Chapter 212
Chapter 212
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: Conquest (2)
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“Get off—!!”
A voice brimming with rage boomed through the air.
The red devil’s blazing eyes locked onto me like fiery arrows.
“You...”
It growled.
Like a wounded beast roaring in fury.
“What do you even know about me...?!”
I know some things.
Just what’s written in the setting documents, but still.
[...He’s seriously pissed off, huh?]
‘Can’t blame him.’
From his perspective, some stranger popped out of nowhere, stole a kiss from his lips, and started spouting weird crap about making him happy.
‘Isn’t it fascinating, Kalliban?’
[What is?]
‘That devils, of all things, act so damn human emotionally.’
I remember saying something similar to Kwon Sung before.
Devils, you know.
They’re way more human-like than you’d expect.
That’s why what I’m about to do will definitely work.
“...I’m tired of humoring you.”
As that thought crossed my mind, the mental world around us began to shift dramatically.
“Just shatter and die already, you pathetic human worm...”
The surroundings started writhing, closing in to swallow me whole.
But.
[System Message]
[ ‘The Otherworldly Seal’ reacts to the devil’s presence! ] [ The opponent’s energy is hostile. Innate energies automatically resist! ]
Contrary to his intentions, my condition didn’t change much.
Instead, the seal on my chest glowed. The murky light emanating from it blocked all the incoming red glows around me.
Seeing that, the red devil’s eyes widened slightly.
“...Gray, huh.”
Then, he ground his teeth.
“To think you’d implant a seal into a human. What the hell were you thinking?”
“Who knows.”
I let out a sigh and responded.
No, honestly, I have no clue either.
This seal is an insane artifact that can even alter my ‘racial value,’ packed with all sorts of functions.
But it feels like there’s something even bigger hidden in it... some crucial ‘function.’
Like a setup for some massively important event down the line.
‘...Anyway.’
What matters right now is.
“One thing’s for sure—I’m not some punk who’ll drop dead as easily as you think.”
I’m not crazy enough to dive headfirst into a devil unprotected.
It’s a seal that’s devoured the demonic energies of the white devil, gray devil, purple devil, and blue devil. Even inside this mental world facing a devil directly, it should buy me enough time to resist for a bit.
“...So, how about a quick chat.”
“...”
I continued calmly toward the red devil glaring at me in silence.
Like he was saying, go ahead and yap while the seal’s power holds—since he could kill me after anyway.
[...You think that’ll let you beat a devil?]
‘Who said anything about beating him?’
I chuckled softly.
I came here to talk from the start.
Not to fight.
“...Spit it out.”
The red devil crossed his arms, his gaze sharpening.
His crimson irises flickered ominously.
“Once that runs out, I’ll rip your soul to shreds and proceed with the plan as scheduled. Those small fries outside won’t be able to stop—”
“Burn the whole world to leave Peynol all alone?”
“...”
The red devil’s expression twisted as he clamped his mouth shut.
I’d hit the nail right on the head with what he was planning.
The moment he reclaimed his main body from the void zone, the first thing he’d do is raze the world to ashes, just like I said.
The reason?
“...Better alone than getting hurt again.”
So no one could ‘hurt him like before.’
He’d erase the very existence that could harm Peynol.
The rural village where he first set his sights.
The mage tower where he set them second.
Either way, both would leave trauma-like memories for Peynol.
If I recall the game lore, what happened to Peynol there was.
Undoubtedly horrific enough for this guy to insist, ‘Better burn it all preemptively than let him get hurt.’
That’s why I couldn’t bring myself to treat him harshly the moment I saw him—because I knew that past.
But still.
“I’m going to stop you.”
“...”
“He needs to learn the world can be a great place too. That’s part of what I mean by ‘making you happy.’”
That’s how the world works.
If awful things can happen, then wonderful ones can too, right?
Just like someone taught me once.
“...Ridiculous.”
The red devil ran a hand through his hair and shot back.
“What do you know about the agony Peynol went through, crawling through the mud? What makes you think you understand—”
“I.”
I cut him off with a steady voice.
“Was abandoned at birth, found in a dumpster with the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck.”
“...”
“That’s my first memory. I get what a shitty life feels like well enough.”
From here on out.
I’m going to convince him.
Just beating the red devil won’t cut it. I need to show him what true ‘happiness’ means.
For that, his heart has to open first.
So.
“...Just for a bit. A very short while.”
With him, at least, it’s okay to ‘show.’
“Will you hear an old story?”
My old story.
●
Someone who’s climbed to the rank of Grand Archbishop within the Holy Kingdom has undoubtedly seen it all—Archbishop Luminol is no exception.
And as such a person, he could say with certainty:
Dawood Campbell was the most pitiful bastard in the world.
“No, I’m telling you, I’m number 91!”
“Yeah, in your dreams maybe.”
A blue-haired woman in gauntlets swung her fists while exchanging words with a woman dual-wielding daggers.
Even as they bantered, Pandemonium’s creatures caught in their wake were falling like leaves in the wind.
“...You two actually get along pretty well, don’t you?”
The Tristan Duchess tossed in that remark, and the black-haired girl stuck to her side was no slouch either.
Their sword styles differed, but the sheer power radiating from their blades made it clear both had reached the realm of masters.
“...Please don’t say that, even as a joke, Senior Elnor.”
“We’re from the same alma mater!”
With those four teaming up, they piled up mountains of corpses around them while trading such idle chit-chat.
It wasn’t even a fight. They were toying with their foes.
“Um, Father.”
“What is it, Rana?”
“...We came to help because you said it was a world-ending crisis or whatever massive disaster.”
Rana Rey Delbium scratched her head awkwardly.
“But... do we really need to be here?”
“...”
Archbishop Luminol just stroked his chin silently instead of answering.
