STGB Chapter 490

Episode 490 Declaration of War (1)

I asked for the third option out of curiosity as a player and bad feelings toward him, but in fact, the decision I’m going to make has already been decided.

I’m not sure what I’ll give you if I pick another door.

Even if I could give anything, it would not be greater than the value of three reliable colleagues.

‘Yeah… It seems like it would be impossible for me to catch that thing by myself.’

Thinking so, I took a quick look at him.

Every time our eyes met, I felt an unknown reluctance.

It was like seeing a completely different creature from me.

“Looks like you’ve made a decision.”

“Yes, I will go through that door.”

As I said that, as I actually moved my steps, he just watched me without saying anything.

Should I say that I feel respect for my choice?

Turbuck.

Stopping in front of the door, I turned my head and asked him.

It was for a simple reason.

If I just leave like this, I think I’ll keep worrying about it.

“If… any of us fell for your tricks and betrayed you, then what would happen?”

A hidden peace that even I am experiencing for the first time.

First of all, it ended well, but I kept wondering about that part.

Fortunately, he readily responded.

“According to the established providence, my alter ego must have gained strength.”

“…It was like that, too.”

Somehow, he tried to keep me alive as much as possible and urged me to betray him.

Gradually, I understood the design of this space to some extent.

In the end, you have to fight the boss battle alone, but when betrayal occurs, the difficulty of the boss fight increases.

‘And if I lost the boss battle, it would have been game over.’

If it was a game, it should have had a certain level of favorability and reliability, but could it have been cleared in this way?

Anyhow, thanks for clearing up a lot of my doubts.

However, I decided to ask one more question.

“You… what the hell are you?”

“What does it mean?”

“You already know what that means, don’t you?”

This isn’t the first time I’ve had a conversation with a monster in the labyrinth.

[It’s been a while since I’ve seen a creature. Where the hell did you guys come from?]

Vampire Duke Cambormire of the Bloody Fortress.

[Wild dogs of the empire, obsessed with greed. I will punish you today.]

A knight of the end met at the White Temple.

[If it’s a lie that no one knows……. What’s the difference between that and the truth?]

Doppelganger, etc.

There were many similar cases, but in the end it was close to the feeling of hitting a set line.

In fact, before long, he lost his temper and attacked with unconditional hostility.

But the guy in front of me right now is different.

The feeling of having a clear subject.

‘Besides, I said something meaningful earlier……’

He said clearly, explaining the case of a traitor. According to the established providence, my ‘other self’ would have gained strength.

I can’t say anything outright, but there is one fact that I can vaguely know by combining various information that I have known so far.

As if [Dungeon and Stone] was a game based on this world view.

The labyrinth was also clearly modeled after something.

I cautiously brought my guess out of my mouth.

“Perhaps… do all the monsters you meet in this labyrinth have originals? Are you also originals?”

He stayed silent and just stared at me.

For some reason, strength entered her body as she seemed to be worried.

The moment I heard his answer, I felt like I could take one step closer to the secret of this labyrinth.

But…

“Well.”

He shook his head after a long silence.

“Maybe you will find out someday.”

That was the end of my conversation with him.

thud-!

The tightly closed stone door opened wide and at the same time, something pushed my back.

***

「You have perfectly overcome the great fear in the labyrinth.」

「No.12 ‘Trust’ will be permanently bound.」

「The nameless pilgrim disappears from the labyrinth forever.」

「Special conditions. – Distorted memories will be permanently erased.」

「Hidden areas will be opened.」

「This is the first achievement you have achieved.」

「Your great footprints will be engraved on the Stone of Honor and recorded forever.」

「The labyrinth has been closed.」

「The character moves to Lapdonia.」

***

A warm light on top of tightly closed eyelids.

When I raise my head in a daze and open my eyes, the gloomy sky greets me.

I was stunned for a long time and looked up at it.

“…….”

You came back alive.

I feel it every time, but when I look at the sky, I feel so at ease.

Of course, that time was extremely short.

“…This is Bjorn Yandel.”

“They said they would catch the hierarchical lord, but how did that happen…?”

“Isn’t it really that the five of us succeeded…?”

