novelraw Chapter 160 : Even Deceit Has Its Class (4)
Chapter 160 : Even Deceit Has Its Class (4)
Even Deceit Has Its Class (4)
The viewers couldn't hide their joy at the victorious end of the battle. But it was only after the excitement died down that they realized something was odd.
- Huh? But why are there three Arachne?
- What? Didn't the illusions disappear?
- Wait, was the real Arachne always three?
Amidst the dead fake Durante, there were not one, but three fallen Arachnes.
"Looks like Arachne also made her own duplicates, huh?"
At Lee Gyeongbok's remark, the viewers understood the situation.
- Oh lol, that's right.
- Crazy, lol! Then Godple finished them all at once.
- No wonder, for a Domain Lord of Deceit, she was awfully tanky, lol.
- So it was a one-hit cut after all?
- So Unique Sword actually means you need just one slash?
- For real, that's what makes it a Unique Sword.
After entering Phase 2, he'd shown three sword strikes.
That alone was enough to clear the boss fight, stunning the viewers once more.
- But why isn't there a cutscene?
- Do we have to go and rescue her directly?
- Hyung! Let's go find the Saint-nuna already!
- ???: Perante, please bring Perante~!
- ???: I'm going to die~!
- Lmao, why attach that meme to nuna!
As viewers urged Lee Gyeongbok to go save Beatrice, he began to move.
Soon, deeper inside, a cocoon appeared.
- Why is this so big?
- That's obviously an important cocoon, right?
- 100% sure nuna's inside.
- Hurry up and let her out!
- Surgery by Godple!
But it was far larger than any cocoon they'd seen before. Lee Gyeongbok immediately cut it open with his greatsword.
Sure enough, beatrice collapsed out of it, and Lee Gyeongbok caught her.
But instead of being relieved, the viewers were puzzled.
- ??????
- What?
- Why are there two nunas?
- What's going on!
On each of Lee Gyeongbok's arms, a Beatrice was hanging limp. Before the viewers could process it, both women's eyelids quivered and slowly opened.
"Ah..."
"This place..."
Even their voices were identical.
As the two came to their senses and looked at each other, their eyes widened.
"What the...!"
"What is this?!"
Their expressions of shock perfectly matched, filling the chat with chaos.
- What in the world, lol!
- Only one of them can be the real nuna.
- Every single Arachne from the boss fight was fake, lol.
- Wow, never saw that coming.
- The Domain Lord of Deceit's concept is insane!
Arachne had attacked with illusions to buy time. The real Domain Lord of Deceit had been "digesting"
Beatrice inside the cocoon.
"Don't be fooled!"
"I'm the real one!"
Both Beatrices quickly caught on and shouted. But Lee Gyeongbok only looked quietly from one to the other.
- Wow... there's no way to tell
- Even the Eye of God couldn't help here, lol.
- Aren't you supposed to give hints for something like this?
- For real, even their clothes are exactly the same this time.
- Might as well use Manhae's power to decide!
- At 50%, just guess!
- But what if the Saint-nuna dies?!
- Save before doing anything?
The chat blew up. But Lee Gyeongbok didn't decide easily.
Right then.
"Please choose. Sir Durante would know who's real."
"That's right. Darl— No...!"
The two seemed ready to leave the decision to him, but then their reactions diverged dramatically.
- Huh!? Oh!
- She was about to say "darling," right?
- That's such an obvious hint, lmao.
- They're just spoon-feeding it since he can't choose.
- Honestly, that's pretty fresh though, lol.
The viewers burst out laughing at the flustered look on Beatrice's face. Surely, the answer was obvious now.
So did Lee Gyeongbok.
"Yes, the answer is clear."
He already knew who was Arachne thanks to his divine sense. But, he couldn't just stab at random; he'd been waiting for a hint.
Now was the moment.
He stabbed with his sword immediately.
"Why...?!"
The victim, shocked as she looked at the blade that had run her through.
But the viewers didn't feel satisfied with the result.
- ???????
- Hyung...?
- Wait, that's the opposite!
- Did Godple just make a mistake?
- She literally called him darling!
