Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: The Road Back
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Allen recalled the first time he had read the faded black book.
『—Reader Kim Woojin, at the age of 27, possesses the body of an extra, ‘Julius Reinhardt,’ in the novel [The Reincarnated Demon Lord’s Monopoly].』
The contents of the book were shocking in many ways.
For instance, yes.
‘What is this novel that the bastard entered?’
Is this world truly nothing more than a mere story, as written in the book?
Or is it a book of prophecy, detailing a future that might actually come to pass?
Where did that bastard really come from, and who sent him here?
The black book allowed him to realize things he hadn't known, but it also raised far more questions.
However, he couldn't find the answers.
In the end, all he had was what was written in the book. How could he be certain whether it was truth or falsehood?
But one thing was clear.
‘The bastard thinks of this world as a mere story, a game.’
His actions were remarkably easy to understand.
He prioritized resolving the trials given to him by some transcendent entity called [Quests], and he treated everyone he met as supporting characters in a play.
Even so, there was one person he showed particular interest in.
One of the ‘main characters,’ as mentioned in the black book.
Haizel Kailus.
The black book mentioned him an excessive number of times.
『—Julius made a plan. He would build up his strength as quickly as possible and then head to the academy. Because in the original story, the protagonist would begin in earnest…』
『—He needed to meet him before he could run rampant. Before the story truly began. If he paid careful attention to their relationship now…』
『—It was clear what he must be thinking now. Unlike his past where he was subjugated as the Demon Lord, he wanted to live a quiet life…』
The original protagonist.
The Demon Lord.
Him.
The man, referred to by various names, was closely related to every reason the bastard acted.
The Reincarnator had to be him.
He was said to have been reborn as a human from a Demon Lord; who else could be a more fitting candidate for the term ‘reincarnated’?
As time passed and Allen became able to read more from the book, he indirectly learned a great deal about him.
Accordingly, he was conflicted about what to do with him.
He didn't know much about the man.
In the end, all he remembered were fragmented pieces of information, making it difficult to judge rashly.
‘To think I’d regret ignoring everything not related to Julius.’
From the context, it seemed Julius intended to stop a future disaster alongside the Reincarnator.
No, to be precise.
‘The end of the story… is that what he called it?’
Just like the bastard who saw this world as mere amusement, it seemed he wanted to twist the coming future in his desired direction.
It wasn't certain what it was for, but…
‘He’s definitely trying to draw in the Reincarnator.’
If that happened, Haizel was highly likely to become an obstacle in dealing with Julius.
‘Then what should I do….’
He lifted his head.
A single book, wrapped in chains, was visible in the air.
Unlike the two books he could open freely, this one was bound by thick chains, as if he still lacked the qualifications.
“If,”
Allen recalled the final moments of his past life, the memory of something seeping into his body.
“…I can undo those chains,”
And if that allows me to read that book freely.
If I can use that book, which must contain the records of the Reincarnator’s actions…
-He flinched.
“No, I don’t know yet.”
I’ve thought too deeply. He shook his head. There was no need to cling to something so uncertain.
For now, escaping the ruins was the priority.
* * *
As they left the ruins, Vestla chattered nonstop to Allen.
“Do giants have lifespans?”
Mythical species like giants and dragons were said to have no fixed lifespan.
To be precise, while it was possible for them to live for tens of thousands of years, individuals who lived that long were rare.
“A lifespan? Come on, who lives that long? You think they want to die of boredom?”
Most died in battle, and after a few thousand years, many chose to end their own lives.
“How? Giants who love mountains become mountains themselves, and those who love other races turn their bodies into land. You don’t even know that?”
She was puzzled that Allen didn't know such common sense, but when he explained that giants were now treated as ancient myths, she trembled with rage.
“What? Ancient? Ha, has it really been that long? My youthful prime…”
Despite her lighthearted personality, she boasted a vast amount of knowledge.
‘Was such information readily available to everyone in that era?’
She seemed to know everything, from the civilization and culture of the giants of that unimaginable time to their social systems.
“Do you even know what a civil servant is? You seem to think of giants as some kind of barbarians, but I was a top-tier, ultra-elite civil servant, you know?”
She boasted, mentioning a position he had never even heard of.
“You don’t believe me? You do realize that the current civilization you speak of is more barbaric, right? Hah, a feudal system? How archaic is that?”
A feudal system. He had a vague idea of what it meant, but he didn't know the exact definition.
She answered most of the personal questions Allen had, but for a few, she kept her lips sealed and refused to speak.
“So, what was the reason you were there?”
“…”
“Why did the age of dragons and giants end?”
“…”
She didn't react, as if she hadn't heard the questions. After asking a few more similar questions, Allen gave up on the topic.
“I’m sorry. I can’t talk about this.”
“No, everyone has their secrets.”
After all, he hadn't revealed everything to her and asked for help either.
