Chapter 28: The Ruinous Gathering (3)

Yuna's mother and younger sibling had already become victims of the cultists' biological experiments.

If Yuna found out about this, she would surely become a villainess.

She would destroy the world saved by the Hero's power, using that same Hero's power.

But the problem didn't end there.

The wine Duke Ishtar had served at the social gathering hall. If the source of that unpleasant sensation was related to the scene unfolding before my eyes, then the gathering hall would soon become a den of horrific bio-monstrosities.

It was truly the worst possible situation.

‘Shit…’

Even if I tried not to swear, I couldn't help it.

It was then.

[Tower Master, Duke Ishtar says he has business with the Hero.]

A mental message arrived from Arian.

It seemed Duke Ishtar was finally about to make his move.

‘What on earth is he planning?’

Was he dreaming of world conquest using the Hero?

Or was it to fulfill the cult's long-held desire?

No, no. This wasn't the time for such worries.

"Arian, stall him for as long as possible."

[I'll try my best.]

Franz needed time.

No matter how much he thought, he couldn't come up with a clever solution to this situation.

‘Saving those over here comes first.’

If he couldn't rescue the kidnapped family, Yuna would eventually become a villainess.

That was the absolute worst-case scenario.

And if he could just save them, maybe the situation at the gathering hall could be managed somehow.

Ultimately, it all traced back to the cult's actions.

Knowing this but having no method was just frustrating.

‘Wait…’

At that moment, a thought suddenly occurred to Franz.

The Saint.

Could the Saint possibly save them?

The unpleasant energy emanating from them was definitely Magi, and the Saint was someone who purified such Magi.

It might just be a guess, but it was worth trying.

No, besides this method, there was nothing else to rely on.

When the world was about to end, whether it was a rotten rope or a sturdy one, you had to grab onto something, didn't you?

He felt a little sorry for the Saint, who would suddenly have to deal with this.

But in a way, it was also the Goddess Church's business, so she would surely understand.

Hoping dearly that Arian and Yuna could buy him enough time, Franz used Teleport.

A magic circle formed beneath his feet, light flashed, and Franz's figure vanished.

Soon after, Franz appeared in St. Serpia Cathedral.

To be precise, it was the small room where the Saint resided within the cathedral.

He was aware that barging in so suddenly was impolite, but there was no time to worry about such things.

‘She’s sleeping.’

Perhaps she had fallen asleep while reading; a book lay open on the desk, and Yustia was slumped over it.

"Yustia."

"Eek…?!"

As Franz shook her shoulder to wake her, Yustia startled awake, sitting bolt upright.

Her gaze slowly turned towards Franz.

"Wh-wh-what…! Why are you here…!"

Yustia's eyes widened as she crossed her hands over her chest.

She seemed embarrassed about being in her sleepwear.

He completely understood how she felt, but there was no time for that now.

"We're going now. It's urgent."

"C-could you explain what's going on…?"

"I'll explain on the way."

A magic circle began to form beneath Franz's feet. Seeing this, Yustia hastily stood up.

"W-wait a moment! At least let me grab a coat…!"

Before Yustia could finish her sentence, a brief flash of light occurred.

Simultaneously, the two disappeared from the room.

Next, Franz and Yustia appeared in the basement of Duke Ishtar's mansion.

The dark basement, illuminated by mana stones, felt eerie.

"Franz…! This is too sudden…!"

Yustia, glaring at Franz with wide eyes, once again couldn't finish her sentence.

The scenes that met her eyes were too shocking.

"Wh-what is all this…?"

"Can you purify it?"

"P-purify?! I've never seen anything like this before either…"

Yustia bit her lower lip as if frustrated.

But conversely, that also meant there was a possibility of success.

She just hadn't tried it yet.

"Yustia, I'm counting on you."

"Yes, I'll do my best."

Nodding with determination, Yustia knelt on the spot and clasped her hands before her chest.

Franz, looking down at her from above, subtly turned his head away.

Then, he took off his coat and draped it over Yustia's shoulders.

Because her sleepwear was loose, her cleavage was clearly visible.

No wonder she had urgently asked for a coat; he belatedly realized the reason.

"Oh Goddess who loves all creation, punish those who bring chaos to the world…"

Yustia began reciting a prayer.

Then, a brilliant golden divine power spread from her body like a mist.

"Kuh, ugh, ack… It, it hurts… Save, save me…"

Dry voices echoed from beyond the cold iron bars.

They let out groans filled with pain, writhing their bodies as if in agony.

At this, Yustia bit her lower lip and squeezed her eyes shut.

Tears streamed down her cheeks from her closed eyes.

She was the very image of a Saint, feeling the pain of others and caring for the pitiful.

‘The effect is…’

There.

The dark masses of Magi binding their bodies began to melt away, and their grotesquely twisted forms started to slowly return to normal.

However, the recovery speed wasn't very fast, so it seemed like it would take quite some time.

It was then.

