Chapter 214
Chapter 214
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 214
Chapter Title: Conquest (4)
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It's not the first time seeing this ceiling... or rather, it's not a ceiling at all.
“...”
With my eyes squinted, I gaze up at the starry night sky twinkling overhead.
The red aura has cleared, revealing an intact scene.
If this is what I saw right after my consciousness was abruptly pulled out from inside Feynol's mental world, the situation is clear.
‘...Clear.’
Eliya, having unleashed the holy sword's power, succeeded in subduing Feynol.
“Teacher. Teacher?! Are you okay?!”
“...I feel like I'm about to lose consciousness right now.”
And the moment I try to sit up, Eliya springs out from nearby, grabs my shoulders, shakes me, and blurts that out.
My vision shakes violently, so she's shaking me pretty hard. I'm dizzy.
“...More importantly.”
I lower my gaze to the holy sword sheathed in Eliya's scabbard.
Unlike the last time I saw it, the entire blade is now faintly glowing.
“Did you... properly earn its recognition?”
“...Somehow, I think I did.”
Eliya smirks and looks down at the holy sword.
“And I somehow managed to talk with the one inside it.”
“...What's inside?”
This is news to me.
I knew from the game that the holy sword was blessed by an angel, but I'd never heard of some sentient entity residing within it.
“...There is something. It's a pretty creepy one.”
“...”
I momentarily lose my words at Eliya's expression, genuinely displeased as she glares at the sword.
What the hell is it?
“...Anyway, whatever. Congratulations.”
I brush off the topic and smile at Eliya.
“Now you're a proper hero. The others will be proud.”
“...The one person I most wanted to show it to is someone else.”
I look up at her as her voice drops with meaningful undertones.
“...Um, Teacher.”
“Yeah?”
“Actually, I have a ton of things I want to ask you.”
As she says that, Eliya's gaze fixes on the Soul Linker around my wrist.
“...My brother is in there, isn't he?”
“...”
I give a wry smile and nod quietly.
When she asks with such conviction, I can't deny it. I even used the Guardian Lion Cuirass right in front of her.
A complex mix of emotions flickers across Eliya's face.
A long silence follows, as if she doesn't know what to say.
“...You'll explain, right?”
“...In the near future.”
Quietly.
But firmly.
“Not right now.”
Eliya smiles softly at my words.
It's a smile tinged with a subtle sadness.
“If you think so, Teacher, there must be a reason.”
“...”
“I'll wait. Because I know you'd never do something like that to hurt me.”
It's heavy trust.
So much faith in me that even I feel burdened hearing it.
[...Why not now?]
‘...Not yet.’
I reply bitterly to Kaliban's words.
She probably already assumes he's dead. Once that sinks in, the question becomes ‘why’ he died.
And that's a story deeply entangled with the Emperor and the Tristan Ducal House.
Explaining it here wouldn't resolve anything and could harm Eliya.
“...”
Still.
When I said "near future," I meant it.
It's a key element even in the next chapter, ‘Imperial Upheaval.’
“...Anyway!”
Eliya beams and pulls me to my feet.
“We did it, Teacher. We subdued the demon!”
[System Message]
[ You have cleared ‘Chapter 4 – Night of the Enemy’! ] [ As a reward, an additional function of the ‘Tacheon’s Seal’ is unlocked! ] [ As a reward, special events related to the leaders of each region are additionally unlocked! ]
And as proof of her words, the windows pop up in front of me, drawing another chuckle.
Despite all the chaos, I survived again in the end.
I pulled it off somehow this time too.
I let out a deep sigh and stand up.
And there's always something that comes bundled with these windows like a set...
[System Message]
[ You have successfully cleared the Main Quest! ] [ The aura of the ‘Red Devil’ is added to the ‘Tacheon’s Seal’! ]
There it is.
I scan the system windows that follow.
[System Message]
[ Favorability with target ‘Red Devil’ is unlocked! ] [ You have updated the ‘Devil’s’ favorability on your own. The conditions for unlocking additional functions of the ‘Tacheon’s Seal’ are met! ]
[Skill Info]
[ Tacheon’s Seal – Modified ]
[ Direct ‘contact’ with devils is possible at certain intervals! ]
< !NEW! >
[ Due to your influence, targets can now communicate more directly with the ‘vessels’! ] [ As a result, special abilities are unlocked for all vessels! ]
“...”
This is... a bit odd.
Unlike previous rewards that felt like definite boons, this one screams high-risk, high-return.
Sure, most devils are structurally inclined to favor me, but if things go south even once, I already saw what happens—clearly, through Elnor in the Crucible of Conflict.
No other devils besides Gray have flared up yet, but there's no guarantee it won't happen in the future.
[...So, basically, you have to manage favorability by juggling all your girlfriends at once without pissing any off. Isn't that pretty much what you've been doing?]
“...”
Hearing it put that way makes me wonder how the hell I've managed so far.
There is one difference, though.
‘Before, it felt like I was managing them separately.’
At least not everyone knew I was playing the field.
But now, they all vaguely know what I'm up to.
Fortunately, they haven't lunged at me to tear me apart the moment they found out.
