Chapter 101
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: The Demon King's Prophecy
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In short, that was the gist of what the Executive Director had said.
'If you can't kill it for sure, don't touch it recklessly.'
His words made the Sector Chief unconsciously clamp his mouth shut.
'The elite guards are currently away on a monster subjugation mission...'
No, even if the elite guards were here.
'...If those Demonic Knights claim to be stronger than those monsters.'
What kind of beings were the Demonic Knights?
As long as the Demon King's darkness lingered, they wouldn't die and would endlessly revive, which was annoying enough.
But what was even more vexing was their 'Rule'.
Every one of them was specialized in killing something.
That 'law' which inevitably activated once its conditions were met made them impossible to ignore, even without the 'Accord'.
'Of course, the Butcher might not have met the conditions of that Rule.'
Maybe it only worked on specific targets, and he wasn't one.
Or perhaps he hadn't performed the 'act' that satisfied the conditions in the first place.
'But if.'
What if, by some chance, he had fulfilled that 'Rule' and still killed a Demonic Knight?
'......'
The Sector Chief unconsciously swallowed hard.
'That would make him a monster we absolutely must not touch.'
His gaze shifted to the hotline receiver.
A secure line that connected instantly to any department in Sector 20 with the press of a button.
His mind raced with calculations.
'If we don't respond aggressively to this incident, we might face criticism from Sectors 21 and 23.'
But even so.
'The Accord will keep it from escalating to military action anyway.'
Besides, for the Demonic folk—who weren't as insular as blood clans—the neutral zone was important.
There might be some retaliation, but it was unlikely to be as severe as feared.
But in the Butcher's case?
'If the Executive Director's words are true, the Butcher must be a mad dog with nothing to lose.'
He was the type who'd barged straight into the Brahman Sector to beat down Demonic Knights in the first place.
No sane person would do that.
And that type was one of the most headache-inducing in the underlayers.
Especially if they had that kind of power.
They ignored accords and all that nonsense, striking first and thinking later.
'This is troubling.'
No good news yet meant the defense forces had clearly failed in their initial response.
This only reinforced the Executive Director's warning.
The Sector Chief recalled the report that the magic tool conglomerate bearing the Butcher's grudge had been annihilated.
'...If the Butcher really is an off-the-charts monster, the risk is too great.'
In the end, he was a man who prioritized his own safety above all.
After a moment's hesitation, the Sector Chief picked up the receiver.
[Yes, what is it?]
The Sector Chief said,
"Connect me to the Defense Captain."
"This is the renowned Conventus Hall."
Kurtz Schleman, the Sector Chief's only son, addressed the esteemed guests seated before him.
"Do you see that vast conference chamber?"
Following his gesture, their eyes lifted to a hall the size of a massive ice rink.
At its center stood an ornate, enormous round table.
"It was right there at that round table... that it was sealed."
Kurtz said with a face full of pride.
"The great Accord that changed the history of the underlayers."
"What an honor."
The Demonic Knight known as the Artist wore an amused expression.
"Just trading sacrificial offerings, and they lend us a place this historic."
"...Even a simple transaction involves esteemed parties such as yourselves, does it not?"
Kurtz bowed politely.
"With guests from Sectors 21 and 23, it is only fitting to provide accommodations befitting your status."
A smile crept onto his lips.
"The Sector Chief himself will join us shortly."
"Now I don't know where to put myself."
The Artist glanced at the blood clansman before him and asked,
"Don't you agree? Count."
"......"
A man with pale skin translucent enough to show veins and red hair glared at him with emotionless eyes.
"...Get on with it."
"Ah, our Count dislikes icebreakers, I see?"
The Artist chuckled softly, brushing back his cloak.
"Very well. Let's wrap it up quickly. No need for complicated talk anyway."
"Then, if you two would follow me to the round table."
Guided by Kurtz, the Count and the Artist faced each other across the massive round table.
Their underlings—lesser demons and Demonic soldiers—were absent.
