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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Climax
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It was two hours.
That was the time I'd estimated it would take me to secure Rose and Sage, and then join Dian, who would be enduring Envy's machinations.
On top of that, I'd even prepared an artifact imbued with teleportation magic.
It wasn't that I didn't trust Dian, but I also couldn't guarantee that a situation wouldn't arise where she couldn't resist Envy.
To prepare for such a contingency, I needed to minimize the time it would take to reach Dian.
Honestly, I thought I'd prepared more than enough. No matter how meticulously Envy had planned.
But I was wrong.
Envy had devised a plan far more creative than I'd imagined, and she'd succeeded in making my head spin.
I never would have imagined it. That she would completely ensnare and use Fran, the Hero candidate, and then detect the artifact I'd prepared, rendering it useless.
'The biggest problem is that Envy…'
There was a high chance she'd also detected the artifact I'd given Dian.
This was problematic. If that artifact also became useless, even Dian wouldn't be able to withstand Envy's schemes.
I estimated Dian could hold out for less than 30 minutes.
If I didn't join her within that time, Dian would fall, just like Envy.
'Can I get there in 30 minutes?'
I pondered for a moment, then shook my head.
Even if I tricked the Scales and layered acceleration magic over my body to its fullest extent, it would still take at least an hour to reach the Cave of Illusions, no matter how fast I was.
Was there no way to arrive earlier than running at full speed?
For a moment, I pushed my thoughts to their limit and realized there was only one option left.
'No choice, then…'
Having made my decision, I sent Sage and Rose outside, then immediately began tricking the Scales. Not subtly, but boldly enough that the Scales might even notice.
'This should work, right?'
Even as I moved my fingers, drawing a magic circle in the air, I couldn't help but question it.
Because the magic I was about to cast was a 9th-circle spell—Teleportation—something even I, with my ability to trick the Scales to their fullest, couldn't guarantee.
In truth, Teleportation was a magic I'd always been very interested in, so I was thoroughly versed in its theory. I'd asked my master so many questions about it that he'd grown tired of me.
However, it required so much mana that even I felt it was beyond human capabilities, which was why I'd never attempted it before.
'If I hadn't mastered Mana Burn, I wouldn't even have considered attempting this.'
After mastering Mana Burn, I naturally gained an amount of mana incomparable to before.
In addition, I could even utilize the cheat-like trait, 'Trickster of the Scales.'
So, it was only natural that I, someone not yet at the 9th-circle realm, would be confident in casting a 9th-circle spell like Teleportation.
"No issues… Phew…!"
The magic circle, magic circuits, mana alignment, surrounding environment, my own condition, and so on.
Even after meticulously checking various factors, I couldn't help but feel nervous.
Because if even one of the factors I'd mentioned was subtly off, not only would the spell fail, but part or all of my body might vanish, or I might be transported to another world.
As I recognized the danger, a dilemma began to plague me. The thought of just running there, even now.
"...I'm not some scrub."
Coming to that conclusion after a moment of hesitation, I quietly murmured and cast the spell.
"Teleport."
-Whoosh!
Then, a cluster of light that had suddenly appeared flashed across my vision.
****
Teleportation. A 9th-circle spatial magic that transports the caster to desired coordinates.
I'd experienced this useful magic several times, thanks to my master.
Perhaps that's why. Feeling that peculiar sensation, as if my entire body was being broken down into particles and then reassembled, I was certain.
Certain that I had successfully cast the 9th-circle spell, Teleportation.
-Whoosh!
My vision, which had flickered, returned, and a distinctly different landscape began to appear.
And then.
"Ugh…!"
My stomach churned, and a wave of nausea rose with it.
"It's always like this…"
I thought casting it myself would make me less nauseous. But it seems I just have a tendency to get motion sickness.
"Ugh…"
Clenching my churning stomach, I pulled a potion flask with a fan design from my pocket and immediately chugged it.
Gulping down the purple liquid as if it were the elixir of life, my nauseous stomach slowly began to settle.
"...Oh, look at this?"
Only then could I properly look around, and gazing at the black sludge erected at the entrance of the Cave of Illusions, I was certain.
Envy, that woman, already knew what kind of artifact the ring Dian was wearing was.
Perhaps that's why.
"Phew…"
A sigh of relief escaped me. I'd almost been in real trouble.
If I had made any other choice than teleporting, it was painfully obvious it would have led to a bad outcome, no matter what that choice was.
