Chapter: 199
Before taking on the quest, Lorey and Rowillen entered the inn room to discuss matters privately. Rowillen raised suspicions, looking rather dubious.
“Hey, that person doesn’t seem that old. Having a daughter of that age seems… impossible. Could it be a scam?”
Of course, this was a valid point.
Unless the Mad Wizard was some ancient elf or a bizarre anomaly, to have a daughter that young, something must have happened prior to secondary sexual characteristics even developing.
Lorey nodded in agreement. “That’s true. I believe our esteemed junior is in their early twenties… but I must say, I believe there’s nothing impossible for our esteemed junior.”
“Excuse me?”
“Even if it sounds outrageous, I feel like, if it were our esteemed junior, there might be a way it could happen. I’m not sure how, but still…”
Lorey reflected on the past.
No one could bestow mechanical force upon illusions without extraordinary skill; such mastery would need years of honing. She had once warned her esteemed junior against such foolishness. Yet, they had succeeded.
With the limits of human brain function, cramming such complicated magical formulas would have normally resulted in a bursting head—but somehow, they had managed.
She had also advised against becoming too friendly with the lunatics of the Purple Magic Tower. Yet again, the esteemed junior had brushed aside such warnings.
It felt like this:
“So… Rowillen, could you swing your sword to make it rain? Or possibly turn stones into gold?”
“Threatening a wealthy wizard with a sword isn’t quite the same thing. But if we’re speaking purely in a realm of possibility, that would be impossible.”
“Yet our esteemed junior pulls off incredulous feats with ease, which makes the existence of a suspiciously old bastard child more believable. Also, I hear he’s got some intriguing information that only those close to him would know.”
It wasn’t merely blind belief in the claim of an illegitimate child. Evil God-chan had shared some personal details about the Mad Wizard with Lorey for confirmation. Now it was merely a matter of accepting it.
Not that one could justifiably argue someone like this could exist! (X)
Rather, one must think, “Something occurred for it to turn out like this.” (O)
“Perhaps she might be a life form crafted through illusion magic.”
“… Isn’t that taking it a bit far?”
“True. That’s venturing into the realm of creation. But still, somehow, I get this feeling—if it were our esteemed junior, it could be possible.”
Rowillen seemed perplexed by Lorey’s vague reasoning, but such feelings couldn’t be understood before experiencing it firsthand.
The sensation you felt while witnessing a once-in-a-century genius who might arise once in a millennium—the kind of feeling where history seemed to shift.
The great Black Dragon Emperor who established an empire alone, or perhaps even further back… a goddess born from the lowest abyss of desire. Such exaggerated tales from ancient times unfolding right before your eyes.
The assurance that a new era was approaching.
===============================================================
Lorey and Rowillen were promptly hired and began their journey to the Academy with Evil God-chan.
From Lorey’s perspective, while it wasn’t a remarkably large sum, since this involved someone related to their esteemed junior, she felt it was necessary to assist. Rowillen, on the other hand, purely liked the amount.
The veteran adventurer and the wizard conspired together: How could they optimize their reputation on this trip? Thinking purely of speed, utilizing teleportation magic would be the best option, but…
“Please avoid teleportation if possible.”
Since they had a client’s request, their route was restricted to overland travel. They purchased a single coach and raced down a forest path.
After the pair reached a compromise between safety and speed, they decided on a route that would take them almost directly through the woods and mountains to the Academy.
“If we stop by the Holy City, the travel might get smoother, but considering speed…”
“The Holy City? Turn the carriage around. Is it still there?”
…By the client’s request, they decided on a route that would pass through the Holy City before reaching the Academy.
Holy City Trumpet Hall.
This was where the headquarters of the Goddess Church was located.
Legally part of the Empire, the Goddess Church’s influence was so strong that it functioned like an independent nation. Currently, the Holy City was governed by a young Pope, assisted by five Cardinals.
As the hub of the Goddess Church, which spread throughout the continent, it housed numerous powerful priests skilled in divine powers. Therefore, those afflicted by severe curses or permanent disabilities often sought treatment here.
However, without a heavy purse, obtaining the services of a high priest was highly unlikely. The Holy City felt like a wealthy district primarily frequented by those with money.
“I hear things are a bit different now. Was it called the ‘Reformist’ movement? They’re said to be bringing in a new breeze declaring that ‘the goddess’s mercy should reach the bottommost parts.’”
“I’ve heard about that too. I never liked the priests in the Holy City—they always seemed so greedy… Perhaps some change is coming?”
