Chapter 43 - The Couple Breaker
“…”
‘…Do I really have to absorb this guy?’
[Query. Unable to comprehend the meaning of the question.]
It had been two years since I absorbed Vertus, and I couldn’t help but recall the days I spent with him.
Whenever something bad happened to me:
—Tch. Pathetic Heavenly Demon. How amusing.
And whenever I got lucky and stumbled upon something good:
—Hoh. Congratulations. But how long do you think that fleeting luck will last?
…
Honestly, there had been more than a few times when I desperately prayed for this bastard to revive and regain his physical form.
That way, I could just tear him apart again. Especially that cursed mouth—no, beak.
[Understanding. User’s request has been acknowledged.]
[The absorbed soul of Silvanos will enter a dormant state for a certain period, similar to Vertus’ case.]
‘Yeah, but that’s only temporary. He’ll wake up eventually.’
[Understanding. In that case, I will analyze Silvanos’ absorbed soul and explore alternative uses beyond sealing it within the dantian.]
[However, this process is expected to be highly complex, and an estimated completion time cannot be provided.]
‘…Hmm. So you’re saying you’ll find a solution. Got it.’
‘But why the hell do you keep telling me to absorb them?’
First, there was that prompt asking if I wanted to absorb Vertus’ soul, and now, ever since then, the system has been weirdly insistent on pushing me to absorb them.
[…Unable to answer the question.]
‘What? Since when does that happen?’
This was a first. Normally, if it didn’t know, it would just say so. But this time, it was acting like it knew but just couldn’t answer.
‘…Whatever. No time for this. Just get started on whatever that “process” is.’
I wanted to press further, but I didn’t have the luxury.
By the time I snapped back to reality, Silvanos’ soul had already fled dozens of meters away.
Thud—
I kicked off the ground and closed the distance in a single leap, then stretched out my palm.
Whoosh—
“Nooo—!”
With that final scream, Silvanos was absorbed into my hand.
[Target ‘Silvanos’ Soul’ has been absorbed. Sealing the entity within the dantian.]
[As per the user’s request, initiating full analysis of the entity. Estimated time: unknown.]
‘Yeah, yeah. Got it.’
Since Vertus hadn’t contacted me yet, he was probably holding on, but you never know.
I turned to head back to the academy—
‘Ah. Beltane.’
Come to think of it, I hadn’t checked on Beltane yet.
For the record, he wasn’t dead.
No matter how much of a demon had possessed him, he was still the precious son of a ducal family. If I killed him under the pretense of exorcising a demon, the aftermath would be a nightmare.
The moment I stabbed my sword into his chest, I had activated Demon’s Invasive Threads, one of the Heavenly Demon Arts, sending tendrils of demonic qi through his blood vessels.
Originally, this was a forbidden demonic technique that planted my demonic qi into a martial artist’s meridians to seal their martial arts. The qi would gradually spread until it reached the brain, turning them into a mindless slave.
But this time, I used it as a temporary measure to stop the bleeding by sealing the torn blood vessels.
“It was a gamble… but thankfully, it worked.”
I never intended to kill Beltane. I just wanted to scare Silvanos out of his body.
If he had figured out my plan, things would’ve gotten a lot messier.
“The bleeding isn’t severe. The wound’s been temporarily treated, but just in case…”
I pulled out a tiny potion bottle, about the size of a finger joint, from my pocket.
A high-grade potion issued to Parmela’s attendants.
Of course, it wasn’t meant for them. It was for Parmela in case she got hurt.
I popped the cap and poured it over the wound on Beltane’s chest.
With a hiss and a puff of smoke, the wound began closing instantly.
“Damn, this stuff’s good. Worth three months of my salary.”
Now that the potion was applied, the treatment was complete.
“Good.”
I’d leave him here for now and come back to retrieve him later.
Time to deal with the last one.
I started running toward the academy.
[Remaining demonic qi: 8%]
“…Tch. Running on fumes again.”
I was nearly out of demonic qi, but… it should be enough to take care of the last one.
By now, one of the academy’s ordinary buildings had been reduced to unrecognizable rubble.
The thorny vines summoned by Alkemis had pierced through walls, tearing the structure apart as they spread,
while the magic automaton countered with Wind Cutters, slicing through the vines—only for the wind blades to destroy everything else in their path.
“Can’t even taint the sky with corrupted mana? All you can do is throw around wind? Pathetic, for a Fallen Angel.”
Alkemis’ face was brimming with confidence, while the automaton—though expressionless—could do little more than shield Parmela, who still hadn’t regained her senses.
The imbalance in the situation was obvious to anyone.
