Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Chamar's Interrogation
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“Ugh….”
He’s finally awake, it seems.
“Have you come to your senses?”
Right now, in the heart chamber of Chamar, there was a stalactite that hadn’t yet been refined, and he was tightly bound to it with ropes.
The guy looked around, still not fully grasping the situation.
“…Chamar?”
“How do you know my name?”
Rustle…
“It was on your adventurer tag, in your possessions.”
“…You demon bastard, you tricked me. Did you plan this with that demon slave?”
Demon slave?
‘Oh dear, there’s something I don’t know.’
I mustn’t let my confusion show on my face.
It’s entirely possible.
Faust’s 【Composure】 ensures no gaps are shown even in times like this.
“Ah, that one had nothing to do with it.”
Chamar’s body had half-melted from Agnea’s acidic venom. Horrific pain would follow, but since his entire body was still bound by Agnea’s anesthetic threads, he didn’t seem to feel it yet.
“…It was all your doing.”
“You’re a bit slow on the uptake.”
Sitting on the jade throne and interrogating someone felt as natural as breathing, like it was my calling.
Even though the subject was hideous, covered in blood, mucus, and melted skin.
‘Has my stomach for this strengthened, or what.’
Swipe…
“One question.”
“You damn bastard….”
“Do you have companions?”
Flinch…
But a hesitant response.
These little reactions will later give me certainty in my judgments.
“…Of course. They’ll have noticed I’m captured here, so they’ll come to rescue me soon.”
…Is this answer true?
If it is, that’s quite troublesome.
Without Agnea, the neutral boss who blocked intruders so efficiently with no resources.
‘Specific questions, then….’
I tilted my chin up slightly, as if intrigued.
“Then how many?”
“…What?”
“The headcount of your companions.”
“…….”
If he hesitates again here…
The next answer is likely a lie.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“It’s just…”
I know.
I can feel his brain churning.
Wondering how much to inflate it to intimidate me.
“Th-there’s over thirty!”
“…Thirty?”
“You’ve heard of the Bloodwind Mercenaries, right? They’re all seasoned veterans who’ve eaten their share of steel, so they’ll smash through trash like this dungeon in no time!”
Such overflowing confidence.
‘Bloodwind Mercenaries… This guy couldn’t possibly be one of them.’
The Bloodwind Mercenaries don’t take in just any riffraff.
Still, some verification is needed.
“Indeed… Quite a sizable mercenary group.”
“If you let me go, I’ll talk to my companions…”
“But…”
I stared straight into his eyes.
“Doesn’t that seem odd?”
“W-what’s odd about it?”
“If you have such amazing companions, they could conquer a dungeon like this in no time. So why were you moving alone?”
Gulp…
“You must’ve been after the dungeon’s treasures. Planning to hog them all for yourself?”
“Urk… What’s that got to do with you? The important thing is my companions will…”
“And one more thing. This part just doesn’t add up.”
It felt like I had Chamar in my palm, rolling him around like a toy.
Has becoming Faust made me more sadistic?
“Would such a grand mercenary group really go to the trouble of searching for just you?”
“…….”
“A group of over thirty knows the value of a person well. By my judgment, your value is…”
“We don’t abandon our comrades! You don’t know what you’re…”
You’re the one who doesn’t know.
The Bloodwind Mercenaries are scum who’ll do anything for pay, with no regard for honor or camaraderie. Wrong place to look for brotherhood. And their area of operation isn’t even the Great Forest.
‘The conclusion’s mostly drawn, but…’
Spouting off Bloodwind Mercenaries intel from Faust’s mouth right now wouldn’t paint a good picture.
“I checked the passage you infiltrated through. It’s been repaired, so no trace of you entering remains.”
“…What?”
A lie.
Repaired, my foot.
“From the outside, they probably won’t even know there was a gap. You’ll look like you just vanished.”
The repairs would happen soon, but this fast was pushing it. It’d take about two days. He wouldn’t know that, though.
“It’s just your hopeful assumption, but if your companions notice your trail’s gone and start searching… how long do you think that’ll last?”
