Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: The Kidnapped Princess (4)
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The 49th Cohort, gathered in perfect order, blinked at the announcement from their assigned Black Sword Soldier.
‘Save the princess?’
‘What kind of quest is this?’
Though filled with questions, no one voiced them.
Because they knew an explanation would come if they waited.
True to that expectation, the short-haired female Black Sword Soldier began her full explanation of the quest.
“You’ve all heard the fairy tale about the princess kidnapped by the Demon King at least once. The story of the hero who sets off to rescue her.”
Whether heard aloud or read in a storybook.
The tale of a hero or prince rescuing a princess abducted by the Demon King or a dragon was the most commonplace setup imaginable.
This quest was drawn straight from that tired old trope.
Nod-.
With a nod from the short-haired Black Sword Soldier, her subordinates swiftly moved to distribute keys to the 49th Cohort.
Once every member held a key, just as they wondered what it was for.
The short-haired Black Sword Soldier resumed her explanation.
“Your role is that of the hero. And the acquaintance you brought along is the princess.”
Those words left Theresia with a slightly bizarre expression.
‘Yuri… as a princess?’
Imagining Yuri in a lavish dress, Theresia flinched.
The mental image suited her unexpectedly well.
Theresia hurriedly shook off the stray thought and refocused on the Black Sword Soldier’s words.
“Right now, your princesses are confined in the Demon King’s castle. Their limbs are shackled with cuffs bearing Parmer’s performance. The keys to unlock those cuffs are the ones just handed out to you.”
The 49th Cohort glanced at the keys in their hands.
“The method to clear this quest is straightforward. Enter the Demon King’s castle, rescue your princess, and return here to the starting point. The rider who brings back their princess receives 500,000 points.”
The 50th Cohort might have stirred at that.
500,000 points simply for retrieving a princess.
A generous reward relative to the difficulty.
But the 49th Cohort was different.
They were convinced there had to be more to it.
Sure enough.
The short-haired Black Sword Soldier’s words continued.
“And there’s another way to clear the quest…….”
She smiled at the knowing looks from the 49th Cohort.
“Capture the Demon King. Do that, and every princess is freed on the spot. In turn, all 49th Cohort members receive 750,000 points. Oh, and you’ll claim the Demon King’s treasure to boot.”
A white-haired girl raised her hand with a question.
“What is the Demon King’s treasure?”
Her smile deepened at the question, as if she’d been waiting for it.
She replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
“The Crystal of Power.”
Simple words, massive impact.
“The Crystal of Power?”
“The real deal?”
Murmurs rippled through the 49th Cohort, who had shown no real agitation until now.
Ignoring it, the short-haired Black Sword Soldier pulled a watch from her pocket, checked the time, and called out.
“The Princess Rescue Quest officially begins now. It ends in 24 hours, at 10:12 a.m.! Now go on—work hard and save your princesses, heroes.”
With a smile toward the 49th Cohort, the quest-starter departed.
The Black Sword Soldiers were gone, but the 49th Cohort lingered, unmoving.
Just exchanging glances.
That was the moment.
“Hey, eyes here—eyes here!”
A voice seized the group’s attention.
A petite white-haired girl—Yulia Sing—waved both arms frantically, desperate to draw every gaze.
Her efforts worked: the entire 49th Cohort turned to her.
She flashed her cohorts a small smile.
“You all know this quest is different, right?”
The 49th Cohort affirmed with silence.
Per the Black Sword Soldier’s briefing, this quest differed from all prior ones in a key way.
Namely, no competition.
That awareness kept them from charging off after the Black Sword Soldiers left—they were gauging each other instead.
Unsure how to navigate the situation.
Yulia, sensing the mood, stepped up to clarify as the group’s voice.
She took the exact spot the short-haired Black Sword Soldier had vacated, scanned the crowd, and pressed on.
“This quest means no competing among ourselves. Rescue a princess, get 500,000 points each. No bonus for speed, no penalty for lagging—purely fair! But Yuram swapped out competition for something else…….”
“Cooperation.”
“Right on. Theresia.”
Yulia winked at Theresia.
She continued.
“Catch the Demon King, earn 1.5 times the points of a simple rescue. But it won’t be a pushover. We’d need everyone’s strength combined. Say…….”
She trailed off, face going blank.
“A Black Sword Soldier squad leader. Unrestricted.”
“Hmm…….”
Soft groans arose from scattered spots.
Black Sword Soldier squad leader.
A certified 5th- or 6th-dan powerhouse, unrestrained, spelled disaster for any solo 49th Cohort member.
Just then, a silver ring in Yulia’s eyes gleamed faintly before vanishing.
“My analysis: full cooperation from all 69 of us gives a 27.13% win rate against certified 6th dan. 99.99% against 5th dan.”
She cited probabilities to two decimals.
Anyone else saying it might’ve earned scoffing dismissal as bullshit.
But Yulia? Everyone listened.
More than that—they trusted the figures implicitly.
Her analysis never missed.
“If this quest’s real goal is cohort cooperation, Yuram matched the Demon King to our level: certified 5th dan. Enough for us to at least try.”
