Chapter 228
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 228
Chapter Title: Demon Realm
“No way.”
Eugene chuckled.
The practitioner of the Pilgrim Shadow School had died long ago.
Moreover, the school's mages were favorable toward vampires simply because their practitioner had been one—not due to any ties to a specific clan.
Having quickly sorted out his thoughts, Eugene spoke to Christian, who was still prostrated before him.
“Do you remember what I said earlier?”
“What words do you mean?”
“My will comes before all else.”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Christian suddenly slammed his forehead against the floor and bellowed.
“The exalted Demon King stands above the Night Clan’s sovereign! Above all customs and laws of the Night Clan!”
“Above the clans as well?”
“Yes.”
Christian answered without the slightest hesitation.
He was certain.
As a vampire, he might not have grasped it without seeing such a being in the flesh, but now that he had beheld Eugene, distinctions between clans meant nothing in his presence.
The entity before him was the absolute sovereign of their kind—an instinct etched into every vampire’s blood and soul.
“From now on, you serve under me.”
“What an honor!”
Overwhelmed by boiling passion, Christian’s body trembled.
His father, who had turned him into a vampire?
The Helmund Clan, commanding hundreds of their kind?
They were insignificant compared to this sovereign of blood and exalted Demon King.
And now, such a great being had taken him in.
‘I’ll stand at the Demon King’s side! And with him, I can exact revenge on that wicked wench!’
Ah, how magnanimous was this lord?
To grant such a grand opportunity to a lowly cur who had dared bare his fangs at him!
As Christian drowned in vengeance and ecstasy, Eugene’s voice rang in his ears once more.
“By the way, how did you strengthen those monsters in the dungeon?”
“I used this.”
Startled, Christian hurriedly pulled something from his bosom.
“Hmm?”
Eugene’s eyes gleamed.
It was an incense burner crafted from three small skulls meticulously joined together.
‘No doubt about it. It’s almost identical to the one that black mage from the Kalzbagin Peninsula’s demonic realm had—the one who commanded the undead twin-headed ogre that I “converted.”’
Christian held it aloft above his head with utmost reverence. It bore an astonishing resemblance to the incense burner of the black mage Eugene had slain back then.
“How did you use it?”
“First, I mixed human blood, monster blood, and Night Clan blood…”
Christian explained eagerly. Having gauged Eugene’s temperament in that short time, his account was remarkably straightforward and clear.
“So, you mix human blood, the blood of the monster you want to strengthen, and high-rank vampire blood in the right proportions, then burn it?”
“Yes.”
“But are there many of these magic tools? Do the others on missions like yours carry them too?”
Eugene asked, holding the skull incense burner.
“I beg your pardon, but I believe such treasures are few. This lowly one presumes there are no more than three.”
“Hmm.”
Eugene nodded.
Of course. A magic tool capable of turning top-tier monsters like twin-headed ogres into undead and controlling them at will couldn’t be common.
‘If there are three, then two are already in my hands.’
The skull incense burner he’d taken from that black mage long ago was now in Romari’s possession.
It held no real use for him, and when the mage Romari had teared up, pleading for it for her chimera research, he’d simply given it away.
“I’ll take this.”
Handing it to Romari would surely aid her chimera research even more.
So far, only those pitch-black knights had claimed the spoils; now it was time to gift something to his hardworking mage.
“All that this lowly one possesses belongs to the exalted sovereign. Please, take it.”
“Good. Next question.”
Eugene conversed with Christian for another half hour or so.
He didn’t uncover everything he wanted, but he gleaned plenty of useful information and nodded in satisfaction.
“Good work.”
“What an honor.”
“Hmm. Now, about your disposition…”
Eugene glanced down at Christian, who trembled faintly with anticipation even while prostrated, then continued.
“I’ll make you a vassal.”
“Ooh…!”
Overjoyed, Christian’s entire body shuddered.
