Chapter 60

Then the other party members came into view.

First, Serengeti chuckled.

"That Demigod, to create such a trial. It seems we might be able to clear it faster than expected."

He sneered as if it were nothing.

After all, it was a level that wouldn't take even five minutes to answer.

"Compared to the reputation, it's definitely..."

"..."

Isaac and Isabella also had calm expressions.

After all, they were only going to ask one question each.

They wouldn't have written down any questions that would be awkward to answer.

Soon, a delicate woman's voice echoed in my ears.

"The first question for Serengeti."

"Do you truly love Hudson?"

Serengeti looked at me.

Does he think I asked this question?

"Of course, I truly love him."

Serengeti answered with a slight blush.

There was no room for doubt, both in his answer and his attitude.

"According to the oath, the judgment is true."

"The first question for Isaac."

"Why were you crying in the city square?"

Isaac's eyes wavered.

He clearly had no idea that someone had seen him crying so pitifully.

It was a bit awkward, but not something he couldn't answer.

"Lord Randolph forgave my sins. Because my sin value was high, children never approached me. But when a child came up to me and asked why I was crying, I ended up crying even more."

He answered in even more detail.

After all, this was a party dungeon. Isaac knew that trust was important in a party dungeon.

Especially in this place, which had a high reputation, and Isaac, who had traveled all over the continent, had heard countless stories about it.

"According to the oath, the judgment is true."

"The first question for Isabella."

"Your accent is unique. Which city are you from?"

Which city are you from?

Isabella looked back and forth between Isaac and Serengeti.

She must think it wasn't me.

After all, I was the one who first met her and brought her here, so if anyone asked about her origin, it would have to be Isaac or Serengeti.

"...... The desert city, Faisalmer."

The worst starting point.

The infamous desert city of Faisalmer.

A city ruled by a queen, which all continent dwellers avoid.

Many people would look at you with prejudice if you were from the desert city.

However, Isabella was confident.

To begin with, Isabella's skin color was different from that of the people of the desert city.

Moreover, she had no idea how people from other cities viewed Faisalmer.

"According to the oath, the judgment is true."

That's how the questions for the first three ended.

Now it was my turn.

The previous questions were quite ordinary.

They were questions that anyone could be curious about and ask.

Although I didn't know who asked whom, it seemed they had only asked appropriate questions, considering each other's positions.

If that was the case, the question assigned to me was likely to be nothing major.

"The first question for Randolph."

"Are you a Star Seer?"

A game changer.

...... A Star Seer?

I was taken aback when I saw the question.

Who would ask such a question?

Because someone doesn't believe I'm a Star Seer?

Or because they believe it and are asking out of certainty?

'Star Seer.'

What is a Star Seer?

A guide to the stars for those who are worthy of possessing them.

A gamer who reaches level 10 and all stats of 100 must find a Star Seer to learn the location of the stars.

In that sense, I am not a Star Seer.

I have never been a Star Seer from the beginning.

It was just a lie I told to protect myself and get out of a situation.

However, if I said no, it would be admitting to a lie.

It would be the same as telling them I had been deceiving them from the start.

At the very least, Isabella and Isaac would be greatly affected.

'After all, I approached them by saying I was a Star Seer from the beginning.'

A seeker of the stars.

One who believes in the stars and worships them.

The unknown is always more imposing.

The mystery and sanctity of it all serve as a good mask for me.

Isabella saved me because I said I was a Star Seer, and Isaac couldn't help but treat me as something extraordinary.

If it weren't for that lie, I would already be dead.

I would have died at Isabella's hands from the start.

'Even if it was a lie I told to survive...'

I was the one who had been consistently upholding that lie.

I recalled when I entered the Chamber of Truth.

...Answer only the truth according to the oath.

I signed the 'Truth Oath' engraved on my heart and soul of my own will.

"I am-"

But no matter what answer I gave, the truth would be revealed.

It would be better to tell the truth.

If I lied, I would fail the challenge and be expelled.

Since re-challenges were impossible, it might be better to tell the truth and try to smooth things over.

Then I could continue to 'challenge.'

"Star Seer-"

If I said I wasn't a Star Seer, it would be difficult to regain the trust once broken.

I might have to carry the fact that I lied to myself forever.

Once a seed of doubt is planted, it grows a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand times, eroding trust.

So, I spoke the truth.

"Yes."

...I am a Star Seer.

Literally, one who has realized the stars.

One who knows what the stars are.

One who has delved deeper into the stars than anyone and has been chosen by them.

If I am not a Star Seer, who is?

"According to the oath, the judgment is true."

I felt relieved.

And I realized.

'Demigod distorted the questions.'

While the questions were being asked, I observed everyone's expressions in detail.

Thanks to my Observation skill, I could perceive even the slightest movement of a hair and judge their emotions based on their expressions and reactions.

The subtle changes that appeared as the questions progressed.

'The questions are correct, but the tone is different.'

The first question to Serengeti, "Do you truly love Hudson?" was indeed what I wrote.

It's correct, but different.

'I never used the word 'truly'.'

Do you love Hudson?

Do you truly love Hudson?

The tone and weight are completely different.

Demigod is slightly distorting the questions to make them awkward to answer.

However, there's no need to give the correct answer to a distorted question.

