Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 017
Chapter Title: Moonlit Confirmation
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“Guess this is the best I could do.”
The city of Borfeo, where he had set foot for the first time in this life.
It was stocked with goods and materials that couldn’t even compare to the junk from Chichiron.
‘Not that it’s anywhere near enough.’
Of course, it wasn’t enough to satisfy Sein, but after shedding bloody tears through all that time, he was grateful for even this much.
Sein’s gear had changed.
Unlike the haphazard stuff he’d scavenged before, it now had a sense of uniformity, and the quality was incomparably better.
Time had been short, so this was the best he could manage.
If he’d had proper time and materials, he wouldn’t have settled for this.
“At least…”
Sein caressed the sword at his waist.
-It’s got a little mithril in it.
Borfeo’s blacksmith, Aaron, was a pretty decent smith.
He had a small amount of mithril on hand, the kind you couldn’t easily find outside the late game in Sanctuary.
It must have been as dear to Aaron as his own life.
-Hand it over.
-I was planning to anyway. I’m curious what you’ll make with it.
Well, not quite as precious as his actual life, surely.
And so the longsword was born.
-Incredible…!
Aaron couldn’t hide his amazement at the longsword Sein had forged.
-Give it a name!
He eagerly urged Sein to name the weapon, unable to conceal his excitement.
-Why bother?
But Sein shot down the suggestion flat.
-I’m not some hack blacksmith who’d name trash like this.
-Is that so…
And so the longsword was born.
“No telling how long it’ll hold up.”
But there was an even greater prize than the longsword.
The blacksmith, Aaron.
He was more skilled than expected, and though aged, he still had potential left.
‘Borfeo will be my base for a while.’
If Aaron grew further, he could produce some decent disposable gear.
‘Eia, Aaron.’
The two most usable people in Borfeo.
That, ironically, was the unexpected windfall from the city.
‘Assuming they survive, anyway.’
Darkness had fallen over Borfeo.
Today was the promised day.
-One week from now, meet me here.
The day he’d promised Arin.
He’d made every preparation he could.
He’d done everything possible, so no regrets.
“From here on…”
His steps began to slow.
“It’s all on my abilities.”
The iron mine where he’d felled the ogre, Bova Demorus.
Beneath the bright moonlight pouring down, Arin sat there.
“You didn’t run.”
Arin said.
“Why the hell would I?”
Sein grinned at her.
*
*
*
A black-haired woman under the blue moonlight.
It was a sight so beautiful it could pass for a painting.
‘The more I see it, the more surreal it is.’
Sanctuary, enjoyed by hundreds of millions.
With its infinite freedom and single-player nature, customization was boundless.
Countless players had poured their craftsmanship—or something darker and more sinister—into their Sanctuary characters and boasted about it.
-Wow, that’s insane.
Sein had marveled at them too.
-No wonder Sanctuary players can’t get girlfriends.
There were even folks blaming Sanctuary for global low birth rates and pushing to ban it.
The reason for such random thoughts was simple.
‘Upload a screenshot of this, and the views would explode.’
Arin under the moonlight.
It was more beautiful than anything he’d seen in countless posts back then.
But the problem was that this woman.
Step.
Might be the one to steal his final life right now.
Arin stood.
Snap.
The moment she flicked her finger.
Swish!
Something slipped out from Sein’s shadow and vanished into Arin’s embrace.
‘Shadow Assassin.’
A type of greater undead.
“Did you think I’d run with that stuck on me?”
It was what Arin had attached to Sein.
“You don’t think I did it to protect you?”
“Who do you take me for, some naive country boy?”
Sein smirked.
“Cut the crap and get to the point.”
The Fragment of Blessing he’d gained after felling Bova Demorus.
It had brought him excruciating pain and a massive side effect.
And the only one who could resolve it right now.
“What do I do about that blessing residue?”
Was Arin.
“Didn’t it occur to you to figure it out yourself?”
“Tried a few things, but it’d just be a waste of time.”
No need to stimulate his stopped heart, either.
“Good call. If you had, you might not be standing here now.”
“Told you, get to the point.”
“Your point’s off-base from the start.”
The atmosphere.
Whoosh—!
The air-crushing pressure shifted.
In that single instant, even the beautifully cascading moonlight and Arin’s appearance.
“…….”
