Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Defense - 1
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After finishing the trial first and completing our preparations, the one who emerged was Cecil.
It was unexpected. Even in the game, when Cecil entered with us, she tended to come out pretty late.
Well, whatever. First things first—I needed to ask something important.
"Did you see anyone else's trial?"
"Hmm..."
She looked like she had a lot to say, but Cecil just stared at me silently. When I pressed her for an answer, she shrugged lightly.
"Not really? I'm not interested in other people's pasts."
"Is that so?"
She's lying.
But no point picking at it when she's saying it like that.
"Oh, and here."
Cecil handed back the mental stabilizer I'd given her. Oh. She didn't drink this either?
In the game, people going into trials usually downed at least one bottle.
Looks like Cecil's mental fortitude is stronger than I thought.
"But is that it? That trial was way too easy."
Grinning smugly with overflowing confidence, Cecil puffed up. She likes it, huh. Still a long way to go.
"You think so? Why don't you try mana detection?"
"...Huh? W-wait. What the hell is this?"
Cecil closed her eyes and cast mana detection—the mage skill that scatters mana around to probe the barrier. She looked at me with genuine shock.
Yeah. She sensed it too.
The ominous energy filling the area right now.
The thick mana blanketing the place was heavy enough to burden even me, with my holy power.
The devil's influence was spreading through this spot.
"I-is this okay?"
"You think it is? Alright. You there. Get ready."
While waiting for everyone after coming out first, I'd already given some orders to the Duchy Knight Order members.
The moment the knights gripped their weapons tight to carry them out—
*Grrrrrr...*
A chilling beastly growl echoed from the dark depths of the sewer. Cecil unconsciously clutched her staff tight.
"What... is this?"
"They're trying to turn this place into something like hell. So the devil can go wild the moment the seal breaks."
*Gulp.* "W-what happens if we can't stop it?"
If we can't stop it?
I recalled what happened in the game.
It wasn't the duchy capital back then, but...
Everyone challenging the trial fails.
Or they fail to block this attack.
Or they lose the battle against the devil.
The game over result was always the same.
"All life around here becomes the devil's food. The hell gate opens, and devils pour out into the world?"
Cecil flinched, staring at me with a face full of dismay. Why so surprised?
We're lifting the dragon's curse here—did she think there'd be no risk like this?
She's trying to have her cake and eat it too.
"...S-Sage. You can stop it, right?"
"Of course."
I transformed Moonlight into a bow and cast the priest skill Holy Arrow.
As a long, pure white arrow formed on Moonlight, I immediately drew the string.
*Fwoooosh!!*
With a bursting sound, holy light illuminated the darkness. What it revealed was dozens of pitch-black monsters.
They were a different type from the corpse hill monsters I'd seen before, so Cecil seemed relatively fine.
There's a lot of them.
"Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us."
I raised the Divine Mark and recited the prayer. At the same time, a soft light spread out, settling over the area.
With the priest's advanced skill Sanctuary complete, the beasts in the darkness began growling openly, clearly displeased.
"Alright then."
I formed another arrow and drew the string. The hell monsters, who'd been on guard, bared their hostility, dripping sticky saliva.
*Fwoooooosh!!*
Light burst forth again, shredding the monsters' bodies.
And with that, they charged.
"Defense game start."
The swarming monsters seemed endless. Of course—since they naturally spawned around the trial where the challengers were.
From their perspective, we were intruders in their territory, so it was natural they'd desperately try to eliminate us.
"Ugh!"
"Roxy!"
One of the bikini-armored knights got bitten on the arm by a dog-like magic beast, a kobold. Blood dripped from her arm as she shoulder-checked it, her longsword slashing across its chest.
"Light!"
A clear voice rang out. With it came spreading holy energy.
The powerful holy power that instantly healed the weary and wounded belonged to Veronica.
"Oh! As expected of Veronica! Hurry and join—?"
Veronica had endured the trial too. As I sighed in relief at her unchanged state and spoke, she threw her arms around me, on the verge of tears.
"Hyunwoo... Hyunwoo... Sob... Hyunwoo..."
"What's with her? Hey. People are watching."
"Sob... Y-you... Sob... Sob sob... Waaaaaah!!"
She finally cried. Sighing at Veronica bawling her eyes out while hugging me tight—
She must have seen it.
"It's okay. It's okay."
"Hic... Sob... Waaah..."
I patted Veronica's back. While whispering reassurances to her, Cecil and the Duchy Knights kept fighting.
"Hey! Can we save the romance drama for later?!"
Knew she'd say something like that. Unable to hold back, Cecil yelled, and I stroked Veronica's hair as I replied.
"I'm fine, so don't cry."
*Sniff* "Y-you're not crying, so I'm the one crying... Sob."
I think I get why she's crying, but I'm okay.
Her pretty face was a mess of tears and snot. I took out a handkerchief and wiped her face.
"Anyway, more importantly than me right now..."
"...Yeah... But what's this?"
She must've finally taken in the surroundings. Veronica looked around, then extended her hand toward the charging magic beast.
*Boooom!!*
As expected of a cardinal-level priest—her holy light's power was incomparable to mine.
She casually unleashed a blast strong enough to instantly light up the surrounding darkness, sniffled a few times, then stepped forward.
"Whatever it is... I'll protect everyone."
"Yeah. Thanks."
"This feels like mock hell... right?"
"Oh. Spot on. Just hold out a bit, so lend a hand."
