S-Class Dungeon's Mistress

Chapter 158

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Adelaide, who had become as hard as a stone statue, blinked her eyes.

‘What did you just say about me? I…… I’m qualified?

She was more embarrassed rather than ecstatic. She was not as incredibly strong as Lisianthus, nor had she ever fought and won against Caladium, so why was she qualified for such a thing?

It was a situation that she had never thought of before and even doubted that Hela may have misunderstood something.

[But it is bizarre. Your body looks too delicate to qualify…….]

Funnily enough, Hela also found it strange that she was qualified.

No matter how great a god is, they apparently make mistakes too. Adelaide had a sullen expression on her face. Even though she knew it couldn’t possibly be her, she still couldn’t help but be disappointed.

“I……. As expected, I’m not qualified?”

[No, you are definitely qualified. How odd. How did you qualify with that delicate body?]

“By any chance could you have seen wrong……?”

[Are you doubting the eyes of God now?]

“No! No, not at all!”

Adelaide hurriedly waved her hands when Hela’s voice turned harsh. I almost made a god angry. She vowed to watch her mouth.

But, do I really qualify? Adelaide’s eyes shone. She still had some doubts, but most of them were gone. There was no way that Hela would say that and be mistaken.

“That, God. What does it exactly mean to be qualified? Does God directly qualify the strongest demon in Kronatan?”

There was no way of knowing precisely where Hela was, so she looked up at the purple sky. Then, a voice mixed with laughter came from right next to her.

[It was like that, at first. But since then, the Ganglati have fought and killed each other, depriving themselves of their qualifications. It was so fun to observe that I forgot it was time to sleep and kept watching.]

The demon race was killing each other but it was so much fun to watch. Adelaide was slightly terrified of her cruelty. But in fact, it wasn’t that surprising. Hela was known as the goddess of death.

In any case, based on what she said, it became clear that the title of ruler was passed on to the victor through battle.

[Of course, if I’m not satisfied, I’ll take it back and then remove the qualifications, but don’t worry, Ganglati. I have no intention of killing you with my own hands as you are the joy that has appeared for the first time in a hundred years.]

“Haha, yes. Thank you…….”

Adelaide smiled awkwardly and expressed her gratitude. It terrified her even more when she said that. If she had made a mistake earlier, she could have died. Adelaide swallowed her saliva. Cold sweat dripped down her back.

‘But the joy that has appeared in a hundred years.’

It was about a hundred years ago when Caladium came down from his seat, so it means that no qualified person has visited Helheim since then.

Then, the hypothesis that ‘the last qualified person would not have known that they were qualified’ may really be true. Or maybe they knew but couldn’t find the entrance to Helheim.

‘Who is it?’

Adelaide quickly rummaged through her head. Who could be such an id*ot amongst the opponents she fought and defeated?

But there were too many that came to mind. She decided to think backwards.

‘The only one who has beaten Caladium is Abaddon……. Did I defeat a demon who had beaten Abaddon?’

No matter how much she thought about it, it didn’t make sense. There weren’t many demons that could win against Abaddon, and she had no way of winning against such formidable demons.

She had a gut feeling that she was missing something important. She closed her eyes for a moment and slowly recalled Caladium’s past.

One hundred years ago, Caladium inhabited Helheim. The demons who lived with him betrayed him and Abaddon attacked, then Caladium lost one of his horns during the battle. However, he also managed to escape by squeezing out the last of his powers.

‘If the qualifications had been transferred to Abaddon then, he would have known right away.’

Because the battle took place in Helheim. If so, it would mean that Caladium had the qualifications even after he escaped.

And there were demons who attacked him in a duplicitous manner just before he lost consciousness—

“Oh.”

Adelaide’s eyes widened.

Yes, come to think of it, Caladium lost the battle against Abaddon, but it wasn’t Abaddon who knocked him out in the end.

It was Boraca.

‘Is it possible that the ruler status was passed on to Boraca?’

If that was true, then all the puzzle pieces fit together. There was no way that Boraca, who enjoyed living in his own dungeon, could have found the entrance to Helheim.

That cre*p would have never come to Esperanza, let alone Helheim. In Esperanza, he would not have been treated as well as he would have been in his dungeon, so it was no wonder why he did not step foot to this place.

‘But it was Caladi who killed Boraca.’

Adelaide recalled the pieces of Boraca’s corpse that had splattered all over the place. Although she did not see it in person, Boraca must have lost his life in the attack from Caladium. Caladium also told her that, and there was no other being capable of annihilating demons like that in the first place.

‘Then, shouldn’t the qualification go back to Caladi?’

