Chapter 82
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: A Bet and a Burden
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“You filthy thing, know your place.”
“…I apologize.”
“I came to see you because I have a task for you related to the upcoming Young Lords’ Summit.”
“…What is it?”
Kashumir looked puzzled.
He was attending out of obligation, but he had little interest in the event.
But then.
“I will give you the ‘Key.’ When the Young Lords’ Summit begins, activate the ‘Transference’ at the right moment.”
“!!”
Kashumir’s face was a mask of shock.
The ‘Key’ and ‘Transference.’
A secret discovered recently in the underground garden.
“B-But? If I do that, all the attendees will die.”
Grand Prince Schwarz frowned.
*Thwack!*
A fist wreathed in demonic energy struck Kashumir across the face. Blood burst from his lips.
“Did I give you permission to speak?”
“…I apologize.”
“I’m not asking you to do it for nothing. If you succeed, I will procure the medicine from the Divine Doctor Noble Family to treat your mother.”
“!!”
Kashumir’s body trembled as if struck by lightning.
It was what he desperately wanted.
“But mark my words. If you fail, I will cut off the supply of the medicine that’s barely keeping your mother alive. So you must succeed.”
“…Yes, I understand.”
The Grand Prince vanished, and Kashumir, left alone, felt his gaze sink heavily.
And so.
The Young Lords’ Summit began.
* * *
The underground garden was located on the outskirts of the Destruction House’s territory.
‘It’s been a while since I was here, too.’
Chris whistled at the sight of the magnificent garden.
Descending into the underground through the central pavilion marked the true beginning of the ruins.
‘I came here once with the Hero's party. Back then, it was caught up in the war, so it wasn't as beautiful as it is now.’
They had challenged it to obtain an item to fight the Demon King of Bloodletting.
Ultimately, it had been a success.
Each member of the Hero’s party had acquired a top-tier artifact or relic suited to them.
The item Chris intended to get this time was one of them.
Just then, two figures approached from the opposite direction.
One was Marisa of the Extreme Poison House.
She saw Chris and scoffed.
“Long time no see. Not that I’m happy about it.”
“Uh, yeah.”
Chris replied dismissively and turned to the other person.
For some reason, Marisa’s face flushed red, but Chris couldn’t spare her any attention.
His mind was entirely focused on the other individual.
A handsome man with red hair and a somber expression.
“And you are?”
“I am Kashumir van Vessain Lupus of the Destruction House. I became a Young Lord at a late age and have joined late.”
Kashumir replied respectfully.
Chris studied Kashumir with a fresh perspective.
‘Kashumir the Resister. To meet you like this.’
This time, he had to acquire more than just a relic.
He had to make Kashumir his ally.
‘I knew Kashumir in my past life, too.’
Despite being a Majin, Kashumir was more righteous than most members of the Alliance.
Even the Hero’s party had received his help on several occasions.
His talent was also outstanding, so forming a bond with him would be a great help in the future.
‘For someone like Kashumir, it’s better to win his heart than to form a contractual relationship based on mutual benefit.’
Fortunately, Chris knew how to win Kashumir’s heart.
‘We even went out for drinks a few times in the past.’
Kashumir might not know it, but Chris knew a great deal about him.
How Kashumir was currently living in the Destruction House, and what pain he was about to endure.
His personality, his weaknesses—all of it.
Playing to that, Chris spoke deferentially.
“I am Christian van Baron Cazar of the Duchy of Baron. It is an honor to meet the renowned Young Lord Kashumir.”
Kashumir was taken aback.
“To call me renowned is an overstatement.”
“I’ve heard of your accomplishments against those bastards from the Holy Empire. As a fellow Majin, it was quite refreshing to hear.”
For reference, while the Extreme Poison House and the Dark Magic House were hostile towards Gold Cross and the Four Kings Castle, the Destruction House was in conflict with the Holy Empire.
“Th-Thank you. I… was merely lucky.”
Kashumir, despite his large frame, seemed flustered, and Chris chuckled inwardly.
‘Same as in the past.’
The shy, loyal hound type.
That was Kashumir’s personality.
He lacked confidence and was easily intimidated, but he would open his heart to anyone who acknowledged him.
Chris probed Kashumir’s weakness even more overtly.
“Luck? You defeated the Holy Empire’s Fanatic Corps. You are far too modest.”
Chris continued in a subtle tone.
“Especially since you, Young Lord Kashumir, come from a branch family like myself, you have been a great inspiration.”
Kashumir shook his head in surprise.
“To say I am the same as you, Young Lord Christian… I am not worthy.”
Kashumir’s surname was ‘van Vessain Lupus.’
‘van’ was a middle name for those from branch families.
Lupus was his mother’s surname, holding no value in terms of lineage.
On the other hand, Christian, though also from a branch family, was the eldest son of one of the three pillars of the Dark Magic House.
Their bloodlines were hardly comparable.
“What does lineage matter? For a Majin, what’s important is strength and accomplishments. In that regard, Young Lord Kashumir, you are more than worthy of my respect.”
“……”
Kashumir fell silent.
He had never heard such words before.
No one had ever said anything like that to him.
—You filthy thing who doesn’t know his place.
