A beautiful demoness with a voluptuous figure stood before them. Her bare body wasn't lewd—purple magic crystals enveloped her, sprouting beyond her skin like armor. Her eyes, brimming with boundless energy from within, locked onto her prey. An aura of malice spread, and long, agile crystal tendrils writhed, binding the battered bodies of the four girls.
With a sly, sinister smile, she posed her question.
"Choose. Whose soul shall I devour? The remaining three will go free."
"Sob… hic… Choose me! Hic… Let Nerim, Waan, and Tris go!"
"Very well~"
"Sob… hic… No way! Please, demon, take me instead! I'm Nerim, the future greatest heavy-armored warrior! Hic… If you let me live, I swear, when I'm stronger… you're done!"
"Hmm? Not bad. Then I'll take you instead…"
"Sob… hic… Nooo, I'm scared… But if everyone else dies and I survive, I won't allow it! Take me instead! Waaah!"
"Crying and wetting yourself, yet so brave. Your fear, greater than the rest, seems delicious. I'll take you, then."
"No… I led everyone here. Take me instead, please!"
"Hmph! Such loyalty! Greedy, aren't you?! Then you'll all die together!!!"
Day 428 in this world
Serathul Village
An old woman smiled warmly, watching four girls chomping on food, cheeks puffed out, chatting lively over a lunch of delicious meat and bread.
Just seven days since Tris ventured into the wide world, she'd returned with new friends and a childlike joy that put her parents at ease.
Hmm… That's the heartwarming surface scene. Now, let's dive back into my head.
After our party farmed that dungeon for five days, we split the haul four ways: EXP 2100, SXP 1800, and 450z.
The other three were thrilled with the results… but for Tris (me)? Total flop. Days 2, 3, 4, and 5, we grinded 6-8 hours daily, sometimes tacking on 2-4 hours at night.
Seeing those numbers, I was ready to boost them from day one, but those goddesses kept snooping around too often. Grace was rocking her cute outfit at the guild outpost every day during this period. (Wait, are the goddesses ogling me because I'm cute now? Heh! …Why am I proud they think I'm cute?!)
How'd I know the girls were good? I copied their bodies, probed their thoughts, and studied their behavior to confirm they'd benefit from a little "cheating" to get stronger—strong enough to help Grace. My brilliant plan kicked off!
"I've got a secret only I know. Deep in the forest near the village, there's a spot that opens as a secret, safe dungeon for a short time every year. I brought you here because it's open right now!"
"Whoa! For real, Tris? That's awesome! A secret dungeon just for our Rewanerish gang!"
"Super exciting! If no one's there to steal our farm, it'll be perfect. Hope my traps work!"
"Ooh, a secret and safe dungeon? Sounds thrilling…"
"Yup… let's go!"
"Woo!" x3
So gullible, these kids… Don't call your friends that, Tris! Hey, stop arguing with me, we're the same person!
After resting and finishing lunch, Tris (me) led them into the forest near the village as planned. Deeper, deeper, and deeper—far enough to escape prying eyes. I double-checked and set up a barrier for extra security. Time to roll! (Why does this sound like I'm luring kids into something shady?)
Their destination? A rabbit burrow under a massive tree, hidden by bushes. To seasoned adventurers, one glance screamed "dangerous magic portal." But for these girls? Total newbies who trusted Tris completely.
The four of us crawled through the burrow and emerged in a dungeon I created… (Yup, I conjured this dungeon myself, custom-built!) Gamers would know: a wide, empty arena, no background music, a single entrance that could slam shut anytime? Classic boss room vibes!!
"This place? It's just an empty room, right? Stay sharp, Nerim, Waan, Tris."
"M-Maybe we should leave? My trapper instincts are screaming 'trap'!"
"Y-Yeah, I agree! Let's get out of here!"
"It wasn't like this last time… Let's run!"
They had some sense, but too late. The moment the four girls turned to flee, the dungeon door slammed shut!
Rumble, clang!
"Heh heh heh! Foolish little girls, stumbling into my lair and thinking you can escape so easily?! Prepare to face the wrath of XPQueen!"
A booming laugh echoed, brimming with overwhelming energy. A majestic purple aura spread, blanketing the area.
And that loops back to the opening scene!
Yup, that's the script. XPQueen, the secret boss, appears, captures the party, and torments them until they're scared witless. But when it's time for the climax, they each choose to sacrifice themselves to save the others… So cute, right?
"What's going on? You're letting us go?"
"I don't get it…"
"Was this all a test for the four of us?!"
"…"
Nerim, Waan, and Rejeen passed XPQueen's (my) test with flying colors. No doubt about how sweet they are, right, folks? Even Tris, the newbie who led them into danger, wasn't blamed one bit!
"You've passed the test, little ones. For the next 24 hours, you'll gain enough EXP, SXP, items, and cash to live comfortably… But…"
"But?" x4
"There are two conditions…"
And that's the story of how I schemed to buff these three girls to help Grace level up and move forward. Heh heh!
Wait, didn't I say Tris was in Normal Mode? Yup! That's tied to the two conditions!
In the future, I'll share how Grace gets help from Nerim, Waan, and Rejeen.
But next time, I'll pick up a loose end I owe you all. It's almost time to cross the continent!
Yup, that shimmering barrier in the middle of the sea!!
End of Chapter 52
XPQueen