Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: Who Is That Woman?
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The Demon King Aretia had come to the Abyssal Pit.
But what had she been up to until now?
After getting hit with all that "oh my oh my oh my" from Ophelia and Kairel before, Aretia had been agonizing over her black history and holed up in her own territory, refusing to come out.
Of course, she desperately missed the man she loved.
But she discovered herself being swayed by these feelings to a serious degree.
To kill off these emotions, she threw herself into work on purpose.
"Demon King, the alliance in the west has requested mediation."
"Again? Then we'll decide when to make contact."
"Understood."
"Demon King! This time the demonic beasts—!!"
Currently, Aretia was one of only three demonkin in the demon world with golden horns.
Her exact bloodline was unclear.
But with her tremendous legitimacy as a descendant of the first Demon King, all demonkin acknowledged her.
Even though she had chosen the path of magic, which was off the mainstream for demonkin, she was stronger than anyone.
Moreover, as a direct apostle of the Demon God—who was like the mother of all demonkin—she bore the Demon God's name as her surname.
She was a highly authoritative figure who coordinated and mediated all the factions in the demon world.
On top of that, her appearance was dazzlingly beautiful, so demonkin regarded her as a flower atop an untouchable cliff.
But right now, that flower was caught in a fierce storm, on the verge of being swept away.
'I, I want to see him!!'
The demon world, which was usually full of constant brawls, had quieted down for a moment, reducing her workload.
Because of that, Balak kept popping into her mind!
On top of that, she recalled him riding in a carriage last time—an utterly unexpected sight—and felt an immense gap moe.
In the end, unable to sit still, she stood up and started wandering around with a dazed expression.
Aretia's subordinates couldn't stop their lips from curling up at the sight of her, like spring had arrived.
"Heh heh heh... Spring seems too much for the Demon King."
"You got that right."
"Just boldly kiss him—"
"Shut up, all of you."
And her nanny was no joke either.
"N-Nanny?! What is this?!"
"Hohohoho... Shall we call it a sure-kill move for the Demon King?"
The nanny whispered like a devil as she handed over lingerie made of thin silk—though for some reason, with the crotch and center of the chest cut out.
"After putting this on and entering a private room alone with that Balak fellow..."
"N-Nanny!! I'll handle it myself!!!"
They were truly female demonkin succubi.
Anyway, after receiving what could barely be called underwear—just scraps of cloth—Aretia decided not to make a fool of herself and go meet Balak.
Conveniently, during her previous visit, she had arranged to check from the entrance what Balak and his family were roughly up to.
After finishing handovers at an appropriate time, she set off immediately.
But upon arriving at the dungeon entrance, she was flustered.
'Why is there no one at the dungeon entrance...? And no one inside at all?!'
That's right! Balak's presence on the first floor had completely vanished!
Even the presences of his family members were all gone, leaving her greatly flustered.
She currently only had dungeon authority for the first-floor section.
So she had no idea a party was happening on the 50th floor.
With the entrance sealed, she trembled in anxiety, just like a girlfriend fretting because her boyfriend went out without a word.
What choice did she have?
"Beeeersieeeen!!!"
[ Aretia? ]
She rushed to the demon world and offered a prayer to the Demon God Bersien.
**************
Since the Demon God Bersien, unlike other gods, could see the entire Abyssal Pit, she told Aretia that Balak's group had gone to another floor for fun.
"Haa... I really..."
[ Pfft, looks like my daughter was that worried, huh? ]
"I-It wasn't like that."
[ Come on~ You just called me out in a huge panic? Actually— ]
"Eeee...."
Soon, getting teased by the Demon God, Aretia was receiving a relay of the 50th floor situation when—
"A c-civil war broke out inside the dungeon?"
[ ...Yeah. ]
The festival on the 50th floor was no different from a massive provocation to the administrators.
Moreover, unless preparations like Anima's were made, no external communication was possible in the prison-like Abyssal Pit.
With the dungeon entrance sealed, the gods could do nothing.
They could only feel deeply saddened by the situation inside the dungeon.
After the civil war sorted itself out, the Demon God let out a big sigh.
[ This has completely shattered the power balance inside the dungeon. ]
"That serious?"
[ One top-class administrator, three high-class ones, and countless mid- and low-class administrators got taken out. But their side has zero casualties. ]
It was practically a total victory for the dungeon bosses.
On top of that, with many low-class administrators captured, the dungeon bosses had secured an overwhelming hand.
[ The Abyssal Pit turning into a completely separate dimension will accelerate now. ]
"Those administrators inside are so pitiful."
[ Eh? The ones who died there are heading to the paradise we prepared long ago. ]
"Ah, that place?"
Currently, beings bound to the Abyssal Pit go to rest in the paradise the gods created upon death.
The administrators who died in this civil war were automatically sent there too—and some beings had arrived first.