The explorers recognized me and began to hum.

I hurriedly came to my senses and headed for the checkpoint.

At the checkpoint, only one person came first and was waiting for us.

It was Amelia who had escaped from the raid location to interrogate the intruders.

“…It’s good. You came back intact. Do you know how worried I was because you didn’t show up until the labyrinth was closed?”

As soon as she spotted me while looking around with nervous eyes in front of the checkpoint, she let out a breath as if her tension was relieved.

But belatedly, did another concern arise?

“Any casualties?”

Amelia, completely unaware of our situation, wanted to ascertain the damage rather than the success or failure of the matter.

But all I could say was this.

“No. No… there won’t be.”

“There won’t be…? What does that mean?”

“…complicated to explain.”

I’ve heard that they’re all still alive, but I thought seeing them in person would put my mind at ease.

“Wait a minute.”

Amelia nodded without asking any questions, even though she must have a lot of questions herself.

And how long did you wait in front of the checkpoint?

One by one, colleagues appeared.

It started with Erwen.

“Ah mister……”

Erwen, who was running toward the checkpoint, found me and sat down on the bare floor as if exhausted.

“This… isn’t it a dream…?”

“Don’t worry. It’s the unmistakable reality.”

“What the hell… how did this happen…?”

Well, from his point of view, he died while dragging aggro, but it must have felt like waking up when he opened his eyes.

“I’ll explain when everything arrives.”

After that, Versil Gowland appeared before long.

“Why are you so late? Aren’t you worried?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand it at all… but this… isn’t it a dream…? I’m sure I’m dead…

” Show me Bersil.

At this, Amelia tilted her head.

“Dead…?”

“As I said before, it’s complicated to explain. I’ll talk about it at once when we all get together later.”

“……i get it.”

Afterwards, after calming the trembling Bersil and waiting for a while in front of the checkpoint, Einar finally showed up.

“Rain Bjorn……!!!!”

Einar, who roars from afar and shows his presence.

Only then did I let out the sigh of relief I had been holding back.

“Whoa……”

I finally realized it.

That they all came back alive.

“…What is it! This! Ho, was it all just a dream?! I’m sure I’ll die—!”

For a while, I hurriedly covered Einar’s mouth with my hand.

“…Eup! Ugh! Ugh!”

“Be quiet. Everyone is only looking here because of you.”

“…….”

“First of all, let’s move. Then I’ll explain everything.”

After everyone had gathered, we quickly passed through the checkpoint and came out into the streets. As usual, the checkpoint was crowded with the explorers’ acquaintances and families.

“I’m going to your house in Vercil Commelby, is it all right?”

“I don’t mind. I think it’ll be more reassuring to have a conversation that way.”

“That’s all right.”

Afterwards, we went to the common platform and took the noble carriage to Commelby.

That was the downside of living in downtown.

When I lived in District 7, I just walked home.

“Captain! Are you here!”

As soon as we arrived at the house, Auyen came out and greeted us as if he had waited. The house was filled with the smell of appetizing foods.

Did you even cook in time for us to come?

“Thank you. But I have something to tell you, so would you like to go up for a minute?”

“…of course. Rest in peace and call me whenever you need anything.”

After Auyen went up to the room, he asked Versil to activate the voice control magic. We chatted while eating the neatly prepared food.

Oh, of course, Einar and I were the only ones touching the food.

“Mr. Yandel… don’t eat, but talk. I thought I was dying of curiosity while coming all the way here.”

Oh yes. I need to talk about that

After chewing and swallowing the last thing I put in my mouth, I began to explain step by step.

In the end, the point was this.

“So… from the beginning, it was a format where all the rest of the teammates had to die to break through. Even if only one survived and defeated the enemy, all of them could wake up alive.”

“Yes, it is.”

Amelia looked at me strangely as I explained everything I had been through and learned, except for the last conversation I had with him.

“Are you… are you okay?”

“Huh? What?”

“Because of your personality, you must have suffered a lot.”

Oh that……

I answered with a smile.

“Okay.”

It’s not that there hasn’t been a mental breakdown in the middle. No, to be honest, there were a lot of them.

