitation, I met her gaze with narrowed eyes. Hello. Faenol. Faenol Lipek. A mage with flaming red hair from the Heretic Inquisition. Hello, Dowd Campbell. I have a favor to ask. A simple greeting, followed by her mentioning the purpose of her being here. Then, she let out a grin. Do you remember what I said before? About how I wanted you to seduce me. I do recall that. Yes. Its about that. Then She suddenly dropped a bombshell out of nowhere. Actually, I didnt mention it before, butTheres a time limit on that. What? You need to seduce me within a month. System Message [ New Quest related to Chapter 4 Crimson Night is updated! ] [ Increase the favorability level of target Faenol to Love Level 1 within a month! ] [ Failure will result in a Game Over! ] A month? Because of the sudden time constraint, I had no choice but to blink in disbelief. No, wait a minute. Wasnt there System Log [ Skill: Fatal Charm cannot be applied to target Faenol! ] Something like this for her? This meant I had to do it Without any assistance from my skills To seduce this woman to the point where she was as smitten to me as Eleanor was. You need to make my heart race uncontrollably just at the sight of you. Or else Or else? Faenol replied with a smile. Who knows? Yet the following words were anything but fitting to such an expression. Maybe something terrible will happen? She said. A Vessel, holding three Red Devils Fragments, spoke as such. This was someone who had a 100% Devil Fusion Rate, someone who was capable of bringing out the true form of the Red Devil if she were to go berserk. Though I wasnt sure what her words entailed, if she herself put it as such, there was no way the situation would be manageable even for me. You promised, no? Then you should keep your promise. Yeah. Promises should be kept. I wrapped my hands around my head at the impending headache. What else did I expect from my circumstances? So far, my path has been a series of uphills battles. How could I, of all people, expect some peaceful times after just one incident? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 129: Nice To Meet You (1) Chapter 129: Nice To Meet You (1) Nice To Meet You (1) Seras Evatrice was an adjutant working directly under the pope, the leader of one of the most famous covert organizations in the continent, Oath of the Crescent Moon, and an assassin so ruthless that some of the people in the underworld would piss in their pants the moment they heard her name. Normally, someone with such a lengthy list of occupation would take the position of an overseer instead of going to the field themselves. However, even that kind of personage had to confront someone by herself, occasionally. This usually happened when the other operatives couldnt handle the target by themselves. For example. When the target was escorted by several former Imperial Guards. One of them was as strong as a regular Knight Order, two of them would make up a platoon, while three would be a whole company by themselves. This was a saying that was considered as the truth about the Imperial Guards. After all, they were one of the Empires strongest forces, second only to the now-extinct Guardians. Deploying them to escort a single person could be considered a complete waste of manpower since they could be sent to raid some impregnable dungeons instead. Nevertheless, no matter how specialized a group of assassins were in ambush and one-on-one combat, they still couldnt afford to confront such highly skilled individuals. That was why In such a situation, her involvement was greatly needed. M-Monster! All too familiar with such responses, she didnt even bat an eye towards it. With an expressionless gaze, Seras looked at her opponent. Bloodied corpses laid strewn on the ground nearby. Until moments ago, these were the bodyguards this fat man believed would protect his life even if the sky were to fall. Among them were knights who were once members of the Imperial Guard, people who were considered impossible to best by normal people. .Compared to their active days, their skills are disappointingly inadequate. Muttering to herself, Seras casually threw aside the tool she used to create this scene. A dining knife and fork. With just these, she massacred everyone around her. Seras Evatrice. One of only two [Grand Assassins] on the continent. After reaching such a level, such feats were just as easy as breathing for her. Smuggling within the Holy Land, multiple attempted murders, drug trafficking. Wiping blood off her face, Seras spoke. There are plenty of reasons for you to die.. Y-You! W-Who sent you here?! I-Ill double your pay! To that, she replied with an annoyed sigh. Well, I dont know about that. This is a direct order from His Holiness. No matter how much money you offer me, I will not let you get away from here. H-His Holiness? T-The Pope? That bastard! Hes doing all this bullshist because hes just trying to take over the land near the sanctuary I boug Before he could finish his sentence, the fat mans voice abruptly stopped. It was because Seras had kicked him in the abdomen. Though it was a seemingly light touch, the effect of such an act was horrifying to see. ! His insides were instantly in turmoil, as if put through a blender. He vomited, his eyes rolled back, and blood gushed out from his entire body. This had happened because she precisely targeted a vital area and pressed on a pressure-point. Dont you dare casually mention His Holiness with your filthy mouth. He is not someone you can so easily address. Seras icy voice fell upon the man writhing in pain. I-Im sor! Sor! Before the man could even finish his words, he rolled around on the ground, screaming. W-Wait! A-At least, let me speak! I will at least let you speak out your last words. Go ahead. I-Ill give up all the land! I-I wont even ask you to forgive me! Ill receive the public trial! His actions made it clear that he indeed was someone who had the qualifications to buy the land coveted by even the Pope. Even at such a moment, he quickly understood what the other wanted and was ready to give up what was necessary. Suggesting a public trial implied he was willing to let the Holy Land seize everything else he owned. Logically, taking up on this offer was far more beneficial than killing him. Even Seras was aware of this, as she slightly tilted her head and stroked her chin after hearing those words. Hm. Not long after, she scoffed and then approached the man gasping on the floor. You are right. Even though you are a criminal who deserves death, it is far more profitable to keep you alive and take everything that you own instead. When he heard Seras apathetic words, hope flickered in the mans pain-stricken face. Maybe, my sincere plea worked, he thought. However. Saying those words, a smile appeared on Seras face. However, that smile didnt reach both of her eyes. Its none of my concern. Fitting of this, she was about to deliver another devastating line that would fill the mans expression with despair. Because I just want to kill you. W-Why! Did you not insult His Holiness? That reason is enough to spell your death. Before he could speak, his throat had already been cut. To achieve this, Seras only needed a rather nonchalant gesture; Moving her hand horizontally across his neck. She looked down at her suit that was splattered with blood. Her beautiful brows furrowed. After all, this suit was something that His Holiness complimented her on. It wasnt fitting for it to be stained during such a trivial mission. His Holiness probably will not mind just that much. Vizsla? As she was drowning in her displeasure, she suddenly felt a presence and turned her body around. Vizsla. The head of the Exorcists, a sub-organization under the Oath of the Crescent Moon. Hes supposed to be monitoring that man at the Academy. What is he doing here? At that moment When such a thought came to her mind, her face distorted, changing her expression from a grim one to a full frown. Dowd Campbell. Among those who harmed the Pope, he was the only one she had yet to kill. Because His Holiness himself told her that he still possessed utility value, and ordered her to leave him be. This is a special mission directly ordered by the Pope. After hearing his title being mentioned, Seras sullen look immediately turned into a radiant smile. His Holiness gave me the order directly? Her voice was filled with the excitement of a girl in love. There was no better way to describe her. Originally, she would have been like a zombie, barely breathing and unable to do anything. But the reason she seemed alive despite such a state was just because she was disguising it to seem that way with her Mana Mastery that had reached the realms of perfection. She was using the tremendous amount of mana, that she could use as easily as breathing, to replace her five senses. However, even if that was possible Replacing emotions with mana was impossible. That was probably why my Fatal Charm didnt work on her. She probably thinks that if she regains everything she lost when she was resurrected, she can break the Devils Ban that revived her. There was a possibility that she thought it would be better to die than to continue living in such a state. Yes, she could replace her five senses with her own magic and she could awaken them with her own power. But, when it came to emotions No matter what she did, she couldnt get them back. That must have been devastating for her. Considering this My disposition of seducing anyone related to Devils would be her only hope. In the original game, she would have approached Iliya, who often got entangled with them, but now, at least in terms of interaction related to Devils, I was way ahead of her. [So the reason she is asking you to seduce her is for that.] Thats right. [Alright. So, do you have a plan to make that woman feel emotions again?] Well, of course. It was a little complicated, but I had a plan for it. But, before anything else, I need to calm some people down. The Homunculi sisters. Yuria and Lucia. The first step to awakening Faenols emotions started with them. In order to make them feel better, ordinary methods probably wouldnt work. What I needed was to set off an explosive, fiery event. [In other words, youre going to do something crazy.] Why do you naturally assume Im going to do something big? [Have you ever done otherwise?] He got a point. But still, considering the sisters personalities, it would definitely work. Its just that Itll be fine just as long as some strange and crazy woman doesnt get involved during the progress of the plan. [It kinda feels like you shittalk every woman around you behind their backs, you know?] No, I could never. But, how ironic you say that, since it took one to know one. But such people arent common and it doesnt make sense to run into them so easily. How high could the odds be? Originally, the Devils Vessels that would rush toward me were now, conversely, all avoiding me. Unless some other people popped up, the chances of such interference were extremely low. Saying that, I yawned and looked towards the gigantic academy far away from the station. Were home. I muttered blankly as I gazed at Elfante. Strictly speaking, it wasnt really home, but after spending a whole day traveling by train, it really did feel like it was. Spending a day on the train was more of a struggle than I thought. Lets get inside quickly, wash up, and rest a bit. Even if there was a lot to do, nothing would work without rest. As I looked around while thinking that, students began to pour out of the train. Whoa, whoa, whoah In the terrifying crowd that reminded me of the subway during rush hours, I involuntarily got swept up. No joke, even if I was just standing still, the bodies of the people around me would move me along. And It was around then that I felt killing intent in the midst of this packed crowd. System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation as tremendously, greatly, absolutely life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX-Grade. ] My eyes widened at the sudden appearance of such a window. ? The fuck? Why would something like this turn on at a time like this? ! I gritted my teeth and looked around. The killing intent was still palpable. Without a doubt, someone was targeting and releasing it at me. I was not as sensitive to energy as other martial arts masters, so there was no way to tell how close it was, but I instinctively knew it was only a few meters away. However, due to the density of the crowd, I couldnt tell who it was or even in which direction they were approaching. The killing intent drew closer and closer. More and more. Just a handspan away. Just a few steps. It was a distance where I should be able to see their face. At this rate, theyll get me! Thinking this, I prepared to force my way out of the spot by kicking off the ground when System Message [ Skill: Desperation is deactivated! ] [ Target Seras Evatrice sees you and experiences a shock that jolts her mind! ] [ Skill: Fatal Charm activated! ] [ The hostility of the target disappears! ] [ The Favorability Level of target Seras is unlocked! ] ? Then, such a window Appeared out of nowhere. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 130: Nice To Meet You (2) Chapter 130: Nice To Meet You (2) Nice To Meet You (2) Seras didnt need to do much to infiltrate Elfante. All she needed to do was join the group of transfer students who enrolled outside the regular semester. Unlike typical educational institutions, the Imperial Academy accepted students all year round due to its immense scale. This was the vulnerability that she utilized. Of course, she still had to go through strict security procedures, but since she could even infiltrate the Imperial Palace using a forged identity, it wasnt a problem for her. A mere childs play. Its ridiculously easy. In the train compartment heading into Elfante, Seras let out a deep sigh as she thought as such. She deemed forging a fake identity as a student unneeded. After all, she only needed to finish the task in a day then returned to the Holy Land immediately. -Trust me, Maam, youll still need one. Dont worry, Ill have it ready within a day. If Vizsla hadnt insisted so strongly, she would have done it much earlier. She remembered their conversation yesterday. -Do I really need a fake identity? Are you doubting my abilities? -No, Maam. I am well aware of your capabilities. I know it better than anyone. -Then, is there a need for such a cumbersome process? Ill be done with this task in a day. After hearing that, she could recall Vizsla shutting his mouth for a while before eventually giving off a bitter smile. -Just in case. Think of it as me being overcautious. Though he said this It was evident that he anticipated a situation where shed be needing such a thing. As if, he knew that she, too, would never be able to handle that man in one go. He was certain that she would need to stay longer at the academy because she couldnt do it as quickly as she claimed. Just wait, Vizsla. I swear Ill make you suffer when I return. She swore to herself that shed make him pay for distrusting her abilities. To her, getting this far meant that the mission was as good as done. Just by looking at a glance, it was obvious that she deemed those Empire fools incompetent. And it was even more so when it involved the Imperial Palace. She sneered coldly, eying the imperial crest emblazoned on the fluttering flags at the entrance to Elfante. Scum. That was the only evaluation she would give them. How deeply had she suffered because of them before she met the Pope and started a new life? The night where heaven and earth were all dyed red. All the atrocities the Imperial Family committed against her on that day were still clear in her mind. Soon, Seras. She calmed her heart, raging with hatred, and repeated to herself. Soon. After all, the annihilation of those scum and the descent of the savior who would bring peace to the entire continent was imminent. It was indeed the true faith. No one but the Pope could bring equality and happiness to this rotten world. Paradise will soon arrive on this earth. The Popes plan was about to enter its final phase. So, what she should do now was to remove all the obstacles in accordance with the Popes order. And as always, it all started with preparations. Phew. Closing her eyes and letting out a deep sigh, she slowly rotated the mana from her dantian. Her consciousness subsided. Fundamentally, an assassins combat method prioritized a one-hit kill without any thoughts of retreat or follow-up. And the basis of such a method started with erasing emotions so that theyd be unshaken in any situation. The meditation method she did built a mental barrier to prevent any sympathy or mercy towards the target. After going through even this process, her already lethal attacks would possess a machine-like precision and a frightening level of concentration. How long had she been in that state? [The train is stopping. The train is stopping. All students, please remain seated.] With that, the train slowly pulled into the station. Inside the train that was coming to a halt, Seras rechecked the weapon hidden in her embrace. [Welcome to Elfante.] Along with that announcement, she blended into the crowd pouring into the station. As expected of the largest educational facility on the continent, what sprawled in front of her was a sea of people. However, even among such a crowd Thanks to her sharply honed senses, she quickly found her target. A man with a vacant expression who had just gotten off the train. Dowd Campbell. He perfectly matched the description she had been informed of beforehand. After letting out a deep sigh, Seras began moving through the densely packed crowd. Shadow Step. While precise steps even through this number of people, her movement was so clean that it was akin to water being sliced straight through. Though this footwork, where she moved unnoticed among people, was basic for an assassin, the level of her execution could almost be called a miracle at work. She moved in a different direction from the crowd, but not a single person recognized her presence. As if she was a ghost, floating through that space. The reason why she chose a place that a normal assassin would never pick was because she was that confident. Someone who could kill without being noticed, even in broadlight and in the middle of a square. That was what being a Grand Assassin entailed. That was why Seeing that man looking around in bewilderment surprised her. Seras, having her cheek against his chest, let out a shrill shriek with a voice that she had never made before in her entire life. His chest was firm and solid. It filled her with a desire to bury her nose in it and enjoy the sensation for a long while. Though she had tasted uncountable numbers of well-trained bodies by mutilating and chopping them With this man, just a slight bump made her entire body twitch. Are you hurt anywhere? Dowd, brushing the dust off her restlessly fidgeting body, asked with an indifferent voice. I-I d-donnnnnnnnnnnnt Her voice sounded like she was crawling into a mouse hole. It was a voice that even Seras herself could not control. Im sorry for bumping into you. You even dropped your belongings. After saying that, Dowd picked up the dagger from the ground, offering it to her. Still, personal weapons are prohibited, so youll have to hand it in when you enter the academy. I know that children from martial households often carry weapons, but it is still against the rules. At that moment, she realized this mans intention. He was trying to downplay the situation by claiming that she dropped her personal item after bumping into him. In fact, as soon as those words were spoken, the crowds interest dissipated rapidly. Everyone began losing their focus, dismissing the incident as something trivial. Ill be going then. See you inside the academy. Then, Dowd turned around with a slight smile. It was nice to meet you. See you later. Seras stood still, overwhelmed by the sheer destructive power of his smile. She was frozen in place, her whole body started to tremble. Her heart almost felt like bursting from the smile he had just given her. Her entire body felt like a forge, a terrifying amount of heat exuding from every pore. She was unable to control the shaking. However, even in such a state, what she couldnt understand was He covered for me. But why? Just Why? That man knew someone was targeting him. After all, he had, in fact, glared at her sharply as soon as Seras lost her concentration and revealed her presence. If he wasnt an idiot, he would have obviously realized she was trying to harm him. Seras watched the man moving away from her with a complex gaze. For now, one thing was certain. It was good that she had listened to Vizsla. Even with her face completely red, all she could do was fiddle with the student ID in her embrace. He was right Perhaps her stay at this academy would be longer than expected. Because of a multitude of reasons. He said it was nice to meet me. Seras muttered such words to herself. The words that he uttered towards her. That it was nice to meet her. And that he would see her later. Strangely Those words struck deep into her heart. Shit. Fuck. Shit. As soon as Seras disappeared from my sight, I cursed under my breath as I gasped for air. Damn it, why on earth did she suddenly pop out here? At this time, she should be sticking closely to the Pope and obediently doing whatever he ordered. In the first place, it was absurd to deploy such a high-value personnel just to fuck someone like me up! If I didnt cover for her, who knows what would have happened! Cold sweat broke out when I thought about this. As I said before Because of the scenario, she was definitely a Vessel harboring a Fragment of the Purple Devil. Who knows what could happen if she gets cornered. Please. I was someone who prayed every night before bed, pleading that nothing unexpected would interfere with my plans. Then wasnt it about time to have my prayers answered at least once? Despite everything, I was still a human. Id rather take the easy path System Message [ Skill: Fatal Charm Activated! ] [ Favorability Level of target Seras skyrockets to Interest Level 5! ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ The Fragment of the Purple Devil dormant in the target begins to awaken under your influence! ] [ An event related to target Seras will soon be generated! ] That was why Stop doing this kind of shit! Please, anyone! End my suffering! You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 131: A Students Duty Chapter 131: A Student''s Duty A Students Duty People who were drowning in their suffering could recognize each other by just looking at each others faces. That was always the thought that came to mind whenever I met Atalante. Lets make a bet. Atalante, showing the most haggard appearance yet, spoke such a sentence in a subdued voice. A bet? Between the two of us, who brought the worse news. What an apt bet. Considering I was summoned by this person as soon as I returned to Elfante, it was highly likely that she had brought some seriously bad news too. A Grand Assassin is currently in Elfante. I was the one to start it off. Just by seeing her eyes widen in shock, it was clear that the news I brought was anything but good. Wont you need a nation-level budget to employ that person? Well There were only two Grand Assassins in the entire continent. Seras, and [Hessed], the head of the Vagabond, so her thought went in the right direction in a way. After all, unlike Seras, who was exclusively under the Pope, Hessed was a freelancer who could be employed or contracted by anyone. Judging from what youre saying, it seems like they infiltrated the academy because of something related to you. I can take some measures to No, just leave her be. Excuse me? Its more dangerous to carelessly mess around with her. It would be a different story if we had not met at all. But if the Purple Devils Fragment began to awaken due to my influence, interacting with her carelessly would be dangerous. Purple Devil. Or, Devil of Obedience. Out of the Rulers of Pandemonium, she was the most How should I put it? Unique I guess Ill handle it somehow. As long as I was well aware of how to handle her, it wasnt an exaggeration to say that she was the least dangerous one among the Devils, but Currently, the Devils were fighting over my shares. Her inclusion would only further complicate my situation. So, there was no need to interact with her unnecessarily. The better course of action was to keep her close and moderately manage my interaction with her. In other wordsRread latest chapters at novelhall.com The things that I needed to do were Make Eleanor, Yuria, and Lucia feel better Awakening Faenols emotions Carry a bomb that was a Grand Assassin on my back at all times. Simple and easy, am I right? Hell no. Chapter 4 hadnt even started yet, but I had to do all this? Haaa But still, it wasnt like I could run away from it. Besides, everything that I had done so far was pretty much something unmanageable. As I was racking my brain and let out a sigh, Atalante looked at me with a gaze full of pity. You look tired. Do I? Yes. Honestly, I am a bit worried. If you keep pushing yourself like this, Im afraid something really bad might happen at some point. Well, who knows? Even so, I dont think I can rest for the time being. The Prophet definitely tried to kill Eleanor. They threw the Reversed Sea, a bait at the level of a chapter boss, and tried to do so while tying up my hands. This kind of progression didnt exist in the original game. Hell, the Prophet wasnt even a woman in the game. He was a mere fanatic who blindly believed in anything related to Devils. But now, that bastards actions almost seemed Not like that of a Devil Worshipper, but someone who wanted to erase all of them. I could not let that happen. There was a reason why I switched my race using the Fallens Seal. At the very least people around me shouldnt get hurt because of that bitch. That was why I couldnt afford to dawdle for a while if I wanted to stop her. Then for now, lets hear the interim progress report. While I was thinking that, Atalante threw out such words along with a sigh. How have you been getting along with the Vessels lately? Everything is going smoothly. I am making steady progress. [Smoothly?] [You literally got split into half a while ago.] Caliban sarcastically commented inside Soul Linker, but the fact of the matter was, as long as I was breathing, it meant everything was going on smoothly. Considering that the ones involved here were Devils, I could say that I was doing pretty well even. And, more importantly Caliban. [Ye?] You might see even worse things in the future. [] He questioned me, What could be worse than being split in half? in silence. Well, I only told him the truth. I mean, just look at what was written here. System Message [ Event related to the Second Fragment of target Yuria will soon be unlocked! ] The Second Fragment of the White Devil Lets just hope that it wont overlap with the main quest. Thinking so, I fidgeted with the mask I was always carrying in my pocket. This was my lifeline. The moment I showed my bare face in front of her, it would be the end of me. [Which means shell see your face soon enough.] [What? Am I wrong? So far, all your worries somehow ended up happen] I removed the amulet from my wrist. No way Id keep on listening to his ominous predictions. You Have to study Atalante spoke in an earnest voice. At the very least, you need to get a perfect score in all subjects in the upcoming Competency Evaluation to even have a chance of making up for it. Hmm. A perfect score in all subjects in Elfantes exam, where prodigies from across the Empire gathered. And that was what I had to do; me, who had barely attended any classes. How long until the exam, Headmistress? There is about a week left. Hm. Hmmmmmmm. Ultimately, the entire situation pointed to just one thing. I needed a teacher. A teacher who could teach me reaaaaaaaally fucking well. And, being a student of the Theology School, the first person I should immediately convince was the Saintess. After all, shouldnt I start with the subject that carried the greatest distribution of marks? I already had business with her due to the Faenol-related event anyway, so she had just soared up my priority list. As such I quickly came here to create a means to appease her. So, youre that guy, huh? Professor Vulkan of the Crafting School was a man whose muscular build made it hard to believe he was of such an age. Watching him move heartily among the anvil, hammer, and the flames of the forge, it was easy to forget that he was an old man. Nice to meet you, Professor Vulkan. Forget it. Theres no need for formalities between you and me. And true to his appearance, a hearty voice immediately followed. Just like how a person who didnt care much for formalities sho If youre too polite, I cant swear into your face. Spill it, you piece of shit. What kind of item do you want me to make this time? Isnt that why youre here? Im already curious about how many nights Ill have to pull an all-nighter. What an Intense person. I like him. Thinking as such, I looked at Professor Vulkan; Although his lips were smiling, his eyes were practically shooting daggers, as if just waiting to kill me. It was clear his attitude wasnt cooperative, but I came to him for a reason. He was the one who made the bomb used by Percy, the Dean of the Magic School, to blow up the Purifier. He was also the one who had modified my Ultima. Even if he was not as skilled as the all-around manufacturing tool Sephira from the Forge of Struggle, he was still undoubtedly a top-class craftsman. The only shortcoming in his craftsmanship wasnt the quality of the items but rather, just the fact that he was a bit slower in speed. I had heard he had been pulling all-nighters every time I had given him a crafting request, after all. In that respect There was no one else but him who could make an item of a quality that didnt fall short of Sephiras, especially for the maniacal request I was about to make. Ive come with a rather fascinating request. Was it ever not? What is it? Just tell me without any reservations. Professor Vulkan put his hammer aside. Well, I dont know about that. If I actually spoke without reservations, I was pretty sure he would get mad at me. But it felt like he would rage even if I spoke with reservations, so I just proceeded. I laid our various materials. These were what I obtained while fighting the Reversed Sea in the Forge of Struggle. They were the body components of the Rulers of the Demonic Zones used in reconstructing Kasas limbs. It was basically a comprehensive gift set. I also pulled out the starsteel used in making Yurias circlet. Indeed, Vulkans eyes lit up as he examined the materials. You have quite the luck. Where did you get all this? I felt like my image had improved a bit in his eyes, but Considering what was to come, it was questionable how long that would last. Using these I firmly resolved myself and handed over a blueprint to Vulkan. Id like you to make this for me. Vulkan examined the blueprint thoroughly. Then, he looked at me with a cold gaze. To be fair, it was an expected reaction. So, Dowd Campbell. Professor Vulkan spoke in a rigid tone. You said it was a fascinating request, didnt you? Yes. What part of asking for a really fucking strong leash is fascinating? I need two of them. Did anyone ask, you punk? Youre asking the senior professor of the Crafting School to make pet accessories? With these materials? I forced a smile in response to his half-contemptuous gaze. Its not for pets. What? Its for people. Two people. Isnt that fascinating? It really was fascinating. After all, looking at Vulkans gaze It was the first time I realized that you could verbally abuse someone with a mere gaze You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls 1 offence or defamation against the dignity of a ruling head of state or of the state itself. The English name for this crime is a modernised borrowing from the medieval French, where the phrase meant a crime against The Crown. Chapter 132: Physical Punishment (1) Chapter 132: Physical Punishment (1) Physical Punishment (1) [When I think about it a little, youre a freak, you know that?] Excuse me? [Who else in human history, apart from you, would think of calming down a Saintess and a Devils Vessel just because they need someone to teach them?] Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com Stop talking about things that will make me feel depressed. I sighed at Calibans words while looking at the room in front of me. Yurias room felt more decadent than expected for an adult. The biggest reason was probably the smell that hit me when I approached the entrance. Alcohol? I could smell the scent of alcohol before I even opened the door. Well, she was an adult, so it wasnt like she couldnt drink or anything like that. It was just It really didnt suit her image. Both her appearance and usual behavior just didnt suit shit like alcohol or earthly entertainment. Rather, she should be someone whod avoid such things, no? No, I wasnt trying to say that she had a model student-like personality, but you know In any case, because of that, she didnt have anyone to enjoy such things with. It was a sad thing. I felt bad for saying it, but it was the truth. Putting it in a different perspective, though This could also mean that she was in a dangerous state. Think about it, she was someone who had endured loneliness in a corner of the academy for so long. And that kind of person had resorted to alcohol despite not being alone anymore, as she was with her little sister now. This meant that she was close to her limit. That conjecture of mine was immediately confirmed as I opened the door and entered her room. Huh Its Mr. Dowd With slurred words like that, it was clear that she was drunk. T-This is a dream, right? Mr. Dowdcoming tosee mesomething like me No way it actually happens, right? She giggled as she said this. Though she was laughing, I could feel the deep aura of despair, something that would only come out from someone who had lost hope, emanating from her. Seems like I drank Drank less than I should have. Ehehe I sighed at the sight of her smiling foolishly with dead-looking eyes as she brought a bottle to her mouth. She really was in a bad state. Normally, Lucia would have prevented her from becoming like this, but she wasnt in a good state either.. According to Dame Ophelia, it seemed like they had been holing up in their rooms for days. Get a grip of yourself. After saying this, I grabbed the bottle she was about to plug into her mouth. And stop drinking something like this. Yuria blinked her eyes, looking back and forth between her hand where the bottle had been, and my hand that took it away. A few seconds later, her face turned pale. It seemed she finally realized that I wasnt part of her schizo dream. M-Mr. D-Dowd, Dowd?! Yeah. Its Mr. Dowd. I came because I have something to say to you. She backed away quickly as if she had seen a ghost, plastering herself onto the wall. In that situation, she desperately clutched a worn out collar around her neck; Along with my handkerchief hanging next to it. Who knew how much she fiddled with it. That thing looked so frayed that I couldnt even see the family crest printed on it. It hadnt even been a long time since I had given her that. She clearly made a habit to touch it every time she could. Scary. What was so great about it that she treated it to such an extent? Now I became even more scared to say what I was about to say next. That. Take that off. As I pointed to the collar while saying that, Yurias face went completely white. Her entire body was trembling. Tears started to form in her eyes. It was like she was finally facing an inevitable, inescapable disaster. I-Im sorry. The first thing that came out of her mouth was a faint voice, akin to a sob. Im sorry, please dont abandon me, Ill do anything, anything, so please, please I was, I was wrong. Im sorry. I was wrong, Mr. Dowd. P-Please dont throw me away, please She muttered like someone who had lost her mind. Her eyes were wandering aimlessly. As she reached the end of her words, her voice boiled over in a low, sobbing plea. Compared to her drunken state earlier, she seemed like she had completely lost her mind. System Message [ Corruption Value of target Yuria is rapidly increasing! ] [ It surpasses 90%! ] Seeing her like that, I sighed inwardly. I checked over the plan one last time. This wasnt something I was good at, since I had never tried it before. Hell, I was dogshit at this. But considering the characteristics of Devils, this was just right. When it came to things related to me, all the Devils rushed in, seeing red as they tried to possess something that other Devils could never have. They were obsessed with forming relationships in ways that other Devils could not. It was obvious just from seeing how the Blue Devil used me as collateral last time. However, even among them Only the White Devil did not discriminate and accepted whatever I wanted, as long as it was extreme, aggressive, or radical. After all, the Devil of Obsession, to put it differently, was someone who would do anything so that it wouldnt lose something. As such In this situation where she had wronged me, it was possible to appease her temporarily. System Message [ Effect of Title: Playboy is displayed! ] I removed Soul Linker when I heard the continuous applause. This person had just woken up, but Caliban had already influenced his brain. Haaa. I sighed, fiddling with the spare collar in my pocket. Somehow, I managed to deal with Yuria well, but there was still another person who needed to wear this. Just like Yuria, she was just as troubled, and she was also necessary for the event I had planned for tomorrow, as a kind of safety mechanism. And the place she was in Was right next to this place For Lucia Greyhounder, the cathedral represented a space of two emotions. First, it brought her a sense of comfort. It was the place she had spent most of her life since childhood, so this was a natural sentiment for her. The hard stone floor of the chapel, the cozy darkness of the confessional, the quiet atmosphere, and the sanctified scent spreading from the censer. All these elements constituted the majority of Lucias memories. It was something she could not come to hate even if she wanted to. However, the second emotion it brought was the complete opposite of the first one. After all, most of the terrible experiences she had in the Holy Land had occurred here. Like a bird trapped in a cage, she was destined to be bred for use in the Popes plans. The Paradise Plan. In a corner of the Holy Land was a place called the Sanctuary. It appeared as nothing but ruins, yet it was famous among merchants and hedonists. After all, there often were high-quality holy artifacts found nearby. Additionally, its relevance in the religious sense was significant. Though not as well-known as the Void Zone where the Devils slept, it was still a place where legends whisper of the Legion of Angels slumbering. And the Pope was a man dreaming of resurrecting something from that place. In addition, Yuria and Lucia were to be sacrificed as keys to that plan. But A certain man had saved both of them from such a fate. Lucias concentration, as she offered prayers and poured water on the holy relics, was shattered in an instant. The image of a past incident flashed through her mind. The man, receiving a mortal wound from a blow unleashed by her little sisters sword, had his body split in half. Even as he was dying, he was still concerned about her, urging her not to get hurt. And she could not stop thinking about that moment. Her concentration broke. She bit her lip until it bled. Never before had she struggled to focus on prayers, but these days, it was impossible to maintain even the most simple concentration. After all, every time, a guilt, heavy on her heart, rose up as if trying to consume her mind. She was Powerless. Even though she bore the title of the Saintess, she couldnt protect the one man who showed her such kindness. Just as I thought, you were here. At the sound of that voice, her body jolted, as if an electric current ran through her body. It was the voice of the man she had just been thinking about. W-Whatbrings you he Before she could continue WIth a click A collar was fastened around her neck. ? Lucia stared at the other person with a bewildered expression. It was because she was unable to immediately comprehend what in the world had just happened. Then, she stroked her neck, as if finding it strange. Indeed. It was a collar. The kind usually put on animals. At the very least It was not something to be causally put on a Saintess, the person who was standing at the very pinnacle of the continents believers. A heavy silence fell between her and him. Lucia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She tried her best to not lose her temper. If it werent for the recent guilt she felt towards this man, she would have likely swung at his jaw, slapping his face around with all the Divine Power she could muster. Explain. She omitted the usual honorific she attached to her words, but Dowd did not seem to mind this. After all, it was a highly rational and reasonable response from her given that she didnt slap him right away. Saintess. As such, he better have a good explanation for this. Dowd took several deep breaths before speaking. Now, it was not the first time he had messed up by speaking incorrectly at these kinds of times. But this time, he absolutely had to get her proper cooperation through a logical and rational explanation. There is a reason for this. Shut up and get to the point. No, wait, so like, I need to at least tell the reason why I put this o Just tell me why you fastened this onto me. You piece of shit. Summarize it in one sentence. Dowd shut his mouth at the sharp, biting words, as cold and unforgiving as frost. The situation wasnt the kind where he could get by with a simple explanation. Which meant, he should try to create a pleasant atmosphere. He smiled refreshingly. While radiating positive energy, Dowd spoke with vigor. In one hand, he held the handle connected to the collar he put on Lucias neck. As if he was handling a pet. Do you perhaps like going on walks? Shortly after, a slap that seemed able to break his neck came toward him, but he managed to dodge it after using all his might. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 133: Physical Punishment (2) Chapter 133: Physical Punishment (2) Physical Punishment (2) [You failed, you say?] I apologize. On the other side of the screen, the Pope looked extremely perplexed. After all, this was the first time she had made such a report in the years she had served him. A Grand Assassin had failed in her mission to harm a mere human. Despite it being a relatively easy mission compared to killing him directly. [May I ask for the reason, Seras?] He was Far more well-guarded than I expected, Your Holiness. Fortunately, my identity wasnt compromised, but I believe I need some time to strategize. Seras replied to the Pope on the video call, feeling as if her mouth was dry. It was the first time she had lied to him. On top of that, she told him many lies at once. Back then, she clearly had the opportunity to cause him some serious harm on that man. After all, she had gotten close enough to him. Her words about how her identity wasnt compromised, and how she needed some time to strategize, were complete and utter lies. Also When she saw that man, she felt a certain feeling enveloping her body. It was the first time in her life she had ever felt such a feeling. Seras fiddled with her fingers subconsciously before pulling her hood down deeper. The reason why she did that was because she was aware that the expression she was making wasnt the kind of expression she should show to the Pope. She didnt know what caused this, but what she knew was that an assassin shouldnt have such an expression when they were thinking about their target. [Indeed, he truly is an unpredictable man.] Fortunately, the Pope accepted her words without much suspicion. It seemed like the trust they had built so far was enough for him to believe her lies. Though she felt a little guilty over this, in the end, everything would be resolved as long as she could deal with that man. Despite what happened, her loyalty to the Pope had not waned in the slightest. [Let me know if you need anything, Seras.] The Pope said with a compassionate smile. [May the Celestials blessings be upon you.] She could not help but agree with his every word. Seras bowed her head reverently. He was the legitimate successor who inherited the will of the Celestials, the Proxy of the Angels. The person who stood at the pinnacle of the religion that saved her from the discrimination she had to suffer through due to the Empire. This was the person she had to devote all her life to. Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com That was why Considering what kind of existence he was to her, it was unacceptable for her if she wasnt able to carry out his orders. And so, she decided that she should start a more detailed investigation on the man who managed to ensnare him, even though that meant overriding the Popes command. The reason why she took her precious time to infiltrate Elfante was exactly because of this. At the very least, she had to find out why she felt this way when they met back then. And She wanted to know why was it that every time she thought of that man, her heart raced to the point that it irritated her? In any case, it was the time for her to gather more detailed information about him. To start, she had to find out what he was up to. System Message [ Target Seras is tracking you! ] [ Determined to be a minor threat to your safety. ] [ Skill: Desperation adjusted to B-Grade. ] With a sigh, I looked at the window in front of me. Yeah. That sounded about right. I had expected for her to come out around this time. That was why I planned my actions to coincide with this. After all, what I was about to do was a sight I wanted to show to that person. Perhaps, it would bring a slight change to that persons mental state. [Are you saying you wanted to show her this kind of appearance?] What about it? [If I may be honest At first, I genuinely thought that as a Saintess Lucia is lacking quite a bit.] Such words flew from inside Soul Linker. Valkasus continued to adhere to his attitude of incredulity. [But now, Ive changed my mind.] Why? [Obviously because of the fact that she willingly follows along with your antics.] There was no doubt that he was talking about Lucias current state, as she was being dragged along by the collar tethered to me. I could only hear the sound of the grass rustling as we stepped on them, but I could feel a piercing gaze from my back. Scary. Excuse me. And after walking like that for a while The Saintess called out to me, as she pounded against the back of my neck.. It seemed like she couldnt bear it any longer. Wouldnt it be better if you just confess now that you have perverted desires? Yes, I had grown immune to such slander due to Calibans constant roasts, but this. This, I couldnt stand for. No, wait. Couldnt you let her off with at least that much? She couldnt always be perfect. [The profession of a Saintess is a very old one. And in my time, those were the basic qualities that a Saintess must have.] Though Valkasus, surprisingly, oozed out this boomer energy form his entire body, I also roughly knew the setting of this world. While it was not as ancient as the age-old Hero-Devil relationship, which was practically on the level of archaeology at this point, the Saintess was also quite an old profession. If it was Valkasuss era Its probably the era of the Great War of Gods and Devils, huh? The time when the First Hero, receiving all the Celestials blessings, wielded the Holy Sword and tore apart the Devils true bodies. That combination of the First Hero and the Holy Sword alone sealed, not just one, but all the true bodies of the Devils capable of destroying the world; Truly the strongest monster in human history. Of course, he received all the backup he could get from the angels in the Astral Realm, but that feat was still undeniably incredible. The reason why the Holy Land, which back then was just a small kingdom barely making ends meet and without notable resources or strengths, grew into a tremendous superpower was because of that fact. After all, its size expanded to such a degree, based solely on being the nation that produced the First Hero. Considering how the one who closely assisted such a person, always aiding him, was the Saintess of that time, it made sense why Valkasus had such high standards for Saintesses. And if my memory served me right In the game, that was about the maximum growth potential for Iliya. If she could properly find the Holy Sword, that was. The upcoming Chapter 4, [Crimson Night], revolved around that very theme. Who would fill the position of Hero that had been vacant since the previous Hero passed away? It was the chapter where Hero Candidates from all over the continent gathered in the Golden Triangle to determine the true owner of the Holy Sword. Bringing Yuria and Lucia here served to prepare for such an event. If I could properly complete the strengthening of these two here, it would undoubtedly be a great help when progressing through that part. Alright, were here. At my words, Lucia and Yuria slowly looked around. This place Lucia, having looked around, widened her eyes in surprise. If it was her, there was no way she wouldnt recognize it. The barrier of the Seraphims, its outermost boundary at that. It was a space at the very edge of the academy, touching the Void Zone and just a few feet of land. It was a memorable place. After all, this was where I first came to communicate with the Angels right after obtaining Ultima. What I had come to do now was, in a broad sense, similar to that. The problem was that, this time, it would be much more intense anddangerous. I moved a bit closer to set Ultima in its place. Previously, I would have needed various preparations, but this item had been strengthened several times by now. I even used Echo of Sanctification on it. Now, it could complete its original purpose, the summoning ritual, in an instant. Eh? Eung? As the mist rising from Ultima spread out, the Angels residing here revealed themselves instantly. ! And upon seeing them Yuria clutched her head and collapsed on the spot. Ah, AHHHHH! She writhed in agony, spitting out painful groans. Severer emitted a threatening light around it. The white curse eating away at her body convulsed as if in a fit. I knew why she was acting like that. The White Devil inside her must be screaming to the point that her mind was tearing apart. Telling her to kill those beings right now, that they were enemies with whom she could not breathe the same air with Y-Yuria?! Lucia tried to approach her in horror, but I held the leash. At the same time as I flung Lucia outside the safe range as if juggling her Yuria suddenly grasped her sword and charged towards the Angels. However Wait. I held her back with the leash. It stretched taut. If I hadnt had Vulkan reinforce it with rare materials, it would have snapped instantly. My physical stats had risen decently recently, so I could manage this much even with just the B=Grade Desperation activated due to Seras. You crazy fucker, what have you brought here?! One of the more memorable Angels screamed at me. He was the Angel who had helped me imbue several abilities into Ultima before. Recognizing me instantly, he approached with a horrified expression. It seemed like he had realized what exactly was inside Yuria. Misters, long time no see. I continued, smiling warmly at their appearance. Could you do me just one favor? What is the meaning of this all of a sudden! Dont worry, it wouldnt be anything much. I just wanted your help to strengthen these two, just as I had mentioned earlier. Alright. Shall we discuss a method to domesticate a Devil together? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 134: Decision Chapter 134: Decision Decision Yurias Starsteel Circlet, which she always wore, scattered light around her. Normally, when such a phenomenon occurred, the Devil or Severer should be calmed, but now, there was not even a hint of that occurring, as a fierce white aura violently surged. Due to having to deal with both the Curse of the Severer and the White Devils Demonic Aura at the same time, the Starsteel Circlet had turned completely useless. Well, it seems like that thing is hitting its expiration date soon. In the first palace, if it had been working as it should, I wouldnt have been split in half by her last time. However. System Log [The event related to Yurias Second Fragment will be released soon! ] Given that this had popped up, it was obvious that the power of the Devil was getting stronger and stronger. To the point where even Starsteel could not suppress it. The reason I brought her here was that there was something that could only be tested in such a situation. And the test was a success.. The Homunculi Sisters would be strengthened, giving me advantage on the Main Scenario that would occur in Chapter 4. Not only that, it would also cheer these two up. And most importantly There would be a clue to unlocking the Happy Ending. I could obtain everything all at once. Domesticating a Devil, huh. I reflected on the phrase I thought of earlier with a bitter smile. Though I spoke out in such a grandiose manner, it was actually impossible to do that. And that was the reason why I came here. To gain the crumbs of the clue I needed to achieve that. Before you ask, yes this was obviously a dangerous matter. System Message [ White Devil detects the presence of beings related to Seraphim. ] [ The target is enraged to the point of losing rationality. ] [ Corruption Value of target Yuria surpasses 150%! ] [ The target will definitely go berserk soon. Take immediate action! ] As I read the windows popping up in front of me, I let out a sigh. I knew this would happen if I were to bring her here. Unlike when I encountered the Virtue in my Image Space before, the angel misters here were directly working under the orders of Seraphim. From the standpoint of a Devil, who was entangled in a massive grudge with them, or at least that was how the story went, just sensing their presence was enough to drive them insane. Normally, if her Corruption Value had reached this point, I would be sweating bullets, but Its still too low. In this current situation, it was actually way too low. Which meant, I had to raise it a bit more. Saintess. Y-Yes YES?! Lucia, still dumbstruck, turned to look at me as I calmly issued her an order. Please perform the usual Sanctification work on Yuria. Right here and now. Me alone?! With Yuria in that state?! Lucia exclaimed with a horrified look as she glanced at Yuria. She was continuously writhing, trying to lunge towards the angels as if she was actually a shackled beast that had lost its reason. It seemed Lucia had realized by now that if I hadnt grabbed her collar and flung her away, shed have been split in half because she was in her sisters way. Itll be fine. After saying that, I began my own preparations. In one of my hands was Lucias collar, and in the other one was Yurias. I set them up so I could freely change their positions before continuing my words. Because this is not something youd have to do alone, Saintess. You dragged a bomb here so suddenly The nerve of this bastard! Ill remember this, you fucking piece of shit! Then, the Dominion, who previously had transferred a Divine Blessing to me, spread his wings while screaming such words. This was a kind of battle mode for angels. S-Sir Dominion, what in the world is that thing? Its a Devils Fragment, you dumbass! Stop yapping and move out quickly! If it explodes here, well all be dead! What in the world is this?! Damn it, I thought our work for today is over?! In an instant, the surroundings turned into a huge fuss. Well, I could understand their feelings. For them, this was the equivalent of encountering a Major Boss Battle after finishing their shifts. This was supposed to be the time for them to rest, not to deal with something like this. Hey, Miss! You seem pretty capable, so let it loose for now! Just fucking send it! If that explodes here, were all dead, so try to appease it skillfully! U-Um? I dont understand Theres no time to explain! Lets start right away! With that, Divine Power from the angels started pouring into Lucias body. They couldnt cause a huge impact on our realm because they were in the Astral Realm, but at the very least, they could assist the Saintess. The efficiency would be terribly low compared to the original amount, since it was indirectly transmitted across dimensions, but If the sender in question were angels and in such a number, such inefficiency would cease to be a problem. She received a level of Divine Power that wouldnt have been strange to rupture her body immediately if she wasnt a Homunculus. However, she was able to take it as someone whose stats were all-in on Divine Power, at the cost of various side effects. Just looking at Lucias entire body emitting a holy light confirmed this. E-EEEK! I dont really understand whats happening right now, b-but! And with that energy, Lucia began the Sanctification process, her eyes shut tight. You told us to come because you were just going to cheer us up, but what even is this?! Didnt the scale turn way too big?!! System Message [ The White Devil momentarily submits to you. ] [ 1 Worship Stack is accumulated. ] [ Once all Stacks are charged, the target will function as a part of ! ] What a relief. It worked. [You seem to have gained quite an important clue.] Valkasus voice echoed from within Soul Linker. [Your reaction doesnt seem like the usual jubilation that emerges just because things worked out well. Was suppressing that lady that important?] Of course. Of fucking course it was important. This meant I was becoming a being that could exert control over Devils. A being that was not mentioned anywhere in the settings of the original game. You see, Ive been thinking about this for a while. Where did the origin of that soul come from? I mean, the soul who has the disposition of being loved by villains. And how far could I develop it? This interaction with Yuria now was a kind of crucial support for the theory I had in mind. The theory that I could give these beings a Happy Ending. As I inhaled deeply while having such thoughts You, right now. The voice of the Dominion could be heard from beside me. Did you just forcibly seal a Devils Fragment that was about to berserk? His voice was unusually soft, unlike the usual noisy atmosphere of these people, but I could quickly guess why. After all, each and every other angel around were silent with expressions of astonishment and horror. As if they had seen something impossible. Its not that grand. This was only possible now because I came fully prepared. I replied with a bitter smile. It was only feasible because I anticipated the situation, meticulously crafted a plan, arranged various means of regulations, and then precisely intervened at the moment the exact value was reached. If the Fragment were to spontaneously go berserk, even having the Fallens Seal would have been futile; I would have been decapitated on the spot. It was like putting a bell on a wild beast with a safety team and medic team all prepared. A risky endeavor, but not impossible. Without any preparation, I would just be torn apart by the wild beast. Honestly, Im kind of confused as to why youre so shocked. Suppressing a Devil on the brink of going berserk is something you could all do if you were in the Material Realm, right? No, thats not the point. What baffles me is the way in which you did it. Of course, its possible for us. If we were in the Material Realm, we would have used Divine Power to forcibly beat the shit out of that Devil, before stuffing it back into its Vessel. However His voice continued with a sound akin to a groan. Just now, the Devils Aura seemed to respect your will and retreated. Didnt it? It looked as if it recognized you as a superior being. In the first place, the very fact that you came prepared suggests you knew this was possible and came to test it. There was nothing I could really say besides scratch my head in response. Huh, as expected, his insight is really keen. The title of Dominion is definitely not given to just any old angel. I had a feeling you were destined to become something greater since the very first time we met, but His voice lowered once again as he followed up his sentence. What exactly are you trying to become? Well, who knows? The Fallens Seal had only reached Stage 2, so I couldnt say for certain. But at the very least I was able to say that I had taken the first step in an accomplishment no one in history had ever achieved. Im dreaming of becoming someone who has a huge heart. What? Big enough to embrace all six Devils. Embrace? I cant do it now, but shouldnt it be possible later? So what in the world is that supposed to mean? MmmWell, to put it precisely I would probably continue to sweat bullets and get chased around whenever someone, somewhere went berserk, but At the very least, I needed to firmly grasp where the final destination that the Vessels and I eventually reached after all these hardships. I plan to live with all six of them. Anyway, does Pandemonium have laws? Like, is polygamy allowed there? The Dominions mouth dropped open in silence. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 135: Can You Do That Again? Chapter 135: Can You Do That Again? Can You Do That Again? Seras Evatrice felt like her soul was leaving her body.. At first, she was just tailing him, thinking that itd be lucky if she could learn a few simple habits or something about him. Well, that was the case until she witnessed him putting leashes on two women before dragging them off somewhere. The Saintess? The Talisman who resists evil influences? She, too, knew of their existence. The Homunculi Sisters; Artificially created by the Holy Land. In the first place, the reason why this man confronted the Pope was to tell him not to interfere with these sisters But, what in the world is going on right now? Is he making the two women he saved indulge in his vile hobby? Uwegh. His insidiousness knows no bounds Those were the thoughts that came to her mind, but she still continued to follow him around. Though she couldnt understand what exactly was the reason behind his actions, if he really was as depraved as he looked That meant the palpitations she felt before were undoubtedly a mistaken emotion. She should be able to come to a conclusion that everything was just a misunderstanding as long as she was able to confirm that he was indeed a vile person. Thinking as such, she continued to tail him and She witnessed him calling forth the descent of angels. ? At first, she thought that her eyes were playing tricks on her. But that wasnt the case at all. Each and every one of those beings radiated a huge amount of Divine Power that made her stifle for breath. Which meant that they were real angels. No, no, wait. Hold on. The last time angels had shown themselves was during the appointment of the First Hero and the election ceremonies of the Popes. There were no other records in history that stated their appearance other than that. After all, one of the greatest authorities of the Pope was the only human who had directly encountered an angel. But, this Whatis this? No, seriously. What is going on?! She continued to watch in shock, as if her soul had left her body, but An even more unbelievable and ridiculous situation unfolded before her. The Talisman, upon seeing the angels, started to scatter white aura around, before going berserk. However That man subdued the Talisman emitting such aura in an instant. Subduing a Devils Vessel? That easily? With what principle? Anyone with even the slightest bit of knowledge about Devils Fragments and their Vessels would understand how ridiculous the scene she was witnessing was. Seras, of course, was affiliated with the Church and was well aware of the danger. It was impossible to make a Devils Vessel to submit unilaterally. But this man managed to do such a feat, and not only that, he even nonchalantly interacted with the angels afterwards. She had maintained a safe distance, so she couldnt hear what they were saying, but it was clear they were conversing naturally and informally. Even the Pope couldnt treat them like that It was as if they were friends. As if he knew every little thing about their nature. Strange. It was so strange. Seras wrapped her hands around her head, filled with confusion. After she started her career as an assassin, to her, every word of the Pope was the very definition of truth, as well as a choice that was the closest thing to the correct answer that would bring light to this world. Those he commanded her to harm were wicked and disruptive, their existence would only hinder the light that would come upon this world. That was what she had believed. But then Why could that man interact with the angels so nonchalantly? How was he able to subdue a devil with such ease? If he was a disruptive being that hindered the creation of Paradise on this earth, then he shouldnt be able to do at least one of those things. If such abilities were not a deception but real Then the one possessing them should be the Savior she believed in. Only His Holiness should be able to wield such powers. But then, why that man? Why? Seras held her head, lost in her chaotic bewilderment. System Message [ Target Seras is deeply shocked by you. ] [ The target falls into a state of Confusion! ] [ The target will reduce activities to harm you for a while! ] Reading the messages that continued to pop up, I stroked my chin. Certainly, what I just did warranted such a reaction. Her loyalty to the Pope held a significant religious aspect. While she might feel favor towards the Pope on a more personal level, seeing me mingle with a revered angel and easily subdue a despised Devil in one shot must feel strange to her. In her religion, such a feat could only be performed by the Savior. Of course, as the fanatical follower of the Pope, this wasnt enough to make her stop thinking of killing me. But it would at least tie up her actions a bit, which of itself, was quite the gai System Message [ Target Seras becomes more proactive in learning about you! ] [ The frequency of contact with you increases significantly! ] Wait, but that wasnt what I expected? It would reduce the possibility of her killing me, which was a good thing, but still I wont report this to the higher-ups. Right as I was thinking that The Dominion in front of me, holding his head, muttered as if letting out a groan. Is it because if the Seraphims find out that Ive made contact with a Devil, chaos would unfold? He looked at me strangely, as if trying to say that I knew too much. I chuckled and continued. Well, that makes sense. Theres probably a factional strife going on above right now, so theres no need to do anything that would get you in trouble. Ill keep quiet about it as well. Its nice and all that we came to an agreement so quickly, but how in the world do you know such thi Well, itll still cost you something to keep me quiet, though. So this was your plan from the start, you fucker. As I nonchalantly tossed such words to the Dominion, who had been about to confront me, a fierce response came back, forehead wrinkling in frustration. You see, I plan to repeat this kind of thing Regularly. Just a few more times. I said this, looking down at the unconscious Yuria. I hope youll cooperate a few more times when that happens, just as you have now. It was a look of genuine relief at having it returned. She nearly collapsed to the ground, clutching it in her hand and sobbing. It was a reaction that was bewildering even to me. I mean, like Wearing a collar while doing that is a bit You know It kinda felt like Uh. [At least youre self-aware] [Youre playing with the heart of such an innocent and pure lady here.] There was no need to keep reminding me that I was a piece of shit. After all, I knew it as well. System Notification [ The Lethargy and Guilt of target Yuria improves. ] Yes. Right. Lucia was one thing, but at least this girl was getting better. Thinking this, I wiped the dust off myself and stood up. Feeling better? Yesssss Then lets go back. And sorry for being so rough earlier. Back then, I had to roughly grab the leash and push her to the ground because I needed to keep the Fallens Seal out of her sight. So, at the very least, I had to apologize to her. Upon hearing my words, Yuria suddenly started fidgeting. Um, Mr. Dowd. What. Um, could you maybe Her face turned unusually red as she spoke. C-Continue Her voice was trembling. It looked as if she knew what she was saying was odd, but she couldnt help herself. D-Doing t-that t-to me in the future t-too? The silence that followed for a long while was so very awful. What? J-Just now. Yuria stammered as she spoke. I-It f-felt s-strangely g-good. W-When Mr. Dowd treated me r-roughly, i-it felt like y-you d-did something to m-me that y-you d-dont do to o-others, so I l-liked it Her face was so red as if it might burst and her voice was filled with extreme embarrassment, yet Those words came out of her mouth so clearly. Both Lucia and my faces displayed absolute horror at the same time. Hey, wait. Just wait a fucking minute. I knew that as the White Devils Vessel, as long as she could monopolize me, she would be willing to get into any kind of relationship, but Wasnt this a bit too extreme? Y-You, you, what, kind of, education, have you, been giving her! Lucia pointed at me with trembling fingers while saying such accusations, but This was unfair. I really hadnt done anything.! As I thought this, a System Window suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. System Message [ A Unique Meter is added to target Yuria! ] [ Apart from Favorability, a separate state called Masochism is created! ] [ When conditions are met, the Meter in question will fill up and the target will intensely demand a corresponding action from you. ] [ Failure to satisfy her desire will result in a Penalty! ] What? I had just managed to resolve her guilt, so why was some sort of Penalty thing showing up? As I stared incredulously at the window, more text scrolled down. System Message [ Masochism reacts to your aggressive contact with the target! ] [ Current level of Masochism is Level 1! ] [ Various functions are added to target Yuria! ] [ Now, just by making any Related Contact with you, her Corruption Value will significantly decrease! ] ! Holy shit, this was huge! Considering the amount of shit I had to go through to resolve her Corruption Value when it spiked, being able to decrease it just through contact was a significant merit. Of course, I needed to check what kind of contact it was, but from the wording, it didnt seem all that threatening. Surely, it wouldnt be so bad that it was a danger to my life. System Notification [ Calculating the detailed range of Related Contact! ] At least I would have thought so. If the following window hadnt cascaded down. System Message [ Activity Walk on Leash is added! ] [ Activity Fulfilling Delusions is added! ] [ Activity Light Choking is added! ] [ Activity Forcing Service is added! ] [ Activity ] . . . I broke out in a cold sweat while staring at the System Window listing down one activity after another. You fucking said it was contact. But what youre fucking adding are Things that a depraved and perverted piece of shit motherfucker would do! System Message [ As the Level of Masochism increases, increasingly more aggressive activities will be added! ] Stop it. STOP IT! You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 136: Killing Two Birds With One Stone Chapter 136: Killing Two Birds With One Stone Killing Two Birds With One Stone I wont ask for the reason, so Beatrix sighed, throwing such words into the dimly lit training ground. Just stop it already. Its becoming way too difficult to cover for you now. Then, she looked at her friend of ten years with a worried expression. Eleanor, her body covered in sweat, sprawled out in the middle of the training ground. This was, obviously, a familiar sight. Whenever this womans mind was filled with something complicated, she always came here to train until she was drenched in sweat. However What is the meaning of all this? Adjusting the budget will be a mess after all this Rumors that Lady Tristan had recently rented both the gym and training room to subject herself to an almost abusive training had spread throughout the academy. Beatrix sighed, looking around at the training ground that seemed like it had been hit by a storm. Shortly after, Eleanor silently wiped her sweat and tossed aside the magic dumbbell she had been using for strength training. It was an item with mana stones embedded on both sides, allowing the user to adjust the weight as desired. When she looked in that direction without much thought, Beatrix read the number 750kg written there before turning her gaze to Eleanor in utter horror. She lifted one of these with each of her arms and exercised with them?! How many sets did you do with that? Only 300. The rumor was accurate. Way, waaay too accurate. It was unbelievable that someone even thought about exercising with this thing, but to go this far? That wasnt even training anymore. That was just pure self-harm, nothing more, nothing less. Why in the world are you doing this? Youve been holing up here without meeting anyone! I know you always dedicate yourself to training, but this is the first time youve ever gone this far! Eleanor just wiped her sweat without a word. The expression on her face made Beatrix furrow her brows. This was an expression often shown by her. Normally, she hid her inner thoughts obstinately, to the extent that one could see it as petty. It was possible that she was taught from a young age that showing emotions was a sign of weakness. Since that was the case, her behavior was easy to understand. She had decided to erase such weakness to the best she could. As for why, she explained it with her own words. I realized that my dream is far too big. What? Our households cursed bloodline has always brought forth tragedy. Eleanors gloomy voice spread throughout the dim training grounds. That man has been doing so well until now, and it made me momentarily forget. What are you even talking about? Next time If I were to fail to protect him again If he were to get hurt because of something related to me And if By any chance, he Were to die Several images flashed through her mind. On their first meeting, he had turned into a total wreck right in front of her. Their second meeting, he was practically half-dead because he was solving some problem somewhere. And recently. She almost lost him Right before her very eyes She was too powerless to do anything but stood there in place, watching helplessly. The pain and helplessness that seemed to tear her soul apart still vividly lingered in her very nerves. The Prophet. Remembering the woman in the mask, Eleanor clenched her fists. No. I cant let that woman take him away from me. That was why she deemed that this level of training was nothing compared to the consequences that could come later. She resolved herself to become even stronger, stronger than I understand how you feel, Eleanor. Beatrix barely suppressed another sigh as she looked towards Eleanor. But still, we have to deal with the urgent matters first. The Imperial Household has summoned you. Hearing that, Eleanors eyes widened as she abruptly stood up. From the way she acted, it seemed like that was the first good news she had heard in a while. Her Imperial Majesty summoned me? Unfortunately, the Princess No, she isnt the Princess anymore now Unfortunately, Her Imperial Majesty doesnt seem to be in attendance. Eleanors expression crumpled once again. Seeing this, Beatrix let out a bitter smile before continuing. It has been a while since you last saw her, hasnt it? Because she has always been busy. Well, she always checks on you regularly. It wont be her if she doesnt pay attention to her childhood best friend. I am aware. As for Riru, she had some work related to the nation, but it should be the time for her to come back yet, right? So, why wasnt she here? Im not sure From what I heard, she applied for an extension of her stay. It seems it will take some time for her to return to Elfante. I frowned slightly upon hearing Talions words. It would be nice if she returned soon. I could sort out various things related to the next chapter. Chapter 4, Crimson Night, revolved around three key characters. Iliya, the Master of the Holy Sword, Faenol, the Chapter Boss And I silently looked at the amulet on my arm. [What?] Forget it. Theres just something like that. I chuckled inwardly at Calibans voice and responded. This person. The hidden card who would play a significant role in this chapter. Despite him always acting like a slightly older neighbor who constantly teased me, this person was someone who had died by the hand of a Vessel who possessed all of her Fragments. Well, anyway. A mock siege, huh? Then what I had to do became clear. I needed to find teammates. Now that I was a second-year student, there was a high chance I would be assigned on the side of defense. The maximum team size is three, right? Yes. Im afraid I cannot help you this time, though. Im grouped with my peers and assigned to offense for the siege Nah, its fine. I cant always rely on you. It was still a shame, though. If it was Talion, I would have been able to rely on him to do his job. Besides, finding teammates was a headache. To think I actually needed to do work in order to find some. Yuria, due to her nature, was too risky for such a test and Eleanor was likely to violate school regulations if teamed up with me, so I couldnt go with either of them. Moreover System Log [ Target Eleanor is experiencing extreme powerlessness! ] Her condition was not normal. Unlike Yuria and the Saintess, she seemed to be completely avoiding any contact with me, making it hard for me to reach out to her, and It felt like it would take quite some time for her to get back to normal. And Im already so busy as it is. I had too many things on my plate. My top priority was Faenols request to woo her within a month. Because if I failed that Lets say that this was the most dangerous thing of them all. Of course, considering her nature, just aimlessly throwing myself at her would not work, so I had left her alone for now. But if I missed even one class, it was over for me. Right now, I had no choice but to focus on that. On top of that, there was a Grand Assassin continuously stalking me as well. She didnt seem to have any intentions to attack me right now, but I still felt her watchful eyes on me. Hm. Hmmmmm. I closed my eyes and pondered for a moment. Oh well, it couldnt be helped. Since she kept on bothering me, Id just make a rather radical decision. I needed to appease Faenol, deal with the assassin on my tail, and perform well on the Practical Exam? Talion. I have a favor to ask. Yes? What favor? Go to the clearing in the mountain at the back. There should be a student from the Magic School with red hair. Her name is Faenol. I continued to speak as I stood up. Can you tell her that I want to see her? Yes, thats not too difficult but Where are you going right now? Finding my last teammate. I sighed and continued. You see, I know someone whose skills are unquestionably exceptional. So exceptional, in fact, that she was one of two kinds in the whole continent. Since I had prepped her enough that she was not planning to kill me right away, what I was about to do should somewhat work. I have to cuff both of them at the same time. This was what a real man should do. Deal with everything all at once when something annoying comes up. [Bastard, have you turned into an actual lunatic now?] [Youre too lazy to two-time, so you decided to just deal with them both at the same time?] Fuck you I never said that. Stop making shit up. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 137: Trouble (1) Chapter 137: Trouble (1) Trouble (1) [Anyway, I know it isnt really a surprise that youre thinking of doing something dangerous again, but] A voice resounded from inside the amulet. [Please try to have a little awareness of what kind of bullshit youre trying to pull.] Excuse me? [Just think about it. Youre trying to put two Devils Vessels together, and expecting nothing bad would happen. Thats just borderline delusional thinking.] I responded, sighing at Calibans words. Theyd only be together for the duration of the exam. Surely nothing bad will happen from that. [Those guys are still Devils Vessels. Did you not remember what happened to you the last time you did this?] Yeah, I got split in half. Honestly, I kinda agreed with his concerns. Not for any other reason, but because of this. < Gift-Related Character Alert > Faenol Lipek [ No Favorability Level ] [ Related Event Occurs in D-5 ] Five days later, that was the exact day of the Practical Exam. This meant that something related to this woman would be shoved right up my ass, but Even so, I doubt itll be anything big. [You kept on saying that, but] No, really. Since the person in question is Faenol, something like that wont happen. I decisively cut off Calibans doubt. [What makes you so sure? I thought you said that shes the most dangerous one out of them all if she were to go berserk.] Well, shes a little special. Considering that a Devil going berserk depended greatly on the mental state of the Vessel, this was even more true. In the first place, she couldnt feel any emotion. Which meant, she had lost the trigger to go berserk. [Then why are you running around trying to fulfill her requests? Cant you just leave her be?] Because if I do that, that thing inside her will start acting up on its own. I responded with a sigh. Possessing all three Fragments meant that there was already a complete Devil inside her body. In short, she was different from ordinary Vessels. Knowing the Red Devil, it was a certainty that she was trying her best to descend into the Material Realm by using Faenol as a medium. Devil of Hatred. As her alias came to my mind, I furrowed my brows. Just like what her name entailed, she possessed a blind hatred towards all sentient and intellectual living beings. Compared to other Devils who possessed various complex elements To put it simply, she was just evil. If she were to go berserk, shed go around to burn and kill everything within her sight. The bigger problem here was the fact that she, along with the Grey Devil, were both unique Devils that could forcibly go berserk. Suppressing such an existence with the Holy Sword that Iliya wielded was the main content of Chapter 4. That was why The one month time limit Faenol had given me It was kinda like a notification, a time limit until the scheduled berserk happened. Basically, she was saying that if I didnt kill her within this period of time, something horribly wrong would happen. Such a tragic heroine, wasnt she? She had to end up bearing such a fate; Having to die so that she wouldnt be able to kill others. And it wasnt like she chose to be a Devils Vessel or anything. [] You seem a bit displeased. [Obviously.] Caliban answered with a slightly low voice. [Are you actually feeling sorry for her?] [Did you forget that she is the main culprit of the Crimson Night Incident? Have I not made myself clear enough?] Well, it was understandable for him to act like this. It looked like I was taking the side of the person who killed him, so there was no way he would feel happy about it. And aside from that, as Caliban said, Faenol was someone who caused a cataclysm that affected tens of thousands lives. However [I understand. One wrong step means death.] Exactly. To think that the perils were so extreme that even this person could understand it at once. What a truly terrifying existence you were, Purple Devil. [So why are you going out of your way to meet her now? Shouldnt you be avoiding her as much as possible?] Caliban then asked in a puzzled tone. After all, during the time I sent Talion to call for Faenol, I was moving towards the building where Seras was attending a lecture. My reasons? There were a lot of them, but System Log [ Target Seras becomes more proactive in learning about you! ] [ The frequency of contact with you increases significantly! ] Since this kind of thing had popped up, avoiding her was out of the question from the start. Contact was basically guaranteed and given my disposition, it was all but confirmed that I would get deeply involved with her. That was why I needed to find a solution corresponding to such conditions. Just like the other Devils, if she were to be left alone, things will actually get much worse. [Isnt she the Devil of Obedience? Cant you just command her to stay quiet?] If I dont give her any tasks whatsoever, she would go berserk on the spot. While saying she has no reason to be of service. [What a hassle.] I didnt feel like it was right to speak so lightly of a Devil, but I agreed with his sentiment. Thats why its better for me to keep some distance with her. Keeping an ever so delicate balance, as if on the very precipice of falling. Maintaining just the right distance was key, like we were friends, but at the same time, not. Because of my disposition, it was inevitable that she would cling onto me to be obedient, but it was vital to keep a proper distance to prevent my sensitive information from flowing into her. If I kept her too far, she would go berserk, and if I kept her too close, she would cause all sorts of trouble, thinking that she was doing it for my sake. Forming a team and taking the exam together was also to properly inject this sense of distance into her. To take control of the relationship, it was easier to actively steer the situation than to have accidental contact. Now then. Standing in front of the classroom where Seras was attending her lecture, I took a deep breath. For now, the base of our interaction was to have a somewhat intimate, but clearly defined business relationship. Just as I was thinking this Suddenly, a scream erupted from outside the classroom. KYAAAAAAAAK! Someone go call for help quickly! But It felt like something went terribly wrong from the very start. When I hurriedly opened the door of the lecture room and entered My head started spinning upon witnessing the scene unfolding before my eyes. Seras stood in the center of the classroom, holding a blood-stained dagger. In front of her lay a man, covered in blood. I wasnt sure what happened, but the situation clearly indicated that Seras had stabbed this man. And a system window appeared before my eyes. System Message [ The mental state of Seras is highly unstable! ] [ Related Event is urgently created! ] ! Emergency Quest ! [ Target Seras is in trouble! ] [ Aiding the target will greatly increase her Favorability Level! ] [ Aiding the target will start the Exclusive Quest Treachery! ] [ Upon failing to aid her, the Purple Devil will go berserk! ] Yeah. Just my luck. No way in hell everything would ever go smoothly. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 138: Trouble (2) Chapter 138: Trouble (2) Trouble (2) So boring. Seras barely suppressed a yawn that threatened to escape her lips. As a student infiltrating Elfante, she couldnt just skip all the classes, so she ended up having to pick a few lectures to attend. That was part of the reason why she was sitting in this classroom listening to the professors useless explanations. Is this truly the best educational institution in the Empire? She had joined this advanced lecture, hoping that it would be at least interesting, but the professor in front of her was just droning on and on about the basics of Divine Power Mastery. Of course, comparing his lecture to the Holy Land was too harsh, but she couldnt help but find that the level of the lecture was disappointingly low. For someone like her, this level was a mere waste of time. But, she still had to stick around in this academy. Because of a certain man. -Thus, Divine Power is subdivided into various grades, starting from Basic Graces to Miracles, with the highest grade being the Angels Grace- The Angels Grace, huh? Seras thought expressionlessly, slightly bowing her head as she pondered the words coming from the professors mouth. It was something she had encountered not long ago. A deep sigh escaped her. Initially, she was planning to deal with him quickly before returning to the Pope, but things had turned complicated. Starting from the mysterious throbbing that she felt, to the sight of him interacting nonchalantly with the angels, the beings who were considered as Apostles of God by the Church. And if that interaction was genuine, without any trickery or deceit Then, she absolutely could not harm that man. Because, according to the doctrine, only those with true faith could make contact with angels. But that would imply that the Pope, the person who had ordered her to bring harm to that man, possessed a flaw. What in the world is going on? She felt a headache coming as she rubbed her temple. He was always a thorn in the Popes side. But, the more she observed him, the more bizarre he ! Suddenly, she widened her eyes. She felt a strange sensation near her chest. Something that had been happening far too often lately. Every time she thought about him, this throbbing sensation would appear. Especially when she tried to belittle him in her mind.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com What exactly did this mean, she didnt know. Though, what she did know was there was something inside her that forcibly warned her to Not do that. To not belittle that man. Because shed definitely come to regret it if she did. The feelings felt eerily similar to the sensation that stopped her when she tried to stab him before. Dont make me laugh. With a deep frown, she twisted her body slightly. This was an involuntary reaction to the strong aversion she felt towards this sensation. To her, the fact that this feeling was trying to forcibly control her will was something disgraceful. The doctrine of the Holy Land is infallible, and so is His Holiness the Pope. That man is not even in the same league. Its not even worth comparing. Ever since she first met the Pope and embraced his ideology, she was fascinated by his vision. The world the Pope dreamt of was the very definition of a true and genuine Paradise for her. An ideal world where no one was discriminated against. Where everyone, regardless of their origin or race, could enjoy equal happiness without being idiotically bound by such innate barriers. Compared to the Pope, who had surpassed even her ideals, that man was nothing more than an animal who shamelessly put a leash on women while dragging them Again, she twisted her body. The pounding in her heart gave her a sharp pain, as if she was being stabbed repeatedly with a knife. As if her heart was showing its fury the moment she thought of such words. It was so painful that if her profession wasnt one so accustomed to enduring pain, she would have cried out in agony. Am I possessed by an Evil Spirit or something? What is going on? Initially, she thought she just wasnt feeling well, but her condition was just way too strange to be dismissed as such. I should visit Vizsla for an exorcism after this class ends. While she held her chest with such thoughts, the professor continued his lecture. -Thus, some scholars interpret the birth of the first human as the deeds of existences from the Astral Realm. At that, she let out a slight smile. Yop. Thats correct. And the Holy Land, which had the closest interactions with beings of the Astral Realm, undoubtedly stood at the top among the continental superpowers. For once, an imperial says something that makes sense. Thinking this, Seras looked at the professor. However, it is difficult to see it that way as it seems quite unlike them to make so many mistakes. The words that followed from that mouth made her expression stiffen, but I am talking about the crude, disgusting, and embarrassing race of Cardinal Humans, who dare to be treated as the same human beings as us. If someone ever meets an angel, please do me a favor and ask why such beings were created. During the span of the light laughter that spread among the students Seras desperately suppressed the killing intent that threatened to burst through her expression. Memories buried long ago in the back of her mind began to resurface. The discrimination, humiliation, persecution, and oppression that she, someone who was born in the Empire, endured before moving to the Holy Land. And the most precious thing she had lost. Despicable bastards. With a look of disdain, she stared at the laughing humans around her. The Cardinals. Those similar to humans, but also bearing the traits of another race. This term was used for Beastkin who were typically referred to as Biped. The Empire completely ostracized and discriminated against them, who, despite having slight physical differences, were almost indistinguishable from humans. Unlike the Holy Land, they were narrow-minded and repulsive humans who only treated pure-blooded humans as their equal. Class is dismissed for today. Submit your assignments through the teaching assistant by the next class. With that, the students began to noisily rise from their seats. And Seras, mixed in with them, expressionlessly organized her writing tools and textbooks. Unlike others, she had no friends in this school, but she didnt feel anything in particular about it. After all, her student identity was just a disguise. Once she finished dealing with her work regarding Dowd Campbell, shed immediately discard this identity. So, all she needed to do was pack up her things, and she could proceed to continue to gather information about that man. Or at least that was supposed to be the case. Hey. What? Then you are being deceived. He is cunning, like a snake. You can think of it as enacting justice. Enacting justice? At one point The tone of her voice was lowered to a chilling level. But Briz, engrossed in his slanders, didnt notice it. Thats right. I want to teach him that he shouldnt have messed with the Chester County. What do you mean by that? It is just as I said. Accidents happen all the time in the Practical Exam, so it is easy to cover up. And then I am going to kill that bastard. Upon hearing this Her field of vision was dyed in purple. And then -! Blood splattered. And a scream echoed in all directions. KYAAAAAAAAAK-! S-Someone go call for help quickly! At these screams, her consciousness, which had briefly been lost, returned. Seras widened her eyes and took a harsh breath. What did I just do! This was a situation she had never experienced before after becoming a Grand Assassin and forming the Oath of the Crescent Moon, a secret assassin organization. It was eerily similar to the time she tried to harm Dowd Campbell. Her body moved independently from her will. As if someone else was controlling it. However The gravity of the situation was far more serious than at that time. Seras looked at her hands in horror. The blood-stained dagger. Brixs collapsed body in front of her. And most importantly All the gazes focused on her. It was a disaster. There couldnt have been a more troubling incident than this. To think that she would suddenly stab someone with a weapon in a situation with so many witnesses. She broke out in a cold sweat. Her back felt icy cold, and her head started to spin. Thanks to her skill in killing her emotions, she did not panic, but no matter how calm her mind was, it was nearly impossible to think of a suitable solution to this situation. No. There was one. A terrible but effective method came to her mind. It was a thought she would never have entertained under normal circumstances. But in her current strange state of mind, the idea seemed terribly enticing. Cant I just get rid of all of them? She just needed to slaughter all the people here. After all, if all the witnesses were gone, no one would know who did it. And as if to support this thought Purple flickered in her vision once again. They are all people who are of no help to that man anyway. What does that even mean? Why was she even thinking that? Although this thought vaguely brushed past her mind Once again, a powerful pulse spread in her mind, as if smoke was rising, burying such thoughts. These fodder here, all these morons Are meaninglessworthless. There is no harm in getting rid of them. It shouldnt matter at all. In the world, only those who are useful to Master should remain. Thesethings are just a nuisance. And right at that moment The door to the lecture room opened abruptly. Seras swiftly turned her eyes towards it. Ah. Its that man. Dowd Campbell. Seras heart began pounding. Ah, thats right. Master. She had to do something that would help that man. Please wait, just for a moment. Since she would get rid of all these useless people. That must be what that man desires too. Right as she thought this and raised her dagger again Dowd showed a bewildered expression, quickly grasping the situation, and then Ah, seriously. He let out a sigh. Following that, his face showed a resigned expression, as if he had no other choice. And then The Seal on his chest began to shine. White? With an enthralling white that captivated the attention of every human in the vicinity. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 139: Trouble (3) Chapter 139: Trouble (3) Trouble (3) System Message [ Mutation has no accumulated enough Demonic Aura. ] [ s ability cannot be fully exerted! ] [ Incompletely replicates the Authority of the target! ] The first thing that came to mind was that I could take away Yurias Demonic Aura after I made her feel better. Though, I wasnt planning on using it here. Its way too early to use this. Originally, I was saving it to use on Faenol, but this was an emergency, there was no other choice. Revealing my hand like this was better than letting the Purple Devil go berserk at least Like, I could always get the Demonic Aura back by leashing Yuria and dragging her to Mister Angels. [You have no more conscience left at this point, huh?] Okay, look, even if I sugarcoated my words, it wouldnt change the action itself! Besides, it should be fine, as long as I didnt enjoy the process! [Its over for you. Youre way too gone at this point.] [I dont think this is because of some kind of influence by your race change. Your personality is just becoming shittier.] Okay, cool, now shut up. Ignoring Calibans words, I strode into the classroom. [But, a Devils still a Devil, I guess. Are you trying to tell me this aura is incomplete?] From inside the amulet, such a sentence flowed out. He probably said such a thing after witnessing the scene unfolding in my surroundings. White aura flowed out of my chest, filling the entire space. Influenced by it, the students had dazed looks. Dozens of them stood still and upright, as if they had fainted while standing. Due to the characteristics of this School, those students must be aiming to be Battle Priests. In other words, some of them should have stronger resistance towards this kind of mental interference compared to students of other Schools.. Yet, even they had lost control of their minds. The White Devils Authority, Enthrallment, gave its user the ability to exercise control over the mind of the target. If they were at the level of a Venerable Monk, or a high-ranking Battle Priest, whose very nature were to discipline ones mind, they might not succumb to this level of Aura. But because they were merely students, even this incomplete Aura was enough to captivate them. I could ask these guys to do anything right now and they would comply. Alright. Attention. I clapped my hands to shift their focus to me. Their dazed eyes simultaneously concentrated towards my face. Forget everything youve seen here. Got it? With those words A white aura briefly flared in everyones eyes. This meant they recognized my command. Good. Now, disperse quietly. Shortly after I said this, everyone left the classroom in an orderly fashion. Almost as if nothing had happened. [Is that all? Are you sure itll be okay?] What? Was there something that wasnt okay about this? [This kind of memory erasure can be reversed later if someone tries hard enough. Since theyre Battle Priests, they should be familiar with purification rituals. This kind of thing is very risky and] What? [Huh?] We each exchanged such puzzled noises. It felt like we were not quite on the same page. What are you on about? Let me remind you, this is a Devils Authority, okay? [Okay, look, Ive seen others use similar abilities to this before. All of them could easily be broken through, you know?] Ah. I get it. This guy thought that what I did was ordinary brainwashing or hypnosis. Well, it did seem similar to those, I guess. And he was right, those kinds of things were easy to break and using it carried a high risk. However, despite it being incomplete, this was still a Devils Authority. This isnt brainwashing or hypnosis, theyre just following my orders because they like me. In the first place, the abilitys name was Enthrallment. They retained their memories of everything, they just followed everything I said because they liked me so much. This ability wasnt as simple as me making them forget something because I told them so. It was that they chose to listen to my request because I wanted them to forget. And they werent even aware of this happening. [What is that even supposed to mean?] It means, you dont need to worry about the aftermath. By the way, they wouldnt just forget everything that happened here, theyd also actively cover up the evidence to prevent rumors from spreading, silence anyone who knew about this, and even if they were tortured, they wouldnt speak of it until they die. She excitedly threw those words with a joyful voice. Her pupils sparkled as if stardust were falling from them. It was an unimaginable expression considering her usual demeanor. She was like a large loyal dog meeting its owner after years of separation. Hey, hey, stop! Of course, no matter how dog-like she was, it was still way too excessive for her to actually lick my face. Seriously, put your tongue away! As I backed away, startled, Seras, undeterred, spread her legs wide while embracing me like an industrial vise. It was as if she was a small child clinging to a grown adult. As if she never wanted to let go. As if she wanted to be even closer to me. Of course, my physical strength wasnt great enough to properly withstand a full-grown woman charging at me with all her weight. As soon as I staggered and fell, Seras covered me as if she had been waiting for this moment. With no room to retreat, I had no choice but to be at her mercy as she relentlessly licked my face. Seeing one of the continents top assassins doing this kind of thing would certainly be a horrifying sight, but it was probably not of her own will. To explain, uh Her behavior was heavily influenced by the personal tastes of the Purple Devil. [What? If this is all she does when she goes berserk, then she doesnt look dangerous at all.] While my face was getting smeared with saliva, Caliban said such words. This isnt her going berserk. As I replied to him, I activated a skill. System Notification [ Using Scan. ] [ Gathering information on the target. ] [ A 24-hour cooldown applies before reuse is available on the same target. ] [ Seras Evatrice ] Characteristic: Vessel Purple Devil Status: I like Master, I like Master, I like Master, I like Master, I like Master, I like- Lets skip this creepy ass window for now. [ Status Info ] [ General ] Strength: A+ Agility: SSS Endurance: B Luck: B Power: A- [ Special ] Magic Power: A Law Power: F Divine Power: A [ Misc. ] Current Fused Devil Fragment Amount: 1 Stage 1 Fusion Progress: 3% Corruption Progress: 1% Look at this. The Fragment Fusion Progress was at its lowest. Even the Corruption Progress was lingering at 1% This was a phenomenon that could only be seen with the Purple Devil. Even if she didnt go berserk, she was able to express her will through the Vessel. This shit was scary as fuck. Even the White Devil, THE Devil of Obsession herself didnt rush out, suppress Yurias personality and do whatever she wanted. Sure, they were Vessels and all, but once they got seriously entangled with a Devil, a mental breakdown would definitely occur, it was just a matter of time. If the Vessels personality was forcibly suppressed like this by the Devils will, the Vessel could actually become a vegetable, unable to act nor think. And if the Vessel ended up like that, it would be a huge loss for the Devil, as they could only exert their influence in the Material Realm through them as a medium. However This crazy Devil disregarded any of that and just rushed in. When thinking about such a reckless tendency, where she consistently meddled for me, there couldnt be anything more terrifying than that. Seras. As such What I had to do here was quite clear. I needed to lay some groundwork to control that tendency. Yes, Master! Just tell me to do anything! Anything! Command me! Boss me around however you want! Anything I can do, Ill do, so! This is a command. Dont come within a 5 meter radius from me. Seras words were cut off abruptly. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 140: Nursing (1) Chapter 140: Nursing (1) Nursing (1) As soon as my voice trickled away, a system window popped up in front of me. System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX-Grade. ] And the moment she took in my words, she didnt move a single inch. As if she had forgotten how to breathe, the atmosphere around her was so eerie that it was almost scary. Master? Doesnt need me? Huh? The look in her face made it as if her entire world had crumbled. Colors gradually drained from her eyes. System Message [ Corruption Value of target Seras skyrockets! ] [ She will soon definitively enter a Berserk state! ] Master, isnt my Master? Seriously, I just told her to stay away, but her mental state had shattered to this extent. So annoying. Still You heard me. Dont come within five meters of me. I wouldnt back down. If I didnt draw this line between us, she would actually stick to me all day long and cause all kinds of trouble. Instead Of course, I couldnt just push her away and do nothing, or else her Corruption Value would explode instantly. And so, I added more to my words. Dont stray beyond ten meters either. The expression of Seras, or more precisely, the Purple Devil, was filled with confusion. System Message [ Corruption Value of the target drops sharply! ] Since it was clear that my command didnt have the intention to push her away, her expression was brightened slightly. Not only that, her Corruption Value dropped as well. But, I wasnt done yet. And dont even think about meeting me every day. System Message [ Corruption Value of target Seras skyrockets! ] Instead, Ill play with you one day a week. I promise. System Message [ Corruption Value of the target drops sharply! ] But, when we meet that day Every time I continued to speak, her Corruption Value repeatedly soared and dropped. It soared every time I tried to push her away and dropped whenever I declared I would keep her close. [What are you even trying to make her do then? You tell her to not come near you, but you dont want her to stay away either] Im just trying to adjust the distance between us. As I said before I came here When dealing with the Purple Devil, my survival depended on us managing our distance. Actually, I was the only one who decided on the distance between us, but it should be fine as long as I laid out all these terms clearly to her. Instead, if you follow my commands well Besides, I didnt want her to mindlessly follow my order. What I wanted was to tame her so that she could fulfill my needs. So, I had to treat her like a dangerous pet that was able to end my life in an instant if a single thing went wrong. This kind of approach was impossible to do with other Devils, but it should work with this one specifically. Ill give you a reward. A reward? Ill gradually allow you to come closer to me. Ill let you sleep a little less, and Ill gradually increase our playtime as well. As I said this, I stroked her head, who was still on top of me. The confused expression she had after hearing the series of words I spoke, melted into a beaming smile when I patted her head. It was as if just receiving some attention from me was the greatest happiness in the world for her. I guess its true that Devils are inextricably linked to Vessels. That was the theory I had established before. The relationship between the Blue Devil and Riru already half-convinced me that Devils were more influenced by Vessels than I thought. That was why And most importantly. If you listen to me well The words I was conveying to her now were A message to both the Purple Devil and Seras. Ill never abandon you. Her face, which had been beaming with a smile, suddenly turned stiff. Cold sweat dripped in abundance. My vision blurred slightly. [Hey, you good?] Yes, well. In fact, I was also startled by this situation. I checked my condition on the status window, but there was nothing wrong with the Fallens Seal, nor was there any malfunction in any part of my body. But then, what was this? What was the reason behind these sudden symptoms? [Have you been resting lately?] Ah. Right. Because I had to run around everywhere to handle various tasks, I could barely sleep. Including the time I spent in the Forge of Struggle, I hardly had a moments rest for a long time. I have to study, manage the Devils, awaken Faenols emotions, and prepare for the events derived when the Empress visits the academy Just listing it out already overwhelmed me. It was a problem that unavoidably occurred because there werent just one or two events to prepare for. They all had to be dealt with simultaneously and to achieve the best results, I couldnt neglect a single thing. Not to mention that I always had to consider the variable known as the Prophet [Thinking like that wont solve anything, you punk.] Caliban clicked his tongue as he threw such words at me. [You have to deal with what you can, one by one. Trying to handle it like youre doing now will just make things worse. And youll just wear yourself out.] Thats strange. Youre actually giving me constructive advice? [Your state is more awful than usual these days. Especially after you fell off that precipitous tightrope youve been walking on. Following that one mistake, you seem to be more cautious than ever too.] He was right It was already proven that I couldnt always perfectly handle everything, especially after I got bisected in two. The problem was If I make a mistake, other people might die. The main scenario continued to derail like an uncontrollable runaway engine; Something I had already experienced several times. And it was clear that I was the cause of all this. That was why If I made a mistake, I wouldnt be the only one whod suffer. Those absurd events that occurred because of me would also sweep other people into it. And even among those, the most important thing was Eleanor is the most important. I let out a sigh as I said that. The Prophet had been targeting her the most, this was the undeniable truth. As such, I had various plans prepared for that, but I do want to see her at least once. The problem was that she wasnt even thinking of meeting me right now. I tried to talk to her through various means. Just a single exchange of words would be fine for me. But, she always firmly rejected me, so I hadnt been able to see her face. Since we parted ways in the Forge of Struggle, I had not encountered her even a single time. Theres something I have to tell her directly, but Ive been so tired lately I muttered weakly before pushing myself off the wall. The severe dizziness and vertigo that hit me had disappeared, that was why I did this, but As soon as I made such an action, I realized. Ah. It wasnt that I had recovered, rather, my strength just returned for a second before my body collapsed. I guess this was similar to how your life flashes before your eyes when youre about to die, huh? [Huh? Hey, Hey! You punk?!] I heard Calibans voice, but I could not control my body. My head fell straight to the ground. Dowd? Dowd! Dowd, look at me! Right then A familiar voice faintly reached my ears. At the same time, beyond my blurry vision, I could see a rather familiar hair color. Huh? Eleanor? The timing of her appearance was a bit too coincidental. It was as if she popped out as soon as I collapsed. Did she happen to overhear our conversation? Wait, wouldnt I have looked like a madman since she couldnt hear Caliban? No, more importantly, I didnt say anything that I shouldnt say, right? Such fleeting thoughts crossed my foggy mind. System Message [ The Guilt of target Eleanor intensi-] Before I could even finish reading the message that abruptly appeared My vision went dark. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 141: Nursing (2) Chapter 141: Nursing (2) Nursing (2) Uh, Student Council President? Talions words naturally trickled out as soon as he saw Eleanor walking down the hallway from the opposite side. He had heard rumors about her lately, like how she holed herself up in the physical training room, refusing to take a single step outside. So this was a rather rare occasion where one could actually catch her outside that room. Its been a while since I have seen you. Have you been well? The last time we talked was during the Exchange Student Program, wasnt it? Following his gentle smile was a warm and friendly greeting, befitted of his character as someone with a high social skill. Indeed. It has been a while. Talion tilted his head at her reply. While to others, she might have sounded no different from normal, to him, he could feel that there was something off with her. President, are you okay? What is it that you mean? Did something bad happen? Eleanor tilted her head. Does it look like something bad has happened to me? No, you look the same on the outside, but Talion scratched his head as he continued. You touch your ears often while you speak, this means youre bothered by something. Well, thats what I heard at least. Eleanors eyes widened as she looked at her hand. I did not realize I had such a habit Senior Brother told me. He said Student Council President has many habits and Eleanors expression stiffened for a moment. It was noticeable enough that Talion was briefly taken aback. Did I say something wrong? He was so bewildered that he quietly bit his lip as he watched Eleanor. What should I say to her now? He noticed that she wasnt in the mood to talk about Dowd. Previously, even the slightest mention of Dowd would make her eyes sparkle as shed rush in, attentively listening to everything . Did they have a fight or something? It was obvious to Talion that the relationship between those two had become awkward. Although he didnt really know the reason, he did remember Dowd complaining that Eleanor refused to meet him despite him trying to look for her. While he was lost in such thoughts, Eleanor suddenly asked. Speaking of which, where are you headed? Ah, Senior Brother asked me to look for someone named Faenol so He stopped talking mid-sentence, horrified by the realization of what he just said. This person in front of him was someone who knew every name of those close to Dowd by heart. Now, imagine if she were to hear that he was looking for a girl on Dowds behalf Is that so? But Contrary to his expectations, Eleanors response was surprisingly lukewarm. Even Talion was startled; So much so that he had to take a moment to properly look at her. And when he did that, he realized that he was wrong. She didnt give out a lukewarm reaction. Instead, what he said deepened her depression. Almost as if she was saying, Its obvious that it would turn out that way And her next words confirmed this. That might be for the better. She muttered to herself in self-deprecation. It is probably better for him to be with other female students than with someone like me. Huh? From that mans perspective, I must seem quite pathetic. Perhaps, he already starts disliking Um, Student Council President. It may be presumptuous of me to say this, but After hearing that, Talion just couldnt let it go. There was, of course, the discomfort of seeing a person, who was always so confident, becoming self-deprecating like this, but more than that Yes? If you continue to be like this, youll only make Senior Brother suffer even more. You should know it already. Theres now way that hed start to dislike you, or find you pathetic. Did he himself say those words to you? I dont think he did, right? I genuinely dont know why you suddenly feel so uneasy around him, but I think you should try talking to him directly. Im sure you wont regret doing it. Even Talion knew that there were numerous people around Dowd Campbell, especially the number of the ladies, it was noticeably high. But even among them, there was no doubt that he cared the most about the state of this woman right here. Hearing that, Eleanor blinked her eyes and then, with a sigh, nodded her head. Even if they were mere empty words, I appreciate it. They are not empty words at all. I see. I understand. Indeed, you do have quite the talent in the art of socializing, Eldest Son of Armand Viscounty. No, Im being serious. You see, Im rooting for Iliya. Of course, I like you too, President, but if I had to choose, Id naturally support my friend a little mo Well, at least she knew that such a response certainly wasnt from someone whod say empty words to her. Hmph. Eleanor sighed and dusted off her palms. She had just knocked out Talion, who was spouting nonsense, by striking him between the brows. To be honest, the only reason she restrained herself a little was because he said something somewhat helpful. -You should know it already. Theres now way that hed start to dislike you, or find you pathetic. Did he himself say those words to you? I dont think he did, right? She knew that. Better than anyone, in fact. Yes, she was training, but the reason she didnt try to see Dowd to this extent was because there wasnt any reason to. She looked down at him, who was sound asleep, with slightly rough pants. It might be strange to express it this way But looking at this man now She couldnt help but drool. Just a little. Wouldnt it be okay if its just a little? Ever so slightly, so it doesnt show. She swallowed dryly. Im sorry. Her voice echoed quietly. I am really, truly sorry. I am truly a bad person. The words were the same apology, but .I am truly sorry. The meaning contained was entirely different from before. [Hey.] [I know that youre already awake, but why arent you opening your eyes? Are you actually enjoying this situation?] Oh, shut the fuck up. I threw such words out while desperately keeping my eyes closed. Dumbass, are you kidding me? How am I supposed to open my eyes in this kind of situation? What should I do if I open my eyes anyway? Tell her, Actually, Ive been awake this whole time! I wanted to see what you were up to? Yeah, Id be lucky if she only fucked up my jaw after that.. But seriously, what the fuck was going on? Why was she suddenly groping around my entire body? I regained consciousness and found myself in this state! Where the fuck am I? Who the fuck am I? Why the fuck am I? I dont even know whats what anymore! Anyway Considering her tendencies, everything should end after she gave me a tender kiss or something. There was no way shed do anything more than [Ooooh, her hand is gradually going lower.] The fuck? [Shes literally trying to take off your clothes. A kiss on the lips? What are you on about? You two have already done it before, do you think shed be satisfied with just that. Naive.] No, Im not even worried about my lips being used at this point. But going beyond that is, well, sort of, you know! [She looks nervous. Look, she cant find the buttons, shes fumbling around.] [Anyway, will you be okay? If things were to continue like this, shell eat you whole, you know?] Stop your commentaries! Please, for the love of all that is holy, Im also trying to figure out how to get out of this situation right now. I have to do something! Right as I was thinking this The situation was resolved suddenly. But In a direction I absolutely did not wish for. Mr. Dowd, I heard you collapse from overworking! Are you okay! Mr. Dowd, a-are you okay?! Along with those voices, the door of the infirmary burst open. At this, Eleanor abruptly stood up, startled, and as a result, the entire bed flipped over, throwing my body onto the floor. There was that. It was a bit of a relief, honestly. After all, one of the voices belonged to Yuria. And I managed to avoid getting my bare face exposed. However Ah. Uh. Lucia and Yuria looked around the infirmary with dazed eyes. So, to be more precise They saw my figure, rolling on the floor with all my clothes loosened And Eleanor, with her face oddly red, panting, and having been touching me until just a moment ago. Silence stretched as their gazes met each others Uh, Lady Tristan. Then Finally, the Saintess spoke in a chilly voice. What exactly were you doing here? Oh my poor stomach. It hurts Why the fuck did it always turn into this kind of situation even when I faint from overwork? Cut me some slack. Please. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 142: Nursing (3) Chapter 142: Nursing (3) Nursing (3) If Lucia Greyhounder were to describe her feelings about Eleanor, shed say that she didnt have any particular emotions toward her. She was just someone shed occasionally encounter. Though theyd meet sometimes in social gatherings among the upper echelons of nobles, ultimately, they were merely acquaintances, nothing more, nothing less. However, if they were to encounter each other like this, then the story would change. What on earth is she doing? She alternated her sharp glare between Dowd, who was miserably rolling on the floor, and Eleanor herself, who was letting out startled coughs. Ah, no, so this, uh- Seeing the other woman stuttered, struggling to speak, her eyes narrowed even further. This wasnt the kind of reaction she expected from someone like her. Which meant Even to Eleanor herself believed what she was about to do was an improper action. What were you trying to do? When Lucia asked that question with narrowed eyes, the other woman could only answer in silence, confirming her suspicions. I didnt have any particular expectations for you, Lady Tristan. Lucia sighed before continuing. But your current appearance is extremely unsightly. Honestly, Lucia didnt need to treat her this harshly. Of course, Lucia knew what Eleanor was doing was a little too much, but being the observant woman she was, and how knowledgeable she was toward those kinds of things, it wasnt hard for her to realize that the latter harbored certain feelings for that man. In the first place That man had previously spouted some insane claims about living with all 6 Devils Vessels as if it were a walk in the park. Considering his crazy, playboy-like nature, she could pass Eleanor as one of his victims. However Lucias gaze subtly shifted to Yuria. Her younger sister was fidgeting with her scabbard in her hands. Considering her usual demeanor, the first thing she would do when Lucia talked like this was to anxiously tell her not to fight. But her current reaction was How to put it? She wore the look of someone who was seeing a stray cat sneaking onto the kitchen table. It wouldnt be strange if she were to draw her sword at any moment. In truth The reason why Lucia had hurled such sharp words to Eleanor was to deal with her younger sisters outburst. She wanted to conclude the issue on her own terms before it escalated any further. Because her intuition was practically screaming with alarms. If Yuria and this woman were left alone in this place, there was no doubt that some kind of trouble would explode. I cannot overlook such inappropriate actions. Please leave the infirmary, Lady. However, as soon as she said those words Eleanors movement, which had been clouded by her flustered state, abruptly froze. What do you mean by those words, Saintess? As soon as she heard the chilly reply, Lucia internally slapped her forehead. Right. There was no way that this young lady was going to step away easily. But, Lady Tristan, if rumors about you doing this were to spread, it will not lead to anything good. Upon hearing that Eleanors pupils darkened as she sighed and brushed her hair. Are you threatening me? Eleanors accusation was correct. However, Lucia currently had the moral high ground. From what I heard, this man had collapsed due to overwork. Therefore, its important that he gets some rest. And what you just did would only make his situation worse. Lucia carefully observed her reaction as she continued speaking. Considering Dowds usual conduct, it was more than likely that the woman in front of her was related to a Devil. If, on the off chance, Eleanor made any sudden moves, he would have to immediately make countermeasures. We will ensure that he gets the environment he needs for recovery, so do not worry about that and As Lucia was about to continue speaking, she suddenly screamed in shock. W-W-W-What do you think you are doing?! While she spat out such a sentence, her voice cracked unintentionally, Eleanor, who had grabbed Dowd in her arms, gently lifted him up. It was what people commonly referred to as a princess carry. Due to the disheveled front of his shirt and partially removed pants, his attire exposed much more skin than usual. His face was turned away, making it impossible to see from this angle, but his body was practically half-naked, so scantily clad that it could be considered bare. And then As soon as she saw that Lucia felt a terrible rush of heat to her head and, without realizing it herself, swallowed dryly. Recently, thanks to his dedication to exercising, the mans shoulders had broadened and a passable set of abs had begun to showand when her gaze shifted to the lower half of his body What on earth am I thinking right now?! With that thought, Lucia smacked her own cheeks. Although she had moved away from the Holy Land to some extent, she still represented the followers and believers of the entire continent. Abstinence was fundamental! She couldnt indulge in the vulgar act of leering over a mans body, examining it piece by pie Woah. When she heard her sisters gasp beside her, Lucia turned around in horror. His bodyitsI want to touch it once However This ensuing silence could literally give me an ulcer. Thanks to the stress since before this, I had been feeling a dull pain in my stomach, but now that the situation had escalated to such an extent, even closing my eyes while pretending it was a dream wouldnt help me at all. So. And finally, after the prolonged silence, Eleanor let out a sigh and opened up the conversation. Her slightly maddened gaze was fixed on Seras. Compared to when she was screaming and emitting a purple aura, now, she was slumped in a chair, rubbing her temples with a tired look. What did you mean by Master? Ah, about that. Seras replied with a look that seemed to say even she herself was confused. Lately, I dont know why, but whenever I see that man, I end up saying that unconsciously. No, I really dont know why. Its like I cant help it. As if I must do it. My head says no, but my instincts tell me to Even though she herself kept saying she didnt know why I did know the answer. Because the Purple Devil was manipulating her personality from time to time. Knowing her personality, there was no doubt that was the case. I told her to refrain from directly suppressing Serass personality, so instead, she sent a signal directly to her brain that she has to do it. But, when she heard that I had collapsed earlier, she completely ignored that, seized Seras body and ran all the way here. Among all the Devils, putting aside the Red Devil, she was the most coercive when dealing with her Vessels. How absolutely absurd. Ill introduce you to a good psychiatrist. That should solve it. Eleanor rubbed her forehead with a look that seemed to say, Hes getting involved with all sorts of crazy bitches now. We are in the middle of an important discussion related to this man. Since you arent even involved with him that deeply, can you please leave this room? However, despite hearing that Seras, too, responded with a gruff attitude. No, you see, its just Seras scratched her head, visibly expressing that she, too, was annoyed about why she was acting like this. I dont particularly want to care for that man either, but if I dont, it feels like Ill be in big trouble. Anyway, arent you guys deciding on whod nurse him? Why dont you include me in that too? As soon as she dropped her words The already awkward atmosphere in the infirmary turned several times more hostile. Eleanor was practically emanating something akin to killing intent. [At this point, its practically an art. Damn.] [Three Devils Vessels are gathered to debate on how to divide and devour you. Aint that something? Youre incredible.] The fuck do you mean divide and devour? Dont talk as if its someone elses problem. If I die, you die too, you know? [The thing is, you wont die from this.] It was great and all that you trust me that much, but Wouldnt it be better to give some advice on how to get out of this situation? [Well I do have a piece of advice.] What is it? [If I were you, I would have just brushed myself off and tried to stand up way, way before this happened.] What? To stand up when Eleanor was about to eat me? Why the hell would I stand up then? Do you even realize what would have happened to me? [No, but still.] Caliban chuckled as he continued. [Normally, in such situations, its obvious who the ultimate decision-maker will be, right? Right as Caliban said that Eleanor brushed her hair back, before speaking. Then, let us do this. Following that A sentence that felt like hell itself dropped right onto me. Once Dowd regains consciousness, lets ask this man. About who is the most suitable to be his nurse. [HOOOOOOOOOLYYYYYYYY!] Shut the fuck up. As Caliban cheered, I squinted my eyes and checked the system window that appeared in front of me. System Message [ Sub Quest: Nurse of Love has started! ] [ You can significantly increase the Favorability Level of the person you choose. The decision is irreversible, so please choose carefully! ] This was a fucking Sub Quest? Then why the fuck did it feel like my life was at stake here? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 143: Nursing (4) Chapter 143: Nursing (4) Nursing (4) Fortunately, things didnt escalate into some hellish situation where everyone stayed in the infirmary all day, planning some shit together until I regained consciousness. Dame Indra, who oversaw the medical corps, was a middle-aged lady with an ardent personality. She was a kind-hearted person who always prioritized the students health. One could tell just how steadfast her resolve was by the fact that she rushed to my infirmary the moment it became too noisy and chaotic. What do you think youre doing in a patients room? He needs rest. Get out! It would be an understatement to call her bold, considering that she was dealing with a group consisting of both the Lady Tristan and THE Saintess herself. However, Dame Indra. We are making an important decision right Despite that, even Eleanor didnt dare to blatantly object or disobey her, but rather did it with a polite tone. Unlike normal professors, people in charge of specific facilities often had achievements and authority comparable to Deans. Even lads of high status like her couldnt speak carelessly towards them in the academy. That was why the Dame dared to utter her next words. Ive been lenient enough, Lady Tristan. One more word and Ill ban everyone here from entering, understood? If you want to visit him, come back tomorrow. Visiting hours are over, so get out right this instant! Faced with such a stern warning, everyone reluctantly left the infirmary with dissatisfied expressions. Goddess. She was a true Goddess. No objections, Ill have none of it. I survived. As I saw those people leaving the infirmary with disgruntled faces, I couldnt help but utter such words. [How about you taking this opportunity to get discharged early? That way you wont need to choose.] That wont work. Because Dame Indra wouldnt allow it. She had already sternly advised me to rest for at least two days. Even Lady Tristan was chased away by her. There was no way she would listen to my requests or pleads. [So, whats your plan then? Theyre definitely going to make a fuss.] True. Judging from the current situation, it wouldnt be strange for their jealousy to twist in strange ways, influencing their Corruption Value. Nursing itself involved me spending a long time in close contact with one of them. So You see, the fact that I need to choose a nurse is the problem. [Huh?] No matter who becomes the nurse, thats a path of no return that Id need to take. Just looking at what Eleanor tried to do proved it. If the Saintess hadnt come I would have been eaten on the spot. It feels like things have become even more dangerous after the Seal was developed Sure, the limit of the Fallens Seal was lifted and now it could contain the Aura of all Devils, that was good and all. But at the same time, it felt like I had unintentionally gained other attributes I didnt wish for. Like, it felt like Devils and their Vessels lost their self-control easier than before when they were around me [What does that even mean?] So, previously, they just wanted to monopolize menowadays, the fact that Im in front of them would make them more aggressive [] Just look at Eleanor. Her obsession towards me was always there, but now, even though she was filled with guilt or whatever, she still acted this way towards me. Strange, wasnt it? Whenever I was hanging around those Vessels, the probability of something dangerous happening had increased significantly compared to before. [Is that why that Yuria woman did what she did?] Caliban asked after hearing my words. What was he even talking about? [Well Normally, she wouldnt say such things herself. Things like how she enjoys being hit or asking to be walked on a leash.] Thats probably why? [Well, youre fucked.] Agreed. I thought nothing could be worse than what had already happened But the blatant masochism that Yuria showed might just be the beginning. Basically, it suggested a terrifying future where all sorts of fetishes that the Devils held could be unleashed one by one. In that regard Among them, is there even a single one of them who wouldnt cause trouble if they stayed with me all day?Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com I would rather entrust a fish to a cat, you know? Caliban seemed to ponder for a moment before nodding in agreement. [Yeah youre right. Theres not a single one you can trust.] Sadly, it was true. Seeing such messages made me break out in a cold sweat. Whatever, Ill worry about that later. Choosing anyone else would get my limbs torn apart. It would be better to leave this shit to the future me rather than facing certain death now! But this is a bit unexpected. In the quiet infirmary, Faenol spoke as she pulled a chair in front of me and sat down. It is rare for someone to know about my human days. How are you aware of it? [This certainly is absurd.] Caliban murmured in a low voice. [To think that someone who is both a Devils Vessel and affiliated with the Heretic Inquisition used to volunteer in her past life. It sounds more ridiculous than a serial killer making donations.] I couldnt help but give a bitter smile at Calibans sharp words. Though it was definitely not a strange judgment for him to make just based on what she had done I already told you, Caliban. As I already mentioned Shes a pitiful woman. She was somewhat similar to Valkasus, a victim in her own right. While she appeared as a Final Boss of a chapter, she wasnt someone who deserved such an end. Rather She deserved better. Since you could know even that, I believe you remember what I had said before. She propped her chin on her hands and spoke. Time keeps flowing, Dowd Campbell. When she spoke, her expression was so devoid of any liveliness that it seemed like she didnt have any emotions. It was like looking at a mannequin or a doll. You havent forgotten the one-month deadline I gave you, have you? If I cant die within that time Who knows what will happen? I am aware. Yeah, of course I remembered. It was part of the reason why I collapsed from overwork in the first place. I sighed and responded to her. But theres one thing Id like to correct. Excuse me? When she tilted her head in confusion, I let out another sigh. Faenol Lipek. Her request was good and all. But at the very least I needed to make it extremely clear to her about the part that I was displeased with. I do not want you to die. The fuck she meant she was going to die? I hated to hear that. Excuse me? Her eyes widened. Of course, I knew the reason why she said those words. Theres the Red Devil inside your body, which has forcibly received you, and that being is just waiting to leap into the Material Realm soon by using you as the host. You feel you have a month left, so you want me to kill you within that time frame, right? She opened her mouth but no words came out. After all, she probably did not expect me to know about any of this, much less list it right out to her. But then, she slowly closed her eyes before looking up at me again. If you know that, then doesnt the situation become so much simpler? If I do not die, a disaster will soon fall upon the Material Realm. Then A self-deprecating voice followed. But It could be sad that youre removing the very seed of disaster, Dowd Campbell. You do not need to feel any No. That was why I needed to make it crystal clear to her. Awakening your emotions is one thing, but that is not my goal, nor is it my purpose. The reason why I was fulfilling her request was I am going to make you happy, Faenol. To give her a happy ending. And you do not have the right to refuse. After hearing my words, her pupils shook. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 144: Practical Exam (1) Chapter 144: Practical Exam (1) Practical Exam (1) Silence lingered in the infirmary for a while. This was all thanks to Faenol, who only opened her eyes wide without making a single sound upon hearing my words. Woman, youre making me anxious. Say something. As I thought about that, from within the amulet, Caliban let out a chuckle. [Spouting out this kind of thing is as natural as breathing to you now, huh?] I wasnt saying it with that kind of intention though. Like, I was genuinely thinking of saving this pitiful person, I really didnt want to seduce her. [Sure, sure, but think about it. Have you ever seduced someone intentionally?] Putting it that way, there was no way I could have anything to retort his words with. Anyway, at the very least I wouldnt lose out even if this woman took my words that way. Rather, if she could feel any emotions because of it, that meant her situation was easier to resolve than I thought. Youre quite good at this. While I was lost in my thoughts, Faenol suddenly murmured such words. You almost made my heart flutter for a moment there. I can definitely see why such women go raving mad at you before chasing you. Saying that, the corners of her mouth tilted up. But, like usual, her smile felt artificial. That was the most intense stimulation Ive felt recently, Dowd Campbell. As expected, it was good that I asked this of you. From what she said, it sounded like it didnt affect her that much. But it still affected her albeit slightly. System Message [ Minor stimulation inflicted on target Faenol is measured. ] [ If the process repeats, the targets emotions will awaken! ] [ Current Progress: 4% ] System Message [ The content of the upcoming Faenol Related Event will slightly change! ] [ The probability of the targets Favorability Level opening in that event is extremely high! ] Just the fact that such windows even popped up spoke volumes. The first window was self-explanatory, so there was no need to dwell on it for too long, however, the second one < Gift-Related Character Alert > Faenol Lipek [ No Favorability Level ] [ Related Event Occurs in D-4 ] Most likely it was talking about this. Which meant something would happen during the Practical Exam period of the Comprehensive Competency Evaluation in 4 days This also meant that what I had to ask her was clear. Then, may I ask you for just one thing? Originally, I was supposed to ask Talion to convey this to her, but for some reason, he was using the infirmary room right next to mine. From what I heard, he got half-obliterated after getting hit by Eleanor? Anyway, At the Practical Exam, please join my I dont mind if you were to request something from me, Dowd Campbell. Before I could finish speaking, Faenol spoke with a sigh. But dont you think its a bit unfair? What is? Im doing everything you asked of me, but you gave nothing back to me. Wait a damn minute. You were the one who asked to be seduced first. As I looked at her with an incredulous look, Faenol slowly got up and replied. So, what Im trying to say here is that Ill also do whatever I want to do without worrying about your circumstances. What is that supposed to Once again, before I could even ask She grabbed my face with both hands. Since you said you would make me happy And then Without giving me a chance to speak I thought, maybe I could do this much. I could feel her breath up close. It took some time for me to realize what in the ever living fuck I was being subjected to. Perhaps the conservative image of her in my mind made me a bit slow in my realization. Err, what I meant to say was I thought both sides were supposed to close their eyes and do some mental preparation before a kiss But she disregarded all that and immediately shoved her tongue into my mouth before intertwining it with my own tongue. Whether it was Seras or Eleanor, it didnt seem too difficult to arrange them to be in the same group as me for the Practical Exam. The problem was System Message [ Emotional changes in the targets who had failed to be chosen can be intensely observed! ] [ There is a high likelihood that these may become variables in the upcoming Main Quest! ] This Yuria, Eleanor, and the Saintess. Based on just what was written in the message, it seemed like something troublesome was going to happen. I just hope nothing big occurs. That wish had never been fulfilled before But I still couldnt help but pray. Until recently, didnt you say you felt apologetic towards him? I did. You said you couldnt even look at his face, and you said you were going to stop getting close to him for the time being. At Beatrixs question, Eleanor nodded expressionlessly. That is still valid. Then what even is the point of your question? She spoke while holding her head with both hands. Being the Student Council Secretary, she was already suffering from chronic fatigue due to an overwhelming amount of tasks. But sometimes, when this woman said such nonsensical things, a headache was added to her pile of pain and sorrow. Of course, even so Why are you suddenly asking about how to look charming and attractive as a woman? When her friend suddenly slapped her with such bizarre questions, the pain just turned unbearable. Eleanor quietly bit her lip and kept silent. Regardless of my qualifications to stand beside that man However Her eyes were shining as brightly as it was before she had fallen into despair. I cannot let women who are clearly less qualified than me stand by his side. That man is quite popular. Flies swarm around him in droves. Thats why this time, I realized with certainty. If I do not block them off, he will easily fall for their seduction. What in the world is that even supposed to mean? For example, if I develop such charm and make him look only at me, at least he will not fall for the seduction of those flies, will he? This is all for the sake of protecting that man. Beatrix glared at Eleanor with narrowed eyes. Why cant you be honest for once? Just say that you dont want to give that man to anyone else even if it kills you. She let out a sigh, the umpteenth today. Fine, whatever. At least this is better than how she was before. Compared to the time when she seemed like she had some mental illness, devoting herself to training that was close to abuse, her determination to repel everything around that man seemed a hundred times, a thousand times more tolerable. At the very least, it seemed to be helping her to gather her spirits. Haa. Fine. I dont know why you always come to me and ask me about these things, though. You being a virgin who has not held a mans hand at your age is not a major flaw, Beatrix. I know well that you spend all your free time devouring more mature romance nov- Shut the fuck up before I kill you. I thought shes asking for my help, but why is she picking a fight with me? Though she replied bluntly, Beatrix immediately rested her chin on her hand and fell into thought. Ways to look attractive and charming as a woman, she said In the first place, have you ever tried to appeal to him in that regard? What do you mean Appeal? You know. Like his preferences. Or his fantasies about the opposite sex. Have you ever tried to fulfill something like Seeing Eleanors expression, Beatrix immediately shut her mouth. Why the hell was I even expecting this woman to do some ordinary girly approach? In the first place, it is a bit strange that you, of all people, are swayed by his reactions and dragged around everywhere. If things were as they should be, that man should be begging to you on his knees to accept him just As Beatrix thought that, a certain idea struck her like lightning. Huh. Wait, that might work She clapped her hands in admiration of the idea she herself came up with. Listen, Eleanor. What is it? Instead of trying to lure him in, why dont we approach it the other way around? What do you mean? Lets try seizing it properly for once. By that, I mean seizing the initiative. Beatrix smirked. You said that man is attending the upcoming Practical Exam, right? Without a doubt That sly smile was something only a reader who devoured more mature romance novels could muster. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 145: Practical Exam (2) Chapter 145: Practical Exam (2) Practical Exam (2) Conrad, Dean of Elfante Knight School, was a former Imperial Guard and a renowned figure in charge of an entire School at one of the continents top three academies. This fact meant there werent many people on the entire continent whom hed kneel and show respect to. Elfante hasnt changed at all, has it, Sir Conrad? It looks the same way as it did back when I was a student. Speaking to him was a young woman, hardly half his age. Exaggerating a bit, she almost seemed like she could be his daughter. Despite that, he was bowing his head to this woman as she made such a remark. In fact, it was actually natural for a person of his stature to be doing something as simple as attending to her. Their relationship was one where he was unable to carelessly raise his head in her presence.ViiSiit novelbi/n(.)c/(o)m for latest novels If you had informed us of your visit in advance, we could have prepared a more fitting atmosphere to bring back that nostalgia, Your Excellency. Truly regretful. It feels like forever since Ive been chided for not giving advance notice of my arrival, Sir Conrad. That wasnt my Its a joke, a joke. You dont need to be so tense. The woman in the elegant dress in front of him only smiled softly at his stiff response. Her skin was as white as porcelain, giving off a chilly vibe. Her golden eyes, dense with a mysterious atmosphere, some would call them Empires Princeps Jewel. In short, her whole being exuded elegance. Even her every step seemed meticulously refined, following all manners and etiquette down to the tee. Im just visiting for an outing today. If anything, it would make me uncomfortable if youre being too attentive. Her gentle voice sounded like it would ease the atmosphere, but it only made Conrad snorted on the inside. As if. He, of all people, knew that this person right before his eyes was a VIP among VIPs. There was no way that shed come all the way here just for an outing. Facing the Lady of Steel, its only natural for anyone to be this tense. That is quite the nostalgic nickname. Her title gave off a reverent aura. But, that wasnt the case for some people, the people who had suffered under her hand, they knew her by a different name. The Iron-Blooded Chancellor. Or The Witch. When he recalled such monikers, Conrad let out a deep sigh inside. Sullivan Axion Petronus. Above All But One. The Chancellor who oversaw the Empires state affairs. The Lady of Steel. The peerless politician. Well, it isnt like I came here without any business to attend to. Sullivan looked at the wide-open space next to the hallway. Today was the last day of Elfantes Comprehensive Competency Evaluation at the end of each semester. It was also the day of the Practical Exam, where the majority of points were at stake. I also came here for inspection and verification. You see, Her Majesty has been throwing a tantrum about meeting a certain person. If those words were to come out of others mouths, theyd most likely be hanged for lese-majesty. But when it came to her, even Conrad couldnt do anything but frown after hearing such a nonchalant comment. After all, Chancellor Sullivan was someone who was allowed to say such things. Starting as the head of a barony in the frontiers that no one even knew the name of, she rose to be the second-in-command of the Empire in less than a decade. There wasnt much of a gap in age between her and the students currently enrolled in this academy, yet she stood at the pinnacle of the Empire. Some even viewed that she was closer to the throne than the Empress herself. While the Empress sat on the throne, most of the authority that emanated from the position was created from her very hands. Even the Heretic Inquisition, the same organization that was capable of exerting its authority across the entire empire and even the continent, acted as if they were her own limbs. In a way, once could treat her as the true ruler of the Empire. After all, there was a widespread belief that if she could create a justification, she could easily dethrone the Imperial Princess from the throne she was currently seating at. Rather, a lot of the politicians were befuddled that she hadnt done so already. The Campbell Baronys firstborn Sullivan paused for a moment. Excuse me. It is the Campbell Viscounty now, yes? I heard theyve confiscated Goldic Viscountys territory recently. It seems even Your Excellency makes mistakes sometimes. Right? Ive been referring to them as a barony for so long that it just stuck. ? Her words were strange. Considering her position, such a household should be so insignificant that they were practically ants to her. But, why would she mention their name so often that she even gained such a habit? If the timespan that she mentioned was ever since that man enrolled in the academy, Conrad would be able to understand what she was talking about. After all, he had undoubtedly been a hot issue ever since his enrollment. But that wasnt the case, she used the term for so long. So, what did this entail? At any rate. As Conrad threw her a suspicious glance, the Chancellor covered her mouth before letting out a chuckle. Regarding the Campbell Viscountys firstborn Her words continued in a serene tone. I do have some special expectations for him. To put it simply She was saying that she, the pinnacle of the Empire, had her eyes on a single student; A statement that should not be spoken in such a nonchalant manner. Its strangely chaotic today, isnt it? On the day of the Practical Exam. The path to the exam venue was so heavily guarded by intimidating security forces that I couldnt help but let out such a remark. Well, due to its nature of hosting children of high-ranking officials and major nobility, Elfante was always under strict surveillance, but todays surveillance was even stricter than usual. After all, she was not one whod wish for even the implication of her having a good relationship with the Tristan Duchy. There was no way that she would have a favorable view of me, who frequently interacted with them. Anyway, it seems even Her Excellency cannot be perfectly gracious. As I was pondering such thoughts, Faenol muttered such words. She is in that corridor. Following her gaze, I saw two people walking down the corridor of a distant building. Their distance was close enough to make out who they were. One of them was Dean Conrad, and the other was Youre saying thats Her Excellency the Chancellor? Excuse me? Yes, is there something strange? Fucking hell, yeah. There was. This was strange No, this was something out of a horror movie. Dread enveloped my whole being. Her appearance did have some resemblance to the Chancellor I remember. I could totally see that she was the same person from the game. But She looks young? According to the setting, the Chancellor should be a middle-aged woman in her forties by now. But her current appearance was Young. Way too young. She looked like a teen. As if compared to other characters in the scenario, she was the only one who hadnt aged. As I kept looking in that direction with such thoughts Suddenly The Chancellors head turned sharply this way. As if, even from this distance, she was aware that I was looking at her. ! I instinctively stepped back, feeling my heart sink. Her movement was way too precise to count that as a coincidence. Not to mention that she was clearly looking at me. What the fuck? In the game, the Chancellor was always just a civil servant and a schemer. She was not supposed to possess any abilities that could display such superhuman senses or strengths. Right as I was thinking this The Chancellors mouth slightly opened. She conveyed her thoughts through the shape of her lips without making a single sound. As if whispering to me. As if she had information she wanted to share only with me. Long time no see, Dowd Campbell. And from the movement of her lips I could tell that she said those words to me. The golden eyes, with a strangely captivating glow that seemed to suck people in, were fixed on me for a long time. Almost as if She really was seeing someone again after a long time. Almost like She was seeing someone she had met several times before. Furthermore, it was with a sentiment that seemed to miss that person. There was a longing feeling in her gesture. Your Excellency? It is nothing, Sir Conrad. Shall we go? Only when Dean Conrad, who was escorting the Chancellor, spoke in a puzzled voice did she finally look away from me. As I watched the Chancellor walk away briskly A chill ran down my spine. Strange. Something was terribly wrong. A feeling in my guts, honed over countless life-or-death situations, was telling me as such. As if, in this exam Something big was going to occur because of her. That was the feeling I had. Faenol. Yes? By any chance, is Her Excellency the Chancellor personally attending this exam? Wouldnt that be highly likely? This exam Was definitely not gonna go smoothly. Something was going to happen. Definitely. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 146: Practical Exam (3) Chapter 146: Practical Exam (3) Practical Exam (3) The scene from a while ago kept replaying in my head. She definitely said Long time no see. I reflected on the last words Chancellor Sullivan left me. No, seriously, where and when have I ever met her? I couldnt remember anything. At the very least, since I had come to this world, I hadnt even seen her face, let alone acquainted myself with her. [Maybe you met her when you were young?] Suddenly, such words flew out from Soul Linker. What? [Like, you met her before and you forgot.] Theres no way thats the case. I mean, Sullivan was one of the most important characters in the main scenario. If I had ever met someone like that, there was no way I wouldnt remember her. And it was even more so when complex emotions was involved in it. Wait, now that I think about it, fuck you. Are you trying to tell me that Im a piece of shit who didnt even remember the woman I cuffed in the past? [Now, youre just being paranoid.] [Youre right though.] Motherfucker. Actually, that was still a possibility. Maybe I really met her in the past and I just didnt remember. After all, there was a blank period of time. If I recall correctly, I entered the world of Savior Rising and became Dowd Campbell when the original body was seven years old. As for the memories before that, well Due to some circumstances, my memories before I was seven are a bit vague. [Well, that settles it, back then] That should be impossible though. According to what Father said, I was so unbelievably weak that he almost gave up on my survival at that age. It wasnt merely on the level of being unwell, he said that I was practically in a vegetative state, my body was the only thing that was alive. I never opened my eyes nor spoke, I barely clung to my life, basically I was a lump of meat that was only able to breathe. No matter how skilled the physician he brought, or what medicine he used on me, it didnt fix me anything. When I was seven, I miraculously recovered, becoming somewhat mobile. There was no way I interacted with someone with me being in that kind of state back then. [Your parents must have had a hard time, huh?] Father did, yes. [Huh? What about your mother?] When he saw me sighing without giving him a proper answer, Caliban shut his mouth. He looked taken aback, but I really didnt want to talk about that person. How should I put it? Every time I talked about her, a chill ran down my spine. I guess it was a feeling similar to horror or fear? [From your mood, it doesnt seem that she died or anything What happened?] Its better for you not to know. With such thoughts, I rubbed my temples. Student Dowd~? What are you thinking so deeply about~? When Dame Ophelia, who was in charge of the exam, asked, I snapped back to reality and looked at her. Are you alright~? Any discomfort~? No, Dame Ophelia, Im fine. I barely managed to reply with an even voice, prompting Dame Ophelia to tilt her head while staring at me. Since I kept getting lost in thought while she was explaining the exam progress, I guess she must have been worried about me. Please continue your explanation. When I requested with a forced smile, Dame Ophelia, though tilting her head, continued to do so. First, Ill explain again just in case. In the siege, Student Dowds role is defense~ As a Second-Year student, youll be facing First-Year students along with two teammates~ She pointed to the mountain behind the academy, which would be used as the test site. If the flag at the very top was taken, it was a victory for the attackers; if it was defended, it was a victory for the defenders. I have to win. After all, if I lost this test, everything became utterly futile. Even though the variable known as the Chancellor existed, I had to go through all this trouble to see the Empress. After all, there were quite a few parts that revolved around her, especially in Chapter 4, the chapter that was related to Faenol. Youre free to choose your own teammates, but~ Dame Ophelia looked back and forth between my application form and me. Are you sure youll be okay with these two~? Objectively speaking, it was a strange choice of people. Seras was just a transfer student who joined recently and while Faenols grades were exceptional, she was only a First-Year student. For defense, normally one would form a team consisting of the top three students of the same year. However, this was the most rational choice given the current situation. In the first place This was not simply a problem of stopping students. Thinking that, I glanced at the hastily built stand near the hill. It had an undeniably makeshift vibe but it also gave off the feeling that it was meant to welcome a special guest. Its fine, Dame Ophelia. With that answer, I looked at the golden woman entering the stands. I can show a satisfactory performance with this roster. Looking ahead, I continued my speech. No matter what situation we face. You know what, Ill increase her Favorability Level as slowly as possible. Anyway. With a sigh, I turned my head towards Faenol. The gesture was filled with a question on whether she could handle an entire entryway by herself or not, but I dont have any problems with it. She shrugged and replied with affirmation. At that, I nodded too. Well, this wasnt too surprising. Setting aside the fact that she was the Red Devils Vessel, she was one of the most skilled geniuses of the Mage class that could be encountered in the game. She shouldnt have any problems handling mere students. -! As we finished discussing our strategy, a sharp horn echoed nearby. It was the signal for the start of the exam. Alright. Lets go. To our positions. With that, everyone headed to the place where we discussed earlier. And before I moved to mine I sneaked a peek at the distant stands one last time. Chancellor Sullivan was there, seemingly discussing various topics of conversation with Dean Conrad, who was seated nearby. Unlike before, she didnt respond immediately just because I was looking at her from afar. It almost made me wonder if what I saw before was just my imagination. With a sigh, I stood up as well. I didnt know who exactly she was. Nor did I understand what she had to do with me. And I didnt know what awaited me in this exam either. But whatever it was, I would deal with it as always. No matter what I had to do. That was it. After all, had I not done this countless times before? At least, that was what I thought five minutes ago. I would deal with whatever came my way, huh? Bullshit. Excuse me. I opened my mouth in an incredulous tone. The fact that I was addressing someone like this meant someone had reached the final goal, the flag, within that time. What are you doing here? I didnt particularly blame Seras and Faenol. Because the one in question is this person. Ha! Im glad to see you, Dowd Campbell! Finally, the revenge of the Chester House Hey, you. Just shut the fuck up. I snapped fiercely at the dumbass who was babbling triumphantly. Dude, fuck off, I dont care who you are. At least, not now. My headache was getting unbearably worse. I groaned again, clutching my temples. So, what are you doing here, Eleanor? Wait, why the hell is the Student Council President joining the attacking team? I am not Eleanor. With her hood pulled down low, Eleanor was definitely trying to change her voice somehow. Im just an enigmatic freshman from the Knight School. Eleanor? I know no such person. T-There should be no p-problems with me participating Yes Dude. Seriously? What was she doing here? As I sent her a piercing stare, she awkwardly coughed before opening her mouth. It seemed even she was embarrassed by her current actions. I have come to engage in a fair duel with you. A duel? Thats right. My headache got even worse. The vanquished must fulfill one demand of the victor. My demand is, well Eleanor stopped speaking for a while. From her appearance, it seemed like it took an incredible amount of courage for her to say these words. And as I watched her, my anxiety grew even further. Hold up. Wait. What on earth are you tryin- I-It is for y-you to spend time with me. From dusk till dawn. Just the two of us. Hey. Seriously. Please. [I gotta say that her antics are cute, but] Caliban giggled as he spoke. [What she wants is practically a one way ticket to your instant death, isnt it?] I agree. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 147: Practical Exam (4) Chapter 147: Practical Exam (4) Practical Exam (4) The path leading to the entrance was a gentle slope that stretched down under a hill. On our way down, an awkward silence loomed between Seras and Faenol. Well, they barely knew each other, so this wasnt exactly a surprise. If anything,this was a common occurrence between two people that were merely acquaintances. But, both of them were aware. That the current flowing between them was not so soft and mellow. Perhaps I should be frank. Seras was the first to break the silence. Her next words flowed out of her mouth casually. Youre affiliated with the Heretic Inquisition, arent you? And youre someone from the Holy Land. As soon as that exchange happened, Seras sighed, holding her forehead. The Heretic Inquisition and the Holy Land. At a glance, the former sounded like an organization of the latter, but that wasnt the case. In truth, they couldnt stand each other. Because the way they dealt with Devils was utterly different. The Heretic Inquisition saw Devils as an inimical force to humanity and seeked to ostracize them at all costs. While the Holy Land believed it was better to use Devils to their advantage. Furthermore, the Pope, especially, invested an astronomical amount of money in research related to Devils every year, which was an open secret among the superpowers. You recognized me so quickly, huh? Ive heard rumors about a Grand Assassin that serves under the Pope. And, since those two were parts of such organizations Ive heard youre quite adept at creating corpses out of the innocents. Them hurling such words, laden with poison, was quite a natural development. Hearing her words, Seras eyebrows twitched. One had to admit that the other womans insult was a refined one. It was one thing for the Pope to manipulate her like a pawn, leading to peoples deaths But it would be a whole different story if she was insinuating that the very cause she was loyal to was utterly meaningless. Ive heard a bit of a rumor too. Seras responded with a sharp voice. About a Devils Vessel being raised like a pet in the Heretic Inquisition. Its origin is also quite contemptible too, or so I heard. Faenol quietly closed her eyes. It didnt seem like she was that affected by those words. And theres another thing that Ive heard. Seras proceeded to go a step further, probably because Faenols nonchalant appearance made her blood boil. About how you even stabbed your Master in the back. The same person who took you into the Magic Tower, a place the likes of you should have never been able to set foot in Right as Seras was about to continue, she immediately drew her dagger. She sensed a killing intent emanating from Faenols body. The aura rose immensely even before she could finish her sentence. ? But the absurd thing here was The fact that the source of such killing intent, Faenol herself, seemed utterly bewildered by her own actions. I felt it. She muttered in a dumbfounded voice. Ifelt it. Rage. Thiswhat is thiswhat kind of What in the world? Has she gone mad? Seras watched Faenol muttering like a lunatic with an incredulous look. Its because of that man, isnt it? Good Imtruly glad that I met him What was more baffling than that was the words that she uttered. Instead of the rage that shouldve erupted, she let out what sounded like a sigh of relief. While watching Faenol place her hands over her chest with a slightly flushed voice, Seras added to her words in an incredulous voice. Are you Heretic Inquisitors all out of your minds? Who knows. Faenol shrugged as she responded. By the way, theres one thing youve mistaken, Grand Assassin. I dont really belong to the Heretic Inquisition. Rather, I detest them. What? Then, whats the point of us engaging in this war of nerves in the first place? Seras glared at her with that thought, while Faenol continued her words with a faint smile on her face. I can see it on you. What are you talking Youll become one of those people rubbing themselves against that man. Its so obvious. Seras looked at Faenol with a dumbfounded expression. Before she could get angry, no, before she could even react, she realized the absurdity of those words. To insinuate that she would be fussing over that man. What on earth was that supposed to mean? What kind of nonsense are you She tried to retort, but Despite her words, she could feel her heart throbbed painfully. Please. Just stay quiet, whatever you are. With those thoughts in her mind, a blush appeared on her face. Meanwhile, Faenol threw her a knowing smile. That expression only twisted Seras already uncomfortable mood even further. Consider this as an advanced warning from a future competitor. Its your fate to fall for him deeply, after all. What nonsense. Think what you wish for now. Faenol replied in an even tone. After all, itll be fun to watch how deeply you fall for him eventually. At the very least, no one had managed to escape such a fate so far. And One day, perhaps I will too. As Faenol thought that with a faint smile What an utterly pointless conversation. Seras grumbled and swept her hair back. Lets quickly go and stop all the attackers from coming. Since weve come this war, lets try not to be a nuisance to each Seras sentence ended abruptly. I looked around. Because of the Chancellor, this test particularly had many watching eyes. Based on the reaction that Eleanor showed when I kissed her before Eleanor was very likely to be extremely concerned about those watching. [Are you trying to do some gigolo bullshit again?] Sir? Language, please. [Youre not denying it, huh.] [What did I tell you? I like the fact that youre honest.] Shut up. It was often difficult to understand the thoughts of those in high positions. This was especially true for Chancellor Sullivan. Conrad looked at her with a puzzled expression, as if unable to understand what she was thinking. The amiable smile that she always wore was still on her face. In fact, even though the Student Council President of Elfante was up to such selfish mischief, she didnt even bat an eye. Well, I do understand, but Such pranks between seniors and juniors were not uncommon in the past. However, the problem now was that a figure comparable to the Empress was attending this event incognito. I apologize, Your Excellency. This exam has turned a bit chaotic. No, its fine. Its good to see them being so lively. The problem is that they are a little too lively. Conrad awkwardly smiled as he watched Eleanor sweeping around the area like a human-shaped typhoon. She had always been a promising individual, but now she seemed like a walking weapon of mass destruction. Among the knights on the frontlines, only someone like Margrave Kendride could even come close to handling such power. If not him, there was only the Sword Saint in the Imperial Palace. As such, though Dowd, despite being just a student, was showing incredible resilience, it was a clearly visible fact that he was barely avoiding death by a hairs breadth. In fact, one individual seemed quite pleased with this spectacle. Ha, HAHA-! A male student, watching Dowd Campbell being pushed into a corner, burst into triumphant laughter. He was clearly delighted by that mans misfortune. Look at him scurrying away? And he dares to call himself a man? What a pathetic retard! Hearing this, the Chancellor tilted her head and asked Conrad. Sir Conrad. Who is that man? That is Brix Chester The eldest son of the Chester County. He is the leader of the attack team for this exam. Ah, near Cornwall? Its not that large of a county, so I forgot they had a son. Right. For someone of her stature, the Chester County might as well not exist. Though why such a person would show this level of interest in a mere barons son was beyond understanding. I dont know. His atmosphere seems a bitfrivolous. I might need to mention this to Count Chester later. With that, Sullivans golden eyes momentarily filled with a chill. Conrad observed such a sight without a word. Of course, the behavior of that punk might not look good objectively. But there was something that he had noticed since earlier. The fact that this woman seemed to overtly favor Dowd Campbell despite coming here to inspect him? What is she really here for then? As he pondered this, Dowd Campbell was increasingly getting cornered. He had barely managed to stay near the flag, but now that he was being pushed back, Brix was approaching in that gap to seize it. If the leader of the attack team captured the flag, the exam would immediately end. The defense team would receive harsh deductions. Yes, thats it! Smash that bastard completely! Look at this freshman! How useful! I thought you were just some weird lunatic when you suddenly asked to join my attack team! But As soon as Brix reached the vicinity while saying such words Hey. He was abruptly floored. It was because Dowd had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and immediately sent his jaw flying. Dont speak like that. If you dont want to die. Conrad couldnt help but let out a burst of laughter when he saw that. Just now, that punk Didnt it kind of feel like he was waiting for just the right moment to strike? It seemed like he could have done it so much earlier, though. Conrad sighed inwardly at this thought. Speak like that about my woman again and youll die. Got it? Such words followed. Conrad knew Dowds usual behavior well enough to find this act laughably atrocious. But upon hearing those words, even the fierce attack of the Student Council President halted stiffly. Dowd? Yes. My woman? W-What are you saying when t-there are o-other people looking- Conrad internally sighed at the flow of this new conversation. Was that what he was aiming for? Had he left Brix alone until now just to set the perfect stage for a dramatic confrontation? This guy was like a professional gigolo. How was he able to prepare something like that in such a situation? He chuckled inwardly at the thought. However Sir Conrad. A voice that sent a shiver down his spine came from beside him. The warm smile that had always adorned Sullivans face Had vanished in an instant. What exactly does he mean by my woman? Such a question trickled out of her lips in a low voice. And the moment he heard that, Conrad realized. Ah. Something had gone terribly wrong. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 148: Invitation (1) Chapter 148: Invitation (1) Invitation (1) You alive? No responseits a corpse Talion Armand scratched his head, surveying the catastrophe that had unfolded in front of him. Those who had been grouped with him in the same team were barely breathing, their bodies strewn around him. As freshmen from Elfante, most of them would have been somewhat confident in their own abilities. That was why Seeing to how they rushed in, outnumbering the opponent 5 to 1, yet still were annihilated within 2 seconds, it would be normal for their pride to be scratched deeply But witnessing such a scene only evoked a sense of futility instead. A radius of several dozen square meters had been transformed into charred remains. By just standing there, that woman had created this spectacle without seeking the aid of a staff or any other tools. What she had done was the equivalent of a knight fighting bare-handed. This is basically on par with Senior Brother, isnt it? He had witnessed someone annihilating an Ancient God in a single blow, but the Spell Mastery exhibited by the woman in front of him seemed to be comparable to that feat. The manifestation of spells through the use of Special Powers was something any student of Elfante could do. And the common law applying to all these Special Powers was the longer you gather, the stronger it becomes. But This whole thing was caused by a spellshot that was charged for merely two seconds. If she were to slowly stand, prepare a chant for a long while, and slowly infuse mana like typical students of the Magic School, just how powerful would the spell become? Are you really a First-Year student like us? Even Iliya was way too overwhelming as a comparison as someone who was in the same year as them, and there was this monster To that question, Faenol let out a faint smile as she brushed her head back. Will you continue? No, I give up. In the first place, the gap between us is too great. Talion stroked the trembling Ice Tiger cub clinging to his head as he said that. The poor thing was clearly terrified of Faenol. He didnt feel like reproaching it for being a scaredy-cat. After all, this was the same cub that spread a curtain of ice before his eyes, preventing him from ending up in a miserable state like his classmates. I didnt only shoot my mana back then, so you dont need to feel too bad. Excuse me? There was something I wanted to try. I wanted to see how much of it I could control. Before the bewildered Talion, Faenol quietly calmed her racing heart. Her chest was clearly trembling. It had been a long time since she last touched it, but since her emotions were slowly awakening one by one, she had lightly unleashed that power. And the result of that was satisfying. I managed to control it. Before, even the slightest use of this power led to her going berserk. Her assumptions were correct. The more she recovered her emotions, the more she could control the Devils Power that forcibly sustained her life. And, the more she fell for that man, the more the Red Devil came under her control. Which meant If she finally fell completely for that man I canrest. There was not much time left Until she laid down everything she had carried thus far And entered an eternal rest While she was lost in such thoughts, the Ice Tiger cub attached to Talions head began to whimper. Its okay, its okay. We dont need to fight anymore. Dont be too scared. As Talion gently comforted it by stroking its head, Faenol spoke with a sigh. It is a decent Mana Life Form. Thank you for the compliment. Talion responded to her with reluctance, but that was a sincere remark from her. She could see how perspective the life form was. Even at the moment, it wasnt just scared of her, rather, it was wary of her after sensing what was inside her. And, most importantly You two would make quite a good match if it grows bigger. Excuse me? You are a spear user arent you? The combination of a spear and a mount had proven its might in countless ancient battles. A spearman mounting on a grown Ice Tiger would undoubtedly be a formidable force. You two would make quite a competitive pairing for the upcoming Hero Selection. Excuse me? Talion asked in utter confusion. Hero Selection? He had never even heard of such an event. In the first place, the title of Hero itself carried a significant responsibility, often referred to as the hope of humanity. Only those individuals who had ceaselessly proven their worth across the entire continent and had been unanimously deemed worthy by all superpowers, receiving their stamp of approval saying This person is the right one!, were granted the privilege to bear such a title. And currently, there was no human who had grown to such a level, so the position of Hero was vacant. But They were going to just select one, out of the blue? What was happening? Wasnt the feeling conveyed from that sentence as if they were reluctantly placing someone in the position because there was a situation where they had no choice but to do so? Well, I suppose you shall find out soon enough. Faenol smirked and continued speaking. You see, it will probably be because of me that such an event will soon occur. I just thought it would be better for you to know in advance. After all, if I let you know, it seems like it would be more helpful to the Hero Candidate that man will support during the selection. I have a feeling that the Heretic Inquisition and the Holy Land will undoubtedly try to oppose him or keep him in check. He did not understand a single word that she just spoke. Talion scratched his head in bewilderment. I dont understand what youre trying to say, but thank you for complimenting this little one. In the end, Talion decided to just respond within the limits of his understanding. As he spoke with a grimace, the Ice Tiger cub began to whimper again. I told you, were not fighting, okay? Seriously, why are you like this? Talion chuckled wryly as he stroked it. He had truly thought it wasnt a scaredy-cat. But perhaps, he might have to retract that What? However, before he could even finish that thought Skill: Evil Ruler Grade: E Description: Bewitch characters of the good alignment that you have sufficiently influenced. Character under Evil Ruler must do one thing you asked for. Currently Affected Individuals: Lucia Greyhounder, Sullivan Axion Petronus, Iliya Krisanax Was only supposed to apply to individuals of a good alignment. But The Chancellor? Had a Good disposition? In the game, she significantly contributed to Gideons death and played the role of a catalyst in Eleanor going berserk. Yet she was supposed to be a character of the Good alignment? What in the world? What the fuck is happening? While I was lost in such thoughts by the sheer incredulity of it all, a golden portal opened before me. It was one of the representative colors of the Petronus Household; You could even say that it was practically the Chancellors personal color. Wait a minute. To open such a portal with mana stones You needed mana stones equal to the price of a house And she was using it just to travel from those stands to here?! Okay, she was the Chancellor, so I knew that she could do that with ease, but It made it as if she was in that much of a hurry. As if she couldnt stand it if she were to not intervene at this very moment. Its been a while, Lady Tristan. Eleanor hurriedly kneeled as the Chancellor slowly walked out of the portal. She seemed quite taken aback, which was rather unbecoming of her. I greet Your Excellency. In the Empire, there were hardly any people before whom she would need to bow like this, but the Chancellor was an exceptional case even among exceptions. As such, the Chancellor simply nodded her head without showing much reaction and immediately proceeded to do what she wanted. Which was To lift me from the ground, where I had collapsed And tightly pulled me into her embrace. ! Eleanor, who was kneeling, jumped up in horror. It was probably because the action was so unexpected that it even made her forget to maintain her decorum. Your Excellency, what is the meaning of! You truly havent changed, have you? The Chancellor, quite tall for a woman, almost matched my height, so when she pulled my nape down, my face was buried in her chest immediately. A soft, squishy sensation enveloped the front of my face. What? Seriously? Wait a fucking minute. What the fuck is this? System Message [ Corruption Value of target Eleanor is rapidly increasing! ] As I struggled in the Chancellors embrace, I could see the vitality draining from Eleanors eyes, who had been blushing just moments ago. No, wait! I didnt do anything! Fuck, I feel so wronged right now. I seriously didnt do shit to this person! It was painful, right? Even though youre not someone who should be subjected to such violence. You did a great job, Dowd. This is enough for the exam, so just rest now. With that While in that posture, I heard a voice tinged with sticky kindness. What the fuck? What the hell is going on? This situation was way too strange, I genuinely couldnt understand what was going on! If she was a Devils Vessel, then I could somewhat understand. After all, all of them would take a liking to me without showing any signs nor care for any plot holes and plausibility. But Why was this person acting like this towards me? Since it has been a while, why dont we have dinner together, Lady Tristan? Still holding me in her embrace, the Chancellor threw such words at Eleanor with a warm smile. And her tone If one was perceptive enough, they would be able to feel the icy killing intent underneath. Almost as if She was facing an opponent who she had to remove. I have quite a lot I wish to ask about Dowd, you see. And that Undoubtedly, would instill a chilling hostility in Eleanors face, which had already turned expressionless. I intuitively realized. Right now, this situation. Regarding the system window that popped up, indicating that the Chancellor was enraged The target of that rage was not me, but Eleanor. It seemed the hostility between the Tristan Duchy and her remained the same as the original game. It wasnt that she was angry because I was close with the Tristan Duchy, but rather, she was infuriated that the mere Tristan Duchy dared to be close to me! Ah. Why? Why in the world? Why another bomb! [At the very least, you achieved your objective.] [I mean, the Chancellor did intervene, so the game has changed. Now that Lady wont recklessly spend the night together with you. Congrats!] [Well, I cant tell what might happen during the dinner, though.] Please. Stop taunting me with reality! You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 149: Invitation (2) Chapter 149: Invitation (2) Invitation (2) Why?! Why?! why does this keep on happening?! Get your shit together. Seeing Atalante losing her mind while mumbling to herself in front of me like that, I almost blurted that out right onto her face. Unlike usual though, I couldnt just do that. Because I, too, was at a loss on what the fuck was going on right now. It was already a disaster when the Chancellor invaded the academy uninvited, but why are you getting involved in this too?! Its not like I wanted to get involved on purpose. I responded with a gloomy voice. Like, I didnt even do anything. She just approached me out of nowhere. What? Atalante gazed at me, practically holding her breath. It was like she was considering a possibility she didnt want to even imagine. Youre not suggesting that she is a Devils Vessel, are you? I doubt it. Though there were a lot of things I didnt understand, one thing was certain. If she was a Devils Vessel, the system wouldnt classify her as someone with the good alignment in the first place. Systematically, it was just not possible. But As mentioned before, it was endlessly impossible to deduce why she would behave like that towards me. What could possibly be the reason for someone with whom I had no connection to act that way towards me? Anyway, I dont know the reason, but its clear that Her Excellency the Chancellor is currently taking a great interest in you. While I was pondering about that question, Atalante continued in a nervous voice. She invited you to dinner, along with Lady Tristan, right? Yes. Ill prepare your clothes, so please wait quietly in the reception room until I come to escort you. Atalante spoke in a stern voice, as if to warn me. Her reaction seemed to come out strong considering that she was the person who covered up all those incidents I caused in the Forge of Struggle. But this just made it even more clear on how different the weight between the title of Chieftain and Chancellor were. The leader of a republic and a ruler of a centralized nation are pretty different in terms of their significance. When it came to a comparison on the national level, both the Tribal Alliance and the Empire were practically on the same level. But that was only because of the difference in their technological advancement. To put it in another term, the Empire had overwhelming manpower and resources, enough to match the technological prowess and longevity that the Tribal Alliance possessed, which in itself was almost at the level of science fiction. And all those manpower and resources could be moved from just a word by the Chancellor and the Empress. This time, if you cause some huge trouble, I really wont be able to protect you. So, make damn sure to behave yourself, understand? Look at her, treating me as if I was some kind of lunatic whod cause trouble wherever I Hm? Actually, that wasnt entirely wrong Considering my track record up to now, it was hard to deny that even as a joke. Fine, Ill promise her that Ill behave this time. Id just eat So you are here, Dowd Campbell! Before I could even finish that thought Someone barged into the Headmistress office by flinging the door open. It was Faenol, and she seemed to be unusually hurried. Faenol Lipek? Atalante tilted her head in confusion after recognizing the other party. It was bizarre enough for a regular student to suddenly kick open the door to the Headmistresss office, but it seemed like Atalante also knew that she was affiliated with the Heretic Inquisition. After all, she skipped over any miscellaneous questions she had and moved straight to asking about Faeonols purpose here. What brings you here? That dinner! I shall go too! Atalante started wiping her face frantically. And I Didnt really feel like stopping her. Before I could even promise her that Id behave, trouble already came seeking me out on its own. [I always think this, but unlike you, the girls around you are quite intense.] [I got a good idea. Why dont you gather them all together and hold something like the Greatest Devil Contest or something? The strongest one among them wins the rights to take your first] Shut up for a moment, will you? Mister. I never expected you to show the majesty of a Holy Knight or act like a respectable mentor. But please at least maintain some dignity as a human. I beg you, please. [Neither you nor I are humans anymore, though.] Fuck, he got a point. I let out a sigh and looked down at my chest. It was the location where the Fallens Seal, the thing that was altering myself, resided. Hopefully, there wont be a seizure soon [Seizure? What seizure?] There are two Vessels there, you know. Moreover, one of them was harboring the most powerful Devil and the other one currently had the highest Fusion Rate. If some sort of trouble occurred, even I wouldnt be able to control the situation well. In the first place, that entity was the only one in this worldview with the power to cause such phenomena. Well, who knows. The more important question here was why did she commit such acts? What in the world happened in the future that, upon seeing me at this moment, Devils rushed towards me like crazy and the Grey Devil even twisted the entire temporal axis itself? What exactly was going to happen later with me as the center? I dont know. There were too few things to go by at this present time. For now, I should focus on the immediate issues first. Anyway, whatever it is, theres definitely something going on with the Chancellor. Even after delving to such deep hypotheses, ultimately, that one problem still existed. All entities that I mentioned in the hypothesis were related to the Devils in one way or another. The Prophet was the Leader of the Devil Worshippers, while the Grey and Blue Devils were Devils themselves. If that was the case Where and what was the point of connection that included the Chancellor in such phenomena? While I was lost in thought about such a topic, suddenly, the voice of another tickled my ears. You were here. Ah, Headmistress. I was beginning to think you would never Right as I was about to stand up with such words, I froze on the spot. Because the person who opened the door to the reception room was not Atalante. The moment I met those golden eyes, I stood up, as if struck by lightning. Your Excellency the Chancellor? Ive come to fetch you, Dowd Campbell. Uh, Your Excellency, sending a servant would have been suff I couldnt possibly do that. With a faint smile, the Chancellor quickly strode towards me and took hold of my arm. She hooked our arms together naturally. My arm was now tightly pressed against her side in a completely plastered state. After all, it is you who I am taking, Dowd. Uh, Chancellor. For now, one thing was certain. Entering the hall in such a state would cause Eleanor to go berserk. A one-way ticket to Game Over. But this treatment seems a bit excessive for someone of my status. Perhaps maintaining some distance from me would be Separate? However When she heard my words, her tone dropped immediately. I broke out in a cold sweat. I fucked up. That was the kind of feeling that rushed over me. Youre telling me to separate from you this time as well? Then, a sentence pounded inside my head that even made me forget the chills running down my spine. This time as well? This person. What did she mean by that? And The moment I met those eyes I instinctively realized. What the link between this person and the Devils was. System Message [ Fallens Seal reacts weakly! ] [ It reacts to target =Removed Object= ! ] After all, being this close, the aura swirling in those eyes was unmistakably familiar to me. This person was a Vessel. However She was a completely different type from the Devils Vessels I had encountered before. [What is that supposed to mean?] Shes a Vessel, that much is true, but I spoke, cold sweats started to trickle on my back, as Caliban asked with an incredulous voice. She doesnt have a Devils Fragment. [What?] Theres no Fragment and only the Authority remains. As if I couldnt get myself to finish the sentence. But Caliban finished it for me instead. [As if she herself is the very existence of a Devil?] That was exactly how it felt. What the fuck was happening? With chills running down my spine, I looked at the Chancellor. Well then. Sullivan smiled brightly. Shall we go in? The Chancellor, drawing a graceful curve with her golden eyes, spoke as such. Her smile was beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that it felt like a Devils temptation. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 150: Invitation (3) Chapter 150: Invitation (3) Invitation (3) Faenol expressionlessly gulped down the wine served as an aperitif. She couldnt remember how many glasses she had emptied, but judging by the concerned look of the waiter who had been diligently serving her, she deduced that she must have consumed quite the number. This clearly wasnt her normal behavior. In the first place, she wasnt one to enjoy alcohol, and gulping down this much aperitif already drove her on the line between rudeness and eccentricity. If she were behaving like normal, she would have never done this. How fascinating. But, she couldnt care less about that in her current state. She smiled faintly to herself as she smelled the faint scent of grapes that tickled her nostrils. Her sense of taste had definitely come back, all thanks to that man. Did you find something uncomfortable? Such words flowed from the seat next to her. When she turned her head to find out the owner of that voice, her eyes met Lady Tristans. As always, the lady was wearing her usual expressionless face. It seemed like she found Faenols current state odd, that was why she made such a remark. My clothes do feel uncomfortable. Hearing Faenol saying such words with a smile, Eleanor tilted her head before replying to her. Indeed, the area around your chest does look rather tight. But, why would someone with such a voluptuous bosom like you wear such tight attire? Right, having such a large bosom does give one various inconveniences. I do have a few useful tips to share, if you mind listening to me. Thank you for your words, Lady Tristan, but it is not necessary. What is she even on about? Hers are way bigger Faenol chuckled, continuing the conversation. It was just an expression to say that I am not used to these sorts of places. Instead of telling the truth of how she managed to regain her lost senses, she chose to steer the conversation in a different direction instead. Though, the statement she made was undoubtedly the truth. After all, I am a commoner. Normally, I wouldnt have had the opportunity to attend such a grand occasion. While this might have been a dinner, nothing more, nothing less, the host was someone whose position was almost equal to the Empress. An entire entourage was bustling around to accommodate such an individual. Wouldnt you have had many opportunities to enter social circles? Are you not an apprentice of the Magic Tower? Faenols eyes widened as she looked towards Eleanor. How does this woman know about my past? The Student Council manages all the personal details of every student in the academy. Eleanor continued in her blunt voice. I heard you had ties with Dean Percy of the Magic School. Is that not so? Faenol wore a bitter smile as she put down her glass. It was a painful past. So painful, in fact, that shed rather not recall it at all. Because the name Percy Siston Levantin still left a deep scar in her heart. Yes, I do have some kind of connection with him. For now, she brushed the topic off. Hearing her words, Eleanor didnt pry any further. Perhaps she realized the complex emotions buried in Faenols voice. You said youre a commoner? Which region did you come from? There is a small village in the North. You probably would not know it even if you heard its name. Is that so? It was a beautiful place. With that, Faenol turned her gaze at the swishing wine in her glass, her eyes lowered. The wine was as red as blood. At least until a certainincident occurred. Just like the scenery of the night when she went berserk and burnt down the entire village.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om Eleanor gave her an intense stare, but Faenol avoided her stare and took another sip of her wine. It seemed like the alcohol was affecting her quite a bit since she had been rambling about unnecessary things for a while now. What are you doing right now, Faenol? She chided herself internally. Has she started to long for the ordinary life she once had? Someone like her? A monster who had destroyed her own hometown, and even hurt the person who took her in when she had nowhere else to go? How could she be so shameless to wish such a thing? The Crimson Night Incident, recorded as one of the worst disasters in the Empire, was caused by her. By the Red Devil slumbering within her. Do you know anything about Her Excellency the Chancellor? Though it was rather forceful, she tried to shift the topic. Luckily, the new topic she chose fitted to the occasion. After all, the reason why she and Lady Tristan was here in the first place was because of the Chancellor herself, Eleanor paused for a moment, indicating she understood the shift in her atmosphere. I encountered her a few times when I was younger. Since their ages werent that far apart from each other, Eleanor remembered the other woman well. How was she? Besides the impression of being intolerably remarkable, I do not have much to say. Faenol chuckled. Indeed. To be able to push Eleanor, praised as an unprecedented prodigy of swordsmanship from a major household to second place, she must have been quite the remarkable person. Not to mention that the major household Eleanor in was the most prestigious one in the entirety of the Empire, as long as the one who possessed the most powerful of swordsmanship. It was no wonder that she managed to climb from the lowest rank of nobility to the highest. Its an unbelievable story. To think that a young woman, not even halfway through her life, had become the Supreme Commander of the Empire. A few years ago, not even novels would tell such a story. Eleanor responded with an expressionless face. There was an ominous glint on her red eyes. Though she was a Lady of a Ducal House, the way she addressed the Chancellor was incredibly disrespectful, but Sullivan didnt blink an eye to this. Almost as if the reason why she had dismissed everyone was for this. And immediately after I hope this message reaches all the other women in this mans vicinity as well. The Chancellor dropped a bombshell. Do not even think of approaching my Dear Husband. Eleanor and Faenol blinked in unison. Her words came out so abruptly, without any warning, that it seemed to evaporate any sense of reason before anyones anger could even take hold. The Chancellor, still wearing a serene smile, helped herself to the food ever so naturally. Almost as if the declaration she just made wasnt even that notable. As if asserting an obvious thing in the most matter-of-fact way. And I was in no better condition than the other two. Huh, the brain freeze is kinda severe. Huh. Huh? Dear Husband? The fuck? Are you suggesting that you plan to marry him? Faenol asked in a slightly dazed voice. It seemed even someone devoid of emotion found it exceedingly difficult to calmly accept such a statement. In the first place, there was this persons standing. Her position. Such a declaration was bound to create ripples across the entire continent. However Yes. Her answer came all too naturally. There was a hint of incredulity in her answer even, as if questioning why such an obvious question needed to be asked. Your Excellency. Eleanor opened her mouth with a chilly voice. If words could kill, Sullivan would have been sliced into itty bitty pieces by the palpable killing intent emanating from her. That man is engaged to me. Do you not aware of I am aware, Lady Tristan. That is precisely why I invited you here in the first place. Even when facing Eleanor who was leaking such a crazy killing intent to the point that her words seemed to be able to kill, the gentle smile didnt leave Sullivans face. It was admirable, borderline awe-inspiring that she was able to keep her composure like this. An unworthy woman like you shall never be suitable for this man. What is it that you mean by unworthy? At those words, the smile on Sullivans face deepend even further Lady Tristan. As if she was waiting for that exact question. Because of you, one wrong move might mean the start of a war in the near future. As soon as I heard that I felt my blood turn ice-cold. After all, this was a fixed line of dialogue from the game. A line that triggered a Specific Event. Caliban. [Yeah?] Go to sleep for a moment. [What? No, what in the] Ignoring Calibans baffled response, I removed Soul Linker from my arm and put the entire amulet inside my pocket. After all, the story Sullivan was about to tell Was something this person must never hear. A war? What is that supposed to mean? Lady Tristan. Then Have you ever heard of the Hero Selection? Along with Sullivans words, a system window popped up before my eyes. System Message [ Due to the change in state of target Sullivan, the main scenario is altered. ] [ The starting point of Chapter 4 Crimson Night has changed! ] Yeah. I knew what this was. After all, this Was the line that marked the beginning of Chapter 4. A chapter that marked one of the biggest turning points in the entire scenario. I subconsciously stroked Soul Linker, hidden in my pocket. The reason why Chapter 4 was deemed as the scenarios most significant branching point was simple. Though it was a chapter where Faenol, one of the Devils Vessels, emerged as its Final Boss Iliya. It was also the chapter that the original protagonist of this world Was the most involved with. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 151: Return Chapter 151: Return Return I do not quite understand what you are saying all of a sudden, Your Excellency. Still exuding a menacing aura, Eleanor made such a remark. It wasnt strange for her to feel perplexed when the topic of war was mentioned out of the blue. Anyone trying to dismiss it as some sort of nonsensical talk was completely normal. However Sullivans words were right. Strictly speaking, Eleanor wouldnt be the cause, rather the entity she harbored.. Both Headmistress Atalante and the Chieftain of the Tribal Alliance seemed to have tried their best to conceal the truth. Sullivan continued in a calm voice. But there are eyes and ears everywhere. In both Elfante and Forge of Struggle, there was news that traces of a Devil were found during the time you were present. Its pretty much an open secret now. With just one wrong move, the news could spread to the public in an instant. Eleanors eyes widened slightly at those words. Did you say a Devil, Your Excellency? Indeed, Lady Tristan. A Devil. Wait! To continue on treading on this topic would be dangerous! If she were to reveal that Eleanor was harboring a Devils Fragment, a huge variable would appear in my plans. This should not happen until Chapter 5 starts at least! As I was about to intervene and stop her from talking The Chancellor glanced at me, sending me a wink from an angle that would not be visible to Eleanor. Was she trying to reassure me that she wouldnt speak on the matter any further? I narrowed my eyes and looked at Sullivan. If there was one thing that was certain It was the fact that this woman knew me well.. As if she had been staying by my side for a long time. I do not know anything about entities related to Devils, Your Excellency. Eleanor said in a stiff voice, but Sullivan just shrugged her shoulders and replied. Honestly, whether youre involved with them directly is not important. The problem here is the incidents triggered by it. It was obvious what she was trying to get at. Every time a Devil revealed themselves, they brought calamities significant enough to send ripples across the entire continent. Even the Guardians, the Empires strongest force, had to stake their lives to deal with the Crimson Night Incident, the incident that turned several cities into ashes and was recorded as the worst incident in the Empires history. It was pretty much a given that the entire continent would be plunged into chaos if they were to find out that a Devils Authority had been manifested in the Material Realm. Barely any statesmen would welcome such news. The continent is already on a precarious balance to begin with, its teetering between peace and war. It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say that anyone could come to invade others for the sake of interest if they wish so. If public sentiment did not stabilize and fell into chaos, it was a given that many such opportunities would rise. Even those without such intentions might change their minds if a perfect opportunity presented itself. In short The threat of war Sullivan spoke of really wasnt a fantasy, but reality. And thats how it all connected. If the entire continent was shaken by the fear of Devils, then there was a simple solution for it. To call upon the existence that could balance out the scale between humanity and the Devils. The only human in history to have ever battled all Devils and matched them. Hero Selection. As Faenol said those words with a bitter smile, Sullivan nodded in affirmation. Originally, it was said that a Hero is selected by the Heavens itself. No matter how strongly someone insisted that they are a Hero, they couldnt just expect to be recognized as one just like that. The First Heros Holy Sword that was kept in the Holy Land. Only someone who was recognized by it would be acknowledged as a Hero by everyone. But now We have to create such a person By force if we have to. Even if the Holy Sword refuses to recognize them, we need someone who is at least strong enough for us to claim that they are able to stand against the Devils. What is it that you mean by forcibly creating such a person? Eleanor asked in a chilly voice. To be acknowledged as the Hero, I am fairly sure one must show themselves wielding and using the Holy Sword. Otherwise, the public will not believe it. We have to make them hold it. Force them to, if necessary. If the public wants it, well show it to them. Eleanors mouth fell open. For someone who rarely showed her emotions, this was a remarkably intense reaction, but honestly, I couldnt blame her for it. Say, what exactly would happen if someone who wasnt recognized by the Holy Sword touched it? The answer was simple. Theyd just die. Their body would shatter as they were trying to approach a power that they couldnt possibly handle. In other words, what the Chancellor was trying to say was It is better to stage a well-crafted and elaborate deception than to let thousands, tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of lives be lost. That they would create a sacrificial lamb to stop a war from occurring. The governing body of the Empire has already agreed to proceed with this. Thats why I cant help but criticize you for this matter, Lady Tristan. Sullivan glared at Eleanor, her golden eyes glinted. It was because Riru shoved her hard on the forehead. Seriously, what the heck. Iliya pouted, feeling it was unfair. Having sparred with Riru under Kasas guidance several times, it was clear that Riru possessed a truly bizarre ability. Sometimes She reacted as if she could see a few seconds into the future. Even just now, she should have been completely unable to anticipate that move. Yet, it was as if something inside her body was helping Riru. Whether its me or her, we really carry some unbelievable abilities, huh. Strictly speaking The ability she opened under Kasas training was at an even more absurd level. Iliya stroked the eye patch covering her right eye with a bitter smile on her face. It wasnt really like her eye was injured. However Without the eyepatch, even looking around would cause a severe headache. Because the amount of information shed take would become overwhelming. While she was thinking this, Riru spoke with her fists trembling and face flushed. Cut it out, will you! Im seriously going to hit you hard, okay?! What a nice person. Even after all this, she didnt say a single harsh word and only threatened to hit me. Is this really the same person who would resort to fists at just the slightest provocation in the past? I guess its true that someones personality would change when they find someone they like. W-Why do you keep bringing up that guy! I didnt say anything about him though? ! Iliya, sticking out her tongue in a teasing manner, took a few steps back from Riru, who was almost letting out steam from her ears. Ah, really now. Iliya giggled inwardly. In the past, she wouldnt have been able to make such jokes. Rather, she would have been constantly worried about the fact that another girl was approaching Teach. But since obtaining this eye Somehow, the world looked a bit different to her. Then, even though its late, we should go and see Teach first! She spoke energetically, gently touching the eye patch over her right eye. Whatever happened, the fact that she became a completely different person after receiving training from Kasa in the Forge of Struggle was evident. So at the very least, shouldnt she quickly show Dowd what had changed? But it was clear that such a plan would be difficult to carry out. Hes with the Chancellor? When Iliya asked this, Dame Ophelia, who was sitting in the dorm supervisors room, answered with a languid voice. Mhmm~ Thats what they said~ I wondered what was going on since he was out all day and it turns out hes tied up with them~ No, wait, what I meant was What business does someone like the Chancellor have at the academy in the first place? And why is he getting involved in this? As Iliya pondered this, Riru, too, seemed at a loss as she scratched her head. It cant be helped then. If he is in such a place, we have no choice but to do it later No. Iliya cut in firmly, causing Rirus eyes to widen. What? I have a very strong hunch. He definitely needs me right now What in the world was that even supposed to mean? Feeling? What feeling? She talked about how Rirus personality had changed and all that, but despite all the change she underwent, she was the same as Riru in the end. Though she was as lively and sociable as before In certain aspects, she had become a bit more Stubborn, perhaps? It felt a bit like there were some parts where she would never compromise about. If she believed something must be done, then shed absolutely carry it out. And that was evident from her next words. Lets barge in! Riru pressed her temples as her head was ringing with pain. After her training with the Fist Saint, Iliya had clearly become a different person. What a crazy bitch. She could blurt out such a deranged, batshit crazy thing as if it was nothing now. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 152: Intrusion Chapter 152: Intrusion Intrusion Your Excellency the Chancellor, please allow me to be fraink. Eleanor, who had only been listening to Sullivan this whole time, spoke in a flat tone. She had just heard that she was the cause of the chaos that was happening worldwide, but her reaction was unexpectedly dull. Firstly, I can understand your claim that the trigger of this situation had been triggered by me. As soon as the word claim came out of her mouth, the edge of the Chancellors mouth twitched. Eleanor said it in a flat tone, but the meaning of her words were clear; Everything that you said is just your own opinion. As if to say that such moral condemnation wouldnt really affect her Then, she uttered her next words in the same tone. However, what does that have to do with my relationship with Dowd? For the first time, Sullivans smile disappeared from her face. Im sure that you arent ignorant of the severity of the situation, Lady Tristan. The Chancellor continued in a stiff voice. Those associated with Devils will be treated as enemies of the entire continent. This isnt limited to the Devil Worshippers, but every human whos involved. I am aware of that. Eleanor replied, tilting her head slightly. So what about it? Nothing has been decided yet, so you can dictate nothing to me regarding this matter. This is something that should be decided between Dowd and myself. Third parties have no right to say on the matter. Now, she didnt even bother to address her with Your Excellency. Despite her calm, serene speech, her face was more expressionless than usual, save for the glint in her red eyes. It made it as if she was trying to suppress something. I wont be so sure about that, Lady Tristan. Sullivan replied with a voice so cold that it could probably freeze the water just by her talking. I am confident that your mere existence would bring harm to this man, so I do not think its unreasonable for me to have a say in this. Even you yourself are aware of this, arent you? Sullivans golden eyes sunk deeply. Theres a high chance that this man will get swept up by something bad because of you. Something very, very dangerous. Hearing her words, Eleanors body turned stiff. This meant that she couldnt find any words to refute her. She bit her lip hard enough for it to bleed, but only for a moment before she started speaking again. If the assumption that you have uttered is true, whether Ill be there or not, that danger would come anyway, no? Only the foolish whod suffer the consequences first because of their inability to differentiate between truth and lies, Lady Tristan. Well, you are free to think how you like, but A cold sneer followed Sullivans words. I have to say that you look quite pathetic. Eleanors eyebrows twitched. To think that youd go out of your way to deny the truth that you yourself had verified. Do you not realize how greedy your wish to monopolize this man is? Sullivans golden eyes, sunken deep, gleamed insidiously. In the first place, you are not even able to do anything for this man. Even after you watched him sacrificing himself over and over because of you, youre still unable to let go of that greed. Tell me, what could be more pathetic than that? Oh, is this your attempt to advertise the fact that you grew up without as much as love from your father? The Chancellors intense glare, burning like cold flames, pierced into Eleanor. In that case, I can understand. After all, your environment makes you who you are. You didnt have anyone to teach you what proper distance is, did you? I truly find you pitiful now. Even just quietly listening to her sent a shiver down my spine. Because the Chancellors words werent only enveloped by coldness, but also an intense hostility. Even so, you should know when and where to act spoiled, shouldnt you? Even if it is someone as obtuse as you. Though those words werent directed at me, I was breaking out in a cold sweat. Haa. Meanwhile, Eleanor closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. She stood still. No words were uttered. Even after hearing all that, the atmosphere around her still seemed serene. Well, who knows. The next words that she uttered came out in a calm tone. I know of one thing though, Your Excellency the Chancellor. What is? The fact that you have to be removed. No matter what. As Eleanor spoke, a twisted smile appeared on her face. And that sight Made a chill run through my entire body, as if the blood that ran through my vein had been frozen. After all, that was the expression Eleanor showed whenever she was about to swing her sword against an enemy. Then Grey aura surged from her body. System Message [ Target Eleanor is enraged! ] [ Corruption Value of target Eleanor exceeds 200%. ] Her calm responses were not due to her not getting angry. Rather, it was the calm before the storm. The anger within her had reached a boiling point, at the verge of exploding! Without time to plan or any of that bullshit, I stood up. All I knew was that I had to stop this somehow, no matter the cost!. Especially considering what happened the last time Eleanor went berserk! Indeed, youre an uncouth woman, just as expected. Then, along with those words Wait a fucking moment. What the fuck does that even mean? Hit? A Devils Fragment? What? After a long silence, I barely managed to let out a voice. But Iliya replied with an unchanging bright smile, as if the thing that she had done was nothing worth mentioning at all. Well, at one point, I started seeing all sorts of things really clearly these days. I can see that They have someone inside them, also theres that Devils Fragment thingy Come to think of it, there was a notification about her opening the Eye of Truth or whatever in a system window just before. And now that I looked at her closely, she was wearing something similar to an eyepatch. So, since I saw that person inside. I tried hitting her, you know? Iliya continued with a grin. And then it worked! When I did it a few times against Riru, she was beside herself. It seems to be really painful for those who have those Fragment thingy if they get hit directly. After I gathered my braincells to understand what the fuck she was saying, I finally understood everything. What she was trying to say was that, even though the one that she hit was the Vessel, the damage was dealt directly to the Devils Fragment inside them. That was why even those two, people who could withstand a direct hit from a bomb, collapsed with just a single hit to the back of their heads. But how? It was incomprehensible. She was saying it so nonchalantly, but Even if you comb through the entire worldview, this was an unprecedented power. Keep in mind that the only beings who could suppress the strength of the Devils were either Devils themselves, a Seraphim or a Hero who wielded the Holy Sword. That was the law. A rule written into the very code of the games system, okay? But then What the fuck was that just now? If this were a game, people would dismiss it as a bug. That was how absurd it was. But this was reality, the concept of bugs didnt exist. Seriously though, what the fuck was going on with this kid? Fist Saint. What the fuck did you even do that the kid became like this?! So, what do you think? Iliya asked while gazing at me. I practiced this ability really hard for your sake, Teach. Huh? And as soon as our eyes met I backed away. While I didnt know why I did so, my instincts were screaming, telling me to run. Youve worked hard. Thats actually an unbelievable ability. Right? Iliya replied with a grin. And then From now on, Ill protect you. Along with those words She grasped my hand tightly. As if she wouldnt ever let me go out of her sight. From now on, even if bad women like these try to threaten you, Teach. Ill protect you. Thats what Ive been training so hard for. So However, as she turned to face me, any signs of such an atmosphere had disappeared without a trace. Iliya smiled brightly once again. You cant leave my side, okay? Otherwise, who knows what kind of harassment would you suffer from those violent women. With those words, she hooked her pinky finger around mine. Mhm, pinky-promise. To always stick together. Then, she continued with the same wide smile. So I can always protect you, Teach. Understood? Light radiated from her eyes as she said this, but Like, it was nice and all that she wanted to protect me, but For some reason, I felt a chill running down my spine. How should I put it [This is a premonitory symptom of obsession, isnt it?] [Did you wake me up just to show me how you managed to corrupt my little sister?] No. Its not that. Stop being fucking ridiculous. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 153: Resolve Chapter 153: Resolve Resolve The unprecedented incident where both the Chancellor and Lady Tristan fainted at the same time ended with surprisingly little repercussions, considering the severity of the case. Damn it, shit, FUCKKKKK-! Of course it was Atalante who dragged both of them to the infirmary, wearing an expression that was similar to that of an evil ghost, all while screaming inhuman-sounding screeches. Please dont blame her for that though. Our Dear Headmistress was always the first one to get swept up whenever such an incident occurred, after all. Also, she always dealt with the aftermath personally. Fortunately, thanks to Iliyas delicate touch, none of them showed any signs of external injuries. They were just unconscious for God knows why. The fact that the victims themselves didnt know who to blame or what to blame for was a considerable stroke of luck. Prior to this, Atalante, with a stiff expression, told me that the two of them didnt have any intention to directly clash with each other for now. The Petronus Household and the Tristan Duchy have never been on good terms, but they are aware that it wont be good for either of them if the conflict escalates even more than this. Of course But thats only because you arent involved this time, Dowd. Theres no guarantee that such conflicts wont happen in the future. There was an obvious caveat like this. I nodded at Atalantes words with a bitter smile. Ill have to find a solution quickly. I responded with a sigh. Things wouldnt be limited to those two clashing against each other. The conflicts between Devils would only intensify from now on. This was just the beginning. It was especially the case if the number of Devils involved with me kept increasing; The likelihood of such incidents happening would increase exponentially. Iliya might have acquired the ability to directly hit a Devils Fragment, but I couldnt rely on it consistently. Although the method might work before a Devil went berserk, there were already some cases in the past that rendered it useless, like back when Eleanor actually unleashed her Authority. Do you have something in mind? Well, I do. You see, it was inevitable that such incidents would occur. That was why the best course of action was to prepare the means to manage the aftermath. And when it came to mediating fights that were on the scale of Devils, there was only one being that was capable of doing so. A Hero wielding the Holy Sword. After growing to their fullest potential, they would be the strongest human in the world. They were among the top two in combat power, towering above the rest, along with the Grey Devil. Judging from your expresion, it seems you are not too keen on that method, though. She was right. Because both the burden and the danger of the method was far too high. Not for me, but for Iliya, who would get caught up in this event. But, it isnt like I have any other choice. Saying that, I summoned a window in front of my eyes. System Log [ The starting point of Chapter 4 Crimson Night has changed! ] Originally, Chapter 4 would only start a few months from now. But, as always, due to the twisted scenario, the date was brought forward considerably. Its such a stupid fucking bullshit, imagine if no, I dont even want to imagine the possibility if she cant wield the Holy Sword. The Hero wielding the Holy sword was as important as the Grey Devil being designated as the Final Boss in the scenarios progression. Everything else could be worked on, but this part must not go wrong. The moment it did, the entire world would just crumble. For example, the False God and Stigma of Ill Omen in the latter parts of the scenario worked on the basis that Iliya was the bearer of the Holy Sword. Without that, there was nothing we could do to defeat those guys and clear the chapter. However. The risk is too high. To begin with, trying to get the Holy Sword to recognize Iliya was easier said and done. The slightest mistake could send her head flying on the spot. She passed the test with flying colors in the game, but Most of the ordeals she was supposed to face in the game were dealt by me instead. So, the key question here was whether her growth meter filled up according to the original game or not. Her successfully gaining the broken ability to hit a Devils Fragment directly was great and all, but that was a whole different thing to being acknowledged by the Holy Sword. Also When does the Hero Selection start, Headmistress? I heard itll start in a few days. Theyre gathering candidates from the academies of each country. The Holy Sword doesnt allow humans older than a certain age to wield it, after all. I nodded while listening to Atalantes words. Just like always, there wasnt much time. If it was gonna happen in a few days, it meant the main event would probably hit me without leaving me any time to prepare. Which meant There was only one option left. Can you do me a favor, Headmistress? What is it? There are about two things. First, I need the contact information of the Senior Professor of the Theology School, as well as the right to meet them. Atalante narrowed her eyes before glaring at me. It isnt a difficult favor, so I wont ask you why you need that, but you do know that person is a little peculiar, right? I do know. Honestly, if that person wasnt the Senior Professor, I wouldnt want to be involved with them. Peculiar was a polite way to describe that person. Because that person was a little bit of a lunatic. Second That aside I sighed and continued. This wouldnt harm him in any way, but it should make him pay attention to me and clear up the murky atmosphere a little. The reason I told you this in the first place is because Im certain nothing will happen to her. Seriously, did he think I was an idiot? I didnt let him hear it when the Chancellor was speaking about it, but let him do it when the Headmistress did for a reason, not because I was a helpless fucking idiot. [] A dumbfounded pause came from within Soul Linker. [So what youre saying is] Caliban hesitantly continued. [There is a foolproof way to get recognized by the Holy Sword?] Theres always a way, of course. [What way are you talking about? Getting recognized by the Holy Sword is one thing, but in the first place, even getting through the selection process seems impossib-] Nahhhh, that part is easy. With that, I summoned a window in front of me. System Log [ The Sidekick of Survival Rule is activated! ] [ Target Iliya reacts sensitively to your moment of danger. ] [ The targets stats increase dramatically! ] [ The target opens the Eye of Truth! ] This was the window that popped up when Iliya knocked out both Eleanor and Sullivan. Putting aside all else, there were just two things to pay attention to here. Iliyas sensitive reaction to my moment of danger and the resulting effect where her stats increases dramatically were critical points. No matter how much she increased her specs while training under the Fist Saint The notion of her knocking out two Devils Vessels without them even realizing it was impossible. Moreover, it was especially the case when one of the Vessels was Eleanor, someone who was gradually approaching Margrave Kendrides level. That was why It was safe to assume that the buff Illiya received when I was in danger was fucking crazy. And that would be the key for her to secure a superior position in the selection. Caliban. I took a deep breath before continuing. Iliya wont be passing the selection alone. And, as obvious as it sounds We will do it together. [What?] Its a little hard to explain, but you see, if I get into life-threatening situations, her power will increase [] This might sound a bit ridiculous To constantly let her get that stat boost, I needed to be continuously exposed to situations like where I got sandwiched between two or more Devils Vessels on the verge of going berserk. It wont be hard to get into that kind of situation, dont you think? The Hero Selection was an event where the governing body of each country, their selected Heros, and their formidable entourage would all show up together. Even if it wasnt Devil-level threats, it wouldnt be hard to create life-threatening situations for me. [So, what youre saying is that] Caliban responded with a tone of utter disbelief. [In a gathering where the strongest from the entire continent are present] Yes. [Youd be taking actions that are akin to suicide attempts?] Yes. [And how do you plan on doing that? Are you going to start picking fights with every single person there?] Of course not. [As expected, even you wouldnt] I need to make everyone there get so mad at me that theyd try to kill me for just being there. Picking fights with them wont be enough. [] In my opinion In order for Iliya to safely pass the selection and be acknowledged as the Master of the Holy Sword, that was the level I had to aim for. Just to be safe. I had to become Public Enemy No. 1 of everyone present there. And to do that, I had to do what I did best. My specialty that everyone acknowledged I was an expert at. I will become a piece of shit, Caliban. A complete and utter trash. [] Hell, I will redefine the meaning of trash itself. Ill show them a whole new realm of how shitty a human being can be, and Ill display it for all the world to see. Ill leave the clean, upright, and pure image to Iliya. As for me, Id be scraping the very bottom of humanitys barrel. [Youre telling me youre going to do that against the powerhouses whose strength are at the continental level.] Yes. [] After a long silence, Caliban finally continued to speak. [Right. I had almost forgotten because Ive seen you being tossed around so much by others lately.] Huh? [You really are the best and craziest motherfucker Ive ever seen in my life.] Guess Ill take that as a compliment. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 154: Memory Chapter 154: Memory Memory Walter Gares, the Senior Professor and the Dean of the Theology School, was a well-known eccentric in Elfante. Sometimes, people would find him dancing half-naked while drinking hard liquor straight from its bottle on top of Gregory hall. At other times, theyd see him jumping off a height of hundreds of meters, trying to test the limits of Divine Power. Youd also find him singing hymns boisterously at the most random of times. Of course, there were times when he did all of these at once. Actually, I didnt need to bring such examples. Any sane person who had encountered him for more than three seconds would agree that you couldnt associate him with the word normal at all. The Vortex of Fate, the Call of Stars, and the Primordial Curse borne by the Black Flame Dragon sleeping in my right arm have guided our meeting to this place. [What is he babbling about?] He said hes pleased to meet me. This is his normal greeting. [What is he? A crazy bastard] Yes, yes he is. [] Beneath that silence, I could hear him asking if I was kidding or not, but I wasnt joking when I said that. This person was legitimately a comprehensive gift set of mental illnesses. To put it simply, in his brain, the part that was in charge of his rationality, and the part that made his body do eccentric activities, the crazy bastard part, was functioning separately, but at the same time. Thanks to that, while there was some semblance of rationality in his speech and behavior, for the most part, theyd look like something that came out of an uncontrollable lunatic. [Why is he even a professor? He should stay in the hospital.] Well, because aside from his odd behavior, you can still communicate normally with him, and most importantly [Yeah?] His skills are the real deal. In other words, despite being riddled with such various handicaps, he was still skilled enough to become the Senior Professor in Elfantes Theology School. And that was why there were things that I could only ask him to do. In terms of Sanctification Work, processing items using Divine Power, no one was more skilled than him, even when the Saintess was included in the calculation. Ive come to retrieve the item I entrusted to you, Dean Walter. When I said that, Walter exaggeratedly strutted to his desk. His movements were theatrical, if I didnt know any better, Id believe it if you were to tell me that he was the protagonist of some theatrical play. Behold the masterpiece, born from the primal desire and instinct of a certain being. Capable of mesmerizing its surroundings just by its exist The work went smoother than expected, you said? I just asked for a simple Sanctification Work, though. In a world filled with despair, the fragile yet resilient existence that can withstand with just a sliver of hope is huma- Huh? You managed to preserve its original nature while enhancing it? Thats really impressive. See? I told you this man is skilled. [You could actually talk with him?! How the fuck?!] I dunno, Dude. Well, I encountered him often in the game, so I just understood what he was sayingkinda It was mostly just reading between the lines and guesswork, honestly. Hell be helpful later on, after all. Later on, hed be of great help in removing Eleanors Unique Debuff, Madness. So, being able to communicate with him wasnt a bad thing. Anyway The mental flaws of humans as social animals include the inability to live alone, thus amidst this terrible imbalance of dissociation, I cry out. Thank you for the offer, but I have to reject it this time. Ill be pleased to have some tea and snacks with you next time, though. With a polite response, I left Walters office. In my hand was the orb-shaped Soul Spirit he processed. T/his chapter is updated by nov(e?(l)biin.co/m This was, to be more precise < Item Info > [ Tatiana Grachel ] [ Processed ] [ Specialty: Curse ] [ Form: Soul Spirit ] [ Processing Options ] Subordinate as a familiar Use as an enhancement material for an item Resummon in full form (Becomes annihilated after one use) I was talking about this. Originally, I could only choose one of these options, but thanks to Walters workmanship, it seemed I could choose another option after using it as an enhancement material. Thats not bad. Tatiana fell short compared to Valkasus, but she was still capable of using powerful curses. Whether I were to turn her into a Familiar or just resummon her, I could make use of her at some point. Well, both were for later For now, Id apply it as enhancement material to Soul Linker. I gotta enhance Caliban, after all. [Youre enhancing me? Why?] Im doing something good for you, why the hell are you complaining? [No, Im not, its just If you can enhance someone, you should use it on yourself or Iliya. Why do you pick me instead? Thats what I was trying to say. I mean, Im just a parasite in your head at best.] Why the hell was he talking like this? Sure, the only thing he could do for me at the moment was to serve as my Buff Skill Shuttle, but that was only because the Soul Synchronization Rate was low. Along with Iliya, he was a linchpin for clearing this chapter. There were numerous situations where his contribution would be crucial. Especially considering that my life would be under constant threat. I was expecting to rely heavily on him a lot later. That was why it was only natural that Id be prioritizing his enhancement. I shrugged my shoulders before bringing the orb-shaped Soul Spirit closer to Soul Linker. Immediately after, a window popped up in front of me. Upon hearing Calibans words, the nearby Guardians let out fierce smiles. They were unarmed, while the knights were fully armed. Even so, the fully armored knights were being pushed back in terms of momentum and spirit. While nonchalantly scratching the back of his neck, Caliban continued in a blas tone. We are Guardians. Our job is to save people, we are not interested in anything else. However His eyes were filled with the fury of a wild beast, condensed with nothing but violence. Even if your grandfather is the one whos coming here, Duke, we will not move without a suitable reason. Do you understand that? After a long silence, Gideon let out a sigh before opening his mouth again. This is a request from the Heretic Inquisition. They asked for your cooperation for an Exorcism. According to them, theyll provide you with sanctified equipment. Upon hearing this, surprise spread across the face of all the Guardians, including Caliban himself. We are knights, Lord Duke, hunting Devils is not in our job description. The Heretic Inquisition has specifically requested your deployment for this task. This is a highly confidential matter, so normally youd be briefed upon your deployment, but Gideon continued in a stiff voice. In the far east of the Empire, signs of a Devil that has gone berserk have been detected. A total of three cities have been reduced to ashes in just half a day. It was clear that he was barely able to get those words out. They wish you to, even if its just for a moment, to halt the Devils actions. To halt it? For how long? One night. Caliban let out a scoff. Just from the sound of it, its a fucked up mission. Gideon bit his lips until it bled. What youre trying to say is that we should throw ourselves into the grinder to save the Empires citizens. Am I right? Gideon himself was fully aware of the implications of what he had just spoken. A Devil that had gone berserk was a calamity that couldnt be faced by anyone other than a Hero wielding the Holy Sword. What he was asking them to do was to confront that kind of disaster for a whole night. Even with sanctified equipment, it was still a suicide mission. He was forcing them to go out there to die. After a long silence, Caliban let out a deep sigh before opening his mouth again. If we refuse to do it, how many of us will die? It is impossible to know. Gideon replied with a heavy heart. But, its certain that at least hundreds of thousands people will die if no one is suppressing it. Thousands of people have already died yesterday. Then we have to do it. Calibans response came without any hesitation. Considering the magnitude of his decision, his tone was unexpectedly calm. Even Gideon turned around to look at him with wide eyes. Lets hear about it in a bit more detail, Lord Duke. Almost as if I mean, it isnt like anyone other than us can do it. It was just another days work for them. System Message [ Consciousness of target Caliban has been unlocked! ] [ A Special Memory is being replayed! ] [ Collecting all Special Memories will trigger a Holy Sword Related Event! ] After that message popped up, my consciousness was pulled back to reality. I stared at the Soul LInker with a dumbfounded expression. That was Calibans memory during the Crimson Night Incident Yeah, that definitely was [Whats wrong? Why are you spacing out all of a sudden?] Uh, like Honestly Seeing all that made me see him in a new light. Because prior to this, he had only been bitching around Well, I guess he wasnt a Guardian for nothing, huh? [Huh? Whats that about all of a sudden?] Its nothing. With a bitter smile, I shook my head. These were memories related to his own demise, it wouldnt do both of us any good if I were to tell him that I had seen them. Right as I was lost in such thoughts System Message [ Following the Awakening of the Enchanted Thought Form within Soul Linker, some functions have been unlocked. ] [ Fusion of the Soul Spirit: Orb confirmed. ] [ Additional skills have been unlocked! ] Such a window popped up before my eyes. Ah, come to think of it The last time the Soul Synchronization Rate increased, it also unlocked some new skills. I guess it happened again this time. As I browsed through the newly appeared window with such thoughts. This is fucking insane. My pupils dilated to its very limits. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 155: Reunion Chapter 155: Reunion Reunion Hmm. Staring at her best friend, Trisha let out a deep breath through her nose. She couldnt say that she and Iliya had known each other for a long time, but there was one thing that she was certain of. The fact that her best friend was extremely shy when it came to romance, almost frustratingly so. Considering that, her current attitude was Iliya, what did you just say? Hm? Ah, I said that I should help Riru out. Strange Way too strange It was unbelievable that this was the same girl who was shaking in anxiety, thinking that she had no chance of getting her Teachs attention because there were too many attractive women around him. Whenever Dowd was brought up, her emotions would surge terrifyingly, but now she was remarkably calm. It was like looking at the surface of a tranquil lake. Riru? You mean, that violent woman? Carefully, Trisha started speaking while stroking her chin. The last time she heard about Riru, she was told that the woman was clearly interested in Dowd. But Out of a sudden, her best friend said that she would help that woman What the hell happened to her? Also, what kind of help is she even talking about? Well, Riru is planning something Iliya rubbed her eyes behind the eyepatch before letting out a grin. It seems like shes about to make a very important confession to Teach. Did she tell you that? She didnt, but she doesnt need to. I can clearly see that shes nervous, and it seemed like she was hiding something inside. You cansee? The way she phrased her words made it sound like she didnt just randomly guess. And her following words precisely confirmed Trishas suspicion. Yeah, like you know, emotions and things that are somewhat visible to the eye Like, I can see somethingstirring Trishas mouth fell open. Her eyes that could see emotions was an ability awakened through interaction with Divine Power. To be more precise, most Priests would gain a special ability after they reached a certain realm. But even among them, her ability was one of the most powerful. After all, it was pretty much the same thing as being able to read someone elses thoughts. But Iliya acquired that kind of ability? Out of the blue? Y-You can see e-emotions now, Iliya? No, I cant actually see all of them, just like If they have Bad things inside their body I can see their emotions if they have some intense ones Bad things? I cant say what it is, or else enemies would come from all over the place. Seeing Trisha cocking her head, Iliya just waved her hand before continuing. Anyway, how could I possibly see everyones emotions? Besides, having that kind of ability would make it hard to even hang out with people close to me~ I mean, normally, youd hate being around someone who could look into your head, right? Like, take this conversation for example. I wouldnt be able to talk about it with anyone other than you, Trisha. You got a point Trisha barely managed to force out a smile, agreeing with her words. Because in the back of her mind, she was suppressing all the horrible memories that were trying to resurface because of Iliyas words. This ability was the reason why she was oftenly ostracized and bullied in the past. At times, she was even treated like a monster. Not to mention that Because of it, there were people she could never meet again. She barely managed to control her expression. With great difficulty, she changed the subject. But, is it really okay for you to help her just like that? This matter is related to Mr. Dowd, right? While those words were the result of her desperate struggle to shift the topic of the conversation, they were also something that she genuinely wanted to ask. If Iliya were to help Riru, and the latter ended up getting together with Dowd, what would happen afterwards? That was the question that Trisha actually wanted to ask. Well, it doesnt matter. The answer that came out of Iliyas mouth however, was all too carefree. What? After watching him for a bit, I concluded that its his fate to attract various women in his life no matter what hes trying to do. Even if the world itself tries to stop it from happening, it wont stop. So, I figured that instead of trying to stop the inevitable, I should just try to make the best out of the situation. Trisha stared at her with a dumbfounded look, meanwhile, Iliya only let out a bright smile. Besides, Im an irreplaceable existence to him. She sounded so certain when she said those words, and she wasnt wrong in the slightest. Indeed, she was the only person around Dowd who could effectively suppress those insane women who were essentially throwing their bodies at him. This was something that even Lady Tristan couldnt do. Even if she won the race, the Lady would probably completely crush her rivals or at least leave them in pieces. Knowing Dowd, there was no way that hed welcome that kind of outcome. That was why Also, since thats the case, it would be even better for me if more women flocked around him. To her, the more the women clashed among themselves, the better. Huh? Why? Because that would make Teach rely on me even more~ Indeed, the more often such conflicts emerged The more valuable Iliya became as she was the only person who could control the traffic of those people. To put it simply, Dowd wouldnt be able to live without her anymore! So, youre intentionally letting more women gather around Mr. Dowd while youll be watching them fighting among themselves from the sidelines? Nah, of course not. That would be a bit too much, wouldnt it? Theres no need for me to needlessly aggravate the situation, or else itll just put Teach in danger. Iliya let out a chuckle before continuing. Im just helping Riru out because shes my friend. Wouldnt it be sad if she couldnt even convey her feelings properly? Um, Iliya? Chill ran down Trishas spine, but she still tried her hardest to maintain her smile. Her friend was saying that she was just helping out a friend of hers And she found those words a little bit strange You said that youre helping her because shes a friend Yeah. Whats up with that? Surely it wasnt a strange question to ask. Because until just now, Iliyas attitude was like she was saying, Ill be the number one anyway, it doesnt matter how many women will approach him. That personumRiruis she really your friend? That question was difficult for Trisha to bring up. Of course she is. Whatever, as long as were not caught by others, it should be fine! At the very least her Corruption Value wasnt increasing; The biggest risk factor was taken care of. In the first place, this place was a deserted plain, and it was really late in the night. When I was about to respond to Caliban and turned around the corner I bumped into Iliya, who had a smile plastered all over her face. Maybe I was wrong. This was probably the biggest risk factor, not the Corruption Value. When I thought as such while facing Iliya She approached me with a grin. I had to say something. Anything. When I was about to make an excuse, my body broke out in cold sweat Im not like the Student Council President, Teach. Iliya spoke up first. What? Whatever peculiar and intense tastes Teach has, I can understand and accept all of it. Huh? Anyway, can I walk Miss Yuria instead of you? I believe you have an urgent matter that you have to attend right now! I was obviously stunned by her words, and it was also the case with Yuria, as she seemed to be momentarily at a loss for words. What the fuck is she on about? At that moment W-Wait, Miss Iliya! T-This is! Dont worry! This is what friends are for! We help each other out with these kinds of things from time to time! H-Huh? I-Is that really the case?! Of course it was not! What the fuck?! Sure, I understood that you didnt have any friends and all, but how could you just blindly believe her words like that?! I created this opportunity, so While she was dragging Yuria away, Iliya mouthed something. Without a doubt She was saying it to someone behind me. Good luck, Riru! Uh? What? I turned my stiff body around, like a robot that hadnt been oiled for a long time. And I saw the exact person Iliya mentioned, standing there without a word. Riru Garda. The Chieftains granddaughter. There was a large box in her arm. Just seeing the sheer size of it made me almost feel a sense of dread. The silence stretched on. Normally, shed tell me off, asking why was I staring at her for so long. But now, it was as if she had forgotten how to breathe. Her breathing was rough, as if she had went through some kind of hard labor. Not only that, her face was flushed. A vivid red hue decorated her tanned skin. Its been a while, Riru. How have you been? In the end, it was me who broke the silence with a greeting. You shoulda contacted me when you first arrived in Elfante. I coulda gone to find you so we could have a meal together. That topic should be uncontroversial enough to lighten the mood, right? You know Unlike before, this woman now held a significant position in the Tribal Alliance alongside Kasa. If she were to start a trouble with me, my options to go against her were pretty limited, especially with how the Hero Selection was right around the corner. Judging from your complexion, you seem to be in a better mode. Thats a relief Dowd Campbell. She cut my words, her tone sounded serious. Guess my efforts were futile. This woman definitely brought something that could cause me trouble. I could feel it in my skin. Do you remember the last thing I said before we parted ways? Uh, yeah. I told her to bring me a gift whenever she returned to Elfante. The box she was holding probably related to that, huh? Now, the question was, what kind of gift was it exactly? Why did she look soserious? Riru chewed on her lips again. Despite her tomboy-like appearance, this woman seemed to be unable to bring herself to say something out loud, thus increasing my anxiety. Fucking hell. Seriously, what did she want?! Hey. After a long silence She finally seemed to have made some kind of resolve. Take this. With those words, she pushed the box towards me. The box was decorated with exquisite engravings and jewels. It was clearly something meant for a grand occasion. Definitely not something that was only worth one or two coins. Is that a gift for me? While hoping that it was nothing significant, I tried to keep the mood light as I showed her a casual smile. However What is this exactly? It looks expensive. A dowry box. Hearing her words A part of my brain stopped working. Excuse me? With difficulty With truly great difficulty, I managed to force out a response. But when I did so Dowd Campbell. Riru With her entire face and body flushed red And her gaze ablaze with a fiercely burning determination Marry me. Spoke such words Firmly and decisively. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 156: Poetic Justice Chapter 156: Poetic Justice Poetic Justice [Why are you just standing there? Isnt this a crisis for you?] Though Caliban said that to me, who was just standing there dumbfounded after receiving the box from Riru Yeah, sure. It is a crisis, but The first thought that came to my mind wassomething was off Wedding ceremonies in the Tribal Alliance were massive events that could surpass your wildest imaginations. Even when you had to compare it with other nations traditions. There were various reasons why, but fundamentally it was because the nation used a strong sense of unity to make up for its low population number. Considering that If a member of the Chieftains clan were the one whod get marriedthe ceremony would be so massive that just thinking about its scale could give you a massive headache. What I was trying to say here was Riru coming here with just a box to propose to me was something that should never happen under normal circumstances. This kind of modest proposal would be seen as rash. No one from the Tribal Alliance would even think about proposing in this way. Considering that Riru herself was someone who valued the importance of tradition highly, such a proposal only brought me discomfort rather than a sense of crisis. Marriage? Anyway I cautiously asked that question. First, I gotta probe if she was truly serious about it or not. Yeah. But Though she was avoiding my gaze, the tone of her voice remained the same. She looked clearly embarrassed, but there was a fierce determination in her response. I know this is sudden. Riru opened her mouth before covering her face with her hands. But, if it isnt now, I might not get another chance ever again. Sorry? If I were to leave things as they are, I have a feeling that someone would snatch you away That mutter came from beneath the hands that were covering her face. This time, her voice was rather subdued, unbefitting of her character. No doubt, in there I could sense Her fear. The contrast between her usual confident demeanor and her current self made this felt even more real. It really felt like this person was baring her heart open to me. However [Are you going to reject her?] Well, did I have another choice? If the immediate threats to my life like Eleanor and Yuria didnt exist, I would literally just reject them all. Given my situation, I couldnt afford getting myself surrounded by the Devils too closely; The risk was way too much. I clenched my teeth. So hard that I could taste blood in my gums. Honestly, while I could stand being called trash or whatnot I always felt guilty acting that way towards the people who sincerely opened their hearts to me. Im sorry, Riru. My declaration that I wanted to live happily with the Devils was true, but if she were to bring up something like this so suddenly I couldnt just accept it. Because that was my goal for later. Only after the main scenario was sorted out, and all potential threats were eliminated could I have the lenience to do that. My answer was pretty much determined from the start already. Right nowis a little too sudden I thinktheres still too much we need to learn about each other before we can reach that point With great difficulty, I managed to say those words out While suppressing the choking feeling in my throat, I tried to get the words out as calmly as possible. After that, she went silent. Well, obviously. No way in hell she could just give an immediate response after hearing such words. She still had her face covered, so I couldnt see her expression. Im sorry, Riru. I think itll be a bit difficult right now. My tone was somber, I continued. Again, she didnt give out any particular reaction. She just kept her head down, facing the ground. When you say right now Her voice was low, and it sounded rather subdued. Does that mean your answer can change later? Well, yeah, of course. I was already planning to live with you in the first place. But I couldnt say that now. The best I could do was to pass it over vaguely. I think, what we should do now is to get to know each other better first, thats more important than anything else. As I said that, I let out a bitter smile. It was the most clichd rejection line, the same one everyone would say out of pity. But unlike them, I was being sincere. There was indeed still a mountain of things we needed to learn about each other. Also, we were going to continue to see each other anyway. So, what exactly does getting to know each other better mean? To put it simply, well, while its hard for us to get married right nowwe can still spend plenty of time together. Getting married immediately might be a bit much But we could always start slowly while building up our relationship steadily. Only then did I realize something. Eh? Unlike when Eleanor proposed to me, or when Yuria threw herself at me There wasnt a Devil Related Alert this time That meant From the very start, she came to me with the mindset of, it doesnt matter even if I got rejected. It was almost as if She had anticipated that Id give her this exact answer if she were to prod me like that. Now that I think about it, there was something strange in her way of proposing to me. Eh? Did that mean She gaslit me? Riru Garda desperately rubbed her flushing face. [Woah, you actually did it.] Shut up. She muttered grumpily to the teasing voice that came from behind her. Her heart was pounding so wildly, that she felt it was so surreal. Because, just now, she Hey, uhyou know [Yes?] Since hes myboyfriend now, c-can I She muttered her words while stroking her own face. Y-You knowc-can Ig-go on dates with himo-or k-kiss hima-and stuff? [] Looking at her, the Blue Devil was struggling to suppress the laughter that was about to burst out. My goodness. I cant believe Id hear something like that from a grown woman. Shes so unbelievably innocent when it comes to this, huh? Totally different from her look. I have to pat myself in the back for giving you that advice. If they were to follow Rirus own pace she would never have done something like this. He was her first love, relationship, confession and romance. From now on, everything shed build up with that man would be something that she had never done prior to this. And she opted to skip all that and immediately jump to a marriage proposal, which was something ratherunfair. However That was exactly why she did it. Back when you said Id be rejected here no matter what I doI wondered why I should even bother doing it She murmured in a slightly excited voice in between her restless pants. But youre really reliable when it comes to this matter. Throughout her time together with this Blue Punk, Riru realized that all the information about the future that the ghost occasionally spouted was almost always accurate. Also, perhaps she was influenced by this punk, at times, she was able to glimpse a few seconds into the future. According to that punk, these were additional elements that occurred during a Fusion or whatever it was. -Grey, Purple, and Red all go through this process as well. The merging of Fragments and the Vessel. Its just, in our case, its easier for us to communicate with each other compared to them. And, well, I guess itll make it easier for us to coordinate too. -Coordinate? What are you on about? -Well, coordinate as in, getting Dear Husband to enjoy two different flavors at once during our nighttime activities. - -Thats a joke~ Dont worry, youll find out later, Riru. She remembered the Blue Punks chuckle as she said that.. -To put it simply, we can shine the brightest when Dear Husband is in the most danger! What followed was something incomprehensible, though. Anyway [Of course. Like Ive been saying, theres nothing to lose here.] The Blue Punk floated around her while giggling. [Considering Dear Husbands current situation, this proposal was nothing short of a bomb. There was no way he would accept it.] However By keeping that certainty in mind, she inadvertently created an opportunity to establish a natural relationship that other Vessels couldnt even imagine. And the stage to continue leveraging this advantage was coming soon. [Hmconsidering the flow in the time axis, the Hero Selection is tomorrow, isnt it?] The Blue Devil murmured before sweeping back her hair. The Hero Selection? Whats that? [Its somethinga pretty important incident] One could say that The branching point related to Dowd Campbells crisis all started from here. Hero, Grey Devil, White Devil, Red Devil, all of them were entwined in a chaotic whirlpool. Originally, there was no place for the Blue Devil or Riru in such a melting pot. However [This round will be a bit different, Dear Husband.] The Blue Devil, licking her lips slightly, murmured. [We wont just watch from afar and let the others lust after you like last time~] Without a doubt For Riru who was listening in, the sentence was filled with a chilly allure that it sent shivers down her spine. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 157: Its Been A While, Hasnt It? Chapter 157: It''s Been A While, Hasn''t It? Its Been A While, Hasnt It? thus, the rules for the Hero Selection will proceed as follows. Reading the documents handed to me, Atalante threw in those words. From the schedule, theyll start with Elfante, Forge of Struggle and finally the Great Temple of the Holy Land, where the Holy Sword is displayed. Candidates from each academy will have to pass through ordeals that were prepared by the respective academies. I nodded at her explanation. So far, it was the same process as I remembered. As per the custom, each country will nominate two candidates, and each of them will be accompanied by one entourage as a support. The reason why they used a grand term like custom was because every Heroes in history had never acted alone. There was always someone who was supporting them by their side. Of course, they didnt have grand or big responsibilities. At best, theyd only do some ancillary activities that would enable the Hero to act as they were required to. How should I put it? I guess it was similar to a pet in some other games? In the original game, this was a role that would be filled by someone from the Hero Party, but Id be taking it this time. Though the Pope wouldnt make a direct appearancean Archbishop will come in his place, alongside a War Chief from the Tribal Alliance, and Her Majesty the Empress for Elfante. The Empress herself? No matter how you looked at it, it was a complete mismatch. Since the ones whod attend were an Archbishop and a War Chief, it should be Chancellor Sullivan who should attend it to match their status. But, the Empress would be attending it personallyit meant It is a political risk for her as well. The Headmistress said this with a bitter smile. Basically, shes acknowledging, albeit implicitly, that her influence is below that of the Chancellor in a public setting. Well, even in the main storyline, the Empress was always outshone by the Chancellor. She didnt really have a significant influence. But that didnt matter, the reason why she went out of her way to accept such humiliation was what mattered. Is itbecause of me? Ive always found it convenient that you catch on so quickly. Atalante brushed her hair back and nodded in affirmation. For some reason, Her Majesty has great expectations of you. Shes even willing to go to such lengths just to see you in person, ignoring how unreasonable her action is. Ill repeat this again. The Empress was one of the central figures in the main scenario. Especially in the chapter where Eleanor was awakened as the Final Boss. The biggest things that were holding Eleanors sanity together had been Beatrix and the Empress, her friends since childhood. Eventually, Gideon too, after they reconciled and the real intentions behind her excluding him was revealed, but it wasnt the case for now. It seems I cannot disappoint then. That was why I had to make a good impression on her. I was confident that I could do it. As far as I had seen, the Hero Selection hadnt deviated much from the games flow. However There was still one thing that bothered me. Whats the likelihood of the Holy Land causing trouble or getting in our way? Its pretty much inevitable that theyll do that. Hearing Atalantes response, I let out a sigh, and a bitter smile appeared on my face. Considering that he had sent Seras after me, it was clear that the Pope was wary of my growth. Now that my name popped up in such an ultra-major event, the Hero Selection, there was no way that he wouldnt pull any shenanigans. Do you have any idea what kind of method theyll use? They willmost likely doubt your legitimacy. In hindsight, you are someone I had to hastily include, thats why your participation seems forced. Theyll argue that you havent been properly vetted to participate in such a grand event. Well, that was one method that I couldnt really defend against. While I had achieved feats that were impossible to achieve considering my status as a student, it was ultimately the Holy Land who held the highest authority on matters concerning Devils and Heroes. This was why Atalante said them getting in our way was an inevitability. She let out a heavy sigh before continuing. Moreover, Archbishop Luminol has demonstrated Miracles as proof of faith, not just in the Holy Land, but across the entire continent multiple times. If such a person directly questions your legitimacy, it will make your participation in the selection become much more difficult. That will become a little bit of trouble, yeah. Saying that, I flipped through the documents. Archbishop Luminol. A middle-aged man. His demeanor painted him as a man of peace, but he was still the Popes underling. Beneath that face of his, he was another one of those scheming bastards. And just as Atalante said, he had reached a high realm as a Priest. He performed several Miracles that were considered advanced even from the perspective of a Sera sweat. Among those Miracles, the one that could be said as his specialty was As soon as I saw that entry on the document A smile crept across my face. Whats wrong? Why are you smiling like that? From what I see, itll be a bigger problem if this person doesnt attend. Sorry? You see, from my perspective, Id rather face this person more than anyone else. There wasnt a rule that stated I couldnt scheme against them. By them, I meant the person who they had sent to go against me. What a coincidence. I was actually someone who was quite good at scheming too. Elfante was always a bustling place, befitting its name as the Imperial Academy. However Even taking that into account, the current uproar throughout the school was not ordinary. Iliya, standing next to me, looked around with an incredulous expression. After lining up the Hero Candidates in single file, everyone was preparing to present them with a fanfare. The crowd gathered here did not fall short compared to Empires greatest festivals, like the Full Moon Festival and the Harvest Festival. Woah, this is no joke. Are you nervous? There are so many people here, of course I am! It really felt like it was a huge event. You could really tell how big it was from seeing all kinds of facilities that had been set up across this vast academy in just a few days. Theyd be using these for the ordeals. Everyones excited, huh? Thinking this, I looked around. Since we couldnt reveal that traces of Devils had been found here and there, they promoted this event instead, as an international competition to determine the Number One Hero Candidate. To othersmaybe it felt like a sports event or something of that sort I continued to look around while thinking that when A sudden warmth enveloped my hand. Startled, I turned to see who it was, only to find Iliya looking at me. She had a drooping expression, and her eyes were downturned. Her hands were placed on top of mine. Please hold onto meIm so nervous What? When I hold your hand like this, TeachI feelreassured Come to think of it During the Full Moon Festival, didnt I also hold Eleanors hand like this, even when there were a lot of people around? But back then I was the one who grabbed Eleanors hand. It seemed like the Alliance had sent him as the representative. The other candidates will be entering shortly, so please wait just a Sorry, War Chief. But it seems we cannot have them just be on stand-by here. There we go. Id be feeling lonely if I didnt get obstructed like this. Shit wouldnt be fun without a little challenge. I turned towards the source of the interruption with a wry smile. Archbishop Luminol. The representative of the Holy Land. From within the veil, he stroked his Holy Relic while looking directly at me. What is that supposed to mean, Archbishop? Is there a problem with the Hero Candidate selected by the Empire? Ah, no, please dont misunderstand me. I have no issue with the candidate, however With that, Archbishop Luminol stood up. I can detect an irreverent aura from that attendant over there. What does that mean, Archbishop Luminol? You need to avoid such baseless suspicion. It is not a baseless suspicion. Following that The Archbishops Holy Relic emitted a divine light. It was a vast amount of Divine Power. So much so that the surrounding spectators murmured at the display. After all, this being will immediately testify why I felt such an aura. At the same time as he spoke A portal tore open in front of me. The portal didnt serve as a simple medium for teleportation. Instead, it momentarily created a gap between dimensions. Following that From within, something with an overwhelming presence emerged. And at that sight Despite the vast expanse of the circular seating filled to the brim The entire audience fell silent instantly, all eyes fixed on the portal. A portal directly connecting from the Astral Realm to here. And the entity that emerged was undoubtedly an Angel. Halo and divine wings in all their glory. Angel? It cant be, they only exist in myths and references! Just as expected This persons specialty that I read in the documents was Angel Summon. This being who represents the Will of Heaven shall be the judge. It certainly made sense. The Holy Land must be aware of my deep interactions with Devils. Summoning an Angel to testify would certainly put me in a dire situation. They could even sentence me to death if they wanted to. Yet, they waited until this event started and I was exposed in front of the public. This meant they were aiming to hurt me as deeply as possible with a certain dramatic flair. Truly shitty behavior, second to none. O Faithful One Who Serves the Will of Heaven. The angels voice resonated deeply. Most listeners were awestruck, some even gasping because the overwhelming presence made it hard for them to breathe. A proof of myth had now descended upon this place. I have arrived in this place, responding to your The Angels voice Abruptly halted upon seeing me. The Angels expression scrunched. As if wondering why the hell I was here. Implying that me and this fellow were acquainted. O Agent of God? Archbishop Luminol tried to prompt the Angel But the Angel remained immovable, their complexion turned slightly pale while they were looking at me. Let me tell you a secret. According to various sources It seemed the hierarchy of beings that could be summoned by this person was limited to that of a Virtue. And If a Virtue was summoned here at Elfante There would only be one angel that would appear. A rare female Angel from the Astral Realm, the one who I was all too familiar with. System Log [ Target Virtue A1101 recognizes you as irredeemable trash! ] [ Marked with Negative Tendency! ] [ Rewards Available! ] [ Skill: Evil Ruler has been activated! Obtained 1 command right over the target! ] Oh right, this fellow Definitely had something like this implanted by me before. I vividly remembered blackmailing and extorting Starsteel from her through the White Devil. And the point that I needed to pay attention to was this command right embedded in her. Virtue. At my call The Virtue flinched. Her eyes trembled. It was a stark contrast to the dignified demeanor she attempted to maintain moments ago. Seeing this, I smiled and added to my words. Its been a while, hasnt it? Watching the Angels expression crumble I activated the skill. System Message [ Skill: Evil Ruler activated. ] [ Using command rights on target Virtue A1101! ] [ The target is absolutely obedient to your commands! ] Noicee~ Absolute obedience, huh? Noiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice~ Id need this kind of shit anyway because there was no way shed comply with my demand without that level of coercion. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 158: Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire Chapter 158: Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire The look of utter dismay on Archbishop Luminols face as he peered at the Angel through his veil was palpable. In his eyes, such a scene must have felt bewildering. After all, under normal circumstances, the Angel should have rebuked the presence of a Devils Aura in me. But, what had happened was she only stood there stiffly, her gaze was fixated on me. O Messenger? The Archbishop called out to her, but she still didnt respond. Her eyes continued to tremble greatly. Meanwhile, for me This was a huge jackpot. Normally, this angel would have fled the moment I tried to meet her, but now here she was, boldly standing in front of my eyes. [Y-You W-Why are you here?] Her quivering voice that echoed in my mind made it even clearer that she didnt want to be here. Keep in mind that whenever an Angel were to manifest themselves in the Material Realm, they had the obligation to maintain a devout and dignified atmosphere, and she wasnt exempt from this obligation. Yet, even with that obligation in mind, she still couldnt suppress a groan out of her lips. All because I was the personification of her trauma. Just by seeing me must have brought back the fear that she had when she was almost devoured by the White Devil. D-Did he just say, Its been a while? Does that mean he actually met the Angel before? Such mutterings started to appear from the spectators seats. After hearing those words, the Angels expression began to darken even more. Iliya, who was still standing beside me, alternated her gaze between me and the Angel. There was a knowing look on her face. Well, she was there when I met the Angel for the first time, so it was understandable that she made such a look. Uh, Teach? Yeah? After observing you for a while, Ive come to understand you to a certain extent. Okay From the look of your face, youre about to do something incredibly shitty. Like, this would definitely go down on the history kind of level. Ive always had the feeling that she had a good intuition. Ever since she acquired the Eye of Truth or whatever, it felt as if she could read my mind directly. Seriously, what kind of ability was that, anyway? [What do you want from me this time? Why do you have such a sinister look on your face?!] Well, either Iliya got a good intuition, or everyone could see it from my face, I guess. Well, its nothing much. Just like Caliban, it seemed like this Angel could respond to my thoughts directly. A blessing to me, really. Because Id need balls of steel to say this shit out loud. You see, Im trying to do an important thing, but some of these bastards are trying to prevent me from even starting it. Like, seriously. Even back at Elfante and the Forge of Struggle, I had been pushing myself to death, trying to prevent the world from being destroyed by those Devils. But for some reason, there were a lot of fuckers who kept on getting in my way for their own selfish goals! This time, it was the Holy Land. That was why I wanted to make a grand statement to put them in their place. Miss Angel, can you please testify on my behalf? Just this once? [Testify? What is it that you need me to testify?] Then, I conveyed what she needed to know through my thoughts. And as expected, her reaction was pretty dramatic. [T-This inhumane trash!] [H-How could you make me say such things!] Well, I dunno. But you better do it. As I thought so, I manipulated the window to forcibly apply a skill on the Virtue. Suddenly, she folded her wings and gently descended to the ground. [H-Huh? E-Eh? W-Whats this?!] What I did was using the oh so precious command right that could directly manipulate even the Angels. So It was only natural that I made her use some words that were a littleout there Yes, it really has been a while. [W-Why is my mouth moving on its own?! W-What have you done to m-] Her voice buzzed angrily in my head, but Also, shes becoming more proactive lately. No, seriously, she had been doing this a lot lately. While I was at a loss for words after hearing Iliya say that, a voice came from Soul Linker. [Can I just ask one favor?] Huh? [If you two are going to go through some important event, do it where I cant see. Please.] [I already feel like dying, so if I were to see something like that, Id probably die a second time.] It wont happen. Important event, my ass. I could still remember the time when Yuria cut me in half. If I were to do that kind of shit, Id get cut into more than twenty pieces by the other Devils Vessels. Calibans nonsense made me let out a sigh. I turned my gaze to the documents Atalante had given me. It contained the general itinerary of the Hero Selection that would be announced to everyone during the opening ceremony. Well, the event that occurred during the ceremony was so explosive that it overshadowed everything else, but it seemed like all the relevant documents had still been distributed to the parties involved. The most important thing is The list of candidates participating in the ordeals. You could also consider it as the list of competitors, I guess Also, I had to infuriate these people somehow, so theyd go out of their way to kill me. And This was also the part with the highest potential for variables to appear. Looking back at what had happened so far, these parts were the things that always got fucked over. The Tribal Alliance has the Twin Berserkers. The Empire has Iliya and Faenol Lipek. A bitter smile formed on my face as soon as I saw that name. As I started to think about her [ Main Quest ] Chapter 4 Crimson Night [ Related Event will occur soon! ] The main event of this chapter was Hero Selection, but the name of the Main Quest that formed the backdrop of the chapter was the Crimson Night. It was the chapter where Faenol appears as its Final Boss, but the thing I needed to focus on was the reason why she became the Final Boss. During the selection, something would happen that would cause her to go berserk. And it was my job to stop it. [Cant you just solve it quick and easy as usual?] If there are no variables involved, I can. [Hmm?] Since, this is something related to the Devils, theres one more group of motherfuckers wholl always stick their noses in, aside from the Holy Land. In terms of hindering my smooth scenario progression, they were much worse than the former. Thinking this, I flipped to the next page of the document. Anyway, up to here was a list I was familiar with. The list matched perfectly with the game. These people were undoubtedly strong, but it was still manageable. The problem was. What came up while I was scanning the list from the Holy Land. The variable I had been so wary of was blatantly pushing its way into view. Candidate No. 1. The top student of Great Temples 1st-Years. A very standard selection. I could even applaud it as a good choice. The problem was the other person, though. Why cant I take it easy just for once? Seeing the face reflected in their profile, such words escaped my mouth like a groan. It was the picture of a man whose appearance screams frivolity, looking like a womanizer at first glance. But, even so Just by looking at him, I already felt dizzy. Enough to make my vision go white. I even felt a sense of resentment, as if the world was blatantly trying to fuck me over with variables. And that was because the identity of this bastard was Hes a balance breaker. A monster who could turn the Hero Selection itself into mere childs play. Talker. The Prophets right hand man. A bastard who was strong enough to subdue Eleanor who was fused with two fragments had blatantly made his presence known. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 159: First Ordeal (1) Chapter 159: First Ordeal (1) First Ordeal (1) Yuria Greyhounders social circle was exceedingly tiny. In fact, the only person she could call a friend was Iliya, and the only other people she conversed with regularly were her sister, Dame Ophelia and Dowd. One would be justified to say that her social skill was utterly atrocious. But even after considering that The extreme unease she felt when facing the person in front of her was on another level. U-Um S-Student Council President? Desperately fidgeting with the new collar that Dowd had given her as a gift, she began to speak. After all, it was the only thing that gave her some semblance of comfort when facing this person. C-Can I ask what brings you here? No answer returned. Inwardly, she felt tearful. After all, the other person had just barged in and pressured her like this, and she didnt even know why. Worst of all was that her Big Sis happened to be out right at this moment. They said the Hero Selection is today, right? She did hear that the actual Ordeal would begin today. Dowd, Iliya, and the mage she saw before, Faenol, would all be there. As Yuria was thinking this, Eleanor elegantly placed the teacup she was sipping onto the table. Woah. Yuria couldnt help but let out a silent exclamation of awe. Each of her movements was overflowing with grace, making her realize once again that the person before her was a genuine noblewoman. And not just any noblewoman, the Young Lady of Ducal House. While she had behaved rather eccentrically a few times, she still possessed qualities that could enchant numerous men with ease. Not only that, she was also a genius in swordsmanship and her position as the Student Council President spoke volumes of how intelligent she was. And above all, she was beautiful. Compared to Yuria, who was of a short stature and whose chest was lacking, she was enchantingly beautiful. To put it simply Their class was different. Maybe, perhaps even in Dowds eyes, if they were placed side by side, Yuria would look like a little child compared to Eleanor. Hell, in that situation, it would be a miracle if he were to see her as a woman. Feeling such insecurity, she unconsciously gripped the collar that Dowd had given her tighter. But still What in her hand was a Token of Promise that he had given her. Something that reminded her how precious she was to him. And, as she was thinking this -Do you really think that is true? A voice that always came to her when she felt this anxious, echoed loudly in her head. This voice again Previously, it only sounded like simple tinnitus, but lately, it had become clearer, as if it resonated within her consciousness. As if there was another being living inside her body. -You have no charm. You look like a little kid. Who would ever like someone like you? And that voice As always -If you arent going to do anything, just hand over your body to me. At this rate, hell be snatched away by another Color. Youll be abandoned, ignored, stuck crying while watching another woman monopolizing him. Is that what you want? -Arent you a loner? Youve been alone, cold, lonely and suffering for so, so long It spitted out such hurtful words -But now, youre willing to let that warmth you finally found be taken away? -By another woman? That gouged at her heart. However No. Yuria pressed down on chest and lowered her head. As soon as she voiced that response, her whole body tingled. How dare someone like you try to defy me! It was as if something inside her body was trying to tell her that. Such a sensation appeared in her heart, and spread throughout her body. But even so, she resisted. So strongly, so desperately. I will never be swayed by you again. She knew That she must not listen to these words. Because she had once committed a sin that threatened Dowds life before. And she knew he would never betray her no matter what. She bit her lip, trying to endure the pain sweeping through her body. At that moment, Eleanor, who had been staying silent all this time, suddenly spoke up. By any chance, do you also hear something akin to a voice? Excuse me? Hearing her words made Yurias heart drop, and made her involuntarily gulp. It was a miracle she managed not to let her reaction be more noticeable. Her sister had always reminded her to never reveal the fact that she was harboring something inside her body. And more than that She instinctively felt that she couldnt let this person catch on to that. I-I dont k-know w-what youre talking about As Yuria replied with cold sweat breaking out, Eleanors gaze coldly swept over her from head to toe. It was as if the latter had seen through her lies already. Hm, is that so? I was sure that youd have something similar to that. But, judging by her words, it seemed like Yuria was mistaken to think that. E-Euhhh T/his chapter is updated by nov(e?(l)biin.co/m Yuria inwardly cried. Her hands trembled as she lifted the teacup. She felt nauseous. Just being observed by a woman like her, a woman who exuded adult charm, was enough to make her feel pressured, to the point that it brought a sense of inferiority. That was why, when the woman said her next words Iwill hear you out a little Eleanor nodded. There was never a doubt in her mind that Yuria would definitely give in to her demand. System Message [ Target Yuria and target Eleanor forms a Party! ] !! Butterfly Effect !! [ The formation of this Party significantly increases the likelihood of influencing other Vessels! ] [ The actions of target Seras, target Riru, and target Sullivan are highly likely to change! ] [ The interactions between targets intensifies! ] [ The Main Quest is extremely likely to be affected! ] The fuck? What the fuck is up with the Butterfly Effect? It seems like problems would come even if Im just sucking on my thumbs! Cant they stop harassing me for a second?! Just let me get through the Main Quest already Thinking this, I looked around. The first process of the Hero Selection was quite straightforward. They simulated a dungeon that resembled actual combat situations as closely as possible. The one who reached the center of the dungeon first would earn the most score. In normal circumstances, this is really dangerous, though. Watching Iliya warming up at the starting line, I couldnt help but think that. Having recently defeated a Demonic Creature at the level of an Ancient God, dungeon subjugations no longer made me feel anything. But for normal students to do something like thisit was supposed to be something unimaginable. After all, one little mistake could actually kill them. Well, it should be fine. The Hero Candidates, including Iliya, were a monster in their own right. Especially this bastard. Heyo. When I turned at the touch on my shoulder Talker was there. The Cursed Speech User. A monster that had lived through countless ages. Someone who even had a history of leading Valkasuss kingdom to ruin. Look at this motherfucker, acting all friendly to me. Who the fuck did he think he was? When I glared at him, he raised his hands, retreated with his tongue out. Woah, chill. You look like youd take a swing at me, you know? Instead of replying, I just sighed deeply. The silver lining here was that Valkasus was currently asleep. If he was awake, it wouldnt be strange for Soul Linker to go berserk. Last time, it didnt happen because my mutation due to Fallens Seal left no opportunity for any kind of communication with him. Anyway, for what reason did this bastard even come to me like this? And? It isnt like we are on speaking terms. Honestly, it was fucking ridiculous. Yeah, I knew that there was some connection between the Holy Land and the Prophet, but for him to crawl around the Hero Selection and act as a candidate was utterly absurd. But, I was the only person who knew of his true color. Considering his combat power, it was better to ignore him as much as possible. Even if I were to tell anyone else, including Atalante, it would only stir up trouble. After all, there was no one in Elfante capable of dealing with him right now. Which meant, I had to be cautious to not fall for his provocations. And I should never lay a hand on him first. I didnt know why the fuck did he approach me, but if he was going to stay quiet for now, there was no need to escalate things. No, I just wanted to ask some stuff. Saying that, Talker looked directly at my chest and spoke. Hows the Apostle doing? He was probably talking about Tatiana. It seemed like he knew her soul was bound to me right now. The Prophet probably told him something about my Seal. Woah, woah. No need to give me such a fierce look! Ill get scared! Why dont we chill for the time being, okay? I have no reason to be friendly with a lackey of the Prophet, though. Hearing my words, the fucker let out a smirk. Thats a bit sad to hear. And his following words made absolutely no sense. Seeing as how our boss sent me here to protect you, you know? ? What? What kind of bullshit is [All Hero Candidates, to your designated locations!] At the same time as such an announcement echoed, Talker grinned. Well, see you later. The other Hero Candidates are not to be underestimated either, so do your best not to fall behind. Wait. Im not finished See you later~ With a flippant tone, Talker disappeared swiftly. His departure was so decisive and nonchalant that I couldnt even say anything. I frowned as I looked in the direction he had gone. He came here to protect me, he says? Putting aside what the Prophet intended by sending him here with such orders. What exactly was I even being protected from? You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 160: First Ordeal (2) Chapter 160: First Ordeal (2) First Ordeal (2) You expected me to believe that? Such words came out of Lucias mouth, her face was decorated with a deep frown. Ill repeat my question again. So, Yuria, youre trying to enter the Selection Exam? And the reason for that is because you want to observe the selection process closely with a friend of yours? Yes, Unnie. Are you telling me you have a friend? Rather, are you telling me that Lady Tristan herself is your friend? Stop joking around! Youd think Id just believe that? C-Can you be a little more gentle when youre hitting me? Of course, it was a bit of a stretch for Yuria to call Lady Tristan her friend. It was to the point that Lucia wondered if she was the same younger sister she knew. Yurias heart tingled. Honestly, what Ive told you was just a secondary reason She sighed before continuing her words. The real reason is because of Mr. Dowd, Unnie After hearing that sentence, Lucia, who had been folding her arms, looking at her sister with a sullen look, lost control of her expression. Because of Mr. Dowd? Yes. According to the Student Council President, Mr. Dowd is definitely going to get swept into something during the selection process. Lucia bit her lip slightly and turned to look at Eleanor. The other person was staring intently in the direction of the artificial dungeon that the Hero Candidates had just jumped into. As if she could feel that there was something wrong inside. Is there any evidence? The Student Council President was the one who said it, theres no way shed do it for no reasonalso There wasnt any further information provided, but If it was evidence, then there was extremely convincing evidence right here. Its Mr. Dowd were talking aboutits a given that hell get attacked by a woman in some place again You know it too, right, Unnie? When it comes to women, he Yes, yes, thats a very convincing point, but still Lucia spoke, placing her hand on her waist. If an outsider were to participate in the selection recklessly, chaos would Unnie, let me go. Yuria cut off Lucias words. Her tone was firm, and so was her will, completely unlike what she was usually like. Seeing this made Lucia unable to bring herself to rebuke her. I dont want to go through what happened last time again. Yuria. What if something happens to him? A certain scene came to her mind. Back when that idiot continued to worry about her and Yuria, even though he himself was dying And she could still remember how useless she was back then, unable to do anything but watch him The guilt she felt at that time still clung to Lucias heart like sticky soot. Just as Yuria said, there was no limit to how weak she was to the circumstances of that mans well-being. Please, Unnie. Let me go in. I wont cause any trouble. Please Uggggggghhh Letting out a frustrated groan while scratching her hair, Lucia eventually replied in a deflated voice. I cant let you enter the dungeon, but Ill try to arrange it so you can get as close as possible to it. Youre the best, Unnie! Seeing Yuria give her a thumbs up, Lucia sighed with a sense of self-loathing. By the way, what have you been looking at since a while ago? Despite her sister asking that question, Yuria remained completely still. During their conversation, Yurias gaze was completely fixed on Dowds photo that was given by Eleanor. To be more precise, she was gawking at his face. Because I was thinking, So thats how Mr. Dowd looks like. Mm? I mean, he always covered his face in front of me. Lucia tilted her head. Huh? Shes righthe did that Whenever Yuria is around, he always wears a mask Did he ever tell you why he goes around like that? No He never talked to me about it After saying that, Yuria paused for a moment before continuing. Come to think of it He must have always taken it off whenever Im not around, right? Maybe? It would be strange if he kept wearing it. As Lucia was pondering this, Yuria murmured again in a low voice. Im a bit sad. And then [I also want to see his face directly.] As soon as such a sentence flowed out At the sound of Calibans voice, I glanced at Soul Linker. What? [Whats with this snails pace?] Dont forget our objective, Caliban. I replied in a serious tone. Just as what he was trying to say, other candidates must be grinding their teeth, trying to advance as quickly as possible. That was how one would get a high score in the ordeal, after all. That was why, I understood their impatience, but Our goal is to piss off the other punks by taking shitty actions. [] After all, Iliya needs to be strengthened. Caliban closed his mouth as if to express his incredulity. Either way, the Hero Candidate was not me, but Iliya. It was Iliya who needed to stand out in this entire selection process, not me. And to utilize that, we needed to proceed through this dungeon slowly. The other candidates cant just easily break through anyway. Everything is going according to plan. Though I had explored a mock dungeon with Iliya before, compared to this one, that one was merely a joke. Compared to other contents of the game, this artificial dungeon section was one of the toughest sections. Even a sweat like me needed to be careful, as a single misstep could easily inflate the clear time by several folds. The combat difficulty wasnt so high that it touched the sky, but it was the sheer number of crazy gimmicks, as if someone had condensed all of mankinds malice into them, that made it so challenging. When recalling how I navigated through the dungeon in the game, it still pissed me off. After all, it was a bundle of various malicious traps and shitty mazes that made me wonder if they were even made by the same motherfucker. It was the perfect content for raising ones blood pressure. Traps capable of killing you in one hit in areas without a single iota of light, beasts ambushing you from all directions, limited visibility, and treacherous terrains that could cause your death just from a single misstep. Of course, I understood that the Hero Selection should be as challenging as its namesake, but even for a game, putting students through such a level of difficulty seemed beyond any sane level of comprehension. That was how hell-like it was. Especially since The final boss that appeared in the deepest part was the very epitome of such malice. I could guarantee one thing; it was useless to rush ahead. They had to defeat that boss to clear the dungeon anyway, and without the right conditions, none of the candidates would be able to achieve that. And in that regard My current actions were crucial to such progress. Teach? Mm. What are you doing right now? Resting. Iliya looked at me in utter disbelief, but instead of responding, I simply sat down on the ground. Theres someone we need to meet here. What? Now even Iliya was following her brothers footsteps, responding with an incredulous voice. She spoke from the perspective of someone who needed to break through the dungeon as quickly as possible. Though I could practically hear the unspoken curses, asking me what the fuck I was doing You havent met any of the other Hero Candidates yet, Right? Well, I guessso? But what about that? Even in the original game, Hero Candidates were strictly prohibited from exchanging information with each other before entering the ordeal. This was done to limit them from sharing information with each other as much as possible, thus aiming for true equity. Given the significant advantages tied to the position of a Hero, it prevented potential underhanded deals and mutual acts of sabotage against a specific person. But still, under normal circumstances, the candidates would at least get to see each other and experience various events during the opening ceremony. It wasnt like now, where they didnt even know who the others were. Lets try meeting one of them. In that regard Each and every one of the Hero Candidates are quite interesting, you see. There was someone Iliya needed to be introduced to. With that, I checked the time while sitting on the ground. My slow pace up until now was all about matching the right time. Lets see. Considering her behavior pattern, that punk should be passing by around WAAAAAAAAH-! Right on time. I smiled at the scream coming from behind us. What is up with this dungeon?! Ive already died six times-! The voice was boisterous enough to echo throughout the entire dungeon. In fact, enough to even make Iliya turn around with a reluctant expression. Already did what six times? Of course, it seemed like she found the contents itself utterly absurd, though. I stood up with a chuckle. Right on time, huh. Do the two of you know each other? Yep. I continued with a smirk. Shes your little sister. Excuse me? Of course, not in a biological sense. Its more of a nickname given by users. Lana Rei Delvium. The top student of the 1st-Years at the Great Temple, the academy of the Holy Land. The protagonist of the DLC, Holy Land Crusade, a Side Story of Savior Rising. One of the strongest tankers in this worldview. One of the indispensable pieces needed to clear this dungeon. And Here comes the prey. Welcome~ Scapegoat No. 1 of the dogshit behavior I would relentlessly display. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 161: First Ordeal (3) Chapter 161: First Ordeal (3) First Ordeal (3) Oh! So you are Ms. Iliya Krisanax and her companion, Mr. Dowd Campbell! Nice to meet you, Im Lana Rei Delvium. Alright, lets talk about this person, Lana Reid Devlium. She was the MC in Seras DLC, and some people called her Iliyas little sister. Her hair was black and short, only slightly covering her neck. The thing that stood out the most on her head was the single hair sticking out of it, just like those ahoge youd seen in anime. As you could see, even though she encountered both me and Iliya, her own competitors, she didnt show any hint of rivalries or hostilities. Instead, she greeted us leisurely, to the point that she even exchanged her name with us. That should be enough to show you how docile of a person she was, right? And she had one more characteristic, though. The most important one out of them all. She was immortal. Whats that supposed to mean? Exactly what I just said. You could tell from what I had experienced so far already; Savior Risings main game was notorious for its difficulty level. It was to the point that if their players were to lynch the developers for it, they wouldnt have any excuse to defend themselves. That was one thing, but the DLC, [Holy Land Crusade], was brutally difficult even when compared to the main game. Like, the whole community went feral upon its first release. It was so bad that the dev had to add certain features so that the players could at least clear the story smoothly. And most of the features were given to this girl, the MC. They gave her an ability that was close to cheat codes. Yes, thats right! I wont die even if Im killed! Seeing her grin as she said such a thing, even Iliya was at a loss of words. Ive often heard about Divine Power Overload ever since I was young. Apparently, I cant feel pain and even if my body is completely fragmented, it regenerates quickly! I consider it a blessing to be born with such a blessed physique. Thanks to this, I can use my body to conduct various research for the Holy Land! T-That Could you even count that as a blessing? Iliya was about to say that, I could tell it. But, she didnt seem to have the heart to utter such harsh words to this brat. Which was understandable, because the brat was literally talking about how they used her body for human experiments as if it was nothing. Hell, she even considered that as a blessing. It was even more so since she already knew how much of an asshole the Pope of the Holy Land was despite his benevolent image. Still, in a way, it is indeed a blessed physique. Among the Priests, often cases, due to their innate Divine Power going haywire, they ended up not only performing some kind of Miracles or Graces, but also gained Special Abilities. Take the Hero Party for an example. Trisha, their Priest, could visually perceive others emotions due to her Divine Power Overload. The ultimate expression of Divine Powers nature was the creation of Homunculi. Yuria and Lucia, the Greyhounder Sisters. The Saintess and the Talisman. These properties would be revealed in later chapters, but just keep in mind that both of them were terribly powerful. And it was especially the case for the younger of the two, who harbored the White Devil. By the way, wheres your companion? Um When Iliya asked why she was by herself here, she scratched her chin with a troubled expression. Theyre gone! Sorry? The incredulousness of Iliyas tone became twice as high as moments before. A Hero Candidate Attendant was the most basic framework of this selection process. But to say even that was gone was utterly baffling. Truly, the fuck was she talking about? We got separated in the middle when I tried to break through the dungeon by myself! You know that they wont recognize it if you dont reach the deepest part of the dungeon together with your attendant, right? There is a rule like that?! By now, Iliya must have realized too. The second most important characteristic of Lana. She was an idiot. Anyone with half a brain could see that she was outright a simple-minded fool. And that was a milder way to describe it. Ah, well~ Thankfully you two are such kind people, Mr. Dowd, Ms. Iliya! If you didnt tell me that, I might have rushed to the deepest part by myself foolishly! Alright, since you two helped me to avoid making such vain efforts, Ill help you with anything! Just ask away! Uh, you do realize were currently competing in the selection, right? From Iliyas voice, it was clear that a creeping headache had come rushing into her head. Its fine! I was taught to always repay a favor. Human principles take precedence over competition! How dazzling. What a truly upright and righteous spirit. Almost blindingly so. It felt like she was trying to show off that she wasnt a Hero Candidate for nothing. Iliya shot me a gaze that seemed to ask how on earth I was thinking of exploiting such a person. And for this once, I couldnt help but to agree with her. Yes, this was necessary, but thinking that I had to do something bad to this girleven I would lose sleep over it Oh, the guilt! [Shut it, youre going to do it anyway. So, how are you going to deceive her?] Despite such a voice flying out from inside Soul Linker I let out a sigh and denied it. No, I have a conscience too, you know? How can I possibly deceive a kid like her so nonchalantly? [You hada conscience?] After a moment of silence. I answered. Anyway, I wont deceive her. [I see. Finally you are treading on the path to become a decent] Ill still do something shitty to her, though. [] To be fair, I hadnt said anything about backstabbing or scamming her. I mean, I didnt need to go out of my way to do that to her, just telling her everything straight would be enough. Besides, she was the one who said that I could ask her for anything, so it was all good. [Oi, I know you said that youll be a real piece of shit or whatever this time, but this is a little Are you really going to earn her hatred in order to strengthen my sister?] She wont end up hating me, though. So, uh one thing about her is that Its impossible for her to hate me in the first place. She was brought here by an unexpected call, and found herself surprised to see two individuals that she had never imagined to be present in this room. FIrstly The Chancellor of the Empire? Sullivan Axion Petronus. Now, why exactly would someone like her, who should be busy with state affairs, be here? As someone who loathed all humans from the Empire, her first instinct was to frown upon seeing her But, the other person who was there was even more astonishing to see than her. What are you doing here? Ever since Seras infiltrated Elfante, she had been feeling like she had lost her goal, but she was essentially still an assassin who was following the Popes orders. While she had deep reservations about killing Dowd Campbell now, her desire for the well-being and benefit of the entire Holy Land remained unchanged. That was why And you are? Hans. It was clear that the alias was created incredibly half-heartedly. Making her wonder what was the Holy Lands Intelligence Department thinking by giving this person such an identity. Well, it wont make sense to call myself Spinning Fire Wheel in this continent, right? Thats why, lets just stick with Hans. I couldnt care less about that. Seras massaged her throbbing head as she spoke. This is the Hero Selection, what are you doing here? You are aware that the Pope went to great lengths just to scrub your identity clean, right? The man named Spinning Fire Wheel, a.k.a Hans, just smirked. Oh wow, its still hard to get used to the fact that the little kid is the Pope now. I swear it feels like just yesterday that he was starving in the slums. He seemed to be at most in his early twenties, but he dismissively referred to the Pope by the little kid But Seras knew, albeit vaguely That even though he might seem like a human, he had nearly reached the domain of a Demigod. Anyway, to answer your question. His casual response belied his identity, though. Im not here for something like the Hero Selection, Im here to protect the one who holds the Worlds Key. What is that supposed to Its because youve been handling things so sloppily that I was sent here in the first place, you know? What? A Grand Assassin like you should have no trouble putting a knife in that guy called Dowd, so whats with the delay? Talker sighed deeply before continuing. If you had just put Dowd in a sufficiently~ near-death, state the flow of events wouldnt have led us here. He wouldnt have participated in the Hero Selection and I wouldnt have needed to protect him. With that, the Little Pope and our Boss interests became aligned, and she ended up sending me here. What is that supposed to mean? Its not in the little kids interest, nor our boss to just let that guy go around and die. And, its also not in her interest either. As he said so, Talker glanced sideways, nodding towards the Chancellor, who sat quietly with her eyes closed. Am I wrong, Sealed Devil? The Chancellor of the Empire lifted her head with a sigh. Refer to me by that name again, and our cooperation ends here, Cursed Speech User. Remember that this is merely a temporary alliance. Sullivan raised her head as she spoke. Her golden eyes were filled with a glint of killing intent. I know what you did to that man in the previous world. There is no guarantee saying it will not happen again in this world as well. Hmm. Both you and your pathetic Prophet will have to leave that mans side eventually. Otherwise Oho. For Dowds safety and well-being, I will kill you. Despite the chilly aura dripping from each of her words Talker merely let out a burst of laughter in response. So scary~ Well, in the first place, it was you who contacted the Little Pope for help, wasnt it? Seras expression grew even more perplexed. The Chancellor of the Empire One of the most powerful statesmen on the continent Had contacted the leader of a foreign nation, who they were currently engaged in fierce power struggles with, all for the sake of just one individual? As she questioned this, the Chancellor spoke in a subdued voice. It cant be helped. Today marks the First Branching Point, after all. At this moment, everyone was gathered here. Devils Vessels. The person who embodied all their long-cherished wishes. And most importantly The root cause of all distortions that would be made in this place. Purple. No, Seras Evatrice. Are you familiar with the name Yuria Greyhounder? Purple? What did she mean? Nonetheless, she answered the question. Homunculus. Out of the keys, which are the Saintess and the Talisman, of the Paradise Plan orchestrated by His Holiness, she is the one responsible for the role of the Talisman. What about her? That woman is present here today. ? She obviously could be. Whats so wrong with th- And today. Right as Seras was thinking as such Sullivan continued to speak calmly. Because of that woman, Dowd Campbell will die. Her attitude was almost as if She had experienced it prior to this. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 162: First Ordeal (4) Chapter 162: First Ordeal (4) First Ordeal (4) Wait. Talion said, halting Faenol in her tracks. Ahead of them, laid a dark corridor. It would be better to turn back. There is too much risk to enter from this direction. His judgment was reasonable. Thoughtlessly entering such a passage in a dungeon was the equivalent of suicide. After all, there were dangers in the dungeon at every turn. Without visibility, the likelihood of certain death would skyrocket. However Faenol Lipek was unfazed by this as she continued to walk at a steady, yet a little bit slow pace. Ms. Faenol? Wait, what are The alarmed Talion tried to stop her, but Before he could even finish his sentence The traps laid around, artificial Demonic Creatures, and the intricately placed mana disruption devices, all activated simultaneously with a loud clatter. She just stepped forward and this already happened. What are you doing over there? But, she was still unfazed, she turned around to see Talion looking at her with an incredulous expression. As if she was questioning why he was just staying behind and not following her. After staring blankly for a while, Talion let out a resigned laugh. He had momentarily forgotten how much of a monster the other person was. Throughout their dungeon exploration, it was this woman who effortlessly swept every obstacle they faced aside. Though it had been days since he was unexpectedly chosen as her attendant for the Hero Selection, he still couldnt get used to her extraordinary abilities. No, its nothing. Its just that I cant see anything beyond this point. Is that so? Faenol smiled bitterly. She didnt know if she should feel relieved or sad here. Because she wasnt someone who relied on her five senses as she was more accustomed to using her Mana Mastery to navigate her surroundings instead. That was why she barely noticed things like the lighting becoming dim. No, buthow does that even make sense, though? Among knights who were specialized in Body Strengthening Techniques to the extreme, being able to move their bodies despite some of their bodily functions failing was a given. But that was only because their job required them to continue fighting even when they got seriously injured. Faenol was just using a different set of skills, a Mages mana to be exact, for the same purpose, indicating that she, indeed, had an advanced level mastery in this regard. However Talion admired her for this, but this bewildered Faenol. It seems to be getting stronger. The price the Red Devil demanded for reviving her from death was her ability to feel everything. In other words, as her emotions began to awaken, such control over her should have weakened. Yet, even though she wasnt particularly invoking Devils Aura, her mana was now naturally imbued with Devils Aura. Almost as if the Devils Authority within her was growing stronger. Strange. The only explanation she could think of was that it was because of him. Dowd Campbell. After that man declared he would make her happyit felt as though the Devil inside her was reviving at the same time as her emotions were awakening. The effect was completely different from what she had anticipated. Her original plan was to end her life so that she could prevent the Devil, who had gathered all the Fragments, from going berserk. Considering that, the right course of action should be to avoid any and all contact with that man immediately. However -I am going to make you happy, Faenol. And you do not have the right to refuse. Recalling the words she had heard before, Faenol gently touched her lips. Because she felt like she might just inadvertently smile at those words. It was clear that he was not someone who was bound by common sense. He should know what exactly had she done in the past, and why exactly did she seek the sweet release of death. If anything, it would be unbelievable if he were to not know that. Even so, he still dared to make such a statement. The place was a solid open terrain that, unlike the other passages, led directly to the deepest part of the dungeon as long as one went through it properly. In other words, it was the shortest route available. However, the number of enemies that poured out was simply terrifying, to the point that even Faenol couldnt handle it, that was why they decided to change their course under Talions guidance. Even now, the sound of beasts approaching from all directions was enough to send chills down anyones spine. However Thatjust now, uh Talion spoke in a voice of utter disbelief. Are they really using a living person as bait to control the wave of Demonic Creatures? From where they were at, they could see Iliya running with someone on her back. They could also see how Dowd was following close behind while they were being chased by a massive number of Demonic Creatures. There was something that didnt make any sense, though The fact that the person Iliya was carrying was tied to a stick with rope. As if they were just bait hung for fishing. Teach! Theyll catch up with us if we keep going at this pace. Give that to me. WIth that, Dowd took over the stick and Lana, who was tied to it, from Iliya. Shoo. Along with such a word, Lanas body was swung around in all directions. The scent of blood from her battered body made the Demonic Creatures eyes gleam even brighter. They were drawn by instinct towards where Lana was being fluttered. How can they all be hooked like that just because he shook the line a little? When I was young, I used to fish quite a lot. That doesnt seem like something you can be that skilled in just because of diligence, though?! If I wasnt able to do at least this much, I would have starved to death. Their actions and conversation was utterly out of place when considering the situation, but compared to such nonchalance, the effect was astounding. Like taming savage beasts in a circus, the entire wave swayed following Lanas dangling body. The entire formation of the horde crumbled and their speed decreased because a few Demonic Creatures rushed in to hit or bite Lana just once. And naturally, this made it much easier for Dowd and Iliya, who were running away, to escape. Naturally, Lana, who had become the bait, accumulated more injuries, but the person who had endured such rough treatment didnt complain; instead, she burst into cheerful laughter. WAHAHAHAHAHAH-! Mr. Campbell, you are really fun! Ive never met anyone who would think to use me like this to get through! Such a voice boomed out. At the acid river, you used me as a raft to cross over, at the crushing traps, you kept shoving me in to break the trap, and now, youre using my whole body as bait for a massive wave of Demonic Creatures! To think someone could come up with all that! Im too stupid to have ever imagined using my body like this! You are truly amazing! Yeah, hes amazing, all right. As Iliya narrowed her eyes and muttered, Dowd was retrieving the human fishing rod with a calm expression, even while breaking out in a cold sweat. And as Talion watched such a scene unfold, he spoke up in a daze. Excuse me, Ms. Faenol. Yes? I think twenty four pieces was too generous of an estimate, what about you? An implicit agreement heavily settled between the two. But still, thanks to Teach, were breaking through really quickly. Iliya, glaring at me with narrowed eyes, made such a remark. Having broken through the Demonic Creature Wave, the deepest part of the dungeon was now right in front of us. Once we got past the giant stone gate, we could reach our destination. Nice. As long as we could reach this place, we should be able to pass the First Ordeal without much difficulty. My heart was aching from the guilt, but at the very least, wed be able to effortless System Message [ An act so vile and abominable that it is dumbfounding! ] [ Title: Waste has been added! ] [ When equipped, the effect of your wrongdoings inciting rage and resentment in others is amplified! ] This motherfucking! You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 163: Branching Point (1) Chapter 163: Branching Point (1) Branching Point (1) This is our goal, right? Iliya said after seeing the huge stele in front of us. This was the landmark wed see when we arrived at the deepest part of the dungeon where the First Ordeal took place. The Heart of Mystery embedded in the deepest part of every dungeon. Normally, when you made contact with it, the dungeon boss would be summoned, and youd have to engage it in battle. Yes, to put it simply, it was a device for summoning the boss. Aha, so they have something like this too in the artificial dungeon? Lana approached the stele, circling around it while inspecting it from various angles. Thanks to all thehardships she faced on the way here, her uniform that showed her affiliation to the Holy Land was in tatters. While I was giving the girl a blank stare, Iliya, who was next to me, poked my side roughly and gave me a piercing stare. Actually, rough didnt cut it. Her poke hurt me so much that it felt like I lost my breath. My whole body even staggered because of it. What? Stop giving that kid such perverted looks. Why dont you stop slandering me instead? But I never did that. Hmph. Hearing my words, she gave out a deep snort before turning to look at Lana with her still narrowed eyes. Despite having gone through so many perilous incidents just now, that girl seemed unconcerned. Hell, there wasnt even a hint of anger on her face. Does that kid not care at all about getting hurt? I know right? While rubbing the side where she hit me, I barely managed to agree with her. Teach. Suddenly, she spoke up in an expressionless voice. There was a heavy sense of guilt in her voice and gesture, which was rather surprising of her. We have to apologize to that child later. Sorry? Yes, I know she doesnt seem to be hurt, and she herself agreed to it without any objections, butit still feels as if were taking advantage of her genuine and pure kindness Uh, well, that was why I did that in the first place. Because she wouldnt mind such things. Thanks to that, we managed to clear the dungeon at a quicker pace than others. [Hey.] Suddenly From inside the Soul Linker, Caliban called me out with a sigh. [Theres something slightly off about you, you know that?] Excuse me? [Sure, Ive been teasing you about how trash you are and whatnot, but lately it really feels like youre becoming even trashier than before.] No, if its about the matter of the aftermath, this is actually the safest [Its not that.] His words stopped me in tracks. Because his current atmosphere was completely different from the usual one he had whenever he teased me. [Normally, you wouldnt resort to such methods unless its absolutely necessary. The Dowd Campbell I know hates seeing others get hurt, especially in this case where he doesnt even dislike the kid that he hurts. Hed rather sacrifice his own body instead.] [While you might sometimes make irrational decisions in confusion because of the dire situation you were in, you had never willingly sacrificed others.] Come to think of it He was right. If it were the usual me, even when I knew that she couldnt feel pain and was okay with it, I still wouldnt have gone to such extreme measures to accomplish my goal. Just like he said, it was as if my psychological resistance to hurting others had significantly decreased. [I think I know what the reason is for that. And Im sure you already know it as well.] His words were followed by a sigh. [Your races change, this is the side effect of it. Am I wrong?] [Your body isnt the only thing it affects, but your mind too, right?] Yes. It was the first symptom shown by humans who began to be encroached by Devils. An extreme decrease in aversion to inflicting violence on others. How do I know, you ask? Ive seen it. In the game, this was the very first symptom shown by Vessels consumed by Malevolence. Gradually losing their aversion to committing inhumane acts under the pretext of how it was necessary for the people around them. The prime example of that was Eleanor. And Im becoming like that? It was certain that I, who had begun to be affected by the Fallens Seal, was not free from this either. Since that was the case Alright. I nodded in sincere agreement to Iliyas words. Ill apologize. Lets do it together. Hehe. I knew you would listen if I said something, Teach. To Iliya, who laughed frivolously as she responded I then added another point. And one more thing. Yes? Ah, that. That was the Boss Summon Button. Why did you press that? Am I not supposed to press that? Also, the button was so stiff, so I did it three or four times. Am I not supposed to do that either? From what I knew, if someone were to press it multiple times [ The challengers provocative will is acknowledged. ] [ The Dungeon Defender of the highest difficulty is summoned. May luck be with you! ] It would significantly increase the difficulty, just like this. Teach. Iliya quietly brushed back her hair. Her expression was filled with surging anger. I think we can postpone the apology for later. I know right. How fascinating. Eleanor narrowed her eyes at the thing being summoned by the black mana before her. Having received permission from Lucia to enter the dungeon, she arrived at the deepest part early and was waiting, thus witnessing this scene. Based on her prediction, since Dowds abilities would surely bring him to arrive in first place, it would be okay if they were to wait for him here. -Uh, what if Mr. Dowd fail to get first place? -How could that possibly happen? Eleanor resolutely nodded in response. -Well, if that does occur, I will make it so that he gets the first place regardless. -How would you do that? -That is a secret. But as long as it is something that he wishes for, Ill even lay down my life to help him. -Youre willing to go that far?! Even when hes clearly doing all those wrongdoings!? Considering how willing she was to risk her life to help him with his shitty actions, they were truly a match made in heaven. To think that someone would risk her life to cheat for the man she was smitten with, even though this was a large-scale event on a continental scale. Anyway, Did they seriously implant a Spirit Entity into this artificial dungeon? Eleanor muttered in disbelief as she observed the something that was taking shape amidst the swirling black mana. Are Spirit Entities that threatening? Indeed. Well, rather than threatening, it is more like they are impossible to defeat. Existences from dimensions other than the Material Realm were generally considered a step higher in combat power than ordinary Demonic Creatures. But even among these, beings like Spirits, who were Thought Forms, were practically treated like disasters simply by existing. At the very least, they were different in that they were hard to hunt. Firstly, due to their nature as beings from another world, they were not subject to most laws of the Material Realm. So, there was only one way to defeat them. In the Material Realm, one must endure all attacks unleashed by the Spirit Entity, employing either Mana or Divine Power at a high level to penetrate the Mental World the Spirit inhabited, and then defeat it there. That was why, they might be the most suitable opponents for the Hero Selection in a way, as they allowed a comprehensive evaluation of combat skills, Special Power Masteries, and mental strength all at once. Im not sure if he can properly go against it, though Eleanor murmured as her eyes narrowed. No matter how exceptional Dowds skills may be, the risk associated with a Spirit Entity, given its direct connection to the mind, was considerably high. If it seemed like something bad would happen, she might have to directly intervene to help. Um, isnt Ms. Iliya, the Hero Candidate, supposed to be the one dealing with it in the first place? That may be, but do you truly think she is stronger than Dowd? There wasnt anything she could say to refute that. As Yuria awkwardly smiled while thinking that, Iliya nodded as if she had expected that response. For now, let us move a bit closer. We need to be able to react immediately if something happens. Y-Yessss As Eleanor stood up, Yuria also rose from where she had been crouching on the ground. Thanks to that, her field of vision opened up. Dowds tense expression as he faced the Spirit Entity was clearly visible. Thats right. Without a doubt He was very, very visible. Yuria? Eleanor let out a puzzled voice upon seeing Yuria, who suddenly became immobile. However, Yurias gaze remained fixed, refusing to move a single inch from a singular spot. On Dowds bare face that was not covered by a mask. Ah. A sigh mixed with admiration, wonder, and delight inadvertently escaped Yurias lips. Following that [Found you.] She uttered as such Along with a heated white breath. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustrtins on our discord discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 165: Substitute Chapter 165: Substitute ? Substitute ? ¡°...Iliya has been spacing out all day.¡± After Falco said those words, Trisha, who was sitting across from him while reading a book, silently nodded in agreement. In these past few days, Iliya had been secluding herself in her room, cutting off all contact from the outside world to a severe degree. Considering how she had passed the First Ordeal of the Hero Selection Exam with the highest mark possible, her current attitude was extremely strange. All details of the Selection Exam were classified information to the public. That was why, if Trisha wasn¡¯t someone who was able to see emotions with her own eyes, she wouldn¡¯t be able to guess that something significant had indeed happened to her friend. ¡°...¡± She didn¡¯t say anything though, only letting out a deep sigh. It was a known fact among their group that Iliya, contrary to how she was in public, would at times suffer from severe mood swings. As such, there was usually only one reason for her to act like this. Or at least, that was what Trisha knew. ¡°How is Mr. Dowd doing?¡± ¡°...What about him?¡± At Trisha¡¯s question, Falco tilted his head. He clearly didn¡¯t understand her intention, but like the model student he was, he still gave his response properly. ¡°I have heard...rumors...about him...¡± ¡°Rumors?¡± ¡°Well, there are always bad rumors swirling around that guy in school. You know, about how he¡¯s a batshit crazy playboy.¡± ¡°...¡± Sadly, Trisha, too, could not deny such rumors. Even Iliya herself knew that he was such a person, yet she was still blinded by her infatuation toward him. ¡°I guess?¡± ¡°But...¡± Having said that much, Falco ran his fingers through his hair. There was an uncomfortable look on his face. ¡°I heard he¡¯s currently being hospitalized in the infirmary.¡± Hearing that information, Trisha managed to connect that as the reason why Iliya had been so listless lately. After all, she had publicly declared her intention to ¡®protect¡¯ him. Since he was hospitalized, that meant she had failed to protect him from something. As she pondered about this while stroking her chin, Falco quickly added another sentence. ¡°But I heard there are at least fifteen women crowded in front of his door.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There are quite a few people who are happy about this. They said that it¡¯s finally time for the shitty playboy to receive his karma¡ª¡± With that, Trisha managed to deduce a second reason. On top of failing to protect him, Iliya also had to see all her ¡®rivals¡¯ gathering at one spot. Now, the question was, what exactly happened back then? Why did people who wouldn¡¯t normally see eye to eye group up in one place like that? ¡®...Mr. Dowd.¡¯ Trisha turned her head to look at the infirmary, which was currently made off-limits. If she were to take a guess, they probably did it because something significant was going on inside. ¡®What in the world happened?¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A heavy silence pervaded the ward. Inside, there were two people lying side by side on their beds. Yuria Greyhounder and Dowd Campbell. ¡°How is their condition?¡± Chancellor Sullivan asked in a stiff voice. The Saintess and Lady Tristan, who were standing next to her, both swallowed dryly, focusing their gazes on Dame Indra. ¡®...What kind of guy is he exactly? Look at all these people rushing over here all at once...¡¯ Such thought crossed the mind of Dame Indra of the Medical Corps. About fifteen people gathered outside the ward, curious about the man¡¯s condition, but most of them had been turned away by her. She told them that the patient needed space in order to gain some semblance of stability. These three remaining were the ones who were chosen as the representatives of those fifteen. Dame Indra cautiously gathered the mana she had spread around the room. ¡°Both show no abnormalities in their vital signs. Physically, there¡¯s nothing wrong with them.¡± ¡°...Then, what about anything other than their physical conditions?¡± Hearing that question, Dame Indra could only shake her head. ¡°If you are asking about his amnesia... I can¡¯t say for sure what caused it, but a rather complex process involving the ¡®soul¡¯ took place before that happened, I can confirm that much at least.¡± ¡°A complex process...?¡± ¡°Currently, this man¡¯s body doesn¡¯t possess its ¡®original soul¡¯. Someone has stolen it.¡± ¡°...¡± At Dame Indra¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s gazes sharply turned toward Yuria. [...Uh, right. You¡¯re correct. Sorry.] Caliban responded, clearly taken aback by Dowd¡¯s genuinely puzzled demeanor. ¡®...Who is this fucker?¡¯ ¡®Losing your memory doesn¡¯t mean your nature would just change, does it?¡¯ ¡®This isn¡¯t the same fucker who boldly stated how he would live with several different women right in front of the women in question at all!¡¯ ¡°Um... By the way, may I ask you something?¡± [What?] ¡°From what you¡¯re saying, it seems we were fairly close before I lost my memory. So, I was wondering... What kind of person was I?¡± [...] ¡°Since so many people came to visit me, I assume that I am a decent person at least...is that correct?¡± [...Uh, about that...] ¡°It was mostly women who visited me, which was strange, but they should be all my friends, right? That means I made a lot of good friends all through my school days!¡± Caliban was a Guardian. Which meant he was inherently righteous and kind-hearted. To tell this pure, sinless soul who possessed such innocent eyes the truth about his past was something he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do. [...I mean, well. Yeah. Uhuh. Right...] ¡°So it really was like that, right?¡± As Dowd grinned and said such words, Caliban found himself unable to respond further. He was feeling twice as embarrassed. Unlike usual, the sincerity that practically dripped from Dowd¡¯s voice was overwhelming. As he swallowed these feelings, someone knocked on Dowd¡¯s infirmary door. ¡°...I don¡¯t think it¡¯s time for the nurse to come, though?¡± Dowd tilted his head in confusion as he got up from the bed. It was late in the evening, visitors shouldn¡¯t even be allowed in, so who could it be? As he opened the door with such thoughts, someone Dowd recognized stood there. ¡°Ah, uh... Ms. Iliya...?¡± Mixed emotions of delight and surprise colored Dowd¡¯s voice. He remembered this person as the one who had carried him in a rush to the Medical Corps after he had collapsed. But why had she come in such a time instead of regular visiting hours? Right as these thoughts crossed his mind... Iliya, with a strangely flushed face, grabbed Dowd¡¯s shoulder firmly. ¡°...What a relief. I got here before anyone else.¡± ¡°...Ms. Iliya?¡± When he observed her closely, her breath seemed oddly sweet. ¡°...Do you have a fever? I¡¯ll call Dame Indra, so please wait a moment.¡± [...] ¡®Nah, hold up. I think she¡¯s gone crazy at the thought of doing, well... something. Her eyes look like she¡¯s lost her mind...¡¯ During the time Caliban hesitated, unable to get himself to voice his thoughts, Iliya took a deep breath and spoke up. ¡°Teach, please listen carefully.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m listening carefully.¡± At this polite and obedient response, Iliya clenched her chest and gasped with a Keup. ¡®What the hell? Why is he so cute?¡¯ She had heard from Dame Indra that he might behave like this... But such an...¡®innocent¡¯ Dowd held a destructive power beyond what she had expected. ¡°...¡± Of course... Seeing as he was like that, she was aware that what she was about to do couldn¡¯t be considered something that was morally right. But she couldn¡¯t afford to let other women get ahead of her. This was the least she could do to protect him from those terrifying women. ¡°Other girls are going to say all sorts of nonsense in the future. Don¡¯t listen to them. Just listen to me. Do you understand?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Before anything, there¡¯s one thing you need to know, Teach.¡± Iliya took a deep breath. ¡°You and I are actually engaged.¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd¡¯s face turned slightly pale. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 166: Everyone Be Lying Every Time They Open Their Mouths Chapter 166: Everyone Be Lying Every Time They Open Their Mouths ? Everyone Be Lying Every Time They Open Their Mouths ? Since Dowd didn¡¯t even know how to respond to Iliya¡¯s words, he just gave her a blank stare. Iliya didn¡¯t even wait for his response before immediately firing off her next words though. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re my fiance?, Teach! Everything will be okay as long as you listen to me!¡± ¡°...Um, excuse me...uh...Ms. Iliya¡ª¡± Before Dowd could finish his reply, Iliya cut him off sharply. ¡°T-That¡¯s why, g-get some more rest! I¡¯ll see you at the next ordeal!¡± Just like before, her words came out rapidly. It was almost as if she heard his response, she wouldn¡¯t be able to control herself from doing...unspeakable things... With her face flushed red, she dashed out of the room as quickly as she spouted out her previous words. Leaving Dowd, who was watching her leave, slumped onto his bed dazedly. ¡°Excuse me, Caliban.¡± [Hm?] Caliban barely managed to respond, as he desperately suppressing the nausea he felt. ¡®I can¡¯t believe this...¡¯ ¡®To think that I¡¯d directly witness my own sister falling to such depths...¡¯ ¡®Is this karma for all the times I made fun of this guy...?¡¯ ¡°...MHow can this be possible? My goodness!¡± [Mm.] Caliban could understand his shock. If he were to be confronted by a woman he had never seen before, then she claimed to be his fiance? while making absurd demand like he could only survive by listening to her alone, even he would be dumbfounded by¡ª ¡°How could I forget my own fiance?? Was I out of my mind?¡± [...] Caliban barely held onto his fading consciousness. ¡®That¡¯s...not it...¡¯ ¡®Seriously, that¡¯s not fucking it!¡¯ ¡®Yes, you are out of your mind, I agree with that!¡¯ ¡®But that isn¡¯t the point! It was so obvious that Iliya was trying to force her way to create a relationship with you!¡¯ ¡®Also, you were literally the one who said that you wouldn¡¯t get into a serious relationship with anyone until the matters with the Prophet and the Devils are resolved!¡¯ [...I dunno.] ¡°But, didn¡¯t you say you knew me before I lost my memories? Did you really not know anything about me having a¡ª¡± [If I said I don¡¯t know, then I don¡¯t know, you fucker.] ¡°...¡± He disliked lashing out at someone who was asking a genuine question, but this was unavoidable for him. ¡®Fiance?, my ass...!¡¯ Caliban internally screamed, grabbing at the back of his imaginary, nonexistent neck. ¡®There¡¯s no way I¡¯d admit out loud that my sister was so blinded by greed that she resorted to deceit¡ª!¡¯ [...But, I do have a piece of advice for you.] ¡°Yes?¡± [You might want to...double check at whatever words a woman told you. Just to see if it¡¯s genuine or not...] Throwing out this hint was the least thing his conscience could manage. After hearing it, a frown actually formed on Dowd¡¯s forehead as he turned to stare at the Soul Linker. ¡°Are you telling me that there are people who¡¯d lie about such things?¡± [...] ¡®Yes, there are.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s one particular fucker who did this shit to almost a dozen women at once.¡¯ ¡°Surely you jest. People who purposely play with others¡¯ hearts deserve nothing but divine punishment. There¡¯s no way someone like that actually exists!¡± [...] ¡°And you¡¯re telling me to suspect Miss Iliya and others of such a sin? There¡¯s no way! They are such good people!¡± [...] ¡°If anything, I feel guilty for not properly remembering my relationship with those wonderful people!¡± ¡®Every statement he made was correct.¡¯ ¡®All of them, without exception...but¡ª!¡¯ ¡®...Ugh, this is so fucked...¡¯ Caliban cursed in his mind. But... It wasn¡¯t like he could tell him that everyone around him, including Dowd himself, was a bunch of fucking lunatics. He thought so as he slightly shifted his gaze. At the end of his gaze was Yuria, lying as if dead next to Dowd. Right now, the White Devil inside her body must be doing everything she can to cling onto Dowd¡¯s soul and refused to let him go. [...] Caliban didn¡¯t even bother to entertain the thought that the bastard would die. After all, that guy was someone who had been swept up in much worse crises than this. Even through those crises, he managed to survive and this time, it wouldn¡¯t be no different. That was why, instead of being concerned toward him, what Caliban wanted to was... ¡®Please! I¡¯m begging you! Please, come back quickly...!¡¯ Begging for him to come back. This kind of moment made him realize how much he appreciated Dowd¡¯s presence. ¡®But, why...? How...?¡¯ ¡°...Why would you go to such lengths?¡± Lucia found herself asking this question before she could even realize it. While yes, she had harmed him a lot to the point that she felt guilty about it all the time, why was it when he lost all his memory, others still received his unconditional kindness, but that wasn¡¯t the case with her...? What exactly was the difference between them? ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Just like before, his reply flowed out naturally. ¡°Because Ms. Iliya is my fiance?.¡± ¡°...¡± After hearing that outrageous response, Lucia was dumbstruck, as if someone whacked the back of her head with a hammer. ¡®...What a sick joke...!¡¯ ¡®Fiance??! What fiance??! Fiance?, my foot...!¡¯ Lucia gaped in shock as these thoughts raced through her mind. ¡®That¡¯s a blatant lie! She just tricked him like that, really?!¡¯ ¡®How dare she, deceiving someone who had lost his memory to fulfill her own desires¡ª!¡¯ ¡®...Fine, if that¡¯s how you want to play it...!¡¯ ¡®Then, I won¡¯t hold back either!¡¯ ¡°If that is the case, I do have a valid reason to stop you!¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± Dowd tilted his head, unsure of what she actually meant by that. ¡°B-Before you lost your memory, I-I was¡ª y-your...!¡± She tried to continue... But soon found herself at a loss for words. ¡°...¡± ¡®Huh...?¡¯ ¡®What was I to him again...?¡¯ ¡®I wasn¡¯t his lover...not his girlfriend either... Acquaintances? No, that¡¯s too ambiguous, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡®It feels like I¡¯m just a tool that he used whenever he needed something, but it isn¡¯t like I can say that out loud¡ª!¡¯ ¡°...Saintess?¡± Seeing Dowd calling out to her with a puzzled look, a sense of urgency filled Lucia¡¯s face. ¡®I need to say something! Anything!¡¯ ¡°...Uh, I do not know what this is about, but you don¡¯t have to force yourself to say anything.¡± Dowd spoke with a wry smile on his face. ¡°I mean, how could someone of your stature have any significant relationship with someone like me, Saintess? You are one of the most revered people on the entire continent, after all.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I just hope that I haven¡¯t inadvertently troubled you or made some mistake in the past, Saintess.¡± Her statement was warm and kind. Even so, one thing came to Lucia¡¯s mind. ¡®Such an ironic thing to say...¡¯ It was his kindness that reminded her of the most audacious thing he had ever done to her. ¡°...¡± Her body trembled at the sacrilegious, irreverent, blasphemous, shameful, and embarrassing thought; Something the usual Lucia would never even dare to contemplate. But in this situation... If she didn¡¯t act right now, she would lose. Considering that someone else had already stolen the lead, she didn¡¯t have the leniency to be picky. That was why... ¡°...¡± Lucia took a deep breath and pulled something out of her pocket. An object she always carried with her, because she didn¡¯t know when she might be summoned by this man. A collar. One that looked so similar to a dog¡¯s collar. ¡°...Saintess?¡± Though Dowd spoke in bewilderment when she suddenly produced such a strange item... She closed her eyes tightly and placed it around her neck. Just thinking about saying the words that came to her mind with her own mouth made her whole body want to convulse. However, it had to be done. Only then could she prevent this man from being entangled in the machinations and tricks of other women. ¡°...I-I was...¡± Lucia, with her eyes still tightly shut, extended the handle of the collar she had placed around her neck towards Dowd. ¡°Y-Your pet...¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°Y-You made m-me into t-this, so...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You, have, to take, r-responsibility, for¡ª! Thespecialrelationshipthatwehave-!¡± Upon hearing her last sentence, pouring out without taking a single pause... Dowd¡¯s face turned utterly pale. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 164: Branching Point (2) ? Branching Point (2) ? ¡°...Teach?¡± Iliya¡¯s puzzled voice came from beside me. That was probably her reaction after seeing me suddenly froze in place when an enemy as formidable as the Spirit Entity appeared before us. System Message [ The aura of the ¡®White Devil¡¯ is detected! ] [ ¡®Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯ reacts! ] !!! Alert !!! [ Emergency Event has occurred! ] [ Target ¡®White Devil¡¯ is involved! ] [ Upon failure, you will lose your ¡®soul¡¯! ] I knew this would happen, I felt it deep in my bones these days. Of course such dangerous situations would come at the worst possible situation. That was why... I managed to instinctively realize that this was the crisis of a fucking lifetime the moment that window popped up, even though I hadn¡¯t fully ¡®register¡¯ what exactly had happened yet.¡¯ A chill ran down my spine as my consciousness sank heavily, as if shutting down involuntarily. ¡°...¡± Though the warning windows weren¡¯t filled with exclamation marks that always popped up whenever I got into a real danger, the fact that the White Devil¡¯s Aura was present while I was ¡®not wearing a mask¡¯ was a death sentence in itself. Because the White Devil was different from others. Normally, if a Vessel were to go berserk, that meant they lost their reason to a Devil¡¯s Malevolence, going batshit insane without a clear goal. In the White Devil¡¯s case, however, she moved with a certain purpose. I probably have mentioned this a few times already. Compared to how a normal person felt or acted, Devils¡¯ affections were often twisted in utterly incomprehensible ways. To put it simply, it was fucked up. So, imagine there were those crazy bitches who¡¯d find happiness from just being together with someone they liked. Even more so if they were to lock that person up and ¡®breed¡¯ them. Yeah, this punk was the prime example of that kind of crazy bitch. In other words... If I did not do something right here and now... I would die. Well, I wouldn¡¯t actually die, but like, my ¡®life¡¯ as I knew it would end. I might be breathing, but I¡¯d be deprived of most values and rights that I should be able to enjoy as a human. ¡®Remaining time, 20 seconds.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know from where, how, or in what form she would approach me. But judging from my past experiences that were now engraved in my very soul, the grace period given when the White Devil saw one¡¯s ¡®face¡¯ in Sera was about that long. ¡®...Stay calm.¡¯ Everyone, and I mean everyone, had the ability to learn. After going through the same exact thing numerous times, anyone could develop an optimized routine of action. I knew all too well that panicking in such times was utterly useless. Putting aside the sense of crisis, I started checking the surroundings with a calm mind. ¡°...Teach?¡± Noticing my unusually grave expression, Iliya voiced her concern with a slightly anxious tone. ¡°...¡± Normally, she¡¯d be the only one I could count to get me out of this shitfest. But, Desperation, and by extension, her stat buff, would only be triggered if I were in danger of ¡®dying¡¯. Against a special case like the White Devil, it was highly unlikely for her to be of much help. If she had the Holy Sword, she might be able to do something, but she hasn¡¯t had it yet. ¡°...Teach? What¡¯s wrong...?¡± As I had only been standing in a daze, she asked me another question. Seeing such an appearance of her made me grind my teeth in frustration. Originally, she would have proceeded with the Main Quest on her own, even if I wasn¡¯t by her side. But now, the flow of events in this worldview had long been altered to revolve around me. Also, like the system window previously mentioned, this was a butterfly effect. And if I disappeared from that flow... The world would end. It wouldn¡¯t be strange for some Devil to go berserk somewhere, somehow, and swallow the world in its entirety. ¡®...Remaining time, 10 seconds.¡¯ I clenched my teeth and looked around. If this situation continued, I would be fucked. There must be a way...! ¡°I know it¡¯s a bit strange for me to say this!¡± As I desperately racked my brain, accelerating it to unseen heights, Lana¡¯s voice pierced my ears as she drew her twin swords. ¡°But, it isn¡¯t time to be spacing out like that! A Spirit Entity is right in front of you!¡± At that moment... As soon as I heard that shout... My gaze locked onto the Spirit Entity right before my eyes. A Thought Form emitting black mana fluttered threateningly around. Back in the game, it would immediately start a fight and try to consume ¡®mental energy¡¯ through the process. However, it seemed to have noticed that everyone here was far from ordinary, that was why it was so hesitant to make a move first. Even the weakest among us, me, boasted quite a solid mental defense thanks to the Devil Conquest Stats I ripped off from Yuria. In the perspective of a Thought Form, I was quite the prob¡ª ¡®Thought Form.¡¯ Then, her mouth opened as she let out an excited moan. As if she was cherishing something, finding something utterly precious, she slowly reached out her hand toward my face. ¡°...Found you...¡± And, at the same time the Spirit Energy charged at me with the same terrifying momentum as before, thus making contact with my body... Yuria¡¯s slowly extended fingertips also touched my face. ¡°Together, forever.¡± Along with those words... A rising ¡®white haze¡¯ engulfed me. As soon as Yuria placed her hand over Dowd¡¯s face, both their bodies collapsed. As if their consciousnesses were severed at the same moment. And at the same time... ¡ª!!! Utter chaos erupted in the surroundings. People who were ¡®hiding¡¯ in all directions suddenly emerged at once, creating a rather comical scene. ¡°...That crazy fucker¡ª!¡± The first to react was Talker, who had been quietly observing the situation. And when he shot up in horror, Seras and Chancellor Sullivan, who were with him, also revealed themselves in a similar manner. The original plan was for them to somehow ¡®thwart¡¯ the White Devil from consuming his ¡®soul¡¯ while she was in the middle of doing so. As Dowd had shown how tenacious he could be time and time again, they were confident that he wouldn¡¯t be immediately devoured by the White Devil. At least not until they managed to use the appropriate ¡®measures¡¯. However, that lunatic willingly erased all his abilities with his own hands! ¡°...Dowd!¡± Following them, Eleanor rushed down from upstairs. ¡°Damn it, what were you thinking to do such a thing-!¡± Not only that, Riru also popped up from the ground, having hidden who knows where. As Iliya looked around with a dazed expression, unable to grasp what exactly was happening, Lana looked around with an incredulous expression before speaking. ¡°...Were there this many people hiding in such a cramped space?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A moment of awkward silence followed as they looked at each other. Although none of them could fathom why all these people were gathered here at the same time, what was certain was that they had all come with a singular purpose in mind. For the well-being of Dowd Campbell. ¡°...We¡¯ll talk about that later! Take care of this man, quick!¡± When Eleanor, who was the first to grasp the situation, spoke up, Sullivan quickly regained her composure and urgently added. ¡°It¡¯s one of the Devil¡¯s Authorities, ¡®Kin¡¯s Designation¡¯. If we do not act quickly, he might never regain his consciousness¡ª!¡± However, as if to render such an urgent explanation utterly futile... Dowd opened his eyes immediately after. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Unbecoming of her, Sullivan seemed extremely taken aback as she closed her mouth. ¡°H-How can this be...?¡± ¡°...The renowned name of the Iron-Blooded Chancellor seems to be in utter shambles. What an incredibly foolish appearance.¡± ¡°...Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? Is there any part that feels strange?¡± To that, Dowd blinked blankly. He looked at Eleanor, who had approached him, and then scanned the people bustling around him. They all waited anxiously for his response. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything like that, but... Before anything...¡± Dowd spoke in a dazed voice. ¡°...Where am I?¡± A look of relief flashed across Eleanor¡¯s face. She thought something had gone wrong, but given that he was able to speak properly, it seemed like there was no major issue with him. ¡°This is the deepest part of the dungeon where the First Ordeal of the Hero Selection Exam is taking place. There was a slight accident¡ª¡± ¡°Hero Selection Exam? Dungeon? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor closed her mouth. Now, a creeping sense of uneasiness began to run down her spine. She wasn¡¯t the only one who felt this way. Everyone around her also began to distort their expression bizarrely. ¡°...Uh, that, Dowd...¡± Eleanor struggled to formulate another question... But before she could finish, a different response came. ¡°...Dowd? Is that my name?¡± Eleanor¡¯s jaw dropped. While the others also expressed their shock in various ways... ¡°No, wait. In the first place...¡± Another statement followed. ¡°Who are you people?¡± The look in his eyes... Was truly as if he had seen them ¡®for the first time in his life¡¯. Chapter 167: Compromise Chapter 167: Compromise ? Compromise ? ¡°...Caliban.¡± Dowd spoke in a trembling voice as he wiped his face. On his other hand, which trembled precariously as if he was suffering from Parkinson¡¯s, hung a leash that the Saintess had just entrusted to him. In his head, the sentence he had just heard was being played back. -S-Sometimes, p-please fasten this and t-take me on a w-walk! -... -I-I mean, engaging in s-such activities regularly i-is crucial for your health! P-Please stay healthy! D-Don¡¯t get hurt unnecessarily! G-Goodbye! He remembered how she said those words with a great deal of embarrassment. Having finished such a recollection, a voice, deep with self-loathing, came out of his mouth as he asked, ¡°...What in the world was I doing before I lost my memory?¡± [...] ¡®Uh...¡¯ ¡®If I were to tell him right now, he¡¯d definitely consider killing himself, so I should just exercise my right to remain silent.¡¯ [...A lot of things...] ¡°To summarize what I¡¯ve just heard...¡± He said, covering his face with his hands. ¡°I am engaged to a genius Hero Candidate, who¡¯s admired by people across the continent. But not only that, I also went around dragging the Saintess, the one all the believers of the Holy Land¡¯s faith is looking up to, by the leash?¡± [...] ¡°...And we must have done that quite a few times for her to refer to herself as being my pet or whatnot.¡± [...] ¡®Actually, after hearing all that...yeah...that¡¯s quite something...¡¯ ¡®One of them lied to him, but that¡¯s just the case of him reaping what he sows, pretty much.¡¯ ¡®Now I realized the level of the incidents this punk has been causing all this time...¡¯ ¡°...Doesn¡¯t this count as adultery?¡± [I¡¯ve told you before, you shouldn¡¯t just believe all the words that the women around you said.] Dowd¡¯s question, almost akin to a groan, was met with a sigh and response from Caliban. Of course Saintess was telling pretty much the truth, but their relationship wasn¡¯t close enough to the point that she¡¯d normally go out of her way to ask him to take her on a ¡®walk¡¯. If anything, it was more like she was trying to take advantage of his amnesia to carry out some kind of scheme. ¡®...Wait.¡¯ Caliban suddenly had a chilling thought, sending shivers down his spine. ¡®It had only been two days since this guy lost his memory, but two women had rushed in, trying to cook him in their own way.¡¯ ¡®And those two are actually less obsessed with him compared to the others...¡¯ ¡®Given the number and the line-up of all the women around him, this is likely to be just the beginning...!¡¯ ¡®...We already have a fiance? and a pet as the beginning, what will come up next?¡¯ While Caliban was shuddering at the thought, Dowd suddenly stood up from his seat. His face suggested that he had made some kind of firm resolve. ¡°Mr. Caliban.¡± [Yeah?] ¡°I think I need to check for myself.¡± [Check for what?] ¡°Whether there are others that I¡¯m having a relationship with even though I have a fiance? already.¡± [...] ¡°Surely I can¡¯t be that unhinged. Given that I¡¯ve already done such a thing to the Saintess, there¡¯s no way that there are others like her, but...¡± [...Why don¡¯t you think about it first?] Caliban definitely couldn¡¯t encourage him to do that. Because what he had encountered was nothing more than the tip of the iceberg. The two people he had met were the most naive and innocuous out of them all. If he were to meet the other ones, who knew what would happen to him. Thinking as such, Caliban was about to object. But soon after, he closed his mouth again. As for why he did that... ¡®...Well, it¡¯s his karma.¡¯ Chances were, even if he didn¡¯t look for them, they would come to him on their own. Since he was going to find out sooner or later, what even was the point in stopping him? [No, forget it. Who are you going to meet first?] ¡°They just lumped it together, calling it the Grey Devil and whatnot...but even among those Devils, that being is at a completely different level. That¡¯s why I¡¯m making this request to you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s no one else that can do it besides you.¡± ¡°...I do not care about any of that.¡± After listening to the Chancellor quietly for a while, Eleanor interrupted her words. ¡°Just tell me the important part.¡± Her clear, red eyes met the other woman¡¯s golden¡¯s eyes. ¡°If I cooperate with you, can we save Dowd?¡± ¡°We can, Lady Tristan. But you might die in the process.¡± ¡°And how do I do that?¡± After she heard the reply that came out without a single ounce of hesitation, Sullivan let out a chuckle. ¡°...It would be wiser of you to hesitate a little.¡± ¡°This matter is related to Dowd. Risking my life for that isn¡¯t a big deal.¡± Just like she said, her tone did not contain some sort of grand resolve. She just said it plainly, as if it was the most natural thing to say. As if, for that man¡¯s sake, she could easily lay down her life. ¡°...¡± Sullivan slightly bowed her head and closed her eyes. ¡®...She was like this before too. In fact, she was always like this.¡¯ In every situation she had ¡®seen¡¯, the sentiment that the other woman carried had always been like this, no matter what the situation she found herself in. No matter what kind of catastrophe she faced, no matter what kind of choice she had to choose, no matter how destructive the action she had to do... Eleanor and the Grey Devil¡¯s course of action always remain the same. Everything was for the sake of Dowd Campbell. Regardless of the consequences that may come forth. ¡°...Even though everything just stems from her greed...¡± However, as she was in a position where she could predict the ¡®outcome¡¯ of such actions, that was all she could say. ¡°...Excuse me?¡± ¡°It is nothing.¡± When Eleanor responded with a puzzled voice, Sullivan replied nonchalantly and looked back at Eleanor. ¡°For now, before I explain the method in detail, I have something I must ask you.¡± Sullivan¡¯s stern expression made Eleanor also let out a serious look. Though she wasn¡¯t sure what question would come, judging by the atmosphere, she knew that at least the it wouldn¡¯t be an utter non¡ª ¡°What is the most aggressive, radical, and extreme thing you have done with Viscount Campbell?¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking in a sexual sense. Given your timidity, I presume that this isn¡¯t likely, but have you ever slept with him prior¡ª¡± Hearing that unexpected question, Eleanor let out a dumbfounded look, a look that could be considered unbecoming of her. ¡°What¨C wha-w-what in the world are you saying right now?!¡± ¡°Your reaction suggests you haven¡¯t. That is fortunate.¡± Sullivan continued to speak, still maintaining her utterly serious demeanor. ¡°After all, if you had done something I haven¡¯t even done myself, I would kill you right now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Because I want to be the one to take his first time.¡± ¡®I see...¡¯ ¡®So Dowd has never slept with anyone, including the Chancellor...¡¯ Her knowledge about Dowd increased. ¡°Well, that was just my personal musings, but besides that...¡± Despite Sullivan having made such a statement, she continued speaking without blinking an eye, before facing the bewildered Eleanor. ¡°It is truly fortunate that you have not done such a thing, Lady Tristan.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you were as promiscuous as your body suggests and had already laid hands on that man, this method would be absolutely im¡ª¡± ¡°...Chancellor Sullivan.¡± Eleanor rubbed her temples, which were starting to throb with the onset of a headache. Normally, she was the one who¡¯d cause people to rub their temples, that was why she had never experienced it herself, but now she seemed to have met her match. ¡°Please, I beg of you, explain in a way that I can understand.¡± The sentence that came out of her mouth was filled with genuine sincerity. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 168: Youll Take Responsibility? Chapter 168: You''ll Take Responsibility? ? You¡¯ll Take Responsibility? ? My consciousness slipped away. It felt like my whole body was continuously falling into a bottomless swamp. I couldn¡¯t remember when it started and I had no idea when it would end; that was how long such a sensation lasted. Ever since I regained my senses, I had been in this state. First, I tried calling out to the two people who were always around me. ¡°Caliban.¡± I received no answer. ¡°Valkasus.¡± This time too, no answer. The inability to communicate with the two people who were always mentally connected to me under the pretense that my mind was intact would only suggest one thing. Our soul-bound connection had been severed. In other words... My soul had left my body. ¡°...¡± Which meant I had entered the White Devil¡¯s ¡®Imprisonment¡¯ Event that I tried so hard to avoid. There were a few reasons why it was considered the worst event. It forced you to enter an emergency event without any regards whether you were in the middle of the main event or not. The worst part of it was when you entered the event during a critical moment. You had no choice but to enter it whether you liked it or not. The fact that it could pop up randomly and out of nowhere also added to the dreadfulness of it. ¡®...At least I¡¯ve prevented my body from dying for now.¡¯ Since I had used the Spirit Entity as a life support device, putting it as a substitute, at least I wouldn¡¯t need to worry about dying anytime soon. It also meant that the Hero Selection would still be able to proceed while I was being trapped here. Even if I didn¡¯t have my memories, my knowledge and ability to act shouldn¡¯t be too different from my usual self, so it should work out somehow. With that thought, I continued to fall. ¡°...¡± How much time had passed? When I asked that question in my mind, a spark flashed in front of my field of vision. -... -...! And a ¡®world¡¯ was suddenly created before my eyes. Along with bright light, my eyes took in all the information from my surroundings. This was a luxurious mansion, inside a spacious bedroom... And I was now lying on a large bed in one corner of such a room. ¡°...?¡± I looked around with a bewildered expression. Whenever Iliya got marked by the White Devil, the game would force an instant-death event to you, such as ¡®Forced Summoning to Pandemonium¡¯ or ¡®Withstand the Mental Attack of the White Devil for More than 24 Hours¡¯. So, why in the world was I summoned into such a peaceful place? ¡°...Wake up. Do you even know what time it is? Why are you still sleeping?¡± Right as I was thinking that, such a voice came from in front. I sat up and looked around me, following the direction of the voice and found someone sitting at the table in front of me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you an exclusively contracted servant? Then you should take care of the schedule of the one you are serving before starting the day¡¯s work. Waking up later than me means you¡¯re being negligent. Do you understand?¡± There was a girl, sipping her tea as she spoke. A white one-piece dress covered her body. She had long black hair with bangs that covered one of her eyes. Her skin, pale as snow. The beauty she possessed was comparable to a piece of art, it was as if she was made of fragmented glass. I recognized her face very well. Well, if I were to take her current appearance and increase her age by ten years, then I¡¯d say that I knew exactly who she was. But, well, this was a sad thing to say... The thing was, that punk I knew very well would never make such a...¡¯dignified and composed¡¯ face... Even her posture looked prim and proper. If I didn¡¯t know better, I would probably think of her as a ¡®noble lady¡¯. Compared to her figure that I was familiar with; With her tattered rags, slouching in a corner of the warehouse...well, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to make such a comparison... ¡°...¡± But... It was because of such a stark difference that I managed to figure out ¡®what kind of situation¡¯ I got myself into. ¡°I heard this is our first time seeing each other¡¯s faces.¡± The girl spoke, slowly approaching me and extending her hand. ¡°However, please be careful so that this kind of situation does not happen again.¡± Simultaneously, a window appeared before me. System Message [ You are entering the Image World of target ¡®Yuria¡¯. ] This was... ¡®Yuria¡¯s¡¯ past. The Yuria of the past, back before she started to wield ¡®Severer¡¯, the time period that the original game never properly covered. This was a story of a girl untouched by the filth of the world, back before she was isolated from the rest of the world. ¡°...¡± So this was how she looked like before she wielded Severer, huh? It was unimaginable to think that this was the same person as the hopeless loner that didn¡¯t even have a single friend in her life. If I were to exaggerate her conditions a little, I could call her Little Eleanor. As I was thinking this, another window popped up. < Event Info > ?Sweet Play? [ Persuade target ¡®Yuria/White Devil¡¯. ] [ Your assigned ¡®role¡¯ is ¡®Lady Yuria¡¯s exclusively contracted servant¡¯. Do not break character! ] [ A time limit of 3 days is given. If you break character or fail to escape the Image World within that time, you will be trapped in the world in question forever! ] ¡°...?¡± The fuck was all this gibberish? What were all those things supposed to mean? Persuade her? Assigned role? Not to break character? What the fuck did those words even mean? Why was the White Devil showing me this anyway? But, despite those questions... After all, Dame Indra did say he was in quite a gullible and naive state. ¡°...¡± However... Riru slapped her own cheek with a loud smack. ¡®...What in the world am I thinking?¡¯ ¡®Did I not decide to compete fairly?¡¯ ¡®I wouldn¡¯t stoop so low! Scamming him or whatnot!¡¯ She could figure the blue figure behind her clicking her tongue, but that wouldn¡¯t be enough to shake her reso¡ª ¡°You¡¯re different from the others, right? We¡¯re just friends, right...?¡± ¡°...The others?¡± ¡°...¡± When Riru responded blankly, Dowd stepped back in utter shock. Anyone could see that he had realized he made a mistake. As such, Riru narrowed her eyes and stepped closer. ¡°What about the others? What did they tell you?¡± ¡°...N-Nothing.¡± ¡®Bullshit.¡¯ ¡®Some of those women definitely approached him and told him that they were more than just ¡®friends¡¯.¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡®No, they aren¡¯t women. They¡¯re just vixen-like bitches.¡¯ ¡®And here I am, trying to play fair, but those bitches dared to throw away all their conscience and do whatever they pleased¡ª!¡¯ ¡°...Did I perhaps also behave... inappropriately towards Miss Riru?¡± And when she heard Dowd¡¯s anxious query after such wrathful thoughts she had.... Riru¡¯s heart sank with a thud. For some reason... For some odd reason... Seeing him so ¡®vulnerable¡¯... Stirred up a mischievous desire she had originally decided not to indulge in. If this guy, who was usually so immaculate and meticulous, showed such a ¡®clingy¡¯ demeanor towards her... If he showed a ¡®possibility¡¯ that indicated she could have her way with him... Riru swallowed dryly. ¡®...Hmm...¡¯ On top of that, if she considered how the others had already made their moves without giving a damn... Then... ¡°...What if we had that kind of relationship? Then what are you going to do?¡± Maybe just once... Couldn¡¯t she also take such ¡®deviant¡¯ actions? Dowd¡¯s expression instantaneously turned to one of deep grief. His face practically crumpled in despair before he weakly drooped his head with tightly-shut eyes. ¡°...sibility.¡± ¡°What?¡± At the whisper-like voice, Riru leaned her ear closer to catch what he was saying. ¡°I said, I¡¯ll take...responsibility. Even though I do not know what I did to Miss Riru...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Whatever it may be, I will definitely...take full responsibility...!¡± ¡®Ah.¡¯ ¡®Is that so?¡¯ Riru¡¯s breath quickened slightly. Warmth spread across her face, as well as her entire body. A smile involuntarily formed on her lips. ¡°Really?¡± Simultaneously, Riru flung open the door to Dowd¡¯s personal room. Then, before he could say anything, she threw his body onto the bed. She quickly climbed on top of Dowd, who was sprawled on top, and immediately pinned his arms down with both her hands. ¡°...Miss Riru?¡± Such a voice emerged from Dowd, who was held beneath her. Almost as if... His voice was laden with slight fear. Riru¡¯s entire body heated up even more. Her heart raced faster than usual and her lower abdomen became hotter. ¡°W-Why are you doing this...?¡± A sadistic urge arose from within her. Compared to his usual know-it-all, conceited demeanor... His vulnerable look as she pinned him under her... Made him look more defenseless...more feeble... As if he would go along with whatever she decided to do with him. ¡°...What did you do to me, you ask?¡± Heat coursed through her body. It flared passionately. She herself wasn¡¯t sure what kind of words that came out of her mouth... As she only let herself drown in her own desire. ¡°You asked me to ¡®raise your child¡¯.¡± That was the truth. While it was a very, very nitpicky thing to say and she skipped a lot of hoops, her words weren¡¯t a lie. Dowd¡¯s face turned into one of sheer horror. ¡°Just a moment ago, you said...¡± A grin formed in Riru¡¯s face ¡°...That you would take responsibility, ¡®whatever it may be¡¯, right?¡± There was not a shadow of a doubt. It was the smile of a savage beast eyeing the prey right before her eyes. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 169: Cat Fight (1) Chapter 169: Cat Fight (1) ? Cat Fight (1) ? [Oh, Ooooooh... To think that Riru, who couldn¡¯t even eat a meal that had already been prepared, has grown this much...!] Though she heard the blue punk behind her babbling something... ¡®...You¡¯re the one who told me to do this in the first place.¡¯ Such grumbling naturally came out. ¡®It¡¯s time like these you need to step up more! So that you can be ahead of the other women!¡¯ was what the blue punk behind her kept saying, egging her on. Of course, the reason it went this far was partly because Dowd¡¯s attitude was too... ¡®docile¡¯. ¡°...¡± But... So, like... Pinning this guy underneath her and saying whatever she wanted was great and all, but... [...By the way, what are you doing, Riru?] Until the blue punk behind her uttered those words, all Riru did was blankly stare down at Dowd, whom she had sat on. There was only one thought in her head. ¡®...What am I supposed to do next? W-What do I do-?!¡¯ Riru thought as such, her eyes spinning in confusion and panic. No, like, she had to have some kind of training to know what to do, right? She talked about having children and all that, but she was completely clueless about the actual process...! [...Are you serious, Riru?] ¡®I-I really don¡¯t know! Even Granny didn¡¯t teach me this!¡¯ [...] She could keenly feel the incredulity of the blue punk¡¯s gaze, floating behind her. After staring at her like that for a while, she then heard a sigh. [...Well, I always knew you were just a gullible, naive simpleton pretending to be strong.] ¡®W-What should I do? Should I apologize and back off now?!¡¯ [If you¡¯ve drawn your sword, you might as well cut something, Riru.] No, so like, how the fuck was she supposed to do that?! Such a scream burst from within Riru. ¡®...Cutting something? Fuck that, whatever that means. Should I just start backing off...¡¯ In the first place, it felt like she had crossed the line far too much even at this point. Where did her will to compete fairly and squarely go...! Riru thought this as she looked down with a tense expression. Then... ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd just... Closed his eyes tightly. It clearly wasn¡¯t a gesture to particularly push her away. Rather, it seemed more like he was ¡®resigned¡¯ to what was about to happen. ¡®...E-Eh?¡¯ This... This meant... ¡®C-Can I do it? It means I can do it, right? He¡¯s giving me permission, right?! This is all consensual, okay?!¡¯ [...Aren¡¯t you getting a bit too excited, Riru?] Though the blue punk behind her was yapping again, at least now, she had a justification to take one step further. This was...fair and square, okay? Anyway, it was! For sure! ¡®...A-At times like this, first...¡¯ Riru swallowed dryly and reached for Dowd¡¯s top. Though she didn¡¯t know what to do, she would just start with whatever came to mind. The sound of buttons being undone by trembling hands echoed softly in the room. Coat, vest, and finally, the shirt. All of it was opened up. A well trained upper body of a man was fully exposed before her. ¡°...W-Woah...¡± Such an exclamation leaked out, unable to be suppressed. [...Why do you kind of seem like a teenage boy going through puberty who saw something lewd for the first time in his life?] After ignoring the oddly specific remark, she unconsciously ran her hands over the distinctly etched muscles. The way Dowd twitched under her fingertips was transmitted through every bit of his skin. And as her fingers crawled over his chest, passing by it... She felt his heartbeat. Loudly. Very, very clearly. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Riru looked down at Dowd, who still had his eyes tightly shut, with wide eyes. Right, he, too... It wasn¡¯t just her who was nervous. This guy was anxious too. After all, it was his first time as well. Even though he always had girls around him, going ¡®this far¡¯ with a completely sound mind was a first for him. Exactly how many women were around him for such a statement like ¡®I thought you wouldn¡¯t remember me¡¯ to come out so blatantly? ¡°...¡± No, wait. Hold on. No way. Could it be? ¡°...Uh, Miss Seras.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Have I done something to you as well, Miss Seras?¡± ¡°...¡± Seras scratched her cheek with an awkward expression, as if she was at a loss for how to answer. That, well... How should she put it? Though she was wondering whether she should reveal this or not... ¡®...He looks so desperate.¡¯ Seeing Dowd¡¯s face practically welling up in tears, Seras swallowed dryly. Either way, this man was her ¡®current assassination target¡¯, but he was also someone she had a lot of second thoughts about. And she had rushed in to save him for that very reason; she wasn¡¯t sure what to think about him. He looked like he¡¯d get more depressed if she just completely denied it, so explaining vaguely shouldn¡¯t be too big of a problem. ¡°I, uh, was going to do something... bad to you, Senior.¡± ¡°...What? Something bad? Did I do something to deserve such a grudge, Miss Se...!¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s not that S-Senior did something bad to me! It¡¯s just that there are a few people around you who don¡¯t like you...!¡± Dowd¡¯s mouth fell open. What in the world had he been doing to have people hiring a third party to harm him...?! Seeing such an expression, Seras hurriedly continued her explanation. ¡°N-No, so like, what I mean is...!¡± While waving her hands, Seras moved closer to Dowd¡¯s bed and then suddenly stopped. Following that, she quickly covered her eyes with both hands, but because her eyes were still clearly visible between her fingers, it was quite a bizarre sight. The reason for this? Well... It was because the moonlight leaking through the window illuminated Dowd¡¯s upper body, which Riru had exposed just before. ¡°...W-Woah...¡± ¡°...¡± Hadn¡¯t Riru reacted the same way before? Was it some custom to say that upon seeing his upper body? Right as Dowd thought this with a dazed expression... ¡°...You called me a lecherous bitch? How ironic. Look at you. You look like you¡¯ve lost your mind. You¡¯re no different, huh.¡± Riru was walking out from the wall where she had been embedded. Even in the dark room, her eyes shone brightly, all too visible. Seras narrowed her eyes and looked in her direction. She had definitely kicked at her vital point in that one strike. And she had confirmed that she had inflicted enough damage to make her opponent faint in an instant. But then, why was she still so fine? ¡®...She¡¯s not ordinary, huh?¡¯ The physical combat skills of a Grand Assassin was, at the very least, at a level that made a regular knight look like a joke. Yet, she took a direct hit and didn¡¯t even have a single scratch. It means she was far beyond the level of any considerable powerhouse. ¡°...And one other thing...¡± Riru spoke, brushing her bangs aside. Due to this, the bulging veins on her forehead were slightly revealed under the moonlight. There was no doubt that she was furious. ¡°Seeing as how you barged in so suddenly like this, doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯ve been following someone without permission? It seems impossible for you to interfere so quickly unless you were constantly watching this guy.¡± ¡°...¡± That was true. Though it was an action taken under the pretext of observing an assassination target, It was a fact that Seras had been monitoring every move that Dowd took. ¡°Look at you, pretending to be all righteous and clean. The nerve of this mentally-ill voyeur.¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t want to hear that from a woman who should be charged with attempted rape.¡± ¡°...It was an action made with consent.¡± ¡°Look at her, not even denying she intended to cross that last line. You crazy bitch. Do you even have a conscience?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Your claim about it being consensual was just your own delusion, isn¡¯t it? Even though all Senior did was turn a blind eye to it, you decided to just interpret it however you wanted, didn¡¯t you?¡± At Seras¡¯s words, another vein popped on Riru¡¯s forehead. ¡°...Seeing that you kick people out of the blue, it seems you¡¯re also accustomed to resolving matters through violence.¡± She continued to speak, her cheeks trembling in fury. ¡°Follow me to the rooftop, you bitch. Think you¡¯re that good at fighting? Huh?¡± ¡°...¡± Somehow... The situation was getting worse and worse. Dowd thought this as he blankly looked at the two. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 170: Cat Fight (2) Chapter 170: Cat Fight (2) ? Cat Fight (2) ? Daggers and gauntlets clashed. On top of the rooftop that bathed in pale moonlight, sparks flew violently. Their exchange of attack and defense ended up evenly matched once again. Both of them had long lost count of how many clashes at this level that they had. Still, they definitely felt the same thing. The fact that their opponent wasn¡¯t someone they could take lightly. ¡°...¡± Seras frowned as she brushed off a wound near her face with her hand. She couldn¡¯t even remember when was the last time she had seen her own blood, as it smeared on her palm. ¡®...She is able to exchange blows with me...¡¯ While stealthy assassination was her specialty, she didn¡¯t earn the Grand Assassin title from merely using some hidden cards up her sleeve. Only those who belonged in the level of the continent¡¯s strongest powerhouse would be able to exchange blows with her. And out of those in that list that she knew, Riru Garda definitely wasn¡¯t someone who could ever make it onto that ranking. However, something about her opponent¡¯s movements was odd. ¡®...It almost feels like she can predict what I¡¯m about to do...¡¯ As if she was moving with knowledge of a few seconds in the future, she always interfered with her attacks in the midst of it. Riru¡¯s bizarre movements were the reason why, despite Seras having overwhelming physical capabilities and combat skills, the situation ended up in a stalemate like this. -! Once again, their weapons clashed violently. At a distance close enough to feel each other¡¯s breaths, Seras opened her mouth with a sigh. ¡°I know one thing for certain.¡± ¡°Ah, what a coincidence, me as well.¡± Riru and Seras backed away from each other, their eyes locked in a glare. ¡°You. Are you from the Holy Land?¡± ¡°And you are from the Tribal Alliance.¡± One used Divine Power-based Miracles and Graces. The other, Law Technique-based Fist Arts. From just that alone, it was clear that the sources of their techniques were different from the Mana-based Body Enhancement Techniques taught in the Empire. ¡°...¡± Riru¡¯s gaze briefly shifted to the lower floors of the building. Dowd, who had been desperately trying to dissuade them from fighting until they came up here, was probably down there. Of course, for the two, who were already steaming with rage, his words went in one ear and out the other. ¡°...What business do you crazy zealot have with us?¡± Seras¡¯ expression twisted slightly. ¡®...Us?¡¯ ¡®Is she trying to imply that man is hers or something?¡¯ ¡®But, for some reason...¡¯ ¡®I really, really hate that sentence...¡¯ ¡°Who knows? What I know is that barbarian who knows nothing but science and technology should mind their own business.¡± Their eyes glinted with an even stronger animosity. Through their clash, they confirmed that both of their ability and talent could only come from high-level training transmitted through esoteric doctrines at an early age. Considering these techniques were usually shared secretly among the upper echelons of their respective countries, they managed to reach a conclusion. That both were likely to be close to the ¡®chief executives¡¯ of the Holy Land and the Tribal Alliance. And the fact that they had a common interest in a single man suggested a great many things. ¡°...Even if I were to mind my own business...¡± Riru spat out such a sentence. ¡°I can¡¯t just ignore this. After all, isn¡¯t the Holy Land that shitty country ruled by the most disgusting and cunning human in the world?¡± ¡°...¡± Upon hearing those words, Seras¡¯s expression went blank. ¡°...You don¡¯t know enough about our country to make such a claim, Barbarian.¡± ¡°You know, the Empire isn¡¯t exactly a pleasant place to be in, but it¡¯s still miles better than that shitty country of yours.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just think about it, even a country that is uninterested in politics such as ours has heard of the nasty rumors about your nation. So, I hope you fuck off and not get Dowd involved in such a¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Riru hastily leaned her body back. It didn¡¯t matter if she could see the future or not. She had to take that action because she could feel the looming sense of death. Seeing the wound across her chest left her dumbfounded. For the first time, she could not keep up with her opponent¡¯s speed. Hell, she couldn¡¯t even see that blow coming. It was by pure luck that she avoided a fatal blow. ¡°...¡± The atmosphere around her opponent had changed completely. Riru squinted at Seras, who now held her dual daggers in a reverse grip. Her eyes were devoid of light. And a ¡®purple aura¡¯ was swirling around her entire body. And then... ¡°...¡± Seeing the animal ears sprouting from Seras¡¯ head, perhaps influenced by her change in attitude, Riru let out a chuckle. She now understood why her words had angered her opponent so much. ¡°Biped?¡± Yet all too clearly furious... Stood Eleanor, the sword she had just swung reflected the moonlight. ¡°Get a hold of yourselves. I do not care about the reasons for your fight. But at the very least, you should avoid causing trouble in front of Dowd. You two are aware that he isn¡¯t in the best condition, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am...¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am...¡± Eleanor looked down at the feeble response that came from below, her eyes emitting a fierce red glow. There, Riru and Seras were doing a handstand with one arm, having been in that position for 30 minutes. ¡°...But why a handstand?¡± Dowd suddenly asked, to which Eleanor cocked her head. ¡°Is there a problem with that?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Uh...¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t there a more common way to discipline someone, like making them kneel with their hands raised?¡¯ ¡®Why make them take up such a cruel posture...?¡¯ ¡°...Is this not how they normally punish someone?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But, this is how they usually do it in the Tristan Duchy...¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd simply nodded without a word. It felt like he had found a sliver of a hint as to where this Lady¡¯s monstrous physical abilities came from. Putting that aside... ¡°...How will I compensate them for all this?¡± While looking gloomily at the battered dormitory building, Dowd spoke as such, to which Eleanor glanced over. ¡°Compensate? Why would you need to do that?¡± ¡°...Didn¡¯t this all happen because of me?¡± With a bitter expression, Dowd looked at the destroyed building. ¡°No, it¡¯s hard to blame you for this situation.¡± Eleanor retorted his words strongly. ¡°Because their greed is the sole thing to blame for this incident.¡± ¡°...No, but...¡± As Dowd tried to speak again with a depressed expression, Eleanor sighed and stood up. Then, she strode over to Dowd, before pulling him into a hug. Dowd¡¯s eyes widened into saucers, as she whispered warmly into his ear. ¡°It is alright. Eung. Yes. It is fine. You are not trash. Those women were trying to tempt you with nonsense. You have done nothing wrong.¡± ¡°...Miss Eleanor...¡± ¡°Even if you had made such a mistake, even if the whole world condemned you, I, at the very least, would still accept you. You can always lean on me. Whenever you wish.¡± ¡°...¡± As Eleanor stroked Dowd¡¯s head while saying so, the expressions on Riru and Seras¡¯ faces simultaneously turned into complicated perplexity. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Eh? This. Somehow. Wait. So like, considering the situation, they were clearly the ones at fault, but... [...Looks like you cooked the dish and ended up giving it to someone else, huh?] ¡°...¡± [What was even the point of you and that person fighting so fiercely?] Riru quietly agreed with the Blue Devil¡¯s words in her mind. ¡°What is with those expressions?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you two perhaps have any complaints?¡± ¡°...I have none...¡± ¡°...No ma¡¯am...¡± However, they could not dare to retort, given the overwhelming force this woman had just demonstrated. Faced with Eleanor¡¯s fiery glare, Riru and Seras both kept their mouths shut. You can rate/review this serieshere. Illustr§Ñti§àns on our discord ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 171: Play (1) Chapter 171: Play (1) ¡°¡ªSo what I¡¯m saying is that he got entangled with the White Devil and is now trapped inside her.¡± [What about the movements of the other Vessels around him?] ¡°Do I even need to say it? Everyone is rushing in with a fire in their eyes, trying to suck that amnesiac bastard dry.¡± Talker, a.k.a Spinning Fire Wheel, spat out such words to the Prophet, who was on the other side of the video call. His next words were accompanied by a burst of laughter. ¡°The extent of the fierceness of their competition is absurd as well. It made me wonder what it would feel like if women of such caliber are fighting over me to monopolize me?¡± [...What do you mean by that, Talker?] At the slightly thorny voice that responded, Talker giggled inwardly before opening his mouth. ¡°Ah, of course, I understand that you are disappointed for not being able to join in this revelry, Boss. But, considering how he has a fake personality at the moment because of the artificial soul inside him, I¡¯m sure such emotions are a bit¡ª¡± [Cut the nonsense. Did you call me just to say that?] ¡°I¡¯m kidding, kidding. Don¡¯t get mad at me.¡± Strictly speaking, considering that he failed to fulfill the mission that the Prophet entrusted him, Talker¡¯s attitude was utterly shameless. However, neither the Prophet nor him seemed to be concerned about that. In the first place, he was the strongest Cursed Speech User in history, a legend whose name was carved in both the Eastern and Western Continents¡¯ history. Neither party seemed to care much about going head-to-head to some extent. In that regard... ¡°...Anyway Boss, that guy is a more dangerous variable than I thought.¡± The fact that someone like him uttered these words in such a serious manner meant the situation must be more severe than expected. Although his frivolous smile was still hanging on his face, the glint of his eyes clearly conveyed the gloomy feelings that he had. ¡°I know that he acts as the ¡®Key¡¯ for all the Devils. But the speed at which the Devils are gathering around him is much faster than anticipated.¡± [...] ¡°Originally, the White Devil was supposed to imprison him around this time in ¡®a different worldline¡¯ as well, but this is the first time that he had formed such close relationships with other Vessels.¡± [...] Talker continued to speak towards the silent Prophet. ¡°If this continues...¡± At least, when uttering this sentence... ¡°The ¡®End¡¯ will come before we can do anything, you know?¡± His usual smile vanished. ¡°There¡¯s not much time left, Boss. We need to take some measures before more Devils are unleashed.¡± [...I know.] The Prophet responded in a low voice. [I also know this is our last chance. That¡¯s why...] Though low, the voice still carried an undeniable ¡®resolve¡¯. [...We should start considering a method to use it. The Key.] A key generally had two functions. Unlocking a lock and locking a lock. Up until now, the ¡®Key¡¯ known as Dowd Campbell had been incredibly successful in performing the former task. To Talker¡¯s knowledge, not a single precedent existed where a soul constitution like his rapidly gained the love of Devils yet managed to survive. However... What the Prophet and Talker intended to do was not the act of ¡®unlocking¡¯ but of ¡®locking¡¯. ¡°...¡± He let out a wry smile. The situation was funny to him. Though this woman bore the title of the Leader of the Devil Worshipper, she was in fact the most devoted and fervent person in regards to locking all the Devils away. Such an irony, barely anyone in the continent would know about it. ¡°Alright. Using the Key is one thing. But before that, how are we supposed to get him away from that white punk? You know that if a Devil decides to imprison a soul, there¡¯s no way for it to¡ª¡± [That doesn¡¯t matter.] ¡°...What?¡± [The gender of this round¡¯s Vessels are all female. From the way I see it, the reason that man has been holding up this well is because of that, yes?] ¡°...¡± [As long as the White Devil is female, it will somehow work out.] ¡®What was with that unwavering trust?¡¯ It was as if there was a firm belief that, as long as the opponent was female, they had no chance of winning against that man. But... About that... It felt a bit... ¡°...Boss, for some reason...it feels like you¡¯re talking from you own experience¡ª¡± [Rather than that, what about the current state of the Red Devil?] The Prophet abruptly cut off Talker¡¯s words and continued as if nothing was amiss. But it was clear to anyone that she didn¡¯t want to talk about this topic, so Talker just responded with a wry smile. ¡°If it¡¯s the Red Devil, then... It¡¯s that one, right? Fae...what was it? Faenol? What about her?¡± This...was not a house. Rather, a bird cage. Created to strictly confine and rear someone. I was following Yuria slowly while thinking as such when she suddenly stopped in the middle of explaining various things about the mansion¡¯s interior. ¡°Ah, this place is...¡± It was a black door. Even among the luxurious interior of the mansion, its presence stood out. ¡°...The office of His Holiness.¡± Yuria mentioned in a slightly scared voice. ¡°T-This place... I don¡¯t really know much about it either, but...¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°U-Unni and His Holiness told me... to never even come near here...¡± It seemed she had been educated numerous times never to enter here. Her appearance, with tears hanging heavily to her lashes, was pitiful. ¡°If it¡¯s a place we cannot enter, then you can just tell me about it later, My Lady.¡± ¡°...No, I can¡¯t.¡± Hearing my words, Yuria clenched her fist tightly. ¡°E-Educating the s-servants is my responsibility. So, if I don¡¯t do it properly!¡± ¡°...¡± She really had an unnecessarily strong sense of duty. If it wasn¡¯t allowed, then I could just find out on my own later, though. ¡°P-Please w-wait here. I''ll ask if other people can enter!¡± ¡°Ah, wait...¡± Before I could say anything more, Yuria dashed off down the corridor. ¡®Look at her go. She really is great at taking action, huh?¡¯ As I let out a sigh with such thoughts in mind... ¡°Ah, excuse me.¡± Someone nearby struck up a conversation with me. When I turned around, I saw a servant dressed similarly to me. ¡°Pleasure to meet you. You are the new exclusively contracted servant that just arrived, right?¡± ¡°...Yes. Have I done something wrong?¡± I couldn¡¯t think of any other reason why someone would suddenly approach me like this. However, the person who heard my words just shook his head with a friendly smile. ¡°No, it¡¯s not really that. I just wanted to offer some advice. Since you don¡¯t seem to know anything about this place.¡± ¡°Ah, if you are willing to tell me, I will listen with a grateful heart.¡± Seems like a nice person, huh. Right as I was quietly gazing at the servant with such thoughts... ¡°It would be better if you did not get too close to the young lady.¡± Such words... Came up out of the blue. ¡°...¡± I stared intently at the servant who had just given me this advice. This was the same punk who had greeted Yuria with a bright smile, just a moment ago. There seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary at first glance. So, why would this bastard suddenly say something like that? ¡°...¡± It felt like my gut was being wrenched. After barely suppressing a frown, I continued the conversation. After all, I needed to extract more information about the current situation. ¡°...What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°You are new here, so it is understandable that you do not know, but...¡± The man continued in a whisper. ¡°That bitch is a monster, born without parents. A cursed life form, if you will.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There is no way anything good will come out of sticking next to her.¡± The face of the servant who spoke... Was filled with a contempt and disgust that he didn¡¯t even attempt to /genesisforsaken Chapter 172: Play (2) Chapter 172: Play (2) In Savior Rising;s main story, Yuria¡¯s past was only mentioned in a line or two. ¡®She is an artificial life form cultivated by the Holy Land.¡¯ That was all. However, I knew all too well about the incident when she first held the Severer, went berserk and turned this mansion into a wasteland. And I knew how she was still drowning in her guilt because of that. According to Lucia, she still had nightmares about it. But...what the fuck was this all about? ¡°...What do you mean by that?¡± I managed to get those words out without getting my expression to crumble. Despite the irritation and wrath bubbling inside, I still needed to keep as low profile as possible for now. Because I couldn¡¯t afford to break my character. ¡°Every servant here is all aware of it. Those cursed beings will eventually be used as ¡®sacrifices¡¯. Both the older and the younger sister.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°They are necessary sacrifices for the utopia that His Holiness promised us.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve come all the way here, you must¡¯ve known about it too, right? The ¡®Paradise Plan¡¯.¡± The Paradise Plan was essentially the ultimate goal of the doctrine preached within the Holy Land. A utopia where there was no conflict or strife, where everyone could pursue eternal happiness in peace. To bring that to the world was the goal of both the Holy Land and the Pope. And I already knew which direction the scenario would take because of this goal. ¡®...The quest in Chapter 6.¡¯ The Holy Land¡¯s Sanctuary Conquest. It featured the False God Subjugation as the final highlight. The section was infamous for its fucked up difficulty even among the Sera users. 80% of the playerbase got wiped out here. If one hadn¡¯t built up a steady series of connections with the Homunculi Sisters, the Final Chapter¡¯s difficulty would increase significantly. Also, if their Favorability Levels weren¡¯t high enough, the player¡¯s would be forced to watch the event where those two would be ¡®sacrificed¡¯ to the Pope. ¡°...¡± The problem here was... Why did they refer to them as disgusting or monsters when they were the very beings who¡¯d later be sacrificed for the ¡®great cause¡¯? Normally they¡¯d sympathize with those two a little, no? ¡°...Judging by your expression, my words must be hard to accept.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You might think otherwise, but in the first place, those Homunculi¡ª¡± ¡°...¡± It was getting harder and harder to contain my annoyance. Despite knowing that these people would eventually die the moment Yuria held Severer, they still pissed me off. I knew how wicked the Holy Land could be contrary to their holy appearance, but this was a little too much, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°...Hey you.¡± Just as I was about to spit out a flood of retorts, a young voice interrupted me. ¡°I-I kept you w-waiting. I apologize!¡± It was Yuria, rushing over from across the hallway. At that moment... ¡°Oh dear, My Lady. Please be careful, you don¡¯t want to fall, do you?¡± ¡°...¡± The servant immediately changed his expression and started letting out a bright smile as soon as she appeared. This sight made me stare at him in disbelief. ¡®...Are those fuckers even human?¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s a limit on being immoral, you know?¡¯ ¡®This motherfucker acting like this toward a child they created and planned to sacrifice later...¡¯ ¡®To think that Yuria would be grieving by herself in the future for killing these bastards...¡¯ ¡°...Unfortunately, it seems I still can¡¯t enter His Holiness¡¯ office.¡± Just as I barely managed to hold back the surge of anger that was about to explode, Yuria said so with a look of regret. ¡°But they said they¡¯ll let me know about the contents inside soon, so you can come in with me by then, Mr. Servant.¡± ¡°Of course, My Lady. You will find out soon enough, I¡¯m sure.¡±Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om ¡°...¡± Though I wasn¡¯t sure what exactly it was... Considering this bastard¡¯s real thoughts, there was no way that opening this door would be any good to Yuria. Right as I was thinking this, a window suddenly popped up in front of me. System Message [ The progress of the ongoing event ¡®Sweet Play¡¯ has been updated. ] [ Prevent the tragedy that will befall target ¡®Yuria¡¯! ] ¡°...¡± ¡°...T-Teach might be in danger right now!¡± ¡°...Excuse me? What do you¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, but we need to go see Teach right away!¡± ¡°...¡± Fortunately, Atalane was also someone who was significantly vested in Dowd¡¯s well-being. Even though the other person¡¯s explanation was messy, instead of probing further, she immediately grabbed her by the nape and hastily prepared a spell. ¡°...He should be in the dormitory right now.¡± Teleportation. The coordinates were right in front of Dowd¡¯s quarters. As the light enveloping her body faded, Iliya quickly scanned the vicinity of Dowd¡¯s room door. Nothing seemed amiss, except for the fact that there was a woman standing there with her chin in her hand, staring at Dowd¡¯s quarters. Recognizing who she was, Iliya called out to her in a dazed voice. ¡°...Lana?¡± Lana Rei Delvium. An Immortal who was previously tied up by Dowd and used as ¡®bait¡¯. For some reason, she was here. ¡°Mmmm, Miss Iliya? Long time no see!¡± ¡°...Yeah, uh, it¡¯s been a while, but forget that. What brings you here, Lana?¡± ¡°Eh, it¡¯s nothing much. I came to say hi to Mr. Dowd, but it¡¯s quite noisy over here. There were so many women here, they said that they wanted to spend time with him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Mr. Dowd seemed to be in agony, asking whether he actually laid his hands on this many people.¡± Iliya tried her hardest to avoid Atalante¡¯s piercing gaze coming from the side. She could practically hear a shout in her ear, saying ¡®Everything will be fine? EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE?!¡¯ ¡°But in the midst of that, Mr. Dowd kind of...asked me? Uh, he looked like he was grasping at straws. Anyway, he asked me whether he had ever laid his hands on me or not.¡± ¡°...¡± A sense of foreboding surged through both Iliya and Atalante simultaneously. ¡°...So, what did you tell him?¡± ¡°I mean, all I did was remind him of the things he did to me during the last ordeal, recounting those pleasant memories one by one.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°To think he could do such cruel, brutal, and immoral things so nonchalantly. I have never met such a manly man before! You think so too, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya and Atalante¡¯s faces turned ashen. -Nobody knows if he¡¯d suddenly become twisted due to shock, or if he¡¯d suddenly take an abrupt action. Yes. That was literally the thing that they had just discussed. And the things Dowd did to Lana were unimaginably shitty by any standard. ¡°...Did I do something that I shouldn¡¯t have?¡± While Lana absentminded words echoed in the hallway, Atalante had already pushed open Dowd¡¯s door, rushing in. No one was inside. And the room was terrifyingly tidy. Almost as if he was resolving himself in order to prepare for some significant event. ¡°...¡± With a pale face, Atalante quickly scanned the room. She was looking for a clue, whatever it may be, that might indicate the man¡¯s current state. And she did indeed find one. It was a small note on Dowd¡¯s personal desk. ¡°...What does it say?¡± Ignoring Iliya¡¯s anxious-ridden question, Atalante glared at the sentence that was written there without saying anything. Minutes ticked by. And then a few more passed as well. Only then did Atalane place the note back on the desk with trembling hands. Iliya, who was standing still while watching this scene, quickly ran over to check the note. [I believe it is better if something like me does not exist. Goodbye, everyone.] ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Silence swept over everyone. How much time had passed? Atalante, with a shaky voice, finally spoke. ¡°...Drag out and gather every single woman who had clung to that man. We have no time to spare.¡± And then... ¡°...Tell them, unless they all wish to die by my hands, to FIND THIS MAN IMMEDIATELY¨C!!¡± Such a scream fell from Atalante¡¯s lips like a /genesisforsaken Chapter 173: Play (3) Chapter 173: Play (3) Elfante¡¯s structure was complex, intricately woven as spider¡¯s web, mostly due to the various types of buildings that had aged over time. It was because of this that Yuria, who possessed such an extremely noticeable trait managed to find a building to live quietly in. This fact also meant that it wasn¡¯t hard to find a deserted place where one could carry out something significant without being caught by anyone. ¡°...Tying a knot is a bit hard...¡± Dowd Campbell muttered with an unfocused gaze, as if he was in a complete daze. The sight of him trying to tie a noose with a sturdy rope he had found somewhere was beyond miserable or pitiful. Actually, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong if someone were to think that he had gone mad. [...] [...] In a place not so far away, a ¡®will¡¯ was left neatly besides Soul Linker. And in it, two souls were in silent agreement. [...Will it be fine even if we do not stop him?] Valkasus, who had awakened at some point, said this to Caliban, but the latter only let out a deep sigh without giving a clear answer. [I mean, even if we try to stop him, he won¡¯t listen to us. What else can we do?] [...But that doesn¡¯t mean we can just leave him to die like this, right?!] Valkasus exclaimed in horror at Caliban¡¯s calm response. What in the world? That man was on the verge of suicide. How could he remain so calm? At this very moment, Dowd was almost ready to hang himself. His gloomy gaze checked the noose to see if it was tight enough. [I mean, there is no reason not to be calm, right?] Yet, Caliban¡¯s voice returned unflustered despite Valkasus¡¯s urgency and panic. [The things clinging to that bastard are ¡®Devils¡¯, Valkasus.] He continued with a bitter smile. [Even if he wants to die, there is bound to be at least one punk that won¡¯t let him do as he wishes.] Valkasus didn¡¯t even need to ask what that meant. -! After all, just as Dowd was about to hang himself with a whistle, the part of the roof where the noose was fixed exploded and flew away. Thanks to that, Dowd fell to the ground as there was nothing left to support his weight. As he tumbled to the ground with a Crash, someone landed gently from the air. ¡°...Are you serious...?¡± Faenol, who was levitating in the air using her mana, let out a deep sigh as she retracted the flames wrapping around your body. ¡°I know I was busy with the Second Ordeal recently, so we haven¡¯t seen each other. But what in the world do you think you¡¯re doing? Is this seriously the first thing I need to see after meeting you for the first time in a while?¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd stared blankly at Faenol, whose body was illuminated by the moonlight. Her appearance, her dress fluttering in the night sky, was almost dreamlike. But the biggest factor that gave such a sensation to him was actually something else. He dragged his dazed gaze upwards, to something that was rising above her head. ¡®...Horns?¡¯ Though his memories were gone, his common sense and knowledge still remained. That was why, across the continent there would be no human who¡¯d have such a thing growing out of their head. This indiscernible sight made various questions rise in his head, but... For the two souls inside the Soul Linker, it was different. No one needed to explain to them anything, as they both knew that horns were a definitive symbol of a ¡®Devil¡¯. The thing she used to blow up the roof of the building was related to that power. Karmic Fire, a Devil¡¯s Authority. The firepower of it wasn¡¯t something really worth mentioning. Because no matter how robust the buildings of Elfante were, a Devil¡¯s Authority had the power to damage even the barriers of Seraphims. Rather, the absurd part of this was... [...Did she just precisely ¡®scoop out¡¯ the top part of the building with a Devil¡¯s Authority?] Valkasus let out such words with a groan. No Vessel in the world could ¡®bring out¡¯ and use a Devil¡¯s Authority however they liked in such a way. Only when a Vessel started to go berserk after getting encroached by a Fragment would such a power manifested. Her being able to use it so precisely implied a bunch of things. [...] Caliban silently watched this scene. Obviously seeing the power of a Devil he had once subjugated with his own hands wasn¡¯t a pleasant experience for him. But, more than feeling such a displeasure, he could feel a terrifying chill ran down his spine. ¡®...Didn¡¯t she say before that as she regains her emotions, her control over the Devil¡¯s power becomes stronger?¡¯ Certainly... The precision of her usage of the Red Devil¡¯s Authority was incomparable even to back during the Crimson Night Incident. Back then, she only spread her flames indiscriminately, but now she used it with a clear purpose and she could use it in an extremely calculated manner. Then, maybe... Just maybe... Having fought this person once before, he had no choice but to come to an uncomfortable hypothesis. If that punk, for some reason... Became an ¡®enemy¡¯... And if she decided to burn the world with the firepower of three Devil¡¯s Fragments combined, as well as such precise control over that power... [...] The disaster that she could cause would be incomparable to the Crimson Night Incident, when she managed to turn several cities to ashes in less than half a day. As he was thinking about this, Faenol let out a sigh while holding both sides of her waists with her hands, staring at him with squinted eyes. Each and every of her gestures exuded an exasperated atmosphere. ¡°Some people can¡¯t die even if they wish to, you know? What are you doing here? Are you trying to rub that fact in my face? Are you trying to brag?¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± Dowd let out a bewildered voice. After all, this person was a complete stranger to him, someone he hadn¡¯t seen even when he had collapsed and was in the infirmary. So why in the world was she acting as if he knew him? As he shot an upward glance filled with these thoughts, Faenol landed gently on the ground. Then she promptly approached and grabbed Dowd, who was sprawled on the floor, by the scruff, hoisting him up. The strength from her slender body was unimaginable, but then again, questioning such things about a Devil¡¯s Vessel was ridiculous in itself. ¡°...Uh, who are you...?¡± And then... Faenol immediately pressed her lips against Dowd. ¡°...? ...?! ----?!¡± Startled by this, Dowd struggled fiercely, but he simply wasn¡¯t strong enough to shake Faenol off. The kiss went on and on, until he was completely out of breath. All the while, Dowd squirmed, trying desperately to escape. ¡°...W-What, w-wait, w-what is the meaning of this...?¡± As soon as their lips parted, Dowd blurted out in utter shock, clearly frightened out of his wits. She breathed heavily. Her face was intermingled with what seemed like sheer terror. Almost as if... Some sort of ¡®trauma¡¯ had been triggered. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Both Dowd and Faenol looked on with bewildered expressions. ¡®That¡¯ very Chancellor... Someone who, if she wished, could even have the Empress of the Empire grovel at her feet... The woman known as the Iron-Blooded Chancellor... Was now stepping back as if she were a frightened child at that single phrase Dowd had uttered. ¡°...Chancellor?¡± ¡°Take the patient away, Faenol.¡± With a tone significantly harder than before, Sullivan issued such a command. ¡°...An urgent matter...came up...so I must...take...my leave first.¡± After barely getting such words out, Sullivan quickly turned and scurried away. Rather, she practically sprinted down the corridor. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Silence lingered for a few minutes. ¡°...Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°Who knows...?¡± In the wake of Sullivan¡¯s abrupt departure, Dowd and Faenol were left standing there, sharing the same look of confusion. ¡°...Chancellor?¡± Dizziness. That was the only thing Sullivan felt when she arrived in front of her quarters in Elfante. ¡°...Chancellor, are you alright?¡± Despite her attendant¡¯s repeated inquiries, Sullivan did not respond. Instead, she rushed into the room with a pallid face. And then, immediately after... ¡°...Eup...!¡± Upon reaching the bathroom, she vomited out everything in her stomach. In her mind, ¡®old¡¯ memories of the times she had shared with someone replayed. Memories of a very distant past. Ones that shouldn¡¯t exist in ¡®this world¡¯. Those kinds of memories filled her head. -Thank you, Sullivan, as always. She remembered a certain someone¡¯s voice. -I know you are busy with Chancellor duties, but please take it easy a bit. And rely on me a bit, too. Their warmth. -...Even if they call you a ¡®Devil¡¯s Vessel¡¯ or whatever, I, at the very least, will never leave you. Smile. Memories that persisted even through the ¡®regression¡¯ of the world... They assaulted her mind, consumed her consciousness. Then... The phrase she had just heard echoed again. -...I¡¯d rather you k-kill me, Chancellor... She knew that he didn¡¯t mean it when he said so. Both situations were entirely different, and she knew better than anyone that there wasn¡¯t any real intent behind his words. Still... ¡°...¡± For her, it was a nightmarish experience. All the precious memories she remembered... Was now being overshadowed by that one single phrase uttered by the ¡®same person¡¯... Turning them into the most horrific scene. -I¡¯m begging you. It was a rainy day. She remembered the awfully obliterated Imperial Palace. And the figure of a certain man, breathing faintly in her arms. -Please, I¡¯m begging you. -I¡¯m so sorry, but I¡¯m just in so... so much pain... -...Could you please just kill me instead? The smell of blood on her hands, the stench of entrails on her feet. And the sight of Dowd Campbell, who had pleaded to her with a smile that he had barely managed to form. As soon as those memories, covered in dust on the other side of consciousness, started replaying... ¡°...Eu-...Eup...-!¡± With tears staining her face, Sullivan continued to vomit violently. After a long while, she had nothing left to throw up. But despite this, the nausea persisted. ¡°...¡± How long had she continued as such? Completely drained, Sullivan collapsed right then and there. ¡°...No. This time...¡± Her voice, mixed with sobs, barely managed to let out a whisper. ¡°In this world... No... It won¡¯t happen...¡± In an incessantly absent-minded state... ¡°I can protect him...¡± The Golden Chancellor murmured as if whimpering. ¡°I won¡¯t let him die...¡± She would make sure of it. No matter the cost. Even if she had to sacrifice everything. No Devil, no damned Prophet, no Empress, no Pope, none of them... Could ever take Dowd Campbell away from her. ¡®...At the very least, not this time...¡¯ Gasping for breath, Sullivan clung to that resolve as a faint golden Demonic Aura glimmered around her /genesisforsaken Chapter 174: Play (4) Chapter 174: Play (4) My tour of Yuria¡¯s mansion finally came to an end when the evening came and the sun started to set. Well, technically, it was the time when the artificial lighting began to dim. ¡°...¡± Although when one looked up toward the sky one could see something that seemed to resemble a sun, a closer look would reveal that it was merely an artificially created sculpture that moved according to some kind of mechanism. Basically, it implied that the facility itself was hidden deep underground. ¡®Such a paranoid setup.¡¯ ¡°I believe that should give you a good understanding of the mansion, Mr. Servant.¡± Young Yuria said so with confidence as she cleared her throat to add to the flair. Seeing how proud she looked as she introduced me to the entire place, I couldn¡¯t help but smile like a proud dad and applauded her in spite of myself. And that seemed to inflate the punk¡¯s pride even more as she puffed out her chest, exhaling a ¡®Hmph¡¯ proudly with her nose. When I patted her head, though, she quickly straightened her face. ¡°...What is the meaning of this? Are you treating me like a child?¡± ¡°...¡± I wanted to ask that myself. Seriously, why was I doing this to her? She was still technically my employer. I¡¯ve noticed this for a while now, but it seemed like I had a tendency to dote on children a bit too much. Especially when they gave off the vibe of a younger sibling. ¡°...¡± It reminded me of the good old days. The thought made me let out a bitter smile inwardly. Shaking off such musings, I beamed at Yuria, pulling the back of my hand from her head. ¡°I apologize. Did I upset you?¡± However, as soon as I uttered those words, Yuria grabbed my hand. When I looked at her with a puzzled expression, she mumbled for a while before finally managing to speak. ¡°...I did not ask for you to stop.¡± ¡°...¡± It seemed like it didn¡¯t matter whether she was my superior or not. In the end, she was still just a kid. I continued to stroke her hair until it became all tousled. A content expression appeared on her face, reminding me of a purring cat. ¡®...This is beyond just being generous to her employee. She¡¯s just lax to them.¡¯ At this point, I couldn¡¯t even tell who the employer was. Like, it was her who came to wake me up after I overslept. It was also her who had a busier day than me, doing everything while teaching me how to do my duties. While I was thinking as such, I started to notice the stares from others around us. ¡°...¡± They seemed to be really, truly displeased with how close I was to her... As if they found my interest in this ¡®thing¡¯ discomforting. ¡°...It is about time you go to bed. My Lady.¡± Unable to hold back my surging irritation, I blurted as such. I just wanted to separate her from these other bastards. But when she heard my words, her expression quickly darkened. ¡°...?¡± What¡¯s this? Did I say something wrong? ¡°A-Alrea...dy?¡± Her stutters made me cock my head in response. ¡°You have shown me the entire structure of the mansion and it is getting quite late, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...T-There m-might still be places in the m-mansion we h-hav... haven¡¯t...¡± As I watched her struggling to continue her words, I realized something. I didn¡¯t say something wrong. She was just afraid of being separated by me. ¡°...¡± I didn¡¯t know why she felt that way, but there was a simple solution for this. ¡°...Then, how about we do something special? I¡¯ll tuck you in for tonight, My Lady.¡± ¡°...!¡± Seeing as her expression instantly brightened, it seemed I had made the right choice. ¡°...and so, the Princess lived happily ever after with the Prince.¡± I was familiar with the act, but this was actually the first time I¡¯ve ever told a bedtime story. It was a classic story. A princess, persecuted by the world, was eventually saved by a prince on a white horse. Afterwards, it continued to a pleasant happy ending that was found in a lot of other fairy tales. ¡°...¡± However, despite it being a cliche?, Yuria¡¯s eyes sparkled with an unmatched brilliance after she heard it.. ¡°What a beautiful story...¡± ¡°...You think so?¡± ¡°Yes. Especially the part where the Prince marries 12 Princesses all at once was particularly memorable.¡± ¡°...¡± Why would she go to such lengths? Why did she accept such facts so calmly? ¡°...¡± Given the personality I had seen from her so far... There was only one reason that came to mind... It was simply because... She had no other choice. From the very beginning, she was never given an environment where she could choose a different path. ¡®...That¡¯s just...¡¯ ¡®Horrible...way too horrible...¡¯ She was still a little kid. At this age, she should be sulking in her parents¡¯ arms as they gave her an overflowing amount of love. What she should do was to learn about the world, to fall down and get back up, to grow and develop without a worry. But to be trapped in such a cage for a specific purpose, isolated, and ultimately needing to sacrifice herself for those who didn¡¯t even give her a speck of love... For such a precocious child, who accepted all those atrocities and even acted as kindly as possible of her own will, to meet such an end... That was... Far too terrible of an ending... ¡°...Still.¡± While I was lost in such thoughts, Yuria continued with the same flat voice. ¡°...I am truly lucky to have met...a good person like you...Mr. Servant.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You seem a bit different from others, Mr. Servant.¡± As I listened quietly to her words... It suddenly made me realize something. ¡°...¡± I summoned a window before me. < Event Info > ?Sweet Play? [ Persuade target ¡®Yuria/White Devil¡¯. ] [ Your assigned ¡®role¡¯ is ¡®Lady Yuria¡¯s exclusively contracted servant¡¯. Do not break character! ] [ A time limit of 3 days is given. If you break character or fail to escape the Image World within that time, you will be trapped in the world in question forever! ] [ Prevent the tragedy that will befall target ¡®Yuria¡¯! ] I focused particularly on the last line, reading through it once more. Now it began to click for me. The reason why the White Devil had shoved me in here. And what she exactly did expect from me. ¡®...You want me to prevent a tragedy, huh?¡¯ As I confirmed once already with Riru and the Blue Devil¡¯s relationship... The relationship between a ¡®Devil¡¯ and a ¡®Vessel¡¯ was much, much closer than I thought. There were exceptions like Seras and the Purple Devil, but they were the only ones like that, so I could put them aside. Anyway, in regards to the White Devil... She wanted Yuria to see a ¡®happy scene¡¯ from her most nightmarish past. That was why... ¡°...My Lady.¡± What I had to do here was clear. I smiled back at Yuria, who was trying so desperately to smile. ¡°Do not worry too much.¡± Upon hearing my words, Yuria gave me a weak smile. ¡°...Mr. Servant, you really are a good person.¡± She probably thought that my encouragement was futile. After all, she already knew that a great misfortune would befall her in the next few days. Since the orchestrator of that event was none other than the Pope, a figure that was no different from a natural disaster, she knew it could not possibly be stopped. However... I was not just making empty promises. ¡°I will save you.¡± ¡°...?¡± Yuria¡¯s eyes widened. She seemed unsure of what exactly I was trying to say, ¡°You see, while you might feel iffy to see the Prince seducing all the women around him, while you might find it strange that he overcomes all those obstacles effortlessly... While he will be the crazy bastard who plays around with all those women he seduced like some sort of libertine...¡± ¡°...E-Excuse me...?¡± I continued speaking to the dumbfounded Yuria. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure about being a prince on a white horse. Because I didn¡¯t really have any confidence in playing that kind of role. However... ¡°Such a bastard will definitely come for you.¡± If it was a superman on a white horse, I should be able to manage it. By superman I meant someone who was able to completely overturn a decided course of a /genesisforsaken Chapter 175: Play (5) Chapter 175: Play (5) ¡°...Eh?¡± Lana tilted her head as she opened her mouth. ¡°Mr. Dowd, you seem a bit out of it.¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya couldn¡¯t agree more with her words. She looked at the dazed Dowd standing beside her, letting out a bitter smile. While it was good that Sullivan and Faenol managed to find him before Atalante started smashing the Devil¡¯s Vessel¡¯s heads, he had almost always been in this state since then. It was as if he had lost his mind, only staring blankly at space. At this rate, there was no way anything good would come out of the Second Ordeal. ¡°...¡± When she looked at the massive force field spread around them, Iliya let out a sigh. Compared to the impressive artificial dungeon shown in Elfante, it was just a huge, incredibly tough hemispherical force field, but that was the thing that made it even scarier. Because just from the sheer size of it implied that there was an entity that ¡®could only be imprisoned¡¯ with something like that. If the First Ordeal¡¯s goal was to test the candidates¡¯ boldness and courage, the Second Ordeal¡¯s goal was to test their patience, planning, and quick thinking. Or so they said. And so, because of that... ¡®...We have to survive among Demonic Creatures without any protection whatsoever.¡¯ When she remembered how the ordeal would go, Iliya let out another sigh. They would push the candidates into the areas near the Forge of Struggle that was infested with Demonic Creatures. Those candidates could only rely on their bare bodies to survive for two whole days. Not only that, they also made the Demonic Creatures to be more aggressive than usual. Considering that those candidates were people who hadn¡¯t even reached adulthood, only people who were out of their mind would think that they could withstand such a situation. However, that was how heavy of a burden the title ¡®Hero¡¯ was. And even after all that, there was still another problem. ¡°Miss Iliya, Mr. Dowd, since you both were ranked first in the comprehensive score of the previous ordeal, the other candidates will definitely try their best to hold you in check. Will you be alright?¡± ¡°...There¡¯s no way it¡¯ll be alright.¡± Iliya said that as she looked around. The other candidates, who would soon enter the hemispheric force field with them, had ominous glints in their eyes. And... ¡°...¡± Just like before, in the ¡®spectator seats¡¯ set up in the sky, the Empress of the Empire, War Chief Utad of the Tribal Alliance, and Archbishop Luminol of the Holy Land were sitting side by side. The last figure in particular was a problem. Because the gaze he sent to Dowd made it seem like he was his sworn enemy. ¡®...I understand where he came from, though.¡¯ Iliya broke out in a cold sweat as she inwardly murmured to herself. If anything, considering what Dowd had done to Lana in the previous ordeal, it would be strange if he didn¡¯t act like this. After all, he was her father. They¡¯d be really lucky if he didn¡¯t blatantly try to mess with them during this ordeal. ¡°...There shouldn¡¯t be any big issues, though...¡± As soon as she muttered that, Lana sharply turned her head and looked at Iliya. Her timing was actually scary. ¡°Huh, Miss Iliya?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Before, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems, but since you said that, something will definitely happen now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®What the hell is she saying?¡¯ Iliya glared at Lana with narrowed eyes. ¡°...Stop telling such an ominous joke.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking!¡± Lana continued with a grin that didn¡¯t fit the sentence she just spoke. ¡°They often told me that I have a good sense for things!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, if there¡¯s something I¡¯m confident of, it¡¯s safe to say that it¡¯ll happen!¡± ¡®Please, I beg you.¡¯ ¡®Stop talking about such a meaningful foreboding with a smile!¡¯ ¡®Seriously...¡¯ Iliya sighed inwardly as she looked over at Dowd, who was still in a daze. ¡®...When will you come back, Teach?¡¯ ¡®If you don¡¯t come back soon, things will turn very messy!¡¯ She felt that in her very bones. System Message [ The ¡®Sweet Play¡¯ event is at its most critical juncture. ] [ You must prevent tragedy from befalling target ¡®Yuria¡¯! ] I let out a chuckle upon seeing that window pop up. It felt like I was being yelled straight in my ear. How should I put it? It felt like the White Devil kept giving me warnings such as, ¡¯. ¡°...His Holiness is coming.¡± Yuria said as she saw the elevator coming down from above the mansion. Although she seemed to display the composed expression she always tried to maintain, her hands were trembling pitifully. No matter how strong-willed and mature she tried to be, she was still a kid. There was no way she could attain perfect control at her age. And next to her... ¡°...D-Do I...have to hold it?¡± I don¡¯t want to. It looks like it will hurt me. I¡¯m scared. Something terrible will definitely happen as soon as I hold it.. Such was the thought behind her words. ¡°...Yuria.¡± Her body couldn¡¯t help but flinch again at the Pope¡¯s voice. His demeanor was still gentle. However, the eyes gazing down at her... Those eyes that looked as if there wasn¡¯t even a hint of hostility in them... Felt like a cold gaze that was skinning her alive. Contained in it was a pressure with the notion that the ¡®worth of her existence¡¯ laid only in this. ¡°Are you planning to neglect the duty assigned to you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t forgotten that it was the Order that fed and raised you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you thinking of becoming a bad child who turns their back on kindness and favor?¡± ¡°...N-No...¡± Hearing her response as she trembled, the Pope showed a kind smile once again. ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to hear, Yuria. Our Yuria is indeed a good child.¡± ¡°...¡± Yuria tightly closed her eyes as the sword was extended in front of her again. ¡®...Mr. Servant.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure why that person came to mind. But strangely, at such a terrifying moment, she was reminded of his existence, the most reliable presence, even more than her sister. ¡°...¡± However... The outcome of the play had already been determined. No one could help her. It was her fate to accept the impending tragedy. So, she reached out towards the sword with trembling hands. ¡°...?¡± But then... Before she could even grab it... She could hear someone¡¯s footsteps from close by. ¡°...Mr. Servant?¡± Upon seeing the man who approached her from the side, Yuria reflexively let out a bewildered voice. ¡°What are¡ª?¡± Before she could even finish her question, his hand already grabbed the hilt of the Severer held by the Pope. Following that, the ¡®curse¡¯ contained in the sword surged through Dowd¡¯s body. An age-old curse that had festered for centuries began to encroach his body. Originally, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for a human corrupted by such a curse to go mad from the pain and die immediately. But instead, Dowd just casually drew the sword. As if all the experience of someone who had dealt with the curse countless time before had been ¡®transferred¡¯ to him. Then... ¡°Yap.¡± With a Swoosh... He swung it towards the Pope. The edge of Severer smoothly passed through his neck. Its movement was fluid, as if cutting through water. Thud, Rolllll. The Pope¡¯s head rolled on the ground, accompanied by a graceless noise. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± As blood spurted with a Pwoosh-... Silence settled heavily in the surroundings. Heavy, and deep silence. It went on. And on. ¡°...Hm¡± While everyone was stunned in a daze upon watching this scene, the man who caused it opened his mouth with an ever so nonchalant voice. ¡°As expected, a play needs some kind of a twist.¡± At the same time he uttered such words... Hell unfolded in the /genesisforsaken Chapter 176: Deus Ex Machina (1) Chapter 176: Deus Ex Machina (1) ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Whenever and wherever these two were together, a suffocating silence always seemed to emerge. Such thought occupied Faenol¡¯s mind as she alternated her gaze between Sullivan and Eleanor, who was silently glaring at each other. Though they gathered here out of necessity, it was still hard for Faenol to stay in the same room with those two. Mostly because she still couldn¡¯t adapt to such a tense atmosphere. Nonetheless, she was a genius mage even among the powerhouses of the entire continent. Even in such an uneasy ambience, she still managed to fulfill the task she had to undergo. ¡°...All preparations are complete.¡± Faenol said as she stepped back from the barrier she had created. Yuria, who was in a deep slumber with her eyes tightly closed, was laid in its center. Ever since the First Ordeal ended, when both her and Dowd lost consciousness, she had not opened her eyes even once. Sullivan, who had been quietly observing her, turned around to look at Eleanor. ¡°...As I have explained before, what you need to do is simple. If you are ready, just step onto the Transmission Array placed in the center of this barrier.¡± ¡°From my understanding, while it¡¯s an easy thing to grasp, it isn¡¯t necessarily easy to achieve, Chancellor.¡± Eleanor said in a flat tone, which prompted a bitter smile on Sullivan¡¯s face. She was right. There was a reason why Sullivan even mentioned the possibility of it reaping her life when she first called upon her. ¡°Have you fully understood the risks involved, Lady Tristan?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°...¡± Upon hearing her shamelessly confident reply, Sullivan clamped her mouth shut. ¡°To be perfectly honest, Chancellor, everything that you said went in one ear and went out the other. It was all too far-fetched of a theory.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Then again, it isn¡¯t like I need to know much, don¡¯t you think so too?¡± Eleanor let out a sigh before continuing. ¡°Dowd is in danger. It might be a risk to my own life, but you need me to save him. That¡¯s enough of a reason for me.¡± ¡°...¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong, but... There were still things that needed to be properly straightened out. ¡°...You can¡¯t take this matter lightly, Lady Tristan.¡± Sullivan continued with a sigh. ¡°Within here is an Image World constructed by the White Devil. A place where mortals of the Material Realm shouldn¡¯t even dare to approach. Inside, the power that the White Devil holds is no different than a god¡¯s.¡± That certainly was true. Faenol inwardly conceded with a bitter smile. The White Devil was known to have the most dominant ¡®mental¡¯ Authority even among the Devils. After all, controlling minds was the core of the being¡¯s Authority. What they were doing was essentially ¡®forcibly shoving¡¯ Eleanor into such a space to retrieve Dowd. It was a plan so absurd that only those out of their minds could ever come up with it, let alone agree to it. ¡°...Given that you are capable of hosting the most powerful entity even among the Kings of Pandemonium, your chances of holding your ground are considerably high. This is why we are requesting you to do it. There¡¯s no one else but you who can do it.¡± Eleanor¡¯s expression crumpled slightly at her words. Devil. Kings of Pandemonium. Both the unidentifiable Cursed Speech User and Chancellor Sullivan had mentioned such terms. Telling her that something like that was harbored inside her body. And how that something was somehow related to her mother. Furthermore...ViiSiit novelbi/n(.)c/(o)m for latest novels As far as Eleanor knew... There was only one person who knew the full truth behind all these claims. Someone who was likely entangled in everything related to such a topic. ¡®...Duke Tristan.¡¯ Gideon Galestead La Tristan. Her father. The next time they met... Eleanor swore that she¡¯d try to find out exactly what all that meant. She was quietly lost in such thoughts when another sentence flew her way. ¡°At any rate, you must brace yourself. Even though they were both Devils, your safety still isn¡¯t guaranteed since you are dealing with a different¡ª¡± Just before Sullivan could continue her words, Yuria¡¯s body suddenly twitched. Given her complete lack of movement until this moment, this was a rather dramatic reaction coming from her. That was why everyone¡¯s body turned frozen stiff as they watched her closely. Not long after that... -! -!! As if trying to declare that she didn¡¯t move for no reason, the barrier Faenol had deployed started to violently shake. So much so that the expressions of all three women inside the room were instantly filled with alarm. ¡°...Faenol. This...?¡± At the Chancellor¡¯s question, Faenol hurriedly inspected the barrier. Then, she replied in a grave tone. ¡°...It seems something serious is happening inside.¡± ¡°Something serious?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what exactly it is, but what I¡¯m sure of is that the creator of this Image World is extremely angry. If this continues...¡± Faenol trailed off. It was as if she could not bear to voice the following words. ¡°...The Image World might be completely distorted... And Dowd Campbell¡¯s soul could be destroyed forever.¡± ¡°...!¡± Sullivan and Eleanor¡¯s eyes widened simultaneously. ¡°...Then I must go in immediately.¡± At Eleanor¡¯s words, Faenol added urgently. ¡°Please wait a moment, Lady Tristan. The situation is too unstable for you to go, you will definitely die if you do. I¡¯ll calm the barrier down as quickly as I can, so¡ª¡± ¡°Won¡¯t the probability of him getting hurt increase while you are stabilizing the barrier?¡± ¡°...Yes, but his odds are better than yours. If you dive in right now, it¡¯s a certain death for you.¡± Despite Faenol¡¯s urgent warning... Eleanor just shrugged her shoulders and replied nonchalantly. ¡°Then, let us just hedge our bets on me dying.¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± ¡°Better that than the increasing probability of that man¡¯s death.¡± With those words... Eleanor dashed into the violently shaking barrier. It got ¡®intercepted¡¯ by something. Following that... ¡®Everything¡¯, including myself, came to a halt. As if a transcendent being had intervened. ¡°...¡± I inwardly let out a sigh. Originally, only the Grey Devil could do these kinds of things, but within a ¡®world of their own creation¡¯, there was a punk who might be capable of similar actions. [I am fairly certain I told you to maintain your role, didn¡¯t I?] Along with those words... A ¡®Devil¡¯ emitting a blinding white light tore through space and popped out before me. It was the White Devil, assuming Yuria¡¯s form. ¡°...¡± There we go. This was what I had been waiting for. I knew if I caused enough of a shitfest, this punk would come by. Her piercing eyes glowed fiercely. While maintaining a cold gaze that seemed to chill my heart just by seeing it, the being approached me. Then, after lifting my chin, she forced me to look into her eyes. [I shall allow you to speak, so tell me. Why did you ignore the warning?] At the same time, my ability to move returned slightly. I could barely open my mouth, but I still managed to somehow spit out a sentence. ¡°It was suffocating.¡± [...What?] ¡°Why place such restrictions like a ¡®role¡¯ in the first place?¡± The White Devil¡¯s face twitched at my words. ¡°It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? If you wanted to prevent something from happening to Yuria, there was no need for such constraints. It only limits the range of actions I can take, it also doesn¡¯t fit the goal.¡± [...] ¡°And why bother going out of your way to emphasize it to me?¡± What exactly she was planning, I couldn¡¯t say. But her concern for Yuria was genuine. Creating this Image World and ¡®reforming¡¯ Yuria¡¯s past to induce some positive effect was evident. However... Regarding this role... ¡°You have an ulterior motive, don¡¯t you?¡± If she didn¡¯t... She wouldn¡¯t need to impose such restrictions on me. There was only one function that could be expected as a result of that. It allowed the White Devil to naturally ¡®anchor¡¯ me to the world she created... To manipulate me however she pleased. In the case of the White Devil, known for her intense obsession and desire to control even among the Devils, providing such a ¡®pretext¡¯ meant the fallout could be unpredictable. [...] The White Devil¡¯s face continued to twitch. [...I...] After a prolonged silence, she barely managed to open her mouth. While grinding her teeth, she opened her mouth. [Just wanted to change you.] ¡°Change what?¡± [...The future you are heading towards. The past of the Vessel I inhabit.] ¡°...What is that supposed to mean?¡± [...] She fell silent again. This time, the silence lasted much longer Then, she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. As if to shake off an unwelcome memory. One that she never wished to recall again. [...Be quiet. At any rate, you have violated the restriction I set.] With that, the White Devil raised her hand towards me. [That means I can rightfully strip your soul of its ownership. And that wouldn¡¯t even constitute a breach in our... ¡®agreement¡¯.] ¡°...¡± ...Agreement? Another incomprehensible term was thrown out. But given the atmosphere, it seemed unlikely she¡¯d explain anything to me. Demonic Aura started to gather in her hand. [...Though the method was not what I expected...] She muttered quietly. [This time, we can finally be together for¡ª] However, before she could even finish her sentence... -! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The space... Was warped, twisted, and shattered... Then, it was ¡®swept away¡¯. Pure darkness took its place in our surroundings, akin to the abyss I had seen when I first entered here. As if someone¡¯s ¡®arrival¡¯ had completely destroyed the Image World. [What...!] A cry of astonishment escaped the White Devil¡¯s lips. In an Image World that she created using her mental power, she should be able to hold full control over it. That should be an undeniable fact, an unshakeable truth. After all, what kind of existence could possibly tear through and enter with such ease? So, when the horrified punk turned around... ¡°You.¡± There... Stood a familiar face. ¡°[What were you intending to do with Dowd?]¡± With those words... A grey aura started to explode around /genesisforsaken Chapter 177: Deus Ex Machina (2) Chapter 177: Deus Ex Machina (2) ¡°...Ummmm...¡± Iliya looked around with a pained expression, as if she had a headache. She understood the concept of Second Ordeal well. To put it simply, it was a battle royale where one had to survive in harsh terrain. It was obvious that they would be thrown into an area swarmed with Demonic Creatures with only a simple bundle of survival tools. In that regard, the current situation was definitely something she couldn¡¯t grasp, even if she mustered all the common sense she possessed. ¡°...Where on earth did you get all those?¡± When Iliya asked that in a troubled voice, one of the men surrounding her spun the longsword in his hand without answering. ¡°...¡± ¡®No, seriously!¡¯ ¡®I thought this is a test of survival where we¡¯re supposed to go barehanded?¡¯ ¡®But those guys are fully armed! They clearly want to kill us!¡¯ ¡®No matter how I look at it, these people didn¡¯t barge their way into the Hero Selection ¡®fairly¡¯ at all!¡¯ ¡®Is this the thing that Lana was so smug about?¡¯ ¡°...¡± After looking at the sunlight that was reflected off their longswords and armors, Iliya looked down at her own attire. Cloth boots, pants and top. Compared to the opposition¡¯s gear, which wouldn¡¯t look out of place even on a real battlefield, hers looked more like a farmer¡¯s attire. If someone had the power to get these kinds of people into the Hero Selection, that meant they were incredibly powerful. That also meant their minions wouldn¡¯t be ordinary folks. Even for her, facing such skilled individuals with just this kind of equipment, she¡¯d need to risk her life to even begin. ¡°Excuse me, could you at least tell me why you are doing this?¡± ¡°Iliya Krisanax, you are not our target.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°You can still walk away. We shall spare you if you do.¡± The man who said this then pointed his sword at Dowd, who looked as if he had lost his soul. ¡°Our target is that man. Keep quiet and step back. We can at least spare your life then. Killing a Hero Candidate would cause quite the aftermath, so we¡¯d rather not do it if we have the choice.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Their target is Teach, huh?¡¯ Iliya nodded solemnly. ¡®Alright, now that I know their objective, it¡¯s easier to guess their affiliation.¡¯ ¡®Since they are going for Teach, then I can make an educated guess from a list of potential suspects...¡¯ ¡°...¡± After a moment of thought, Iliya asked in an even more solemn manner. ¡°...Where are you from...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You see, there¡¯s more than just one or two people who want him dead, so if you could at least give me a hint about who¡ª¡± ¡°...This is your last warning. Step back now and hand over that man.¡± ¡®Ah, they¡¯re from the Holy Land.¡¯ From their words and the battle-oriented Graces imbued in their equipment, Iliya managed to deduce as such. Which meant, they were people who had come in under Archbishop Luminol¡¯s influence. After figuring out this far, everything suddenly made sense for her. Considering what Dowd did to his daughter, it would be strange if they didn¡¯t pull out something like this. ¡°...Sigh.¡± Iliya sighed before pulling out a short dagger from among her bundle of tools. ¡®Its edge is blunted...¡¯ The dagger was clearly not meant for combat. At least it could be used for skinning or cutting meat. In other words, it was no different from junk. ¡°...What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Someone questioned why she was pulling that out, but... At the very next moment... -! That same person shot up vertically. Because Iliya had swiftly approached him and thrusted the dagger in her hand upwards. If his equipment had been any worse than this, it wouldn¡¯t be weird for him to be knocked out right then and there. That was how much force she put behind that strike. The man who was flung into the air then fell onto the ground. At this sight, his comrade furrowed their brows before opening up his mouth. ¡°...What are you playing at?¡± Instead of answering, Iliya glanced back briefly. She carefully observed Dowd¡¯s reaction. Usually, he was someone whose eyes always sparkled with intelligence when he was thrown into a combat situation, but now, only bewilderment enveloped his expression. ¡°...¡± There wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of him ¡®returning¡¯ yet. Which meant, without her, he was as good as dead. ¡°...Have you lost your mind?¡± As she did so, such a comment came out from the front. ¡°Even if you¡¯re a Hero Candidate, it¡¯s impossible for you to take on all of us with such poor equipment. Do you wish to die that badly?¡± ¡°Of course I don¡¯t.¡± Iliya spun the dagger in her hand before letting out a smirk. ¡°But, you see, if it¡¯s for Teach, it¡¯s worth risking my life at least once.¡± ¡°...¡± The group of men drew their swords with a sigh before activating the Graces on their equipment. ¡°...This is your choice.¡± At worst, he was a high rank Battle Priest, but either way his combat capabilities were beyond Iliya¡¯s. And that wasn¡¯t even considering his subordinates. Fighting them here was pretty much a suicidal move, as her odds of victory was just flat out zero. ¡°Then die here, Iliya Krisanax.¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± But to think the Grey Devil could display this level of ability within a world where that kind of existence held absolute dominion. How could this be? -... -...! Due to the creeping Grey Aura, the space that was already desolate to look at began to halt completely, making it looked even more bland. It affected everyone, whether it was Eleanor, who was being used by the Grey Devil, me, or even the White Devil. The latter seemed to be able to move somewhat though, perhaps because she belonged in the same hierarchy as Grey. Meanwhile Eleanor, the Vessel and I, who possessed the Fallen¡¯s Seal, were both frozen. [...Haaaa...] Then, something descended from the sky. Following a sigh and a Swish... A being landed gently on the ground. On top of their head, a ¡®crown¡¯ reminiscent of a halo rested. This was the Grey Devil. A Ruler of Pandemonium. The strongest one among them all. [Because of you... Because of you, my mate... Because of you-!] As soon as she saw the Grey Devil, the White Devil let out a cry of perhaps despair. [I know.] That response immediately returned. [I am sure you u? ?A? hate me. And I also know u? ?A? you think that man¡¯s death later is my fault.] ¡°...¡± Words that I couldn¡¯t just let pass over my head were heard. ¡®I¡¯m going to die?¡¯ ¡®Later?¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡®Hey, Grey Devil? What is that supposed to mean?¡¯ While I was thinking this... [But still.] The pupils of the Grey Devil opened up horizontally. When compared to the innocent and naive appearance she usually showed me, the difference was chilling. There was malice. One that was concentrated with a pitch-black emotion held for the one across from her. While wearing such an expression, the Grey Devil reached right in front of the White Devil in an instant. ¡°...!¡± For the first time since I had seen this being, she was wearing such an intense amount of malice that made me think that it was fitting of her to be called a ¡®Devil¡¯. In a moment, as a suffocating sensation simultaneously enveloped me, the Grey Devil stretched out both hands towards the White Devil. [That 3?4i?¡ã? man...] And then, as soon as they made contact... The White Devil was ¡®torn¡¯ to shreds. It happened in an instant, as if she had been thrown into a shredder. The entire figure of the White Devil blurred and flickered, like a video that had been disrupted by signal interference. Her mouth opened. Though it was probably to scream out in agony... But, before she could even do that, the Grey Devil grabbed the only intact part of the shredded White Devil - the head. [He is 3?4 ?o?C mine.] Following that, the punk slammed that head onto the ground. With a full swing, as if clearly intending to ¡®smash¡¯ it. Again, the figure of the White Devil flickered. Her expression twisted in terrible pain. [He is C?I??? mine.] Without paying any attention to such a phenomenon, the red glow in the Grey Devil¡¯s eyes intensified with ferocity. She lifted the White Devil¡¯s head again... And slammed it down onto the ground. Again. And again. Repeatedly. As if she was dead set on completely annihilating the being in front of her. With a Crack, the ground broke apart. White fragments scattered in all directions. The area shook as if struck by an earthquake. Yet even so, the hostility emanating from the Grey Devil showed no signs of abating. As if laying down punishment for daring to lay hands on what belonged to her. [Do not o?CI?? lay your hands on him.] Along with a Craaaaack... The space shattered into pieces. Along with the remnants of the White Devil¡¯s body, the Demonic Aura that had risen in the area dispersed like shattered glass. ¡°...¡± ¡®Dude.¡¯ ¡®Sure, I get that you¡¯re strong, but both or you are Devils.¡¯ ¡®What the fuck is this overwhelming difference in power?¡¯ The Grey Devil displayed strength that was far beyond it should have been capable of. Almost as if... She had gone beyond the hierarchy among Devils, being the sole one to exert a power almost akin to a transcendent. ¡®...But how?¡¯ Though I didn¡¯t know what had happened for this punk to be that powerful... For now... ¡°...¡± ¡®Grey Devil scawy...¡¯ I thought that with all my /genesisforsaken Chapter 178: Second Ordeal (1) Chapter 178: Second Ordeal (1) System Message [ The Parent Body who has been maintaining the Spell has been overpowered.] [ ¡®Event: Sweet Play¡¯ will be forcibly canceled!] [ The Image World is collapsing! ] System Message [ You have witnessed the downfall of a ¡®Devil¡¯ in person. ] [ The ¡®Fallen''s Seal¡¯ automatically records the target¡¯s weakness and how to defeat them. ] [ ¡®''Suppression Method¡¯ of the ¡®White Devil¡¯ can be unlocked! ] After such messages popped out in succession, the world crumbled down. This Image World was preserved by the White Devil¡¯s authority to begin with. There was no way it would be intact after the Grey Devil destroyed the punk. But, that was that. ¡®...What?¡¯ My eyes widened as I saw the message window that popped up in front of my eyes. The last line was the sole reason why my eyes widened like this. ¡®Suppression method?¡¯ To summarize what the sentence was trying to imply, it meant that I could interact closely with a ¡®Devil¡¯ through the ¡®Fallen Seal¡¯. All this time, I had been able to ¡®borrow¡¯ and ¡®imitate¡¯ their power, but to overpower them? ¡°...¡± I didn¡¯t know how that was possible, but what I knew for sure was the fact that it wasn¡¯t a bad thing. In the original game, ¡®overpowering a Devil¡¯ was only something that could be brought up when we were talking about three subjects. Other Devils, a Seraphim with fully charged Divine Power and Iliya who had completed her final growth while wielding the Holy Sword. Even so, except for the Grey Devil and Iliya, the others could only achieve a tie with the Devils. Getting the upper hand against them? Well, that was quite the good joke if I had ever heard one. ¡°...¡± Wait, now that I think about it, it didn¡¯t make any sense for Iliya to be able to do it. Like, how the fuck did her at full potential could be on the same level as ¡®those kinds of beings¡¯? With such thoughts, I looked at the Grey Devil who was smiling in front of me while standing still. She held my hands, shook them and patted my head. No, I wasn¡¯t joking, she really did that. As always, she acted like an innocent child. ¡°...¡± When I slightly shifted my gaze, the shattered figure of the White Devil came into my view. She could barely maintain her body because of this punk in front of me. Of course, it was hard for me to find this punk cute after seeing her effortlessly pummeling another Devil like that. You know, even if a tiger was trying to act cute, there was no way people would find it cute, it was something similar to that. ¡°...¡± Still, even if she was a tiger that I encountered when I was unarmed, I could tell that she was sincerely worried about me.. Obviously I¡¯d feel that way if she were to see me with that gaze filled with affection. As I was having such thoughts, she opened her mouth. [...Have youA?o?been well?] ¡°...¡± That was when I noticed something strange. The noise that had always covered her voice seemed to have faded away. It only faded a little, but it was enough to make her voice sound clean. ¡°...Uh?¡± When I became aware of that, I also became able to move to some extent. As if I had grown some tolerance toward the Grey Devil¡¯s abilities. [You look surprised.] When she saw my trembling eyes, she said those words while poking me. She flew closer as if she was not subject to gravity as she stroked my chest¨Cwhere the Fallen''s Seal was at. [...It¡¯s3?4i?¡ã?because of this. Because I¡¯ve absorbed the knowledge about White just now.] ¡°...¡± [Since theC?I???Seal is gradually growing the more youA?|meet us. Your tolerance?UCwill also keep rising.] As she said that, she clenched her fist and threw it forward, as if trying to gesture ¡®Do your best~¡¯. But the straight punching gesture only made her seem like a martial artist instead. [If Whitei?¡ã?UCbothers3?4eyou next time, returni?A?|it.] ¡°...¡± [Just3?4i?¡ã?Uin case, I¡¯ll give you3?4i?¡ã?Uthis too.] A window popped up again in front of my eyes. [Since3?4i?A?|it¡¯s a skill nobody but Dowd would be able to use.] System Message [ ¡®Synthesis¡¯ function is added to the ¡®Fallen''s Seal¡¯! ] [ You can synthesize the Devil''s Aura accumulated in the seal and create additional effects! ] ¡°...¡± I narrowed my eyes. That window popped up in accordance with her words. She had done this multiple times before. The Grey Devil seemed to have a grasp on the system windows, even though I was the only one who could see it. It made me wonder if she could manipulate it as much as she wanted. ¡°...¡± That aside. ¡®...Synthesizing the Devil¡¯s Aura?¡¯ The idea behind the skill was somewhat crazy. Its scale was just on a different level, I couldn¡¯t even guess how amazing it would turn out. ¡°...I¡¯ll receive it gratefully.¡± ¡°...¡± With that in mind, the person who controlled them unquestionably deserved to be described as possessing a force at the same level of the Imperial Guards. They were a group filled with monsters who¡¯d purposely go to battles with handicaps, even if they were to face the Tristan Duchy, who had the reputation as the region with the best swordsmanship in the continent, as their opponent. Even when compared to them, the man¡¯s skills could be considered not all that far off from their level. ¡°But, that¡¯s it, that should be your limit.¡± And his words were true. She couldn¡¯t simply endure forever. There were minor injuries all over her body. It was a miracle that there were no serious injuries so far. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you think that man is worth so much to the point that you went this hard. In any case, you¡¯ll die here, Iliya Krisanax. You¡¯re more foolish than I thought.¡± ¡°...Ugh, that was my bad.¡± She really believed that it was her fault. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t thought of spending a hundred years with Teach, I wouldn¡¯t go this hard. If only I hadn¡¯t dreamed of a great married life with him, with so many children that we could form a team of a ball game, then I wouldn¡¯t have no reason to go through this kind of hardship.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to live my life while being taken advantage of by a crazy playboy who constantly flirts with other women! I wouldn¡¯t need to help him deal with the mishaps that he caused because of the women he entangled himself with! I wouldn¡¯t have become a pushover who, instead of getting sick of him, I felt happy because he was relying on me¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Seriously, it¡¯s my fault for falling in love with this trash!¡± As she said those words with a voice filled with resentment, her opponent looked at her, seemingly at a loss for words. ¡°...I see, it¡¯s complicated, huh?¡± His voice sounded uncharacteristically sympathetic. But that was that, this was this. They were pros, so they had to do their job. ¡°Time to wrap it up.¡± While saying such words, the man¡¯s sword rushed towards Iliya. ¡®-It¡¯s dangerous...!¡¯ With her body filled with injuries, she couldn¡¯t react to his speed. If she couldn¡¯t avoid this blow, it would definitely get her seriously injured. -! -!!! But an explosive sound echoed and the man¡¯s body flew tens of meters back after getting hit by someone¡¯s fist. ¡°...!¡± Everyone nearby raised their respective weapons with terrified expressions on their faces. As experienced as they were, this was the first time they had ever seen or heard such a scene being created with merely unarmed combat skill. However, a certain someone had seen it awfully often. As far as she knew, there was only one person who¡¯d become drastically stronger in a moment of crisis. ¡°...Teach?¡± She called him, sounding as if she was in a daze. All this time, he had only watched from behind her back, but he suddenly pulled out something like this. ¡°...¡± When their eyes met, Iliya intuitively realized. He was back. The usual Dowd, whom she found a little annoying... Had finally come back. ¡°H-H-Have you come back to your senses?¡± ¡°...Yeah. Just now.¡± ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡®...It¡¯s nice that he¡¯s back and I¡¯m really curious about what happened, but...!¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s something more urgent than that now!¡¯ Iliya stammered with a flushed face. ¡°B-By any chance! J-J-Just now¡ª! D-D-Did you hear¡ª!¡± ¡°...What are you saying?¡± ¡°...¡± From his expression, it seemed like he really hadn¡¯t heard her words. Thankfully. ¡®What a relief...!¡¯ She had felt a sense of crisis worse than a threat to her life...! ¡°...I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on here, but...¡± As Iliya was pondering with her own thoughts, Dowd scanned around expressionlessly. In front of them were several skilled combatants and an exceptionally strong battle priest who was leading them. ¡°This is perfect.¡± ¡°...What is?¡± ¡°I got something new, so I want to give it a try once.¡± Along with such words, the Demonic Aura of the Grey Devil and White Devil mixed together radiated intensely from Dowd¡¯s /genesisforsaken Chapter 179: Second Ordeal (2) Chapter 179: Second Ordeal (2) ¡°Demonic Aura?¡± Someone muttered. It took them no time to recognize the aura since they, the Holy Land, were among the most sensitive group of people along with the Heretic Inquisition when it came to anything related to Devils. ¡°...Get everyone ready.¡± After those words fell, the group of men took out their catalyst out of their embrace one by one. Those were armors made of a mixture of Holy Water, Holy Relics, and the Legacies of Saints. ¡®...The Seraphim¡¯s Seal.¡¯ Upon seeing the seal that imprinted upon those catalysts¡¯ surface, Iliya gritted her teeth. Then again, considering that the person they were up against was able to handle the Devil¡¯s Aura, it was understandable. These were regarded as one of the most precious armors in the Holy Land and were believed to be useful as a one-time consumable against the Devils, though only for a very limited time. Against an aura that was far more flimsy than the Devils¡¯, it was akin to a miracle cure to them. ¡°...You all don¡¯t seem to be Seras¡¯ subordinates.¡± After scanning the sight in front of him, Dowd muttered as such. ¡°So that means you guys are just hired hands who received equipment from the Holy Land. Am I right?¡± ¡°...¡± No one in their right mind would verbally confirm his assumption. Dowd, who brought it up first, only silently nodded instead of dwelling on the topic. ¡°You guys aren¡¯t part of the Oath of the Crescent Moon. Seeing the level of your skills... The Apostle of the Sun, maybe?¡± ¡°According to the information, the opponent can¡¯t use the Devil¡¯s Authority, but he can mimic it. Be extra careful.¡± ¡°Did Archbishop Luminol send you?¡± ¡°Everyone, get ready to attack. We¡¯re going in one go upon signal.¡± ¡°...C¡¯mon, listen to me.¡± Dowd said, seemingly desperate, but the people in the surroundings didn¡¯t even blink an eye to him. Then, their leader let out a sigh before answering him. ¡°...Do you think we wouldn¡¯t notice that you¡¯re trying to kill time? Such a pathetic trick.¡± ¡°...¡± The person¡¯s speech sounded rather aggressive, but it was obvious that he did that to ease Dowd¡¯s embarrassment. His empathy was unnecessarily high for an assassin. He was probably a nice person at heart... ¡°If you knew, you should¡¯ve played along. That¡¯s just too much.¡± ¡°...¡± In contrast, this one over here was someone who didn¡¯t even blink an eye while saying that even after receiving such thoughtfulness from his enemy. Iliya thought so while looking at Dowd with narrowed eyes. ¡°You see, if you don¡¯t give me enough time, I don¡¯t have the confidence to control myself.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°This is my first time using it and all.¡± Dowd put his hand on his chest with a sigh. ¡°Well, I guess it won¡¯t be my fault if you die if that¡¯s the case.¡± And said such a shameless thing. The grey and white aura engulfed the surrounding area in an instant. ¡°...!¡± The moment the group of people saw that, they simultaneously raised their armors. However, right after that... -! Their Catalyst was instantly ¡®crushed¡¯ as the grey aura stuck onto them. Unceremoniously so. Just like an eroded rock shattering upon facing the smallest impact. ¡°What¡ª!¡± Before their shock even ended, the White Devil¡¯s Aura penetrated through the gap formed in the catalyst. And then... -! A white flash covered the entire area. ¡°...Teach.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Iliya asked, letting out a groan as she looked at the human bodies sprawled around them. ¡°...I was lucky.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing his answer, Iliya went silent. If the Holy Land knew about this, the whole country would definitely go ballistic. No, scratch that, the whole continent would. Although they were less powerful than the original, what this group of people had taken out were something that were made based on the Seraphim¡¯s barrier that had been containing the Devils in the void zone. The fact that he managed to shatter them all in an instant was unbelievable. It was widely believed that just by successfully imitating any Seraphim-related powers meant that they¡¯d possess an absolute protection from the Devils. But... The fact that Dowd could break through such protective measures¡ªeven though they were far cut from the original¡ªsuggested a lot of things. It meant that he was someone who could handle the Devil¡¯s Aura in a more unconventional way. One could also take it as if he was of a higher status than those beings in question. ¡°...¡± ¡®This man might become a bigger monster than I thought...¡¯ Iliya thought as she looked at Dowd. The man in question himself was whispering something to the assassins who were standing around expressionlessly. He kept repeating the same words over and over, as if he was trying to indoctrinate them. ¡°...What have you been doing?¡± And I guess I could just consider now as a form of trial and error in figuring that out. I threw another armful of dried firewood into the burning bonfire. Normally, doing this here, in this ¡®Forest of Dreams and Illusions¡¯ where the Second Ordeal was taking place, would be considered suicide, but there were a few safe spots where you could do this. With a bunch of Trees of Illusion growing nearby, this place could weaken your perception of the surroundings. It would be hard for Demonic Creatures of even the Hero Candidates to get here. That was why I could leisurely start a fire even though there were dangerous creatures prowling in the area. Still, it was this punk who managed to find this place. I wonder why she took the lead and brought me here to stay for the night? ¡°...¡± Anyway, there was something else I was wondering about. ¡®...It¡¯s been a while since we saw each other, why aren¡¯t you saying hello to me?¡¯ I looked down at Soul Linker. Usually, whenever I regained my consciousness, this man just wouldn¡¯t stop talking, but now he was all quiet for some reason. ¡®Caliban?¡¯ [Be quiet.] ¡®...¡¯ Hearing his gloomy voice, I promptly shut my mouth up. For some reason, I could sense a strong rage toward me in his voice. If I were to guess the reason... ¡®...What happened while I was away?¡¯ When I asked him that, he sighed before answering with the same gloomy voice. [Shut up.] ¡°...¡± Uh, hello? You¡¯re making me anxious, you know?! ¡°...Can you tell me the reason why at least...?¡± [...I have a lot of things to say.] He continued with a somber voice. [The situation tonight just feels like it''ll be hell.] ¡°Sorry?¡± [I¡¯ve been witnessing my sister behave nastily in all sorts of ways in the past few days. And I have a feeling that she¡¯ll reach her peak today.] ¡°...?¡± Why? We were only staying for one night here. ¡®...Wait?¡¯ Come to think of it, he could be right. Like, we would be sleeping together... Just the two of us... Just me and her... ¡°...¡± I¡¯ve gotten involved with all kinds of women so far, but have I ever been in a situation where I needed to spend a long time together with one of them? Just the two of us like this...? As I was pondering over such thoughts... ¡°...Excuse me, Teach.¡± I could hear a voice that sent shivers down my spine. It was Iliya¡¯s, who had been away for a moment to get us more firewood. ¡°...¡± But... If she brought more firewood, that meant she must have worked quite a bit, no...? Since that was the case, why did she not reek of sweat, but instead smelled nice? Did she take a shower somewhere? Her hair seemed refreshingly sleek, as if she was getting herself ready for something. ¡°...Yeah?¡± ¡°You know, right now, it¡¯s just the two of us...¡± She looked strangely flushed when she said that. ¡°...Um?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is! Thanks to the Trees of Illusion, no one will come here and we''ll get to spend the night just by the two of us until tomorrow.¡± ¡°...A-And?¡± She let out a broad smile. At this point, the cold sweat had started appearing on my face. ¡°Teach.¡± ¡°...¡± And that was when I realized. The reason why Caliban had been so quiet. ¡°I hope that nothing happens. You too, right?¡± ¡°...¡± You... Why... Are you speaking in that tone, as if something would actually happen, huh? [Hey.] Caliban called out to me, it sounded like he was sniffling. [This is my only request. Please just do it somewhere I can¡¯t see. I¡¯m begging you.] ¡°...¡± It had been quite some time since I last said this. Shut the fuck up. For the love of all that¡¯s good. /genesisforsaken Chapter 180: Second Ordeal (3) Chapter 180: Second Ordeal (3) Ever since I entered Sera, all kinds of crises had been happening. First, I fought with a Demonic Human, then the Boy King, who had completely mastered a forgotten sorcery. I even fought with an Ancient God from another dimension. In short, I had seen all kinds of things. But, I still didn¡¯t know how to handle this situation. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Silence enveloped us. ¡°...Hey.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why are we in this position...?¡± Somehow, I managed to bring the topic up, but it didn¡¯t seem like Iliya, who was clutching one of my arms, had any intentions to let it go. The burning firewood was our only source of light, so her face was protected by the shades as she was resting her head on my shoulder. I could tell that she was wearing the cheerful smile she always wore. ¡°...¡± But, with the lighting, that smile of hers felt much more... Um... How do I put this...? Cunning? [She is.] ¡°...¡± [I thought you knew about it already?] I... Did, yeah. There was no way I wouldn¡¯t know. Everyone with a functioning pair of eyes would notice how unusual she looked right now. She looked like a carnivore eyeing her prey right in front of her. [By the way, she¡¯s the third one.] ¡®...Sorry?¡¯ [I¡¯m talking about the girls who are sticking to you to take your first time.] ¡®...¡¯ [I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯d see my sister on that list.] What the hell happened when I was away? ¡°Hmm.¡± As I broke out in cold sweat with that question in my head, Iliya made such a sound as she dawdled around. Then, she hugged my arm even tighter. ¡°...You¡¯re too close.¡± I tried to point that out, but she responded with no change in her expression. ¡°Because it¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And you¡¯re warming me up, Teach.¡± Let alone letting me go, instead she said that while sticking her body even closer to mine. After that... ¡°Yap.¡± She shifted her body so she¡¯d lay right in front of me, seemingly ready to dig into my arms. The back of her head touched my chest and the fragrance coming from her orange hair tickled my nose. ¡°Teach.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You already know what I¡¯m about to do from now on, right?¡± ¡°...¡± At the sentence that she suddenly dropped without any pretense, I clenched my mouth shut. Of course, there was no way I wouldn¡¯t know. I could sense it in my skin, how both of us had been trying hard to read the atmosphere. Both of us had already known what this punk was aiming for and what I was going to say as a response. ¡°...You¡¯re going to say no, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± I looked at Iliya, who was wearing a bitter expression. ¡°...I do understand, Teach.¡± She said with a pout. ¡°I know it¡¯s dangerous. There are a lot of people around you who¡¯d go crazy the moment you hold a girl¡¯s hand even if it¡¯s by accident.¡± ¡°...¡± She was right. As someone the Devils were fiercely obsessing over, crossing that fine line between a man and a woman was like taking the suicide express train¡ªno matter who I did it with. However... ¡°Yeah, but the bigger problem is you.¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°If we cross that line, the Devils will rush at you far more viciously than they will at me.¡± ¡°...¡± Yes, I wouldn¡¯t be the only one in danger, this punk would be too. She wasn¡¯t a Devil and she wasn¡¯t me, the subject those Devils fell in love with. If she crossed that line with me, this punk would become the sole target of rage of the seven Devils. ¡°...¡± There was no way I could let that happen. That was the kind of hardship that even I wasn¡¯t confident I¡¯d survive. ¡°I can''t just let you die. It might be another story if you approach me like this after the whole situation is over. But not now.¡± ¡°...Sure, sure. Whatever you say. All you¡¯re doing is putting it off again.¡± Iliya pouted again. ¡°Will it kill you to say something along the lines of you liking me even if it''s just empty words? You said I¡¯m precious before¡ª¡± ¡°I have no thought of lying about that.¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya¡¯s body stiffened. Her expression froze with her lips still pouting. Briefly, she casted her pupils down. Then, she went silent for a while, as if thinking about what I had just said. And then... ¡°...¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s calm down for now.¡± ¡°I''m calm...!¡± ¡°...¡± Nah. You¡¯re absolutely fucking not. Desperation. No, it¡¯s not that the skill activated; it¡¯s that this situation is actually just desperation. ¡®Since it has come to this...!¡¯ Time to exercise force against her. With such thoughts, I tried my best to push her off me, but... ¡°...What¡¯s this? Are you trying to act cute?¡± ¡°...¡± The fuck, why was she so strong? She didn¡¯t show any indication of budging. Without Desperation, I could feel the power gap between us¡ªit was as if she could overpower me with a finger. I looked at her, who was shoving herself closer to me and breathing heavily with a flushed face. ¡°Just stay right there. Look up at the sky and count the stars or something.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°B-Because I¡¯ll finish it r-really q-quickly...!¡± I closed my eyes tightly after I saw her pressing down on my chest with unfocused eyes. Please. Somebody, save me...! Right as I was thinking this... ¡°...Seriously?¡± A voice was heard from the sky. And then- ¡°What are you two doing?¡± A familiar red flame... Blew up the Trees of Illusion around us all at once. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Silence three times more terrible than earlier filled the camp. Only Talion, who was casually grilling the meat he had brought on the bonfire, seemed unperturbed by this. ¡°Senior Brother and Iliya, are you not going to eat?¡± ¡°...Forget it.¡± ¡°...Same.¡± Gloomy voices echoed at that time. Shame and awkwardness were mixed in the voices. The voices came from Iliya, who was barely able to be restrained before she went totally out of control, and me, who was found in an embarrassing situation that I would never show to anyone. But still, there were things I had to ask, regardless of how I felt. ¡°...By the way, how did you get here?¡± ¡°Miss Faenol brought me here. She said something about feeling Senior Brother¡¯s soul returning.¡± ¡°...¡± I turned to look at Faenol, who returned my stare with an expressionless gaze. ¡°...It¡¯s a relief that you look so healthy.¡± Though she said that with a smile... That smile of hers was incredibly unnatural. There was zero doubt of that. It felt like she didn¡¯t have any intention to hide the fact that she was angry. ¡°...¡± ¡®Hey.¡¯ ¡®I thought you said you couldn¡¯t feel any emotions.¡¯ ¡®So, why does it feel like you¡¯re skinning me alive with just your atmosphere...?¡¯ ¡°Rather than that, there¡¯s something I want to tell you, Senior Brother.¡± ¡°...Hm?¡± Talion said suddenly, so I turned to look at him. He shrugged before continuing. ¡°This is the information I got from the Chancellor. According to her, the difficulty of the exam is going to drastically increase starting tomorrow.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya and I smiled bitterly at the confidential information that he leaked so nonchalantly. Seeing to how shameless they were, it actually made my mind go blank. ¡®...No, wait... Actually...¡¯ It would be stupid to not do something like this, especially considering the privileges that came with the Hero title. Rather, it would be right to consider this as a part of the ordeal. It felt like it was also assessing the national power of each country and which could support their Hero Candidates best behind the scenes. ¡°Since I¡¯ll have to elaborate slowly, I¡¯ll start with the conclusion...¡± Talion paused as he looked around. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The heavy and devastating silence was still going on. No one seemed to be willing to talk to each other. Talion continued after clearing his throat. It wasn¡¯t like he could just stay silent after going this far. ¡°...I think you might need to go around with us tomorrow, so...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s get through the difficulties together. All four of us.¡± Ah. With these members? With the enraged Faenol and Iliya, who was ever so diligently engaging in a battle of nerves with her? ¡°...¡± Ah. Should I just go fucking /genesisforsaken Chapter 181: IF Side Story - What If They Didnt Get Caught? Chapter 181: IF Side Story - What If They Didn''t Get Caught? ¡ù The chapter in question is an IF Side Story! It has nothing to do with the main story, dealing with content that asks, ¡®What if this happened?¡¯. Iliya, who was pressing down on Dowd¡¯s chest, crawled toward Dowd¡¯s lower body. ¡°...¡± To tell the truth, she didn¡¯t even know what she was doing. She was just following her instinct, going with the flow. So... The first thing she did... Was to smell him. Burying her head near Dowd¡¯s crotch, she started sniffing him. ¡°This punk?!¡± She could hear a panicked voice from above. All she could smell was his sweat, which was pretty much a given since they had been wandering around the forest filled with Demonic Creatures all day long. However... ¡°...Ah, uu...¡± The smell was addictive. She hugged him tightly while repeatedly breathing in the smell that came from inside his clothes. For a moment, she became worried that her appearance, that she had worked hard to take care of, might be ruined, but when his smell entered her nostrils again, she frantically buried her head in his crotch again. She inhaled so deeply that Dowd¡¯s clothes were slightly pulled out. Anyone who saw her would think of her as a pervert. Actually, she herself would react the same way if she were to see other people doing this.. ¡°Hey, what are you...?!¡± And Dowd¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t so different. He blurted out those words with a flushed voice. Unfortunately, his voice was a little too loud. It was to the point that those prowling outside the area of the Trees of Illusion could hear it. ¡°Heh? Senior Brother?¡± At that moment, a certain someone¡¯s voice echoed. Unconsciously, Dowd let out a gasp. Talion¡¯s voice, faint because of the distance. Since he was there, there was a high chance that Faenol was also nearby. If a ¡®Devil¡¯ were to see them like this, well, they were pretty much doomed. He thought so as he tried to separate Iliya from him. ¡°Tea...ch...¡± At that moment, warmth spread over his lower body. When he looked down, he saw Iliya looking up at him while resting her chin on his chest. With one of her eyes looking drowsy, she let out a slight smirk. ¡°...¡± Seeing that, Dowd realized intuitively. This punk. Was going to do something batshit crazy. Her eyes looked completely glazed as she continued to breathe out hot air. Without a sound, only moving her lips, she whispered. -...Would you please... buy some more time? Her hand was gently caressing the area where his penis was. -I have a fun idea. As he looked down at her, his whole body stiffened. Once again, he realized. Right now, this girl... Had completely lost her mind. ¡°Senior Brother? Can you not hear me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Strange. I swear I heard his voice... Is he nearby?¡± ¡°...!¡± Dowd gritted his teeth. Talion¡¯s voice sounded a bit clearer than before. Which meant it was too late to pretend as if he did not hear him. After all, Talion was already so sure that they were nearby and it was only a matter of time before he found them as he seemed to be searching for them already. He couldn¡¯t shove Iliya away with force, so all he could do was to buy time just as she had suggested. ¡°U-Uh, I¡¯m a little busy right now!¡± As he blurted that out, Iliya ran her hands down his body like a crawling snake¡ªfrom his chest, belly, then down to his pants. She unbuttoned his pants before taking them down. Then, like water permeating into soil, she dug into his underwear. It felt as if he spoke slowly. Every sensation he felt was far beyond the level he could handle. ¡°...!¡± This was something he only recalled later¡ªat this point, he was covering his mouth with his hands following his instinct. And then, he reached an orgasm. It felt as if every organ under his spine suddenly overheated, to the point that he felt his soul was being sucked out of one hole. Like water bursting out of a collapsed dam instead of flowing out of it. The white liquid was poured into Iliya¡¯s mouth, though she was unable to swallow all of them as they came out of her lips, dripping down her face before flowing down her body and falling into the dirt. It kept coming out. Without stopping. ¡°...Umph, hmph...!¡± Moans escaped his covered lips. He was embarrassed, but the pleasure overwhelmed his reason, searing into his brain like molten iron. ¡°...Seriously...¡± Iliya took her mouth off his penis, which was still intermittently pouring out its load, spitting out that word with a dissatisfied expression. And then... ¡°What a waste.¡± She collected the spilled semen with her hand while grumbling. Then, using her mouth... She sipped everything up, savoring it as if it was honey. Lowering her head, she licked everything out¡ªthe semen that splattered on her face, her clothes even on the dirt. She tried her best to suck out all the semen that was still pouring out of his dick, as if cleaning it. After she was done, she looked up at Dowd, who was breathing heavily at this point. Then, she kissed his penis again. As if congratulating it for its hard work. And when she was finished with it, she shouted. ¡°Talion¡ª! Sorry, but can you wait for five more minutes¡ª?¡± ¡°...Iliya? You were with Senior Brother?¡± ¡°Yeah! I just got here! It seems Teach is having a stomachache! I¡¯ll take him there after he recovers¡ª¡± ¡°...¡± That sounded like a strange excuse. But Talion probably realized that Iliya would humiliate him if he were to make another attempt here. ¡°...Alright, you do that after he recovers! I¡¯ll be waiting with Faenol!¡± ¡°Got it! Thank you!¡± After confirming that Talion was walking away as he said, Iliya soon flipped her hair while looking at Dowd. He was still gasping for air and because of what he just went through, he looked almost tearful. Maybe he was feeling quite distraught. As soon as she saw that. She let out another smirk. Ah, jeez. If you keep showing me this sight of you. How can I hold myself back, hm? ¡°Teach.¡± ¡°...You, you, what...¡± ¡°Do you think we can do it again within five minutes?¡± ¡°...What are you?¡± ¡°You look like you¡¯re having a hard time.¡± She said while tapping on his penis, which was still standing firmly, with her hand. Maybe because he was still sensitive from his last orgasm, just being touched already made him flinch. ¡°...¡± ¡°You can¡¯t meet someone else while looking like this, can you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°From now on, every time you¡¯re like this, I¡¯ll take the responsibilityproperly.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, from now on, make sure to come to me first when you¡¯re like this, okay?¡± She said while sticking her tongue out again. Meanwhile, Dowd could only look at her with a palace face. His look suggested that he could already tell how his future would /genesisforsaken Chapter 182: Second Ordeal (4) Chapter 182: Second Ordeal (4) ¡°...Let¡¯s see.¡± First, I needed to sort out the situation. While everyone else was sleeping, I was the only one awake, holding my throbbing head while rummaging around the dying bonfire. There was a lot to think about. ...First, let¡¯s examine the situation. Since we were at the beginning of the Second Ordeal, it wasn¡¯t difficult to sort out the information about the situation. Like the fact that the location I was currently in was the Forest of Demonic Creatures near the Forge of Struggle, or that the immediate goal was to survive here for three days. Since I had defeated even the Rulers of Demonic Zones nearby, honestly, I doubted that it would be that dangerous here. But that was only if the ordeal proceeded ¡®normally¡¯. ¡°...¡± While swinging around the poker with a frown on my face, I kept racking my brain. The Hero Selection wouldn''t proceed so easily. There was no way. In the first place, the main focus of the event was to ¡®rank¡¯ the candidates. They wouldn¡¯t do that sort of thing in such a soft environment. Besides... The goal to ¡®survive for three days¡¯ was only camouflage. To be more exact, you should interpret it as ¡®survive as long as possible¡¯. When they said that they would be raising the difficulty drastically starting tomorrow, it meant that they were dead set on eliminating everyone. The main focus of the ordeal was to find out how long they could survive in such an environment. The main character is not me. That was one fact that I should keep in mind. At the end of the day, my role in this ordeal should be limited to Iliya¡¯s sidekick. I should not be the one who stood out the most like I was before. It didn¡¯t matter in the First Ordeal since all she needed to do was to get a high score, but the Second Ordeal was the bridgehead to the Final Ordeal. This was the time when they held the real evaluation on whether the candidates could stay unscathed after they grab the Holy Sword or not. In other words, they would be focusing on ¡®how¡¯ rather than the result. Iliya¡¯s competence was the thing they would examine, not mine. What I had to do was to strengthen what I had been carrying over. To improve her abilities by deliberately exposing myself to life-threatening situations. That wasn¡¯t a hard thing to do. I could do it easily. The problem was that there was a high chance that I¡¯d need to be away from her so that I got into that kind of situation to begin with. If that were to happen, she¡¯d be left alone with Faenol. Just the two of them. I wouldn¡¯t be there as the mediator. ¡°...¡± At a first glance, it didn¡¯t seem like a problem, did it? Like, Faenol was the most rational one among the Vessels and Iliya wasn¡¯t the type to pick fights with others for no reason. But... The problem here was that Iliya did have a big ass reason to pick a fight with her. ¡°...What do you think, Caliban?¡± I asked Caliban, who had begun to come to his senses, in a gloomy voice. [About what.] ¡°The odds of Iliya staying sane when she meets the Red Devil.¡± [...] He went quiet for a bit before letting out a bitter smile. [...None. How can she?] ¡°As expected, huh?¡± I also let out the same bitter smile. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Faenol was literally the enemy of her family. Let alone Iliya, this person over here was adamant on being uncooperative with Faenol the first time he saw her. ¡°...By the way, your attitude toward her has been a lot better these days.¡± I didn¡¯t know why, but his attitude towards her had gotten a little softer lately. After hearing what I said, he had only been trying to put up with it, but these days, even his grumbling about me getting involved with that punk had become less and less frequent. [I mean...] His voice was calm as he continued. [She seems to have a reason.] ¡°...¡± [I can feel it the more I watch her.] ¡°What exactly do you feel?¡± [She doesn¡¯t seem like someone who would misuse her power and recklessly harm others. Like, she doesn¡¯t seem like a bad person.] ¡°...¡± [The way she kept on saying that she wants to die as soon as possible. How she urged you to awaken her feelings quickly because the Red Devil¡¯s power would be weakened if you don¡¯t do it properly¡ªif anything she seemed to dislike that power in a lot of ways.] Caliban continued with a chuckle. [Quite the opposite, isn¡¯t she someone with a strong sense of self-hatred?] ¡°...¡± His analysis was accurate. In her mind, someone like her should just disappear from this world as quickly as possible. Despite my declaration that I would make her happy, chances were her feelings about that had not changed much. ¡°...She had her reasons in the past.¡± I said as I looked at Faenol, who was sleeping peacefully. She had a dark past¡ªall of the Devil¡¯s Vessels did, but Faenol had the darkest past among them. ¡°...¡± I recalled a few keywords, a few background stories from the game, flashed through my mind. -!! -!!!! ¡°...¡± I was certain of one thing. I did have loose lips. They came so viciously. Yeah, technically, ¡®starting from today¡¯, they¡¯d raise the difficulty. They definitely said that, yes. It was just, I thought they had the conscience to wait until the sun rose so that people could act properly. Not in the break of a dawn like this! Fuck, they really wanted us to suffer, huh? Sure, yeah, this was the Hero Selection, but dude. Most of these people were students. ¡°Pack... They''re using troublesome punks. Are all those people in charge of the Ordeals sadists?¡± They were especially specialized in hunting and tracking even among large Demonic Creatures. I got up from my seat as I thought so. ¡°...¡± I suddenly noticed something strange. A blue ¡®shroud¡¯ descending from the sky. ¡°...¡± At first, I thought I saw it wrong. But seeing it again, it became more clear. It was definitely ¡®that¡¯. ¡°...Fucking hell.¡± As soon as I saw it... All the composure was gone from my face. I immediately screamed in a high pitch. ¡°Wake up-!¡± ¡°Uh, eh, uh, w-what is it, Teach?¡± ¡°...Senior Brother?¡± ¡°Mr. Dowd...?¡± Upon hearing my scream, the punks, who were sound asleep, woke up simultaneously while panicking. ¡°Wake up and get your equipment, right now! If you dawdle even for a second, we¡¯re all gonna die!¡± As if sensing the urgency in my voice, they got their weapons and equipment amid their panic. Considering the situation, it was a very shrewd reaction. But when I watched the scene, I still couldn¡¯t ease my nervousness. [Hey, what¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden? What¡¯s that?] ...It''s the Nullifying Shroud. A very high-level spell that could be called a magnetic field. An insane technology that incapacitated every single ¡®Special Power¡¯ inside it. [...What?] Caliban asked in bewilderment. [How is that possible?] In Sera, the source of all powers worked through Special Powers. In the material world, even the power of non-standard beings like Angels or Devils were bound by Special Powers, and that Nullifying Shroud could ¡®erase¡¯ it all. This was originally a gimmick that was occasionally seen in challenges or contents with a hell level of difficulty. This kind of shit never popped up in Chapter 4. ¡°...¡± My blood was boiling. To release High-Grade Demonic Creatures in a situation where people couldn¡¯t use any of their power. That was the equivalent of them throwing all those people to their deaths. [Why did they suddenly release such a thing?! This is a Hero Selection Ordeal not an execution ground.] Don¡¯t ask me. As far as I knew, there was only one person who could artificially implement that. The Empress of the Empire. The Sword Saint of the time, who was next to her. In other words... It was the Ruler of the Empire herself who pulled this crazy stunt. ...Let¡¯s think about it later. I could find out the reason why she was doing such a thing later. The released large Demonic Creatures must have been looking for humans nearby right now. For now, I had to move. So I could save the lives of everyone here. ¡°T-Teach, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°First, don¡¯t panic and listen.¡± I said while holding Iliya¡¯s shoulders, who was obviously panicking. ¡°Not everyone here can survive.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So I¡¯ll die just once.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve done this a few times.