episode_0082

“Ha, haha. Long time no see, Yuseong.”

Ermé quickly regained her composure.

Though her expression was one of utter bewilderment, she seemed accustomed to situations like this, swiftly smoothing over her face.

The wicked smile vanished, returning to the Ermé I knew.

“…….” “…….”

A sudden silence fell.

Ermé knew I had seen something here.

And I had confirmed the side of her she had been hiding.

‘But honestly, does it even matter?’

The atmosphere was so tense that I reflexively reacted, but I never thought Ermé was some naive, innocent person to begin with.

Sure, others might call her a witch, but to me, she was still a good person, wasn’t she?

So, to be honest, I didn’t really care anymore.

—……Truly, the bearing of a hero.

The Holy Sword, sensing my thoughts, remarked as such.

“Uh, hey.” “Sorry, did I scare you?” “Huh? Well, yeah, a little.” “I was just practicing, and somehow ended up here.” “……You made it all the way through? No, seeing you here, I guess you really did.”

Ermé looked at me with disbelief, her expression practically screaming, A measly Level 4 thief pulled that off?

‘……It was a bit tight.’

Luck played a small part.

But now that I’d mastered the pinnacle of thievery, future infiltrations would likely go smoother.

‘Feels like my stealth EXP shot way up.’

I’d be able to level up soon enough.

Thinking that, I looked at Ermé.

Her orange hair, reminiscent of twilight.

—This girl is a hero candidate……

The Holy Sword began assessing her properly.

—If I pulled up her status window, it’d probably look something like this.

▼

Name: Ermé (Lv.4)

Strength: 35 Agility: 35 Stamina: 35 Magic: 35 Spirit: 35 Perception: 35

◈Gifts -[Chosen One (?)], [Sword King (S+)], [Moonlight Sword (S)], [Flame King (S)]

◈Skills -[Moonlight (S)], [Phantom Flame (A+)]

◈Techniques -[Swordsmanship (Lv.30)]

▼

The information surfaced in my mind.

A status window similar to mine.

—What the hell is this girl?

After pulling up Ermé’s status, the Holy Sword started fuming.

—She clearly has no innate talent…… yet she has something even I can’t comprehend? Her rank can’t be measured?

‘Is an unmeasurable rank that big a deal?’

—……If you say it’s a big deal, then it is. If not, then it isn’t. This world, made by the gods, is full of holes anyway.

‘……?’

—To put it simply, she’s more than qualified to be a hero. If anything, she’s overqualified. But this girl…… she’s stacked acquired talents on top of innate ones. Just how many opportunities has she devoured to end up like this?

Could consuming opportunities really boost Gifts and Skills like that?

Well, that wasn’t the important part.

“Can you show me to my room?” “Sure, that’s no problem. But didn’t you have a house?” “Ah.”

Come to think of it, I did have a house.

I’d even furnished it for alchemy.

And spent a ridiculous amount of platinum coins doing so.

‘……I should replace my weapons soon.’

It wasn’t that my blood-soaked sword was bad, but I’d used it so roughly that its durability had noticeably worn down.

‘In a pinch, I could always use this guy.’

—Ha…… To think I’d be reduced to such treatment.

‘We’ll talk about that later. For now, let’s just head home.’

I gave Ermé an encouraging smile and left the clan.

I absolutely did not walk faster because I was scared of her.

—

A sudden question crossed my mind.

‘You said Gifts can be acquired through opportunities.’

The Holy Sword had mentioned it while looking at Ermé’s status.

If Gifts could be obtained another way—

‘That’s kind of interesting.’

……I’d only ever gotten them through the system, so I wouldn’t know.

Or through leveling up, for that matter.

—Don’t dwell on it. That method is for those without innate talent. It’s not a good path for you. ‘Oh?’

—If what you’ve gained through leveling is already at this level, then you’re a monster too. Aside from the First, you’re the most exceptional human I’ve ever seen. ‘The First?’

—The First Hero, the Slayer of the Original Demon King, the Sword of the Goddess. And in the end, the one who even killed a god—the True Godslayer. ‘……That doesn’t sound like something a hero should be called.’

—Well, that guy was a freak among freaks. An exception among exceptions. If I had to compare, you’re the closest, but even you wouldn’t stand a chance against him. ‘Just how much of a monster was he?’

—Before dungeons appeared, the people here considered Level 3 the peak of strength. Except for heroes, of course. And that hero? Before even wielding the Holy Sword, he’d reached Level 5 by the age of ten. ‘……’

This sounded less like a human’s story and more like something out of myth.

