Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: Memory (2)
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After that, Demian returned to the mansion with his companions.
Until they arrived at the mansion, the group remained silent. But the moment they entered, it grew noisy.
"Brother! What the hell was that technique you showed earlier?"
"Huh! You swung, and whoosh! His arm flew off! What? How did you do that?"
"P-Please teach me too! How did you dodge all those quick swords?"
The three of them grabbed Demian and bombarded him with questions. Demian wore a tired expression.
It was obvious they wouldn't understand even if he explained, since none of them were even Master Class.
"Wait! Get a grip on yourself. This isn't the time to ask about that."
Fortunately, Rachel snapped out of it quickly. As expected of the future Sword Empress, her situational awareness was sharp...
"We've been invited by His Majesty! What are you going to wear? Do you know all the imperial etiquette?"
"You're right, Brother! It's an invitation from the Emperor—we can't prepare sloppily!"
"Emperor? Is that such a big deal?"
All eyes turned to Veronica at her question. Veronica looked flustered.
"What? Huh? Did I say something weird?"
"Of course! An invitation from the Emperor!"
"...Even for a knight from the Apple Kingdom, asking that... It's truly shocking."
Rachel sighed and shook her head.
"Lots of people get invited to the imperial palace. But Sir Demian was 'personally' invited by His Majesty. There's an unwritten rule for cases like this."
"What's that?"
"You get to receive one gift from His Majesty."
Rachel's face took on a dreamy, wistful expression.
"And it's not just any ordinary gift people exchange. You can receive one of the empire's treasures. Though you have to return it before you die."
The empire wasn't just the oldest nation on the continent—it was also the most powerful.
The empire's treasures held incalculable value.
"Since Sir Demian has performed such great feats, you might even be able to request a gift from His Majesty. What are you thinking of choosing? An elixir? A weapon?"
Rachel's eyes sparkled as she asked. It was an intensely burdensome gaze.
"I haven't thought about it yet."
"You can't do that! It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Start thinking about it now!"
Rachel wouldn't let Demian off easily. Demian looked annoyed.
'A gift, huh...'
After pondering for a while, something occurred to Demian.
'Come to think of it, I heard there's demon armor in the empire's warehouse.'
Demon armor could be thought of as a magic sword forged into armor.
It was created by demons and thus possessed unique abilities.
Demian wouldn't have paid much attention to ordinary demon armor.
However, the one in the empire's warehouse was different.
Hemera.
It was the armor Demian Haksen had used during his Death Knight days.
* * *
Inside a massive cave.
Dorgo was dissecting a monster's corpse. The sound of knife cutting flesh echoed endlessly.
"Hmm-hmm-hmm."
He was even humming a tune, clearly in high spirits.
"Yes, yes. Now I get it. So that's the structure. How could I not have known something this simple?"
Lately, Dorgo had been enjoying incredibly happy days.
His research, which had been stuck for so long, was suddenly progressing smoothly.
It felt as if a god had taken up residence in his mind, constantly pouring inspiration into him.
"Kyah, this is life."
It was then, as Dorgo was reveling in joy.
A man entered the cave interior. With an urgent expression, he spoke to Dorgo.
"Lord Dorgo, Everis's death has been confirmed."
At those words, Dorgo's body froze. He set down his knife and tongs and turned to the man.
"That guy? Died this quickly?"
Everis was an experimental subject he had put considerable effort into. The Azure Night Demonic Eyes she possessed were proof of that.
Eyes that allowed one to see mana.
Just that alone meant few knights could handle Everis. Whatever technique they used, she would read it.
And that wasn't all.
He had transplanted artificially cultured muscles and greatly reinforced her nerves with special drugs.
Thanks to that, Everis had obtained a body optimized for quick swords. Compared to before, the speed and power of her quick swords would have doubled.
"I thought she'd hold out for a few days at least. Looks like that new divine power who appeared in the empire is far stronger than I expected, huh?"
Even though his experimental subject had died so futilely, Dorgo didn't seem particularly regretful.
Due to the aftereffects of excessive modifications, Everis wasn't expected to live long anyway.
He had sent her to the empire precisely to gather as much real combat data as possible before she died.
"As expected of the empire. Just when things get boring, monsters show up."
"It wasn't the empire's divine power that took her life. She was killed by that Demian Haksen I mentioned last time."
At the man's words, Dorgo's expression went blank for a moment.
"...Demian Haksen? Didn't that guy just become Master Class the other day? How did he kill Everis?"
