A Transmigrator's Privilege

by Usui Takumii

not mine, wuxia world. Waiting for the translator to update. 469 Chapters and ongoing.

18. 153 to 162

When I broke to the surface of the water and put my head out, an exotic environment unfolded.

The end of the undersea cave was connected to a vast enclosed cavity.

We stepped out of the spring and onto the ground. Seawater trickled down our bodies, but we didn't care. We'd have to dive again on the way back.

Agnes commented.

It's a strange place. It looks like it's still under the sea, not on the ground.

"Right."

Inside the space created in the middle of the deep sea, there was plenty of air to breathe, and that wasn't all.

The grass is growing too… Huh? Ellet, what are you doing?

"Gathering."

The hollow was strewed with plants with silvery green leaves wrinkled like waves. Plants that seemed to rely on the light of the luminescent stones to grow.

In fact, this was no ordinary grass.

It was Undulata, used as an ingredient for the finest potions, alongside Mermaid Tears.

'I got a herb garden instead of a treasure ship!'

Excited, I plucked Undulata at random and put it in my inventory.

Agnes asked.

Is this a rare herb?

"Yes. It's a top-grade potion ingredient, and it's hard to grow."

Why are there so many of these here?

A thought popped into my head.

I looked back at the mermaids who were darting around through the stream-like cracks spread in the ground.

"Hey, Mermaid Sisters. Did you grow this herb by any chance?"

I asked a little hopeful that I might be able to learn some Undulata breeding techniques.

No. Why grow weeds that grow well even if left alone?

I was told that this is just a natural cluster.

It seemed that the environment here was optimized for the growth of the tricky Undulata. Coincidentally, Thesilid was exploring the natural environment instead of me. He walked over to the far wall and placed his palm against it.

"Eli."

His low voice echoed to me and I rushed over right away.

"Why did you call me?"

"Look at this."

The wall that Thesilid was holding on to looked like it was blocked with rocks.

Water leaked out through tiny cracks.

Without hesitation, he caught the water with his hand, took a sip, and concluded.

"I think there is a Well of Eternal Life behind this."

"Oh, is the water flowing through the cracks right now from the Well of Eternal Life?"

"Yes."

"Then you can just drink this water. There's no need to use the treasure room key… … ."

"Ah, the keyhole is here."

Click!

Thesilid proudly inserted the key into the lock next to the rock and turned it in a showy manner.

The key that had exhausted its usefulness turned into powder and was shattered. With that, the opportunity to find treasures was gone forever.

Drururrrr!

The treasure chamber opened.

The rocks were removed and a small empty space was revealed. Our eyes focused on the center.

Chungungun.

Water ceaselessly flowed down from the stalactite-shaped luminescent stones embedded in the ceiling and overflowed into a beautiful stone ornament.

In fact, it looked more like a fountain than a well.

Since this is said to be one of the sea treasures, wouldn't it have the same value and utility as a thousand gold?

I brushed off my lingering feelings and went to the well.

"This is the Well of Eternal Life."

I took out a ladle and scooped up some water. I brought it to the corner of my mouth to take a sip.

"…"

Ellet?

I dumped the water and the ladle onto the floor, immediately strode up to Thesilid, and grabbed his arm.

"Eli?"

I roughly spun him halfway around and saw the bewildered look on his face. Right then.

"Spit out what you drank earlier! Throw it up right now! Throw it up!"

I slapped Thesilid on the back.

El-Ellet! What are you doing?! You're going to break his back!

"I'll just glue it back together!"

I'm not talking about his bones!

"At this rate, it will not end with only the bones like Agnes is worried about!"

Ah, no, why are you like this, really?! Can you tell me why?!

I continued to slap Thesilid on the back.

"I was scammed."

My teeth gritted.

"Well of Eternal Life my foot, this water is a deadly poison that no human should ever drink. This is a poison that my detoxification skill doesn't work on!"

What?! Really?!

Learning the cooking skills was a must in this damned SS-level difficulty world. Thanks to that, I was able to appraise almost anything with the 'Ingredient Detection' skill.

[Others 'The Well of Eternal Life'

The Water of Immortality has the effect of increasing the remaining lifespan of the body by 3 to 5 times if consistently drunk. However, at the expense of physical longevity, it has the side effect of shortening the lifespan of the soul. Symptoms that may occur with long-term use include:

Early stage: insomnia, nightmares, hallucinations, confusion, mental weakness.

Middle stage: Emotional wear and tear, loss of memory, loss of three major powers.

End stage: Spiritual collapse.

If the recovery period is missed after passing the terminal stage, it ultimately leads to 'Soul Extinction'.]

It's 'Soul Extinction'. It's the annihilation of the soul!

My hand grew stronger by itself.

Puck!

"…It hurts, Eli."

A muffled groan mixed with his voice could be heard. My hand, which reflexively braked, hesitated in midair.

Thesilid let out a bitter laugh as he soothingly spoke to me.

"Eli, I don't think one sip will make much difference."

"…"

"So you don't have to worry so much."

"…"

"Eli?"

I didn't answer, I couldn't even flinch.

Because, from the time I'd stopped my hand earlier, I was still mulling over a chilling possibility that had been creeping into my mind.

I looked Thesilid right in the eye and opened my mouth.

"This water increases the lifespan of the body up to five times."

"Yes."

"Instead, it's said that if you continue drinking it for a long time it will destroy your soul."

"…"

"By any chance, was that the purpose?"

As I vomited out the question, my voice came out with a slight tremble. So I urged him with my eyes instead of words.

Was it like that?

To break the regression?

By eradicating your soul?

No, no, it can't be. In the 17th round, Terry shouldn't be that broken yet. The 17th can't be like that…

"No."(Terry)

…As expected.

Look, see?

If he's the Thesilid of this episode, the episode I'm in, he's supposed to deny this accusation like that.

It seemed that I was holding air into my lungs without realizing it.

I let out a long sigh of relief.

It was fortunate that my speculation was denied. But I was still on edge. I looked into his sea-blue eyes and asked.

"Then can I break it?"

"…"

At this point, I don't think I even had the mental leisure to wait for a moment of silence.

"Answer me!"

A loud voice came out without my knowledge.

The sound of water splashing around in the distance stopped.

Uh, sisters, the male and female land creatures seem to be fighting each other.

Hick! They're really strong, we'll be in big trouble if we are caught in the middle.

We're out!

With only the two of us left behind, the cave became quiet to the point of desolation. At some point in time while I was waiting for his answer.

"Eli."

A low-pitched bassy voice broke the silence. It was his usual gentle, calming tone.

"I will break it."

"…"

"I came for that."

Thesilid led me out of the treasure chamber.

The holy sword Libra was summoned in his right hand. It was a sword with an impressive all-white blade and hilt, which had a blue square jewel.

The sword was coated with the holiest Aura in the world and with a flick of the blade, Aura in the shape of a new-moon flew out.

The walls came crashing down, and rubble completely blocked the treasure chamber and the entrance.

"If people find it to try to sell, won't they be able to dig it up again?"

Water was still flowing over the surface of the collapsed wall.

"Don't worry."

Thesilid placed one palm on the wall.

"Blue Torch."

Blue flames seeped into the walls. Thesilid poured holy power until cold sweat formed on his forehead. As a result, the water flowing on the surface of the wall gradually weakened and eventually stopped completely.

"I've dried the water vein. Do you believe me now?"

"Yes."

After feeling relieved, my thought circuit began to calm down. Only then did I think of reflecting on the stupid thing I said.

"You said you came here to destroy this place. Why?"

This is a Thesilid I don't know, but his reply to my question was mild.

"Is the matter related to the Well of Eternal Life unknown to the Saintess who even received the revelations from God?"

The sound of laughing rang lightly in his neck like the sound of a musical instrument, thrilling my ears as always. But as soon as it ceased, Thesilid opened his eyes with a very distant look.

"I don't really like the idea of eternal life."

"…"

"I've imagined this before."

"…"

"One day, when I become a living corpse, only wanting to die…a time when I can only wait for the next episode…"

I wonder if what he was saying was really imaginary.

"I thought it would be too painful if someone deliberately prolonged my life so I wouldn't die."

The eyes of this imaginer were beyond cloudy.

['The Spoiler Inspector' is deep in thought.]

I was also about to do the same, but Thesilid's next words caught my attention.

"By the way, this is the first time I've known that a soul can be extinguished."

I flinched when I saw a different color rising in his sea-blue eyes.

A belated realization dawned on me that I had revealed something that could be a danger to him. I scrambled to make amends.

"It was said that you have to drink it for a long time. Do you think it's easy to extinguish a soul? I'm sure you have to do it for a hundred or a thousand years."

"Well, I suppose."

Thesilid seemed aloof as if he didn't care much about the duration.

I guess I'll have to scare him with something else.

"There were a lot of scary side effects."

"What is it?"

"Insomnia on a daily basis, nightmares when you do manage to finally fall asleep, and delirium when you're awake. And when it gets bad enough, memory is impaired and strength is lost. It's absolutely horrible. Right?"

"Is it?"

"Of course, it's like being subjected to mental torture. A normal person wouldn't last even a week."

Thesilid expressed his rebuttal.

"Even if you give up on holding on, life will continue as long as you breathe. And when the symptoms get worse and memory damage starts to set in, it gets much better. Because those hours are cut off as if they never existed."

"…"

"What's wrong?"

"You sound like you've been there."

Thesilid smiled in silence.

I tried to read between the lines, but for some reason, the man in front of me now seemed to be perfectly located in the blind spot of the original work.

Then, he changed the topic.

"By the way, this is a big deal."

"What?"

"The mermaids are all gone."

"Oh, right."

The mermaids, who misunderstood that I and Thesilid were fighting, ran away, not wanting to have their backs explode in a whale's fight.

At this point, our breathing spell had been long broken.

Since this is an undersea cave in the middle of the deep sea, the idea of breaking through the ceiling or walls to get out was not a very wise one. I'd be dead and Thesilid would move on to the next round.

To us, this cave is no different from a huge closed room.

"We are locked up."

Unlike demons, humans cannot control the location of the exit gate at will even if they become the owner of the dungeon. It would be possible with a closing gate, but I have no intention of closing this dungeon.

Thesilid nodded.

"I suppose we'll have to wait for the mermaids to pick us up again, or for an exit gate to naturally occur here."

"There's no helping it. Let's pick some herbs while we wait."

