Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 153

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 153

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The danger level of a dungeon can be determined by the gap between time in reality and time within the dungeon.

The denser the magical energy within a dungeon, the more dangerous monsters live there, and time flows slower than in reality.

Because of this, stories like “a dungeon explorer thought to be dead returned after 10 years without aging a day” were passed down like legends among explorers.

By that standard, the ‘Underground Waterway Where Sirens’ Songs Flow’ is by no means a difficult dungeon to clear.

The magical energy was so sparse that there was almost no time difference from reality, and the only monsters in the dungeon were relatively docile Sirens with the ability to bewitch people.

Nevertheless, the single existence called a demon beast made the Temple’s artificial dungeon more dangerous than anything else.

“If you kill a demon beast, you’ll be cursed and transform into a demon beast yourself. So when facing a demon beast, you must be careful not to let its malice turn toward you.”

While exploring the underground waterways and searching for the children, Giuseppe taught the group how to deal with demon beasts.

“Therefore, you must kill the demon beast before it recognizes its own death, kill it using the terrain, or weaken the demon beast’s curse with a holy barrier before killing it.”

Though he explained calmly, every method was difficult.

Terry, who had been quietly following behind me, asked.

“Why is there such a wicked demon beast beneath the sacred Temple? Ah, I’m not being sarcastic, so don’t misunderstand, Priest.”

Though the last comment made it sound clearly sarcastic, Giuseppe didn’t avoid answering.

As it turned out, everything was a mess left by the former High Priest.

The Grand Temple sends high-ranking priests north every winter to help with demon beast subjugation, and one of them returned to the Royal Capital while hiding that he had been cursed by a demon beast.

Eventually, as the curse grew stronger, the priest transformed into a demon beast.

But instead of trying to solve the problem, this High Priest simply locked away the priest who had once been his subordinate in the artificial dungeon.

He probably hoped the demon beast would starve to death in the underground waterways without dirtying his own hands.

However, the demon beast that had been a priest survived tenaciously by devouring the dungeon’s monsters.

“It may only sound like an excuse now, but I was planning to deal with the demon beast within this week. Once the matter is resolved safely, I will offer proper apologies and compensation on behalf of the Holy Empire.”

At those words, I unconsciously bit the tender flesh inside my mouth.

I had wondered why a demon beast that didn’t even appear in 【Hirome】 had suddenly shown up.

Though more lenient than the regular route, entering the ‘Underground Waterway Where Sirens’ Songs Flow’ through a side path still required certain conditions.

Those were the Mark of the Hero’s Star and divine power of 100 or higher.

In the game, at this point the Protagonist wouldn’t have reached divine power 100, let alone built the connections to enter the Grand Temple.

But everything went awry when I became Leo’s adoptive parent.

If this was the result of that…

‘I was too complacent. I shouldn’t have thought the information from 【Hirome】 was everything—I should have looked into various things.’

There must be parts that changed from the game when I became Leo’s official adoptive parent.

For example, like how Ophelia coincidentally cleared the ‘White-Robed Saint’s Relic’ Quest.

I glanced at Ophelia, who was following at the very back.

Contrary to her bold initiative, she was clearly tense, quietly reciting prayers while preparing to deploy a holy barrier at any moment.

She must have cooperated with this dangerous exploration purely out of goodwill and concern, yet I felt heavy-hearted for viewing her coincidence with suspicion.

However, what’s important now isn’t Ophelia.

I tried to shake off the discomfort lodged like a thorn under my nail and sent Cao to thoroughly explore the maze-like underground every time we faced a fork in the path.

As I alternately shared the vision of the multiplied Caos, my stomach churned and nausea rose up.

Then, a familiar form appeared in the eyes of a Cao that had entered an open area in the underground waterways.

“…Found them.”

I immediately sent all the Caos scattered throughout the maze to the open area and started running.

Thanks to that, we were able to rescue the children without being too late.

As discussed beforehand, while Ophelia’s barrier protected me and the children, Terry and Giuseppe steadily cornered the demon beast.

Unlike when facing Cerberus, Giuseppe summoned only three spears of light to push the demon beast into a corner.

Clang!

“Kieeeeeek!”

After the sound of blades clashing and the demon beast’s terrible screams rang out several times, Giuseppe’s spears pierced through both of the demon beast’s hands and pinned them to the wall.

Giuseppe’s profile as he faced the struggling demon beast was colder than ever, but he recited a short prayer for the demon beast that had once been human.

“Please grant rest to your servant.”

Soon, the holy barrier Giuseppe deployed enveloped the struggling demon beast.

Just as the High Priest’s final spear was about to pierce the demon beast’s heart.

Splash, flutter!

A fishy smell wafted from behind me, and a shadow fell over my body.

“…?”

What was behind me was the waterway surrounding the open area.

Moreover, the children and I were protected by Ophelia’s barrier.

Though there was no need to be afraid at all, the moment I turned around, my spine went cold.

A half-human, half-beast Siren with bluish scales was extending her upper body out of the waterway as if she had been waiting for this very moment.

However, what I feared wasn’t the Siren’s existence itself.

It was the hatred in her eyes.

Though she was covered in wounds that would make death unsurprising, the Siren’s two eyes glowed fiercely in the darkness as she glared at the demon beast.

Perhaps it was rage toward the demon beast that had cruelly devoured her kin.

The moment the Siren opened her mouth wide.

“You must cover your ears!”

Giuseppe, who had grasped the situation, shouted, and I quickly covered both of Leo’s ears.

