Chapter 220
Chapter 220
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 220
Chapter Title: 87. Black Devil (3)
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Yuri's group entered Valshard Castle, welcomed by Marie Rose's illusions.
A feast was served.
Francesco, meeting Marie Rose for the first time, couldn't take his eyes off her.
"I'm Francesco."
"Yes. I'm Marie Rose Antre."
"I've heard a lot about you."
"Oh? What kind of things?"
"Well, uh, compliments and such."
"What compliments?"
"That is..."
As Francesco struggled to respond, Marie Rose tilted her head.
"Was that just something you threw out? If so, that's awfully..."
"S-Sorry..."
"Thoughtful of you."
"Pardon?"
"You tried to say something nice even though we just met, right?"
"Ah, yes. Heh heh..."
"Even if it was a lie."
"Erm..."
While he was at a loss for words, Yuri focused on his meal.
Having teased Francesco enough, Marie Rose turned to Yuri with sparkling eyes.
"Your Highness. Should I start calling you that now?"
"Yeah."
"Has Your Highness been well?"
"Yep. Marie Rose."
"Yes?"
Yuri pulled a gift from his pocket.
"And take this."
"What's this?"
"A present."
Yuri held out a butterfly-shaped hairband he'd bought from Ireine Merchant Company.
"Oh..."
Jared, watching from the side, figured Marie Rose would be thrilled.
She'd always shown interest in Yuri, after all.
But unexpectedly, Marie Rose didn't look particularly pleased. She accepted the gift with a strangely bitter expression and forced a smile.
"A butterfly design... Did you pick it because of my tattoo?"
"Nah, it just reminded me of you when I saw it."
"Thank you. I'll treasure it."
Marie Rose brightened up as usual and put it on right away.
The gem on the hairband glittered dazzlingly under the hall's lights.
Even to Jared, who knew nothing about accessories, it suited her perfectly.
"I'll treasure it. Since it's a gift our Highness picked out thinking of me."
"Good."
Jared tilted his head.
He could tell Marie Rose was disappointed about something, but he had no idea why. Maybe she didn't like the design.
"Hmm..."
As he let out a low hum, Simon whispered.
"What's wrong, sir?"
"The Archmage seems disappointed about something."
As vice-captain of the Revenge Knights, Jared spoke casually to the other members.
"Ah..."
Simon grinned.
"You don't know why?"
"Do you?"
"I have a pretty good guess."
"The gift wasn't to her taste, huh?"
"Hahaha..."
Simon glanced at Yuri and Marie Rose. They were busy talking and paying no attention here.
He continued in a hushed voice.
"Sir Jared. I grew up as a bastard son and ate a lot of cold stares."
"Yeah."
"That's why I'm pretty good at romance. It's all about reading the room."
"So?"
"Think about it, Sir Jared. It's not just anyone—it's His Highness. If His Highness really had feelings for the Archmage, would he give her something like that right now?"
"Hm?"
"It looks like a sign of affection, but it's just kindness. Like when he buys us hidden weapons. Get what I mean?"
Jared felt a sudden realization.
"Ah, I see..."
Jared imagined Yuri liking someone.
The Yuri he knew wouldn't show it openly, not in a situation where he was ready to risk his life against the Empire. He'd pretend to be uninterested until everything settled, then make his move.
That's why he could give a gift so casually—because there were no real feelings behind it.
"I think I get it."
"Exactly. The Archmage must have sensed that."
Guinness, who'd been listening, chimed in with a whisper.
"And another thing. The gift is butterfly-shaped. That's a problem too."
"What's wrong with butterfly?"
This time, even Simon tilted his head.
"Didn't he choose it because of her butterfly tattoo?"
Guinness shook his head.
"Sure, but there's a superstition: gifting something with wings means the person will fly away. It's taboo to give winged things to someone you like. Even with chicken, you avoid giving the wings. Heh heh..."
Jared and Simon sighed.
"That's some outdated nonsense."
"What era is that from...?"
As the three chatted idly, the meal ended.
Marie Rose stood up.
Her red dress rippled softly with a gentle sound.
"That was a delightful meal. Shall we get going?"
"Sure."
Yuri rose as well.
Jared, Simon, and Guinness, who'd been whispering among themselves, stared blankly up at the two, clueless.
Yuri said,
"The rest of you, rest up. I'm heading to Marie Rose's workshop."
"No, we'll come too."
"Really? It might be dangerous."
"We'll take the risk."
The three stood with determined expressions.
"We can't let His Highness go alone."
They'd heard that mages had gathered in Valshard to study black magic.
They were future enemies. No matter the danger, they had to see for themselves.
"Then let's go."
Yuri's group followed Marie Rose down into the depths of Valshard Castle.
The temperature dropped gradually. With no sunlight, only the lamps on the walls lit the stairs.
As they hurried down, shadows danced across the entire wall.
They soon reached the bottom.
An unsettling feeling hit them already.
"Something..."
Jared pointed beyond the door, his heart pounding.
"There's something there."
An inexplicable anxiety welled up. It felt like they shouldn't get closer. His heart raced, and breathing grew shallow.
Yuri, standing at the door, turned to Jared with a grin.
"Hey, your face is pale."
"I'm fine."
"Can you handle it if you're like this already?"
"Yes."
"Good..."
Yuri opened the door.
A long corridor stretched out, with signs of life at the end.
