88. Blasphemy
88. Blasphemy
- 1 -
After finishing my conversation with Lamia Queen Echidna, I returned to the dungeon for the time being.
I needed to gather my forces before heading to the northern coniferous forest, and also to handle the postponed tasks.
The schedule had been thrown off due to the Alraune Queen's request, so I had put everything I was doing on hold and moved immediately.
"Master!"
"Sonia. Were you on your way to train?"
"Yes. Didn't you say you'd be later?"
When I returned to the dungeon, the first one to greet me was Sonia, who was coming down the hallway that only had stairs leading up to my room.
"I'm not quite finished yet. I'm sorry to interrupt, but before you train, could you show this little lady here to the reception room?"
"Ah, yes!"
"Serha. She is my disciple. Please get along."
"Understood, Lady Libertas!"
As I watched Sonia and Serha exchange eye greetings, Sonia soon turned to me and asked my intention.
"Then, Master, you...?"
"Let's talk after I handle the immediate matters. I still have to make up for the lessons I've postponed for you."
"Yes!"
Happily nodding once, Sonia led Serha away and disappeared.
Leaving them behind, I immediately headed to where Eve was likely to be.
It was the spacious room on the second floor, named the training ground.
"Heok... Heok..."
- Tak!
"Ah, I said I got it...!"
It was still broad daylight.
As I had instructed beforehand, they were continuing their training here.
Only Elias was being put through grueling training.
"Eve. Elias."
- Tak!
"Ah, Lady...!"
Evangeline, who had been looking at me even before I called, and Elias, who turned to me at my call.
Delight surfaced in both their eyes.
Evangeline was always happy whenever she saw me, and Elias was simply rejoicing that the training was over.
After exchanging a glance with Elias, I immediately spoke to Eve about what I needed.
"Eve. How is she?"
The first thing to do was to send Elias back to her family.
That (she), whom I had kept in the dungeon rather than sending her to her family yet, was receiving general weapons training from Eve.
It was one of several reasons I had left Eve behind in the dungeon this time.
- Tak!
"Yes. She's doing well."
She said it wasn't that she had created talent from nothing, but rather expanded what was there, so it was enough to just correct some bad habits.
It was surprising that Eve could smoothly use and even teach spearmanship when she didn't even have a trait for it, but she'd been able to do many things from the beginning, so it wasn't that astonishing.
Could any warrior in the world carve furniture, make a bow, train a corps, or manage a dungeon?
Compared to that, wielding various weapons was hardly surprising.
『Special-grade Specialization: Swordsmanship, Advanced Specialization: Weaponry』
Ever since she became high-grade, at some point she had come to possess both of these traits.
'... No matter how I think about it, this doesn't feel like something she acquired. Rather...'
... No, let's think about this after we finish the northern matters.
"Elias. You seem to be gradually prepared. Get ready to return to your family."
I turned my gaze to Elias.
The spear I had bought from the demon realm and given her, which she now held firmly instead of the one she used before, was in her hand, and her air was different from before, but her eyes remained the same.
Even as she sweated, her gaze did not cloud, and it was gripped even more tightly by ambition than before.
The effect of reminding her of her sins and her will over the days since the contract seemed to be lasting. I likely wouldn't need to worry going forward.
"Understood. But how do I travel...?"
"You'll find out once you're ready."
"Yes, my lady!"
Still, her attitude had greatly improved compared to before.
That was partly because she had changed her mindset, but also thanks to Eve having worked her hard.
Naturally, my hand went toward her pelvis as always.
"You've worked hard."
- Dalkak!
"It's nothing. Well done."
- Tak!
As I tapped her lightly and said that, she responded with a posture still full of tension and loyalty.
With an attitude that hadn't changed even once from the very beginning.
For some reason, it seemed like Shue beside me was looking at her with pity, but that was probably my imagination.
Why would anyone mock such a diligent attitude?
"All done? Then let's go."
"Yep!"
The place we were moving to was one of the 'entrances' inside the dungeon.
Naturally, Elias, who had to go, followed, as did Shue and Eve, who had somehow come to take over all of my escort duties.
And a moment later.
"Wait, is this... the same mansion as before?"
"What are you suddenly..."
"Ah, people."
"Oh my. An accident has occurred."
Just then, I spotted over a dozen adventurers who had entered the dungeon.
