Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Chapter 3. Flag Tournament
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'Cute kid.'
From the count's description, Judah had only pictured a tomboyish, stubborn young lady. But seeing her in person, that wasn't the case at all. She had her long brown hair tied back in a ponytail with a ribbon, and she had clearly inherited her parents' good looks, making her an incredibly charming girl. Blushing at the count's summons, she glanced around at the onlookers before giving a shy little wave.
"Isn't she just adorable?"
Seemingly satisfied with just that wave, the count nodded contentedly and took his seat. What should he say? It wasn't about flattering the man—the girl really was cute and beautiful. In a few more years, she'd no doubt be stealing the hearts of countless men. As Judah pondered, the count shot him a sideways glance.
"Just say she's pretty. Why make it so complicated?"
"Haha."
Judah let out an awkward laugh, and the count continued nonchalantly, as if it had just been a casual remark.
"She takes after my wife in her younger days, so she's a really good girl."
"What about her personality?"
"Personality? Hmm. She takes after me there... so she's a bit much. She's got charm, but she's stubborn. That's the issue. Everything else is perfect, though. She's not fully grown yet, but she's young, pretty, skilled, from a good family, talented, wealthy—absolutely flawless."
Freely admitting his daughter's flaw, he showered her with praise nonetheless. Sara, the girl in question, had stepped down from the stage, and the preliminary rounds resumed, weeding out the riffraff. Naturally, he showed no interest in the matches that followed. Propping his chin on his hand, he stared down at the stage with bored eyes, munching on snacks.
"Are we doing preliminaries all day?"
"Probably? But at this rate, it'll wrap up by late morning."
"You seem bored. Planning to stick it out?"
Judah asked the count, figuring he'd leave without regret once he learned which venue Cain was competing in.
"Of course. The boredom won't last. The red flag preliminaries won't drag like this, and they won't pair people up in twos just to thin the herd."
"The red flag tournament's here too?"
"Naturally. That's why I'm sticking around. Everything from the finals to the awards will happen in this arena, so we just sit tight. Don't worry. If it weren't for that, a busy guy like me would've bolted already."
He answered with a loud crunch of his snack. Judah had wondered why so many people kept watching this dull green flag tournament despite their boredom. It was all for the red flag event. Though bored himself, Judah kept watching the duels that continued with rapid rotations.
'...No Cain.'
Even as Count Genauer, Arhil, and Jeanne grew bored and dozed off, Judah watched intently with wide eyes. But up until the green flag preliminaries were nearly over, Cain never appeared. Figuring he must be in another venue since he wouldn't skip it, Judah sighed and sipped his drink.
+ + +
#Calypso Kingdom, Count Jinmu's mansion.
Crack!
The moment the man's head touched the spiked heel of her high heel, it burst open. It felt like a light step, but his skull shattered, spraying its contents everywhere. The exploded eyeball rolling across the floor was gruesome. Yet the woman who had wrought this carnage wore a small smile of satisfaction as she continued into the mansion's inner quarters.
Click-clack. The echoing footsteps on the stone floor had the mages stationed at the underground library on alert. Startled by the sudden high-heel sounds, they looked up. The moment they glanced up the stairs, the male mage panicked.
A stunning beauty stood there.
Purple hair, porcelain skin, a face that embodied seductiveness itself.
Her outfit was so provocative it stole every gaze. From the front, the plunging neckline barely covered her nipples while exposing the undersides of her breasts; from behind, it revealed the curve of her back down to the underside of her buttocks. It wasn't just sexy—it was beyond that. Not one of the mages spoke as she descended the stairs with clicking steps. At her soft "Hee-hee," they snapped to, and the mage beside him gulped before speaking.
"Wh-who..."
"Curious about that? Or about the blood on my body?"
Only then did the man come to his senses, noticing the bloodstains. Before he could react, she flicked her hand. With a slicing sound, something sharp severed his throat. The other nearby mages had no choice either. Before they could scream, their necks were slit. Blood sprayed like a fountain with a whoosh, and their headless bodies crumpled.
"Mmm."
Satisfied with the metallic tang filling the room, she pressed on. Smiling with her eyes, she hummed a tune, seemingly delighted. As if she knew the way, she passed or activated hidden mechanisms leading to the second and third underground levels.
