Terminally-Ill Genius Dark Knight - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Chapter 33 The Barrier (1)“Keuha…! I’ll live a little longer. After all, there’s nothing like cold water to sober up!”

Her damp, sticky, purple hair is flung back.

An exaggerated gesture from Elena.

Moments earlier, she had finally sobered up after drinking her specialty hangover cure. Luckily, the [Potion Making Genius] trait also applies to making hangover cures, and it took her less than ten minutes to sober up.

That’s pretty amazing.

It’s impressive, but…….

‘There’s no use for this.’

With that thought, I moved on.

The strategic meeting room used by the captain of the guard. This would be a good place to discuss our plans.

I nodded and began to explain the plan to Zitri and Elena.

“Soon the monsters will be in full force. They’ll be pouring over the walls from all sides… and it’s up to you to make it out alive.”

He wasn’t exaggerating, but if you mess up, you could really die.

How to survive such a situation?

You’ll need to use your head.

You’ll need to fortify your walls so they can’t get inside your town, have a commander who’s skilled in tactical warfare, and stay as calm as possible.

Of course, a three-year-old can probably tell you that’s not going to be easy.

“…So, the bottom line is, Elena. I need the power of your potion. Can you help me?”

“Yeah~.”

Elena came to me, looking strangely eager.

She smells faintly of lilac.

My first instinct is to say yes, but there’s something tingling in my stomach.

I can’t figure out why, but…

‘Now is not the time for that.’

I nodded and continued.

“Listen, the potion you need to make is…….”

“Yeah~”

……?

He hadn’t said anything yet?

I cleared my throat again, just in case I hadn’t heard right.

“The potion you need to make is a hardening…….”

“Eh~”

Elena, who had now moved to the other side of the room, cupped her face in her hands and smirked.

Her chin resting in her hands.

I was sure of it when she looked at me and smiled in a lively manner.

…Hey. You weren’t listening to me.

“Elena, pay attention. Otherwise, I’m going to dump you here.”

” Oh, no! ……nenet!”

Elena, who had finally regained her senses, replied quickly.

I’m not sure why she’s glaring at me like that, but it’s probably for nothing. It’s in her nature.

I ran a hand through my greasy hair and continued.

“Ha. We can talk about potions later, but first we need to repair the barrier somehow. After all, if the town falls, it’s all over.”

“I see… I’m sorry, what’s the barrier?”

“…….”

There was an eerie silence.

Suddenly, I remembered Elena’s in-game settings again.

Oh, right.

She was an idiot.

I ran my hand through my hair in frustration once again.

Luckily, this time, Jitri answered for me.

“The wall was built to keep the monsters from raiding the humans. Right now, the Chasers are facing the border with Tahalin in the east….”

“Aaah~ What’s the border then?”

“…….”

This time, Zitri also closed her mouth.

At that moment, I thought.

Does this person have alcoholic dementia?

‘No way. No matter how much of a game heroine is, dementia is a little…….’

No matter what I thought, Elena smiled brightly, hummed, and shook her legs. Huh, I’ll have to get a tutor for her when she goes back.

Damn it.

Why do only I attract these deranged characters?

“…Something like that.”

Fortunately, Zitri seems to have a stronger mentality than me.

I don’t know how that’s possible for a subject who doesn’t even have the [Steel Mentality] trait, but whatever.

Having somehow finished her explanation, Zitri looks at me.

I guess this is my territory from now on.

I can finally explain the operation properly.

“…So, we’ll use the potion to make traps, use the horses we catch to repair the walls, and then we’ll take on the griffons. That’s pretty much it, in a nutshell.”

“I see… I’m not very good at this kind of thing, so……. I apologize for bothering you….”

Elena threw up her hands.

I wonder if a maverick character like that actually feels embarrassed?

Not really. She pulled a small bottle from her bosom, hoping to take a sip of water.

But for some reason, it smelled strange.

…No way.

“Put that thing away now!”

Mei, my friend who was fortunately by my side, said, stopping her.

‘Huh… I’ll have to take her back to the mansion with her ensemble.’

Elena.

I realized that there had to be at least one person who could take care of that unbridled ditz.

Mei would be a good fit, she’d been with her a long time.

“I’m sorry. She’s not in her right mind……. She loses her mind when she sees alcohol, and her goal is to die having tasted every alcoholic beverage in the world. At this rate, she’ll probably make it in five years…….”

“……Thanks for the help.”

I felt like it was a useless afterthought, but I didn’t let it bother me. After all, Mei was helping me.

As I replied nonchalantly, I realized that the human in front of me was even crazier than I thought. Elena’s love of alcohol runs deeper than I thought.

Try drinking all the alcohol in the world?

