I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-77

Ch-77

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“They’re chasing me.”

“You? Why?”

“Because I’m the Snake Princess.”

“You’re the queen’s daughter? But your species is way too different for that, isn’t it?”

“…There’s no time.”

Isabella opened her mouth again, as if she had come to a decision.

“Let’s split up here. I’ll buy some time.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. There’s no way you can hold something like that off on your own!”

It would be a pointless death. Isaac tried to picture the desert queen closing in from behind.

…That thing was definitely not human.

Something that transcended humans—perhaps even transcended monsters.

Its appearance had been utterly horrific.

He wanted to retreat, but the saintess was the problem.

If they left Saintess Seia behind, she would be torn to shreds by that monster.

And they still didn’t know what state Randolph was in.

He had to confirm whether the Randolph who vanished through that sudden golden warp was still alive.

Retreat once, and they would never make it this far again. They didn’t have enough Golden Scale fragments. He couldn’t abandon him and withdraw.

“You’re injured.”

Isabella glanced at Isaac’s waist.

During the queen’s sudden assault, Isaac had been pierced through the waist.

No vital organs or bones were damaged, but he was still bleeding continuously.

But the situation didn’t allow him to stop and treat the wound.

“Snake Princess! Where do you think you’re running off to?”

“Oh? So you really are the Snake Princess. The traitor of Faisalmer!”

…Barbarians.

They appeared ahead, blocking the way.

Each one mentioned the Snake Princess and radiated murderous intent.

Isaac was dumbfounded.

*So she was being hunted in her homeland too?*

If even the queen chased her, what on earth had she done?

It must have been more than simple theft.

In any case, Isabella didn’t seem to have lived an easy life.

Just like him.

There was even a sense of kinship—but they were stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“You bald perverted bastards. Fine! Let’s settle this today! Come on, you sons of bitches!”

Isaac set the unconscious saintess down and drew his sword.

Isabella also turned to watch the opposite side.

And then—

—*My precious child. You are forever mine.*

…The desert queen revealed herself.

The last time they saw her, she had the form of a human, but now she was in a shape that could no longer be called human.

Her skin had split open, spreading like wings.

Her face split down the middle, revealing countless thorns.

Could anyone truly call that a human?

A monster that devoured countless children. A demon thirsty for blood.

Every girl once called a princess had been killed by the queen.

That was how the immortal queen had been able to rule the city.

And Isabella, too, had been fated to be eaten by her.

—*Are you afraid? Come here, Isabella. Weren’t you always such an obedient child?*

If she obeyed, she lived a little longer.

If she proved useful, her life was extended just a bit more.

She wore a flawless mask and carried out orders like a puppet.

If told to go, she went. If told to kill, she killed.

But after meeting the Star-bearer, Isabella began to dream of escaping again.

She began to dream of freeing herself from the accursed queen.

She disobeyed orders, but she had no regrets.

Even if she failed, she thought she would accept her fate calmly.

And she had succeeded.

She had finally escaped.

…So why was her body still trembling?

—*This labyrinth is delightful. It reminds me of old memories. I must claim it for myself. But for that, I need you, Isabella. My lovely child.*

“Why… me?”

—*Your mystery. The secret within your serpent’s mystery contains a hidden effect. And you too, Isabella—your talent is extraordinary. More exceptional than all the children who live with me forever.*

Isabella shuddered.

In the end, it meant the queen intended to eat her.

The queen would never let her go.

For all eternity. As long as she lived, she would pursue her.

That monster, the barbarians, everything in the desert.

She hated it—hated it more than anything—but there was no choice.

“Then at least… let these two go. I’ll behave.”

—*Of course, of course. The only one I need is you. With you, I can become the master of this labyrinth. I could even kill that bothersome ‘Four Pillars’ stray.*

…Four Pillars?

There’s a Four Pillar in the labyrinth?

And her appearance—was that because of the Four Pillar?

The Desert Queen never shed her human form, no matter how dire things became. Yet she had abandoned it. That meant she had met an opponent strong enough to force it out of her.

If she was like this after facing a Four Pillar…

…The Desert Queen might not be in her proper state right now.

—*Come. My beloved child.*

Her skin-wings spread further.

A grotesque sight.

Her body trembled, her feet refused to move.

She had watched from afar many times as the queen, in that form, devoured children.

It was terrifying. Horrifying.

But if she wanted Isaac and the saintess to survive, she had no other option.

Just as Isabella was about to step forward—

“A giant stingray’s wandered into the labyrinth, I see.”

“…Ah.”

A familiar voice.

A stingray? Sure, from behind, the Desert Queen did resemble one—but who in their right mind would call her that now?!

She wondered if she misheard, but soon enough, he appeared from behind the Desert Queen.

“Talking stingray, step aside. How long do you intend to block the way?”

Isabella nearly fainted.

Isaac’s eyes shot wide open in disbelief.

……… Randolph.

He sat atop the massive head of a golden goblin, wearing that same mocking expression as always.

So dazzlingly bright.

*Why didn’t they escape?*

When he used the Tracing Artifact, Isaac and Isabella’s locations appeared.

Not too far away.

But something was odd.

If they had escaped the ambush, they should have fled immediately.

Yet the marker on the artifact kept moving nonstop.

Still, Greed knew the labyrinth’s geography well, so it wasn’t a problem.

After following the optimal route and catching up instantly, he found a giant stingray and nodded.

*Barbarians. So that’s the Desert Queen.*

If barbarians followed it, it had to be the Desert Queen.

Having spotted Isabella, the queen was pursuing them with all her might.

*Mahyul Clan…*

A monster that disguised itself as a human and peeled open its skin like wings.