“I don’t know why you’re protecting her, but why don’t you just give up? A Fallen Angel like you, reduced to serving a mere human? Disgusting. You’re dragging us all down.”
“Hmph. The Queen of Succubi, lecturing me about dignity?”
Meanwhile, Parmela was utterly lost.
Her head throbbed as if someone were relentlessly ringing a bell inside her skull, and her ears buzzed with an inexplicable tinnitus.
Professor Plentina’s sudden transformation, the automaton shielding her, their bizarre conversation—as if they knew each other.
Amidst the ringing in her ears, she caught fragments of their exchange—words like Fallen Angel and Heavenly Demon—none of which made any sense.
‘What… is happening…?’
But still under Alkemis’ influence, she couldn’t even stand, left to sit helplessly in the eye of the storm.
Vertus fought valiantly, but the vines were slowly encircling them.
One more step, and the rose thorns would bind them completely.
“—Huh?!”
“!”
Then, in the middle of the battle, both Alkemis and Vertus froze.
“Im… possible.”
Alkemis was the first to speak again, her face twisted in despair.
“Hah. Too late. If you couldn’t even defeat me, Silvanos was never a match for him.”
Vertus’ tone, however, was noticeably brighter than before.
“To think… a mere human actually defeated Silvanos… Unbelievable. Not that I ever doubted him, but…”
“You seem quite shaken, Alkemis.”
“…?”
Parmela stared blankly, unable to comprehend their words or the meaning behind them.
“—Get over here, now!”
Alkemis’ composure was gone.
With her partner gone, her only option was to fully brainwash this girl and use her as a hostage to force the Heavenly Demon’s hand.
And Vertus knew that all too well.
“Girl.”
“Huh…?”
“Hold on tight. I won’t be responsible if you fall.”
“What are you—”
Vertus scooped Parmela up under one arm.
“Eek! What do you think you’re doing?!”
“Escaping.”
“What?”
Vertus drew out every last drop of demonic qi left in the core.
Whoosh—!
Summoning a massive wind blade, he sliced through the vines that filled the building—walls and all—
“See ya!”
—and bolted outside with Parmela in tow.
“Stop right there!”
A bizarre scene unfolded: an automaton carrying the ducal lady under its arm, sprinting across the garden at full speed to escape a succubus soaring through the sky.
“Where are you taking me?! Put me down right now!”
“Stop struggling. I’m taking you to that butler you’re so obsessed with.”
“…Theodor? What’s your connection to him?”
“Ask him yourself later.”
Uncharacteristically patient, Vertus answered each of Parmela’s questions while keeping an eye on the distance between them and the pursuing Alkemis.
‘…Damn it. She’s gonna catch up soon.’
Even with Vertus possessing it, the difference in specs between a standard academy automaton and a Fallen Angel was undeniable.
“Die!!”
Just as Alkemis, now completely unhinged, slashed at Vertus’ back with razor-sharp claws—
Clang!
A maid intercepted with twin swords.
“Silver embedded in the heart, unleash through the blade!”
Immediately after, the Crown Prince’s silver sword aura forced Alkemis to twist her body midair to dodge.
“How is the young lady?”
“Still disoriented from the brainwashing, but unharmed.”
“That’s a relief.”
Gripping her twin swords in reverse grip, Elrina glared at Alkemis before glancing behind her.
“I don’t know who you are… but thank you for protecting the young lady. We’ll discuss the rest after this fight.”
“Elrina, I did as you asked and briefed the professors to evacuate the students before rushing here, but…”
The Crown Prince looked between them with a complicated expression.
“I still don’t fully understand what’s going on. Why does Professor Plentina have demon wings? How did Parmela get involved? And what the hell is that automaton?”
“I’ll explain everything later. For now, just know that the professor is a Fallen Angel and that she’s targeting Lady Parmela.”
“Good grief…”
Grumbling, Edgar raised his sword toward Alkemis.
“I don’t know the details, but I can’t let a demon run wild in our territory.”
“…”
Alkemis bit her lip until it bled.
She was the type who manipulated human emotions—especially jealousy—and corrupted them by invading their dreams, working from the shadows rather than the battlefield.
Even as a Fallen Angel, she couldn’t guarantee victory against the Crown Prince, hailed as a swordsmanship genius, and the head maid, whose life’s work was slaying demons.
And if Parmela regained her senses…
Just as she seriously considered retreating—
As if to seal her defeat, Theodor came sprinting toward them from afar.
“Wow, everyone’s here.”
With strangely swift footsteps, he joined the group, casually crossing his arms as he looked up at Alkemis in the sky.
“Well… the situation’s what you see. Why don’t you just give up? No need to make this harder than it has to be.”