¡± Unfortunately, she did not seem to stop /genesisforsaken Chapter 183: Second Ordeal (5) Chapter 183: Second Ordeal (5) Contrary to what was known to the public, the relationship between Chancellor Sullivan and the Empress wasn¡¯t the one where they¡¯d growl to each other whenever they made eye contact. Rather, it would be more accurate to say that they had no interaction with each other to begin with. Unlike their subordinates, who kept growling as if they were about to pounce on each other, those two¡¯s stance toward each other had never changed. Indifference. ¡®If you don¡¯t mess with me, I won¡¯t mess with you.¡¯ Sometimes, if they were forced to clash with each other, they¡¯d solve the matter quickly and fairly so that it wouldn¡¯t spiral out of control. Their attitude as the head of their own respective factions played a significant role in preventing any rebellion or big fight from happening despite them effectively splitting the power structure in the Empire into two. That was why... Their current confrontation was a very unusual situation. ¡°...¡± A terrifying silence filled up the room. Even the highly competent bodyguards, who were present because this was essentially the gathering of two high-ranking state guests, gulped dryly at the tension. The source of this tense atmosphere was probably Chancellor Sullivan, who was sitting in the center, not even bothering to hide her hostility. Her eyes, which had been closed for a while, were slowly opened. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, why did you do that?¡± Her voice was so sharp that it felt as if it could cut through the flesh of the listeners. One of the people around, feeling the pressure emanating from her, couldn¡¯t help but gulp dryly. ¡°I heard that you ordered the Sword Saint to create a Nullifying Shroud.¡± Cecilia the 11th quietly looked at her over the veil hanging around her. Sullivan also looked at her over the veil with a cold stare. Her hostility was clear as she seemed ready to start a fight. Just when everyone in the surroundings thought that the tension-filled silence was going to last longer... ¡°Though the Nullifying Shroud looks omnipotent at a glance,it isn¡¯t a complicated skill to counter.¡± A clear voice, as clear as a glass, without any hint of emotion. ¡°...¡± In that instant, Chancellor Sullivan furrowed her brows. Her eyes turned to the giant who uttered such words. The Empress'' Personal Guard. A huge sword strapped to his back. The middle-aged man exuded gentlemanly elegance from every inch of his body¡ªcontrasting his massive build, two to three heads taller than adult men. Radu Alexander Varphon. The Sword Saint of the current era. He was the most powerful combatant the Empire had. Even Duke Tristan and Margrave Kendride were inferior to him. His prowess was known even outside the Empire, as one of the strongest even among individuals who had gained the title of a Saint, the powerhouses who were regarded as people who had reached the pinnacle of their respective fields. In the current time when the Fist Saint had lost most of her power due to her limbs getting cut off, it was safe to say that no humans were comparable to him, unless they were at the level of the Master of the Magic Tower or the Pope. ¡°...I am not asking you, Sir Radu.¡± Though the Chancellor responded with a subdued voice, there was no hesitation in his next reply. ¡°They only need to walk out of the range of effect. Nothing is preventing them from doing so.¡± ¡°...¡± Of course she already knew that. This was the clear reason why despite it being a powerful piece of technology, it had never been used openly in actual battles. However... ¡°...As far as I know, they will be disqualified from the ordeal once they get out of the range of the effect. Are you sure you didn¡¯t purposely set it up this way?¡± ¡°Those who do not want to die will do it. Is there any problem with that?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If anything, it would be strange if the Hero title doesn¡¯t carry such weight. Other countries¡¯ higher-ups have acknowledged this as well.¡± The Sword Saint calmly said while letting out a gentle smile. ¡°...But this is still too harsh for the participants. They¡¯re literally risking their life to face such a¡ª¡± ¡°Chancellor Sullivan.¡± The Sword Saint cut her off with a soft voice. ¡°You are being very emotional. That¡¯s so uncharacteristic of you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Indeed, in regards to how humane this method is, I admit that it¡¯s flawed, but in regards to how suitable it is for the ordeal, it¡¯s beyond impeccable. In the first place, if this method was considered problematic, the other countries¡¯ higher-ups would have prevented it from happening.¡± ¡°...¡± Obviously, Her words lacked any persuasive power. Not only that, she was also getting too emotional over it, not befitting her reputation as the ¡®Iron-Blooded Chancellor¡¯. However, ...That man definitely. Would risk his life to give the person called Iliya Krisanax the Hero title. That was what he had always done. From the outside, he looked like a trashy playboy, but when one got to know him better, they¡¯d notice how dedicated he was to people around him. His devotion was so intense that one might find it stupid. In her memory of the past, he was also like that. ¡°...¡± Sullivan clenched her fists under the table. She hated how he was thrown into unexpected ¡®variables¡¯. How his life was being threatened in situations that were beyond her expectations. Because what she could do in the ordeal became very limited. The Empress was chosen as the host of the ordeal, so she couldn¡¯t just intervene with it willy-nilly. ...I let my guard down. She didn¡¯t expect the Empress to dirty her hand directly like this. The Empress and that man had nothing to do with each other, so she should have no interest whatsoever with that man. In other words, she had the strength to destroy everything that he possessed if she willed it. And... If it was really the Brown Devil... The last master of the Six Thrones that ruled Pandemonium... The Brown Devil. The illegitimate child of Angels. The most lowly of the Devils... It was the one who had killed Dowd Campbell the most times ¡®in all the wordlines¡¯. ¡°...¡± Once again, she was reminded of that sight. When Dowd Campbell begged her to kill him. As the horrific scene flashed across her mind, the Chancellor lowered her face, Because she did not want to show the other person her pale face. ¡°...Sullivan? Are you okay?¡± Everything... Had ¡®happened¡¯ because of the Devil inside that woman. ¡°...¡± Sullivan barely managed to repress the killing intent that was about to emerge from her expression. Right now. She really wanted to tear that woman apart. To kill her. Break her soul and scatter it everywhere. However... It was not the time. Not yet. Based on the sign, it would take quite a long time before the first Fragment would be awakened. Devil Fragments were sensitive to the Vessel¡¯s mental state, so there was no need for her to provoke it and awaken it early. Since the Devils were immortal, it was impossible to kill them in the first place. If anything, the one thing she should do first was to ¡®delay¡¯ that awakening as much as possible. ¡°...Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. I am okay.¡± Sullivan calmly answered, without letting out any expression. Various plans, countermeasures, and schemes ran through her head. But she didn¡¯t need to show that in her face. Only idiots would ever reveal their true intentions to someone who¡¯d later become their ¡®enemy¡¯ after all. However... ¡°...But, Your Imperial Majesty. If you did it knowing I am coveting him, you need to take responsibility.¡± She thought that it would be fine if she were to express this much displeasure. ¡°Responsibility?¡± ¡°If that man gets hurt even a bit,¡± Sullivan¡¯s golden eyes shone. ¡°You will have to pay the price, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± ¡°...¡± As a Chancellor, saying those words to the Empress was beyond mutiny. But no one in the room stepped in to stop her. Because they were excellent enough to read the room. They clearly realized that those two were people who had ¡®bisected¡¯ the Empire into two. In other words... If anyone recklessly stepped in and worsened the situation... Chances were, a huge disaster that could mess up the entire continent would happen. That was how important the positions those two women possessed. The wisest thing for them to do was act as if they didn¡¯t exist. As long as neither of them got violent, they wouldn¡¯t move. ...Who the hell is that punk called Dowd Campbell...?! Though, they were cursing under their breath that these women created such an atmosphere because of a man. ¡°...I¡¯ve told you, haven''t I? You do not have to worry.¡± As the people around them were sweating profusely due to the tension... The Empress only waved her hand while letting out a bitter smile. Seeing her gesture, one of the servants who was waiting nearby quickly came with a crystal ball. ¡°This is the screen that shows the location of the ordeal. From now on, I will be observing the ordeal through this. If that man gets into any kind of danger, I will dispatch Radu immediately.¡± The Empress said so while making another hand gesture. While bowing their head, the servant activated the crystal ball. Soon after, a real-time video was transmitted inside. And on the screen... ¡°Kill me gently, you bastards¡ª!¡± In the middle of where the Nullifying Shroud was set up. Where every kind of ability was nullified. Dowd Campbell could be seen, rushing into a group of large Demonic Creatures with his bare body. Yes. Bare body. He took off all his clothes, only wearing his underwear. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone fell into silence. Nobody could say a word. Not a single /genesisforsaken Chapter 184: Second Ordeal (6) Chapter 184: Second Ordeal (6) Pack, was known as a large Demonic Creature, but it actually couldn¡¯t be considered as that in terms of size. Of course, those wolves were still as big as a family house, but considering how most of the large Demonic Creatures I had encountered so far seemed like they would be able to undertake a siege whenever a couple of them gathered, it felt like a reach to put Pack in the same category as them. Still, these punks were categorized as such for a reason. Because they always worked in groups, their combat power was beyond that of medium-sized Demonic Creatures. They were natural hunters, perfectly fitting with their wolf-like appearance. Their claws could easily tear up even hard steel. They were swift and durable enough to chase their pursuers until hell froze over. Not only that, they had a strong sense of smell that could easily locate their hiding prey. To fight against these things while my abilities were fucked over by the Nullifying Shroud wouldn¡¯t be easy. ¡°Kill me gently¡ª!!¡± Not to mention that I... Was rushing into them naked. To those Demonic Creatures whose staple food was human blood and flesh, I probably looked like a well-butchered meat served directly into their mouths. ¡°...?¡± Because of the absurd situation, their eyes went blank for a moment, but they still ultimately followed their instinct. System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected ] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX-Grade. ]Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com Not long after, they showed their aggression. One of them, with yellowish saliva dripping out of its mouth, immediately charged at me. Wearing a fierce look, it swung its front paw at me with a strong enough force that could smash rocks to pieces. -! -!! Alright. As I was smacked by its front paw and flew into the air, I let out a sigh of relief. Half of my plan was completed the moment these fuckers were completely focused on me. The worst case scenario here would be if they completely ignored me and ran toward the others. In that case, I¡¯d need to retreat immediately or die after failing to. This might sound strange, but, thank God I charged at their asses after taking off all my clothes. If I was an ordinary person, I¡¯d be split in two as soon as they hit me, but thanks to Desperation, my durability was increased significantly. [ Mastery Info ] Mastery: Iron Man èFÈË Grade: Common Proficiency: 0% Description: Warriors of the Tribal Alliance repeatedly put themselves in extreme situations in order to constantly train their ability to react to such situations. It is very risky, but effective. [ ¡ö Endurance to various injuries and pain is increased. Reduces the intensity of pain and allows for easier movement even when severely injured. ] [ ¡ö Recovery becomes much better than when in a normal state. ] [ ¡ö In cases of fatal injuries, sensation of pain are blocked, increasing survival chances. ] [ ¡ö Effects are proportional to the Endurance stat. ] System Message [ Fatal injury detected. ] [ ¡®Mastery: Iron Man¡¯ blocks the sensation of pain. ] And there was also this Mastery. Like I said, at the moment, Desperation enhanced my durability. Unlike the others, Desperation and Mastery wasn¡¯t considered as Special Power. In other words, though I couldn¡¯t use Law or Divine Power, I could still fight with my physical power. ¡°...Hmph!¡± Also, all I needed to do was to hold on for as long as I could. While deflecting the wolf¡¯s attempt to strike again with its front paws, I took its attacks as ¡®gently¡¯ as possible. If I continued to hold out for a long while like this, other Demonic Creatures would likely join one by one to help their comrade who seemed to be struggling alone. And that was precisely what I was aiming for. So that a bunch of them come at me all at once. [...So, why are you doing this, again?] No time to explain. Later! [Is there even a way to survive in the first place?!] ¡°...¡± Come to think of it, this person also had a side where what he said differed from how he actually felt. On the outside, he might have seemed like he was criticizing me, but he was actually worried about me inside. Of course there is. I believed in this world. Well, to be more precise, I believed in this world that was built upon the foundation of the game system that was Savior Rising. Because both this world and the game always used the same ¡®rules¡¯, at least in the weird parts. That was why... My plan was going to work. As I thought so, I looked at the Pack who was coming at me. ¡°...¡± The longer I held on, the less parts of my body that retained its senses. System Message Because it wouldn¡¯t be cool. [...You crazy motherfucker...] ¡°...¡± [I swear you¡¯re the only motherfucker in this entire continent who¡¯d risk his own life to make someone look cool. Seriously, are you actually just suicidal?] ¡°...¡± [The worst thing is that you wouldn''t even make her stand out that much. You¡¯d gather all the attention, you crazy motherfucker.] Wait a fat moment. How the fuck would it even work out like that? As I was flustered by what Caliban said, Iliya, Talion, and even Faenol who were in front of me, looked at me in shock. ¡°...¡± Why are you guys looking at me like that? We succeeded, so it¡¯s all good, isn¡¯t it? ¡°Y-You know, last time I did this, I found out that...¡± I blurted out, forcing a smile to liven up the bizarrely dark atmosphere. ¡°It was okay to be dead for 10 seconds in a state of cardiac arrest.¡± This was something that I experienced a few times in the game. I learned that it could also be applied here when I was split into two by Yuria. Apparently, even though my HP dropped to 0, I could come back to life as long as I could breathe before I died for real. Since I survived this time, that rule had been proven once again. ¡°...So,¡± Iliya said with a groan. ¡°Are you saying that it is A-OK as long as you don¡¯t die? Even if you end up being no different from a corpse? What if, by a one in a thousand chance, something goes wrong?¡± ¡°Why would I even think of failure? It¡¯s something involving you, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± I put a thumb up while grinning. ¡°Even if I die, I¡¯ll make it a success.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing me saying it as if it was a natural thing to say, Iliya grabbed her own head. She looked like she was agonizing, not knowing where to start. ¡°...Excuse me, Teach.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°We have talked about how you used Lana like an object before, have we not?¡± ¡°...Yeah, we have?¡± She approached me, who was staring at her confused, and held my shoulders. ¡°Sorry for what I said back then.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Your humanity hasn¡¯t been worn away. You¡¯re just a true lunatic who thinks that anyone who is capable enough could be used as an object like that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you are someone who believes that can somehow work and even willingly put yourself in such a situation, it¡¯s reasonable to think that you would use others the same way. After all, if you can do it, why can¡¯t they? I guess it does at least seem fair.¡± ¡°...¡± I unconsciously stepped backwards in response to Iliya¡¯s paradoxically murmured shouts. Her eyes looked lifeless. I felt chills run down my spine as I watched her firing off such words with blank eyes. ¡°...U-Um, f-first, why don¡¯t you calm down?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Teach. Have a seat.¡± ¡°...Why?¡± ¡°Because I need to knock some sense into you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You need to realize how important you are to others, Teach. So, you need to fix that habit of yours, the one where you kept on saying things that put fire to people¡¯s hearts. It makes me feel good, but hearing it at this moment is making me frustrated!¡± ¡°...¡± Was that a compliment? ¡°Listen carefully. I¡¯ll fix you.¡± ¡°...¡± It did not seem so. This was the first time I saw her speaking harshly to me like this. Uh, could it be...? I was being scolded by her? [You are.] ¡°...¡± [And hell yes, you deserve it. Actually, no, you shouldn¡¯t just get scolded, she needs to make you shed tears until you¡¯re on the verge of death.] Seeing them like this, I could see why they were siblings. Because by the time Iliya stopped her nagging, I really was almost on the verge of /genesisforsaken Chapter 185: The Empress Edict (1) Chapter 185: The Empress'' Edict (1) ¡°...You didn¡¯t have to go that far and say all that.¡± Dowd sniveled as he said that. Seeing his reaction, Iliya finally let out a deep sigh. After hounding him for a while, she felt better than before. ¡°So don¡¯t do something like that ever again. Got it?¡± ¡°...Got it.¡± Only after obtaining his affirmation did she back off while letting out a sigh of relief. It was the first time she had ever hounded on someone this harshly, but then again, he totally deserved it. ...But still, how could he do that? She already knew that he wasn¡¯t someone who cared much about his own well-being. Oftentimes, even she felt that it was too much. So much so that she felt like the extent of his ¡®change¡¯ was far faster than she expected. As she thought so, Faenol, who had her hands behind her back, approached Dowd with quick steps. ¡°It seems you got scolded pretty hard back there, Mr. Dowd.¡± ¡°...Shut it.¡± On her face was a playful smile that completely matched her teasing words. Iliya could sense that she seemed very relieved, though. ¡°...¡± Thinking back, Iliya realized that when Dowd was practically trying to off himself back then, she was panicking even more than Iliya was. -We need to help him right now! -Wait, Teach told us to wait...! -But, at this rate, that man might die¡ª!! The way Faenol cried out such words were still clear in her memory. Since the woman almost never expressed her emotions in the first place, the sight left a strong impression on her mind. Faenol was someone who always seemed to put on a facade, as if she never meant the words she said while always masking her expression. But back then, Iliya could tell that her feelings were genuine. ¡°...¡± Iliya remembered that scene once again. The red flame Faenol used to sweep away the Demonic Creatures was quite the remarkable one. It seemed like she was in such a rush that it gave Iliya the impression that she was ¡®pushing herself to use¡¯ something she wouldn¡¯t normally use in front of others. Except there was a problem with that. The flame specifically... Iliya could have sworn that she had seen the flame with that color somewhere. ...It was red. Memories of that day, she couldn¡¯t forget them even if she wanted to. A pillar of flame, setting the black night sky red, as if the whole universe was burning, flashed through her mind. Her father, mother, friends. On that day, everything was burnt to ashes. The Crimson Night Incident. That was the day when the Red Devil took those she hold dear away from her. ¡°...Iliya? What¡¯s wrong?¡± As she was drowning on such memories, Talion, who was nearby, asked her in confusion. Perhaps he could tell with a glance that Iliya¡¯s face had turned unusually pale. ¡°...N-Nothing.¡± She forced the word out, letting out her usual smile. Of course, inside, she was thinking of the accursed being¡¯s name. ...The Red Devil. She didn¡¯t really have an interest in Devils in general. But the Red Devil was different. After all, it was an accursed being who had turned her past into ashes. ¡°...¡± And, even though she wasn¡¯t sure... The person in front of her, Faenol Lipek, had a scent that resembled that being strongly. While she couldn¡¯t detect it even while she was using her ¡®Eye of Truth¡¯... ¡°...¡± She kept staring at her quietly. Her gaze was filled with suspicion. Last night was a total disaster. Her head was dizzy from all the screams echoing around her and the scent of blood that permeated the forest all day long. She heard that the majority of people were fatally injured while trying to hold on until the end with only their bravado. They didn¡¯t end up dying, but they¡¯d have to deal with the PTSD for the rest of their lives. Well, for her, Lana Rei Delvium, all of that didn¡¯t matter at all. Aftereffects or whatever, everything was just words to her, nothing more, nothing less. Even though her clothes were in tatters because of the wolves that were biting her wildly, she couldn¡¯t care less about anything else. She was so sure that no one could have scored higher than her when it came to ¡®surviving as long as possible¡¯. No one, except for this one guy in particular. ¡°...Hmmm.¡± Lana looked around while stroking her chin. There were dead bodies of the Demonic Creatures that Dowd and his colleagues had struggled to carry piled up nearby. ¡°...Uh, Your Excellency?¡± As if waiting for me, the Golden Chancellor, leaning against the wall, slowly looked up. I looked around. There were no entourages or bodyguards in sight. She was all alone. ¡°Congratulations on your outstanding achievements in the ordeal. You are amazing, Dowd.¡± ¡°...Thank you.¡± Well, getting the congratulations from her was good and all. But there was no way the most powerful person in the Empire would visit me alone, without bringing any guards, just to congratulate me. ¡°The Last Ordeal will be held next week, so I¡¯m here to deliver something to you before it starts.¡± Sullivan said as she stepped closer to me. She took out a letter and handed it over to me. ¡°-This is an invitation from the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± ¡°Cecilia the 11th has requested to have a private meeting with you.¡± I looked at the letter the Chancellor was holding out while listening to the words that she said while gritting her teeth. A dark brown seal engraved with the Imperial Household¡¯s logo was stamped on the outer cover of the letter. ...What? The Empress? Cecilia the 11th? Why would she? ¡°...¡± I knew that she was interested in me somehow, but for her to directly summon me to the Imperial Palace through an ¡®Empress¡¯ Edict¡¯ was a whole different matter entirely. This was none other than the Empress¡¯ command. I could end up hanging on the gallows if I refused it. ...But, like, why? I started racking my confused brain. Why would she want to see me in such a hurry? Honestly, I wasn¡¯t very interested in meeting with her at the moment. Cecilia the 11th. She was someone who had the most influence on Eleanor¡¯s corruption, along with Gideon. Considering Eleanor¡¯s corruption occurred at the point when her own mental state collapsed, I could tell easily that this person didn¡¯t have a positive psychological impact on her. ¡°Dowd.¡± As I fell into deep thoughts, Sullivan called me quietly. ¡°...You can refuse if you want to.¡± As soon as I heard that... I turned my gaze at her. Surely I heard it wrong, right? ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll protect you with all my might. By any means necessary.¡± That was when I realized... The reason why Sullivan had come to deliver this letter on her own despite it coming from the Imperial Household. This person... Wished to say that to me privately. ¡°...¡± I looked at her with a dumbfounded expression. Seriously, was she for real? Did she really say that I could just ignore the ¡®Empress¡¯ Edict¡¯? Given the level of compelling power it held politically... It was terrifying to hear the person who held half the power over the entire Empire said that. After all, ¡®refusing¡¯ to follow the Empress¡¯ Edict meant that she wasn¡¯t acknowledging the Empress¡¯ dominion. In other words... This person... Had just said... That she would put the Empire, no, the entire continent, into a fiery pit of chaos for me. Just for me. It didn¡¯t matter if dozens, hundreds, thousands or ten thousands of people died. She¡¯d take all the responsibilities for it. ¡°...¡± Understanding the depths of her words, I looked at her. My whole body stiffened. Sullivan continued her words, her gaze was firm. It was as if... ¡°...Something might happen to you, Dowd.¡± She was confident that she could bear that much burden compared to what she was ¡®expecting to happen¡¯. ¡°Please.¡± And from her words, I knew... ¡°Please do not leave my side this time.¡± That she was pleading /genesisforsaken Chapter 186: The Empress Edict (2) Chapter 186: The Empress'' Edict (2) After I returned to my room, I looked at the letter Sullivan delivered to me with narrowed eyes. Looking back... In Sera¡¯s original story, despite Iliya being one of the chief executives of the Empire, which was the nation she was most deeply involved with, she rarely had the opportunity to step into the Imperial Palace. Mostly because the Empress herself was more deeply connected to Eleanor than Iliya, also the way she appeared in the main story wasn¡¯t particularly pleasant. I had mentioned this a few times before, but the Empress held the most significant role in causing Eleanor¡¯s mental breakdown in the main scenario. That was why... Cecilia the 11th could be considered as Eleanor¡¯s enemy. Because in the game, the Chancellor was the villain for Iliya, meanwhile it was Cecilia the 11th who had sent Eleanor on that express train to hell. ¡°...Why did she summon me at this timing, though?¡± I mumbled while lying on the bed. The letter stated that she was summoning me to the Imperial Palace to congratulate me on my exceptional achievements during the Hero Selection Ordeal. Just the content is already strange. She shoulda called Iliya instead of me. The event was called ¡®Hero Selection¡¯, so the focus should have been on the Hero Candidate not on the entourage who was nothing more than an assistant. But, the Empress mentioned me by name in the letter, which meant that it was me who she had a business with. Basically telling me to be obedient and not consider running away. ¡°...¡± What was she up to? It was strange enough that she was interested in me in the first place and now she summoned me before the Last Ordeal started? I could understand why the Chancellor tried to stop me, as something might just happen to me. But still... [Are you going?] ¡°...I have to.¡± Because something worse might happen if I didn¡¯t. Sullivan begged me to not go while gritting her teeth, but it was still better for me to walk into the enemy¡¯s camp¡ªeven if I had an ominous premonition about it¡ªthan to cause a civil war or something along that line. ¡°Caliban.¡± [Hm.] ¡°...What kind of threats do I need to expect?¡± Caliban went silent for a moment before bursting out laughing. [Did you really just ask about what lies inside the Imperial Palace to an Imperial Guard who had pledged his allegiance to Her Imperial Majesty the Empress?] Hearing that, I also let out a chuckle. Yeah, technically speaking, he was right. The Guardians belonged to the Imperial Guards, technically. But... ¡°It''s an abode of demons inside, after all.¡± He really was the perfect person to ask for this. Because he would have known the evil behind the Imperial Palace the best, given he was the one who was closest to it. I had mentioned this a few times before, but in terms of power, the Empire was the most powerful among the Three Superpowers. Like, there was a reason why the Empire was the main camp for Sera¡¯s MC. Despite that, there was a reason why the three countries were evenly balanced. ...Because its leader is a fucking mess. Setting aside the Pope¡¯s morality, at the very least, the Holy Land was stable due to him ruling it with an iron fist. The Empire, on the other hand, though its leader supposedly held the majority of the authority, its affair was the most chaotic among the three and it was practically on its way to destruction. Amazing balance, I gotta say. [...The problem is the Major Nobles who are at the Upper-Grade. Duke Tristan and Margrave Kendride are decent people, but don¡¯t even think to involve yourself with the others. Hell, don¡¯t even try to meet them. They¡¯re like a bunch of venomous snakes.] That confirmed what was in my mind. As I listened to him while letting out an inward sigh, he continued. [Her Imperial Majesty herself is... A nice person. She¡¯s gentle, for one. Some people think she¡¯s weak, but that¡¯s only because they¡¯re starving demons who could only be satiated by bringing other people down.] Caliban continued calmly. [However, there¡¯s one thing that she would jump into no matter what the cost.] ¡°...I think I know what it is.¡± This was something every citizen in the Empire would have heard at least once. Well, no one would talk about it out in the open, but everyone knew about the terrifying curse that afflicted the Imperial Household, who called themselves the ¡®Descendants of Dragon.¡¯ [She¡¯d do anything to survive. The reason why she¡¯s interested in you is probably related to that.] ¡°...¡± I already knew what he was trying to say. Dragonblood. More specifically, the curse derived from it. It was similar, yet different from the Curse of Severance that was eating Yuria¡¯s body. In Yuria¡¯s case, her lifespan was reduced because she touched the Severer, a cursed object. Meanwhile, with Empress, it was because her human body could not tolerate the ¡®Dragon¡¯s blood flowing in her whole body. Because the Dragon, known as the purest Mana Lifeform, was one of the most powerful species in Sera. The Dragon Emperor, the one who stood at the pinnacle of the species, could be compared to a Vessel holding three Fragments¡ª [...Looking at it that way, it feels like the Devils aren¡¯t so strong, are they?] ¡°Sorry?¡± [I mean, you know, there are too many things that are comparable to them. Like, the Cursed Speech User, the other day. Then, there¡¯s also this Dragon Emperor fucker or whatnot. Seriously, why are there so many beings that can match them?] I let out a bitter smile at his words. ¡°...You can think of it like that, but...¡± I shifted my gaze outside the window. Since my private room was on a pretty high floor, the Void Zone, beyond the barrier set by the Seraphim, was visible from here. ¡°The Vessels and the Fragments serve to gather the Devil¡¯s ¡®power¡¯ together in one place. They aren¡¯t the Devils ¡®themselves¡¯.¡± [What?} Her smile grew bigger and there was a slight blush in her cheeks. ¡°¡ªThat I am more dependable than Lady Tristan?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Of course I am, right? You think so, right? I am way more reliable than that young whelp, right?¡± I never said that, though. Please, stop saying things that could make Eleanor split me in half if she were to find out about this... As I forced myself to smile while breaking out in a cold sweat, the carriage gradually slowed down. I guess we had arrived at the Imperial Palace. ¡°...Haa.¡± I got off the carriage with a sigh. There was a magnificent building right before my eyes. I couldn¡¯t see the top of it even if I bent my neck back the best that I could. ¡°...¡± I was overwhelmed. While I could still remember the buildings made of concrete and steel that I had seen before, this was the first time I¡¯ve seen such a massive, opulent, and majestic building. ...And they built all this for one person. Of course, it was symbolic as an official residence with the country''s prestige at stake. However, it was widely known that the main purpose of the building was to be ¡®the Empress'' house¡¯. And next to me stood someone with the same level of power as this house''s owner. Now once again I could feel it in my skin how enormous the power both the Empress and the Chancellor had. They lived in a completely different world from me, whether in this or previous life. At the end of the day, I was a son from a Baron¡ª ¡°...¡± Ah, right. It was a Viscount Household now. ...By the way, is my father doing well? I handed the viscounty I had received to my father and had not paid interest on it since. You know, maybe I should go there to check on its condition during the vacation. ¡°Are you Dowd from Campbell Viscount Household?¡± Suddenly, when I was looking around after getting off the carriage, someone called out to me. I turned my head. There was a man, resembling a giant bear, looking down at me. Behind his back was a massive sword that was as tall as him. He had an unforgettable appearance. Radu Alexander Varphon. He was the current Sword Saint. ¡°...¡± What the fuck? This person, in terms of physical power, was one of the strongest people in this entire continent. And you were telling me that this kind of person came out to greet someone like me? A mere student from a Viscount Household? ¡°...What brings you here, Sir Radu?¡± Sullivan asked with a stiff voice after seeing him. ¡°I am here as an escort, Chancellor Sullivan. Her Imperial Majesty personally commanded me to do so.¡± ¡°...¡± Sullivan narrowed the corners of her eyes. Seeing how she was even frowning, she seemed to be in a bad mood. ¡°...This is the first time that this man ever came here. He is tired from the journey, so let¡¯s reschedule the matter for tomorrow.¡± ¡°...¡± Actually, nope. It only took us two hours to get there since we used the Teleportation Transference Stone first to get all the way here. Sullivan growled in his face, as if telling him to not mess with us, but the Sword Saint didn¡¯t even bat an eye as he continued his words in a gentle tone. ¡°However, Her Imperial Majesty wishes to see this man right now. We can consider it as an Empress¡¯ order.¡± ¡°...¡± Sullivan¡¯s frown grew deeper. Seeing how insistent he was seemed to throw her in a worse mood. ¡°...It¡¯s already evening. Even considering that it is the Imperial Household, it¡¯s still not polite to call in guests at this time. It¡¯s common sense to provide the guests a place to sleep and let them rest¡ª¡± This time, her voice had practically turned into a growl. It was as if she was telling him ¡®Stop playing tricks and get lost already¡¯. But, he still replied in a calm tone. ¡°You do not need to worry about that.¡± Hell, he didn¡¯t even sound bothered at all. Even though his tone didn¡¯t fit what came out of his mouth next. ¡°We can just let him sleep in Her Imperial Majesty¡¯s bedroom tonight.¡± ¡°...¡± Sorry? Uh, Wh- What? ¡°...W-Where, you said?¡± ¡°Bedroom. The place with a bed to sleep.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Her Imperial Majesty wants to spend the night with you, Dowd Campbell.¡± Sullivan¡¯s mouth opened wide. And so did mine. ¡°...¡± Shit. Dude, I just got here. What the /genesisforsaken Chapter 187: The Empress Edict (3) Chapter 187: The Empress'' Edict (3) People who were like water and oil always existed in the world. Those people who¡¯d go ¡®I¡¯d never get along with this person¡¯ the moment they met each other and it went on ever since. And there was a very high chance that Iliya and Eleanor felt that way when they looked at each other. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Sickening, as expected. Inside the shaky carriage, both Iliya and Eleanor thought so almost at the exact same time. Technically, they could get along well with each other if they wanted to. After all, they had quite a lot in common. Both of them grew up wielding swords from an early age, so they were both really interested in swordsmanship and physical training in general. They also had difficulties making many friends because they were in positions where their peers would look up to them. The problem was in one of the things they had in common. The fact that these two liked ¡®the same man¡¯, a definite deal breaker for sure. ...I¡¯m fine with Riru, but this person is kind of... Unlike Riru, who she came to know as they had grown so close, Iliya¡¯s dislike towards the Tristan Duchy had not subsided. It was the kind of dislike that was deep enough to get two close friends on bad terms, so considering that they had never been on good terms with each other in the first place, there was no way that she could look at Eleanor favorably at all. ¡°...So.¡± Unable to withstand the silence that had gone on for a while, Iliya finally broke it. ¡°Why are we going to the Imperial Palace so suddenly?¡± She had no problem with this arrangement. As the adopted daughter of Margrave Kendride, one of the very few Major Nobles in the Empire, visiting the Imperial Palace was like an annual event for her. Eleanor, the Lady Tristan herself, would feel the same way as her in this case. The problem was, even with that thing considered, the Imperial Palace was obviously not a place she could go visit thoughtlessly as if going on a picnic. Even Margrave Kendride, who normally acted like a wild beast, would act all obedient and courteous in the Imperial palace, to her surprise. - This place is an arena of competition for starving demons, Iliya. That warning he indoctrinated her with, decorated by the edge to his voice, was still fresh in her memory. - Don¡¯t ever do anything that can be held against you. Never. Hell, don¡¯t even think to stand out. ¡°...¡± Even one of the most prestigious Major Nobles in the Empire said so.?iscover new chapters on So, there was no need to elaborate further about the scope of the danger that was lurking inside. ¡°Well, you have probably guessed the reason already.¡± As Iliya was lost in thoughts, Eleanor answered in a calm voice. ¡°Because I heard Dowd entered that place.¡± ¡°...¡± Yes, Iliya guessed that. Because nine out of ten times, whenever Eleanor was unusually driven, that man was involved in it somehow. ¡°...No wonder he suddenly disappeared.¡± After the Second Ordeal was over, Iliya had gone to his room in the evening, bringing a bottle of alcohol to hold a celebration party together with him. She remembered how taken aback she was because she didn¡¯t find him there. But then, the inside story of how he was suddenly summoned to the Imperial Palace was- ¡°No, wait.¡± Eleanor cut her off, her eyes narrowed. ¡°...You went to his room alone with a bottle of alcohol in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Did you really go there under the intention of throwing a celebration party with him?¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya avoided Eleanor¡¯s eyes while scratching her blushing cheek. While forcing out a friendly smile, she spitted out a response. ¡°...Aren¡¯t you the one having weird thoughts, President? I really just wanted to throw a celebration party, nothing more.¡± ¡°...¡± Sadly for her, that excuse didn¡¯t seem to work. Eleanor was still sending her a very cold gaze. So, she opted to change the subject, then again that was her only option in this situation. ¡°S-So, Student Council President! D-Do you know why Teach was summoned to the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°...¡± Fortunately for her, Eleanor seemed to have decided to let it slide this time. It must be the case since she actually turned her glaring gaze away while sighing. ¡°...I do not know. All I have heard is that Her Imperial Majesty has personally named that man.¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya let out a frown. The Empress personally named him? Why the hell? ¡°...I do not know the reason either. Her Imperial Majesty must have her own reasons, therefore, I am not so worried about that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The problem is those accursed Upper Nobles.¡± Iliya chuckled, quietly agreeing. It was the first time she had ever seen Eleanor openly curse on something like that, but those people deserved it. Both the Duke and Margrave, who were Major Nobles, boasted great authority¡ªthey shared 30% to 40% stake in the politics. However, the ones who occupied the political scene of the Empire were the old noble households who were represented by the ¡®Upper Nobles¡¯. They were the five prestigious families who were right below the Major Nobles. The group of people who only thought of increasing their source of profit by clinging to both the Empress¡¯ and the Chancellor¡¯s sides. To quote Margrave Kendride, they had the heart of a snake. ¡°So, there might be a situation where you and I have to work together.¡± Eleanor continued in a low, subdued voice. ¡°...Since Dowd would need to block possible attacks inside. But, it won¡¯t be hard on him if the Margrave Household and the Duchal Household join forces.¡± ¡°...¡± In a way, Eleanor seemed admirable in Iliya¡¯s eyes, at least in this situation. She must have not been so happy to work with Iliya, but as soon as Dowd was involved, she immediately threw away such personal feelings and even offered a cooperation like this. ¡°...Normally I would have just refused.¡± That was why... Iliya had to at least display sincerity that matched Eleanor¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°...I will help you just this time. Only because Teach is involved in this, though.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°But...¡± Iliya continued while grinning. Fuck, she looked so pretty. They had often described Cecilia the 11th as someone who possessed an ¡®inhuman¡¯ beauty, even among Sera main characters who were already extremely good-looking on average. The beautiful curves that made up her entire body. Skin fair enough that it resembled cut glass. Her body resembled a sculpture which seemed to have been made with one''s heart and soul. However, inside such a beautiful body... It was also noticeable how the blood vessels in her whole body were turning black with necrosis because of the ¡®Dragonblood¡¯ flowing in her veins. It looked as if black blood was flowing in her body. ¡°...¡± The Curse of Dragonblood. Seeing it in person, it actually looked horrible. Even the Curse of Severance that was eating Yuria¡¯s body was not this bad. ¡°Would you come closer? My eyesight isn¡¯t very good.¡± ¡°...Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± As I approached the bed, Cecilia the 11th reached out for my face... Slowly, as if she was trying to appreciate it. There was a dark look in her eyes as she groped my face all over. ¡°...So, this is¡ª¡± With a chuckle, she continued. ¡°¡ªThe face of the best heartthrob in Elfante. You look interesting.¡± ¡°...¡± Words that could stop my brain from working entered my ears. ¡°...Hm? What¡¯s with your reaction? Are you trying to deny it? From the brief period of time when I was keeping an eye on you, I lost count on how many women clung to you.¡± ¡°No, I am not.¡± This was the equivalent of me admitting with my own mouth that I was an unhinged playboy, but I had no choice, since the Empress said so. If she told me to speak frankly, I guess I had to. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so polite. Although, I understand your anxiety due to the vast difference in our status.¡± She said so while smiling playfully. ¡°I need to know your ¡®usual self¡¯, I¡¯d rather not see you acting all polite like this.¡± ¡°...My usual self?¡± ¡°Mhm. So that it would be easier for me to convince the others.¡± ¡°...¡± Convince? About what? As I thought so, the Empress continued with a sigh. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re pretty knowledgeable about international affairs, Dowd Campbell.¡± She continued again. ¡°What do you think about the Empire¡¯s situation right now?¡± ¡°...¡± Feigning ignorance would be meaningless since she had asked me to show her my usual self. But, that question wasn¡¯t one that I could answer straight away. Why was that? Because, if I have to be frank, the Empire is a fucking mess. Even though the Chancellor and the Empress were trying their best not to clash against each other, the nobles under them were busy choosing sides and starting gang fights. It was a strange situation when those who had higher social status were actually clean and possessed good common sense, while those with lower status were filthy rotten. ¡°...I can already tell what you¡¯re thinking about just by looking at your expression.¡± She said, letting out a bitter smile. ¡°Indeed, the Empire is in chaos right now. Sullivan and I are still working hard to prevent it from deteriorating and to keep maintaining the status quo, but nobody knows how long this fake peace would last.¡± The Empress looked down at her body with a bitter smile. ¡°Now, can you imagine...¡± Her body, which was being eaten every hour, every minute by the Curse of Dragonblood. The weak body that seemed so close to death. ¡°How big of a chaos would erupt if the throne was empty?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Truth to be told, I don¡¯t know how much longer will I be able to hold on with this body.¡± ¡°...¡± The Empress said to me, who kept my silence. ¡°That¡¯s why I need you.¡± ¡°M-Me?¡± ¡°Mhm. Seeing you gave me a little idea. There¡¯s a way for you to become a big help in solving this situation.¡± The Empress continued in a voice with dignity. ¡°Under normal circumstances, I should be summoning Iliya Krisanax, the Hero Candidate... However, there¡¯s a good reason why she isn¡¯t qualified to handle this matter.¡± ¡°...She isn¡¯t qualified?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she a woman?¡± ¡°...¡± I had an ominous feeling. I could feel it through my spine. So, this person was a ¡®Devil¡¯s Vessel,¡¯ she stated that a ¡®woman¡¯ wasn¡¯t qualified to help her and the matter had something to do with me, a ¡®man¡¯... From my experience, I couldn¡¯t sense that anything good would come out of this. ¡°Dowd Campbell.¡± The Empress continued with a grin. ¡°Are you willing to be my consort for just a month?¡± ¡°...¡± Wait. Hold up. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty.¡± I had to squeeze out my vocal cords just to say those words. ¡°...Can you elaborate?¡± ¡°To put it simply, be my husband for a month.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is that still hard to understand? So, you will live together as my partner for a month¡ª¡± Miss. Explain the reason why you¡¯re doing /genesisforsaken Chapter 188: The Empress Edict (4) Chapter 188: The Empress'' Edict (4) Fortunately, Her Imperial Majesty wasn¡¯t someone without sympathy. I could tell because she bothered to elaborate, even though she was giggling at me, who was clearly intimidated by her. ¡°It¡¯s understandable that you¡¯d be confused to suddenly hear me saying the word consort.¡± She said as she affectionately stroked the back of my hand. Her gaze suggested that she found me, who was flinching and flustering, cute. ...This is different from the game. Did this person have such a playful personality? In the original game, Cecilia the 11th never really came to the spotlight. She only occasionally appeared to interact with Eleanor. That was why I could only remember her being all formal while carrying out her official duties. If anything, she left a strong impression that she¡¯d cause a lot of trouble throughout the main quest. ¡°...¡± Unlike Faenol, the boss of Chapter 4, Cecilia the 11th was pretty much set to die later on in the story. As for how she ended up dying, it was rather diverse. She could either die after failing to find the cure for the Curse of Dragonblood, lose in a power struggle and get incarcerated somewhere, or end up being executed. But, the worst out of them all was... ...The civil war and the ensuing coup d¡¯ e?tat. It was the national insurgency, a turmoil of war which happened because of the ¡®Upper Nobles Association¡¯, consisting of prestigious families except for Tristan Duchy and Margrave Kendride, as the key role. The event where Gideon and her ended up dying at the same time. This was also the worst quarter in the ¡®Empire''s Great Turmoil¡¯ scenario in Chapter 5. Pretty much an instant-death event that appeared if the player chose a few wrong options in the ¡®climax¡¯ at the end of Chapter 4. ¡°Let me ask you one thing.¡± As I was mulling over those thoughts, the Empress suddenly said those words. ¡°During the Second Ordeal of the Hero Selection, what were you thinking when you did what you did back then?¡± ¡°...Sorry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about how you casually put yourself in a near death state. You did such a thing without a hint of hesitation, without faltering even a little.¡± The Empress said with slightly sunken eyes. ¡°Think of this as a test from me, so please give me a serious answer. Why did you do such a thing?¡± ¡°...¡± She talked so seriously all of a sudden, so I involuntarily went quiet. Also, a test, huh? Who knew what would qualify as the right answer for her. But, if she wanted a straight and honest answer from me... ¡°Because that was for the best.¡± ¡°For the best?¡± ¡°Yes, since I¡¯d be the only one getting hurt. Besides, I have survived such situations countless times before.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I was confident about it, so I did it. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°...In other words¡ª¡± Cecilia the 11th let out a smile. ¡°You made a cool-headed judgment that you were the most appropriate ¡®tool¡¯ to solve that situation. And you have the courage to be certain that you can pull it off, even though that was the situation where your life was on the line.¡± She made it sound like it was the right answer. ¡°...I had thought you might be that kind of person. After observing you closely, you indeed come up with the most extraordinary and bold methods.¡± The Empress continued with a sigh. ¡°Someone like you, is the one I need.¡± ¡°...Someone like¡ª¡± ¡°Dowd Campbell, I¡¯m going on a hunt.¡± She continued in a calm voice. ¡°...As you must¡¯ve guessed, the Empire is holding a large spark. The relationship between Sullivan and I is somewhat amicable, but I often heard that the Upper Nobles Association¡¯s movement is unusual.¡± ...As I thought. Considering how Chapter 5 would progress later, now would be around the time when those guys would be conspiring something. ¡°If an insurgency were to happen in this situation... Calling it a disaster is an understatement. Especially when we¡¯re pretty much certain that the Pope of the Holy Land is also planning something big.¡± ¡°...¡± That was a really sound concern. As she said, the Empire¡¯s Great Turmoil that happened in Chapter 5 would immediately lead to the main quest of Chapter 6 in the Holy Land. In other words... What this person wanted to say was... ¡°I want to prevent that from happening by ¡®using¡¯ you.¡± So she said. ¡°I cannot tell you my plan in detail, but... I feel like you will be able to pull it off. I have a hunch that you would be able to help me get a chance to crack down on the Upper Nobles Association with one fell swoop.¡± ¡°...How...exactly did you expect me to do that?¡± ¡°You just need to do what you¡¯re best at.¡± Letting out a gentle smile, the Empress continued. ¡°Please, survive.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Your role is to be the bait. This is why I am conferring you the status of consort.¡± Consort. In other words, the Empress¡¯ partner. The current Empress was neither married nor had any children. If I were to take the position of consort, I would be placed closest to the legitimate succession to the throne. Without any background, prelude or anything¡ªthe son of a Viscount Household, suddenly becoming the Empress¡¯ consort. For those who wanted to start a civil war because they were blinded by power, there wouldn¡¯t be any other target that ¡®stood out¡¯ more than me. There was no way to be sure, but I assumed that the Empress was planning to wipe out the Upper Nobles Association with this. ¡°A month will do. If things work out as planned, that will be the end of our relationship. I guarantee you.¡± The Empress spoke... In a calm manner. ¡°...Obviously, nothing will be more graceful if I command you to do this for free. You¡¯d be forced to risk your life, after all.¡± Seeing me staying silent, she added those words. ¡°I will grant you a reward that you¡¯d be satisfied with.¡± ¡°...Did you say... Reward?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There¡¯s no way you won¡¯t. I know you¡¯re planning to chew me until not even powder of my bones are left...! As I was looking at the two of them alternatively while breaking in a cold sweat, a different voice came from behind me. ¡°Would it not be faster for you to ask me that instead of him?¡± Everyone in the room turned to look at the person in panic. ¡°He is innocent, Eleanor, don¡¯t harass him. All he did was listen to me.¡± The voice came from none other than Her Imperial Majesty the Empress. She seemed to be waiting in front of the room while holding something similar to a staff. ¡°...¡± God... Why is she here? Considering the timing, she definitely followed me almost immediately after I left her room. ¡°...Your Imper...¡± Iliya¡¯s whole body stiffened with her mouth hanging open, meanwhile Eleanor barely managed to let out a response, flabbergasted. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty...?!¡± ¡°My, Eleanor. It has been a long time, hasn¡¯t it? Have you been well?¡± The Empress said. Well, to be exact, she said through a magically engineered ¡®speech synthesizer¡¯¡ªa device that reacted to the user¡¯s intention and let out the user¡¯s voice on their behalf. ¡°...¡± That was when I realized... This person... Had been using her ¡®real voice¡¯ when she talked with me... As if treating me like someone special. ¡°You too, Dowd. We just met, but nice to see you again.¡± As expected. Once again, she used her real voice to talk with me, not with the speech synthesizer. As if ignoring how weak and unstable her voice was. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya and Eleanor looked at me and the Empress alternately with horror in their eyes. Their gazes felt like they were asking me what kind of relationship I had with the Empress. ¡°Hm.¡± Meanwhile, the Empress casually walked into the room and perched on the sofa. Surprised, both Iliya and Eleanor got up from their seats at the same time. ¡°So.¡± Due to her body being unable to move comfortably, her movements were rather awkward, but the air around her was cheerful. She was definitely enjoying this. The atmosphere in the room continued on to be like this until she opened up her mouth again. ¡°What are you going to order me to do today, Dowd?¡± As soon as she said that, the atmosphere was shattered into pieces. ¡°...¡± A heavy silence permeated the room. Everyone just stared at the Empress in a daze. Everyone including me. ...What is she talking about? Didn¡¯t she say that she¡¯s letting me decide? That means she would be waiting for me to make my decision. But, why is she talking as if it¡¯s already confirmed that I¡¯ll be her consort and she¡¯ll be my ¡®property¡¯? ¡°Ah, don¡¯t get me wrong. What I said about it being up to you to decide is still valid.¡± Her Imperial Majesty the Empress said, as if reading my mind. ¡°However, I¡¯m afraid that you took my words as mere lip-service, so this is my way of giving you assurance. You may command me to do anything you want.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya¡¯s face, which seemed as if she couldn¡¯t turn even more surprised than before, immediately went pale. Actually, no, it just turned blue. As for Eleanor, she looked even worse. She struggled to open her mouth, as her complexion actually darkened. ¡°...What do you mean by command, Your Imperial Majesty, what, kind-¡± ¡°Well, I have made such a contract with that man, so...¡± ¡°Did you just say... Contract...?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± The Empress grinned as she continued. ¡°Think of it as a gift from me to him. Though, ultimately, he is the one who will make the decision.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He can command me anything, even if it¡¯s something erotic, I won¡¯t mind. I have heard for a long time that my body and face are fine.¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya almost seemed like she was choking on air. It wasn¡¯t any different with Eleanor. Me too, having to deal with my wobbly body due to the dizziness that overtook me. You¡¯re a fucking assassin, aren¡¯t you? The Prophet sent you to kill me, right? Is that what it is? That was the only plausible explanation why she would casually say such things to me. ¡°...¡± Iliya and Eleanor turned their gazes back at me. Their heads made squeaky movements, like an unoiled machine, as they did so, which made them look even more scary. ¡°...Explain.¡± ¡°...Quick.¡± Right after that. Two murderous voices came out of their mouths, one after another. ¡°...¡± Shit. I¡¯m /genesisforsaken Chapter 189: Social Gathering (1) Chapter 189: Social Gathering (1) ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Somehow, I managed to explain everything, but the awkward atmosphere didn¡¯t seem to subside at all. All of the people sitting around the table kept their mouths shut. Meanwhile, the Empress, who had elaborated on her plan of using me as her ¡®consort¡¯, was smoking with a pipe in her mouth. ...A pipe? I knew that Saintess Lucia also smoked sometimes, but unlike this person, she didn¡¯t let out such a thick smoke. Quite bold of her considering that she was someone bearing a rare curse in Sera. ¡°...Your Imperial Majesty, are you okay?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± It seemed like I wasn¡¯t the only one thinking that. Eleanor asked so with a hint of worry in her voice. The Empress¡¯ stared at her, as if wondering what she was trying to say, though. ¡°...Ah, are you talking about this?¡± She took the pipe out of her mouth for a moment and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°...Pardon me?¡± ¡°If anything, I¡¯ll die if I don¡¯t smoke.¡± ¡°...¡± She said before putting the pipe back in her mouth. Eleanor just clutched her head at the sight. She didn¡¯t seem to understand what the Empress was trying to say. Well, gotta say that it was a rare sight. Usually, it was me who¡¯d suffer from a headache because of her, after all. As expected from the Empire''s Supreme. [...How could you hyping up her dignity in that regard?] Caliban grumbled, but I wasn¡¯t joking. This scene literally showcased her dignity, that wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. Like, Eleanor had a ¡®nobody¡¯s more precious than me in this whole universe¡¯ kind of mentality, to the point that she even tried to go up against Chancellor Sullivan. But even that Eleanor would give in to the Empress. Maybe the fact that she had grown up with Cecilia the 11th ever since she was still the ¡®Imperial Princess¡¯ played a big part in this. ¡°...¡± But, as close as they were to each other... As I¡¯ve said many times before, Cecilia the 11th¡¯s death had a huge impact on Eleanor. Enough to cause a cataclysm in the whole scenario. ¡°...Speaking of, you said that you¡¯re going hunting?¡± As I let my thoughts wander, Eleanor asked that question after struggling for a bit. Unlike Iliya, those two were acquaintances. That was why, even though she looked doubtful, unsure if the Empress was trying to do the right thing, she at least tried to ask a question. Meanwhile, Iliya couldn¡¯t even try to say anything. ¡°I am. Is there anything you are curious about?¡± ¡°...Are you sure it is safe?¡± There were two other questions behind this question of hers. First, was it okay to do this, considering the current situation of the Empire? Second, she was trying to ask about ¡®my safety¡¯. I was going to be used as bait, after all. Guess she was worried about it. ¡°...Hmm.¡± As she tried to come up with something to say, the Empress exhaled a thick smoke from her mouth. Her dreary, brown irises, were soon fixed right on Eleanor. ¡°Let me be honest here. I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, Eleanor quietly closed her eyes. ¡°...I am aware that you are not someone who would risk someone else¡¯s life meaninglessly, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± She continued in a subdued voice. ¡°However, that man¡ª¡± ¡°First of all, thank you for your appreciation, Eleanor. It really makes me feel that I did not live a useless life.¡± The Empress said as she exhaled another dense smoke. ¡°But that man has already been involved in the matter, even if I do not take him with me.¡± ¡°...Pardon me?¡± ¡°The moment Chancellor Sullivan showed her interest in him, my interest was also drawn to him. There¡¯s a high possibility that the Upper Nobles Association is also keeping an eye on him.¡± She continued her words in a calm tone. ¡°I don¡¯t know what they are plotting, but I know that it won¡¯t be good for this man. Pulverizing them for good would benefit both of us.¡± ¡°...¡± The Empress said to Eleanor, whose eyes were open wide. ¡°Moreover, the bastard who leads them... Seems to be very interested in this man personally.¡± Is that how it is? Thinking back, I was always connected to anything ¡®Devil-related¡¯ so far, not to mention that recently, I received a great deal of attention at the Hero Selection Ordeal. Which meant that even if I didn¡¯t become the consort or whatever, I was already standing out. I was pretty much vulnerable to dangers. ¡°That¡¯s why I think it¡¯ll be in your best interest for him to accept this offer, if possible...¡± The Empress glanced at her. ¡°...But, the fact that you still have that sour look on your face, it means that there¡¯s another reason.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It would be better to put away your jealousy.¡± Cecilia the 11th said to Eleanor, who stayed silent. This time, she also looked at Iliya, who had been silently listening to the conversation. ¡°I have no intention of taking him away from you two. Even a blind person knows how precious this man is to you two.¡± After getting into this world, there was one thing that I¡¯ve learned. Every bad thing that was set to happen, would happen, no matter what. ...Since the Civil War is set to happen, then it will happen. The problem here was... ¡®Who¡¯ would start it. The perpetrators in the original game, the Empress and Sullivan, seemed unlikely to start it. Both of them were Devil¡¯s Vessels, and they were focusing on me. Which meant... Since those two were out of picture... There was one remaining candidate, that bastard... ¡°Sorry, I talked too much! The reason why I called out to you is because of this!¡± He said, still with his chaotic vibe, as a letter, sealed with wax, appeared before my eyes. ¡°...This is?¡± ¡°An invitation! The Upper Nobles Association will be holding a social gathering in the Imperial Palace!¡± The punk said while clasping the letter into my hand. His eyes were sparkling. Receiving such a passionate gaze felt burdensome. ¡°I''m your number one fan, Dowd Campbell! I really hope that you¡¯ll come! Alright, I¡¯ll be going!¡± ¡°...¡± He was such a chaotic guy. Judging by how he only said what he wanted to say and stormed out, this felt especially true. ¡°...¡± All of his followers were taken aback for a moment before following him. I looked at the letter in my hand. Considering Marquis Bogut¡¯s position, I couldn¡¯t treat this invitation lightly. Because nobody knew what kind of butterfly effect would occur after I dealt with this thing. ¡°...A social gathering, huh?¡± I¡¯ve never been to one before. There was no reason for someone who was once a member of a Baron household and currently a member of a Viscount household to go to such an event exclusive to high-ranking nobles. However... ...Making a shocking appearance. As I recalled what I had been told before coming here, I let out a sigh. -Bogut will probably give you an invitation to the social gathering that will be held in the Imperial Palace. Since it was obvious that he was interested in you. I still remembered how the Empress puffed up smoke as she said so. -Then, what if you make a shocking appearance? As shocking as you possibly can. -...Sorry? -I think you might need to. -...Why is that exactly? -The Upper Nobles Association is a group of punks, they¡¯re all uncompromising prestigious families. The social gathering isn¡¯t a mere social event for them. Their impression of you will change as long as you stand out. It will also increase the scope of information you can ¡®gather¡¯. I remembered how the Empress answered me while grinning. It made a lot of sense...yeah... But how do I do that? For someone from a Viscount household to attract attention at an event where high-ranking nobles gathered, it obviously wasn¡¯t easy to do that. [Actually, I have a good idea.] Suddenly, Caliban said that to me. [What if you go there together with the three of them, including Her Imperial Majesty?] ¡°...¡± [Being an absolute trash is the thing you¡¯re best at. Surely that¡¯ll attract enough attention, right?] He said while snickering. This guy was completely making fun of me, wasn¡¯t he? Are you really trying to make me bring the current Hero Candidate, Lady Tristan and the Ruler of the Empire herself with me? Let alone attracting attention, they would think of me as a crazy bastard. ¡°...Shut it with you non¡ª¡± As I was about to retort to him... I shut my mouth. ¡°...¡± [...] ¡°...¡± [...Why are you being all quiet?] I ignored him and quietly thought about it. For a while there, I was lost in thoughts, wearing a serious expression on my face. [...] ¡°...¡± [...] ¡°...¡± [...Hey.] ¡°...¡± [You¡¯re not thinking what I¡¯m thinking, right?] Actually... About that idea... ¡°Caliban.¡± [You crazy motherfucker, don¡¯t.] ¡°...¡± [I said don¡¯t.] But, I haven¡¯t even said /genesisforsaken Chapter 190: Social Gathering (2) Chapter 190: Social Gathering (2) ¡°...Do you think he¡¯s worth using, Sir Bogut?¡± The lively smile that was always plastered on Marquis Bogut¡¯s face changed in an instant. Because there were special guests from various places gathered inside the banquet hall, the atmosphere was noisy. That was why there wouldn¡¯t be any problems if they were to openly hold a private conversation like this. ¡°What are you talking about, Count Ravel?¡± ¡°...That guy, Dowd Campbell.¡± Hearing the lively answer coming from him, Count Ravel barely managed to keep himself from showing a frown. I can¡¯t believe such a bastard is the leader of the Upper Nobles Association. He wasn¡¯t fond of this flippant young Marquis at all. While he was aware of the Marquis'' outstanding nickname, Lionheart, that came from his immense achievements in wars, the man himself looked like a clown instead of an invincible knight. Being born to a prestigious family with a long history, Count Ravel grew up prim and proper, both in manners and etiquette, so he grew to dislike this type of a person. This was especially the case with the person from the Viscount Household that the Marquis was keeping an eye on. ¡°It isn¡¯t hard to find such promising talent throughout the Empire and for us Upper Nobles Associations, it isn¡¯t difficult to recruit such people.¡± The Count uttered, trying to control his voice. Marquis Bogut received pretty much full support from the other Upper Nobles Association executives, so if anything, he shouldn¡¯t risk getting on his wrong side. But... He felt the need to openly utter this opinion of his. ¡°Do we really need to pay attention to someone with such a humble background?¡± Hearing his words, Marquis Bogut tilted his head. ¡°Count Ravel, did you not receive the document?¡± ¡°What document are you talking about?¡± ¡°I was talking about the result of the Upper Nobles Association¡¯s investigation on Dowd Campbell¡¯s personal information! Anyone who had read it would know that he isn¡¯t someone you could dismiss as a dreg from a Viscount Household or something similar!¡± Marquis Bogut continued with a grin. ¡°Well, provided that they aren¡¯t an idiot, that is!¡± ¡°...¡± Receiving the words that were the equivalent of him being told to stop talking crap, the Count¡¯s cheeks twitched slightly. He wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with Marquis Bogut¡¯s personality¡ªwhich sometimes felt as if he had no sense of decency at all rather than simply being innocent¡ªwhat he was unfamiliar with was this kind of straightforward conversation. ¡°...I admit that the record was impressive.¡± Needless to say, he was already aware that what was written on the aforementioned document were a series of amazing feats. Overpowered a Demonic Human, quelled a large-scale commotion in Elfante, overpowered an Ancient God from another dimension. Because of Atalante, Elfante¡¯s Headmistress, it was impossible to obtain the details of his feats since she used all her power to hide the information, but the fact that he still survived despite being involved in all those mayhem suggested a lot of things. Add that to his performance in the Hero Selection Ordeal, which was extraordinary to say the least, even the Count could tell that this man was easily the best talent among the best¡ªa gem. But... Despite all that... ¡°I heard that he is a tool used to put ¡®leash¡¯ on the Devils.¡± He uttered in a half-disdainful voice. In fact he didn¡¯t deny the man¡¯s effectiveness. If anything, he acknowledged that Dowd was ¡®worth using¡¯, more than enough, since there was a possibility that he could control the Devils. By the fact that not only the Empire¡¯s leaders, but also the Pope of the Holy Land had got their eyes on him, this matter was pretty much undebatable. However, it was completely another story to keep such a person as an ¡®ally¡¯. Especially since he was deeply involved with the enemy of the whole human race themselves.. ¡°What¡¯s so good about getting such a person on our side? The burden on us is too great.¡±Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) ¡°He¡¯s a man who has caught the eyes of both Her Imperial Majesty the Empress and Chancellor Sullivan! I believe there must be a reason for that, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Them having an eye on him and us personally inviting him to an social gathering are two different things. You, of all people, should know that.¡± Ravel continued with a sigh. ¡°...This is like we¡¯re giving them an excuse to attack us. No, they definitely will attack us. The Empress, the Chancellor, even the other small factions wouldn¡¯t hesitate to take the lead to condemn us for being close with someone who¡¯s connected to the Devils." Not only that, there was another implication to invite such a person ¡®personally¡¯ to a social gathering. It was like announcing that ¡®this is my people¡¯ to the people around them. ¡°And that is a problem, Count Ravel?¡± ¡°...?¡± Ravel looked at Bogut as if finding him strange. Of course it is. It¡¯s nothing but a problem! As for why, it was because not only would they turn the Empire into their enemies, but the entire continent too. Even those lunatics Mages of the Magic Tower, who had pledged that they were simply scholars dedicating themselves to advance the technology and swore that they wouldn¡¯t interfere with the shift of power on the continent, would take an active part when it came to eliminating Devils. Yet, this man¡¯s dismissive attitude of ¡®as long as we can make him an ally¡¯, as if¡ª ¡°...¡± Suddenly, Ravel realized something as a chill ran down his spine. ¡°...Sir Bogut.¡± No way. There¡¯s just no way. But... With his cheeks twitched, Count Ravel asked. ¡°Or.¡± The Marquis¡¯ voice sounded lively like always. However, somehow... ¡°It might be someone hidden behind such a veil that the Central Intelligence Agency, the best intelligence agency in the Empire, could not find a clue even though they had used full force.¡± There was also a hint of dangerous ¡®malice¡¯ in his voice. Due to the angle of the light shining from the chandelier above, shadows were cast exquisitely across Bogut¡¯s face, and Count Ravel, who had posed the question, couldn''t help but flinch at the sight. With his smile hidden in the shades, his eyes shone frighteningly, as if they held blazing flames. ¡°Someone those paranoiacs, who could even dig up dirt about the Empress, can¡¯t approach.¡± The light atmosphere Bogut usually carried had gone. Instead, he exuded such an overwhelming presence. ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a bet?¡± Bogut asked as Ravel swallowed dryly. ¡°...A bet?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After moving back to a well-lit spot, the Marquis nodded enthusiastically. ¡°If that man does something so great that it convinces you during this social gathering, Count Ravel, I¡¯ll win. And if he does not, you¡¯ll lose. What do you think?¡± ¡°...¡± Instead of agreeing to do a bet where he could never win, the Count let out a sigh. ...There¡¯s no way that bastard could pull off something so great anyway. As he thought so. The orchestra, who kept playing outside the banquet hall, suddenly stopped playing. As everyone looked around puzzled... ¡°Her Imperial Majesty the Empress is coming in!¡± ¡°Everyone stand up!¡± As such a shout echoed, the inside of the banquet hall began to stir in an instant. ¡°...Her Imperial Majesty? ¡°Her Imperial Majesty came in person?¡± The Empress was known to rarely go out because of her physical constitution. It felt like it was the first time that she showed up in the banquet hall at all. ¡°The eternal Ruler of the Empire, passionate, intelligent and charming! Cecilia the 11th¡ª¡± ¡°No, no. I do not need that.¡± ¡°...¡± The servant, who raised his voice to declare the Empress¡¯ entrance, closed his mouth. Because the Empress¡¯ exhausted voice was heard in the banquet hall. ¡°Today¡¯s special guest is not me. Could you please focus on the other person instead?¡± ¡°...?¡± Such words came from the Ruler of the Empire. The person, who was nearly at the height of authority on the continent. What the hell is she talking about? As everyone thought so while staring blankly in her direction. Following behind the Empress, Someone made an entrance. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone fell silent. It was because... There was a young man. Walking in with the Chancellor in one of his arms, while the Empress clung on the other. In complete peace, the three of them clung close to each other. Walking in together. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± As the banquet hall was thrown into a frightening silence. ¡°Look at that!¡± Bogut¡¯s cheerful voice was heard. ¡°He went even beyond my expectations!¡± Ravel could not say anything. Because that was the only reaction he could even let /genesisforsaken Chapter 191: Social Gathering (3) Chapter 191: Social Gathering (3) The nobles who belonged to the Upper Nobles Association, to put it nicely, came from long-standing prestigious families who placed importance on dignity and etiquette. To put it badly, they were classists who had become inured to pure elitism. It was obvious to tell just from the conversation going on at a table. ¡°Do you know the name of the man Marquis Bogut has personally invited, Sir?¡± ¡°I don''t quite remember... Was it Campbell? That should be his family¡¯s name, so I heard.¡± ¡°...This is the first time I¡¯ve ever heard of such a name. By any chance, their rank...?¡± ¡°They are a Viscount Household, I believe.¡± The men who were having such a conversation managed to maintain their dignity, but failed to conceal the sneer on their faces. Meanwhile the people from other prestigious noble families who were sitting near that table also expressed their mockery in their own ways. Some of them even took a step further and expressed something close to contempt. ¡°A Viscount Household... Then he must¡¯ve come from a family who works in industries like farming or mining. He must have not been accustomed to... high society.¡± Someone said as such. Though he spoke those words with a concerned tone, he wore a dubious smile that didn¡¯t match such a tone. It was as if he was trying to show how a country bumpkin, who did not know their place and stepped into a place like this, would be treated. ¡°For inviting such a mannerless person, don¡¯t you think Sir Bogut is also being excessive? Hopefully, that person won¡¯t end up embarrassing himself. I¡¯m genuinely worried for him.¡± "Hardships do help people grow." One of the men replied gently. However, his following sentence was one that even discarded the last vestiges of dignity they had maintained. ¡°He must think he is a hotshot since he managed to associate himself with Her Imperial Majesty and the Chancellor without knowing his place as a member of a Viscount Household.¡± ¡°...You somehow sound resentful?¡± ¡°Well, I often think that I cannot hold Her Imperial Majesty or the Chancellor¡¯s hands from a political standpoint... But, I do admire both of them as individuals. After all, they are the two pillars that supported the Empire.¡± ¡°I... Cannot deny that. Both women are also beautiful enough to cause the downfall of a country.¡± ¡°Her Imperial Majesty has the beauty that is akin to a bunch of roses blooming on a cliff, while the Chancellor has the elegance of an ice sculpture, always proud and cold¡ª¡± When the conversation turned to the Chancellor and the Empress, the atmosphere changed in an instant¡ªit was as if the grown men were discussing their first love. It was as if they were being sincere when they said that they ¡®admired¡¯ the Empress and the Chancellor earlier. And so, the conversation, which was filled with compliments on the two women¡¯s beauty, continued. Until that person from a Viscount Household... Showed up with the two women who held the most power throughout history in his arms. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Both the Empress and the Chancellor. The two of them. Were clinging to one man. As if they did not want him to be taken away by the others. Each of them claiming ownership over the man. ¡°...Her Imperial Majesty?¡± ¡°...Her Excellency the Chancellor?¡± The men uttered in disbelief. Since they had just been extolling the Empress¡¯ and the Chancellor¡¯s beauty and noble purity just now, they seemed more shocked than they should be. The Empress, who usually exuded a noble aura like a glass doll with her expressionless face, looked lively as she clung to the man¡¯s arm. Both the women whom they had just praised as overwhelming beauties... Were clinging to a man, trying to win over him. As if they were trying to make him love them even for a bit. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± As the men''s expressions stiffened upon feeling an unknown sense of defeat... ¡°How have you been, members of the Upper Nobles Association?¡± In the silence that felt as if even the sound of someone swallowing dryly could be heard loudly, the Empress¡¯ voice made through the Speech Synthesizer softly echoed. ¡°I came here because I heard my male ¡®close friend¡¯ is making his debut in society. No need for unnecessary formality, so enjoy your evening.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Close¡ª what? After she made such a statement that made the listeners doubt their ears, the place was filled with silence once again. The fact that the Empress, who was of marriageable age, used the term ''close friend'' to refer to someone of the opposite gender suggested a lot. Because she was practically declaring that he was a ¡®consort candidate¡¯.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) At that moment, someone interjected with a cold voice, clearly affected by that statement. ¡°...Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Sullivan, whose cheeks were twitching uncontrollably, said, sounding as if she was suppressing something. ¡°Please mind your choice of words. I implore you.¡± ¡°Is there any problem, Sullivan?¡± ¡°This situation itself is a problem.¡± It was obvious that she was being ¡®wary¡¯ of the Empress. ¡°I am the first one who ¡®has an eye¡¯ on him, your words could cause misunderstandings.¡± Those words sent everyone into a shock once again. Even the Chancellor? Has her eye on him? ¡°...Hmm.¡± Hearing that, the Empress stroked her chin for a moment. ¡°What kind of misunderstandings exactly?¡± At that moment, she promptly shut her mouth. Maybe she felt what I was feeling as well. This aura coming from my other side. ¡°...Sullivan, I was kidding. You don¡¯t need to exude such a threatening attitude.¡± ¡°Are you really joking, Your Imperial Majesty?¡± ¡°...¡± Instead of answering, the Empress took a whiff of the pipe while grinning. Seeing this, Sullivan¡¯s frown grew deeper. It¡¯s a mess. A total fucking mess. While walking into the banquet hall, I broke out in a cold sweat. To be exact, I was walking to a certain table. There... ¡°As expected of you! This is why I¡¯m your number one fan!¡± Despite all this fuss. Marquis Bogut clapped his hands while still wearing his usual expression. ¡°...¡± He didn''t even seem flustered. As if he had predicted ¡®of course he¡¯ll do this much¡¯. ¡°However, our esteemed guests here, please forgive me, but¡ª¡± His gaze lingered on the Empress and the Chancellor respectively before going back to me again. As if I was more important than the two of them. ¡°I have something to say to you privately. Can you spare me some time?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± He said with a wink. Hearing that, the Empress¡¯ and the Chancellor¡¯s expressions turned serious at the same time. They seemed to be trying to figure out what he was up to. ¡°...Your Imperial Majesty, Your Excellency the Chancellor.¡± But I held them back. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay.¡± Not sure why... But, I had a feeling that I needed to have a private conversation with this bastard right now. The feeling was so strong. Because I could sense something that was close to conviction in his gaze. ¡°Aiyaa, I was so surprised!¡± That was what he told me when we got outside, at the terrace. ¡°So, when did you manage to seduce the two of them, Dowd Campbell? That was amazing¡ª¡± ¡°...What do you want to tell me, Marquis Bogut?¡± I cut him off before he could continue his cheerful words. Now I could feel it. The Empress said that this bastard had been interested in me. But, even so, there was something that felt off. There was just this weird anxiety. As if this bastard knew something I didn¡¯t. ¡°Ahaha, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little bit too much and cold if we just get to the point immediately? Why don¡¯t we talk about our lives first and¡ª¡± ¡°...If you¡¯re just going to talk about weird things, I¡¯ll just leave.¡± Well... If he refused to say what he wanted, then he wasn¡¯t worth dealing with. I turned back towards the direction of the banquet hall. With that, I shoulda made my intention clear. However... ¡°...Is Armin doing well?¡± After I heard those words... My footsteps halted. ¡°...¡± This bastard. What did he just say? I looked at the Marquis with a stiff expression. This was only our second meeting, but his usual grin was missing from his face. Instead, he was wearing a rather serene smile. As if he was recalling ¡®nice memories''. ¡°...You.¡± However... When I saw that face, a chill ran down my spine. I unconsciously let out a growl. ¡°Do you know my father?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± The Marquis let out a grin. ¡°How could I forget about my dearest friend in this world?¡± And such a sentence... ¡°After all, we used to compete over the same woman.¡± Was what followed /genesisforsaken Chapter 192: Social Gathering (4) Chapter 192: Social Gathering (4) ¡°Ah, you look like you have a lot of questions, but hear me out first!¡± Such a sentence flowed out, still looking as chaotic as ever. He took out something from his inner chest pocket. ...A key? It was a key luxuriously decorated with jade. The mark engraved on it indicated that it was used to access internal facilities in the Imperial Palace. "This will allow you to enter anywhere in the Imperial Palace! It is an item managed by the Upper Nobles Association. I will give this to you!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And, also...¡± Marquis Bogut winked as held the key out to me. ¡°Since the Imperial Palace is crowded with people and full of things for you to play with, it won¡¯t be a problem if you take a few things you like!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you¡¯re caught, just tell them that the Upper Nobles Association told you to do it!¡± From his words, this key didn''t seem to be something that could be casually given away like this... What he said afterwards made it sound even more so. ¡°...Why should I do that?¡± ¡°Because you will be able to pass the Last Ordeal of the Hero Selection that way!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You must be well aware of the thing that is ¡®sleeping¡¯ inside the Imperial Palace, right?¡± Marquis Bogut continued while grinning. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ll definitely find something that you could use for your plan!¡± ¡°...¡± Something... Felt off... His intention behind him suddenly giving me such a favor aside... This bastard seemed to be very aware of the ¡®principle of my actions¡¯ and my ¡®goals¡¯. Before the incident, I had to collect the items to solve it easily before planning in advance He seemed to be aware that I ¡®already knew¡¯ about this world. ¡°...I assume that there¡¯s something I need to take there.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Marquis Bogut¡¯s gaze fell onto the amulet tied to my arm. ¡°...Along with the ¡®Guardian¡¯, it will definitely help you out!¡± ¡°...¡± This bastard... He knew about Caliban too? My expression stiffened as I stared at him silently. Where the hell did this bastard come from? What the hell was it that he wanted?. ¡°...Why are you doing this, Marquis Bogut?¡± I asked in a low voice. ¡°You seem to know well that I could turn into your enemy at any time. Also, I am associated with your political opponents...¡± I could not help but ask. This bastard¡¯s existence was mysterious enough to make me had the urge to force him to tell me his intentions. ¡°...Is that really something you want to ask me the most?¡± Not only that. His words made it sound like he knew everything. ¡°If you ask, I think I could explain why I¡¯m doing this to some extent.¡± ¡°...¡± I gritted my teeth slightly. It felt like I was dancing on his palm, so I felt really reluctant about this... But, I had no choice but to ask him the most important question in my mind. ¡°...Do you know my mother?¡± If it was about my father, Viscount Armin Campbell, it wouldn¡¯t be strange even if he knew about him in detail. Given the cunning habits of the Empire¡¯s nobles, it was safe to assume that they had investigated my personal information from A to Z since I began to receive their attention. However... If it was about my ¡®other¡¯ parent, it was a completely different story. ¡°Of course I do.¡± Bogut answered, shrugging his shoulders. He asked me another question, still looking relaxed. ¡°What about you?¡± That question stabbed me deep in my heart. ¡°...By the look of it.¡± He continued. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know ¡®everything¡¯, hm?¡± Instead of replying, I just glared at him.¡± ¡°Thought so.¡± Marquis Bogut continued again with a grin. ¡°Armin is not the kind of person who¡¯d tell you stories about her so easily. He has always been like that ever since he was little.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That bear-like pink. So diligent and hardworking. Guess that was why Astrid liked him.¡± I clenched my fists. Astrid. Astrid Campbell. That was my mother¡¯s name. And he told such a ridiculous and lunatic plan... In such a dry tone... As if this was something that he just had to do. ¡°And I want you to prevent that from happening.¡± No kidding. ¡°I beg you.¡± He said all of that ever so calmly. ¡°...Haaah...¡± After parting ways with Marquis Bogut. I was walking outside on the terrace, down the corridor. A deep sigh, the kind I¡¯ve never let out even once since I first came here, ever so naturally came out of my mouth. In my hand was the key that I had received from Marquis Bogut in the banquet hall. ...What the heck is that bastard? I didn¡¯t get it. It was the first time I had ever felt so hopeless since I met the Prophet. Especially since he knew something about my mother that I didn¡¯t know. It seriously gave me the creeps. [...Come to think of it, you said that it¡¯s better not to know about your mother not too long ago.] That voice came out of the Soul Linker. [Did you say that because you knew about her to some extent?] ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± [What?] Caliban responded as if he was dumbfounded. Then, I forced myself to continue. ¡°I¡¯ve never even seen her face and there¡¯s only one thing I know about her.¡± Back when I was little. When I was very little. Before I became ¡®Dowd Campbell¡¯. When the original owner of this body was so sick that he couldn¡¯t even move properly. [Ah, is that so? You said that you were cured miraculously when you were seven, no?] ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t cured.¡± I replied with a sigh. ¡°What happened was, I died once.¡± I had looked it up in my father¡¯s library. When Dowd Campbell was six, lost his battle against a chronic disease and died. There was even a record of them calling an undertaker to hold a funeral. If anything, I came back to life ¡®miraculously¡¯, not cured. ¡°...And the one who caused that miracle was my mother.¡± [...What does that mean?] ¡°She resurrected the dead.¡± Of course I had played tricks of coming back alive from death several times before, but I had never ¡®completely¡¯ died, so her feat was on another level. Astrid Campbell. Had resurrected her completely dead son. [...What?] Caliban asked again, he sounded lost. [Even the Great Priests of the Holy Land who could perform all kinds of miracles can¡¯t do something like that. No, even the Pope himself will never be able to do that! It¡¯s something you only see in fiction...!] ¡°Well, I¡¯m here now because she did exactly that.¡± [...But how?] I know, right? Honestly, I don¡¯t know how either. ¡°...¡± Right. Even though I was in a fantasy world, this was the shit that came out of a fantasy. Resurrecting the dead¡ªit was a kind of miracle that couldn¡¯t be found even in the Devils¡¯ Authority. The most likely explanation was that I didn¡¯t actually die in the first place and they had mistaken me for dying when I was just in a state of suspended animation. But there was no way that my father would make that kind of mistake. ...I know nothing about my mother. Nothing. How the hell did she resurrect a dead person? What happened to her afterwards? Where was she now? How did she meet my father? Where did they get married? What kind of life did she live? I knew nothing. Because that was all my father had told me about my mother. As Bogut had said earlier, my father was terribly reticent when it came to my mother. ¡°...Whatever.¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°If I don¡¯t know, then I''ll find out.¡± That was the only way. In order to find out what that bastard was up to and how he knew about my mother. I¡¯d have to get into it myself. ¡°Anyway, I guess I should ask Her Imperial Majesty and the Chancellor for their permission and get away from this social gathering immediately, Caliban.¡± [...Where are you going?] ¡°There¡¯s a place I have to drop by.¡± I turned the key I received from Marquis Bogut in my grip once. ¡°This has something to do with you as well.¡± To be exact... I can¡¯t go there without /genesisforsaken Chapter 243: Mirroring Treatment Chapter 243: Mirroring Treatment Currently, Victoria Evatrice was lying down stunned inside her room. She regained her consciousness not too long ago. ¡°...¡± Of course, even though she had just regained consciousness, she could remember everything clearly. In a daze, she touched her lips. J-Just now... W-What did I do, with these lips...? ¡°...¡± The scene of the event from before was playing behind her eyes that she directed toward the ceilings. To be exact, the unbelievable scene where she begged Dowd Campbell to not abandon her while looking as if she was out of her mind. Then, she... To that man¡¯s hand... ¡°...¡± Ah... T-That was... ¡°...!¡± Her eyes widened. She could feel her face heat up¡ªan unusual thing for her since she rarely expressed her emotions. ¡°...What kind of trick did that man pull on me¡ª!¡± She muttered as such, but... Her cool-headed judgment denied her words almost instantly. After all, she didn¡¯t get her Grand Assassin Title by playing around. She was confident that she was familiar with all kinds of Mental Intrusion Spell. And from her experience in that regard... She could tell that the man didn¡¯t pull any tricks on her. Well, he actually did something, but it wasn¡¯t something that could control her actions and ¡®forcefully¡¯ bring her into submission. At best, it was just something that could make her more ¡®honest¡¯. ¡°...Eek.¡± Before she realized it, she let out such a sound. T-That means... I-If... A-A similar situation were to happen again... A-Am I going to do that again...? ¡°...Eeeek...¡± Even when she tried to look back on it... She didn¡¯t feel disgusted, unpleasant or even a little bit of shame. On the contrary, she felt satisfaction and pleasure from deep down¡ª ¡°Eek, eeek...!¡± Her blush grew even deeper as she began to clench her teeth and punch her pillow. Though she knew that the pillow had just been innocently serving its owner and didn¡¯t deserve to be treated this way, her rage didn¡¯t show any sign of subsiding. At that moment, she could remember someone similar to a...sage...once said that the most frustrating thing in the world was when something bad happened and one couldn¡¯t blame it on other people. Because oneself was the only one to blame. Who knows if that could be applied to Victoria, but the fact that she did such a shameful thing while putting aside her ferocious desire to kill her sister ¡®willingly¡¯ still wouldn¡¯t change. ¡°...I swear, I''ll teach him a lesson...¡± She didn¡¯t know how she¡¯d do it or what¡¯d she do to him... But what she knew was that, if she didn¡¯t at least say something like that, she¡¯d definitely go insane. ¡°Dowd Campbell...! I swear, I¡¯m gonna teach you a lesson...!¡± That furious shout¡ªwhich was filled with a very strong feeling of grudge and no-less strong feeling of shame¡ªof the young Beastkin girl echoed through the room. ¡ñ [You know, I¡¯ve been thinking...] ¡°Yeah?¡± The next morning. When I was wiping my fingers, which were slightly swollen after those punks licked it so much, a certain someone¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in my ears. [Those things happened, sure, but in the end, you still didn¡¯t kill her, right?] ¡°...¡± [That means, the match is still going on...] Ah... Is it though...? [I mean, your thing about how you¡¯re going to kill her with pleasure or something is just pure bull¡ª] ¡°No, wait, let me explain! You see, my plan was to massage her to the best of my abilities and make her say something like ¡®At this rate, I might die...¡¯ and make that count!¡± [...] Someone I was very uncomfortable with approached me. ¡°Oh my, Senior!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You... Um, I... Uh, follow me!¡± That wasn¡¯t how you¡¯d talk to a senior, Your Imperial Majesty the Empress... I almost said those words out loud, but I suppressed the urge and let myself get dragged away by the wrist by her. Her face was full of smiles for some reason. ¡°Wait, Your Imp¡ª!¡± ¡°Cecil.¡± ¡°...Pardon me?¡± ¡°Call me Cecil. I¡¯m just a commoner who somehow managed to save some money to get enrolled at Elfante, after all.¡± ¡°...¡± What the hell was she on about? I wanted to ask her that, but I shut my mouth due to how serious she looked when she said that. Even though her smile hadn¡¯t left her lips, it felt like she¡¯d split my head right here and then if I were to mess with this ¡®concept¡¯. ¡°...Alright, Cecil.¡± ¡°I came here to tell you the content of our match!¡± Upon hearing that, my expression also turned slightly serious. ...Huh, come to think of it... I haven¡¯t heard her ¡®real purpose¡¯ to join our club. Like, she even made up such a lame concept so suddenly while infiltrating the Academy like this. She definitely has a hidden agenda or something. ¡°No need to worry, I won¡¯t try to risk my life and pounce on you just to win against you. Rather than that... I just want to enjoy this moment~¡± ¡°So, um... Where are we going?¡± ¡°To a place where the referee who could give a biased judgment towards me is waiting~¡± ¡°...¡± I thought you said you want to enjoy the moment...? You¡¯re still thinking about winning, though?! ¡°Well, if I were to lose the match and have to hopelessly obey you, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do half of the things I wanted to do.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, can¡¯t you just let yourself be defeated by me?¡± ¡°...Please let me hear what the match it first, Your Imp¡ª¡± When I saw her glaring at me, I immediately changed my words. ¡°...Cecil.¡± Hearing that, Her Imperial Majesty smiled. Anyway, the place she was taking me to was the Advisor¡¯s office. Originally, Percy, the one who was in charge of advising our club, should¡¯ve been there. Is she the so-called referee? As I thought so while letting out a sigh inwardly, Her Imperial Majesty the Empress entered the office without hesitation. At that moment... Both Her Imperial Majesty the Empress and I froze at the same time. ¡°Welcome, student Dowd, ¡®student¡¯ Cecil.¡± A certain someone greeted us from inside, emphasizing on the second ¡®student¡¯ as if trying to say, ¡®Stop doing something so ridiculous¡¯. After seeing this person, Her Imperial Majesty the Empress¡¯ expression¡ªwhich had been full of smiles¡ªstiffened up. ¡°...Chancellor Sullivan. What brings you here?¡± ¡°Oh my. Chancellor? I¡¯m not sure I can follow you.¡± Sullivan, who had added a bright brooch and a headband on her silken blond hair, said as such while smiling widely. It was such a hopelessly cheerful style, to the point that it looked ridiculous, considering her age and all. But, she just fluttered her hair¡ªas if trying to show off¡ªwhile grinning. ¡°My name is Sulli. I¡¯m a new teacher here.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°As of today, I¡¯ll be the one in charge of advising the Exorcism Club. I look forward to your cooperation.¡± At that moment, Her Imperial Majesty¡ªno, Cecil¡¯s face, turned into a frown, as if she had just seen something that disgusted her. It was as if she had seen a cockroach crawling out of her lunch or something. ¡°...Have some semblance of honor and dignity, Sullivan. You¡¯re being ridiculous.¡± ¡°...Says you. How could the Empire¡¯s stateswoman run all the way here to hide from her duties, hm?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t about me, it¡¯s about you. Seriously, Sulli? What a disgusting name. I just want to entertain myself for a bit, why can¡¯t you just cooperate¡ª?!¡± ¡°If this entertainment of yours didn¡¯t include that man, I wouldn¡¯t have cared¡ª!¡± As the two women kept on exchanging harsh words in front of me while sending each other vicious gazes, something suddenly came to my mind. So, uh... Is this what people call a mirroring treatment? [I don¡¯t know. /genesisforsaken Chapter 193: Citadel Of Lions (1) Chapter 193: Citadel Of Lions (1) ¡°...Excuse me, Student Council President.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Could you please relax your expression?¡± ¡°I will consider it.¡± Sure. You won¡¯t be taking it into consideration at all, will you? Iliya held her head with both of her hands as she felt a throbbing pain in her temples. ¡°...That personage is none other than Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, you know? If you keep sending her such a gaze, she might find fault with it.¡± ¡°I will keep it in mind.¡± ¡°...¡± I¡¯m just trying to tell you! Stop glaring at the Empress and the Chancellor as if you¡¯re going to kill them! You have bloodshot on your eyes, you know?! ¡°...¡± Seriously. It¡¯s scary! ¡°...They¡¯re just pretending. So, please don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Iliya said as if scolding Eleanor. She had already heard that Dowd was going to purposefully make his entrance with the Chancellor and the Empress on both his sides to draw attention. In truth, she didn¡¯t want to come here because that wasn¡¯t something she particularly wanted to see, but she ended up coming anyway because she was worried that Eleanor might cause trouble again. ...So much happened in a short time. After receiving training from the Fist Saint, she was able to apply ¡®deterrent force¡¯ to this person to an extent, which made her feel good. She had grown from the time when they first met, when her body froze, unable to take out her sword properly. ...Well, still. As she let her mind wander like that, Eleanor called out to her. ¡°...Do they look like they¡¯re just pretending to you?¡± ¡°...¡± Actually, she did find it strange¡ªas if those two were doing it for real instead of pretending, to some extent at least. Especially seeing how the Empress and the Chancellor started having an argument after Dowd left with Marquis Bogut. ¡°...Let¡¯s worry about that later.¡± In any case, she decided to change the subject first. ¡°What we should be worried about is how to not stand out so we don''t get caught red-handed later." Iliya said so while fiddling with her dress awkwardly. She knew this wasn¡¯t considered good manners. Of course, someone at the level of a Hero Candidate or Lady Tristan would naturally know all the proper etiquettes required at a social gathering held in the Imperial Palace. People might say something about her if she did something bad here, but she felt incredibly awkward in this kind of dress, so she ended up doing it unconsciously. ¡°...Were you not originally a commoner?¡± ¡°A lot of people think so, but I¡¯m not really a commoner.¡± ¡°...? Were you a noble, then?¡± ¡°That''s not what I mean.¡± Eleanor looked at her, blinking her eyes. She didn¡¯t seem to understand what Iliya was talking about.¡± ¡°If your family or relative is a knight that belongs to the Imperial Guard, you¡¯ll usually ascend in status to become a quasi-noble! While you can¡¯t possess a fief, you¡¯ll still be able to enjoy the privileges of a noble under the Imperial Law!¡± ¡°...¡± At those sudden words, Iliya turned her head. There, she found a man, grinning so widely to the point that his eyes seemed slanted. ¡°Nice to meet you, Iliya Krisanax! This is the first time I¡¯m seeing you in person!¡± ¡°...Who are you?¡± Usually, she was always acting kind and friendly, but this time, her voice had an unusual edge to it. It was so out of character of her to the point that even Eleanor looked at her with wide eyes. ¡°I would appreciate it if you call me Marquis Bogut!¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya silently glared at him. She was obviously trying to look for information she could get about him. Meanwhile, Marquis Bogut continued. ¡°Your expression tells me you want to ask how I knew about your brother!¡± ¡°...¡± As soon as she heard him saying that, her face went slightly blank. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you, though!¡± ¡°...¡± After that, he continued without giving her time to respond. Her face stiffened as she looked at him. For some reason, she felt a bizarre sense of incongruity. From the way he suddenly popped out and babbled on... Moreover... ...He feels familiar. As if... He¡¯s similar to Teach. The way he talked¡ªhow he seemed to be able to know everything she was thinking. How it felt like he was trying to control people the way he wanted to fit his own ¡®plan¡¯. As if he ¡®knew everything in advance¡¯ and led the situation the way he wanted. Other than Dowd, he was the first person who gave her such an impression. ¡°Though, I could probably tell you something that might help you find out what you are looking for. The whereabouts of your brother.¡± Marquis Bogut said, his grin was still plastered on his face. ¡°So, are you interested?¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya¡¯s reply was a silent glare. Every single part of him seemed... abrupt; his actions did not seem to have any clear order. ¡®Possession¡¯ was possible, albeit in a limited way. ¡°You might be able to ¡®enter¡¯ my body and move to some extent.¡± And as far as I knew... There was definitely a challenge that would require me to get help from such an ability in the Citadel of Lions. ¡°...There''s something you have to do with such an ability¡ª¡± As I walked while saying so... I could hear the sound of someone gasping. ¡°...¡± I flinched and looked around, but couldn''t find anything. Did I hear it wrong? ¡°...Why? What''s wrong?¡± Caliban, who had just materialized, said, while tilting his head. ¡°...No. Nothing.¡± Right. Just think about it for a second. How could anyone follow me all the way here? As I thought so, I continued walking. ¡°...¡± Iliya covered her mouth as she gasped for breath. Oppa. Just now, she unconsciously hid herself because of how shocked she was. Marquis Bogut told her to ¡®search here¡¯, so she immediately came here, but she never thought that she would see himin this place. Caliban Krisanax. Her only family was here. ...Necromancy? It was also known as the sorcery to summon the dead. And Dowd said that he had summoned Caliban through ¡®something similar¡¯ to that. Which meant... Her brother... ...No. No way. She closed her eyes tightly as she shook her head. But, she still couldn¡¯t be so sure. There was still a possibility that Dowd was just summoning her brother from somewhere far away. So, she decided that it would be better to stop having such ominous thoughts. ...But, still. That left the question, what kind of relationship did Dowd have with her brother? Why did he look so close to the person she had been looking for so hard? And, most of all... ¡°...¡± Why did he not tell her? Iliya bit her lip hard. As she thought so... She suddenly heard her brother¡¯s voice. ¡°By the way, can other people see me in this state too?¡± ¡°They...should be able to. Why do you ask, though?¡± ¡°So, can I hit Iliya when I meet her?¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd fell into silence. So did Iliya, who was watching them while holding her breath. ¡°...What are you on about all of a sudden? That isn¡¯t the right thing to say about your family.¡± ¡°So what? I want to hit her.¡± To Dowd¡¯s voice, who sounded as if he found his question ridiculous, Caliban scratched his head before continuing. ¡°Just think about it. Wouldn¡¯t you also be pissed off if you see your younger sister lying to a man about being their fiance?e or something just to seduce him?¡± At the same time as he said that, Iliya¡¯s face instantly reddened. ¡°...Ugh.¡± She unconsciously let out a sound, sounding embarrassed. In her head... She recalled the things she had done in order to ¡®win¡¯ Dowd''s heart so far. If she had to choose the highlight among them, it would be what Caliban had just mentioned. -You and I are actually engaged. She remembered telling Dowd that lie when he lost his memory. Since he had never mentioned anything about the time when he lost his memory after he got them back, she had been thinking that she successfully got away with it. However... Her brother... Actually saw that... Since that was the case, there was a high chance that Dowd also knew about it. ¡°...¡± Iliya gulped dryly. Maybe... Just maybe... ...Her brother had seen everything she did to flirt with him. Including when she said they were engaged or whatever. ¡°...¡± Iliya stroked her chin with a serious look on her face. Hmm. I see. ¡°...Can I just die now?¡± Surprisingly, she felt that dying wouldn¡¯t feel so bad /genesisforsaken Chapter 194: Citadel Of Lions (2) Chapter 194: Citadel Of Lions (2) Looking back on my memories of the game, the Citadel of Lions was one of the most intuitive ¡®mini dungeons¡¯. The dungeon¡¯s composition itself was simple. Most of Sera¡¯s main dungeon captures were divided into three phases; key items exploration, breaking through gimmicky traps, and boss hunt. Calling it simple wouldn¡¯t be so far off, since the only other feature it had was a restriction on their access that they had put up with heart and soul, to prevent anyone from entering it by accident. However, though the composition itself was simple, the structure of the trap was brutal. I could already tell just by looking at the lights that were pouring over my head. Those bright lights poured from all directions, completely filling up the surroundings. They were spells set up to automatically track and attack the ¡®intruder¡¯ that they spotted. The route was laid down densely so that their attacks would hit their target instead of wandering off randomly. ¡°You know, it¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°Uh, sorry?¡± ¡°I mean, why would they need to install these things on such a large-scale here? The punks who used this place are all dead already.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°They don¡¯t even maintain this place properly.¡± Considering that he was talking about his own death, that was a hella cynical remark. Then again, he wasn¡¯t wrong. After the Guardians who were deployed into the Crimson Night Incident were annihilated, they became quickly forgotten. They didn¡¯t even get a proper posthumous treatment because they didn''t belong to any faction. Looking back on the time when I played Sera, the posthumous measures they took for the Guardians weren''t that good. The reason behind it, well, like I said, was because they didn¡¯t belong to ¡®any faction¡¯. Such a phenomenon clearly reflected the current situation of the Empire¡ªthey might seem as if they were the most powerful of the Three Superpowers on the surface, but internally, everyone only cared about their own forces. ¡°...By the way, you.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°How can you be so calm in this kind of situation...?¡± That was definitely an appropriate question to ask him here. Because, uh, you see, right now... I was standing in the center of the trap I mentioned earlier, tanking all the attacks coming from all directions. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I? This is some doable shit.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The training I went through back when I was active was way worse than this.¡± Caliban, who was ¡®operating¡¯ my body, replied. As I asked him prior to this, he was moving my body for me. Despite the spells¡¯ overwhelming presence of malice and murderous intent, he moved swiftly and deftly, finding and navigating through the narrow gaps barely wide enough for a needle to pass through. Well, since it was a life-threatening situation, he was buffed by the EX-Grade Desperation, but that didn¡¯t make him any less skilled. He moved my body, walked a step forward, slightly lowered my head and moved sideways a little. Just like that, he broke through the murderous trap with the least amount of movement possible. Fucking ridiculous. This was pretty much the equivalent of dodging bullets from all directions by seeing the triggers being pulled. Some absurd shit, but he managed to do it so easily. ...Now I can see where Iliya¡¯s monstrous sense came from. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that Iliya¡¯s potential skyrocketed after she grabbed the Holy Sword. She wasn¡¯t the ¡®main character¡¯ of this world for no reason. From that point on, she became the only being who could match the Devils, the most powerful beings in the universe. And the thing that allowed her to showcase such a power was her ¡®battle sense¡¯ which was like a second nature to her, popping out at every moment. It allowed her to make the closest move to the correct answer at all times, just like what Caliban was doing right now. ...And there are still punks that are stronger than this guy... Those were beings who had been given titles like Saint Â}ÈË¡ªsuch as the Master of the Magic Tower or the Sword Saint. Of course someone at the level of Margrave Kendride or Duke Tristan would be able to rival him to an extent, but still. It came to a point where I realized how different the strong people¡¯s perspectives on the world were. ¡°Nice. We passed this trap too.¡± He said as we left the killing range of the lights that were pouring from all directions. ¡°By the way, your body¡¯s good. You should be able to survive with this body.¡± ¡°...¡± Of course it was. It was buffed with EX-Grade Desperation. This OP skill literally enabled me to match the most powerful beings in the universe with my trashy stats. Not sure what he meant by his words though. Survive from what? ¡°From those women who are trying to eat you of course. Not long ago, my sister¡ª¡± A cough echoed from somewhere. At that moment, Caliban stopped talking. ¡°...Hey, Caliban.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I didn''t hear that wrong, right?¡± ¡°You didn''t. I heard it too.¡± Every time Caliban, who had this strange feeling to hit his sister, said something about her, a strong reaction kept coming from somewhere. I looked around with a serious look on my face. Maybe, just maybe¡ª ¡°...Could it be that there''s another Spirit Form nearby?¡± There was a possibility that the Spirit Form of the other Guardians was still around nearby. But, from Caliban¡¯s expression that seemed as if he was pitying me, it didn¡¯t seem like he was agreeing with me. ¡°Sometimes you just somehow turn into a dumbass, do you know that?¡± He continued with a sigh. ¡°Like, with all those reactions, it¡¯s weird that you couldn¡¯t tell¡ª¡± Suddenly, he abruptly stopped speaking mid-sentence, as if realizing something. Then, he alternately looked at my face and the direction where the sound was coming from. ¡°¡ªHmmm.¡± Is it really a Spirit Form? Shit felt more and more off to me. ...Ah, whatever. However strange it was, we had arrived at our target after we went through all those traps. ¡°...This place is¡ª¡± When he saw where we were at, Caliban¡¯s expression turned stiff. This was the deepest part of the Citadel of Lions. The Hall of Fame for all Guardians who died while on duty. Originally, it should¡¯ve been a solemn memorial site, lined with urns and tombstones. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Both Caliban and I went silent at the same time. The scene in front of us was sickening to say the least. Destroyed tombstones. The Guardians'' possessions, which had been ¡®purified¡¯ through flames. No respect or courtesy to commemorate the deceased''s eternal rest could be found here. ¡°...I kinda expected it to be like this.¡± Caliban said bitterly. All the Guardians died in the Karmic Fire created by the Red Devil. Which meant her stubborn Demonic Aura was also stuck to all of their possessions and bodies. The Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura in itself could be considered as a deadly poison, and it was even more so in the Red Devil¡¯s case, as the Devil itself held such a deep hostility towards the ¡®lifeform¡¯ of the Material World. ¡°...It still isn¡¯t very pleasant to see this after we went through so much trouble and threw our lives for them, though.¡± ¡°All of you have accomplished a great thing, Caliban.¡± ¡°Doubt that the Empire thinks so.¡± Sadly, he was right. Whatever the reason was, to treat them like this was unbelievably unfair. The Guardians were heroes. Despite their human bodies, they threw themselves at the Devil and even miraculously managed to seal it in the end. And yet... Let alone honoring the people who had sacrificed their lives to protect the people by evoking such a miracle, they did this inhuman act instead¡ªit was as if they treated those heroes¡¯ bodies as victims to a plague, they burned them without any regards to what they had achieved. ¡°...¡± After passing through such a scene in silence. I went up the altar to find the ¡®target item¡¯. In the altar, the name ¡®Caliban Krisanax¡¯ was engraved on it. I went up and collected one item. The full-body armor he wore throughout his life. What I was aiming for was the lion breastplate embedded in the middle. ¡°...We came all the way here just to get that. That¡¯s literally nothing, though.¡± Caliban said while tilting his head. Yes, he was right, this thing on its own would be useless. Because this was nothing more than an accessory of an armor, it didn¡¯t have any extraordinary abilities. However... ¡°...Nah¡± I answered calmly. ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± As I thought so, I opened a window. System Message [ ¡®Main Quest¡¯ has updated! ] [ Main Quest ] ¡¼ Chapter 4 ¨C Crimson Night ¡½ [ Block target ¡®Faenol'' from going berserk! ] The Demonic Human in Chapter 1, the Boy King in Chapter 2, the Ancient God in Chapter 3. And now... ...A Devil''s Vessel going berserk in chapter 4. One with three Fragments at that. In the Final Ordeal of the Hero Selection held in the Holy Land, Faenol would definitely go berserk. Because that was the ¡®boss battle¡¯ of Chapter 4. It was set to happen no matter what. It was a relief that she didn¡¯t get to meet the Devil¡¯s ¡®body¡¯, but considering the mess that happened in Forge of Struggle because Eleanor, who only had two Fragments, went berserk, it was still laughable to consider this a relief. Well, at the very least, there was still some good news... Since the future was already ¡®determined¡¯, I could take preventative measures. Faenol herself had been very on guard not to make the Devil go berserk. There was also the fact that the Red Devil had been ¡®overpowered¡¯ before. By the Guardians who wore this lion breastplate. If I combined the two characteristics, I would also somehow find a way to calm down the Vessel with three Fragments when she went berserk. ¡°Caliban. I¡¯m sorry to do this when you¡¯re in the middle of witnessing such a sight, but...¡± This... was a very small, secret dagger. A form of hidden card. One that would work because Caliban and the Guardians had once succeeded in sealing the Devil, giving up their lives. One that could result in a ''phenomenon'' that wouldn¡¯t have been possible without such a miracle. It might seem small, worthless, and meaningless, but... ¡°...This?¡± ¡°You can look forward to it.¡± It was a dagger that would absolutely pierce through the Heart of the Great Evil called the Red Devil. ¡°I¡¯ll prove that what you guys did wasn¡¯t in vain.¡± As I said so, I put the breastplate into my inner chest /genesisforsaken Chapter 195: Train (1) Chapter 195: Train (1) In truth, the Empress quite enjoyed the social gathering. Due to the Curse of Dragonblood that was damaging her body, she couldn¡¯t really attend many external events except for a handful of them. The only reason she recently attended the Hero Selection Ordeal was due to the significance of the event. Or else, she would have stayed in the Imperial Palace, following her doctor¡¯s suggestion. That was why, even though the social gathering was practically filled with starving demons harboring dark intentions, she was still having fun from attending the event. The orchestra''s performance, strong alcohol, greasy food, and the sound of people talking. As someone who had been restricted from all kinds of simulations, these things brought her the joy of experiencing the unknown. There was no way that she¡¯d feel reluctant to experience them. ¡°Did you enjoy the party, Your Imperial Majesty?¡± Well... She had been enjoying it until this very moment. When Cecilia the 11th heard the voice coming from the side, the subtle smile on her face was completely gone. ¡°Bogut.¡± ¡°Sorry for borrowing your new friend like that.¡± Forget etiquette, he blatantly spoke to her in a friendly manner, as if she was treating her as a friend. His tendency to be ¡®informal¡¯ was so evident from how he casually sat in the front seat of the Empress. While this was enough to get him punished for le?se-majeste?, neither of the party involved cared about it. After all, he was the core of the Upper Nobles Association. The leader of the Empire Faction, ¡®everyone¡¯ who wasn¡¯t a part of the Chancellor¡¯s and the Empress¡¯ faction. Both the Empress and Bogut knew that each of them had enough authority to divide the Empire into pieces if they really were to openly go against each other. ¡°This is my gift for you, Your Imperial Majesty. It must¡¯ve been tough on you to come all the way here.¡± Bogut said as the Empress looked at him silently. ¡°This is the Breath of Mistletoe. The liquor is dubbed the Empire Far East''s Treasure. Even if it¡¯s not to your taste, it¡¯s going to, at the very least, alleviate your pain.¡± ¡°...¡± On the outside, it looked no different from wine, but unlike other liquors, it had this mysterious blue color. The liquid pouring from the wine bottle''s uncorked tip gradually filled the glass in front of the Empress. ¡°So...¡± Bogut continued in a peaceful tone. ¡°When are you going to fight?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I''m talking about the civil war. You see, I¡¯m planning to start one soon.¡± Hearing that, the Empress¡¯ expression grew distorted. ...This crazy bastard. She already knew that the Upper Nobles Association, led by this man, had been making unusual moves. It was just, she never expected that he¡¯d reveal such a thing so calmly. ¡°Huh? Why do you look so surprised?¡± Marquis Bogut asked, tilting his head. ¡°You¡¯ve already known about it anyway, no?¡± Hearing that, Cecilia the 11th¡¯s face twitched. ¡°...I¡¯m not sure what you''re talking about.¡± ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon, I know you¡¯ve wiretapped Dowd or something similar. You''ve been thinking of using him as a chess piece from the beginning.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You didn''t approach him with a pure intention either, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± As Cecilia stayed silent, he continued. ¡°It¡¯s quite the excellent composition we got here; The pitiful Empress, and the leader of the Upper Nobles Association who¡¯s conspiring a wicked plan to devour the country. If anyone who doesn¡¯t know anything saw it, they¡¯d end up getting fooled.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That man is particularly vulnerable to people who are treating him kindly. Once he recognizes you as someone close to him, he¡¯ll definitely do anything to protect you. This is what you are aiming for, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s just like squeezing in his weakness. What a cunning woman.¡± With a grin still plastered on his face... Abusive words kept pouring out of his mouth. Words that went beyond even le?se-majeste?, that could get him hung immediately if the Empress wished to. ¡°...You¡¯re just like me. A monster who moves for the sake of your ¡®goals¡¯.¡± Cecilia the 11th did not respond. Instead, she emptied the glass Bogut had given her. Seeing that, Bogut continued. ¡°As expected of you, Your Imperial Majesty! Brave! Your spirit befits that of the Master of the Empire!¡± ¡°...¡± What kind of reaction is that?The Empress narrowed her eyes and looked at him. He continued. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d drink something your political enemy gave you without any suspicions. What if I had poisoned it with something that could actually kill you?¡± ¡°...Well.¡± To that, Cecilia the 11th replied with a deep sigh. ¡°It¡¯s because I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll even do such an evil¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡± But, before she could even finish her sentence, Bogut cut her off. ...It doesn¡¯t matter much, but still. Honestly, it was a little bit iffy to call the Third Ordeal an ordeal. Unlike the previous ones, which involved terrifying activities like getting crammed into a dungeon or being placed in the middle of a forest filled with Demonic Creatures, the Third Ordeal was entirely about ''examination''. To be more specific, a thorough examination of whether the punks could stay alive even after touching the Holy Sword. There really was nothing I could do to help her. [...Well, not really surprised here since she saw itwith her own eyes.] ¡°Sorry?¡± [She¡¯s probably not in her right mind at the moment since she saw something that would¡¯ve made her feel good...and a heart-wrenching sight at the same time. Just leave her be.] ¡°...¡± Okay, I had no idea what he was talking about. Seeing me tilting my head, Caliban threw me a smile, as if telling me not to worry, before saying... [So, what are you preparing for this time?] ¡°...Well, there are a few things.¡± Archbishop Luminol played quite the pranks throughout the ordeal, no? I was going to prepare to take revenge for that... as well as set up a ¡®stage¡¯ for the Final Ordeal. As I thought so, I fiddled with the lion breastplate inside my inner chest pocket. It''d be quite difficult to stick this to the Red Devil without herhelp. [...] ¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡± He went silent looking all brusque, even when I answered him sincerely. Caliban then replied in a voice filled with dissatisfaction. [Seeing how you answered the second question first, it seems like you don¡¯t want to talk about the first question, huh?] ¡°...¡± [I¡¯m guessing that you¡¯re planning to do something to my breastplate, that¡¯s why you brought it all the way here from the Imperial Palace. Since you¡¯re going to meet that weirdo, Walter or something, it means you¡¯re trying to add something to it.] ¡°...¡± [Say it. What are you planning to do with my thing? Tell me, what is it that you¡¯re planning that you refuse to share with me?] ¡°...¡± Seems like it¡¯s true that you learn what you are exposed to. He was well aware of my tendencies, I guess it was expected from someone who had spent the most time with me. That¡¯s scary. Seriously scary. ¡°...¡± Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to talk about it. Because it felt as if I was asking this person to do something heinous. Just like how I put Valkasus and Caliban into the Soul Linker, I also needed someone to play the role of a ¡®catalyst¡¯ inside the breastplate so that I would be able to use it as intended. The problem here was the prerequisite condition I had to fulfill. < Item Info > [ ¡ø Tatiana Grachel ] [ Processed ] [ Specialty: Curse ] [ Form: Soul Spirit ] [ Processing Options ] ? Subordinate as a familiar ? Use as an enhancement material for an item ? Resummon in full form (Becomes annihilated after one use) ¡°...¡± Looking at the window before my eyes, I let out a sigh. ¡°Hey, Caliban.¡± [Hm?] ¡°...Have you ever trained a woman before?¡± After I said that the Soul Linker was filled with silence. That didn''t faze me, so I went on. ¡°...I need to, uhm, uh, what''s a better word to use? Um, ¡®educate¡¯ her?¡± [...] ¡°Please help me.¡± [...It¡¯s this feeling again.] Caliban replied in a subdued voice. [You truly seem to be drifting further away from being a human fucking being.] ¡°...You know, I¡¯m always on guard against the Fallen¡¯s Seal effect¡ª¡± [No, that¡¯s not it.] ¡°...¡± [You¡¯re not a fucking human even without that.] Please, stop with the harsh /genesisforsaken Chapter 196: Train (2) Chapter 196: Train (2) Tatiana Grachel was a priest who worshiped the Ancient Gods of another world. Given that she served such mighty beings harboring ancient curses, it was only natural that her mind did not easily yield to ordinary challenges. Such a strong mental fortitude also increased her adaptability to sudden situations. ...Where is this place...?Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com She struggled to look around. Around her was a pitch dark place. While still fighting her dizziness... She tried to remember her last memory... "...!" She immediately covered her mouth. Because she remembered the sensation she had felt when her head fell off and rolled on the ground. It was a scene that she remembered for sure. The black monster before her eyes, as it detached her head in one strike. She was killed. By Dowd Campbell. ¡°Umph...Heuurk...¡± As the nauseating feeling rose from within her, she immediately covered her mouth again. Fortunately, even in such a state, her strong mental fortitude still allowed her to analyze her current situation. Is this...the Image World...? That was the conclusion she reached after looking around for more. She felt as if she was floating around, a sensation that could never be felt in the Material World. All the physical stimulation that she should feel all over her body also felt faint to her. This was something that she was familiar with, albeit only theoretically, as the feeling one would feel when they entered the Image World as a ¡®Spirit Form¡¯. "..." But that begged the question, why exactly was she here? Especially since she was someone that had died not too long ago. ¡°Hm, I guess the processing went well.¡± As her mind wandered like that, she heard an odious voice. The voice she would never be able to forget. ¡°As expected of Dean Walter. It¡¯s my second time asking him for a favor, but he did a really neat job.¡± Since it was the voice of the culprit who took her life away! ¡°Dowd Campbell...!¡± She called his name with a growl. A wicked Killing Intent began to flow through her body. Even though she became a Spirit Form, the power she had built throughout her life seemed to be intact. There was no catalyst she could use to refine such a power, but she could still use the forbidden knowledge she had accumulated about the curse even if she was a Spirit Form¡ª ¡°There you go, you¡¯re better off like that.¡± Dowd said with a yawn. ¡°Otherwise you won¡¯t be worth using.¡± As he said those words, he flicked his finger. At that moment... A strong twinge, so strong that it felt like it was burning her mind blank, traveled throughout her whole body. It felt as if her legs were being cut off, her skin was being ripped out, and her body was being torn apart by the things ¡®inside¡¯ her as they threatened to burst out. ¡°Ah...Aack...! Aaaargh, aaack¨C!!¡± She let out a desperate scream as she wrapped her arms around her head and entire body. Her throes caused her to unconsciously lose control over her body and roll on the ground like a writhing bug. It was... As if she was experiencing ¡®death¡¯ while being alive. And Dowd¡¯s next words proved that such an assessment was accurate. ¡°This is exactly what you¡¯ve done to Riru¡¯s family.¡± The Garda Clan. People who she sacrificed for her ¡®ritual¡¯, sparing nothing including their dead bodies. ¡°I asked Valkasus to render it as similar as possible.¡± Basically, what Dowd did was to get her to ¡®experience¡¯ what those people had gone through in the moment of their deaths. He explained as such in a calm tone. ¡°You bastard...!¡± She gritted her teeth again. Her eyes were bloodshot as she glared at him. She wanted nothing but to tear him down to death. However, before she even threw another curse at him, Dowd flicked his finger again. This time, she felt a different sensation of pain from before. Her body felt as if it was burning, as if her limbs were bursting apart, as if her head broke after falling from a high place and hitting the ground. ¡°Ah...ha...ah...-!!¡± She had the urge to vomit. Drools already slipped out of her mouth. But, all she could do was to moan in pain with a pale face. ¡°From now on, I¡¯m going to recreate and inflict every sensation that the people you killed had experienced on you.¡± Even after seeing her like this, Dowd continued peacefully. He didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by the sight, as if it was ¡®natural¡¯ that she was treated like this. ¡°If you want me to stop this, you need to promise me one thing. So, will you?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Though she showed him a vicious look, Dowd continued without a change in his expression. ¡°Instead of the Prophet, submit to me.¡± "..." ¡°No, rather, instead of her, worship me.¡± Even when her whole body was suffering from the terrible pain. Sparks shot out of Tatiana¡¯s eyes. Because those were something she would never let go. She sent him a glare, there was a spiteful look on her face. ¡°Try making me do it yourself...!¡± If it was anything else, she might have reacted differently. But, even if he were to kill her hundreds, thousands, or even ten thousands of times... Her loyalty towards the Prophet would never waver. Because the Prophet was the greatest benefactor in her life, she was the equivalent of her mother. Yet this man, the man who had killed her, was telling her to betray the Prophet and worship him instead? She¡¯d rather let her whole soul suffer from this kind of pain for eternity instead. ¡°As you wish, then.¡± However... As if mocking her desperation... Dowd continued, the peaceful expression didn¡¯t leave his face. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long those words will last, shall we?¡± She told herself that she¡¯d never waver. Then, she closed her eyes tightly. Even if this man kept on doing wicked things to her... No matter what kind of terrible things she had to suffer through... She¡¯d never let wills give in! ¡°Alright.¡± At that moment, when the sound of a finger flicking dropped... A terrible sensation took over her whole body again. It felt as if there was a tentacle wringing inside the blood vessels all over her body. "...!" A scream that she failed to let out came from her vocal cords as a moan. ¡°Ah, keu, heuuk¨C!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Alan Ba-Thor¡¯s death this time, so it¡¯s going to hurt a bit more than before.¡± Dowd Campbell continued. ¡°I learned it just a little while ago; The Image World¡¯s rules are different from the Material Realm. Well, to put it simply, I can keep doing this to you without worrying about time and physical limitations.¡± Saying such a scary thing without batting an eye. That feeling filled up her whole body. ¡°...No way.¡± Tatiana crawled as if wriggling on the ground. Her head, that hadn¡¯t dropped lower even once when she was being tortured, sank deeply. She repeatedly bowed her head to the man in front of him, kneeling down, as if she was going to lick his feet if he were to tell her to. ¡°...Please...¡± Her voice sounded weak as she begged. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything...you want me to... If you want me to be your slave, I¡¯ll do it, if you tell me to become your toy, I¡¯ll gladly serve as your toy...¡± With such sincerity, she swore to give him anything she could give him. ¡°Just...please...don¡¯t take this away from me...¡± The memories she truly cherished... All the things that served as her ¡®foundation¡¯... She begged for him to not take them away. Again and again. Though her vision was blurred by her tears, she prayed that her voice could touch his heart even for a bit. ¡°Okay.¡± Then, he dropped such a casual reply. ¡°I won¡¯t erase it. That isn¡¯t my intention from the beginning, anyway.¡± "...!" Hearing those words, Tatiana looked up at him with a bright expression. ¡°Instead.¡± But, when she heard what he said next... ¡°I''m going to rewrite it.¡± That bright expression turned into despair. ¡°...Excuse...me...?¡± ¡°I said, I¡¯m going to rewrite it.¡± Dowd reached out again, holding her forehead as light vanished from her eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t erase your memories, but...¡± To Tatiana, who was crying with an expressionless face, like a doll. He dropped a stern declaration. ¡°I¡¯ll rewrite the target of your loyalty from ¡®the Prophet¡¯ to ¡®me¡¯. This is why I¡¯m doing all this.¡± Over the memories of the Prophet, which had been painted black... The memories of someone called ¡®Dowd¡¯ were painted. It took over the Prophet¡¯s position, which basically meant that he brainwashed her in this way. As he did this, Tatiana, who was looking at him finally realized... That this man, from the very beginning... Had never thought of giving her mercy even a little. ¡°...Devil.¡± At the same time such a word came out of her mouth like a moan... Tatiana''s consciousness was cut off. A while after that... Inside the Image World, Tatiana Grachel was trying hard to lick my feet. "..." "..." "..." Both Valkasus and Caliban alternately looked at her and me, astounded. All that shit might have felt like forever for this bitch, but only 15 minutes had actually passed. That was how the Image World worked. The time axis worked completely differently from the Material World. Entrusting Walter to take care of the details was the right thing to do. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Ah, aah...Master...¡± ¡°No, I said, wait.¡± ¡°Ah, euh, aah...¡± She looked up at me with a desperate look in her eyes. From her eyes, it seemed like she was begging me to let her lick my feet just once. As planned, I managed to ¡®overwrite¡¯ the loyalty she had for the Prophet onto loyalty toward me. It was just... The plan worked a little too well. ...Wait. Does that mean she had been treating the Prophet like this? Not only is she a lunatic, she¡¯s also a pervert? ¡°...Do you think you have any right to say that?¡± ¡°...Agreed to that.¡± "..." The gazes they sent me actually hurt me. ¡°...But, why?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll say that, at this point I¡¯m genuinely considering this as an art. Hats off to you.¡± ¡°I agree, Boy King.¡± "..." Honestly, I knew that I deserved to be treated like that this time. But, it wasn¡¯t like I had another choice. < Item Info > [ ¡ø Tatiana Grachel ] [ Processed ] [ Specialty: Curse ] [ Form: Soul Spirit ] [ Processing Options ] ? Subordinate as a familiar ? Use as an enhancement material for an item ? Resummon in full form (Becomes annihilated after one use) Adding her soul into an item as a reinforcement material wasn¡¯t a good option. She was too good of a bitch to not be used extensively. That was why I didn¡¯t consider summoning her in her full form either, since I could only do that once. Using her as a Familiar would be better in this case since I¡¯d get to use her more than once. The problem was, if I wanted to turn her into my subordinate, as a Familiar, without ¡®her own consent¡¯, I¡¯d have to deal with a penalty; Most of her abilities would be reduced in strength. To put it in another word, unless I gained her consent, the option was useless. ¡°...Is that why you brainwashed her? So that she¡¯d consent to submitting herself to you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± "..." ¡°I mean, she¡¯s a bad person anyway. Feels nice that I didn¡¯t feel guilty after doing all that to her.¡± Like, she deserved all this being done to her, considering the things she had done to Riru. Compared to when I used Lana, when I actually felt guilty for doing so, I really didn¡¯t feel anything because this woman was such a bitch. ¡°...Well, you do have the tendency to be so merciless when handling your enemies. You¡¯ve always been like that and the tendency feels like it¡¯s gotten stronger now.¡± "..." Well... Maybe that was because I¡¯ve been influenced by the things that I used to do for a bit. To be exact, the things that I did before I transmigrated into this game. Then, Caliban said with a sigh. ¡°Anyway, what are you going to use her for? You even went out of your way to turn her like this.¡± Huh? I thought I told him about it already? ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you about it before I did all these things?¡± I put the lion breastplate with Tatiana¡¯s soul in it into my inner chest pocket before continuing. ¡°I have someone to see in the Holy Land after this.¡± Archbishop Luminol. He was someone I needed to deal with before the ordeal /genesisforsaken Chapter 197: The Last Ordeal (1) Chapter 197: The Last Ordeal (1) Lately, Archbishop Luminol¡¯s day had rarely started off well. If he were to say what was the reason for that, a certain bastard would come to his mind. ...That fucking bastard... He was already frowning, but when he recalled the guy he saw at the Hero Selection Ordeal a while ago, his frown grew deeper. Dowd Campbell. That was the name of the person who greatly contributed to his deteriorating quality of life. It was to the point that he couldn¡¯t even concentrate facing the mountains of documents that he had to work on. Where did such a ridiculous punk pop out from...? He was already aware that Dowd was someone that even the Pope was keeping an eye on, but he didn¡¯t expect him to be this unpredictable. The punk¡¯s resilience always left him dumbfounded¡ªgiving him the impression that the punk would survive no matter what kind of situation he was forced to be in. The Last Ordeal is going to start soon... Actually, calling it an ordeal didn¡¯t really sound right. Because all they had to do was to let the people who had proven themselves capable in the previous ordeals to grab the Holy Sword. Ironically though, this was the most dangerous ordeal among them all. The Holy Sword. It was the weapon that was dubbed as the most powerful Holy Relic in human history. The weapon that the First Hero used when he sealed the Devils ¡®bodies¡¯ in the Void Zone. An extremely dangerous item that could kill anyone who touched it if it were to deem them unqualified. ¡°...¡± In other words, they had to let Lana touch it once. Though his dear daughter had an unusual constitution that would prevent her from dying no matter what, as a father, he still didn¡¯t want to witness that spectacle. ¡°Father, are you there?¡± As he was pondering such thoughts, a cheerful voice called out to him from outside the office. Hearing that voice, Archbishop Luminol unconsciously let out a soft smile. It was his daughter¡¯s voice. His purpose for living, the sole reason that pushed him to make the world a better place to live, even if only slightly. ¡°Welcome, Lana¡ª¡± He was about to greet her when his words were suddenly interrupted. ¡°Mm, is that all, Mr. Dowd? Just like we agreed on, I brought you here to meet my father in private...¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, Lana.¡± ¡°Then, as promised, you have to buy me that popular huge cake in Holy City later! Promise me!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy as many as you want.¡± While he was his daughter and all, he still thought that she really had a lot of nerve. How could she introduce the very same person who had put her in a dangerous situation so nonchalantly like this? As the Archbishop thought so while trembling, Lana left the office and the other man strode towards him. Without waiting for his permission, the punk pulled the chair across his desk and sat on it as if he was at his own home. No manners nor respect were shown. ¡°Nice to meet you, Archbishop Luminol.¡± ¡°...Tell me a reason I shouldn¡¯t use Offensive Miracle against you here.¡± ¡°Here, it¡¯s the confession I got from the assassins you sent to me. I¡¯ve recorded it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°They said that you are their client, and the reason why they sneaked into the Hero Selection Ordeal was to assassinate me. Say, if I were to leak out this recording to the public, a great chaos would ensue, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°...¡± Refusing to believe him, Archbishop Luminol grabbed the crystal. And he found out that the punk was telling the truth. In the recording, the assassins confessed everything with drowsy eyes¡ªfrom the details of their plan to the ¡®evidence¡¯ that he was indeed the one who hired them. ¡°...¡± Just like that, Archbishop Luminol¡¯s face turned pale. How? More than anyone, he knew that those assassins were trained professionals. The kind of people who¡¯d rather bite their tongues and kill themselves instead of disclosing such crucial information like that. As he pondered so, he suddenly noticed something. There was a white aura in their eyes. Though their eyes had lost their focus, he could feel their ¡®desire¡¯ for someone. As if they were captivated by that someone. ¡°...¡± The reason why the Archbishop of the Holy Land even entrusted those people with this job was because he deemed them as trustworthy. They were able to bounce off any kind of Mental Magic. Not only that, the equipment they were provided with was among the best of the best. ¡°...You.¡± Despite all that, they still ended up in this state. If there was a mental-related ability that could do this, it would be... ¡°Did you use a Devil¡¯s Authority?¡± ¡°Well...¡± ¡°...¡± Prior to this, the Pope certainly had warned him that this bastard in front of him might do something like this. But, it was only a ¡®might¡¯. He never expected that the bastard was able to use it so freely like this! ...Monster...! ¡°...And what do you think we should do, then?¡± This was something that Dowd himself was already aware of as well. And yet it was him who pushed himself deeper in that direction. ¡°It¡¯s a trap of goodwill.¡± Valkasus let out a sigh. ¡°He must be thinking that such a self-destructive sacrifice is good for himself too.¡± What an idiot. How could he try to save everyone yet doesn¡¯t care about being buried there? Valkasus could tell it better than anyone since they resembled each other. As someone who once held the funeral for everyone who used to serve him, he could understand ¡®why¡¯ Dowd was going this far. It was like Dowd was afraid. While Valkasus didn¡¯t know the details... He was sure that Dowd must have once lost someone that was precious to him right before his eyes. And that experience left a terrible trauma in his heart and mind, to the point where this kind of defense mechanism was established. If that was really the reason why he was doing all this, then, whatever words they were going to tell him, it would never work.. ¡°No. There¡¯s a way.¡± As Valkasus pondered such thoughts, Caliban said those words. ¡°You see, that guy needs to keep his word.¡± ¡°...Hm? What do you mean?¡± Hearing that question, a smile formed on Caliban¡¯s face. ¡°That guy asked Iliya to help him to get a grip if it seemed like he was about to cross the line.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, what we need to do is to create the opportunity for that to happen.¡± ¡°...¡± Valkasus suspected that his eyes were playing tricks on him, but... There was this joyful look on Caliban''s face. As if he was enjoying the fact that he could bully Dowd Campbell for once. ¡°...So, how do we do it?¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been a little frustrated with that guy lately.¡± The punk always got swayed by the women he could not deal well with. And yet, even though he was the one who said that those women were dangerous, he still tried to protect them. Ignoring how much he got hurt, how much he became tattered in the process. So... There was one thing they needed to show him at this point. ¡°Honestly, I think he needs to put himself in others¡¯ shoes.¡± ¡°...What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°We just need to let him know for sure that as much as he wants to protect the others, they also hate to see him getting hurt.¡± He continued. ¡°In other words, let¡¯s show him how much he¡¯s ¡®loved¡¯ by those women around him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And show him that he doesn¡¯t always need to deal with everything by himself.¡± Indeed, that was a plausible plan. But, for some reason, Valkasus had a terrible premonition about it. ¡°You only need to do one thing, Boy King.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Please contact the Devil¡¯s Vessels I have in mind. One of them is, hm...¡± A certain someone came to Caliban¡¯s mind as he let out a smile. ¡°...I don¡¯t think she¡¯s in her right mind now because of the guilt, but you should be able to reach her somehow using your Forbidden Sorcery, even in your Spirit Form.¡± That was indeed something that Valkasus might be able to do. Because, even when he was only sleeping inside the Soul Linker without communicating with anyone, including Dowd, his Forbidden Sorcery was growing stronger. He was now able to convey his thoughts autonomously even when he was in Spirit Form without having to go through his ¡®self¡¯. The problem here was... Why should he do that? ¡°Don¡¯t worry and just leave it to me.¡± To that, Caliban only replied as such with a grin on his face. ¡°...You, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯d like it if I were to tell you about this or not, but...¡± Narrowing his eyes, Valkasus continued. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel that you somehow are becoming more and more like him?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°From your bizarre way of thinking to that sly smile... You¡¯re exactly like him...¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Caliban¡¯s face to stiffen up. He looked as if he had heard an offensive /genesisforsaken Chapter 198: The Last Ordeal (2) Chapter 198: The Last Ordeal (2) The Krisanax Household was a small herding family who lived at the edge of the most remote part of the Empire. It had the most striking resemblances to the Campbell Barony that she had visited before. The region was ruled by a Baron who gave off a peaceful impression, completely the opposite of Dowd Campbell, who would cause a stir everywhere. Iliya''s parents also gave a similar impression. With friendly neighbors, respectable adults, and the one and only, the most precious, the best family a person could ever have. If there was one thing that immediately came to her mind when she thought of her hometown, it was the clear blue sky above the endless green grassland. The next thing that would come to her mind was the endless shade of blue and green that glowed under the soft moonlight. ...Ah, this. ...Was a dream. Just seeing the view in front of her made her aware of the fact. The plants and trees on the hill, swaying in tune with the breeze, the crying sound of a newly born calf, the friends she used to play with, the voice of her mother, calling her from the hill, reminding her to eat... Such recollections. Such memories. ¡°...¡± Iliya looked at her house on the hill with dead eyes. Because she knew all too well... Of the thing that was going to happen after this. ¡°W-What is that?¡±es?¡± Over in the next village, which was half a day away, something was burning. A red aura rose from the sky in that direction. Karmic Fire. Even from a long distance, a huge column of fire could be seen. She could vividly remember the heat that made her peach fuzz bristle up, the blazing flame that seemed as if it was going to turn the sky into ashes, causing shadows to envelop the surroundings. And she clearly remembered the word that she had uttered back then. ¡°...Brother?¡± She didn¡¯t know why she said that word. Perhaps, her childlike innocence allowed her to notice it. The wickedness surging from that column of fire and the ominousness that would completely twist her life. Perhaps... That was why she unconsciously called the person she had depended on the most in the world. ¡°O-Ooh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting bigger!¡± If the column of fire was caused by an explosion, it usually would only soared up high once and subsided quickly if they were fortunate. But, even her young self sensed something was off, and that itchy feeling eventually turned into anxiety¡ªeven horror¡ªwhen she saw the people inside the village pouring out of it one by one. Instead of subsiding, the column of fire went on strong. Red light coming up from the flame was spread to the dark surroundings. As if trying to paint the sky red. Giving off the impression that the entire night was engulfed in red flame. ¡°Iliya!¡± Then, she remembered how her parents, who were also watching the scene, moved at the same time. There was a clear confusion on their faces, but they were still rushing towards her to take her to safety. Though they didn¡¯t understand what was going on, they understood that they had to protect the young Iliya first and foremost. They threw away their curiosity over what was going on and rushed down the hill as quickly as they could. Her sick mother tripped over again and again, yet she paid it no heed. ¡°...¡± Meanwhile, Iliya still looked at the sight with dead eyes. ¡°Iliya!¡± Because... The moment when her parents called out to her desperately like that... Was the moment when it ¡®began¡¯. It was always the most excruciating moment for her. Because she couldn¡¯t even close her eyes to avoid seeing it since this was just a dream. -! -!! Something popped out of the column of fire, making a ¡®pong¡¯ sound. Then, everything in front of her was engulfed in the fire. The plants and trees, the other kids that didn¡¯t even have the time to scream; From Daisy, who was building a sand castle the other day, to Hans, who had confessed to her that he liked her, wearing a stupid expression. Even the adults like the bakery owner who always smiled nicely while giving her extra bread was embraced by the raging flames. Everyone. Disappeared into ashes. ¡°...¡± Those who disappeared in a blink of an eye without being able to scream could count themselves as fortunate. Because they didn¡¯t need to smell the thick scent of burning flesh, hear the echoing ear splitting screams that would make anyone¡¯s legs feel weak. Parents died. Children died. Those same children cried out, begging for their mommies to save them. Those same parents desperately begged for their children to be saved. Misfortunes poured down like heavy rain. In a matter of seconds, the pastoral and peaceful village was destroyed. ¡°...¡± Though it was a dream. Iliya felt the urge to throw up. Unconsciously, she sank to her knees, wrapping her arms around her shaking body as she looked up at the sky. The column of fire. The huge disaster that had painted the entire night red. ¡°...¡± And inside it... Although it was so far away... She could see a human shape in the middle of it. Their blood-like red hair, long nails, and yellow eyes with slit pupils resembling that of reptiles. When their eyes met, one word came to her mind. ¡°...Devil.¡± The Crimson Night. To be exact, it was the moment when the night began. Her memory of the scene was always blacked out by that. ¡ñ She woke up soaked in cold sweat. The fancy bed inside the accommodation, which was provided by the Holy Land, near the location of the Last Ordeal, was soaked by her sweat. With ragged breaths, Iliya swept her face. I sharply inhaled in exasperation as I got up from my seat. Whatever, the main quest was just around the corner. It was more important to prepare myself for what the Prophet was about to do than dealing with this shit. ¡°...Just don''t do anything too strange, please.¡± [Okay.] ¡°...¡± I thought you said you weren''t plotting anything. You crazy motherfucker. ¡ñ Seras Evatrice could only look at the person standing in front of her in a daze. Actually, it was her first time seeing the person at all, as she never even saw a glimpse of him before. Although, calling him a person was a bit of a stretch. Since he introduced himself as someone who had died. ¡°...So, your name is...¡± [Valkasus.] ¡°Hiiiik¡ª!¡± When he saw Seras jumping with eyes filled with tears, Valkasus narrowed his eyes. [...You, don¡¯t they refer to you as a Grand Assassin or something impressive like that?] Though he criticized her for showing such a pathetic look, Seras didn¡¯t care and instead responded to him while trembling. ¡°I-Is it wrong for a Grand Assassing to be scared of ghosts?!¡± [...I mean, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be able to fill up a whole cemetery with all the people you¡¯ve killed...] ¡°But I can¡¯t kill you!¡± [...So you¡¯re scared of everything that you can¡¯t kill?] ¡°Yeah!¡± [...] Though she was trembling, her answer came out very clearly. ...Such a simple and clear standard. So she¡¯s saying that she isn¡¯t scared of anything that she can kill with a knife, but scared of those she can¡¯t. No wonder she had been obediently listening to him well since the first time they met. [...Anyways.] Valkasus let out another deep sigh and continued. [I have a simple matter to tell you. Well, it¡¯s simple but it¡¯s still a serious matter.] ¡°What?¡± Then, Valkasus told her Caliban¡¯s ¡®plan¡¯. ¡°...¡± The more content of the plan he ¡®delivered¡¯... The more fear on Seras¡¯ face that had disappeared. In place of it, she wore a serious look. ¡°...That¡¯s definitely a serious matter.¡± Seras muttered with narrowed eyes. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that the Red Devil is going berserk?¡± [Yes.] ¡°...¡± Then they should prevent it from happening. [The others beside you must¡¯ve been informed about it as well.] ¡°The others?¡± Obviously he was talking about the Devil¡¯s Vessels. But, Caliban claimed that there was a better way to call them, which was... [The other women around Dowd Campbell.] ¡°...¡± [Like they said, opportunities are found in times of crisis. As you can tell from what you have heard, this time, things have gotten way too dangerous for that man to make it out alive. That¡¯s why we want you guys¡¯ help.] ¡°...Hm, so you¡¯re hiring me?¡± [Judging by the form, it¡¯s going to be like that. Although, the payment will be something different from what you have in mind.] ¡°What?¡± [This is a battle of possession. The most helpful person in the scene will get to do something nice with him.] ¡°...Something nice?¡± [You are allowed to do whatever you want with him, whether it¡¯s to sleep together with him or whatever.] ¡°...¡± She wished he would not say crazy things while looking as if he had given up. But, let¡¯s think about it a little more. Seras¡¯ face was filled with question marks instead upon hearing what he said. She sensed that something was off. Was Dowd the type that would agree to do something like that easily? ¡°...Did he agree to this himself?¡± [Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯ll tell you his weakness that would make him agree no matter what.] ¡°...¡± [Of course it isn¡¯t the way to overpower him physically, rather, it¡¯s the way to win his ¡®heart¡¯, which is what you all are aiming for anyway, no?] It was a lengthy speech. But he had definitely left out Dowd''s own opinion. ¡°...Uhm, doing that without listening to the person''s opinion is kind of...¡± [Does that mean you don¡¯t care if another woman were to take him away?] ¡°...¡± [Even if he were to say no, those women would put the method into practice right away once they heard what his weakness is. For example, the daughter of the Tribal Alliance¡¯s Chieftain that you argued with recently.] ¡°...Are you trying to provoke me?¡± [Yes. Just imagine, are you going to be okay if such things were to happen?] His intention was way too obvious. This was merely a cheap provocation. However... ¡°...¡± Seras closed her eyes and imagined the scene for a moment. The sight of that blue girl hugging Dowd while smiling in triumph before her eyes. And the sight of her shaking as she was looking at the scene. Then, those two would start to kiss, hug and eventually lead to mixing each other¡¯s- ¡°...Alright, who am I supposed to kill?¡± Needless to say, the cheap provocation was very effective on /genesisforsaken Chapter 199: The Last Ordeal (3) Chapter 199: The Last Ordeal (3) Chancellor Sullivan stared at Faenol with a serious gaze. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Faenol forced a fake smile while replying. Thanks to the fact that she had lived half her life faking her emotions ever since she was forcefully ¡®brought back to life¡¯ because of the Red Devil, the smile came out so naturally. Of course, even such a superb acting skill couldn¡¯t suppress the ¡®phenomenon¡¯ she was going through. Red flame surrounded her body, this was the thing that she had failed to suppress. Though she managed to erase the flame right away¡ªas expected as a prodigious talent when it came to Magic¡ªFaenol knew very well the identity of the phenomenon. ¡°...¡± Demonic Aura. In other words, the Devil¡¯s Fragments that she had, leaking out of her body. It was getting harder and harder for her to control it. ...So suddenly? She asked in her mind as she tried to soothe the overflowing aura, letting out ragged breaths as she did so. Thanks to her increased affinity with Dowd Campbell, she was gradually getting better at ¡®controlling¡¯ the Devil¡¯s Power. It was to the point that she became hopeful that she¡¯d be able to calm down the Devil¡¯s Aura and achieve eternal rest. But, at some point... She felt as if the Fragments were trying their best to come out of her body. As if they ¡®reacted¡¯ to something and went wild. But why...? She couldn¡¯t tell why that was the case. The one month time limit she had given Dowd in the beginning hadn¡¯t ended yet, and her feelings for him also hadn¡¯t faded yet either. ¡°...I¡¯ll just have to hold on until the end of the Hero Selection Ordeal.¡± Faenol said while struggling to put up a smile. ¡°Because that man said that he would help be by any means necessary after the Last Ordeal ends.¡± That was what he had told her just before the Last Ordeal began. Even if it gets difficult, hold on the best you can. She genuinely believed that if she were to hold on, he¡¯d really come to save her. ¡°...Faenol.¡± Hearing those words, the Chancellor called out to her, still weaning a serious look on her face. ¡°Eat this first.¡± She said so while giving something to Faenol. The moment the latter saw what it was, her eyes widened. Rejuvenation Pills...? It was some kind of medicine, which, according to what she had heard, was used in the East. The medicine was rolled and clumped to a bead shape. Medicine with such a form was something that couldn¡¯t be seen often in this continent. ¡°...Hm.¡± In any case, since the Chancellor was the one who handed it to her, she figured that it would be safe. So, she gulped the medicine down. ¡°...Huh?¡± As soon as she did, the pain that was hurting her whole body subsided in an instant. A ridiculous outcome for sure. It was hard for her to believe that a medicine that could suppress a Devil¡¯s Aura existed in this world. ¡°...How does this kind of...medicine exist?¡± ¡°The Cursed Speech User gave me. He said that you¡¯d be needing it at around this time. Also, he said that the medicine is extremely valuable because he can¡¯t make the same thing again, so you¡¯ll need to handle it with care.¡± However... As Faenol heard who it was that gave the Chancellor the medicine, she let out a frown. ¡°Your Excellency the Chancellor.¡± She worded her next words carefully. ¡°...I am genuinely grateful that you have accepted me.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, all of a sudden?¡± ¡°You are aware of the being that resides inside my body, yet you still accepted under the Heretic Inquisition. Your compassion is something that I¡¯ll always feel grateful about.¡± Then, she looked at Sullivan right in the eye. ¡°But I think I''d need to say this.¡± She continued with a serious look on her face. ¡°No matter how I look at it, I don¡¯t think forming a relationship with the Prophet is a good idea.¡± That person, the one who was called the Prophet. She was like a black lump of death. That was the feeling that Fanol felt every time she saw her. ¡°After all, she¡¯s the leader of those Devil Worshippers.¡± ¡°...¡± Actually, it wasn¡¯t only that. The Prophet seemed as if she knew a lot of things about this ¡®world¡¯, even more so than the Chancellor, who often felt as if she knew the future already. It was to the point that she felt similar to Dowd Campbell, who, in Faenol¡¯s opinion, was the best person in that regard. ¡°But, you can¡¯t deny that you need these right now, no?¡± Sullivan said as she put down a few more of the Rejuvenation Pills that Faenol had taken earlier. ¡°Dowd says...that he has a plan...so I¡¯ll trust him. Because that man has never failed before.¡± Sullivan continued with a sigh. ¡°But, you still need these right now. Or else, something bad might happen if you keep this up.¡± ¡°...¡± Bearing an anxious look in her eyes, Faenol looked down at the Rejuvenation Pills in front of her. The thing was related to that woman, so she felt especially uneasy about it. But... ...I wish the Last Ordeal would end quickly. But, at the moment... It wasn¡¯t like she had any other choice. So, she reached for the Rejuvenation Pills while letting out a sigh. ¡ñ Caliban said as soon as he saw the Holy Sword, which was stuck on the top of the rock. Honestly, the shape of the sword was unconvincing. It looked like something that you could find lying around in the middle of a warehouse somewhere. Of course, its appearance was deceptive. ...That thing is the most powerful offensive item in this universe, after all. I thought so while looking at the worn-out sword that lacked any kind of decoration whatsoever. The thing was made of Starsteel, the same thing that I put on Yuria before. Except that the purity of the Starsteel that was used to forge the Holy Sword couldn¡¯t even be compared to that little trinket. And... Even someone who was unaware of that could acknowledge that the sword had a different ¡®presence¡¯. It was as if it was ¡®isolated¡¯ from the world and stayed detached. And if the person observing it was someone who had reached the stage where they were able to recognize a ¡®Special Power¡¯, whatever the type, with their naked eyes, they would moan as soon as they saw it. The sword possessed the ability to disperse all kinds of ¡®Special Power¡¯. From Divine Power, Law Power, Magic Power, Curse, any other Special Power in all dimensions. Every single one of them. This automatically included ¡®all Aura¡¯, which meant that it could even strike the Devils effectively, even though they stood at the pinnacle in all dimensions. Because that meant it could disperse even the ¡®Demonic Aura¡¯ they used, and even attack their main body. ¡°Well, let''s wait and see.¡± I said so while observing Lana, who got the opportunity to ¡®try to grab¡¯ the Holy Sword before Iliya. She was the one with the most excellent scores beside Iliya and me, so she was more than deserved to be called here. Of course, as soon as she grabbed the Holy Sword. Her entire body ¡®exploded¡¯. It swelled before bursting out, as if a bomb had exploded from inside her body. I caught Archbishop Luminol¡¯s face as it went pale due to the scene. [...Wow.] Seeing that, Caliban let out a hollow laugh. Seeing someone getting ¡®crushed¡¯ like that as soon as they grabbed that item was shocking even for him. [It makes people turn like that just because they¡¯re not its master? That Holy Sword?] ¡°Well, they said it got the blood of all the Devils on it. I think it''s normal that it has the same characteristics as a Demonic Sword.¡± [It''s easy in theory...] As we were chatting like that, Lana, who had burst out, jumped up. She didn¡¯t seem to care much even after dying like that, like always. ¡°Hmm... I guess it''s not me.¡± Hearing that, Caliban let out a sigh. [...Will it really be okay? There¡¯s no guarantee that Iliya won¡¯t end up like that¡ª] ¡°...If, by any chance, things go wrong, the medical staff over there will take care of her, so it won¡¯t be a big issue. Of course I¡¯ll also risk my life to protect her.¡± [Then I''ll watch for now, but...] While we were talking like that, Iliya slowly approached the rock and climbed it up. I could tell that she was scanning the Holy Sword with a nervous look. ¡°...Okay.¡± After saying that, she brought her hands closer to the handle of the Holy Sword. Lana nonchalantly touched it since she wouldn¡¯t die either way, but Iliya was different, she was touching it very carefully.. As if she was introducing herself. Slowly. Her fingers touched the grip of the Holy Sword. ¡°...¡± One thing for sure. It didn¡¯t seem like she was going to burst like Lana did earlier. But, the strange thing here was that nothing happened. Nothing. Like, literally nothing happened. ¡°...What?¡± Even after someone said that and time passed for a good while. ¡°...¡± Seeing that... My blood cooled down. I broke out in a cold sweat. My vision became blurry as I struggled to breathe. _No. _ No. _No. _ Don¡¯t fuck with me. _There''s no way. _ [...What''s going on?] ¡°...She got rejected.¡± [What?] ¡°The Holy Sword decided that she isn¡¯t its master.¡± My answer came out as a groan. Seeing how she didn¡¯t die immediately like Lana, it meant that she was ¡®qualified¡¯ enough. She was capable of being the Hero. But, even if that was the case... Even if... That was the case... The Holy Sword declared that Iliya wasn¡¯t its master. How it didn¡¯t emit any bright light served as a proof. ¡°...¡± What did this signify? Practically speaking, the Holy Sword... Declared that Iliya was not the ¡®main character¡¯ of this /genesisforsaken Chapter 200: The Last Ordeal (4) Chapter 200: The Last Ordeal (4) Inside the conference room of the Great Temple, where the Holy Land¡¯s leading figures were currently at, the sound of tense conversation could be heard. ¡°...No one expected this situation to happen.¡± It was quite the strange sight¡ªpeople, ranging from middle-aged to elderly, possessing the kind of authority that they could take pride in, were gathered in one place, looking distressed. But, considering the situation, it wasn¡¯t that strange. Especially after hearing the words of one of the Archbishop. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Holy Sword rejected the candidate with the best scores. What¡¯s the meaning of holding this event then...?¡± ¡°Nothing happened even after she grabbed the Holy Sword. Maybe they just need a little more time?¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t be the case. We know that anyone who can¡¯t prove that they¡¯re qualified will die immediately upon contact. The problem here is that there was no ¡®bright light¡¯ that always came out when the previous Heroes came into contact with the Holy Sword. This means it didn¡¯t recognize her as its master.¡± Exactly. That was the root of all the problems. The person who showed the best performance in the ordeal wasn¡¯t chosen as the master of the Holy Sword. Considering this happened in an event hosted by the Three Superpowers¡¯ leaders, this couldn¡¯t be just a simple accident. "How about giving the opportunity to other candidates?" ¡°...That would give birth to another problem entirely. People will make a fuss over who should be given the opportunity and they will definitely start various dirty fights over that.¡± ¡°Is it really the time to consider such things? If things go wrong, chaos will be spread all across the continent!¡± It would be the worst case scenario if people came to think that ¡®this generation didn¡¯t give birth to any Hero¡¯. In the first place, the event was intended to calm the chaos that would ensue as a result of the Devils¡¯ signs being discovered across the continent. If the worst case scenario were to actually happen, even the people present didn¡¯t dare to imagine what kind of chaos would ensue. However, since the Holy Land was the one who first suggested carrying out the Hero Selection Ordeal, they had to proceed with it, even if they had to do it forcefully. ¡°The Holy Sword¡ª¡± As soon as the voice echoed throughout the room, the room descended to silence. These people were the leading figures, they had every right to use their voice in this place, but the person who just spoke had the highest authority in the room. ¡°If we look at the past records, it was said that ¡®it harms everyone upon contact except the Hero¡¯. Judging by the fact that she survived after touching it, we can safely say that candidate Iliya Krisanax IS the Hero of this generation. Besides, giving the opportunity to other candidates will only end up killing them.¡± ¡°...¡± He was the only person who played the role as the ¡®counterweight¡¯ of the countries, even in the situation where the Holy Land was objectively less powerful than the Empire, while being many steps behind the Tribal Alliance in regards to technological advancement. The Absolute and also the dictator of the Holy Land. He was the strongest priest in history, the Pope himself. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Befitting his authority, everyone in the room stayed silent. As if everything he said was the sole truth that had to be accepted. This sight perfectly demonstrated his level of authority inside the Holy Land. His grip on the country was overwhelming compared to the Empire¡¯s higher-ups, where there were factions with each of them holding the same amount of authority. ¡°However, it¡¯s also a fact that there was no ¡®bright light¡¯, which is proof of the ownership of the Holy Sword... There are only two possible reasons for this.¡± The Pope continued with a gentle smile. ¡°One, the Hero herself has a ¡®flaw¡¯. This is the most likely reason, if we were to use common sense. Although it¡¯s hard to deduce what exactly the flaw is since it¡¯s the first time in history that this has ever happened...¡± This was something that definitely came to everyone¡¯s mind the first time. It was simply difficult to believe that the problem lay in the Holy Relic itself, since nearly a thousand years had passed and the relic hadn¡¯t caused any incident ever since. However, the people in this room were not so stupid to miss the fact that the Pope explicitly mentioned that there were ¡®two¡¯ problems. Which meant that he implied there was another possibility other than the common probable cause. ¡°And the second one¡ª¡± The Pope curled up the corners of his mouth. ¡°-is that her qualification has been stolen in a ¡®butterfly effect¡¯ someone has created.¡± ¡°...Pardon me? Butterfly effect...?¡± ¡°What does that...? At the questions coming out from them in a daze... The Pope continued his words with a meaningful smile. ¡°...It means that there must be someone who stole the ¡®hardship'' that was originally given to the Hero.¡± To the point that the Holy Sword, which only recognized one person as its master, had a ¡®malfunction¡¯. As everyone else looked puzzled, the Pope silently closed his eyes while resting his chin on his hand. _...Is it happening soon? _ The start of the ¡®Red Night¡¯ that the Prophet had told him about, was just around the corner. And in that situation... Toward the person who had set up plans to deal with such a situation, a huge variable had come to twist all of the said plans. _Now what are you going to do, Dowd Campbel? _ One thing was for sure. Just was the Prophet had said, the situation would definitely be a ¡®fun spectacle¡¯. ¡ñ ¡°...Haaaaah...¡± [...The ground won¡¯t collapse even if you were to blow on it like that, you know?] Caliban scolded me, but I couldn''t help it. I was so out of it that I spent tens of minutes pacing around outside without any sense of purpose whatsoever. Even though I had no time to waste¡ªhell, I didn¡¯t even have enough time to come up with a solution. ¡°This is really bad...¡± Those words were all the things I had deduced about the current situation... Things that were always in my mind... In any case, this made it certain that this fucker knew a lot about me. Way too much, actually. ¡°...¡± I didn¡¯t refute her words and just stared at her silently. Because if she really was who I thought she was... Then she¡¯d really known ¡®everything¡¯ about me. It would¡¯ve been easy for her to know about what I was thinking now. ¡°So, do you think there¡¯s a way to overthrow this situation? The Red Devil is going to awaken soon, no?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s really a checkmate this time, huh? You¡¯ve been running around while going all in to give Iliya Krisanax the Holy Sword, no?¡± Honestly... I couldn''t think of anything right now. Though the other Devil¡¯s Vessels were nearby, in order to suppress the Vessel bearing three Fragments from going berserk, it would be inevitable for them to also go berserk as wel as a deterrence. It was like the tail wagging the dog, but in a level of detonating a bomb to extinguish fire. ¡°...So, did you come all the way here just to mock me?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± The punk grinned. ¡°I came to offer you a deal.¡± ¡°...A deal? With you?¡± This fucker had been putting my life at risk countless times before, what the fuck was she on about? With that thought in mind, I glared at her. Meanwhile, she rolled around in my bed while continuing. ¡°Aw, c¡¯mon, why are you so mean to me? I¡¯ve been treating you kindly and sincerely so far!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I send Talker to you during the ordeal? Just to protect you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Also, who do you think was the one who delayed the Red Devil¡¯s going berserk by a day?¡± ¡°...¡± I shut my mouth and slowly stared at her. Meanwhile, she stretched herself on my bed and continued. ¡°I promise, it won¡¯t be something bad for you.¡± ¡°...Spit it out then. Not that I¡¯m going to listen.¡± Upon hearing what I said, she let out a light smile. Well, that was what I felt when I saw that mask of hers, at least. ¡°Then.¡± She continued in a peaceful voice. ¡°Wanna fuck?¡± ¡°...¡± After a long silence. After a very long silence. I was barely able to say something. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Was that not clear enough? You know, reproduction? Making a baby¡ª¡± ¡°Wait. Shut the fuck up for a sec.¡± Holding my throbbing head, I let out a deep breath. I felt dizzy for a moment due to hyperventilation, so I couldn''t help but do so. ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± ¡°Huh, you really are weak at things like this. For a casanova who¡¯s been going around seducing women, why are you so weak when facing dirty talk like this?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don''t make such a scary expression. I''m just joking. It was a joke.¡± ¡°...¡± Yeah, sure it fucking was. From the way it looked, if I were to accept her offer, she¡¯d eat me right there and then. As I thought so, the Prophet continued again. ¡°Well, Mr. Dowd.¡± Her voice was light, just like when she made a crazy remark earlier. But the words that she uttered next weren''t light at all. ¡°Why don¡¯t we kill the Gray Devil together?¡± She dropped those words... Ever so lightly, as if she was making small /genesisforsaken Chapter 201: Crimson Night (1) Chapter 201: Crimson Night (1) I stared at the Prophet blankly, only moving to blink my eyes. It took quite a while for me to understand exactly what kind of bullshit she was saying. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I''m saying let''s kill the thing inside Lady Tristan''s body. It won¡¯t be a bad deal for you too, no?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing her saying it so casually once again confirmed that I didn¡¯t hear it wrong. ¡°What are you on about?¡± ¡°...¡± If she didn''t know what a Devil was, then I would''ve assumed that she was just ignorant. However, considering what this punk had done so far, there was no way in hell that she didn¡¯t know jackshit about the Devils. ¡°...¡± If anything... Compared to me, who only knew about the Devils because of my knowledge of the game, it felt like she knew a lot more than I did. As if she had ¡®experienced¡¯ them herself. ¡°We can kill Devils, you know that much, right?¡± ¡°...¡± What she had just said proved it. She was right. Well, you might be aware of it since the Final Boss of Sera was the Gray Devil herself. This heavily implied that the Devil could be ¡®cleared¡¯. And the implication was correct, you could kill the Devils, as long as you met the conditions, that is... As I silently glared at her, she continued with a shrug. ¡°Besides, the ones you¡¯re trying to protect are the Devil¡¯s ¡®Vessels¡¯, no? Not the Devils.¡± And... Just like that, she casually talked about the most important part. She knew exactly the driving force behind why I always prepared for the upcoming incidents, even when I had to wreck my body here and there. ¡°Just think of those Devils as parasites that stick onto those Vessels. Ultimately, those dregs will only have a negative impact on the Material World anyway.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Also, because of your actions...the Vessels, the Hero, everything really, isn¡¯t proceeding the way you thought it would. I¡¯m just giving you the option to make the story ¡®unfolds¡¯ in the direction you want. Shouldn¡¯t you thank me for that?¡± I silently stared at her for a while. Then, I said with a sigh. ¡°...Tell me, why are you trying to kill the Gray Devil?¡± Right, this fucker had been particularly obsessed with Eleanor, hadn¡¯t she? She even went out of her way to use a whole chapter boss to divert my attention just to kill Eleanor back at the Forge of Struggle. "If you know the reason, what are you gonna do with it?" Laughter was mixed in her voice as she replied. There was a heavy tone of sarcasm in that laugh, as if to say, ¡®What can you do in this situation anyway?¡¯ ¡°You can¡¯t use the Holy Sword and the Devil¡¯s Vessels¡¯ help won¡¯t be able to solve the problem perfectly, considering the opponent is a Vessel bearing three Fragments. Do you even have another option if you were to reject my¡ª¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Before she could finish, I cut her off in a low voice. ¡°¡ªAsked ¡®why¡¯ you want to kill the Devil.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange that those words even came out of your mouth?¡± At my words, she went totally quiet. For the first time, a crack formed on her relaxed demeanor. ¡°You said the other punks were changed because of me, right?¡± This punk... Said that Iliya, Elanor, and the other punks were all affected by the butterfly effect that I had created. ¡°But, the same goes for you, doesn''t it?¡± ¡°...¡± I continued as she stayed silent. Actually, seeing her moves so far, there were a lot of things that I thought were strange. Her title was the leader of the Devil ¡®Worshipers¡¯. In the original game, her moves were purely focused on trying to resurrect the Devils. Her cunning tendency to move secretly was the same. But seeing how she was trying to openly coax me into killing a Devil, her disposition was extremely different from the Prophet in the original game. And, if I were to guess... There was a very simple, very basic reason for such a difference. ¡°You.¡± I continued calmly. ¡°Are not the original ¡®Prophet¡¯, aren¡¯t you?¡± I could feel her breath stop at once. Which meant I hit the bullseye. ¡°I don''t know how you got to your position, there are so many possible scenarios that I could think of, however...¡± I could sense her widening her eyes behind that mask. From the atmosphere around her, I could feel that she was completely taken aback by my words. ¡°However it was, you aren¡¯t the ¡®original¡¯, am I wrong?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Why are you all here...?¡± She asked with a trembling voice, but nobody answered her. Eleanor, Riru, Seras... Surely, she had seen this lineup before somewhere. ...All of them are the Devil''s Vessels...! The air felt really heavy because every one of them wore stiff expressions and were all tense. ¡°Please, someone, say anything...!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on them. Everyone is preparing themselves here.¡± Eleanor, who was sitting on the sofa while wiping her sword, said that. While she looked the most relaxed among them all, her expression was also pretty stiff. ¡°...Preparing for what?¡± ¡°...Did the spirit not come to you?¡± Spirit? What kind of bullshit is she talking about? As Iliya thought so with a perplexed expression, Eleanor only shrugged and replied. ¡°Whatever. Forget it if you don¡¯t know. That¡¯ll be one less competitor for me.¡± ¡°...¡± The other women didn¡¯t say anything, but they all seemed to agree to her words. They were all nodding quietly, with stiffened expressions. ¡°But why did you all come into my room...!¡± ¡°...That is probably because you are the only person they are quite comfortable with. They seem to think this is the only place to kill time.¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± ¡°Just look at them. None of them has any social skills whatsoever, they don¡¯t even have any friends in the same year as them.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And you are the only person they can talk to quite comfortably.¡± ¡°...¡± That¡¯s true. Is lacking in social skills one of the requirements to be a Devil Vessel, I wonder? ¡°But, I still don¡¯t understand anything here...¡± Still, it did not make sense for them to do this without any explanations. Especially... Since one of them looked as if she was in an extremely serious condition. ¡°...¡± Iliya looked at Yuria, who was sitting quietly in a corner of the room, with worried eyes. It was actually Iliya¡¯s first time seeing her after she caused Dowd to lose consciousness a while back. On the outside, there seemed to be nothing wrong with her. She was only quietly reading the atmosphere, as always, without making her presence known. However... As someone with the Eye of Truth. Someone who could see through someone else¡¯s ¡®nature¡¯. Iliya could see Yuria''s exact condition. _...It looks like she''s almost on the verge of committing suicide. _ She was empty. The girl who used to live the world properly even though timidly, was now perilous like a candlelight in the wind. ¡°...¡± It got Iliya to think again. What exactly was it that they were ¡®waiting¡¯ for to the point that even a girl in such a condition was here? ¡°At least give me a hint¡ª¡± Iliya was about to continue her words... But, she stopped, since she didn¡¯t need such an explanation anymore. Because before her sentence even finished. -!! -!!!!!!!!!!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A huge flame. Accompanied by a roar rang out in all directions, as if it were tearing the whole night apart. ¡°It has begun.¡± As Eleanor said so with a low voice. Iliya''s eyes trembled as she glared outside the window at the column of fire rising up. It was definitely... A sight that was etched in her memory. ¡°...The Crimson Night?¡± The night sky. Was dyed red by the crimson /genesisforsaken Chapter 202: Crimson Night (2) Chapter 202: Crimson Night (2) Faenol could feel her body burning. She gasped for breath as she hugged herself. The Red Aura jolting inside her body was too much for her to handle at this point. ...I... What am I doing here? With her clouded mind, she could barely ask that question to herself. The last thing she remembered was her taking the Rejuvenation Pills and rolled it inside her mouth before she fell asleep. Then, she remembered the ¡®Demonic Aura¡¯ pouring out of her body. As if it had ¡®held it in long enough¡¯. Beyond her fading consciousness and her dimming vision... A familiar figure came to her view. The same figure she had seen back when she faced the red night for the first time. ¡°...¡± A woman, clad in red aura with a pair of horns on top of her head. Her appearance made Faenol wonder if she would look something akin to her if she was ever substituted as a red soul. ¡°...You.¡± Faenol said blankly. Her consciousness was faint. She didn¡¯t even know why she was in such a place. While she was in such a state... A voice interrupted. -...The world... Such words... -Had hurt you. Came out of the Red Devil¡¯s mouth... Her voice was so calm and peaceful despite the fact that she was the one who had used Faenol¡¯s body to kill so many people. It was... To the point that Faenol felt an affection that was similar to maternal love coming from her. As if the Devil actually cared about her. -That¡¯s why I... And, she definitely... -Will turn everything anew. Had heard those words before. ¡ñ There were uproars everywhere.. Near the vast field outside the Great Temple of the Holy Land, there were only hurriedly built facilities there. This was the result of the Pope''s insistence on never allowing people to enter the Great Temple. It was probably because unlike how everyone at least used the facilities inside the Academy or the sites nearby... The Holy Land¡¯s academy, the Great Temple, was built near the ''Sanctuary'', which was the core of the Holy Land. ...This is annoying, but... Honestly, it was a huge relief that at the very least, this incident happened in this kind of place. It was as if they already knew that the second Crimson Night Incident was about to occur in advance and chose a place where there were no other people around. ¡°...¡± Seriously, this is so annoying. I bet that the Prophet had told them this. [...Right, about her, is it okay to leave her just like that?] Caliban was talking about the Prophet, who had been in my room until just now. Because, you know, as soon as the red column of fire soared up high, I just left her there and ran outside ¡°...She won¡¯t mess with me for the time being.¡± What I knew about her was that her movements were pretty consistent. There were a few times where she arbitrarily made the problems bigger, but at the end of the day, she never attempted to take my life. It¡¯d most likely be the same during this main quest. Like I said earlier, there was a high chance that she had told the Pope about this, which led them to use such a deserted place as the location of the Last Ordeal. That way, this quest¡¯s difficulty would be lowered and I would be able to ¡®survive¡¯. ¡°...¡± The problem was... Even though the punk who had been openly raising the difficulty level had ¡®cooperated¡¯ with me and lowered it instead this time, this was still a hell-like situation even without her meddling. It would¡¯ve been a bit better if Iliya had the right of control over the Holy Sword, but she didn¡¯t, so the situation was actually worse than it should have been. I stared at the huge column of fire soaring before my eyes¡ªit looked like a mushroom cloud that you¡¯d see in a nuclear explosion. That fire was a long distance away, but I could feel the heat from where I was. My skin felt like it was melting. The heat wasn¡¯t the end of it, of course. Considering the vicious Demonic Aura contained in it, the physical phenomenon that came out of that flame was insignificant. There was a heavy air, as if malice had filled the entire area. Similar to back when I encountered the Ancient Gods in the Forge of Struggle, except this time, the sensation was on a different level. This was a similar phenomenon like back in Chapter 1, when I met Marquis Riverback who had become a Demonic Human¡ªa life form of the Pandemonium that was summoned to the Material Realm. It was nothing new, since it was the fixed pattern of the boss battle that happened as the impact of this punk''s Demonic Aur¡ª [...Are you sure?] ¡°...¡± [Do you really think this isn''t new...?] As I looked at the ¡®dozens¡¯ of gates being opened, I could completely understand why Caliban had said that with a trembling voice. Well, this might come as a surprise, but the life forms of the Pandemonium were monsters who could match the life forms that came from the Astral World, where Angels were. If there¡¯s one or two of them, it should probably be okay, but with this number...? I might actually die... ¡°...Hey...¡± Cold sweat trickled down my forehead. At the same time, mumbled words came out of my mouth. ¡°This is a little too much, don¡¯t you think...?¡± As the gates opened, several slimy life forms suddenly rose from the ground that was covered by soggy and sticky black Demonic Aura. Those were the janitors of the Pandemonium. Life forms at the bottom of the food chain. It seemed like the most simple among the life forms would come out first before the others. Of course, since there were dozens of gates, though these guys were among the most simple ones, there were roughly hundreds of them slowly getting up. ¡°...Haa...¡± I looked around while wiping my cold sweat. Honestly, if I had to, I¡¯d fight. The fact that I was already here meant that my specs were enough to have an all-out war with these things. However... ...It''d be better to save my strength as long as possible. The boss battle with Faenol hadn¡¯t even started yet. I shouldn¡¯t use my power in a place like¡ª ¡°You...¡± Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out nearby. ¡°You always try to handle things on your own. That¡¯s a problem.¡± At the same time... -! -!!! Dozens of Sweepers were shattered into pieces in ¡®one blow¡¯. A phenomenal Sword Slash and a familiar sword swing. ¡°...Eleanor?¡± As I hurriedly muttered the name of the person that felt like I hadn¡¯t met for a long time, Eleanor smiled and stepped in front of me. Not only her. Seras, Riru, Yuria, and Iliya, who was in a daze, were following right behind her. Even after seeing those life forms of Pandemonium swarming around, none of them looked scared or showed any sign of backing down. Well, except for Iliya. She was the only one among them who looked unmoored. Also, how should I put this... With such a disaster unfolding in front of them, instead of being scared, or at least give a fuck about it, those guys were focusing on their rivalries for some reason. As if it was much more important than the disaster itself. ¡°...¡± Mister. What the fuck did you put on the line to make these punks working so damn hard? [The right to take your virginity.] ¡°...¡± [I told everyone except Iliya that¡¯s what they¡¯re going to get.] ¡°...¡± [Look, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s the time for you to just give out your virginity to someone?] ¡°...¡± [Honestly, I don¡¯t give a damn which one of them would get it, as long as it¡¯s not Iliya.] Motherfucker. What did you just say? ¡°Alright, everyone.¡± As I thought so... ¡°Don¡¯t get in each other¡¯s way.¡± Eleanor said. At the same time. -!!! -!!!!!!! The massacre began and spread into all /genesisforsaken Chapter 203: Crimson Night (3) Chapter 203: Crimson Night (3) ¡°...Did you get stood up, Boss?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Talker, the Spinning Fire Wheel, snickered as he said that. He had been serving the Prophet for a long time, but this was the first time he ever saw her being this pouty. After Dowd left, she stayed seated inside the room, resting her chin on her hand while glaring at the door. ...This is the Leader of the Devil Worshipers that are spread all over the continent? Seeing her like this, calling her a pouty cat would suit her better than that. While he couldn¡¯t see her face behind the mask, pouting seemed like it was going to fit the atmosphere around her. ¡°What did I tell you? He isn¡¯t someone who¡¯d easily come to our side even if we bait him.¡± ¡°I said shut up.¡± At her brusque reply, the Spinning Fire Wheel barely managed to hold back the laughter that was about to burst out. Oh my, the burn. This woman was amazing, that was for sure. There was a reason why a man of his level respected her and called her his boss. Since she was the only person who could create variables in this world, along with Dowd Campbell, who was the variable that made the whole world ¡®twist¡¯. As he thought so, the Prophet continued, still in a sulky voice. ¡°...That man... He¡¯s going to die soon because of a Devil.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t be sure that the Gray Devil¡¯s the one who¡¯d do it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s certain that she¡¯s the one with the highest probability of doing it.¡± Hearing the Prophet said that in a low voice, the Spinning Fire Wheel scratched his head. This woman was the leader of the Devil Worshippers, but ironically, she harbored hostility towards those Devils. And among them, her hostility towards the Gray Devil was especially strong. It¡¯s not even guaranteed that Devil would end up doing it, but she¡¯s already out for her blood. Is this normal? ¡°I get that you have a lot of knowledge about ¡®the other worldlines¡¯, Boss.¡± That was probably the reason why she wished to kill the Devils so much, especially the Gray Devil. Perhaps, the Gray Devil was the one who had killed Dowd Campbell ¡®the most¡¯ in the countless wordlines the Prophet had been observing. ¡°But things simply never go the way you thought they would. You know, just like when that man engraved the Fallen¡¯s Seal onto his body.¡± Hearing that, the Prophet clenched her fists. It seemed that just by hearing those words was enough to evoke her anger. As if she was seeing someone who should originally have been ¡®hers¡¯ being taken away by something else. ¡°...Whatever. This time, he¡¯ll need my help anyway.¡± She continued in a low voice. ¡°A Vessel bearing three Fragments could change their surroundings just from their awakening. The life forms of the Pandemonium would already be quite hard for him to handle.¡± It felt as if she was reciting those facts to calm her anger that had hit the roof. ¡°And that¡¯s only the first hurdle he has to face. What¡¯s coming up next would be even harsher than that, so there¡¯s no doubt¡ª¡± However, about that specifically... There was something he needed to say to her. While wrapping his hands around the Catalyst, the Spinning Fire Wheel opened his mouth. ¡°Well...¡± He continued, holding the Catalyst in his hand. ¡°I won¡¯t be so sure about that.¡± He formed a few words using his True Speech, making them linger in the air. At the same time, the Catalyst began to project a transparent ¡®window¡¯. In that window, a video of the battle that was happening nearby was reflected. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± The Prophet said in a dumbfounded voice. A natural reaction to have after seeing the scene that was reflected on the screen. ¡°Boss, you said that the Devil¡¯s Vessels won¡¯t be able to give him significant help, no?¡± Someone who knew the details about the Devil¡¯s Vessels would know very well how ridiculous the scene in front of them was. Whether they liked it or not, Vessels would be influenced by their Devils. Which meant most of them wouldn¡¯t get along well with each other, as most of the Devils themselves didn¡¯t get along with each other. The White Devil and Gray Devil, the Blue Devil and the Purple Devil, the Red Devil and the Brown Devil... Conflicts between them had evolved into a long-time enmity, lasting since the Pandemonium itself began to exist. But... ¡°...Seeing this, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case, no?¡± In the open space, where the Gates of Pandemonium were opened on all sides by the Red Devil¡¯s awakening... Sword Slashes containing Gray Aura appeared here and there. At a glance, they looked like simple slashes, but in it contained the aura of ¡®weakening¡¯. Time and space froze. The movements of everything there became extremely slow. Eleanor, who had drawn her sword with a fluid movement, soon got ready for her next move. She aimed to end the things that became slow after getting caught in the range of her attack at once. However... A ¡®Blue Aura¡¯ intervened and crushed the slowed Sweepers in one blow. ¡°5 points! Thank you!¡± Riru said with a wink. She then flung another group of Sweepers as if throwing them around. She heard that while the Devil Vessels were blocking the life forms that were coming out of the gates, she and Dowd had to get to where Faenol was. -You¡¯re the most important person in this incident. Did he really say that? Normally, she¡¯d be in so much joy that she wouldn¡¯t know what to do, but now it wasn¡¯t the case. The awkwardness that was going on between the two was proof of this. ¡°...¡± No, actually, he was just being himself. It was her who was avoiding him. Her gaze constantly landed on the amulet on Dowd''s wrist. She had never looked at it carefully before, but when she looked at it with the Eye of Truth, she could feel a ¡®familiar¡¯ presence for sure. The presence of the person she had been looking for. At least once. Just once, she wanted to see him. She had been in denial so far, but the moment she saw it with her own eyes, everything became clearer to her. Her brother was already dead. He was ¡®stored¡¯ there, in the shape of a soul. ¡°...¡± Her hands were trembling. The Crimson Night incident that occurred so suddenly, her biggest trauma... Her brother¡¯s death that she had confirmed with her own eyes... And Dowd, who had never revealed it to her, despite him knowing about it all this time... Just one of those things was hard enough for her to take in. She wanted nothing more than to hold her head and sink it to her knees right now. What the hell is going on? ¡°The Holy Sword.¡± Suddenly, Dowd, who was running with her, said those two words. ¡°...¡± That... I¡¯m important... That was what he said... She began to think that it wasn¡¯t her who was the most important, but ¡®Iliya who was chosen by the Holy Sword¡¯. As she thought so, Iliya replied in a sullen tone before she realized it. ¡°...I brought it with me.¡± Hearing that, Dowd nodded. ¡°Good.¡± Once again, silence fell between them. Their surroundings were eerily quiet. The sounds of their footsteps were the only thing she could hear. ¡°You...¡± Suddenly, Dowd opened his mouth, breaking the silence. ¡°...I¡¯m guessing you have a lot of questions you want to ask me.¡± ¡°...¡± It was as if he had read her mind. ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything after this is all over, I promise, so please, bear with me now.¡± ¡°...¡± And that... Was when Iliya realized... The fact that she was extremely weak for this person that she came to like. When she heard him say that, she felt as if all of her negative emotions were released. She wondered how weak she was for him that what he said was enough to cause her to unknowingly keep her head down and only nodded despite her pent-up emotions. ¡°Anyway, what I was saying¡ª¡± ¡°...That''s enough.¡± Iliya mumbled in reply as Dowd was about to continue his words. ¡°You must¡¯ve had your reasons. I don¡¯t mind as long as you can explain everything properly.¡± ¡°...Is that so? Thank you, but I still have to¡ª¡± ¡°No. It''s really fine.¡± Iliya said with a smile. ¡°...Honestly, I want to hear everything from you, Teach! Even if I needed to beat it from you! But still! I¡¯ll forgive you for everything!¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± Dowd said while reaching out his hand to Iliya, who was smiling brightly. A slight frown was formed on his forehead. His face suggested that he had no idea what she was talking about. ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask you to give me the Holy Sword.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll give it back to you later.¡± Huh. Actually, I should just beat him up right /genesisforsaken Chapter 204: Crimson Night (4) Chapter 204: Crimson Night (4) ¡°...What an unpleasant night.¡± Talion Armand muttered as such while narrowing his eyes. This was supposed to be the time to celebrate the birth of a new Hero and he should¡¯ve toasted to his heart''s content with Iliya, considering that he had come here to cheer for her. But, since last night, they had been idling away without announcing the winner of the Ordeals. Of course, Talion didn¡¯t know what happened exactly. And now... Somehow, everyone had turned mad and started attacking each other. Retrieving his spear, he took a deep breath. Around him were rows of people he had knocked down prior to this. All of them were ordinary people who weren''t trained in Magic, Divine Power¡ªanything at all. They seemed to have lost control of themselves and began to display extreme violence, as if they had been brainwashed. As for the reason, he guessed that it was because of that. He turned his gaze to see a column of fire soaring magnificently towards the sky. Its heat wave had even reached the place where he was at, even though it was quite the distance away.T/his chapter is updat/ed by A sight that all of the Imperial Citizens couldn¡¯t help but recognize. The Crimson Night Incident. The worst disaster that turned several cities into ashes in a single night. The exact same incident as back then was happening right now. ...So many people just straight up lost their mind just by looking at it. Crazy. ¡°...You¡¯ve got some amazing skills, huh?¡± Suddenly, someone called out from behind him. He turned his head while resting the spear on his shoulder. Warrior Luca, Mage Falco, Archer Grid, and Priest Trisha. They were familiar faces. Iliya¡¯s friends, the ones who were called the ¡®Hero Party¡¯ back in the town. ¡°Did you overpower this many people by yourself?¡± ¡°...You admitted it so coolly.¡± Falco raised his glasses before looking around dumbfoundedly. There were at least dozens of people scattered around here. Even though they were ordinary people who hadn¡¯t trained in any kind of special abilities, they were still in a state of madness due to the thick Demonic Aura in the air. Their physical abilities should¡¯ve been amplified several times than normal, but he was still able to overpower so many of them? ¡°...Well, I¡¯ve gone through more absurd things than this. Too many of them at this point.¡± Talion replied with a bitter smile. In hindsight, he really had gone through all sorts of things while hanging around that man. From Demonic Humans to Ancient Gods. That was why, even though the Crimson Night Incident happened for the second time, it felt natural for him to think of how to deal with it rather than panicking. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ve found a way to deal with this thanks to you. We¡¯d like to express our gratitude.¡± ¡°You found a way? What did you mean?¡± Hearing what Warrior Luca said, Talion tilted his head. ¡°The way to resist the Demonic Aura. You know, the thing that you¡¯re wrapping around you right now.¡± ¡°...¡± Yes, Dowd did tell him that ¡®there would be a day to use it someday¡¯. Still, for them to copy it and utilize it the moment they see it? ¡°...You guys aren¡¯t ordinary monsters either, huh?¡± Now he knew why Dowd and Iliya had their eyes on these guys. Though they didn¡¯t possess amazing power or anything, their potential was absurd enough for even Dowd to watch them carefully. But, still... ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know about being called that...¡± Falco¡¯s gaze turned to the thing that was far away from them. To be exact, towards the place where the ¡®Dimension Gates¡¯ were opened thanks to the Demonic Aura. Even from this distance, it was clear that it was the place with the thickest Demonic Aura and they could see those ominous life forms¡ªthey didn¡¯t know what those guys¡¯ identities were¡ªkept pouring out of the Gates. ¡°...That term suited them more than us, don¡¯t you think?¡± Also... They could see a few people leisurely blocking such beings, which numbers were comparable to an army. Actually, calling it blocking wasn¡¯t entirely accurate. Talion wasn¡¯t sure if it was even the right way to put it. In fact, he almost pitied those beings when he saw them get crushed into powders as soon as they came out of those Gates. ¡°What the hell are those guys? Are they really students like us?¡± ¡°...Yes and no, I guess.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Like, they¡¯re definitely students, but whether they could be considered humans or not, I don¡¯t know...¡± ¡°...¡± Hm. That was a little harsh of an evaluation, but seeing the unfolding scene, anyone should be able to understand. ...There are only people like that around Senior Brother. Also, once again he realized that he wouldn¡¯t last a single month if he was in Dowd¡¯s position. All those people clung to him alone. When considering that, how many people could bear such a burden? ¡°Still, things had calmed down to some extent thanks to them at least, no?¡± It was Grid, who always wore sleepy eyes, who said those words. ¡°...Grid. Please stop saying such ominous words, I beg you.¡± Seeing how she was blushing up to her ears and her eyes were filled with tears due to the shame as they wandered around, it was clear that she couldn¡¯t deny those words. ¡°Also, just be honest. You didn¡¯t say all those things because you¡¯re feeling overwhelmed, rather, it¡¯s because you want to be in the lead.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Were you thinking that you are carrying some sort of secret weapon? Incredible.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Also, in the first place...¡± Eleanor continued with a sigh. ¡°This is not really a battlefield for us.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That Ghost had told me something before. Using this...¡¯Authority¡¯ too many times around here would be dangerous, and that man wouldn¡¯t be happy if we were to do so.¡± Hearing that, Seras, who was listening quietly, sighed while sweeping her hair. ¡°...Even if our lives would be in danger if we don¡¯t use it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°...¡± Seras bit her tongue, looking sick of it upon hearing the answer that Eleanor gave her without any hesitation. Her blind ¡®possession¡¯ of this man was so great it was terrifying. To the point that she sometimes thought it didn¡¯t make any sense. ...Well, not that I can say anything since I also went out of my way to come here. The feeling she harbored towards that man wasn''t exactly a positive one. But, at the very least, she¡¯d feel uncomfortable if another woman were to take the ¡®First Night Ticket¡¯ or something else away from him¡ª ¡°Speaking of, you¡¯re also wearing quite the impressive underwear.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Frills, laces, and hmm... It¡¯s too embarrassing to put the details of the design into words.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°In any case, you are not in the position to berate the Tribal Chieftain¡¯s daughter. What kind of cunning thought did you possess to wear such underwear out here on the battlefield?¡± With that, Seras also went silent. Her face instantly turned red. ¡°...¡± I got caught. She thought so while stammering her words out. ¡°A-Aren¡¯t you the same as us?! T-There¡¯s no way you came here purely to help Dowd...!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I did my makeup perfectly and wore lingerie. I move as simply as possible when I deal with the enemies so it does not ruin all my effort into dressing up.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If I may speak honestly, I came here with the intention to suck out his everything from the start.¡± ¡°...¡± What a crazy bitch. No, wouldn¡¯t calling her crazy pervert suit her better instead? Seras and Riru looked at Eleanor dumbfoundedly at the same time. Meanwhile, however... Please finish it as quickly as possible, Dowd. Eleanor muttered as she adjusted her grip on the sword. We won¡¯t be able to hold on for that long. Though they seem to be able to talk leisurely now... The number of Dimension Gates opening around them was unusual. It definitely felt like more powerful creatures would be summoned in a large number in the near future. If Dowd and Iliya were dragging it out for too long... ¡°...¡± ¡®This thing¡¯ inside her body. She would have to think of using it. Even if she would have to pay the price for it. As she thought so. -! -!! Not too far from where they were, a ¡®bright light¡¯ soared up. It was not too far from the column of fire that had turned the sky red. ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...!¡± Amidst the exclamations of surprise and wonder, Eleanor narrowed her eyes and whispered to herself. ¡°The Holy Sword?¡± Someone... Had been chosen as the Holy Sword¡¯s master. It was definitely the phenomenon that proved /genesisforsaken Chapter 205: Crimson Night (5) Chapter 205: Crimson Night (5) ¡°So, what''s the plan?¡± The one who started up the conversation was Iliya. It was the question she couldn¡¯t help but ask Dowd every time things like this happened. Everyone who hung around him to some extent would be able to relate to this due to his personality.T/his chapter is updat/ed by But, this time, he didn¡¯t really have a decent plan for the situation. The best thing that he could do was think of something close to common sense or basic principle. ¡°Defeat them all and advance.¡± ¡°...What a nice and easy plan to understand.¡± Iliya said while glaring in the direction in front of her. ¡°Teach.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Those Devils... Are they originally that brutal...?¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd let out a bitter smile as he stared in the direction she was looking at. Aside from the column of fire that burned the surroundings and the heat it produced, there was one other thing that stood out. Influenced by the red flame, ¡®Black Souls¡¯ emerged one by one from the ground. Those things weren¡¯t the life forms that came out of the Dimension Gates. They were only ¡®byproducts¡¯ of the Red Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura. However... The Spirit Forms were beings that were powerful enough to leave a mark on the Material World even after their deaths. So, the fact that such beings were showing their ¡®true form¡¯ just because of the Demonic Aura just showed the degree of the threat the Aura possessed. To put it in other words... The Devils¡¯ status was high enough to cause such a phenomenon just by the sign of their ¡®awakening¡¯. Just by seeing dozens to hundreds of those Spirit Forms coming out already made people feel nauseous, since even one of those could cause a whole catastrophe if it was released in a populated area. ¡°...This is just the beginning of phase one. Still bearable...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± As she saw him muttering something puzzling while seeing the scene, Iliya let out a sigh internally. This person could not be more calm even in this situation. Actually, she wondered if she could call it as him being calm. Because nowadays, it felt like he had lost any human-like emotions. ¡°...You said to defeat them all and advance, right?¡± Iliya muttered, looking nervous. The Spirit Forms that were growing in number glared at them with hostility. Seeing how their eyes were bright red, it was safe to assume that they had gone crazy due to the Demonic Aura. Which meant that those beings would be hostile towards them even if they didn¡¯t provoke them. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can achieve that with any ordinary means. There are not many ways for a living human to cause damage on Spirit Forms¡ª¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± Dowd said while pointing at the Holy Sword that Iliya was holding in her hands. ¡°I can¡¯t do this a lot of times, so watch carefully.¡± ¡°...Huh? What does that¡ª¡± Before she could finish her question. Dowd snatched the Holy Sword from her hands. In that instant, Iliya started freaking out. ¡°W-Wha¡ª! T-Teach! H-Have you gone nuts¡ª!¡± Her words were cut off as she let out a ¡®Heup¡¯. The fact that his body didn¡¯t ¡®explode¡¯ right away shocked her. He is...okay...? Does that mean he is the master of the Holy Sword? ¡°...¡± Wait. No. Just like her a while back, the bright light that was supposed to come out when the Hero held the Holy Sword was nowhere to be seen. Besides, he wasn¡¯t even okay in the first place. The great power that came out from the Holy Sword actually tried to travel around his body, but it was ¡®blocked¡¯ by something in the way. On his chest, the seal that was engraved there was shining darkly. It was a strange explanation, but there weren¡¯t many ways to express such a scene. Like a sticky black soot that stuck on the bottom of a dark abyss. Like the darkness of rotten things that melted together as they were clumped up together. Such an insidious aura was flowing out of his chest. The aura of the Holy Sword and the aura that came out of the seal collided with each other in the arm that he used to hold the handle of the sword. As if it was under the stress of holding such power, his arm turned black from necrosis. ¡°Normal humans would explode as soon as they hold this thing, but as long as you know the ¡®principle¡¯ behind it, you¡¯d be able to deal with it to some extent.¡± Even though his body began to rot before he could tighten his grip on it with his left hand, he kept on explaining it in a peaceful voice. ¡°The aura of the Holy Sword came out from its core. By extension, its ¡®purifying¡¯ properties that could cut off all kinds of special powers also come from there.¡± After that... -! -!! Towards the Spirit Forms that were rushing towards them with ear-splitting screams... ¡°Even without the bright light of the chosen one, it¡¯s still possible to ¡®utilize¡¯ that property.¡± He swung the Holy Sword. After that... -!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ¡°No.¡± Dowd answered while letting out a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s because you''re dependent on me.¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya''s eyes shook greatly. ¡°Because everything that has happened so far, every crisis... You¡¯ve only been solving it under my command.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But this time, it won¡¯t be the case anymore.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to finish it yourself.¡± In that instant, Iliya choked on her breath. Her shaking eyes were fixed right on Dowd. Most of the things that happened so far had been solved by this man himself. However, this time, he seemed to be drawing a clear line. As if this time was an exception. ¡°It''s okay. You can do it.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, Iliya looked down at the Holy Sword in her hands while biting her lips. She definitely looked anxious. ¡ñ [...She''s feeling burdened. It¡¯s obvious.] Caliban said with a chuckle. He was probably talking about Iliya. ¡°Not that she has any choice, though.¡± I replied with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯ll be over for me too if she can¡¯t use it.¡± If Iliya can¡¯t wield the Holy Sword, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to clear this chapter. Even if a miracle happened and I somehow cleared the chapter, it would be practically impossible to proceed afterwards. At the end of the day, this was a necessary measure for the both of us. [Are you okay?] ¡°...Do I look okay to you?¡± My whole body felt as if it was crushed. I wasn¡¯t a stranger to pain, but holding the Holy Sword while my body was being eroded by the Demonic Aura was quite the experience, I gotta say. The Iron Man Mastery couldn¡¯t even block the intense pain, so it felt like my whole body was being chopped off. [No, not that.] ¡°...?¡± [I was asking about your mental state.] ¡°...¡± [You also feel how your sense is different from usual, right?] That... I couldn¡¯t refute that. Because I knew best that my ¡®emotions¡¯ were gradually becoming faint. ¡°...I''m okay, for now.¡± However, it was still bearable. For now, at least. It did feel as if I was barely holding on to the last of my ¡®human nature¡¯, though. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I believe in myself.¡± [I believe in something too.] ¡°...Pardon?¡± [Why do you think I brought all of the Devil¡¯s Vessels although I knew you wouldn''t like it?] ¡°...¡± I didn''t know what he was talking about. As I tilted my head, Caliban replied with a smirk. [Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll find out soon that you don¡¯t need to do everything.] ¡°...What the hell are you even on about?¡± I replied with a sigh. The enormous column of fire was gradually growing larger. ¡°Let''s go, Caliban.¡± I used the torn clothes and wrapped it tightly around my arms as a bandage. This wasn¡¯t enough even as first aid, but it was better than nothing. Because if I didn¡¯t do this at least, I might not be able to hold on at all from now on. ¡°This is the real beginning.¡± Phase 1, Column of Fire. Dimension Gates summoned. Spirit Forms summoned. From this point onwards... It would be the part that made all the players screaming towards the developers, asking if they were crazy. This was the main reason why the Crimson Night Incident was repeatedly referred to as the Empire¡¯s worst disaster. ...Phase 2. The part where the ¡®Devil''s main body¡¯ would be /genesisforsaken Chapter 206: Crimson Night (6) Chapter 206: Crimson Night (6) ¡°Its force... is a little different from before though?¡± Iliya said as Dowd, who was standing next to her, quietly nodded. There were injuries here and there on his body due to him clearing out all those Spirit Forms on their way here, but he didn¡¯t seem to care much about them. It was as if this level of injuries weren¡¯t noteworthy compared to what was to come. ¡°From now on, the real thing is going to start.¡± Phase 2, the phase where the Devil¡¯s main body was summoned, was a nightmare for most Sera users. There was a reason for this; To give the players a clear impression of the Devil¡¯s powers. Now, the column of fire before their eyes wasn¡¯t only spreading Demonic Aura, it was also ¡®changing¡¯ its surroundings. It went beyond only dying the surroundings red. The scent of sulfur, the scent of burned plants and trees. Accompanying those, a black aura emanated from the burned objects began to engulf the surroundings. It changed everything, from the ground to the atmosphere, into ¡®something else¡¯. Into an environment that felt like a completely different world. ¡°...This is...?¡± ¡°Terraforming.¡± Dowd said with a sigh. ¡°A Devil¡¯s mere existence could change its surroundings to look exactly like the Pandemonium.¡± Needless to say, it was a ridiculous trait. If one were to judge it by its ability to kill, the Devil could kill the world just by breathing, since only Spirit Forms were able to survive in a Pandemonium-like environment, as they were originally beings that existed there. And this was merely a ¡®default passive'' of those beings called the Devils. ¡°...¡± Fortunately, the scope of this phenomenon wouldn¡¯t extend all across the continent for the moment, since the Devil¡¯s main body had not descended directly yet. However... This was enough to call forth the ¡®powerful beings¡¯ that were not supposed to exist in the Material Realm. -! -!!! Another Dimension Gate was created nearby. Except that this one wasn¡¯t on the same level with the ones that were created before. It had an ¡®aura¡¯ that could overwhelm any human who dared to steal a glance at it. -!! -!!! At that moment, a humanoid Demonic Creature walked out of the Gate. Magic power wrapped around its whole body like an ¡®armor¡¯ and it carried a ¡®weapon¡¯. ¡°...A knight?¡± Iliya muttered. When Dowd heard that, he let out a chuckle. He didn¡¯t seem to refute her words. ¡°You know how Kings are usually accompanied by a single guard at least, right?¡± He muttered. The Devil was also called the King of the Pandemonium. Which meant, there must have been at least one living being that was drawn to their power. ¡°It''s similar to that.¡± To put it simply, that being was a Hell Guard, the Royal Guard of Hell. One of the most powerful creatures in the Pandemonium. It seemed similar to the Automaton that the Angels of the Astral Realm used, but its combat power and killing ability were in a completely different level. ¡°...¡± The moment Iliya saw it, she realized... ...I can¡¯t win against that...! The gap between their power made her feel hopeless. Thanks to being with Dowd, she had met all kinds of crazy things, but even when considering those things, the being in front of her was...! ¡°Iliya.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Just before Iliya¡¯s mind drifted away, Dowd''s low, subdued voice knocked on the rim of her ears. ¡°I¡¯m repeating myself, but you¡¯re the one who¡¯d need to end this whole thing.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Whatever happens to me, don¡¯t ever look back. You must go till the end. Got it?¡± ¡°...¡± The fact that he said that... Meant that this person was going to throw himself into a terrible situation. ¡°...That thing... How strong is it?¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd went silent. As if he could not bring himself to answer her. ¡°Let¡¯s say that neither of us can defeat it. At least for now.¡± He let out a deep sigh. ¡°Anyway, one of us has to march forward.¡± ¡°No way, are you saying that you¡¯re going to deal with it alone?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gritting her teeth, Iliya forcefully spit out her words. ¡°...Teach.¡± This time... She could say these words with absolute certainty... ¡°You¡¯re going to die.¡± ¡°Because I thought it¡¯d be good for you to properly see what kind of power it is that you have set your eyes on, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you not interested in Dowd Campbell because you¡¯re curious how powerful he could be in relation to the ¡®Devils¡¯?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°In order to remove the ¡®dead blood¡¯ circulating in your body that you inherited from your parents¡ª¡± [You.] Bogut quickly shut his mouth. He was someone who knew very well how to tread around someone¡¯s line. Just like he did now. If ¡®scales¡¯ began to form on the Empress¡¯ body, her eyes were split like reptiles, and dense Magic Power began to come out near her body... Then it meant provoking her further wouldn¡¯t be a good idea. [I suggest you watch your mouth if you want to live long. There¡¯sa limit to what I could tolerate.] With just the pressure that was contained in her voice, Bogut''s body was squashed flat. She did not exert any Magic Power¡ªthis was a natural reaction from his body since they were simply on a different ¡®level¡¯ from each other. The air trembled, all the glasses in the surroundings cracked. Even the ground cracked, every fragile thing around them was all crushed. What made this sight ridiculous was the fact that this all happened due to her ¡®Sign¡¯. Dragonblood. She had the exceptional majesty of a ¡®ruler¡¯ mixed in her Sign. The most dignified among the living creatures in the Material Realm. The origin of all magic power. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. Please think of it as a slip of the tongue.¡± As he replied obediently, the Empress only glared at him as she took back her aura. She could sense that at the very least, he wasn¡¯t playing around this time. ¡°Anyways.¡± The Empress looked at Bogut, who was already grinning again as soon as she withdrew her aura, with a dumbfounded look. She even came to wonder what this person''s tendons were made of. ¡°Since the situation is like this, we can¡¯t help but leave it to this man to stop the Devil from descending.¡± Following his words, the screen changed. It now showed a woman with orange hair and a man, covered in wounds, running next to her. ¡°...¡± The Empress¡¯ eyes widened. Because she recognized those faces. ¡°The Hero Candidate, Iliya Krisanax. And the forever popular guy among the Devils, Dowd Campbell. A nice combination, don¡¯t you think?¡± His flippant voice fell onto the Empress¡¯ deaf ears as she tried to examine the video in detail. If nothing else, there was one thing that caught her eye. ¡°...His body.¡± She muttered in a low, subdued voice. It was obvious that Dowd¡¯s body wasn¡¯t in a good condition. She couldn¡¯t even describe his body with the word ¡®injured¡¯, because it seemed like his whole body was being ¡®corroded¡¯ instead. ¡°...¡± And in front of him... Stood an overwhelmingly powerful enemy. Even though she was watching through the video, she could clearly feel its intimidating presence. ¡°That¡¯s a Hell Guard... Jeez, I guess it makes sense that something like this would come out since a Devil is about to descend.¡± ¡°...Are you familiar with that creature?¡± ¡°Not really. I just know what it''s called.¡± Bogut continued with a grin. ¡°Everyone who has seen this creature has mostly died, so there aren¡¯t many records of it. I assume that there must have been a Hero or two back then who died fighting that thing, though the record about that would¡¯ve been lost to time.¡± ¡°...¡± For some reason, he was talking about a lost record as if he had ¡®seen it himself¡¯. As the Empress let out a dumbfounded sigh, Bogut nonchalantly continued. ¡°In any case, this is a crisis for sure. There aren¡¯t many humans who could stay sane under the influence of the Demonic Aura that once created the ¡®Crimson Night¡¯, so he can¡¯t even expect any kind of reinforcements at the moment.¡± ¡°...¡± The Empress bit her lip again. ¡°...At this rate, he¡¯ll die. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s able to fight against such a powerful enemy while in such a state.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said that nobody could help him? There¡¯s a very little chance of him surviving¡ª!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not someone who¡¯d die easily.¡± Marquis Bogut replied in an indifferent tone. As if dismissing the Empress¡¯ concern. ¡°Chancellor Sullivan, the annoying masked woman¡ªeveryone is strangely worried about him dying. That¡¯s not something to be worried about, they should worry about something else instead.¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± ¡°I''m saying that although the majority of cases in which this world is doomed are under that man''s control, there''s a lot of possibilities for what ¡®shape¡¯ it will take.¡± ¡°...¡± One thing about this man was that sometimes he¡¯d say some things that only he knew, as if he was trying to show off. An extremely annoying trait for someone to have for sure. That was what the Empress felt as she glared at him. ¡°Anyway, in my opinion...¡± Again, the Marquis continued in a nonchalant tone, as if he did not care about what she thought. ¡°He won¡¯t die. At least in this ¡®case¡¯, he won¡¯t.¡± In truth... The thing that was shown in the crystal ball... Was completely different from what the Empress was worrying /genesisforsaken Chapter 207: Assistance Chapter 207: Assistance I¡¯ve survived countless near-death experiences so far. Considering all that, I should have been able to overcome this one no problem, but... ¡°...¡± Ugh. It fucking hurts. Breathing heavily, I looked down at my body. It felt like my entire body was mutilated, like it had been cut into thin slices. This was the result of me ¡®sending¡¯ Iliya to go ahead while I tried to survive on my own here. [Sometimes, I wonder if there¡¯s really a need for you to do such a dumb thing.] ¡°...¡± I didn¡¯t answer that and let out a sigh. It isn¡¯t like I have any other choice. Even if Iliya was with me, it would be impossible for us to win against that thing with our current stats. We had a better chance to survive if I were to let her go ahead on her own first and have a showdown with the Devil after. That was why I had to stall for time for as long as I could while Iliya negotiated things with Faenol... ¡°...Caliban.¡± [What?] ¡°How many minutes have passed?¡± [Two.] ¡°...¡± Are you telling me it hasn¡¯t been that long? I swear that I¡¯ve been fighting for a while, but only a moment has actually passed? The Hell Guard was an extremely powerful opponent¡ªthis was a fact that I knew beforehand. Because even in the Pandemonium, almost nobody could match it in close quarters combat. -! Again, our swords clashed. I had given the Holy Sword back to Iliya, so I was only left with a spare sword and the Infinity Gauntlet the Tribal Alliance had made. -!!!! The sword the Hell Guard swung slid on the surface of the gauntlet I was wearing. This thing was a versatile item with all kinds of special effects, but it wasn¡¯t that useful against this bastard. You see, the Hell Guard¡¯s strength could be summarized in one sentence. Overwhelmingly strong, to the point that it could respond to everything I threw at it head-on. Its specs were transcendental. It was also quick, powerful, and unyielding. Even when my Desperation EX was activated, I could only follow its movements and nothing else. -! -!! Due to the clash, my body bounced off and I ended up rolling on the ground again. Usually, it was my opponent who¡¯d be doing this whenever my Desperation EX was active, but it was the complete opposite case with this fucker. Despite having mastered the Law Technique and greatly improved my stats, I was still no match for him. It felt like I was hitting a rock with an egg. I guess this was what those punks who were crushed by me in one blow felt. Was this was karma? Even if I were in my peak condition, forget about beating him, I wouldn¡¯t even know if I could survive. Continuing the battle in my current state was a penance if anything. ¡°...Haa.¡± I sighed while tuning up my body. ¡°...¡± It hurts. Fuck, it hurts so bad. It wasn¡¯t like I was unfamiliar with pain, as I experienced it countless times before, but prior to this, I was abusing one of the most important Holy Relics in this world in a rather expedient way. Obviously the burden on my body wouldn¡¯t be light. And I had to fight against such an opponent for so long in that condition. There was no way my body would be fine. But still... This wasn¡¯t enough. Because I still had things left to do. [...I get that you still have things to do.] Suddenly, a voice came out of the Soul Linker. [But, can you even keep this up in your current condition? At the very least, I don¡¯t think you can manage by yourself.] ¡°...¡± Still, I had to do it by myself. It wasn¡¯t like I could ask anyone for help. [What? Do you really think no one can help you?] Fine, tell me who can help me then. The impudent man wouldn¡¯t know what kind of penance it went through in order to touch such an aura. -... I''ll kill him. I''ll erase his existence from this world and eat him up. That was what the creature had thought. Until someone got in its way. ¡°You are doing something like this by yourself again.¡± And as soon as it saw who it was that dared to get in its way... The Hell Guard was at a loss for words. -...! Gray. The most powerful of all the Monarchs. A woman, who hosted such a being in her body, was blocking its way when it was about to pounce on the man, who had just collapsed. It could also feel the aura of the Monarch from the tiny woman, who was quietly glaring at it, next to her. The White Monarch. Not only that... There were other people who came running behind them. ¡°Hey, you punk, are you okay? You''ve been beaten to pulp...!¡± ¡°Senior! Oh my, this needs to be treated quickly...! Blue, Purple. Two more Monarchs. As the human with the Blue Monarch¡¯s aura glared at the human with the Purple''s, the Hell Guard stumbled in shock. ¡°...Hey, beast girl, what¡¯s with this senior thing? Are you trying to flirt with him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a 2nd year, how else am I supposed to call him? What, do you have any complaints? Oh, could it be you¡¯re that kind of pitiful woman? You know, the one who has zero confidence whatsoever in regards to a romantic relationship, the one that becomes hypersensitive to everything when it comes to Senior¡ª¡± It couldn¡¯t fully comprehend the context in full detail. What it did know was that the two Monarchs right there were ¡®worrying¡¯ about the two men who collapsed there while ¡®keeping a check¡¯ on each other. As if both of them were competing to ¡®own¡¯ that man by themselves. As if they were infatuated by him so much. -... As soon as it saw it... Anger burned the Hell Guard¡¯s Mind. It... In order to get them to look at it even once, so that it could stand near them, so that it could worship them with all its being. It had finally become so powerful after going through an endless battle in Hell, killing everyone in its sight, devouring everything, and creating trails of blood in its wake. Yet, that damn punk! What did he do to get their favor so easily...?! -...! As the creature was shaking in anger that it had never felt before in its life, someone walked towards it and stopped before its eyes. ¡°Are you the one who made Dowd like that?¡± The Gray Monarch. The Master of Pandemonium Pantheon. The woman who had such a being inside her, said in a quiet voice while pulling out her sword. Next to her, the woman with White Monarch inside her also did the same quietly. ¡°What, are you guys going to have fun by yourselves?¡± ¡°...As expected from a barbarian, once you see the opportunity to hit someone, you ¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, beast girl.¡± Then, Purple and Blue joined as well. It seemed as if they wanted to scold it, as it was the one who had injured that man. -... Hell Guard. The Royal Guard of the Hell Monarchs. One of the most powerful beings in Pandemonium. A creature who had devoted itself to training himself almost forever in order to reach this far. That creature was now... On the verge of getting lynched by the beings it was serving because it messed with the wrong man. -... If it could use the human language... A curse would probably come out of its mouth in a dejected /genesisforsaken Chapter 208: Lightning War (1) Chapter 208: Lightning War (1) From inside the Image World, Valkasus was looking at the things happening outside with a worried look. ¡°...Is it really going to be okay?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°...¡± Valkasus narrowed his eyes at Caliban, who was sitting next to him, fully prepared to watch. It was him who plotted out this situation, yet he seemed so worry-free. ¡°...Isn¡¯t this what that guy has been so worried about? For these women to all gather in one place?¡± It was obvious that Dowd Campbell was trying his best to not involve all the Devil¡¯s Vessels in this incident, even though he had to carry on with injuries all over his body like that. Even when the incident escalated to for the worse, he never tried to let them get near the place where the Red Devil¡¯s Vessel was, which could be said as the center of the incident. ¡°...Demonic Aura would react very strongly to another Demonic Aura.¡± Valkasus said with a slightly subdued voice. Special abilities colliding wasn¡¯t a big deal, but it couldn¡¯t be said the same if it was two ¡®Demonic Auras¡¯ that collided. Collision between the rulers could cause a stir in the whole area. ¡°If they start a fight with the Red Devil and their Demonic Auras collide, it might break the Seraphim¡¯s barrier.¡± He continued with a sigh. The previous occasion when the Prophet used an Artifact to make a very small ¡®crack¡¯ on the Seraphim¡¯s barrier came to mind. In particular, the way the things inside the Void Zone reacted. ¡°Then, the chance that the Devil¡¯s Vessels coming into contact with the Devil¡¯s main body would increase.¡± And if that were to happen... It wouldn¡¯t be strange if an apocalypse started from that. The reason why Dowd had been desperately trying to not involve the girls in this incident was definitely because he was aware of this too. ¡°What are you all doing here...?!¡± The fear in his voice as he shouted that question out proved that conjecture. It was as if he was saying, ¡®You all are not supposed to be here¡¯. The fright in his voice sounded extremely unusual for him. Perhaps it stemmed from his worry over the possibility of something going wrong and them getting hurt. However... ¡°As I''ve said earlier, he¡¯s not living in this world by himself.¡± Caliban replied casually while chuckling. ¡°Seriously, he¡¯s so smart, but why can¡¯t he use his brain properly? He doesn¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on around him.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Look, do you think those girls would have just sat still while watching him getting stronger?¡± As Caliban said that, Eleanor, who was standing at the very front of the party, approached Dowd. And... -! She knocked him hard in the head. Her movement was light, as if she was hitting a kid lightly as a way to discipline them, but the force behind it was so enormous that Dowd¡¯s head immediately hit the ground after receiving it. ¡°...?¡± Of course, as someone whose abilities intensified during a crisis, he raised his head just fine even after receiving that hit. His eyes were filled with confusion. He didn¡¯t seem to expect that she would hit him for any reason at all. ¡°I did that so you can get yourself together. I have been so frustrated lately.¡± Eleanor continued, her face betrayed any kind of expression. ¡°Have I not told you so many times to stop shouldering everything on your own like this? It¡¯s about time for you to listen to my words.¡± Seeing how a big frown formed on her face, it was clear that she was angry. ¡°...And, most of all...¡± As Dowd looked at her blankly. Eleanor''s gaze shifted to the Hell Guard. ¡°If you are going to have a hard time because of such an ¡®easy¡¯ opponent like this, why do you even bother?¡± ¡°...¡± No but, The opponent in question is the Hell Guard. No matter where you looked, he was not an opponent you could belittle like that. The way the Hell Guard looked after she said that proved it. -...V/\Issi?T for the b/est novel reading experi/en/ce -...!! Perhaps shocked by the Vessels¡¯ appearance earlier, the Hell Guard had stopped moving for a while. Now, that its surprise was gone, a red Demonic Aura erupted from its whole body, Seeing that, Eleanor sheathed her sword while exhaling lightly. If she was an ordinary person, this would have been a declaration of surrender, but she wasn¡¯t. She was going to use something other than her ¡®sword¡¯, that was what it meant. Gray Aura rose from her body. ¡°Wait, don''t...!¡± Seeing that, Dowd freaked out and exclaimed, his voice filled with vigilance. If their Demonic Auras collided, something close to a disaster would definitely happen in some ways or another. Soon his eyes widened again. Seeing that, Eleanor let out a chuckle while letting go of his chin. ¡°...Don¡¯t try to go too far on your own, because there are still a lot of things that you have not yet received.¡± ¡°...¡± As Dowd stayed silent, lost for words... Intense exclamations were echoing in the Image World. ¡°Man, the Lady¡¯s good at this. Asfrom an experienced person¡ªthe first person who fell for him.¡±expected ¡°...How is¡ª¡± Valkasus, who was seemingly confused by this development, cut off Caliban, who was about to keep talking nonsense. ¡°This possible...?¡± He could not believe that she was able to control her own Demonic Aura, especially when it was ¡®mixed¡¯ with others¡¯ as well. Was this even something that was achievable through training? What she had done was the equivalent of defying the principle that a falling object would fall from top to bottom by sheer effort alone. ¡°Boy King, do you know what you and that guy have in common?¡± Seeing his reaction, Caliban said those words with a chuckle. ¡°The more you two know about something, the more you get scared. Even though the problem is something you could work out if you actually try to solve it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Also, I¡¯ve already told you back when I planned this out, no?¡± Caliban said while giggling. ¡°That it¡¯s going to work somehow?¡± ¡°...¡± The scene made Valkasus unable to refute. ¡ñ Sweeping my hair, I let out a sigh. Somehow... My head, which had been boiling violently these days, felt as if it had cooled down for the first time. ¡°...Thanks, Eleanor.¡± While letting out a bitter smile, I said those words. ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re always there for me whenever I can¡¯t think straight.¡± She did it back when I had to face the Boy King and now she did it again. It felt like she always had my back in the crucial moments. ¡°...¡± Hearing that... Eleanor¡¯s face flushed in an instant. After that, she let out a series of coughs. She rubbed her nose and pulled down the uniform cap she always wore. ¡°...50 points for that.¡± Hearing that, I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Points?¡± ¡°Y-You see there are points and such. The first person who receives your thanks will get the highest points¡ª¡± ¡°...Nevermind that for now. Explain to me later.¡± The Crimson Night Incident was still in full swing, I didn¡¯t want to hear any of that now. So, I changed the topic while grabbing my throbbing head. ¡°Seras.¡± ¡°..Uh, yes? Me?¡± ¡°Yes, you.¡± As I watched Seras awkwardly lifted her hand. ¡°I need you to get in touch with someone. You¡¯re the fastest one among the others to get the work done.¡± ¡°...With whom exactly?¡± ¡°Archbishop Luminol.¡± Before I came here, I negotiated something with him. Now was the time to utilize that. ¡°...¡± And this one too. I fiddled with the lion breastplate I hid in my inner chest pocket. Normally, I would¡¯ve had to wreck my body even more after sending Iliya to go on ahead. Which meant, there would be things that had to become ¡®unavoidable¡¯ sacrifices. But, with the help from the Vessels, it felt as if I had gained the clue to end this matter ¡®without leaving future trouble¡¯. Which meant, after this... I only had a single goal left to achieve. I¡¯d give my all... ¡°I¡¯ll finish this in one strike.