Chapter 148

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 148

Chapter Title: God's Tears

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Mixed blood with other races grows slowly. Not just the body, but the mind as well.

Seto looked about five or six years old, with a personality far too innocent for a fifteen-year-old.

'But still, Seto looks too human. Usually, there's at least one telltale feature of the race.'

Records said werewolf half-breeds had ears, and the mixed-blood man who attacked me at the slave auction when I was four had reptilian hide peeking out on the backs of his hands, arms, and legs.

Seto, who had been nodding along as if he'd grasped it all, suddenly piped up with an "Ah!"

"To be precise, it's a quarter. My grandmother was a nymph."

That explained why Seto looked completely human on the outside.

"What do you mean, fifteen? F-I-F-T-E-E-N?! A full-grown punk pulling this kind of idiotic stunt... Hold on, you! You're fifteen and you were hanging around with a little kid?!"

While Ishak lost it, zeroing in on the age, the sharp Henri seemed to have pieced together the whole story from the few words Seto and I had exchanged.

"Enough."

"What, you're not pissed, bro?"

"That's not what's important right now. If the one who received the blessing is Leblain, then we—"

It was then.

"M-Master... Ad-adventurer... G-Give back!"

What?

I shouted urgently.

"Zachary!"

The old nymph let out a "Kyaaak!!" and bared countless razor-sharp teeth. The massive nymphs in front of him charged all at once.

In a flash, Zachary leaped forward and swung his spear, shaking off the giant nymphs.

In that gap, Henri erected a barrier. The nymphs, closing in one by one, slammed into it and shrieked.

Ishak and Henri flanked me on both sides.

"What the hell. If the kid got the blessing, there's no reason for them to attack us."

"Leblain, you can understand that old nymph, right? Why's he gunning for us?"

Ishak spoke first, then Henri. I swallowed dryly and shook my head.

"I don't know. He's calling me 'master' and begging to have me returned... Ah!"

"This is getting annoying."

Ishak demanded urgently as Henri and I realized something and exchanged glances.

"What is it?!"

"They're seeing us as the ones who captured Leblain."

Ishak finally shattered Henri's barrier and shoved back a nymph that had gotten too close. As he whirled and leaped, aiming his sword tip at the fallen nymph, I yelled.

"Wait, wait!"

Ishak froze and forcibly twisted his blade's trajectory aside.

I grabbed the unbalanced Ishak by the collar of his shirt and yanked him back to my side.

"These are people with deep love for their kin. If we kill even one nymph here, there'll be no talking our way out!"

But nymphs were inherently powerful beings. The wolves, who could usually handle one-on-one fights against other monsters, were being tossed around helplessly.

Nymphs were forgotten existences. Beings so special that no one knew how Seto's grandfather had even laid eyes on one to have a child with her. In other words, ancient monsters.

'They say ancient monsters are hundreds of times stronger than modern ones... and it's true!'

There was no way we could beat those nymphs with our strength alone. If we wanted to get home safely, there was only one option.

I took a few steps forward and said,

"Let's talk. Talk."

Henri and Ishak cried out, "Leblain!" and "Kid, it's dangerous!" but I swallowed hard with a resolute expression.

"You can understand me, right?"

The old nymph, who had been baring his fangs in excitement, slowly closed his mouth.

"W-Waited... for y-you. Our g-god arranged it, the ad-adventurer."

We could communicate!

I broke into a wide grin.

Our group followed the nymphs deeper into the mine.

"Just where the hell are we going?"

Ishak grumbled, scowling. It wasn't frustration from the long walk—it was worry.

We had already reached the end of the mine before the nymphs swarmed us. Yet they were heading toward the entrance.

To protect their precious nymph younglings, the inner depths would be safer, but the entrance? It was worrisome enough to make me suspect the intelligent nymphs were luring us into a trap.

'In this situation, all we have to go on is that old nymph's one word.'

We had tried to flee in case of emergency, but the communication stone and teleportation circle still wouldn't activate.

'We can't outrun this many nymphs physically, so we have no choice but to follow.'

The nymphs halted near the entrance. And then...

"Eh?"

The old nymph ran his hand over the wall, and with a deep rumble—ku-gu-gu-gung!—it split open.

"Ad-adventurer, in-invited."

The nymph stepped aside. Proper stairs lay beyond the parted wall.

Henri peered inside and narrowed his brows.

"Nymphs couldn't have made this. It's human engineering."

"Who the...?"

"Probably one of the previous heroes."

"My god."

We descended the stairs in awe.

The dark interior was illuminated by fireflies and glowing flower buds. Flowers I'd never seen before in my life.

The legend of Hero Tesla was real. Not a single bit exaggerated—in fact, it felt understated. Because Zachary's wounds were visibly healing where he touched the flower buds.

The knights, who idolized legends, wore moved expressions. But—

'If I sold those, how much would they fetch!'

My jaded mind was filled only with the clink-clink-ding! of endless zeros dancing around.

And then.

"Eh?"

The flower bud nearest to me lost its glow and withered.

The old nymph bellowed in rage.

"Wh-who's d-defiling our sanctuary with i-impure thoughts!"

