Chapter 75
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: To Survive
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A dice appeared.
12-Sided Dice
Approximately twice as difficult as ordinary events.
"You even know how to curse?"
"Things are getting really fucked up."
"Yeah, I get why you'd swear. Telling us to frame someone if we can't catch the real culprit in time? That's bullshit."
Helen nodded with a smile that seemed to understand my frustration, looking unfazed as if she'd been through this a hundred times.
Her attitude made me snap back curtly without thinking.
"Even if they frame me and kill me as the culprit, the real killer gets to walk free and keep doing their thing. What's the point of that?"
"Is it because you're young, or because you're new to adventuring?"
Helen furrowed her brow and glanced at Shan and Marcel, as if asking them to explain. Marcel picked up where she left off.
"Everyone knows you're not the culprit. But to the higher-ups, that doesn't really matter."
"What...?"
"If they can't catch the real one in time, having you take the fall is a warning measure."
"A warning for what?"
"A warning to the real killer: stop now, or you'll end up just like this framed bastard."
"That's bullshit."
"Whether it's fair or not doesn't matter to them. Sometimes it even works—the real crimes stop after they pull this stunt."
Marcel glanced at Helen as he trailed off.
"But this is supposed to be confidential. Why spill it?"
"Oh, it is secret. If the fall guy knows, they'll bolt. But when have I ever cared about that?"
That explained why the higher-ups hated her guts.
She had my back, but she didn't give a damn about rank or protocol—just did whatever she wanted.
"If you weren't coming with me, I wouldn't have told you. But you decided to join up, right? That makes you one of mine. And I take care of my own."
Helen said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Anyway, a few others got the same quest. Watch your back."
"Because I'm easier to deal with than the mystery killer?"
"Yep. Whoever chopped up a noble's escort had a huge skill gap—no fierce resistance. Easier to wait out the timer, frame you, and call it done. Quest complete either way."
We fell silent as Helen shrugged it off like no big deal.
The situation was dirty and vile.
All the world's malice and bad luck felt aimed right at me.
But it wasn't anything new.
It was the malice I knew, the kind I'd always expected to hit eventually.
It just came sooner than I thought. Since I'd seen it coming, regaining my cool was easy.
"Helen."
"Yeah?"
"I want to help track down the real killer. That okay?"
"You?"
Helen stared at me, eyes wide in surprise. I met her gaze without flinching.
Her blood-red eyes sent chills down my spine, but there was no hostility.
Just curiosity.
Last time, fear had clouded it, but now... I got a glimpse of who she really was.
Innocently bizarre.
Like a kid doing whatever struck her fancy.
"You won't be much help."
"I know Hector, so I can ask around directly. My life's on the line—I can't just sit this out."
"Guess it couldn't hurt..."
Helen pouted thoughtfully, then smiled and nodded.
"Fine. But if you drag me down, you're out."
"...Got it."
"Can we help too?"
That was when Shan stepped up. Helen replied indifferently.
"You two stay put. A silver-rank escort with real combat chops got diced without a fight. This ain't silver-rank business."
I wanted to ask when silvers became "that level," but the situation shut me up.
For once, her words were music to my ears.
This was dangerous.
Not your average case—the dice and trait bump screamed demon involvement.
If they jumped in and something went wrong... unthinkable.
I shook my head firmly at their "you sure?" looks. They frowned and tsked, but I wouldn't budge.
To protect them.
"Let's move, then."
With just two days max, no time to waste.
Decision made, action now.
Next stop: Hector. He'd have key info on why his escort headed to the sewers.
Escorts always report when leaving post.
"See you later, Shan, Marcel."
We left them and headed to the clinic.
No apprentice tourney now—a real event was on, patients everywhere.
Way more crowded than last time.
Quick check-in, straight to Hector's room.
Two silver-ranks guarded it. They scowled at Helen but let us pass.
No permission from the patient, but time was critical.
"Lord Hector."
"...Ellie?"
Hector's dead eyes fixed on me, surprise cracking his expression.
"They said a gold-rank would investigate. Didn't expect you too."
