Chapter 147
Chapter 147
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Dream
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“⋯⋯.”
Gray stared at her with a still displeased expression, and Asmodeus stuck out her tongue just a little.
Well, the fact that she wasn't swinging her sword right away meant there was at least some chance she'd hear her out.
“Hey, hey, I'll tell you how to claim Oppa for yourself. So in return, Hero, do just one thing for me.”
She spread her arms wide as she continued.
“That person. They wielded some pretty strange power.”
When she had revealed her true identity and struck her with full force.
The bizarre kind of mana he emitted was still vividly etched in Asmodeus's memory.
“To my eyes, it looked just like yours, Hero.”
“⋯⋯.”
“You know the one. Can't you look into it for me a bit, Hero? You're close to Oppa, right?”
⋯⋯What to say.
It was the Archdemon's intuition.
Deep inside, there lay the man's greatest secret.
Uncovering it felt like the fastest shortcut to the 'future outcome' she desired.
“Do I look like an idiot who'd make a deal with a demon?”
Even if research on demons wasn't widespread, the results of any interaction with them were consistently predictable.
They suck you dry and discard you like trash. The pattern was so set it was transparent.
And here stood one of their leaders. Why would he deal with her?
“I won't deny I have ulterior motives.”
“⋯⋯.”
“I'm a demon, after all. Of course my own interests come first. Right?”
Gray's face soured even more at Asmodeus's brazen admission.
“Get lost.”
“⋯⋯.”
Asmodeus chuckled inwardly at the curt dismissal.
Anyway, when it came to tough negotiators, this one was even harder than Carlyle.
But if she delved a bit deeper, this one was still easier than Carlyle.
An Archdemon of Hell could read a person's thoughts like the back of her hand, even without them spelling it out.
“Hero.”
Asmodeus smiled gently as she spoke.
It was an expression that would send chills down anyone's spine if they knew even a little about demons.
“Doesn't it feel like more and more people are gathering around Oppa lately?”
“⋯⋯.”
Gray ignored her and silently swung her sword.
And toward her, the demon's words fell steadily, step by step.
“Oppa’s just so unique, you know. It’s no surprise he draws affection from all sides.”
“⋯⋯.”
“And among them, maybe there are some who could actually make him happy?”
“⋯⋯.”
“Unlike you, Hero. I mean ‘ordinary’ girls.”
Gray's movements halted abruptly.
“Girls who could truly care for him, build a future together, live a normal, blissful life with him.”
“⋯⋯.”
“You might get cast aside, Hero. Right?”
“⋯⋯That guy would never do that to me. He'd stay by my side no matter what.”
“It’s not just about cutting ties completely, you know?”
The Hero turned to the demon with a blank expression.
Watching her, Asmodeus continued with her smiling face.
“Even if you get pushed to ‘second place,’ could you accept that?”
“⋯⋯.”
“Could you stand him holding hands with another woman in front of you, linking arms, kissing, squealing happily—?”
“⋯⋯.”
“You think you could bear that? Really? It wouldn’t bother you at all?”
Gray fell silent.
⋯⋯No rebuttal came.
“I get it, dealing with a demon feels dirty. But are we not fair dealers?”
“⋯⋯.”
“I swear I’ll never harm you or Oppa. Never. No psychological, physical, relational damage—none of those twisted endings you can imagine. I’d even stake my life on it if you want?”
Thump thump, Asmodeus pounded her chest as she declared.
“I’ll make sure you and Oppa get that blissful life together. Okay?”
“⋯⋯About that.”
Gray took over with a wry smile.
“The contract doesn’t cover the others.”
The demon's smile deepened.
“Huh?”
“You guarantee safety for me and him, but not a word about the rest.”
Vespa, Panhaima, Felix, the dragon sisters⋯⋯
Nothing about what happens to them.
It only mentions 'exclusion' in terms of monopoly.
But.
“Does it matter?”
If anything.
Asmodeus's words pierced Gray's psyche like a dagger.
“Hero, do you really care about those people?”
“⋯⋯.”
“Do you even pay attention to anyone besides Oppa?”
“⋯⋯.”
“You only care about two people in the world. Grand Duke Chasefield, and Oppa. Everyone else⋯⋯”
Live or die, it wouldn't affect her life.
Even at best, that was their level.
“You wouldn’t shed a tear for a second if they died, right Hero?”
“⋯⋯.”
Once more.
No denial.
