Chapter 104
Chapter 104
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Villainess
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Villainess.
Black clouds.
They symbolized the Black Abyss Duke.
Like black clouds driving away the daylight.
The battlefield shrouded in those dark clouds.
Nothing remained.
That was why it was called the Black Abyss.
Those who faced him felt as if they had been cast into a vast, endless sea, confronting the black clouds.
It wasn't wrong.
Those who had witnessed his power unleashed in full had described it that way.
There was even a famous anecdote from certain quarters.
A kingdom that had once eyed the empire's stronghold.
It was back when they allied with that kingdom.
They waged war against the empire to diminish its influence.
And the empire dispatched just a single force.
A terrifying army numbering over ten thousand.
Most of them elite soldiers at least level 2.
And yet.
They were annihilated by a single swing of the Black Abyss Duke's sword.
Sword Cloud.
Clouds of Black Sword was such swordsmanship.
It was everything he was.
The swordsmanship he had built over a lifetime.
"......He mastered it in one go?"
Genius Killer, Soyeonhwa.
Even she had needed time to learn it properly.
If the Black Abyss Duke had reached entry-level in a year.
Soyeonhwa had done so in a mere month.
That was why he began sponsoring her from his position as the Black Abyss Duke.
He granted her anything she desired.
The empire that dominated most of the Western Continent.
A duke at the pinnacle even there.
From such a position, he could fulfill whatever Soyeonhwa wanted.
"Except for one thing."
A rival of equal standing.
Soyeonhwa had no such existence. There were plenty of opponents who let her unleash her abilities fully, but none in her age group.
She had even roamed the distant Eastern Continent in search of one.
But she returned only with the title of Heavenly Dragon, signifying the greatest among the younger generation.
Unable to find her equal.
That was why she took an interest in Han Yuseong.
Who was Volkan?
The sole monster who could cross swords with her.
No, perhaps an existence even stronger than her.
She had come here because that being was most fixated on this boy.
"Heh."
The Black Abyss Duke let out a hollow laugh.
He had met the rival of the child he raised.
And so he had pitted that supposed rival against him.
"That."
Sword aura bloomed.
It wove together into clouds.
Dozens of techniques unleashed at once, making evasion impossible.
The clouds of sword aura clashed against each other.
Intertwining, the clouds of sword aura dissipated.
It seemed the bout would end in a draw.
But the remaining sword aura gathered.
Even in the bright daylight.
The Black Abyss Duke felt as if darkness was descending.
Dark Moon.
Han Yuseong's voice quietly echoed.
And darkness fell, swallowing everything.
Sealing the victory.
He had replayed that scene countless times.
The Black Abyss Duke could only admit it now.
"A monster has appeared."
He thought Soyeonhwa was the pinnacle in this field.
But something beyond had emerged.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Ever since I created Azure Dew, my daily routine had changed.
I still had to go cooking every day.
But I ordered food made by Azure Dew.
"Hm, it seems a bit less tasty than what I ate yesterday."
"It's your imagination."
"Hmmm......"
I forced Volkan, who was giving me a strange look, to accept it.
Then I headed to the alchemist's shop with potions made by Azure Dew, who didn't need sleep.
"Potions of such high quality. Do you perhaps have a gift related to elves?"
"I have a related gift."
Elves were a race that loved nature.
They loved it a bit differently here, but they specialized in drawing out the inherent power of ingredients using mana.
In my case, I mostly added MSG-like flavor, but they were originally used for potions.
And so I sold off a whole box of potions Azure Dew had made overnight.
"Roughly a net profit of 20 gold coins."
It was pure honey.
The issue was the supply of ingredients.
"Azure Dew can handle that much fetching."
I looked at Azure Dew.
A spider-shaped robot glowing blue.
It was too conspicuous.
It could be mistaken for a monster bursting from the labyrinth and attacked.
"Should I talk to the old man and have it make them separately?"
As I eyed Azure Dew that way.
Azure Dew glowed blue and spoke to me.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Azure Dew recommends. I am a far more useful robot than this.] "It's fine. You look the best right now."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Made of retinal alloy that remembers the owner's mana factors and can use the owner's gifts, the Azure Dew Robot is far superior to this. It can recover even if you step into dangerous places, and its combat knowledge is excellent.] "It's fine. Safety is the best."
I had no intention of giving up Azure Dew, who had mastered elven tea-making techniques.
Unless I had to make a No. 2 unit someday.
Anyway, I sipped the black tea Azure Dew had brewed and fell into thought.
"Hero Tournament."
I had to go.
Soyeonhwa had already won, and many people knew I had learned orthodox hero swordsmanship and steps.
Up to that point, I might brush it off somehow.
"......"
But occasionally, visions of some future flashed by.
Or perhaps the past.
Those scenes lingered in my mind.