"W-What?! Suddenly a huge number of unidentified entities?"
"Over there...? Ah, no, what is this place?!"
Thus, the few dungeon bosses and administrators who had rebelled against the Elder Council early on and been executed met them.
Afterward, the dungeon bosses warmly welcomed the new arrivals and kindly explained the place.
The top administrator Oder, who had clashed with Balak, faced a massive reality check, and all sorts of things happened.
Anyway, upon hearing Balak hadn't suffered any injuries, Aretia let out a sigh of relief.
And the Demon God, who had watched the entire civil war, began to have certain expectations for Balak.
[ That son in there could succeed me, no? ]
"Huh?!"
Balak had already been overwhelmingly strong in the middle realm since the dungeon opened, with scarcely anyone to oppose him.
But over the past year, he had grown even stronger.
He seemed highly likely to become a mighty transcendent on his own, like her and her siblings later on.
[ There's the deal I made with him, and I couldn't watch his childhood growth because I had to hide my son from my siblings, which made me a bit uneasy... but if he keeps growing like that— ]
"Uh... Demon God, then what about the plan we set up?"
[ Maybe we don't need it? ]
Did they really need Aretia to bear Balak's child and raise it to create a second-generation Demon God?
Why not just let Balak become the second-generation Demon God?
The Demon God, who wanted to retire from her divine seat due to various circumstances, had always felt sorry toward Aretia.
The old Aretia had been in a situation where she not only had to marry a stranger but also bear his child.
Of course, thanks to the Demon God's blessing, Balak's appearance had grown to Aretia's tastes.
But in the end, it was the same as sacrificing Aretia's life for the child they'd gain later.
However, now they no longer needed to carry out that plan!
Just as the Demon God was about to tell Aretia to live her own life,
"Eh...?"
[ Hm? ]
Aretia turned to stone!
She was even blinking in blank shock!
Thus, the Demon God realized Aretia had fallen for Balak far beyond imagination.
Since the existing fate had changed so much that the future was unknown anyway,
The Demon God smiled and cheered Aretia on.
***************
Aretia decided to visit once the Abyssal Pit stabilized somewhat, calming her mind for the time being.
How much time passed like that?
'I, I think it's okay to go now?'
Eager to see Balak quickly, Aretia hastily finished handovers and bolted out.
She steeled herself not to make a fool of herself like last time, but upon reaching the shelter, her heart pounded wildly!
In the end, to catch her breath a bit and let Balak know she had arrived, she entered the tavern.
But... no one was there?
Unfortunately, Ferguson had stepped out briefly to watch Kairel and Narin's spar.
The one guarding the tavern now was a golem without dialogue functions.
In the end, she had to choose.
First option: just wait for Ferguson.
But who knew when he'd return?
Even with people she could meet in the shelter right now, staying put here would definitely look suspicious.
Second option: use the shortcut or go through the room in front to head to the boss room.
But going to meet a man without a word felt off, didn't it?
So she had no choice but the third option...
"Gulp..."
Head straight to Ophelia's shop.
Currently, Ophelia wasn't particularly curious about the sparring in the training hall, so she was staying at the shelter.
But Aretia, who had been subjected to Ophelia's "oh my oh my oh my" last time, really dreaded meeting her.
Soon, standing before the shop door, Aretia faced a life-altering choice.
But Ophelia, who had met Aretia before, had set it up to immediately recognize her presence.
Bang!
"Welcome."
"Hup?!"
Ophelia had known Aretia arrived at the shelter long ago, so she flung open the shop door, and the two met again after a long time.
Fortunately, Ophelia apologized for the previous incident.
"The entity that appeared then seems to have been rude without knowing the relationship between Father and the Demon King. I'm truly sorry."
"I-It's fine. I didn't mind much."
"Thank you for forgiving me. So, what brings you here?"
"Ah, um... Could I possibly meet Balak?"
"You mean Father? Please wait a moment."
Conveniently, the sparring in the training hall had just ended.
With no challengers right now, Balak invited the Demon King to the boss room as soon as he heard from Ophelia.
And so, as the moon and stars shone on the yellow reeds,
Far off, Aretia's face bloomed like a flower upon spotting Balak.
Just as she tried to suppress her joyful heart for a moment...
"Balak! Narin's room decoration is complete."
"Giving me such a personal space... Thank you so much, Master."
Women had multiplied around Balak.
On top of that—
"Hahaha! Bellesa, thanks a ton."
"Hehe~ No problem~"
She was called "Demon King" like it was her title, yet other women by their names?
".........."
In an instant, the light vanished from Aretia's eyes.
Seeing the frozen Aretia, Bellesa—plastered right next to Balak with a beaming smile—opened her mouth.
"Balak, who is that woman?"
"Hah?"
And thus, the showdown between the two women began.