Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: Various Kinds (1)
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Rubia's eyes, fixed on Demian, began to tremble slightly.
"Wh-who would fall for such a ridiculous lie?"
Finally, Rubia opened her mouth and vehemently denied his declaration.
"I-I know everyone who serves that lord directly! B-but I've never seen you before!"
"That's only natural. I handle only secret missions. So only Dorgo knows of my existence."
"D-don't talk nonsense! I've never heard anything about a secret mission!"
"Of course not. It's a 'secret' mission—can't have just anyone knowing about it."
Rubia was at a loss for words in the face of Demian's rebuttal.
"The plans Dorgo is preparing are countless. What you all know is just a mere fragment."
Demian's words were plain fact.
Dorgo's goal was to topple all kingdoms and ultimately wipe out humanity entirely.
Though he was using black mages for now, they too were ultimately slated for purge.
That was why Dorgo had a separate plan underway to eliminate every last black mage the moment the war ended.
"I was never supposed to reveal my identity to anyone. But because of your meddling, I've had no choice but to expose myself."
"I-if you're really his direct servant... then why have you been going around killing black mages?"
Rubia still couldn't bring herself to believe Demian.
"Yulan vanished because of you, and now you've even killed Garrot!"
"How should I know Dorgo's true intentions? I simply carried out the orders given to me."
Demian stated it flatly.
"He probably conducted experiments that went against Dorgo's will. Or maybe he siphoned off black magic materials that needed to be reported to Dorgo. It's all just my guess, of course."
"Don't make excuses like that! You're still trying to fool me, aren't you?"
"Excuses?"
Demian's eyes narrowed.
"Are you saying you fully grasp Dorgo's inner thoughts?"
"Th-that's not what I—"
"Even your master Slazo doesn't know all of Dorgo's secrets, yet here you are, his disciple, speaking such blasphemy."
At the mention of Slazo's name, Rubia's eyes widened even further.
"H-how do you know about my ma—"
"Didn't I just say?"
Demian tilted his chin up slightly, speaking in an utterly arrogant tone.
"I'm Dorgo's 'direct' 'secret' servant. You may not know me, but I know you."
Unthinkingly, Rubia took a step back. She tripped over her own foot and fell.
"W-wait! I-I'll go ask my master and confirm with him!"
"Even Slazo wouldn't dare question Dorgo, let alone a mere disciple like you? You must not value your life."
Demian clicked his tongue.
"Th-then you do it. Show me contacting him, and I'll b-believe you!"
"Don't be absurd. Or has the information not reached you yet?"
Demian feigned a puzzled expression as he continued.
"Dorgo changed his communication method long ago to one-way orders only. We can no longer contact him."
"...You too?"
Demian was deeply disappointed by Rubia's words.
Ever since his regression, Demian had been searching for a way to communicate with Dorgo.
If he could send a transmission to Dorgo, he could reverse-trace his location.
That was why he had absorbed the memories of black mages each time he killed them, hoping to find a method.
But there had been no gains. It was because Dorgo had issued an order long ago.
He had told them to discard all communication devices, as he would contact them separately for any missions.
He had hoped someone like the great black mage Slazo might have another way, but it was a vain hope.
"Now do you feel like believing me?"
......Yes, I have no choice but to believe you.
"So how long do you plan on keeping your head held so high?"
Demian spoke with an arrogant expression. At once, Rubia dropped to her knees on the ground.
"I pay respects to the loyal servant of the great one."
* * *
After that, Rubia got Demian out of the prison.
She knocked out the guarding soldiers with her black magic temporarily. Then she placed a fake Demian corpse in the cell and smuggled the real Demian out.
"I've disguised it as a heart attack death, so no one will suspect a thing."
As they left the prison, Rubia whispered softly.
Faking a master-class like the fake Mercenary King was no big deal, so disguising Demian's death was trivial by comparison.
Rubia brought Demian to her own tent.
This place was originally where the Mercenary King's women gathered, so a man like Demian wasn't allowed entry.
Rubia easily solved that by bewitching the female mercenary guards with pheromones.
"Have a seat for now."
Rubia sat Demian down, then busied herself bringing food or brewing tea.
Demian sat in the chair, surveying Rubia's tent. It was filled with luxurious-looking artworks.
"Looks like you've got a lot of expensive stuff here."
"They're all gifts from the Mercenary King."
Rubia said as she put tea leaves into the teapot.
"I don't really care for them... but what can I do? To win his favor, I have to pretend to like them."
"Who planned the Mercenary King's kidnapping?"
"Our master did. He wanted to study dragon blood."
"Dragon blood?"
"You know what school our master belongs to, right? He must have wanted to absorb a dragon's power. As a bonus, he ordered us to dismantle the Pafnir Mercenary Group."
This was the terrifying aspect of great black mages.
They might not match master-class in raw combat power, but when scheming from the shadows, their true worth shone.
"It was really tough, you know. I had to chase after the Mercenary King for over a year just to win his favor. Only then did I finally catch his eye."
