Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: Poison and Antidote - 2
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I took it as a joke and chuckled softly.
But Idria continued speaking in deadly earnest.
“You don’t actually think you’re human, do you?”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“So you’re not even aware. Well, it doesn’t matter.”
“......”
“What brings you here? Say what you want.”
The presence of Offense behind the rock vanished completely.
And from the shadows behind Hyren, a hand rose about a few centimeters.
In that hand was a very special tool used by assassins.
It was shaped like a sharp needle at the tip, designed to pierce the skin and draw blood.
It looked like it would hurt a lot just from the sight of it, yet the target hadn’t noticed—a remarkable tool.
Offense carefully sliced the hem of Hyren’s pants.
To keep Idria’s attention, I opened my mouth.
“Why did you send Hyren to this territory? What is he to you?”
“The same as with Teranaim. He’s my fourth finger.”
“His name?”
“Sabark.”
“What does that mean in the spirit tongue?”
Idria giggled.
“It doesn’t have any special meaning. Naming Ophelia as Teranaim was the unusual case.”
“Friend......”
“Yeah. ‘Friend’ in the spirit tongue. Ophelia was desperately rejecting my power, so I was a bit annoyed. But as I said earlier, the others aren’t rejecting me.”
I chuckled.
“They’re limbs without eyes, then.”
“Don’t insult my children. They just sincerely want to protect the world I’m creating.”
“What kind of world do you want to create?”
“Hmm. I don’t feel like telling you.”
She crossed her arms playfully.
“But if you come under me, I’ll let you know.”
“You’re good at jokes too.”
“No more time-wasting talk? Shall we get started, then?”
At those words, Offense had just finished drawing Hyren’s blood.
Right before he vanished back into the shadows.
Swoosh.
Idria lifted her foot.
And in an instant, that foot slammed down onto Offense’s head.
I cried out almost like a scream.
‘Trail!’
[Used Eye of Omniscience.]
[Current Eye of Omniscience level is 4. Can view secrets up to A-rank.]
[Selection condition is ‘The secret between Arald Mohan and Dian Mohan.’]
[This secret is D-rank. Viewing.]
Time stopped.
That was close. Really close.
Idria’s foot hovered one centimeter above Offense’s head.
‘Damn it. So she noticed from the start.’
[Phew. That was a close call.]
‘Thanks. Seriously. If not for you, I’d have lost a party member today.’
[Save the thanks. What now? Cancel Eye of Omniscience, and Offense’s head still flies.]
‘I’ll use the skill. Bind and slice.’
Trail swallowed a groan.
[Like I said last time, that skill...]
‘I know. Idria might notice I can manipulate time?’
[Yeah. And if she does, that Demon King will find a countermeasure.]
‘Then I’ll develop a new skill.’
Trail let out a hollow laugh at my nonchalant words.
[You make it sound easy.]
‘I’ve seen it happen easily before.’
[Heh.]
‘Getting the skill exposed is dangerous, sure. But losing a party member? That’s beyond dangerous.’
[Then?]
I chose my words carefully before answering.
‘It’s horrific.’
[......]
‘Good thing it’s within ten steps. Let’s start.’
[Why not just blow Hyren’s head off while we’re at it? Sure, your no-kill rule breaks, but...]
I chuckled.
‘It’s not the no-kill rule. Even if I decapitate him, that stomping foot’s angle and force won’t change.’
[......]
‘Saving Offense is more important than killing the fourth finger of lies.’
[I see.]
‘Cut the leg. From the speed I saw earlier......’
Around the knee should do it.
I slowly stepped forward.
“Urk.”
My body, strangely stronger lately, still found this as grueling as the first time I developed it.
The pain was the same, the bodily ruin the same.
Drip, drip.
Blood was already flowing from my nose.
My arms and legs creaked, refusing to move further.
I dragged myself in front of Hyren like a ragdoll.
Then swung my sword with all my might.
Whoosh!
The blade sliced through his leg.
The next moment, my consciousness blurred.
[I’ll cancel it! You’ll die like that.]
‘Wait. Time it right. Three, two, one. Now!’
Drip.
Eye of Omniscience ended.
I shouted the line I’d prepared with all my strength.
“Turn your head!”
Offense tilted his head without a moment’s thought.
Hyren’s descending leg, severed by my sword, veered slightly off course.