His choice was the opposite of what the viewers expected. The one who collapsed wasn't the one flustered from almost saying "darling," but the other.
"Beatrice..."
Lee Gyeongbok said calmly.
"When addressing Durante, beatrice never added 'Sir'."
His single remark sent the chat into a frenzy.
- Huh? Really?
- What, he remembered that tiny detail?
- Thinking back, I think that's right?
- 5252! So even her way of speaking was a hint?
- Is this some kind of Clue-merc?
- Everywhere you look, there's plot foreshadowing!
No viewer could recall such a subtle speech quirk. But, though they weren't sure, they accepted the logic.
- Godple's word is law, lol.
- For real, you can check the tapes and see it.
- Our hyung wouldn't say something without reason.
- Even if I can't trust myself, I trust Godple.
- Not "trust me if you trust Godple" but "even if I can't trust, I trust Godple," lol.
Their trust in Lee Gyeongbok's play never wavered.
"Didn't have enough time to learn, huh? Looks like the imitation failed."
At Lee Gyeongbok's decision, a cutscene triggered. Durante scoffed, looking down at the fallen Beatrice.
"She likes an equal 'partnership', so she never uses honorifics like 'sir'."
With that line, the viewers laughed, taking it as confirmation of Lee Gyeongbok's deduction.
"This can't be..."
Her corpse slowly transformed into Arachne's form as she lost her breath.
Durante retrieved his sword and looked to the real Beatrice.
"Are you alright?"
"A bit dizzy. My memories..."
She clutched her forehead and staggered. Durante gently supported her.
- That's some natural skinship!
- As expected of the best pairing—no hesitation, wow.
- That barely qualifies as skinship, come on lol.
- Just spam "lol" if you've never dated.
- For real, lol.
- The chat's filled with fiends!
- Her memories must be jumbled because of that digestion, right?
Though the chat got noisy about their closeness, the mood was grave.
"Arachne's soul... it was connected to me. Her memories keep resurfacing in my mind."
"Beatrice?"
The camera zoomed in close on her eyes. The screen darkened as if sinking into her pupils.
Suddenly, the noise of a bustling crowd erupted.
The view pulled back to reveal street stalls piled with black and colorful cloth and textiles.
- ??????
- Suddenly in the middle of a market?
- I thought it was a mid-roll ad, lol.
- Are you still not subscribed?
- Oh? Is this Arachne's backstory?
- Oh, right, arachne's story wasn't shown yet.
As expected, the scene displayed Arachne tending a stall. But people seemed largely uninterested.
Just then, a man approached.
"No way, this is...!"
He raised his voice, dramatically holding up a product.
"This pattern and embroidery! Are you the one who beat a god in a weaving contest!?"
He shouted, attracting some attention. But most sneered at the idea of competing with a god.
Then, a young woman came up, intrigued.
"A weaving contest?"
"You really haven't heard? The skill is so legendary that even the gods are said to be jealous."
"It's true... this cloth is certainly something else."
"This is priceless! How much for this?! No, I'll take everything—just sell me one!"
He pleadingly held out a heavy pouch of coins. Arachne handed him a roll of fabric with a faint smile.
"M-me too! Please, sell me this! Oh no, there's only one left!"
The woman next to him hastily offered her own coin pouch.
With that, the surrounding crowd began to take interest and crowd the stall.
"Goodness..."
"Amazing craftsmanship."
"Maybe she really did beat a god."
Despite the shoddy stall, the goods were of incredible quality, and the looks in people's eyes changed.
"This one! Please, just sell me this one!"
"Wait, I'll pay double! Sell it to me!"
A buying war broke out, and the goods sold out instantly.
- That really is Arachne, alright.
- But it's pretty different from the original myth, lol.
- Isn't Athena going to show up?
The scene shifted again.
Leaving the town, arachne tossed her bulging pouch and grimaced.
"Ugh, making this much is actually heavy work."
"Good job, darling."
The first man, who'd shouted earlier, appeared and greeted her with a hug and a smile.
"Still, it was worth the trouble! We're rich now!"
"Telling them I contended against a god made those fools pay several times more."
The woman buyer followed from behind, massaging Arachne's shoulder with a mocking smirk.
