Chapter 137
Chapter 137
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: The Starting Point of the Waves
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Demonium had begun.
The butler used mana to form the characters for "Life" and "Death" in midair.
"This Demonium's agenda is the survival of the human Berddin, who moves beyond the law of causality."
He continued, looking at the apostles in turn.
"We will vote on whether to let him live as is or strip his soul and send it to the spirit realm."
All eyes turned toward the top of the butler's head. He raised his left hand and raised his voice.
"Those in agreement to let the human Berddin live, please raise your left hand. Those opposed, raise your right."
No sooner had the butler finished explaining than Gregory raised his left hand.
"I believe we shouldn't touch him. Even if he's outside the law of causality, he hasn't defied the Lord's will."
Amon, who had been silent, struck the ground hard with his staff.
Thud, thud, thud!
"He hasn't now. But there's no guarantee he won't later, is there?"
"So you think Berddin will defy His will?"
"I'm not certain, but 'he might.' That's why we should nip potential trouble in the bud."
"So you're saying we should kill Berddin over something that hasn't even happened yet?"
"...That's right."
"Then, since I have a feeling you might betray us, should I kill you right here before it's too late?"
"N-No, that's absurd!"
Deadlord, who had been listening to their exchange, raised his left hand.
"I also vote for Berddin's survival. Having faced him myself, he's not one to stray far from the Lord's will."
Amon tilted his head in disbelief.
"What? Carlson, even you choose that?"
"Call me Deadlord. I'm here as an apostle, not the human Carlson."
"Disappointing."
"I'm disappointed in you too."
"...Sigh. What about you, Timeless?"
Timeless flung back his black cloak and removed his mask. Beneath it, a twisted man's face grinned brightly.
Swish-.
He raised his right hand.
"I vote for 'Death.' His survival does me no good."
Gregory hissed through his teeth at Timeless.
Hiss-.
"No wonder your face is twisted with those warped thoughts."
"What? Gregory! Saying that right next to me is too much. This happened because of an accident."
"Accident my foot-. Weren't you born like that?"
"No, I got kicked by bandits while I was in my mother's womb-."
"Enough, enough. I don't want to hear more. Just shut up and stare at the ground."
"...What did I even do wrong?"
Deadlord nodded toward Amon.
"You?"
Amon glanced at the three in turn before raising his right hand.
"I also vote for 'Death.' Because I believe his power could one day reach us apostles."
"Reach us?"
"Yes. Haven't you two faced him directly? You know he's no ordinary human."
Deadlord nodded curtly without denying it.
"True enough."
"Moreover, the newly appointed demon king, Monestier, died by his hand. We can't just let that slide."
Deadlord drew a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and turned his gaze to the final voter.
There sat Baphomet, not in his true form but disguised as a human.
"What say you?"
Judas—no, Baphomet—rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought without answering.
The vote was already split evenly, making him the deciding vote.
After a long deliberation, Baphomet asked Amon,
"Let me ask you one thing."
"Me? What question from the great Baphomet?"
"If Berddin bears the blood of the divine, do you think we should withdraw this Demonium's agenda?"
"...?!"
Baphomet, who had posed the question, let out a heavy sigh and shrugged.
"I asked because I think everyone here knows why."
"W-Wait, Baphomet. Do you have proof he has divine blood?"
"Proof aplenty. If you want, I'll show you after Demonium ends."
"......"
"I believe the reason he escaped the law of causality is tied to His will. That's why I've decided."
Baphomet raised his left hand high. With that, Demonium concluded.
Gregory deliberately approached Amon, clutched his stomach, and burst into laughter.
"Kahahahat! Foolish wizard, don't think everything will go your way."
Amon had to endure not only Gregory's mocking attitude but also Deadlord's warning.
"I'll keep voting for Berddin's survival, so don't call Demonium for such nonsense again."
In the now-empty conference hall, Amon hung his head and ground his teeth.
Grind.
"Damn bastards...."
Timeless approached and patted his shoulder.
"Ignore them. They're just lower ranks handling the bottom anyway, right?"
"...Timeless."
"I have a good idea, so wait a bit. We can use human power to deal with Berddin."
"Using human power?"
"Yes, using human power."
Timeless, scheming something, split space to reveal Baphomet's face.