Originally, I had stopped the 'traps' to send Elias off, but it seemed they had accepted a request and entered the mansion while the door was briefly open.
"Uh, um... are you perhaps the owner of this mansion?"
"See? I told you it wasn't a cursed mansion."
"No, we just came to investigate a request, what..."
No matter how I looked, they were not veteran adventurers.
I thought about it briefly, but there was no other use for them...
So I gave a simple order.
"We don't have time to linger."
An order to make them aware of the misfortune that had befallen them.
"Yes."
- Tak.
Tak!
As soon as I spoke, two white figures dashed out.
"Enemy?!"
"Warriors to the front...!"
The adventurers reacted quite quickly, but they had to deal with more than just those two women.
"「Corpse-Ripping Crow Flock」."
Both of them were already at the elite grade in stats alone, so left alone they wouldn't have dragged it out long, but I had no hobby of playing with people who were going to die anyway without any purpose.
Ppadeodeok!
- Kakakat!
- Kaaak!!
Simultaneously with the incantation, dozens of black beasts burst out of the dark shadows on all sides.
Monstrous crows, each with a deadly beak and wings as hard and sharp as blades, instantly surrounded and ambushed the adventurers.
"Wha, what the hell is this!!"
"It's a dungeon, a dungeon! We have to run...!"
"Where to!!"
- Dalkak.
"I'll take the right."
As the two beloved white elites I favored slipped in between, it didn't take long for the adventurers to be cleaned up.
"No one special. 「Summon: Skeleton」."
Thus, after eleven skeleton soldiers were added to the dungeon, I headed again to my destination.
"... No way."
And at the place we finally arrived after passing through the 'door', Elias was so astonished that she couldn't close her mouth and looked around in surprise.
"This is Mamille. You know where that is, don't you?"
The place we arrived at was the city of Mamille.
Not as large as Sonyataff, but it was one of the fortress cities of Hysen standing on the border with the Kingdom of Kiza.
In the future, it was expected to play the role of transferring goods coming through Gobach, the western port of the Kiza Kingdom, to the Ironfield Borderlands adjacent to the Zenota United Kingdom.
It was also one of the places where I had purchased a mansion to serve as an 'entrance' and set up traps.
"How am I here? We were definitely in Sonyataff..."
"There's nothing I can't tell you, but I'm busy now, so I'll explain if we meet later."
"No, when would we meet later..."
"Does it matter if you don't know?"
The conversation ended there.
I immediately told Elias a story I had prepared in advance for her.
The story that 'as usual, she flirted with a woman and was cursed by a curse-user clan, turning her body into a woman's.'
"So I'll definitely look like a womanizer..."
"You didn't look much different."
"..."
Naturally, the background for him and all the characters were already prepared.
"I have come at your call, Master. Please command me what to do."
"Master. Preparations are complete."
Eleanor's aunt, who would play the fortune-teller.
One Cerebrum Skull to play the lady.
A sacrificial victim who would play the role of the pre-transformation Elias and then die, and the real one herself who would be the post-transformation Elias.
"Haley. Thank you for coming."
"I am at a loss for words, milady. Please call on me anytime."
"I look forward to the day I reward you. Be sure to seize the right moment."
"Yes, I surely will...!"
Finally, Baroness Hailey, who would be the 'witness' and testify about Elias to the Ironfield Marquis Household.
"Then. I'll see you next time. I hope you won't be discovered. Elias."
"I hope you, above all, remain safe. My master."
"Don't worry unnecessarily. Haley, you stay safe as well."
"Yes, milady."
Thus, a few hours later, after completing the fabrication of Elias's alibi, we returned to the dungeon.
- 2 -
"It's already night; I'm sorry I took away your time to rest, Sonia."
"No, Master. I'm grateful that you keep making time for me despite being so busy."
It was late at night.
Visiting at this hour was undoubtedly rude by common standards, but Sonia sincerely thought it was not impolite.
Because when she was at the mage guild, the reality was that it was hard to see her master's face even once during the day, let alone in the evening.
"You're so kind."
... Though it felt a bit odd when praised so gently like a truly elderly person.
Still, it wasn't a bad feeling.
She had rarely been praised in her life, and it was just awkward because the person praising her looked younger than herself.
"First, let's see the results of the assignment I gave you last time."
