Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Stole It
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ──Obtained Veronica's Favor. Quest completed. I stared blankly at the screen.
Her class was still hidden.
Deliberately concealed, it seemed.
'That's annoying.'
There was a lot to think about.
That bizarre, demon-like thing I'd seen in the scene just moments ago.
Volkan, who had been utterly powerless against that demon.
And Cradle, reduced to ashes.
Cradle's forces were said to be formidable.
It wasn't just the Guild Master and Volkan.
There were monsters known as level 9s.
And people who had ventured into the depths called the inner labyrinth.
Yet a being that could crumble Cradle so easily...
'...My head hurts.'
Suddenly, there was so much to consider.
Cradle, collapsing amid flames.
A demon with six arms and wings of black flame.
...There was one person I could guess at with high probability.
Veronica.
The woman currently holding the title of Saintess in Cradle. The Sect Master's words pointed to no one else.
If she, with all her information, said it, it was probably true.
However.
'If that's the case, there's no need to hide her class.'
What the hell do you want from me?
The reason her class was hidden.
Probably because she wasn't actually the Saintess.
'Honestly, it doesn't make sense.'
A Saintess.
And the demon in stark contrast to it. Nothing seemed connected between the two.
But one thing was certain.
The Church couldn't be trusted.
-Oh, just in case, but don't trust the Church. Those guys are so insidious. Human experimentation is standard, and they try to create Saintesses...
I recalled his words and scowled fiercely.
'Create Saintesses.'
Before playing the game, I hadn't grasped what that meant. But now, I knew it was utterly absurd.
In this world, talents were innate Gifts.
Those determined who became Heroes.
Forcing it?
Through human experiments and all sorts of horrific acts, apparently.
'Forcibly awakening or creating Gifts.'
If that's the case, then the Church...
Tak-tak-tak.
I heard footsteps rushing over.
Wondering who was coming up behind me, I turned around.
"Where do you think you're running off to!"
A woman was charging fiercely toward me.
Silver hair whipping in the wind, golden eyes gleaming—Saintess Veronica.
'...Why is she following me?'
I made a flustered face.
"You ignore my request, pluck out the core, and try to run away?"
What the hell did I pluck out?
Flustered, I quickly slipped into the shadows.
Luckily, it was a dimly moonlit night, making it easy to hide in the darkness.
'The problem is...'
She's faster than me.
Saintess Veronica's speed was overwhelmingly superior to mine.
'If I just keep running in one direction, I'm done for.'
She looked slower on the surface, and as a priestly class besides.
'Level difference?'
Probably at least level 6.
In my flight, I ended up cornered in a dead-end alley.
"Haa, you're making this difficult."
Veronica smirked confidently, thinking she'd caught me.
I hooked a dagger to the end of my Shadow Reaper and jammed it into the wall.
Tak.
Then I lightly scaled the wall. With Rogue Mastery granting parkour abilities on top, I was over the wall in the blink of an eye.
"Hah?"
Leaving the stunned Veronica behind, I waved lightly and kept running.
'But why am I even running?'
Well, I'd shaken her off, so it should be fine.
Just as that thought crossed my mind.
Whoosh!
Golden light erupted from behind.
At the same time, an immense surge of holy power.
'This...'
I'd seen Rozante cast holy spells on us a few times.
As a Saintess candidate, I'd thought her holy power was tremendous.
'But this...'
At least ten times more than hers.
Come to think of it, I'd heard something like this before.
Hero candidates compete, raising their levels.
Once they hit level 6, the Hero competition is basically over.
If that's the benchmark...
'At least level 6...'
And seeing the amount of holy power she unleashed.
'Isn't this dangerous?'
No hostility, it seemed.
But no reason to take it lying down either.
I reached out my hand. I felt it vanish somewhere.
'So this is holy power.'
A tremendously warm force overflowed into my hand.
But instinctively, I realized I couldn't use it for anything.
-Holy power is inherently above mana and aura.
Volkan's words came to mind.
Without something related, I couldn't use it.
