Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: They Just Made the Wrong Choice #02
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They had merely made the wrong choice, that was all.
A dark night flowing toward the dead of midnight.
The academy, which should have been quiet, echoed with the sound of Unicorn's hooves.
"Arthin! How much farther is Rose Hall?"
"We'll be there soon. Just follow the coastline from here!"
The Rose Hall that Sion had pointed out as the Hexagram Society's hideout was quite a distance from the Bronze Dormitory. But in this urgent situation, I didn't want to waste quest time leisurely running there on foot, so I came up with a clever plan.
It was a simple yet effective one: ride on Unicorn's back and have her charge full speed toward Rose Hall. At first, Unicorn scolded me for talking nonsense, but once I buffed her with triple-layered acceleration magic, she got excited for a good run after so long and bolted through the academy.
Of course, it would undoubtedly be faster if Unicorn carried me in her unicorn form. But even at this late hour, someone might be awake.
I couldn't bear the thought of rumors spreading again about Arthin, the cross-dressing girl chosen by a unicorn, dashing through the night to avoid men's gazes. So, I decided to accept the reasonable penalty.
"There! That building far ahead is Rose Hall!"
"Got it! Hold on tight, Arthin! I'll show you my top speed!"
Thanks to that, what should have taken five minutes on horseback took us over ten. But I had no regrets. Unicorn's chest bouncing wildly in her dress while sprinting at full tilt was quite the sight.
'No, fuck off out of my head, you beast-loving alter ego!'
As I hurriedly shook my head, we arrived near Rose Hall. Unicorn stopped in a nearby thicket and let me down from her back.
"Running wild like this once in a while feels great! So, what's the plan from here?"
"Hmm, let me think for a bit..."
Hiding in the bushes, I first summoned the quest window into the air.
📜 QUEST: EMERGENCY! RESCUE THE HEROINE! 📜 Your heroine candidates have been captured by the villain!
A harem protagonist must not stand idly by while his women are in danger!
Let's dramatically rescue those captured heroine candidates!
🎁 Quest Reward: Favorability with each rescued heroine candidate, Shop Points.
📊 Women rescued so far: 0/2.
⏰ Remaining Quest Time: 02:12:39
There was still some time left, but with Sion and an unknown heroine candidate to rescue, it wasn't exactly optimistic.
I'd sent signals to the other club members about the location and the emergency, but no telling when they'd all arrive. I stood at a crossroads: risk it and move in first, or choose the safe option.
"...Let's go in first, just us. There's one more person to save besides Sion."
"You sure? If it's a Demon King's executive, even my power might fall short..."
I could understand Unicorn's worried expression. Indeed, with just our contract, taking on a Demon King's executive was asking too much.
"That's why we'll sneak in hidden. Don't worry too much—I prepared for this."
Thanks to the cheat-like shop, I was reasonably equipped except for my lacking physical training. Once the other allies arrived and drew attention, Unicorn and I could slip in, rescue the heroines, and we could win a full-on battle.
"If you say so, I'll trust you... But how do you plan to infiltrate the enemy organization?"
At Unicorn's question, I looked toward Rose Hall. Invisibility magic wouldn't guarantee safe entry, so we needed something more reliable and secure.
"If there was someone we could disguise as and slip in, it'd be much easier..."
"Disguise? How?"
"The Hexagram Society is full of human cultists. Snag a suitable member, use Polymorph Potion, and we can fake identities easily. The problem is how to get one..."
Causing a commotion outside to lure one out would be putting the cart before the horse. As I pondered for a solution, Unicorn tapped my shoulder.
"Arthin, are those robed people the cultists you're talking about?"
Wondering what she meant, I looked where she pointed. Under a tree beside Rose Hall, two people in black robes were chatting.
"...That should do it. Lucky break."
"Not luck—my keen eyes!"
Ignoring Unicorn's smug grin, I suppressed my presence and slowly approached the Hexagram members talking under the tree.
"Oh, Genevieve. I'm a priest, and you're a lay believer. If the other cultists find out about us..."
