Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Tomb King Necredin (5)
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“Ku… kuheot?”
Alicia short-circuited from the surprise confession + confession attack.
Aren and Mine were the same.
“Whaaat?!”
“N-not the time for jokes!”
“This isn’t a joke.”
I knew it was insane.
I had no idea how to deal with the aftermath either.
But this was the only way.
Aren was impossible.
Mine fizzled out for some inexplicable reason.
All that was left was Her Highness with favorability level 0.
Whether I turned that 0 into a 1 or a 2, I had to raise it to the bare minimum needed to activate Dual Arts.
Conveniently, I had the collection of love fables I’d bought with Cecilia in my bag.
In the original story, the gift that raised her favorability wasn’t the book itself. It was reciting the cringey lines from inside it.
I’d read it myself because of that, but honestly, I couldn’t understand why she liked it. Every line of dialogue from the characters was embarrassingly corny.
‘I’m about to do that myself.’
“Senior.”
I made eye contact with Alicia and spoke.
“In this hellish place, the only thing that kept my heart afloat was you, Senior.”
A line from chapter 3 of Love Fables Volume 3, ‘Flames of the Battlefield.’
Damn it, I never thought I’d actually say this out loud.
“……”
Alicia’s face stiffened.
She was clearly shaken.
Did it work?
[Alicia Cyrus]
[Favorability Level: 0]
Nope.
Wait, why not?
Shouldn’t it have gone up?
Alicia paused in thought for a moment, then casually brushed her hair behind her ear.
She twisted her fingers in the air, eyes fixed on the floor as she repeatedly tapped the tip of her shoe.
“Th-this is embarrassing.”
Her cheeks flushed red.
Now?
[Alicia Cyrus]
[Favorability Level: 0]
Still nope.
‘No choice.’
As I prepared to recite the second line.
“Is this necessary?”
“……Pardon?”
“In conquering this dungeon, are you saying I need to feel romantic affection for a junior like you?”
She caught on.
Her cheeks, which had been red just moments ago, had returned to their natural color.
Only I and Alicia understood the situation.
Aren and Mine looked back and forth between us in bewilderment.
“……How did you know?”
“Because where affection should be, I saw only anxiety and purpose.”
“I see.”
“So, your answer?”
Alicia had always loved theater.
She called herself an assistant director, but she was a woman who wore masks all day in the imperial snake pit, living a theatrical life.
Amateur acting like mine wouldn’t fool her.
“…It’s true that we need some kind of emotional bond, even if not full romantic affection.”
“Continue.”
“My Abyss Core can manifest new Arts based on bonds with allies.”
Aren whipped around to look at me in shock.
She thought my ability was teleportation-based.
Cecilia and Adelin also knew different versions of my ability. This was going to make syncing stories later a nightmare.
“So…”
“Hold on.”
Alicia cut me off.
“I get the gist. You and I need to form a bond, and that’s the key to conquering this dungeon. But why bring it up now? If it was that important, you should’ve said so on day one.”
My mistake.
Alicia had noticed the inconsistency in my behavior with her keen eyes.
Why didn’t I say it on day one?
Because it only just occurred to me.
I wouldn’t have thought of it if I hadn’t died once.
“If there’s anything else you haven’t said, spill it all. I’ll judge based on the content.”
How far could I go?
Even I thought the sequence of events so far was awkwardly suspicious.
From their perspective: just as we’re about to enter the dungeon, I suddenly cover Mine’s ears and summon Logia, and now I’m abruptly confessing to Alicia like an idiot.
Yeah, I look like a total lunatic.
Anyone but a fool would sense something off.
Even if this plan worked, after the dungeon, they’d grill me: “How did you know to act that way in advance?”
Aren was already shocked just from me revealing Rene’s ability as Dual Arts.
And if I brought up regression here too?
“If you truly want my bond, you must show me an equivalent bond in return.”
“……”
“Trust me. As I trust my junior.”
But Alicia’s follow-up struck right at the core.
[Unique Ability - Action Rewind 2 / 3]
The message in my mind urged me on.
One chance left.
If this final attempt failed, it was over.
So far, I’d muddled through by figuring out patterns alone and giving orders.
