"The daughter of the queen? But isn't there too much of a difference between our races?"
"...... We don't have time."
Isabella seemed to have made up her mind and spoke.
"Let's split up here. I'll buy some time."
"Don't talk nonsense. There's no way you can buy time against something like that on your own!"
It would be a miserable death. Isaac thought of the Desert Queen pursuing them from behind.
...... She was definitely not human.
Something that had transcended humanity, perhaps even monsters.
She had a truly terrifying appearance.
He wanted to retreat, but the Saint was a problem.
If he left Saint Seo behind, she would be torn to pieces by that monster.
And he still didn't know what condition Randolph was in.
He needed to confirm if Randolph, who had disappeared through a golden warp, was still alive.
Once he retreated, he wouldn't be able to reach this place again. There were too few fragments of the Golden Rule. He couldn't afford to leave Randolph behind.
"You're injured."
Isabella looked at Isaac's waist.
During the sudden attack by the queen, Isaac had been pierced through the waist.
Although no major organs or bones were damaged, he was still bleeding.
However, the situation wasn't favorable enough to treat the wound.
"Snake Princess! Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"Ho, a real Snake Princess. A traitor of Faisalmer!"
...... The Barbarians.
They appeared, blocking the way, all showing murderous intent as they mentioned the Snake Princess.
Isaac was speechless.
'You were chased in your hometown?'
Given that even the queen was chasing her, he wondered what she had done.
It seemed to be more than just simple theft.
Anyway, it seemed that Isabella had also had a difficult life, much like himself.
He felt a sense of kinship, but it was a dilemma.
"Damn bald perverts. Alright! Let's settle this today! Come on, bastards!"
Isaac put down the unconscious saint and picked up his sword.
Isabella also looked in the opposite direction, on guard.
After a while.
-My dear child. You will always be mine.
...... The Desert Queen appeared.
The last time he saw her, she was in human form, but now she had a shape that was far from human.
Her skin had split open, spreading like wings.
Her face had split in half, revealing numerous thorns.
Could this be called human?
A monster that had devoured countless children, a demon that craved blood.
All the princesses called by that name had been killed by the queen.
The reason the queen could reign over the city eternally.
And he himself was destined to be eaten by the queen.
-Are you scared? Come here, Isabella. Weren't you a good child who listened well?
If you listened well, you could live longer.
If you seemed competent, your life would be extended a little.
She wore a mask and obeyed like a doll.
She went when told to go, and died when told to die.
But Isabella dreamed of escape again when she met the Saint.
She could dream of escaping the tiresome queen.
She didn't regret disobeying the order.
She was prepared to accept her choice calmly, even if it failed.
So why was she still trembling?
-This labyrinth is interesting. It reminds me of old memories. So I must take it. And, Isabella, my dear child, I need you for that.
"Why... why me?"
-Your mystery. The mystery of the snake has hidden effects. And Isabella, you have a very special talent. You are outstanding compared to all the children who stay with me forever.
Isabella trembled.
In the end, it meant she was going to eat her.
The queen had no intention of letting her go.
Forever. As long as she lived, she would continue to chase her.
The monster and the Barbarians. Everything in the desert.
It was terrifying, but there was no other way.
"Then, let these two go... I'll behave."
-Of course. I only need you. With you, I can become the master of this labyrinth. I can kill the annoying Four Kings.
...... The Four Kings?
The Four Kings are in the labyrinth?
Then, is her current state due to the Four Kings?
The Desert Queen never reveals her true form, no matter how dangerous the situation. If she did, it meant she had encountered a powerful enemy.
If she had faced the Four Kings and ended up like this...
...... The Desert Queen might not be in good condition right now.
-Come here. My dear child.
She spread her wing-like skin even more.
A grotesque sight.
Her body trembled, and her feet wouldn't move.
She had seen the queen devour children many times from a distance.
It was scary. Terrifying.
But to save Isaac and the saint, this was the only way.
Just as Isabella was about to take a step.
"There's a huge manta ray in the labyrinth."
"...... Ah."
A familiar voice rang out.
But a manta ray?
The Desert Queen might look similar from behind, but unless her liver was sticking out, it didn't make sense!
Was he mistaken? But then, the Desert Queen turned around, and he appeared behind her.
"Talking manta ray, get out of the way. How long do you plan to block the path?"
Isaac's eyes widened in disbelief.
...... Randolph.
He appeared sitting on the head of a giant golden goblin, with the same contemptuous expression as always.
Why didn't he escape?
Using the tracking device, Isaac and Isabella's locations appeared.
Not too far away.
But it was strange.
If he had escaped the attack, he should have fled immediately.
The point on the tracking device kept moving.
However, Greed knew the geography of the labyrinth well, so it wasn't a problem.
He quickly caught up with them and nodded when he saw a giant manta ray.
'The Barbarians. The Desert Queen.'
If it was a monster followed by Barbarians, it must be the Desert Queen.
The Desert Queen was chasing the two with all her might after spotting Isabella.
'Ma Bloodline... '
A monster that had transformed its skin to look like wings, resembling a manta ray.
It was definitely a 'Ma Bloodline,' a rare type of vampire known to exist.
