Chapter 81
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Intriguing Connections
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“Yes, there will be turmoil. It might even be an opportunity for your merchant guild.”
Ruina's eyes widened.
Chris had just leaked a secret he'd learned through the Dark Magic House's internal intelligence!
'Though, in truth, it's knowledge I gained before my regression.'
A great calamity was about to occur in Gold Cross.
A calamity that would ultimately shake the continent.
Chris planned to intervene in that calamity.
'To do that, I'll need someone to assist me within Gold Cross. It would be best to have Ruina prepare in advance.'
“If you play your cards right, your guild could profit greatly.”
Ruina looked deeply moved.
“Ohoho. As expected, I always believed in you, Young Lord. This Ruina believes that deciding to become your hands and feet was the best decision of my life!”
“Weren't you just demanding compensation a moment ago?”
“Oh my? Who would dare speak such nonsense to the great Young Lord? I must have been out of my mind. I'll have to punish this wicked mouth again. Hmph, hmph.”
*Smack, smack.*
Watching Ruina's ridiculous display again, Chris stifled a chuckle.
'She won't be saying things like that once the incident actually happens and she gets caught up in it.'
Ruina was in for a great deal of hardship.
Not just any hardship, but a truly immense struggle.
But since it was true she would ultimately gain a lot, Chris feigned ignorance.
“I'll contact you later about how you should act in Gold Cross. I'll be going now.”
“Ohoho, please travel safely! Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty!”
And so, upon returning to the manor.
An unexpected person was waiting for him.
“Are you ready to depart?”
Pale.
A handsome man, beautiful yet somehow chilling.
Head Butler Simon bowed with a faint smile.
“I have been tasked with escorting you to the Underground Garden, Young Lord.”
* * *
To avoid a show of force between the houses, it was customary for the Young Lords' meeting to have minimal attendants.
After entrusting Allos's training to Melin, Chris departed with a small retinue.
*Clip-clop,* the carriage ran on.
The Underground Garden was quite far, so the journey was expected to take a fair amount of time.
'The Destruction House is located in the west of the Southern Magitech Nation.'
Looking at a map of the Southern Magitech Nation, it was laid out like this.
The Dark Magic House in the east.
The Extreme Poison House in the center.
The Destruction House in the west.
It was arranged like a tricolor flag, but looking closer, a massive mountain range ran along the Destruction House's eastern border.
In other words, the Destruction House had established its own domain west of the mountain range, while the Extreme Poison House and the Dark Magic House vied for territory in the center and east.
'First, I'll have to use the gate leading to the Destruction House's territory. I wonder how long it will take.'
The trip to the gate had to be made by carriage.
'Still, this is awkward.'
Only Simon and Chris were inside the carriage.
Young Lady Jupien was also part of their group, but she had refused to ride in the carriage.
- Why aren't you getting in?
- I need to train my stamina.
- …Right.
Jupien was following the carriage, using a lightness technique.
For hours, without rest.
Just like the side of her she'd shown during the last competition, Jupien was surprisingly a very hard worker.
Thanks to her, Chris was now alone with Simon.
'He hasn't done anything particularly bad to me since we first met, but it's still uncomfortable. Sitting face-to-face with someone who looks so much like the Demon King of Bloodletting.'
Simon, however, seemed to feel the opposite, as he kept smiling faintly and striking up a conversation with Chris.
“I was hoping for a chance to escort you, Young Lord, so I'm pleased this opportunity arose.”
“Why did you want to escort me?”
“Because you're interesting, of course?”
Chris looked bewildered.
It probably wasn't the good kind of interesting.
He might be behaving himself now, but Simon was a man who once held an infamous reputation.
'How many relatives did he kill when he left the Blood Sword House again?'
The vampire clan is a race that craves blood, so they are inherently cruel by nature.
And Simon was one of the most dangerous among them.
'Still, he's not someone I should just avoid.'
Whatever the reason, Simon held a favorable opinion of him.
If I can get some information about the Demon King of Bloodletting, that would be great.
'The problem is how to go about digging for it.'
As he was pondering this, Simon said something unexpected.
“You look like you have something you want to ask me. Please, go ahead. I'll tell you anything, as long as it isn't a secret of the Baron family.”
An unforeseen offer.
Chris did not refuse.
“Could I perhaps hear about Grand Princess Idrinne of the Blood Sword House?”
It was the current name of the Demon King of Bloodletting.
*Thump.*
Chris's heart pounded.
'When it comes down to it, I know nothing about the Demon King of Bloodletting's personal life.'
He might just be able to obtain an unexpected clue that could help when he finally confronted her.
Simon seemed surprised by Chris's question.
“Hmm? You're interested in our Idrinne?”
“…She is one of the Five New Stars of the Twelve Great Magic Houses.”
Among the many young lords and ladies of the Twelve Great Magic Houses, the five said to be the most outstanding are called the Five New Stars.
They are individuals who have transcended the level of promising rookies and entered the ranks of true powerhouses, regardless of their age.
“It's my goal to defeat her one day, so I'm asking.”
He meant it.
After all, his journey would not end until he killed the Demon King of Bloodletting.
“Indeed. Our Idrinne is quite famous. What exactly are you curious about?”
“Everything. Anything at all.”
“Hmm.”
Simon's expression grew thoughtful for a moment, as if searching his memories.