¡± Since I had gained unexpected reliable reinforcements. I had no reason not to end this /genesisforsaken Chapter 209: Lightning War (2) Chapter 209: Lightning War (2) Faenol''s consciousness was sinking down to somewhere deep. She could feel herself gradually subsiding into her inner world. The more she sunk down, the more things she ¡®had been turning her eyes from¡¯ in her life showed up. From hardened inscape, twisted emotions, memories that would cut her heart to pieces every time she ruminated on it. ¡°...¡± To Faenol Lipek, the world had always been a place filled with pain and grief. Even so, she liked all the moments of the ¡®times when she was alive¡¯ that she could remember. Because everything got into a horrible situation¡ªher birthplace in the countryside where she was first born, the Magic Tower, where she had made her home next... And the people around her.All of them had met an ill-fated end. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m doing this all for you.¡± A voice echoed in her head as her mind slowly sunk in deeper. She focused her blurred vision and looked ahead. There was a woman right in front of her, staring into her eyes while resting her chin on her hand. If Faenol was enveloped by the color ¡®red¡¯, she would look like the woman in front of her. Of course, they didn¡¯t look exactly the same, there were differences to their appearance. The woman looked older. Perhaps if Faenol were to live for a few more years, she¡¯d look exactly like her. ¡°It¡¯s better to not feel anything at all. Deep inside your heart, you already know this.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Living in this world is painful. You won¡¯t lose anything if you don¡¯t accept anything.¡± Sadness... Remorse... And... Maybe even compassion... She could feel such a vibe emanating from the woman/ It didn¡¯t really befit the image of a being that was called the ¡®Devil¡¯. ¡°...Then¡ª¡± Despite her faint consciousness, Faenol managed to utter her words. ¡°...Why...did you save me...?¡± The first Crimson Night Incident, the first time she had died. It was the moment when she first realized that to others, she was as cursed-being. The one who saved her back then was the woman before her eyes, the Red Devil. What she didn¡¯t understand was that, if the Red Devil knew that her past was filled with such painful memories... She could have just... Let her die... So that she could rest in peace... And yet she didn¡¯t. For what purpose had she done it? What was it that she wanted from her? What exactly was her reason for saving her life, even going as far as taking away all of her emotions and senses? ¡°...¡± For a while, the Devil kept her silence. ¡°...Take a moment of rest, Faenol.¡± Such words echoed one after another in her dazed mind. ¡°The next time you open your eyes, the world where you will never get hurt will be complete.¡± Those were the last words that Faenol heard. Before her consciousness was completely plunged into darkness. ¡ñ Scary. If she were to express what was going on in her head right now, that was the only word that came out. Iliya Krisanax gripped the Holy Sword with trembling hands. Laid before her eyes was a scene that she had seen once before. The ¡®Devil'' inside a huge column of fire. With two horns laid on top of her head, and slit pupils decorating her eyes. Faenol Lipek, in a pose as if she was hugging her own body, laid motionless inside that column of fire. Her gaze was drawn upwards, yet her eyes had lost their light. It was as if she was trying to look for something. ...He said there¡¯s no time for me to waste. Iliya recalled the words Dowd had uttered to her before she came here. He said that the longer the Red Devil stayed in this world, the more area would be affected by the terraforming. If the situation didn¡¯t change and the Vessel came into contact with the Void Zone... An apocalypse might happen. ¡°...¡± Since that was the case, the thing that she had to do was clear. Whatever happened, whoever the opponent was... Iliya took a deep breath as she tightened her grip on the Holy Sword. In truth... She didn¡¯t believe that she could pull this off. So far, it was Dowd who was standing in her current position while her role was mostly as a support for him. Now that he wasn¡¯t here with her, she genuinely couldn¡¯t believe that she could do this. But, it was still better if she were to do something than just stand around and watch the apocalypse start! ¡°Hmph!¡± Striking the ground with her heel, she took a deep breath before she started dashing. In any case, her title as the Hero Candidate wasn¡¯t just for show. With the combat skills she gained by training with the Fist Saint and her Eye of Truth, it wouldn¡¯t be completely impossible for her to trade blows with the Red Devil. ...First, I need to cut the flame, create a stepping stone with Magic Power, get to the Main Body and force her into a close combat... This was the first time she ever challenged a Devil to a fight, but the fight itself wouldn¡¯t even start unless she¡¯d go that far. As she thought so... The very next moment... Her body was bounced off violently. She hadn¡¯t even approached the edge of the flame that made up the column of fire, yet this happened. ¡°...¡± She took a deep breath and clutched the Holy Sword. Though she was so exhausted that her arms felt like jelly, she still got into position properly again. ¡°...Euryap!¡± With such a determined shout. Iliya advanced forward without hesitation. And the next moment. -! For the first time, part of the flame around Faenol was ¡®cut¡¯. ¡°...Huh?¡± Iliya''s eyes widened. It was very weak. But, she had indeed inflicted some damage to her opponent for the first time. The way Faenol flinched and looked in her direction proved that he wasn¡¯t just hallucinating. However, there was something else that surprised her more than that. ¡°...¡± She glared at the Holy Sword with a sharp gaze. It shone just now, didn¡¯t it? Ugh, c¡¯mon... Why did it respond to me when I got back my nerve while thinking about that guy?! I know I¡¯m head over heels with that guy, but still...! [...Well, that¡¯s because the Holy Sword only reacts when the user¡¯s will is in the most firm state. That¡¯s how it has always been from generation to generation.] ¡°W-Whoa?!¡± Iliya freaked out as she looked at the Holy Sword. Unless she was crazy... She was sure that the ¡®voice¡¯ just now came from the sword. ¡°...¡± Did this thing... Just speak? I wasn¡¯t just hearing things, right?! As she thought so while looking at the Holy Sword... ¡°...Who are you talking with?¡± A familiar voice knocked on the rim of her ear. Startled, Iliya turned around to see behind her... Only to find Dowd looking at her dumbfoundedly. ¡°Should I say... As expected of the Hero? You really got this far by yourself, huh?¡± ¡°...Teach?¡± Iliya said, looking as if she was slightly choking up. She wasn¡¯t sure why she was acting like this. She also didn¡¯t know why this man was here. She didn¡¯t know how the hell did he got here in the first place. And she also didn¡¯t know what the fuck happened to that Hell Guard or whatnot. There were a lot of questions she wanted to ask and answers she wanted to hear. ¡°...¡± But... Somehow, the ¡®uneasiness¡¯ she felt from him seemed to have been washed away. That was probably the only answer she needed. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me, your Teach. I came to help you.¡± What he said afterwards proved her guess. ¡°You still need to do the finishing blow though.¡± Dowd said with a grin. His expression was enough to make Iliya''s eyes widened for a moment. ...This. Was the Dowd that she knew. The man who, no matter how difficult the situation he got into... Would turn it into the direction he ¡®envisioned it so¡¯. ¡°You look better now, Teach.¡± Iliya said with a chuckle. Her own attitude when she found out that this man¡¯s condition had improved left her in disbelief. Even though her condition was no better than him, as she was riddled with wounds here and there as well. ¡°So, any plans?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, I got one, of course.¡± Dowd replied, still grinning. After that, he pointed at Faenol. Then, with a nonchalant tone, he opened his mouth again. ¡°I¡¯m gonna eat her.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m gonna...uh...eat her. Thoroughly¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya silently looked at Faenol, who was inside the column of fire, and Dowd alternately. Hm. I see. Eat her, huh? Thoroughly, huh? ¡°...You perverted bastard.¡± ¡°...What did I do to be called that?¡± There was something that she had forgotten about. It was that in this state, in most cases, Dowd would make crazy remarks like /genesisforsaken Chapter 210: Lightning War (3) Chapter 210: Lightning War (3) In the deepest part of the Church¡¯s Headquarters. To be exact, inside the room where the Pope lived. In that room where only a few of the closest people to him could enter, the Pope opened his mouth, a subtle smile decorated his lips. ¡°Everything is going as planned.¡± Across him, a masked woman was sitting with her legs crossed. ¡°Everything is happening according to the schedule; the Red Devil going berserk, the terraforming of the nearby area, and even the movement of the ¡®key¡¯. The Pope, who had been watching the video that was being played in the crystal ball at the center of the table, calmly continued. Said video was showing them the situation near the column of fire, the situation that was created by the Red Devil, in real time. ¡°That half Drakhan of the Empire and the ¡®Lionheart¡¯ must be after him as well...¡± There was a high chance that the people he mentioned were watching the exact same video as he was. Since there were more than a few people who were interested in that man. ¡°But we are definitely the ones who¡¯d make the most ¡®use¡¯ of it.¡± Especially... The man, who had the means to control all the Devils, was essential for his ongoing plan, the ¡®Paradise Plan¡¯. There was a reason why he was called the ¡®key of the world¡¯. ¡°Well, I agree that whoever gets him first will gain the most benefit.¡± As the Pope was thinking as such while glaring at the crystal ball that was showing Dowd¡¯s face, the Cursed Speech User made a remark in a disinterested tone. ¡°That man is fated to be so loved by blackhearted people like that, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°...¡± It was clear that he was trying to insult the Pope by implying that the Pope was a blackhearted person, but he only snorted without saying anything. ¡°...By the way.¡± Because the Pope was more concerned about something else entirely. ¡°Is there something wrong with your leader?¡± He asked Talker in a seemingly dumbfounded voice. Even after he asked that question, the Prophet was still blankly looking up at the ceiling without showing much reaction. From the very beginning, she had shown no interest in the Pope¡¯s lengthy speech. It was as if she was sulking and she didn¡¯t care about anything else that wouldn¡¯t help her mood to get better. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t mind her. She¡¯s sulking because that guy stood her up.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°So, she asked that guy for a date and he rejected her. That¡¯s why she¡¯s in a bad mood.¡± ¡°...¡± The Pope was left dumbstruck for a moment after hearing that before looking in her direction. Because that sounded like an excuse that a teenage girl would make. The Prophet, having been listening silently, soon opened her mouth and spoke, as if she found Talker¡¯s words absurd. ¡°...Stop saying stupid things like that, Talker.¡± ¡°See? She¡¯s not denying it.¡± ¡°...¡± The Prophet clamped her mouth shut again. Seeing that, the Pope alternated his gaze between Talker and the Prophet, clearly in disbelief. What? Seriously? Is she not the leader of the Devil Worshippers? ¡°...It¡¯s none of your business.¡± She blurted those words out bluntly. But, as Talker said, she did not deny his words at all. ¡°As you said, everything is going as planned. What¡¯s left now is for that man to overpower the Red Devil.¡± Then, she continued. ¡°Because the real thing only begins once the Fallen¡¯s Seal eats the Demonic Aura of all the Devils except for Brown¡¯s.¡± Except for the Tribal Alliance, which had decided to fully support that man, the game to ¡®take over¡¯ that man would begin in earnest from that point onwards. Dowd Campbell, who¡¯d swallow all of the Devils¡¯ Demonic Aura at least once each... Would become the one and only being in the entire continent... ¡°...Thought it¡¯ll only be as such one round.¡± The Prophet''s gaze was fixed on the shining seal on Dowd Campbell¡¯s chest. ¡°He will become the closest being to the Almighty.¡± Needless to say, his value would skyrocket to irreplaceable. His value, ¡®danger¡¯, everything. Though, he probably wouldn¡¯t realize it. ¡°...But still...¡± The Pope narrowed his eyes. ¡°Will he really be able to solve the current situation?¡± A Vessel with three Fragments going berserk amidst the highest acclaim, while the whole world was changing in real-time because of the Demonic Aura. If they were to let it be, she¡¯d turn the entire Material Realm into essentially the second Pandemonium. Just like what the Hero Candidate had demonstrated, the Demonic Aura was so dense to the point that even the sufficiently powerful people were having trouble getting close to her. There was also the fact that the Red Devil¡¯s Vessel, who was at the center of it, was also letting out a Demonic Aura so strong that it could blind those who gazed upon it. ¡°...This isn¡¯t even the Gray Devil and it¡¯s still this bad?¡± The Pope said, his voice trembled slightly. Though the Devil hadn¡¯t even come into contact with her ¡®main body¡¯ yet and she was just one of the seven, not even the most powerful one out of them... She still possessed such a power. In other words. ¡°I get it already.¡± He urgently cut my words before turning to look to the side, there was a frown on his face. ¡°...What¡¯s your plan to stop that thing anyway?¡± In the direction he was looking at... There was ¡®something¡¯ inside that column of fire, burning so brightly in red to the point that it hurt the eyes. Its presence was so overwhelming that it could silence its surroundings by just existing. As if such a presence wasn¡¯t enough, the Demonic Aura coming from it continued to grow bigger by the second. ¡°...Honestly, I don¡¯t think I can fight her at all.¡± Iliya muttered as her hands, which were holding the Holy Sword, slightly trembled. ¡°Those beings called Devils... Have they always been this powerful...?¡± ¡°Nevertheless, we have to stop that.¡± As I replied with a smirk, the Archbishop¡¯s frown grew deeper. ¡°...And how exactly would you do that?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I already told you?¡± I gestured for Riru to get ready before casually dropping my reply. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat that.¡± Then... I flicked my finger. This was the ¡®signal¡¯ we had agreed on in advance. Following it, Riru immediately threw me. As my body shot through the air like an arrow, I carefully checked Faenol¡¯s reaction. Her red irises which had been fixed towards the sky, completely ignoring what the people around her were doing... Were turned to look at ¡®me¡¯ for the first time. ¡°...¡± Then, a sense of malice that could make my whole body shudder rushed at me. The reason for this was because the punk, who hadn¡¯t been showing any reaction, moved her arm for the first time as she pointed at me. It was as if she vaguely noticed that whatever I was going to do could harm her. At that moment, a huge flame was spread around me, coming out like an explosion. Even with this, it was clear that she was trying to push me away rather than burn me to ashes. As expected. No, actually, this punk was even more gentle than I expected. ¡°...¡± Well, relatively speaking. Because there was no other way to express it. For someone who had caused the Crimson Night Incident, the incident that was dubbed as the Empire¡¯s worst disaster, her action up until now had been extremely gentle. And that was what I was trying to probe and dissect. ¡°Valkasus.¡± [Got it.] If her intention was really to push me away and not to ¡®burn¡¯ me... I could deal with it by just using Valkasus¡¯ Forbidden Sorcery. The strokes of the Forbidden Sorcery that was engraved on my body shone. The Cursed Technique that was said to be able to nullify even Demonic Aura as long as it was inside the range of the effect, even for a moment, was activated. Thanks to it, the flame that was crawling towards me stopped all at once. Meaning, I could get close to her body without receiving too much damage from the momentum of Riru¡¯s throw. ¡°...¡± I arrived in front of Faenol, whose expression was slightly twisted. Then, I held her arm, as if I was ¡®clinging¡¯ to her. She slightly narrowed her eyes while wrenching her hand away. I already broke through her movement with the Forbidden Sorcery, but honestly, in this situation, it was simply meaningless. To her, I must¡¯ve been like a fly that had landed on her hand. Just a simple wave of her hand could shoo me away. That was how big the gap of power between us was. Even though I had gotten this close to her, I still couldn¡¯t harm her in any way. Also... If someone were to feel uncomfortable enough about a fly sitting on their arm, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill it. ¡°...Fuck.¡± Seeing the flame that began to permeate the surroundings viciously, I muttered as such in a panicked voice. There was no time, I had to do what I had to do quickly. I fiddled with the lion breastplate in my inner chest pocket. So, my goal here was to stick this into her heart. And to do that, what I had to do was... ¡°...¡± I opened my mouth wide. And... ¡°Nom.¡± I bit... Her arm that was stretched out to me. Like it was some kind of meat, as if I was trying to eat it. ¡°...What?¡± Iliya let out a dumbfounded voice. ¡°Is this what he meant by he¡¯s gonna eat her?¡± ¡°...¡± Silence enveloped the area, as if everyone had thought the same thing as /genesisforsaken Chapter 211: Strategy (1) Chapter 211: Strategy (1) [...What the hell are you doing?] Caliban asked from inside the Soul Linker. The perplexity in his voice was clear. Then again, I would react the same way if I were to see someone literally biting a Devil¡¯s Vessel right in front of me. ¡°...¡± Sadly, I couldn¡¯t afford to answer him right now. Because Faenol¡¯s cold gaze was fixed at me. She looked similar to the time when Eleanor was taken over by the Gray Devil. As the Vessel, she lost her consciousness, meanwhile, the Fragments¡¯ ¡®evil side¡¯ took control. ¡°...!¡± As soon as our eyes met, I immediately distanced myself from her. The eerie feeling she exuded creeped up my spine. At the same time as I landed on the ground, several swords, made of flame, passed through the place where I was. [...Getting hit by one of those would be an instant death for you.] Caliban muttered after seeing the aura contained in those swords. ¡°Yeah, no shit.¡± The Vessel herself was an excellent mage that possessed great strength in using Magic Power, adding Karmic Fire, the Red Devil¡¯s authority to the equation... Even if my Desperation was active to its fullest, I¡¯d still be fatally injured no matter what. Like just now, if I didn¡¯t let myself fall, I¡¯d definitely die. [Then, why the fuck did you get close to her and do that...?] ¡°To get her interested in me due to how ridiculous it was.¡± [...] ¡°That''s why.¡± No, I wasn¡¯t joking, I was being serious. Ignoring the silence that came from inside the Soul Linker, I looked at Faenol, who was looking down at me with an indifferent gaze. Well, actually... She wasn¡¯t looking at me, but the lion-shaped breastplate I was holding. ¡°...Guardian.¡± The Red Devil muttered. At the same time, the Karmic Fire that was swaying around began to focus on where I was. And this was exactly what I was aiming for. To get her attention, whether it was biting her or any other means. To get her to see this thing, because I knew that she¡¯d react like that once she saw it. [Why did you do that...?] ¡°...Because I need her to attack me to open up a gap.¡± If I just kept blankly starting at the column of fire getting bigger... There would be no way to do this, to be honest. Since the Holy Sword, the only means to inflict any kind of damage on the Devil, couldn¡¯t be used, it was hard to effectively hit her even if I used all available means. So, what I need to do here is... Like I had told Iliya before, what I needed to do was to create a ¡®gap¡¯ so that she could deal the final blow to the Red Devil. And in order to do that... ¡°I have to cling to her once more.¡± Just like earlier, I needed another way to approach her. [So, how will you do that?!] ¡°Well...¡± If there was one fortunate thing in this situation... I¡¯d say that it was the fact that it was possible to deal with Faenol to some extent. Because she didn''t come at me by using her ¡®brain¡¯ and rationality, but rather she moved according to a ¡®set pattern¡¯. At the same time, she poured the swaying Karmic Fire over my head. ¡°I just need to not get hit by that.¡± [...] Ignoring the silence, that was clearly Caliban¡¯s way of saying ¡®There this fucker goes again¡¯, I immediately took a step forward. From this time onwards... It was a battle of memorization.. There were at least more than ten waves of flame moving horizontally. Such terrifying heat. I guess there was a reason why she was a Devil, huh? Four seconds. I muttered while continuously stepping to the side. One, two, three, four. Spears of fire flew towards me, I dodged everything narrowly. This pattern ended at the fourth second. After those spears were thrown, the next pattern was the rain of flame pouring from above. Three seconds. One, two, three. During those three seconds, my feet didn¡¯t stop moving forward. The pattern ended at the third second. Alright, the next one was impossible to dodge, so I had to tank it here. ¡°Valkasus.¡± [Mm!] The Circle of Forbidden Sorcery, which had removed the Karmic Fire the other day, unfolded nearby. It encompassed my entire body, shaping a 120 degrees circle around me. -! The storm of flame that came in a gust from the front was immediately blocked by the circle. Even inside the walls of fire that unfolded around me, the terribly hot aura collided with the circle and was split in two. [...You crazy fuck, are you out of your mind?!] That shout, almost like a scream, came out of the Soul Linker. [You dumb fuck, you know that you¡¯ll die the moment you make a slight mistake, right?!] While this punk was treating me like a bug. ¡°...I don¡¯t know if I should treat you admirably for your courage or treat you like an idiot.¡± As I was thinking as such... The Red Devil continued with a sigh. ¡°Aren¡¯t you aware that I can do anything to you now since you just barged in here?¡± Then, she added, ¡°Unlike in the Material Realm where you can gain your freedom through death, here, I can slowly give you terrible pain while completely crushing your mind. That torment will last for an eternity.¡± So she said, but... ¡°Nuh-uh.¡± I let out a smirk. ¡°You see, I have no intention to be subjected to that. Besides, you probably wouldn¡¯t be able to do it either.¡± ¡°...What?¡± The Red Devil asked dumbfoundedly. At that moment, I stretched my hand out to her. Because she was right in front of me, it wasn¡¯t hard for me to touch her. She probably didn¡¯t expect me to do this. ¡°...¡± But this punk didn¡¯t seem to be flustered by my action at all. Instead, she frowned at me. This wasn¡¯t her having a delayed reaction, she just seemed to find it bothersome to react to me in the first place. Then again, it was just as she had said. This Image World was free from any law and she was practically the God of this world. She must¡¯ve thought that since whatever it was that I¡¯d do to her, I¡¯d never be able to harm her, so she figured that she¡¯d just let me try and return the favor several folds afterwards. But that was where she got it wrong. You see, I had never thought of harming her from the very beginning. I grabbed her arm and pulled her body toward me. With that, her balance was broken and her body leaned towards me. ¡°...!¡± Come to think of it... Back when I collapsed from overwork and was taken care of by Faenol, that punk did something to me, right? Guess I could count this as a payback. And so, just like what Faenol did to me. I kissed the Red Devil on the lips. No hesitation went through my mind. I kissed her while hugging her waist tightly with one arm. ¡°...?¡± Seemingly unable to register what happened, she only looked at me blankly. And so, our kiss continued, with some licking, sucking, while both of us let out hot sighs in between, mixing our saliva... ¡°...! ...!!!!¡± She freaked out and tried to push me away, probably out of instinct because she was so taken aback that she couldn¡¯t think of anything else to do. [...You¡¯re a pro now, huh?] Caliban said blankly. I¡¯ve been getting my lips stolen by a bunch of people¡ªsad story¡ªso by now, I could pull off something like this skillfully. However, it was a different story for her. ¡°...! ...?! ......?!?!?¡± As if it was only then did she realize that she had total control over this space, she flicked her finger and distanced herself from me, gasping for breath desperately. A thread of saliva, which served as the proof that we had just shared a passionate kiss, slightly stretched down from her palm. ¡°W-W-What...!¡± She covered her mouth with both hands, her body stiffened, and her face showed a clear confusion. I grinned at her before saying, ¡°...Man, you suck at kissing. Was that your first time?¡± ¡°...!!!!¡± The funny part here was... Her whole body was red because she was the Red Devil... But I could still tell that she was blushing from embarrassment as soon as she heard what I had just said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you remember, but I¡¯ve promised something to Faenol in the past.¡± While she was unable to keep up with the situation, I continued on. ¡°I will make her happy.¡± So, don''t die. I''ll save you. I definitely said those words back then. And... ¡°That promise includes you as well.¡± And so, a very simple strategy was derived from it. The Red Devil. My Gift couldn¡¯t work on her, so unlike the other Devils, she didn¡¯t fall over heels for me. Due to her blunt personality, she was indifferent towards me. But... You see... She was a woman. At the same time, she was the Devil with the most evil disposition among them. Since that was the case... ...I just need to seduce her. No need to rely on the Gift, I could just do it on my own. I just had to make her fall for me. [...That strategy is so typical of you.] Mhm. I agree with those words in a lot of /genesisforsaken Chapter 212: Strategy (2) Chapter 212: Strategy (2) ¡°Get off me¡ª!¡± The Red Devil¡¯s voice, filled with anger, echoed in the space. Her burning gaze was fixed on me. ¡°You...¡± Her voice sounded like a growl. Like a roar of an agitated beast. ¡°Speaking as if you know about me...!¡± I knew about you though. Well, my knowledge was limited to the things written in her settings, but still... [...She¡¯s really mad at you.] Of course she is. A fucker she had never seen before suddenly appeared, stole a kiss from her, then spewed nonsense about how he¡¯d make her happy and shit, it was understandable that she¡¯d get angry. Anyway, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s fascinating, Caliban? [What is?] How the Devils are doing things that are similar to what humans do. Pretty sure I said something like this to the Fist Saint once. How the things called the Devils... Were more similar to humans than we thought. That was why, the thing that I was trying to do was going to work, no matter what. ¡°...Enough. I¡¯m sick of dealing with you.¡± As I was occupied by my own thoughts, the Image World¡¯s appearance began to change drastically. ¡°Struggle until you die, you bug-like human...¡± My surroundings began to wriggle, as if it was trying to envelop me and swallow me. However... System Messagen n [ ¡®Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯ reacts to the presence of a Devil! ] [ The target¡¯s Aura is hostile. The inhabiting Auras automatically resist! ] nn nn nn Contrary to what she wanted, barely anything happened to me. Instead, the Seal on my chest shone. A murky light came out of the Seal, blocking all the red light that was coming at me. Seeing this, her eyes slightly widened. ¡°...Gray...¡± She then gritted her teeth. ¡°She engraved a Seal on a human? What the heck was she thinking?¡± ¡°Well...¡± I let out a sigh. Honestly, I had no idea as well. I knew that this Seal thing wasn¡¯t merely an amazing ability that could change my ¡®species¡¯, but it was also filled with all kinds of abilities. But... I had a feeling that there was another important, yet hidden ¡®ability¡¯ within it. It was as if groundwork had been laid for a very important situation that would happen later. ...Anyways. That wasn¡¯t important. The important thing here was... ¡°Now you know that I won¡¯t die as easily as you thought.¡± You see, I wasn¡¯t crazy enough to go against a Devil completely defenseless. This Seal had eaten the Auras of the White Devil, the Gray Devil, the Purple Devil and the Blue Devil. It could give me enough time to resist for a moment even if I were to encounter a Devil¡¯s main body in the Image World. ¡°...So, why don¡¯t we have a small talk?¡± ¡°...¡± I asked the Red Devil, who gave me a silent glare. From the way it looked, she seemed to plan on letting me babble as much as I wanted before the Seal¡¯s effect ran out since she would be able to kill me by then. [...You''re trying to defeat the Devil only with that?] Who said I''m going to defeat her? I let out a smirk. Dude, I came here to talk to her. Not to fight her. ¡°...Whatever, babble all you want.¡± The Red Devil''s eyes shone as she crossed her arms. Her dark red irises twinkled with a wicked glow. ¡°Once that thing stops working, I¡¯ll immediately kill you and rip your soul apart. Then, I¡¯ll continue everything as scheduled. Those small fries outside won¡¯t be able to stop¡ª¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to burn the whole world and left Faenol alone in that world?¡± ¡°...¡± The Red Devil frowned before closing her mouth. My words hit the bull¡¯s eye¡ªthat was exactly what she was trying to do. Like I said, the first thing this punk would do once she found the Devil¡¯s main body in the Void zone was to turn the world into ashes. The reason for that was... ¡°...It''s better to be alone than to get hurt.¡± So that nobody would hurt Faenol. ¡®Like before¡¯. She was trying to erase the possibility of that happening. The first place she belonged to, the small village in the countryside. And the second place she belonged to, the Magic Tower. Both places had evidently left memories that were close to a trauma for Faenol. From what I knew, back in the game... The things they did to Faenol were so horrible to the point that the Red Devil would decide that ¡®it would be better to burn everything down rather than letting her get hurt again¡¯. This was also the reason why I couldn¡¯t treat this punk harshly as soon as I saw her. But, still... ¡°I won¡¯t let you do that no matter what.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Then, why don¡¯t you just start from there? You were thinking about that man, right? So, what kind of thoughts did you have that made the Bright Light come out?¡± ¡°...¡± A light blush appeared on her cheeks as she took a deep breath for a moment. She then closed her eyes tightly before stammered in a quiet voice, ¡°...When I came to realize that...um...Teach is a precious person to me...the sword...let out the light...¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Suddenly. Lana exclaimed. ¡°...It shone just now.¡± At Lana¡¯s words, Iliya opened her eyes and glared at the Holy Sword. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I saw it shining slightly when Miss Iliya was talking about him just now.¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya scanned the Holy Sword from top to bottom with a dumbfounded look. This thing...? Shone? When she said something about him? ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it again?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Iliya replied, as if finding Lana¡¯s words absurd, but the latter just tilted her head, probably thinking that Iliya was the strange one here. ¡°I mean, the Sword reacted after you acted like a maiden-in-love at the thought of Mr. Dowd. So, why don¡¯t you continue doing that to see if it¡¯s related?¡± ¡°...A-Are you kidding me...?!¡± Iliya blurted out while shaking, but Archbishop Luminol replied hurriedly. ¡°I believe her words are true, I swear on my title as an Archbishop that the light just now was the Bright Light of the Holy Sword!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Now, try to piece it together that way. Quick!¡± Seeing how his face was so serious, without even a hint of playfulness, Iliya¡¯s face blushed rapidly. ¡°U-Ugh...¡± ¡°Hang in there Miss Iliya! But, you have to do it right now!¡± With their continued urge, Iliya finally managed to open her mouth while trembling in embarrassment. ¡°T-To me... Teach is... A very cool person...¡± At that moment, a faint Light came out from inside the Holy Sword. An extremely faint light to be exact. ¡°Um, it¡¯s shining, but it¡¯s not enough! State your feelings more clearly!¡± ¡°W-Well... I-I think h-he¡¯s cool... S-Sometimes, when he flashed his smile at me, I could feel my heart just melt right there and then...¡± The flickering light appeared again. However, its brightness was still far from being enough. ¡°More! We need something a little bit more intense!¡± ¡°S-Something more intense than this...?!¡± ¡°Yes! Miss Iliya, how much do you like Mr. Dowd?!¡± At Lana¡¯s shout, Iliya¡¯s eyes began to tremble. ¡°I-If you ask me how much... U-Um...¡± ¡°Do you love him?!¡± Her eyes trembled even more now. ¡°Y-Yes...! I-I love him!¡± As soon as she said that, the faint light on the Holy Sword appeared again. After confirming that this was working, Lana exclaimed an ¡®Oh¡¯. Perhaps something clicked in her head since her words became even bolder after that. ¡°Then, if you love him, you must¡¯ve dreamed of marrying him! How many kids do you want to have with him?!¡± ¡°U-Um...? K-Kids?! M-Maybe three would be enough?¡± ¡°What gender do you want your first child to be?!¡± ¡°Aaa...aaa... I-I want my first child to be a girl!¡± ¡°What about your honeymoon? Where do you want to go? Beach? Hot spring? Resort?¡± ¡°...H-Hot spring!¡± ¡°Why is that? Be truthful!¡± ¡°B-Because Teach¡¯s body is way nicer than I thought! I-I want to see it more!¡± With the questions becoming bolder and bolder, Iliya¡¯s answers also became bolder as she was clinging dearly to the last string that held her sanity together with trembling eyes. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone around them slowly began to turn their attention to them, wondering what they were even doing. Even Archbishop Luminol, who had told Iliya to think in this direction, was looking at the two of them with narrowed eyes. However, since every time Iliya blurted out those bold answers, the Bright Light coming from the Holy Sword became stronger, he couldn¡¯t just stop them in the middle. A while after those two continued such questions and answers. ¡°Alright, last question! What do you want from Mr. Dowd!?¡± ¡°I want him to fuck me¡ª!!!¡± As if what they did was not in vain... A radiant Bright Light burst forth from the Holy Sword, accompanying the words that came out of Iliya¡¯s mouth that came out like a scream as tears filled her eyes. The cluster of lights intertwined, forming a complex symbol. Seeing this, Luminol¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°This is the Bright Light of a Seraphim...!¡± Seraphim, the one who stood among all the Angels. Their symbol was now being drawn above the Holy Sword. ¡°Father, is it working?¡± ¡°...It''s on and off, but none of the previous Heroes had the Bright Light of a Seraphim emanating from the Holy Sword...!¡± Iliya moved next to Archbishop Luminol, who was speaking as if he had made a groundbreaking discovery. ¡°...I...wanna die...¡± Her quiet, sniffling voice, reverberated through the surroundings in a somber /genesisforsaken Chapter 213: Strategy (3) Chapter 213: Strategy (3) Regardless of whether Iliya¡¯s dignity as a human being was crushed or not, the world continued to move. Inside the Bright Light, particles gathered, forming a human-like figure. The being had six pairs of wings, a halo floating over her head, decorating their ankle-length hair. She was clad in tight white clothes. Her looks were the stereotypical looks of an angel, but... ¡°...Uh?¡± Iliya, who was sniffling, muttered unknowingly as soon as she saw her. Wait... This angel... ...Kinda looks like me...? She wasn¡¯t being too self-conscious at all. If she were to grow up a few years and let her hair grow, she¡¯d probably look like the angel in front of her. As Iliya looked at her with a strange expression, the Seraphim, whose eyes had been closed ever since she appeared inside the Bright Light, slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes soon met Iliya¡¯s. ¡°...¡± Unknowingly, Iliya broke out in a cold sweat. It was only after their gazes met that she became sure... That this woman in front of her was a completely different being from her. The woman possessed ¡®something¡¯ overwhelmingly huge, making her feel that she was like an ant. That was the kind of pressure the woman exuded. [So, was it you who woke me up?] ¡°...U-Um, y-yes...¡± Iliya barely managed to answer as such. The woman¡¯s sweet voice, as smooth as a jade rolling on a tray, made her let out noises as if she was being strangled. How do I even reply to her?! A Seraphim is talking to me...! [What do I find here? A cutie shivering from her shyness? How nice~] ¡°...¡± [I was getting really annoyed because all of the previous Heroes were no fun at all, but this time...] The Seraphim scanned Iliya from top to bottom, as if ¡®evaluating¡¯ her. Her gaze moved from Iliya¡¯s chest down to her waist, then lingered a little longer on her hips. [...It¡¯s a relief in many ways~] She curved her eyes into crescent moons as she said so in a satisfied voice. Hearing that, Iliya unknowingly took a step back. Because, even though the Seraphim clearly possessed the characteristics of an angel, with her wings, halo and everything, and her face unnaturally looked like her on top of that... When she said those words just now, she gave off a creepy vibe of a sexual harasser. This is... A Seraphim? Are you kidding me? As Iliya unknowingly thought so while looking at the grinning Seraphim, the latter looked around with both hands on her waist. [Well, we can slowly introduce ourselves later...] Then... [...After all, there seems to be something to ¡®get rid of¡¯ right now.] A sharp glint appeared in her eyes. At any rate, regardless of whatever vibe she was giving off... She was a Seraphim. A being who stood at the very top of all the angels in the Astral Realm. If the Devils were the Kings of the Pandemonium, then the Seraphims were the Ruler of the Astral Realm. [Time to put in some work.] The scene that unfolded together with the words that came out of her mouth proved that her title wasn¡¯t just for show. Actually, unlike what she had said, anyone could tell that she didn¡¯t even try to put in some work. Because the only thing she did was lightly tighten her clenched fists without moving an inch from where she was. However... ¡°...Oh my God.¡± Archbishop Luminol let out those words with a groan. -! -!! -!!!!!!!!! From merely the Bright Light that came out as she clenched her fists, all the Dimension Gates around them burst into fragments all at once. All of the Pandemonium Life Forms were also ripped into pieces in the blink of an eye. The ground that was dyed by sulfurous soot was ¡®purified in an instant. Archbishop Luminol knew that a Devil who had unleashed their power could turn the surroundings into something similar to the Pandemonium, but an Angel could do the same to purify that. But... He also knew that beings from the Astral Realm¡¯s influence was heavily restricted in the Material Realm. In spite of such a great deal of constraint, she still has so much power! ...Indeed, they are the only beings in all dimensions whose status could match that of the Devils. Realizing that the title Seraphim wasn¡¯t for nothing, the Archbishop shuddered. Anyway, since that was the case... In this current situation, where there were several ¡®Devil¡¯s Vessels¡¯ around, the people who¡¯d be affected the most by such a being¡¯s presence... ¡°...Ugh, ah.¡± Yuria, who had barely said a word ever since she got here, hugged her own body at the sight unfolding in front of her. Tension, horror, displeasure, malice, hatred. She felt all those emotions mixed together. It was a torrent of negative emotions that she had never felt before in her life. Meanwhile, Seras and Riru were all stumbling, confused, as if they were experiencing the same emotions as Yuria. She called out to me in a trembling voice. ¡°After going through something like that... How are you...?¡± ¡°...How am I still fine?¡± ¡°...¡± She affirmed my question with her silence. I continued with a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Honestly, I still found it scary. I was afraid that I would see people around me get hurt, to see them go through something horrible... And to see them die... But still... ¡°Still, I can make Faenol similar to me. Seemingly normal. So that she can live on without any problems.¡± Of course, I hadn¡¯t shown her everything. But, I had shown enough fragmentary images. Unauthorized prostitution. Orphan. Vagrant. Survival. Murder. The life of a trash rolling in the mud, who lived the day by selling my future. And, rescue. At the end, at the eleventh hour. A shock that was enough to change my life, that originated from a very small goodwill. If it wasn¡¯t for that, I wouldn¡¯t have lived this fine life. Also... I only showed her part of my ¡®past¡¯ so that I could show her that Faenol, just like me, would ¡®be able to change¡¯. ¡°...Now, do you believe me?¡± Also, I only gave her what I had received from someone else. Well, I understood that her past was filled with messed up things, to the point that the Red Punk volunteered to be her ¡®guardian¡¯ and erased all of her senses because she thought that it would be better for her to live like that. ¡°...¡± The Red Devil looked at me silently. There was no way that I¡¯d be able to completely gain her trust with just this much and I knew that. However... My ¡®past self¡¯ that I had just shown her... Would at least make enough persuasive power in my promise to ¡®make Faenol happy¡¯. Because I had gone through the exact same thing just as she did. ¡°...This kid.¡± The Red Devil said in a gloomy voice. ¡°If she were to cry, get hurt, or if you aren¡¯t good enough to support her...¡± But, I could sense a firm determination in it. ¡°I¡¯ll come out again.¡± ¡°...¡± Seriously. These Devils really went out of their way for their Vessels. Though this very nature was very useful when taking them into account. Anyways. ¡°...Don¡¯t worry.¡± I replied with a wink. ¡°I¡¯ll make it so that both you and her will never be able to leave my side.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°As I said earlier, we just have to slowly get to know each other from now on.¡± By showing her my past, I could be sure that we had opened our hearts to each other. Now, the only thing I needed to do was to gradually get closer to this punk. Well, of course, Faenol was included. Damn, I just got a two-in-one deal. ¡°...¡± The Red Devil glared at me silently. As I said earlier, it was fascinating. It felt really strange that I could tell that she was blushing even though her whole body was red. ¡°...Go fuck yourself, you playboy trash.¡± I smirked inside at the sight. Caliban. [Uh?] She becomes cuter the more you look at her, don¡¯t you think? Everything she did felt like a classic tsundere. Her looks also fit my taste the most. Now, I felt motivated to slowly get her to like me even more¡ª [Did you get brain damage?] ¡°...¡± [You¡¯re expecting me to call the Devil who killed me cute?] ¡°...¡± Whoops. I asked the wrong /genesisforsaken Chapter 214: Strategy (4) Chapter 214: Strategy (4) The ceiling...wasn¡¯t unfamiliar to me... Well, actually, it wasn¡¯t even a ceiling in the first place. ¡°...¡± Looking up at the starry night, I furrowed my brows. The red aura had been cleared away, so everything looked normal. If this was what was seen as soon as my consciousness came back with a jerk after being inside Faenol¡¯s Image World, then what had happened was obvious. ...Chapter Cleared. After unlocking the power of the Holy Sword, Iliya succeeded in overpowering Faenol. ¡°Teach. Teach?! Have you come to your senses?!¡± ¡°...Yeah, but I feel like I¡¯m gonna be out of it again soon.¡± As soon as I got up, Iliya suddenly appeared, held and shook my shoulders while saying so. Judging by how hard my vision shook as she shook me, she didn¡¯t hold back at all. Ugh, my head... ¡°...Anyway.¡± I looked down at the Holy Sword that rested in her scabbard. Unlike the last time I saw it, the whole sword was emitting faint light. ¡°So, did the sword finally acknowledge you?¡± ¡°...I think it did, somehow.¡± Iliya looked down at the Holy Sword while letting out a chuckle. ¡°Also, I can somehow have a conversation with the being inside it now.¡± ¡°...There¡¯s something inside it?¡± Now, that was new. The game said that the Holy Sword was an item with a Seraphim¡¯s Blessing on it, but I had never heard of any information that implied it contained some kind of being inside of it. ¡°...Yes. A creep.¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing her glaring at the sword with a genuinely uncomfortable expression, I was at a loss for words. What is it that she reacts like that? ¡°...Anyway, congratulations.¡± Dropping the subject, I smiled at her. ¡°You¡¯re a proper Hero now. Everyone will be proud of you.¡± ¡°...But, there¡¯s someone I wanted to show this to the most...¡± She said meaningfully. I looked up at her. ¡°...Um, Teach.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°I...have a lot of things to ask you...¡± She said, her gaze was fixed on the Soul Linker that was hanging on my wrist. ¡°...My brother...is inside that...isn¡¯t he...?¡± ¡°...¡± Holding back my bitter smile, I silently nodded at her. Now that she asked with such certainty, I couldn¡¯t dodge the issue even if I wanted to. Besides, I had used the Guardian¡¯s Lion Breastplate in front of her. Mixed feelings passed over her face. Then, silence enveloped us for a while, as if both of us didn¡¯t know what else we should say to each other. ¡°...You¡¯ll give me a proper explanation, right?¡± ¡°...In the near future, yes.¡± My answer was quiet. But, it was also firm. ¡°But now, I can¡¯t.¡± Hearing my words, she silently smiled. Her expression looked somewhat forlorn. ¡°You must have your reasons for that, Teach.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you. Because you would never do anything that would harm me.¡± She placed so much trust in me... So much that I couldn¡¯t help but feel burdened by that trust... [...Why can¡¯t you just tell her now?] ...It¡¯s not the right time. I answered Caliban bitterly. She should¡¯ve figured out that he had died by now, and since that was the case, there was no way that the topic of ¡®why¡¯ he died would be left out. The Empress and Lady Tristan were closely related to that. It wasn¡¯t something that either of us could do something about if I were to tell her at this moment. If anything, it would just affect her negatively more than anything. ¡°...¡± But... When I said that I¡¯d tell her everything in the near future, I meant it. Because it was an important part of the next chapter, ¡®The Empire¡¯s Great Turmoil¡¯. ¡°...Anyway!¡± Iliya raised me to my feet with a wide smile. ¡°We did it, Teach. We overpowered the Devil!¡± System Messagen n [ You have cleared ¡®Chapter 4 - Crimson Night¡¯! ] [ As a reward, an additional function of ¡®Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯ is unlocked! ] [ As a reward, a special event related to the leader of each country is unlocked! ] nn nn nn And when I saw a window pop out before my eyes, as if it was the proof for what she said, I burst out laughing. There were all kinds of problems, but in the end, I survived again. Somehow, I managed to survive. I got up with a deep sigh. nn nn nnnn n nnnn nn nnnn nn Atalante continued while rummaging through documents. ¡°A lot of things happened during the Hero Selection, but Student Iliya Krisanax will be appointed as the Hero... I¡¯ll take care of the incident¡¯s cleanup to the best of my abilities, but I¡¯ll still have to hear your opinion on this matter.¡± She said as she gave me some documents. To sum it up... It was about Faenol¡¯s treatment.¡± ¡°...It''s fascinating.¡± Atalante replied with a stiffened expression. ¡°She is someone who has caused such a big incident, yet you stopped it before any casualties could happen by utilizing your usual tricks. But still, the incident could become a continental-level disaster if you didn¡¯t take care of it so quickly.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And since she¡¯s the main cause of such an incident, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they were to execute her right there and then, but...¡± Atalante adjusted her glasses before looking up. ¡°There are several groups who came to me, insisting that I should save her. Among them, the one who strongly expressed this opinion is the Tribal Alliance.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine the risk they¡¯ll have to take by protecting someone who almost caused a Devil-related incident. The fact that they¡¯re still going so far in spite of that...¡± Atalante glared at me. ¡°...Meant that you created this situation, didn¡¯t you, Dowd?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I readily admitted it. Prior to all this, I made the Tribal Alliance Chieftain owe me a favor and I was just using it now. To be exact, it was this. System Logn n [ Special interaction with the ¡®Tribal Alliance¡¯ is added! ] [ You can request ¡®Special Support¡¯ from the target in question only once! ] [ ''Special Support'' is the right for you to make a request with almost no restrictions on the target and fields; it can have an enormous impact, so use it wisely! ] nn nn The reward I received when I cleared Chapter 3. I used this to save Faenol. ¡°She¡¯s the woman I have my eyes on.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d let her get hurt.¡± I said with confidence while Atalante held her forehead, as if she was dying. After that, long silence enveloped us, before she finally opened her mouth again. ¡°She¡¯d be released. But¡ª¡± Her gaze glinted sharply. ¡°...Are you confident that you could shoulder all the responsibilities?¡± ¡°Of course. In fact, even if I don¡¯t need to do it, I¡¯d do it. Though, it¡¯ll take time.¡± Because the things that were related to her past had to be solved slowly from now on. ...And it¡¯s necessary at the end of progression. Faenol was tied to the Magic Tower, a group that would become important later in the story. Resolving her pent-up rancor was connected directly to clearing the main quest related to her later in the story. And most of all... ¡°I¡¯ll make her happy.¡± ¡°...Make her happy?¡± ¡°Yes. Because I promised her.¡± When I said that to the Red Devil, I meant it. I had to take responsibility for what I had said. Hearing my words, Atalante let out a smile. She looked like a parent who was looking at her unruly child contentedly. ¡°If you¡¯re really thinking of taking responsibility for it properly, that¡¯s a relief.¡± But then, she handed me another document with a sigh. ¡°...But what¡¯s this, Dowd?¡± ¡°...¡± When I saw it, my expression instantly stiffened. Then I broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°What is it that makes you react like that? You look way more serious than earlier.¡± Hearing that, I shut my mouth for a moment. How do I even start... ¡°...Apparently, they made a bet among themselves...¡± ¡°A bet?¡± ¡°The bet was...the person who¡¯s the most helpful to me would take my...um...virginity...or so I heard...¡± ¡°...¡± A mix of confusion and despair appeared in Atalante¡¯s face. It was as if she didn¡¯t know if she should fall into a despair after hearing that her students made such a destructive bet, or at how I was swept in such a bet, or at the fact that the ones who made such a bet were the most powerful beings across all dimensions. ¡°...So, is this what was sent to me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°A suggestion to have my first experience together at her house?¡± ¡°...I guess so.¡± Atalante answered while looking down at the document she handed me. It was an invitation to the Tristan Duchy house in their Dukedom. It contained a request to stay there during this break. While it was a request, refusing it wasn¡¯t an option. In other words... I had to spend my break in Eleanor¡¯s house. ¡°...¡± Ah. Chapter 215: Welcome To My House! (1) Chapter 215: Welcome To My House! (1)These days, Baron Armin Campbell had been following a greatly rewarding daily routine. Back when his son handed him the power to administer over the Goldic Viscounty, saying that he was a Viscount from now on, he was left speechless, wondering what was going on. But, after adapting to a lot of things that happened lately and began bonding with the locals, his dissatisfaction had pretty much died down. ¡°The Goldic Fief was famous for their mining industry that could produce high quality Mana Stone that lasted for generations.¡± Armin stretched his body after finishing his work, while Herman, his butler, came next to him, putting down a cup of tea while saying those words. ¡°The locals are satisfied because they can buy high quality Mana Stones at a low price ever since their territory was united with the old Campbell¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°Yes. That''s good news.¡± Armin agreed while letting out a chuckle. Though, right after that, his expression turned grim. ¡°...Everything would¡¯ve been perfect if it wasn¡¯t for that.¡± ¡°...That, huh?¡± Herman repeated, his tone was gloomy. He agreed with his master that they had been enjoying a pretty good life recently. Well, aside from ¡®that thing¡¯, which usually came around this time. ¡°Viscount Campbell, Sir, are you there?¡± Hearing the voice that came from outside the office, both Armin and Herman¡¯s bodies stiffened at the same time. The owner of the nervous sounding voice was a servant. Normally, they would casually ask him to come in and greet him with a kind smile, but not this time, as they instantly broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°Is it that again this time?¡± ¡°...I believe so, Sir.¡± After hearing Armin¡¯s words, the servant answered while swallowing dryly. ¡°The sender is the Tristand Duchy and Kendride Margraviate...¡± ¡°...Come in then.¡± Matching Armin¡¯s nervous voice, several servants came in, pulling a handcart, all looking nervous. On the handcart were two big boxes. Accompanying the boxes, there were two letters, handwritten by two different people. ¡°What¡¯s in there this time?¡± When Armin asked while pointing at the box, the servant answered while shutting his eyes tightly. ¡°...Assortment of jewels made by the most famous jewelry in the continent and medicines delivered directly from the Magic Tower. I heard that both items are something that the Imperial Palace would periodically receive.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, Armin¡¯s expression quickly became pale, meanwhile, Herman, who wasn¡¯t looking any less pale than him, made a remark. ¡°If we sell just a tiny part of these, we¡¯ll have a few months worth of budget to run our territory...¡± Armin let out a groan while holding his head. He had to do this, or else the dizziness he felt wouldn¡¯t ever subside. ¡°...What¡¯s written in the letter?¡± ¡°Nothing much, as usual.¡± Fortunately, the letter only contained small greetings, in contrast to the big gifts. They were just small talks like ¡®How are you doing,¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m doing fine here¡¯, or ¡®A lot of things happened in my territory¡¯; the kind of small talks that people in a close relationship usually had. But, the problem here was... Both senders were Major Nobles who had enough power to blow the whole Viscounty with just a snort. He wondered... Why did such people... Send such greetings to him, every single time, as if he was their master or something... That wasn¡¯t all, they even included such amazing gifts. They kept stuffing these items into his pocket for free, as if they asked him to just receive everything without expecting anything in return. It was as if they were desperately trying to earn some brownie points from him, even though he was the one who should have done so to both of them. ¡°...¡± If he were to be honest, this kind of treatment was burdensome. No, actually, it was downright scary. If he could, he¡¯d rather return these items back to them rather than receiving them. ¡°This is because of my son, right?¡± ¡°Would there be any other reason?¡± As Armin said so while glaring at the two letters, Herman quickly chirped in agreement. There was indeed no one in Armin¡¯s life, except for Dowd, who could elicit such reactions from them. ¡°...Put these away somewhere.¡± Armin said while waving his hands around. The servant answered with stiffened expression, ¡°...My Lord, the warehouse is already full, there''s no empty room left.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Especially since the 20 sets of petrified Protective Giant Demonic Creatures we received last time were quite big¡ª¡± ¡°-Let''s not talk about that. Please just take care of it.¡± After seeing Armin¡¯s shaking hands, as if some kind of trauma had been triggered, Herman cut the servant¡¯s words in a gentle voice. It hadn¡¯t been long since the incident when Armin immediately fainted after he saw life-sized statues of ferocious Demonic Creatures, which could rip humans apart like cardboard, entering his front yard as gifts. Those things possessed the power to destroy any County with ease if they were to be released from their petrification¡ªdefinitely something that shouldn¡¯t be put in the front yard of a Viscount whose specialty lay in agriculture rather than warfare. Upon recalling such a memory, Armin tried to calm his trembling chest while Herman opened his mouth. ¡°...By the way, Master.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Alongside everything they usually sent, Tristan Duchy also sent us a document.¡± Hearing that, Armin could feel his heart sink. Seeing his master¡¯s face went pale right then, the butler wore an apologetic expression before continuing his words. ¡°It''s an invitation letter.¡± ¡°Her Majesty has approved this matter.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You just need to choose and we will immediately incorporate their territory into the Viscounty territory, Sir.¡± The fuck? Is she crazy? I felt that my mouth went dry as I looked at Bella. Contrary to how I looked, she just continued calmly. ¡°The Campbell Viscounty is a family that will soon be related to our Tristan Duchy by blood. It will put us in a difficult position if Sir Dowd refuses to expand the Viscounty¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The Lady, the Duke, and even Her Majesty, all have agreed¡ª¡± ¡°-By the way.¡± I swear, I¡¯d die from nausea if we kept talking about this, so I forcefully changed the topic. ¡°Why do you keep calling me Sir...?¡± You see, it was my father who had the title, not me. On paper, I was merely the eldest son of a noble family, one without a knighthood or an official noble title. However, when I posed this question, Bella asked me back with wide eyes. ¡°...Sir, you didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± ¡°...¡± She silently stared at me for a moment. Soon after, a light sigh came out from her mouth. ¡°...If you truly do not know, then please don¡¯t mind me. I believe there is a good reason why the others had not told you yet.¡± ¡°What does¡ª¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, you will find out about it soon.¡± She cut off my words just like that. When I thought that the awkward silence would continue, Bella shifted her gaze outside while opening the window. ¡°Rather than that, please take a look at this.¡± She pointed outside, as the carriage was about to go over the slope of a high hill and went downhill. Since we were at a quite high altitude, we could clearly see the scenery from inside the carriage. ¡°This is the Tristan Duchy.¡± Bella said as I followed her gaze and looked outside the window. Before my eyes... A vast city unfolded like a panorama. ¡°...Whoa.¡± It was so wide. Like, really fucking wide. I had been to the Imperial Palace before, but even the Palace, which gave me the impression that it was both majestic and massive, didn¡¯t give out this overwhelming ¡®vastness¡¯. The city was vast, even when I tried to look at the horizon, I couldn¡¯t see its ends. It seemed like what they said about the Tristan Duchy being the most huge noble territory in the continent was true. This was the Empire¡¯s best bastion, the one that was dubbed as the second heart of the Empire after the Imperial Palace, the Tristan Duchy. Eleanor¡¯s hometown. Does this even make sense? This was the first time I¡¯ve seen a city this massive, even if I were to count my previous life¡¯s experience. I guess the term Empire¡¯s Greatest Major Noble didn¡¯t exist for no reason. Such a sincere impression crossed my mind. This scenery made me once again realize that the white-haired Lady who was always with me, was a very important person. ¡°Hm?¡± As I was admiring the scenery, something strange suddenly flashed by and passed through my view. At the checkpoint before entering Tristan Duchy territory at the end of the slope... There were crowds of people... ¡°...¡± No, actually, maybe, people wasn¡¯t an accurate word to describe them. Rather, they were a very well-trained ¡®army¡¯. Hundreds of them were lined up, all wearing solemn expressions. Normally, this would be something that would provoke my anxiety, as I¡¯d suspect that something had gone wrong somehow. But, they weren¡¯t holding weapons in their hands, so it shouldn¡¯t be the case. [ Welcome to the Tristan Duchy, Sir Dowd Campbell! ] [ We Sincerely Wish for Your True Unity with Lady Tristan! ] ¡°...¡± As soon as I saw those words, written in the signs that those knights held with solemn expressions, my face stiffened. Besides those signs, they were also holding pictures, paintings, and statues... All of them depicted Eleanor and me standing next to each other. ¡°...¡± I kid you not, those were statues! How the fuck did they got those things prepared in such a short time?! Of course I knew who it was that made them do all this. Eleanor, I swear. You don¡¯t need to go this far! Seriously, I¡¯m going to die from embarrassment...! ¡°It¡¯s time to set out, Sir, or else we¡¯ll be late for the parade.¡± ¡°...Parade?¡± ¡°The Duchy had planned several events to celebrate your visit, Sir. The parade marks the beginning of the events.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing Bella¡¯s words, I broke out in cold sweat. Shit hadn¡¯t even started yet and the difficulty level had risen to the highest. Fuck me. Chapter 216: Welcome To My House (2) Chapter 216: Welcome To My House (2)Lucia Greyhounder looked at Yuria, who was sitting next to her, with a worried look. Currently, it was their regular prayer time, so getting together at this time was pretty much a routine for them. Since that was the case, neither of them should feel pressured or burdened by it. ¡°...¡± But, recently... Around this time, Yuria¡¯s condition would turn for the worse. Her whole body would tremble slightly, she¡¯d keep her eyes tightly closed, and her hands, visibly drenched in cold sweat, tightly clasped. Sometimes, she¡¯d mumble something as if she was weeping. She had been like this ever since Dowd woke up from his lost consciousness. ...This girl must have regretted that incident really badly. Lucia suspected that her sister¡¯s regret over harming the same person twice had seeped to her bones. Or else, there should be no reason why she showed such a reaction, as if she was traumatized, when she was praying. It looked as if she was confessing all her sins to God. ¡°Yuria.¡± ¡°Yes, Unnie.¡± ¡°Mr Dowd said it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± After they defeated the Red Devil and suppressed Faenol when she went berserk, Dowd had met face-to-face with Yuria and addressed the matter clearly. He told her that she did not need to feel guilty, since he really was okay. Still, the fact that he had to go out of his way to do that meant that Yuria¡¯s condition was especially serious in his eyes. ¡°...Yeah.¡± However... As one could tell from Yuria¡¯s answer which came out weakly. Even his words and guarantee failed to cheer her up. ...I think what she needs is a chance. To get rid of the depression that was ailing her heart. Lucia sighed before putting her hands together again. She focused her mind before reciting a prayer reverently to the platform before her eyes. ...God, please. If anyone were to ask her, if her faith in God had not waver, it would be hard for her to give them a positive answer. Still, this prayer was for her sister. Whatever the state of her faith was, she still sincerely prayed for her sake. Give Yuria strength to overcome this hardship... But, before she could even finish her prayer, the chapel¡¯s door burst open, as if answering her prayer. ¡°So you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°...¡± Even though the support from the Holy Land was cut off, Lucia was still holding the Saintess title. So, there wouldn¡¯t be many people who¡¯d be rude and brave enough to interrupt her prayer like this. ¡°...Miss Iliya?¡± But... The person who was recently appointed as the ¡®Hero¡¯ was among those people. Not only was she chosen by the Holy Sword, the Holy Land had also officially appointed this person, Iliya Krisanax, as the Hero. Just the authority granted by that title was enough to let her behave this rudely towards the Saintess. ¡°...What are you doing here? Don¡¯t you have a lot of work to do?¡± Of course, even if that was the case, it didn¡¯t mean it was right for her to do that at this time. Since she just got appointed, isn¡¯t she supposed to undergo some kind of training that befits her status? Or isn¡¯t there a mountain of administrative procedures to mediate interests between the countries that she needs to take care of? What is she doing here instead of doing all those things? Iliya didn¡¯t even pretend to hear Lucia¡¯s question and walked straight towards Yuria. ¡°...Hero, right now is prayer¡¯s time. If you need something from us, we¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been agonizing about how Teach got hurt because of you, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing those words, Lucia¡¯s mouth fell open. Dear God. What¡¯s with this person all of a sudden? ¡°...Yeah.¡± Yuria struggled to avoid Iliya¡¯s gaze. She is right and all, but... Is there a need to say it directly in front of the person in question like that? Lucia almost vocalized that thought, but Iliya¡¯s voice came out first. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you help me save him?¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made mistakes twice, but you just need to give him a big help once to make up for it! Big enough help to get rid of the guilt you feel!¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± Like a parrot, Yuria repeated the same word her sister said as Iliya walked towards her. ¡°Right now, Mr. Dowd is under a great threat!¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± ¡°He was dragged to the Tristan Duchy! Because of that bet that wasn¡¯t even funny!¡± ¡°...¡± Wait... Didn¡¯t Yuria participate in that bet as well? As Lucia thought so while narrowing her eyes, Iliya brought her bright face closer to Yuria¡¯s, who looked even more taken aback than before. ¡°That¡¯s why we need to save him! I never imagined that they made such a bet when I wasn¡¯t around!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That¡¯s also why I came to you, since you¡¯re my most reliable friend!¡± ¡°F-Friend...?¡± Yuria said, her voice trembling, though her face had brightened up slightly. Seeing this, Lucia flinched. This was the look that her sister hadn¡¯t shown in a few months. ...The mood is kind of strange, but...! Should I just let them be? Has my prayers been answered? Is this the chance that I prayed for...? Lucia thought so while gulping dryly. Iliya continued as if she was spitting fire from her mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s raid the Tristan Duchy together!¡± ¡®...¡¯ [I swear, you look like you¡¯re half enjoying this whole thing to me.] What is he on about? While we were having such a meaningless conversation, I reached the end of the corridor. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Hearing that, I turned my gaze forward. ¡°...¡± My expression instantly stiffened. Because the door before my eyes was a very familiar door. Wait. Is it really okay for me to come here? ¡°Miss Bella, may I ask¡ª¡± Seeing her cold expression, I immediately changed my words, ¡°...Bella, I want to ask something.¡± She replied with a smile. ¡°Go ahead, Sir Dowd.¡± ¡°...Is this the Lord¡¯s room?¡± ¡°You are aware of it?¡± ¡°...¡± Of course I was. In Tristan Duchy, there was only one person who was referred to as the ¡®Lord¡¯, someone who wasn¡¯t the ¡®Duke¡¯. Leonid Reventador La Tristan. The most senior Elder in the Tristan Duchy. Actually, he was a member of another noble household, not the Tristan Duchal House. His household was merged with the Duchal House along with a promise of marriage. ¡°...¡± There was one big enough of a marriage to warrant that. Gideon¡¯s marriage, the marriage of the couple who gave birth to Eleanor. In other words... This person was Gideon¡¯s father-in-law. And Eleanor¡¯s grandfather. But why is he here? ¡°He expressed his wish to meet you, Sir Dowd.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, I furrowed my words. I had no idea what it was that he wanted. Even after I tried to think of Leonid¡¯s character setting, I couldn¡¯t think of any reason he would ever take interest in me. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°...¡± However, since Bella had started to urge me, I put my worries aside. ...It isn¡¯t like I have a reason to avoid meeting him. Also, I had no reason to reduce the favorability of people around Eleanor. With that thought in mind, I entered the room. The interior was like a vast library.. It gave off the feeling of a scholar¡¯s office. ¡°...My Lord.¡± I carefully said after entering the room. After I did so, the person sitting across the desk turned his chair around to face me. ...Whoa. If growing old beautifully was personified, this person in front of me would be it. With this guy¡¯s look alone, he could be a movie star in my previous world. ¡°So you''re Dowd Campbell?¡± Even his voice was the voice of a movie star. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, My Lord.¡± Hearing my words, Leonid nodded, there was no change in his expression. ...Huh, he feels so familiar for some reason... How should I put this...? He was very similar to Eleanor. She probably inherited his traits. It seemed like her tendency to dull their expression was a family thing. ¡°I''ll ask you one thing.¡± He continued. ¡°Are you the one Eleanor invited?¡± ¡°...?¡± Why would he even ask that, though? I tilted my head inwardly. Well, she did invite me, so I gave my confirmation for now. ¡°Yes. I am always indebted to the Lady.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Hearing my answer, Leonid then went silent. And that silence... Went for a good while. Then, he broke it with a calm voice. ¡°You two seem to have a pretty deep relationship.¡± ¡°...Fortunately, the Lady seems to see me favorably¡ª¡± ¡°Then I''ll kill you.¡± ¡°...¡± Also it seemed like... Eleanor¡¯s trait to just charge ahead without any warning was also something that ran in the family. Chapter 217: Welcome To My House (3) Chapter 217: Welcome To My House (3)¡°...My Lord.¡± Bella interrupted with a cough. I knew she understood my feelings. It was just way too strange of this guy to tell someone he just saw for the first time that he was going to kill him! As expected, even though they were from the Tristan Duchy, they still at least had a semblance of justice and common sense¡ª ¡°What is it, Bella?¡± ¡°I completely understand how you feel, but Milady definitely...¡± After that, the two began to whisper to each other in a low enough voice that I couldn¡¯t hear them anymore. ¡°...¡± I see. She understood him completely, huh? So in their eyes, me being friends with Eleanor was a big enough felony for them to immediately kill me. ¡°...Hm.¡± As I pondered about how the world had become such a harsh place, Leonid, who had been whispering with Bella, looked at me before letting out a snort. His disapproval was clearly plastered in his face, but as the head of the family, he was still obligated to treat me appropriately as I was his guest. To prove this, he opened the drawer and picked something up. ¡°Take this.¡± It was the key to the room. ¡°...I¡¯ll be frank. It¡¯s impossible for me to like you, Sir.¡± ¡°...¡± This guy just said that he hated my guts straight to my face. Well, I could tell from the way he treated me as soon as he saw me, but since his dislike for me was strong enough to the point that he said such a thing, I couldn¡¯t help but be curious about it. ¡°...May I ask you the reason?¡± Hearing what I said, Leonid snorted theatrically. ¡°Ask me again after you cut down the number of women around you by half.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Your reputation in Elfante is already great enough, to the point that I don¡¯t even need to do an additional investigation on you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just think of it, your one and only granddaughter brought home a weird playboy like you. As her family, how would you feel about that?¡± [Well, he got a point...] ¡°...¡± Caliban. Whose side are you on? ...Well. His reason was more convincing than I thought. Honestly, I thought that he was just hating me for a weird reason that I didn¡¯t know. ...Anyway, this guy is a complete fool for his granddaughter, For many reasons, Eleanor was the apple of his eye. That was part of the reason why Eleanor, who was practically neglected by Gideon ever since she was a child, didn¡¯t grow up as twisted as expected. It was all thanks to Leonid¡¯s care and love. And this was why I was so worried when I found out that it was him who called for me. I mean, it would be a problem if he was planning something bizarre to screw me over. But, it seemed like that was a needless worry, as he was just worried about his granddaughter. As I thought so, Leonid clinked the key in front of me, as if urging me to take the thing quickly. ¡°That¡¯s the key to your accommodation, Sir. The place wouldn¡¯t be as comfortable as your home, but do try to make yourself at home the best you can.¡± Those words were something I could agree on, there was no way the place would be comfortable. Then again, ever since I entered the Duchy, I already knew that this whole thing wouldn¡¯t be smooth sailing for me. ¡°...Thank you.¡± As I replied and was about to receive the key without complaining. The office¡¯s door burst open. And the one who barged in was someone familiar, so familiar that I unknowingly called her out in a daze. ¡°...Eleanor?¡± Since she was wearing an outfit I had never seen before, I almost didn¡¯t know her. The Eleanor I remembered always dressed herself in the school uniform, including the hat. She was wearing an off-shoulder dress with black frills. Her long hair was elegantly twisted with hair ornaments. She looked like an exemplar of a Lady from a noble household from hair to toe. Everything about her looked luxurious. But, even if that was the case, her appearance didn¡¯t give off a vain air. Because she exuded an aura that turned all those things into mere ¡®decoration¡¯. As if implying that you''d need objects at this level to decorate what was most ¡®valuable¡¯. That the the difference in class was what turned such items into things that ¡®matched¡¯ her. ¡°...¡± Honestly, it was to the point of giving me chills. She was beautiful. I unknowingly stared at Eleanor in a daze. [...Have you finally lost it?] ¡°...¡± Caliban¡¯s fearful voice snapped me back to my senses. Huh? What was that supposed to mean? I mean, she¡¯s that beautiful. Anyone would lose it after seeing her! [No, not that. I was just surprised to find out that you¡¯re able to feel such an emotion when you see a girl...] ¡°...¡± [So our Dowd isn¡¯t impotent after all...!] This fucker must have some kind of illness that would kill him if he didn¡¯t talk nonsense periodically. As I thought so while scratching my cheek, Eleanor trudged towards me and grabbed my wrist. Seeing that, Bella and Leonid¡¯s bodies stiffened, as if they were getting caught doing something they shouldn¡¯t have done. Eleanor¡¯s eyes shone coldly. There was a clear anger in her eyes. Size wasn¡¯t the only thing it had going on for it. It looked luxurious enough that it could pass off as a building inside the Imperial Palace. I could tell that it was one of the most expensive buildings inside the Tristan Duchy Territory. ¡°...Can I just get a small room instead?¡± I said, letting out a bitter smile. Someone with a commoner¡¯s sense like me wouldn¡¯t even be able to sleep in a room in such a luxurious building because it would be burdensome. However, hearing my words, Eleanor tilted her head. ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°This whole building is yours, though.¡± ¡°...¡± I looked at the building, then at Eleanor. Again, I looked at the building, then at Eleanor. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I have already notified the servants. Think of it as your own and use it as you wish. I¡¯ll tolerate anything as long as you don¡¯t do anything bad to the female servants.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Get used to it. Because it is likely to be yours from now on.¡± When I could only stand still, at a loss for words, Caliban let out a chuckle from inside the Soul Linker. [She''s so generous. She already prepared the furnishings for the marriage.] ¡®...¡¯ [Congrats. You just have to be a pimp daddy and you won''t have to worry about making a liv¡ª] Shut up, please. I told him off and followed Eleanor, who began to walk again. When we arrived at the large door that seemed like the entrance to the annex, I could see a huge painting of the person who I assumed was the previous owner of this building. ¡°...¡± Eleanor stopped a moment and looked up at the painting. Longing. Affection. Remorse. Regret. A fond gaze that could be described with one of those words, ...This. I also silently looked up at it. Though, I did it for a different reason than hers. She¡¯s quite familiar. The Gray Devil. That was why she looked familiar. The woman in the painting looked exactly like the Gray Devil; I even unknowingly connected her with the Devil the moment I saw her face. Both the woman and the Devil had something in common; Both were a more mature version of Eleanor. ¡°....Iris Linea La Tristan.¡± Eleanor read the letters written below the painting before continuing in a slightly hoarse voice, ¡°She is my mother. This is the building she used to live in.¡± ¡°...Are you sure it¡¯s okay for me to enter your mother¡¯s house?¡± When I asked her that in a serious voice, Eleanor turned her body around to face me. Then, she instantly answered. ¡°Of course.¡± The corner of her lips were slightly curled up. ¡°Because you are precious to me.¡± ¡°...¡± Those words struck my heart. Once again, I realized how tenacious this person was. Just how could she manage to say such an awkward thing so casually like this? ¡°Soon, you will become even more precious to me.¡± ¡°...Sorry?¡± ¡°Dowd.¡± She approached me again and poked my nose with the tip of her finger. Then... She chuckled. It was a child-like innocent laughter. ¡°Change your clothes. Let''s eat together.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just the two of us.¡± ¡°...¡± Before I could even reply... Eleanor continued with a wink. ¡°Do we not have a lot to talk about with each other? Since the night is long.¡± After she said so... A shout that sounded like a scream immediately came out from the Soul Linker. [Let''s gooooo¡ª!!!] ¡°...¡± I don''t know how many times I''ve said this, but. Mister. Shut up, please. Chapter 218: Save Me (1) Chapter 218: Save Me (1)There was something that kept coming to my mind lately. You know, it felt like I was actually someone who¡¯d fall into a trap more easily than I thought. The situation occurring right at this moment seemed to prove that feeling. ¡°...Eleanor.¡± I said, trying hard to somehow stop my cheeks from trembling. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I thought you were inviting me to eat together?¡± Honestly, when she asked me to eat together with just the two of us, I already had a premonition. I mean, why would you invite someone... To a meal in the bedroom...? She even locked the door to the bedroom... ¡°I did.¡± ¡°...¡± That answer came from above me. To be more exact... It was from Eleanor, who was using both her arms and legs to press me down on the bed. As soon as we entered her room, under the pretense of eating together inside, she immediately locked the door, threw me to her bed and did this. ¡°Is there anything weird?¡± ¡°...¡± Everything was. ¡°...What''s with your clothes...?¡± I had been barely able to stop my cheeks from trembling, but I could feel that my control over it had loosened up when I saw her wearing only black underwear. It felt like I was facing a predator who was about to eat its prey. I had been preparing myself for this situation ever since I entered the Duchy¡¯s Territory, but now that I actually got into the situation, it felt like my entire world was spinning. ¡°Dowd.¡± At that moment... Eleanor¡¯s voice, mixed with a steamy sigh, lingered in my head. Her hot breath touched the rim of my ear. I felt a very hot sensation on the parts where our bodies came into contact with each other. As if lumps of fire were flowing through her blood vessels, I could feel her body temperature rise like crazy. ¡°Did you really think that I¡¯d call you to come all the way here if I only wanted to eat together with you?¡± ¡°...Wait, Eleanor.¡± Before I could say anything else, an indescribable stimulating sensation swept over me. I blinked a few times. Ah. This is that, isn¡¯t it? Eleanor held me tight between her breasts. She buried my forehead between her ample mounds. Her hot body temperature was transmitted to my whole face, as if wrapping it. ¡°...¡± Before my brain could fully register that this situation was one of the most apolaustic luxuries a man could enjoy, the satisfaction and warmth that made my whole body unknowingly relaxed filled up my mind, clinging onto it tightly. When I took a breath in from the surprise, her body odor also followed suit, entering my nasal cavity. The intensity of her scent melted my mind. ¡°...Good boy.¡± The next thing she did was gently stroking the back of my head, as if she was taking care of a child. My reason and logic that was slowly drifting far away was screaming at me, telling me that I had to run away now, even if that meant I had to fight her physically because the thing that was going to happen next would be very dangerous. And I completely agree with that call, But, when I tried to twist my body with all my might, in this terrifying Lady¡¯s eyes, it was merely a tantrum of a child. ¡°Seriously, stay still.¡± Eleanor put strength in her arms that were hugging me, making my body sink immediately. As my face was buried around her breasts again, her cleavage came into my view again. I wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but the sight was suggestive enough to make my eyes bloodshot. I was slowly losing my ability to breathe. It wasn¡¯t a good sign. ¡°Or¡ª¡± In that position, beyond my hazy consciousness. I could hear Eleanor¡¯s whisper. ¡°Do you want more?¡± More? What? More of what? More? What? ¡°...Eleanor.¡± I replied in a gasp. And while I was in that state... ¡°...You don¡¯t have to be so nervous.¡± She whispered. [¡°I¡¯ll never hurt you.¡±] ¡°...?¡± Suddenly. I forced myself to open my tightly closed eyes at the weird sensation. Just now... There was ¡®something different¡¯ mixed in Eleanor¡¯s voice. ¡°...¡± In that instant, my mind cleared up. ...What? The hazy sensation I had been feeling until just now disappeared as if it was forcefully ¡®deleted¡¯ by something. As I tried to rack my brain, Eleanor distanced her body slightly away from mine. ¡°You.¡± Compared to earlier, her voice had gotten more clear. ¡°You¡¯ve been having a hard time lately, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± When I looked up at her, my eyes instantly widened. She stroked my cheek slowly. Instead of lust or sexual desire, her smile felt almost motherly. ¡°...¡± Earlier, did she have this kind of smile? Maybe she has been looking at me with those eyes all along and I was just mistaken? In any case, she didn¡¯t seem to be herself at all, to the point that I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Just look at her now, she didn¡¯t even seem to be aware that something else had gotten ¡®involved¡¯. ¡°If I¡¯d just do whatever I want with you here, that¡¯ll put you in a difficult position, right?¡± She couldn¡¯t be any more correct. But, didn¡¯t she invite me here with that kind of intention in the first place? I thought while blinking my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that you...are wary of people crossing that ¡®line¡¯ with you. Do you really think I would be so tactless?¡± Eleanor let out another chuckle as she pressed my nose gently. ¡°I¡¯ll respect your wish, so... Let¡¯s put the matter of pleasure aside for a little while.¡± She said before holding her hand out before my eyes. On it, there was a ring. The same ring she had given me in the past as an engagement token, the same ring I had on my finger. She then carefully wrapped my hand so that the rings touched each other. ¡°Let¡¯s postpone it until the day these rings prove their value arrive, shall we?¡± She asked while smiling. I couldn¡¯t answer her. Instead, I only looked up at her blankly. ¡°... However.¡± It had ¡®gotten out¡¯ of her body by itself. ¡ñ ¡°...Haa...¡± As soon as I lay down on the bed, Caliban¡¯s disappointed voice immediately rang out of the Soul Linker. [...That was nothing big, no?] ¡°...¡± What do you mean that was nothing big? I swear, this Mister just became more and more extreme these days. ...No, it wasn¡¯t. Hell no, it was quite a big deal for me. Something else definitely interrupted us. That, I was sure. If it wasn¡¯t for that ¡®thing¡¯, Eleanor would¡¯ve... Um... What was the word for it...? Squeezed me out? Without mercy, without stopping until I was wrung dry. ...Anyway, what was that? I recalled Eleanor earlier while scratching my head. Honestly, there was only one being that could involve itself in that way. But, ¡®why¡¯ would that punk do it was the question here... ...Seriously, I don''t get it. As I thought so, letting out a sigh, I suddenly realized something strange. ...Caliban? He hadn¡¯t been responding to me. Thinking that he was pranking me again, I furrowed my brows before looking down at the Soul Linker. Or rather, I was about to look at it. ¡°...?¡± My body... Refused to budge. No, it wasn¡¯t just my body, it was as if... Including me... The ¡®entire world¡¯ was frozen. ...Ah. And... As soon as I realized that, A window popped up before my eyes. System Mesage [ The presence of target ¡®C??????????3?4??????????????e????3?4??????i??????????????????????? ?????????????¡ã???????????????3??????????????????????? can be felt¡¯! ] [ ¡®Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯ reacts! ] Following that window¡¯s appearance... In the air near the ceiling... [Hel3?4u? ? A?o? ?lo] The ¡®Punk¡¯ appeared, gently coming down as she greeted me. [Long timeA?| C?I???no see.] It was the Gray Devil. This punk who had appeared suddenly, gently landed on my body. Then, she pressed her weight on my body that I couldn¡¯t move. This was for sure... The same position that Eleanor was in before she was about to pounce on me earlier. ...Uh? And since we were in that kind of position, I could feel one thing for sure. Her ¡®sensation¡¯. As if this punk possessed the body of a human. We could touch, sense, and feel each other¡¯s presence physically. And at the sight of me being surprised at this fact, the Gray Devil let out a chuckle as she looked down at me. [YeahA?|. NowC?I???A?you can touch| C?I?? me, right?] She then continued with a smile. [It¡¯s becauseI???A?the SealI???A?has evolved. BecauseI???A?you¡¯ve gotten a little closerI???A?to us.] ¡°...¡± [I¡¯ve beenUC3?4e3?4i?¡ã waiting. Until UC3?4e3?4i?¡ãwe UC3?4e3?4i? can touch UC3?4e3?4i?¡ãeach other like this.] ¡°...¡± Suddenly. I could feel the chill running down my spine. Though I didn¡¯t know the details... And I hadn¡¯t asked ¡®why had she waited¡¯... I could already tell that this situation was greatly dangerous for me. ¡°...Hey.¡± I managed to forcefully say that by barely moving my lips, my voice trembled. While I couldn¡¯t move my body, I could do this much. ¡°What did you do to Eleanor and me earlier?¡± According to common sense... Back then, there was no other being than this punk who could ¡®do something¡¯ to both Eleanor and me at the same time. But, I didn¡¯t know why would she even do that. [...] Then... After hearing what I said, the Gray Devil smile grew a little bigger. And... [EvenA?| C?I???a cup of water.] She gave me a clear answer. [HasA?| C?I???to be A?| C?I???served in order. This| C?I??applies to her| C?I??too.] ¡°...What?¡± [For everythingI??related?A?to you, I haveI???to be theA?I?? first one to do it.] ¡°...¡± At that moment, my ominous premonition came into reality. Now that I think about it, the answer was simple. If she had waited until this point¡ªwhen we could touch each other¡ªand she went out of her way to interrupt me when I was about to sleep with another woman... Then, considering how possessive shel was, there was one simple reason why she did all that. ¡°...¡± Because she wanted to be the first one to devour me. Fuck. [You¡¯ve beenI???A?lucky so far.] Seeing her, I realized it intuitively. [But you¡¯llI???A?never.] After this... This punk would... [Run awauI???A?from me.] Devour me. Chapter 219: Save Me (2) Chapter 219: Save Me (2)A long time ago, late at night, I had a drink with Talion. Though most of these people were nobles, at the end of the day they were still people. They still didn¡¯t mind things that most people liked¡ªeven if they were something common or shameful. In other words, it was quite natural even for Elfante male students to talk about women when they were hanging out. To put it more bluntly, among the male students, when casual drinking parties happened, straightforward and vulgar talks were more common than one might have expected. ¡°...I¡¯ve never done it.¡± Speaking of that... I could still remember the shocked expression that Talion made when I told him those words. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Why would I lie about things like this?¡± As I replied in a brusque tone while chewing the dry bites, Talion scanned me from head to toe as if he couldn¡¯t believe me. ¡°...Even though you are surrounded by so many women?¡± ¡°...¡± As I downed a glass of liquor, I let out a bitter smile. ¡°You know, if I were to do it with one of them...chances are she¡¯d get killed by the others.¡± That would be very likely to happen since the Devils¡¯ obsession was beyond something that could be called normal. I rarely had the chance to directly witness that ¡®nature¡¯ of theirs since they usually only showered me with their affections, but there was a reason why they were classified as evil. ¡°...What¡¯s with that expression?¡± I remembered the look that Talion gave me back then. He was downing his alcohol while looking very lonely, but after hearing what I had to say, he immediately stared at me with pity. ¡°Brother, uh...how should I put this...?¡± The sympathy in his gaze was so clear to me. ¡°There¡¯s a high chance that your first time won¡¯t be an ordinary experience.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Who knows what such...twisted people...would do to you once they grab the ¡®opportunity¡¯.¡± Now that I think about it... His words were almost a prophecy. ¡ñ The Gray Devil stickily entangled her tongue with Dowd¡¯s before she shoved it inside his mouth. As their affection melted into each other¡¯s mouths, they exchanged their salivas frantically. He didn¡¯t know whether the Devils had hotter body temperature than other races in general, but the burning heat wrapping his whole body was something else. The shivering sensation he felt from touching her made him feel dizzy. ¡°...You...¡± Trying to ignore the dizziness, he frowned. Though, despite his effort, he still felt lightheaded. He had no control over his body¡ªhe could barely even lift a finger¡ªand he could feel the sensation all over his body more vividly than ever. It was as if, after this punk declared that she was going to eat him or whatnot, his sense of reality flew away; As if he was swimming in the middle of a dream. Strangely, he could feel that he was blushing, as if he could not suppress his excitement. ¡°...Did you...do something to me?¡± [I made you A? C?I?? be a little more ?A? honest.] ¡°Honest? About what?¡± [I mean ?A??A? I made you ?A? horny.] ¡°...¡± She doesn¡¯t even bother being subtle now, huh? He thought as he looked at the Gray Devil, taking off his pants after she said that. Her movements were skillful, as if she had done this several times before. [Whoa.] Upon seeing his penis, the innocent smile on her face turned into a wide grin. She wrapped his shaft with both hands, with care and respect, as she stroked it. Then, she brought her cheek to touch it affectionately. [?] Then.. She kissed the tip of it twice. As if she was saying; Nice to meet you, Husband. It¡¯s been a long time. ¡°...Ugh...¡± At that moment, Dowd let the air in his lungs go through his mouth. This was because the Gray Devil had put his penis into her mouth without any hesitation whatsoever. Using her sticky saliva, she rubbed around the rough area of his penis slowly, as if trying to clean it meticulously. She did it carefully, all while glancing at him to see his reaction. [... Are youC?I?okay?] ¡°...¡± After getting him so close to his climax, she refused to let him release his load. She really took her time patiently to torture him. [...?] At one point, he lost count of how many times he was ¡®stopped¡¯ like that. Three times? Four times? Tens of times? A hundred times? He could not remember even if he wanted to. The only thing he could do was to cup his face with both hands while endlessly letting out moans through his gritted teeth. His whole body trembled as he kept his balance by holding her horns with his arms. [Show meC3?4e3?4your face.] At that moment... While pressing him from above, the Gray Devil¡¯s cupped his face and whispered. ¡°...No.¡± He replied, accompanied by a sticky breath. [Show3?4e3?4me.] ¡°I said no¡ª¡± Before he could even finish his words, the Gray Devil already forcefully pulled down his arms. [...Ah...?...] It went without saying that his face was a mess. He had closed his lips so tightly to the point that they bled a little. There were tears in his eyes¡ªa droplet was hanging around his eyes¡ªhis face heatened up and his expression was melting due to his lust. It was definitely a rare sight to see from Dowd Campbell. The expression he made when he was pushed to his limits. And as soon as she saw it... [...! .....!!] The Gray Devil let out a wide smile, her eyes were filled with heat. Her breaths became ragged, as if some kind of shivering pleasure was running up her spine. It was because she found him cute. Plastered on her face was her desire for him, to conquer him, to make him hers, to keep him locked in a cage that she made. ¡°...!¡± Dowd gritted his teeth and tried to turn his head away, but the Devil cupped his face and turned his head to face her. Her red eyes were filled with a terrifying amount of pleasure that it felt as if he would melt just by meeting her gaze. [Show me C?I? a little more.] ¡°...¡± [Show me more, A? C?I? more. I like A? C?I? that expression. I love iiit...] Her voice, melting in the heat, lingered in his ears. Then, she landed a kiss near his mouth, unleashing her tongue while she was at it. Her sweet smell and the sticky sensation of her saliva were etched in his melting mind. He was unable to even think of a reply as a crazy amount of pleasure continuously flowing into his brain. Hell, he didn¡¯t even know how much time had passed. A few minutes? Hours? A whole day? ¡°...Heok...Heok...¡± As he was panting, his whole body, covered in sweat... He could feel the Gray Devil holding his cheek. As he looked toward her with blurry eyes, he could feel her gaze as she looked down at him with a smile. A devilish smile. [Since you''ve warmed up this much C?A? it''s ?A? going to be okay soon.] ¡°...What?¡± [The main course.] Ah... Right... This torture has only been a ¡®foreplay¡¯ for this punk... Such a realization flashed across his mind. ¡°...¡± Suddenly. A certain memory flashed across his mind. -Brother, uh...how should I put this...? There¡¯s a high chance that your first time won¡¯t be an ordinary experience. ¡°...¡± That guy was right. Dowd seriously thought so. Chapter 220: Save Me (3) Chapter 220: Save Me (3)Just now, the Gray Devil had given back the control of Dowd¡¯s body to some extent. But, even though that was the case, it would be pointless if he were to run away or resist, so he simply just followed what she wanted instead. That was what had crossed his mind, albeit reluctantly, as he looked down at the naked body before his eyes. ¡°...¡± He had to admit that it was a beautiful body. It was so beautiful that his consciousness halted for a moment before his blood rushed to his crotch. He recalled the fact that most of the Devils looked greatly similar to their Vessels; That was why her body¡¯s smooth curves looked almost exactly like Eleanor¡¯s. No, actually, she looked more voluptuous than her. ¡°...¡± As he recalled that fact, Dowd unknowingly closed his eyes for a moment. For some reason, regret, immorality and guilt enveloped his whole being. [What are you thinking?] When her question fell, he came back to his senses as he looked at the Gray Devil. Her red eyes were fixed on him. There was no sign of hostility or malice in her eyes, but the atmosphere that she was exuding made him feel nervous somehow. ¡°...Nothing.¡± For some reason, though, he had a feeling that telling her what he was thinking wouldn¡¯t be a good idea. Dowd silently stuck his lower body to her private part. While this was his first time, he had received sex education properly beforehand; He knew what he had to do and had a rough idea of how everything would feel. ¡°...Hmph...¡± And so... The impact of the first penetration was a little bigger than expected. Men told dirty stories in a quite graphic way¡ªthough, there might be some who did not. Such a thought vaguely flashed across Dowd¡¯s dull mind. One silly remark coming from that one tipsy guy in a drinking party crossed his mind. He said that women who had trained their pelvic floor muscles would be able to crush a walnut with their vagina. Everyone who heard it burst out laughing, saying that it was ridiculous, even Dowd himself thought that the person who said it would end up causing trouble because of alcohol someday. But he agreed with the fact that each person had different capabilities sexually. And in that regard, ¡°...You might be able to crush it.¡± [Hm¡ª?] ¡°No, nothing.¡± Dowd managed to breathe regularly through his gritted teeth. The suction force he felt was so strong that useless thoughts such as ¡®What the fuck? Does she have a vacuum inside her vagina or something?¡¯ popped up inside his mind. One thing he was sure about was that the feeling was something that no amount of exercise could achieve; It was as if the inside of her vagina was a living being, enclosing his penis and continuously stimulating it. As if she was concentrating all the muscle in her body in that spot so that his orgasm would feel even better. ¡°...It¡¯s moving.¡± [...?] As he said so in a stiffened voice, she smiled at him affectionately, as usual. Her insides moved faster. As Dowd¡¯s breaths grew so hot that they could probably burn the skin they touched it, he grabbed her breasts. He held one of her breasts in place with his palm and wrist, and used his index finger to gently massaged the nipple. As he pinched and flicked it, the Gray Devil slightly twisted her whole body as if she was struck by electricity. [You¡¯re C3?4e goood...] The Gray Devil pushed her own hot breath up to the roof of her mouth. She then raised her upper body with a horny expression, wrapping both her arms around Dowd¡¯s body that was moving slowly. [More ?A? it more... ] ¡°...¡± As if cheering on him, she passionately hugged Dowd¡¯s lower body that was connected to hers, and whispered so in a sweet voice. Moans that sounded as if she was fawning on him mixed in her pants. She was visibly blushing, which was out of character for her. Even though she didn¡¯t even have a real human body, she earnestly imitated one to try and ¡®satisfy¡¯ him. Seeing this, his frown grew deeper instead though. Truthfully, he was angry. Because throughout the whole process, from A to Z, She took the lead in them, and yet, it still felt as if she was ¡®going easy¡¯ on him. This wasn¡¯t about his pride as a man or whatnot. He felt it to the point that he could feel the gap of their ¡®status¡¯ as different living beings. This woman could crush her with a finger if she wanted to. She could tear him apart to pieces. Yet... She laid herself under him of her own will, voluntarily ¡®serving¡¯ him to satisfy him sexually. ¡°...¡± In his mind, he knew... That this was all an act and she was part of her mischief to tease him. However... At this moment, when his judgment was clouded, when every sense on his body had been brought to the extreme. Let alone rationality, his instinct was ¡®deluded¡¯. Along with a sensation that felt as if his heart sank, he unknowingly attached his body closer to her. And, he cummed. ¡°-! -!! -!!!!!¡± It felt as if his entire lower body was overheating, to the point that he felt his soul was sucked out from that tiny hole. Instead of pouring out, it felt like a whole dam was bursting and collapsing. He could not even speak properly. The only thing that came out of his slightly open mouth was a breath that felt like a wind coming out of a very narrow space. The only thing he could feel was the feedback of the pleasure that was burning his nervous system white. With the amount of information provided by the stimulus alone, there was no way he could return to his senses. Meanwhile, his cum kept pouring out. He kept on belching out his genes into the Gray Devil¡¯s body. It went on, and on... As if it would never stop. ¡°Ha...Hm¡ªph...¡± A moan that sounded a roar of a beast vibrated under Dowd''s vocal cords. The pleasure was almost like pain at this point. It felt like his brain was seared with a hot iron. So he held his head. He couldn¡¯t tell how much time passed. Dizziness struck him. [Ha, aah¡ª] The sight of the Gray Devil stroking her lower belly with both hands, with an ecstatic expression... Was the last thing Dowd remembered before he lost consciousness. ¡ñ Did I faint for about an hour? Dowd thought as he struggled to open his eyes. A voice immediately came from his side. [Are you?A?satisfied?] ¡°...¡± Let alone feeling satisfied... He could only remember this woman had him on lock and squeezed him out. ¡°...Is it over now...?¡± He muttered in an exhausted voice. In this state, he really didn¡¯t have any other answer he could give her, but the Gray Devil just smiled after hearing that. ¡°...¡± He had seen that expression of her too many times and his time as well, anxiety ran down his spine. Because good things had never happened to him when this punk had this look on her face. And what she said after that supported such a theory. [What do you?A?mean over?] ¡°...¡± [The night is still?A? young.] ¡°...¡± [Don¡¯t you think ?A? we have to do it ?A? a few more times?] Dowd sweeped his hair with blank eyes. I see. Doing that thing we just did a few more times, huh...? He once again was reminded that the Devils were definitely an insane bunch. [I¡¯m the most C3?4e moderate C3?4e among us, though?] "..." [If anything, you should C3?4e have been glad C3?4e that you weren¡¯t caught by the others.] As he was drowning in his thoughts, the Gray Devils said so while chuckling, as if telling him that he should be glad for what had happened to him. She did not seem to be joking. "..." In other words... She was saying that the other Devils had more horrible sexual orientations to the point where what she did would seem childish. ...Save me. That was why... It was natural that such a thought came to his mind in this situation. Chapter 221: Snake Pit (1) Chapter 221: Snake Pit (1)¡ù The R-Rated chapter is written in a way that will not affect the story progression even if skipped. For minors, please be advised. ¡ñ It felt like I had turned into an empty mayonnaise bottle. Weird analogy, I knew, but those were the only words that came to my mind. I didn¡¯t know how long it had been since the time had stopped, but what I knew was that both my mind and body were exhausted. Seriously, how many times had I ever felt this exhausted throughout my life...? That question came into my mind as I stared at the Gray Devil, who was floating above my head, wearing a satisfied smile on her face. ¡°...Satisfied now?¡± [Yes.] Even though the time was still frozen, this punk¡¯s movements looked very lively. It felt as if every gesture that she made exudes happiness. ¡°...¡± As always, she looked innocent. It was hard to believe that this was the same being that tormented me like a beast until just a while ago. [Ah.] Suddenly, she exclaimed. Her body gradually turned blurry. Maybe her time to be able to come out of Eleanor¡¯s body and roam around in the Material Realm was up. ...Still, that lasted quite a while, huh? When I first met her, we could barely exchange a few sentences before we had to part. Compared to that, her materialization time limit this time was quite long. [It¡¯s because C3?4e the Seal C3?4e has evolved more.] She answered, as if she had read my mind. [Which means now ?A?¡®we¡¯ can be connected with you ?A? in earnest,] ¡°...¡± Come to think of it... Skill Info [ Fallen¡¯s Seal ¨C Transformation ] < !NEW! > [ Due to your influence, targets can now communicate with their ¡®Vessels¡¯ more directly! ] [ This unlocks a Special Ability for all Vessels! ] Those windows popped up at the same time as I cleared Chapter 3... The description made it seem like the Vessels only got a little stronger, but this punk seemed to imply that there was more to it. [So.] As I looked up at the window, the Gray Devil burst through it to fly close to me. ¡°...¡± As if she knew that I was ¡®looking¡¯ at it. As if she was intentionally trying to interfere. [I received ?A? your cum on purpose ?A? .] ¡°...What does that mean?¡± Did that mean she had another intention when she squeezed me out crazily earlier? When I asked that question, furrowing my brows... [It means that C3?4 it will start in earnest C3?4 soon.] She gave me another vague remark. ¡°I''m asking you what that means.¡± [...] Instead of answering me, she smiled. The same affectionate smile that she always showed me. But, the next thing that she said betrayed that expression, as it carried a very different atmosphere than the usual one she exuded. [You have C3?4 to become stronger.] She said before coming closer to me and burying her face in my chest. She looked similar to when Eleanor buried her face in my chest while saying she had to replenish Dowd¡¯s element or something just a while ago. But in this punk¡¯s gestures... [This time.] I felt as if... There was sorrow... As if she had dwelled on this countless times, her sorrow was so deep to the point that I could feel it... [Don¡¯t die, okay?] Her expression when she disappeared with such a sentence... I swear, she... Looked as if she was about to burst into tears right there and then. ¡ñ Armin Campbell blinked his eyes, seemingly confused. Ever since he came into the Tristan Duchy with Herman, he had been shocked by everything. From how the locals welcomed him so enthusiastically to the point that it was strange, to the time when the Duchy assigned a servant to devotedly serve him, even though he was merely a viscount. However... Those situations didn¡¯t faze him as much compared to when he saw a certain person''s face, whom he did not expect to see ever again. ¡°...Bogut?¡± As he said in a shocked voice, the man sitting across the table responded with a grin. ¡°Armin.¡± ¡°...¡± Armin¡¯s face when he looked at Bogut was filled with shock. As soon as he entered the Tristan¡¯s Mansion, he wondered what was going on when they guided him to the living room all of a sudden. ¡ñ [Hey, it¡¯s morning! Wake up!] I could hear such words through my hazy mind. Judging by how I could see the sunshine and the sound of chirping birds entering my room from outside the window, I guess it really was morning already. [What the hell was wrong with you? You fell asleep when we were talking yesterday, and you¡¯re still trying to sleep even when the sun is already up and high?] ¡°...Is that how it seems to you?¡± [What?] Please, dude, a Devil squeezed me dry all night long, go easy on me. I rubbed my eyes to shake off all the remaining fatigue. Near the bed, there was a bottle of water¡ªmaybe the servant prepared it for me. So, I drank it and it was enough to get me back into my senses. Then, I noticed a letter nearby. [Come to my room if you¡¯ve woken up. We have somewhere to go.] ¡°...¡± Now that I had entered her territory, I could feel that she wouldn¡¯t let me off her sight even for a moment. I wonder why she did that. I¡¯m sure there was a decent amount of risk in that, though. After all, whether it was Leoni or Bella, everyone looked like they disapproved of me. ...Even myself. Honestly, because of what happened last night, I figured that it would be hard for me to keep a straight face around Eleanor. But, you know... It wasn¡¯t like I could do anything about it. ...Whatever, I¡¯ll just have to be with her for a moment. Like, this was legit one of the most peaceful things I had gone through lately. So, surely nothing big would happ¡ª [Fucking idiot.] ¡°...¡± What the fuck? Why are you cursing at me? I furrowed my brows before glaring at the Soul Linker. As a response, a deep sigh came from inside it. [Because you haven¡¯t learned anything at all, you dumb fuck. Seriously.] ¡°...What are you on about?¡± [How could you not know that something bad will happen the moment you say something about it?] Before he even finished talking. I could hear someone banging on the door of my private room. Since the knocking was clearly filled with anger, it was definitely not a servant. There was a high chance that this was someone that I knew. ¡°...¡± [See?] ¡°...Yes.¡± I had no choice but to agree to his words and got up from my seat. As I walked towards the door with a waddle, the door was opened from the outside before I even touched it, almost as if it was crushed. ¡°...¡± And in front of it... There was Iliya, exuding a terrifying aura from all over her body. ¡°...¡± Now, I once again understood what Caliban had said. Because this punk didn¡¯t seem like she¡¯d have a peaceful conversation with me. ¡°...What are you doing here? I thought you¡¯re busy?¡± Since she had just granted the Hero title officially, this was supposed to be her busiest time, so I shifted the topic in that direction. I wasn¡¯t sure what brought her here, but I hoped I would be able to find even a sliver of a way to convince her. ¡°Teach.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± However... ¡°You did it, didn¡¯t you?¡± She asked that question without beating around the bush, almost piercing through my lungs. And that rendered me speechless. ¡°...Uh?¡± ¡°You did it, right? Your first time has been taken, right?¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya. _t_ What the hell are you on about? I thought as I looked down at Iliya. ¡°I have a really good nose, so good I got the Eye of Truth ability with it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I knew the moment I saw you, that you did it, Teach.¡± Without giving me time to answer, Iliya shot me such words before she continued to say with ferociously glistening eyes, ¡°...The Student Council President, where is she now?¡± ¡°...¡± Caliban. How far had you predicted this? Chapter 222: Snake Pit (2) Chapter 222: Snake Pit (2)Matching their reputation, the Tristan Duchy¡¯s dinner boasted great quality. The living room was small, but even if that was the case, the food here was of a high quality for sure. The tagliatelle tasted savory thanks to the salt added to it. Its long and wide pasta went well with the meat sauce. The spicy sausage that was peeled, crushed and fried in olive oil, alongside roasted cherry tomatoes added to its flavor and color. Without a doubt, this dish held a great harmony of taste¡ª ¡°Are you trying to run away from reality like that?¡± ¡°...¡± As I had my head stuck in my plate, as if trying to analyze the molecular structure of the food, such words struck me. The one who said those words was a woman wearing a ponytail that was sitting next to me. She propped her chin on her hand, a smile hanging on her face. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Beatrix from the Kilgore Marquisate.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m Dowd from the Campbell Viscounty.¡± I said while giving her a nod. She was Eleanor¡¯s extremely close acquaintance, the Student Council Secretary. Beatrix Elfin Kilgore. From what I heard, she was here for the ¡®Harvest Festival¡¯ held by the Tristan Duchy tomorrow. As for the festival, I heard it was something like a big holiday in the Duchy, basically, an event that they always held around this time of the year. Since the Tristan Duchy, the territory that was considered as one of the pillars of the country, considered this period of time as important, most of the well-known nobles were attending it. ...There¡¯s also a rumor that the Empress will attend this year. As I let my mind wander like that, Beatrix continued without dropping her smile. ¡°It¡¯s our first time meeting each other in person, right? I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± Then, she continued, her smile still on her face. ¡°...If only the situation wasn''t like this, we would¡¯ve had a proper conversation.¡± ¡°...¡± Beatrix whispered while stealthily stealing a glance in a certain direction. I followed where she was looking at with my gaze. From that direction, there was a liquid-nitrogen-like coldness that didn¡¯t seem like it would go away. Across the wide table, the two people that I didn¡¯t want to meet each other the most in this situation were sitting side by side. Eleanor and Iliya. Those two were the main causes for the ice-cold atmosphere that had been going on. ¡°Can¡¯t you stop them? You caused this, didn¡¯t you?¡± Beatrix whispered those words as the stiffened muscles on her cheeks trembled. Well, she was correct, I should stop them. But the problem here was... ¡°...If I were to do that and said something wrong, the situation would get even worse.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± ¡°...¡± Honestly, my priority in this situation was to wait and see. Besides, even if I wanted to step in, this was not the time to. ¡°...¡± But, seriously... What the hell is wrong with those two? Since they hadn¡¯t openly clashed with each other recently, I thought they were getting along better, but look at those two now! [Aren¡¯t you being too complacent?] ...Pardon? [All this time, they¡¯ve been cooperating without complaints because they didn¡¯t want you to get caught in the crossfire. They had never been on good terms, at least that¡¯s how I¡¯ve seen it.] ¡®...¡¯ [As long as they have a common purpose, they can cooperate with each other, but none of them would yield if what they¡¯re fighting for is the ¡®initiative¡¯ over you.] ¡®...¡¯ Understandable. Even in the original game, both of them had an ill-fated relationship with each other that went on for so long. Here, they hadn¡¯t been fighting because they had other important matters to deal with. It made sense that they didn¡¯t get along easily. [Moreover.] Caliban continued with a smile. [There¡¯s no way Iliya would stay calm in a situation where she thinks that the person she likes has been ¡®stolen¡¯ by that Lady.] As Caliban said so, Eleanor, who had been silent, opened her mouth to say, ¡°So,¡± Eleanor, who was creating such an atmosphere, said in a firm voice without even sparing the shiny steak in front of her a glance. ¡°What brings you here?¡± The atmosphere she exuded sent a shiver down my spine; I couldn¡¯t imagine her acting like this if it was just the two of us. Hearing that, Iliya, who also hadn¡¯t been touching her food as she looked at Eleanor expressionlessly, raised her chin. She challenged Eleanor with her gaze before letting out a silent smile. ¡°Well, it¡¯s the Harvest Festival, so, I¡¯m sightseeing?¡± ¡°...Stop with ridiculous excuses. It is pathetic.¡± Eleanor replied coldly. ¡°There¡¯s no way anyone from the Kendride Margraviate would show up peacefully during the Harvest Festival. You think so too, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, Student Council President, I am the Hero now.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to say that such a ¡®simple¡¯ political reason makes no sense to me. Since I¡¯m the Hero, I can go to wherever I want to go.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing Iliya reply to her in a relaxed voice, Eleanor furrowed her eyebrows. By simple political reason or something, Iliya meant that as someone who had gotten the Hero Title, she was in the position where she could ignore the ¡®Tristan Duchy¡¯s status. Basically, she was telling Eleanor that she ¡®wouldn¡¯t back off¡¯ anymore. ¡°...In our bet...¡± Eleanor said in a cold voice. ¡°All of us have agreed that the winner will take Dowd with her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never agreed on that bet in the first place.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Am I wrong? I didn¡¯t even know there was something like that.¡± That was...true. I heard from Caliban that she told all of the Devil¡¯s Vessels and left Iliya out, so she was kept in the dark about it. ¡°So...¡± ¡°...¡± The atmosphere of the place was still suffocating. The air between Eleanor and Iliya specifically made me feel like I was walking on thin ice, it was so cold that I could feel my whole body shivering. Both of them were sipping on the tea that was just served as the dessert without looking at each other. But, as someone who was stuck in here with them, I could clearly feel that they were putting each other in check like crazy while keeping me tied down in the middle. It was suffocating even though I had gotten used to reading this kind of atmosphere recently. [Well, anyone with a brain can tell that they only agreed to stop fighting in front of you.] ¡°...¡± [Which meant, they must be plotting to hold a battle between themselves when you¡¯re not around.] I knew that... I swear, I felt like I was about to die here... Eleanor with two Fragments and Iliya with the Holy Sword¡ªThis was the moment when they became equal in power. If they were to fight for real, one of them would definitely get seriously injured. Both of them still had a major power-up event left, but their growing rate was extremely high at this point, so the damage they¡¯d cause to the surroundings would be no joke. ...Since I can¡¯t let them fight... I had no choice. It was the time for me to do something. First of all, I had to at least create an opportunity for them to have a conversation with each other by...! ¡°Ah, over there.¡± When I gestured to the attendant on stand-by in the corner of the room, they approached me with deft steps before lowering their head to ask what was it that I needed. Then, while smiling awkwardly, I told them... ¡°I¡¯m sorry but is there anything simple for us to enjoy? Like cards, or board games.¡± I knew what I had requested didn¡¯t fit such a dazzling and luxurious place at all, but the attendant just nodded without a single hint of bewilderment¡ªThe gesture made me feel touched. ¡°Will the things prepared by the servants in the resting room suffice? Though, there is something a little...customary that you could pick, though...¡± I noticed how the servant¡¯s voice trailed off, causing my smile to turn bigger. Something customary in Tristan Duchy would be something like cards used for gambling at best. ¡°Ah. sure, get that. Thank you in advance.¡± The attendant bowed their head and disappeared with deft steps. Beatrix then glared at me dumbfoundedly. ¡°Cards or board games? Here? Right now?¡± ¡°I mean, it isn¡¯t like we have anything else to do anyway, no?¡± It would be better than to do nothing in the middle in this suffocating atmosphere at least. In that sense... ¡°...Let¡¯s do it all together.¡± I asked the two women, the source of this atmosphere. Please... I beg you, just accept... _t_ ¡°...No, thank you.¡± ¡°...Same here.¡± They answered while glaring at each other. I could feel it in my skin that they had no intention to get closer with each other, but... ¡°Come on, you two, don¡¯t be like that.¡± I still tried to persuade them desperately. In order to make them stay still at one table, I used all my conversational skills, spewing out words that I barely used throughout my life. ...It¡¯s working...! When I saw both of them eventually pulled the chairs and sat facing each other despite their faces clearly screaming that they didn¡¯t want to do this, I exclaimed as such in my heart. ¡°You persuaded them, hm?¡± As they did that, Beatrix, who had been watching the sight from the side, said so while letting out a chuckle. (I heard about your reputation from Eleanor herself, but I guess not everyone can be a playboy. Your skill at walking at that delicate line is exceptional to say the least.) Then her voice echoed only in my ears. She must¡¯ve used the sound transmission again. ¡°...¡± I sighed inside as I glared at Beatrix. Did you really need to say that? (I mean, it¡¯s fascinating to see.) Beatrix replied while chuckling. (As far as I¡¯m aware, you¡¯re the only person in the whole world who could control Lady Tristan with a single sentence. You can be proud of it a little, you know?) ¡°...¡± Was that a compliment or a curse? As I muttered as such inwardly, the four of us had already seated at the table, facing each other. Soon after, the attendant brought in a board game and placed it in the middle of the table. Then... As soon as I read the words written on the cover of the board game, I instinctively felt that something had gone terribly wrong. ¡º ? Big Snake Pit Love Love Life Game ? ¡» ¡º Who are going to become a partner and how? Steal your opponent¡¯s partner and make them completely yours! ¡» ¡º For the couple who win first place, a Mana Stone ring will be created on the spot for them to wear together! ¡» ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Maybe... Everyone at this table was wondering how the fuck did such a board game was picked out of every board games in the existence. I was also thinking the same thing as I turned my gaze at the attendant while breaking in a cold sweat, asking him what the hell did they bring in with my gaze. ¡°...I remember telling you that it was customary...¡± They said, as if it was an acceptable excuse, in a voice that sounded as if they were in a difficult position too. Then, I asked in a trembling voice. ¡°...Is this all that you have?¡± ¡°...This is all that we have.¡± ¡°...¡± Such words... Started a catastrophic silence on the table. Chapter 0: Marriage Proposal Chapter 0: Marriage ProposalThe concept known as the butterfly effect was a motherfucking piece of shit. Of course, there was nothing wrong with the phenomenon proposed by the theory itself. It went without saying that changing conditions could lead to different outcomes. However, its existence proved that a small decision had the power to alter a person''s destiny. ¡°My dear.¡± ''Therefore, it''s a fucking piece of shit. Well, for me, at least.'' To put it simply... I have made some choices in my life that I regret. Choices that led me into this situation. Why, there was typically that one thing. I shouldn¡¯t have played that damned game. [ Savior Rising ] In short, Sera. An academy drama between innocent youth, usually featuring complex and multifaceted characters. While, at the same time, retaining familiarity and archetypes. It was a good game. If only I hadn''t gotten sucked into it. Did that even make sense? That someone would get trapped inside a game just because they played it a bit? I was completely oblivious as to why this happened. Was it because some God-like being willed it, or was it because of the attachment I had with the main character? As usual, I completed the game, saw through the ending, had my fun, and then went to bed. And then, the next day, I woke up inside the game. ¡°My dear. Are you listening?¡± I didn''t answer. Maybe that person wouldn''t notice that I was here and go away. ''Oh, please.'' ¡°I already know you are in there. You¡¯d better open the door.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have already talked with Dorm Supervisor Ophelia. You have no classes scheduled today.¡± ¡°...¡± They were like a stalker. In the first place, not being involved with this woman was better for me. More images flooded my mind. The illustrations and CGs I saw in the original game. A bloodied Eleanor building mountains of corpses with her black longsword. Eleanor, with her red eyes flashing fiercely, commanding an army of Devils and monsters. Etc., etc. What was certain though, was that she left one consistent impression regardless of where you looked. She was a frightening villain. Yes, that''s no secret. This woman was the Final Boss in this world known as Sera. If the protagonist didn¡¯t stop her, she would eventually throw the whole world into a pit of fire. A person of such caliber and significance should had just passed by an extra like me, nothing more. ¡°You know why I came all the way here.¡± But in the end, it was all too late. The butterfly''s wings had already fluttered and blew the gust of fate that led me to this current situation. Her red eyes coldly stared at me while her grip on the sword''s handle tightened. The heavy atmosphere became even more serious. Her mouth parted once more. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again, Dowd Campbell.¡± A storm had brewed with the flap of the butterfly''s wings. "Will you marry me?" ¡°...¡± Really... I still couldn''t wrap my head around this simple yet dizzying question. Dowd Campbell. The heir to a baron of a remote region with not the slightest recognition. A freshman-nobody at the Academy. And a bottom-dwelling, unrecognized extra of this world. And such a person was now... ...Proposed to by the woman who would eventually bring about the world''s destruction within a few years. Chapter 223: Snake Pit (3) Chapter 223: Snake Pit (3)Grabbing the cover of the board game gave me the feeling of opening the Pandora''s Box. But, it wasn¡¯t like I had other options to choose. If this gathering were to get canceled just because we felt awkward to play this board game, it would definitely lead to an atmosphere that I would hate to even imagine. ¡°...Shall we?¡± ¡°...Uh, mm...sure...¡± ¡°...Woaah, this seems fuuuun.¡± Hearing their answers that sounded as if their souls had left their bodies coming one after another, I decided to just bite the bullet and open the cover. Behind the cover were two cubic dice with a simple design, few character cards and a board. The game was simple; One just needed to collect a certain amount of money or love points. And during this moment of whirling confusion, I eventually ended up having to play the role of Master. Following the finalization of my role, each of them also picked a character card. The cards, which were made out of Mana Stone, were distributed one by one in front of each of us. As soon as each of us grabbed our cards, several lines of information regarding each character popped up above it. At the same time, several virtual pieces that looked similar to each of us suddenly popped up on the game board. ...Ooh. Huh, this exists? Seeing how this kind of thing existed made me realize how fascinating this world¡¯s technology was. Like, you wouldn¡¯t expect such a high tech would pop out at a place like this. ¡°Um, I think we should introduce our character cards first. Starting from Eleanor.¡± ¡°...Is that so? My character is¡ª¡± A frown suddenly appeared on her brows. ¡°...The card says my character is a bride who is married for the first time to a playboy husband.¡± "..." Everyone went silent for a moment. It was only after I braced myself and opened my mouth did the conversation move forward. ¡°...I-I see. Anyway, it says that you need to roll the dice once to set your current status.¡± ¡°...Okay.¡± Eleanor rolled the dice with a slightly more violent gesture than earlier. The two cubic dice rolled on the table. I checked the number displayed and shifted my gaze to the rule book again. ¡°Those numbers mean...¡± Suddenly, I could feel my diaphragm contracting violently. But, we had come this far. It would be bad if I were to show them how conscious I was about what was written here. So, I closed my eyes shut before reading it. ¡°...Recently, both of you have slightly drifted apart. Your relationship is in a critical situation as your husband might get stolen by someone else anytime.¡± "..." "..." ¡°...Anyway, my character card is¡ª¡± While feeling alarmed, as if this place might explode if things were to continue like this, I somehow managed to continue in a cheerful voice. ¡°I think it says I can raise love points easier than other characters. Also the character concept is a playboy...someone who attracts women even though he doesn¡¯t even do anything. Doesn¡¯t really fit me, don¡¯t you think...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± There was no physical force involved here, but I could feel a pressure so strong that it could probably make my body explode rushing over me. ¡°...I¡¯ll roll the dice.¡± So, I decided to just shut my mouth and roll the dice. I swear, I felt like I¡¯d die the moment I opened my mouth... ¡°Let¡¯s see...my status is...single, and there¡¯s no other particular characteristics. Always open to new relationship and¡ª¡± (-Perfect status for a playboy, isn¡¯t it?) Beatrix¡¯s voice, mixed with a snort, came into my ears, but I ignored it. Why the hell does this woman hate me so much? [Because all the reason to, of course.] ¡°...¡± [What? Am I wrong? You¡¯re the bastard who seduced her best friend, yet you still went out of your way to seduce other women¡ª] Shut up. As Caliban was rambling on, Iliya had rolled the dice once while looking at her character card. Then, she tilted her head. ¡°Teach, is there a marriage system in this game?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah, it¡¯s written here. So, players can marry each other in a certain space and the married players will get double love points each.¡± As soon as she heard that, a smirk appeared in Iliya¡¯s face. That smirk got everyone to feel an ominous premonition. ¡°In here, it says that my character can order the man she¡¯s married to as her puppet. It says I¡¯m a temptress.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°My current status is that I enjoy breaking apart couples. Any cool male nearby is welcome-?¡± Iliya said while sending me a wink. ¡°-is what¡¯s written here.¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing how her expression immediately changed when she said so, I realized once again how sly she could be. I¡¯ve seen bits and pieces of this side of hers before, but now, she was letting that side out openly, maybe to tease Eleanor. Actually, as soon as she saw her do that, Eleanor opened her mouth as she sent a glare at her. ¡°Why are you reading that while acting cute?¡± ¡°I only read what¡¯s written here.¡± ¡°...Are you kidding me? Aren¡¯t you here to have a final match with me¡ª¡± ¡°Miss Beatrix, please read yours...!¡± Before the suffocating atmosphere got worse, I forcefully tried to get their attention back to the game. Her fiance? got married with her best friend and their relationship was so good that they were having so many kids. Not only that, she also had to congratulate them herself. Well, it was a game, but would there be any woman who¡¯d accept that kind of outcome with a smile? ...How did it end up like this...! I swear in the beginning of the game, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t so terrifying! While the settings were like this and Beatrix and I were so nervous about it, Eleanor and Iliya didn¡¯t show any reaction after their initial displeasure. Though she was especially nervous, Eleanor even threw uncharacteristic jokes around, trying to ease the atmosphere a little. Come to think of it, maybe she made all those jokes to make herself feel better as well. Considering the series of situations that followed, it was nice. ¡°It¡¯s my turn now.¡± Eleanor said in a voice so cold that I felt like snow would fall right now, even though it was currently May, as she grabbed the dice. Then, she rolled her dice. On the game board, Eleanor¡¯s piece ran to the box where Beatrix and I were in. [Came into contact with other pieces. Courtship Request!] On the game board, my piece was shaking his head powerfully to Eleanor¡¯s piece, who was waiting outside the door with a bouquet of flowers. [She tried to woo the man, but got completely dumped! The other couple¡¯s relationship got better instead!] ¡°...¡± With those words, Beatrix¡¯s piece appeared to make fun of Eleanor¡¯s piece that was crying while guffawing on the game board. Seeing this scene, a vein protruded hard on Eleanor¡¯s face. I swear I could see her eyes turning bloodshot. Seeing this, Beatrix and my expressions turned darker. ¡°...Uh, Eleanor?¡± I managed to call out to Eleanor in a trembling voice. ¡°...Hm.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s just a game.¡± ¡°...I do not care.¡± That was a lie. She cared about it to death. As Beatrix and I were shaking, Iliya grabbed the dice, lights were still out of her eyes. ¡°...Huu...¡± She let out a deep sigh. Well, I called it a sigh, but it was more like she was letting off steam to calm the heat rising up in her body. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Once again, the dice were rolled on the game board. Her piece soon walked to the box where everyone else was in. [She came into contact with other pieces. Courtship Request!] Then, the same event that occurred with Eleanor happened again. Iliya¡¯s piece walked towards my piece with a sexy gait. She was dressed very gorgeously from head to toe, as if reflecting the characteristics of a temptress. Then, she blew my piece a kiss while winking at him. In an instant, a blush appeared on my piece¡¯s face. But, when he looked at the ring on his finger, he closed his eyes and shook his head. [She gained an additional benefit due to the ¡®Temptress¡¯ characteristics!] [However, the other couple¡¯s conjugal harmony is too good! Target ¡®Dowd¡¯ resists the courtship!] [Roll the dice to decide whether you would succeed resisting!] With those words, the dice popped up in my direction. ¡°...¡± I rolled the dice with trembling hands. Two 1s. [Resistance failed!] ¡°...¡± [The target entered the ¡®cheating¡¯ state. He hasn¡¯t been caught by his wife yet, but his Love Points will be drastically reduced once caught!] As soon as the announcer said that, my piece on the game board made a foolish expression as he took off his ring before shoving it into his pocket. After that, he came into Iliya''s arms as she made a whoo hoo hoo sound while laughing. Then, as if they had met their match made in heaven, they happily kissed each ot¡ª ¡°...Oh my.¡± As a blush appeared on Iliya¡¯s face, light started to come back in her eyes. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Beatrix¡¯ gaze fell upon me, as if she was looking at trash. Her expression looked as if she had seen something disgusting. Aside from that... The edge of the table that Eleanor was holding was cracking. She couldn''t hide how whole body was trembling. Even though the one who was getting betrayed in the game was Beatrix, Eleanor was the angrier one here. She must''ve lost it at how I took off the ¡®ring¡¯ and was cheating on her with ¡®Iliya¡¯. ¡°...¡± No, I mean... That wasn¡¯t me! It was me, but it was in game! The real me didn¡¯t do it...! [...Yeah, no one would listen to that excuse.] ¡°...¡± [Anyway, this game is fun. How long will this last?] As Caliban said those words joyfully, I could hear Eleanor gritting her teeth. I prayed, with a feeling that I might faint. Please. Just let me survive here...! Chapter 224: Snake Pit (4) Chapter 224: Snake Pit (4)Afterwards, there were all kinds of bizarre incidents happening in the game. But in the end, the result was... [1st place, Beatrix & Dowd Couple!] [Mana Stone Rings created! Cherish each other forever!] A pair of rings popped up on the game board. The rings were only imitations, but their quality was needlessly good. It would be easy to mistake them as actual wedding rings. After that... Each of the rings flew to Beatrix and I from the game board. The rings then slipped onto our fingers with a ¡®Ping!¡¯ sound. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± This was just part of the game, but the sense of danger that Beatrix and I felt was at its peak. I¡¯m not kidding here...! You don¡¯t know what they¡¯d do to us...! Though, after seeing the rings... Eleanor closed her eyes tightly. As if she had seen something she couldn¡¯t bear to see. She took a deep breath before sweeping down her face. ¡°I am going to get some fresh air for a moment.¡± She said, facing the table. Her words felt like a bolt from the blue to me. All this time, it felt like I had been blowing into a fully inflated balloon. From the nerve-wrecking atmosphere, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if the situation blew up right there and then, but that didn¡¯t mean anyone would be glad if it were to actually happen. She said that she was going to get some fresh air, but it was obvious that she was going to walk out on us and went on her way. But before I couldsay anything, Eleanor had gotten up from her seat and walked to the exit. Her gait exuded a cold atmosphere that insinuated me to leave her alone. As I unknowingly stopped trying to stop her, Eleanor had immediately disappeared into the exit. Should I follow her? But, wouldn¡¯t it only make her angrier? I hesitated for a moment at the thought, but... ¡°...!¡± No. What the hell am I doing? The answer on this matter was crystal clear. If she was angry because of me, then I had to apologize. ¡°Miss Beatrix.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Please straighten things out for me.¡± My words could be interpreted in a bunch of ways, but fortunately, she was quick-witted enough to immediately understand what I was trying to say. ¡°Hero. May I talk with you for a moment?¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± ¡°It''s regarding the harvest festival. I believe you¡¯re going to find what I¡¯m trying to say interesting.¡± The way she immediately tried to attract Iliya¡¯s attention the moment I began to sprint proved it. [What are you going to do?] I¡¯m going to talk to her! And so, I ran through the corridor. The servants all looked at me as if I was strange, but I ignored their gazes and kept on running. Since I¡¯ve been training my body, my physical strength has increased considerably, but Eleanor was the Vessel with the most superhuman capabilities among them all. Compared to mine, her physical capabilities were on a different level. In that short amount of time, it seemed like she had left this vast mansion since I could see her get into a carriage bearing her family seal on it outside the terrace. ¡°?...¡± ¡°E...¡± Before I could even call her name, the carriage left in a flash. I looked around, barely suppressing all kinds of curses that were about to come out from my vocal cords. It was impossible to go all the way over there to hold her. Then what do I do to catch up? At that moment, something caught my eye. ¡°...¡± Uh... That might be dangerous... But had I ever cared about something like that? ¡ñ A while after that. Eleanor got off the carriage and sighed as she looked up at the sky. This place was a little hill located behind the Tristan Mansion, a secret place that she had always visited since she was a kid. Every time something depressing or frustrating happened, she¡¯d come here and look up at the sky for a while. ...What am I doing...? Eleanor thought to herself as she looked up at the sky where the sun was setting. She knew it best that she was being immature. What happened was just a game. Beatrix and Dowd were both busy checking her mood throughout the game. She knew it more than anyone. ¡°...¡± But... Even though she knew... She closed her eyes and stroked the ring on her finger. That with this man... She was the weaker one... From head to toe¡ªher body, her heart, everything. Every part of her had long since succumbed to this man. That was why she felt anxious when she expressed her dissatisfaction like this; She was afraid that she¡¯d hurt his feelings. It was to the point that she couldn¡¯t even bear to ask for anything that she should have deserved and instead, she felt that she should give this man everything that she had. That was how deep she had fallen for him. ¡°I''m sorry...¡± But it was only natural. For this man was someone who was willing to ruin his own body just to console a sulking woman. It was hard not to fall for someone who was ready to bleed himself the moment he saw another person was a little upset. ¡°...Okay.¡± Eleanor replied hesitantly before lowering her head and trying to check on his expression. ¡°By the way...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°...Umm...y-you said you like me, right...? H-How much...?¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing how Dowd¡¯s eyes widened the moment he heard that question, a blush appeared on Eleanor¡¯s face. Of course, she felt the most shy by bringing up things like this. Yet, even so... She figured that she should at least got something in return since he had disappointed her, so she said it as a way to tease him. ¡°...If you could convince me with your answer, I will forgive you.¡± And as soon as he heard that, Dowd lifted his hand and smoothed down the corners of his mouth. It was part of his effort not to show his bright smile. ¡°Eleanor.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Dowd smiled as he approached her. ¡°Say some¡ª¡± Eleanor''s words were cut off. And the reason for it was... Because Dowd, who had walked to her, silently hugged her. But he didn¡¯t stop there. He brought his face closer to hers in an instant. ¡°...-!¡± For Eleanor, it was a familiar sensation. Since she had experienced this several times. However, even though that was the case, this was a sensation she couldn¡¯t get used to. The sensation of a kiss as their tongues and salivas mixed. A wet, hot, sticky and thick sensation. As Eleanor¡¯s blush reached her ears. Dowd slowly pulled his lips away from hers and said inalow voice. ¡°...Did that answer your question?¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor lowered her head as her whole body trembled. ¡°...Y-You really... Seriously¡ª¡± She clenched her fists, her tears almost burst out. Soon after, she pounded Dowd''s chest. ¡°Y-You¡¯re so unfair... Every single time, you always try to get over everything like this...!¡± She had enough power to crush someone to six pieces, but the force she utilized when she pounded on his chest was comparable to that of cotton swabs. Even when she was being overwhelmed by her shyness. Even when she was upset. She still refrained from hitting him for real, just in case that she¡¯d end up hurting him. So, he did it again. He smacked his lips against hers again. Before they got entangled, Eleanor let out a little moan that sounded like ¡®_hiik¡¯¡ª_it was the cutest thing. ¡°...Haa.¡± After being stuck together like that for a while... Dowd distanced his face from hers again with a sigh. All Eleanor could do was... Standing still with a red face, her fists still clenched up the way they were when she was about to hit Dowd''s chest. ¡°...Will you forgive me?¡± Seeing him saying such a thing while smiling bashfully... Eleanor moved her body stiffly, as if it was an ungreased machine. Soon after, tears slightly formed on the corners of her eyes. She couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. The anger over the fact that she always lost to this man in this way overwhelmed her. ¡°...Dowd.¡± She called out to him with a huff. ¡°At the Harvest Festival, you will see...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will take my revenge. With all the interests.¡± ¡°...¡± So... She seemed to have forgiven him. It was just, her words sounded a little strange to hear... Chapter 225: Harvest Festival (1) Chapter 225: Harvest Festival (1)Uh, so... In the end, I got out of the situation where I almost got scolded badly by Eleanor, which was good and all, but... Another storm was waiting for me. Except this time it was worse, because unlike Eleanor, this person would make me unable to say anything back. ¡°So, Dowd.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you have any excuse?¡± Come to think of it, this person, my father, had rarely scolded me ever since I was a kid. It was natural since I entered a kid¡¯s body with a grown adult mind and I was widely known as a precocious kid in the territory. Maybe that was why my father and all the locals liked me. In that sense... For me to get down on my knees while being scolded by my father like this wasn¡¯t something familiar. My father was always a gentle man, as if he couldn¡¯t say anything harsh towards others. But, as you all know, people like him would be very scary once they got angry. It had been tens of minutes since he barged into my room, made me kneel down, and disciplined me sternly with his arms crossed. As for why he did this... ¡°Why am I being treated like a very important person inside the Tristan Duchy?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The treatment I receive is even more hospitable than that of a Count or Marquis. Why is that?¡± Hearing him saying that with a stern voice made me speechless. Well, it wasn¡¯t like I couldn¡¯t understand where he came from. From his point of view, he was just managing his territory peacefully, then he suddenly got dragged all the way here and received a treatment that not only made him feel burdensome, but also drove him crazy as well. ¡°...¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that you¡¯d behave well and not cause any trouble when you got enrolled at the academy?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± It wasn¡¯t like I wanted all this to happen though! But then again, now that we got this far, what else could I say to him? Besides, it was a fact that I failed terribly to keep my words. ¡°Of course, I never expected you to really keep your words.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even remember how many girls have cried because of you. There¡¯s no way you¡¯d suddenly behave yourself in the academy.¡± Father. That hurts. Your overwhelming trust towards me in that strange part hurts so much... ¡°But still. I need at least know why the Ducal Household is doing all this to me.¡± He continued while sighing. Hearing that, I replied abashedly while scratching my head. ¡°...It probably isn''t far from what you¡¯ve already guessed, Father.¡± The reason why they called my father here in advance was probably to create the vibe that they were holding a meeting between the bride and the groom¡¯s families. They were probably also doing it to leave a good impression in advance¡ª ¡°You, did you really get Lady Tristan pregnant?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I knew it. I knew that you would cause such an accident one day...!¡± ¡°...What kind of bastard did you think your son is? Seriously...¡± I knew I was being scolded, but that was just too far! I had the right to retaliate! After I calmed down my father, who was about to go half crazy, he let out a deep breath, though he still looked like he had a headache. ¡°I heard that Her Imperial Majesty the Empress is attending this Harvest Festival Event they¡¯re holding. Please, I beg you, I really hope that everything goes smoothly without any mishaps. Do you understand what I mean?¡± ¡°About that, you don¡¯t need to¡ª¡± Seriously, he was being too paranoid. Though I was a little concerned about what Eleanor said¡ªhow she¡¯d be take her revenge at the Harvest Festival and such¡ªthere was no way that I¡¯d go out of my way to cause any trouble at such a big event that was attended by a bunch of great people like the Emp¡ª !! Emergency Notification !! [ ¡®Main Quest¡¯ related event will be generated! ] [ Prepare in advance! ] ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Before I could even finish my answer, a window suddenly popped up before my eyes, prompting me to shut my mouth. Below the window, there were sentences that made me change my expression due to how ridiculous they were. ¡°...Why aren¡¯t you answering me?¡± ¡°...¡± I¡¯m sorry, Father. Lucia was about to say something before she promptly closed her mouth upon seeing her sister¡¯s condition. Yuria was looking around, covered in cold sweat, like a very frightened small animal. ¡°...¡± No, she didn¡¯t look like she was very frightened. She was actually frightened. It was clear on her face. Then again, she had been staying alone in the warehouse before moving to the chapel with Lucia until not so long ago, so it was only natural that she couldn¡¯t adapt to such a sparkly and luxurious place like this. ¡°...If it¡¯s hard for you, why don¡¯t we go back, Yuria?¡± ¡°...¡± However, when she heard that question, even though she was covered in cold sweat, Yuria still shook her head resolutely. ¡°...Miss Iliya...¡± Her reply came in a dull voice. ¡°Said to Mr. Dowd that something might happen here.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This time... This time... I have to protect him.¡± Hearing Yuria¡¯s answer, Lucia couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything to stop her. She knew that her little sister was ridden with guilt while dwelling in regret about Dowd for months. And she also knew that when it came to matters related to him, trying to stop her would only bring out the opposite effect instead. ¡°...Please confide in me if it¡¯s too much for you, Yuria.¡± That was probably all she could say. Hearing that, Yuria smiled weakly as she nodded. Lucia could only look at her with worry, as she was clearly overdoing it. Suddenly, the noisy banquet hall became quiet. As she looked around, wondering what was going on, all attention was focused at the banquet hall¡¯s entrance. ¡°Her Imperial Majesty the Empress is entering!¡± With such words, Cecilia the 11th appeared, walking slowly with her staff. ¡°...The Empress?¡± Lucia muttered as she narrowed her eyes. Her being here wasn¡¯t strange at all. After all, Duke Tristan was considered as one of the exemplary loyalists from the Empress¡¯ Faction, along with Margrave Kendride. Normally, it¡¯d be enough if she were to send a representative in her stead, but it wouldn¡¯t be unusual for her to attend the event in person. But... She came here herself? Even though this place is filled with the Upper Nobles Association members? ¡°...¡± Previously, she told Yuria to ask for her help out of concern, but now that things had turned out this way, the probability of something happening was going exponentially high. She knew that the Empress and the Upper Nobles Association were so hostile to each other that they were willing to openly start a war. Their relationship wasn¡¯t like that of the Empress¡¯ and Chancellor¡¯s, where they tried their best to avoid each other. It became more notable ever since the Upper Nobles Association began to provocatively expand their force recently, which could be considered as challenging the Empress¡¯ authority. So, Lucia turned her head to warn her sister a little more. But soon, she stopped moving. ¡°...Yuria?¡± She could see her sister¡¯s eyes glisten with great hostility. Considering how she was always a quiet girl who was unable to say her opinion out loud, the look on her face was especially terrifying. It was as if... She had seen something so disgusting. ¡°...Yuria? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel so good.¡± The hostility in her expression was so clear that it was hard to believe that it came from the same kind and innocent sister that Lucia knew. ¡°Yuria? What do you me¡ª¡± When Lucia asked that in bewilderment, Yuria soon replied in a stiffened voice. ¡°Unni.¡± To explain it roughly, her eyes... Didn¡¯t seem as if they were looking at the Empress herself, but into something a little deeper. ¡°I don¡¯t feel good about that punk.¡± It was as if... She was feeling something ¡®inside¡¯ the Empress. And under her eyes, ¡®White¡¯ Demonic Aura began to flutter little by little. Chapter 226: Harvest Festival (2) Chapter 226: Harvest Festival (2)The terrace on the second floor of the banquet hall was less crowded than I expected. It had a different vibe from the first floor, which was crowded by people who were busy introducing themselves. Also, I could see everything happening down there clearly from here. ¡°...Whoa.¡± Upon seeing the Empress entering the banquet hall, that exclamation came out of my mouth naturally. She actually came, huh? I understood that the Tristan Duchal House had a high status, but getting the ruler of the Empire herself to appear here in person was a whole other matter entirely. ¡®This is how much the Empress cherishes the Duchal House¡¯, ¡®This is how strong our relationship is¡¯, or ¡®Both of you, Upper Noble Associations, and Chancellor Sullivan, who¡¯s holding enmity towards us, watch yourselves¡¯. Those were probably the messages they were trying to convey. ¡°...¡± In other words... Currently, the internal situation of the Empire was so tense that they dared to provoke each other like this. They were trying to threaten each other with mutual assured destruction, as if saying, ¡®our force is this strong, so don¡¯t you dare mess with us carelessly¡¯. ...Well, that mutual destruction will happen regardless... Chapter 5, the Empire¡¯s Great Turmoil. The main theme was about a national-level civil war, in which the Upper Nobles Association, the Chancellor¡¯s Faction and the Empress¡¯ Factions were all involved at once. This was the part when the story started to get serious. Because this was the chapter where Eleanor began to awaken as the ¡®Final Boss¡¯. In this chapter, she¡¯d lose her human nature as her sense of self got encroached on by the Gray Devil. This was also the chapter where Gideon and Sullivan would die. As for the Empress... I think, whether she lives or not, it¡¯s determined by the players¡¯ choice...? In any case, she wouldn¡¯t get it nice either. Of course, I¡¯d need to do my best to prevent all that from happening. [By the way, I¡¯ve been having this question¡ª] Yeah? [Those Devils...aren¡¯t as bad as we all think, no?] Such a question came out of the Soul Linker out of a sudden. [Sure, most of them caused a lot of damage to their surroundings, but that was only because they were too preoccupied with you, not because they were doing evil deeds on purpose.] ...Ah, I see. Well, at a glance, it might seem to be that way... But, I could explain that. You saw how I was a while ago, right, Caliban? I was talking about the me before Eleanor hit the back of my head and got me to come back to my senses. [Yea?] You know, back when I treated everyone except the people important to me like bugs? When I treated people merely as ¡®means¡¯ to achieve my goals. For example, Tatiana, whose soul I ended up enchanted into the Lion¡¯s Breastplate. ¡°...¡± You know, I really should apologize to her for doing that... Well, she was still inside that breastplate, so maybe I should return her to her original state soon and do that... I thought as such as I continued... The devils are like that too. [What?] To them, humans, except for their Vessels and me, the target of their obsession, are no better than bugs. [...] They didn¡¯t hate humans or anything. Rather, they just didn¡¯t care about them. To them, humans were just a bunch of bugs that wasn¡¯t worth dealing with. As my words sent Caliban into a silent fluster, I continued my words. Right now, they¡¯re unable to unleash their power since they are all trapped inside the Vessels¡¯ bodies, but, if they were to get out... Well, it¡¯s obvious what will happen... I had said this repeatedly already... There was a reason why those guys were called the Devils. Just look at what I did as soon as my ¡®way of thinking¡¯ became slightly similar to theirs for a moment when the Fallen¡¯s Seal changed my species. Or what the Red Devil was trying to do with all the deals about the Crimson Night Incident. She literally tried to burn the whole world and recreate it the way she wanted just because of Faenol. In other words, this world itself was like a toy for the Devils. In which, everything except for the things they were interested in could be changed to their taste. That¡¯s why the Devils must not be released, at least until we have the proper means to deal with them. Hearing what I said, Caliban stayed silent for a while before replying with a groan. [...I heard they¡¯re the strongest being in all the dimensions. What kind of means do we need to have for it to be safe if they were to be released?] Well, one of the means was Iliya wielding the Holy Sword. Though she wouldn¡¯t be able to fight a life-or-death battle with the Devil¡¯s main body with it, she was probably the only means available to us to restrain the Devils in the Material Realms, along with ¡®Dragon¡¯. Also... ¡°...¡± I looked down at my chest with a smirk. It was where the Fallen¡¯s Seal was. This would be the best means to control them the way I ¡®like¡¯ it. There¡¯s also this thing. Though, it¡¯s still incomplete since I haven¡¯t collected all of them yet. [...What are you talking about?] While we were having such a conversation... A familiar voice came from beside me. ¡°Dowd Campbell!¡± My face muscles instantly wriggled. Although the voice sounded familiar, it wasn¡¯t a voice that I was glad to hear. ¡°...Marquis.¡± I greeted him with a sigh. Marquis Bogut. The Lionheart. The leader of the Upper Nobles Association. While jumping down the terrace, I organized my plan. [What are you going to do?] ...I¡¯m going to do what I have to do. [What?] Like I¡¯ve said earlier, there are proper means to handle the Devils. I said while looking at the seal on my chest. Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to do it. Even though it would work in theory, I had never done it, so I wasn¡¯t sure if it would work or not. And most of all... ¡°...¡± I threw a glance at the confused-looking Empress. There was an ¡®audience¡¯... I didn¡¯t want to do it in front of one... But... ...Things that I have to deal with after... I felt sorry, but there was a high chance that I¡¯d have to leave it all to the person I had called through my father... Skill Info [ Fallen¡¯s Seal - Transformation ] [ After a certain period of time, direct ¡®contact¡¯ with the Devils becomes possible! ] This was the thing that I planned to use. Because of this I was squeezed dry by the Gray Devil, but it wasn¡¯t all bad. I had a way to use it in situations like this too. Being able to ¡®touch¡¯ the Devils would be a requirement for me to assert a stronger control. ¡°...¡± I took a deep breath while putting my hand into my inner chest pocket. This would be the most important key item to control this punk. Ever since I got the information from the System Window that this punk was ¡®someone I needed to keep an eye on¡¯, I had prepared this thing in advance. ¡°...Hmph¡ª¡± As soon as I landed down the terrace, the white Demonic Aura around whisked. An extreme ¡®impact¡¯ shrouded my consciousness for a moment as if I got a brain fog. System Message [ ¡®Skill: Pandemonium King¡¯ is activated! ] [ Resisting the ¡®White Demonic Aura¡¯! ] But I had the means to resist this at least for a moment. The Demonic Aura around me retreated in an instant, splitting to both sides as if opening a way in front of me. I walked through it to quickly approach Yuria. Huh... She was wearing the Starsteel Circlet? Thank God. That meant I wouldn¡¯t be split in half even if I was within three steps away from her. ¡°...¡± And, as soon as I got closer to her... I could see it. The White Devil on top of Yuria¡¯s shoulder. She was suppressing this punk¡¯s consciousness and moving Yuria¡¯s body the way she wanted. She was fiercely glaring at the Empress with a burning gaze. ¡°...¡± Right... Well, I had expected it, but this white punk was actually a little harsher on her Vessels. I said that the Purple Devil was the one who wouldn¡¯t care the slightest about her Vessel¡¯s ¡®autonomy¡¯, but honestly, every single time, this punk was the one who caused the biggest trouble compared to Purple. It was because of her that Yuria was overwhelmed by the guilt and gradually became more and more depressed as she got caught up in more and more of such situations. I had lost count of how many times I tried to meet and talk with Yuria after the Crimson Night Incident, but Lucia had always told me that Yuria couldn¡¯t even look at my face because she was sorry. However... Even after making her like that... The White Devil was now even trying to cause a huge incident by stabbing the Empress. ¡°...¡± My honest thought towards this was... ...It¡¯s pissing me off. No, I wasn¡¯t joking. I was actually pissed. How much more harm would this white punk need to cause before she¡¯d stop making Yuria feel miserable? I thought as I approached Yuria and placed my hand on her shoulder. ¡°White.¡± [...!] The White Devil was immediately about to pull out the Severer from the scabbard as her eyes widened, but before she could do that, I grabbed her wrist and pushed the sword back into the scabbard. At the same time... I took out the item I had prepared from my inner chest pocket in a flash. ¡°If you keep causing trouble¡ª¡± This was a familiar item to me since I had used it a few times before. I immediately ¡®put it on¡¯ the White Devil. After being squeezed dry by the Devil, I became used to coming in contact with a Devil, so doing all this wasn¡¯t really hard for me. ¡°-I have no choice but to punish you.¡± I said while smiling. But, I could feel the veins in my face bulging. That showed how angry I was and how little ¡®guilt¡¯ I felt over the thing that I was about to do to this punk. [...] The White Devil blankly looked at me and the item I just ¡®put on¡¯ her alternately. She looked as if she couldn¡¯t understand what had just been done to her. Her stunned voice proved it. [...Uh?] With a dog collar on her neck, the White Devil... Looked at me with a stunned gaze. Chapter 227: Harvest Festival (3) Chapter 227: Harvest Festival (3)As someone who had just explained how dangerous the Devils were, I knew best of the danger behind what I was trying to do. Considering that the other party was none other than the White Devil, the one who¡¯d always cause troubles recklessly, the danger was considerably higher than normal. [...What is this...?] The White Devil grabbed the dog collar on her neck with both her hands with a dumbfounded look. Her expression suggested that she failed to understand what had been done to her. But, before she could get angry or something... ¡°Umph.¡± While taking advantage of her unguarded state, I hung a ¡®leash¡¯ on the hook that protruded from the choker. Well, I called it a leash, but this thing was made of an alloy of starsteel and ectoplasm that Professor Vulkan made while screaming. In other words, this thing was strong enough that it wouldn¡¯t break right away even if it came into contact with the Devils directly. After that, I pulled it... So that I could ¡®pull this punk down¡¯ to the ground. [...!] She was crossing her arms mid-air when I pulled the leash, slamming her to the ground. That would probably be the first time in her life that she had experienced something like this. Being treated like an ¡®animal¡¯ by someone else like this, I meant... With her body being slammed to the floor, her eyes widened in an instant. For a while, her eyes shook in confusion, but it soon glistened with rage as she sent me a burning gaze. [What the hell are you doing...!] The White Demonic Aura undulating nearby reacted to her command and seethed terrifyingly. I could feel a pressure strong enough to cause an ordinary human¡¯s brain to boil the moment they saw it coming from all directions. ¡°...¡± I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself down. At the end of the day, I was still a human, so there was no way that I wouldn¡¯t be unaffected by her Aura. If I were to keep being exposed to it like this, I¡¯d eventually fall into her control. But... There was ¡®something that I could use¡¯ on this punk. I mean, in the past, back when we met an angel, I had suppressed this punk by using the Seal right before she went berserk. Check this out. System Message [ Checking the stage of the Seal. ] [ Confirmed to be Stage 2. ] [ With¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤?????????????????????????????????¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤????????????????????????????????? ¡®s privilege, you will gain control over the Target! ] [ Checking status of Target... ] WARNING! [ The Target is not the ¡®Vessel¡¯ but the Devil''s ¡®Main Body¡¯. It is impossible to suppress it with the Seal of the current stage! ] However, unlike back then, the same method didn''t work since the target wasn''t Yuria but the White Devil herself. But it didn¡¯t discourage me, as I took a deep breath before opening my mouth. ¡°Obey.¡± You see, if the seal failed to work because the target was the White Devil instead of Yuria, then I just had to strengthen it. As for how to do it... The way the Seal worked was that it¡¯d absorb a Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura it came in contact with. Coincidentally, I was stickily entangled with the ¡®most powerful¡¯ Devil just a while ago. ¡°[My words.]¡± A ¡®polyphonic¡¯ voice that wasn¡¯t mine was mixed in my voice. System Message [ Using the Demonic Aura of ¡®C??????????3?4??????????????e????3?4??????i??????????????????????? ?????????????¡ã???????????????3???????????????????????¡¯ which is in the ¡®Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯! ] [ Endowing Target with ¡®compelling power¡¯! ] [--!!!!] After that... The White Devil fell flat on the ground with her eyes wide open. It was as if she was worshiping me, like a servant facing her king. [What...!] ¡°I¡¯ve told you.¡± As she was gasping in shock, I approached her. Squatting down, I met her gaze at her eye level. ¡°If you keep causing trouble, I¡¯d have no choice but to punish you.¡± Upon hearing that, she gasped while barely raising only her head. Not only were her eyes burning¡ªthey almost shone. Anger, bewilderment, humiliation, shame, all seemed to be mixed together in one place. [Seal...! Gray, that...!] Then, a killing intent that could probably skin people alive just by standing near it came out of her. ¡°...¡± As expected, a Devil was a Devil. I swear, if I were to ¡®fight¡¯ or do something along that line with this punk, I¡¯d get my neck cut by her in under a second. That was how big the difference of ¡®class¡¯ was between us as Life Forms. [That damn punk, I¡¯m going to kill her, to my possession, to my partner, what did she...!!] ¡°I¡¯m not your partner.¡± However... Right now, I was in control of this punk. There was no reason not to take advantage of it. While wearing a big smile... I slightly raised her face, who was wearing a dog collar while lying flat on the ground while panting. ¡°Call me master.¡± [...] Hearing that, the White Devil¡¯s jaw dropped. She looked as if she had just heard something she should¡¯ve not heard. [...What?] That was the only thing that she barely managed to let out after being in a daze for a while. She looked as if she wanted to ask me ¡®Are you for real?¡¯ ¡°I said, from now on, call me master.¡± I repeated in a low voice. Then, I mixed in the ¡®polyphonic¡¯ in my next words. ¡°[This is an order.]¡± [...This bastard is accumulating bad karma again...] ¡°...¡± [Didn¡¯t you learn anything after getting squeezed out by the Gray Devil a while ago?] Oh, come on Mister... Stop saying weird things like that... ¡ñ ¡°...She went back in.¡± I muttered while looking at the White Devil disappearing into Yuria. It would take some time for the Demonic Aura this punk had let out as she went out to be cleared away, but to put it another way, it meant that I just had to wait for a bit for the surroundings to return to normal again. As I dragged Yuria¡¯s body and made her sit where she originally was, a voice suddenly came from the Soul Linker. [Is this the means to deal with the Devils thing that you mentioned?] ...Well, it¡¯s still incomplete. I thought as such while looking at the Seal on my chest that was still pulsating. Basically, the Seal had a function to allow me to interact with the Devils the closer I came into contact with them. The closer I got, the more possible ¡®managing¡¯ them would become. I figured that since I was able to do that thing with the Gray Devil, I should be able to do this much somehow. System Log [ The ¡®White Devil¡¯ is obeying you. ] [ The ¡®Worship¡¯ stack is boosted by one. ] [ Once the stack is full, target will function as a part of ¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤?????????????????????????????????¡¤??????????????????? ?????????????????¡¤????????????????????????????????? ! ] [ There are currently two ¡®Worship¡¯ stacks! One stack remaining before it¡¯s completely filled! ] How this Worship stack rose after I made the White Devil obey me proved my conjecture. I assumed that a new function or something would be unlocked until I filled it up. Which meant... _...I guess I''ll have to come into contact with them more frequently from now on. _ After all, it was the Devils who held the casting vote in the story, and this seal was the most important means to lead them directly to the ¡®Happy Ending¡¯ I had in mind. So, the thing I needed to do the most was to enhance my abilities while coming into contact with them. [...You sure the White Devil wouldn¡¯t just try to kill you immediately the next time you meet her?] _...Probably, yeah? _ Even if she wouldn¡¯t actually kill me, she¡¯d probably do something close to that. Gray Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura could only control this punk once, so it would be best for me to not meet her for a while. At least until I had another means to control this punk again. [By the way, you were saying that you¡¯d need to come into contact with the Devils more frequently, right?] Yeah? [So, will you be doing the same thing you did to the White Devil to the other¡ª] ...Stop painting me like a crazy pervert! Why the hell is that even a question?! [You''re not denying it...] ¡°...¡± Well, you know... Sometimes, I¡¯d need to use such a rough means for punks like the White Devil, who just wouldn¡¯t listen to me no matter what. I had no choice, okay? And there was also someone who became the reason I needed to activate the Seal functions as soon as possible, even if I had to do it by doing something like this. ¡°...¡± I slightly squinted my eyes and looked up at the 2nd floor where I was standing just now. Marquis Bogut was already nowhere to be seen. Until just now, he had been watching from that place. It seemed like he went away as soon as I managed to suppress the White Devil. I had a feeling that he wanted to ¡®check it out¡¯, I guess that was true after all, huh? If he didn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t need to see what I did before disappearing. ¡°...¡± Come to think of it. What the hell was that bastard? Like, that bastard wasn¡¯t affected by the White Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura. In my case, I had the Seal and some Skills that helped with it. As for Cecilia the 11th, she was a Devil¡¯s Vessel. What was it that he had? How could he be unaffected by Yuria¡¯s Demonic Aura? ...What an annoying fucker. He was also the main villain in Chapter 5, but... The ¡®ominous¡¯ vibe he gave off was at the same level as the Prophet. It was as if there was more to him than playing such a role. As I thought while letting out a sigh... ¡°...You.¡± A voice that suddenly came from beside me made me promptly turn my head. It was Her Imperial Majesty the Empress. Her eyes, which were always half-closed, were now opened wide in shock. She looked as if she couldn''t comprehend the situation just now. ¡°...Are you okay, Your Imperial Majesty?¡± I asked while letting out a bitter smile. Come to think of it, she hadn''t even realized that she was a Devil''s Vessel. It was natural that she couldn''t understand a single thing, from what was going on to the result of what I had just done... ¡°You have a little more extreme taste than I thought...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you going to make me do things like that too later...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please give me a word in advance if you¡¯re going to do it so that I could mentally prepare myself¡ª¡± _Cecilia the 11th, woman... _ What the fuck are you on about...? Chapter 228: Harvest Festival (4) Chapter 228: Harvest Festival (4)The evening in Tristan Duchy was quite chilly. Perhaps, it was because the territory was right next to the Kendride Margraviate, which bordered the land to the north. Grabbing his coat, Marquis Bogut let out a sigh. As he walked out of the Duke''s mansion into the courtyard, white breath vapor came out with his mouth. There was no hesitation in his gait as he had seen everything he wanted to see. ¡°...What an absurd guy, being able to have dominance over the Devils like that...¡± He muttered while scratching his head. ¡°You think so, right?¡± At a glance, it seemed like he was talking to himself since there was no one there, but that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. Suddenly, a woman appeared under the light shade, wearing an expressionless face. Marquis Bogut let out a snort, dumbfounded. He simply couldn¡¯t believe that someone was actually able to hide their whole body in such a light patch of shade. I guess her reputation of being able to infiltrate any place as long as there¡¯s an area without any light isn¡¯t a lie, huh...? ¡°...Truly a skill that befits someone who bears a title that was only bestowed to two people in this whole continent.¡± Marquis Bogut looked at the two animal ears standing on the woman¡¯s head as he said those words. Biped, the race who faced severe discrimination in the Empire. Normally, for such a race to come into one of the most authoritative noble territory in the Empire, it would be nothing short of suicidal, but considering who this person was, it wasn¡¯t the case at all. ¡°Nice to meet you, Grand Assassin. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you in person. All this time, we¡¯ve only been writing to each other, hm?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Right, come to think of it, was the other Grand Assassin from the same family as yours? As expected, your whole family is¡ª¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Well, that didn¡¯t work. This was his first time meeting the Grand Assassin, but the unfriendliness that he felt in person didn¡¯t feel so different from her writing. ¡°...That person right there, is your target.¡± Marquis Bogut looked behind inside the Duke¡¯s mansion while continuing, ¡°You¡¯ve seen him from the distance, right? What did he do to that ¡®Devil¡¯s Vessel¡¯.¡± ¡°...I won¡¯t accept any assassination request against that man.¡± Her answer came in a flat tone. ¡°The Holy Land has already sent someone to assassinate him. I refuse to get a bad blood with someone from the same field as me.¡± ¡°You got it wrong, I don¡¯t need you to kill him.¡± ¡°...What?¡± She responded with an incredulous tone, as if asking, ¡®Then why would you hire an assassin?¡¯, but the Marquis ignored her and continued to explain while smiling. ¡°What that man has done is just the beginning. From now on, the Devils gathering around that man would start their moves in earnest, and you¡¯re the only ¡®person¡¯ who can observe it in detail, while being conscious, without getting caught.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you understand why I hired you now?¡± ¡°...¡± Since her whole face was being wrapped tightly in a hood, the Marquis couldn¡¯t see what expression she made, but he was sure that she was frowning at him. He ignored that and continued while smiling. ¡°Infiltrate the academy. Get as close as possible to that man. If you see anything that stands out, report it to me.¡± Marquis Bogut paused for a moment before adding something with a meaningful smile. ¡°...Also, you might run into your family there.¡± ¡°...¡± The Assassin stayed quiet for a moment before bursting out laughing. ¡°I don¡¯t care about them.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Right before she disappeared into the shadow again... Her cold voice entered his ears. ¡°Because they¡¯ve betrayed me.¡± ¡°...¡± Marquis Bogut quietly watched as the Assassin disappeared with such words. ...Betrayal, huh? It was a familiar word to him. And he would be getting more and more familiar with that word in the future. ¡°-!¡± As he thought so, his upper body suddenly leaned forward violently. A violent cough burst out from his stomach, accompanied by the pain so great that blood started to fill up his mouth. ¡°...¡± He touched the area around his mouth while smiling bitterly. In the white breath vapor that came out from his mouth, he could smell the strong scent of blood. ¡°...Hang in there a little longer, Bogut. You¡¯re doing great.¡± He muttered while instinctively stroking his neck¡ªthe thing that he had always done every time this happened. Except that this time, the locket that he had usually grasped in his hand was nowhere to be found. The locket with the picture of Astrid, Armin, and him in it. ¡°...¡± I knew it... Giving it to Armin before I left was a good idea. Without it, he felt as if he had broken a bad habit of relying on it every time he was feeling weak. So, instead of grasping that locket... He clenched his teeth as he ruminated on the words engraved on that locket. ¡°My friends...¡± From now on, until forever... Until death separates us apart... ¡°Just a little more, my friends...¡± Almost there... It¡¯s just around the corner... Pardon? [You know, there¡¯s one ¡®first time¡¯ that she can¡¯t take, right?] ¡®...¡¯ [I wonder what will happen once she knows who took your virginity...] Uh, that... No matter how hard I thought about it, that was something I couldn¡¯t do anything about... ...Let¡¯s worry about it later, Caliban. I replied, deciding to focus on my dance with Eleanor right now. She clearly came all dressed up to do this. I couldn¡¯t let her down. Fortunately, even with my poor dancing skills, thanks to her lead, my moves still came out smoothly. ...Am I going to pass this without any big trouble this time again? Just like the dance moves I had been dishing out. It felt as if this incident was coming to an end now. Honestly, when I was invited to Tristan Duchy territory, I was seriously worried that something big would happen. Well, something did happen, but it wasn¡¯t that big. ¡°...¡± . Though... If there was one thing I was worried about right now... It was the fact that the Empress was watching Eleanor and me dancing on the stage with a suspicious amount of interest. It was as if... She was somehow jealous...? ¡°...¡± Cecilia the 11th... Until the party was over, she didn¡¯t stop sending such a gaze our way. ¡ñ ¡°How was your outing, Your Imperial Majesty?¡± Someone suddenly asked the Empress, who was silently walking while holding her staff. He was the Sword Saint, sitting on the coach¡¯s box while holding the whip, asking her that question as soon as she got close to the carriage. But the Empress only looked at him blankly. Her expression suggested that she was thinking deeply about something. She only stared at him without saying anything. ¡°...Your Imperial Majesty?¡± The Sword Saint, Radu, slightly frowned his eyebrows as he asked again. ¡°Radu.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. I am listening.¡± ¡°Have you ever gone to a school before?¡± A strange question was asked. But, it wasn¡¯t hard for him to answer that. ¡°No. I was born and grew up in the knightage, so I didn¡¯t have the opportunity to experience such a place.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The Empress let out a chuckle as she continued. ¡°I haven¡¯t either.¡± "..." After a short silence, the Sword Saint managed to ask another question. ¡°May I ask why you¡¯re suddenly curious about that?¡± ¡°Eleanor... She looks happy.¡± ¡°...Does she?¡± The Sword Saint asked, sounding as if he somehow sensed something worrying. He could be more confident about his guess more than anyone since he was always beside her to assist her. Sometimes, Cecilia the 11th would behave strangely, to the point that it could astound people around her. Right now, she was exuding the vibe that felt as if she was about to behave just like that. ¡°Radu.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± ¡°If I were to go to school, would I be able to have such a cool relationship with someone?¡± ¡°...Pardon me?¡± Radu fired that question, he could feel goosebumps appearing on his skin. No way. The Empress, the Ruler of the Empire herself... Is saying that she wants to enroll into the Empire¡¯s educational institution...? This is an even worse disaster than a commander-in-chief asking to be enrolled as a low-ranking soldier in the army...! ¡°I¡¯m just saying this, but...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If the Empress expresses her wish to go to school, wouldn¡¯t it be a big horseplay? Elfante would definitely turn chaotic. Political problems would arise from that too.¡± ¡°...It would be like that, huh, as expected.¡± He replied, forcing a smile. Right, I¡¯m glad the Empress hasn¡¯t lost her mind so b¡ª ¡°But, what if I enroll not as the Empress...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hm. Hm. Maybe...¡± Radu closed his eyes tightly. To him, this was definitely a force majeure. Chapter 229: Club (1) Chapter 229: Club (1)¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The Headmistress¡¯ Office was engulfed in a long silence. And the first one to break it was me. ¡°...You are not even gonna ask me if I had a good holiday now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ask meaningless questions.¡± ¡°...¡± I see. It seemed like this person had learned about everything that happened. I couldn¡¯t refute her words now since I understood where she came from. ¡°So, how was the Tristan Duchy, Dowd?¡± ¡°...It wasn¡¯t bad.¡± I was being sincere, it wasn¡¯t bad. Except for the fact that I left my father there. ¡°...? You left Viscount Campbell there? Why...?¡± ¡°The Lord held him back because he had something to say to him. I believe he said he has something to teach him?¡± That was what Leonid had told me in person. He suggested that my father should stay away from the Viscounty in the meantime since he had something to teach him in person. Of course, he emphasized several times that my father didn¡¯t need to if he didn¡¯t want to, but with his personality, of course he¡¯d hastily consent to it since he couldn¡¯t risk getting the Viscounty caught in the crossfire for rejecting the Lord. ¡°...¡± Hearing what I said, Atalante looked at me with an uncomfortable expression. As if she was asking me if I seriously didn¡¯t know what it meant. ¡°...Isn¡¯t that for the wedding preparation?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is something that commonly happens whenever a major noble gets married with a much lower ranking noble. It¡¯s like a tradition when you accept a live-in son-in-law. They teach you things in advance, like giving you precautions and the risks when you get married.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s the reason why they called you and your father over in the first place...?¡± ¡°...Anyway.¡± As I could feel goosebumps creeping up on my skin, I quickly changed the topic. ¡°You look more lively now. What happened?¡± I really was curious about that, since this person¡¯s skin was glowing brighter than usual now. The usual Atalante always looked like a corpse¡ªthanks to her overworking herself ever since she met me¡ªcompared to that, she looked way too different. ¡°...Ah, me?¡± Hearing what I said, Atalante let out a smile. It seemed like my words made her feel good or something. ¡°...¡± Well, if it wasn¡¯t for her dead eyes, I woulda thought that she was living the life now. ¡°I used a Spell. Physical Regeneration.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a spell I¡¯d usually use in an emergency. You see, if you live a long life, like me, there are times when you¡¯d need to use something like this. Though, using this spell requires me to sacrifice my future...¡± ¡°...¡± I could only sit there dumbstruck for a moment before I could even say something. ¡°...Isn¡¯t that a combat Spell?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°...¡± I swear, this was the kind of shit that people on the verge of death would use... And she used it to sit in her office, working on documents... ¡°...What in the world are you overworking yourself on?¡± After hearing my question, Atalante let out the smile of an ascetic. I could guess what she was trying to say. It was probably something along the lines of, ¡®If I could tell you what it is, I¡¯d already tell you earlier¡¯. ¡°...¡± In other words... This was a matter that even the person who was building a whole continent to hold the Devils in check for me, couldn¡¯t reveal to me. ¡°...Is it really something that serious?¡± This time, she glared at me angrily. As if trying to say, ¡®Did you REALLY just ask that?¡¯. As if I was the cause of all this. ¡°Of course it is, but it doesn¡¯t matter since you¡¯re going to carry the can anyway.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you got the answer right, I¡¯ll give you a reward!¡± Oh, c¡¯mon... From your voice and the nickname she used, it was clear that you are Iliya... ¡°Ramming against my back like that, Iliya, you¡ª¡± ¡°Since you got the answer right...¡± She cut me off as she stealthily put down the hands that she used to cover my eyes. Then, she traced down my neck to my uniform top. ¡°Shall I give you the reward?¡± ¡°...¡± This girl... She had been behaving well until the Harvest Festival was over, but seeing what she was doing, it was clear that she had made some kind of great ¡®resolution¡¯ during the time. Maybe she thought that since someone else had beaten her and took my first time, she figured that she had to do it with me too, as soon as possible. This was why, whenever she had the excuse to, she¡¯d pounce on me, tried to act sensually while being physically affectionate with me, just like what she was doing now. ¡°...No, actually, I think I mistook you for someone¡ª¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t get the answer right, I¡¯ll punish you.¡± ¡°...¡± What are you, a robber? Seriously, what do you want from me? I drew in a sharp breath at the sensation that struck my body as she groped it in sensual ways. ¡°...Iliya, stop¡ª¡± ¡°Ayy, it¡¯s a joke.¡± The moment I said that in a slightly serious voice¡ªthinking that things would get a bit dangerous if this continued¡ªIliya immediately backed off. ¡°...¡± I sent her a silent gaze as she smiled at me. It was hard to deal with this punk recently since she was always acting like this. She¡¯d charge at me so actively and put me in a difficult position, but since she always withdrew immediately the moment I felt uncomfortable, I couldn¡¯t say anything to reject her advances. ¡°Anyway! What¡¯s bothering you? Your expression doesn¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing her asking me that question with a serious look on her face made me let out another sigh. Seriously, I just couldn¡¯t escape from her... I swear after she awakened as the Hero, the level of her obsession towards me had gone up so high that it was almost comparable to Eleanor¡¯s. [She¡¯s my sister and all, but I don¡¯t know... This girl has always been a cunning fox like that...] ...Then tell me how to get her off me. [Uh, that I don¡¯t know either. I mean, I¡¯ve never seen her fail to get what she wants the moment she sets her eyes into it.] ... Seriously, you¡¯re so useless. I thought as such as I replied to her in resignation. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really, just... clubs...¡± ¡°...Ah, aha...¡± Hearing my reply, Iliya held her chin as she began to muse on something while making a ¡®hmm¡¯ sound. ¡°So you¡¯re suffering since you¡¯re stuck between your women again. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°...¡± Fuck, she hits the bullseye. But yeah, no matter which club I¡¯d join, there''s bound to be someone who¡¯d get dissatisfied by it. I let out another sigh. ¡°Do you have any good ideas?¡± ¡°Uh, it¡¯s a little awkward to call it an idea, but...¡± She scratched her head before continuing. ¡°If you¡¯re having difficulties choosing, why don¡¯t you just make one yourself, Teach?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Pretty sure from third-year onwards, you have the right to do that.¡± Uh. That¡¯s¡ª She has a point, huh...? Chapter 230: Club (2) Chapter 230: Club (2)Creating a club itself wasn¡¯t so difficult. The problem here was that I had to make a club that ¡®didn¡¯t stand out¡¯ as much as possible. If possible, I¡¯d like it to be a bogus club that had nothing to do with other people so that I could make it and get my mind off it. I mean, I was just trying to fulfill the school regulations anyway, the details didn¡¯t matter. ¡°...So, what¡¯s the name of the cub again?¡± That was why... For the time being, I¡¯d need to get this out of the way first. ¡°Exorcism Club!¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, I sent Iliya, who said those words while smiling, a dissatisfied look. Creating a whole new club was her idea in the first place. Getting myself to create that club with her was her idea too, since we¡¯d need at least two members to form one. But, wasn¡¯t her idea a little too catastrophic? ¡°...Would that really be a good idea?¡± ¡°I mean, you were the one who said that you want to make a club that no one else would want to join, Teach.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It fits that purpose, no?¡± I see her point. Of course, the profession ¡®exorcist¡¯ really existed¡ªJust look at Viszla, the guy I¡¯ve met before. The thing was that the word ¡®exorcism¡¯ was commonly related to ¡®Devils¡¯. As you already knew, the whole continent would shake in fear whenever they heard the word ¡®Devils¡¯, so no sane student would apply if exorcism became the name of the club. But, there was another problem with that... ¡°Would Elfante give us the permission to do that?¡± ¡°So what if they don¡¯t? I¡¯m the Hero.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just think about it, the only person in the entire continent who¡¯s able to defeat the Devils is showing her desire to make such a club. What kind of idiot would prevent me from doing so?¡± That...actually made sense, huh...? If it were anyone else, I would¡¯ve dismissed their words, calling it absurd, but she wasn¡¯t just anyone else. ¡°So, this is the club building?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I looked around while letting out a sigh through my nose. In front of us was an old school building that looked like an abandoned building more than anything. This dreary building was located in a remote place¡ªreminded me of the place Yuria used to live in the past. Seeing this building up close, I¡¯d believe it if someone were to tell me that it was haunted or something. In any case, Iliya picked this place to be the club¡¯s building. ¡°...How did you even find this place...?¡± We somehow agreed to make it a club that people wouldn¡¯t willingly join, it was just I never expected that she¡¯d be this thorough about it. As I thought while letting out a chuckle, Iliya nodded next to me while making a ¡®Mhm¡¯ sound, as if she was satisfied by my reaction. ¡°In any case, no one will come here for sure.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, it means Teach and I would meet up here every day after school. Just the two of us. Without anyone to disturb us.¡± She ended her words with an ¡®Uhu, uhuhuhu¡¯ laugh and a shiver ran down my spine the moment I heard that. ¡°You know, I only created the club because it¡¯s mandatory. We don¡¯t need to¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Huh? Know what?¡± "After you establish a club, you¡¯re required to attend it for a period of time. They added the rule so that students won¡¯t just register a club for the sake of it and not attend it afterwards.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That means you need to abide by that rule too, Teach.¡± So, what she was trying to say was... Once this club was officially recognized, I¡¯d need to spend this time alone with this punk after classes and I wouldn¡¯t be able to get away from it... ¡°...¡± Fuck... That means... I stepped on a huge ass landmine... ¡°Alright, let¡¯s come in now, Teach!¡± ¡°Hey, wait! D-Don¡¯t push¡ª¡± I said as she dragged me into the abandoned building. To my surprise, the interior building was more cozily decorated than I expected. ¡°...?¡± No, uh, was cozy the right word here? If anything, the discrepancy between how it looked outside and how well decorated it was inside was strange. The inside was packed with furniture. It was clear that the wallpaper and flooring were installed with care¡ªthis evaluation came from me, someone who had just seen the living space of THE high ranking nobles, the Tristans. The whole place was decorated with lovely-looking heart decorations and pink lights. If the outside seemed as if it would collapse at any moment, the interior seemed so bright that it was blinding. At a glance, I could say that this room would be good for a newly married couple who were on their honeymoon. Also, there was one thing that stood out the most here. A bed. It wasn¡¯t a simple bed, but a big one; Made of expensive-looking wood, with a beautifully arranged blanket made of the best silk. The size was perfect for two people to lie down. ¡°Would you like to lie down,Teach?¡± ¡°...Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s a bed? That¡¯s what a bed is for, no?¡± Nope. ¡°Well, I can play the role of the one that is being repelled for you two.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°A-As for me, I-I¡¯ll do a-anything to join the club, so...!¡± Riru and Seras said one after another, prompting Iliya to sweep down her face. She seemed to have reached the limit of her patience. However, there was one thing that they forgot about... ¡°...Uh, before that, there¡¯s one problem that needs to be solved first.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Those guys... They¡¯re actually counting the chickens before the eggs are hatched... ¡°...You know that it¡¯s not up to us to decide whether someone can join the club or not, right?¡± Yes. That authority belonged to the Advisory Professor, not us. ¡°...¡± The moment they heard my words, they wore faces as if they were saying ¡®He¡¯s right¡¯ as they looked at each other blankly. ¡ñ Dean Percy, while yawning with a tired expression, read through the club proposal I gave her. She was the one in charge to advise our club, basically. The Dean skimmed through the paper with a serious expression before a smile soon appeared on her face. ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Upon hearing her words, Seras and Riru¡¯s bodies flinched at the same time. ¡°...Um, can you tell us why can¡¯t we join the club¡ª¡± ¡°You guys joining it isn¡¯t the problem here. In the first place, club creation isn¡¯t as simple as you think. All the procedures and traditions involved in creating one are strictly supervised.¡± Percy continued while sighing. ¡°The academy will fund your club and it will influence your grades as well. We can¡¯t just accept everything you propose to us like it¡¯s some kind of game. As a member of a club, you¡¯d need to constantly prove your ¡®expertise¡¯ and ¡®performance¡¯ regarding your club¡¯s activities. Most of the time, clubs that have been existing for a long time also function like a political faction, so there are cases where the Imperial Household would manage those clubs directly.¡± ¡°...¡± After hearing those words, the expressions of the women around me turned blank in a flash. It seemed like none of us expected that the whole procedure would be managed so strictly like that. Especially Iliya, who was confident that we would get past the procedure easily as long as she was with us; She looked the most taken aback out of all of us. ¡°...U-Um, but, with Teach and my performances...¡± ¡°If we¡¯re strictly talking about capabilities, frankly, I have nothing to say regarding ¡®exorcism¡¯. I doubt even any of the faculty members has a better capability to handle the Devils than you do, but...¡± Percy spoke sharply as if it was a very simple and fundamental problem. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who has the authority to acknowledge that. For this kind of club, you¡¯d need Professor Walter to approve it, get him to think that it ¡®has the value of study¡¯ before you¡¯re able to establish the club.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s an Exorcism Club, you¡¯d need to prove your ability to do things related to exorcism. As I¡¯ve said earlier, you need to showcase both your expertise and performance.¡± ¡°...Ah, if it¡¯s that, in the previous Crimson Night Incident, I¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. There has to be a result that ¡®everyone¡¯ here has achieved together. You¡¯d have to do that much if you want to create a new club.¡± She continued with a sigh. ¡°So, do you have the means to show a performance related to ¡®exorcism¡¯, that¡¯s all of you had a hand in, that you could convince the Theology School¡¯s Dean with?¡± ¡°...¡± There was no way we did. Everyone went silent at her words. That silence persisted until the moment we left the Dean¡¯s Office. ¡°...What do we do now? Should we give up and just look for other clubs?¡± To Iliya¡¯s question, I quietly shook my head. It was best for me to create a new club and quietly lay low there, as much as possible. With Sera¡¯s club system, joining any club would do nothing but harm for me. But... With the way Percy talked about it, it seemed like we¡¯d only be able to create the new club if we showed a groundbreaking result related to ¡®exorcism¡¯ that Walter could acknowledge. That meant, general knowledge regarding the means we could use to subdue the Devils wasn¡¯t enough. We had to show him an exorcism method that could amaze him. Well, there was something that could bring in an impressive ¡®result¡¯ that could persuade Professor Walter... ¡°...¡± I silently looked at Riru and Seras. For a while... I just kept staring at them without saying anything. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± As the silence dragged on for a bit... Both of them seemed to notice the unusual atmosphere and called out to me. ¡°...Why are you looking at us with such a gaze?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± I smirked as I replied to Riru, who had asked that question in a trembling voice. ¡°You guys said that you¡¯d do anything to join the club, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Anything?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That was what you guys said, right?¡± Hearing my questions, their bodies started to tremble. It seemed like they had really regretted saying those words. Chapter 231: Presentation (1) Chapter 231: Presentation (1)I had come across Walter, the Dean of Theology School, once before. To describe him in a few words, he was a principled freak. Which meant, convincing him would be simple enough; We only needed to show him some extreme things. [...You¡¯re the only guy who¡¯d interpret it that way.] ¡°...¡± [What, you¡¯re going to show the Dean something extreme? More extreme than the shit you¡¯ve already done?] I mean... It was way too late to even care about my reputation at this point. Besides... ...This is something that I¡¯ll have to do one day, anyway... At the end of the day, my goal was to make all the Devil¡¯s Vessels around me happy. And in order to do that, I¡¯d need to change people¡¯s perception of them for the better little by little. I could consider this as the first step towards that goal. It meant although its scale was quite small, leaving out such an impression through an ¡®official means¡¯ like this was a meaningful thing in its own way. ¡°So...¡± I calmly called out to Riru and Seras, who were staring at me with dead eyes. ¡°You two have familiarized yourselves with the plan, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Their stares, as if they were trying to say, ¡®Did you even hear yourself?¡¯, were directed at me at the same time. ¡°You only need to do it once, so don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± ¡°...Senior Dowd.¡± Seras called out to me, her body was trembling. From her expression, it seemed like she was embarrassed about the whole deal¡ªher face was so red that it would put all kinds of ripe tomatoes to shame. ¡°Are we really going to do this?¡± ¡°Of course we are.¡± I let out a smirk. ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be many people watching us. You don¡¯t need to be so nerv¡ª¡± As we entered the auditorium where we would be doing the ¡®trial performance¡¯, my words were cut off short. ¡°...¡± Technically speaking, looking at the situation, this wasn¡¯t so different from what we had been told in advance. It was that we¡¯d be evaluated by a team consisting of Dean Walter himself and an ¡®observer¡¯ or two. But, the problem here was that... ¡°...Your Imperial Majesty.¡± As those words left my mouth, I could feel a raging headache coming. The ¡®observer¡¯ then replied... ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Seeing Cecilia the 11th asking me that question while smiling only made my headache worse. What is this person doing here? Is her position as the Empress of the Empire so lenient that she could walk around like this and neglecting her works? ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯m only here as an ¡®observer¡¯. My opinion won¡¯t influence the final result of the evaluation.¡± ¡°May I ask if it¡¯s really okay for someone of your stature to visit this place for such a trivial¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the only reason I¡¯m here. The reason why I came here in advance is so I¡¯d be able to adapt quickly later.¡± ¡°...Pardon me?¡± Why the hell would she need to adapt in Elfante? ¡°A moment gone never comes back. Since eternity isn¡¯t a luxury permitted to the mortals.¡± As I thought while tilting my head, Dean Walter suddenly said those while clearing his throat. Ah, I see... He¡¯s trying to say that we shouldn¡¯t mind it and just do our presentation properly... ¡°...Alright.¡± I scratched my head as I looked at Seras and RIru. Upon meeting my gaze, their bodies stiffened at the same time. I gave them a friendly smile as I beckoned to them. ¡°Come here. Let¡¯s show them what we got.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing my words, the two of them walked onto the stage with tottering steps. Their expressions looked as if they really didn¡¯t want to do this. ¡°The topic of study that we are going to present as a requirement for establishing our club is¡ª¡± Standing in front of Riru and Seras, I let my voice out with confidence. ¡°¡®How to Tame¡¯ the Devils.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± As soon as the Empress and Dean Walter heard that... Their expressions turned odd at the same time. ¡ñ ¡°Right, then may I ask you one thing while waiting?¡± ¡°What is it¡ª?¡± ¡°Where can I find the man called Dowd Campb...¡± Victoria shut her mouth before she was able to finish her words. It was probably because she saw Madam Ophelia, who had been showing her a gentle expression all this time, suddenly changed to that of a tired expression. ¡°Hm? Ah, sorry¡ª I¡¯ve been asked that question too many times recently¡ª¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± ¡°There are at least more than five female students who¡¯d ask where his whereabout is¡ª All the time¡ª Now, I could feel my exhaustion catching up to me whenever I heard his name¡ª¡± ¡°...¡± Madam Ophelia continued while shaking her hand around. Seeing that, Victoria narrowed her eyes once again. Of course, she had heard a little bit about him from her ¡®client¡¯, Marquis Bogut. I guess the rumors about that man being a playboy are true. While Victoria confirmed the information she had received, Madam Ophelia continued with a sigh. ¡°Anyway, now that he¡¯s a senior, it¡¯s about time for him to leave the new students¡¯ dorm. Well, luckily enough for you, I heard that today he¡¯s going to do something that¡¯s related to his club¡ª¡± ¡°Club?¡± ¡°Yeah. I''m sure he said the name of the club was the Exorcism Club¡ª?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, Victoria¡¯s eyebrows slightly wriggled. Then she asked in a quiet voice. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, may I ask you where he is currently? I hope you can share this information with me, if possible.¡± Marquis Bogus had ordered her to report every single thing the man did that was related to the ¡®Devils¡¯; That was the reason why he planted her here in the first place. To know more about this matter was completely in line with her mission, but aside from that... ...Honestly, I¡¯m a little interested. Victoria herself was interested in the guy named Dowd to some extent. One of the reasons was because he was the target of the commission. But apart from that, she had heard from her client that Dowd Campbell was the person who possessed the key related to the ¡®Devils¡¯ that could stir up the entire continent. She couldn¡¯t dismiss her client¡¯s words as exaggeration since she constantly received information that the leaders of the Empire, the Tribal Alliance, and the Holy Land were all focusing their attention on him, even though he was just staying still. As an assassin who had no option but to react sensitively to such a trend, she could not help but get interested. That was why, since the man was establishing a club called the ¡®Exorcism Club¡¯, a very suspicious sounding club to say the least, she had to gather information about it, even if it was to satisfy her curiosity about what he was up to. Victoria thought so before opening the door of the auditorium¡ªthe place where Madam Ophelia had told her to go to¡ªto crack a peek. According to the Madam, the man was doing something related to the club here today. ¡°Excuse m¡ª¡± Victoria carefully greeted as she entered the auditorium, but she suddenly halted her movements. Actually, the situation itself was not so strange. They were clearly in the middle of some kind of ¡®presentation¡¯. There was a stage¡ªwhere the presenters were standing at¡ªand there were two people watching with interest from the audience seat. So far, there was nothing strange in this scene. Well, if one of the people on stage was not her ¡®family¡¯, that is. ...What the...? Of course, her current look wasn¡¯t familiar to Victoria. A ¡®Purple Aura¡¯ was wrapped around her body. The look in her face suggested that she was a dog, trying to act cute¡ªa completely different look from the cold assassin image that Victoria remembered. Nonetheless... The way she looked now... ¡°...¡± The way her older sister lied down on the stage, showing her belly to the man in front of her while shaking her arms and legs around. No matter how hard she thought of it... The woman did not look like she was one of the only two Grand Assassins, like her, in the continent. She was even panting heavily with her tongue out in that position. Her expression was filled with pure bliss, as if she wasn¡¯t even ashamed at the fact that she was doing something like that. Victoria opened her mouth wide. As an assassin, she had to avoid expressing strong emotions, but she just couldn¡¯t help it when facing this kind of situation. ¡°...Seras?¡± Before she realized it, Victoria called out the woman¡¯s name in a stunned voice. Hearing that, Seras quickly turned her face in her direction. ¡°...Victoria?¡± At that moment... After Seras confirmed that it was indeed her sister who had seen her like this... The Purple Aura that was wrapping around her body vanished in an instant. At that exact moment, the strange vibe in her expression had also disappeared. It was as if she had come back to ¡®her senses¡¯ as soon as she saw Victoria just now. Then... ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A catastrophic silence fell on the auditorium. Chapter 232: Presentation (2) Chapter 232: Presentation (2)Let¡¯s go back in time a little bit. Towards the time when I was trying to give a brief summary about my presentation. Back when both Dean Walter and the Empress¡¯ expressions simultaneously turned ugly the moment I said that I was going to tame the Devils. ¡°...Student Dowd.¡± Dean Walter called out to me while tilting his head. ¡°What in the world are you talking about?¡± Unlike usual, his voice lacked its eccentricities and he sounded slightly serious. As if he genuinely failed to understand what I was talking about. ¡°...¡± Ah... So you¡¯re breaking your character, now, hm? It feels weird hearing you without your eighth-grade syndrome speech though. ¡°...Hm, well...¡± To put it simply, my words sounded so ridiculous to him to the point that he reacted in such a way. Even though it was clear that the club name was ¡®Exorcism Club¡¯, he probably didn¡¯t expect me to bring up the topic of ¡®Devils¡¯ to his face without holding anything back. And with me saying that I¡¯d ¡®tame¡¯ them, it was no wonder that he found it difficult to comprehend. ¡°I meant it literally. The focus of the Exorcism Club is to explore the power of the Devils and to find out about various methods to ¡®suppress¡¯ them.¡± ¡°...¡± Dean Walter quickly narrowed his eyes. ¡°...Explain.¡± ¡°I think it would be more convenient to show you directly instead of explaining it.¡± As I said that, I took out the item I had prepared. A wooden staff that looked like it was made of a sloppily shaped wood without even a slightest trace of polish. After that, I pulled the hesitant Riru toward me by the wrist. Though she was in such a state, the moment I cocked an eyebrow, as if asking her, ¡®Are you going to back down now?¡¯, she let out a deep sigh and resigned herself. ¡°...Fine.¡± She said while taking another deep breath and raising her spirit. Then, Blue Demonic Aura appeared on her body. Almost immediately, the Seal on my chest reacted as the air around it started to tremble slightly. From their reaction, the two people in the audience seemed to know the true nature of this Aura. ¡°-!¡± The Empress¡¯ eyes instantly widened, while the Dean showed a bigger reaction than that. He immediately jumped up from his seat while tightly grasping a Catalyst in his hand. In an instant, a wave of Divine Power was applied to the surroundings as several Wonders and Spells were simultaneously written. It was clear that he had noticed that this was a ¡®real¡¯ Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura. He was probably trying to suppress it with force. Considering that the Blue Devil¡¯s Authority was ¡®Pulverization¡¯, which could destroy everything that came in contact with it, I could understand why he reacted like that. The moment Riru went out of control even for a little, there was a high chance that the Empress might get hurt because of it. If that were to happen, chaos would definitely ensue. That was why I immediately continued to the next step before the situation turned awry. I ¡®snatched¡¯ the Demonic Aura that was starting to gather like clouds with my ¡®bare hands¡¯. ¡°...What...?¡± As Dean Walter¡¯s eyes widened in shock, I massaged the Blue Demonic Aura that I grabbed with my hands as if I was kneading some clay. ...After the Seal was enhanced, I can do something like this easily. Considering how I¡¯m able to touch the Devils who were materialized by their Fragments just fine, it goes without saying that I can easily handle their mere Aura with my bare hands without borrowing their power. As I thought so, I ¡®condensed¡¯ the Blue Demonic Aura to the size of a baseball. Eventually, I kneaded it into a more elaborate shape, even creating a handle to make it easier to hold while turning a part of it into a little pointy shape. And then... I placed it against the wooden staff that I had previously prepared. Like I stated before, Blue Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura would pulverize everything that came into contact with it. But, by turning it into the shape of a ¡®tool¡¯ like this, it became possible for me to accurately polish the parts of the wood I wanted. I trimmed the bottom part of the wood, making everything neat and smooth. ¡°...¡± At that moment, I could hear Dean Walter¡¯s hollow laughter. Well, it was understandable. What I was doing was basically... Using the Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura, which would pulverize anything that came into contact with it... To ¡®polish¡¯ the sloppily made staff. As if I was trying to show that this power ¡®wasn¡¯t harmful¡¯ at all. ¡°You see, the Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura¡ª¡± I continued my speech, making sure that my gaze was locked with the Dean¡¯s while continuing my work. ¡°Can be turned into something ¡®harmless¡¯ like this.¡± As I said so... I shifted my gaze to the Empress, who had her eyes wide open and let my gaze lingered on her for a while. She stayed frozen, as if what I had just said greatly shocked her. ¡°...¡± There¡¯s a high chance that she doesn¡¯t know yet that she¡¯s a Devil¡¯s Vessel. But, I believe that she must¡¯ve felt it instinctively... That my words also have something to do with her. I thought as such while continuing my words calmly. ¡°It¡¯s quite different from the popular belief, right? After all, normally, people would think that they¡¯re cursed just by coming into contact with the Devils.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The goal of the Exorcism Club is to study the Devil¡¯s power so that we could take ¡®advantage¡¯ of it, just like this. After all, there is bound to be a way to handle every kind of power in this world.¡± As I held out the neatly polished wooden stick to Walter, I let out a smirk. Even though it came directly into contact with Demonic Aura, the staff wasn¡¯t contaminated by it at all. ¡°...Am I now?¡± ¡°Of course. That ability of yours isn¡¯t even complete yet, is it?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I could tell. The Seal on your chest seems to react to the Demonic Aura, that¡¯s the key behind all this. Judging by the Aura I could feel from it... It barely reached half of its capabilities, yet it already has this much control over the Devils...?¡± I sent him a meaningful smile. See? I haven¡¯t told him much but he already successfully made some great deductions. Like I said, he¡¯s worth ¡®winning over¡¯. As I thought so... The door to the auditorium suddenly burst open. ¡°Excuse m¡ª¡± The person who entered the auditorium while saying so, looked really familiar. She was a female student I had never seen before, that was for sure... But she looked almost exactly like Seras. If Seras was a few years younger and cut her hair short, she¡¯d look exactly like this female student. ¡°...Seras?¡± The female student suddenly called out. As if coming back to her senses upon hearing her name being called out, the Demonic Aura that was wrapping around Seras¡¯ body dispersed in an instant. ¡°...Victoria?¡± Seras said in haste before alternately looking at the girl, Victoria, and her own current state. ¡°...Uh.¡± Just like that, a few seconds passed... Suddenly, Seras¡¯ face turned so red, as if I were to touch her even slightly, she¡¯d leak out red juice from there. It was to the point that it was clear to see that she had gone from simply being embarrassed to a complete meltdown. Unable to calm her shaking pupils, which were shaking so much as if there was a localized earthquake happening there, Seras struggled to form a word to say to Victoria. ¡°...I-It isn¡¯t what you think!¡± Hearing that, Victoria unknowingly stepped back. Contempt was clearly expressed in her eyes, meanwhile, her expression looked as if she had just seen a bug. ¡°...N-No, wait, Victoria, listen to m¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone like you. Please don¡¯t talk to me.¡± I could see a drop of tears full of shame formed in Seras¡¯ eye. At the same time, Victoria walked out and slammed the auditorium¡¯s door. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Then, a catastrophic silence fell on the auditorium. The whole room turned terrifyingly quiet, as if everyone was stunned by what had just happened. ¡°...Hey, are you okay?¡± Surprisingly, it was Riru, the one who usually had a cat-and-dog-like relationship with Seras, who broke the silence first. She approached Seras while hesitantly reading Seras¡¯ expression as she said so. That was how bad Seras¡¯ current condition looked. Even Riru, out of all people, was worried for her. ¡°...Who¡¯s that person? Do you know her?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that question, Seras covered her own mouth with both hands. Her body was shaking. A drop of tears even ran down from her eyes. ¡°...S-She¡¯s m-my...¡± Seras said, sounding as if she was on the verge of tears. Then, in a voice that was filled with shame¡ªshe sounded as if she would¡¯ve willingly crawl into a mouse hole if there was one nearby¡ªshe continued. ¡°M-My younger sisteeer... whom I parted ways with when we were kids.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°W-We haven¡¯t seen each other for over ten years... B-But the first thing she saw in such a long time... was... was this...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Seras couldn¡¯t bring herself to continue. Another long silence fell upon the room. So, uh... Uh... Like... Basically, the first thing that her little sister saw about her after they were apart for nearly over a decade was this... ¡°...¡± Even with this twisted sense of morality that I had, I knew that this situation was a little too unfortunate for her. [As expected from Dowd Campbell.] ¡°...¡± [So ruthless.] ¡°...¡± [As expected of the most evil bastard I had ever known. You haven¡¯t lost your touch.] Ugh... I couldn¡¯t even say anything to retort that... Chapter 233: Evaluation (1) Chapter 233: Evaluation (1)¡°...The club¡¯s creation has been approved.¡± Inside the collapsing abandoned building, Iliya said as such while putting the official letter that was sent here back into the envelope. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Sadly, even though we had accomplished our goal, none of us were happy about it. ¡°...Yay.¡± Iliya tried to celebrate the occasion by timidly raising her hands, but she immediately shut her mouth the moment she saw the horribly gloomy aura emanating from around her. Actually, Riru and I were fine. Ninety percent of the reason why the atmosphere became like this was because of Seras, who had been staring into space, as if her soul had escaped her body. ¡°...Miss Seras, i-it¡¯ll all be fine, t-things just happened, you know...? A-Also, I heard she¡¯s your younger sister, right? A-As a family she might under¡ª Oww, oww! T-Teach...? W-Why...?¡± She was about to continue rambling on, but I slapped her arm to make her shut up. You see, the topic she was about to touch was one of Seras¡¯ biggest reverse scales. Mentioning it was pretty much the equivalent of stepping on a landmine. Looking back, I remembered that the System Windows that was related to her mentioned something about this. < quest="" info=""> < special="" quest:="" the="" ultimate="" dark="" secret!=""> [ A quest related to ¡®Seras Evatrice¡¯ is now available! ] [ Upon completion, the target will submit to you! ] [ Upon completion, you will receive significant benefits in the Main Scenario! ] [ Upon completion, you will become the owner of the ¡®Oath of the Crescent Moon¡¯ ] That was the window that popped up the first time I came into contact with this punk through Vizsla, the exorcist guy that I met back when I was fighting Valkasus. I believed I said something to him back then... ¡®I know the whereabouts of the object you¡¯re looking for.¡¯ ...Yeah I said something like that, huh? By the way, ¡®the object you¡¯re looking for¡¯ that I mentioned was Victoria, the girl we just met. She was Seras¡¯ younger sibling who got separated from her ten years ago. Currently, she was her only family left. Almost all the people that were close to Seras were aware how obsessive she¡¯d get when it came to her effort to look for her sister. It was to the point that when I merely gave a hint to Vizsla about Victoria¡¯s whereabouts, he immediately cooperated with me. [...The more you explain it, the more you sound like an evil bastard.] ¡°...¡± [Because of you, she ended up showing such a sight to her most precious person...] I couldn¡¯t even say anything to refute that. I cleared my throat awkwardly inwardly. Suddenly, Iliya clapped her hands and prompted us to turn our attention to her. ¡°A-Anyway, we can¡¯t stay like this! Why don¡¯t we meet again tomorrow at around this time? The club activities will start tomorrow anyway!¡± It was obvious that she was trying to say something along the lines of ¡®Let¡¯s get out of here¡¯, but honestly, that was a better option than just sitting here to wallow in sorrow together. Everyone seemed to agree with me as they nodded their heads, albeit reluctantly. As they walked out of the building, Riru stole a glance toward Seras, trying to read her mood. Meanwhile, Seras still looked as if her soul had left her body. ¡°...Alright, then...¡± When I was about to leave the club building... Iliya suddenly grabbed my arm hurriedly. ¡°U-Um, Teach! We need to talk! Just the two of us!¡± ¡°...¡± I narrowed my eyes, glaring at her as I wondered if this was just her usual nonsense again. But, from her strange behavior, it seemed like this was actually an urgent matter. The way she behaved right now was a world away compared to when she tried to seduce me, so I let out a sigh before sitting down again. ¡°...What is it?¡± When I asked her that while scratching my head, she hesitated a bit before continuing. ¡°...Um, Teach, you know how important the clubs are in Elfante, right?¡± ¡°Of course. That¡¯s why we had to go through all that fuss.¡± I replied, showing her an incredulous look, as if asking, ¡®Why are you stating the obvious?¡¯. Clubs were important, that was why the school regulations deemed it as mandatory. They wanted the students to have some good connections in the Academy before they graduated. ¡°...B-But...¡± For some reason, she struggled to continue her words and I could see that her face was covered in sweat. ¡°T-This is something related to that... Y-You see, there¡¯s a benefit that is supported by Elfante itself...¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing the way she acted, I could roughly guess what she was about to say. ¡°Let me guess.¡± I interrupted her with a sigh. ¡°People are offering their sponsors?¡± Judging by how her eyes instantly widened, as if asking me, ¡®How did you know?¡¯ I seemed to have hit the bullseye. ...Well, if anything, it¡¯d be strange if people didn¡¯t offer anything... Just like what it clearly suggested, sponsoring a club meant appointing oneself as the club¡¯s sponsor. Basically they were saying something like, ¡®We will provide the resources you guys need, so please share the ¡®results¡¯ with us later¡¯. ¡°...¡± You bastard, what the fuck are you even doing here? Why the hell would you even think to sponsor me? My head began to ache. It felt as if my temples were being compressed from all sides. By the way, it didn¡¯t even end there. When I saw the list of people written on the next page, my face couldn¡¯t help but distort terribly. ¡°...Iliya...¡± I could barely call out to her, my voice was trembling. ¡°Is this real?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± A wave of dizziness struck me. ¡°When was the last time the Magic Tower got in touch with an outside group again?¡± I muttered with a groan as I looked at the Magic Tower¡¯s stamp on the document. With their force only, they could easily be considered as the strongest, the worst, and the most awful group in this world. They were the hub of technology in this world; Not even the Tribal Alliance could beat them. Let¡¯s say that if other countries in this continent were in the middle ages to modern times, then the Magic Tower was living in a world of sci-fi. ...It seems like the information about the club has been leaked out. There was no way those crazy claustrophilic fuckers would send us something like this if that wasn¡¯t the case. As Dean Walter said, the ¡®authority¡¯ to handle ¡®Devils¡¯-related powers as you wanted was an ability that would make every group on the continent drool. I didn¡¯t know if the information was leaked to that extent, but I could see if they got interested in this since this matter was related to the Devils. ¡°...Tell them we¡¯ll put everything on hold. Let''s buy some time.¡± I told Iliya while holding my throbbing head. Honestly, this was the only solution I had for now. Even if I were to reject them, I doubt they¡¯d give up that easily. As for choosing one of them instead... Well, I didn¡¯t have enough information to assess which one among them was the best suited for us at this moment. Since even a window had popped up, telling me that this decision would affect the Main Quest, I couldn¡¯t just make a rash decision. ¡°U-Um, we can put the matters with sponsorship aside, but...¡± ¡°...What? Is there anything else?¡± I asked Iliya¡ªwhose body was still shaking¡ªin a bewildered voice. ¡°...U-Um... S-So, member recruitments are mandatory for all the clubs... A-And, the Club President and Secretary are obligated to evaluate all the students who wish to join the club...¡± She closed her eyes tightly before reading out that particular school regulation. ¡°...Yeah, of course that¡¯s the case. Why are you¡ª¡± Suddenly, I could feel an eerie sensation creeping down my spine, prompting me to shut my mouth. If I remembered correctly... The Club President was me and the Secretary was Iliya... Which meant, both of us had to evaluate the punks who wished to join our club... ¡°...¡± Alright, deduction time. Just a moment ago, we knew that these terrifyingly important figures threw themselves at us, basically risking their everything just to ¡®sponsor¡¯ us. That left us with a question... What of the people who had contacts with those sponsors beforehand? How much preparation had they taken to become ¡®members¡¯ of the club? ¡°...S-Something like this came.¡± Iliya handed out something to me with trembling hands. ¡°...¡± Seeing a bundle of paper that looked so thick that it made me dizzy, I took a deep breath. Actually, could I even call it a bundle of paper...? It was obvious that this thing had been compressed several times with a spell. If we were to actually release that spell, this whole place would probably be filled with those paper bundles... ¡°...How many...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°They should¡¯ve written the total number of people who had registered on the first page, right? How many?¡± Iliya muttered her reply, letting out something that sounded like a groan as she covered her face that had gone pale with both hands. ¡°...A little over ten thousand people...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°W-We have to evaluate all of these people...¡± ¡°...¡± Ten thousand people... I didn¡¯t even want to imagine how many ¡®important figures¡¯ were among them. Those people who¡¯d make me wonder, why the fuck were they even there...? ¡°...¡± Shit... Fuck... Chapter 234: Evaluation (2) Chapter 234: Evaluation (2)¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A heavy silence fell on the living room. Maybe it was because of the fact that they had not met each other for quite a long time that the atmosphere was like this. But, the most likely reason was probably because they did not part ways in a good way the last time they met. Percy Siston Levantin took a sip of her hot tea to soothe the dry feeling inside her mouth. Seeing that, the other person followed suit, albeit hesitantly. It seemed like Percy was not the only one feeling awkward in this situation. ¡°...Hopefully, you didn¡¯t have a hard time?¡± Percy forced that question out, trying to sound as clear as she could. Compared to back when they used to get along well as a ¡®master¡¯ and her ¡®apprentice¡¯ in the Magic Tower¡ªwhen it was so easy for them to converse with each other¡ªshe had to put in a lot of effort just to utter a few words. ¡°...Thanks to you.¡± The other person, Faenol, replied with a bitter smile as the restraints that were placed all over her body made clanking sounds. Those restraints were something that the Heretic Inquisition demanded her to wear in return for them to let her roam free. They said that it could suppress her Demonic Aura or something along that line. ¡°I heard you had put in a lot of effort just for me, Teacher.¡± ¡°...No, I didn¡¯t do much.¡± Teacher, huh... ? Percy let out a bitter smile as she placed her cup down. When was the last time she ever called me that? ¡°If you need someone to be thankful for, thank that guy called Dowd. He pretty much dealt with all the under-the-table dealings.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t like she had been idling or anything. After all, she was the only person among the Elfante staff members who sent a ¡®petition¡¯ to the Heretic Inquisition. She was the most vocal person to ask for leniency, even though she was aware that Faenol possessed the Devil¡¯s Fragments. But... It was undeniable that the one who deserved the most credits was Dowd Campbell, as he was the one who managed to suppress all kinds of rumors that could arise from the fact that she openly took a Devil¡¯s Vessel¡¯s side. Well, to be exact, it was the influence of the Tribal Alliance¡¯s Chieftain¡ªwho strangely decided to back him up¡ªthat made this outcome possible. ¡°...Is that so?¡± Faenol asked. The glint of her eyes reflected her happiness. But that wasn¡¯t the only expression hidden in her slightly casted down eyes. There was a hint of gloom inside, as if she was saying, ¡®That man would¡¯ve definitely done that¡¯. Upon seeing that, Percy couldn¡¯t help but doubt her own eyes. ¡°...Faenol?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with your expression just now?¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± Faenol, asked back, as if saying, ¡®What in the world are you talking about?¡¯. But Percy¡¯s question was sincere. Because the Faenol that she knew... Was someone who¡¯d push everyone around her away because she didn¡¯t want to be hurt. Especially when it came to ¡®men¡¯. Percy always thought that she looked at them the same way she looked at pebbles on the road. So, what¡¯s that expression just now? She looks like... A girl who fell in love...? ...No, wait. That¡¯s too mild of a description, no? Instead of that, it feels more like... ...She wants to devour him...? ¡®That person is mine.¡¯ ¡®I will never give him to anyone else.¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s mine, from the tip of his hair to his toe, everything about him is mine.¡¯ Faenol¡¯s expression seemed to be declaring as such. There was even a hint of arrogance in that declaration. As Percy¡¯s mind went blank, shocked upon seeing this side of her, Faenol suddenly called out to her. ¡°...So, Teacher... I know I have no right to do this, but may I ask you a favor?¡± ¡°Y-Yes? W-What is it?¡± After Percy replied hastily, Faenol said her piece with a smile. ¡°Recently, it seems like that man is doing something again. The entire Academy becomes noisy because of it.¡± ¡°...A-Ah¡ª¡± Percy knew what Faenol was talking about. In that instant, a bitter smile appeared on her face. ¡®You¡¯re not supposed to be here,¡¯ that was what Iliya was trying to say. Of course, there was no way that she would have any positive feelings towards Faenol, who harbored the ¡®Red Devil¡¯ inside her. But, even if we were to ignore that detail, it was still understandable that she asked such a question to Faenol. Only a few people knew this, but this punk was the one who caused the incident where a Devil went berserk just a while ago. Her threat level was several levels higher than other Devil¡¯s Vessels. I mean, just look at how she had all those Control Catalyst restraining her whole body. ...Compared to others, she¡¯s a little different... She was a Vessel who possessed all the Fragments. It meant that as long as she ¡®had the motive¡¯, she was more than capable of starting another Crimson Night Incident. That was why, them placing all those restrictions on her body was only natural. As I thought so, Faenol calmly continued, ¡°...Originally, I¡¯m unable to stay as a student, but there¡¯s someone who volunteered to be my guarantee.¡± ¡°...¡± So this was Percy¡¯s work, huh? Well, this much was obvious since she was the only person Faenol could go to. But, the problem here was... ¡°...The Dean guaranteed you, but the very first thing you do after coming here is to apply to join this club...?¡± I asked dumbfoundedly. ¡°...Because I wanted to see you.¡± And... The answer I received made me hold my breath. I stared at her, who said such words while looking straight at me, without changing her pose at all. ¡°...Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t said hello to you properly yet, Mr. Dowd.¡± Seeing how I became speechless, she suddenly said as such. Her red hair slightly swayed. I could see her throat moved as she swallowed dryly from where I was. ¡°Thank you for saving me. I, Faenol Lipek, owe you a debt that I can never pay.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°To match the kindness that you had bestowed me, I¡¯m going to do my best, both physically and morally, from now on. Even though I¡¯m lacking as a person, I¡¯m looking forward to working with you...¡± She muttered as such, her face was red, her head was down, and her voice was quivering. It was clear that she was embarrassed. But, her voice was clear, even until the end. ¡°...I swear, I¡¯ll do whatever it is that you ask me. Sincerely. With all my heart.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s something so beastly that other people would get angry at you if you ask them to do it, I¡ª¡± ¡°-Next candidates, please come in!¡± I hurriedly cut her off before she said something even more dangerous than that. Since we were evaluating four to five people at one time, not all of them have entered the room yet. Woman...! What the fuck are you yapping about when everyone¡¯s watching?! ¡°...Haa...¡± Holding my head, I let out a deep sigh. Well... I had expected that I¡¯d need to deal with punks who were hard to deal with like this from now on. But, I never expected that I¡¯d need to deal with two of those punks at once. Hell, I didn¡¯t even know what the fuck was Victoria doing here. Of course, it was the same with Faenol as well. I hope the remaining two people are easy to deal with... ¡°...¡± As I thought so... My eyes met the eyes of the two people who had entered the room. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± One of them was Eleanor. And the other one was Her Imperial Majesty the Empress. ¡°...¡± I took a deep breath. ...What? Wait, what the fuck..?! [Stop cursing. It only makes you look weak.] Oh, shut the fuck up. Chapter 235: Evaluation (3) Chapter 235: Evaluation (3)Eleanor let out a sigh inwardly. In her head, she was replaying something that happened not too long ago. A certain event that happened in her territory before she came back to Elfante. ¡°Nice to meet you, Viscount Campbell.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I believe we¡¯ve met once before. How are you?¡± Anyone seeing a middle-aged man being unable to respond properly as their face turned pale would assume that the man was being bullied, but Eleanor only bowed her head politely in accordance with noble etiquette. She was bowing so deeply to the point that the man could clearly see the top of her head. Though this kind of treatment was generous, it was also burdensome at the same time. Normally, someone on Lady Tristan¡¯s level would only do this to the Empress herself. In the first place, the title Lady Tristan itself was an extremely distinguished title. ...So, in one way, this could be taken as her bullying him... ¡°P-Please raise your head... I-I¡¯m unworthy...¡± Viscount Armin Campbell said so, clearly restless. To that, Eleanor nodded before fixing her posture. This gave him the impression that she¡¯d listen to him well. Still, the atmosphere around them did feel like ¡®a newlywed bride wanting to leave a good impression on the groom¡¯s family¡¯ and it gave Armin the chills. ¡°I want to ask you a straightforward question, Sir Viscount.¡± Her words got Armin to clear his throat several times as he started to think. Then, the lady in front of him continued calmly. ¡°What should I do in order to sleep with Dowd?¡± Almost instantly, he spit out the tea he was drinking and coughed for a while. Then, he stared at the woman in front of him with blank eyes. His expression suggested that he failed to understand what exactly he had just heard. ¡°...If you need me to prove that I¡¯m qualified, please tell me. I will do anything.¡± Eleanor said before taking out her sword with a cold gaze. This unexpected action of hers startled Armin as he took a step back. Obviously she wasn¡¯t trying to cut him, but the fact that Lady Tristan herself was holding a sword, was enough to make the countryside Viscount who lived worlds away from the battlefield to react in that way. ¡°If you wish, I could give you one of my arm¡ª¡± ¡°I-I won''t accept it even if you give me! P-Put your sword back in!¡± Armin freaked out as he said so. Eleanor nodded calmly and put her sword back in. It really looked as if she¡¯d cut her arm if he told her to. That realization creeped him up quite a bit, prompting him to swallow dryly. ¡°L-Lady Tristan, m-may I ask you something?¡± ¡°Anything.¡± ¡°...Could I possibly receive an explanation on why you asked that question?¡± Hearing that, Eleanor tilted her head, as if Armin had asked a weird question. ¡°Considering our relationship, isn¡¯t it more strange if I don¡¯t do it with him?¡± ¡°...¡± At her firm answer, Armin promptly closed his mouth. Eleanor then let out a breath through her nose, making a hmph sound before continuing. ¡°The problem here is that I don¡¯t know how, since that man has always been hardhearted. Even after I had set the mood, he still refused to embrace me...¡± ¡°...¡± Ah, she''s tried to do it before. That¡¯s why she¡¯s asking me. She tried to seduce him and failed. ¡°...¡± Is this right...? Such thoughts crossed Armin''s mind, but he chased them away while clearing his throat. He didn¡¯t have the guts to speak carelessly to a major noble whose status was just right below the Empress. Also, when it came to his punk of a son, he didn¡¯t care who was the woman he was entangling himself with¡ªsince that punk would flirt with any woman he laid his eyes on¡ªas long as that woman could hold onto him tightly, it was all good. ¡°...I think...you need to spend more time with him first.¡± So, he decided to give her the only ¡®clean¡¯ advice that he could think of. And his words instantly brought a big reaction out of her. Her eyes seemed like they were burning in fighting spirit after hearing that, which made him feel burdensome, but he managed to continue his words somehow. ¡°Although he doesn¡¯t seem like he does, he¡¯s always reading the atmosphere. It isn¡¯t like he failed to notice your efforts because he was hardhearted, Miady... Rather, there¡¯s a high chance that he¡¯s just ¡®avoiding¡¯ you intentionally...¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, Elanor¡¯s eyes widened. Oh my God. Just from that, Eleanor understood the implications behind her words and pressed her forehead. Normally, Eleanor was the one who¡¯d do something like this to someone else, but now, the roles were reversed. She couldn¡¯t do anything to the other person, considering who she was. ¡°...What kind of tricks did you use to enter the Academy, Your Imp¡ª¡± Seeing Cecilia the 11th made another shushing motion, Eleanor sighed and changed the words she was about to say. ¡°...Junior Cecil.¡± ¡°Tricks? I¡¯m not sure I understand that, Senior. I¡¯m just a new student who grew up in a rural area and got accepted through special admission.¡± ¡°...¡± You couldn¡¯t make any more terrible character setting than that... As Eleanor let out a frown, Dowd, who was sitting in the judges¡¯ seat also made a similar expression. It was clear that he wanted this whole mess to end quickly and take a rest. ¡°...May I ask some questions, starting from candidate number 1? Can you tell me the reason why do you wish to join our club¡ª¡± ¡°I want to join the club and crush all the people in it.¡± ¡°...Why?¡± ¡°So that I can destroy this club and bring you to the Student Council.¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd thought of how to respond to that for a while before giving up and turning his head to the other person. ¡°Your Imp¡ª¡± No, that¡¯s not it. Seeing Cecilia the 11th¡ª no, Cecil¡¯s expression, Dowd stopped what he was about to say. ¡°...Candidate number 2, what brings you to our club?¡± ¡°I want to experience school life.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I applied to join because I heard the Club President is a nice person. I''m pleased to be here, Senior Dowd.¡± Dowd turned his head away. His expression seemed like he was begging to be taken out from this hell, then he skipped Faenol¡¯s turn, not even bothering to ask her. Just like the previous two cases, he didn¡¯t know what kind of nonsense would come out of her mouth if he were to ask the wrong question. So, Dowd faced Victoria, clearing his throat before asking his question. Well, to be exact, he was about to ask his question. But, he got the answer before the question could even leave his mouth. ¡°I want to kill my sister.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°While also obtaining information regarding the Devils that are filling this place.¡± ¡°What do you¡ª¡± ¡°Because it will be helpful for me.¡± Victoria replied casually. As Dowd and Iliya looked at her in bewilderment, Victoria looked around as if confirming what she said. There was a piercing glint in her subdued eyes as she made eye contact with everyone here. And Dowd could see clearly... The deep ¡®purple¡¯ light in those subdued eyes... And the exact same feeling that he had seen from Seras. ¡°...!¡± This was definitely... The sign of a ¡®Vessel¡¯. Just like Seras, she had the same Devil in her body. ¡°And I''d like you guys to cooperate with me to accomplish that.¡± ¡°...