Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: You Have to Keep Your Promises (2)
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“...”
Casa Garda let out a scoff as she gazed at the nameplate resting on her palm.
It was the item Dawood Campbell had tossed her way after popping up out of nowhere yet again.
Truth be told, it was clearly no trinket to be handled so lightly.
This thing was basically the imperial seal, by imperial standards.
The mark of the Great Chieftain. Up until recently, it had been in Allan's possession.
“...How the hell did you snag this one?”
Without so much as a question or protest, he'd shoved it right into her hands first thing. Casa asked in a hollow voice.
“Well, shit's hit the fan over there, hasn't it? Great Chieftain's dead. The whole alliance got dragged around by him. I cleaned up the mess entirely, so a little smooth-talking with the chieftains gets you this much easy.”
Sure, that made sense.
From the Tribal Alliance's perspective, having their Great Chieftain toyed with like that was an undeniable humiliation. The chieftains' council was probably in unprecedented chaos right now.
Even so.
“...”
Was it really that simple?
The Great Chieftain wasn't some position brimming with dignity and authority like the Emperor or the Pontiff.
Just look at how Casa herself had been dragged down by Allan's duel challenge—she knew full well it was an open seat that could change hands anytime.
It was just about picking the strongest among the chieftains, not truly 'ruling' the alliance of tribes.
But even so.
It was still one of the representative seats of the three great powers. No way they could just hand the decision over to some 'outsider' like this.
She voiced that doubt, and the response she got was a masterpiece.
“Nah, just.”
It came out in a bored drawl.
“If you're pissed, let's throw down, I said.”
“...”
“It's a prehistoric gig where the duel picks the owner anyway. Why get all prickly? Hand it over nice or whatever. Something like that?”
It was answer enough to make Casa burst into laughter.
Yeah, fair enough.
Not only had he broadcast beating an ancient god to the chieftains live, but she'd already heard how he'd repelled the mysterious assailants who attacked the Tristan Duchess's lodgings.
“They all know who I learned that ancient god-slaying spell from anyway. So I'm not some outsider—I'm treated like your direct disciple.”
Another answer worth a good chuckle from Casa.
His skills were riddled with cheats and cons, but he'd proven them plenty, so fine.
But solving the 'authority' angle by name-dropping her?
That brought up something she had to ask.
“What are you scheming?”
“Huh?”
“With achievements and clout like that, enough to eye the top seat in a great power, you could've claimed anything you wanted.”
And yet, this man.
Had brought back that seat... and handed it to her. Not taking it himself.
“...Can't think of it as anything but you having other plans.”
“...There are a bunch of reasons, but the one that'd hit home for you? It's so Liru can be happy.”
“That child?”
“Honestly, dropping the Great Chieftain reason this early is jumping the gun. We're just getting started.”
Dawood scratched his head sheepishly as he said it.
“You saw what truth your granddaughter carries, right?”
“...”
Casa nodded slowly.
She'd seen the aura pouring from Liru's body with her own eyes.
Denying what it was would be tough.
“...Demons are public enemies of the continent. Plenty lust after that power, but fundamentally, they're treated as things humanity must exterminate for its own sake.”
Dawood stated it flatly.
Then.
With a sigh, he dropped the bomb.
“To uproot that mindset from the ground up, there's no way but spreading my influence from the continent's top echelons.”
“...”
Casa's eyes went wide.
So.
This man was saying, right now.
“...You're saying demons aren't humanity's enemies?”
“Yes.”
But.
Dawood answered without hesitation.
“They're not enemies. I'll prove it.”
It was a sentence packed with omissions.
Why not enemies? How to prove it?
“The Tribal Alliance's Great Chieftain is just the start. The imperial house, the Church headquarters... I have to saddle them all with 'debts.' At least so they'll follow my requests without a peep once or twice.”
Absurd words, insane motives. The kind only a madman would dream up.
But.
When he explained why he was doing it.
His voice brimmed with conviction.
“Including Liru. For people carrying that to find happiness, it's the only way.”
“...”
Casa let out a hollow laugh.
Put another way.
“You could end up turning all humanity against you, kid. Deep-rooted hatred doesn't flip easy.”
“...”
“You're saying you'll fight the whole human race for your women. You know that?”
“...I'm just spreading the truth.”
Casa burst into laughter again.
This guy.
An idiot. A fool. A stubborn lone wolf gone mad.
“That's one hell of a crazy idea, kid.”
But.
Casa liked that kind of person plenty.
“Push it all the way through. Count me in.”
And.
It involved her granddaughter too.
No reason to refuse.
“...This is why I like you, Casa.”
Casa flashed a mischievous grin at Dawood's words.
Then, as if it just occurred to her, she tossed another question.
“But why'd those guys hit the Tristan Duchess's place?”
“Huh?”
“It's weird, no matter how you slice it.”
Casa packed fresh tobacco into her pipe and spoke.
“Makes it look like summoning three ancient gods was just a 'feint.'”
“...”
“You had that vibe like you knew already. Right?”
She'd seen the ancient god fight herself, and what Dawood did after.
This man hadn't poured his all into that from the start.
As if.
He'd known something else was coming after.
That knowing glint about his opponent made the question inevitable.
“You know them?”
“...”
Dawood gave a wry smile.
