Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Lord's Death
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📰 Admin Post [Admin] Title: For Countermeasures Meeting (3) Author: Maple Syrup🔸 *This post is set to be visible only to board administrators. Summary ① Lord Lucius is safe (ability?) ② Assassination attempt by goblin (black robe) ③ Walled City atmosphere is tense…. ④ No hostile atmosphere toward NPC climbers Compiled based on what I heard. Anything else to add? — Sword Empress🔹 This is all I know, Alchemist. — Maple Syrup🔸 OK. Also, better to use nicknames instead of real names or titles in the general tab. — Sword Empress🔹 Why? — Maple Syrup🔸 That's just the vibe. — Moon-Like Sword🔹 If it's a rule, I'll follow it. — Maple Syrup🔸 Good listener. No thoughts on nicknames, Padak? — Gold Rush🔹 Setting it up and then asking is peak trolling. — Moon-Like Sword🔹 What is Padak? — Gold Rush🔹 Anyway, what a relief. If the layer lord dies, difficulty spikes to hell mode. Still get chills thinking about layer 43 and above…. — Maple Syrup🔸 Can't do anything about layers that were already doomed when we arrived. — Moon-Like Sword🔹 The Hundred Swords Society will keep a close watch to prevent this from happening again. — Gold Rush🔹 Cool. Once the surroundings settle, drop some strategy tips. Other guilds are all in 20-30 layers now. — Moon-Like Sword🔹 Got it. — Maple Syrup🔸 Then, temporary meeting ends here. Deleting the post~ — Moon-Like Sword🔹 I have a question. — Moon-Like Sword🔹 What is this blue mark next to my nickname? — Moon-Like Sword🔹 What on earth is Padak? — Maple Syrup🔸 Please take care of me~! Deleting the post~ — Gold Rush🔹 Hey mod girl, this is too much. — Maple Syrup🔸 Fine, got it. I'll remove it. Armbands are always welcome though. — Moon-Like Sword ? ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "…."
"…."
Our eyes met.
Waking up to find a bunny girl with hollow eyes murmuring beside me was downright eerie. But closing my eyes again wouldn't make it go away.
That said, I didn't shout and risk provoking her.
'Even in my past life at work, they trained us not to provoke someone in a situation like this.'
Anyone could see her mental state was unstable.
In cases like this, it was key to guide her into feeling like it was no big deal.
Lying there, I waved confidently.
"Good evening, Niva. Nice night."
"Lucius."
Niva knelt, her gaze unsteady.
"Lucius... I'm sorry."
That brought her eyes even closer to mine as I lay in the relief center bed. She clasped my hand tightly, leaning in like a wife praying for her bedridden husband.
"Really, I'm sorry. Because of me."
"?"
"I... I messed up…."
"…?"
I tilted my head.
The situation baffled me. Sure, it was worlds better than Niva coming to grill me for my mistakes. But I couldn't just accept this mysterious apology.
'In a scenario where a goblin assassin drops from the sky, what could Niva possibly have done wrong?'
The only scenario where Niva owed an apology was if she'd hired the goblin assassin herself. In that case, I'd gladly banish her as lord.
But….
"…."
'The bastard openly said he was from the Black Church. No idea where that is... Plus, he mentioned mana he'd gathered over ten years. Ten years ago—that lines up with—.'
I pondered deeply. I was starting to piece together why the goblin assassin had come. Still, I couldn't connect it to Niva.
So, I finally asked.
"Sorry, but I don't quite follow. Is there something in this situation that you need to apologize to me for?"
"That's…."
Niva looked down. Even her rabbit ears seemed to droop. She stammered out her answer.
"…Because I asked you to come to the inn. That's why you got attacked."
"Ah, that?"
I shook my head.
"Logically speaking, it's weirder to think a goblin assassin would drop out of nowhere on a path you walked fine before. Apologizing for that would just fluster me."
"And—."
Niva said.