The severed leg grazed Offense’s ear and slammed into the ground.
Its trajectory and power were completely different from before, but it still tore off Offense’s earlobe.
“Hey. Let’s bounce.”
With that, I pitched forward.
Offense asked nothing, questioned nothing, and vanished into the shadows with me.
In that final moment, I think I heard Offense’s voice.
A slightly muffled voice.
“I’ve seen countless people try to kill me, but you’re the first to try saving me. Thank you, Hero.”
Idria was deep in thought.
‘That skill......’
She had deliberately allowed me within ten steps.
She needed to confirm that miraculous skill of Maide’s once more.
For now, she shelved that issue and focused on the matter at hand.
Should she recall Hyren?
Or let him buy more time?
Kaild spoke.
“You okay?”
“Maide cut Sabark’s leg.”
“What?”
“A leg’s no big deal—I reattached it right away. But it seems Sabark alone is too dangerous.”
“Well......”
“I kept wondering why I heard barking. Who told you to open your mouth?”
Kaild said nothing.
Idria sighed and reconnected with Sabark.
And in a low voice, she said.
“Sabark.”
—Lady Idria.
“You okay?”
—Thanks to your concern, Lady Idria, I’m fine.
“......”
—If you’re telling me to come back, please withdraw it. I haven’t bought enough time yet.
He was right.
If Sabark returned now, the territory’s people would go mad from withdrawal and start killing themselves en masse.
Maide might abandon Atrium territory cleanly upon seeing that horror and fly off to receive the oracle.
Even if it cost some reputation, the oracle was the top priority now.
“Hm. Sorry about that.”
—No, what are you saying? I was feeling uneasy about leaving just like this anyway.
“Because of that man, Offense Dayk?”
Sabark’s voice suddenly hardened.
—Yes. The one who killed me and ruined my daughter.
“......”
—Thanks to him, I met you, Lady Idria. Life really is unpredictable.
“I understand your feelings, but don’t act rashly. Offense is with Maide.”
Sabark’s tone grew extremely deferential.
—you misunderstand me.
“Hm?”
—My personal grudge is nothing compared to your great cause, Lady Idria. Just see it as a bonus.
Idria chuckled.
One reason she drew a clear line between Ophelia and the other four fingers was the far greater effort she’d invested in creating the latter four.
But there were other reasons too.
‘Ophelia rejected me, while the other four accepted me.’
That made her favor them much more.
Idria said.
“As I told you from the start, your top priority is tying down Maide Mohan’s feet.”
—I’ll do my best.
“I don’t mean to belittle you, but Maide’s no easy foe. That’s why I have a plan for you...... Will you follow it?”
Sabark bowed deeply to his unseen liege.
—You bring it up again. It’s an honor to have you devise a plan for me personally.
“Hmm. A completely different attitude from a certain bug.”
—Ah. You mean ‘that one’?
“Yes. Even that bug has its merits. Watching it reminds me how rare talents like you are.”
Kaild’s face twisted as he listened.
Sabark asked.
—Will you tell me the plan?
Idria didn’t answer right away.
She paused so long that Kaild, watching from the side, grew inwardly excited for some grand scheme.
But her following words were somewhat deflating.
“Hide.”
The first thing I saw upon regaining consciousness was Neril.
Next came the sight of my party members surrounding me.
“Like looking up from a coffin at a funeral.”
Thwack.
Neril drove her tiny fist into my gut.
It didn’t hurt a bit.
“Wanna say that again?”
“Sorry.”
“You used that skill again, didn’t you? You know it leaves you wrecked every time.”
“Yeah. I know, but the situation left no choice.”
“Sigh. Fine. Just... take care of yourself, please.”
I noticed her eyes were red.
Jenia said.
“Why the pretense, Neril?”
“What’re you talking about?”
“Oh, just... earlier, you were stroking Maide’s face.”
“Huh? Say that again?”
“......No. Must’ve been my mistake.”
What did she do?
Then Offense’s voice came.
Fortunately, his ear was intact.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. How’s your ear fine?”
“Can’t it be fine?”
“You made sure to save your own ear even then.”
“Yeah. Before yours.”
Offense chuckled and plopped into a chair.
“Honestly, I never thought my shadow arts would get spotted. Should I change classes?”
Serein said.
“Do you handle money well, Offense?”