"But that's only possible because my unni's skill is so outstanding it makes the ridiculous story believable!"
The viewers caught on immediately.
- Lol, they're a scam ring.
- Hype man, lol.
- Wow, what a twist!
The man loaded gold onto a tied-up horse and waved his hand.
"Alright, let's head to another town. Best not to get caught."
The three of them left town, the scene changing to show them scamming another stall in a different marketplace.
But there was a difference this time.
- Busted immediately, huh?
- For real, lol, looks like they're on the scammer registry.
- The Cheater Registry, lmao.
- What is this, usedWorld?
Armed soldiers surrounded their stall, and realizing something was wrong, the three tried to leave—but escape was impossible.
"Kyaa!"
With a shrill scream, arachne was thrown in jail.
She shivered, looking around at the vermin and spiders infesting the miserable place.
"U-urgh...!"
Arachne flattened herself against the wall, terrified, when a voice echoed in her ear.
"Don't worry. Everything will be alright."
"Hubris? Is that you?!"
Hearing her lover's voice in her despair, she pressed her ear to the wall.
"We've done nothing wrong."
"R-right? The fabrics I wove aren't cheap stuff. I put in real care, I swear."
"Sure. We'll be out in no time."
"Ah, hubris. If it wasn't for you, I..."
Arachne choked back tears.
In that dark cell, her only comfort was that voice.
- Classic con artist mentality.
- For real, lol, her fake victim act is gross.
- Going to hell just means she's getting what she deserves.
Day and night flashed swiftly through the tiny barred window.
Unwashed and unfed, arachne, haggard, pressed her ear to the wall.
"Hubris...? Please, tell me you're okay."
Grime streaked her tear-stained face as she muttered, scratching at the wall.
"I'm so scared... even a single word, anything..."
Viewers inferred the situation from that line alone.
- Guess her boyfriend got executed?
- Justice served, like, lIKE!
- For real, start with me!
But this guess was quickly overturned.
"You've really had a rough time."
At the repeat of that man's voice, arachne's head snapped up.
But the voice hadn't come from the wall.
Drawn as if hypnotized, she stumbled to the window. The scene outside shocked everyone.
"I thought I was going to die."
"Told you it'd be fine."
The hype man and the female accomplice were hugging and kissing each other.
- Is this sudden NTR?
- Wait, so everything her boyfriend said wasn't meant for Arachne?
- Damn, that's savage.
- No wonder she'd be set off like that.
- Yandere Arachne awakening, wow.
- The hype man's having an affair?
- Lol, what a rhyme—take this gold medal!
The scene shifted to a courtroom. No voices except background murmur could be heard.
Arachne, half out of her mind, heard nothing at all.
"According to testimony, the other two were just following orders."
"... What?"
"They said you promised them money to help spread rumors. Claimed they barely knew you at all."
"No, no!"
Arachne's eyes rolled as she trembled, then lunged at the judge.
"Don't lie! I said, stop lying!"
"G-guards! Guardsmen!"
Soldiers quickly restrained her and pinned her to the floor. The judge cried out.
"To insult the gods and then throw such a tantrum! This wretch will be burned at the stake!"
With that, she was thrown back into jail, her mind completely shattered.
"Right, I'm dreaming. It's all a lie. This can't be real..."
She mumbled to herself.
"I need to weave fabric. That's what he likes..."
She looked around with vacant eyes. Of course, there were no tools or even thread in the cell.
But there was something similar.
"Spider silk... Yes, I can prove myself with this. No god can make cloth from spider thread."
She laughed, gathering the webs.
"I—I beat a god. Once they know, everything will return to normal. Hubris, darling, just wait a little longer."
But the web could not substitute for thread. Each time she touched it, it snapped easily.
"Why— Why won't it work?! Why?!"
Her madness deepened with each passing day.
"Ah, that's it... The god's jealous of me, right? My skills are too superb, so she took everything away!"
Spiders gathered around her. Arachne got down low, rolling her eyes at them.
"Give it back. Please, anything—I'll do anything, just give it back...!"
The spiders scattered aside, and as darkness loomed, arachne slowly raised her head.
"Ah...!"