That's why clerics are essential for this event.
The difficulty changes drastically depending on whether you can use Sanctuary or not.
A being that buffs allies and debuffs enemies is the most crucial in a defense game.
My Sanctuary isn't useless, but it's not as good as Veronica's, so better to rely on her here.
She nodded and raised her Divine Mark, strengthening the Sanctuary even further.
Some weaker magic beasts melted away the moment they entered it.
Feeling how much easier it was to handle now, the Duchy Knights fought with renewed fervor.
"......"
But Cecil was different. She just stared at Veronica, not overwhelming the enemies with magic like before.
"Why're you standing around?"
"...Oh."
Maybe because of the shifted atmosphere? Veronica tilted her head, then poked my side.
"Why's she like that? The vibe's different from before the trial..."
"Hmm... My guess is something happened in the trial."
"...Who doesn't know that?"
Frowning deeply, Veronica poked my side again. Then she raised her mace and dashed forward.
*Crunch!!*
She smashed the head of a small magic beast—an imp—that was targeting a Duchy Knight.
"By the blessing of the Lord, no devil shall take root here!"
The priest skill Demon Rejection.
With her shout, the Sanctuary strengthened further, and soon a soft light enveloped the Duchy Knights' bodies and weapons.
"In the name of the Lord, you are stronger!! Charge!"
Multiple Striking and Multiple Bless, huh.
I asked for help, but not to push that hard.
"...Cardinal syncs well. So that's why you wanted to bring just her?"
"Huh? Oh. Yeah, something like that."
With Veronica supporting like that, I could handle attacks like these solo with ease.
Plus the Duchy Knights and Cecil—this defense would be way easier than expected.
Cecil glanced at Veronica, then shrugged.
"Can't lose then."
"Save some mana. You'll need it later."
"Cardinal's just spamming it."
"She's got reserves."
Her holy power overflows like that.
And she recovers it just by resting and praying.
"...Hmph."
With a short snort, she raised her staff. Mana gathered.
It solidified at the staff's tip, turning into dozens, hundreds of mana blades. The moment they did, the blades exploded outward, sweeping through the magic beasts.
"You're not overdoing it?"
"Overdoing..."
Cecil smirked.
As if to say, *You and your lip.*
Whether thanks to Veronica's Sanctuary, Cecil's magic, or the Duchy Knights' fierce battle—
The defense progressed more smoothly than expected, ending without major losses.
"But why haven't those two come out?"
"What if they failed the trial? What exactly happens if you fail?"
If you fail the trial?
I patted Veronica's shoulder as she gazed coldly at the ripple. She hasn't seemed right since coming out of the trial... She okay?
"Rest a bit. You look tired."
"Oh... Yeah."
Only after I insisted did Veronica nod faintly. But her gaze on the ripple didn't change.
"Hey. Sage."
"Yeah?"
"Answer the question."
Oh. Right. Failing the trial...
Not a big deal, really.
Just some mental damage. Worst case, mental illness.
"Mental illness? But they're from the hero party... No way..."
"From what I saw, they're the type to get it. That's why I told them not to go in."
"Hah. I don't think so. Wanna bet?"
"Sure. What're the stakes? Not money for me, by the way. Got any cards?"
"Cards... I'll stake the Claudia family's epic card, Breath of the Red Rose. You put up the Vintage Resort card."
I thought for a sec, then shook my head.
"Tch. A man going back on his word? No take-backs. Done."
"No. Throw in the epic Mana Shackles too. I'll add Red-Eyed Sky Dragon."
Ah. Can't resist epic cards.
"...Pretty confident, huh."
"Of course."
We laughed and chatted like that to pass the time, but those two still hadn't emerged.
"What if... they went into someone else's past... got shocked... and can't come out? Does that count as failure?"
"That has nothing to do with trial success."
Watching someone else's past is basically a bonus. No penalty for skipping a bonus stage.
"You think they're stuck in your past?"
Not sure what's so riveting, but... yeah, looks that way to me too.
Good on them for not running from what they want to ignore? Or foolish?
"Nothing for it."
"What if they really get mental illness?"
"What else? Treat it."
In this world, diseases are as easy to catch as they are to cure. Nothing incurable.
All illnesses and status ailments can be treated somehow, varying in difficulty. Mental illness? No biggie.
Just treat it.
I slipped my hand into my robe pocket and walked. Toward the ripple.
"Where?!"
"To get them."
"...Why? Why you?"
"Huh? Who else? You're still tired. Cecil's..."
"Me too."
She'd blasted that ridiculous magic earlier.
Magic ties to mental strength, so Cecil needed rest too.
Leaves just me.
"You... okay?"
"Me? Always fine."
Didn't use much in the defense anyway.
"Not like that! Are you really... REALLY okay?!"
"Why yell?"
I smiled at Veronica. Messed up her hair stroking it wildly, then met her dazed eyes as she stared at me, hair unkempt.
"Be back soon."
"....."
Veronica said nothing. Just gazed powerlessly. I patted her head lightly and entered the trial.
"Ah... Aah... O-oppa... It's oppa... Ehehehe~"
Leventia giggling like a child.
"Hah... Nn... Haa..."
Evangeline, face flushed and eyes bloodshot, panting with teary eyes, twitching while staring into empty space.
Oh.
Epic cards, two-pack get.
With this, I could aim for Duel King at the summer festival's Dark Underground Duel Hall.
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