Chapter 49: The Decisive Difference
Chapter 49: The Decisive Difference
“I really can’t believe it!”
Hugestis suddenly shouted, his face completely red.
“Kid, do you still not understand what you’ve accomplished? You’re the first to clear Pleasure Metropolis, a dungeon that remained unconquered for a full ten years since it first appeared!”
The first conquerors of a labyrinth.
The greatest honor for explorers had fallen into the hands of a newly formed expedition whose name had barely even been heard.
Not only had we uncovered a hidden piece that remained undiscovered for ten years, we had also cleared a C-Rank labyrinth with insufficient level and manpower.
“With an achievement like that, it’ll cause a sensation across all of Pletika, not just District 3! Who knows, the Glorien Family might even try to recruit you!”
Perhaps because he was drunk, he was saying absurd things.
The Glorien Family.
The massive force managing Zone 1 would never accept a treacherous cultist or a cowardly assassin into their expedition.
And a rookie swordsman whose career had only just begun would hardly be a target either.
“The Glorien Family? I’m really that impressive…!”
But Pendrick had already lost the ability to judge things properly due to intoxication and accepted the drunken beastman’s nonsense without question.
Soon the genius swordsman looked at me with sparkling eyes.
“I honestly still couldn’t believe it until now! Captain, you really gave me a huge opportunity! Caaaptaiiin! I’ll serve you for life!”
—……
Astrimia, who was resting in her lover’s arms because there were no seats, let out a mental sigh.
Hugestis, swaying beside us, wrapped an arm around Pendrick’s shoulders.
“To be honest, I originally came to recruit just the half-elf and the plant elf into our Inter-Species Association. You two would be a huge asset to us. But now I want to bring Pendrick along too!”
“…Hugestis, he’s human.”
Mek covered his face and shook his head.
But the drunken dog beastman didn’t seem to hear the goblin.
“Everyone! Do you know this? The expedition that discovered the hidden piece of Pleasure Metropolis and cleared it for the first time is right here!”
Hugestis climbed onto a chair and began loudly boasting about our achievements.
“So there was this giant monster called the King of the Dead, and these three clever explorers defeated it with their wits! Amazing, isn’t it?!”
Our method of clearing the labyrinth was already spreading in exaggerated form in real time.
Strictly speaking it wasn’t wrong, but it made it sound as though we had easily killed a Level-9 monster.
“Ugh, this guy seriously….”
Mek tried to drag him down despite staggering drunkenly, but I stopped him from stopping.
“Leave him be. He’s kindly spreading the astonishing achievements of our expedition for us.”
“…Well, if you’re fine with it.”
Sitting beside the goblin, I watched Hugestis begin singing drunkenly before speaking casually.
“Mek, how is the Invincible Father these days?”
“……”
The drunken goblin suddenly stiffened and looked at me.
Without breaking eye contact, he rested his chin on the table and pulled out a cigar.
“How did you know?”
“Didn’t I tell you before? Lidni knows everything.”
“Heh, I knew it ever since you won over ten thousand coins just from card games at the casino.”
Lighting the cigar, the goblin examined me up and down.
“You have some kind of Mystery related to knowledge or information, don’t you? That’s how you figured out everything about the hidden piece.”
“That’s right. Mek, you should also devote yourself to Lidni. Then you’ll come to understand all the truths of the world.”
“If your Evil God really gave you the power to know every labyrinth’s secrets, I might genuinely consider worshiping him. Could it be even more knowledgeable than Arteine’s mysteries?”
The goblin quickly regained his senses.
“Hmm… actually, that can’t be right. Even if you gathered all the followers across the continent, there probably wouldn’t even be a hundred.”
“A precise estimate. Honestly, how great can someone be when their followers don’t even reach three digits?”
I respected Lidni more than anyone.
But I was also a cultist who preferred to state facts clearly.
“That makes me suspicious. Maybe it’s not your Evil God that’s amazing—maybe your insight is just exceptional.”
“I’ll accept that pleasant compliment.”
“…If you were a priest of the Harmony Church instead, you’d probably be a far more famous explorer. Intelligence clearly belongs to Arteine’s domain.”
“Wisdom” and “knowledge” were separate attributes.
At present, the deity most associated with wisdom was clearly Arteine.
“Actually, this is a secret, but Lidni—once called ‘the Wise One’—was completely defeated by Arteine in a battle of wits back when Lidni had far more followers. These days ‘the Learned One’ would be more accurate, but Lidni refuses because of pride.”
