Chapter 60 - Sinful Alliance

Falling into a deep slumber, Jae soon awoke to a world of darkness and a familiar voice, his previous anguish seeming to have been no more than an illusion.

[Heya~ Been a while, huh?]

“......”

Standing with his mouth agape, Jae stared ahead at the black silhouette before him. With a body as ominous as ever yet speaking with the voice of an ordinary young man, it could only be ‘him’.

...I’m back here?

Of course, it was none other than the Sinful God.

[Ah ah. ‘Reius’. Not ‘Sinful God’. Y’hear? I have a name.]

Not responding to the Sinful God’s correction, the only thought passing through Jae’s mind was why he was back in this creepy place. Thinking back to the first time he was summoned here, he recalled it being said that the next time would be 'whenever he cleared the next Dungeon'.

It’s been a while since I cleared Greed... I guess it’s because I never fell unconscious until now?

[Do you finally remember? That’s right. Anyway, you’ve really gone and done it this time, haven’t you? Transforming into a dragon lord and all that... Speaking of which, how are you feeling?]

“...Surprisingly okay.”

If you were to ask Jae, despite enduring the utmost torture ever since the transformation duration ended, it now felt as if it was all a dream.

[Wonderful. I’m glad our little chat is able to provide some relief for you.]

Naturally, Jae still couldn’t trust the Sinful God’s intentions entirely―There was a reason why he was called the Sinful God in the first place, after all―and because of that, despite him speaking words that seemed to care about his wellbeing at a glance, it was impossible for Jae to feel comfortable accepting them.

Nevertheless, it was still a fact that all the time spent here was less time spent enduring that burning agony.

[Although, when our time here ends, you know you’ll go straight back to that misery, right?]

Of course, Jae didn't need to be told that.

“It’s all because of that ‘strain’. How long does it last for?”

When the duration of the affliction is unknown, bearing it is infinitely harder; at least if Jae knew how long he had to endure for, it might be easier, that’s why he asked... But, for some reason, he had a bad feeling about the answer he was about to receive.

[Oh... The strain duration, huh? Well, if you factor in the vastness of the disparity between your Status and the Ruler of Dragons’...]

And, as the Sinful God held an elbow with one hand and his chin with the other, that premonition intensified.

[Well... Let’s just say, you’d be out of commission for a long time.]

The fact no specific number was stated seemed to indicate that Jae would be better off not knowing; recognising that, he refrained from asking any further.

“...Would resurrecting not fix it?”

[Hmm. It would probably work to reduce the pain to a limited extent, but it would never solve the issue entirely. My gift only cures physical ailments, you see, and some mental―but that strain seems to resonate with the soul itself, and so strongly at that, that simply dying and resurrecting wouldn’t be near enough to cure you.]

“Tsk... Right. Well what the hell do I do now, then?”

Immediately realising just how badly he might have unintentionally screwed himself, Jae spat out in frustration, to which the Sinful God seemed to put on a light smirk.

[Now now. No need to get so riled up. How about I do you a favour this one time and undertake that burden on your behalf?]

“...Wait. Really? You can do that?”

[Why of course. Our souls have been linked since long ago, you know? I can shoulder whatever may be tying you down, at least this time, and why wouldn't I? However, I will only do it this once; if you ever try to imitate that dragon again, you will have to endure the whole consequence yourself. Because you now understand what will happen if you do.]

Really...

Even if it meant not being able to take on the form of Aphy again, having a free 'full restore' was something that sounded too good to be true. And, as those words were coming from none other than the Sinful God himself, Jae couldn’t help but be sceptical.

“Why would you do that? What do you get out of it?”

[How do I benefit...? Kahahaha!]

Suddenly, the one who called himself Reius burst out laughing. Before Jae could say anything, he continued.

[Why, you’re my own adorable apostle... Isn't it only natural for me to help you out every now and then? I don't mind, in fact I'd be glad to. Just... Know that I’ll only do this for you one time. Something like that takes a lot out of even me, and in this state, doing anything much more would be tough. So, try to hold yourself back a little next time, okay?]

“...I can do that.”

Jae was grateful that he wouldn’t have to endure that inexplicable pain coursing through his body any longer, of course. Still, he couldn’t get the possibility out of his mind that the Sinful God was being this nice to him for some nefarious purpose. Of course, figuring out what that purpose might be exactly was impossible, but that didn’t mean he would let down his guard.

[In return, I want you to focus up more on your own growth. For your sake and for mine.]

“? I was going to do that anyway, but why do you care?”

[Hm. As your sponsor, isn’t it only natural for me to care? I already warned you of this last time, but your two largest threats are the Seraphim, who act as the gods’ watchdogs, and the Holy State of Theosse who worship them.]