Adelaide worked her head again and again. As she was leaving, her thoughts suddenly stopped. It would have been nice to have the clever Lisianthus by her side. If he was, he would have found the answer quickly and told her. She sighed and pushed her brain harder.

Fortunately for her, it wasn’t long before she was able to find a clue.

‘Oh, right! I disabled that j*rk before!’

When she went to Boraca’s room to find the key to Caladium’s handcuffs, Adelaide used her succubus powers to stun him. If that counted as ‘victory’, then his qualifications may have passed on to her.

“Master……! I was waiting for you!”

A gruesome memory immediately came to mind. A stout body tied in the shape of a tortoise shell. That red-hot face and sickening expression he had when he asked to be hit quickly. It was the memory of when she discovered Boraca’s secret f*tish.

Euk. Adelaide felt like vomiting. Why did I have to remember that scene again? She felt sick to her stomach.

‘Anyway, then…… I’m really qualified!’

Adelaide clenched her hands and marveled. How did things work out so well? Was she originally such a lucky demon? She chuckled as she imagined going back to Lisianthus and showing off.

[Are you done thinking?]

Oops. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she forgot Hela’s existence for a moment. She had promised to be careful with her mouth and kept her mouth shut.

Fortunately, Hela’s voice was only gentle. She overlooked her doubt, and understood that she was thinking about something else. Hela seemed to be a god with a broader mind than she expected.

“Yes. I think I’m qualified! God, can you open the gates of Helheim for me?”

Adelaide asked in a cheerful tone.

[You are qualified, I will open it if you want.]

So kind! Adelaide thought that when she returned to Greenville, she should spread the word about Hela’s kindness to her.

However, unexpected words followed.

[But, Ganglati, if the gate opens, you will die.]

Her voice was so mellow that Adelaide thought for a moment that she had heard wrong. But unfortunately, Hela’s enunciation was too accurate for Adelaide to mishear.

“……What?”

[Your vessel is not enough to contain the power of Helheim. Your soul is denser than anyone else’s, but your body… it’s quite regrettable. When the gate opens and Helheim begins to dwell in you, your vessel will gradually crack, and eventually, you will be unable to bear it and scatter into dust.]

Adelaide blinked her eyes. By vessel, she probably meant her body. But the fact that the vessel will turn into dust and scatter……. Her face turned white at the chilling thought.

Come to think of it, Caladium had given similar advice a while ago. A demon that can’t can’t contain all of Helheim’s power will explode and die. So this was what he meant.

Helheim’s power was essential, but not at the expense of her own life. Adelaide had a sullen expression when she realized that she couldn’t do a lot of things at the rate things are going.

Then the merciful goddess Hela extended a helping hand.

[Lovely Ganglati, you are my joy for the first time in a hundred years so I will grant you my kindness. If you really want it, I will share a little of my power and make your vessel bigger and stronger.]

“Oh my God! I respect and love you!”

[Listen till the end. Even if your vessel becomes bigger, it is impossible to guarantee that it will be able to receive all of Helheim. Perhaps in the end you will end up with the same fate. If you’re afraid, quietly turn back. I will revoke your qualification. Sometimes an excessive seat leads to misfortune, so this may be a better choice for you. Now tell me, what is it you wish to do?]

Adelaide stood blankly and pondered. Will she risk her life to accept Helheim, or will she just give up? Her simple personality made her decide quickly.

“I’ll try it!”

Even the goddess Hela is personally helping me, I’m not gonna die! She smiled and thought. 

They say ignorant people are brave, and this was exactly it.

And every time Adelaide acted like a simpleton, this time, instead of Lisianthus, the embarrassment fell on Hela. She couldn’t see her face but she must have been very perplexed considering her silence.

Sure enough, a baffled voice continued.

[Again, your vessel can shatter. Even if you luckily do not perish, you’ll inevitably experience extreme pain.]

“Hic! It hurts a lot? How long does it hurt?”

[…….]

Hela let out a small sigh but didn’t answer. Adelaide made a serious expression and clasped her chin and said,

“I really hate being hurt…… I really hate it, but I’ll try anyway! When else in my life will I have an opportunity like this.”

She had a chance to embrace the power of the goddess Hela. Even the great Abaddon has never experienced this. If she can hit that unlucky a**hole and end Caladium’s revenge, she can endure a moment’s pain.

‘I can withstand the power of Helheim. I will not die.’

She quietly closed her eyes and muttered in her mind. As her aspirations mixed with her will, her magic naturally swayed. She didn’t know if her power would even be able to succeed, but there was nothing wrong with using it in advance.