Chapter 317
Chapter 317
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 317
Chapter Title: God's Atlantis
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"It's been a while, Viscount Austen."
Viscount Austen activated his mana as he eyed the visitor to his mansion. He had to do something like this, or he might get taken out without even knowing what hit him.
"...What brings you here, Your Grace Duke Balderth?"
Elena approached with elegant, leisurely steps and sat on the sofa, crossing her legs.
"No need to be so wary of me. I'm not here to fight you, nor do I have any reason to."
In stark contrast to Austen's stiff expression, Elena's face bore an arrogant smile.
Viscount Austen found Elena distasteful. It wasn't just because she was the Phantasm Duke, one of the Empire's Five Pillars. Nor was it solely because she belonged to the neutral faction, unaffiliated with either the noble or imperial factions.
It was simply because the very existence of Elena repulsed him.
"I heard you had quite the incident recently. A riot broke out in your prized prison, and over seventy percent of the inmates and guards combined were killed, right?"
"...Did you come here to mock me?"
"Of course not. I just stopped by on my way to offer some words of comfort."
Viscount Austen didn't believe Elena for a second. On her way? What nonsense. Someone of Elena's stature rarely had to walk anywhere on sore feet.
"I see. Thank you for coming, but I'm fine. The prison repairs are proceeding smoothly even now. We're taking this opportunity to fortify it into a proper fortress. We'll raise the guards' standards and station soldiers and knights there. No more riots will happen."
"Hmm. Isn't that a bit excessive? Or do you have some valuable treasure hidden in the prison?"
"To me, the prison itself is a treasure. You know that full well."
Viscount Austen's power grew with the number of prisoners locked away there. He was strongest when it was packed full, and now, with most of them dead or escaped, he was weaker than ever.
"Viscount, you're aware of the rumors circulating in high society, aren't you?"
"You mean the ridiculous one about me raising a monster in my prison that eats people? Is that why you came here? The Phantasm Duke must have far more free time than I thought."
"I'm far busier than you imagine. And far more capable, too."
"...What are you trying to say?"
"There's intel that the Hydro Duke has fallen deep into the cult."
"I don't know where you got that from, but the Hydro Duke isn't the type."
"That's not for you to decide."
"...I see. And what does that have to do with me and the Hydro Duke?"
"Isn't the Hydro Duke the leader of the noble faction? Doesn't your prison have something to do with the cult? That's what I'm suspecting."
"Is that why you came? There's no monster in my prison, and I'm not interested in the cult or any religion for that matter. The Hydro Duke feels the same. Now please leave. You know I'm busy with the prison mess. I'll formally invite you over later."
"Viscount Austen. I'll give you a chance."
"What chance?"
"A chance to come clean about everything."
"...Ha. I have nothing to hide. How many times do I have to say it? This is frustrating."
"Is that so? Then get up."
"Yes. Safe travels. I'm too busy to see you out. I hope you understand."
"Viscount Austen. I'll give you a chance."
"What chance?"
"A chance to come clean about everything."
"...Ha. I have nothing to hide. How many times do I have to..."
Austen realized the conversation was looping. He immediately lunged at Elena on the sofa. The moment his fist, shimmering with blue energy, swung for her head—
BOOM!
Austen's body exploded.
Arms, legs, entrails splattered everywhere, and his head spun toward the ceiling.
"Viscount Austen. I'll give you a chance."
"What chan..."
Austen shut his mouth. Cold sweat dripped down his face. The pain of his body bursting and dying still lingered in his mind.
"Viscount. What's wrong? You look pale."
"......"
Austen didn't open his mouth. He ignored Elena. This was probably an illusion.
'When the hell did the illusion start?'
He couldn't guess. To break free from the illusion...
BOOM!
Austen's body exploded.
"Viscount Austen. I'll give you a chance."
"......Phantasm Duke, when did you cast the illusion on me?"
"When? From the very start, obviously."
BOOM!
"Viscount Austen. I'll give you a chance."
"......"
Austen detonated his own mana. He planned to blast away the illusion with it. It would work on most illusions. But it wasn't ideal against Elena's.
BOOM!
"Viscount Austen. I'll give you a chance."
Austen struggled desperately to escape the illusion. He tried killing himself, attacking the Elena in front of him, fleeing the mansion, even catching the blue butterfly on the ceiling.
