Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: To Whom - 2
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"Damn it. Is bikini armor embarrassing?! Is bikini armor embarrassing?!"
"Eh...? Archduke Cecil?!"
Cecil stepped forward from beside me, and only then did the knight startle and step back hesitantly.
But she was still eyeing the Duchy Knight Order's attire with confusion.
Then she looked extremely flustered and asked with a very awkward expression.
"No way... the Duchy...?"
"That's right."
The knight's face turned pale.
After all, she had just treated another country's knight order like a bunch of whores.
It was a major breach of etiquette, so she had no choice but to bow her waist and apologize.
"I'm sorry. I lacked the eyes to see..."
"Ahem. To dismiss such fine armor. The kingdom's knight order should take note. Obsessed with authority and prestige, blind to practicality."
I nodded in strong agreement.
To be blunt, bikini armor outperformed standard armor by far.
So why not wear it?
Of course, there was the wearing penalty of building up stress.
But considering the many ways to relieve stress, bikini armor.
It was pretty damn good armor.
"I can't let this stand. I won't lose. The moment we get back, I should recommend to Her Majesty that the Lily Knight Order switch to bikini armor too..."
"Huh?!"
Even if I made the recommendation, backlash over costs and other issues would make it unlikely to happen.
The Lily Knight Order knight's face turned blue in an instant, oblivious to that.
Ignoring her, I looked around.
The situation didn't seem that bad, but there was no need to keep it going.
"You being here means Claire, Leventia, and Lucille went inside, right?"
"Y-Yes."
"Why did they go in already?"
"Um... I'm not sure. But Claire found something. And since the Princess led us here..."
The knight said it sheepishly and cautiously.
After all, they'd started this without me.
She seemed cowed, afraid of getting scolded.
I shook my head.
No real issue.
A Black Rebel with all limbs severed was nothing to fear anyway.
"But, Wise One. What the hell is that pillar?"
"Nothing much. Just death taking root in this territory."
"What? It doesn't look like nothing..."
"I said it's nothing."
In a way, the situation was even better.
The enemy got stronger, undead invaded the territory, but now we fought outside the dungeon.
Meaning, not just three fighting, but the masses piling on.
"Hey. Wise One. What now?"
"Hm. For now, blocking the undead coming up from there is priority."
Undead spreading around the territory started swarming toward the black pillar.
Like minions approaching the death that summoned them.
Cecil thought hard, then ordered the Duchy knights.
"You lot stay here. I'm going inside."
"But Your Highness!"
"And show them the power of the Duchy here."
She still seemed bothered by the bikini armor slight earlier.
Cecil glanced at the Lily Knight Order knight, who shrank even more under the gaze.
"Um... W-Wise One. What do we do?"
"I don't know."
She seemed dead serious about bikini armor.
Maybe have her apologize later in bikini armor on all fours?
Of course, if she wanted, I could make her that armor.
A top-performance one.
Cecil, who'd merged the knights into the Lily Knight Order, strutted after me.
But thinking about it, she didn't need to come...
"I want to hit that thing too."
"Yeah? Go ahead then."
Cecil was a skilled mage anyway, so she'd help.
With that, I transformed Moonlight from staff to longsword.
Cecil stared at the softly glowing moonlight blade, tilting her head before speaking.
"Come to think of it. What is that thing?"
"An artifact called Moonlight. Why?"
"Hmmmmm...."
Cecil clamped her mouth shut and crossed her arms.
About to say something.
"I feel like I've seen it somewhere..."
Cold sweat trickled down my spine.
"Hm. No idea."
Cecil scratched her head and spoke casually, and I sighed in relief.
Please don't say more.
"Ah."
Right then.
Something emerged from between ruined buildings.
A monster of fused humans, identity unknown.
Shocked by its horrific, grotesque form, Cecil flinched back.
Seeing her fear, the monster's body writhed, and an arm dripping blood protruded from the flesh mass.
Cecil's face turned even greener.
Tch. She was great in every way, but weak to this stuff—mental dropping hard.
This game had monsters that stressed you just by appearing.
That was one of them.
With how many such horrors in this world, reacting like that to this visual...
It didn't faze me at all, so I simply slashed off the monster's long, horrifically elongated arm—like human arms forcibly stitched together—with Moonlight.
-Kieeeek!!
Arm severed, dozens of mouths on the flesh mass opened with a horrific scream.
Then, as the wail burst out, pits across its body moved.
Out came dozens of eyes.
"Hii, hiiik! W-What... what is that thing?!"
"Hill of Corpses..."
"You... how can you face that..."
"Me? I'm the Wise One."
In the Kultread territory basement, Black Rebels researching Demon King revival efficiently used leftover corpses, weaving them into death.
Threat level... hm... like an elite mob mid-boss summons in a chapter.
Not hard to handle.
But weak-minded folks get heavy stress just looking, so best to kill fast on sight.
-Ding~!
I switched Moonlight to lute and plucked the string.