[T-Tower Master, something's strange. Black liquid is coming out of people's mouths… The, the Hero seems strange too! Are you still far away?!]

It was a mental message from Arian.

‘Shit…’

It seemed Duke Ishtar had begun to move in earnest.

"Yustia, I'll send Hera here. Wait here with her for a bit."

Franz spoke softly to Yustia.

A magic circle and a flash.

Franz's figure disappeared.

***

This happened before Franz brought Yustia.

Duke Ishtar suddenly approached Yuna and Arian as they waited for Franz.

"Young Lady, may I have a word with the Hero?"

"We're in the middle of an important conversation. If you don't mind, could you perhaps spend some time elsewhere for a moment?"

"My business is equally important, I assure you. By the way, are you not enjoying the wine? I prepared only the finest selections."

"Thank you for the offer, but I don't have a habit of drinking alcohol."

"Ho ho-, that's quite a pity."

His amiable laughter made Arian feel nauseous.

How could he so shamelessly offer the wine after doing something suspicious to it?

Cultists really shouldn't be treated like humans. They were devils, devils.

"Well, it can't be helped. Since the Young Lady says it's important, I shall withdraw."

Duke Ishtar said so and brushed past Yuna.

Haaa-.

Arian let out a drawn-out sigh, thinking the situation was over.

But then, Yuna's eyes suddenly began to tremble violently.

Following that, she turned her body towards Duke Ishtar.

Arian was startled by Yuna's action.

Franz had asked them to buy time, but at this rate, forget time, they were about to cause trouble.

"The Tower Master asked us to buy time. So you need to move carefully."

Arian covered Yuna's mouth with her hand and whispered softly into her ear.

Yuna gave a small nod.

‘What the hell am I even doing…?’

No matter how Arian thought about it, everything felt unfair.

She thought she'd have a date with Franz at the social gathering, but didn't he bring another woman?

Worse, didn't he leave that other woman in her care and just disappear?

It was a situation that would anger any woman.

‘I'm definitely getting compensation for this later.’

Thinking this, Arian's hand gently caressed her lower abdomen.

However, contrary to Arian's happy imagination, the situation unfolded rapidly.

"Now-! Everyone, please look this way-!"

On the second floor of the social gathering hall, Duke Ishtar gathered everyone's attention.

Arian's and Yuna's gazes naturally turned towards him.

"Everyone, it seems the time has come to draw the curtains on this social gathering."

Draw the curtains?

Arian couldn't understand his words.

She had never heard of a social gathering ending so abruptly.

But who would have known?

That the end of the gathering was a signal heralding a new beginning.

Snap-.

Duke Ishtar snapped his fingers.

Then, as if by prior arrangement, the nobles attending the gathering clutched their own throats.

"Kkeo, eok…. Uuup…"

"Uweeegh…!"

They let out sounds filled with agony, spewing something from their mouths.

It was a dark, sticky liquid.

Subsequently, the unpleasant liquids spilled onto the floor began to slowly cling to the nobles' bodies.

"Ugh…!"

Yuna collapsed onto the floor, clutching her chest.

Her expression was stained with pain.

Arian, who witnessed the entire situation with her own eyes, quickly sent a mental message to Franz.

"T-Tower Master, something's strange. Black liquid is coming out of people's mouths… The, the Hero seems strange too! Are you still far away?!"

The voice coming from her mouth trembled.

Moreover, her hands and feet were shaking so badly that she felt like she could collapse at any moment.

"Hmm-, the Hero, indeed? Impressive, enduring even after consuming so much."

Arian's gaze shifted back to the second floor.

Duke Ishtar was still there.

His eyes were red, as if blood had pooled in them.

Those eyes looked remarkably similar to a demon's.

"Well, it matters not. You won't be able to do anything anyway."

Saying so, he vaulted over the railing and jumped down to the first floor.

Then he slowly began to approach Arian and Yuna.

Finally arriving in front of Yuna, he let out a smirk-.

"Hero, did you know? Your family is already dead. No, more accurately, they're alive. Twisted this way and that, in horrific forms. If only you had cut off my head when you first came to kill me, they might have lived."

At Ishtar's mockery, life drained from Yuna's eyes.

Darkness descended upon her brilliantly shining golden irises.

Yuna staggered as she pushed herself up.

Her hands were clenched into fists, trembling uncontrollably.

Grind-, a sound like teeth shattering could be heard.

Soon, a golden aura began to surge and flow from her body.

The Hero's power pushed back the Magi, purifying her body.

At that moment, light flashed, and Franz appeared in the social gathering hall.

Dozens of translucent displays floated before his eyes.

<Warning!>

<You are on the verge of a Bad Ending! Your choices will greatly impact the fate of the world!>

Display windows announcing the Bad Ending.

Duke Ishtar with reddened eyes and Yuna, already pushed to her limit.

Even the nobles transforming into bizarre figures.

Grasping the situation, Franz raised a hand to his forehead.

This is really bad…