Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: I Made That Thing?
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Descending from the mausoleum, I stepped into the Imperial Palace's operations room.
A massive magic map that once displayed the entire continent's battle situation in real time had been placed here. But right now, all I saw before me was a flickering, mana-depleted slab sputtering out static.
"What's wrong with this thing? Why'd the screen cut out like that?"
"Ah, well... It's past the time to replace the mana stones..."
"What a pain in the ass."
I clicked my tongue and slammed my fist down on the edge of the table.
"Eek?!"
The nearby soldier flinched in terror, but the effect was immediate.
[Zzzzt... Pop!]
"Huh?"
The sputtering magic map cleared up perfectly, vividly displaying the terrain around the capital and the red dots scattered across it.
Sure enough, machines or magic tools only listen after a good smack. Physical therapy's the cure-all, whether five hundred years ago or now.
"Explain. These red dots—are those the rebels?"
"Yes, sir."
The defense captain who'd cowered before me atop the walls earlier now gripped the commander's baton. He glanced at me cautiously while pointing at the map.
"The rebel leader is the former Imperial Minister of Defense, Duke Kane."
"The ex-Minister of Defense staging a coup? The country's running real smooth. You fucking idiots."
A Minister of Defense holding the sword backwards. Even a dysfunctional family has its limits.
"He's claiming the Empire's decline is due to the Imperial Family's incompetence, and that he'll become the new Emperor to rebuild it."
"Sounds like a solid justification. Denouncing the incompetent royals... Honestly, hard to argue against. Looking at what Friedrich's been up to, even I'd grab a sword. Admit it—you've all badmouthed the Emperor over drinks at least once, right?"
"How could we!? I would never dare such irreverence...!"
The defense captain paled and waved his hands frantically.
I scanned the map spread out on the table. Troop deployments crudely encircling the area in a semicircle, excluding the spot where the elves had been.
"So, who came up with this formation?"
"It's said Duke Kane is commanding personally. He's known in the Empire as a considerable strategist..."
"Strategist?"
I snorted derisively.
"The supply lines are wide open. The rear's completely exposed, and they've gone all-in on the attack? Send one cavalry unit around back, and their supplies get cut—they'd wither and die. And they call this a siege? This is chicken-brained at best."
"He's aware the Imperial forces have no cavalry to deploy right now. And more importantly..."
The defense captain swallowed hard.
"They have a powerful ace up their sleeve. Something that lets them ignore conventional tactics."
"What is it? They bring a dragon or something?"
"No. Black mages have joined them."
Black mages.
The room's atmosphere chilled instantly at those words.
"They wield forbidden dark magic to raise corpses, corrupt minds, and unleash curses. Duke Kane hired them."
The defense captain spoke gravely, as if the world were ending.
"Their black magic operates on a completely different system from what we know. There's no way to counter it!"
I stared blankly at him before bursting into laughter.
"Hey."
"Y-Yes? Lord Kasian. Why are you laughing...?"
"That forbidden magic you're talking about—the corpse-raising, curse-casting stuff. I wrote the manual on it."
"Pardon...?"
I clicked my tongue at the captain's dumbfounded expression.
"Back then, the higher demons had hides too thick for normal magic to scratch. So I puzzled over it: how to pierce their skin and efficiently burn their guts with minimal mana."
I sparked a crimson-black flicker at my fingertip.
"So I decided to hijack the demonic energy they used. That birthed what we call 'Anti-Demon Slaughter Magic Using Demonic Energy.' The origin of black magic."
I could only let out an incredulous chuckle. I didn't know if later generations banned my techniques, but parading knockoff instant meals in front of the original chef? Ridiculous.
"The guy who invented that's sitting right here, and you're scared of some bootleg copy?"
"Then you can counter their magic?"
"Counter? No need for fancy words like that."
I tapped the sword at my waist.
"It doesn't work on me anyway—this thing eats it for breakfast. Crude lumps of mana like that."
[Kieeeek!!]
Levatein shrieked hungrily in my mind. I soothed it while narrowing my eyes at a nagging sense of unease.
"But hey."
"Yes."
"Black mages running wild means the demons might be active again too... That dimensional gate—it's open, isn't it?"
The dimensional gate.
Five hundred years ago, the massive tear in the sky linking the demon realm to this mid-plane.
The passage from which the Demon King's armies poured, the spark of the Great War, the starting point of humanity's extinction scenario. That's when my comrades and I severed and sealed the Demon King's head.
