Chapter 111 - Stagnant Water Puddle 4 (1/2)

Chapter 111 - Stagnant Water Puddle (4)

The hero's party stood atop a land that was dyed black with the blood of Demons and Mana.They were confronting a girl, who had once been a member of the hero’s party

“I cannot accept it.”

“Calm down, Vadinet.I want you to look straight at me.”

“I am looking straight at you!Only you!Not the hero, but you!”

The city of Lihazeta had preserved its sanctity for several hundred years.However, the city had fallen at the hands of the Demons and the hero’s party.As intended, the hero’s party had stopped the horrific machinations of the Demon King’s army, but the only person capable of reversing the situation had fallen.She had made her own decision to corrupt herself.

“How come you're not the hero? Why!Why!”

“Why does it matter who is the hero! We all have to help Maetel in defeating the Demon King!That is our goal!”

“No, that isn’t my goal…. I’ve been patient, but I can no longer be patient!”

The fallen holy priestess raised her staff, and her eyes were dyed red.

“I cannot accept this reality······I cannot accept the fact that you're not the hero.”

“Vadinet······.”

“Stop looking at me with those eyes!”

The hero was trying to persuade the holy priestess by any means possible.However, the hero was tired from the battle.Her tired eyes were read as her looking down at the holy priestess.

The hero gritted her teeth.She knew her entire existence was being denied by the holy priestess. The thief stepped forward instead of her.

“Vadinet, we worked together to defeat the Demons….We defeated the corrupt temple.We also rebuffed the Demon King’s ambition for the human realm…..We worked hard to minimize bloodshed, and we were somehow able to stop them.So why are you doing this?”

“This isn’t the dream I had….I didn’t go through all the strenuous training, so I can become the maid of honor!”

“Pathetic!”

The warrior rebuked her, but his words weren’t registered in the holy priestess’ ears.

“Yes, now I can see why the temple cooperated with them.There is a difference between what they learned and what they wanted to protect.Surely, they became sick and tired of the difference.It is the same with me.The goal of my life has been shattered into pieces.Yes.I’m sick and tired of it too!As it stands, I don’t like any of this!”

“They were merely dancing to the Four Heavenly King’s tune.We exposed their conspiracy!We even sacrificed the capital to stop their plot.Please, Vadinet!”

“Pffft, hoo-hoo-hooht.”

The holy priestess laughed.

“No, their plan hasn’t ended yet.”

“What?”

“You should know about this by now?I’m the one that leaked their secret to you.I’m the one that led you by the nose to bring about this situation.”

“Vadinet······?”

The hero felt something was wrong.She was taken aback as she unsheathed her sword.Unfortunately, the situation had reached the precipice where nothing could be done.

“All of Lihazeta was made by incorporating magic circles.When needed, it can be compressed to function for a single purpose.It is possible to change its shape.Moreover, the magic circle is more than optimized thanks to the mayhem caused by the Demons.Yes, the plan was a success.…...it was a success only for me.”

All the black Mana in the region was focused solely on her.In a flash, her energy was amplified.The energy was headed towards a direction that shouldn't be traversed.The energy was endless, and there was no limit to it.

In the end, the overwhelming Mana altered the existence called the holy priestess.

“Vadinet, you…..”

“I hate my position as the holy priestess.I also hate the fact that Maetel is the hero.However, I cannot change Maetel.That is why I have no choice but to change myself.”

“Everything we’ve worked so hard to achieve…….!”

The thief, Silpennon, yelled out loud.The woman, who used to be a holy priestess, snickered when she saw him.Her eyes were completely dyed red, and demonic wings shot out from her shoulder blades.It was proof that she had lost her holiness.

“Silpennon, my love.This is the only way for us.”

They couldn’t believe what was occuring in front of their eyes, but they had no choice.In the end, they had to accept it.

They always believed that the priestess would protect them from their side.However, she had fallen as a human to become a Demon.

Maetel kept crying as she apologized.However, it took a little bit of time before Artpe was able to console Maetel.When he made sure that the Record Divide was completely canceled, he took a deep breath as he carefully approached Maetel.He hugged her.

“Hee-ggoohk.I’m sorry..

“It’s all right.I was just a little bit surprised.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yes yes.”

Maetel had been crying like a child, and she was barely able to calm down after Artpe hugged her.He hadn’t approached her for a while, so she had been afraid that Artpe’s displeasure towards her was absolute.When Artpe consoled her, she was finally able to relax.

“Artpe, you really aren’t mad?”

She was nestled within his hug.Maetel looked up with tearful eyes as she asked him a question.Artpe let out a bitter laugh as he wiped away the tears near her eyes.

“I’m not mad.”

“I’m sorry.From now on, I won’t kiss you when you say you don’t like it.”

“In truth, it isn’t as if I hate it.”

“Then I can continue to kiss you when you are asleep?”

“······.”

Artpe stared at Maetel as he asked her a question.

“How many times did you do that?”

“Ooooh-mmmmm······.”

Maetel had gone into her docile mode of behavior.She thought long and hard before she shook her head from side to side.However, the words that came out of her mouth was quite the spectacle.

“Artpe, do you remember the number of times you ate bread······?”

“Get away from me.We’ll definitely sleep in different rooms from now on.”

“Ah-oooooh.I’m sorry!I’m sorrrrrry!Anything but that!”

It felt as if she had fallen in a trap that she couldn’t escape from.He turned passive as he let out a big sigh, and he mussed her hair.

“I know you didn’t do it on purpose.Still, you shouldn’t see my memories without my permission.”

“Yes, I won’t see it.I’ll only see the ones that Artpe shows me.”

“······all right.That is enough.”

At times, he got the feeling that her words were incongruous with her normal self.The current situation was like that.However, when Artpe saw Maetel’s innocent eyes, he shook off such uneasy feelings.

“You didn’t see much, right?”

“Yes.Arpte reacted so fast that I didn’t see anything.I also canceled the skill really fast.I did well, right?”

“Yes, you did well.”

“Hoo-hee.”

When Maetel was completely sure that Artpe was no longer mad, she was able to ask him the question.She continued to hold his hand tight.

“That means Artpe’s spell was strengthened too?”

“Yes.That damned sunbae-nim didn’t say a single word about the blessing…...”

Over a year ago, they had visited a temple where the Ancient Kraken was sealed by the previous hero.They were able to absorb a skill book and a spell book that had been prepared by him.

Sunbae-nim had been firm in his words that the items would strengthen their Unique skill and spell.However, their Unique skill and spell hadn’t been strengthened, and it had caused them much confusion.The strengthening happened today!