Even in a neutral zone, bringing troops into the Brahman Sector was rude.
Instead, Sector defense forces brought out the trade items one by one.
On one side: demons captured by the blood clan, naturally.
On the other: boxes loaded with eerie, blood-red shimmering crystals.
"...I heard the noble blood clan sought these specifically."
At the Artist's raised hand, his direct subordinate fetched a crystal from a box.
"This crystal was obtained recently from His Highness Durup, the Little King of Sector 27 and incarnation of the dwarves. It's made by purifying giant blood."
He leaned forward.
"And not from a slave—it's ground from the living flesh of Carlota, a giant royal."
The Count took the crystal and examined it, turning it in his hand.
Inside the blood gem swirled what looked like chunks of giant flesh suspended in snake liquor.
"This should satisfy even him, no?"
"......"
After verifying its authenticity, the Count raised his hand.
His baron-class attendant turned and roughly dragged out a young demon with snow-white skin.
"Kgh?!"
His beautiful doll-like fraternal twin sister, Rhenien, cried out.
"Gwen...!!"
"Shut that mouth!"
A defense force member wielding an electric staff zapped her without hesitation.
Kwajijik!
"Aaaahhh!!"
"S-Sis...!"
As her younger sister Nien cried out, the defense member's eyes gleamed murderously.
"What, you want some too?"
"......!"
Then the girl realized.
The humans before her wouldn't spare her just because she was a child.
The defense forces no longer looked at them as people.
In their eyes, they were mere 'merchandise' for trade.
Chills running down her spine, Nien squeezed her eyes shut and bowed her head.
'Daddy...! Mommy...! Hero...!'
Her tiny hands trembled.
'Please help us...!'
"Is this the one?"
The Count glanced at the limp Gwen and asked.
"The demon you were after."
"Pardon me a moment."
At the Artist's gesture, a defense member dragged Gwen roughly before him.
"Grghhh...!"
The Demonic Knight smirked down at the bound, helpless youth.
Gwen glared back fiercely.
"You fucking bastards... I'd love to chew you up...!"
"Hmph."
The Artist grabbed his jaw roughly, ignoring him, and narrowed his eyes.
His ominous gaze glowed.
"!!"
In response, the Demon King's darkness surged, clamping Gwen's throat tight.
"Ghk?! Eurgh...! Ghk!"
But only for a moment.
The Artist looked up with a smile.
"It's him. A noble scion of the 'En' clan. One of the few remaining collateral lines of the Amariel Demon King lineage."
Released from the darkness, Gwen gasped raggedly.
"Hah! Hah...!"
"Take him back."
"Kgh!"
A bowed defense member seized his nape and dragged him away forcibly.
Watching this, the Count crossed his legs and interlocked his fingers.
"We've both verified. Time to sign and be done."
"Heh heh, in a hurry somewhere?"
"I just don't want to waste more time than necessary."
"Very well. Let's do that."
At the Artist's glance, Kurtz Schleman clapped softly. Tak tak!
Officials stepped forward, presenting neatly packaged contracts to the guests.
"By signing there, you agree—under the notarization of mediator Kurtz Schleman—to exchange items and transfer all attendant rights."
The rights holders on each contract: Duke 'Damian Schwiek' and Knight Commander 'Ernst Ballog'.
Oddly, not the blood clan's progenitor mother 'Progenitor' or the Demon King's castle lord 'Demon King'.
But Kurtz didn't dwell on it.
Each sector's affairs were none of his business.
The Artist and Count signed in turn; Kurtz nodded upon checking.
"Signatures confirmed. The neutral zone hereby notarizes this contract."
Finishing his own signature with a quill, he declared,
"The contract takes effect... right this instant."
That was when it happened.
"Section Chief...!!"
Kurtz's brow furrowed at the sudden arrival of a defense member.
"What is it?"
The panting man whispered urgently in his ear.
Kurtz's eyes widened.
"What? An intruder? In the Brahman Sector?"
"Ho ho."
