Chapter 88
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: 9th Floor - Lv. 79 Not-Quite-Weak Guys (5)
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Until evening, I consulted on their mind maps, explained the things they needed to know, and crafted furniture and fixtures. That's how we spent the time.
As evening fell and the sun began to sink, I sparred with the Girl beside the house.
This time, it was to properly teach her how to counter [Skills].
Pure hand-to-hand combat was already tough to advance further. It wasn't a lack of technique, but a lack of experience.
I didn't possess every skill myself, so I substituted some with magic.
To strip away her magic resistance, I had her take off the fairy priestess's robe.
Instead, I put the little mage's robe on her. Everyone was down to single outfits anyway—no helping it.
Using the tiniest threads of mana that the Girl couldn't detect, I replicated the skills I knew.
Different ones each time.
I varied the styles too—as an archer, a mage, a warrior, and sometimes even an assassin.
"Eekyaak!"
The Girl tumbled forward, slamming her face into the ground.
It was astonishing balance for someone caught in [Confuse], but it didn't matter.
"Hiiik!"
The Girl froze in terror. It was [Fear], forcing her to relive her most horrifying moment.
Whatever she saw must've been insane—she was bawling her eyes out while flailing at me. Kinda cute, actually.
"Ugh! Ack! Yaak!"
The Girl got hit by her own thrown dagger. It was a wooden one whittled without a proper edge, so she just got a bump—no real harm.
[Reflect Missile], bouncing projectiles back with zero context.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
The Girl shot into the sky. Not by choice.
[Reverse Gravity], flipping gravity on a whim with no setup.
I wasn't planning to drill the Hunter and the Youngest that harshly. They just needed to excel in their roles.
The Hunter eyed his flintlock wistfully as its ammo dwindled.
The Youngest pondered how to repair his shield. I flat-out told him it was impossible.
The Elder seemed intrigued. He even sparred with the Girl a few times in my place.
As a warrior, a shaman, and even a shamanic warrior wielding spells.
Surprisingly even records—as a warrior, the Girl beat Trdongt.
As a shaman, she got utterly demolished.
"Shaman warrior isn't that great, huh."
"My instincts are still rusty!"
The Elder retorted with a straight face.
As a shaman warrior, it was a deadlock.
The utterly drained Girl spoke up.
"Should I just learn shamanism?"
"Why? Looks like total bullshit?"
"Yeah."
"Ahem."
I ignored the secretly pleased Elder and used magic to melt ice into water for her eyes.
She'd sweated buckets, so laundry and a bath were in order.
Surprisingly, the cabin even had a shower room built.
We usually neglected hygiene amid the grind, but rest time deserved comfort.
Not luxurious enough for privacy, though, so groups of three by gender. I handled heating the water.
Conveniently, the women were just the little mage, the Girl, and the Kid.
The Kid had been staring blankly into space since waking, unnoticed for a while. Not back to normal yet.
How to turn this into that lunatic from the 8th floor?
She reeked, so I sent her off with the others to wash up.
"I'll kill anyone who peeks!"
"Sure, sure. Cute. Real cute."
"You jerk! I'm almost an adult!"
With the Girl's utterly sigh-worthy line, the women filed into the shower room with its warm water.
I kept the temperature steady and sent out bats for the first time in ages.
Anything going on nearby?
Yep.
"These guys are straight-up doing construction? Prepping for a siege?"
Ridiculous. It was just a tiny cabin.
I decided to leave them be until they showed up.
Steam rising, the women emerged. The Youngest and Elder struck double biceps poses at each other before heading in together.
The Hunter sandwiched between them with a sour face.
The Elder seemed deeply impressed by the modern fitness gems the Youngest shared.
Bodybuilding now? Why practice poses?
Maintaining the water temp again, the still-steamy Girl approached.
"Cold. Dry my hair. Wait, that's on me too, huh. Miss it. Hairdryer. Miss it. Electricity."
The Girl ignored my muttering and spoke.
"I lost!"
"To what?"
"To a middle school mage... I'm high school age!"
"Height? Seemed similar. You're a tad shorter now?"
"Not that!"
I decided not to ask. I told the grumbling Girl—complaining about when she'd grow—that small was cute anyway.
"Really?"
Her face lit up instantly.
Still, taller was better for combat.
Oh yeah, forgot the Angel. I grabbed the Girl's hand.
Her eyes widened, then dimmed as she heard the Goddess.
But I didn't let go. Held her other hand tight too.
「Angel? Just reached the kingdom's entrance.」
'Now? Must've had a rough time in space.'
「Some weird stuff popped up, but Angels can free-fly through vacuum barehanded anyway.」
'With an Exile follower observing space, you're linked to the Gobletaria Federation now.'
「Nah. Just chased by space monsters—couldn't spot any civilizations.」
The Labyrinth's continental future stays unknown until confirmed.