Rubia grumbled as she placed a teacup in front of Demian.
"I thought once I got into the mercenary group, everything would fall into place. Self-praise, but... I'm pretty confident when it comes to handling men."
Rubia's eyes curved slightly. It was an utterly alluring sight.
"But things didn't go at all like I expected. Everyone was so afraid of the Mercenary King that my seductions didn't work one bit."
"You must have had it rough."
Don't even get me started, Rubia said, waving her hand.
"But at least the kidnapping went smoothly, so that's a relief. Now that the Mercenary King's gone, they're fighting among themselves like I hoped—feels good to watch."
"Where did you take the Mercenary King? It couldn't have been easy smuggling him out of the mercenary group."
"Oh? Curious about that?"
Suddenly, Rubia closed the distance. She pressed her body against Demian's shoulder and spoke.
"The story's pretty long... You might get tired just sitting there listening."
With that, Rubia subtly pointed to the bed.
"Honestly, aside from little boyish types like the Mercenary King, I prefer manly men like you, Sir Demian."
Demian didn't dodge Rubia's advances. Instead, he observed her eyes.
Unlike her lust-filled voice, her gaze was as calm as a still pond.
'She's after something.'
Every word and action from Rubia was a lie.
Her real goal was something else entirely.
"If you have a request, say it outright. Stop with these pointless games."
At Demian's words, Rubia looked at him with a strange expression.
"Sorry to ask this... but are you impotent by any chance?"
"You're just not my type."
Rubia burst into laughter at Demian's words.
"Ah, that stung. Fine, straight to business. I want my name passed on to him."
"That's all?"
"That's all? Do you know how hard that is? The only black mages whose names he knows are the likes of great ones or once-in-a-generation geniuses."
Dorgo had the ability to discern human talent.
His standards were exceedingly high and strict. Even great black mages didn't pique his interest if they fell short.
"Promise me that, and I'll tell you where the Mercenary King is."
It wasn't a particularly difficult request.
Demian was about to say as much when suddenly, a shadow slithered up from the tent floor.
"Rubia, I'm back. No one has figured out the Mercenary King is fake yet..."
Cardac's eyes took in Demian and Rubia plastered right next to him.
In that instant, Cardac's face flushed red then purple. Finally, unable to hold back, he exploded in rage.
"...Rubia! What the hell is this?!"
* * *
Like Demian, Athena had been thrown into prison as well.
Into a prison for wanted criminals who had committed the most heinous atrocities, no less.
The floor was covered in rotten straw. The walls were stained with blood.
No matter that she was a suspect, this was no place to hold a first-generation sacred blood like Athena.
"Is Demian okay?"
Athena was more worried about Demian than the prison conditions.
They wouldn't treat her too harshly since she was sacred blood, but Demian was an outsider.
"What was that about Dad being fake..."
Athena was lost in such thoughts when the prison door opened and someone entered. The moment she saw the visitor's face, Athena gritted her teeth.
"Look at you now."
Those were the first words from the visitor, Clea Fowler.
"What is this?!"
Athena spoke in a voice thick with killing intent. Clea Fowler sneered at her.
"Didn't I tell you? You're a prime suspect in this incident. You'll have to stay there for questioning for a while."
"Cut the bullshit and tell me the real reason. Why are you locking me up?"
"You really don't know?"
Athena scowled at Clea Fowler's question.
"What did you just..."
"It was you who acted all high and mighty, basking in Cal's favor first, right? You should have played it smart and built up your own allies ahead of time."
Athena looked utterly dumbfounded as she replied.
"You're doing this just for that petty reason?"
"...Petty?"
In an instant, Clea's voice rose.
Even Athena couldn't help but flinch at the eerie pressure.
"Do you have any idea how hard we try to earn Cal's favor? Especially women like me, who've aged out—unless we're bearing his children, there's no way to get his attention."
Cal had far too many women in his bed to count.
Clea Fowler, his first lover, was already nearing old age, so imagining the number was easy enough.
"And then you show up... inheriting Cal's blood the thickest... turning all us sacred bloods into fools...!"
The Mercenary King's attention had focused on Athena. The more he doted on her, the less interest went to the other women and children.
"I gave the order to lock you up... but every woman agreed with it. Now do you get it? How they all feel about you."
Athena fell silent for a moment before speaking.
"...Dad won't let this slide when he wakes up."
"Probably not. With Cal's temper, he won't overlook something like this. But that's only if he wakes up, isn't it?"
Athena scowled and shot back.
"What the hell does that mean right now?!"
Athena shouted. But Clea simply stared at her wordlessly.
"Tell me! What do you know?! Why won't Dad wake up..."
"It's funny... Aside from your hair color, you really do look just like your mother."
Athena was speechless at the sudden remark.
"What are you—"
"My lifelong regret was never killing your mother myself... but having you makes up for it nicely."
Clea stared at Athena with dark eyes.
Unthinkingly, Athena swallowed dryly. Clea's gaze was that chilling.
"Then get some good rest."
With that, Clea left the prison.