Chapter 253

Chapter 253

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Dantes figure was no longer visible in sight.

But as Leciel extended her senses, she could distinctly detect movement.

Despite the thorough security of Rosenstark, Leciel hurriedly followed behind just in case any danger arose.

Just then

Cough, cough.

Not long after, she spotted Dante, doubled over and gasping for breath.

They werent far from the starting point.

Even within the range where civilians could easily pick up on transmissions.

Even though he was no stranger to combat, for a member of the Dawn Knights to be in such a state was unusual.

Perplexed, Leciel asked,

Are you alright?

I cough, cough wasnt supposed to be this bad I feel like Im going to die.

Being at the brink of life wasnt just about lifespan.

In a critical condition, overall vitality diminishes rapidly, and the body ages drastically.

It was likely due to expending more life force than anticipated in the previous battle.

Leciel contemplated whether to continue pursuing the unidentified spy or just stay by Dantes side.

Dante wore a embarrassed expression.

This is embarrassing, really.

Its not embarrassing at all. Can you stand?

Grabbing Leciels hand, Dante stood up and brushed off the dirt from his clothes.

I guess its futile to continue the chase now, isnt it?

Yes.

Then lets head back for today. Weve gathered enough sketches and, most importantly, Im exhausted.

Alright, shall I escort you?

Oh, come on, you dont have to treat me like an eighty-year-old.

Leciel, who had been kneeling to help Dante up, stood up again.The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))

Dante chuckled at her bewilderment.

It seems there are unexpected sides to you.

Anyway, be careful. Despite Rosenstark being secure, its still a dangerous era.

Yes, Ill keep that in mind.

After Dante left with those words of caution,

Leciel turned back to head to the dormitory.

Huh?

In the distance, something sparkled in the moonlight from the bushes.

Leciels expression subtly changed upon confirming its identity.

This is

A fist-sized crystal bead.

It seemed to be used for magical training.

.

.

.

Cough, cough.

After running for a while, Ban stopped to catch his breath, exerting all his effort to calm his labored breathing.

As expected of Leciel.

Despite trying to suppress his presence and extend his detection, he was ultimately discovered.

The boy looked back with tense eyes.

Theyre not following.

With that, Ban collapsed to the ground.

But soon, he got up again and brushed off his clothes.

What the heck!

But there was no sign of the crystal bead he had dropped earlier.

It must have been lost.

Ban sighed heavily and ruffled his hair.

Still, he was lucky to have escaped without being caught.

If he had been discovered it would have led to terrible misunderstandings.

Shed probably think I was jealous and sneaking around to spy on her.

As if that would happen.

Ban suppressed a loud laugh.

How nice it would be to have a famous painter visit. Even I would have done the same.

Just.

Just

He had chased after them out of curiosity about why she was so happily chatting and swinging their swords at Rosenstark.

Ah.

Ban smacked his head hard.

What a pathetic thing to do.

He also felt sorry for Leciel.

I shouldnt do this kind of thing again.

In fact, Ban had been trying to start painting a few months ago.

Amidst his busy schedule of swordsmanship and magic, he had tried to practice whenever he could.

Unfortunately, the results werent particularly impressive.

Hmm, seems like I lack talent. No, in this case, should I say I completely lack aesthetic sense?

Yeah, as long as youre talented in swordsmanship and magic.

Ugh.

One after another, it was Gerald, Luke, and Karen.

Ban had no choice but to abandon his plan to attract Leciels attention with a magnificent painting.

And then, just as Leciels idolized painter (who also happened to be quite handsome and well-dressed) appeared, Ban had to endure endless teasing.

I should go get some sleep.

As he was about to take a step forward

Eek!

A pitch-black silhouette swiftly passed by.

There was no sound, so Ban startled and stepped back.

What, what is it!

The unidentified silhouette stopped and looked at him.

The Great Mountain Tribe. I move stealthily. Its a habit from hunting. You, on the other hand, are like a cat burglar. What are you doing?

Iira was looking at him under the moonlight.

Because of her dark skin, she appeared to blend into the darkness completely.

No, shes even using stealth magic, isnt she?

Even Ban, who habitually extended his senses as he moved, couldnt detect her nearby.

That look of disappointment. What are you doing on a night like this?

This is in front of the new student dormitory. What are you doing here, Iira?

You should know. Nothing.

With those words, she disappeared smoothly.

Ban was bewildered, letting out a dry laugh before heading back to the dormitory entrance.

It was the end of a tumultuous day.

Is there anything else?

Seeing Leciel holding the crystal bead at the door, Ban let out a sigh of exasperation.

* * *

Izaro had advised the Hero to meet with a celestial being once a day.

If you continue to meet for about a week, by her divine energy, Dark Impulse will be completely eradicated.

The Hero had anticipated it would be quite challenging but conversing with the celestial being surprisingly went smoothly.

Except for occasional excessive fandom and bringing up embarrassing past moments out of the blue, that is.

As one who had existed for many years, she was observant and boasted a high level of understanding.

She really likes me.

It was hard to believe after just hearing short stories or watching videos.

There were certainly discussions and analyses going on.