Still, if only the results were good, right?

Anyway, my story seemed to be enough, so I started asking questions.

“Amelia, how are you?”

When asked about the results of the interrogation, Amelia’s complexion darkened greatly.

“I couldn’t get any proof. They just said they got a request from the black market and they don’t know who the client is.”

“I see…”

It was regrettable, but it wasn’t something to blame Amelia for.

Well, it’s Count Alminus, it’ll work out somehow.

I don’t think it’s such an important issue because I died and came back to life.

But…

“Oh and again…”

“…and?”

“No. I’ll tell you about this later.”

He suddenly becomes anxious because of this.

He told me that he would tell me later, so I didn’t ask right away and just moved on.

“By the way, Erwen, what happened to you?”

“…Ah me? I’m sorry. You trusted me, but I couldn’t escape at all. As if teleportation magic was used.”

“Teleportation……”

Maybe there really was such an ability.

In a way that activates when you fall over a certain distance.

“But at that time, it was strange until I died So he persuaded me. I heard that it’s not too late.”

The story Erwen told me was short enough to end in a few sentences, but I could feel the agony and heartache contained in the story more clearly than anyone else. ”

Erwen worked hard.”

“… No.”

Now then, it’s Vercil’s turn.

“Vercil Gowland.”

“…Yes

? ”

..”

He scolded him for a while and moved on.

The really important thing was what came next.

“But Einar…….”

“…… Huh?”

Let’s talk to him carefully. Einar, who was on his way, raised his head for the first time.

His mouth didn’t come off easily.

But he had to

confirm .

? What are you talking about?”

“I meant to ask if you remembered what I said to you.” To be

more precise, it meant that you heard my confession about the evil spirit

. ..? I thought he was saying something… but I don’t know. I don’t remember. At that time, I was about to pass out, so I couldn’t hear it well.”

Hmmm, is it real?

I watched the change in expression carefully, but I couldn’t find anything strange.

It seems that I really didn’t hear it. But,

if I heard it, I would have gone crazy a long time ago.

“Why did you say something? ?”

“Nothing. It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Really?”

Let’s quickly wrap up the topic, Einar thought so and moved on, while the women next to him were in a frenzy

. “Why, I think I know what he

meant

.” …….. Why is everyone like this? I’m sorry.”

What did you say…….

Rather than replying, I just chose to eat, and they also raised their spoons to see if their curiosity had been answered.

Then, while eating, we had a free conversation.

It was at some point.

” By the way… Mr. Yandel. what is that bracelet? Did you wear it originally?”

I realized only after hearing Versil’s careful question.

“What is this…”

An unfamiliar

bracelet was on my wrist

Wen and Amelia also stopped eating and murmured,

“Uh… I didn’t talk first, so I just stayed still…”

“I didn’t think he knew it either.”

Why did you notice this only now?

“Isn’t that a reward…? That you can get when the five of you succeed in subjugation… that reward.”

Versil hinted at that, but speaking of the results, it’s not. The standard way to clear a five-person clear is not something like a bracelet.

I even chose to save my comrades when choosing a reward.

‘…but could there be more rewards besides returning with all of them alive?’

Uh… if you think about it, right?

It’s a hidden piece that

‘s been hidden so tightly that you

can’t find

it even after playing for close to 10 years.

As I looked through the items, I froze.

As soon as I saw it, there was an item that came to mind. I

wasn’t sure about one thing, so I handed it to Versil for an appraisal.

Versil, who had a ‘special appraiser’ license that Raven couldn’t even get, didn’t look at it a few times before looking at the bracelet. “This is…… Double Numbers…” Yes

that’s what it really is. Amelia’s eyes sparkled as she was

very interested in these treasures.

If it’s a bracelet…….”

There’s only one.

No.12 Trust.

Could it be that it’s a fixed reward?

Considering the concept of Hidden Peace, I don’t think there’s an item more appropriate than this.

‘….. It’s an event where double numbers are a fixed reward.’

“What is the trigger condition?

If you know that, you’ll be able to copy the temp. That

‘s when I was thinking about it.

A jingle, a jingle.