Chapter 89
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Aftermath and Ascent
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Once again, what Chris held in his hand was ginger ale.
- I'm sorry, but our establishment does not serve alcohol to minors.
The taverns in the Destruction House's territory were just as rigid.
The others also expressed their disapproval.
- Young Lord? It's a bit early for you to be drinking.
- Hmph. Still just a baby.
- Call me older sister.
‘Damn these demonic path bastards. How can these Majin be more upright and rigid than those Alliance folks!’
And so, they drank themselves into a stupor without Chris, and this was the result.
Everyone was suffering from a hangover.
‘They downed every kind of liquor they could find. Serves them right.’
As befitting the precious children of noble houses, every bottle they drank was top-shelf liquor. Chris, who could only watch as the drinks he had longed to try in his past life disappeared into others' stomachs, was not in a good mood.
Even Simon was among the drunk.
Simon had disappeared, saying he was off to drink bull's blood as a hangover cure.
Bull's blood is the best for a hangover, apparently.
‘They're all a piece of work.’
Chris approached Kashumir, his lips twitching.
They would be parting ways soon, so he had to take care of his business.
“Young Lord Kashumir.”
“Y-Young Lord Christian… My apologies for the disgraceful display… Ugh.”
Christian forced a smile, fighting the urge to frown.
“Here is some medicine for your hangover. Please, take it.”
“Ah, you even brought this. How can you be so warm-hearted, Young Lord? I, Kashumir, will never forget the kindness you have shown me.”
…Coming from a wreck suffering from a hangover, the words didn't quite resonate.
It wasn't because he was jealous that he saw him in a negative light. Really.
‘Damn it, I want to suffer from a hangover too. I hate ginger.’
Chris swallowed his inner thoughts and spoke.
“…And I have something else for you.”
“What is it?”
“The Divine Doctor House's Fire Fan Pill.”
“!!”
Kashumir's eyes widened as if they would tear.
It was the medicine he had desperately sought.
The only medicine that could save his mother, whose life force was being drained by severe yin energy.
“H-How did you get this medicine…?”
“I happened to acquire it at an auction house some time ago. I had no particular use for it, so I just held onto it. I'm giving it to you now after hearing about your circumstances at the drinking party yesterday.”
He did get it from an auction house.
Since it was made from ingredients Ruina had acquired.
“Y-Young Lord….”
Kashumir's voice trembled.
Tears welled in his eyes.
‘How can such a person exist in this world?’
From the moment they first met, he had been endlessly indebted to Christian.
And to think, he had tried to kill him.
“I... I am not worthy to receive this from you, Young Lord.”
Christian shook his head.
“Of course, it's not free. Even if we've become friends, I can't just give away such an expensive item without something in return.”
“Th-That's right! If there is anything you desire, please, just say the word. I would even offer my life!”
Kashumir replied hastily.
However.
“Survive.”
“!!”
Christian looked at Kashumir with a heavy gaze.
“You must have some idea of the great hardships that lie ahead of you.”
Chris knew.
He knew what Kashumir would go through.
“I ask for nothing else from you, Young Lord. Just don't break, no matter what you face. Endure and survive, and one day, land a blow on those who persecuted you. That is what I desire.”
“……”
Kashumir fell silent.
He could feel it.
Chris's sincerity, his genuine concern for him.
Unable to contain his surging emotions, Kashumir bit his lip hard and lowered his head.
“…I will take it to heart. And… thank you. I will never forget the grace you have shown me.”
He meant it.
In that moment, Kashumir made a vow.
That one day, he would offer even his life for Christian.
And so, Kashumir completely pledged his heart to Chris.
Next was Marisa.
“You... hmm. Are you sober now? Do you remember last night? Your drinking habits are pretty bad.”
Marisa's face flushed crimson.
She remembered.
Last night, she had gotten completely drunk... and while sobbing, she had hurled all sorts of curses and insults at Christian.
- You... you bastard! Bastard! I'll kill you!!
Chris crossed his arms.
‘…Marisa still holds a lot of grudges against this body.’
Besides the insults, Marisa had rambled on about something or other, but it was all the slurred nonsense of a drunk, so he couldn't make out anything other than the swearing.
“Here, hangover medicine.”
“…Thanks.”
Unlike her usual self, Marisa accepted the medicine meekly.
“…Sorry about yesterday. I was drunk.”
“It's not like you just started hating me yesterday. Nothing new about it.”
“……”
Marisa's lips twitched.
But she said nothing more and turned her head away.
“Anything else to say?”
“Yeah. Be careful.”
“…What's this all of a sudden?”
“It seems there's someone in the Extreme Poison House who wants you dead, so you should know.”
Marisa's face hardened.
“What happened in the underground garden. The Extreme Poison House was probably involved.”
This incident was likely instigated by Marchioness Fresia, who commissioned the Destruction House.
The target was Christian's life.
But was it really that simple?
‘Without the Extreme Poison House's approval, the Destruction House wouldn't have acted so readily.’
Someone in the Extreme Poison House wanted Marisa dead too.
“…I know. That much.”
