Chapter 176
Chapter 176
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: The Treacherous Subject Has Its Uses
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"...If we leave things as they are, everything in this world will proceed according to Dakken Dyna's whims."
"Hmm... Frankly, it's too fantastical a story to believe outright. But coming from Duke Beonald, the credibility is far too great. Umm..."
"I wish it weren't true either, but that old geezer... his obsession is on another level."
"I agree completely. He really was a dreadful old man. Ah, for what it's worth, I'm over 200 years old myself. All because I made a bad contract with this one."
"'This one'?! That's too harsh!"
It was 'Kel' grumbling while scolding 'Lily' clinging to his side, and 'Lily' was tapping his nose bridge in protest.
From Beonald's perspective, if this man was acquainted with Dakken Dyna, it would be easier to persuade him. To clearly ascertain 'Lilykel's' intentions, he posed one more question.
"So? What will you do? Will you join me in stopping that old geezer Dakken Dyna's ambitions?"
"Well, helping would be the proper course... but what will you do afterward? As you know, while I have issues with Old Man Dakken's affairs, I have no dissatisfaction with the Dyna Kingdom's system itself."
"I like it too! I like it!"
"No, I have no particular desire to overthrow or change this kingdom's system. I'm too busy with my own work as it is. I have tasks to do as the price for leaving Hell."
"So you've made a contract with a demoness who is a goddess. Hmm, in that case, there's no particular reason not to help. I shall cooperate solely for this matter, then."
Having learned that Dakken Dyna's research was dangerous, Lilykel ultimately accepted Beonald's proposal.
Considering the possibility he might refuse or simply stand by, it was a good outcome. Relieved, Beonald asked for a way to contact him, answered that he would be at the Elemental Studies Department, and immediately prepared to head to the next location.
"Then I... should go inform another department of this matter..."
"No need for that. I'll have someone summon them. Ah, I'll exclude Gemini from the Elemental Studies Department. Please wait here for a moment. I'll make the contacts."
"Very well."
Lilykel stood up like that, created a small bat from the 'Lily' part, and sent it somewhere. While waiting, he prepared and served tea separately to Beonald.
The demon half of his body lit a fire in its hand to quickly boil water for the preparation—a truly bizarre sight for Beonald.
"By the way, that body... I must admit I'd like to study it. Usually, one is either devoured by a demon or completely subdues and dominates the demon... Yet you maintain a balance remarkably well."
"Haha, I'm a rather special case. It seems one must have some degree of knowledge in other schools of study to become a pillar of the Magic Tower."
"But I don't mind being in this body with my sweetie?"
"In the past, this place was crawling with people trying to siphon my budget... If you lack the wisdom to judge, you get swindled. So I studied a general knowledge of all the Magic Tower's departments until I thought I'd die."
"Here, please drink. Our Lily may be annoying, but her tea-making skill is second to none."
"Hehehe~ This must be your first time having tea made by a demon~"
Feeling as if he was conversing with two people at once, Beonald accepted the proffered tea.
Perhaps because it was made by a demon, a rich, fragrant aroma wafted up and tickled his nose. He picked up the teacup as if to drink, then suddenly gazed closely at its color and appearance.
"Ohh... This deep red hue is new to me. Is it a new variety? Or perhaps a refined one? This scent is a first for me. Hmm~"
"It's nothing particularly special. There is one secret, though. Should I say it's mixed with a tiny bit of Lily's blood?"
"How's Lily's reward? Good? Hehehe~"
"It's not harmful in any way. No fishy smell either. So please drink it before it cools."
"If it cools, you can just make another cup. As an alchemist, and in this reborn life of mine, very few things have piqued my interest... If you're going to enjoy something, shouldn't you do it properly? Haha."
"......"
Beonald smiled, intending to leisurely savor and enjoy the tea's aroma.
However, unlike his demeanor, Lilykel's gaze wavered slightly.
It felt as if some trick had been played with the 'tea' Beonald was about to drink, but Beonald seemed completely unaware. Finally, he brought the teacup to his lips.
"Mmm... Haa~ Truly, it's been so long since I've had proper 'tea' like this. It reminds me of my time in Benofis."
"Benofis... Ah, that was Duke Neumel's base, correct?"
"Originally, the base was naturally 'Neumel,' but I moved it. I don't have good memories of Neumel... Huh? Suddenly sleepy..."
Enjoying the tea's flavor and chatting happily, Beonald staggered and then thud! collapsed onto the table.
Seeing this, Lilykel relaxed his anxious expression with relief and discarded the liquid from the teacup in front of him.
"Phew~ Really, giving people a fright... No, I still need to be certain. For all that, he's practically the patriarch of alchemists. Lily, is he definitely asleep?"
"Yep~ Definitely. As if~ As if~ the Master Alchemist would fall for a mere sleeping pill. Hehehe~"
"I deliberately chose a strongly scented tea in case he sensed something. Anyway, I need to restrain him quickly before the heads of the other departments arrive. Who would have thought the real Beonald von Neumel would come? Kehehe, Lord Dakken will be so pleased..."
The moment they approached Beonald gleefully, a purple flash of light shone, and his dagger instantly flew to pierce the throat of 'Kel' within Lilykel.
Certain he was asleep, this sudden sneak attack left him with no time to react, thinking he would die. However, the demon 'Lily' attached to his body extended her claws and blocked Beonald's assault.
"Being one body with a demon has its perks, I see. Tch!"
"Lily! What's going on? You said he was asleep!"
"That's strange? He definitely was sleeping?"
