Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 038
Chapter Title: The Poisoned Party
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“Guhk.”
Along with a choking groan that cut off his breath.
Thud.
The candidates began collapsing one by one.
Those who belatedly caught on to the situation tried to muster their mana, but it was no use.
Neutralizing poison with mana was a fairly advanced technique—for greenhorns who couldn’t even properly wield the power they possessed.
It was far too much for them.
Trembling.
Bulging eyes, candidates crumpling to the floor.
“…….”
The music in the hall cut off in an instant, and a heavy silence descended.
“Resistance is pointless.”
A voice rang out.
Shhh.
Violet mist enveloped the party hall.
These schemers hadn’t stopped at poisoning the food—they’d also laced the venue itself with toxic fumes.
“There’s nowhere to run.”
Those still holding out glared at the owner of the voice.
“You….”
The culprits were obvious.
The hosts of the party.
No, the host families.
“No need to worry. We have no intention of taking your lives.”
Rolan, the head of the Rolan family.
And Ode, the lord of Vice.
“We simply….”
A smirk.
“Wish to extract one promise from you all.”
The candidates had looked so dashing earlier that for a moment, it felt like the genre had gotten mixed up.
But that couldn’t be.
This was a noir world backed by the underworld.
“Eventually, one of you may become the master of House Demorus. Even if not, you might snag a major position there.”
They’d been poisoned since last night’s party.
Exhausted and wounded from subjugating the Dark Orc village.
There was no way they could resist poison prepared so meticulously.
“Or perhaps….”
Ode flashed a vile smile as he dragged someone forward.
“How about we all support Candidate Kephia here?”
Kephia—one of Demorus’s candidates, and as feeble a specimen as they came.
He hadn’t even joined the Dark Orc subjugation, and from yesterday, he’d seemed already poisoned, nodding blankly to Ode’s every touch.
This was their goal.
‘Secure future kickbacks from Demorus bloodlines, or back the puppet they propped up.’
Strike when candidates were at their most vulnerable, and the still-unripe ones wouldn’t dare withstand it.
“…How dare you.”
Someone muttered.
“Do this and think you’ll get away… unscathed…!”
One of the candidates.
“House Demorus…!”
“You still don’t get it.”
Ode clapped his hands.
“Ladies and gentlemen.”
His gaze swept the hall.
“This is part of the candidate trials, you see.”
His tone and voice had shifted now that he was certain every candidate was poisoned.
“Accidents during trials? No one takes responsibility. You think House Demorus has acknowledged you for real?”
With that, Ode swung his fist.
Thwack!
His puppet, Kephia, staggered weakly from the blow.
“Guys gunning for the head of House Demorus, falling for a trap like this? Demorus won’t bat an eye.”
This, too, was a trial.
Realization dawned, and the candidates’ faces drained of color.
They had power, but couldn’t use it—and the name that had bolstered their confidence meant nothing now.
They’d walked the candidate path thanks to patrons or luck, but they couldn’t survive the real trials.
“So listen up, you idiots. I’m gonna make you valuable humans. That’s the deal.”
Ode smirked, certain of victory.
*
*
*
Every candidate lay writhing on the floor, faces twisted in agony.
Not immediately fatal, but the pain of mana scattering and muscles seizing up was pure terror.
“Verify them, then proceed with the contracts.”
Ode didn’t doubt every candidate was poisoned, but Rolan did.
He knew House Demorus far better than Ode.
“Yes, boss.”
Just in case, he inspected each one.
Candidates meeting his eyes.
Snicker.
One of them curled his lip.
Sein Demorus.
He’d eaten and drunk like the rest.
The toxic fumes still seeped through his nose and mouth.
But Sein had known it all along.
‘Worth the effort.’
He’d trained poison resistance ever since Chichiron.
Prepared for the real thing, senses different from the game, just in case.
That’s how he’d recognized the bitter aftertaste in the food as poison—and above all, his current body was impervious to it.
“Amen.”
Angel’s blessing.
Dragon mana.
Demon King’s power.
A body infused with all that couldn’t be felled by petty poison.
Especially since these fools could never know poison didn’t work on one who wielded a holy sword.
Sein scanned the hall.
‘Ciss, Roberta….’
And.
‘Balak.’
Candidates untouched by the poison.
They feigned affliction, but their mana flowed vigorously, and their slightly narrowed eyes burned clear.