"Ah, yes! 「Magic Eye Opening」!"
Libertas's gaze as she watched Sonia's performance grew stern.
The assignment she had given was 'to use detection magic on mana, and through that sense, to use magic beyond her original capability.'
It was an impossible feat for an ordinary advanced mage, but she had suggested it because she thought it was a method with potential for the current Sonia.
『Attributes - Stamina 19 Technique 30(◀ 29) Endurance 31 Magic Power 51(◀ 50) Resistance 37』
『Traits - Advanced Specialization: Detection Magic, Advanced Specialization: Curse, Advanced Specialization: Freezing Magic...』
After constant practice, Sonia had raised her 'Technique' by one level, and 'Mana Overadaptation' had further enhanced her magic power.
The method Libertas suggested was based on her magic power, which had easily surpassed the early elite level, and the detection magic she had inherited from Leonis.
She believed Sonia would succeed in this method.
"... 「Ice Flower」!"
The only problem was time, but that problem had just been solved as well.
"I did it! I did it, Master!"
By summoning multiple flowers of ice onto her hand and onto her shoulder.
A magic that normally restricts enemy movements in the air, and when an enemy approaches, the flowers function as auto-tracking mines.
It was a defensive skill that could be broken easily from a distance, but could excellently block the approach of a warrior in close combat.
"Excellent. You're improving so much that I need to reassess you after just a single day."
"Haha..."
Libertas's eyes curved beautifully as she watched.
Her eyes were filled with satisfaction and pride, and Sonia could immediately tell.
"It's thanks to your teaching, Master."
"This method was merely about pointing out the talent you already possessed. You compensated for the insufficient coordinate observation ability and magic manipulation through your own efforts. It is truly praiseworthy."
"Hehe..."
"Come here. I'll praise you."
"Uh... yes!"
Tugging at her own hair in embarrassment, she cautiously approached her master and sat beside her.
Then her master reached out and stroked her hair.
"You're doing well. Just keep going like this."
"Thank you..."
Whenever Libertas stroked her hair like this, Sonia would naturally recall the time they spent together in the hut.
It had been a painful time right after losing friends like family, but it was also a peaceful period when her heart was recovering.
Rather, the warm care and touch that had cared for her.
[Well done. Just as expected of my first disciple.]
As time went on, she would recall the scene of 'that time' and feel pain, and sometimes even resent her master, but...
Lately, strangely enough, that pain was gradually decreasing and the fluttering feeling was growing.
She knew it was strange, but it became so warm that she didn't want to reject it.
It was thanks to her master, who endlessly acknowledged and encouraged her, who had never achieved anything on her own.
But today's feelings were a little different.
「You dare...」
"Ah..."
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, no. I'm sorry."
Startled by the thought that suddenly surfaced, and then startled again by her master's puzzled gaze, Sonia pressed her chest, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.
Of all things...
'To superimpose that book with Master... I wonder what happened...'
As she felt her master's hand once again smoothing her hair, this time other emotions surged along with comfort.
Guilt and embarrassment.
"...?"
When she cautiously raised her head from her kneeling position and met her eyes, her master moved the hand that had been smoothing her hair to her chin and caressed it.
With clear 'favor'.
「So you dare harbor lust for me.」
Once again, her delusion overlapped with her master's figure. A delusion of a noble lady looking down at her.
Sonia closed her eyes to drive away the delusion.
"Is something going on?"
[What is it.]
But the more you try to empty your mind, the more thoughts flood in.
When Sonia flinched again and avoided the touch, Libertas finally looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"Ah, no. I'm sorry. I..."
But Sonia was not in a position to accept her gaze or her touch without unease.
"... I think I'm just tired."
"Now that I think about it, I've taken a lot of your time. You'd better rest. We'll make the assignment a free assignment for the time being. It won't take long to return."
"Ah..."
"Hm?"
Sensing 'reluctance' from the bowing Sonia, Libertas no longer extended her hand.
Though she felt the hesitation and let out a sigh of regret,
"Ah, no! Good night!"
"Yes. Sleep well."
Fortunately, or rather blasphemously. She was able to hide the feeling that was the cause.
Until her master left the room.
'No. This is...'
But she had already felt that feeling.
A feeling as if corruption had invaded the time she cherished most, a time that was sacred and comfortable, such a blasphemous feeling.