“Yeah, I remember. So what?”

[So, you need to be careful. As you continue to move, so will they begin to register your existence. Do you think them knowing about you is a good thing? It’s bad enough that you’ve already become acquainted with Ariel of Diligence, but I suppose we can be thankful that she does not yet recognise the source of your sin. Before she figures anything out, you need to leave this place and increase your strength.]

“Okay... So I just need to hurry up and clear the Dungeons faster? I was already doing that.”

[Precisely. As you say, you were following that path, and that is indeed the correct path to follow. However, as well as that, you taking on the burden of that dragon throws another wrench into the mix. Now, with the existence of a previously undiscussed ‘Dragon God’ coming to light, the world, especially the religious world, will be thrown into an uproar. What do you think that means?]

Reius didn’t have to finish his explanation for Jae to understand what he was trying to say.

“Dragon God...?” No, I guess it’s understandable to view Aphy as a god if you’ve never seen anything like it before... But, is that really how things are? I never even considered the possibility of introducing a new god... But if that did really happen, I can definitely see why things would begin to get messy.

Even if Jae, the root of the matter, was left completely oblivious to the consequences of his own actions, it didn't mean they were nonexistent.

In time, if consequences existed for past actions, they would inevitably catch up to him.

“Assuming it did happen, that means, with the sudden emergence of a new god, the church... The church is going to make its move to figure out where exactly that god came from, as well as what it means. It throws the whole basis of their religion off-balance, so they don’t have a choice but to make it fit in somehow...”

As the words left Jae’s mouth, he slowly began to realise just what it meant in the current situation.

Without a doubt, the church is going to want to take control of the situation since it's about to get extremely out of hand.

[Do you finally understand the severity of the trouble you’ve caused? It isn’t a small incident that pertains to Seronia alone―the entire world will be looking for a slice of the pie and attempting to fit in various puzzle pieces wherever they see fit, and Theosse stands at the very forefront of that venture.]

Even if he thought about it, Jae couldn’t find fault in Reius’ words. Effectively, it didn’t add up to much more than ‘be careful’, but he considered it important information either way.

At the end of the day, he had to keep it in mind.

When a mysterious, possibly dangerous god descends upon the world, what would people's first reaction be?

Everyone who hears about the Dragon God incident will immediately turn to Theosse, the home of the church and the place with the closest relationship to this world’s pantheon of gods, first for answers, of course. If Theosse and the church cannot provide those precious answers, who knows what would chaos might ensue? This was a chance to gain control of the situation, so it must be expected that they would be the ones most intent on searching for the truth of the matter.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Of course, they would probably lie through their teeth, pretending to know the answer to everything on the surface, but beneath that facade, they would undoubtedly come fervently knocking to figure out just what is going on.

And if Theosse are the ones coming to dig for information about it, then I really do need to watch out... I guess it’s a good thing I sent Ashley over there to gather information for me.

[That’s right; it's only a shame the girl will not be able to make it for a long while. This all only heightens the already great importance of increasing your strength.]

“Yeah, but all I can do about that is clear the Dungeons, right? Last time, you said the only Dungeon I was capable of clearing was Greed, and maybe Wrath; now I realise the only reason for that was because there was not even a single threat inside of Greed, nor anything that could even kill me. So what about the others? Even after Greed, am I still not strong enough?”

[Mmh, well, did I say that...? I don’t quite recall, but anyway, a silver lining of your little ‘Dragon God’ incident is that you have acquired Pride without clearing its Dungeon. With that, Greed and Gluttony, you still have much room for improvement even without clearing any further Dungeons. Of course, I still highly recommend you do, and I would put an utmost priority on that endeavour.]

Hearing those words, Jae recalled the Gluttony level-up and Pride acquisition. Although he would have to figure out what exactly Essence Absorption did, as well as how to go about increasing the level of Pride to 1, thus unlocking whatever System would arise from that, Reius was correct in that Jae didn’t necessarily have to clear Dungeons to grow.

[In any case, the most efficient method will always be to clear a Dungeon. Unfortunately, in your current state, though there are a few I’m sure you could take on, I wouldn’t exactly suggest them. Of course, with the church on your trail, you don’t have a choice but to pick one.]

“I understand that much. Then, what are the most viable options? It's Wrath, then what?”

Wrath had already been decided as the next Dungeon Jae would visit, and since he was bringing along Nazar this time, it shouldn’t be that difficult.

With me, Amy, Nazar and Bailey, there shouldn’t be much that bastard can do to get in our way. Considering that, all we have to worry about now are the other Dungeons.

