Fired Characters from an Idle Game

52. 5★ Mother of Ill Omens, Karne – (3)

The scorched Saintess Selene, amidst the all-encompassing gloom, held aloft the Hellfire Spike Sword like a torch.

The surroundings brightened somewhat, yet she could still barely see an arm’s length ahead. A throng of crows, densely packed, circled nearby, croaking noisily. Selene turned her head to assess her lord’s condition. The Sovereign Actor appeared unharmed. Nevertheless, she inquired,

“My Lord, are you well?”

“Well enough, but where is Karne?”

“I do not see her.”

Selene frowned. Though she had attempted to converse with the Mother of Ill Omens, Karne, out of respect for her lord’s wishes, it came as no surprise that the woman had turned hostile.

What’s worse, they were within her nest. And, confined to the dungeon, support from Mirienne was unlikely.

A situation where she had to protect even the Lord.

“We are at a disadvantage.”

Selene made a swift assessment of the situation.

This is a realm of ill omens. Even with Selene’s utmost effort, defeating Karne was no simple matter.

Indeed, venturing into the heart of the enemy territory was a misjudgment. Yet, this too was Selene’s failing—her inability to dissuade her lord from his desire to speak with Karne.

If that were so, Selene had to atone with her life.

“My lord, Mirien, that magic peddler, will be taking measures outside the nest. I shall clear a path from this moment forward. Then, my lord, you must ride the Storm Dragon and escape to the outside.”

Selene’s Saintly Flame Crest blazed even brighter. However, Overlord Actor frowned upon hearing her words.

“What nonsense are you spouting? Does that mean you intend to remain here, Selene?”

“…Yes. But you need not worry. I shall be alright.”

It was a lie.

She possessed no confidence in escaping the enemy’s heartland alive.

Yet, it was a retainer’s duty to instill faith in her lord. Selene urged him with an unchanging countenance, and Actor reluctantly nodded.

“Then, I shall clear a path starting n-“

Before she could complete her sentence, Selene sensed an attack from behind with sharp premonition.

She whirled around in haste, thrusting her Wedge Sword, only for it to collide with a colossal claw-like scythe.

“…Karne, you harlot. Did you dare to harm my lord?”

“Perish the thought. I merely believed you would surely stop me.”

Before she knew it, Karne, the Mother of Ill Omens, stood barring Selene’s way, weapon in hand.

Karne’s expression was ghastly. It appeared she had no intention of letting Selene and her lord pass.

“Even now, if you surrender, my lord will graciously pardon you.”

Selene spoke with a furrowed brow, to which Karne responded with a bitter laugh.

“…Pardon? What salvation could I possibly hope for at this late hour? My faith has already been betrayed twice. I have no desire to grieve a third time. The final act of this wretched mother will merely be to be devoured by her children upon a desolate hill.”

“Bird Burial, is it?”

“So it is also called, yes.”

“Then, I beseech you, refrain from foolish actions and simply die alone.”

*Kaga-gak*. Karne’s scythe slithered along Selene’s Wedge Sword, aiming for her neck. She hastily ducked, sending strands of ash-grey hair cascading to the floor.

Even with the Saintly Flame Crest’s protection, it came to this. The Mother of Ill Omens, Karne, was not a calamity specialized for combat, yet within this nest with its limited visibility, she possessed a considerable advantage.

Selene intensified the flames surrounding her body even further. At the same time, she confirmed Overlord Actor’s condition. He was clinging to the Storm Dragon’s back, preventing himself from being swept away by the wind pressure.

“…Harlot, I shall now inquire into your crime of daring to harm my lord.”

[5★ Scorched Saintess Selene casts skill 「Inferno Crater」.]

A colossal explosion.

Surging flames.

The explosion consumed them – hundreds, thousands of the devoted, screeching their last as they were annihilated.

But the attack missed its true mark. Selene swept her sword to the immediate right. *Clang!* The sound of pure metal resonated.

“…Commendable, Selene.”

Karne parried the wedge-sword, a bitter smile playing on her lips.

“Commendable isn’t the word. You simply cannot defeat me.”

“Indeed. Under normal circumstances, I likely could not.”

Karne readily agreed.

The Scathed Saint Selene was the most formidable disaster within the Dominator Actor’s stronghold. The nest’s interior did nothing to change that advantage.

“However, it seems you have yet to quell your internal wounds. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“….”

“Furthermore, the divine artifact once in your possession now belongs to its rightful owner.”

Karne had discerned Selene’s failure to heal and that she had surrendered the husk of the dead god to Actor.

“Above all else, this place is my domain, my Mother’s domain. A straight fight is not always the only recourse.”

“Don’t you dare!”

