Chapter 254. Above the Frozen Land (5)
While being Confused, I examined her more closely. She had long plum-colored hair that seemed to want to melt into the surrounding darkness, and also pale white skin. Her slightly out of focus eyes were plum-colored just like her hair and seemed to suck in all light. Not only was she small, her eyes, lips, and ears were also small. Anyone looking at her would only see a ten year old girl.
Ah, she also wasn’t wearing any clothes.
“Shin-nim, do you have anything to say before I poke your eyes out?”
“I’m innocent. I’m being falsely accused. If you wish to find fault, go talk to that exhibitionist kid.”
“Sometimes, just being somewhere const.i.tutes a crime. When you realized she was naked, you should have turned around!”
“I was expecting a grown woman because of her mature voice. I was surprised she was a kid and was examining her. I acknowledge my fault in this, but poking my eyes out would be too excessive of a punishment.”
As I replied calmly and blocked Loretta’s fingers desperately, Sherafina watched us silently. Go wear something, please!
“Lord, wear something!”
“So that was the problem. I apologize, I rarely talk to people.”
She apologized to Loretta and snapped her fingers. In an instant, she was equipped with a black dress. I pushed Loretta’s fingers away and sighed a breath of relief. At the same time, I couldn’t help but think, was she wearing underwear…? Kuhum!
“I put on some clothes now, Loretta. There’s no reason to poke his eyes out.”
“Hu… You did this on purpose, right?”
“Loretta should know very well that I don’t usually wear clothes.”
“Mm… I’ll question you later. You know why we’re here, right?”
“Yes, it’s about what happened on Earth, correct?”
Sherafina slowly nodded and continued.
“Earth is perfectly defending against its invaders. If you continue to grow, it might be possible to stop Earth’s enemies before humanity sheds blood.”
“I already know that, but…”
“However, they realized that you were powerful.”
Sherafina looked at me. Seeing her mysteriously charming plum eyes, I could see why Loretta tested me beforehand. Loretta spoke up.
“If Lord seduces Shin-nim, I’ll kill even Lord.”
“I have no such intentions. Plus, love isn’t good for administrators. Loretta, I already told you multiple times, not that you ever listen to me.”
“If Lord talks about someone else, I’ll kill even Lord.”
“Your love troubles both you and your love’s receiver. Your expectations are too high.”
Loretta took out her axe.
“I’ll just kill her now.”
“Loretta, please!”
“But that woman just…! Shin-nim, are my expectations too high? Am I overbearing?”
“You’re not at all, so put away that axe before I do feel that way! Where the heck is that axe coming out of all the time!?”
As I thought, I’m the only normal one out of everyone related to the dungeon! Even this woman didn’t listen to people properly! After I barely stopped the biggest crisis since the dungeon’s founding, Sherafina spoke with a sigh.
“Accelerating the speed of invasion isn’t something they would prefer to do because of its high mana cost…”
“You’re continuing like nothing happened!?”
“Rather than succeeding in their invasion, they’re losing the territories they already gained. In response, they sacrificed some of their forces to widen the pathway.”
I gave up and just listened to her.
“Originally, I distributed my power evenly amongst all worlds, administering the dungeon, administering its explorers, and interfering with the enemies’ invasions.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Because of the recent incident with Sipua ran away… Ah, thank you for that by the way. We were able to protect the dungeon thanks to you. Even If we lost just Lin, the dungeon would have been in deep trouble.”
“Just continue with the explanation, Lord.”
Loretta spoke while annoyed. Sherafina nodded and continued.
“Because of the recent incident with Sipua running away, the dungeon had stopped. My sight also became limited. Sipua was returned to her position, but before my power came back, the enemy’s third invasion began. We were struck at an untimely spot.”
“Then, is my theory correct, Lord?”
“yes. The dungeon’s formation wasn’t perfect. In addition, because I quickly reactivated my power, I didn’t notice them gathering in the same spot. Since I didn’t notice the Event Dungeons disappearing and the enemies gathering together in an army, you could say they tricked me completely. At the very least, it means they have an ability that prevents me from finding out when Event Dungeons disappear.”
“Impossible!”
“Our enemy is diverse and possess fearful abilities. Loretta, what we consider impossible will always come back to bite us in reality.”
The Lord spoke calmly.
“Remember this. There might be someone in their midst who can perfectly see through the nature of my power and can completely ignore it.”
“Could it be the Demon Lord?”
“I don’t think so. When the final explorer left the Luka continent, he didn’t possess such a power. It must be a new demon born after the Demon Lord obtained the world’s power.”
Although she had a serious tone, I couldn’t focus on her words entirely because of her young appearance. I slapped my cheeks to regain my composure and asked her.
“And there might be more than one such being.”
“Exactly. I plan on doing everything I can, but what the dungeon can do for you will become less and less.”
“Lord, you’re too irresponsible!”
“I have high expectation of you.”
She pretended to have not heard Loretta as she looked at me fixedly.
“You might not know, but you’re the fastest climbing explorer to have ever existed. Soloing the dungeon, something that you consider normal and easy, is something not even 1% of the explorers can accomplish. The feat of climbing two floors in a day is something not even 1% of that 1% can do. As for your Beyond climbing speed, I have no words. Your strength and bold mindset and the heavenly luck that supports you are something even I find hard to believe. The interest and goodwill towards you by the G.o.ds are most likely the first since the universe’s beginning.”
“Ehehe, you’re making me blush.”
“Why are you feeling embarra.s.sed, Loretta?”
She tilted her head at Loretta’s response, then turned to face me again.
