Chapter 157: Everything Up to Now—It’s All Because of You, Lin Wei!!!

Translation by: Weebsread👹

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“That woman is absolutely insane.”

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Clutching Iresha tightly, Lin Wei tore through the sky at breakneck speed, fleeing the chaos still roiling behind them.

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Even now, as he wiped the cold sweat from his brow, his heart hammered with lingering terror. What he’d just witnessed—and heard—was almost too outrageous to process.

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If it had only been a matter of recognizing his talents, offering him a post in the Holy See, or even recruiting him as the Judgement Knights’ second-in-command, he might have found a way to politely refuse. After all, Veya needed his help, and there was no way he’d abandon her now. But to be asked to plot a coup, launch the Great Inquisition, dethrone Veya, and seize the Pope’s seat for himself? That was on an entirely different level.

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“Alicia, the Goddess, has only left this land—she’s not dead,” he muttered. “Maybe if you keep your head down within the Holy See, you can avoid trouble. But to try and become the goddess’s earthly representative? You’d have to be brain-dead not to see how that ends.”

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Besides, the Holy See already belonged to Veya. Which meant, in a way, it was his as well. Why would he go to all this trouble, force his wife off the throne, and risk his own neck just to become Pope? Was he supposed to start a rebellion for fun?

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“By the way, are you planning to wait here for your companions?”

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Ahead, the Wall of the Border loomed—an ancient barrier, vast and imposing as if carved by the gods themselves.

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Lin Wei, collecting his scattered thoughts, chose a random entrance and descended.

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Iresha, still reeling from another high-speed flight, seemed less rattled this time—thanks in part to Lin Wei’s careful handling. She steadied herself after their abrupt landing, taking a deep breath before answering his question.

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“I... I think I’ll wait for them to return.”

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Slaying the Demon Lord had always been her life’s greatest wish. If achieving it required wasting some money or being left waiting, so be it.

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But Lin Wei’s Support Buff just now had been terrifying.

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She couldn’t help but steal glances at him. Only now, with the fighting and the chase behind her, did she have time to fully process what she’d experienced.

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It had been a basic area spell—nothing elaborate. She’d simply poured in as much mana as she could muster, but the power that erupted was monstrous. Her chanting sped up, her mana consumption plummeted to almost nothing.

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There was only one explanation—one she’d been ignoring all along.

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Lin Wei.

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Not only was his combat prowess overwhelming, but his mastery of Support Buffs was on a completely different level.

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With his help, even someone like her—a Level 60 mage—could unleash power rivaling a near-Ultimate-level powerhouse.

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What if he joined their mission to defeat the Demon Lord?

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If the entire Hero’s Party received his buffs, their battle strength would soar. When the Demon Lord’s army attacked, they could unleash a force no demon could withstand.

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The mere thought set her heart racing.

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And all it would take was convincing Lin Wei to join them.

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“Lin Wei... The reason I could cast magic at that level just now—was it all because of your Support Buff?”

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For once, she didn’t call him a country bumpkin—just his name, almost shyly.

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Lin Wei glanced over, surprised. The proud, stubborn mage he knew was suddenly so... demure?

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“Of course it was me. Otherwise, how would you have blown up an entire squad of city guards like that?”

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He grinned. “How does it feel? Raising your hand and turning the world upside down with a single spell? Pretty damn satisfying, right?”

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“Honestly, your Level is way too low. If you could reach Level 70, I wouldn’t even need to step in. I’d just buff you and let you carpet-bomb the place—no one would escape!”

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There was a reason the Demon Lord was the symbol and backbone of the demons. When Lin Wei had first arrived among them, he couldn’t leave the Demon Lord’s castle for long—any absence would weaken him so much that even an ordinary person could pose a threat.

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But with the Demon God’s Divinity, he could unleash battlefield buffs that were truly terrifying, turning the tide against the Coalition Army time and again.

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Now, though, he had mastered that power and could wield it at will.