All futile.
BOOM!
"Viscount Austen. I'll give you a chance."
The 101st time hearing those words.
Sick to death of exploding, Austen tearfully pleaded with Elena.
"I'll talk. I'll tell you everything. Just get me out of this hell."
"Let's hear it, then. Speak."
"The rumors about the Hydro Duke are true. The monster I'm raising in the prison is that cult's priest. Every week, he sacrifices a prisoner to their cult god."
Viscount Austen spilled every secret. Betraying the noble faction was unavoidable. He didn't want to die eternally in this inescapable hell.
"I see. Understood. That's some pretty creepy stuff the Hydro Duke's been up to."
"Then now...!"
BOOM!
"Viscount Austen. I'll give you a chance."
"Ah..."
BOOM!
"Viscount Austen. I'll give you a chance."
"......"
BOOM!
"The cult, huh."
Elena muttered quietly, arms crossed.
At the end of her gaze, Viscount Austen sat dazed.
"They've finally crossed the line."
Elena stood.
Viscount Austen snapped to attention.
"...Are you leaving? What did you even come here for?"
He seemed oblivious to what had just happened.
"Just curious what face you'd make after the prison riot. Well, it was more entertaining than expected."
"...The Phantasm Duke still has terrible tastes, I see."
"I hear that a lot. Take care."
"Too busy to see you out."
"Sure."
Elena left.
Austen watched her go, then shuddered. He couldn't understand why.
Back in reality, I ended auto-play and habitually checked my status window.
Level: 58
Available Points: 670
A lot of points had piled up.
'I was in the world of God's Atlantis for quite a while.'
I'd popped back to reality a few times midway but hadn't spent any. The thrill of dumping a big batch at once was irreplaceable.
'Points go to Mental Resistance.'
The Heavenly Demon King, Heavenly Demon Divine Art, Phantasm Duke Elena—they worried me. Especially Elena's illusions were seriously dangerous.
'Elena's illusions have limits... but if I get caught even once, she might learn about the Playful Life app.'
No telling how Elena would react. Worst case, she'd turn me into her puppet.
'Use it.'
I didn't stop there.
'Raise it!'
I spent a total of 630 points to max Mental Resistance at Lv.8.
'...40 left. Not even enough for two stats.'
My hand naturally went to Random Gacha.
Random Gacha, 40 times total.
Time to vent all that pent-up gacha itch.
"Here we goooo!"
Disaster right out the gate.
But I didn't get discouraged.
'They say the first pull's always trash.'
'Handy for fishing, I guess. Damn.'
I don't fish. Screwing women beats leisurely angling any day.
Basically drugs.
I dumped the Great Pills in my mouth.
I felt great.
'Bullshit. No effect at all. Scamming bastards.'
Nothing. If anything, I felt worse.
To shake off the irritation, I kept pulling.
'Damn... luck's shit today. No good stuff.'
Not an item, but a usage right for the Playful Life app. Single use only, obviously.
'...Ooh! There it is!'
No-brainer. I used Original on the Luminous Ascension Sword Art. Now I could wield it fully even outside that world without entering [Luminous Ascension Sword Art].
'Hahaha. Jackpot! I'm satisfied with this. Even if the last 5 are duds, who cares. Jackpot... Whoa?!'
Another jackpot.
Palm-sized silver cross.
'For real?! Actually bring back the dead?!'
I was shocked by the conditions. Know the name and face, and even someone dead 100 years ago revives if met.
'I can revive ancient beauties and fuck them!'
Women can't escape my grasp even in death.
What a killer ability.
Grinning, I used the rest on gacha. No real expectations after the super jackpots, but another hit.
A pure white ticket marked with 30.
'Oh shit! A real return ticket?!'
My heart pounded.
Only the used world returns. Does that mean reality too, not just Playful Life worlds? Tempting to test now, but too precious.
'When's the perfect time?!'
App unaffected is key. Inventory exists in the app.
Put the world's strongest weapon in inventory, return, and now you have two!
'Fuck! Too OP, don't know how to use it!'
I agonized, then stood.
I wanted to share this joy and excitement with someone.
I burst out the front door, sprinted down the stairs, and pounded on Han Ha-rin's door on the officetel 4th floor.