Resembling a stingray, it could only be the Mahyul Clan, an extremely rare branch of vampires.

The Mahyul absorbed the blood of special beings to strengthen themselves. They were notorious for birthing eggs in the husks of their consumed victims.

【Lv.12】

As expected, she was level 12.

In red text— a super elite raid boss monster!

Greed’s skin faintly rippled in excitement. The master of the desert and the master of the overlapping abyss.

He was curious which would win, but losing was not an option.

I opened my mouth as lazily as possible.

“Step aside. How long do you intend to block the way?”

—*…Did you just call me that? A stingray?*

Stingray. One of the words the Mahyul Clan hated most. Comparing their revered race to an insignificant sea creature—

She spun around to face me, grotesque in every aspect. I had rarely encountered a monster that exuded such dread with mere presence.

“I misspoke. My apologies.”

A mistake beyond mistakes.

I chuckled softly and continued,

“I should have called you a *talking magical stingray*.”

—*You rely on that pitiful golden goblin, child?*

The Desert Queen’s entire body twitched.

How human of her to react so pettily to one word.

Then—

“R… run… please, it’s dangerous…”

Isabella finally forced herself to speak. Her whole body still trembled like a leaf.

She was scared.

Utterly terrified.

The Desert Queen.

That monster.

The Mahyul who intended to eat her.

And yet she told *me* to run.

Her body shook, but her eyes were resolute.

She was prepared to sacrifice herself to save the others.

—*Ah, I see. So you’re the man who ran away with my sweet child?*

Realizing who I was, the Desert Queen burst into laughter.

—*A Star-bearer, is it? Did you enjoy tricking a naive maiden? But I’ve never seen a Star-bearer like you. One without a ‘Star of Consecration’? That can’t exist.*

Star of Consecration?

I’d never heard of it.

Some Star-bearer had tattoos, but that didn’t seem related.

It must have been one of the traits of Star-bearer known only to someone as ancient as the Desert Queen.

—*You must have lured her by claiming you could hear the voice of the stars. I’m curious how you broke the curse… but I really can’t let you live.*

Fwoooosh—

A purple energy—like the abyss—rippled around her entire body.

A mystery formed by condensed magic.

At the same time, Greed released his own golden mystery.

For monsters, mysteries were like manes or horns.

Something that made them greater, more lethal.

Unlike humans, their capabilities were extraordinary.

They could intimidate, attack, even kill.

That was likely the Desert Queen’s strongest mystery.

But he could not be certain.

He should not be certain.

As a Mahyul, she likely possessed more mysteries.

—*So? Who wants to die first? I’ll even pull out your insides for you. Seeing your heart still wriggling will be a touching sight.*

“A fine mystery you’ve got. Is that your greatest one?”

—*I always give my all for my prey. Getting scared now?*

“Oh? So that’s your best?”

—*Of course. It’s a mystery beyond the reach of humans. Now, let’s finish this. If you plan to waste my time—*

I chuckled quietly.

Snap.

I flicked my thumb and index finger.

In that instant—

—*…W…what?*

Her mystery shattered.

At the same time—

【Lv.11】

The Desert Queen’s level dropped.

Her mystery had been a core part of her power.

Indeed, while humans achieved transcendence by consuming stars, monsters raised their level through mysteries. Just like the creature before me.

—*Ah…? What did you do to my mystery…?*

She frantically searched for the vanished power.

But shattered mysteries never returned.

As Eternal Randolph, I could unconditionally destroy one of an enemy’s mysteries.

But destroying a mystery had to be done carefully.

You had to target the strongest one.

And she had kindly told me which one that was.

—*M-My mystery… what did you do? Did you steal it? Huh? Aaah!!*

She was collapsing into despair.

The mystery she had polished for a lifetime had vanished in an instant.

If her level dropped, it meant she had invested nearly all her power into that mystery.

Tap, tap.

I tapped Greed’s head twice.

At that, Greed extended his hand.

Stepping onto his palm, I slowly descended to the ground and spoke to him.

“Handle the subjugation on your own. You should be capable of at least that much.”

— *L-Leave it to me! I shall surely bring back the head of that vile stingray…!*

“Just restrain her.”

Greed couldn’t contain his swelling excitement.

A human who could even destroy a mystery!

He was now certain his judgment hadn’t been wrong.

The “Eternal Randolph” must also have been included in the value Greed saw in me.

Though I didn’t know what that number was.

When I asked, he couldn’t give an answer.

I shook my head lightly and approached Isabella.

“Are you all right?”

“A-Are *you* all right? More importantly, that goblin is…?”

“He’s my pet.”

“…Excuse me?”

Isabella blinked.

Who had ever seen a golden goblin of such enormous size?

Even at a glance, it was clear this goblin was no ordinary creature.

And yet such a monster was merely a “pet”?

“And the woman collapsed on the ground—who is she?”

I finally asked what had been bothering me.

A woman lay unconscious, her face buried in the dirt.

It looked as if she had been tossed aside like a piece of luggage, but it was clear they had been fleeing together with her.

The answer came from Isaac.

“She is Saintess Sea.”

“…?”

What?

Saintess Sea?

“That’s impossible.”

I immediately shook my head.

It couldn’t be.

Saintess Sea was dead. Buried in the demon realm under countless curses.

All the curses accumulated while traversing the demon realm—she had borne them in my stead.

The total weight of those curses was absolutely beyond what a human could survive.

Her being alive made no sense.

Impossible.

And yet, I couldn’t dismiss Isaac’s words outright.

KWARANG! KWA-DRRRT!

The Desert Queen and Greed had begun their clash.

But the sounds of two monsters colliding did not reach me.

I slowly approached and checked the woman’s face.

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