Chapter 83
Chapter 83
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: It Can't Be
-----------------------------------------------------------------
─This won't work.
A man frowned at the beautiful voice echoing in his ears. A sign of an incoming headache.
"Why?"
─Why what? That bitch Rosaline set up a barrier that vampires can't even breach. It zaps you just touching it.
"It's Sunday today, isn't it? I thought the barrier goes up in the evening."
─We made too much noise last time. But this is because of that "Half-Demon"? Tell them to handle it. Not my problem anymore.
The man pressed his brow with his hand. A migraine was setting in.
'Can't say no to that.'
A demon's word was absolute to a mine. If they ordered him to kill that student Lee Seong-hoon, the mine had to obey.
That was their relationship. Put nicely, superior and subordinate. Put harshly, lord and vassal.
Having already offered his soul, defiance wasn't an option. The stronger he grew as a mine, the tighter the constraints became.
"Can't you do something about it? You're a pureblood. Pureblood Sylvia."
─You think purebloods are omnipotent? I just turned a guard into a vampire and sent him in—he burned to death on the spot. No good.
That bad, huh. The man drummed his purple fingers on the desk.
'The "Half-Demon" got marked by Rosaline right before annihilation.'
No room to maneuver. Storming Justitia without outside help was impossible.
"No way around it, then."
─Yeah. Might be for the best. Our boss hasn't been doing well lately. Could've croaked mid-job.
"That guy?"
─He's throwing a fit about finding the escaped pureblood. He's been losing it lately. Don't even get me started.
Destined to go solo, then. The man massaged his temples with purple fingers and picked up the communicator.
"Got it. Half payment since it failed."
─Fine. Sigh. I'm not some girl scout. Send fresh ones.
The man acknowledged and cut the line. He lifted his head, fingers still pressing his temples.
His head still throbbed, but no time to dwell. A barrier barring even civilians would rise soon.
"Annoying."
Muttering that, he raised his hand. All of his purple hand.
"What I offer is my flesh." "The sacrifice symbolizes the pact. Take my bones, make my soul your chalice, and answer the contract."
⟨ Demon Pact Ritual ⟩
Crack. Creak-crack.
Bones snapped. Fingers bent in impossible directions.
Creak-crack!!
As if replacing the fully broken, powerless fingers, the adjacent ones began to shatter too.
Yet the man didn't even blink.
Creak-crack-crack!!!
The unbearable sound for any sane mind droned on before finally stopping.
All ten fingers were now twisted impossibly.
「What business?」
A voice echoed. Impossible to tell if man or woman, child or adult.
"Dominate five Justitia affiliates."
「Sacrifice insufficient. Three."
"..."
Not pleased. He couldn't even live normally for a while, and only three?
Rage boiled, but as said, mines couldn't defy demons.
"Understood."
「Contract established.」
The voice vanished with an unsettling chuckle.
Monday.
The lively start to the week. And the day I hated most.
"Did you see the barrier go up yesterday? I've never seen such massive magic!!"
[Yeah, it was cool!!]
Right─!!
I ignored the chattering blondes and checked my Status while eating a simple breakfast.
For the record, I made breakfast. Not sure if toasting bread in the machine counts, but whatever.
Bread with jam and milk—that's breakfast enough.
"Seong-hoon. People need a hearty breakfast for energy. Warriors who fought a hundred foes on the battlefield all ate big in the morning."
"That's just rations. And seriously? You do it then. Try waking up early sometimes and cooking. What angel drools over the smell of baking bread?"
Raphael held up one finger at my words. Pointing at herself, naturally. And her response was predictable.
"Me."
Knew it. I shook my head and wiped Levatein's messy mouth as she ate beside me.
"Levatein. Slow down. No one's taking it."
[Okay.]
Why eat so fast, though.
[Yummy!]
Can't be helped. I put another bread on her plate for more.
"Hey! What about me?! Gimme one too!"
I ignored the grown blonde. To check the elixir effects from yesterday, I opened [Status].
Just that? Lucy did mention yesterday it took a while for effects to kick in with her. But they're stronger for it.
