Chapter 69
That night.
Kraush, having promised to accompany Lakradiyon, was in his room with his eyes closed, training his aura.
Thanks to Crimson’s advice, he had been practicing his aura daily, and with each passing day, Kraush felt himself growing stronger.
However, he couldn’t shake off the feeling that it still wasn’t enough.
In that moment, Kraush’s eyelids slowly began to flutter open.
He then noticed a presence on his knee.
There lay Bianca, sleeping with her head resting on his lap.
How long had she been there?
Kraush swallowed a wry smile and lifted her head, placing it on a pillow instead.
Just as he was about to cover her with a blanket and get up from the bed…
“Kraush-nim.”
Bianca’s drowsy voice called out to him.
Turning to her, Kraush saw her rubbing her eyes as she asked, “Are you leaving already?”
Bianca was asking if he was going to the Demon Bastion.
Once he left for the Demon Bastion, it meant a considerable amount of time apart for Bianca.
Consequently, she had been trailing closely by his side, cherishing their remaining moments together.
Kraush raised his hand and gently patted her head.
“No, not yet. I’ll be back, so just sleep a little longer.”
“Uh-huh, okay.”
Feeling reassured, Bianca nestled against Kraush’s hand, slowly drifting back to sleep.
Recently, it seemed that Bianca was also entering a growth phase. Yet she was becoming increasingly clingy, which worried him.
Kraush quietly left the room, ensuring not to wake her.
Just then, Crimson Garden flew in and perched on his shoulder.
[Already sharing a room with a girl? You really are consumed by lust.]
“What are you talking about?”
Kraush shot an incredulous glance at Crimson Garden.
[Just by sharing a room with her, aren’t you basically asking for trouble?]
Kraush was baffled that Crimson Garden was saying such things when it knew the whole story.
At first, Kraush had intended to provide Bianca with a separate inn room.
However, Bianca had said she was scared to be alone.
So he suggested she share with his personal maid, Ellie, but Bianca directly stated she wanted to stay with him.
Bianca was alleviating her anxiety from growing emotions by staying close to him.
Knowing that, Kraush couldn’t bear to refuse her and allowed her whims.
That was why he’d purposely chosen a room with two beds.
Yet somehow, Bianca always ended up in his bed, sleeping next to him.
Each time, he had tried to return her to her own bed, but before he knew it, she would quickly come back, and Kraush had ended up giving up.
‘What will happen when the academy starts?’
If Kraush were to enroll in Rahelrn Academy after this year, he wouldn’t be able to see Bianca for at least a year.
Lost in various thoughts about how Bianca would fare during that time, Kraush couldn’t help but chuckle at himself.
Who would have thought he would come to think this much about her?
Before his regression, he barely knew her beyond their engagement, yet so much had changed.
[Don’t suddenly laugh; it makes me uneasy.]
“Can you not ruin the mood?”
After muttering something in reply to the meddlesome Crimson Garden, Kraush exited the inn.
The reason Kraush had come out that night was due to a nagging instinct indicating someone was approaching.
And it turned out to be a guest he had also been waiting for.
Though it was nighttime, Kraush deliberately headed toward a back alley to make it easier for the visitor to appear.
Sure enough, as he stepped into the alley, a figure emerged from the shadows.
A man dressed in a robe.
“Pendal.”
It was none other than Pendal.
As Kraush recognized him, Pendal slowly flipped back the hood of his robe.
Illuminated by the moonlight, his gray hair shone ominously as he glared at Kraush.
“Descendant of Balheim, is it true that you’re going into the Demon Bastion with Lakradiyon?”
Just as he expected, Pendal’s words were right on the mark.
Kraush maintained a relaxed demeanor in response to Pendal’s inquiry.
“So what if it is?”
Pendal gritted his teeth.
He glared at Kraush for a moment before slowly bringing up the main point.
“If you’re going, then go with me instead of Lakradiyon. Pendal Road will challenge the phantom too.”
Pendal’s proposal was unexpected.
“Pendal Road has been taking on the Demon Bastion for some time now. The interior of the Demon Bastion has changed over the past few years, and the shortcuts are different. With our expertise, we could reach the eighth floor in no time. Naturally, we have plenty prepared to challenge the phantom.”
Honestly, on the surface, it wasn’t a bad offer.
Pendal had indeed reigned as the king of the Demon Bastion.
Although he no longer dared to step foot on the eighth floor, he was still adept at navigating the preceding levels.
Etc., it was fair to call him an expert.
On the other hand, Lakradiyon had only wielded her sword since leaving the Demon Bastion.
She might lack the knowledge of the Demon Bastion that Pendal had.
“I pass.”
However, despite the reasoning, Kraush had no intention of teaming up with Pendal.
“What?”
“I’m not going to risk my life with some mutt that has bared its teeth at me.”
A dog that bites once will bite again.
Pendal clenched his jaw.
“And you were the one who sabotaged my chance from the very beginning.”
It was none other than Pendal who had obstructed Kraush from entering the Demon Bastion.
Pendal was well aware of this fact too.
“And now, after turning down the opportunity, you want to go with me instead of Lakradiyon? Surely you find that ridiculous.”
Pendal shut his mouth.
Kraush had anticipated him coming that night.
And he also knew that Pendal would make such a suggestion.
But the answer had already been decided from the get-go.
Pendal had always been a worthless person in Kraush’s memories.