With the hands of a skilled farmer, I began harvesting Undulata. Thesilid also helped me, taking part in hands-on experience in farming for some hours.

We squatted down to pick herbs and chatted.

"By the way, Eli."

"Yes."

"Isn't the money for the construction of the church settled? Why are you so obsess…hmm, eager to make money?"

"…Thanks for choosing the words. I could have been hurt."

Perhaps thinking I was turning my words around, Thesilid took a step back.

"If it's difficult to say, you don't have to."

"No, I'm not sure how to explain this. Besides, I don't know if you'll understand even if I explain it."

"I will do my best to understand."

I liked his willingness to listen so I opened my mouth with a moderate adaptation.

"Well….There is a curse I have received since I was born, and to release it, I have to pay as little as a million to as many as millions of gold in offerings."

['The World-building God' is perplexed, wondering if he's some kind of evil deity that feeds itself off the believer when you say things like that.]

Well, Lord Word God is also a member of the Transmigration Bureau, so honestly, it's kind of true… Kh-hmm, I almost had a blasphemous thought for a moment.

'It's okay. Terry is probably thinking that I'm talking about 'Strict Order and Goodwill'.'

['The World-building God' relaxes his expressions.]

However, it was not the humanity of God that mattered to Thesilid.

"A curse? What curse?"

Shock and bewilderment were evident in his eyes.

"Well, it's not that surprising."

"Then what is it?"

If I have a relationship that's not in the original work without changing the current genre, I will be unconditionally widowed, and since I originally transmigrated into a person who should have died in the original work, there was no romance for me in this world.

So I can't date anyone!

I didn't really need an adaptation, so I told the truth.

"The person I like is killed by an absolute force, and I die with them."

"What…?"

"I am not making fun of you."

"…"

You promised to do your best to understand. I looked at him with such eyes.

After a while, Thesilid washed his face dry and opened his mouth.

"All right. I will believe you."

"Thanks."

"By the way, is that a God-given curse?"

"Yes."

"Right. Now that I think about it… 'Strict Order and Goodwill' has been described as having a male body…"

I tilted my mind, wondering what the gender of God had to do with it.

"Because you are a Saint…Trying to monopolize the rest of your life by celibacy…"

"Stop. I think you have gone too far, paladin."

['The World-building God' is shocked by the unholy and profane thoughts of other religious believers.]

On the other hand, it's also understandable.

Isn't Thesilid the one whom God has been obsessed with and has been celibate all his life because of the 'Commandments of the Seven Holy Virtues and the Seven Deadly Sins'?

Moreover, his puritanical life will continue for a long time to come. Until the 86th episode, when he meets Muriel, the beautiful black-haired Saint.

Ellet, why are you suddenly making such a scary face?

"Eli?"

I came to my senses with a sight and straightened my expression.

"Anyway, it's okay because it's a curse that can be lifted with money."

"Yes, better than me."

Before the words could sink in, making the mood somber for nothing, Thesilid laughed and added as if he didn't mean to brag about his misfortune.

"At least, I'm fortunate that you're an exception to my duties and discipline."

I'm sure his quality of life would have improved a lot after meeting me. Perhaps the biggest improvement was…

"Because the food I give you doesn't make you guilty of gluttony?"

"Yes. I don't need to be restrained with you."

['The Scales that Judges the Soul' takes a deep breath at the bold statement.]

'Let's not get things wrong, the counterpoint to gluttony is restraining.'

As I pulled out Undulata with a deep sigh, Thesilid asked a random question.

"Eli, what do you think are my strengths?"

"…All of a sudden?"

"I was wondering if there's a reason why you're going around with me."

I realized that if I answered that I was traveling with him because it was the right thing to do, it would make him feel like I was using him as a means to an end, so, as requested, I silently recited the advantages he gave me.

"Hmm, because you are nice?"

"I don't really mean it."

"I like your personality."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Because you're faithful."

"…It's okay. Let's stop."

Wow, this is the first time I've seen him pout.

As I was seriously considering whether or not to compliment him on his strongest attribute -good looks- he muttered to himself.

"As expected, I should live a good life."

His tone was rather serious.

Quite a bit of time has passed, but there was still no sign of an exit gate being created in the undersea cave.

It was just the two of us in a deserted space, with a lot of herbs to pick while mechanically tinkering with our hands.

It's good to chat because it's a boring situation.

So I got into the flow of the conversation…

"Hey, Terry. I have a question, too."

"Yes."

"You can hear Agnes' voice, right?"

"…"

Thesilid's hand abruptly stopped plucking herbs.

What?!

He was as stiff as a stone statue, and I watched him quietly. A kind of standoffish silence took hold, but Agnes couldn't stand it and impatiently embodied herself.

What? Really?

After a long moment, he smiled bitterly and confessed.

"I'm sorry for deceiving you, Saint Agnes."

Wha…

Thesilid even looked in Agnes' exact direction.

['The Spoiler Inspector' says you are lucky to notice before getting into trouble.]

['The Spoiler Inspector' informs that if the protagonist hears, even if by chance, a major leak of Heavenly information, you may go to the afterworld in one clean shot.]

['The Eyes that watch over the chaos of all things' nervously blinks his eyes, afraid that you would find out too late.]

['The Critic who adjusts the balance' advises that you should be careful not only about leaking heavenly secrets but also with conversations between heretics.]

['The World-building God' shouts to not call it heresy.]

I'm glad I was able to prevent the death penalty in advance.

I asked Thesilid, careful not to make it sound like an interrogation.

"How is that possible? You didn't see her before, back when you were twenty, before the regression."

He laughed bitterly

"I don't know, maybe I've just lived far too long."

"…"

Whether seventeen lives is short or long is a matter of personal opinion, and not one I'm in a position to judge. Anyway, then can Reed hear and see Agnes?

The answer was inconclusive, so I decided to move on to the next question.

"Then why did you hide it?"

"I didn't want it to show that I'd lived too long."

This answer was at the level of quoting the first answer as it is. There was no information value. As if he knew that, embarrassed, Thesilid added.

"It's not a lie. I didn't have any bad intentions, I was going to tell you later."

"Well, never mind. Because you´re a regressor, it must have become a habit to lie to others as you could see the parts that have changed from before."

"Thank you for understanding."

Finding the cause wasn't really that important. The original purpose was to tell Agnes the truth so that she would be careful not to reveal secrets in front of Thesilid.

Meanwhile, Agnes happily squatted beside him and started talking.

Can you really hear me?

"Yes."

Wow, so now I can talk to someone other than myself and Ellet. This is so good. You should have told me that long ago.

"I'm sorry."

No, there is nothing to be sorry about. Rather, what do you think of our Ellet?

"…Excuse me?"

You don't know how much Ellet talks about you at every chance she gets.

"Is that so?"

So, you should also talk about Ellet. Honestly, what am I going to talk about with you if it's not about her?

Thesilid somehow attempted to avoid the topic.

"If it's a common interest between us, there is also 'Strict Order and Goodwill'."

Kh-hmm, that's an old and stuffy topic.

The converted Saint looked uncomfortable.

"It is."

So, let's talk about Ellet.

"Yes."

I kept a close eye on Agnes and Thesilid to see if they were saying anything outlandish to each other. Fortunately, the subject matter was mundane.

After a long time while the three of them talked and two worked together, the harvest of herbs was finally over.

It was a satisfying feeling to have ravaged the cave's floor, which seemed to have been covered with an emerald carpet.

Thesilid and I sat side by side on a rock, quenching our thirst with a juice-flavored potion.

"You worked hard, Terry."

"Eli, too."

It was good to enjoy a break after work was over. But the problem was that there was no longer anything to do together and the sweet break quickly turned into a boring time.

"It doesn't look like the exit gate is going to happen. This is a special place, so it might happen periodically."

"It will be faster if the mermaids come back to pick us up."

"Right, when are they coming? Grandpa will be worried."

Agnes interrupted.

Sir Rex will also be worried about you two spending the night out.

"Oh, my god."

I hurriedly checked the clock in the system window.

The dungeon here seemed to have less than twice the difference between reality, and time flow in the real world was just before midnight.

"Oh, it's ruined."

It's a legit night out. The thought of being roasted by Rex made my bones ache.

Thesilid smiled at me.

"I will speak to him."

"Yes, your words will be more trustworthy than mine. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

I sighed and added.

"And sorry."

"For what?"

"To celebrate your birthday in a place like this."

"…"

There was a slight gap before the conversation continued. It must have taken him a few seconds to comprehend because he asked back with a puzzled look on his face.

"Birthday…?"

"Oh, the reaction is exactly as expected."

I pulled out a velvet gift box from my inventory. Speaking of birthday, I might as well give it to him now.

"Happy birthday, this is an early birthday present."

"…"

At that moment, his sea blue eyes which dilated slightly in surprise and then slowly regained their original size, were very pretty. So much so, that I felt like creating a drawer in my memory if I could, to carefully store the look he'd just given me in it and to sneak it out whenever I was depressed or sad.

I didn't mean to stare, but I didn't notice when I had caught him in my eyes like this.

I pulled myself together and opened my mouth. A little smugly.

"You didn't expect it, did you?"

"Honestly, yes."

"Right, I mean, who else would take care of this if it wasn't me."

The gift itself is really something else, too. It's an artifact as expensive as the Holy Grail of Rites, and I risked my life to get it because it's perfect for regressors.

I'm sure he'll be very happy. Just thinking about it makes me proud.

Thesilid looked down at the wrapped velvet box for a long time, basking in excitement, then asked.

"Can I open it?"

"Wait, I need to talk to you before you reveal what it is because I don't want you to get the wrong idea."

"Okay."

As I cleared my throat a little, Terry smiled wide enough to narrow even his eyes. He looked happy to even wait.

His wrinkle-free appearance was like Thesilid Argent of a time before he went through the regression.

I opened my mouth.

"You know, Terry. I hope this will be your last episode."

"…"

"Sincerely."

"…What the hell is the gift for you to say this? I'm starting to dread it a little."

Right after he said it like a joke, his sea-blue eyes inspected the gift box as if analyzing it.

Of course, that alone could not give him the answer, so I continued.

"I'm giving you this gift just in case, not because you have to use it, please keep that in mind, okay?"

"All right. I'm very curious, can I open it?"

I thought this would be enough of a safety measure in case of misunderstandings.

"Yes. Go ahead."

