Chapter 33
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: I Will Teach You Fear (7)
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With Balton, the guard knight of the 2nd Princess Hedera, at the forefront, the knights began scouring every corner of Ruiple.
According to the intelligence they had obtained beforehand, they should have encountered magical beasts and demons without a moment's rest.
However.
The actual Ruiple they experienced was the complete opposite.
"How about over there?"
"Nothing at all. Not even a trace of demonic energy."
Balton frowned slightly upon hearing the report.
'Not even a single demon, let alone low-grade magical beasts.'
It was something he hadn't anticipated in the slightest.
He had worried that a particularly powerful demon might be lurking, but for even low-grade beasts to not appear at all? It was beyond expectations.
"Another magical beast corpse here!"
"Cause of death?"
"Sword wounds that look like they were inflicted by a human. It seems the woman called Tirvi and her group took it down."
Balton didn't like Tirvi.
He had dismissed her as a pathetic opportunist blatantly angling for a spot in the Imperial Knights while spouting nonsense about favors, but contrary to his thoughts, she had apparently achieved quite substantial results.
The knight wiped sweat from his brow and asked,
"Sir Balton, we've now circled the entirety of Ruiple. What should we do from here?"
"Hmm."
Subjugation count: 0. In other words, achievements: 0.
It was something Balton hadn't even considered. Put differently, the public order Tirvi had established was that impressive.
'In any case, our record has to surpass Zekiel's.'
If Ruiple turned out to be a safe zone, that alone would be good news, but Balton hadn't accepted the bet solely for the sake of securing this area's safety.
The 2nd Princess, Hedera, was a being who had to achieve perfection.
His liege needed to remain flawless going forward as well. She had to pass the Ascension Ceremony in the Celestial Realm with flying colors, becoming the empire's pride.
However.
Zekiel was the existence disrupting that flawlessness.
An entity that kept cracking her mind with something Balton couldn't even fathom. An obstacle. An impurity.
Thus, eliminating Zekiel was Balton's destiny.
'The moment we win the bet, that bastard's qualifications as inspector will be endlessly questioned. That's the beginning.'
But what was that guy doing right now, anyway?
"What is the inspector up to at the moment?"
"It looks like he's just enjoying a feast."
"...What a fool. Does he think Ruiple has no eyes or ears? Word of this will spread far and wide."
A pathetic tale. Balton clicked his tongue in disdain.
"Listen up, all of you!"
"Yes, Sir Balton."
"We'll take only the minimal rest and resume scouting. Demonic energy thickens at night—that's the rule. When Ruiple greets the darkness, the situation will change again."
"Yes, Sir Balton!"
It didn't matter if they couldn't catch even one.
Zekiel's record would be 0 as well, and upon returning to the imperial capital, rumors would spread that the Magic Tower inspector had thrown his mission aside to booze.
It was right then.
"Demonic energy detected!"
Of course, Balton sensed it too. Without a chance to respond, he charged toward the source with wide strides.
"Are you all keeping up properly?"
"Yes!"
And moments later, joy bloomed across Balton's face.
Krrruk—.
There, in the distance, was a low-grade magical beast in the form of a feral dog.
Normally, he'd sigh at such a worthless low-grade foe, but given Ruiple's current state, that single beast was a precious achievement.
"We must subjugate it ourselves!"
"Yes!"
Sword energy began gathering in Balton's blade.
Soon after, it surged forth like a raging torrent toward the low-grade beast.
Kugugugugu!
'...This bet is ours for the taking!'
Hidden within his helmet, Balton's face twisted into a grin.
Deep within the manor, in the residence.
Slurp—
In this place where only the sound of liquor sliding down the throat existed.
Tirvi quietly glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.
Already two hours had passed.
She looked at the Magic Tower inspector. For a full two hours, Zekiel had been steadily emptying his glass without pause.
—I'm only interested in you.
...Was that simply a confession?
Tirvi recalled Zekiel's gaze from two hours ago.
That look piercing straight through to her soul—it had made her wonder if her true nature had been exposed.
"..."
To ease her tension, she took a needless sip from her ice chalice.
Right, there was actually no reason for her to worry.
The inspector was just a materialistic fool brazenly expressing his desires, and he hadn't pierced her disguise in the slightest. That had to be it.
A high-grade demon's camouflage was far more intricate than one might think. That was precisely the secret allowing demons to hide slyly amid human society.
At that moment, Zekiel shook an empty bottle dry.
"The liquor's run out."
"Ah, yes! I'll fetch a fresh one!"
As she brought out more liquor, Tirvi casually probed.
"Inspector, is there anything else you desire?"
Whether body, money, or merits, she hoped he'd spill his guts so she could deal with him swiftly—for her own benefit.
"No need."