Regressor, Possessor, Reincarnator.
She could have asked him about these things, but she didn't. She knew, too. It wasn't the right time for that kind of question.
In truth, their relationship was incredibly ambiguous.
They had no real bond, and there hadn't been enough time to build trust and faith.
They were simply together because they had been in the ruins. Allen knew it, and she knew it. But there was one difference. She didn't necessarily need Allen, but…
‘I need her.’
He, who didn't even know if the book had a title, needed her, who might be able to provide more information.
Therefore, Allen didn't hide his intentions. Was there really a need to hide his true motives from a sword that wasn't even human?
“Now that you’re free from the ruins, do you have anywhere to go?”
“Hmm, nope. I don’t. Why?”
“I’ll be honest, I need you.”
“Huh?”
Allen spoke calmly, gazing at the light pouring in from the entrance up ahead.
“I need your abilities. I need your ability to read the title that the book's owner himself cannot read, and I hope to learn various skills and swordsmanship from you.”
Julius must have learned swordsmanship from Vestla as well.
If that bastard could do it, why couldn't he?
Besides, she was quite knowledgeable. The fact that he could learn various forgotten pieces of knowledge was reason enough to recruit her.
She was even sturdy, so there was no doubt about her performance as a weapon.
Startled by his direct words, the hilt of the sword, which had been flying gracefully through the air, flinched and stopped.
“Uh… um, yeah. The confession is a bit startling, but, well, okay.”
Contrary to Allen's expectations, who had been thinking about what conditions to offer, she simply swayed her blade from side to side and immediately accepted his request.
“It’s an adult’s duty to help a young giant, after all.”
Letting out a sigh of relief at her consent, Allen caught her as she flew before his eyes and replied.
“Thank you. But… are there no other special abilities?”
“Special abilities? You want more than a talking sword? Aren’t you being a little shameless?”
As Allen stared at her in disbelief, Vestla shook her hilt and slipped from his grasp.
“I’ve used up all my strength for now, so it’s impossible. I really want to sleep right now, but I was afraid you’d leave me behind. Now that we’re out, I’m… *yawn*, I’m going to close my eyes for a bit.”
“Then I’ll be in your care from now on.”
.
“Yeah… I’ll be in your care, too….”
With those last words, she settled quietly into his hand.
Allen briefly turned his head.
The entrance to the ruins was still welcoming intruders with its black, gaping maw.
“Somehow, I’ve accomplished all my goals.”
A faint smile graced his lips at the fact that he had successfully completed everything he had planned in the ruins.
It was time to go back.
Back to the mansion where Julius, that bastard, was waiting.
* * *
Allen moved stealthily through sparsely populated areas.
He was naked, without a single thread on him. Thus, he pushed forward at a rapid pace, skimping on food and sleep.
After moving for a few days, he managed to get a rough feel for his new body. While precise control of his strength was still difficult, he could at least say that he would no longer shatter the ground with a single step.
Even while on the move, Allen didn't forget to think about what he had to do next.
‘First, I’ll meet with Lady Francisca.’
To be precise, he needed to talk to her about the chimera he had given her.
He later heard from Inellia that the chimera's soul was indeed a demon, just as he had suspected. However, Allen hadn't felt the distinct, unsettling presence of a demon from the chimera.
If that creature was indeed a demon.
Then what were the ones he had met in his past life?
‘Not demons?’
He had to find out what was different, how, and why.
Next was Inellia.
A contract, formed by the true name he had taken from the chimera creator, connected them.
He had no intention of forcing anything with it, but he needed to have a conversation with her about it.
‘The chimera creator’s actions were questionable in many ways.’
It would be good if she could find a lead on the faction connected to the chimera creator.
How could a man holed up in the mountains have obtained such items in the first place?
The stone sword he used at the end. The body of an ancient fairy. And the magical catalysts and other equipment.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt a sense of unease.
As Allen was planning his actions for after his return to the mansion, Vestla's puzzled voice was heard.
She would regain consciousness a few times a day, but she said it was difficult for her to maintain it for long.
“Where are we? There are quite a lot of carriages. Didn’t you say you live in a remote place?”
“You’re awake? It’s not remote enough to be called that. The reason for all the carriages is, ah.”
Allen suddenly realized that over a month had passed since he had left the mansion.
‘Is it already time for that incident to begin?’
He remembered the incidents that occurred while Julius was in the territory in relatively vivid detail. He had been able to hear the specifics without even trying.
He had only heard rumors about Julius’s whereabouts after he left the territory, but that didn't matter now.
He could now gather detailed information through the black book.
‘What’s important now is…’
An accident occurs during the festival period.
Thanks to that, the family was thoroughly humiliated in front of the surrounding nobles.
Allen increased his running speed. It seemed he had spent more time training than he'd thought.
He answered her question calmly, as if it were nothing.