Thesilid's fingers opened the velvet box.

Until he found a White Asphodel, which was packed by the grandmother of all things, Thesilid was smiling in anticipation. However, the moment when he removed the flowers to reveal a square, flat, mass-produced artifact.

"…This."

The smile sank from his face.

[Artifact 'Save Point'

A 'life-saving' artifact created for infinite regressors suffering from burnout. If you use it, the next time you die, you will return to the time of using the artifact.

Remaining uses: 14/30]

"…"

He had a cold face I'd never seen before. It seemed that even his breath would be frozen like the air in the Arctic Ocean.

"Terry?"

"…"

There was no answer to my call.

I had a hunch that he immediately recognized the artifact's purpose. In fact, I had in mind the idea that he might not be thrilled after receiving the gift.

Because it can be regarded as a gift given under the premise that this episode will fail. Nevertheless, his reaction now far exceeded my expectations.

Why on earth?

Why are you staring at the floppy disk with eyes that could break at any moment, unable to even breathe properly?

At last, he spoke.

It was a small voice, barely audible, that he struggled to let out after clapping his lips several times.

"Where did you get this?"

Suddenly I felt my wrist surrounded by a hot energy. He was holding me with a terrible desperate grip.

It was a woefully trembling voice, barely audible even to himself.

Normally, he would never let her hear it. But.

"Please. Answer me honestly."

"…Terry?"

Her fresh green eyes widened. In their reflection, he was begging in an awkward and ugly manner.

"Please."

Unlike the continent's only God, who always turned his back on him, she was merciful.

"Uh, hm, so, I mean…I got it for a price."

"… From whom? How? Where?"

"That…"

"Be honest, please."

"… "

Her mouth opened and closed in a small gesture.

After a while of choosing words, as if she was even cautious of breathing, Ellet began her explanation.

"I made a deal with God. There were things I had that were quite valuable."

"…"

"I don't know where it was but, God sent me to an unknown dungeon and told me to take it myself."

"…What place was it?"

"There was a huge hole in a rocky wasteland where lightning strikes constantly. It was like…"

"Like the abyss."

"Ah, yes, like the abyss."

While she opened her eyes slightly wide she cleared her throat.

"Go on, tell me."

"Well…In the middle of that abyss, there was this artifact. I don't know in detail because I didn't look down. At that time, it seemed that the owner of the dungeon was searching for me… … I was busy trying to quickly get out of there with just the artifact."

She finished her words by saying that was the end.

"…Aah."

A raspy bass-like sigh shook the air.

Soon, my grip on Ellet's wrist loosened and I moved my hand to my eyelids. A hot, dry palm sweeps across my face.

Soon, the expression I was making became ambiguous, as I couldn't tell if I was laughing bitterly or crying sweetly.

When my sea-blue eyes harbored a strange color.

"Eli."

"Yes?"

"Ellet Rodellaine."

"…"

"It was you."

A voice that exudes liberation.

"It was you."

Right after I heard a voice I couldn't recognize as mine, saying unexpected things.

"…Terry?"

I reached out to Ellet without hesitation and pulled her in a hug.

"Te, Te, Terry?!"

"…"

"A-A-Are you crazy? You want to die?!"

Panicked, she threateningly screamed at me.

Oh my gosh, you guys!

Agnes also raised her voice, but I paid no mind. Instead, I wrapped one hand around the back of Ellet's head and buried her deeply into my arms.

"The, Thesilid!"

"… "

I was clearly aware.

It was not at all like me to hug like this without permission. In the first place, the attempt itself was an impulse that was not like him.

But he was still human. What man would not covet salvation that came true after thousands of years when it was so close at hand?

He was also a human being.

"Ah! I'm going crazy, really! If you do this, you will move on to the next episode!"

The situation came to an end after Ellet, who had regained her senses, violently pushed me away. Breathing heavily, she grabbed both of my arms and said.

"Pl-Please, let's keep a safe distance for God's sake. If you keep doing this, the cave will suddenly collapse and we will both die!"

"…"

"Ah, no, now that I think about it, I don't think there's any need to go that far. We could just scream and die of a heart attack. Yes, that's right. I have been feeling palpitations since before, I almost had a heart attack. If you kept at it a little bit longer, you and I might have really died."

"…"

"Sigh, I'm glad I survived this time, but be careful from now on. Do you understand what I mean?"

"…"

"What's the matter, you haven't spoken since earlier, say something."

By this time, the precarious appearance had been completely erased and the usually gentle and calm paladin let out a throat rumbling laughter.

"Thank you."

A smile and a word were enough to lighten the mood.

Ellet seemed to have completely forgotten about the fact that her life was threatened.

Her breathing and heart rate had calmed down, and when she started to carefully examine his complexion, she asked Thesilid.

"Is the gift…okay?"

"Yes."

"Really? You are not forcing yourself to receive it even if you don't like it, are you?"

"Yes, I really like it. Thank you."

"I'm glad, then."

"And thank you for everything else."

"Everything else?"

With a full smile on his face, he answered in a kind voice.

"For killing me."

"…What?"

"I said, thank you for saving me."

"Oh, you scared me. I was thinking about what you were talking about. But, are you thanking me yet again?"

"Yes, again."

Taking the comment as a joke, Thesilid lifted the floppy disk to his eye level and examined it.

"It looks old."

"Well, there were no new ones, only used products. Originally, it can be used a total of 30 times, but now the remaining number is…"

"Shall I guess?"

"Huh?"

"Fourteen."

"Wow, how did you get it right?"

He didn't answer.

Instead, as he opened his mouth to continue, his tone became serious.

"If I use this now and die, will I come back to this place and this moment?"

His eyes widened and Ellet could feel the sparks of imagination take life.

"I'll be talking to you again about this artifact. You'll be surprised to learn that the number of times the artifact has left is 13 instead of 14, and I'll confess to you the times I only remember to myself…Will it happen like that?"

"…"

"Could it happen?"

"…"

Her silence was heavy and it wasn't long after that he gave up waiting for an answer.

"Sorry, Eli."

"…Why?"

"I brought up a useless story."

Thesilid said with a detached face as if looking into the distance.

"I know you can't because you only exist in this seventeenth episode."

"…"

"Even if there is another seventeenth dimension somewhere, you won't be there."

Unlike his lips which spoke of assumptions, he was confident.

Ellet doesn't seem to know, but this isn't the first 17th episode for him.

In the first 17th episode he wandered about, but it was ordinary.

In the second 17th episode, he lived like a human for the last time.

And now, in the third 17th episode, charged with atonement, he fell from grace and lost his strength.

Among all of them, the current timeline was the only one Ellet Rodellaine existed. Throughout all time and space, the one and only Ellet Rodellaine.

Yes, he finally met her in his third run of the 17th episode.

Holding the save point in his hand, he ponders the years that have passed, and he feels the sting of a ghastly grudge.

It was right in front of her eyes, but she didn't know how this save point had been used for the past sixteen times.

Cattleya Gillette and the five heroes imprisoned him in the abyss, making him unable to die or live.

Is that all?

They cleverly procured vile objects and designed an ingenious and wicked life sentence. They forced him to drink the Water of Eternal Life and triggered the save point to activate.

Just like that, he lived sixteen lives of saving and reloading.

She was his salvation, the one who put an end to his suffering, but she herself is completely unaware of the existence of these terrible timelines.

She's not supposed to know.

And she shouldn't.

Because what is in front of her is the good and faithful Thesilid of the 17th episode.

…Not the 117th that wears the body of the 17th, who is already dead.

Therefore, he will endure and suppress the urge to buy her sympathy and compassion by displaying his misfortune and misery.

He shoved the floppy disk into his inner pocket as if to signal the end of the conversation.

"Eli, thank you so much. The way I'm feeling right now, I think I could save the world."

"I-Is that so?"

"Yes."

It was sincere.

It feels like she'll save him while saving the world.

Thesilid thought she would let him finally rest in peace, once and for all.

It wasn't until dawn the next day, real-time, that I and Thesilid were back at the palace.

Ash was a great talent who would not hesitate to say anything even to a Knight Commander.

He didn't bother to wait for us at the townhouse and nag about why we were out so late.

Just as I instructed, it seems that he went to the palace and put my name forward.

… But getting Grandpa and Edgar to let him in was another matter.

The grubby assassin was cut off at the front door. So he had to spend the whole night out on the streets until dawn when me and Thesilid returned, so he could enter together with us.

Feeling sorry for some reason, I agreed with my inner self to give Ash a raise.

I slept soundly and woke up when the sun passed the middle of the sky.

As I made my way down to the dining room for a late lunch, Rex, as expected, caught up to bother me.

"You said you wouldn't stay out all night, Your Eminence."

"Things weren't going my way."

"That's a poor excuse."

"Please cut me some slack, and rest assured that this lordship has done nothing to worry you. Terry will attest to that."

I sneakily passed the baton to Thesilid.

Apparently, even Rex felt he'd have a hard time taking on the upright Guardian of the Doctrine because as soon as the opponent for the next match was decided, the topic changed.

"That's not all."

"What else?"

"That you would induct an unbeliever, whose identity you're not even sure of, into the Order."

"I did missionary work."

"We are talking about the paladins under the command of a High Saint, The Chosen One. Wouldn't it be proper to appoint a verified person through a suitable and rigorous procedure?"

"He's a mercenary, so please go easy on him."

"That's the problem. Temporary employment is demeaning."

"Do you hire them for full-time employment?"

"Of course not. A twin dagger doesn't belong with paladins."

"…Ah, yes. I've heard your personal preference, and I'll do as I please."

I declined with a wave of my hand, even my brother didn't nag like Sir Rex did.

'Ah, just thinking about it makes me want to see Frintz.'

It was then that I saw Edgar coming quickly across the hall from the other side. It was not his usual leisurely gait of an old gentleman.

"Your Eminence, it's a big deal."

"What's going on, Chief Aide Edgar?"

"Let's move to a more suitable place, let's go together to His Excellency's office. I must also report it to His Excellency."

"No need for that Edgar. I am here."

Grandpa appeared just in time.

"What is it, Edgar?"

He asked in a grave tone, with the face of a ruler. In the tense air, Edgar opened his mouth.

"This is a message from Marquis Romina Lecandro, who is now in the parlour."

These words alone made everyone's eyes widen.

Romina Lecandro.

She was the Headmistress of the Military Academy and the best knight of the Kingdom of Vinchester.