《I strongly recommend you stop dropping truth bombs.》
Ignoring Truth’s protest, I sipped my beer.
Mek watched me with interest.
“…You’re very different from other cultists. Most of them go berserk if someone insults their Evil God.”
“Yes, I am different. There’s definitely a difference.”
I had dependents to protect.
Companions who fought beside me.
And a great deal of knowledge.
But most importantly—
I could serve multiple Evil Gods at once.
And soon another would be added.
Please wait patiently, Lady Leria.
It was time to become a triple cultist.
Tonight truly felt wonderful.
A full moon hung in the sky.
People staggered through the streets.
It wasn’t a particularly beautiful sight, but the pleasant buzz of alcohol made the ordinary world seem extraordinary.
“Haha! Shall we go, little brother?”
“Let’s!”
Pendrick and Hugestis, now calling each other brothers, staggered toward the night market arm in arm.
Astrimia hung on Pendrick’s back, swaying side to side in discomfort.
“…I should head back. My stomach’s churning.”
Mek, too drunk to walk properly, extended his hand.
“If you ever come to Zone 5, visit the Inter-Species Association headquarters and look for me. I’ll treat you properly.”
“Understood. Buy something expensive.”
“…Maybe moderately expensive. Anyway, see you next time. And drink less!”
After repeatedly warning me not to drink too much, Mek waved and left.
As I watched him go, Rosalia suddenly grabbed my wrist and began walking south toward our inn.
“You want to go back already? Can’t we have a little more fun? I heard there’s a bard orchestra performing at the theater.”
“……”
The red-haired elf pointed at my face and drew an X with her finger.
“Hmm. Are you saying I drank too much?”
Well, I had drunk two whole glasses.
From an outsider’s perspective I probably looked like a mess.
“I’m perfectly fine. See? I’m speaking normally.”
But Rosalia simply shook her head.
Soon we returned to our inn.
The Sheep’s Roar Inn.
She forced me onto the bed, covered me with a blanket, turned off the mana lamp, and left.
《Your face is as red as Rosalia’s hair. I recommend sleeping immediately.》
Even Eye That Perceives Truth advised rest.
“Alright. I’ll just finish one last thing first.”
The quiet darkness of the room.
The silence of the Dreaming Path outside.
Perfect conditions for a ritual.
From my subspace I took out the greatest prize of the labyrinth expedition and placed it at the center of the room.
A vivid stone statue of a fire-breathing cobra.
So lifelike it seemed as if it might move.
I knelt before it.
“O you who cover the world in gloomy twilight and summon inevitable death.”
The curtains trembled.
Hot wind filled the room even though the windows were closed.
“This cultist Kar offers a prayer to the Silent One.”
Silence fell.
A suffocating stillness filled the room.
Fwoosh.
A small flame appeared above the cobra idol.
Weaker than a candle.
Fainter than a firefly.
“Please answer my call.”
The tiny flame flickered.
The darkness deepened.
Then—
【H-hello…】
A faint oracle echoed in my mind.
The Watcher of Lonely Silence.
The great deity who governs the flames of life and death.
Leria had answered.
【D-did you… call me…?】
If it sounded timid compared to the future, that must be an illusion.
A deity who once ruled the Evil God faction wouldn’t be shy.
“Actually no. I was trying to call someone else. Why are you answering, Lady Leria?”
【I-I see…? I’m sorry. I’ll go now…】
“No, I did call you.”
【Ah… haha… it was a joke…】
If I continued teasing like I did with Marlin, she might actually leave.
So I stopped.
“Watcher of Lonely Silence. I wish to become your cultist.”
【Y-you really want to become my cultist…?】
Even through the faint oracle, I could hear excitement.
“Yes. What must I do to gain the honor of serving your flames?”
Unlike Sue’je, whose requirements were simply appearance—
Leria’s requirements were even simpler.
【Th-there are no requirements. You… are now my follower.】
Evaluation criteria.
None.
【You don’t even have to practice worship.】
“How could that be?”
【I truly desire nothing.】
“Still, there must be something you want from me.”
【Something I want…?】
Leria thought for a long time.
Finally—
【Then… I have a request.】
After a long silence she spoke again.
【Please… don’t abandon me.】
Current number of Leria’s followers.
Three.
Including me.