Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Oath
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[System Message]
[ ‘Skill: Fatal Charm’ activates! ]
[ Target ‘Liru Garda’s’ favorability surges from ‘Interest Stage 3’ to ‘Trust Stage 1’! ]
[ New receivable reward is added! ]
[System Message]
[ Crisis situation resolution confirmed. ]
[ Title ‘Womanizer’ is released! ]
Yeah. I get it, all of it.
But I just can’t sympathize with that last bit about the crisis being resolved.
I reflexively check on Elnor, standing dead center in the stage, staring right at me.
There’s no way she didn’t hear what I just said to Liru.
Just look at how she’s glancing back and forth between me and Liru with an expression of utter disbelief.
[ Using ‘Insight’. ]
[ Loading target’s information. ]
[ 24-hour cooldown applies to the same target. ]
[Character Info]
[ Elnor Erinarije la Tristan ]
[ Traits: Vessel of the Gray Devil (2 fragments), Tristan Duchess ]
[ Status: Intensely pondering the meaning of Dawood Campbell’s ‘I like you’. ]
The silver lining is that she doesn’t look like she’s about to fly over here and beat me to death right after hearing it.
I’ve bought some time. Time to improvise and somehow smooth this over.
“...Y-You, what the hell did you just-”
Liru, still nestled in my arms, stammered those words with her ears flushed bright red.
She clearly couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.
I get it. If I were in my right mind, I never would’ve said something like that.
Especially not in front of Elnor.
[Dawood Campbell’s lost his mind~ Dawood Campbell’s lost his mind~]
“...”
[I wonder how you’ll wriggle out of this one. Can’t wait to find out.]
Have you ever seen someone this utterly useless?
A man’s life is on the line, and that’s the crap coming out of your mouth?
[Why not just go at it head-on? Tell her the situation and ask for her cooperation?]
No. How many times do I have to say it? I’d die.
The moment I reveal the demon’s existence to the vessels, this already tangled mess of a scenario goes straight to hell.
I’ve got to tangle with Paynoni soon enough, and if that happens, getting mixed up with the Inquisition turns the event into an even more disastrously insane catastrophe. We’re already suffering because of the demons’ relationships—this would make it straight-up unplayable chaos.
Of course, that doesn’t mean I can just sit here and die.
I rack my brain.
Game lore, Elnor’s current state, the Gray Devil’s tendencies—everything.
My focus sharpens like I’ve activated a swordsman’s concentration skill, the world around me slowing to a crawl.
[No, this is a real checkmate this time. Any way out?]
In the midst of it, Kaliban spoke up in a voice laced with amusement.
[Last time you got away with a lip bump. What’s your plan to calm her down this time?]
“...”
[Even if you pull that again, the stakes are too high now. She won’t buy it.]
Agreed.
But even so, charging in directly like you said is way too—
“...”
Hold on.
Charging in directly?
That just might...
‘Work?’
It makes my head spin just thinking about it.
But no doubt, this’ll land.
[...You don’t look thrilled about it?]
Sure, it’ll work, but it’s not exactly a win for me.
Honestly, I don’t even want to go that far...!
But then, a sight unfolded before me that made such dilemmas irrelevant.
Elnor from the center of the stage had launched herself toward me in a single bound.
At this point, her physical abilities go beyond impressive—they’re walking natural disaster territory.
“...What did you just say, Dawood?”
Those red eyes were blazing.
“You said you like her? What the—”
“...Exactly what you’re thinking.”
I feel sweat pooling in my palms as I reply.
“...I like Liru.”
The moment the words left my mouth.
Liru’s jaw dropped wide open, and sparks flew from Elnor’s eyes.
But before she could open her mouth again, I pressed on.
“She’d make the perfect concubine.”
“...”
“...”
Elnor and Liru’s expressions blanked out simultaneously.
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A hellish silence stretched on for several minutes.
Elnor glanced back and forth between me and Liru, clearly at a loss for words.
“...A concubine?”
She stammered it out, sounding thoroughly flustered.
She probably never imagined hearing something like this right to her face.
Against that Elnor, I pull out one piece of in-game lore I know.
“By imperial law, all nobles above earl rank are legally encouraged to take multiple spouses.”
That’s why Eliya was often seen with multiple guys in the game.
High nobles are walking hubs of influence. The empire encourages it to some extent since marriage creates institutional ties and networks.
However, as you can tell from the intent behind the encouragement.
Unlike the ‘principal wife,’ ‘concubines’ have very clearly defined ‘roles.’
There’s an absolute gulf between a true beloved wife and women bound by necessity.
