Please, go beat the boss CHAPTER 91

Chapter 91: Caught in a Lie

The scene was far too terrifying; Zebulun decided to pretend he hadn’t seen anything.

He silently took a step back, practically ready to hide back in the treasury. But Misha suddenly turned his head and spotted him instantly.

“Zebulun!” Misha shouted. “Let’s go!”

Zebulun: “…”

“I’ll take you to the Dragon territory,” Misha said, sounding exceptionally angry. “We’re leaving this hateful Yong Zhe behind!”

Zebulun: “…”

Zebulun didn’t know if Misha actually wanted to leave him, but just thinking about the Yong Zhe’s terrifying power, he knew he couldn’t agree to Misha’s words if he wanted to stay alive.

Zebulun stood there awkwardly for a long time. Then, he suddenly turned around and walked back toward the place where they had previously “imprisoned” the Yong Zhe.

He decided to act like he hadn’t heard a thing. No matter what Misha said, he wasn’t going to get involved.

Misha was even angrier now.

He just couldn’t understand it.

It was one thing for the Yong Zhe to be annoying, but how could even Zebulun be bribed by that wretched man?

He stood there in silence for a while. Looking at the monsters who had stopped their work to stare at him in confusion, Misha suddenly realized—Oh no, my Mo Wang persona is crumbling too fast. These monsters still believed he was a fearsome Demon Lord; they were probably terrified by his reaction.

Misha turned to the monsters nervously.

“Ahem,” Misha cleared his throat. “It’s nothing major—”

[That’s right! How could he deceive Mo Wang-sama—sama—] Almost at the same time, the Rotting Shadow Knight spoke up, shouting furiously. [Mo Wang-sama is so cu—cu—worthy of love and respect—]

Misha: “…”

Wait, did that Rotting Shadow Knight just almost say something else?

[Ha… Hateful…] The wraith next to the knight couldn’t help but curse. [He… He should die…]

Misha: “…”

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These two monsters couldn’t even speak properly. Misha frowned and turned to look at a beastman standing nearby.

The beastman looked very excited.

“How despicable!” the beastman shouted. “Protecting Mo Wang-sama is protecting the Mo Wang Castle!”

Misha: “…”

Misha felt that the monsters’ perception of him had taken some very strange turns.

What did they mean by “protecting him is protecting the castle”?

As a powerful Mo Wang, how could he possibly need protection from these low-level monsters?

What was the point of protecting him? Everyone should be focusing on protecting the castle itself!

But no matter how much dissatisfaction Misha felt, he couldn’t remain silent.

The monsters seemed full of hostility toward the Yong Zhe. He had to stop this before a fight broke out. If they actually fought, the ones to suffer would definitely be the poor little monsters of his castle.

Misha frowned and was about to speak.

“You’ve all misunderstood,” Lance said softly, lowering the brim of his hood to hide his face. “We are all monsters here. How could I ever bully our Mo Wang-sama?”

Misha: “…”

This guy is spouting nonsense again!

“Such a cute Mo Wang-sama,” Lance whispered, his voice tinged with a teasing, playful tone. “Of course he needs our collective protection.”

Misha: “…”

Heh. There’s no way anyone would believe such a trashy lie, right?

Misha was dismissive.

Such a ridiculous lie wouldn’t even fool a monster—

Rotting Shadow Knight: [You’re right—right—]

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Wraith: [Ma… Makes sense…]

Misha: “…”

My monsters are really not that bright, are they?

Misha didn’t know what else to say. Lance had no intention of lingering, either. He was, after all, a human. If he stayed around the monsters for too long, there was a risk of exposure. Besides, he was curious about the illusion magic circle Zebulun had mentioned. He was afraid if he arrived too late, Zebulun would have already finished it.

He tilted his head slightly, smiled at Misha, and whispered, “Let’s go find Zebulun.”

Misha: “…This isn’t over yet!”

Lance: “Aren’t you curious about his magic circle?”

Misha: “You could probably do it yourself!”

Lance: “…”

Lance sighed softly. “If it’s a magic circle, I really can’t.”

Misha wasn’t going to believe a word this Yong Zhe said anymore.

“My understanding of magic circles isn’t great. After all, I only inherited a High God’s power, not their knowledge,” Lance explained quietly. “Direct magic is fine, but I’m worried that if Genesis—who is very familiar with divine magic—sees it, she’ll spot the traces of the Divine Realm in the illusion.”

Misha froze. “You’re afraid they’ll suspect—”

Wait, no.

Something was wrong with that sentence.

Misha: “You remember Genesis’s name?!”

Lance: “…”

Misha: “How can you lie about something like that too?!”

Lance: “Uh…”

Misha: “You! You are absolutely insufferable!”

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Lance: “…”

Misha turned and stormed off.

Lance stood there, truly at a loss for how to explain. He knew it was his fault; if he hadn’t been so secretive, Misha wouldn’t be this angry.

But he could only follow Misha back to the throne. Zebulun was already there, silently drawing part of the magic circle. To be honest, Lance couldn’t really understand it, but he could tell one thing—this magic circle was massive.

