Chapter 11: Another Demon of the Gem (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 11: Another Demon of the Gem (1)
‘Is that Brandon’s voice...?’
I tilted my head, wondering to myself.
Unable to suppress my curiosity, I crept toward the sound.
“Lower your voice, Brandon.”
“Lionel, that bastard!”
‘Lionel?’
My eyes widened at the familiar name.
I moved a little closer. Light leaked from the room, where it seemed the Duke, Brandon, and a few others had gathered.
[Wait, Master. If you go any further, they might notice you.]
‘But I can’t hear them well.’
[Hmm... Your mana is still lacking, but wait just a moment.]
‘...!’
As soon as Desmond finished speaking, the strength drained from my body.
Just because you’ve contracted with a demon doesn’t mean you can use their powers infinitely. The contractor’s own abilities must be at a certain level to use them effectively.
In that sense, this body—Claudia’s—had excellent innate potential.
It made sense, after all. She was the daughter of the Duke of Winston, a Sword Master, and Cedric, who, despite having an absolute trash personality, was one of only three Sword Masters in the Empire.
The problem was her age. Claudia was far too young for this potential to bloom. Perhaps because she was born with too much power, her physical body was also quite weak.
“Ugh...”
[Snap out of it, Master!]
“Phew...”
Still, I was okay for now. As I focused my mind, the voices drifting from the room became much clearer than before.
“I knew Marquis Lionel would refuse the divorce, but I didn’t expect him to go this far.”
It was Veronica’s voice. This meant at least three members of the Duke’s direct line were in that room.
At some point, the way Veronica addressed the male lead had changed. Her tone was now incredibly cold, as if she were speaking about a complete stranger.
“Why don’t we just go to war? There’s no way we’d lose to people like them.”
“Watch your mouth, Brandon.”
Vincent snapped sharply. So he was there too. It seemed like an important discussion, so it made sense that the heir would be present.
“This is different from a simple territory war. The Imperial Family is backing the Marquis.”
“But...!”
“Have you thought about what would happen to Claudia if we lose?”
“...”
The room fell silent instantly.
I swallowed a sigh and turned away after hearing their words.
That jerk Cedric not only refused the divorce but was even trying to start a territory war—all to get Veronica back.
Why go to such lengths? Was it because he hadn't fully absorbed the Winston Duchy’s businesses yet?
Originally, the plot was supposed to involve Veronica, the female lead, the Winston family, and the Temple clashing until the Winstons were slowly ruined.
But now he was trying to wipe out the Winston family by suddenly starting a territory war?
‘It makes no sense... but since the original plot has been derailed, I guess anything is possible.’
Fortunately, thanks to Desmond’s power, I made it back to my room faster than Sophia. I sank into deep thought.
If a territory war broke out now, who would have the advantage?
Objectively speaking, it was the Winston family. The barren North was practically a natural fortress.
In the history of the Empire, the Winston Duchy had never once fallen to another force.
‘But Cedric is the male lead.’
This world was on the side of the protagonist, not the villains. If he willed it, there was nothing he couldn't achieve.
“Damn it.”
I knew running away from the male lead wasn't the end of it, but I didn't realize he was this much of a lunatic. I paced the room, cursing under my breath.
[Can’t we just wipe them all out like that second brat said?]
“It’s not that simple.”
[Hmph! If only our Archdemon were here, those guys would be nothing but a handful of dust!]
“The Archdemon?”
[Yes. And the other demons who are sealed in gems like me...]
“Ah, the Demons of the Gem!”
Come to think of it, Desmond wasn't the only demon sealed in a gemstone. I just hadn't known because only Desmond appeared in the original novel.
“Where are the others?”
[Well, I wonder...]
“You don’t even know where your own comrades are?”
[Comrades! Don’t you dare group me together with those unpleasant bastards!]
“Hmm...”
As expected of demons, they didn't seem to get along.
I nodded and then asked seriously.
“Would the Duke of Winston know?”
[Well, if he’s the head of the family, he probably knows their general whereabouts. They might be kept somewhere as family heirlooms.]
“You were made into a bracelet for Veronica to wear.”
[Hmph! That’s only because the gem I’m in is exceptionally beautiful!]
“I see.”
Desmond shouted in an utterly arrogant tone.
After pestering him for information, I learned that there were five subordinates of the Archdemon in total, including Desmond.
The gems were divided into red and black ones; apparently, those were the colors demons preferred.
Perhaps that was why the Archdemon took a liking to the First Duke.
