Episode 115
After soothing Liv and sending her off.
I sat in front of the dagger she had left and thought for a long ti.
It was only possible to deal damage to the Eyeball Monster, which was impervious to any physical force or attack, with a weapon imbued with holy power. I knew this because Liv had told .
'It seed a bit foolish, but it knew how to talk. It didn't seem like a bad monster...'
My heart grew heavy at the fact that the Eyeball Monster, who had readily told Nise's past and asked for help, was ultimately just a mob that had to be defeated.
Setting all that aside, how could I defeat the Eyeball Monster with this tiny knife? And how could I rescue Nise, who was currently inaccessible, from the Pope's grasp. And could I pull all of that off while avoiding the gazes of the two bastards in the next room, watching with their eyes wide open?
Despite my bold declaration to Liv, no clear answer ca to mind, no matter how much I thought about it.
"Hah... what am I supposed to do..."
As I agonized, tearing my hair out over the increasingly difficult quest, I suddenly felt like an idiot. The ones who created this situation existed, so why did I have to be the only one racking my brain again?
: What do I do now.
I imdiately opened the chat window and asked.
GM Ari: Please have pity, Shari-nim. ㅠ
: No, pity or whatever, just tell how to stop it.
: What's this about making her a 'perfect Saintess', and what's this about telling Liv not to be near the dregs?
But even when I asked, as expected. Eighty percent of their answers were useless, long-winded ga settings.
Still, I managed to get the gist of the necessary information.
After chatting with the developers for a not-insignificant ti for the first ti in a while, I ca to two conclusions.
That Nise's sudden implication of suicide was just one of the many routes for the sunfish Nise to die. And that in any case, there was no way to approach him until the tournant.
The reason, as always, was that the scenario's order and pattern had changed due to that bastard Kassel's unexpected actions.
'Damn bastard.'
I closed the chat window, glared toward the next room where Kassel was staying, and ground my teeth.
Anyway, ever since the Count Hailey estate quest, nothing ever went smoothly when I got involved with that bastard. He's the main character of this ga, so it's not like I could avoid him, but...
After mulling over the developers' words for a while, I finally got up and searched the room.
Before long, I easily found what I was looking for.
Inside the drawer of a table located in a corner of the room, there was paper and a pen that could be used as mo pads.
I took them out, picked up the pen, and irritably started writing.
My vow to bolt as soon as the quest was over felt aningless. It was truly pathetic that I was doing this with such dedication.
But I had no choice. I was afraid of the consequences.
"Hoo..."
After finishing the long-winded appeal disguised as a letter, I folded it carefully and put it in my pocket.
Then I sat blankly on the sofa and waited for dawn.
A few hours later, as soon as it hit 6 AM, when the Temple opened, I bolted from the room.
Standing in front of Kassel's door, my heart pounded a little.
'Co to think of it... did I hear him co back during the night?'
I belatedly realized I hadn't heard any sign of Kassel, who had left saying he was going for a walk, return.
But if he had returned while I was talking with Liv, I might not have heard him.
As quietly as possible, I slipped the folded paper into the crack of the door.
'Done!'
Having achieved my imdiate goal, I headed straight for Liv's room without looking back.
She opened the door quickly, as if she also hadn't slept a wink, worried about her oppa.
Co to think of it, the 'Mushroom Allergy Redy' I gave her last ti seed to have worked well.
The rashes on Liv's face and neck had noticeably subsided.
Yesterday, because she had suddenly burst in, I hadn't noticed that her skin had cleared up.
This was a good thing for , so I spoke with a glad heart.
"Saintess. Since your illness seems to be fully cured, please fire now."
"Wh-what did you say?!"
Naturally, Liv was extrely surprised and deeply anxious.
But it wasn't as if I had anything to do if I just stayed at the Temple.
"Here, take these."
I handed her Ballakk's items.
[Lv.??? Soul-Reflecting Cursed Doll]
[Lv.??? Soul-Connecting Strings]
And I carefully listed the things I needed her to do.
As Liv listened to the story, her face gradually darkened.
"...If you do that, I think I can take care of the rest."
"Will that... work?"
"We have to make it work."
When I answered nonchalantly, Liv touched her forehead and sank into thought.
The plan I told her seed to be extrely confusing and frightening for her.
"Does it seem too difficult?"
"No. I'm fine, but... I'm just worried that it might beco too dangerous for you, Shari."
I stared at her with slightly surprised eyes at the unexpected worry.
Then I smiled and replied.
"I'm strong, so I'll be fine."
Even if she couldn't see it.
"...I'll try."
