Darkteria (3)
"I'm a black mage too."
A short, single phrase.
But its ripple effect was far greater than expected.
The leisurely smile vanished completely from Zeke's face.
Bael took a step back, his eyes filled with wariness.
"What... did you say?"
Zeke muttered in disbelief.
What's going on? Why is he reacting like that?
It's true that Darkteria is the stronghold of black mages, but they exist on other continents too.
They're not common, but they're not nonexistent either.
So why was he so shocked?
"A black mage?"
Zeke's voice trembled.
"And yet I didn't sense a thing?"
That was when I realized it.
The reason for his agitation.
Zeke wasn't just any demon king.
He was the strongest in history, the one who had shattered the old framework of "black mage" and forged his own absolute domain.
Not merely wielding black magic—he was black magic incarnate.
And yet...
He hadn't detected the black magic within me at all.
He was probably thinking right now:
Maybe... he's a black mage even stronger than me.
Of course, it was a complete misunderstanding.
My Domain of the Absolute amplified and projected my presence exponentially, but it was equally masterful at perfect concealment.
A bipolar ability that could maximize presence or erase it entirely.
If I hadn't been in my role as Haven's captain, showing this side would have been dangerous.
If I weren't the captain, Zeke would have attacked me already.
Given his personality, unable to contain his curiosity, he would have tested me with force immediately to uncover my true nature.
But my position as Haven's captain was holding his impulses in check.
"What's wrong?"
I asked calmly, feigning complete ignorance on purpose.
Their misconception was actually a favorable card for me, someone who needed to enter Darkteria.
"...Impressive control."
"Yes."
I acknowledged it flatly.
Then I added weight to my words.
"If those unaware of my identity saw me, they'd think I was just an ordinary person."
Zeke's eyes sharpened at my words.
"It's not that you failed to detect it. If I hide it, no one can sense it—not even you, the demon king, or Balderic herself."
"Kukukuku..."
Zeke bowed his head, his shoulders starting to shake.
"Kuhahaha! Balderic brought in a real monster! You're even more incredible than I thought!"
Bursting into laughter, Zeke approached and placed a hand on my shoulder.
A faint pulse of black magic throbbed from his hand.
"Hey, Astra. I heard your confidence loud and clear."
His red eyes gleamed dangerously.
"So let me tell you this: Among those who use black magic, no one can defeat me."
At that moment, Ascaros, who had been silent until now, spoke into my mind.
Astra-nim. I hate to admit it, but he's a far stronger black mage than I am. If he wanted, he could probably erase me from existence.
I know.
Zeke's true power was something only he and I truly understood.
The strength the world knew of him was merely the tip of the iceberg.
Even the title of "strongest demon king in history" fell short of capturing his real might.
Like two beasts sizing each other up, we exchanged words in silence.
"Fine."
I lightly brushed off his hand and said,
"That doesn't matter. There's only one important thing."
I met his red eyes directly.
"Will you take me to Darkteria? Seems like there are no more obstacles."
"Yes, if you're a black mage, there's no reason or way to stop you from entering Darkteria."
"Demon King!"
Then Bael, who had been watching from behind, urgently called out to Zeke.
"What's wrong, son?"
Bael glanced at me cautiously before speaking carefully.
"It's no problem for the captain to come to Darkteria, but heading straight to Black Rock Canyon... that could be an issue. As you know, it's ruled by one of the Seven Deadly Sins."
The Seven Deadly Sins...
Yes, the ones anyone could imagine: Pride, Avarice, Envy, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, Sloth.
There were demons in the demon realm embodying them, but in Darkteria, the term referred to seven noble families.
Darkteria was upheld by these seven noble houses like massive pillars, with the demon king reigning above them.
"Hm, now that you mention it, yeah. Who was it again..."
Zeke seemed to ponder for a moment, but he'd never recall it.
Truth be told, without his overwhelming might, Zeke never would have become demon king—he was that simple and brutish.
Bael let out a deep sigh, glanced at his father, then shook his head in resignation and answered.
"It's Seraphim, Duke of the Ruberia family, who oversees Lust."
"Ah!"
Zeke snapped his fingers with a look of realization.
But that expression quickly twisted into horror.
"That crazy bitch's territory, huh."
He took a genuine step back, clearly flustered.
"Ugh... Astra, sorry. I was planning to tag along under the excuse of helping because I didn't want to work, but if it's Seraphim's domain, I can't go."
