Chapter 713: Rapid Advancement
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 713: Rapid Advancement
"Why is there a photo of An here?"
Complex thoughts flooded his mind, leaving Muen in a state of shock.
Even though he knew through the Duke’s intelligence network that An’s so-called "trip home to visit relatives" was actually a cover for her training in the Abyss, Muen never expected to see her photo in a place that should have absolutely nothing to do with a personal maid.
Why?
What did this mean?
Why would a scout sent to gather intelligence on the demons leave her photo in a place like this?
This couldn't be a random act.
Could it be... that An was connected to the Demon King?
"No, that’s impossible."
Muen shook his head firmly.
A place like the Duke’s estate would never allow someone of unknown origin to enter and become a maid, let alone the personal maid of Muen Campbell—the Duke’s once-only son.
An’s background, her origins, and even her lineage going back ten generations had been thoroughly investigated by the Duke’s manor. There were no omissions.
After An left, Muen had personally reviewed that information. He knew she came from a village on the Imperial border and had parents and family, but the entire village had been destroyed in a surprise raid by a small unit of demons. An was one of the few survivors.
Afterward, the young An was taken in by the Duke’s manor. Due to her exceptional talent, she became Muen Campbell’s personal maid, and then... the rest was a story everyone knew.
A surprise demon raid on the border wasn't exactly an anomaly. Although there were only five main exits from the Abyss to the outside world, minor rifts would occasionally appear within the spatial turbulence that blanketed the realm.
The Imperial border was indeed harassed by small groups of demons every so often, but they were always suppressed quickly without causing much of a stir.
In short, if An had any connection to the demons... it was her deep-seated hatred for them for destroying her family and village. That was why Muen hadn't been surprised when he learned she had gone to the Abyss to train.
But how could someone like her be linked to the words "Demon King"?
A girl of pure human descent, driven by the trauma of her destroyed village, a Divine Blessing recipient favored by the gods... even the most brilliant logician couldn't find a link between her and the demons deep within the Abyss.
Except for...
Muen’s fingers brushed over two crumpled words in the previous pages of intelligence: "Reincarnation."
Because of his own experiences, he understood that this was the only possibility among a sea of impossibilities.
"No, this is just a guess."
Muen crumpled the intelligence reports into his palm.
"This information is too vague, and there’s actually very little hard data. It looks like most of this is just the personal analysis of that scout lady. There’s no actual evidence. It’s not time to draw conclusions yet."
Yes, intelligence required proof. He couldn't jump to conclusions...
But...
Wait, hold on.
Muen suddenly remembered something.
"Is the demons' recent frenzy for capturing female adventurers really just because of the Grand Duke of Bewitchment’s preferences?"
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment had always been fond of women.
But she had never been this obsessive about capturing human female adventurers.
If one thought about it carefully, it was a highly inefficient move, especially now when the entire demon race was at war with the Empire. It was beyond abnormal.
Before, it could be explained away as the "selfishness and whims of the Grand Duke of Bewitchment," but when that strange behavior was combined with the intelligence in his hand...
"As I thought, that scent from before wasn't an illusion. An is here."
Muen gently traced the familiar face in the photo. His expression darkened as he stood up abruptly.
"This is bad. An is in danger!"
*
"Have we been walking for a long time?"
Ariel looked at the increasingly solemn and imposing decorations around them, her willow-leaf brows furrowing slightly.
"And we haven't run into a single enemy this whole way?"
As she spoke, a cold, eerie breeze drifted from nowhere.
"This is the core of Gutons Fortress. It’s massive—about a fifth of the entire fortress. You have to remember, Gutons Fortress is a grand city capable of housing a million people."
An walked ahead, her skirt fluttering. Her pace remained steady, each step as precise as if measured by a ruler.
"Furthermore, the vast majority of the demons are currently occupied with the Imperial border forces. They naturally can't spare the manpower to guard such a vast area. Most of this place is empty; only the most central areas are guarded."
"It certainly sounds like we can slip through the cracks."
Ariel couldn't help but find it strange. "By the way, are the demons really that few in number? A single Imperial border fortress can tie up most of them?"
"They aren't few. In a barren, cramped place like the Abyss, millions of demons live," An said calmly. "The harsh environment has bred their ferocity, but sieging a city is never easy. It’s common for an army to fail even with a ten-to-one or twenty-to-one numerical advantage. Moreover, that fortress is the Empire’s strongest, that army is the Empire’s elite, and their commander is the Lion King."