‘...Managing them will be way harder from now on.’
Now they're all aware of their ‘rivals.’
In other words, the catfights are about to intensify.
“...”
Catfights on a devil scale.
Thinking back to how close the Chancellor and Elnor came to clashing last time—and the shitstorm that nearly ensued.
That sounds like hell.
In every sense.
“Dawood!”
As I survey the surroundings with those thoughts, people rush over upon spotting me.
All of them are devil vessels: Elnor, Liru, Yuria, Seras.
‘...Come to think of it, that's impressive.’
[What is?]
‘The devils cooperated smoothly this time without causing trouble.’
The reason this Night of the Enemy incident was quelled relatively easily was largely because the vessels she gathered worked together without infighting to help me.
Without that, honestly, I don't know how it would've turned out mid-crisis. Things half proceeded without much regard for me.
[Well, there's a clear reward. Even if they growl at each other, if there's something juicy enough to drool over, they can pretend to get along.]
“...What?”
[You didn't forget, right?]
Kaliban smirks and continues.
[The first-night rights I promised?]
“...”
Oh.
Right.
I stare at the women approaching, cold sweat trickling down.
Only now do their expressions register.
They're all pissed. Except one.
“...So, Dawood.”
Elnor looks down at me and speaks.
Uncharacteristically tense.
The others glare from around us with displeasure, but she presses on undeterred.
“...You didn't forget our promise, did you?”
“...”
Let's.
Call it a draw?
Please.
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After every major incident like this, my post-crisis routine has become pretty standardized.
Atalantemon. Handle the cleanup.
“...”
“...”
I pointedly ignore Atalante's death-glare from across the president's office.
No, I worked hard this time too. Can't I demand this with some dignity?
“...I'll approve it.”
Atalante sighs deeply and speaks.
“To the Sullivan Chancellor, the imperial palace, the hero selection, and now the demon incident... you haven't had a break. You suffered this semester, even by your standards. At least vacation is soon.”
Atalante rifles through papers and continues.
“The hero selection had its twists but settled on Eliya Chrisanax in the end... I'll handle the aftermath. But there are a few more things left for you to decide personally.”
She hands me a document.
Summarizing it:
It's about Feynol's disposition.
“...It's almost miraculous.”
Atalante continues with a stiff expression.
“Strictly speaking, it's the culprit behind a major disaster. You pulled off another miracle to contain it without casualties, but it could've easily escalated to a continental catastrophe—no joke.”
“...”
“The main cause nearly triggered that, so normally, summary execution wouldn't be out of place...”
Atalante adjusts her glasses and looks up.
“But several groups are fiercely demanding protection for her. Especially the Tribal Alliance.”
“...”
“The risk they'd take shielding the demon incident's perpetrator is unimaginable. And yet they are...”
Atalante glares at me and continues.
“This is your doing, isn't it, Dawood?”
“Yes.”
I admit straightforwardly.
I'm cashing in the favor I planted with the Tribal Alliance's great chieftain earlier.
Exactly this.
[System Log]
[ Special interaction with the ‘Tribal Alliance’ is added! ] [ Once, you can request ‘special support’ from the target! ] [ ‘Special support’ allows near-unlimited requests regardless of field or target. It can cause enormous repercussions, so use wisely! ]
The reward I saved from clearing Chapter 3.
I'll use it to save Feynol.
“She's the woman I reserved.”
“...”
“You think I'd let her be killed?”
At my bold declaration, Atalante clutches her forehead like she's about to die.
It takes a while for another word to emerge.
“She'll be released. However.”
Her gaze sharpens.
“...Are you prepared to take responsibility?”
“I'll do it, prepared or not. It'll take time, though.”
Her past ties with him are something I must unravel slowly, step by step.
‘...It's necessary for the late-game progression anyway.’
Feynol is connected to the Magic Tower, a key faction in the latter story.
Clearing her grudge ties directly to the main quests involving them.
And beyond that.
“I'll make her happy.”
“...Happy?”
“I promised.”
My words to the Red Devil weren't empty.
If I scattered promises like that, I have to follow through.
A smile spreads across Atalante's face at my words.
Like a parent pleased with a child who's finally full.
“It's good if you plan to take responsibility properly.”
Atalante sighs and hands over another document.
“...What is this, Dawood?”
“...”
My expression hardens the instant I see it.
Cold sweat follows.
“Why the long face? You look even more serious than before.”
I close my mouth briefly at her words.
Where do I even start explaining this...
“...They made a bet among themselves.”
“A bet?”
“The one who helped me the most gets to take my, uh... first time.”
“...”
Bewildered despair washes over Atalante's face.
As an educator, does she despair at her students making such a ruinous bet? At my plight swept up in it? Or at these beings being the strongest across dimensions? Her expression can't decide.
“...So this is what came flying in?”
“...”
“‘Let's have your first experience together at the main estate’?”
“...Seems like it.”
I glance at the document Atalante handed me.
It's an invitation. To the Tristan Ducal House's main estate.
Requesting I spend the vacation there.
Of course, "request" is polite—there's no refusing this.
In other words.
I'll spend this vacation at Elnor's house.
“...”
Ah.
Fuck.
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