“…It seems the Harvest Festival is upon us.”
“Harvest Festival? What’s that? Judging by the name, it sounds like some kind of anniversary…”
She didn't seem to know what a Harvest Festival was. Was food abundant in ancient times? Allen dutifully explained the meaning of the festival.
A festival to share the joy of the first harvest of the year.
The largest festival was held in El Round, the city directly governed by the family, which was why the carriages were flocking there.
After his explanation, she muttered as if she found it fascinating.
“That’s amazing! To think there’s a festival like that. See, the ancient times were better, I tell you. A food shortage…”
According to her, thanks to the now-extinct fairy race, food was so plentiful it would rot… but Allen found that hard to believe.
‘A single giant must eat a tremendous amount in one day, and there was still enough food left over to produce a surplus?’
Even now, the food supplied to the continent by the elves was reducing the number of people dying of starvation each year. But it was only reducing, not eliminating.
People still died, and that was considered normal.
‘But…’
Food was so abundant it would go to waste.
Except for the fact that it was teeming with dangerous monsters, the ancient era might have been a kind of paradise for the poor.
No food shortages, and a highly advanced civilization.
They were revered by other races.
And they also possessed military power comparable to that of dragons.
He couldn't understand why such beings had vanished into history.
‘Is it the same for the ancient empire?’
What was the reason two eras that enjoyed brilliant civilizations suddenly came to an end?
Mulling over the question that many historians had, Allen moved forward at a rapid pace.
Just then.
“—Kill them!”
“—Take everything!”
The clash of steel and loud shouts could be heard.
Allen's heart vibrated faintly, and his senses stretched out in the direction of the sound.
An overwhelmingly wider range than before.
He closed his eyes and focused, and the situation painted itself in his mind.
A few cargo carriages, the mercenaries protecting them, and bandits who outnumbered the mercenaries by at least two to one.
It was a common caravan raid.
Normally, soldiers patrolled the area around the city to prevent such incidents. But now was the festival season, when crowds gathered.
It was impossible to prevent every incident even on a normal day; it was obvious what would happen at a time like this.
‘I don’t know if this is good luck or bad…’
What else could it be but an attempt to make a quick score and get out?
Unfortunately for them, the bandits’ ambush had no chance of success.
“A perfect opportunity to test my strength.”
Because he had no intention of letting them be.
Allen wrapped his body in threads.
The exponentially consumed prana materialized into threads, covering his naked body. Once temporarily clothed, he immediately kicked off the ground.
*Tap-tap!*
His goal was simple.
‘To hear the rumors of what has happened in the territory over the past month.’
Merchants would be sensitive to local trends and rumors.
On top of that, he had his status as the eldest son of a Count and the justification of having saved them from an attack.
Even profit-minded merchants were likely to cooperate willingly.
‘I was looking for a place to get some decent clothes, so this works out well.’
He had been hiding, but how far could he go in such a shameful state? Especially with his destination so close.
“Please pretend to be an ordinary sword in front of others.”
“Wow, I’m an ordinary sword! Is this how I do it?”
Allen didn’t answer, instead bursting into the rear of the battlefield.
He wouldn’t use magic.
His physical body would be more than enough for these small fries.
A bandit at the rear of the battle sensed something approaching at high speed and quickly turned his head.
“…Wha-what!”
The bandit, who had turned around, took a clumsy stance. His confidence seemed to have been inflated by the meager amount of prana he possessed.
However.
“Who are you—huh?”
*Swish—*
In an instant, the bandit’s severed head flew into the air.
Allen marveled at the clean strike, which met no resistance at all. At this rate, he really wouldn't mind if it had no other special abilities.
As he newly entered the battlefield, the bandits quickly shouted.
“Who are you!”
“A new enemy!”
“Deal with him yourself! We’re busy here!”
“No, damn it. There’s something weird about this guy!”
“I said deal with it yourself!”
Just as expected of bandits, their command structure was a mess. They looked pathetic and clumsy, but the fact that most of them used a little prana might make them more threatening than common thugs.
‘They’re still just bandits.’
It seemed they had gathered a large force for a big score, but they surely hadn't anticipated meeting an opponent like him.
He threw himself toward the approaching bandits.
“Di—”
*Slice—*
“No, shi—”
Not a single drop of blood stained the sharp blade, and when he swung his fist, he felt only a muddy texture.
-Splat.
The man's head burst, and his pulpy brain matter flowed out with his blood.
‘Vermin.’
Allen’s cold eyes turned on them.
Parasites feeding on the blood of the territory’s people. Since the upcoming festival incident was also related to bandits, Allen showed no mercy.
His senses enveloped the entire battlefield, identifying every bandit.
Even if they ran now, he would be able to track them.
Allen kicked off the ground with an emotionless expression.
“Be-behind you, a monster is com—”
“Call for more of them! Damn it, call for more!”
The slaughter had begun.