“I’m not well-versed in factional or ideological battles, but I hope the treatment cost drops. One of my companions is limping along, still hunting goblins.”
“That might be a problem with their head rather than their leg, so consider bringing them along next time.”
Sitting side by side on the coach, Lorey and Rowillen exchanged local news, when Rowillen suddenly recalled something and turned toward Evil God-chan, who was sprawled comfortably in the coach.
“Have you heard of the Hero Selection Tournament?”
“No. I haven’t. Wait a moment… a tournament to select heroes?”
“Indeed. The Pope received a revelation from the Goddess. Apparently, they’ll recruit hero candidates from various places and hold a tournament to select the true hero among them.”
Upon hearing this, Evil God-chan scoffed.
“Sounds ridiculous. And then?”
“They’re hosting a grand festival for it! The tournament won’t be long from now. If we stay about a week… we might even get to see it live. If you want, I can arrange a sightseeing schedule for you, customer.”
“Even if we take a day off, I won’t have the luxury to enjoy sightseeing.”
“Okay then, let’s plan for one overnight stay for food supply and rest.”
Evil God-chan nodded generously.
While her nonchalant manner lacked any respect for elders, Rowillen tolerated it after hearing that this girl had been labeled as the ‘Tearful Prodigy’ on the first meeting.
As long as the deposit was guaranteed, he would remain professional. Such is the dignity of a veteran adventurer.
Clop clop clop. The sound of hooves gradually faded into the distance.
===============================================================
“Can I ask your name?”
“No.”
The illegitimate child of the esteemed junior, whose name she withheld, had black hair and azure eyes. Given the rarity of such dark hair, she had a high probability of being biologically related.
However, Lorey felt an even stronger connection to this unnamed girl through magic.
“Get lost, you dwarf hybrids!”
With a flick of her fingers, the goblin horde that had gathered around their campsite scattered in chaos.
The effect demonstrated was a simple intimidation spell, but, looking deeper, it bore formidable precision. Firing a completely silent, invisible spell, the finesse in her control of magic was nearly flawless.
The girl was a powerful illusionist.
This talent undeniably confirmed her connection to the esteemed junior.
Other minor traits also reminded her of the esteemed junior. For example, having a rather foul temper (the esteemed junior had previously yelled at the Tower Master for not bringing lamb).
“Just like a moth, huh?”
“Flew in upon seeing the light. Customer, if it’s bothering you, I can catch it… Why the heck would you eat that?”
“Why wouldn’t I? It’s similar to jerky.”
Her thoughts seemed erratic, unpredictable, aligning with that of the Mad Wizard—a strange resemblance.
And yet, Lorey felt an unsettling uneasiness while observing this girl. Why was that?
While riding in the carriage, camping, and going onward again, Lorey mulled over this inexplicable dread. The answer soon followed.
She was thinking in reverse. Why hadn’t she felt discomfort or anxiety when seeing her esteemed junior? This was what she needed to ponder.
If her esteemed junior were to harbor ill intentions, the world could indeed turn upside down. Being eccentric and unpredictable, it was very much possible they could conjure something odd overnight—a threat of extreme proportions.
But she felt no worry. It didn’t cross her mind to consider preemptively taking her esteemed junior out to curb a potential disaster…
Because she understood their inherent goodness.
She knew they preferred to make the world a better place.
Yet, the girl was different. With her evident malice juxtaposed with an air of superiority in her speech and her terrifying talent, it bred unease.
“Humans, insects, jerky—they’re all the same lump of things. Why bother differentiating them?”
“…………”
If this girl were to turn evil, formidable events could unfold.
This uncertainty would swiftly resolve itself in the Holy City.
===============================================================
Evil God-chan yawned lazily. It had been four days since they’d traveled by carriage. After a vigorous sprint, they finally reached the Holy City.
Having spent a week in the Elmest Territory, it had now been 11 days since the Mad Wizard had abandoned them. Thinking about it only fanned her anger.
With the Hero Selection Tournament nearing, the Holy City was certainly alive with festival spirit. Amid the white-colored structures, lively music echoed, filled with excited people bustling around.
On one wall hung various portraits. They depicted the hero candidates who had signed up for the Hero Selection Tournament.
“…Ew.”
Among them was Bennett’s portrait. Evil God-chan grimaced, recalling past traumas. One might argue that those guys had tangled her fate.
Reading her client’s gaze, Rowillen chimed in beside her to clarify. “That’s Bennett Hilton, a member of the ‘Reformist’ faction. He supposedly infiltrated the ranks of the Black Mage forces for information—quite an impressive individual.”
