TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 80
[Hans’s ‘Corruption Value’ has exceeded the threshold.]
-As Hans has fully succumbed to being a ‘Villain,’ persuasion cannot proceed.
[The Quest ‘Persuasion’ has failed.]
-Ding!
[The will of those hostile to Hans has been broken.]
[Reason]
Ruin: A long-standing friendship.
Mikhail: A righteous conviction of not killing people.
Yuria: Lack of combat ability. / A fragile heart unable to kill a friend.
[No one with the will to kill Hans can be found.]
[The Quest ‘Eliminate Hans’ has failed.]
[The Quest has failed.]
The moment doubt arose in Hans’s words.
The Blue Window rang a chilling notification, declaring the end of the story. To us, who had lost eligibility, it announced the verdict of ‘failure.’
At the word “Darkening,” Yuria’s eyes trembled greatly.
Thinking it might be too late and burdened by guilt for failing to protect Hans, Yuria’s expression darkened.
“Hans…”
“Don’t look at me with that expression. It’s far too late.”
With a sneer, Hans spoke to Yuria, who wore a pitiful look.
“We should finish what we were talking about earlier. I asked how someone like you, who doesn’t even learn Offensive Magic, managed to survive in the dungeon.”
Hans’s words stirred a question in Yuria that she had forgotten for some time. Hans, who opposed the conclusion that it was Ricardo’s doing, wore a sly smile.
“Aren’t you curious? How you managed to survive?”
Yuria believed it was something Ricardo had done.
Though she had doubts, if it wasn’t Ricardo’s doing, it wouldn’t explain how she had been brought out of the dungeon. She thought there must have been some connection.
It was too improbable to be a coincidence.
But Hans’s opposing view began to shake the conclusion she had reached.
“The truth is, I was there too. I had come to the dungeon to test out some decent magic I learned.”
Hans, speaking nonchalantly, placed his hand on Ruin’s head.
Saying he wouldn’t fail this time, Hans, who restrained Mikhail with Black Chains and emitted Dark Energy, was looking at Yuria.
“Was it about an hour later? I heard strange noises in the corridor. It was someone telling Mikhail not to flirt with commoners, that they shouldn’t act out of place. I immediately knew it was you. Honestly, who else but you would hear something like that? Am I wrong?”
Hans ignored Ruin’s curses of pain and recounted That Day’s Incident as he remembered it.
With serpent-like eyes that commanded not to evade.
“Those guys were truly awful. If they were going to insult you, they should have done it behind your back, but they said it all to your face. Then they collapsed the exit with magic… I wanted to help, you know. But…”
Hans erased his faint smile.
“When I cleared the blocked path, you were gone.”
“…”
“Yuria, you’ve heard of the Dungeon Legend at the Academy, haven’t you? The one about being possessed by a ghost if you enter a dungeon alone.”
“What are you trying to say?”
Hans scoffed at Yuria’s words and spoke.
“You should know. You were possessed by that ghost.”
In Hans’s hand was a Red Sphere containing Ruin’s Unique Magic, burning brightly. Looking down at Ruin, who was gasping for breath, Hans stomped on Ruin’s head and began to slowly absorb the magic.
Hans, smiling as he felt the intense heat, continued his explanation in simpler terms for the clueless Yuria.
“You know Calypso, right?”
Hans gave a sly smile.
“That person is the master of that legend.”
“…Don’t joke around. How could someone who died over a hundred years ago…?”
“Who said they died?”
“Or wait… since they’re dead now, I guess they did die?”
Hans snapped his fingers.
From his fingertips, the Red Sphere, which had been Ruin’s Unique Magic, emitted hundreds of lights, illuminating the previously dark ceiling.
In the suddenly brightened view, Yuria squinted her eyes and was left speechless at the sight before her.
The ceiling and walls were covered with countless sword marks and densely packed Ancient Characters.
Reading Yuria’s startled gaze, Hans spoke.
“Even now, nothing comes to mind?”
In that moment, forgotten memories rushed through Yuria’s mind.
-Miss Yuria, stay with me. When I count to three, you run over there. Got it?
-Don’t be scared.
-I’ll handle everything. Just keep running forward.
In the faint memory, The Man’s face appeared hazy as if shrouded in mist, but the gentle voice she distinctly heard belonged to someone Yuria knew well.
As the memories surged like waves, Yuria shook her head.
“No, back then, for sure…”
Hans, watching Yuria mumble, shook his head and let out a sigh.
