Chapter 231

To think he had gone through the trouble of getting kidnapped(?) to obtain the Balance of Light and Dark, only to be told not to use it?

At that, the False Divinity clicked its tongue.

“What are you going to use an authority like me for if you just leave me alone?”

‘You have a way to solve this?’

“Of course!”

With that, the authority explained how to utilize it.

On the body of the Balance of Light and Dark, the seven stars of the Staff Constellation, a very famous constellation in this world, were depicted.

“Do you know what the staff meant in ancient times?”

The False Divinity asked proudly.

It was certain that this merely talented brat would not know—

‘The independent standing between the earth and heaven. The neutral leaning neither forward nor backward, left nor right. The helper who supports the human body and walks the path together.’

—it thought, but.

“…You know it well. You have to know at least that much to be called my master.”

The False Divinity tried its best to hide its surprise and agreed as if it was natural.

*How on earth did he know that?*

Of course, it was only natural for Roan to know.

‘Because it’s the phrase that must be used to obtain Hiloa’s Starlight Guide.’

In *God and Devil*, Hiloa’s Starlight Guide was the end-game staff for priests.

Naturally, a black mage could not use it, but since he could just sell it as it was, he had no choice but to memorize it by heart.

‘Ah, this time I can just convert it with the Balance of Light and Dark. No, if I solve Hiloa’s quest, she might even exchange it for an authentic one…’

The more options the better; it was certain that it would be far better if Lady Hiloa herself exchanged it rather than using the Balance of Light and Dark.

As Roan was indulging in such happy delusions.

*Vrrr!*

“Anyway, press the stars of that constellation in the order I tell you.”

“Tell me.”

“From the top, it’s the third, second, seventh, sixth, fourth, fifth, and first.”

Roan frowned slightly at the sudden rush of order.

Isn’t it customary to explain things like this slowly, one by one?

“…Say it again.”

However, the False Divinity, who found Roan’s usual attitude offensive as well as this time, deliberately switched two positions when telling him.

It was a petty revenge to correct him properly only after he got it wrong.

“Third, second, seventh, fourth, sixth, fifth, first.”

“Wasn’t it the fourth after the sixth?”

*Vrrrr!!*

“You were listening to all of it!”

The False Divinity was frustrated upon realizing it had fallen for Roan’s trick again.

“Well, we have to make sure about these things. Anyway, what happens then?”

“Ah, have you ever lost out by listening to me!”

Of course he had.

However, since it had recently succeeded in gradually transforming its image, Roan pressed the stars in the order given, thinking he had nothing to lose.

*Sssss!*

Then, the mana leaking from the False Divinity was absorbed into the scales.

A faint light appeared over the seven stars, and they began to look like a constellation made of eight stars.

“!”

Recognizing the shape, Roan was slightly surprised.

“The Serpent-Staff Constellation…”

Normally, the Staff Constellation consisted of seven stars.

However, some black mages or heretical cults added one more star on top of it, viewing the eight stars as a single constellation.

Such a constellation was called the ‘Serpent-Staff Constellation’ and was depicted as a serpent coiled around a staff.

“It’s a constellation that signifies danger and reversal.”

Its meaning was exactly as Roan had said.

*Vrrr?* *Thump?*

Hearing Roan’s words, the False Divinity and the Librarian of the Forbidden Library vibrated.

Had they possessed heads, they would have tilted them quite far in bewilderment.

Ah, Ludiac was actually present in the Forbidden Library, so he might have done just that.

“Brother, is this guy really not our peer?”

“Make sense. I’d sooner believe he was reincarnated.”

The two authorities spoke in a tone that questioned what kind of guy he was.

And with good reason, for the lore of the Serpent-Staff Constellation was an ancient one that was now almost lost even among black mages and heretics.

Roan narrowed his eyes at the two authorities who were saying all sorts of things, and spoke.

“This much is common knowledge.”

…

The authorities were rendered speechless.

If that was common knowledge, then even in Acherandir, only a tiny minority would possess it.

Harden, Timothy, Diar, and so on…

*Vrrr.*

“Anyway, now place the dagger on it.”

The False Divinity spoke in a resigned voice, as if wondering what the point of saying more was.

If he was a child, there should be some joy in teaching him, but since he knew everything, there was no excitement at all.

‘To think such a hidden piece existed?’

Of course, it was a fresh shock to Roan in his own way.

He had used the Balance of Light and Dark a few times, but he had never imagined it could be used like this.

In truth, since this was also a hidden piece linked to the False Divinity, it was only natural that he had not known about it before.

‘I should have suspected it from the moment I saw the constellation. As expected, *God and Devil* never lets you let your guard down!’

Roan, who was an immense veteran player, was instead blaming himself.

To think he had gone around saying how incredible the lore was and that nothing existed without a purpose, yet he had failed to figure out such a simple trick!

…Undoubtedly, anyone who knew the circumstances would never think that way.

In any case, Roan placed Jelsroin’s dagger, which he was holding, on one side of the scale.

Sacred relics on the right, dark magic tools on the left.

As the dagger was placed on the right plate, the eight stars shone brightly.

*Slide—*

A pitch-black dagger of a similar shape materialized on the left plate.

The weights of the two daggers were perfectly equal, keeping the scale in balance.

“[Wh-What?]”

Watching the scene from beneath the blanket, Bell poked his head out in surprise and let out a sound.

It was understandable that he was surprised, since another dagger had suddenly appeared.

