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Translator: penny
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: Royal Palace
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"That's going too far."
The folks panting under the locals in the banquet hall had it relatively easy, at least.
They were being treated as playthings for the nobles and royals, which came with a certain cultured(?) level of handling.
"Please... enough... forgive me..."
Soldiers—no, upon closer inspection, not soldiers—cackled in front of a woman tied and hanging from a tree. Their high stats and distinct uniforms marked them as the royal guard knights.
One of them was tossing a short-bladed dagger into the air and catching it repeatedly.
It soon whistled through the air and buried deep into the thigh of the woman begging for mercy.
"Oops, missed."
"Heh heh, can't even hit that?"
There was a charcoal-drawn bullseye right in the center of her stomach. They were apparently betting on who could hit it best with their daggers.
"You idiots, I'll nail it this time."
The knight yanked the dagger from her thigh.
Blood was already trickling from wounds all over her body, and no real screams escaped her lips anymore. She seemed to have given up on everything.
"...Let's go."
"You're just gonna walk past that?"
"What choice do we have?"
It was an uncomfortable sight, but there was nothing we could do about it right now. We'd come here to steal, and getting caught was the last thing we wanted.
Rescuing her on the sly or wiping out those knights would just announce our presence.
Which meant abandoning the heist.
"Tch."
Shin Seo-yeon, sharp enough to piece it together without me spelling it out, nodded reluctantly, clearly unhappy but resigned.
Lee Sera was the same. Having already witnessed human hunters in the [Lair of Evil Spirits] chopping off women's limbs to make onaholes firsthand, she just took it in stride.
Han So-hee, weighing priorities, frowned but said nothing, deeming it best to move on for now.
"Min-jun, you're not going to save her?"
But the Saintess was holding us back.
Ah, our kind-hearted and pure Saintess was clutching my sleeve with a desperate look, pointing at the woman.
She was bull-headed.
Normally indecisive and bad at asserting herself, but when it came to helping others, she turned into an unstoppable force of sheer stubbornness.
She was so relentless that even the Sea God Guild master and everyone else had thrown up their hands in defeat.
I crouched at the corridor corner to meet the Saintess's eyes.
"Ha-na."
"Y-yes...?"
She wasn't dumb, so she gauged my expression. I paused to choose my words, then quietly laid out something she'd hopefully understand.
"Ha-na, helping others is great. Never lose that heart. But when you can't afford to help, you have to face reality."
"Reality?"
"Yeah. Say you only have a million won in your account, and someone asks to borrow a hundred million. Would you take out a bank loan to lend it?"
"Th-that's..."
"Rescuing her now could get us in the same boat—or worse."
She flinched.
"But is that okay?"
The Saintess couldn't answer.
"I get wanting to help no matter the risk, but then you'd be dragging the other four of us into danger too. We're a team."
"Ah..."
I understood her urge to help. But all our actions in the Trials were group efforts—we had to remember that.
That was reality.
"Eek."
Our sweet Saintess never minded her own hardship, but putting others at risk threw her into a dilemma.
That was the only way to convince the Selection Process's top healer with her bull-headed streak.
And sure enough, she hung her head.
"...You're right. It's not just my problem... No, if it were just me, I wouldn't even suggest going. I let my heart run ahead stupidly. Sorry, everyone."
It wasn't something to apologize for.
Thanks to that stubbornness, I'd been saved in my first run.
So if I ended up helping someone this run, it'd be because of her 90% of the time.
I stroked the dejected Saintess's hair and said,
"Instead, we'll rescue her on the way out later."
"!!"
"They won't kill her since they need her as Minotaur fodder. So we'll grab her after raiding the treasury. No issues then."
"Ah...!"
The others nodded—it was a solid plan. The Saintess finally beamed, her spirits lifted.
"Okay!"
[Song Ha-na's favorability toward you has greatly increased.]
After that, the Earthlings' misery kept unfolding.
Dagger-throwing practice was basic; sometimes they even pitted Earthlings against each other.
Forcing them onto all fours to attack only with their teeth, like beasts.
"You bastard, I said no standing on two legs!"
Thud. Thud. Thud.
If they stood, they'd get beaten like dogs.
Still, those had it better than most—just pitiful, but manageable. When we spotted the torture enthusiasts, even I nearly charged in.
"Kill... me... please..."
People turned into meat sacks, mangled beyond recognition. Especially the ones with every orifice sewn shut with needles... grotesque didn't even begin to cover it.
But the Saintess's eyes didn't waver.
"...Just hold on a little longer, everyone. We'll help."
She clenched her fist and murmured softly, eyes fixed on the horrors.
That's when I realized: she didn't mind the cruelty itself, just the despair.
As long as there was hope amid the suffering, she was okay.
'That's human nature. I endured to the end because of that bastard's hope too.'
Though I never imagined it'd last a full decade.
We slipped past surveillance and headed down the stairs to the level below the banquet hall.
"Hey, hear something?"
"Probably that one squirming."
Stab!
"Hngh!"
Writhing.
Even the knights on guard had followed the power players into debauchery, so despite their numbers, infiltration was a breeze.
Descending one floor from the banquet hall, the guards thinned out dramatically—practically nonexistent.
Shin Seo-yeon eyed the rune-covered surroundings.
"Speaking of, good thing we had that map. This palace is a total maze."