“However, the more accomplished you become, the more uneasy I feel. I hate the word ‘fate’ the most, but looking at your talent and luck, I can’t help but think it’s because a time when such a power is needed is coming.”
“Lord?”
Loretta looked at Sherafina with an extremely surprised face. Seeing the streak of worry on the girl’s small face, she asked.
“Uneasy…? Why? Lord saw and experienced countless worlds’ ruin, and you’re feeling uneasy at Earth’s danger?”
“Think about the situation Earth is in, Loretta.”
I could somewhat understand the uneasiness Sherafina was feeling. Loretta seemed to know something too as she became quiet.
“The enemies’ leaders have the power to ignore the dungeon’s power. That’s partly why they became leaders. It makes sense. The dungeon was made by the defenders, and the leaders of the attackers were born to defeat the defenders.”
“Is that so?’
“But what’s happening right now is too out of line. The Demon Lord who opened a pathway to another world after absorbing a world’s power and the fact that this pathway led to Earth, both of these are something I can’t just wave off. It’s the same for the leader of the monsters, as I am clueless as to what kind of an existence he is. If you fail to protect Earth and they succeed, will they stop there?”
Loretta and I both became speechless. I didn’t want to even imagine the end of Earth, but if Earth’s invaders started to reach out to other worlds, just how many would be able to defend themselves? The Lord interrupted our silence and continued ruthlessly.
“The danger Earth is facing can be fatal. You must stop them. If you allow them land, we won’t know what they will do next. They must be chased out. Furthermore, you must get stronger.”
“Of course.”
“You’re walking on the correct path. Grow stronger. Climb the dungeon, but don’t become swayed by it. Just like what you’re doing now, grow power that the dungeon can’t give. Also…”
I felt like I didn’t want to hear the next part. Just when I was about to block my ears out of instinct, the Lord announced.
“You must embrace the human named Ciara Kenex.”
“I’d rather die…”
She continued, as if she expected my response.
“Just like you, she is someone who received the world’s power. If you are the Hero, she would be the Saintess. Both are indispensable existences for Earth. Seeing Earth’s current situation, I now understand why she exists. You need someone to read the enemy’s movements. You need her, who was born with an ability that the dungeon can’t give.”
“Please… Uuu, so you’re saying…”
I was about to refuse her straight up, but I hesitated for a moment. I hated her. I hated her personality, and I hated that she admired me just because I was the Hero. I hated her appearance and hated her voice. I hated everything about her. I was sick of her att.i.tude of treating people’s lives as mere numbers.
But what if I pushed her away just because I hated her personality and action, and ended up with casualties that I could have prevented with her power?
If included in those casualties was Yua, Ina, Mother, Father, Ina, Hwaya, Ye-Eun, Yua, Ludia, Ina, Daisy, Ren, Yua, Leon, Ina, Walker, Yua, or Ina…
“She can become stronger in the dungeon. By raising her league, she can strengthen the power she was given. Now, you need her power.”
“… Uuu.”
I had too many people I needed to protect. I always talked big about protecting everyone with my strength alone, but I knew all too well now that I couldn’t solve everything on my own.
To protect my loved ones…
“Huu… I’ll contact her.”
Will I be able to rein her in? Hwaya might be able to do it, but won’t she get mad? I sighed thinking about having to see Ciara Kenex’s face. Loretta was also giving the Lord a deathly glare.
“I’m already annoyed by the number of women Shin-nim has, so why are you giving him another one!?”
“Then will Loretta go to Earth to help him?”
“… Can I?”
“Absolutely not. You should know this better than anyone else.”
Loretta pouted at Sherafina’s cutthroat answer. Sherafina continued without batting an eye.
“Is having one more woman more important than his safety?”
“I don’t know! Shin-nim, let’s go back. I shouldn’t have brought you here, hmph!”
“Eh? We’re going back?”
“We already got what we came for! Lord, do you have anything else to say?”
“I want to give more help, but unfortunately…”
She shook her head. It was the kind of gesture fitting of the word ‘oldie’, but since I knew women were sensitive about talking about their age, I wasn’t so stupid as to ask about her age.
“I hope you can pa.s.s this danger safely. I’ll look forward to the day I meet you again.”
“I won’t bring Shin-nim here ever again!”
Loretta shouted at her and pulled me away. I bowed to Sherafina and followed her. Just like when I first came here, she spoke as she pulled me.
“Shin-nim will do fine. Don’t worry too much. The dungeon is all the Lord has in her mind. She’s ignoring Shin-nim’s potential. I’m angry.”
“No, I don’t think she did… Rather than that, what is she? She doesn’t seem human.”
“I don’t know either. She hasn’t changed at all since I first met her.”
Loretta added with a bitter smile.
“She never says anything about herself. It’s been several hund… a long time since I saw her too.”
She cut off contact with people and lived two thousands years or even more in that darkness? I thought about the conversation I just had. Sherafina seemed to have had expressed emotions somewhat, but when I thought about it, she didn’t say anything not related to the dungeon. Just why did she spend such a long time… I knew I didn’t have the time to worry about other things, but I couldn’t help but think about her. When I sighed, Loretta looked at me with worrying eyes.
“You’re not interested in her, right? I thought you resisted her charm, but could it be…”
“Loretta’s the only one for me.”
“Aaaaah! Wait! I’m not ready to record that! Again, say it again one more time!”
“It’s embarra.s.sing, so no.”
“Shin-niiiiim!”
I wasn’t in any position to worry about other people. I had to fight the demons who tricked the Dungeon Lord’s eyes and conquered Oceania. I had to clear my head for battle.
About contacting Ciara, I’ll put it off until the fight ends. After all, just listening to her will ruin my mood!