### Chapter 438 – Room 206, The Room of Curses – ‘The Demon King who Revives after 100 Days’ Re (3)
—
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 384
Current Location: Room 206, The Room of Curses – ‘The Demon King who Revives after 100 Days’
Sage’s Advice: 3]
—
— Han Kain
—
In the dark subterranean tunnel, the lights flickered out.
I strolled leisurely, leading the miners.
Everyone had worked here long enough that nobody banged into the walls, even in the thick darkness.
Perhaps the terrifying screams echoing from various corners of the mine triggered a sense of panic?
The miners started to show signs of impatience.
—
“Whoa! Young man! Shouldn’t we be running?”
“I was just thinking the same thing!”
“If we run straight for three minutes and then take a right, we’ll find a cart!”
—
I calmly said, as if nothing was wrong.
“Aren’t you tired from working all morning in the mine? Running will exhaust you.”
By this point, some miners looked like they were on the verge of tears.
—
“What does it matter if we’re tired? We’ve been hearing awful sounds all around since earlier—”
“You said we would be fine, didn’t you?”
“That’s—”
“Roy, if you doubt my words, then go on your own.”
“…”
—
The miners fell silent.
—
“Did I force you with my strength? Did someone place a bomb collar around your neck?”
“…”
“You can choose. Either go your own way or trust my words.”
—
— KUUURRRR!
—
In that instant, a loud tremor reverberated somewhere in the mine.
The scared miners flinched like children, yet they couldn’t bring themselves to leave me.
—
Gradually, a sense of ‘faith’ was beginning to blossom among them.
—
“Believe. Faith will save you…”
—
Despite the act I was putting on in front of the miners, I was puzzled by the periodic KUUURRRR sounds and tremors.
It felt like some massive and powerful entity was shaking the ground, but there was nothing in the plan that could make such noise.
—
— SPLAT!
—
“…?”
“What’s wrong, young man? Why did you stop?”
“What’s up? Did you receive another divine revelation or something?”
“… No, let’s go.”
—
As I stepped on what I assumed was a dead body, a pool of blood soaked my foot.
I wasn’t surprised by the brutality of it.
Wasn’t it a hotel where you see human flesh more frequently than beef?
I merely thought of a colleague who didn’t shy away from staining his hands red for this brutal play.
—
“Looks like we can see the cart soon. Stay calm.”
“Yes, yes! Uh, is the great one saying anything—”
“Don’t worry. You are safe.”
—
Let’s get rid of unnecessary thoughts.
The goal of this operation is to recruit some miners to build up my power.
—
To turn these ordinary miners into fanatics, they need an unforgettable experience.
For instance, what if, amidst death by some unidentified demon, they escape with the help of the chosen one?
—
Since some time ago, the miners had begun addressing me with honorifics.
—
“That way is the cart! Light! I can see the path outside!”
—
Finally, a passage that led to outside the mine appeared.
The moment they spotted the faint light entering from the tunnel, hope flickered in the frightened eyes of the miners.
And then—
—
— KUUURRRR!
—
The left wall of the tunnel collapsed, revealing a horrifying creature that plunged the mine into panic.
—
How much blood had it soaked? The massive armored suit was almost crimson by now.
With chunks of flesh and guts smeared all over, the intense stench wafted through the air.
A red glow emanated from the center of the helmet!
—
It was Aria in her armor.
—
To confess, the moment I faced the being before me, I almost toppled over in shock, let alone the miners.
Even I, who had known the plan in advance, was astonished by the appearance of Aria clad in armor that looked like it had just popped out of hell; how could ordinary miners endure this?
—
Some were screaming in a daze, while others couldn’t even scream and began praying on the floor.
—
“GRAAAAH! AAAAHH!”
“Ulgghh! Gack!”
“O omnipotent ancestor! Forgive the sinful Roy—”
—
So the KUUURRRR sounds that had been echoing were from Aria smashing through the mine with the weight and strength of her armor?
Had her unyielding logic really become unmanageable under the weight of the armor?
And what about those wing boots weighing her down?
—
This situation was diverging quite a bit from what I had told everyone outside!
Originally, Aria was supposed to bring the Demon King’s worshippers into the mine—
—
“…”
—
I tried to calm my excitement and collect myself.
The panicked gazes of the miners were focused on me.
If I showed any flinching now, the charisma I had built up until now would collapse in an instant.
—
Would a prophet of the gods be surprised in such a situation?
I walked out calmly, as if predicting this kind of variable, as if the great being had informed me of all.
—
“You… born from the darkness of the city.”
—
I threw out the words that popped into my head.
Born from the darkness of the city. What’s the next semi-plausible line?
—
“Why do you block my path and show your pathetic strength?”
—
I could faintly see Aria’s face through the red-tinted helmet.
—
“Step back! Faith will save us; no matter how fallen the demon may be, it cannot harm those who follow without doubt!”
—
With that, I stretched out both hands.
As if some unidentified magic could be released from my palms!
—
“…?”
Aria was staring at me with a dumbfounded expression.
—
“Step back!”
—
I stretched my arms out more dramatically this time.
—
“…?”
Wait, what’s Aria up to now?
Doesn’t she know about this magic?
Shouldn’t she be giving it her all?