But fake Necredin couldn’t be cleared without party members’ help.
Half-baked lies or improvisation wouldn’t get 100% out of these three.
‘Then instead…’
A boss full of variables.
To break through all variables and take it down…
I took a slow breath and looked at each of them in turn.
They were all still confused, but their eyes held no suspicion toward me.
Right.
‘I have no choice but to become the variable myself.’
I’d made up my mind.
“Fine.”
I pointed at Rene.
“…My core’s ability is Conditional Regression. Three times, I can rewind time to a point before combat. We’ve been wiped out twice inside there.”
Silence fell.
Regression. An absurd ability, even ridiculous.
A power that reversed time itself.
A true heaven-defying authority.
This world had gods, and most people believed in them.
The Empire’s or Mine’s main god, Aren’s Celestial Pole God—all progressed only forward.
Naturally, divine powers worked the same way. Time flowed, life advanced, everything moved ahead.
But backward?
I’d hidden the ability until now partly because ‘rewinding time’ went against divine providence in this world.
I didn’t want to spill it and get branded a spy. Halibal in the original was a spy too.
Of course, I felt wronged. Even I didn’t know why Rene had this power.
So yeah, no wonder they were stunned.
“……Wait. Then the teleportation you mentioned…”
“That too.”
“What? That’s cheating!”
My brow furrowed involuntarily.
I never expected to hear “cheating” from Aren.
You’re the bigger cheater, in my book.
Then Mine clapped as if something clicked.
“Ah…! Now I get what you said on the first day of herbology class! It’s been bothering me.”
“What?”
“During the beast dungeon conquest! Halibal wasn’t hurt at all, right? But back then…”
“Ah.”
‘We were immobilized and took a massive hit because of it.’
When we beat Barhatan, I really didn’t take a single hit. The three deaths’ experiences were erased.
But the memories lingered, so I must’ve slipped up without realizing.
To think she remembered it all this time.
“I kept wondering whether to ask…”
“Hold on. Then what about the power to manifest new Arts?”
“That too.”
Their faces stiffened again.
Of course, Rene’s ability was just Action Rewind, and the rest derived from turn-based combat.
But cores had one ability each.
I’d said I had three, so naturally they’d think it could be more.
“Hah… Teleportation, Art manifestation, time regression? You sound like some transcendent being.”
“Not quite. There are restrictions.”
“Now all your junior’s outrageous actions make sense.”
“……”
“Fine. Let’s set aside your ‘abilities’ for now… What was inside? How did we get wiped? Tell us everything, no omissions.”
I told them all about Necredin.
“So in the end, we need overwhelming firepower to hit all five within the time limit.”
“That’s why I needed your bond, Senior.”
I’d worried about immediate grilling, but fortunately, they huddled up to brainstorm the DPS shortage.
Several ideas came up, most rejected.
But.
‘Not bad.’
The fact that the four of us were pondering together what I’d been agonizing over alone.
That alone lightened my heart.
While they racked their brains, I pulled out Rene and aimed at Alicia again.
[Alicia Cyrus]
[Favorability Level: 0]
Still nothing.
“You measure some bond index with that?”
“Something like that.”
“Any change?”
“My acting must’ve been too amateurish.”
“Probably because it was acting.”
Alicia smirked.
“But your sincerity got through, so that’s enough.”
She placed a hand on my shoulder.
“If you want a bond, fine. I’ll form one with you as much as needed.”
[Alicia Cyrus’s Favorability Level has risen.]
[Alicia Cyrus]
[Favorability Level: 1]
It appeared.
Just 1, but still.
Wait, could you really raise favorability on a whim like flipping a switch?
Alicia noticed my doubt and gave a sly smile.
“No need to be surprised. I just shed one layer.”
[Alicia Cyrus’s Favorability Level has risen.]
“Didn’t I say I’d bet everything on you? Of course I trust you. And…”
She whispered softly in my ear.
“…I already had plenty of favorability.”
[Alicia Cyrus’s Favorability Level has risen.]
“I just never showed it publicly, since it never ended well.”
“……”
“Everyone entangled with me met bad ends. You could become my weakness, or I yours. …Better to avoid that if possible.”
