Chapter 67
Chapter 67
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Pretentious
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Gloria Grace.
She's described as a powerful being, but she never actually clashes with the protagonist in the game.
Instead, she's positioned as an ally, lending her strength when tackling a specific boss.
But as with any game, enemies turn dramatically weak when they become allies.
And allies suddenly become unbelievably strong when they turn into enemies.
Right now, she was the latter.
Gloria Grace was spewing ferocious crimson mana, as if the three arrows she'd shown in the game had been all she had.
"Has the Archmage betrayed us?"
"Ahem."
When her gaze landed on Rok Pelican, the Archmage awkwardly scratched his neck and shook his head.
"Not at all. If His Majesty desires it, I would naturally take Deus's head myself."
Deia and Darius flinched in surprise and immediately assumed combat stances.
But Rok Pelican crossed his arms in bewilderment and asked,
"However, did His Majesty truly decide on Deus's execution? And even if so, issue the order to you lot like this?"
"Yes, I received His Majesty's command directly."
"Hmm..."
Rok Pelican's reaction was one of utter incomprehension. He knew Orpheus well enough to realize that even if he'd decided to eliminate me, he wouldn't borrow others' hands like this.
If he could cut ties so cleanly, he wouldn't have agonized over it all this time.
"Deus, what do you think?"
Rok Pelican asked for my opinion. Meeting Gloria's stare head-on, I flicked my eyes toward him and replied.
"An evil spirit has possessed His Majesty. One that's slithered down through the long history of the Griffin Dynasty, like a massive serpent."
"..."
Rok Pelican listened gravely, then glanced at Gloria.
The reason Gloria's knights hadn't moved yet was simple.
This old man's allegiance hadn't been decided.
He met my eyes again, tapped his staff on the ground twice, and answered.
"I owe you a debt, so I'll trust you this once."
"..."
"However, if this turns out to be false, I'll take your head before offering mine to His Majesty."
"Do as you please."
The fierce mana surging from Rok Pelican beside me made Gloria's mana seem utterly insignificant, even as she bit her lip.
"I never imagined you'd be the traitor, Archmage."
"Gloria. Remember that all my actions stem from loyalty and affection."
The ground began to rumble. The Archmage's mana seeped into the surroundings, and soon,
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thick, massive tree roots burst from all directions, assaulting the knights.
The armored knights were slow to react but didn't suffer major casualties.
At worst, a few took direct hits to the head and passed out.
Gloria swiftly swung her sword and shouted.
"Retreat! If the Archmage has turned foe, fighting underground puts us at a disadvantage!"
The Royal Knights pulled back like arrows. It was a comical sight, but undeniably a sound tactic.
In the end, we had no choice but to exit. The underground prison had only one passage.
Stepping out, I could already imagine the Royal Knight Order surrounding us densely.
"Any ideas?"
Our steps toward the exit felt unbearably heavy. Even to Rok Pelican's question, I kept my mouth shut before admitting honestly.
"My power won't be of much use here."
[There are too few souls in this place.]
The Black Necromancer added her concern from behind.
The Griffin ancestors had been black mages, so the royal family had no shortage of souls—or so one would think. But the evil spirit possessing King Orpheus now seemed to have tampered with them somehow.
'Not even the spirits simply resting in peace remain.'
People close their eyes and fall into slumber upon death. That's repose.
Yet even the number of spirits in repose here was shockingly low. I considered whether to awaken them with Remegaton despite the distaste, but such paltry numbers would be like borrowing a cat's paw.
'Did it erase the souls entirely? Or absorb them like bone centipedes?'
Given the Black Necromancer's testimony that it resembled a demon, absorption was a real possibility.
Even with Remegaton, called the Spirit Stone, it was useless without souls to borrow or command.
"Urgh. And Tairn the Magic Judge is probably outside too. Can't you handle him? Didn't you overwhelm him once before?"
I'd sensed the heavy, dull mana outside belonged to Tairn long ago.
I answered honestly.
"It's not impossible. But I can't overwhelm him like before. Back then, it was thanks to the souls slumbering in the execution grounds."
"I see."
Rok Pelican nodded and turned to Darius.
"What about you, Count of Northwedden?"
"..."
Darius awkwardly turned his head away. Even as a border count defending the frontier, he couldn't face the Royal Guard Captain or Magic Judge.
"Then you..."
Rok Pelican shifted his gaze to Deia. She drew the mana rifle from her waist and shrugged.
"It's infused with mana, Republic make. But it'd probably just tickle those guys outside."
The scrap merchants trailing behind went without saying.
"...Sigh."