"I'm involved."
Dice meant unavoidable danger tied to me. Better face it head-on.
"Can you tell us what happened?"
"Not much to tell. He was Father's man first—prioritized his orders over mine."
"But he'd say why he was stepping out, right?"
Helen jumped in casually. Startled eyes met gold-rank status—even demoted, it fit.
Golds talked down to nobles like him without much offense.
"Said he had someone to meet in the capital."
"...Pardon?"
"Told me it'd be quick, to rest easy. Left in light clothes."
"Light clothes...?"
"No armor, no weapons."
"He left his weapons behind?"
This world was rough—folks carried blades without issue.
Ditching armor and arms? Huge red flag.
"Yeah, bugged me at recovery. No weapon, but fight traces. He'd have armed up if he expected trouble."
Helen tapped her lips, thinking. I wasn't the sharpest, but pieced it together.
"Someone he couldn't face armed... or trusted deeply. Lord Hector, any contacts in the capital?"
"Not that I know. First time here."
"I see."
Then higher-up seemed likelier.
Can't just drop weapons for a pal.
This was the royal capital.
Nobles and royals everywhere.
Motive and brutality unexplained, but if one summoned him... it fit.
"Got it. Thanks for talking despite everything."
"I'm sharp enough to know it's messy. Tough for both of us."
"Stay safe."
"You too."
Short chat done, we left.
Next: sewers. Crime scene.
"Kids already head over heels for you."
"...Huh?"
"They like you."
"Cut the crap."
"...Uh? Oh, yeah."
Nerves frayed, I bit back hard.
Helen blinked at the curse, nodded, and shut up. Sewers reached.
Three silvers on guard, like Hector's room.
They spotted Helen, pretended not to—but had to talk.
"Hi. Since sealing the sewers, anyone in or out?"
Silver or not, gold-rank backup got us intel.
Sealed right after body found day prior.
No one since.
"...Whew."
"Gonna check it out?"
"Yeah."
Experts already swept it.
My look-see? Pointless normally.
Waste of time.
But I had a plan.
Dice triggered. Trait active.
Use it?
Dice gauged my peril.
Framing executioners in two days.
Real killer proximity might trigger again.
Masked up, we entered.
Stale air, stench.
Bugs, rats, pitch black.
"...Tch."
Too easy.
-D20_1
14 +2 (Trait)
Result: 16 - Special Event Difficulty: Very Hard!!
...Even with Helen here, 16.
No ordinary foe.
Confirmation came quick.
A red-haired female doll appeared before us.
Behind it: a demon with dozens of eyes.
Blood Giant vibes.
The demon cradled the doll like a nanny—eerie as hell.
Tamed?
Naive thought.
Its tentacles stroked her tenderly, lovingly.
Loved by a demon.
"Hi?"
The doll stared at me calmly, greeting.
"Too soon to meet. Annoying. Some pull between our kinds?"
"...You know her?"
"No way."
I mutter to myself a lot, but never met a doll.
"Disposing of my trash mobs okay?"
"...What?"
"Hand 'em over as demon subjugation proof. Fixes your mess. Didn't mean trouble. Sorry."
"What the hell did you do...?"
She answered flatly.
"Leveled up. Strong NPCs give big EXP. My demons love strong blood too. Guild's sniffing now, so one last big meal then quit..."
She tilted her head in the demon's arms.
"Too bad. Didn't wanna kill folks anyway."
"You think you can just stop after murdering people?"
"People?"
She looked baffled.
"No? Never killed any."
Then—
Bang! Air ripped. Doll's head exploded.
"The fuck you talking to a demon for? Real cultist?"
"...No."
The demon roared in grief.
Sewer water splashed, ceiling dust rained.
Tentacles laid her down gently. It rose.
Dozens of eyes from walls, floor, ceiling locked on us.
"Tricky. Can't protect you and fight."
"Figured."
"But great shortcut to power, right? Just survive. I'll handle it."
Helen gripped her rapier confidently, posed.
I drew mine.
Dice odds?
Beating it: impossible.
Best I could do: survive till end.