[Alicia Cyrus’s Favorability Level has risen.]
[Alicia Cyrus]
[Favorability Level: 4]
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
From 1 to 4 in a few words?
I looked at Alicia, and strangely, her demeanor seemed softer than before.
A red tint colored her cheeks.
No trace of acting like the first time.
It didn’t feel fake.
‘She was deliberately hiding her favorability.’
Thinking back, her favorability might’ve been 4 or higher from the start.
Not rising just now—it was masked so thoroughly even Rene couldn’t detect it.
That made sense.
“How is it now?”
“Let me check.”
[Dual Arts - Halibal & Alicia]
[Available]
‘Phew.’
Now I had a shot at breaking that shitty 10-turn wall.
With a reliable piece like Alicia, I had to bet everything on her.
“We’re good.”
I pocketed Rene and explained the plan to the three.
They all listened more intently than before. No need to beat around the bush anymore.
That wasn’t all.
“Hold on. If they clump up, wouldn’t it be better to Absolute Decree right away?”
“I’ll focus on binding the wraiths’ feet with my Crimson Palm.”
They all knew their own limits and potential better than I did.
They pointed out minute variables I’d overlooked and proposed roles for themselves.
Incorporating the feedback raised the plan’s completion even higher.
“Ready? Let’s go.”
As we stood before the door, Alicia quietly asked.
“Aren’t you… worried, Junior?”
“I am. Rerunning a boss fight I’ve failed twice, or a new Art activating differently than expected—all of it.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Her gaze traced my profile.
“Aren’t you worried your secrets we just learned might leak to others?”
I looked at her for a moment.
“I have a duty to answer His Majesty truthfully. Mine can’t ignore the Pope’s authority either, and Aren will report to the True Nosha. Your secrets spreading is just a matter of time.”
“……”
“Your safety could be at risk.”
“I’ve steeled myself for that.”
“I’m worried. Probably because I’m the princess. I should’ve stayed ignorant.”
“I’m not worried.”
“Why?”
“Because I only worry about variables.”
I said calmly.
“Once I’ve told the three of you, whatever happens from this is now a constant. No time to fret over the unpredictable when even foreknown events demand attention.”
Alicia’s eyes curved slightly.
A gaze filled with indescribable emotion.
“You said one last chance remains?”
“Yes.”
“If…”
She hesitated, then leaned close. A secretive whisper brushed my ear.
“If this fails and you regress once more, relay this to me.”
Her lips, inches from mine, whispered a few words.
“One word, and the ‘next’ me won’t bother prying or doubting your secrets.”
⁎⁎⁎
[Why would…]
Slash!
Third time.
I fired sword energy I’d prepared before it could speak, cutting off its dialogue.
Logia blocked Necredin’s attack.
My turn.
I gripped Rene.
“Ready?”
“Anytime.”
With Alicia’s curt reply, the air beneath our feet warped.
Wooong!
My ashen aura clashed with her deep crimson mana, producing a deafening roar that shook space itself.
Fwaaah!
A red magic circle etched into the sky.
Crimson thunder enveloped the battlefield, and the scene’s colors began to shift.
Everything slowed.
Sound reached my ears a beat late, motion afterimages stacking in the air without catching reality.
A fierce flash, and the magic circle settled fully onto the ground.
That was it.
‘Not an offensive Art?’
Disappointing. A bomb from above wiping them all would’ve been ideal.
Still, a magic circle that size had to do something.
Anyway, my and Alicia’s turns skipped.
“Is that it?”
“Yes. Everyone just follow the plan from here.”
Mine’s turn.
“Holy Calling!”
Mine hurled a sphere of holy power at the wraiths clustered around Logia.
Kwaang!
Light exploded, and the wraiths screamed.
That was when.
Another sphere trailed right behind the first’s path.
A crimson-mana duplicate afterimage of Holy Calling.
It slammed into the first explosion’s spot in succession.
Kwaaaang!
The blast, broader than the original Holy Calling, swallowed the wraiths.
‘This is…!’
[Dual Arts - Halibal & Alicia]
[Crimson Flame Track Array]
[Deploys a field. All ally attacks in the field duplicate the previous attack, spreading damage around the hit point.]