Chapter: 451
The moment I figured out who I was dealing with, I instantly summoned my divine energy and infused it into my mace.
If this forest belongs to the queen, then it’s only fitting that she would be the finale of this trial.
“Wait! Please listen to me!”
“What? I don’t think I want to chat with a rotting lady over here.”
“…Ugh…”
The fairy queen seemed to have plenty to say, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly, but all that slipped out were screams filled with resentment.
Watching her, I couldn’t help but wonder.
Is it really the fairy queen who marks the end of this trial?
She seems way too off for someone tainted by the evil god. If she truly had succumbed to that dark influence, she’d be lashing out at me instead of standing there like a lost puppy.
“If you have something to say, spit it out already, lady. Unlike the rotting one over there, my time is precious.”
“Uh… Yes, I understand.”
As I lowered my mace to show I was willing to listen, the fairy queen sighed and continued.
“You’ve probably seen how bad things are in this forest.”
“Yeah, it’s so disgusting that even the chicken coop lady looks decent compared to it.”
“…Can you please not call me chicken coop lady?”
“Why not? Isn’t it true you smell like rotten stuff?”
“Fine. Haaah. Whatever. Anyway, if you saw the fairies consumed by darkness, you must understand the peril we’re in. It’s a shameful tale, but this forest has been devoured by the evil god of darkness.”
The tale she told wasn’t vastly different from what I already knew.
The encroaching darkness creeping into the forest. The fairies oblivious to it.
By the time they noticed the anomaly, everything was already too late.
“I did my best to contain my mistakes, but all I returned with is this horrific sight.”
The fairy queen had failed.
Had she been in tip-top shape, the story might have been different, but once more than half of the fairy forest was consumed and most of her fairies fell to the dark god, her fate was sealed.
The fairy queen, seeing her subordinates as children, could never bring herself to attack other fairies.
In this desperate situation, her last resort was to endure.
She believed that salvation would come one day.
She trusted that the great gods would save them.
She hoped that heroes would take a stand against the evil god here.
Enduring.
And continuously enduring.
“In the end, this whole story just sums up to you being old and useless, right? You really talk way too much for your age.”
“Well, I suppose that’s true.”
Looking at the fairy queen, who couldn’t even muster the energy to get angry and just hung her head, I pondered her future.
Her struggles would ultimately go unrewarded.
She would be consumed by the dark god and find herself at the frontlines of war.
She would spill the blood of many, destroy the nature she was supposed to protect, and cast away the lives of the fairies she held dear, only to be hunted down by heroes.
The issue was that the fairy queen wasn’t just any mere being.
As long as there were fairies in this world, she was a conceptual existence that could be revived no matter how many times she was defeated.
Eventually, the heroes chose to seal the fairy queen along with the forest.
To let her live forever in her dreams. To spend eternity in a deep sleep, turning away from her tragic reality.
“I know I’m being shameless, but oh hero, who carries the will of the gods, please save this forest. Rescue the fairies who are going astray because of my incompetence.”
I couldn’t respond to the fairy queen, who kept her head bowed.
This place was Ganshu’s trial.
A space replicating a scene from a history already past. In this location, whatever happens is bound to happen.
It’s impossible to overturn a history already recorded.
– A little pest has crawled in.
A sinister voice emerged from beyond the forest’s shadows.
The moment that voice pierced my ears, all the nightmares I had encountered till now flooded back.
The wooden swords flying at my head.
The fists of the minotaur trying to pummel me into the ground.
The gaze of Naklad that looked upon me as if I were mere trash.
Fear.
Fear.
An endless tide of fear.
One by one, it surged and squeezed the breath out of me.
Calm down.
I could feel my hands shaking.
Breathing was getting difficult.
I need to calm down.
Thoughts were fading away.
This is just a trial.
I heard something clatter to the floor.
That voice is not real.
My weakened legs buckled.
It’s okay.
I don’t want to.
It’s okay.
Help me.
There’s no problem.
I don’t want to die.
It’s okay.
I’m sorry.
It’s okay.
Please save me.
“…Huff…”
Biting my lip, I summoned my divine energy back up.
As the darkness that had seeped into my brain receded, my mind cleared up.
As I staggered to my feet, I caught sight of the fairy queen looking at me with concern.
The reflection of myself in her eyes looked dismal beyond belief.
Haha. Damn. So, this is the true power of the dark god, huh?
Did heroes have to battle against such foes during the mythical era with divine gods?
What kind of fights did Grandpa go through?
Benedict may be strong, but I’d say I can take him on.
I wiped my face to gather my emotions, picked up the shield and mace lying on the ground, and focused on the direction of the voice.
“Run away.”