With a blank face and disinterested tone, I crushed his hopes.
“Yeah, for a worthless guy like you. Probably… a day, two days…”
“Th-that can’t…”
Now, tell the truth.
Gulp…
Yes, no more stalling.
“Please… spare me…”
“…….”
Bingo.
“I-I didn’t even want to come here in the first place!”
“Hmm…”
“That damn demon bastard dropped me here!”
Ah, so this is what he meant by the slave demon.
‘I knew they often used them as disposable scouts, but that was just game lore.’
To have it hit so viscerally in reality.
“If that bastard hadn’t dragged me into the pit…”
“Even so, the fact that you touched the dungeon’s property doesn’t change.”
“Property? I… Ah, look. It was just a few goblins…”
Just?
‘You damn bastard, after wrecking half my total assets, you say that….’
Flinch…
“But it wasn’t a mistake. Those horns…”
“…….”
I felt his gaze shift to Lucifer.
“No way… That appearance… A demon? Then you… What’s your connection to the Seven Sin Kings?”
The Seven Sin Kings he mentioned are the Demon Kings.
The Demon Kings of the Seven Deadly Sins.
The leadership of the demon rebellion that birthed the body I inhabit, Faust.
‘Abandoned by those great ones, I wonder if I should say connected or not.’
The betrayal of being discarded by them onto the guillotine is something only those who’ve felt that cold blade on their neck can understand.
“Y-yeah! If you’re connected to the S-Seven Sin Kings, then Solomon will…”
“Your nonsense is getting tiresome.”
Shlick…
I drew a dagger from my robes.
“Hey, w-wait! No way…”
“Don’t expect mercy from me.”
“You son of a bitch!”
Step…
Step…
Flash-!
The blade stopped just before his chest.
…Oh no.
“Urk… Wh-what?”
“…….”
According to plan, I should’ve stabbed his heart here.
“…No way, you can’t do it?”
“…….”
“Urk… Kuhahaha! You’re totally a rookie! You’ve never killed anyone before, have you?”
Anyone.
The moment he spat that word, my head burned hot.
The bloodlust blocked by Faust’s composure broke through, flooding my brain.
He harmed me, and in this era, demons killing humans is natural.
Letting him live made no sense.
Yes, I have to kill him.
…Why?
‘Because I’m a demon….’
Because I’m a demon?
‘Wait… I’m a demon… I’m….’
I’m Kim Seojin…
What am I?
…Who am I?
“Hurry and untie me!”
Seizing my hesitation, he switched to begging.
“…Lord Faust.”
Lucifer stepped forward.
Any more delay, and she’d start questioning my existence.
I have to stab.
But I can’t.
Surrounded on all sides.
…But.
‘I anticipated something like this might happen.’
Faust’s composure had prepared for this outcome too.
Before interrogating him, I’d considered it might come to this.
“…Ending your breath is easy enough, but I see no need to dirty this hand further with your lowly blood.”
“What?”
Snap-!
I flicked my fingers.
Naturally, I played my pre-prepared card.
“…Enter.”
Creaaaaak…
Thud…
- Keruk…
The Goblin Slinger appeared, carrying the corpse of the instantly slain Goblin Grunt. He set the body down by the door and approached me.
- Keruk! Kerruk!
The goblin, filled with rage, glared at me with pleading eyes.
“…I’ll grant your wish.”
- Kerruk!
Thud…
As I approached, he slammed his head down and raised his hands to the sky.
Tap.
I placed the dagger in the goblin’s hands.
“He took your brother’s life. Show no mercy.”
“H-hey! No! W-wait…”
Hooo… Hooo…
I watched the goblin rise, saliva dripping as rage consumed him.
Watching this guy from the front and from behind would feel very different.
- Keeeaak!
Tadadak!
The small body leaped forward, charging at Chamar bound to the stalactite.
Puuuuk-!
The blade cleanly pierced flesh.
- Gaaak… Kek…
But then it turned messy.
Pshhh!
Pshhhh!