At times, it even felt enjoyable.

I cant deny that. But after that, Iira fought hard for humanity.

Maktania grinned.

Not for humanity, but for Ted, perhaps?

It was an unanswerable question, so the Hero fell silent.

The next question followed.

What about Dante?

Hes somewhat suspicious.

Whys that?

Blood and flesh alone. Hes an individual who doesnt bind himself anywhere. The risk of betrayal is the lowest.

[PR/N: Blood and flesh alone is used to describe someone who is completely alone and has no family or friends.]

However, it didnt satisfy the two conditions inferred from Laplaces prophecy.

A certain level of military strength.

The ability to move from the east to the west in an instant.

He didnt meet both of these criteria.

He said himself that biological teleportation is impossible.

Only the owner knows the exact capabilities of the artifact. Whats the chance that statement itself is a lie?

The Hero hesitated before answering.

Its uncertain.

Of course, he didnt completely trust Dantes words.

However, over the past decade of military service.

Dante, in any crisis situation, even when his own life was at risk, never used teleportation.

Same this time too.

When their comrades were trapped in a demon ambush during this campaign.

Dante summoned a large castle and field with various aquatic artifacts to their location.

He protected their comrades until the reinforcements arrived.

And for achieving such large-scale miracles, he paid the price of losing decades of his life.

The Hero muttered.

If teleportation were possible, wouldnt it have been much cheaper?

Hmm, I suppose so.

Above all, Dante no longer had any threatening vitality left to do anything.

The physical condition of the Dawn Knights had already been verified after a thorough examination, and it was confirmed that Dantes lifespan had been drastically reduced.

His physical abilities were as low as those of an old man.

That was a symptom that appeared when life force was really hitting rock bottom.

Iira said he summoned an ice cooler and spilled some coffee.

Maktania nodded as if convinced.

Hmm, if Dante was really a traitor, he wouldnt have endured such sacrifices.

Summoning a castle and field to save comrades is all within the realm of choice.

No one knows exactly what can be done with artifacts.

If Dante were a betrayer, the probability of him hiding would be higher.

I might as well prefer Dante to be the betrayer.

It shouldnt be too difficult to handle.

Maktania narrowed her eyes.

Then what about Taylor?

She lost her husband to the demons.

But she was once a pirate. A ruthless and cruel pirate who made a name for herself across the southern seas.

The Hero recalled the orange-haired woman with a fierce gaze.

Maktania expressed doubt.

Once tainted by evil, humans are vulnerable. Just one mistake, just one temptation, and they can return to that place. You know that very well.

Yeah, and Taylor is one of the strongest among the members transferred this time, along with Felson.

Hmm, what if we dont know who it is and just kill them all?

Stop talking nonsense.

The Hero sighed deeply.

He knew that such questions and answers wouldnt reveal the truth.

But the frustration was inevitable.

What if Ivar had lied to the very end?

Or perhaps the traitor was still in the east.

The surveillance is working properly.

While he was away, Mother Ghost took over the supervision.

If something suspicious came up, she would contact him immediately through the communication bead.

If he learned something new, he could share it with Maktania.

The Hero was continuing their thoughts when it happened.

Why?

Huh? Whats wrong?

The Hero looked straight ahead with a sinking gaze.

Why am I not harboring any doubts and revealing all this confidential information?

Ah.

Maktania grinned widely before returning to a blank expression.

Thats why.

Crack-

Simultaneously, the Heros vision began to distort like shattered glass.

Faint voices flowed through the cracks.

[Brother! Wake up! Damn it, what has happened here!?]

[It wasnt a Dark Impulse. It was a disguise! Oh, if only I wasnt in a sealed state]

[This ominous aura, could it be that they detached a part of the main body and planted it in him?]

[Theres resistance from within! The hero has noticed!]

[For now, lets prevent Theos will from escaping this place at all costs]

[If you want that, then at least break the seal first!]

But Hana the hero couldnt focus on the urgent voices searching for him.

Bubble bubble-

The girls form melted away.

A decrepit old mans figure emerged atop the red, mushy flesh.

It was a familiar face.

With a face twisted in deep regret, he shook his head.

Its a shame.

What is?

That I cannot share this incredible truth.

The old mans wrinkled eyes turned towards the hero.

Anyway, it was nice to meet you, monster.

Before the hero could even respond,

BOOMMMMMMMMMMMM-

A bright light pierced through the cracks in the shattered world.

The dark and gloomy world was instantly illuminated, and warmth enveloped the hero.

.

.

.

At the same time, on the opposite side of the continent, a cough erupted as if piercing the lungs.

Cough!

After coughing for a while, Theo, with blood dripping from his lips, glared to the west.

A avatar.

The avatar planted by him suddenly disappeared unexpectedly.

It was quite unexpected, as he had only intended to keep it hidden without any activity.

Moreover, intentionally all connections were blocked to not be discovered, so he didnt even know what had happened.

How did he get caught?

In a world without divine power, there couldnt be a being sensitive enough to track his hidden avatar with demonic energy.

A variable.

Unexpected variables often became reasons to hurry plans.

Theo called the betrayer.

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