I wonder if my esophagus would go up in flames first.

Damn. Can I include this drunkard in my forces?

I’m reminded of the story of the drunkard who led House Zitri to ruin.

As it turns out, there’s nothing wrong with Zitri’s story.

There’s something about a maid with the [Throne Genius] talent that makes her different.

Anyway.

I held my breath and thought about Elena.

If I take her here, how can I deal with her afterward, and how can she benefit me?

Those were my main thoughts.

‘If she’s as good as she is… if she stops drinking, she’ll be a top potion merchant. All I have to do is support her work and keep her alive. The problem is… she drinks too much.’

Anyway, it’s not uncontrollable. I have my own ideas.

Mei and Zitri. If they’re together, anything can happen.

Mei is a normal person.

……Maybe.

“So, what exactly are the monsters we need to catch?”

Elena asked as if the monsters were her friends.

I answered bluntly.

“It’s an Iron Golem that only appears in the desert.”

“Hmph! Iron golems… But they’re really hard, aren’t they…? You’d have to work really hard to catch them…….”

“That’s why we need you. The potion you’re making is going to be quite helpful in catching them.”

“……?”

Elena doesn’t seem to understand, but that’s okay.

I didn’t expect her to to begin with.

I nod to Elena, who gives me a puzzled look.

“Just do as you’re told, and I’ll pay you in Ackheim Empire gold.

You there. Mei, did I mention you, come with me to my manor. I can’t pay you as much as Elena, but I need you.”

Her presence is essential to deal with that crazy Elena.

At my words, Mei nods, glad not to be separated from her.

Her bouncing hair catches my eye.

She nods back, her face full of life, as if she’s finally healed from all the damage Taigan did to her.

She quickly organizes her titles and speaks.

“I see, Nox-nim… may I call you that? I’ll do my best to help you, I’m not the best, but I’ll do my best to help you…….”

“Enough with the clichés.”

I waved my hand dismissively.

Then, Zitri’s eyes narrowed.

“I see you have a lot of good helpers now, besides me. Young Master. Truly, truly, as your subordinate, I congratulate you.”

I wondered why.

There’s a bit of a thorn in her side as she says it.

She glances at me for a moment, and then shakes her head.

Why is she acting like this, and why do I deserve this?

I honestly don’t know, but…

It must have been my fault though…….

I began to explain my plan to repair the barrier, wondering how to apologize to Zitri.

This was the beginning of the hidden strategy.

The ‘stuff’ is already there.

With a little bit of base and talent, it shouldn’t be too difficult to bring out the best in the griffin.

I steel myself and look at the horizon.

I think to myself.

‘The best I can hope to achieve is….’

An impossible achievement.

It was the Hidden Route quest.

“All right, let’s get moving. Everyone follow me.”

I led my companions with a smug grin.

‘From now on, we will hunt down the Griffin, a hidden boss that is said to be untouchable, and… I will keep the Chasers area under my control.’

The elimination of the Griffin and the wasteland known as Chasers.

That is the last thing I need to accomplish on this trip.

* * *

Chasers Conquest.

This sub-quest is all about betrayal.

And the destruction of the town and its secrets.

But I’ve solved all of these problems over the course of a few days.

I took down Ron, who lied about his identity as a Knight, and Taigan, a scumbag who preyed on the town. I even managed to pacify the opportunistic Grine and recruit him into my faction.

After all of this, I still had one more thing I wanted to accomplish.

I still wanted to accomplish one more thing: the most important thing of all: defeat the Griffin.

Why, you might ask?

What did I say when I first received this sub-quest?

I told you that you could never catch the griffin in this quest, that it was best to just make it retreat.

But that’s only for normal play. In other words, as a deceased character, I can tell you that there is another way to do things.

For example, how Taigan first brought the eastern beasts, the Griffins, here.

They lured Griffin, a demon from Tahalin in the eastern Chasers, here to raid people.

The reason, of course, is to get the gold from the Ackheim Empire. Rumors of the griffin’s presence would bring in more repairs and maintenance fees.

But even for them, it’s not as easy as it sounds to take on a griffin.

“That means they’ve thought of every possible way to get away with it, and they’ve done it.

So.

I searched the deepest recesses of this quest during gameplay.

And after Taigan’s death.

I was able to get my hands on an artifact down there.

An artifact that would give me control over the griffin, and one that would allow me to complete this quest’s hidden object.

“This is the Flute of Temptation. It’s a tool that allows you to call upon an artifact’s registered beast, and send it back if you wish.”

The Temptation Flute.

This is a very rare artifact. I look at the item I found underground and gesture lightly into the air.

The artifact information window popped up.

