Read Novel Full Chapter 179: Among Us
Chapter 179: Among Us
A couple of minutes had passed, and it was safe to say Vale’s condition hadn’t improved much.
Plus, it was a little awkward with how quiet the Naga was being.
Thankfully, Mias, Toy, and the remaining warriors had come to check on him, but that started its own debacle...
Vale had the liberty to rest his body for a little longer, but that’s not to say his mind was at rest.
In fact, his mind was kicking into overdrive, trying to think and understand what the hell was happening.
Vale didn’t have the best or most trustworthy memory, but he remembered hearing the announcement of Thirty-One’s death...
’So why is she there?’
Standing alongside the survivors was an Archer who was supposed to be dead.
Vale summoned his status to take a peek at his current Aether holdings.
♥︎♥︎♥︎
Name: [Valentin Laurent]
Title: [Fifth Advent of Lust]
♡♡♡
Dungeon Class: [Vice]
Dungeon Core Rank: [Nascent]
♡♡♡
Aspect: [Lust]
Class: [Vice]
Core Rank: [Nascent] - (598/700)
♡♡♡
Aether: [330]
Satisfaction: [44]
Traits: [Intermediate Shapeshifter] [Charm] [Ember of Lust]
♥︎♥︎♥︎
’...’
Before starting Level 8, Vale had 54 aether in reserve...
When adding the 156 from Level 8, plus the 10 bonus Aether. Plus the 110 from his own Legion dying (Archers also returned 5)...
It added up properly to 330.
However, there were currently seven warriors in front of him...
Meaning, his memory was correct.
’I see...’
Vale, still half-immobilized due to the toxins, gave an order to the warriors:
"The seven of you go stand guard at the entrance... Mias and Toy, I’d like to talk to you. Also, Mias, call for Awilix."
The seven exhausted warriors replied:
"Understood."
Mias nodded.
A minute later, Mias, Awilix, Toy, and the Naga surrounded Vale...
The Naga didn’t seem to take kindly to the others, even getting into a hissing battle with Awilix, but thankfully, they didn’t start fighting.
Especially so because Awilix already looked to be on the verge of death. In such a sorry state that she wasn’t actively trying to kill Mias.
’How does she always end up so bloody?!’
Vale sat up and softly said:
"Mias..."
From his quiet yet authoritative tone, the smoky specter quickly caught on.
"You noticed too?"
Even Toy read the cues with ease.
"Wait. So I’m not crazy?"
Only Awilix looked confused, which was understandable since she wasn’t in battle with the others.
"Can y’all stop doing this mysterious shit? Just say what the hell you mean!"
Mias looked over at Vale’s state and then judged he probably couldn’t articulate the best at the moment, so he would explain for him.
"At the beginning of our fight, Vale reported there was an extra intruder, yet they either slipped my detection or retreated—"
Awilix cut Mias off with a screech:
"Extra intruder? How come I wasn’t told?!"
Mias lifted his hand and brought it close to Awilix’s face. Awilix instinctively tried to bite him.
Mias pulled his hand back and continued after a slight pause:
"Anyway, Thirty-One had died during the skirmish — I’m sure of that. So, finding her walking around after was quite unexpected... I decided to wait for Master Vale’s verdict on what to do, assuming he’d also notice."
Vale laughed.
"They must not think much of me..."
Mias looked down at Vale and said:
"What’s your call?"
Vale looked over at Awilix with hopeful eyes that she’d listen.
"Let them be. Let’s try to figure out their objective, but never let them near the Core. Never put your back to them. Also, do not inform the workers or other warriors..."
Vale wished he could keep Awilix in the dark, too, to fully sell the ruse.
’Deceive your allies to deceive your enemy and all.’
But he didn’t want to risk Awilix getting backstabbed. That was too risky a happening to entertain for the mere possibility of knowledge...
Though it was going to be hard for the cat to keep silent, knowing there was a true enemy among them.
Vale sighed in futility at trusting her silence.
’She already goes off on those she doesn’t like...’
Mias smirked.
"Just my style."
’I know that dipshit... You used it on us.’
Vale weakly propped himself up.
"It’s most likely a warrior of Envy... wouldn’t mimicry as an ability be on theme and all? However, I won’t jump to an absolute conclusion. So, keep an eye on her as best you can and try to learn everything there is to know about her."
Vale smiled, then added the last part:
"Also, we can feed her false and misleading information. Try not to let her know we are onto her."
But while Vale might have had this one advantage of knowledge of the spy...
’Envy, you know I have the system, and you still thought this would work on me?’
Envy was either an optimistic idiot who looked down on Vale, or she didn’t care if Vale knew.
Vale’s pained gaze drifted over to the Naga.
"And everyone, meet the new member... uh..."
Vale checked his Legion page and read the new name next to the Affiliate category:
"Sivian..."
Sivian, the Naga, looked around and then rasped quietly while narrowing her eyes:
"Pleasssure to meet you all."
Then she stuck her forked tongue out, and it flicked up and down.
Awilix hissed back:
"I don’t like your tone. So it’s a displeasure to meet you. I’m off to take a nap."
Toy looked over and quietly sneered at Awilix’s back, then said:
"I’m Toy, it’s a pleasure to meet you as well."
Vale looked at Mias, but then remembered he hadn’t introduced himself. Mias had said his name, but still...
"I’m Valentin Laurent, Master of Lust. But you can simply call me Va—... Ahem, Master Vale."
After Vale finished, all their eyes turned to Mias, who looked unusually pale. His skin was almost pure white.
"Uh, and that’s Mias... But something appears to be wrong with him."
Mias’s form began to flicker as he brought his hands to his head and began to scream.
"Arrrgh!"
The Reaper of Knowledge stumbled left to right before falling to his knees.
Mias grumbled:
"Greed’s coming..."
Then he fell on his face.