Chapter 26

Anyway, it was certain that Agartha was alive for now.

She had lost one arm and almost really died from my and the Hunter's punishment,

but there are jokes people should make and jokes they shouldn't.

The Hunter calmly took a sip of water and said:

"It's good that you're alive."

Agartha, who was complaining about her pain while breathing heavily, narrowed her eyes and said:

"After beating me up like that just now?! I really almost died, you know?"

"A thief exaggerating to that extent..."

"Oh my, look at you acting like it's nothing now!"

Agartha was complaining as if she was wronged, but we who thought she had really died were in a worse state.

Even in a dark fantasy world, who wouldn't be worried if someone came back with their arm cut off?

Anyway, the fact that we can get angry like this is because Agartha is alive.

The comrade who agreed to survive together until the end in the underground prison shouldn't leave so easily.

"I really thought you were dead."

When I looked at Agartha and spoke with a slightly trembling voice, Agartha twisted her mouth once and then smiled, spreading her arms.

"Mr. Tanton."

Agartha called me and then looked at the Hunter who was standing a bit away.

"Mr. Hunter too."

"..."

"Come on."

"Do we have to?"

When the Hunter spoke as if disgusted, Agartha made her characteristic annoying expression and said to the Hunter:

"Are you perhaps embarrassed?"

"...It's just childish."

Agartha hugged me first.

Maybe because she was missing one arm, it felt empty.

After a brief hug, Agartha went to the Hunter and quickly hugged him too.

After a while, the Hunter awkwardly pushed Agartha away slightly and returned to his original spot. Agartha found something funny and giggled.

"I'm glad everyone is safe anyway."

I thought she was someone who liked teasing people but was more emotional than anyone else.

Soon satisfied, Agartha returned to her seat and spoke while stuffing the remaining food into her mouth:

"When I was caught and taken to the underground prison, I wondered what I should do, but to think I'd become a free person like this. The world is really unpredictable, isn't it?"

"You're still a prisoner."

"Since I'm officially dead, I'm no longer a prisoner."

Hmm.

I couldn't help but nod at the unnecessarily reasonable argument.

Well, they couldn't keep a corpse in prison.

Soon the ordered meal arrived, and I took a bite.

It's not as tasty as I expected.

Of course, the food of this era wouldn't taste good to me, who was used to stimulating flavors.

It seemed that it not suiting Korean tastes also played a part.

Ugh, it's so greasy.

Agartha seemed to notice my expression and narrowed her eyes as she spoke:

"Hmm... If this doesn't suit your taste, were you perhaps a noble? I wonder if noble titles have any meaning at a time when the empire has fallen and the capital has been buried by the giant of the snowy mountains. Sometimes there are humans who act like nobles, intoxicated by past glory."

"Do you really think so?"

"Well, someone who's crazy about Outer Gods probably wouldn't be a noble."

Is this thief now talking recklessly just because she's alive?

I hit Agartha's crown with the side of my hand as she spoke while giggling.

It seemed like she had a strange aversion to nobles from before...

I wonder if something happened.

"Anyway, how did you escape? And that cut left arm. Even that Vice Captain told us you were dead."

"Oh, really? I guess it went better than expected."

Agartha held up the jade bead with her right hand, smiling with a look of ecstasy.

"It's all thanks to this cutie."

The item that the knight who proposed rock-paper-scissors for the bet on who would accompany whom among me, Agartha, and the Hunter was holding.

Come to think of it, Agartha had seen through that there was something about that bead.

"Honestly, telling someone like me to defeat an Outer God? It would be faster to just commit suicide. So I just tried to find a way to escape."

"You started using your wits, you mean."

"Isn't that obvious? Who would want to join the Knight Order and face Outer Gods? What I pursue is always a safe and peaceful life. Unlike you guys, I'm the one who's sane, you know?"

Again, that devilish mouth started moving.

If we don't stop her here, that mouth might keep moving until we're on our deathbeds.

"Okay, I get it, so just tell us what happened."

"Sigh, I guess only Mr. Tanton understands my feelings? That pervert knight. When I stroked his ego a bit, he explained in detail about this bead."

Agartha spoke while caressing the jade bead.

"This is called an 'Unfair Roulette'. It seems to promise a fair match, but true to its name, you can add tricks to it."

"Did you use it?"

-A fair match. Or you die.

Come to think of it, such a sound was heard before the knights started playing rock-paper-scissors.

"Do you think I'm crazy enough to use this? Even if it's processed, you shouldn't carelessly use Outer God items."

