Chapter 680: Giving It All Away for Free
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 680: Giving It All Away for Free
“An Ancient Artifact?”
Dim light filtered through the translucent crystal layers, refracting in a way that made the world outside look comically distorted.
Muen tried to move his body, only to find that aside from the most basic, minute actions—like blinking or speaking—any significant physical movement was impossible.
He was currently like an insect trapped in resin; all he needed was the passage of time to become a piece of exquisite amber.
“Rather than amber, I think you’re more like a princess sealed in crystal right now.”
Chihe Nilo held the shimmering cubic crystal in his palms, wearing a gentle smile that seemed entirely out of place for a ferocious member of the Demon Race.
“How does it feel? My dear Princess Muen?”
“Do you know how much I want to plant a fist in that disgusting, ugly face of yours right now?” Muen asked, his expression blank.
“You’re welcome to try. Anytime you like—provided you can actually do it, of course.” Chihe Nilo placed a hand over his chest, offering an invitation like a refined gentleman.
“...”
Muen tried to move his body again.
This time, it wasn't just a simple probe.
Though he couldn't make large movements, within this tiny range of motion, Muen’s tempered muscle power—honed through a thousand trials—accumulated in an instant under his exquisite control. Then, it exploded!
The roar of thunder vibrated through the dust, briefly drowning out the continuous sounds of explosions coming from beyond the city walls.
Even a layer of solid steel wrapping his body would have shattered under the force of such concentrated internal power.
But... it was useless.
Muen’s Thunder Roar felt as if it had struck thin air. The violent vibration caused spiderweb-like cracks to appear on the ground beneath his feet, yet the crystal remained completely unscathed.
More importantly, the feedback Muen received from that strike felt as if...
There was nothing actually restricting his actions. Or rather, it wasn't the crystal that prevented him from moving; the external crystal was merely a phantom-like manifestation, representing a bit of "bad taste" from a creator who lived a thousand years ago. That was all.
But if there was nothing physical restraining him... how was he supposed to break free?
“So this is an Ancient Artifact? Truly impressive.”
Muen couldn't help but marvel.
The sense of eeriness this thing called the "True Love's Heart" gave him was no different from Celicia’s "Single's Resentment." Neither functioned through the precise manipulation of mana to construct a specific spell; instead, they exerted a degree of control over the rules of reality within a certain range.
While they were undoubtedly products of magic, their operating principles were completely contrary to the current magic system.
Perhaps ordinary magic could achieve similar effects, but the underlying foundations were fundamentally different.
It was like two completely different paths that might intersect halfway; however, one led to the mountain's peak, while the other... might just be a dead end.
“Indeed, this is what is known as an Ancient Artifact, a relic left behind from that brilliant era. Though it is an antique from a thousand years ago, it is not something any mage of this era could ever replicate.”
Chihe Nilo stroked the crystal in his hand and continued:
“And you humans—creatures whose connection to the civilization of that era has been almost entirely severed—surely cannot comprehend the mysteries within... Behold, this is the true End of Magic. Humanity’s current research and application of mana is entirely wrong. It is nothing more than primitive men constantly reinforcing their bows and spears. Utterly foolish.”
“The End of Magic...”
Muen’s gaze sharpened. This was the second time he had heard such a description.
“What exactly does that phrase mean? Do you demons know something, just like that damned old loli?”
“Know something? Who can say?”
Chihe Nilo chuckled and shook his head, as if pitying human ignorance.
“Of course, I don't blame you. Humans are simply pathetic creatures—fragile and short-sighted. You are destined to die by your own ignorance, just as you did a thousand years ago.”
“Humans? I recall that you so-called demons were once humans yourselves. And you keep talking about how pathetic humans are and how our path is wrong. You make it sound like the demons are on a grand highway, but if your path is so clear, why are you still stuck in the Abyss?”
Muen blinked, speaking with utter sincerity:
“Could it be that you actually like it there? If you love it so much, why not just stay there forever? Let’s stop all this killing; maybe we could even be friends...”
“Shut up!”
Chihe Nilo suddenly flew into a rage, the crimson light in his eyes flaring brilliantly. “If we had your kind of magical talent, we would have long ago—”
“Long ago what?”
“...You certainly have a silver tongue, Muen Campbell.” Chihe Nilo quickly realized Muen was fishing for information and regained his composure.
“It’s alright. I’m at the level where I could give even an Evil God high blood pressure.”
“...A sharp tongue won't save you, my dear Muen. You’re going to die very soon.”
“Is that so? I get the feeling you can't kill me quite that easily.”
Muen stared into Chihe Nilo’s eyes and suddenly smiled.
“Otherwise, you wouldn't be wasting so much breath talking to me.”
“...Correct.”
To Muen's surprise, Chihe Nilo actually nodded, admitting it quite openly.
