25
Chapter 25
Adela, the eldest daughter of the Northern Grand Duke's family of the Demon Realm.
Known as a simpleton, she typically acted a beat slow in most situations, but right now, she was racing faster than a gale.
It was because she worried for her younger brother, Oscar Lucifer, more than anyone else.
Whoosh!
Her crimson cloak fluttered wildly behind her. A bird of half-black and half-red plumage soared through the skies of the Demon Realm. Despite its small size, its energy was incomparably vast, enough to make the magical beasts of the sky tremble in fear.
"N-no... Oscar... You, you can't get hurt too..."
Adela ground her teeth, her patience wearing thin with anxiety. Beads of cold sweat formed on her elegant neck and scattered into the air.
The reason for her deep concern was clear. Long ago, something similar had happened to her. The memory of that accident remained a trauma, etched deep within her mind.
"Y-you can't end up like me... not someone without talent..."
Though Adela possessed lower intelligence than the average demon, she was well aware of this fact. She also knew all too well the discrimination she faced from the world due to her dullness.
In the demon society, strength is everything. Whether male or female, as long as one is powerful, there is no reason to be pushed back in the line of succession due to gender.
One only needs to look at the Clanaein family of the Western Duke Family, where the succubi have monopolized power, pushing aside all the incubi. Though the incubi themselves were lower-class demons.
And Adela was one of the strongest in the Northern Duke Family. The demons all agreed that she would reign as one of the most powerful beings in the next generation of the Demon Realm. It was common knowledge that even Retavis, the eldest son, and Leonard, the second son, would not match her once they became adult demons.
The reason the Head of Family excluded her from the succession was for a very rational cause.
Intelligence. In this fierce Demon Realm where intrigue and schemes were rampant, a low-intelligence individual like Adela could never hold the position of Head of Family. Even if it was the result of a childhood accident caused by others.
Adela didn't harbor resentment toward that decision. She knew better than anyone that she lacked the capacity to lead the main house.
She didn't mind that the word had spread that she was excluded from succession simply because she was female. She knew it was a way of sparing her pride.
"Oscar! Are you there!"
However, she was simply afraid. Afraid that the same event and its tragic aftermath would befall her beloved brother. If the ominous future she imagined became reality because of the duel she had arranged...
Moreover, unlike her, her brother had no talent for magic. He hadn't been able to unlock his magical powers even by the age of nine. He might end up being treated even worse than she was.
'No, it's okay. They said he's just feeling a bit sick. He has to be okay...!'
Unnecessary thoughts weren't helpful. Adela shook her head vigorously and opened the window to her brother's room.
The reason she flew through the air to the window instead of coming through the main entrance via the hallway was her desire to save every possible second. It showed just how desperate she felt.
"Oscar! If you're in there, answer me! No matter how sick you are, surely you can manage a single word...!"
After opening the window and entering the room, Adela first checked the bed. Since he was said to be unable to even move due to his illness, she expected him to be lying there.
"Hmm?"
But contrary to her expectations, the antique bedspread was completely exposed. There was no one on the bed.
'What... they said he was sick, so why isn't he here?'
Flustered, Adela looked around. She saw nothing. The room gave a slightly messy impression with a few things scattered about, but it wasn't enough to be worrying.
'Did he feel better and go to eat? I can't tell since he didn't use the hallway. Well, I've confirmed he's not here. I'll head back to the dining hall for now.'
She briefly considered tidying up her brother's room, but quickly dismissed the thought. As far as Adela knew, Oscar was exceptionally brilliant despite his young age. What if she accidentally messed up something he had intentionally organized?
Coming to a conclusion, Adela strode toward the door, planning to look for Oscar slowly after returning to the dining hall.
The moment Adela stood before the door and grabbed the handle.
Tap.
A light sound, as if something had bumped, came from the wardrobe next to the door.
Because the sound was so faint, Adela didn't pay much attention to it. Dismissing it as a mouse and attempting to leave again.