But Zekiel merely drank the replenished liquor. No conversation passed between the two, and afterward, only time flowed steadily onward.
He even had a strong tolerance.
Not showing the slightest inebriation no matter how many bottles he downed.
'...Should I have slipped in some sleeping pills?'
Had she known he'd drink so unsuspectingly, she would have dosed him from the start and gotten it over with. But now it felt too late to do so.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
In the silent residence, the clock's second hand sounded deafeningly loud.
Zekiel emptied his glass at regular intervals.
Tirvi felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.
She carefully broke the silence.
"You really love your liquor, huh? I should have prepared some snacks too. I'll go grab some quick!"
"Sit."
"...Pardon? Ah, yes!"
Overwhelmed by an inexplicable pressure, Tirvi sat back down.
Thinking about it, it was odd. For a high demon like her to obey a mere human's command.
...Probably because she was too accustomed to the role.
She was playing a lowborn wanderer martial artist, so catering to the Magic Tower inspector's whims was only natural. It was necessary for the greater cause.
Tirvi settled on that rationale for now.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The second hand spun endlessly.
A suffocating silence.
Finally, Tirvi came up with a clever idea.
She twitched the fingers hidden beneath the table.
Exactly ten seconds later, clamor erupted outside.
—D-Demons! Magical beasts!
—Demons too!
Like wildfire, the uproar swelled massively in an instant.
The crash of an overturned table rang out.
—There are too many!
—Lady Tirvi! Where are you, Lady Tirvi!
As the area devolved into chaos with the demons' appearance, Tirvi bolted from her seat as if she'd been waiting.
"This can't be—looks like the demons have shown up! I need to head out and handle them right—!"
But.
"Handle... them... huh?"
The door wouldn't open.
It stood firm as if the entire thing had fused into the wall. Even applying full force yielded no budge, leaving her flustered.
With a faint hope, she glanced back.
Slurp—
"..."
Still, Zekiel merely emptied his glass with his back turned to her. An inexplicable irritation welled up—she wanted to leave this place quickly—but the residence felt off.
Tirvi pushed against the door repeatedly.
"Why, why, why won't it open! I'm in a hurry here...!"
The moment she finally kicked it hard.
She realized.
The odd slipping sensation at the sole of her foot from the impact.
It wasn't stuck. The door had frozen solid.
Shhhh—
At the same time, the entire interior of the residence began turning pure white. As if the building had been constructed from ice from the very start. An exceedingly advanced technique.
'...Ice?'
The one here who wielded ice.
Only the Magic Tower inspector, Zekiel.
"...!"
Tirvi hurriedly pressed her back to the door. Feigning utmost composure, she spoke.
"Inspector, is this to protect me?"
"Who knows."
"I'm grateful, but I have to go outside. I mentioned being a martial artist myself, so I need to save at least one person. That's my duty."
"...An amusing tale. Good drinking fodder."
Slurp—
Zekiel drained his glass.
And simultaneously, ice began creeping up from beneath Tirvi's feet. She flashed a gentle smile.
"Inspector, why are you doing this? What do you want?"
No answer came.
Had he seen through Tirvi's true identity?
Even if he had, it wouldn't be a huge issue.
But what truly flustered Tirvi was Zekiel's strength. The sense that even if she revealed her true colors right now, she couldn't win.
"Tirvi, who do you answer to?"
"I'm just a wandering martial artist. No superiors or... "
"How are the demon realm's executives faring these days?"
"...Pardon?"
Kakakakakaka!
The residence froze over even more intensely.
"I-I don't know anything! Why are you doing this!"
A massive icicle hovered right beneath Tirvi's chin, and the frost spreading from the ground had already engulfed her ankles.
"S-St-Stop it! There are demons outside. I need to go save the townsfolk right—!"
The instant she shouted at the top of her lungs.
All the ice vanished in a flash.
Tirvi, who had been straining to pull her right foot free, ended up smacking her own chin with her knee.
Crack!
"Guh...!"
It hurt.
"Augh...!"
Rubbing her intensely painful jaw, she thought. Just a probe after all? She had to get outside first...!
The moment she moved to kick the door open.
Thud—!
An ice shard was tossed at Tirvi's feet.
A cleanly cut surface—an ice mirror.
"..."
Tirvi swallowed dryly without thinking.
Her eyes reflected in the mirror were already violet. Her body had reacted first upon sensing the threat.
"...How long have you known?"
Hiding her identity was no longer possible.
As Tirvi gripped her greatsword tightly.
"From the start."
Zekiel answered curtly.
"Tirvi."
Clink—
The man finally set his glass down on the table.
"We discussed what I want."
He slowly rose from his seat.
"I want your life."
Still facing away.
"No need to prepare anything. I'll handle it myself."
The man's breath came visible as white mist.
Just like a frost dragon awakening from its den.