Chapter 75

Frigg bowed respectfully to Loki and showed a smile that would captivate anyone. At her alluring smile, Loki slightly shifted his body. An unearthly beauty that seemed more than human. Loki's instincts sensed something ominous, but he dismissed it as a mere feeling and ignored the warning.

Ignoring it, he thought. If he had heeded the warning, something might have changed, but fate was already decided.

"Nothing will ever fall from my hands."

*Frigg's Hand*

Frigg, with her beautiful voice that could enchant anyone, chanted and moved her hand gracefully. Golden particles sparkled and scattered throughout the labyrinth, and the air rang with a cold sound.

"Huh? What did you just do?"

Loki looked at Frigg with interest. Seeing his carefree attitude, Frigg laughed and covered her mouth.

"Hehe. That was my Seize magic to help beginners."

"Beginners' help?"

Tilting her head in confusion, the beetle-like creature, she explained with a smile. It was already over. There was no problem even if she revealed it.

"I had prepared a few for leveling up. One of them, *Frigg's Hand*, prevents the escape of fast-moving metallic enemies. To ensure they can be defeated absolutely. The developers were quite clever."

"What do you mean?"

Loki, increasingly perplexed, still believed in his own superiority and maintained his composure.

No, this attitude was fitting for Loki, the *Jester* of *The Night of Magic*. Seeing his pitiful form, Frigg laughed.

"You will die. That's what it means."

At Frigg's words, Loki's golden exoskeleton trembled, and he began to laugh.

"Is that so? The Duke of Kamun decided to do it this way. Indeed, the dead speak no words. You thought it was better to kill. Ahahaha, but I didn't think you were foolish enough to believe you could kill me. I should tell you the fate of those who thought the same before."

"Hehe, a cliché. I've heard this line before. A mysterious strong character who stirs the story. An interesting character. Not very original, Loki."

Clutching his stomach, Loki laughed exaggeratedly, and Frigg responded with a sneer. Indeed, a rather straightforward character. Fitting for the *Jester*.

Loki, feeling offended by Frigg's attitude, pointed his sword at her and spoke with a slight irritation.

"It seems you, a lone mage, have the confidence to defeat me. But I'm sorry. I now have the form of the mythical monster *Hercules Knight*. I won't lose easily."

Saying he wouldn't lose, Loki spoke playfully. His words were humble, but he showed no intention of losing. Frigg couldn't help but laugh at his pitifulness.

"Indeed. Indeed. It's too pitiful, so I'll tell you, *Jester*. The one who wants your life is not the Duke of Kamun."

"...What?"

Loki, surprised by the unexpected words, stopped laughing. That was understandable. Only the Duke of Kamun and the recently killed monster handlers knew about this labyrinth. Loki hadn't expected any other forces to appear.

"I want your title. The title of *Jester* Loki. Yes, your real name is Sae Kotori."

"What! How do you know my name!"

Loki, or rather Sae Kotori, exclaimed in shock. She hadn't expected anyone to know her real name.

For Frigg, it was a simple matter. She had seen Sae's real name through Munin's analysis and had read all her levels, history, and titles.

"Kotori... Pitiful. You could play only because there were no hawks."

"......It seems I have to kill you."

Loki, or rather Sae, seemed to have become serious. A heavy aura emanated from her body. Frigg, thinking it was no longer worth calling her Loki, took out a short dagger studded with gems from her item box.

"Your true identity is known to only two people in the original story. That's why it's good. Even if the young lady plays Loki in the future, as long as someone knows her true identity, the blame won't fall on her. They will search for the disappeared you, a poor female detective?"

Even if the young lady's true identity was revealed, she could claim to be Loki. Because Loki often transformed into convenient people. She would likely transform into the young lady, a recovery mage.

Because, as the young lady said, in the game, she had fought Loki, and among the various transformations, Loki often transformed into Saint Nana to heal her own wounds.

"I don't understand. You seem to know me too well. I'll have to investigate your background."

"Oh? Investigating a woman is so unsophisticated, Sae."

Loki, feeling anxious, resolved to capture the alluring beauty in front of him. She knew too much about him. There must be an organization backing her.

*Lightning Strike*

Raising his sword, Loki released a lightning strike and slashed at Frigg. The lightning-fast sword strike passed through Frigg's leg in an instant.

*Hercules Knight* had a troublesome combat skill. A skilled swordsman, using lightning attributes, could cut through enemies with the speed of lightning.

Turning to the leg he had just cut, Loki intended to show a carefree smile, but he was startled to see Frigg, unharmed.

There was no doubt he had cut her leg. He had felt the resistance, but Loki was flustered and quickly readied his sword again.

*Thunder Sword*

His sword trembled, and lightning struck, piercing Frigg's body. It was a spell that could easily kill a high-level apprentice mage. Loki looked at Frigg, expecting damage.

"Slash, lightning. Too simple, monster. Are you really a mythical monster? Too weak."

Indeed, she was unharmed. She was patting her clothes as if brushing off dust.

"Impossible! What kind of trick is this!"

"Are you a *Jester*? Think about it?"

The trick was simple. Frigg had awakened the rusty ring she had received from Sin and transformed it into the *Dimensional Ring*.

