Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. - Chapter 84

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

Episode 84: Unexpectedly Inconvenient
Originally, the Sanctuary of Purification had two hidden rewards.
Free treatment from the Saint, ongoing and permanent.
An Identification Badge proving one’s standing as a faithful member of the Harmony Sect.
Naturally, the rare Secret Art embedded in the Mark of Artein would never have been granted merely for clearing a C-rank Dungeon under normal circumstances.
‘But I received it from both of them….’
Staring at the two subtly different white shield marks clustered across my chest, Truth—who had been idle for a moment—slowly displayed the information before my eyes.
《Secret Art of Artein’s Priest, Tier 8 – Guardian of Radiance》
《Substantially reduces all forms of spiritual suffering.》
《Secret Art of Artein’s Holy Knight, Tier 8 – Guardian of Splendor》
《Substantially reduces all forms of physical suffering.》
《Both are displaying only minimal efficacy because the Class and soul rank are misaligned. To think such reckless action was possible. Just how vast a reserve of Divine Power does this entity possess!》
Granting Secret Arts without matching Class and Level.
It required an absurdly vast amount of Faith, and normally couldn’t be attempted without proper causal justification—an extraordinarily rare occurrence.
There had been scarcely a handful of instances throughout history where a higher power bestowed Secret Arts upon someone who wasn’t even one of their own believers, let alone a Socialite.
Why would a lofty celestial being engage in such inefficient and meaningless action in the first place?
‘What on earth could happen from now on?’
A Socialite bearing the Mark bestowed by two manifestations of Artein.
It was a major incident more than sufficient to become a marked target, capable of igniting fierce conflict between the three sects.
Naturally, what events and accidents would unfold as I entangled myself with the Harmony Sect remained unknown even to me.
Of course, that was precisely why I had to walk this path.
“Thank you. It seems I’ll become entangled in quite significant incidents from now on.”
A future shrouded in unpredictable mist?
Conflict between three sects swirling around me?
How could I possibly resist such a thrilling decision?
《The reek of that nauseating hypocrite goddess’s presence is suffocating! The Wise One furrows his brow in displeasure!》
Chirr, chirr-chirr-chirr.
Squirm!
The Evil Gods reacted sharply in unison.
For the Evil Gods in their current state, Artein—who had performed a miracle impossible even with a steady accumulation of Faith over at least fifty years—had already infiltrated nearly twenty percent of Kar Corporation’s shares, so naturally they would be anxious.
“Please do not worry yourselves. This Secret Art was granted merely to ensure clearer observation of my future conduct.”
Currently, Artein was essentially subscribing to Karflix at the most expensive tier.
No matter how wealthy in Faith, one cannot forcibly convert someone who has already had the Class “Socialite” inscribed upon their soul to serve themselves.
If the person in question declared Apostasy, that would be a different matter….
“I shall remain your precious and adorable Socialite, always and forever.”
I gazed for a moment into empty space before continuing.
“However, being but a foolish sentient creature myself, should you treat me with indifference, my heart may change.”
As if on cue, a pure essence gently flowed forth from the gray-tinted shield mark.
– You are welcome at any time.
A crystalline will, testifying to the possession of vast Faith, was transmitted alongside it.
It was so utterly different from the Evil Gods’ crude and rough will—which required some cryptic interpretation ability—that it was scarcely distinguishable from divine revelation itself.
《Death to that hypocrite goddess!!》
Chirr-chirr-chirr-chirr!
They were at it again.
In truth, Artein had merely displayed mild curiosity rather than any real desire for me, but I saw no reason to voice such facts aloud.
Wouldn’t the anxiety that an invaluable Socialite might be taken away serve as a tremendous driving force for the growth of these great divine beings?
“Ah, the will of Artein is so wonderfully warm. Is this what salvation feels like…?”
I placed my right hand upon the shield mark and closed my eyes.
An action as if nestling gently into the embrace of one who protects all people.
With a strikingly handsome twin companion suddenly appearing to embrace Kar, the beautiful female protagonist, naturally the Evil Gods erupted in tremendous rage.
Siiigh.
Just then, will was transmitted through the shield mark.
From two identical divine beings separated only by the ages they represented.
– The Evil Gods’ absurdity is beyond ridiculous! I made the right choice subscribing to you.
