Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: The Doll's Dream
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Deadroad knelt down before he knew it.
Moreover, he bowed his head, offering his neck—a gesture fit only for pledging one's life to a liege.
"Lady Mabel."
Deadroad froze in place.
I observed his reaction before turning to Cynthia and giving the order.
"Cynthia, finish him."
Cynthia looked down at him and swallowed hard. She hesitated for a moment before drawing her sword and addressing Deadroad.
"By the will of the gods, I command you: return to the place where you belong, in accordance with His will."
Shhk—
Cynthia's blade traced a beautiful arc as it severed Deadroad's neck.
Thud.
As expected.
Cynthia was strong.
The rigid swordsmanship she'd learned at the academy and her lack of real battlefield experience were the only things making her seem weaker.
She clearly had the talent to become a knight of 7th rank or higher. Just beheading Deadroad right then was proof enough of her gift.
He was no one a knight below 5th rank could ever fell.
"...Did we win?"
Cynthia slowly turned to look at me. I held up a hand to signal her to hold, then shouted toward Deadroad.
"Apostle, the game is over."
No sooner had the words left my mouth than Deadroad's head, which had fallen to the ground, whooshed back up and reattached itself.
Thwack.
"No, the game isn't over yet."
"Why not? You said yourself the game ends when all the pieces on the board are dead."
"Because I haven't died."
I smirked at him.
"Planning to lie, Apostle?"
"It's no lie. If it were, I'd be dead and not standing here."
"Is that so? From where I'm standing, it looks like you came back to life thanks to the 'Undying' ability granted to you by the one called the Tower's Master."
"..."
"Or am I wrong?"
Deadroad glared at me.
"How do you know about Undying?"
"I ask the questions. You answer."
"What?"
"Let me ask again: is the game over or not?"
"......"
"In my view, even if you died and came back, the game ended the instant you were dead. That was when all your team's pieces on the board vanished."
The victory was decided.
He answered my question with silence.
The moment he acknowledged it, the trial would end, and he'd be sealed back in the temple.
I knew everything, so I stopped talking and waited to see how he'd react.
"Berddin, was it?"
"Yes."
"Before you end my trial, allow me a few questions. Can you answer them?"
It wasn't a hard request.
I'd received help from him in my past life, so I had no desire to antagonize him.
"Let's hear what you want to ask."
"I sense a very familiar aura from that woman—one I recognize from long ago. Do you know why?"
The answer was simple.
"She's her descendant."
"...Descendant?"
"Yes. The woman you know is named Mabel, right? This one's Cynthia. Mabel's descendant."
"Cynthia?"
"You must be curious about Mabel. Ask her anything you want to know. She can tell you everything."
"...Understood."
Deadroad sheathed his sword and cautiously stepped forward into Cynthia's square.
Step.
"Are you... Princess Mabel's descendant?"
"Ah, yes."
"Tell me about Mabel... Princess Mabel. What happened that day? Her life and death. Tell me everything you know."
Cynthia tilted her head, pondering for a long moment before replying.
"...It's not hard."
She glanced at me, then said to Deadroad,
"But what's in it for us if I do?"
Deadroad whispered a promise in her ear.
Cynthia nodded and began sharing everything she knew about Mabel.
What happened after she left the temple, the circumstances that led her to hide in the Papal Court. There, she met a prince from a neighboring kingdom, bore his child, and through generations, Cynthia was born.
She didn't remember every detail, but it was enough to satisfy Deadroad.
Having heard the full story of Princess Mabel, Deadroad conceded the game.
"Berddin's party has passed the trial."
Whoosh—
A brilliant light erupted from the arena floor, pouring up toward the temple ceiling.
Boom!
From the point where the light struck, green stairs formed all the way to the forest canopy, opening the path to the next floor.
Not only that, but Deadroad's gargoyle minions emerged from the temple carrying dozens of treasure chests, stacking them before us.
"Whoa!"
Alfred's eyes widened as he circled the chests excitedly.
Juda snuck glances around before scribbling something in his book.
Cynthia tried not to look too pleased, staring off into the distance as she asked Deadroad,
"I heard Mabel's tomb is at the Southern Monastery. When I get back home, I can get a map with the location. If you ever want to visit, I can take you."
"No, I can't leave the tower. Just pray for her in my stead?"