Anyway, the red gems consisted of Desmond the Garnet, Luers the Ruby, and—though I wasn't sure if it counted as red—Bibi the Pink Diamond.
The black gems seemed to be Ilnes the Obsidian and Dollens the Onyx.
Each demon apparently had different abilities, but Desmond didn't know the specifics.
Furthermore, to summon the Archdemon, one had to form contracts with all five demons in the gems, just like the First Duke had.
It wasn't like I was trying to collect Dragon B*lls or something. What a hassle.
“Ugh, whatever. I’ll just find them and contract with them as I go.”
[You’ll need to grow up a bit more if you want to handle more demons, Master.]
“Ah, that’s also a problem.”
In the original story, it didn't actually take that long for the male lead to execute Veronica and the Winston family.
Moreover, the villains who tormented the protagonists didn't end with Veronica and the Winstons.
There was a final boss who threatened the protagonists with brutal persistence until the very end of the novel.
‘The Mad Tyrant, Dantalion Noah Sylvester.’
Right now, he was nothing more than a Crown Prince pushed out of power by the Empress Dowager and exiled to the outskirts.
However, after the Winston family falls and Veronica is executed, the Crown Prince, who had been biding his time in the Western Frontier, returns to the capital with a massive army.
He even brings the allied nations that were once at odds with the Western forces over to his side, sweeping through the capital with unstoppable momentum.
Dantalion, who seizes the Imperial Palace in an instant, exiles the arrogant Empress Dowager to the very outskirts where he once stayed and ascends the throne.
From then on, he begins to relentlessly torment the male lead, who has lost his backing. He treats him like a mortal enemy.
‘It was said that Dantalion and Veronica grew up like childhood friends.’
Well, rather than childhood friends, there was a bit of an age gap, so the Crown Prince cherished Veronica like a younger sister.
That was why he couldn't forgive the male lead for driving Veronica to her death while he was away.
But even so, he harassed them so obsessively that he even drew complaints from the readers. To be honest, I didn't quite understand why Dantalion went that far either.
“Anyway, a tyrant, huh...”
The final boss who threatened the protagonists until the end with terrifying power.
Even though he ultimately failed to defeat the protagonists, I might be able to escape this situation if I use him.
As they say, the enemy of my enemy is a great ally. If I join forces with the future tyrant early on, I might reach a different ending than the original.
“Alright, let’s form an alliance with the tyrant!”
[Hmm?]
Desmond tilted his head.
Come to think of it, Desmond wouldn't know much about Dantalion. I couldn't exactly tell him that this world was a book and that I knew the future because I’d read it, so I gave him a simple answer.
“He’s the Crown Prince currently in the West. He’ll be able to help us.”
[The one called the Crown Prince?]
“Yes.”
[Why?]
“Because...”
Because he hated the protagonists in the original story?
Besides, surely he wouldn't turn a blind eye to his childhood friend, Veronica. I nodded to myself.
“Anyway, he’ll help.”
[Well, if you say so, Master...]
Desmond muttered skeptically. I gave him a bright smile.
“Since that’s settled, I’m counting on you again.”
[Sigh.]
Watching Desmond, who was once again playing the role of a carrier pigeon, exit the teddy bear, I let out a long sigh of relief.
*
“Grandpa.”
“Yes?”
“Look at dis.”
“Hmm?”
I showed the necklace around my neck to the Duke of Winston.
The Duke, who was working with me sitting on his lap as usual, widened his eyes.
“It’s a garnet.”
“Mommy gave it to me.”
“Berry did?”
“Yes!”
At my energetic reply, the Duke’s eyes narrowed.
He must have felt the unusual power emanating from the gem where Desmond was sealed.
“Berry really gave this to you?”
“Yes. I said it was pretty, so she took it off her bwacelet and gave it to me.”
“Hmm.”
The Duke’s face stiffened slightly.
“Do you know what that gem is?”
“A pwetty gem.”
“Haha, that Berry...”
He must be dumbfounded. It wasn't just any gem; a gemstone containing a demon would have been kept as a family heirloom for generations.
Veronica might get scolded by the Duke because of this. No matter how much she doted on her daughter, giving a family heirloom to a young child was...
“To make it into such a shabby necklace... that Berry has no sense at all. Shall Grandpa have it made into a tiara for you? I’ll make it even more magnificent than the one the Empress Dowager wears.”
“...”
Of course.
I looked up at the Duke of Winston with a deadpan expression.