Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Hero
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Hero.
We headed upward.
From the 13th floor to the 12th.
Combining our strength made the ascent no real problem.
"By the way, I've got a question."
Veronica suddenly spoke up, as if something had just occurred to her.
"You didn't really need to use your body to protect me like that."
She said it like the thought had just popped into her head.
I could only groan in response. Honestly, I was aware of it myself.
Especially since she knew I was a candidate for Thief Hero.
"Use your body to save her?"
Clara, standing nearby, perked up at Veronica's words, her eyes sparkling with sudden interest, like she was expecting something juicy.
Veronica glanced at me.
With a look that said she didn't think I'd do something like that for just anyone.
But mixed with some inexplicable expectation as she watched me.
'What the hell is she expecting?'
It was just that.
I hadn't had time to think. My body had simply moved to save her.
"I didn't have time to think."
"What?"
I snapped gruffly, feeling unnecessarily embarrassed.
'...Clara wasn't the only one getting excited.'
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the two knights pretending not to listen but clearly tuning in.
I had no idea why they'd care about something like this.
"Truly the epitome of chivalry."
"On behalf of the Church, thank you. And I understand why you did it, Yuseong. Your body moved first because you were worried about the Saintess."
"......"
At the last knight's words,
I watched Veronica's lips twitch uncomfortably.
I shot a dull glare at the two knights.
Thief's Extremity.
It let a thief handle just about anything a thief could do.
Or, put differently.
'It means I can spot clumsy lies or deceptions instantly.'
And.
The fact that it had activated meant.
-Those two knights are shady as hell.
'They'll still be useful for a while, though.'
As the Holy Sword and I exchanged those thoughts,
"Hmmm."
Veronica let out a strange hum and smiled in satisfaction.
...This is really pissing me off.
"By the way, you said you were ambushed."
"Yeah."
"We were ambushed too. Unfortunately, Elvin got hit first and died..."
Probably the priest.
Since the priest died right at the start, everyone must have panicked.
"So we had no choice but to abandon him and run."
"You managed that in a situation like that?"
"Yes, thankfully Clara helped us out."
"Hmmm."
Veronica chuckled lowly as she looked at Clara.
"Well, that makes sense. Can't expect less from my little sister."
"Since she's the Saintess's sister, we threw ourselves into protecting her."
"......"
The knight spoke as if praising her.
He was probably trying to flatter her in his own way. But Veronica's expression looked complicated.
'Acting Saintess.'
Clara.
She was the Church's secretly raised candidate to replace Veronica as Saintess.
Which made her an awkward presence for Veronica.
'Clara must find it awkward too, in her own way.'
I thought as I toyed with my hair.
'The ones who ambushed us used ranged attacks.'
The ones who hit Clara's group used close range.
Best case scenario, it was someone like me who could handle both close and ranged well.
'No way that's the case.'
I had to assume the worst.
And for us right now, the worst case was.
'One who attacked from range. One who killed the priest and slipped away without the Church knights noticing.'
At least two of them.
Maybe even three.
'...Can we handle them?'
This was different from before.
They moved by possessing souls and devouring new bodies.
But this time was different from up to now.
'...At minimum, they're using monsters from below the 11th floor as hosts.'
Which meant they'd have powers unlike the ones we'd faced so far.
And if there were multiple...
'That's pretty grim.'
But compared to back then, I'd learned Hero's Steps.
And after testing it in a few fights, I was convinced it had a massive impact on combat.
As I was calculating the enemy's strength like that, Veronica and Clara were looking my way.
"What do you think?"
"About what."
"About the enemies."
"......I think at least two."
"Even with us on guard, one who killed Elvin in one shot... and at least two of them..."
Two would actually be fortunate.
Since they could control Labyrinth monsters, more would be a bigger headache.
"Handling Labyrinth monsters and specializing in ambushing adventurers..."
"The silver lining is that we have Clara and Veronica."
I nodded at the knight's words.
Veronica specialized in offense and healing.
Clara in protection and buffs.
'...Plus three frontliners, and one guide who can switch to the backline.'
The party composition wasn't bad.
A lack of a mage was a shame, but combining my firepower with Veronica's should cover it.
The problem was.
'How long we can hold out.'
I sighed deeply as I eyed the monsters swarming toward us from ahead.
We should be banding together, but everyone was hiding their own agendas.
'Really wanna just bail.'
*
After the battle,
I was receiving healing from Veronica.
The other two knights had stepped away, saying they'd scout ahead.
'Scouting, huh.'
What a ridiculous excuse.
From knights, no less.
-...You felt it too, huh.
'Yeah, it's blatant.'
They acted polite toward Veronica the Saintess,
but the one they really wanted to protect was Clara.
Veronica had noticed too, and hadn't cast healing on those two.
"Heal up quick."
Veronica leaned in close and said that.
"You're the only one I can trust right now."
She grumbled as she cast her spell on me.
I wasn't even injured, really.
'In this state, my strength just surges.'
Vitality, I guess you'd call it.
It coursed through my body, so I let her do it.