"Don't worry too much, Priest Ramon. As long as we keep quiet, no one will notice our love!"
So that's why they were out of the hideout in this secluded night—they weren't just devoted to the forbidden cult; they were having a forbidden romance too.
"Fucking hell, they pick the shittiest things to do. Some of us are suffering because of you idiots."
"Wh-what?! Who the fu—"
"Priest Ramon? Priiiiest... Ramo...n..."
Snap. With a flick of my fingers, the two, who had turned to me in shock, fell into dreamland under my sleep magic. I wanted to zap them unconscious with lightning, but worried about the bright flash, I just put them to sleep peacefully.
"All set? What now for me?"
"Hold on. Let's tie these two up tight first."
A moment later, after binding them securely with rope from my inventory, I plucked a hair from each and dropped one into each pre-made Polymorph Potion.
Poof! The potions brightened in color—definitely working.
"You turn into the pink-haired laywoman. I'll become the brown-haired priest."
I'd prepared two sweetly for Unicorn, who struggled with fine details despite polymorph powers, and handed her the now-pink potion.
But Unicorn frowned without taking it.
"What? Weird color? It tastes like grape juice, pretty drinkable."
"No... it's not that. It's that woman."
Unicorn sniffed the unconscious woman a few times, then pinched her nose like she'd smelled something foul.
"Ugh, as expected! She reeks of having her hymen torn by a man! Turning into a slut who's slept around goes against a unicorn's pride!"
Her firm rejection and mad rant reminded me this was the same lunatic filly who'd enjoyed a virgin parade not long ago.
"Fine, then what? You're clumsy at transforming into people! Even if they're not virgins, can't you endure it this once?"
"What are you saying, Arthin? I said she's not a virgin—I didn't say the man isn't."
What the hell? I glanced at the fainted cultist, then realized something I shouldn't have.
"You mean... oh fuck. We just saved a guy from a black widow?"
"This is why non-virgins are the world's evil. Now you get why unicorn contractors want virgin blood and golden solar essence, Arthin?"
"Wait, then if you drink the man's... what about me?"
As I asked puzzled, Unicorn proudly snatched the now-blue potion from my hand. Leaving me with only the pink one.
"Can't you just endure it this once, Arthin?"
"...For real? You want me to drink it? You're serious, Unicorn?"
Unicorn rolled her eyes at my desperate plea, then grinned and chugged the blue Polymorph Potion. Moments later, transformed into the chaste male priest, she stared at me.
"Time's short—down it quick, Arthin."
I glared at the pink Polymorph Potion in my hand, grinding my teeth.
Turning into a woman? Really no other way? As I racked my brain for alternatives, a system window popped up before my eyes.
⏰ Remaining Quest Time: 02:06:51 No guidance, just the remaining time—the system's ploy. I bit my lip hard and squeezed my eyes shut.
'Life really... fucking sucks. Cross-dressing girl, and now TS.'
...Gotta make the grape flavor stronger next time, I thought, then gulped down the liquid in my mouth.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Rexton Wise, the necromancer's fall, was deeply tied to Sion Idris's obsessive love. Unable to endure the long-sickened affection, Rexton crossed the line, becoming the Demon King's loyal subordinate—that was the sequence.
But in this timeline, Rexton's situation differed. After insulting and beating the knight who fought for him before the whole school, only to get thrashed by Arthin, he ended up back in the ICU.
Rexton felt a twinge of gratitude toward Arthin for separating him from Sion, but the humiliation of a commoner shaming a noble like him was unbearable. Still, Rexton had one card left.
'Wisent senior is close to me, and he's not even the heir to a baronet family like mine—yet he insulted me, the heir. Dad will step in!'
Dreaming of sweet revenge that would make Arthin bow, Rexton was forcibly awakened by a letter from home.
"That damned... 'Don't tangle with Arthin and behave at the academy!' What the hell is Dad thinking?!"
The letter threatening to reconsider his heir position if he caused more trouble made Rexton bite his lip until it bled.