Any news, worthy of such a bigwig coming to deliver in person, are….

"Prince Hardale and Princess Celestide have reportedly been caught up in an SS-class dungeon sink. Accordingly, the Kingdom of Vinchester requested military support from each country."

Alas.

So, it was today.

Reed made his move to wreak havoc on the Kingdom.

I let out a long, hot breath and spoke.

"We'd better get ready, everyone, we're returning to the Church of Elpenheim right now."

Three days later, a banquet was held in the 'Castle of Mirrors' to celebrate Mirror Princess Anaxia's usurpation of the Duchy.

Vassals dressed to the nines in fancy gowns and ceremonial robes danced in a grand hall illuminated by magical candles.

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary ballroom. The only suspicious thing was that the wrists and ankles of all the retainers were handcuffed and shackled with long chains stretching out through the place.

The source of the chains was in the many mirrors that covered the walls and ceilings of the castle. They were connected, like marionettes on a string, to four rows of chains extending from the mirrors.

Clank, clank, clank.

Thanks to this, no matter how gracefully they danced, the sound of metal dragging on the floor caused dissonance.

It was inevitable. Because this was the relationship between the ruler and the ruled in the realm of Demons.

The Demon World followed the Law of The Jungle. For a demon to acquire a vassal, it meant that it used its power to force another demon, weaker than itself, to submit its soul.

In other words, they were called vassals, but they were Anaxia's eternal slaves.

Anaxia sat in her chair and sourly watched the ball.

"Haa…"

Letting a loud sigh to call for attention, the Succubus Queen looked at her.

"Are you uncomfortable, Lady Anaxia?"

"Do I look comfortable to you? Look at the conditions of this ballroom."

"Hmm…Oh, I see! Are you unhappy because the vassals can't dance? I'll cut off their ankles right now!"

The dancing slave-like vassals hiccuped and their feet slipped, causing them to stumble.

"You idiot, that's not it."

"Kyaang, then please tell me why."

"There are no guests at the banquet hall, only retainers. I sent out a lot of invitations to the Demon World, but how come not a single one came to celebrate?"

"…"

For a moment, the Succubus Queen almost forgot her cunning coquetry but held out before changing her face.

Chains were worn on the wrists and ankles of the Succubus Queen, just like the other vassals.

It had been a long time since she had been dethroned as Queen of her species and was treated like a dog by Anaxia, so she knew better than anyone what kind of demon Anaxia was.

Just 150 years after her birth, she killed her brother and sister, as well as her father, and ascended to the Ducal throne.

Among her current vassals, there were more demons she'd enslaved herself than slaves inherited from her family generation after generation.

When she applied for a soul duel, most of the demons avoided encountering her because of her aggressive nature.

'Do you think they are insane? Could there be anyone who would come to offer themselves as a slave for a succession gift?'

While the Succubus Queen rambled inside, Anaxia was genuinely distressed.

"Alas, I thought that Lord Carpeus would come."

"Why would the Demon King of Sanarak come here…haang~! You must be upset, Lady Anaxia!"

"Yes, I am upset. So, react correctly."

"Yes."

"Anyway, if things had gone according to plan, I was going to propose to Lord Carpeus today with a black and purple spider lily."

"So romantic, Lady Anaxia."

"But everything is a mess. Lord Carpeus isn't coming, and there's no black-purple spider lily."

News of the Marquis of Gibrilte's black market auction of a black and purple spider lily swept the Demon World.

That's why Anaxia even let go of prey who walked into her thousand-year-old ice castle on their own feet and ran in a hurry, but it turned out that it was a fake.

"Marquis Gibrilte, how dare you fool me with false information!"

Anaxia's wrath engulfed the grand hall.

As a result, the music played by slave musicians stretched as if melting, causing a bizarre cacophony.

It was then.

Kieeee-.

The door to the Grand Hall began to open left and right.

"Gu-guest?"

"A guest?"

"Really?"

The vassals, including the Succubus Queen, had disbelieving faces.

Anaxia, on the other hand, folded her hands together with sparkling eyes.

'Could it be Lord Carpeus?'

Thump!

The fully open door made a heavy sound and at that moment, the silhouette of a human slowly seeped out

"Oh, my!"

"Huh!"

As soon as the jet-black handsome man stepped into the banquet hall, the air inside pressured everyone. It seemed as if hundreds of invisible hands were suffocating the demons and pressing down on their shoulders.

They gasped for breath and lowered their stance. Only Anaxia, the owner of the dungeon, could withstand the intimidation of that overwhelming presence.

"Holy sh….."

Something far greater than she had expected revealed itself.

"Good evening, Duke Pelhemstein."

A deep, resonant bass pierced their ears. It was a voice that shook not only the eardrums but also the heart and soul.

"Ah…"

Anaxia approached the opponent, dragging her body trembling in fear.

"By any chance, are you…Who I think you are?"

"Yes."

"Oh…my…It's an honor to make your acquaintance, Newborn Chaos and Evil."

Anaxia's cheeks turned red as she looked up at him. Her eyes were filled with ecstatic and fanatical anticipation.

She was the third demon to receive the honor after Demon Sculptor Silevan and Demonic Beast Hellkaion and each demon who was visited by him received an indescribable amount of grace.

An unpopular sculptor in his lifetime, Silevan's posthumous works fetched top prices every time it appeared on the black market.

Hellkaion, who was only a C-class boss, was instantly promoted to SS-class.

If a low class can go that far, what about demons who are already SS-class?

'Maybe I can become the demon king…!'

At this moment, Anaxia's thoughts of proposing to Carpeus were wiped clean from her mind.

All she could think about was receiving grace from Newborn Chaos and Evil and becoming the top dog of the Demon World.

Carpeus was to be her slave, not a companion.

It was at this point that Reed's intimidating presence gave the Demons some breathing room and a slightly out-of-context question was directed at Anaxia.

"Duke."

"Yes."

"What do you think of when you look at my face?"

"What? Of course…"

Anaxia's blush deepened.

"A being so terribly beautiful, so decadently lofty, so finely corrupt, as if a sanctity was thrown into the mud…so ecstatic I feel like I'm going blind."

Unfiltered praise indeed.

The vassals, who lined up around her, seemed to have a similar sentiment. The demons blushed and gasped, unable to take their eyes off Reed. It was only natural.

He was an evil being who would bring chaos to the world. As demons, they could not help but admire and worship him.

They would sweetly accept insults, contempt, and disgust as long as it came from Newborn Chaos and Evil.

It was like a kind of imprint engraved on them.

Of course, this fanatical and blind following of demons was not Reed's concern.

"You don't recognize."

"What?"

"Nothing."

It was around that time that she saw the succubus maids' eyes loosen as they lost control of their instincts.

Anaxia acted quickly.

"Kyaaaang!"

The chain pulled them into the mirror and out of the way. The Succubus Queen was no exception.

Anaxia began to welcome her guests as the owner of the Castle.

"It's a banquet that leaves much to be desired, but I hope you will enjoy it."

Compared to the polite host, the customer's reaction was bitter.

"It is indeed lacking."

"…!"

"A mere imitation of a human ball, at best."

Anaxia hastily explained, embarrassed.

"Pl-please wait a moment. The real thing is a banquet at night. At midnight, everyone is mesmerized and…"

But apparently, this wasn't Reed's cup of tea either.

"Wasn't Pelhemstein a venerable Ducal family of Great Demons?"

"Th-that's right."

"Then wouldn't it be better to follow the classics?"

"Classic…What do you mean?"

"Since ancient times, demons used to kidnap princesses and princes to their castles to taunt warriors."

"Oh…!"

Anaxia and other demons were amazed.

Kidnapping royalty!

Perhaps because he was a higher existence, outdated tastes sounded noble when he spoke about them.

However, there was a problem and Anaxia wiggled her fingers in embarrassment.

"Well, with all due respect, things are different nowadays than they were back then, and I don't know of any way to kidnap them…."

"You don't have to worry about that."

Reed snapped his fingers.

A giant gate opened in the middle of the ballroom, spilling out dozens of screaming humans.

"Aaaagh!"

The demons marveled at the sudden Dungeon Sink.

"Oh my!"

"This is the power of Newborn Chaos and Evil!"

"Awesome! Exciting!"

Meanwhile, the humans who had landed in an unfamiliar place were confused but moved in an orderly manner.

"Du-dungeon sync!"

"This magi is not ordinary!"

"Protect the prince and princess!"

Less than ten knights and maids stood in a circle, guarding their surroundings.

The subjects they protected were a man and woman in their 20s with platinum-blond hair.

Reed, looked back at Anaxia and said.

"I have placed a toy in front of you, and now you may play with it to your heart's content."

"You mean classically, right?"

"Yes, classic."

Reed replied, laughing a deep, almost ecstatic laugh.

It was a smile he reserved for the puppet who would wreak havoc on his behalf.

He opened the exit gate for himself and turned his back.

"I'll be back when the banquet begins, Duke."

"Yes! Wishing you a pleasant journey, Newborn Chaos and Evil!"

Reed left the dungeon while receiving a warm send-off from Anaxia and the other demons.

Anaxia reigned supreme as the number one figure in the dungeon once more and stood on a high platform to scan the humans with arrogant eyes.

"I am Duke Anaxia Pelhemstein. Human knights, do you think you can stand against me with your paltry strength?"

As she revealed her status, the hands of the knights holding the sword trembled and the shaking tip of the blade represented their feelings.

Anaxia dug her teeth into that.

"I'll let you live. Only the Prince and Princess will remain, the rest of you will return to the mortal world and tell the story. Anaxia Pelhemstein has kidnapped your royalty to celebrate her succession to the ducal throne, so if you want to save them, send a lot of warriors."

After much hemming and hawing, the humans seemed to have come to a decision.

The Prince and his knights and the Princess and her handmaidens bade each other an emotional farewell.

"Go now and tell the kingdom of my danger."

"I understand, Prince. I will come to your rescue."

The Prince feigned solemnity but was nervous, and the knights feigned loyalty but were eager to get out of the dungeon in a hurry.

In comparison, the Princess and her handmaids seemed to have a closer relationship.

"Your Royal Highness Princess Celestide, we will stay with you."

"You're talking nonsense."

"I can't leave Your Highness alone."

"Stop. This is not the place to waste time. Bianca, you take everyone out. It's an order."