Black magic's root is demonic energy from the demon realm. A surge of black mages meant suspecting demon involvement.
No need to suspect. It was almost certainly the case.
"No! Absolutely not!"
Elicia denied it urgently.
"The great rift you sealed five hundred years ago remains firm. We monitor mana fluctuations daily, and there's no sign of it cracking."
"You sure? If it's really open, the rebels are the least of our worries— it'd be the start of a second Great War."
"I'm certain. I stake my life on it."
"Fair enough... If it had manifested, the sensitive elves or dwarves would've flipped out first... The quiet suggests you're right."
"Those black mages are just depraved humans who've learned forbidden knowledge from ancient tomes."
"Hmm..."
I stroked my chin.
"Using black magic without demonic energy..."
That didn't add up...
Like an electronic gadget running without a battery. Black magic canonically used demonic energy or contracts with demons for power in exchange. Sure, I had this chatty sword at my hip as an unlimited demonic battery, but they didn't.
The fuel efficiency didn't match. Running black magic on human mana alone would be disastrously inefficient.
"You know why demons are scary?"
"Because... of their overwhelming might and destructive instincts?"
"Nah, that's secondary. Dragons or ogres top that. The real terror is they're merchants."
"Merchants?"
"Yeah. Shady loan sharks."
I clicked my tongue.
"Demons don't do freebies. They always collect a price for borrowed power. Usually souls, lifespan, or live sacrifices."
I jabbed my index finger at the map on the table. The rebel headquarters.
"Elicia."
"Yes, Lord Kasian."
"A locked front door doesn't mean thieves can't get in."
"What do you...?"
"They could smash a window or crawl through a doggy door. But the worst? Know what that is?"
I jabbed my index finger at the map on the table. The rebel headquarters.
"Someone inside opening the door for them."
"Ah...!"
"The dimensional gate closed five hundred years ago. Can't open from outside. But inviting from this side? Possible. Though it'd cost a fortune."
The Empire was chaos incarnate now. Chaos bred dying people, overflowing grudges and blood. Perfect for summoning demons.
'This stinks bad...'
I'd thought it was just a power grab by rebels. But it reeked.
"Demons have ranks. Low-tier like imps or ghouls? Just starving beasts gobbling whatever."
I continued explaining.
"But demon-class and above? They're smart. They toy with humans, delight in corruption. They savor souls down to the dregs—twisted hobbies. If something like that's backing the rebel brass..."
I scoffed.
"The rebels have no clue what they've touched. Trying to devour the Empire, but getting eaten first. Perfect hosts."
I shot to my feet. The chair scraped back with a screech.
"Let's go."
"Marching out now? We haven't even gathered all the troops...! The Imperial Guard's still regrouping, and the mercenaries haven't arrived!"
"Can't stand not knowing. And one troop's all I need—me."
I grinned, gripping the Demon Sword's hilt tight.
"Gonna ask those fake black mages myself. Who they're banking on—or if they've actually invited demon guests."
If demons were directly involved, cleanup would be a hassle. But Elicia's face was too grim, so as I donned my coat, I added lightly,
"Don't freak out too much, though."
"Pardon?"
"Even if real demons pop out, they won't be big shots."
"How can you be sure? I hear even the Empire couldn't handle the legendary legion commanders!"
Elicia wasn't wrong. History's Demon King legion commanders were walking calamities. A gesture leveled a castle; a strike wiped a knight order.
But I was certain.
"That's why they won't show. I know it."
I tossed it out as I headed for the door.
"My comrades and I wiped the strong ones—legion commanders included—down to the last seed."
"Ah...?"
"Lord of Flames? Your ancestors' Emperor and Kyle diced him. Plague Lord got sanitized by Lucia's holy magic. Shadow Lord? Sword food."
The Great War five hundred years ago was brutal through mid-to-late stages. So many died. But from when Hero of Light Kyle awakened? It wasn't war—it was a massacre.
Who stops an awakened protagonist? From the demon realm's view, pure disaster. Some lunatics barge in, behead the boss, smash everything.
"If any crawled out, they're clueless low-tiers or greenhorns born after I vanished."
I kicked the door open.
They think they summoned saviors, but they've just handed me justification.
A human civil war? Politically messy, so I'd go easy. But consorting with demons?
That's different.
Forget Imperial law— as an inquisitor, I could legally butcher them, and no one'd complain.
No—they'd praise me.
I drew the Demon Sword. The crimson blade flashed.
"Time for some cleaning."
With glee, I strode toward those who'd opened hell's gates themselves.