Thump.
A collision sound, slightly louder than before, rang out clearly. It was almost as if it were pleading for her to look. Unlike before, it was now impossible to miss, and Adela's attention naturally shifted toward the wardrobe.
Adela let go of the doorknob and reached for the wardrobe instead. An inexplicable tension tightened in her throat.
Suppressing a subtle fear, Adela bravely swung the wardrobe open.
Clunk!
"......!"
Thump. Startled, Adela fell backward and landed hard on her backside. Shock and horror washed over her face as she realized she had opened a door that should have remained closed. The contents of the wardrobe were reflected in her wide eyes.
"Mmm... phff..."
Inside the wardrobe was a demon. A gag was stuffed in her mouth, her entire body was bound tightly with thick ropes, and her eyes and ears were covered with a blindfold and plugs.
Adela recognized the demon. She didn't just know her; she knew her very well.
So well, in fact, that they had shared a meal at the same table just this evening.
"W-why is Aunt here...!"
A bewildered voice escaped Adela's crimson lips. She simply could not believe the grotesque sight before her.
Thud—thud—thud.
The demon in the wardrobe was incessantly slamming the back of her head against the wall. It was as if she didn't even know Adela had opened the door. Adela instinctively realized that this sound was what had lured her here.
It made no sense. Why was her aunt in such a state in her brother's room? They had been together just a few minutes ago during dinner.
"Mmph... mmm... mmmph..."
The distressed demon let out muffled groans, blocked by the gag. Snapping back to her senses, Adela hurried toward her, leaning in to untie the ropes.
It was then.
Swish—!
A deck of Trump Cards flew from some corner of the room. Drifting lightly like a fresh breeze, they intercepted the space between Adela and the demon, arranging themselves in a specific pattern.
Initially thinking it was a trap, Adela tried to blast the cards away with her magic, but she stopped when she saw them forming letters. She felt this might be the only clue to explain this bizarre situation.
Contrary to her hopes, however, the message formed by the cards only deepened her confusion.
[BE QUIET]
Shh.
The only clue ended in a command.
At the end of the frustratingly short clue, the bewildered Adela...
'Wait...!'
She realized that the door she had just been about to exit—the one whose handle she had gripped—was gone. In its place was a random wall covered in luxurious wallpaper.
A solid wall, as if it had always been there.
A wave of cognitive dissonance crashed over Adela. Why was her aunt here in such a state? Why had the room she thought was her youngest brother's transformed into this? What were those mysterious cards telling her to be quiet, and where had the door vanished to?
Overwhelmed by an unknown terror surging from within, Adela instinctively stepped back. A bag that had been lying on the desk somehow slid behind her and tripped her.
Crash!
"Ugh, uuu...!"
The cluttered room was gone.
In its place was a room of Chaos, where logic was warped and common sense did not apply.
*****
Man, my palms are burning. That means Adela has already entered the array I set up in my room.
I used Eagle King Horus's Egg very efficiently. I cleared my blocked pressure points and gained a small amount of magic.
Most importantly, the egg allowed me to create an Illusion Array to deceive Adela. This was only possible because both Horus and Adela were Absolute Strong Ones of a similar level.
During the previous banquet, I intentionally ground hallucinogens and herbs that induce delirium into her meal. Though not yet an Absolute Strong One, she had reached a considerable level of mastery. To make her fall for a hastily made array, I had to use drugs at the very least.
Judging by the reaction in my palms, it seems I've succeeded.
As I stretch my neck and look up, I see the vast, desolate sky of the Demon Realm. The sky, like a stage after the curtain call where the lights have completely faded, seemed to applaud me, declaring the Joker's stage complete.
Right now, I am at Endros' Cliff. I'm not standing tall and facing the depths of the cliff, but instead, I'm crouching amidst the brush a short distance away, hiding like a jackal.
Why am I doing this? Because exactly at midnight, there are two demons who will come rushing here.