"As you wish, Your Highness."

The maid who had just answered caught Anaxia's attention.

A noble young lady with long bluish-black hair and pretty demonic-like red eyes. Anaxia's pupils slit vertically as she took in her appearance.

"Wait a minute, you there."

"…"

Bianca only glanced at her without answering and that defiance made Anaxia's heart skip a beat.

"What's your name?"

"Bianca Gillette."

"Yes, Bianca. I kind of like you."

"…!"

Suddenly, a full-length mirror was summoned to Anaxia's side, and four chains stretched out from it fastening around Bianca's wrists and ankles.

Restrained like the other demon slaves, Bianca was dragged from her feet and placed in front of Anaxia.

"Ugh…"

Anaxia forced Bianca's head up.

"I feel like I'm seeing the Succubus Queen in her old glory. Since this Anaxia liked you, I'll make you a good offer. Be my handmaid."

"…"

"I will turn you into a succubus and give you eternal life. You'll have the honor of serving me for all eternity. How would you like that?"

"I decline."

"Oh, really?"

Chiengg!

The chains dragged Bianca's body into the mirror and she was forced to sit in the chair inside the space. Bianca tapped the inside of the mirror seemingly saying something, but her sounds did not reach the outside world.

"You'll change your mind if you're stuck there for a week. I'm excited to imagine you selling your soul for a sip of water or a piece of bread."

Anaxia admired Bianca as if she were stuffed in the full-length mirror, with a flushed face.

"This would make a nice decoration, you two, hang this somewhere I can see."

'This is why I wanted to deal with Anaxia in advance.'

Anaxia, the Mirror Princess whom we met in the thousand-year ice castle was only an S-class at the time, but now she's an SS-class and is running wild under Reed's wings.

A sigh of regret naturally came out.

"Your Eminence?"

"It's nothing. Go on, Lord Clovis."

Presently, I have returned to the Vatican to attend an emergency meeting.

Before Marquis Romina Lecandro visited the Principality of Hispenril, she apparently stopped by the Holy Country of Elpenheim first.

Clovis summarized the situation in the Kingdom for me.

"…Following the incident, the Royal Family of Vinchester is in chaos. It was said that the only one who escaped disaster was Third Prince Ligares, who did not join the trip to the villa. I don't know if Your Eminence knows, but Third Prince Ligares is known to be a very hostile person to our Church of Elfenheim."

I know.

Third Prince Ligares, who has a serious brother complex, regards the Church as the enemy of his older brother, The Second Prince.

If he were to ascend to the throne, it would be a bloodbath for the Kingdom and the Holy Country. Therefore, the Church of Elfenheim has absolutely zero desire to see the Third Prince succeed to the throne.

And because of that, is a matter of course that they will cooperate in this subjugation.

"According to the surviving escort knights, the Dungeon Sink was no incident. The boss, Anaxia, kidnapped two royalties to celebrate her succession to the ducal throne and taunted us to send heroes. This is truly questionable. How on earth did she specify the timing to cause a dungeon sync?…"

Of course, that is because of Reed's power, who has become 'Newborn Chaos and Evil'.

"It appears that Vinchester was initially planning to solve this on its own. It's said that Marquis Romina Lecandro entered the dungeon with a large army, but unfortunately, she had to retreat without even seeing Anaxia's face."

"I suppose so."

Anaxia's SS-class dungeon, 'The Fairy Land of the Dead', was immensely vast.

We had to go through cemeteries, monster swamps, thorny groves, and labyrinthine gardens to reach the Castle of Mirrors.

I continued.

"They probably couldn't even see the castle. But since they've probably been to the thornbush forest, scouting that route shouldn't be a problem."

Cardinal Decal, who was attending the meeting, pushed up his monocle in admiration.

"Your Eminence, there is nothing you don't know."

"Please understand this comes from me being a High Saint."

"We are doing so."

"Yes, thank you."

The Kingdom's punitive force decided to retreat in front of the thornbush forest surrounding the Mirror Castle.

Although it was said to be a forest, in reality, it was no different from a living barrier. One that was not easily accessible to ranged dealers.

With the presence of Marquis Lekandro, an Aura Master, if one had the will, one could easily penetrate through it. However, the first wave of subjugators at the time must have suffered a severe loss of power as they wandered through the cemetery and the monster swamp.

Moreover, even if they did break through the barrier, it was unclear how many more gateways they would have to go through to reach the Boss.

A prudent commander would have chosen to retreat and be prepared, rather than rush in at random.

"They would want to save up strength until before entering the Mirror Castle, so I'm sure they've requested firepower from the nations that will make it easier to break through."

I could roughly guess the contents of the request. Since ancient times, the opposite of wood is fire.

"It is as Your Eminence said. What the kingdom requested from our Church was at least five bishop-level people who knew how to use Holy Fire. They would have asked the Magic Republic of Ragneif to send 6th Circle Pyro-Mancer wizards, which are of the same level."

Five people? From my point of view, this is a waste of manpower.

But I kept my true feelings to myself and asked the real questions.

"What about healers? Didn't they ask for it?"

"It appears that the Diocese of Wilhelon is already providing sufficient support for healers."

"Good. The reinforcement troops sent from The Vatican only need to meet the firepower requirements."

"That's right, Your Eminence."

This concludes the basic explanation. Now it was time to hear what the Council of Cardinals had to say about the matter.

Decal, with a gracious impression, stepped forward again.

"We hope that Your Eminence would participate in this subjugation war. There are three main reasons."

"Not two, but three?"

"From what you say, it seems like you understand two of them."

I nodded, wanting to move the conversation along quickly.

"The first reason would be that the Third Prince's succession to the throne would be unfavorable to the kingdom, and the second reason would be that the kingdom has promised a huge reward."

"Very wise indeed, but are you sure you don't know the third reason, which is the most important."

"Hm, what would it be…"

"Think about it carefully."

"Well, I don't know… … ."

"You have to think about it."

The eyes of Cardinal Decal and Cardinal Vesalius narrowed. Those were definitely testing eyes.

['The Critic who adjusts the balance' whispers that this is like a test of common sense for the Church to weed out heretics.]

I tensed slightly, wondering if it was real and my necklace rang.

This time, you will encounter the Magic Army again. It's clear that the Republic will be preparing itself to send top players this time, unlike in Hellkaion. I'm sure they think the Order of Paladins can't lose.

Aha! Competitive spirit!

Thank goodness Agnes is here. I rattled off a third reason like a guess.

"Now that I think about it, the 'Chimera Researcher' from the Republic is probably going to go, right?"

Chimera researcher, Morifis Marcelion.

As an 8th Circle Archmage, he is one of the six most powerful humans on the continent.

'Well, since the Magic Tower Lord died at the hands of Reed, it should be said that he's one of the five strongest.'

With that mention, Vesalius and Decal became slightly excited and spoke up.

"I guess that's true given the circumstances. That mad wizard has been ignoring us for so long, we need to knock him off his perch."

"Now is the time to break that wizard's arrogance."

"This isn't just a simple subjugation war, it's a crusade, and Your Eminence should defeat the boss in front of those conceited republicans. Just like you did with Hellkaion."

"Ah, yes…"

I never thought I'd get such heartfelt support from these two Cardinals.

The Church of Elpenheim had been suffering from a chronic shortage of talent due to the decline in divine power.

It was so bad that Eleon O'Drek, who barely scratched the surface at the top level of Aura Expert just a few months ago, had been touted as the First Swordsman of the Church.

And even that tiny little hope was now dead.

In the midst of all this, now that I, The Chosen One, appeared, the church was eager to avenge the sorrow of having long been ignored.

After calming down his excitement, Decal cleared his throat and said.

"Well, anyway, it's only fitting that you should join, since everyone will be sending their best and brightest."

Vesalius also helped.

"That's right. The Kingdom's Marquis Lekandro, the Republic's Mad Wizard, and the Principality's Prince Hispenril will be there. We also have to match the standards."

Here I remembered something to say.

"Oh, speaking of which, I have something to tell you about the Principality."

"What is it, Your Eminence?"

"Prince Hispenril will not participate in the subjugation this time."

"What? Are you saying that the Principality refused to aid the Kingdom?"

The two Cardinals widened their eyes, fearing that this would lead to diplomatic friction.

I corrected the misunderstanding.

"No, no. Since he's the King of a nation, it didn't seem right for him to move himself, so he decided to send his granddaughter in his instead."

"Well, that's….undignified."

"That granddaughter is me."

"What?"

"Wh-What?"

The people in the conference hall had blank faces.

['The World-building God' scoffs, asking if they dare discuss status now.]

"Y-Your Eminence, w-what did you say?"

"Prince Hispenril's…what?"

I don't think I need to buy the trouble and explain things myself, so I winked at the paladin, with a brown-haired sports haircut, behind me.

Go, Sir Rex!

"Her Eminence's words are true."

A serious tone without the slightest hint of playfulness. Rex would make for a very good witness.

"Her Eminence is the granddaughter of Prince Hispenril. She's the daughter of the missing Princess Elthea."

"H-How can that be!"

"That's not the only thing that's surprising. Sir Thesilid is the Prince's Granddaughter's… … ."

"Stop, Sir Rex. That's enough."

"…I'll report further details later."

['The Scales that Judges the Soul' looks forward to a report about the night out.]

I sighed and cleared my throat.

"As such, I am representing both the Church and the Principality. I hope you can understand the circumstances."

If you don't understand, I'm going only as a representative of the Principality of Hispenril.

Dekal and Bezalius, now familiar with my personality, nodded without a hint of annoying resistance.

The emergency meeting with the cardinals continued for about another hour before being called off. In fact, it seems like the negotiations on travel expenses were longer than the discussion about the subjugation.

Since tomorrow was an immediate start, it was now time to meet with my knights.

In the parlor of my quarters, not only Thesilid and Ash but also Ephael and Hestio, who had recently been assigned to my Order, were waiting.

Presumably, Thesilid had summoned them in advance.

Vice-captain needs to do at least this much, hm.

Ash, a friendly assassin, had already finished his speech and was melting the hearts of his senior brothers.

Ephael seemed especially fond of him.

The four of them spotted and greeted me in their own way.

"Yo, Captain Ellet."

"Is the meeting over now? Thank you for your hard work, Captain."

"Sister, welcome."

"Come here, Eli."

I sat down on the chair pulled out by Thesilid. This resulted in five people, including me, sitting around the table in the parlor.