Selene swung her sword in haste, but Karne vanished, leaving only a faint afterimage. A chill went through Selene’s entire being.

“Kugh!”

Selene curled her sacred flame sigil into a shield, bracing for the imminent assault.

But Karne’s target was not Selene.

“…Master!”

Karne had materialized atop the Storm Dragon, her hand resting on Actor’s neck. A surge of black energy erupted, and then he slumped, unconscious.

A feeling like blood reversing in her veins. The flames burned with even greater intensity.

But Karne did not respond to it.

[5★ Omen Mother Karne is using Skill「Mother’s Call」.]

“Tear them apart.”

Disasters descended, and Karne was gone.

Selene stood alone, her eyes vacant as she gazed at the swarm of ominous minions hurtling toward her.

*Click.*

The sound of teeth grinding.

*

“….”

Alright, let’s piece together what happened with a clear head.

I had attempted to parley with Karne, alongside Selene.

But the parley dissolved, and a battle erupted.

As I observed Selene and Karne locked in fierce combat, Karne appeared behind me out of nowhere, and I blacked out…

“Ugh.”

My head throbbed, and my body felt leaden.

My limbs were strangely numb.

Lifting my head, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

Both my hands were securely bound by crimson chains.

“Actor.”

In the dim cave, Karne, the Mother of Ill Omens, looked down at me.

“Fear not. It’s just the two of us here.”

“Aha.”

I understood the situation.

I was definitely screwed.

“Actor, truly you are yourself. Even in a situation like this, you remain so composed.”

“…”

Not composed, but rather too bewildered to even speak.

Failing to anticipate Karne would target me instead of Selene was an undeniable blunder.

But that she would be leading her brood, nest and all, I couldn’t have foreseen. It wasn’t a feature possible in the game. Consequently, Mirien’s support from beyond the range was cut off, creating an opening for Selene as well.

The result: I was now having a tete-a-tete with Karne, the Mother of Ill Omens, a Great Calamity.

The moment I realized it, I was on the verge of losing my mind.

Perhaps interpreting my expression differently, Karne offered a wry smile.

“I understand why you would look at me with such eyes. This mother has committed a terrible act against you.”

Her tone was warm, but Karne’s face remained expressionless.

This calamity before me could sever my neck with a mere flick of her wrist. And I am but a meal option displayed naked before her.

But instead of resigning myself, I shook my head and steeled my gaze. Is there not a saying: even caught in the tiger’s den, keep your wits about you and you might survive.

And I had a gut feeling that Karne was a relatively docile tiger.

“…Karne, why did you bring me here? You certainly had opportunities to kill me.”

“How could a mother kill her own child?”

Karne spoke, seemingly apathetic. Yet, a sliver of hesitation lingered in her tone.

Indeed, the emotion Karne held for me bordered on loathing mixed with affection. She resented me enough to usher the world towards its doom, yet couldn’t bring herself to strike the killing blow. A silent sigh of relief escaped me.

“Then, what is it you intend to do to me?”

“Here, you shall witness it firsthand. My kin, cloaking the world in shades of black.”

It seemed Karne intended to display to me, in stark detail, the world’s annihilation.

“…Huh.”

Speechless, Karne slowly approached, extending a hand. Long, grown fingernails brushed aside a strand of my hair, and a gentle touch traced the ridge of my nose, finally resting upon my lips.

“…Your mortal form… I find it pleasing, after all. This face, this voice, all of it is new… yet astonishingly familiar.”

“Karne, it’s all a misunderstanding. I didn’t fire you, but…”

“No.”

Interrupting me, Karne tapped her fingers a few times upon my lips.

“Actor, your mother understands it all. Even unspoken, I know everything.”

Just what is it she thinks she knows?

The words clawed their way up my throat, but I forcibly swallowed them down.

Karne wasn’t interested in hearing me out. She seemed consumed only by her zeal to destroy the world with her kin. Calamities, in the end, were beings that pushed towards annihilation. Karne was no different.

“…”

This wouldn’t do.

I needed to capture Karne’s attention.

I had but one card to play.

Like the scarred Saintess Selene gazing upon a master she’d pledged her loyalty to.

Like Mirien of the Northern Storm craving a gentle object of affection.

I had to play the ideal ruler Actor, the one the Harbinger Mother Karne desired.

“Hoo.”

I took a deep breath and set my mind to work.

Now, think, Actor.

No one in this world understands Karne better than you.

“…”

The answer came quickly.

The Harbinger Mother Karne referred to herself as mother.

Which meant…

“Over there.”

I took a deep breath and called out to Karne, who had turned around, in as innocent a voice as I could muster.

“Uh… Mother.”

At that single word, Karne’s head snapped around, fixing me with a stare.

Her eyes, always so composed, wavered.