Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Valefor, Duke of Thieves
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Rubia de Clarent.
Agnes's face brightened as she spoke the name.
She was the one who had ordered Agnes's assassination, but that was only possible because Agnes was still unaware of it.
"Nothing out of the ordinary happened?"
"Yes. She recommended several places in the Mage Tower worth visiting."
On the surface, there was no reason for Agnes and Rubia to have a bad relationship.
If their engagements proceeded to marriage, both would become members of the imperial family.
Of course, that possibility didn't exist.
Damian and Agnes's engagement might come to fruition, but even then, there was no chance of becoming family with Rubia.
"She also asked about your well-being, Damian. She said she's been too busy lately to meet for long, so let's make time later."
Agnes felt not even a hint of hostility from Rubia.
She was simply a kind woman concerned for Agnes and her fiancé's safety.
"Damian? Is something wrong?"
"No, I'm fine."
That realization sent chills down his spine.
'Damn it.'
He recalled the image of Rubia grieving Anna and Felix's deaths before his regression.
He didn't yet know what today's contact signified. But it was clearly not born of good intentions.
"And she gave me something to pass on to you, Damian."
What Agnes handed over were two books. The handwriting matched Rubia's, which he had seen countless times before.
'Well, look at this...'
The books detailed Micella's subspace pouch and the development of new materials through alchemy.
The latest research that hadn't even been published as papers yet.
He had expected her eyes and ears to be everywhere in the Mage Tower, but not this quickly.
He checked the books with Black Magic—Gaze, but detected no tampering.
It might not be purely out of goodwill, but there was no reason to refuse this kind of help.
"You should rest a bit. It's true your stamina is exceptional, Damian, but you've had a lot going on today."
The two headed back to Ezekiel's mansion.
"Koooorh— Koooorh—."
The master of the house showed no signs of waking.
With time to spare until evening, they decided to rest in their respective rooms.
Of course, Damian couldn't simply relax.
As soon as he entered his room, he locked the door and drew the curtains.
In the darkened room, relying on a single candle, he pulled out the Book of Hell—Vav.
He had deliberately chosen a room far from Agnes and Ezekiel's.
Based on past experience, there shouldn't be major issues, but caution never hurt.
"□□□□□. □□. □□. □□□. □. □□."
The demon's tongue echoed through the spacious room.
Incomprehensible knowledge imprinted itself in his mind, and the Book of Hell turned to ash. In its place rose a pale smoke.
It writhed like wriggling worms, intertwining before taking on the form of a beast.
[Krhmm. Given the circumstances, I answered the call, but...]
Its body was that of a lion, but its head was a donkey's. Unlike an artificially created chimera, the form felt utterly natural.
It was adorned head to toe in gold and jewels, yet the sight evoked maggots crawling over a corpse.
[The Duke of Hell, Lord of the Ghouls. I am Valefor.]
Valefor.
The Duke of Thieves who commanded ten legions.
The one worshipped by all ghouls.
"Krghhh!!"
Damian's vision shook violently. Objects around him duplicated, and he could barely maintain his balance without leaning on something.
Hundreds of voices chattered in his ears simultaneously. His mind grew increasingly muddled.
[A rumor spread through Hell, yet it seems rather underwhelming.]
From the appraising tone, it was clear Valefor held no fondness for humans.
It didn't matter. Amid the dizziness, Damian stared into its eyes.
The abyss-like pupils threatened to swallow his mind, but he didn't retreat.
Since it had been summoned, it would present conditions for a contract.
If those conditions were met, he could gain new power.
That thought made the current pain bearable.
[Hoo. So you're not completely mediocre. Otherwise, you couldn't have contracted with so many lords of Hell.]
Valefor's attitude softened slightly at Damian's response.
[However, I cannot contract with you as you are now. You do not possess what I desire.]
Damn. Damian instinctively clicked his tongue. Valefor demanded an offering as the contract's condition.
Even if he obtained the offering, acquiring a new Book of Hell—Vav would be the biggest hurdle.