"Hmm."

I clasped my hands together and scanned the four of them.

"It's the first meeting of our Paladins. It's a monumental date, but before we start the meeting, I have something to say to Hestio and Ephael."

"What?"

"What?"

I was very considerate of the two people who probably hadn't heard the news yet.

"I am actually the granddaughter of Prince Hispenril. Any questions?"

"…"

"…"

Ephael and Hestio conveyed their surprise with their faces instead of their voices.

Meanwhile, Thesilid sipped his tea and Ash clapped three times and gave a thumbs up.

"As expected, Sister. You are broad-minded in notifications."

Hestio was the first of the two to come to his senses.

"Are you serious? You're not making fun of me?"

"Am I the kind of person to joke about something like this?"

"Not really."

"Of course not."

"Ha, from a Saint to a Prince's granddaughter…all kinds of things keep being revealed. You're not even some kind of cabbage, but whenever something is peeled, new things pop out."

"There's no more. Rest assured."

Ephael had a dumbfounded look on his face. The shock seemed so severe that I almost felt a little sorry.

"I've had a dream for a long time. A dream of marrying a wealthy noblewoman and returning to the secular world…"

"Terry, shut him up."

"Hey, I'm kidding…! Eup!"

"Then let's assume there are no questions and start the meeting."

I explained the current situation, the church's decision, and the departure schedule in detail.

"…Therefore, we will enter the SS-level dungeon tomorrow. We have to leave at the crack of dawn to keep up with the kingdom's time zone, so everyone should rest early today."

Ephael raised his hand.

"I have a question, Captain!"

"Yes, Sir Ephael. You have my permission to speak."

"Is the Church sending only the five people from our Order?"

"Five is more than enough, any more and it will only be a hassle for me to lead them."

Next was Ash.

"I have a question too, sister."

"Sure."

"What's the name of our Order?"

"Oh, come to think of it, I haven't decided yet."

This was an important and enlightening point.

After thinking deeply for a while, I spoke to Ash.

"Ash."

"Yes, sister."

"I want you to think about it by tomorrow."

"What? Me?"

"Yes, since you are the youngest, let's leave it to you."

"Wait…"

Ephael and Hestio also helped.

"Make a list of a hundred options, youngest."

"I'm sure there will be at least one of them that the Captain will like. Good Luck, youngest."

"…"

"Good. This is the end of the meeting!"

The naughty brothers and sisters got up from their seats, but Thesilid was the only one who extended a helping hand to the devastated Ash.

"We'll think about it together."

"Brother Thesilid….."

"Yes."

"I'm so grateful, but do you mind if I call you bro instead of brother from now on?"

"No."

I really like the friendly atmosphere of my Order.

Day of the 2nd Subjugation expedition.

From early morning, the Kingdom of Vinchester was busy scraping together all useful troops.

Not only the royal knights residing in the palace, as well as the best and brightest from each family who volunteered to participate, and even graduates of the military academies that answered the call of the nation, untied for the subjugation.

And one of the last to arrive was Frintz Rodellaine.

Tap, tap, tap…

Frintz, a handsome young man with pink hair and sky-blue eyes, crossed the corridors of the royal palace.

He was a talented person who had never missed the top honors since his cadet days at the military academy and was recommended to join the Royal Knights upon graduation.

Top-grade skills, coupled with his handsome appearance, chivalrous manners, and gentle disposition, won him the favor of many.

Amazingly, he even captured the hearts of both Princes.

Currently, in the royal family, the 1st Prince Hardale and the 3rd Prince Ligares are both coveting Frintz as an escort knight.

So he deliberately extended his training trip and even delayed his knighthood ceremony.

But even then, he could not have been exempt from this summons order, he had just entered the palace after changing his uniform mid-trip.

It was already time for the other cadets to leave for the summer palace, the location of the dungeon.

He also had to move using a transition stone after receiving rations. However, even if he hurried, there was someone in the hallway who stopped his steps.

"Look who is this. Even the hard-to-meet Frintz Rodellaine comes out when an emergency breaks out."

It was the 3rd Prince Ligares, a handsome boy with platinum-blonde hair close to silver and piercing bright blue eyes.

Ligares was a royal who luckily escaped disaster by missing the villa trip.

"Ah, Your Highness the Third Prince!"

Frintz greeted him with a gorgeous, unwrinkled smile, regardless of the fact that he was late.

"Long time no see. I'm so glad you're safe, Your Highness."

"Yes. I assume you were called up and came to fight like the rest of the cadets?"

"Yes."

"It looks like you're late for the convening time."

"Yes…"

"Well, I was just about to go see how things are going with the subjugation, so I'll take you there."

"Are you sure? Thank you, Your Highness."

Frintz was delighted with the unexpected luck.

"Let's go right away."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Ligares broke the transition stone.

Then, the scenery surrounding the two changed from the palace hallway to a summer forest path filled with greenery.

"The gathering place is this way. Follow me."

"Yes, Your Highness."

At this point, Frintz felt a pang of remorse.

The prince was directly giving directions to a commoner knight cadet without using other attendants.

Even more so because it was 3rd Prince Ligares, who was famous for being ruthless. But on the other hand, if you think about it, Ligares was always kind to Frintz Rodellaine.

For reasons unknown.

At that time, Ligares, who had been walking quietly, insinuatingly opened his mouth.

"Maybe it's because it's been a while since I last saw you, but I'm so happy to see your face. Of course, you must be embarrassed to avoid me."

"Your Highness, that is an unwarranted comment."

"You know people as stupid. You felt pressured to choose between me and Brother Hardale. Do you think I can't understand why you've been playing wandering knight all the time?"

Frintz had nothing to say in response, so he just smiled awkwardly.

Even as he did, he couldn't help it. To be asked to choose between two royalties in the midst of a succession battle was too much for a mere commoner.

The sound of laughter passed through Frintz's ears.

"Never mind, it means I'm glad to see you."

The mood relaxed at words that showed his consideration of Frintz's predicament.

But that didn't last long.

"Anyway, if it's like this, I think it's okay for family members and relatives to die about once a month."

"…Your Highness?"

"I get to see your face every time, right?"

"…"

"I'm kidding. Smile. It's a waste of your handsome face."

Before they knew it, the two stood frozen in place.

Frintz could not bring himself to follow the prince's orders, so he chose to change the subject.

"I believe that Your Highness the 3rd Prince also must be very concerned about the safety of your brother and sister."

"Is that so?"

It was a poor choice of subject.

"Isn't it great that when Brother Hardale dies, you will become my bodyguard?"

"…"

"What. Why do you look at me like that?"

Ligares smiled with a puzzled look on his face.

Yes. He was the kind of person who could laugh at and express his insidious and dark thoughts without any hesitation.

"Anyway, take care of yourself, I'd be in a bad mood if you came back hurt."

"…I am honored."

In retrospect, Frintz had always wondered.

Why does this prince, who is an extreme opposite of himself, continues to like him?

But he didn't think a knight cadet from a commoner's background would dare ask. So, as usual, it was time to make silence a virtue, but for some reason, Ligares was the first to mention the reason today.

"You know what?"

"…Yes?"

"You have a similar vibe to my dead brother."

Suddenly, the distance between Ligares and Frintz narrowed.

"I guess it's a good replacement."

"…"

The low whisper was coldly lodged in Frintz's mind like a shard of ice. Time passed as his chest stopped rising and falling.

"Your Highness the 3rd Prince, there you are!"

The royal knights called for Ligares.

"What's going on?"

"We have a problem. It concerns the magic army that arrived at the rendezvous point a while ago."

Allied troops arrived an hour earlier than the designated time causing trouble

"Tell me what's going on."

"A chimera researcher led the Replubic's Magic army and entered the dungeon. They say they can't fight together with the Church, so they will start subjugation first."

"…Hmm."

The corners of Ligares' mouth drew a curve.

Perhaps the knights anticipated the outcome even before reporting.

"We need to rescue my brother and sister, who are shaking in fear, as quickly as possible."

Ligares commanded as a prince.

"Go and tell Marquis Romina Lecandro. The kingdom's troops are to enter the dungeon immediately."

What's going on here?

The backyard of the Summer Palace, which should have been filled with troops for the second subjugation squad, was deserted.

I turned on the system window and checked the time. There was no problem with my arrival time.

"Why are we the only ones in front of the dungeon gate?"

Thesilid, Ephael, Hestio, and Ash seemed to have the same question.

Ephael and Hestio expressed their opinions.

"Did they go out to eat and didn't come back?"

"Or maybe a dungeon sink happened again."

"Anything more creative?"

Around the time when the brain activity of the paladins was being stimulated.

"By any chance, are you Her Eminence the Chosen One?"

I turned in the direction of the voice.

Two women wearing blue uniforms identified their affiliation with the Royal Knights.

One was a reddish-blonde, almost orange in color, who had an overall gap charm.

Not only did she have a cute face that showed a strong personality, but she was carrying a huge greatsword on her back that did not fit with her short stature.

On the other side was a woman with light brown hair who wielded two rapiers. Her half-closed, sleepy-looking eyes were impressive.

I feel like I somehow know who these two were.

While I was racking my brain and forgot to answer, the two knights were whispering to each other.

"It's not her? Well, The Chosen One was said to be the Prince's granddaughter. She would be a lot more rugged, right?"

"Hmm, that's right. That's an arm that doesn't look like it could hold Cherley's great sword with one hand…"

"Instead of a cute girl like this, let's find someone who looks like she'll use heals while punching."

They lowered their voices to speak softly, but everything was heard. While Ephael and Hestio held back their laughter, Thesilid calmly stepped forward.

"This is indeed Her Eminence The Chonse One."

"Oh, excuse me!"

"Ex-Excuse me…"

Thesilid then summoned the Holy Sword in his right hand, because it was not for fighting but to prove identity, the hilt of the sword was lowered.

"My name is Thesilid Argent, the master of the Holy Sword. Who are you, dames?"

"I am Cherley Lecandro, a member of the Royal Knights."

"Of the same order, Shez Rinati…"

Alas, as expected.

After hearing their full names, I became certain.

Two royal knights with orange-blond and light-brown hair.

They were the youngest daughter of the Marquis of Lecandro and the eldest daughter of the Count Rinati.

The two were also the second and third of the 114th class of the military academy.

I stepped forward to introduce myself.

"I'm Ellet Rodellaine, the Saint."