From what he already knew, the Pride Dungeon was off-limits; even just the thought of defeating the ‘designated boss’ of that place was enough to make Jae feel sick, and the notion of defeating any of the dragons that inhabited it was enough to give him a headache with how absurd the idea was.

That leaves Envy, Gluttony, and Lust. I already have Envy and Gluttony, so clearing those Dungeons wouldn’t grant me the full reward I would originally receive. So then, Lust is the most optimal one to go for after Wrath? Then, I can go for either Envy or Gluttony next, followed by whichever of the two I left out, leaving Pride for last... Does that work?

Arriving at his own conclusion after thinking about it in silence, Jae nodded his head in satisfaction. Assuming there would be no Dungeon as impossible as Pride, that should be the one left for last, when Jae was at his strongest.

[Hm. 50 points.]

“What?”

[50 points. Half-correct. Your logic is so-so, but you’re not thinking realistically.]

“How am I not? It’s already been decided that Wrath is next, so that just leaves what comes after. Since I have no information about Envy, Gluttony, or Lust, I should treat them all as equal difficulty, meaning Lust is the best option out of the three as I stand to gain the most, followed by the remaining two, followed by Pride which I can safely assume is the highest difficulty. Explain how any of that is incorrect.”

[Again, the reasoning is sound, but it isn’t realistic. I’m not going to argue with you, so will you listen? Remember, I’m on your side here.]

“...Fine, go on then. Tell me how I’m wrong.”

[Alright. First of all, Wrath to start with is fine because you’ve already decided to go with that Sand Devil as you’ve said. In your current state, it’ll be a little rough, but you should be alright with some companions. Then, about what comes after.]

“Yes?”

[Lust is a no-go.]

“Why? Is it that difficult?”

[The Dungeon itself is not something you would have a problem with; however, the same cannot be said for what surrounds the Dungeon.]

“Ah... Is it in a dangerous location? I see.”

I didn't even think of that kind of thing. Shit. Then, do I need to consider the locations of all of them, too...?

[You could call it that. Lust can be found within the ‘Profane Palace’ of the Theossian Holy Church.]

At that sudden information bomb drop, Jae’s eyes widened.

“What?? It’s in the church...?”

[Exactly. That’s why Lust should be left for last, or perhaps second to last. Do you get it?]

“Right... No, I can understand that now, sure. Okay. So, what do you suggest instead?”

[Wrath, then Gluttony, which is located in the outskirts of the human Kalype Empire. Out of the lot, it's by far the easiest, just far away. After that, I think you don’t need to necessarily count out Pride.]

Although he might not admit it, Jae was well aware of what ‘clearing the Pride Dungeon’ would inevitably require.

“...What makes you say that?”

Maybe that’s why, but whenever the thought of what might happen when he started on that endeavour pops into his mind, he subconsciously brushes it aside as swiftly as it appears.

“Even if I somehow got to the point where I possessed the kind of ability to take that place on alone... You don’t seriously think I would consider 'clearing' Pride completely, do you?”

Jae felt so strongly about the matter that he would forgo clearing Pride entirely if he couldn’t come up with an alternative, and that much was apparent just from the ferocity of the expression he wore.

[Now now. I know you feel close to that dragon; that’s why I’ve been so respectful about it until now. Remember, I’ve never once not been on your side, Jae, and that will never change. Of course, I would never tell you to go and do something you are so heavily against, worry not.]

Reius’ words were still untrustworthy, but at least hearing that he had no intentions to force Jae to act against his will was relieving.

“What then?”

[Ahem. I know you don’t exactly have faith in me, and that’s okay, but I want you to know that you can rely on me a little. You see, that teacher of yours never brought it up, but there is in reality a way to clear the Pride Dungeon without her sacrifice―If I told you this, would you be more inclined to listen to what I have to say?]

“...Is that true?”

Needless to say, he couldn’t simply accept it as fact, but if that was true, then it changed everything.

[Would I lie to you? You might think so, but for what reason do I have? I direly need you to succeed, Jae, for all the gods are against the both of us. That’s why the correct and logical decision is for us to work together here. Tell me, do you not agree?]

It was a heavy question. Sure, on one hand, this Sinful God had undoubtedly given Jae a lot of help, and he seemed to intend on continuing that trend.

But still, that was only a front.

He had to keep in mind that this suspicious god was the only reason he was put in the position of requiring help to begin with, and more than that, his intentions couldn’t possibly be pure if all the gods were against him.

Again, Jae didn't know the reason for it, but he wouldn't have been called the 'Sinful God' for no reason.

With that said...

