Chapter 702: An Unavoidable Trap (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 702: An Unavoidable Trap (1)
The rescue team had retrieved everyone: from Petro, the head butler, to the other Runcandel butlers and scribes, alongside some thirty Colon natives and even Bin Branche, the contractor of Picon Minche.
The knights led by Mary had successfully infiltrated Huphester and rescued a total of approximately one hundred survivors.
"…Everything was fine until we learned that our allies—who we thought were in our eldest sister's fief—had fled to western Delki. We infiltrated the area without issue," Daytona said.
"Knights and monsters tainted by Chaos attacked us constantly, but we were strangely lucky," Heitona added. "Before we even began a full-scale search, the butlers remaining in the fief briefed us on the situation. Neither Mother—no, Rosa—nor any formidable enemies like the knights of the Mausoleum showed up."
The Tona brothers and Jin sat outside the recovery room where Yona and Mary were resting. Their faces were clouded with grim expressions.
"Things went smoothly even after we arrived in Delki. Prince Laika—someone we never expected—had been keeping the survivors well hidden. But just as we were handing over the rescued targets and heading toward the sea where the Cosmos fleet was waiting… we saw Brother Dipus."
Dipus Runcandel.
The man who had attacked Mary and the knights at the very end had been completely consumed by Chaos. Just like Rosa, horns had sprouted from his head.
“Ha. What will happen to Brother Dipus and his knights now?”
“They will all be locked in the underground prison. The 4th Flagbearer… Rosa has had her eye on him for a long time. It’s highly likely he will become one of Rosa’s puppets. Through Chaos.”
The ominous words Mary had heard from Lin Milkano had finally become reality.
"As soon as our older brother appeared, we thought the mission was doomed," Daytona continued. "Just by releasing his energy, he shook the entire Cosmos fleet. It felt like even if every single one of us fought him together, we wouldn't even leave a scratch."
The moment Mary had laid eyes on Dipus, she had approached him like someone who had lost her soul.
“Brother… it’s you, right? Brother Dipus. It’s me, Mary. Don’t you recognize me?”
“Sister Mary, you mustn't go! Stop!”
Even when facing the grotesquely transformed Dipus, Mary seemed to have no intention of fighting.
Dipus, likewise, didn't swing his sword at her. Instead, he wore a satisfied smile, patiently waiting for Mary to approach.
“Yes, Mary. Your place is not in Tikan, but by my side. Come, I will help you. Just as I always have.”
Dipus had even welcomed her with those warm words.
Fortunately, however, Mary hadn't actually lost her mind.
"Sister Mary realized immediately that facing Brother Dipus head-on was a losing battle, so she used her wits. If she hadn't pretended to break down right then, none of us would have made it back alive…"
Dipus hadn't forgotten the close bond he once shared with Mary. Because of that, her vulnerable behavior seemed entirely plausible to him.
In other words, he had let his guard down.
The moment Mary got close enough, she coldly executed a Light Speed Thrust, diving into the fray and unleashing her volcanic aura.
Dipus lost half of his torso the moment the battle began.
Mary wielded her sword with more ruthlessness than ever before. Only then did the Tona brothers and the knights realize her true intention, frantically hurrying their preparations to escape.
The battle didn't last long.
The Chaos energy rapidly regenerated Dipus’s body, even though more than half of it had been blown away. Instinctively, Mary knew that if she let him fully recover even once, she wouldn't get a second chance.
So, she fled toward the fleet with all her might while Dipus was still regenerating. However, she couldn't avoid taking a few hits from his retaliatory attacks just before reaching the ships.
That was why Mary was currently lying in the infirmary.
"…Jin, I’m so worried about Sister."
He wasn't talking about her physical wounds. He meant her heart.
While it was true that Mary had used her wits and put on an act to momentarily push Dipus back, there was no way the pain in her heart had been fake.
‘Was Yuria’s poor condition because of Brother Dipus? Since Sister Mary has many belongings in Tikan, the Authority of Truth might have sensed this dark future through them. I don’t know… what I could possibly say to comfort her.’
As Jin silently patted his brothers’ shoulders, movement stirred from inside the infirmary.
"Worried? I’m more worried about you Tona punks, sitting out there getting consoled by Jin."
"Sister Mary!"
"Sister, you’re awake…!"
The Tona brothers jumped to their feet, their eyes bloodshot as they rushed to check on her.
Mary just clicked her tongue at the sight.
"I’ve been awake for a while. I was so tired I just wanted to rest and hug Yona, but I kept hearing your voices. I figured if you two idiots started crying together, it was my duty to come out and give you a beating."
"We’re sorry, Sister."
