As soon as I heard Alsetin’s story, I headed outside the academy.
Classes are waiting, but right now is not the time to worry about such trivialities.
To think that they would attempt to offer an entire territory to the Evil God. What kind of insane talk is that?! It doesn’t make sense!
The Burrow noble family is undoubtedly massive. As one of the few ducal families in the kingdom, the land under their influence is vast, and there are many people living on it.
If they could devour all life existing there, they would surely gain immense power.
But that’s only based on the premise that they can devour everything.
There are several points at which this plan does not make sense.
First of all, the size of the Burrow territory itself is a problem.
How will they prepare magic capable of handling such a vast area, and even if they manage to prepare it without being discovered, that magic will undoubtedly be filled with flaws.
The evidence for this is countless.
First, Tariki's authority is insufficient. The power of Tariki is not that great.
Since the Burrow family is a knightly territory, it likely does not have abundant magical resources.
Above all, the biggest issue is the lack of time.
It hasn’t been long since Nakrad completely swallowed the Burrow family.
Even if they had been preparing this since then, time is too short.
There is a limit to how much madness can drive people. The magic of sacrifices can never be perfect. If it is activated at all, it should be called a miracle.
Even if, by some stroke of luck, the spell for the sacrifice was ready, the question remains: how will they endure until the sacrifice is offered?
The Burrow noble family is a massive territory.
When the dark magic capable of swallowing everything is activated, the church will undoubtedly notice. No matter how specialized Tariki’s authority is in hiding, there are limits.
Especially with his power being imperfect now.
The surrounding territories. The nation. The church. They will all come to crush Tariki. The magic cannot be completed.
...
What if, by some chance.
If, by a slim chance, the magic of the sacrifice was successfully deployed.
If, somehow, they managed to endure the movements to subjugate Tariki while offering the Burrow territory to him.
But can Tariki really defeat those who have come to subjugate him?
Ha. No way.
A sacrifice is, after all, energy and heat.
No matter how much food is in front of you, there’s a limit to how much you can eat. Just like that, even if countless sacrifices are offered, there is a limit to how much power can be drawn from them.
Currently, Tariki is like a human who has been stuck in the ground for a long time, surviving on water dripping from the ceiling and insects passing by.
It doesn’t matter how much of a glutton he was in the past. How much can he eat when a feast is presented before someone who hasn’t had proper food for a long time?
I’m certain. Even if the magic is completed, the resurrected Tariki’s power will be infinitely weaker compared to his peak.
In that state, Tariki will not darken the sky but rather add a line to the achievements of those who came to subjugate him before he fades away.
How can I be so sure? Because I saw the hastily resurrected Tariki with my own eyes, and compared to when he was fully revived, he was so weak that it made me scoff.
Thus, I thought there must be some kind of misunderstanding.
No matter how I think about it, this is an act of suicide. What else can you call betting your life on a gamble that is sure to fail if not suicide?
Could it be that I figured out the hidden secrets of the Burrow family and that he is starting to move to eliminate me?
Not at all. While it might cause him to feel rushed, there’s no reason for him to commit such a crazy act.
He would have recovered enough strength in the process of swallowing the Burrow family, so it would be better for him to retreat satisfied with that. Why would he risk his life on a gamble that is clearly going to cost him everything?
In fact, the Tariki from the game acted that way. He would say that if he left, humans would fight each other and cause even more damage than when he was present.
“This is the report conveyed to me by my master. It has been seen by the Apostle of Beauty and Art, and since you have verified it through several priests, there should be no errors.”
However, the Tariki of this world is very different from the one I knew.
He was truly preparing to swallow the Burrow territory.
I don’t want to admit it. I want to deny it!
But all the information in front of me points too accurately to one undeniable fact!
Damn it! Karia! You really are doing an outstanding job!
How on earth can you mix in among the apostles of the Evil God?!
Is it really in a state where it has lost most of its power?! How ridiculously strong was it in its prime?!
“What will you do?”
At Alsetin’s question, I snapped out of my daydream.
He was trying to keep a normal expression, and that act was certainly skilled. If it had been me before I discovered Weakness Recognition, I wouldn’t have noticed a thing.
But not now. I can see it in Zigg’s eyes. The anxiety he doesn’t want to reveal. The worry for his master.
The moment I faced that feeling, the various thoughts floating in my head subsided, and calmness took their place.
“Hmm.”
I exhaled deeply and closed my eyes.
As all information points to this magic being real, it is indeed true that Tariki is about to commit a crazy act.
So pointing out that this is a crazy act is meaningless.
Let’s think in the opposite direction.
‘Why must he commit a crazy act?’
What is he aiming for? Recovery of power? No, if that were the goal, there are many better options.
Hatred towards the Burrow family? He has no such thing.
