Chapter 37 - The Profound and Dignified Ciel?

Chapter 37 – The Profound and Dignified Ciel?

With just her own powers, millions of different stories processed through her head, and she analysed each and every one.

Trying to make it interesting and believable, she picked the most inconspicuous one.

"I go by many titles." Her voice seemed enchanting to the others, and it was only after Sun Jinwoo used one of his skills to awaken everyone that she then continued.

"Too be honest, there are too many to count, but you may call me Ciel. As for what you can do to leave, have a chat with me." Her smile seemed real, but there was definitely some hidden intention behind it.

"You see, I am a poor soul who had been sealed here by a godly being called Rimuru. It's been at least a million years since I've seen someone, so at least do me this favour." She lied.

"Sealed?" His mind spun quickly and he didn't hesitate to carry on the conversation. She, seeing this, nodded with approval inside her mind.

"Yes. One day, I severely annoyed Rimuru, to the point where he decided to give me punishment, and things happened before I came here."

"Who's Rimuru?"

"That is information you are not privy to. Just know that he is the strongest and most powerful being to ever exist. Even knowing his name is a privilege to some, so be grateful that I told you. It doesn't happen every day after all. Now it's my turn to ask some questions, who may you be? That explosion was quite the spectacle."

(She saw that? So she was awake the entire time?)

"My name is Sun Jinwoo, and these are my friends who have come with me into a gate."

"Oh? A gate?"

"Yes. They are these portals that connect to another world. If they are not dealt with quickly, the creatures that reside inside will invade Earth, so people called hunters with special abilities appeared and it is their job to clear them."

"... I see. So I assume you and all of them are hunters?"

"Indeed. We came into this portal expecting what we normally encounter, but not this. We are sorry to disturb you."

"Don't be. I said before that it's been a while since visitors showed up. Anyway, what are the origin of the gates?"

"I don't really know. All I know is that they descended some time ago, and they appear randomly across the world. Also, only some people will awaken these special abilities, and if one trains hard enough they can improve themselves, although people cannot increase the amount of strength they were given."

Ciel didn't reply but fell into deep thought.

"And what is your role in it?"

"My... role?"

"Yes. Perhaps you don't want to say it and I understand, but I know, and I want to ask what your role is." Her voice became deeper.

"My role... truthfully, I don't know. It was kind of forced upon me and I have just been living with it"

"Forced... upon you? You don't know?"

A minute of silence waved their hand at the room.

But Ciel's mind was linking and connecting multiple threads together, before finally coming to a conclusion.

(Sounds like something is being imposed on him because of something.

If I had to guess, something, or someone is pulling some strings.

Perhaps... ahhh. I see now... if I had to guess, that's probably what happened.

Basically, a long time ago an arrogant being who identified themselves as God probably made two sides, and since the being was bored he decided to make the two sides fight. I can understand the boredom bit, but making two sides seems a bit unnecessary. Just open a café or something...

Anyway, one side probably got close to wiping the other side out but then the God stopped them. After a while of fighting, that side probably discovered the truth and rebelled. Maybe the God died? Well, they didn't show up after that. How idiotic to die from your own creations?

That side then again went to rampage and tried to delete the other side, but once again someone rebelled.

Most likely, the God left some sort of gift into a being that is loyal, and watched at how it will play out. That hidden power turned out to be critical in turning the tides of war and they became fearful.

Then, they escaped like cowards and found this version of Earth, to which they decided to invade by making these portals.

Then, the other side found this and saturated the world with mana in hopes of defeating the invasion.

This Sung Jinwoo guy probably inherits the strength of the person who turned the tides of war in that battle.

That strength is probably something to do with raising the dead and using them as loyal minions. Looks cool enough I guess.

How interesting...)

Not even the author knows how Ciel deduced all of this, but oh well.

Exiting her mind, she then looked at him deeply and stood up.

This simple action alarmed Sung Jinwoo and he put up his guard.

His shadows then surrounded the others.

Slowly, Ciel made her way down the steps.

"You know, it was quite nice meeting you."

"Hey, you said you would let us go if we had a conversation."

"Yes, and I will stay with my promise. But I never said that I won't go out."

His eyes widened, "you don't mean..."

"Yes, you coming here was quite a blessing for me." She continued with her random backstory she came up with, "not only did you bring interesting company, but you even managed to break many seals placed on the door. How nice of you, it would've took me another million years to crack it." She chuckled to herself.

"Seals?"

"Heh, someone like you would probably not notice, but that bomb you used seemed to have some seal-decaying effect." It wasn't wrong, but she didn't add the part that she could just flick her hand and obliterate everything.

She took the final step off the stairs, and now walked in the direction of the door.

Seeing her getting nearer, a dagger manifested in his hands, but he then found that he couldn't move at all.

