Chapter 200
Chapter 200
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: Epilogue: Welcome Home
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Right after learning about the Evil God-chan disappearance incident, Yuna flailed around like a kid caught cheating on a test, mumbling apologies.
"Sorry, I'm so sorry... I didn't realize I forgot to bring her along because everything was happening so fast...!!"
"No, I'm the one supervising, so it's my fault for not noticing until now... Still, it's not too la... too la... well, it is late."
"Waaah!"
Two weeks of abandonment? Yeah, that was way too late.
Both of us had been too overwhelmed. We'd spent a week agonizing over Yurie's collapse, then rushed around resolving Yuna's scandal.
So naturally, we'd forgotten about it.
We'd set up all sorts of safety measures, but even corrupted, it was still a fragment of that thing. It could slip the collar through some unimaginable, magical means.
The moment that happened, Cthulhu Season 2 would erupt in reality, not the game. We couldn't let that occur. I declared an emergency and sat on the magic circle in the academy basement.
The emotional amplification circle that squeezes every last drop out of you—yep, that one.
First, track Gingoa's location. It would amplify and emit a special mana wavelength from the academy. This passes harmlessly through other objects but...
Upon contact with Gingoa, it triggers internally, forcing the collar to broadcast its current position and status. If Eternal Dark was still inside the empire, this would find her.
If she'd already crossed the border into exile or tossed Gingoa into some bush after removing it... long-term business trip it is. I'd have to embark on a world-spanning quest to catch her.
Her malice stemmed from the same origin as the one I'd absorbed, so I knew exactly how dangerous she was. The biggest issue with that thing's malice was the lack of delay.
No cycle of commit evil—satisfy—rest. Even in ecstasy, it never fills up. More, more... endlessly spreading malice.
Like a virus devoting its entire existence to wicked deeds.
As the being born from me, the responsibility fell on me too. I had to catch her.
Yuna, her conscience pricked, assisted my search with a guilt-ridden expression.
"I'll amplify when you give the signal!"
"Counting down. Three, one."
"Eek, hey, don't count weird like that...!!"
────!!
A sound you feel through your skin rather than hear reverberated. Ripples spread from a lake, mana waves bursting out from the academy. The spell activated successfully.
Now, the key was whether Gingoa responded.
We waited in tension for about 30 minutes. If the timeout hit two hours, she was 'outside the border.' I jiggled my leg; I stopped Yuna from gnawing her nails.
Then, the echo returned. Yuna and I jumped up and pounced on the magic circle.
"Analyze! Analyze!"
"Position first or status?!"
"Status first. I'll handle position!"
Yuna fed the encrypted data into the analyzer; I decrypted it mentally. The results?
"...What? Why is this bitch heading back to the academy."
The path was weird. Instead of circling populous areas to drag the world to ruin, she was bulldozing straight through forests here.
She'd dipped into the holy city once, but barely stayed. Why didn't she flee? What the hell?
No, she wouldn't return meekly. Some scheme was afoot.
I crossed my arms, glaring at the monitor. While I pondered how to interpret this, Yuna waddled over and asked,
"Um, what's this 'praise sticker parameter'? It's at 2..."
"It went up? That's for good deeds."
"She...?!"
What nonsense.
Impossible. I'd embedded a conscience triangle in Evil God-chan's mind, but I figured it wouldn't dent her. Hadn't even started the good alignment corruption plan yet.
High-level deception? Or marching with an army to assault the academy? Had to prepare. Something lethal was coming!
"That dangerous? Looked like dragon scale from the Nest, Eternal Dark's aid. Not fully reformed, but somewhat changed."
Pingbalrez, with his safety-blind optimism, said that, and Yuna and I spat rebuttals like we'd hit a berserk button.
"Yuri, you don't know that thing...!! She's rotten from birth! She kept messing with Niore and Tara when I tried running a TRPG..."
"Pingbalrez, you fool! How wicked is she for you to relax like that?! She'll backstab us! Be careful!"
"Cranking sensitivity 3000x would make anyone reflect on their past, no?"
"No way, you're wrong. Tower Master! Let's prepare. Set up four mana cannons, traps to devour any army..."
Yuna and I fortified the lab against Evil God-chan's uprising invasion. Barricades, lethal weapons, info bombs stocked; we even bought sturdy armor.
We checked her position regularly, confirming her direct approach to the academy.
That morning, with the place turned fortress-like,
We detected Gingoa approaching. Close. Three presences total... Even if she brought only two allies, no slacking. And—
Bang.
The door flew open; I triggered the trap.
"You bastards, abandoning me while you lived it up— Gahk."
"How's that, Espoir de l'Eternal Dark! Special mucus to capture you! Surrender and give up resistance!"
"Give up! Surrender already!"
"Guh, you lunatics, even if I come back quietly—!!"
First suppression success. Target neutralized temporarily. Modeled on queen's gastric juices, it melts away the target's info structure.
Evil God-chan's dress began dissolving in patches. Since the dress was info-fabricated, this proved the mucus worked.
But no complacency. As I grabbed the info-bat for phase two beatdown,
My eyes met two people staring silently from outside the lab door: Scar-faced senior and Teardrop guy.
Their gazes shifted... to me, my bat,
Then to Evil God-chan curled up, slimed on the floor.
Their expressions, like I was human garbage.
"......"
"......"
"No."
Misunderstanding. I didn't know what, but total misunderstanding. I'm justice, she's evil. I'm doing the right thing!
"...No wonder she hates you, junior. Disappointing. Whatever circumstances, treating your own illegitimate child this harshly is too much."
"Step back, mad wizard. She's still my client. Request unfinished—if you harm her more, I'll act for client protection."