I don’t have much of a choice, do I...? There just isn't enough information to do anything myself, and if I keep making silly mistakes like this time that greatly affect the future in an unknown way or render me useless for an extended period, I’ll eventually end up dead for good. If the time comes that the Seraphim all come after me, and I’m being actively hunted down by the church on top of that, then what can I even do by myself?

No matter how much he grew, or how many cheat abilities he received from the Dungeons, there was a limit to what Jae could accomplish alone.

In the end, even if the Sinful God was someone to be wary of, Jae simply wasn’t in the position to refuse such precious assistance right now.

Because, out of anyone in the world, he was the only one who would be able to give him the information he needed.

More than anything... Haa... It's far too late to escape now, isn't it?

“...Alright then. How do I clear the Pride Dungeon without Aphy dying?”

[Mhm. Well, sorry, but that information’s rather personal. I don’t think the dragon would appreciate me diving into that topic without her permission? Whenever you meet her again, you can bring it up. Anyway, there will be no need for you to kill that beloved teacher of yours, so Pride should be much more of a breeze than you expect. I promise you that.]

“Right... And where is the entrance located? No, where are the entrances for all of the Dungeons?”

He knew about Wrath being in the “furthest reaches of the Southern Continent” thanks to last time, and he was already informed about the locations of Gluttony and Lust; all that was left were Envy and Pride, the latter of which felt quite elusive.

It’s not going to be in that same goblin cave, and I know that for a fact since Aphy herself mentioned its only purpose being for the Goblin Lord to contact her about something... Oh, that's right; I still need to ask Leila about her relationship with Aphy―I completely forgot about that... Wait, does that mean I can just ask her about how to contact Aphy or even visit the Dungeon...?

[Hmm~]

Suddenly, Reius’ humming flowed into Jae’s ears. Flicking his head up to meet the god’s gaze, he wore an expression as if to ask “What is it?”, and the Sinful God replied simply.

[I think you’ve found your answer. Well, it’s been a while and I think we’re running out of time--]

“...Huh? Wait! I get what you mean with Pride, but you haven’t told me where Envy is yet.”

[You’re right. You can probably beat Envy, so I don’t think there’s a problem with that. It’s far away though, so I don’t recommend you go there until later as the current situation is quite urgent.]

[Well, I don’t think it’s that complicated; if you figure out where it is and still decide to go, you can go. If not, then just clear the other Dungeons first? The order in which you clear them isn’t important.]

All of a sudden, Reius’ black silhouette figure distorted and vanished.

[Now then, I’ll see you later~]

As his voice echoed endlessly throughout the void surrounding Jae, he hurriedly stretched his arm and called out.

“No, wait! I still have something...!”

[We’ve spent more time rattling on about Dungeons and such than originally planned. Sorry, but other questions can wait until next time.]

[Good luck, Jae.]

“Wa--”

At that moment, Jae’s vision turned dark.

“Wait!”

“Oh!? Goodness, is everything-- Ah! Sir Jae, you’re awake! How are you feeling?”

"...!?"

Scanning his surroundings, Jae found himself in the same guest room he previously used inside the Demon Queen’s Palace. A maid he was briefly acquainted with was standing by his side, concerningly checking his temperature and other vitals with a stern, worried expression.

Gradually, his rapidly beating heart from a moment ago calmed down as he realised he was no longer in that creepy, dark space.

“Sir. Do you remember what happened?”

“......”

Looking up at the face of the maid, who clearly recalled his searing hot body temperature and continuous vomiting of blood, Jae wasn’t sure how to respond.

...Leila. That’s right... Before I forget, let's clear everything up this time for good.

“Yes, thanks for looking after me. I’m alright now. Is the queen busy?”

Rising from his position in the grandiose bed, Jae ignored the maid’s worries and put on some high-quality, Demonic-style casual clothes prepared for him at the side.

“O-Oh, if it’s a meeting with the miss, she should be more than willing to make some time with Sir Jae who has just recovered. Should I make the request?”

“Please.”

He didn’t know how long had passed since the strain of Perfect Imitation first took over his body, but regardless, he had to get a move on.

If the church is already making its move, I have to do the same. I should have only seen flying into the northern mountain range, so they probably won’t visit Asphal to ask around for quite a bit. That should buy me at least a while. Until things quieten down, going to the Southern Continent to find Wrath should be good enough to pass the time.

Before Jae left, though, having a quick conversation with the Queen was necessary, as there were a few things he needed to figure out first.

I’ll make sure to get everything I need. Still, about that ‘Dragon God’ thing... Just what the hell am I supposed to say?

Of course, even if he knew what he had to do, it didn’t mean everything would go smoothly.