"Rodellaine…?"

The red-blond Cherli Lecandro widened her eyes. It was natural that cadets in the 114th class knew my brother, who was in the 117th class.

Of course, it wasn't something we could discuss in depth right now.

"Dame Cherley, Dame Shez, I think you need to explain the current situation."

"That is…"

Cherley, who seemed to be more talkative than Shez, explained.

In short, it went like this.

About an hour ago, Archmage Morifis went inside the dungeon first, leading the Republic's Magic troops, and Marquis Lecandro followed suit, leading the kingdom's army under the orders of the 3rd Prince, Ligares.

"Haaa, 3rd Prince…"

That personality wrecker with a brother complex finally did something.

In effect, the Kingdom chose between the Church and the Magic Republic. This is bound to come up in future diplomatic matters.

The two royal knights hastily dropped to one knee before me and Cherley snatched up an excuse.

"I'm sorry, Your Eminence. His Highness the 3rd Prince has a special affection for his older brother and sister, so he couldn't bear it…"

"Very special indeed."

"…"

"Oh my, did I just say that out loud? I'm sorry."

"Oh, pay us no mind, Your Eminence."

"Her holiness…personality is…charming…"

"Shez."

Cherley slapped her genius-but-nerdy friend on the side of the head with a loud thud, breaking into a cold sweat.

I willingly feigned ignorance and looked at Thesilid with a wry smile.

Because the story of The Third Prince, Ligares, came out, I was concerned about him.

Thesilid had a record of dying because of Ligares in his previous life. He had visited the palace as a diplomatic envoy and was marked for death by Ligares, who hated the Church, only because he was the owner of the Holy Sword.

So Thesilid was killed out of one-sided and irrational malice.

That had happened in the previous round, but Thesilid seemed unmoved and unconcerned.

"Rise now, Dame Cherley, Dame Shez."

"I apologize will all due respect to Your Eminence, I can't bear to…"

"Never mind, it's not the fault of you two so I see no need to ask you for an apology."

Cherley and Shez stood up, looking impressed by my reasonable judgment.

We spoke at eye level.

"Apparently, the Dames stayed behind to help us join the subjugation party that set out first."

"That is correct, Your Eminence."

"Has it already been about three hours inside the dungeon?"

"Yes. Joining may be difficult, but we will do our best to guide you. Dame Shez and I participated in the first subjugation, so please leave it to us."

Not that I doubt their skill.

It can be said that Marquis Lecandro, who left behind two aces of the Royal Knights, also showed her sincerity.

But that's it.

As a Holy Saint of the Church of Elpenheim and the representative of Prince Hispenril, I need to take my stand.

I exchanged glances with both, then lifted my chin slightly.

"What if I say I have no intention of joining?"

Not only Cherley and Shez, but even our paladins looked at me with wide eyes.

"Your Eminence?"

"Huh? Captain?"

I said more firmly.

"Our party does not plan to join the subjugation force that started earlier."

"Are you…serious…?"

"They abandoned us first. Do you think we can fight together?"

"…"

Since your opponent is out of line, you can use a solid justification to turn the situation to your advantage. Therefore….

"We will move independently after entering the dungeon."

Monopolize the boss.

I looked back to my paladins and asked a question with a predetermined answer.

"Everyone is okay with that, right?"

Thesilid silently nodded in agreement, and Ephael and Hestio sighed and shrugged their shoulders.

"Well, if it's the captain's call, it's the captain's call."

"Right, I guess the exemption from the rule of donation of one-third of spoils is actually an extra allowance for hazard work?"

Ash also had no complaints.

"I'm just glad I don't have to deal with the Magic Army."

"Oh, right, you're a suspect…Mm-mm, right."

"You can't sell it, sister."

"I won't."

Cherley and Shez muttered in confusion.

"With this number of people…"

"Her Holiness is…fearless…"

I spoke with consideration to the two royal knights.

"In that sense, I will decline the guidance of Dame Cherley and Dame Shez. Only my paladins will enter the dungeon."

['The Eyes that Watch over the Chaos of All Things' urges you to enter the dungeon as soon as possible if things are decided.]

['The Spoiler Inspector' glares at the 'The Eyes that Watch over the Chaos of All Things'.]

['The Eyes that Watch over the Chaos of All Things' looks down with reddened eyes.]

To stop Cherley and Shez from trying to retort, I raised my right hand and made a signal.

"Let's all go in."

Five people, including me, stepped into the swirling gate.

[System You entered the SS-level difficulty dungeon 'The Land of Fairy Tales Where Heroes Are Buried.']

The unfolding landscape was a cemetery on a moonlit night.

"You're already here to pick me up."

Crack, crack, rattling, rattling, rattling…!

As if waiting for it, countless skeletons surrounded us from all directions.

Innumerous red lights flashed in pairs from the eyesockets. To exaggerate a bit, those lights seemed to stretch all the way to the horizon.

Truly an army of undead.

In response, our paladins hurriedly formed a circle and expressed their confusion.

"No, why are there so many? Wasn't this a place where the subjugation force passed by twice?"

"Hmm, that's right. Did they breed in a short period of time?"

"Hey, Ephael. How the hell does a skeleton breed?"

That's right, Aster and Bellos from the Dungeon Farm have no kids either!

Fortunately, there was someone who was composed. Thesilid grabbed a handful of dirt on the ground, examined it, and said.

"There's bone dust mixed in this soil. It looks like the magic army sabotaged us when they passed by first."

"Ah, come to think of it…."

The condition of the skeletons in front was a bit strange. This was because the body kept flowing down as if it were made of sand, not bone.

I noticed it thanks to the poor-looking appearance of the undead.

"They increased the number of undead by scattering whole sacks of bone powder."

This cemetery was an undead incubator of sorts, any scattered bone or bone powder would absorb a lot of necromantic power and would soon spawn as a skeleton.

"Their durability seems weak, brother, sister."

"Still, there are too many and a war of attrition is inevitable."

"Yes, Ephael. If you understand, go to the vanguard. The youngest and I will stay behind."

Everyone prepared for battle as Ephael loaded aura on his sword, he turned to me.

"Captain, which direction should we cut through?"

"Over there, northeast."

"Okay. I'll fire a powerful shot here so we can break through with a sprint…what?"

Ephael stopped talking. This is because the undead who were expected to surround and attack were slowly retreating.

As I left the paladin's circle and walked away, the undead retreated as much as I advanced. It was because of the effect of the passive skill, 'Notoriety that Resonates in the Underworld', I had.

I looked back and said.

"Let's break through. Afoot."

"…Uh, y-yes, Captain."

As I took the lead, the undead split to the left and right, clearing the way. The members were thrilled by the sight, which resembled a scene from a miracle in the Bible.

"She wasn't a Saint for nothing."

"This is a cakewalk. It's really comfortable."

"Sister, you are amazing."

In the meantime, I spoke to Thesillid, who was the only one silent.

"It reminds me of the old days."

"Old days?"

"Don't you remember? When we were playing tag in Toy's Mansion, the Pierrot Dolls were attacking, and you used me as a human shield?"

"…"

Surprisingly, he seemed to vividly remember events from long ago and turned his gaze to the side in embarrassment.

We passed the cemetery and reached the valley. This was the gateway to the next area, the Monster Swamp.

As we walked along a narrow path with cliffs on both sides, we were confronted with another one of the Republic's tricks.

"Hey, look at this, they've blocked the path with ice this time."

"If it's this level of magic, it must be the work of Morifis."

"Oh, Brother Thesilid. Are you comfortable talking to me now?"

"I wasn't talking to you."

Somehow, Thesilid's formal speech seems to be gradually breaking down.

Needless to say, we easily broke through the valley.

There was no need for me to step forward as Thesilid melted the ice with the Blue Torch and the road was soon opened.

Even in the Monster Swamp, we encountered several obstacles that seemed to be Morifis's sabotage efforts.

"Wow, this is petty. There used to be a bridge across the swamp here, but they blew it up? We're going to have to turn around. Everybody, come here."

"What the hell, was that illusion magic? Even a succubus could dress better than that. Who gets caught up in this shitty honey trap these days…Hey, Ephael, are you out of your mind?!"

"Ash, I don't have a good feeling about this. Go check the valley up ahead for traps."

And so on.

['The World-building God' criticizes those who lock themselves away in a tower only for research to end up with many problems with character.]

['The Troubled Architect of the Tower of Trials' complains in a small voice that the tower is innocent.]

Ephael stroked his bangs in annoyance. He scratched his handsome forehead, revealing the bump he'd gotten earlier from my beating.

"Ha, if this is an ally troop, there is no need for enemies."

"Wizards are like that, Brother Ephael."

"That's true. But aside from the Magic Army, what did the Kingdom Army do without stopping them?"

"Who can stop Morifis, brother? He's not commonly known as the Mad Wizard for nothing."

"What? Is he that crazy?"

"Yes."

At this point, Ash showed off unexpected knowledge.

"It's hard to be sane when you've lived for over two hundred years and done nothing but research. From what I heard, he is also rumored to conduct experiments on humans. Oh, and since brothers are Stigmata he might covet you as a test subject, so be careful."

"That's right, Hestio. Since you are the weakest, he might come for you. Be careful."

"Hey, this guy."

While they were bickering, a curious voice came from the necklace.

Really? Has he lived for over two hundred years?

Thesilid spoke for Agnes.

"Morifis is known to use forbidden magic to extend lifespan. He is a person who could easily be judged for heresy if persecuted by the Vatican, but his family's power and magical prowess make him untouchable."

What is his family?

"Morifis family is Marcellion. It's the same family as Princess Odellit, who led the 1st Magic Army in the last battle to subdue Hellkaion."

Ah, is this the family of the Commander who drove her men to their deaths? Why is there no sane human in that family? Are we really sure they are not conducting human experiments?

"Human experiments are a rumor. Morifis may be a misanthrope, but he only uses animals as test subjects, and even then, only dead ones."

As soon as Thesilid finished speaking. Ash nodded eagerly with a slightly touched face and said.

"I see. Thank you for explaining it to me, Brother Thesilid."

"…"

As long as he was using polite speech, misunderstandings like this were inevitable.

When we were almost at the end of the valley leading to the next area.

Kaaaaaa-!

Suddenly, the roar of a beast echoed in the valley.