“Poor Ricardo, what a pity.”
The moment Ruin’s Unique Ability, stolen from him, was fully absorbed into Hans’s body.
-Crackle.!
“Aaaaagh!!!”
Red light began to emanate from Hans’s body.
The suddenly appearing red light started to envelop Hans’s body. The Unique Ability of Ruin, which had been absorbed into Hans, reverted to its sphere form and began to separate from him, causing Hans to clutch his head and scream in agony.
“Aaaagh!!! What the hell?! I perfectly implemented the spell formula…! What went wrong?!”
Writhing in pain, Hans sensed something was amiss. Gritting his teeth, he searched for the cause but kept wandering, unable to pinpoint the source of the rampaging Dark Energy.
“Now’s our chance!”
Taking advantage of the moment, Mikhail, having escaped his restraints, charged at Hans, while the Unique Magic of Ruin, held in Hans’s hand, flew through the air and fell to the ground.
Ruin, crawling on the ground, stretched his hand toward his fallen magic.
Mikhail confronted Hans.
Yuria clutched her head, overwhelmed by faintly passing memories, caught in a chaotic state.
Hans, panicking from the rampage of Dark Energy, muttered a familiar name in a voice filled with resentment.
“Did you cook up spoiled food, Ricardo…?!”
Hans muttered as he looked at the massive sword marks etched into the ceiling. Seeing the scratched-out Ancient Characters, Hans spat out a venomous curse.
While everyone was fighting for their lives, the Blue Window, which had been silent, gradually began to reveal itself in Yuria’s vacant eyes.
-As a Quest Failure Penalty, the 42nd Side Story ‘The Unqualified’ will be immediately viewed.
In that instant, Yuria’s time stopped.
Mikhail, holding a sword and facing off against Hans.
Ruin, crawling on the ground.
And Hans, clutching his head amidst the rampage of Dark Magic.
Everyone froze as if time had stopped, even the dust floating in the air remained still.
‘Huh…?’
A Small Question arose in Yuria’s mind.
Yuria, too, could not move freely in the frozen time. All she could do was watch the Blue Window that appeared before her.
A sense of foreboding began to engulf Yuria.
-Aren’t you curious?
Hans’s words flashed through her mind.
A story she didn’t know. Hidden memories of something she thought had ended made Yuria, with trembling eyes, stare at the Blue Window.
[In 10 seconds, Part 1 ‘The Reason He Came to Save Her.’ will begin viewing.]
10.
3.
2.
1.
[Viewing begins.]
Yuria’s vision went dark.
***
Yuria opened her eyes in a familiar place.
In front of the fountain at the Academy.
Standing in a place where many students passed by, Yuria stood still.
It was early dawn.
Under the gray sky that reflected on the fountain, it was early dawn.
Startled, Yuria looked around but realized it wasn’t reality when she saw the Woman with Black Hair.
-Hmm.
The Youngest Daughter of the Desmond Family, whose prestige rivaled the Magic Tower, and who once had glossy black hair before using Dark Magic.
From the sight of the past Desmond Olivia, Yuria realized she had returned to the past.
‘Is this a dream?’
Whether it was a dream or she had fainted, one thing was certain—her current self was invisible to them.
Olivia sat on the fountain railing. In front of her was the Red-Haired Man, and the Young Lady was chewing on chocolate with her once fierce eyes.
-So, did you do what I asked?
-The thing about putting thumbtacks in the indoor shoes?
-Yes.
-I didn’t do it.
-Why not?
-It was bothersome.
-Do you want to get fired?
-Snip.
-Eeeek!!
The two were having a casual conversation. Watching them exchange jokes as they used to, Yuria clenched her fist.
She wasn’t pleased to see the two people she disliked. Seeing them nonchalantly talk about putting thumbtacks in her shoes made disgust overflow in Yuria.
After a brief exchange of banter, Olivia let out a Deep Sigh and spoke to Ricardo.
-I’ll say this only once, so listen carefully.
Hearing Olivia’s words, Yuria relaxed her clenched fist.
‘What…?’
As if echoing her thoughts, Ricardo spoke to the past Olivia in a bewildered voice.
-What did you just say?
-Exactly what you heard.
-No… Ha.
Ricardo, flustered, ran his hand through his hair. Looking down at Olivia with a Stern Expression, a hint of anger could be seen in his eyes.
Ricardo spoke to Olivia. Suppressing his anger and speaking in a Calm Voice, Ricardo repeated what he had heard.
