Chapter 77

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 77

Chapter Title: The Price of Trust (1)

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I passed out from exhaustion.

Of course, only after confirming that I'd wrung every last drop of pleasure out of Lumine.

That was the reason I could blissfully black out even while blood poured from my nose.

"I'm sorry... Ahh, how could I be such a filthy woman..."

"Lumi, don't blame yourself. If anything, it's my fault."

"No! It's because I'm so depraved that you ended up exhausted, Sir Hyun!"

"That's why I'm saying it's my fault? Why would a cursed girl go digging her own grave alone?"

"I-It's hard to explain, but I really am the one at fault..."

"...?"

Why are these two fighting over whose fault it is?

My head was spinning the moment I woke up.

First things first, I should clear up this misunderstanding.

"Both of you, stop it. I... Ahem, ahem."

"S-Sir Hyun! Are you still not feeling well? I-I'll heal you...!!"

"Hyun, just rest quietly. Don't make us feel more guilty."

"..."

'No, my throat's just dry from sleeping.'

This is going to turn me into the Joker.

You're not listening to me? Should I tell a killing joke then?

"Merle... No, it's not your fault either. It's entirely mine."

"No!! It's because I'm such a lewd woman."

"Lumi, stop being stubborn and back off. It's my fault for not managing you!!"

"That's not it, you unnecessarily kind people!!"

In the end, it took a while of bickering to settle it.

A grand battle of heaving bosoms—who's the culprit here?

The result was,

"Let's just say it's Shax, that plundering bitch."

Stamp? No, what the hell is this curse faker?

Even the Saintess and the Sage nodded along.

Pinning blame among ourselves over the root of all evil was pointless anyway.

"But I..."

"Lady Lumine, if you say that again, I'll spank your butt. Not me—Lady Minerva will."

"Yeah. At your age, you don't want that... "

-Tremble tremble.

"...Mmmph♡"

""...""

Lumine switched to vibration mode the instant she heard about the spanking, but we all ignored it.

Sometimes you have to pretend not to notice.

Not that it was a replacement, but we shifted the topic elsewhere.

"Anyway, Lady Lumine, how are your senses? Any discomfort?"

First, check on her condition,

"W-Well... Um, my body's a bit hot, but..."

"Can you use holy spells, Lumi? Even for you, unleashing that much divine power must've been tough."

The most crucial part: subjugating Salleos.

We needed to know if that was feasible.

Lumine's expression darkened.

"I probably can't use 'Holy Spear' or barriers properly. I overdid it just now, so long-range control isn't working right."

"What about mid-range intercepts? As long as it covers our Hero's range, that's fine."

"No. To deal damage, I'd probably have to get close with the Sisters."

"How long to fully recover?"

"About a week. That's how long I rested after the Citri subjugation."

"Tch, this sucks."

Our expressions darkened too.

We'd avoided the worst, but the situation was still dire.

'Lumine's strategic nuke is offline.'

Our best scenario? Salleos ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠charges the capital, and Lumine snipes from afar.

Impossible now.

Liliana's plan was scrapped.

'Getting close... If it were just her, maybe, but with other priests? Doubtful.'

Dragging Lumine along anyway? Also impossible.

Her holy—death spear is like a Spirit Bomb, basically.

Chaining priests as batteries for close range? Probably not.

No wonder our faces soured...

"———So close range is fine, right?"

"...Lady Minerva?"

Unlike me,

the Sage's face brightened considerably.

Her blue eyes sparkled.

"How many meters do you need to get to?"

"About ten meters..."

"What? That's plenty."

"...Pardon?"

What? How?

"Your Imperial Highness, I propose using Hyun as bait to lure it."

"Ah."

I wondered how, and once again, I'm the bait.

I froze in disbelief.

Liliana, who rushed over after the report, had the same ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reaction.

"Do you know he's fated to be the Hero's consort?"

"Who doesn't? Even passing animals know—hell, plants do too."

"Cut the jokes."

"So stiff. Anyway, obviously I have no intention of putting Hyun in danger."

Minerva's smile lingered.

Rustle—

She pulled out a large rolled parchment from under her cloak and spread it on the bed.

"Sage Minerva proposes to Your Imperial Highness: Hire adventurers en masse as temporary defense forces and deploy them like this."

She moved her hands deftly.

A large rectangle formed, adjacent to an inverted triangle.

It looked like kids' doodles to me, but

"...You're saying to intentionally make a breakthrough easy."

"If sacrifices are inevitable, better to use mayflies than Imperial troops or knights."

"Hm. Logical."

Liliana and Minerva.

They started their own conversation.

I just blinked, wondering what they were on about.

-Whisper whisper.

"...Sir Hyun, need an explanation?"

