Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: So, Yeah - 2
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-Krurrrr...!!
When I emerged from the trial, Veronica and Cecil were locked in battle with a massive pig-headed monster. "Chaos."
It seemed to be gearing up for a big attack, spreading its arms wide as it unleashed a roar from its pig snout.
Alright. Time for me to join in...
"Where do you think you're going?"
-Kueeeeeek!!
Veronica dashed forward, aiming her mace right between Chaos's legs.
-Splat... Boom!
The sound of something bursting made me instinctively clutch my own crotch. Even I could tell Chaos was in serious pain.
No matter what, hitting it there without mercy...
Even though it was the enemy, that was kinda pitiful...
The moment Veronica retreated after delivering that groin-chilling blow without batting an eye, Cecil gripped her staff with both hands and aimed the mana stone at its tip toward Chaos's head.
"Double Starlight Shot."
Two beams of starlight shot out from the gem. The twin lights pierced the darkness and obliterated Chaos's head in an instant, causing its massive body to collapse.
Right toward Veronica.
-Whoosh!!
Veronica glanced at the falling bulk and spun her mace around. At the same time, holy flames erupted.
The sacred flames enveloped her mace in a flash, and she gripped it with both hands, spinning her body forcefully.
-Bam!!
Veronica looked tiny compared to the collapsing giant, but amplified by blessings and various buffs, her strength was anything but ordinary.
Her powerful spinning strike sent Chaos's corpse bouncing away, tumbling across the floor.
Wow. These two really know how to fight.
They didn't even exchange a word, but their teamwork was flawless.
...It was teamwork, right?
"Oh? You're out?"
I awkwardly lowered Moonlight, now transformed into a sword. Her nun's habit was splattered with Chaos's blood, streaks of it smeared across her face, viscous drops falling from her silver hair.
Chunks of Chaos's flesh dripped from the mace in her hand.
The irony of her gentle smile on that beauty—who looked like she'd bludgeoned dozens to death—only amplified Veronica's allure.
"Yeah. Looks like no problems here."
"No problems, but... I'm filthy."
The blood matting her long, beautiful silver hair must have been bothering her. Veronica pouted and grumbled.
I recalled the trait of Cecil's Double Starlight Shot from earlier.
Double Starlight Shot was a spell that manifested the power of light to deal high piercing damage to the enemy.
But there was a caveat: if there were frontliners present, there was a high chance they'd suffer the "Bloodied" status from the piercing wounds.
If afflicted with "Bloodied," it intimidated enemies if not washed off quickly, but it also lowered party members' favorability.
...Nah, she didn't do it on purpose.
"Come here. I'll purify you."
I changed Moonlight into a staff.
Mages, shamans, or priests had purification skills that could easily clear the Bloodied status.
So I could handle it.
"Sure! Thank... "
"Purification."
As I was about to cast the skill, Cecil moved her staff first.
In an instant, the bloodstains defiling Veronica's body vanished.
Veronica glanced between me and Cecil, then smirked.
"Thanks, Cecil Archduke."
Her face said she wasn't grateful at all.
"No big deal. You two are working hard for my sake. I'm grateful too."
Her face said the same.
Haha. These two.
Getting along great.
"Anyway, Hyunwoo. You okay? Need any healing...?"
As I checked myself over and started to speak, Veronica stepped right up to me.
"Lord, embrace your child."
She placed her hand on my cheek and used a skill. A soft light of holy power enveloped my body.
I wasn't even hurt, so it wasn't necessary.
But it felt better anyway.
"Thanks."
"I'm the one who should thank you for fighting demons for the Church. Thank you, Hyunwoo."
"...Not for me?"
Cecil spoke from behind in a voice dripping with sullenness, and Veronica smiled faintly.
"Opposing demons is the Church's duty."
"Is that so? Feels like you're busting your ass for the Claudia family's curse, though. All that prep work and whatnot."
This fight was for my sake, after all.
But I wasn't dumb enough to bring it up and sour the mood.
I patted the shoulders of Veronica and Cecil, who were beaming at each other.
They could strangle each other for all I cared, but no need for it right now.
"If you've got energy to fight, save it for the demons, kids."
Only then did they stop exchanging those weird smiles.
"Alright. So what's the next trial? We're done, right?"
"Yeah. The final one is the Trial of Discord."
It was actually a trial you could skip solo, so most people did. But with a party now, oh well.
"It makes discord among party members... but it's not hard. Come on, let's go."
Down the path, unlike before, there were two doors and a signpost.
The left door was unmistakably luxurious, crafted from gold and jewels.
Just looking at it soothed the soul.
The right one was the total opposite.
It screamed "enter and die" with skulls, swords, and depictions of screaming people.
"...What the hell is this?"
Veronica stared at the sign in front of the doors, startled.
Cecil, beside her, sighed in disbelief and bit her lip.
"Sage. Come check this out..."
"I know what it is. Left is the Door of Healing. Right is the Door of Austerity."
Enter the left for all sorts of pleasures and healing.
The right for endless trials and hardships.