“I cannot kill you. Although I have used this item to imprison you, I cannot lay a hand on you myself.”
“A restriction of the Ancient Artifact?”
“Not a restriction, but a condition.”
Chihe Nilo suddenly pulled out another sculpture—a girl with pure white wings.
With the cubic crystal in his left hand and the weeping girl statue in his right, Chihe Nilo’s gaze grew increasingly fanatical as he stared at Muen.
“After all... I truly love you right now. Only when sincere love is rejected can this device be activated.”
“...”
Muen couldn't help but shudder.
A horrific chill ravaged his nerves once again. After all that circling around, it turned out this guy was a genuine, bona fide creep.
But while cursing the man a thousand times in his head, Muen also felt a sharp, inexplicable sense of familiarity.
“Just to be safe, I have to ask.”
Muen looked at the statue in Chihe Nilo’s hand. “You wouldn't happen to be a believer of the Love God, would you?”
“Heh, I wouldn't call myself a believer. I merely petitioned that deity for a temporary measure of love. After all, the Love God is only ever this generous at times like these.”
“...”
Muen was completely speechless.
It’s you again, Love God! Goddammit!
You’re a dignified Evil God; why do you keep hooking up with these creeps to be your followers? Don't you find these people disgusting?
Oh, wait. You, the Love God, are the most disgusting one of all. Never mind then.
“So? How do you plan to kill me? A Demon General wouldn't go through all this trouble—playing dog for the Love God and bringing out this artifact—just to have a chat with me,” Muen sneered.
“Indeed. I cannot kill you. In fact, it is precisely because I wasn't certain I could kill you quickly enough that I resorted to this method.”
Chihe Nilo adopted a sorrowful expression.
It was as if he were truly about to witness the death of a beloved.
“But have you forgotten? Within this fortress, not everyone is... on your side.”
“You mean... an insider?”
Muen’s pupils shrank instantly. In that very moment, the death premonition in his mind began to scream frantically.
Muen reacted immediately, casting his gaze backward out of the corner of his eye.
At the edge of his vision, he saw Verner rushing over with his men. Seeming to realize that his current manpower wouldn't be enough to provide support, Verner gave an order, and a state-of-the-art magic cannon was slowly being rolled out.
The muzzle of the magic device glinted with a cold light. This was a terrifying weapon of slaughter capable of turning even giant One-Eyed Demons into ash in an instant.
“That’s right, an insider. This True Love's Heart will trap you, but it won't block external influences. Which is to say... attacks from others will still be effective.”
Chihe Nilo whispered, “Don't worry. Even if it doesn't kill you outright, once you're heavily wounded, I can release the binding of the True Love's Heart and easily deliver the finishing blow. By then, even if the Lion King himself arrives, it will be too late to save you.”
“Sounds like I’m a dead man.”
“Please don't speak of such sad things so bluntly.”
Chihe Nilo wiped the corner of his eye. “But unfortunately, yes, my dear Muen Campbell, you are dead. From the moment you failed to find the true insider, your fate was sealed.”
“Is that so?”
Looking at the pained yet excited Chihe Nilo—who was struggling like a protagonist in a story forced to sacrifice his beloved for the greater good—Muen felt no sense of being moved. Instead, he felt even more nauseated.
But then, the corners of his mouth curled upward.
“How do you know I didn't find the insider and prepare for this in advance?”
“What?”
Chihe Nilo whipped his head around. He saw Verner, who had been commanding the magic cannon, receive some sort of news. With a complex expression, Verner ordered the cannon to be withdrawn and even had his loyal personal guards retreat.
Within a hundred-meter radius, it seemed there was no longer anyone who could pose a threat to Muen.
“As expected of the Lion King’s son, to be so cautious,” Chihe Nilo remarked. “It seems you aren't as foolish as the rumors suggest... but how can you be sure you're truly safe?”
“Are you trying to say you have another card to play?”
Muen’s expression was mocking as he sneered, “Give it a rest. How much longer are you going to keep up this clumsy acting and misdirection?”
*
“Sigh, in the end, do I still have to trouble these old bones at a time like this?”
Old Robert rubbed his lower back as he laboriously set a long, black box onto the ground.
He was very old now. In his youth, he could cut down five demons in a row on the battlefield, but now, even carrying something slightly heavy left him exhausted.
Fortunately, this aged and fragile body could still move for now.
“This spot should be about right.”
Old Robert scanned his surroundings. He had been in the army for decades, half of which had been spent in this very fortress. He could recall every inch of the terrain with his eyes closed; in many ways, he was more familiar with the place than Lord Lion King himself.
Thus, he quickly found a suitable vantage point.
Once he was set, Old Robert opened the box.