¡± After that, Dowd facepalmed himself in the judges¡¯ seat. Should I just quit? Fuck this shit... From his gestures, that felt like what he wanted to say. Chapter 236: Head-On Confrontation (1) Chapter 236: Head-On Confrontation (1)After that hellish evaluation came to an end, I returned to the dorm in a daze as I looked at the window before my eyes. < system="" log=""> [ An important event related to Target ¡®Seras¡¯ will occur soon! ] [ There is a high chance that it will greatly affect the ¡®Club Operation¡¯!] I know. You don¡¯t need to tell me that. Even though all the applicants said all sorts of things that made my head hurt, Victoria was the one who stood out the most out of them all. ...She¡¯s definitely a vessel. It only flashed for a moment in her eyes, but that was definitely the Aura of the Purple Devil. I had said this repeatedly, but the Devil¡¯s Fragments would always try to gather themselves inside a Vessel¡¯s body. They¡¯d inevitably come into contact with each other using all kinds of ways, just like this. ¡°...¡± With a frown on my face, I let out a deep sigh. But why is it in Victoria¡¯s body out of everyone? ** This is just way beyond fucked, nothing could ever come close to this... [Is it that big of a problem?] ¡°What?¡± [Won¡¯t this make it easier for you to deal with her? Since she¡¯s related to a Devil, she¡¯ll be easily influenced by you, no?] ¡°Caliban, do you know how Eleanor ended up as a Devil¡¯s Vessel?¡± [Hm?] ¡°It was because of her mother. She was originally a Devil¡¯s Vessel, but when she passed away, the Fragment was passed on to Eleanor.¡± [...] I couldn¡¯t see his face, but I could tell that he was probably clamping his mouth shut while frowning. Well, of course he¡¯d react like that, as this wasn¡¯t a very pleasant story to hear. [...I¡¯ve guessed as much, but what about it?] ¡°To put it simply, that¡¯s the condition.¡± [What?] ¡°You see, if the Fragment is dwelling inside a lifeform, the existing Vessel has to die in order for that Fragment to move elsewhere.¡± [...] ¡°As I¡¯ve said earlier, the Fragments would always try to gather themselves in one place. So, what do you think would happen if two Vessels possessing the Fragments of the same Devil meet each other?¡± Hearing what I said, Caliban closed his mouth, shocked. He wasn¡¯t stupid, he must¡¯ve understood what I was trying to say. And the groan that came out with his reply afterwards, proved my conjecture. [...They¡¯re gonna try to kill each other...] I rubbed my forehead, unwilling to confirm his words with my own mouth. ¡°...There¡¯s also the fact that those two are sisters, Caliban.¡± I continued my words, even I could notice the exhaustion in my voice. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d let the Devils make people around me kill their family or be killed by their family...¡± [Then what are you going to do?] ¡°...¡± I¡¯d need to make the two of them settle eventually. Since something like this appeared on the System Window, their confrontation was pretty much inevitable no matter how hard I tried to prevent it. But, the problem here was... ¡°...That isn¡¯t the only problem we have here...¡± Eleanor, Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, and Faenol, who, for some reason had became extremely aggressive¡ª There was more than one headache that I had to deal with. Each of them were like house-sized boulders threatening to fall on this countryside-pond-like club. But, I couldn¡¯t just carelessly make my move... < system="" log=""> [ ¡®Club¡¯ creation confirmed! ] [ A special level of interest in the Target Group confirmed! ] [ How the upcoming Main Quest - Chapter 5, ¡®The Empire¡¯s Great Turmoil¡¯ will progress depends on how you run the Club! ] ...Because something like this popped up. Which meant a huge event concerning Eleanor, Iliya, Her Majesty the Empress, Chancellor Sullivan, maybe even Duke Tristan and Margrave Kendride, would occur.. Everything that I did might determine the life and death of those people. I needed to handle this carefully. ¡°...¡± Seriously though, how could running a club determine the fate of the most powerful nation on the continent? This shit just didn¡¯t make any sense. But, one thing for sure was that the System Window had never lied to me so far, so it wasn¡¯t like I could just forget about it. But still, for people of these level being related to the club... [Well, all of them are Devil¡¯s Vessels, no? Don¡¯t you have any means to control them like you did to the White Devil last time?] I wished I did. In Yuria¡¯s case, I could somehow handle her since she only had one Fragment, but there was no way I could use the same thing for Faenol or Eleanor, since they had multiple Fragments. Honestly, I didn¡¯t have any means to control them¡ª ¡°...¡± Hold on. A way to control them...? Control...? It means to make them obey my words no matter what, right? ¡ñ And so, Iliya went to Dowd Campbell¡¯s room late at night. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Sitting across from her, Dowd asked such a question with a voice filled with wariness. ...So mean. Seeing him like this, Iliya couldn¡¯t help but grumble inwardly. She knew that she had been hitting on him too much lately, but it still hurt her to see him being so wary of her like this. ¡°...¡± The first thing that she checked was if he was wearing the Amulet that she saw before. For some reason, this man seemed to be really conscious of the Amulet every time he met her. But, it was only natural since, as far as she knew, her brother was inside it. ¡°...¡± She really wished that she could talk to him right now, but... [It feels like he doesn¡¯t want to meet you.] She remembered the thing that Seraphim said while yawning. While Iliya wanted to hit her nose because she was annoying, she couldn¡¯t just dismiss the things that she told her. ¡®He doesn¡¯t want to meet me...?¡¯ [Yeah. Well, not because he hates you or anything though. It feels like he thinks that he¡¯s ¡®not supposed to¡¯ meet you.] ¡®But why...?! I¡¯m his family...!¡¯ [Who? Knows?] ¡®...¡¯ That was the first time she had ever thrown the Holy Sword onto the ground ever since she met the Seraphim. If what the Seraphim said was true, Iliya could understand the reason why he never said anything to her or approached her. Maybe it was similar with how Dowd had never said anything about it to her, But still... She had to say this for sure this time. ¡°Um, Teach?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Do you mind putting that down for a moment...? I have something to say to you...¡± Hearing that, Dowd blankly looked at Iliya and the Amulet alternately. It was a valid reaction, since it was the first time Iliya had openly mentioned Caliban¡¯s existence. She had been treating him ambiguously so far, as if he was there, but at the same time, not. ¡°...Why?¡± ¡°Just do it quickly.¡± Seeing how serious she was, Dowd tilted his head while doing as she told him. He untied the Amulet from his arm and put it inside his pocket. Seeing that, Iliya bit her lip and lowered her head. She seemed to be agonizing until the last minute over whether what she was about to say was the right thing to say. ¡°...¡± And this made Dowd feel anxious for some reason. What is she even thinking about? What the hell is she going to say? Why is this taking so long? Iliya stared at him for a while before resting her chin on her hand. Inwardly, her sense of shame¡ªas she thought that she maybe did not to go this far¡ªand her sense of crisis¡ªas she thought that it¡¯d be too late if she didn¡¯t do this now¡ªwere having a fierce standoff. Seeing how Dowd was acting so wary of her probably got her more worried than back when she first entered his room. ¡°...Hey.¡± In the end, Dowd had to break the silence with a sigh. ¡°Just say it.¡± ¡°...B-But...¡± ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what this is about and I don¡¯t know what it is that you¡¯re contemplating so much, but don¡¯t feel so stressed about it. Just talk when you¡¯re ready, okay?¡± He continued in a calm voice. ¡°At the end of the day, I consider you as mine. You¡¯re someone precious to me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you with everything I can. Just like you did to me, I will do the same to you.¡± His words made her stare at him with wide eyes. ¡°...¡± Right. ** This person has always been like this. Whatever it is that I did, he¡¯d always accept everything. That means... I can rely a little more on his kindness, right...? Just like that, she let such thoughts dictate her next course of action. And so... ¡°Teach.¡± That word left her mouth as if she was under a spell. ¡°Hm?¡± Dowd lifted the tea cup that was placed in front of him while shrugging his shoulders. Iliya then continued in a calm voice. ¡°Do you want to go out with me?¡± Hearing that, Dowd spit out all the tea he was drinking. Chapter 237: Head-On Confrontation (2) Chapter 237: Head-On Confrontation (2)I stared blankly at Iliya. The tea was dripping from my mouth, but I didn¡¯t even think of wiping it off. This punk... What did she just say? ¡°I¡¯m saying this just in case...¡± Seeing my reaction, Iliya continued in a huff. From her expression, she seemed to also be quite embarrassed by what she just said. ¡°If you spout some nonsense like ¡®What the hell are you talking about?¡¯, ¡®Stop messing around¡¯, or ¡®I¡¯ll pretend you didn¡¯t say that¡¯, I¡¯m going to actually hit you. Got it?¡± ¡°...¡± I could only open my mouth without saying anything, so she rattled on. All the answers that I was planning to give her were blocked before I could even get a word in. ¡°You didn¡¯t mishear me or anything. That was my confession to you, Teach.¡± ¡°...Why...?¡± ¡°Why do you think?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think of giving me stupid answers. I know that you know and you¡¯ve just been avoiding me all this time.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± I couldn¡¯t come up with a response, so she rattled on again. ¡°No, I¡¯m not asking you to give me an answer right away. I know better than anyone that this is very sudden and this is not an easy decision to make.¡± She quickly said her piece without pausing. Her eyes never left mine as she did so. ¡°But I can promise you one thing.¡± Her eyes were firm, completely different to how it looked when she rambled on just now. It was as if she was trying to make sure that I heard her words loud and clear. ¡°I¡¯m not influenced by the nature of your soul, or whatever that is.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°And yet, I still ¡®confessed¡¯ to you. You understand what that means right, Teach?¡± ¡°...¡± Before I could even answer her, Iliya gulped down the tea before her. Since there was clearly hot steam rising from the tea, that thing must be piping hot, but that didn¡¯t seem to bother her. ¡°Thank you for the tea! I¡¯ll get going!¡± She said those words before storming out of my room. Contrary to how she came in high spirits and confessed, her departure looked as if she was running away from me. ¡°...¡± What the fuck? ¡°...Ugh...¡± Seriously, what the fuck? ¡ñ A distance away from Dowd¡¯s room, after Iliya ran out. She flopped down, covering her blushing face with both hands. ...I did it... I finally did it... She contemplated so hard about whether she¡¯d do that or not, but in the end, she decided to just give up to the urge and did it. Ugh... How am I supposed to look at his face after this...?! She muttered inwardly, as if she was on the verge of tears. He¡¯ll reject me, won¡¯t he? He¡¯s definitely going to reject me... There are so many more amazing people around him. He has no reason to even cast his glance at me... That was her genuine thought, yet she still went out of her way to confess anyway. The reason for that was... [Gotta say, that was a good approach, no?] ¡°...Shut it.¡± None other than the ¡®advice¡¯ this hateful being gave her. It was this punk who had been instructing her to hit on him more aggressively, and advised her to be the very first person to ¡®confess¡¯ to him like this before it was too late. [But it¡¯s true. Especially the part where you pointed out how you¡¯re not affected by the nature of his soul, I like that a lot.] ¡°...¡± [It¡¯s like you were saying, ¡®I¡¯m not those slutty Devils who fell for you because of your ¡®skill¡¯. My love for you is real, my whole being is yours. I fell in love with you like a¡ª¡¯] ¡°Just shut up already...¡± Iliya barely managed to spit out that reply while stroking her ears, which were increasing in temperature by the minutes. She knew that she¡¯d end up being teased like this, yet she still listened to the advice anyway. And that was because she herself had been anxious. Mostly about how Dowd¡¯s ¡®first time¡¯ had been taken away by an unknown person. [An unknown person? I thought you were sure that it was the Student Council President or whoever?] ¡°...No. The circumstances were a little strange, you know...¡± Iliya replied, narrowing her eyes. She didn¡¯t even need to use the Eye of Truth. It was as clear as day that Eleanor and Dowd didn¡¯t do ¡®it¡¯. Because if they did, she¡¯d have noticed some kind of changes in their relationship ages ago. But, the vibe between the two didn¡¯t change much, or even at all. One thing for sure though, his ¡®first¡¯ was taken away in Tristan Duchy. As for who did it... [It must have been the Devil then.] The direction of such beings¡¯ fate and the future of the world could be drastically changed by every small decision that man would make. There was a reason why Dowd Campbell was dubbed as the ¡®Key of the World¡¯ by those who knew about him. [Anyway, he''s going to announce the evaluation result tomorrow, right?] The Seraphim continued, her tone made it sound like she was smiling. [Let¡¯s wait and see. Who will that man choose and how will he use that person.] Her voice sounded very meaningful somehow. ¡ñ ¡°All of you passed.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You all are now members of our club. Without exception, without distinction, all of you are my subordinates now, so keep that in mind from now on.¡± After Dowd declared as such to the people he had called to the room, a heavy silence instantly enveloped the room. They didn¡¯t seem to expect to hear him spouting such nonsense openly like this. ¡°...Hey, I know it¡¯s funny to say this as someone who applied, but...¡± Faenol carefully raised her hand as she said so. She could not hide the bitter smile from her face. ¡°...Didn¡¯t you hear this kid¡¯s goal for joining the club? It¡¯s to increase her strength and to kill her sister. Also, Miss Eleanor here said that she wants to destroy this club. And you¡¯re just going to...accept them...?¡± ¡°Yes. Yes, I am.¡± Dowd answered calmly. ¡°As the Club President, I promise that I¡¯ll fully cooperate with you to achieve your goals. That¡¯s my obligation.¡± ¡°...You know that my goal is to be your ¡®possession¡¯, right? How are you¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle you roughly with all my heart. To the point that you won¡¯t feel awkward or feel that it¡¯s wrong to be called a bitch or a slut.¡± ¡°...¡± I didn''t ask you to go that far. Also, how did your preferences change so far so quickly...? A crack appeared on Faenol¡¯s smile, but Dowd ignored it and calmly continued. ¡°But there''s a condition.¡± Right, of course there is. Hearing that, everyone¡¯s ears perked up, as if they had regained their senses again. Which was understandable, since he was probably going to point out the important thing from here on. ¡°A few weeks later, Elfante School Festival is going to start. You guys know that, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Eleanor calmly nodded. To put it simply, it was a ¡®presentation of achievements¡¯ of all the clubs and the Academy itself. ¡°Not only it is the biggest event in Elfante, it¡¯s also the biggest one in the Empire. It doesn¡¯t only involve our Academy, but it¡¯ll also involve strong forces from the outside.¡± ¡°Yes. Since we are also, by all means, a club, we can¡¯t just attend such a prestigious event without a proper achievement. So, we¡¯re going to do some Devil-related activities, proper Exorcism Club activities.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the condition you were talking about...?¡± ¡°That festival will be the time limit.¡± ¡°...Sorry?¡± Hearing what Dowd had suddenly said, everyone in the room looked at him bewilderedly. Time limit? For what? ¡°Until then...¡± Dowd said while yawning. He seemed exhausted, thanks to how he had been spending all night doing simulations in his head to figure out if this plan of his would work. ¡°As long as you can ¡®defeat¡¯ me, no matter in what way, I¡¯ll help you with the goals that you¡¯ve stated when you joined.¡± Suddenly... He said those words. ¡°You can try beating me in any kind of field. Come at me with whatever you¡¯re confident in.¡± ¡°...Are you serious?¡± Eleanor asked dumbfoundedly. Seeing that, he let out a chuckle before continuing. As if he was obviously serious. ¡°But, if you lose...¡± Though, his expression, as if he was trying to say, ¡®If you¡¯re going to come at me, prepare yourself¡¯, proved that he was actually serious. ¡°It¡¯ll be the other way around. You¡¯re the ones who have to listen to each of my ¡®requests¡¯.¡± Once again... A heavy silence fell on the room. Then again, it was an appropriate reaction. Since he practically suggested that they did a one-against-six ¡®match¡¯. One human against six Devil¡¯s Vessels. And he did it with such confidence. [...Crazy bastard.] Hearing the Seraphim¡¯s remark, Iliya held her forehead, as if agreeing with her. Chapter 238: Head-On Confrontation (3) Chapter 238: Head-On Confrontation (3)¡°Ahahaha¡ª!¡± Marquis Bogut let out a hearty laugh while holding his belly. Well, the sight unfolding before his eyes warranted such a reaction coming from him. ¡°Oh my God! The Sword Saint himself! Is being buried under this pile of paperwork! I can¡¯t believe this! I wonder how the Spear Saint of the Holy Land and the Fist Saint of the Tribal Alliance would react if they were to see such a sight? I bet on my money that the look in their faces would at least be priceless!¡± ¡°...Are you here just to mock me, Lionheart?¡± Radu replied, looking haggard. Not long ago, the Empress disappeared after dumping all her official duties on him, saying that she also wanted to be a student or whatever. ¡°I¡¯m worried about her going without an escort...¡± ¡°Well, Atalante the ¡®Immortal¡¯ is there, so you don¡¯t need to worry. Even in the worst possible scenario, she is strong enough to buy time for you to get there.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s true.¡± Their implication was clear. In the worst possible scenario, the immensely powerful Immortal would only be strong enough to buy time until the Sword Saint could get there. If someone were to hear this, they could easily get criticized for this extremely arrogant remark, but neither Marquis Bogut nor Radu found that remark to be strange. After all, Radu was none other than the Sword Saint himself. He was quite literally the most powerful warrior in the Empire. Which meant, he had all the right to say something like that without any hesitation. ¡°By the way, have you seen this?¡± However, even the most powerful warrior of the Empire was helpless in front of the tremendous amount of administrative work he had to handle. Especially the ones that were related to the leaders of the Empire who kept causing all kinds of troubles without thinking of the consequences. The document that Marquis Bogut handed him proved it better than anything else. ¡°Elfante School Festival is coming up soon.¡± ¡°...Right, there is something like that, huh?¡± Seeing Marquis Bogut handing the document to him without hesitation, Radu could only reply reluctantly. Considering the relationship between the Upper Nobles Association and the Empress, he shouldn¡¯t have done something like this so casually, but then again, everything that this man did always went against common sense. But, what was written in that document was even more absurd than what Bogut did. ¡°...¡± As he read the document, Radu¡¯s face went pale. ¡°...Is this real?¡± ¡°What? Do you think it¡¯s fake?¡± Marquis Bogut answered while smiling, his tone was still cheerful, but that only got the Sword Saint¡¯s frown to grow deeper. ¡°...People of their stature are gathering in the Academy just to see the School Festival?¡± Radu said with a groan. His reaction was completely understandable though, as the names that were listed there were big names that could easily shake the continent. From the Holy Land side... Archbishop Luminol and his daughter Lana Rei Delvium. From the Tribal Alliance¡¯s side... A total of two War Chiefs. After seeing those names, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if one were to think that they came for a summit meeting or something, but the thing was this wasn¡¯t the end of it. The Empire¡¯s side had an even more ridiculous lineup than that. Margrave Kendride, Duke Tristan, Chancellor Sullivan... And on top of that, ¡°I¡¯ll also go to Elfante!¡± ¡°...Please don¡¯t do that, Marquis.¡± Radu dissuaded him with a groan. This lineup clearly listed all the people who were considered as the pillars of the country. Considering that the Empress herself was currently enrolled in Elfante, one could even say that all the country¡¯s leaders were there. On top of that... ¡°A ¡®scholar¡¯ from the Magic Tower is also going to attend? Even though they usually had no interest in the outside world? This is too much¡ª¡± Radu was about to continue his words before his body froze. The reason for this was because he saw Bogut¡¯s expression when he heard the words he mentioned. To put it simply... Hostility, tension, vigilance, hatred, repulsion. Any of those words was appropriate to describe his emotion. But the root of all those emotions was... ...Fear? Yes, fear. Though, it was very unusual for this man to be afraid of someone else. It was as if he once had his possession being ¡®taken away¡¯ there. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll miss this opportunity, Sword Saint!¡± However, when he said his next words, his expression returned to normal. It happened so quickly, as if what Radu had just seen was merely an illusion. ¡°Dowd Campbell¡¯s club will be doing a presentation there! There are a lot of people who are interested in that aside from me, so even if I go, it won¡¯t make much difference!¡± ¡°...Do you think that could pass as an excuse?¡± Radu let out another groan, but Bogut only replied to him in his usual playful voice. ...That punk¡¯s words... The Gray Devil advised me ¡®clearly¡¯ that I had to become stronger, so that I wouldn¡¯t end up dying. This punk always talked in a vague way, so there must have been a reason why she felt the need to drop her usual manner of speech. [Is that why you made that crazy declaration? That you¡¯d accommodate everyone in the club or whatnot?] ¡°What?¡± [Everytime you run into the Devils, you¡¯d get to charge their Aura inside your Seal. The more direct and intense your involvement with them are, the faster it gets to charge, right?] Caliban... [So you figured that if you were to hold something like a match, it¡¯d be the perfect opportunity to charge all the Devil¡¯s Auras in your Seal quickly. That¡¯s the best way to increase your strength.] ¡°Basically, yeah.¡± That was my biggest goal. If I could become powerful quickly, I might be able to hit the cut-off point. At the School Festival, I¡¯m sure... If things went as expected, something would definitely happen. I didn¡¯t need the System Message to tell me something. Even in the original game, Elfante School Festival was an important event where all kinds of variables intertwined. That was why I had to become strong enough to gain the upper hand in the Main Quest, which progression had been so awry due to all kinds of variables recently. [Right, can I ask you one more thing?] ¡°Sure, what is it?¡± [What did you talk about with Iliya behind my back?] Hearing that, I stopped walking. ¡°That never happened.¡± [You forced me to sleep that time. What did you want to talk about that made you do that?] ¡°I said, that never happened.¡± [...You know, I actually tried to listen to what you guys were talking about. But Valkasus, the guy who usually never showed up, suddenly did and dragged me back in. He told me that it¡¯d be better for me to not hear it if I wanted to stay sane. So, what did you guys¡ª] ¡°Please, I beg you, just shut up...¡± [...] ** We¡¯ll talk about that later, okay? ** There¡¯s something more important than that now. ** Please... ¡°...Let¡¯s worry about that later. I¡¯m more concerned about the women who¡¯d come to me in all sorts of ways to challenge me.¡± [...Right. That¡¯s more important now...] So, the ¡®match¡¯ I announced the other day would start today. The rule was simple. Each of them would have one chance. They could choose the category that they wanted to challenge me in. If they won, I¡¯d obey them. And if they lost, they had to obey me unconditionally. [...So that¡¯s why they¡¯ve been so quiet. They only have a single chance...] Caliban said while snorting. He finally understood why nobody pounced on me so far even though they had all the chances to do so. [They¡¯re aware about all the crazy things you¡¯ve accomplished, so they knew that they wouldn¡¯t be a match for you if they don¡¯t prepare themselves properly, whatever the category is.] ¡°Yeah, more or less.¡± I replied with a smirk. This is the fruit of the active role I had been playing so far. Even such people took their time before they challenged me. But... ¡°One of them still didn¡¯t know me enough, though, which is good for me.¡± [What?] Yes. Among those women, there was one punk who hadn¡¯t interacted much with me yet. And this punk... Would definitely try to ¡®challenge¡¯ me first. ¡°Do you have a moment, Senior Dowd?¡± Hearing the voice coming from beside me, I immediately stopped walking. After confirming who it was, a smile rose on my face. Great, got you. The perfect warming-up opponent. ¡°Of course.¡± As I replied, Victoria, who was standing before my eyes, quietly nodded. Chapter 239: Midnight Secret Rendezvous (1) Chapter 239: Midnight Secret Rendezvous (1)Victoria said that the reason why she wanted to join the club was to kill her sister, right? [...Now that I¡¯m hearing it again, don¡¯t you think she¡¯s being too harsh?] ...Honestly, I don¡¯t think she means it. I thought as such while looking at Victoria, who was preparing tea for me as her guest, in front of me. Gotta say, this was quite the sensible way to welcome a guest. I mean, she always wore no expression on her face, so it was difficult to figure out what she was thinking about. So, you know that the Empire is enforcing a strict discriminating law against the Cardinal Humans, right? To put it simply, Cardinal Humans were those who possessed practically prominent characteristics of ¡®other species¡¯ among the humans. We kinda met one of them the other day, but you¡¯d understand what I was talking about if I were to use Seras as an example. They were those who had animal ears on top of their heads, basically. [Yes and I think that law is fucking disgusting.] ¡°...¡± I knew that he was the leader of the Guardians, the group of people who were devoted to uphold justice throughout their lives, but I still didn¡¯t expect him to show such a strong reaction like this. What a man. And here I thought he¡¯d defend the Empire since his group worked under them. I really thought that he¡¯d make an excuse too, since he practically belonged to the Empire, you know? [In the first place, it¡¯s such an outdated and evil law. It¡¯s just that there are only a few Cardinal Humans left in the Empire, that¡¯s why no one bothered to raise a topic to get rid of that law.] ...If you know about that, then it¡¯d be easier to talk about this. Because that meant he wouldn¡¯t refute my words with a foaming mouth when I talked about it. While looking at Victoria in front of me, I let out a sigh inwardly. You see, this punk and Seras are the few Cardinal Humans survivors. [...] As soon as he heard the word ¡®survivor¡¯, Caliban went silent. I could only let out a bitter smile inwardly. That meant he understood what I was trying to imply. Cardinal Humans looked like humans and behaved like humans, but the Imperial Law didn¡¯t guarantee their ¡®human rights¡¯. And so, people treated them the same way as they treated animals. In other words... There were some scumbags who hunted them ¡®for fun¡¯. [What?] Caliban reacted, as if he had heard something he shouldn¡¯t have. Well, my words were true. Cardinal Humans Hunt was a ¡®sport¡¯ that used to trend among some noble circles. The ¡®Beastkins¡¯ often used their physical capabilities and covertness to perform as assassins, so they were an especially easy target for such evil acts. Especially since the nobles only needed to use their old bullshit excuses to justify the massacre, like calling it a ¡®purge for justice¡¯ or ¡®preventing troubles in the future¡¯. [...Those things actually happened...?] Hearing how sad and angry his voice was, I held my tongue. This person had thrown his life away for the Empire, yet something like this happened. The evidence of such atrocities was right in front of us even. Anyway, the root of the nonsense she said the other day¡ªthe thing about her wanting to kill her own sister¡ªwas because of what happened in the past, back when she first found herself as a survivor. This girl thinks that her whole family died because of her sister. That¡¯s the reason why she said such a thing. [...Hey, hey, wait. You skipped a lot of things from your explanation.] I could picture Caliban pressing his temples as he said those words. [Let¡¯s go back to the start. You said that she doesn¡¯t mean it, but with those circumstances, there¡¯s no way that¡¯s the case. She has all the reason to try and kill her sister for real.] You see, at this point, she¡¯s only being suspicious of her sister. There¡¯s no evidence yet. Victoria herself must''ve had complicated feelings. After all, Seras was her only family left. She couldn¡¯t exactly treat her as a mortal enemy because she only had an uncertain suspicion. I threw a glance at Victoria, who came over with the two cups of tea that she had brewed. That¡¯s why, I doubt that she¡¯ll say anything big. As I told Caliban that... ¡°The one who kills my sister first will be the winner.¡± ¡°...¡± Victoria spouted that nonsense. She said it so casually, as if she was saying something like ¡®Let¡¯s eat, I¡¯m hungry¡¯. As if this was a matter of course and it wasn¡¯t even worth discussing it. And from such an attitude... I could feel her firm will ever so clearly. [...What did you say just now?] ...Ugh. [Look at her eyes. She¡¯s being serious.] In a normal situation, she shouldn¡¯t be like this though... I replied while trying hard to soothe my headache. And then my gaze fell on the Purple Aura in her eyes. I see. Now I understood. That thing was eating away this punk¡¯s rational judgment whenever a Seras-related topic was brought up, huh? As I had stated before, the Devil¡¯s Fragments would always try to fuse with one another. If two people each had a single Fragment, they¡¯d try to ¡®encourage¡¯ the Vessels to ¡®unite¡¯ them together. Seeing me staying silent for too long, Victoria, who was sitting across from me now, tilted her head. ¡°You were the one who told us to suggest the match, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...I did.¡± ¡°...¡± What a...catastrophic taste... Even Yuria, the youngest one around me, would get angry and run away from me if I were to give her those clothes. She¡¯d told me to not treat her like a little kid or something. Well, to be fair, Seras seemed to feel embarrassed standing before me in those clothes. It was obvious from the way she blushed in an instant. ¡°T-This...! I-I mean¡ª! I-It¡¯s comfortable to sleep in¡ª¡± ¡°Can I come in?¡± I said, cutting her words off. ¡°I have something to talk about with you. Just the two of us.¡± ¡°...¡± I could see her whole body stiffened. She seemed to notice that my mood was different than usual. Here I was, a man, visiting her room in the middle of the night with a serious face. Not only that, I even told her that I wanted to talk with her alone. Also... ¡°This is an important matter and it¡¯s something that only you and I can do.¡± ¡°...A-Ah...? S-Shorry...? There was no way she could keep her composure after hearing all these words. Her white polka dot pajamas and nightcap only served to make her blush seem deeper. Her blush even reached her ears¡ªtomatoes would¡¯ve looked pale compared to how she looked right now. ¡°So, would you let me in?¡± ¡°...O-Of course...¡± As if she was possessed by something, she let me in dazedly. It seemed like she had forgotten about the embarrassment she felt when I first saw her in those clothes. Her mind must¡¯ve been filled with wild imaginations since it seemed like she couldn¡¯t even make a rough guess about what the heck was I about to talk with her. Also, uhh... Honestly... The current situation probably wasn¡¯t so much different from her wild imaginations. After a rustling sound, she took out a candle. She looked as if she had lost all sense of reality. She probably took that candle out so that we could at least talk while looking at each other¡¯s faces, but... ...Honestly, I don¡¯t think we¡¯d need it. I swear, it would be better to do what I had in mind without any lights. It would only make both of us feel uncomfortable if we were to have it on. So, when she was about to light the candle, I immediately grabbed her wrist. ¡°Seras.¡± ¡°Ihiiiiiik¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± What? Why was she so surprised...? Her body began to shake, as if she had been startled by a ghost. I could even see the tears in her eyes. ¡°...Y-Yes, Seniooor...¡± She said as such in a trembling voice. Hearing that, I let out a deep sigh inwardly. Since she didn¡¯t seem to be in a good condition, I figured there would be no need to drag this on. So... ¡°Let¡¯s do something that will make both of us feel good.¡± I said, not trying to be subtle about it. ¡°...¡± Hearing my words, she opened her mouth wide. And so did Caliban apparently. He was probably just as dumbfounded as she was. ¡°...S-Senior?¡± Seras looked at me, her eyes were shaking. Maybe I saw it wrong, but it seemed like she kept on shifting her gaze between me and her bed. As if that was the correlation she could instinctively find upon hearing what I said. ¡°U-Um... Y-You are just telling a joke to lighten the mood r-right?! R-Right??!¡± ¡°...Hm...¡± I let out a frown while stroking my chin. Right. That was my bad, I phrased it wrongly, that was why she seemed to misunderstand me. Alright, I¡¯ll make it easier for her to understand then. ¡°Let¡¯s do something that will make you feel so good that you¡¯ll feel like dying.¡± ¡°...¡± [...] Seras and Caliban in the Soul Linker went silent at the same time after hearing my words.. [...So, by killing her, you meant doing ¡®that¡¯?] Well... That girl didn¡¯t specify ¡®how¡¯ I should kill her. So, technically, this is a fair game, no? Chapter 240: Midnight Secret Rendezvous (2) Chapter 240: Midnight Secret Rendezvous (2)[As expected.] ¡°...¡± Victoria Evatrice stared at the person on the other end of the crystal ball with an unusual frown on her brows. Then again, anyone would show such a reaction if they were to hear such a casual response, especially after hearing the content of her report. ¡°...Why are you acting as if you knew all this would happen?¡± Hearing her grumble, the person at the other end of the crystal ball, Marquis Bogut, let out a chuckle. [Well, I¡¯d recommend you to just accept your defeat now.] ¡°...What?¡± [You don¡¯t know about this since you haven¡¯t been involved with him prior to this, but the moment you¡¯re trying to compete with him in something that¡¯s related to the ¡®Devils¡¯, you¡¯re already lost.] ¡°...¡± His answer only got Victoria¡¯s frown to grow deeper. ¡°...I¡¯ve never lost in a competition of killing someone.¡± [Well...] Like usual, a smile was plastered on Marquis Bogut¡¯s face. But, it wasn¡¯t his usual smile, it was more like a sneer than anything. [Then, this is going to be your first time. He¡¯s definitely going to do it faster than you.] Victoria¡¯s frown grew even deeper than before, but Bogut wasn¡¯t done yet. [...Although, there¡¯s a very high chance that she won¡¯t ¡®die¡¯ in the literal sense.] ¡°...What does that even mean?¡± [If I were to explain it to you, I''d actually get punished by the Imperial Law.] ¡°...?¡± [Ah, pardon me for that. You¡¯ve never gone through the Beastkin¡¯s coming-of-age ritual, right? That means you¡¯re still a child. Well, by age and Imperial Law, you should be an adult...] ¡°...I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Victoria tilted her head and soon cleared her throat before she continued. ¡°...In any case, if I actually manage to kill her, the matter will turn into a big deal. It¡¯s definitely going to affect both the Holy Land and the Empire.¡± Since, according to the intel she received, Seras was the closest person to the Pope, the matter would probably turn into a bigger deal than expected. Her reporting to the Marquis like this showed her professionalism. She didn¡¯t want to make her client be swept in the aftermath of her actions. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a proper report afterwards, so don¡¯t wor¡ª¡± [No, I don¡¯t need it.] Marquis Bogut said indifferently. [I still have my dignity. At least enough to respect others¡¯ privacy.] ¡°...?¡± She still didn¡¯t understand what in the world this person had been talking about. But either way, she had to do what she had to do. Because she wasn¡¯t the type of person who¡¯d go back on her words. ...She won¡¯t be an easy opponent. Her hostility towards her sister aside, she was still able to evaluate the capability of this opponent of hers cool-headedly. Just like her, she was also one of the only two people who could be called as the best assassins in the continent. No matter how much advantage she had, killing someone like that wouldn¡¯t be an easy matter. So, she decided that the first thing she needed to do was to gather data about her opponent. ...I believe she¡¯s in the next building. As she was recalling the location of Seras¡¯ room, she made her preparations. After that was done, she left through the window, her movements almost like that of a bird¡¯s. . With each step, her tiny body glided through the air for several meters¡ªit seemed like she was walking in the air. Despite this, there was almost no noise being produced by her. ¡°...¡± And as she continued to glide through the air... She ended up recalling something... About the person who taught her these things and the person she used to train with... The dense forest she used to live with that person, back when they were children, the friends she once had, and¡ª ...No. Now, everything was in the past. Because her entire hometown vanished thanks to the mistake that damn woman might have made. Victoria thought so, clenching her teeth tightly. ...And yet she dares to flirt around with someone from the Empire... The sight of her sister acting cutely, as if she could give all her being to that Dowd guy just a while ago, still remained in her memory. And because of that... She became closer to the Devil. It was to the point that the Devil became her conversational partner, a good thing for someone without a single friend like her. The way she said the next words was proof of how well they got along. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice for you to get to know Mr. Dowd better through this opportunity?¡± For context, currently, Faenol was in the middle of chasing Dowd¡¯s ¡®presence¡¯. An easy task for her to do, since she was able to easily remember someone¡¯s ¡®Magic Power¡¯s Wavelength¡¯ and use that to track his location, thanks to her natural talent in handling Magic Power. A secret rendezvous late at night... Such a situation would match the mood of the ¡®match¡¯ she was about to propose to him. She thought so while giggling. [...No.] A blunt answer came from inside her. Seeing the Red Devil acting shyly like that, Faenol just laughed at her¡ªto her dismay¡ªand when she was about to say something, the Red Devil interrupted her. [Besides, that man is going to be caught up in big trouble soon.] ¡°...What?¡± [Sure, he has the Seal and all, but there¡¯s no way good things would happen if a human is involved with the Devils so deeply like that. Trouble will naturally come his way.] She said so while letting out a long sigh. It was clear that she was trying to say that something bad would happen to Dowd soon, but Faenol just tilted her head instead of responding. [...Did you even hear what I just said?] ¡°I did. I just ignored you.¡± [...] ¡°Well, Mr. Dowd isn¡¯t someone who¡¯d die so easily, so it¡¯ll be fine. My only concern right now is that I don¡¯t want the others to beat me to ¡®it¡¯... That¡¯s why, I¡¯ll put in a lot of ¡®effort¡¯...¡± [Effort?] ¡°Yeah.¡± Faenol nodded calmly. ¡°He had saved me once, so I should save him once too.¡± Even if she had to risk her life in doing so. Even if she had to devote her everything to him. [...Whatever, you do you.] They shared one mind, so the Red Devil knew that persuading her would never work. So, she just said those words with a snort. Hearing that, Faenol just threw another smile before continuing to walk again. [By the way, what kind of match are you going to propose to him?] However, even though they shared a single mind, the Red Devil just couldn¡¯t know everything. There were some matters that she was bound to not know unless Faenol told her the answer, like this particular matter. ¡°Se-cret-¡± [...] ¡°You¡¯ll know about it. I bet you¡¯ll love it once it starts.¡± [...I¡¯m a little scared now...] While they were having such a conversation, Faenol had reached just around the corner of the place where she could feel Dowd¡¯s wavelength. She could clearly feel that he was close. ...Huh? This isn¡¯t his room, is it? ¡®What is he doing in someone else''s room at this time?¡¯ Faenol thought so before raising her hand to knock on the door. But, the moment she heard the sound coming from inside, she immediately stopped what she was about to do. The sound she heard was the sound of some things ¡®hitting¡¯ each other intensely. To be exact, the sound of flesh hitting another flesh. Not only that, she could also hear something that was similar to moans. ¡°...¡± [...] Faenol and the Red Devil went silent at the same time. Because there was only one thing that came to their mind when hearing that kind of sound. ¡°...Uh.¡± The silence persisted for quite a while before Faenol finally said something in a subdued voice. "Did someone else come up with a similar idea to mine?" [...A...similar idea...to yours...?] ¡°You know, the content of the match I wanted to propose.¡± The way she said it so seriously made the Red Devil hold the back of her head in an instant. Chapter 241: Midnight Secret Rendezvous (3) Chapter 241: Midnight Secret Rendezvous (3)If someone were to tell her that her life had quite a lot of ups and downs, and overall was a difficult life to live, Seras Evatrice would agree without hesitation. The Beastkin clan¡ªwhere she grew up in¡ªwas a clan consisting of people who had to make a living by doing battles through secret attacks in the dark. From the fleeting moments and fierce training, everything could be considered extreme experience and every clan member had to accumulate such experiences so that they could survive in life-and-death situations including herself. However, even if she were to count all those experiences she had... She could say that none of them could compare to this ¡®difficult situation¡¯ that she was currently experiencing. ¡°...Ngg... S-Senior...¡± Even though she had gone through an extreme training where she had to stay dormant, not moving a finger while not eating anything for a few days, it didn¡¯t help her with the situation at all. She couldn¡¯t even calm her shaking pupils and stop her stammers. ¡°A-Are we in the kind of relationship w-where we¡¯re allowed to do something like this...?¡± The absurdity of the situation warranted her to say such things involuntarily. Because, she could never even imagine that she¡¯d be doing ¡®something like this¡¯ with the Senior who suddenly knocked on her door this late at night. ¡°Is there something wrong about this?¡± However, he brushed off her concerns with that casual reply, not even batting an eyelid. ¡°Am I not allowed to do this with my hard-working Junior?¡± After she heard his answer while feeling the ¡®pressure¡¯ entering her body, Seras let out another long moan. She felt as if an electric current was running through her whole body. If she were to relax her body a little more, she was sure that she¡¯d end up drooling due to the pleasure she felt. ¡°B-But...¡± Seras quickly tried to cut him off. It seemed like she was barely able to hold everything together. ¡°...W-Where did you learn how to do massages?¡± Currently, she was lying on her belly on the bed. She couldn¡¯t see what Dowd was doing, but she could clearly feel his hands pressing on her arms and legs, sending waves of pleasure to her body. At first, when he said he¡¯d diagnose the twisted muscles on her body while hugging her, she was so startled because she thought he¡¯d kiss her, but it turned out that wasn¡¯t the case at all. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve done all kinds of jobs in the past.¡± An abandoned child that was born in a prostitution district that wasn¡¯t acknowledged by the government had to learn all the skills they could learn just to live to see another day. Dowd wasn¡¯t an exception to that rule. The ¡®thing¡¯ that he was doing to her now was part of the skills he gained back when he was struggling to survive. And it was clear that his skill was proved to be effective. Seras was feeling pleasure from this, even though what he was doing was essentially violating all the senses throughout her body. ¡°...¡± As she was basking in that pleasure... Dowd began to study her condition as she kept letting out loud moans while trembling. The more intimate and stimulating his massage was, the more the Purple Aura¡ªwhich, at first, he had to put in a lot of effort to see it¡ªwrapped around her body. From the way it moved, it seemed like Seras wasn¡¯t the only one who was affected by this. It seemed like the Purple Devil was also acting the same way as Seras; As if she was drunk in the pleasure. Then, he narrowed his eyes to give the window before his eyes a glare. < system="" message=""> [ The Aura of the ¡®Purple Devil¡¯ is detected! ] [ Fallen¡¯s Seal reacts! ] [ Target¡¯s mood is getting better rapidly! ] ...As expected... Back when he found out that Yuria had awakened to...strange things...after he put the White Devil on a leash and handled her roughly, he formed a hypothesis.. I was right, the Devils and the Vessels share their senses. It wasn¡¯t really the correct way to put it, since the sensation that the Devils received wouldn¡¯t be shared to their Vessels, but the opposite held true. Though, it wasn¡¯t always like this. Rather, it seemed that this was a characteristic that was ¡®added¡¯ after the Fallen¡¯s Seal was enhanced. ¡°...¡± Still, Dowd couldn¡¯t help but find this strange. Because even though this ability was clearly given by the Gray Devil, somehow it could affect all the Devils as well. He could say that it was even too much at times. Since it felt as if their existence was ¡®defined¡¯ by him, by the man called Dowd. The Purple Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura that spread and filled the room proved this conjecture. Though it seemed like she loved it to death to be touched by him, this kind of effect was just too much. And the way Seras gradually loosened up because of his hands¡¯ movements probably accelerated the progression of such an effect. ...Anyway... This should be enough. After telling himself that, Dowd called out to Seras in a quiet voice. ¡°Seras.¡± ¡°Yeeesshh...?¡± The voice she replied in clearly suggested that she couldn¡¯t think straight at the moment, as if she was completely melting because of the pleasure, and this was exactly the state he wanted her in. ¡°About that girl, Victoria... She¡¯s your younger sister, right?¡± Originally, that question would have got her to put her guard up immediately. However, now she just obediently replied to him. In addition to his massage, it seemed like the Demonic Aura that emerged because of him managed to cloud her mind even more. ¡°Yeesshhh... We parted wayyss a long time agooo...¡± It was as if she just replied out of reflex. She was clearly in a daze. Anyone could see that her current state wasn¡¯t normal as she was just saying whatever came to her mind first, as if she was being hypnotized. Suddenly... Before I could finish my own words, I clenched my mouth shut. Anxiety filled my being. I could tell that something had gone wrong somewhere. And it was... From Seras... To be exact, her current condition... ...Oh no... This punk... Is still out of her mind... She was still acting as if she was drunk or hypnotized. It seemed like she had lost her mind ¡®way too much¡¯ than I expected.... [...How good was your massage that she ended up becoming like this?] ... [Well, it seems like there would be no woman who can beat you in bed later. You could just kill them with a fore¡ª] Do you think that kind of shit is important right now?! Anyway, this was obvious, but it would be stupid of me to expect Seras to dish out her full combat power in this state. I hurriedly looked at Victoria¡ªwho had taken out her daggers¡ªand Seras alternately. This... If something goes wrong, a big incident might occur¡ª! Seras and Victoria. I had already been notified in advance that both of them would play an important role in the upcoming Main Quest. It would be the worst case scenario for me if they were to fight here and ended up seriously hurting or even killing each other. That meant the possibility of a mishap happening during the Quest would rise up and so would the possibility of me dying. Which meant, the best scenario for me would be for the two of them to go through this situation without getting hurt. Actually, screw that, that was the only option for me to take! But how could I suppress a Grand Assassin, who was coming at us with a weapon, with bare hands? Even with Desperation active, I could still end up dying. Forget about fighting them. Can I even suppress both of them without receiving any scar¡ª ¡°...¡± ¡ªHuh? Yeah, I can. Yes, there was a way... Caliban. [What.] It¡¯s better for me to become a trash human rather than for Seras to die, right? [...] Hearing my words, Caliban went silent for a moment. It seemed he had sensed something ominous from what I said. [Let¡¯s put aside the fact that you¡¯ve been a trash human all along. I¡¯m going to ask you this. What are you trying to do here?] ...Well, I need to suppress them both, right? [Yeah, but how? Both of them are Grand Assassins. Not only that, they have the Devil¡¯s Fragments inside their bodies. I don¡¯t think you can¡ª] I can. Before continuing, I closed my eyes tightly. There¡¯s a way... [What?] You know, they¡¯re the Purple Devil¡¯s Vessels... Fortunately... Both of them possessed the Purple Devil¡¯s Fragments¡ªthe closest Devil to a ¡®pet¡¯. Which meant, I had a way to make them obey me. [What are you even¡ª] I just have to train them. Both of them. [...] Caliban stayed silent for a while before finally saying his next word. [...So.] It seemed like he was unable to believe what he just heard. [You¡¯re saying that you¡¯re going to...uh...do that...? Right now? With those two sisters? At the same time?] ...Yeah, pretty much... [...] ... He took a deep breath. [...You fucking trash heap of a human being...] ... I had nothing to say to that. Chapter 242: Midnight Secret Rendezvous (4) Chapter 242: Midnight Secret Rendezvous (4)Victoria Evatrice sunk her thoughts deep into her mind. This was one of the things she once learned in the past; If she found herself in a situation where she could get extremely angry, that meant it was the situation where she had to stay cool-headed the most. Even though the person who taught her that was smiling foolishly next to the person who angered her so much, she didn¡¯t care. ¡°...¡± Gripping the two daggers tightly in her hands, she took a deep breath. Then, she erased her emotions and raised the sensitivity of her senses to its fullest. All while keeping her head cool, just like a calm lake without a single ripple. With her sharpened mind, she fixed her gaze on her damn sister¡ªthe person that she said she would kill over and over again. But, her sister was currently... ¡°...Hehehehe.¡± ¡°...¡± ...Laughing like a lunatic in a dazed expression. It was as if she didn¡¯t seem to care about her at all. If someone who didn¡¯t know what happened were to see this, they¡¯d probably think that she was mocking her. Of course, that was also what Victoria felt after hearing her laugh. ...Is she looking down on me? A sudden anger immediately burst out from the depths of her stomach. Her sister had always been ahead of her ever since they were kids. Victoria knew this for sure, however... Seeing how her sister didn¡¯t even try to lift a finger, even when she had openly expressed her desire to kill her so many times, it was understandable that she couldn¡¯t help but burst out in anger. If Dowd were to hear this, he¡¯d explain that it wasn¡¯t like Seras was looking down on her and even if she were to stab her, she¡¯d probably still act like this, but unfortunately, he just had no time to explain that. ...After she abandoned me like that¡ª When that kind of thought came into her mind, cold sparks appeared in her eyes. The image of her past, of the time when she was crying while hugging a worn-out toy amidst the dead bodies hanging on countless poles, came rushing into her head. She remembered... The time when she endlessly.. Waiting for someone in that hell. -U-Unnie, w-when are you going to come...? As those memories about a certain someone came rushing in. ¡°...¡± The color that permeated Victoria¡¯s eyes turned even more murky. Grim emotions filled her hands, sticky like soot sticking on the floor. Hatred¡ªto the point where it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that her goal wasn¡¯t just to assassinate her sister, but to tear her to pieces¡ªenveloped both her hands. Grand Assassin was a title that was only given to those who had reached a level where they could end the lives of even the most powerful people on the continent¡ªthose who were at the Saint¡¯s level¡ªif they were to let their guards down. And now Victoria was showcasing a power that was worthy of that title. At that moment, her leg muscles tensed up. A strong power gathered there, creating the impression that she could just jump and cut Seras¡¯ carotid artery from where she was right now. And then... Right before she was about to do exactly that... Something strange suddenly came into her view. A Demonic Aura. Its color was white, with gray mixed in. As if it was a ¡®blend¡¯ of those two colors. ¡°...Huh?¡± Victoria herself didn¡¯t even know why she had made such a sound. It sounded as if she was in a daze. However, the next moment... ¡°...¡± The daggers that she was holding dropped to the ground. Then, she started to hyperventilate. She could hear the excitement and joy in her breathing, as if she was delighted by this outcome. ¡°...H-Huh?¡± ¡ñ < system="" message=""> [ Two Demonic Auras in the ¡®Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯ will be compounded! ] [ Compounding...] [ Success! ] [ ¡®Desire Impact¡¯ is released from the Seal! ] < side="" effect!=""> [ Different properties are given to the two different Demonic Auras due to the successful compounding! ] At that moment, it felt like my brain had just stopped working. Her appearance as she held my hand was so terrifying that I couldn¡¯t even think to take my hand off her. As I was stuck there, unable to do anything, Victoria stuck her little tongue out before applying her saliva on my hand, as if she was showing her willingness to obey my every word. Her eyes were still unfocused, but her gesture made it seem like she was trying to get sympathy out of me. With teary eyes, she licked my hand while panting. At this moment, when my brain stopped working after facing this mysterious situation... Another voice came from nearby. ¡°...E-Ehehe¡ª¡± ¡°...¡± Seras, looking as if she had completely lost her mind¡ªeven when compared to Victoria¡ªheld my other arm from behind. ¡°... You''re doing something that makes me feel good¡ª Senioooor¡ª¡± ¡°...¡± Did you drink some alcohol while I wasn¡¯t looking? For some reason, she exuded the same vibe as men who came to the bar everyday to drink bottles of alcohol. ¡°Me too, me tooooo~ hehe~¡± After she said that... She took my free hand... And put it in her mouth. Not long after that, she started sucking on it as if it was a candy. In summary... If Victoria was licking my hand carefully¡ªyet somehow looked sadly and almost erotic¡ªthis punk did it purely as her expression of her affection to me. You know, like a pet acting cute to its owner. The way they did this was different but I could tell that this punk was also committing herself to her ¡®instinctive needs¡¯. Not long after, only the smacking sound of water echoed in the room. The sisters were on their knees, next to each other, diligently sucking on my fingers. ¡°...¡± Seriously, what the hell is going on? Also, how long is this gonna last?! What if this leaves a negative impact on these two?! < system="" message=""> [ ¡®Desire Impact¡¯ lasts for about five minutes! ] [ The related effect would disappear without any side effects when the duration is over! ] As if responding to my questions, that window popped up before me, prompting me to sigh in relief. Good... This meant that there would be no negative impact on these punks and they would come back to their senses after a while. That was a relief. All I needed to do was to stand here and let them suck my hands until they came back to their senses. ¡°...¡± ...This was the first time I had ever been in this kind of weird situation, huh? You know, this still weirded me out a little, but... ...At least I could make it through this, I guess... Even though things turned in a weird direction, I prevented those two from killing each other. Which meant, I managed to accomplish my¡ª [Sure, brush it off like that, you perverted motherfucker.] ... [What? Wanna refute my words?] I¡¯m not going to, but...; Dude, I didn¡¯t even tell them to do this! Why are you acting like this is my fault?! Though, objectively speaking, it was really hard for me to refute his words, considering how I looked right now/ < system="" message=""> [ Target ¡®Red Devil¡¯s mood is getting worse rapidly.] [ Target ¡®Faenol Lipek¡¯s mood is getting worse rapidly. ] [ The Targets are also affected by your ¡®Desire Impact¡¯! ] [ Initiating efforts to implement what was planned in more detail! ] ¡°...¡± I didn¡¯t know what these windows were on about, but... What I knew was that there was no way this would be a good thing... Chapter 244: Really? Chapter 244: Really?¡°That aside, Dowd.¡± After hearing the shocking announcement that Sullivan had become the advisor for the Exorcism Club... Her Imperial Majesty the Empress¡¯ mood worsened rapidly, but of course, Sullivan didn¡¯t care about it and just continued on. ¡°U-Uh... You know...¡± ...For some reason, she was twisting her waist around, though. What the hell was she doing? The slight blush in her face and the way she repeatedly tried to clear her throat... I could take it as she was feeling embarrassed. Her Imperial Majesty the Empress made a face as if she had just seen a gruesome dead body of a cockroach that had imploded to death though... ¡°...That bet you are doing, you know, about how the members of the club can challenge you to a match...¡± ¡°Uh, yeah...?¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve become the club¡¯s advisor...¡± ¡°Uh-huh...?¡± As I replied to her anxiously, Sullivan continued while trying to read my expression. ¡°...Can I join?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If I win, I want to have you all to my¡ª¡± ¡°As if! Have some conscience¡ª!¡± Before I could say anything, an objection that was like a scream echoed inside the room. Cecil and Sulli. In other words, Her Imperial Majesty the Empress and the Chancellor. I knew that they were on bad terms, just like oil and water, but the atmosphere between them at the moment was beyond even that. But, even though they seemed like they could eat each other alive if left to their own devices, these two had a little more insidious relationship where they would mock each other with a smile on their faces. ¡°...That¡¯s a big talk for someone who was ready to manipulate the match in your favor, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Actually, why don¡¯t I become the judge for the match instead?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t think that¡¯s appropriate.¡± Her Imperial Majesty retorted with a smile. But even she couldn¡¯t hide the corner of her lips that were twitching subtly. ¡°After all, how could we let a woman who doesn¡¯t know her place like you¡ªwho, even though she¡¯s already so old, yet she still lusts over a younger man, be in charge of something so important? I know of your thief-like mindset, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so shameless.¡± After hearing that, Sullivan¡¯s forehead furrowed hard. She was still smiling though. ¡°Oh my, despite my age, I still think I¡¯ll live longer than a certain someone who doesn¡¯t know her place and has no conscience whatsoever. You know, the woman who¡¯s still trying to latch onto a man in his prime with a body that won¡¯t last for long. Also, in regard to the time I can spend by his side, I¡¯ll definitely win against you. And it won¡¯t even be close.¡± ¡°...Are you done?¡± ...Correction. These two had a relationship where they¡¯d pour out toxic words on each other while smiling. After that, a fierce exchange of words ensued between the two of them. ¡°You clingy bitch¡ª!¡± ¡°Are you really proud of all the fat inside your body, you old ass hag¡ª¡± ¡°...¡± Even though this was supposed to be a conversation between two stateswomen who practically ruled the Empire, all the grace, semblance of intelligence and even human¡¯s dignity were thrown away into the gutter. Listening to them drained my energy as well, so I decided to just close my eyes and let their conversation go in one ear and out the other. I¡¯m a tree... I¡¯m a wind... I¡¯m a lake... ¡°...You damn brat...¡± ¡°...How could you still have such a disgusting mindset at that age...¡± After a while, they seemed to have poured all emotions they had to let out as at this point, they were only glaring at each other while breathing heavily. And while they were doing that, I just calmly drank my tea with a detached expression. Well, now that both of them seemed to have calmed down, I guess I could speak out now. Actually, whatever was going on in this room, it really didn¡¯t matter. Because there was one thing that took precedence over everything else. ¡°...By the way.¡± I called out to both of them. Almost instantly, they fixed their gazes on me. ¡°Who¡¯s running the Empire at the moment...?¡± Both the Empress and Chancellor were here, so who the hell was in charge of the country¡¯s administrative work? Also, was it okay for people of their level to pull off such ridiculous antics just because of me? My question was filled with these kinds of implications¡ªwhich they should be able to tell¡ªbut they only shrugged it off. ¡°Radu is doing his best.¡± ¡°I just assigned a substitute to do my work.¡± ¡°...But, isn¡¯t something like that is only used in an emergency¡ª¡± Before I could finish my words, I ended up clenching my mouth shut. Because these two glared at me, as if saying ¡®This IS an emergency situation¡¯. ¡°...¡± What the fuck did they think my club was? Why did they even do this...? I just established it because of the school regulations... [Dowd, think about it.] ¡°...I¡¯m serious. Um, that is part of the reason, but it¡¯s not the entire reason!¡± After facing my doubtful gaze, Sullivan cleared her throat before replying. I guess it was safe to assume that me establishing a club was half of the reason why they were here. Anyway... Sullivan continued her explanation. ¡°...Even after putting your ¡®Devil-related power¡¯ that could even draw the Magic Tower¡¯s attention aside, you¡¯re still in an important position, Dowd.¡± ¡°An important position...? Me...?¡± ¡°People with good eyes and ears are everywhere. Just look around you. Elfante has tried so hard to suppress all the information about you, but you¡¯re already quite popular.¡± ¡°...¡± She had a point. They really did try to suppress most of the incidents I was involved with, but due to the scale of them, it was simply impossible to cover up everything. ¡°You are someone who¡¯s acquaintanced with the Tribal Alliance¡¯s Chieftain, the only outsider who had entered the Imperial Palace, someone who could hang out in Tristan Duchy as if you¡¯re at home, the best friend of the current Hero and someone who¡¯s able to maintain friendship with most Devil¡¯s Vessels¡ªthe most dangerous beings in the continent.¡± Sullivan listed those things one by one before letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Just think about it, such a person is creating a ¡®force¡¯ by gathering all his acquaintances. It¡¯s hard to consider your club as a simple club at this point.¡± ¡°What does that even¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re aware of it or not, but each of the people you are gathering in your club is able to start a war of conquest against some small nations. There¡¯s even a high chance that they¡¯d win against them.¡± Hearing her words, I suddenly felt suffocated. I understood what she was trying to imply. ¡°...Such people are ¡®grouping up¡¯ together, even if it¡¯s not your intention to, there bound to be people who¡¯d misunderstand you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You¡¯re creating a new party, Dowd Campbell¡¯s party, a party that is more than likely to shake the ¡®continent¡¯ itself. There are plenty of people who have already started to make that kind of connection, you know?¡± ...Was that why there was such a huge crowd when we started the club¡¯s application? I thought it was because of Iliya¡¯s and my popularity... ¡°Not only that, your party has met enough conditions for all those people to think that you¡¯re going to take the ¡®next step¡¯.¡± Sullivan continued while spinning a pen in her hand. ¡°To become a ¡®King¡¯. You have the perfect environment for it, as long as you could meet the rest of the conditions.¡± ¡°...¡± At that, my head went blank. ¡°Two Major Nobles with the highest authority in the Empire are sponsoring you. Not only that, it¡¯s already an open secret that you have a close relationship with the Tristan Duchal House since everyone had seen you dance with Lady Tristan at the Social Gathering back at the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You only need to get married with Lady Tristan to gain ¡®authority¡¯, now, combine that with the ¡®capable personnels¡¯ you¡¯ve gathered, it doesn¡¯t take a genius to tell that you¡¯ll have enough power to become independent and create a whole new ¡®principality¡¯.¡± ¡°...Those busybodies and opportunists who consider themselves smart would think that you¡¯d definitely do it. Since that¡¯s the only thing they could see from the outside after considering the power level of your force.¡± As I stayed silent, unable to say anything, Her Majesty the Empress expressed her agreement with a snort. ¡°But, you need to keep this in mind...¡± Sullivan opened her mouth again, there was a slight frown on her brows this time. ¡°While there are many who are trying to build connections with you, there are also many who¡¯d be wary of you in the Empire.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t your fault for gathering such people and establishing a club on your own, only crazy idiots would think that, but... It still won¡¯t change the fact that there are a lot of things going on...¡± Sullivan swept her hair before continuing. ¡°The Upper Nobles Association, Her Imperial Majesty¡¯s subordinates, the nobles on my side... There¡¯s a strong friction among us, that¡¯s for sure, but you see, we could at least coexist with each other before all this. And now, the hostility among us is slowly resurfacing. I¡¯m not blaming you, but, your existence is like a hot potato that accidentally lit up a fuse...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...While her Imperial Majesty probably came here half jokingly, I came here for a good reason. We don¡¯t know who would try to play tricks on you and how they¡¯d do it.¡± But, the number one person you need to look out for is definitely Count Nicholas. She added as such, but by that point, I was already in a daze. As I kept listening to her, I finally understood... < system="" log=""> [ How the upcoming Main Quest - Chapter 5, ¡®The Empire¡¯s Great Turmoil¡¯ will progress depends on how you run the Club! ] ...I finally knew the reason why such a message popped up before my eyes. ...Caliban. [I''m all ears.] Caliban replied in a rather unfriendly tone, but I still continued in a daze. ...They tried to tone it down by a lot, but... [Mhm?] They... I continued with a dumbfounded tone. ...They are trying to say that a war could happen just because I established the club? [Mhm.] Because some fucker misunderstood my intentions? [That sounds about right.] ... Seriously? Fuck. Chapter 245: Blue Flavor (1) Chapter 245: Blue Flavor (1)Iliya¡¯s daily routine was quite simple. Everyday after class, she¡¯d come to the ¡®club room¡¯ to organize all the stuff inside. Well, that was really just what she ended up doing. What she actually tried to do was to set up the club atmosphere so she could be all lovey-dovey with Dowd behind the others'' backs. Though lately, she felt that what she could do was more restricted than usual since others would also stop by the club room after realizing what she was doing, but at the very least, the place was still under her control. Ever since she was officially appointed as the Hero, the other women wouldn¡¯t just blindly rush at her like they did before. Well, save for one person. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± An awkward silence enveloped Eleanor and Iliya, who had come across each other by accident. Both of them were well aware that they had nothing good to say to each other. But, both of them also felt that it was inappropriate to just start growling at each other in public for no reason at all. They had bad blood between them, that was for sure, but... The problem here was once they fought, the fight would turn into something big and spiral out of control. In summary, they had a lot of ¡®unresolved¡¯ things between them. That was why whenever they came across each other out in the open like this, they¡¯d try their best to maintain a friendly attitude to each other, at least only outwardly. They had been maintaining this kind of status quo even after Iliya went out of her way to come strong at Eleanor back in the Tristan Duchy. ¡°...Hello.¡± That was probably why Iliya greeted the other person first, even though it was clear that she was feeling awkward over it. Hearing her greeting, Eleanor just nodded expressionlessly. ¡°I have thrown away all the strange things in the drawer.¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya¡¯s face twitched intensely. Then again, anyone would show a similar reaction if someone were to respond to their greeting in that way instead of returning the greeting back. ¡°...You scoured through the room?¡± To that question, Eleanor only nodded expressionlessly. ¡°This place is where Dowd is going to stop by, is it not?¡± With a flat tone, she continued. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s only a given that I¡¯d inspect the place thoroughly.¡± Her tone suggested what she had done was something so natural and obvious. As if there was nothing in the world that could interact with him before going through her first. ...Self-righteous bitch... Her attitude that made it seem as if that man was hers and hers alone had risen up from merely unpleasant to downright irritating to Iliya. Ugh... This is why I can''t get along with her. Iliya thought so while holding her forehead that was beginning to throb. ¡°...What were you even thinking? You have no right to touch someone else¡¯s belongings like¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, Hero.¡± Eleanor called out to her, wearing a dumbfounded face after hearing Iliya¡¯s grumbling. She made such a face, as if suggesting that Iliya was going too far. ¡°You seem to keep on forgetting it, but I am the Student Council President. Keeping everything within the school¡¯s regulations and moral standards is part of my duty.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Now put a hand on your chest and tell me. Are those items that I put away really appropriate to be brought into the Academy?¡± ¡°...¡± Using politics to argue, that¡¯s just cheap... Since she felt like she¡¯d lose if she were to stay silent, Iliya muttered a rebellious reply. ¡°...Those are contraceptive devices at best. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s illegal for me to buy those.¡± ¡°...Think carefully about what you have just said.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Though, from the situation, it seemed that it would be better if she were to back off here. Even Margrave Kendride said that running away from a battle one couldn¡¯t win was not something to be ashamed of, after all. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t just give up so willingly, so she let out another grumble at the end. ¡°...Are you trying to brag that you¡¯ve done it with him or something...?¡± It was something that could lead into another verbal fight, but the reaction that Eleanor gave her was a little far from that. Let alone getting angry or annoyed... She only asked Iliya back with widened eyes, as if she did not know what Iliya was talking about. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What?¡± As I stared at such a window, I stroked my chin. It listed the Devil¡¯s Auras that had been stored in the Fallen¡¯s Seals as I¡¯ve come into contact with each of them. ...There aren¡¯t much more Auras stored except for the Purple¡¯s though... White¡¯s and Gray¡¯s especially, were completely empty because I had used up a lot of their Auras during that whole thing with Victoria a while ago. ¡°...¡± Also... There was quite a high chance that this would turn into a problem later on. ¡°Caliban.¡± I called out while turning my head towards the big calendar on the wall. There were only a few days left before the School Festival started. [Hm?] ¡°...Do you think I could go against all of them in these few days? We don¡¯t have much time left...¡± [Hmm... So, the reason why you said you¡¯d let them have matches with you was to collect Demonic Aura of each color in that Seal, right?] Yeah. The more intense the contact I had with the Devils and the more I could move their emotions, the more of their Aura that I could absorb. I thought a ¡®match¡¯ with them was the most suitable thing to bait out such an interaction. I assumed that something was going to happen at the upcoming School Festival, so this was my way of preparing myself for it. The information that I got from the Chancellor and Her Imperial Majesty earlier made me realize that things were more urgent than I previously thought. [...Because there are a lot of people who¡¯d pick a fight with you?] "And among them, there¡¯s that one guy they mentioned.¡± Count Nicholas a.k.a Slaughterer. As long as Seras and Victoria were by my side, we were bound to go against each other one day. Since both the Chancellor and Her Imperial Majesty had even personally warned me about him, there was a good chance that he¡¯d pick a ¡®fight¡¯ with me even before the School Festival started. That was why I decided to raise my specs as soon as possible in case that happened, but... ¡°...At this rate, I¡¯ll really run out of time...¡± Except for Victoria¡ªwho immediately came at me without a second thought¡ªI barely even saw the others around. Her Imperial Majesty the Empress tried to challenge me, but due to the circumstances back then, nothing ended up happening in the end. [...Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s because you¡¯re their opponent? All of them must be thinking that they can¡¯t come up with an ordinary method against you. They¡¯ll only challenge you after they¡¯re fully prepared.] ¡°And that won¡¯t do because, like I said, we¡¯re running out of time.¡± I¡¯d rather them challenge me to a match that we could finish quickly, even if the match was something absurd. As I was thinking so while sighing... ¡°Hey.¡± My worry was wiped off much faster than I thought. I looked at the person who called out to me. ¡°Uh, Riru?¡± I hadn¡¯t seen her for a while, so I tilted my head in confusion. ¡°...What¡¯s with that appearance of yours?¡± I wasn¡¯t trying to say a lame joke or anything. She really didn¡¯t seem to be in a normal condition. Even though she always gave off the impression of being strong and athletic, this woman always dressed up neatly. But, her brown skin that used to look so healthy and glossy now had turned dull. Her hair was also in a complete mess, as if she had been suffering on her own in these past few days. She calmly answered my question. ¡°...I trained hard.¡± ¡°Trained...?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out what kind of training it was. Also, regarding that, there¡¯s something I need to say.¡± Instead of answering my question, she changed the topic with a shrug of her shoulders. ¡°I''ve been looking for you.¡± ¡°Something to say? Then why don¡¯t we move¡ª¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m going to tell you right here and now. I¡¯ve been pondering about this for a few days. If I don¡¯t say what I have in mind right away, I have a feeling that I will just chicken out.¡± ¡°...¡± With how serious she looked, my expression turned serious as well. What is this about? Why is she like this? ¡°...Alright. I¡¯m listen¡ª¡± ¡°Let''s fight.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If I win, I¡¯m going to fuck you.¡± ¡°...¡± Look at this alpha female over here... Chapter 246: Blue Flavor (2) Chapter 246: Blue Flavor (2)Despite the calm atmosphere that their title gave off, many generations of Elfante¡¯s Student Council Secretary were actually among the most combative students of their years. It wasn¡¯t a strange thing, of course, since they were in a position to oversee all student-related matters in Elfante, where all kinds of Major Nobles frequently went in and out. Whether they liked it or not, being involved with such people for too long would make anyone grow bolder and more strong-minded. But, even with that in mind, the current secretary, Beatrix, still found it difficult to deal with the person in front of her. ¡°...Welcome to Elfante, Count Nicholas.¡± She said as a perfectly soft smile hung on her face. Though, her smile only made the situation feel more bizarre, especially considering the reputation of the person in front of her. The Slaughterer. He was none other than the one person who had the highest kill count in the Empire. And also the person who had played the biggest role in wiping off the Cardinal Humans from the country. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to make sure you won¡¯t feel uncomfortable while staying here¡ª¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Dowd Campbell?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing his words, Beatrix almost lost her smile, but she managed to maintain her expression before replying. ¡°... With all due respect, Count, disclosing information about any students is against the school regulations.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± To that, Count Nicholas tilted his head expressionlessly. ¡°That sure is strange, though. When I asked the faculty, they told me to ask you guys, the Student Council.¡± Beatrix cursed inwardly. Read the room already...! What the faculty said practically meant a refusal. The Headmistress sending him to the Student Council meant that she wanted the Student Council to kick him out for her since she found him too much of a hassle for her to deal with. ¡°...They probably did it because we have the authority to, but we¡¯re very sorry to say that it¡¯s not quite possible to accept your request.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± He continued in a calm tone. ¡°Alright. It can¡¯t be helped then.¡± For a moment there, it seemed as if he got the note and was backing off, but the sudden ominous sensation running down her spine made Beatrix thought otherwise. And what Nicholas said next pretty much explained why she felt such a sensation. ¡°I¡¯ll look for him myself and contact him with my authority as a member of the Upper Nobles Association, since Elfante doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention to cooperate with me.¡± ¡°...¡± Practically, what he said was, even if Elfante tried to hide that student from him... He didn¡¯t give a shit and he¡¯d find him himself, forcefully if needed to, since that was what he wanted. ...This crazy bastard...! Beatrix thought so while holding her head. The surge of headache that struck her was too much for her to handle calmly. ¡°...Count.¡± She continued in a slightly lower voice than before. ¡°Elfante is an Imperial Academy and it¡¯s under Headmistress Atalante¡¯s protection.¡± But, Count Nicholas only tilted his head expressionlessly at her words. ¡°So?¡± ¡°...¡± This bastard... He understood everything and yet...! Beatrix ground her teeth. This wasn¡¯t something appropriate for her to say as a student, but she had no other choice left. ¡°...If you do something that violates the school regulations, we would have no choice but to impose sanctions on you.¡± She went out of her way to not only bring the Headmistress¡¯, but even the Empress¡¯ authority. But, he still spouted out his reply without an ounce of hesitation. ¡°Sounds good.¡± He even wore something that looked like a smile on his face as he said so. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Try to stop me if you can. I¡¯m also curious how far you guys can go.¡± As Beatrix¡¯s mind went blank the moment she heard that, he continued. ¡°Nevertheless, I have to see that man. I don¡¯t care what you guys have to say about it.¡± After that, Count Nicholas immediately left the Student Council Room. His steps as he walked away looked so cheerful that even the other Student Council members¡ªwho had been watching the conversation with nervous expressions¡ªwent blank, just like Beatrix. ¡°...S-Senior...¡± A good while after Count Nicholas left... One of the juniors¡ªwho barely managed to come back to their senses¡ªasked in a trembling voice. ¡°D-Did that person really say that he¡¯d rather pick a fight with Her Imperial Majesty and the Headmistress than be unable to see that Dowd person...? ¡°...¡± You don¡¯t need to say those out loud to me... This is already giving me a headache... ¡ñ Alright, let¡¯s throw this obvious fact out of the way first and foremost. Riru wasn¡¯t an easy opponent, never had, never will. The ¡®Entrance to the Spirit Realm¡¯ event, which was the closest thing to her final power boost, hadn¡¯t occurred yet, but even so, seeing her current state, it was clear that she was an extremely strong opponent for me. Her Fighting Arts alone had reached a master level, and then there was also her Law Power, the Blue Devil¡¯s Authority ¡®Pulverization¡¯, and her abilities to see through the future¡ªthough still imperfect¡ªall of those were enough to make anyone had troubles going against her. While my stats were good enough for a fight, against her, I¡¯d actually end up dying if I were to let my guard down. Voices filled with their owners¡¯ dejection and shock spread around the air. That exchange lasted for a second. It was pretty much a warm up for both of us. But that was enough to wreck our surroundings. ¡°...Are they really students...?¡± ¡°...Life is just unfair...¡± ¡°What have we been doing all these for...? ¡°...¡± Somehow, we also caused a side effect; Discouraging all the students around us who had been training hard to better themselves. I could understand their feelings. It was like this in the game as well. Fights between the superhumans in Savior Rising were similar to the fights in those martial arts books¡ªthey happened in less than a second. Of course we weren¡¯t on the level of those monsters bearing the Saint titles, but both Riru¡ªwho was talented to begin with¡ªand me¡ªthe guy who facerolled everything¡ªcould at least mimic those Saints. Though, the one who created such a scene clearly looked displeased as she swept her hair back. ¡°...You.¡± Riru called out to me while narrowing her eyes. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you attacking me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You¡¯ve only been parrying my moves. Our relationship aside, this is still a spar. I¡¯m not going to go easy on you if you think that we¡¯re just playing around here.¡± ¡°...¡± Instead of replying to her, I told myself... ...I don¡¯t want to hurt you... Of course, I didn¡¯t say it out loud, I just smiled bitterly instead. Because, knowing her and her hot-tempered personality, who knows what she¡¯d do if I were to actually say that. ¡°...Hhmm.¡± Upon seeing me just standing there without saying anything, Riru narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you trying to say that this much is nothing to you?¡± As she said such words... A blue aura emerged from her body. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll take you on for real this time.¡± TITLE [ A moment of danger has been detected. ] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX class. ] ¡°...!¡± W-Wait¡ª! This crazy bitch...! ¡°W-Wait, wait a moment...!¡± I said, breaking out in a cold sweat. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You said it, no? This is a spar! If you use an ability that could crush anything just by making contact with it¡ª!¡± ¡°I¡¯m using this because I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to defeat you without it.¡± ¡°...But, why are you going so far...?¡± This is just a spar, isn¡¯t it a little strange to go that far? That was what I was trying to imply with that question. ¡°...¡± She went silent for a moment. Then, she took a deep breath, looking as if she was struggling to say her next words. ¡°...Riru?¡± ¡°I...¡± When I carefully called out to her, her face blushed instantly. There was a hint of shame, shyness and determination in her voice¡ªas if there was no turning back from this moment onward for her¡ªas she screamed out her reply to me. ¡°I-I want to have a sex with you too...!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°A-All the other punks keep on overtaking me...! I¡¯m doing this because I also want to get hot and sweaty with you! Is that wrong, huh?! Do you have any complaints?!¡± ¡°...¡± Oh my God. Did she really just say all that in front of all these people...? There were actually some people in the spectator seat who were dumbstruck by her words just now. ¡°...What the heck is the relationship between those two?¡± ¡°As expected of Elfante¡¯s best casanova, the legendary trash, the greatest playboy of all time...¡± ¡°...¡± Somehow, I could hear some weird titles being thrown at, though... [Dude, just let her fuck you already.] ¡°...¡± [Just look at how desperate she is. Stop being petty, it isn¡¯t like she¡¯s going to milk you out or anything anyway...] I swear, one day I¡¯m going to kill you, you fuck¡ª! Just wait, I¡¯ll find a way to revive you and turn you into a ghost again! Just you wait...! Chapter 247: Blue Flavor (3) Chapter 247: Blue Flavor (3)Alright, let¡¯s take a look at the positives first! The reason why I started this whole match thing was to charge all the Devils¡¯ Demonic Auras into the Seal. With that in mind, it was a good thing that Riru was charging towards me with her Demonic Aura wrapped around her like, since the Seal would be charged with that Aura in real time while our fight was going on. That being said, the negatives still existed... ¡°Still, you don¡¯t need to go this far, no?!¡± ...I might actually die if something went wrong here. My whole body went weak as I barely managed to avoid the hook that she fiercely threw into my side by a hairbreadth. The Blue Devil¡¯s Authority, ¡®Pulverization¡¯ would allow her to crush her opponent even with the slightest touch. I had the King of Pandemonium to resist it, but that was probably why she had been attacking me wildly without an ounce of hesitation. But, I could still get quite hurt and turn into a mess if she got to touch me for real! Hearing what I said, Riru replied quietly. ¡°Hey.¡± Meanwhile, her chain of strikes were still going on like a storm. ...Her dead-looking eyes only amplified the terrifying atmosphere she exuded. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You patted that punk called Seras'' head before, no?¡± ¡°...Um, yeah?¡± ¡°The moment you did, she immediately lost her mind, she rolled on her back as if she was your pet, as if she could give you her everything.¡± ¡°...¡± That was what we demonstrated in front of Professor Walter, yeah... But why was she suddenly talking about that? ¡°Also, I heard you¡¯ve been kissing that Faenol or whatever the name of that punk was?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Your face seems like you¡¯re wondering how I knew this. Well, it¡¯s because she kept bragging about it at every chance she had!¡± Faenol...! Trust is really the mother of deceit...! What the hell has she been doing behind my back...?! ¡°And, what''s worse...¡± Riru went on. Now, not only did her eyes look dead, they also exuded a terrifying coldness. ¡°The things that you did to the Saintess and her sister, what were they again, can you tell me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if you can¡¯t, this punk sticking on my back already¡ª¡± ¡°...Please ignore that, I beg you.¡± Stop it...! I beg you...! My reputation would fall to the point of no return if you were to mention that here...! ¡°...Whoa...¡± ¡°Seriously, whoa...¡± The students who heard everything from the spectator seat already started to look at me as if I wasn¡¯t a simple trash, but something awfully lower than that. Seriously, why is she acting like this so suddenly...?! ¡°But, the problem here is that...¡± As I was drowning in my agony, Riru continued, her gaze was still cold. ¡°All of the other punks have at least one thing like that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Except me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m the only one... Who hasn''t done anything hot and passionate like that with you...!¡± ¡°...¡± No, wait... Are you trying to tell me that you¡¯re jealous over how I put another punk on a leash and walked her? Or how that one punk threw herself willingly at me while disgracing herself in front of the other people? ¡°I don¡¯t care about the details, I just want you to do something to me. Anything.¡± ¡°...¡± Riru... Girl, please, what the hell are you on about? ¡°-W-Wait, Riru! Calm down¡ª¡± ¡°Do you think I can just calm down?! Do you know how miserable it feels to only get to do something hot and sticky with you only in my dreams every day?!¡± ¡°...¡± What? She dreamed of doing something like that every day?! Also, why the hell did she say all that in front of all these people?! What¡¯s wrong with her head?! I knew I couldn¡¯t say those words out loud, though. Because her attacks only got stronger the more she talked. ¡°That¡¯s why, don¡¯t say those kinds of things! Because I¡¯m desperate¡ª!¡± No need to say that out loud, I could tell...! At this point, her movement had grown significantly faster compared to her ¡®warm-up¡¯ earlier. -! -!! -!!!! Some people in the spectator seat turned pale because the aftershock of the collision reached where they were. My bones trembled everytime we exchanged our moves. Actually, it felt like my bones weren¡¯t the thing that was trembling, but the whole building itself. However... ...I can still stand this much. While her attacks were fierce, I could somehow parry them all. At this rate, I should be able to achieve my goal; To get her tired so that she could stop this whole thing herself. [...Sorry to interrupt you, but do you have a specific reason for doing that?] What? Only because I had seen it once before. Kasa Garda. The Tribal Alliance¡¯s Chieftain, the Fist Saint. She had shown me something similar before. Back then, she obstructed the state of the world itself with only her fist and Law Power. If Kasa¡¯s fist was refined, polished, and sublime... Riru¡¯s was way more violent and simple. But, its ¡®destructive power¡¯ could match Kasa¡¯s. ...Did she use the Demonic Aura to make up for the parts where she was lacking? This was a matter of course, but... She used the Demonic Aura, which only she could use, at the right time and somehow ¡®imitated¡¯ Kasa¡¯s technique. And she did that on her own. ¡°...I got to learn something from that. You¡¯re amazing, Riru.¡± It never crossed my mind to ¡®combine¡¯ Auras with other kinds of power like that. As someone who was trying hard to increase my strength, this was huge. Hell, this was easily in the realm of enlightenment. Basically, I got a new weapon thanks to her. The fact that you could mix the Demonic Aura with another Aura meant that the power I could use, as someone who could ¡®collect¡¯ all Demonic Auras, was limitless. ¡°...Let¡¯s skip the smooth talk. Ugh... Even so, I still can¡¯t win against you...¡± ¡°You were the one who held back at the end, though?¡± Yeah... If she didn¡¯t do that, I would¡¯ve actually eaten that blow even though I had deployed all the defensive measures I could take out. While I wouldn¡¯t have died, I¡¯d definitely get hurt from that. ¡°Idiot.¡± Hearing my words, Riru answered with a grin. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d really hurt you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m also like you. I don¡¯t want to hurt you because you¡¯re precious to me.¡± ¡°...¡± I didn''t know how to respond, so I just kept my mouth shut. It felt as if my chest was stabbed. My head ached even more than her terrifying strike earlier. ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t come to win. I have no regrets.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I came here knowing that I¡¯d lose, you dummy.¡± She said as such as she showed a painfully clear smile on her face. So clear that it suffocated me. ¡°...I noticed you strangely seem rushed, as if you¡¯re being chased by something.¡± ¡°...¡± ...Yeah, I was... There was the thing with Count Nicholas and the Gray Devil telling me to get stronger... I¡¯ve been trying to adhere to a really tight schedule because something would definitely happen in the future. But, I made sure that I didn¡¯t tell or show anyone about this. How did she find out? ¡°Well, uhm, you know...¡± She continued while scratching her head, with a blushing face. ¡°...I-I just wanted to tell you that... U-Um... Y-You don¡¯t need to do everything yourself, b-because I also worked hard... I-I can support you...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°B-Because you are... U-Um...¡± Her stammer continued and slowly became a mumble. ¡°The p-person I l-li...I-I mean, you know, uh, someone I really li...¡± ¡°...Yeah?¡± ¡°...N-Never mind! What, do you have anything to complain?!¡± Though in the end, she just yelled at me out of embarrassment. I couldn¡¯t say anything either this time. Nor could I brush it off playfully like what I¡¯ve always done. Because she had conveyed her feelings through her desperation. As I could only stand there, awkwardly scratching my cheek, a voice was heard from the Soul Linker. [Did you see that, Boy King? This bastard is all shy now...!] [Oh wow, does that mean there is a little bit of humanity in him...?! That¡¯s surprising...] [Right?! He hasn¡¯t completely lost it yet! He¡¯s still a human somehow, at least he could feel shy after receiving someone else¡¯s kindness...!] ¡°...¡± Must be fun teasing me like that, huh? You fuck¡ª As I thought so while glaring at the Soul Linker. Suddenly... A window that I hadn''t seen for a long time popped up before my eyes. < system="" message=""> [ Skill: Fatal Charm has been activated! ] [ A villain is greatly interested in you! ] [ Target ¡®Nicholas Alte Grayber¡¯ just watched the spar! ] [ The favorability level has been upgraded to ¡®Interest Level 1¡¯! ] [ Rewards are added to the Gift tab! ] [ Target-related event will occur soon! ] ¡°...¡± ...I knew it. It seemed like the person I didn¡¯t want to meet the most had seen through the whole thing. Chapter 248: Nicholas (1) Chapter 248: Nicholas (1) < skill="" info=""> [ Fallen¡¯s Seal: Transformation ] [ . . . Currently stored Devil¡¯s Aura Purple Devil ( 95% ) Brown Devil ( 5% ) Blue Devil ( 100% ) Red Devil ( 5% ) White Devil ( 0% ) C??????????3?4??????????????e????3?4??????i??????????????????????? ?????????????¡ã???????????????3??????????????????????? ( 0% ) . . . ] ¡°...Hm.¡± Nice. At the very least, I got Blue Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura full thanks to the spar with Riru. This basically meant I got what I wanted, pretty much. My goal was to at least fill up four Demonic Auras since that should be the minimum condition for me to be able to deal with any situation rather safely. [You¡¯re halfway there then? You should get enough from those Cardinal Humans sisters, no?] ¡°...It¡¯s a little bit different with them...¡± I replied while looking at the 95% number attached to Purple Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura¡¯s gauge. You see, I could only use the Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura if that number reached 100%. That had always been the case, or at least, I had never experienced otherwise ever since the explanation about the Seal was partially disclosed to me. Though, I didn¡¯t know why this one stopped at 5%... < tip!=""> [ The higher the Devil¡¯s Vessel''s favorability level towards you, the easier it is to collect Demonic Aura! ] [ Low favorability level will spawn some difficulties in the collection process! ] As I was questioning that, such a window popped up, making me narrow my eyes. Was this why it only capped at 95%? ...Which means, the problem isn¡¯t with Seras. It was because Victoria¡¯s favorability level towards me was low... [So, have you found the problem?] ¡°...I think it¡¯s because Victoria doesn¡¯t like me very much.¡± [Seduce her, then.] ¡°...¡± [She¡¯s a woman and she¡¯s a Devil¡¯s Vessel. All you need to do is just to go for it.] This guy talked about getting someone to deeply love me was something as easy as breathing... [So, can you do it or not?] ¡°...Of course...¡± [...] ¡°I mean, it isn¡¯t difficult, it¡¯s just... She doesn¡¯t even want to show up in my presence lately, you know...?¡± Ever since the time when she ended up sucking my finger, she always ran away every time it seemed like she¡¯d run into me. If I wanted to get along with her, I had to meet her first, of course, but... ¡°Ah.¡± As I was deep in thoughts like that, suddenly... A very unpleasant voice entered my ears. ¡°Found you.¡± An innocent sounding voice. I¡¯d believe it if someone who didn¡¯t know him would perceive him as someone naive. However, someone with a better perception would definitely feel an ominous feeling creeping up their skin at the unknown ¡®twistedness¡¯ beneath his voice. When I turned my head around,someone with droopy eyes¡ªwhich made him look as if he was a little sleepy, was approaching me with slow steps, befitting his voice. His hair was black, his eyes red, add those to his pretty face, anyone would mistake him for a young noble. ¡°I''m Count Nicholas. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°...¡± This wasn¡¯t the first time someone approached me in this way. Marquis Riverback back in Chapter 1 had done the same. He tried to trap me by acting like he coincidentally ran into me. This fucker was similar to him. He didn¡¯t lose out to him when it came to the danger level he brought. They both also threw themselves at me even though I didn¡¯t want to meet them at all. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you. The Academy has been hindering me, so I¡¯ve had quite a hard time.¡± But, the difference here was... Compared to Marquis Riverback who was hiding his insidious intentions, this fucker wasn¡¯t the type to do so. Instead, he¡¯d shamelessly show it around like this. ¡°Let''s talk, Dowd Campbell.¡± Seeing how he said that while yawning, he didn¡¯t seem to expect me to say no at all. To be exact, rather than not expecting me to say no, he was prepared to drag me by ¡®force¡¯. ¡°I have a tempting offer for you.¡± ¡°...¡± This part wasn¡¯t a trap, I could tell this much. He wasn¡¯t the type to be up to something like that in the first place. However... Because his expression suggested that it was a ¡®natural thing to do¡¯. It was obvious that he had never even thought of whether this was good or bad. ¡®The Cardinal Humans are not humans¡¯. ¡®They''re almost like pests, like cockroaches or mosquitos¡¯. ¡®So, ¡®exterminating¡¯ them is a natural thing to do¡¯. That was his logic. [...This bastard, what the fuck is he on about?] Caliban said so in a dark voice from inside the Soul Linker. This was the first time I¡¯ve ever heard him talking in this kind of tone. ¡®Killing intent¡¯ that could make my spine tense up was condensed in his voice. Back when he met the Red Devil, he hadn¡¯t even exuded such a terrifying vibe. [That''s the reason he killed them all? For that absurd reason?] Of course, this fucker in front of me couldn¡¯t feel what I felt. So, he went on and said something that made me blind with rage just from hearing it. ¡°It''s my mission to exterminate all of those pests so that they won''t end up harming the Empire. The reason why I came to you and asked you is because I believe you¡¯d understand how honorable this work is.¡± ¡°...¡± If I were to think cool-headedly, The best course of action for me was to control my temper here. ¡°You don''t have to worry. If they''re not Cardinal Humans, I¡¯ll send them back to you immediately.¡± ¡°...And what if they are?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to execute them after torturing them in all possible ways. I¡¯ll make them suffer the most pain a being could suffer from as a payback for them daring to deceive you, an honorable Imperial citizen. You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°...¡± Controlling my temper here as the best course of action... ¡°Especially these... Two things...¡± As I thought so while looking at Nicholas, he swept his forehead with an expression as if thinking about them had irritated him enough. I knew I shouldn¡¯t cause trouble here, but... ¡°During the extermination, their parents were the strongest Cardinal Humans I had ever met. When I asked them where they hid their children¡ªwhile mashing each of their limbs, of course, they refused to answer me until the end.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I had set the whole village on fire and killed every single one of these pests regardless of gender and age, but I missed these two things. Guess that wasn¡¯t my lucky day, huh?¡± The way he said those words was as if he was complaining about having a breakfast that he disliked. ¡°Since they were both children at the time, I figured using the dead bodies of their parents as bait would work, so I hung up their heads in the square, but those things weren¡¯t fooled by that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Usually, young Cardinal Humans would run out crying, crying out mom, dad, and whatever, you know? I¡¯ve caught and killed plenty of them by doing that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But I guess children of the strong ones are different. Their survival skill is rather tenacious. Crazy, isn¡¯t it?¡± This fucker was the person with the highest authority in the Upper Nobles Association, just below Marquis Bogut and his secretary, Count Ravel. Since I was related to both the Empress and the Chancellor, the moment I messed with him, it would turn into a huge incident that would lead straight to a civil war. There was also a high chance that the main villain in the next main scenario was this punk. Coming at him right now would only raise the probability of everything going in a bad direction, unlike when it was with the Pope. The best thing for me to do was to wait for a bit and make sure that I was prepared enough to mash this punk. That time would surely come. ¡°...¡± That would be the best thing for me to do... I fucking knew that, but... Caliban. [... Yeah.] Caliban replied in a voice that sounded as if he was laughing. Right... I guess since he had known me for so long, we were on the same wavelength. [We¡¯ll be calling them then?] Yes, please. As we were having such a conversation, Count Nicholas rolled the facial composites he was holding out to me and put it back into his inner chest pocket. Even after that, he still spewed out his insane ramblings. ¡°Too bad that you don¡¯t know them. Those things are so persistent, I need to catch them as soon as¡ª¡± ¡°Count Nicholas, I''m sorry to interrupt you.¡± I said while grinning. ¡°But would you shut up?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, he instantly shut his mouth. It felt as if his blank expression had turned even more blank. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just...¡± I replied, throwing an even wider grin at him. And then... The Seal on my chest shone in deep blue. < system="" message=""> [ Using ¡®Blue Devil''s Demonic Aura! ] [ Copying Target¡¯s Authority, ¡®Pulverization¡¯! ] ¡°I don¡¯t even want to hear your last words.¡± The next moment... My fist, wrapped in Blue Demonic Aura, hit Count Nicholas straight in his face. Chapter 249: Nicholas (2) Chapter 249: Nicholas (2)There was one thing that I found out when I was out experimenting this and that. The fact that Caliban¡¯s speed was much faster than I originally thought. He was so fast to the point that he had already ¡®summoned¡¯ them and returned here right before my fist reached Nicholas¡¯ head and made it explode. We concluded that it was probably the case because he was a ghost, which meant he wasn¡¯t quite affected by the principles of the Material Realm. [ ¡®Skill: Swordsman¡¯s Focus¡¯ has been activated! ] [ Reflexes and cognitive abilities have been heightened ] That also meant I could afford having a conversation with him even when my senses were heightened. While the world significantly slowed down around me, I asked Caliban, who was already back inside the Soul Linker. You called them all already? So, there were a few people who¡¯d immediately come when I called them over if I were to tell them that ¡®it was an emergency¡¯. Caliban should know who they were. [Of course.] As expected, he gave me such a clear answer, living up to the trust I had given him. But soon, he continued in a slightly uncomfortable voice. [...But...] He looked at my fist that was about to touch Nicholas¡¯ head. [Is it really okay for us to do this?] What was that? Are you trying to say that ¡®We shouldn¡¯t kill him¡¯, or ¡®Think about the aftermath¡¯ or¡ª [Nah. Don¡¯t you think he¡¯d get off too easily like this? You know, after all that he had done.] ¡°...¡± Wow, guess Nicholas disgusted him that much, huh? I agree wholeheartedly with that though, so I won¡¯t complain. Well, don¡¯t worry about that. I said with a smirk. You know that I¡¯m not the type who¡¯d half-ass something like this. [That¡¯s true.] ... Somehow, hearing him agreeing with me in such confidence made me feel more complicated than happy... Anyway, I ignored that and activated some of my skills in sequence. [ Using Skill: Image World! ] [ The advantages you have currently are shared with nearby targets! ] After that one, I casted Caliban¡¯s Unique Skill; the ability to share buffs with people around me. I specified the target to be Nicholas, whose head was about to be pulverized by me. [ ¡®Mastery: Iron Man¡¯ is shared with target. ] [ ¡®Skill: Swordsman¡¯s Focus¡¯ is shared with target. ] [ ¡®Skill: Desperation¡¯ is shared with target. ] [ ¡®Skill: .... ] Like this... This bastard wouldn¡¯t die peacefully. ¡ñ It was known that most deaths that would be categorized as a painful death at a glance, actually weren¡¯t as bad as expected. Like burning at the stake for example. It was said that the rate of people dying from suffocation because of the smoke was higher than them actually dying from the fire. But... The situation that Count Nicholas was going through was extremely strange. It began with the man before his eyes throwing a punch at him all of a sudden. He wasn¡¯t the kind of person who¡¯d indulge himself in fistfight, but it didn¡¯t mean he had no ability to immediately deal with this kind of sudden attack. It was just, his death came upon him so quickly, leaving him without any time to react. As soon as the man¡¯s fist contacted his head, it just exploded, and his consciousness was immediately cut out. Or, rather... That was what was supposed to happen. Instead of that... The moment the man¡¯s fist touched his face, time immediately ¡®stopped¡¯. Well, not really. Actually, it was just his senses became heightened due to the effect of ¡®Swordsman¡¯s Focus¡¯ that Dowd had shared with him. And after that... ¡°...!¡± Pain that made him feel like his soul was being torn apart struck him. ¡°---!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± It made him wish that he¡¯d just die from that. In fact, he prayed so hard to the existences above so that he¡¯d die immediately and end this pain. However, let alone dying, he didn¡¯t even lose his consciousness. Or rather, he was not ¡®allowed¡¯ to lose his consciousness. This was the effect of ¡®Desperation¡¯s stat boosts, coupled by enhanced vitality from ¡®Iron Man¡¯ Mastery. And it seemed like he already had something in mind. ¡°Burying your heads in the sand like an ostrich is okay. This sort of thing is possible as long as both of you work together anyway, no? Just tell them that he died in an ¡®accident¡¯, not because he was killed by someone. This much will do, for now.¡± If giving those guys the reason to do it was the problem, then you just had to hide that ¡®reason¡¯. That was what Dowd was trying to say here. Even if the Upper Nobles Association tried to investigate, both the empress and the chancellor could just abuse their authority and block them from even questioning such a ridiculous cover story. However, there was still a problem with this plan. ¡°...But, that still won¡¯t stop them. They¡¯ll definitely do anything to get that reason.¡± If they were to use such means, the Upper Nobles Association would pull off all sorts of dirty things to face them head on. ¡°Nicholas Comital Household...and by extension, the Upper Nobles Association, were the Magic Tower¡¯s biggest sponsor. With what they have, there¡¯s a high chance that they¡¯d ¡®call the soul¡¯ of Count Nicholas and ask him the truth, or even attempt a limited-resurrection on him. The Magic Tower is definitely capable of doing that...¡± To that, Dowd let out a snort. Because he was familiar with all those means that she mentioned. In the middle of Chapter 5 in the original game, there was a scene where Count Nicholas would strangely be resurrected through a Magic Tool brough by the Magic Tower during a boss battle. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if the Magic Tower really did resurrect him this time. However... ¡°If anything, I¡¯d hate it if he doesn¡¯t return to life once again.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Killing him once is not enough.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I really hope he''ll come back to life again, so that I can tear him apart more carefully next time.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, the empress and the chancellor could only stare at him speechless. Ignoring them, Dowd just smirked before continuing. ¡°We know the civil war is approaching, so don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better for us to make it so that it ends a little quicker?¡± ¡°...Have you come out with a plan for that?¡± ¡°It was just something I came up with on a whim.¡± After hearing the chancellor¡¯s question, Dowd immediately replied without hesitation. His reply came so quickly that both the empress and the chancellor narrowed their eyes at the same time. ...This man. ...This person. No matter how they looked at it, it seemed like he had killed the count by accident. After all, considering his disposition, this man was someone who would never plan to ¡®kill¡¯ someone and actually committing it like this. But... Somehow, he already had the way to ¡®deal with this situation¡¯ in his mind. In that short period of time. ...What kind of a monster is he? Every time, he surprised me... The empress and the chancellor thought so to themselves while letting out a groan inwardly. Meanwhile Dowd continued with a calm voice. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re gonna be busy from now on to prepare for that.¡± He was right. But, the thing here was, he sounded too calm. Then again, this man was someone who had declared that he could just end a whole civil war quickly, and he came out with that plan on a whim. ¡°...I¡¯ll have to deal with a few things I have to take care of first though.¡± Hearing that, the empress and the chancellor couldn¡¯t help but hold back their murmurs, unable to even guess what kind of terrifying acts this man would do next... ¡ñ ¡°...Mr. Dowd.¡± Lucia hurriedly called out to Dowd, who was standing before her eyes. She was actually quite pleased to see him after a long time, but the moment she heard his words after he suddenly barged into the chapel made her almost lose all of that feeling. ¡°...Could you...repeat that again...? My hearing isn¡¯t so good these days...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go on a date. Tomorrow. Downtown.¡± First of all, there was a lot to be said about this part. A date invitation? So suddenly?? Him and me?? This already made her chest tightened, but the other thing he said was even more ridiculous than that. ¡°...No, no, not that. The other thing that you¡ª¡± ¡°Which one? The part where I told you to bring Yuria with you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Or the part where I told you, if you want, I¡¯ll bring two leashes, one for you.¡± ¡°...Are you trying to say that Yuria wearing it around is already a done deal?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...Also, downtown?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± So I didn¡¯t hear it wrong... At that moment, Lucia¡¯s vision darkened. Chapter 250: Contact (1) Chapter 250: Contact (1)¡°Iliya.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Iliya!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t answer, I¡¯m going to break the door and go in! Something really urgent is going on right now!¡± ...Huh? That sounds like something I¡¯d say to Teach... Hearing someone else telling me that feels a little weird... Iliya, who was lying down on bed while staring at the ceiling with vacant-looking eyes, thought so blankly. ¡°Seriously, Iliya¡ª! Forget it! I¡¯m going in!¡± Accompanied by such words, the door to Iliya¡¯s room was crushed open. ¡°It¡¯s been days! What have you been doing?! You even skipped all of today''s class¡ª!¡± Trisha was about to finish her sentence before she was struck speechless by Iliya¡¯s vacant-looking eyes. Though, she didn¡¯t really know which one actually left her dumbstruck more. Was it Iliya¡¯s herself, who was extremely drunk while sprawling only in her undies, or the pyramid of empty alcohol bottles piled up next to her bed? ¡°...¡± The silence went on for a while before Trisha eventually held her forehead with both hands, groaning due to the headache she suddenly felt. ¡°...I knew I should¡¯ve forced myself to stay with you.¡± ¡°...Mmm...?¡± ¡°I knew that something like this would happen the moment you decided to move to a single room after you were appointed as a hero. You¡¯re quite weak-minded, after all...¡± ¡°...¡± Actually, those words she hurled at her made Iliya feel extremely wronged. After all, she wasn¡¯t usually like this. In any case, Trisha did not need to see Iliya¡¯s emotions with her eyes. Because there was only one reason why Iliya, who was always so affable and smart in every single aspect, to act like this. ¡°...This is because of Mr. Dowd again, isn¡¯t it?¡± Seriously¡ª! I knew that love could really make someone blind! More than anyone! I could see it with my own eyes! But that doesn¡¯t excuse her to turn into such a loser like this¡ª! ¡°So, what the heck is wrong with you? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°...¡± After hearing that, Iliya just silently tried to tilt the alcohol bottle towards her mouth again. Though it only remained as an attempt because Trisha immediately snatched the bottle away from her. ¡°What... What are you...¡± Iliya mumbled, trying to voice out a complaint, but her voice subsided quickly. Then again, anyone would do the same if they were to see the glare in Trisha¡¯s eyes, which gave off a fierce impression like that of a tiger¡¯s. ¡°Tell me. Right now. Or I¡¯ll get really mad at you.¡± ¡°...¡± Once again, Iliya realized that when that one kind friend who was always full of smiles and listened to you well suddenly got angry, they¡¯d practically turn into a demon from hell. After hesitating for a bit, Iliya finally relented and said out in a stammer. ¡°...I...confessed...to Teach...¡± Hearing that, Trisha¡¯s mouth became wide open. ¡°S-So? What did he say?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t given me an answer yet...¡± Trisha narrowed her eyes. What? She hasn¡¯t been dumped yet, then? Why is she acting like this? That was what Trisha was about to say, but she changed her mind and kept her mouth shut. Because she saw Iliya¡¯s emotion suddenly fluctuated from the corner of her eye. Based on the movement, she had a rough guess what it was. ¡°...¡± But, there¡¯s no way, right...? Though she thought so... ¡°Iliya.¡± ¡°Mhm?¡± ¡°You... Is the reason why you¡¯re acting like this is because ¡®you¡¯re afraid that he¡¯d dump you¡¯?¡± ¡°...¡± To that, Iliya clenched her mouth shut. Trisha could see her emotion fluctuate again, this time, it was because she was startled. She glared at her friend dumbfoundedly before holding her head in her hands. ¡°You idiot! I get it that your love blinded you, but how the hell did you get so scared and turned into a loser like this when you haven¡¯t even gotten his answer?! You¡¯re THE hero, THE hope of the human race! Even a dog passing by would laugh at you if it heard that you¡¯re acting like this just because of a man!¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t the entire reason, though...¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t? Then what else?¡± ¡°...Also, Teach isn¡¯t just any man, you know...?¡± Instead of answering Trisha¡¯s question, Iliya just timidly mumbled. Meanwhile, Trisha glared at her again, dumbfounded. After a while, Trisha facepalmed while letting out a deep sigh. ¡°...Whatever, let¡¯s talk about that later. Hurry up and get dressed. If you were to go out like that, the person who¡¯s coming to see you now wouldn¡¯t even laugh at you!¡± ¡°Who is it? Is it Her Imperial Majesty the Empress? If it¡¯s her, I¡¯ll deal with her somehow.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°If she comes to me to say more nonsense I¡¯ll just kick her out. Or if the nonsense is related to Teach, I¡¯ll give her a piece of my mind.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...You know, the way she looks at Teach recently has been a little sus¡ª¡± Lucia said so shakily, tears welled up in her eyes. She pointed at Yuria and her necks. To be exact, at the thing that was wrapping around their necks... The ¡®Invisible Leashes¡¯ that others couldn¡¯t see. According to Down, he told Professor Vulkan to put Ectoplasm in it to make it this way. ¡°...¡± But that only made Lucia wonder, why the hell would he go out of his way to pour out such a precious ingredient to make these Invisible Leashes. It was as if walking her and Yuria with these leashes was a big deal or something. ¡°...Did you think I¡¯d actually put Yuria on a leash and walk her as if she was a dog in font of others...?¡± ¡°...To some extent, yes.¡± ¡°Oh my God, how could you think like that...!¡± ¡°Think about the things you¡¯ve done so far before you talk¡ª!¡± If anything, it¡¯s even stranger for you to not do that! Considering your reputation, that sounds extremely like something that you¡¯d do! Also, why are you acting as if you¡¯ve been using common sense?! When Lucia complained as such inwardly, Yuria, who was walking next to Dowd obediently while fidgeting, opened her mouth and said quietly. ¡°...I¡¯m fine with this though.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Does Unnie not like it...?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t hate it that much...¡± Lucia answered as her cheeks trembled. She just couldn¡¯t bring herself to say harsh words to her sister, who had been in a pretty bad state for a while. That was why she glared at Dowd while pouting instead. ¡°B-But still! You need to know the limits! Even though we¡¯re doing everything you¡¯re asking us to do, you¡¯re still making such an unreasonable¡ª!¡± ¡°...I¡¯m not the one making that kind of demand, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± Lucia shut her mouth, stunned. It was only after a while that she managed to speak again. ¡°...Sorry, what did you say?¡± ¡°I said it wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°Then who...?¡± At that moment, Yuria interjected. ¡°...It was me. I asked Mr Dowd to...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...I also asked him to do this with Unnie too...¡± Lucia felt a shock as if a thunderbolt had hit her head. The way Dowd shrugged before her eyes, as if saying, ¡®See?¡¯ snapped her awake, annoyed her greatly. ¡°...W-Why would you...!¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s this sense of immorality...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Receiving this kind of treatment from Master, n-no, Mr. Dowd, f-feels quite good...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And I wanted Unnie to know how it feels too...¡± Yuria mumbled her reply. Though she said it with a red face, her expression was firm. There was also a kind of heat in her voice that she failed to hide. ¡°...¡± This almost made Lucia pass out from the shock. Meanwhile, Dowd was looking at a window that appeared before his eyes with a satisfied look. Regardless of the situation, it seemed that he had achieved his goal. ...It charged up quickly. The White Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura was filling up terrifyingly quickly. Demonic Aura would be charged faster into the Seal if the more he had an ¡®intimate contact¡¯ with the target, this was one thing that he figured out. That was why he met up with Yuria and asked her what it was that she wanted to do the most, and this was her answer. Walking together with her sister, both on leashes. ¡°...¡± While he genuinely thought that she might need some kind of moral education, this development was actually in his favor for now. Suddenly, as he was thinking contentedly, a shadow cast before his eyes. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like the sky suddenly turning dark or anything. ¡®A giant body¡¯ just suddenly appeared before his eyes. ¡°...¡± Dowd unknowingly looked up and when he did, his whole body stiffened. Because something he had never expected to see in this kind of place was right there in front of him. ¡°...A cyborg?¡± ¡°I am sorry, but such a being cannot be identified. I think you are mistaking me for something else.¡± Even its voice is a machine voice. As Dowd thought so while blinking, the Cyborg suddenly stared at Lucia. This shift of its gaze made Lucia come to her senses. Then, it glanced at her neck and Dowd¡¯s hand alternately. As if it could see what was ¡®connecting¡¯ the two. ¡°Ectoplasm Leash. Such fascinating equipment. I cannot believe you used such a high-end ingredient to make such junk. There must have been a great goal behind your action.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°May I ask what made you wear something like that, Saintess?¡± At that question, Lucia¡¯s face turned so red that she felt that it was about to explode. Chapter 251: Contact (2) In this city, built near Elfante, you could find a lot of interesting things. It was probably because there were all sorts of people wandering around here, since it was near the Golden Triangle. With various races, cultures, and merchants filling up the streets, there were just a lot of things you could see and enjoy. But, because of this, it meant it wouldn¡¯t be easy to attract people¡¯s attention no matter what you do. ¡°Welc¡ª Heeek!¡± However... Even this city still found this ¡®thing¡¯, which had all Magic Tower¡¯s technologies combined, strange. As we entered a cafe, the waiter who was about to greet us with a smile, screamed in fright as soon as he saw the massive cyborg who came in with stomping sounds. The drinks on the tray he was going to serve clattered, but luckily, a firm arm that was powered by hundreds of thousands of tiny pistons managed to hold the tray firm in place. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°...¡± What a gentle cyborg... The waiter¡¯s face only got paler when he did it though, since the pressure coming from his appearance was that strong. ¡°A-Ah, y-yes, t-thank you...¡± Still, the waiter didn¡¯t drop his professionalism. Even though he was facing such a terrifying humanoid metal thingy, he somehow managed to force a smile and led us to our seats. ¡°...First...¡± The moment we both sat down, facing each other, I said so while scratching my head awkwardly. ¡°Would you like something to eat?¡± [...Are you serious? What, you think he¡¯d eat salad or something?] Caliban threw a jab at me with a dumbfounded voice. Lay off! I didn¡¯t know what else to say! He came to me out of nowhere, I didn¡¯t even know how to treat him to begin with! If there was someone else with me, it might be a different story, but the saintess¡ªwho got caught by this guy for walking outside on a leash¡ªhad taken Yuria with her and ran away, looking as if she would cry. [...Apologize to her later.] ...I know... It wasn¡¯t the first time this happened, so I just agreed with Caliban while sighing inwardly. That was that, but there was another thing... ...I don¡¯t know much about the Magic Tower... Even in Savior Rising, the Magic Tower was almost like a MacGuffin. They were mostly just there so that the developers could have an in-game lore for adding those dubious items that would normally change the genre of the game. The dev barely provided any information about them. You¡¯d only see them being mentioned in certain bizarre items¡¯ descriptions, saying things like ¡®This item was made by the Magic Tower. End of explanation!¡¯. I had been dismissing them adding shit like lightsabers, railguns, or cyborgs into the fantasy world as them having some weird-ass preferences... As I thought so, the cyborg in front of me answered my question. ¡°No need. I brought my lunchbox with me.¡± ¡°...¡± So he could eat... As I thought so, the cyborg took out several pieces of steel bars from his inner chest pocket. A lot of them in fact, to the point that the table tilted to one side. ¡°...¡± ...Ah! Does he eat steel bars since he¡¯s made of steel? I don¡¯t know what the principle behind that is, but it seems like that¡¯s how he gets his nutrition from. While I was having such an absurd thought, the cyborg also took out a lump of metal, about the size of a ping-pong ball, from the cartridge inside his arm. He then put it on top of the pile of steel bars on the table. After that, that pile scattered like a swarm of bugs, and he started to devour it in that state. ¡°Machine Type Monsoon. It¡¯s a nano kit for self-repair.¡± ¡°...A nano kit?¡± ¡°Yes. An item which existence earns my gratitude. It¡¯s able to break down any well-smelted metal to repair my body.¡± Hearing that explanation, I could only clench my mouth shut. ...The fuck? After a cyborg, you told me you guys gave nano-machines? Are you kidding me? How the fuck do these kinds of items exist in a world where the main transportation is carriage?! ¡°...¡± This gap of technology was beyond insane. While Tribal Alliance also had a lot of things that would make you think the same, it was still kinda reasonable for the genre. Meanwhile, the shit that the cyborg pulled out only ever appeared in sci-fis! Is this why even all the superpowers¡¯ higher-ups are wary of the Magic Tower...? Of course if any of them were dead set on beating the Magic Tower, they probably could do it since their countries had enough resources to make up for the difference in technology and more, but the problem was that the Magic Tower would still be able to deal great enough damage to those countries. As I finally began to understand with my whole being why the Magic Tower was called the most powerful group, the cyborg started talking again. ¡°I apologize for the sudden visitation.¡± He said calmly. ¡°However, this matter is quite urgent, so please forgive me.¡± ¡°...How did you find me?¡± ¡°I came here after asking the Hero and all the people close to you. Although, all of them seemed to be taken aback by my presence, since they¡¯ve never seen a ¡®battle doll¡¯ like me prior to this.¡± ¡°...¡± Of course they would. Imagining Iliya¡¯s stunned expression when she suddenly ran into this punk, a smile appeared on my lips. Though, it disappeared right after I heard what he said next. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve killed Count Nicholas.¡± ¡°...!¡± In that instant, my mind tensed up. And I immediately began to try and analyze the implication behind this guy¡¯s words. ¡°She expressed her disdain after seeing all these insignificant fox trying to flirt with her son and that she will come in person soon.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± After hearing all that, my expression just went blank. Uh... So... ¡°...¡± It seemed my mother... Was quite the eccentric... That was the thought I barely managed to make with my mind that had turned into a fine mess. ¡ñ Cecilia the 11th¡¯s room, or rather, Cecil, the first year student of Elfante¡¯s room, was rather weird. No one had ever seen the inside of her room or even visited it, since everyone in the building knew not to disturb her out of consideration since her body was extremely weak despite how beautiful and mysterious she was. And now, late at night, visiting that exact room, Faenol was very grateful that it was the case. Because if it was anyone else who was doing this, they¡¯d instantly lose their heads the moment they opened this door and came in. ¡°...¡± Faenol, who was about to enter the room, went slightly pale as she looked at the ¡®slash¡¯ that was coming towards her and stopped right before her eyes. Had she taken one more step... Had she formed her Magic Defense Shroud a little later... Her head might¡¯ve been sent flying just like that. ¡°...I¡¯d like to ask for your understanding.¡± She entered the room, her eyes opened a little wider than before. Meanwhile, the Empress looked at her with a bitter smile, closing the book she was reading while lying down on her bed. ¡°My guard is a worrywart, you see. He has this tendency to cut an unknown person that approached me without a warning...¡± ¡°...¡± Just now... That slash came out of nothing... It was as if such an attack had been ¡®stored¡¯ and would automatically be fired if someone was approaching the empress without permission. Saints. They were those who had reached the pinnacle of their fields. I know he¡¯s the Sword Saint and all, the strongest even among them all, but... He can even do something like this...? Faenol swallowed dryly. ¡°...Please forgive me for coming in without permission, Your Imperial Majesty. When I knocked, I received no answer...¡± ¡°Cecil. In here, I¡¯m a student, not the empress.¡± The empress said while yawning. ¡°So, what brings you here at this late hour? I don¡¯t believe we¡¯re close enough to be spending the night together.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m here to discuss something with you.¡± Rather than discussing it¡¯s more like plotting, though... Hearing that, the empress tilted her head, as if she found her words strange. ¡°...Discuss...something?¡± ¡°I came to ask for your cooperation, Cecil.¡± Faenol took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°Because then its success rate will increase a little, since our opponent has an extremely tough defense...¡± ¡°Success rate? Defense? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about squeezing out Dowd Campbell.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ah, right, sexually, of course.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°My plan is to make it so that even if one of us fails, the other will definitely succeed. You see, at this rate, I feel like no one will succeed, so I thought it¡¯ll be better if¡ª¡± ¡°...Enough.¡± The empress held her head, looking as if she was having a bad headache. It was the first time she had ever heard something so absurd coming out of someone¡¯s mouth. ¡°So you came here, at this late hour, just to say that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...Does it look like I¡¯d obediently cooperate for something like that?¡± Faenol tilted her head. Her expression made it seem like she was asking something along the lines of ¡®Why are you asking the obvious?¡¯. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Uh, while our goals seem a little different, it seems like Your Imperial Majesty is quite interested in having sex with¡ª¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Cecil cut her words off with a sigh. ¡°What a load of nonsense.¡± Her gaze that fell on Faenol looked genuinely terrifying, her expression, so sincere and serious, as she continued... ¡°So, how could you tell exactly what I want?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Spill out everything.¡± Hearing that, a wide smile appeared on Faenol¡¯s face. It was the kind of smile only those who succeeded in acquiring a partner-in-crime could make. Chapter 252: Locked Up (1) The next day after I met the Magic Tower¡¯s Marshal. When I looked at the calendar, a sudden headache struck me. [Three days left.] ¡°I know.¡± Like Caliban said, there were only three days left until the day I had marked with a red circle, the day of the School Festival. ...Right now, I don¡¯t have much Aura left... I had no more reason to get involved with Riru for now, I finished my business with Yuria yesterday, while Seras and Victoria were both quiet¡ªat least none of them seem like they¡¯d do something that would attract any attention until the day of the School Festival. ...So, I really just need three Auras? I recalled what my mother told me through the Magic Tower¡¯s Marshal. The conversation was a little chaotic, but it was sharply on point. [You¡¯re really going to believe his words?] ¡°...I don¡¯t know. Doesn¡¯t really matter, I still need to collect the Auras anyway.¡± Because I¡¯d still collect the Auras sequentially, I could always check whether it was true or not that I¡¯d only need three of them after collecting them. Although, the way she specifically mentioned ¡®Red¡¯ and ¡®Brown¡¯ actually bothered me... < system="" log=""> [ Target ¡®Red Devil¡¯s mood is worsening rapidly. ] [ Target ¡®Faenol Lipek¡¯s mood is worsening rapidly. ] [ The targets are also affected by your ¡®Desire Impact¡¯. ] [ Starting efforts to carry out the plan in more detail! ] ¡°...¡± This window...felt like it was connected to similar ones that popped up in the past... Even now, when the others were all quiet, this one was plotting something... [...You seem to care about something else more compared to that, though.] ¡°What?¡± [Like you suspected, that Red punk is obviously trying to do her best to bed you right now, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be your biggest worry.] ¡°...¡± He was right. My biggest worry was something else entirely. ¡°...Caliban.¡± I said in a slightly trembling voice. ¡°...Eleanor... Where is she right now? And what is she doing...?¡± [...I see, I get it.] Caliban agreed, as if he had just realized this. Yes, the one person who should¡¯ve been bothering me the most was now the quietest among them. There was no way I¡¯d think that this was a good sign. It felt more like a calm before the storm if anything. ¡°...She tried to bed me before but she failed, right...?¡± [...] ¡°So, what is she planning now...?¡± Just imagining it already made me tremble with fear. Caliban also went silent, as if he agreed with how I felt. [...It¡¯ll be fun.] ¡°...¡± [I¡¯m already excited to see what kind of awful thing you¡¯ll be going through¡ª] ...Or not. I forgot that this guy was a tactless psychopath. ¡°...Anyway, why is it so chaotic around here?¡± The whole building had been noisy for some reason. There shouldn¡¯t be any reason for it to become this noisy, since I wasn¡¯t even in the freshmen dormitory anymore. Instead, I moved into a quite nice room, since I had become a senior. Since this place was the ¡®Imperial¡¯ Academy, Elfante, there should be no one who was able to directly defy the empress¡¯ authority, save for madmen like Count Nicholas or¡ª -P-Please, Marquis! Y-You¡¯re putting us in a difficult situation if you just barge in like this! P-Please obey the school regulations! -Ahaha, don¡¯t you worry! Even if Her Imperial Majesty comes here in person, she won¡¯t stop me¡ª Ah, there he is! When I was holding my throbbing head after hearing that familiar voice, my room suddenly burst open. ¡°Nice to see you again, Dowd Campbell!¡± ¡°...¡± Marquis Bogut... The leader of the Upper Nobles Association, where Count Nicholas, the guy I¡¯ve murdered, belonged. When a frown appeared on my face after seeing the guy who was sitting in the top three on my list of people I didn¡¯t want to meet now, Marquis Bogut walked into my room. ¡°Wow, Elfante hasn¡¯t changed at all since back when I still attended it!¡± ¡°...Why the hell are you here?¡± I asked him in an exhausted tone. To that, he shrugged before answering cheerfully. ¡°I came to warn you and also to apologize!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to give her to you soon, so use her well.¡± Once again, his words left me dumbstruck. What the fuck was he on about? ¡°With those two, the best assassins on the continent, and you, as the one handling them... Heh, you¡¯ll definitely use them efficiently later. Our circumstances aligned, that¡¯s all there is to it.¡± ¡°...Marquis Bogut¡ª¡± ¡°By the way, the Upper Nobles Association has the biggest support from the Imperial¡¯s military.¡± Before I could say anything else, he cut my words. ¡°We, quite literally, are controlling the strongest military force on the continent. What I¡¯m trying to say is, we¡¯re way more terrifying than you thought.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, best of luck to you, Dowd Campbell.¡± With a smile still on his face... He said something that was close to a declaration of war. ¡°You have to hang in there for a few days so that I¡¯d get to do what I have to do.¡± ¡°...¡± He looked at me, who was standing still with a stiffened expression, before bowing his head while smiling. It was such a polite gesture, as if he was sincerely showing respect to his ¡®opponent¡¯. ¡°Ah, also one last thing.¡± Before he left the room, he suddenly stopped and said... ¡°I heard you came in contact with the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Try to turn every second of your time with your mother into precious memories, Dowd Campbell.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most valuable advice I can give you.¡± Our eyes met as he said so. Like usual, her eyes were curved, just like the crescent moon. However, Those eyes... ¡°You don¡¯t want to regret it later, as there¡¯s nothing more painful than that in this world. I¡¯m speaking from my experience here.¡± ...Somehow seemed to have a hint of grief inside. And that was the last thing that he said to me. I could only look at him silently as he left my room. [...I can¡¯t make head nor tail of him.] ¡°...Same.¡± Everything else aside, I became sure of one thing. That I¡¯d need to finish what I was going to do at the School Festival no matter what. ¡°Alright...¡± I got up with a sigh. ¡°...Let¡¯s refine our plan a little, to make it more perfect...¡± First, I needed to avoid meeting anyone else today. Because it seemed like I¡¯d need to spend a long time thinking alone. ¡ñ Just a few hours after I decided as such... I really thought that at least for today, I needed to mull over the brutal matter hard and gloomily, and yet... What the hell am I doing here? ¡°...Explain.¡± After hearing my viciously cold voice¡ªwhich surprised me too, the two people in front of me averted their gazes at the same time. Around me, the only things I could see were... A soft bed and a bunch of pink objects. The room where I was in was decorated with a bunch of girly items and frilly curtains. Meanwhile, the two people in front of me¡ªwho were averting their gazes, also had their faces painted in pink. Well, to be exact, the people who ¡®kidnapped¡¯ me here. ¡°...T-That...¡± ¡°...U-Uhm...¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing them stutter, unable to say anything, I could feel my blood pressure rise. Seriously, just tell me. That¡¯s the only thing I want to hear from your mouths right now. I thought so while looking at the huge letters written on one side of the walls. [You can¡¯t leave this room if you don¡¯t do it.] ¡°...¡± ...Tell me in detail. What is it that I need to do so that I can leave this room? Chapter 253: Locked Up (2) Chapter 253: Locked Up (2)Kidnapping Dowd Campbell wasn¡¯t actually difficult. What they did was just lighting an incense that could make people sleep in his room in advance. After that, they only needed to drag him to the room that had also been ¡®prepared¡¯ in advance. Of course, having a great deal of courage was a prerequisite since this man was quite powerful¡ªjust as he had shown so far, but to Faenol, this wasn¡¯t a problem, since she had a Devil inside her. ¡°I¡¯ll put that man to sleep using all means I can.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll even risk my life if I have to...!¡± ...Um... Isn¡¯t she treating her life a little too lightly...? Is it because she died once already...? The empress thought so. Even though she said so, in the end, Faenol was still a Vessel who had gathered all her Fragments. It only took her a single try to put Dowd to sleep, using the combination of her Magic Power and Demonic Aura, befitting her confident remarks. If anything, renovating a whole room in the way she wanted was more difficult than kidnapping Dowd. That was why she left this part to Her Imperial Majesty the Empress to handle. ¡°Okay, Cecil... I understand what you¡¯re trying to say, but...¡± Elfante¡¯s Headmistress said so, looking as if she was ready to off herself right there and then. ¡°Every building in Elfante is rich with historical value. While it isn¡¯t difficult for me to rent them out, but the procedures we have to go through is¡ª¡± ¡°Just tell them that this is an order from Her Imperial Majesty the Empress herself.¡± ¡°...I believed you said that you¡¯re going to be a regular student and not the empress while you¡¯re here...¡± ¡°Yes, I am acting as a regular student here. It¡¯s just, me and that personage in the palace are quite close.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We did everything together, from eating to showering. If they have any complaints, tell them to bring it up to that personage themselves.¡± ¡°...¡± Who knows how the faculty members felt when they found out that the leader of the Empire had such a gangster-like nature. In any case, just like that Cecilia the 11th¡¯s and Faenol¡¯s preparation was done in lightning speed. After they managed to put him to sleep, they dragged him into the room they had prepared in advance after psyching themselves ready. Not long after, the man finally woke up. And that was when the problem arose... ¡°...What are you guys doing?¡± Right in front of them, Dowd Campbell showed them such a different vibe and reaction, the one that they had never seen before. ¡°...Uh.¡± ¡°...Uhm.¡± Seeing him being ¡®actually angry¡¯ for the first time, Fanol and the empress¡¯ bodies stiffened. ¡ñ ¡°Yes, I told you guys you can challenge me to whatever match you like, but I never told you to straight up commit a crime.¡± His words were prim, his voice was calm, and his expression was frighteningly clear. Even so... This only made both of them even more certain of one thing... ¡°I genuinely can¡¯t believe you two would kidnap me and lock me in this kind of ridiculous room. Why can¡¯t you just ask me directly? I¡¯d be more than happy to spare some time for you guys. What the hell were you thinking?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The fact that Dowd Campbell was genuinely angry at them. It was to the point that they couldn¡¯t even bring themselves to meet his eyes properly. They averted their gazes while gulping dryly at the same time. Dowd¡¯s anger was too great for them to endure, this was the only way for them to handle it. ¡°Where¡¯s my answer?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°...Sorry.¡± As an empress, her apology bore a lot of political meaning behind it, but even so, she didn¡¯t hesitate to apologize to him, together with Faenol. Rather, she actually didn¡¯t have any choice but to do it. That was how terrifying Dowd¡¯s anger was in her eyes. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± However... Even though he was clearly angry at them, both the empress and Faenol felt a strange feeling inside. ...Uh. ...Huh...? If she was ¡®kissed like this¡¯... By him ¡®in that state¡¯... While she was ¡®in this state¡¯... Then, she wouldn¡¯t be able to help but to¡ª ¡°P-Please...¡± She said with teary eyes. ¡°P-Please, more... I-I¡¯ll do anything...¡± Faenol herself wasn¡¯t sure what it was that she asked him to do. Rather, she didn¡¯t even know why she was saying all that. She was sure of one thing, though. That she didn¡¯t want him to stop here. And that she wanted this man to relish her a little more, to ¡®enjoy¡¯ her a little more. She would even be fine if he were to treat her entire existence as a tool to serve him. Please, I beg you... Do it... More and more... Don¡¯t stop¡ª ¡°What¡¯s with your expression?¡± When he said those words coldly, as if mocking her, Faenol flinched as her body started to tremble again. ¡°You seem like you want something from me?¡± ¡°Y-Yess... P-Please let me serve you...¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ah, uu, uuu...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything more here.¡± ¡°...B-But... W-Whyyy...¡± ¡°As a punishment.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°For trying to control me to do something you want.¡± He said before letting go of her chin, as if mocking her. Immediately after, Faenol sank to her knees, panting. Deep shade of red painted her face, and it was clear that she wasn¡¯t aware that what she had just said was something extremely embarrassing. It was as if she actually felt bad that she couldn¡¯t serve him. ...W-What kind of impertinent... Meanwhile, the empress was blushing at the sight while twisting her body. Intuitively, she realized something. The tightly closed door was half open. ¡°...¡± From what she heard... The door would only open if one of them felt extreme pleasure. She felt that kind of pleasure from him degrading her after kissing her like that...? ¡°...¡± Is she being serious right now? Isn¡¯t she the one who said that she¡¯d milk him even if she has to risk her life? And that one of us has to succeed no matter what¡ª?! But she got defeated so easily¡ª ¡°As for you, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± While she was agonizing about her frustration in that way, the man in front of her suddenly called out to her. When she turned to look at him with a trembling gaze, she noticed him looking down at her coldly. His gaze looked so domineering that her legs unknowingly lost their strength. ¡°I won¡¯t go this far with you.¡± He said while walking towards her. Then, he gently raised her chin with the tip of his finger. With that alone, she could feel as if her whole body was being ¡®restrained¡¯. As their eyes met, she intuitively realized... ¡°But, I think I still have to punish you as well this time.¡± That perhaps... It wasn¡¯t them who dragged this man here and locked him up in this room. But it was them who were being locked up with him. Chapter 254: Locked Up (3) Chapter 254: Locked Up (3)There were only a handful of people who were allowed to touch Cecilia the 11th¡¯s body. Which was understandable, given that there was barely anything that was more important than both her body and her health. It was to the point that there was a specific term to refer to her body; the empress¡¯ body. This was why no one would ever have the chance to touch even the tip of her hair, save for doctors and the maids who directly attended to her. With that in mind... What this man was doing¡ªapproaching her and raising her chin with the tip of his finger¡ªwas practically le?se-majeste?. But, the strange thing here was how Cecilia the 11th was just letting him do whatever he wanted without saying anything. ...Ah... When her eyes met Dowd Campbell¡¯s eyes, she unknowingly swallowed dryly. She could see his stern gaze, making her feel that he was trying to show her that he was clearly at the ¡®top¡¯ here, and was ¡®looking down¡¯ on her. Given the status she was born and grown up with, she knew that she should¡¯ve felt offended by this, that she had to put him in his place due to how discourteous his actions were. But... ¡°...¡± She could feel her legs shaking as heat was rising throughout her body. It was hard for her to admit this, but, deep inside... She felt ¡®satisfaction¡¯. The fact that this man was ¡®handling¡¯ her like this made her shudder; goosebumps appeared all over her body. But, she didn¡¯t hate this feeling, and instead, she felt a tingling pleasure from it. Meanwhile, Dowd slowly lowered his head and brought his lips close to her ear. ¡°What were you thinking¡ª¡± His voice sounded so sweet that she could feel poison in it. The kind of sweetness that one could feel wafting through silk. It was like drugs¡ªone would know it was harmful, but they just couldn¡¯t stay away from it. ¡°Dragging me here with Faenol?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Did you really have such a vulgar desire towards me? Just like her?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Answer.¡± Hearing him saying that in a cold voice, the empress¡¯ body flinched, trembling as she tried to avoid his gaze. ¡°...I¡¯d be lying if I say I didn¡¯t...¡± Eventually, she closed her eyes tightly before admitting as such. Of course, she was embarrassed. She felt as if her liver and intestines were melting. But... What else could she do besides telling him the truth when facing such a gaze? Besides, it would be a fool¡¯s errand for her to lie to him since they had come this far. However, the man before her didn¡¯t seem like he had the slightest intention of letting her go, even though she had just admitted something so embarrassing. The empress tried to cast her gaze down, but he used the hand that was holding her chin to forcefully get her to see him eye-to-eye again. ¡°Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, everyone¡¯s mother who¡¯s supposed to care for all of the empire¡¯s citizens, came here ¡®expecting¡¯ to be handled roughly by one man?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Answer.¡± ¡°...Y-Yesss... I-I¡ª¡± She admitted with a red face and trembling body. Seeing that, the corners of Dowd¡¯s lips curled up a little more. ¡°Shameless.¡± His cynical sentence sharply cut off the sentence that she couldn¡¯t bring herself to continue. Her legs gave out as she plopped down on the bed, but that didn¡¯t seem to be enough to make this man stop what he was doing. ¡°In public, you always acted so elegantly, so pitiable, all while wearing the mask of benevolence...¡± ¡°...U-Ung...¡± ¡°But look at you here¡ª¡± She could see him getting closer and closer to her. It was as if her breath was taken away; she couldn¡¯t help but let out a gasp. ¡°Look at you, being handled roughly by a lowlife like me.¡± ¡°...Y-You¡ª¡± ¡°And look at your expression. It seems like you¡¯re really ¡®enjoying¡¯ this, aren¡¯t you?¡± As he said so, Dowd turned her head to the side. Towards a mirror that just happened to be there, letting her see her own reflection on it. ¡°...¡± That¡¯s... My face? Such a question crossed the empress¡¯ mind that was filled with heat. He was correct. Even though he had been treating her roughly like this... Her expression suggested that she ¡®enjoyed¡¯ it. As if something inside her was satisfied by it. And probably... She was looking forward that he¡¯d be doing ¡®something more than this¡¯¡ª ¡°What are you thinking about right now?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Answer me, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± [ Currently, the Title granted to you is ¡®Playboy¡¯! ] [ When you flirt with women, you can perform more skillful, versatile, and proficient techniques than before! ] [Your techniques surpassed the ability derived from the title!] [ Bonus proficiency is added to the Title as deep as the feelings they have for you as you made them fall in love with you! ] What the window was saying was basically... They upgraded my Title since my flirting actually outperformed the Title¡¯s buff... ¡°...¡± This just pisses me off... So far... One lesson I had learned while getting myself involved with these Vessels was... The more they tried to cross the line and force themselves on me like this, the easier for me to make them fall just by turning the table back on them. It was even easier than I previously thought. Also, it was easier to deal with them compared to those who were silently watching from a distance while looking for an opportunity. You know, the dogs who bite and don¡¯t bark. Since my skill in pushing-and-pulling had gotten quite good ¡ªI had gone through all kinds of chaos after all¡ªI could easily deal with such a sloppy surprise¡ª [Disgusting...] ¡°...¡± [You don¡¯t even think of denying the fact that you¡¯re a fucking womanizer.] Oh, shut the fuck up. Who did you call a womanizer, huh?! ¡°...You know that¡¯s not what¡¯s important now, Caliban.¡± I thought so while glaring at the window before my eyes. Putting aside this annoying window, I noticed something strange. < system="" log=""> [ Confirmed there was a very intimate contact with a Devil¡¯s Vessel. ] [ Target¡¯s Demonic Aura is being charged into the ¡®Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯! ] [ Target ¡®Red Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura is filling up! ] Not this part, though since this was a familiar message that I had seen often. The strange part was... ...It didn¡¯t collect the other one? There was no change to Brown Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura. To be exact, It was as if she didn¡¯t respond to my ¡®Fatal Charm¡¯ skill at all. There was the case with the Red Devil back then, but that was because she just didn¡¯t have much favorability towards me. This Brown punk seemed to be a little different than that. Compared to Faenol back then when she wasn¡¯t even interested in me, the Brown Devil was... How should I put it...? ¡°...It feels like she¡¯s avoiding me...¡± [What?] ¡°You know how it feels just by the atmosphere itself...¡± I held back myself from saying it. Because even I thought it sounded a little weird. ¡°...It feels like she actually hates me...¡± [...What?] Caliban replied in a dumbfounded voice. I mean, a Devil¡¯s Vessel that hated me? That assumption was ridiculous, even to me... [...You fucking disgust me, you know that?] ¡°...¡± So what? Look, this is literally the first case of this ever, of course I¡¯m surprised by it! Actually, I had a feeling that it wasn¡¯t just a simple hate... Because I could smell danger wafting from her. I assumed that the hate she held towards me was one that was filled with extreme malice. . The kind of hate that would drive one to harm the recipient of that hate whenever they had the chance... ...Brown Devil, huh...? Considering her character setting in the game ¡®that I knew of¡¯, I genuinely think that she wasn¡¯t so bad. But, the problem here was that she was in the kind of environment that could easily twist one¡¯s personality. [So, what are you planning to do?] As I was thinking as such, Caliban asked from the Soul Linker. [There are only a few days left before the School Festival starts. You¡¯d need at least three kinds of Demonic Auras, no? So, you need to at least get one more no matter what.] ¡°...I mean, there¡¯s only one left, no need to plan for anything else...¡± I replied with a sigh. While I could just call Riru and charge her Demonic Aura again, there was someone who was ¡®bothering¡¯ me more. The person who had been staying quiet when the other women were throwing themselves at me, even though she usually was the one at the forefront of the charge. She was the only one left... In a lot of ways... ¡°...Time to meet up with Eleanor.¡± The final boss herself. Chapter 255: School Festival (1) Chapter 255: School Festival (1)In the end, I faced a different kind of difficulty than the ones I thought of when I first decided to meet with Eleanor. At first, I thought she had plotted a very evil scheme¡ªmainly related to my lower body¡ªor would force me to do her biddings¡ªmainly related to my lower body. But, what actually happened, every single day, until the day before the School Festival was... ¡°...Today too?¡± As I asked so, Beatrix, whom I had been meeting for a few days¡ªgiving us enough interaction to be familiar with each other¡ªreplied with a sigh. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry but she said she doesn¡¯t want to meet anyone right now.¡± This was also the same thing I heard from the helpless looking Beatrix when I first visited the Student Council Room to meet Eleanor. Yes, this had been going on for several days. Hearing what she said the first time, even though it sounded so lame of me, I couldn¡¯t help but ask... ¡°...Am I included in that ¡®anyone¡¯ category?¡± ¡°Yeah. Actually, this is meant for you, since she knew that you¡¯d come and visit her. That¡¯s why she specifically requested me to tell you this if you were to come.¡± ¡°...¡± Her answer to that lame question of mine only served to make me look even worse. And as someone who knew how infatuated Eleanor was with me, Beatrix seemed to be flustered by the situation as well. Her question proved it. ¡°...So, did you do something that made her angry or what?¡± [Well, I can¡¯t even think which one it would be this time.] ¡°...¡± [But I¡¯ll bet that she¡¯s angry at you because of what you¡¯ve done to the other women just a while ago. I mean, considering that you did all that after giving her a wedding ring.] I ignored the unhelpful ghost¡¯s rambling and mulled over the situation while scratching my head. As Caliban said, the chances that she was angry at me because she found out about that wasn¡¯t low. When you do something wrong repeatedly for a long time, you¡¯re bound to get caught. If anything, it was a miracle that she hadn¡¯t caught me yet so far. I mean, let¡¯s get real. There was no way that she was unaware to some extent that I had been involved with all kinds of women here and there. ...But, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case. [Why?] Because if that¡¯s what this is about, she would¡¯ve come to kill me instead of locking herself up like this. [...] Caliban¡¯s silence meant that he agreed with me. Actually, even though Eleanor seemed intolerant, she was actually extremely tolerant. That was why she had only been sighing whenever she saw me meeting another woman. But, the moment someone else did ¡®something she hadn¡¯t done yet¡¯ with me, she¡¯d definitely come to kill me. Actually, if that were to happen, I wouldn¡¯t be the only one who¡¯d get my neck chopped off, the woman I was doing with would end up like that too. Of course I haven¡¯t done anything like that so far... That was true, I swear! I did all my ¡®first¡¯ intimate contacts with women with Eleanor and no one else! Though, it felt like I was now walking between fine lines with most of them... ¡°...¡± Huh? Wait. ¡°...What?¡± When Beatrix saw the change in my expression, she narrowed her eyes. ¡°Something came to your mind?¡± ¡°...¡± Yeah... There was one... Someone who took away something that even Eleanor hadn¡¯t done yet... Well, I didn¡¯t know if I could call her ¡®someone¡¯, but anyway, she was inside Eleanor¡¯s body, so there was a very high chance she had a ¡®contact¡¯ with her¡ª ¡°...¡± Oh no... This is more dangerous than I thought¡ª ¡°...Eleanor?¡± As I thought so, Beatrix¡¯s voice suddenly hit my ears. At that moment, I could feel my face turning pale as I turned my head towards her¡ªto be exact, toward the person whose name she had just called, who was standing next to her. From the way she dressed, it seemed like she had just come out of the training center inside the Student Council Room. She was wearing a tank top and pants made of practical materials. I could see traces of her working-out all over her body. ¡°...What the? I thought you said you don¡¯t want to meet anyone.¡± ¡°...¡± Beatrix asked her that, but Eleanor didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she silently stared at me with an emotionless gaze that was hard for me to read. Without saying anything. This went on for quite a while. To the point that I was actually getting terrified. ¡°...Um, Elanor?¡± That was why... I decided to greet her first with an awkward smile on my face. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we saw each other, right? Have you been well¡ª¡± Before I could even finish my sentence, she already walked toward me, making my voice unknowingly trail off. Her movements looked daring and there was no hesitation in her gait, making it look as if she was charging forwards to attack her enemy. Uh-oh... ** This might be really really dangerous... ** ¡°...Uh, Elean¡ª¡± Before I could even say anything, she already closed the distance between us and then... She hugged me tightly. Since her body was soaked by her sweat, my clothes were also drenched by it. A fragrant aroma wafted into my nostrils. Then... [ Sensing a movement of ¡®Demonic Aura¡¯! ] The Demonic Aura was charged. Actually, describing it that way was a little inaccurate. ¡°...¡± That¡¯s even worse than before! As Lucia¡¯s face went pale, the Sword Saint continued with a sigh, ¡°I understand that her position is a little special, considering that the only person she could confide in ever since she was a child was Lady Tristan...¡± ¡°...Is that so...?¡± She didn¡¯t know what it was, but now she finally felt that he was about to say something normal. After Lucia let out such a response, the Sword Saint continued to mutter with a gloomy look. ¡°Mm. She¡¯s never shown it because of her position, but she¡¯s someone who¡¯s craving for love...¡± This was something that Lucia had heard about before. Apparently, Cecilia the 11th, the ruler of the empire, had a tough childhood from a very young age due to her political opponents. Most of her family died when she was a little, so she grew up with almost no one on her side. ¡°That¡¯s why I understand her feelings of wanting to find someone who can love her, I really do, but...¡± The Sword Saint let out another deep sigh. ¡°...But why did she choose that damned playboy of all people?¡± ¡°...¡± I can¡¯t refute that. Lucia thought as she barely managed to maintain her twitching smile. Considering what that man did to her sister and her a few days ago¡ªshe meant no offense to Dowd¡ªthe Sword Saint was hitting the nail on the head. ¡°B-But still, that man has quite a lot of good things about him, you know?¡± Lucia struggled to say while sweating profusely. ¡°He¡¯s a much more considerate person than anyone thinks, also, he¡¯s quite reliable! When he does something, he¡¯d do it properly. In my eyes, there are quite a lot of things about him that make him popular with women¡ª¡± ¡°With all due respect, Saintess.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How the hell do you know all that...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It feels like you¡¯re telling me your personal feeling¡ª¡± ** Yes, yes I am! ** Just think of it like that! Lucia gritted her teeth while thinking so, but she couldn¡¯t exactly say it out loud. ¡°T-Then!¡± Instead, she did her best to change the subject while drawing Divine Power. ¡°I-I¡¯ll show you the proof myself!¡± The application of Divine Power was quite diverse, and one of its applications was the ability to show a ¡®playback¡¯ on certain events that had happened somewhere else. Of course, even though she possessed strong enough Divine Power as a saintess, using such an absurd ability would dry her out of her Divine Power, but her desire to end this dangerous confession as soon as possible was way bigger than her worry of exhausting herself. And so, she drew her Divine Power, trying to search for the most recent scene of ¡®Dowd and the empress together, all while doing her best mentally calculate everything. She figured that if the Sword Saint were to see that the empress was enjoying her academy life, he might be less worried about her. After all, even the headmistress mentioned that the empress had been smiling more ever since she came to the Academy. As long as Dowd hadn¡¯t lost his mind, there was no way that he¡¯d do anything strange to the empress. That was her intention. And it was such a good and kind intention too. But, inside the miraculous ¡®scene¡¯ Lucia had created, the empress, who was in another place now, was shown. -In public, you always acted so elegantly, so pitiable, all while wearing the mask of benevolence... -Look at you, being handled roughly by a lowlife like me. And look at your expression. It seems like you¡¯re really ¡®enjoying¡¯ this, aren¡¯t you? - ...Y-You¡ª To be exact... The sight of Dowd, who was degrading the empress openly, and the empress, who was twisting her body around, as if not knowing what to do with him, was shown. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A heavy silence filled the chapel. Ah. I made a mistake. When Lucia realized that... ¡°...This damn lowlife.¡± She could hear the Sword Saint¡¯s murderous voice from across the confession room. ¡°...Saintess.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± As Lucia replied in a stiff voice, he uttered his next words, still sounding like he was about to murder someone. ¡°When is the Elfante¡¯s School Festival again?¡± Uh-oh... This is turning into an even bigger deal! Lucia thought so while breaking out in a cold sweat inwardly. ¡ñ Finally, the day of the School Festival. ¡°...¡± [...] ¡°...¡± [Say something.] ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± [Look, I understand how you feel, but...] ¡°I. Don¡¯t. Know.¡± I stubbornly said so, trying hard to deny the reality in front of me. You know, I never expected that things would go smoothly. Because, it never had, ever since the first time I became Dowd Campbell. But still... [My sooooon¡ª!] ¡°...¡± [Why won¡¯t you look at your moooom¡ª!] How was I supposed to accept that this five meter giant robot was my actual biological mother?! ...I wish this was all just a one big joke...! Chapter 256: School Festival (2) Chapter 256: School Festival (2)Let¡¯s go back in time for a little bit. The morning of the D-day of the School Festival, the day of the showdown. [By the way, what kind of event is the Elfante¡¯s School Festival exactly?] ¡°...You were a student here, how the hell did you not know?¡± [I didn¡¯t even attend for a year before getting assigned to the military, how am I supposed to know?] ¡°Ah...¡± [After I got into the military, I immediately joined the Guardian, so all of my personal information was kept confidential. How can I know what a School Festival or whatever is?] I see. Come to think of it, the reason why Iliya came here was because this was where his last traces could be found. Alright, guess I¡¯ll explain the gist of it since he didn¡¯t know what was going on. ¡°Well, as I¡¯ve said before, it¡¯s something like a fair.¡± I said while opening the curtain on the window of my dorm. Yeah, it was something like a fair, but... The scale was significantly bigger. I looked up to see the huge letters written in the air with mana sparks. It was as if a huge calligraphy was carved into the sky, reminding me of the skyshows I used to see back in my previous life. [ Welcome to the Elfante¡¯s 1022nd School Festival. ] The extremely high number there was the number of times they had held this event¡ªwhich was proportional to Elfante¡¯s own history. While the number itself stood out, the thing that was worth more to pay attention to was the fact that they ¡®spent all that money¡¯ for this kind of thing. To carve mana sparks of that size in the air, you¡¯d need to pour mana as if it was water¡ªwhich meant they¡¯d need to spend a bunch of money. I didn¡¯t know exactly how much, but they should¡¯ve spent at least about a month¡¯s worth of a big city¡¯s operational expenses for this thing only. Spending all that money only for a welcome message was basically a performance to match the ¡®level¡¯ of the people attending this event. ¡°...People from all around the Empire¡ªno, from almost the entire continent gathered here. Because this event is not only one of the biggest events in Elfante, but also in the entire Empire.¡± Actually, both the Holy Land¡¯s Great Temple and the Tribal Alliance¡¯s Forge of Struggle also held similar events, but Elfante overwhelmingly outclassed them in terms of scale and ¡®quality¡¯ of each booth. They¡¯d only hold the event every few years, but you could see all kinds of inventions and research results that you couldn¡¯t see anywhere else all over the place during this event. [...And an event of this scale is still called a School Festival?] Caliban said, in a dumbfounded tone, but I couldn¡¯t help but agree with his words. Honestly, considering its scale, it wouldn¡¯t have been strange if this event was held in the Imperial Palace. ¡°Well, they weren¡¯t like this originally, but... You see, the Empire didn¡¯t really have many things to ¡®brag¡¯ about to the other countries...¡± In terms of technology, the Tribal Alliance beat them promptly, while in terms of academics, cultural achievements, and symbolism, they lost to the Holy Land¡ªthe latter two especially, considering that these guys were the ones who produced the First Hero. While the present hero was an empire¡¯s citizen, Iliya, it still didn¡¯t feel like they got the upper hand against the Holy Land in cultural achievements by a great margin. If there was one thing they could brag about as their strongest strength, it would be the quantity and quality of their ¡®human resources¡¯. ¡°That¡¯s why they feel the need to show this kind of thing off every few years. Like, they want to tell everyone that ¡®This is the one thing we¡¯re the best at¡¯ or something.¡± You could say that they were trying to get the drop on the other countries. The ¡®quantity¡¯ of their various resources was on a different level from the Holy Land and Tribal Alliance, as everything was big, massive, and luxurious. Now, if they were to invest in such resources, creative and innovative things would naturally appear sometimes. That was why the other countries had no choice but to come and visit, even though they knew what the Empire was trying to do. ¡°...And the nature of this event is perfect for me to reveal what I¡¯m trying to do.¡± I could call it Dowd Campbell¡¯s showcase. It would be difficult to shake the ¡®whole continent¡¯ with what I had prepared unless I did a showcase in an event of this scale. As I said so, I left my room to go to the booth assigned to the Exorcism Club. And as soon as I left the dorm room, ¡°Oh, we meet again.¡± I ran into the gentle Cyborg again. ¡°...¡± From Caliban¡¯s reaction when he heard the fact that he was the Magic Tower¡¯s Marshal, I presumed that he was a higher up of the Magic Tower. Apparently, the entire Empire would freak out if they were to find out about him. But why is he loitering around freely like this? ¡°Why such a bitter reaction? This is not the first time we met, no?¡± ¡°...Uh, well...¡± I replied while scratching my head. His name was... Alpha-11, right...? As I trailed off awkwardly, the Magic Tower¡¯s Marshal followed me until he was walking alongside me. From his gesture, he looked friendly. Dowd Campbell¡¯s frown only grew deeper. Wearing an expression that suggested that he did not want to deal with her, he got up from his seat with a sigh. ¡°...I¡¯m going to start my presentation.¡± [Ah...] Before the steel giant called Professor Astrid could say anything else, Dowd had left the booth without looking back. An awkward silence soon filled the booth. Not only the Exorcism Club members, even Alpha-11 could not help but try to read Astrid¡¯s mood. ¡°...Are you okay?¡± He asked worriedly in his synthesized voice. Professor Astrid let out a chuckle. [Well...] The steel giant crossed her arms while letting out a deep sigh. [As expected, I seem to be unwelcomed.] ¡°...¡± Only the quick-witted ones among everyone managed to notice the subtle ¡®change¡¯ in her. The ¡®emotion¡¯ mixed in the steel giant¡¯s voice became very subtle as soon as Dowd Campbell left. [But still, he grew up well. I¡¯m glad I came outside even though I have to strain myself like this.] It was as if... The person she had to ¡®be wary of¡¯ was not there anymore. [...Although, from my memory, I could tell that I was very annoyed...] The ¡®warmth¡¯ that was in her voice had completely disappeared. Non-human, imperson¡ªeven worse, inanimate. It was as if her ¡®human nature¡¯ that remained in a chiseled form was turned off like a switch as soon as Dowd left. What came out of her was a terrifyingly inorganic voice. [So...] By this point, more people should¡¯ve noticed the change in her. While she did not look different on the outside, there was one thing underlying her words... A deep ¡®contempt¡¯ towards someone else. [These are the bitches who didn¡¯t know their places, huh?] ¡ªIn a blink of an eye... The air began to freeze rapidly. ¡ñ Selim Bronx, a member of the Imperial Security Council, was extremely bored. Since all kinds of people from all over the world gathered, Elfante¡¯s School Festival was pretty much a hotbed of incidents. That was why elite agents like her were often deployed, since the Empire didn¡¯t want this big event to get ruined. ...They did way worse than the previous School Festival. However, even though she was entrusted with such an important duty, all she felt was a terrible boredom. Because all the presentations she saw were either just bizarre discoveries with no clear applications, or pretentious researches without any semblance of practicality. There wasn¡¯t even anything grand that could catch her eye. Of course, since the School Festival wasn¡¯t just any random event, there were a lot of things that she hadn¡¯t seen yet, but since her first impression of it was already this bad, she found it hard to have high expectations on the rest of the event anymore. Since she heard that even members of the Magic Tower would come to attend, she was actually quite looking forward to the event, but now she felt like she was just wasting her time here. The number of the presentations that made her think so only increased as time went by, but then... ...Exorcism Club? She spotted a club with a bizarre name. Not having much expectations, she expected them to present another useless thing just like the previous ones she had seen. Especially when the man who presented it seemed like nothing special, even as a student. ¡°Everyone.¡± As Selim thought so while yawning. ¡°What do you think is the best way to get rid of wars from the world?¡± Out of nowhere. A very suspicious topic was brought up. Chapter 257: School Festival (3) Chapter 257: School Festival (3)¡°...Um, Professor Astrid, right?¡± It was Iliya who managed to break the silence in the booth. Due to the strange sentence she had just heard, there was a light hint of anger in her voice. Bitch? I hadn¡¯t done anything to be called¡ª [Hero. The Astral Realm¡¯s spy.] As she said so, the giant¡¯s optical lens rotated smoothly before focusing its gaze on Iliya¡¯s sword. [In general, the angels don¡¯t do anything violent, but they¡¯d plot a lot of things behind everyone¡¯s backs. That Seraphim... She would only ever contact you when she wants to, correct?] ¡°...Pardon me?¡± [She¡¯s normally unresponsive to whatever you say, correct? The only time when she ¡®responds¡¯ is when she has something to say.] T-That¡¯s...true... Leaving the speechless Iliya, the optical lens rotated again, turning to the other group of women nearby who were staring at the giant with wide eyes. [Ah, the Devil¡¯s Vessels. The cleaners in charge of the ¡®end of the world¡¯. While I feel sympathy for you guys since you guys get cussed out too much for your roles, even though you guys didn¡¯t choose that fate, I still can¡¯t bring myself to see you guys in a good light.] Cynicism, ridicule, and contempt filled her voice. The level of hostility she was exuding in that sentence, through her synthesized voice even, was something else. ¡°...What does that¡ª-¡± Someone said in a slightly suppressed voice in the suffocating atmosphere. And what she got in return was... A flood of completely incomprehensible information. [I believe you guys aren¡¯t at fault here. Apart from that damn ¡®Gray¡¯ who created this stopped-cogwheel like mechanism, I believe none of you guys became a host for such things because you wanted to.] ¡°Professor.¡± [That¡¯s why, please don¡¯t get me wrong. I don¡¯t hate ¡®you guys¡¯. What I hate is the things inside you guys. According to the results of the multi-dimensional analysis of cause and effect, all of you have killed Dowd at least once. That¡¯s why, to me, you are all potential killers¡ª] ¡°Professor!¡± A thunder-like roar filled the space. ¡°Kyaaak?!¡± ¡°W-What the?!¡± It wasn¡¯t just an ordinary roar. His voice actually produced a turbulence that caused a ¡®physical impact¡¯ on the surroundings. Light items were shattered into dust, people were pushed down and fell, the structures that were loosely built were crushed unceremoniously. The noisy place instantly became quiet. ¡°...¡± Iliya stared at the scene dumbfoundedly, her mouth slightly agape. T-That... H-He just shouted ¡®slightly loudly¡¯...and a small storm immediately occurred in the surroundings...? She had often seen those super superhumans changing the whole scenery just by swinging their swords once, but this was her first time seeing the surroundings turned into a mess just because of a loud shout. Meanwhile, Alpha-11, the one who caused such a situation, let out a sigh before continuing in a quiet voice. ¡°You¡¯ve revealed too much, Professor. I believe you¡¯ve spilled more than ten confidential secrets of the Magic Tower just now.¡± [So what? I was the one who predicted all of that.] ¡°I understand that your love for your son runs extremely deep, but these people here haven¡¯t done anything to him.¡± [Yet. More specifically, they haven¡¯t done anything serious yet.] Even though the words itself weren¡¯t warm, at all. ¡°Since the beginning of history, humans have been pointing guns and swords at each other for all sorts of reasons¡ªa great cause, their own belief, or simply because they don¡¯t like how the others looked.¡± The latter¡¯s case had a prominent example in Count Nicholas, whom he met not long ago. Humanity was a race in which its members could antagonize others over a very trivial reason. The so-called ¡®politicians¡¯ who were ready to spill blood over a ¡®struggle of interests¡¯ in the huge group of humans called the empire were also a prime example of this, except that their range of activities were on a much larger scale. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered why people act so ferociously against each other like that? There should be a way where we all could live a little more peacefully. A way for everybody to live without hurting anyone. I used to think about those things often...¡± His voice made him sound like a laid-back gentle dreamer. That was why... ¡°But a while ago, I had a conversation with a ¡®human hunter¡¯.¡± When a ¡®change of atmosphere¡¯ in him occurred after he said that sentence, everyone could feel it clearly. ¡°He told me an effective way to hunt children, which is to use their parents as bait.¡± After he said that, a suffocating silence spread. His voice still sounded calm. He just conveyed a plain fact without exaggerating anything, but that only served to deliver his points more clearly. ¡°That experience taught me that humans could indeed act so viciously over a mere trivial reason.¡± That was why it was easier to make a conclusion. Since humans could act so viciously... The ¡®civil war¡¯, of which the fuse had already been lit, would definitely happen. It was only a matter of time. ¡°Humans would willingly point their swords at someone to achieve what they want, for whatever reason¡ªthey would even make up one if they didn¡¯t have any.¡± That was why... ¡°So, I¡¯ve been thinking about this; is there a way for ¡®me¡¯ to solve that?¡± The audience¡¯s expressions turned weird. This particular topic, his flat declaration that came out of nowhere¡ªnone of them were things that were supposed to be conveyed in a presentation by a mere school club. As people¡¯s expressions started to be filled with confusion and they began to buzz with doubts, Dowd placed something on the podium. A small box that he had brought with him. ¡°Let¡¯s see. I believe I could explain it a little better if everyone were to take a look at this.¡± Back in his previous world, all kinds of media on Earth reported that offending someone was the most vicious thing a human could do to each other. It could also be seen as the era was so peaceful that even such a level of ¡®threat¡¯ could attract everyone¡¯s attention. Then, what caused it? What was the precondition to maintain such a peace? The answer was very simple. ¡°The conclusion I reached is...a ¡®suppressing power¡¯.¡± Dowd said before opening the box. And from inside of it... ¡°Something that could put the entire world together.¡± The ¡®entire world¡¯s public enemy... Was released. Chapter 258: School Festival (4) Chapter 258: School Festival (4)Anyone who knew about Duke Tristan¡¯s reputation would definitely be questioning his recent moves. Gideon was always regarded as the ¡®model student¡¯ of the Empire¡¯s nobility; he never did anything out of the ordinary, he¡¯d carry out all of his schedules, no matter how tight it was, and he¡¯d always maintain a fair, yet strict attitude even towards his subordinates. That was why, seeing how he did not show up through all kinds of major incidents that happened recently¡ªlike the Harvest Festival or the incident in the Imperial Palace¡ªa set of questions popped out in everyone¡¯s head. Where did he go? What has he been doing? ¡°...T-This is¡ª¡± Marquis Bogut, who managed to find the answer to those questions, looked at the other person, flustered. The Duke Tristan¡ªGideon¡ªhe remembered always carried an aura resembling that of a strict prosecutor; always looked on edge, and always wearing an expressionless look. But his current looks were completely different. Unshaven, rough beard, a training suit that had turned into something like an old straw mat¡ªsomething that couldn¡¯t even be called clothes anymore, a worn-out sword which even its handle had worn away, implying that it had been swung around more than it could handle. The sharp atmosphere which always reminded people of a blade that used to envelope him had been replaced with a rather softer one. To be exact, it felt as if he had become more ¡®composed¡¯. Instead of a duke, he now looked more like a wandering swordsman. ...And yet, despite looking like that, he still appeared in Elfante¡¯s School Festival, which prompted a lot of questions from Bogut. ¡°...What the hell have you been doing, Duke Tristan?¡± ¡°I did what I had to.¡± His answer was curt, but... If this was the old him, he would¡¯ve just glanced in Bogut¡¯s direction with a disgusted look before going on his way. After all, he was a noble of the Pro-Empress Faction, while the other man was the leader of the Upper Nobles Association. There was no way that they got along well. ¡°...In any case, we could consider running into each other like this as fate. Why don¡¯t we sit together while we watch these presentations?¡± Well, it seems like I can talk with him now, at least. Bogut thought so before offering the seat next to him, but Gideon only asked him a question without responding to his offer. ¡°Where¡¯s Dowd Campbell?¡± ¡°...¡± Hmm... That guy¡¯s name is always brought up everywhere, huh? ¡°...Do you need something from him? I believe he must be extremely busy right now.¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± Gideon replied briefly. ¡°...I came here to thank him. I¡¯m finally ready.¡± Relief, assurance, and determination. His voice was filled with a mix of those emotions. His attitude made it seem like he was about to receive a reward after finishing the biggest mission in his life. ...I¡¯m not sure, but... It seems like he has achieved a great thing recently. ¡°Well, then that¡¯s all the more reason we should watch it together!¡± Watching this man would be quite fun as well. Marquis Bogut thought while pointing at Dowd Campbell, which was shown on the huge screen. ¡°Let¡¯s watch him together.¡± An accomplishment that made even someone on Duke Tristan¡¯s level felt this kind of relief wouldn¡¯t be something ordinary. That roused Bogut¡¯s curiosity more than it should have. ¡°Right now, that man is presenting something that could open up a new era.¡± An expectation that was like a bad habit¡ªhe was curious of Gideon¡¯s reaction. His reaction once he realized how insignificant his accomplishment was after he heard the topic Dowd Campbell was about to bring up. ¡ñ Perhaps, no one was able to tell what exactly it was that they were seeing at that moment. Because the thing that came up from inside the box that Dowd had opened only looked like different colored ¡®smokes¡¯ coming up like clouds. ¡°...What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure...¡± Such questions spread among the audience. Because in contrast to the grand speech he delivered just a moment ago, he only showcased shabby hazes on that venue. However, some people... People with good senses, people who had achieved some kind of accomplishments, people who studied the Devils to some extent, and sincere priests¡ªall those people... Felt an anxiety that made their whole body frozen stiff. ¡°...Dean?¡± Somewhere in the Academy, a student from the Theology School muttered as such.. Because Dean Walter had jumped up from his seat, barely holding a Catalyst with his trembling hands. His face was pale. ¡°...Stop him.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± At his words, which sounded like a groan, the student asked in a confused tone. Because he did not expect the professor to react in such a way, as he had always said some incomprehensible things. Mr...Dowd...! She opened her eyes as if praying. She did not know why she was doing that, but it was probably because she felt a strong desire to help him. And at that moment, what she saw was... ¡°...¡± Something extremely strange. The Dowd that she saw with one eye, was the Dowd she knew. From his Academy Uniform, his smiling eyes that she always found detestable, and his mouth that always said strange things, everything was familiar to her. However, that was only half of him. If she looked at him with her other ¡®half¡¯... What was there was... -Dark, pitch black. It put on a human mask in the form of Dowd Campbell. But its ¡®essence¡¯ was... Death. The world¡¯s destroyer. ¡°Ah...¡± Lucia¡¯s legs gave out and she collapsed right there. ¡°Ah, ah... Haa...¡± Holding her head while crying, she... She didn¡¯t even know what it was that she saw. It felt as if a scream was echoing in her ears. That, that was¡ª! ¡°-So, this existence...¡± But... At some point... All of the pressure vanished without a trace. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Silence filled the venue, which had turned into a mess at this point. The place was so quiet that everyone could only hear their loud breathing. Everyone looked as if they could not recognize clearly what they had just seen, and what they had been here with. At that moment, Dowd Campbell¡¯s quiet voice echoed. ¡°What would happen if this thing falls upon on ¡®whichever side who started the fight first?¡¯¡± After pulling that kind of stunt... He continued to speak nonchalantly. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this thing is going to be a pretty cool suppressing power?¡± The expression he was wearing was definitely the ¡®human¡¯ Dowd Campbell¡¯s. Just like when he first went up the podium, he wore a gentle and peaceful look, one might think that he wore an indifferent look even. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± However, no one could take it the same way as before. Because that expression looked as if... If he wanted to... He could bring out ¡®something like this¡¯ whenever he wanted. ¡ñ Marquis Bogut smirked while looking at Gideon next to him, whose eyes widened after witnessing all that. Even though he wasn¡¯t there personally and only saw it through a ¡®screen¡¯. There was no way that he, out of all people, did not know. ¡®What kind of influence¡¯ the thing Dowd Campbell had just shown could have on the entire world. And what kind of a butterfly effect it would cause to the empire¡¯s internal situation. ...Too bad I can¡¯t see a big reaction out of him. Gideon¡¯s whole body stiffened up, and it seemed like he wouldn¡¯t move a muscle anytime soon. So, Bogut decided to just congratulate that guy in the meantime. ¡°Congratulations for finally entering the ¡®evolution¡¯ stage.¡± The man on the screen, who was still full of smiles. This was something that had been foreseen from the moment he received the Fallen¡¯s Seal from the Gray Devil. Finally, the ¡®achievement¡¯ was revealed in earnest. ¡°...You¡¯re going to also take up the last seat of the Seven Powers that¡¯s still vacant soon.¡± Marquis Bogut muttered while swirling the wine in his glass. ¡°-Black Devil.¡± That was the name that man would be called by in the future. Chapter 259: Aftermath (1) Chapter 259: Aftermath (1)[Amazing job back there.] A voice came out of the Soul Linker as soon as I left the venue. Just like what he said, everyone around focused their attention on me to the point that it was overwhelming. However, none of them had the courage to talk to me directly. Probably because they hadn¡¯t completely ¡®understood¡¯ what they had just seen yet. ¡°...Huu.¡± I walked slowly while exhaling through my nose. Meanwhile, everyone backed off hesitantly, matching my steps. Implying that, not only did they indeed not understand what they had just seen yet, but also didn¡¯t want to get involved with me. And that was probably for the better. At least for now. Because if they didn¡¯t, they¡¯d definitely take up too much of my time when I was pressed for time to meet a certain someone now. [They¡¯re probably postponing the whole event because of this.] ¡°Of course. It wasn¡¯t something ordinary people could bear to see, after all.¡± I replied with a bitter smile. From the moment I received the Fallen¡¯s Seal from the Gray Devil, I already guessed that it would have this ¡®function¡¯. [...How did you even guess that?] ¡°Because her possessiveness is on a different level compared to the rest of them.¡± Thinking back, the Gray Devil was the punk who immediately crushed the White Devil¡ªeven though they were of the ¡®same kind¡¯, just because the latter touched me. So, there was no way that she¡¯d let the obvious biggest obstacle in her ideal life¡ªbeing lovey-dovey with me forever¡ªbe. [Biggest obstacle?] ¡°My lifespan.¡± The nature of our relationship was one between a Devil, a half-divine, and me, a mere mortal. Anyone could see that there was an enormous obstacle between us from that fact alone. Of course, that obstacle might as well not exist if she were to give me ¡®immortality¡¯ by putting a certain seal on my chest. [...Ah.] Caliban exclaimed, as if he had realized something. Hearing that, I burst out laughing. This was the reason why the Gray Devil always said that we¡¯d be together forever until the end of the world everytime we met in the past. [Then, you...] Caliban continued with a hollow laugh. [...Received that seal knowing from the very beginning you¡¯d turn into that...?] ¡°...Well, I didn¡¯t expect her to actually turn me into something similar to a Devil, though...¡± I just guessed that this thing would be related to my lifespan somehow, but I never expected that it would be this terrifying. Though, I kinda noticed this already back when I was cut in half by Yuria. [If you only need three Auras to get this level of an effect...] Caliban trailed off. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand what he was trying to say, though. If I were to charge the remaining Demonic Auras from the Devils... How far would it get? ¡°...Nevertheless, we have to see it through to the end.¡± I gave him a firm answer. After all, this was just the beginning. As I had said to the Fist Saint before, my goal was to turn the world into a place where the Devil¡¯s Vessels ¡®were not hated¡¯. [...Isn¡¯t what you¡¯re doing exactly the opposite of that goal?] ¡°For now, yes.¡± Because this is like a failed version of what you could do with a Devil¡¯s power. [Are you implying that there¡¯s a successful version of it...?] ¡°Of course.¡± I replied with a grin. ¡°Why do you think I did all this willingly?¡± Without a proper buildup, everything would have less impact. Just by showing these people a glimpse of how terrifying the Devil¡¯s power could be, they¡¯d remember the horror they had been forgetting all this time. After that, what I¡¯d need to do was just... ¡®Turning over¡¯ that accumulated emotion in one fell swoop. I only needed a properly constructed ¡®stage¡¯ for that. [Not like I had ever understood what you were thinking, but this time I really don¡¯t get it. What the hell are you up to now?] ¡°Well, I¡¯m just trying to create a future where I could do polygamy in peace.¡± [...Ah, right, I forgot you¡¯re this kind of fucker.] Hearing his sigh, I snickered. Not long after that, I asked him a question that I had been wondering about. ¡°Still, what you¡¯ve shown here won¡¯t become a lie just because they think of it as a false rumor.¡± Marquis Bogut grinned while raising his glass. The richly-colored wine, as deep as blood, swung roughly as the tips of our glasses hit each other. The liquid swirled like a whirlpool. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that, the stage will be laid for you. You will have the ¡®opportunity¡¯ to dig deep into their hearts through what you showed here.¡± He continued while smiling. ¡°They¡¯ll ¡®resurrect¡¯ Nicholas soon, and once they hear what he has to say, they¡¯ll hound at you from all directions to kill you.¡± ¡°...I guess so.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s exactly where the important phase of your plan is, no? The perfect stage for you to show how overwhelming the ¡®Devil¡¯s power¡¯ is.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Those people are nice, don¡¯t you think? They willingly provide you the opportunity to ¡®prove¡¯ what you had just said. All you need to do is just to pulverize them then.¡± While listening to him quietly, I stared at Marquis Bogut. ¡°...You.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Are you really my enemy?¡± ¡°Of course I am.¡± ¡°But why are you telling me everything?¡± ¡°Because it won¡¯t be fun if you lose too easily!¡± He replied, still smiling, but I only stared at him silently. ¡°If you go to the booth of my Club, there¡¯s someone called Professor Astrid.¡± For a moment there... Although it was a very short moment... Marquis Bogut¡¯s smile became slightly stiff. Of course I didn¡¯t miss that, but I just stared at him. ¡°I believe that you two have met before. Why don¡¯t you go over there and say hi?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not in a relationship where it would be a good idea for us to see each other!¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± In an instant, his expression returned to normal. I replied calmly as I watched him. ...One thing that I noticed though... Was that they really didn¡¯t have the relationship where it would be a good idea for them to see each other. I suspected that this man used to be in a very ¡®deep¡¯ relationship with that Professor Astrid person in the past, whatever the relationship was. ¡°...Ah, right.¡± Marquis Bogut, who was silent for a moment, suddenly brought up another topic. I knew why he was trying to do this, but what he said wasn¡¯t something I could ignore. ¡°Duke Tristan wants to see you. Shouldn¡¯t you meet him as soon as you can?¡± ¡°...Duke Gideon is looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes. He said that he¡¯s ready to attain his long-cherished desire or whatever. I think he said that he can finally cut what he wanted to cut or something like that.¡± ...Ah... This matter was related to the ¡®curse that had been passed down in Tristan Duchal Household. It was the content of Eleanor¡¯s ¡®Special Quest¡¯ that was unlocked a long time ago. This meant that I had finally achieved the cut-line I drew in order to achieve that. Good. The timing was perfect. Because the way to completely erase the Branching Route of Eleanor¡¯s ¡®going berserk¡¯ was supposed to happen in the Main Chapter, the Empire¡¯s Great Turmoil. If Gideon had reached such a level, it meant that he would be a big help in the Event¡¯s progression. ¡°...Thanks for the advice. Is that all about the duke?¡± ¡°Ah, there was one more.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± Then what is it? Seriously, don¡¯t make me ask twice just quickly¡ª ¡°He said that he will finally consider the official procedure of your marriage with Lady Tristan once he attains his long-cherished desire.¡± ¡°...Pardon me?¡± ¡°It was hilarious to see him beating around the bush, all flustered while saying that though. Hard to think that he was a guy who abandoned his daughter like that. Anyway, that was what he said.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He said that it was the best expression of gratitude he could give you.¡± ...I shouldn¡¯t have asked. Chapter 260: Aftermath (2) According to my memory, Gideon¡¯s death was the trigger to the biggest Branching Route of Eleanor¡¯s going berserk. ¡°...¡± Honestly, when I first heard about a Vessel going berserk, it really didn¡¯t click with me. But, after ¡®experiencing it myself¡¯, I just felt that I had to prevent those people who were close to me from turning like that, even if that meant I¡¯d have to risk my life. Seeing what I had done back then, it was horrifying to think that a Vessel could go down to such deep ends when their minds were hazed by the Demonic Aura. [...It¡¯s that, right?] What? [You know, back when you did something that felt like no human would ever do without any hesitation? Like back during the Crimson Incident?] Yeah... Before Eleanor made me come back to my senses, I always had this feeling as if everything I had done wasn¡¯t done by me. That was why, this would be the perfect time to repay that favor I owed her. In that sense, Gideon¡¯s ¡®long-cherished wish¡¯ was the surefire ticket to prevent Eleanor from going through that. Or at least, that was how it should go, but... ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Although, I think I still need to hone myself a little more...¡± After seeing Gideon¡¯s ¡®trial performance¡¯ sword dance with my own eyes... I was left speechless. His words left me with nothing to say. What did he just say? Hone himself a little more? What kind of bullshit was that? Yeah, I usually told him to ¡®practice this¡¯ and ¡®practice that¡¯ even when we were apart, but I only did all that to help him reach the pinnacle of the strength he wished for¡ªbased on the diary he had left¡ªquickly. And as a result of that, he, who stood right before my eyes... ...This guy is already at a level where he could just face Radu directly... Yes. It seemed more than possible for him to match that monster¡ªthe current Sword Saint who was on his way to become the strongest human of all time. Of course, it would be impossible for Gideon to win against him, since in the first place, Radu was the one who taught him the basics of the sword. Not to mention that he also had his own hidden special abilities... ¡°...Tell me what you think of it.¡± And yet, such a person was now looking at me nervously, as if he was a student waiting for the announcement of his admittance to a college. ¡°...It¡¯s a pass for me, it¡¯s enough.¡± The fact that I had to evaluate someone of his stature made me feel ashamed. Nevertheless, what I said wasn¡¯t a lie. ¡°With this, you¡¯d definitely be able to cut the thing you want to cut.¡± As I said so, Gideon closed his eyes for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. Relief, a sense of achievement, and determination. I could feel all these emotions mixed together on his face. Though that was a natural thing, since he was so close to attaining his ¡®long-cherished wish¡¯ of his lifetime. ...Speaking of, this person¡¯s long-cherished wish was... To cut off the root of the curse that had been passed down in his family. It was related to Eleanor¡¯s mother, who had died a long time ago. ¡®The person¡¯ who had killed her should be related to the root of this person¡¯s long-cherished wish. ¡°...¡± But, in order to look for that person, I¡¯d need to dig deep into the darkest and deepest part of the empire¡¯s politics. And during that process, I¡¯d be involving myself with... ...Her Imperial Majesty, Chancellor Sullivan, Eleanor, Gideon, Faenol, Iliya and... ...This person. I thought so while looking at the Soul Linker. [...Why?] Nothing. It wasn¡¯t a coincidence that all the members of the Guardians were sent to quell the Crimson Night Incident and ended up perishing that night. While this person probably had gone there half-voluntarily, there were some ¡®work¡¯ involved that led to that kind of ¡®situation¡¯ in the first place. I thought silently to myself while changing the topic so that such thoughts ¡®wouldn¡¯t be heard by Caliban¡¯. ¡°I¡¯ll bring the ¡®thing you¡¯d need to cut¡¯ to you.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing my words, Gideon¡¯s eyes slightly widened. ¡°...You knew about that as well?¡± ¡°You could act more surprised, you know?¡± ¡°After being involved this deeply with you, I have gotten used to this to a certain extent. After all, you always act as if you already know all the secrets that everyone tries to hide.¡± I nodded, letting out a bitter smile. ¡°Yes. I could tell that everything will turn into a mess the moment I sign this!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just an application for external club activities, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just your nonsensical excuse! If that¡¯s really what it is, you would have brought it to your club¡¯s advisor, not me, the headmistress!¡± ¡°See? You understood.¡± ¡°...¡± The moment she heard that, I could see that she was contemplating to either slap me in the face or punch herself in the head for forming a partnership with me in the first place. In the end though, she just facepalmed and called out to me in a serious voice. ¡°All the areas you¡¯re going to go through during this ¡®external club activities¡¯ you requested are the Upper Nobles Association¡¯s military hubs. Going there when you¡¯re still attracting this much attention is like throwing yourself into a lion¡¯s den.¡± ¡°Headmistress.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you know what is the most effective way to subdue the punks who¡¯ve gone crazy and wanted to start a war so badly even though a suppressing power is still in place?¡± Even on Earth, in the era where nuclear weapons had been developed, there had been constant conflicts, whether they were big or small. Wars still went on here and there, even though there was a looming threat of nuclear weapons. But guess how those wars ended? ¡°It¡¯s to show them directly why a suppressing power is called as such.¡± ¡°...¡± The headmistress held her head. ¡°...I could tell that you¡¯re going to say something crazy again by your expression... Fine, I¡¯ll listen to it. What is it?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to say anything.¡± I said with a grin, meanwhile the headmistress¡¯ expression went blank. ¡°Instead, I¡¯ll show you with my actions.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°As the one in charge, you can just deploy me there as long as you make up some kind of an excuse, no? Trust me, as long as me and my club members roam around those places, the civil war wouldn¡¯t end up happening. I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°...You motherfucking lunatic...¡± ¡°...¡± Headmistress, please, keep your dignity. ¡°...I¡¯ll think about it. Don¡¯t count too much on it, though.¡± If it was any other person, those words were basically a refusal, but for her, it pretty much meant a yes. It was pretty easy to convince this person. As long as I pushed what it was that I wanted like this, she¡¯d lend me an ear even though she¡¯d grumble about it. Of course, I knew that it was because I kept showing her achievements after achievements every time I did it. [...You know, she feels like your mom, if anything.] What? [Like, even though she knew that request is dumb and unreasonable, she accepted it anyway...] ... I ignored Caliban¡¯s words¡ªwhich were filled with sympathy¡ªfor now, and cleared my throat. ¡°Speaking of, do you know where my other club members are? I can¡¯t see them anywhere.¡± I left them with that Professor Astrid person last time. Normally, when I did something that attracted attention, some of the punks would come to me and make a fuss, but they were nowhere to be found. ¡°Professor Astrid took them somewhere. She said that she has something to talk about with them.¡± ¡°...Is she out of her mind? I swear if she¡¯s bullshitting them¡ª¡± Hearing the curse that I unknowingly said, Atalante tilted her head. ¡°...Do you guys know each other?¡± ¡°...¡± ...Right. Not many people knew that she proclaimed herself as her mother. And honestly, it was kind of hard to say that she was someone I knew. Well, I knew her, but not personally. We weren¡¯t close at all. In any case, I asked the next question I had in mind. Although, because of my state of mind, it was clear that my voice sounded hurried. ¡°Did you hear what it was that she wanted to talk about?¡± ¡°...Um, she said that they had something to plot about together.¡± Atalante replied while scratching her head, looking as if she didn¡¯t understand the circumstances either. ¡°When that huge steel golem took them, she said that there¡¯s something she needs to notify in advance before ¡®the first daughter-in-law selection¡¯ occurs...¡± ¡°...¡± What the fuck did you just say? Wait, wait. Is she doing that for real? Chapter 261: Date (1) While a certain headmistress was agonizing over a certain student¡¯s ridiculous demand somewhere, a certain count was letting out a sigh over a similar ridiculous demand. ¡°Is this some sort of a joke?¡± Asking for entry permission for club activities? At a time like this? Could it be any more ridiculous than this? While the count played a role as an assistant or some sort for Marquis Bogut, he was still ranked third or fourth of the most important people in the Upper Nobles Association. For this person to demand something like this to him... Calling him audacious wouldn¡¯t even cut it. ¡°Seeing how confident they are in demanding something like this, it¡¯d be safe to think that they have some tricks up their sleeves.¡± ¡°I thought so too, Chief Aide.¡± Count Ravel replied while sweeping his hair. His annoyance was clear in his voice. ...What¡¯s the point of doing this now? The civil war was about to break out and there wasn¡¯t much time left before it happened. There was no way that this person was such an idiot that he wasn¡¯t aware of that. ¡°How is Nicholas¡¯ ¡®resurrection work¡¯ going?¡± Hearing what Count Ravel said, a slight disgust passed through the chief aide¡¯s face. The count ignored it though, since even though they were in the same group, the general consensus of Nicholas was that he was a disgusting human being. Then, the chief aide replied to him, and his answer was a little unexpected. ¡°Currently, it¡¯s going smoothly, but we¡¯re seeing some...¡®side effects¡¯...¡± ¡°Side effects?¡± ¡°...To quote the people involved in the progression itself...¡± As he went on, the disgust in the chief aide¡¯s face grew deeper. ¡°...His ¡®appetite¡¯ has increased quite a lot.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Regardless, that isn¡¯t important for now. You have to consider that man¡¯s intention behind sending this kind of request, Count.¡± The chief aide forcefully changed the subject. From his expression, it was clear that he didn¡¯t want to talk about that topic anymore, prompting Count Ravel to tilt his head, but what he had said was also a topic that was hard to ignore. ? ¡°...Either the empress or the chancellor is backing him, Count.¡± ¡°That¡¯s obvious. Unless he¡¯s out of his mind.¡± The chief aide, who was also his personal secretary, nodded in agreement. Count Ravel had been informed several times that the punk called Dowd Campbell was close to both the empress and chancellor. That was why, both the count and the chief aide concluded that there was a high chance that the man was carrying out some important mission given by these two characters. If it wasn¡¯t the case, there was no way he¡¯d willingly enter the enemy¡¯s line all by himself like this. At the very least, he was definitely ¡®hiding¡¯ something. If Caliban or Atalante, the two people who knew the truth of the situation, heard the content of this conversation, they¡¯d have burst out laughing hysterically. Because, they already said it themselves; neither the empress nor the chancellor were backing Dowd, he was simply just acting like a lunatic. However, there was no way these two people knew that, so they just flesh out their conspiracy theories instead. ¡°The fact that either the empress or the chancellor is moving in times like this means that he is intending to provoke us.¡± ¡°...Agreed. As for why he¡¯s doing it, he¡¯s pressed for time.¡± The two men exchanged cunning gazes. In their eyes, the fact that their opponent was going out of his way to provoke them like this meant that there was a high chance that he ran out of resources to carry out his thing, and this was just his defense mechanism. After all, a dog who wanted to bite someone wouldn¡¯t bark. It would keep an eye on the person¡¯s movements and look out for a ¡®chance¡¯. To put it simply, there was a high chance that this was merely a bluff that came out of his desperation. Which meant, the way to deal with him was simple. ¡°...Make sure we won¡¯t be negligent in welcoming our guests, Chief Aide.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± There was no need to unnecessarily engage in a battle of nerves against a dog who couldn¡¯t even bite. What they needed to do was to deal with him enough before ¡®humiliating¡¯ him and sending him away. Then, they could orchestrate for ¡®something horrible¡¯ to happen to that Dowd Campbell punk and used it as a trigger for the civil war. ¡°Keep this in mind though, do not rush anything. The reason why he¡¯s here is because someone is backing him up.¡± ¡°No need to worry. I¡¯ll only start dealing with him after everything is ready from our side.¡± Both of them then exchanged gazes that were even more cunning than before. ¡°...Speaking of, do you believe in that?¡± ¡°No. Rumors are rumors. They¡¯re always exaggerated.¡± And so their conversation went. Little did they know that this conversation would serve as a prologue to all kinds of tragedies that would happen afterwards. Even after making all kinds of those speculations, there was only one thing that the two of them guessed correctly. The fact that Dowd Campbell was indeed hiding something. ¡ñ ¡°Uh, Caliban?¡± [Mm?] ¡°...Could it be that these Upper Noble Association people are actually good people?¡± What? Caliban said something incomprehensible, prompting me to tilt my head. Then he continued, sounding as if he was unable to hold back his laughter. [You see, that girl¡¯s confused because it¡¯s her first time experiencing such emotions. That¡¯s why she¡¯d take it out on you every time she sees you.] ...Is it similar to how a child would try to bully someone that they like? To think that I¡¯d see such an attitude from a Grand Assassin. What was she, a shy tiger? Anyway, I could see what Caliban was trying to say, at least to some extent. Because her reaction if I were to tease her proved his words. ¡°If you hate me that much, you could¡¯ve just refused to not follow me.¡± By the way, I stressed the point to her that this time, I was going to an extremely dangerous area. In other words, this punk came here knowing what was up. Hearing my words, Victoria pouted her lips as she replied. ¡°...I¡¯ve promised...¡± ¡°Promised?¡± ¡°That I¡¯d follow you no question asked if I were to lose against you in our match.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...I hate to admit it, but I lost that match since I failed to kill Seras...¡± Hearing that, I could barely manage to hide my smile because this punk would throw a fit if she were to see it. Considering what would happen ¡®next¡¯, I shouldn¡¯t make her angry now. < tip!=""> [ The higher the Devil¡¯s Vessel¡¯s favorability level towards you, the easier it is to collect Demonic Aura! ] [ Low favorability level will spawn some difficulties in the collection process! ] I remembered such a window popped up a while ago. That window most likely popped up as an explanation as to why the Purple Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura wasn¡¯t only charging slowly, but wasn¡¯t charged to 100%. The window definitely didn¡¯t apply to Seras, that was why I concluded that it was this punk¡¯s favorability level that was the problem. I figured that I should clear this matter out as soon as possible. Because I had a feeling that there was a high chance that both Seras and Victoria¡ªor even the Purple Devil herself, would be the key in subduing Nicholas, the biggest obstacle in this chapter. That was why it would be better for me to clear up even the smallest obstacles as soon as possible. In that regard... Caliban, do you remember what I said in the past? [Hm?] You know, the thing that I said to Faenol. [Which thing? How the fuck am I supposed to know if you¡¯re being this vague?] The part where I said that I could seduce her in a day as long as the conditions have been met. [...] I didn¡¯t say that for no reason. Because that was the reason I summoned this punk all the way here. This was pretty much an opportunity for me to create a situation where I¡¯d be ¡®alone together¡¯ with her, despite the place being a dangerous area for me. ¡°Victoria.¡± ¡°What? Also, don¡¯t call my name in that way. It isn¡¯t like we¡¯re friendly to each other. I¡¯m getting goosebumps just from hearing¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to have a date today.¡± I said those words in a matter-of-fact manner, as if that had already been decided. This way, she¡¯d have no way to refuse. It was basically me telling her, ¡®Whether you like it or not, we¡¯re going to have a lovey dovey time together today¡¯. ¡°...Uh.¡± Hearing what I said, she let out a subdued voice, just like a death throe. She stood there for a while as her eyes moved around uncontrollably while scratching her chin and kicking the ground a few times.. After that, a deep red blush appeared in her face as she looked up at me. ¡°...W-What?¡± Her body stiffened as she let out a weird sound. Seeing that, I just continued. ¡°The reason why I came here with you, leaving the others behind, is so that we could do that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, is there anywhere you want to go?¡± ¡°...¡± I gotta admit. The way Victoria moved her lips, not making any sound while blushing, was cuter than I expected. Chapter 262: Date (2) Anyone who could mention that they spent a laid-back afternoon on a boring holiday was definitely someone who had a leisurely life. Because most grown adults often couldn¡¯t spend their holidays languorously even if they wanted to. Especially those with a job that required hard labor. In that sense, from their title alone, one could tell that Grand Assassins were the people who had considerably distanced themselves from such languorous breaks. That was why... Strutting down the street on a ¡®weekday¡¯ wasn¡¯t a familiar activity for Victoria Evatrice. Considering that the purpose of this walk was something called a ¡®date¡¯¡ªsomething she was even more unfamiliar with¡ªshe was completely lost on what to do. ¡°...D-Does it look strange on me?¡± She didn¡¯t even know what kind of voice she just let out as she said that. The poor girl was too occupied with her spinning vision after a full night of agonizing over ¡®What clothes should I wear?¡¯. While she had tried out all kinds of clothes due to the nature of her job, this was the first time she ever tried to dress up to make herself ¡®look beautiful¡¯. On the other hand, the person she¡¯d be going on a date with was dressed up neatly. He looked calm, and he seemed to be confident that he wasn¡¯t wearing anything strange. As if he was ¡®used¡¯ to being with a member of the opposite sex like this. ¡°No, it looks good on you.¡± In fact, he even took the lead in such a natural way like this. Victoria couldn¡¯t help but feel upset. ¡°...I don¡¯t need your empty praises.¡± She said curtly while fiddling with the end of her one-piece dress that was filled with flowy frills. The girl was pouting, but it seemed that she hadn¡¯t realized it just yet. ¡°You can¡¯t move around easily in this kind of clothes, you can¡¯t hide any hidden weapons while wearing it, and I know for a fact that there¡¯s no way this dress would look good on¡ª¡± ¡°But it does.¡± Dowd cut off her words. His voice sounded so firm that Victoria found it hard to refute him. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you think of yourself, but you look really beautiful in it. At least for me.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that answer, Victoria could only clench her fists and gritted her teeth tightly. Her body shook greatly, while her face turned red. ...Humiliating me like that... So annoying... She badmouthed him inwardly, but of course that didn¡¯t stop him from continuing calmly. Who knows if he knew how she felt or not. ¡°Alright, shall we go then?¡± ¡°...Do whatever.¡± Dowd let out a chuckle before grabbing the still pouting Victoria¡¯s hand tightly. The way he did it was like a raptor snatching its prey. ¡°W-What, what are you¡ª!¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go.¡± While saying such a word, Dowd immediately dragged Victoria, as if she was a snatched mouse. ¡°Wait, at least tell me where we¡¯re going¡ª!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know where yet. Honestly, I don¡¯t care whatever it is that we¡¯re going to do.¡± Hearing that, Victoria¡¯s eyes sparkled. Good! Finally, an opening I can use to ¡®attack¡¯ him! ¡°Don¡¯t you know any manners? Someone who invites the other should prepare everything before¡ª!¡± ¡°We shouldn¡¯t bury ourselves under the thought that we ¡®have to do¡¯ something on a date.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± ¡°As long as we can spend time together, it doesn¡¯t matter what it is that we¡¯re doing, no?¡± This was one of the mistakes that inexperienced couples often made. Experienced couples who had been together for a certain amount of time would have realized that whatever it was they were doing didn¡¯t matter at all, because the important thing on a date was spending time together with the other person. ¡°...¡± This guy pisses me off! So annoying! Dowd had a lot of experience with women, and he didn¡¯t even bother to hide that fact from her. Instead, he openly showed it to her with such confidence, as if he was sure that Victoria wouldn¡¯t hate him for it. And he showed such ¡®confidence¡¯ in his every movement and attitude. ¡°Ah, why don¡¯t we go there first?¡± Being completely defeated by him, Victoria could only shake in embarrassment. Meanwhile, Dowd suggested they go downtown. Even when she was being dragged by him, Victoria kept trying to come up with ways to express her dissatisfaction. Too bad for her, the sky was very clear. It would be one thing if there was a natural disaster going on, but the sun was shining warmly without any clouds covering it right now. ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t forgive those who try to take that away from others.¡± Victoria quietly raised her head to look at him. She couldn¡¯t sense any trace of emotion in his expressionless face. Which meant that he knew exactly what he was talking about. At that moment, he casted his gaze into the sky slowly. She could see the light that reflected in his eyes flickered a little. At that moment, he looked as if he was daydreaming. ¡°Going out with someone you like on a holiday, eating delicious food, walking while holding each other¡¯s hands under the warm weather... With my heart and soul, I wish for a world where everyone could do all that...¡± For that, from now on, he... Swore that he¡¯d bleed and make other people bleed. To deceive others and be deceived by others. ¡°In order to make people keep such rights...someone has to step up. I can¡¯t bear to see such things being taken away in this world where ¡®you guys¡¯ and ¡®I¡¯ exist.¡± He declared as such in a calm voice... That he would walk a thorny and hellish path made of sulfur. Victoria managed to read what was between the lines and stared at him. He still wore the same expressionless face, thinking that perhaps, if she were to peel off a layer of skin on his face, she could see what it was that he had ¡®given up¡¯ for the sake of the thing he had just talked about. Although, it was possible that only rotten bloody pus might drip down if she were to do that. She had clearly seen what this man did back at the School Festival. That was definitely... Something that could only be achieved after sacrificing a lot of things that made up a ¡®human being¡¯. Human nature, mortality, emotions that made up the mind, the core foundations that made himself him... Everything... ¡°...¡± Victoria knew that irrational violence only occurred because the world went on in an irrational way. An obvious example of this was those idiots who tried to start a war solely for the sake of their interests. And in order to fix such irrationality, this man willingly ruined his ¡®dignity¡¯ to the very end. ¡°...What?¡± Before Dowd realized it, Victoria held out the sandwich in her hand to him, prompting a chuckle out from him. Because until just now, she had been eating heartily, he didn¡¯t expect that she¡¯d offer him the same sandwich she had been eating, albeit hesitantly. ¡°...Nothing.¡± Victoria puckered his lips before continuing a few moments after. ¡°I¡¯m just full.¡± She resolved to herself, even if her mouth were to be ripped apart, she wouldn¡¯t say it out loud... That even though she admitted that this man¡¯s intentions were very praiseworthy, she found him pitiful. So pitiful that she had the urge to ¡®hug him tight¡¯. ¡ñ ¡°So, how was it?¡± As the day was coming to an end, Dowd asked Victoria that question. ¡°...¡± She hesitated for a moment before eventually replied with a sigh. ¡°...It wasn¡¯t bad.¡± She hated to admit it, but it wasn¡¯t like she could deny it. The time she spent with this man was significantly better than she expected. To the point where she thought that maybe this man was not as trashy as she first expected. As she thought so... ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we go there next?¡± Dowd said while pointing at a certain place. When she turned her gaze all the way over there... ¡°...¡± She decided to throw away all of the thoughts she just had into the trash bin. What the hell was I on about? He? Not trashy as I thought? Bullshit...! ¡°...You perverted bastard...!¡± She said such words while growling, her face blushing crazily. That was because the place Dowd was pointing at was... An accommodation that was painted in glowing ¡®pink¡¯. Chapter 263: Date (3) ¡°...You know...¡± Victoria called out, her tone sounded as if she was tolerating something. In fact, she was indeed tolerating something. Everything, actually. First of all, even if she were to concede the way that he entered such a place so indifferently... Although it was obvious what he was trying to do here, she knew that going on a ¡®date¡¯ meant that there was a huge chance that they¡¯d end up coming here. However... Even if that was the case... ¡°At least get separate rooms for both of us¡ª-!¡± No matter how unfamiliar Victoria was with dates, she knew that ¡®staying together in one room¡¯ on the very first date was a completely absurd thing to do. That discounted the fact that he chose an exceptionally strange place of accommodation. Even though she knew practically nothing, she knew what it meant for a room to have a bed that was unnecessarily big for two people to use. Not to mention that the room¡¯s structure was like this; the living room was combined with the bathroom for some reason. ¡°No.¡± However, despite her desperate request, his answer was firm. ¡°In the first place, the reason why I took you out was to do this.¡± ¡°...¡± Is he trying to say that he had been planning to drag me all the way here from the moment he called me to his room earlier this morning?! I...! This guy...! This perverted trash...! His bad reputation precedes him...! Seriously, why did I...?! For this man¡ª?! At that moment, her thoughts were halted, and her body stiffened. Huh? What do I...? For this man...? What was the sentence I was about to think...? ¡°...¡± Did I just...? Admit it to myself... That when I hang out with this man, all day long today... My heart had been ¡®fluttering¡¯...because of him...? ¡°...¡± While Victoria was shocked by such a revelation and unknowingly showed her hesitation, Dowd, who had been watching her, tilted his head. ¡°Are you not going to take a shower?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°No, I mean, of course we should. There¡¯s no need for me to ask.¡± ¡°...¡± What do you mean by that?! What is it that we are going to do that requires us to take a shower first?! Just what is it?! Also, what do you mean we should?! While such questions filled Victoria¡¯s head one after another, Dowd just continued while staring at her as if finding her strange. ¡°I mean, if we don¡¯t take one, we¡¯re going to stink, no?¡± ¡°Are you trying to stay that I stink¡ª?!¡± ¡°...No I am not.¡± Victoria yelled out in anger, prompting Dowd to say such words reluctantly as he got up. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to, can I take it first, then?¡± Do whatever! Victoria let out a rough huff while saying so in her head. But, her body stiffened again as soon as she heard his next words. ¡°In the meantime, get ready.¡± ¡°...¡± Get ready? For what? What should I be getting ready for?! Another storm of questions popped up in Victoria¡¯s head. Meanwhile, Dowd just entered the bathroom the moment he finished saying his words. ¡°...¡± Leaving Victoria sitting on the bed on her own, facepalming while stuttering. As hot steam flowed out of the bathroom in the corner of the room, her confusion only intensified. ¡°At the very least, in my eyes... It looks fine...¡± Hearing her words, Dowd¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°...Thank you.¡± He replied to her with a melancholic smile. It was as if he was genuinely thankful for her for saying that. ¡°...¡± Ugh... I¡¯d rather he doesn¡¯t make such an expression... For some reason, she found her heart beating louder when she saw his face, much to her annoyance. ¡°I-I mean, t-technically, i-it¡¯s quite cooler than I¡ª N-No! I mean!¡± Halfway through her sentence, Victoria came back to her senses, struggling to keep glaring at Dowd. ¡°Seriously! If you keep making me say strange things, I swear I¡¯m gonna leave!¡± ¡°...¡± But... I¡¯ve never asked you to say anything like that... Dowd said inwardly, but he had the tact to not say it out loud. ¡°...Don¡¯t be like that. Anyway, we got quite some time. Why don¡¯t we talk about some important things until then?¡± ¡°What?¡± Something...important...? Victoria blinked her eyes as she stared at him blankly. ¡°Thankfully, this place has better soundproofing than I thought. Anyway, so... I killed Count Nicholas.¡± At that moment, Victoria stopped moving. Her body, which had been burned by an unknown heat, and her heart, which had been pounding uncontrollably until just now, suddenly cooled down. ¡°I knew that he was involved with both Seras and you at the same time, so please forgive me for doing that. I have no right to take away his ¡®last¡¯ as I wished like that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That He continued, smiling awkwardly at Victoria whose whole body was stiff as she sat there silently. ¡°I¡¯m going to pass his ¡®second time¡¯ to you two.¡± ¡°...His second time?¡± ¡°That bastard is going to be resurrected soon. Though his appearance would look a little...horrible...¡± He continued calmly. ¡°But as horrible as he looks, he¡¯d also be a lot ¡®stronger¡¯... So, it¡¯s going to be hard to kill him in the usual way.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about...?¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s not talk about that too much. Just know that the bastard is going to be resurrected and you two are going to kill him.¡± ¡°...¡± She wasn¡¯t sure about anything else, but... There was one thing among his words that bothered her a lot. What did he say? That woman and I are going to do what ¡®together¡¯? The next thing that Dowd said was also in line with that sentence. ¡°So, in order to kill that bastard, I need to reconcile you two.¡± At that moment, Victoria¡¯s expression turned menacing. Anyone could tell where this conversation was going, unless they were a complete fool. However, before she could even complain... Dowd casually dropped another bomb. ¡°That way, I could sow my seeds in both of you at the same time.¡± ¡°...¡± What the fuck is this crazy bastard on about? ¡°Sow¡ª What?!¡± ¡°Sow my seeds inside of you guys.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I need to do it with both of you at the same time for it to be effective. Because it¡¯s, uh, the best way I can do to strengthen you two.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I need you two to reconcile¡ª¡± ¡°...Shut the fuck up for a bit. Please.¡± She meant what she said. Chapter 264: Picking a Fight (1) Although Victoria told Dowd to shut up for only a moment, she actually only managed to calm down long after that. ¡°...I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear all that.¡± After barely regaining her composure, she said those words while pressing on her temple. Though, even after that, there was still a trace of embarrassment in her voice. ¡°In any case, me? Reconciling with that woman? I¡¯d rather die.¡± Assuming that she conceded his...goal...that made her doubt her ears... The premise that she had to be in such a relationship with Seras itself was already absurd enough for her. At least, until all the problems between them ¡®in the past¡¯ had been resolved, she had no intention of getting along with that woman at all. However, the tone he used when he replied to her sounded so firm¡ªthere was no hint of him trying to persuade or argue with her. ¡°Is that so?¡± The way he just shrugged off his shoulders without saying anything, as if he didn¡¯t care what she was saying, infuriated her. It was as if he was confident that whatever it was that she was saying right now, in the end, she¡¯d end up doing what he said. This man is so annoying...! Seriously, he pisses me off! ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk about this again later.¡± ¡°...Why are you suddenly acting as if you have something else to do right now?¡± ¡°Because I do actually have something else to do right now.¡± Hearing his words, Victoria narrowed her eyes. Come to think of it, before he brought up this ridiculous topic, he did say something along the lines of, ¡®Let¡¯s talk since we still have time¡¯ or something... Is there something else to do around this time, in here...? She looked around her surroundings. But she couldn¡¯t find anything. There were only Dowd and her here. ¡°...Let me be clear, if you¡¯re thinking of doing something weird to me¡ª¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. At least, I won¡¯t if you don¡¯t want me to.¡± ¡°...¡± Does that mean he will do something to me if I want him to?! Victoria secretly glanced down at her body. Compared to other women around him, she...wasn¡¯t as ¡®curvy¡¯... And yet, even though he knows I have this kind of body, he... ¡°...¡± As expected, this man is a pervert! I should just¡ª ¡°I could tell you are having strange thoughts.¡± Suddenly he said as such across from her. ¡°But, could you lower your head for a moment?¡± When Victoria lowered her head... Dowd already made his move. He wasn¡¯t moving at a speed that made it impossible to react to. Someone with her level of ¡®skill¡¯ could still avoid him. However, that speed was enough for him to dodge the ¡®hidden weapon¡¯ flying from behind her. ¡°...!¡± ¡ªWhat?! Victoria widened her eyes. I¡¯m the best assassin on the continent, but someone came all the way here and I failed to notice their presence¡ª?! They even managed to throw a ¡®blow¡¯ at me¡ª! As her mind was occupied with surprise, Dowd, who had blocked that attack, already made his next move. Meanwhile, the unidentified assailant was left dumbstruck because his move had been ¡®read¡¯, making him susceptible to Dowd¡¯s Joint Lock Technique, and he was lifted into the air. Thanks to Riru and Kasa, Dowd was quite proficient in Fighting Arts. There weren¡¯t many people who could beat him in battles at a close range, so he was able to handle the man with ease. After the man was thrown onto the ground and fainted without making any noises... ¡°As expected.¡± Dowd eyes glinted with a cunning light. ¡°There¡¯s no way ¡®a reason for me to pick a fight¡¯ won¡¯t come.¡± His face made it seem like... He was extremely ¡®relieved¡¯ that this thing happened to them. ¡ñ ¡°...I told you already, no need to be so depressed.¡± Seeing Victoria being all depressed, I said those words in a pleading voice. By this point, I already tied up the bastard who made a sneak attack on us tightly, and took off his ¡®stealth outfit¡¯. The outfit was a full body suit that perfectly fit the guy¡¯s whole body. It had a ¡®cloaking device¡¯, something you¡¯d see in sci-fis, not in this kind of world. Said device was able to erase the guy¡¯s appearance and presence completely. It was even able to fool someone on Victoria¡¯s level¡¯s senses. Not only that, it seemed to be able to completely erase anything related to ¡®aura¡¯ as well. There was only one group on the entire continent who was able to procure something like this. ¡°The source of the skill is completely different than what you used to, it¡¯s only natural that it bypasses your eyes. Even people at Saints level would find it difficult to notice.¡± In the first place, this thing was Magic Tower¡¯s doing. Following the principle of one wouldn¡¯t be able to notice something they weren¡¯t aware of, if someone wearing this thing was trying their best to hide, they could ambush even people of her level. She let out an ¡®Oh¡¯ sound. As if she was caught off-guard by my words. Then... A blush so red that it actually impressed me appeared on her face before she jumped from her seat and pointed her finger at me. With eyes trembling from anxiety, she snapped at me. ¡°T-T-There¡¯s n-no, there¡¯s no! W-W-Wa¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± Did she just crash...? Why is she acting like this all of a sudden...? I thought so while staring at her blankly as she continued to point her finger at me with a face so red that I feared that it could explode at any moment. Then, suddenly, as if she finally realized that she was acting quite weird, she stayed still. ¡°Ah, euh, euuuuuuh¡ª!¡± And she let out such strange noises before going off somewhere. ¡°...What the fuck?¡± [...Agreed. What the fuck?] Caliban and I couldn¡¯t help but exchange such words, sounding completely dumbfounded. As Victoria left the room in such a...chaotic state...a window popped up before my eyes. < system="" message=""> [ The favorability level of target ¡®Victoria Evatrice¡¯ has been upgraded to ¡®Love Level 1¡¯! ] ¡°...¡± Sorry? What? Why the fuck? [...Calling her reaction weird is an understatement. Can I guess that there¡¯s a background story behind that?] ¡°Probably you can, yes...¡± I should probably ask Seras about it later... In any case, the outcome was good enough. With her favorability upgraded by that much, that meant I had achieved my goal of taking her out. Which meant, I¡¯d need to do the next important thing... ¡°...To use this opportunity well.¡± I muttered as such... As I looked down at my ¡®right to pick a fight¡¯ that was sprawled before my eyes, all tied up nicely. Not gonna lie, I couldn¡¯t stop my smile from showing up on my face. ¡ñ ¡°What a carefree punk.¡± In his bedroom, Count Ravel said so while letting out a deep sigh. He had just been briefed by the Chief Aide on what Dowd Campbell was up to after they sent a ¡®personnel¡¯ to him. I can¡¯t believe that he went out to have fun with a woman the moment he entered the middle of his enemies¡¯ base. What a lunatic. Count Ravel, whose judgment of Dowd¡¯s character became significantly more accurate than before, then continued while letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Let him continue walking around casually like that. Don¡¯t slack off in managing the informants we¡¯ve put around him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow your order.¡± Normally, that would be the end of their conversation... If a roar that sounded as if the sky was about to collapse didn¡¯t resonate in Count Ravel¡¯s mansion. ¡°W-What is that?¡± ¡°It came from the mansion¡¯s main gate!¡± Count Ravel and his Chief Aide hurriedly looked outside the window. They could see dust was flying around, followed by the sound of walls sporadically collapsing. In that mess where screams and shouts were echoing everywhere, the count turned his gaze around, trying hard to find its cause. And then... When he finally found the cause, all rationality and logic in his mind was immediately blown away. ...What...? I¡¯m not just seeing things, right...? Count Ravel said in a dumbfounded tone. Because the sight he saw was so absurd that he ended up reacting that way before he could even feel any sort of emotions. ¡°That¡¯s Dowd Campbell, right...?¡± ¡°...It seems to be the case, Count.¡± ¡°That bastard came in by crushing the main gate of my mansion...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Even though this place is in the middle of his enemy¡¯s base...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°All by himself... With only his bare body...?¡± ¡°...¡± The Chief Aide couldn¡¯t do anything but to remain silent in affirmation. Chapter 265: Picking a Fight (2) ¡°Count Ravel~!¡± A man¡¯s voice echoed, filled with confidence. It was Dowd Campbell, who had crushed the main gate and barged in. ¡°I brought you a present~!¡± Following those words, he dropped someone¡¯s body onto the yard. The body was a man¡¯s, tied up nicely as if he was ¡®gift-wrapped¡¯. His body was dropped with a particularly loud sound that stood out even among the buzzing noises and screaming voices around Dowd. ¡°...¡± Count Ravel silently narrowed his eyes. He quickly recognized that the tied-up man was one of the informants that he had assigned to watch the punk. The count also remembered how fired-up this particular man was about this task because he was one of Nicholas Comital Household¡¯s confidants. At first, he thought that assigning this task to him might be a little dangerous. After all, the risk of him committing a mistake was high, and if he were to get caught because of it, things would turn messy really quickly. But eventually, he decided to do it anyway. At the end of the day, it was just a possibility, not something that would actually happen. And yet... Just...how...? Magic Tower¡¯s ¡®stealth outfit¡¯ that they had brought here with great difficulty boasted an overwhelming performance when it came to stealth. It was to the point that he was confident that an assassin could easily assassinate anyone he wanted to kill¡ªsave for the empress, since the Sword Saint always sticks to her like glue. With this tool, even if the informant made a little mistake, the count was confident that no one would be able to catch him, let alone getting tied up like that. While the count was racking his brain, trying to guess what had happened, Dowd continued with a smile on his face. ¡°This guy visited my room and tried to pry a hole into my body. What a mannerless guy, don¡¯t you think? Well, I don¡¯t know which idiot thought that it would be okay to send a guy like this to me, so... Can you tell that idiot to just stop? He won¡¯t accomplish anything by doing this.¡± ¡°...You have no right to talk about manners, Viscount Campbell.¡± Count Ravel said those words, barely managing to suppress the rage that was trying to seep through his voice. ¡°Then again, what should I expect from someone hailing from such a humble bloodline?¡± Even though he was barely able to suppress the rage boiling up inside him that had reached its boiling point... His mind was colder than ever. He beckoned his Chief Aide, who was not in his view. Telling him to get the other ¡®equipment¡¯ in the mansion ready. The fact that the biggest sponsor for the Magic Tower was the Upper Nobles Association was already well known. With that in mind, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess that Count Ravel¡¯s mansion was well-equipped with ¡®the most advanced equipment¡¯ created by the Magic Tower. Even now, he only needed to give out the signal, all the equipment¡ªeach could kill the punk ten times over¡ªwould be activated without delay. ...He has gone this far, I have no reason to put up with his nonsense anymore. There wasn¡¯t much time left until the members of the Upper Nobles Association, including him, would carry out the ¡®insurrection¡¯. All this time, they had been trying their best not to give the opponent the excuse to attack them, but, since the punk in front of him was provoking them so openly, the count figured that there was no reason for him to tolerate him anymore. While it was true that they were the one who had provided him with an excuse for such a provocation, the punk had crossed the line he should have never crossed. ¡°That¡¯s why, we will take it into our own hands to educate you in regards to manners, Viscount. So please, don¡¯t resent us too much.¡± ¡°Oho.¡± However, even after he heard Count Ravel¡¯s cold voice... Dowd still responded to him calmly. It was as if he liked where this was going, and he¡¯d welcome this outcome with open arms. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it then.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing his response, Count Ravel gritted his teeth. Teaching him manners was a done deal, but he felt the need to strike a heavy blow with ¡®his words¡¯ before his rage would be quelled. ¡°...Once I¡¯m done with you...¡± That was why he decided to let out an ¡®efficient¡¯ sentence, even though he knew that he would drag his dignity to the ground if he were to say it. ¡°...I¡¯ll work my way with Lady Tristan to hold her accountable for your actions, because I know that it¡¯s either the empress or her who made you think you can do all this without a care in the world.¡± But, perhaps because of his boiling rage... He failed to notice the subtle change in Dowd Campbell¡¯s attitude the moment he heard those words. ¡°I¡¯ve never been fond of that accursed murderous monster household to begin with. Especially their eldest daughter who always acted as if she¡¯s better than everyone.