And those who took the Door of Austerity could spy in detail on how those in the Door of Healing were relaxing.
"Two... "
"Two here too. Hmm. Perfect. Cecil Archduke, you should head back."
The shimmering patterns inside the open doors each showed the number two.
Meaning max two per door.
Everyone here knew what that implied, and Veronica quickly gave the wisest answer.
"Sounds good."
My original plan was just Veronica anyway.
Better than causing issues, she figured, and Cecil stepped back. The door patterns adjusted, one number vanishing from each.
"...What?!"
"That easy, and it wouldn't be a trial."
The wisest answer isn't always correct.
In the game, I'd brought an even number or disbanded to send one away, but checking the doors later, the capacities changed like this.
Only one way to pass easily: come alone from the start and take the Door of Healing.
Was it my imagination? The screaming skulls on the Door of Austerity seemed to be grinning.
Insisting everyone must take the austere path.
I grinned back at the skull's empty sockets.
Don't worry.
Even if you tell me not to, I'm going in.
Great chance for the achievement.
"...So that's why it's the Trial of Discord."
Veronica nodded and headed for the Door of Austerity. I grabbed her slim waist.
Outta my way! This achievement's mine!
"Kyaa?!"
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Why! I've done plenty of austerities in training!"
"Yeah, yeah. Go rest up."
"You! Youuu!! Let gooo! Kyaa! H-hey, where are you touching! Let me go!"
Where'd I touch?
I spun the flailing Veronica into a princess carry and grinned at her flushed, glaring face as I dragged her toward the Door of Healing.
"You, you're trying to suffer alone again...!"
"Whoa. This ain't suffering for me. Go rest."
"Kyaaaa!! I'll really punish youuuuu!!"
One down.
I turned to Cecil. Drag her too?
Having seen Veronica go in, Cecil raised her staff warily, tense.
Who'm I gonna eat?
"What if I refuse?"
"You said you'd listen to me, right?"
"...Don't remember that."
"Oh? Then let's make it that now."
Cecil scowled deeply. Sure, she had archmage potential, but that was after lifting the dragon's curse.
Head-on now, I'd win for sure.
A backline mage with no tank versus a Sage? No contest.
She knew it, just biting her lip.
"Why choose the hard path? This place is meant to make you fight and sacrifice one as a scapegoat, right?"
"Yep."
"Then why you... "
"My business. Don't worry about it."
"If we all go in, what about the monsters outside? Won't they show up and interfere like last time?"
"Nah, not here. Gotta have differences for the finale."
"...How do you know? More Sage crap?"
"You know, why ask?"
"...Sigh. Seriously."
I smiled at her sigh.
"You're slyly inching toward the Door of Austerity while scheming."
Cecil, who'd been creeping, clicked her tongue.
Told ya take the easy path, why sabotage?
I shifted Moonlight to a shield and planted myself in front of the Door of Austerity.
"You shall not pass!!"
"...I'll pay this debt someday."
Cecil trudged toward the Door of Healing.
The moment she entered, a new message appeared before me.
[You have achieved the Scapegoat Achievement.]
[As achievement reward, you have acquired the skill: Pain Absorption.]
This was the Scapegoat Achievement, earned by taking the sacrificial role.
Thought I'd get it in the main story, but opportunities never came.
Good I got it now.
I checked the achievement, then read the new skill.
Pain Absorption.
Exactly as named: pull another's wounds, mental ailments, or status effects onto yourself.
Damn. This OP skill, meant for main story, finally mine.
In-game, having it meant no fear of party debuffs.
Needed setup, but not hard.
I hummed, recalling my skills and gear for it.
Free skill for an achievement—who wouldn't be thrilled?
Alright, time to enter.
Prepped for the austerity trial, I leaped lightly into the shimmer.
***
"Aaaah!! Seriously!!"
The room was even flashier than in Raidnin.
Plush beds and sofas. Tempting foods laid out.
As Veronica vented her frustration in the transferred room, Cecil entered through the same door.
"Where's Hyunwoo?!"
"As if I could beat the Sage."
"Ugh... that idiot...!!"
Veronica stomped, eyes welling up.
As she huffed out her worries and Cecil stood arms crossed, clearly annoyed and silent, an ornate door at the room's end opened.
They turned toward it.
"Welcome."
A black-haired beauty in a black suit appeared from nowhere, bowing politely.
"I am Leia, in charge of this Trial of Healing."
"...Hurry and end this trial. Or better yet, what happens to the austerity side? If we finish quick, does theirs end quick too?"
Despite Veronica's urgent question, Leia replied calmly.
"If you wish to end this trial quickly..."
Leia raised a hand lightly, and glamorous maids in maid outfits appeared.
"Please rest as much as possible within the time limit. If you desire pleasure, I can provide men or women..."
"...No need!"
"Same here. Okay, what do we do to end it fastest?"
To Veronica and Cecil's questions, Leia spoke in a flat tone.
"As I said, just rest well."
"..."
"Very comfortably."
-Grind.
Leia addressed the grinding Veronica and Cecil calmly.
"As your chosen scapegoat endures the Trial of Austerity..."