Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Full Moon Festival (2)
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[Main Quest updated!]
[Main Quest]
[The villain is trying to recruit you!]
[Navigate this wisely!]
[The faster you resolve it, the greater the reward!]
[Reward: Gain benefits in the main scenario branch!]
I confirm the window popping up in front of me and turn to look at the man.
Galdea Riverback Marquis. Nicknamed the "Purifier."
‘...Truth be told, this guy himself isn’t much.’
He’s just a puppet dancing to orders.
This guy’s nothing more than a cunning lackey with a knack for scheming. That’s why he shows up as the Chapter 1 boss with such an absurdly high status as a marquis.
Sure, on the surface, he’s a successful shipping magnate and a renowned philanthropist running a famous charity foundation in the Empire.
His slogan is giving opportunities to talents blocked by their circumstances from showcasing their abilities.
‘He sure talks a good game.’
In reality, all that support he hands out is just laying bait.
He builds trust diligently, gaslighting them in advance so they’ll obey his every word blindly.
Thanks to that, there are plenty who hang on his every syllable.
Just look at the guys he’s dragged out around him—they’re all tough-looking bruisers.
They’re the type who’d sacrifice their lives at a single word from Riverback Marquis.
I glance at the tattoos etched on their necks.
The seal of the demon worshipper group, Purifire.
‘One of their branches, huh.’
The scenario’s main enemies are demons and the demon worshippers influenced by them.
They despise humanity and peace, making spreading chaos and malice across the world their lifelong obsession. What a waste of time.
And Purifire is the faction particularly obsessed with the Tristan Ducal House.
The story goes that a demon lurks in the Tristan bloodline—or rather.
They’ve grasped at least the outline that the "Gray Devil’s" resurrection is tied to that lineage.
That’s why they hurled boulders at Elnor on the entrance train, infiltrated pro assassins into the school, and detonated bombs at the freshman welcome party to unleash magical beasts—all their doing.
“Tristan Duchess, it’s been a while.”
So, the sheer audacity of greeting her so brazenly upon seeing Elnor deserves a round of applause.
The moment we entered the restaurant and spotted Riverback Marquis, Elnor’s expression had hardened stiffly, and now her brows furrowed even deeper.
‘They’ve never gotten along, naturally.’
Riverback Marquis is one of the Tristan Ducal House’s prime adversaries.
More precisely, he’s a lackey for the group scheming from the shadows behind him.
“It has been a while, Riverback Marquis.”
“Yes. I trust you’ve been well?”
“If you’re just here to waste my time, would you kindly step aside? This is the last moment I want interrupted by you.”
A voice laced with icy frost emanated from Elnor, but Riverback Marquis ignored it, smiling as he gestured to those around him.
“I’d love to respect your wishes, Duchess, but I have business here.”
With a snap of his fingers, several men standing near Riverback Marquis moved in perfect unison.
They encircled Elnor, silently exuding pressure—like follow orders or get hurt.
“I’ll borrow this man for a moment, Duchess.”
“Who gave you permi—”
I cut off Elnor as her voice rose.
Then I lean in close and whisper something in her ear.
“...”
Elnor’s eyes widen slightly at my words, and I give her a smile.
“It’s fine.”
“...Dawood? What you just said—”
“It’ll be over quick. Won’t take long.”
“...”
Elnor stared at my face, lips moving as if to protest, but I wink at her instead.
Hey. It really will be over fast.
From the start.
It might already be done.
●
“You seem quite close with the Tristan Duchess.”
Riverback Marquis said with a sly grin.
“Yeah. Something like that.”
Dawood Campbell, sitting across from him, furrowed his brow slightly at the remark and lifted the lid off the tray.
His demeanor clearly showed he intended to eat first, no matter what.
For someone invited by a stranger whose intentions he didn’t know, in an atmosphere this hostile, to brush it off so casually suggested nerves of steel.
‘...But he seems utterly useless.’
Riverback Marquis thought that as he glared at the man.
He’d received reports multiple times about this human who got along strangely intimately with the Hero Candidate and his target, the Tristan Duchess.
So he’d held some expectation of something special.
But this man right in front of him was a profound disappointment.
A total package of worthless, bug-like talents.
‘Still, the Forerunner...’
He swallowed dryly, recalling his "master" in his mind.
The being demon worshippers called the Forerunner.
All demon worshippers, Purifire included, were mere tools for that man.
His marquis status, his position as a famous Imperial businessman.
All bestowed upon him by a single word from the Forerunner.
The Forerunner’s influence, power, and malice had already seeped like poison across the continent, including the three hegemonies.
Compared to such a figure, his own marquis position was akin to an insect.
“...”
And that person liked this utterly unremarkable man before him.
He couldn’t fathom why, but the fact stood firm.
His original directive to approach the Hero Candidate had shifted to this man at the Forerunner’s behest.
“Do you know why I summoned you here, Mr. Dawood?”
So, for now, he’d "recruit" this man, just as planned for the Hero Candidate.
More precisely, blackmail him into cooperating.
‘Perfect timing.’
Whatever this fool was thinking, he’d brought the main target, the Tristan Duchess, right to them of his own accord.
This was Full Moon Festival time. Security was at its laxest amid the festive chaos.
‘Right here, we descend divine grace upon the world.’
Demonic energy reacted most sensitively to chaos and fear, and spreading blood and death through this festival would surely awaken the demon slumbering in the Tristan bloodline.
The Forerunner himself had declared the family’s blood tied to demons.
And he had more than enough means prepared. His years as Riverback Marquis had existed solely for this day.
‘The plan is flawless.’