Then the Siren let out a scream like tinnitus.

The only means of attack for Sirens known to be docile, and their final song of life.

The ‘Song of Death’ sung in exchange for one’s own life is said to make those who hear it recall terrible memories.

Without time to cover my ears, my entire body was sucked into a swamp of the past.

“How long do we have to take care of that kid?”

“If it bothers you that much, just treat them like they don’t exist. It’ll be more comfortable for us than sending them to an orphanage.”

“Isn’t there something like an orphan quota? That’s probably how they got into that good university.”

“Are you really busy, or just pretending to be busy? There’s a limit to ignoring people. I’ve never seen them try to fit in with us.”

All sorts of sounds I had heard in my previous life flowed into my ears and clawed at my insides messily.

I was no longer indifferent enough to pretend not to hear those sounds, but I had become strong enough to face them.

‘I need to recall happy memories.’

Before entering the dungeon, hadn’t I heard from Giuseppe? The ‘Song of Death’ can be overcome with happy memories.

I thought desperately.

Leo’s laughter and his small embrace when he first hugged me directly.

Cheri’s steadfastness as he always silently protected my back, Terry’s politely mischievous way of speaking, Vivian who had gained confidence, and Chaser laughing as if he were the greatest in the world.

“Happy birthday, Lady Belinda!”

When I vividly recalled that day when they celebrated my birth.

“Lady Belinda!”

I gasped for breath as if emerging from water.

Neither Ophelia’s barrier that had surrounded us nor the sacred light that had illuminated the dark open area was visible.

Fortunately, the torch Terry had lit seemed intact, so I could barely make out the surroundings.

I said to Leo, who had been shaking me awake.

“Leo, wake up Asillia.”

“Yes, yes!”

While Leo shook the groaning Asillia, I approached Ophelia, who had collapsed on the floor trembling.

Her situation seemed more serious than mine.

I didn’t know what memories had broken her down so completely, but Ophelia was suffering, scratching the stone floor with her nails until they bled.

I firmly grabbed both of Ophelia’s wrists and shouted.

“Ophelia, snap out of it! It’s all a dream. A nightmare! You heard from the High Priest. Happy memories…”

“No, I don’t want to anymore… I hate it. Anyone is fine. Someone, someone please kill me, please…”

For a moment, I held my breath, feeling as if I had heard something I shouldn’t have.

Ophelia was practically pleading. Begging someone to please kill her.

“Ophelia!”

I slapped her cheek hard.

Light gradually began to return to Ophelia’s empty pupils. The trembling in her hands and feet slowly subsided, and focus returned to her eyes.

“It’s okay. What you just saw was all from the past. It’s already over.”

“…Over?”

She blankly repeated my words, then finally came to her senses and looked around.

“Ah…”

Her face instantly turned red as she clasped her trembling hands together.

“W-wait a moment. I’ll, I’ll put up a bar, barrier right away… The, the prayer is, so…”

After receiving such a shock, there was no way she could be in the right state of mind to recite prayers and cast a barrier.

I firmly grasped her hand with one of mine, then summoned Cao and Cerberus, who had been unable to exert their full power due to being pushed back by the holy barrier.

“Leo, has Asillia regained consciousness?”

“Ugh, sea, seasickness is terrible, urgh!”

…I wasn’t sure what that was about, but hearing Asillia’s voice meant she seemed to be safe.

‘What about Terry and Giuseppe?’

I hadn’t been able to confirm whether Giuseppe had killed the demon beast.

If he had failed to eliminate the demon beast due to what just happened…

“Master! You mustn’t move! We lost the demon beast!”

Terry’s voice came from the darkness where the torchlight couldn’t reach.

My hands and feet went cold. If they had lost the demon beast, raising his voice like that would be dangerous, yet he was doing such a foolish thing.

I steeled my resolve to face the enemy at any moment, then picked up a torch that had fallen and was rolling on the ground.

Just then, Giuseppe shot a bright holy flame up toward the ceiling.

Rising like starlight, it illuminated what had been hiding in the darkness, standing right in front of me.

“Grrrrr.”

It was the first time I had seen a demon beast from such close range.

The thing, which no longer retained any human appearance whatsoever, reached out its hand toward me as I stood there dazed.

“Damn it.”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Lady Belinda!”

At the same time as Leo’s cry reached me, the demon beast’s disgusting touch made contact with my fingertips.

In that instant, channeling magic power into my hand was almost pure instinct.

So much magic power that it made my head spin was torn away by the demon beast as if being devoured.

“…!”

I barely managed to support my swaying body and opened my eyes.

A blurry image formed in my flickering vision.

Magic chains binding the demon beast’s entire body, and Ophelia’s back as she stood with her back to me to protect me.

And Giuseppe’s spear piercing through the demon beast’s shoulder, and…

“L-Lady Belinda…”

Even the wooden handle embedded in the demon beast’s heart.

The demon beast’s hot blood flowed down along the wooden handle.

I slowly lowered my gaze to look at Leo’s hand gripping the wooden handle.

Leo, who had somehow rushed over, stood in front of me, looking up at the weapon that had pierced through the demon beast’s heart with terrified eyes.

Eventually, the demon beast, which had been slowly blinking, closed its eyes and fell backward with a thud.

Complete death.

Even as I watched its corpse scatter like sand, I couldn’t feel entirely relieved.

“When facing demon beasts, you must be careful not to let their malice turn toward you.”

Giuseppe’s words clawed at my heart with chilling intensity.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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