He was gathering new information on the Book of Hell through the Adventurer's Guild, but it was all based on pre-regression knowledge.
Vav was a Book of Hell he hadn't secured before his regression. Finding another would be a daunting task.
[Still, you're a lucky one. To summon me right here, of all places.]
Valefor turned its head, scanning left and right. Its burning eyes pierced beyond the room, gazing at the Mage Tower's expanse.
[A mage who once opposed me lies buried in this land. Offer me his staff. My power lingers nearby as well, so summoning me again should not be difficult.]
Valefor laughed heartily before vanishing.
'It didn't leave a mark like Naberius.'
It meant to gather the offering and a new Book of Hell—Vav to resummon it.
'And there's a mage's tomb in the Mage Tower?'
This was information he'd never heard before.
A lord of Hell—or rather, a black mage contracted with it—meant the opponent was from the empire's founding era or even earlier.
Such a tomb would be called a ruin, yet he'd never heard of one beneath the Mage Tower.
'When the first tower was built, this was just a plain...'
Tombs were typically underground. But he couldn't just dig up the Mage Tower grounds recklessly.
'I need more information for now.'
Swooo. He flung open the window, and the lingering smoke in the room billowed out.
No one would suspect magical research from inside.
Hahp! Hahp! Hahp!
Damian's room was on this floor. Looking down, he saw Agnes swinging her sword in the courtyard.
A straight, sharp sword that reflected her very spirit.
She wielded it purely with physical strength, without aura.
What others dismissed as brute repetition, Agnes sought answers within.
"Hm?"
Noticing Damian watching, Agnes paused her training.
She kept glancing up slyly, as if she had something to say.
Damian leaped down from the second-floor window.
As he approached, Agnes's reactions intensified.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she fidgeted, twisting her body.
She averted her gaze yet stole glances, a stark departure from her usual demeanor.
"What's up?"
"Um... well..."
Was she asking for help with revenge? No, the atmosphere wasn't right.
"If it's okay with you..."
She extended both hands forward, gripping two training swords.
"Could you spar with me again?!"
Her voice cracked at the end. Realizing it, her face flushed even deeper.
'She must have agonized over this.'
Agnes was a woman loved by the sword. In other words, she loved the sword madly herself.
She could endure the embarrassment.
"I absolutely, absolutely won't repeat that mistake from before, and I've reinforced the magic tool as well."
Even bringing training swords, she hesitated to ask outright.
'It was an accident, after all.'
It had ended well, but a slight misstep could have badly injured Damian.
Damian took the sword she offered.
"Sure. Better to move the body than just rest."
"Th-thank you!"
Agnes's face lit up brighter than ever before.
'It benefits me too.'
It wasn't just about maintaining relations with Agnes.
The insights gained from the battle with the Old Man of the Mountain had begun in his spar with her.
Sparring again would help embody them.
"I'll yield the first move, Damian."
"Then here I go."
With those words, Damian's sword arced upward.
A downward strike toward her shoulder. Agnes crossed her wrists, raising her swords horizontally.
Clang! Their swords met for the first time since that day.
The sensation traveled from wrists to toes.
Agnes's eyes widened as if struck by lightning.
'To this extent...'
She knew Damian had changed greatly during his southern travels.
She had confirmed it in their brief scuffle earlier.
But feeling it directly through the sword was different.
Her joints ached throughout her body, yet her heart soared.
Intoxicated by the sensation, Agnes could only desperately evade Damian's five consecutive attacks.
She retreated to the anti-magic barrier's edge, then spun away to create distance.
"Haa, haa... Did you perhaps meet the Iron Wolf?"
"What? Why bring that up out of nowhere... How did you know?"
He hadn't even told Anna or Felix about meeting Derek. Yet Agnes spoke with conviction.
"The feel is different from when I last faced your sword, Damian. It was already exceptional then, but now I sense a clear pursuit. That usually requires a pivotal trigger."
Agnes presumed he had found answers through meeting his master.
To sense even that through the sword—it was more mystical than black magic in some ways.