“Impressive or not….”
Evil God-chan almost snapped back but held her tongue. True, Tara and Nioré might have faltered, but that guy had never broken; he was sturdy.
“Today… should we eat there and get a room? It’s not often I visit the Holy City, but I remember being quite pleased when I came last time.”
“Let’s go there then. Customer, are you fine with it?”
“Sure. Anywhere but that damn portrait I can’t bear to look at.”
Evil God-chan strode purposefully. Upon entering an inn, the interior buzzed with patrons. The heat of the festival was palpable.
There were no suitable empty tables, so they temporarily settled at what appeared to be a makeshift counter. They ordered simple stew and beer.
Festival, festival.
“The hero is the sword of the goddess. And the goddess has ‘that’ going on with her. The goddess wished to erase ‘that’ which spread absurdity across the continent, and so the hero became somewhat of a threat. Accordingly, ‘that’ retaliated.”
From what she recalled, the goddess had mischievously tried to thwart the hero’s birth with some schemes. Yet, Evil God-chan struggled to detail those schemes.
The Mad Wizard likely carried the complete 93% of that memory.
So, the hero… couldn’t possibly be born under those conditions?
Evil God-chan pondered as she rested her chin. The happenings in the Holy City were laden with strange elements. Such events typically weave together people’s gains and losses, with plans entangled intricately.
This was a prime opportunity to dig deeper. If chaos erupted, a multitude of tragedies would bloom in diverse colorful ways.
Grrr…
“…I understand, I got it.”
Evil God-chan muttered grumpily, scratching her stomach, feeling as if nothing seemed right. Nothing was going well, making life rather dull.
But indirectly, she’d pulled a fast one on a boy… When she recalled that, a strange warmth spread through her. Surely, the joy would surge upon receiving good news.
Just then, chaos broke out beside her.
“Hey, this one’s a candidate for the hero! When will you ever get to see them up close again? Come and pour a drink!”
“Um, about that…”
She watched the commotion around a table occupied by a rowdy group that had claimed two tables for themselves, leaving the serving girl flustered.
The leader of this gang appeared to be a young man with seaweed-like green hair, smirking ominously.
“Come on, everybody, don’t be rude. She’s clearly flustered! It’s my bad, but my friends here are just a little playful. Want to come closer?”
“No, I…”
“You heard her. She said she wants to apologize. What’s the matter, am I making this bad for her? Just come closer.”
“Don’t you hear? The hero candidate wants to apologize! Are your ears blocked or something?!”
When one bald thug raised his voice, the serving girl shrank back in fear. How could an ordinary serving girl withstand such threats?
It was all too clear.
From the seaweed-haired boy’s eyes, an unmistakable lust bubbled up. Even if he pretended otherwise, he was filled with thoughts of ‘how’ he would take action on her.
This entire presence reeked of arrogance. He felt like a fool who had struck it rich overnight. What a sorry sight.
If someone wanted to satisfy their desires without a fuss, they could employ a more refined method.
Evil God-chan turned her eyes away. Rowillen and Lorey casually continued to drink their beers and chat. While they acknowledged the ruckus, they made no move to intervene.
Although their expressions showed a hint of disdain toward the seaweed-haired player’s antics, that was all.
It was only natural. They were getting paid to guard Evil God-chan. The mission took precedence. Also, even if it weren’t part of their mission… there was no benefit to butting in.
But…
“Hey, knock it off. I’m sorry, I mistook you.”
“What?!”
“Guess I thought you were trying to live life, wishing to be safe during the night and all. Maybe this is the day for you?”
“Y-Yeah…?”
The serving girl’s expression froze before turning pale. The seaweed-haired boy smiled and lowered his voice, letting out more ominous intent.
“By the way, what was that brown-haired one doing before? What was their name again… it’s on the tip of my tongue… Anyway, you’re friendly with them?”
“I-I don’t know them well…”
“Oh, so you don’t know them at all? I kind of figured.”
Her mind faltered as a subtle threat coiled around her throat, leaving the serving girl sputtering for breath.
Oh, this was indeed a frustrating circumstance. A pathetic little creature was spewing threats like that; was there not a better way to do this?
Unable to contain herself.
She wanted to get back at those arrogant thugs. Evil God-chan grinned. How detestable, showing off in front of me—this was proving difficult. A quick plan formed in her mind.
Seaweed hair. They likely possessed some training and possibly had some illusions—not to be underestimated. An assessment concluded that even if Rowillen and Lorey joined in, they might not win.
