Chapter 60 – Budding Emotions (3)

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“This isn’t good.”

Diana, who was also not in great shape, sighed as she looked at Reina, who was groaning in pain after shielding her.

If they had been in perfect condition, they might not have been so badly injured.

But both of them had expended a lot of energy in the dungeon, and this last trap was enough to deal a significant blow to even top-ranked rankers like them.

‘At least this should be the end.’

It was impossible to escape from here with their remaining strength.

It would be faster for their comrades to defeat the boss and clear the dungeon than for them to recover their strength and injuries.

In other words, the two of them would have to spend time together in this cold trap until the dungeon was cleared.

“Rest comfortably. We’ve done all we can.”

Diana, who had barely managed to sit up, gently lifted Reina’s head and placed it on her lap.

In the dark, damp cave, the only light came from the faint glow of Reina’s Radiant aura.

This noble and radiant light shimmered around her body and hair, but it flickered weakly, as if it might go out at any moment due to Reina’s poor condition.

“Bugs… You probably noticed, but I hate bugs. No, I’m terrified of them.”

Diana spoke in a subdued voice to Reina, who was looking up at her with half-closed eyes.

It was an unexpected story, even for Reina.

‘Maybe it’s okay to tell you.’

In truth, Diana herself wasn’t entirely sure why she felt this way now.

She had wanted to unburden herself of the resentment she had carried for so long, but she had never found the right person to confide in.

The secret she couldn’t even tell Lee Se-jin, her closest friend, or Jung Chan-soo, who had guided her.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust them. In fact, it was because she cared for them deeply that she couldn’t bring herself to tell them.

Perhaps it was because Reina was a bit more distant from them that she felt she could tell her.

At the same time, Diana believed that Reina, as she had seen her, would willingly accept and purify this resentment.

They had only spent about a day together.

But the trust that had blossomed between them after fighting side by side against constant interference and sharing life-and-death moments was remarkably strong.

Especially when Reina had unhesitatingly thrown herself into danger to save Diana from her panic, Diana had found her final confirmation.

‘Is this woman crazy… Why is she bringing this up now of all times?!’

Reina, who had been worried about Diana meeting the unicorn and having her past exposed, was shocked that Diana was voluntarily revealing her past.

“I was once a slave. A fallen royal turned slave.”

“…If it’s a past you’ve hidden, there must be a reason. Why are you telling me?”

When Diana truly began to reveal her past, Reina coughed and tried to stop her with a strained voice.

This scene wasn’t just being watched by Diana’s constellation.

If this were some kind of confession in the sanctuary, only Diana’s constellation would be listening and judging. But here, it was clear that the “screenshoters” of Fate Road were watching without restriction.

Even the troublemakers trying to sabotage Reina were on high alert.

Unable to say it directly, Reina tried to stop Diana indirectly.

“I believe you know how painful it is to hide your past, and that you can’t unburden yourself until you overcome it.”

But Diana smiled faintly and gently brushed Reina’s hair.

“Maybe I’ve been waiting for a day like this to come. Besides, it’s just the two of us here, isn’t it?”

‘That’s not the point, you…’

Reina frowned in frustration, but Diana only saw it as a reaction to her injuries.

In the end, Reina couldn’t stop Diana from confessing her past.

“When the royal family fell, a 10-year-old princess, believed to be dead, was locked in a basement and became a plaything for the nobles who had rebelled.”

The reason her past had to be hidden and why it was unforgettable.

Diana spoke of a dark and brutal past that even Reina, through the original work, hadn’t known about.

.

.

.

‘Well, it’s your burden to bear, not mine. But… you really went through a lot.’

Reina, having given up on stopping Diana, quietly listened to her story.

Frankly, just hearing it was enough to make one sigh in despair. It was a series of brutal and horrifying events.

Among the countless atrocities Diana endured until she was 15, there was even torture using bug monsters.

Being thrown naked into a pit writhing with bugs, screaming until her voice gave out, while the nobles watched with cold eyes.

For Diana, who had endured all sorts of horrors, that hellish time was the most unforgettable.

“That hell ended when my enemies were burned to death by someone else’s hand, but by then, my body and mind were already tainted and broken. Hiding my identity, living because I couldn’t die, I saw the tower as an opportunity when I entered. A chance to reclaim what I had lost.”

“Do you feel a bit better now?”

“Yes. It feels like I’m not alone anymore.”

She hugged Reina, who let out a small sigh.

“Now you’ve got a big hold on my weakness. So if you have any secrets you can’t tell anyone, you can tell me.”

“No, I…”

“Even though we’re trapped in a dark, cold place like back then, having this light in my arms… I’m not afraid.”

Diana’s blue eyes sparkled as she looked down at the flustered Reina.

