Chapter 81: Meanwhile, the Hero's Party...?[R-18]
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 81: Meanwhile, the Hero's Party...?[R-18]
“Ahhh! Now this is the life!”
Lucia, an executive of the demon race.
She was in an exceptionally good mood today.
The reason, needless to say, was her victory over the Hero's party.
And it wasn't just any victory; it was a landslide.
The cheap wine she usually wouldn't touch tasted as sweet as honey today.
“So, what’s the exact situation with those human bastards?”
Her adjutant bowed his head deeply and replied.
“The Knight Order we were facing has turned its forces back. It seems they will give up on conquering this area for the time being.”
“Hmph. Well, I suppose so. With the Hero’s party crushed, their morale must have hit rock bottom and started digging.”
“Yes, to be honest, the Hero was only a nuisance because he boosted morale. But now he himself has been defeated and has even fled.”
“How amusing. I heard he teleported away with just the Saint, right?”
Lucia let out a smirk.
“Is that confirmed? The Hero abandoned his comrades and ran?”
“We cannot confirm the detailed circumstances, but with so many witnesses, it is certain.”
“I guess so. Otherwise, the Hero’s party, which had four members when they attacked, wouldn't be down to two.”
“My apologies. We should have stopped the teleportation somehow... but everyone thought it was a final, life-or-death act of resistance and focused on defense.......”
“It’s fine. Who would have ever imagined the Hero would run away?”
Lucia nodded.
“Still, I really don’t get it. Why did he throw such a Hail Mary in the first place? Even a rank-and-file soldier knows how strong our ramparts are.”
“Perhaps he was politically cornered? Our intelligence network reported that the Hero’s standing wasn’t very good. He must have been desperate for a victory.”
“There was no news of him subjugating anything else before coming to us, right?”
“Not that we are aware of. And our current intelligence network wouldn't miss something like that.”
“Ha, to think the network we set up to avoid that ridiculously overpowered Black Mage would come in handy like this.”
Lucia smiled with satisfaction.
The Demon King’s army was on higher alert than ever before.
On top of that, they had managed to neutralize the Hero’s party early on.
This would be more than enough time to regroup their forces that had been pushed back.
“What about the elf bitch we captured? Is she still resisting?”
“She was thrashing about wildly at first, but she’s quiet now. Actually, even when she was acting up, it wasn’t directed at us, but at the Saint she was cursing......”
“Holy shit. I’ve never heard anyone drag someone’s parents through the mud like that in my life. She was abandoned, huh? Even if she’s an enemy, I feel a little bad for her.”
Lucia licked her lips slightly.
They hadn't killed a member of the Hero's party, but captured one alive.
This was a monumental achievement, one that was hard to find even when scouring the annals of history.
But knowing the full story, there was a slightly bitter taste that kept her from being purely joyful.
“Well, it’s not like we’re in a position to pity our enemies. What about the other one, the beastman?”
“I apologize. We lost her.”
“No, it’s fine. The Hero’s sudden disappearance scattered our forces. In this case, we should just say our opponent’s strength was formidable.”
Lucia shook her head, looking fed up.
“I heard she escaped while throwing her sword, even with a broken arm?”
“Yes. She ultimately escaped, but her injuries are severe. It will take a long time for her to return to the front lines.”
“So we’ve neutralized two of the four members of the Hero’s party. The Demon King will surely praise us for this~”
As she spoke, Lucia’s brow furrowed at the thought of a certain man.
“Well, the most troublesome human is still at large, identity unknown.”
“The Black Mage... you mean.”
The adjutant’s expression clouded over as he spoke.
That was how deeply the existence of Lee Hyun-woo was etched into the minds of the Demon King’s army.
“He didn’t show up on this battlefield either, did he? He wasn’t with the Knight Order in the rear, either.”
“It seems the Knight Order itself is struggling to secure the magician. Otherwise, they wouldn't be fighting like this. And this is—”
“Related to the missing Lee Hyun-woo?”
“That would be the most logical conclusion. He also served as the connection between the kingdom and the Magic Tower.”
Lucia nodded calmly.
Even if he was out of sight for a moment, the Black Mage was a terrifying enemy.
There was no telling when, where, or how he might appear.
“......I was already thinking we were finished when the Hero’s party showed up because of him.”
“Yes, Lee Hyun-woo is by no means an easy opponent.”
“He’s beyond ‘not easy.’ With our current strength, we wouldn’t have stood a chance.”
Lucia swirled the wine in her glass.
“It seems the news of Lee Hyun-woo’s disappearance is true, don’t you think? Or is that just wishful thinking on our part?”
“Our intelligence network is being hush-hush about it, but... looking at the current situation, it seems almost certain.”
“Well, I don’t know if he left the Hero’s party or returned to the Magic Tower. But it seems certain he’s not on the front lines, at least.”
The adjutant nodded.
“You must already be under a lot of pressure, but should we perhaps draw up a plan to slightly weaken our magical defenses?”
“No, we can’t let our guard down. We just captured the elf. Tell everyone to be on the lookout for Lee Hyun-woo’s potential appearance. Tell them not to engage, but to call me immediately.”
“Wow, you think that highly of me? I’m flattered.”