At this point, An’s flat tone finally carried a hint of emotion—part admiration, part reflected pride.
Or perhaps, because of a certain someone, she had finally gained a different kind of respect for the Lion King.
"So, on that battlefield right now, there are likely at least a million low demons crashing against that fortress like a tide."
"I can already imagine the carnage of that meat grinder."
Though she hadn't stepped onto that battlefield yet, Ariel could picture the terrifying and spectacular sight of a million-strong demon army swarming the Imperial fortress like a hive of insects.
Ariel sighed. "It seems the demon high command doesn't view low demons as people at all. Sending them to die like that... they’re nothing but cannon fodder."
"They aren't cannon fodder."
"Hmm?"
"They are numbers."
"Numbers?"
"Yes. Until now, they were numbers that never decreased. That is why the demon high command feels no mercy."
"What do you mean?"
Ariel was once again left bewildered by An’s cryptic words.
But An clearly had no intention of explaining. She suddenly turned to look into the distance, as if gazing toward that frantic, bloody battlefield, and whispered to herself:
"But this time is different. Because their goal..."
*
Rustle...
In the silent, grand building, even the slight friction of armor sounded incredibly clear.
Ariel and An had already hidden in the shadows. Ariel cast a quick spell to mask their presence.
"Did Lady Bewitchment leave any survivors last night?"
"None."
"What a waste. I was hoping to pick up some leftovers. Human female adventurers aren't easy to come by."
"You’d better keep those thoughts to yourself. Lady Bewitchment has been in a foul mood lately. I heard she killed a succubus serving her just for saying the wrong thing."
"Terrifying. How long has it been this time?"
"Less than ten days."
"It’s getting shorter and shorter..."
"Yeah... we have to do our best to carry out Lady Bewitchment’s orders. If we upset her and she kills us, she’ll devour our very souls."
"Lady Bewitchment never devours male souls, does she?"
"Haha, true enough..."
Two demons passed by.
Judging by their appearance and gear, they were both high-class demons.
Ariel’s eyes narrowed as she recognized one of them: Govelt, the one who had "captured" her not long ago.
"Heh, talk about a small world."
Ariel glanced at An. "What’s the plan?"
"Kill them."
"That simple and direct?"
"That simple and direct."
An gripped her scythe. "Make it fast. We can't let the Grand Duke of Bewitchment notice."
"Heh, understood."
Ariel grinned.
"I’m an expert at this."
She didn't draw the Heavenly Fire Greatsword immediately. Instead, she gave a light flick of her wrist.
Sharp, slender glints of cold light shot silently from her sleeve.
She then stepped out from the concealment spell with her hands behind her back, looking perfectly relaxed.
"Who’s there?"
Govelt used his strangely shaped skinning knife to deftly parry the incoming steel needles.
"You're..."
Govelt’s face darkened, but a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.
He certainly remembered that face. That stubborn expression was rare among the many human adventurers he had captured.
But this time, the expression he saw wasn't stubbornness—it was mockery.
"You actually escaped? How?"
"Oh my, I’d love to share the details and enjoy the look of disbelief on your stupid, ugly face, but unfortunately, Miss An wants me to make this quick," Ariel said, shrugging helplessly.
"Make it quick?"
Govelt sneered. "With just you humans who were our prisoners?"
"Yes, with just us humans who were your prisoners."
Ariel flicked her finger.
Zing—
Govelt’s pupils shrank. Only then did he realize that an incredibly thin thread had somehow snagged onto him.
When did that happen?
Whoosh!
Flames suddenly erupted, racing along the thread and instantly engulfing him. He became a living torch.
"Argh... damn it!"
The searing pain and the humiliation of being blindsided sent Govelt into a rage. He surged his fighting spirit, trying to blast the flames away, but before his roar could even leave his throat...
Thwack.
Govelt looked down in disbelief at the greatsword impaling his chest.
"How... I am the great... Skinner... Lady Bewitchment’s most elite..."
"Yeah, yeah, 'The Skinner.' Sounds very impressive."
Ariel smiled. "But in the end, you aren't even a Demon General, are you?"
"...What?"
"That’s a great look on your face. I like it."
Ariel wrenched the Heavenly Fire Greatsword out. The flames continued to roar, quickly reducing Govelt to ash.
A feint with needles to set the fire path, the flames to create an opening, and a final thrust to finish it.
Ariel’s assault was seamless. The entire process took less than a minute. As she said... when it came to bullying small fry at her own level, she was a professional.