Her gaze had gone beyond mere interest, making Reina flinch.

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[Diana’s Legendary Bombshell Statement ㄷㄷㄷ]

[The video just hit the top of the best list.]

[Wow, but if it’s true, it’s really heartbreaking.]

[So even Jung Chan-soo doesn’t know this secret, and she only told Reina?]

[The voyeuristic perverts are going to love this…]

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Of course, everything Diana said was recorded and shared on Fate Road.

It was a bombshell statement that came at a moment when Reina’s fandom, Diana’s fandom, and even the malicious troublemakers trying to sabotage them were all focused.

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ㄴ“No wonder she kept it hidden…”

ㄴ“A bit disappointing. Her constellation has been taking such good care of her, and she still hid it until the end.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Some were disappointed. Whether it was because Diana’s past wasn’t clean or because she had hidden it.

——————————————————————————————————————————

ㄴ“This is some juicy storytelling.”

ㄴ“This is growth. As fans, we should support her even more at times like this.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

On the other hand, some sympathized with her past or showed even more interest.

One thing was certain: Diana had captured everyone’s attention and shaken up the entire fan community.

Diana’s gallery, which had been relatively quiet and small compared to other factions in Jung Chan-soo’s group, suddenly surged in popularity as users flooded in.

‘Should I be happy about this?’

Serpina watched this with a troubled expression.

If Diana’s bombshell hadn’t dropped, the public opinion against the troublemakers in the gallery might have exploded.

[151st Floor Dungeon, Tomb of the Fallen Royal Family Cleared.]

Finally, the remaining four party members, led by Lee Se-jin, defeated the boss and cleared the dungeon.

The troublemakers seemed to have given up, as they didn’t interfere after Reina and Diana were separated, allowing the remaining members to proceed more smoothly.

“You’ve worked hard, unnie.”

“You’re the one who worked the hardest, aren’t you? You’re amazing, 6th rank.”

Kim Ji-eun smiled bitterly as she watched Lee Se-jin, who was redoing her disheveled hair.

After Reina and Diana were separated, it was essentially Lee Se-jin’s solo show.

Wielding her greatsword, Lee Se-jin defeated all the difficult mechanics, monsters, mid-boss, and boss, making a significant contribution to the dungeon conquest.

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ㄴ“Se-jin is number one~”

ㄴ“It’s a bit unsatisfying, but still, credit is credit.”

ㄴ“Here’s a curated selection of Se-jin’s best moments from this dungeon.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Lee Se-jin’s fandom was in a celebratory mood, expecting her to have the greatest contribution in this dungeon conquest.

Although Reina and Diana had been interfered with by unknown parties, if Lee Se-jin hadn’t quickly cleared the dungeon, things could have gone very badly.

‘By the way, where is Reina…?’

Meanwhile, Kim Ji-eun, who had no interest in the rewards or contributions, was looking for Reina.

She would meet her outside the dungeon anyway, but she was still worried.

Kim Ji-eun’s constellation had also warned her to kill the boss as quickly as possible with Lee Se-jin to save Reina.

[Special Reward Granted, Recipient: 1st Place, Reina Frontier.]

[Special Reward: Unicorn (S)]

But when the system notification appeared before their eyes, everyone was stunned.

The tower’s system, which had been watching everything, had judged Reina to be the top contributor.

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ㄴ“How does this make sense!?”

ㄴ“Who contributed the most to defeating the boss!?”

ㄴ“Crazy system, how does someone who spent the whole day running away get this…”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Lee Se-jin’s gallery, which had been certain she would take first place, was thrown into chaos.

Since Lee Se-jin’s contributions were more than enough to warrant first place, the confusion was even greater.

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ㄴ“So this is how unfairness gets rewarded…”

ㄴ“This makes sense. Who paved the way in the first place?”

ㄴ“Do Se-jin’s fans only care about killing? Saving teammates also counts as contribution.”

ㄴ“The troublemakers spent their points just to give Reina another win LOL.”

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On the other hand, Reina’s gallery erupted in cheers.

Especially those who had been angry and outraged by the repeated interference against Reina, the system’s recognition was a thrilling reward in itself.

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[Wait, have you guys seen the unicorn’s description? It’s like a mythical creature from Earth.]

ㄴ“Virginity test? LOL.”

ㄴ“Wow, the virginity debate is finally over, for real.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Naturally, the attention shifted to the unicorn Reina had received as a reward.

The constellations of Fate Road, who were learning about the unicorn for the first time, were in an uproar upon reading its description.

It stated that the unicorn could only be used by a pure maiden.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Thank you for reading.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Just realized that she is 26. Wow~ Christmas cake~

Anyway, imagine that she is proven to not be a virgin.