¡± Count Ravel said with a cunning smile. Of course he didn¡¯t really plan to go that far, but if the situation indeed turned out like that... It was quite well-known that Lady Tristan was a woman of great beauty. If the opportunity arose, he wouldn¡¯t refuse to accept the side pleasure of a ¡®conquest¡¯. ¡°I¡¯m genuinely looking forward to it. It would be quite fun to overpower you arrogant and reckless punk and who you the sight of Lady Tristan who had became ¡®submissive¡¯ to¡ª¡± Only after he said that sentence did Count Ravel realize... ¡°Let me tell you one thing,¡± That his words were more ¡®effective¡¯ than he ever expected. ¡°I don¡¯t particularly like someone talking about the people around me in that way, Count.¡± A bright smile was still plastered on Dowd¡¯s face. But when I gave them a little scare, they actually got scared and gave up trying to fight me altogether? ...Was I really that scary? [What? Did you really do all that without knowing that?] I held my power back though... Well, I knew how much the Devil¡¯s power could affect humans, but I didn¡¯t expect that those guys would just give up like that even after I picked a fight with them. As I was having such thoughts, Victoria, who had completely finished her cake, let out a sigh. ¡°Actually, I understand your feelings halfway. I could tell that you were trying to ¡®make your opponent angry¡¯.¡± Hearing what she said, my body flinched. Because there was a part in her words that I couldn¡¯t ignore. ¡°...By halfway you meant, you don¡¯t understand the other half?¡± ¡°Yeah. From the part where Lady Tristan was mentioned.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°From that point onwards, I only understand the other guys more. Because you became so terrifying to the point that everyone who saw you would think that it would be suicide if they were to go up against you.¡± ¡°...¡± Was I really that terrifying? I remembered that my mood swing subsided pretty quickly back then. Of course, I couldn¡¯t know how it might¡¯ve looked to others. ¡°If Lady Tristan knows that you¡¯re thinking of her that way, she¡¯d definitely be happy. Must be nice.¡± ¡°...Hey, Victoria.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just me or what, but...why do you look upset when you¡¯re saying all that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s just you. Keep staring at me like that, I swear I¡¯m going to stab you.¡± Victoria said while stabbing her cake with a fork. As if demonstrating that she was going to do exactly that if I didn¡¯t shut up. ¡°...Anyway, about the thing that you asked me to do...¡± Seeing me shutting my mouth, she let out a sigh while changing the subject. ¡°First, it¡¯s good news for you. Due to what you have done, military activities have been increasing in Count Ravel¡¯s territory, they¡¯re making a fuss about it everywhere.¡± There you go. While celebrating the news inwardly, I eagerly waited for her next words. ¡°Is that so? Good, good. Finally they¡¯re coming out to hurt me¡ª¡± ¡°Wrong. You see, the news of the possibility of them harming you has reached ¡®someone else¡¯s ears.¡± ¡°...¡± What? ¡°Following that, the Upper Nobles Association¡¯s military hubs nearby are being smashed to pieces one by one.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Most of the reports have one thing in common... The culprits are ¡®several women¡¯.¡± ...What the? [Right, of course it would turn out like this.] What is it? [This is exactly what happened last time. You always thought that you¡¯d need to do everything ¡®on your own¡¯, so you never considered the possibility that ¡®someone else might do it in your stead¡¯.] What...? [Seriously, you didn¡¯t learn anything from last time, huh?] Caliban continued while letting out a chuckle. [As much as you cherish the women around you, they also cherish you.] ...Why are you talking about them all of a sudden? [Think of it like this. The news of the possibility of you being under ¡®threat¡¯ had reached those women¡¯s ears. How do you think they¡¯d react?] ... ...Huh...? W-Wait... That means the thing I should be concerned with isn¡¯t whether Count Ravel would pick a fight with me or not... But the fact that he might just be killed by them soon... Chapter 266: Skip (1) Chapter 266: Skip (1)Going back in time for a bit... Due to the nature of their job, the servants from Elfante were used to dealing with all kinds of people. From royalties, members of different species, to even beings from another dimension. After all, Elfante was like a treasure trove of those kinds of mysteries and unknowns. However... Even those servants couldn¡¯t just deal with this particular scene as if they were ¡®familiar¡¯ with it. Then again... Anyone would feel the same way if they were to see a giant machine and the Devil¡¯s Vessels sitting around for a tea. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± An awkward silence filled the space. Professor Astrid had made it known that she wasn¡¯t fond of the Vessels, while Dowd had done the same exact thing to the giant. And so, it was hard for the Vessels to decide how to behave themselves around her. In the end, the only thing they could do was to just shut their mouth while reading the room. ¡°Everyone.¡± Suddenly, a synthesized machine voice broke the ongoing silence. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you something for just three seconds. Watch carefully.¡± The tip of the giant¡¯s finger that she slightly raised opened slightly. From it, some kind of image was projected into the air. If Dowd were to see this, he¡¯d probably recognize it as a hologram. Although, if he was really there, he¡¯d be dealing with a massive headache upon seeing what she did with such an advanced technology. ¡°This is Dowd¡¯s picture from when he was a baby.¡± Following her words, a picture of baby Dowd, who was sleeping soundly, popped up above the round table everyone was sitting around. She did this so suddenly, but everyone gave out quite a dramatic reaction. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± While they kept their mouths shut, their piercing gazes would suffocate anyone who laid their eyes upon them. If a gaze possessed some kind of physical force, sparks would probably have flown all over the room. Their ¡®observation¡¯ was so intense, as if they were trying to burn this sight in their eyes for as long as possible. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± As Professor Astrid stayed true to her words¡ªonly showing the picture for three seconds before closing it¡ªone of the Vessels let out a disappointed sigh before asking... ¡°...Why only three seconds?¡± The one who asked that was Faenol. Compared to the others, she looked considerably more relaxed, probably because she had used her magic to ¡®store¡¯ the picture inside her brain as soon as she saw it. ...She really did all that...? Meanwhile, Iliya¡ªwho had seen her doing exactly that from the side¡ªthrew a look of disbelief at her. ¡°Because I cherish this picture.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just be grateful. Normally, I¡¯d rather kill myself than showing this picture to others.¡± ¡°...Thank you, but if that¡¯s the case, why did you show it to us?¡± ...At least they can still feel thankful in the midst of all this. Iliya thought so while checking her surroundings with a displeased expression. Meanwhile, Professor Astrid continued. ¡°Because I figured I¡¯d show you some evidence.¡± ¡°Evidence...?¡± ¡°Evidence for the fact that I have a lot of ¡®information¡¯ regarding that boy that you people don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°...¡± As if they started to understand where the conversation was going, each of the Vessel¡¯s expressions changed. Although, whatever it was that they had in their minds were completely overwritten by Professor Astrid¡¯s next words. ¡°Look, I dislike you guys and you guys probably bear the same feelings toward me, so let¡¯s just get this over with and only talk about ¡®what we need to talk about¡¯, got it? ¡°...By what we need to talk about...¡± Eleanor, who had been sitting silently, said in a serious voice. She was the one who threw the most piercing gaze at Dowd¡¯s baby picture¡ªit was as if she was about to eat it¡ªbut now, she was the one who seemed to be the most composed out of all the women. ¡°What exactly did you mean by that?¡± ¡°This time as well, that boy is thinking of doing everything by himself.¡± ¡°...¡± But, the moment she heard those words, her brows immediately twitched. ¡°If you guys are smart enough, you should¡¯ve noticed by now. A civil war is going to break out soon and Dowd seems to be trying to prevent that from happening. However...¡± Professor Astrid continued while letting out a deep sigh. ¡°I believe there¡¯s no need for him to go through the hard way when you guys can just accomplish the same thing easily.¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± ¡°All of you here can overthrow a whole country as long as you work together. Are you guys trying to tell me that with all that power you¡¯re going to let Dowd struggle all by himself?¡± ¡°Right...¡± Riru said while crossing her arms. ¡°Back when the Crimson Night or whatever incident happened, that punk actually tried to do everything by himself. And even after all that mess happened, he still hasn¡¯t changed. That fool!¡± ¡°Yes, yes! The Chieftain¡¯s daughter knows what¡¯s up.¡± ¡°...¡± If anything, Siston would prefer it if his adjutant just straight up called him crazy. Ravel Comital¡¯s military had been pushing themselves to train day and night for the upcoming ¡®revolt¡¯ that would decide the fate of the country. They had been simulating something that was as close as possible to a real battle. It was as if they would actually kill anyone who dared to interrupt their training. And yet, their terrifying cavalry were being smashed by a woman who seemed to be around half their age. The horses and the knights riding them combined should be unimaginably heavy, but they all flew into the air the moment they met every punch and kick she made. It was such a surreal scene. ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t remember Count Ravel doing something that could earn him the grudge of such a powerful person. There must have been some kind of misunderstand¡ª¡± ¡°Count Ravel, you bastard¡ª! Come out¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± Siston¡¯s optimistic outlook was immediately crushed to pieces by the female warrior¡¯s thunderous shout. That was enough proof that she came here with a very clear purpose. ¡°...It doesn¡¯t seem to be the case, Sir.¡± ¡°...¡± I know already, you punk. Siston barely managed to suppress the urge to slap the adjutant as he continued... ¡°I have one more question.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± ¡°The outer rampart seems to have been split into several cuts.¡± Said outer rampart was made by a very famous architect, using only the best materials. But everytime the two women outside the rampart swung their swords, everything was cut down like rotten old trees. The defense facility that could even withstand a battering ram was being crushed to pieces by the swords of the two women¡ªwho seemed to be also less than half their age. ¡°...You surprised me, Yuria. It seems like you¡¯ve gotten a little stronger.¡± ¡°Y-You too, Lady...¡± Not only that, the two women nonchalantly continued their ¡®work¡¯ while talking to each other. They made the rampart look more fragile than a sand castle...!! As he thought so, the Adjutant next to him cut off his words heartlessly. ¡°Yes, Sir. You described the scene accurately, Sir..¡± ¡°...Hm.¡± Siston stroked his chin a few times. All while suppressing his urge to scream like a girl while holding his head before letting himself faint with foam in his mouth. Although, he was struggling to even do that. He couldn¡¯t even care about his subordinates¡¯ opinions if they were to see his trembling legs and point it out as he had no leniency to do that. ¡°...Alright, take out all of the Magic Tower equipment we have. We should be able to face them somehow if we were to use that.¡± Though crazy stuff was going on everywhere, to the point that he was wondering if he was currently dreaming, they still had the equipment that the Magic Tower gave them. If we were to deploy all of those, maybe¡ª! ¡°Sir! Look at the sky!¡± ¡°...¡± Fucking hell! What is it again this time? Siston turned his head around while stroking his chin, almost as if he was going to tear it apart. And what came into his view was... The sky, which was ¡®turning red¡¯. And a huge column of fire, the source of such a phenomenon. ¡°...What the fuck is that?!¡± ¡°Sir, you dropped your dignity in your speech.¡± So what?! Is that something I should care about in this kind of situation?! He managed to not say those words out loud, thanks to him holding onto the last semblance of restraint he had, but he still couldn¡¯t help but point at the sight while shouting with a completely reddened face. ¡°Is that...the Red Devil?! Is the Crimson Night Incident going to start again?! Wait, does that mean they brought a Devil¡¯s Vessel here?!¡± Siston¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°I don¡¯t know who the fuck they are, but are they out of their mind?! We could turn the entire continent into their enemy if we were to spread a rumor that a Devil is involved¡ª!¡± ¡°Sir, with all due respect.¡± The adjutant called out to the furious Siston calmly. ¡°I believe they won¡¯t need to deal with that kind of aftermath as long as they manage to destroy us completely right here.¡± ¡°...¡± Is that how it¡¯s gonna be? Siston grounded his teeth while quickly flicking an abacus bead in his head. ¡°...Seek help from the other Upper Nobles Association forces nearby. They should be able to make it here in the nick of time!¡± At the end of the day, the Upper Nobles Association still held one of the best military organizations on the continent. Actually, if they were to pull out their full force, they would probably be able to suppress this attack somehow. Of course they wouldn¡¯t just do that since they still had a whole civil war to fight next, but seeing that they were facing this kind of situation they might just¡ª ¡°Sir! The hero is coming towards us! She¡¯s holding the Holy Sword¡ª!¡± The moment he heard that, Siston immediately passed out. Chapter 267: Skip (2) The world wouldn¡¯t always move in the way I planned, I knew this fact well enough already. After all, I¡¯ve experienced this over and over again. If anything, there were more cases where everything derailed from what I expected than not. That was why... The current situation was just so bewildering to me. < system="" message=""> [ Entering Chapter 5 Branching Route: ¡®Skip¡¯. ] [ Once you make the right decision, the Main Quest, ¡®Empire¡¯s Great Turmoil¡¯ will be skipped and you will immediately enter the boss battle! ] ¡°...¡± I stared at the window before my eyes with a bewildered expression. This window suddenly popped out when I was brushing my teeth right after I woke up. ...What the fuck? Instead of feeling happy, I was just confused. A ¡®pleasant miscalculation¡¯ was the rarest variable I had ever experienced in my life. I mean, sure, things like this could happen, I guess, but... Wasn¡¯t the reward too big...? Like, skipping a whole Main Quest? Damn... Didn¡¯t this mean I won¡¯t have to struggle through a whole quest...? How could such a good thing be possible? < system="" message=""> [ Due to the influence of target ¡®Astrid Rogos Campbell¡¯, a great variable to the progress of the scenario is detected! ] ¡°...¡± Seeing the window that followed after, I immediately narrowed my eyes. [What¡¯s wrong?] ¡°...That person...my mother...seems to have pulled out some tricks behind my back...¡± [Tricks?] ¡°It¡¯s helpful, but I don¡¯t really have a good impression of her, so...¡± Hearing me saying so while rinsing my mouth, Caliban replied with a dumbfounded voice. [...Putting aside how the hell did you find out about that... If it helped you in any way, you shouldn¡¯t criticize her, no? Also...] ¡°What?¡± He was talking in an odd way, and I replied with somewhat an edge in my voice. [I¡¯ve been thinking about this, but do you really need to go this far?] He said in a careful, yet firm tone of voice. [You haven¡¯t even talked to her at all, no?] ¡°...¡± [You know, refusing to communicate with such a desperate person, no matter how bad her impression on you is, isn¡¯t normal. It¡¯s not like you. While, yes, people call you trashy and all, but you¡¯re not the kind of person who¡¯d disregard human relationships like this.] ¡°...¡± [How should I put this¡ªit¡¯s as if you seem to feel repulsed by the fact that she¡¯s your ¡®mother¡¯. Did something bad happen in the past?] When he said that... ¡°...¡± For a moment there, a series of scenes flashed in my mind. Gunshots, a dead body, cries, blood, hands with blood all over them, a song... And...the end of love... ¡°...Let¡¯s stop talking about useless things.¡± I replied expressionlessly... While pressing my temples, shaking off the old memories that came into my mind. Those were my memories back before I even came to Sera. Honestly, I didn¡¯t have the lenience to think about something like this when I had so many things to do. ¡°We need to keep our guards up, it isn¡¯t like we don¡¯t have anything else to worry about.¡± If the Empire¡¯s Great Turmoil was skipped, that meant things went as I had intended. The ¡®war¡¯ wouldn¡¯t happen at all, which was good. But, that left us to deal with the biggest problem... ...The thing that bothers me the most... Skipping the Main Quest aside, the ¡®boss battles¡¯ still remained. ¡°It¡¯s the most noble household in the empire, so of course I don¡¯t.¡± What they were talking about was something that would get them to be scolded by Dowd if he were to see it. It was Dowd¡¯s baby picture¡ªthe same one as the one that Professor Astrid had shown them the other day¡ªprinted physically by Faenol.. When she first saw it, Eleanor¡¯s eyes slowly turned bloodshot. While yes, she had crammed the picture into the deepest part of her memory the moment she saw it, storing it in this way as an ¡®item¡¯ was a whole different matter entirely. Just like an obsessed fan of a celebrity, her voice began to tremble in zealousness. ¡°...Then, why are you refusing my offer?¡± ¡°Because I need to value it fairly. It¡¯s a picture of Mr. Dowd, it¡¯s not something you can just buy with money.¡± Seeing Faenol stating such a thing in a serious tone, Eleanor¡¯s body turned tense. She¡¯s going this far, what is it that she¡¯s going to ask me? And sure enough, the next thing that Faenol said hit her hard, befitting such a buildup. ¡°You also have these things too, don¡¯t you, Student Council President? Your ¡®collection¡¯.¡± ¡° Eleanor immediately let out a groan. What Faenol was talking about was her ¡®Dowd Collection¡¯, the thing she had been collecting while enduring Beatrix¡¯s nagging, ¡®Does everyone in your house know you have been doing this?¡¯... Headmistress Atalante¡¯s scolding, ¡®I keep getting reports that you¡¯ve been sneaking into places you shouldn¡¯t! Stop it!¡¯... And Iliya¡¯s nonsense, ¡®Share it to me if you got anything good¡¯ from time to time. It was her personal treasure, a collection of only the coolest moments of him that she wanted to keep in her memory. ...Well, if one were to stop sugarcoating it, it was just a collection of Dowd¡¯s pictures that she took secretly when she was stalking him. Actually, every time she took and collected a picture of him, an imaginary mini Beatrix appeared next to her ear and snapped, ¡®That¡¯s a crime! I said that¡¯s a crime, you crazy bitch!¡¯. However, at this point, she was able to ruthlessly ignore that imaginary existence¡¯s lectures. ¡°...Fine. I¡¯ll pick up a worthy one for you and send it to you.¡± ¡°Alright. Deal¡ª¡± The moment the two people were about to reach an agreement both were satisfied with, a scream was heard nearby. ¡°Y-You! Do you all even know who I am¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Ah. Right, ¡®that thing¡¯ is still here. As if the same thing popped up in their minds, Eleanor and Faenol turned their glances at Count Ravel, who was hanging upside down from the top of the rampart, only wearing his underwear. ¡°...We should have done it a little more harshly. Seeing that he still has the energy to talk, it means he hasn¡¯t reflected on himself enough.¡± Faenol said with a snort. Her eyes were shining red, making it seem as if she was actually about to go through with her words, but Eleanor stopped her with a bitter smile. ¡°No. You¡¯d erase the entire Raven Comital from the map if you do.¡± Eleanor wasn¡¯t joking when she said that. When the Ravel Comital¡¯s soldiers¡ªwho were lying on the ground while moaning in pain¡ªheard their conversation, their whole body stiffened and trembled. It wasn¡¯t a strange thing that they reacted that way. All of them had seen all kinds of bizarre things happening¡ªthe rampart being sliced, the entire sky being burned out, chunks of metals being torn apart with bare hands¡ªwithout even leaving them time to use the equipment they brought from the Magic Tower. They had seen how these women ¡®invaded¡¯ the count¡¯s territory and turned the entire palace, even the main palace, into a wasteland in just less than half a day. And after they did that, they rambled on about a man called Dowd or whatever. ...About that... One of the soldiers had a thought... I kinda...envy him... He wondered what kind of life the man had with these amazing women willingly taking care of him. But then he realized that affection was like a double-edged sword. The deeper one fell in love with someone, the more terrifying the heartbreak they¡¯d experience. And if he were to live with all these women, and one day managed to ¡®disappoint¡¯ them... ¡°...¡± The person who had such thoughts trembled. He changed his mind, he didn¡¯t want to go through something like that at all. And as he was having such thoughts... ¡°...What the fuck is this?¡± The man of the moment was trudging into the count¡¯s palace. Chapter 268: Skip (3) Chapter 268: Skip (3)¡°...You guys turned the entire comital into a wasteland for such a reason?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Eleanor replied, her tone suggested that she didn¡¯t understand what was wrong with what I had just said. As if trying to tell me that what she had done was nothing and she could go even further if my life was actually in danger. ¡°...¡± While yes, it was something I should be extremely grateful of... It was still... ¡°...Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone a little too far?¡± Count Ravel¡¯s territory was small compared to those extremely large territories like Duke Tristan¡¯s, but it was one of the more stable territories in the empire. It was like a self-sustaining mid-sized territory, I guess. But all I could see in this place was ruins with no trace of its former glory. It was almost a miracle that there were no casualties at all. [...No, it actually is a miracle.] What? [Just think about it, in a normal situation, there¡¯s bound to be a few casualties out of this. The fact that there was none at all meant that those guys showed their mercy at them. Which means, everyone¡¯s gradually getting better at ¡®handling¡¯ their own power.] Caliban¡¯s words made my eyes turn wide. Because it wasn¡¯t so hard to see what he was trying to say from there. [Just like how your ¡®devilization¡¯ is accelerated, their ¡®fusion¡¯ with their Fragments is also gradually getting faster.] ¡°...¡± As he had said... I was aware that the more I opened the Seal, the more active the interaction between the Vessels and their Devils became. They had grown so skillful in handling their power to the point that even though they were causing something that was close to a disaster like this incident, they didn¡¯t cause any bloodshed whatsoever. But, at the same time, this meant... The progression of the main scenario had begun to completely deviate from the ¡®knowledge¡¯ that I had. Because I couldn¡¯t find the knowledge of this kind of situation¡ªwhere the Devil¡¯s Vessels would cooperate with me while handling their power ¡®skillfully¡¯¡ªin the game, not even a hint of it This meant, while I could still use my knowledge for the rest of Chapter 5 to some extent, the following Chapters, from 6 to the Final Chapter... Would be completely unknown for me. It meant that for the first time, the future would be filled with things that I couldn¡¯t predict at all. ¡°...¡± That revelation made chills run down my spine. Meanwhile, Eleanor let out a bitter smile before opening her mouth. ¡°...It isn¡¯t like we did something like this without thinking.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We wanted to show a clear example to those guys, to tell them the consequences of their actions... But, there are a lot of people in the world who simply don¡¯t have the ability to learn.¡± As she said so, she threw something in my direction and I caught it. It was a capsule. Inside it was all kinds of news covered by the media, grouped together. All of them covered the same topic. The news about the Upper Nobles Association¡¯s military forces that were active near Count Ravel¡¯s territory¡ªwhich had turned into a wasteland now. [What a noisy bunch those guys are.] Well, logically speaking this is the correct move to take, you know? I nodded at Caliban words while letting out a bitter smile. Those guys were probably those who had received a request for reinforcements. If we exclude both Bogut and Nicholas, Count Ravel was the highest ranked personnel in the Upper Nobles Association. There was no way the other guys wouldn¡¯t help him when his territory was being turned into a wasteland. What Eleanor was trying to say here was that, she thought they¡¯d at least think twice before deploying their troops after finding out that she and the others had utterly destroyed the count¡¯s territory like this, but... If they were that smart, they would¡¯ve thought twice about this whole thing the moment they heard about what I did back at the School Festival. ¡°In any case, I believe it would be better for us to report this matter to Her Imperial Majesty and...Chancellor Sullivan, although I dislike the latter. The war is going to happen either way, but it feels as if it is going to happen way sooner than expected.¡± Logically speaking, Eleanor was correct here. Sure, they weren¡¯t on the level of Count Ravel¡¯s soldier, but they were still the ¡®essence¡¯ of the military power that the Upper Nobles Association had been preparing silently for. They still should have enough power to throw the whole empire into the pit of war. Even if we had all the Devil¡¯s Vessels gathered on our side, no one knew what kind of variables would occur and from what direction it would occur. There were countless cases in the past where the scenario derailed out of my expectations after all, and I doubted that this would be any different. However... This time... < system="" log=""> [ Entering Chapter 5 Branching Route: ¡®Skip¡¯. ] [ Once you make the right choice, the Main Quest, ¡®Empire¡¯s Great Turmoil¡¯ will be skipped and you will immediately enter the boss battle! ] Such a window had popped up. It was written in that window, once I made the ¡®right choice¡¯, the whole chapter would be skipped. ¡°...Dowd?¡± I was lost in my thoughts for a moment there, so I ended up not replying to Eleanor¡¯s words right away. Skip, huh? Skip... One of the senior soldiers grumbled while taking out a sleeping bag. ¡°No one really cares who¡¯s gonna win. For people like us, as long as we could return home safely to see our families, that¡¯s already fortunate enough.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Hanson agreed while letting out a deep sigh. ¡°...There are a lot of us here who have to return to our homes, Sergeant...¡± Hanson said as he looked around the open field where the military force was camping. As he stared at the whole ground that was filled with troops until the horizon, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy for the imaginary enemy who had to fight them. ¡°Nothing big would happen, don¡¯t worry. Neither the empress nor the chancellor has the power to rally soldiers on their own. The only thing we need to do is to go to the defenseless Imperial Palace and change the flag, that¡¯s it.¡± The sergeant said so while letting out a chuckle. He had a basis for saying so. Even though they had marched all the way here to help some count in the next territory, they hadn¡¯t found any danger whatsoever. ¡°Once this whole farce is over, I¡¯m going to go on a vacation with my daughter. Maybe I should go to see the sea somewhere.¡± ¡°...¡± Um... I¡¯m sure you aren¡¯t supposed to say something like that... That¡¯s the kind of sentence that could turn a good situation into a full-blown disaster, you know...? Before Hanson could even say anything to stop the sergeant from running his mouth... Something actually started. ¡°...Huh?¡± The hands of the soldiers around him¡ªwho were immersed in their task¡ªstopped. A huge ¡®column of light¡¯ descended from the front. It looked like a light from a myth had descended from heaven. The spectacle was so beautiful that everyone who saw it became mesmerized by it. Such an intense sight drew the attention of everyone in this vast plain. And they all noticed someone walking out of such light. ¡°...A man?¡± A young man who seemed to be about the age of Hanson¡¯s son at best. And he looked strangely familiar to Hanson. He tilted his head at the odd thoughts, but after seeing the sergeant¡¯s reaction next to him, he found out that the man had similar thoughts as well. What he said after proved it. ¡°...I think I saw his face often in the newspaper.¡± ¡°Um?¡± ¡°Uh, you know, the bastard who¡¯s said to cause all kinds of incidents in the school the nobles attend¡ª¡± ¡°...¡± But, why is that kind of guy walking out of that sacred-looking column of light? I swear, someone might mistake him for the messenger of God. Using that thought as a base, Hanson tried to refute the sergeant. ¡°...Still, the media tends to exaggerate a bit¡ª¡± However, his words were cut off. Why? Because he noticed that the man was walking out with a woman on each of his arms. The so-called ¡®flowers in both hands¡¯. He was leading the two women¡ªwho looked very embarrassed¡ªwhile holding their hands in each of his hands with such a calm expression. On one side was a petite woman, and on the other was a curvy woman¡ªshe looked like the matured version of the first woman. ¡°...I swear, I¡¯m going to kill him one day... Just wait...¡± ¡°...Kill...me...¡± The two women muttered words that contrasted each other¡¯s. Even though both of them were in the same predicament; experiencing something that they never wanted to experience because of this man. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing this scene, Hanson thought that the word ¡®bastard¡¯ suited the man perfectly. ¡°Nice, nice.¡± And as if confirming that thought... The man opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s finally time for the three of us to become one.¡± ¡°...¡± That sentence... Was indeed something that made people who heard it doubted their ears. Chapter 269: Skip (4) In the original story of this world, Savior Rising, the Purple Devil actually held an awkward position. The first and biggest reason why I felt so was the Authority that this punk handled. You could just tell how powerful the other Devil¡¯s authority was, even though their names didn¡¯t scream ¡®power¡¯, like White Devil¡¯s ¡®Corrosion¡¯ for example. Meanwhile, this punk¡¯s ability was ¡®Diffusion¡¯. It was a power that allowed you to spread an already ¡®established¡¯ ability further and wider. From that characteristic alone, you could already tell among the hierarchy of the Devils, the Purple Devil was one of the lowest ones. Nevertheless... That characteristic also meant that it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration for me to say that there was no one among the Devils who could match her as a support. You could say that she was the best support in the world even. In that sense, it wasn¡¯t for nothing that I brought both Victoria and Seras¡ªwho had the punk inside their bodies¡ªout together to the battlefield. ¡°Everybody, get ready for battle!¡± As soon as they saw me and the two punks I was holding, someone said so in a dramatic tone. Well, that was a natural reaction, I guess. ¡°...Um, Mr. Dowd.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I believe in you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll believe what you said. There¡¯s a way to overpower an army on that level in one go.¡± ¡°...Okay.¡± I nodded to Seras¡¯ words as she continued, sounding as if she felt very wronged by my actions. Just as this punk said, I was planning to ¡®overpower¡¯ all those fuckers over there. I assumed this would be the biggest turning point to trigger the skip on Chapter 5. After all, wars were all about numbers, and the number of people here was definitely enough to be representative of said ¡®numbers¡¯. ¡°Still, don¡¯t you think this is too much...?¡± ¡°...¡± Victoria remarked from my side, her tone was filled with pain, grudge, and resentment. ¡°Whatever your intention is, why does it have to be something like this out of all things¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± From my other side, Seras didn¡¯t say anything, but I could tell that she shared the same opinion as hers. Both of them kept their heads down and tried their best to avoid my gaze... Well, um... I kinda understood their reaction, since I had each my hands on their ¡®chests¡¯... Actually, no... I wasn¡¯t simply putting my hands on their chests, I actually buried them ¡®into their clothes¡¯. Since that was the case, um, you know... My hands were pretty much in contact with their ¡®skin¡¯ and ¡®layer of fat¡¯ inside off their clothes because of¡ª [Just say that you¡¯re fondling those sisters¡¯ chests like rice cakes in front of all those people.] ¡°...¡± [I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re publicly humiliating the best assassins on the continent like this... You really have guts, don¡¯t you, you motherfucker...?] ¡°...¡± W-Wait, hear me out... ¡°...This is the result of my research, okay...?¡± I said that for the two sisters to hear as I rubbed their chests with my hands. Meanwhile, they were twisting their whole bodies with teary eyes. Look, I did this after putting a lot of thoughts into it! So, Devil¡¯s Fragments were usually located inside the Vessel¡¯s heart, right? That was what I was trying to do, getting as close as I could to the Fragment so that my plan would be more effective! ¡°That evil motherfucker...!¡± ¡°Did he bring those kids here to humiliate them...?!¡± ¡°Commander! Give us the order to attack now!¡± ¡°...¡± Of course, in others¡¯ eyes, I just looked like a lunatic bastard who was sexually harassing the sisters. ...Honestly, I thought the same of myself too. If this method wasn¡¯t effective, I would never have done it either. That was I needed to do what I had to do quickly, before their perception of me grew even worse! ¡°Alright, could you two please focus on how it feels?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just...try focusing on the sensation that your body feels...¡± ¡°...¡± Both of them stared at me with a gaze that said, ¡®What the fuck are you on about in this kind of situation?¡¯, but before they could actually say those words, I already unleashed the Seal¡¯s power on them. r? The Seal interacted with the Devil¡¯s power closely, this much was already known, but there was something else that I felt when I was combining several Demonic Auras to create a ¡®self-made¡¯ Aura of my own before. Depending on how I used it, something like this was possible. From inside Seras¡¯ chest that I had my hand on, something popped up with a ¡®Pong~!¡¯ sound. [Masteeer¡ª!] ¡°...Uh, Seeing the sight, Seras¡¯ jaw dropped. A natural response, since this was the first time she had ever seen the Devil¡¯s Fragment while she was still fully conscious. [What is it? What is it? What¡¯s wrong? Why did you call me?] ¡°...I called you to play.¡± Well, actually, I called her to use her ability, but if I were to stretch it far enough... I guess I could say that I called her to play. Because there was a high chance that this punk perceived being with me as ¡®playing¡¯. [Play? What are we going to play? Sure, I¡¯ll play! As long as I¡¯m doing it with Master, everything is going to be fun!] ¡°Seras.¡± While the punk kept on yapping while pushing her face on me¡ªas if she was going to lick my face¡ªI threw my gaze at Seras. Hearing my call, Seras¡ªwho was staring at the Fragment that came out of her body with a stunned expression¡ªslowly shifted her gaze towards me. ¡°What do you think about your family?¡± ¡°...¡± Her eyes widened in an instant. Those small, precious, and warm memories embraced their whole bodies. Then everything was traced back to the root of those memories. The first nest that made it possible for them to have those memories in the first place... Their families, who always reserved a place for them to return. ¡°...Ah.¡± Hanson remembered his mother. He remembered his aging mother¡¯s face, rough, filled with wrinkles, as she stroked his cheek with her rough hand in the waving golden wheat field in mid-autumn, He remembered the warmth of his father¡¯s embrace, whose voice he could not even remember anymore because he had passed away for a long time. -I¡¯ll be by your side until the end. -Don¡¯t be lonely, Hanson. -Even if you leave this room when you¡¯re all grown up, I¡¯ll stay here for you. He remembered such words. The words that came from his family, the ones that he had forgotten all this time. Everything came out from the deepest part of his being. ¡°...¡± Before he realized it, he was crying. However, he did not think of wiping his tears. The soldier around him was the same. Though they were in the middle of a battlefield, none of the soldiers showed their hostilities anymore, and instead, they held each other, indulging themselves in their feelings. It didn¡¯t take a lot of time... For that feeling echoed like a sound through the entire plain. Just like that. ¡ñ It worked. The quiet plain field without anyone exuding hostilities like before proved it. Even though there were this many people here. I didn¡¯t know for sure, but there were definitely more than tens of thousands of these people. And all of them seemed to be emotionally stirred by the Purple Devil¡¯s ¡®singing¡¯ that was slightly influenced by her Authority. Of course, it wasn¡¯t really a strange feat considering that anyone could easily twist the whole world around their finger with the Devil¡¯s Authority; a Vessel with proficient control over their Authority could do that much. However, the important part here was those people¡¯s expressions. As far as I could tell, the ¡®positive thoughts¡¯ we sent them worked very well. This was the characteristic unique to the Purple Devil that couldn¡¯t be seen from the other Devil¡¯s Authorities¡ªwhich focused only on destruction. The reaction to this phenomenon is going to be quite huge. I predicted that this alone could create a big crack on the perception that the Devils equaled disasters. The way they had just been influenced by the ¡®Devil¡¯s power¡¯ would¡¯ve been engraved deep into their souls. Later, these people would become proof. That such a power wouldn¡¯t always be used in a ¡®bad way¡¯. ...And... This was the first step. The first step of my project of letting everyone in the world know exactly ¡®what kind of being¡¯ the Devils were. As I thought so, I took my hands off Victoria¡¯s and Seras¡¯ chests¡ªwho were also standing in the daze when the song ended. There was no need to continue doing this embarrassing thing, after all. However... ¡°...¡± You know... I kinda...found out about something...kinda important...? ¡°...Um, Victoria?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...At one point...um...it became hard...¡± ¡°...?¡± When she heard what I said, Victoria¡¯s dazed expression slowly loosened. Uh, you know... Just like there was a part of men that would harden when they got sexually excited... You know, the physiological phenomenon... I heard that women experienced a similar thing, but... The part that hardened instead would be...the area where I placed my hand... ¡°...By any chance, do you...um...in front of people...getting fondled...uh...¡± I didn¡¯t know how to say it, so I tried to phrase my words better, but then I realized that regardless of how I worded everything, the end result would still be the same, so... ¡°...Do you...like it...?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing what I said, Victoria clenched her mouth shut. She turned her gaze at me. Then shifted her gaze into my hand that was still sticking on to her chest. After that, she turned to look at my face again. Finally, a few seconds later... ¡°You¡ª! Youuuu¡ª!¡± Her face blushed so hard as if it was burning, to the point where I believed that it couldn¡¯t get any redder. It seemed like the lingering feelings she felt from the song had disappeared completely, and instead were replaced by an unquellable rage. ¡°Just die, you piece of traaaash¡ª!¡± She immediately threw me over her shoulder and slammed my body down onto the ground. ¡°...¡± When my whole body fell down, she hurled curses after curses on me without stopping, and well... Let¡¯s just say that there wouldn¡¯t be enough space for a book to list down all those curses... Chapter 270: Imperial Palace (1) An extremely awkward silence filled my room. So, uh... Because we quite literally made tens of thousands of people in that field having an emotional breakdown, we returned into the portal the moment we got the chance to, as if we were trying to run away. ¡°U-Uhm...¡± The speed of our retreat was so overwhelming, to the point that Victoria, who always wore a cold look, asked such a question with a dumbfounded look. ¡°Are you sure everything¡¯s going to be okay even if you were to stop doing...that...you know...?¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve done enough.¡± To that, I cut her words off with a shrug. We really had done enough. How could I tell? Well, because I was seeing clear proof of it before my eyes. < system="" message=""> [ You have neutralized most of the Upper Nobles Association¡¯s military force! ] [ Majority of nobles who belong to the association are scared to death. It adds to the chaos in their camp! ] [ People who lost their will to fight keep increasing! ] We really hadn¡¯t done anything big, that was why such a doubtful reaction even came out in the first place. I just summoned the Purple Devil, made her sing a song that moved the people¡¯s heart deeply, that was it. But, if we were to look at the result of those small actions... We, three unarmed people, went up against ten thousands of people who were clearly hostile against us. And somehow, we managed to neutralize them all without returning their hostility. Not only that, if someone were to ask those people to explain what happened, all of them would give out a strange answer; they were unable to bring themselves to fight. With that in mind... I basically made everyone in the continent know that I had the means to neutralize ¡®large scale troops¡¯ at once, and said means were pretty much unknown. [¡ªDon¡¯t forget that you fondled those girls¡¯ chests.] ¡°...¡± [The whole continent is going to know of your perverted deeds.] ¡°...¡± [They¡¯re gonna scream out your name. Dowd Campbell! Dowd Campbell!] ...Let¡¯s not talk about such useless things! What I was trying to say here was that all kinds of uncanny stories and tales of heroism about me would spread around the continent like an avalanche, so it wouldn¡¯t be strange for the Upper Nobles Association to restrict their movements for the time being. ¡°...Teach, I understand that you¡¯re in the middle of making up some kind of what-if scenes of the future in your head, but...¡± While I was occupied with my thoughts, Iliya, who was in charge of opening the portal to travel between here and the plain, interrupted me. ¡°...Could you tell me what that is first?¡± She asked while pointing in a certain direction. The Purple Devil¡¯s Fragment that came out of Seras¡¯ body, still floating in the air. Well, not really, it was more like she was sticking on my back as if I was giving her a piggyback. Seeing how her color was paler than earlier, it seemed like she had consumed quite a lot of energy when she was singing a moment ago, She¡¯d probably disappear soon. ¡°...Um, she¡¯s a Devil...?¡± ¡°...¡± When I gave out that simple explanation, Iliya threw me a glare, as if asking, ¡®Are you kidding me?¡¯. She probably also wondered why such a thing came out and tried to casually chat with me like this too, but... ¡°...I don¡¯t know... It just worked out like that...?¡± Even I didn¡¯t know the whys or hows... I was still in the middle of examining the ¡®abilities¡¯ of the Fallen¡¯s Seal by trying to use them one by one, I still hadn¡¯t found out the principle behind it... ¡°...Could I assume that you were the one who called that thing out...?¡± ¡°...Umm...I guess so, yeah...?¡± Though, I could give her a vague confirmation to that question at the very least. ¡°...¡± But, the moment she heard my answer... Iliya narrowed her eyes quickly. As if she had heard something she shouldn¡¯t have heard. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°...Nothing.¡± As Iliya muttered gloomily, Victoria, who was sitting beside her, made a curt remark. ¡°...I hope I won¡¯t ever see her again in the future. She looks too much like Seras¡ª¡± [You know...] But, before she could finish her words... The Purple Devil, who had been clinging on my back silently, suddenly opened her eyes wide and cut her off. It was so sudden that even Victoria, out of all people, was startled because of it. [Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better to be a little honest sometimes?] ¡°...What?¡± Iliya gritted her teeth as the angel continued her words. [Yes, this is related to the Devils. Actually, he might be in the process of turning into a Devil himself. One thing for sure is that he has a higher ¡®status¡¯ compared to the rest of them though.] ¡°...¡± It all sounded like a bunch of nonsense. The fact that the Devils held the highest status among all dimensions was something Iliya already knew. But... She couldn¡¯t just ignore the fact that the man had materialized the Purple Devil¡¯s Fragment like that. This suggested that he had the ability to ¡®interfere¡¯ with the Devil¡¯s power in one way or another. [Of course, he hasn¡¯t reached that point yet, but seeing how he¡¯s able to exert his influence on them like that, when he¡¯s finally finished growing, that will probably turn out to be the case. He¡¯ll probably turn into the king of the Devils or something.] ¡°...¡± [And you should already be aware of this already, but...] Iliya could only clench her mouth shut as the seraphim continued. The angel still talked slowly, but the emotions hidden behind her words had been extremely sharpened. [If he actually reaches that point, the angels of the Astral Realm would try to kill him.] ¡°...¡± [I will remind you, the reason for the hero¡¯s existence is to overpower the Devils. You don¡¯t need me to spell it out, right?] ¡°...Teach hasn¡¯t completely turned into a Devil.¡± [As I¡¯ve said, he¡¯s already starting to turn into something inhuman, and he¡¯s at the point of no¡ª] ¡°Seraphim.¡± Iliya called out to the angel, there was an unexpected smirk on her face. As if she was saying... That she had no thought of backing off no matter what the seraphim thought. ¡°He still hasn¡¯t become a Devil completely, no?¡± [...] ¡°So, let¡¯s leave it at that until we¡¯re sure that he has turned into a complete Devil.¡± Her tone was polite, but it was clear that she was threatening the angel to not cross the line. Hearing this, the seraphim let out a deep sigh. [...Oh my, it seems like I¡¯ve lost too much of my power. This human hero even dares to turn on me just because of a single man.] She was telling the truth. Then again, she never expect that the hero would be so blinded by love that she willingly turned on one of the highest ranking angels like this. ¡°...Anyways.¡± Hearing the seraphim¡¯s grumble, Iliya continued with a smirk. ¡°Even if it turns out that way, I¡¯ll deal with it in my own ways.¡± [Hm?] ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to protect him.¡± ¡®Whatever¡¯ it is that he¡¯d turned into... What I¡¯d need to do won¡¯t change. I¡¯ll protect him no matter what. She made such a vow as she silently stroked the hilt of the Holy Sword. [...Even if all the angels of the Astral Realm are going to come out and kill him, you¡¯ll still try to protect him?] ¡°Yes.¡± [Are you telling me that you¡¯re going to fight against all the angels? You aren¡¯t being serious right now, right?] The seraphim asked in a dumbfounded voice. But Iliya answered her without any hesitation. ¡°He¡¯s someone I fall in love with. What else should I do?¡± [...] Forget it. Blinded by love? This isn¡¯t a simple case of that. The seraphim then made a remark in a stunned voice. [...You¡¯ve gone nuts, haven¡¯t you, Hero?] ¡°Well, they said that people who love each other will resemble each other. Considering how crazy Teach is, it¡¯s no wonder that I was influenced by him.¡± She replied so casually. As if confirming the seraphim¡¯s accusation. However this time, the angel had something she could dig into, and so she pointed it out sharply with a snort. [Didn¡¯t you notice the amount of women around him? Who knows if he actually loves you back¡ª] ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± [...] What came back was a threatening bark that was able to make even the seraphim shut her mouth for a moment. Chapter 271: Imperial Palace (2) ¡°...With all due respect, Marquis.¡± Count Ravel said, barely calming his trembling body. The way his mustache¡ªwhich he had grown with great effort¡ªtrembled looked very pitiful to Marquis Bogut, but he decided to not say it out loud. Because the marquis felt bad if he were to do that. It was clear that the count was still traumatized by the time he got hung upside down naked on the spire of his own palace just a few days ago. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Or are you just suicidal?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing this kind of words coming out of such a traumatized person just hits different. Scratching his head awkwardly, the marquis asked the count. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, Ravel?¡± Seriously?! What¡¯s the problem he said?! Tens of thousands of curse words were concentrated in the glare that Count Ravel directed at Marquis Bogut, but the latter just shrugged his shoulders as always, pretending not to know. One surprising thing was that the marquis didn¡¯t have his usual clown-like smile on his face, but the count just had no leniency to pay attention to such a thing, considering that the matter he brought up was of grave importance. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you wish to have a conversation with both the empress and the chancellor?!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Our current situation is risky enough already! If you were to request to hold a summit, it¡¯s obvious what¡¯s going to happen!¡± The count knew that this wasn¡¯t the tone he should use to address his superior, but at the same time, this was something that he had to address no matter what. Their plan to deploy a large-scale army to occupy the Imperial Palace had been foiled because of the bastard called Dowd Campbell. Knowing his close relationship with both the empress and the chancellor, there was no way that he hadn¡¯t reported such a thing to those two. ¡°Nevertheless, in a way...¡± However, the marquis just replied in a casual tone. ¡°We haven¡¯t done anything to warrant a great reprimand by them.¡± His statement was ridiculous. But, in a way, he was right. Thanks to Dowd Campbell¡¯s excellent work, they failed in their attempt to start a civil war. That was why, even though they could be held responsible for their actions, they couldn¡¯t be officially ¡®punished¡¯ for that. ¡°We can still bury our heads in the sand, meaning, it¡¯s still possible for us to make a demand.¡± ¡°Demand? What even¡ª? There¡¯s no way they¡¯d give such leniency to the people who blatantly tried to start a war¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, but they would.¡± He said with a bitter smile. ¡°Because it won¡¯t be a one-sided demand, rather, it¡¯s a deal. We just need to give them something in return.¡± To those words, Count Ravel went silent. He carefully read Bogut¡¯s expression, as if trying to read the mood behind it. ¡°...M Though this superior of his was like an enemy to him, the count had served him for more than ten years already. He was able to sense the ¡®difference¡¯ in the way he acted, no matter how minor it was. In that sense... Marquis Bogut¡¯s current condition was... Well... The count could feel... A kind of ¡®resolution¡¯ that only someone who yearned for something so badly could have. ¡°...Are you okay?¡± That feeling he sensed was so strong to the point that he asked that question before he knew it. That question could be interpreted in different ways, but the moment he heard it, Marquis Bogut stopped moving. ¡°Why would I not be okay, Ravel?¡± After a short silence, the marquis answered as such, then he proceeded to let out his usual silly laugh. However... The count couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling... That the marquis only said that to ¡®reassure¡¯ him. It felt out of place. However, before he could take a dig deeply into that feeling, the marquis already changed the subject. ¡°Rather than that, I¡¯d like to hear the information regarding Nicholas.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that name being mentioned, disgust crept its way onto the count¡¯s face. It was clear from his expression that he didn¡¯t want to talk about this matter if possible. ¡°...I heard from my chief aide that they¡¯re doing their best to ¡®calm¡¯ him down.¡± ¡°Will there be a problem in the management?¡± ¡°No. We¡¯re using expendables who won¡¯t affect anyone in the slightest even if they were to die; death row prisoners who had committed serious offenses. Some of them are used as ¡®meals¡¯ sometimes, but... That simply couldn¡¯t be helped...¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°...Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just dispose of him? At this point, he isn¡¯t even a human anymore.¡± Count Nicholas was his superior, and those weren¡¯t appropriate words to use towards him, but... Count Ravel couldn¡¯t help but say so, and he meant his words. He thought that ¡®the thing¡¯ that used to be called Count Nicholas would never get any better than this even if they were to wait for a million years. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not something we can do at this point.¡± Victoria said in a low voice. Her gaze was fixed on the passage where Dowd and Sullivan had just disappeared into. Since Dowd was the only one who was summoned to the palace, the Devil¡¯s Vessels were all on stand-by outside. ¡°I worked under him as my client once, but he didn¡¯t seem to be that stupid back then.¡± She said all those words almost like a monologue, never expecting it to turn into an in-depth discussion, nor receive an intelligent answer from a certain someone next to her. ¡°Are you talking to me...?¡± ¡°...¡± But, this kind of answer was a little too much... Hearing the voice that didn¡¯t have a shred of intelligence or logic in it, Victoria narrowed her eyes. Meanwhile, the person continued... ¡°V-Victoria t-talked to me first¡ª¡± ¡°...Calm down, Seras.¡± Victoria replied, holding her aching forehead. ¡°...I just...feel like it¡¯s dumb if we just treat each other like air forever...¡± Her words were blunt, but those words definitely showed that she was willing to have a conversation with the other woman. Victoria felt a fellowship with her to a degree, considering that they both had been harassed by that pervert who had gone inside. Though, she wasn¡¯t ready to ask the other woman about what happened in ¡®the past¡¯. Meanwhile, Seras¡¯ expression quickly lit up after hearing her sister¡¯s words. She could tell that her sister had a change of mind, and it was a more than welcome outcome for her. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. This doesn¡¯t mean that I want to get along with you.¡± ¡°Yeah! Thank you!¡± ¡°My goal of killing you still isn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do my best to get killed by you!¡± ¡°...¡± Instead of replying to her again, Victoria just turned her gaze upwards before letting out a deep sigh. She just couldn¡¯t handle Seras¡ªwhose eyes were wide open to the point that her gaze felt extremely burdensome to her. And... Thanks to that, she managed to notice ¡®it¡¯. ¡°...Huh?¡± There were several entrances in the Imperial Palace, which wasn¡¯t really a strange thing considering what kind of place it was. In the direction Victoria looked up at, there was a door that was connected to the passage Dowd had just disappeared into. A group of people were carrying something, all of them wearing nervous expressions. It was an iron box that was tightly wrapped in all kinds of sealing magic tools and chains. It was quite the strange sight to see in the Imperial Palace, so it caught her attention quite easily. She tried to see through the thin gap on the box. ¡®Something¡¯ inside was moving. And that something was... An unknown thing, wearing a bandana with bandages wrapped all around its body. ¡°...¡± The moment she saw it... Goosebumps appeared all over her body. ¡°...!¡± She immediately got up from her seat, freaked out. Seras, who was beside her, as well as the other Vessels who were around, focused their attention on her. However, Victoria didn¡¯t even have the chance to let their gazes bother her. ¡°...We need to go in!¡± Instead, she said such a thing with a trembling voice. ¡°Get out of the way! I need to go to where that man is!¡± ¡°But, everyone except the people concerned were ordered to stand by in front of the room¡ª¡± ¡°Who the hell cares about that?!¡± ¡°...¡± That was the ¡®recommendation¡¯ from the people who attended the summit. Ignoring it meant that they were ignoring the authority of both the empress and the chancellor at the same time. Is she out of their mind? Everyone asked that question with their gazes, but Victoria just gritted her teeth before continuing. ¡°...We can deal with that later!¡± She gritted her teeth before pointing at the passage the iron box had gone through. ¡°Dealing with that is better than letting Mr. Dowd handle that thing!¡± She was serious when she said that. The Sword Saint was inside the meeting hall. That fact was probably the reason why everyone around her was acting so laid back despite the situation. However, her intuition was screaming at her. If we let that thing enter that room¡ª! Whatever it was... Whatever Dowd could do, whatever abilities he could use. He was going to die. And that outcome was pretty much a certainty. Enhance your reading experience by removing ads: Remove Ads Now Chapter 272: Predator (1) ¡°...Are you really going to go?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Viscount Armin replied with a flat tone as Leonid asked with a stiff expression. It had been several months since he had brought this person into the Tristan Duchy, yet he couldn¡¯t help but feel upset upon hearing that he was leaving now. Actually, the reason why he held this particular viscount here for so long wasn¡¯t for a grand reason or anything. He just wanted to give a warning to that bum Dowd Campbell¡ªthe person who had seduced his precious granddaughter. At the same time, he also thought of ¡®disciplining¡¯ the viscount so that he¡¯d know his place. Eleanor would try to push through with the marriage no matter how much he tried to dissuade her due to her strong will. That was why Leonid thought of using the viscount¡ªthe closest family member to that punk Dowd Campbell¡ªto dissuade the punk instead so he would be the one to back down from the marriage instead of his precious granddaughter. However, during the viscount¡¯s stay in the duchy, his plan derailed to the opposite direction of his original plan. Because there were quite a lot of times where he was impressed by the viscount¡¯s personality. ...His sincerity is something else... He thought as he smacked his lips inwardly. The viscount was exactly the kind of person that Leonid wanted to keep around. It was to the point that he couldn¡¯t understand how did this man produce such a bum of a son. He wasn¡¯t the only one who thought this way either, as proven by someone else who said exactly the same thing not long after the viscount gave out his previous answer. ¡°Are you really going to leave?!¡± ¡°...¡± After seeing the expression of the person who burst through the door and barged into the room, Leonid¡¯s and Armin¡¯s expressions stiffened at the same time. This person was none other than Bella Myers, Eleanor¡¯s personal maid. ¡°...Bella, you need to knock before coming in.¡± A maid barging into her lord¡¯s room without knocking could easily be taken as an outrageous offense. However, Bella completely ignored Leonid¡¯s scolding and continued questioning Armin with a shocked expression on her face. ¡°How could you not say anything to me...?!¡± ¡°...Miss Bella.¡± Armin called out to her with a forced smile. Considering all the things she had done in the past few months to stalk him, he was showing a considerably impressive-level of self-control. ¡°Please don¡¯t be so discouraged. We will definitely meet with each other again in the fu¡ª¡± ¡°But you haven¡¯t responded to my feelings...!¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing those words, Leonid¡¯s gaze towards Armin turned into one that was filled with admiration. Is this really the same Bella Myers whose heart would only move when she stands up for Eleanor? This is... To be able to make a woman way younger than him to act like this towards him was such a great accomplishment to the point that it was hard for other men to not respect him. r? ¡°...It appears that the bum¡¯s talent in seduction is something that runs in the family.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind me.¡± Armin, who tilted his head as if he had just heard something weird, soon cleared his throat. Then, he brought up the original topic. ¡°...I must go to the Imperial Palace.¡± Hearing his words, both Leonid and Bella¡¯s expressions considerably worsened. ¡°The situation looks serious, Viscount.¡± What Leonid said afterwards justified their expression¡¯s drastic change. ¡°According to the information at hand, there¡¯s a high chance that the place is enveloped in the kind of chaos where no one could afford to even watch their backs anymore. If you were to go there, you¡¯d fall into the middle of a fierce battle in which anyone wouldn¡¯t be able to help but get swept in.¡± The empress, the chancellor, and the Upper Nobles Association¡¯s leader all had gathered in that place. No one had the leniency to protect anyone else there. What exactly could Viscount Campbell¡ªwho had zero fighting capabilities, and such a low-level of Mana Mastery¡ªaccomplish in such a place? That was what Leonid was trying to say underneath his lengthy words. ¡°I already knew that, my lord.¡± But even so, Armin just replied calmly. ¡°But that just means I have more reason to go there.¡± ¡°...How so?¡± ¡°Because my son is stuck in such a dangerous place.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If I had no idea about it, I wouldn¡¯t even think of going there, but now that I know, there¡¯s no way I could just leave him alone.¡± Hearing that answer, Leonid let out a deep sigh. ¡°And what exactly are you going to do when you get there, Viscount?¡± ¡°I¡¯m his father.¡± Armin answered as such with a smile. ¡°...Are you making fun of us, Marquis Bogut? If this is all just part of your one big joke, I¡¯m going to arrest you immediately.¡± ¡°No, no, you¡¯re mistaken. You see, I¡¯m not trying to negotiate here, I¡¯m just offering you a suggestion. It¡¯s up to you whether you¡¯d listen to me or not.¡± He replied indifferently while yawning. ¡°Since in the first place, I didn¡¯t gather you guys here to have a chat with each other.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Her Imperial Majesty the Empress asked while letting out a hollow laugh, Marquis Bogut smiled. ¡°As I¡¯ve stated earlier, the key person here isn¡¯t you or that half-regressor sitting over there.¡± ¡°...!¡± As Marquis Bogut said so while pointing at Chancellor Sullivan¡ªwhose expression stiffened the moment she heard it¡ªhe turned his gaze slowly towards me. ¡°Dowd Campbell.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to bring you a present. You don¡¯t need to thank me.¡± He told me that with a wink, prompting me to send him a glare. ...Come to think of it, I heard that he insisted on me being present here. I thought he was going to talk about something related to that, but seeing how things had gone so far, it didn¡¯t seem to be the case at all. ¡°...What are you even on about, Marquis?¡± The moment I replied as such, someone burst into the meeting hall and barged in. ¡°Mr. Dowd!¡± ¡°...Victoria?¡± I called out the person¡¯s name in a daze the moment I saw her face. Her breath was in a complete disorder, and her face was flushed. Her normally neat-looking clothes were clearly in a mess, as if she had to bust through her way as he rushed all the way here. I could see the guards who were following her across the door, looking very taken aback. It seemed like she had come here after getting rid of all of them. However, the most noticeable thing out of them all... Was the unusual ¡®anxiety¡¯ in her eyes. Whatever it was, it probably had something to do with the reason why she shouted her next sentence as if her life depended on it. ¡°Avoid it¡ª!¡± There was no time to ask what she was about. At that moment, someone else in the room flinched before standing up from his seat. As if he sensed a ¡®threat¡¯ that the others hadn¡¯t noticed yet. ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, bend down!¡± After the Sword Saint said so, at the very next moment... < system="" message=""> [ Encounter with ¡®Middle Boss: Predator¡¯! ] [ Entering the chapter¡¯s boss battle right after! ] Such windows popped up, and accompanying them were... -... -... -...!!!! The sound of the entire ceiling of the meeting hall exploding. And through the center part of it... Something that looked like a ¡®lump of flesh¡¯ dropped. ¡°...¡± Its appearance was terrifying. As it had lost its human shape¡ªwith its skin looking as if it had completely melted and stretched out, as if it had been drowned into toxic substances for a long period of time¡ªit looked absolutely disgusting. No one could tell that this was once a human. Hell, let alone thinking of it as a human, no one would be able to define this thing even if they were to scour through the dictionary to find the words that could describe it. However, that didn¡¯t apply for me... Because I knew who the hell this fucker was. The moment I saw it, I instinctively knew... ¡°...Count Nicholas?¡± There was no way I couldn¡¯t recognize him. Especially after seeing the trace of ¡®fanaticism¡¯ in his eyes, even though his body had turned into a lump of meat. Chapter 274: Predator (3) Chapter 274: Predator (3)If Victoria had to ruminate on all of her memories with her sister, then she¡¯d have to go a long way back in time. Way, way back in time. Back when she and Seras were known as the most harmonious sisters of the Wolfman Tribe Village. They had been together since they were born, and had been using the same room ever since. Back then, they got along extremely well. Both of them played together, trained together, practiced together... And more importantly, they relied on each other, as if they couldn¡¯t live without each other. That was how close they were as a family. Yes, a family. In other words, allies who could trust and rely on each other the most in this world. ¡°Unnie.¡± Like other kids her age, back then, she was afraid of a lot of things. At times, she imagined that there was a monster under her bed, and that led her to be scared of the darkness. She didn¡¯t remember the reason, but one day she got extremely scared to the point that her whole body was shaking. Back then, she asked her sister a question that she could still remember to this very day. ¡°You won¡¯t leave me? No matter what happens?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± She asked as such while peeking from the bottom of the bunk bed, to see her sister smiling down from the top bunk. The memory of her smile was still vivid in her mind. ¡°I¡¯ll never abandon you.¡± She remembered that she fell asleep comfortably upon hearing that sentence, despite having experienced a horrible fear that kept her awake for the night. Even after that... She believed in those words... Until the very end... Even until the day when all the people in the village died, burned, cut, and bled... The oppression against the Cardinal Humans in the empire had never been mild, but the ¡®purge¡¯ of the Wolfman Tribe was especially terrible even compared to the other ones. What came into Seras¡¯ and Victoria¡¯s view on their way back home after they finished their training as usual was a testament of that. They could see a red flame covering the blue sky. And the village that had turned as red as the flame. Chopped corpses, pieces of bodies scattered around everywhere. Blood. Blood. More blood. Blood was pouring in all directions like a flood. -Purge all the captured survivors. As for the ones who still survived, well... Victoria could still remember the drowsy expression of the person who seemed to be their leader, as he was making such insane remarks. -Check if they have family. -If they do, what should we do? -Torment them before killing them, if possible. That way, their family would 779i0iii0o the survivors. -So? -... That hell went on for several days. She somehow managed to hide from all those people, but the moment the entire village was purged by them, she couldn¡¯t do anything but to hide silently. Her family, acquaintances, and friends were killed right before her very eyes. And she had to watch them die without being able to even lift a finger. She could still remember the sight as they opened their mouths weakly. And the unidentified sounds that sounded like a scream and a groan that came out of their mouths in vain. Unnie... Protect me. Stay by my side. You said you¡¯d always be by my side. So why... Why did you abandon me? I need you. Prior to this, Dowd Campbell had consistently told her that she had to reconcile with her sister. Even now, when Count Nicholas¡¯ ¡®resurrected¡¯ body appeared before them, he insisted for her to bring her sister along. He probably thought that this was the perfect time to reap the result of his constant pestering. As she thought so, at some point Seras had appeared before her eyes. ¡°...Uh, Victoria?¡± Seeing her sister called out to her so awkwardly, Victoria bit her lips, as if she was upset. Even though it was her who had initiated a conversation with her first a while ago... There was still a lingering hesitation in her heart. ¡°...Follow me.¡± But that was one thing. Dowd had clearly said that he wouldn¡¯t be able to solve this situation without this person. So, she had no choice but to drag this woman with her. ¡°Um? Where...?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time to explain, just follow me quickly!¡± She roughly grabbed the confused Seras¡¯ wrist. Just like her, this woman was also one of the best assassins on the continent, so even if she were to use the harsh route that she had taken, she would be able to follow her just fine. In fact, she was doing exactly that even though she was confused by all this. ...He told me to reconcile... Victoria clenched her teeth so hard that it started to bleed. She still wasn¡¯t ready mentally. It was a valley of emotions that had been caving in over the years. There was no way it could be healed so easily. The deeper she dug into it, the more she realized that the matter was more complicated than she thought. And that was the biggest mistake she had committed today. ¡°¡ªToria. Victoria!¡± Such thoughts occupied too much of her attention to the point that she failed to react to something that she ¡®normally¡¯ could react to. ¡°...!¡± It was only after she heard Seras¡¯ hurried call that she came back to her senses. In a normal situation, she would definitely have reacted properly and dodged it. But the combination of her concentration falling apart, the fact that she hadn¡¯t expected the battlefield to spread all the way here, and the opponent¡¯s speed that was beyond common sense... Made her body stiffened. Her ability to sense energy that had been developed to the extreme instantly conveyed the situation she was in to her brain. And the conclusion that she got from all that information was... The fact that she was on the verge of rolling down into the mouth of a catastrophe. ¡°¡ª!¡± Before she even moved her body, tentacles of flesh stuck out through the floors, walls, and ceilings from all directions. She didn¡¯t know if it was because the monster still had the ability to think, or if it was because it was out to attack all lifeforms nearby indiscriminately, but... Whichever it was, the timing of its attack was simply the worst. The tentacles created a perfect prison that she couldn¡¯t dodge. There was no gap for her to escape as her fate was completely sealed. She could feel the whisper of death sweeping down her shoulders as her expression stiffened. However, at the next moment... ¡°It¡¯s dangerous¡ª!¡± Her body was tossed from the ¡®trajectory¡¯ of the attack. ¡°...Huh?¡± She let out a dumbfounded sound. Seras¡¯ body came into her view... Pierced by the tentacle of flesh, after she pushed her body away... ¡°..H-Huh?¡± Even though she was facing such a thing, that was the only reaction she could let out. Chapter 275: Reconciliation Chapter 275: ReconciliationThe thing that surprised Viscount Armin Campbell the most the moment he arrived at the Imperial Palace wasn¡¯t its majesty, grandeur, or enormous size. But rather the familiar face he saw the moment he was out of the portal. ¡°...What are you doing here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I was going to ask you...¡± Duke Tristan and Viscount Campbell exchanged glances as they blinked at each other, confused. Considering their position, they should have no reason to meet each other at all, but they surprisingly had something in common. ¡°... Are you here because of Dowd?¡± ¡°I am, yes...¡± Gideon let out a bitter smile as he approached Armin with clear footsteps. Before the latter could say anything in response, Gideon had already grabbed him by the collar and pulled him roughly. Fortunately for Armin, his action wasn¡¯t motivated by any kind of malice. Because in the very next second, a huge stone pillar collapsed on the exact spot Armin had been standing at, creating a loud rumbling noise. If Gideon hadn¡¯t pulled him, he would have been smashed by the pillar and died right there and then. ¡°You should keep your guard up. As you can see, this place isn¡¯t in a normal condition.¡± ¡°...!¡± Hearing those words, Armin opened his eyes wide¡ªas if woken up from his stupor¡ªand looked around. The moment he came to his senses and examined the situation, he was finally able to notice that there was something strange going on in this place. In a normal situation, the Imperial Palace would always be crowded with various people. The people who worked here, the security forces, the visitors, whoever they were, all those people would wander around the place, doing their own things. However, the Imperial Palace right now was... Dreary, to say the least. Let alone people, he couldn¡¯t even see a single ant wandering around in the ground. Not only that, various parts of the palace were collapsing, as if the place had just been bombarded by an air raid. There were cracks everywhere, and the ceilings had sunk quite a bit. ¡°What...is happening...?¡± ¡°Well, this is something that¡¯s related to your son, as always.¡± ¡°...Dowd has something to do with this...?¡± Armin asked that question, as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard. Of course, he was aware that his son wasn¡¯t an ordinary kid¡ªespecially after seeing him involving himself with both Duke Tristan and Margrave Kendride at the same time. But still, as his father, it was hard for him to believe that his son had caused an incident where everyone in the Imperial Palace had to be evacuated, and got the most important building in the empire to suffer such terrible damage. ¡°This place has turned into a battlefield, but fortunately, I still have time, I can keep you occupied for a while. Although, I¡¯m going to get busy soon, so I suggest that you find somewhere to hide.¡± ¡°Duke... May I know what you are doing here...?¡± ¡°...¡± Armin asked that question in a daze. Meanwhile Gideon swept down the corners of his mouth while letting out a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m on standby.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m playing the role of a ¡®hidden card¡¯. My task is to fight the real monster instead of the fake one over there.¡± ¡°...Sorry?¡± Armin looked around in a hurry. Fake monster...? Real monster...? Where...? He asked such a thing in his mind. ¡°It¡¯s right there.¡± That question persisted until... ¡°See? That one hideous fellow.¡± Horrible-looking pieces of ¡®flesh¡¯ appeared from all directions, accompanying Gideon¡¯s words. -... -... -...!!!! One side of the walls of the Imperial Palace completely collapsed due to its onslaught. After that... Pieces of flesh kept coming out through the thin gaps of the broken ceilings and flooring. The way they kept dilating rapidly like balloons that were filled with air looked extremely disgusting to a normal human¡¯s eyes. ¡°A-Aaaargh!¡± As Armin tried to back away while screaming, Gideon grabbed the back of his neck and dragged him to the place where the pieces of flesh couldn¡¯t reach them. While they were floating in the air, a bizarre thought came to Armin¡¯s mind. Could it be...? No, there¡¯s no way... But still, aren¡¯t those pieces of flesh...? ¡°They...look as if they¡¯re trying to ¡®kill and eat¡¯ the entire building...¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably it.¡± Gideon let out a chuckle as he agreed with the words that Armin had said out loud unknowingly. ¡°That¡¯s also probably why your son told me to evacuate everyone in the Imperial Palace in advance.¡± ¡°...?¡± Armin looked back at Gideon with a stunned expression. Dowd...knows ¡®in advance¡¯ that such a monster would appear...? And he instructed the duke to evacuate everyone...? ¡°Not really, I doubt that he knew that something like that monster would appear here. He just predicted that something big that could put the whole palace in a dire state would occur, and so he tried to come up with a plan to deal with it in advance.¡± ¡°Are you trying to say that Dowd has a plan to go up against such a monster?¡± ¡°Of course, like he always does.¡± As he replied in a flat tone, Gideon turned his gaze away. ¡°His plan probably involved those two women over there.¡± Gideon said so. Armin followed his gaze and soon let out a horrified gasp. At the end of his sight... Were Dowd and two women¡ªwho seemed to be the same age as him¡ªgoing through something horrible. When he saw the taller woman, who was following behind the smaller woman, pushed the latter, and got her body pierced by the attack that was supposed to be taken in by the smaller woman, Armin freaked out and covered his mouth. ¡°...So that¡¯s his plan?¡± Meanwhile, beside him, Gideon said such a thing while slowly stroking his chin.. ¡°Those things look like mere flesh, but their strength is stronger than even the rarest metal. They are also as quick as adult humans... I see, I can understand why that man is struggling even though he has achieved such a high level...¡± ¡°...I-Is this the time to say such things...?¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t die...¡± The tears that had welled up flowed down from her eyes. She couldn¡¯t hold them back anymore. ¡°U-Unnie, d-don¡¯t leave me... S-Sorry... I-I¡¯m sorry, I-I... I won¡¯t behave like a spoiled child aga¡ª¡± She spoke in a trembling voice as her head dropped. Regret, remorse, lament... Despair... Such emotions... Were eating her up from the bottom. Please... She prayed as she wept. Please¡ª Anyone... Save us... As her mind had turned into a mess... That was the only thing that came to her mind. ¡°¡ªSeriously...¡± And for sure... There was a bastard who loved to ruin the mood in this kind of situation. ¡°You kept saying that you hate her over and over again, but look at you having a mental breakdown like this the moment something happened to her. Can¡¯t you just be more honest with yourself? Jeez...¡± A leisurely voice that didn¡¯t fit the situation at all entered her ears. It came from beside Victoria, whose body was still trembling as she held her head. ¡°...?¡± When she raised her head in a daze. In front of her was... Dowd Campbell, holding a sword in his arm. She didn¡¯t know when he did it, but there were remains of the tentacles that had been cut by his sword scattered around him. Then she noticed something else; Seras, who was trying to get up with clumsy movements despite the tentacles still penetrating her body. ¡°...??¡± What? How is she still able to move...? ¡°...???¡± What?? What¡¯s going on?? ¡°Anyway.¡± As such thoughts passed Victoria¡¯s mind in a hurry... Dowd stared at Seras, who was scratching her cheek while letting out an awkward smile. ¡°Lucky for you, your sister won¡¯t be dying anytime soon. You can stop crying now.¡± ¡°...How...?¡± ¡°Because of this.¡± When she asked as such in a daze, Dowd just pointed at his wrist indifferently. To be exact, at the amulet that he was wearing. Soul Linker. The artifact that had the ability to share one¡¯s buffs with others. What he did was share the ¡®Iron Man¡¯ Mastery¡¯s buff¡ªthe same mastery that let him recover after being split in half¡ªwith Seras. While Victoria might not know such detailed knowledge on what he had done. She knew one thing for sure. The fact that she... Was fooled by these two. ¡°...¡± Which meant... She had cried her eyes out, pitifully begged her sister to not leave her, said all those cringy scenes, and made such a big scene in front of them... ¡°...¡± As Victoria¡¯s face reddened, Dowd just continued indifferently, as if her embarrassment didn¡¯t matter at all to him. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s what she said, Seras.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You heard everything right? She apologized already, and from now on, she won¡¯t say things like she wants to kill you and all that stuff ever again.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°She actually likes you so much, she just had been acting like a teenager going through puberty because she was upset.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°In any case, you two should be able to reconcile after this, right?¡± As Victoria could only stare at this scene with red face and mouth agape, Seras put her hands together in front of her. A gesture that suggested she was asking for her little sister¡¯s forgiveness. ¡°U-Um... M-Mr. Dowd said that we would be able to reconcile if I were to do all that...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry for lying to you! I-I¡¯ll make up for this later¡ª¡± Before Seras could even finish her words, Victoria¡¯s fist already struck her chin in full force. ¡°...Wow.¡± Dowd let out a sigh of awe when he saw that. ¡°...Y-You, you... S-Seriously...¡± Victoria approached her sister, one step at a time, while shedding tears. If earlier she was crying because she was unable to hold back her tears, this time, it was different. This time, she couldn¡¯t hold her emotions together. ¡°...Look, Victoria, I get that you¡¯re angry, but the situation is urgent. I¡¯ll let you hit me all you want, but for now, you and your unnie¡ª¡± ¡°Diiiiiiiiiieeeeeee¡ª!!!¡± What would happen if one were to receive a high-jump kick with a genuine killing intent behind it? What if the one who delivered such a kick was a professional in killing other people? The answer to those questions were... Well... The kick definitely left a huge impression on Dowd Campbell, even compared to the countless blows that he had received so far. Chapter 273: Predator (2) I had said this a few times already, but in the original game, Count Nicholas had also died once and came back to life to appear as a Boss. He was a notorious fucker who traumatized many Sera users. Not only was he an irredeemable trash heap of a villain, the way he came back to life was also horrible. While yes, the Magic Tower¡¯s technology was the best in this universe¡ªto the point as if they could change the whole world¡¯s genre single-handedly¡ªand they could resurrect the dead if they wanted to... The resurrection that they performed would never be a complete one. Case in point, the count¡¯s body was horribly ¡®warped¡¯, and he had a completely different look from his original appearance. However, even considering that, the way he looked now was... Disgustingly monstrous. Calling it ¡®warped¡¯ wouldn¡¯t do justice to how horrible he looked. ¡°...U The cry that came out of ¡®that thing¡¯ as it opened its mouth was mixed with a bizarre reverberation that didn¡¯t even come close to what a human sounded like. It was as if all its organs, muscles, bones, skin, and blood vessels¡ªeverything melted and meshed into one singular thing. The thing didn¡¯t even look like a human, but a human-shaped molten liquid. Its appearance looked like something that would come out of an abstract painting that was painted by a crazy painter who was trying to show the world what hell looked like in his mindscape. The sound it emitted was similar to the sound of someone scratching on an iron plate; like a mix of the screams of a woman and fetus, filled with blind hatred and pain. I had heard this voice plenty of times when I was playing the game, but it was still blood-chilling to hear. ¡°Ah, aaaa¡ª!¡± Along with such a scream, the thing wriggled its body around. Anyone could tell that it was trying to make a move on us, but fortunately for us... There was someone who was extremely sensitive to that kind of behavior in this room. The Sword Saint, Radu Varphon, drew a short breath before grabbing the hilt of his sword. All the swordsmen who had reached the level of a master could unleash a terrifying degree of power with only a subtle difference in their breaths.No?v(el)B\\jnn It was already well-known that unleashing a sword strike in a short exhale would produce a more powerful swing compared to unleashing it while breathing in. While I didn¡¯t know much about it, I did know that it was probably because in such a delicate routine, where even the amount of muscle¡¯s cells and the minute details of angles on your body mattered, such a minor ¡®percussion¡¯ could change the composition entirely. And if a Saint¡ªsomeone who had reached the level where he could even twist the principles that made up the current state of the world¡ªwere to utilize that... It wouldn¡¯t be a wonder that such a small action would create a formidable result. A single strike flew with a ¡®breath¡¯¡ªdone in the most perfect timing, during a perfectly established routine¡ªout of the tip of the sword that the Sword Saint had pulled. ¡°Fuck, you crazy¡ª!¡± Someone let out such an unadulterated shriek. It was none other than the chancellor who did that, even though she was someone who had always tried her best to keep her dignity. Then again, no one would blame her for doing that in this situation. ¡ª¨C!! ¡ª¨C!!!!!!!! Anyone with the ability to think and a shred of intelligence, or anyone with the most basic survival instinct would know... The moment they saw the one strike that the Sword Saint had swung, they should feel it in their bones... That this wasn¡¯t something they could face head on. If they were to face such a thing, only a devastating end would wait for them. And this applied to Count Nicholas, who was in such a bizarre state. How the ugly fucker was immediately split to half by the strike proved it. Yellow blood soared like a fountain. You could tell by the color of his blood that it was just as abnormal as his appearance was, but no one cared about that. They all wore a relieved look, as if such an abnormal sight didn¡¯t matter. R? Because the thing that mattered to them was that the Sword Saint had taken care of the disgusting thing. After all, no lifeform in this world could¡¯ve survived that¡ª ¡°...¡± Wait. Lifeform? Can a fucker who had died once and came back to life be defined as a lifeform? The moment I felt such anxiety crept up my spine... Count Nicholas¡¯ body, which had been spewing yellow blood, began to wriggle. Both sides of his body that had been split into two wriggled at the same time. ¡°...He¡¯s still ali¡ª!¡± Before the Sword Saint could finish his words... I already made my way to get both Her Imperial Majesty and the chancellor lie down flat on the floor at the same time. And right after I did that... Each side of the thing¡¯s divided body started to form something with its flesh, and shot out towards their surroundings. Some Imperial Palace¡¯s soldiers who were standing on guard inside the hall failed to react and were swept by the irreverent tentacles of flesh. Their bodies rose to the air as their vital points were pierced in an instant. They dangled like scarecrows fluttering in the strong wind. ¡°...!¡± I hadn¡¯t seen him ever since Nicholas crushed the ceiling and barged in. ¡°...¡± I¡¯d have to settle the score with him later, but... Before that, I had to take care of the matter at hand. ¡°...Anyway, I just need to endure this, no?¡± I muttered while glaring at Count Nicholas, who was wriggling around in front of me. ¡°Hey, Dowd. What was just¡ª!¡± ¡°I just sent the chancellor outside. She has the lowest chance of surviving out of all of us here.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, Her Imperial Majesty stared at me with a dumbfounded look. From her expression, it was clear that she was asking, ¡®What about me, then?¡¯. But I could only send her a bitter smile. ¡°Unfortunately, I need you here, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°You told me that you like me didn¡¯t you? So, please lend me your help. Everything will come to nothing without your help, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± I wasn¡¯t lying. Her help was essential for us to overcome this situation. ¡°...What kind of help could you get from someone like me even¡ª¡± ¡°Obviously the kind of help that only you could provide.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll give you an appropriate reward for it. I¡¯ll take out that thing circulating inside your body for you. I know that its power is quite something.¡± The moment she heard my words, she stared at me blankly, as the muscles on her cheeks wriggled. Before long, she let out a deep sigh and opened her mouth again. ¡°...What is it that you need me to do?¡± Fortunately, she didn¡¯t straight up refuse me or get mad at me. She seemed to be determined to adapt to the situation instead. Honestly, this was the best reaction she could give at the moment. ¡°We¡¯re trying to hold out until the Sword Saint gets back. Please support me from behind, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only person in this world who¡¯d tell the empress to guard your back for you, you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we don¡¯t have any choice here. The only way for us to survive this is if we are to help each other out, no matter how small the help is.¡± Vertical yellow slits formed on both her pupils, turning them to look more like reptiles¡¯ pupils than humans¡¯. [I¡¯m not sure if the help of a Dragonkin could be considered as small.] Something ¡®polyphonic¡¯ was mixed in her voice as she said that. [After everything is over, I¡¯ll definitely settle this debt with you.] ¡°...Anytime.¡± Of course I had to give her some sort of reward. After all, the power of the Dragonkin would reduce her lifespan. As I was making such a resolution inwardly, I turned my gaze to the side. ¡°...Victoria.¡± ¡°...¡± The Grand Assassin turned her gaze to me with a nervous expression. I let out a sigh before opening my mouth again. ¡°...Can you bring Seras here?¡± ¡°I can, but...¡± Victoria glared at the monster before her eyes while gritting her teeth. ¡°Will you still be alive while I do that?¡± ¡°If you can bring her in five minutes, yes, I will.¡± ¡°I only need two minutes, but... Even if I were to bring her here...¡± What can we do against something like that? That was probably what she was trying to ask me. To that, I shrugged my shoulders and replied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know of a way for us to survive.¡± ¡°What is¡ª¡± ¡°I only need to touch your breasts again.¡± ¡°...¡± Chapter 276: Regimentation (1) ¡°That¡¯s the plan for now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing me continuing to talk while having blood dripping down my head, Seras and Victoria gave me an odd look. Well, this level of injury was nothing more than a scratch to me. Besides, rather than worrying about something like that, I had a more urgent matter to take care of. ¡°The other punks are nearby, but... They¡¯ll be dealing with something else, so we have to rely on ourselves to deal with that thing.¡± I said this multiple times already, but Nicholas was like a mid-boss if anything. The real boss was the fucker who¡¯d appear after we were done dealing with him. That was why I stationed the other punks here¡ªincluding Eleanor and Iliya¡ªas precautions. Well, that was that. ¡°...That thing?¡± Seras asked with a reluctant expression while massaging her body as her wounds began to heal. At the end of her gaze was Count Nicholas, who was swinging his body around inside the meeting hall in a terrifying manner¡ªno, rather... The Predator. And Her Imperial Majesty, I guess, as she was scattering her Magic Power all over the place to fight it. ¡°...Is it okay to leave her alone like that...?¡± Victoria asked in a slightly nervous voice. Hearing that, I stared at her with wide eyes. ¡° ¡°No, it¡¯s just... I thought you hate the empire... And you¡¯d care less about what would happen to Her Imperial Majesty, since, you know, she¡¯s the ruler of the empire and all...¡± ¡°...¡± To my words, Victoria pouted silently. ¡°...Even I know that not everyone in the empire participated in the purge of the Cardinal Humans. Also...¡± ¡°Also?¡± ¡°...I¡¯ve interacted with her a few times. ¡°What?¡± ¡°...You know, when we met that giant...um, your mother...we got to talk and do something together a few times.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± This punk... She¡¯s a lot more affectionate than I expected... As I thought so while throwing a small smile at her... -! She punched me in the face so hard that my head was tilted backward. Did this girl forget that I was still bleeding in the head...?! ¡°...¡± Just...why?! Why is she doing something like this all of a sudden...?! ¡°Get that unpleasant look away from me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m still angry at you.¡± Victoria said in a threatening voice. Hearing that, I quietly rubbed my face. Sure, I get it that you¡¯re angry, but crushing someone¡¯s face like this is going too far! I was about to complain, but then I saw her raising her fist again with a glare, so I just clenched my mouth shut. Well, anyway. About Her Imperial Majesty... ¡°It¡¯s fine, she won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be able to buy us a few minutes even against such a monster. In the meantime, we¡¯ll make a proper plan on how to deal with that thing.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing me casually saying those words, the two sisters turned their gazes at me at the same time, throwing me a reluctant look. It was as if they were asking me, ¡®Is it okay to treat the leader of your country so carelessly like that?¡¯. ¡°...Honestly, if her body isn¡¯t so weak, we could just let her deal with that thing on her own.¡± I wasn¡¯t joking. She didn¡¯t need the Devil¡¯s ¡®Authority¡¯ to handle that thing, the Dragonkin¡¯s ability would be enough. The only problem here was that her body wasn¡¯t able to handle Dragonkin Magic. If it wasn¡¯t the case, I¡¯d be confident in letting her solo Nicholas on her own. Also... Actually... They moved in such a delicate and organized way, sticking to each other, as if they were communicating with each other. It was as if the more she cut the Predator into two, the more intense its attack was. ¡°Keuk...!¡± A groan came out of the empress¡¯ mouth. That groan sounded as if she had chewed something and spit it out. In the first place, she hadn¡¯t trained any skills related to battle, and she also wasn¡¯t someone who regularly trained her own skills. She was just someone who was gifted with an overwhelming Magic Power. All this time, she could get by brute forcing her way and swinging her Magic Power around. With that in mind, there was no way that she¡¯d have a plan B, plan C and so on when brute forcing things failed to work. ¡°E-Euk...!¡± She squeezed out more of her Magic Power and swung it in all directions. Black blood flowed all over her body, as if bursting out of her blood vessels. In the first place, her body was so horribly weak that it was difficult for her to just swing such a potent Magic Power as much as she wanted. She had to make a sacrifice if she wanted to use that power. Even so, she couldn¡¯t do much more than unleashing her attacks in a very simple pattern. That left her attacks to be easily broken by her opponent, who was almost immortal and would only get stronger every time it ¡®died¡¯. In that kind of situation, it didn¡¯t take long before she was forced to be on the defensive. ¡°Huff...! Huff...!¡± The Predator¡ªwhich number had increased tens of times compared to before¡ªsurrounded the empress who was gasping for breath. If it was let be, she¡¯d definitely end up being eaten by it. ¡°¡ª!¡± The Predator¡¯s low cry echoed in all direction. It was filled with a beast¡¯s excitement before a feast. But... Amidst its cry... ¡°Look at you, you look great right now, Count Nicholas.¡± Out of nowhere, someone... ¡°Compared to you in the past, you look way less twisted.¡± Said such words. At the next moment, purple haze quickly soared behind the Predator. ¡ñ Sullivan took a deep breath, barely able to come back to her senses. When she looked around, the sight of the Imperial Palace that had turned into a mess welcomed her. ¡°Dowd¡ª!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for her to guess that Dowd had sent her outside. She quickly stood up to look around. Seeing how everyone was screaming and running away from the palace, it was clear that something was happening inside the Imperial Palace. Something horrible, to be exact. ¡°Dowd, why¡ª!¡± At that moment, a certain memory was being played in her mind. A memory about a Dowd, who was suffering mortal wounds, begging her to kill him inside the collapsing Imperial Palace. She clenched her teeth until it bled. Again, this time¡ª! Can¡¯t I do anything but to just see him die¡ª?! ¡°You seem in a bit of a hurry, Chancellor.¡± Hearing that voice, Sullivan stopped moving. Because... ¡°Do you have something urgent to do, by any chance?¡± The owner of the voice was someone she had never imagined would be here. As that person walked towards her with clear footsteps, she sent a glare at her. In the situation where everyone around them moved in a hurried manner, the way this person walked in a relaxed manner felt extremely foreign and out of place. However... This person¡¯s existence had always been like that. Their existence had always felt foreign, as if they were floating alone on their own in this world. ¡°How did you get here...?¡± Sullivan called out the person¡¯s name quietly. ¡°...Pr ¡°It¡¯s been a while, isn¡¯t it? I came here because I thought that we could cooperate with each other this time. After all, the thing that I have to do is also related to that man.¡± The prophet was wearing her usual mask, so she couldn¡¯t confirm it, but... ¡°Also, the matter is quite urgent, you see.¡± She was completely sure that the prophet was smiling under that mask. Chapter 277: Regimentation (2) The Purple Devil¡¯s Authority, ¡®Diffusion¡¯, allowed its user to grant a massive buff towards an ability that they have. Coming up with ways to use such an ability was like guessing what kind of liquor to add to your straight gin to make a cocktail¡ªthe pattern and progress of the battle was bound to vary depending on the ability that served as the base. That was why I¡¯d need to rack my brain a little. So, how am I supposed to deal with a fucker who wouldn¡¯t die no matter how many times you attack it? It¡¯d split itself the moment it got the chance to, and would only get stronger the more it does it? The answer to that question was simple. I just needed to not attack it. Or rather, to stop unleashing ¡®useless¡¯ attacks on it. To do that, all of us would need to create a situation where we could assign the right person to attack it in the right spot. ¡°Hu¡ª¡± Breath control. The most basic act in controlling movement. The Fighting Arts I learned from the Fist Saint was a whole Martial Knowledge in itself. Martial Knowledge wasn¡¯t simply about hitting and beating something; it was a collection of routines that were combined with efficient fighting movements. Which meant, it would be very helpful in creating the most appropriate movement for me to use in this situation. ¡°¡ª!!¡± Once again, a strange cry came out of the Predator¡¯s mouth. Pieces of flesh immediately soared in all directions. Those were attacks at the speed where even the strongest Sword Saint could only react to, and we had to deal with it coming towards us from all directions. I instantly analyzed the route of the attacks, following my opponent¡¯s movements. Drawing lines through the dots, creating a surface that connected the lines... And lastly, I placed my body between the paths of the attacks that came through the surface. Well, actually, I wasn¡¯t the one who did the last part. ¡°¡ªKeuk!¡± ¡°¡ªWhoaaa!¡± Instead of me, Seras and Victoria were the ones who did. I ¡®transmitted my consciousness¡¯ to them, making us share the same ¡®thoughts¡¯. Since it would be inefficient to give out instructions in such a fast-paced battle where a lot of things could happen in a single second, I figured that I¡¯d do this instead by mashing different kinds of abilities at once. Using the Soul Linker, I shared multiple buffs to those two. Desperation¡¯s stat boost, Swordsman¡¯s Focus boosts to their reflexes, and so on. With these buffs, I ¡®controlled¡¯ their movements. We only needed to avoid the barrage of attacks that were scattered across the place. After that, we could finally attack¡ª [I thought you aren¡¯t going to make useless attacks anymore.] ...Yes, I won¡¯t... You know what? Just watch. Hearing Caliban, who was nitpicking my words, I let out a sigh. After that, I gave out the next instruction to the two sisters. If everything went as usual, that thing would just split up, but...No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°¡ª!¡± The daggers that Seras and Victoria were holding in reverse grip emitted eerie lights. But, they wouldn¡¯t be using those daggers to cause damage to the opponent directly. Both of them were assassins that had reached the pinnacle. They were able to skillfully utilize the bladed weapon to cause ¡®damage¡¯ to the opponent while not ¡®cutting¡¯ them. That was what happened this time. Rather than cutting their opponent, they just ¡®hit¡¯ it to gather its pieces in one place. And that was what they did. ¡ª!! Now, if I were to add the Blue Demonic Aura from the Seal to the equation... The Aura that contained the Authority ¡®Pulverization¡¯; the ability that allowed its user to grind everything without leaving even a single ¡®cell¡¯... Even this splitting fucker couldn¡¯t do anything about it. The pieces that were hit by the Authority didn¡¯t split. ...Don¡¯t you think this is a little bit too powerful? This fucker could still split itself even after receiving the Sword Saint¡¯s strike that was said to be able to cut down anything in its path. But, when facing a Devil¡¯s Authority, there was simply nothing it could do. This should be a testament to prove the status of the Devils. [...When the hell did you charge that one?] Caliban, you wanna know something? [What?] Physical affection works on Riru more than expected. [...] I literally just needed to ¡®accidentally¡¯ touch her whenever I got the chance and she¡¯d scatter Demonic Aura around like crazy. Honestly, it felt a little bit much. I thought Yuria would be the easiest one for me in regard to charging the Demonic Aura, but that punk would only release it if I did something that would make other people freak out when they saw it. Meanwhile, Riru would blush like crazy and scatter Demonic Aura all over the place the moment our hands touched. There was a time when I hugged her from behind out of curiosity and she immediately dropped a backdrop suplex on me. The sight of her screaming with a completely flushed face, telling me, whose whole head was stuck into the ground, to fight fair and squarely instead of doing this, was still fresh in my mind. ...He¡¯s controlling the flow of a battle of this level by himself? Her position as the empress allowed her to examine all kinds of talented people. Considering that, she had a clear standard for what she considered as ¡®excellent¡¯. In her eyes, an excellent on-scene commander was someone who could give direct instructions for the troops¡¯ overall formation, arrangement, and crucial actions. That was it. A human¡¯s vision range was limited. It was physically impossible for a human to read the entire flow of information in large-scale battles. But this man... What the heck is he even...? The man seemed to have a firm grasp of the whole flow of the battle by himself. It was clear by the instructions he was giving to each of the sisters every time he analyzed the ever-changing battlefield. ...I mean, I know that he¡¯s able to do this much, but still... In fact, she already knew that he was someone who could perform this kind of stunt. She knew from his immaculate records; from the Purifier, the Boy King, the Reversed Sea, the Red Devil¡ªall of them were foes that would never be beaten unless he couldn¡¯t do at least this much. However, that wasn¡¯t what she was surprised about. It was... ...He still isn¡¯t going all out... She had been around him for quite a while now. That was why she knew. He... Hadn¡¯t used all his cards yet. Even as he was pulling this crazy stunt, he was thinking about something else. As if there was something way more important than this battle. ... Does this even make any sense?! He could already do things beyond what a normal human could do before! Are you telling me that he got even stronger?! Has he already stopped being a human or what?! ¡°...Huh? Wait...¡± At that moment... She realized something. While yes, the fact that he could be so carefree in this kind of situation was surprising, especially considering the danger level of the opponent... What kind of monstrous enemy was he thinking about that he even went out of his way to divert his attention while facing such a powerful enemy already? Before she realized it, the empress had already grasped the area near her heart tightly with both hands. ...What is it that you are on guard for...? She did not realize until the end, That something ¡®Brown¡¯ was coming out through the hands that were grasping her chest. ¡ñ To those who didn¡¯t know... It probably seemed like we were doing better than they expected. ¡°Heek... Heeek...¡± ¡°Why...the fuck...! Are you...! Telling...assassins! To fight directly like this¡ª?!¡± ¡°...¡± But, seeing how the Evatrice sisters were clearly out of breath, I couldn¡¯t agree with that assessment at all. In the first place, they were trained to leave the scene of their ¡®battles¡¯ after dishing out a fatal blow on their opponent. They weren¡¯t trained for this kind of battle. Although, they had fought quite well so far considering that they were doing what they weren¡¯t used to. Because we managed to get rid of half of the pieces of the Predator that were scattered around. ¡°At this rate, I¡¯m going to collapse from exhaustion! No matter how amazing Senior¡¯s direction is¡ª!¡± ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± I¡¯ve already said this since the very beginning. Our goal in this battle wasn¡¯t to kill the fucker. ¡°You¡¯re finally here...¡± But to ¡®endure¡¯. I smirked at the ceiling. ¡°Our powerful and heavy blow.¡± At that moment... The ¡®world¡¯ began to break in half from up there. Chapter 278: Regimentation (3) Slash Attack; an attack performed by slashing your opponent with your sword. This attack had probably been around ever since weapons were first created by humans. Throughout the ages, there were countless people that were recorded doing similar attacks to it. And even among them... There were only a few, or perhaps none who could perform something similar to this particular Slash Attack. Such a sight just made you wonder with marvel over the fact that such a simple action of cutting your opponent with a sword could reach such an extreme level. -!! -!!!! The moment I watched the Predator¡¯s body divided into two by the sword attack that came down as if it would cut through the atmosphere, I couldn¡¯t help but click my tongue ...What the fuck... Thank God I wasn¡¯t the target of that attack... Seriously... ¡°No matter how powerful that attack is, such an attack will¡ª!¡± Seras said those words, clearly freaking out. But, before she could even finish her sentence, ¡®sparks¡¯ soared up from the cross section of the attack. Just how did he do that...? ¡°It won¡¯t split if I do this.¡± ¡°...¡± Seriously though, how? The sparks soared after a time gap, it wasn¡¯t immediate... Also, that monster really didn¡¯t split up again after receiving that attack. The Sword Saint just shrugged his shoulders at Seras¡ªwho fell silent after seeing that¡ªand walked towards me with clear footsteps. Then again... He did come here after cutting the other half of the Predator¡ªwhich had the same size as the one we have here, or maybe even larger¡ªall by himself... ¡°...Your timing couldn¡¯t be more perfect.¡± I told him while adjusting my watch. While yes, I expected that he¡¯d arrive in a few minutes when I started this boss battle, it was still crazy that he was only a few seconds late compared to my prediction. ¡°Are you okay? You weren¡¯t swept by the attack just now, were you? I tried to hold back my power, but...¡± ¡°...You held back your power?¡± For real? Crazy.... After hearing my reaction, the Sword Saint just replied to me with a bewildered voice. ¡°Of course I did. Do you want me to kill everyone here?¡± ¡°...¡± He wasn¡¯t even bragging, he was just telling the truth calmly. As I let out a sigh at that fact, Victoria called out from the side with an urgent voice. ¡°And thanks to you doing that, that punk didn¡¯t die! Are you stupid?!¡± ¡°...¡± Woman, language... Well, I got what she was trying to say. The Predator¡ªwhich had received an attack from the Sword Saint¡ªstarted to wriggle around again. ¡°...He¡¯s still alive even after that?¡± The Sword Saint muttered as such with a dumbfounded voice. He was about to prepare for another attack, but I raised my hand to stop him. ¡°What are you...?¡± ¡°Can you leave the final blow to us?¡± ¡°...No, if he survived that attack, then he¡¯d be too powerful for you guys to handle. I¡¯m the only one who could¡ª¡± ¡°Nah.¡± He tried to stop me, but I shook my head firmly. After all, I had promised these punks... That I¡¯d let them kill their mortal enemy with their own hands. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Just now, you¡¯ve shown us...¡± The Sword Saint was about to dissuade me again, but I cut his words with a sigh. ¡°An attack that could work on that punk.¡± Well, you see... When I said that I needed a ¡®powerful and heavy blow¡¯, I meant that I needed to see such a thing directly with my own eyes. I gathered the Purple Demonic Aura that came out of Victoria and Seras into my seal. Setting its effect to ¡®intensify¡¯, I... Mixed it with the ¡®Black Demonic Aura¡¯ that came out of the Seal. ¡°...!¡± ¡°...!¡± Victoria and Seras turned to look at me at the same time with shocked gazes. They could probably tell by instinct what this particular Demonic Aura was doing to them. What I did back at the School Festival or the battlefield was probably so impactful that it might give them the wrong idea. You see, ¡®Overpowering¡¯ wasn¡¯t the ¡®Authority¡¯ that I possessed. Actually, back then, I still hadn¡¯t possessed the unique ability that a Devil would have. And as you could probably tell by my usage of the words ¡®back then¡¯... As the Seal further evolved, I became able to roughly imitate ¡®portions¡¯ of such a thing... Yes, it was one of those things. I took a deep breath while ruminating on the scene I had just seen. What I was trying to do was... ¡®Copying¡¯ the sword routine that the Sword Saint had shown us earlier. Not only that... Everything that touched the Aura that came out of her body began to rot and wither. This was the Brown Devil¡¯s Authority, ¡®Decomposition¡¯. ¡°...¡± I let out a deep sigh inwardly. Here we go... It¡¯s nice to see you, Chapter Boss. ¡°What¡¯s that¡ª?!¡± ¡°Mr. Dowd, what the heck is that?!¡± Seras and Victoria asked in turn, taken aback by the brown aura that had spread out to the surroundings. Instead of answering them though, I just silently stared at my watch. Let¡¯s see... It¡¯s about time for ¡®the other punks¡¯ to come out too... ¡°We have the Sword Saint here, what else are you waiting for?!¡± Victoria urged me in a fit of rage, but... I was actually waiting for a certain someone. The one punk who¡¯d definitely come here. As I thought so while staring at my watch... I could hear the voice of the person that I had been waiting for. [ Therefore, I implore. ] [ Therefore, I implore. ] ¡¾Maintain thee¡¯s purity¡¿ As I watched the brown aura spread while such words were being spoken, I let out a smirk. What did I say? She really did come. ¡°Yooo.¡± I turned my gaze at the bum, who called out to me leisurely while sliding down from above with a smile. Talker, the Cursed Speech User. The Spinning Fire Wheel. ¡°Looking great there, Black Devil.¡± ¡°...Please cut the useless crap, Talker.¡± He was the close associate of the ¡®Prophet¡¯, the woman who came down together beside him. ¡ñ The Prophet just looked at me silently after approaching me. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°...What?¡± As she started the conversation in such a weird way, I replied with a frown on my face. Then, she tilted her head before continuing... ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we saw each other and that¡¯s the only reaction you gave me?¡± ¡°...I mean, it isn¡¯t like we¡¯re in the kind of relationship where we¡¯d greet each other happily...¡± ¡°You should at least look surprised by my presence here, no?¡± ¡°...¡± Well... I could already tell that this punk would appear at around this time, so I wasn¡¯t surprised at all. She always appeared every time something big like this happened, after all. Although, I had no evidence or anything like that... ¡°Hey, can I clear up something with you?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I need to ask you this before I start fighting for my life again.¡± Actually, all this time, I had always followed my hunches. There was nothing that I knew for sure so far. But, after seeing the punk who had always stayed silent appear here... Yeah, that just proved it. Well, I had to go through a lot of hoops to reach this conclusion, but let¡¯s not go there. Let¡¯s just cut to the chase instead. ¡°You like me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± Since her face was hidden under her mask, I didn¡¯t know what kind of expression she was making. But what I knew was that she was staring at me with wide eyes under that mask. ¡°If so, then help me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I promise I¡¯ll repay you.¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing the Prophet couldn¡¯t keep up with the conversation, I tilted my head, wondering maybe I didn¡¯t explain enough. ¡°I¡¯ll do something lewd with you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So help¡ª¡± ¡°...Shut the fuck up, you crazy motherfucker.¡± ¡°...¡± What? Why are you cursing at me...? Chapter 279: Contact ¡°Look, a nice and serious talk about romance is good and all, but...¡± Fire Spinning Wheel said so to the Prophet, who was pressing her temple as if she got a headache or something. ¡°It¡¯s coming! We gotta move away first!¡± As soon as he finished his words, a Brown Aura surrounded us and advanced towards us. -! ¡°Dodge it!¡± ¡°No need to say it! Everyone knows we have to dodge it!¡± ¡°...¡± Upon being told off by the Prophet beside me, I pouted before swinging my body. EX-Grade Desperation had been active since a while ago, so it wasn¡¯t hard for me to avoid this. My body was launched so high in the air after a single jump, which wasn¡¯t a surprising spectacle anymore, but... The Prophet moved exactly in the same way I did, which was quite fascinating if I may say so. ¡°...¡± I stared at her, who was currently reaching the same height as me in the air. Seriously, though... Was this punk affected by Desperation like me or what? ¡°-What?¡± As she asked so with a smirk, I could only let out a sigh. ¡°...Nothing.¡± Seeing how she was using the exact same ability as me, I couldn¡¯t help but notice... That this punk was definitely related to me in some way. Everything just fell into place after I retraced what had happened so far just a little bit. -The world has been stuck in a loop... Starting from the hint that I got from the chancellor¡¯s words... I got to know this timeline I was going through wasn¡¯t the ¡®first¡¯. Because the world had been rewound to the past over and over again. As for the trigger to that, it was probably... ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see what¡¯s going on?! Why do you keep¡ª¡± I pushed my fingers against the ceiling, twisting my whole body to change the direction it was about to go in. That was how I avoided the Brown Aura that was about to come rushing towards me again. The Prophet also did it in the same way as me, except that she swung her body in the opposite direction as me. Anyway, this didn¡¯t stop me from continuing what I wanted to say to her. R¦¡??o??BE?s? ¡°So, I assume that I¡¯m supposed to die here. Am I right?¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing the Prophet shut her mouth at that question, I let out a smirk. See? I knew it. We¡¯re facing the Brown Devil after all. Now, it would get quite complicated if I were to retrace the source of that particular conjecture, but basically, the Brown Devil was...uh, how should I put this...? She had been eyeing me for a while now, trying to look for the perfect chance to kill me. That was why she took over the empress¡¯ body at this moment and pulled all this stunt. [...But why though?] Such a question came from the Soul Linker. ...Hm? [I mean, she¡¯s a Devil, no? She should be trying to fuck you, why is she trying to kill you instead?] ¡®...¡¯ Mister. Watch what you¡¯re saying. ...Anyway, it¡¯s a little hard to explain, it¡¯s complicated... I replied, letting out a deep sigh inwardly. So, uh, let¡¯s say that...she hates popular guys. [...] Hearing my answer, Caliban stayed silent for a while. That silence went on even until after me and the Prophet maneuvering around a few more Demonic Aura attacks that came towards us. [...What did you say she hates you for?] She hates popular guys. [...] Once again, the silence fell. [...Why?] Caliban barely managed to ask that. To that, I awkwardly scratched my head. Uh, just because...? [...Are you telling me that Devils could hate someone for such a trivial reason? I thought they¡¯re the most powerful beings in all dimension¡ª] To clarify, she¡¯s the only one who¡¯s like that! The Brown Devil was, uh... Let¡¯s say that she was one of the most important milestones that would lead me to the ¡®Astral Realm¡¯ later on in the Final Chapter. After all, she was an illegitimate child of an Angel and a Devil, the half-blood who had each of her feet in the two worlds. But... At the same time, that also meant she was someone who had the perfect reason to be ostracized by both worlds. She didn¡¯t belong to the Pandemonium, nor did she belong to the Astral Realm. If she was sociable enough to be welcomed by both worlds, her life would probably be better but she wasn¡¯t born with such a nature. Instead, she was introverted, sensitive, temperamental¡ªyou know, she was one of those people. Because of that, she was stuck being a loner for the longest time. Riru and Yuria¡ªwho were holding his legs¡ªalso screamed as their bodies were flying here and there. ¡°You guys! Are! In charge of! The best! Parts! Only I¡ª! Whoaaaak¡ª!¡± ¡°M-M-Miss Ri-Ri-Riru! If you can¡¯t hold on, I¡¯ll also¡ª! A-Aaaaargh¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± Saying that this was a mess would be an understatement. It was crazy how he was able to contest the strength of several Devil¡¯s Vessels + the Hero at once. Well, at the very least, it seemed like he was occupied with them for the moment. ¡°I¡¯ll promise you, Sword Saint.¡± And for now, that was enough. Unlike with the Predator, I had a surefire solution here. There was no reason for me to drag this on for too long. ¡°I will save Her Imperial Majesty.¡± ¡°Dowd Campbell¡ª!¡± The Sword Saint shouted with his chest voice that could make people tremble in fear while trying to approach me. ¡°...¡± But, before that shout could scare me off, I already started racking my brain. What I needed to do now was to overpower the Brown Devil and to make Her Imperial Majesty come to her senses ¡®completely¡¯. ¡°To do that¡ª¡± ¡°-You¡¯d have to come upon contact with her.¡± The Prophet cut my words while sighing deeply. ¡°That was the solution you used the most when it comes to handling the Devils. The success rate was also quite high.¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing how she talked as if she knew me so well, I chuckled before I knew it. Yeah, she was right. While the difficulty level was completely different, the way I had in mind to approach the Brown Devil wasn¡¯t so different from what I did to the Red Devil. Face her, run towards her directly and overpower her. ¡°However...¡± The Prophet interrupted my thoughts. ¡°You know that you¡¯re going to die if you fail, right?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s why I asked you to help me.¡± I said, letting out a bitter smile. If she really was who I thought she was, she¡¯d definitely be able to give me the biggest help in this situation. Hearing what I said, the Prophet replied with a smirk. ¡°...You will give me my reward. No matter what.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± ¡°Also, I don¡¯t want the reward you offered. It¡¯s not your ¡®first¡¯ time anyway, why would I bother?¡± ¡°...¡± What? ¡°I mean...¡± The Prophet said brusquely. ¡°You¡¯ve already done it with the Gray Devil.¡± ¡°...¡± The moment the Prophet dropped that explosive statement so shamelessly, a wave of dizziness struck my head. She really just said that out loud in front of everyone¡ª?! ¡°...What?¡± ¡°...He did what?¡± Hearing the cold voices from the direction where the fierce battle with the Sword Saint was going on, my spine instantly tingled in fear. ¡°You guys, just focus on that guy¡ª!¡± Seriously, how could they divide their attention like that?! That was the fucking Sword Saint you were fighting against, you know?! He was the most powerful human in this fucking world! However, as if dismissing my concerns... ¡°And besides...¡± The Prophet continued with a smirk. Well, she was wearing that mask, so I couldn¡¯t tell exactly if she was smirking or not, but from her way of talking, she definitely was smirking under that mask. ¡°...My body has been ¡®conditioned¡¯ by you. Multiple times. Here, and here. Everywhere.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I can mention everything that you¡¯re going to do to me in the future. One by one.¡± ¡°...Please be quiet...!¡± Prophet¡ª! What the fuck are you on about¡ª?!? ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The terrifying pressure I felt from behind my back had doubled compared to earlier. [...You know, I think you need to worry about the Brown Devil less, and worry about what¡¯s going to happen to you next more.] ¡°...¡± ...At this rate, that might be true. Chapter 280: Correction (1) So, uh, that unfortunate thing happened. But, I couldn¡¯t deal with it because a Devil was out for my blood right now. ¡°...It seems like we won¡¯t be able to dodge it anymore after a while.¡± I muttered as such while looking at Her Imperial Majesty, who was walking towards us slowly. The Brown Demonic Aura¡ªwhich possessed the Authority ¡®Corruption¡¯¡ªthat had been spreading to the surroundings was gradually thickening. It was to the point where I wasn¡¯t able to avoid it with simple movements like I did anymore. I needed to carefully maneuver around it, but even so I could only barely manage to dodge it. Seeing the speed of its thickening, it wouldn¡¯t take long before this empty space was completely filled with Demonic Aura. ...I can¡¯t even leave this place if I want to. We¡¯ve defeated the Predator, but the traces of it wrapping the whole palace, trying to eat it, still remained. There were rubbles everywhere here, so unless I cleared those up first, I couldn¡¯t get away from here. Of course, if I were to actually try to do that, the Demonic Aura would catch up to me and kill me instead. Also, there was a huge chance that the Brown Devil only revealed herself like this after she was sure that ¡®I wouldn¡¯t be able to run away¡¯. While the Brown Devil¡¯s Aura had a weaker force compared to Blue Devil Aura¡¯s Pulverization, it wasn¡¯t exactly the point of its ability. After all, it only needed to come into contact with its target, and the target would end up dying, albeit slowly. Instead of physically grinding someone to death, it would slowly erase their existence. With that in mind, there was only one option available to me. I need to finish this fight quickly. Closing the battle as soon as I could. The presence of the Sword Saint, who was being suppressed temporarily by the Devil¡¯s Vessels was another reason why I needed to finish this up quickly. Like, it felt like he could break through the Devil¡¯s Vessels¡¯ suppression and come here at any moment now, which was scary to think of... ¡°Talker.¡± Fortunately, I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought so. The Prophet called out to the man nearby in a low voice. ¡°You can create a path, right? ¡°A path?¡± ¡°We need to end this battle quickly, or else everyone here will die.¡± ¡°¡ªHmm.¡± The Fire Spinning Wheel stroked his chin, contemplating for a moment, before he continued. ¡°I can. Only once, though. But at best it could only help you to touch her.¡± What he was trying to say here was that while he could create a ¡®path¡¯ for us, it wouldn¡¯t help us in regards to actually attacking the opponent or buffing us so we could fight it directly. However... ¡°That will do.¡± While stretching my body, I replied as such. ¡°I mean, just look at our opponent.¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± The Fire Spinning Wheel asked blankly. To that, I gave him an incredulous look. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been observing me for a while? How could you not know this?¡± ¡°...Know what?¡± ¡°Our opponent is a woman who has the Devil¡¯s Fragment inside her.¡± I continued, as if this was a matter of course. ¡°Which means, as long as you could open a path for me, I¡¯ll definitely beat her.¡± ¡°...¡± Indeed. My existence itself was the perfect counter against the Devils. Just a single opening would be enough to guarantee our victory. ¡°...Right, I forgot that this bastard is the greatest playboy in human¡¯s history.¡± ¡°...¡± Honestly, at this point, I didn¡¯t think that it was appropriate for me to deny that. Objectively speaking, the results of the things that I¡¯ve been doing were all pointed in that direction. [Finally! You¡¯re finally admitting it!!] ...Shut the fuck up. As I told Caliban off, the Prophet let out a deep breath and gave her command. ¡°Do it. Right now.¡± ¡°Alright, guess there¡¯s no need to mull over the matter anymore, huh?¡± At that, the Fire Spinning Wheel spread out the accessories hanging all over his body towards the surroundings. It was as if all the religious symbols in the world had been gathered here. These Holy Relics served to reinforce the True Speech coming out of his mouth. And what came out after was the ¡®purification ritual¡¯ that he always recited whenever he met an opponent that was related to the Devils. Except that the power in his words was significantly higher and more pure than before. -Song of Songs, I wish. -Song of Songs, I wish. -This lowly being prays, the lust that stains every verse and word, all of it. The clear and transparent energies came out of the Holy Relics and quickly gathered in one place, before turning into a spherical lump. ¡¾Wash it with your light¡¿ With such words as a cue, the purification sphere was fired forward. It collided with the Brown Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura, but it wasn¡¯t being pushed out by it. Instead, it advanced forward while spreading its bright light to the surroundings. Just like the Red Sea, being split by Moses, the Demonic Aura was split by it in an instant. ¡°¡ªNow!¡± ¡°¡ªYou don¡¯t have to tell me!¡± And upon seeing the sight, the Prophet and I¡ªwho were waiting for the perfect timing to move¡ªshot our body forward like arrows. If we just considered our basic specs, this punk was on the same level as me. Because of that, we managed to reach Her Imperial Majesty at a similar speed. ¡°¡ªKeuk!¡± The Brown Demonic Aura rushed towards us like mad right in front of our eyes. As if it was trying to push my existence away, I could feel its will, trying its best to not let me get closer to it. It was a completely different reaction from the Red Devil, who just accepted me without much resistance after I got this close, or the other Devils who were actually the ones pulling me ¡®into¡¯ them instead. However... ¡°¡ª¡± The Prophet took a deep breath and advanced forward, using her body as a ¡®shield¡¯. Of course, since she was facing a Devil¡¯s Demonic Aura directly, her arms instantly rotted away. However, the Demonic Aura slightly faded away because of it, which meant whatever it was she was doing had an effect on it. ¡°Let¡¯s push forward like this!¡± Hearing that, my eyes widened. ¡°You¡ª!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, just do it quickly! I roughly know what you¡¯re trying to do!¡± Seeing her shouting out those words while clenching her teeth, I nodded instead of replying to her. With her body as a shield, we quickly approached Her Imperial Majesty. A few seconds passed after we moved forward like that, the Prophet was moaning in pain as she clenched her teeth. And then... ¡°I...Touched...Her...!¡± The moment the tip of my finger somehow managed to come upon ¡®contact¡¯ with Her Imperial Majesty¡¯s body after breaking through the thick Demonic Aura... < system="" message=""> [ Existence of ¡®Brown Devil¡¯ confirmed.] [ With the influence of the ¡®Fallen¡¯s Seal¡¯, you can make a close contact with target. ] ¡°...Oh, that actually works?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing my muttering, the Prophet turned to look at me, as if asking me, ¡®Are you kidding me right now?¡¯ with her gaze. Well, I couldn¡¯t help it. I was genuinely surprised by this. Like, I never expected that she could neutralize a Devil so effortlessly like this. ...Anyway. I actually had thought of a way to beat the Brown Devil for quite a while now. To be exact... I¡¯ve come up with it ever since I was squeezed out by the Gray Devil... Not only that, I had also tried it on the White Devil before. ¡°...Can you promise me something?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°...Please don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± ¡°...¡± I could tell that the Prophet was frowning under her mask. She was staring at me as if I was trash, but that didn¡¯t faze me at all, so I just continued. This was just a precaution, you know, since she quite literally just detonated a whole nuke on me not too long ago... ¡°If the thing that¡¯s going to happen here were to spread outside, they¡¯ll actually chop me to pieces...¡± ¡°...Whatever.¡± ¡°...Can I take that as a yes?¡± ¡°...Jeez, you¡¯re such a coward! Yes, yes, I won¡¯t tell anyone!¡± Nice, nice. Despite everything, she likes me after all. If she doesn¡¯t like this, well tough luck! It¡¯s her fault for falling for me in the first place! Ha! [...I swear, the more you talk, the more I want to beat the shit out of you.] ... Can you please not say discouraging things in this kind of urgent situation, Mister? -What are you two talking about¡ª? The Brown Devil¡ªwho was still restrained¡ªasked in a voice filled with killing intent. ¡°It¡¯s too long to explain.¡± First of all, this was my first time meeting this punk, but seeing her attitude towards me... I could tell that she had a lot to say to me. Which meant, I¡¯d need to hear out what she wanted to say. But, we couldn¡¯t have that kind of conversation right now. Because I needed to ¡®correct her attitude¡¯ first. I sighed, spreading the Aura from my Seal in all directions. At the end of the day, she was still the owner of this Image World. While the Prophet managed to surprise her, if she were to recover from her shock, she¡¯d try to kill us again. Which meant, I had to finish what I had to do quickly. ¡°...¡± Fortunately... Considering the EXP I had accumulated so far, it wouldn¡¯t take long for me to accomplish my goal. While thinking so, I summoned the most important item in the strategy to win the Brown Devil into the Image World. -...What is this...? Upon seeing the rectangle ¡®thing¡¯ that rose up in the center of the space, the Brown Devil asked in a blank tone. ¡°Aah.¡± I drowsily replied while sweeping back my forehead. ¡°This is called a bed.¡± -...Huh? ¡°This is the item I¡¯m gonna be using to ¡®correct¡¯ you.¡± -...Huh? As the Brown Devil¡¯s face went blank... ¡°I¡¯ve felt this way since a long time ago, but...¡± The Prophet said so while letting out a chuckle. She didn¡¯t sound surprised, as if what I was doing was something that she had already expected. ¡°...You¡¯re a fucking lunatic, do you know that?¡± Not only her... A voice that sounded as if the owner¡¯s soul had left his body came from the Soul Linker. [...I know, right?] Caliban muttered with a dumbfounded voice [Is that what you meant when you said that the difficulty level is different when it comes to her?] What? [So, with the Red Devil, you were able to finish it with only a kiss, but with her... Uh...] What are you trying to say? [You need to be more ¡®earnest¡¯ in your actions?] ... [Like, you¡¯re going to fuck her if needed to?] ... What¡¯s with those crude words you¡¯re spouting, Mister? Aren¡¯t you a Holy Knight of some sort? ¡°...¡± However... It was quite sad, but... ...Pretty much, yeah. [...] After hearing my answer, it seemed like he had no energy left to reply to me anymore. I, too, had no intention of continuing the conversation. So, I ignored him. And looked down at the Brown Devil, who was lying down on the ¡®bed¡¯, tied with a ¡®restraining device¡¯. -... As if she could tell that things were about to go in a weird direction, her face that resembled Her Majesty the Empress¡¯ face stiffened in an instant. I¡¯m going to ignore that. ¡°Alright, then...¡± Because I had no intention of going easy on her. ¡°...Let¡¯s see if she has similar weaknesses as Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, shall we?¡± ¡°...Playboy. Trash. Womanizer. Lecher. Go fuck yourself.¡± You know... Those words actually didn¡¯t hurt me anymore because I also thought that they were true... Chapter 281: Correction (2) ¡°...Uh, hey.¡± The Prophet called out to me in a dumbfounded voice after seeing me stretching to warm up my body. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°...Putting aside whatever the hell it is you¡¯re going to do that makes you feel the need to warm up...¡± She let out a deep sigh, as if she didn¡¯t understand what I was doing. Her expression made it seem like she was saying, ¡®Do I really need to spell this out for you?¡¯. ¡°...Do I need to sit here and watch what you¡¯re doing?¡± What¡¯s with that question? I tilted my head in confusion before answering... ¡°Do you want to join in then?¡± ¡°...¡± When she heard that, the Prophet gave me a murderous glare, but she soon relented, as if giving up, and replied... ¡°What the fuck are you trying to tell a woman to watch? I knew that you¡¯re both a pervert and a trashy person, but don¡¯t cross the¡ª¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t watch then.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This is an Image World, you know? It isn¡¯t hard to just go somewhere else. Stop acting stupid.¡± I never even told her to watch. Why the hell is she even asking that kind of question? Just don¡¯t watch, is it that hard? ¡°...Forget it. You fucking tactless¡ª¡± ¡°So, does that mean you actually wanted to join?¡± Hearing that, the Prophet immediately sent a powerful kick towards my knees as I was stretching them. That made me somersaulted once before my body was slammed to the ground. I blinked, wondering what the fuck was her deal. ¡°...Ah, I get it.¡± But, it didn¡¯t take long for me to realize what was going on. ¡°You also want to do it, but you figured that doing it together is a little... Anyway, you were trying to ask me to not forget my words and do lewd things to you late¡ª¡± ¡°...I-I wasn¡¯t¡ª!! Why are you being so self-conscious, you fuck¡ª?!¡± Huh? I didn¡¯t miss the short silence before she replied to me. Also, the way she reacted made it seem like I caught her with her pants down or something. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll give you your reward later.¡± ¡°I said I don¡¯t need it¡ª!¡± ¡°Anyway.¡± I sighed at the Prophet, who had gone half-crazy at this point, while taking off the Soul Linker from my wrist and handed it to her. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Uh...¡±No?v(el)B\\jnn I replied awkwardly while scratching my cheek. ¡°...Let¡¯s just say that there¡¯s someone who probably hates seeing what¡¯s going to happen next even more than you inside this thing. Can you take it with you?¡± I wasn¡¯t kidding. Caliban¡¯s condition was genuinely concerning. [...] ...What? [You know that the Guardians belong to the Imperial Guards, right?] He said in a gloomy voice. [All members of Imperial Guards made a vow the first time we joined. We would give our lives and loyalty to the Imperial Household and its head, the empress. We swore that we¡¯d forever serve the precious, and illustrious Her Imperial Majesty as our master.] ... [Tell me. How do you think I¡¯m gonna feel if I were to see the person I made such a vow to lying down under you while you¡¯re trying to breed with her?] ...I¡¯m going to remind you that one¡¯s a Devil, and not actually Her Imperial Majesty. [Yeah, yeah, I know! But I can¡¯t help feeling that way, you fuck¡ª!] Ugh, so annoying... Anyway, since that conversation happened, I figured that it¡¯d be better to leave Caliban behind. The Prophet received the Soul Linker with a reluctant expression and left. I stared at her departing back before getting up to climb up the bed. As I did that, the Brown Devil¡ªwho had been leering at me with a murderous gaze¡ªfroze. The restraining device was holding her down clanked. -Let go of me¡ª! She demanded, but... ¡°We¡¯re the only ones here right now.¡± I replied as such with a flat tone. Honestly, it was good that these two had left. ¡°First, there¡¯s one thing you have to know.¡± This fucker was genuinely trying to kill me, no? That was why... ¡°I won¡¯t go easy on you, no matter what you say.¡± I¡¯d be treating her more aggressively. ¡ñ The emotion that the Brown Devil felt towards Dowd Campbell couldn¡¯t be described solely by the word ¡®hatred¡¯. Blind hatred, disgust, and desires to kill. I see... It seems like... My body wished to be conquered by that thing. ...Hm, ah, Hm? Uh? Such thoughts crossed her mind in a flash, making her body stiffened. Although, instead of ¡®thoughts¡¯, it would probably be more appropriate to call it ¡®intuitive feelings¡¯ instead. Her rationality was still boiling with hatred and disgust towards the man. If these spiteful objects weren¡¯t restraining her, she would have ripped apart the man before her eyes without a second thought. However, her body could not be any more honest. Upon seeing the thing, her lower belly heatened up like crazy. She could feel her vaginal lubrication pouring out¡ªshe could even hear its splashing sounds. Her body was ready to take that man in. ...Stop fucking with me... All these things suggested that, not only was she ready... She was also begging to that man... As if she was saying... ¡®Please, please put it in, I beg you.¡¯ -... As the Brown Devil kept her mouth shut, unable to say anything, Dowd moved his body and brought his penis closer to her vagina. When she felt a heavy sensation on her crotch, she unknowingly let out a hot breath. -...Ha, ah¡ª? Then a question came to her mind. I wonder how it feels if that thing were to enter... ...Ah¡ª N-No, I¡¯m not curious about something like that! I don¡¯t care, I don¡¯t want to know! She thought to herself, barely managed to keep her rationality. Even as he flapped his penis before her eyes, putting it on top of her nose, while she sniffed it like crazy as she felt her lower belly tighten up... She kept telling herself that she would never¡ª ¡°So...¡± Not for a man like him¡ª ¡°So you don¡¯t want this?¡± ¡°...¡± Answer him already! Tell him that you don¡¯t need it! You hate it as much as you hate everything about him! ¡°Are you sure? This is going to make you feel so good, though?¡± Even as Dowd¡¯s hand softly caressed her lower belly, even though she knew that in contrast to her thoughts, her body was flinching and trembling in joy... She would never¡ª ¡°So, what is it that you want?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you really don¡¯t want it, I won¡¯t put it in.¡± Even though she was now panting as she looked up at him with a gaze of a woman, she would never¡ª She...would never... ...Never¡ª -Kiss. -...? Hearing the sound that suddenly echoed through her blurry mind, the Brown Devil came back to her senses. What was that? It sounded like a kiss... -... It didn¡¯t take her long to find out what she had just done. She had kissed this man¡¯s penis. In such a polite, courteous, and submissive way, as if expressing her intention to surrender. As if declaring... ¡®Please fuck me.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve lost to you.¡¯ -N-No, wait¡ª! ¡°Alright.¡± Before she could even make an excuse, Dowd already cut off her words. ¡°You did well.¡± Then... -Ah, haaak¡ª! The Brown Devil felt a sensation as if her whole body was penetrated, coming from below. Chapter 282: Correction (3) It probably would have been better... If he had penetrated her and went all the way until it was done. Unfortunately for her, that didn¡¯t happen. -W-Whyy... The Brown Devil said while panting. She was staring at Dowd¡¯s penis¡ªwhich only entered her body for a moment before he pulled it out again¡ªin teary eyes. Come on, I did everything you told me to. Why...? Why aren¡¯t you giving it to me? ¡°Nope, I won¡¯t give it to you. I just wanted to give you a taste of it, and that¡¯s it.¡± -Why...? ¡°I¡¯ve told you already. My goal is to ¡®correct¡¯ you. I¡¯ll only ¡®reward¡¯ you if you listen to my words well.¡± He continued in a flat tone. ¡°Show me how you masturbate.¡± -... ¡°If you do it, I¡¯ll put it in again.¡± Hearing those words, the Brown Devil froze. What the fuck is this man on about? ¡°If you don¡¯t do it, I won¡¯t put it in.¡± -... I-Is he... The Devil himself...? Such a thought came to her mind the moment she heard what he had said. The Brown Devil looked up at him while panting, her eyes were wet with tears. She looked as if she couldn¡¯t take this anymore, and her expression looked a little sad even. ¡®Please have some mercy,¡¯ she was probably trying to say that with her gaze, but Dowd just ignored her plea and tilted his head slightly. As if telling her, ¡®I don¡¯t care,¡¯ through the gesture. Not only that, he also went to approach her head and said... ¡°Well, I figured that it¡¯ll probably be difficult for you if there¡¯s no ¡®material¡¯ for it, so...¡± After that, he tapped his penis onto the Brown Devil¡¯s forehead. ¡°Here. I can give you this much, at least.¡± -Ah, u, eu...eut... And as soon as he did that... The muscles in the Brown Devil¡¯s whole body loosened up as she let out such a pitiful sound. Not only that, his action seemed to have stimulated a particular part of her body. When Dowd noticed the thick liquid dripping down her thigh, he let out a chuckle. ¡°...What an easy woman. You came from something like this?¡± -You... Later... Hu, umph... The Brown Devil probably tried to threaten him or something, but since her voice had softened considerably, her words didn¡¯t sound threatening at all. It was even more so when she was doing it while sticking her face onto his penis. To be exact, she was rubbing her nose against his penis while sniffing it aggressively. Her legs were shaking, while her whole body felt so hot, as if she was on fire. It was as if the thing that she smelled had some kind of addictive substance on it. The scent entered her nose, penetrating through her head, pushing her lungs to its limit, making her look like she was high on drugs. Before she realized it, her hand had found its way to her vagina. The sound of the sticky liquid that was stuck on her flesh echoed quietly in the air. At this point, the wet corners of her eyes had turned into tears and fell. No one knew if this happened because of the humiliation she felt, or because she was sexually excited, and there was no way to find out. -Ah, geuk, ah... She used her faint self-restraint to prevent her moans from leaving her vocal cords. Then, she shut her eyes tightly as she moved her fingers faster to rub her vagina. Needless to say, she was extremely ashamed of herself for doing this, especially when she felt the man¡¯s gaze staring at her, but strangely, she felt her body heating up. -You, you, seriouslyy¡ª She called out to him as if pleading. The heat she felt had spread to her whole body¡ªfrom her head to her toe. At this point, she couldn¡¯t even control her own body anymore. She felt pleasure that rose like a torrent through her nerves as she rubbed her vagina vigorously. It was as if her womb fell down. Liquid kept dripping down from her crotch like a flood. Her whole body screamed, as if demanding her... To embrace the man in front of her... -Please, do it for me, I¡¯m begging you... She whispered as such, almost as if she was sobbing, while staring up at him with her blurry vision. The pitiful Devil didn¡¯t even know what kind of words that she muttered while she was doing so. It was as if she couldn¡¯t think about anything anymore, and instead, she was just following the most basic instinct that had overwhelmed her mind for a while now. -I...can¡¯t... Please...quickly¡ª Before she could even finish her words... A few minutes later, a sensation that felt like a fireball soared from the lower half of her body, and... -I¡¯m, going to come, I¡¯m, coming...Aaht...?? She came. Again. -....! ..........!!!!!!!! This was the first orgasm through sex that she felt for the very first time in her life, and the sensation was beyond anything she could ever have imagined. She couldn¡¯t even talk properly. Instead, what came out of her slightly open mouth was a soft breath that was like wind leaking out of a very small space. The pleasure she felt was burning through her nervous system, and the stimuli prevented her from gathering her wits together again. Then there were the kisses that he kept on pouring on her, making the sensation linger even longer than it should. She instinctively stuck out her tongue again in response, serving him politely, like a conquered female expressing her submission to her male master. The hot kiss she gave to him felt like a way for her to say, ¡®Thank you, thank you... Thank you for fucking me...¡¯. After their kisses went on for a while, Dowd dropped his head again. ¡°...By the way, don¡¯t you think this is a little unfair?¡± -...? ¡°I haven¡¯t cummed yet, why are you sprawled around all satisfied like that? Are you trying to hog all the pleasure for yourself?¡± -... She didn¡¯t answer him this time, and instead, she stared at him with a coy expression. Though she didn¡¯t say anything, her intention was clear. ¡®Then we just have to do it until you¡¯re satisfied,¡¯ her gaze seemed to be screaming those words to him. After all, she... Craved for the sensation, even more than he did. ¡°Look at your expression. You liked it that much after all, huh?¡± -... ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to completely screw you until I¡¯m satisfied. Prepare yourself.¡± -.....? Although he said so, she genuinely didn¡¯t feel that she¡¯d need to prepare for anything. ¡ñ ¡°...¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, it¡¯s you.¡± Approximately thirty minutes later. The Prophet appeared in front of me¡ªwho was wearing my clothes while tidying things up¡ªwith a displeased expression on her face. The Soul Linker was hanging on the tip of her finger. ¡°...¡± She turned her gaze at the Brown Devil, who, at this point, could only let out small gasps, passing out almost like a corpse, before turning her gaze at me again. ¡°...¡± ¡°...Say something.¡± What¡¯s up with her...? ¡°You... It hasn¡¯t been long since you lost your virginity, right?¡± ¡°...Yeah...? Why?¡± ¡°...How did you turn into a crazy master that could drive a Devil crazy like that after doing it just once?¡± ¡°...¡± Well, I mean... ¡°Because I pretty much got the hang of it after doing it once?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I mean, it wasn¡¯t that hard.¡± The Prophet stayed silent for a while before approaching me and handed me the Soul Linker. As I received it, she said such words with a voice that lacked strength. ¡°...I¡¯ve talked about a few things with the person inside. Our thoughts were completely in line about one particular thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s our first time seeing someone subduing a Devil by bedding them.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We agreed that being a crazy fuckboy is a talent that you¡¯re born with. Both him and I have never seen anyone like you before, and we are convinced that we won¡¯t see any in the future.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s something to be proud of, you know?¡± ...Is it really? Chapter 283: This was Unfair! ¡°...He did it again.¡± Marquis Bogut muttered, wearing a dumbfounded expression as he stared at the insides of the Imperial Palace. He noticed that all the ruckus that had gone on for a while now finally died down. Which meant, Nicholas¡ªwho had been turned into a monster and was set free inside the palace¡ªhad been beaten. The troops he gathered as a follow-up measure also wouldn¡¯t be coming. That masked woman also seems to have done everything she had to do properly... Thinking about that person who referred to herself as the Prophet, the marquis let out a deep sigh. Though they called it ¡®cooperative relationship¡¯, the relationship wasn¡¯t quite a satisfying one for both of them. Because he knew that she was also mooching off the damn old raccoon of the Holy Land. Of course he didn¡¯t consider himself as ¡®clean¡¯, but he was extremely close to that description compared to the Pope. Simply put, the Pope was a motherfucker. So far, the motherfuckerism he had revealed was only the tip of an iceberg. That made the Prophet¡ªthe person who was mooching off him¡ªa dirty rat. There was no way that she didn¡¯t know what kind of person the Pope was. Although she probably had a good reason why she was still sticking to the Pope despite knowing that. And it was... ...Because of that man. Dowd Campbell¡¯s usual struggling face came up in his mind, prompting a chuckle from him. Right, he had seduced all the women he had with that dumb, innocent-looking face. Ridiculous. Love really is a scary affair. ¡°...¡± Although, in that sense... Bogut had no right to cuss the Prophet for something like that. Because he himself... Was doing all this, risking everything he had, all for the sake of one person. There were only a few steps left before he finally reached his goal. The situation that followed was clear evidence that his plan was going extremely well. -! Upon seeing dust soar up, accompanied by banging sounds, the marquis let out a bitter smile. Right, she always shows up in the most aggressive ways possible... As he laid his gaze upon the steel giant who landed behind him, he quietly called her name. ¡°Astrid.¡± It had been a long time since the last time they saw each other. Probably more than ten years ago. And yet, the response that came out of her mouth¡ªeven though this was supposed to be a reunion of best friends¡ªcouldn¡¯t be colder. [You should¡¯ve left when you had the chance to.] ¡°Now, that¡¯s just mean. Is that really something you should say after meeting up with your best friend for the first time in a while?¡± [No one calls someone who tries to hurt their child a best friend.] ¡°Is that so?¡± The marquis shrugged his shoulders and let out a smirk upon seeing the steel giant¡¯s arm that was pointed at him. As someone who had received all kinds of items from the Magic Tower, he knew what that was. An ion cannon. A weapon that could turn him into minced meat in the blink of an eye. ¡°Shoot me.¡± [...] ¡°Can¡¯t do that, can you, Astrid? I mean, this isn¡¯t why you came here.¡± He said in a flat tone of voice. Showing such a detached attitude that even Astrid¡ªwho was aiming her weapon at him¡ªstayed silent for a moment. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to kill each other anyway, let¡¯s not unnecessarily antagonize each other, okay? You didn¡¯t come all the way here to waste all your emotions in that way, did you?¡± [...] ¡°Anyway, you are aware of it too, right? It won¡¯t be long until the ¡®world¡¯s ending¡¯. The Power of Hell has been filled up.¡± Ever since ¡®Yellow¡¯ was eliminated, one seat had been left empty, but now, someone had ascended to become ¡®Black¡¯. He was someone who had the ability to directly influence the Devils to boot. Soon enough, the Astral Realm would be turned upside down, and the Holy Land, who was directly connected with them, would also step in. ¡°You need to take your son to the Magic Tower as soon as possible, right, Astrid?¡± [...] ¡°You need to explain everything to him. The ¡®meaning¡¯ that he has, the real purpose of the Devils, and the truth of this world.¡± [You¡ª] ¡°I know, I know. Outsiders can never go inside the Magic Tower.¡± Marquis Bogut replied while smirking. ¡°But I¡¯m gonna do that anyway.¡± Even as he spouted such lunacy, he did it in a calm tone. ¡°Those guys would be more than willing to bite, chew, taste, and enjoy me for what I¡¯m worth, don¡¯t you think so? They would go crazy to grab the person who managed to see through the Magic Tower¡¯s top secrets: the information about the Devils, and Dowd Campbell¡¯s identity.¡± [... Bogut...] ¡°If you were to arrest me and ¡®escort¡¯ me there, your son would also be able to see its inside for once. Don¡¯t you think¡ª¡± [You¡¯re going to die.] Astrid cut off Bogut¡¯s words. [...To become the research subject in the Magic Tower means that you¡¯ll die no matter¡ª] ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left anyway.¡± The one before him was a machine. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that for now. Can anyone help me get up? I can¡¯t put any strength into my body.¡± ¡°Hold onto me.¡± Hearing what she said, Dowd, who was nearby, offered her his hand. The empress nodded without thinking much and held his hand. ¡°...Oh, thank¡ª¡± She really didn¡¯t think much of it when she did that. That was why, when the ¡®phenomenon¡¯ immediately occurred after that... The empress couldn¡¯t be any more surprised. ¡°...H-Huh...?!¡± Her lower belly... Tingled for a moment. Then, she felt a hot feeling from down there, running up all over her body like a fireball. ¡°...Eh... Eh...?¡± Unable to control her trembling body, the empress moaned in a daze. Thick liquid flowed down her thighs like crazy. Her whole body trembled, as if she was spasming. She was fidgeting nonstop, like a child who was blatantly showing her disrespect when scolded. But that wasn¡¯t it. What was occurring in the empress¡¯ body was a physiological phenomenon. Everyone could tell what was going on. It was... As soon as Dowd touched her... She immediately ¡®came¡¯. They didn¡¯t do anything else, they were just holding hands. But somehow, she reached a climax on her own... ¡°...N-No, wait, I-I didn¡¯t do anything...¡± Dowd Campbell said so with much difficulty. Even though he really did something. The Devils and their Vessels affected each other. So, what he did to the Brown Devil would affect the empress as well. But, I really hadn¡¯t done anything to the empress yet¡ª!! ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± No matter how wronged he felt about this situation though, a terrifying silence dropped on his surroundings. The empress, the Sword Saint, Dowd, the other Devil¡¯s Vessels nearby¡ªnobody could say anything. ¡°-...Uu.¡± Tears quickly welled up in the Empress¡¯ eyes. The voice that she let out was also filled with genuine sadness. ¡°-T-This, s-so, s-something I don¡¯t know... I-I didn¡¯t do anyth¡ª¡± She desperately pressed her skirt down with teary eyes as she stammered her words.. Unfortunately for her, her dress had long turned into a ragged mop, so it couldn¡¯t hide the liquid that was falling down her thighs. She tried to tilt her body so that she could hide it, but all her desperate effort ended in vain. ¡°W-Why t-this i-is h-app¡ª N-No, that¡¯s not it...¡± By the end of her words, not only was she close to tears, she was actually crying. That was how bewildered and ashamed she was. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A terrifying silence fell on the place again. Meanwhile Dowd could tell that his death was quickly approaching as he stared at the Sword Saint in front of him. He just couldn¡¯t find a way to reason with this per¡ª ¡°Dowd Campbell, I can forgive you no problem.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± The literal embodiment of uncompromising is willing to forgive me? Even though Her Imperial Majesty is in this state? W-Well, if he really means it, then it¡¯s an unbelievably good¡ª ¡°...¡± Dowd¡¯s line of thoughts was instantly cut off while his face immediately stiffened when he saw the Sword Saint pulling out his sword from his waist. ¡°However, I can¡¯t be sure if this punk would forgive you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Would you have a conversation with him?¡± The Sword Saint said as such while smiling. He was smiling, but it was clear that he meant what he said, he was genuinely going to struck him with his sword. ¡°...Uh¡ª¡± Dowd looked around. Everyone around him stepped back, one step at a time, while stealthily avoiding his gaze. As if declaring that there was nothing they could do. ¡°...Fuck.¡± After that, it took thirty minutes for the Sword Saint to finally calm down. ...If I die right after finishing the Chapter¡¯s Boss Battle... That would just be the most unfair thing ever... Chapter 284: Clean-up ...I...almost died... [...You must be the first human to suppress a Devil in such a way, and almost got killed by someone else soon after.] ...Agreed. I glanced at the Sword Saint¡ªwho had barely calmed down and was trying to regain his breath a distance away from where I was¡ªwhile having such a conversation with Caliban. He finally succeeded in persuading himself that I really hadn¡¯t done anything to the empress. I mean, he wasn¡¯t someone without the ability to think rationally, so that was a given, but... ¡°...¡± The problem here is... I actually did something... Technically speaking... Of course, I¡¯ll take that fact to the grave. Unless I want him to split me in half. As I made such a resolution inwardly, someone approached me with clear footsteps. ¡°...We¡¯ll take Her Imperial Majesty with us for now.¡± Iliya said while pressing the area around her eyes with a tired expression. This girl had been taking care of Her Imperial Majesty¡ªwho was still sobbing even now¡ªand helped her to get up. ¡°...Please do.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± For a moment there, we exchanged an awkward silence. Well, uh, I don¡¯t know... The atmosphere was just so heavy, it was to the point that I wondered if things had always been so awkward between us. ¡°...Teach.¡± ¡°...Yeah?¡± ¡°I already knew about it before anyone else did, so I didn¡¯t feel too upset about it...¡± ¡°...Knew about what?¡± ¡°That you fucked the Gray Devil first before us.¡± ¡°...¡± Woman. You are THE Hero, what¡¯s with your choice of words?! Wait, come to think of it, Caliban was a Holy Knight, and he also used vulgar words whenever he had the chance. Maybe she got it from¡ª [Just for your information, she¡¯s always been like that.] ... [She grew up on a farm, you know? I never taught her any of that shit. Also, that girl always said that she¡¯d study how to crossbreed animals like pigs or chickens¡ª] Dude, too much information. While we were chatting like that, Iliya made a stiff smile after stealing a glance behind her. ¡°...But those women are different. Unlike me, they might be really, really upset with you even though it doesn¡¯t seem like it. Trust me, they¡¯re only holding themselves back right now because of the incident.¡± She was right, the Devil¡¯s Vessels looked the same as usual. Except... ¡°...¡± I could see the air around them moving erratically. It was an expression you could see being used in cartoons, but considering that the ones creating such an atmosphere were people with Devils in them, it wasn¡¯t a strange thing if that expression turned real. The air around them was actually rumbling. ¡°...You probably need to prepare yourself in the meantime. I have a feeling that something¡¯s going to happen the moment you return to Elfante.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You know, everyone¡¯s been trying not to cross the line so far...¡± Hearing Iliya¡¯s words, various things that those women had put me through in Elfante crossed my mind. Those women locked me up inside a room, deceived me by calling themselves my girlfriend when I lost my memory, and...pretty sure that they¡¯ve been stalking me the entire time I was in Elfante. I practically had no privacy anymore. And you¡¯re telling me that they aren¡¯t trying to cross the line? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...Seriously...?¡± ¡°I mean, they haven¡¯t done anything that you actually hate, right, Teach?¡± That was...true... When the empress and Faenol locked me in a room, they backed off the moment I got angry. Because they knew that what they were doing to me was wrong. The fact that I had survived through countless crises like that unscathed meant that they respected my feelings to some extent. ¡°But now that they¡¯ve come to know you¡¯ve touched someone else first...¡± ¡°...¡± I tried to shift the topic as I looked at the brown sphere in my hand. ¡°I¡¯d need to deal with this first.¡± What was this thing exactly? Well... < system="" message=""> [ You have completely made target ¡®The Brown Devil¡¯ submit to you. ] [ Obtained target¡¯s ¡®Fragment¡¯! ] It was the Brown Devil¡¯s Fragment. Is this supposed to drop like this...? This was the first time I¡¯ve ever seen the Devil¡¯s Fragment that didn¡¯t get ¡®absorbed¡¯ into anyone¡¯s body, and instead was obediently caught by hand like this. When I rolled it around in my hand, it subtly emanated brown light periodically. Like a pet trying to appeal to me by acting cute. ¡°...¡± Come to think of it, I remembered seeing a System Message that said I could receive some kind of reward if I were to interact with the Devils in certain ways before. So, this was the way it worked? ...For now, I should take this with me. By the way, I hadn¡¯t heard the reason why that punk hated me so much, so... I probably should have a nice and long talk with her later. ¡°Ah.¡± As I thought so, a strong light suddenly beamed through my inner chest pocket. It was the Mana Stone for contact. Someone was contacting me, and that person should be Gideon, the person I stationed somewhere inside the Imperial Palace. ¡°...¡± Seeing that, I let out a chuckle. This meant, ¡®they¡¯ had ¡®successfully¡¯ infiltrated the place. [Infiltrate? Who?] ¡°Well...¡± Caliban tilted his head, muttering, ¡®Come to think of it, I can¡¯t see that dude anywhere even when we were fighting the Brown Devil...¡¯. I calmly replied. ¡°It¡¯s the Holy Land punks...¡± [...What?] Caliban asked, unable to understand why the hell were those fuckers roaming around the Imperial Palace, but instead of replying to him, I stood up. This was something that was going to be revealed in the next chapter, ¡®Sanctuary¡¯. I didn¡¯t need to explain it now. Instead, I told him a simple story. ¡°You know, they are closely related to your death, Her Imperial Majesty¡¯s illness, and Duke Tristan¡¯s struggle.¡± [...] Seeing how Caliban went silent after I said all that, I let out a chuckle. Anyway... I survived again this time. There were no casualties, and the whole thing wasn¡¯t particularly difficult. Which meant, handling the aftermath would be¡ª ¡°Whoa, great job everyone!¡± ...Easy... ...If only this punk hadn¡¯t suddenly showed up... Everyone who was busy cleaning up the debris stopped moving. All of them turned to look in the direction of the voice with dumbfounded eyes. ¡°...I¡¯d have to admit it.¡± Even the Sword Saint, who was leading the clean-up work, said such a thing in a dumbfounded tone. Not angry, just dumbfounded. ¡°You are the second person I¡¯ve seen in my life who has achieved this level of lunacy.¡± ¡°...¡± I somehow could tell who the first person was, but I didn¡¯t want to talk about it. Because... ¡°I came to turn myself in!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You may torture me or kill me or whatever, but could you listen to my suggestion first?¡± Seeing Marquis Bogut spouting out such things while smiling... Whatever I was thinking about just didn¡¯t matter. Chapter 285: Again? The law in the empire was always extremely strict. Except for the empress¡ªwho reigned above the law¡ªthe empire had the most packed judicial proceedings in the entire Sera world. Which meant... Anyone who tried to harm Her Imperial Majesty the Empress would definitely end up like this, even if they were a marquis. ¡°...¡± I stared at Marquis Bogut in front of me, my gaze was filled with pity that I couldn¡¯t hide. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that he had turned into a rag. His whole body was filled with traces of merciless torture, which was mind-boggling to say the least. ¡°Jeez, seriously, they¡¯re being too much!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I cooperated as much as I could, and I still ended up like this!¡± Seeing him say such words with all smiles, despite his current awful state made me think that he really was something else. But I didn¡¯t come here for that. I let out a sigh, interrupting his words. ¡°I heard that you wanted to see me.¡± That was the condition he imposed on the empire in turn for turning himself in. He wanted to have a private talk with me without any wiretapping, even if it was only for a short time. They probably agreed to this because they knew he couldn¡¯t harm me anyway even if they complied. I also didn¡¯t have anything to complain about this arrangement. ¡°So, what did you call me here for?¡± ¡°Well, you see, the Magic Tower is going to contact you soon.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°My existence serves as a huge threat for them, since I know a lot of things that they¡¯re trying to hide. This is why I managed to procure so much of their equipment that you¡¯ve seen back in Count Ravel¡¯s territory. They¡¯ve been itching to tear me apart for a while now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Too bad for them my current position is a little too complicated for them to act as they please. If they don¡¯t follow the legal procedure to get rid of me¡ªI mean, I¡¯m still a Major Noble in the empire all things considered¡ªthey¡¯ll just attract unnecessary troubles. Meanwhile on the empire¡¯s side, my crime is too severe for them to just behead me and be done with it. They want to kill me as painfully as possible.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And that¡¯s where the two sides¡¯ interests align. Since the two groups want to kill me so badly, they both are going to try their best to give me a painful death to satisfy both sides.¡± To turn him into a ¡®research subject¡¯ in the Magic Tower... I guess that was the conclusion that both sides had arrived into. That was the gist of what he was trying to say. But... Even when he was saying all that, his smile still didn¡¯t leave his face. I gave him a blank stare. ¡°And here¡¯s where you come in. I want you to become my ¡®escort¡¯ and accompany me to the Magic Tower so I could become their research subject proper.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Somebody has to do it anyway; to become the bridge that connects the empire and the Magic Tower. You¡¯re going to be the perfect fit for it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The Magic Tower may be a group that¡¯s disconnected from the rest of the continent, but at the end of the day, they¡¯re still a group that are operated by humans. There¡¯s no way they could ignore the political dynamics of the Superpowers. Which means that if you¡ªsomeone who has personal connections with both the empress and the Tribal Alliance¡¯s Chieftain¡ªwere to push through with this idea, there¡¯s a huge chance that they¡¯ll make an exception for you and let you into the tower, even though you¡¯re an outsider. There¡¯s also the fact that you¡¯re someone who has the biggest contribution in suppressing the incident I created. With such a background, you¡ª¡± My blank stare persisted as he kept on pouring all those words without a hint of getting tired, but then... ¡°...You.¡± I cut his words off. There was just this nagging feeling that I felt the whole time I listened to his words. ¡°Could it be that you...¡± ¡°Hm? Yes?¡± ¡°...You started the rebellion and all that stuff...just because of ¡®that¡¯...?¡± Just for one goal. To get me to enter the Magic Tower. I had a strong feeling that everything this punk had done so far were all for the sake of that one goal. ¡°Whoa, whoa, do really you think that I¡¯m that amazing?¡± He muttered as such, feigning ignorance, but I ignored him and stated the one fact that had been stumbling me for a while now. ¡°No one died.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± ¡°For the Empire¡¯s Great Turmoil where a marquis rebelled against the empress, the number of people who died can be counted in one hand.¡± Even then, they died because Count Nicholas indiscriminately attacked everyone inside the Imperial Palace, not because the marquis had killed them personally. Not to mention... Chapter 5, the Empire¡¯s Great Turmoil, was the bloodiest chapter among all chapters of Sera. The reason why the branching route of Eleanor¡¯s complete corruption occurred in this Chapter was because she killed way too many people during it. But... For some reason... It ended just like this. Short, quick, and simple. As if someone was instigating the ¡®flow¡¯ intentionally so that things would end up this way. ¡°You were the one who did all that, not me.¡± ¡°...Rather than that, it feels like you planned everything in such a way after you predicted that I¡¯d pull off something like that from the beginning.¡± This was one of the people I tried to avoid as much as possible ever since I returned to Elfante. ¡°No, Teach, that isn¡¯t it. You aren¡¯t avoiding us, we¡¯re just giving you some space.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Stop deluding yourself, there¡¯s no way you can avoid us just like that. We¡¯re just giving you some space so you could prepare your heart for what¡¯s about to happen next.¡± ¡°...¡± I couldn¡¯t even move my lips to answer as I turned my gaze towards Iliya, who was approaching me while saying so. ¡°You don¡¯t need to turn so stiff. It isn¡¯t like I¡¯m going to eat you right now.¡± [You heard that?] Heard what...? [She said she¡¯s not going to eat you ¡®right now¡¯.] ... [You¡¯re so fucked.] Caliban said, sounding as if she was sending me a cunning smirk. I could feel the headache coming, but then Iliya stuck out something to me. It was a carefully sealed envelope. There seemed to be a letter inside. ¡°You have nothing to do during the holidays anyway, no?¡± ¡°Yes, and I was about to celebrate that just now...¡± ¡°I see. Then, cease your celebration.¡± ¡°...¡± Since when did she become so ruthless...? ¡°I can turn back into the gentle Iliya if you want to. But, only after seeing the result.¡± ¡°...What result?¡± ¡°I¡¯m speaking about getting us in an inseparable relationship. To do that, first, I¡¯d need you to fill up my belly¡ª¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this? Damn, I can¡¯t wait to see what¡¯s inside¡ª!¡± I rushed to rip open the envelope Iliya handed me before she could say something crazy. As I scanned the letter that peeked out from the envelope, I noticed the huge seal of Margrave Kendride embedded there. ¡°...¡± Seeing that... Anxiety completely enveloped my heart. ¡°It¡¯s an invitation for you to come to our territory.¡± Indeed, it was an invitation. An invitation for me to visit Kendride¡¯s Margraviate. The northern territory where Iliya¡¯s adoptive father resided. ¡°...Why?¡± ¡°Because he can? What, are you saying that he can¡¯t? With our relationship?¡± ¡°...No, not that, it¡¯s just like... Why...?¡± Why now of all times?! ¡°I mean, you have to keep your promise. You promised to come to my house once, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gone to the Student Council President¡¯s house last time, so this time, you have to come to mine to make it fair.¡± ¡°...Makes what fair...?¡± Iliya shrugged her shoulders as if the answer to my question was obvious. ¡°Opportunity.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well, everyone would probably gather and crowd there if they know Teach is coming, but that¡¯s just how it is. And it¡¯s going to be easy for me to beat them all since it¡¯s my hometown and all.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ah, also, don¡¯t even think of playing dumb and ask me what opportunity am I talking about.¡± She tapped my shoulder before throwing me a smile. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you already knew what I meant anyway.¡± With such words, she walked to the other side of the hall while humming. ¡°...¡± I began to break out in a cold sweat. [Dumbass.] ¡°...¡± [I told you. Just give up.] I didn¡¯t have any energy to refute anymore. Chapter 286: Stayover i probably mentioned this a few times already, but the kendride margraviate was considered as one of the two top noble households in the empire, along with the tristan duchy. the household had been acting as the empire¡¯s chief gatekeeper for a long time, to the point that one could say that their authority was comparable to the tristan duchy.no?v(el)b\\jnn of course, they still couldn¡¯t compare to the duchy when it came to industries and cultures, but there was a good reason why the sentence above still applied even despite of that. no one on the entire continent could match the depth of their martial knowledge. considering that they had produced caliban, the leader of the guardians, and iliya, the current hero, it wasn¡¯t hard to admit that it was indeed the case. in fact, the official settings book wrote that the reason why iliya had the best combat power among people her age wasn¡¯t solely because of her talent, but also because of the majority of the skills she learned in kendride margraviate. ¡°maybe because it¡¯s cold here.¡± currently, that same iliya had volunteered to act as my guide. we were riding in the same carriage together, as she said such a thing while shrugging her shoulders. ¡°this barren village is so cold, they probably feel like they¡¯d freeze to death if they stay still. since there¡¯s nothing to play here, everyone just decides to fight each other instead. that explanation isn¡¯t hard to follow, right?¡± ¡°...yeah, it isn¡¯t, but...¡± i looked at the punk in front of me, barely managing to stop my cheeks from twitching. ¡°don¡¯t you think we¡¯re sitting too close?¡± actually, saying ¡®in front of me¡¯ was a little misleading. what actually happened here was that iliya was sitting on the tip of my knees while swinging her legs. in short, she was terrifyingly close to me. the carriage we rented was a big one. she could literally sit anywhere she liked, and yet, she seemed like she wouldn¡¯t go anywhere else except in her current position. ¡°but, i¡¯m cold.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°it¡¯ll warm our bodies up if we do this, no~?¡± she said with a wink before she began to rub the back of her head against my chest. ¡°maybe it¡¯ll be better if i were to do this~?¡± not only that, she went even further by wrapping my arms around her waist. a fragrant smell went up near my nose. from that, i could tell that she had put in some effort for in seducing me today. ¡°...¡± while yes, it was true that this warmed my body up... it was obvious that she didn¡¯t do this solely to warm herself up. her gestures... all of them were suggestive! instead of trying to raise each other¡¯s body temperature, uh... the way she stealthily caressed my thighs up... yeah, what she was trying to do here was extremely obvious! ¡°hey...¡± ¡°what? i¡¯ve told you multiple times that i¡¯d do this.¡± i called out to her in a low voice, but she didn¡¯t seem to care as she winked at me again. seeing that, a deep frown unknowingly appeared on my face. then, i called out to her in a more serious tone. ¡°...at least change your position.¡± ¡°huh?¡± ¡°i won¡¯t tell you to get off of me, just don¡¯t do something embarrassing for others to see.¡± ¡°...¡± hearing my words, iliya blinked blankly at me. [what, did you actually give up?] ...i mean, i expected her to do this in one way or another anyway... after all, this punk had been yapping about it for a while now. to the point that it wouldn¡¯t be right for me to tell her to stop. besides, i wasn¡¯t stupid. i knew i¡¯d have to reap what i sowed one day. that possibility became even more so when the fact that i had touched one of the devils had been spread wide among the women. ...it¡¯s all because of that punk... my thoughts wandered to a certain masked woman who dropped that nuke out of nowhere and disappeared. i let out a deep sigh. ¡°...¡± upon hearing what i said, iliya seemed to be surprised as her eyes slightly widened. it seemed like she didn¡¯t expect me to say such a thing. ¡°i¡¯ll change it for you, then.¡± ¡°alright, thank¡ª¡± i had to clench my mouth shut before i could finish my words. because iliya, who was sitting with her back attached to me, turned her body around while keeping the same position. naturally, her face came right before my nose. our faces were so close that we could feel each other¡¯s breaths, and see each other¡¯s eye movements. her cute facial features caught my eye. then, her skin, beautiful, without any blemish. once again, i realized. just like eleanor, this punk possessed a great beauty. ¡°your face doesn¡¯t look so great.¡± while i was lost in such thoughts, she stroked my face. i could sense worry in her gestures. but... her breasts that were pressing against my chest took up more of my attention than that. ¡°shall i moisturize you?¡± ¡°alright, get some rest, teach! meet me in the evening!¡± ¡°...okay.¡± iliya disappeared into the palace with kraut after saying that. ¡°i will guide you to your accommodation. follow me.¡± i went in, following the person who said so. but something felt a little... strange. ...caliban. [hm?] does this village always feel so...threatening...? the kendride margraviate that i remembered didn¡¯t have this atmosphere. fun, and idyllic, filled friendly snowfield warriors with a strong comradeship, and love for alcohol. that was the image of it that i got from the game. but... ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± silence enveloped us. i could feel it on my skin. even though they weren¡¯t completely hostile towards me, they weren¡¯t friendly towards me at all either. [it¡¯s because of the position you¡¯re in.] position? [basically, they understand that you¡¯re in the position where you could get iliya, but their hearts refuse to accept it. my sister is quite popular, so they¡¯re feeling as if their idol is being taken away by you.] ... [hey, c¡¯mon, be more proud of yourself. try to rub it on their faces, it¡¯ll be funny.] hell no. ¡ñ there was one thing that dowd had yet to realize. the fact that iliya was a precious child in her territory, even more so than eleanor was in hers. lady tristan was only treated like that by her immediate family, but iliya was different. she grew up receiving so much love from everyone in the margraviate since she was a kid. there were several reasons why she was treated like a lucky charm of the territory, but one of them was how she was friendly with everyone despite being the lineal blood relative of the margrave. ¡°russ¡ª!¡± ¡°milady¡ª!¡± iliya greeted one of the servants whom she hadn¡¯t met for a long time, immediately held the man¡¯s waist and turned round and round. this particular servant was someone who had been serving her since she was a kid. seeing the great joy on her face, she looked like a granddaughter meeting her beloved grandfather for the first time in a long time. ¡°you haven¡¯t aged at all!¡± ¡°you¡¯ve become much more beautiful, milady!¡± it was only after the conversation, which was full of laughter, went on for a moment and the servant called russ was swung around by iliya for a while that he was finally able to tell her what brought him here. ¡°i¡¯ve prepared all the items you told me to prepare, milady.¡± the servant called russ then continued while clearing his throat. ¡°...although, there were some items that made it a little awkward to report to you.¡± ¡°is that so? everything¡¯s ready? even the necessary location and force?¡± ¡°of course, it¡¯s you who asked for the favor after all, milady!¡± the questions and answers that were exchanged between them would make dowd ask what the fuck she was planning to do that needed her to borrow a place and move so many people. but unfortunately dowd wasn¡¯t here, and russ just gave iliya a series of satisfactory answers. by the time the conversation was over, her expression didn¡¯t only look bright, she was almost beaming. unfortunately, good news wasn¡¯t the only thing the servant was bringing with him. ¡°...however, milady.¡± ¡°hm? what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°as you¡¯ve expected, the moment you arrived, a guest came rushing here to stay for a moment.¡± russ said before handing her a paper with a list of names written down on it. ¡°all of the people you told me to beware of are here too.¡± ¡°...¡± of course. there¡¯s no way they wouldn¡¯t come. iliya let out a chuckle while checking the list of names. as if it was a matter of course, names of the devil¡¯s vessels were clearly listed there. ¡°alright...¡± iliya opened her eyes in a drowsy way. she had been smiling so far, but her expression had changed a little now. her expression looked like a lioness seeing another wild animal that was lusting after their partner. she fiddled with the hilt of the holy sword, wearing a triumphant expression that could only be worn by the only person in the whole continent who could beat the devils. ¡°bring it on, you punks.¡± and so, she muttered her declaration of war. her conviction that she wouldn¡¯t give ways to anyone. Chapter 287: Distress (1) ¡°why am i here too...?¡± inside the moving carriage, beatrix asked that question. she wasn¡¯t joking. her plan during this holiday was to go back to her house, the kilgore march, and spend her time there, free of any kinds of worry. as someone who was always swamped with a heavy workload, she wanted nothing else but a break. being suddenly summoned and dragged by her best friend to the kendride margraviate wasn¡¯t something that was ever included in her plan. especially considering that she¡¯d rather not go to a village that was so cold that it felt like the cold was cutting through one¡¯s skin. ¡°you know that i hate the cold, don¡¯t you?! i just can¡¯t think properly when it¡¯s cold¡ª!¡± ¡°i need a strategist, beatrix. you are a talent who suits such a position the best among the people i know.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°originally, such a position befits dowd the most, but seeing that he is my current goal, i have no other choice.¡± on top of that, the friend who had dragged her here spouted such nonsense onto her face. ¡°what strategist¡ª? ...whatever.¡± hearing that, eleanor turned her gloomy gaze outside the window. since a woman who was dubbed as a great beauty did such a thing, the scene looked as if it was something that came out of a painting. but, beatrix didn¡¯t even think much of it and just braced herself for whatever other nonsense that eleanor was going to say. ¡°...what do you mean by nonsense?¡± ¡°i¡¯ve never heard you say anything that makes any sense whenever you¡¯re wearing that look.¡± ¡°...¡± unable to refute the facts that beatrix threw at her, eleanor went silent for a moment before clearing her throat and... ¡°beatrix.¡± ¡°what?¡± ¡°do you know of a sure way to get pregnant?¡± ¡°...¡± see? beatrix swept down her face so roughly, it looked like she was going to rip the skin off. ¡°...since when did you guys get that far?¡± ¡°we have not yet.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°but, the other women are working towards that, so my goal from now on is to attain his seeds as soon as possible. that way, those foxes would finally learn to know their pla¡ª¡± ¡°first, shut up.¡± beatrix held her throbbing head that felt as if it was going to break as she blurted those words out. by now, her desire to give this woman a speech about how bad it would be politically for someone from the tristan duchal household to step into the kendride margraviate had started to fade away. because a discussion that was completely unrelated to that bum called dowd would only be promptly ignored by the current eleanor. however, she still felt the need to ask this. ¡°so, according to what you said...¡± ¡°hm.¡± ¡°...there are several other women throwing themselves at him, trying to bear his child right now?¡± ¡°yes.¡± ¡°...¡± honestly, she wished that eleanor wouldn¡¯t affirm such a crazy thing without blinking her eyes. she re-confirmed the list of ¡®the group of women near dowd¡¯ in her mind. if those women are actually trying to fight for that man¡¯s children... ...the continent might just be destroyed. that was her honest assessment. ¡°...¡± as she was lost in her thoughts, she let out a deep sigh. at this point, she believed that saying anything to eleanor or the other women would be meaningless. which meant, if she wanted to sort out the mess that made her dizzy by just thinking about it, she had to talk to the other related person. ¡°eleanor.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°anyway, this isn¡¯t a matter of whether i¡¯m confident or not. if they¡¯re serious about me, then i have to repay their intention to the best of my abilities.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°it¡¯s not a matter of can or can¡¯t, i have to do this.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°anyway, thanks for your concern, senior.¡± ¡°...seriously, that glib tongue of yours...¡± as i replied to her with a smile, beatrix let out a sigh, holding back the words that she wanted to say. ¡°don¡¯t disappoint eleanor. she might not look like it, but she¡¯s extremely soft-hearted.¡± beatrix said before turning her body. ¡°...i still have a lot to say, but... since it seems like we¡¯re going to stay here for a while, i can just say it all later.¡± ¡°is that so?¡± ¡°yeah. anyway, it¡¯s so cold here. i swear, i could die from this cold. i haven¡¯t been feeling well in the first place...¡± as i looked at beatrix, who said such words while shivering, i promptly let out a bitter smile. maybe because i had only been seeing her getting annoyed and snapping at me, the way she was shivering with tears welling up in her eyes looked quite cute. ¡°also, everyone¡¯s probably already waiting for us in the banquet hall. let¡¯s just go¡ª¡± beatrix said before her body swayed hard, as if she had lost balance for a moment because of a sudden dizziness. she was most likely telling the truth, she really wasn¡¯t feeling well. standing around outside for so long seemed to have affected her negatively. her eyes shook greatly, as if she didn¡¯t expect her body to twist so much. i wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she just fell down to the floor right there and then. ¡°...oh...¡± but, here was the problem... currently, we were at an open terrace. as expected from the extreme frozen land, slippery snow was piled up on the floor. beatrix¡¯ body completely lost its balance and was stuck on the fence of the nearby terrace. she was a tall woman, and that height definitely didn¡¯t help her at times like this. the bars that were only as tall as her thighs couldn¡¯t even serve as a safety guard and instead made her body lean over the fence even more. from the way it looked, it seemed like she was about to go over the fence. ¡°...¡± huh? for a moment, my eyes captured the other side of the terrace. the margrave¡¯s palace was built on quite a high hill. there was only a snow-covered vast forest below. if i were to let her be... she¡¯d just fall down straight from here. ¡°s-senior?!¡± the realization shocked me and i quickly rushed to grab her body. at this rate, she¡¯s going to fall over the terrace! there¡¯s no one else here, so it isn¡¯t like i can just let her fall and turn this into a huge accident¡ª! i thought as i held her body tightly in a hurry. ¡°...hm?¡± but then my body also tilted over and fell over with her. ¡°...¡± ah... right... my life wasn¡¯t exactly in danger now, which meant desperation wouldn¡¯t be activated. it might be activated later ¡®in the middle of the fall,¡¯ but right now... nope. which meant i didn¡¯t have the physical abilities to support a woman¡¯s body on my own. especially the one who had completely lost her balance, being pulled greatly by the gravity, while standing on a slippery floor like this. and so... ¡°whoaaaak¡ª!¡± ¡°aaaaargh¡ª!¡± beatrix¡¯ body and mine fell headlong over the terrace at the same time. Chapter 288: Distress (2) ¡°He slipped and fell in an accident?!¡± Iliya suddenly jumped out from her seat, completely freaking out. The news she received was like a bolt out of the blue. Just before this, she had been waiting for Dowd at the dinner table for a while, feeling bored because there was no sign of him coming. But this news just made her lose her composure instantly. ¡°Then, did you find him¡ª?!¡± ¡°M-Milady, you don¡¯t have to be so panicked.¡± The servant, Russ, tried his best to calm Iliya down in a flustered voice as she looked like she almost lost half of her mind. ¡°All the available personnel in the territory are scouring through the surrounding area. They should find him by tonight at the latest.¡± ¡°But still¡ª!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know Dowd well enough, it seems¡± At that moment, a composed voice came from next to Iliya, completely contrasting her flustered state. ¡°This won¡¯t be a big deal. There is no way that man would die just because of something like this.¡± ¡°...¡± The woman who said that, Eleanor, was right. But, instead of agreeing with her, Iliya sized her up with narrowed eyes. Eleanor herself was leisurely pouring tea into her cup. But Iliya could tell that it was all just an ¡®act¡¯, because... ¡°...Student Council President.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your hands are shaking. You¡¯re spilling your tea.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re just seeing things.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I said, you¡¯re just seeing things.¡± You know... I haven¡¯t even mentioned that your clothes are soaked. Why is she drinking if she¡¯s going to be all flustered like that anyway? Seriously, this woman... ¡°...Look, I know that something like this won¡¯t be enough to even trouble him.¡± Iliya said with a sigh. In the first place, Dowd¡¯s safety was something that both Eleanor and Iliya were certain about. Considering that he had defeated some catastrophic-level threats, for him to die from a fall was extremely unlikely. It was just... ¡°I can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m just worried about him.¡± ¡®Because he¡¯s someone I like,¡¯ she purposely omitted those words. And at the same time, she was asking the other woman, ¡®Doesn¡¯t that make two of us?¡¯. ¡°...¡± Eleanor successfully read between the lines and narrowed her eyes. Making a face that clearly showed her displeasure for getting such words be thrown directly at her face.No?v(el)B\\jnn However, it was a relief that at least there was someone inside the room who specialized in treading through this kind of air. The moment he recognized the unusual atmosphere, he hurriedly added... ¡°T-There¡¯s something I have to tell you, Lady Tristan.¡± ¡°...? Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After clearing his throat, Russ told Eleanor using his calmest tone possible that Beatrix¡¯ whereabouts was also unknown. He also added that the last time they had seen her was when she mentioned that she was looking for Dowd, as there was something she had to tell him in private. ¡°...¡± Hearing that, Elanor¡¯s expression worsened in an instant. Iliya¡¯s expression also noticeably turned more serious as she stroked her chin and dropped her head for a moment. It seems she can¡¯t even act calm when someone close to her is in danger. ¡°We have to find those two. Right now.¡± ¡°...No need to worry, President. You said it yourself. Teach isn¡¯t someone who¡¯d even be troubled over something like this. Besides, from what I heard, Senior Beatrix is an intelligent¡ª¡± ¡°Who said I am worried about that?¡± ¡°...¡± You¡¯re not? ...Huh, you really are not... ¡°I do not think that their lives are at risk at all. If it¡¯s those two, they¡¯ll be able to survive in any kind of environment they¡¯re stuck in.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s you¡¯re worried about...?¡± ¡°...Senior?!¡± Upon seeing Beatrix collapse on the snowfield while I was pondering, I screamed, clearly freaking out. Fucking hell. Seriously... ¡°...¡± What choice do I have now? ¡ñ My mind went blank... Those were the only words Beatrix could think of as she felt her body swaying here and there. ...I should thank him again... Though her mind had gone blank, she could still remember vividly how this punk had somehow thrown his own body to make sure she wasn¡¯t hurt from the fall. Even in such cold weather, so cold to the point where she couldn¡¯t even control her body, the thought that she should thank the man, Dowd, properly was clear in her mind. ...Ngg...huh...? At that moment, through her hazy vision, she saw something. Everything else looked so blurry, and it was the only thing she could see clearly. It was to the point that she thought it was just a hallucination. ¡°...¡± Actually, she was right on the money. Because the thing that she was seeing was her own grandfather, who had passed away a long time ago, beckoning her from across a river. Seeing this scene, she let out a hollow laugh, completely dumbfounded even though it was hard for her to think clearly. Seriously, why would you call your granddaughter over to that kind of place, Grandfather? ¡°-?¡± And the next moment... That image of her grandfather turned hazy in an instant. In return, her blurry vision, which felt as if there was something in her eyes, returned to normal for a bit. ¡°-¡± Warm... That was the first thought that came to her mind before she could even realize what was happening. It was the kind of warmth that one could only get from skin-to-skin contact. Said warmth dispelled the chill that was occupying her body from head to toe, the same chill that refused to go away no matter how warmly she dressed. It was only after she looked around for a bit that she finally came back to her senses. ¡°...Dowd...?¡± The light of the burning bonfire that was sputtering cinders lit up the dark surroundings. However, Dowd was nowhere to be seen. ¡°...¡± At that moment, fear enveloped her heart. She started to feel anxious at the thought that she might have been left alone in this place. ¡°Where are you...?¡± She asked with a slightly trembling voice, clearly scared. Tears almost burst out from her eyes. Fortunately, the man¡¯s reply came pretty quickly. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ...From behind her. ¡°...¡± Huh...? Why did his reply come from that direction...? She blinked her eyes blankly before turning around to see... Dowd, completely topless, hugging her tightly, under a huge coat that he put around both of them. That was also when she finally noticed that she wasn¡¯t wearing anything but her underwear. Her skin was pressing against the man¡¯s. The first thing that came to her mind was, ¡®So that¡¯s why it feels so warm¡¯. But almost immediately after... ...Wait... Her head was filled with question marks. ¡°...¡± T-This... W-What kind of situation did I get myself into...? Chapter 289: Distress (3) **¡°...So that¡¯s what happened...¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Iliya replied, sounding as if she had a headache. In front of her was Faenol, who seemingly had just arrived as she still had her luggages on her. It hasn¡¯t even been a day since Teach got here... She had heard from her servant that the women were coming to the Margraviate, but for them to already arrive at this place... ¡°By the way...¡± As Iliya was drowning in her thoughts, Faenol called out while sweeping her hair. ¡°I heard that Mr. Dowd got into a slip and fall accident?¡± ¡°...Yes, but we¡¯re going to find him soon. You don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already dark out there, and he hasn¡¯t been found yet. Does that make any sense?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Especially considering that Lady Tristan, you, the Hero, and the margrave were all here.¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya clenched her mouth shut. She couldn¡¯t say anything to that. In truth, Eleanor and her were about to go and find him themselves since the search¡¯s progress had been slow. ¡°...They¡¯re going to find him soon. Like I said, don¡¯t worry about that and¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried. In the first place, I never thought something would happen to him. It¡¯s just a little accident, he can handle it.¡± Faenol cut Iliya off while sweeping her hair again. ¡°Then, why do you keep questioning¡ª¡± ¡°Just because. Well, actually, no. I have a better way to find him rather than searching for him blindly.¡± She said as she turned her gaze at the forest below the rampart, the place where Dowd was said to have fallen into. ¡°You know, that thing.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°So, are you in, or not?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡ñ Two people¡¯s bodies swayed around, accompanied by the sound of someone walking through a pile of snow. They were none other than Dowd and Beatrix, who was being carried on his back, walking through the snow with a coat draped around them. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± No words were exchanged between them. Beatrix didn¡¯t know if it was because of her fever, or if it was because she just didn¡¯t have the strength to talk. I owe this guy a lot¡ª Beatrix thought as such in a daze. She felt as if she was drunk. Considering that her mind felt completely blank, that feeling of hers was probably not as far off as one might think. ¡°...¡± That was why... She suspected that the strange warmth in her lower belly was probably because of that. ...This punk is very sturdy. Even while being carried on his back, she could clearly feel his hard back and dense muscles. With how his sweat formed as the heat in his body sharply rose due to him carrying her on his back, the texture of his muscles became more pronounced than it should. Considering that under the coat, they were only wearing their underwear with their skin touching each other¡¯s... Well... Beatrix felt that something kept soaring up from the lower part of her body. ¡°...!¡± Of course, that didn¡¯t last long. The moment she noticed it, she popped her eyes wide open as she screamed inwardly. Get a grip on yourself, Beatrix! This man is your best friend¡¯s fiance?! What the fuck are you thinking?! As her vision spun, she belatedly spurted out something that was completely different from what she had in mind. ¡°...Good job. Even though the visibility is poor, you managed to find a place with a ceiling.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°As long as we can keep the inside warm, I should be able to recover quickly.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Say something.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Dowd finally replied as he took a deep breath and entered the cave he discovered. Only then did Beatrix come back to her senses. She tried to read the room, but... ¡°...Are you tired?¡± But... If she wanted to do what she was going to do without feeling guilty, then she had to do this. ¡°...Do you...need my help...?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°...Because it seems uncomfortable...¡± Hearing that, Dowd¡¯s whole body froze. He looked as if he didn¡¯t understand what he had just heard. ¡°...What did you say?¡± ¡°A-Ah, n-nothing... J-Just... Y-You look uncomfortable in that position, a-and... Y-You know...¡± Then, she just started stammering, completely contrasting her usual attitude. She was aware that what she was doing was undignified. I swear this isn¡¯t what you think, Eleanor¡ª! This excuse would never reach Eleanor even if she were to say it out loud, and besides, it would only increase the awkwardness if Eleanor actually heard it. But, she couldn¡¯t help but say such a thing inwardly. Or else, the guilt that she felt, hurting her like a knife stabbing through her chest, would become unbearable. Even so... ¡°I-If you became like that because of me, I-I¡¯lll take responsibility for it...¡± ¡°...¡± As Dowd could only listen to her with his jaw dropped... Beatrix carefully made her move and pressed the back of her head towards his chest. ¡°L-Like this.¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd was struck speechless, but that didn¡¯t stop Beatrix. She held both his hands around her body and pulled his body closer to hers. ...Just what are you doing right now, Beatrix...? Of course, she didn¡¯t know the answer to that question. If she did, or at least, if she was in a state where she could think properly, she wouldn¡¯t have started doing all this in the first place. At that moment... ¡°...¡± She stuck her tongue out. Then, she surrounded his finger with her tongue before sucking it lightly. The softness of a marshmallow and the sweetness of whipped cream. At first glance, that was like a sentence used as a slogan for a snack commercial and most people would react quite badly if someone were to describe their body part this way. Because it would make them think that the person who said that was about to eat them up or something. So, it was clear that she wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind the moment such an expression popped up into her head. It¡¯s sweet... For a human¡¯s skin¡ªespecially someone who had always overworked his body¡ªto taste anything remotely close to sweet was impossible. But, since she was stuck in such a bizarre situation, it wasn¡¯t a wonder that her mind was malfunctioning a little. A hallucination of a mini Eleanor with angel wings appearing out of nowhere on her shoulders with a buzz rose in her dizzy brain. The mini Eleanor started to pull her ear when she appeared. But, immediately after that, a mini Beatrix, a deformed version of herself with devil wings, appeared and dragged mini Eleanor away, before disappearing from her sight together. ¡°No need. I can make you feel warmer instead.¡± An answer came, but it didn¡¯t come from Dowd. Soon after, the surroundings turned bright red. Flames, burning up so intensely it could sting one¡¯s eyes just by looking at it, started to surround them. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Dowd and Beatrix were struck speechless, and they turned to look at the source of the voice at the same time. Flames that were almost like lava were poured in all directions, changing the temperature from extreme cold to extreme heat. In fact, the flames were so hot that it instantly evaporated all the snow it touched. ¡°...Faenol?¡± And in the middle such flames... Faenol was walking towards them with clear footsteps, exuding fiery murderous intent, just like the flames surrounding them. The horns on her head, proof of her demonization, were wrapped around by her flames. Heat overflowing from them. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, Faenol. I heard that the search for Mr. Dowd turned out to be quite difficult because you got lost in this forest.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I did hear that this place is important or whatever, but who cares, I can¡¯t be bothered, so I just burned it all down.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But that¡¯s irrelevant right now. You. Who are you?¡± As she calmly admitted that she had committed straight vandalism on someone else¡¯s territory just because she wanted to see Dowd faster, Faenol turned her gaze towards Beatrix, who was still clinging to Dowd right now. ¡°Who are you to flirt with Mr. Dowd like that?¡± ¡°...¡± Beatrix wasn¡¯t sure but... The atmosphere surrounding the other woman definitely wasn¡¯t a friendly one.** Chapter 290: Fetish A few months ago. After the Crimson Night Incident had been settled and Faenol returned to Elfante for the first time. -Come to think of it, you... She was lazing around in her room when the Red Devil, who was floating around her, suddenly called out to her. Before this, she had only met this punk inside the Image World, but even then they didn¡¯t meet often. but now, the devil would occasionally come out as a Soul Spirit and floated around her like this. It¡¯s probably because of the Seal or whatever that¡¯s rooted in Mr. Dowd¡¯s body... ¡°What? Can you just finish your sentence?¡± -You¡¯ve never dated anyone, haven¡¯t you? A complete virgin. ¡°...¡± -... ¡°...¡± -... ¡°...Why are you talking about that all of a sudden?¡± Faenol finally asked, breaking the heavy silence that lasted for a while. The Red Devil, who was still floating around, then turned to look at her, as if asking, ¡®Are you really don¡¯t know?¡¯. -...Just because... Well, actually, no, something just crossed my mind... ¡°What is it?¡± -You know, the first experience of anything is important... ¡°...¡± -... ¡°...Stop beating around the bush. Just say it.¡± Faenol said as such with a frown, the Red Devil replied with a nod. -Do you...have some kind of twisted fetish? ¡°...¡± -... A deeper silence than before filled the room. But this time, Faenol couldn¡¯t say anything to the devil. Instead, she just buried her face in whatever it was that she had been hugging and kept her silent. ¡°...Why are you saying it that way?¡± -If you don¡¯t want to hear that kind of question, take the thing you¡¯ve been burying your face in off your face first. Instead of replying to the Red Devil, Faenol just buried her nose deeper into the thing: Dowd¡¯s school uniform coat that he had only worn once. Even if one were to ask him, he probably wouldn¡¯t remember that he had worn it. It went without saying that he¡¯d probably be shocked if he knew that such a coat had fallen into someone¡¯s hand through a certain route, and that someone was burying her nose while sniffing it on her bed. -...Where did you buy that anyway? ¡°I bought it from Miss Eleanor.¡± -... ¡°It was cheap, so I just bought it the moment I laid my eyes on it.¡± The Red Devil quietly searched through her memory. Since it was this woman who said the price was ¡®cheap¡¯, though the devil wasn¡¯t sure, it must¡¯ve been around the price of a huge mansion in the capital. While yes, she had a lot of money due to her profession as an internal researcher in the Magic Tower and as an inquisitor for the Heretic Inquisition... Spending that much for something like this was a little... -Is it the norm for crazy bastards to attract crazy bitches...? ¡°...Why are you saying it that way again?¡± -But... The devil looked back on this woman¡¯s life, Faenol Lipek¡¯s life... Considering that the punk had never touched a man¡¯s hand, for her to pay a large sum of money to purchase a coat that a man had only worn once, and was now lying around in her bed, burying her nose in that coat, looking very happy while sniffing it, was a little... Although the devil was called an ugly name, the Devil¡¯s Fragment, she was practically one with her Vessel. In other words, she had no choice but to always stick with the woman and observe her. That was why she couldn¡¯t help but think about how such a rapid change happened. Come to think about it... Normally, if someone got stabbed by, cursed by, and shouted by another, they¡¯d grow to hate that person, right? That¡¯s the normal reaction, right? But this woman...got excited by the thought instead... She wasn¡¯t like this at first, but as time went on... Her tendencies just got worse and worse... It wasn¡¯t as powerful as the column of fire during the Crimson Night Incident, but those flames were hot enough to turn a single human to ashes. ¡°Which means, everything will be solved if I burn that woman and make her pay.¡± ¡°Hey, wait¡ª!¡± I tried to stop her, but it seemed that it was already too late. Seeing how her eyes had lost their focus, it was clear that words wouldn¡¯t get through her. ¡°...Fuck!¡± So, I pushed myself into the flame that was rushing towards Beatrix¡ªwho, at this point, had gone completely pale. It was a desperate attempt to stop Faenol. Besides, I knew that the flames wouldn¡¯t kill me. With Desperation and Iron Man active, as long as I didn¡¯t die instantly, it wouldn¡¯t mat¡ª ¡°...?¡± But, the moment I thrusted myself into the flame, I realized a strange thing. The Red Devil¡¯s flame, the same flame that wouldn¡¯t go out until the target was completely turned into ashes as long as she willed it, was split around me. I could feel it touching my skin and burning, but for some reason... I couldn¡¯t feel the intent to kill behind that flame. Also, Desperation didn¡¯t seem to be active, even though this was the kind of situation where it should be active. ¡°...??¡± Although more questions kept popping up, since Faenol was still weaning a vicious face, I still had to move forward and try to take her down the best I could. She was still in the middle of demonization, that was a fact that I couldn¡¯t just dismiss. So, I marched forward with all my strength and slammed my body against her, as if tackling her. With the sound of a sudden inhale, Faenol¡¯s body fell on the snow-covered field. I didn¡¯t stop as I held her body and pinned it down to the ground. I held her chest tightly with one hand and pressed it down, then I straightened my other arm to press down her neck gently. Normally, I would never do something violent like that to the punks around me, but given the situation, I had no choice¡ª ¡°...???¡± But then... I realized something even stranger. It was just for a short moment, but I noticed ¡®satisfaction¡¯ pass across her eyes. ¡°...????¡± It was as if she had been waiting for me to treat her violently like this. After that... I narrowed my eyes and glared at Faenol as she suddenly became ¡®well-behaved¡¯ the moment I violently pressed her down like that. Her expression was strangely filled with satisfaction, her red face that I thought stemmed from anger was actually... Seemed to come from sexual arousal more... ¡°...¡± What...? Hold on, wait a second... There¡¯s no way, right...? ¡°You...¡± I called out to her in disbelief. ¡°Do you actually like being hit...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is that why you did all this? Because you wanted me to hit you violently like this?¡± The reason she activated her demonization, came at us, and tried to hurt another person in front of me was... To fulfill her fetish? ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Faenol only wriggled her whole body for a while instead of answering. ¡°...N-No...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°T-There should be no pervert in the world who likes being hit, y-you know...?¡± ¡°...¡± The moment I heard her awkward tone of voice¡ªas if she had been told to read a language book out loud in class... I just lost my mind. Why are there only these kinds of punks around me...?! Chapter 291: Bigamy (1) Fortunately... Even after all that chaos unfolded, the whole situation was somehow settled. While Faenol and Dowd were still engaging in an awkward war of nerves, everyone safely returned to the castle thanks to the Margraviate¡¯s personnel who soon arrived after the fuss happened. Of course, when there were lives, there was bound to be a threat of cancer looming around. Misfortune was always followed by fortune. At least that was how it was for Beatrix. ¡°I will have to apologize first.¡± Though Eleanor said so, that didn¡¯t get Beatrix¡¯ face to turn any less pale. Then, Eleanor bowed her head to apologize, in such a courteous and polite gesture too. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect such an accident to happen. The fact that there were no casualties was a relief, but this matter clearly stemmed from my mistake. It wasn¡¯t like I did not know you cannot stand the cold.¡± That apology was sincere and Beatrix knew that. After all, the first person who checked up on her the most thoroughly, confirming all of her vital signs while making sure that she wasn¡¯t hurt anywhere the moment she returned to the palace was Eleanor. ¡°...No, it¡¯s okay. Nothing big happened in the end, and I never thought of blaming you in the first place.¡± ¡°Alright, that is a relief to hear.¡± However, even though things developed in this way, there was a reason why Beatrix was kept on her toes. ¡°Then...¡± Because she knew, no, both of them knew the topic they were going to talk about next. As soon as that conversation was over, Eleanor quickly raised her head, prompting Beatrix¡¯ whole body to flinch. ¡°I¡¯ve heard quite a few interesting descriptions regarding ¡®the state¡¯ Dowd and you were in when you were discovered.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will give you the chance to explain.¡± ¡°...¡± Beatrix kept her mouth shut. Of course, she could say something here, but seeing the glare on Eleanor¡¯s eyes, she was sure that staying silent was a better decision. ¡°Do you have nothing to say?¡± ¡°...I am sorry.¡± Eleanor nodded calmly at the apology that came out with no resistance. ¡°Then you should not have done anything you are going to be sorry for from the beginning.¡± ¡°...¡± Why did you ask in the first place then?! Such a thought crossed Beatrix¡¯ mind, but this time, she didn¡¯t have the courage to say it out loud. ¡°First, answer me honestly.¡± Black flames soared in Elanor¡¯s eyes. ¡°Did you do it?¡± ¡°...Do what exactly?¡± ¡°Passionate baby making with¡ª¡± ¡°...We didn¡¯t.¡± Beatrix answered while holding her throbbing head. Is this really the same person who apologized with such a great manner and humility just now? ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I swear on Kilgore Marquisate¡¯s honor that we didn¡¯t do it.¡± Since Beatrix had gone that far, Eleanor had no choice but to groan and shut her mouth tightly. In a sense, swearing on Kilgore Marquisate, which was a traditional major household in the Empire, meant that she swore on something more important than her own life. This wasn¡¯t something anyone could argue back carelessly. ¡°...Then let me change the question a little bit.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Can you swear on your family¡¯s honor that e something like that will never happen again in the future?¡± ¡°...¡± A-Ah... T-That... A-About that, uhm... Seeing Beatrix¡¯ hesitation, Eleanor quickly narrowed her eyes. ¡°...Y-You know, t-that punk... I-I think he isn¡¯t as bad as I thought he was...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-I won¡¯t cross the line, but I think it won¡¯t be a bad idea if I were to befriend him... J-Just as a friend, you know...¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing Eleanor¡¯s eyes gradually narrowed even more, Beatrix jumped up in fright. I just kept on chewing my food. It was a tagliatelle. Because of the salt, it was a little salty, but the taste went well with the combination of the wide and flat pasta and the meat sauce¡ª [Nah, dude, you can¡¯t escape reality like that.] ¡°...¡± I drew my head really close to my plate, as if trying to analyze the molecular structure of the food, but Caliban¡¯s warning prompted me to raise my head. But, even after I did so, it didn¡¯t seem like the liquid-nitrogen-like coldness that filled the table would go away anytime soon. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor, Faenol, and Iliya exchanged gazes. Their eyes, which contained such force that seemed as if they would¡¯ve blown up each other if they could unleash physical force from them, were locked on to each other for a moment. ¡°I was originally planning to tell the others about this when they got here, but I changed my mind. I felt like I had to tell you guys first.¡± Iliya continued, breaking through the silence. Meanwhile, her gaze was fixed on Eleanor. As if she was trying to say that she did this for her specifically to hear. Seeing that, Eleanor furrowed her brows. ¡°...Bigamy isn¡¯t something special among high-ranking nobles. But, what¡¯s the reason for revising the law about such¡ª¡± ¡°No, you didn¡¯t get it. The bigamy that noble households normally do usually divides the ranks between the ¡®legal wife¡¯ and the ¡®concubine¡¯. In terms of authority and various rights, there is a huge difference between the two.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, Eleanor¡¯s frown grew deeper. It seemed like she could tell what Iliya was going to say next. ¡°...Was that why you¡¯ve been so accepting of all the other women, Lady Tristan?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°This is the designation of a special law. To grant all of the women, restricted to those who marry Mr. Dowd, ¡®equal rights¡¯.¡± Iliya put the documents related to it on the table, full of smiles. And after that... She put a small ¡®gift box¡¯ on top of the paper. ¡°...¡± An ominous premonition came over me after I saw it. The atmosphere that had grown cold immediately froze up the moment that thing came to everyone¡¯s sight. ¡°Teach.¡± And then, she called out to me. ¡°Could you open it?¡± ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when you open it.¡± ¡°...¡± I grabbed it with trembling hands. No way, right...? Surely, it isn¡¯t... But... ¡°...Ah.¡± The moment I saw what was inside the box, a wave of dizziness struck me. It was a ring. A ring that looked extremely expensive and clearly had a special meaning to it. ¡°...This¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you think it is.¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya cut me off, not letting me finish my words. Even though Eleanor, who was sitting beside her, had made a demon-like expression on her face, she was completely unfazed by it. And then... ¡°So...¡± She... ¡°Marry me. Take me as your ¡®second legal wife¡¯.¡± Dropped such a nuke on me. Chapter 292: Bigamy (2) Chapter 292: Bigamy (2)¡°I heard the jewel embedded on the ring is a very expensive one.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I envy you, man.¡± ¡°...¡± Margrave Kendride, who had requested to meet me separately after that hell-like dinner, said those words to me. The way he snickered at me with a smoking pipe in his mouth, blowing the smoke upwards, was so hateful. But, I couldn¡¯t do anything other than making a long face. ¡°So, what happened after Iliya said that?¡± ¡°...Do you even need to ask?¡± After that, the atmosphere at the dinner turned so cold to the point that I legitimately considered escaping to the far east. One silver lining was that Eleanor just silently glared at Iliya before storming out. Back then, I really thought that they¡¯d be having a sword fight or something¡ª ¡°...¡± Wait. Now that I thought about it, that reaction was extremely strange... Considering what Eleanor usually did, it wouldn¡¯t have been strange if she had just pulled out her sword, lunged at Iliya and dragged her to a life-or-death fight right there. And yet... ¡°You didn¡¯t follow her?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this, but that Lady seems to take pride, or rather, feel the most confident over the fact that she is the closest woman to you. That¡¯s why the situation completely got on her nerves in the first place.¡± ¡°...¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. The biggest reason why she was able to overlook the other women being around me was the fact that she was the only one who wore an ¡®engagement ring¡¯. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of tricks you played to win the favors of so many women, but keep in mind that at the end of the day, they¡¯re all humans. They can¡¯t tolerate the situation forever.¡± Hearing Kraut said so, I could only scratch my head silently. What he said was true. However... ¡°...Honestly, I¡¯ve also tolerated her attitude a lot. Enough is enough.¡± I was also a human. This wasn¡¯t the first time this sort of thing happened, so I knew that going to calm her down right now would only be like burying my head in the sand. That was why... This time, I opted to wait and see how she¡¯d react and respond accordingly. In fact, that was why I just coolly signed that special law about bigamy thing that Iliya held out to me. I¡¯ve told Eleanor multiple times that I¡¯m going to create a harem. If she¡¯s still making a fuss about it at this point, then there¡¯s nothing I can do. ¡°...¡± ¡°...What?¡± Seeing how Kraut looked at me as if he was looking at trash, I asked that question. He let out a sigh before opening his mouth. ¡°So, what you¡¯re trying to say here is that you aren¡¯t going to calm her down anymore because this is just who you are? And she needs to suck it and accept it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± This was something unavoidable, she should just accept it. I was being shameless? Yeah, I knew. Anyway, I had various abilities, I could do all kinds of things if I wanted to, but I still couldn¡¯t do anything about people¡¯s feelings. Whatever it was that Eleanor was feeling, I just needed to listen to it after she decided to talk to me about it properly. Even though my life might be at risk by doing this, that was how it is. ¡°I don¡¯t know. If I was that Young Lady, I would¡¯ve put on handcuffs and shackles on you, locked you up somewhere, and told you to stop messing around.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s scary because I can see you doing it.¡± I said, letting out a deep sigh. White steam came out of my mouth due to the temperature of the place. Anyway, time to get to the main point. ¡°You didn¡¯t call me just to tease me, right?¡± ¡°I did, yeah.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well, I do have something else to talk to you about. First...¡± Kraut let out a chuckle as he handed me a guestbook. It was the list of people who were going to stay in Kendride Margraviate for a few days. ¡°The Saintess sisters, the Grand Assassins or whatever, you know, the Beastkin sisters, and the Chieftain¡¯s daughter. All of them have come.¡±No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°...¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be sure about this, but at the very least, one incident will occur, right?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± I couldn¡¯t bring myself to deny that. Because all women who were connected to me had gathered here, save for Her Imperial Majesty the Empress and Sullivan. ¡°If it happens, handle it yourself. Don¡¯t trouble Iliya and the servants.¡± ¡°...You won¡¯t even say that you¡¯re going to lend me a hand as lip service, huh?¡± ¡°Sure, I can lend you the biggest bedroom in the palace. Duke it out there, or do whatever you want.¡± What the fuck is he on about...? As I held my head, feeling dizzy upon hearing what he said, the margrave snickered as he looked at me. ¡°There¡¯s something else.¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± ¡°A contact from Chancellor Sullivan. She told you to start your preparation to enter the Magic Tower, and that she¡¯d notify you soon.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You can expect that you¡¯ll be going there right after your vacation here is over.¡± Hearing that, my eyes immediately narrowed. This matter must¡¯ve been related to Marquis Bogut. ¡°...¡± ¡°F-For now, I-I think it¡¯s quite reasonable for us to start finding out our bodies¡¯ compatibility¡ª¡± Seras said so while fidgeting, meanwhile Victoria could only look at the floor, unable to bring herself to look at Seras due to the embarrassment. Seeing them, I started to lose my mind What...? What are these punks¡ª? ¡°-We should, um, take our time to make such an important decision¡ª¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re looking forward to it...!¡± ¡°You two, listen to me...!¡± A wave of dizziness struck my head. Yeah, I got that they liked me a lot, and I got rid of two of their biggest grudges in one fell swoop during the previous chapter, but... That was one thing, and them sneaking into my room while saying, ¡®Thank you, I¡¯ll repay you with my body¡¯ was another! In the first place...! ¡°We haven¡¯t gotten married, engaged ,or anything yet!¡± ¡°...Um, Senior?¡± Hearing what I said, Seras replied in a perplexed tone of voice. ¡°For high-ranking nobles, sleeping together is considered a kind of declaration of an engagement, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...You can think of this as you¡¯re doing the ¡®engagement¡¯ and the ¡®duty¡¯ at once.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°W-We also agreed on our way here that it¡¯ll be okay if it¡¯s Senior, so¡ª¡± Kraut¡¯s face when he cunningly said ¡®Have a good night¡¯ earlier flashed through my mind. That guy...! He knew this would happen, didn¡¯t he?! ¡°...¡± My head was spinning. If the punks who had just got involved with me were this proactive... It was very obvious how Faenol, Yuria, or the other punks who hadn¡¯t gotten engaged with me yet would behave. They would throw themselves at me trying to squeeze me out using all means necessary¡ª! [Oh.] What is it now...?! [Nothing. Just thinking that it¡¯s about time for you to be fucked by those ladies.] ... [Have fun. I won¡¯t see you off.] Today, I learned a valuable lesson. From now on, I have to think twice, no, ten times before signing a contract, no matter what it is...! ¡°...Now that I think about it, it¡¯s kind of unfair.¡± As I tried to hold onto my sense of reality, Victoria narrowed her eyes and glared at me. ¡°Last time, you told my sister and I to suck your fingers in a very sensual way.¡± ¡°...Wait, I didn¡¯t tell you guys to do that.¡± ¡°But we did anyway, so what?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Anyway, after all that you still didn¡¯t want to sleep with us? Are you looking down on us?¡± ¡°This and that are two different¡ª¡± ¡°...¡± Victoria and Seras¡¯ eyes narrowed at the same time. And the next moment... They grabbed me by the collar and slammed me right onto the bed. ¡°Hey, hey, wait...!¡± ¡°You talk too much.¡± ¡°...¡± Victoria said with a smirk. Her expression was filled with joy. Or rather, it would be better to describe it as a sense of conquest. ¡°I¡¯m the kind of person who gives as much as I receive.¡± As soon as she finished her words, A window popped up before my eyes. [ A life-threatening situation detected. ] [ ¡®Skill: Desperation¡¯ raised to EX-Grade! ] ¡°...¡± What, wait...! You punks! What the fuck are you going to do to me that the Desperation is raised to EX just because of that one sentence...?! ¡°Unnie, hold him¡ª!¡± At the same time as I heard those words... The sisters held my limbs tightly and pinned me down. Chapter 293: Service (1) ¡°How...can someone be this strong...!¡± Victoria, pinning down the squirming Dowd on the bed, muttered with sweat dripping from her brow. Then again, considering the bizarre skill, ¡®Desperation¡¯, was active, it was only natural that it turned out this way. In fact, the reason why they could pin him down in the first place was because Dowd was holding back, as he was worried he might hurt them. But, the problem here was... The current situation was irrational enough to cloud their judgment. Irrational enough to make them act this boldly. ¡°Ugh!¡± Focusing her Magic Power to a single point. Victoria dealt a powerful blow to Dowd¡¯s solar plexus. Just like a skilled fishmonger, knocking out a struggling fish with a single strike... Dowd¡¯s body went completely limp immediately after. It was a blow that straddled a fine line between killing and subduing. A blow with certainty that he wouldn¡¯t suffer any lasting harm. ¡°...Victoria?!¡± Seras called her out in fright, but Victoria just glared back with narrowed eyes. ¡°What? Do you think we should just give up and go back?!¡± ¡°...¡± T-That¡¯s a little... Seras understood her point. This whole deal was a considerable blow to their pride, even now that they were doing it. To put it into perspective, the sisters both wore revealing clothes, sneaked into a man¡¯s room in the middle of the night, and pounced on him. These series of actions weren¡¯t something they¡¯d do if they were in their right minds. But, if they came back empty-handed after going this far, the damage to their ego would certainly be far worse. ¡°Y-You know! I-If you draw your sword, you have to at least see some blood, right?!¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing how bad her use of that metaphor was... It was clear that Victoria was out of her mind, and unfortunately, Seras wasn¡¯t much better off. ¡°I-If you understood, l-let¡¯s strip him...!¡± She could only swallow dryly, unable to stop Victoria who was running wild. As expected of assassins, both of them knew their way around male body... Or, at least, they knew theoretically... When it came to anatomical knowledge, they indeed were familiar with the male body. But, the problem here was...No?v(el)B\\jnn None of them ever had any practical experience. Victoria roughly pulled down his pants, and the moment they saw Dowd¡¯s dangling cock, they simultaneously swallowed their saliva. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A heavy silence descended between them. The two beastkins exchanged glances, not sure what to do with this. ¡°W-Why isn¡¯t it hard...?¡± ¡°How the fuck should I know...?!¡± Hearing the question that Victoria asked in bewilderment, Seras¡¯ face flushed red. They were truly a baffling pair. It was hard to decide on whether to praise their determination to jump at a man without knowing what to do afterwards, or to criticize their recklessness instead. r?aNO??§£?s ¡°L-Let¡¯s... touch it.¡± ¡°S-Should we?¡± Hesitantly, the two sisters reached out their hand and wrapped them around Dowd¡¯s cock. They could feel its warmth, spread through their palms, and, for some reason, a throbbing pulse beneath their fingertips. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Now that they had touched it, it really felt like they had crossed the point of no return. The two sisters exchanged glances before swallowing hard. Their long, slender fingers traced its length, teasingly moving between the surface of the base and the scrotum, with clumsy and inexperienced movements. And the more they continued to touch him... The heavier their breaths became. They didn¡¯t say it out loud, but they were both feeling the same thing. Touching it like this... Somehow... Heat ran its course on their bodies. It was almost purely a psychological reaction. After a while... ¡°It¡¯s getting bigger?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s growing? Why?¡± ¡°...¡± Well, duh. That is what happened when a man got hard! While Victoria couldn¡¯t call herself an expert by any means when it came to these matters, her sister¡¯s ignorance made her question whether she could even function as an adult. In any case, this was the cue for her to take the lead, whether she liked it or not. ¡°First, um...¡± She desperately rummaged through a few scraps of knowledge in her head. Something that men like... It is... We¡¯ll do this for you. We are yours. As if expressing such sentiment. ¡°...Nnnn...!¡± Even an unconscious man wouldn¡¯t find it easy to resist the stimulation of two women servicing him so devotedly. His ¡®reaction¡¯ was immediate, Seras eyes widened as his cock started to swell, and... Burst out with his ejaculation. Dowd¡¯s semen poured out as if lava was gushing out of her mouth. Seras didn¡¯t know what to do, so she just took it all to her mouth. The stench of the semen filled her nostrils. And then... ¡°...¡± Before she realized it, she had swallowed it all, her eyes unfocused. It was fishy, hot, and sticky. All these tastes came in successions. Yet somehow... It feels...sweet. ¡°Sis, are you okay...?¡± ¡°H-Huh? Why...? Is this bad...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad...but, I heard that white stuff comes out when men feel really good.¡± ¡°...¡± Seras absentmindedly wiped away some of that white liquid was still clinging to her lips. ¡°...So, that means...¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I...served Mr. Dowd properly? This is the proof of that...?¡± ¡°I...guess so?¡± As soon as she heard those words, Seras licked the remaining semen from her lips and brought it to her mouth. Then, she licked the semen that remained around his cock. She even licked the semen that dropped on the sheet, not leaving a single drop behind. And as if that wasn¡¯t enough... ¡°...If that¡¯s the case...¡± Seras, still with unfocused eyes, looked down at Dowd¡¯s cock again. ¡°I... I want moooree~¡± With those words, she took Dowd¡¯s cock back into her mouth. She then gently wrapped her tongue around the glans. As if requesting, politely asking, pleading, acting cute, and begging... Please give me your semen. Give me your love. I¡¯m begging you. Please. I need it. And in response, the remaining semen in his urethra dripped out. This time too, Seras swallowed it all down without hesitation. It tastes...shoo good~? Mr. Dowd¡¯s semen~? This was proof that this man got ¡®aroused¡¯ by her. And it made her incredibly happy, ecstatic. Moooree~? Just, a little bit moooree~? She gulped down all the gushing semen, sending it down her throat. ¡°...¡± Meanwhile, Victoria swallowed hard as she watched this with a flushed face She didn¡¯t know her sister could look so lewd. And that... ¡°M-Me too¨C¡± Made her feel that she shouldn¡¯t let her sister monopolize the moment. The two sisters¡¯ tongues intertwined on Dowd¡¯s cock again. Compared to before, now, it was even more... ...Intense. There were frequent cases where their tongues got tangled together, but they were clearly far past the stage to care for such things. Mixing their saliva with the fluid that leaked from Dowd¡¯s cock, they devoured everything, as if it was the most delicious thing in the world. They savored everything without hesitation. ¡°...Ah, haa, haa...¡± ¡°...Nn, nnh...¡± At that moment, a viscous liquid began to drench the sisters¡¯ crotches. It was ridiculous. The man hadn¡¯t done anything to them, they were the one servicing him. And yet... They felt so...desperate. Their lower abdomen felt like it was burning hot. Waves of pleasure flowed through their bodies like electric current. The fact that this man felt pleasure was like a drug, directly influence their brain So, naturally... ¡°...I...need a bit moooree~¡± ¡°...You think so too, Sis?¡± Neither of them had any intention of stopping. Chapter 294: Service (2) ¡°...Do it?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± The sisters exchanged such words, swallowing hard as they did. Before them lay Dowd¡¯s cock, still stubbornly erect despite the abuse it had endured. ¡°...But, do you even know how to do it?¡± ¡°...No. It¡¯s fine, we¡¯ll figure it out.¡± The sisters, despite having this absurd conversation, fumbled while trying to position themselves on Dowd¡¯s cock. ¡°...Mmmh-¡± Just then, Dowd¡¯s eyes fluttered open. He had finally regained consciousness thanks to their relentless stimulation. His eyes widened in horror as he took in the sight before him. ¡°Hey, you punks, what the hell are you¨C?!¡± ¡°...What? Do you expect us to stop after we got this far?¡± ¡°No, but still! There¡¯s a proper order to these things¨C!¡± Upon hearing those words... Victoria¡¯s eyes narrowed. His reaction wasn¡¯t surprising, but the way he phrased it irked her a little. ¡°...Order? What do you mean?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you trying to say that there¡¯s someone else who¡¯s supposed to do this before us?¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s just say that if I don¡¯t accommodate certain people, they¡¯re going to kill me...¡± The others aside, if I cross ¡®that¡¯ line without keeping Iliya and Eleanor in mind, they¡¯d actually cut me to two! Naturally, both the Evatrice sisters¡¯ faces soured upon hearing those words.. But, still... They thought that since they had offered themselves like this, at the very least he should reciprocate them. ¡°Whatever. Just do it, Sis!¡± At Victoria¡¯s heated words, Seras moved her body as if in agreement. Or at least... ...That was what they intended to do. If Dowd¡¯s bedroom door hadn¡¯t suddenly burst open. And then... The sisters¡¯ eyes met with Eleanor¡¯s who had come barging in. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± To put it into perspective, they were locking their eyes with Eleanor while buck naked and holding Dowd¡¯s cock. Even worse, they were even restraining the struggling Dowd, as if trying to prevent him from escaping. ¡°...You two.¡± Eleanor spoke in a calm voice as she ran her fingers through her hair. Of course, only her voice was calm. ¡°What exactly are you doing?¡± How did she know the perfect timing to come in? Why did she have to open the door at this exact moment? While there were many such questions in their minds... ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± We¡¯re fucked. That particular thought echoed especially strongly in both of their minds. ¡ñ ¡°...Um, Eleanor?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°How badly did you hurt them...?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not dead.¡± ¡°...¡± Well, uh... The last thing I saw was Eleanor bending both Seras¡¯ and Victoria¡¯s arms in directions they weren¡¯t supposed to bend while folding their waists. If her words were true... Well, at the very least they were still alive... ¡°Dowd.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Answer.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Anyway, I wasn¡¯t in a position to worry about their lives right now. As I answered Eleanor¡¯s call in a stiff voice, she moistened her throat with some wine from her glass while gently stroking my head with her other hand. r?a?O???§¦S Her hand couldn¡¯t be any gentler. She was caressing my head like handling a precious treasure. This was... ...something I normally would have enjoyed, especially considering that my head was resting on her lap. The problem here was...my whole body was completely tied up. ¡°...¡± It felt like I was being petted by a lioness. My head could fly off at any moment. ¡°I believe I¡¯ve been quite lenient lately.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been rather accepting about who and how many women you flirt with.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I will overlook you waving your lower half around wherever you please.¡± And... Just from this, waves of pleasure unlike anything I¡¯ve experienced in my life soared through my entire body like a hot iron. ¡°...W-Why...are you so good at th¨C¡± No, really. It felt so good, it was unbelievable. I was genuinely shocked. ¡°Well, I did some research.¡± Eleanor responded with a chuckle. ¡°Also, don¡¯t you think our compatibility is exceptionally good?¡± ¡°...¡± Judging by the fact that I was about to lose my mind just from her caresses, I couldn¡¯t deny it. It wasn¡¯t even funny. And here I thought I gained quite a bit of experience after demolishing a Devil in bed recently, but now I was being subdued by Eleanor without much effort. Honestly, it wasn¡¯t like her technique was especially amazing, my body just responded to it well. Probably it was because my body unconsciously knew that I was bound to this woman in an unbreakable bond. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The voice that trickled out of her mouth was filled with lust. Her red eyes, particularly striking against her face, shadowed by long silver hair, drew closer to my nose. Combine that with her heated expression, it created a bewitchingly alluring effect. Just with that look and a grin, another shiver down my spine. Looking at this scene, a thought suddenly crosses my mind. While yes, she was servicing me right now... It felt like she was receiving a much more tremendous pleasure beyond what she had given me. As if my very existence itself was her drug. ¡°Yes, this expression...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This desperate expression... Of a man like you losing control, not knowing what to do, craving for more... This face, the face that only I can see, the face that the other vixens can¡¯t even dream of...¡± ¡°...Eleanor-¡° ¡°I am the only one who can monopolize this side of you. Isn¡¯t it quite amusing? Even those sisters from earlier collapsed just from toying with you a bit while you were sleeping.¡± ¡°...¡± Now, I knew... ...The reason why she stayed quiet while watching everything from the start. ¡°This is why I don¡¯t really mind what you do with other women. Unless you¡¯d die from it, I couldn¡¯t care less.¡± Those seductive words melt into my ear. Slowly. Her fingers that were caressing my cock started to move a little more intensely. Meanwhile, my urge to climax built up madly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter much how many ¡®lovers¡¯ you have...¡± While her words suggested that she was willing to take a step back on the surface, the actual feeling she was trying to convey was anything but. Instead, the correct interpretation of her words was this: As long as I didn¡¯t die, I belonged to her. No matter what sexual relationships I had with others, no matter who I got entangled with... As long as I was alive, I was hers. That was why she never intervened, even though she was watching other women throwing themselves at me, offering their bodies. To her, that was merely entertainment. She enjoyed seeing other women feeling so pleased with getting just a ¡®part¡¯ of me that I didn¡¯t value much. ¡°...¡± Monopoly. A sense of superiority. Such emotions came from absolute confidence that as long as I was alive, my existence solely belonged to her. In other words... No matter how much other women threw themselves at me, for Eleanor it merely ¡®reconfirmed¡¯ her position. To her, they were just like decorations that served to highlight how valuable the object she monopolized was. ¡°Your true love is only shared with one person.