Shiiiik-
"We'll proceed as before. Soon, those called children of the divine will summon you, Lord Baphomet."
Kangret explained the events that had transpired in Glazer over the past years.
"Edward was originally a good boy. Until the year he turned five and received his Guardian Spirit."
Kangret spoke with tears welling in her eyes. Kangradra, listening, turned his head, moved by the story.
"So you're saying he changed after receiving the Guardian Spirit?"
"Yes. He was kinder than anyone before that moment, but the instant he received it, he transformed. He began killing all his siblings."
"He killed his siblings?"
"Yes. The only survivor among the five brothers was his younger brother 'Dictri.' All the older ones..."
Edward was born in my era and was a genius dubbed the greatest mage in Glazer history.
In his previous life, he was killed by my siblings before he could bloom, never realizing his potential.
But in this life, with no competitors, why eliminate his brothers?
'No.'
He dealt with his own brothers before opposing us.
There must have been internal circumstances I didn't know about.
Kangret's story alone couldn't reveal everything that happened in Glazer.
As I remained silent, Kangret wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks and continued.
"That's how I lost all my children in the Glazer family and was driven out. To the west, with my brother here, Kangradra."
"What made you become assassins there?"
"...Our family has always been assassins."
"Your family?"
"Yes. You've probably heard of us, Lord Berddin. In the west, 'Black Snake' is a name unknown to no assassin."
Black Snake.
An assassin guild I knew of.
One of the continent's top guilds, said to possess experts capable of taking even an emperor's head if they wished.
Yet so secretive that few knew their true nature, and ordinary folk never even saw their faces.
'Even I never encountered them in my previous life.'
Rare indeed.
"So your connection to Hagen is the link between Black Snake and Glazer?"
"Yes. Though it's in the past. We're enemies with Glazer now."
"...Then one more question. You want to use me for revenge against Glazer, but why seek the hard path when an easy one exists?"
"An easy path?"
"Yes. With Black Snake at your command, revenge on Edward should be simple."
Of course, Glazer wouldn't sit idle if Edward died.
But these two were prepared for that.
"Impossible."
"Why?"
"Edward is stronger than we imagined."
"Edward?"
"Yes. You wouldn't know, Lord Berddin, but he has two hearts. If one dies, the other quickly regenerates it. Poison doesn't work, and even vital strikes heal fast. He's nearly immortal...."
My heart sank the moment I heard her words.
The rare "two hearts."
'That's why he could use magic with both hands?'
Who would have thought Edward possessed the two-heart condition required for Lightning, the fusion technique discovered after the Strange-Glazer war ended.
'Good thing.'
I'd erased all records of aura-mana fusion from the Glazer library before he could grow.
"So you came to me because you lack the power to kill him?"
"Yes."
"Your revenge is for him killing your brothers, and you're doing this to avenge your children, Kangret."
"Correct."
"One thing I don't understand. Isn't Edward Kangret's son?"
She bowed her head at the question.
She could answer yes or no easily.
Why this reaction?
As Kangret fell silent, Kangradra answered instead.
"No."
"Then whose son is Edward?"
"We don't know. Hagen brought him from outside one day. Since the boy had no mother, he asked my sister to fill that role."
"What was Hagen doing while Edward killed his brothers?"
Kangradra swallowed hard at my final question.
"...He watched."
"He watched?"
"Yes. The first day he witnessed Edward killing his brothers with advanced magic, he was overjoyed and ordered him to kill the rest."
"?!"
"He probably wanted to test how strong his son was. How superior his talent was against peer mages, and how exceptional the blood flowing in him."
Unbelievable.
In Strange, siblings fought to the death, but parents never incited massacres. They merely instilled survival of the fittest, hoping for transcendent growth.
"So Edward was influenced not just by his Guardian Spirit but also his father in killing his brothers."
"Indeed. And there may be other things we don't know...."
No sooner had she finished than a massive explosion roared from outside the castle.
Kwaaaang!
What followed was an event no one in Strange could have predicted.
Roarrrrr.
Amid the soaring flames beyond the collapsed walls, Edward revealed himself.
He gazed at Kangret and Kangradra with a wicked smile.
"...Oh ho, all the ones I want to kill are gathered here!"
This marked the beginning of the all-out war between Strange and Glazer.