Grind!
A distant rumble like stone shifting echoed. When she reached the third underground level, she saw a massive magic circle filling the cavern. Nearby stood several mages and adventurers. Hearing the door open, they all turned toward the stairs. Ignoring their stares, she descended leisurely like a model on a runway. They gazed at her with entranced, lustful eyes, captivated.
"Who are you?"
Amid the sticky stares laced with hostility and wariness, one man spoke. She widened her eyes in mock surprise and clapped lightly. Her breasts jiggled with the motion, her flimsy outfit threatening to slip off. She looked at the sly-seeming man with an intrigued expression.
"You're unaffected?"
Her voice alone held seductive power. The man faltered for a moment but bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
"...I don't know what nonsense you're spouting. Everyone, prepare to attack!"
The pain snapped him back, and he shouted with mana-infused voice, drawing his sword. His booming tone shook their eardrums, freeing the other adventurers from her allure. Still, they hesitated. Blinking at them, she let out a "Heh."
"I'm just a fragment detached from my sealed body... but a human resisting my charm? Is your potential that great, or have I weakened?"
"Sealed?"
"Never mind. You don't need to know."
Her sclera turned black, her irises golden. Horns sprouted from her head, wings from her back. Sinister demonic power emanated from her.
"Demon!?"
Demons, devilkin, fiends—whatever the name for the denizens of the demonic realm. Though her exact nature was unclear, the black sclera gave it away. The ingrained childhood image of demons shattered most of the men's enchantment. Before they could rally, she struck first.
Target the leader.
Vanishing in an instant, she appeared before the man who had first resisted. Panicking at her sudden proximity, he raised his sword. Pure reflex. He hadn't seen anything—just instinctually channeled mana into his blade and lifted it. That saved him.
Clang!
Blocking her invisible strike with his sword, he couldn't resist the force pushing him back.
"Lucky."
With those words, she lunged at the other adventurers. Poga, the Kaora Castle adventurer branch chief, couldn't even think of standing after being knocked down. The single clash revealed her overwhelming power. The moment he blocked her attack, an inexplicable catharsis washed over him as strength drained from his body. Only he, with his silver plate, had barely resisted her charm. Bronze-platers couldn't touch her.
"Bind!"
Jerian Andria, dispatched from Langritsa Magic Tower, finished his incantation and activated his spell. Her form froze before the adventurer. But to catch her invisible speed, he'd used an area spell, immobilizing nearby adventurers too.
More binding spells from the mages followed: slowing her, paralyzing muscles, restraining limbs. They flew at her relentlessly. Judging them all incoming, she moved again.
Her true body might be sealed in the underground labyrinth, but she wasn't frail enough for these low-level spells. Shaking off the sticky magics like a ghost through walls, she sliced through the nearest adventurer and methodically eliminated the mages.
Even the skilled ones from Langritsa couldn't act. As one tried to rise after his ankles were severed, his arms were cut off. His writhing neck was the last to fall. The air reeked of blood. Only the branch chief, Poga, survived.
"You... who are you?"
"Still on about that? You can see for yourself. You said it earlier, yet you're curious? Fine, who are you?"
She paused mid-motion to kill him, crouching before him as if remembering something. Her voluptuous body filled his vision. Instinctively, his eyes drifted to her nearly exposed breasts.
"I-I'm Poga, branch chief of Kaora Castle adventurers."
"I see, Poga. Odd name. Hee-hee. You introduced yourself, so I should too?"
Kneeling, she slithered snake-like atop his prone form. It should smell of blood, but a sweet scent lingered. Her soft flesh alone brought ecstasy. Her face drew near. Smiling cutely, she nipped his earlobe and whispered.
"I'm Asmodeus, one of the seven deadly sins."
Hearing that name, he felt a shock like his breath had stopped.
========== Afterword ==========
Hope you're having a fun holiday ㅎㅎㅎ.
Last night, my older sister who came home charged her phone in my room and fiddled with it, so I couldn't write thinking I might get caught. I just played games obediently.....
(My family knows I write, but not what ㅎㅎ)
Hiding my portable hard drive so she wouldn't notice goes without saying. ㅎㅎㅎㅎ