With a small sound of admiration, the screen faded to black. Beatrice's close-up pupil reappeared.
- Damn... her madness is insane.
- Did she make a deal with a devil?
- Cutting off the scene here again, lol.
- But this time, we didn't see her die?
- Guess she was burned at the stake in the end?
Beatrice swallowed and squeezed her eyes shut. When she blinked, her pupils returned to normal.
"I... I'm okay now."
After watching her quietly for a moment, durante turned away.
"Let's go."
Beatrice followed behind with a tense expression.
The scene shifted immediately.
To Limbo.
"You're both safe. Thank goodness."
Andro bowed deeply to them. Then he looked at Durante.
"The Demonheart...?"
Instead of answering, durante pulled out Arachne's Demonheart. The green crystal soon began to resonate with the cube.
- Lol, I forgot about this part because of the backstory.
- I guess he picked it up while the Saint-nuna was reliving her memories.
- Wonder what ability Arachne will grant?
The viewers waited expectantly.
As the resonance faded, the cube transformed, turning into a pyramid-shaped prism in his hand.
As question marks filled the chat, light burst from the prism.
- ????
- What is it?
- Did he use an ability?
- Nothing's changed...
- Is it just a flashbang?
- Lol, so the ability is just blinding everyone
While viewers were bewildered, Lee Gyeongbok, synchronized with Durante, could tell what the ability was.
"Pretty good performance."
"Durante?"
Beatrice jumped.
The voice came not from the Durante inside the screen, but right beside Andro.
The image of Durante standing beside her dissolved like dust, and his true body appeared next to Andro.
Viewers got it right away.
- Oh, this is decoy + stealth!
- Make bait and backstab?
- Nice, this'll be useful!
- Isn't this a must-have for Perante?
Andro nodded respectfully with a gentle smile.
"You've collected all three Demonhearts. Now you can open the hellgate to the deepest layer."
Durante didn't respond. Instead, he touched on another matter.
"... In the Domain of Deceit, I regained some memories. About my brother, ali."
"Your brother...?"
Beatrice looked at him, puzzled.
"You pretending not to know? Or do you actually not know?"
"Durante?"
"What is the Church really planning?"
His voice was unemotional, which made it even more tense.
Not just Beatrice, but even the viewers sensed something was off.
- What's this all of a sudden?
- Why are they bullying our nuna!
- But if his brother fell to the Church, it makes sense he's suspicious
- Don't tell me the Saint-nuna is the mastermind?
- No way! Not happening!
Beatrice, flustered, shook her head.
"The Church's only plan is to stand against the devils and protect humanity..."
She didn't finish her sentence. Durante's greatsword was suddenly at her throat.
"To open the hellgate, you need demon blood. Not just any demon's, but 'living' demon blood."
Durante's eyes grew sharper.
"... But how did you follow me so quickly?"
The chat went wild at the question. Lee Gyeongbok let out a small sound of admiration too.
"Oh, I think he's talking about what showed during the hell entry cutscene."
- Yeah, that's it.
- For real, durante cut up his own body.
- Was that a hint too?
- Why is everything a hint!
- Can't overlook anything!
- But actually, durante's right. How did the Saint open the gate?
Viewers echoed Durante's doubt. Beatrice hesitated, unable to answer.
"Don't think to deceive me. Lies won't work."
He warned in a dry tone.
"I personally closed every hellgate. There weren't any living devils left. Even if the Church brought a captured one, the timing doesn't add up."
His words gave the viewers another revelation.
- Oh? Does this mean the story splits depending on your actions?
- Lol, if he closed them all, that means it's a sure thing.
- Wow, is this where the time attack snowball leads?
- Wouldn't hear that line if the Church had gotten involved, lol.
Beatrice stayed silent.
"It's simple. Tell the truth."
"Durante, I..."
Her lips trembled, but she couldn't finish.
Beatrice squeezed her eyes shut.
"The Holy Knights have the scent of demons."
Blood beaded on the tip of the sword at her neck.
"They carry demon's blood to activate the cube."
Durante retracted his sword with a hard face.
"But you're different."
Wiping the blood with his gauntlet, the gauntlet began to resonate.
