Chapter 199
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: Sleeping Lover
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'How should I use this thing.'
In the game, this lump of negativity had limited uses predefined.
But how should he use the flesh of a created demon in reality?
He racked his barely functioning brain, thinking hard.
The first idea that came to mind was strengthening ties with the Church, just like in the game.
The second was linking it to good deeds, like with Groto, to find a solution.
"..."
He paused on those two thoughts for a long time before something else surfaced.
Eijei.
He thought it over carefully.
This was just a setting that existed; it wasn't even an option you could actually choose in the game.
He double-checked the records to make sure he hadn't missed anything, then meticulously reread the black mages' lore over and over.
'Understanding their perspective is key...
It's impossible to truly comprehend madmen, but you can at least sketch the picture.
If the Church has their goddess as an object of faith,
Then Mendes Pentagram has demons as theirs.
To them, a demon created by human hands would look, from the Church's viewpoint,
Like some mere human daring to mold a goddess or her servants.
Especially since their actions alone made it highly likely things would go his way.
With that in mind, he arrived here.
-The foolish one has realized from the second epistle: Do not consort with unbelievers. They are incompatible. Justice and injustice cannot pair, just as light and darkness cannot.
The magic circle of the inverted pentagram, formed from blood soaking the floor, was the symbol of Mendes Pentagram.
Crunch. Squish.
The old man's corpse—flesh and bones reassembled—writhed atop the circle, sprouting a sinister goat's head that gaped its maw wide.
-Meeeeeh!!!
His eyes tightened at the grating noise itself.
The goat head shrieking from the circle's center soon closed its eyes and fell silent after a few seconds.
Morgan, observing the eyes visible through the masked man's hood, broke the silence first, intrigued by this rare guest.
"You're not startled at all. Not even curious what I did?"
"If I knew the method and came all this way, playing dumb wouldn't fit the situation."
The man laughed deeply, wrinkles furrowing like furrows in a field.
The disconnect was stark: despite his affiliation, he had the kindly face of a Church priest.
"Heh heh—not wrong. They say humans grow wiser with age, but far from it; even obvious things become hard to grasp."
To confirm his suspicions, he probed casually at Morgan's words.
"Not liking how time makes you age, or just dissatisfied with this human body?"
Hearing that, Morgan fiddled with the frayed sleeve of his tunic.
"Don't you find it strange? Humans, elves hailed as naturally long-lived, dragonkin—all beings spend ages accumulating knowledge and training, only for time to scatter it all into meaninglessness."
"Isn't that just the natural order?"
As if he'd been waiting for those words, Morgan's lips curved up in ecstasy as he spoke in rapture.
Only now did Morgan look like a true black mage.
"But don't great beings exist who defy that natural order? Humans have always followed and aspired to the transcendent."
Morgan smiled as he spoke of demons, no doubt.
He almost retorted about angels being the same but swallowed it, lest he trigger a freakout, and changed the subject.
"Just to confirm—this is a truth-revealing spell, right?"
Morgan nodded without hesitation.
"You know your stuff. Raise your right hand and speak; if it's a lie, the goat will bleat like before. Want to see?"
He shook his head as Morgan raised his gaunt arm.
"No thanks. Not a sound I enjoy."
"Heh heh! This guest has terrible taste in music."
A kindly old priest on the surface, but inside, a lunatic who called the goat's wail music.
Guys this openly deranged wouldn't change their convictions even with a blade to the throat.
Paradoxically,
'That's why he's trustworthy.'
With some certainty now, he placed the artificial demon flesh on the table.
Morgan's smile vanished instantly.
Such a honest reaction solidified that his thinking was spot on.
"...Tell me where you got this."
He raised his right hand like swearing an oath, glanced at the goat head, then spoke.
"I brought an item made by Nematos."
"..."
The goat head stayed silent, veins bulging on Morgan's forehead.
"They used it to turn humans into demons and harm the Empire."
Silence again.
His truthful testimony continued unbroken.
Splat!
The goat head atop the circle crushed, dissolving into blood that erased the magic.
Morgan shrugged in his seat before bursting into laughter.
"Ha...! Hahaha!!! Greedy scum dare mock our god after all."
Unable to contain himself, he raked his wrinkled face with nails, self-flagellating.
Flecks of flesh and blood dropped to the floor from his nails.
'Crazy bastard...'
As he watched Morgan's face tear open and bleed, he tossed the flesh on the table to him.
"Use this as evidence."
Morgan bared white teeth through his flayed, bloodied face and grinned.
"Good. I'll play along nicely."
He grasped the intent instantly yet responded so reliably—no regret wasting the flesh.
To Mendes Pentagram, it didn't matter why he came all this way to tattle,
Or how he knew, or what goal he had in stirring trouble so openly.
None of it mattered.
They'd handle it from here.
As he left the village, Morgan donned a black robe and vanished somewhere.
Probably off to meet the boss, he guessed, hurrying in the opposite direction.
He made it back before evening that day.
No need to hide now, so the four gathered at the house he shared with Rike, ate dinner, spent time together, then the Dreitna sisters headed home.
It was pure fun,
But Chloe hadn't shared a bed with him since returning from the trip,
And enough time had passed for Eclair too that even light touches left them both aching visibly.
But here, the sisters' reluctance to be together.
Rike subtly coaxed to set the mood, but Eclair wouldn't budge easily.
