Chapter 719: Black Flower
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 719: Black Flower
A pink mist drifted in from nowhere, filling the entire space at the top of the tower like a sea carpeted in red algae.
This was a far cry from the pink fog Ariel had seen the other succubi release. Though it shared that same intoxicatingly sweet scent, this aroma was anything but pleasant. It felt like bone-eroding, flesh-piercing insects, gradually invading from the inside out until even her soul felt a chilling tremor.
Ariel summoned what little fighting spirit she had left to wall off the pink mist—which she knew was dangerous without even having to think about it—and then painfully turned her head toward the direction of the approaching footsteps.
One of the Sovereigns of the Abyss.
A top-tier powerhouse of the Demon Race.
A demon whose hands were stained with the blood of countless humans.
And the rumored Succubus Queen, who preferred women and was said to drain a hundred young girls every night...
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment, one of the Eight Demon Dukes. These titles alone were enough to strike a primal terror into the depths of one's soul.
Moreover, this time there was no wall between them. This wasn't a beast simply passing by while patrolling its territory.
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment had arrived here like a queen returning to her castle, certain to flay and disembowel any rat daring enough to offend her royal majesty.
Yet, Ariel "presumptuously" cast her gaze toward the newcomer anyway.
Dammit, if I don't get a look at the legendary Succubus Queen's true face, I won't be able to rest in peace even if I kick the bucket...
Ariel gritted her teeth, ignoring the terrifying pressure as she strained to open her eyes wide.
And then...
"Huh?"
She froze.
"Miss Muse?"
Amidst the pink mist, a gauze dress swayed.
The light-colored garment wasn't gaudy; it looked like a handful of pure moonlight, while the golden hair cascading over her shoulders shone like the warm sun of early spring, reflecting against the moonlight.
At the intersection of sun and moon, that face was flawlessly beautiful. With a slight curl of her lips into a smile, every movement seemed to dance upon Ariel's heartstrings, shaking the very foundations of her Crystal Palace.
It was a visage that absolutely lived up to the title of "Succubus Queen." Even someone whose preferences weren't as rebellious as Ariel's would be subconsciously drawn to her.
But the only problem was... that face was identical to Miss Muse!
"Miss Muse is the Succubus Queen? The Grand Duke of Bewitchment?"
Ariel fell into a daze, but at the same time, a hint of secret joy bubbled up.
The Succubus Queen, wow...
If Miss Muse is the Succubus Queen, then as long as I throw myself into her arms, wouldn't I be able to stay with her forever and do... things?
With Miss Muse around, why would I even bother opening a Crystal—
Wait!
I'm being fucking charmed!
Ariel suddenly slapped herself. With a crisp crack, the sharp pain finally cleared her consciousness.
She activated her Eye of Truth, and the pink mist automatically parted. She finally saw a face that was equally beautiful and enchanting, yet utterly unfamiliar.
Is this the Grand Duke of Bewitchment's true face?
Something still feels off...
Ariel pushed the Eye of Truth further, wanting to see more clearly...
But suddenly.
Those crimson, gem-like eyes turned toward her with cold indifference.
"Ugh!"
Before she could see anything clearly, Ariel felt as if her eyes had burst into flames. A searing burning sensation rapidly devoured her nerves. She clutched her eyes, unable to stop a low groan of pain from escaping her lips.
"Casting your gaze so casually upon a beautiful girl can lead to a nasty backlash, you know. According to your human common sense, shouldn't that be expected?" The Grand Duke of Bewitchment covered her mouth and giggled, displaying a girl-like innocence and charm.
What kind of common sense is that? Is this a parallel world?
Ariel gnashed her teeth, cursing the old woman in her heart for being not the least bit cute.
But with a deep breath, she quickly regained her composure and gripped the Heavenly Fire Greatsword tightly once more.
From just that one encounter, she realized the gap between her and this Grand Duke of Bewitchment was terrifying. No, "gap" wasn't even the right word; they were on entirely different levels, not even on the same track. How could they be compared?
This was a Crown Bearer.
Even though her realm was only a tiny bit higher than Zagu's, the difference between a Crown Bearer and a non-Crown Bearer was greater than the difference between a human and a dog.
In her presence, Zagu was nothing more than a hound.
"I've just realized, this little beauty is actually quite good-looking."
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment stroked her chin, seeing through Ariel's disguise in a single glance.
"Though her chest is a bit disappointing, it might be nice to try a different flavor for once. What do you say? Want to spend a wonderful night with me?"
"Pah."
Ariel spat and puffed out her chest. "You're the one with the disappointing chest, you old hag! I'm an S-cup now!"
"..."
Silence fell over the area once more.
Beside them, Zagu couldn't help but tilt his head, wondering if this human female had always been this brave.
"Hehe... Little beauty, if you were an 'S,' shouldn't you be holding them up while talking to me?" After a moment of silence, the Grand Duke—who finally understood what Ariel meant by "S"—hooked her hands, tracing two massive curves in the air.
"Eh? Really?"
Ariel blinked, looking down in confusion.
Is this size still not an S?