-What do you mean by leaving Yuria alone in the dungeon?
Ricardo questioned Olivia as if accusing her. Saying it was too much to leave Yuria, who didn’t even know how to use Offensive Magic, alone in the dungeon, Ricardo shouted, and Yuria thought.
‘Why is he making that expression?’
Yuria couldn’t understand Ricardo’s anger. It wasn’t an expression someone like The Man who had tormented her would make.
‘Shouldn’t he be happy about it?’
Yuria began to feel that her memory was wrong.
Past Olivia was avoiding Ricardo’s gaze.
-It wasn’t my idea.
-Then whose idea was it…?!
-Kyla.
A familiar name brushed past her ears.
‘Kyla.’
A cherished friend who had approached her first despite being ostracized as the child of a high-ranking Noble Marquis.
Hearing an unexpected name, Yuria felt as if she had been struck on the head with a club, leaving her dizzy.
She wanted to believe it was a dream.
To believe that everything had been fine until now.
To believe that Kyla, who was the first to comfort her when she survived the dungeon, wasn’t the mastermind behind all of this, Yuria couldn’t hide her trembling heart.
‘Kyla did that…?’
‘No way. Kyla is so kind.’
‘We ate together, worked on assignments together, and were so close.’
While trying to deeply deny it in her heart and focus on Olivia’s words, Yuria couldn’t shake off her unsettled thoughts.
Olivia began to tell Ricardo why Yuria had been abandoned in the dungeon that day.
-Kyla also liked Mikhail. So, she said we should teach her a lesson. That if we crushed her so she’d never dare approach Mikhail again, she’d lose her spirit.
Ricardo let out a Deep Sigh at Olivia’s indifferent words.
-And you agreed to do it?
-No. I said no because I thought there’d be rumors.
-Good call.
-I know.
Ricardo held his throbbing head. Muttering why he always got entangled in such incidents, he spoke to Olivia about Kyla.
-The dead rat in the locker last week was Kyla’s doing too, wasn’t it?
-Yeah. I’m too scared of rats to touch them. Will you handle it, Ricardo?
-No? I hate rats too.
-Coward.
Ricardo seemed to have known for a long time. What kind of person Kyla was, and what kind of intentions she had when approaching him. Ricardo seemed to have known for ages.
‘What is this…’
Hearing a story so different from what she knew, Yuria grew anxious.
‘Why… Kyla.’
Olivia relayed what Kyla had told her, and Ricardo nodded as he listened.
Feeling a sense of dissonance from the sight of the two, Yuria’s head began to ache from the chaotic thoughts.
‘This has to be a lie, right?’
Yuria couldn’t believe that her closest friend had tried to kill her, nor could she believe Olivia, who was relaying that information to Ricardo.
She couldn’t believe that Kyla’s protective actions had been a mere fabrication.
As chaotic thoughts swirled through her mind.
Ricardo, putting on the outer garment he held, spoke to Olivia.
-I’m going to take a day off today.
-To go save her?
-Yes. I can’t stand my friend being in a bad situation.
He called her a friend.
He called her his friend.
To Yuria, it felt strange to hear the person she hated call her a friend.
Olivia, seeing Ricardo like that, told him to do as he pleased. That she wasn’t Yuria’s friend and didn’t care whether she lived or died.
Ricardo asked Olivia with a hint of curiosity.
-Then why are you telling me this? You don’t like Yuria either.
-Yeah, I don’t like her. But…
Olivia stood up from the railing and spoke with a clear expression.
-I think letting her die is a bit much. And besides, I fought Kyla…
-Did you win?
Olivia pulled a tuft of hair, seemingly Kyla’s, out of her pocket and said.
-Yeah.
It was a move befitting the undefeated Olivia.
-And even if I told you not to go, you’d go anyway.
-No. If you told me not to go, I wouldn’t.
-Liar. You secretly helped last time too.
-That was just luck.
-Your lies are sloppy.
-I’ll work on it.
Ricardo watched Olivia head back to the dormitory, then turned around with a Stern Expression.
And he began to run at full speed. Without stopping, he started running quickly toward the Dungeon where she had been abandoned that day.
The moment The Misunderstanding of That Day was resolved.
[Part 2 ‘A Person Without Qualifications’ begins.]
The Pale Blue Lettering that signaled the start of events once again appeared before her eyes.
And.
She began to see herself stabbing Ricardo in the abdomen with a sword.