CH 240

“Don’t listen Rust. I’m sure you can reach it on your own, whatever that answer is.”

I hear Taula’s whisper.

Just as I was thinking about looking into the information I got from Lily, Taula’s heartfelt voice brought me back.

I take a deep breath and exhale.

I calmly look at the situation around me, and feel more at ease. It seems I was getting too caught up in what Lily is saying, and getting tunnel vision.

I take a step back inside my mind, as if to overlook the world around me.

Lily smiles and extends the magic stone of the ‘Fourth Seat of Foolishness’ towards me. Her sword is back in its sheath.

But once I get a better look, I see one hand is ready to unsheathe it at any moment. I don’t think Lily is as confident as her expression and tone of voice suggest.

The main body of the ‘Third Seat of Immorality’ is the giant flower enshrined in the center of the island. It feels unsettling from here.

I can’t really describe it, but it feels like it’s going to change. Like the second I say no, it will attack.

And then there’s Taula.

Her stance is very natural. It even makes me feel somewhat safe, like she can deal with anything that comes.

But the purifying light on her sword is very intense, probably reflecting the anger she’s feeling.

“Lily.”

“What? Have you made your decision?”

“Yes.”

The stiff muscles on my face have gotten looser without me realizing it, and I have a clear smile on my face as I respond to Lily. Smiling has eased the tension on the rest of my body too.

“My answer is this. 《Composite Activation》, 《Combine》.”

I unleash multiple scrolls just like I was planning to do when we got here. I activate them all at once, and a composite magic circle is drawn in the air, calling Hipopo brothers.

“Oh my, what a shame. It seems I was rejected again. But Master Rust? You cannot manifest transmuted beasts in a dungeon. Dungeons are territory fully administered by god (server). That rule is absolute. Are you telling me you didn’t know that?”

Says Lily with a sneer, clearly making fun of me.

My activated composite magic circle becomes deformed, and its shape starts crumbling.

“I do know. That’s why I had to come up with a countermeasure.”

I say, while remembering how I couldn’t manifest Hipopo or Rose in the dungeon where we had to collect gold coins.

I take the glove off my right hand, and open it while touching one of the scrolls forming the composite magic circle.

With my left hand, and behind my back, I unsheathe my favorite knife.

It’s the twin horntail knife I experimented on. Pale light, purifying light, runs through its blade.

“Eh? Is that… Eh? It can’t be…”

Lily sounds shaken.

I hold the knife with an underhand grip, and stab my right hand into the scroll.