Zeke wrapped his arms around himself, shuddering as if the mere thought was nightmare fuel.
"Why?"
I asked, puzzled.
Duke Seraphim. Of course I knew of her—a demon noble.
She symbolized Lust, but the image I knew was closer to a cruel, cold warrior than anything seductive.
She even ranked fourth in female character popularity polls in the game.
So I couldn't fathom why Zeke—one of the continent's top powerhouses—despised her so much.
If anything, isn't she a reliable subordinate?
"Hoo..."
Zeke sighed deeply, his face turning serious.
"I'll contact Seraphim in advance, but Astra—be very careful."
"Careful of what?"
"That woman..."
That woman?
Zeke paused, scanning me up and down.
Then he shook his head with eyes full of genuine pity.
"Whenever she sees a handsome man, she goes completely insane. Especially if he's stronger than her..."
He shuddered.
"She bursts with possessiveness and will do anything to make him hers."
I could now grasp why Zeke recoiled.
By his own description, he perfectly fit the bill: androgynously handsome, the strongest in Darkteria.
"Make him hers? What does that mean?"
I asked out of pure curiosity, but Zeke's face paled further.
"Don't even think about finding out, Astra."
His voice trembled.
"You'll really... get hurt."
Bael quietly added an explanation.
"Duke Seraphim will use any means necessary to claim a man she likes—magic, drugs, even..."
"Stop! Enough, Bael—it's bringing back bad memories!"
Zeke cut him off sharply.
"Anyway, I'm never setting foot in her territory. If you really have to go, Astra, steel yourself."
A flicker of unease passed through me at his earnest warning, but I quickly steeled my resolve.
Yeah, no matter how eccentric she is, she wouldn't dare touch Haven's captain, right?
It was logically impossible.
Seraphim has to have that much sense.
But I didn't know yet.
That there were beings in this world beyond common sense.
And that Seraphim was the prime example.
* * *
"Ha... ha... ha... So?"
The bedroom was filled with an suffocatingly thick fragrance.
But in stark contrast to its opulence, men lay scattered everywhere, lifeless like mummies, drained dry. Only faint groans proved they still breathed.
In the center, on a crimson silk bed, a pink-haired woman lounged languidly.
A translucent black silk robe subtly revealed her curves, her pale skin glowing softly like moonlight.
A enigmatic smile played on her ruby-red lips.
The reporting subordinate swallowed dryly at the sight of his collapsed comrades.
Her pink eyes fixed on him like a serpent's gaze.
"Word just came that the Continental Congress has ended. The demon king should arrive soon."
"Ahh~ Our demon king..."
Seraphim cradled her cheeks in ecstasy.
Pink energy rippled from her body, filling the air with a sweet, perilous aroma.
"Hurry... I can't endure even a day without our demon king—no, not even an hour..."
She clutched the bedsheets, writhing.
Like an addict in withdrawal, madness gleamed in her pink eyes.
She was Seraphim, embodiment of Lust among the Seven Deadly Sins.
The subordinate continued his report in a trembling voice.
The pink energy seeped into his lungs, flushing his face red.
"A-and... the demon king is bringing... ha... a guest..."
His breathing grew ragged even as he spoke.
"Haa... haa... A guest? Don't tell me it's a woman?"
Disappointment colored his tone. But the next instant—
"N-no! It's Haven's new captain... ha... Astra. And..."
Seraphim's eyes flashed.
She rose like a predator spotting prey, shedding her languid pose.
The black silk robe slipped, exposing more of her pale skin.
"Astra... a man?"
"Yes, a man."
She sprang from the bed.
Barefoot on the cold marble floor, she approached her subordinate.
With each step, the pink energy thickened, the air growing heavier.
"Continue. And?"
The subordinate was now collapsed fully on the floor, gasping. His body shook.
"The demon king... haa... told Seraphim... this message..."
He forced the words out desperately.
His voice was half-moan already.
"Seraphim... you'll be satisfied... haa... maybe even... more than me..."
Before finishing, he let out a pained groan and crumpled completely.
"Ughhh..."
Madness sparked in Seraphim's eyes.
"More than the demon king...?"
A chilling smile spread across her lips. Pink energy exploded, engulfing the room.
"Ahh... Astra... Haven's captain Astra..."
She murmured in rapture.
"I want to meet him soon... how wonderful must he be... for the demon king to say that..."
Seraphim approached the mirror, admiring herself.
"I need to prepare. Very... specially."