Reassured, I immediately started moving.
-Shimmer!
I gathered starlight in my hand, and as I brought it to the black sludge, the goo began to split apart with a grotesque sound.
"Kieek?"
"Gr-Graaah…!"
"Krr, krrrk!"
As I stepped inside the cave, hideously shaped demonic beasts, sensing my presence, began to rush at me.
Let them. I simply continued walking towards the dense demonic energy I felt from deep within the cave.
-Swoosh!
Drawing the Sword of Good and Evil, imbued with starlight, and lightly swinging it.
"Kr-Kieek!"
"Graaaah!"
"Kyaaaah!"
With every light swing of my sword, the cries of demonic beasts, writhing in agony, echoed from all directions.
How long had I walked like that?
"She knew, after all…"
Discovering a ring lying on the floor, I scowled deeply and quickened my pace.
"But how did she know?"
A sudden question that arose while I was moving.
How could Envy have detected the artifacts I'd prepared?
Eavesdropping magic, detection magic, an unknown trait of Envy's, one of Envy's artifacts, and so on.
Various hypotheses came to mind, but I decided to set this question aside for now.
"I'll just ask her directly."
I thought that, and besides, I'd already reached a place where a translucent barrier was erected.
"Hmm… The Seven Deadly Sins truly live up to their name."
Examining the barrier before me thoroughly with my All-Seeing Eye, I could tell just how intricately woven it was.
"Quite well made."
It wouldn't even crack under ordinary force.
Readily acknowledging that fact, I nodded and raised my sword, taking a stance.
"Divine Sword Style, First Form: Soul Rend."
I murmured, then swung the Sword of Good and Evil.
Perhaps it was because I'd tricked the Scales to their fullest, and Mana Burn was added on top of that.
-Swoooosh!!!
A stark white line, much clearer and thicker than any faint crack before, was drawn across the barrier.
-CRASH!
The translucent barrier shattered like a pane of glass, and a new scene unfolded before me.
Two figures, a man and a woman, appeared, shrouded in black haze. A curse word reflexively escaped my lips.
"...What a fucking mess."
Dian, her eyes losing focus, slowly closing them.
Envy, gazing at her with eyes full of desire, her hand wrapped around Dian's waist like a snake.
Seeing that, I was certain.
If I'd arrived even a moment later, the situation I'd feared would have truly come to pass.
"This is fucked up."
It wasn't that I didn't understand Dian, who had almost become Envy's thrall.
The encounter with her old love, the Seven Deadly Sins' illusion magic and brainwashing magic unleashed using old memories as bait. Naturally, the deep-seated emotions Dian harbored would have exploded.
But seeing Dian's blank expression, I couldn't help but feel annoyance surge within me.
And why wouldn't I? I had clearly told Dian.
What illusions Envy might show her,
What kinds of things she might experience,
What emotions she might feel depending on the situation,
How Envy might extend her demonic grasp to her in such a state.
So, no matter what, she absolutely had to protect the ring I gave her, even if she forgot everything else.
That it would buy her some time.
And yet. I had clearly told her.
So how could I *not* be angry, seeing her in such a state?
"...Kamel? Why that look… You are… Celetina?"
Had her senses finally returned?
Dian, her eyes regaining focus, rolled them before pulling away from Celetina's embrace.
"You… you finally…"
Envy, having lost Dian right before her eyes, scowled like a demon and muttered, glaring at me as if to kill me.
"Professor. First, you're getting a beating."
I didn't care. Already having pushed off, I swung the flat of my blade with lightning speed.
-CRACK!
As the flat of my blade struck the back of Dian's head—Dian, who had contributed to worsening the situation and failed to properly follow my instructions—she instantly fainted and collapsed to the floor.
"Given the circumstances, we'll save the rest of your beating for later."
As much as I wanted to show Dian the pinnacle of insubordination.
In her current state, she wouldn't be any help and might even be recaptured by Envy, so it was better to just knock her out for now.
Having decided that, I whispered to the unconscious Dian, then tossed her behind me.
"How dare you treat Dian so carelessly…!"
At that, Envy, her expression enraged, screamed and unleashed a burst of demonic energy.
"Carelessly? Hey, Celetina."
I, who had been put through the wringer for quite some time and was thoroughly enraged at Envy.
"Ahk…!"
I lunged like a bolt of lightning, grabbed Envy by the hair, and snarled at her, my voice low and menacing, as she stared back in horror.
"You fucking bitch."