The box was extremely ordinary, the kind seen everywhere. He often kept it by his feet, and no one ever paid it any mind.
But inside this long box were various precision magic parts.
Old Robert’s fingers brushed over the components.
“It took so long. My ledgers are perfectly fine, but it wasn't hard to gather these from such a massive stockpile of military supplies without leaving a trace.”
After muttering to himself, Old Robert’s hands began to move.
As if a familiar whistle had sounded in his ears, his fingers became incredibly nimble, assembling the parts one by one almost by instinct.
Even his mechanical hand didn't hinder him in the slightest. It was as if he had returned to decades ago, surrounded by comrades who, like him, had honed their skills through rigorous training.
Now, those people were gone.
Yet, he could still assemble these parts in under thirty seconds, as if he had been practicing every single day.
Soon, all the pieces were fitted together, and a pitch-black, menacing weapon appeared in his hands.
“Imperial Standard Individual Small-Scale Magic Cannon, Experimental Type—the product of those madmen at the Royal Research Institute who don't care whether soldiers live or die, trying to miniaturize magic cannons.”
Old Robert carefully stroked the creation—which looked more like a rifle than a cannon—and murmured with obsession.
“A pity it was a failure. The miniaturized structure couldn't handle the high temperatures of mana activation. It can only fire once before it's completely scrapped.”
“But one shot is enough.”
With practiced movements, Old Robert hoisted the small magic cannon and quickly aimed through the scope on top.
“A lens polished from the bottom of a wine bottle... the precision really isn't enough...”
He sighed, aiming the small magic cannon at the high-class demon, Chihe Nilo.
...But after only a moment’s hesitation, he suddenly shifted the muzzle slightly, aiming it at Muen, who seemed completely oblivious to everything.
“Forgive me, Young Master Muen, but you already started to suspect me.”
Old Robert slowly squeezed the trigger. “A shame. You were only one step away from the truth...”
“Mr. Muen wasn't one step away from the truth, you know.”
Suddenly.
A bone-chilling cold touched Old Robert’s neck.
Simultaneously, a foot stepped down, pinning the muzzle of the magic cannon firmly into the dirt, rendering his long-term infiltration as worthless as the mud beneath him.
Old Robert looked up in panic, only to find that at some point, Abel had arrived with his squad members and completely surrounded him.
A blade was already pressed against his vitals.
“You... you all?”
“Surprised, Traitor Robert?”
Abel kicked Old Robert, forcing him to his knees, and sneered coldly.
“Mr. Muen identified you as the insider long ago. Don't even dream of using such sneak attacks.”
“Is... is that so?”
Old Robert still seemed unable to believe it, murmuring with a pale face:
“Wh... why?”
*
“In this game of cat and mouse, there were three things you didn't account for.”
“One: I happened to intercept that batch of magic materials and discovered the rat hiding in the fortress.”
“Two: I have special tracking methods that allowed me to confirm those materials had been stored in the armory, which drastically narrowed down the list of suspects.”
“Three... I am more cautious and decisive than you imagined. The moment I realized this might be aimed at me, even though I didn't know your specific methods yet, I had the insider put under surveillance just in case.”
Muen looked at Chihe Nilo with a half-smile. Though he couldn't move, it didn't stop him from making a mocking expression guaranteed to send someone's blood pressure skyrocketing.
“It seems my dear Mr. Chihe Nilo’s willingness to even turn himself gay to achieve his goal... didn't actually accomplish much.”
“...Why wasn't it Verner?”
Chihe Nilo could no longer maintain his facade of "passionate love." His face darkened until it looked like it might drip ink. “Logically speaking, he should have been the most suspicious one.”
“Regarding that, I suppose it isn't easy to explain the concept of trust to you demons, who consider yourselves no longer human. Explaining how my father trusts Verner, and how I trust my father... that’s a bit much for you.”
“So, I’ll give you a simple logical deduction that’s easier to grasp.”
Muen looked at him as if he were a complete moron and said:
“Use that clever brain of yours. Mr. Verner is the second-in-command of this fortress. He manages logistics and troop deployment, enjoys everyone's trust, has his own personal guards, and has even held this fortress alone before. If he were truly your demon insider... would there be any point in me rushing here to defend this place? This Dolonslei Fortress wouldn't even need to be attacked; it would have opened its gates to you demons long ago. Honestly, don't you find the idea of an undercover agent making it all the way to second-in-command a bit hilarious?”
“Understand now? So, the moment I realized those magic materials had been in the armory, I was certain Old Robert was the insider. As for why I didn't arrest him immediately and instead had people pretend to secretly copy his ledgers to put on a show...”
Muen tilted his head slightly, flashing a handsome smile that could charm anyone.
“What do you think, Demon General Chihe Nilo—a man who is, in every sense of the word, a total waste?”