At the voice that suddenly cut in, Lucia and her adjutant froze.
A magical barrier unfurled, and the adjutant drew his sword.
A moment later, the surrounding soldiers also drew their blades.
—SHIIING!!
Though there were slight individual differences, the sound of the swords being drawn almost simultaneously was sharp and chilling.
But even that well-trained display couldn't reassure Lucia.
Instead, she raised her guard to the maximum against the human who had suddenly appeared before her.
‘...I didn’t sense his presence at all.’
Lucia bit her lip, staring at the man before her.
A man with black hair, black eyes, and a black robe.
Because of his unique appearance, people called him the ‘Black Mage.’
Unlike other flamboyant titles, it was a phrase so simple it was downright arrogant.
Still, no one would ever question it.
“...I didn’t expect to see you here, Lee Hyun-woo.”
“Likewise. To be honest, I didn’t expect to meet you like this either.”
As he spoke, Hyun-woo casually raised his hands.
“Could you maybe put the swords away first? I’ve seen so many sharp blades lately, it’s making me a little scared.”
“And how do we know what you’ll do?”
“Given what I’ve done, I won’t tell you not to be wary. But I really just came to talk today. It’s a story that will benefit you, too.”
Lucia narrowed her eyes at Hyun-woo.
‘If he intended to launch a surprise attack, there would be no reason to talk like this...’
According to reports, the usual Lee Hyun-woo would blast his enemies with magic without any discussion.
Considering that, could she take it that he really had no intention of fighting right now?
‘Well, I’m not naive enough to trust an enemy’s words.’
First, gather information.
Currently, Lee Hyun-woo was a person of interest to both the kingdom and the Demon King’s army.
If she could draw out even a little information, that alone would be valuable.
Depending on the circumstances, a single word from that man could be more important than the captured elf.
“...If you’re not here to fight, then why has the great magician come all this way? Did you come to rescue the captured elf?”
“Ah... it is related to that. But I’m not asking you to release her.”
“Hmm? Isn’t she your comrade? Are you okay with not saving her?”
“Due to certain circumstances, she’s closer to an enemy now.”
Lucia tilted her head slightly.
“Does that mean you’re no longer part of the Hero’s party?”
“That’s right. You haven’t heard any stories of me fighting for a while, have you?”
“......According to the reports, you did suddenly disappear.”
“Right. I’ve already washed my hands of the fight between the kingdom and the Demon King’s army. I have no reason to fight you.”
“Hmm......”
Lucia tapped the armrest of her chair with her finger.
“Seeing how the Hero’s party collapsed so pathetically, your story seems plausible... So? That makes it even stranger. If you’ve washed your hands of this, why are you here?”
“To make a deal.”
“A deal?”
“The elf you captured.”
Lucia’s brow furrowed openly.
“I can’t give her back. I’ve already reported it to my superiors. If I let her go, the Demon King will scold me.”
“Ah, I’m not asking you to hand over the bitch. In fact, I’d prefer it if you kept her.”
“...Then what’s the deal?”
“Let me torture that woman.”
“......”
Lucia unconsciously clamped her mouth shut.
She looked into Hyun-woo’s eyes, but he didn’t seem to be lying.
And that was precisely the problem.
“...Just how deep is your grudge?”
“I’m not going to inflict the kind of pain you’re thinking of. However—”
Hyun-woo tapped his temple.
“I’m just going to break her mind a little. In a sexual sense.”
“Are you sure you’re not just trying to kill her to silence her?”
“I can’t stop you from thinking that. But she’s an idiot anyway, so you won’t get anything out of her even if you interrogate her.”
“Hmm......”
Lucia fell into thought for a moment.
She didn’t fully trust this magician.
But if she mishandled the situation and he went on a rampage, that would be even more troublesome.
Their morale was sky-high after their victory over the Hero’s party.
She didn’t want to ruin it with an incident like this.
“......Your words are very tempting. But that’s exactly why they’re hard to believe.”
“I thought you’d say that. Then how about we have a Magician’s Zen Dialogue?”
Lucia’s body tensed.
A Magician’s Zen Dialogue was a conversation presided over by the ‘God of Mages.’
Under its protection, two magicians engaged in the dialogue could determine whether the other’s words were true or false.
In fact, if the ‘God of Mages’ deemed the relationship between the two to be unfair, the ‘Zen Dialogue’ wouldn’t even be initiated.
For this reason, the mere fact that a ‘Zen Dialogue’ was established meant that one could trust the other party.
Of course, there were ways to refuse to answer or to simply avoid ‘telling a lie.’
“...Interesting. Are you that serious?”
“So, are you in or out?”
“Fine. I have no reason to refuse. By the pact, I swear.”
“By the pact, I swear.”
As they spoke, a blue magical energy enveloped the two of them.
From this moment on, the God of Mages would guarantee the truth of their words.
Watching this, Lucia spoke.
“You ask first.”
“Me first? I was trying to earn your trust, I don’t really have any questions.”
“This could still be a magical trap, you know. I don’t trust you yet.”
Hyun-woo licked his lips for a moment with a disinterested expression.
Then, he spoke nonchalantly.
“Are you a virgin?”
Lucia’s face turned bright red.