Ch.34The Five Desires and Seven Emotions (5)

The Seven Deadly Sins (5)

In the end, their departure was delayed by a day.

This was because Esmeralda had nearly sent Lug to the afterlife.

Lug’s only fault in this matter was being excessively confident in himself. If anything else, it was that he didn’t even question the temptation.

In truth, that could hardly be called a fault.

After all, wasn’t the root cause of the incident Eirene’s obsession?

“You really are… something else.”

Esmeralda thought that the sight of Eirene panicking with a tearful face might have been a painful but necessary lesson.

Perhaps now she would abandon her plan to run away with Lug?

That’s what she had thought.

But what was she doing now?

[What is Sex?]

[Recommended for ages 10-12]

Undeterred by failure, she was studying for her next attempt.

Is that really where she’s starting from? Esmeralda, who had thought Eirene’s innocence was all an act to deceive people, realized that wasn’t the whole story.

Despite her beet-red face, she was seriously reading the book.

She really was… innocent after all.

‘I guess that’s why last time…’

Esmeralda recalled the book she had read with Eirene in the carriage, then shook her head. The catalyst that had sent both of them spiraling out of control.

It was their ignorance about sex.

Ignorance can be truly frightening.

Frighteningly ignorant.

“Pfft.”

Esmeralda laughed at the wordplay that suddenly popped into her mind.

For someone who had spent her life working like a beast of burden, even such simple wordplay was enjoyable.

As Esmeralda secretly smiled to herself and Eirene anxiously pored over her sex education book…

“Gah?!”

Lug, who had been unconscious, woke up with a sound like a dying gasp.

“Huff… huff…”

“Lug, are you alright?”

But the awakened Lug’s condition was worse than expected.

Esmeralda, worried she might have hit him in the wrong place when knocking him out, anxiously grabbed his hand and asked.

Normally this would be Eirene’s role, but she was still hesitating, seemingly troubled by what had happened earlier.

Esmeralda felt responsible too, so she didn’t say anything about it.

Just then, a tear streamed down Lug’s cheek.

“Why are you crying now?”

“I had… I had a dream.”

“Must have been a nightmare.”

Come to think of it, Lug was living quite a tragic life.

From the beginning, he must have had compelling reasons to accept the mission to infiltrate the hero’s party.

“It wasn’t a nightmare. No, rather, it was a happy dream…”

“Then why are you crying as if you’re sad?”

“Because it was just a dream.”

Lug clutched at empty air as if he had lost something precious. Seeing this, Eirene flinched and distanced herself a bit more.

“Ah, yes…”

Esmeralda could understand now. Having fainted while enthusiastically groping Eirene’s chest, he seemed to think it had all been a dream.

“I suppose it must have been a dream. Such a happy event couldn’t have suddenly happened… Yet I can still feel the sensation in my hands. It’s so sad and disappointing that it wasn’t real.”

“…”

Fortunately, there was no need to prepare an excuse. Lug believed it must have been a dream because it seemed impossible otherwise.

“Ah, a utopia flowing with milk and honey. Why…”

“Eek?!”

Eirene trembled at the sight of Lug clutching at empty air.

Yet she seemed to be considering whether she should offer herself to him.

That was truly remarkable affection.

“Eirene, calm down. It’s just a metaphor.”

Esmeralda responded maturely. She was already accustomed to Lug’s sexual harassment.

Having endured Lug’s lust alone through the aftereffects of her power, [Emerald Tablet], Esmeralda could now remain unfazed by such behavior.

In contrast, Eirene, who had been engaged in politics at the center of power, had no resistance to such direct and specific sexual harassment.

Indeed, who would dare speak of sexual harassment in front of the Saintess of the Celestial Church?

It would be impossible, whether politically or personally.

Even if someone had, they would no longer be among the living.

“I wonder if we can defeat the Demon Lord…”

Esmeralda felt doubtful as she watched Lug reminiscing about touching Eirene’s chest and Eirene half-deranged by Lug’s behavior.

Perhaps it would have been better to embark on this journey alone.

***

A day after Lug’s fit of madness subsided.

The hero’s party was about to resume their journey…

“Hmm, fortunately, the timing is perfect. It’s an honor to meet you like this. Hero, Miss Esmeralda.”

“…Yes, it’s an honor to meet you too, Tower Master Glacies.”

They couldn’t depart. Someone had come to greet them first.

She was the master of Glacies Tower, one of the continent’s seven great magic towers.

Glisha Lentissimo

The moment she faced her, Esmeralda stiffened, unable to maintain her usual act of foolishness.

She had only heard talk of magic towers, but had no idea what they truly entailed.