Indeed, after reuniting with Derek, he had felt real growth. Derek's words convinced him his sword could advance further from here.
A power distinct from black magic. This too would greatly aid his revenge.
"That was too much talk. This time, I'm coming!"
Agnes kicked off the ground and charged. Damian chose not to dodge, meeting her swords instead.
Krrrind! In their clash of strength through swords, their feet carved marks into the ground.
Haa, haa. So close their breaths mingled.
Agnes's eyes sparkled as she looked at him. Her pursed lips curved softly.
'This is...'
Perhaps from her earlier words, he felt an emotion from her sword.
Ecstasy.
Regardless of revenge, she enjoyed clashing swords with Damian right now.
It was a message to him as well.
She had waited for this moment to cross swords again, honing herself for it.
She was enjoying this immensely and wanted to delve deeper in the future.
'I should respond.'
Damian raised his arm high, widening the distance between them.
But they readjusted their stances and continued the exchange immediately.
Dozens of clashes followed. Not just Agnes—even Damian's face showed faint ecstasy.
And at the same time.
'It's coming.'
Everything but himself felt distant. Time stretched, and surroundings slowed.
Gradually, Agnes's form faded, leaving only him and the sword.
'No.'
Now they were one.
Him, or the sword. It hardly mattered what he called it.
He simply swung.
'...Up to here.'
At the final moment, Damian deliberately broke sword unity.
This wasn't a life-or-death duel. He couldn't use such an attack against someone unable to wield aura.
For now, feeling that sensation again was enough.
Clang! With the metallic ring, both swords snapped in unison.
The impact sent Damian and Agnes tumbling backward.
"You okay?"
Damian rose first.
Agnes sat there dazed, still clutching her broken sword, for a while.
When Damian offered his hand, she finally stood.
"Draw again?"
"...No, I lost. You held back at the end, didn't you?"
She had sensed even that. As expected, no letting her guard down with the sword.
"It wasn't life-or-death."
"I know. Just a feeling, but without your consideration, it would have been quite fatal."
"No guarantee you wouldn't shatter the anti-magic barrier like last time."
"That's why it's my loss. And..."
Agnes's lips moved. For a moment, her cheeks puffed slightly. A hint of jealousy.
"Even with aura, I'm not sure I could have blocked it."
If it matched the power against the Old Man of the Mountain, even Agnes's aura might not withstand it easily.
But he wasn't certain. No guarantee that power could be replicated exactly. Lack of experience.
'I'd like to face Agnes using 'Sword Dance' at least once...'
Could sword unity overcome Agnes at her peak?
Of course, he'd use black magic too then, making fair comparison difficult.
"What on earth was that last strike? I've never experienced anything like it."
"Something I awakened facing a strong foe in the south."
He didn't detail Hashashin or the Old Man of the Mountain.
"I sought out the Iron Wolf to resolve those doubts."
Derek didn't know the answer either. Instead, he shared tales of ancient warriors who rejected aura.
"Honestly, I don't quite get it. Isn't aura ultimately human strength too?"
The ancient warriors were even more extreme than modern knights.
Knights revered aura but used physical strength as support.
Agnes valued physical power more but didn't reject aura. No need to forsake one.
"Anyway, yeah. I lack experience, so hard to put into words."
"It's fine. I'm not seeking a verbal explanation."
She offered a new sword. She had brought spares for this.
Her boldness drew a wry smile from Damian.
"You can... continue, right?"
She watched his reaction carefully.
Their current relationship was entirely under Damian's lead.
"Ah!"
Instead of answering, Damian gripped the new sword's hilt. Color returned to Agnes's face.
* * *
"What the hell is this?"
Damian and Agnes's sparring continued until the sun bled crimson.
Ezekiel, freshly awakened, tilted his head at the sight.
Two men and women—no, a man and woman—sweating as they crossed swords in the courtyard. Fiancés, no less.
Is this how kids date these days? Ezekiel shrugged and turned away.
And the next day.
"Damian!!! Save me!!!"
Dillon's cry shook Ezekiel's mansion.