Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Unexpectedness - 1
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Why was the Pope interested in subjugating a Mine Demon?
But thinking about it, there wasn't anything particularly strange. The church used Crystal Fern too, so they needed a stable supply, which meant they had to take down the Mine Demons.
"But why are you doing it?"
"Well..."
Claire hesitated under my gaze, then let out a deep sigh and continued.
"...Do you know about the plague that's spreading in the elves' forest by any chance?"
"Yeah."
"You really know everything... Yeah, that's the reason. A few days ago, a messenger came from the elves' forest."
Claire's story went like this.
After parting ways with me and returning to the battlefield, a few days later, elves had come looking for Evangeline.
They were elves from the Light Wing Tribe that Evangeline belonged to, and they said a plague had broken out in their village, so they were asking for help with the investigation.
"Okay, but why are you getting involved in that?"
"...You remember that thing you said you wanted before? They said they'd give it to me in exchange..."
What was it that I said I wanted before? I'd wanted so many things...
"Lulay's Ring."
"Oh."
Right, that existed. Lulay's Ring was an item needed to clear the event "Echoes of the Great Elf Archer Lulay."
Clearing that event granted the Star Bow, where the archer's powerful skill Multishot became the basic attack.
"But we don't have any priests or alchemists we know well... so we're trying to get help from the church..."
"I see. But why you?"
"......"
"To give it to me?"
Claire nodded slightly. Hmm. But I already had Moonlight, so I didn't really need it.
I wasn't planning on doing much as an archer anyway.
So I patted her shoulder.
"Eek?"
"Don't worry about me and just head back to the battlefield."
"But!"
"And I'll handle the plague."
"Even so. No, more than that, Hyunwoo."
"But Sage, doesn't the plague have a chance of turning people into undead if it gets worse? Wouldn't it be better to get the Hero's help?"
Valtin, who'd overheard our conversation last time, asked. I just shrugged.
"Undead... That's dangerous. Then I'd be even more..."
Yeah, that was probably it. Enemies tied to events were way stronger than regular monsters.
And this event's final boss was a bit tougher than the Pale Moon.
Still, I shook my head.
There was a reason I didn't need the power of the Hero Party, which was doing great on the battlefield.
Because this event's boss wasn't in a dungeon—it was out in the field.
So it could be taken down easily with enough numbers.
Plus, with Moonlight, it was even easier to deal with.
No need to borrow the Hero Party's strength when they were busy excelling on the battlefield.
"I can handle that part myself."
"I want to be of help to you... Huh? Hyunwoo. This isn't about asking for forgiveness, but..."
"Hey, Sage. I don't know what happened between you two, but she's going that far... Don't be so cold."
I wished he'd mind his own business.
At Valtin's mediation, I sighed.
While I was bickering with her like this, other adventurers might go hunt the Mine Demon.
So.
"Let's take down the Mine Demon first and talk after."
"...Yeah!"
The mountain path to the Mine Demon's location was incredibly quiet. We didn't have much to say, but Valtin and Gallik's party were probably watching me and Claire's moods.
"Um, Hero."
Breaking the silence was Lukendi, Valtin's lionkin lover. Approaching Claire as if to lighten the mood, she pointed at me and asked.
"What's your relationship with the Sage?"
"Uh... well..."
Claire jumped in surprise and glanced at me. Seeing her fumbling for words, I answered instead.
"Former comrades."
"Huh? Just that? Didn't you take down the Demon King together? Then you should still be close..."
"We're not really like that."
It was purely a business relationship. No matter what they thought.
"But why are you on such bad terms..."
Claire was an object of respect and admiration for so many people in the world. Even if she was the only Hero, it seemed strange to them that she acted that way toward me.
I shrugged at Lukendi, who reacted the same as people who didn't know the full story.
"Aren't you sticking your nose into other people's business too much?"
"Were you lovers who broke up? Come to think of it, all the Hero Party members were women... Hmm... The Sage is so accomplished. Oh my, oh my. Could it be a love triangle..."
"Lukendi."
At that moment, Valtin grabbed Lukendi's arm. That proved he was an S-Rank adventurer right there.
He knew how to read the room.
Noticing that Claire was getting more uncomfortable and anxious the more they pried, he stopped her. Lukendi made a bitter face and said.
"Yeah. Sorry. I dug too deep."
"No... It's, it's fine. Actually, that's..."
"Over there."
Cutting Claire off, I pointed to one side. A humanoid Mine Demon shrouded in black energy was tearing into an adventurer's corpse.
Good. No one else had touched it.
"Get ready for battle."
"Yeah. Yeah."
Gallik's party members raised their spears, and Valtin and Lukendi bared their beastkin claws.
The moment Claire drew the Hero's Sword, a soft light emanated from it, and the Mine Demon eating its meal turned its head toward us.
"Ugh."
Nothing. Eyes, nose, mouth—all invisible, just a mass of black energy. The moment it spotted us, it exploded its black energy and charged.
Just like in the game.
"Light!!"
I immediately switched Moonlight to staff form and thrust it forward. The bright light bursting from Moonlight instantly erased the black energy, and in that instant, Claire—who'd been hesitating earlier—dashed out.
-Slash!!
Her strike severed its head. A blow worthy of someone who'd helped defeat the Demon King.
Of course, that wouldn't kill the Mine Demon in one hit.
-Shooo!!
The severed head turned to darkness and got sucked back toward the body. Meanwhile, Gallik's party's spear strikes pierced the Mine Demon's body, and Valtin's claws raked its back as it recoiled.
"Hyaah!!"