"According to those we planted on site... Even after Everis swung her quick sword dozens of times, she couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes."
Dorgo's jaw dropped at the report.
"...Couldn't even touch him?"
"Yes... And after her arm was severed by Demian Haksen, she was struck in the head and killed."
Dorgo's expression went blank again.
"An experimental subject with Azure Night Demonic Eyes and a body modified for quick swords... Died that easily? You sure?"
"It's confirmed."
The man spoke in a calm voice.
Dorgo stroked his chin and fell into thought. He was silent for a long while.
"...Interesting."
Soon, a smile spread across Dorgo's lips.
"I felt it when I first heard about him a few days ago, but he's truly fascinating."
Over his long life, Dorgo had encountered countless geniuses.
Among those he'd seen in the last century, the greatest was the Empire's Greatest Swordsman.
That madman had risen to the top with overwhelming talent in one leap and was now considered humanity's strongest.
But even that Empire's Greatest Swordsman's feats paled in comparison to Demian Haksen.
"I can't stand it. My blood's boiling. I have to see this Demian Haksen myself."
A dangerous glint entered Dorgo's eyes.
"He might just be the material to fulfill my lifelong wish."
The empire's downfall.
Dorgo had endured over a thousand years for that goal alone.
But the empire was too mighty; even after a millennium of preparation, he saw no way to destroy it.
If Demian Haksen was the genius Dorgo desired—if he was a genius transcending eras.
Then perhaps he could achieve his wish of the empire's downfall.
"Go and relay my words to the Great Evils."
At Dorgo's command, the man knelt.
"Capture Demian Haksen alive and bring him before me. If you succeed, I'll grant whatever you desire."
* * *
Dorgo's command spread to the Great Evils in an instant. Upon hearing it, the Great Evils couldn't help but grow greatly excited.
Dorgo was a figure called the teacher of all black mages.
As such, he knew vast secret knowledge. Moreover, his secret vaults were filled with all sorts of treasures.
That said, not every Great Evil planned to offer Demian to Dorgo.
"Ah~ This is troublesome."
The courtesan Slla sighed as she listened to her subordinate's report.
"Now all the Great Evils will be after Demian Haksen."
Unlike the other Great Evils, Slla had seen Demian Haksen with her own eyes.
That's why she knew all too well just how incredible a genius Demian Haksen was.
"How long has it been since we parted, and he's already Master Class... Even destroying His Lord's experimental subject..."
Slla sighed and fell into thought.
Dorgo's commands took absolute priority. If he demanded her life, she would gladly offer it.
But this was different.
In all her years, Slla had never once let a man she fancied slip away.
Whether he had a lover, a family, or was another Great Evil's paramour.
None of it mattered. If she wanted him, she took him. That desire was the driving force that had elevated her to her current position.
After much deliberation, Slla reached a decision.
"Lord Dorgo's command is important, but... I can't hand that boy over to anyone else."
Slla turned to her subordinate and said,
"Go tell the other Great Evils. I'm the one planning to offer Demian Haksen to Lord Dorgo, so no one touch him."
Of course, Slla had no intention of actually bringing Demian Haksen to Dorgo.
It was merely an excuse to suppress her competitors.
"If anyone ignores me and approaches Demian Haksen..."
A cold light gleamed in Slla's eyes.
"...tell them they'll have to stake their lives on it."
* * *
"What bullshit is this!"
Great Evil and Weaponmaster Ahotep punched the wall.
"His Lordship wants Demian Haksen? All the other Great Evils are going to move?"
"M-Master... Please calm down..."
"Would you be calm if you were me! What humiliation did I suffer at that bastard's hands!"
Ahotep ground his teeth.
He, who was called a Great Evil, had lost to a punk who had just entered Master Class.
Of course, he hadn't been at full strength. He had only been able to exert half his original power.
But that didn't erase the humiliation Ahotep had suffered.
"That can't happen... That guy's mine. Only I can kill him."
Ahotep recalled the magic sword Demian Haksen had wielded.
Its hardness that didn't even scratch against an Aurablade, and its power to erase things from existence.
Just imagining it set his blood boiling. He absolutely had to get his hands on that magic sword.
"...Inform the other Great Evils. I'm the one offering Demian Haksen to 'His Lordship,' so don't lay a finger on him."
Of course, Ahotep had no real intention of offering Demian Haksen to Dorgo.
Doing so would not only prevent him from exacting revenge but also expose the magic sword's existence.
"If they ignore my warning... Tell them I'll kill that bastard first!"