The Ma Bloodline was a race that strengthened its power by taking special life forms and was infamous for laying eggs in the empty shells left after taking life.
【Lv.12】
As proof, her level was 12.
Red text. A Super Elite Raid Boss Monster!
Greed's skin rippled slightly. The master of the desert and the master of the Overlapping Abyss.
He was curious who would win, but he couldn't afford to lose.
I spoke as calmly as possible.
"Get out of the way. How long do you plan to block the path?"
-...... Did you just call me a manta ray?
Manta ray. One of the words Ma Bloodlines hate the most. It's as if you're equating them with primitive sea creatures.
The Desert Queen turned around and looked at me, truly grotesque. I rarely encounter monsters that give me chills just by looking at them.
"I made a mistake. I apologize."
There's no mistake like this.
I laughed lightly and continued.
"I should have called you a talking, mysterious manta ray."
-You're relying on a mere golden goblin, child.
The Desert Queen's whole body twitched.
Reacting so strongly to just a word, how very human.
At that moment.
"Run... It's dangerous."
Isabella, who finally managed to speak, was still trembling like a leaf.
She was afraid.
Terrified.
Of the Desert Queen.
That monster.
The Ma Bloodline who would devour her.
Yet she told me to run.
Her body was trembling, but her eyes were determined.
She was willing to sacrifice herself to save the others.
-Ah, I see. You're the man who ran away with my dear child?
The Desert Queen, who realized my identity, giggled.
-A Saint? Ho ho! Was it fun to deceive a naive girl? But I've never seen a Saint like you. A Saint without the 'Mark of the Saint'? That's impossible.
The Mark of the Saint?
I've never heard of it.
Some Saints had tattoos, but that's not what she meant.
It was undoubtedly one of the characteristics of Saints known only to the long-lived Desert Queen.
-You must have lured the naive girl with the voice of the stars. I'm curious about the method to lift the curse, but I can't let you live.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a purple aura, similar to the depths, began to ripple around the Desert Queen's body.
A mystery created by condensed magic.
Greed also emitted a golden mystery.
To monsters, a mystery is like a mane or horns.
It makes them larger and more lethal.
Unlike human abilities, it was extraordinary.
It could suppress the opponent, attack, and even lead to death.
This was probably the most powerful mystery the Desert Queen could produce.
But I couldn't be sure.
I shouldn't be sure.
As a Ma Bloodline, she might have other mysteries.
-So, who wants to die first? I'll specially show you your insides. It will be a new experience to see your heart beating.
"Quite a remarkable mystery. Is this your best one?"
-I do my best with my prey. Are you scared now?
"Is this the best mystery you have?"
-Yes. A mystery you humans can only dream of. Now, let's end this. If you plan to stall...
She laughed lightly.
Snap!
I flicked my thumb and index finger.
At that moment.
-...... What?
The mystery was destroyed.
At the same time.
【Lv.11】
The Desert Queen's level dropped.
The mystery she possessed was one of the key elements that defined her.
If humans transcend by eating stars, monsters sometimes level up by acquiring mysteries, like the one in front of me.
-Wh-What did you do...?
The Desert Queen, in a panic, searched for the lost mystery.
But a destroyed mystery couldn't return.
Eternal Randolph. Because of him, I can destroy one of the opponent's mysteries.
However, destroying a mystery must be done carefully.
I had to destroy the opponent's best mystery.
I was grateful that the Desert Queen told me the answer.
-What did you do to my mystery? Did you take it? Huh? Ahh!!
She was in despair.
A mystery she had honed for a lifetime was gone in the blink of an eye.
If it caused a level drop, it must have been a significant part of her power.
Tap tap.
I tapped Greed's head twice.
Greed extended his hand.
I climbed onto his hand, slowly descended to the ground, and said to him.
"Take care of it. You can do it, right?"
-I will surely bring the head of that wicked manta ray...
"Just subdue her."
Greed couldn't contain his overwhelming emotion.
A human who could destroy a mystery!
He must have been confident that his eyes weren't wrong.
The value he saw in me must have included 'Eternal Randolph.'
However, I didn't know the exact value.
I asked, but he couldn't answer.
Shaking my head, I approached Isabella.
"Are you okay?"
"Are you okay? More importantly, that goblin..."
"It's my pet."
"...... What?"
Isabella blinked.
Who has ever seen a giant golden goblin?
It's a goblin that's far from ordinary.
To call such a monster a 'pet.'
"By the way, who is the woman lying on the ground?"
I finally asked what I had been curious about.
A woman lying face down, unconscious.
She seemed to have been dragged along, and it was clear she had been fleeing with Isabella.
Isaac answered.
"She is Saint Seo."
"......?"
What?
Saint Seo?
"There's no way."
I shook my head.
It was impossible.
Saint Seo was dead. Buried in the demon world with all kinds of curses.
She had taken all the curses I had accumulated while passing through the demon world.
The total amount of those curses was far beyond what a human could survive.
It was impossible for her to be alive.
However, I couldn't completely ignore Isaac's words.
Boom! Crunch!
The Desert Queen and Greed clashed.
But the sounds of the two monsters didn't reach me.
I slowly approached and confirmed the woman's face.