¡± With those words... White fluid erupted violently from my cock. Sparks seemed to fly before my eyes as my consciousness drifted into somewhere far, far away in a haze. I watched as Eleanor scooped up my semen, wiped it with her hand, and brought it to her lips. Then, she sniffed it, touched it with the tip of her tongue as if savoring it, before bringing it all to her mouth. ¡°...Of course, at times, I¡¯d get annoyed that I¡¯d be sharing this precious thing with others.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Truly...a waste¡± She said this while closing her eyes, sucking her fingers clean until nothing remained. To me, who had lost all words and was completely speechless, Eleanor smirked and dropped one more sentence. ¡°Ah, one last thing.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°While I¡¯m somewhat relieved that you seem to still have resistance to fully consummating, I think I should still make this clear.¡± A grin appeared on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t carelessly swing your hips around the other women before getting me pregnant.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°When you¡¯re ready, make me bear your child first. Understood?¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor... Please... Chapter 295: Competition Iliya hummed cheerfully while rummaging through her closet. She was clearly in a good mood, but that was a given. After all, she had finally handed over that long-awaited engagement ring to Dowd. A normal person would probably worry about the possibility of getting rejected, but Iliya never had that doubt. Whether it was confessing or proposing, it was never about taking a gamble¡ªit was about confirming what was already there. In her case, she was confident that her relationship with Dowd had reached that level for a long time now. Besides... Wouldn¡¯t he know better than anyone that he couldn¡¯t handle rejecting me? Imagining Dowd collapsing while clutching his head if he heard her words, she whistled as she pulled out the lingerie she had recently bought. Its design was one that would make Margrave Kendride faint straight away, but her mind was completely filled with thoughts of how Dowd would react when he saw her wearing it. ¡°I wonder what kind of clothes would Teach like...?¡± [Wow. That¡¯s quite the girlish dilemma, isn¡¯t it?] As she muttered such words, a voice suddenly flowed out from the longsword she left on the bed next to her, Upon hearing that cheerful voice, her face immediately crumpled. ¡°...What is it? You¡¯ve been quiet for so long.¡± Her reaction was curt, but there was a reason for that. This Seraphim inside the holy sword only spoke up when she felt like it. Just recently, at the Imperial Palace, when she was duking it out with the Brown Devil, the bastard didn¡¯t even poke her head once. ¡°...¡± Someone actually had pointed this behavior of hers out. Although it was hard to accept as the Hero... She had a feeling that Professor Astrid, or whatever her name was, was right about this fella; she was suspicious. Because she definitely gave off the vibe that she was plotting something. [Aw, don¡¯t be like that.] The way she reacted so cheerfully when facing her accusation only added to her annoyance. [When you hear what I¡¯m about to tell you, none of that will matter anyway.] ¡°...¡± Though the statement was quite an ominous one, Iliya picked up the sword with a sigh anyway. ¡°...What is it?¡± Unfortunately for her... The Seraphim¡¯s revelation was exactly the kind of thing that made her regret her decision to ask. ¡ñ Mornings in the Kendride¡¯s Margravate started very early. In other words... For someone who was held captive by the Evatrice Sisters and Eleanor until extremely late at night, the morning schedule was one hell of a brutal one. [Think you¡¯re gonna die from this?] ...My whole body feels like it¡¯s been wrung out. [...] Even Caliban kept his mouth shut for once¡ªunderstanding my predicament. It was because he witnessed firsthand how I got wrung dry by both the Evatrice Sisters and Eleanor. And now, in front of me, the Margrave Mansion¡¯s Head Maid was standing, mercilessly announcing my upcoming schedule, despite my sorry state. ¡°Breakfast will be prepared shortly. Shall I have a maid attend to you?¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll do it myself. Coming from a Baron¡¯s Household, I¡¯m used to it.¡± ¡°As you wish. However...¡± Seeing me answering her in half-asleep state, the Head Maid stared at me with concerned eyes. ¡°I believe it would be better if you get used to it quickly.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Once you become the young lady¡¯s husband, you¡¯ll be receiving such services often.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± The Head Maid dropped that dizzying bomb, bowed politely, and disappeared beyond the door. I stared blankly in that direction before opening my mouth. ¡°...Caliban.¡±@@@@ [Hmm?] ¡°How would you feel hearing me calling you ¡®brother-in-law¡¯?¡± [It feels weird, but it¡¯s whatever. I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s you.] ¡°...¡± [Like I said, as long as you don¡¯t make me see your first night¡ª] ¡°...Sure, sure.¡± I cut him off before the conversation could get any more awkward and got up. Seriously, though... Her expression looked terrifying. It felt like laser beams would shoot out of her eyes if left alone. That was how fierce she looked. Then, she opened her mouth with an almost solemn look. ¡°Let me suck it too.¡± ¡°...¡± At that moment, everyone at the table shifted their gaze to Iliya. The Saintess, Yuria, Faenol,and even Riru. ¡°...¡± I hadn¡¯t even touched my food yet, but I already felt nauseous. Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake! If you want to talk about that, do it when we are alone! Why are you bringing it up here...?! I felt dizzy for a moment, but I took a deep breath to calm myself. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I heard you let the others suck it yesterday.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-I want to do that kind of thing with you too, Teach-!¡± ¡°... What the hell are you on about...?¡± ¡°Lady Seraphim told me! The assassin sisters proposed to you by giving you oral¡ª!¡± Ah, right... Once this punk¡¯s brakes came off, she was worse than Eleanor. Wearing an expression of utter indignation, she banged on the table while everyone was watching her. This alone was already terrifying enough. Considering that she was one of humanity¡¯s strongest, chosen by a high-ranking angel, it was even more so. And I wasn¡¯t the only one who felt that way. After silence enveloped the table for a moment, an enormous reaction erupted a beat later ¡°...S-Such a thing...happened...?¡± ¡°Y-You! W-What did you do when we weren¡¯t there...?!¡± The gazes of Faenol, Riru, and even Yuria and the Saintess were somewhat unsettling. The Saintess stared at me with her mouth agape, Riru¡¯s face turned bright red as she stumbled over her words, while Yuria just gave me a blank stare, seemingly unable to register what she had just heard. ¡°W-Wait, before that! W-What does ¡®proposed by giving oral¡¯ even mean?!¡± Hearing Riru shouting that, Faenol, who was next to her, rubbed her own face with an expression of disbelief and answered. ¡°...There¡¯s such a custom in the empire.¡± After saying that, she began to tell everyone the same thing that the beastkin sisters told me last night. In this godforsaken strange country, there was a weird culture of ¡®sex first, marriage later¡¯ that was spread among the nobility. ¡°That¡¯s why...¡± Iliya gritted her teeth before opening her mouth. She posed an unyielding attitude, as if she wouldn¡¯t give in to anyone. ¡°I¡¯m going to do it too! Come to my bedroom tonight!¡± ¡°...Wait a minute.¡± Riru, who had been listening quietly, spoke up with a stiff expression. ¡°...Everything¡¯s so sudden, I might not follow this conversation well, but... If such a custom exists, doesn¡¯t that mean everyone here has an equal right to demand that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I mean, didn¡¯t some kind of special clause come down for this guy? Like, how all his wives can become his legal wives? That means we all have the right to, uh, you know... Sleep...with him...?¡± Despite her blushing face, Riru continued to speak resolutely. For someone who was probably the weakest among everyone when it came to such topics, she was putting up a good fight. ¡°Well, about that...¡± Iliya let out a snort before continuing. ¡°I knew that some of you would misunderstand. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to say this.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Just in case anyone else tried to cut in line again, I¡¯m making this clear while you¡¯re all here.¡± She folded her arms. There was a glint in her eyes. ¡°You can do whatever the hell you want later, but this is my hometown, I¡¯m the host, and you¡¯re all my guest. Don¡¯t get the order mixed up. I have the home advantage here!¡± ¡°What does that even¨C¡± ¡°If you have a problem with what I have just said...¡± She continued calmly. But, of course. Despite her calm tone, the aura she was exuding was like a fierce beast growling. ¡°Then prove yourself with your skills.¡± ¡°...¡± Somehow... I have a bad feeling about /genesisforsaken Chapter 296: Settling Score (1) Eleanor Elinalise La Tristan stared at the distance as white breath streamed out of her mouth. Dawn in the Margraviate was colder than she¡¯d imagined. For someone who was accustomed to evening strolls, this was quite an ordeal. Just standing on the terrace for a few minutes was enough to numb her hands and feet. Yet, she couldn¡¯t abandon this habit. Not since she had grown aware of what¡ªor rather who¡ªresided ¡®i?nside¡¯ her. ¡°You. You seem to have something to say.¡± The moment those words left her lips, the Gray Demonic Aura within her heart thrashed in all directions. It seemed to carry an intense air of dissatisfaction, as if it was throwing a tantrum over the fact that she didn¡¯t push forward when she should have to. Knowing what exactly the thing was complaining about, a bitter smile crossed Eleanor¡¯s lips. ¡°...Right. The matter of babymaking.¡± Her focusing on such matter was hardly surprising She¡¯d been engaged to Dowd for a while now, so what better culmination could there be for their relationship than a starting family? But, more than that, she believed that... ¡°It¡¯s better to postpone it. For now.¡± Of course, there was a reason why she thought so. Although she felt sorry for the Aura in her heart¡ªwhich was raging as if asking what nonsense she was spouting¡ªshe still thought that this was the right action to take. ¡°When you develop feelings for someone, you begin to notice every little detail about them.¡± She muttered. ¡°Once you learn all their little habits, you¡¯ll also come to understand the principles behind how their emotions shift and change.¡± With that in mind... If she were to ¡®force¡¯ the relationship forward, ignoring Dowd¡¯s will... Well... While he might accept it in the end, given his personality, there was a huge chance that their relationship would be altered significantly in some ways. r?a?No???E?¡ì And that was clearly not what Eleanor wanted. Though she didn¡¯t know what kind of internal struggles he was dealing with, she wasn¡¯t someone who¡¯d carelessly dig into someone else¡¯s wounds. ¡°I believe you understand this as well.¡± Eleanor spoke as if scolding the entity within her heart. As soon as she said that... Vivid images rushed into her field of vision Vision. Premonition. ¡°...-¡± Experiencing all this, she clenched her teeth and clutched her head. This suspicious ¡®roommate¡¯ residing in her heart would occasionally show her ¡®fragment¡¯ of the future like this.@@@@ She knew what this was. At first glance, it appeared to be a mere illusion, but it was actually something that someone had already ¡®experienced¡¯. It was a future that the roommate in her heart¡ªwho was capable of rewinding time on a universal scale¡ªhad experienced countless times. Dowd Campbell¡¯s body, covered in blood. His eyes that had lost their light, and his heart that had lost their beats. The future of his death, which had repeated countless times already. She had seen it many times before. In other words, it was a warning. That if they didn¡¯t do ¡®something¡¯, such a future will repeat this time as well. ¡°That fool.¡± Eleanor spoke while stroking near her heart. ¡°Always thinking that he¡¯s the only one who can make sacrifices for our sake.¡± Having been the one to teach that mindless Dowd a lesson before, she knew this side of him particularly well. The foolish man clearly thought that everything would only move forwards if he was the one doing the ¡®giving¡¯. It was as if he thought that he was the protagonist of this world. Well, considering the achievements he had built up in such a short time, it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong, but... ...¡ª¡ª Suddenly, the Aura in her heart became a little bit more restless. As if saying ¡®You knew this and you¡¯re still not doing anything?¡¯. ¡°...I already told you, I understand.¡± In any case, this was why the ¡®thing¡¯ inside her hadn¡¯t criticized her harshly for having this kind of relationship with Dowd. Because it also understood that this was one of the ¡®steps¡¯ necessary to save that man. The only reason why it was throwing a tantrum now was because it just wanted her to hurry up and have intercourse with Dowd already. ¡°No need to rush. There¡¯s time for everything.¡± ¡ª¡ª... Sensing the rumbling Aura in her heart, Eleanor chuckled. There was no way I¡¯d believe their words when this window popped up! They were definitely trying to do something to me! Just why did she feel the need to say such unnecessary things¡ª?! This all started with Iliya¡¯s terrifying proposal of, ¡®Can everyone please step aside so I can have a private chat with Teach for a bit?¡¯. Since Eleanor wasn¡¯t there, she probably thought that she could handle everyone there. The problem was... Rather than the proposal itself, the other punks hated the fact that she was trying to take the lead. It was evident in how Riru and Faenol, who initially tried to speak nicely, gradually became more hostile in their tone. And since these punks didn¡¯t know how to back down when they started to argue, the argument kept escalating. Eventually, it turned into a scene where all kinds of insults and abusive language were flying around. One of them called Iliya ¡®a clingy disciple who called him Teach as an excuse to follow him around despite not actually being interested in learning anything from him¡¯. Another one called Riru ¡®a loser who hadn¡¯t done anything significant while the others had already kissed, or sucked or whatever¡¯. And the other one called Faenol ¡®a creepy pervert whose clingy behavior after regaining her emotions becomes more and more disgusting¡¯. Who said what to who actually didn¡¯t matter much. The thing that mattered here was the fact that these words struck the nerve of the punks they were directed at, prompting Faenol to bring out her Red Demonic Aura. Then, Riru followed suit and brought out her Blue Demonic Aura. Everything just went downhill from there. And then, for some reason... -Alright, why don¡¯t we ask Teach who among us he wants to receive a marriage proposal from first? -Yeah! Sounds like a plan! -I agree! Of course the answer is obviously me. There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll pick you loose whor¨C Let¡¯s censor Faenol¡¯s last comment. That part was too horrifying! Seriously, was she always this foul-mouthed...? Marriage proposal or whatever.. ! It was still too much, even for me. If it was after clearing the Main Scenario, I¡¯d gladly accept their proposal or whatever, but now? I just can¡¯t do that! As I was thinking as such while running for my life. ¡°...Eck.¡± I was yanked by something and dragged to a corner of the Margrave¡¯s Mansion. Then, I looked up to see the person who yanked me away. ¡°...Yuria?¡± ¡°S-Shh...¡± Yuria placed a finger to her lips, as if urging me to be quiet. ¡°...¡± Thank God. At the very least, it didn¡¯t seem like she was gonna jump my bones right away, unlike the other. Actually, now that I think about it, when the others were going crazy and arguing, she and the Saintess hadn¡¯t been doing anything. ¡°Thanks, you saved me¡ª¡± I was about to express my gratitude, but... My words were cut short. Because I noticed the ¡®handle¡¯ of the leash Yuria was holding. I could just take it as her asking for another ¡®walk¡¯ as usual, but if that was the case, she would¡¯ve handed me the handle instead of holding it. That and considering the leash looked pretty new... I suddenly had a terrible premonition. ¡°... What¡¯s that?¡± I asked with a trembling voice. Hearing that, Yuria just tilted her head. ¡°...Walk...¡± Oh, thank God, my premonition was wrong¡ª ¡°...Mr. Dowd...¡± ¡°...¡± My thoughts just cut off right there and then. ¡°I-I want to... T-Take Mr. Dowd for a walk...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-Isn¡¯t t-this kind of thing also included in physical relationships...? S-Since you usually do it to me, I-I thought m-maybe if I do it to you in return... I-It counts as an intimate physical relationship...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-I also want to become someone...w-who can propose to you, M-Mr. Dowd...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Do you...hate it...?¡± As I watched Yuria¡¯s eyes gradually losing their light as she said this. Only one thing crossed my mind. I couldn¡¯t trust anyone in this /genesisforsaken Chapter 297: Settling Score (2) ¡°You must be tired from your long journey, Chancellor Sullivan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Kraut. You seem to have...grown even larger since our last meeting¡ª¡° -!! Inside the reception room on the second floor. Before the two could finish their formal greetings, the entire Kendride Margraviate was shaken by an explosion. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Chancellor Sullivan and Margrave Kendride exchanged a look of weary resignation. ¡°...How long has this been going on?¡± At Sullivan¡¯s question, Kraut let out a sigh before throwing a glance at his castle¡¯s courtyard. Thanks to the clash between Iliya and Riru, an entire annex was destroyed. ¡°If my memory serves me right, they¡¯ve been at it since morning.¡± ¡°...¡± Hmm. So he¡¯s telling me that this large-monster-invasion-level battle¡ªsomething that could easily raze buildings in a single blow¡ªhas been going on since dawn? Chancellor Sullivan stroked her chin while looking around the surroundings. Seeing how the interior of the Margrave¡¯s Mansion had been almost reduced to rubbles, that didn¡¯t seem like an exaggeration. ¡°...How much would it cost to rebuild all these?¡± ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯ll probably take the entire Margraviate¡¯s annual budget. Well, I can just send the bills to the Imperial Palace later. This whole mess happened because of that ¡®official wife¡¯ or whatever thing anyway.¡± ¡°...¡± The fact that the margrave could speak so calmly suggested he had reached a state of zen regarding the existence of that man, Dowd Campbell. ¡°...In any case, discussing official business in this...environment...would be quite difficult.¡± Sullivan gestured towards another building collapsing in a cloud of dust, another casualty of the ongoing battle. Though she¡¯d come with urgent business requiring Dowd¡¯s immediate presence, this chaotic scene had made things rather difficult for that. Although, she was a little surprised. Normally, such destruction would be accompanied by various screams, and yet... ¡°I commanded everyone to evacuate beforehand.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I had a feeling that this would happen from the moment he said he was going to visit my territory.¡± He¡¯s treating Dowd like a natural disaster now... Sullivan wisely chose not to speak out loud and keep her mouth shut. ¡°...Why does it turn quiet all of a sudden?¡± At Sullivan¡¯s question, Kraut also stroked his chin while looking around. The constant barrage of explosions and shouts¡ªthis part was mostly just insults they directed at each other¡¯s femininity, though¡ªabruptly ceased. ¡°...Ah.¡± As for the reason why, it didn¡¯t take long for them to find out. Since the women had been too busy fighting amongst themselves, they failed to keep track of Dowd¡¯s location amidst the chaos. But, the collapse of a certain building¡¯s outer wall had inadvertently revealed his location. r??ANo????S Inside the rubble, there was Yuria, attaching a collar to Dowd¡¯s neck with a feverish excitement on her face. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her eyes were unfocused¡ªshe was completely absorbed in whatever it was that she was doing right now. Before her was Dowd, kneeling with cold sweat running down his face, like a condemned prisoner who was receiving his sentence. ¡°...¡±@@@@ ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A chilling silence descended upon the group of women who witnessed this scene. ¡°Oh dear.¡± Before Kraut¡¯s words could even dissipate into the air, a chorus of outraged shrieks erupted. ¡°That bitch is cutting the line¡ª!¡± ¡°Have some common decency! You undeveloped flat-chested bitc¡ª!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to strangle you to death with that collar.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you stay in your corner like the gloomy bitch you are¡ª?!¡± ¡°...¡± The sheer intensity of their rage was...impressive...in a terrifying sort of way. It was rather depressing to think that the women who were hurling such vulgar insults were the future leaders of their generation. ¡°Truly a shame. Ah, would you care for more tea?¡± ¡°Gladly.¡± Nevertheless... Neither the chancellor nor the margrave sympathized with Dowd¡¯s predicament right now. Then again, why should they? As I endured this hellish experience, I suddenly heard a ripping sound from below my neck. ¡°...?¡± I looked down, fearing the worst. Thankfully, there was nothing wrong with my body. It was just, my clothes were unable to withstand the situation, and it was shredded into rags. In other words. I was now standing in the middle of Margrave Mansion while wearing nothing but underwear. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Silence fell upon the surroundings. Not only the ones who had been fighting over me, but even the people watching from afar, as if they were watching a sports match, were now quietly focusing their gaze on my half-naked body. I could even faintly hear someone covering their mouth, murmuring, ¡®Oh my, what a nice body,¡¯ or something along that line. ¡°...¡± I kept my mouth shut. My body trembled. I felt like I might cry from this humiliation... ¡°U-Um, s-sorry¡ª¡± ¡°If you think this could end with just an apology, then don¡¯t start this sort of thing in the first place.¡± Someone stammered out an apology, but before she could finish her sentence, she was struck on the back of her head and collapsed with a groan. ¡°W-Wait!¡± ¡°W-Wha¡ª¡± And she wasn¡¯t the only one. All the women who were playing tug-of-war over me were struck on the back of their heads and fell down one after another. Normally, they wouldn¡¯t easily succumb to such a simple hit, but since they had exhausted themselves going against each other¡¯s throat, they just didn¡¯t have the energy to respond anymore. Also, considering that the one hitting them was someone they couldn¡¯t guarantee victory against even if they faced her at full strength, such an outcome was inevitable. ¡°I¡¯ve come to rescue you, Dowd.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You seem to have gone through quite the ordeal.¡± The newcomer, Eleanor, said as such as she draped the coat she was wearing over me, letting it flutter around my body. Her appearance looked super dependable. Like a hero rescuing a heroine who had gone through terrible hardships with a gallant smile. In fact, I was so moved that tears actually started to trickle out... ¡°S-Stop...c-cutting in l-line¡ª!¡± Iliya¡ªwho was writhing after receiving a fierce blow to the back of her head¡ªmumbled those words, but she only received a snort and a dismissive reply. ¡°Well. You said that anyone who wants to claim this man has to prove it with their skills.¡± Eleanor¡¯s gaze swept over the women sprawled all over the ground as she spoke such words slowly. With a triumphant smile that was rare to be seen on her face. ¡°I think I¡¯ve proven my skills by being the last one standing.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ll be taking him with me. Besides, there¡¯s an urgent matter that requires his presence. A summon from the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What? Do you have any complaints?¡± Obviously they had complaints. Lots of them. It was obvious. But unfortunately, after the tug-of-war thing, none of them had any strength left to voice them. In other words, no one could get up and start a fight with her. ¡°...Um, Lady Eleanor.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking just in case, but...¡± Iliya, while trembling, spoke up. ¡°You... Could it be...? You waited for us to exhaust ourselves before joining in...?¡± ¡°Now, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Besides... Even if I did, what are you going to do about it?¡± ¡°...¡± In the end, this chaos ended more anticlimactically than expected. With everyone being subdued by the strongest and most fearsome lady. Footnotes 1. It''s an old-school execution method where they tie a person''s limbs to horses and have them run in different /genesisforsaken Chapter 298: Magic Tower (1) ¡°Sorry for the sudden call, Dowd Campbell.¡± A voice made of electronic noises let out those words. ¡°I heard you were supposed to be enjoying your vacation around this time.¡± ¡°...Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t call that vacation enjoyable.¡± Just thinking back about it a little already gave me war flashbacks. I mean, recalling how I exposed my naked body to a bunch of people wasn¡¯t exactly a pleasant memory. As I said such words with a bitter smile, the massive steel figure across from me shrugged. This fella was the same cyborg I¡¯ve bumped into a few times before. Alpha, from the Magic Tower. The guy Caliban called an ¡®Executor¡¯ and was scared shitless of. ¡°Still, originally, this was supposed to happen a little later. And yet we just changed the schedule and summoned you without prior notice whatsoever. The apology was warranted.¡± ¡°...Can¡¯t argue with that.¡± Not that I wanted to argue anyway. ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect to get dragged here so suddenly either.¡± Right now, I was on my way to the Magic Tower with this guy. Why? Because of the ¡®transport¡¯ matter related to Marquis Bogut, or at least that was what they told me. ¡°Likewise. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen the higher-ups pushing an issue this hard.¡± ¡°Pushing this hard?¡± ¡°They mentioned that they wanted to see you as soon as possible, and that you¡¯re their top priority research subject or something.¡± ¡°I thought I¡¯m just here to escort a prisoner.¡± ¡°On paper, yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Alpha slowly turned his head. ¡°Well, the guy being escorted is one thing, but it seems your importance inside the Magic Tower has skyrocketed for some reason. I have no idea why.¡± Huh? Those folks usually would just hole up in their labs without stepping out. What had gotten into them? Alpha let out a sigh before continuing. ¡°They even sent this so you could get there faster... This is really an unprecedented case.¡± Saying that, Alpha tapped on the seat of the ¡®flying object¡¯ we were currently riding. In Sera, the most commonly used transportation was carriage. Considering that it was the most formal-looking and had been used the longest by the people of the world, it made sense, but... It wasn¡¯t like the tech level of the world was super low. Things like steam-powered trains or fantasy-esque portals are also commonly used here. However... An anti-gravity hovercar was just a whole different story... ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor and Chancellor Sullivan¡ªwho were riding the thing with me¡ªwere clearly dumbfounded as they stared at how quickly we left the ground behind. I¡¯ve been on planes before, but I¡¯ve never got into a floating car like this. A floating car that could carry five people at that. Unlike me, who at least had some experience being up in the air, I could only imagine how shocked Eleanor and Sullivan must be. Anyway, if you were wondering why these two were here... Chancellor Sullivan would be acting as the empire¡¯s representative, while Eleanor... ¡°...¡± ...Wait, why was she here again? I mean, she told me, ¡®I also got permission to enter the Magic Tower,¡¯ and Alpha didn¡¯t stop her, so chances were it was legit. ...As for how, if I could guess... It was probably because Professor Astrid¡ªthey had met and chatted with once, so it was plausible¡ªhooked her up with the tower. They probably had made some kind of arrangement prior to this. ¡°...How high are we going to go?¡± While I was thinking that, Eleanor asked while looking uncharacteristically pale. Unless I face this whole thing head-on, nothing would be resolved. ¡ñ ¡°Whoa.¡± As soon as we got off at the ¡®stop,¡¯ that exclamation slipped out. While yes, Alpha told us there weren¡¯t many residents here, I didn¡¯t expect ¡®androids¡¯ to be strolling around like it¡¯s nothing. Eleanor and Sullivan, who got off the hovercar with me, also looked around nervously. ¡°...The floor is all made of rare metals...¡± ¡°...Even the Imperial Palace wasn¡¯t built this extravagantly...¡± ¡°...Are those...automated automatons...?¡± ¡°For automatons, their movements are way too smooth. They look like real humans...¡± These two were big-shots back in their home country, but here, they felt tiny. Like they said, fear came from the unknown. How could you keep your cool when unknown things were roaming about? ¡°I¡¯m going to take this guy and toss him somewhere appropriate. In the meantime, we¡¯ll prepare your accommodations, so feel free to rest until tomorrow.¡± ¡°Is there something scheduled for tomorrow?¡± When I asked as such, Alpha quietly spun his laser-processed lens and looked at me. ¡°There¡¯s a hearing for Marquis Bogut tomorrow. They¡¯ll probably request your presence there.¡± ¡°...But why...?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you get there.¡± He said it calmly. As he spoke, Alpha locked his gaze¡ªheavier than usual¡ªwith mine. ¡°Oh, and. When you attend the hearing, can I ask you for one favor?¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± What is this all of a sudden? As I tilted my head, confused... Alpha let out a smirk after a brief pause, and continued. ¡°You probably won¡¯t have a pleasant experience while you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± And then... ¡°The Magic Tower is corrupt, Dowd Campbell. It¡¯s tainted by evil.¡± Those words came out. Out of nowhere. There was no pretense, no context, no background, no nothing prior to this. ¡°Professor Astrid, myself, and this fool claiming to be a prisoner have known this for a long time.¡± He just said those words clearly. While looking straight at me as he spoke. It was hard to read a machine¡¯s expression, but the feelings behind his words were crystal clear. Pity towards someone getting caught up in a huge trouble. And... A subtle hint of an unknown ¡®expectation¡¯ lingering at its edge. ¡°So, resist.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Because the stage has been set for quite some time.¡± As I stood there silently, processing the weight of his words... Alpha let out a chuckle and continued. ¡°Oh, and...¡± His lens glanced over Eleanor and Chancellor Sullivan. ¡°Have a good night.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°All of you probably are going to share the same room.¡± Weird. That sentence sounds more ominous than the previous ones... Or maybe it¡¯s just my /genesisforsaken Chapter 299: Magic Tower (2) ¡°...Fuck.¡± [...Dude, it¡¯s so early in the morning and you¡¯re already cursing.] It¡¯s an automatic reaction, okay? I can¡¯t help it! My back hurts from sleeping on the sofa! [Why did you sleep there in the first place anyway?] ¡°...¡± I silently got up and approached my bed. It would be faster to show him than to explain it in words. I flung open the blinds on the window and took away the blanket, revealing Eleanor and the Chancellor beneath, sleeping while hugging each other¡¯s arms, looking satisfied. Yes. Both of them chose to sleep in my cramped single bed while huddling each others¡¯ bodies like that instead of sleeping on their own beds. They were probably trying to hug me¡ªas I was supposed to be squeezed between them, as if I was their favorite doll. [...] ¡°...¡± As Caliban went silent, as if asking me what the fuck was going on, I just shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Those two sneaked into my bed when I was asleep.¡± [...] ¡°That¡¯s why I slept on the couch. I had no choice.¡± I had a feeling that they would try to do something like this ever since the moment it was announced that we were going to share a room, so I made a plan to avoid them in advance. Alpha¡¯s warning worked pretty well. [...What a lovely behavior from the Lady of a Duchal House and THE chancellor herself.] As Caliban said so, I woke the two of them¡ªwho were still humming in their sleep while rubbing their faces against each other¡ªby shaking their shoulders. ?a?¦­o??E?S? ¡°You two, wake up.¡± ¡°Hm...¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± They opened their eyes drowsily. And quickly realized the identity of the person they had been hugging tightly. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Their eyes gradually widened as their faces turned pale. Then, in the next moment, Eleanor kicked Chancellor Sullivan in the abdomen. Without being able to even scream, the chancellor¡¯s body rolled to one corner of the room. Meanwhile, Eleanor got up from the bed while covering her mouth. ¡°...Blaaargh...!¡± ¡°...¡± Seriously...? Was that really enough to get you to throw up...? ¡°Blargh...!¡± ¡°...¡± As for the chancellor¡ªwho was kicked by Eleanor¡ªshe held her stomach and mouth, as if she actually felt nauseous as she rolled on the floor. ¡°You damn barbarian-like woman...! What did you think you were doing¡ª?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s your fault for sticking your pan out this early in the morning, you old monster.¡± ¡°Say that again you¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing them starting to get rowdy, I quietly closed the door and left the room. [...Is it okay to just leave them be like that?] I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t wanna think about it. Let¡¯s just do the thing that I have to do. ¡ñ ¡°...D-Do I press this...?¡± Seeing Eleanor was struggling to press the button of the lift¡ªthey had notified us which floor we needed to go to in advance¡ªI pressed it in her stead. ¡°Why do you look so familiar with something like this...?¡± ¡°...I just do.¡± It would be a pain if I were to explain that, so I just gave her a half-hearted answer and silently looked around. As announced before, it almost felt like there was no human here. All I could see were just androids that looked similar to human, artificial illuminants made of unknown substances, and countless complex mechanical equipment. ¡°...¡± Honestly... It felt kind of cold somehow. Not only did the whole place feel empty, it also felt like this place was a space where human nature had been worn away. Although, you could say that it was probably because I was having difficulty keeping up with the level of technology here. ...Anyway, this is the kind of place the Magic Tower is, huh? Of course, I knew that the Magic Tower was the heart of technology in this world, but I never expected that this place was such a...dreary place.... In my brain, I thought that it was a place filled with mad scientists who had gone half-mad. [Research building.] At that moment, a mechanical audio rang¨Cwhich only further emphasized my feeling of the place¡ªand the door to the lift opened. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± We then made our way to our destination, where Alpha was waiting for us. ¡°Follow me. Marquis Bogut is already inside.¡± ¡°...By the way, what are we going to do here exactly?¡± I heard that it was some hearing. But I hadn¡¯t heard anything in regard to the reason the Magic Tower was interested in Marquis Bogut in the first place, or why I was summoned here. Hearing my question, Alpha started walking, keeping his mouth shut for a short while. As if... He was treated like a guinea pig, not a human, ¡°Dowd Campbell, please move to the spot near Subject No.1.¡± Such words came out from the speaker attached to the upper part of the hall. The one who said such words was the guy called Professor Mobius. Seeing how he was sitting at the highest seat among the lined up panels, it seemed like he was the guy who¡¯d call the shots here. ¡°...Subject?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about Marquis Bogut.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t ask that because I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± A slight frown appeared on my brows as I replied to him. ¡°...What I heard is that this is some kind of hearing, so what did you mean by ¡®subject¡¯? Are you going to do some kind of experiment here, or what?¡± ¡°Both essentially meant the same thing.¡± He continued in a mechanical, emotionless voice. ¡°Hearing is but one of the processes of obtaining information you want. It¡¯s something that can be done by studying the subject¡¯s mind.¡± ¡°...¡± ...What? Hearing that, my expression stiffened even more. ¡°What we want here is to borrow your power for a short while. After you utilize your Demonic Aura according to our order and search through that man¡¯s mind, we¡¯ll be done with you. It won¡¯t take longer than a few seconds.¡± ¡°...Wow, that¡¯s just a violation of my privacy.¡± Bogut grunted in a light voice before I replied in a slightly lower voice. ¡°...There will be side effects if we do that. Assuming that you are trying to tell me to insert the Demonic Aura into someone¡¯s brain.¡± That was such a ridiculous notion to follow, hence why I asked for a confirmation. ¡°Yes.¡± And yet he replied as such. As if it was a trivial matter. ¡°...Are you out of your mind?¡± Even I wasn¡¯t confident I¡¯d survive if someone were to inject Demonic Aura into my brain. This was the equivalent of him asking me to kill Bogut here. ¡°So you are telling me that it doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯d die or not. You just want to find out how my Demonic Aura would affect humans? That¡¯s it? Just how could you think that it¡¯s the right thing to do¡ª?!¡± If they simply wanted to get information from him, they could¡¯ve just given him the truth serum. Considering the level of their technology, surely they had developed some of those by now. Just like the previous time, he told me the reason for his action in a nonchalant manner. ¡°Because it¡¯s data that hasn¡¯t been studied.¡± As if he wondered why I asked the obvious. ¡°...¡± And that left me speechless. As I stayed silent for a while, he continued... ¡°The opportunity to do an experiment about what kind of effects the Demonic Aura has on humans is rare. And legally speaking, there¡¯s nothing wrong with doing this.¡± ¡°...So, what you¡¯re trying to say is...¡± At this point, I couldn¡¯t hide the sign of anger in my voice anymore. ¡°You don¡¯t care about his life and death, you just want to see how my Demonic Aura would affect humans? What kind of nonsense¡ª?!¡± Even though he was a felon... And he had done something punishable by death... The punk still had the right to die with the least dignity. This was way more cruel than slaughtering wild animals. ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, Marquis Bogut is a felon who has been sentenced to death in the empire. And the empire has handed him over to us. How we deal with him in the Magic Tower is our right.¡± Oh, is that so? My rage was burning. It was my first time meeting the people of Magic Tower, but I was sure of one thing even through my burning rage. These punks were scums I shouldn¡¯t even associate myself with. ¡°...Just follow along instead of resisting them. It¡¯ll be better for you too, no?¡± ¡°...¡± Bogut, who was lying on his stomach beside me, muttered. ¡°You saw it with your own eyes what kind of technology these punks have, no? You don¡¯t have to turn into their enemy for the sake of someone like me.¡± ¡°...¡± I know that. I know exactly how overwhelming their power is, I figured that out on my way here. But still... This isn¡¯t right. The situation made me think as such. With that in mind, what I had to do was pretty much decided. -The Magic Tower is corrupt, Dowd Campbell. It¡¯s tainted by evil. -So, resist. Suddenly, what Alpha said to me yesterday came to mind. ¡°Please follow our order accordingly, Dowd Camp¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, Mister, look here.¡± Hearing my voice, Marquis Bogut¡¯s eyes widened. Probably because my tone had suddenly turned sleazy. ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough of your bullshit.¡± With such words, I cut off Mobius¡¯ /genesisforsaken Chapter 300: Magic Tower (3) The Magic Tower¡¯s Marshal, Alpha-11, stroked his chin while looking into the hall. Since his human body had been modified into a machine, he had lost most of his senses, but the chemical activities in his brain¡ªthe one that invoked emotions within him¡ªremained intact. Hence why... ¡°No means no, Mister.¡± He felt that after Dowd said such words, the situation inside the hall turned interesting. A cold silence fell upon the surroundings. The emotion hiding in the silence was very clear. Surprise over the appearance of a ¡®variable¡¯ they had never thought of before. I never expected that he would just openly provoke them like this. There was one thing that everyone in the world knew. Picking a fight with the Magic Tower was never a wise decision. Regardless of ages and background, technology was one of the most valuable things that humanity had. Considering that the tower possessed the world¡¯s only otherworldly-level technology, it was a no-brainer that one shouldn¡¯t even attempt to stand in their way. There was a reason why even the high-ranking nobles of the empire were flattering them to high-heavens just to get crumbs of their technology. Although, when it comes to strength, that man isn¡¯t easy to deal with either... On the other hand, when it came to Dowd Campbell... Assuming that he could handle Demonic Aura with ease, only people on Saint-level could even dream of handling him. In theory, the Magic Tower could ¡®mass produce¡¯ people with such a level though. Alpha himself was the proof of it. ¡°You seem to be mistaken about the procedure.¡± As the cold silence continued, Professor Mobius¡ªwho exuded a particularly cold atmosphere even among the people who had modified their bodies with mechanical equipment¡ªsaid so in an inorganic voice. ¡°I¡¯ll repeat my words again. There will be no legal issues with this procedure.¡±@@@@ ¡°I know, and I said that I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Then...¡± There was still no hint of emotion in Professor Mobius¡¯ voice as he continued... ¡°Since the procedure is fair, if you don¡¯t abide by our words, we can¡¯t guarantee your safety, Dowd Campbell.¡± ¡®Firmness¡¯ was contained in those words. It was a calm declaration in a tone that gave no room to negotiate. Either follow or pay the price, that was what he was trying to hint at. Toward this, Dowd Campbell just let out a snort before replying. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just stating a fact.¡± ¡°You¡¯re calling it a fair procedure, but practically, you¡¯re just going to torture someone to death, no?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a process of obtaining information, and that human over there is the subject of said process. That¡¯s the whole reason why we brought him here.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, the muscles on Dowd Campbell¡¯s face twitched. It seemed like their conversation was drawing parallel lines¡ªlines that wouldn¡¯t meet each other no matter what. Dowd Campbell¡¯s hostility only became more clear over time, but it was clear that Professor Mobius had no thought of backing off. Even among the professors of the Magic Tower¡ªthe rulers of the tower¡ªProfessor Mobius¡¯ position was a little special. Experiments, data, demonstration Even in this den of demons whose devotion to such things had reached the realm of abnormality, the professor¡¯s ¡®desire for knowledge¡¯ was at a dangerous level. R?A?NO?¦Â§¦s The atmosphere of the place quickly turned volatile. It became so tense to the point that one side might have just burst out if there was no one who would step in and adjust it. But still... In this situation, Alpha was an abettor. Such was the role ¡®given¡¯ to him. His gaze went to one of the panels surrounding the hall. Since Professor Astrid hadn¡¯t made any moves even in this situation... It meant that they had to push through with Dowd Campbell¡¯s choice, no matter what it was. Alpha let out a bitter smile. ...Magic Tower has been tainted by evil. The loss of their humanity was inversely proportional to the development of their technology. Originally, they weren¡¯t the kind of people who¡¯d do such a thing. It was only after a certain ¡®incident¡¯ happened did they turn this way. Professor Percy... I heard you¡¯re doing well in the mundane world. Right now, you¡¯ve become a dean at Elfante, haven¡¯t you not? As such a thought appeared in his mind... ¡°So...¡± Dowd Campbell opened his mouth again as he swept through his hair. ¡°You¡¯re telling to tell me that if I don¡¯t torture this person to death, the Magic Tower will consider me an enemy?¡± ¡°You are free to interpret my words as you wish.¡± Although the professor said so, it was actually his indirect way to drop an ultimatum. I didn¡¯t like how they were already calling me a test subject, but I just quietly listened to Astrid with a frown on my face. Because based on the atmosphere, it was clear that she was on my side. ¡°Professors.¡± Astrid continued while looking around. It was hard to recognize her expression in detail through her mechanical face, but I could tell that she was smiling. ¡°Are you all not curious about the results of the projects each of you have made?¡± ¡°...¡± At that moment... I unilaterally frowned at her sentence. I had a feeling that maybe... She wasn¡¯t completely trying to help me. ¡°Let¡¯s make use of this occasion! Pit him against the Magic Tower¡¯s best masterpieces!¡± I knew it... ¡ñ ¡°Professor Astrid.¡± After the hearing. Upon hearing those words, the steel giant who was walking down the hallway stopped her steps. It was Professor Mobius¡¯, who called out to her from behind. ¡°...¡± She hadn¡¯t even spoken a word yet, but she already felt exhausted. It was obvious what he wanted; an explanation for the stunt she pulled during the hearing. ¡°What is it, Mobius? If you want me to apologize, sure, I¡¯ll do it as many times as¡ª¡± Astrid was about to finish her words, but she couldn¡¯t. Professor Mobius had strode towards her in a flash and grabbed her neck. And just from that... ¡°Keuk¡ª!¡± She felt an intense pain come over her. Of course, the extreme pain didn¡¯t come from the steel body she was operating. But rather her ¡®real body¡¯, which was connected with this one. She felt as if her brain was being burned in white. The sensation that felt as if her nerves were torn apart hit her whole body. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot, Professor Astrid.¡± Mobius calmly said to Astrid, who could only let out heavy breaths, unable to even say anything. ¡°You were trying to give them an ¡®opportunity¡¯ by giving them such an offer. Professor Astrid, need I remind you that they¡¯re just test subjects we could¡¯ve forced into the experiment and disposed of after?¡± Mobius said calmly while gripping Astrid¡¯s neck. ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re up to something by relying on your son. And that something is none other than...you¡¯re trying to expose the Magic Tower¡¯s ¡®war capabilities¡¯. It¡¯s curious that you seem to be sure they¡¯d survive ¡®fighting¡¯ against whatever it is that we¡¯re going to throw at them.¡± ¡°...Kha, haak¡ª!¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Whatever you¡¯re up to, that guy would never be able to beat the Magic Tower¡¯s power.¡± He kept talking in a calm manner. ¡°Just remember, I am the one holding your leash. You are my pawn until the Magic Tower¡¯s ¡®long-cherished wish¡¯ is fulfilled.¡± Professor Mobius¡¯ artificial eyes shone with an inorganic light. ¡°Don¡¯t forget it, Professor Astrid.¡± His eyes were like black crystals. Unmeasurably clean and clear, yet... ¡°Your family and you have been my ¡®test subjects¡¯ for a long time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Which means if you don¡¯t cooperate, I can dispose of all of you anytime. Understand?¡± It was clad in the deepest black imaginable. As if symbolizing this person¡¯s endless ¡®desire for knowledge¡¯. Then, he hurled Astrid¡¯s body down to the floor as if throwing away a waste. He watched her steel body collapse weakly with indifference before letting out a snort and walked down the hallway with clear footsteps. As if saying that she wasn¡¯t even worth his attention anymore. ¡°...¡± Astrid, who was left alone, let out a deep sigh. ¡°...Well.¡± She muttered slowly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure if the Magic Tower could beat my son or not.¡± Whose son do you think he is, hm? Her mutter dispersed faintly into the /genesisforsaken Chapter 41: Time Bomb ¡°...Is that true?¡± Eleanor asked with a bewildered voice. Meanwhile, the person who elicited such a reaction merely nodded nonchalantly. ¡°Yes. The agreement between the Holy Land and Elfante has already been finalized.¡± Eleanor scanned through the documents handed to her with a puzzled expression. But Atlante¡¯s signature was clearly written at the bottom. ¡®The Headmistress is not one to agree to such madness.¡¯ As she was in deep thought, she heard the other party¡¯s voice again. ¡°Is there any problem?¡± Klein Garrison, the battle priest of the Holy Land, wearing such a nameplate, brightly smiled and asked. A battle priest wearing purple epaulets was someone of authority and power comparable to that of a platoon leader among regular knights of the Empire. To think that such a high-ranking individual would be sent as a mere representative of a delegation. This made the topic he presented even more shocking. ¡°Are you saying that the Saintess would do such a thing? This is too¡ª¡±@@@@ Inhumane. It was hard to believe that this was proposed by a religious group. ¡°Student Council President.¡± His tone sounded polite. But underlying this facade was a hidden wickedness that could not really be hidden. ¡°The Saintess volunteered herself. Is something wrong with it?¡± ¡°...¡± Who in the world would volunteer for such a thing? Rather than that, it would be much more fitting to say that she was forced to volunteer. Suddenly, what Dowd said the other day passed through her mind. ¡®The Holy Land will probably make ridiculous demands. I don¡¯t know the details, but it¡¯s a place filled with crazy people, starting with the Pope.¡¯ When she first heard it, she couldn¡¯t believe such sacrilegious words. Treating the continent¡¯s largest religious group as villains? That was absurd... However, now that she was faced with it directly, she couldn¡¯t help but have doubts. Only madmen would make such inhumane demands. ¡°...¡± ¡°Student Council President? This matter has already been decided, so please¡ª¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Being urged, Eleanor, who had her eyes closed in contemplation of Dowd¡¯s words, finally gave her stamp and returned the documents to the battle priest. R???????E?? The other party, who had been preparing to threaten her if their demands were not met, was taken aback when Eleanor complied just like that. ¡°Is there anything else? I¡¯ve already dealt with it as you wished.¡± ¡°...Thank you.¡± The battle priest, with a dubious expression, scanned Eleanor from top to bottom before finally nodding and leaving the Student Council Office. Though they had made the request themselves, it seemed like they were surprised at how easily she accepted it. Eleanor smiled and stood up from her seat. The exam was approaching, and as the Student Council President, she was also a proctor of the exam. She needed to quickly make her way to the exam venue. ¡°...¡± Thoughts were floating around in her head. It was an undeniably strange proposal. Her usual self would never have accepted it. Perhaps... ¡®Let it pass, no matter what they ask for.¡¯ ...Even if someone didn¡¯t instruct her to do so, it probably would have ended the same. ¡®Is it so that I can act without any guilt?¡¯ With that thought in mind, Eleanor let out another smirk and gripped her sword. That man was clearly up to something again. Already seeing through that the Holy Land was planning to do something in Elfante. Then... ...All she needed to do... -Because he¡¯s your family. ¡°...¡± Eleanor suddenly paused, remembering those words. ¡°...If I hear words like that, I can¡¯t help but follow.¡± Anyway, he was a cunning man. Family, family... That... should be... It must be that... Hmm... While not entirely certain, nothing else came to her mind. ¡®...I might have to start making preparations.¡¯ As Eleanor entertained such thoughts, she met eyes with Beatrix, who was entering the office. ¡°What¡¯s up? Going to prepare for the exam?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Just as they passed each other, Eleanor suddenly turned back toward Beatrix as if something had crossed her mind. ¡°Oh, right. Beatrix.¡± ¡°Yeah? What is it?¡± ¡°Where should I go to get fitted with a ring?¡± ¡°Ring? What ring?¡± ¡°...The thing that a man and woman give each other as a token of promise.¡± Beatrix, who was in the middle of moving documents, fell in her place. *** Yesterday was nothing short of hell for Yuria Greyhounder. ¡®Why didn¡¯t he come today?¡¯ As soon as she woke up in the morning and realized that there was no one beside her, that was the first thought that crossed her mind. It was strange. That person would always come in the morning and spar with her without fail. ¡®...He¡¯s probably busy.¡¯ Regardless of anything, that was the most reasonable conclusion. He didn¡¯t live in isolation like herself, naturally, he had a life of his own. After all, he was someone whom even Headmistress Atalante personally cared for and managed. ¡°...¡± She knew that thinking that way was the rational thing to do, more so than anyone else. However, if the human mind was so easily controlled, then everyone in the world would be living without any worries or anxieties. ¡®...But what if he¡¯s not busy?¡¯ Sinister thoughts always had a way of creeping their way in, and firmly taking root in one¡¯s mind. ¡®What if he¡¯s just tired of me?¡¯ The hand that was washing clothes in the nearby stream stopped abruptly. Her face was reflected in the cold summer water. But what she saw was the visage of a scruffy woman. A shabby person far removed from the dazzling and glittering students of the prestigious Academy that she could only view from the window. ¡°...¡± The corners of her eyes drooped, as a gloomy expression spread across her face. Once the negative thoughts started rolling, there was no stopping it. ¡®...I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fed up.¡¯ After all, who would want to be close to someone who¡¯d start slicing you down as soon as you approached them? What reason would you even have to get close to a mute living a primitive life day after day, hardly better than a savage? Yuria just nodded without saying a word. The movement was so violent that it made a buzzing sound. ¡°...I couldn¡¯t come yesterday because I was busy with some other things. It¡¯s not because of any specific reason.¡± ¡°...¡± She started sniffling again, as she wiped away her tears with a piece of cloth. The look in her eyes seemed to ask, ¡®Really?¡¯ ¡°Really.¡± ¡°...¡± Only then did Yuria stop sobbing. She blew her nose with the cloth I handed over and took a deep breath to compose herself. How could things have escalated to this point just because I didn¡¯t visit for a day? Well, she had been living alone for a long time, and loneliness could indeed drive anyone crazy. ¡°...¡± I felt sorry asking this to a kid like this, but. Time was running out for me. The exam started tomorrow. ¡°...Hey, I have a favor to ask-¡° [I¡¯ll do it!] Seeing the glowing characters made of divine power appear before my eyes, I was utterly speechless. She was almost shouting it out. [I¡¯ll do anything, anything at all! Just leave it to me!] I was taken aback by her almost desperate insistence. No. Was this what her character was like all along? She was always a bit timid, cautious of others, and afraid of losing connections. But now, should I say... It was like she was desperately trying not to be abandoned by me. ¡°...It involves going outside. Are you okay with that?¡± [I¡¯m okay!] Even though it pertained to going outside, which normally evoked her fear, she just accepted it without any hesitation. Clearly, something was off. I tried to continue speaking to calm her down a bit. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need to push yourself too hard. If you¡¯re uncomfortable, I can ask someone else¡ª¡± But as soon as I said that, a chill ran down my spine. Even before my sentence had finished, the light in Yuria¡¯s eyes disappeared. [...You, do you hate me now?] Right now, I was keeping a safe distance from her, more than four steps away. [Is there any reason? I, really, well, I¡¯ll do anything, so please tell me-] And yet. System Message [ A moment of danger has been detected.] [ Determined the situation as life-threatening. ] [ Skill: Desperation raised to EX-Grade. ] Something like this popping out of nowhere made me think of only one possibility. And the white aura emanating from her sword got me all the more certain. In general, the color associated with all curse-related items was black. The same went for her sword attributed with the Curse of Severance. It would emit a black aura whenever she fully wielded it. But the fact that it was producing a white aura meant only one thing. ¡®...Devil.¡¯ As I mentioned before, where and how the devil fragments permeated was purely random. It was capable of attaching itself to people and objects alike. And even a devil fragment attaching itself to the Holy Land¡¯s national treasure was not out of the equation. The White Devil Fragment. Known for having the strongest obsession among the devils. And due to some unknown damn conditions triggering for some reason, there was a situation where Yuria awakened as a vessel. ¡®...I¡¯m downright fucked, aren¡¯t I?¡¯ If this happened, the clear method became extremely narrow. When the game route got all tangled up like this, some people would just suggest doing a complete reset on the run. Why? ¡®They who awaken as vessels begin to be influenced by their devil.¡¯ As one could tell by looking at Eleanor, those who have awakened, even once, as a vessel were going to be influenced by their devil. Initially, the effect might only manifest in enhanced physical abilities, but soon various other influences would follow. The problem was that the influence of the White Devil spread rapidly and forcefully to the vessel. [Why aren¡¯t you answering?] System Notification [ The favorability of the target Yuria Greyhounder has increased! ] [ Favorability level has been upgraded from Interest Level 2 to Interest Level 3! ] [ Rewards Available! ] Fatal Charm didn¡¯t activate. Hell, I didn¡¯t even do anything to her. Yet, her favorability suddenly skyrocketed for some reason. The Curse of Obsession laid by the White Devil was of this nature. It compelled the target to surrender everything they had without end. Emotions, rationality, everything. Until they possessed the one they desired completely. Even by twisted means, as long as it became true. I looked at Yuria approaching me with trembling eyes. Normally, she would avoid getting close to others at all costs, knowing her curse could harm them. But, right now... Her eyes were completely hazy. She was obviously not in the right state of mind. If I hadn¡¯t backed away right now, I would have entered her three-step range. Even now, the Curse of Severance was in effect. If I got closer than three steps, she would swing her sword at me. In other words. [...Why are you trying to leave me?] System Notification [ The favorability of the target Yuria Greyhounder has changed! ] [ Favorability level has been upgraded from Interest Level 3 to Interest Level 4! ] [ Rewards Available! ] From now on, she would do whatever it took to get closer to me, whether it was psychologically or physically. ¡®Ah.¡¯ As I mentioned before, it was not an exaggeration to say that the key to clearing Chapter 2 lied in breaking the curse that bound Yuria. In other words, within the next five days... I had to break this ticking time bomb of a curse. Really... ¡®...This is fucking insane.¡¯ It truly /genesisforsaken Chapter 42: Midterm Exam (1) On the day of the exam. ¡°...So.¡± A bewildered Iliya alternately looked at me and Yuria. ¡°I have a lot of questions I want to ask.¡± ¡°Ask me later.¡± ¡°...¡± Her eyes narrowed but she remained silent nonetheless. Well, it wasn¡¯t hard to understand what she was feeling. In fact, many things contributed to her feeling this way... I mean... Just yesterday, everything was normal and now I was wearing a mask, covering my identity. Not to mention that I brought along a companion, who didn¡¯t even utter a single word and merely communicated through floating text. She had also been forbidden from approaching three steps of said companion. And worst of all... ¡°You¡¯re into that?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Really, no...!¡± Iliya was staring at the leash in my hand with a judging gaze. I totally understood the reason behind the slight disdain in her eyes, considering that the leash was attached to Yuria¡¯s neck. ¡°...There¡¯s a reason for this.¡± ¡°Please, do tell. What kind of reason would there be to warrant a leash on a grown woman and dragging her around with it? I¡¯m really curious.¡± ¡°...¡± No, there really was a reason for this. In the first place, I didn¡¯t suggest any of this. [That, I, I was the one who suggested that we go around like this...] As Yuria replied with her floating text, Iliya¡¯s look of bewilderment became even more pronounced. However, there was no other way around it. ¡®If I don¡¯t do this, her mental degradation will get worse...¡¯ Although I successfully managed to calm her down after she had gone berserk due to the devil fragment¡¯s influence. Afterward, she developed an irrational fear of being separated from me. R?A¦­¦Ï¦Â?S?? She even went as far as to recommend putting her on a leash so that, ¡®We¡¯ll be together wherever I go.¡¯ ¡°...¡± Uh. I was scared too. I could feel my dignity as a human being getting stripped away with every passing second. But looking at the awakening conditions of the Grey Devil inside Eleanor, it was evident that it was closely related to the vessel¡¯s mental state. And right now, Yuria¡¯s mental state was on the very brink of its limits. If she was triggered even in the slightest, the devil fragment would manifest itself right then and there. With the existence of the Fatal Charm skill, it was unlikely that I would be harmed in any way, but considering the White Devil¡¯s power, just one manifestation could have a fatal impact on Chapter 2 as a whole. And if the main quest in Chapter 2 failed, it was game over for us. It was a literal death sentence. ¡°...¡± This meant that I had to follow through with this, whether I liked it or not. ¡®...At least until I meet the Saintess.¡¯ The symptoms should ease a bit if I contacted the Saintess, who was currently in the examination venue. Given Yuria and Lucia¡¯s relationship, it could only lead to a positive outcome. Curing the Curse of Severance within 5 days was just the beginning. ¡°...Why did you even ask for this?¡± While I was in my thoughts, Iliya asked Yuria such a question. Well, I had prepared an excuse for situations like this. Simply omit the how of the Curse of Severance and briefly explain its effects. Basically, if someone got within three steps, they would die. The leash was precisely tailored to signify that distance. Saying that it was used to manage the effects of the curse was enough. [...That.] Yuria, who had been fiddling with the leash for a while now, wrote out with a flushed face. [I feel relaxed this way, so we agreed to go around like this.] ¡°...¡± [Yes, being like this makes me feel much more at ease and secure...] I immediately broke out in a cold sweat when I saw Iliya¡¯s angry expression. ¡®Why would you say it like that...!?¡¯ ¡°...She doesn¡¯t mean it like that, uh, can you explain in another way?¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya kept her mouth shut as she looked at me and Yuria. For me, it was a terrifyingly long silence. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Lady Tristan throw a fit if she saw this?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t think so.¡± There was a good chance she was waiting at the Sanctuary, the final point of the exam, due to my request. At least until this event was over, it was highly unlikely she would be seeing this. ¡°...Really?¡± Saying so, Iliya crossed her arms and began to ponder something deeply, still looking at us. ¡°...She won¡¯t see it.¡± Then she seemingly contemplated further. As she pondered, she kept showing odd signs. Her legs fidgeting or her face turning red. She also mumbled strange things to herself. Like, ¡®No matter what, that¡¯s...¡¯ or ¡®Still, I need to do something to get... Interested to me...¡¯ ¡°...Are you busy?¡± ¡°Just give me a moment, like 5 minutes. I need to think about something.¡± ¡°...¡± Okay. Considering the current situation, there would undoubtedly be an opportunity to make use of it. Getting first place was one thing. A veteran player wouldn¡¯t miss such a hot event. ¡°Ah, by the way, you should prepare yourself.¡± I said to Iliya. ¡°Yes? Prepare for what?¡± ¡®What you may ask? Well...¡¯ ¡°Prepare for slaughter.¡± ¡°...¡± *** If one asked Talion what kind of person Dowd Campbell was, his answer would always be a scary person. At least after a few interactions with him, there was no better assessment than that. With his combat prowess that easily defeated the Hero candidate and his meticulous planning, it was hard to believe that he was just a fellow freshman. However, it seemed that not everyone shared the same sentiment. While the scary person factor might stay true, it fell short of fully describing the extent of his character. ¡°Ah, Dowd Campbell? That dangerous human scum? They said to never get involved with him.¡± ¡°...¡± Talion stopped tinkering with his spear and looked at his friend. ¡°...What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s true. Everyone else probably thinks the same way.¡± Another male student continued, scratching his head. ¡°Aren¡¯t both the Student Council President and the Hero candidate close to that guy?¡± ¡°...Are they not?¡± ¡°But there¡¯s absolutely no reason for those two to be on good terms with him, right?¡± ¡°...¡± This was a point Talion agreed with. On the surface, those two shouldn¡¯t have crossed paths with him. Never. However, anyone who had seen even a glimpse of his true abilities wouldn¡¯t find it strange. Unlike Talion, who had witnessed his power firsthand, the information that regular students could access was tightly controlled. So it was understandable why they felt that way. ¡®...The academy seems to be blocking it.¡¯ That was the impression he had. Otherwise, there was no way someone as capable as him would be falsely accused like this. As he mulled over those thoughts, the other person continued speaking. ¡°There¡¯s rumors going around that he¡¯s grabbed ahold of their weakness.¡± ¡°...Weakness?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It just doesn¡¯t make sense that he can drag around the Hero candidate and Lady Tristan. And, like, the guy doesn¡¯t have many friends, yet he¡¯s always busy running around somewhere. He often meets people like the Deans or the Headmistress. Looking at it, isn¡¯t that suspicious?¡± The male student fired shots one after the other. Talion could only respond with a wry smile. ¡°...Are those two really the kind of people who would be easily caught by someone just because of a weakness? Isn¡¯t that a bit of a stretch?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s dangerous. I don¡¯t know how, but if it¡¯s not something like that, then it doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± As Talion sighed and wiped his forehead, the male student continued his rant. ¡°And, above all, there¡¯s Professor Griever Lanfeld. They say the Professor said something rude to him during class, and then the Professor suddenly disappeared. Even if you ask the Theology students, no one knows what happened to him.¡± Talion¡¯s hand came to a stop. Because this was a real possibility. Thinking about Marquis Riverback¡¯s example, that person was more ruthless towards his enemies than one would expect. The odds of him crushing someone directly were quite high. ¡°There¡¯s probably a reason for it.¡± Well, still... He wouldn¡¯t do something like that for no reason. ¡°Why are you taking his side? Aren¡¯t you risking yourself with that? Everyone¡¯s determined to win.¡± ¡°...Win?¡± ¡°You know the rules for this midterm exam, right?¡± Of course, Talion was well aware of it. The highest score would go to those who reached the Sanctuary in the center of the Great Plains first within two days. There would be various beasts and monsters along the way to the Sanctuary, so one must cleverly navigate through them to reach the place. The problem was... ¡°...Are you saying that there will be a raid there?¡± During which, if one engaged in combat with another student and snatched their necklace, which was given to everyone, one would gain additional points. It might seem wicked, but this style had never changed since its establishment, following the principle of survival of the fittest on the battlefield. In some cases, this kind of exam led to concentrated attacks on certain individuals. ¡°Well, most of them seem to be fans of the Student Council President or the Hero candidate. There were quite a few of those gossiping about why that person is so close to them.¡± ¡°...¡± He was one of them. Talion picked up his spear with a wry smile. ¡°...Then, do you happen to know when and where they planned the raid?¡± ¡°Huh? Why? Are you going to join?¡± As someone who had firsthand experience of that person¡¯s power, he could say with certainty... ¡°No. I will definitely avoid it.¡± Talion replied with a smirk. ¡®I wish you poor souls good luck!¡¯ He couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how badly they would end up, as he quietly prayed for the raid /genesisforsaken Chapter 301: Astrid (1) Chapter 301: Astrid (1) Eleanor and the chancellor didn¡¯t exactly know what I was doing inside, but they seemed to have a clear idea of what kind of consequences it had. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is, please think of the consequences¡ª!¡± ¡°Your body is not only yours! Remember that there are many who are worried about you¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± How I was admonished for more than three hours as soon as I returned to our accommodation that evening proved it. Normally, they weren¡¯t on such good terms with each other, but when they were scolding me, they were in perfect sync. It was like they were passing batons to each other as they scolded me¡ªonce one of them stopped talking, the other came out to whoop my ass with her words, as if they shared a heart and a mind. ¡°...I was wrong.¡± As I muttered so in an exhausted voice, the two of them eventually calmed down their anger. How the topic shifted to something a bit more constructive proved it. ¡°...So, are you confident that you are going to win?¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor asked in a serious voice, but I had no answer to give her besides silence. [...What? You started a fight you aren¡¯t confident of winning?] No, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m not confident... It¡¯s just, I know nothing about them. Unlike in the case of my other enemies¡ªwhom I always managed to suppress since I had a bunch of information about them¡ªI knew almost nothing about the Magic Tower. Marquis Bogut probably knew more about them than I did. Although, at the very least... ¡°I know the way they¡¯d propose to decide who¡¯s going to win or not.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Professor Astrid said that their goal was to ¡®collect data¡¯, and that the more intense the situation I was in, the easier it would be to do that since I would unleash more Demonic Aura. ¡°...A fight. Probably¡± The professors would set up a ¡®stage¡¯ for me. Then, they¡¯d throw me there and get me to fight against the ¡®opponent¡¯ they had prepared. I¡¯d assume that was how it¡¯d work out. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing my words, Eleanor and the chancellor held their foreheads at the same time. ¡°...So, to summarize...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They¡¯d make you fight something they pick so that you could unleash your Demonic Aura?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ll be having a bloody fight with something that they¡ªa group who could even fight against the entire continent by themselves¡ªcreated created as a countermeasure against the ¡®Devils¡¯?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± The chancellor and Eleanor¡¯s eyes narrowed at the same time. To be fair... I¡¯ve been in this kind of situation many times and have been doing well so far. This one might sounds a little more difficult than usual, but I should be able to get by¡ª ¡°What kind of nonsense is that¡ª?!¡¯ ¡°I told you already! Please think of the consequences¡ª!¡± Just like that, another three hours of scolding ensued. This time, they didn¡¯t stop at nagging me, they also started beating me around. Fortunately, a knock saved me from such hellish nagging. ¡°Excuse me, is Dowd Campbell in there¡ª¡± A certain cyborg, who entered the room after knocking on the door, stopped his steps. As for why, well, it was because he was welcomed by a strange sight. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± . Alpha, who saw me getting cobra-twisted by both the chancellor and Eleanor, hesitated for a moment before scratching his cheek. ¡°Should I come again later?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No need to worry. I always respect others¡¯ sexual preferences¡ª¡± Seeing the scene before my eyes, yeah, I could see that. Some of these things could ruin someone¡¯s mental health just by looking at them. ¡°Even in the Magic Tower, Professor Astrid¡¯s expertise in bioengineering is on a different level. To keep such creatures alive safely is an amazing achievement.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I said brusquely while looking around. In my eyes, this felt like a mad scientist¡¯s exhibition. Only fuckers with peculiar taste could appreciate it. ¡°Well, this is the mildest one out of everyone¡¯s research building.¡± ¡°...Mild? This?¡± ¡°Yes, and you can take my word for it. At the very least, Professor Astrid has always strongly refused to use humans as her research ¡®material¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± As expected from the Magic Tower. It wouldn¡¯t be off to call this place the den of deranged motherfuckers. ¡°Also, the professor didn¡¯t do such research¡ªones that lack ethics¡ªbecause she wanted to.¡± ¡°...¡± There were two points I wanted to argue about from that. One, how was I supposed to believe that? And two, was he implying that all other professors¡ªwho he also claimed that were more horrible than this¡ªwere ¡®voluntary¡¯? ¡°...If so, this place is more trashy than expected, no?¡± ¡°What a brave remark to make in front of a Magic Tower¡¯s personnel. But, I can¡¯t deny it.¡± ¡®The Magic Tower is corrupt, Dowd Campbell. It¡¯s tainted by evil.¡¯ What Alpha had said to me when I first arrived in this place once again echoed in my mind. Meanwhile, the automatic door at the end of the hallway opened as we arrived there. Beyond that was what seemed to be like a maintenance office of the research building. I could see various control panels and electronic screens with numerical values on them. However, something stood out even among such things. ¡°...¡± Someone¡¯s ¡®body pieces¡¯ floating in a test tube¡ªI didn¡¯t even know why the fuck those were here. Eyeballs, brain, and various organs were floating inside the solution in a large container that looked like a tube. ¡°...¡± I already wasn¡¯t amused when I saw the crazy scene earlier. But this? This was on a whole different level. I felt like throwing up after seeing this. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± Hence why it was natural that I asked that to Alpha in a bit resentful voice. ¡°In the first place, the person who called me isn¡¯t even here. The nerve to call me to such a horrible place and not even being here...¡± ¡°What are you talking about? She¡¯s here.¡± ¡°...?¡± What the fuck are you on about? All I can see here are these nightmare-inducing things¡ªthese lifelike organs that seemed like they were ripped off a living human. There¡¯s no one here¡ª ¡°...¡± No way... No fucking way... Are you telling me... I stood still as I stared at these ¡®dissected pieces¡¯ before my eyes. ¡°...There¡¯s no way that¡¯s the case, right?¡± And, before Alpha even answered... The ¡®brain¡¯ inside the tube flinched. As if it was still alive. As if it ¡®processing¡¯ something. And, at the same time... Some mechanical device rolled up from the floor towards the tube. It was a speech synthesizer. As if it was made to deliver words of someone who couldn¡¯t use their voice now. -Hello, son. It was a familiar voice. The same voice that I heard from the steel giant who introduced herself as Professor Astrid. -...I¡¯m not very pleasant to look at, am I? ¡°...¡± Holy /genesisforsaken Chapter 302: Astrid (2) Chapter 302: Astrid (2) I had a lot to ask and to argue about. But the first thing I had to ask was... ¡°...How did you end up like this?¡± I asked in a trembling voice. The fact that a human was living in this kind of state was ridiculous. At the very least, I needed to know the details. ¡°Did those punks do this to you?¡± The first people that came to mind, the most likely fuckers among the ones who I knew were capable of doing such insane thing was the people of the Magic Tower themselves. -No. I did this to myself. Hearing her answer, it seemed like my guess was correct. -It seems you failed to understand. I¡¯ll make it a little clearer. It wasn¡¯t the Magic Tower who did this to me, it was me who did this to myself. ¡°...¡± Hearing her answer, my expression went blank. What the fuck...? Why would you even do something like this to your own body? -Because I would¡¯ve died if I didn¡¯t do this. Before I could even express my question out loud, she generously gave me the answer through the speech synthesizer. -My body, or rather, the ¡®human Astrid¡¯s life had ended a long time ago. I, too, would¡¯ve been dead a long time ago if I didn¡¯t forcefully extend my consciousness in such a way. ¡°...¡± -What I¡¯m saying is, hm... She continued with an awkward tone. -While yes, the people of the Magic Tower are trashy, but they aren¡¯t completely at fault for this. In the first place, I was the one who created the reason that got me into this situation. RA?NO??E?s ¡°...And what the hell is that reason?¡± -It¡¯s a secret ? ¡°...¡± This woman¡ª I glared at the talking brain before my eyes, looking exhausted. How could she be joking around in this situation? However, Astrid ignored my reaction and just continued. -In any case, I think this revelation has answered your questions to some extent. ¡°Which ones?¡± -Why hadn¡¯t I shown up until now? Why doesn¡¯t Armin know anything? ¡°...¡± -...I¡¯m sorry, but honestly, I didn¡¯t want to show you myself in this state. Hearing her saying that with a bitter tone, I held back all the words I wanted to say. All sorts of things went through my mind. I¡¯ve said this before, but I genuinely thought that this so-called mother of mine was an extremely shameless person. Because I knew how much my father missed her for all these years, and yet she suddenly popped out in front of me as if nothing had happened. However... ¡°...¡± If she was in this state... I let out a sigh. ¡°...So you¡¯re saying you can¡¯t tell me the reason you became like this?¡± -For now. She answered me firmly. -But I¡¯ll promise you one thing; Once the matter with the Magic Tower is settled, I¡¯ll tell you everything. ¡°...¡± Hearing that, I silently swept my hair. Fine, we could set that aside for now. I could try to dig into it as much as I wanted, but it was clear that she wouldn¡¯t tell me even if I were to try. Besides, there was something else that I needed to talk about first. ¡°...First, let me ask one thing.¡± Just now... She said that she ¡®couldn¡¯t tell me¡¯ the reason why she became like this, but before that, she said that it wasn¡¯t the Magic Tower¡¯s ¡®complete¡¯ fault that she had become like this. In other words... ¡°Earlier, you said that it wasn¡¯t the Magic Tower¡¯s ¡®complete¡¯ fault that you¡¯ve become like this, right?¡± -Yes? ¡°Does that mean they have a hand for your current state, even if it¡¯s just a little?¡± -Originally, the plan was to move only my important organs into a newly created artificial body. But there¡¯s someone who¡¯s blocking the process. The punk said he¡¯ll keep me in this state until I listen to what he wants. ¡°-Who?¡± Until I was satisfied. ¡°...By the way, how am I supposed to shake the aforementioned support base?¡± When I asked so, Alpha shifted his gaze towards the life-support device where Astrid¡¯s organs were stored. At that moment, the two eyeballs inside the device rolled to meet Alpha¡¯s eyes. It was such a very grotesque sight, but I could tell that these two were looking at each other awkwardly. As if they were unsure of what to say. -...That¡¯s an answer we haven¡¯t come up with. ¡°...Huh?¡± -You see, all the doctors and professors in the Magic Tower are not right in the head, so we can¡¯t come up with a good strategy to go up against them... ¡°...Are you for real...?¡± ¡°...¡± These guys are so hopeless. Fortunately, they seemed to have something in mind, as Alpha made a remark while scratching his chin. ¡°But there¡¯s a card you can use for sure.¡± ¡°A card?¡± ¡°While it¡¯s only limited to fights, you have a chance to face every researcher of the Magic Tower.¡± Alpha continued. ¡°Since you¡¯re the most important person related to the Devils, all the researchers would eagerly try to communicate with you. In other words, you¡¯d have more than enough opportunity to ¡®interact¡¯ with them.¡± ¡°Are you telling me that I¡¯d need to persuade them or whatever while doing so?¡± ¡°Yes. I believe you can make it happen.¡± ¡°...Wait.¡± There was something strange in his words, so I stopped him. I didn¡¯t know why, but for some reason, this punk was extremely confident that I¡¯d succeed in persuading these researchers. What made him so sure? ¡°Well, it¡¯s simple.¡± Alpha replied in a firm voice. ¡°Half of the researchers are female.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°They¡¯re crazy. They do bad things without hesitation. And they¡¯re women. Handling those kinds of people is your expertise, no?¡± ¡°...¡± What kind of person do you guys think I am?! -I believe in you! You can do it! You too, shut the fuck up! ¡ñ Alpha mentioned it to me a while ago. Astrid¡¯s research building¡ªwhich was filled with all kinds of twisted lifeforms¡ªwasn¡¯t that horrible compared to the others¡¯. Also... Both Alpha and Astrid had recommended a certain doctor for me to persuade first in regard to our task of destroying the Magic Tower. Doctor Borris Laitman. Since she was the person they recommended first, I thought that whatever I¡¯d need to face up against would be on the lowest possible difficulty. ¡°...¡± And they were probably right. She was indeed the one with the lowest level of difficulty. But¡ª ¡°You¡¯re telling me to fight against that?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, please! W-We can talk after that.¡± Hearing my question, she stammered from the operator seat at the very top of the colosseum where I was now. Though she looked clearly embarrassed, she still expressed her wish frankly; she wanted me to fight the thing in front of my eyes before I could have a proper talk with her. Alright. I understand that so far, but... ¡°...¡± When I turned my head around, what greeted me was... ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A ¡®huge mech dinosaur¡¯, with a laser coming out of its mouth. ¡°I-It¡¯s cool, right?! It¡¯s my number one masterpiece! As expected, no one can resist the charm of a dinosaur¡ª-!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Mecha-Giganotosaurus with super advanced specs¡ªa laser battery that could disintegrate its target to the quantum level, a giant axe that it could wield in its mouth and swing around, and a jetpack¡ª!¡± Man... The Magic Tower really isn¡¯t an easy neighborhood to pass by, /genesisforsaken Chapter 303: Borris Laitman Chapter 303: Borris Laitman A few days before the fight between Dowd Campbell with a certain giant mecha-dinosaur with a laser cannon started. Inside Professor Borris Laitman¡¯s workroom. ¡°Ehe...ehehehe...ehhehehehe...¡± The woman with disheveled hair put down a tool on her work table while letting out a laughter that displayed no dignity nor sanity. It was like a declaration that another masterpiece was about to be born under her hands. Wrench, nut, bolt, and small steel pieces. Those objects made up joints, arms, legs, and pointy teeth and tail. All of those were components to make a complete model of a ¡®dinosaur¡¯¡ªa creature that was known to have lived in the Paleozoic Era¡ªthat she was working on. Unlike the actual creature though, it was completely made of steel. ¡°So cool...¡± Her eyes were sparkling as she said so. Most of the Magic Tower Professors¡¯ knowledge in various fields were beyond the knowledge that simple ¡®great scholars¡¯ had. It was just, ¡®what¡¯ they researched on was something that was completely at their own discretion. In the case of Professor Borris, it was this. ¡°It¡¯ll be cooler if I make it bigger...¡± Her wish was so that one day... She could see the life-sized enormous steel monsters roaming around. It was a cherished dream she had always had in her heart ever since the day she fell in love at first sight with the creature called dinosaurs. As she laughed in a way that completely forsaken her dignity while daydreaming, the doorbell outside her laboratory suddenly rang. ¡°Excuse me, is Professor Borris inside?¡± ¡°...Ah, P-Professor Mobius...!¡± She called out as she got up from her seat, breaking in a cold sweat. Meeting with other Magic Tower Professors was already a high enough hurdle for her, but the hurdle of meeting this person specifically was on a whole different level. As she opened the door, the man greeted her with his usual mysterious smile that was plastered like a glass mask on his face. ¡°Is there any problem?¡± ¡°N-No! Nothing...!¡± If it wasn¡¯t obvious already, Professor Borris was extremely bad at dealing with people. What people said about how the more someone studied hard, the less sociable they were, most of the time was actually true¡ªalthough it felt almost like prejudice. Then again, it was only natural. Since they spent most of their time studying, they¡¯d have less time to meet with others. As a consequence, they had less chance to establish their place in society, as communication was an essential part of that. Nevertheless, to look at the great Magic Tower Professors with such a prejudice would be offensive to say the least. Although that rule didn¡¯t apply to a single person. Professor Borris Laitman right here. Ever since she was born, studying and researching were the only two things she had ever done in her life. Let alone romantic relationships, she never even made proper friends. ¡°...¡± As her body stiffened, and she was thrown into a fluster¡ªa natural reaction for her. Professor Mobius¡ªwho had entered her workroom¡ªstared at the mechanical dinosaur model she had made. And right after that... A disgusted look¡ªmixed with contempt¡ªflashed across his face for a moment. As if he failed to understand why she wasted her energy and mental strength in ¡®something absurd¡¯ like this. ¡°...¡± Seeing this reaction, Borris bit her lip until it bled. Indeed. She knew well how her ¡®goal¡¯ in quest for knowledge was treated. A freak¡¯s delusion, and a useless obsession. That was why she was always treated as a loner freak inside the Magic Tower. ...Even though knowledge and research are useful in itself... She believed that knowledge didn¡¯t need to have a practicality. As long as it could make people happy and enrich them... Such knowledge could just become the future and dream for someone. -It¡¯s so cool, Borris! Her mind traced back to a certain day in the past. To a certain someone who had sympathized with her... And listened to her delusional rambling with sparkling eyes. ...Professor Astrid. As she thought of that name... ¡°I came to hear your reports on your research¡¯s results for the quarter.¡± A horrible topic was brought up to Professor Borris. ¡°R-Results...?¡± Hearing Professor Mobius¡¯ words, Borris¡¯ eyes shook as she asked that question. Even though she wasn¡¯t sociable and had bad communication skills, she understood what this person was trying to say. Ever since Professor Mobius took control of the Magic Tower, all the researchers in each department had to produce a certain amount of ¡®results¡¯ for them to receive the materials needed for said research. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s looking a little dangerous for you.¡± In that sense, what he said afterward was almost like a death sentence to her. ¡°Both the previous quarter and this quarter... The mechanical engineering department you¡¯re in charge of has been showing the smallest amount of numbers in the eyes of the ¡®sponsors¡¯.¡± ¡°B-But, all the sponsors are asking for is weapons to kill people¡ª¡± ¡°They, Professor Boris, are people we should be grateful for. After all, they¡¯re the ones who willingly funded the Magic Tower¡¯s research. Hence why we should repay them in kind.¡± ¡°...¡± Knowledge... Isn¡¯t supposed to be used in things like that! Professor Borris¡¯ body trembled as she struggled to say her next words. ¡°...¡± But, there was a problem. She had to crush such a man with her own hands. And she had picked the most terrible invention of hers as this man¡¯s opponent for the upcoming ¡®experiment¡¯. ¡°By the way...¡± As she was having such thoughts, Dowd suddenly approached her. ¡°Your expression turned dark since earlier. What happened?¡± ¡°Huh? O-Oh?!¡± Surprised, Borris bent her body backward the best she could. As someone who never had a friend, let alone a lover, for a member of the opposite sex coming up so close to her was an extremely unfamiliar experience. Blood rushed up to her face. Her head felt as if it was boiling. ¡°N-Nothing! I-I¡¯ve always worn that kind of dark expression¡ª!¡± ¡°I know what kind of words have been hurled at you.¡± Seeing her reaction, Dowd calmly backed off and continued. ¡°That punk Mobius had said so many nasty things to you, right? ¡°...¡± ¡°Professor Astrid told me that you aren¡¯t someone who¡¯d want to cooperate with him.¡± ¡°...¡± Borris¡¯ lips moved slightly. His words were spot on. However, how could she disobey Mobius? She already knew very well what would happen to her if she did. In the first place... That was why... She was about to corner him into a dangerous place she had created with her own hands. As her eyes trembled from such thoughts... At that moment... ¡°No worries, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll endure whatever you¡¯ve prepared.¡± He said in a light voice. ¡°...Hm...?¡± W-Where did he get all that confidence from? As she thought so while looking at him... ¡°In return, promise me one thing.¡± ¡°P-Promise?¡± ¡°If I succeed in overcoming your experiment, spend a day with me.¡± ¡°...¡± To that, Borris was left speechless. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly. ¡°...Why...?¡± ¡°So that I can seduce you.¡± ¡°...¡± That response only worsened her reaction. J-Just what... W-What the heck is he on about?! ¡°...W-Why¡ªI-I mean, what the heck do you mean...?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this thoroughly. This is the second time I got genuinely angry at someone like this. I¡¯ve ripped apart the first punk that got me this angry, but I can¡¯t do that this time, so I¡¯m a little bit frustrated...¡± What is he even talking about...? As Borris thought so while blinking her eyes... ¡°So I¡¯ve made an estimation to see when I can achieve that goal of mine.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I think it¡¯ll take approximately five days.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And for that to happen, I¡¯d have to seduce you first, Professor.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Was that a bit hard to understand?¡± To that, Borris passionately, with such intensity... Nodded her head. Seeing that, Dowd Campbell stroked his chin while making a ¡®Hm¡¯ sound. He seemed to not understand why she didn¡¯t understand. ¡°So, what I¡¯m saying is, I¡¯ll beat the bastard called Professor Mobius to death in five days.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°To do that, I¡¯d need your help, Professor. I need you to fall in love with me first¡ª¡± ¡°...¡± Even after that explanation... She still didn¡¯t understand what he was talking about. Everything just didn¡¯t make any sense for her. However, Borris knew one thing for sure. Ah... This man... Was way crazier than Mobius in a /genesisforsaken Chapter 304: Experiment (1) Chapter 304: Experiment (1) And, after going through all that, now... ¡ª¡ª!! ¡°...¡± I let out a sigh as I watched the giant monster spewing lasers in front of me. Honestly, it does look cool, but... ¡°...It doesn¡¯t seem to have that killer instinct, does it?¡± [Tell me about it.] Taking this thing down wouldn¡¯t be particularly difficult. If she was seriously trying to kill me, I¡¯d imagine that she could come up with something a hell lot more creative. ¡°...Ten minutes max to finish this?¡± [That¡¯s rather generous.] Even Caliban, who usually enjoyed criticizing me, agreed. The laser it spewed from its mouth was powerful, but honestly, considering what I¡¯ve faced so far, I had a better chance dying from biting my tongue than getting hit by something like that. ¡°...¡± ...Which meant... ...Borris Laitman deliberately held back when making this. No professor at the Magic Tower, no matter how incompetent, would design something this impractical for actual combat. I glanced at the control room located in the upper part of this dome. Since the Demonic Aura collection thing wasn¡¯t just Professor Mobius¡¯ pet project, the other professors had all flocked together for this first demonstration. ¡°...¡± My brows furrowed slightly at the situation I could vaguely see inside the control room. I hadn¡¯t gained perfect vision to clearly observe the scene inside. But even without ¡®Desperation¡¯ active, I could sense the tension radiating from the observation deck. You¡¯d just need a degree of social awareness to read the atmosphere, no need to use any special abilities or whatever. ¡°Seems like she¡¯s getting chewed out, no? [...It seems so.] Caliban let out a sigh, agreeing with me. In that deck, there were Astrid, in her usual robotic form, and Borris, who was looking around nervously with an anxious expression. Next to them, Professor Mobius was standing there imposingly. I could see him occasionally barking something at Borris. I didn¡¯t know what he was saying, but given how Borris¡¯ face grew paler every time that happened, it was obvious to tell what was going on. ¡°...¡± Hmmm... This Borris fellow... She didn¡¯t seem like a bad person when I talked to her, so watching Professor Mobius¡ªwho was irritating just to look at¡ªberating her made me twice as annoyed than I should. -W-We¡¯ll begin the experiment now... P-Please move to the designated position. A timid voice announced over the intercom. Her voice that was lacking in confidence to begin with, was even more subdued than usual. Following those instructions, I slowly walked towards the laser-spewing robot dinosaur. ¡°...Alright, time to blow up some steam.¡± As I muttered so, a question came from inside the Soul Linker. [What are you planning?] ¡°They said they wanted to see some Demonic Aura, so I¡¯ll just show them that.¡± [....That¡¯s it?] ¡°What else should I do?¡± [I thought you¡¯re going to do something batshit insane again. Like when you said you¡¯d take that guy¡¯s head in five days or whatever.] ¡°If I were to do that, my so-called mother¡¯s life would be gone in a flash.¡± I mustn¡¯t forget the original purpose of why I was doing all this. The ultimate goal was to destroy Mobius¡¯ ¡®authority¡¯ that held Astrid¡¯s lifeline. After that, I¡¯d drag that motherfucker down to hell and save who needed to be saved. With that in mind I couldn¡¯t just utilize an overly extreme method at once. To summarize, there were two main approaches to destroy that guy¡¯s authority. First, give those people something Professor Mobius couldn¡¯t. Second, show them that Professor Mobius wasn¡¯t as impressive as they thought. And I planned to do both. Conveniently, all the other professors were here to act as the audience. Thinking that, I rubbed my lips with my fingers. ¡°Caliban.¡± [Yeah?] ¡°You¡¯ve heard about the Magic Tower¡¯s structure, haven¡¯t you?¡± This was the thing they briefed me on before the experiment started. What located where, who invented what¡ªthose trivial little details. Out of all that, I memorize just one thing. The parts that motherfucker Mobius was involved in. [...] While I was thinking that, I heard Caliban started to chuckle. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± [Nothing. I just realized that I had been unnecessarily worrying about you.] ¡°...Huh?¡± One could say that she was the last professor who was maintaining some semblance of humanity. And it wasn¡¯t hard to tell how that kind of person was treated in the Magic Tower. As Professor Mobius continued his verbal assaults, everyone around was just looking around in boredom, not a single one of them tried to intervene or mediate. In this insane situation where human morality seemed to have been thrown into the gutter, Borris was the only one who sensed something off with this place and attempted a timid rebellion. ...Alpha. Astrid clenched her fists while looking at the cyborg standing impassively beside her. While yes, she had expected things to unfold this way. It was this cyborg here who strongly insisted that everything would be fine regardless. He said that, if they were to leave everything to that man, everything would be fine, showing confidence that even she, his mother, couldn¡¯t muster. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry much, Doctor.¡± And as if he had read her mind, Alpha, who¡¯d been silent until now, suddenly spoke. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°There is one thing I¡¯m absolutely certain of after observing him for so long.¡± ¡°Certain?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± While this conversation was taking place. Inside the dome, a strange phenomenon was occuring. ¡°...Wait, is that Demonic Aura?¡± ¡°Yeah. Is he finally bringing it out? The color is Purple. ¡± The professors exchange such whispers. Indeed, a Purple Aura was emanating from Dowd¡¯s body, even though he wasn¡¯t having much trouble fighting the dinosaur. But, of all colors, why Purple ? As far as Astrid knew, the Demonic Aura¡¯s ability was to dramatically amplify the energy of whatever it was that it contacted. There was absolutely no reason to pull out something that would essentially supercharge your opponent¡¯s power. After all, you wouldn¡¯t want to make your enemy stronger. Seeing this, something like a smile flashed across Alpha¡¯s face. ¡°That man... While he¡¯s called trash in various ways, there¡¯s one particular area where he excels at.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°When it comes to enacting revenge against those who pissed him off, he¡¯s absolutely merciless.¡± Before she could ask what he meant... At that moment... Dowd¡¯s Demonic Aura made contact with the robot dinosaur¡¯s laser beam. And then... -!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ¡°UWWAAAAAAAGH-!¡± ¡°W-What the FUCK-!¡± Screams erupted from the surroundings. The dinosaur¡¯s laser bombardment, ¡®amplified¡¯ by Dowd, was spreading like crazy, almost ¡®splitting¡¯ the magically reinforced dome in two. Naturally, the control room above was also affected. Explosion and vibration soon followed one after another. ¡°...What...!¡± ¡°H-How can such power come from that piece of junk...!¡± No one expected such a result would come out as soon as the thing came into contact with Demonic Aura. Hence why they reacted that way. But then, the professors who had uttered those words realized something and their expression instantly hardened. ¡°...¡± ¡°...Um, Professor Mobius...?¡± Until just a moment ago, he had been dismissing Professor Borris¡¯ creation as nothing more than a toy. It mattered not if it was touched by the Demonic Aura. This kind of result would definitely deal a significant blow to his¡ªProfessor Mobius¡¯ massive ego. But, before anyone could voice their concern... ¡°Ah.¡± At that moment... The source of all the chaos, Dowd, slowly spoke up. ¡°Not sure who built this dome, but they sure did a reaaally fucking terrible job.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°They said that it was safe, so I trusted them, but dude, it got wrecked in one hit? Seriously?¡± ¡°...¡± As a vein rose on Professor Mobius¡¯s face... ¡°Honestly...¡± Dowd¡¯s lips curled into a smirk as he casually tossed out another line. ¡°The person who made this dinosaur seems like a much better scientist, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This thing is way harder to deal with, you know?¡± Everyone could hear the sound of Professor Mobius grinding his /genesisforsaken Chapter 306: Experiment (3) Chapter 306: Experiment (3) The slums were always enveloped with a gray and lifeless atmosphere. Dark, grimy alleyways, vagrants, sewage, the foul odor seeping from every corner, and the gloomy air radiating from those who sold their future to survive another day. Anyone with common sense would avoid a place like this, and even those with an unusual sense of curiosity wouldn¡¯t easily consider strolling through such an area. In that regard... ¡°...My lady, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll find anyone suitable in a place like this.¡± The person those words were directed to was clearly someone who rarely encountered such a place. It was a well-built man who said such words to a young girl walking ahead of him. Just a single glance was enough to tell that she was from a wealthy background. Considering the class difference, it was obvious that most people living in this street would likely never encounter someone like her in their lifetime. The man¡¯s words were likely out of concern, as just walking around here could expose someone like her to all sorts of threats. ¡°Don¡¯t be so dull.¡± Her response came immediately. As if his words weren¡¯t even worth considering. ¡°Dad said I could pick whoever I wanted, no?¡± ¡°My lady, you don¡¯t have to come to a place like this to find suitable candidates for your ¡®personal guard¡¯. There are plenty of¡ª¡± ¡°A personal guard is someone that has to be around me 24/7. The thing that matters is that we could get along well. I¡¯m not interested in someone who¡¯s just after Dad¡¯s money.¡± ¡°...¡± If anything, those from the slums would be the most desperate for such opportunities. He didn¡¯t get why she needed to come here to search for candidates. Although he thought this, he didn¡¯t voice it out. He knew all too well about her eccentricity, and it was unlikely he could change her mind at this point. Besides, he didn¡¯t have the right to say anything, as he was in this job because of her parents¡¯ money. ¡®Maybe she¡¯s just craving some real human warmth,¡¯ the man chuckled inwardly. ¡°Oi.¡± Probably because he was lost in his thoughts, the man¡¯s reaction came a little delayed. A boy, sitting against a wall, wearing nothing more than a bundle of rags, called out to them. ¡°...¡± The man frowned.@@@@ It wasn¡¯t just the boy¡¯s sudden appearance that bothered him. ...There¡¯s something upsetting about his eyes. They were empty. These were the pair of eyes that one would see in people who were alive simply because they hadn¡¯t yet died. While the man frowned with an inexplicable discomfort, the boy spoke again with a hoarse voice. ¡°Can I do that?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± The girl asked in a flat tone to the boy¡¯s words. He had interrupted their conversation out of nowhere which was strange enough, but the fact that she replied so nonchalantly was just as strange. The bodyguard¡¯s frown deepened as the boy continued with an unhurried voice. ¡°Becoming your personal guard.¡± ¡°...¡± The girl paused, then gave a faint smile. ¡°Are you confident you¡¯ll be useful?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°How are you going to prove it?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m pretty sure I can do the job better than the guy next to you.¡± ¡°...What bull¡ª¡± Before the guard could finish his scoffing remark. The boy moved like lightning. In an instant, the street urchin had snatched the gun from his side holster and pointed it at his face. ¡°Bang.¡± ¡°...¡± He didn¡¯t pull the trigger. But the man¡¯s expression froze. In that moment, it really felt as if he had truly died. ¡°You should always stay on guard. You got caught cuz you let your guard down.¡± He could have reacted if he had really tried. The boy¡¯s movements were fast, but the man was a trained professional. However, the boy was right, he had been too complacent. He never even considered that the boy could move so decisively. As the man stood stiffly, the boy calmly tucked the gun back into the man¡¯s belt. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do better cuz I¡¯m hungry.¡± His voice was thin, hoarse, and cracked. I only asked for a few things, so it shouldn¡¯t have been too difficult. First, to confirm that the ¡®safety net¡¯ used in the previous experiment with Professor Borris was in place. It was a device meant to keep me from dying no matter how bad things would get. Second, to confirm the full list of professors participating in today¡¯s experiment. And lastly, to prepare this thing I was currently holding. ¡°What the hell are you planning to do with that?¡± Alpha pointed at the box¡ªwhich was filled with random everyday objects¡ªin my hands. No, I wasn¡¯t kidding, it really was filled with a bunch of random stuff. Cards, a screwdriver, a drinking cup, a ladle...things like that. ¡°They¡¯ll all come in handy¡± ¡°...¡± It seemed like Alpha was about to say something but he gave up halfway and let out a deep sigh instead. As if saying, ¡®I¡¯ll just assume that you know what you¡¯re doing...¡¯ ¡°...It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, but you¡¯d better not get too confident.¡± To that, I just shrugged in response. Of course, he was right. I had to keep my guards up at all times. Getting ahead of myself was how I¡¯d get myself killed. As we walked, eventually, we... [Ah, you finally arrived.] Reached the massive dome¡ªsimilar to the one I¡¯d seen before¡ªand a voice echoed through the loudspeaker above us. [Get into position, Subject. This time, we¡¯ve added some extra precautions for control purposes¡ª] ¡°I won¡¯t be using Demonic Aura.¡± [...] Hearing my calm interruption that cut through his sentence, Klein immediately fell silent. He probably hadn¡¯t expected me to say that right off the bat. Not that it mattered anyway. ¡°It¡¯s weird since the whole point of this farce is to monitor my Demonic Aura, but...¡± The goal of the experiment was for them to collect data on my Demonic Aura, supposedly, but they decided to seal that away just to mess with me, which was dumb, honestly. Well, either way worked for me. ¡°Just to be sure, I¡¯ll cooperate with the restrictions. Feel free to suppress the Demonic Aura or whatever. However, in exchange, you¡¯ll have to let me use...these.¡± Saying that, I shook the box once to make it rattle. The items inside were obviously just some harmless junk. [...What are you trying to pull?] ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. I¡¯m just asking to use these.¡± I glanced up at the observation deck where Professor Mobius was watching, then turned my gaze back to Professor Klein, who seemed equally bewildered. And then... I dumped the contents of the box onto the floor. The random items scattered everywhere, and I scanned them calmly. Hmm, which one should I use? What about this? This would be perfect to ¡®start¡¯. Thinking that, I picked up the cup used for drinking water. ¡°First, I¡¯ll start with this.¡± Silence enveloped the room. They clearly had no idea what I was on about. After a long pause, Professor Klein spoke in a dumbfounded voice. [What?] ¡°Since this is a combat-type experiment, you must have prepared some kind of opponent for me, right? I¡¯m saying I¡¯m going to kill it with this.¡± [...With a cup?] ¡°Yes.¡± [...] ¡°Whatever it is that you prepared for me, this should be more than enough.¡± Once again, silence. Except this time it lasted a bit longer. And then... [...INTERESTING.] I could just see veins popping on Professor Klein¡¯s forehead from all the way here. Here we go. The first step to kill your opponent. Piss the hell out of /genesisforsaken Chapter 307: Arrangement (1) Chapter 307: Arrangement (1) Creating weapons required more effort than one might think. Physics, thermodynamics, chemistry... While yes, most of the theory behind it was borrowed from established research in other fields such as the ones mentioned above, actually synthesizing all that knowledge to produce a finished product ultimately fell on the researcher themselves. It wasn¡¯t something that anyone could just do. Considering that, it was no wonder that Professor Klein prided himself in his work so much. [...What did you just say?] The moment he heard Dowd Campbell¡¯s declaration, Professor Klein¡¯s voice turned ice-cold. Though he usually put on a shameless front, Professor Klein was still a researcher who was proud of his creations. Hearing his works being belittled like that was bound to get under his skin. ¡°Nothing.¡± Regardless... Dowd¡ªthe one who had thrown the insult¡ªdidn¡¯t even bat an eye before he continued. Because in his eyes, Klein¡¯s so-called ¡®pride¡¯ was something that was built on data harvested out of living people. He didn¡¯t feel the need to show him any respect whatsoever. ¡°I just told you, for these pieces of junk you¡¯ve created, this is more than enough.¡± [...] Professor Klein¡¯s face twitched. After his conversation with Professor Mobius, he hadn¡¯t planned to hold back to begin with, but it seemed like the little shit down there had a knack for digging his own grave deeper. [Have it your way.] People often said that extreme anger could sometimes leave you feeling eerily calm. Judging by the look on Professor Klein¡¯s face, it seemed like that statement wasn¡¯t far from the truth. He was seething with a strange calmness as he let out that dry reply while slamming the red button on the control panel. Immediately after, a gate within the dome slid open, and a cyborg armed to the teeth for close combat stepped out. While it was smaller than the ¡®Astral Realm¡¯s Automatons, this had been developed for the sole purpose of killing humans. Its entire body was powered by transistors and hydraulic pistons crafted from rare metals, all linked through a complex network of circuits for remote control. As a result, it could potentially move at terrifying speeds¡ªclose to the speed of sound. Considering that Dowd¡¯s ¡®Demonic Aura¡¯ had been sealed, it was more than capable to slice him to pieces before he could even take a single breath. In theory, at least. ¡°¡ªHaaa.¡± Dowd let out a deep sigh. ¡ªAh, here we go again. Watching from the control room, Alpha couldn¡¯t help but snort at Dowd¡¯s blatant disregard. He had always known that Dowd could be a bit of an asshole, but right now the man¡¯s whole body was oozing with an atmosphere that seemed to aim to piss the other person off on purpose. Alpha glanced at Professor Klein. It was clear the guy had moved past anger to bewilderment at Dowd¡¯s behavior. After all, the cyborg that was marching toward Dowd was clearly no random machine. ¡°...You sure put quite the effort into this.¡± ¡°All that budget-begging really paid off, huh¡ª?¡± Though their tones weren¡¯t friendly by any means, even the professors in the control room agreed that the cyborg was no pushover. And yet, that guy... Why isn¡¯t he reacting at all?! Alpha inwardly chuckled again as he read Professor Klein¡¯s expression. That was probably the question that he was asking in his mind. ...But still. He didn¡¯t underestimate Klein. All things considered, the guy was still a professor of the Magic Tower. People who had risen to such a position definitely had the skills and talents to back it up. But, just as what Dowd had said... ¡®Arrogance can bring down even the strongest fortress.¡¯ These people had spent so much time looking up, that they¡¯d likely skipped over analyzing Dowd Campbell¡¯s abilities in detail. They probably assumed that without his Demonic Aura, he¡¯d have nothing left. And of course, they were completely wrong. And the scene unfolding before their eyes was proof of that. ¡°¡ªThat motherless son of a bitc¡ª!¡± ¡°...Technically, I am that kid¡¯s mother.¡± ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!¡± ¡°...¡± Astrid just plugged her ears and shut her mouth. Although a torrent of blasphemous curses endlessly came out of Klein¡¯s mouth, she found it more amusing to see his mental state crumble than getting angry at his insults. ¡°Next, let¡¯s try these scissors.¡± The high-tech humanoid cyborg was sliced up with a pair of scissors as if it was paper. ¡°Next, this iron.¡± Watching him pound a nanomachine swarm to death with an iron was almost like watching metaphysical horror. ¡°Next, this spatula.¡± While the sight of him taking down a massive bio-mutant with a spatula was... ...Uh, how did he even do that again? ¡°He¡¯s my son alright, but seriously, how does he do it?¡± ¡°...Even if you¡¯re asking me that, Professor, how am I supposed to know that?¡± As that peaceful conversation went on, Klein¡¯s breakdown worsened by the second. Initially, the other professors, including Mobius, were looking at him with contempt and scorn, thinking that this all happened because he was just unprepared. But now, they were looking at him with pity. After all, seeing your life¡¯s work¡ªmasterpieces that you poured your blood, sweat, and soul into¡ªdestroyed by such trivial objects would be enough to make anyone lose their mind. Case on point was Professor Klein. At first, he had been cursing like no tomorrow, but now he was reduced to let out voices that were similar to that of a beast¡¯s cries. So much so that... [YOU INHUMAN MOTHERFUCKER! STOP! STOP IT-! FIGHT PROPERLY ALREADY, YOU FUUUUCCCCKK-!] He had lost it completely. At this point, he was practically begging Dowd to fight him for real. Unfortunately, the problem was that the opponent was this era¡¯s pure human trash who would blatantly ignore such pleas. ¡°But I am?¡± A wicked smile spread across Dowd¡¯s face as he continued to bash the bio-synthetic creature with his greenish bloodstained spatula. His expression seemed to say, ¡®Even if I¡¯m not, what can you do, hm?¡¯. ¡°If I¡¯m losing it would be one thing, but as you can see, I still win while doing this!¡± [You...! You son of a bitch, I¡¯m going to tear you apa¡ª!] ¡°The only things being torn apart are these crude creations of yours.¡± While cackling, Dowd continued to smack the mutant with his spatula. It was almost pitiful watching Klein¡¯s ambitious creation¡ªwhich could cause calamity if they were to be sent to the outside world¡ªcrying miserably with each swing of the spatula... ¡°Although...¡± Just as Professor Klein was about to lose his mind and bash his head against the window, Dowd spoke up. ¡°If you listen to my proposal, I might just do what you want.¡± ¡°...! Professor Klein!¡± Mobius shouted, a frown appeared in his face. That¡¯s no good. Whatever it is, he shouldn¡¯t listen to what the opponent has to say. I have a bad feeling. This could only end in a disaster for him. That shout was probably filled with such thoughts, but there was no way that his inward thoughts would reach Professor Klein¡¯s ears, whose eyes had already rolled back in anger. [Just spit it out! Stop that nonsense right now!] Hearing Klein¡¯s answer, a dark smile spread across Dowd¡¯s face. It was the darkest smile he had ever let out yet. ¡°Good.¡± That muttering was probably only heard by Caliban, who was watching everything unfolding from inside the Soul Linker that was wrapped around his /genesisforsaken Chapter 308: Arrangement (2) Chapter 308: Arrangement (2) Honestly, it wasn¡¯t a particularly grand proposal. My ultimate goal was to kill Mobius¡ªwho was standing right over there. Everything I had been doing here was just another ¡®stepping stone¡¯ toward that goal. You could say that, it also served as a warning. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, really.¡± [Then just spit it out already¡ª!] ¡°I have some data I¡¯d like to collect from a professor of the Magic Tower myself. I¡¯d like to conduct my own ¡®experiment¡¯. Would you mind cooperating with that?¡± It was an absurd request. For me¡ªthe test subject¡ªto ask him to come down here was strange enough, let alone telling him that I¡¯d be collecting data on him. But as the saying went: When someone got really, really angry, they became unable to think rationally. At this point, he would probably agree to anything if it meant getting me to stop. [Just stay right there!] Before Mobius could burst into a furious roar, Klein, who was clutching the megaphone, stomped down from the control room. I watched him descend the elevator while continuing speaking with a smile plastered on my face. ¡°Professor Klein.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard you have done lots of research on the human¡¯s brain.¡± This was something that Alpha had told me. While he had developed numerous weapons¡ªsupposedly to curry favor with Mobius¡ªhis primary field of study was the brain. The problem was that he had killed quite a lot of people by experimenting on living humans¡¯ brains to test out his own unique theories. Since that was the case, I figured that it¡¯d be fair to pay him back for that. ¡®Well, isn¡¯t that convenient?¡¯ [...What is?] ¡®That his field of study just happened to be the brain?¡¯ [What kind of fucked up plan are you up to this time...?] While having this conversation with Caliban in the Soul Linker, I calmly spoke up. ¡°Can you promise me one thing?¡± ¡°Hurry up and say it! What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll fully cooperate with my experiment, right? No matter what the results are?¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense are you asking about? As a researcher, of course I would¡ª¡± ¡°Good enough for me.¡± I cut him off before he could continue his angry rant. Perfect. He said it himself, didn¡¯t he? No one could complain anymore after this, right? ¡°I want to find out how much physical trauma the human brain can withstand.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Before Professor Klein¡¯s baffled voice even finished echoing through the space... A single punch¡ªone strengthened to the extreme¡ªwas driven into his skull. The force I unleashed wasn¡¯t much different from when I crushed Count Nicholas¡¯ head. The sound of his pulverized skull rolling on the floor echoed through the room. ¡°Ack.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Well, you see... I figured it was a fitting experiment to conduct on someone who had killed countless people for his ¡®research¡¯. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s gonna die from this anyway, no? They told me that the whole point of this experiment was to torment me without actually killing me. Which meant, he shouldn¡¯t die from just this much. ¡°...Wow.¡± Watching Klein¡¯s body convulsing on the floor even with his head blown apart, I couldn¡¯t help but frown. The pain had likely exceeded the threshold and he was going into shock. The uncontrollable convulsions and trembling were almost pitiful to watch. How he was even alive, or still feeling anything, was beyond me. I guess it was true that highly advanced science was indistinguishable from magic. These cock-suckers probably would have laughed and enjoyed themselves while doing this to me. That was why, one could say that... I was just returning their ¡®gift¡¯ back to them. This was exactly what they had planned to do to me. As I said earlier... This was a ¡®warning¡¯. A pretty good one if I may say so myself. ¡°...¡± I chuckled while glancing up at Professor Mobius, who was sitting silently in the control room. He wasn¡¯t a fool. There was no way he didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind my actions. Don¡¯t play with such obvious tricks, or you¡¯ll die. That was probably how it could be summarized. I could see his face contorting even from all the way here. Must be feeling pretty bad, huh? [...He¡¯s probably feeling even worse than you expected.] Well, that would be better then. It seemed Caliban wasn¡¯t exaggerating, as Mobius suddenly stood up. Oho. Unlike Klein, who came down with the elevator normally, this guy used a rather extraordinary movement. As he swung what seemed like a baton¡ªthe same one that he always carried in his hand¡ªsome kind of ¡®portal¡¯ appeared in front of him, and he stepped through it. No magic was involved; it was purely a product of advanced technology. In an instant, Mobius emerged from a tear in the space before me. His gaze was as cold as ever as he spoke. ¡°...I could take this as a declaration of war against the Magic Tower, Dowd Campbell.¡± ¡°You said that but it¡¯s okay for you to try to kill me under the guise of collecting data on Demonic Aura?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop playing games, shall we?¡± As I said that with a smirk, Mobius flicked his baton again. A blue barrier was forming around us. ¡°People outside won¡¯t be able to hear what we¡¯re discussing here.¡± As the barrier activated, Mobius spoke again in a low voice. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°...¡± I looked at him silently and scratched my cheek. ¡°...And why are you asking that?¡± ¡°Because this matter still could be resolved peacefully.¡± He continued with an emotionless tone. ¡°My objective is to continue research on the amount of Demonic Aura you can utilize. I admit that my methods so far have been extreme, so I apologize for that. If you have any requests, I¡¯ll do my best to accommodate them.¡± ¡°...¡± Oho? Ohohoho? Now, this was a completely unexpected response. I fully expected him to have another outburst here. I thought that he¡¯d threaten me or issue some kind of ultimatum or something. But he actually apologized and told me that he was willing to meet my demands? What a nice and accommodating guy. But... You see... ¡°Do I look like an idiot to you?¡± I calmly said those words to the fucker in front of me. Mobius narrowed his eyes. ¡°You and I both know that you¡¯re the type of person who¡¯d dispose of anyone who has outlived their usefulness once you achieve your goals. Let¡¯s not play dumb here.¡± ¡°¡ªIf you hear me out, even you might find my objectives reasona¡ª¡° ¡°Honestly, I could give you all the data or whatever you want, as long as you made it worth my while.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But...¡± My voice dropped. ¡°You messed with the people around me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°At that point, I couldn¡¯t care less about your goals or whatever anymore.¡± Unless he was a complete idiot, it was impossible that someone as sharp as him was unaware that Astrid and I were trying to overthrow him. Despite that, he still continued with this ¡®experiment¡¯. Not only that, even when I was deliberately provoking him this much, he was taking a submissive stance instead. This all pointed to one conclusion: The research on Demonic Aura was really, really, really important to this guy. You could tell just by the fact that he hadn¡¯t immediately blown Profesor Astrid¡¯s head off, despite my uncooperative attitude. ¡°Still, there¡¯s still one thing that I want.¡± And... That was why... It was possible for me to bring forward a rather interesting proposal. ¡°The world is full of people who think what they¡¯re doing is justified. Trying to convince them otherwise is a waste of time, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°What are you getting at?.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying we should cut the pleasantries. There¡¯s no way we can come to an agreement with each other anyway.¡± Listening to a villain¡¯s monologue was just as tiresome for me as it was for him. Rather than continuing to waste each other¡¯s time, it was better for both of us to lay everything on the table. ¡°Give me a chance to settle this with you directly, Professor Mobius.¡± Mobius let out a hollow laugh. He must have instantly grasped what I was getting at. ¡°Are you suggesting a duel?¡± ¡°Do whatever you want. I don¡¯t expect you to play fair, anyway. Go ahead, set up whatever twisted scenario you want to try and defeat me. However...¡± I continued calmly. ¡°You need to be willing to take a hit yourself. That¡¯s my only condition.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Feel free to use anything in the Magic Tower, bring everything you¡¯ve got. If I lose, I¡¯ll cooperate with you unconditionally. If you don¡¯t trust me, I¡¯ll even sign one of those creepy ¡®soul-binding contracts¡¯ of yours.¡± ¡°And, if I lose?¡± Is there a need to ask that? I grinned before replying. ¡°Then I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Too bad that I can only do it once.¡± Of course. When I got to it, I¡¯d definitely do it properly. Even if it was just once, I¡¯d make the whole thing satisfying enough. No one could touch my family and get away unscathed. ¡°...¡± Mobius let out a scornful laugh. In his eyes... Right now, I... Was all by myself. I had nothing. And I did what was practically the equivalent of declaring a war on the Magic Tower. But he¡¯d definitely accept it. I knew that already. That was why I went along with this ridiculous experiment or whatnot in the first place. ¡°Of course, if you prefer that I keep on toying with your fellow professors, I can work with that too. It¡¯s just a matter of how long do you want me to keep humiliating you anyway.¡± The truth was, Mobius maintained control over the Magic Tower through the group¡¯s unique nature, and through fear. But if I kept on winning every confrontation, the longer it went on, the weaker his control would become. After a long silence... ¡°...Dowd Campbell.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯d better watch that arrogance of yours.¡± With that, he dismissed the blue barrier. ¡°The saying that arrogance brings down the strongest fortress doesn¡¯t only apply to us.¡± Then, with those words. He opened another portal and vanished. ¡°...¡± Haaa... With this, I got it. The chance to deal with that motherfucker. [...But.] As I kept my gaze on Mobius¡¯ retreating figure, a voice came through the Soul Linker [How do you plan to handle this?] Hmm? [This is the Magic Tower, dude. Up until now, you¡¯ve gotten by with your tricks, but this time, the head of the tower himself will be coming after you for real. It¡¯s a completely different matter. With their technology, they¡¯ll probably even seal off your Demonic Aura before coming for you.] That could happen, yeah. One of my main combat advantages would likely be blocked. But... I still got something left to use. Uhh, let¡¯s see... It should be waiting for me back at my quarters by now. [...Was there something that amazing in your place?] Of course. My trump card that even the Magic Tower must have overlooked. ¡ñ ¡°...Dowd.¡± Chancellor Sullivan called out in an incredulous voice. This was her reaction to the words I had just said. Her entire body was shaking. ¡°...What did you just say...?¡± Hmmm. Maybe she didn¡¯t quite catch the term. Tilting my head, I repeat myself. ¡°Let¡¯s become one, Chancellor.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It might hurt a little at first, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll workout somehow.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, her body went /genesisforsaken Chapter 309: Observation (1) Chapter 309: Observation (1) Chancellor Sullivan was quite upset. There were several reasons for it. The Magic Tower was a completely unfamiliar environment to her. She was summoned here as the representative of the empire, but she spent most of her time doing nothing. It was the first time that she, as the chancellor of the empire, had been treated like an ¡®outsider¡¯ like this, so she couldn¡¯t help but feel upset over that. However, the biggest reason why she felt that way, was none other than... ...Why hasn¡¯t that man asked for my help?! With her cheeks all puffed up, Chancellor Sullivan tapped her folded arms with a displeased expression. As expected from someone who always brought trouble around wherever he went, she could tell that all sorts of troubles were about to happen again around him. But, the difference this time was the fact that she was completely outside of the course of those events. ...I don¡¯t even know where that man went to and what he¡¯s doing right now. Lady Tristan, who was supposed to accompany her in this boredom, was called by Professor Astrid and hadn¡¯t been coming out of her place for a few days. Which left her all alone in their accommodation without anything to do but sulk for days. ¡°Chancellor!¡± But that was the end of it. Just right before she was about to drown in her depression again, Dowd had burst the door open and entered her room. As her eyes widened, Dowd strode towards her and held her shoulders tightly. ¡°...Eh?¡± Sullivan let out that voice, stunned. She noticed the burning spirit in his eyes¡ªthe same look he often had whenever he was dead set on going through with one of his plans. ¡°Let¡¯s become one!¡± ¡°...¡± However, she couldn¡¯t understand what the fuck he meant by those words. She blinked her eyes, her face looked as if she was losing half her mind. ¡°...P-Pardon mee¡ª?!¡± And after she managed to realize the meaning behind his words, her face flushed in an instant. Such words usually had an explicit meaning. Specifically, it meant sexual intercourse between a man and a woman¡ª ...No, pull yourself together, Sullivan! She barely managed to suppress her imagination that was about to go wild in her head before she closed her eyes and pressed her temples. It¡¯s him that we¡¯re talking about. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d make such a request to a woman first no matter what... ¡°What do you mean by that¡ª¡± ¡°I mean literally what I said. I want to become one with you!¡± ¡°...¡± Sullivan took a deep breath. Thanks to the data she had accumulated for years, she could throw him her next question that was filled with distrust. ¡°Can you please explain in detail?¡±¡± ¡°...Have I not explained enough?¡± ¡°...¡± What am I supposed to think of it if you think that¡¯s all there is to it to your explanation?! As she thought so, Dowd made a ¡®Hm¡¯ sound and continued in an annoyed manner. As if he wondered if he had to even explain this. ¡°Uh, Chancellor, you regressed from the future, no?¡± ¡°...¡± Of course... Though he brought such a topic up with such an attitude... A topic that was like a landmine, that would require a deep understanding between the two of them, she wasn¡¯t feeling upset at all. ¡°...¡± Instead, she just stared at him with widened eyes. Fortunately, this man was aware that bringing that topic out of the blue without any context or explanation wasn¡¯t okay at all. ¡°You knew roughly where and how I¡¯d be in danger of dying, and most of all...¡± He continued before he embraced her tightly with no change in his expression. ¡°...!¡± It happened so quickly, she hadn¡¯t even recognized what was happening. She had no time to even show a sentimental reaction like blushing or being shy. Actually, even if she had the time to, it would¡¯ve been hard to feel something romantic from this. Because she could feel ¡®something¡¯ that was sleeping inside her body reacted to the Seal on Dowd¡¯s chest. ¡°...You feel that, don¡¯t you?¡± While embracing her tightly, Dowd continued with a bitter smile. ¡°It¡¯s still there, although it has become very weak.¡± She felt the ¡®Devil¡¯s Fragment¡¯, that had lost its power forever as the price for going back in time, pulsating. The ¡®Yellow¡¯ Devil. The Devil whose presence wasn¡¯t supposed to be able to be observed. The Devil who had disappeared forever from the future after a certain ¡®incident¡¯. ¡°-Dowd.¡± Sullivan called out, her voice trembled greatly. The back of her head felt numb. Of course, she wasn¡¯t so conceited that she¡¯d think he wouldn¡¯t know anything about her ¡®identity¡¯. ¡°Chancellor.¡± However... She wondered, what it would feel like if, in this way... ¡°...In the ¡®future¡¯ you came from, what kind of relationship did we have, Chancellor?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Was it a relationship where we promised to see the end of each other together?¡± In such a casual manner... To touch the essence of the feelings she had for him. ¡°...¡± Sullivan stayed silent for a while before pushing Dowd away from her as if shoving him away. ¡°...How¡ª¡± Before Sullivan could finish her words, she bit her own lip to stop herself. Her mind had turned into a mess because all kinds of memories had resurfaced. ¡°Do you know something about Parallel Universe Theory?¡± Sullivan continued, her head was hanging down. ¡°Countless universes might exist depending on the decisions we made from time to time. I¡¯m not sure how it goes, but I remember that theory exists.¡± She mentioned that theory, bringing up the possibility that someone from a different parallel universe came over to this one. An unthinkable possibility to many, even though all kinds of miracles and wonders prevailed in this world. But, the thing here was... There were beings powerful enough that could make such a thing possible. The most powerful beings, deviated from the timelines and world lines. Namely, the Devils. ¡°...I believe that we were in a special relationship in the ¡®future¡¯ where you came from, Chancellor.¡± ¡°-Just, how could you know such¡ª¡± Sullivan struggled to reply, but Dowd just let out an awkward smile before answering her. ¡°If you¡¯re asking how I know these things... I just realized after ¡®I became one¡¯.¡± Dowd felt that... Ever since he could handle the Black Demonic Aura, he had come to understand the characteristics of the Aura quite well, even though he hadn¡¯t yet reached the same status as the Devils. This implied that he was close to the ¡®truth¡¯. The identity of the ¡®essence¡¯ of the Devils, and its relation with the Vessels. And this also meant... ¡°I can make a rough guess about what kind of sacrifices you made to come back from the future, Chancellor.¡± Interfering with someone with a ¡®determined future¡¯ across timelines was something quite terrifying to do even for a Devil. Which meant she would¡¯ve made a huge sacrifice as a cost to use that ¡®Authority¡¯. ¡°...¡± Sullivan stayed silent for a while before she managed to open her mouth again. ¡°-I don¡¯t think this is a topic that we could finish talking about in a short conversation like this.¡± ¡°If you want it, I can talk with you about it for days. Too bad we don¡¯t have enough time.¡± Hearing that, Sullivan¡¯s eyes widened a bit. ¡°...Is there anything urgent going on?¡± ¡°I mean, I barged in and asked you to become one with me without warning... So, yeah, there is.¡± ¡°...¡± Right... I haven¡¯t heard the most important explanation yet! What did he mean by becoming one with him in the first place? ¡°To explain that, I¡¯ll have to ask you another dangerous question.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± ¡°Chancellor, can you tell me where your erogenous zone is?¡± ¡°...¡± In any case... Dowd really had the talent to twist someone around his finger. ¡ñ ¡°How many days has it been, Professor?¡± ¡°Three days.¡± ¡°...So she hasn¡¯t been eating nor sleeping for three days in that state.¡± Hearing what Alpha said, the steel giant, Astrid, sighed while folding her arms. Before their eyes were Eleanor, who was sitting quietly in the middle of the room. The room was filled with strange devices that one wouldn¡¯t be able to tell what they were for just by seeing their appearance. Although, it was easy to tell that each of them were high-tech. Her eyes were closed, seemingly concentrating on something. ¡°...Does it really work?¡± ¡°Hopefully.¡± A few days ago, they had requested Eleanor to do something. To observe ¡®something¡¯ they couldn¡¯t see. This whole room was a device that Astrid¡ªa member of the Magic Tower, a place where only the greatest scholars of the world could enter¡ªhad made with all her might. To put it simply, it was an ¡®observation¡¯ device. As for what it was that one could observe with the device, it was the result of the ¡®unselected¡¯ possibilities that they could never observe normally. ¡°Do you know about the Parallel Universe Theory, Alpha?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve talked about it countless times. It¡¯s the theory that the world is divided into many unselected possibilities.¡± ¡°Yeah. I originally made this device to prove that theory...¡± But now, said device had been remodeled here and there. Into something that was similar to a conceptual machine that would allow one to not only observe something across the parallel universe, but also gain any ¡®information¡¯ related to that thing. Astrid silently stared at Eleanor, who was quietly sitting upright. This woman was the only person who had also noticed the strange thing about him, the strange fact Astrid herself had observed through this device. ¡°About my son... There¡¯s something a little weird about him...¡± Of course, even as his, Dowd Campbell¡¯s parent, she also thought that he had been a little weird originally. But what Astrid was trying to imply was a bit more serious problem than that. The ¡®strange thing¡¯ about him that she had found while looking into countless possibilities wasn¡¯t something as simple as that. ¡°...He¡¯s hiding something. It¡¯s as if he used to be ¡®someone else¡¯ before he was born as my son.¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s still my son even if he was born that way. Whatever happens, that fact won¡¯t change.¡± Astrid answered Alpha in a straight tone. ¡°...But my heart aches. As a parent, I can¡¯t even help him since he¡¯s hiding everything to himself without telling me anything.¡± She let out a bitter smile before continuing. ¡°...Although, I wasn¡¯t around him for a long time in the first place. We aren¡¯t that close emotionally.¡± That was the reason she requested Eleanor to ¡®observe¡¯ such things. Because the closer someone was to the target, the easier it would be for them to observe the target¡¯s ¡®essence¡¯. Which meant that this woman was closer to Dowd than her, his own biological mother. A sad fact that Astrid couldn¡¯t even bring herself to deny. Hence why... ¡°She might be able to see it.¡± Currently, Eleanor was wandering around inside a certain someone¡¯s ¡®memories¡¯ through the device. The memories of the man called Dowd Campbell, who were loved by all the Devils. All of the experiences he, the son of Armin Campbell and her, had. ...That¡¯s not all... Maybe, right now... She was walking... Through the past that he didn¡¯t want to tell anyone about. His past life before he became Dowd Campell, when he was still walking in another /genesisforsaken Chapter 310: Observation (2) Chapter 310: Observation (2) An unknown world. That was the first thought that came to Eleanor¡¯s mind as she wandered inside Dowd¡¯s consciousness. She stealthily looked around while holding onto the consciousness that she used to wander around in this place. Or rather, she was trying her best to take in the world ¡®through Dowd¡¯s eyes¡¯ a bit more accurately. Because all of the information she was receiving now was from Dowd¡¯s point of view. ¡°-¡± What she found out so far was that this world was big and filled with great splendor. However, it was filled with things that she had never seen before in her life. -I see. But instead of questioning such a thing, she decided to just fold such questions and cram them all into a cabinet with ¡®things that I won¡¯t bring up anymore¡¯ label that was located deep inside her mind. In the first place, that question was in line with the doubts she always had regarding something more fundamental about that man. His ¡®origin¡¯. It was clear that something was off with it. He couldn¡¯t be considered as just another freak running around in the world. Because she always felt this faint feeling that his ¡®way of thinking¡¯ itself was a little different from the people of this world. This was why she didn¡¯t feel that surprised when she found out that he came from another world like this. Besides... Questioning such a thing wasn¡¯t her priority, focusing on this situation was. After all, this was her lifetime partner¡¯s ¡®deepest¡¯ thoughts. There was no way she could just miss these. ¡°Are you listening?¡± As such words entered her ears, Dowd¡¯s unfocused point of view as he looked around blankly became more focused. Though Eleanor was seeing the world through someone else¡¯s eyes, she could observe the shifts in Dowd¡¯s psychology. -! She flinched. Every part of this memory she was watching was reconstructed based on the information stored in Dowd¡¯s consciousness. Which meant, the emotions she felt so strongly was the exact emotion that the man felt about this particular memory. And the emotion that she felt when he looked at the girl who said such words were... Intolerable sorrow. Longing, reminiscence, and... Trauma. ...- If she could move the muscles on her face right now, a frown would¡¯ve appeared in her face. Because she noticed it immediately... That the small girl, who was grinning from ear-to-ear in front of Dowd¡¯s eyes right now, was a very important person to him. ¡°An aptitude test?¡± He replied to her in a half-hoarse voice. Nevertheless, at this point in his memory, he didn¡¯t seem to consider this girl as someone so important. She couldn¡¯t feel the sense of mourning that she felt earlier from his voice, only dreary apathy. It felt as if the girl was merely a rope for him to escape from the red-light district and his poor family, nothing less and nothing more. So... ¡°Intelligence, reflexes, ability to adapt to circumstances, combat aptitude... Nothing is over three out of ten.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Honestly, everything about you is below the standard. You¡¯re completely useless.¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor could feel Dowd¡¯s expression stiffened when he heard those words. Because it was clear what the girl was trying to say. Resignation, confusion... And mortification at the fact that he had no choice but to return to that hellish place. All those emotions were probably mixed in his reaction. But the moment the girl¡¯s next words fell, everything was completely reversed. ¡°Which means, I need to teach you a lot of things. I¡¯ll assign teachers to you, so study well.¡± ¡°...¡± Eleanor could feel Dowd¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®What is the reason for her to do me a favor like this¡ªto make me useful¡ªeven though she clearly called me useless just now?¡¯ ¡®Seeing her wealth, it won¡¯t be difficult for her to find a substitute.¡¯ As Dowd wondered so inwardly, the girl continued. ¡°Although, there¡¯s one interesting thing about your aptitude result. Wanna know what?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°You actually scored one ten out of ten.¡± The girl smirked while pointing at an item on the list. ¡°Survival instinct, ten out of ten.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°They said you¡¯re someone who could crawl up and survive even after you¡¯re shoved into the bottom of hell.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange, no? You¡¯re said to have no abilities to protect others but you could take care of your own life to that extent.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And that will do for now.¡± ¡°...Wha...?¡± ¡°You see, I need someone who can survive for a long time.¡± What the girl said next were... ¡°...So that I¡¯d be less lonely.¡± Words that were filled with loneliness. ¡ñ ¡°...Hmm.¡± Professor Mobius stroked his chin, looking very dissatisfied. Because even though he was watching Dowd Campbell¡¯s every move, he couldn¡¯t understand anything that he was doing. ...What the fuck is he up to? He knew that Dowd was trying to do something with the empire¡¯s representative, Chancellor Sullivan. However, all they did was spend time together. ...I was going to interfere right away if he¡¯s trying to do something weird, but... Though Professor Mobius had received a very daring declaration of war from that man, he had no reason to accept it at face value¡ªa natural reaction to take. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t just kill that man. He had to save it as the very last resort. Killing him would make all his knowledge about the Devils go down the drain... The Devil¡¯s power was the biggest stepping stone on his way to reach his ultimate goal, ¡®the perfect new mankind¡¯. To be exact, Dowd Campbell who had scraped up the Devil¡¯s power and transformed into another being could be said as Professor Mobius¡¯ research project itself. ¡°That¡¯s where your role becomes important.¡± Professor Mobius said while spinning a wand in his grip. ¡°He said if he loses in this ¡®match¡¯, he would voluntarily cooperate in our research. Why would I miss such an opportunity?¡± ¡°-Oho.¡± Hearing that, Marquis Bogut smirked as the shackle on his hands clanked. It was clear that Mobius brought him here as some kind of ¡®safety insurance¡¯. This showed how terrible of a disposition this man had. He didn¡¯t stop at Professor Astrid, he wanted to take everyone around Dowd as hostages. ¡°I know I have no right to say this, but your personality is really trashy, huh?¡± Professor Mobius snorted upon hearing what Marquis Bogut said. He had been rejected twice by that man so far. Of course, Professor Mobius had always had a really good assessment of himself, but at this point, he couldn¡¯t help but admit... That the man called Dowd Campbell was a lump of variables. ¡°If you do as I say in the last experiment tomorrow, I won¡¯t harm Professor Astrid.¡± Hearing that, Marquis Bogut¡¯s expression, which was full of smiles, slightly stiffened. Because what Professor Mobius said was touching the root of his goal, the reason why he willingly became a prisoner of this place. ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know about something so obvious?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You and that punk called Dowd Campbell. She is the source of power that keeps all of you moving. This is why I find it hilarious that you¡¯re all still coming at me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget. I¡¯m holding the leash on you.¡± Professor Mobius said calmly. He seemed to be sure that he would be the final winner, since in the first place, he was the one holding the leash. ...And there¡¯s a high chance that will actually happen. Anyone would acknowledge this; his position as the head of the Magic Tower wasn¡¯t a title that could be obtained by a game of card. Dowd had been a stumbling block for him so far, but he had a hidden power that could make anyone have a hard time in battle the moment he began to prepare himself, always kept telling himself to ¡®not let his guard down¡¯, and erase all the variables in earnest. However... There was one thing that he overlooked. Thinking that everything is under his control like that would just make him let his guard down in the end. Arrogance was like a swamp. The moment one realized that they were in too deep, it was already too hard to go out of it. Get him good, Dowd Campbell. Bogut believed that he... Would definitely pull off another extraordinary feat. ¡ñ ¡°-¡± I took a deep breath while suppressing my cold sweat with difficulty. The chancellor, who was sitting on the opposite side, was looking at me worriedly, but I forced out a smile, telling her that I was okay. Anyway... On the outside, it would seem that we were just having a normal conversation. Considering that punk Mobius¡¯ sly tendencies, it was obvious that he was observing everything around me closely now. If he were to notice my current state, he would for sure give me trouble. However, just now... I almost died at least ten times. What the chancellor and I were actually doing was ¡®exchanging¡¯ something somewhere couldn¡¯t be seen. Because of that, my heart almost exploded a few times. That wasn¡¯t a metaphor, by the way. ¡°...Dowd.¡± From across me, the Chancellor called out in a worried voice. She seemed to be suppressing her desire to dissuade me from continuing after seeing how insistent I was on this matter. ¡°I get what you¡¯re trying to do. I also know what kind of result you¡¯re aiming for. But this is too dangerous. At this rate, you might die¡ª¡± ¡°I can do it.¡± I interrupted the Chancellor¡¯s worried voice. Well... I also knew what kind of crazy attempt that I was trying to do, and that it was so ill-founded. However... A memory of the past came to me. ¡°I¡¯m insanely good at surviving.¡± Survival instinct, ten out of ten. I heard that it was one of my God-given talents that I had since before I was trained for anything. That was why... ¡°...Let¡¯s continue...¡± The ¡®Yellow¡¯ Devil who had lost her power because she came back to the past from the future. The ¡®Black¡¯ Devil, whose power was still imperfect despite having ascended from a human to a Devil through the Fallen¡¯s Seal. Two unstable beings who were not perfect Devils. But this was exactly why... This became a possibility. ¡°...The process of ¡®combining¡¯ Authorities.¡± Becoming one with the chancellor, I meant that /genesisforsaken Chapter 311: Observation (3) Chapter 311: Observation (3) As you could tell from how I came to this world while playing a game, I was very serious about gaming. I was the type of guy who spent a lot of time digging into things, including the games I played¡ªwhich weren¡¯t only Savior Rising, but a lot others as well. That was why... I could tell at a glance the content of the ¡®match¡¯ Mobius had prepared to fight with me. ¡°It¡¯s a Boss Rush.¡± [...A Boss Rush?] ¡°It¡¯s a thing.¡± As Caliban asked from inside the Soul Linker, I replied while bursting out laughing after figuring out the content of the ¡®stage¡¯ before my eyes. It was a common gimmick before a final boss battle. Usually, they¡¯d make players fight with all the bosses they had previously faced in a row. You could say that it was something that the developer made to help the player who had survived through the games so far to look back on their memories and test their growth. But that clearly wasn¡¯t the case here. ¡°...I could clearly see his intentions.¡± I said while letting out a chuckle. It was too obvious. The things that punk prepared as the bosses were... [...Aren¡¯t those ¡®models¡¯ of the Devils?] Anyone could tell who these things are based on. The first thing appearing in front of me was... An Automaton with a Blue Aura surrounding it. Its joints were created in such a way that it resembled certain shapes. Anyone could tell what it was trying to imitate. [Riru?] Yup. As I replied, I scanned through the other Automatons lining up behind this one that Mobius had prepared for me. And each of them... Were obviously the exact imitations of people around me. Look at this bastard. I automatically muttered so at such an obviously malicious composition. His malice was expected, of course, but it was clear that he didn¡¯t do it like this just to offend me. He¡¯s probably trying to block my Demonic Aura with this. Since I¡¯ve clearly stated that I¡¯d put my all into this, he decided to give up using the ¡®experiment¡¯ pretext¡ªeven though he had been desperately keeping that pretext up. Which meant, he would be going all out to put me down. It was obvious that he had put up some kind of countermeasures to my most notable power. In other words, he¡¯d be able to exert his best, while blocking me from doing so. [Are you still going to do it?] You think I can just go back after coming all the way here? [...Well, I can¡¯t imagine you backing off in this kind of a situation either. But let¡¯s get into it after making sure of one thing.] Caliban continued with a sigh. [That punk is still the leader of the Magic Tower, right?] Yeah? [The fact that such a punk is obviously trying to offend you this much, meant that he had dug up a trap for you. There¡¯s a high chance that it won¡¯t be a good idea to enter such a place by yourself.] Let¡¯s worry about that later. I had never forgiven bastards who messed with people around me. And this particular bastard didn¡¯t simply mess with them, but also committed something so vicious I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to watch. I had said this before, but killing him once wouldn¡¯t be enough to satisfy me. ¡°If he dares to play petty tricks, I¡¯ll just crush his head.¡± [...Haa.] I swept my hair back as Caliban exhaled through his nose. Well, I understood why he was so worried. The conditions themselves were extremely disadvantageous for me.. This was his homeground, every resource was available for him to use, and he was taking one of my people hostage. I organized my thoughts while sighing. My goal is... To kill Mobius... Save Astrid... And... ¡°...¡± While I¡¯m at it, might as well save that punk too. I thought so while looking at a certain guy who was standing beside Mobius¡ªwho was sitting in the control seat in the distance. Marquis Bogut. I heard that their original plan for him was to send him somewhere before they¡¯d ¡®dispose¡¯ him, but for some reason, Mobius summoned him all the way here and placed him next to him. [...That punk? Why?] Did you not notice it, Caliban? After obtaining all kinds of abilities while struggling for my survival, there was one thing I had noticed. That man¡¯s whole existence was rotting. He didn¡¯t have much time left to live. Now, that I was aware of that... And that the situation had developed this far, I couldn¡¯t just dismiss this as, ¡®Well, he died,¡¯ and move on if he really ended up dying. If it wasn¡¯t for him, I would¡¯ve not known that my mother was stuck in that kind of state in the first place. [...] ...I¡¯d need to give him my thanks at least, no? Anyone would notice that, unless they were an idiot. Although I didn¡¯t know from which point I had been going along with his plan... I knew that that punk... Had used me to notify me about Astrid¡¯s situation, and give me an opportunity to ¡®build¡¯ such a confrontation so that I could save her. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m all alone either. I thought so while looking at the chancellor next to me. Our eyes met and she nodded, looking determined. ¡°Shall we start running?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®No.¡¯ ¡®What are you talking about? C¡¯mon already.¡¯ As I looked at her with narrowed eyes, the Chancellor continued in a gloomy tone. ¡°...But we haven¡¯t completely become one.¡± ¡°...¡± She was right. Although it was a funny story... We had used all kinds of smokescreen tactics as I did my best to ¡®practice to combine¡¯ with the chancellor¡ªsuffering through all kinds of hardships. But it was difficult to even say that we could control even ten percent of that state stably. Using a skill with that level of stability in a real battle was the equivalent of suicide. ¡°Besides, that power is also¡ª¡± ¡°Nope.¡± I smiled as I cut off the Chancellor¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± The Yellow Devil¡¯s Authority had deteriorated a lot. Which was a given, since that Authority was the same one she had used to return from the future. Compared to Mobius¡¯ trap, where he had poured in everything in the Magic Tower, what I had in my hands now was only a tiny dagger. However... This tiny dagger would definitely make short work of him. [...You¡¯re talking as if you have the grounds for it.] ¡°-Well...¡± I smirked while replying to Caliban. ¡°You see, when it comes to fights where it would decide my life or death, I had never lost even once.¡± The fact that I was standing here alive proved that. ¡ñ Exploring someone else¡¯s memories was like swimming in a sea of emotions made up of colors. At least that was how Eleanor felt about it. ...They seem to get along well. That was the thought that came to her mind as she wandered around the times Dowd spent with the girl he was in charge of ¡®escorting¡¯. The previous Dowd seemed like someone whose emotions had been dried up. That was probably the reason why his sea of emotions was achromatic¡ªit reflected the state of his spiritual world. Then again, the environment he was born and raised in was the perfect place for someone to grow up that way. Anyway, even though he was in charge of escorting the girl, all he did was linger around her like a ghost and learn what he was told to learn. He only put an effort to survive in such a place, without working towards any kinds of emotional interaction. But that was only in the beginning. ¡°How about smiling a little?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it if you order me to.¡± ¡°No fun.¡± The girl would constantly try to touch his frozen emotions. Even though he found it bothersome, got very irritated, and sometimes even got angry, she still didn¡¯t give up, fully intent to try and take a look inside his heart. ¡ªAh. And seeing that... Eleanor was able to see someone in that girl. This girl resembles me somehow... Herself the first time she met him. The way she dedicated her time, effort, passion...everything, just to woo him... Every single time she had the opportunity to... For this man, who would never show his deepest emotion to the others. Of course even after that, Dowd still didn¡¯t open his heart easily. The achromatic emotions didn¡¯t change easily. ¡ªAh. However... As time went by... Memories, experiences, recollections, and emotions piled up. The songs of water droplets splashing through the dazzlingly blue waves and white foams... Landscaping the infinite potential of the tides, the touch of the wind, the stones, and the things inside the water... The longer the time Dowd spent with the girl, the more colorful and deeper the emotions passing by him were. I see... As someone who had always been watching his every move, and was well-informed of anything about him... Eleanor could tell... The ¡®origin¡¯ of all Dowd Campbell¡¯s habits... And most of the ¡®foundations¡¯ that made up his personality came from the time he had spent with this girl. The warm attention he received for the first time in his life, the friendly reception, his first bond with another human... Everything had piled up from the experiences he had with this girl. Dowd Campbell¡¯s origin came from this memory. ¡°...¡± Eleanor closed her eyes for a moment before she slowly opened them again. Since she let her body flow to follow the torrent, she was bound to get the rough feeling of what was there at the end. ...The air turned cold. Which meant this was a bad memory. The ¡®warmth¡¯ that formed the foundation of Dowd Campbell¡¯s personality had ended here. Which marked this part as the start of the ¡®trauma¡¯ that had been ailing him. His memories intensified. Like a spiral that was spinning quietly, but violently. There was a dreadful feeling... As everything was painted in red and black. Is it this way? Eleanor followed along the remnants of those colors slowly. And stumbled across an incident that happened on a certain evening. The day when a certain sole daughter of a rich family was taken /genesisforsaken Chapter 312: Retribution (1) Chapter 312: Retribution (1) Considering the environment he grew up in, one could say that the boy was miraculous. In the first place, it wasn¡¯t a place where one could live normally. For an orphan who wasn¡¯t under protection of a guardian, the poor community he lived in was a place where all kinds of dangers were looming around at all times. It wouldn¡¯t be outrageous to call it hell on Earth. There was a case where someone who appointed themselves as his guardian turned out to be a sex offender. There was also one time where he was almost sold into human trafficking after running away from an orphanage he lived in, and got involved with bad people. It was natural for someone who grew up in such an environment to be lacking in many ways to become a bodyguard for a lady from a rich family. He learned how to deceive others before he even learned letters, how to run away from a fight, how to shove anything into his mouth in order not to die... Those were the only kinds of knowledge the boy had¡ªthe kinds of knowledge that could sell off his future, to damage his own body just to survive through the day. ¡°He¡¯s practically a wild animal, Milady.¡± Hence why it was understandable that his ¡®trainer¡¯ made such a remark. The guttersnipe of the slum. Someone who lived a lowly life without receiving any education, someone who couldn¡¯t learn about humans¡¯ emotions and warmth. Typically, a person would slowly dry up to death without money; without money, they¡¯d be unable to afford anything; unable to afford anything, they¡¯d gradually turn into something more similar to a beast than a human. Theft, drug dealing, contract killing... There was nothing the boy hadn¡¯t done in order to survive. ¡°...He¡¯d survive whatever place you left him be, for sure. He learns anything quickly, he¡¯s also quick-witted and composed, but...¡± Everyone wanted to live and survive. It was even more so in his case, hence he was willing to do anything to survive. He had to. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he would be suitable to ¡®protect¡¯ someone.¡± However... ¡°-That won¡¯t do, then.¡± In his memory, he heard such words... Uttered by the girl. ¡°That means we have to teach him how to. He¡¯s like that because he hasn¡¯t learned it yet.¡± Although the girl wouldn¡¯t remember it properly since it happened a long time ago... She was the one who taught the boy how to ¡®live as a human¡¯. For the first time in his life, he received warm food, a place to sleep, chances to interact with others, how to deal with his emotions, how to blend in with people... And more importantly, she... Taught him what ordinary happiness was. It was to the point that his life in the slum became memories of a distant past, overlapped by the new memories he had experienced. He... Gradually became a ¡®human¡¯ under the girl¡¯s protection. ¡°-Why did you do something like that?¡± ¡°Did what?¡± ¡°Just what did you see from me that made you go this far for my sake?¡± One day, the boy once asked the girl such a question. This wasn¡¯t the first time he asked that, but the girl had never given him a satisfying answer. At this point, it had been almost five years since he met the girl. Both of them were almost coming of age. Perhaps that factor had a big influence in how the girl willingly answered his question that day. ¡°As I grew up, many things were prohibited for me.¡± The girl had always been sickly. Looking back, she spent most of her time either sitting or lying down in her bed. The boy heard that it was a rare disease where her blood vessels that were connected to her heart would become narrower day by day. Hence why, to her, actions that were simple to others were almost like drudgeries¡ªshe could only do it under the influence of various devices. Being born as a daughter with such a rare disease in a rich family, it was a matter of course that she received the best medical support. But, as a consequence, the list of ¡®things she couldn¡¯t do¡¯ was bound to get ridiculously longer. ¡°You can¡¯t do this because of this, you can do that because of that... It¡¯s irritating how they interfered with whatever I did. So I wanted to kick over the traces. Bringing you in as my guard was such a simple whim.¡± ¡°...There wasn¡¯t any particular reason?¡± The boy muttered, looking somehow disappointed. Seeing that, the girl giggled, as if finding him cute, and replied. ¡°No, there was a reason why it just had to be you.¡± ¡°What was it?¡± ¡°When we first met, you were just like a cat in the rain. Like them, you bristled your hair, trying to look threatening.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Even after I brought you here, you kept that cuteness with you for a while. Seeing you made me feel like I was raising a coy pet, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Believe me. You act like you¡¯re very cool-headed, clever, and smart, but in the end, you¡¯re destined to be whipped by the woman who got you wrapped around her finger¡ª¡± ¡°...Enough.¡± The boy said brusquely with a frown, prompting the girl to start giggling again. Even while he was acting irritated like that, his hands didn¡¯t stop peeling the apple for the girl. This showed the boy¡¯s nature. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Come here.¡± The girl said as she tapped the space beside her on the bed. She gestured to him to come and sit next to her. Of course, since he had just heard all kinds of insulting remarks from her, he refused to do so. ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°If you want to keep your life, come here.¡± ¡°...¡± Sometimes, the girl changed her speech into that of a drunken sailor¡¯s instead of a daughter of a rich family¡¯s. The boy knew from experience that he would be in big trouble if he didn¡¯t listen without saying anything, so he obediently sat beside the girl. As he sat down, the girl immediately lay flat on the boy¡¯s lap. ¡°...I just did it on a whim back then.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°But, somehow, my affection for you grew more than I thought. To the point that I ended up making all kinds of memories with you, even though I originally only brought you here on a whim.¡± The girl said so and immediately hugged the boy in her arms. With that, they transferred their body¡¯s warmth to each other. As she buried her face in her belly, the girl continued while giggling. ¡°Now, it has to be you.¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± The boy replied calmly before cutting the apple again. In that sickroom, where only the sounds of the fruit knife slicing the apple¡¯s skin could be heard intermittently, the girl muttered in a faint voice. ¡°Earlier, I said that I wanted to kick over the traces when I brought you here, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Actually, I wanted to do something else as well¡ªsomething that would get me scolded hard by my mother and father if they knew.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Instead of answering his question right away, the girl just grinned at him. ¡°It¡¯s a see-cret¡ª¡± ¡ªThat was what the boy recalled. The conversation that they had in the past. That happened just a week before the ¡®kidnapping incident¡¯ happened. ¡ñ ¡°You¡¯re doing better than expected.¡± Professor Mobius muttered while looking at Dowd Campbell on the stage. Of course he didn¡¯t think that Dowd was an opponent that he could subdue easily, but he was still amazed at how his spirits hadn¡¯t dampened even though the man had been gone through a series of battles against Automatons that had ¡®Demonic Aura¡¯ installed¡ªnot the real thing, of course, just artificial ones that Mobius created to be as close as possible to the real thing. ¡°The third one...hasn¡¯t been defeated properly yet, it seems.¡± Mobius muttered while looking at the Automaton that was spreading red hellfire in all directions. The Automatons that imitated the Demonic Auras of the Blue Devil, who possessed the Pulverization Authority, and the White Devil, who possessed the Enthrallment Authority, had already collapsed. He had made the Automatons to imitate the people around Dowd so that his will to fight would be diminished as much as possible, but his efforts hadn¡¯t borne any fruits so far. However... As the battles went on... He noticed how the ¡®anger¡¯ inside Dowd was becoming bigger and bigger. Because the gazes that Dowd had been sending him in the middle of his battles contained burning hostility that gradually grew more intense. Hence why... That will do. Mobius let out a satisfied smile. It was his intention to evoke such emotions in Dowd. Anger was an emotion that would dull one¡¯s judgment, making one prone to following their impulse, greatly reducing one¡¯s resistance towards sudden developments... And... Most importantly... There was still a long way to go for Dowd to reach the ¡®trump card¡¯ he was hiding at the very end. Once he faced the thing at the end of this... That anger he had been building would eventually burn himself. ¡°Although it¡¯s not my place to say this as someone who tried to start a civil war in the Empire...¡± Marquis Bogut¡ªon his knees with a sword¡ªwho had been watching this all unfolded besides Mobius, suddenly uttered as such. There was his usual flippant atmosphere as he said that, but there was a rare, genuine ¡®disgust¡¯ mixed in his voice. ¡°You really are a trashy guy, Professor Mobius.¡± Hearing those words, Professor Mobius stealthily shifted his gaze at him. Marquis Bogut continued, sounding as if he was chewing on his words. ¡°If you aren¡¯t, you wouldn¡¯t have done something this dirty just to offend someone. You¡¯re the owner of the Magic Tower, where the fuck is your dignity and honor?¡± ¡°...¡± What a cheap provocation... ¡°No, you seem to be mistaking something.¡± Mobius said so before crossing his legs with a smile. ¡°Both that man and yourself are now in this predicament because you two are tied up to something insignificant. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°...Pardon me?¡± ¡°I heard Professor Astrid was your first love. You don¡¯t have much time left to live anyway, so you came up with plans to save her from me. That was why you bare your fangs at me, no?¡± ¡°...¡± From his perspective... ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why would you risk your lives for such a pathetic thing?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Such a thing would just make you prone to be controlled by a real wise person. Just like what¡¯s happening right now. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± As someone who had been analyzing the world based on merely data ever since he was born... Familial love, friendship, love... The things called emotions were the most insignificant things. Emotions were merely things that could change anytime due to the hormones¡¯ chemical activities secreted in the brain. To him, who had put those sorts of things into the controllable variables category, both the man called Bogut¡ªwho wished to save his first love and ended up in such a miserable state¡ªand Dowd Campbell¡ªwho was twisting his body to save his mother over there¡ªwere just pathetic humans. ¡°...¡± Marquis Bogut let out a deep sigh. Guess, that¡¯s how he¡¯s seen it, huh? I don¡¯t get it, but you aren¡¯t supposed to understand the thoughts of a lunatic anyway. It¡¯s just... ...That sort of mindset is the thing that would make him go down. Bogut thought so while fixing his gaze on Dowd Campbell who was still fighting on the stage. Even he could see how angry that guy was. It was clear that his desire to kill Mobius, who was practically insulting the people around him and himself, gradually became stronger the more he fought. But... That wasn¡¯t all. Underlying the emotion that he was showing on the outside, if he dug deeper below the surface, going down to the deep layer that held the emotion that was a little bit more important than the others... His ¡®innermost thought¡¯... ...Again. As someone who had been observing him all this time, Bogut¡¯s intuition was telling him... You¡¯re up to something, huh? That man... Was definitely thinking of getting his ¡®retribution¡¯ from /genesisforsaken Chapter 313: Retribution (2) ¡°...Haa.¡± My shoulders had turned stiff. Which meant, the consecutive fierce battles were exhausting me more and more. ¡°...¡± I looked down at the doll ¡®modeled after Faenol¡¯ that I had just knocked down. Actually, it was hard to say that it was powerful when accounting the power of the ¡®original¡¯. As someone who had survived the Crimson Night Incident and directly faced the Red Devil, the difference was like that of a huge forest fire and a match fire. However... ¡ªThat fucker. I glared at Mobius, who was sitting in the control seat, while feeling a tingling sensation in one part of my head. Unless that punk was an idiot, there was no way he didn¡¯t know that something like this wouldn¡¯t be able to even put the brakes on me. However... This shit was enough to piss me off. He really went out of his way to make this thing unnecessarily resemble Faenol¡¯s appearance in every way¡ªeven her voice and behavior. When I knocked it down, it even made an expression that looked as if I had betrayed it. It was as if he was setting this up in such a way that it would give me the impression as if I was killing the ¡®people around me¡¯ with my own hands. ¡°...¡± I pushed the emotions that were gradually piling up and boiling up into the corner of my head. [...This could get a little dangerous.] What? [Exhaustion and anger will blur your judgment. That will make it easier for you to fall into his tricks.] I know. [You said that, but you¡¯re still losing your mind after seeing these cheap provocations.] ... Hearing what Caliban said, I took a deep breath and organized my messy thoughts. Yeah, he was right. Only an idiot would fall for the enemy¡¯s trick even though he knew of its nature already. If he knew all that, and still fell for it anyway, it would make him a moron. [Be honest with me.] What? [...Have you ever experienced ¡®this sort of thing¡¯ before?] What do you mean by that? [I¡¯m asking if you¡¯ve ever seen people around you die with your own eyes.] With how stiff and serious his voice sounded, it was clear that Caliban wasn¡¯t trying to tease or mock me. He was asking me a genuine question. That just showed how precarious the state I was in. [That¡¯s probably the reason why your mind is so shaken after seeing ¡®things that resemble¡¯ people close to you die.] ...I don¡¯t think this is a good time for psychological counseling. [You know the answer already, you just refuse to acknowledge it. Which meant I hit the sore spot, didn¡¯t I?] A gunshot. Bloodstain. White hospital gown dyed red. A few twisted, ripped apart, faded images came to my mind. ¡°...Not now, Caliban.¡± However, those shouldn¡¯t be the thing I¡¯d need to concern myself over for now. Even more so, when the ¡®enemy I had to get rid of¡¯ was standing before my eyes. [...Fucking hell.] I could hear Caliban clicking his tongue upon seeing my firm attitude. He must¡¯ve realized what I was trying to imply from my attitude... That said memory was something that was placed in ¡®the deepest place¡¯. It wasn¡¯t something I wanted to talk about in the slightest. [You¡¯re walking into a trap. Just keep that in mind.] I know that already. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve prepared a countermeasure. I thought so while looking at the chancellor who was standing behind the stage. She looked at me worriedly, clasping her hands tightly as she asked me by moving her lips silently... ¡ªAre you going to do it? Instead of answering her, I let out a light smile. Of course I am. And this time, I wouldn¡¯t fail. Having failed once in the past is enough for me. ¡ñ Eleanor couldn¡¯t remember when, how, and what kind of thing that she had gone through until this happened. Every single one of the memories that Eleanor was swimming in originated from Dowd¡¯s consciousness. So, there was no way that she¡¯d be able to properly perceive things that even Dowd himself couldn¡¯t remember properly. All of the memories related to how the girl was kidnapped only faintly flashed by. Which meant, such details weren¡¯t important to this man. But, the reason why the kidnapping happened wasn¡¯t so hard to guess. Just like in the world she lived in, in Dowd¡¯s world, rich people also accumulated a lot of enemies. In order for them to accumulate their wealth, honor, anything, in the first place, they had to compete with countless people, and those competitions tended to drag people to their lowest point. The reason why the girl was kidnapped was probably related to such dirty things. One of their competitor¡¯s dirty tricks over a business. As said earlier... Such things were not important to Dowd. There were memories that remained clear even among the remnants of these decades old memories. All ¡®information¡¯ regarding the situation when he broke through the building where the girl was locked up after her kidnapping... The structure of the building that he was briefed of in advance, the number of enemies inside... Every gravel, brick, even how the dust looked¡ªeverything was still fresh in his memory. As if showing how important it was for him to do away with the situation at that time. In a way, this showed just how important that girl was to this man. How he fiercely used all the ¡®skills¡¯ that had been built up through years of education proved it. No wonder he somehow seems so familiar with fighting. Eleanor let out a chuckle as she followed behind Dowd. Ever since she fell in love with this guy, she had already finished her secret investigation. What she found out was... The Campbell Barony, where Dowd was born and grew up, was never the place where this man could develop the judgment in emergency situations he had shown so far. It was a matter of course, but someone who wasn¡¯t used to fighting would never be able to pull off something like that. However, if such skills were built before he was ¡®born¡¯ as Dowd Campbell, that answered all the questions she had. But, there was a stark difference between him in this memory and him that she knew. There¡¯s no reluctance in his movements. If there was one word that could represent Dowd Campbell¡¯s modus operandi, it would be ¡®planning¡¯. He was someone who¡¯d move forward by leveraging the information superiority he had while carefully going through variables that would come up later. But... ¡°B-Block him!¡± ¡°What the fuck is wrong with this bastard?¡± Dowd from his memory was like a rhinoceros. He knocked, shot, killed, and crushed everyone in his way down while rushing into the building. Even though he knew that what he was doing was reckless, he didn¡¯t care. He didn¡¯t care about anything, not the aftermath, not himself, only his goal that was right around the corner. ...They are similar in that sense. The way he¡¯d do anything to achieve his goal was exactly like the Dowd whom Eleanor knew. Except that this Dowd seemed... Desperate. It felt as if he was desperate to not to lose what he had in hands. The color of mental image that was dyeing this whole memory was one that was in line with the word ¡®urgency¡¯. It represented his struggle as someone who was born in the slum and had nothing, his struggle to protect what was precious to him for the first time in his life. That was probably why he became so impatient. He forsook his own safety, putting his judgment all behind, and moving forward while sacrificing everything just for the sake of his goal. ...Is that not dangerous? She had seen him do this a few times before. Apparently, going into something without caring about his surroundings the moment he found out that people around him were in danger was his innate personality. The way he somehow succeeded to reach the ¡®end¡¯, even though he kept advancing without caring about his safety, was the same as she remembered. Then, his memories advanced in a flash. She could see how there were tens of people standing to guard the building, but Dowd still managed to break through them. And at the end of such a situation... The girl¡¯s figure came into view, and a gun was pointed at her temple. Eleanor could also see Dowd standing in front of the girl. But, it was the one who took the girl hostage who was nervous, not him. It was only natural since in front of him was someone who was showing such monstrous combat power. ¡°D-Don¡¯t come closer¡ª!¡± Dowd blankly looked at the girl and the man alternately as the man took the girl hostage with trembling hands. ¡°Stay there for a moment.¡± Dowd said in a raspy voice. He continued calmly while reloading the gun in his hands. ¡°...You¡ª¡± Meanwhile the girl barely managed to stand with faint eyes¡ªas if she had been drugged. She seemed to have come back to her senses upon hearing his voice, and only then did she realize that Dowd was there, right in front of her. Her eyes widened. Then, tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°...Why do you look like that, you stupid?¡± Seeing that, Dowd¡¯s whole body flinched as if an extreme pain struck him. Then, a mocking voice entered his ears. ¡°Ha... Ha! You can¡¯t even stand properly, why are you acting tough?!¡± Anyone who saw him would act that way. Because it was a reasonable reaction after seeing his state. However... What truly happened was not like what he thought. ¡ªAh, I see. And Eleanor knew that. She could completely understand what was going on in Dowd¡¯s mind. He could endure his body being sick, his mind being pushed to the limit, his body being wrung dry of its energy... But, he couldn¡¯t endure seeing people who he had grown fond of be sad even for a bit. Eleanor knew what kind of feelings she had whenever she looked at him. And now, Dowd was expressing the exact same feeling as he saw the girl in front of him. Indeed. This girl had touched the part of his heart where Eleanor and the other women had never been to. ¡°...¡± Which meant... She could find the reason here... The reason why the Devils could never enter the deepest place in his heart. As for why she thought so... It was because the color of the mental image that dyed the end of the memory she was treading on right now. A terrible black. .bg-container-10448869e4d{ 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; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } To describe it in a word... ¡®Sense of loss.¡¯ The origin of the ¡®trauma¡¯ he had was here, at the end of this memory. *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 314: Retribution (3) The atmosphere was heavy. That was how it felt to Eleanor. It was an apt description of the standoff between the boy, the man, and the girl who got caught in the middle. The man frantically scanned his surroundings. Calling for backup was a far safer bet than facing the monster who single-handedly carved his way here. And he wasn¡¯t wrong. Though the boy had eliminated many of his peers along the way, there were still plenty of them left. Time wasn¡¯t in the boy¡¯s, Dowd¡¯s favor. But, as Eleanor knew, this guy excelled in situations like this. ¡°¡ª¡± Redirecting one¡¯s gaze was an old trick, but it was effective enough to fool anyone if used correctly. The boy¡¯s gaze shifted slightly. As looking away at a time like this was a strange move to make, it naturally drew the man¡¯s attention in the same direction. In that instant, Dowd fired the pistol in his hand with lightning speed. One shot to the shoulder. Another to the leg. Though it wasn¡¯t enough to give the man a fatal injury, it was enough to render him unsteady on his feet. The man screamed and collapsed, dropping the girl he had been holding. Dowd dashed forward and caught her in his arms. ¡°¡ªPhew.¡± The boy let out a sigh of relief as he checked the girl for injuries. She was unharmed, his reckless charge had paid off. Eleanor chuckled as she observed this scene. Seriously... This was a familiar sight to Eleanor. Fraud. Deception. Trickery. These had always been Dowd¡¯s favorite methods to overcome crises¡ªtools he¡¯d seemingly possessed since long before he became the man he was today. In any case, the protagonist managed to save the heroine, and the story was on its way to a happy ending. At least, that was how it should have gone. But mistakes always happened when you least expected them. ¡°¡ªYOU LITTLE FUCK¡ª!¡± The man, who had collapsed after being shot, roared furiously as he pulled out a ¡®second¡¯ firearm from his coat. This left the boy completely blindsided, as he thought he had subdued the man enough by disarming him. His eyes widened. The man was ¡®subdued¡¯, not ¡®dead¡¯. There was no telling what desperate move he might pull. A mistake unimaginable for the meticulous man Eleanor knew. ¡ªNo When she gave more thought into it, it was only natural. No one was perfect from the start. Even if the boy had learned so much, he still couldn¡¯t do everything flawlessly. It was just, the boy lived in an environment where the tiniest mistakes could bring forth the most merciless consequences. The man raised his gun and aimed at the boy, and a moment after, the sound of gunpowder exploding echoed through the space. But what followed wasn¡¯t the boy¡¯s blood splattering. ¡°¡ª?¡± An incomprehensible image flashed through the boy¡¯s memories. Gunshot. Bloodstains. A snow-white dress stained bright red. ¡°¡ª¡± His body reacted before his mind could process it. He fired his pistol again, and this time, a hole blew through the man¡¯s head. Still unable to register anything else, he caught the girl¡¯s collapsing body. ¡°Why... why did you¡ª¡± He wanted to ask, why would she do such a thing. But before he could finish, the girl interrupted him, gasping between her words. ¡°Ah, this?¡± Although her face was contorted with pain that she had never experienced before, she still managed to let out a smile. ¡°I figured... I needed to do at least this much to find some courage.¡± ¡°What the hell are you¡ª¡± ¡°I have one thing to confess... No, maybe two?¡± Despite her nonsensical words, the boy frantically examined her body. ¡°¡ª¡± His face instantly turned pale. The shot had hit her in a fatal area. There was no hope of recovering from this. And it was his own mistake that caused all this¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself.¡± Before he could finish the thought, the girl flicked his forehead. ¡°I didn¡¯t get shot because of your mistake, okay?¡± ¡°¡ªStop talking.¡± It was a flimsy excuse, but the boy, on the verge of tears, could only manage to let out that reply. ¡°¡ªIt... It¡¯s not going to stop anyway. You can stop with that weird...pressure thing.¡± ¡°I SAID STOP TALKING!¡± He pressed on the wound. But, the bleeding still wouldn¡¯t stop. And the more her blood gushed out, the paler her face became. The boy¡¯s mind was drowned in an indescribable agony. And at that moment... The girl¡¯s calm voice reached him. ¡°They said... I don¡¯t have many days left to live.¡± ¡°¡ªWhat?¡± ¡°They said it wouldn¡¯t be strange if I¡¯d drop dead any day.¡± The boy stared at her, momentarily forgetting the situation. She smiled faintly and continued. ¡°So whether I die now from this, or a bit later from...my illness...it doesn¡¯t really matter, does it? You can stop.¡± ¡°¡ª¡± ¡°Well, now that things are like this, I can finally say it. I don¡¯t know if I could have said it before I died, but...facing death really gives you courage, hehe.¡± The girl coughed before continuing. ¡°Hey.¡± With a sly smile, she pulled his head down. Their foreheads touched. ¡°Go out with me.¡± The boy¡¯s face contorted horribly. It looked like he was crying, or maybe laughing. ¡°What the hell are you saying¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s my lifelong wish.¡± ¡°Fine, fine, whatever you want¡ª¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re dating now? Starting today, we¡¯re a couple, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sure, so just stop¡ª!¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s break up then.¡± Seeing the boy¡¯s dumbfounded face, she giggled again. ¡°Save that part for when you meet someone you can truly love, okay? ¡°Also, you know...¡± With a sigh, the girl wrapped her arms tightly around the boy. ¡°Before I die... I really wanted to try it. Dating...that is.¡± Her voice was laced with a pained groan. ¡°But you know, I wondered if saying something like this would be a burden on you. If my first and only relationship would leave you with a tragic memory. I thought about dying without saying a word. But in the end, I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± ¡°¡ªYou.¡± ¡°I...want you to be happy. Even when I¡¯m gone, please meet someone good, have children with her, build a family...¡± The girl who gave a beast a human life continued speaking. ¡°Please...live like a human. That¡¯s all I ask.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Bring...happiness to those around...you.¡± Ordinary. Just a simple, ordinary life. ¡°¡ª¡± Cherish what she had given him. The girl¡¯s breathing slowed and the light in her eyes faded. And then... A terrifying silence descended. ¡°...¡± Time passed. And passed. The boy¡¯s mouth opened. ¡°¡ª¡± But no sound came out. Then the pain came. An agonizing, harrowing pain. Just the act of breathing felt like he was swallowing fire through his lungs and throat. It felt like his chest was being wrung dry mid-exhale. ¡°¡ª¡± The memory became blurred. Like static on a screen, the following scenes were jumbled together. It was clear that he wasn¡¯t in his right mind back then. But even in that state... The ¡®experience¡¯ that was burned into his mind was something Eleanor could clearly feel. ¡ªA cruelty born from a mistake. Calculating every variable with almost paranoid meticulousness. He obsessed over the safety of those around him because of the pain of loss. And never letting anyone into the deepest part of himself, for fear of facing that pain again. By shutting everyone out, he could ensure he¡¯d never suffer this kind of agony again. No one became the way they were without reason, and he was no exception. This fragmented memory buried deep within his mind was the foundation for nearly all of Dowd Campbell¡¯s behavior today. The ¡®core¡¯ of who he was stemmed from this experience. In other words... This time... The situation Dowd Campbell was in right now... ...Might be more dangerous than he realizes. Could be far more serious than he thought. She had seen everything she needed. It was time to leave. ¡ªBut, wait a minute. Eleanor suddenly pondered, resting her chin on her hand. I swear I¡¯ve seen that girl somewhere before... The girl at the root of Dowd¡¯s memories... She had definitely seen that face before. ...Somewhere close to me¡ª With that lingering thought... Eleanor¡¯s consciousness was abruptly pulled back to the ¡®outside¡¯. ¡ñ ¡°¡ªHuh?! W-Woah!¡± As Eleanor suddenly bolted upright, Professor Astrid let out a startled cry. It was a very natural reaction, given she had done that without any warning. ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong?¡± As Astrid stammered, Eleanor, now standing, quickly responded. ¡°I have a question for you, Professor.¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± ¡°This ability to see into someone¡¯s ¡®memories¡¯, can Professor Mobius do it too?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know for sure, but...¡± Despite the sudden question, Astrid managed to let out a reply. Perhaps because she could see the seriousness in Eleanor¡¯s demeanor. ¡°He should be able to do it, to some degree... Like, he¡¯s probably able to analyse the nature of someone¡¯s trauma to some extent...?¡± ¡°Then, could you tell me where exactly Dowd and that man are currently facing each other?¡± ¡°W-Wait, what are you planning to do?¡± At Astrid¡¯s question, Eleanor let out a sigh before replying. ¡°I¡¯m going to save my husband, of course.¡± Her tone sounded like she was saying something obvious. That was the clearest answer someone could ever /genesisforsaken Chapter 315: Retribution (4) ¡°¡ªHaaa...¡± I struggled to catch my ragged breath. Fighting in an emotionally unstable state like this took a heavier toll on me than expected. While thinking that, I crushed the head of the empress¡¯ replica that was engulfed in Brown Aura. A sweet scent mixed in my breath. Maybe blood too. My muscles screamed and my head throbbed. Even though the adrenaline coursing through me slowed my perception of time, it couldn¡¯t mask the searing agony coursing through my entire body¡ªit felt like someone had driven electrodes through my brain. [...Are you really okay?] Even if I¡¯m not, what else am I supposed to do? Partly due to the ¡®settings¡¯ that were deliberately designed to get under my skin, I¡¯ve lost more stamina than anticipated. The problem here was the difficulty of this series of battles that this bastard prepared was quite high to begin with. I couldn¡¯t even recall the last time I¡¯d felt this worn out in a fight. Maybe it was during the training sessions I participated in before I ¡®arrived¡¯ here. But, there was still a silver lining. This is the last one. Judging by the setup, there was only one opponent left. ¡°You truly are a formidable opponent, Dowd Campbell.¡± Mobius¡¯ words confirmed my conjecture. ¡°You fought well to get this far.¡± As I listened to those words that were broadcasted over the stage, I spat the thick phlegm building in my throat onto the ground. The only Automaton left should be Eleanor¡¯s. So far, I hadn¡¯t seen anything that mimicked the Gray Devil¡¯s abilities yet.. With that thought, I stepped toward the next stage. In any case, that bastard had to honor our agreement. If I won, he¡¯d release Astrid. There were ways to make sure he kept his word. So, as long as I could win¡ª ¡°¡ª¡± Before I could finish my thought, I froze in place, my body locking up at the sight before me. The sight that was burned into my memory. ¡°...That son of a bitch.¡± A curse slipped from my mouth as I scanned my surroundings. [...What¡¯s this place? I¡¯ve never seen it before.] Caliban¡¯s voice trickled through the Soul Linker. It was a building. Or rather, an abandoned factory. Just as Caliban said, no one in ¡®this¡¯ world would recognize it. But for me, this was an unbearably familiar place. A place that was burned into the very bottom of my soul. It stuck behind my eyes like an indelible stain. A place that would keep haunting me even if I were to keep my eyes closed. It was... ...the exact replica of the place where my ¡®first love¡¯ had died. ¡°...¡± My hands trembled uncontrollably. I didn¡¯t know how he had found out about this place and its significance to me. But it was clear that he intended to exploit it to fuck me over. I knew that. I fucking knew that, but... ¡°...¡± I grabbed my trembling left wrist with my other hand to steady it. In that brief moment, Mobius¡¯ voice rang out again, as if mocking me. ¡°The final test is simple.¡± As his words fell, particles of light scattered across the stage, constructing the obstacles I¡¯d need to overcome. It was identical. The layout, the number of enemies¡ªeverything was an exact replica of the situation where I had ¡®failed¡¯ before. The only difference now was that the opponents I had to face were replaced with state-of-the-art Automatons infused with the Magic Tower¡¯s latest technology. In terms of conditions, it was actually worse than back then. I was far more exhausted now, and the combat power of the enemies was overwhelmingly stronger that it would be disrespectful to compare them to the enemies from back then. ¡°Break through¡ª¡° Mobius¡¯ voice continued. At the far end of the stage, standing where I had failed to reach last time, was Mobius himself. And standing beside him¡ª ¡°...¡± Long black hair. Bright yellow eyes. Her body was heavily modified with mechanical parts, and her eyes were completely vacant. Although her appearance was one I¡¯ve never seen before, I could immediately recognize her identity without anyone spelling it out to me. Astrid. To be exact, her corpse that should¡¯ve been discarded after having its organs removed... ¡°¡ª¡± As my brain thought of the things that the inhuman motherfucker must¡¯ve done to her... Fury surged through my entire body, so intense that it painted my vision red. Ignoring my state, Mobius continued speaking. ¡°¡ªand reach this place.¡± He finished his sentence with an expression that seemed to mock me. A smug expression that seemed to say, ¡®Do you really think you can make it here in your current state?¡¯. And then, he placed something that looked like a keycard on Astrid¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This is the control key to the device housing Professor Astrid¡¯s ¡®body¡¯. If you make it here and defeat me, I¡¯ll hand it over.¡± ¡°...¡± My head felt like it was boiling. ¡°Save the person you want to save, Dowd Campbell. Isn¡¯t this the ¡®family¡¯ you¡¯re so obsessed with?¡± At the voice of that fucker spouting nonsense. I instinctively stepped forward. Yes, I knew I was at my limit. Even with every skills and buffs stacked on me, fighting in this condition was suicidal. But even so¡ª [...Oi.] It¡¯ll be fine. I cut off Caliban¡¯s worried voice before he could continue. No, I wasn¡¯t fine. I knew that, but I had already come too far to back out now. [Hell no, you can still back down now. You¡¯re pushing yourself too hard right now.] ¡°...¡± [Look, I get it. I get why you¡¯re angry, but you¡¯re already at your limit. You can¡¯t even stand properly right now.] ¡°...¡± His words flowed through my spinning head. As I heard those words with my consciousness that was starting to lose its sense of reality¡ªalmost like an anchorless ship¡ªI took a rough breath. He wasn¡¯t wrong. After the continuous battles, my stamina was completely drained. Even with all the tricks I¡¯d prepared, fighting someone as calculating as Mobius in this state was borderline suicidal. I knew that. I really did. [So why the hell¡ª] I have to prove... Before Caliban could say anything, those words escaped my lips. ...that I¡¯m not the same as before. Caliban fell silent at my response. If I run away now, I feel like I won¡¯t be able to get rid of this. Forever. Despite everything that had happened... ...my driving force had always been the same: I didn¡¯t want to lose anyone else. That was why... I fucking refused to run from someone who had so persistently exploited that fact If I couldn¡¯t accomplish anything here... I felt like I¡¯d be chained to that fear for the rest of my life. While thinking that, I stepped forward. ¡°Just one thing.¡± At that moment, a voice rang out beside me. My head snapped back violently. ¡°...¡± Then, I was met with a ¡®flick¡¯¡ªa finger flicking against my forehead with enough force to almost dislocate my neck. There were only a handful of people who could pull off something like this to me. Wait... Didn¡¯t something like this happen before...? It was during the incident with the Red Devil¡ªthat was sleeping within Faenol. The person who did it back then was¡ª ¡°Have I not told you before? Stop trying to handle everything on your own. At this point, it¡¯s more of a disease than a bad habit.¡± ¡ªher. Thinking that, I blinked and turned to see Eleanor, who was standing beside me with a grin. Rubbing my now-swollen forehead, I asked dazedly. ¡°...Eleanor?¡± ¡°Seriously. Asking for someone¡¯s help won¡¯t kill you. You really need to fix that habit as soon as possible.¡± ¡°...¡± When did she get here, how did she get here, why was she here? Such questions filled my head, but before I could voice them, Eleanor continued. ¡°Well, I suppose I can make an exception this time.¡± Tucking her hair behind her ear, she glanced at the stage before us. ¡°...Because this place seems to be a place with a lot of meaning for you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Facing your past and overcoming it... How romantic. It¡¯s perfect for your own personal growth too. I understand why you¡¯d want to do it alone.¡± ¡°...Eleanor.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. I have no intention of interfering with that. As they say, a good wife should support her husband from the sidelines. Am I right?¡± ¡°...¡± With those words, her crimson eyes turned icy. That gaze flew and pierced Professor Mobius, who¡¯s glaring this way with a frown. ¡°But...¡± And then... Just like her eyes, her voice turned cold as well. ¡°When dealing with someone as despicable as him, shouldn¡¯t we at least even the odds?¡± With those words. Eleanor placed her hand on her chest. ¡°Oh, I just remembered¡ªyou¡¯ve never seen this before, have you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Remember what happened just after the School Festival? ...When I locked myself in the training room for weeks?¡± Come to think of it. Back then, she did suddenly say she was going to train by herself and locked herself away¡ªcutting off contact for several weeks. At the time, I hadn¡¯t understood why she forgave me even though she had plenty of reasons to be angry with me. While I was thinking about that... ¡°During that time, I discovered that I could do something quite interesting.¡± She clenched the hand resting over her heart. ¡°For example, something like this.¡± And then¡ª ¡®Something¡¯ beneath her hand began to pulse. ¡°¡ªBy working together with my ¡®roommate¡¯, I can do this.¡± The colors of the world began to drain /genesisforsaken Chapter 316: Highlight (1) Professor Mobius let out a deep frown as he kept his gaze straight ahead. Gray Devil¡¯s Vessel... Eleanor Elinalise La Tristan. Seeing her appearing out of nowhere made him feel a headache coming in. He let out a sigh before sending a glare at the visibly exhausted Dowd beside her. After I had him perfectly cornered... He had meticulously prepared this elaborate stage and cornered such a magnificent prey, only for this interference to appear at the last moment. It was enough to make his blood boil. Mobius sighed again and rose from his seat. Meanwhile, the ¡®colors¡¯ of the surrounding world were fading, centered around Eleanor¡¯s heart. The scenery remained untouched, only the colors slowly drained away, as if someone was erasing the world with a giant eraser. ¡°...This was supposed to be a mutually agreed-upon ¡®conditional trade¡¯.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve never intended to honor your side of the bargain, calling it a ¡®trade¡¯ is a bit far-fetched, don¡¯t you think? A ¡®swindle¡¯ would be more appropriate.¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± Mobius let out a crooked smile while looking at the control key he had just pulled out. Of course, it was all a facade. The real control over Astrid¡¯s life was through countless other means he had prepared. Win or lose, he had no intention of releasing her so easily. ¡°However¡ª¡± Mobius crossed his legs and rested his chin on his hand, exuding the aura of someone who knew they had the upper hand. His follow-up sentence... ¡°What can you do about it?¡± Made it even more apparent. He could end Astrid¡¯s life with a mere thought. But, he wouldn¡¯t do that. His plan to research Demonic Aura required her and Dowd Campbell, especially the latter, a precious specimen, to ascend from ¡®human¡¯ to ¡®another ¡®race¡¯. It was better for him to have such ¡®means of control¡¯ and make them follow his will than killing them. To him, this entire ordeal was simply a form of ¡®educational process¡¯ to make the two of them more compliant. Astrid¡¯s life was a far too valuable card to waste on such a trivial matter. Hence why... ¡°I¡¯ve set it up so that the moment the usage of Demonic Aura beyond a certain level is detected, Professor Astrid¡¯s life support system will shut down automatically. So, I¡¯d appreciate it if you don¡¯t interfere.¡± He had anticipated potential interference. And this was his countermeasure for that. At Mobius¡¯ triumphant speech, Eleanor simply turned her head slightly. ¡°Well, I expected nothing less from someone as dirty as you. I figured you¡¯d pull something like this.¡± ¡°I appreciate your understanding. Then, if you would kindly cooperate¡ª¡± ¡°However.¡± Eleanor continued calmly. ¡°There¡¯s one thing my ¡®roommate¡¯ and I always agree on.¡± At the same time... The ¡®color spreading¡¯ phenomenon that had been steadily going on suddenly halted. As if someone had seized control over it. ¡ªThis...? Complete control over Demonic Aura? Such a phenomenon held research value on an entirely different level. Controlling Demonic Aura completely was something only Devils themselves could do. No matter how powerful the Vessel was, it was ¡®structurally¡¯ impossible for them to achieve such a thing. ¡°Whoever lays a hand on Dowd will be dealt with, even if we had to chase them to the ends of hell.¡± As Mobius digested that sentence, Eleanor¡¯s sharp voice fell in front of him. ¡°So, for now...¡± Then. ¡°Let¡¯s change things...a little.¡± The next instant... ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Professor Mobius let out a deep frown as he kept his gaze straight ahead. Gray Devil¡¯s Vessel... Eleanor Elinalise La Tristan. Seeing her appearing out of nowhere made him feel a headache coming in. He let out a sigh before sending a glare at the visibly exhausted Dowd beside her. After I had him perfectly cornered... He had meticulously prepared this elaborate stage and cornered such a magnificent prey, only for this interference to appear at the last moment. It was enough to make his blood boil. Mobius sighed again and rose from his seat. Meanwhile, the ¡®colors¡¯ of the surrounding world were fading, centered around Eleanor¡¯s heart. The scenery remained untouched, only the colors slowly drained away, as if someone was erasing the world with a giant eraser. ¡°...This was supposed to be a mutually agreed-upon ¡®conditional trade¡¯.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve never intended to honor your side of the bargain, calling it a ¡®trade¡¯ is a bit far-fetched, don¡¯t you think? A ¡®swindle¡¯ would be more appropriate.¡± ¡°How harsh. My offer is truly sincere, though?¡± He said while lazily running his hand through his hair. ¡°If you can defeat me one-on-one, you¡¯re welcome to take this.¡± This control key was the only means to control Professor Astrid. To be accused of deceit after he brought out something so precious that he himself designed for this very purpose, he couldn¡¯t help but feel wronged¡ª ¡°...¡± At that moment, Mobius flinched, a sudden wave of disorientation washed over him. No. Something isn¡¯t right. This isn¡¯t the plan I had ¡®originally¡¯ envisioned. ¡°¡ªWhat... What did you do?¡± He managed to utter those words while clutching his throbbing head. Something...something¡¯s off! He ran a quick diagnostic. His body, his mind, his emotional responses¡ªnothing felt strange. It was highly unlikely that she had tampered with ¡®him¡¯ directly. But... Something had changed. A drastic fundamental change had happened. ¡°I see.¡± And before his eyes... Was Eleanor, drenched in sweat as she peeled away the strands of hair that were stuck to her forehead. He was gripped by a headache, but his opponent¡¯s condition didn¡¯t look much better either. She was clearly exhausted, as if all her ¡®energy¡¯ had been drained. ¡°It¡¯s still not perfect. Indeed, just as she said, there are limits to what a human body can do.¡± ¡°¡ªPardon?¡± ¡°A miraculous ¡®alteration¡¯ is still beyond me. If it takes this much just to change one small fact, attempting to alter something related to life and death would probably cost me my life.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Besides, you noticed quickly that something was off, didn¡¯t you? Perhaps it¡¯s because this is a place where you can observe other world lines.¡± A series of incomprehensible sentences came out of her mouth. But upon hearing those words, Mobius¡¯ brain sank heavily, and he started to analyze every possibility. Such was the brain of someone who sat at the top of the Mage Tower¡ªa hub of those called super-intellects. Even through those seemingly useless words, he pieced the puzzle together and found the ¡®correct answer¡¯ almost instantly. Causality manipulation? As that thought came to mind, he let out a groan inwardly. He had already known from the gathered intelligence that the Gray Devil¡¯s authority was related to ¡®time¡¯. From that... Using all sorts of philosophical, scientific principles, and abstract concepts, he drew a theory that the ability to control time could be extended to something that could even interfere with the chain of causality of a series of events. But, that was purely theoretical. Because it was truly possible... Then... She¡¯d truly be... An existence that could be called ¡®God¡¯... ¡°You¡ª¡± But despite such a being standing on the opposite spectrum to him. Mobius¡¯ lips curved into a smile full of ecstasy. A perfect research subject! The key that could unlock all the mysteries I¡¯ve been pursuing for all this time! ¡°I¡¯d love to have you as a long-term research specimen. I will not let you go no matter what.¡± ¡°I already have a loving husband. I¡¯ll have to decline.¡± ¡°Even if you decline, you won¡¯t be able to escape from me. Thank you for foolishly admitting that you¡¯ve exhausted yourself¡ª¡° ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± ¡°...¡± As someone who could be hailed as one of humanity¡¯s greatest intellects, such an insult was probably unfamiliar to his ears. However, Eleanor continued speaking with complete sincerity. There was a mix of contempt and pity in her eyes as she did. ¡°Didn¡¯t it occur to you that I might have revealed all this information because it doesn¡¯t matter if you know about it or not?¡± ¡°But clearly you¡¯re too drained of Demonic Aura to do anything¡ª¡° ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± She dropped those words with a smirk. ¡°After all, I¡¯m not the one who¡¯ll deliver your retribution. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, haven¡¯t I? I¡¯m just trying to ¡®balance¡¯ things out¡¯.¡± Before Mobius could properly comprehend those words... ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª¡ª!!!!!!!!!!! A blazing fist strike smashed straight into his face. If it weren¡¯t for the defensive barrier that automatically activated in response, that blow would definitely make his head explode. ¡°An automatic defensive barrier? Perfect equipment for a coward.¡± ¡°¡ªI don¡¯t want to hear that from someone who hides behind a woman¡¯s skirts.¡± Mobius answered with a deeply furrowed brow, steadying himself after being pushed back. He couldn¡¯t even tell when Dowd had gotten so close. Meanwhile, Dowd was wiping his nose bridge after spitting out a glob of phlegm with a ¡®ptui¡¯. ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed? Receiving help from others for everything?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What? Are you jealous? If so, find a good woman yourself. As they said, supporting one¡¯s husband is a virtue of a good wife.¡± Mobius let out a deep sigh. Irritation was filling his head. He had been played. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly how, but he had definitely been played. In any case... It was clear that nothing would go right unless he took the matter to his own hand properly. ¡°...Birds of the same feather really do flock together.¡± Finally, he tightly gripped the mechanical staff he always carried. Even if the battle came down to a one-on-one battle, he had no intention of backing down. The Magic Tower represented humanity¡¯s technological pinnacle. And his ¡®body¡¯ was the culmination of said technology. Combat was definitely one of his areas of expertise. ¡°Since you two are such a loving couple, I¡¯ll do the honor of burying you together.¡± And so, the battle against /genesisforsaken Chapter 317: Highlight (2) Though he was the son she had borne with her own pain, Astrid couldn¡¯t actually place much trust in him. Of course, considering the path he had walked until now, some might find that strange, but that was just how a parent¡¯s heart worked when looking at their own flesh and blood. Especially when the person his son was up against had control over all the facilities in the Magic Tower¡ªsuch concerns were only natural. However, there was one thing she could be certain about. ¡°I-Is that really going to be okay?!¡± ¡°...¡± Astrid let out a deep sigh as she looked at Professor Borris who said so urgently, who still had her trademark big-ass glasses that were barely clinging to her face and disheveled hair. When it came to getting women all hot and bothered, her son¡¯s skill was, if nothing else, the real deal. ¡°...Borris, you aren¡¯t usually this interested in other people¡¯s business¡ª¡° ¡°Professor, he¡¯s YOUR son, isn¡¯t he?! Aren¡¯t you worried at all?!¡± ¡°...¡± Just...how? They hadn¡¯t even spent a full day talking face-to-face! How the hell did he manage to turn a woman who¡¯s only interested in machines and dinosaurs into someone so passionate in that short time?! ¡°...¡± No, seriously, just how the hell did he do it? Did he spray his pheromones on her or what? He¡¯s already got a whole damn truck full of women hanging off him, and if he could get more of them just by breathing...! ¡°I¡¯d rather die instead...¡± ¡°W-What?! S-So you agree, Doctor? If we leave him like that, he¡¯s as good as dead, right?!¡± ¡°No, I meant, I¡¯d rather you kill me...¡± Though all her organs were stored in life support systems, she felt a headache coming as she rubbed her head in her steel giant form. Meanwhile, Borris kept flapping her hands and running her mouth. ¡°S-Shouldn¡¯t we help him? He¡¯s up against Professor Mobius...!¡± ¡°How the hell are we supposed to help him?¡± In any case, those feelings aside, it wasn¡¯t like they had a lot of ways to help him. Professor Astrid continued with a slightly stiff voice. ¡°All the ¡®equipment¡¯ we can control...is under the influence of that bastard¡¯s facility control.¡± While yes, professors of the Magic Tower generally possessed some combat power even without such equipment due to them having modified their own bodies... ¡°...There¡¯s no way we could interfere in a battle of that level.¡± People said fights between top-tier powerhouses on the continent were usually decided in a matter of seconds. Maybe even less than that. However... What was unfolding before her eyes now... ...Was a battle where losing focus for even a split second beyond split seconds means instant defeat. The one on the offensive was obviously Professor Mobius. This was his home turf, and the Magic Tower, hailed as the pinnacle of human technology, was filled with things worthy of that name. Tens, hundreds, thousands of light clusters poured down from all directions. They were probably weaponized solar beams that he had prepared in advance. The bombardment of bullets of light that could break through the sound barrier rained down towards Dowd. Such an attack could turn even a decent powerhouse into swiss cheese in an instant, but... ¡°-Haa.¡± Dowd was able to dodge all of it within a single deep breath¡ªit was nothing short of miraculous. He caught the bullets¡¯ trajectory, visualized the range of ¡®attacks¡¯ that would cause damage if they hit, then fit his body¡¯s range of motion inside an escape route that he found from his analysis It was a terrifying movement by anyone¡¯s standards, but what came to Astrid¡¯s mind first as she watched was ¡®doubt¡¯ rather than ¡®admiration¡¯. ...Strange. The image of Dowd trembling with all his stamina depleted just moments ago was clear in her mind. But what the hell was she looking at? As if his exhausted state from before was a lie, he was matching Mobius¡¯ relentless barrage of terrifying assaults blow for blow. In fact, Mobius himself looked quite flustered. He had clearly managed to chip away a huge chunk of Dowd¡¯s stamina, but now this man was fighting with terrifying momentum as if none of that mattered. ...Am I missing something? Among all the things that man prepared, his various Skills, Traits, items, and crucially, his Demonic Aura. Everything should be within Mobius¡¯ expectations. In other words, he must have prepared to go up against all of that. And yet... ...Something seemed to have slipped through those preparations. ¡°...As terrifying as it is, at this rate, it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯ll end there.¡± Alpha¡¯s voice cut into Astrid¡¯s thoughts. As she snapped back to reality, she looked around. Then, she confirmed that a certain scene that was unfolding was worthy of such words. ¡°Looks like this is going to get bigger than expected. It seems Professor Mobius came fully prepared as well.¡± As he said that... ¨C... -.... -.......!!!!!!!!! Other ¡®research labs¡¯ that made up the Magic Tower could be seen, slowly approaching this stage. ¡°¡ªThat son of a bitch.¡± Astrid gritted her teeth. It was clear he intended to throw every single weapon in the Magic Tower into this. Dowd may be holding his own for now, but at this rate, the balance would inevitably crumble¡ª ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯ll also have our own means to help out as well.¡± At Alpha¡¯s words, Astrid¡¯s train of thought came to a screeching halt. ¡°...Alpha.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s pulling in all the facilities like that, there¡¯s bound to be a spot where the control system¡¯s management gets sloppy, right?¡± ¡°The AI is flawless, but Mobius is manually controlling it right now. Of course there would be.¡± Alpha said with a grin. ¡°He¡¯s trying to expand the playing field.¡± After accompanying each other for so long, they grew to be able to understand some things without exchanging words. Alpha and Astrid looked at each other and grinned. Expanding the playing field, huh? If Mobius is trying to gain the upper hand that way... ¡°...Yes, since that¡¯s the case, we do have our own means to help out.¡± There was always a way to return the favor in kind. ¡°...Huh? Huh? What are you talking about?¡± As the two spoke, Borris, who was unable to follow the conversation at all, turned her head back and forth with a stupid voice. ¡°Borris.¡± In exchange... She received an unsettling question. ¡°You know how to drive a hovercar?¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± ¡°Alpha and I can¡¯t, but you should be able to, at least to some extent, right? I mean, it¡¯s still a machine.¡± ¡°...¡± Borris¡¯ body turned stiff. ¡ñ ¡°-Site 1. Railgun, subsonic small drones, heat-seeking smart munitions, ready.¡± As Mobius¡¯ words fell, an AI voice, probably the Magic Tower¡¯s control system, followed. [Administrator authority confirmed. Preparations complete.] ¡°Commence bombardment.¡± [Commencing.] With those words... -!!! -!!!!!!!!!!! A blinding flash erupted from all directions. It felt like all the weapons in the Magic Tower were raining down on me at once. But this time too. ¡°-Haa.¡± My heart pounded, the whole world felt like it was accelerating. My ¡®range of perception¡¯ expanded to the point it felt like my head was splitting. Meanwhile, my senses were sharpened to the extreme. I could count how many tiny flying insects were nearby, how many blades of grass were there, how many pebbles and gravel on the ground, even the total number of hairs on my body¡ªsuch a massive amount of information floods my brain. While experiencing that... I calculated and deduced what kind of attack that would come out by seeing its form and initiation time in an instant. Bullets, more bullets, the path of ricochets, the range of fire, and the gaps in between... I ¡®calculated¡¯ it all within a split second. ¡°Four seconds.¡± I muttered while taking a long sidestep. One. Two. Three. Four. The shower of bullets narrowly passed me by. After the fourth second, that pattern ended. Next... ¡°Three seconds.¡± One. Two. Three. In that instant, I sprinted forward, not stopping for anything. The heat-seeking smart munitions were raining from above, grazing through the gaps in the previous barrage. That pattern ended in three seconds. The next one was unavoidable, so I¡¯d have to take it head on. I grabbed Ultima and generated a shield. The shield¡¯s range covered my entire body. Its form wrapped around 120 degrees to the front. -! Another storm of bullets came from the front, but they were immediately blocked by the barrier. [...What the fuck? You can predict the fucking future now?] What are you on about? I¡¯m just dodging and blocking. [You still need to predict your opponent¡¯s attacks to do that! How the fuck are you reacting to everything in this clusterfuck?!] I smirked at Caliban¡¯s question while continuing to evade the incoming attacks. These were the series of attacks that would kill me in an instant the moment I made even the slightest mistake, but... Honestly, evading them wasn¡¯t all that difficult. Activation time. Time to reach me. Direction of evasion, and my range of motion... To ¡®cook¡¯ these ingredients and produce the optimal result... For ¡®the current me¡¯, it wasn¡¯t such a difficult task. Thinking that, I suppressed the ¡®Yellow¡¯ energy pulsing in my chest. ...Not yet. It didn¡¯t feel like I could handle it properly yet. For the ¡®fusion¡¯ that I practiced with the chancellor, this level of ability was just barely scratching the surface. If I could truly utilize the power of the Yellow Devil, this much would be child¡¯s play. ¡°...You truly are a pain in my arse, do you know that?¡± While I was thinking, Mobius suddenly said those words to me. He seemed genuinely fed up. The expression on his face made it seem like he was saying, ¡®How the hell are you not dead after all that?¡¯. ¡°¡ªBut you can¡¯t keep this up forever, can you?. I could just wait here and watch you die on your own¡ª¡° ¡°You won¡¯t have to wait that long.¡± Interrupting him, I took another deep breath. ¡°Ten minutes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°After that, you¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You can wait that long, right?¡± Mobius¡¯ face twitched /genesisforsaken Chapter 318: Joining A Hero must always maintain their composure and thoroughness. As humanity¡¯s last bastion, maintaining a dignified image was part of the job for sure, but more importantly, maintaining composure was crucial for survival, especially in prolonged extreme situations. But of course, doing that was fucking difficult. And Iliya Krisanax was experiencing this difficulty firsthand. Doing all that while dealing with the punk in front of her especially, was stupidly challenging. ¡°...Miss Yuria, like I said, he hasn¡¯t abandoned you.¡± ¡°B-But, M-Mr. Dowd hasn¡¯t...answered my calls...sob sob hiccup!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°T-This is the third time he¡¯s...disappeared without...any contact... T-This time...for sure...h-he abandoned me...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-If that¡¯s true...!¡± White Aura began creeping up from within the punk¡¯s body, prompting Iliya¡¯s eyes to widen as she tightly gripped the Holy Sword. Now¡¯s the chance! She swung the sheathed Holy Sword, instantly cutting away the white energy. Yuria¡¯s body then collapsed lifelessly, like a puppet with its strings cut. Because her Demonic Energy was being suppressed by the Holy Sword forcefully like that, it was inevitable that Yuria suffered from a backlash, momentarily stunned her. Lucia, who had been anxiously watching the whole thing unfold from the side, rushed forward to catch Yuria¡¯s falling body. ¡°...I hate to ask this every time, but are you sure¡ª¡± ¡°¨CShe¡¯ll be fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± Iliya let out a long and weary sigh. Even after being knocked out like this, Yuria would eventually wake up and spiral back into another anxiety-fueled episode. Somehow, this had become a regular part of Iliya¡¯s routine: subduing Yuria, who frequently had fits due to Dowd¡¯s sudden disappearance, to keep her calm. ¡°Good work, my lady.¡± Of course, suppressing Demonic Aura in this way also took a toll on her. After all, it required an intense concentration to handle the Holy Sword. As she wiped the sweat dripping from her brow, a servant nearby offered her a dry towel. It felt as if they had accepted this particular activity as part of their duties as Margrave Kendride¡¯s servants... ¡°...By the way.¡± Iliya narrowed her eyes and turned her attention to Lucia. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good yourself, Saintess.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± Hearing those words, Lucia¡¯s body flinched as her face flushed red. The way she averted her gaze suggested that Iliya¡¯s suspicion had hit the mark. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve noticed that sometimes you¡¯d go to lie down in the room where Teach stayed all by yourself.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And you¡¯ve been...longing over his used furniture. Touching them with a...wistful expression.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The servants said that sometimes you¡¯d even wear a collar at night. And you look lost in thought as if you¡¯re long for¡ª¡± ¡°...T-That¡¯s not true...!¡± ¡°...¡± One fact to note: Whether she was a Saintess or not, Lucia Greyhounder was a terrible liar. While Iliya was thinking this, the door behind her suddenly burst open. ¡°M-My lady!¡± ¡°...¡± To Iliya who just started to relax, this was like a death sentence. ¡°...What now...?¡± ¡°T-There¡¯s a huge fire at the castle¡¯s main hall...!¡± ¡°That bitch is at it again...?!¡± Unlike with the other Devil¡¯s Vessels¡ªshe was somewhat friendly with them¡ªIliya had no fondness for this particular punk. In fact, the mere thought of her made her stomach churn. She ran to the mansion¡¯s garden in one breath. As the servant had said, an alarmingly large inferno had already risen there. It was less intense than during the Crimson Night Incident, but seeing it melting all the snow in the perpetually snow-covered Kendride Margraviate, raising a thick steam in return, was enough to tell her how out of control the situation was. Not long after, Iliya spotted the red-haired woman floating naked in the center of the pillar of fire, radiating intense heat. Her eyes widened in anger. ¡°The hell is your problem, you fuc¨C!¡± ¡°...My lady, please watch your lang¨C¡± One of the servants coughed, trying to stop her from cursing from behind, but she already vaulted over to the railing and launched herself toward the center of the chaos. Unlike the White Devil¡¯s ¡®Enthrallment¡¯¨C¨Cwhich she could shake off easily enough as long as she kept her focus¡ªthis punk¡¯s power had actual physical form, making it a bigger pain in the ass to deal with. The Holy Sword¡¯s blade materialized in an instant, slicing through the flames and striking right into Faenol¡¯s skull. Unlike the previous strike with the sheathed sword, this time the naked blade created a sonic boom that threatened to level the surroundings. If Iliya hadn¡¯t held back, that single strike would have reduced the surrounding area to ash. The pillar of fire vanished instantly, and Faenol¡¯s body was slammed into the garden below at terrifying speed. ¡°...Oh, Miss Iliya?¡± But apparently, being a completed Vessel came with a perk. Despite receiving such a strike with her head, Faenol just blinked and muttered those words in a daze, as if that strike was no big deal. ¡°What the hell set you off this time?! How many times do I have to tell you¨C¨Cif you¡¯re struggling, get some damn therapy or talk to someone instead of¨C¨C!¡± Iliya¡¯s furious shout dropped with murderous intensity. It was an overwhelming scolding that drained all color from Faenol¡¯s face. She couldn¡¯t just run away too, as the source of all this chaos was her own outburst. Because of this, it took quite a while before she could stammer out an explanation. ¡°U-Uh, y-you see, I-I was thinking.¡± ¡°You better choose your next words carefully.¡± ¡°...¡± Facing Iliya¡¯s glare that seemed to suggest that she¡¯d hit her again if the reason for her going berserk was just another bullshit, Faenol swallowed hard. ¡°...Well, he took Lady Tristan with him, didn¡¯t he?.¡± Those words made Iliya sword¡¯s tip twitch ever so slightly. It was such a subtle movement that probably no one else would notice. But, this topic was something that had been bugging her too. ¡°...Yeah. so?¡± Hearing Iliya¡¯s curt response, Faenol continued with a gloomy voice. ¡°...Doesn¡¯t that mean she¡¯s the one he trusts the most and will always keep close to his side?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°In other words...doesn¡¯t that mean the rest of us...aren¡¯t truly trusted by Mr. Dowd? That we can never really be close to him¨C¨C¡± Before Faenol could finish, the Holy Sword¡¯s sheath bonked her head hard. It was such a powerful strike that even the nearby servants flinched. ¡°...Shut up.¡± Iliya muttered in a gloomy voice as she stared at the unconscious Faenol. ¡°I already know that.¡± Nevertheless... There were things she wouldn¡¯t give up on. She prided herself on knowing exactly what she needed to do to stand by his side. As she stood there, trying to catch her breath... ¡°...Um, my lady...?¡± ¡°...¡± She couldn¡¯t even steady her breathing when a servant approached her, carrying news that made her squeeze her eyes shut. ¡°...What is it? Spit it out.¡± There¡¯s no way, right...? Sure, that guy disappeared without explanation or contact, but surely every single one of them wouldn¡¯t lose their minds over shit like official wife position or being abandoned¡ª ¡°There are reports of massive amounts of fur flying around one part of the castle.¡± ¡°...Fur?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s a common symptom among beastkin whenever they lose control. Their bodies would become completely covered in fur.¡± ¡°...Is it where the Evatrice Sisters are staying?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Also... There¡¯s a Purple Demonic Aura emanating from their room...¡± Iliya smacked the back of her own neck hard as if trying to keep her sanity intact. These crazy bitches...! At this point, even she felt that this started to feel a little overwhelming. After all, it wasn¡¯t just one or two of them, but it was every single one of the Vessels who had gathered here who was having emotional breakdowns. Even though she was the Holy Sword¡¯s wielder, she still had her limits. This is why I told that idiot to at least send a message before disappearing! Seriously, what an inconsiderate jerk! Would it kill him to think a little about these mentally unstable women whose lives are dependent on his every move?! I¡¯m the one who has to clean up the mess he left me!! I swear, the next time I see him, I¡¯m going to give him an earful until he¡ª! ¡°...Ahh, I made it in time.¡± ¡°...?¡± At that moment, as she was about to subdue the Evatrice Sisters, a ¡®hovercar¡¯¡ªsomething she¡¯d never seen before in her life¨C¨Cappeared before her, prompting her to open her eyes wide. Huh? Where the fuck did this thing come from? ¡°Dowd Campbell requires your assistance, Hero.¡± It was a cyborg, emitting the characteristic blue flames of magic engineering cores all over its body, who said such words to the dazed Iliya. ¡°Will you bring all the Vessels and follow me? Time is running out.¡± ...Apparently. She wouldn¡¯t need to wait long to give Dowd her promised /genesisforsaken Chapter 319: Execution (1) The biggest weakness of intrigant people¡ªwho normally had plans for every single thing¡ªwas an unexpected variable. To determine the ¡®level¡¯ of such people, you could just see how flexible they were in dealing with situations that deviated from their original plans. This was pretty much obvious, but Mobius¡ªwho was in charge of the Magic Tower¡ªwas up there when it came to that, even among other intrigant people. Hence why... If the situation could perplex even him, it meant the situation was abnormal in various ways. ¡°-Fire!¡± Accompanied by an outburst of screams in fits, a storm of weapons¡ªwhich target had been designated manually by Mobius¡ªfired through the surroundings once again. These weapons came from all the facilities in the Magic Tower... And each of them boasted at least a Disaster-Level of power. Each of them could make the people down below¡ªpeople who weren¡¯t members of the Magic Tower¡ªline up to get them, offering mountains of gold and silver in exchange. What about the person who controlled all those weapons? He was someone who had been named a genius ever since he was born. And now that he had undergone all kinds of mechanizations, special abilities implants, and sorcery enhancements, all sorts of things that were known to be prohibited, his intelligence was bound to grow into a superhuman level at the very least. To derive all kinds of variables, vectors, and bifurcations of circumstances in an instant. Calculating the optimal countermeasures in any unexpected situations... Such things were easily achievable with his brain¡ªa brain that had reached the limit of a human¡¯s. With the help of all sorts of calculation devices on top of that, he was able to do something that akin to predicting the future, even if it was only a few seconds forward. The combination of such weapons and intelligence, produced a disastrous fire net that was shot with paranoia. Coming from his desire to kill his opponent no matter what. Even the air was burning, while the ground was torn apart. The way the sky turned tranquil and the scenery changed right after being swept by the fire net stood out. It took quite a while for the dust that soared up to settle down after the bombardment was done. And yet... Again...?! Mobius gritted his teeth as he looked at Dowd Campbell, who was standing just fine even after being bombarded by that fire net. Somehow, the bombardment didn¡¯t touch him at all. And this wasn¡¯t the first time either. This was how the battle had been going on so far. It was as if he was an insubstantial mirage. Dowd managed to avoid the bombardment within a hair¡¯s breadth, and held out just fine like that. Not even a living Dragon Race could survive that! And yet, he...! As Mobius thought so, Dowd silently walked towards him, wearing an expressionless face. His footsteps echoed, prompting Mobius to grit his teeth tightly to the point that his gum bled. You damn punk...! It was probably the thing that made him so bewildered. Dowd had been dodging all of his perfectly calculated moves so casually like that, for a few times even. Even though he was the one who was attacking, he was put on the defensive instead. And that wasn¡¯t even the worst thing. ...He hasn¡¯t even launched a counterattack. Logically speaking, if someone was able to read all of his moves like that, he¡¯d also be able to come up with a measure to inflict damage on him during the gaps of his bombardment. But he didn¡¯t do that. Instead, he slowly walked towards him while dodging all of his attacks. He hadn¡¯t unleashed a single attack that was filled with malice towards him. Just what is it that he¡¯s aiming for...? Mobius felt as if he was dreaming. All of his moves were rendered useless, and he couldn¡¯t guess what Dowd was trying to do. Am I missing something...? He already knew how clever and cunning Dowd was, but this was just too strange, even for his standards. At the very least, it was strange how he had caught up to his ¡®calculation speed¡¯¡ªsomething that Mobius prided as the ¡®best in the world¡¯. He believed that this wasn¡¯t just a simple intelligence, but a unique Skill of his. The fact that Dowd was able to catch up to that... As if he was unbeatable in such fights... Made it seem like he could see the future¡ª ¡°...¡± Professor Mobius quickly threw the hypothesis that came to his mind to the bin in his head. ¡ªThat¡¯s just absurd. His conclusion wasn¡¯t baseless either. After all, not even the Gray Devil, a being who could directly mess with the time axis, could directly see into the future. Not to mention that he had never heard of anyone, even among the Devils who had all kinds of transcendental Authorities, who had such an ability. ...Just what the fuck is it then...?! Fuck, fuck...! He had the feeling that if this situation were to continue... Regardless of what kind of ability that man was using... It would become an established fact that he would lose to that¡ª Lose...? As soon as he thought of such a word, Mobius¡¯ mind went blank for a moment. That was the possibility that he had never thought of. Me...? Dying...? And so, once more... With the determination that he¡¯d definitely kill the guy in front of him... He finished the calculations in his head once again¡ªat a terrifying speed¡ªas he stared at Dowd Campbell who was walking towards him with clear footsteps. ¡°¡ªFire!¡± A storm of dense Magic Power that could completely sweep away all things in its wake began to boil inside all the Magic Tower¡¯s research buildings that he had summoned nearby. He thought that if the problem was that Dowd could dodge his fire net no matter how he fired them, then he just needed to fire something that would hit the guy as long as he was in the range. In turn, he¡¯d be turning everything in his attack¡¯s range to ashes, but he deemed it as a necessary sacrifice. After all, he could just build everything back again after he was done, whereas if he were to lose to that man, everything he had built up so far would come to nothing. While thinking so, blinding light particles burst from all of the buildings nearby. The slaughterous bombardments went on for a while, to the point the research building where the ¡®experiment¡¯ was taking place turned into pieces from the bombardments. Of course, Mobius had gone outside of his own attack range before starting his attack. With the help of various drones, he took his own body up high in the sky. ¡°...Did that do it?¡± ¡°Well, you just jinxed yourself with those words. He¡¯s alive and well now.¡± ¡°...!¡± Freaking out, Mobius turned to look in the direction of the voice he just heard. There he was, perching on some of the anti-gravity objects that were floating in the air¡ªwho knew how he got there to begin with¡ªswinging his legs around. It was as if he was making fun of him. As if saying, ¡®Do you think you can hit me with that attack?¡¯. ¡°You damn...!¡± Mobius flipping out and cursing felt like a natural reaction at this point. And, as a matter of course... Getting on someone¡¯s nerves had always been Dowd Campbell¡¯s specialty. Before Mobius could even finish his words, Dowd opened his mouth, saying his piece in a relaxed voice. ¡°So, is that all?¡± ¡°...What?¡± As Mobius¡¯ expression instantly went blank, Dowd stealthily looked at his watch. He yawned¡ªobviously just to offend Mobius. ¡°I told you I¡¯ll kill you in ten minutes, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well, five minutes had passed. Got anything else you want to show me?¡± While saying that, Dowd stroked his chin with a grin. ¡°You haven¡¯t hit me even once, you know?¡± Upon hearing that, a series of several emotions surged up within Mobius in an instant. ¡°...¡± The first thing he felt was suspicion. Then, the second thing he felt was anxiousness. And the next thing was... A boiling anger that felt as if it was burning his brain, blinding his eyes white to the point that he lost his mind in an instant. ¡°You motherfucker¡ª!!!¡± A curse, accompanied by an anger that he had never let out, erupted like a volcano, came out from his vocal cords as if it was brimming over. Nobody could stand above me! Nobody! ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you¡ª!¡± He began to rack his brain once again. If he kept a level-head, he would¡¯ve never done this. It had been a while since the attacks that utilized the whole tower¡¯s facilities had failed more than once. Even if he were to try to come up with other kinds of attacks, there was a high chance that the same thing would just happen again. After all, even now, he was doing his best, using all means available to him just to hit that man ¡®once¡¯. Things wouldn¡¯t change just because he did something else a little bit harder than before. Again and again. That man would continuously... Win against him in the mind game. As if he was a prey in the man¡¯s grip, his life was being sucked up... And toyed with by him. Now, if Mobius could make rational judgment even for a bit, he¡¯d have realized that already. Instead of continuing this futile effort, he¡¯d try to take a step back to analyze the guy, and make plans to control other upcoming variables. But... Just like how he tried to corner that man... That man somehow managed to reverse the role and did the same to him, making his ¡®anger¡¯ eat his mind away instead. ¡°I could relate, since that¡¯s what you put me through just now.¡± Meanwhile... Dowd, who had been watching him, got up with a smirk. ¡°It becomes impossible to make any rational judgments when you¡¯re angry, doesn¡¯t it?¡± His tone made it sound like he had been waiting for this exact /genesisforsaken Chapter 320: Execution (2) ¡°You look as if you just saw a ghost. What? Are you scared?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you not going to attack?¡± Hearing Dowd¡¯s provocative voice, Mobius tried his best to calm his breath that was about to get heavy. ¡°-System, intercept.¡± [Executing.] He began to pour out his attacks again, but its pattern was similar to the ones he had been unleashing so far. And just like before, Dowd dodged everything while slightly advancing forward. ¡ªJust what the hell is this bastard doing?! That was the first thing that came to Mobius¡¯ boiling mind. His rational side was telling him that it was dangerous to be swept away by his anger any more than this, but it was no use. The man in front of him had been casually dodging the attacks he made so far, and he hadn¡¯t attempted any kind of counterattacks yet. And the problem here was that Mobius couldn¡¯t even guess what kind of strategy the man was cooking up. ¡°Just what are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Nothing, I guess?¡± ¡°...¡± What the fuck is he on about now? At this point, even he had to acknowledge Dowd¡¯s courage to ridicule him even in such a situation. ¡°...Making a play on words isn¡¯t my hobby. Stop now. I¡¯ll at least make your death painless.¡± ¡°I mean, I¡¯m really not aiming for anything in particular.¡± ¡°...¡± In truth... At this point, he could poignantly feel that Dowd was dragging time. The problem here was that he had no way to stop him from doing that. ...How long has it been? To be stuck in a situation where his opponent had the ¡®upper hand¡¯, where he was forced to act passively according to his opponent¡¯s moves... He couldn¡¯t even remember when was the last time this happened. ¡ªIt¡¯s not like I can¡¯t handle this. Mobius surmised that, if Dowd refused to show the cards he had, then all he needed to do was to make him pull them out with force. Besides, Dowd wouldn¡¯t be the only one who¡¯d gain advantage from the dragged time. Mobius took a deep breath, preparing for a different type of attack this time. ¡°...You are not an easy opponent, I¡¯ll acknowledge that. At the very least, you¡¯re different from the opponents I¡¯ve overcome so far.¡± Mobius admitted calmly as he changed the position of his staff and fiddled with his artificial eyes. The punk wasn¡¯t an easy opponent, sure. But that was all. At the end of the day, they were in the Magic Tower, the place where the pinnacle of all technologies was created. He hadn¡¯t used any technologies that could affect other dimensions so far because he deemed his opponent as a precious ¡®research material¡¯. In other words, he had been trying to keep it intact the best he could. Mobius snapped his finger. With that as a cue, all the equipment that possessed the strongest firepower out of all the tower¡¯s research buildings gathered around him. From dimensional warpers, void-generated cannons, to particle crushing wave generators... Each of them was a weapon that one needed to think through before activating since they carried ¡®side effects¡¯ that were too severe. But, since he decided to deal with his opponent in earnest, he had no choice but to deploy them. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll fight you in earnest. There are a lot of ways to keep your value as a precious research sample intact even if you had turned into ashes.¡± ¡°...Ah~¡± However, when he heard those words, Dowd... Just picked his ear, as if he found his words annoying. ¡°Excuses, blah, blah.¡± ¡°...¡± It was clear that he did it to get on his nerves, but this time, Mobius pushed away the anger that was about to surge up into his head with a deep breath. He vowed that he wasn¡¯t going to be deceived by the punk¡¯s words anymore. Instead, he¡¯d crush him in earnest, no matter what kind of bullshit he was spouting. ¡°Oh, by the way, you¡¯re mistaking something.¡± When Mobius took a deep breath, right before he was about to fire the weapons... Dowd suddenly said so with a smirk. ¡°Why do you think I haven¡¯t attacked you all this time?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Well, before that, let¡¯s go back to the beginning.¡± Right before he could fire the weapons... Dowd, without any change in his expression, continued with a chuckle. ¡°Do you remember why you¡¯re fighting me in the first place?¡± And along with such words... Dowd, whose gaze had been locked with his, disappeared without a trace. Mobius¡¯ eyes shook greatly for a moment upon seeing him suddenly turned into yellow particles that scattered around. ¡°...-?!¡± Is this a hallucination? No, that can¡¯t be... The observation equipment he had could break through any kind of trickery and illusion, so that was definitely out of question. Besides, there was no way that an organization that had the technology to break through dimensions and read the target¡¯s past couldn¡¯t detect such an obvious trick. If... The being that stood in his opposition wasn¡¯t a being that had the highest status in all dimensions, that is. That was when Mobious found out the ¡®nature¡¯ of the Aura exuded from the particles that took Dowd¡¯s shape. When he did, he immediately spat out the air that was rushing into his lungs violently. ¡ªDemonic Aura? A Yellow Demonic Aura?! I¡¯ve never heard of a Yellow Devil before! He had blocked all of the Demonic Auras that he had managed to observe, but the problem here was that he hadn¡¯t expected that there would be a Devil that ¡®escaped¡¯ his observation. ¡°I¡¯ve told you.¡± As Mobius¡¯ brain was thrown into such a disorder, such words entered his ears from his side. Well, actually, it would be misleading to say it was from his side. Although he had reinforced his sense of hearing with all kinds of mechanizations, the distance of the voice he heard and the actual distance of the voice was completely different. As he turned his head in confusion... ¡°It¡¯s impossible to make any rational judgments when you¡¯re angry.¡± ¡°...¡± There Dowd was, in a distance away from the ¡®stage¡¯ where the fight was supposed to happen. He rested his chin in his hand that was holding the key card that could control Professor Astrid¡¯s life-support system. It was unknown when he had gotten it. ¡°...¡± Upon seeing that, Mobius intuitively scanned the things that were ¡®originally¡¯ supposed to be there in sequence. From Astrid¡¯s ¡®important organs¡¯ that he had the authority of control over, to her ¡®new body¡¯ that was never allowed to be taken outside. Apparently... When Mobius and the punk were arguing just now... Or rather, when he was having an unnecessary fight with the ¡®hallucination¡¯ that punk cast upon him... The punk had rescued the most important hostage he had taken. ¡°Even if this single card holds the authority over the life-support system, I know you could just fire something to destroy everything instead if things were to go against your wishes. That¡¯s why I figured I should just transplant all her organs into a new body and send her somewhere safe.¡± ¡°...You¡ª¡± Mobius finally knew why the punk could avoid all of his attacks. Because in the first place, it was merely a hallucination that he attacked. The reason why the punk had only been approaching him slowly without attacking was so that he couldn¡¯t guess what he was up to. To drag more time by confusing him. If... He had been a little bit calmer... If he just suspected him a little more, he could probably detect the shallow trick quickly. ¡°Honestly, I was a little surprised. You lost your mind way more easily than I expected.¡± ¡°Dowd Campbell...¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because your head is too big, but you flipped out so quickly even when I offended you a little. It was kind of funny.¡± ¡°You¡ª!.¡± When people got angry... They couldn¡¯t make rational judgments. Which meant, just like how he dug a trap for that punk... Mobius himself... Was played around by the punk from the beginning to the end... By such a ridiculous trick... Him, the owner of the Magic Tower, the person who possessed superhuman intelligence... By the damn bastard who was supposed to be his mere ¡®research subject¡¯. ¡°You motherfucker¡ª!!¡± As his anger burst out like an erupting volcano, Mobius raised his staff and pointed it at Dowd. The collective power of the weapons he prepared could make a short work of even a demigod, so he was confident that he could finish the fucker in front of him for sure. However... This time, the eyes of his opponent shone dangerously. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, no? Ten minutes.¡± A beeping sound of alarm rang from Dowd¡¯s watch. It marked that 10 minutes had passed¡ªit seemed like he had set this up in advance. Now, Mobius finally found out that the 10 minutes he had been babbling about was... The time the punk needed to evacuate Astrid to a perfectly safe place so that she wouldn¡¯t be in danger anymore. ¡°Are you ready to die now?¡± With such words, ¡®Black Demonic Aura¡¯ began to come out of Dowd¡¯s body. ¡ñ ¡ªI said that so confidently, but... I struggled to calm down the Aura that was grinding my heart like crazy. Things turned out this way because I had been straining myself more than usual to handle the Yellow Demonic Aura. You see, the Yellow Demonic Aura¡¯s Authority could be used as ¡®hallucination¡¯ just like what I did just now. As a hallucination, nothing could break through it as long as it fulfilled some conditions. ...But, still... It didn¡¯t change the fact that I only had one shot left. And that was only if I could do it properly. [...Regardless whether you could use it properly or not, are you sure you can withstand that?] ¡°...Well...¡± ¡ªSo... Up until now, I could withstand it somehow, but... I scratched my head while looking around at the Magic Tower¡¯s facilities that Mobius had gathered around the area. ¡°...Those things are basically moving fortresses, huh?¡± I said dejectedly while looking at the ¡®research buildings¡¯ that were lining up around us. They called those places research buildings, but honestly, its insides looked like they could bring them to wage a war against the whole world and win. [How are you going to deal with what happens after this?] ¡°...Well, we¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get there.¡± [...I knew it.] I knew, my finishing touch was always half-assed. Well, I had a few hidden cards left, but still.... It would be nice if someone were to help me here. Anyone. Honestly, I didn¡¯t know if I could pull this off by myself... ¡°-Teaaaaaaachhh¡ª!¡± Then, at that moment... A familiar voice echoed from beside /genesisforsaken Chapter 321: Execution (3) Hovercars weren¡¯t actually suitable for transporting large numbers of people at once. While it was an impressive piece of technology, considering how its bodies could go up high in the air, reaching where the Magic Tower was, in order for it to have such a function, the multi-seat function had to be sacrificed. ¡°S-Stop pushing! W-We¡¯re going to fall¡ª! Even I¡¯d die if we were to fall from here!¡± ¡°Y-YOU are the one who should stop pushing me! Why are you sticking to me anyway?! Also, you reek of sweat!!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª!!¡± Riru and Seras growled at each other as their bodies were pressed against each other¡¯s. They were stuck sitting near the engine since there weren¡¯t enough seats in the passenger seats. This arrangement was made under the assumption that they would be fine even if they were put outside, as they were the ones with the most outstanding physical abilities out of all the Vessels. In fact, the two of them did endure being in such a position even as they were taken to this level of altitude, albeit they looked a little unsteady. No, actually it was amazing how they still had the energy to fight with each other. It basically meant that they had enough physical strength to do that in the middle of this flight, the flight that was so shaky and unstable, riddled with shocks and shakes due to the hovercar being overloaded with passengers. Just the flight itself made a few people find it hard to keep their balance, let alone quarrelling with each other. ¡°...Excuse me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Miss Yuria? Miss Faenol?¡± Iliya shook the two women¨C-who were unconscious and drooling¡ªhard. One of them passed out from motion sickness, while the other fainted as soon as she found out the altitude the hovercar had reached. ¡°...Are these punks really going to be helpful...?¡± ¡°...¡± That¡¯s my exact question too... As Professor Astrid thought so while holding her head, Alpha suddenly made a remark from her side, stroking his chin. ¡°...Hm.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s amazing, Professor?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Actually, even though it¡¯s not suitable for multi-seat, the hovercar can still take a decent number of people at once.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°The fact that the number of women who came overloaded the car means that these women forced their ways to come the moment they heard that your son is in danger. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s amazing?¡± ¡°...¡± Professor Astrid shut her mouth, creating a clanking sound. Well... As his mother, she wasn¡¯t sure if that was something that she could be happy about. In the first place, she couldn¡¯t even understand why these punks wanted to be with Dowd so much. But then again, it was natural for her to think that way. ¡°...A son is his mother¡¯s anyway. Why are you all coveting him so much?¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± Appalled, Alpha turned to look at her. Meanwhile, Astrid glanced back as if finding that he was the strange one here. ¡°...Why are you so surprised? I was the one who gave birth to him. Of course he should live with me for as long as I wa¡ª¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Upon noticing the terrifying silence that went on, Astrid clammed her mouth shut. Yuria and Faenol who had fainted before, Riru and Seras who were still bickering a moment ago at the back of the engine, even Iliya who was sitting at the backseat¡ªall of them were staring at her with a bewildered gaze. ¡°...Why are you all staring at me like that?¡± As she asked brusquely, Iliya stammered, barely managing to ask. ¡°...U-Um... Y-You didn¡¯t mean it that way, right?¡± ¡°...What way?¡± ¡°Could it be that the reason why you were strangely hostile towards us from the beginning was because... Because you were checking on¡ª¡± ¡°What the heck are you on about¡ª?¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s stop talking about something so dreadful.¡± Before Astrid finished her words, someone suddenly said such words from beside the hovercar. It was Dowd, who had found them and caught up with them. ¡°...How did you know¡ª No, how did you get all the way here?¡± His voice trembled a little. It was easy to tell that he was thankful for them. After all, they came all the way here without a second thought the moment they heard the news of him being in an urgent need for help. Hearing Dowd¡¯s question, Iliya replied while smiling. ¡°Well, because you can¡¯t run away from us even if you want to, Teach.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Also, I¡¯m going to make you pay me later for leaving me to deal with all these mentally ill¡ª¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s focus on the fight first.¡± And here I thought the atmosphere was getting warm. Seriously... ¡°So, how are you going to win?¡± ¡°...Well...¡± At Iliya¡¯s question, Dowd replied with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I could win with it, but there¡¯s something I want to try.¡± ¡°...Something you want to try?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something I came up with when all of us gathered together the last time. I haven¡¯t tried it yet, but I¡¯m itching to.¡± ¡ñ In this world, there were situations that one could recognize right away even though they had never experienced it before, nor been taught about it. That was why... Even though Professor Mobius had never been pushed to a corner in his life, he knew very well what kind of situation he was in. Though his head was boiling, he could tell that things had gone horribly wrong. No, that description didn¡¯t cut it. He was completely fucked. -! The current Magic Tower was his ¡®achievement¡¯ that he had completed over a long time. And that same achievement was falling apart in real-time. His best masterpieces that could make people from all over the world tremble in awe were being swept away, pile by pile, by every attack of his opponent. ¡°-Fuck off!¡± ¡°These crude machines!¡± A blue forefist shot out with a roar, mixed with Purple Demonic Aura that covered the surroundings. With that single strike, the drone horde that was covering the sky was swept away completely. Even if they normally didn¡¯t seem to get along with each other, these two women¡¯s combined skill perfectly harmonized with each other as they swept the surroundings together. ¡°-You¨C!¡± Of course, losing all those drones didn¡¯t incapacitate Mobius. He still had more than enough means available. If anything... Even compared to those countless facilities of the Magic Tower, he was the one who was more suited to be considered as the ¡®main force¡¯ than those weapons. -! The moment he swung his hand slightly, multiple formulas were written in the air. He didn¡¯t need to chant to pull it off. Each of them were the highest-ranked spells that could fry an ordinary sorcerer¡¯s brain if they tried to cast it. Mobius, the owner of the Magic Tower, the Researcher of Truth. Even without help from the tower¡¯s facilities, he was still a genius who had reached such a level purely by his expertise in handling his Special Power. Considering that this place was his own fortress that he had built over a long time, he had an overwhelming advantage over these lot. As a result, each of the spells he had just cast possessed power that rivaled even natural disasters. However... ¡°In your dreams!¡± The Hero, Iliya, shouted, cutting him off in the middle. There were several reasons why the Hero was considered as the strongest war power that mankind had, but the root of it was in the Holy Sword itself¡ªher exclusive property. The ability that reigned above the Demonic Aura in some ways¡ªthough Mobius found it nonsensical that this was the case; an ability that could turn back all the energies she faced to nothingness. The Holy Sword emitted bright color, and it made all his formulas collapse. ¡°A gap!¡± Of course, the others didn¡¯t miss the gap she created, as White Demonic Aura, mixed with Red Demonic Aura immediately soared up. The White Devil¡¯s Authority, ¡®Enthrallment¡¯ and Red Devil¡¯s Authority, ¡®Hellfire¡¯ made quite an interesting synergy. One could see how true that assessment was after seeing the various research buildings get completely incinerated after being ¡®drawn¡¯ to the Hellfire, as if there was a black hole there. It really felt like the two Demonic Auras had fused and created a completely new nature. ...Are you kidding me? Of course, Mobious had prepared the facilities that allowed him to contend with the Demonic Auras, but... The Devil¡¯s Vessels coming here personally, ¡®combining¡¯ their Demonic Aura while strengthening their own, wasn¡¯t something he was prepared to face. And the reason why this was possible was... ...Because there is a ¡®pivot¡¯ that allows them to gather their power¡ªwhich has no reason to blend with each other¡ªin a single place. While thinking so, Mobius gritted his teeth. At that moment, Dowd suddenly said... ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, get your own harem.¡± ¡°...¡± Did this fucker just read my mind? ¡°Dude, your face just screams, ¡®This is unfair!¡¯, you know?¡± ¡°...You¡ª¡± Hearing Dowd¡¯s mocking voice, Mobius clenched his molar until it broke down. ¡°-You motherfucker...! Don¡¯t fuck with me...! Don¡¯t you dare fuck with me...!¡± His eyes burned in a dangerous color as he said so. ¡°I-I won¡¯t fall in this kind of place¡ª!¡± That was how it was supposed to be. ¡°I have a goal I have to achieve no matter what. I can¡¯t let an insect like you block me from reaching it!¡± The evolution of mankind. His great goal that he would definitely achieve someday. This wasn¡¯t the place where he should fall. His consciousness went back to five years ago, the first time he entered the Magic Tower. To be exact, it went back to the horrible memories that changed him completely¡ª ¡°-Don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°...¡± But, as he was about to lost in his memories, he was quickly snapped out of it. Dowd Campbell, who had approached him right before his eyes, utilized all the muscles he could muster to let out a broad smile and... ¡°Too bad, I¡¯m not going to let you have an Awakening Event.¡± Said such words to his /genesisforsaken Chapter 322: Execution (4) ¡°-Hm.¡± Explosions and gunshots that occurred all over the place, someone¡¯s shouts and screams that echoed through the space... As those things went on, Eleanor wiped her sweat, exhaling through her nose. She had used all her energy to ¡®manipulate reality¡¯ earlier, that was why she couldn¡¯t lend him a hand, but... ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± ¡°-¡± As she asked that, she could feel ¡®someone¡¯ answering from inside her heart. She couldn¡¯t hear the ¡®voice¡¯ properly yet, but she could at least feel the other¡¯s satisfaction. ...It¡¯s a little bit strange. From her observation on the other Devil¡¯s Vessels, it was clear that communication between the Vessels and the beings inside their bodies wasn¡¯t something that was hard to do. Let alone Faenol¡ªwho had already collected all her Fragments¡ªeven Yuria could communicate with the White Devil with ease. She was the only one who wasn¡¯t able to talk properly with the being inside her. It was as if the being, the Devil herself, didn¡¯t want to show herself in front of her. ...Does she have something to hide, or what? As Eleanor asked that question inwardly, sighing, the Devil shared what was in her mind again. ¡®Good job. This would probably solidify Dowd¡¯s recognition of you.¡¯ That was what she was trying to say. ¡°-Is that so?¡± Still, the reason why she wasn¡¯t really dissatisfied with the Devil¡¯s attitude was because, at the very least, they were working towards the same goal. ¡°I guess it¡¯s true that at this point, Dowd would have no choice but to notice.¡± By coming to the Magic Tower, she got to monopolize his ¡®past¡¯ and helped him when he needed it the most, securing an advantage over her ¡®competitions¡¯. While she had to pull all sorts of tricks in order to get to the Magic Tower, she successfully achieved her goal and more, so it was more than worth it. ¡ªAlthough I have no choice but to give way a little. Dowd already collected a lot of women around him, so she hadn¡¯t expected her to be able to monopolize him so easily. However, at the very least, she wanted to be the one in the ¡®center¡¯ of his everything. She was already the first one among everyone who broke down the firm ¡®barrier¡¯ that he built around him. As for the battle that was unfolding before her eyes, it had already turned into a trivial matter in her eyes. After all, Dowd had never failed to overcome any adversaries that came his way so far, and she didn¡¯t think that this battle would break his 100% winning rate. Rather than thinking about that, she... ¡°So, once the incident is settled¡ª¡± Thought that this was the time to put the ¡®restraint¡¯ she had prepared on him. She fiddled with the small box that she always had near her chest. Inside the box was the ring that she had exchanged with Dowd a long time ago. The time to pull this out proper is near¡ª ¡°...?¡± As Eleanor thought so, something caught her eyes. Close to Dowd¡ªwho had reached Mobius¡ªthe world was dyed in a ¡®color¡¯. If that was the only thing that happened, she would¡¯ve thought that he was just using someone else¡¯s Demonic Aura and moved on, but... It wasn¡¯t, and it fouled her mood. What happened there was someone else¡¯s ¡®color¡¯ being mixed with the Black Demonic Aura that was pouring out from the Seal on his chest. Someone was seeping into his ¡®heart¡¯. As if both of them ¡®became one¡¯. ¡°-!¡± At that moment, she could feel the being inside her heart shake intensely the moment she noticed that. Though they couldn¡¯t communicate, Eleanor could tell... The punk was livid. As if she was pissed off about him breaking a ¡®promise¡¯. ¡°-Hm?¡± Her eyes bent, like a crescent moon. ¡ñ Currently, Chancellor Sullivan was indulging in a very fascinating sensation. The sensation of not being in her body in the Material Realm, but being an ¡®Aura¡¯ in Dowd¡¯s body. It gave her a weird feeling of exaltation. Then, sentences she had heard before crossed her mind. It was the Q&A session she had exchanged with Dowd the first time he asked her to ¡®become one¡¯ with him. -Actually, I have a lot of questions about you, Chancellor. -...What are they? -How did you come back to the past? As far as I know, controlling time is Gray¡¯s Authority, not the others¡¯. -... -While yes, Devils are beings who exist beyond the time axis, I don¡¯t think that they could just take another Devil¡¯s Authority like that. Also, the fact that it was you, Chancellor, the Vessel, who came with the ¡®memories of the future¡¯, not the Devil herself, is another thing that I found strange. -... -And, seeing how you¡¯ve been passionately showing me favors from the first time we met... I can assume that we were in a special relationship in the time axis you ¡®came from¡¯. Am I right? -...Yes. His guess was correct. He was her partner. Her other half. Her everything that completed her. Before she ¡®regressed¡¯, Dowd Campbell was such a person to her. -You see... She remembered how she replied to him in a gloomy voice. -...I made a deal with Gray. -Hm. -I asked her help...so that I can meet you again... In return, I gave up my Authority, status, everything... Even if she had to give up her status as one of the seven Devils... She willingly went back to the past, so that she could meet him. After she added to the terms that she¡¯d also throw away her Authority, Gray accepted it without a fuss. -Well, it¡¯s kinda like getting rid of a political opponent. Once my Authority was taken away, Gray could just...¡¯turn me back into nothing¡¯, if she wanted to. -...Ah, about that... She also remembered Dowd awkwardly scratching his head at her words. -I¡¯ll try to prevent that from happening. -...What? -I mean, you regressed with such an affectionate feeling, so... I should give you something in return, no? -...? Seeing Sullivan¡¯s face that was full of question marks, Dowd let out an awkward smile before continuing. -Anyway, we can do something cool if we can become one properly, Chancellor. As she finished her reminiscence... Her consciousness was dragged out to reality again. She could see Dowd, standing in front of Mobius. Soon after, a voice could be heard. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Matching Dowd¡¯s voice, the color of the Demonic Aura that was wriggling to the surroundings turned even deeper. ¡°Ha!¡± At that moment, she could hear Mobius¡¯ sudden snort. ¡°-I¡¯ll admit it, Dowd Campbell. You won this time! But¡ª!¡± ¡°I know. You probably wouldn¡¯t die even if I were to kill you multiple times.¡± Next, she heard Dowd¡¯s calm reply. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I know you aren¡¯t just any wicked guy. You came here prepared for all kinds of possibilities, including the possibility that your carefully prepared plans go horribly wrong.¡± In other words, he must had some kind of lifeline. With him as the opponent, even if Dowd were to win against him in battle, he would still be a pain in his ass no matter what. Utilizing the Magic Tower¡¯s technologies, the cunning punk would definitely have a ¡®back-up¡¯ of his mind somewhere, and would revive himself even if Dowd were to kill him. ¡°That¡¯s why...¡± Dowd put his hand over his heart. The Black Demonic Aura began to shake. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared something for you. Something that would deal with you completely, no matter what kind of lifeline you have prepared.¡± ¡°What are you talking ab¡ª¡± ¡°Your fate is already sealed the moment you let me get this close to you.¡± ¡®Mixing¡¯ Demonic Auras would create a clear effect and its utility was already proven more than enough times. With that in mind... What would happen if he were to mix his own Authority, and an Authority that wasn¡¯t supposed to exist? The result was something quite fun. Even more fun than he expected. ¡°-I¡¯ve been wanting to use this so badly.¡± Yellow Devil¡¯s ability came from ¡®Deception¡¯, the ability to deceive one¡¯s opponents. Hallucination was only one of its derivative abilities. To put it simply, the Yellow Devil¡¯s ability was one that aimed to deceive the opponent¡¯s ¡®senses¡¯. If, such an ability... ¡°I call this Aura Combination.¡± Was mixed with Dowd¡¯s own ¡®Authority¡¯, that could allow him to completely suppress the opponent... The result that came out of it was quite fun in nature, to say the least. ¨C ¨C!!!! The Demonic Aura that had been spreading and wriggling, soon gathered in one place. And engulfed Professor Mobius. ¡°Ahem, what I¡¯m trying to say is...¡± Dowd cleared his throat... Then he recited something to turn the opponent into his ¡®doll¡¯. ¡°-Submit to me.¡± If he couldn¡¯t kill the opponent... He just had to destroy his ¡®mind¡¯. Hallucination, Deception... Combined with ¡®Command¡¯. He slammed the ¡®plate¡¯ into his opponent¡¯s mind, to prevent him from escaping. Even if the guy had thousands of tactics, as long as he broke his ¡®will to fight¡¯... They would cease to become his opponent. [...So.] Caliban, who was watching silently, called out in an uncomfortable voice. [Anyone who touched that would completely lose their mind and obey anything you said?] ...Yes, but no? The way it works is that I¡¯m squeezing in a lot of false information so that he¡¯d see me favorably, essentially brainwashing him¡ª [You modified his mind so you could use him as a doll.] ... [While he deserves it, holy fuck, this really shows your fetish, isn¡¯t it?] ...Shut up. ¡ñ ¡°-¡± I stared at Mobius, who stood stiff as if he had died standing, while letting out a deep sigh. Yep. That should be enough to overpower him for now. I wouldn¡¯t need to use him much anyway, turning him like this would be enough. But anyway, there was something else that was a bit more urgent than this guy. ¡°Eleanor.¡± After letting out a sigh, I continued. ¡°Could you please, hear me out for a bit first?¡± I swear if I didn¡¯t say those words, she¡¯d actually split me in /genesisforsaken Chapter 305: Experiment (2) Chapter 305: Experiment (2) It was well known how Professor Mobius would behave when he got angry. He¡¯d take a sip of hard liquor on the rocks while classical music played in the background. Then, he¡¯d stare into space silently while sitting on his office chair, completely lost in thought. In a way, it was an oddly old-fashioned way of expressing anger, but this sight alone would make most freeze in fear. Because him in this state often meant that someone would end up dying...or wish that they had died. ¡°...Isn¡¯t it just a fluke?¡± At that moment, a careful voice echoed in the middle of the tense atmosphere, breaking the silence. Among the Magic Tower¡¯s faculty members, some of them adopted a more tolerant attitude towards Professor Mobius¡ªsome were even friendly towards him. This person, Professor Klein, was arguably the prime example of this. Despite him being a Magic Tower Professor with abysmal social skills, someone who never bothered to read the room, he wasn¡¯t exactly lacking in intelligence. The fact that he tried to cater to Mobius¡¯ mood spoke volumes about his regards for him ¡°Everyone knows that Devils are creatures beyond our control. Wouldn¡¯t it more accurate to view the defeat as a result of clashing with them rather than with Professor Borris¡¯ invent¡ª¡± ¡°Defeat, you say?¡± ¡°...¡± Professor Klein¡¯s mouth snapped shut. But then again, at the end of the day, this wasn¡¯t something he used to do, and in hindsight, he should¡¯ve known better than this. Though Mobius¡¯ voice didn¡¯t sound particularly harsh, Klein¡¯s choice of words had clearly struck a nerve. ¡°Science is about uncovering the principles behind the uncontrollable and reclaiming the right to shape them freely. Am I wrong?¡± Mobius¡¯ tone was still polite, but... The coldness seeped in it was enough to make even Professor Klein, who wasn¡¯t the target of his ire, felt a chill run down his spine. ¡°No matter who the opponent is, the fact that it resulted in a failure itself is the problem.¡± ¡°...¡± No. Wasn¡¯t it your own goddamn fault that caused this mess?! Geez, I just came here to ask for a budget increase! Why am I on the receiving end of your misplaced anger?! It was you who completely underestimated Dowd Campbell¡¯s ability, failed to strategize properly, and even accepted Astrid¡¯s proposal¡ªopenly challenging her, even though it was obvious that she was up to something! So why are you taking out your anger on others when you were the one who fumbled, huh?! While thinking this, Professor Klein rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Of course, he didn¡¯t voice these thoughts out loud. After all, Professor Mobius was still Professor Mobius. He was still de facto head of the Magic Tower at present. And, not only did he have the authority, but he also had the ¡®skills¡¯ to back it up. In more ways than one. ¡°Alright, how about this?¡± Fortunately, Professor Klein had a card up his sleeve that might calm down the angry guy. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Hearing Klein¡¯s words, Professor Mobius furrowed his brows. ¡°...What do you mean ¡®handle¡¯ it?¡± ¡°Ah, of course I know that he isn¡¯t an opponent that could be taken lightly. After all, he did manage to damage your creation, Professor Mobius.¡± Klein then displayed a level of conversational skill that was unbelievable for a Magic Tower Professor to have, avoiding unnecessary anger by praising his conversational partner. In truth, compared to other professors, his achievements were just subpar. This conversational skill of his was what allowed him to have such private meetings with Mobius. Cunning, manipulation, schemes, psychological warfare¡ªthose were the things that Klein was good at. And as someone skilled in these areas, his analysis of Dowd Campbell was: ¡®...Without Demonic Aura, he¡¯s basically nothing, isn¡¯t he?¡¯ The problem was that the output of the ¡®Demonic Aura¡¯ he utilized was beyond the imagination of the Magic Tower Professors. That meant... All Klein had to do was to neutralize it. In his eyes, Dowd was just a guy who managed to get through all the crises he faced with cheap tricks, strange abilities, and sheer luck. To handle that kind of person, he¡¯d just need to take away their ¡®tools¡¯. That way, their options would shrink dramatically. ¡°I have a plan. Just trust me with it this once.¡± ¡°...¡± Mobius paused, then responded to Klein¡¯s sly smile. ¡°...Whatever it is, as long as it succeeds...¡± Klein nodded with satisfaction at Professor Mobius¡¯ words. He could roughly guess what would follow. ¡°I¡¯ll provide you with everything you need, Professor Klein.¡± An easy target, and a complete freedom for his research. That didn¡¯t sound bad at all. He had a few demands lined up already. ¡°If I succeed, could you increase the budget and...grant me some ¡®materials¡¯?¡± ¡°Materials?¡± Klein, who was silent for a moment, spoke up with a grin. ¡°About 100 should be sufficient.¡± ¡°...¡± After a brief silence, Mobius chuckled. ¡°You disgusting motherfucker.¡± Of course, despite his words, it was clear that Mobius had no intention of stopping him. ¡ñ ¡°¡ªThey¡¯re probably scheming something like that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This all happened because they underestimated me. As long as you seal my Demonic Aura, I¡¯m nothing. Since they think of it that way, they¡¯ll conclude that everything is decided the moment they seal my Demonic Aura away. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°...Well, I guess so.¡± Alpha replied reluctantly. After the first ¡®experiment¡¯, Professor Mobius had left with a hardened expression. That meant he was probably preparing something to ¡®hurt¡¯ Dowd¡¯s side next time. And yet the man himself was lounging casually here, yawning while speculating on what might come next. ¡°It¡¯s obvious what people who think they¡¯re better than others will focus on. They¡¯ll think I¡¯m nothing if they just remove that one thing.¡± The Magic Tower Professors were the cream of the crop. They were undoubtedly much smarter than Dowd himself. However, even with such intelligence, their human¡¯s minds could serve to block it from working properly. Namely their arrogance, contempt, and superiority complex. Hence why such people had a noticeable bad habit. They mistakenly believed that they were the only one with a trump card. And forgot that their opponents could also have tricks up their sleeves. ¡°That Klein guy is a bit of a trashy scumbag, unlike Professor Borris, right?¡± ¡°He¡¯s quite trashy, in fact. Even Professor Astrid shuddered whenever his name was mentioned.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I brought this up.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± ¡°I want to set the stage in such a way that it¡¯ll become okay for me to kill that motherfucker.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take him as an appetizer before I got to kill Mobius¡ª¡± ¡°...Halt. Hold on a second.¡± Alpha rubbed his face in exasperation. ¡°You¡¯re talking about it as if you¡¯re ordering an actual appetizer. Do you even realize what it would take to make that kind of plan plausible in this experimental structure¡ª?¡± ¡°That Klein guy... You said that he¡¯s the guy who¡¯s obsessed with ¡®brains¡¯ the most in the Magic Tower, no?¡± ¡°...Yes. That¡¯s also why he received more ¡®human-related materials¡¯ than any other professor.¡± ¡°Good. I just need to return the favor.¡± ¡°...¡± What are you talking about? Alpha stared at Dowd, puzzled, but Dowd only shrugged it off instead of explaining. ¡°Just help me with a few things. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hear you out, but only if it¡¯s something reasonable.¡± ¡°You talk like I always make insane requests.¡± Dowd scoffed at him. The next moment, he acted as if he had remembered something. ¡°...By the way, where¡¯s Eleanor? I haven¡¯t seen the chancellor either...¡± The last thing that he heard was that Eleanor had been summoned somewhere, but this was something that Alpha should know. After all, this whole conversation happened because Alpha came to him to relay that message. ¡°I don¡¯t know about the chancellor, but I know where Lady Eleanor is.¡± Alpha stroked his chin while responding to Dowd¡¯s question. ¡°I heard she went to receive the promised ¡®reward¡¯ from Professor Astrid.¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± ¡ñ ¡°Hmmm.¡± Eleanor Elinalize La Tristan was intently staring at the brain floating in the cultivation tank. Seeing the degree of her fascination, Astrid¡ªthe one who called her here¡ªwas taken aback. -...What¡¯s so interesting about it? ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a human organ this lively. To think it could retain this much vitality outside the body.¡± -... Come to think of it... For the hundredth time, Astrid wondered about the sanity of this woman¡ªthe woman who had been drooling over her son the most. -...Anyway, let¡¯s get back to the point. Astrid let out a sigh. -Do you know why I called you here? ¡°Is it not to tell me how to properly ¡®devour¡¯ Dowd?¡± -...Devour? ¡°Or ¡®fuck¡¯ him. Either works.¡± -... For God¡¯s sake... Please choose your words carefully, girl... As Astrid held her head¡ªwhich got increasingly dizzy, Eleanor narrowed her eyes slightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you called me?¡± -... ¡°Did you deceive me?¡± I never said I¡¯d share some groundbreaking knowledge on that matter... Barely able to hold on to her sanity, Astrid finally spoke up. -...No. I said I¡¯d tell you ¡®something others might not know¡¯ about my son. ¡°So... that would be¡ª¡± -No! No! Not that! ¡°...¡± Astrid hurriedly cut her off, inwardly groaned at Eleanor¡¯s sulky glare. Is it really okay for me to share my son¡¯s ¡®secret¡¯ with this kind of person? -...Actually, you two might really be a match made from heaven... Even so... It wasn¡¯t like she had much choice. -Dowd seems to trust you the most. Which is why I¡¯m asking you this favor. ¡°Favor?¡± -I have something to show you. The thing that she was about to show was a memory. One that Dowd wished to forget more than anything. Chapter 323: Before the Ceremony (1) Chapter 323: Before the Ceremony (1) ¡°Wow-¡± Iliya poked the stiffened Mobius¡¯ cheek with her finger. Considering his usual demeanor, such an action would normally result in him chopping off her wrist, but he showed no reaction whatsoever, still frozen stiff like a cardboard. This was most likely the result of whatever it was that Dowd did to him earlier. ¡°Is he even alive?¡± Hearing her question, Astrid, who had been silently observing, let out a heavy sigh. Unlike her usual mechanical body, this time she was in a body made out of flesh and blood. Stroking her waist-length hair, she slowly scanned Mobius from head to toe. ¡°...Fascinating, his original personality is intact, but his body is completely frozen stiff.¡± She murmured as she circled around Mobius with something that looked like a scanner in her hand. ¡°His personality intact?¡± ¡°You can say that his mind is alive, but he has no control over his body.¡± She didn¡¯t even know if she should classify it as mind alteration or personality modification. It seemed like his senses were overwhelmed by the horrific amounts of information it received, and that caused him to experience a total ¡®system crash¡¯¡ª ¡°Ridiculous, how the hell did he do this?¡± Mobius was someone who could control the countless facilities in this massive structure with just his mind. And yet Dowd used such a straightforward method¡ªoverwhelming someone like him by forcing a ludicrous amount of information into his brain¡ªto paralyze him. ¡°I don¡¯t even know how he managed to combine Demonic Auras like that, but... It¡¯s impressive, to say the least. There hadn¡¯t been such a case in history when it came to someone ¡®handling¡¯ Demonic Auras. No matter how you look at it, his case is peculiar.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Why is it peculiar?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no being in any dimension that could ¡®force¡¯ the Devils to do such things. Even the Angels couldn¡¯t do that.¡± What she was trying to say was... It was as if the Devils were voluntarily lending their power to him from the start.. As if they were willingly saying, ¡®It¡¯s okay if it¡¯s you.¡¯ Tracing the roots of these Devils¡ªthe beings who transcended time and space¡ªwould lead to a singular, bizarre conclusion: They had all been in love with him ¡®from the start¡¯. ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s like these Devils fell in love with my son all ¡®across the timeline¡¯ and are giving him everything they have, guts and all.¡± The Yellow Devil that showed up recently gave off that exact vibe. Dear Lord, for a Devil to give up her Authority and cross over to the past to appear in person? That¡¯s some next-level devotion right there. ¡ªThen, if we talk about the roots of the devils¡ª As Astrid was about to continue her train of thought, Iliya, who had been glaring at her with arms crossed and eyes narrowed, dropped a blunt sentence. ¡°...You seem to be bothered about something.¡± ¡°...Hm? Not really. It¡¯s just, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t quite under¡ª¡± ¡°By the way, you¡¯re way hotter than I expected.¡± ¡°Ignoring the fact that you¡¯re saying that out of nowhere, that compliment comes out like you¡¯re constipated.¡± ¡°I just feel like I should keep my guard up around you.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s all in your head.¡± ¡°...¡± There was a brief silence before that answer, wasn¡¯t there? Thinking that, Iliya looked Astrid up and down with a furrowed brow. No, seriously. She¡¯s a genuine bombshell. From her jet-black hair, the beauty mark beneath her eye, and the curves that were practically weapons of mass destruction... Compared to the women around Dowd, her ¡®mature¡¯ vibe was on a whole other fucking level. ¡°...¡± Iliya suddenly looked down at her own chest, then raised her head to look at Astrid¡¯s. ¡°Fuck me.¡± ¡°What...? Why are you suddenly...?¡± ¡°Fuck! Men always prefer the bigger ones, aren¡¯t they...?!¡± ¡°...¡± Astrid let out a sigh before running her fingers through her hair. During that motion, the two big fruits bounced heavily, turning Iliya¡¯s eyes bloodshot. But this time, the sentence that came out of her mouth was something even Iliya had to pay attention to. ¡°The fact that he didn¡¯t kill Mobius and just left him in this state... It seems like he still has some use for him.¡± ¡°Use?¡± ¡°More precisely, not for the man himself, but for the facilities in this tower.¡± Immobilizing Mobius, someone who had full control of the tower, essentially meant taking over the tower¡¯s control itself. ¡°Come to think of it, he¡¯s done similar things several times before, right?¡± ¡°...¡± Indeed. Back with the Tribal Alliance, he had created a leverage so that he could summon them to his aid at least once. And although it hadn¡¯t been properly formalized yet, he had put the empress in massive debt by nipping the civil war in the bud. This basically meant he could get support from both the Empire and the Tribal Alliance at once. ¡°...What the hell is he stockpiling all this power for?¡± He had basically secured the protection of most of the powerful forces in the continent, and now he acquired the tower on top of that? Just who on earth is the enemy he needs to face with all this? ¡°Using the process of elimination, there¡¯s only one place left, right?¡± At Astrid¡¯s words, Iliya let out a sigh and answered. ¡°The Holy Kingdom.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± The only ¡®enemy¡¯ that hadn¡¯t made a move yet was the Holy Kingdom. Or more precisely, the pope who was sitting at the very top. ¡°Do we really need to be that cautious? Looking at the enemies Teach has taken down so far, it doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯d be anything special.¡± She has a point. But still... ¡°...I have a bad feeling about this.¡± Astrid said in a gloomy voice. This wasn¡¯t just her gut feelings. Considering the influence the pope can exert, his actions so far had been questionable. The fact that he had been terrifyingly quiet so far was the biggest red flag. He must have known that Seras, Yuria¡ªessentially his trump cards¡ªand the saintess had switched sides. And yet, he hadn¡¯t made any interference, retaliation, or even attempt of sabotage. As if none of that mattered in his eyes. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°...What with the lukewarm reaction?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m dismissing your concern, it¡¯s just...¡± As Iliya said so, her gaze wandered... ...to Dowd, who was desperately making excuses, gesturing all sorts of things to Eleanor, who gave him an absolute zero stare. Judging from their voices, apparently Eleanor was furious that he had a ¡®first-time¡¯ with someone without telling her. That guy is always like that... Actually, Eleanor¡¯s control over Dowd was relatively loose. She tended to accept everything and moved on quickly as long as he dedicated his ¡®firsts¡¯ to her. But this time, he crossed that line. Which was why she was so angry. ¡°...You think he¡¯ll survive?¡± ¡°...If it looks like he won¡¯t, we should probably stop her.¡± The fact that Iliya and Astrid were having this conversation should show how bad the situation this time was. ...Come to think of it, it¡¯s strange. As Iliya looked at this spectacle, one thing came to her mind. The fact that he lost his ¡®first experience¡¯ to someone else entirely. But, for some reason, Eleanor hadn¡¯t gotten angry about that yet. Considering her usual personality, there was no way she¡¯d forgotten, or let it slide easily. Unless someone else deliberately diverted her attention elsewhere¡ª ¡°Professor Astrid.¡± Iliya, who was lost in thought, was startled by Dowd¡¯s voice that came from right in front of her. The effects of Eleanor¡¯s grilling were evident; he was completely drenched in cold sweat, and looked clearly exhausted. ¡°...¡± Somehow, he looked even more worn out from this than from fighting Mobius earlier. As she was observing him like that, Astrid¡¯s disappointed voice entered her ears. ¡°...Can¡¯t you call me mother?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that when I get used to it. Anyway, I¡¯m gonna have to call you that soon...¡± ¡°...What do you mean by that?¡± As soon as Astrid¡¯s question fell, a serene expression came across Dowd¡¯s face. It was the face of someone who had steeled themselves mentally and spiritually for the shitstorm that was about to come. ¡°Well, you see, Eleanor and I had an agreement.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°The date for the ceremony.¡± At that moment, everyone, who was scattered around, minding their own businesses, snapped their heads toward this group¡¯s direction, as if their necks were broken. Astrid and Iliya¡¯s jaws dropped. ¡°...¡± ¡°...So, uh, I think we should start arranging a meeting for the parents from both sides to see each other.¡± They said when a bombshell statement was dropped, the air trembled. This time, it was no different. The air, indeed, trembled. But, this particular case was a little special... As it wasn¡¯t figurative. The air was literally being torn apart. Chapter 324: Before the Ceremony (2) Chapter 324: Before the Ceremony (2) ¡°Wow, are you really getting married?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t done that myself, so I can¡¯t give you any advice.¡± ¡°...Just shut up for a second.¡± I clutched my throbbing head while Marquis Bogut, who somehow had recovered his usual energy, started spouting nonsense. It hadn¡¯t been long since I ran for my life, barely managed to escape the tense atmosphere from earlier. ¡°Anyway, glad to see you alive and kicking.¡± This guy had gone through a lot¡ªI mean, he had to deal with Professor Mobius and all. Thankfully, he looked pretty healthy now. Just a while ago, he was shaved bald and looked like he was on death¡¯s door. It pained me just to look at him. But now, aside from his slightly pale complexion, he seemed presentable enough. Marquis Bogut shrugged, agreeing with my words. ¡°Likewise, you look better yourself.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°You seem more relaxed compared to before.¡± ¡°...¡± Not knowing how to respond to that, I just awkwardly scratched my head. ¡°...Well.¡± After a long pause, I continued. ¡°I do feel much better now.¡± Honestly... While it wasn¡¯t pleasant to have my past traumas laid bare, it felt strangely liberating to have someone acknowledge and understand them. -Have I not told you many times that you are not alone? Eleanor¡¯s image suddenly popped into my head. I remembered this was the second time she¡¯s told me that. ¡°...I can¡¯t thank you enough for that.¡± Well... One thing was for sure. I learned a valuable lesson from those two experiences. Just as I wanted to protect those around me, they also wanted to protect me. They might not had said it outright, but that lesson had definitely been etched into my mind. As soon as he heard those words, Marquis Bogut broke into a wide smile again. ¡°So that¡¯s why you decided to get married so suddenly!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. I may be single, but I remember Armin and Astrid living happily in newlywed bliss during their early marriage. I pray for blessings in your future as well.¡± ¡°...About that...¡± As Marquis Bogut casually brought up topics that made my head spin, I tried to steer the conversation back on track. ¡°You know how you wanted me to save my mother? ¡°...Yeah?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you owe me a little gratitude?¡± ¡°...¡± I continued speaking to Marquis Bogut, who was blinking his eyes as if to say, ¡®What the hell are you on about?¡¯. ¡°Sure, I wouldn¡¯t have known about what happened to her if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡± ¡°...Right?¡± ¡°But at the end of the day, it was me who went through hell and back to save her.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, I want to collect some compensation for that.¡± Marquis Bogut stared blankly as if I had just spoken in an alien language. Soon after, he spoke up in a dazed voice: ¡°...What a filial son you are.¡± ¡°...Shut up.¡± Yeah, yeah, I knew I was being unreasonable, but if you thought about it, I wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. ¡°No, no, no, look here, Dowd Campbell. I went through a lot myself too, you know?¡± Marquis Bogut protested in indignation¡ªa rare expression coming from him. ¡°I sacrificed my entire political support base I had built up to start a civil war, made it so that everything went as peacefully as possible so it could be suppressed without bloodshed, deliberately made you a target for the Magic Tower, and sold my soul to get you, an outsider, into this exclusive place. It wasn¡¯t easy¨C¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You think I didn¡¯t go through at least that much?¡± ¡°...Also I¡¯m an incurable patient¨C¡± ¡°¨CYou were.¡± I cut him off mid-sentence with a smirk, as if to say ¡®Got you¡¯. ¡°You¡¯ve been completely cured by the Magic Tower¡¯s facilities, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± Actually, this was one of the reasons why I bound Mobius¡¯ mind to my control. The level of technology here was insane. They could do crazy shit like human transmutation and transferring consciousness, healing a sick body wasn¡¯t that difficult. ¡°I saved your life, so get to work. You can at least understand that much, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...What a devilish person. Oh, wait. You are a Devil...¡± ¡°...¡± Touche?. I kept silent as Marquis Bogut pondered. After a while, he finally spoke up again. ¡°By ¡®work,¡¯ you mean the Holy Kingdom, right?¡± I nodded. This time, seriously. The real reason why I, an unfilial son by nature, went out of my way to pull all those strings to push this punk to work for me... ...Was because he was a genius of warfare who could¡¯ve utterly crushed our empress in the civil war, had things gone according to the original timeline. This man wasn¡¯t called ¡®Unbeatable¡¯ for nothing. ¡°I¡¯d like your help with the command.¡± ¡°Command?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve laid the groundwork. The Empire, the Tribal Alliance, and even the Magic Tower. With this lineup, even if we were to go to an ¡®all-out war¡¯ with the pope, we wouldn¡¯t be put in too much disadvantage.¡± ¡°...Actually, based on external military strength alone, even a fraction of those forces seems like overkill.¡± ¡°That¡¯s assuming they¡¯re not hiding anything.¡± Marquis Bogut just shrugged in agreement. ¡°The pope...is a rather infamous figure even within the Empire.¡± He continued with a gloomy expression. ¡°The Tristan Dukedom, the Guardians, the Royal Family¡ªthere are rumors that all their curses are related to his ¡®behind-the-scenes operations¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± That information somewhat aligned with what I knew of the original story. The pope, the most powerful priest in the world... And the most sinister mastermind in the world. I had encountered him once before. Even then, he had chosen to bide his time and gather strength instead of directly confronting me. ¡°...Fighting against that guy isn¡¯t something anyone can just do. I¡¯d prefer to handle it myself if possible...but I can¡¯t do that. I¡¯ll probably get extremely busy once things kick off with that side.¡± You see... During the upcoming ¡®Final Chapter¡¯, I¡¯d have to settle things with other places too. There was an extremely high chance that I¡¯d be too busy to even pay attention to the overall ¡®command¡¯. ¡°The Prophet.¡± ¡°...Haa.¡± Even Marquis Bogut went silent and just let out a deep sigh the moment I said that name. The thing here was... While yes, that punk held some degree of ¡®favor¡¯ towards me. But, both her and the pope...whatever it was, their ¡®grand objectives¡¯ were likely aligned. And their objective would probably lead to the outcome I want to avoid the most. ¡°Both the Pope and that punk hate Devils.¡± ¡°Come again?¡± ¡°I said what I said.¡± I could only hope that things wouldn¡¯t go that way. ¡°...Alright, now I understand why you¡¯re asking me for help. After all, you¡¯re up against that suspicious masked woman. Can¡¯t be helped then.¡± ¡°Yes. Also, I figured that since you¡¯ve decided to sacrifice yourself for my mother¡¯s sake, you might as well see it through to the end¨C¡± I frowned. Marquis Bogut was staring at me with a strange smile, and it was quite unnerving. ¡°...What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just...¡± He stroked his chin with an amused expression. ¡°You¡¯re calling her ¡®mother¡¯ now?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Before this, you always called her ¡®Professor Astrid,¡¯ like you¡¯re putting a clear distance between the two of you.¡± ...He was right... I let out a sigh, running my hands over my face. To begin with, it would be stupid of me to keep having an attitude towards her after witnessing with my own eyes why she disappeared without contact for so long, even though she was still alive. Besides... ¡°I can¡¯t keep her at arm¡¯s length forever, More importantly...¡± ¡°More importantly?¡± ¡°I need all the help I can get.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Eleanor is just the beginning.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There are several others lining up.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The real problem is going to start tomorrow.¡± Well... Receiving a sympathetic look from a former enemy was certainly a novel experience in its own right. ¡ñ There was a saying that marriage is the grave of life. You would lose the freedom you¡¯ve been enjoying before. And... I could deeply relate to that sentiment, albeit in a slightly different way. [It¡¯s not just slightly different.] Huh? [In your case, you¡¯re actually going to be buried in a grave before getting married. You can¡¯t compare the two situations.] ... I looked around as I heard him say that. The sad part here was that he was right. Currently, we were in a clothing store to choose a wedding dress¡ªEleanor had practically dragged me here by the arm. That in itself was fine, but the problem here was... ¡°...¡± I silently turned around. There was Iliya, hostility radiating from her eyes. I didn¡¯t know why the hell she was tagging along, but the problem here was that Eleanor didn¡¯t seem to mind her presence. Hell, she was the one who told her to come along if she wanted. ¡°How about this one, Dear?¡± Eleanor asked casually while coming out in a new dress. But... She wasn¡¯t actually asking me that, but Iliya¡ªwho was staring at her with blazing flames in her eyes. As if she was showing off. ¡°Do you think it suits me?¡± ¡°It...suits you...very well¨C¡± The reason the end of her sentence was slightly drawn out was because Iliya was grinding her teeth as she said it. I could see the ¡®¾®¡¯1 character etched clearly on her forehead, making her look extremely fierce. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eleanor nodded before she continued. There was a faint smile on her lips¡ªit looked like she was mocking her. ¡°Today, I plan to ask for your opinion on various things.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Too bad...¡± Eleanor swept her gaze around slightly as she said that. As if looking for ¡®others¡¯ who were surely around, but wasn¡¯t visible right now/ ¡°I¡¯d love it if the others have such an opportunity too.¡± As Eleanor said those words with a provocative smile, I felt my breath was getting caught in my throat. Can I even survive this...? Footnotes 1. It visualized veins popping, a common troupe of in anime/manga. Chapter 325: Before the Ceremony (3) ¡°Always keep this in mind.¡± Seras said, dead serious. ¡°No loud noises. Try not to be seen. Got it?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I know it might be hard for a barbarian like you, but at least try put in some effort.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Someone of your caliber should be quite good at moving your body, surely you can follow them quietly from a distance, right?¡± Riru, surprisingly not showing any signs of anger, just followed them from behind with a dumbfounded expression. She found the situation too ridiculous to get angry. ¡°...Why are you piggybacking her?¡± In front of her was Victoria, riding on Seras¡¯ back like a depressed sack of potatoes. She looked like she wanted to die right there and then. Meanwhile, Seras acted as if this arrangement was perfectly normal. ¡°Victoria hasn¡¯t fully mastered Shadow Step yet.¡± Though carrying Victoria on her back significantly diminished her dignity, her voice was still filled with authority, as if proving that she didn¡¯t earn the title of Grand Assassin by mere chance. ¡°At times like this when not even the slightest mistake can be tolerated, it¡¯s easier to just carry her.¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t you think this is overkill for just stalking one guy?¡± ¡°...¡± Using Shadow Step, a technique that could pretty much guarantee a successful assassination, to stalk a single man was indeed, excessive, to say the least. Unable to come up with a good comeback, Seras remained silent. ¡°...Forget about that, move your legs. We can¡¯t just leave Mr. Dowd hanging!¡± Saying that, Seras strode forward. Her skills in concealing her presence, even amidst the bustling crowd, was worthy of admiration. Unfortunately, a certain someone nearby possessed the ability to see right through such things. ¡°...You know, despite their bickering, those two seem rather close, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± With an incredibly incredulous expression, the empress, sitting casually on the Sword Saint¡¯s shoulder, commented while blowing out a long stream of smoke from her pipe. Thanks to their ridiculous height difference, this posture didn¡¯t look out of place at all. The most impressive part here was how they managed to avoid attention despite taking up on such a conspicuous posture. Partly because they stuck to back alleys, but the Sword Saint¡¯s proficiency with barrier spells was likely the real reason for their anonymity. ¡°Your Majesty? May I know what you are talking about?¡± ¡°They act like they¡¯re constantly at odds, but they always stick together whenever something¡¯s up.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s the case of ¡®fighting breed affection¡¯? It¡¯s a shared understanding between martial artists.¡± ¡°Hmm. A sentiment I find difficult to grasp.¡± ¡°...If I may be frank, Your Majesty, your actions right now are equally baffling.¡± The Sword Saint, Radu Alexander Varphon, glanced up at the empress on his shoulder. ¡°After being so thoroughly humiliated by that man, why would you seek him out aga¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªWe agreed not to talk about that again, Radu.¡± ¡°...¡± The Sword Saint clamped his mouth shut. Years of being her glorified babysitter had taught him to discern the time when he should speak and when he should remain silent. Her current chilling tone indicated the latter. ¡°...Anyway, you¡¯ve asked me to tail that man, but...¡± He scratched his head. ¡°What exactly is your plan, Your Majesty? If you only wish to observe him from afar, that¡¯s just the same as spectating someone else¡¯s pre-wedding party.¡± ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re correct.¡± The empress agreed with a solemn nod. ¡°That¡¯s why our goal is to interfere.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I simply cannot stand to see their blissful state. I bet everyone here feels the same way.¡± ¡°...Your Majesty, with all due respect, but weren¡¯t you and Lady Tristan the closest of friends?¡± ¡°Friendship is one thing; watching them be all lovey-dovey is another. It makes me want to puke.¡± This is the empress who¡¯s supposed to lead the Empire into the future? Is the Empire really in safe hands? As the Sword Saint pondered this deep, existential question, the empress¡¯ voice cut through his thoughts again. ¡°Let¡¯s start brainstorming. What could we do to royally piss off both Eleanor and Dowd¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªI¡¯m the most pissed-off person here.¡± Before the empress could continue... Thunk. The Sword Saint¡¯s barrier was sliced apart like it was made of wet toilet paper. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Both the Sword Saint and the empress were startled, staring dumbfoundedly at the cleanly cut barrier. The reason the Sword Saint didn¡¯t immediately go apeshit was because he quickly realized there was no killing intent behind that blade. ¡°Even if you want to interfere, there¡¯s a fucking line you have to follow! When you¡¯ve got a bunch of Devil¡¯s Vessels gathered in one place like some twisted convention like this, who the hell do you think is going to clean up the mess?! I¡¯m already losing my goddamn mind cleaning up after you fucks in my territory¡ª!¡± In hindsight, him not reacting was probably the wisest decision. While her blade might not possess any killing intent, her words were practically dripping with malice. Iliya, who had just casually sliced through the Sword Saint¡¯s barrier like it was made of cheese, stormed into the alley like she owned the place. Behind her was Yuria and the saintess, clearly unconscious, being dragged around by her like sacks of potatoes. ¡°...Were those two here as well?¡± ¡°Of course. All the Devil¡¯s Vessels are like moths to a flame when it comes to Teach. Wherever he goes, they follow.¡± ¡°...¡± Indeed. Considering the empress herself was here, she wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. ¡°...Hold up, aren¡¯t you here to mess with Eleanor too? Why are you being so violent¡ª¡± ¡°Because it looked like you guys were about to cause another incident, and I¡¯d be the one who¡¯d have to clean it up.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You guys never give a shit about the consequences of your little stunts, do you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing her words, the Sword Saint and the empress shut their mouths simultaneously. ¡ñ ¡°...You know, I¡¯m supposedly one of you, but...¡± Iliya, feeling a strange sense of kinship in this circus, spoke up, sounding utterly done with this shit. ¡°None of you give a damn about respecting others, do you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The assembled women exchanged glances. The tension between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. After a silence that felt like an old wild west standoff, Faenol, who apparently had the thickest skin of the bunch, finally broke the ice. ¡°Are we not thinking the same thing?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°After hearing about all this wedding bullshit, don¡¯t you all want to knock that smug bastard down a peg or two?¡± The intensity of their shared gaze intensified. The atmosphere crackled with tension¡ªit wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if the air itself exploded. ¡°U-Um! Please don¡¯t fight too much...!¡± Yuria, the most pacifist one among them, opened her mouth to speak, but Riru cut off with a sigh. ¡°You say that, but you¡¯re already out here even though it¡¯s someone else¡¯s ¡®turn¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to fight, then scram. I¡¯ll take that guy for myself.¡± Yuria¡¯s mouth snapped shut. Her peacemaking facade crumbled, replaced by a glint of fighting spirit in her eyes. Well, well, well... Iliya inwardly snorted at how quickly the most docile one among them turned feral. Indeed, it was always the quiet ones that one had to watch out for. Though in this case, everyone here wasn¡¯t just looking to climb to the top¡ªthey were ready to claw, bite, and kill to stay there permanently. ¡°...Looks like our target¡¯s starting to catch on.¡± Riru grinned ferociously while eyeing Eleanor, who kept glancing their way repeatedly. She seemed to have noticed the stalkers and was already cooking up something of her own. ¡°...I bet the little princess thinks she¡¯s already won. Bitch probably thinks that we¡¯re here to gawk at her victory or some shit.¡± ¡°¡ªNow that¡¯s interesting.¡± As Faenol said those words with a smile, everyone present showed a similar reaction. Oho, so that¡¯s how you want to play this game? ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll all get a fair shot.¡± The empress spoke up with a grin. ¡°Whoever messes with them the most gets to fight for that man fair and square. Got it?¡± ¡®May the best woman win.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t come crying later when you lose.¡¯ ¡®...Why the fuck are these people so smug when planning about backstabbing someone?¡¯ Iliya¡¯s bewilderment swirled around in her /genesisforsaken Chapter 326: Before the Ceremony (4) ¡°Oh, are you two families? Are you here to buy clothes?¡± The moment he heard that, Dowd couldn¡¯t help but let out a dry chuckle. It wasn¡¯t like he was offended by the comment, though. After all, the stark ¡®difference in social status¡¯ between him and Eleanor was as clear as day. It was to the point that anyone would think, ¡®Ah, that guy? There¡¯s no way he can bag a woman like her¡¯. Although, he did think that for a salesperson to have such an attitude was a little unprofessional. ¡°If you¡¯re shopping together, then this section over here¡ª¡± The store clerk suddenly flinched, unable to continue. Probably because Eleanor had started emitting an extremely terrifying aura that one could tell at a glance. ¡°We are not family.¡± ¡°-Ah, uh¡ª¡± ¡°We are in a relationship.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Lovers. Soulmates. Fiance?s.¡± ¡°...Ah, y-yes, of course...¡± The clerk, sweating bullets under Eleanor¡¯s death glare, nervously guided them in. ¡°...Hmm.¡± Seeing this, Dowd decided to revise his judgment. This clerk wasn¡¯t ¡®unprofessional.¡¯ If anything, to continue to serve someone who was practically a living demon was the pinnacle of professionalism. ¡°You¡¯re thinking of something rude, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...Not at all.¡± Seeing Dowd¡¯s awkward response, Eleanor stepped closer, staring intently into his eyes. ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I can tell just by looking into your eyes.¡± Damn, just how much does this woman know about me?. Her intense gaze made him start to sweat bullets, and then suddenly she grabbed the back of his neck. ¡°...¡± He darted his eyes around nervously like prey caught by a predator. At that moment, Eleanor tapped her cheek, giving him a soft smile. ¡°I¡¯ll let you off the hook if you kiss me.¡± ¡°...¡± Although she said that in a sweet tone, Dowd felt like he was standing in front of a massive tigress. Shaking like a leaf, he kissed her. When they released their kiss, a satisfied smirk was plastered on Eleanor¡¯s lips. She then stroked his hair gently, prompting him to let out a shaky smile in return. It was an extremely bizarre scene¡ªit was like watching a tiger petting a deer with its paw... ¡°...¡± But, at that moment, Eleanor¡¯s body suddenly stiffened. Then she glanced around with narrow eyes. It was as if she was conscious of someone else nearby. Seeing this, Dowd¡¯s body stiffened as well. ...Huh? He already knew that the other women were lurking nearby, let alone Eleanor. Since she was showing this kind of reaction, it meant something unusual was happening. Not to mention the fact that Iliya had been MIA for a while now. ¡°Excuse me, can I ask something?¡± ¡°...Y-Yes?¡± The poor clerk¡ªwho barely managed to control her annoyance at their PDA¡ªflinched at Eleanor¡¯s sudden question. ¡°Is there a fitting room nearby?¡± ¡°...¡± The clerk¡¯s eyes darted back and forth between Eleanor and Dowd¡¯s empty hands. Seeing how they hadn¡¯t picked any clothes yet, it definitely was a pretty odd question. As the clerk cleared her throat a few times, she cautiously replied while blushing. ¡°Um, excessively intimate acts are against our store policy, so please keep it moderate...¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that, Dowd wanted nothing more but to ask what the fuck she was taking about. ¡ñ ¡°-Um, Eleanor?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°...I get that we have to hide, but does it have to be like this?¡± Although it was a bit risky to ask Eleanor that while she was holding her breath, Dowd thought it was a valid question. Actually, any man who was squeezed into a tiny fitting room with a woman would have a similar question. ¡°...¡± Pinned against the wall, he rolled his eyes silently as he felt something incredibly soft brushed against his forehead. ¡°-Uh, maybe we should move a li¡ª¡± He tried to shift his body, but before he could... ...She enveloped him in one of the most pleasurable sensations a man could experience. But being trapped like this¡ª ¡°It¡¯s best if we avoid being seen at all. If we stay here for a bit, they¡¯ll probably just move on.¡± ¡°...¡± Yeah, right. He doubted her words. After all, he knew that those punks weren¡¯t pushovers. If they had followed them this far, they wouldn¡¯t give up just because they hid in a fitting room. But arguing with Eleanor in her current state would be pointless. [Dude, you are so fucking dense.] What now? [She¡¯s trying to piss the other chicks off.] ... [She¡¯s basically trying to say, ¡®I¡¯m cuddling with him here, and you bitches can¡¯t do anything about it¡¯.] ... Is that really it? As Dowd¡¯s cold sweat intensified... ¡°...It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve done this.¡± Eleanor murmured those words while hugging him tightly. She was practically crushing him like a bear trying to break its prey¡¯s spine, but her whisper sounded incredibly warm. ¡°But, the last time we were this close...was two days ago...¡± He remembered her clinging to him like a koala, saying she had to replenish her Dowdnium after working around for so much. ¡°Two days is a long time.¡± Hearing her pouty voice, Dowd let out a bitter smile. ¡°Alright.¡± It was always like this between them. But sometimes, I need to fight back. He wrapped his arms around her before pulling her close. The top of her head was nestled under his chin, and he could feel her surprisingly voluptuous body through her clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll hug you twice as much to make up for it.¡± ¡°...¡± He always found it funny. She was always so casual with her displays of affection, but whenever he did the same, she just couldn¡¯t handle it. The way she was fidgeting right now was cute. As if reading his mind, Eleanor grumbled with a flushed face. ¡°...Aren¡¯t you embarrassed doing that?¡± ¡°...I think your usual behavior is more embarrassing.¡± He wasn¡¯t just saying that. The way she was showing her affection lately was a little... Well, I don¡¯t mind it because she¡¯s precious to me, but... ¡°...¡± Now that I think about it, things are different now. I used to run away whenever she came on to me like this, but now I can return her affections. And unlike before, I don¡¯t do that to escape the situation, but to return her feelings sincerely. The marriage thing is around the corner, but now I¡¯m starting to think I could actually...do ¡®that¡¯ with her. ¡°Hmm.¡± As Dowd was pondering this... Eleanor grabbed the back of his neck again. ¡°If you genuinely thinking that way, consider yourself officially permitted.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°I always wanted my first experience to be unique. This place is fine, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...¡± Wait... W-What is she...? Eleanor¡¯s suggestion was enough to make Dowd¡¯s face pale. ¡°...Eleanor, we are here to hide because the others are nearby¡ª¡± ¡°Might as well get it over with while we¡¯re hiding, no?¡± ¡°...¡± Hell no. ¡°They¡¯d see us! We¡¯ll get caught!¡± ¡°Let them see.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Let them wallow in their misery and fully savor their defeat. What do you think about that?¡± This woman... She¡¯s always headstrong, but... Lately, she¡¯s like a bulldozer. Dowd squirmed as Eleanor¡¯s hand wandered to his lower body. But, at that moment... A loud BANG echoed nearby. ¡°...?¡± Eleanor and Dowd exchanged puzzled looks. The banging sound grew louder... And louder... Until... ¡ª! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With a deafening roar, the fitting room was suddenly bathed in light. It wasn¡¯t from artificial lights like lamps or anything like that... But from the store ceiling that had been¡ª ¡°THAT¡¯S! WHY! I¡¯M! SAYING!¡± And at the center of the explosion, people with bloodshot eyes were screaming their heads off. ¡°Follow the fucking order! The first person to get penetrated by the Teach should be me¡ª¡± ¡°Save your wet dreams for nighttime, bitch! The ones who got closest to him were me and Victoria¡ª¡± ¡°...Sis. please shut the fuck up.¡± Their shouts were mixed together, creating chaos all around. Ignoring the fact that they were yelling such things in a public place full of people, each person sprouting this nonsense was either THE Hero, a Devil¡¯s Vessel, or someone of a similar standing. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Brushing dust and debris off her clothes, Eleanor let out a deep sigh. ¡°...These fucking bitches.¡± ¡°...¡± For a moment. Even Dowd, who¡¯d been through hell and back, felt a chill down his spine, terrified at her /genesisforsaken Chapter 327: Kidnapping (1) ¡°...Caliban.¡± [What?] ¡°Is this what they called ¡®a waste of talent¡¯?¡± [...Probably?] Caliban replied with an exasperated tone, while Dowd could only stare at the surrounding carnage with a dazed look. Devil¡¯s powers might vary between individuals, but they were generally well-suited for combat. Hence why seeing people with such power unleash their full capabilities for what amounted to a petty catfight was so surreal that it was almost mindblowing. -! The Purple Demonic Aura was primarily used for supportive purposes and not very effective on its own, but when two exceptionally skilled assassins used it to amplify their own power, it created a whole goddamn disaster. Two beastkins moved at blinding speeds, creating a dazzling dance of blades. It was mesmerizing to watch. Almost majestic, even. The problem was... Everyone gathered here could shrug off that level of attack like it was child¡¯s play. Red Demonic Aura engulfed the area, followed by Brown, Blue, and White, painting the surroundings in a kaleidoscope of colors. Just the shockwaves from the clashing Demonic Aura were enough to level their surroundings, enough to make one¡¯s skin crawl. Sword strikes, flames, magic, spells, Divine Power... All sorts of power decorated the area in a dizzying display. ¡°...¡± Wait a fucking minute. Divine power? ¡°...Saintess?¡± Dowd muttered in disbelief. Seeing someone he never expected to be involved in this shit show, he couldn¡¯t help but¡ª No, seriously. What the hell is she doing there? Dowd frowned, shifting his attention to Lucia. She seems to be saying some¡ª ¡°Let us have a taste too¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Why do you all get to do all the fun stuff while Yuria and I¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never even held a man¡¯s hand before, I¡¯m miserable enough! Even here, the best thing I got is being dragged around on a leash¡ª-!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡ªActually, nevermind. Dowd grimaced, shifted his attention as he ran a hand through his hair. A saintess, by definition, was supposed to be a role model for all religious people on the continent. Is such a display from such a person really okay? Is it really okay for the Saintess to desperately flung Divine Power around just because she wants to experience something more than being dragged around on a leash...? ¡°Hold on! no cutting in line!¡± And then, a voice cut in vehemently. It was Her Imperial Majesty. While her dignity was somewhat compromised by her dangling from the side of the Sword Saint (who was busy fending off attacks with a ¡®Why the fuck am I doing this?¡¯ expression), her anger towards the saintess seemed quite genuine. ¡°You¡¯re from the Holy Kingdom! Have some decency and let the Imperial Citizens have a go at him first! What right do you have when you¡¯re from a place that only brought him harm¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, you walking fountain!¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone fell silent as the empress was instantly shot down. Hitting the empress¡¯ deep-seated trauma might be a cruel move, but it certainly was an effective way to subdue her... ¡°¡ªSo what?! A person can become a fountain sometimes¡ª!¡± ...Or maybe not. The faces of everyone present were painted with shock as the empress immediately bounced back. She endured that?! How?! ¡°...¡± Much to the Sword Saint¡¯s dismay¡ªhe was still carrying her with a face that seemed beyond exasperated, seemingly close to reaching the state of zen¡ªthe empress¡¯ undignified demeanor continued. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m the only one with embarrassing memories. If we start airing out everyone¡¯s dirty laundry, you¡¯ve all done far crazier shit than me¡ª!¡± ¡°...Crazier shit?¡± Dowd echoed blankly. ¡°Did you guys do something to me behind my back?¡± At that question, everyone¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly. Most seemed to have something to hide and kept quiet, but with this many people, there was bound to be someone brazen enough not to care. ¡°Oh, I know one! Though it¡¯s kind of minor!¡± Seras puffed out her chest proudly as she pointed at Riru. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned silently to Riru as the accusation cut through the chaos. ¡°That bitch stole Mr. Dowd¡¯s underwear!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Not just one or two, I saw her running off with a whole week¡¯s worth¡ª¡± ¡°S-S-S-SHUT UP¡ª!!¡± ¡°...¡± Wait. Seriously? ¡°...Come to think of it, it did feel like someone was messing with my closet.¡± Back then, he just brushed it off, thinking that he had just forgotten where he put his things. Never did he expect that she was doing something like that without him noticing. Seeing Dowd sending a look of disbelief her way, Riru¡¯s face exploded in a deep blush. Since someone who was usually so brash flustered uncharacteristically, it was clear that she was caught red-handed. ¡°...Wait a minute.¡± At that moment, with a voice that was filled with realization, Dowd muttered quietly. ¡°If that¡¯s considered a ¡®minor¡¯ crazy act, what the hell have the rest of you been doing behind my back?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone fell silent. That was perhaps the only moment when the destructive battle momentarily ceased. After that long pause... ¡°¡ªThat means I have the right to be penetrated by Mr. Dowd¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªStop saying crazy shit¡ª!¡± At some point, as if they had come to an unspoken agreement, the women started fighting again. It seemed they collectively decided to forget Dowd¡¯s question even existed. Or rather, they tried to fight even harder to cover it up. ¡°...¡± Am I going to be okay in the future...? I¡¯m literally surrounded by women who consider stealing someone¡¯s underwear en masse as a minor offense... They¡¯re even fighting to the death for the ¡®right to share bed with me¡¯ or whatever... Just...what kind of future awaits me if things were to continue...? As the situation heated up even more, Dowd pondered with an expression that said all worldly affairs were meaningless. But then, he felt a ¡®different¡¯ presence behind his back. ¡°¡ªHmm?¡± He felt something covering his shoulder... And in the next moment, his body was suddenly yoinked away. Amidst the chaotic heat of battle, two presences stood out particularly. Iliya, who was wielding the Holy Sword, and Eleanor, who was engulfed in Gray Demonic Aura. ¡°Mr. Dowd¡ª!¡± Iliya shouted with determination before taking a stance and pointing her sword. ¡°Actually prefers outgoing and easygoing types like me over a troublesome woman like you¡ª!¡± ¡°If we¡¯re talking about a troublesome woman, aren¡¯t you worse than me?¡± ¡°W-Who the hell likes a clingy woman like you anyway? You¡¯re a pain in the ass¡ª!¡± ¡°You¡¯re acting like you¡¯re not clingy yourself. You shameless woman.¡± ...While the subject they¡¯re fighting over seems utterly trivial for people with such power, the scale of the battle was undeniably grand. ¡ªBut. And even in such a seemingly trivial fight. Something felt off. Eleanor frowned as she looked at Iliya. ...Is she always this strong? Eleanor had become incredibly skilled with her utilization of Demonic Aura. It boosted her specs and combat abilities to ridiculous levels. But... Her opponent was keeping up with her. In speed, power, and even conceptual areas like ¡®Authority¡¯. ¡°...¡± Something must have changed. There hadn¡¯t been any special events that would explain her growth¡ªit was as if she naturally just got stronger. As if she was receiving forced ¡®adjustments¡¯ because ¡®it was time¡¯, as if she was about to be assigned an important role or something. Eleanor pondered about this deeply, but then a confused voice suddenly came from the other side. ¡°...By the way.¡± Iliya, who had been crossing swords with Eleanor, suddenly muttered. ¡°Where did Teach go?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Eleanor blankly stared towards the space where Dowd was. Or rather, where he ¡®had been¡¯. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing no trace of him whatsoever, Eleanor let out a bewildered voice. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡ñ In a dimly lit space. Since ¡®Desperation¡¯ didn¡¯t go off, whoever did this to me probably didn¡¯t mean me any harm. Well, that was mostly the reason why I came along quietly. ¡°...Who are you?¡± I couldn¡¯t make out their face clearly in the darkness¡ªjust barely recognized their eyes, nose, and mouth, but... Their silhouette felt strangely familiar. I guess I got kidnapped by someone I knew again. As I sighed inwardly at the thought... ¡°Hello there.¡± ¡ªIn that exact moment. A chill ran down my spine. It was a familiar voice. But it was one I never imagined to hear in a place like this. ¡°I guess this is the first time you¡¯re seeing me without my mask, huh?¡± The Prophet said that before she winked at /genesisforsaken Chapter 328: Kidnapping (2) ¡°...Is it okay for you to be here?¡± That question came out unknowingly even though my brain was still processing the sudden situation. The Prophet¡ªthe notorious leader of the Devil Worshippers who were well-known in every country. Not only the empress, the pope and the Tribal Alliance¡¯s Chieftain were on the lookout for her whereabouts, every countries¡¯ leaders were. If her whereabouts became known, chaos would ensue everywhere. ¡°What? Are you worried about me?¡± ¡°...¡± As soon as the Prophet heard that question, she replied as such with a sigh, dumbfounded. Recently, our relationship had turned a little weird, but we were basically enemies. It was natural for her to react that way since my question was pretty much out of the left field. ¡°Still, that makes me happy.¡± ¡°...¡± I felt her soft stroke on my cheek as she said so. Fondness, affection, there was even possessive desire underneath that stroke¡ªonly a little of it though. ¡°...Are you sure you have the luxury to do this to your enemy? What are you going to do if I were to attack you?¡± ¡°Your ability is only activated when someone shows their hostility towards you, no?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing any of that, so you¡¯re basically just an ordinary person who has trained a lot now.¡± Hearing her laying out my ability in such details, I could only let out a sigh. I didn¡¯t find it strange though, considering who she was. ¡°...Anyway, where are we?¡± As the Prophet stealthily backed off, I asked that while looking around with my eyes that were adjusting to the darkness. This didn¡¯t seem like the center of the city¡ªthe place where the Devil¡¯s Vessels had their catfight. ¡°Hm... Well, this place¡¯s a little far away from where we were.¡± The Prophet said, tapping her lips as she stealthily looked around. ¡°Would you understand it easier if I call this place the Devil Worshippers¡¯ base?¡± ¡°...¡± And the answer that came out of her mouth made me sigh again, speechless. Back then, I did feel that she pulled some sort of trick in the middle of that catfight and moved us somewhere ¡®far away¡¯, but I never expected that she¡¯d suddenly kidnap me to this kind of place. It was a little amusing. ¡°...This place?¡± But anyway... Our surroundings were in a quite strange state. The Devil Worshippers was literally the biggest secret group that had forces spread all over the continent. Well, they were the main villainous group in the original game, so it was expected, but... This place looked like a worn-out building that almost collapsed, even though it should¡¯ve been a place where all kinds of notable villains gathered. ¡°...¡± If anything... It felt as if someone had come here and ¡®destroyed¡¯ everything inside. There was a skeleton, which seemed to have been neglected for quite a long time, sitting on the luxurious desk before my eyes. It didn¡¯t take long for me to hear the answer to my questions. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve either kicked out or killed all of them.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°In the first place, their purpose is to ensure that you won¡¯t die no matter what happens to you. I mean, you¡¯ll have a difficult life, so I¡¯d need you to grow stronger safely to some extent.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But at some point, instead of being in the danger of being killed by the Devils, you became in control of the Devils, so I got rid of all of them. I mean, at that point, there¡¯s no reason for them to exist, no?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really interested in worshipping the Devils. My original job was to catch and kill them instead, you know?¡± The Prophet replied in a casual tone before she let out a chuckle and kicked a skeleton that was sitting on a chair nearby, knocking it over. The head of the skeleton rolled on the floor. ¡°This is the ¡®original¡¯ Prophet that I¡¯ve gotten rid of. I killed them the moment I ¡®regressed¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± After saying those words casually, the punk indifferently threw the skeleton and sat on its seat. ¡°Let¡¯s see... Ah, right, guess it¡¯s time for a proper introduction.¡± The Prophet said before she began to rummage through the desk drawer. She took out an old candle before lighting it with a match in a light motion. A light flame rose in the dim room. And, I saw her... Long orange hair, a lively smiling face that was like a trademark of hers. The small lighting revealed the face of the unmasked Prophet. She looked exactly like Iliya. Iliya would probably look like her if she grew ten years older. ¡°...Nice to meet you. I¡¯m the ¡®regressed¡¯ Hero.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Say something.¡± ¡°...I mean... I¡¯ve guessed this to some extent...¡± Her reaction when I chose to become a ¡®Devil¡¯ with the Fallen¡¯s Seal kinda gave it away. I only became completely sure of it after learning about the chancellor¡¯s background. As it proved that someone could come from the future where something bad happened to me. ¡°The Holy Sword itself is something that can match the Devils and their Authorities. So, by sacrificing that, you probably could go to the past.¡± I didn¡¯t know how she did it exactly, because the Authority to travel through timelines was the Gray Devil¡¯s territory, but... Since the ¡®Holy Sword¡¯ could match the Devils¡¯ status, I could see that happening if she were to use it in that way. I let out a sigh as I continued... ¡°Which means, you¡¯ve resolved yourself to sacrifice that sword in that world where I was ¡®connected to you¡¯.¡± Just like the chancellor, there must¡¯ve been some of the women who wished to meet with me again so badly that they decided to sacrifice the biggest thing of their existence. And if my guess was right... The other Devils probably weren¡¯t so different. ¡°...How far our relationship has gone in the world you ¡®came from¡¯?¡± ¡°Three daughters, three sons. Quite a lot, huh?¡± ¡°...¡± Indeed, it was... ¡°¡ªWell, all of them died in the end.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The Devils killed them all. Just like you do now, you were also controlling the Devils at that time.¡± Hearing the discrepancies between her tone and her words, I became speechless for a moment there and stared at her. ¡°I guess you¡¯re feeling quite at ease now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You think that if you¡¯ve come this far, you won¡¯t be harmed badly by the Devils. Things would go on just fine if you just keep going.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There¡¯s just one thing left. You know what it is, don¡¯t you?¡± She was right. There was one thing left. ¡°The Void Zone.¡± The regressed Iliya¡ªthe Prophet¡ªsaid so while twisting the corners of her mouth. ¡°The main bodies of the Devils that are asleep underneath. If the ¡®real Devils¡¯ descend after their Fragments and bodies are united, you know what will happen, no?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you fail at controlling them even a little, everyone will die. The whole Material Realm will be turned upside down.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of control. Their power is just so great that the world itself can¡¯t withstand it. That was how the ¡®future world¡¯ I came from disappeared.¡± Eleanor had shown me once. Her godlike Authority to do something crazy like ¡®reality manipulation¡¯ even without the Devil¡¯s main body. With the ¡®main body¡¯... It would be unimaginable what kind of things they could do with all their Fragments united. ¡°There¡¯s a bastard in this world who¡¯s trying to use that to realize his own ambition. That sly bastard in the Holy Land.¡± ¡°I can stop him.¡± ¡°Regardless of whether it would be easy or not to stop him, what about the future? Do you think that there won¡¯t be anyone else trying to use that in the future?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°There could be people who are crazy for power besides the Pope in the future. At least, that¡¯s what happened in the world I came from.¡± ¡°...So, your goal is...¡± I sighed before continuing. ¡°To kill all of the Devils.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She immediately replied. ¡°I want to make all of them cease to exist. The Devils, the Vessels...¡± ¡°...¡± Right. This was the reason why she and I were ¡®enemies¡¯. ¡°...I don¡¯t think I can let that happen.¡± ¡°Yeah, I knew you¡¯d say that.¡± The Prophet replied while stretching her body upon hearing my reply. ¡°Because you consider the people around you more important than yourself. You would never agree.¡± ¡°...If you know it, then I¡¯d like you to give up.¡± ¡°Never.¡± The Prophet replied while letting out a chuckle. ¡°¡ªNot when they¡¯ve done all that to me.¡± ¡°...¡± I had nothing to say regarding that. This punk must¡¯ve seen her kids and I got killed by the Devils¡¯ in the future before she came here. What she must¡¯ve felt at that time... Wasn¡¯t something that could be ¡®expressed¡¯ by mere words. ¡°But, there¡¯s still some time left before that. In order to achieve my goal, I have to cooperate with that bastard¡ªthe pope to some extent. There¡¯s still time left before everything¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯m going to have some fun.¡± ¡°...Have some...fun?¡± ¡°I mean, we¡¯re going to end this once and for all anyways.¡± The Prophet said before grinning. ¡°What say you, we test the water a little bit?¡± ¡ñ ¡°Now...¡± Eleanor said in a cold voice. The ferocity in her face suggested that she would behead the person before her eyes right there and then. ¡°Tell me the reason why I should not cut off your head.¡± ¡°...Ugh, look. I get how you feel.¡± Talker, or rather, the man called the Spinning Fire Wheel, replied while smiling bitterly. Eleanor¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t exaggerated or anything like that. Anyone would react that way if their enemy suddenly appeared in the place where Dowd was just standing a few minutes ago. Fortunately for the Spinning Fire Wheel, he had a proper excuse that could prevent everyone here from turning him into a knife stand. ¡°But I came as a messenger, not to fight.¡± ¡°...A messenger?¡± ¡°Our leader already predicted that all of you would be fighting each other like this for that man, so she wants to give you all a proper goal.¡± ¡°What does that me¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you where Dowd Campbell is. Prepare well by tomorrow. It won¡¯t be so easy to make your way through.¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions stiffened upon hearing that. And what he said next worsened their reactions. ¡°Also, if you don¡¯t come quickly, she said that she¡¯d enjoy him herself.¡± ¡°...Enjoy?¡± ¡°You know, in bed, that sort of stuff?¡± ¡°...Ha?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes glinted /genesisforsaken Chapter 329: Kidnapping (3) The Void Zone that was touching the three academies was a place where the climate always changed from time to time, living up to its notoriety. How it was raining ten minutes earlier and suddenly snowing now proved it. ¡°...What an unpleasant place.¡± Iliya said, frowning deeply as she looked around. ¡°...It feels like the ecosystem is disconnected from nature.¡± In fact, it really was. Not only was the scenery painted in grayscale¡ªlike a faded watercolor painting, the laws of physics and the ecosystem of some of the places were just broken. Rabbits killing and eating their supposed predators, talking plants, things that fell from bottom to top... It was as if the laws of nature had been twisted, crushed, mashed, and reassembled to someone¡¯s preferences. ¡°...In the Holy Land, this place is called the Sanctuary.¡± Lucia said upon seeing the Seraphim¡¯s huge barrier unfolding before her eyes. However, her voice sounded almost like she was disgusted. ¡°...It¡¯s a horrible place.¡± For a saintess to utter such words about a sacred place could be considered as blasphemous, but anyone would react that way upon seeing this sight. What was surprising was the fact that there was a crazy group who made a base here. ¡°The Devil Worshippers.¡± Iliya said, still frowning deeply. ¡°They like the Devils to a disgusting degree, it seems like. They even willingly built such a building in this kind of place.¡± The hostility in each of her words were so sharp that it felt as if it could cut people¡¯s skin. In the first place, her family died because the Devil Worshippers burned down the village she lived in and slaughtered everyone during the Crimson Night Incident. There was no way she would have a good feeling towards them. ¡°But the place seems abandoned.¡± Riru said as she looked at the fortress before her eyes . As she said, the structure looked abandoned. Everything was worn out, rusty, and broken, as if people hadn¡¯t touched them in years. ¡°Do not let your guard down. No one knows what lies in store for us.¡± Eleanor said while closing her eyes. Upon hearing that, everyone around her simultaneously threw an odd expression at her. In the first place, they had followed this woman who rushed all the way here, ignoring Talker¡¯s advice to prepare themselves before coming here tomorrow. None of them were complaining about the situation though. The anger that seeped through her words were enough to make them seal their lips tight. It was as if they could feel her determination through their ears... That she would kill her opponent no matter what. She¡¯d rip them to death if she met them, no matter who they were. ¡°R-Right. J-Just as she said, we shouldn¡¯t let our guard do¡ª¡± Before Yuria could even finish the words she wanted to say with all her might, it happened. In contrast to Yuria, who was emphasizing the need for them to advance carefully, Eleanor boldly approached the main gate before silently raising her foot. ¡°-Excuse me, what are you do¡ª¡± The question that was asked by who knows who hadn¡¯t even finished as Eleanor already burst open the fortress¡¯ main gate with a kick. -! -!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then... The collision created shockwaves that scattered in all directions, as if a siege weapon had hit that gate. That one kick had a ridiculous physical force behind it¡ªit was the kind of force that one wouldn¡¯t expect to come from a single person¡ªand it successfully crushed the gate to pieces, as its debris scattered everywhere. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Who was it... That said we should act carefully? Everyone there stared at Eleanor with such a question in their gazes. But, Eleanor replied with a glare, as if challenging them to say their complaints out loud. ¡°What?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We do not know what that bitch is going to do to Dowd, no? Right now, he might be...on the bed...¡± ¡°...Yeah, I get it.¡± Seeing how Eleanor looked like she¡¯d raise her sword at those who didn¡¯t agree with her, one of the women just reluctantly agreed with her. Eleanor then snorted while turning around. She strode into the fortress, frowning as soon as she looked around. ¡°-So unpleasant.¡± Only Eleanor said it out loud, but everyone there shared the same opinion as her. The place itself had an atmosphere that aroused their disgust. It was hard to describe it with words, but every part of the building was shaped in such a way that evoked an anxiety inducing feeling to come out of one¡¯s heart. And... The phenomenon that occurred as soon as all of the Vessels entered the fortress perfectly reflected that feeling. -! -!!! ¡°-What?¡± ¡°-No way!¡± ¡°A Suppression Circle?!¡± At that moment, a Suppression Circle¡ªa circle that wasn¡¯t meant to injure or kill its target, but to restrain them¡ªwas activated. It was powerful enough to suppress even them¡ªthe people who could utilize Demonic Auras in an instant. And from it, they could feel ¡®malice¡¯. Though it was funny to think that these people who were harboring the Devils¡ªthe beings dubbed as the biggest evil in the world¡ªfelt unpleasant facing them, but that was how it was. ¡®I want to harm, I want to kill, I want to destroy.¡¯ Such spells that were packed with such emotions poured out from all directions towards them. All of them fell on their knees without having the time to let out their Demonic Auras. ¡°-Tsk.¡± But... There was one person who could overcome such a situation. Iliya clicked her tongue as she pulled the Holy Sword. ¡ªI don¡¯t like this. She had expected this from the moment she was invited here, but it really felt like everything had been ¡®set up¡¯ for her. It was clear from how they had created a situation that only she could overcome like this. ¡°Go on ahead!¡± She busted up a hole in a part of the circle of spells with the Holy Sword, and guided all the Vessels into that hole. Considering the spells¡¯ viciousness and power, the hole would be restored in no time, so this was probably just a temporary measure at best. Which meant, she had to crush its ¡®source¡¯. ¡°¡ªWhat?¡± ¡°Come find me later!¡± Iliya said to the Vessels, who replied to her with a stunned expression, before raising the Holy Sword and bashed it to the ground. The Holy Sword had the property to nullify the target¡¯s spells regardless of its level or power. In other words, it should be enough to take care of the spells for good. However, there would always be a rebound whenever she did that. Considering that the spell could even make the Vessels struggle, the rebound was considerable, to say the least. A spider web-like crack began to form on the part the spell had been erased after being struck by the Holy Sword. Soon after, its thick foundation began to completely collapse. Iliya, who was standing on top of it, fell underground with it. ¡°W-Wait!¡± ¡°Make sure to save Teach!!¡± With such words... Iliya fell into the deep underground that was like an endless abyss. ¡ñ ¡°-Ugh¡ªAah¡ª¡± Iliya looked at the ceiling with a frown on her face. She didn¡¯t even know how deep she had fallen. Judging by the amount of light there was, it felt as if she had been tumbling down for almost ten minutes. ...I can¡¯t even climb back up. Iliya thought before letting up a deep sigh. Actually, she probably could, but she¡¯d need to waste a lot of stamina to do that. Considering she didn¡¯t know what kind of danger she was about to face, that obviously wasn¡¯t the best option to take. Her fighting style was basically using the Holy Sword to greatly reduce others capabilities, and suppress them with her superior stats. She wouldn¡¯t be able to pull her weight properly if her stamina had completely depleted. ¡ªSo... Iliya stroked her chin, pondering about the situation. She had stepped on the trap so the others should¡¯ve advanced forward. While she wasn¡¯t really pleased with the situation, at least it wasn¡¯t the worst situation they could find themselves into. Besides, they came all the way here to save Dowd. As long as these women could achieve that, she had on reason to complain. ¡°...Hmm.¡± That aside though... She needed to figure out what she should do next. The place was so dark that she couldn¡¯t even see anything, so for the time being, she¡¯d need to wait until her eyes adjusted to the dark. Until that happened, she decided to just stand there. ¡°Hi.¡± But then she heard someone call out to her. In an instant, she pulled out the Holy Sword from the sheath, taking up a combat stance. ¡°This is our first time talking to each other directly like this, no?¡± However... As soon as she heard that voice... Her body froze. ¡°...-¡± Her instinct caught ¡®something¡¯ that made her body freeze upon hearing those words. The light of the Holy Sword also began to shake wildly into the surroundings. Considering her mental disturbance, this was normal, but it seemed like the Seraphim inside the Holy Sword was sensing something as well. The thing before her eyes was an ¡®Anomaly¡¯, someone that wasn¡¯t supposed to exist in this world. As she felt such a sensation crawling all over her body, she called out to the owner of that voice with a voice that sounded like a groan. ¡°...You.¡± Before she realized it, her forehead had started to get wet. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°I have something to talk about with you, so I figured that I¡¯ll just meet you directly.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hi, my past self.¡± The Prophet... ¡°Do you still hate the Devils?¡± Said such words with a smile. *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 330: Kidnapping (4) Without Desperation, Dowd was pretty much powerless in most situations. In this particular one, for example; he couldn¡¯t even untie the rope that was binding him. That was why... He decided to focus on the things he couldn¡¯t do while he was moving his body around. For example, meeting an old friend that he almost forgot the existence of. ¡°-¡° Dowd entered his own Image World, letting out a deep sigh. He could definitely feel something as he walked around inside. It used to be a bland world without any color, but now, it was different. Though they were just tiny patches... ¡®Colors¡¯ had painted themselves in this Image World. This meant there were people who had reached the core of his mind, unlike before, when he kept pushing people away. ¡°Look who¡¯s here. It¡¯s been a long time since we saw each other, huh?¡± And he wasn¡¯t the only person inside his Image World. A visitor was there, accompanying him. Seeing how that person created a terrain that looked similar to a cliff and sat on top of it, he burst out laughing. ¡°I swear I was about to forget how you look. Good job for not forgetting me and stopping by.¡± ¡°...Valkasus.¡± As Dowd silently sat beside the Boy King who was looking up at the sky, the man made such a remark with a hint of laughter. ¡°You¡¯ve undergone a significant change in your mind. I can tell just by looking at you.¡± Then, he continued quietly. ¡°You have people who are truly precious to you now, huh?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Cherish them.¡± His voice echoed softly. ¡°Because no matter how much you long for people who have already gone, nothing beats the feeling of cherishing them while they are alive.¡± ¡°...¡± Those words came from someone who had experienced losing everyone he cherished. The tone of his voice was calm, but the echo in it caused even Dowd to keep his mouth shut. Fortunately, the reason he came to see Valkasus in such a long time wasn¡¯t too far off the topic. ¡°Do you remember the promise I made when you said you would cooperate with me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± There was a reason why the Boy King became the Boy King. A while back, Dowd had promised to cooperate with him regarding that reason¡ªto avenge him, in exchange for him to leave his kingdom behind in history. He knew for a long time what pushed the Boy King to become like this. ¡°...We¡¯re going to end everything soon. Including the matter with the Cursed Speech User.¡± Fighting against the Prophet meant that he¡¯d eventually face up against the Cursed Speech User. While he had never heard anything in detail about Valkasus¡¯ connection with that guy, he knew what the man¡¯s long-cherished wish¡ªthe things he had worked hard for all those years, all his life¡ªwas. That was also the reason why Dowd had let this person join him and left him alone for quite a long time. And, there was a reason why he had left this man at a corner inside his Image World despite his considerable war power¡ªtelling him to stay and ¡®study¡¯ despite all kinds of critical situations that he had to face. To grind the blade. In order to prepare it for the right moment. Even though the blade was small, it was sharp enough for the job. ¡°What about the thing that I asked you to do?¡± Dowd asked. Valkasus flicked his fingers instead of answering. With a stroke of his fingers, a Circle of Forbidden Sorcery was formed. As expected of someone who had reached the level of a master in that field, he didn¡¯t even need time to prepare. On the contrary of his light movements... What happened next was almost awe-inducing. -... -...! The world was covered by all sorts of Circles. Each of the spirals spun quietly, yet intensely. It was as if he was looking at the sea. The songs of water droplets splashing between the dazzlingly blue waves and white foams. Landscaping the endless potential of the tides, the touch of the wind, the stones, and the things inside the water. And at the end of this ¡®phenomenon¡¯¡ªthe result of the Circles completely unfolding themselves was... ¡°...¡± Dowd took a deep breath while holding his head. He had to do it to keep himself together. Just a rough foresight of it almost stunned him. Anyway... The thing that he requested of Valkasus was like a dagger that would strike a heavy blow on the Prophet and Talker in a crucial moment. But what he saw just now... Was probably the limit of how far the most powerful Forbidden Sorcery User in history could do when given the time. ¡°Will it be enough to stop here?¡± ¡°...¡± Hell yes it is. ¡°...It feels like we could kill even the Devils with this.¡± ¡°Sadly, that¡¯d be hard.¡± Valkasus replied with a bitter smile, but Dowd was actually serious. ¡°Anyway, thank you for that generous assessment. Thankfully I didn¡¯t disappoint a friend who stopped by after a long time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Why do you look so gloomy?¡± ¡°...I just thought it¡¯d be nice if people treat me gently like you do to me.¡± Hearing Dowd said so, Valkasus burst out laughing for a moment. Although he soon continued speaking with concern. ¡°By the way, is it okay for you to spend time with me like this?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you aren¡¯t the only one she dragged here.¡± ¡°...Well...¡± Valkasus was talking about the Vessels, but Dowd genuinely thought that nothing big would happen even if he wasn¡¯t accompanying them. The Prophet would definitely lay some traps for them, but as long as they worked together, they should be able to survive. Besides, the Prophet stated it herself that she was just testing the water. She wouldn¡¯t go all out to harm them, at least for now. ¡°¡ªYou see.¡± However, seeing Dowd¡¯s reaction, a worried expression appeared in Valkasus¡¯ face as he stroked his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is the situation where you can be relaxed like that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken about something. People don¡¯t always move based on their rational judgment. Especially when you, the person those women adore so much, are being kidnapped. In their eyes, this is a more serious problem than you think. Besides, in the first place, only a few people would be able to act calmly in extreme situations like you.¡± Valkasus continued, looking uncertain. ¡°While I agree with you, there¡¯s a low chance of something big happening, but it¡¯s still possible for them to fall into a precarious situation.¡± ¡°...Such as?¡± ¡°What if the real enemy wasn¡¯t the one who invited them here, but themselves?¡± Considering what was happening outside Dowd¡¯s Image World right now... His words definitely could be considered as words of wisdom that came from a wise man who had lived for a long time. ¡ñ ¡°-Ngh.¡± Yuria Greyhounder looked around with her eyes wide open. ...How did I end up alone? It had been a long time since the last time she was separated from her sister and was left alone like this. While she didn¡¯t panic right away, as her mental state had been stable lately, she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious about the situation.. Fiddling with her sheath, she looked around. It was dark. She couldn¡¯t see anything. Anyway, the reason why she was here alone was because someone triggered a strange trap again, and the group was dispersed as a result. ¡°...¡± The situation back then was a chaotic mess, so it was hard for her to remember what exactly happened, but she remembered part of it. There was a series of intense disagreements like ¡®Let¡¯s do this¡¯, ¡®Let¡¯s do that¡¯, ¡®You¡¯re wrong¡¯, ¡®I¡¯m right¡¯ and so on. Because of the bond they had accumulated so far, it didn¡¯t develop into a full-on brawl, but it felt like none of them were in the right mind state to cooperate with each other to break through this place. ¡°...Is it because Mr. Dowd isn¡¯t here¡ª?¡± That was when she realized once again how bad their compatibility with each other was. Not only was everyone extremely self-conscious, they also lost their cool immediately at the thought of something bad might happen to Dowd. And... Well, this suspicion of hers might sound like a reach, but she felt as if this was the traps¡¯ real purpose in the first place¡ªmaking them fight each other like this. It felt like whoever set this up was trying to instill something in their heads. ¡®Your bonds aren¡¯t as strong as you guys think without that man.¡¯ ¡ªNo more strange thoughts. Yuria told herself while looking at the Severer in her hands. She told herself that she needed to focus on the fact that Dowd was kidnapped to this place by bad people. And that she needed to come to her senses and advance forward calmly. Resolving herself once again, she calmly took a step into the dark. And then... With a clicking sound, the sound of a switch echoed from the ground she was stepping on. ¡°...¡± Upon hearing the greatly ominous sounds, Yuria reflexively raised her sword. At the same time, something popped up from where she was stepping ¡°Whoaaaargh¡ª!¡± The scream she let out while shedding tears was quite the spectacle, to say the least. ¡°Whoaaaaaaaaargh¡ª!¡± But, the scream of the bizarre ¡®thing¡¯ that came up from the ground didn¡¯t lose to hers. And then... She noticed a familiar feeling from that scream, so she stopped and looked at the other person. ¡°...Uh?¡± Before her eyes, holding the Severer... Looking at her with the same frightened expression... ¡°...Hmm?¡± Was ¡®herself¡¯. *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 331: Kidnapping (5) Iliya Krisanax evaluated herself as someone with common sense. Which meant that she didn¡¯t have a distrustful personality, but also wasn¡¯t naive enough to be easily convinced by anything people told her. Hence why... ¡°¡ªDo you think I¡¯d just believe that?¡± Just as she said... She didn¡¯t believe the claim that the person before her eyes had stated¡ªshe didn¡¯t believe that she was ¡®her future self¡¯, and that meant she had no reason to listen to what she wanted to say. ¡°What a shame.¡± The woman shrugged as she said that. Nevertheless, her appearance backed up her claim. After all, the woman looked exactly like Iliya if she had longer hair and aged a few years. Even so, that ¡®proof¡¯ was still too weak. After all there were more than plenty of ways to impersonate someone. There was a high chance that this woman also¡ª ¡°When you were a child¡ªwas it when you were five? You received a doll¡¯s house as a birthday present, right?¡± ¡°...¡± But then Iliya heard what the woman in front of her suddenly said, prompting her expression to stiffened up slightly. That information was undoubtedly a private one. One that only her extremely close friends would know. But the woman didn¡¯t stop there as she went even further than that. ¡°You shoved your face into it because you wanted to ¡®become a giant¡¯, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But then your head got stuck in it, and no matter how hard you tried, you couldn¡¯t get it off. After that, you rolled on the floor.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Eventually, you cried to your brother, asking him to take it off your head.¡± Iliya¡¯s face flushed at a terrifying speed. Somehow, it became hard for her to breathe. Shame that she couldn¡¯t hide was welling up from the bottom of her heart. ¡°...How the fuck do you know that?!¡± The answer she got struck her even more mercilessly. ¡°Your diary.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°You know, the diary you wrote when you were seven.¡± ¡°...C-Could you not say it out loud¡ª¡± ¡°The same one where you wrote your ideal type on its first page. ¡®A reliable and dependable Prince Charming who always looks at you¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hm, what was it that you wrote next? Ah, right, you dreamed of a prince with a cape, showing up with a bouquet of roses on a unicorn, bravely proposing to you in a place where you could hear all the spectators¡¯ clapping their hands for you. You spent a whole night coming up with that, didn¡¯t you?¡± Iliya¡¯s body began to tremble. ¡°That wasn¡¯t all, of course. You even wrote down ten romantic lines you wanted to have with the prince. I¡¯m sure the first one was... ¡®Please forget me, Prince¡¯, ¡®What does that mean?¡¯, ¡®I¡¯m saying I¡¯d like you to stop liking me¡¯, ¡®How am I supposed to do that?¡¯...¡± ¡°...T-That was when I was a child...! C-Can you stop talking about things like that¡ª?!¡± ¡°Indeed, that was when you were a child. Now, it¡¯s different for you, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If I remember correctly, around this time, you had the habit of indulging yourself in the delusions of your Mr. Dowd to the point that your sheets goes wet¡ª¡± ¡°Stop¡ª!!¡± Iliya screamed with a quivering voice, wobbling, almost losing her balance. It wasn¡¯t the correct reaction to have for sure, considering that she didn¡¯t know whether this person before her eyes were enemies or not. ¡°So, what do you think? Do you believe me now?¡± Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t even ponder whether to believe her or not. Her mind was filled up with the thoughts of wanting to beat the person in front of her to death. Good Lord, such a wicked enemy still exists?! A wicked enemy who could use this kind of psychological attack exists?! ¡°Actually, it doesn¡¯t matter whether you believe me or not. I came to you because there¡¯s something I want to show you.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°You lost your first family to the Devils, right?¡± Iliya froze at the woman¡¯s sudden statement. Probably because her words cut so deep into her heart, but more than that... It was because ¡®something¡¯ was being played before her eyes as the woman¡¯s words fell. Images flashed by. The memory of the Crimson Night Incident. The burning village, collapsing house... The dead bodies of her parents... Iliya gritted her teeth so hard that it almost felt like she was trying to crush them. These were the scenes she couldn¡¯t forget¡ªthey still appeared in her nightmares. ¡°But now, it seems like you¡¯re getting along well with the person who caused such a situation.¡± ¡°...¡± Iliya went silent at the sarcastic sentence. ¡ªI. Iliya believed in her own discernment. Having observed Faenol Lipek while hanging out with her, she genuinely thought that Faenol wasn¡¯t that kind of a person. No matter how she looked at her, she really didn¡¯t seem like someone who¡¯d intentionally get innocent people to caught up in bad things ¡°...The ones who killed my mother and father are the bastards who followed the Devil, not the Devil herself.¡± ¡°Ah, right, you¡¯re still so lofty during this time, huh? Well, it¡¯s admirable how you can make such an objective assessment even to your parents¡¯ enemies. Of course, I agree with you. Being a Devil¡¯s Vessel doesn¡¯t mean that they¡¯re inherently a bad person. However...¡± Accompanying such words... ¡°Have you thought of the possibility that you¡¯d lose the ¡®second¡¯ family you¡¯re going to make in the future to the Devils?¡± Another image popped up. ¡°...¡± Faces she had never seen. A series of images of kids that shared part of her appearances flashed through her eyes. She could feel the emotion this woman held as she saw those kids. The woman regarded them as her entire world. My children... My precious children... I¡¯d do anything to protect them... My second family... Hence why... The next image of the children ¡®dying¡¯ was like a curse that stuck to the back of Iliya¡¯s mind. ¡°Tell me, Iliya. You¡¯ve seen it before, so you must also know it well.¡± The children¡¯s bodies were mashed. All of their bodies had lost their shapes after being crushed by the Devils¡¯ Demonic Auras as they went berserk. She didn¡¯t know the hows or why, she didn¡¯t even know who these children were. But somehow... Just by looking at them... It felt as if someone was cutting through her lungs with a knife. She didn¡¯t feel any physical pain, but a phantom pain that felt as if it was engraved in her soul. ¡°How would you feel if you were to see your own family dying before your eyes?¡± Iliya didn¡¯t even know who this woman was. Nor did she know the reason why she was showing her these things, or who these children were. But, she could give a clear answer to that question. Her feelings right now... If the woman before her felt the same way as her... Then, she¡¯d give her the same answer. ¡°¡ªI¡¯d rather...¡± Above her lips, where blood was coming out because she had clenched them too hard, clear water was mixed there. It was her tears falling. ¡°I¡¯d rather die.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Hearing Iliya¡¯s words, the woman¡ªthe Prophet, replied calmly. Anger, longing, hatred, remorse, and regret that was piercing her so deeply that it was engraved on her bones. Such feelings bundled together, eroded in the passage of time. That would be the closest description of the emotions behind her reply. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop now, those images will become your future.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Listen carefully, Iliya Krisanax. Right now, you¡¯re moving steadily towards your own destruction. Luckily, you¡¯re a damn Hero, so always keep that in mind.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s alI I wanted to tell you.¡± After saying those words, the woman quickly turned her body. Then, she said her last piece before her body disappeared in a cold sneer. ¡°¡ªIn any case, if you want to help your ¡®friends¡¯, go quickly. After all, they are in quite a difficult situation right now.¡± Iliya couldn¡¯t even reply to her. She could only stare helplessly at her disappearing back. ¡ñ ¡°...Hmph...¡± I snorted, realizing that I was put in a difficult position. ¡°Doppelgangers, huh?¡± [Seeing how they copied the others¡¯ appearance, it seems so.] Since I couldn¡¯t move, I sent this guy to look around the surroundings. From that, I got to know that the Devil¡¯s Vessels were scattered around, and were now facing doppelgangers who looked exactly like them. Apparently, the doppelganger completely copied the Vessels¡¯ everything. [From their abilities, Demonic Auras, even equipment, they¡¯re all the same. I don¡¯t even know how they did that.] ¡°That sounds...serious. Doesn¡¯t that mean both sides have the exact same capabilities?¡± [Pretty much. Unless they somehow got a ridiculous power up mid-battle, I could see them fighting forever.] If that was the case, casualties were bound to happen. ...You said you¡¯re just testing the water. That punk set up quite the wicked trap, huh? I thought so while narrowing my eyes. ¡°...¡± Then, I let out a deep sigh. Since she pulled up such a wicked move, I had no choice but to take extreme measures. ¡°Well, there¡¯s one way to get a ridiculous power-up in an instant.¡± [No.] ¡°...What?¡± [If even the fucker who¡¯d unhesitatingly use weird measures think twice about this thing, then the measures would be beyond weird. It would be right to stop you right away instead of letting you say another damn thing.] ¡°...¡± As expected of someone who had been with me for a long time. He understood me like the back of his hands. ¡°Caliban.¡± [Whay?] ¡°We have no choice.¡± [...] See? He understood. I only needed to say that for him to give in with a sigh. [... Alright, fine, do whatever. Not like you¡¯ll listen if I stop you. So what are you going to do?] ¡°Well...¡± [Say it quickly, are you trying to piss me off?] ¡°I¡¯m going to kill myself.¡± [...] *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 332: Inquiry There were always people born under lucky stars; people who¡¯d easily succeed in whatever they do. As one of those people, Eleanor found her current situation perplexing. ¡°¡ªHmm.¡± In Eleanor Elinalise La Tristan¡¯s life, she could count the amount of hardships she experienced in one hand. She could quickly overcome any obstacle that she had to face, and the only times she felt nervous over something was when she first proposed to Dowd. Even so, she overcame that in the end. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s me, heh. Guess only I can take myself down.¡± [...] Nearby, the translucent gray fella that always stuck at her side stared at her with contemptuous eyes. While straight-up communication was impossible, she often appeared like this to communicate with her, albeit non-verbally. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to help, could you at least stop staring at me with that annoying expression?¡± [...] ¡°What? If you have something to complain about, spit it out. [...] Of course, at this point Eleanor was somewhat accustomed to her behavior and could speak bluntly at her without consequences. Although she still found it annoying that the punk was so stubborn and just refused to speak to her despite all that. ¡ªAnyway. Eleanor frowned as she looked ahead. Despite her words, the fact that she went as far as asking the gray punk for ¡®help¡¯ meant that the enemy in front of her was formidable. ¡°-¡± It was a figure that looked identical to her¡ªstaring at her blankly with the same stance and the same sword in her hand. Even the Gray Aura protruding from its body was the same. Nothing¡¯s working. Even all of her Demonic Aura-powered ¡®abilities¡¯ could be used by her opponent as well How is that possible? Although she wasn¡¯t well-versed in Devil-related knowledge, she knew damn well her abilities weren¡¯t something that could easily be imitated. And yet, her opponent did it effortlessly. As if it knew all there was to know about them. ¡°...¡± Although it wasn¡¯t without flaws. Upon closer inspection, the imitation wasn¡¯t perfect. There were obvious flaws in how it ¡®spoke¡¯ or ¡®acted¡¯ like her, as if those functions were stripped away for efficiency. But... In terms of combat output in this give-and take fight, its prowess was completely equal to hers. But that wasn¡¯t all. ¡ªIt¡¯s not depleting. She could feel her Demonic Aura output decreasing bit by bit. In contrast, the doppelganger¡¯s output didn¡¯t seem to waver at all. While the flaws she had observed might offer her a strategic advantage, if things were progressing at the current rate, her defeat was inevitable. What do I do...? She closed her eyes, racking her brain. Fleeing wasn¡¯t an option. Everytime she tried to do that, it¡¯d chase after her aggressively. She had done this multiple times already. She could try to win, but how could she win against such a perfectly matched opponent? I need to get stronger right now. She knew it was an absurd thought. One couldn¡¯t just get stronger at a moment¡¯s notice. Unless something like a sudden enlightenment occurred¡ª ¡°...?¡± As Eleanor was thinking as such. Something suddenly fell into her field of vision. When she saw what it was... ¡°...¡± Her consciousness blacked out in an instant. ¡ñ Meanwhile there were people watching this situation unfolding from afar. ¡°...What the hell is that guy doing?¡± Talker asked in a dumbfounded voice as he observed the image before him. Currently, he was watching what Dowd Campbell was doing, but he didn¡¯t understand what he was even trying to do. Originally, he wanted to see how this man¡ªwho couldn¡¯t even untie the ropes that was binding him unless he was in an ¡®emergency situation¡¯¡ªwould handle this predicament But then, he started banging his head against the floor to draw blood, then carefully smear it all over his clothing. Then he sent one piece of it to each of the Devil Vessels¡¯ locations. He knew the man could use Divine Power to some degree, so he thought that he probably used that to accomplish such a thing. To Talker, his action was too pathetic to even bother with. It was hard for him to believe that this man¡ªwho was in his underwear, wearing a dazed expression as blood trickled down his forehead¡ªwas the man who had ascended to become a Devil on his own. ¡°Blood-stained clothing? What can he even do with that?¡± Hearing Talker¡¯s words, the Prophet let out a chuckle. ¡°Well, he¡¯s probably trying to make them think that I harmed him.¡± ¡°...Any sane person would just ignore that, no?¡± ¡°If they¡¯re sane, they wouldn¡¯t be here in the first place.¡± ¡°...¡± She got a point. The reason why they were easily lured into this obvious trap was because of their tendency to rush in recklessly when it came to matters related to Dowd Campbell, after all. ¡°You still don¡¯t get it huh, Talker.¡± The Prophet continued as she stared at the scene with a cryptic gaze. ¡°That reckless tendency of them to charge in headlong when it comes to Mr. Dowd is exactly the thing we should worry about.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I already knew what moves Mr. Dowd might use against me, and he probably already guessed that I knew, so the variables we can bring when we clash against each other are limited.¡± That was why she called it testing the water. Since they knew each other¡¯s tendencies, all conventional strategies became meaningless. In such a situation, to land an effective move on each other, they needed ¡®trump cards¡¯ they both somewhat knew about. The whole point was to examine those cards. While the Prophet specialized in containing and controlling Devils... Dowd, on the other hand, relied on the ¡®bonds¡¯ he forged with them. For instance... The sheer, instantaneous power they could gain when they hear a mere ¡®hint¡¯ that his life might be in danger. ¡°...So, are you saying that his method will actually work?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The spell the Vessels were trapped in was far more dangerous than expected. Then again, it was a spell that both Talker and the Prophet spent months to prepare, layering ancient spells and the highest incantation into a multi-layer trap. The effort and resources expended were astronomical, but the result¡ªa prison that even Devil Vessels couldn¡¯t escape from¡ªjustified the cost. And yet... The idea that something so formidable was about to be shattered by the mere sight of some blood-stained clothes was inconceivable. -... Before that thought could sink in... It was interrupted by a sudden ¡®crunch¡¯ on the ground. ¡°...?¡± Spinning Fire Wheel looked down on the floor he was standing on with a blank expression. This place was quite far from the fortress that those Devil Vessels were trapped in. Even by carriage, it would take at least several days to travel that distance. Ordinary high-level spells couldn¡¯t cover such a wide area. But, for some reason... Whatever it was that was happening there reached all the way¡ª ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At that moment, the image before Spinning Fire Wheel exploded as Demonic Auras of all sorts of colors surged forward. ¡°...¡± Though old and dilapidated... The sight of a fortress at the size of a mountain being utterly obliterated was still quite a spectacle. Especially considering just a moment ago, the Devil¡¯s Vessels were struggling to escape. And it didn¡¯t end there. ¡°Boss.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°...Is all this chaos happening just from Demonic Aura ¡®release¡¯?¡± ¡°Looks like it?¡± The atmosphere ignited, More than that, it was torn apart. A hole opened in the sky. The ground disintegrated. All life within several kilometers was annihilated. The image was filled with an overwhelming display of violence that seemed to reduce the very cycle of existence and life to nothingness. And, from the center of all this chaos came roars: the Devil Vessels were screaming in unison. ¡°¡°¡°¡°¡°COME OUT RIGHT NOW, YOU FUCKING BITCHHHH¡ª!¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡± ¡°¡ªWhew.¡± The Prophet whistled at the murderous chorus that he could feel even through the image. ...At this rate, they might end up killing themselves. Talker, who was watching this spectacle, couldn¡¯t help but having such thoughts. *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 333: Marriage (1) ¡°...Right. Thanks for saving me.¡± That was probably the first thing I should say. Even though the dozen women in front of me were staring at me dangerously, as if they¡¯d tear everything apart with their bare hands. Because if I didn¡¯t say that, my head might be the first thing that might explode. ¡°I¡¯m... So glad... That you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°...¡± No. Saintess. You¡¯re not even a Devil¡¯s Vessel, why are you talking with bloodshot eyes like that?! Anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think you are a berserker, not a Saintess! ¡°...¡± Ladies. I mean, yeah, I get it, you¡¯re angry because I faked my condition to power you guys up, but... C¡¯mon, it¡¯s totally worth it! Look at you guys, we could try for world domination if we want to now! ¡°...For now, let¡¯s head back to Tristan Duchy first. Can you stand?¡± Eleanor¡ªlooking the most demonic of them all with her sword drawn¡ªgasped out those words. Fortunately, as she said, I wouldn¡¯t be having difficulty moving around. My skillset was geared towards surviving near-death experiences, after all, and I also had various durability buffs. However, before I could say anything... ¡°Oh hell no, absolutely not. You¡¯re not going anywhere with that condition.¡± Riru, who had approached me at some point, suddenly scooped me up. As if she was going to carry me herself. ¡°...?¡± Okay, I appreciate the thought, but... Seriously, I¡¯m fine right¡ª ¡°Hee, heehee, heeheehee...¡± At that moment, her unsettling giggles entered my ears, sending shivers down my spine. It was as if she was getting aroused just from skin contact with my bare body¡ª ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll take this side.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take this side.¡± ¡°Ah, then I¡¯ll take this side.¡± ¡°...¡± Before I could even finish my thoughts, the other women approached me and grabbed my limbs one after another. What do you think I am? A corpse? Before I could even tell them that I could walk on my own, their hands started creeping upwards. ¡°...Um, I think I could manage if I just held him up to here ...¡± ¡°...Hmm, then I¡¯ll just go up to here too.¡± ¡°Then me to¡ª¡± ¡°...Please, let¡¯s just move on, I beg you.¡± That was a genuine, heartfelt plea. ¡ñ ¡°¡ªHaaa.¡± Back in the Tristan Duchy. While lying on the bed, I let out a sigh that felt like my soul was being stripped away. It wasn¡¯t just fatigue; it was the heavy feeling of having lost something. [What¡¯s wrong?] ¡°That bastard... She took everything.¡± [Hm?] ¡°The Prophet, I mean.¡± At the start, she definitely mentioned that she was ¡®testing the water¡¯. In other words... We barely got a glimpse of her hands... And yet, it felt like she had thoroughly stripped away our ¡®maximum output¡¯. It wasn¡¯t a complete loss, but... Through the whole process, I did manage to grasp what kind of ¡®foundation¡¯ she had on her side. Specifically... Her understanding of ¡®Devils¡¯ was at a level far beyond my expectations. [Didn¡¯t even the Sword Saint do that thing where he could just nullify the Devil¡¯s powers?] ¡®That¡¯s because the Sword Saint is a monster, and even then, there¡¯s an obvious way to counter it.¡¯ The nullification field the Sword Saint uses was an absurd ability that could even separate dimensions on its own. But even that power had a simple counter: you¡¯d just need to get out of the field. However, in the Prophet¡¯s case... ...We couldn¡¯t even handle her even though we had gone all out. Thinking about the situation at that old fortress we visited, it¡¯s best to assume that everything there was prepared by just the two of them; Spinning Fire Wheel and the Prophet. Yes, they probably spent quite some time preparing everything, but the fact that they could do that in the first place was already terrifying enough. Considering the Prophet¡¯s actions, she¡¯d clearly try to kill Devils even if she had to ally herself with the Holy Kingdom. Once she started getting their support... I couldn¡¯t even imagine how much more handful she¡¯d get. ¡°...Seriously, there really isn¡¯t a single woman around me who doesn¡¯t give me a headache...¡± [...Woman around you?] Hearing what I said, Caliban responded with a tone that sounded as if he had lost his mind. [Did you just call the Prophet one of the women around you?] ¡°Did I stutter?¡± [...] ¡°...What?¡± [No, it¡¯s just, uh... It sounds like you¡¯re trying to seduce her too.] ¡°I mean, she said we even had children together, you know? Don¡¯t you think I should at least take responsibility?¡± I replied with a wry laugh. [No, to begin with, the one she was close to wasn¡¯t the you in this timeline, but the you in another¡ª] ¡°That¡¯s not the point.¡± Instead of that, what we should focus on was the fact that she ¡®sacrificed¡¯ something to come back to the past. And she did all that because she thought that ¡®Dowd Campbell¡¯ was someone precious to her. So, I naturally had an obligation to respond to that. ¡°That¡¯s the practical reason, there¡¯s also other moral reasons.¡± [Moral reasons? Like not turning away a woman who comes to you, that kind of shit?] ¡°No, not that.¡± This guy was just missing the point. ¡°At the end of the day, I was the one who married her and, to put it crudely, fucked her, right?¡± [...] ¡°I gotta take responsibility for my free-spirited lower half, no?¡± It¡¯s a responsibility without the pleasure, but what can I do? I grew up in the slums and brothels, so I know it well. When it comes to matters involving ¡®children¡¯, you¡¯ll feel the weight of responsibility even if you don¡¯t like it. [...I often can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re magnanimous or just fucking crazy.] ¡°I¡¯ll just be grateful that you don¡¯t think I¡¯m petty.¡± I answered like that while lounging on the bed. Anyway, whether I¡¯d end up clashing with the Prophet or whatever, there would still be quite a bit of time left. ...When was the last time I got a proper rest? As I thought that while trying to keep my eyelids from falling shut. From this point up until the ¡®end¡¯... There was just one more hurdle I really needed to overcome. And there was still some time left before that. With that thought, I let out a deep sigh. I should close my eyes for a moment. Having some rest would be so go¡ª ¡°Son, son¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± Right. The word ¡®rest¡¯ wasn¡¯t written anywhere in my fate. Thinking as such in a gloomy mood, I raised my body as someone roughly opens my door and enters. ¡°...Dad?¡± I muttered those words without thinking when I saw the face of the person suddenly bursting into my room. No, I knew he was in the Tristan Duchy, but why did he suddenly come here? As I was mulling over those thoughts, my father dragged the nearby wardrobe to block the door. As if to block ¡®pursuers¡¯ who might follow. ¡°...What are you doing, Dad?¡± To my question, my father trudged over and grabbed my shoulders. He looked like he was about to impart the world¡¯s most important secret to me. ¡°Run.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too late yet...!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I know because I¡¯ve raised several including you. Raising children is hell. It¡¯s not something humans should do...!¡± ¡°...¡± Wondering what the hell he was talking about, I listened quietly as he approached with half-dazed eyes and firmly gripped my shoulders. ¡°I heard the Lady say that she wants at least ten...! She¡¯s planning to squeeze you dry...!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That¡¯s hell you¡¯re walking into. It¡¯s not too late, so listen to your dad, Dowd...!¡± No. Why are you acting like the grizzled war veteran in every horror flick who warns the protagonist not to go into the cursed basement? ¡°First, calm down¡ª¡± ¡°How can I calm down?! You have no idea what kind of hardship you¡¯re facing! The women of this duchy are all experts at wrapping men around their finger-¡± Before I could calm down my father who seemed to be saying those words seriously, I heard someone knocking on the door. What followed was a voice dripping with seduction. ¡°Lord Campbell? ?¡± ¡°...¡± My father¡¯s body froze up like a small animal that had encountered its predator, to the point where it¡¯s almost pitiful to see. ¡°B-Bella...¡± ¡°Oh my~ You can¡¯t just skip your meal like that. After the meal, I plan to give you a massage as always ?¡± ¡°B-Bella, I¡¯m already taken¡ª¡± ¡°And¡ª?¡± ¡°...¡± What the fuck was this setup? Was my dad just casually trying to set up a live adultery subplot right in front of me? Wait, I¡¯ve heard this voice before. Yeah... She was Bella, Eleanor¡¯s personal maid. The moment I recalled that information, the door my father had blocked was violently destroyed. By the looks of it, she blew it all away with a single kick. As expected of one of the top martial houses in the Empire. It seemed that being the personal maid of the future duchess granted you specs on the level of a human weapon. ¡°Ah, Young Master is here as well?¡± ¡°...Young Master?¡± The phrasing sounds a little off, no? My father and I are supposed to be guests here, why the hell is she talking as if we¡¯re part of the family? ¡°Well, since you¡¯ll officially be part of the family starting tomorrow, I figured it was fine to say it in advance.¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± I blinked like an idiot, trying to process what the hell she had just said. Bella gave me a dazzling smile before continuing. ¡°The wedding ceremony, of course.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°According to the lady, even if the heavens themselves were to split open, the ceremony will proceed tomorrow.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°She said that she won¡¯t tolerate any more interference.¡± No. At least give me time to prepare! You¡¯re all moving way too damn quickly! *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 334: Marriage (2) Chapter 334: Marriage (2) A wedding ceremony was undoubtedly a joyous and blessed occasion. Throughout history, this event had always been treated as sacred across all cultures and religions. Conversely, that meant... For such a big event, there was bound to be at least one bad blood relationship where people would feel uncomfortable just by sitting together. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± In a small reception room where close relatives among the guests gather. A woman with black hair tied in a ponytail tapped her wine glass with a very displeased look. She was Professor Astrid, who had regained her original ¡®body¡¯. Unlike Armin, who bore the merciless marks of the passing time, she looked as young and radiant as ever. Next to her was a maid politely standing with her eyes slightly closed and her head slightly bowed. And stuck in the middle, sweating so much that his upper clothes were soaked, was Viscount Armin Campbell. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Not a word was exchanged between them. Not. Even. A. Single. Word. Eventually, the one who broke the ice was Astrid, who was glaring at the two alternately with dagger eyes. ¡°...In the time we haven¡¯t seen each other.¡± ¡°...¡± As Armin swallowed dryly, the sound of Astrid grinding her teeth echoed in the room. ¡°You¡¯ve become quite close with someone I¡¯ve never seen before, Armin.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± As soon as those words fell, Bella, who had been standing quietly beside them, chimed in while slightly covering her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll admit it might look that way. But I have no intention of interfering with a peaceful married life. I¡¯m not shameless enough to covet someone already taken.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Though I might have eyed him if he wasn¡¯t married.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing. I just hope your family is interested in hiring me as a personal maid.¡± ¡°...Oho?¡± Astrid swirled the wine in her glass, still glaring at the two alternately. ¡°You¡¯re not trying to seduce him, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that kind of woman, you know?¡± ¡°Right. If only this guy had been more popular when he was younger.¡± The conversation was far from what one would expect between the groom¡¯s parents and the bride¡¯s confidante. So this is what it¡¯s like when the century¡¯s playboy has a wedding... That was all the nearby staff could think, but... Dowd Campbell¡¯s womanizing reputation was quite famous after all. They wondered just how many innocent girls have fallen victim to his vicious claws so far. Also... Dowd himself always wondered why women would flock to him in droves, but looking at this scene, there was no need to look far for the answer. Making a maid who looked at least twenty years younger fell this hard in such a short time. That father of his was clearly quite something too. ...So Dowd lives through this kind of thing every day. Of course, the man in question was groaning in intense sympathy for the battlefield his son had to face daily. He didn¡¯t even have the time to be happy about his suddenly resurrected wife, or angry at her disappearance, as he almost immediately got thrown into this disaster. ¡°More importantly, Astrid. What¡¯s all this?¡± Armin asked while pointing around. There was something like a circular barrier surrounding the venue. Of course, it wasn¡¯t unnatural to have some security measures for a VIP wedding, but... -! -!!! -!!!!! ¡°...¡± From here and there... Noises that sounded like banging echoed from outside of the barrier from time to time. Accompanied with strange shouts like ¡®But I¡¯m telling you I¡¯m friends with Dowd!¡¯, ¡®I¡¯m not trying to interfere, I just want to say hello to the bride¡ª¡¯, ¡®If you don¡¯t come out I¡¯ll kill you first¡¯, and so on. ¡°Ah, this?¡± Astrid snorted and looked around. ¡°There were so many people trying to crash the wedding, so Lady Tristan specially requested it be made.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Without this, the whole building would have been smashed to pieces, you know?¡± He is my son, but seriously... Just what kind of chaos has he been through until now? For this level of technology to be deployed just to prevent other women from barging in... Also, what the hell are they trying to do? ¡°I¡¯m sure things will calm down a little after the wedding¡± Though he said that, those words would probably just become his own wishful thinking. They said when a woman holds a grudge, frost would fall even in May and June1. He practically had been experiencing hell with the two women by his side, let alone his son, who was stuck with more than a dozen. ¡°...I don¡¯t know about that, Armin.¡± Astrid narrowed her eyes. ¡°From what I see, our son is as good as dead¡± ¡°...Um?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll stop just because he got married.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If anything, they¡¯ll just start a riot, demanding their turn or something like that.¡± Ah, I see. Even Armin couldn¡¯t help but agree with that prediction. As he was nodding his head like that, the noise from outside the barrier kept getting louder and louder. As if they were fighting each other. ¡°...Are they fighting?¡± ¡°Surely not, right...?¡± No matter how reckless they are, there¡¯s no way they¡¯d cause such a nuisance at someone else¡¯s wedding. At most, they¡¯d just start a minor scuffle, no biggie. ¡°COME AT ME, YOU FUCKING WENCHES¡ª! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU¡¯RE DOING AT MY WEDDING¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± Yep, no biggie. Anyway. ¡°...By the way, Armin.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°If we have multiple daughters-in-law, how do we decide house rules?¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s cross that bridge when we get there okay?¡± Armin barely managed to answer. Of course, he knew full well that it wouldn¡¯t be such a distant future. ¡ñ ¡°Has this kid really gone mad¡ª?!¡± De?ja? vu. It feels like this had happened a long time ago too. While screaming in frustration, such thoughts crossed Beatrix¡¯s mind. It definitely wasn¡¯t the first time this kid had pulled something like this. ¡°Her wedding is around the corner, where the hell did she run off to?!¡± ¡°Bride, please get ready for your entrance¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, yes! Just a moment!¡± While shouting in annoyance, Beatrix diligently responded to the staff¡¯s guidance and picked up the magical engineering communicator with fiery eyes. ¡ªClick, clack. And as soon as she heard the sound of the door opening and turned towards it. No matter where she went, if it wasn¡¯t for a good reason, I swear I¡¯m going to...! Considering what she had done so far, she probably got into some strange trouble again somewhere¡ª! ¡°...What the hell happened to you¡ª?!¡± But, Beatrix¡¯ wish seemed really unlikely to continue. After the door was slammed shut, Eleanor stumbled into the room. Her pure white wedding dress was stained with blood. Not only that, her whole body was also covered with traces of fierce battle. It was clear that she was severely injured, as if she had just been through an intense fight alone... ¡°I just dealt with some thieving cats who dared to harbor resentment and tried to disrupt my wedding.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t kill them.¡± Not that they would die easily even if I tried to... Along with those words, Eleanor let out a ¡®Hehe~¡¯ laugh that made Beatrix turn pale. ¡°...Forget the wedding, treat your injuries first, you crazy bitch...!¡± ¡°No need...! More importantly, let¡¯s proceed with the ceremony quickly...!¡± Her sentence was filled with her determination, but... Unfortunately for her, today just wasn¡¯t her day. At that moment... Out of nowhere.. ...Without any warning at all. -... -... -...!!! In the distance. A massive ¡®energy¡¯ was gathering. ¡°...What¡¯s that?¡± It was bad enough that even Dowd, who was waiting in the groom¡¯s room, sensed the rapidly changing atmosphere and hurriedly threw open the window. ¡°The sky...!¡± Someone screamed and pointed towards the horizon. Near the Void Zone, a massive pillar of light had erupted. It looked similar to the huge pillar of fire during the Crimson Night Incident, but its size and nature were different. This was the appearance of a gateway to ¡®another dimension¡¯. The pillar of light exuded ¡®Divine Power¡¯ so pure that even the average person could distinctly sense it. In other words. It was a passage connected to the Astral Realm. And there was only one organization that could pull off something like this. ¡°THE HOLY KINGDOM...!¡± Nearby. Lucia screamed those words next to the pale Yuria. It was a disaster that came without any warning. Most people were shocked, froze blankly, or screamed, but. ¡°FUCK THIS.¡± There was also one person who felt nothing but pure unadulterated rage at this. ¡°DON¡¯T FUCK WITH ME...!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°WHY IS THIS FUCKING WORLD DOING THIS TO ME...?!¡± Even though they had been with her for so many years... It was the first time that Dowd had ever heard such raw curses coming from Eleanor¡¯s mouth. Footnotes 1. May and June are the warmest times in Korea. Chapter 335: The Final Chapter Chapter 335: The Final Chapter The beginning of the endgame in Savior Rising was, to put it simply, an expanded version of the Crimson Night Incident. An ¡®erosion¡¯ phenomenon occurred, caused by those who crossed over from another dimension. The difference from the Crimson Night Incident was that its speed was on a whole different level. From the moment the gate to another dimension opened, the time attack began immediately. Unlike the Crimson Night incident, which was essentially a phenomenon caused by the Red Devil¡¯s unilateral actions, this was close to an ¡®invasion¡¯ above all else. ¡®This isn¡¯t supposed to start until much later...!¡¯ Thinking this, I leaped out the window. No matter how much I gritted my teeth and continued my preparation, this wasn¡¯t supposed to happen until at least a few more weeks or months. Then again, I guess there was a reason why they had been kept quiet and holed up all this time. ¡°We¡¯ve been had, this is too soon.¡± [You sound awfully calm saying that.] ¡°Because I knew from the start that I¡¯d have to deal with variables like this!¡± If it was simply a matter of the Final Chapter happening earlier, I had more than enough ways to deal with it. ¡°...¡± The problem was that I didn¡¯t know what other variables might pop up. Well, whatever it was, I¡¯d need to get there as soon as possible and put a stop to it. I hurriedly grasp the communication magic stone I always carry in my chest. On the other end, Headmistress Atalante was the one who was supposed to take the call. It was an emergency contact network we prepared in advance as soon as we managed to narrow down our ¡®enemy¡¯ to just the Holy Kingdom. There were things that needed to be done immediately the moment such a phenomenon occurred. ¡°Headmistress, can you hear me?!¡± [¡ªEvacuation is already underway. How long until you arrive?!] As expected of the Headmistress, she was quick to act, even without explicit instructions. Our first priority was, of course, evacuating everyone inside the Academy to prevent casualties, and she had already started doing that. The Empire¡¯s Elfante and the Tribal Alliance¡¯s Forge of Struggle would probably cooperate with us in this regard. But, the problem here was... ¡°¡ªWhat about the guys at the Holy Kingdom¡¯s Academy?¡± [...There had been no response whatsoever.] ¡°...¡± [The situation is clearly abnormal...! That damned Pope...!] Atalante¡¯s voice¡ªfilled with indignation¡ªflowed out, accompanied with the sound of her teeth grinding. The Holy Kingdom¡¯s Academy, the ¡®Great Temple¡¯, was of course a place with elite students, just like the Elfante Imperial Academy and the Forge of Struggle. It wasn¡¯t a place that would easily crumble under any ordinary crises. The problem was.... You see, I had experienced the Astral World firsthand, having crossed over with Iliya once before. Even a single creature from that place could cause unimaginable devastation in the Material World. It was worlds apart even when compared to Pandemonium. At least you could handle them if you start from the bottom up with Pandemonium since it still had a semblance of an ecosystem. In any case, if left like this, it was only a matter of time before everyone got swept away and died. Fortunately... ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon, Headmistress. For now, just focus on the evacuation.¡± ...We were in a situation where we could somehow respond to what they had in store quickly. I felt bad for Eleanor for thinking of it this way, but it was good that this happened during our wedding. It saved me the trouble of looking for everyone else one by one. I placed my hand on the Fallen¡¯s Seal and sensed the presence of those nearby. They seemed to be close by. ¡°Assemble!¡± ¡°...Is that supposed to be some kind of signal?¡± Hearing Iliya¡¯s bewildered question, I let out a chuckle. I always wanted to say that at least once too. But as I turned towards her, my smile turned bitter and whatever it was that I wanted to say just vanished from my mind. ¡°...What happened to you guys?¡± For some reason... Just a few of them were in good shape. Almost all of them were seriously injured. Some were even bleeding profusely from their whole body. What the fuck happened that made them get injured this badly? On my wedding no less...?¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing that none of them were answering my question properly, it was clear that the reason why this happened wasn¡¯t something they could be proud of. ¡°...Haa, nevermind.¡± ¡°...Why do you look like you¡¯re giving up?¡± ¡°Try to reflect on your actions before saying that.¡± These punks kept calling me a weirdo or a lunatic, but really, they have no right to say that kind of thing to others. [They say people become similar to those they hangout with.] ¡°...¡± [Put your hand on your heart and tell me that these guys haven¡¯t been influenced by you.] Shaddap. Ignoring Caliban¡¯s words¡ªat this point, he almost represented the last bit of my conscience¡ªI snapped my fingers towards the Saintess to get her attention. ¡°You still have some connections inside the Holy Kingdom, right?¡± ¡°Y-Yes...? I know a few people who might listen to me, but I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re influential enough to help in a situation like this¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I just need you to relay a simple message through them. There are a few people inside the Holy Kingdom who can help us.¡± I hadn¡¯t been wasting my time, you know? There were bound to be some people there who were friendly to me. ¡ªI¡¯ve also planted some moles there. That particular card took me quite a bit of effort to deploy. So, it¡¯d surely have a great effect. While thinking that, I fiddled with another magic stone. If the previous stone was for contacting Atalante, this one was for contacting the person who had been a pain in my butt. Alright, time to make them work as hard as they annoyed me. ¡°I¡¯ve laid all the groundworks.¡± The pope wasn¡¯t the only one who had planned things out. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± To the Final Chapter. ¡ñ ¡°¡ªThere¡¯s the signal.¡± Marquis Bogut¡ªthe person on the receiving end of Dowd¡¯s magic stone¡ªgrinned as he tucked the magic stone into his chest. Then, with a light step, he strode through the automatically opened iron door. According to Dowd¡¯s instructions, their ¡®collaborator¡¯ was inside. This place was a command room that gave off a strong futuristic vibe. While it wasn¡¯t as advanced as the Magic Tower, it was far beyond the continent¡¯s average technological level. Bogut¡¯s grin widened at the sight of the elderly woman seated in the center of the room. ¡°Well, well, well...! If it isn¡¯t the Tribal Alliance¡¯s Chieftain I¡¯ve heard so much about!¡± ¡°...¡± Kasa Garda stared at him with a discerning gaze as she puffed on her pipe. Of course, in terms of reputation, the punk was someone that Kasa was well aware about. ¡°You probably have heard of me. They called me the Lionheat.¡± ¡°...I know of you, but.¡± Kasa looked at him up and down with suspicious eyes. He was the so-called ¡®Undefeated Field Commander¡¯. Even Kasa knew about how brilliant the punk¡¯s military achievements were, and how he managed to secure power within the Upper Noble Association just from those achievements alone. Yet, she still looked at him with suspicious eyes anyway. The reason for that was none other than... ¡°Frankly... Just looking at your appearance, you look like a complete fool.¡± ¡°...¡± Ouch. That stung. Aside from Dowd, this was the first time someone had insulted him to his face like that. As Bogut scratched his head at this novel experience, Kasa tossed something to him. He caught it with a puzzled expression. Its identity was some sort of a control key. ¡°Come and plug it in here.¡± Kasa said calmly before pointing to the seat next to her. ¡°That¡¯ll give you command authority over the main panel.¡± ¡°...For someone who insulted me as soon as we met, you¡¯re surprisingly cool about handing over your authority.¡± Indeed. This was essentially her handing him the full authority in a wartime situation. Considering that this ¡®full authority¡¯ included things that belonged to the Tribal Alliance that Kasa herself ruled, it wasn¡¯t a wonder that Bogut was left surprised. ¡°I trust that grandson-in-law of mine.¡± Kasa continued calmly. ¡°The fact that he told me to hand the full authority to you in a situation like this means he¡¯s also betting his own life on you. That¡¯s enough reason for me.¡± However, when her next sentence fell... ¡°In other words.¡± Her voice was as cold as ice. ¡°The lives of my granddaughter, and her future husband are at stake too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Tread wisely. If you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t hesitate to kill you. Understood?¡± Hearing those words, Bogut stood still for a moment before nodding. He then took a seat next to Kasa. With skilled hands, he plugged the control key into the panel and began reading all sorts of situation-related information that popped up in front of his eyes. From that, he found that their enemies this time were formidable. Extremely so. The creatures from the Astral Realm that would pour out of the opened Gate were disasters in themselves, but they also had to be wary of the Holy Kingdom that had been showing signs of large-scale movements. No matter how much preparation they had done, it was the kind of situation that would drive whichever side who got attacked first into a massive disadvantage. ¡°If you need help¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, no need. If anything, that would be a hindrance, actually.¡± Kasa offered her help, but Bogut just waved his hand dismissively. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Information. Information. Information. Information is always the key, Chieftain.¡± He understood why Dowd insisted on pairing him with the Tribal Alliance. The quality of the information they were able to provide in real time was extremely advanced. Perhaps because they were warriors by nature, in this specific area, they were even better than the Magic Tower. ¡°Give me fragments of the battlefield, and I¡¯ll be a good commander. Give me the full state of our allies, I¡¯ll be a great commander.¡± There were many types of geniuses, but when it came to ¡®winning wars¡¯. This man¡¯s innate talent was almost like a ¡®superpower¡¯. ¡°Give me all the information about the enemy...¡± When those pieces of the puzzle had been aligned perfectly. There was only one thing Bogut had to do. ¡°I¡¯ll be invincible.¡± Win. Chapter 336: Reunion (1) Chapter 336: Reunion (1) Located near the Void Zone, the Great Temple, the Holy Kingdom¡¯s Academy, was the most devout and quiet of the three academies. Perhaps due to it being the birthplace of the continental church, it was a place with extremely strong religious characteristics. Even now, though they were facing a clearly abnormal situation, most people maintained their composure and didn¡¯t act rashly. ¡°...What kind of batshit crazy thing is he even telling me??¡± ¡°...¡± Although, there was always that one guy who was in deep enough shit to throw dignity out the window. Archbishop Luminol, who also served as the headmaster of the Great Temple, groaned these words out at the person who reported to him. ¡°Ignore His Holiness the Pope and evacuate everyone right now? Who the fuck¡¯s gonna deal with the aftermath?¡± Within the Holy Kingdom, the pope boasted power that could knock birds out of the sky if he willed it. It was to the extent that if one refused to listen to him, no one knows what might happen to them later on. ¡°...But.¡± The one the archbishop was talking to, a professor who usually maintained close contact with the Saintess, and the one who had forwarded that very person¡¯s request, swallowed hard and said. ¡°It¡¯s clear that something unusual is happening. We can¡¯t just leave the innocent students here.¡± ¡°...¡± While Archbishop Luminol¡¯s loyalty to the Holy Kingdom was strong, he wasn¡¯t someone completely devoid of common sense and conscience. Hence why his following words that sounded like an excuse came out of that loyalty. ¡°...His Holiness said that this is the first spark to ¡®purify¡¯ the world.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And everyone should gloriously accept it-¡± Frankly speaking. Even Archbishop Luminol, who was saying this, knew very well that the pope¡¯s words were just a bunch of horseshit. However, anyone who knew even a modicum of the internal affairs of the Holy Kingdom would understand that they had no choice but to obey his words despite knowing that. He was called the pope, but who knows many people have been purged and disappeared off the face of Earth because of him. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call him a tyrant even. And... It was clear that Dowd¡¯s instruction to ¡®contact through trustworthy people¡¯ via the Saintess was being faithfully carried out. Seeing them upheld their beliefs even in the face of such danger proved it. ¡°Cut the bullshit, Your Grace.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We¡¯re all gonna die either way.¡± Though the words stated were quite blunt, but... ¡°I heard that that Dowd Campbell guy is opposing the pope. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t care less what side he is on, as long as we could get away from-¡± ¡°Ah, Mr. Dowd!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that sudden voice, Archbishop Luminol and the professor simultaneously turned their heads towards its source. It was Lana Rey Delvium, the DLC protagonist of Sera. She popped her head out as she sprang up from the sofa. The girl had been sleeping soundly on that sofa until now. She only woke up after she heard a familiar name. A truly carefree attitude befitting an immortal. ...Although, it could just because of her nerves were just incredibly thick. ¡°Is it a message from Mr. Dowd? How is he doing?¡± ¡°...Lana, I think we can save the pleasantries for later, my dear.¡± ¡°Hmm-¡± Lana nodded as if agreeing, then tilted her head and asked. ¡°...So, what did he say?¡± ¡°...¡± Looking at her carefree demeanor, it felt as if the current situation wasn¡¯t something to be taken seriously at all. Perhaps that was why Archbishop Luminol patiently explained the situation in a gentle tone, as if he was soothing a child. After hearing the brief rundown of the situation, Lana scratched her head and blurred out frankly. ¡°Dad, wouldn¡¯t it be better to just do it?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Mr. Dowd¡¯s the one who requested it, no?¡± It was such a refreshing conclusion that it made their previous argument seem pointless. ¡°Lana, this isn¡¯t something you can just decide so easil-¡± ¡°From what I see, Mr. Dowd will win.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t win, at least His Holiness the Pope won¡¯t be in one piece either, isn¡¯t that reason enough?¡± ¡°...¡± Without a doubt. That was a judgment befitting a woman with beast-like intuition. ¡ñ [The Great Temple has started evacuating. How did you even manage to do that?] Hearing Headmistress Atalante¡¯s perplexed voice through the magic stone, I responded with a wry smile. ¡°I told you, I know some reliable people.¡± See, this was why having connections in high places was important. For example, if I didn¡¯t have this hovercar I was currently riding, I wouldn¡¯t have reached the Golden Triangle so quickly. Sure, I could have relied on Faenol to close the distance in an instant, but endless battles awaited us, so we couldn¡¯t just waste our stamina unnecessarily. ¨CIn any case, we managed to buy some time. It had always been this way, but it was no exaggeration to say that the Final Chapter was all about time management. After all, ¡®game-over¡¯-level bombs were scattered everywhere throughout the Chapter. First, it¡¯d be game over If the Gate to the Astral World stayed open for too long. It¡¯d also be game over if the pope was left alone, as he was using the Gate as bait while he¡¯d try to enter the Void Zone. Of course, it¡¯d also be game over if we were to forget about the Prophet¡¯s existence, as she was still biding her time, preparing her own means to kill the Devils. In any case, with this, I managed to delay the activation of the first aforementioned bombs. The things pouring out from the Astral Realm were, amusingly, more sensitive to the element of ¡®sacrifice¡¯ than the creatures emerging from Pandemonium. If all the people inside the Great Temple had been swallowed whole as sacrifices, the Gate¡¯s opening would have accelerated significantly. We need to allocate our personnel wisely. We had no choice but to do that since we¡¯d have to tackle all three bombs at once. Arriving here first was part of that strategy. ¡°-Wow, I¡¯ve never seen it like this before!¡± Iliya screamed as such beside me. She probably said that because she had never seen Elfante this empty before. Confirming that the evacuation was executed swiftly and efficiently, I jumped off the gliding hovercar and landed. ¡°But why are we here?¡± ¡°I have something to do.¡± ¡°Hmm, really?¡± ¡°...What¡¯s with that answer?¡± When I questioned Iliya, who was rubbing her chin as if to say, ¡®Is there really a need for that?¡¯, she glanced back¡ªprobably at our other companions following behind. ¡°Actually, couldn¡¯t we just make use of that woman?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Judging by her aura earlier, it seems like she could kill everyone even if she charged in alone..¡± ...Yeah. I completely agree with that. ¡°She¡¯s strong enough to do that anyway, no?¡± ¡°...No.¡± I narrowed my eyes, decisively rejecting Iliya¡¯s words. ¡°We can¡¯t let her fight.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°The other side knows that you and her are our strongest forces here, there¡¯s no way they hadn¡¯t prepared countermeasures for that.¡± Considering that... It would be better to keep Eleanor out of fights until the very end. Unless there¡¯s no other choice, that is. ¡°This is also part of your job. Keep her at bay so she doesn¡¯t waste her energy unnecessarily.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re talking like you want me to restrain some uncontrollable wild animal.¡± Hmm. Hearing Iliya said that made me glance back at Eleanor, who was following behind in another hovercar. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Even the other Devil¡¯s Vessels, who were riding the same hovercar, found it hard to say anything. It felt like they were avoiding eye contact with her. Her wedding dress¡ªtattered, bloodstained, and covered in dirt¡ªgave off a bizarre feeling. But more than that, those gleaming eyes, which seemed like they were ready to kill anything in sight, looked almost like something straight out of a horror movie. ¡°...I mean, yeah, that¡¯s kinda what your job is...¡± ¡°...¡± After a brief silence, unable to refute my words, Iliya cleared her throat and changed the subject. ¡°So, what are you gonna do while I¡¯m holding her back?¡± ¡°Things that need to be done. One at a time.¡± The framework of my strategy was a little complex, but I could summarize it roughly. While the others were out there, buying time, I¡¯d deal with everything myself, tackling everything one by one. The first thing to deal with was of course, that Gate connecting to the Astral Realm. We¡¯ve bought some time by evacuating people from the Great Temple, now was the time to put a ¡®wedge¡¯ in there. That was something we had the means to do from our side. Thinking that, I glared at a building I¡¯ve entered before. It was where one of the pillars of the barrier protecting this area from the Void Zone exists. ¡°...It won¡¯t be easy to break through though.¡± Iliya muttered after noticing my gaze. She was right. Due to the influence of the Gate connecting to the Astral Realm, I could already see the terrain changing. Soon, creatures from the Astral Realm would be pouring one after another, just like during the Crimson Night Incident. It definitely wouldn¡¯t be an easy task. But... I¡¯ve already prepared something for a time like this. While thinking that, I firmly grasp what I ¡®prepared¡¯ in my hand. ¡°It reminds me of the old times.¡± ¡°...¡± As soon as I said that... Yuria and the Saintess, both tied up with leashes, glared daggers at me, as if they wanted to kill me. Chapter 337: Reunion (2) Chapter 337: Reunion (2) While numerous angels resided in Elfante, the highest ¡®ranking¡¯ among them was the Virtue This meant that if a Gate to the Astral Realm were to suddenly open, she would be the first person everyone would confront. ¡°...What the fuck is going on?¡± The Dominion asked with a fierce expression, while the Virtue, trying to control her expression somehow, stared at him with the calmest look she could possibly muster. For her, who had spent most her life dealing with desk works, dealing with these rough men who were accustomed to work in the field was something out of her forte. In fact, if one were to peek into her mind, they¡¯d see her anxiously biting her fingers. Don¡¯t ask me! I don¡¯t fucking know either...!! If Pandemonium was a place where the weak got eaten and only the strong survive, the Astral Realm was an extremely rigid and orderly place with a strict hierarchy. In other words, when shit hit the fan, the top wouldn¡¯t usually bother to give out any kind of explanation to the bottom as there wasn¡¯t a need for them to do so. Although... The Virtue could vaguely guess the top¡¯s intentions. ¡°...¡± ¡°...Lady Virtue.¡± The faces of the Dominion and the other angels around him hardened simultaneously. They probably had grasped the intent behind her silence. ¡°We¡¯re not idiots. This isn¡¯t on the level of an accident anymore.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The lives in the Material World are fragile. Even the weakest beings from the Astral Realm would cause a great disaster if they got released here. There¡¯s no way those fucking Gate Guardians didn¡¯t know that.¡± Although they always used harsh words and acted violently, they were individuals who held deep affection for the Material World they stood on. They believed that no matter how fragile a creature was, each of them had its own life and emotions, and every life was as precious as a jewel. Those who spent time here realized this through their own experiences. Such a realization befit their status as angels. Unfortunately, not all angels were like that. As the Virtue only kept her silence,the faces of the Dominion and the men around him turned grim. ¡°Lady Virtue.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Could it be that this is a decision from the bigwigs up top?¡± If the current situation wasn¡¯t an accident, but something that was happening under the ¡®cooperation¡¯ of a certain force up above... They had to change the trajectory on how they approached the matter. ¡°¡ªThose fucking bastards. We should¡¯ve known from the time they started to be so obsessed with their chosen people¡¯s ideology!¡± Considering the extremely hierarchical atmosphere of the Astral Realm, those words could cost him his life, but it was clear from his face that he had no intention of taking them back. After all, those types of assholes really did exist among the Seraphim. They were the kind of fuckers who openly proclaimed that it was their duty to take care of and enlighten the ¡®inferior¡¯ beings in the Material World with their own hands. What they were trying to do here was probably to send down the beast of the Astral Realm to ¡®cleanse¡¯ the Material World and then reshape it to their liking. The Virtue knew this too, so she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything and remained silent. ¡°...?¡± However, what followed was a scene that made it impossible for her to remain silent. ¡°W-What are you doing...?¡± The angels in front of her started to pick up their ¡®tools¡¯ while spewing out curses. As the word ¡®tools¡¯ suggests, these things weren¡¯t weapons; definitely not something that they should carry around in this situation. ¡°We¡¯re going to stop them, of course.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let the people here suffer for the mess those fuckers made. At least, we should show some decency.¡± ¡°...¡± The Virtue could only stare at the men in front of her, clearly at a loss for words. ¡®Beasts¡¯ of the Astral Realm that they were talking about were actually monsters that even the angels living in that realm couldn¡¯t normally handle. With a Gate being opened so blatantly like this, it was obvious that there wouldn¡¯t be just one or two of them that came out. In other words, everyone here could just die. And yet. They still resolved themselves to go anyway, knowing full well what the outcome would be. ¡°¡ªYou¡¯d better get out of here, Ma¡¯am.¡± The Dominion, with something like a shovel slung over his shoulder, said with a grin. ¡°You¡¯re just a deck jockey, you probably won¡¯t be of much help.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll buy you some time to escape, so go!¡± ¡°It was nice to have the flowery scent of a woman in this sweaty space though, too bad.¡± Despite walking into certain death, they all looked carefree beyond belief. The Virtue looked at each of them with a choked-up face. ¡°...You guys...!¡± But before she could continue her words. -! -!!!!! From inside the Gate, the full-scale ¡®invasion¡¯ began. The Gate, emitting a bright light, soon began to shake wildly. What could be heard from inside were enormous roars that were enough to tear one¡¯s ears. Every time they moved, the surroundings trembled, a byproduct of their overwhelming ¡®size¡¯. Even from this distance, anyone with working eyes could tell. Each one of those monsters was something that would require a nation-level strength to confront. ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± And standing in front of that horde were angels numbering maybe a few dozen at most; without weapons in their hands no less. It was like hitting a rock with an egg. Everyone knew which one of them would break. But... Even so... ¡°Boys!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°The name ¡®angel¡¯ isn¡¯t for running away at times like this, is it?¡± At the words of the Dominion that he spouted with a grin, the angels around twisted their faces to make a similar expression as his Messengers of heaven. Symbols of warmth and virtue watching over humans. No matter how much they rolled in the dirt, even if no one would know of their sacrifice... That was where their essence lies. ¡°...I really need a drink.¡± Saying that, the Dominion slung the pitchfork over his shoulder. And with that, he rushed towards his own death. ¡ñ ¡ªOr so he thought. ¡°Sorry to interrupt the cool scene!¡± They were probably in the middle of making a heroic scene or something. Well, not on my watch. Enter the blender, right now. ¡°Grind!¡± ¡°I¡¯M NOT A PET¡ª!¡± Yuria screamed as she flew in a parabolic arc¡ªcourtesy of moi, shooting her like I was throwing a shot put. Yep, calling her pet would be a little off. ¡®Portable slaughter tank¡¯ would be a more apt description. Just listen to those pitiful screams of the beasts pouring out of the open Gate. That title fit her perfectly, no? ¡°Whaaaack¡ª!¡± ¡°Squeeeeeal¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± The terrifying screams coming from inside the Gate turned into something that sounded like pigs being slaughtered. In the Forge of Struggle, this girl managed to grind down even the outer gods from other dimensions ¡®the moment they entered her range¡¯. Of course, she could do something similar to these Astral Realm¡¯s beasts, albeit barely. As the screams started to die down, I pulled back the endlessly stretched leash to retrieve her. After using this leash so many times, I¡¯ve applied all kinds of magic on it. Now, I could freely adjust its length, just like this. It felt I was back to my younger self; this felt like playing with a tape measure. ¡°So, have you grind them all?¡± ¡°...There¡¯s still some left.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m gonna throw you again.¡± ¡°...¡± Yuria, who had been dragged out of the Gate, covered from head to toe in the sticky fluids of the beasts, and the Saintess, who had been assisting from the side, both turned their cold gazes at me. ¡°...Right. I forgot about this. You are originally this kind of person...¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re trash.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to be stuck together for a long time anyway. I decided to just be frank with you.¡± ¡°...¡± Well... If she put it that way, I¡¯ve got nothing to say. Anyway, since there were still some beasts left inside, I threw Yuria again. Along with the sound of something being shredded and cut, the sound of pigs being slaughtered echoed all around again. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing what I¡¯ve done, the angels around us stared at me with blank expressions. Actually, no, rather than blank expressions, their faces were close to ¡®enlightened¡¯. As if they were asking the question, ¡®What the hell were we about to do just now?¡¯ to themselves. ¡°What about now? All done?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Yuria answered as she stared dagger at me. For this timid girl to react in this way, she definitely had quite a hard time, but... No time to comfort her. There were more urgent matters to take care of. [That line won¡¯t make you look cool, you fuck.] ...Shut up. ¡°So, it¡¯s been a while isn¡¯t it, Virtue?¡± I said with a grin. She was the reason why I came all the way here. At my words, the Virtue¡¯s face immediately turned pale. Well, I made her go through a lot, so this reaction was kinda understandable. ¡°...W-Why...? W-What now...?¡± ¡°Even if other angels can¡¯t, someone of your level can contact the Seraphim in the Astral Realm, no?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing that her face turned from pale to dark. ¡°I-I can¡¯t talk with them even if¡ª!¡± ¡°Oh, no, no, I¡¯m not asking you to talk with them. I just need you to relay my words.¡± Well, either way would be burdensome for her, but there was no other choice. In the first place, that Gate was probably something the particularly twisted motherfuckers in the Astral Realm cooked up together with the pope in their efforts to ¡®clean up¡¯ the Material World. So, before dealing with that side first, we couldn¡¯t solve anything. ¡°Tell those bigwigs up there that I¡¯m calling them here.¡± ¡°T-There¡¯s no way they¡¯d listen to what a human says...!¡± ¡°But, I¡¯m not a human.¡± Mhm. You see, I have a ¡®status¡¯ that will make even those Seraphim fuckers¡¯ ears perk up. While pointing at the Fallen¡¯s Seal with my finger, I... ¡°¡ªI¡¯m the ¡®newly born¡¯ ruler of Pandemonium.¡± There was one thing the pope was mistaken about. I also had a card that would make those Seraphim listen. Chapter 338: Reunion (3) Chapter 338: Reunion (3) The glorious ascension isn¡¯t far off... The Pope of the Holy Kingdom thought so as he gazed at the massive sphere flickering before his eyes. ¡°-Haaa.¡± It had been a truly long and arduous journey. His grand project, prepared over countless years, was now on the verge of completion. ¡°Finally... ¡°We pay homage. To the dawn of the new world.¡± Gazing at the ¡®sacred thing¡¯ wriggling inside the sphere, he let out a faint smile. Everything he did... From the creation of Saintess Lucia and her sister, ¡®Talisman¡¯, to the creation of chimeras using humans as sacrifices, as well as various other ¡®experiments¡¯; these were the culmination of all the bioengineering know-hows he gained while raising those ¡®things¡¯. This was the fruit of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s greatest project. The fruit of that exact labor. A vessel to house a Divine Being; the Holy Body, the Sacred Flesh. But, it¡¯s still not enough. Though nearly complete, the ¡®catalyst¡¯ to put the final touch was not yet ready. Fortunately, the ¡®material¡¯ for that was right in this vicinity. The Homunculus sisters. Yuria Greyhounter and Lucia Greyhounter. There was a reason why he had left them alone until now, despite having been monitoring them for a while. The more the power dwelling within them grew, the more it would enhance the completion of the Holy Body. ¡°...¡± The pope recalled Dowd Campbell, who was surely near the Void Zone where he was currently situated, and let out a cold smile. He snickered at the thought of how that fool thought that he had the upper hand in the situation, that he was navigating the current predicament well. Not knowing that he had been dancing on his palm this whole time; he had brought all the necessary ¡®materials¡¯ here. It wasn¡¯t limited to just the Homunculus sisters, all the other Devil Vessels each had their own ¡®use¡¯ to some degree. ¡°So this is the god or whatever of that new world?¡± ¡°...¡± At that moment, an unbearably nonchalant voice dropped beside him. Despite being in the presence of such a glorious being, the voice only reacted this way. It grated on his nerves, but he decided not to show it. After all, this woman had provided the greatest help in creating this Holy Body and setting up this trap. ¡°...Prophet.¡± He called out to her in a murky voice, and the Prophet grinned as she looked around the sphere. ¡°So this is the ultimate weapon that¡¯ll clean up the Material World entirely and let the things in the Astral Realm knead the world as they please, huh?¡± ¡°...Prophet.¡± ¡°Since I helped you make this thing, I should get my share of the reward now, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°...¡± The pope looked at her with displeasure, then clicked his tongue and threw something at her. It was a sword. Not an ordinary sword, but a ¡®special¡¯ item he had requested from the angels of the Astral Realm. The sword was made using a fragment of a star; it was completely identical to the ¡®Holy Sword¡¯ used by the Hero of the present age. An item with attributes completely antithetical to ¡®Devils¡¯; their Achilles¡¯ heel. ¡°Right, it wouldn¡¯t be fun without this.¡± ¡°-Our cooperation ends here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking as if you¡¯re finally parting with someone you don¡¯t like. I hate you even more than you hate me, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± The Prophet said this as she fastened the sword to her waist. Although it was the first time she had touched the sword, it clung to her as if she had wielded it all her life. As she turned to leave, she suddenly turned her head as if she had remembered something. ¡°Ah, right, one piece of advice.¡± ¡°...Were we on such friendly terms to exchange such words?¡± ¡°Of course not. The more time you drag this out, the easier it is for me too.¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing the pope letting out a frown, she continued with a snicker. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Use every means you can, throw everything you got at him starting now. If you slack off, you¡¯ll die like an idiot. Understood?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m already doing that.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t look that way to me though.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The Holy Kingdom¡¯s main forces are joining the fray way too slowly, the chimeras haven¡¯t been deployed yet, and you aren¡¯t even thinking about waking up and using this Holy Body.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It seems like all the people inside the Great Temple have already escaped. The Gray Vessel doesn¡¯t seem to be running wild as much as expected either.¡± Such things were all just trivial variables. In the pope¡¯s eyes, he found it incomprehensible how Dowd was wasting time on such things. ¡°Nonsense.¡± He chuckled and gripped his wand. ¡°That guy, now that he¡¯s come this far, is already prey caught in my trap.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. You¡¯re fucked.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°You already know that he isn¡¯t someone who¡¯ll go down so easily¡ªWhatever, you know what?¡± ¡°What the hell are you trying to say¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna fucking die, dumbass. You already lost.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just wait and see, you¡¯ll struggle pathetically and hideously, and in the end, you¡¯ll meet a miserable end.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Aah~ I really am the only villain in the world who properly knows that man, huh~?¡± ¡°...If you¡¯re done here, get out.¡± The pope said, turning away from her as if he¡¯d lost interest. At this, the Prophet just shrugged and promptly turned to leave. ¡°...¡± Some time passed after she left. The pope sat with his chin in his hand, deep in thought. Despite his earlier attitude, he seemed to be pondering deeply on what she had just said. After thinking for a moment while standing there, he beckoned one of the attendants nearby with a gesture. ¡°Release the chimeras.¡± At those words, the eyes of the attendant who had been waiting for his order widened. The only ones around now were the Devil¡¯s Vessels and Dowd Campbell leading them. To use the chimeras, whose intended goal was to... ¡°B-But Your Holiness. W-We were supposed to deploy them later to subjugate the entire cont¡ª¡± The attendant didn¡¯t even finish his words. Because he sensed danger in the pope¡¯s gaze. ¡°...I will carry it out.¡± With those words, the attendant withdrew silently. To unleash a calamity that would engulf the continent with his own hands. ¡ñ Although Marquis Bogut was famous as a genius strategist, there was another field where his reputation was similarly high. The Invincible Chess Knight. The one who had never lost. His command of operations was, in some ways, very similar to that. To him, a war was just a chessboard he could play with. Information about the war situation was like the thing that helped him draw the chessboard more accurately. Although, he didn¡¯t know how he started to think that way. To him, he had been like this from birth, as if it was something that was engraved on his soul. And now, his evaluation of the opponent was. ¡°Tsk, this guy¡¯s no fun.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How can he play this badly? I could give up my knight and rook and still win.¡± Bogut said nonchalantly as he organized and compressed the numerous data coming up before his eyes, skillfully issuing commands on the keypad in front of him. Kasa Garda looked at him with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°...Not a ¡®guy¡¯, there should be multiple of them.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Who in the world commands a war alone? They must have their own command center over there too.¡± At Kasa¡¯s words, Bogut stared at the screen with a look of genuine incomprehension. ¡°...This is the level of multiple people working together?¡± ¡°...¡± Yeah. If you say so, I guess that¡¯s how it is. Kasa thought this as she puffed on her pipe. The other side was probably barking orders after orders with all their might, but they could only inflict minor injuries, rarely serious injuries, to this side. There were no fatalities this side suffered so far; an astonishing exchange ratio. Of course, the allied forces Dowd had provided were incredibly strong, but even considering that, this punk¡¯s command was almost divine. It was possible because he was deflecting all of the enemy¡¯s schemes. This time too, a new scheme from the opponent was about to fly in. Dozens of red dots were marked on the panel in front of them. It was a signal indicating enemy movement. ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Marquis Bogut grinned and raised his hand to quickly press the keypad this time too. Or rather, he would have done so if he hadn¡¯t realized that this wasn¡¯t the movement of an ordinary ¡®soldier¡¯ that he had been facing up until now. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± Bogut muttered as he stared at the red dots on the screen. Intuitively, he realized that something was off about these dots. One became two. Two became four. Four became eight. Eight became sixteen... As the number of red dots on the screen gradually increased, the faces of everyone in the command and control room turned pale. Anyone who wasn¡¯t an idiot would immediately know what this meant. ¡°...These aren¡¯t humans. We need to assess the situation with drones immediately!¡± ¡°What the fuck did those Holy Kingdom bastards create?!¡± A living organism that could continuously increase its numbers on its own... I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing. We haven¡¯t grasped individual combat capabilities yet, but this fact alone already makes them threatening enough. ¡°This might be a little difficult...¡± He muttered as such while breaking out cold sweat. Even without knowing the full extent of its capabilities, it was obvious that a living organism with an absurd ability to divide their bodies wouldn¡¯t have any ordinary combat capabilities. It was clear that they had applied all sorts of enhancements on it. If he were to respond the same way he had been doing until now, it was clear that they¡¯d have to suffer significant losses. ¡ªThe countermeasure... Right now, the Holy Kingdom¡¯s forces were committed to guarding whatever ¡®thing¡¯ the pope was doing in the Void Zone. They were so committed that they¡¯ve given up on the defense of their own country. Although Dowd¡¯s allied forces were managing to respond fairly well with minimal casualties so far, if something like this came out now, significant damage was bound to occur. What should we do...? The problem here was that, Dowd ordered him to ¡®make the casualties as small as possible¡¯. Or rather, ¡®make sure that no one dies¡¯. It was an impossible order to fulfill in such a situation. While he was pondering... ¡°...Hmm?¡± His sight had caught something passing by the edge of the screen. Chapter 339: Agreement Chapter 339: Agreement This was my second time coming to the Astral Realm. Actually, last time I just met one beast from the Astral Realm and ran away, so I didn¡¯t know if I could count that as a ¡®visit¡¯, but it was a bit different now. If I was an ant-level existence back then, now I was in the middle of ascending as a Devil to meet the angels. Hence why my entrance itself was completely different from before. Just look the way I entered this building; the Dominion had to escort me. ¡°-It¡¯s pretty, I¡¯ll give it that.¡± I said while looking at the building that reminded me of the Greek Pantheon. A palace built on clouds¡ªalmost a figurative expression, but it was beautiful enough to warrant such a description. In fact, compared to how beautifully it was built, the things inside are ugly to their core. ¡°I-I¡¯m at my limit here.¡± The Dominion who guided me this far with staggering steps stuttered those words out. Just looking at his pale face, cold sweat streaming down, it was obvious he was pushing himself. Normally he shouldn¡¯t be here, but I forced him to come along. ¡°If I go any further, I can¡¯t guarantee my own safety. The hierarchy among angels is absolute.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get it. Thanks for the hard work.¡± ¡°...¡± The Dominion blinked stupidly at my response. ¡°What?¡± ¡°...Truth be told, I didn¡¯t expect you to let me go easily.¡± ¡°...¡± Maybe it was because he had a long history of suffering at my hands, he didn¡¯t seem to be able to accept my words easily. But when I really shooed him away with a ¡®go on, get out,¡¯ he hesitated before opening his mouth. As if he had developed some twisted affection despite our relationship, he... ¡°...Be careful.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Among the Seraphim, there are decent ones for sure, but there are definitely those who look down on and despise the Material World. If you show a bad attitude, who knows what they might do to you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing my nonchalant response, the Dominion clutched his head as if having a migraine. ¡°...I¡¯m not joking. They¡¯re the highest authority of the Astral Realm. Even for a Devil, they aren¡¯t something you could easily¡ª¡± ¡°You know, I told you to go first because I know you¡¯d react like this.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you stay, you¡¯ll get caught up in this.¡± Having said that, I approached the door of the palace. I rummaged through the knowledge of the original in my head and examined the area near the main entrance. Unlike the Magic Tower, the Astral Realm was an explorable area in the DLC, so I had decent knowledge about the area. The knowledge I was looking for specifically was¡ª ¡°Wait, don¡¯t touch tha¡ª!¡± Before the Dominion could shout in panic, I boldly kicked the white ¡®line¡¯ that was visible near the main entrance. This was probably equivalent to a ¡®security system¡¯ that was made to intercept intruders. -! -!!! The moment it turned red and Divine Power begins to surge in all directions, vitality filled my body. < System Message > [ A crisis situation is detected. ] [ It is judged to be a level that poses a direct threat to life. ] [ Skill: Desperation is applied at EX rank. ] There we go. Grinning at the familiar message, I lifted my foot. It feels like a natural booster. This is what makes me feel alive. And. -!! -!!!!! With a kick that shattered the palace door into pieces in one blow, I shouted loudly. ¡°COME AT ME¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± Leaving behind the Dominion whose face had turned blue as if witnessing a terrible disaster about to ensue, I walked inside with steady steps. It seemed they had already received news of my arrival beforehand, as the large conference room-like interior was already filled with occupied seats. ¡°...¡± As I glanced around at those motherfuckers. I could sense the pressure emanating from them; I could give them that at least. Angels with halos on their heads. Every single one of them had a presence that made my nerves tingle. They numbered at least several dozen. While their individual presence might be inferior to Devils, these shitheads combined power was enough for them to wage an all-out war with Pandemonium. That was why they were on par in the hierarchy, after all. This atmosphere... Wasn¡¯t much different from what the Dominion told me. Most looked surprised when they saw me, but among those gazes, there was a clear divide between those who ¡®despise¡¯ me and those who just show ¡®surprise¡¯. The former seems to be more numerous. I guess that was why they decided it was okay to invade the ground in the first place. ¡°-How utterly vulgar.¡± And the one who seems to be the leader of the group giving me contemptuous looks opened his mouth. ¡°I knew the underworld creatures were ignorant ruffians with no manners, but isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡± I stared blankly at the one saying this. He was a young man with wings and a halo. I believed his name was... ...Does it matter? Let¡¯s just call him Smartass. Anyway, I¡¯m not that interested in these punks. [...Why?] ¡®Huh?¡¯ [Aren¡¯t the Seraphims the biggest obstacle from your current position?] ¡®Not really.¡¯ [...] Just because they¡¯re on par with Devils in the hierarchy doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re the biggest threat to me. If anything, the Magic Tower was more annoying than these guys. I was just dragged along by their game because I had no information at all. But here, it was different. The Magic Tower was a place full of things I didn¡¯t know, but here, I roughly know these guys¡¯ information and tendencies. That was why I could blurt out words like this: ¡°So what can you do?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking what you can do besides just running your mouth because I¡¯m acting like a bit of an asshole.¡± ¡°-¡± As soon as they heard my words, everyone¡¯s faces twisted horribly. ¡°HOW DARE YOU¡ª¡± ¡°-Of course I dare.¡± I answer nonchalantly as I look around. ¡°Let me set this straight. I have no time to spare on the likes of you fuckers.¡± ¡°...¡± The faces around me all contorted at once. They clearly didn¡¯t expect to hear such words from a human from the Material World who suddenly popped up. But, I was just telling the truth. After all, my priority was the ¡®trap¡¯ that the Prophet and that pope bastard had set up. Wasting energy on these extras felt like a waste in itself. ¡°You seem to be misunderstanding something.¡± So, regardless of their reaction, I continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you had in mind when I said I was coming up here, but I¡¯m not here to talk with you. I¡¯m here to say my demands and make an agreement with you.¡± ¡°...An agreement?¡± As Smartass sneered and asked back, I shrugged and responded. ¡°You guys are trying to clean up the Material World and mold it to your liking. It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re trying to do it because the Devils have been unusually active. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°...¡± Smartass¡¯s expression sank slightly at my words. Which meant, I hit the nails on the head. According to the setting, Pandemonium and the Astral Realm were always in a relationship of keeping each other in check with the Material World as a ¡®breakwater¡¯. But as the Devils¡¯ activities in the material world keep intensifying around me, this side must be stimulated by it, so they decided to do this kind of thing. So, I just needed to drop the solution. ¡°The Devils, including me, have no intention of ¡®dominating¡¯ the Material World.¡± I continued calmly. ¡°I can prove that, so don¡¯t you dare touch it.¡± ¡°-Ridiculous.¡± Smartass said that and glared at me. ¡°I was going to at least listen to what nonsense you were spouting after seeing your overflowing arrogance, but know your place. This isn¡¯t a place lenient enough for you to expect to survive after causing such a ruckus.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°-That¡¯s as far as we¡¯ll tolerate your rudeness!¡± ¡°Then try it.¡± ¡°...What?¡± I crossed my arms and met each of their gazes one by one. Well, I wasn¡¯t some kind of high-class martial artist who could use fancy shit like materializing my killing intent or something of the sorts, but I could more than convey my ¡®sincerity¡¯. ¡°As you said. If you¡¯re determined to kill me, you could probably do it anytime.¡± After saying that, I added one more sentence with a slightly twisted smile. ¡°-But I¡¯ll take down as many of you as I can with me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If I grit my teeth and fight, I think I can take down about a quarter of the few dozen here. What do you think?¡± ¡°...What are you¡ª¡± ¡°Stop yapping. If you¡¯re prepared, then come at me. You know I¡¯m capable of that, don¡¯t ya?¡± Immediately afterwards, silence fell. Mhm. This is why these guys are no good. Sure, they have more than enough power to kill me and then some, but none of them have the ¡®resolve¡¯ to bell the cat. It¡¯s not just that I can really do such a thing, but they also know that if I really die here, they¡¯ll have to wage all-out war with the Devils, betting the fate of the entire Astral Realm. They probably don¡¯t want that level of bloodshed either. That¡¯s the decisive difference. Unlike these guys. For the Devils... I¡¯m prepared to charge in with everything on the line to protect them, to protect my women. ¡°I have no time, so I¡¯ll assume that you¡¯ve roughly understood the gist of it for now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take your silence as agreement for now. We can talk about the details later, just stop meddling in the Material World.¡± I looked around with gleaming eyes. ¡°...If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m going to start something for real. Got it?¡± Again, silent. Silence that suggested they never expected such a reckless move from me. I nodded my head. This much is enough for now. Whatever tricks they might pull later, if I have to dig into these guys in the current situation, it¡¯ll really give me a headache. Thinking that, I turned my body, when suddenly a voice came from behind. ¡°-Let me ask you one thing.¡± As I was about to turn and leave, the Smartass from earlier opened his mouth with a deep frown. ¡°-Earlier, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d prove that the Devils won¡¯t reveal their ambitions?¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± ¡°How exactly do you plan to prove that?¡± Ah, that? It¡¯s simple really. ¡°When you¡¯re busy having and raising kids, you don¡¯t have time for such things.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to start a family with all of them.¡± ¡°...¡± In the first place, if I don¡¯t do that, I¡¯ll die. From the moment I was hooked to one side, such a future was already certain. [...I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re a real man or just batshit insane.] A real man must be batshit insane. That¡¯s the rule. Chapter 340: Extermination Chapter 340: Extermination ¡°What a fucking shitshow.¡± That was the first thing that came to my mind the moment I stepped out the Gate from the Astral Realm back to the Material World. I might have stopped their interference for now, but the forces that the pope has stashed away within the Holy Kingdom were still intact. ¡°...That shit could cover the whole whole continent, no?¡± I said that while scanning the ¡®synthetic organisms¡¯ visible even from here. Their number was so dense they seemed to cover the horizon. ¡°Damn, aren¡¯t all those chimeras?¡± [...Those are chimeras?] Caliban¡¯s astonished voice came out. When speaking about chimera, a certain synthetic life form created through alchemy with a laughable lifespan came to mind. It was hard to believe that they managed to create something like that; something that could divide its own body while having a disaster-level combat power. ¡°You can make shit like that if you grind up high-level personnel without any restraints whatsoever.¡± As I said that in a voice full of contempt, Caliban seemed to understand the gist of it. ¡®Grinding up¡¯ has a double meaning here. Either they grind up their researchers, or grind up people as ¡®material¡¯. [Wait, wait, Dowd! Is this your doing?] At that moment, Marquis Bogut¡¯s voice came from the magic stone embedded in my chest. [I was thinking about how to deal with this shit, and there are two strange...¡®deployments¡¯ that I didn¡¯t order. This was your doing, right?] ¡®Sharp, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ I answered with a wry smile. ¡°Yeah.¡± [...Mind explain your intention?] He asked in a slightly more serious tone. [It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, but this ¡®combination¡¯ is a little...unconventional, you see.] ¡°You know, it¡¯s exactly for times like this that I put them together.¡± I said this while looking at the swarm of chimeras that covered the horizon in darkness as they moved. To describe it in more detail... It was like watching a dense swarm of cockroaches crawling on the floor. Similar in that regard, both their actual vitality and their sheer numbers were disgustingly high. Since that was the case... ¡°Leave dealing with those things to me. Focus on the other side.¡± To catch a ¡®swarm of bugs¡¯... I had exactly the perfect weapon that boasted both historical efficiency and tradition. ¡ñ ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± A strange silence surrounded the area. It was because Faenol, Seras, Victoria, and Riru were standing around with blank expressions. ¡°...No, no, no. No matter how you look at it, we aren¡¯t just standing around.¡± Riru, who was stuck in the middle, said with a disgruntled voice. Indeed, if anyone saw this, they¡¯d wonder what the hell kind of pose this was. Behind Riru, Seras and Victoria at the back were clinging to her with interlocked hands and blank expressions. In front of them, Riru was wrapping both her arms around Faenol¡¯s waist, who had an almost zen-like expression on her face. You know... This reminds me of the train game we used to play as kids. ¡°...So.¡± Faenol, who had been wearing an expression that said ¡®Whatever happens, happens¡¯, spoke with a resigned smile. ¡°With this number of people. In this state. Without any... additional support. We¡¯re going to subdue the chimera situation that is pretty much a continental disaster?¡± ¡°Of course not. What kind of nonsense is that?¡± I answered while scratching my head. ¡°We¡¯re not subduing them, we¡¯re going to kill every last one of them.¡± ¡°...Yeah right, shall we go?¡± ¡°...¡± How should I put this? Seeing Faenol moved her body with an air of complete acceptance, without any additional questions, gave me a strange feeling. No, no, it was good that she acted this way, it just felt somewhat empty. Even more so when I saw the rest of the members moving sluggishly with lifeless faces, as if they were all thinking the same thing Faenol asked earlier. They moved in sync, all four of them, like they¡¯re in a three-legged race at a sports day. ¡°Hey, hold the fuck up, you bastard! You¡¯re too goddamn fast!¡± ¡°Quit pushing from behind, Woah, shit! I¡¯m gonna fall!¡± ¡°...If you keep throwing me off balance like that, I can¡¯t fucking walk straight!¡± ¡°...¡± It seemed like some major trouble was brewing over there, but it didn¡¯t matter. While stumbling along while dragging these clunky Devil Vessels, I somehow managed to get ahead of the Chimeras¡¯ parade route. ¡°Holy fuck.¡± Up close, this shit was even more fucked up than expected. Razor-sharp claws grafted onto artificially-made bodies, thick hides, a freak show of eyes and limbs. The sight of these grotesquely shaped motherfucker, drooling yellowish slime, swarming like a goddamn plague, it was like a nightmarish painting came to life. Now I understood why the pope spent all that time holing up trying to cook up this unholy ¡®legion¡¯. But... ¡°Oi.¡± I tapped Faenol¡¯s arm, the one she was using to keep her balance. ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°Spit it out.¡± ¡°...¡± I¡¯ve already explained more than enough on how to spit it on the way here. Faenol made a face that suggested she was about to die of embarrassment, but since she was summoning her Red Demonic Aura, it was clear that she got the note perfectly. The Karmic Fire, the Red Devil¡¯s Authority, instantly engulfed everything around. At the same time... ¡°...My fucking fate.¡± ¡°...I know right?¡± Along with the weary voices of Riru and Evertrice sisters, Purple and Blue Demonic Aura flared into existence. I¡¯ve done more than enough experiments on synthesizing Demonic Aura back in the Magic Tower. Especially with those two sisters, Riru and Victoria, their Demonic Aura had amazing synergy. With that in mind, what if we sprinkle in a little... ¡®spice¡¯ into the mix? -.... Black Demonic Aura flowed from my Fallen¡¯s Seal, binding all those energies together. A triple synthesis of Demonic Auras. The Purple Demonic Aura that amplified the target¡¯s abilities, the Blue Demonic Aura that turned everything it touched to dust, and... The Red Demonic Aura¡ªthe Karmic Fire¡ªwhich was especially effective at ¡®area-of-effect¡¯ devastation... -... A colossal pillar of fire like the one Faenol unleashed during the Crimson Night Incident was unleashed. It was several times larger than that time, it came out of the magic circle she had casted. -!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Flames that could easily blind anyone who laid their eyes upon them spread out as if to change the entire landscape ahead. Of course, it instantly turned all the chimeras in sight into piles of ash. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Even the ones who unleashed this hellfire are staring at me with stunned expressions. Well, considering that they didn¡¯t just violently spew out their Demonic Aura violently, and I just mixed the little bit they seeped out, yet it still had this much power, their reactions were justified. ¡°No, hold on a sec.¡± ¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡± When I asked this to Riru, who was slapping her own cheeks while saying that, she answered with a resigned look. ¡°This level of shit is normal when you¡¯re involved.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I almost got surprised like an idiot again. Jeez.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Were you guys surprised? When this guy¡¯s involved, shit always gets resolved in such a retarded fa¡ª¡± Anyway... The bug spray effect is definitely working. As they said... Back in the day, when it came to bug extermination, the best way was always a flamethrower. ¡ñ ¡°Didn¡¯t someone scream, ¡®What the hell are you going to do with those people¡¯ earlier? ¡°...¡± ¡°Whoever said that, raise your hand. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t curse at you. Honestly, I thought the same thing.¡± ¡°...¡± Hmm. Still no reaction, huh? Can¡¯t be helped. Bogut thought this while looking at the screen in front of him with narrowed eyes. Watching those chimeras getting wiped out in droves by a single blast of flame combined with Demonic Aura, he couldn¡¯t even feel dumbfounded anymore. Perhaps it was because the guy handling this ¡®job¡¯ was carrying it out without showing any emotion whatsoever. ¡°Come on, come on, move in step. One, two. One, two.¡± ¡°...Do we look like fucking kids to you?¡± In fact, he looked completely disinterested in the ¡®battle¡¯. He seemed more focused on leading three women waddling in sync. Probably because that required more attention than the battle itself. Indeed, he was just going through the motions¡ªchecking his watch, spewing fire, moving to the next location. ¡°...How many of them have been killed?¡± In response to Bogut¡¯s question, a staff member who looked like he was experiencing a serious case of post-nut clarity scanned the screen with a gloomy face. ¡°...Looks like about 70% incinerated in 10 minutes.¡± ¡°...¡± Uh... Yeah, sure, they¡¯re the enemies, but... The pope probably poured years, maybe even a decade¡¯s worth of manpower and budget into making those things. At this point, it¡¯s almost pitiful... [Ah, ah. Can you hear me?] ¡°Yes. Loud and clear.¡± Of course, the man responsible for this spectacle couldn¡¯t give a fuck about that. His ruthless demeanor was evident just from how he was demanding information about the ¡®next target already. [The Pope¡¯s location, you should have a grasp on it by now. Where is he?] ¡°...¡± Fucking hell. When he said he¡¯d clean up the chimeras himself, and told me to use all the available resources to find the Pope¡¯s location, I thought he¡¯d lost his mind. But seeing this performance, I think I did well obeying him without making much fuss. ¡°He¡¯s not far. Should I send some backups?¡± We still have several cards up our sleeve. Like the Magic Tower, or the Saintess. [No. Save those for the very end. We¡¯ll definitely need them later.] Yet, this man still seems to be on guard about something. ¡°...Then what are you planning to do with the Pope?¡± In response to Marquis Bogut¡¯s question, Dowd paused for a moment before answering with a smirk. [He¡¯s just a mid-boss anyway, that fucker.] Before Bogut could ask what a ¡®mid-boss¡¯ was, Dowd continued in a nonchalant voice. [You must have been working hard since morning. Why don¡¯t you go and have a meal?] ¡°...Pardon?¡± [I¡¯ll kill him and be back by the time you finish.] ¡°...¡± ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Prophet Chapter 341: Blasphemy (1) Chapter 341: Blasphemy (1) Empress Cecilia the 11th puffed on her pipe with a grumpy look. Although she was generally considered the most down-to-earth among the emperors in history, it was still rare for her to be directly involved in such a difficult task. ¡°That man really loves to make others do rough works such as these... Don¡¯t you think so too, Radu?¡± This place was the front gate of the bunker where the pope was expected to be, near the Void Zone. It was filled with hand-picked combatants from the Holy Kingdom. The moment their side had found out this place¡¯s location, the pair was immediately deployed to draw the other side¡¯s attention. All so that it would be easier for Dowd to infiltrate the place. ¡°Your Majesty, with all due respect, please shut the fuck up!¡± ¡°...¡± It was a surprisingly fiery act of insubordination, but instead of flaring up at it, Cecilia the 11th just puffed on her pipe with an embarrassed look. That was because the Sword Saint was in the middle of slaughtering all the notable combatants from the Holy Kingdom all by himself. Besides, it was her who insisted on tagging along despite his repeated begging for her to stay out of places like this. ¡°Even for me, trying to fight while protecting Your Majesty against opponents of this caliber would break my bones. That¡¯s why I asked you to stay back...! Just why did you have to be so stubborn...?!¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± Hearing the Sword Saint¡¯s words, Cecilia¡¯s eyes narrowed. For someone who usually had a gentle atmosphere, her gaze was laced with quite the hostility. ¡°Do you know how the previous emperor died, Radu?¡± ¡°...¡± The Sword Saint¡¯s face went blank for a moment. ¡°...I don¡¯t think this is the time for that, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°But it is. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you this. Right now.¡± Despite his words, the empress continued indifferently. ¡°The ¡®Dragon Bloodline¡¯ flowing through the imperial family is quite a famous curse. That curse is also officially the cause of death for the previous emperor.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Of course, dying from the curse isn¡¯t an impossibility. After all, the Dragon¡¯s Bloodline isn¡¯t something that a human could easily handle. However...¡± A bitter smile crept onto her lips. ¡°Around the time of his death, something strange happened.¡± ¡°What do you mean by strange....?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a very widely known fact, but the previous emperor suddenly became an especially religious figure in his later years. In fact, barely anyone knew about that, but I, his daughter, knows.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Around that time, all of a sudden, his pre-existing illness suddenly worsened, and my own too.¡± Cecilia exhaled a deep puff of smoke from her pipe. ¡°Now, what if, in that situation, the Devil¡¯s Fragment or whatever it is inside me had also gone haywire?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I would have died. If that man hadn¡¯t firmly suppressed this Devil or whatever it is inside me, I would have died.¡± If that were to happen, the ruler¡¯s bloodline would be cut off right there and then, and the empire would¡¯ve descended into utter chaos. At that time, it was probably around when the Upper Nobles Association was eagerly waiting for an opportunity to start a civil war. If Dowd hadn¡¯t managed to stop it, the entire continent would have already fallen into a horrifying state of chaos. ¡°That pope bastard has probably pulled quite a few continent-level stunts like that. My guess is that he also had his dirty fingerprints on the Crimson Night Incident.: The incident where the Guardians, the empire¡¯s greatest fighting force, were completely torn apart. That alone significantly crippled the imperial military¡¯s combat power. ¡°...¡± As the empress continued, the Sword Saint swallowed dryly without realizing it. ¡°...Are you saying that the Holy Kingdom had a hand in that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the suspicion that came to mind now that things have come to this. To be honest, I hadn¡¯t even considered such a possibility until now.¡± If one were to suddenly come up with such suspicions out of nowhere, it could be seen as paranoia. But, the important point to note was... In the empire, more specifically, in many of the special situations that occurred in the empire, there were quite a few traces of the Holy Kingdom¡¯s involvement. ¡°You could call this revenge. That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to contribute directly, even if it means pushing myself like this.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing those words, the Sword Saint¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed. ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction?¡± ¡°...I¡¯ve known you for more than a year or two, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°...And?¡± ¡°Is that truly the only reason?¡± The empress chuckled before she puffed on her pipe again. ¡°Well, I do need to make a good impression. The competition is rather fierce, you know.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If I had a son, I¡¯d love to name him Radu. Do you like it?¡± ¡°Go to hell, Your Majesty.¡± With those words, the Sword Saint began to cut down the reinforcements rushing out at them again. Seeing this, Cecilia the 11th, grinned. Now, then¡ª Truth be told, she was quite excited. Although that was probably a rather weird feeling to have considering that she was facing a formidable foe like the pope, she had a good reason for that excitement. Let¡¯s see how that lowlife gets crushed to pieces. Because she¡¯d be able to watch from the best seat as that cocky bastard gets annihilated by the ¡®real deal¡¯. ¡ñ I scratched my cheek with a troubled look. ¡°...Cheer up.¡± So... It was all good up until we wiped out the chimeras with the 3-Demonic Aura Combo Bug Extermination Spray. The problem was that the mood of the ones who joined us afterward didn¡¯t look good at all. ¡°...¡± Saintess Lucia and Yuria, who were still covered in sticky bodily fluids, glared at me as if they wanted to eat me alive. ¡°We need compensation.¡± ¡°...What compensation?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll think about it later.¡± ¡°...¡± No. Seriously though. Do you really need to complain about every single little thing even in this urgent situation? ¡°You know, even though we look like this, we are about to face against the strongest priest¡ª¡± ¡°Will you give it or not?¡± ¡°...¡± Their expressions were too intense for me to say no here. Also, the Severer that Yuria was holding was glowing even brighter than usual, and somehow my stomach that had been stabbed by it before was aching... ¡°...I¡¯ll decide after seeing how well you perform.¡± I answered while turning my gaze away. ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°You promise, right?¡± ¡°...Please focus for now.¡± I let out a sigh and chided them as they asked that with voices sparkled with enthusiasm. At that moment, armed combatants poured out from inside the bunker, having sensed our presence. Thanks to Her Majesty the Empress and the Sword Saint working hard at the front gate, the numbers weren¡¯t shockingly high, but it was still plenty¡ª ¡°DIE¡ª!!!¡± ¡°GET LOST¡ª!!!¡± ¡°...¡± With shouts that were hardly befitting of people devoted to religion, those soldiers were all bisected in one strike. ¡°...¡± You know, the other side has prepared various things too. At least pretend to face them properly out of respect for their efforts. [These ladies are killing people without even blinking, unlike usual...] ¡®I don¡¯t feel particularly sorry for them though.¡¯ [Same.] Anyway, these motherfuckers were probably the first ones among the others who¡¯d shove the innocents into the pope¡¯s biological experiments. It was clear from Yuria¡¯s and Lucia¡¯s eyes that were filled with ¡®personal grudges¡¯ vibes. I¡¯ve heard many times before about what these two¡¯s childhoods were like, and it was obvious without even looking that these fuckers contributed to those horrific experiences. So, I couldn¡¯t give a flying fuck about these guys dying. Also, by extension... The one behind the door I was striding towards now; the cause of all that misfortune. ¡°COME OUT¡ª!!¡± I feel like this is becoming a habit. Thinking that, I kicked the door open, revealing the Pope sitting quietly with his eyes closed and his chin resting on both hands. Seeing how he was still so composed even with enemies at his doorstep, I gotta praise that, not gonna lie. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re finally arrived.¡± His following voice was also thick with that attitude. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a little chat? We must have a lot to talk about¡ª¡± ¡°HAAH¨C!¡± The pope¡¯s neck, who was about to say that, twisted right around from the punch I threw as I approached. Like a cartoonish scene, his neck twisted round and round, and I can clearly see all the bones, muscles, blood vessels, etc. inside being crushed. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Lucia and Yuria look at me stupidly from the side. [...Didn¡¯t you just say to at least pretend to acknowledge their efforts?] ¡®This guy¡¯s a special case.¡¯ The fucker definitely wouldn¡¯t die from just this much. ¡°That was something like a greeting.¡± I said calmly, before taking a step back . ¡°I know you¡¯re not dead. Get up.¡± Yuria and Lucia¡¯s faces soon changed from the ones that said ¡®What the hell are you talking about?¡¯ to ones filled with shock. Because the pope... ...Let out a deep sigh, even with that grotesque appearance. Then he adjusted his twisted neck with both hands, making cracking noises. I could see Lucia¡¯s complexion turning pale at that grotesque sight. And as if that alone restored him to full functionality, he glared at me full of contempt. ¡°...How utterly barbaric. Do you not know even the most basic etiquette?¡± ¡°Nope, don¡¯t know about that stuff, no.¡± I said that while checking over my plan again. This motherfucker probably has tricks up his sleeve, but so am I. This is a fight to see which side can play their cards more effectively. In other words... There¡¯s no reason to drag this out. The one who lands his decisive strike first wins. ¡°Let¡¯s have our conversation with our bodies, shall we? Oh, of course, not in the weird way, alright?¡± Yosh. Let¡¯s kill this cock-sucker and get this over with. Chapter 342: Blasphemy (2) Chapter 342: Blasphemy (2) Well, uh... I said that I¡¯d kill him quickly, didn¡¯t I? Well, actually, this fucker was a rather tough nut to crack. ¡°What the hell is that...?!¡± Yuria stared at the pope with eyes full of fear. The fear that had engraved in her due to her past experience was there, that was for sure, but that wasn¡¯t all there was to it. The scene that was unfolding before her eyes was just that crazy. Right now, the pope wasn¡¯t the only one in this bunker, other Holy Kingdom¡¯s combat personnel were too¡ªalthough, these guys were too weak to be a match for us. Reaching the pope himself wasn¡¯t hard. Thanks to that, even though not a lot of time had passed since the battle began, we had inflicted countless fatal wounds on this motherfucker¡¯s body. We slashed him with swords, exploded him with Divine Power, blew his head off with my fist... But, even after all that... He just didn¡¯t die. I¡¯ve seen immortal characteristics before with Lana, but even so, she would still be incapacitated if we were to do all these to her. With this guy, it was as if he hadn¡¯t received any damage at all. Yes, I could see his body got hurt, but it felt like we didn¡¯t do anything to him. It was like we were beating a fucking scarecrow. The fact that he didn¡¯t even bother to defend himself only amplified that feeling. ¡°Why...! Why won¡¯t you just die...!¡± ¡°Child, you¡¯ve been with me for so long. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time you understood a few things?¡± Yuria¡¯s words were cut off by that voice. It was the voice of a kindly old grandpa, but given the situation, it felt more like a vicious taunt than anything else. ¡°I never fight a losing battle.¡± ¡°...¡± Damn, stealing my line like that. While I was having that bitter thought, another voice came from beside me. ¡°...At this rate... There¡¯s no way we can win.¡± Lucia gritted her teeth as she spoke. Over her voice that clearly revealed her impatience, the kind voice overlapped once more. ¡°I suppose I should express my gratitude.¡± The pope turned toward us, sneered as he spoke. ¡°Thank you for personally bringing me the materials I need for the final stage of my glorious resurrection. I didn¡¯t even have to go far to find them.¡± The pope¡¯s languid gaze swept over Yuria and Lucia in turn. I could see them flinch under his gaze. It was as if they were a pair of rabbits meeting the gaze of a snake. ...This is fucked up. I ignored him and looked at the thing behind him. Because there was an even bigger problem there than this fucker not dying. Behind him, growing from a giant blister-like thing, was something in the shape of a ¡®body¡¯ wriggling like a fetus in the womb. The sight was horrifying enough, but its power was even more so. ¡°...¡± Like, if that thing got fully awakened, even I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. The Holy Body, a monster born from this motherfucker¡¯s obsession and the subtle support of the Astral Realm. It was something whose power could even surpass the Devil¡¯s. When it came to burst damage, nothing in the game could match it. That was the pope¡¯s hidden ace in the hole, as well as the reason he didn¡¯t bother to defend himself. It feels like I¡¯m on a fucking timer, too. He could just stand there, breathe, and time would guarantee his victory. In short... We got a guy who wouldn¡¯t die no matter how many times you kill him, and he got that card up his sleeve. ...The fight isn¡¯t supposed to be this hard, though. He wasn¡¯t easy to kill in the original game either, but as usual, it seemed like the difficulty had been cranked up to eleven again. If they¡¯d made it like this in the game, the players would scream for the developers¡¯ death. Like, how the fuck were they supposed to clear it? [...If he¡¯s truly immortal like you said, isn¡¯t fighting him itself meaningless?] ¡®...Theoretically, yeah.¡¯ I looked at the pope who was just standing there, taking every hit. The truth is, true immortality doesn¡¯t exist. Not for Lana, not for this guy either. To begin with, even Lana would die for real if she keeps on dying. Her regeneration isn¡¯t infinite. There¡¯s a kind of energy source fueling her regeneration, it¡¯s just a matter of depleting it. But this guy is different. We had killed him at least a few dozen, maybe a hundred times over, but there was no sign of his regeneration slowing down at all. The fact that I couldn¡¯t even figure out how it works just makes this shitshow even more of a shitshow. ¡°...¡± I closed my eyes and tried to organize my thoughts. Like Caliban said, fighting like this was pointless. It was just a waste of energy. ¡ªBut still... It wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t have any idea how to beat him. And to achieve that, I only needed one thing: for us to focus all our firepower on one point. ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± ¡°I thought you said we should talk with our bodies?¡± His sarcastic sneer came flying back as soon as I opened my mouth, but I continued regardless. ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve been yapping all this time, so I feel like I should balance it out by talking a little.¡± His face distorted slightly as I gave out that glib retort. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t pleased by the fact that I wasn¡¯t losing my composure despite the obviously unfavorable situation. That was how much he disliked me, I guess; he wanted to shake me mentally somehow. And that was exactly what I was aiming for. I continued calmly. ¡°I get that you¡¯ve been playing all sorts of tricks on a continental scale. But I want to ask about just one of them.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The Tristan Duchy. Their curse is quite famous, isn¡¯t it? Was that your doing too?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The previous Gray Devil¡¯s Vessel was Eleanor¡¯s mother. So, did someone deliberately create the opportunity for a piece to ¡®dwell¡¯ inside her?¡± Thinking back, the reason why Eleanor received her first Devil¡¯s Fragment was because she directly witnessed Gideon killing his wife. Now, I was blatantly asking if this son of a bitch caused that situation. Evidence? Ain¡¯t got one. But my instincts told me that it was the truth. Knowing how insidious he was, there was a high chance he really did extend his hand to such deeds. ¡°...Hah.¡± The pope let out a laugh in disbelief. It was a face mixed with complex emotions. ¡®Is this really a question you want to ask now?¡¯ it was as if he was asking me that. To begin with, there wasn¡¯t any reason for him to admit it, nor was there a need to. And as I just stated, it wasn¡¯t like I had clear evidence either. ¡°-Yes, it was quite fun.¡± And yet... He voluntarily admitted it like an idiot, prompting me to chuckle inwardly at him. While there wasn¡¯t any reason to admit it, there was also no reason to deny it in a situation where his victory seemed certain. He was just openly admitting it because he wanted to see me lose my composure even a little by knowing he did something terrible to my future wife¡¯s family. ¡°The sight of that husband killing his wife was quite¡ª¡± ¡°-Ah, you don¡¯t need to say anything else.¡± I cut off the pope¡¯s words as he tried to continue. Thanks to him blabbering his mouth like that... I just obtained the decisive key to victory. This fucker probably didn¡¯t even realize what he just did. Seeing me smirking as I cut off his words, his expression immediately hardened. ¡°...You¡¯ve got quite a mouth on you. For someone about to die that is.¡± ¡°Oho?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve shown quite a few interesting scenes so far, but in the end, you¡¯re nothing special. Even if you called for reinforcements from the other side and struggled a bit¡ª¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± I cut in, interrupting his words again. This dumbass was misunderstanding something. ¡°Hey, do you really think you¡¯re hot shit or something?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The reason why we came here in the first place is because I deemed that we all are enough to deal with you, you know?¡± The pope¡¯s face twisted horribly. ¡ñ We can win...?! How?! Yuria thought anxiously as she deflected another sword from a Holy Kingdom Paladin flying at her. The opponent took no damage at all. But if we drag this out, we¡¯ll definitely lose. We aren¡¯t strong enough! At this rate, we¡¯re all gonna die¡ª ¡°Yuria.¡± Suddenly, Dowd¡¯s voice cut into her anxious thoughts. She turned towards him with a puzzled expression, only to see Dowd beckoning to her in a friendly manner, as if calling a pet. ¡°...?¡± A familiar gesture. It was the signal he often used when he wanted to throw her somewhere to grind something up. But what¡¯s the point...?! ¡®Our enemy recovers from even fatal wounds, so what difference would it make to chop him up a bit more precisely?!¡¯ Yuria thought this while biting her lip, but... ¡°...¡± At that moment, she felt a strange sense of discomfort. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, trying to find the source of this feeling. And she found it, somewhere among the paladins she was fighting. They were all knights wearing full armor, so she couldn¡¯t see their faces. But among them... There was one figure that gave her an uncanny sense of de?ja? vu. The way they held their sword, their stance... ...Both looked uncannily familiar to her. As if she had fought someone who was wielding the same sword before. ¡°...¡± Her gaze reflexively turned back to Dowd. As always, it seemed like he was aiming for something this time too. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but she has a certainty that this was part of his arrangement. If so... As long as she followed his words, a solution would present itself. Like always. ¡°-I¡¯ll do it!¡± With those words, Yuria put a leash around her own neck. [...Those resolute words just don¡¯t match what she¡¯s actually doing.] ¡®...Well, as long as she¡¯s determined about it.¡¯ Such a conversation went on in a certain someone¡¯s mind Chapter 343: Blasphemy (3) Chapter 343: Blasphemy (3) In Gideon Galestead La Tristan, the Grand Duke of Tristan¡¯s eyes, everything in the world was divided into two: Things he must protect, and things he could ignore. For him, the former was his family. That never changed, even now. ¡ñ Time is on my side. The pope thought so as he leisurely rested his chin on his hand. This was why he didn¡¯t really pay attention to what others around him were saying. He had an invincible combination that could withstand anyone. I did well to heed that advice. If the Prophet hadn¡¯t said those words before leaving, he probably would¡¯ve gone with his original method instead of this extreme one. The pope himself was considered the best at handling Divine Power on the continent. If he had entered the battle directly, he probably could have just repelled most threats. That way, he might have felt more satisfied from crushing that upstart Dowd Campbell. But he had a better idea. To just divert all of his Divine Power to ¡®regeneration¡¯ like this and just endured. This way, there would be no room for variables. Though his options became limited, only having the Holy Kingdom¡¯s forces and the Chimera Legions, which was already annihilated... Once the Holy Body awakens, those were just byproducts that could be recreated anytime. By holding their attention, he ensured that any remaining attacks could somehow be resisted with his Divine Power. If they had brought the Gray Devil and the Hero, things might have been different, but even then he had contingencies for them as well. With that in mind, in the current situation, the pope had the leisure to laugh at whatever the man in front of him did while sitting in place. That was why he stayed still even as he saw Yuria flying towards him like an arrow after Dowd threw her. The Curse of Severance. The powerful curse dwelling in that sword sliced up the pope¡¯s body. It cut deeper into his body, holding a stronger force, and it happened multiple times thanks to her reaching him so quickly. But it was just a repetition of the process that has been repeated dozens of times so far. ¡±Is this the killing blow you¡¯ve prepared so hard for? Throwing stones?¡° As the pope said this, Lucia¡¯s divine power flew from the side. It was a powerful and dense Divine Power befitting someone called a Saintess, but the pope didn¡¯t even try to deflect it and just sat still. As expected, that energy simply dissipated as soon as it approached his body. To begin with, it was the pope himself who raised those homunculus sisters. He knew best how they handle their abilities. ¡°Useless¡ª¡± He tried to say with a sneer. ¡®Tried¡¯, as in he failed to actually say what he wanted to say. ¡°...¡± He looked at his chest with displeasure. It should have regenerated immediately after being cut, but the wound remained open, refusing to close. Around the cut, he could see his flesh rotting and crumbling due to a certain force, hindering his regeneration. Decay. The power of the Brown Devil. It was something that Dowd pulled out from the Fallen¡¯s Seal. ¡°I see, so you can¡¯t deflect two things at once, huh?¡± Such words followed. ¡°I thought it was strange. There¡¯s just no way you could regenerate all wounds you suffered without any cost whatsoever.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You can only properly deflect one type of energy at a time. The technique you¡¯re using now, it could recover damage from one thing almost infinitely, but if there are more than one, you¡¯ll become vulnerable to the other. Right?¡± ¡°So what?¡± The pope responded with a sarcastic smile. ¡°What difference does it make if you know that?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve found a solution. That¡¯s already progress.¡± ¡°-Even so, do you have any means to use it right away?¡± The pope continued, still wearing a contemptuous look. In fact, as they exchanged this conversation, his wound from earlier had long since recovered. Even if they mixed different types of attacks, his defensive ability was close to invincible right now. With the Holy Body¡¯s awakening not far off, they didn¡¯t have the means to deal with him instantly. ¡°...¡± But... For some reason, the man in front of him looked as if ¡®he had already won¡¯. Even though it was clear that the pope had everything in control, no variables could appear, nothing could threaten him no matter¡ª ¡°I guess you thought you hadn¡¯t let your guard down that much, huh?¡± Dowd let out a sneer to the Pope, whose expression had slightly hardened. ¡°Let me tell you something. The moment you have room for acting so leisurely, you already lost the qualification to think that way.¡± Something... Is off... The feeling that the pope felt became more vivid as time went by. He quickly scanned the surroundings with his eyes. Everyone around him now were like his limbs who had never deviated from his intentions even when he was operating on a continental scale. There couldn¡¯t be anyone suspicious among them. Most of their actions weren¡¯t known in the first place, and they always returned instantly as soon as it was over. ¡°It¡¯s always the darkest under the lamp post.¡± What the pope had overlooked was... This man in front of him. Through the gaps in his actions, to find crevices that even he didn¡¯t notice... Ever since a long time ago, he managed to do all that and plant a dagger to pierce his heart. All for this moment. To deliver this ¡®single strike¡¯. ¡°-You should have doubted everything, you fool.¡± With those words. One of the attendants who had been standing next to him, guarding him until now, changed his posture. ¡°...!¡± Of course, his reaction speed wasn¡¯t slow either. Massive amount of Divine Power suddenly surged up and poured towards the man. But such an act only ended up stripping off the ¡®disguise¡¯ the man was wearing. As the hood came off, his face was finally revealed. Gideon Galestead La Tristan. The Grand Duke of Tristan, whose whereabouts have been continuously reported as unknown. This man had been infiltrating, pretending to be his attendant all this time. Since when¡ª?! Just...! Since when had he infiltrated this place¡ª?! ¡°You planted people in the empire, didn¡¯t you? Did you really think you could just do that without paying any price?¡± The pope¡¯s eyes widened at those words. Indeed. Around the time when it seemed like a civil war might break out in the Empire, he had sent some personnel to infiltrate the imperial palace to monitor the situation. Since back then? In that brief moment when I just dispatched some of my people for a simple reconnaissance? He managed to plant this man into my ranks? ¡°I told you.¡± And, through that gap of shock. ¡°Don¡¯t act leisurely when you don¡¯t even know what your opponent might be hiding.¡± The strike had already fallen upon him. Since a long time ago. It was said that the first Sword Saint, and the Grand Duke of Tristan, could split the morning and bring the evening closer. Before, the Fist Saint Kasa Garda shattered the sky with one fist and changed the landscape. Those who had reached a certain level often committed acts that distorted such ¡®concepts¡¯ themselves, accomplishing mythical feats with just one of their attacks. And now, in this place. For a very brief moment... For just an instant... There was someone who had honed their power to the point where they could even ¡®bring down the sun¡¯ with a single strike. And such a person... ¡°...¡± The Grand Duke of Tristan wore an emotionless look, however... What was gleaming under those eyes was a black flame ready to burn even his own life for the sake of ¡®karmic retribution¡¯. After all, just now, the motherfucker himself admitted that he was the one who made him kill his own wife. There were people in the world who could sacrifice even their own lives for the sake of a single purpose, and such individuals tend to achieve unbelievable miracles even with the most meager strength. Such power... Right here, right now... ...Was possessed by someone who could even bring down the sun. The sword was drawn at a speed so instantaneous that even the top-tier martial artists living in the most fragmented moments of a second could not react. Its trajectory was unbelievably simple, but the energy contained within was terrifyingly immense. It was like that feeling of exerting superhuman strength when you meet the enemy you¡¯ve been searching for all your life right in front of you. For an ordinary swordsman, losing composure and being consumed by rage was nonsensical. But what if someone in such a state... ...Was not just a mere swordsman, but someone who could reflect their own mental state onto their sword path? What if one could imbue the skill that could even make the sun fall with anger that could even burn one¡¯s life, and fully unfold that realm on his sword path? ¡±NOW!¡° Matching Dowd¡¯s command, Yuria and Lucia¡¯s strikes combined again. As they had ¡®experimented¡¯ earlier, the Pope¡¯s defense became vulnerable when attacked with various attributes combined. Yuria¡¯s Severance, Lucia¡¯s divine power, and the Demonic Aura Dowd additionally pulled out, all were combined to strike the Pope. The pope¡¯s defense inevitably splitted as it reacted to each of these attacks. The later the attack, the slower the regeneration became. He received the damage, weakening his defense. And when that repeated to the point that it reached its absolute limit... The strike poured upon him... - -.... -///////////- Was the strike of a sword... That was capable of cutting the world in half.