Chapter 114
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 114
Chapter Title The Throne and the Hidden Truth
After Song Hyeongbin shared his thoughts, we headed up the stairs together where the Celests members were waiting.
They were all up there with their arms spread wide open, ready to welcome us.
Broooother!
Careful now.
The first one to charge at me was Heo Yubin, who had been sitting in 6th place.
Rubbing his still tearstreaked face against my shoulder while sniffling, he looked more like Ray von Walden from Grand Quest Saga than ever.
I was dying waiting for you! I kept worrying because your name wasnt called forever!
I kept telling you its better if it takes longer. Karis is taking 1st.
Kang Siyoon, who had come down from the seat right above Heo Yubins, said with a bright laugh.
He locked eyes with me and quietly raised his right fist.
I lightly bumped his fist and nodded.
Knew Id take 1st, huh?
Gut feeling, gut feeling. This brothers instincts have never been wrong once.
Thats pure luck, Siyoon. Not your skill.
Why does this guy keep denying me?
Planning to keep it up from now on.
Haha! You do that.
Kang Siyoon laughed loudly again and pulled me into a tight hug.
There was a deep sense of relief in the words he offered next.
...You worked hard.
You too, Siyoon, for real. And thanks.
Why say it in past tense like its all over?
Limited to the Idol Training Simulation.
Oh, is that so, Your Highness! This lowly one failed to understand!
Told you to drop the weird speech.
Nope, hate to. Gonna keep imitating you.
We hadnt exchanged these silly words due to the tension before the rankings, but now that debut was confirmed, everyone relaxed back to normal.
I patted Kang Siyoons shoulder and laughed along.
He seems halfcrazy sometimes, but these days, itd feel empty without his nonsense.
Chae Eungyu and Ji Yooncheol, who had been congratulating Song Hyeongbin from the other side, soon bounded down toward me.
Told you, Karis? You were bound to rank high.
Thanks. Its all thanks to you leading us so well.
No way. I couldnt have finished the stage without your help.
With all his worries finally gone, Chae Eungyu flashed a big smile and held out his hand.
I grabbed it and yanked him forward energetically, then patted his shoulder.
Please take care of me.
Hahaha! You too.
As Chae Eungyu and I parted, Ji Yooncheol, who had been hovering awkwardly beside us, spoke to me in a small voice.
...Congrats on 1st for real, bro.
Thanks, Yooncheol.
I gave him a quick nod.
Then, looking into his eyes, I naturally followed up with what he probably wanted to hear most right now.
Lets have lots more talks from now on.
...!
The words Ji Yooncheol had said to me right before heading to the stage where Choi Sia was.
His sincere wish to talk more later.
Given his personality, itd be tough for him to bring it up himself now.
When I voiced it for him, Ji Yooncheols lips curved up slightly as he nodded vigorously.
Yeah. Sounds good.
After greeting everyone, I finally stood before the 1st place throne at the center of the tiered set.
It lacked the ornate flair of the throne in Grand Quest Saga, decked out in gold and precious gems, but in this moment, it shone brighter than any jewel.
Id been waiting for the day Id sit on this throne.
As I took my seat on the 1st place throne with dignified poise, every camera in the gym focused on me.
The massive screens watched by the attending national administrators filled entirely with my image.
I gazed out at the dazzling lights and flashed a gentle smile.
There couldnt be a happier, more perfect ending than this.
Even the crown princes ego, dormant within me, must be satisfied.
A crown prince bows to no one.
Always looking down from on high as a crown prince.
Hadnt he slain even the Demon King?
As he always proclaimed, I had reached the absolute peak.
Repeating 1st place in my mind brought an important fact to light.
The popup that appeared when the rankings were announced.
I quietly summoned the status window and tapped the completed quest entry.
Grand Quest Debut Within 365 Days Succeeded
Reward Grand Quest Saga Forced Return Penalty Removed, Passive Skill Enhancement Unlocked
Final Linked Quest Take 1st in Idol Training Simulation Succeeded
Reward Hidden Truth Confirmation
The grand quest completion unlocked my passive skill enhancement.
The system handled that automatically, so I didnt need to do anything.
But the Hidden Truth Confirmation reward required me to select it manually.
What could the hidden truth be?
Id been racking my brain since first seeing it, but I had no clue.
The more I thought, the deeper into the maze I fell.
I could check after filming ended, but curiosity won out.
I swallowed hard and thought.
Confirm truth.
And suddenly, darkness like pitch black enveloped my vision.