Misha stood by the edge of the circle, carefully studying its lines, trying to figure out how it worked. He refused to acknowledge the Yong Zhe’s existence, only turning to Zebulun to ask, “How much longer will it take you to finish this?”

Zebulun: “…At least a day.”

He was clearly nervous, as if he wanted no part in the conflict between the Mo Wang and the Yong Zhe. When Misha spoke to him, he just hurriedly lowered his head, and his hands moved even faster across the floor.

Misha whispered, “Ah… another whole day.”

Lance interjected smoothly, “Is there anyone in the castle who can help?”

Misha: “…”

Misha slowly looked up and stared at Lance with a very peculiar expression.

Lance: “…”

Misha: “…”

Lance tried his best to be honest. “I really don’t understand magic circles.”

Misha: “Heh.”

Lance: “…”

He could only turn his gaze to the hardworking Zebulun.

“Do you need help?” Lance asked helplessly. “I learn magic very quickly, at least.”

Misha: “He-he!”

Lance: “…”

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Great. Even when he was telling the truth, Misha wouldn’t believe him.

Lance sighed again, regretting that he hadn’t been honest from the start.

Both of them stared at Zebulun, waiting for a response. But Zebulun’s hands were a blur; it seemed he hadn’t heard Lance’s question at all, entirely focused on the complex array.

Misha had never seen anyone draw a magic circle so fast. After watching for a while, he felt that at this rate, Zebulun could probably finish it alone in much less than a day.

With both of them staring at him, Zebulun’s hands were literally trembling from the pressure. After a while, he finally mustered the courage to look back and say, “Could you two… wait somewhere else?”

Misha: “Eh? But it feels wrong to leave you here all by yourself.”

“…It’s fine! It’s perfect!” Zebulun’s voice suddenly spiked. “I’ll draw much faster if I’m alone!”

Misha: “…”

Misha had no choice but to back away a few steps toward the hall’s entrance. He hesitated, not wanting to leave entirely, until he turned his head and met Lance’s gaze.

Lance: “You…”

Misha turned and bolted.

Lance: “…”

Lance could only let out another long sigh.

There was no helping it; he had truly pissed Misha off. It looked like Misha wouldn’t be talking to him for a long time.

However, he couldn’t just wander around the Mo Wang Castle. Misha didn’t want to see him, and he felt it was best to stay out of sight for a while, at least until tomorrow morning.

Lance turned around and looked back at the iron cage beneath the Mo Wang’s throne.

Whatever.

In this giant Mo Wang Castle, it seemed only this cage felt like home.

Lance sighed and walked back to the cage.

The door wasn’t locked. He let himself in, closed the door, and took off his hood. He realized the disguise wasn’t very convincing; if another monster walked by, they might see through the fake lock.

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So, Lance raised his hand and cast a very simple spell, making the lock that had been lying on the ground fly back into place. He locked himself in, then looked around and found a corner with the best view of the entire hall.

Zebulun watched Lance do all this with total disbelief. He felt… he really couldn’t understand this Yong Zhe’s thought process anymore.

No, that wasn’t important.

Having this guy stare at me from a cage is terrifying!

Zebulun felt he had never drawn a magic circle so fast in his life.

He had told Misha it might take a day, but under the Yong Zhe’s watchful eye, he finished it by late night.

Zebulun’s hands were aching, and his fingertips were twitching uncontrollably, but at least he was free from his misery. He quickly cleared away the supplies and ran to find Misha, afraid that if he moved too slowly, that weird Yong Zhe would leap out of the cage.

Fortunately, by the time he found Misha, the strange hero hadn’t followed him.

He told Misha the array was ready. As long as he activated it, no one would be able to see through the illusion.

They could leave for the Dragon territory now. Yes, Zebulun felt that going to the Dragon territory was far more comfortable than staying here and being stared at by the Yong Zhe.

Misha nodded and thanked Zebulun for his hard work. After a moment of thought, he couldn’t help but ask, “What about… that Human Yong Zhe?”

Zebulun’s expression was complicated. “…He seems to have locked himself back in.”

Misha: “…”

This Yong Zhe definitely has some sort of weird fetish, doesn’t he?!

To be honest, Misha didn’t want to deal with Lance at all.

But if he arrived at the Star-gazing Grounds alone—even with Zebulun—they probably wouldn’t be able to figure out the mystery of the sky. The Yong Zhe had to come along.

But Misha really didn’t want to carry him while flying anymore.

He stood in silence for a while, thinking about all the ways the Yong Zhe had tricked him over the years. He felt he was starting to understand something. So, he followed Zebulun back to the throne and saw the Yong Zhe still sitting in that iron cage.

Misha kept his face cold and expressionless, maintaining his angry persona. He spoke to Lance with absolute gravity:

“Do you know teleportation magic?”

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Lance: “…”

Misha: “Don’t you dare lie to me.”

Lance spoke with a bitter tone, “I… I really don’t know that one.”

Misha: “Don’t lie.”

Lance: “I’ve never learned it…”

Misha: “Heh!”

Lance: “…”

Lance took a deep breath and turned to Zebulun.

“You should be an expert in magic theory, right?” Lance asked with extreme politeness. “Could you… teach me?”