Marisa replied calmly.
“There are so many people who want me dead, I can't even pinpoint who they are. It's nothing new.”
Chris nodded.
Whether it was the Destruction House or the Extreme Poison House, all the noble houses had their own complicated circumstances.
“Anyway, thanks for the concern.”
Marisa said quietly, and Chris shrugged and walked away.
When he reached the carriage, a pale-faced Jupien was waiting.
“Aren't you giving me any hangover medicine?”
“We're rivals. Why would I give you medicine?”
“I don't like you.”
“Here, have a candy I just picked up on the way instead.”
Jupien glared at Christian, then popped the candy into her mouth, crunched down, and her eyes shot wide open.
Her hangover vanished instantly.
Chris chuckled and climbed into the carriage.
It was time to return to the Dark Magic House.
‘I wonder if Kashumir will manage to pull through.’
Chris thought to himself.
It was no longer something he could interfere with.
Still, he believed that Kashumir wouldn't collapse as tragically as he did in the past.
‘By the way, there's another guy I need to worry about besides Kashumir.’
Chris said the name in his mind.
‘That bastard, the Hero Evan.’
He should be in the middle of being mistreated by the Sword Master House.
The problem was that a major disaster would befall Evan in the near future.
‘He barely escapes with his life, but he becomes a wreck and suffers immensely.’
If not for that incident, Evan could have grown much faster.
‘It would be nice if I could intervene, but the Sword Master House is too far away. He's probably operating in the shadows, so it would be hard to even meet him.’
There was another problem.
‘Isn't this the period when Evan was a complete mess?’
The future Evan had a righteous and unyielding personality, befitting a Hero.
Of course, much of that personality was an act for others to see, and his true inner self was rather prickly, but at the very least, the persona he showed the world was worthy of the Hero's name.
However, the Evan of this era was said to be in a twisted state, cynical about everything in the world.
He wouldn't easily listen to anything I say.
- Chris, if I'd had a friend like you by my side back then, maybe things would have been a little less difficult for me.
Evan had said something like that once while drunk, but…
Still.
Chris was skeptical.
The Evan of now wouldn't accept anything he said. That's how bad his situation was.
‘Still, for the sake of the future, it would be best to intervene if I can. He's the type to never forget a favor for the rest of his life.’
Evan also had a loyal-dog-like quality to him, one that never forgot a kindness.
Though his style was a bit different from Kashumir's.
‘If Kashumir is like an obedient, gentle, loyal dog, then Evan is... hmm. A much more formidable and burdensome type. A loyal dog, yes, but a prickly one?’
Chris shook his head.
It seemed there was nothing he could do about Evan's situation. Even if he wanted to help, he had no way to intervene.
For now, he had to focus on what was to come at the Dark Magic House.
Chris narrowed his eyes.
‘A lot will have changed by the time I get back.’
Just as Chris had predicted.
After taking the carriage through the gate and returning to the Dark Magic House, he found it in an uproar.
Everyone was talking about Christian.
His prestige had skyrocketed.
***
The underground garden was a famous ruin throughout the southern demonic nations.
Any Majin passionate about training had visited it at least once.
That's why everyone knew just how absurd Christian's recent accomplishment was.
“He took the Spider Queen's head? How? Isn't Young Lord Christian still at the 3-Star level? Didn't Head Butler Simon take care of it?”
“Apparently not. Head Butler Simon said he only assisted, and that Young Lord Christian was indeed the one who vanquished the Spider Queen.”
“Hah. Unbelievable.”
“That's not all. He became a Pioneer? Doesn't that mean he cleared the 27th floor alone? And what's with the title, 'He Who Toyed with a Demon'?”
“They say an accident sent him to the 27th floor. There, he undertook a demon's trial and passed.”
Unable to explain the detailed circumstances, Chris had given a vague account of the 27th floor.
Those who heard the story were all aghast.
“A demon's trial?! Is that even possible? One can't even maintain their sanity when facing a demon!”
“But Young Lord Christian is no ordinary person, is he?”
“True....”
The Majin of the Dark Magic House nodded.
From his first appearance until now.
Christian had always been one to cause tremendous stirs, accompanied by impossible miracles.
“But still, to pass a demon's trial. What kind of test could it have been?”
“He said he can't speak of it due to a pact with the demon. What's certain is that it must have been a trial as difficult as clearing the 27th floor.”
It was a plausible argument.
After all, if it hadn't been a trial of such extreme difficulty, he wouldn't have been recognized for pioneering the 27th floor.
“Just what is Young Lord Christian?”
Everyone looked toward Christian as if he were an incomprehensible monster.
In that moment, a thought surfaced in everyone's mind.
‘Could there really be an upset in the succession?’
It was an absurd notion.
Christian was still the furthest behind among all the heirs.
But slowly, little by little, the number of people who entertained this thought began to grow.
That they should keep a close eye on Christian.
Meanwhile, Chris met the gazes of those Majin with a grin.
‘The reaction is good. Thanks to Marchioness Fresia's little scheme, I've gained the perfect opportunity.’