“Out of left field.”
“If you change classes later, join my business. I’ll take good care of you.”
“Start by defining ‘good care.’”
He turned to me.
“Anyway, Maide.”
“Yeah.”
“In the conversation with Idria to buy time, a new name came up I hadn’t heard.”
Oh.
Right, Bion’s name had come up.
Maybe now’s the time to tell them?
[No!]
‘You always go formal when flustered.’
[Don’t talk about me.]
‘Why? They all know I have a soul attached anyway. Adwin told me when we first met.’
[I don’t know how to blend into your party. I spent eons alone.]
Just follow my lead.
I chuckled and spoke.
“I’ll tell you about that soon.”
“Hm. Well, it’s not the priority now anyway.”
“Right. Finishing this business safely comes first.”
I sat up in bed and said.
“What time is it?”
“Morning’s well past. Green smoke’ll rise soon.”
Slept a lot.
Jenia and Serein must’ve healed my body ages ago. Was I that exhausted?
I scratched my head.
“Idria might’ve left Hyren be.”
Idria might’ve gotten a hint from Offense drawing his blood.
She’d think leaving Hyren here was dangerous now.
Of course, her goal was tying me to this territory, but that didn’t mean sacrificing her fourth finger.
Adwin asked.
“Assuming she’s left him for now—isn’t that safer? Lets us prepare.”
“Yeah. Under that premise, green smoke in minutes. Give up for today?”
Offense said.
“Why give up?”
“No way the antidote’s ready in one night.”
“It is.”
Pop.
Offense flicked a small vial to me.
My eyes went wide.
“Already? How?”
“Thanks to Adwin maxing my focus. Treated me like a slave despite my injuries.”
Risel followed up.
“As I recall, you asked Adwin first.”
“No memory of that.”
“Heehee. No need to be shy.”
“Anyway, mix this in rainwater, and the whole territory’s cured. And over there’s poison to kill Hyren.”
I spotted a backpack-sized sack reverently placed in the corner.
That’s full of poison powder?
Forget developing antidote and poison—how’d they gather materials so fast?
As if reading my mind, Neril spoke.
“Before you left, Offense asked me separately. To prep materials ahead.”
“I see. Thanks, everyone. You bought us tons of time.”
“No big deal.”
“Sorry for lounging comfy while you worked.”
“If you don’t like it, stop getting hurt.”
“Heh. Will do.”
Anyway, preparations were complete.
I stood, stretched vigorously.
And asked Offense.
“Okay to kill Hyren?”
“More than okay—I’ll be thrilled. But don’t you do it.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t wanna be the first to break your no-kill rule. Though... it’ll break eventually. Not now.”
“......”
“I’ll kill Hyren.”
His expression was solemn.
I nodded and said to Trail.
‘Show me the secret between Hyren and Idria.’
[What?]
‘Need to know if she kept him or recalled him. If kept, check her plan.’
[Got it. One sec.]
[Used Eye of Omniscience.]
[Current Eye of Omniscience level is 4. Can view secrets up to A-rank.]
[Selection condition is ‘The secret between Idria and Hyren Gois.’]
[This secret is B-rank. Viewing.]
Soon, I saw and heard Idria and Hyren’s conversation.
Eye of Omniscience was incredibly efficient and shocking—it even let me hear telepathic exchanges between Demon King and limb.
[If it couldn’t hear non-verbal talk, it wouldn’t be Eye of Omniscience for secrets. A secret ability that skips ‘secret conversations’? Contradiction.]
‘Hm. Yeah.’
Makes sense when you put it like that.
Anyway, as expected, Idria planned to leave Hyren in the territory longer.
Good thing she didn’t recall him—that’d be trouble.
[Recall him, and the people go mad or suicide from withdrawal.]
‘Yeah.’
[She figured you’d abandon the place and chase the oracle.]
I chuckled.
Nothing special so far.
The key ‘plan’ part.
Idria said this.
“Hide.”
Drip.
The feed cut there.
......
Hide?
Smart move, Idria.
[Eh? That’s smart?]
‘......’
[No matter how well he hides, Jenia’s sight-sharing finds him. We drew blood tonight thanks to that.]
‘True. Less ‘smart’ and more......’
Diabolical idea.
Of course, that diabolical plan had one flaw.
Me finding out.