The Artist, overhearing, smirked.
"The Brahman Sector under attack? Things just got interesting. Right, Count?"
"None of my concern."
The Count shot to his feet, heading past the table.
"Contract's done. I'll take the crystals."
"Of course. Why not?"
Then the defense member continued.
"That's not all."
"...What?!"
Kurtz's face hardened.
"The intruder's heading this way? To the Conventus Hall?"
The Count and Artist both stared at him.
"Why report this now?!"
"S-Sorry! But the rapid response team's been dispatched, so no need to wor—"
"Hold on."
The Artist raised a hand; Kurtz turned.
"You just said... that intruder's coming here to this hall?"
"Y-Yes, but there's no need for the esteemed guests to wor—"
"Section Chief. Do I look like someone who worries about that?"
"...!"
Fair point.
Those present were Demonic Knights and great blood clansmen.
Even if the defense failed, they had no reason to fret.
"You there."
The Artist pointed; the reporting member flinched.
"Y-Yes!"
"One question."
"A-Ask away."
"That intruder... by any chance, a young black-haired human male?"
"...!"
Reading the answer in his expression, the Artist burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Heh, heh heh, ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!"
The faint madness emanating from him drew stares from defense forces and demons alike.
"Ha ha ha ha! Masterpiece! An absolute masterpiece!"
A black-haired human suddenly storms the Brahman Sector and heads straight for the Conventus Hall?
His identity was obvious.
"Ha ha ha ha! I can't believe it even hearing it!"
How he'd sniffed him out was secondary.
'To strike first like this...!'
And here, of all places.
The Brahman Sector, sacred neutral ground?
Attacking straight through its heart without a care.
The Artist's eyes filled with ecstasy.
'He's different, as expected!'
This unpredictable movement, this audacity!
'Beyond data—truly beyond!'
After laughing heartily, he waved at the dazed Kurtz.
"Ah, sorry about that. Ha ha ha. No, really, ha ha—don't worry about him. He's probably after me."
"...Pardon?"
Kurtz's face twisted oddly.
After him?
A Demonic Knight?
'What kind of lunatic?'
"I never dreamed he'd come at me like this either. Ha ha ha ha! Oh, right—the rapid response team?"
Still chuckling, the Artist shook his head.
"Won't do a thing."
"...!"
Even so, this was the man who'd killed Sir Wilhelm.
"He's not someone they can stop."
Just then, commotion erupted outside.
"What's going on?!"
Kurtz shouted; pale-faced defense members burst into the hall.
"Section Chief! The intruder's right now—!"
The moment they spoke.
Lightning Stake
A colossal pillar of lightning shattered the ceiling and cleaved the round table in two.
Screee—Kwaaaaang!!
The Artist and Count leaped apart in unison as the brutal thunder crashed down.
Kurtz Schleman, clutching the singed contracts that burst into flames, tumbled backward.
"Keurk?!"
"Section Chief!!"
A thick cloud of dust billowed up over them.
"Ha, ha ha...!"
The Demonic Knight laughed in delight.
"......"
The great blood clansman merely narrowed his eyes, assessing.
"Mi, mi... insane."
Defense members watched with trembling, panicked eyes.
And furthermore.
"What in the world...?"
Even the demons, baffled by the sudden chaos.
As all eyes fixed on the round table.
A cold wind suddenly blew in through the shattered ceiling.
The dust cloud gradually settled.
Followed by utter silence.
"......"
"......"
"......"
Amid the hush, the one who had trampled the Accord's symbol—the round table—slowly rose.
His gaze slowly swept the hall's occupants.
"...!!"
The overwhelming aura sent chills through them; then the Butcher spoke.
"Found you."
His eyes flashed murderously.
"Demonic Knight."
The hall's occupants gulped involuntarily.
"Wh-What?"
"He really came here targeting a Demonic Knight?"
"That's impossible...!"
"Does he think he can win?!"
Gwen, noble scion of the 'En' clan, trembled at the words.
"What... is that...?"