"…I said I'd show you my casual clothes like an idiot. But I wasn't in my bunny girl outfit."
"Casual clothes?"
"Yeah. Just... no sunglasses…."
"Ah."
I see.
'Without the bunny girl outfit, she couldn't use Warp. So she's blaming herself for not warping in right away to respond.'
Hmm.
Honestly.
That seemed like overkill.
The fight with the goblin assassin lasted barely five seconds. Blaming herself for not mobilizing an instant response team in five seconds—not even five minutes—was….
What can I say.
'She's a bit of a perfectionist.'
Regardless of my confusion,
Niva mumbled on with dazed eyes.
"It's always been like this. My grandfather, my lifesaver... I say something pointless and they all.... I swore not to say useless things anymore—. And now Lucius too."
"…."
Classic PTSD.
Attaching her trauma to unrelated events and self-flagellating. She'd probably once called someone out for a dumb reason and gotten them hurt.
'Saw it plenty on the job.'
This rabbit.
More of a headcase than I thought.
'Kind of explains why she insists on solo climbing and why she dumps one-sided impressions on the gallery as a lurker.'
I sighed and sat up. Niva panicked and pushed me back down.
"Lu-Lucius! It's dangerous, lie back!"
"The only place outside the covers that's dangerous is for working stiffs."
"That's not what I mean!"
"Anyway, there's a place I'd like to visit. Can you Warp us there secretly? Too many people worrying about me around."
"…."
Niva nodded glumly.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Moonlit night.
We arrived in the garden behind the lord's manor, where white flowers bloomed amid gravestones etched with names. There were too many to count.
Niva looked around.
"What's this place?"
"Gravestones for those who lost their lives in the Great Catastrophe."
"All of them?"
"Yes."
I walked slowly toward the largest stone, inscribed with a familiar name.
『Lord Antonius Baran rests here』
"Ten years ago, a massive monster horde invaded Walled City Baran. Ogres, orcs, goblins... An army of various subrace beasts. We still don't know why they attacked."
"…."
All subrace monsters except trolls—
A total assault.
They poured in from beyond the fog,
on the opposite side of the city.
"Elite knights, mage corps, Celestial Star brethren... Baran's finest crumbled one by one before the onslaught. But these towering walls were our steadfast allies."
The commander of the monster horde we finally faced was a 'black serpent.' One that only permitted attacks from 'special-grade abilities' and above.
A hellish battle.
Recalling it, I continued.
"So my father—Lord Antonius Baran—along with the sage, high priest, knight captain, and finally me. All special-grade elites fought the black serpent."
A battle for the city's survival.
The result was 'victory.' But only the high priest and I survived. The lord, sage, and knight captain faced their end.
"The high priest and I despaired. But the lord, sage, and knight captain... they laughed."
"…Why?"
"The three most useless humans died, leaving the territory's two hopes."
"…."
"But Walled City Baran remains precarious. We haven't filled the elite ranks, the young successors are green. The city reels just from my injury."
Niva bowed her head.
"Sorry. For those precious lives."
"No, that's not the point of this story."
"Huh?"
I answered.
"In the end, I'm the scumbag who survived off my father and mentor's sacrifice. And with all the power holders dead, I hoard it all alone."
"That's not…!"
To Niva's rebuttal,
I waved it off and continued.
"And."
"…."
"In the end, I got attacked by an assassin while heading out to keep my promise to you."
"…."
"But as you just said, some 'causal links' can't be explained by outcomes alone."
"That's—."
"So let's cherish what's within those 'links.'"
I smiled.
"You wanting to get close enough to show me your casual clothes. And my father and mentor saving me and feeling true relief."
"…."
"Don't torment yourself over past results. Hold onto those precious feelings and move forward. That's how I become an exemplary 'lord,' and you an advancing 'climber.' Drowning in guilt and responsibility gets us nowhere."
"…."
Niva fell silent.
I nodded at her.
