Chapter 24: The Only Way to Receive Demonic Energy (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 24: The Only Way to Receive Demonic Energy (2)
Fria felt a sense of unease as she watched the two figures emerge from the hallway and approach.
As Sihyeon and Seri drew closer, the familiar traces of mana became even more distinct.
Those two... they really were using something from the Magic Tower.
It was clearly a sophisticated invisibility tool. If it had been a simple low-level spell, there was no way even Alec would have failed to notice it.
Fria contemplated whether she should give her brother—who had been lost in thought without saying a word—a heads-up about this fact. However, the pair arrived much faster than she could decide.
Even if they hadn't, she didn't feel much regret, as the details were difficult to bring up with her own lips anyway.
Still, she couldn't shake her anxiety.
The suggestive smile of that priestess, who had been scanning her entire body while sitting on the sofa, weighed heavily on her mind. Furthermore, the demonic energy emanating from the two of them had grown significantly denser.
It hadn't been this intense when they first exchanged greetings. They had only been gone for about fifteen minutes, yet the demonic energy had become this distinct in such a short time.
That means the most likely possibility is that they were handling demonic energy while they were invisible.
Fria glanced back at Alec and steeled her resolve.
I’m sorry, Oppa, but I’ll have to be the one to handle this.
If Alec had been able to sense even a hint of their presence while they were invisible, he would have chosen to discuss it together. But seeing as they went as far as using a device from the Magic Tower to share demonic energy, it likely meant they wanted to keep it a secret. Therefore, she believed it was right for her to lead this conversation.
Fria gave a small nod toward the two sitting across from her and waited for the right opportunity to suggest speaking in private.
"Judging by your expressions, the wait must have been quite tedious."
"Not at all. We arrived unannounced, so please don't let it bother you. More importantly, have you had a chance to consider the proposal I made earlier?"
"Well. Before I consider it, I’d like you to answer a few of my questions first."
"Yes. You may ask anything."
Sihyeon followed up with three main questions: the route through which they obtained information about the demonic energy, whether anyone else knew of this fact, and their objective in acquiring it.
These were all questions they had prepared for before setting out, and Alec provided Sihyeon with every bit of information he desired.
"In other words, since you've suppressed the rumors regarding the demonic energy involved in the carriage incident, you want to receive some of my demonic energy in return to use for magic research?"
"Yes. That is correct. As for the rumors, as long as we keep our mouths shut, nothing will leak to the outside, so you don't need to worry. Beyond that, we wish to be of as much help to you as possible, Sir Knight. We are both mages belonging to the Magic Tower, and my sister, Fria, has such exceptional talent that she once caught the eye of the Tower Master herself. She will certainly be of use."
It was a statement heavily laced with the implication that they would spread the rumors if he didn't help, but Sihyeon merely nodded as if he didn't care.
"I'll ask one thing. Which of you intends to receive my demonic energy?"
Fria nodded toward Alec, who was looking back at her, and answered.
"I have decided to receive your demonic energy, Sir Knight."
"I see. A wise choice. Since handling demonic energy involves risks, it will be much safer for you to take it on rather than Alec. With your level of mana, there should be almost no side effects."
"Does that mean...?"
"I will share the demonic energy. It will take several days to receive the amount needed for your research. I’ll arrange a separate room for you both, so stay here for the time being."
Upon hearing Sihyeon's words, Alec's expression instantly brightened.
Beaming with joy, Alec expressed his gratitude repeatedly and couldn't hide his excitement even toward Fria.
The more he did, the heavier Fria's heart became.
She had been confident that she would do anything to remain at the Magic Tower with her brother, but the thought that she would soon be taking demonic energy into her own body made her tremble slightly with nerves.
"Sir Knight. If it wouldn't be an intrusion, could I speak with you privately? There is something I wish to ask regarding the demonic energy."
Sihyeon nodded readily.
"Seri. Could you show Alec to his room in the meantime?"
"Of course~♥"
Alec hoped to stay as well, but after Fria's long persuasion, he finally gave in.
Of course...
"This way, please~♥"
As Alec followed behind Seri with a strangely excited expression, Fria couldn't help but find it suspicious.
However, she had to focus on the conversation at hand.
Fria waited until she confirmed the two had gone upstairs before facing Sihyeon.
"So. What is your question?"
"I wanted to ask if there is truly only one way to receive your demonic energy, Sir Knight."
"Hmm. You sound as if you already know something. As you said, there is indeed only one way."
"I-I see..."
Fria shrank back slightly as she saw Sihyeon's eyes narrow.
"Exactly what did you see?"
"T-That is..."
Gulping, Fria took a deep breath before speaking.
"I saw... you and Lady Seri... while invisible... performing an act close to... m-mixing bodies. After that... I confirmed that the d-demonic energy grew denser.... If my guess is correct... then..."
Ultimately unable to hold it in, Fria bowed her head deeply, her face turning beet red as she forced the words out.
"Does that mean... I must... m-mix bodies with you as well... Sir Knight...?"
A broad smile spread across Sihyeon's lips.
It wasn't as noticeable with Fria, who was relatively quiet compared to her brother, but after finishing the long conversation with Alec, one thing became clear.
These two were excessively anxious.
It showed in the way Fria’s purple eyes trembled minutely whenever she stared at me with her usual expressionless face.
Alec, whose body had been stiff from the moment he stepped into my space, was so tense that his voice shook throughout the entire conversation.
I can understand that nervousness to some extent.
If they had heard about my demonic energy through Yuliana—who was always preoccupied with gossiping about others whenever she had a drink—it was safe to assume they had already figured me out.
It was only natural they’d be uneasy, considering they approached me by basically saying they knew the secret I’d been hiding.
No matter how great Fria’s magical talent was, they must have concluded that it was impossible to completely defeat me at such close range.
That’s likely why, after the initial lie about the carriage carrying Elina belonging to their father, they had been giving me nothing but truthful answers to my questions.
However, by my standards, it didn't seem like these two had made the best decision.
Since they never revealed why they needed magic infused with demonic energy, their excessive urgency remained incomprehensible to me.
And in the midst of that, they even mentioned what was essentially a threat—that they would spread rumors about me if I didn't comply with their demands.
In a normal situation, I would never have accepted this proposal until I had forced them to reveal every card they were hiding.
If they had tried to suppress me by force out of dissatisfaction, I likely would have cut them down, thinking it was for the better.
In the first place, my reason for avoiding a fight with Fria was simply because the risk of taking a powerful spell head-on was too high; I never assumed absolute defeat.
Furthermore, if the opponent was a mage who had walked into my range of her own accord, the only thing left to calculate was how much damage this house, rather than myself, would sustain.
But since my own head was already filled with thoughts of devouring this man's younger sister whom I’d just met today, this could hardly be called a normal situation.
Even if this was a remote borderland far from the capital, turning the surroundings into a wasteland while murdering mages from the Magic Tower was nonsensical.
My best move was simply to keep these two locked inside my mansion, regardless of what they were planning.
Whatever happened afterward, I just had to fuck that big-breasted mage's pussy and corrupt her properly.
In the meantime, her request to speak with me alone made things much easier.
"Does that mean... I must... m-mix bodies with you as well... Sir Knight...?"
To think she’d stop at such a question even after seeing me with a priestess, of all women.
It seems her usual personality is also inclined toward trying to understand others as much as possible.