'Oh no...'

I gulped down my dry throat, while the old nymph continued ranting.

"Adventurer's companion, trash! Trash!"

I quickly chimed in.

"Yeah! Whoever's thinking trashy thoughts!"

Me!

I frantically shoved the bundles of cash from my mind and pretended nothing happened as I followed the nymph.

At the bottom of the stairs lay countless white night flowers, a massive platform, and a few ragged blankets. And...

"Ah."

I could guess why the guard nymphs had attacked us so desperately.

Skinny nymph younglings, females, and sickly males trembled with wary eyes.

The nymph cave's interior was as cold as if winter had returned, yet none wore proper clothing.

While we looked around in confusion, the young nymph who'd snatched my peanuts from me earlier ran to the hidden nymphs and handed over the peanut pouch.

"Looks like it went out to scavenge food for the hidden ones..."

Seto said pityingly.

The hidden nymphs devoured the peanuts the youngling offered, shells and all.

"Kki... kkiik..."

A tiny nymph youngling held out a peanut shell to the thief nymph, but the thief shook its head.

'That little one barely got to eat any earlier.'

I rummaged through Ishak.

"Wh-what? Kid, what're you doing? Pervert?"

Ishak sputtered in panic, but I pulled out a heap of his emergency biscuits and chocolates and handed them to the nymphs.

"Here, eat these too."

"..."

The wary nymphs cautiously took the biscuits. After one bite, their eyes went wide, and they wolfed them down.

Ishak tsked his tongue.

"We don't know how long we'll be stuck here, and you're burning through precious rations like this? We don't even have enough for our own troops."

I shushed him and lowered my voice.

"I've lived as a beggar, so I know: when you're starving, the one who gives you food looks like a god. If a few biscuits and chocolates buy us the nymphs' help, it's a bargain."

I grinned, and Ishak's face lit up.

"As expected from a sneaky little brat who fits right in with the Duvereds!"

"Ishak's wicked enough to be a proper Duvered young master too!"

Ishak and I got all excited praising each other, leaving the knights and Seto baffled.

"G-Gentle ad-adventurer. On b-behalf of the nymphs, th-thank you."

The old nymph's expression softened kindly.

'Good, now we've got the conversation flowing.'

"Am I the hero?"

"Adventurer, h-hero?"

They didn't know the word hero?

"You know, like Tesla."

"T-Tesla!"

The old nymph shouted, and the entire group of nymphs stirred.

"F-First adventurer."

'See? I really am the hero.'

That was the moment the old nymph spat on the ground with a "Khaak, ptui!" and bellowed.

"V-Vile adventurer!"

"Bad!"

"Baaad!"

"E-Evil adventurer!"

The nymphs, who had only screeched up until now, united in cursing Tesla.

"V-Vile adventurer stole it. Master, our master, used like a s-slave. Bad, baaad...!"

The giant nymphs bared their teeth with angry "kyaaaks."

Ishak and Henri glanced at me.

"What're they saying?"

"Leblain?"

Since only I could understand the nymphs, no one else had caught on. To how being the adventurer put me in a very bad spot.

'What do I do.'

I swallowed hard and shouted,

"What a rotten guy! How could he do that! He deserves a good thrashing... Eh?!"

The old nymph smiled warmly.

"Second adventurer, good human. G-Gave us f-food."

"Yes! I'm good! I didn't steal anything from the nymphs. I didn't use the master like a slave!"

"H-Help our kind adventurer, c-complete the oracle."

"Oracle?"

The old nymph climbed onto the platform, which resembled an altar. As he spread his arms wide, countless fireflies swarmed the stone slab atop it, forming letters.

"Ancient tongue?"

Ishak frowned at Henri's words.

High noble heirs learned to interpret ancient-language scriptures as part of their education, so Henri and Ishak could make out a few words.

"The time... uh, when the time comes, p-protect water?"

"God's servant, sleep in God's tears until the time of the oracle."

I muttered blankly, reading the ancient tongue fluently, and the old nymph lit up with joy.

"T-Time of oracle, adventurer appears. We s-slept. Adventurer woke us. Us!"

"God's tears..."

I stared at the nymphs with a stiff face.

"Now that you mention it, it's weird. Nymphs are supposed to live in water—how are you surviving in a space without even steam?"

"Th-this place is within God's tears. Everything in this mountain is God's tears."

"Source..."

"We can purify everything in this mountain with God's tears. B-Bad adventurer tricked us, made God's tears fake. Gave God's tears—ours—to bad humans!"

The old nymph retrieved something from the altar.

"Let our master, the adventurer, meet him. Our master, the pillar!"

"Pillar?"

I stared quietly at what he'd brought. When I placed my hand on it, my heart throbbed.

I knew it the instant I saw it. This was...

"Demon's passage!"

I clapped a hand over my mouth.

Henri and Ishak rushed over.

"What? What's wrong!"

"Leblain."

"Henri, Ishak."

As my voice trembled, they looked at me tensely, and I said,

"Looks like I hit the third lottery..."

We're gonna be rich!

"What?"

"Huh?"

I snatched up the ore the old nymph had given me.

'Alright, what kind of demon are you?'