—
When a servant of the divine stretches a hand!
Shouldn’t it roll back like she’s swept away by an invisible wind!?
—
“… Ah.”
—
— THUD! CLANK!
—
“GAAAAH!”
—
Aria let out a strange noise as she rolled away back.
—
The path to escape the mine swung open.
—
“We found a way out!”
“Whoa! What in the world was that miracle—”
“Let’s talk outside. Everyone, follow me!”
—
As I watched the miners, half-crazed with joy, mutter that we’d just come back to life, I reflected.
Fortunately, it seemed no one had caught on to our awkwardly staged act.
—
They were gradually transforming into ‘obedient lambs without doubt.’
—
*
Outside the mine, chaos reigned.
Thanks to the miners who were close to the escape route, word of the incident underground spread like wildfire.
The mine supervisors and informants bombarded the miners who came out with questions about the truth of what had happened, but to no avail.
The only one who knew the truth was me, among the miners.
The others, filled with terror, excitedly babbled about the devil underground, further confusing the supervisor and informants.
—
And, within a few hours, loyal followers who had transformed into completely different people approached me.
—
“Your Honor, what should we do now?”
“Don’t worry, everyone. You’ve shown loyal faith, and soon, you shall receive guidance from the Lord.”
—
I gazed into the eyes of my followers, brimming with confusion, curiosity, fear, and expectation.
I grabbed one of them by the hand, Robert.
—
“Wh-why all of a sudden—”
“Robert. What has your life been like until now?”
“Uh? My life, you say? Well—”
—
I stared into Robert’s eyes and spoke.
—
“You grew up in Block 7’s orphanage until you were 11, not knowing who your parents are. Your first job wasn’t in the mine but at a canning factory, right? You messed up a few times over there, and eventually they sent you to this heavier mine.”
—
Robert was shocked, mouth agape, drooling a little.
—
“H-how do you know that?!”
—
How do I know? Weren’t you just pouring your heart out with that drink in the last chapter?
—
“It was a wretched life.”
—
With the sudden degradement, Robert’s expression hardened.
—
“A typical Level 4 life, like a cog in the factory. You never chose your own path. You just lived like a beast, wasting your life doing what you were told.”
—
“Hey! I recognize you’re special, but—”
—
I raised my head, meeting the eyes of the other miners once.
—
“The lowest status in Paradise. An endless toil. Day in and day out, working every bit of your body for over ten hours with not a taste of decent meat, nor have you ever slept in a comfy bed. Such is your life.”
—
There are many people living this kind of life even outside the Room of Curses.
The world I came from was the same.
—
“All of this is the story of ‘you all until yesterday.’”
—
The first faint glimmer of hope flickered in the eyes of the famished and rickety.
—
“Our Lord delivered a revelation yesterday. Did you see? You saw the power that could save you from the hands of demons, didn’t you?”
—
The miners nodded vigorously, wide-eyed with awe.
—
Endlessly suffering day after day with no reward in sight.
An unbroken cycle of pain for the pleasure of the upper echelons of society.
Perhaps it was fate, born into the lowest class, that led to this.
—
But even in their hearts filled with despair lies a dream.
A desire for a miracle to occur one day, to alleviate their endless suffering.
—
“Obey. Faith will save you.”
—
And thus, humans believe in religion.
—
*
Late at night, I sneaked out of the lodging with the help of my ‘faithful lambs.’
When I arrived at the promised place, Aria was leaning against a concrete crevice.
—
“You’re late.”
—
Aria always seemed to appear out of nowhere, as if she teleported around the mine region just like she did last chapter.
—
“Right now, you can’t use your powers, can you?”
“Uh-huh.”
“How come you keep popping up everywhere?”
“The Demon King’s cult knows the geography of the underground in Paradise better than the informants do.”
“Is that tunnel connected to the mine?”
“Let’s just say it is.”
—
It seems it’s complicated if she goes into detail.
—
“Alright, Aria, what’s the next plan—”
“Hey! What was that earlier?”
—
Suddenly, Aria cut me off, gesturing dramatically with her hands as if to wave at the air.
It was the same motion I used during my ‘miracle show’ in the underground mine.
—
“Don’t you know this? It’s the magic blast, of course!”
“M-Magic blast?”
—
“When you stretch out your hand! An invisible wind flies out and blows evil beings away—”
“Why the heck are you doing such ridiculous moves?”
“Ridiculous?”
—
Aria looked at me in utter disbelief.
—
“Isn’t this the kind of lines you love? ‘The Lord said, you fallen one, return to the darkness!’ Something like that!”
“That’s so childish.”
—
To that, Aria responded with a dumbfounded look.
—
“Is magic blast not childish?”
“Let’s decide on some motions going forward.”
“…”
“Stretch your hands out for a magic blast! Just do a backward roll!”
“…”
“Or, how about some incantation? ‘You who arose from darkness, return to the abyss of Hell this instant!’ They’ll fall flat on their face!”
“…”
“Oh, this one might be good too. Spin around and shout, ‘Heavenly Father, who art in the sky!’—”
“Why is it that I’m the one doing all the hard work, but you get to play the glorious role?”
“…”
—
Our brainstorming session continued well into the night.
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