For some reason, his and his friends' movements were completely shut off.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you, but I do want to escape first. But it doesn't have to be in a rush. I still have quite few steps until reaching the door, so we can still continue the conversation."

"You... you planned everything? Ever since we entered, the stages of monsters were just a way to lure us into using our most powerful attacks. You used our strength to help you?"

"Smart." No elaboration, just one word.

"Did I mention how this place would collapse as soon as I leave? Oh, judging by your expressions, I assume I didn't. Oh well, that happens too. Don't worry, it would take around two minutes for it to fully disappear, so reaching the door shouldn't be a problem."

Now, he graceful figure just passed Sung Jinwoo and was over half way to the door.

"And also, Sung Jinwoo was it? Your power is quite interesting. If I had to guess, it may be related to... him" She didn't know who 'him' was since she turned off omniscience, but it sounded quite cool anyway.

"Him?"

"Maybe you'll figure it out in the future. Anyway, this is where I bid you farewell. If fate allows it we may meet again."

Her delicate hands reached for the door handle, and instead of opening it, she just disappeared in a flash of light.

Then, the entire space began to shake.

To his absolute horror, he still couldn't move, and neither could the others.

Clenching his teeth, he tried to forcefully break this curse but to no avail.

Her voice then sounded: "it'll be a minute until it wears off. If maths doesn't fail me, then you will have one minute to escape. Good luck!"

He cursed out loud, and could only wait bitterly for the time to end.

The throne began to sink into the ground, followed by the stairs.

The floor which could withstand an anti-matter bomb equivalent now disintegrated like paper in water. It fell down into a void which seemed to expand further and further.

The corrosion was only 10 meters away from him, and he finally felt the shackles on him loosen.

He immediately summoned shadows to carry the others and rushed to the gate.

At the very last second, he touched it, followed by his shadows and left.

The corroding space continued until there was literally nothing left.

What they didn't see was how it spread not onto the physical material, but everything.

When there was no more material, it spread into the air, destroying the oxygen and other gases. Then when they ran out, not even sound and light was exempted.

It then turned into a true void of nothingness.

...

When Ciel left, she found herself in front of a confused crowd.

They held cameras and a variety of lights, and all of it was focused on her.

"Hey! Hey! Look! Someone appeared!"

"That's not anyone who went in is it?"

"No, she's unfamiliar."

"Who is she then?"

"I don't know, but where are the others?"

"They will come soon." After relaying this message, she remained silent and just kept walking straight, ignoring and barging into anyone in the way. No one's strength here could match Ciel's, so they just, thoroughly defeated, moved aside until she faded into the distance.

A minute later, the true party that went inside appeared, followed by cheers and praise, but Sun Jinwoo was having none of that.

He put on a rare serious face and called for a leader's conference between other leading factions.

"We need to discus something, about someone..." His mind flipped back to her appearance, and how deceitful it was. On the outside, she looked like an angel, but after experiencing it first hand he could tell she was more than she showed, and she behaved exactly like the devil.

Most importantly, she knew what the system was...

...

Rimuru woke up at around midnight since Ciel just happened to shove her entire foot into his mouth.

"Urgjjjdh jdashd"

(I never knew she was a restless sleeper... she started during the time stop and I didn't think anything of it until now, but damn... I would never expect such a thing.)

Comparing the usually stern and menacing Ciel to the restless and helpless Ciel, he couldn't help but let out a giggle.

But then he sensed that Ciel's mind wasn't in her body. In other words, her consciousness was somewhere else.

Touching her forehead, he closed her eyes and went into her point of view.

(Is she seriously messing about right now? Is this what they call the 'teenager period'? Ever since she started going to sleep, it's like she just began her journey into a teenager! Her behaviour's become more wild and unrestrained, and her attitude seemed to have gotten more careless and reliant.

Character development? No... more like purposeful inconvenience.

Even now, she went to some other world to enjoy herself! What a... *sigh. I'll just have to punish her when she wakes up...)

Already imagining such a scene, Rimuru then smiled evilly and went back to bed.

(She's probably having fun, wait... what if it's 'that' kind of fun?!)

Making himself feel suddenly alarmed, he put his hand to her forehead again.

(I better check to make sure...)

He then saw her inner thoughts.

She seemed to be smiling at a bunch of people being torn apart by monsters. She was also sitting comfortably on a throne looking rather dignified. Every time someone died, Rimuru sensed some change in emotion.

(I sincerely hope it isn't joy... if she feels joy in seeing other people's pain, then that's sadism. But then in bed she's practically a masochist... So she's both?

*shudder I'd rather not think about it.)

Confirming her actions, he turned his mind off and lied on his bed, freeing himself from such complicated thoughts for the next couple hours.