I've temporarily taken off the white mask I spent so much effort on and hidden it inside my clothes. Normally, a mask hides one's identity, but right now, it would only heighten the enemy's vigilance. There's plenty of time to put it back on once I've created the right situation.
Flutter!
Step.
Just then, one demon who arrived by flying on a wyvern and another who walked upon the earth arrived at Endros' Cliff.
My eldest brother, Retavis, and my second brother, Leonard. One is a sharp-looking handsome youth, and the other is a fierce-looking boy. Oh dear, Leonard. How did you inherit only half of father's good looks? Poor thing.
This world is all about looks. Ugly demons have a much harder time in life than handsome ones. Therefore, I've decided that I must end Leonard's miserable life as soon as possible. It's absolutely not because I prefer pretty and handsome things.
"Brother? Why have you come here?"
"Leonard, why are you here? This isn't exactly a place for you to be strolling."
"Well... I just came out for a walk. My stomach felt a bit bloated."
"I see. Then be on your way back. I have business to attend to here."
Sensing something fishy about Retavis's sudden appearance, Leonard lets out a lie. Perhaps because he was so eager for a secret meeting with Lilith Clanaein, Retavis failed to notice the hesitation.
But Leonard did not.
"...Business, you say?"
"Indeed. Is there a problem?"
"Could you not tell me? If you would, your younger brother could do his best to assist you."
"Enough. This is a private matter. You need not concern yourself with it."
Retavis spoke with a face flushed with excitement. Detecting this, Leonard's eyes flashed sharply as he asked.
"Wait a moment, Brother. Don't tell me you also... the Western Duke's..."
"Oh? Eldest Brother, Second Brother. What brings you both here? Did you also receive word from the Western Duke Family?"
"Oscar? Where did you suddenly pop up from?"
"Youngest...? Why are you here too... No, wait, did you just say the Western Duke Family...?"
Do you know the natural enemy of magic? It's when the audience unites. For a magician who must confuse the audience and deceive their eyes with shallow illusions, the moment the audience forms a tight alliance, the trick is as good as failed.
Of course, a veteran magician like me has a countermeasure. I simply become one of the audience members and blend in with them. Since the audience is preoccupied with the stage, they won't think to check their own ranks.
Now, from this moment on, I am the young Oscar. The innocent, clueless child Oscar, lured to Endros' Cliff by a mysterious letter from the Clanaein Family of the Western Duke Family.
"Did you also receive this letter? The one from Lilith Clanaein, the sole heir of the Clanaein Family?"
As he asked, Leonard pulled a letter from his clothes. I'm the one who gave that to him, and he hasn't the slightest clue.
"Wha-what? You received that letter too? The letter clearly said to come to Endros' Cliff alone...!"
Stunned by the unexpected situation, Retavis hurriedly pulled out his letter. Oops, I didn't make a letter for him. I better change the subject before he tells me to show mine.
"Yes, it said to come to Endros' Cliff by twelve tonight... I don't quite understand the situation."
"Sigh, I feel the same. I wonder why the sender called us here but hasn't shown up..."
"No, but why send letters to all three of us? I doubt they would play such a trivial prank on people they've never even met..."
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother. What do we do now? The night is growing late... Should we trust those who sent the letters and wait for a while?"
"I'm not sure... Perhaps they are waiting down there. It might be best to head down the cliff."
Synchronizing with the audience is easy. You just need to create common ground. For instance, the shared experience of being placed in an unknown situation that might be a trap, while remaining completely ignorant of the truth.
The heart is a fragile thing; the more the surroundings are stripped away, the more obsessively one seeks something to lean on. They completely ignore the ancient wisdom of knocking on a stone bridge before crossing. And then, they only regret it after they've already fallen into the water.
I naturally stepped between Leonard and Retavis. While Retavis didn't seem to mind, Leonard was currently treating even Retavis as a potential threat.
Since Retavis was the strongest here, I had to stand between them—making Retavis feel the bond of blood, and making Leonard feel that I was his only ally.