"Yeah, tons of forks."
Magic era ruins were mazes half the time.
Without the map, we might've spent days just navigating.
Of course, grabbing a guard for directions under threat could've sped it up, but...
'Too movie-like.'
That'd be underestimating the Trials. Fat chance they'd cooperate—leading you to traps would be the norm. Maps were essential either way.
"Hold up, everyone—this way."
And finally, we reached our target.
A massive door.
Twenty guards in front.
"...That's a lot."
"Yeah. Not easy."
"What now? Even if we rush 'em fast, someone's bound to ring the alarm."
A long rope hung by the door, with a bell dangling above. Shake it, and it'd blare.
The second it rang, patrols from below and knights from above would swarm.
"Even if we each take one, that's fifteen left over with only five of us."
"What about two each?"
"Can't count? Still ten short."
"Auntie dyeing her hair to look smart? Talking two at a time with your AOE? Obviously you'd lead with a preemptive blast."
"Enough, both of you. Leave it to me."
Shin Seo-yeon's skills were too noisy anyway. Even rushing together felt risky. So I strolled out weaponless.
"Got a plan?"
"Of course."
Rounding the corner toward the treasury, the yawning guards perked up at my approach.
"Who's that punk?"
"Some beast?"
"Looks like it wandered down from the banquet hall."
They didn't bat an eye at an outsider in the palace.
"Nice threads, though. Some noble lady dress you up fancy for fun?"
They shoved me provocatively as they closed in.
I shoved back, feigning offense. Their eyes gleamed.
"Look at this guy."
"Daring to push us?"
Thud. Thud thud.
Like they'd been waiting for an excuse, the beatings started.
Bored on shift, they swarmed, swinging fists and slaps.
Slap! Crack!
I took it silently.
My high stamina and [Dusk Veil] nullified most physical damage.
I endured while inching away from the bell, then tossed out a bored line.
"If you're gonna hit, hit right. That strength won't even satisfy the wife at home."
"What?"
"This cocky shit!"
Thud thud thud thud thud!
'Let's see, seventeen. Three holding back still?'
Then... I snatched an incoming fist mid-swing.
"Huh? This bastard grabs my fist? Let go now!"
"Hey, what're you doing? Can't shake it off?"
"Wait! I'll...!"
Crunch.
"Gah! Wh-what the hell, this guy's strength!"
The grip wouldn't budge. I tightened more. Bones cracked, wrist snapping back.
"Aaaagh!"
"?!"
"Let go! Drop it!"
"Release that hand now!"
Guards lunged to pry my fingers, but failed. Once all twenty piled on, I tensed my core.
'No hard feelings.'
Slip.
"Phew, loose... Huh?"
'Not revenge, not principle.'
I released the fist and swung both arms wide.
'You die 'cause you're weak. That's the Selection Process rule. No exceptions for locals. means death.'
Bam bam bam bam thud!
The encircling guards flew airborne.
They slammed into walls. Some guts burst, others limbs twisted unnaturally as they crumpled. One soared high, head-smashing into the ceiling before returning headless.
"Eek!"
"M-monster!"
Enemies neutralized in seconds, sprawled everywhere.
"C-call for backup! Now!"
Thud thud! Two latecomers dashed for the bell amid the chaos, grabbing the rope and yanking wildly. Whoosh! Whoosh! But no ring.
"Wh-why! Why won't it ring?!"
'Cause telekinesis has it pinned.'
No sound from shaking alone.
"D-don't come closer! Stay back!"
"Relax. I'm busy—no time to torment trash like you."
I closed in and sent the rope-holders flying too.
"Oppa, awesome."
"Dickhead's got moves."
Lee Sera and Shin Seo-yeon finished off the survivors and approached.
"No injuries? You took a lot."
"Fine."
"I'll heal you right up!"
The Saintess cast recovery while So-hee straightened my clothes and hair. Shin Seo-yeon, having cleaned up the rest, asked,
"How'd you know they'd act that dumb?"
"People get careless against the weak. It's history."
And carelessness breeds disaster.
They probably saw me as a shift-brightening mutt.
Not realizing the mutt chews tigers for breakfast at max level.
"Anyway, no time. Let's open the treasury."
"Ooh, finally."
A pitch-black door sat between ancient-sewer-like walls etched with runes.
The treasury door clashed with the vibe—'cause locals made it.
Sure enough, a key on one corpse opened it easily.
"Holy..."
"Jackpot."
Hurling the doors wide revealed treasure mountains glittering in welcome.
"Th-there's so damn much!"
"Lair of Evil Spirits was nothing!"
More loot than the first Trial's treasury. That one had tons of clothes; this brimmed with pricey stuff.
The girls bounced excitedly through the piles.
Thud. Thud.
But I bypassed it all.
"Hey, where you going? Not grabbing these?"
I reached the warehouse's deepest end, another massive door.
The women, each clutching a treasure, followed.
"Door's huge."
"What's this?"
I quietly pressed the key from Varkus to it. Click, rumble rumble rumble. It vibrated open slowly.
What item lay within?
Even first-run Lee Sera never reached here—I didn't know either.
But one thing was certain.
"This is where Haran's most precious treasure's buried."
"!!"
The door fully parted, and at the sight beyond, I let out a low whistle of admiration.
My team gaped wordlessly, dropping their treasures to the floor.
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