The fairy queen urgently called out.
“You’re not ready to face that thing yet. You need to run away and survive to tell the tales of this forest.”
“Lady, has your brain rotted or something? Where am I supposed to run to?”
I asked while gazing at the pitch-black forest, and the fairy queen’s lips flapped.
Meanwhile, the darkness around us thickened. The evil god was drawing closer.
“…I have some reserves left that I was saving for the end. If I use that, I can send you off safely.”
“And you’ll completely rot away, huh?”
“I don’t mind. It’s just paying for my mistakes.”
The fairy queen’s proposal was tempting.
Even now, fear of death welled up inside me.
My hands were still shaking.
My breath was still frantic.
My head was ringing.
But if you asked me if I was about to crumble…
Not exactly.
“Sorry, but I don’t really want help coming from a rotten lady. I’d probably end up smelling like a chicken coop myself.”
“This isn’t the time to be saying such things! If this carries on, you’ll—”
“So what? That gloomy shut-in is a total loser anyway. That weakling who crawled away after bleeding like a child isn’t suddenly going to get stronger, right?”
As much as I might be able to handle the situation if I can control my emotions.
Regardless, nobody knows darkness like I do.
Even Grandpa, who had faced the dark god, probably didn’t see as much of it as I have.
Naturally, he wouldn’t have defeated that loser as many times either.
“Just sit back and watch, rotten lady.”
I don’t believe impossible things exist.
What can’t be done simply cannot be done.
Just like how my tone doesn’t change no matter how much chaos ensues.
The various efforts I put in to boost my intelligence were ultimately futile.
Just like how no matter how many times I insult that clueless fox, it’ll still love it.
But things are different in the Soul Academy. Within the dungeon, impossible things don’t exist.
That rotting filth turns the slightest hope into an expectation.
“You’ll have to live alone for the rest of your life, so you may as well get used to just sitting there.”
I forcefully laughed as I finished my words, deliberately ignoring the rising tremor in me as I stepped forward.
Hehe. In a way, it’s a good thing.
Finally, I’m getting the new content I’ve wanted so badly!
Even if it’s a mini-game about protecting something instead of conquering a dungeon, a thank you is still in order!
– Is that little pest really trying to oppose me?
“Who cares if that little pest gets crushed? It’s not even scary when pathetic losers start to chatter. Can’t wait to see that pathetic excuse of a life crawl back to its corner before it gets smashed!”
As I babbled on, the surrounding scenery began to dissolve and gave way to the appearance of a library.
Ganshu stood across from me, looking utterly perplexed.
The moment I saw the bratty face of that annoying kid, the tension filling my body dissipated, and I couldn’t help but relax.
Before I knew it, Grandpa had come alongside me to support me, preventing me from crashing to the ground, but if it weren’t for him, I would have just collapsed.
“You really haven’t changed a bit, have you?”
While trying to take deep breaths to wipe out the fear I had been hiding from, Ganshu shook his head disapprovingly and jabbed at me.
This bratty kid is just playing around with trials, and rather than apologizing, he’s going off like this.
I ain’t forgiving that!
Absolutely not.
“Just like how you’re a little brat in both body and mind, huh?♡”
“…Um. I did just mess up a bit, so insults like that…”
“Can’t be worse than what’s between your legs, huh?♡ Inferior to a finger-length or so?♡ Not even sure if it’s really down there?♡ It’s just so pathetic that I bet it ran away, right?♡”
“….”
“Kuheh♡ Does it hurt when I hit the truth?♡ I’m sorry~♡ I guess I wasn’t being considerate~♡”
As I vented all my pent-up frustration from almost dying moments ago, I noticed Ganshu’s face turning red with embarrassment.
Even with veins bulging in his hands, he couldn’t find a retort, fueling my sadistic side.
I wonder if poking a little more would make him cry?
I’d love to hear him stutter about how he wouldn’t forgive me, tearfully complaining.
That would be hilarious.
As I thought about targeting his weak spots, Grandpa suddenly pressed down on my head.
Startled by the force pushing my head down, I quickly turned to see Grandpa chuckling and shaking his head.
“Alright, stop there.”
“What’s with you, old man? Was that bratty kid your type?”
“…Not that! You might lose the opportunity to gain something by flapping your lips so much.”
Lose the opportunity? Doesn’t Ganshu have to give me [Check History] the moment I pass the trial?
It’s not like the promise from the divine gods is something so trivial.
I tilted my head in confusion at Grandpa’s words as Ganshu let out a long sigh.
Then he approached me and handed me a book.
“Pick the blessing you desire from within it. I’ll certainly grant you something within my means.”
The title of the book Ganshu handed me was [Powers of the Gods].
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