Chapter 89 : An Unexpected Answer

Did I hear that right?

A new question.

Something outside the 101 riddles Hans had taught us.

The 102nd riddle.

Which meant… we didn’t know the answer.

And not knowing the answer meant only one thing—being eaten alive by that damned S-rank beast.

This was absurd.

The Sphinx licked its lips and muttered.

「It has been far too long since I last tasted human flesh. You humans do not even realize how delicious you are.」

Then it grinned—its mouth tearing wide, nearly to its ears.

No one could have called that smile pleasant, not even as a lie.

Shing—

The knights, reacting instinctively, drew their swords.

The Sphinx’s sinister grin deepened.

「Do you mean to break the covenant? Good. The hunt will be all the more enjoyable.」

It rose to its feet.

「I am the guardian of the covenant. Now I shall collect the price.」

Boom—

A wave of killing intent erupted outward, circling the area like a crushing dome.

Scarlet mana rippled around it like shimmering heat haze, taking form of its own accord.

The pressure was suffocating, pressing down on every inch of my body.

Silence fell, heavy and stifling.

Reactions varied.

The knights, faces pale, dropped to one knee as if the air itself were choking them.

Only Curtis managed to raise his aura to resist, though his sword shook uncontrollably.

Linda stumbled back, fear etched across her face.

Shushruta just stood there, frozen, staring at me with eyes ready to cry.

“Ashuban…”

The only one smiling was the Heavenly Demon.

[Well, well…]

Inside my mind, he looked positively amused, as if watching a neighbor’s dog roll around in the yard.

And strangely, some of that calm bled into me.

Fear retreated.

I instinctively drew up my qi against the beast’s aura, then bellowed with an inner power-laced voice:

“Wait!”

My shout shattered the silence.

The Sphinx’s eyes snapped to me.

Surprise flickered across its face. It leaned down, studying me closely.

「…Strange. I sense no aura from you, yet you resist my killing intent.」

“Shut your mouth, ugly. You’re the one breaking the covenant here!”

The Sphinx tilted its head.

「What do you mean?」

“You haven’t even given us a chance to answer. Are you trying to rob us of that by scaring us into silence, you cunning bastard? No wonder your head’s human—cunning as hell.”

「Hahahaha…」

The Sphinx’s booming laughter shook the island.

「So you try tricks.」

Thud!

It dropped back onto its haunches, withdrawing its aura.

「Fine. Answer as you like. You cannot leave this island without my leave anyway. I will grant you all the time in the world to wrack your brain.」

It gazed at me with amusement.

We stared each other down.

“Huff…”

Schneider and Walpole collapsed briefly to the ground before scrambling up again.

Linda hiccuped and ducked behind me.

Curtis staggered closer.

“…Devil. What on earth…”

I met Shushruta’s tearful eyes.

“A-Ashuban… Hans never mentioned this riddle! I swear I didn’t forget—it wasn’t in the list!”

“Yeah, yeah. Just give me the dagger.”

“The dagger? What for—”

“Now.”

Flustered, she handed it over.

I took it, stepping forward.

“Back up. You’re in the way.”

Her eyes went wide as she realized what I intended.

“Ashuban! You don’t mean to fight it?!”

The knights all stared in horror.

I answered casually.

“What else can I do?”

This lake belonged to the Sphinx.

The unnatural fog? Its doing.

Forcing wanderers to circle endlessly until they withered away? Also its trick.

It must have been draining life from the lost all this time. That skeleton we saw was proof.

Unless we killed this thing, we’d never claim the Demon Sword—or escape this island.

A head-on clash.

There was no other way.

I couldn’t stay trapped here forever.

I had a place to return to.

Honestly… I was sure I could handle a B-rank beast. Even an A-rank, I might beat bloody with enough effort.

But an S-rank?

That was something else. A monster on par with the Knight of Frost.

Still… what choice did I have?

Thump. Thump.

My heart pounded, not with fear but with excitement.

Maybe that fall off the cliff really had broken me for good. I’d always been twisted, but now… even worse.

Why was my heart thrilled by this danger? Why was it rejoicing?

I had to be insane.

“Heh.”

My lips curled up into a grin, as if in rhythm with my heartbeat.

The knights flinched, taking a step back.

Curtis swallowed hard, then moved to stand beside me.

“Devil. I am lacking, but I will assist. If I give my life, I can at least create an opening.”

Shushruta stepped forward too.

“M-me as well. I’ll draw its gaze—you strike in that moment.”

Linda tugged at my cloak.

“Devil! I’m scared, but… I’ll help too! Maybe coat your sword in poison?”

Finally, Walpole and Schneider joined.

“Vice-captain. Let’s fight together.”

“We’ll widen that opening as much as we can.”

The Sphinx watched us, amused.

「So you would challenge me? Not a bad choice.」

But I scowled. This wasn’t some play at being heroes.

“I told you to stay back.”

“But—”

“Devil!”

I glared at them with killing intent.

“You’re in my way. Do you want me to cut you down first?”

“U-ugh…”

I raised the dagger, and they faltered, stepping back in shock.

“Don’t interfere with my fight.”

“….”

Half of it was pure fury, half deliberate intimidation.

“Just sit back and watch.”