[Total Estimated Level: Lv. 841]

Yes, the power reflected in her opponent’s eyes far exceeded what she had anticipated.

She was even stronger than Eleven, the legion commander Esmeralda had encountered.

For a moment, Esmeralda wondered why someone like this hadn’t participated in the battlefield, but she quickly dismissed the thought.

Someone with such ability and power would be more valuable in the rear than on the front lines.

Moreover, even with her abilities, Esmeralda couldn’t penetrate Glisha Lentissimo’s surface thoughts. Or more accurately, she couldn’t read them.

[Note: **$%&%@ㅛ@%#%]

It was different from human thinking.

Esmeralda understood in an instant. Countless layers of thoughts overlapped, becoming illegible.

Perhaps what she saw was dozens, hundreds of worlds. Thus, seeing one thing evoked dozens or hundreds of thoughts.

Yes, this must be what they call enlightenment—seeing the world in a way different from others.

Esmeralda was horrified to witness in everyday circumstances what she had only occasionally glimpsed in Millia’s mind during intense battles.

“I’ve heard much from Millia. I was worried since she doesn’t have friends, but to hear that she’s become close enough with someone that they would personally come to greet her—it’s truly gratifying.”

Glisha Lentissimo smiled benevolently, like a grandmother welcoming her granddaughter’s guests.

Esmeralda couldn’t tell whether it was an act or genuine.

After all, wasn’t the magic tower an organization that had wanted to research using Esmeralda’s corpse?

Judging by Millia’s twisted mental state alone, they were clearly not ordinary.

‘I need to stay alert.’

Fortunately, the Saintess, Eirene, was with her in this place.

With her power and backing, Esmeralda wouldn’t face any problems even if they entered the magic tower.

Even though the Celestial Church had fallen, if their Saintess faced danger, they would declare a holy war even against a magic tower.

“I’ll use spatial transfer magic. It’s faster and more convenient.”

“I feel bad for troubling you. Thank you.”

Eirene, who had been observing the situation from behind, stepped forward, pushing Esmeralda aside, and expressed her gratitude.

It was a sign that she would take over the conversation from now on.

Not only because Esmeralda lacked political insight…

“But shouldn’t you tell us our destination first?”

“Hohohoho.”

Eirene had already experienced the tower master’s devious nature in political circles to the point of nausea.

“The Saintess is as perceptive as ever.”

“Thank you for saying so, Tower Master. So where are we heading? I still haven’t received an answer.”

“Well, where would you like to go?”

“Naturally, the front gate of Glacies Tower would be best, wouldn’t it? It would be convenient for both parties if everyone around knew we had arrived.”

Two people with benevolent smiles and pure, flower-like expressions. And with conversation content that didn’t match at all—Esmeralda felt like throwing up.

***

She knew Millia had changed.

Tower Master Glisha wasn’t pleased about it. Of course, that was just her opinion; the other tower masters were rather happy about the fact.

After all, it had broadened Millia’s thinking.

But Glisha was different.

Her magic symbolized water, freezing, and stillness.

So she didn’t like change.

Freezing a moment in time and preserving it was her ideal.

In that sense, she didn’t like how Millia, whose emotions had seemed frozen since childhood, had recently begun to change.

Of course, she had no intention of turning Millia into a doll because of her selfishness.

Though she didn’t like it…

‘That’s clearly the right path.’

Glisha didn’t insist.

Even if Millia went in a different direction from her, she would surely complete a grand magic that would elevate humanity to the next level.

Her interference would only hinder Millia’s evolution.

But…

‘Yes, who could it be? Who taught our Millia such strange things?’

She wanted to at least identify the person responsible.

And if she could vent a little, all the better.

Glisha examined the members of the hero’s party with a benevolent smile.

Her gaze swept over Esmeralda, Eirene, and Lug.

‘Yes, it was you.’

And her gaze fixed on the Saintess, Eirene.

A brilliant deduction from someone who had understood the world and reached enlightenment over many years.

Completely off the mark.

It was a moment that proved the tower masters were still human after all.

[Understanding Sex]

[Recommended for ages 13-14]

Recalling the book Millia had been carrying recently, Glisha was convinced Eirene was the culprit.

‘As expected of a church bitch. Corrupting our pure Millia.’

Had Eirene, who was dozens of times more innocent than Millia, heard this, she would have collapsed in shock.

Glisha nodded to herself in understanding, then glanced at Lug and thought:

‘Hmm, they’re traveling with a demon.’

A slave perhaps?

Glisha worried whether this might negatively influence Millia.

And in some sense, her concern wasn’t entirely wrong.