—Exactly. He was absurdly strong. Before turning twenty, he hit Level 9, and before thirty, he reached the realm of the gods. To him, the Demon King was just a pebble to be kicked aside on the road. ‘The Demon King?’

Hearing about the First Hero’s strength made me curious about the Demon King.

—For the past thousand years, neither the Empire nor the Kingdom have spoken of the Demon King’s appearance.

When I’d asked Volkan about the Demon King, that’s what he’d said.

Lysiel had said the same.

There was no need to worry about the Demon King’s existence.

And Volkan had added something cryptic:

—That doesn’t mean the Demon King hasn’t appeared in the last thousand years.

Now that I thought about it, that was a bizarre thing to say.

It implied the Demon King had appeared.

So why had the Empire, the Kingdom, and other nations of different races stayed silent?

The [Cradle] was said to hold vast knowledge, but no one knew anything about this.

No books mentioned it either.

‘At most…’

There were only records of heroes slaying the Demon King.

—……The Demon King isn’t something to worry about now. It’s just a phenomenon. ‘A phenomenon?’

—The hero system was created by the covenant between the First Hero and the Goddess of Light. I don’t know exactly what they discussed, but the First Hero wanted something, and the Goddess agreed. The result was the emergence of a certain ‘phenomenon,’ and in the end, people just started calling it the Demon King.

The Demon King was a phenomenon?

Then did it even need to be slain?

—It does. That existence is a coalescence of humanity’s evils. Though right now, the dungeons are forcibly suppressing it, keeping it from acting freely. ‘……Why bring up dungeons all of a sudden?’

—What, you didn’t know? ‘………………………No, I actually did.’

—Pathetic lie. Anyway, the important points are two: the Demon King is a phenomenon, and as long as dungeons exist, it can’t move easily. ‘I see.’

—Though the Eastern Continent might actually want to destroy the dungeons.

The Holy Sword chuckled.

Come to think of it, there was an Eastern Continent.

‘What’s the Eastern Continent like?’

—A world where dungeons have been liberated. You don’t need to know more than that.

A world where dungeons were liberated? What did that even mean?

My head was starting to hurt.

‘……No, if I think simply, it’s fine.’

This was just an Arcadia RPG that had spilled over from Japan.

I’d see it through to the end and return to the real world.

I arrived home.

Not as grand as Cheong Yoo-rang’s mansion, but comparable.

I flopped onto the nearest bed.

I might need to hire maids or butlers soon.

Or maybe I could charge clan members rent and let them live here.

“…….”

But when the time came to return to the real world after seeing this world’s end—

‘Will I even get to choose?’

Probably not.

—

The moment I opened my eyes, I got to work.

There was a lot to do.

I had to ask the clan when we’d enter the dungeon and get myself a new weapon.

‘For the weapon, I’ll go to the place Ermé recommended.’

Once I’d decided, it was time to move.

“…….”

If not for the presence outside my door.

The moment I stepped out, a woman stood there, smiling.

Dressed in nun’s attire.

Golden eyes brimming with divine power. A gaze that seemed benevolent, yet—

‘She’s got Veronica’s face, though.’

Veronica’s twin.

Clara.

“……What brings you here?” “I have a request.”

Clara smiled faintly.

Her gaze was strange—resolute, as if she’d steeled herself for something.

“Come inside first.” “I’ll take you up on that offer.”

With a grace unlike Veronica’s, she stepped into my home.

I studied Clara.

The trembling, fearful act was gone.

Had she given up? Or was she tense because of this request?

I led her to the parlor and served tea. A bit of a waste, but whatever.

“……What’s the request?” “Gulp.”

Ignoring me, she drank the tea.

Was she steeling herself even now?

Just as I thought that, Clara pulled something like a whiskey bottle from her robe.

“…….” “Forgive me, but I must be a little rude.”

Pop.

She uncorked it with her hand and downed it.

—That’s over 60% alcohol, and she’s chugging it? And she’s here to make a request? ‘This is why you shouldn’t get too close to clergy.’ —No, at her level, even the Church would discipline her.

The Holy Sword sounded exasperated.

Clara finished the whiskey and—

“Hic.”

—let out a belch.

Unbelievable.

I frowned involuntarily, and Clara exhaled with a hoo, her breath sweet.

“……What.” “Sorry. I couldn’t say it sober.” “…….”

Clara closed her eyes briefly.

When she opened them again, her expression was resolute.

“I have a request. Please kill my sister, Veronica.” “…….”

She’d just dropped a bomb.