Soyeonhwa crushing everything in what looked like an imperial castle.
And a demon destroying everything in the Cradle. And that was probably.
"Veronica."
It might be a future where Clara dies, turning Veronica into that.
It was a truly terrifying dark fantasy.
Returning home was my ultimate goal.
But the next was to live safely and long.
How to achieve that?
"Simple."
I needed forces. Not just to protect me, but to thrive everywhere.
I didn't like standing out.
"But this is the surest way."
Sweep aside all the others in the hero candidate tournament.
And stand above them.
Nothing was more certain.
"About two months."
They said leaving here, I'd arrive within a month.
So I needed that much time too.
-With your talent, leveling up along the way wouldn't be bad...
When I shared my concerns, the holy sword agreed with me.
-You, are you properly wielding your power right now?
"No."
Honestly, I felt like I was being swept along by the power. Like I couldn't use what was given properly.
-Well, that makes sense. Anyway, you've passed level 5, so advance to orthodox hero swordsmanship and steps. And then the next stage.
"......?"
This was already cheating, and there was a next stage?
-Yes. Something on a whole different level from what you've learned so far, keh-heh-heh.
The holy sword spoke with a laugh that somehow felt sinister.
-But there's one problem. Most heroes collapse at the next stage.
"......?"
-Simply put, it's painful. Most hero candidates couldn't overcome it.
I looked appalled at the holy sword's words.
What the hell could make it like that?
But there were no choices.
"Pain is momentary."
If I die, I forget.
After death, nothing. Even if this fantasy world had gods who might collect my soul.
"No, then I could become an eternal slave?"
That wouldn't do.
Better to endure the pain.
Maybe it was just a scare tactic.
"Well, if worst comes to worst."
I had a way to not feel pain.
It'd work out somehow.
-A way to not feel pain?
"It's a cheat method, but."
I explained my idea.
The holy sword responded in an incredulous tone.
-......Not impossible. Truly demonic arts.
It sounded extremely disappointed.
Maybe because its personality was in the sword, it had become a bizarre perverted blade.
Enjoying others' suffering.
"Then I need to prepare."
-Hm? Prepare?
As we talked about various things, an idea came.
"I need to do secluded training."
So I should at least inform those around me.
But there was a problem.
What about labyrinth exploration if I'm gone?
I could be absent a month without issue.
"But not others."
Or train on the way there.
Traveling with Soyeonhwa and others, they'd surely use comfortable transport.
As I pondered that.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Master, a guest has arrived.] "A guest?"
Azure Dew's words snapped me out of my thoughts.
What guest?
Probably Veronica or Clara, someone from the clan, the crown prince, Black Abyss Duke, Soyeonhwa, or Volkan.
But my guess missed spectacularly.
"Hello."
A woman holding an umbrella smiled brightly at me.
Blood-red eyes like crimson. Hair flowing down red like dripping blood.
Villainess... no, Execution Princess Lucia.
As I moved to greet her warmly.
Flash.
Something appeared in my vision.
What was it? A bat made of blood light?
"What the hell is that?"
It gave an eerie feeling.
A newly acquired ability? But Lucia looked no different...
"Something."
Nothing had changed outwardly.
Her appearance, that is.
But her inner self was different.
I had thought I could definitely win now.
"What."
Now, that feeling was gone.
Instead, chills ran down my spine.
Along with an ominous sensation.
As if fangs could sink into my neck at any moment, a bizarre feeling.
She brushed her hair back and smiled with her eyes at me.
Lucia's eyes curved.
Her blood-red eyes simply gazed at me. The crimson eyes sparkled.
As if she had realized something about me, just as I had about her.
"You've gotten incredibly strong?"
"Yes."
I answered awkwardly.
Having unexpectedly seen her other side.
"Come to think of it."
While talking with Volkan, the people around had feared her.
Execution Princess.
The nickname wasn't for nothing.
Along with that feeling.
She somehow didn't feel human.
"Oh? You can see this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Hehe."
She just smiled mysteriously without a word.
Extremely suspicious.
But her eyes were full of goodwill toward me.
It made sense.
I had stolen her obsession.
"......In this case, it's fortunate it's a friendly obsession."
There were various kinds of obsession.
This one was relatively okay.
No murderous intent to kill me mixed in.
"I did well coming in. Seeing you so flustered."
"Were you hiding your power?"
"Ah, no real chance to show it outside. Even incorporated into the empire, people's perceptions don't change."
Lucia said that and curved her eyes at me again.
"But anyway."
"Yes."
"Want to get together with me sometime?"
"......"
At her direct words.
I looked at her with a cold expression.
"Not really."
At my firm reply, she.
"Hmm."
Let out a soft hum from her nose and looked at me.
"Really?"
With a sweet, savoring voice, like tasting something sugary, she gazed at me.