Chapter 212
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 212
A land of ominous, blood-red skies and churning black clouds.
Beyond the western front lay the Demon Realm.
Even on this cursed earth, life endured. These were the free folk who had fled beyond the world's barrier, escaping the First Covenant. Some called them demons, and their leaders—the followers of the Demon God—were known as the Twelve Honored Ones.
One of these Twelve Honored Ones, Gilean of the Black Dance, finished his report.
“…So he said.”
Gilean recited the speech Emperor Marcus had given at the academy festival a short while ago. Though his words were veiled, the Emperor’s speech clearly implied that humanity must unite against its enemies. It was a declaration that he would no longer turn a blind eye to the movements of the Honored Ones.
They would need to be careful with their actions from now on. Or perhaps...
‘The time to bare the claws we have sharpened for so long is approaching.’
Clashing with the human realm was inevitable for the sake of their Great Cause. War was only a matter of time.
Having heard the Emperor’s speech, Carmilla smirked.
“Hmph. All that posturing from a mere nobody. The Emperor is only human. If I get the chance, I could kill him in an instant.”
At that, Amur, who had been standing with his arms crossed, chimed in.
“You, of all people, should talk? The one who tucked her tail and ran after being defeated by that very human?”
Amur was referring to the outcome of the previous civil war in the underworld. In response, Carmilla sharply gathered a sliver of blood and held it to Amur’s chin.
“Watch your mouth. I retreated out of respect for the Successor's will.”
“Of course you did,” Amur said placidly, pushing her hand away. “Gilean, the Dark Spirit awakened not long ago.”
A unique energy had been observed in the Union. Only the Dark Spirit Kavelthar could emit such a presence. It had first blossomed when the Successor received the Call of the Heavens, and now, after years, it had revealed itself on this land once more.
“Kavelthar?”
“Yes. Kavelthar is a fusion of the spirit race and the dragonkin. No, it would be more accurate to say it is the origin that existed even before we were classified as races. Above all, it is a being closest to the Source. The Successor's power will grow daily.”
The Dark Spirit Kavelthar.
No spirit was more skilled in manipulating demonic energy. Kavelthar's power could read a target's hidden memories and the darkness in their heart; it could even manifest demonic energy through incantations alone.
It would be the perfect opportunity for the Successor to mature both mentally and physically. For the Successor, who was still incomplete, it was the ideal partner.
If Amur taught him physical combat and Carmilla taught him magical warfare, Kavelthar would help him become a being worthy of reigning over all darkness.
Carmilla, who had been listening quietly, asked, “What did Calvador have to say?”
The Mad Dragon Calvador.
He was the leader of the dragonkin who had abandoned their Dragon Hearts and embraced the power of darkness to escape the Covenant. He, too, was one of the Twelve Honored Ones, but he showed no interest in their Great Cause. Even with Kavelthar’s awakening, he simply remained in his cave, fast asleep.
“As always, he is in a deep slumber in his lair. However, the other Honored Ones have chosen their own successors.”
“Other successors?”
“Yes. The heir of the Knight King, was it? They say he is a manufactured successor, one close to completion.”
Kaim Gilbert. The current king of the Gilbert Kingdom, a man shrouded in mystery. Rumors said he was proficient in black magic that drew power at the cost of life, and that he committed massacres under the pretext of purging cults to refine this power.
He was indeed a successor worthy of the Undying's attention.
“Heeh, then things are about to get noisy.”
“Yes. Once Kaim transfers to the new body he has prepared, the fight for the right of succession will begin in earnest.”
The Undying—the Undead—would stop at nothing to preserve their lives. The most base method was to become a skeleton, anchoring only the soul to the mortal plane and borrowing the bones of the dead to resurrect. If one's magical attainment was high, they could be reborn as a Lich through a Life Vessel, but even that was not a perfect method.
For them, the most efficient means of preserving life was to switch bodies. The closer the bloodline was to the previous body, the more efficiently their abilities and magic were transferred. It varied depending on the lifespan of the race, but even for humans, the shortest-lived, a single transfer could guarantee decades of life.
King Kaim of Gilbert was also said to be obtaining a new body through his own blood relative.
“Honestly, the struggles of mortals are just pathetic.”
To Carmilla, who possessed a near-infinite lifespan, such actions were difficult to comprehend. Well, she supposed accumulating so much ‘evil karma’ would help him qualify as a successor.
Carmilla smirked and fell into thought. “That aside, a fight for succession, you say.”
The heir of the Demon God was not determined by bloodline alone. This was the Demon Realm. Their laws were different from those of the humans, who foolishly passed down crowns from one generation to the next. Anyone with more suitable abilities or authority to achieve the Great Cause could become the Demon God's successor.
Each of the Honored Ones, besides Roen and Kaim, had chosen different successors. Before that day came, a battle to determine the true successor would begin.
Until then...
“We can only pray that our Young Master grows stronger.”
*
On a night when the heat of the festival had yet to fade, Wayne visited Beatrice's office. She respectfully placed a wooden box she had brought on the table.
“It's the pill you mentioned. The analysis at the Eredor laboratory is complete.”
Click—.