'Future vision and rapport-building. The silver tongue of an ex-civil servant with psych training.'
"…."
'Can't get anything done with the territory's sole archmage in headcase mode.'
After a quiet moment.
Niva muttered one thing.
"Got it."
"Good."
"From now on, I'll really protect you by your side."
"!"
An archmage bodyguard.
Couldn't ask for better luck.
'Plus, snag some advanced grimoires on the side.'
My lips twitched up.
But her next words brought them down.
"But I don't know how long. I'm a climber too, so I have to focus on climbing."
"…."
Damn.
Contract work, huh.
'Still... Can't force her to stay, but specifying a term might work.'
I created a quest.
📜 NEW QUEST 📜 Quest Assigned to Climber 'Niva'
📍 Objective: Escort the lord until feelings of guilt fade.
"!"
Niva jumped.
"10,000 EXP—?! That much? For such a vague quest?"
"Yeah, archmage bodyguard rates high."
"What if I finish it right away?"
I smiled.
"Then call it a gift for shedding guilt. From a friend who shares it."
"…."
The lord's secret technique—'reward therapy.'
'Nothing heals a headcase like solid rewards.'
Niva clamped her mouth shut. She turned away, mumbling.
"So sneaky. That."
"Hahaha."
Not expecting much, really.
'A climber who Warps faster than the Hundred Swords Society won't stick around forever.'
Just prep her mind for when she completes it before leaving.
'Then that EXP's like severance pay.'
I was satisfied.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day.
City meeting with even Sword Empress, interim climber rep. Niva introduced herself there, sunglasses on—no middle-aged man look.
"Many of you have seen me, but formally: Climber Niva. Starting yesterday, I'm bodyguard to Lord Lucius Baran."
"!"
Sword Empress said.
"No way—the 'Dimensional Rabbit' the seniors mentioned was you. Surprising. Never saw you myself."
"Newbies might not know. No worries."
"Newbie…."
The city folk, used to Niva doing daily quests, nodded along. Plus, it was my call—no complaints.
-If it's Lady Niva….
-If it's the lord's decision—.
-We'll follow.
"Hm."
Good—no vassals griping about an outsider bodyguard.
'One-man rule's convenient sometimes.'
I summarized first.
"Milla, festival suspended?"
"Yes, Lord. With your safety threatened, no need for lax vibes. Cleared all props, ordered back to work."
"Good."
Then to Sister Lucia.
"Lucia, the thing I asked?"
"Yes. The dungeon gravestone you gave me... and the pebble from the assassin. Analyzed at the Starlight Altar after unsealing: both show traces of black magic using demonic energy."
"What kind?"
"Gravestone used 'power to fix dimensions.' Pebble—an artifact artificially imbued with 'Warp.'"
"I see…."
A legendary archmagic on an artifact—not ordinary. Dungeon drops are basic or low-grade at best.
"…."
'Goblin assassin's level just skyrocketed.'
At 'Warp,'
Niva beside me turned to Lucia.
"Sister, can I see that pebble too?"
"Here?"
"Yeah, Warp's my specialty. Can tell where it links."
"!"
Lucia glanced at me,
I nodded.
Niva took the pebble, passed lights through it with her staff. After minutes of inspection, she pointed outside the manor meeting room.
"About five kilometers that way. Not high-end enough to cross layers, so easy to pinpoint."
"That place…."
Scout Captain Sir William muttered.
"Land beyond the fog with the lake."
"Beyond the fog?"
"Yes, follow the river downstream from Baran. A lake shrouded in impassable fog. We call it the 'Land's Boundary' and steer clear."
"…."
Niva looked at me.
-What do you want to do?
To that look,
I nodded again.
"Sir William, dispatch scouts to investigate anomalies there."
"Understood."
And so.
Sir William, who rode out to scout, returned pale-faced with one report.
At the Land's Boundary,
they'd spotted a 'massive black serpent.'