“...After marrying you, I plan to take Liru as a concubine.”
Normally, most imperial noblewomen would get the hint and back off at this point. The legal distinction between principal wife and concubine is that stark.
“...You think that’s an excuse right now?”
Of course, even so.
A demon with an inherent possessive trait probably won’t hear a word of it.
That’s why I’ve never tried this on Yuria despite knowing about it.
“Of course.”
But.
Here’s the turning point.
A demon’s obsession ultimately stems from a desire for ‘exclusive possession.’ Even the Gray Devil, consistently favorable toward me, won’t yield on that.
So, just like how I accepted the ring Elnor offered.
I just need to give her ‘proof’ that satisfies that desire.
Proof that she’s the most precious person to me—something no one else has.
“...”
God.
I really didn’t want to do this.
I squeeze my eyes shut inwardly.
And pull the trigger, so to speak.
“Liru’s great with kids.”
Elnor, who’d been about to snap, froze solid.
Then her face crumpled.
She looked half in disbelief at what she’d just heard.
“...Kids?”
“Yes.”
My guts twist as I force my face to stay smiling and continue.
“Our kids.”
Elnor’s face flushed like it might explode.
She even staggered back a step, like she’d been struck.
“Ch-Ch-Children...?”
“Yes.”
“D-Dawood, what are you, what do you mean—”
“My plan is.”
From inside the amulet, Kaliban bursts into laughter, rolling around. His choked gasps carry all the way here, like he’s dying from lack of air.
But even so, I keep my face smiling as I press on.
“To make a child with you soon, Elnor.”
“...”
“Liru, as clan head, has plenty of experience raising children. She’d be a huge help with childcare—”
“St-Stop. Stop!”
Elnor hurriedly cut me off.
She’s covering her flushed-to-the-ears face with both hands. Her breathing’s ragged.
“D-Doing this, talking about this in front of someone else? Are you, are you actually insane?!”
“...”
Yeah.
The Womanizer title isn’t even active, and here I am spouting this nonsense stone-cold sober. Pathetic.
That said, it’s working. Elnor, who’d been seething with rage, can’t even think straight about that topic now.
But.
Even if Elnor calms down, there’s still ‘the other issue’ to worry about.
“...”
I sneak a glance at Liru’s expression.
Sure enough, it’s gone ice-cold.
A faint blue aura flickers visibly around her body.
Yeah. I know.
After a guy just confessed he likes me, then casually talks about taking me as a concubine right in front of me? I’d snap too.
So, I need to take additional measures.
“...”
I take a deep breath and tap the amulet a few times with my finger.
Since they can read sentences I think up without me saying them aloud, this is possible.
Valkasus. Please.
Sorry to wake you after so long just for this...!
[...You do lead quite the tumultuous life.]
As a voice heavy with pity flows from the Soul Linker, Liru’s eyes widen.
Even Elnor, with her insane base specs and senses, can’t detect this tiny bit of ‘alchemy’ trickery.
And thanks to that, Liru’s flustered expression replaces her anger.
She must feel ‘letters’ etching onto her skin.
I’m tracing characters onto her skin with finger pressure like rubbing.
That’s how.
I inscribe a ‘word’ to calm her down.
With my rudimentary alchemy limited to a few strokes, this is the best I can do.
[Cooperate. Or we die. Save me.]
A crude sentence at this level.
Meaning: cooperate with me here, or we both die.
Thankfully, she seems to get it, her eyes going wide.
“Kids, childcare concubine...”
Elnor mutters in disbelief.
Her face still burning, she glances between me and Liru.
“W-We’ll talk about this later—!”
With those words, Elnor bolted from the scene.
She craters the spot where she pushed off, vanishing in a blur of afterimages.
Like something out of a comic.
“...”
Yeah.
Survived again this time.
But... at what cost?
[What else? You’re in for it until you become a dad soon. Congrats. Must be nice. Impressive.]
“...”
Shut up.
[By the way, what about that Yuria girl?]
Huh?
[If she hears you’re taking that one as a concubine, she won’t stay quiet. Her obsession’s dozens of times worse than the duchess’s—]
‘...Kaliban.’
I reply with a detached smile.
‘We’ll figure that out when the time comes.’
[...]
‘Worrying now won’t help. Better to deal with it based on the situation then, right?’
[Didn’t you just say that and now you’re screwed with her instead?]
“...”
[Unbelievable. When the time comes, who knows what else you’ll wither away doing—]
I yank the amulet off my finger and chuck it to the ground.
Sorry, Valkasus.
To Valkasus.
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