Beatrice opened the box and examined the pill inside. It was identical to the one she had seen at the academic conference. It was the size of a fingernail, and a red energy swirled within its translucent surface.
Wayne explained, “With the Union's current equipment, no toxins or harmful substances were detected. However, I do not recommend taking it immediately. Within a few weeks, the Magic Tower will analyze its components in detail, cross-reference it with the thesis, and verify its safety. In the future…”
Beatrice raised a hand, cutting Wayne off.
“So, just how long are you telling me to wait?”
Beatrice's eyes burned red in the darkness. This was not her usual languid gaze, the one that seemed indifferent to all worldly affairs.
A cure she had stumbled upon after a long wait filled with yearning—Beatrice could wait no longer. Following Wayne's advice to verify the pill's safety would take a significant amount of time. Even if the pill was made based on the thesis, there was no guarantee they could even acquire the ingredients again. Roen's formula had lowered the barrier to entry, but it still required a magic source comparable to a Dragon Heart.
On top of that, it would have to go through numerous clinical trials and various other processes before it would return to her hands. Seeing how those people had dragged their feet on creating a cure until now, they might delay for years more. They might even discard everything, claiming Roen's thesis was nonsense.
If her father hadn't shown interest, and if Roen hadn't presented it before everyone, they were the kind of people who would have done just that.
As Beatrice made her firm intention clear, Wayne sighed.
“If that is Your Highness's will, then I cannot stop you… but do you truly trust that man?”
Beatrice gazed at the pill, lost in thought. Of course, Roen was not a trustworthy person. His actions up to now proved it, and his victims all said so.
But.
‘The thesis has already been verified.’
One might not be able to trust a person's words, but one could trust magic and science. Roen's thesis was theoretically perfect, so a pill based on it should also be safe. And...
‘Roen has clearly changed.’
In the months since he had become the Student Council President, Roen was no longer the scoundrel he used to be. He had acted in a manner befitting his position, and contrary to his past reputation, he had displayed overwhelming skill and talent, instantly boosting his standing.
Furthermore, he had fought for the oppressed and weak, like those in Izelin, and had thrown himself into harm's way to protect the students during crises like the summer training camp. Whether that was reason enough to forgive his sins, she didn't know, but it wasn't a reason to distrust him now.
And above all else.
‘Roen saved me several times in the past.’
He had saved her when she was in danger during an Aether Dungeon subjugation, and also when she had suffered from a mana seizure. She didn't believe that such a person would gift her a pill that would cause her harm.
Having made up her mind, Beatrice said, “I… trust him.”
Beatrice swallowed the pill with a glass of water. Even with the reasons she had considered, it was a decision the usually rational Beatrice would never have made. But for some reason, she didn't feel anxious.
Was her anxiety diluted by the anticipation of finally being cured of this cursed constitution, or was it because she truly trusted Roen from the bottom of her heart? The current Beatrice couldn't tell.
“Hoo.”
The pill traveled down her esophagus and into her stomach. It soon emitted a gentle warmth, spreading the pure magic of flame throughout her body. It was a sensation similar to when Roen had directly infused her with his magic.
Beatrice sat still in her chair and began to circulate the magic within her. Wayne watched Beatrice silently for a moment before closing the office door and standing guard outside.
*
Late at night.
I turned on the soft light in my bedroom and opened Roen's diary. It was the diary Lize had managed to partially unlock with her ability.
At first glance, the characters written inside were completely different from the common language used on the continent today. The squiggly script wasn't Arabic; it was a truly bizarre shape. But contrary to my impression, the moment my eyes took in the shape of the letters, their meaning was clearly conveyed to me.
Focusing on this meaning, I began to read the diary slowly.
*
- July 3rd.
Golwen Village, Devalis Territory.
Fatima, Clorence, Rita, deceased due to plague.
※ Source of plague, a monster, located. Subjugated. 3 Karma Points.
- July 19th.
Mirou Village, Devalis Territory.
Zek, Drawin, deceased.
Demonic energy located. 2 Karma Points.
※ Memory investigation reveals contact with demonkin. Further investigation required.
- August 2nd.
Shuri Village, Devalis Territory.
Nothing unusual.
※ Cursed doll familiar drifted in from another city. Compensated with money later.
*
My hands began to tremble slightly as I read through the entries.
‘What… what is all this?’
I read the contents of Roen's diary, but I couldn't understand what any of it meant. It seemed Roen periodically left the city to visit various villages. He left records in his diary about the villages he visited on each date. A place name, a list of the deceased, and a paragraph with noteworthy information.
And something he called Karma Points.
I couldn't be sure what this string of sentences meant exactly. But one thing was certain…
‘Roen hadn't been wandering through villages to torment commoners, as the rumors claimed.’
I tightened my grip on the diary. His actions seemed to have a clear purpose and intent. At the very least, it was certain he wasn't extorting money and goods or searching for humans to use as alchemy ingredients, like the rumors said.
As I continued reading through the diary, a familiar phrase caught my eye.
*
- October 31st.
Morefit Village, Devalis Territory.
Village chief's daughter, Amy, deceased.
Demonic energy located. Ley line purification complete. 5 Karma Points.
※ Demonic energy contained in household items used by villagers. To be retrieved and compensated with money.