Soft tones flowed out, and Cecil's panicked face gradually calmed.
"Uh..."
"Fire Raise possible?"
"O-Of course."
Dozens of fire arrows targeted the Hill of Corpses.
Sensing it? Black energy gathered in the rolling eyes, forming a shield against the arrows.
-Pfwoook!!
But that was my aim.
The eyes' barrier could only do magic or physical defense at once.
Meaning, blocking magic left it open to physical.
-Kuaaaang!!
Wailing mournfully, the Hill swung a huge arm, but my combat experience shrugged it off.
I severed the arm, stepped forward, and punched.
-Puuung!!
Vulcan Impact.
Advanced monk skill, iconic defense-ignoring nuke.
As the Hill flew back, I yelled to Cecil prepping next spell behind me.
"Lightning spell, any! Again!!"
"Eh? O-Okay!!"
Thus, Cecil and I took down the efficient chimera the Black Rebels made.
-Kwaaaang!!
The Hill, resisting fiercely, fell silent soon enough.
Cecil panicked from stress midway, but timely lute play let us win without issue.
-Sssss... bubble bubble...
The silenced Hill melted green.
Spreading toxic fumes as it dissolved fully, Cecil—unable even to look—said to me with a queasy face.
"Ugh... t-that thing... I hate it..."
"Good. Relieved then."
"What..."
"If the Black Rebels' plan went smoothly, those would've spread across the continent."
"Even imagining it is horrific..."
But she couldn't just sit, it seemed.
Cecil barely kept up with me, encountering a few more Hills en route.
Her magic weakened from mental attacks, but key was breaking the eyes' barriers.
Not too hard, and we reached the black pillar.
And.
"Haaap!!"
A silver-haired woman in blue glow charged the black-energy-wrapped Mine Demon with fierce kiai.
A familiar beauty's face. Leventia.
Hero Party member, frontline fighter.
-Kwaaaang!!
Mine Demon bounced off her shield, and Claire—teleporting via portal—flashed her sword.
-Skreek!!
One strike decapitated the Mine Demon.
Followed by Lucille's magic.
"Thunder Bolt!!"
Not her fire specialty, but lightning hit head and body simultaneously.
Then advanced fire magic.
Fire Storm erupted, drawing awe from Cecil.
"Wow... Princess Lucille. Heard she couldn't do anything, but already casting advanced spells at that power?"
"Hmph. Whose disciple is she?"
Lucille had talent from the start.
Just undeveloped.
Since becoming my disciple, she'd steadily honed it, boosted by royal elixirs and court mage Rachel's help—her skills skyrocketing.
Plus, card research on quick-cast and combo magic made her chaining and speed impressive.
At this growth, graduation neared.
"Hm... we too late?"
Cecil said awkwardly, watching the Mine Demon vanish.
Coming to help but finding it done—more awkward than anything.
But no worries.
He's not dead yet.
"Heh heh heh... still far... I, inheritor of the Demon King's power... think I'd fall to this...?"
"...That voice..."
Cecil knew it, and so did I.
This territory's lord, Black Rebels' leader.
Bronze Kantread—one candidate to head them and revive the Demon King—his voice emanated from the black pillar.
Recalling him from main story—arrogant but helpful in Demon King hunt—I gripped Moonlight.
"Hey. I told you not to touch Demon King revival crap."
When we met mid-main story. And post-Demon King, during adventurer life—I'd warned clearly.
No interest in Black Rebels or Demon King revival stuff. Report to me at once if any whiff.
"...Oh. Wise One. The Wise One."
Slowly, the prior Mine Demon walked out from the black pillar.
The three fighting it whipped their heads around.
"Master!!"
Claire and Leventia stiffened, but Lucille differed.
She dashed and hugged me.
"Master! Master! W-What do we do! Lord Bronze... keeps reviving after defeat..."
"Don't worry. Or rather. Hey. I said if you wanted to grow the territory or make Baek Nation, consult me? So why this shit?"
Aiming Moonlight as I spoke, Bronze—the Demon King-power-corrupted Mine—laughed mockingly.
"Why take your advice? Baek Nation? Grow territory? Ahahaha!! With this power. Demon King's power, I could rule the world?! Govern Demon King's world?! They'd offer me the throne!!"
Tch. No saving him.
Of course.
No intent to save once he became my enemy.
I shifted Moonlight to monk gauntlets and gripped with both hands.
"Then... I'll rip you apart."
"H-Hyunwoo! I'll help!"
"M-Me too...!"
Claire and Leventia cried urgently, but I shook my head.
No need.
"Lucille, Cecil."
"Yes!"
"Eh?"
"You two help. And Claire, Leventia. You two..."
I looked at them, smiled, and pointed back.
"Protect these two."
Physical damage halved, so only monk nukes or magic hit properly.
Author's Note
Hello! Malmulmalmul here! Ugh... Sunday's overㅠ
Another week begins ㅠ Let's all hang in there! At least tomorrow's a holiday!