It was a day when snow whipped about like a storm.
A brutal chill that froze even the feathers of the harpies who had briefly gone out on patrol.
An ominous air hung in the deepest conference room of the obsidianblack Demon Kings castle.
At this rate, well surely be annihilated. We must hurry to reinforce the walls, or else use longrange support to keep distance from the enemy and!
Shut that noisy trap, Baiber. Every time you open it, the stench vibrates and I cant focus.
Heinz, you just sharpen your blade every meetingwhat do you mean you cant focus!
Ah, gramps is mad again. Wanna stop fighting and let me cast some black magic on you?
Quiet! Natasha, you know full well the dire situation were in!
It had always been like this.
Demons were stubborn creatures who pushed only their own opinions.
They wasted time spouting whatever they wanted.
Watching the meeting devolve into chaos, the Demon King recited a single phrase in an icy voice.
Silence.
!
DDemon King!
The king of demons, who opposed humanity.
Demon King Seir, who had led the demons for over 1,000 years with overwhelming force alone, rose from his seat.
Baiber.
Yes, Demon King!
Continue what you were saying. It seemed quite important.
AAs you command!
Baiber adjusted his glasses on his nose bridge and cleared his throat.
The leader of the Ismenios, an upper demon race with a humanlike upper body and serpentine lower body.
His words, renowned among demons for rationality and logic, were crucial now.
Judging by the enemys forces, they plan to target our weakest point the western wall. The dwarven legions near annihilation from human longrange bombardment is our biggest issue. The remaining dwarves cant hold back their assault.
Then split the forces.
If we pull troops from other walls, human raiders might shift there. In short... were pinned down, unable to move freely.
Seir glanced over the map Baiber had spread out.
Indeed, the humans flexible attacks were whittling down demon forces bit by bit.
Demon King, forget that old snakes talk! If they head west, let em! Our wolf legion can help those puny dwarves.
Heinz, the wolfman leader who had interrupted Baiber nonstop, slammed his sword down, spittle flying.
I said no! Your wolves must hold the east! Lose troops there, and the eastern wall falls soon enough!
Ah, whatever, I just wanna fight already, you snake bastard.
How many times do I have to say itdont pull troops!
Baiber.
Seir fixed Baiber with a sharp gaze.
The air in the conference room grew heavy in an instant.
Let Heinz do as he wants.
BBut Demon King!
I wont say it twice.
The Demon Kings word was absolute law.
Baiber could only bow his head and murmur assent.
...I shall obey.
Yahoo! Lets go smash those pathetic human skulls!
The meeting lost all purpose.
As Seir swept out with his cloak billowing, Natasha, leader of the black mages, followed.
Demon King, why send Heinz?
If youve a brain, youd understand. This wars defeat was foreseen long ago. Once humans breached the Saihuden Mountains, this castles fall was inevitable.
So on purpose?
Seir smirked coldly.
Better to die raging as one pleases in the end.
The war had already tilted one way.
Seir had accepted it in his mind.
Defeat to that human crown prince leading them.
But he wasnt the Demon King to watch his neck get lopped off idly.
Seir and Natasha halted before an iron door radiating ill omen.
How many days until the seeds ready?
Hm, about two days.
Then we hold out two days somehow.
The Demon King pushed open the heavy iron door and entered.
In the dark rooms center glowed a single seed wrapped in red light.
...Is the ritual complete?
Yes, Demon King. Once the seeds done, all preparations are finished.
Perfect.
Seir smiled in satisfaction.
Yes. So what if they lost the war?
So what if his life ended?
Demons duty was to thrash to the bitter end.
If humans moved to protect what they cherished, demons pursued only destruction.
The seed, nurtured two months on his lifeinfused mana.
If Natashas ritual implanted it in his body successfully.
He could sever the providence set by this worlds god.
Full destruction might be impossible, but interference? Plenty possible.
Proceed as planned.
Yes, Demon King!
Two days passed, and Natashas ritual embedded the seed deep in Seirs body.
And finally, on the day all castle walls crumbled and human armies surged like waves.
Splendid, Seir!
Guh... urk.
Seir, Demon King who ruled the dark world for 1,000 years, lost his life to Karis von Walden.
But in that instant.
Kiiing.
The seed implanted in Seirs body unleashed quiet, vicious energy, successfully severing part of this worlds mana lines.
And that ripple reached Han Jihyuk too.
An error in the returntoreality function!
The godforged system was damaged.