Gray stared quietly at Asmodeus before finally speaking.
“You’re right. I don’t care.”
“See?”
“But.”
Gray turned her head away from Asmodeus.
“He does.”
“⋯⋯.”
Asmodeus blinked in confusion.
⋯⋯Huh.
She hadn’t expected that response.
“If I accepted that crap, he’d be sad.”
“⋯⋯.”
“So get lost. I’m not hearing it.”
With that, Gray turned and walked away briskly.
As if she didn’t want to exchange another word.
“⋯⋯.”
Asmodeus watched her go, clicking her tongue and shaking her head.
“Tch, tch, tch.”
Rejected. Totally shot down.
‘⋯⋯Never thought she’d turn it down for that reason.’
What to say.
That Carlyle Bellfast guy.
Hadn’t he made the Hero more ‘human’ than she’d imagined?
She never dreamed the Hero could have such normal sentiments.
At this rate, investigating Carlyle's identity might be faster if she did it herself⋯⋯
“Oh, right.”
As that thought crossed her mind, Gray, who she thought had vanished into the distance, poked her head around the corner.
“You. You said you’re the demon of Lust or something, right?”
“⋯⋯So?”
“Counsel me a bit.”
“⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯You’ve gotta have more experience with romance and stuff than me.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯What does it feel like when a person likes another person?”
Asmodeus's face went blank.
Ah.
Dealing with demons is bad, but love advice from one is fine?
“⋯⋯.”
⋯⋯Hearing this lunatic talk like this, one sentiment sprang to mind immediately.
‘They really do take after each other~’
Carlyle and Gray.
In how utterly, exceptionally crazy they were, they matched perfectly.
◆
To cut to the conclusion.
Among the herbs Panhaima had gathered, there were clearly some extraordinary ones mixed in.
“⋯⋯This doesn’t look like an ordinary Inner Core.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯It doesn’t to me either.”
Carlyle and Panhaima gazed at the Inner Core before them.
As Carlyle recalled, Panhaima's Inner Cores were usually dark and murky.
But the one they were looking at now gleamed blue.
“What the hell got mixed in to make it like this⋯⋯?”
“⋯⋯It seems to have effects different from the herbs used in the Far East.”
Even the creator, Panhaima, sounded a bit flustered voicing that impression.
It still seemed to retain the effect of explosively boosting the consumer's abilities, but there was clearly some ‘additional effect’ as well.
“⋯⋯I hope the extra effect is worth getting stuck in that mountain for a day and suffering like hell.”
Carlyle murmured, staring at the Inner Core.
So.
Who should take this?
“⋯⋯Is that even a question?”
“Yes?”
“You eat it.”
“⋯⋯.”
What?
“No, no, there are better options than me eating it⋯⋯”
“Listen, compatriot.”
Panhaima let out a heavy sigh.
“I don’t know if you’ve made a habit of yielding to others, but I made it for you in the first place.”
“⋯⋯.”
“When you have something precious, think of taking it for yourself. The others can fend for themselves, so no one will complain if you take it.”
“⋯⋯Uh.”
“I’ll get mad if you don’t.”
With that, Panhaima turned her head away with a pout.
⋯⋯What to say.
Her tone was a bit harsh.
“⋯⋯Thanks for looking out for me?”
It felt like that was the right thing to say.
“You’re so caring, Panhaima. I might fall for you.”
“Caring my ass, you pest.”
“⋯⋯.”
“Eat it while I’m asking nicely.”
⋯⋯She always responded harshly even to good words.
[Well, I wouldn’t mind you taking that.]
‘Yes?’
[There are plenty of uses if your abilities grow.]
‘⋯⋯.’
Hm.
Even the Holy Sword said that, so him eating the Inner Core was inevitable.
Carlyle reluctantly picked up the glowing blue Inner Core.
◆
And that night.
As Carlyle lay in bed, he was having a profoundly strange experience.
Pitch-black space.
The mental world he’d visited a few times lately and was starting to get used to.
“Hm. As expected.”
“⋯⋯.”
“See? I told you to eat it.”
“⋯⋯.”
There, Carlyle was meeting alone with the Hero.
Meaning.
⋯⋯A Hero with her ‘body’ fully intact.
“Thanks to you consuming the Inner Core, I can maintain this space for a good long while.”
“⋯⋯.”
“Sit there. I have some things I want to try on you.”
“⋯⋯.”
Hm.
This felt like bad news.
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