"Could you?"

"Hyah♡ Y-Yes♡"

Then Lumine approached.

She looked thrilled at my whisper.

And softly began explaining.

It didn't take long to get it.

"Aha."

'Pretend they're the defense line, but place low-level adventurers up front on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠purpose.'

If a high demon charges seriously, the front line will break like before.

Walls are useless.

So we meet Salleos outside the walls.

Elites like knights on the edges.

Adventurers—disposable lives—in the center, along the path to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the walls.

Finally,

'I'm at the gate shooting my rifle. When it approaches, Lumine hidden nearby spears it!'

Salleos mows through adventurers and charges me.

Lumine ambushes from the side.

'...A goddamn brilliant plan.'

I was impressed.

Priests belong in the rear by default.

And me, the backline DPS and Liliana's consort, surrounded by them? Natural.

Salleos won't suspect a thing.

A perfect lure from a true Sage.

-Whisper whisper.

"But this way, innocents will..."

The plan's sole flaw: Some sacrifice is needed to sell the ruse...

"In this situation, it's the best option. I'll issue the conscription order immediately."

Liliana decided in an instant.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

"Haa..."

'This is dark fantasy, alright.'

I'm just the one sucking honey in a good spot.

Dark fantasy's always been this genre.

Lumine and I bowed our heads.

"...Goddess, please look mercifully upon your pitiful servants."

"Bo—men."

Better pray to the pixel goddess.

Please minimize the deaths.

And so, the next day—the awaited day Salleos arrived.

"...?"

'What? Did my prayer hit too hard?'

Mingled among the priests, I just blinked.

I wasn't the only one.

-Murmur murmur.

"Why isn't it approaching?"

"Did it sense I'm here...?"

"With this many priests gathered, and you suppressing your divine power? If it noticed, it'd be the Demon King, not a demon."

"True."

Lumine and Minerva in robes.

They looked confused too.

And for good reason: Salleos, who moments ago charged kicking up dust,

wasn't diving into the front line—instead, reports said it was hesitating, scoping things out.

'Virginity Purge mod again? You?'

I wondered about Salleos's hymen status,

but

'Nah, probably not.'

My inner unicorn horn stayed quiet.

The instinct of a virginity breaker who'd popped six—seven with anal—vaginas.

It insisted Salleos was a virgin without basis.

'Makes sense. Citri thrashed even at this range. Not her.'

Anyway, not a non-virgin.

I decided that.

Minerva finished thinking too, her eyes turning to me.

"Hyun, anything from your blessing?"

"Nothing specific. Mine needs proximity."

"Tricky. High demon intel takes me years minimum."

"Tch, why won't it come?"

We crossed arms, deep in thought.

Then, hesitantly—

Lumine timidly raised her hand.

"Maybe it doesn't know Sir Hyun's here?"

"It?"

"Yes. So it's moving cautiously. If its goal is just taking you hostage, it won't want a big clash."

"Hoo."

A plausible scenario.

She's got 1.8 intelligence, huh.

"Doubt it, Lumi. High demons? They'll take some losses before thinking..."

"I'll yell first anyway."

"...Won't hurt to try."

So we decided to test it.

I activated a skill right away.

First: 'Peephole'.

-Flash.

"...Hoo."

'She looks like she desperately needs to shit.'

She inhaled deeply,

"Salleos, you wicked bitch!!! How dare you crawl into my turf!!!"

I bellowed as loud as possible.

Fired a few rifle shots into the air as a 'I'm here' ad, too.

Thought it'd charge, but...

"...?"

What? Why's she mumbling to herself?

I yelled louder.

"Talking in front of humans is hard!!! What were you gonna say that makes it so!!!"

Salleos jolted in surprise, as expected.

Gazes poured onto me.

They didn't know I was peeping via skill, so natural.

I ignored it.

"You think I can just hear!!! I see your dusty mug too, you bitch!!!!"

Salleos's cheeks flushed.

Her pupils darted.

Less high demon, more high pussy behavior.

Soon, her lips moved.

"You too what!!!"

"...?"

And finally.

I learned why Salleos came here.

Shocked by the twist, I...

'You expect me to buy that?'

"Don't spout lies even Hilde wouldn't believe!!!!"

She's pulling all the stops to fool just me.

Nope, not buying it.

I snapped coldly.

Salleos's face filled with panic.

"Common sense!! Would you!!! Believe it!!!!"

"If you're so insistent, come here!!! Say the same to my face!!!"

"That's my line, bitch!!!!"

Faced with my distrust, Salleos's

final ploy to lure me was...

-Rustle.

"..."

'Coming with "prisoner" scribbled on her belly? What?'

She turned her back to us.

Flashing only me her nude body and the graffiti on it.