Chapter 62
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Bespera's Confession
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Conversations through a consciousness link felt entirely different from those via communication magic.
If communication magic was like talking on a phone, then a consciousness link felt like telepathy.
To put it into words, it was like the message stabbed straight into your brain, bypassing your physical senses entirely. The sensation was incredibly strange.
The closest comparison might be the mental communication that dragons primarily used—a telepathic intent thick with mana.
The main difference was that dragon intent brimmed with mana, while this consciousness link did not.
-H-Hey, is anyone there?
The voice of the succubus Bespera was worlds apart from that of the court mage Siena.
It was far more alluring and seductive. This must have been her true voice.
'She could've been a huge hit as a voice actress.'
-P-Please, spare me!
"Who are you?"
-H-Hey, are you there?
What was she even looking at to ask if someone was "there"?
Did she feel locked up in a prison cell?
Or maybe adrift on a vast, endless ocean?
"I asked first. Who are you?"
-I-I'm Bespera. Wh-Who are you? Where's this voice coming from?
'So she knows who she is.'
She seemed to have a clear sense of self.
He'd wondered if dying made one forget themselves.
'Do souls normally retain their memories? Or is it because she hasn't been dead long?'
That would require more research.
Conversing with other souls should reveal the truth.
"You don't need to know that. Tell me everything you do know. Who exactly are you? Where are you from? Who did you serve?"
-I-I can't tell you th...
"Don't want to talk? Fine, then. I'll cut the connection. Live there forever."
-Eek! N-No! Please, not that... Hic!
An incredibly intense reaction.
It made him all the more curious.
Why was she trembling like that?
Time to probe a little.
"What's there to fear? Aren't you a demon? A demon, scared of that place?"
-Wh-What do you know! It's horrifying here!
"Horrifying? Why?"
-It's too white.
Huh?
'Too white?'
What was?
-Everything's white! The bed's white, the walls are white, the sea's white, the mountains are green, the dolphins are dolphin-colored...
Ah, an asylum view.
But if it was an asylum view, why the mountains, sea, and dolphins?
'Maybe a seaside mountain asylum, closed ward view?'
Mountains behind, ocean beyond the window.
Dolphins leaping into view from that window.
'Sounds pretty nice for an afterlife.'
What luxury did a demon expect?
-It hurts! It hurts! This damned holy power! You bastard! Get me out of here! Ah, n-no, I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to curse, hic!
Now he fully understood why it was an asylum view.
She'd gone mad enough to belong there.
"You seem pretty comfortable, though. Might as well stay there. Live well."
-Gasp! N-No! I'm sorry! Truly sorry! Don't go!
"Nah. You like it there. Better to stay forever."
-I'll talk! Just let me talk! Hic...
She must really hate it. Betraying her side this easily?
Was the vaunted demon lord-vassal bond this fragile?
"Fine. I'll let it slide."
-Yes! Thank you! Thank you!
"Spill it. Who you are, where you're from."
-Yes! I'm Bespera, a succubus. I was born in the Riverdale region of the demon world's northern territories...
Bespera spilled everything.
Her origins, birthplace, entire life story—no holding back.
[Knowledge of demonkind, particularly dream demons, has increased!]
[Mental corruption resistance has increased.]
[The probability of your dreams being defiled has decreased!]
'Oh, nice.'
An unexpected reward. Probably from hearing her full life story.
Who else knew a demon's growth process?
Ian might be the only human alive who did.
'Mental corruption resistance—pure gold.'
Stats were always better higher. Any gain was profit.
-S-So, you'll release me now? Right?
"No."
-What? Why!
"If I release you, your master will just reclaim you."
-G-Gasp! How—
"Stay put for now. I might call you again later."
Cutting the consciousness link silenced the sultry voice piercing his mind.
Ian organized what Bespera had revealed.
She was a mid-tier succubus taken in by a demon named 'Sirmeth,' who was a direct vassal of Demon Lord Beelzebub.
Not directly under Beelzebub, but close enough to count as his vassal.
Bespera wasn't high-ranking, so her combat power was low.
But she had talent: the 'Talent of Deception' for fooling others.
Combined with succubus abilities, Sirmeth planned to use her for something important.
Under Sirmeth's orders, Bespera crossed into the human realm, disguised as a human mage, and infiltrated the empire's heart.
Through a cult group called the Magic Research Society, she gradually corrupted nobles.
Over a whopping six years.
Her seeds of corruption started small but had grown significantly, on the verge of plunging the empire into chaos.
'Too bad she ran straight into me and popped.'
But if Ian hadn't found her?
The story would have progressed as scripted.
The peaceful continent turning chaotic—the original tale.
So, catching the culprit meant peace for the empire now?
No.
Threats lurking everywhere would still sow chaos.
Ian, the so-called 'story-skipper,' didn't know them all specifically, but he'd just learned one.
-So, where are you from? Where did you descend, and where did your superiors order you to head to the empire from?
-Th-The north!
-North?
-Yes! A really cold place. Lady Sirmeth is there. Th-That settles it, right?
The north. A bitterly cold place. Demon Sirmeth was there.
And plotting something.
'The north. Besides barbarians, what's there? What's the scheme?'
He pondered but drew a blank.
Of course. How could he fathom a demon's mind?
'Barbarian invasion is still far off, so not that. What then?'
Ian shelved the thought.
No point dwelling on unknowns.
Better to use an easy method without racking his brain.