Over and over, the goblin stabbed his chest. Beyond the goblin’s form, I felt Chamar’s gaze.
I met it with cool indifference.
Chamar’s dying eyes desperately clawed at me with his stare.
“U… Uh…”
As if cursing.
The future events, Faust’s future.
Pathetic.
- Kerruk…
The goblin turned and grinned at me. His way of saying thanks.
“Use him as fertilizer for the garden to come.”
* * *
I sent Lucifer away.
On the flimsy excuse of checking the Regeneration Garden’s status.
Right now, I wanted to be alone.
I needed time to sort things out.
‘Why… couldn’t I kill him outright?’
No, maybe it’s only natural.
I’ve never killed a person before.
No matter how much Faust’s composure protects my mind and guides my best judgments, it can’t make me kill without a shred of hesitation.
‘That realism….’
The goblin stabbed Chamar over and over. Blood sprayed everywhere, and as it drained, Chamar died.
Only after he died did I realize.
This isn’t just a game.
That to live, I must kill others.
And that the target is human, like Kim Seojin—not a monster or demon.
‘Faust wouldn’t have hesitated.’
Tremble…
My hands shake.
This chaos stems from me not being fully Faust. Nor fully Kim Seojin.
I know.
I had to kill Chamar. And in the future, countless more humans.
I know, yet I hesitated.
Something inside me screamed like a habit, like a brake.
Don’t kill.
Don’t kill humans.
I regretted not asking why. If I knew the reason, I could’ve chosen.
“…Half-baked.”
Lucifer can’t fully trust me as is. I dread to think how the demons I’ll command later will react to this pathetic display.
‘Worst case, usurpation.’
No need to look far.
Even the first episode coming up puts me at a crossroads.
Kill or be killed.
‘I… have to choose.’
When that moment comes, I can’t delay.
I must choose.
Die as Kim Seojin, or…
Live as Faust.
When it arrives, I won’t hesitate.
* * *
[The Regeneration Garden construction is complete.]
[Injecting labor into the Regeneration Garden will reduce recovery time compared to now.]
[Tip: The higher the familiar’s level, the more severe the injury, the longer the recovery.]
Step…
“The garden is safely complete, Lord Faust.”
“Good.”
Regeneration Garden.
I laid the Goblin Brawler, who saved my life, on this land.
Rustle…
Vines rose from the garden’s soil, wrapping tightly around the goblin’s body. In time, it should heal.
The intruder Chamar threw the dungeon into chaos, but brought considerable gains.
First, confirming the dog hole.
Once Phenex recovers, I’ll order her to seal it—solvable in a day or two.
‘Even if his companions find the dog hole in that time… we have countermeasures.’
Probably won’t happen, but after the surprise attack, I’ve started assuming the worst.
Is this positive growth?
Second gain: the magic stones he dropped.
As befits a sudden intrusion event, a whopping 1,500 magic stones!
300 for a single pull, so 1,500 means five pulls.
‘Considering the strain he caused, not that impressive a reward?’
Anyway.
And finally.
The early removal of Agnea, the territory lord.
In Remegaton, Agnea was usually sealed in core facilities before stable removal.
Dungeon development takes time, so it would’ve needed 4-5 more days.
‘Thanks to him, the sealing sped up….’
A full 3,000 magic stones.
10-pull!
Combined with Chamar’s stones, that’s 15 pulls worth.
Average gacha results would rocket this tutorial-level dungeon to rapid growth.
The jump from 4 to 5 isn’t huge, but from 1 to 2 is.
And above all, Agnea’s greatest gift…
‘This, of course.’
[Agnea held tremendous treasure.]
[Check items bound to the heart chamber.]
Yes, among the messages when I slew Agnea. And now, that item rested lightly in my hand.
A gem emitting a brilliant glow.
Similar in form to the 6-star Demon Selection Hellstone.
But the pattern inside wasn’t demonic wings—it was weapons.
Sword, axe, staff, scythe.
The pattern kept shifting forms.
“Hellstone.”
Commonly called a Hellstone.
A 6-star exclusive weapon selection ticket.