Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 157: Phantom

Teest barely knew what “fear” was.

The Mad Monk truly lived in the shadows, yet up until now, his way of life was simpler and more straightforward than most—identify a problem, solve it, or abandon it. From moving to an unknown street from his preferred butcher shop to rooting out the false god hiding behind the veil of the world, his approach to solutions was no different.

As for those moments of joy and dissatisfaction, they were just fleeting bonuses. He would move past their outcomes, as he always did.

Even when Nol wanted to choose a different path, Teest never panicked. Because Nol knew what he was doing, and he understood Nol.

Regardless of whether Nol admitted it or not, Nol was a born master. As for Teest himself—everything was within the reach of his golden thread and just needed to be solved as usual.

But this time, Teest’s mind went blank.

He looked at Nol, whose figure seemed frozen, and his time stopped with him. For the first time in his life, his thoughts were like gears that had snapped and stuck, unable to logically find a solution. The hair on his back stood up, and cold sweat dripped from his palms.

Strangely, his heart felt as if it was caught by a golden thread, unable to find its rhythm with each beat.

When he came back to his senses, he found himself standing in front of Nol. Nol looked up at him gently, as usual, his pupils as clear and beautiful as ever.

“If you have no questions, let’s go back,” Nol said in his usual tone.

“Can’t you hear it?”

Teest held Nol’s face with both hands, stubbornly saying, “There are other seals in your head, knowledge seals, or made by the system—you must have forgotten something, Nol!”

“Let’s go back,” Nol just repeated, seemingly unable to comprehend Teest’s words.

Painter’s expression turned grave. “Enough. This seal is obviously more powerful than we understand.”

It could even suppress Nol, a false god. There’s an eight or nine out of ten chance it’s related to the system.

“…The cost,” Teest said hoarsely.

Painter: “What?”

Teest turned around to face the Red Dragon Sage directly. His tone was as calm as before; previously, it was like a breeze over calm waters, but now it was closer to the sea before a storm.

“Dragon, to figure out this seal, what’s your price?”

“Calm down, little boy.”

Red Dragon Granatum grinned, baring his too-sharp teeth. “I told you, it’s impossible to undo it. But to merely explore its surface… with a bit of dream magic, Lord Subelbot might be able to do it.”

“Unfortunately, Lord Subelbot isn’t interested in the knowledge of outsiders. You’ll have to propose a more satisfying trade for him. Hmm, with your strength, there might be a sliver of hope.”

Teest laughed briefly. “Trust me, there’s plenty of hope.”

Granatum ignored Teest’s sarcasm. “How arrogant. Are you sure you want to explore? Such a strong seal isn’t set up just for fun.”

“Just a few minutes ago, I told you, some knowledge is poisonous—I see this guy is in good shape, healthy, and mentally sound; what else do you expect?”

Painter stopped joking and adopted the most solemn expression he’s ever had. “Teest, be careful.”

After the initial panic subsided, Teest found some footing again. He ignored the inexplicable numbness in his chest. “Just a few sentences ago, you also said. You can’t undo the seal, only explore—that’s exactly what I want. Understanding is enough.”

“Or are you saying, the dragons will give up when they see the slightest bit of danger? Then I have to question their determination to confront the false gods.”

Granatum’s leisurely expression vanished, and he frowned slightly in displeasure.

“I’ll report to Subelbot, of course, including what you just said. So, the knowledge as a price—”

“Star Stealer Sol.”

Teest laid down a piece of truth. “Those four moons in the sky is the false god ‘Star Stealer Sol’. Abilities unknown, true name unknown.”

……

That night.

Nol was somewhat puzzled; he thought their conversation with the Red Dragon went fairly smoothly.

The Red Dragon Sage, under Subelbot’s instruction, killed one of his neighbors. Saying Nol didn’t care would be false, but with a great enemy ahead, any power that could restrain the Star Stealer Sol was crucial; he wouldn’t stir up conflict with the dragons for it.

As the Master of Paradise, he now had even more compatriots to protect behind him.

Thus, Nol suppressed his emotions and exchanged information as calmly as possible. For some reason, Teest’s mood seemed even more downcast than his.

Upon returning, Teest just quietly prepared food, behaving somewhat abnormally. Painter no longer joked around but looked thoughtful at them.

“I’ve heard everything.”

Lynn attempted to break the eerie atmosphere. “The dragons are on our side. That’s good news. Since Nol claims to be Ye Meng’s teacher, we can bring her back to Paradise.”

With an additional dragon in the Lost Tower, its safety would surely increase significantly. Compared to the native dragons here, Ye Meng would definitely prefer to stay with her real compatriots.

“I’ll take Ye Meng away. According to Subelbot’s temperament, just saying ‘I’ll take her out for a journey’ should suffice. This won’t be too difficult.”

Nol picked up the conversation. “The hard part is getting it to give up on targeting humans. The White Dragon Telistam is its kin. In its view, humans provoked first, and the provocations continue.”

Being provoked over and over again, even the Border Collie village chief would get angry, let alone the noble dragon leader.