High Lord of the Helmund Clan?
That paled in comparison to being the vassal of the exalted Demon King. It was the highest honor for the children of darkness.
“But I already have one familiar. There’s also the estate proxy I took in first. Oh, and come to think of it, Brantia across the sea has a few more like vassals. Anyway, sort out the hierarchy yourself.”
“I shall keep it in mind! And keep it ever in mind!”
Christian bowed low in response.
No matter what anyone said, he hailed from High Lord stock of the Helmund Clan. He could surely claim the role of the Demon King’s second-in-command.
Unaware of Origin’s familiar in Brantia across the sea—whose eyes bulged with the urge to drop dead from work stress anyone who crossed her—Christian basked in ecstatic confidence.
* * *
“Then I’ll give you one month. Clean up everything you’ve done.”
“I stake my blood on it. I’ll devote my soul.”
Christian gathered his subordinate vampires and quietly departed the dungeon via the secret passage he’d prepared in advance.
Having slaughtered all the slaves, he had only five underlings left, but each was strong enough to handle two or three skilled knights, so there was no need for worry.
Christian’s mission was simple.
Restore the Tiwin Domain dungeon and all the demonic realms he’d tampered with to their original state.
Seal off every tunnel he’d dug to secretly release monsters from the demonic realms outward, and eliminate the monsters that had each evolved one rank higher.
He’d been told to leave the advanced monsters be. Eugene would subjugate them anyway.
Even if Christian handled everything perfectly, new monsters would spawn.
But without anyone’s interference like this time, their growth rate would normalize.
“Kieeh? Then we get fewer mana stones? That’s no good?”
The spirit, ever obsessed with wealth whether awake or asleep, voiced his concern.
He was right; leaving the monsters be would yield more mana stones.
But Eugene had already grasped the trap hidden in this incident.
“Probably. With other clans involved, it’s not just happening in the duchy.”
At least two—no, likely more than three—clans’ vampires had infiltrated demonic realms, undertaking missions like Christian’s.
And not just recently; it had been going on for nearly a year.
Similar events were probably occurring simultaneously across the Kayler Kingdom and other continental realms.
Moreover, with monster numbers surging and growing stronger than before, mana stone supplies would be increasing too.
“We’re not the only ones losing out?”
“Not at all.”
Even short-term, they’d just earn less profit than elsewhere—no actual losses. And that was limited to mana stone revenue.
Long-term, though.
‘Maren Duchy and I are guaranteed to profit. And so are the ones behind this.’
Eugene’s eyes turned icy as he addressed Princess Lilisein and the elf knights.
“You’ve all figured it out, but this matter stays secret for now.”
“Mmm.”
The elf knights’ expressions grew subtly conflicted.
They regarded Eugene favorably, but their duty was as knights.
They couldn’t fully endorse releasing Christian, who had committed blatant evil, and keeping such a grave matter from the public.
Sensing their inner thoughts, Eugene spoke sternly.
“He’s just a tail. Raise a fuss now, and we’ll miss the head that orchestrated this. You know my temperament and the path I’ve walked.”
“……!”
The elf knights startled, pondered deeply, then nodded.
“Of course.”
“We trust Your Highness.”
The elf knights’ faces had already softened. Some even looked pleased.
The Eugene they’d witnessed was decisive in grudges and bonds, worthy of being called the epitome of knighthood.
He occasionally employed bizarre, un-knightly methods, but the results were heroic: slaying undead and black mages, saving a nation from crisis.
And on this journey, hadn’t he crushed roamer monsters unrelated to the demonic realm subjugation?
All to save villages and villagers in peril.
“Who wouldn’t trust a knight as honorable as Your Highness?”
“We gladly join your path to uproot evil.”
“Thanks for understanding.”
Eugene smiled warmly on the outside, slyly within.
‘Thank goodness these guys were sheltered innocents stuck on Elrand Island.’
