Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: The Ruthless World of Competition
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"Argh. We're late."
"I told you to run."
"You were complaining your legs were shaking from all that running earlier. But when I said carry me, you refused. You're supposed to be a maid. When your master's legs hurt, you carry them, pull a rickshaw—something like that. Right?"
~Ah~ I can't hear you~ Sophia plugged her ears with her fingers and shook her head wildly. I glared at the back of her silver head as I walked.
What greeted us was a murmuring crowd in the stands—the match had already started and was well underway.
"Isia used Chant Disruption well?"
"She did until morning. But she said she couldn't use it if you got close, so it should be fine."
I'd asked just to check, but if that was the case, no worries. Mixing the cheat method I taught her with Chant Disruption should clinch the win.
Thanks to all the regular spectators leaving, the stands were crowded but not packed as we passed through.
There they were. Blue hair waving at us excitedly upon spotting us. Blonde hair, who looked bored watching the match until she saw me.
She smirked and pointed at the arena. Following her pale hand, I saw something unbelievable.
"Whoa. What the hell is that?"
"..."
I couldn't speak. I wanted to, but my mouth wouldn't move.
Why? Only one reason.
My treasures were flying away. Soaring past the clouds toward the solar system.
It was that shocking—an illusion like that. The two of them were barely visible.
All I could see was the arena filled with countless pale purple flowers and the smoke they spewed.
Poison mist made of toxin, probably. Only Isia and Violet fighting occasionally visible. The inside was completely obscured.
I rushed over and demanded answers from the optimistic bluehead and the damn blonde.
"What's the situation? What happened? Why'd you let that magic deploy? That idiot?"
"Seong-hoon, you should give up. Looks like you're losing one maid today. But you still have two left, so it's fine, right?"
She'd already thrown in the towel. Raphael, who'd been watching the arena boredly, shrugged and smirked.
Should I kill her? Letting go of Isia as a maid wasn't a big deal. It wouldn't change the hierarchy.
The problem was the treasure. Treasures I wouldn't mind poking my eyes out for.
"Um. Master—"
"Just the name. No honorifics."
"Yes. So what should I call you? You? Huh? That's good. Feels like newlyweds already."
What newlyweds? Don't blush. Don't act embarrassed. Don't fiddle with your ponytail.
This one was too hard to handle. She told the others to jokingly call her master, but she took it seriously and it got tough.
Once the joking ended, Shin Ga-yeon returned to normal and explained the situation.
The moment the match started, Isia didn't fight. Instead, she glared with wide eyes.
She kept scanning the stands, letting Lucy's magic through.
Result: Flowers carpeted the ground, mist rampant, turning the fight against her.
"What about 「Chant Disruption」?"
"No idea. Looks like she can't use it."
"Hmm."
I sat down, crossed my arms, and before Sophia or Raphael could sit, leaned into their shoulders and whispered.
"Lachesis."
[Meow?]
"Trip Lucy. Now."
[Are you insane, meow? During a match—]
I flashed the pattern on my wrist at the protesting Lachesis. The black cat flinched, hesitated, then clicked her tongue in resignation.
[You're total trash, meow.]
"Yeah. I know."
What can I do? The world of competition is ruthless. Use every trick available. That's competition.
The path to treasures. Just my own duel.
I'm not bad. If anything, Isia was bad for making me do this.
"Fouls don't count if you don't get caught. They're just exploits."
"And if you do?"
"Then it's a foul. So don't get caught."
"Oho... But I just caught you."
I shoved Raphael's face, which had a gotcha look. Getting caught by you doesn't make it a crime.
"Go! Lache-mong!!"
[Sigh.]
With a sigh, the upset happened. A scream echoed from the quiet battlefield, where glimpses had been appearing.
—Kyaaah!!!!
"Pfft!!!!!"
Ah. Sorry.
I burst out laughing.
"Kyaaah!!!!"
"??"
Isia, fighting with a scowl, couldn't believe her eyes. Lucy, who'd been deploying magic and cornering her, tripped.
Over nothing. Her own legs tangled.
Lucy did?
Impossible. She wasn't the type to trip alone. She'd eliminate every reason to fall.
The woman who erased variables leading to "fall."
She fell?
Isia hurriedly scanned around. Her eyes full of anticipation. Like a kid searching for parents who said they wouldn't come to a school event but did.
Emerging from the mist and looking around, she saw him.
Between eye-catching blonde and silver, a man looking this way and smiling. Black hair. Black eyes.
Her furrowed brow relaxed. Puckered lips smoothed, corners rising.
Her downturned brows flipped up, mood soaring from underground core to the skies.
Isia waved without thinking.
But the response was a focus scowl and shooing gesture.
"Tch."
At the harsh reaction, Isia dove back into the poison mist.
He came to watch after all.
Pretending otherwise. Was this tsundere? Giggling, her eyes met Lucy's as she twisted her lips and stood.
"Funny? Right now?"