The viewers were stunned.
- ??????
- Why is the blood reacting?
- No way...!
- Is her blood demon blood?
- Whoa, so Beatrice is half-demon too!
- Is that why her hair is silver?
- Dang, the foreshadowing started right from their first meeting.
Yet even more shocking was what came next.
"Half-demon, half-human—that's only supposed to be me and my brother. The only devil to escape to this world before everything went down was my father."
Durante spoke coldly.
"But here stands an 'impossible' existence. That means there's only one possibility."
His gaze was icy as his words.
"Is the Church artificially creating half-demons?"
With that, the camera zoomed in on Beatrice's shocked, wide eyes, diving into darkness.
[Mission 6. 'Who are You?' End]
The mission end message appeared.
The chat exploded.
- What the heck!!!!!
- Why cut off here again!
- Man-made half-demons? Really?
- Saint is a half-demon lol
- What a twist on the trope!
- Is it her or is the Church the real villain?
- Is Andro involved too?
- There's a chance, for sure, lol.
- This is so unpredictable.
- At this rate, is Demerc actually Demo-All?
- Or maybe we just missed more clues, lol.
- You really can't let your guard down with the foreshadowing here.
Most viewers couldn't snap out of their shock, and the rest weren't in great shape either.
- Next. Episode. Immediately.
- Please continue! I'm about to lose it!
- Hyung! You'll keep going, right? You won't abandon us!?
- The viewers are turning into yandere Arachne, lol.
- For real, if a devil offered a contract, I'd accept in an instant, lol.
- Wouldn't you?
- Of course! Why are the devils so slow! Hurry up already!
- Kieeek! What an inhumane plot!
The chat filled up with requests for an immediate continuation.
As Lee Gyeongbok searched for the right words to answer—
['CAP Company_kor' has donated 10,000 won.]
[Another 'perfect' experience today! Everyone enjoyed the show so much, we're inundated with play requests! But the next part is the much-anticipated ending arc! Since it's the grand finale, we ask you to wait just one more day! Thank you!]
The developer's donation message started calming the situation.
- Ah, so it's the ending, huh.
- But can't they just finish today?
- There's over 17,000 awake at this late hour. Just do it!
- Calling it the climax makes me super curious, though.
- Maybe the ending will be longer?
- Honestly, if you're the advertiser, you'd want to savor the end, lol.
- Why not think about the viewers!
- Complaining won't change a homework stream, lol.
- Well, that just means we really want to see more.
People quieted down, but their frustration lingered.
'I guess it's up to me to end it here.'
As Lee Gyeongbok prepared to wrap things up alongside the developer—
['CAP Company_kor' has donated 10,000 won.]
[We're delighted but also sorry for all the requestsㅠ But we confidently promise—you won't regret the wait! Even we didn't expect this outcome, but the decision has been made!]
Another donation left everyone surprised.
- An unexpected outcome?
- Well, it is hard to predict Godple's playstyle, lol.
- But what decision was made?
- Is something big coming?
- For real, there's a sense something is up.
- I smell something big! Something big!
- Wait, lol, don't say it like that! That makes it sound like a bathroom break.
- Hey, that's not what I meant!
Laughter continued as all attention focused on the message.
['CAP Company_kor' has donated 10,000 won.]
[There was much debate about whether to reveal this in a first playstream, but the decision is to go ahead! The ending you'll see will be the 'true ending' prepared by the devs—the very best ending!]
With the devs' "spoiler," the mood swung dramatically.
- Eh? True ending?
- Is the world-first broadcast getting the true ending?
- Crazy, lol. Another legend?
- And what is the best ending?
- Are there multiple true endings?
- And this one's the best?
- Ah, that's the "perfect ending.
― In that case, I can wait a day!
- You want to see a perfect-ending in perfect condition, right?
- Hyung! Wrap up the stream already!
- First time seeing people beg for a stream to end, lol.
Lee Gyeongbok couldn't help but laugh.
"Wow, hearing that makes me really look forward to it, too! Thank you for watching, and I'll see you all again tomorrow!"
He gave his closing remark and waved brightly.
"Have a perfect dream! Trooper, bye!"