Mastermind
Copyright© 2026 by FantasyTranslater
Chapter 13
There were only four years left until the start of the original story.
At the same time, it had been just over a year and one month since all the members of the Five Sins who had been in the orphanage became independent.
“What is Seolrang up to?”
Alon, who was looking at the letter from Yutia that had arrived today as usual, suddenly grew curious about Seolrang.
Although Yutia’s letters always included stories about her and the other members of the Five Sins, there hadn’t been a single mention of Seolrang since about two months after her independence.
“ ... No way, she didn’t die in some distant place, did she?”
After pondering for a moment, Alon shook his head resolutely.
According to Yutia’s previous letters, Seolrang had already arrived in the desert nation. If she had followed the letter’s instructions correctly, there was no way she would die in such a manner.
The gift Alon had given her would turn her into a formidable ‘Baba Yaga.’
That, too, as a gladiator in the Colony, where the strong could gain everything.
“It was even written in the item description. It must be correct, right?”
Alon, who liked to read through every detail of item descriptions—thanks to the developer’s habit of filling them with various bits of lore—recalled the phrase written in the item Seolrang would acquire.
“If the Sin of Greed had obtained it, they would have fallen and become a Sin, but instead, she would become a great warrior ... I think that was it.”
Of course, the effect Alon received when he used that item was merely a 20% increase in critical hit rate, but the grand background story that came with it was why he had told Seolrang its location.
Furthermore, in case the item description turned out to be something truly insignificant, he also included the location of a hidden treasure.
But it had been nine months since he last heard from her.
“Maybe I should’ve just given her the treasure quietly?”
As Alon considered this, he shook his head briefly.
The reason he had sent Seolrang to the Colony in the first place was because of the narration claiming she had the talent of a warrior.
Moreover, since Alon couldn’t support her for her entire life, becoming independent was a crucial process.
“No, it’s better if she can make a living on her own.”
Therefore,
‘ ... Considering Deus’s absurd talent, Seolrang surely hadn’t died ... but what on earth happened?’
While Alon wore a strange expression, pondering Seolrang’s whereabouts, in a desert cave deep within the southern region of the desert nation Colony, a girl emerged.
The girl, Seolrang, looked disheveled.
Dirt clung to various parts of her body, and her hair had grown so long it almost covered her face.
However, unlike her appearance, Seolrang’s face bore a wide smile.
“It’s finally over—”
Stretching with a sense of liberation, she looked at the gloves on her hands.
The golden claws adorned on them were a gift bestowed upon her by the Great Moon.
The ‘Essence of the Golden Mane Tribe.’
“How could the Great Moon know where this was?”
After finishing the ‘trial’ and emerging, she tilted her head in curiosity while gazing at the gloves.
And rightly so—this ‘Essence of the Golden Mane Tribe’ was a legendary artifact that had been passed down through her people, the Golden Mane Tribe, for generations.
It was truly deserving of the title “legendary.”
Hundreds of years ago, this item had empowered the Golden Mane Tribe, allowing them to ascend as the rulers of all beastmen and granting them the power to become kings.
Of course, most of what she knew came from tales her mother had told her when she was very young. Having matured somewhat since then, Seolrang had assumed those old stories were exaggerated to some extent.
But now, in this moment, having worn the Essence and been pulled into the inner world to undergo all the trials, Seolrang realized that not a single part of those fantastical old tales was a lie.
Ssss—
As she lightly drew out her power, her golden eyes began to glow softly within the dark cave.
And that wasn’t all.
Her hair, and even her tail, began to shimmer as if they were radiating light.
Just like the Golden Mane Tribe of ancient legends that her mother used to tell her about.
Smiling at her newfound power, her thoughts drifted once again to the Great Moon.
There were countless questions swirling in her mind.
But she soon dismissed them.
She knew she wasn’t particularly intelligent, and she was well aware that it was beyond her to deduce how the Great Moon knew all these things.
Most importantly, she realized one simple, clear truth.
The Great Moon was her savior, the one who had rescued her from dying as a result of bio-experiments, and at the same time, the one to whom she owed a debt for granting her the power to exact revenge on the ‘Black Dragon’ who had killed her parents.
As blue electricity crackled around her, she thought of the Great Moon’s command, but soon shook her head.
Even if she wasn’t particularly smart, she knew that becoming a mere gladiator wasn’t the true purpose of her benefactor’s will.
Thus, Seolrang’s gaze naturally shifted to the gloves.
The gloves that held the power to empower the Golden Mane Tribe.
It was only then that Seolrang finally grasped the Great Moon’s intention.
“To become a famous gladiator, gather the scattered members of the Golden Mane Tribe from across the land, and...”
She grinned.
“ ... kill the Black Dragon with them.”
Seeing the perfect answer before her, Seolrang smiled.
Zap!
Blue sparks flew everywhere in response to her emotions, but she paid them no mind.
With a deep smile, she began walking out of the dark cave. The moon hung in the sky where she emerged from the cave, bathing the entire desert in a blue glow.
And then,
“For the sake of that one,”