*Dimensional Ring: Universal attribute power 100% up. Can nullify one non-universal attribute when used.*

Using the *Dimensional Ring*, Frigg nullified the slash attribute. At the same time, she used the best support spell, *Lightning Barrier*, which could nullify one attribute spell.

After observing *Hercules Knight*'s combat for a while, Frigg had predicted Loki's moves. Of course, she had no intention of revealing this. With a calm expression, she lied and fought Loki.

"Damn! *Jester*!"

Angry at her playful attitude, Loki attacked again with his sword. Frigg, with her short dagger, met his attack. Loki's magic sword flashed, aiming for Frigg's body. She felt the resistance of a diagonal slash, but upon closer inspection, there seemed to be a thin barrier, and the sword slid off.

"Hehe."

Without defending, Frigg's short dagger hit Loki's golden exoskeleton. However, it made a *clink* sound, and Loki deflected the blade.

"Oh my?"

"It seems we can't hurt each other!"

Loki, slightly relieved by the *Hercules Knight*'s defense, regained his composure and began to swing his sword in quick succession.

*Lightning Sword*

Charging his sword with lightning, he attacked Frigg. The attacks came in rapid succession, as if splitting. But he couldn't even scratch her.

"Too hard. Oh, is that way of speaking bad for children's education?"

"Your wit seems to surpass mine!"

Without breaking her alluring smile, Frigg attacked Loki.

To Loki, it was a considerable, no, unprecedented level of skill with a short dagger. She was unpredictable, and when he tried to block with his sword, she would spin and avoid. Her feints mixed with real attacks, and when he tried to block what he thought was the real attack, it turned out to be a feint, and what he thought was a feint hit him.

If he hadn't been *Hercules Knight*, he might have been defeated, and Loki laughed nervously.

Both moved at high speed, attacking repeatedly, neither getting hurt, and the endless dance continued. The sound of sword strikes and the roar of thunder filled the air.

"Amazing, fighting without *Magic Armor* and still being this strong! Your equipment does feel magical, but it's not that strong! Yet, you can fight *Hercules Knight* on equal terms!"

"That's right. We are weak in one aspect. Don't you think it's a cruel story even though we pay?"

"Another joke? But I can get an ideal body!"

*Thud*, Loki leaped back. Frigg, not pursuing, watched Loki's laughter with interest. She was already bored since neither could deal damage.

Secretly, before talking to Loki, Frigg had cast plenty of support spells on herself. She had chosen to fight and prepared thoroughly before initiating the conversation. She wasn't strong enough to fight a high-level monster like that.

Actually, she didn't need to do that, but she wanted to confirm the effects of support spells during combat and her body's movements. But now, it was enough. She was starting to think of ending it by killing Loki, which was perfect.

Frigg knew exactly what Loki was thinking. She was interested in whether she could achieve her true goal.

*Transformation Release*

Loki's form crumbled like clay. Frigg, with a cold smile, watched the scene. If she attacked now, it would be over, but she didn't.

The clay-like form transformed into a 25-year-old woman with a sarcastic air. She had a certain charm and was likable, as the young lady had said. She had been involved in the main story of the game.

"You're not surprised? Of course not. You even know my real name."

She appeared to be an ordinary, plain woman. A cute woman who could be a minor character. In fact, that's how she was treated.

She usually posed as a poor detective and an information broker. That was Sae Kotori. In the original story, the female detective was a comedic character who often appeared to the protagonist, complaining about being hungry and asking for a meal. The young lady had been surprised to learn her true identity in the game.

Only two people in the original story knew Loki's true identity. The young lady had learned from one of them in the game. It was unclear from whom in the original story.

Being a *Jester* with a known identity, it was perfect.

"Even if you surrender, it won't help. You are ordered to be killed."

"Cold boss, huh? But I don't think it will be that easy."

"Cold... huh."

Thinking of the young lady, Frigg chuckled. Loki, unaffected by her reaction, extended his palm.

*Blood Suction*

The spell activated, and a drop of blood seeped from Frigg's body, landing on Loki's palm.

"You resisted. You are good. Without *Magic Armor*, your power is remarkable. This is my only weakness. Since I often transform and infiltrate, I struggle against *Magic Armor* users, but this can cover it!"

Licking the blood from his palm, Loki's face was filled with joy, as if he had finally obtained his ideal body.

"I can transform by drinking the blood of others!"

"Then, transform and see?"

Frigg put away her short dagger and took out an ancient single-shot pistol. It was a gold flintlock pistol studded with gems.

Loki, surprised by the terrifying magical gun that appeared out of nowhere, still used his unique spell *Transformation*.

*Transformation*

His form crumbled like clay and reformed into Frigg. Transforming into the alluring beauty, Loki tried to show a carefree smile but stiffened.

It wasn't because she was naked. Loki wore the ancient mysterious ring *Illusory Attire*, which made simple clothes appear when she transformed into a human form. A convenient item, but since there was no age restriction in the novel, the author must have thought it would be problematic if she were naked.

Even in simple attire, she was still the most beautiful woman in the world.

"Oh? Congratulations. You are now the most beautiful woman in the world."

Frigg offered a compliment, but Loki began to sweat coldly.

"Nothing. Nothing! No magic power, no physical abilities! I'm just a regular person, why, why!"

Losing his composure, Loki shouted in confusion. Frigg, with an alluring smile, looked at him.