“...Don't know the bastard.”
“Yeah?”
“Not yet.”
Strange answer.
Like he didn't know now, but would in the future.
Casa pondered the meaning for a moment.
“...You have a pretty clear suspect in mind, huh?”
You couldn't give that reply without a shortlist of suspects locked down.
Dawood fell silent for a long stretch at her question.
As if just thinking of it reopened a 'wound.'
“Anyway.”
He forcibly steered the topic.
Obvious deflection, but Casa didn't press.
Everyone had secrets they kept buried.
“That's the gist, Casa. Stick around the Crucible of Strife for a bit. I'll call when I need you.”
“Yeah, that works fine.”
As Dawood turned to leave, Casa threw in one more line.
“That Eliya girl. Before she leaves the Crucible, can you send her my way once?”
“...? Not a tough ask, but why?”
“Got something to teach her.”
In her eyes, Eliya was a gem right at the crossroads.
On the verge of awakening a very special power.
“Since demon talk came up.”
Casa grinned and continued.
“She can play a very special role for you, suffering squeezed between them. You can trust me on that.”
“...Special role?”
“You bet.”
Casa's voice carried conviction that even gave Dawood pause.
“If I'm right, she'll hold her own as a powerhouse competitor among the women trying to devour you.”
“...”
“You'll definitely hit a massive dilemma over who to take first—”
“...I'm out.”
Dawood bolted from Casa's room.
Like fleeing a must-avoid topic.
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[System Message]
[ You have completed the Main Quest! ]
[ Rewards granted! ]
[ Special interaction with 'Tribal Alliance' added! ]
[ Once only, you may request 'special support' from the target! ]
[ 'Special support' allows near-limitless requests regardless of field or target. It can cause massive ripple effects—use with caution! ]
Yeah.
He sighs, scanning the window before him.
“...”
But damn, kinda underwhelming.
Past Main Quests showered crazy rewards, but after the hardest grind yet, this is the lamest.
Feels like a letdown if this is it...
[System Message]
[ Flawless, airtight clear! ]
[ Crucible of Strife took zero damage, not even unnecessary casualties! ]
[ Additional reward granted for next chapter progression! ]
Oh. There we go.
He chuckles at the new window.
Yeah, can't be too stingy.
When they give, they give big—
[System Message]
[ Target 'Seras Evatriche' takes interest in you from an earlier point! ]
[ Target will soon arrive at 'Imperial Academy Elpante'! ]
“...”
What the hell is this.
He knows Seras.
The master ruling the 'Crescent Oath,' the Pontiff's shadowy black ops from the Holy Kingdom.
And.
High chance she's a vessel for a demon.
Unlike random demon vessels per chapter, she's fixed from the start, like Phenol or Elnor.
Bearer of the purple demon fragment.
Never met her direct, but they've brushed paths before.
To begin with.
[System Log]
[ Checking current status of target 'Seras.' ]
[ Your overall vibe hits Seras's tastes dead-on! ]
[ Direct encounter means sky-high chance of love at first sight! ]
[ 'Skill: Fatal Charm' activates in advance! ]
This one's popping early warnings too?
Adding her at this timing just piles another bomb on his tightrope act among the demons.
Bad timing too.
He'd cleared this insanely tangled chapter juggling everyone around him.
And the payoff's this.
[System Log]
[ Target 'Yuria' is plunged in extreme despair! ]
[ Target 'Lucien' is plunged in extreme guilt! ]
[ Target 'Elnor' is plunged in extreme helplessness! ]
[ Target 'Phenol' seems to have a favor to ask of you! ]
[ Find a way to soothe them! ]
“...”
Cold sweat at the crisis vibe.
Weird.
Thought he juggled pretty damn well—why's everyone wrecked like this?
And what's with the last one.
How to fix this mess.
Save me...
“...Here you are.”
Amid the dizzying system windows,
The last voice he wanted rang from behind.
He turns to the source—rusty gears grinding like an unoiled machine, spitting those words.
“Liru? You're looking healthy.”
“...Healthy.”
Awkward silence flows.
Her reply sounds normal enough.
But up close.
Her state is... off. A bit.
Always dressed rough but neat, yet her clothes are a mess now.
Disheveled everywhere, exposing way more toned skin than usual.
Face flushed—maybe his imagination.
Sweat all over.
Definitely not normal.
Feels like 'something' forced her into this state.
[Oh, here she comes. We agreed on a full day stuck together, right?]
“...”
[Shouldn't make promises so lightly.]
‘...Why do you sound so thrilled?’
[You have to keep your promises. Fighting, Dawood Campbell.]
Shut up.
Just shut the hell up...!
“You don't look great. Maybe rest more—”
He blurts it desperately.
“Hey.”
Liru cuts him off.
Thud thud. Steps toward him.
Closer now, the weirdness hits harder.
Her breath mixes heated sighs and sweetness. Eyes half-lidded. Honey-dripping gaze grabs his collar tight.
Desperately 'urgent' vibe.
He stares, cold sweat pouring inside.
“...I'm free today. No one's in my room.”
Chill down his spine.
“Wanna come eat something?”
“...L-Liru.”
“Eat before you go.”
“...”
Wait, that.
Eat and go?
Or am I the one getting eaten?
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