After speaking, Nol looked expectantly at Teest, waiting for his knight to continue. But Teest just looked back, clearly distracted.

“Nol.” A few seconds later, he said seriously, “Let’s sleep together tonight.”

What’s Teest saying? Haven’t they been sleeping together for the past half year? Nol glanced quickly at Lynn, his face heating up. “Okay.”

Painter’s eyebrows twitched: “You’re not going to—”

“I have my ways. If I can figure it out myself, there’s no need to owe those dragons any favors.” Teest said, “Just tonight, I need you and Lynn to lend a hand.”

“You’re crazy,” Painter said tiredly.

“Did you forget my nickname?” Teest sneered. “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. In this room, the person who wants to harm the least is me—figuring this out is good for everyone. It’s a good thing, and if…”

He didn’t finish.

But Painter understood his implication. The whole thing was too strange, hard to distinguish between good and evil. If the seal was a ticking time bomb, they absolutely couldn’t ignore it.

Nol: “…?”

What are these people talking about? He couldn’t quite understand.

Soon after, Teest came over with a bowl of soup. The soup was thick, and Nol could smell a strong medicinal scent. It didn’t smell very appetizing, and he instinctively dodged.

Teest opened his mouth but couldn’t make a sound.

He suddenly didn’t know what to say to Nol. With that knowledge seal in place, he couldn’t accurately explain the situation to Nol and could only unilaterally ask for Nol’s cooperation.

“Do you trust me?” This coming out of his mouth would sound more like a joke than reassurance. “You can entrust your life to me?” …But he had never offered loyalty.

The opportunity for the “ending” he wanted was here, yet Teest was somewhat reluctant. He didn’t want their ending to be so hasty.

…How could he express this delicate emotion?

Holding the cup of special deep sleep medicine, Teest fell into contemplation. Suddenly, there was added warmth on the back of his hand.

Nol’s hand covered his, looking still puzzled, but then, leaning on Teest’s hand, he lowered his head and slowly drank the entire cup of medicine.

He even specifically lifted his own resistance, allowing the magic in the medicine to spread throughout his body.

The next second, Nol slumped forward, caught by Teest. The Dracolich fell into the deepest sleep. He breathed evenly, his body relaxed, showing not a hint of guard.

Teest pursed his lips. “Let’s begin.”

Lynn sighed. “You’ll dive into his dream. If things go south, I’m responsible for physically separating you two. Lao Pain will handle the magical barrier… Is that right? Any details we need to add?”

“I was hoping to get some additional support.” Teest looked towards Kando in the corner.

Since entering the Dragon’s Lair, it had become very silent. Now as well, it watched them with its slit eye, saying nothing. Teest stared persistently at it for five minutes before it finally flickered its flame.

“My knowledge comes from Loser, but even it isn’t omniscient.”

The candle’s voice was quieter than a mosquito’s, as if afraid of alarming any dragon hundreds of meters away. “It only lost the battle with the Star Stealer Sol. What you seek, the answer, might be from even earlier—frankly, Loser chose to assist Nol because the situation’s benefits far outweigh emotions and understanding.”

Teest hummed, still staring. “You say you know nothing, but you don’t seem to be stopping us.”

“…The knowledge seal is truly a dreadful thing.”

Kando continued bitterly, “I’m doing these absurd things just for those memories unrelated to power. What stance do I have to stop you?”

“Seems like you’re of no use again.”

Teest gently held Nol, placing him on a stone platform covered in a soft cloth. Nol slept deeply, his face showing nothing but calm.

Nol’s throat was thus exposed, open to him. For the first time in a long while, Teest somewhat detested their marriage contract. If not for that “absolute inability to harm each other”, maybe he could enjoy this moment more.

Teest couldn’t resist and touched Nol’s neck with his knuckles. “Nol wanted to come here, partly to explore your identity. I thought ‘Loser’ had arranged something too.”

After all, it gave them an oracle with all its might.

…Where dragons are born, where mistakes converge. This undoubtedly pointed to the Dragon’s Lair.

…The Master of the World returns to the start of the dream, and you will find what you have lost. Lost knowledge is reset, and pursued desires are fulfilled. You will receive the aid of fate, and you will find the answer you seek.

How wonderful it sounds. Was he part of this “aid of fate”? Teest couldn’t help but wonder.

The stone platform was narrow, only big enough for one person to lie down. Teest sat at the edge of the platform, holding one of Nol’s hands tightly, his head gently resting on it.

“We can start now,” he said to the two behind him without turning back.

If lost knowledge hides in the crevice between dream and reality, then [Dream Manipulation] at the false god level might allow him to find a clue. To ensure Nol’s consciousness remained stable, he specifically used the deep sleep medicine to disperse any meaningless, shallow dreams.

Teest closed his eyes, deeply diving into Nol’s spirit.

Even fully relaxed, Nol’s mental defenses were unimaginably strong. If others’ mental barriers were like paper soaked in rain for three days, Nol’s were like the three-meter pure gold walls of a dwarf’s vault.

Fortunately, Nol’s subconscious seemed to recognize Teest’s presence and didn’t resist his intrusion.