Perhaps because of my confident attitude, she soon accepted the cursed doll with a resolute expression.
And she murmured softly with her eyes lowered.
"Thank you, Shari. For going this far... to save oppa."
I felt strange.
Adam was the sa last ti. Every ti I hear 'thank you', I never know how to respond.
I'm just carrying out the quest for the ending,
'I guess my plan sounds completely crazy to others, too.'
I mocked myself, trying to shake off the strange sense of elation that was rising.
"You don't need to thank . I'm just acting for my own benefit, too."
"But..."
"I should get going. If I delay any longer, soone might see ."
Among that 'soone', there were two particularly unlucky bastards I had to avoid.
When I said that, Liv readily bid farewell.
"May the Goddess's blessing be with you."
It suddenly occurred to that her faithfulness in seeking God, even in this situation, was both strange and pitiful.
After finishing my farewell to her, I headed straight for the Temple entrance.
And I bolted.
Leaving behind a single note to prevent any repercussions.
[To the noble, great, and holy His Highness the Crown Prince.
Your Highness, it is the apothecary.
As of today, the Saintess's chronic illness has been fully cured, and I, being of no further use, am leaving the Temple.
I apologize for leaving without a proper farewell.
I have another client waiting for their turn, so I plan to be far away from the capital for the ti being.
This is the 'employnt order' I ntioned before, so I sincerely hope you will understand with your vast benevolence.
I will not forget the turn Your Highness has reserved and will fulfill it soday.
Sincerely, Apothecary Shari.
P.S. 1: As you commanded, I am notifying only Your Highness before leaving, so please pass on the ssage to the Count for .
P.S. 2: I am not running away.
Really, really, really, really...]
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Ti flew by like an arrow, and soon, the morning of the Hero Selection Tournant dawned.
I, who had left the Temple and was staying at the hotel, set out with Elaine.
The tournant to select the heroes is held in a coliseum.
This was because there was no other suitable place to accommodate such a large number of people.
"Do well, Green Mask. I'm telling you again and again, don't stand out too much."
Arriving in front of the coliseum, I said goodbye to Elaine and gave him a warning.
After submitting their applications, the heroes gathered in the coliseum from all over the country would begin the first test prepared by Kassel. It filters out the various humans who flocked here once, checking if they have the minimum qualifications to catch monsters.
But the test will not go smoothly.
This was because of the Nise rescue operation that Liv and I were about to carry out.
'Honestly, I want to tell him not to stand out at all and just get last place, but...'
Seeing Elaine's red, swollen eyelids, which looked like he had practiced crying with venomous determination for this day, I couldn't bring myself to say it.
As expected, at my words not to stand out, Elaine stuck out his lower lip and grumbled.
"If I want to get first place, I have to stand out, no matter what."
"I told you, you're not getting first place."
[Elaine Griselda feels hurt by your words.]
[Elaine Griselda feels a trace of disappointnt toward you.]
I tried hard to ignore the system windows popping up one after another and added.
"And, I'm just saying this just in case."
"..."
"Even if you see soone inside the coliseum who looks like , it's not , so absolutely do not act like you know them."
As I silently repeated that, Elaine's eyes widened as if they would pop out.
"Noona, are you participating too?"
"No."
"Then why are you saying that?"
"I told you I'm saying it just in case. They said nobles and royals from other countries are coming, so there might be at least one person who looks like ."
At my words, Elaine made an expression as if he couldn't understand.
[Elaine Griselda feels suspicious of you.]
A corner of my heart twinged at the system window that imdiately popped up.
But I had no choice. It was because Elaine had partially seen my appearance due to the black market incident last ti.
"I'm saying don't get distracted and screw up. What's the goal?"
"...To stay quiet, and if the Count approaches, to go under him."
"Right, good job!"
I smiled, satisfied.
I had drilled it into him for the past three days, almost to the point of brainwashing, so the answer ca out of Elaine like an automatic reflex.
I gave him a thumbs-up, praising his attitude, which I liked for a change. He looked at with a sullen face and spoke.
"...If I see a chance, I'll record it if I can."
"Record what?"
"It's because you want to see it, the tournant opening ceremony."
I made a clueless expression at his random words.
Of course, the tournant opening ceremony is grand and spectacular, but I've already seen it to death through user gaplay videos.
"I don't want to see it. What's the point? And you don't even have a recording magic tool or anything."
"If there's a guy who has one, I'll just steal it. You think only one or two people brought one?"
As I stared blankly at the guy who spoke of thievery so nonchalantly, he added with a strangely crestfallen expression.
