Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Deep Conversation - 1
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Idria's eyebrows twitched.
“Collection?”
“Anyway, isn't it a two-month truce with Maide?”
“How did you know that? And why on earth are you so fine? You were turned into ground meat.”
“I have plenty of spare bodies.”
He grabbed Kaild by the collar and hoisted him up.
By this point, he had already passed out from the pain.
Tap, tap.
Bellosian lightly tapped here and there on Kaild's body.
Black smoke then began seeping from his mouth and ears.
“……! You erased the bugs?”
“Yeah. Since this guy's mine now, I wiped them out for him. Sorry for not asking first.”
“Cut the bullshit. You're not actually sorry. Just like you're not sorry for erasing Firensha's soul.”
“You're pretty pissed, huh.”
He slung Kaild over his shoulder.
And lightly clicked his tongue.
“You're great in every other way, but you're too soft. And too relaxed.”
“…….”
“Maide's going to keep getting endlessly stronger from here on, endlessly building his fame. You really think you can fulfill your wish with that mindset?”
“It's not something for you to worry about, at least.”
“How could I not worry when it's about my daughter?”
He turned his head toward Firensha.
And pointed at her lightly with a finger.
Idria recoiled in horror, but thankfully, Bellosian wasn't attacking.
On the contrary...
“Oh, Mom.”
“Firensha? Are you all right?”
“Yeah. I'm fine. Actually, I feel super refreshed.”
He had healed Firensha.
Restored the soul he'd just erased.
Until moments ago, she hadn't had the slightest clue how to fix it—but he'd done it with nothing more than a point of the finger.
Idria swallowed hard.
“This is my way of apologizing. Not sure if you'll accept it.”
“……I can't trust you anymore.”
“That's a shame. Well, wait till your anger cools. I'll handle Maide in the meantime.”
Idria asked.
“You'll handle that guy? How?”
“I'm going to shave down his sky-high, soaring fame.”
“So how exactly are you going to pull that off?”
“No need for you to know. Though I'll say this much: when it comes to tearing down someone with high fame, I'm more the expert than you.”
“……!”
“Two-month truce, was it? Rest up good till then. You must be exhausted.”
Step. Step.
Bellosian left the cave.
Idria committed his retreating figure to memory.
A two-month truce.
Of course, that was a promise she'd made with him.
Not one with Bellosian.
Even if Idria honored the truce, nothing said Bellosian couldn't act on his own.
‘Even so......’
She had zero clue what he might do.
His secrets were still beyond the Eye of Omniscience.
Which meant...
“For now, let's rest these two months.”
“Rest?”
Neril blinked.
I nodded as I replied.
“Think about it—we've been charging nonstop till now, way too hard. We need a break.”
“Isn't sleeping soundly every night enough rest? Thanks to Adwin, I'm always in peak condition come morning.”
Adwin lifted his nose proudly.
“Kukuku. Finally acknowledging this body's greatness, eh? Letting weary souls rest is a cinch—like flipping over my palm.”
“…….”
“It's like warm sunlight piercing a clear blue sky... Uh, hey. Why aren't you stopping me?”
“Guess you've got some mental breathing room now. Go on if you want.”
“Nah. Now that you say it, I can't.”
Jenia slipped in with a chuckle.
“You think Maide-san's okay with us resting?”
“To be precise, there's nothing else to do. Still no grasp on our next move.”
“Ah.”
“I figure Idria'll keep her word. Leaves Bellosian, but no clue what he's scheming.”
“Even with Trail-san's power?”
“Yeah. Shame, but yeah.”
Everyone let out a light sigh.
That's when Neril spoke up.
“Yeah. Good timing, actually. I've got something to say too.”
“What?”
“We need to get stronger.”
All eyes turned to Neril.
Offense asked.
“Stronger than this?”
“Offense. You forget nosebleeding like a faucet against Bellosian?”
“Nosebleed? No memory.”
“None of our aces worked on that guy.”
Offense swallowed a groan.
Neril gnawed her lip as she said.
“Didn't mention it at the time, but honestly? Huge shock. Without Trail-san and Maide, we'd all be six feet under that day.”
“Hmm.”
“Leader getting stronger is great news. But I wanna help Maide more.”
There, she noticed all the stares fixed on her.
“What? Did I say something wrong?”
“Aww, getting all couple-y.”
“Hnng. You'll get it when you snag a good guy yourself. Shortstack.”
“Ugh!”
Serein huffed back to her spot.
“Anyway, I'm with you. Even Adin's main body—we got no clue how to handle... Let alone way stronger Bellosian. We definitely need to power up.”
“Mmm. But how?”
“Was gonna ask Maide-san that.”
Serein turned to me, eyes sparkling.
“Maide-san. How'd you get so ridiculously strong? Some kinda trigger?”
“Fame.”
“Huh?”
“Impellium said it. Fame converts to power. Guess I figured out how.”
Risel cocked her head.
“'Guess'? It's your own story.”
“Honestly, I just go with 'eh, must be'. No idea the how. Thought 'I can do this' and boom, it worked.”
“Maide-san, no more ragging on Leon-nim's explanation skills from now on.”
Shock. Dead serious.
Everyone crossed their arms with a groan.
I took the lull to think it over myself.
Neril was spot on.
Time to ditch the arrogance that I alone could take down Adin or Bellosian.
Even the first hero up through the third—they'd needed their parties to slay the Demon King.