Gave off the vibe of a massive death god brimming with savage menace.
“My one true point is this: you’re the Destroyer.”
“…….”
The Destroyer.
The being that toppled the old empire and brought catastrophe to the Sanctuary continent.
“And you’re Segmore.”
Sein shot back as if refusing to yield.
“Segmore.”
Arin’s family name.
“One of the imperial family’s hidden three shadows, the only house in the old empire permitted to practice necromancy.”
Secrets unknown even after the empire’s fall spilled from Sein’s lips.
“Ignoramuses lump all necromancers together.”
Sein tossed out the massive secret casually.
“But the Segmore way of handling undead is unique.”
Not commanding a bone spider like a familiar, but sprouting its legs from her back to wield it.
“The fusion of summoner and undead is a power of the Segmore bloodline.”
“…You know your stuff.”
That’s how Sein had deduced Arin’s identity.
“Only a handful in the imperial family even know that. Want me to spill more?”
He spoke as if he were the real deal.
“Yeah.”
She’d meant to hide it.
No need to admit she was some world-ending supervillain.
But if necessary.
“I’m the Destroyer, Sein Archibald.”
He’d already resolved not to hesitate revealing it.
“…So that story was true.”
Arin’s eyes shook, as if recalling something.
“The one about the regressor.”
Just as Sein knew Arin’s secret, she knew his.
*
*
*
Sein scowled at Arin’s words, looking displeased.
“The imperial shadows make it easy to guess. You want proof?”
Sein approached Arin.
“Told you to cut the chit-chat.”
Step, step.
His footsteps were bold.
He was already in her domain.
Close enough that she could sever his head anytime she wanted.
Step.
Yet Sein didn’t stop approaching.
“Get to the point.”
Now right in her face.
Arin was undoubtedly the superior one.
“Why’d you seek me out? Revenge?”
Sein looked down at her as if he were the strong one.
“No, you wouldn’t have let me live if so.”
The three shadows, called guardians of the old empire.
From Segmore’s perspective, one of them, she might harbor vengeance toward the Sein who destroyed it.
“Not sure if that’s even possible. Anyway.”
Sein said.
“You want something from me, right?”
Arin had sought the Destroyer because she wanted something.
That was Sein’s conclusion.
“Tell me what you want. I’ll decide if I can deliver.”
“…Hah.”
Arin finally let out a hollow breath.
“I heard the stories, but you really are just like that. Sein Archibald.”
“It’s Sein Demorus now.”
“Right. I do want something from you.”
Her tone had shifted subtly.
“Father said to find the Destroyer and make him pay for the empire, but I see it differently.”
“Don’t talk about people you don’t know.”
A century.
And only the family head was granted the role of shadow upholding the imperial family.
“The only Zillan I know is that guy.”
“Fine.”
“What?”
“He’s my father.”
Zillan Segmore.
The man who’d been his master too.
-Your Highness, I look forward to the day my daughter grows and supports you always.
He’d definitely mentioned it once.
“Your age…?”
“Guess the rumors about you lacking manners for royalty are true too.”
Whoosh!
Mana began pouring from Arin.
“Hey! What’s that for? It’s just about age!”
Boom—!
The intensifying aura made Sein instinctively step back.
He’d prepared for this moment just in case, but never dreamed it’d be over something like age.
“You wanted the point, so here it is.”
Bang!
The explosively bursting energy flung Sein’s body away.
“I’ll confirm you’re the Destroyer.”
“…This should be enough already!”
“And if you are…”
Arin floated into the air.
It was as if all the moonlight existed to illuminate her.
She swept her hand.
Hummm!
The iron mine entrance resonated, emitting light.
‘That’s…’
A spell Sein knew.
A kind of subspace, the pinnacle of space-linking magic.
“I need to check if you have the power to fulfill my wish.”
“…You’re testing me?”
Sein, who’d seemed only pushed back, was now resisting Arin’s aura.
“It’s a deal.”
Arin said.
“The Destroyer wouldn’t tolerate being tested.”
“…Looks like Zillan told you plenty about me.”
Fwoosh—!
The iron mine entrance gaped wide, moonlight filling its maw, beginning to suck Sein in.
“The price…”
Sein, swept into the pull.
Grinned as he said.
“Had better be worth it.”
“I promise.”