Chapter 135
Chapter 135
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Interrogation
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The thought that strikes me anew is that entrusting tasks to Felix almost never leads to regrets.
Even after the massive incident where the Hero swung the Holy Sword inside the imperial banquet hall during the Fever Festival, there's hardly any ripple effect felt.
“No objections from the princes or princesses...?”
...Just seeing Gray dragging Rachel—skewered straight through by the Holy Sword—to the meeting spot makes you wonder how on earth she covered it up.
Even though Carlyle had asked for it, seeing it firsthand, the visual was brutally violent.
But the answer to that question was equally crystal clear.
“I knocked them all out, so no.”
“⋯⋯.”
“They were all dazed, so I just whacked each one on the back of the head and left.”
“⋯⋯.”
As expected of the Hero.
Her ability to come up with ideas no ordinary person could even imagine and then execute them steadfastly with action was truly admirable.
However, the fact that everyone around her was dazed after she subdued Rachel was noteworthy in itself.
It clearly showed that this girl named Rachel was some kind of landmine planted by 'Lust.'
Archdemon Lust, Asmodeus.
Her specialties were bewitchment, disruption, division, and manipulation.
She was an archdemon whose mere presence could enchant the minds of those around her with 'allure.'
...In truth, delving deeper, her abilities went beyond simple words like that. But conceptually speaking, that was it.
“Oh, what’s this? You brought her all the way here?”
The next sight made that fact even clearer.
“Good thing. I don’t have to go pick her up myself.”
Liza, who had been humming a tune, reached out her arm and touched the rigidly frozen Rachel, who was stiff like a doll. Rachel's entire body immediately melted away, slumping limply.
And then, like smoke seeping in, it all 'returned' to Liza's body.
“⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯.”
Everyone watching had expressions of sheer horror.
They had all just realized the extent of this demon's abilities.
Even though it was obvious that Rachel Kibein was something like a 'doll' created by Asmodeus.
‘...Even when she was right beside us, I didn’t sense a thing.’
No one had noticed.
Not even a shred of suspicion from anyone.
...This demon before them had, single-handedly, corrupted humanity from the ground up, bringing it to the brink of collapse.
And the moment they realized they were facing such an opponent, the movements of the people around grew even more cautious.
The seasoned priests affiliated with the Orthodox Church—especially those from the Exorcism Division—could be said to have the most knowledge about demons of any humans.
So it was only natural that they all moved in a state of extreme tension.
What they faced now was a ruler of Pandemonium.
A supernatural being whose mere presence might influence them in unknown ways.
[⋯⋯They're all terrified.]
The Holy Sword scoffed as it watched them move.
‘Can’t really blame them.’
That was an archdemon. A virtual demigod. And they had just witnessed proof of it with their own eyes.
‘...And considering what they’re transporting right now, even more so.’
The black substances sealed in the sealed containers were the same as those in the rocket from before.
To Carlyle, at least, it looked like handling fuel rods from a runaway reactor barehanded. How could it not be terrifying?
[What we stopped back then was a decoy... This is the 'real' thing.]
The Holy Sword groaned.
[If we hadn’t noticed the archdemon infiltration, the Empire would have been done for that day.]
‘Exactly.’
These were things that were dangerous even if just one detonated, and now there were several times more than back then.
...If these had gone off inside the Fever Festival, it would have been far more horrific than when the rocket was launched last time.
“Oh, you have to handle those carefully?”
And then came the voice of the archdemon, kindly worrying about the people transporting them.
Not content with having confessed where she had hidden all of them, she was even showing warm concern.
“⋯⋯.”
Carlyle silently watched Liza, who sat beaming on the chair.
Anyone could see there was no hostility.
More than that, she was extremely cooperative.
What could he call it?
In Carlyle's memory, this type normally cast mental manipulation on everyone around just by breathing as a baseline.
Yet she seemed to be consciously holding it back.
“Hey.”
Felix, who had been watching quietly, let out an incredulous remark, which was completely understandable.
“...I’m not one for spilling my guts either, but I have to ask this or we won’t get anywhere. What do you want? What’s your intent?”
“Well, fighting is pointless, isn’t it?”
“⋯⋯What?”
“If you know who I am, you must have some countermeasures in mind. So scattering stuff around wouldn’t do anything, right?”
“⋯⋯.”
Nonsense.
Just deliberately releasing the hellish atmosphere substances here would cause catastrophic damage, plain and simple.
It was hard to understand why she was being this mild even while holding weapons that could seriously threaten them.
“⋯⋯.”
But Felix didn’t dig deeper and simply nodded.
No need to provoke her right now. Better to talk a bit more.
“...So we can assume you’re willing to talk with us to some extent?”
“Talk? I love talking! I’m a chatterbox!”
“⋯⋯.”
Felix’s expression rapidly grew weary at the sudden torrent of words.
Whether it was a mask or not, to an outsider, she just looked like a bubbly, innocent chatterbox girl.
...Her personality was somewhat at odds with it.
“-First things first. How exactly did you manifest in the Material Realm?”
Even for a mere noble demon, all sorts of rituals were needed to manifest. It made no sense that they hadn’t caught even a hint of an archdemon appearing.
The answer came very simply.
“I’m cute.”
“⋯⋯.”
“I’m pretty!”
“⋯⋯.”
Everyone clutched their throbbing heads as Asmodeus winked and waved her hands above her head.
“...This isn’t the time for jokes—”
“She’s right, Your Eminence.”
As a vein started bulging on Felix’s forehead, Carlyle responded with a groan.
No, really.
...Surprisingly, it was true.
Compared to other archdemons, Asmodeus could exert her influence far more easily due to her nature.
Archdemons generally needed rituals tied to the 'sin' they governed to manifest in the Material Realm.
But hers was 'Lust.'
In other words.
While the other Seven Deadly Sins required 'mass sacrifices' and the like,
This demon could fulfill manifestation conditions just by building 'favor' from others. It was easy to achieve without anything flashy.
Moreover, as the great demon who passively emitted an allure that gained followers just by breathing. Her mere existence granted her a free pass to the Material Realm.
...Though calling it 'cute' and 'pretty' was another matter.
“Well, that’s why I can’t wield as much power as the others~”
Liza stuck out her tongue playfully and added.
“⋯⋯.”
What to say?
Every action oozed leisure.
Even dropped right in the heart of enemy territory, there wasn’t a hint of hesitation in her behavior.
...Her true intentions were completely inscrutable.
“We should go back to the first question.”
Felix sighed quietly and brought it up.
“What do you want, demon?”
“Hmm?”
“Do you want to fight us, or is there something you want, so you’re doing this? If you don’t speak plainly, nothing progresses. Then we’ll have no choice but to harm you.”
“Whoa, the auntie’s bullying me—!”
“⋯⋯.”
Uh.
Uhh.
Someone stop her.
Seeing veins popping wildly on Felix’s forehead, Carlyle started to sweat coldly.
But fortunately, Asmodeus clearly had no intention of tormenting Felix further.
Judging by how she giggled and got straight to the point.
“Well, if you’re asking what I want—”
Asmodeus’s gaze flicked toward Carlyle.
“—I’m only interested in Oppa?”
“⋯⋯.”
“It’s been that way from start to finish.”
...Gray and Felix’s expressions hardened simultaneously.
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