– Don’t you dare employ me like some handsome man hired to provoke your lover’s jealousy….
Clearly the same being, yet their manner of speech differed markedly.
For the honor of the one who protects all people, I made a conscious decision not to dwell further on why.
There were secrets in this world meant to remain unspoken and buried.
《That a goddess of hypocrisy, manifested within a Dungeon world, can communicate with you—we did not foresee this. Even the Wise One shows interest in this particular aspect.》
It was a miracle made possible by the fact that I bore the highest-tier mark.
It’s like how clicking the subscription button on a video channel you stumbled across through an algorithm makes it easier to find again later.
Similarly, if the ‘Charm’ stat is high enough, some advanced obsessive entity in the Dungeon might latch onto me, but that too had its own peculiar appeal as an experience.
I lay there vacantly, one hand resting on my chest as I stared at the ceiling, then suddenly opened my mouth.
“Guardian of all people in this modern age. Could it be….”
I chose my words and phrasing with the utmost deliberation before continuing.
“Was it you who brought me to Plethica?”
A divine being who pulled me, a mere user of the Nightmare Dungeon, into this world.
As a devoted believer, I intend to maintain the conviction that Ridni led me here regardless of Truth, but for now I wanted to understand the clear causal chain.
That way I could reconstruct the facts more suitably to fit the established setting, couldn’t I?
– …….
Artein remained lost in thought for a long moment before sending an intention.
– I understand what you mean to ask. But no, it wasn’t me. Though it seems it was a divine being very close to me.
Close to Artein?
That brings to mind the divine beings ranked 2nd and 3rd in Divine Power among the righteous faction.
But it’s unlikely that Meterd, who ranks 3rd, would have summoned an elf-blooded Socialite into this world….
‘Could it be Tarendros?’
The god of fortune seized and precious fruit won.
The plunderer of magnificent treasures.
Tarendros, a divine being who governs luck and wealth and thus receives the devotion of countless adventurers.
With such divine richness on the side of the righteous, that god would have more than enough power to perform the miracle of bringing a being from an entirely different world into this one.
《I do not understand what intention lies behind such a question.》
As I sank into thought, words tinged with bewilderment suddenly appeared before my eyes.
《You clearly pledged yourself to the vanguard of Twisted Truth and entered Plethica of your own will. Was there any opening in that process for the will of a divine being other than the Wise One to be reflected?》
“…….”
It felt as if a narrow corridor had suddenly opened wide.
Merlin’s words from before suddenly came to mind.
‘Honestly, I was really scared of Kar back then. Quietly scared. The way he gave off this silent, ominous atmosphere, staring at Abel and me with those gloomy eyes the whole time, and being a worshipper of an evil god and all….’
I began my activities as ‘Socialite Kar’ right after entering the Tutorial, the Hidden Ghoul Pack’s Lair.
But Merlin had witnessed my appearance and demeanor from before that time with vivid clarity.
‘Could it be….’
The Socialite’s major character setting is amnesia.
I had forgotten all memories from before the Tutorial, only to recall an unpleasant past later on.
In the days when I first accessed this world as merely a means of exchanging time and dopamine, I’d glossed over it without much thought, but now I couldn’t.
《Your memory loss is estimated to stem from events that occurred in ‘that sect.’ It was completely sealed away and invisible until now, but now that your Tier has risen, I can tell, albeit roughly!》
The Eye That Pierces Truth, which never invokes falsehood, is testifying to it.
The fact that something is wrong with my memories.
If that’s true.
Then perhaps I didn’t lose my past merely as part of the setting—perhaps I truly forgot it.
“…Huh.”
The phantom boy and girl who appeared from within the giant golem’s body and acted familiar toward me.
Were they really close to me in the past?
People so special that they were etched in my mind at a level comparable to Yoon-ji?
I still don’t know for certain.
But there was one thing I could know for sure.
‘I really was a double orphan.’
It seemed I had truly been abandoned by my parents in this world as well.
Still, having ‘half-elf’ as a universally acceptable reason for child abandonment sets my mind at ease.
At least unlike some people, they didn’t carelessly dump a little child anywhere just because raising me got tedious, so as parents, couldn’t you say they only half-failed?
《How about you get some rest now? Your ‘Stamina’ stat has grown fairly high, but you’re not yet at a level where rest is unnecessary!》
I’d sunk too deep into my own thoughts.