Illegitimate? Illegitimate?
Technically not wrong, but no! That's not it. I'm not the type to ruin her clothes and beat her first! Misunderstanding!
I was sealing a wicked entity hellbent on plunging the world into malice!
"I, I'm for justice...!! Tower Master, explain something."
Ting.
Yuna had fluttered away as a butterfly.
I looked down tremblingly. Eyes met Evil God-chan's. I felt bubbling rage in her pupils.
Evil God-chan blinked Morse code only I could see, sending a message.
-Forgot me, huh. Me, who fought the queen hard, saved people from dream demons. And you treat obediently returned me like this?
"I, I..."
-You're dead.
"Honestly, with your track record...!!"
Misunderstanding? Really? Espoir de l'Eternal Dark slightly good now?
What're you plotting? No, don't panic. She can't do much. Gingoa control solid; fight here, I win. What can you...
"Sob, hic... snif."
What did I just hear?
The world's saddest cry. Tears welled in Evil God-chan's eyes, dripping.
I felt my reputation shattering to pieces.
Had to stop it. But how?
"Hic, I, I just wanted Daddy's praise, ugh, kuh...!"
"......"
"S-sorry, Daddy. Don't hit... kuh, I'll stop crying, no more of that...! Please, please, I'll lick your feet...!"
Overkill.
The stares hurt.
Scar-faced senior's gaze. Cold, like viewing a revolting scum. Stabbing my heart sashimi-style.
"...Trash."
Ah.
Today, I died socially.
We agreed I'd be Evil God-chan's chair for the day. She perched on my prone back, chattering gleefully. Always the beaten one, now beating—dopamine overload, apparently.
"Kidding, kidding. Don't take it so seriously, Lorey, Rowillen. We're always like this, no worries. Right, Daddy? Answer."
"Yes, Eternal Dark-nim."
"Good girl."
Evil God-chan patted my butt like praising a pet. No choice but endure the humiliation, swallow rage inwardly. Zapping sensitivity 3000x in spite would cement Scar-faced senior's misunderstanding! Now's grovel time. ...I was a bit sorry. Didn't expect her to work that hard. I asked cautiously.
"Um, Eternal Dark-nim. About the illegitimate misunderstanding—could I clarify it's a familiar relation...?"
"Daddy hates me? Wanna kick me off the family register now?"
"Fuck..."
"Tsk, pretty words."
She smacked my butt. This bitch...! But the harsher I took it, the faster the misunderstanding cleared. Had to endure. Gah!! As karma rebounded fully, sweating bullets, Scar-faced senior and Teardrop guy seemed to understand somewhat. Disgust softened to faint suspicion.
"Knew it, junior."
"You didn't believe."
"How could I in that scene? Door opens, you rip clothes, swing bat."
"There were reasons... damn it."
Truth is, she's a fragment of some terrifying existence in my head, closer to info-lifeform than matter. Evidence she ravaged the world back in the day. Yuna says recognizing/believing her makes her more dangerous, so can't tell others. Understand, right? Can't say that. Customers gone? Fine.
"Thanks. Rowillen, need extra pay? Could squeeze Daddy now."
"No thanks. ...Really okay? Not threats disguised as jokes?"
"Fine. Thanks, Lorey. Got here fast thanks to you."
"Paid for what I did. No biggie. Tavern fun."
The three parted simply. Evil God-chan waved carefree; they declared quest done, left academy. Alone in the empty lab, I muttered to the 7% still atop me.
"Sowwy."
"Properly."
"Sorry."
"...You actually did it?"
Evil God-chan sounded surprised, but... Effort deserves reward. Goodwill needs payback. Had to acknowledge her hard work. That's the rule. So, apologize. Beating her was necessary, no regrets, will continue to prevent evil, But praise stickers must be settled.
Evil God-chan sat on the chair, head slightly bowed. Slender neck visible through垂 side hair. Gingoa around it. I accessed Gingoa, reading detailed logs. Every action, emotion recorded. Scanning through. Abandoned, feeling betrayal. Pranking the boy. Spreading rumors about me. Saving the inn waitress. And I realized... her ego was younger than expected. That thing, origins unknown, at least 100+ years old. So Evil God-chan, its fragment, seemed ancient too. But overlaying on data-Akshin, chemical reaction? My malice data? Or soft parts split off? Whatever, her mind wasn't ironclad. Childhood malleable. Education shapes it. Even psychopaths thrive with proper training. I'd assumed immutable malice, squeezed without mercy. But if changeable... Then. Maybe give her a chance.
"Hey, mad wizard."
Her voice from behind raven-black, violet-tinged hair.
"What."
Gruff reply. Couldn't let her sense my softening. She pondered briefly.
"Know what? Some boy's dying, caught in my scheme now."
"...Hm?"
"This Gingoa, full of holes. Dumb. Exploited security flaw, tricked some Elmust territory idiot. Sucked him dry for living expenses!"
"Ah, I see."
Evil God-chan boasted about the boy deal. Paid to lobby me—framed as ultimate evil proof. Denying her own goodness. Circling words to hide embarrassment. Good Samaritan. Gray area, sure. But pure goodwill. Could've ignored the fallen stranger, but called for help. All-in altruism noble, but sad. Ideal good deed shines from heart's surplus. Anyway... good sign.
"Aww, my pretty little bitch, finally turning human!"
"Eek—?!"
I hugged Evil God-chan tight, ruffling her crown wildly. She flailed "stop," but Gingoa said she secretly liked it. Praise makes even Evil God-chan dance!
"Stop it!"
"Ow!"
Then, her shame/rage maxed; she chomped my hand hard.