For an instant, a complex emotion flickered across his face.
“She's a cute and pretty child.”
“…What?”
Chris let out a dumbfounded sound.
What did he just say?
“Unlike me, she's a good child. It's hard to imagine a scoundrel like me shares the same blood as such a lovely younger sister.”
“……”
Chris wore an uncomfortable expression.
It was the most absurd load of nonsense he had ever heard in his life.
“Please don't joke about this.”
“Hm? It's true. Her reputation as the 'Little Princess of Blood' is poor, but that's a nickname she got because of the kill-or-be-killed atmosphere of the Four Kings Castle. In reality, she's not like that at all. She still contacts me from time to time, worrying if I'm doing well.”
“…She contacts you from time to time?”
“Yes, I received a letter from her just the other day.”
The more he heard, the more ridiculous it sounded.
Simon grinned.
“Come to think of it, I think you'd be a good match for her. There's an age gap since you're different races, but when you think about it, you're of a similar generation. Someone of your stature would be a fine partner for Idrinne. If you're interested, shall I play matchmaker?”
“*Cough!*”
Chris choked and let out a dry cough.
'He's insane.'
Marriage to the Demon King of Bloodletting. Just the thought of it sent shivers down his spine.
“Don't speak such nonsense.”
“Hmm, but I'm serious.”
“Do. Not. Speak. Of. It.”
Chris said firmly, and Simon clicked his tongue in disappointment before falling silent.
'Still, this is unexpected.'
To think the Demon King of Bloodletting was 'good.'
It was all such absurd nonsense that it was hard to believe, but it wasn't something he could just ignore.
'It must be one of two things. Either her personality changed after making a contract with a demon, or she's so hypocritical that she can completely hide her horrendous true nature.'
Either way was a possibility.
After all, a good number of the demon contractors who had caused bloodbaths were originally owners of shining souls.
'That doesn't mean there's any room for sympathy, of course.'
Regardless of the backstory, the horrific sins committed by demon contractors were unforgivable.
However, Chris felt it was necessary to investigate the Demon King of Bloodletting's background.
It could potentially become an unexpected weakness to use against her.
Second, a noteworthy piece of information.
Simon and the Demon King of Bloodletting... no, Grand Princess Idrinne of the Blood Sword House, were on good terms as of this moment.
'Strange. If they're on good terms, why does Head Butler Simon meet such a death?'
Chris knew how Simon would die.
'Head Butler Simon is killed by the Demon King of Bloodletting's own hands.'
It wasn't just any death, either.
The Demon King of Bloodletting kills Simon by personally dismembering him, limb by limb, inflicting terrible pain.
It was such a cruel execution that the story was famous and widely known even on the Alliance's side.
'There's something more here that I don't know.'
Chris slowly furrowed his brow.
* * *
At that moment, at the western edge of the Southern Magitech Nation.
A massive castle perched atop a sheer cliff.
This was the Grand Duchy of Vessain, the Destruction House.
Beneath the shadow of the castle, which soared skyward like a giant's body, several buildings were situated at the foot of the cliff.
These were the dwellings of the lower-class Majin who could not stay within the castle.
Among them, one building looked particularly shabby.
A handsome man with a resolute expression stepped into the old, worn-out building that looked as if it could collapse at any moment in a strong wind.
“Mother.”
“…Kashmir.”
The handsome man's identity was Kashmir, a Young Lord of the Destruction House.
But how could a Young Lord's mother be living in such a humble abode?
There was a reason.
He was an illegitimate son.
One born of a lowly bloodline, at that.
His father, a direct descendant of the Destruction House, had taken his mother, a servant girl, for a night of sport and then cast her out immediately.
Afterward, Kashmir entered the Destruction House as a common Majin and, by displaying dazzling talent, succeeded in earning the title of Young Lord.
But that was as far as he could go.
A Young Lord in name only, held in check by the direct lineage and with no future to speak of.
He was even in a position where he couldn't obtain medicine to treat his ailing mother.
'If only I could get medicine from the Divine Doctor Noble Family, I could cure Mother.'
Kashmir's face was grim.
With the power of the Destruction House, obtaining medicine from the Divine Doctor Noble Family would be easy. But that didn't apply to him.
Nor could he just abandon everything and leave for the Alliance.
There was no guarantee he could find the Divine Doctor Noble Family, who had been in hiding for hundreds of years without their base being discovered, and the moment he left the Destruction House, an assassin sent by the direct bloodline would murder his mother.
“I've brought some medicine.”
It was only medicine to alleviate her symptoms.
“It's alright. You don't need to worry about me... *cough*. *cough*.”
Seeing the blood mixed in with his mother's coughs, Kashmir's expression grew heavy.
'At this rate, Mother won't last much longer. I have to get the medicine from the Divine Doctor Noble Family, no matter what.'
Just then, a sharp presence seeped in from outside.
Kashmir's face hardened.
When he went outside, a man with an arrogant air was waiting for him.
It was Schwarz, the Grand Prince of the Destruction House.
“Brother.”
“Brother? Who is your brother?”
*Smack!*
Schwarz slapped Kashmir across the cheek.
It wasn't just once.
*Smack! Smack!*
Kashmir's lip split.
He didn't even think to dodge or defend himself.
Because that was Kashmir's station.
A Young Lord in name only, who had to endure being beaten and trampled.