My comrades had to level up alongside me.
[So how?]
‘Ask Impellium?’
[Whoa? You two on meet-whenever terms now?]
‘No. Doubt I can track him down.’
Past experience: call his name all I want, if he stonewalls, no dice.
Impellium had to summon me first.
Baiting the guy living his cushy retirement? Not gonna be easy.
‘Hmm......’
Tap, tap.
I drummed my index finger on the table.
Then it hit me—a solid idea.
“Way to make you all strong. Meaning, ask Impellium how you can turn your own fame into power.”
“Huh? He'll tell us?”
“Haven't asked, so who knows. That's why I'll meet him and find out.”
“Ah.”
“But he doesn't pop up on command. Need bait to lure him.”
Adwin asked.
“Bait for a being like that? Something exists?”
“Going back to where I first heard Impellium's voice.”
“Ah, no way?”
“Yeah. My hometown.”
Hasfil Territory.
“And there... Whew. Summon my father's soul, Adwin.”
“Y-Yes? Y-You sure that's okay?”
“Yeah. Ask Dad right there in the territory. Exactly where and how he found me.”
“…….”
“Then roughly search the area. Might hook Impellium's interest.”
“What a hassle. Could just hook a brother up proper.”
Adwin grumbled.
But Neril was beaming.
Face screaming she loved the idea.
“Pretty good plan, right?”
“Nope. Not even a little.”
“…….”
“No guarantee Impellium shows up right on cue for that.”
“Then why the grin?”
Neril's cheeks flushed a tad.
“Nah, just... y'know, killing two birds...”
“Killing two birds?”
“Killing two birds. Ahem.”
Neril mumbled on, voice tiny as an ant's.
“Meant I could pay respects to Mother-in-law. Missed out last time, just me.”
Kaild opened his eyes.
First in view: massive reeds blanketing him.
A cool breeze sent the reeds swaying.
Through the gaps, he spotted a silhouette's back.
‘Bellosian.’
Why's that guy here?
Wait—where even was here?
Kaild started to rise.
But a bad vibe halted him.
‘Watch first.’
Bellosian had his head craned skyward.
Like something was up there.
“Care to show yourself, Adin-san?”
“……?”
“Won't come for that name? Oh well.”
He cleared his throat lightly.
“Please descend upon us, O Heavenly God.”
Kaild stifled a scoff.
Bellosian's true nature? Mystery. But the guy's evil incarnate, aiding the Demon King.
As if a heavenly god would answer his summons.
Hell, as if anyone could summon a heavenly god...
That was when it happened.
“Why call me Adin?”
Kaild's breath caught.
Superhuman restraint—he poured every ounce into listening.
Bellosian cocked his head as he spoke.
“Not allowed?”
“No. Definitely not.”
“…….”
“Discarded that name ages ago. You know that better than anyone.”
Bellosian tittered.
“Sorry. Got carried away with the joke.”
“Way past joke territory.”
“Anyway... Got a favor to ask.”
He pressed on casually.
“Please issue another oracle.”
“What?”
“Idria's super mad at me. Spite made her truce with Maide.”
“…….”
“Honestly? For the best. She's green. I'll handle Maide while she sits it out.”
“Ha. So, issue an oracle, is it?”
Bellosian nodded.
The Heavenly God, Adin, sounded utterly baffled.
“I already issued one. Declaring Maide Mohan the hero.”
“Humans can't tell which is yours anyway. You drop another here? They'll buy the first—Idria's—as yours too.”
“…….”
“That lie pumps Idria's power. Plus hypes Kaild's fame more. Win-win masterstroke, no?”
Adin sneered.
“Masterstroke for who?”
“If we're chatting long, mind shrinking down? Neck's killing me staring up.”
“Humans see two oracles already. I add one? Makes three total. Unheard of in history.”
Bellosian again.
“Shrink already. Neck seriously hurts.”
“Spamming oracles like this? How's humanity gonna view me? Can't sabotage my own authority. Could rattle their faith.”
“…….”
“Worst, it crosses 'passive cooperation.' Can't relive that humiliation.”
“Whew.”
Bellosian sighed lightly.
Then spoke calmly—or icily.
“Last time I'm saying it. Shrink down.”
“……! Y-You're ordering me?”
“Yeah. Mood not clear enough?”
“This mad bastard. Even you can't order me around!”
As Adin bellowed that.
Snap.
Bellosian flicked his fingers lightly.
What followed was staggering.
“N-No! Impossible!”
The radiant light blanketing the sky—Adin's light—shrank.
No, withered.
Back to how he'd been in that fight with Maide's crew once.
Worse, actually.
Not a trace of the pure white glow cloaking him remained.
Just a wrinkled, white-haired geezer left.
“H-How...”
Adin pawed his face, expression beyond words.
Bellosian said.
“Eye level good now. So listen nice.”
“Bellosian! How the hell can you pull this?”
“…….”
“O-Obviously you're way above me. But this is the starting line! Not the 'special room'! How can you do me like this here?”
Desperation laced Adin's shout.
Bellosian answered breezily.
“True. Right now, I'm weaker than Maide even.”
“Y-Yeah. Even Maide couldn't shrink me like this. So how in the world...”
“But Adin Press—as far as you go, you're mine to toy with.”
“How, then?”
Bellosian shrugged it off.
“All that human faith stacked before you? Born from lies.”