"No. Not at all?"
"...Nepenthes."
The rampant purple flowers around turned toward her. She dodged an arrow-like spit attack.
"Really not!!"
Not laughing at the fall, but she wouldn't believe it. So unjust.
Already at a disadvantage after searching for Lee Seong-hoon post-start and letting this magic through, now disbelieved. Heartbreaking.
"Sigh. Just forfeit. Wasting time. My flowers' poison mist decomposes mana. We can't use magic, but mine fight for me. Nothing for you. Who wins?"
Obvious question. Isia tilted her head.
"Me."
"Huh."
Honestly, Isia was surprised too. Expected some method, but she sealed magic entirely. Mana wouldn't coalesce, so neither 「Chant Disruption」 nor 「Parallel Chant」.
No exploits either.
Do weird stuff with magic? Eliminate magic variable. Pure Lucy Violet thinking.
"What makes you think you'll win? You've just been dodging."
"Someone believes in me."
"Huh?"
Truthfully, she felt unbeatable. Her loss-trained body screamed "Can't beat Lucy Violet."
But Isia declared she could win.
Read in a book once: Expectations kill people. Heaviest emotion.
But everything relative.
That expectation taught her 「Chant Disruption」. Gave her fight courage.
She strives to meet it. That's all.
He said she could, so she can.
She pulled out a cherished item from her bosom. Name unknown. Just a skull mask.
He'd asked for it back, but forgot, so she kept it.
No bad intent. Just... kept it..!
"Mask won't help. This poison clings to skin, blocks mana coalescence—"
Ignoring Lucy's loud explanation, she donned the mask.
Blue window appeared. Ignore it. Reason for mask: Focus.
Focus narrows vision. What if focusing in narrowed vision?
Enables quick focus even when unable. She thought. Thought and thought. Felt like surroundings slowed as she assessed.
Poison.
Harmless to body, blocks mana coalescence. Lucy used it to block her magic, Nepenthes for combat.
Can't use magic in this poison?
Isia answered firmly: No.
It interferes with mana coalescence. Trying to form magic circle and infuse mana? Disperses. No exception for 「Chant Disruption」.
Disperses before manifesting as magic.
Then bind mana as magic before it disperses.
Escape body. Bind mana to magic. Poison affects body, not magic.
Near-impossible gamble. Mana disperses instantly.
No 5 seconds even. But current Isia could.
Wearing Seong-hoon's mask, using meditation-induced thought acceleration learned days ago.
Skill 「Chant Disruption (EX)」 assists magic.
Just manifest magic before mana disperses.
Not simple, but possible. Now, she could.
I can do it.
—I can do it.
His words and hers overlapped as she reached out.
Coalesce mana.
1 second.
Shape coalesced mana into formula.
2 seconds.
No magic circle. Shove mana into head's magic circle.
3 seconds.
Shoved mana disrupts circuits, infuses. Head's circle glows.
4 seconds.
Blue window pops.
5 seconds.
Coalesced mana left her hand. Mana shifted to magic emitted brilliant light, turning dark orb.
Dark orb rose. Not chantless orb.
Layer upon layer stacked into one beautiful dark sphere.
Isia's strongest magic.
7-verse chant magic. Power slightly reduced by 「Chant Disruption」, but majestic.
Effect simple.
Dark orb sucks everything. Common for mobbing monsters.
Orb rotates. Inner to outer layers, like gears.
One job: Sucks in surroundings.
"Wh-what?! How magic?!"
Lucy screamed in shock, but no change. Dense poison. Frenzied Nepenthes attacks.
All sucked into orb, crushed.
"How 「Gravity」 in that time?! No way?"
If thinking Chant Disruption, correct. Isia removed mask and grinned.
"I win!!"
Her shout responded: Orb vanishing after sucking all mist and flowers.
Left: Stunned Lucy fallen back. Isia approaching slowly.
Lucy, unwilling to lose, chanted magic circles.
But then three dark pillars rose.
Lucy blinked. Isia stood before her, hands on hips.
Smug expression as she spoke.
"Lucy. You're no match for me!! You're so weak."
"Wh-what?!"
"Pathetic!!!"
Chest cleared. How many losses to Lucy? Uncountable by fingers, but now victory.
As someone said, last win counts.
Ignoring Lucy's yells, she looked at stands. Seong-hoon cheering wildly?
As expected, he was screaming. Not just screaming.
Standing on seat, foot on front chair, howling at sky.
That happy? That I won?
Isia smiled too. Waved and jumped at Seong-hoon, but his voice halted her.
—Yesssssss!!!!! My treasure!!!!!!!! Treasure's mine now!!!!!!!!!!!!!
—Raphael!! We're rich now!! I'm gonna be rich~~~!!!!!
—Neighbors!! I'm a rags-to-riches guy!! Lightning hits? I'll laugh~~~!!! Woo~~~~~!!!
Fine. Time to go up and kill him.