Agartha waved her hand frantically, looking alarmed.

After saying it like that herself.

As I was scratching the back of my head awkwardly, Agartha said:

"I brought this as insurance just in case. As for the escape... if you think about it, you just need to separate the mark from your body, right? So I just cleanly cut it off from the shoulder."

"...In your right mind?"

"Well, not exactly. I told you I stroked that knight's ego, right? So when he demanded compensation for using the jade bead, I said I would give compensation. I didn't mention what the 'compensation' was. Then we fought, I lost, and as compensation, I let him take my mark. In the process, my arm flew off.

It's his fault for not mentioning the compensation first, you see."

Just hearing it makes me feel pain, but seeing Agartha talk about it so calmly made me think that if it weren't for Outer Gods, she might have been the strongest mentally.

Agartha sighed after seeing that she had eaten all the remaining food and leaned back in her chair.

"Anyway, since the Knight Order has officially declared me dead, I'm planning to enter the underworld. I have some reputation in Rondan's underworld, so they'll accept me."

Well, I guess this is the only way for Agartha to live from now on.

The Hunter also took a deep breath after hearing Agartha's words and said:

"I've gained the right to hunt alone by defeating Outer Gods, so I'm planning to hunt Outer Gods by myself from now on."

The Hunter said that and looked at me.

"What are you going to do?"

My goal, huh.

For now, my immediate goal was to survive, and I somehow achieved that goal by twisting my whole body.

Perhaps I could just join the Knight Order and live peacefully while waiting for the Hunter to see the ending.

But this world was a dark fantasy that was only kind to me.

If Outer Gods set their minds to it, it was only a matter of time before the hearth went out.

Moreover, the Hunter's life wasn't eternal either.

The image of the Hunter repeatedly dying in the game came to mind.

If this world line was where the Hunter dies, there would be no hope.

Then I would have to move to prevent the Hunter's death and lead the world to a happy ending.

I had something in mind.

The bone the Observer was looking for and the Gardener's friend.

Thinking about these two incidents, if the Outer Gods in this world have some purpose, wouldn't they leave this world on their own if we help resolve it?

And if I have the Super Chicken Mod, I should be able to accomplish it somehow.

So this is also an extension of survival.

It would be the only way for me, who fell from the outside, to be with the Hunter and see a happy ending in this world.

To do that, there was something I needed to do.

Becoming an ally with the hearth.

"I'm going to rise to a high position in the Knight Order."

Using the Super Chicken Mod to tackle Outer Gods, and using the information imbalance discovered through this to build up achievements and rise to a position that even the Vice Captain can't touch.

If I control the core of the Knight Order, the Hunter's range of movement will increase, and there will be no danger of Agartha being chased.

What I need for this is power.

And the hidden secrets in this dark fantasy world.

The Hunter seemed to understand this and snorted as he spoke:

"If that's your method."

With those words, the Hunter got up from his seat, coolly threw the exact amount for the bill at the counter, and headed for the exit.

Before opening the door and leaving, the Hunter said goodbye.

"Just don't die. If you die, I'll kill you myself."

Until the end, the Hunter left with his harsh way of showing concern.

Agartha also chuckled and got up from her seat.

"So that's how it is! Mr. Tanton, if you ever need my help, feel free to find me! Ah, though I'll probably approach you first.

Anyway, take care!"

Agartha scattered money on the table and disappeared from that spot like a true thief.

I felt like I could see Agartha laughing as I watched the owner rush over wondering if she hadn't paid, then nod and turn back after seeing the money on the table.

Right, they told me to come to the armory tomorrow.

Among the things I saw in the community, there were many like the saw blade sword, the blood-sucking axe, the gun called the heart piercer, and so on.

I need to draw a good weapon to be of great help when dealing with Outer Gods.

After paying for the food, I returned to the branch and was full of thoughts about what kind of weapon I might draw until I fell asleep.

***

There was a time when I had such optimistic thoughts.

I somehow obtained an exclusive weapon from the armory.

I wanted to believe that the test was successful too.

"A distortion phenomenon has occurred in the center of the hearth! Emergency! Emergencyyy!"

"Damn it, what's this! What happened!"

The knights were in a panic, running around here and there, people around the hearth were screaming and running away, the surrounding scenery was distorting, a big crack was occurring in the world, and at its center.

"Eeng, it won't come out. Human! Help me!"

Until I saw the Observer's face popping out and asking for help while looking at me.

...Umm.