—No matter how much a worm like you squirms, it’s useless. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you’re a Young Lord. You’re just a tool for us to use and discard.
The words his family had so often thrown at him echoed in his mind, and a surge of emotion welled up in Kashumir’s chest.
“…Thank you for saying so.”
Chris grinned.
He decided to completely sway Kashumir’s heart.
“Since we’ve met like this, it must be fate. How about we become like brothers?”
“Brothers? How so?”
“Isn’t this Young Lords’ Summit a place to build friendships? We are of the same generation, so being like brothers would be a good thing for the Southern Demonic Nations.”
But Kashumir hesitated, unable to answer easily.
*How could I?* his face seemed to say.
“Then how about this? Let’s make a bet. The one who arrives last at the 7th floor will address the winner as ‘big brother’.”
“…The loser calls the winner brother?”
“Yes. You are a bit older than me, Young Lord Kashumir, but age isn’t important when it comes to being brothers, is it?”
Kashumir remained silent, but for a different reason.
He was in his mid-twenties.
Having become a Young Lord late due to his humble origins, he was older than the other participants.
He was far too old to call Chris, who was fifteen—no, who had just turned sixteen—his big brother.
Chris’s lips curled into a smirk.
“Of course, you don’t have to if you’re not confident. I thought it would be a chance to test my skills against you, Young Lord Kashumir, but it’s a shame.”
“…I’ll do it.”
Though timid, Kashumir was still a Majin.
When his competitive spirit was provoked, he couldn't back down.
“Then, let’s start right now. The first person to reach the 7th floor wins.”
*Fwoosh.* Christian immediately leaped down.
Kashumir, deciding to take the challenge seriously, plunged down with a determined look on his face.
“……”
“……”
And so, two girls were left behind.
Marisa and Jupien.
They looked at each other awkwardly.
“…What, you want to play big sister, little sister with me too?”
Jupien said sullenly.
“…As if.”
“Yeah, that’s a relief. I wouldn’t have liked that.”
“I wouldn’t have liked it either, you know? But why are you speaking so informally? We’re about the same age.”
“You want me to use formal speech?”
“…No, forget it. I don’t need it.”
Marisa huffed and started walking.
Ever since the Young Lords’ Summit began.
Or more precisely, ever since she saw Christian’s face.
Everything was annoying.
For some strange, unknown reason.
Just as Marisa scowled, Jupien called out to her.
“Wait.”
“…What?”
“On second thought, I don’t like you.”
“…What?”
“You kept glaring at Christian, didn’t you? From the moment we first met.”
“…Excuse me?”
“You’re not planning to challenge Christian, are you?”
“……”
Marisa was speechless.
What kind of ridiculous nonsense was this?
Jupien spoke with a defiant tilt of her head.
“Sorry, but I’m the one who’s going to crush Christian. So, if you have any foolish ideas, give them up.”
Marisa, dumbfounded, retorted.
“…And if I don’t?”
“I’ll make you.”
“…What a joke. As if I wasn’t annoyed enough already.”
The atmosphere between them turned icy.
Fighting each other during the Young Lords’ Summit wasn’t a problem anyway. There was an official ‘Competition’ event scheduled.
*Fwoosh!*
Poison bloomed, and the glint of a sword flashed.
And so, an untimely duel began.
* * *
After many twists and turns, the group finally arrived at the 7th floor.
‘Why were those two fighting?’
Chris shot a bewildered look at Marisa and Jupien.
Their disheveled appearance suggested they had just had a serious brawl.
‘Did someone provoke them? They both have nasty tempers. Well, kids grow up as they go.’
He dismissed it as unimportant.
Right now, he needed to focus on Kashumir.
“It was a draw, but it was a good match, Young Lord Kashumir.”
“…Not at all. I thank you for your help, Young Lord.”
Kashumir looked deeply moved.
There was a reason for it.
Halfway through, Chris had helped Kashumir escape a trap.
A life-threatening trap, at that.
‘The underground garden has deadly traps hidden here and there, even on the lower floors.’
Of course, it was rare for a high-level Majin to fall into such a deadly trap and be in danger.
But Chris had secretly lured Kashumir into one on purpose.
Why?
To help him and indebt him.
It was like causing the disease and then offering the cure, but the clueless Kashumir didn't notice a thing and now saw Chris as the savior who had rescued him.
‘Heh heh. He’s almost completely on my side now.’
Now it was time to drive the nail in and seal the deal.
“…Since I received your help, I will consider this match my loss. So… from now on, I will call you brother, Young Lord Christian…”
“No, that won’t be necessary.”
“Young Lord Christian?”
“Did you really think I was serious about that offer? It was just a suggestion to become closer to you, Young Lord Kashumir.”
Christian said with a magnanimous air.
“So instead of brothers, let’s be friends.”
“!!”
Kashumir’s eyes trembled.
Friends.
He’d never had a single friend in his life. He had always been an outcast.
And today, for the first time, he heard those words.
It was impossible for his heart not to be shaken.
However.
“…I’m sorry. I am not worthy of that.”
Kashumir replied gravely.
‘Today, I must lead them all to their deaths.’
The ‘Key’ nestled in his pocket pressed heavily against his chest.