Chapter 11
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Scoundrel's Trap
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The banshee, for a ghost, had a remarkably beautiful face.
She had the look of an innocent, pretty girl.
She even wore a maid's uniform, a sight that might appeal to those with... particular tastes, but what did it matter?
She was a ghost.
A gloomy and sinister ghost, at that.
"...I've come to see some books."
[Yes... I shall guide you. What school... do you... desire?]
This was a repository of black magic.
Here lay countless tomes considered forbidden by the outside world—the 'Light Faction'—books for which mere possession was grounds for execution by fire.
[Blood Art? Destruction Studies? Summoning Studies? Curse Studies? Ah... we have no texts on Necromancy Studies.]
Necromancy Studies.
The black magic of dealing with the undead: Necromancy.
'A shame.'
Necromancy was the very flower of black magic.
The power to raise an army all by oneself!
'The Necromancy House, specializing in the undead, is considered one of the most prominent of the twelve great demonic noble families.'
The Necromancy House strictly forbade its knowledge from ever leaving its halls.
That was why secret texts on necromancy were exceedingly rare, even within the Magitech Empire... or so the 'Chatterbox of Darkness,' a former companion from the Hero's party, had once told him.
"Are all the other related schools here?"
[The basics are all here. Ah... there are no books... about... demon... contracts.]
The banshee explained.
[The Dark Magic House... forbids contracts... with demons.]
Chris nodded.
It was something he already knew.
Contracts with demons were, surprisingly, considered a taboo throughout most of the Magitech Empire.
'The Magitech Empire seeks the power of darkness, not the worship of evil.'
There was a clear difference between the two.
The value pursued by the Magitech Empire was the 'reign of the strong' through the power of darkness.
What the outside world defined as 'evil' was largely considered evil in the Magitech Empire as well, though their standards differed.
They also held contracts with demons to be taboo.
For demons pursued evil.
Human sacrifice, murder, the suffering of others, greed, and the like.
These were the values demons cherished.
'The problem is that the Magitech Empire doesn't completely forbid contracts with demons.'
It was considered taboo and forbidden, but it wasn't forcibly 'banned'.
It was a matter of individual freedom.
Thus, not a few Majin had unknowingly made contracts with demons, and it was they who would become the dominant force in the Magitech Empire and incite the future Great War with the 'Light Faction'.
Chris had to reach the pinnacle of the Magitech Empire and stop them—the Majin who, under the banner of demons, would try to bring ruin to the world.
'But that's a problem for another day. First, I have to swallow the Dark Magic House whole.'
Her maid uniform fluttering eerily, the banshee whispered.
[Which... school of black magic will you focus on? Since it's your first time... for now... various schools...?]
That was the usual method.
Even mages from the Alliance learned various types of magic up to the 2-Star level before deciding on their specialty from 3-Star onward.
Chris, too, should have followed that path, but...
"There's a black magic I need to learn before that. Bring me the book I mentioned."
Hearing this, the banshee was taken aback.
[But...? That text is...?]
"What is it? Aren't all the books in here available for reading?"
[However....]
The banshee hesitated before asking again.
[Isn't that... a 4-Star... black magic?]
4-Star!
The realm known as 'Prime'.
Chris, who knew not even the basics, had just asked for a grimoire that only an expert could handle.
[You won't... even be able to understand it.]
"No, I can understand it."
Chris simply stated the reason.
"Because I'm actually a genius."
[......]
The banshee was silent for a moment.
It was a look that seemed to say, *Oh, our young master... isn't he just precious?*
[Ohoho... so our young master... is not only handsome... but a genius as well. How... marvelous.]
"Enough. Just bring it. I have my reasons."
[...Yes, I understand. Excuse me... but, may I ask... for what reason you seek that spell?]
Chris was silent for a moment before answering.
"To catch a rat."
A rat.
He was referring to the one who had thrown him the Dream Stone in the Punishment Cave.
Someone in the County of Cazar secretly wished for his downfall.
It was about time to catch that rat.
"For that, this spell will be perfect."
Chris looked at the title of the tome the ghost had brought.
-Seal of Binding.
It was a black magic notorious even within the Light Faction, a spell that could force a target to act as one's slave if certain conditions were met.
And a few days later.
The banshee was astonished to see what Chris had accomplished.
* * *
After that, time passed.
Chris spent his days in a monotonous routine.
By day, he went to the training grounds for physical conditioning; by night, he visited the library to read books on black magic.
'Stamina is everything! Basic physical fitness is essential to becoming stronger, so I have to train... damn it, this running is exhausting.'
Chris grumbled inwardly.
He was the lazy genius type.
He wasn't fond of toiling away and breaking a sweat.
But no matter how much of a genius one was, there were no shortcuts to building stamina.
'I can grasp the subtleties of swordsmanship with a single glance, but... building strength and stamina? There's no way around putting in the physical labor. Damn it. I'll just have to endure it by imagining the riches and glory that await. Riches and glory, riches and glory!'