Just as my mind was on the verge of overload, I shut my eyes and promptly tumbled into sleep.
After a good, refreshing nap like that, I opened my eyes and immediately went rigid.
“…….”
The tiger-kin siblings were sitting side by side next to the bed—I don’t know when they’d arrived.
Our eyes met, but Merlin said nothing.
Abel just stared at me intently from beside her.
Having been thoroughly trained to socialize since childhood, I could quickly guess what the children were thinking.
‘Mm, they’re angry.’
《You’re in serious trouble now.》
I know.
Abel, who had been glaring at me this whole time, finally spoke after a long silence.
“Surely I told you not to fight so recklessly.”
Cold.
His voice was so glacial it felt like my ears would freeze.
“That is, I….”
Just as I was about to urgently explain that it couldn’t be helped, I noticed tears welling up in Merlin’s eyes and understood.
What I needed to do now wasn’t make excuses.
“I’m sorry. It turned out this way.”
When you’ve done wrong, you apologize.
It was one of the vital principles of life I’d learned through fists and kicks from the other orphanage kids.
“…So you understand you were wrong.”
Merlin wiped her eyes with her hand, gave me a sharp look, and then jabbed me in the waist with her index finger, nail extended.
Jab, jab, jab.
“Do you have any idea how much our hearts sank?”
“I can’t say I do.”
“…My chest was truly shattered. You looked exactly like this when that kind slum neighbor who treated us both so well passed away.”
Merlin, who’d been jabbing my waist, suddenly drove her fist into my thigh with considerable force.
It hurt.
I flinched hard enough to feel it in my bones.
“Kar.”
“…What is it.”
“I won’t tell you to change your distinctive combat style. That would be overstepping. But in exchange, never let yourself get beaten to such a terrible state again.”
“All right. Thank you.”
It was a relief they’d grown enough to show me that consideration.
“So it’s fine if you nearly die when you’re alone, then recover safely and show up in front of us looking like that?”
…….
Thwack!
Another fist came down on my thigh.
Being scolded this harshly by my ward children actually jolted me awake.
Wasn’t the situation usually reversed?
“Either way, even if we tried to stop you, you’d throw yourself into the same situation again. Do as you like, Kar. Just be careful your life isn’t in danger.”
“…I’ll accept it as long as you’re not excessively reckless.”
I’d finally earned the siblings’ approval.
I started to ruffle both their heads at once, then stopped.
Having one arm was surprisingly more inconvenient than I’d thought.
“Hmm, until the Prosthetic Arm is complete, I’ll have to do it one at a time. Or perhaps a forehead bump and a smile as warm as the sun—how does that sound?”
“…No thanks!”
“I decline as well.”
Both siblings refused in unison, then finally broke into soft laughter and embraced me.
Even though they’d just scolded me sharply.
Strangely, my heart felt clearer than before.
I’m not certain yet, but I want to say this carefully.
“Maybe this is what it means for us to finally become something closer to a real family.”
A bond where you worry about each other’s safety, where you feel unsettled when the other gets hurt.
Somewhere along the way, the siblings and I had become that to each other.
“You two, did you pass the test?”
Once my anger had faded, I casually asked the question, and Merlin and Abel broke into knowing grins.
“Of course! The butler praised us, saying we were flawless! And we’ve safely mastered all the Secret Arts of the Brithes Clan!”
“…My master also recognized my abilities. I intend to continue steadily learning the Chef Class Secret Arts.”
“Just as I thought.”
I’d known they’d pass without question.
They were children I’d taken in directly—there was no way they wouldn’t meet the standard.
“You two, in celebration of becoming proper adventurers at last, how would you feel about taking a vacation to the 5th District?”
The journey we were to undertake together as a ‘family’ had only just taken its first step.
To fill the voids in these broken children’s hearts, we needed to build many more memories together.
“A vacation?! Well….”
Abel perked up at the word vacation, then quickly smiled awkwardly.
Merlin raised her elbow and began poking my ribs playfully as she spoke.
“The vacation spot would be inside the Dungeon, right?”
I couldn’t help but smile, gently tapping the top of Merlin’s head with the end of my left arm.
“…So you’ve come to know me far too well by now, haven’t you?”

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