"This is…"

If this was a normal situation, we would have assumed that there was a ferocious beast ahead. However, the emotions contained in the sound gnawed at our nerves.

Emotions that were transmitted across species differences. It was anger and sadness.

Keuuuuu…!

At the place where we walked, there was a wolf as big as a carriage, tied to an iron leash.

I guessed its identity after seeing its fur, which was half-dyed black but glistened with a blue-silver hue.

"It looks like a fallen forest spirit."

Looking at the leash and chains, it appears that it was subjugated by Anaxia and was acting as a watchman.

Judging from the fact that the black parts of the body were rapidly increasing, it seemed that the corruption was progressing rapidly due to something.

The wolf shed blood tears from its bright red eyes scattering bloodlust everywhere. It was struggling furiously and desperately to break free of its leash.

We quickly realized why the wolf was doing this.

"Sister, in front of the wolf…"

"…"

In the position where the wolf's front paws are just barely out of reach because of the chain, there were five or six slaughtered wolf pups piled up.

['The Eyes that Watch Over the Chaos of All Things' close his eyes from the cruelty.]

The wounds on the wolf cubs' bodies were clearly sword marks.

Thesilid spoke in a low voice.

"They drove the mother crazy."

They were small cubs, the size of puppies at most. Ephael's usually smiling face hardened, and Hestio gritted his teeth.

"I don't think the pups are even corrupted yet."

"They had to do something like this to make them attack us? They are complete bastards."

Leaving behind my angry companions, I went to the place where the corpses of the young forest spirits were piled up. That place was also right in front of the mother wolf's snout.

Kaaaa!

The fallen wolf roared again and poured out her murderous energy towards me.

Without hesitation, I lowered my posture and touched the bodies of the puppies.

White light poured out of my hand. At this, the mother wolf howled even more frantically and struggled.

Thud!

As her massive body stamped its front feet in front of me, the earth shook so much to the point where my head felt numb.

I remained silent and continued what I was doing and after a while.

"One survived."

….

A wolf cub, unable to even open its eyes, returned to its mother with precarious steps.

The madness was erased from the mother's eyes as she realized that at least one of her pups was alive.

It seemed like the mother wolf's condition had calmed down a bit, but this did not last long.

Kruk, ruk!

Suddenly, the mother wolf was in pain, scratching her chest with her front paws. I could see a blackened spot where her heart would have been.

"You… refused Anaxia's orders."

Kruk…

"If this continues, you will suffer for a long time and then die."

…

I took out Serpens. The sword-carrying aura lightly traced the attack's trajectory.

Swoosh.

The mother wolf offered no resistance and soon her giant body fell to the side and the ground shook. I turned around and sheathed my sword.

"What happened, Sister?"

"It seems like she refused to play the role of a watchman to protect her cubs."

The fallen forest spirit had been enslaved by Anaxia, and should have been ordered to attack any intruder at all costs.

However, she happened to have newborn cubs, and she couldn't afford to fight while keeping them safe.

It was clear that if she attacked the subjugation, the cubs would be killed. So the mother probably chose to let the punitive force go to protect her cubs.

"Even though she knew that in return she would die in heart-wrenching pain."

"But the subjugation force broke their promise and did this."

"Yes, Ash."

"What to expect from humans. Because it's so disgusting, they'll never go extinct."

Hestio said angrily.

"Isn't this Morifis punk really crazy?"

"No."

"What?"

Hestio and the others' eyes widened at my rebuttal.

I gestured to the dead mother wolf and her pups, cremating them with divine power.

"I mean, this isn't in Morifis' doing. Chimera researchers don't kill cute things."

Morifis was a madman with his own beliefs and strong tastes, besides there was someone else who could commit such a cruel act arbitrarily.

I continued as I watched the only surviving wolf cub open its eyes.

"Maybe this was Princess Odellit's doing."

"Where have you been that you are coming now, grandniece?"

"I apologize for the delay, Great Grandfather."

About an hour ago in dungeon time. In the third area of the dungeon, the Thornbush Forest, the 8th-generation ancestors of the Marcellion family and his descendant were having a conversation.

"There were still issues that needed to be dealt with in the rear, so I went to check on it for a while. Don't worry, it's not something that Great Grandfather has to worry about."

On one side was a beauty with a blonde ponytail wearing a black uniform.

She was Princess Odellit, who had been the Commander of the 1st Magic Army but had recently been demoted to Deputy Commander of the 7th Magic Army.

It was a testament to her family's power that she was able to retain that position even after making a mistake that resulted in the destruction of an entire army.

Furthermore, her character was evident in the fact that she was able to keep her head held up high without showing much restraint or remorse. On the contrary, she was massaging her pride as if that position was something she had decided on her own.

Her logic was that she had purposely taken the job in order to complete her research for graduation from the Wizard's Tower, which she had been putting off for a long time.

"Of course, I don't care at all. What happens to hateful human beings is none of my business, so you'll take care of it yourself."

The other was a handsome young man with an old-fashioned way of speaking and a stout appearance that did not fit with the title 'Great Grandfather'.

He had unusually long light blue hair and silver eyes and had small animals placed here and there on his body.

A cute little bird was often chirping overhead, a baby squirrel was moving between his left and right shoulders, and a kitten was asleep in his arms.

Overall, his pale colors meshed well in the peaceful atmosphere surrounded by small animals.

The combination made the young man look like a harmless, benign animal lover.

However, in reality, he was Morifis Marcellion, a chimera researcher who was one of the five most powerful humans in the human world and was said to be a Mad Wizard.

Morifis smiled gently as he caressed the sleeping kitten.

"More than that, weren't the wolf pups we saw along the way earlier really cute? I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a chimera in the form of a dog instead of a cat."

"Are you planning on using it as research material? Would you like me to catch one now?"

Odelitt asked Morifis without changing the color of her face.

Even though what she had just done behind his back was slaughtering all the cubs and laying them out of reach of the mother wolf's leash.

"I guess so…"

Unfortunately, her ancestor showed signs of positivity, but luckily, the kitten in Morifi's arms came to Odellit's aid.

The kitten seemed to understand the conversation and suddenly raised its head and opened its eyes.

In an instant, the cute kitten's eyes turned snake-like, and sharp teeth appeared from its cute mouth.

Kyaaaaaaa!

In fact, the beasts that stuck to Morifis' body like chewing gum were actually chimeras, hiding their true monstrous forms beneath their cute exteriors.

"Oh my, our Catharine. Are you jealous?"

"It looks like that."

"It's unfortunate, but a new puppy probably won't work."

"I understand, Great Grandfather."

In this way, the killings that Odellit committed arbitrarily behind the scenes were buried.

At that time, a seasoned-looking woman with short red-blond hair approached with a disciplined gait.

She was the Marquis Romina Lecandro, Commander-in-chief of the Kingdom's troops.

Odelitt felt intimidated by her appearance and took two steps back.

"Archmage Morifis."

"Yes, Marquis Lecandro."

An 8th Circle Archmage and Aura Master faced off.

Although the atmosphere was completely devoid of war intentions, an unknown tension encroached on the surrounding area.

Marquis Lecandro said to Morifis.

"Are you done with interfering with the Church? Can we leave now?"

Although her voice and expression were blunt, there was a look in her eyes that criticized his pettiness.

Morifis read it and smirked as he settled the hummingbird on the tip of his index finger.

"That's very a sad misunderstanding, Marquis Lecandro. We are not always concerned with such things."

"Isn't that so?"

"Not this time. Isn't that right, grandniece?"

"Yes, Great Grandfather."

Odellit answered again without any change in her expression and Morifis seemed to believe in what his grandniece said and even added this.

"Behold. I swear by our family's name."

At this, the ever-shameless Odellit was stunned.

Like any other elder in his family, Morifis was sincere in caring for his descendants. He was an ancestor with a conscience who looked forward to seeing even another new generation of grandnephews and grandnieces.

Meanwhile, Marquis Lecandro could only snort inwardly.

'What's the point of bragging about something you didn't do only this time?'

Eventually, she let out the criticism she had been holding back.

"Can't you stop now?"

"What?"

"You can't even help an ally who's fallen behind, but you're putting up even more obstacles. I hear there's been a serious dispute between the two countries lately because of bloodstones, but do you really need to settle scores this way?"

"Bloodstones? Was there such a dispute?"

"…"

Only then did the Marquis realize that she had overestimated Morifis.

This crazy wizard, confined to the magic tower and only practicing biological experiments, was extremely misanthropic and had no interest in the human world.

Meanwhile, Morifis was receiving information related to the Demon Bloodstone conflict from Odellit.

"Oh, is that so? A bloodstone mine appeared where the Burst Dungeon Boss was defeated, but why is that such an ambiguous border?"

"In fact, in that area, the troops of our Republic and the Holy Country are engaged in confrontation day and night. It would be no surprise if an armed conflict broke out."

"Hehe, what a crazy situation. If that's the case, there is a simple solution."

"What?"

How can the word 'solution' come out of the mouth of Morifis, who seems to have no idea about the world, let alone international affairs?

Not only Odellit, but even Marquis Lecandro listened.

Of course, nothing normal could come from the mouth of a mad wizard.

"Why not kidnap the Saint and threaten her?"

"…"

"If we have the Saint, the Church will give up. It's a method that was a lot of fun even two hundred years ago, so it's definitely effective. At that time, we did not return Saint Lucrezia, and the Church officials cried and made a fuss about her."

"You are talking about the Incident of the Saint's Captivity."

"Alas, that's what they call it nowadays, how fancy. At that time, it was just called the Saint's kidnapping. You know what? I remember that vividly. I was living at that time as a very cute little four-year-old."

"Ah, yes."

"Now that I think about it, didn't you say that the Saint is coming to this dungeon as well? What should we do? Should I kidnap her?"

In the end, Marquis Lecandro, who had heard enough of the craziness, spoke up.

"Mr. Morifis, you are going too far."

"Tsk, tsk. Marquis Lecandro, do you think I'm making fun of such important matters as the kidnapping of a Saint? That's not proper posture."

"…"

Leaving Marquis Lecandro at a loss for words, Morifis turned to Odellit.

"I am willing to cooperate, grandniece."

"I am surprised to hear that Great Grandfather is interested in political issues."

"Politics? No. The affairs of men are none of my business."

"Then why?"

Morifis smiled brightly.

"I'm not interested in humans, but I think a Saint would be an interesting subject of study. You're a wizard too, so you can understand, right?"