But acknowledgment should be given for their capabilities. There was no need to battle. Now, the inn had only one serving girl; perfect.
Okay.
Lorey wore the robe of the magic tower, making it hard to determine their gender. It could easily fool someone into thinking all of the attendants were men; great.
Evil God-chan seized the half-finished beer cup that Rowillen left behind.
“Hey, borrowing this.”
“Uh, customer…?”
Glug glug glug—!
She drenched her own chest with the beer. At the same time, she modulated her voice, casting a weak spell to amplify it so that it could slice through the bustling noise.
“Help! Oh no, what should I do? I didn’t mean to splash it everywhere!”
Feeling embarrassment in an incident occurring in front of all, confusion, stomping her feet in distress, and noticing the wetness of her shirt, pulling it away from her body.
“C-Customer?”
“No, Rowillen, I can’t let that guy clean me up! I can’t just let a man touch my body…?!”
“???”
Across the line, she made her move. The serving girl, startled, was already getting ready to help.
“Um, I’m really sorry. But I think I need to help that customer.”
“That’s right, it was never my intention to hold you against your will. Just… think wisely.”
“…………”
With hiccups, quaking, the serving girl approached Evil God-chan. Initially, she found a way out, but now seemed entirely lost, flooded with confusion.
“I’ll… assist you.”
“Good. If there’s an empty room, let’s go there. Lead the way.”
“Uh… yes?”
===============================================================
The serving girl led Evil God-chan to an empty room out of sight. The moment their gazes unlinked, Evil God-chan’s face transformed from a blushing maiden’s to that of a mischievous trickster.
Snap.
With a finger snap (it didn’t make much sound), her clothing dried instantly. The serving girl gasped, taken aback by the sight.
“Y-You’re a wizard…? Then why…”
“Indeed, listen well. Request a beer from the innkeeper, and slip this inside. Then feed it to that seaweed-haired boy.”
Plop.
From Evil God-chan’s left arm sprouted a single black scale. She plucked it off and passed it to the serving girl.
“And just go along with it. If he pulls you to the room, don’t resist; simply follow inside. That night, he’ll think he held you close. In reality, he’ll be splayed out asleep.”
“…….”
Only now did the situation seem to sink in for her. Tears brimmed in the serving girl’s eyes as she bowed her head deeply at a 90-degree angle.
“Thank you so much. I… I can’t express how much I appreciate this.”
“Show gratitude to the seaweed-haired one. That idiot annoyed me.”
“Truly, truly grateful. I’ll never forget this, wizard…!”
“Uh, time to get going.”
The serving girl’s face flushed with renewed life. Evil God-chan waved without saying anything, and the girl expressed endless thanks before gripping the scale tightly and leaving.
Moments later, Rowillen and Lorey entered the room, appearing bewildered by Evil God-chan’s sudden antics.
“Customer, what on earth did you do?”
“I fed a little treat to that obnoxious seaweed-haired pest. If things don’t go crazy in here, I’ll make sure to get that extra fee covered by the Mad Wizard.”
“…Next time, at least give us a heads-up. Both Rowillen and I were quite surprised. And well done. Rowillen won’t be accepting any extra fees for such matters. Right?”
“Yeah. If you had told me ahead of time, we wouldn’t have tried to stop you. You did well.”
The mood warmed up. While taking care of the aftermath would be a heavy burden, as long as they could act without repercussions, who would hesitate?
Moreover, it appeared Lorey visibly relaxed. Her wariness toward Evil God-chan seemed to lessen considerably after this incident.
Yes. This was the intention. By creating a nuisance linked with the seaweed-haired guy, she was simultaneously fostering goodwill with a friend of the Mad Wizard. It was all premeditated. Wearing the mask of a good-hearted individual would allow one to strike back harder when betrayal arrived.
Everything was concocted and executed purely with malice and rationality.
“…………”
But in her mind.
Thank you so much. Well done. Those phrases kept spinning.
Her heart thumped strangely, recalling the moment where she had confidently handed that scale to the serving girl, and the praise circling back to her. Then,
No! I can’t feel this way. Is this the mental attack from the creature? What on earth is this emotion? I didn’t save her or anything.
It was all confusing.
I’m a nightmare! A being that brings fear, pain, despair, and pleasure to people!
Evil God-chan slapped her forehead, muttering to deny her uncontrollable sentiments.
“What the—what is this, really…”
Such innocent words inadvertently slipped from her mouth.
For the first time ever, Evil God-chan felt something akin to altruism coursing through her, unasked for.
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