Chapter 167
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 171
Chapter Title: A Date with the Demon King
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Berric's corpse, having met a very long and agonizing end, was in quite a gruesome state.
Rotting, oozing flesh, bones riddled with holes, melted innards, and a foul stench to top it all off.
"...I can barely make out that it's Berric."
Preserving the body fell to Weller, who opted to freeze it solid.
"Sob...! Sniff...!"
Weller handled the corpse impassively, regardless of her true feelings, but Vivian apparently couldn't do the same.
She hung her head, her face scrunched up in grief, clutching the hem of her dress as thick tears plopped down—her pitiful sight made me want to stroke her hair without thinking.
"Hiccup, Brother...!"
She threw herself into my arms like a newborn seeking comfort, burying her face in my chest and sobbing for a good while.
"......"
Part of me wanted to advise her not to get so worked up over deaths like this.
If she was going to stick with the hero, she'd face countless more deaths from humanity's betrayers—ones that would make this nothing by comparison.
But I couldn't bring myself to say it, settling instead for gently stroking her hair in silence.
"Kang Han-gil."
Amid the heavy, somber silence, Charhela stared straight at me.
"...What?"
The moment our eyes met, my instincts and senses screamed warnings.
Ever since my complete transformation, those senses bordered on superhuman, so they were probably spot on.
I hoped they weren't, though.
"You're planning to leave the tribe now, right?"
"Yeah."
"Without even marrying me."
"...Is that something to bring up in this mood?"
"Who cares about the mood? It's just a human traitor who died. He's no family."
"......"
I sighed at her coldly resolute attitude.
"...I thought you'd given up."
She'd been quiet the past few days, so I'd assumed it had fizzled out. But her firm expression said otherwise.
"As if. You know better than anyone I wouldn't. I'm not optimistic enough to think I'll meet another man like you, and the odds of falling for one are even lower. So you're the fated one who satisfies both my need for a worthy heir and my love. I'm never giving up."
"Sigh... So what do you plan to do? Use force?"
"No, I gave up on that ages ago. It was a long shot even before you received Kubel's divinity."
"...Then?"
"I'm coming with you."
"......"
I covered my face with my hands and pleaded desperately.
It might've been my imagination, but my voice seemed laced with a hint of moisture.
"Please... don't..."
"No, it's decided! I'm going to the Starnassila Duchy! There, we'll get our parents' permission to marry! You know, a proper meeting of families!"
"You crazy woman! You think that'll work?!"
"Why not? You won't know till you try!"
"...!!...!!"
Flap flap!
My mind raced with retorts, but nothing came out.
I just flapped my mouth like a carp.
"...Sister Weller. Do something."
"I'm done... Handle it yourself."
"Don't give up!"
"Argh, why are you snapping at me!? I'm staying out of it from now on! And I only opposed your marriage because I saw you as 'Starnassila Alzen'! I don't anymore, and you look completely different, so I don't care! Deal with it yourself, Kang Han-gil!"
"W-Well... You're right about that?"
Thinking about it, I'd rejected Charhela partly because I saw it as incest.
My soul and mind were Kang Han-gil's, but my body had still been Starnassila Alzen's.
But now the situation had changed completely.
Kubel's divinity had reshaped my body to match Kang Han-gil's soul, so the incest excuse was getting harder to justify.
"Tch... Men are all the same..."
Weller glared at me with contempt... What could I even say to that?
I still planned to refuse Charhela despite the shift in perception, but arguing would just make it worse.
"Hehehe...! You've finally realized it! Kang Han-gil! You have no more excuses to reject me!"
"...Sigh."
I let out a short sigh and shook my head.
"Whatever. Do what you want... But I swear, if things escalate, I'll crush it with everything I've got—including helping you out."
"Don't worry. I'm not that irresponsible!"
"...Not sure we'll even have time for family meetings anyway."
"Huh? What do you mean by that!?"
"What do you think Starnassila Pitra will do after losing two family members?"
"......"
Transparent beads of cold sweat trickled down Charhela's face.
Even she was breaking a sweat—what kind of person was Pitra, anyway?
It already felt daunting, but unavoidable, so I'd face it head-on.
We quickly packed up and left the tribe.
The carriage pressed on toward the ducal castle at a steady pace.
At this rate, we'd arrive in about a day.
"Lord Han-gil. You're drinking too much, even for you. Please moderate yourself."
"......"
I halted the bottle midway to my lips at Murel's words.