“I’m going with Lakradiyon. That won’t change even if you make a deal.”
Kraush declared this and attempted to walk past him.
“Wait…!”
Pendal reached out as if to stop him, but as soon as he met Kraush’s gaze, he hesitated.
Not long ago, Pendal had been thoroughly defeated by Kraush.
While he didn’t deny his prior carelessness, he couldn’t be sure he would win against Kraush in a direct confrontation either.
Moreover, and most importantly, he was dealing with Balheim.
Even if he were to win, how could he deal with the aftermath of attacking him at night?
Ultimately, Pendal withdrew his hand and gritted his teeth.
“… I will head to the Demon Bastion before you. It will be Pendal Road that brings down the phantom.”
He had no intention of letting Lakradiyon and Kraush defeat the phantom before him.
“Do as you please.”
Kraush paid Pendal no further mind as he walked past him.
[You’re walking right into your own trap.]
Crimson Garden clicked its tongue sympathetically.
Kraush couldn’t disagree.
From start to finish, Pendal did nothing but act according to Kraush’s expectations.
‘Is it his true nature?’
Whether before or after the regression, Kraush thought people remained the same.
＊ ＊ ＊
Inside the Demon Bastion.
A monumental masterpiece completed with all the effort of ancient weapon masters and the world-eating dwarves.
Upon entering the first floor, Kraush glanced sideways.
Four people, including Kraush, had come to conquer the eighth floor.
One was Derrick, notable for his protruding belly, the self-styled scout tasked with traps and navigation.
Another was Penichelri, a white mage with expertise in both holy and offensive magic.
And the last was Lakradiyon, the light of the Demon Bastion.
“Wow, I never expected Lak would return to the Demon Bastion.”
Derrick chuckled with glee at the thought of Lakradiyon coming back to the Demon Bastion.
It seemed Penichelri felt the same way.
“It’s true! Everyone’s in an uproar that Lakradiyon-nee is entering the Demon Bastion. I’m really honored to be joining you here.”
She fluttered her dark brown ponytail, beaming with happiness.
Lakradiyon, however, scratched her head, looking a bit embarrassed.
“Looks like you guys trust me.”
“Well, it seems that way, yes.”
As Kraush tossed out a remark, Lakradiyon fanned her face, which seemed a bit flushed.
[Ah, so they’ve started moving too.]
Amid their chatter, Crimson Garden’s voice echoed.
By “they,” it was clear it referred to Pendal’s group.
[Surprisingly, it seems they’ve also decided to conquer the Demon Bastion, just like you.]
“On the surface, it may seem so.”
Kraush responded as expected.
He then glanced at Lakradiyon.
Pendal, naturally, felt complex emotions like inferiority towards Lakradiyon.
He might not have openly attacked her out of shame, yet…
‘If the opportunity presents itself…’
Kraush knew well that Pendal would eventually bare his teeth.
All that was needed was just to wait for the right moment.
Kraush’s head lifted.
At the end of the staircase, the first floor of the Demon Bastion came into view.
There lay an elegant hallway.
A long red carpet stretched out, adorned with paintings hanging on various walls, and vases of flowers arranged in line.
What was even more absurd was the presence of windows attached to these walls, despite the fact that the Demon Bastion was underground.
No matter how many times he came here, it never failed to feel bizarre.
At that moment, a sound of tick-tock echoed before a rabbit appeared before them.
The rabbit, clutching a pocket watch, glanced at them once before dashing toward them.
With each tick-tock, the rabbit’s body began to grow larger.
In an instant, what was once a cute, fluffy rabbit morphed into a bulky muscular beast, charging at them without hesitation.
“Lakradiyon.”
Kraush stated as he observed the furry foe.
“Can I see your skills for a moment?”
The moment Kraush’s words left his lips, Lakradiyon was already in motion.
With a swift slide across the floor, her sword drew a clean arc and plunged deep into the muscular rabbit’s neck.
Simultaneously, a yellow aura blade erupted from the sword that had pierced its neck, cutting through muscle and bone.
Scrunch!
In a single strike, the rabbit’s head flew up and rolled on the ground.
“Whew, still impressive.”
“Just like sister!”
Both Derrick and Penichelri gasped at her display of skill.
Kraush felt the same way.
‘Neat! As expected of a master.’
While Pendal was chaotic and unpredictable, this was a demonstration of refined precision.
They were two completely different kinds of power.
And it was also an opportunity for Kraush to closely observe the early stages of mastery that he was yearning for.
No matter how it was downplayed, this basic level of mastery was simply unattainable for many, even with a lifetime of effort.
Kraush himself was no exception.
Despite using potions, acquiring skills, and mastering techniques…
He needed to surpass that wall of mastery with his own power.
Indeed, thanks to the Melhwa’s erosion, he could engage in battles comparable to a master.
However, if he couldn’t eventually break through that barrier, Kraush would be stuck as well.
‘Summer is just around the corner.’
Amidst everything else transpiring, spring had passed, and the onset of summer was upon them.
Before they knew it, autumn would follow, and then winter.
‘Then, I’ll be enrolling in Rahelrn Academy.’
There was less time left than he had expected.
To survive amidst the talented crowd.
“Let’s keep moving.”
This was, after all, an opportunity.
Right beside him were the perfect observational materials for overcoming that threshold of mastery.
This conquest of the Demon Bastion could yield more than he initially anticipated.
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