Sure, aside from Hell Guards, no truly dire creatures had appeared yet—but technically, Rana was right. It was a catastrophe.
A dimensional gate to Pandemonium opening? That alone would drive plenty of people mad just hearing it.
And yet.
These women were suppressing it this easily.
‘...I almost feel sorry for him.’
Even if the guy they’d brutalized was her daughter’s father, he couldn’t help thinking it.
From what he’d heard, all these women were fighting over this Dawood fellow.
Living surrounded by types like this, constantly walking a tightrope—that had to be a nightmare beyond imagination, at least for Luminol.
“...Don’t let your guard down too much, dear.”
But that was that.
Luminol shifted his gaze to the red devil’s vessel inside the pillar of fire.
That was the real problem.
Ever since Dawood made contact, the vessel had been huddled in midair, utterly still.
Its eyes, if examined closely, were unfocused—like it had lost consciousness.
It might look subdued at a glance, but the dimensional gates around it showed no sign of closing, and the fire pillar hadn’t dimmed.
If left alone.
It would surely damage the seraphim’s barrier spread around them.
“Hero candidate, you ready?”
“...Not yet!”
Eliya Chrisanax snapped irritably, gripping the holy sword with both hands and straining.
She wasn’t just holding it—she was struggling to channel mana around it, like forging a ‘connection’ with the blade.
“Don’t talk to me! Teacher said I have to succeed in ‘communing’ with the holy sword...!”
“...Sorry about that. But it doesn’t seem like something you can force that easily.”
What dwelled in the holy sword wasn’t just anything—it was the power left by the Backworld’s angels.
No way stirring mana like that would awaken it.
“Then give me a hint at least!”
“...You’re the first to even hold the holy sword without dying or triggering its radiance. Hard to help. If it had glowed even once, I could’ve guessed the clue from that...”
Eliya froze and looked at Archbishop Luminol.
“...Earlier.”
She hesitated, pulling out the words as if they were excruciating to say.
“You know... When I thought about Teacher, it kinda glowed a little.”
Archbishop Luminol’s eyes went wide.
“...Then start from there. Thinking of that man? How? What exactly did you think to make it glow?”
“...”
Eliya’s cheeks flushed faintly as she took a deep breath.
Then, with her eyes squeezed shut, a timid murmur leaked out.
“...When I realized anew that Teacher is... super precious to me... the sword glowed...”
“Whoa!”
Suddenly.
Rana let out an exclamation.
“...Didn’t that just glow?”
At Rana’s words, Eliya opened her eyes and glared at the holy sword.
“...What?”
“I swear, when Eliya said that just now, it flickered.”
“...”
Eliya scanned the holy sword up and down in disbelief.
It glowed?
This?
From saying that?
“Why not try again?”
“...What?”
Eliya responded incredulously to Rana’s suggestion, but Rana tilted her head with a puzzled tone.
“No, maybe it reacts because you sound like a girl in love with Dawood. Try leaning into that.”
“...You’re kidding... right...?!”
Eliya trembled as she spoke, but Archbishop Luminol jumped in urgently.
“No, I think she’s right. On my title as archbishop—that glow was definitely the holy sword’s radiance!”
“...”
“Focus on that angle. Hurry!”
With his utterly serious tone leaving no room for jokes, Eliya’s face flushed crimson.
“U... Uuugh...”
“Eliya, you got this! But you need to do it now!”
Under the relentless prodding, Eliya parted her lips despite her shame.
“T-Teacher is... to me... super cool and...”
A faint light flickered in the holy sword.
But it was barely a glimmer.
“Yeah, it glowed, but it’s weak! Be more explicit!”
“A-And... whenever he smiles at me... my heart just pounds uncontrollably...”
It flickered again.
Still far too dim to call bright.
“More! Stronger words!”
“H-Here...?!”
“Yes! How much do you like Dawood?!”
At Rana’s shout, Eliya’s eyes started spinning.
“H-How much...? Uh...”
“Then that’s love!”
Her eyes spun faster.
“Y-Yeah...! I-I love him!”
The moment she blurted it, the holy sword glowed faintly again.
Seeing it work, Rana let out an ‘ooh.’ Her follow-ups got bolder.
“If you love him, you’ve dreamed of marriage! How many kids?”
“Wha—?! K-Kids?! Th-Three sounds good...?”
“First kid—what gender!”
“Uh... A-Aaaah... F-First, a daughter!”
“Honeymoon—beach? Hot springs? Resort?”
“...H-Hot springs!”
“Why? Be honest!”
“T-Teacher’s body is way better than I thought! I-I want to see it again!”
The rapid-fire questions grew more outrageous, and Eliya’s responses—eyes spinning, clinging to her last shreds of sanity—followed suit.
“...”
“...”
By now, stares like ‘what the hell are they doing?’ were flying from around them.
Even Archbishop Luminol, who’d suggested that angle, was squinting at the pair.
But every time Eliya said something spicy, the holy sword’s glow intensified—impossible to interrupt.
After some back-and-forth.
“Finally—what do you want from Dawood?!”
“Honestly, I wish he’d just pin me down once—!!!!”
And it wasn’t in vain.
With Eliya’s tear-streaked, scream-like outburst, a brilliant light erupted from the holy sword. Rays intertwined chaotically, forming intricate patterns.
Archbishop Luminol’s eyes bulged.
“The seraphim’s radiance...!”
The pinnacle among all angels.
The seraphim’s pattern was etching itself above the holy sword.
“Father, did it work?!”
“...Oh, it worked. But no hero in history ever drew the seraphim’s radiance from the holy sword...!”
As Luminol marveled like he’d made a monumental discovery.
“...I’m... gonna die...”
Eliya’s quiet sobs spread solemnly through the surroundings.
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