__________________

[Basic Information]

Name: Temptation Flute

Category: Other

Rank: Medium

Properties: None

Stats: -.

Wear Restrictions: -.

Special Effects: Enrolls the specified creature in the flute and summons it. There is a maximum of one creature that can be enrolled, and greater magic is required to tame a higher creature.

__________________

A rare artifact with a rating of Medium.

Flute of Temptation.

I know the true value of this item.

It can be used for more than just calling griffins and sending them back. Aside from that, there are many other uses for artifacts.

For example, after registering a beast other than a griffin. You can summon it and have it fight a group of enemies that don’t get along, like when we first came to the Chasers region.

You’ll get the experience, but you’ll have to throw the rest away.

Not only that but what if I use a stealth item in a critical situation and a strong beast descends?

You’ll have plenty of time to escape, and the beast won’t even recognize you. In this way, the versatility of this item is unbelievable.

I was satisfied.

With this, I should be able to hunt down the griffin somehow.

If you know where and what beast will pop up?

Nothing is ever as easy as a boss fight for an old man.

“First, let’s repair the barrier. Did you bring the potion I told you about?”

“Yes… I did. Hiccup!”

…This time, Elena said it while drunk. Mei notices, and quickly pulls out a small bottle and pops it into her mouth.

Ten minutes later.

Elena is back to her normal self and begins to explain the potion.

“This potion is a ‘corrosion potion,’ something that quickly corrodes metals like iron. As you said, I’ve maximized the effect, so it should be quite useful.”

Sure enough.

I open the item window and check it out, and the potion is indeed useful.

__________________

[Basic Info]

Name: Corrosive Potion

Classification: Consumable

Rank: Medium

Properties: Aqua Regia

Stats: -.

Wear Restrictions: -.

Special Effects: This item is crafted by a genius and increases its effectiveness by 120 percent.

__________________

I set a basic trap using the Potion of Corrosion.

What we need to catch is an Iron Golem. We need something solidly cast iron to withstand the griffin’s hard claws.

If it’s steel, all the better.

I quickly finished my preparations.

I looked at the people around the table and spoke up.

“It’s almost time for the monster wave. I’ll take the Iron Golem, while Zitri and Mei repair the walls. I’ll prepare for the battle with the griffins.

And you, Elena… watch the fight from my side.”

“……?”

Elena doesn’t look happy, but I can’t help it.

I decided to give her a little warning.

With all the drinking she’s been doing, she seems to have forgotten what an asshole her new lord is.

Maybe if she saw me fighting, it would make her feel better.

That’s why I thought of this…….

Well, that’s actually a secondary reason.

I thought Elena’s combat potions might be useful in a pinch.

A griffin, no matter how ancient, is still a griffin.

The easy way out is always the fastest way to death.

Let’s say it again.

I am X-bab-ida. {1}

‘Huh… That clears my head a bit.

With that, I finished my thoughts.

‘I still don’t know what kind of potions Elena can make at this point. It’s better to ask her directly in the field than to have to fight her for potions.’

It was a sensible judgment.

With that, I finished preparing for the full-scale monster wave.

I set the trap on top of a huge pile of sand, and as I artificially channeled magic into it, the ground slowly began to rumble.

Uoooooooo…!

With a distinctive voice, the Iron Golems quickly appeared.

I smiled at them.

Looks like I’ll have to warm up a bit.

While I’m at it, I’ll refine my Southern Sword Technique a bit more.

‘Southern Swordsmanship…… This can be combined with other swordsmanships later on to make them more powerful. It’s a must-have for the skill tree.’

Information only the dead know.

A sword sought after by villains that cannot be learned through normal means.

I intend to start learning it in the near future.

“Here we go.”

“Are you sure you’re okay…? Hiccup!”

I look behind me at Elina, who is distracted as always, and see a group of demons in a trap.

The Iron Golem has slowed to a crawl and is using its sluggish body to escape.

Activate [Hour of Genius].

I spring lightly beneath the crumbling barrier.

The sounds around me slow down. The smells, the scenery.

Everything is clearly imprinted in my mind.

Geuaaa…!!

Kwaaaang!

With a loud bang, a whirlwind of sandy dust rises.

Soon, my figure is erased by the sand.

I returned to the barrier with the golem’s core.

It had been less than ten minutes at most.

{1} : 나는 X밥이다 – naneun Xbab-ida, name x eat rice, somebody please help me with an equivalent colloquialism

Chasers is cheideoseu

I’ll start using the proper Korean conjugations, not sure how I forgot about that, always enjoy that, also start using the phonetics for the effects/onomatopoeia; makes a lot more sense. First time I’ve ever translated so thank you for accompanying me on this journey

Also updating website today