Read Novel Full Chapter 200: An Earnest Response
Chapter 200: An Earnest Response
Vale picked Dickless Jr. and held him in his arms. He spun DJ around like he did Larry all those weeks ago.
For the first time in its short life, DJ felt fear.
"baaaaaaduuuuu?!"
Thankfully, instead of flinging Dickless Jr., he gently set the imp down.
The dizzy imp spun around, then fell.
"Alright, buddy, one more time. Random, Mystery Box, Archer and/or Warrior?"
The imp, flat on its face, mumbled:
"Baaa."
Vale repeated:
"Baa...? Oh, box! The Mystery Box!"
[Would you like to purchase R-ranked Mystery Box for 25 Aether?]
"Yes!"
With Dickless Jr. still out of commission, Vale hummed and shifted his weight as he awaited the box to fall. Once it did, the three cards escaped and began revolving around him.
He studied them closely.
’The colors...’
Last time he’d bought a Common Mystery Box, it came with two greens and a blue.
He’d thought the colors didn’t really mean anything.
’But there’s a reason for this illusion of choice.’
Vale pondered why the hell he’d get three choices if it was random anyway.
Floating around Vale, two of the cards were light blue, and the third was dark blue.
’Seeing as the light blue also appeared in the Common Box...’
And all three in the other R-ranked box he’d purchased, where he got the [Cold Pillow]
That must mean dark blue would be rarer.
Vale reached out and took the dark blue card.
The card shot up into the air as the others disappeared, and what fell in its place confused Vale for a moment.
’A crystal?’
But as that crystal fell further, he began to recognize it. Not only that, but the glasses he was still wearing forced their description to pop up.
It was a miniature version of the crystal from the Council of Vice.
[Shard of Truth] - [A lie comes from the soul. Dirtying and tainting it. Reveal the hidden truth to cleanse its filth.]
Enchantments: [Truth Seeker]
[Truth Seeker] - [For 15 minutes every twenty-four hours, this crystal will reveal all truths and lies.]
’This is...’
Vale knelt and picked it up once it bounced off the void’s ground.
[You have equipped SR-rank Shard of Truth]
Vale smiled a smile he would never have been able to contain.
This was the perfect gift for him from whatever fucked up god summoned him here.
Especially so with his current tenet.
***
Pain.
’It hurts.’
A spear lodged through her side.
’It hurts so much.’
An endless torture unfrozen.
Unfrozen, unlike the rest of her.
’Please, just end it!’
Constant agony consumed her. No second of the day was untouched by mortal throes.
It wasn’t just physical pain.
’It hurts so much!’
Whatever that foul man had done to her had damaged her Aether Core — it wasn’t a simple attack one could stave off with time.
Neither was it an attack that cared if its target was ostensibly dead or alive.
Despite Ximena’s constitution being closer to that of a corpse, one whose heart permanently sat still, she wasn’t spared from the excruciating torment.
Ximena screamed.
Yet her body was set and still. No word would ever escape.
Ximena cried.
No tear would ever form.
Ximena begged.
She begged for this all to end.
Either free her.
Or kill her...
At first, she was happy with her choice. She was happy to do this act of service for her master. But somewhere along the way, she regretted her choice.
Not that her feelings toward Master Vale had changed, but that this pain was simply too much.
Too overbearing.
’Please!’
Her only moments of solace came when Master Vale would speak to her, but that only happened once a day at most.
Those moments felt fleeting, like escaping dreams.
Momentary lapses of a fleeting hope.
Ximena didn’t know how much time had passed since she’d last seen Vale, who had gone into the Dungein Core some time ago, leaving her alone.
Well, alone until a succubus waltzed into the room and stood across from the crystal.
Ximena’s mind shook.
Though oddly, it wasn’t anger or sadness, but...
’You...’
It was a plea.
’Why can’t you do it?!’
The succubus dragged the table set in front of the Crystal Prison away and then sat down and crossed her legs.
’Just kill me!’
With a smile, Salome said:
"Look’s like you’re about to be freed soon. Lucky you..."
’End it!’
The succubus sighed.
"You know, I don’t like you, I really don’t."
Ximena tried to scream again.
’End this suffering! I beg of you!’
Salome chuckled to herself.
"But, I’ve done a little self-reflection since you’ve been in there. I’ve come to realize I’ve been a little short-sighted."
’I don’t care!’
Salome leaned back and extended her wings slightly. Her tail flicking side to side slowly.
"The past is the past... it defines us — it makes us. That much is true. But it can’t be changed either. And while it shouldn’t be ignored, the past is never more important than the present and future."
’I don’t care about you. I don’t care what you have to say! I don’t care if I can be freed!’
Salome looked off toward the Dungeon Core.
"Don’t take this as an apology. But once you’re free, let’s call a true truce. How about it? No quips. No jabs. We can ignore each other, but we work with a common goal."
’I don’t care anymore!’
Salome brought her gaze back to Ximena’s frozen one.
"I’ve recently decided I want to truly crush the Scourge. My resolve at this point makes it seem like my past declarations were playful jokes. In fact, my mindset had progressed to the point where I truly accept that your power is necessary in my fight."
’I don’t care...’
Salome added:
"Let’s not be friends. But let’s... move forward, not back. I don’t know where we’ll end up."
’Just end it...’
Salome sighed.
"I don’t even know if you can hear me... I don’t know how Vale does this so often. It’s kind of awkward. Well, if you can hear, it might be more awkward for you."
’Please let it all end.’
Salome kicked off the table and yawned.
"Welp, I should go back to watching over Toy and that stone giant, make sure he doesn’t accidentally crush her."
The succubus turned around and left.
Ximena made another plea.
’Please, Salome.’
An earnest plea.
’Come back...’
’Kill me.’