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“So it really was you... If that’s the case, as someone from the Northern Countries chosen by Her Holiness Selena, you must hate the Demon Lord as much as I do—dreaming of chopping off his head, right?”

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The more he listened, the stranger it sounded.

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Seriously, what was with these people? Every time they mentioned the Demon Lord, it was all about lopping off his head. Did everyone in this world have some kind of beheading obsession?

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“Something like that,” Lin Wei replied, not bothering to think too deeply. Hating the Demon Lord and the demons was just the official line, after all. What he truly thought was his own secret.

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But the next question caught him completely off guard.

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“Then why don’t you join our Hero’s Party? Let’s march on the Demon Lord’s castle together and finally tear that bastard’s head off!”

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Iresha’s eyes shone with zeal as she reached out her hand.

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That proud, stubborn face now seemed to glow with a strange, almost holy light.

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Lin Wei was dumbstruck.

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Commander Meilin only wanted him to replace Her Holiness Selena in the Holy See.

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But this one? She wanted him to help crusade against the Demon Lord—against himself. To help her cut off his own head.

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“Yeah... not interested.”

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He brushed her hand aside, exasperated.

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Seeing Iresha’s confusion, he relented and explained, “Defeating the Demon Lord is important, but I have more pressing matters right now.”

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“You overheard some of what Commander Meilin and I discussed, right? The Holy See is in turmoil, and the Empire’s position is... ambiguous, to say the least. As they say, victory on the front lines depends on stability in the rear. With things at such a critical stage, I can’t just walk away.”

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He’d always known that Veya’s position in the Holy See was precarious. But hearing the Grand Commander herself so openly talk about launching the Great Inquisition to unseat Selena—that had been a shock, a stark reminder of just how dire things were.

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His top priority now was to stabilize the Holy See before the war’s fate was decided.

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Selena was Her Holiness, and unless she stepped down of her own accord, no one could take her place.

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“Besides, if things go well at the front, won’t your march on the Demon Lord’s castle be that much easier? You won’t need to risk sneaking through the heartlands—you could ride with the army straight to the castle gates.”

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“Maybe the entire Coalition Army will be at your back. Your dream of slaying the Demon Lord could finally come true.”

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The distant portal shimmered with light, closer than he’d realized.

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Lin Wei took out his Holy See pass and flashed it at the city guards, who waved him through. Spotting Iresha’s conflicted, disappointed expression, he paused and decided to offer a bit of advice—if only for the sake of a temporary comrade.

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“By the way, you’re the one funding the Hero’s Party, right? Why do you let them treat you like a doormat?”

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“Show some backbone! Give those freeloaders a piece of your mind—just like you did when we first met. You’re not bad at putting broke idiots in their place!”

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He reached out and ruffled her hair, hard.

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Her freshly brushed red hair was instantly a tangled mess again.

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“H-hey, what the hell—!”

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But this time, Iresha didn’t snap at him. She simply stood there, grumbling under her breath.

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The warmth and strength of his hand were unmistakable. She didn’t dislike it—not at all. Her gaze wavered, unable to focus on anything ahead.

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“All right, I should get back to the Imperial Capital and wrap things up.”

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“See you around, city girl!”

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“Maybe we’ll meet again in the capital!”

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He didn’t sound particularly enthusiastic, but there wasn’t much else to say.

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After all, Iresha’s homeland had been destroyed by the demons over a decade ago. Killing the Demon Lord was her greatest wish, and now she’d finally met someone who could grant her the power she needed.

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But she’d been rejected. There was no way she’d bounce back from that easily.

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He’d done what he could. The rest was up to her.

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“Yeah. See you around, maybe.”

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She felt his large hand tap her head one last time, then let go.

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Iresha looked up. The same warm smile she’d seen the first time they met greeted her.

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The first rays of dawn crept over the horizon, mingling with the glow of the magical lamps, painting a perfect tableau.

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He stood there, steady and reassuring, watching over her.