"I did fall asleep for a very brief moment. But I woke up soon after. If there's a drug that induces sleep, there's naturally one that dispels it over time. Even 500 years ago in the Magic Tower, dark mages pulling stunts like yours were lined up two rows deep from the first floor to the top."
"Kuh!"
Beonald spoke nonchalantly while retreating and drawing his sword.
If such tricks were being played even now, how many countless schemes must have been exchanged during the Magic Tower's golden age 500 years ago?
Recalling past events, Beonald jeered at Lilykel.
"That's why I studied dark magic. Aside from Magic Tower matters, the world was full of people pulling stunts like yours. I've drunk clumsy sleeping pills like today's hundreds of times, faced attempts at mind control magic, poisonings, attempts to possess my body with demons to steal knowledge, and quite a few seductions using succubi. Anyway... I see you lot haven't changed in 500 years."
"Tch, I had no idea the Magic Tower of the past was that extreme."
"Didn't the demon lady attached to you tell you? She should know well enough."
"Even if she knows, she wouldn't tell me properly. She demands compensation or something. They're utterly merciless. These beings don't give anything for free."
"But~ that's what it means to be a demon, a demon's duty?"
"Anyway, daring to try and stab me in the back... You're prepared, I assume? Since things have come to this, those you summoned earlier must be coming to capture me. Let's finish this quickly."
"...Ugh!"
The aura imbued in the sword was a problem, but the murderous intent radiating from Beonald's presence was no less formidable, Lilykel felt.
He had never heard that Duke Beonald von Neumel was particularly skilled in 'swordsmanship,' yet the killing intent he emitted was on par with that of a high-ranking knight.
As an alchemist, Beonald was too well-known, so Lilykel had prepared countermeasures against drugs and magical tools. But he never imagined Beonald would be that strong just by himself. The moment he realized he was at a overwhelming disadvantage in this narrow room, Beonald was already attacking.
"Sweetie! Snap out of it!"
"Damn it!"
...That demon is different from her appearance.
Clang!
Beonald had concentrated his aura for a swift sneak attack, but the demon named 'Lily' had somehow summoned a sword and blocked Beonald's blade.
It was a sword swung with the power of aura, yet this demon, despite only her upper body being attached to the man 'Kel,' blocked it evenly and bought time until he could create distance.
This puts me at a disadvantage.
"As expected of our 'Lily,' that was excellent!"
"Now it's time for a comeback. Hohohoho~"
That demon... she's far more formidable than her looks suggest.
Initially, with her beautiful appearance but silly, frivolous attitude, he thought she might be a succubus-type. But seeing her block his sword strike and her keen insight, Beonald analyzed she was no ordinary-level demon.
In fact, with a little more thought, the conclusion would be obvious: a dark mage serving as head of the Darkness Studies Department would never contract with a mediocre demon.
Then I'll have to target that bastard after all.
"Good, now I'll show you why I'm a first-class mage..."
"Sweetie! Be careful!"
As 'Kel' struck a pose, smug that his turn had come, Beonald pulled something from his pocket and threw it toward him.
Simultaneously, he swung his sword at 'Lily' to hinder her movement.
Though two, they ultimately shared one body. Restraining 'Lily' naturally meant 'Kel' couldn't move either. 'Kel' swung his staff to bat away the object flying before his eyes, but it simply went Bang! and burst.
"Cough! Cough! Wh-what is this? I-It's spicy!"
"You despicable alchemist! What did you do?!"
"A tear gas grenade concocted from pepper, peperoncino, garlic extract, dust, flour, and more. For someone like you, I don't even need high-grade medicinal ingredients."
Sealing a mage's incantation was a given. If you can't even utter the activation words, it doesn't matter if you're first-class or an archmage—you're just a fool.
Even if he's a department head, he likely spent most of his time researching safely within this Darkness Department. His combat or dueling abilities must surely be lacking.
This was precisely why the specialized class of 'battle mages,' trained to handle diverse situations and specialize in combat, came into existence.
"Cough! Cough! Keuheuk!"
"Sweetie! If you move recklessly like that...!"
With those words, Beonald held his breath and closed in.
Because 'Kel' was coughing and suffering, his opponent's body movements were disrupted. Naturally, the sword wielded by 'Lily' couldn't exert its proper power.
So Beonald slipped inside his guard with ease, deflected 'Lily's' sword aiming for him with his own blade, concentrated aura in his leg without mercy, and accurately aimed a kick straight between 'Kel's' legs.
"Cough! Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
"Excellent harmony."
"Y-you despicable...!"
"Gwaaaaaaaaaaang!"
Slash!
Before 'Kel's' words could finish, Beonald, in a single motion, severed the throat of the man writhing in agony and, perhaps because even a demon couldn't withstand that unique male torment (?), also severed the neck of Lily, who had dropped her sword in pain, sending them both to death's doorstep.
It was a dirty trick, but in this situation, wasting time risked this 'Lilykel's' disciples or subordinates arriving. It was unavoidable.
"Anyway, I need to get out quickly. Ah, right. If I leave them like this, surely... the guys from the 'Necromancy Department' could work their craft and revive them..."
He pulled a bottle of oil from his pocket, poured it over Lilykel's corpse, and struck a flint to ignite it. Watching the flames catch, Beonald draped the prepared robe and outer garment from inside over himself, disguising himself in the dark mage style. As the fire began to blaze fiercely, he slipped out of the place like the wind, descended the stairs, and swiftly made his escape.
Naturally, Beonald shouted this impromptu line in the exaggerated tone and gestures of this place's style, successfully deceiving the students coming up in response to Department Head Lilykel's summons and making it down safely.
However, problems still remained piled mountain-high. Having now exited the Darkness Department's domain, he began pondering what to do next.