These were the kingdom's elites among elites. We were like prey caught in the tiger's maw, right at its toughest molars.
"This is truly dire."
Yet Rok Pelican didn't loosen his grip on his staff.
The stairs leading outside came into view.
"This old man will give it his all."
Rok Pelican exhaled steadily. Knowing his disciples would be out there, his feigned calm was a touch pitiful.
If worst came to worst, we weren't out of options entirely. But that was a last bastion, to be saved for the absolute final moment.
So I clutched Remegaton tight and told the Black Necromancer.
"We don't know what might happen. Stick right by me."
[Got it.]
"Eh?"
The reply came unexpectedly from behind the Black Necromancer. As she flapped over and clung to my back, Deia, hidden behind her, came into view.
Deia couldn't see the Black Necromancer, so she must've thought I was talking to her.
"Jeez."
Deia turned her face away irritably but subtly stepped closer to my side.
Good. Actually, better this way.
With Deia potentially at risk of dying, staying near me was safer.
"Ahem, how touching."
The maudlin sob from behind made Deia and me turn simultaneously.
There stood Darius, tearing up as he watched us.
"Yes, this is family. This is what the Verdi Family is. Even if the house ends here today, I have no regrets. Brothers, in the end, we've become one."
"I've never become one with you."
"Quit the dramatics, it's embarrassing. And we're not dying."
Despite our simultaneous denials, Darius couldn't hide his emotion, sniffling as he wedged himself between us.
He threw his arms around our shoulders—strong enough that we couldn't easily shake him off.
"No need to be shy! Yes! We three siblings uniting our strength—what's there to fear!"
"Sigh."
"Don't, you idiot."
A sigh escaped me naturally, while Deia kept smacking Darius's side, but he didn't budge.
"Not born on the same day, but dying together. How poetic. I could recite a verse."
"What bullshit. You never read a single book, and now poetry?"
"I applaud you for even knowing the concept of poetry."
Undeterred by Deia and me, Darius immersed himself in his shoddy impromptu poem. Deia ducked her head in embarrassment, and I decided to say nothing more.
The weight and warmth on my shoulder.
It was a first, annoying as it was, so I grumbled.
But honestly, one corner of my heart felt a new, clear reason to survive.
Bickering, fighting, claiming hatred—yet in the end, caring for each other.
Was this family?
Not bad.
Emerging outside, the dawn moon shone refreshingly bright.
If not for the red-armored knights and gold-robed inquisitors arrayed beneath it, I might've savored a drink under the moonlight.
"Stay sharp. Our foe is the Archmage."
"I never thought we'd clash again so soon, Deus."
Royal Guard Captain Gloria and Magic Judge Tairn stepped forward to greet us.
Their hostility alone was extraordinary; their mere presence created an oppressively uncomfortable atmosphere.
Deia even staggered slightly under the killing intent, so I steadied her from the side.
"Put some strength in your legs. No need to face them head-on."
"Mm."
Visibly strained, Deia obeyed readily. I stood before her and steadied my breath.
I'd expected it wouldn't end easily, but seeing them up close, it looked grueling.
"I can take one on. What do you say? Can you three siblings handle one?"
Rok Pelican stroked his beard and asked, glancing at me. I sighed and nodded.
"I can handle them alone."
Time to revise the plan.
From the start, full force, pouring everything in—I pressed Remegaton to my chest.
Boom!
Something crashed from the sky.
A fierce dust cloud obscured vision, but Tairn, assuming it was our doing, scattered mana immediately.
Gloria likewise swung her massive greatsword to blow away the dust.
As visibility cleared, two figures stood boldly between us and them.
The protagonist of this world, Aria Rias, with her long black hair swaying, smiled at me.
"Professor! We just arrived!"
"Aria..."
Seeing her face, relief washed over me unbidden. I meant to express my gratitude sincerely.
But Pindenai, in maid attire with a cigarette in her mouth, exhaled smoke and cut in.
"Bullshit. Been waiting forever for this dramatic entrance in the master's crisis to make him swoon."
My thanks stuck in my throat.
"Whoa! You promised not to say that! I even gave you the strawberry on my cake!"
"Did you? Thought you hated strawberries."
Listening, I stepped forward slowly.
"You two had cake? Quite leisurely, then."
My sharp glare made Aria and Pindenai whirl toward the enemies simultaneously.
"We just need to take care of those guys, right?!"
"Slaughter Maid Pindenai, prepped for the master! This'll be a blast!"
Aria drew her sword, and Pindenai hefted her axe onto her shoulder.
"Sigh."
All I could do was sigh.