Ian contacted Ddol Ddoli for the first time in ages.
-Master! You called Ddol Ddoli!
"Hey, Ddol. Doing well?"
-Ddoli doing well. Teaching little Ddol Ddolies.
'Little Ddol Ddolies? Oh, the pebble guardians?'
Ddol Ddoli teaching?
Gaining subordinates had sparked responsibility.
"Ddoli. You don't know where you are, right?"
-Ddoli on ground now. Flat ground.
Obviously.
Half the world was flat ground.
"Ddoli, wanna get stronger?"
-Yes. But hard. Few strong enemies.
Come to think of it, Ddol Ddoli's level-ups had slowed.
Partly due to training pebble guardians, but mostly lack of fights.
Ddol Ddoli grew through battle. No battles meant stagnation.
"I know a place with strong enemies. Wanna go?"
-Strong enemies good. Master good. Do anything Master says.
"Then head north."
-North...?
"Yeah. Er, the cold direction. Cold, icy, frigid place. Got it?"
-Understood. Ddoli goes to cold place.
Coordinates showed it wasn't far from the north.
Even at snail pace, a month to arrive.
"Find bad guys in the cold place."
-Bad guys?
"Yeah. Demon there. Very strong demon."
-Demon!
"You get it?"
-Demons strong! Make Ddoli strong!
Loved a good fight, as expected.
Thrilled at "demon."
"Yeah, Ddol. Keep it up. Contact you later."
-Got it. Ddoli goes to cold place.
Ian ended the call.
'Ddoli sniffs out demonic energy almost as well as Lara. Should find it.'
He didn't expect much.
How to find a hidden demon in that vastness, even for Ddol Ddoli?
But no issue—plenty of large monsters there for Ddol Ddoli to fight.
Ice trolls, called northern calamities, and other beasts turning the north barren.
'If not, other ways. Ask Lara, or borrow Holy Kingdom's power.'
No immediate continental chaos. Time aplenty.
Volgrom, chieftain of the Frost Fang tribe that made its home in the northern continent, scanned his surroundings. Blood soaked everything. Corpses of tribesmen and foes tangled in chaos.
The gruesome sight of countless dead comrades didn't faze him. They'd won against rival tribes.
Victors didn't grieve. They cheered. Simple common sense, which he followed.
He raised his sword in triumph. His men echoed his victory cry. The heat of triumph blanketed the snowy battlefield.
Yet something felt off. Why no joy? They'd won.
"Chieftain. Here you are."
A voice from behind. Priest Muroonda, the tribe's eldest and spiritual pillar.
"Elder."
"A historic day conquering those wretched Snowstorm tribe. You should rejoice, yet your eyes are sad?"
"The dead comrades keep sticking in my mind."
"Tsk. I told you—necessary sacrifices. Warriors accepted death with honor. What's the issue?"
"No issue. But they linger because I'm weak as chieftain."
"Chieftain. Look at this old man."
Volgrom met Muroonda's gaze. The elder shook his head sternly.
"You're the unification lord ruling the north. Tribe's top guardian, commander of ten thousand elite warriors. Can you show such weakness?"
"..."
"Remember: if the chieftain falls, all fall. Your grand initial dream vanishes like a mirage."
"Initial grand dream?"
Volgrom recalled. What was it?
Couldn't remember.
Yet his mouth spoke differently.
"I know."
"Good. Steel yourself. The summit nears. Look there."
Volgrom followed the elder's pointing finger with shaky eyes.
South.
The warm lands.
Civilized realms.
The empire he'd long dreamed of.
"The time approaches. To drive out those vile empire dogs oppressing proud northerners."
"..."
"Imagine. Starving, ragged northerners feasting in that warm land."
"Elder, that's wrong. Warmth weakens the spirit. We've honed ours in this harsh cold for generations. That's why we settled north..."
"Tsk. Still clinging to outdated traditions!"
Volgrom's eyes still wavered. Muroonda clicked his tongue.
'Persuaded endlessly, yet this barbarian won't budge.'
Muroonda snapped his fingers. Black aura flowed to Volgrom. Moments later, his eyes glazed, then cleared.
"Chieftain. Heed this old man's loyalty. You know my counsel is for you alone."
"...Yes, elder. I was foolish. Momentarily weak."
Volgrom bowed. Muroonda patted his back, satisfied.
"Hoho. Glad you understand."
"Grateful you steadfastly guide the tribe. Enlighten this lacking chieftain henceforth."
"If my words help, I'll stay by your side till I die."
Soon, Volgrom rallied warriors with clear eyes. True to his title as next northern unifier, having crushed dozens of tribes.
Muroonda watched fondly.
Time had passed since teaching the pebble guardians.
How much?
Two weeks? Three? More?
Ddol Ddoli had walked.
Toward the cold.
Walked and walked. Met monsters, humans along the way, but passed without trouble.
Now.
Ddol Ddoli felt a strange sensation.
-Ddoli cold.
Cold. Was this chill?
-This the cold place?
Ddol Ddoli looked ahead.
Barren land. Wind howled. Strange new things: white clumps, cold to touch, melted in hand.
-This definitely cold place.
Ddol Ddoli smiled. Finally arrived.
Master's cold place.
-Bad guys here. Ddoli kills strong bad guys.
Fighting the strong was thrilling. It meant growth.
Stronger foes yielded greater strength.
Ddol Ddoli snorted and strode forward. Deeper into the cold.