Chapter 67: Sign This! (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67: Sign This! (2)
Duke Comallon of the Ashtalon Kingdom, situated to the west of the Asteria Kingdom.
He was a nobleman who wielded immense power within Ashtalon, and though most aristocrats were unaware, he was a figure who exercised vast influence over the underworld as well.
In fact, his reach extended beyond the Ashtalon Kingdom, touching every corner of the underworld within the United Kingdoms.
At least, that had been the case until recently.
"Hmm..."
Late at night.
In a quiet office, Duke Comallon sat looking over documents. Despite having held his title for over twenty years, his face remained remarkably youthful, showing no signs of middle age. Suddenly, he spoke.
"So, you're saying it's difficult to exert influence in the Asteria Kingdom?"
The Duke muttered to himself in the empty room.
However, despite the apparent lack of anyone else present, a voice responded.
"Yes, that is correct."
As the answer came, a man emerged from the shadows and knelt before Duke Comallon. It was Stro, the man who held great power in the Ashtalon underworld on the Duke's behalf.
The Duke continued his questioning without turning his head.
"Not even a little?"
"No. They have already eliminated all of our operatives in that region."
"Did the organizations that received the Abyss Pearls or Abyss Bodies collapse that easily?"
"That is—"
Stro hesitated for a moment before answering.
"The Asteria side didn't have any organizations suitable to receive the Abyss Pearls or Abyss Bodies yet, so—"
"I see. There was no one left to recruit."
"I am deeply sorry."
Stro bowed his head low.
The Duke tapped his quill pen rhythmically against the desk, his expression unreadable, before replying indifferently.
"There is no need to bow your head so low."
"I am sorr—"
Stro began to speak as he lowered his head further, but—
"—ry? Huh?"
In that instant, he realized something was wrong.
By the time he perceived the dissonance, Stro’s vision showed Duke Comallon’s figure upside down.
"?"
A look of utter confusion crossed Stro’s face, as if he couldn't comprehend the situation.
And then.
"Atoning with your life will suffice."
With those final words, Stro’s body collapsed with a dull thud.
"Clean this up."
As soon as the low voice commanded, shadows crept out from the darkness and began to remove Stro’s remains from the office floor.
Shortly after.
"Inzella."
At the call of Comallon, who had just killed a powerful figure of the underworld as if it were nothing, a Dark Elf with large ears and a body as black as the shadows themselves emerged.
"You called, Master?"
"Yes. You will manage the underworld from now on."
"Understood."
The Dark Elf nodded.
The Duke didn't spare a single glance at Stro’s body as it was dragged into the shadows.
"And... you said we cannot exert influence in Asteria?"
"Yes."
"That is troublesome. I need it for the plan."
"Shall I move?"
The Dark Elf asked.
Duke Comallon seemed to consider it for a moment before shaking his head.
"No, we must focus on what is happening in Laxas for now. There is no need to show our hand immediately. Now... did you say the leader of Kalpa is... Count Palatio?"
"Yes. Kalpa, which has seized control of Asteria’s underworld, operates around that nobleman."
"Count Palatio, is it?"
A hint of interest flickered in Duke Comallon’s murmur.
It was only natural, as Count Palatio had recently interfered with his plans several times.
While it didn't seem intentional, the Count’s unnecessary involvement had forced the Duke to redo several tasks.
Furthermore, the recent rumors reaching his ears were enough to pique the interest of a man preparing 'the plan.'
"Do not move directly. It will be a nuisance if we are caught moving from this side."
"I understand. Then what shall we do?"
"Tell those who have taken our bribes to express their 'regrets' to Count Palatio. Our goal is merely to exert a certain level of influence anyway. Once his prestige is shaken even slightly, cracks will form instantly."
Comallon spoke casually, as if he knew exactly how fragile a sandcastle built on politics could be.
"This actually works out well. I’ve been asked to pay more attention to the Asteria side anyway. Once we deal with the Count, we can use that as a pretext to expand our influence."
"Understood."
As Inzella the Dark Elf replied, the Duke started to look back down at his documents but then looked up again as if remembering something.
"And. How is the experiment going?"
"...If you are referring to Young Master Carmine, he is currently in the isolation ward."
"His condition?"
"Up until the previous Abyss Pearl, he was able to lead a daily life despite extreme anxiety and excessive aggression. However, since absorbing the Abyss Body this year, he has broken down completely, unable to control his violence and wrath."
The Dark Elf reported calmly.
Despite hearing such news, Duke Comallon’s expression didn't change. He seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking.
"Is that so."
"Yes."
"I see. Handle the Asteria matter well."
He shifted his gaze back to his work, as if he no longer had any interest in the subject.
"Understood."
The Dark Elf bowed and vanished on the spot.
Silence returned to Duke Comallon’s office once more.
It was as if no one had been there from the very beginning.
* * *
Alon stared blankly at the marriage registration form before turning his eyes toward Seolrang.
Seolrang’s eyes were shining brightly.
"Let's be a family!"
Seolrang looked full of anticipation.
However, Alon, who held the marriage registration in his hand, was a different story.
This is a bit much...
Hiding his troubled expression behind a stoic face, he asked, "Do you have any other requests?"
"Nope!"
"...I'm sorry, but I can't grant this one."
"Eh—"
Seolrang’s ears drooped in blatant disappointment.
But even if Seolrang looked disappointed, Alon had no intention of marrying her right now.
Objectively speaking, Seolrang wasn't lacking as a bride.
She was incredibly beautiful, and her honor and status were by no means inferior.
However, that was only from an objective standpoint. For Alon, there were many things about Seolrang that gave him pause.