Unless my level rose enough to acquire it.
I roughly dispersed the holy power and walked into the darkness.
"What."
Only her dazed voice echoed.
*
After the chase with Veronica.
I finally made it back to the inn.
'A bit late, but...'
I'd wandered the alleys just in case, and now felt safe from pursuit.
'Suddenly exhausted.'
Too much had happened today.
My head was a mess.
The demon.
Cradle in ruins.
And Veronica.
Too much tangled together. With a deep sigh, I entered the inn.
The inn was its usual scene.
Adventurers drinking, people eating.
I trudged upstairs.
What the hell was that scene I saw?
'A demon.'
This world had a Demon King.
The being that threatened the world.
But not in this game world. Humans had already slain the Demon King with Heroes.
With the advent of Labyrinths, humanity had grown immensely.
'A few sticking points, but...'
Many believed they could beat the Demon King now.
Heroes were just tools for factions to grab power.
That was the view of somewhat informed adventurers and folk.
But.
'Volkan said the Demon King appears once every millennium.'
But never subjugated.
Ermé too. She spoke warily of the Demon King.
Still too distant, so nothing to do about it.
Lost in thought, I fell into a deep sleep.
*
The next morning.
Tonight was important.
The day for the Labyrinth party members to gather.
'Should've done this the first day back.'
The elves had things too hectic.
-...You're suddenly poking at a sore spot.
'Water under the bridge.'
No emotions left now.
Without that ambush, something else would've happened. And Rishiel had subtly helped me more than during that attack.
-True. Above all... Hm?
Rishiel started to speak but stopped.
She was looking outside. I stopped too. There was someone I shouldn't see.
-Harsh as it sounds... I have to agree somewhat.
Rishiel nodded quietly.
A woman was visible.
Silver hair shining with a benevolent expression.
"What's up?"
"Sorry, friend, for interrupting your intimate moment."
"What's up?"
"Th-that sinister woman is outside."
"Sinister woman?"
"Ah, yeah. The so-called hero your human race has picked."
"Hero? What do you...?"
My face hardened.
A woman stepped out from behind Burkan, smiling brightly.
Golden eyes seeming divine, silver hair.
I still couldn't picture her as that demon.
Yet all signs pointed to her.
'...In times like this...'
Best to confront head-on.
But.
'This woman...'
Tracked me here.
Figured out who I was in that short time and came to the inn.
...Which also meant I was pretty famous in this city.
Well, amethyst eyes were rare to begin with.
"If you run again, I'll really get mad?"
Her speech mixed polite and casual tones.
Saintess Veronica clenched her fist as she said it.
I tried to stand quietly.
"...Why has the Saintess come here?"
"Oh my, if it isn't Lucia, famed in Cradle. Nice to meet you."
Veronica said with a bright smile.
But to me, it sounded like:
-The Execution Princess famous in Cradle~ Scary.
"You, revered as Saintess by the Church, visiting a man at this hour... And what are you two doing alone in the dead of night?"
"Does that matter? Even if it does, it's none of your... Ahh."
Veronica looked immensely amused.
Her lips curled up with a smirk.
"Well, this is fun, but mind if I borrow him a sec? No loss for you."
With that, Veronica grabbed my hand and dragged me to an alley.
Good.
Time to settle this.
That's what I definitely thought then.
*
Honestly.
I still don't get it.
Plunder, the demon's ultimate technique of soul theft.
It steals what I want.
But sometimes it acts on its own whim.
In other words, this incident had nothing to do with my will.
I stared at the golden gem in my hand.
[Saintess's Chastity] "...".
Why the hell would it steal something like this.
No, I shouldn't call it 'something like this'.
I felt like crying. Barely holding back the urge to rub my face with both hands, I looked at Veronica.
'...This isn't what I wanted.'
What the hell am I supposed to do with this?
"...Wh-what are you planning to do to me with that! N-no way, using it to blackmail me!"
Veronica, horrified, covered her chest with both hands.
I finally rubbed my face with both hands.
'Please don't do this to me.'