Chapter 24: The Eldritch Godness and the Sacrifice

With unwavering conviction, I descended into the depths.

I knew Frieda was being held down here. And I knew I could save her.

The spiral staircase seemed endless, but finally, the maid and I reached the underground chamber. The air was thick with mildew, filth, and the stench of decay.

A magic circle—similar to the one in the old school building—was carved into the floor. No doubt about it. This is another cult hideout.

"Let’s go."

"Yes, milady."

We pressed forward, moving deeper into the shadows.

From the darkness ahead came a chilling chant—less like worship, more like the mindless howling of beasts. A sickly pale glow flickered in the distance.

Then, we saw them.

"Ooooh, ooooh, ooooh! The Rotting Queen has graced us! Praise her, praise her!"

The moment we stepped into view, the cultists erupted in frenzied cries.

The chamber resembled an ancient amphitheater more than a shrine—a stone stage surrounded by tiered seating, all watched over by blasphemous idols.

About nine or ten half-naked zealots, their bodies covered in esoteric tattoos, knelt in reverence. At the center stood the librarian who’d threatened me earlier.

And on the altar-like platform—

"Frieda!"

There she was. Bound in chains, unconscious.

"Praise her, praise her! Our Rotting Queen, the writhing darkness upon the throne! Praise her, praise her!"

Ugh. Annoying.

I could annihilate them all right now. As a full-fledged Eldritch Godness, it’d be trivial—whether by my own power or my familiars’. Unlike with Marie, I wouldn’t just knock them out. I could kill them.

Honestly? After targeting my friend, I wouldn’t even feel guilty. But slaughtering people does feel a bit too "evil god cliché," and I do care about karma.

So, let’s settle this peacefully. If possible.

"'Praise' me? I thought you sought knowledge."

I flashed them a dazzling, innocent smile.

"Praise is the surrender of the ignorant. True devotees would seek answers. But you? You’re just meat. Too blind to grasp the horrors of truth."

Silence. The cultists stared, bewildered.

"W-we…"

"Silence. You have no right to worship me. Those who do not seek, who do not question, who lack the resolve to face reality—you are unworthy of my name. Stay asleep, you witless vermin. Or perish in silence."

Nailed it~! (Okay, half of that was just Claudia’s usual rants, but still~.)

"Ooooh, ooooh…! Forgive us…! Mercy, mercy!"

The fanatics began wailing like a certain chirimen merchant groveling before an official seal. (Extremely effective, by the way.)

"Fuhihihihi! Yes… YES! To approach you, we must know! We must challenge! No matter how horrific the truths lurking in the dark—we must face them! And so…!"

But the librarian onstage was the exception.

With a chant, she conjured a magic circle above the platform—and from it oozed a shapeless monstrosity, its form a writhing mass of green slime. Eyeballs bubbled up and dissolved within its gelatinous body as it dripped onto the stage, crawling forth from the sigil.

"I shall challenge you, O Rotting Queen! To ascend to greater heights! Hahahahaha!"

The summoned horror slithered forward, engulfing cultists in its path. Their flesh sizzled like acid-scorched paper, screams curdling into gurgles as they melted alive.

"Ugh. I wanted to keep this civil."

But now? Fight it is.

"Milady, I’ll secure Miss Frieda."

"Go. I’ll handle that thing and its summoner."

The maid darted toward Frieda’s bound form while I faced the blob and its deranged mistress.

"Familiar—!"

I tore off my glove, and from my fingertips writhed a mass of crimson-black flesh—my other loyal servant. It swelled unnaturally (physics be damned) and lunged at the slime monster.

Thus began the least aesthetically pleasing kaiju battle in history.

Not that there was ever any doubt. A low-tier ooze stood no chance against an actual eldritch horror. The blob shrieked gibberish as it lashed out, its attacks doing little more than briefly blistering my familiar’s hide before it regenerated. Step by step, my creature drove the abomination back.

"Now—!"

With a final shove, the familiar pinned the monster against the stage—

"Kihihihihi! THIS! This is your power! Magnificent! The source of knowledge! The dawn of our intellect! Ahahahaha!"

—right onto its summoner.

The librarian dissolved mid-cackle, skin sloughing off like wet parchment, bones liquefying in the acid. A thoroughly grotesque exit.

With its master dead, the blob flailed as the magic circle sucked it back into oblivion.

"Aaand done~."

Only melted cultists remained. My familiar retreated into my glove, leaving behind the stench of rot and chemical burns.

"Milady. Miss Frieda is unharmed. Merely sedated—she’ll wake naturally."

"Good. Let’s report this and get topside."

"…Report it?"

"Yes? Problem?"

The maid’s blank stare made me tilt my head.

"This place brims with spiritual energy. You could claim it. Though, for one as great as you, it may be trivial."

Ah. A "finders keepers" proposal. Tempting, but—

"Squatting here would just cause more trouble. Besides, I’m not exactly starved for power."

"As you will, milady."

And so, we left the academy’s underbelly behind.

(Though really, no wonder dorm residents have nightmares!)

……………………