Chloe stole glances at Eclair, blushing and hesitating—mutual.
He wanted to satisfy the sisters' awakened lusts, but circling their rooms like a mansion hopper felt off.
When he voiced this dilemma, Rike straddled him in the bedroom and declared,
"Don't worry, oppa. In a big house, living together long enough makes it natural to all share."
What could be more reliable than her words? He laughed, hugged Rike, and rolled around the bed.
"Gotta find a good house soon."
And the very next morning.
Returning from the bakery, a thick letter from the Guild had arrived.
Perfect timing—he'd been about to visit anyway.
Rike, after breakfast, peered over his shoulder, saying pick wherever as long as he liked it, then hurried prep for the Academy.
'Gotta check them all today.'
No dawdling; he'd tour every one today.
With someone accountable for issues or noise, he felt utterly relaxed.
"Have a good one."
"You too, oppa!"
He walked Rike to the fork, kissed briefly in the alley, then parted ways.
She headed to the Academy; he went straight to the Guild.
Clunk!
"I'm here!"
Flashing the Guild's letter, the receptionist stood as if waiting.
"I'll fetch your handler. Wait a moment?"
"Yeah."
Normally he'd say take it slow, but excitement made him impatient today.
Rooms for each, a mansion comfy for his women—life would be bliss.
He grabbed a corner chair and waited as unfamiliar footsteps mixed with adventurers' amid the chatter.
"Mr. Roman. Long time."
A stern-looking man with slicked-back hair and glasses approached, bowing.
"Need your help again."
"An honor to assist Mr. Roman. Shall we go now?"
"Let's."
This guy had helped find the house he shared with Rike now.
'Name was... what?'
Name didn't matter.
He was as efficient as he looked. Rumor had it he'd risen to oversee the Guild's capital branch finances—talent was talent.
Grateful for such help.
"We'll go nearest to Guild first."
"Sounds good."
Each empty mansion had its story.
But the Guild had filtered out any creepy vibes.
He didn't mind suicides or assassinations personally, but for his women? Yeah, it mattered.
Even without that, few met his picky criteria, so tours wrapped before lunch.
Sipping coffee, reviewing papers, he and the Guild staff pointed to the same one simultaneously.
"This one."
"Yeah."
A mansion vacated when a merchant moved bases for new ventures.
Decided.
··
··
Bonused the hardworking Guild staff, paid cash for the mansion using dungeon gems.
Ownership transferred on-site—crisp efficiency.
Still lunchtime after.
Spent the rest hiring pros to clean the empty mansion and yard.
Most crucial task next.
Furniture like studies or dining suited to his women's tastes? Not yet for the bare place.
But the bed? Best and biggest, bought immediately.
Spacious enough for four—or more—one room devoured by it, but that fullness satisfied.
'Passed it before; didn't know it was empty...'
Plenty of rooms inside, many unused as storage probably.
Loved the yard: not flashy garden, but space for veggie plots or flowerbeds.
Rike had wanted that; her reaction would be gold.
'Can't wait!'
Waited for Academy end, fetched Rike and Chloe, headed straight there.
No long explanations needed; eyes sparkling with anticipation, they followed.
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"Wow—! Oppa, we're really living here?"
Rike roamed excitedly, especially loving the yard layout.
"Close to sister's mansion too... nice!"
Chloe chatted with Rike on planting the beds, already thrilled.
They leisurely viewed the high-walled, private yard,
Followed inside at his invite, toured the empty mansion, then he opened the bedroom—eyes widened round.
"What do you think?"
Even they, raised affluent, gawked at the bed's size.
"Lie down."
"So soft and fluffy!"
Unlike bubbly Rike, thoughtful Chloe blushed furiously, inching closer.
"...Excuse me."
Rike and Chloe flanked him, using his arms as pillows.
Rike mouthed 'perv' and giggled, caressing his cheek.
He couldn't deny, smirking as Chloe nuzzled his other arm happily.
"Hehe... nice."
Chatting, they lay on the vast fluffy bed, eyes closed maybe 10 minutes?
Rike, hogging one arm, lifted her head and called to Chloe opposite.
"Chloe. Know this? Oppa sleeps so deep once out, won't wake till fully rested. Short but intense."
Eyes shut, he pondered her intent—Rike knew his light sleeping; reason for the joke?
"No way...?"
'...'
Thinking why Chloe sounded confused, he recalled: on the trip, she never saw him sleep.
Exhausted Chloe slept first; he cleaned up and rose before her.
"Any prank, he won't stir. Wanna see?"
Rike poked his cheek.
Bracing for what he foresaw, he clenched teeth, kept blank.
Chloe poked his shoulder, chest curiously, voice rising excitedly.
"R-Really!"
"Right?"
"Hehe..."
Rike, toying with Chloe and him, sat up halfway.
"Oh yeah—gotta grab clothes from the old place. Got space for it."
"Need help?"
Rike pressed Chloe's rising shoulder down.
"Rest here, Chloe. Just guard oppa's side while he sleeps."
To him, lame awkward excuse to bail—but Chloe nodded trustingly.
"Okay... be safe!"
Click—
Rike shut the door and left; Chloe snuggled closer.
"O-Oppa... sleeping?"
Gulp.
The girl swallowed.
Whether drool of desire or dry tension from nerves—only she knew.