"But we didn't cry. Of course, if you wish to hit us, we will take it gladly."
"You’re proud of that, you pathetic fools? Jin is your younger brother. I understand your power and skill being lower than his, but you should at least try to act like older brothers mentally. How long are you going to keep leaning on Jin? Try to show some backbone for once."
After snapping at the Tona brothers, Mary met Jin’s eyes.
"You too—don't make that face like you’ve swallowed a pile of crap. If the boss shows signs of being overwhelmed by worry, his subordinates will only feel more stifled."
"Yes, Sister. I’ll keep that in mind."
"It’s not like we failed to save the people. And as for what happened to Brother Dipus… it’s disgusting, but it’s not an entirely unexpected problem."
Anyone who knew the relationship between Dipus and Mary would know the truth: Mary was currently forcing herself to act fine.
Jin felt a deep sense of respect for her. He admired her resolve to never show weakness, and to never lose her composure—even if the day came when she had to strike down the Chaos-consumed Dipus.
Since coming to Tikan, she had kept every single promise she had made. To offer clumsy consolation to a woman like her would be nothing short of an insult.
"Therefore, what we should be worrying about now is the safety of the remaining survivors and Brother Dipus’s true intentions."
"Sister, Brother Dipus’s intentions…?"
"No matter how I think about it, Brother Dipus let us go on purpose. The Cosmos ships are impressive, but if he had truly set his mind on pursuing us, he could have caught us easily."
"Wait, Sister. Does that mean Brother Dipus momentarily regained his senses back then?"
"Do you really think that’s it, Heitona? We need to rule out that assumption entirely from the start. He is no longer the person we knew. He has crossed the point of no return."
There was a reason Mary refused to harbor even a shred of hope regarding Dipus.
She was certain that the moment she did, Rosa would find a way to exploit it. Or the corrupted Dipus himself would.
The best choice she could make for Dipus’s sake was to destroy Rosa and the Garden of Swords as quickly as possible. Even if she had to cut down Dipus in the process.
"Anyway, even while lying in bed, I kept wondering why on earth he let us go. Somehow… I have a feeling it’s because of that ‘Despair.’"
While Mary had been away, Valeria had recorded all the information their comrades had gathered into a notebook and left it in the infirmary. Mary had already reviewed it all.
"You said the reason Rosa is using Joshua is likely to generate despair, right? I think it’s the same for Brother Dipus. Except, unlike Joshua… instead of falling into despair himself, his role is to maximize the despair of others."
"Are you saying Brother Dipus judged that letting us escape, only to recapture us later, would be more effective for generating despair than just massacring you and the rescue targets back in Delki?"
"Yes. Because failure after a taste of success is always more devastating. Or perhaps the amount of despair gained from killing us in Delki simply wasn't enough to satisfy them. Like I said, he didn't momentarily regain his reason from the Chaos because of me. And he certainly didn't let us go on a mere whim. There is definitely a calculated reason, and it must be related to Rosa’s completion."
Only time and despair could complete Rosa's transformation. Jin felt that Mary’s intuition was spot on.
"If that’s the case, Brother Dipus will lure us out again."
When a hunter let their prey go, it was usually to use them as bait to draw out even bigger game.
"Yeah, probably. We either have to prepare thoroughly or strike first… but it’s a difficult call. There are too many variables to prepare for, and making the first move is far too dangerous."
"First, I will relay the information regarding Brother Dipus to Kinzelo and Zipple," Jin said. "Since Orgal is currently searching for Joshua, we should try to confirm Brother Dipus’s location in the process."
Dipus was in the same position as Joshua. Unless they were found and completely eliminated, Rosa would continue to harvest despair through them.
However, unlike Joshua, Dipus’s death would inevitably inflict massive despair upon Jin and Mary. Mary believed that killing Dipus was the only mercy they could offer him now, but Jin desperately wanted to find another way.
‘Perhaps Rosa actually wants us to kill Brother Dipus. Furthermore, since he has already undergone physical transformation, it’s impossible to treat him with the current Purifier.’
The best course of action would be to subdue Dipus and seal him away until a viable means of purification could be found. Just as they had left Luntia in the subspace for the time being.
Just as his thoughts reached that conclusion, Jin spotted Casimir and Jet approaching from down the hall. Casimir had come to find Jin the moment he received Jet's report.
"Sir Casimir."
"Lord Jin, we just received a troubling message from the Zipple faction."
"Did they mention breaking the temporary alliance?"
"No. Rather, they requested our support as part of the temporary alliance. They said the Lutero Magic Federation has been attacked. And the attacker… is said to be Lord Dipus."
Jin, Mary, and the Tona brothers instinctively gritted their teeth.
Dipus had already made his move.