Marie Rose called,
"Hernando?"
Her voice echoed.
Soon, a familiar face appeared.
"It's been a while."
Hernando was waiting for them, unchanged as ever.
"Oh..."
Everyone approached him.
Hernando extended a hand to Yuri at the front.
"Long time no see. You're Highness now? You've grown even more."
"And you haven't changed a bit."
They shook hands.
But Hernando's face twisted.
Yuri was gripping hard.
"Ow, that hurts."
"While I was suffering, you were relaxing here?"
"W-What are you talking about? I suffered too, not relaxed."
"Really?"
"Ugh..."
Yuri chuckled and let go.
"Then you better show me."
"Seriously..."
The two bantered as if no time had passed, no awkwardness between them.
Hernando pointed at Francesco beside Yuri.
"Who's this?"
"Sir Francesco. Known as the Holy Knight."
"Ah, that Holy Knight from the Ten Strong?"
"Yes."
"Pleasure to meet you. Mage Hernando."
"Ah, yes. I'm the holy knight Francesco. It's an honor."
Francesco bowed politely to Hernando.
Yuri's eyebrow twitched.
He was the only one treating Hernando casually; everyone else seemed cautious.
"Sir Francesco. Why so polite all of a sudden?"
"Why?"
Francesco tilted his head instead.
"A mage of this caliber deserves respect."
"This caliber?"
"You don't sense it?"
Yuri glanced at Hernando, tilting his own head.
Thinking back, Muyongchan had treated Hernando like a grandmaster upon first meeting, and his father Fiore had been respectful too.
And now Francesco as well.
"Hmm..."
Yuri knew Hernando was a skilled mage, but he didn't sense anything overwhelming like they described.
As Yuri scrutinized Hernando, the mage smiled.
"Don't mind it. My power doesn't affect Your Highness."
"What do you mean?"
"Like the saying: the one who's eaten dog meat knows best."
"Hm?"
"To judge someone's character, you need good character yourself first. How can someone who's never had manners judge others'?"
"Are you insulting me?"
"The opposite."
"How?"
"Someone as upright as me actually envies the rude ones."
"Still an insult."
"It's a metaphor."
"Insult via metaphor."
"Hey now..."
Marie Rose scolded them as they bickered right after reuniting.
"What are you doing? You're echoing down the hall—stop fighting and come in."
"It's not an insult, it's a compliment."
"She said I'm rude..."
"Enough!"
Hernando smiled faintly as Marie Rose dragged Yuri away.
Fiore, Muyongchan, and Francesco were powerhouses at the Ten Strong level. Those with such strength were inevitably bound by powerful Heavenly Mandate.
Thus, they felt a strong impression from Hernando, master of the Heavenly Mandate Observation Ritual.
The stronger they grew, the more indescribable aura they sensed from him.
But Yuri Brioll was the exception.
One Who Transcends Heavenly Mandate.
What meaning did Heavenly Mandate hold for someone beyond heaven's net?
To him, Hernando would forever remain just a mage who knew some spells.
And Hernando was quite pleased with that.
"You just insulted me as rude!"
"Yes."
"See, Marie Rose? He admits it."
"I get it already."
Hernando could only laugh.
Cedric being the black magic monstrosity had shocked even him. He'd worried Yuri might despair.
But the Yuri Brioll he met again was unchanged. Collapse wasn't an option for him.
Hernando led the rest.
"Let's go, everyone."
Yuri, already inside with his arm linked with Marie Rose's, stood in the workshop.
"This is my workshop."
Unknown tools and reagents were neatly arranged. The smell was odd too. But what caught the eye most was the single book floating in the center.
"That..."
"A replica."
"Replica?"
"Of the Demon's Grimoire."
Marie Rose spread her hand toward the grimoire. The cover opened, pages flipping rapidly. But most were blank.
Hernando, following behind, explained.
"We only recovered a few pages of the Demon's Grimoire, but the lingering will was so profound we could create this copy from it. Its power is negligible compared to the original, though."
Hernando and Marie Rose had reconstructed the parchments from killing Okua and Gurt, mimicking the Demon's Grimoire.
"Now, Your Highness. Your turn."
Hernando guided Yuri before the replica.
"Only Your Highness can do this."
"Me?"
"Yes."
Hernando's eyes were full of certainty.
"We've extracted some information ourselves, but it's insufficient. The Demon's Grimoire is a magical beast with its own ego, and only the master of Heart-Soul Severing can wield black magic. Only Yuri Brioll can withstand its deceit and see its true nature."
Yuri gazed at the floating Demon's Grimoire replica.
It was just a leather-bound book. They'd inserted parchment, but it was no true grimoire.
Yet it had blossomed into a weakened version of the Demon's Grimoire.
What exactly was the Demon's Grimoire?
"Go on."
At Hernando's words, Yuri stepped forward without hesitation.
Not because he was confident. Nor because he had the leisure to gauge success.
Simply because it had to be done.
"Step into that magic circle, and it begins."
Beneath the replica lay a circular ring with a hexagram inside, surrounded by indecipherable magical runes filling the space.
All patterns were geometrically calculated, repeating under fixed rules to form the magic circle.
Though no expert in magic, Yuri could guess its potency.
And through it, he realized how dangerous even this replica was, barely contained.
Yuri drew Guilty.
A chill ran through the air.
He tossed aside the scabbard, gripped Guilty firmly, and took one more step forward.