Of course, neither of them liked me. Leonard, in particular, hated me enough to try and kill me at every opportunity. It might seem strange that I could approach them without causing suspicion.
However, hatred and murderous intent always bow miserably before a fundamental threat to one's life.
On a cliff within a forest of the Demon Realm crawling with magical beasts, two young demons who hadn't reached adulthood and one who had just reached it were left behind. Bewilderment and fear were already written across the faces of the two younger ones.
"Sigh, surely that succubus, Lilith Clanaein, isn't playing with us? By sending fake letters?"
Furthermore, they now harbored a faint hostility, suspecting they had been toyed with. Not toward me, but toward Lilith.
"...Grrr, impossible. Unless she wants to start a war with us."
"I heard Lilith Clanaein is an incredibly arrogant demon. That she treats others like toys. I recall hearing that as the sole child of the Western Duke Family, she's always been pampered."
"Lilith! That damned wench! How dare she trick me! Me, Retavis, the eldest son of the Lucifer family!"
The hot-tempered Retavis vented his anger by kicking the ground. It was mindless venting. His pride was wounded because he had shown such a pathetic side in front of the younger siblings he always looked down upon.
Lilith! I'm sorry! I'll buy you beef next time we meet! Oh, since you're a succubus, maybe the blood of a male demon would be better?
"Let's not get excited and instead check our surroundings. No matter how thoughtless that demon is... she wouldn't do this as a prank."
Unlike the agitated Retavis, Leonard calmly observed the situation and surveyed the area. A good habit. Although his occasional outbursts of rage are a major flaw, he usually maintains a composed demeanor when facing difficulties.
Of course, that's good for me, not for Leonard. Composure usually works in one's favor, but I had been waiting for that very composure to kick in.
"She might be down below."
Leonard approached the edge of the cliff and looked down. He pointed toward the bottom of the cliff as he spoke.
Composure allows one to broaden their perspective. Unlike Retavis, who was doing nothing but stomping on the ground.
"The name 'Endros' Cliff' usually refers to the top, but you never know. Succubi love wordplay, after all."
"Are you talking about the bottom of the cliff, which is invisible due to that fog?"
I strode toward him. Recognizing me as an ally to cooperate with, Leonard didn't avoid or block me.
"Yes, right there."
Leonard knelt, leaning his upper body forward and pointing down the cliff. I approached closely, as if trying to peer through the darkness.
"Through the fog, I think I see something whitish. Come here and look. Could that be Lilith Clanaein?"
"Oh, you're right. But that..."
Leonard leaned his body close to mine, glancing sideways at Retavis, who was still kicking the ground. Because he was focused on a pointless rivalry, he failed to see the fire right under his feet.
Fire has no malice. If someone walks right into it asking to be burned, it can only grow and swallow them whole. Fires are called disasters because they possess neither goodwill nor ill will. I am the same.
I am the fox lying low. A mischievous brat who pulls the support out from under the two trembling wolves just as they cling to me, believing it to be the safest spot.
If you give a knife to a brat who's only nine years old...
"Those are jagged rocks that would crush bone and flesh upon impact."
Thump.
"Ah! Oh no!"
".........Huh?"
Since Leonard's center of gravity was tilted forward, he easily tumbled over with just a slight push from my foot. Thrown into the empty air, Leonard fell helplessly. A great sense of liberation enveloped his entire body. Not yet realizing the situation, Leonard cast a blinking gaze back at me.
As he stylishly vanished into the depths, I shouted in mock distress.
"Your foot slipped! Since it's come to this, there's no helping it! Brother! Let's say our final goodbyes before it's too late! Have a safe trip to the afterlife! I'll send a companion soon so you won't be lonely!"
The horrified gaze of the rapidly falling Leonard and the shocked eyes of Retavis, who had witnessed everything, washed over me.
I truly love those looks. It's the reason I can't stop the show.