It had to be that thug Jorba Pelkas's scheme. Selling out his son's honor for pocket change—Rexton couldn't fathom his father's choice, nor defy it.
"Ah, but Ricardo Wisent senior's still around. He promised revenge, so he'll crush Arthin for sure...!"
With the kingdom noble faction's power, even Shaomei or Jorba couldn't protect him. Rexton dreamed sweetly again.
But on the day Rexton was discharged, Ricardo Wisent got beaten by Arthin and ended up in Rexton's old hospital room.
"Heh heh... this is a dream... a fucking dream..."
Rexton despaired. His campus status, guiding senior, family prestige, and knight—all lost. Left with overdue classes and scornful gazes.
So Rexton skipped class. He couldn't bear imagining the humiliation if he ran into Arthin.
But expulsion was unacceptable, so he headed to the library instead. Even without attending, he'd self-study to hold his heir seat—some resolve remained.
"I don't get it, damn it! I don't get it!"
With genius only in necromancy, catching up on missed classes was impossible. His last pride—genius identity—shattered.
"It's over... I can't even be heir; I'll end up a beggar..."
As Rexton wallowed alone,
"Um... excuse me, are you okay? Is... something hard?"
The bespectacled girl who always sat nearby, low presence, spoke up.
*
The girl introduced as Elena was a 5th-year senior, four years older than Rexton, despite her youthful face.
"Th-this problem needs basic enchantment formulas. See here..."
For some reason, she was extremely kind to the curt Rexton. Knowing who he was, she didn't scorn him like others but pitied him deeply.
"N-not everyone can excel... Even the worthless deserve a place for themselves, right?"
She was kind. Even if born from twisted empathy, Rexton needed it desperately. Unknowingly, he ate, studied, and relaxed with coffee alongside her.
"Um, Rexton. There's a secret social club for people like us... W-wanna join?"
So Rexton didn't refuse her hesitant invitation.
"Welcome! You're Rexton! Nice to meet you!"
"Our Hexagram Society's a secret org lasting nearly 50 years! You're a member now!"
The place she invited him to was the "Hexagram Society"—a losers' club claiming to be a secret org. Laughably, they were just academy dropouts gathered here, not true Demon King worshippers.
Rexton found it all pathetic. Donning black robes in an abandoned building, chanting spells for belonging—it held no appeal.
"Hehe, I'm the 37th president of Hexagram! Im-impressive, right, Rexton?"
But seeing Elena's joy, Rexton decided to fit in more. Nowhere else welcomed him anyway.
"Here, this is the ritual book passed to presidents only. I'll show you specially, Rexton!"
She was deeply immersed in the game. Seeing her confident side hidden outside, Rexton feigned interest and read the book she handed him.
And that was the beginning of it all.
*
In the basement level 3, Rexton peered into the room holding the still-unconscious Elena with mixed feelings.
She never accepted the organization he'd remade to the end. Too kind-hearted for true Demon King worship.
Not fully corrupted, Rexton had locked her and her sympathizers away. No sacrifices or torture—just confinement. Even when Succubus Lord Lilith urged using them as offerings, he refused.
Glancing aside, he saw the opposite room: where Sion, who'd tormented him horribly, was held.
'Better this way. Use that bitch as the sacrifice, and I won't need Senior Elena.'
First disgust, then vengeful joy—but finally, relief at sacrificing her guilt-free. Rexton smirked bitterly and headed to basement level 2.
"You there! Orders. The woman Sion just captured will be the sacrifice. Prepare the ritual."
"Y-yes, sir! High Priest!"
Danny, freshly promoted to priest and granted Senia as his slave, replied crisply.
'Tch, wanted to enjoy time with Professor Senia, but work right after promotion...'
Danny clicked his tongue inwardly, then pointed at a passing cultist while heading to basement 3.
"You! Take my slave, Professor Senia, to the level 1 holding cell! Touch her, and you're basement 3!"
"Yes, Priest!"
This was power's taste—the lay believer's obedience lifted Danny's mood. He headed lightly to basement 3, believing Charles would understand and join the new era if he felt this too.