Roan smiled and spoke to Bell.

“This is how you use the Balance of Light and Dark. I told you it’s not for human trafficking or laundering.”

“[Wow!]”

Bell quickly hopped onto the desk and looked around the scales in fascination.

Roan looked at Bell endearingly and took the daggers off both plates.

He put Jelsroin’s dagger back into the lucky pouch and left the new dagger as it was.

“[W-Wait a minute!]”

As if suddenly remembering something, Bell scurried off somewhere.

He then came back, groaning as he carried a large fake gem Roan had bought him in Gilsburg.

“[This too! If we place this too, we’ll have two gems!]”

It seemed that in Bell’s eyes, it looked like a copier that duplicated every item.

“That won’t work.”

“[Just once, just in case, just once!]”

Bell had already completely forgotten that he had been told it could only be used once a week.

However, because the fellow made such a cute fuss, Roan placed it on the scales, pretending to give in.

Naturally, nothing happened.

“[Heeing…]”

Bell returned to his spot, carrying the gem with a dejected look.

*Slide—*

Charlotte, who had been watching for an opportunity while holding her plaything for no reason, also quietly withdrew her hand.

“Hahaha.”

Roan chuckled once, then began to inspect the newly appeared dagger in earnest.

“Ho.”

He then let out a soft exclamation of admiration.

Naturally, dark mana was flowing through the black dagger, but.

“It’s flawless.”

While it only looked like dark mana to Roan’s eyes, to anyone else, it would undoubtedly look like holy power.

Just like Roan’s holy magic, which he disguised using the False Divinity.

*Thump—*

*Fufu, there is a reason Lady Hiloa bestowed it upon you!*

Ludiac boasted as if he had been the one to obtain the scales.

*Vrrr—*

“Is that because of you? It’s thanks to me!”

The False Divinity also chimed in, refusing to be outdone.

“What? You heretical brother!”

“Are you done talking?!”

They then began to bicker as usual.

‘They look exactly like two subordinates competing for performance reviews. …But I was the one who opened the Forbidden Library.’

Roan secretly harbored thoughts that might cause the authorities to burst with anger if they heard them.

In any case, it was clear that the two authorities had fully played their parts this time.

If not for Ludiac, he wouldn’t have known where the Balance of Light and Dark was, and if not for the False Divinity, he wouldn’t have been able to use it properly.

But on the other hand, a strange sense of unease also washed over him.

“But…”

*What is it, Master?*

*Why is that?*

When Roan trailed off awkwardly, the two authorities reacted.

“Why is Lady Hiloa being so kind to me?”

If he were a priest, he would have shed tears of gratitude for her grace, but Roan was a black mage through and down!

He could not understand at all why Lady Hiloa was giving him such an immense gift instead of striking him down with divine punishment.

*Hmm…*

*Hmph…*

In fact, it seemed the two authorities felt the same way.

*Well, at worst, you’ll just receive divine punishment later~ Just live comfortably, comfortably~*

Ludiac offered words of encouragement that were not encouraging at all.

However, it was not entirely incorrect either.

No matter how much Roan, a human, pondered the will of Lady Hiloa, the chief deity of this world, it would only breed more anxiety.

‘Tsk, anyway, this dagger is unusual.’

Roan stared at the dagger a bit more intently.

It was great that it looked perfectly like holy power, but the movement of that energy was unusual.

As if it were alive…

‘It really is alive?’

*It really is alive!*

*Yikes! It’s a dagger ghost!*

Roan and the two authorities were each startled.

Since it was an item of a similar grade to a dagger imbued with a god’s holy power, it wouldn’t be ordinary.

Even taking that into account, items that were alive—more precisely, possessed an ego—were extremely rare.

Though it could not communicate in words, the dagger’s dark mana very fiercely asserted its own ego.

*Grrrr—*

Even so, it became slightly more compliant once Roan channeled his dark mana.

Roan wondered how on earth the dagger had come to possess an ego.

‘The most common case of a dark magic tool possessing an ego is a demon.’

Items containing demonic power were usually the ones that ended up like this.

For example, cursed magic swords or cursed dolls—so-called cursed items.

They were called cursed items in contrast to sacred relics imbued with divine power.

Since the original deity, Jelsroin, was the Goddess of Blood and Deep Love, the power of this dagger most likely came from a roughly similar demon.

Roan made a rough guess.

“Ziprog, the Demon of Corrupted Blood and Desire.”

*Thud—!*

“—Who is it? Someone definitely called out a demon’s name! How dare you!”

As soon as that name was mentioned, Hector began to throw a fit outside.

“—I just said I missed my hometown friend. Isn’t this too much, even for a fanatic?”

“—Uh… I am sorry… I did not mean to.”

Fortunately, Demona had coincidentally been mentioning someone’s name, so the commotion ended peacefully.

“—Wait, did you even have a friend in your hometown, heretic?”

‘I’m actually a bit curious about that too.’

Roan soon brushed it off and focused back on the dagger.

In any case, it seemed clear that Ziprog’s curse was contained within this dagger.

*Whirrr— Whirrr—*

For the dagger had also begun to run wild even more after that name was called.

Knowing a demon’s name was essential to find cursed items and break their curses.

Hadn’t there been many movies with similar exorcism themes back on Earth?

Not that Roan would break this curse just because he knew the demon’s identity.

*Vrrr—*

“It is asking how you knew its master’s name.”

Then, the False Divinity spoke.