Only a clear Exile follower observation connects to future followers.
The Goddess's followers were still just ragged goblin bands scraping by in some backwater.
If a Chaos follower from the future contacts the Gobletaria Federation, she'd instantly gain billions of goblin federation faithful.
「Been a while—got me excited. Heh heh heh.」
NPC followers weren't as potent as Exile ones, but commanding space-era populations was huge scale.
That future had masses but weakened faith from science, magic progress, and Exile reveals.
For the Chaos Church to remain a state religion there? Astonishing.
'How'd you pull that off?'
「Pretty amazing, right?」
Truly, so I didn't deny it.
I'd been a god before, but not long-term.
She outclassed me in godhood know-how—humbly acknowledged.
「Wait, you're aiming to top that too?」
'I'm pretty amazing myself.'
「True that.」
She concedes so easily. Heh.
'Angel didn't spot Blanche, huh?'
Low odds, but possible.
「Nope.」
Good. Didn't want weird bad blood brewing out of sight.
Probably already in the kingdom by now?
Timeline fit.
I observed the Exile crew constructing outside via bats, then checked on the Kid.
Still out of it. Time for shock therapy. To a vampire, blood was flesh and soul—all of it.
Prick our fingers.
Press wounds together. Veins linked as one.
Same bloodline, no rejection—just flowed. Thoughts mingled: hers, mine.
Shock therapy: the Exile's endless despair, horrific memories.
Mine were purest vintage.
I read hers too.
Nothing mattered. Too bothersome, exhausting.
Just wanted to die.
Time for motivation. Indirect taste of my life.
Ten minutes later, the Kid convulsed, trembling.
Heh, glimpse of my inner darkness.
Finally, her eyes shifted.
"Who...?"
Trembling scarlet eyes.
Not convulsions—pure fear.
Was calling me "Daddy" like this the plan?
Honestly, not sure if fully my will.
Knowing the future already flowed that way influenced the choice.
I sighed softly and showed her the cape.
A small, tattered one draping one shoulder.
Should be familiar.
"Mm, yeah. Daddy."
The Kid's eyes widened.
Stumbling forward into a hug.
Fondling the cape.
I didn't look like Barbaroi.
Barbaroi was aristocratic, arrogant, slicked-back hair. Handsome but icy.
I seemed warmer, right?
Didn't matter to the Kid.
"Waaah! Uwaaaang!"
Tiring day.
Heard the rough tale of Barbaroi's clan crumbling, members straggling behind.
Stuttering and clumsy speech, but sharp eyes.
Magic talent implied smarts too.
Hm, the Girl too? Basically bright, but sometimes shockingly dense.
Anyway, soothing kids was routine.
One candy—not offered to the Goddess—calmed her fully.
The self-proclaimed mom Girl watched and said,
"The Goddess has been grumbling about no candy lately."
"Want me to take it?"
The Girl glanced up. Asking again, huh.
「She's enduring.」
Means she considered snatching it. Cooking too well tempts even gods...
"So where's the real daddy?"
Barbaroi talk.
"You'll meet him soon. Stick around here a bit—he'll be there when you go."
Doubt and hostility in the Kid's eyes.
Inevitable? Stranger vampire suddenly wielding clan master's power.
But instinct knew. Blood confirmed it.
I wasn't clan master.
"Rest easy for now."
I said no more and stepped away.
The Girl would handle it. She adored the Kid. I wasn't lacking confidence, but she'd do better.
The Kid had that 1st-floor level friendliness—trailing a total stranger like me.
Even missed the grove fairies now, after bonding quick.
Stepped outside.
Sun fully set.
The construction crew had hastily retreated, gone into hiding.
Probably rigged detectors for me emerging.
No fools fought vampires at night.
They'd lurk thoroughly, then strike with prep.
But overkill for one Exile vampire. Why?
I turned fully to bats and flew up.
Could scatter as tiny bats, but fewer larger ones were easier to control.
Scouting around, I realized.
Magic circles everywhere—for fire or lightning.
But odd shapes. Not tread-traps; huge circles ringing the cabin.
Barrier vibe.
Not blocking magic—physically incinerating passersby.
Like bats or blood flowing overhead.
Close-up coordinates confirmed: high-altitude detection too.
"This is it. They think Barbaroi's here."
Impressively capable. Prep at lightning speed.
Makes me think even odd-floor Exiles are outleveling their floors lately.
Tons of mages too.
The Girl's influence? If so, our party's farming better—Exiles bringing tribute.
Pity the Angel hadn't used her card; we'd swallow 'em whole.
Predictions on point.
Well-hidden claymores dotted around.
Less anti-vampire, more unsure of cabin headcount.
But their existence meant—if sun rose—these home-invaders got lucky.
Tons to loot.