Veronica was overflowing with holy power anyway, more than she could use on healing.
"Think we can escape?"
"It'd be nice if we could."
"Hehe."
Clara laughed as she watched us lament.
Veronica whipped her head around and glared at Clara.
"What."
"Nothing. Just reminded me of the old days."
"......"
Veronica furrowed her brow sharply.
Clara just laughed harder, looking even more pleased.
"That place with the damn director?"
"Yeah. We couldn't even eat properly back then and it sucked... but it was kinda fun."
"I never want to go back to those days."
"Me neither. It was a happy time in its way, but I don't wanna starve. I'm satisfied with life now."
Clara brushed off Veronica's sharp words lightly and turned to me.
"Oh, did you know? My sister used to starve so much back then that she'd go crazy for food..."
"Hey!"
"Agh, why are you yelling all of a sudden."
"Don't say useless crap."
"Useless? We're trusting each other with our lives here, even if just for a bit. Shouldn't we get closer?"
"......"
Veronica just pouted without a word.
Are you a kid?
'She does act like one.'
-Saintesses raised pampered in the Church tend to be spoiled brats.
Eh, this level is tame.
Considering Rozenta gets treated like a decent priestess even blackout drunk and groping everyone.
-And she's nuts for food too.
-That's thanks to your gift. If elves with their alchemy or dwarves with their craftsmanship decide to get serious about cooking, they end up summoned to the imperial capital to cook for the emperor.
'...Seriously?'
-Don't even dream. Impossible for you.
'I know.'
I was just sighing about it.
Still, cooking for the emperor's banquet, huh.
'More impressive than I thought.'
By my standards, it's just decent restaurant food.
But others went nuts eating my cooking.
I looked at Clara.
She was watching Veronica and me with clear eyes.
'No killing intent.'
If anything, it just confirmed this was Clara's true self.
Maybe that's why Veronica just grumbled and let it go.
'The others are different, though.'
I closed my eyes.
What kind of life is it, anyway.
When the people you thought were allies suddenly turn into enemies.
"I'm not dying in a dump like this."
Hugging her knees, Veronica said that.
"No matter what, even if I have to scrape by, I'll survive and lord over those bastards who tried to screw me over, spending gold coins like confetti my whole life."
"......"
Do whatever.
It was a bit pathetic for a sudden confession like that.
But I didn't hate her raw ambition.
"Then I'll survive and eat the food Yuseong makes."
"Who said I'd make any?"
Veronica snapped sharply at Clara's words.
Clara ignored her and smiled brightly.
"Who knows, maybe you will. Besides, I feel closer to you than she is."
"Ha? After all I've done for you."
"What do you think, Yuseong?"
Clara asked me with a beaming smile.
Veronica tilted her chin up, as if it was obvious I'd pick her, and looked at me.
Honestly speaking.
'I'd prefer both of you buzz off.'
Saying that would just sour things.
"Both of you are a pain."
I softened it a bit.
Veronica looked incredulous,
"Pfft."
while Clara laughed like she was having fun, for some reason.
"Khk, she means you, sis, pfft, too?"
"No way, after everything I've done! And you even shielded me with your body because you were worried I'd get hurt... Ah."
Veronica trailed off, realizing why she'd brought it up.
The problem was,
'that smug look makes me wanna smack her.'
She looked so punchably proud.
"Well, I get it. You talk big, but in the end..."
"I mean it. I hate you, sis."
Clara cut her off.
"I've thought that since we were kids. That person's my twin? So annoying?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty annoying. Too perfect."
Veronica smirked at Clara's words.
"......S, ......S......"
And from afar,
I sensed the two knights returning.
'Break time's over, huh.'
Yeah, we'd rested plenty.
Two knights with hidden agendas.
Sisters who hated each other.
Me stuck in the middle.
-You're really going through it.
'Tell me about it.'
How'd it end up like this.
It was a combination that had me sighing nonstop. As I thought that, Clara smiled brightly at Veronica.
"Hey sis, know what?"
"What."
"If you die, all your gifts transfer to me."
"......"
Veronica said nothing to Clara's words.
"That reaction means you knew."
"You think I'll just die nicely? Like I said earlier..."
"You want to make the Church kneel and praise you forever."
Clara said it with a nostalgic look.
"I want you to keep being like that too."
"If you're planning to kill me, better back out now."
Veronica whipped around, adding,
before you regret it forever.
Clara just smiled.
-What a tangled relationship.
The Holy Sword said as it watched them.
Tell me about it.
I agreed completely.
"I really hate you, sis."
Clara said with a laugh.
"But no matter how much I think about it, I can't hate you enough to curse you to die."
"Curse all you want. This body's not dying."
Veronica smirked bitterly.
Clara beamed back and said,
"And if we survive this, you'll make us food, right?"
"Don't come."
Veronica pouted at Clara's words.
'That again.'
But for some reason, like before, the words wouldn't come.
I worked my mouth, then nodded.
"Come or don't."
I muttered.
If we survive this place, that is.