Whether I am a Star Seer in the dictionary sense or according to the questioner's definition is a matter for each person to judge.

'Distortion is met with distortion.'

If I were my former self, I would have chosen to say I am not a Star Seer.

At that time, this world was just a 'game' to me.

A world in a game where everything is predetermined by data and numbers.

But this was reality.

A real world where emotions come alive and interact with each other.

And the truth is something that interacts.

If we all believe it's the truth, then it is the truth.

Besides, it's not exactly a lie, is it?

A distorted question deserves a distorted answer.

'Now I understand why the Truth Oath states that no discussion about the questions is allowed.'

No discussion.

It even forbids sharing expressions.

But there was no discussion.

It was just something I observed on my own.

Their expressions.

Isaac, Isabella, Serengeti.

They don't hide their expressions in front of me.

"Hmm."

Upon hearing my answer, everyone nodded as if it were obvious.

They had believed me from the start.

Because they didn't doubt me from the start, my answer was the truth.

It was completely different from the previous strategy where we came in hiding our intentions.

Trust relationship.

It's not something that can be easily broken by Demigod's tricks.

*

Once I understood Demigod's intention to distort the questions, the rest was too easy.

There was no need to be flustered or suspicious.

We quickly cleared it and moved on to the next level, and the world turned dark again.

Soon, a sign appeared in front of me.

"The next level's trial is 'Blocking the Entrance'."

"To block the entrance and clear the level, you need one ranged attacker, two shield bearers, and one healer."

"Choose one of the three roles."

"The trial will begin once all party members have chosen."

The three roles needed to block the entrance.

Ranged attacker, shield bearer, healer.

Three symbols appeared in front of me, as if asking me to choose one.

An arrow symbol, a shield symbol, and a green aura.

'They're not giving us time to discuss.'

This level requires us to know each other's capabilities and choices.

If one role is missing or there are too many, the challenge will fail.

'Serengeti will choose shield bearer.'

He already demonstrated it in the first level. With his stats fixed, he must have a good grasp of his role.

'The rest is difficult.'

I stroked my chin.

If I choose ranged attacker like in the first level, who will be the healer?

Isaac, Isabella.

Will they choose shield bearer and healer?

Then, should I be the healer?

Isaac is especially specialized in attack. He might choose ranged attacker.

'Now that I think about it, I've never shown that I can use ranged weapons.'

My brows furrowed.

To choose without overlapping, we need to know each other's strengths.

"All party members have made their choices."

*

As the darkness lifted, we were on a hill.

Blocking the entrance.

On the ground below, there were probably thousands of 'Bomb Bugs'.

Bomb Bugs are beetle-like creatures that explode on contact.

Their explosive power is weak, but they have a strong acid that can melt human flesh.

Two shield bearers are needed to block their explosions.

"Shield bearers, raise your shields to block the entrance."

Fortunately, there are two shield bearers.

"Yes!"

Nod!

Serengeti and Isabella.

They worked together to raise their shields and block the entrance to the hill.

"Ranged attacker, eliminate the Bomb Bugs that jump over the shields."

"Yes."

The ranged attacker was Isaac.

"I chose 'Healer'."

"The Healer can heal the chosen target."

"Remaining healing spell uses: 5."

I was naturally the healer.

The reason I chose healer was simple.

The only ones who can give orders from the back are the ranged attacker or the healer, and I thought Isaac would choose ranged attacker.

After all, I've never shown that I can use ranged weapons.

Isabella was a bit of a concern, but she's not a 'commander' type.

She's not suitable for the rear role of a commander, so I thought she would choose shield bearer.

And my guess was spot on.

"Coming!"

A narrow alley.

The Bomb Bugs started jumping and rolling up.

They're only as big as an adult's fist, but the sight is overwhelming.

'This is standard procedure.'

The level is progressing as expected.

Role distribution, position fixing, and preparation are all perfect.

'I don't intend to play the game as it is.'

But I have no intention of moving according to Demigod's plan.

I rack my brain.

A way to turn this situation around.

A move to break the board he created!

"Serengeti, give me your shield."

"What?"

He looks at me as if I'm speaking nonsense.

"When I give the signal, switch places with me."

"Are you sure you can handle it?"

"I can do better than you, who hasn't learned shield skills. When I raise my right hand, switch places immediately. After that, follow my instructions."

"But this shield has usage conditions."

"It's fine."

The usage conditions of the shield.

I already know them.

As I stretched out my hand, Serengeti handed me the shield without hesitation.

<'Bomb Bug Shield' proficiency is too low to equip.>

It means I can't hold the shield.

But when I grabbed the shield, things changed.

<'Hidden trait Weapon Master grants 'Bomb Bug Shield' proficiency.>

<'Bomb Bug Shield' usage conditions are removed.>

<'Weapon Master' raises 'Bomb Bug Shield' proficiency to level 5.>

<'Dexterity' raises 'Bomb Bug Shield' proficiency to level 6.>

Choosing shield bearer grants 'Bomb Bug Shield proficiency'.

Originally, only those with this proficiency could equip it, but Weapon Master is a hidden trait that raises the proficiency of all equipment to level 5.

A trait that makes any weapon you pick up for the first time a 'proficient' one.

Plus +1 level from dexterity.

Total 6 levels. As my proficiency rose, I felt strength in my grip on the shield.