"Ah, well... I just can't seem to get drunk. Gotta stock up on stronger stuff once we're back at the castle."
I shrugged nonchalantly to hide my feelings, but Murel sighed softly with knowing eyes and gently took the bottle from my hand.
"Lord Han-gil. Whatever happens next, I'll stand by your side."
At her words, I squeezed my eyes shut and stared up at the carriage ceiling.
"...Is it that obvious on my face? Or are you reading minds?"
"No. Objectively, I doubt it shows. But I've watched you closer than anyone, so I can tell."
"Can't you just pretend you don't know?"
"I'll consider it."
"Sheesh..."
I chuckled at her brazen, impertinent reply and slumped my shoulders.
Fine, I'll be honest.
Right now, I'm scared.
Images of Starnassila Pitra—despairing, breaking down, raging, unleashing malice and killing intent—kept flashing in my mind, making me increasingly anxious and grim as time passed.
"...Damn."
Of course, it wasn't fear of her raw power.
Well, that was scary too, but what truly terrified me was how I'd react—shaken and shocked—when facing her.
I had to endure it, overcome it... but could I really?
"Sigh..."
Despite all my efforts to keep distance, bonds had formed without me realizing.
I couldn't just dismiss them as outsiders anymore.
"......"
Clenching my fists in unease, I suddenly pulled Charhela—who was sitting on my lap munching snacks—into a tight embrace.
"Eek!? W-What!? You scared me!"
"Don't squirm. Stay still."
"H-Hic...!?"
I wrapped around her waist, pulled her close, and buried my nose in her nape. Her body stiffened.
"Sniff, haa..."
Charhela had this smoky scent—unique, like incense—that was oddly familiar and soothing.
Different from tobacco or food, but comforting all the same.
"U-Uh...? H-Husband... Do you wanna... do it with me...? If so, when we're alone..."
"Cut the nonsense and stay quiet."
"O-Okay..."
I smirked at her flustered, blushing face and inhaled deeper.
Beyond the scent, her body heat was especially warm, leaving me languid in her arms—like soaking in a hot spring.
"......"
"......"
"......"
The other women's piercing glares stung, but I ignored them.
Absorbing her scent, warmth, and steady heartbeat, I was drifting off when the carriage screeched to a halt without warning.
Screeech-!!
"Waaah!?"
"Kyaaah!?"
The grinding noise and violent jolts filled the cabin with the children's screams. I snapped awake, eyes wide, and unleashed my power.
"Oof!? Huh!? This is..."
"A tail...?"
The moment I activated it, a massive, fluffy beast tail materialized, coiling around the entire interior.
Intangible like heat haze, yet exerting clear physical force—something bizarre.
"You okay?"
"Y-Yeah... I'm fine."
"T-That startled me..."
I checked on Cecilia and Arpe, buried in the soft tail, then turned to the driver's seat.
"Kachiolla. What happened?"
"...Master. We have a problem."
Kachiolla's voice from the front was rigid with extreme tension.
"What? Monsters?"
"Monsters, sure. The Demon King counts as one."
"...Ah."
Only one thing came to mind.
Demon King Rubias.
I'd forgotten, but that lunatic had finally come for her 'date'.
"...Everyone, battle stations!"
I gritted my teeth, shouted, and leaped out.
Bang!
A barren wasteland with eerie sand dust swirling.
Amid the desolate dryness stood a beautiful, alluring woman gazing our way—otherworldly and mystical.
Swish swish.
At a neither near nor far distance, our eyes met with the space-time Demon King, Rubias. She beamed and waved.
"...Fine. You wanna die that badly, huh."
My mood was already foul—perfect timing.
"Arpe. 'Open Cage'."
"Y-Yes!"
Arpe had faced the Demon King's clone before but never the main body. Gone was her usual haughty poise; her hands trembled.
"......"
Feeling my newfound strength, I grinned involuntarily.
The old me would've buckled under her presence, blood streaming from eyes, nose, and mouth.
"...Huh?"
Then Rubias unfurled her hidden wings dramatically, like in a play—one hand to her chest, the other pointing at me.
Vwooom-!!
Space rippled around her, revealing a group.
"What..."
Wings of every kind flapped.
Skin crawling with scales, feathers, slime, stone shards.
Long or short tails swayed; pointed or blunt snouts extruded alien tongues, licking lips grotesquely.
"...This is too much."
Demons.
High demons, all of them.
Ten in total.
And total strangers.
"This is crossing the line, you damn bitch."
I couldn't help muttering it.