“This one knows milord’s temperament and path well too. Honor, knighthood, anyone messing with mine just gets smashed flat… kieeh…….”
The spirit, who knew the contractor’s heart better than anyone, whispered then crammed himself into the leather pouch.
His wits remained sharp, and his survival instincts and cunning had sharpened too—good for him.
“Your Highness. Does this conclude the dungeon subjugation?”
At Princess Lilisein’s question, Eugene shook his head.
“No. The most important part remains.”
“The important part…”
Leaving the expectant princess’s gaze behind, Eugene turned.
The area where Christian and his subordinate vampires had resided lay right before the dungeon’s core.
Beyond that, at the end of a twisting passage still shrouded in ominous darkness, lay an uncharted region no one had ever reached.
“We enter the dungeon’s heart.”
Ooh…!
The elf knights let out soft exclamations.
Only unverified rumors abounded; no one had ever subjugated the demonic realm’s heart.
No, not even explored it. No one who entered had returned.
‘But…….’
‘His Highness the Archduke is different!’
The heart had halted even a vampire High Lord just before, but now Eugene headed there.
Today, they might achieve a monumental feat to be hailed eternally as epic legend.
* * *
Kwaaaaah!
“Urk!”
Eugene turned at the groan from behind.
Princess Lilisein, who rarely showed pain, was biting her lip until blood seeped out.
‘This is trouble.’
Eugene inwardly clicked his tongue.
Upon descending bizarre, stair-like crags to the dungeon’s lowest layer, they’d found a massive passage five meters wide and high.
Impressive in scale, but nothing to elicit special reactions.
Yet less than a minute after entering, the elf knights began voicing agony.
Demonic energy.
Even elf knights resistant to evil mysticism couldn’t withstand the immense demonic energy emanating from the dungeon’s heart.
In the end, Eugene had no choice but to order all elf knights to withdraw outside the passage.
Princess Lilisein, purest of Elrand royalty, had endured a bit longer, but she seemed at her limit now.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m sorry! This seems to be my limit, Your Highness.”
“K-Kieeh……. M-Milord, even this one’s struggling.”
Even Mirian, bound to him by pact, had gone limp, barely able to fly.
Eugene had to make a decision.
“No helping it. Both of you withdraw. I go alone from here.”
“B-But…….”
“Milord. This one’s got a bad feeling. Let’s head back together.”
“No. You two go back. I’m fine.”
It was true.
He felt a vague pressure, but Eugene was unaffected.
Rather.
‘It feels familiar. Why?’
The unfamiliar sensation sparked curiosity over tension in Eugene.
“I’ll be right back. If it seems dangerous, I’ll pull out immediately.”
“……Promise.”
“Hm?”
“You promised, Your Highness.”
Sensing from Princess Lilisein’s eyes that disaster loomed if he didn’t return, Eugene nodded readily.
Leaving Princess Lilisein and Mirian behind, Eugene pressed on.
Keehiiiiiing!
An ill wind howled.
Normally, he’d unleash his presence, but Eugene refrained.
Instinct—or intuition—told him.
This place required no such display.
After a few more minutes.
Eugene’s eyes slowly widened.
Pitch black.
An endlessly dark void, as if nothing existed, blocked the passage like a black wall.
“This is…….”
Eugene approached the pristine, glossy wall—like polished obsidian—without a speck of dust.
That instant.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa!!!
Vast bloodlust erupted like flames from magic armor Armis and Wolfslaughter, wholly independent of Eugene’s will.
Simultaneously, magic shield Paracletus expanded to shield his front, while magic spear Madarajika wailed shrilly and rose above.
“……!”
The scene reflected in Eugene’s blazing eyes.
Beyond the wall of utter darkness, myriad monsters and otherworldly fiends slew, violated, and devoured one another.
Eugene’s tightly shut lips parted, uttering one word for the spectacle.
“……Demon Realm.”
(To be continued in the next installment)