Lukendi's leaping kick. The Mine Demon tumbled across the ground, and Gallik tilted his head.
"Easier than I thought?"
"It's not over yet."
The black energy reformed without a scratch. Seeing the Mine Demon stand unscathed after that barrage, Claire gripped her sword tightly and muttered.
"H-Hyunwoo. That thing..."
Yeah. We'd fought something like that regenerating Mine Demon before.
The Formless Darkness, a subordinate of the Demon King.
The Hero Party had nearly been wiped out back then.
I thrust Moonlight forward and gave Claire instructions.
"Same way to deal with it, so let's keep going."
"But without Leventia and Evangeline... Sh-Should I call them now?"
Claire gripped the Hero's Sword as if to open a portal, but I shook my head.
The reason we'd struggled then was the party composition.
There was a specific way to handle this type of enemy.
"Hey. You ready?"
"Yeah? Yeah."
As Gallik's party thrust their spears forward, Valtin clasped his hands together. Sensing danger, the Mine Demon charged at Valtin.
"Block it!!"
While Lukendi, me, and Claire held it back, Valtin's mouth opened wide.
"Great ancestors! Let the teachings of the ancestors take root here! May the lion's courage and roar be with us!!"
"Huh?!"
Claire, who'd deflected the black energy with the Hero's Sword, looked at Valtin in surprise.
People always misunderstood because of Valtin's build, aggression, and fighting style.
But he wasn't a warrior.
"Chain Fist! Heavenly Emperor Flag! Power of Valor! Power of the War God!!"
Sacred energy burst from Valtin's hands and gathered on their spears and fists.
The immense holy power startled even the Mine Demon. I hit it with Light again, then stepped back and placed my hand on Valtin's head.
Mana Distribution.
The moment I supported Valtin, whose mana had dropped from the powerful buffs, he cast his final buff.
"Lion Heart!!"
The monk's ultimate skill.
A powerful ability that consumed all his mana to boost the party's attack power, cast stably.
Quite a bit of my mana got drained in the process, but whatever.
"Graaah!"
I had the alchemist's mana recovery potion.
I chugged a mana recovery potion in one gulp to restore my mana, then raised Moonlight.
The monk buffs were done, so now for priest buffs?
"Bless! Striking! Haste! Star's Blessing! Praise the light! Light, have mercy on us!"
Using my holy power to the max, I cast every buff I could on them.
Adding their own buffs and those from Gallik's party.
The moment Valtin grinned with all buffs stacked, I raised Moonlight and shouted.
"Pummel that bastard!! Bind!!"
My final mana activated the binding spell, locking the Mine Demon in place. While it struggled helplessly.
The monk's attacks—top DPS of any class—rained down on it.
[Achievement: Mine Demon Slayer acquired.]
"...Incredible."
In pure attack power, no class beat a fully buffed monk.
And Valtin was a lion beastkin, with bonus physical stats perfect for a monk.
On top of that, he'd gotten all my buffs too, so even a Mine Demon couldn't withstand it.
"Man~ They said traveling with the Sage makes things easy, and it really does. Didn't expect Lion Heart too."
"That's why you guys should add an alchemist. It's 'cause you two always go alone."
"Don't rag on us for traveling as lovers. And don't you know? Adding another party member and losing your lover to them..."
"Then bring another race. Can't be that many furballs? Or travel with a woman."
"The world's wide, and tastes vary."
"And if some Gold Sun type lays hands on your lover, just smash his head in. Why put up with it? Making lion beastkin look bad."
Grinning at my scolding, Valtin looked down at the utterly destroyed Mine Demon corpse. The black energy was gone without a trace, leaving just what looked like an ordinary middle-aged man.
The only distinctive thing was the black stone on his forehead, proof of the Mine Demon.
"Such a strong Mine Demon, and nothing drops?"
"What'd you expect? Just take the head to the adventurers' guild and report it."
"You're not going, Sage?"
"I've got stuff to do. Handle the rest for me."
"Hmm. Leave the reward under your name at the guild?"
"Yeah. Oh, and if there's Lolite Ore instead of the reward money, grab some and hold it for me."
It was a material for the plague cure too.
"Alright, let's call it then."
Normally I'd go report together, but Valtin and Gallik didn't seem the type to cheat me.
If they did and cut me out of the reward, they'd pay the price.
"Yeah. Good work, hit me up if anything comes up later."
"See you next time."
Valtin and Gallik said goodbye and headed down the mountain. Only Claire was left.
I opened my bag to gather Crystal Fern, and she hesitated before speaking.
"Hyunwoo..."
"Yeah? What."
"If... our party had different members... Would taking down the Demon King have been easier?"
"Who knows."
"Seeing Mr. Valtin's power earlier... Maybe what let us defeat the Demon King... wasn't the Hero's Sword... but having you, Sage...?"
"Hmm..."
"And. I... we... feel like we're nothing without you."
Claire squeezed her eyes shut. Then she took a step toward me and placed her hand on her chest.
"Hyunwoo. One more time. Let me apologize sincerely one more time..."
"No need to apologize. That's just how business relationships are. Like with Valtin and Gallik's party earlier."
Once business is done, we go our separate ways clean. Right?
At my response, Claire staggered for a moment, then bit her lip hard.
"Then let's rebuild our relationship. Business or whatever, terms don't matter. I'll do anything you want!"
I smiled at Claire.
Did I need to maintain a business relationship I didn't even want?
Author's Note
Hello, it's Malmulmalmul ㅎ Fun Saturday, huh? Hope you all enjoy and have a good night~
See you tomorrow! Bye~