Too Late

"Azterlan, you're just a little sheep living in seclusion. A guy like you will never be able to guess what methods a terrifying monster possesses. But... that is only natural. After all, even I cannot help but feel intimidated when facing that unbelievable monster."

With firm yet slow steps, the maiden goddess took her final step. As she allowed her graceful body to fall rapidly toward the ground, she swiftly turned back and gave Azterlan a delighted, even slightly playful smile. At that moment, her entire posture and movements radiated the ease of someone finally relieved of a burden.

Because without any warning, Punk's signal had arrived! And Smile knew perfectly well that there was only one thing such a signal from the spellcaster could mean: the Magic Lock would definitely be cracked within ten seconds at most. That was why the cautious and cold spellcaster had sent a signal to warn Smile and Kane in advance.

While Azterlan had still been trying every possible way to poach an ally, the unfathomable Whisper of Destruction had somehow nearly opened this terrifying cage.

At that moment, even Smile had to admit that there was a reason Punk, that insidious mage, had maintained such a firm hold over the leadership of an adventuring party composed of three Legendary professionals. What that terrifying fellow hid beneath the surface was probably far more unfathomable than the mystery he displayed outwardly!

At the very least, as she learned more and more about Punk and spent longer in contact with him, the maiden goddess's wariness of him had not diminished in the slightest. Instead, it had only grown deeper.

In a sense, for a spellcaster with an unknown number of tricks, maintaining the mystery of being "unknown" at all times was itself a tremendous success and