"Sure, that much."
"......"
Deadroad opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it firmly and shook his head.
Cynthia gave a light wave goodbye and returned to my side.
And so, we successfully opened the path to the next floor.
There it is.
We'd claimed the hidden piece on the 20th floor—the artifact I couldn't obtain in my past life.
"Good."
I picked up a shabby wooden box from amid the piled treasure chests.
Deadroad, who had been watching my choice, approached cautiously and asked in a low voice,
"Are you really taking that box?"
"Yes."
"You act like you know what's inside."
No answer was needed.
I just gave him a kind smile.
"Don't you want to see your mother?"
"It'd be a lie to say no."
"The princess?"
"......"
"I said something unnecessary."
Deadroad pulled his helmet down low and replied,
"Even if I wanted to, could I? As you know, I'm trapped in this tower."
"Pray to the gods. Ask for a short trip outside. If I were a god, I'd grant that much."
"If it were possible, I'd have left long ago."
"True, you were stuck in the temple until I came, unable even to roam the forest. Must've been stifling."
He chuckled and pointed to the stairs leading to the next floor.
"Go on. The door will close soon."
"Carlson."
"...It's been ages since I heard that name."
"I'll return here soon. Wait for me."
"Return?"
"Yes. I want to see who's stronger—you or me."
The apostle who'd matched my past life's strength blow for blow: Knight Carlson.
Regrettably, no time now.
I already knew who had the edge.
Since we're fated to clash again someday, just hold on till then.
"Come anytime."
"Next time, I hope there's a village here."
"A village?"
"So adventurers have a place to rest."
"...That much is easy. But why should I grant your request?"
"No reason. Just thought it'd make things easier for someone."
I pulled a wooden doll from my pocket and tossed it to Carlson.
"A gift."
I waved lightly and left.
"A doll?"
"Yeah, bought it at the market. They said it brings good luck."
No more words were exchanged.
I led the party to the next floor.
Deadroad watched our backs as we departed.
"What an interesting guy."
Berddin's group ascended the green stairs to the 21st floor.
Soon after, a clownish Guardian Spirit with a ridiculous appearance appeared before Deadroad and spoke.
"You can hear my voice, right?"
Deadroad nodded.
"Whose Guardian Spirit are you?"
"None of your business. Just think of everything from now on as a dream."
"...A dream?"
"Yes, a dream. The best dream you never knew you could have."
"I don't follow."
"Kyahahaha! No need to. It won't happen again after today anyway."
The clown Guardian Spirit waved a hand in the air.
At that moment, the doll Berddin had given Deadroad slipped from his grasp, suddenly inflating like a balloon and transforming into the form of a slender woman.
Fwaaah!
"...?!"
Deadroad stepped back in disbelief.
The doll-woman looked over her body curiously, then gave a shy smile and a light wave.
"Have you been well, Carlson?"
"Prin...cess Mabel?"
Step.
As Mabel took one step forward.
Step, step.
Carlson retreated two steps.
"A dream? An illusion?"
The clown Guardian Spirit giggled between them, then whispered in Carlson's ear,
"I'll be off now. Oh, and that woman—fake body, real soul. Handle with care."
"Real soul?"
"Yeah, Berddin went all the way south to fetch it himself."
"......"
"Said he wanted to give a gift to an old friend."
"Old friend? He called me that?"
"Who knows? Whether it's you or her, ask Berddin yourself when he returns, like he said."
With that, the clown Guardian Spirit let out a raspy laugh and flew up into the sky.
"Kyahahaha!"
Once the clown was gone, the two stared blankly at each other.
A breeze rustled the branches, and Mabel broke the silence, approaching with crescent-moon eyes full of warmth.
"Will you be my guardian knight now?"
Carlson clenched his fists tight.
He removed his helmet, revealing his brightest smile.
"...Yes! Princess."
Two days after Berddin left the tower.
Unsettling events began unfolding at the Legion border.
One by one, the Strange Family knights, hired by the Empire, fell.
Cause of death: unknown.
But they shared one thing in their final moments.
"They collapsed after taking a high-grade potion?"
The incident spread swiftly through the chain of command to the entire Strange Family. By the time it reached Roys's ears, things had spiraled out of control.
"This is total war. Send Valentine to Legion."