Yulia danced around it, but her point was clear to all: ‘Let’s team up and take the Demon King!’
Most nodded along.
Not all.
“Why bother?”
“Why what?”
The first dissent from the 49th Cohort.
Dark blond hair, brown eyes.
Jerry Bee.
He shrugged at Yulia’s gaze.
“Exactly. Why slog through catching the Demon King? Easy mode: grab princess, pocket 500,000 points. Why detour to hard mode?”
“It’s tougher, sure—but the payout matches.”
“Speaking of payouts, short-hair sis said catching the Demon King scores that treasure: Crystal of Power. What then?”
Assenting murmurs bubbled up around Jerry.
He rattled on like a gatling gun.
“Sure, team up per your plan, bag extra points—nice. But Crystal of Power? Yuram won’t hand out 69 of those rarities. One, maybe two tops?”
“Likely.”
“So we catch it your way, then scrap over the Crystal anyway… Skip the hassle, rescue princesses, claim 500k, done. Cleaner.”
Jerry’s logic was airtight.
Demon King points? Side perk.
The prize? Crystal of Power.
But it’d spark infighting.
Yulia had the counter.
“We auction it.”
“Auction?”
“Demand for Crystals overflows. Bluebird blast to all riders, run the auction. Split proceeds equally across the 49th Cohort.”
Sell high, share fair.
A pitch only Bluebird-running Yulia could pitch.
It hooked the 49th Cohort hard.
“Solid.”
“Not bad at all.”
Most voiced support.
Jerry snuck Yulia a thumbs-up amid it.
She smiled softly.
‘Always reading the room.’
Jerry’s ‘opposition’ was staged groundwork.
Making it effortless for her to unify opinions.
With the vibe fully positive.
Yulia polled her cohorts.
“I’d love for us 49th to unite and drop the Demon King… Opposed?”
No voices rose from the 49th Cohort.
* * *
Clank clank-.
Yuri clicked her tongue irritably at the chains rattling from her wrists and ankles.
“Tch, this is annoying as hell.”
The linking chains spanned about 30 cm.
Movement possible, but nothing excessive.
Walks meant hobbled steps—pure nerve-grater.
Tempting to snap them off and chuck ’em.
Impossible, though.
‘What even are these? Mana disruption?’
The cuffs and shackles blocked mana pooling and flow.
Sturdy too—no nicks despite repeated sword strikes.
Her own white steel sword, no less.
Clank- clank-.
Long given up on breaking free, Yuri looked up at the echoing clinks around her.
Chained figures shuffled into view.
Others like her: ‘abducted’ by Coco, nabbed by Black Sword Soldiers, hauled to the castle.
Some 30 minutes post-Yuri’s arrival.
“All assemble!”
With everyone gathered, a Black Sword Soldier appeared to brief the situation.
Captured acquaintances’ role: princesses.
49th Cohort heroes incoming for rescue.
Demon King presence, quest rewards, etc.
Identical intel as the 49th Cohort’s.
Finally, the Black Sword Soldier bellowed a warning.
“Roam free, but stay off that red line and beyond. Demon King’s turf.”
Yuri swept the area post-departure.
Red line bisecting the rectangular cell dead center.
Left: door, princess lounging space.
Right: skull-studded throne, screaming Demon King seat.
Yuri whistled low.
‘Always noticed, but Black Sword Soldiers lean hard into these setups.’
Sticking to ‘Demon King abducted her’? Cram Demon King and princesses in one room.
Yuri shook her head.
Eyes sharpening, she eyed past the red line.
‘Demon King’s turf.’
Per briefing: clear via princess rescue or Demon King takedown.
Princesses dumped outside it—near the door?
Heroes grab ’em, no sweat.
‘Take if you want, challenge if you dare. Cooperation over rivalry…….’
Arms crossed, Yuri nodded faintly.
‘Quest built for 49th Cohort teamwork? Coco ain’t Demon King.’
Couldn’t twitch against Coco—straight to cuffs.
Worse than her certified 6th-dan Greta scrap.
Coco weaker than Greta? No way.
Her as Demon King? 49th Cohort wouldn’t dare, even teamed.
Coco’s gig: kidnap only.
‘So, certified 5th or 6th dan-ish…….’
Face grave, she parsed it seamlessly—then jolted.
‘Wait, why am I even?’
Habits die hard.
Analyzing on autopilot.
Yuri snorted a laugh.
Fair enough—this quest needed zero sweat from her.
Not hers anyway. Wait for Theresia, stroll out together.
Meaning……
‘Leech city!’
Lounge, snag half Theresia’s 500k points. Bliss.
Limb-chains chafed, sure. But 250k points soon? Worth it.
Standing sucked. Lying? Fine.
‘Rainy, muggy mess lately. Nap time?’
Hours till Theresia fetch.
Rare breather for Yuri.
Yuram grind—when next? Savor it.
Yuri pattered to a dim corner, flopped flat.
Dreams beckoned—
“Huh? If it isn’t the owl boy!”
A sleazy voice wrecked his peace—Yuri’s face twisted sour.