Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Phenex's Awakening
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“Ugh… Uuugh….”
Her blurry vision sharpened, forming a clear image. Her eyelids felt dry and stiff, as if she’d been asleep for ages. The slight tears welling up glued them shut, making it hard to open her eyes.
Her body felt heavy.
But heavier still was the fear weighing on her heart.
The fear that upon opening her eyes here, everything would turn out to have been a dream, leaving nothing behind.
The fear, as always, of being left alone.
That terrified Phenex.
Flash-!
Still, she opened her eyes.
For she was… the Demon of Revival.
Sss…
Vines from the Garden of Regeneration coiled around her body. If the dungeon was functioning properly, bound familiars would revive here. That might mean the dungeon was safe.
But no signs of life were visible.
“…Is no one here?”
In the empty garden, Phenex alone had awakened.
It was scary.
‘…I’m scared.’
Even as the Demon of Revival, a brutal battle left its toll.
The aftereffects of revival accumulated like fatigue in the flesh… though for Phenex, a good night’s sleep would fix that.
Crack…
Craaack…
Had it been days since she lost consciousness? Her body, like dislocated bones snapping back into place, needed time to adjust to regaining its vitality.
Fine.
Everything’s okay.
‘As long as… everyone’s safe.’
Step…
Step…
Phenex walked slowly.
Normally, she’d dash around nonstop, checking on everyone with a bright smile, but now she couldn’t force herself to.
The fear that everyone really was gone.
The fear that this sight before her eyes was the last luxury of their nest.
The dungeon’s silence, devoid of any warmth, was indescribable.
‘…Did everyone leave? Am I… alone again, Phenex?’
She’d said it would be fine.
Acted like as long as she worked hard, everything would be okay.
Everything… back to normal…
‘Why is no one here?’
The face of Faust, master of the nest, faintly came to mind. Her contractor, always wearing an expressionless face.
Behind that cold visage—confidence or apathy? An inscrutable demon.
“Uuuugh….”
Her lips pouted, revealing her current emotional state.
Anxiety!
Extreme anxiety!
Tears seemed ready to spill from her large eyes any second. The pain of loss doesn’t fade. It lodges like a thorn, causing agony whenever touched.
‘I don’t want… to be alone again.’
Finally, she stood before the door to the heart chamber and took a deep breath.
For the first time in a while, she pushed the door open with resolve.
Hoping beyond it lay the scene she desired.
“Please… pleeeease!”
Rumble-!
At last, the door opened, revealing the heart chamber.
There… all the dungeon’s familiars had gathered. And they all turned to look at her as she opened the door.
“…Huh?”
A chill emanated from the demon standing beside the jade throne. Lucifer… looked a bit displeased.
“Eek….”
Screeech…
She tried to close the door as if nothing had happened, but Lucifer’s voice shattered the silence.
“Noisy, Phenex. It’s rude, of course.”
Oh no.
She’d messed up!
Everything Lucifer said scared her.
She shrank back, wanting to hide somewhere.
Then, salvation arrived.
“You’re awake.”
The voice she’d hoped for.
Faust.
Peek!
Phenex peeked her head out the door.
She beamed.
“Yeah-!”
Faust’s lips twitched slightly at her booming reply.
‘…Huh?’
It looked almost like a smile. From that Faust!
‘What…? Something… changed….’
But the moment passed, leaving no afterimage.
“Let’s end the meeting here.”
His closing remarks.
“Everyone… you’ve done well.”
This dungeon defense had exhausted them all to the point of collapse, but his single phrase melted away the fatigue. It wasn’t particularly kind or affectionate.
He truly was… a truly wondrous man.
Bow-!
All the familiars lowered their heads.
“Yes.”
Phenex smiled broadly and bowed deeper than anyone else there.
They’d protected it.
They had protected it.
Her nest, for the first time.
Through everyone’s efforts.
* * *
Hmmm…
The aroma of tea flowed into my nostrils.
Siiiip…
Its bitter taste, its warmth.
I felt everything.
The colorless world now reached me with new resonance.
It should have been this way far earlier. I simply hadn’t accepted these colors.
The comfort of the jade throne I sat upon, the warmth of the teacup, and…
Blink… Blink…
The light in Lucifer’s eyes as she gazed at me steadily.
Now, at last, I fully perceived them.
“Faust.”
“…….”
“Is something the matter?”
Problems… yes, there were many problems.
All solvable with a single action, though.
Kim Seojin becomes Faust.
From now on, I’ll live as Faust.
That ended all prior issues.
Now, as Faust—not Kim Seojin—I faced new problems.
Preparations to live as Faust.
Beneath those preparations lay the reckless, savage intent to reshape the world for Faust’s happiness.
But I won’t worry about it anymore. Faust was destined to be trampled from the moment of birth.
If to be trampled, then I’ll trample instead.
For that, I need to immerse myself more in this world.
‘First… my surroundings.’
From now on, every piece of information reaching me must be considered carefully.
‘For instance….’
Lucifer, standing beside me now.
Her hair, eyes, attire, etc.
All potential intel, upon scrutiny.
She was the first unknown I encountered upon arriving in this world.
‘Her attire….’
She mainly wore navy and black. If anything, like a butler?