That’s why the Forerunner had personally granted him the marquis title.
No gaps, no mistakes.
“...”
As for this Dawood fellow.
A simple threat—obey or die—should suffice. Since he seemed close to the Duchess, leverage her too.
He looked like harmless riffraff.
As Riverback Marquis mulled this over, Dawood, chewing a piece of meat, turned a blank gaze toward him.
“Yes?”
“...”
The voice overflowed with such leisure it bordered on stupidity, making Riverback Marquis sigh inwardly.
Why had the Forerunner ordered him to recruit trash like this?
Suppressing the pity threatening to show on his face, he pressed on.
“I asked if you know why you were invited here today.”
“Oh, that.”
Dawood Campbell’s tone remained utterly relaxed.
“You’re planning to resurrect a demon or some bullshit like that, right?”
So, when that casual remark slipped out.
Riverback Marquis couldn’t help but hold his breath.
“...Pardon?”
“Full Moon Festival means lax security, so strike now and kill lots of people. That amps up the demonic energy, making demon resurrection easier.”
A list of facts, as if read straight from his mind.
“The Riverback family’s shipping business makes smuggling beasts alive into the Golden Triangle easy—disguise them amid other cargo and ship them in bulk.”
His plan, known only to him and the Forerunner for security—not even shared with Purifire executives.
“Set bombs to blow all at once, unleashing beasts everywhere. Handle the garrisoned knights with planted assassins.”
It spilled out nonchalantly, like commenting on dinner.
Dawood sliced another piece of meat and continued.
“The repeated assassination attempts on the Tristan Duchess and the beast chaos at the welcome party? Success or failure didn’t matter. Proving beasts and assassins could rampage freely met the basic conditions for using them. Just a test run.”
He’d pierced not just the plan, but every action so far—and the intent behind them.
The plan he’d deemed perfect moments ago.
The plan years in the making, known only to him and the Forerunner.
All exposed in seconds from the mouth of the man he’d just called an idiot.
“It’s obvious, really.”
Ah, this sauce is good.
Dawood Campbell chuckled as he said it.
Still.
Prioritizing his meal over ‘that stuff.’
At the sight, Riverback Marquis gripped his chair arms hard.
A bead of sweat trickled from his forehead down his nose, but he had no time for it.
“What the hell are you?”
“Yeah. That crude, savage vibe suits you better. Why pretend to be polite?”
He growled, but the response came back with the same leisure.
As if he’d known him all along.
“What I just rattled off? I’ve already taken care of it all.”
“...”
“The Chairman likes me a bit. Reported it, and he mobilized the knights himself.”
Riverback Marquis gnashed his teeth at Dawood’s words.
‘...Misjudged...!’
Though raised for demon worshipper purposes, his eye for talent—honed sponsoring countless Imperial prospects—now rang alarm bells.
Method unknown, but this man had single-handedly seen through and dismantled the entire plan.
As lightly as a stroll.
A grinding sound escaped his teeth.
‘...Idiot, my ass.’
This guy’s a monster.
Not like the Hero Candidate or Tristan Duchess with their glaring auras, but in danger level, perhaps greater.
Ordinary monsters blaze like brilliant flames—visibly grand, truly so, always intimidating.
But this one.
Frozen steel.
You don’t know how cold until you touch. Looks harmless.
Touch wrong, unaware.
It tears flesh mercilessly.
Now he got why the Forerunner liked this guy.
‘Same breed...!’
Harmless exterior, yet harboring dozens of sly foxes within—insidious.
That aura seeped through palpably!
“...I admit it. You’re no ordinary man.”
Riverback Marquis said, clutching his necklace.
“But know this.”
He pressed the button beneath it. The same signal transmitted to all wearing identical necklaces.
“You don’t have everything in your grasp.”
He smirked slyly.
Schemer’s creed: always insure plans.
This, even he couldn’t block.
●
-He probably thinks something like that.
Watching Riverback Marquis’s smug grin, the thought comes naturally.
[Skill: Fatal Charm activated!]
[The villain feels awe at your insidiousness!]
[Reward added to Gift tab!]
“...”
Insidiousness? What’s that about.
Feels unfair.
Anyway.
“Right now, my subordinates are waiting downstairs to subdue the Tristan Duchess. The elite of elites, sifted from my Purification Home business.”
Riverback Marquis said, regaining some composure.
Referring to the men who’d pressured Elnor to separate us earlier.
“The plan hit snags because of you, but with them, we can proceed somehow. They rival knights in strength. Even the Tristan Duchess will fall.”
His face filled with growing confidence in himself.
‘...Not actual knight-grade, surely.’
Knights were superhumans with "blue blood" rumors.
Still, claiming their level meant solid forces to restore his swagger.
Yeah. Sorry to burst your bubble amid all that.
“Go ahead, then.”
At my words, Riverback Marquis’s face flushed with confusion again.
“...What do you mean?”
“Try it.”
If I had to say why I brought Elnor here.
Nothing special.
Final boss or whatever, chances to see her true majesty have been rare so far.
From the start, mental constraints kept her mania suppressed.
But from what I know.
‘...Sometimes, it’s better to let it loose.’
Settings-wise, that fits.
Ways to fully remove it exist, and I plan to eventually. But not now.
Until then, better to indulge.
That factored largely into bringing her.
Against "demon worshippers" who’d let her unleash without guilt.
“...”
And if she could vent fully, unfiltered.
It’d show exactly why she’s the final boss.
“Good thing they’re elites, then.”
In other words.
“They’ll last until Elnor works off her steam.”
They didn’t trap Elnor.
They got trapped with Elnor.
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