Shing—

I drew my longsword with my right hand, dagger in my left.

Then I advanced on the Sphinx.

Twin blades—longsword and dagger.

Dual-wielding, for the first time.

“I’m ready.”

The Sphinx bared its teeth in a grin.

Then it repeated its riddle:

「One voice, walking first on two legs, then on four, and finally on three—what is it?」

“…Hm?”

I raised my blades, then paused.

Because suddenly… I thought I knew the answer.

A single word flashed in my mind, bright and insistent.

“…That’s easy.”

「What did you say?」

“The answer’s a human. Isn’t it?”

「…！」

The Sphinx’s eyes flew wide.

「H-how…」

“So it’s right?”

「Y-yes. Correct…」

It stammered.

「How could a mere human…! This was my greatest riddle, refined over decades of thought!」

The beast clawed at its own face in anguish, leaving bloody gouges across its cheeks.

「Impossible… impossible! How could a wretched human know!」

Crying tears of blood, the Sphinx let out a roar and fled, crashing blindly into the mist.

「Aaaaaaahhh!」

“…What the hell?”

I stared after it until it vanished into the fog, then turned back.

The others, equally dumbfounded, gazed at me with blank faces before meeting my eyes.

All the heavy tension from before had evaporated without a trace.

“……”

“……”

“Ashuban.”

“Yeah?”

“How did you know the answer?”

“I just… did. It came to me when I heard it.”

“……”

“Devil.”

“Mm?”

“Why is the answer ‘human’?”

“Simple. They swagger in on two legs, crawl away on all fours after a beating, and when they finally leave, it’s with something broken—hobbling along on three legs with a cane.”

“……”

“……”

Shushruta sighed.

“…I don’t think that’s the intended explanation, but… the answer was correct, so it matters little.”

“Then why sigh?”

“It’s nothing.”

“……”

We locked eyes for a moment before I turned toward the passage the Sphinx had been blocking—an entrance to Ophosis’s tomb.

“…Tch.”

Why did I feel disappointed?

The blood that had been surging a moment ago cooled instantly.

[……Tch.]

Even the Heavenly Demon clicked his tongue, as if he shared my regret.

The passage led underground.

Crystals embedded in the sloping ceiling glowed faintly, casting enough light to walk by.

It felt like entering some untouched ruin.

As I descended, I asked Shushruta, “So there aren’t any more trials after this, right?”

She nodded.

“That’s what Hans said.”

“Right.”

“But as before, Hans’s word is not infallible. We must remain cautious.”

With that, she hurried ahead.

“There could be traps. I’ll take the lead.”

“Suit yourself.”

Step by careful step, we followed her down.

Though the legacy of Ophosis waited below, my earlier excitement had shattered, and it didn’t return.

I’d brought it on myself—there was no one else to blame.

“…Maybe I shouldn’t have answered so quickly.”

“What was that?” Shushruta looked back.

“Nothing. Just talking to myself.”

“……”

She glared briefly, then faced forward again.

“Ashuban. Value your life.”

“What for? Nobody’s waiting on me.”

I couldn’t even picture my mercenary comrades worrying if I died. They’d probably just shrug.

‘…They do know I’m still alive, right?’

A bitter thought stung.

Even if I returned, I’d probably hear something like, ‘Oh, we thought you were dead. Huh, you’re not? Weird.’

“…Should I even go back?”

No, I had to.

If only to kick their asses for real this time.

As I steeled myself, Shushruta suddenly snapped her head toward me.

“Why do you say no one cares?”

“Huh?”

“When you were unconscious for a week, do you know how much Hans, Julia, and Joy worried? Do you know how devotedly they tended to you?”

“…They did?”

“They did. And I…”

“And you what?”

“…I am your comrade, am I not? You worry for me, and I worry for you.”

“When did I ever worry about you?”

Her mouth opened, then closed. She turned away sharply.

“Forget it! Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall.”

“Why’re you angry now?”

“Silence! Watch your step and don’t tumble down the stairs.”

Fuming, she stormed ahead.

I glanced at Curtis.

“Strange girl, isn’t she?”

He gave me a long look.

“What? Why?”

“…Nothing.”

Linda tugged my arm.

“Devil! If you died, I’d be sooo sad too.”

“Shut it.”

“…O-okay.”

After that, the descent was smooth. No traps, no obstacles.

…A shame, really.

Shushruta checked carefully, then waved us down.

“No traps. Come.”

I trudged after her, muttering,

“Not even one more beast? Doesn’t have to be S-rank. An A-rank would do.”

“There are none. So hurry.”

“Tch.”

We finally reached the bottom. Looking up, the entrance was so far it seemed to scrape the sky.

The tomb lay deep.

At the base of the stairs, a massive corridor opened up, sealed by a heavy door.

Ancient carvings wound across its surface.

Shushruta pointed.

“There. Insert the dagger.”

“That tiny slot’s the keyhole?”

“Yes.”

It didn’t look like a keyhole at all—more like a crack where someone had jammed a blade.

“So the dagger really is the key.”

I slid it in.

Vmm—

The dagger vibrated.

From the other side came strange beeping sounds, followed by—

Kugugung! Groooaaan!

Slowly, the door began to open.

(End of Chapter)

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