Something about intense exercise speeding it up? Training with Shin Ga-yeon starting today—not bad.
Plus, reinforcing in [Inventory] extended the time, but better performance overall.
After finishing breakfast and milk, I left the dorm. Levatein went into [Inventory], of course.
She's gotten used to it lately—no fuss.
Benia must be taking good care of her inside.
I took off [Reaper's Robe] and headed to the training hall. School facility, so kinda like commuting?
"Every day from today? This early?"
"Yeah."
Raphael thrust her hand out at my reply. Like demanding something. I just stared at her pale palm.
What now.
"Robe."
"?"
"Lend me the robe so I can sleep more."
So shameless. I ignored the blonde's nonsense and kept walking. She chattered behind me—ignored.
Early bird this, she's no bird but an angel. Birds have two wings, she has twelve. Whole different level.
I tuned out the repeats and spotted blue hair leaning against the training hall wall, waiting.
She held an eco-bag. Spotting me, her blank face lit with a smile.
"Here!!"
She waved wildly, so I waved back.
As I approached, she came closer, looking up. Tilting the bag toward me—was that a puppy tail wagging? Nah.
"Here."
"What's this?"
"Elixirs─ Oh, don't misunderstand! These are what we use at home for training. One aids mana circulation, one blood flow. And this one—no sore muscles if you eat it before bed."
"Got it. But what's the last one for?"
"Huh? That's─"
I learned after downing them all and training with Shin Ga-yeon. The reason for the last elixir.
Why need anti-soreness meds? Simple.
"Fuck."
"Puhahaha!! Oh, this is too fun. Hehe!! Hahaha!!"
Should I kill her. Face buried in the floor, I muttered. Even I knew it looked pathetic.
This training? Thought she'd go easy. Being Shin Ga-yeon and all.
"Get up."
But nope. Picked the wrong one. Really wrong. Merciless once in training mode.
"Shouldn't have bothered."
"Seong-hoon~ Abuse people's goodwill and you'll get burned~"
Shut up. I pulled my face from the floor and stood. First thing I saw: cold blue eyes.
Too scary. I wanna go home.
"That's enough for today."
"Just kill me."
"No dying. Earlier tomorrow from now? Mana and physical training need consistency. Gotta work hard."
True. And I asked for it. No excuses.
Shin Ga-yeon crouched by my sprawled form.
"Sorry. Hurts, right."
"Yeah. Fucking does."
"Fucking? Can't be helped. Training's no joke. And you need basics in hand-to-hand to marry into my family later."
Marry? Am I the son-in-law now? I pretended not to hear that last bit and nodded.
She beamed, brushing back stray hair as she stood.
"Gonna head out first. No sweat. Oh! Special instructor today—you know? Something to look forward to."
Special instructor? News to me. Who?
"Oh, I heard. Invited one instead of outside contact. To soothe the masses."
"Did you? Missed that."
"Focus in class."
"Impossible since forever. My ears have filters. Better than air purifiers or water filters."
Teacher words go in one ear, out the other. No guarantees on performance.
"Anyway! You'll love it!! See ya!"
I blankly watched her retreating figure. Look forward? Knows who?
"Raphael. Who's the outside instructor?"
"How should I know. They didn't say."
"Then what."
My question resolved easily enough.
Simple story. Cleaned the training hall, headed to class—and the whole group got dragged by Shin Gi-mi.
To the arena.
Usually for sparring. Huge space. Sitting there, it clicked.
"These are your instructors for hand-to-hand training from today!!"
Applause as a man entered. Blue hair, blue eyes.
Fierce face. And people with matching hair following.
"Ah."
Got it instantly. Justitia's special instructors are from the sword clan!
Makes sense. Prestigious house, no ties to mines or vampires, they figured.
"Aah."
The fierce man cracked his neck. Mic-less voice boomed.
"Pleased to meet you. Shin Hak-cheol, guiding hand-to-hand till summer break."
Said while glaring at me-ish. Imagination, right.
"He's glaring."
"Your imagination."
Yeah. Has to be. It has to.