‘Come to think of it, those gloves….’
She always wore white gloves.
Why?
“You’ve never….”
“…….”
“…taken off the gloves. Is there a reason?”
My inner thought slipped out.
Not enough to arouse deep suspicion, so I awaited her reply fluidly.
“It’s….”
Her hesitation looked suspicious.
‘A weakness? Burn scars?’
Perhaps hiding some pain or secret.
“This place is… unclean….”
…Huh?
“…Sorry. I can’t tolerate filth. It’s an instinctive repulsion.”
…That’s her personality?
Now that I thought about it, since arriving here, all cleaning in the heart chamber had been Lucifer’s domain.
Even this heart chamber.
Two had died here, yet no bloodstains or stains remained.
The heart chamber even carried a faint fragrance.
That part nagged at me, but.
Anyway, it wasn’t incomprehensible.
Just one of those indifferences that vanished without reaching understanding.
“This place must be quite uncomfortable for you.”
A slight grimace crossed Lucifer’s face.
“Where Faust is, it’s… not so bad.”
“You must tell me only the truth.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, the answer came.
“It’s uncomfortable. Extremely filthy. Breathing here sours my mood.”
…You didn’t need to be that honest.
“…We’ll need to improve it soon.”
“Please!”
“If there are other inconveniences….”
“Shall I tell you now?”
Her enthusiasm caught me off guard for a moment.
“…We’ll discuss once things settle a bit.”
“Oh, one thing. I need good tea.”
“Tea?”
Lucifer likes tea.
That’s why she endures this mood-souring place without complaint.
“May I join you on the next outing?”
“Hmm….”
“If it’s too much trouble, please forget I asked.”
It’s not too much.
Just… I don’t like leaving the dungeon empty, even without Lucifer.
Better to have someone guard the jade throne.
‘Well… after taking down Kal Kurs, we should be fine for a while.’
External activities exhaust me, but they’re necessary, so I’ll go again soon.
Before that, a few things to sort.
How to live from now on.
‘The 2 years of story I experienced are just the early part, so worrying too early might be pointless.’
If time flows like this, I’ll end up clueless eventually.
Then, alone, I’ll hit limits.
So, find comrades for the demons… for Faust, to build a better world.
First to come to mind: the test subjects who shared the guillotine.
‘Guillotine brothers.’
Some survivors must be hiding somewhere now. Contact might be distant.
‘Others….’
Of course… them.
‘The Seven Deadly Sins.’
The demon leadership that divided Solaria, also called the Seven Demon Kings.
They staked their lives on the empire’s fall, so meeting them won’t be easy.
‘I need to gather info on the Seven Deadly Sins separately. In the story, contact was coincidental… in this diverging situation, I must turn chance into certainty.’
Thus, expand external activity personnel while developing the dungeon.
…A pipe dream before, with no leeway. But I have rewards from downing Kal Kurs.
[Dungeon repelled a foe far stronger than its level.]
[Luck infuses spoils acquisition.]
[Dungeon defense mission complete.]
[Mission result: Kal Kurs + 4 others (dead)]
[Reward: Intruders’ possessions acquired.]
[Lucky! Acquired 4,500 magic stones from intruders’ possessions.]
[Acquired bundle of scrolls from intruders’ possessions.]
[Great luck! Acquired Repentance Stone from intruders’ possessions.]
[Luck continues! Acquired hidden 1,500 magic stones from intruders’ possessions.]
[Lucky! No word of intruders reached anyone.]
[Tip: Luck won’t last forever. Check your intel network.]
The biggest reward, Repentance Stone, had a special use. Not originally from stage 1 boss Kal Kurs…
‘…It’s changed.’
Like Kal Kurs’s absurd strength, rewards flipped too.
Whatever, think later. Key is 6,000 magic stones in hand.
Enough for 20 pulls.
But when to use them in gacha… still pondering.
“Lucifer.”
“Yes, Faust.”
“Bring something to record with.”
“…Understood.”
Less than a minute later, crappy parchment and quill were in my hands.
‘Must restock writing tools next village visit.’
I scribbled with the nearly broken quill.
Future pickup schedule, important demons.
Among them, one marked with childish stars for emphasis.
- Great Demon Baal (Priority: ★★★★★)
- Great Demon Paimon (Priority: ★★★★)
- Great Demon Asmodeus (Priority: ★★★)
- Great Demon Amon (Priority: ★★★★★)
…
List of Great Demons.
Great Demons had extremely low acquisition rates compared to regular demons, but superior performance.
Full reinforcement on all would bankrupt you.
Scribble-
Scribble-
I crossed out their names with the quill.
- Great Demon Baal (Priority: ★★★★★)
- Great Demon Paimon (Priority: ★★★★)
…
Erasing them from my mind henceforth.
Great to get one early, but I’m no lucky bastard, so realistic plans needed.
Astaroth or Purpur might have pickups soonish—decent demons—but still far off.
By then, chum-bait Faust would likely be dead.
‘Compromise. Can’t delay gacha.’
Won’t be Son Goku gathering energy for Spirit Bomb only to explode.
Maximize rationality.
Efficiency!
In that vein…
Isn’t it time for gacha now?