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No arrogance, no pressure—just the easy presence of a friend you might run into any day, asking with a bored look, “Wanna grab something to eat later?”

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That was Lin Wei—dependable, unflappable, always making you feel safe.

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Why hadn’t she kept her temper in check when they first met? She’d picked a fight right away, and if not for him, she’d still be lost in the Labyrinth.

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She still owed him her life.

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Those two magical artifacts from the Lotai Cathedral? They were just interest on that debt.

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“See ya.”

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A group approached from the street nearby.

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Lin Wei gave them a cursory glance, waved, and vanished into the portal.

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“Iresha? Wait—damn it, it’s you again!”

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The returning Hero’s Party arrived just in time to see the two part ways.

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Oshu’s eyes went wide, fury blazing in his chest, nearly spilling from his eyes.

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He clenched his sword hilt so tightly his knuckles turned white, his face contorted with rage.

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“Stop right there, you bastard!”

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“What the hell were you doing with Iresha at this hour?!”

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Back in Lotai, that guy had grabbed Iresha’s hand and dragged her off right in front of him!

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Since then, Iresha had clearly changed. It was obvious Lin Wei was the cause.

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And now, while he was away, Lin Wei had swooped in again!

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It was infuriating—enough to make him want to mete out justice on the spot.

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“Oshu, what the hell is wrong with you?”

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But his burning anger was doused in an instant.

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Standing in the street, shouting like a lunatic, Oshu looked like he’d lost his mind.

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Iresha turned, frowning in irritation. She realized he was even more annoying than she’d thought.

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“I just ran into Lin Wei while I was on a mission.”

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“And even if he did want something from me, what’s it to you? Are you just looking for a fight because you’re bored?”

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“And another thing—where the hell were you? I’ve been waiting here by myself for a week. Do you not care, or do you just think I’m expendable?”

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She was fuming.

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Just thinking about it made her blood boil.

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“I—I was with Eileen and the others...”

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Oshu’s anger evaporated under her barrage of questions. He stammered, lost for words.

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He’d never expected to see Iresha this angry.

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“If you think you don’t need me, just kick me out of the party.”

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“My family funds most of this operation. You leave me stranded at the border for a week, and now you want to police my friends?”

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“If your brain’s broken, get it fixed before we go after the Demon Lord! Otherwise, shut up and leave Lin Wei alone, got it?”

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She’d actually said it. She’d really let Oshu have it.

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And damn, it felt good.

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When Lin Wei had told her to toughen up, she’d thought, “I still need to kill the Demon Lord—I should hold back.” But faced with Oshu’s nonsense, she couldn’t help but snap.

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Maybe it was just that they’d pushed her too far, and even she couldn’t take it anymore.

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“That’s not it at all.”

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“I just... I was handling something with Eileen, that’s all. We lost track of time.”

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Oshu, looking sheepish, stood there, unable to argue.

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The other two party members exchanged awkward glances, not daring to speak up. Only Eileen, the elven archer, watched with interest—her green eyes flicking between Oshu and Iresha, as if she’d figured something out.

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“Iresha... don’t be mad...”

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“We’re sorry we made you wait.”

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Kokoxi, hiding in her black cloak, apologized in her usual timid voice.

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Iresha took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

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“Anyway, let’s put the whole ‘standing me up’ thing behind us. I don’t want any more pointless delays next time.”

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“Let’s go find somewhere to rest. After we sleep, we’ll hit the Labyrinth and grind some Levels.”

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“Okay... I’ll work on the strategy.”

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Yawning, Iresha turned, hugging her staff, and walked off.

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Oshu, chastened, clenched his fists and called after her. His gaze lingered on her back, the anger in his eyes only burning brighter.

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“Lin Wei!”

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Everything up to now—it was all because of that bastard!

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He’d even made Iresha yell at him over something so trivial!

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“Just wait—I’ll get you for this!”

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He ground his teeth, rage simmering into murderous intent.