Without the messy fragments of shallow dreams, Teest walked in a void of nothingness. This place was like a land completely covered in snow. Everywhere was white—endless white.

There was no direction or path, and he could drift anywhere at will.

Where would the seal be?

Such a strong seal would definitely affect Nol’s dream world. Teest moved forward in the void, trying to find a flaw in this world.

This search lasted over five hours.

If not for Teest’s extraordinary sense of direction, he would definitely get lost in this void. Fortunately, his hard work paid off. Just when Teest’s spirit began to scatter, he finally found a speck of impurity in the white world.

A figure—his Nol.

Nol wore very unfamiliar clothes, and his skin wasn’t the overly pale of the dead. His pupils weren’t the bright blue typical of will-o’-wisps but a clear black.

This Nol sat in front of a strangely shaped chair, focused on an even stranger… magic screen? He sat very upright, his hands rapidly tapping on a rectangular magic tool.

The magic screen was filled with a heart-palpitating black. In this all-white world, it was unbearably conspicuous.

Teest approached quietly. This Nol was unaware of his presence, just clicking away at those square keys.

There was no hostility, not even an unusual aura. Was this really related to the seal? Teest held his breath, getting closer.

This time, Nol noticed him.

He turned his head in a manner… not quite like the living, expressionless, with only emptiness in his eyes and brows. Although his head turned, his hands kept clicking the keys, not stopping for half a second.

“Go back, back.” His voice was fragmented and chaotic; his face was sometimes clear, sometimes blurred.

“It’s me, honey.” Teest smiled, spreading his hands. “Your husband, your knight, your pope… Have you forgotten?”

“I mean no harm, and I cannot hurt you. I just want to understand your situation.” Teest quietly stepped closer, his voice even softer and sweeter.

“You don’t have the permission, permission, permission.” Nol was unyielding.

“I’ll say it again. I just want to understand the reason for your existence. I have no intention of prying into what you guard.” Teest’s voice became even lighter, soft like a demon’s whisper. “Once I understand, I’ll leave immediately. I promise.”

That “Nol” finally showed an expression, his features bizarrely twisting as if he was smiling.

“You don’t have the permission, permission, permission.” As he spoke, his entire left eye twitched exaggeratedly up and down, as if unsure where to stay on the face.

He pointed a finger at Teest. The extended index finger flickered between one and two fingers, with new fingers sprouting from the joints occasionally. Amidst his movements, Teest smelled a strange yet familiar scent… A scent that should not be here.

The stench of decay.

The next second, Teest felt as if he was stuffed into an oak barrel on a stormy ship. The dizziness was enough to cause him to faint. He tried to resist but couldn’t withstand that deadly repulsion.

The scene in front of him shattered abruptly, like a broken mirror. That “Nol” dispersed into the mirror fragments, and the faint stench of decay also faded away.

Teest clenched his fist, striking hard at his chest.

At the same time, in reality, Teest’s body twitched.

Painter and Lynn acted at once. Teest was instantly pulled away from the stone platform by Lynn’s puppet, while Painter’s holy light barrier activated in the same second.

Teest’s back hit the stone wall not far away. He found that his clothes were soaked with sweat at some point, and his nostrils were filled with the smell of blood. He wiped under his nose, and sure enough, it was blood.

The symptoms were similar to Nol’s.

Teest cast a cleansing spell on himself, removing the blood and sweat. Nol was still deeply asleep, no different from when he first dove in.

“How did it go?” Painter asked tensely.

“I found something, but I can’t understand it.” Teest took a sip of water. “All I can say is, I don’t think it’s anything good.”

Painter hummed. “‘Might explode at any moment’ kind of bad, or ‘should maintain the status quo’ kind of bad?”

“…I don’t know.”

It seemed that this time, he would have to make a deal with the dragon leader. To further understand the seal, he had to withstand that powerful “expulsion”—relying solely on his own strength, obviously, wasn’t enough.

Teest gently woke Nol up and handed him water to ease the medicine. He did not wish for the seal to take advantage of the situation, causing his husband to sleepwalk in the middle of the night again.

“Um…” After swallowing the cool and refreshing water, Nol gradually woke up.

“Is it over?”

“It’s over.” Teest finished the rest of the half cup of water.

“It seems the result isn’t very optimistic.” Nol moved closer, sniffing Teest. He smelled the residual scent of blood.

Looking at this peaceful scene, Painter couldn’t help but bitterly smile. “You really are at ease.”

“You guys wouldn’t knock me out and package me up to send to Star Stealer Sol… Since everyone agrees, it means that this matter really needs to be done. There must be a reason for keeping it from me.”

Nol sat up from the stone platform. His body was still a bit weak, and he could only lean on Teest.

At this point, he turned his head and rested his chin on Teest’s shoulder.

“…Moreover.”

After a brief pause, Nol continued in a voice that only Teest could hear, his breath suddenly becoming icy.

“You don’t have the permission.” His voice was like a murmur in a dream.

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The author has something to say:

Hehe (?

“Mentally Balance”, the final Boss’ terrifying value ←

Teest’s fur exploded!

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