First, while she wasn't that much younger than him, he viewed her more like a daughter.
Second, Alon believed that Seolrang was asking for marriage not because she loved him romantically, but because she purely wanted to become 'family.'
In other words, she liked Alon, but she wasn't in love with him.
These two factors were quite important to a man with a fairly traditional view of romance, which was why he refused her request.
"Woo—"
As Seolrang let out a pitiful sound and her tail went limp in depression, Alon thought to himself.
...I need to soothe her since she’s traumatized from the previous betrayal, but saying things like 'we're already family' probably won't help much.
After a moment of deliberation, he spoke as if he had made a decision.
"I'll think about this once you're a bit older."
"...How much older?"
"...In two years?"
Alon sighed inwardly after throwing out a number purely for comfort. He felt that if he made it too far away, it wouldn't be comforting, but if it was too soon, it would be strange.
Did I say two years was too short?
Regardless of Alon’s internal lament.
"Okay!"
Seeing Seolrang wagging her tail again as she regained her energy, Alon breathed a sigh of relief.
Well, her mind will probably change in two years.
Alon thought briefly.
* * *
Some time later, Alon arrived at the forgotten ruins. Leaving Seolrang behind, who insisted on waiting for him, he immediately began to move.
He reached the Central Tower where he had previously encountered that mysterious entity and climbed the stairs without hesitation.
And then.
[Oh, you've come.]
As soon as he reached the massive chamber, the mysterious entity appeared before him as if it had been waiting. Alon’s eyes widened in surprise.
During their last meeting, the entity's form had been so severely distorted and warped that it was unrecognizable. Now, however, it was visible with much more clarity.
Though it had a human-like build, it had deer-like antlers on its head and a long tail growing from its back.
"...A dragon? No... a Dragonkin?"
While the exact details of its appearance were still obscured as if shrouded in shadow, he could roughly discern its identity.
[Ho—so you can see me? Is it because your 'Status' rose after defeating an Outer God? Impressive. Honestly, I didn't think you could pull it off.]
Alon spoke to the shadow-like Dragonkin.
"I nearly died."
[If a human dealt with an Outer God by only 'nearly dying,' isn't that impressive enough? Well... looking at the Status you've accumulated, it seems you handled it before it could fully manifest.]
The entity sat cross-legged on the office desk and rested its chin on its hand.
[Still, it is quite curious. Even if it hadn't manifested yet, how did you kill it? Normally, such a thing would be impossible.]
The entity asked, its long tail forming a question mark in the air as if it were genuinely curious.
"I used Self-Embodiment."
[...Hmm? Self-Embodiment? You?]
"Is there a problem?"
[...Pfft.]
Alon answered, and the entity, which had been speaking with an air of supreme arrogance and leisure just a moment ago, suddenly stared at him blankly.
[Puhahahaha!!]
It then burst into fits of laughter, doubling over like a child.
Alon looked bewildered by the entity's sudden outburst, as it even pounded the desk beside it as if it had just heard the funniest joke in the world.
[Ah, sorry, sorry—it's been a long time since I've heard such a joke.]
"What part of that was a joke?"
[The part where you said you succeeded in Self-Embodiment.]
The Dragonkin wiped a tear from its eye with a black hand.
[Sure, sure, it's easy to be mistaken. A mage needs pride, but they also need a bit of conceit.]
The entity spoke with a voice that was blatantly mocking.
[Let me explain something to you. It is fundamentally impossible for you to have succeeded in Self-Embodiment. How could a mere human, who hasn't even mastered the Heart Image, succeed in Self-Embodiment?]
"...Heart Image?"
[See? You don't even know what a Heart Image is, yet you claim to have achieved Self-Embodiment? Pfft—]
Chuckling, the Dragonkin placed a hand on Alon’s shoulder and added.
[I commend you for defeating the Outer God, but lying is not good. Ah, by the way, if you're embarrassed, I'll allow you to go back down for a bit and come back up. Go on.]
Alon looked at the entity as it pulled its hand away with a snicker and asked.
"...Do you think I'm lying?"
[I do.]
"And if I'm not?"
[If you're not—]
The Dragonkin looked at Alon with the expression of someone dealing with a stubborn child and grinned.
[Fine. If you can prove to me right here that your words aren't a lie, I shall call you 'Master' from this moment on! How about it? Can you prove it?]
The Dragonkin laid out the condition playfully.
"Make sure you keep that promise."
Alon warned as he formed the Wisdom Fist Mudra.
[Yes, yes! I'll keep it! Provided you actually prove it, that is.]
Alon thought to himself as he looked at the entity, whose voice was still dripping with mockery.
Is it possible?
To be honest, reproducing Self-Embodiment with his own mana was nearly impossible. However, this wasn't a real battle.
...If it's just a small-scale manifestation without practical combat utility just to prove it, I have enough mana for that.
With that thought, he began to quietly chant the phrases.
The magic began to manifest slowly. Even as the sphere forming in front of Alon began to change, the Dragonkin still wore a wide grin.
However.
The moment the ice sphere in front of him instantly transformed into a massive crystal and a spear was formed, the smile vanished from the Dragonkin’s lips.
[...?]
And when that spear finally twisted and turned, creating the key to Self-Embodiment.
[Huh?]
For the first time, a look of utter confusion filled the Dragonkin’s face.
The Dragonkin’s eyes, which appeared entirely white, widened as if it were witnessing something that shouldn't exist.
And then.
"Ice Crystal Flower Spear."
As Alon finished the final Phrase, the Dragonkin looked at the manifested frozen ground.
[This is impossible...!?]
The Dragonkin’s face was painted with pure shock.