The exertion caused his expression to harden, creating a look even more arrogant and cruel than usual.
The Majin watched Chris and admired him.
"Our scoundrel young master seems to have really changed."
"What day is it today? Hasn't it been about a fortnight?"
"He seems to be in better shape, too."
Their expectation that he would soon revert to his scoundrel ways proved wrong.
Chris trained without missing a single day, and the results were gradually beginning to show.
When he had first appeared at the training grounds, his body was frail from a life of debauchery. Now, with a bit of muscle, he cut a much finer figure.
His unwavering, arrogant expression as he ran endlessly was particularly striking.
For a moment, the Majin of the knight order shared a thought.
'He has a promising future.'
'Perhaps there will be an upset in the line of succession.'
Everyone now knew of Christian's astonishing talent.
If he didn't revert to his old ways and continued to apply himself, the entire line of succession for the County of Cazar could be upended.
Christian, not TERN, the original heir apparent, might one day lead the County of Cazar.
'Perhaps aware of this, Young Lord TERN has also been training much more diligently than before.'
The Majin looked at TERN, who was swinging his sword in a corner.
After being thoroughly bested by his older brother, TERN had said nothing, dedicating himself solely to his training.
Meanwhile, Chris snickered at the Majin's whispers.
'Heir to the County of Cazar? I'm not interested in something so trivial.'
To the average Majin, the County of Cazar might seem vast and impressive, but to him, it was nothing of the sort.
What he desired was the Main House of the Dark Magic House.
He fully intended to hand over a collateral branch like the County of Cazar to TERN.
Provided TERN wasn't the problem, that is.
'TERN couldn't be the one who tried to set me up, could he?'
Chris narrowed his eyes.
He didn't seem the type.
He didn't seem the type to resort to such sinister, behind-the-scenes schemes.
But one never knows.
Because the one who would gain the most from this body's ruin was his younger brother, TERN.
'Well, I'll find out soon enough.'
Chris looked around.
Unlike before, favorable gazes were fixed on him.
Everyone had now acknowledged it.
That the scoundrel had changed. Or at least, that he was trying to change.
The time was ripe.
Chris suddenly stopped his physical training.
The Majin spoke to him in a friendly tone.
"Young Master, are you leaving? You're leaving early today."
"I'm done with this crap."
"...What?"
The Majin's eyes widened.
"I'm bored of this already. It's sweaty, dirty, and annoying. I can't stand it. I've done enough."
As he said that, Chris raised his hand and dropped something on the ground.
It was the wooden sword he had used for the past fortnight.
Thud, thud.
The discarded wooden sword lay carelessly on the training ground floor.
"Y-Young Master?!"
Even if it was just for training, to cast a weapon aside like that... It was an act no Majin who valued honor would ever commit.
"What is the meaning of this?!"
"What?"
Chris smirked.
"I'll do as I please. What business is it of you lowlifes?"
"!!"
"What? Did you really delude yourselves into thinking I'd changed? I just put on a show of diligence for a few days to atone for my past mistakes. That should be enough, right?"
The atmosphere in the training ground froze.
The Majin stared, their faces a mixture of bewilderment and shock.
In the distance, he could see his younger brother, TERN, staring with wide, incredulous eyes.
Ignoring them all, Chris shot a mocking glance around before leaving the training grounds.
After entering the mansion, he called for the butler.
"D-Did you call, Young Master?"
Cox, the half-vampire butler, appeared in a hurry.
"Bring me wine."
"...What?"
"Are you deaf?! I said bring me wine! Now!!"
The butler's face turned red at the sudden outburst.
Even for the son of a count, shouting at the head butler like this was a grave insult.
But that was only for a moment.
The butler hastily bowed.
"Ah, I understand. I will do as you command."
The butler hurried away, and as Chris watched him go, his eyes secretly grew cold.
'That one is the most suspicious.'
Just now, Chris was deliberately rude.
To see how the butler would react.
For an instant, several emotions flickered in the butler's eyes.
First, anger and forbearance at the disrespect Chris had shown.
This much was an expected reaction.
But Chris didn't miss the faint emotion mixed in behind it.
It was 'joy'.
Why had the butler been pleased by Chris's behavior?
'I'll find out soon enough.'
Chris smirked.
And so, Chris set a trap.
A trap to catch the rat gnawing away at the County of Cazar.
* * *
Christian had reverted to his scoundrel ways!
The news sent the mansion abuzz.
The servants all shook their heads.
"As expected. It was only about a fortnight at best."
"A fortnight is a long time for him."
"We were fools to believe."
The reaction was a collective, 'I knew it.'
The reaction from the Majin of the Black Swamp Knights was even more severe.
"To believe that bastard had changed. I must have been crazy."
"Fucking bastard. Just try showing your face at the training grounds again."
"If he so much as comes near the training grounds, I won't let him off easy."
They had genuinely believed in Christian's change, and so their anger was all the greater.
But at this moment, the most furious person was someone else.
It was his father, Count Cazar.
"You wretch!!"