Just as Sein saw them, they saw him.
Exchanging signals.
“…You.”
A Rolan subordinate approached Sein, eyes narrowing oddly.
Something felt off, no matter how he looked at it.
“A bit slow on the uptake?”
And that turned out to be the worst possible move.
Stab!
“……!”
Rolan’s subordinate would only realize it in death.
Sein straightened from his crouch.
“……!”
Rolan’s men, Rolan, and Ode stared in shock.
“Angra’s poison—how?!”
“Felt kinda toxic.”
The sole reason Sein had played along with the farce:
“Contracts almost wrapped up?”
No need to stop them from doing exactly what he wanted.
Ode and Rolan had forced magic contracts on the poisoned candidates.
Fwoosh!
In that instant, Sein’s figure vanished.
“Won a few hands already—oh well.”
The magic contracts, split between Ode and Rolan’s hands, were now in Sein’s grasp.
“…Disobey an order, and you lose your mana and life.”
The terms spelled out.
Flutter.
Sein shook them and grinned.
“You think this crap holds forever? Even a magic contract—unfair clauses like these won’t last long.”
“You bastard!”
“Or maybe….”
They all glared and lunged, but couldn’t move.
Whoooosh.
Aura bloomed from Sein’s body.
It crushed the air around them, pinning them in place.
Eyes cracked with golden light.
—Dragon Fear.
An enhanced ability gained through his perk.
“Looks like you’ve got someone to enforce this insane contract.”
That was the moment.
“Kill him!”
Rolan barely shook off the Dragon Fear and bellowed. Mana flared, freeing his men as well.
Imperfect as it was, escaping Dragon Fear was no easy feat.
“A blessing, huh.”
Rolan possessed a fragment of blessing too, it seemed.
Rolan’s men charged at Sein.
And then.
Riiip!
The air split with a tearing sound.
What followed.
Spluuurt!
A blood fountain that smothered the toxic fumes entirely.
*
*
*
Those who’d awaited the signal.
“Gaaahhh!”
Ciss and Roberta—candidates named Balak—burst into the chaotic hall.
“How dare you.”
Ciss, of main house blood, couldn’t contain his rage.
“…….”
Roberta kept her cold expression as she slashed through Rolan’s men.
As for Balak:
“Damn, it’s lit.”
He grabbed Rolan’s men and tore them apart.
He hadn’t stood out in the Dark Orc fight—either he’d grown, or he’d been hiding it.
Boom!
Displaying phenomenal combat prowess, he crushed Rolan’s men.
“Who is it.”
Sein alternated between Ode and Rolan.
“Who among you knows the guy who’ll enforce this contract.”
“…….”
“I’ll spare one.”
No sooner had Sein finished speaking.
“It’s me!”
Rolan shouted.
“You fucker…!”
Ode screamed betrayal at Rolan, but it was too late.
Slash!
A red line traced Ode’s neck in an instant.
Thud.
His head hit the floor just as fast.
“Th-thank you.”
Rolan had ruled Vice’s back alleys for years for good reason.
He had the skills and the smarts.
Especially since he was the one who’d seduced Ode.
“Talk.”
Sein’s voice.
“Gaaahhh!”
“Boss!”
“Chief—! Spare me!”
As Ciss and the others massacred the candidates, Sein spoke.
Meaning: once they’re all dead, you’re next.
Spit out what I want first.
“Where.”
Sein asked.
“Contra!”
Contra—a small city in District 6.
Vice was District 7; even a back-alley king couldn’t casually cross districts.
“Someone’s backing you.”
Someone aiding Rolan.
His pupils dilated massively.
“Who.”
Crunch!
Sein seized Rolan’s throat.
“A…. A….”
Groaning in pain, Rolan’s mouth opened.
“A…Kain….”
Akein.
That was the name.
“De…mon….”
And in the next instant.
Splaaat!
Rolan’s head burst like a watermelon.
“Ugh, messy.”
Not Sein’s doing.
“Only got one name out of him.”
A restriction on Rolan had exacted punishment for spilling forbidden info.
Sein had tried shattering it with Dragon Fear, but all he’d gotten was the name.
By then, the chaotic hall had settled.
With Rolan and Ode dead, their men knelt. Ciss was tending to the fallen candidates.
“Still….”
Sein flashed a satisfied smile.
“An unexpected haul.”