Nakrad’s arbitrary decision? That’s not it either. He might be a show-off, but his loyalty is genuine.
What is it? What is it really?
The more I think, the more I feel like I’m falling into a labyrinth, and just then, my grandfather let out a sigh.
<Sigh. Why does my head get so stiff when it’s not related to dungeons?>
‘...Huh? Grandfather. What did I say?’
I haven’t said anything to my grandfather! I was just thinking in my head?!
<I heard several thoughts slip out in between.>
‘Then you should have said so in advance!’
Why are you eavesdropping so sneakily?! You should respect personal privacy! Be an adult!
<I was just admiring how you were thinking for yourself.>
‘Really?’
<Then what other reason could there be?>
‘No, but there was that thing the skeleton mentioned not long ago.’
<How many times do I have to tell you it’s not! My preference is not for brats like you!... Anyway! Why can’t you think when you’re in front of the answer?!>
You say I’m in front of the answer? What does that even mean?
<Let me ask you this. When you are willing to throw your life away for something? >
‘When I want to protect something precious?’
<...Close. More accurately, it’s when something more important than your life is at stake.>
Something more important than life. If it’s Tariki. If it’s the Evil God of Darkness. If it’s a guy who has been sealed away for a long time, accumulating hatred after defeat.
‘Revenge against the deity.’
That’s the one thing he wants to achieve, even if it costs him his life.
<Good. Then what must he do for revenge?>
‘Destroy the world.’
<Why do you think so?>
‘Because this world is the most precious thing to the deity... perhaps.’
Precious things. Things to cherish. Things to care about. Things that one continues to gaze upon.
In the past, when the useless deity had almost no involvement in this world, that object had to be abstract.
But not anymore.
Because I have.
An apostle of Armadhi.
<Yes. That’s you.>
‘...No. But this has nothing to do with me, right?’
Of course, I have to head to the Burrow family because of the quest.
But Tariki knows nothing about the quest.
To put it bluntly, whatever happens in the Burrow territory, if I ignore it and sit still, what will he do?
He’ll just cause a ruckus by himself and self-destruct.
Isn’t that too clumsy to target me?
<So you can ignore it?>
‘...What?’
<Are you going to ignore the countless damages that will arise from your indifference?>
‘...’
<Since you can’t answer, let me ask something else. Can you bear to see the Burrow territory burning because you dragged in other forces?>
‘...No.’
I can’t. I’m not that strong of a person.
I struggle to bear even one person’s life, and if countless lives are added to that, I would surely collapse.
<Then let’s go back to the beginning. Does this matter have nothing to do with you?>
‘...No.’
I had no way to refute that. As long as I exist, I can never ignore what happens in the Burrow family.
<That’s it. Since you have shown many clues up to now, he must be aware of this.>
When I faced reality, my heart sank.
Ah. Damn it. I can no longer completely turn a blind eye to this.
If Tariki goes and causes trouble, leading to sacrifices, then my failures will also be present.
<It is certain that the opponent is digging a trap targeting you. If you go there, many dangers and hardships will follow.>
That will be the case. Knowing the opponent is coming, there’s no reason not to prepare for that opponent.
Ah. Is that why I conquered the Trial Dungeon?
To find out how I tackle dungeons?
And based on that information, they are trying to create a dungeon to capture and kill me?
So that thing I thought was a bait was actually reconnaissance?!
<My opinion remains the same as last time.>
My grandfather said.
To learn how to sacrifice for others.
To not stake your life on everything.
To ask for support.
Just like last time.
However, this time, there was one part of my grandfather's words that was different from before.
<Since you are my master, I must respect your intentions. Let me ask. What will you do?>
The moment I heard the question of what I would do, only one word came to my mind.
‘Conquer it.’
Conquer.
The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.
Created for me.
A dungeon created to kill me.
You want me to just walk past a dungeon optimized for me?
The mode creator made a dungeon for me, and you want me to ignore it?
I can’t! I absolutely can’t!
<...Sigh. Alright. I expected that. Then the next question. Are you confident?>
‘Is that even a question? It’s a dungeon.’
Ha. What can he do if he tries to eliminate me! After all, he’s just a pathetic Evil God!
Having cleared this game countless times, I know just how lacking his creativity is!
Go ahead! Let’s see you try! I’ll make you feel the sting of your stupidity!
<What’s the plan?>
‘Since I know the opponent has prepared a gift for me, I must prepare a gift for him as well.’
If the opponent is sincerely preparing something that I dislike, then I must prepare something that he will dislike in return.
I’m a kind and polite person.
Wouldn’t he be happy enough to squirm if there were two suns in the sky?
<...Is that possible? Without the deity's help?>
‘It’s possible.’
It may not have been possible in the past, but I now possess a new skill.
Although it will cost me a little bit of my dignity.
No, I will have to sell it quite a bit.