"If I'd known noona wanted to see in action this much, I would've prepared one in advance..."
"What kind of nonsense..."
I shuddered and was about to tell him to stop spouting X-rated nonsense.
[Announcent. All tournant participants, please enter the waiting room.]
Just then, an announcer's voice echoed from a loudspeaker magic tool, signaling it was just before the start.
"I'm going, Teacher Apothecary-noona!"
Elaine, as if he'd never been crestfallen, waved his hands enthusiastically at and walked away cheerfully.
'What a weird guy...'
Left alone in an instant, I watched the retreating green hair with hazy eyes, then shook my head.
'What in the world is he so happy about?'
My heart was already pounding, afraid I might run into the host, that bastard Kassel.
I hadn't seen Kassel once since I bolted that day.
Leaving the note was the right move, a hundred, a thousand tis over. Unlike last ti, the Imperial Palace knights didn't swarm the entire capital trying to catch .
Even so, that didn't an it was okay to run into that bastard.
'Especially not in my true form...!'
But I had to go. For the quest and for damn Nise.
Looking around, the crowd had ebbed away like a tide, as if most of the bustling people had gone inside the coliseum.
After confirming Elaine had completely disappeared, I slowly lowered the hood I had been wearing pulled down low.
A cool breeze brushed against my bare face.
It had been so long that my wavy pink hair now felt unfamiliar.
This was the first ti I had taken off my robe since the black market.
Back then, I at least wore a mask, but this ti, it was my complete, unveiled true form.
This was because, as an NPC, I wasn't qualified to participate in the tournant.
To enter the coliseum, I had no choice but to pose as a noble, just like at the black market.
When I took off the robe and put it in my inventory, the bright ivory dress I was wearing underneath was revealed.
As I checked my attire, I paused at the blue brooch pinned above my left breast.
A large blue sapphire, set within a fancy and intricate gold decoration.
I had bought accessories to go with the dress, but maybe it was because I only bought cheap ones, thinking I'd throw them away after one use.
Suddenly, 'Ding-dong', a call ca from Jinu.
GM Jinu: Nim. Wear that at least.
GM Jinu: Even if you have an invitation, if you look shabby, you'll get bounced (ip-ppaen).
GM Jinu: The setting is that since it's hosted by the Imperial Palace, there's a lot of invitation forgery.
The 'that' Jinu was talking about was the brooch Kassel had given at the black market.
'Bounced? What is this, a club?!'
It was utterly absurd, but I fumbled to take out the brooch at Jinu's words.
I thought that since I had an invitation, I could just vaguely say I was from another country and enter the coliseum without any trouble.
But I had no choice, since he said I might be suspected of not being a noble at all.
'Should I have bought more hair ornants...'
When I glimpsed my reflection in the display window of a shop across from the coliseum, Jinu was, annoyingly, right.
I had only put on one brooch, but I definitely looked a bit more high-class.
Gazing down at the brilliantly shining blue gem, I felt troubled.
'...Just what was that bastard Kassel thinking, just handing over sothing so expensive?'
When I was buying accessories, I discreetly asked the jeweler NPC its price, and the reply ca back that it could easily buy a house in the capital.
'If he's so rich, why'd he rip off for my five million coins, that stingy bastard!'
Fuming at the bastard's incomprehensible antics, I soon steeled my resolve.
Anyway, he gave it to , so it was mine now.
'I'll make good use of it and sell it right away. Then I'll be rich! Heehee.'
Thinking of the brooch's price, my mood brightened instantly.
Planning to take it off again once I was inside the coliseum, I started walking vigorously toward the entrance.
Unlike the back of the coliseum, as I got closer to the entrance, the crowd grew larger again.
Well-dressed nobles were alighting one after another from the fancy carriages lined up.
Imperial Palace knights, sternly surrounding the entrance.
It was definitely a different scale from the black market, which had been easy to enter.
Seeing the nobles dressed as splendidly as peacocks, I once again thought I was right to listen to Jinu.
'I'm the prettiest one here anyway.'
As I walked past them, I could feel the gazes of people, n and won, young and old, turning to look at with dazed expressions.
It was sothing I experienced every ti I didn't wear a robe, so I nonchalantly approached the gatekeepers.
And I confidently held out my invitation.
The two knights, who had been standing there stunned for a mont, hurriedly accepted the invitation.
"My lady. Um... what is your na...?"
'What, they ask for a na too?!'
My mind went blank for a second at the unexpected situation.
However, I held my head high and answered, not losing my dignity.
"Sari Song. I am royalty from Solenia."
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