Then again, she hadn't really visited many ordinary lingerie shops. Since children's sizes used to be enough for her, she wasn't actually sure how modern sizing was categorized.
"Has she already gone senile?"
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment's smile vanished.
"Zagu, although you aren't very competent as a dog, please clean up your own mess. I don't want to look at it anymore."
"Yes."
Zagu raised his hand, and the spear flew back into his grasp.
The sound of wind and thunder surged again!
Ariel moved to raise her hand, only to realize that the Grand Duke's previous glance hadn't just damaged her Eye of Truth—it had even disrupted the flow of fighting spirit within her body.
Her fighting spirit and mana were in total chaos, making it impossible to gather enough energy for an effective technique. She could only rely on her raw physical strength to lift Heavenly Fire, watching helplessly as Zagu's killing blow descended.
Boom!
The walls at the top of the tower finally gave way, shattering completely.
A gale rushed into the space, making Ariel's hair float like algae in the deep sea, yet it couldn't budge her hardened armor an inch.
Her eyes widened slightly as she saw the heavy clouds that blanketed the infinite sky year-round.
"Die."
Zagu showed no mercy as he brought down his spear.
*
Zagu stood at the edge of the breach, looking down.
The sky was gradually darkening. The entirety of Gutons Fortress was devoid of light, resembling an ancient beast crouching in the night, appearing even more majestic and imposing.
He couldn't see any sign of Ariel; he could only see the faint dust swirling at the base of the tower.
However...
"To take my spear head-on with a human body and then fall from a height of a thousand meters... even if that female brat were made of steel plates, she wouldn't survive..."
Zagu didn't believe anyone in this world could be that durable. It was one thing for her to trade so many blows with him despite being over a full realm lower, but if she survived a full-power strike to her flesh and blood, he really might as well have lived his life as a dog...
"She's not dead yet."
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment spoke suddenly.
She looked at An, who had been silent this whole time, and a strange smile appeared on her seductive face.
"How very strange. If you truly are the one Divine Will spoke of, why would you step in to save a human?"
"Is it that strange?"
Reflected in An's eyes was a handsome face she knew well, and a dazzling gold.
But she knew it was fake. The Grand Duke of Bewitchment's charm was powerful enough to make people unconsciously see her as the person they most wanted to meet. It was nothing more than an illusion created by the Succubus Queen to toy with others.
An lowered her eyelids.
"After all, I was the one who invited Miss Ariel. I couldn't very well let her die at your hands."
So that was it?
Zagu looked at the spear in his hand with sudden realization. No wonder the spear had felt "off" for a split second just now...
What terrifying Divine Blessing power, to be able to affect even his weapon.
"A Divine Blessing..."
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment marveled as well.
"I never imagined that we, who were abandoned by the gods—no, as Divine Will puts it... we, who abandoned the gods, would actually receive a god's favor."
"Not 'we.' Me," An said coldly. "Do not lump me in with the rest of you."
"Oh? But since you've come here, it means you've already remembered those things, hasn't it?"
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment looked at the horns on An's head with a meaningful gaze.
"I haven't remembered anything, and I don't know what you're talking about."
An's expression remained wooden.
However, her hands, rarely hidden within her sleeves, were clenched so tightly that the veins on the backs of her hands were throbbing.
"I don't understand why you're unwilling to accept that fate, when supreme power and the highest authority are right before your eyes, within your reach..."
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment shook her head and sighed, finding it incomprehensible.
If An hadn't remembered who she was, it would all make sense.
But looking at her now, she had clearly awakened most of her memories. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to come here and manipulate that ancient artifact that even the Grand Duke herself couldn't touch.
Power.
Authority.
Standing above all.
Whether human or demon, everyone chased these things relentlessly. The bones left along that path could fill an entire ocean.
Yet she looked upon them as if they were worthless trash.
"But unfortunately, even if you worked so hard to intervene, I think that little human beauty still won't make it."
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment giggled behind her hand.
"You may have temporarily saved her life, but don't forget where we are."
This was Gutons Fortress.
The heart of the Demon Race.
A human brat who was heavily injured—one might even say on the verge of death—escaping safely from here...
If that happened, Zagu wouldn't be the only one who had lived a dog's life; she, a Demon Duke, would have to seriously reflect on whether her centuries of life had been a waste.
If it really came to that, she might as well go and be that brat's maid.
"Alright, enough chatter. Though it's unlikely, I'm not willing to fail because I talked too much like that idiot Zagu."
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment walked forward with a playful smile.
"You look rather unwilling. Do you need me to help you?"
"..."
An's slender body trembled slightly.
In truth, she hadn't just been remotely manipulating Zagu's weapon; she had been struggling this entire time.
Yes, struggling.
From the moment Ariel had counted down to three, she had been restrained by a powerful force, unable to move. She couldn't even circulate the fighting spirit she had cultivated over the past year.
She could only watch as the Grand Duke of Bewitchment drew closer, raising a delicate hand to brush against her cheek.
Is there really no other way?
Must I... submit to the fate I'm meant for?
No, I don't want to.
An closed her eyes. As silence and coldness began to consume her, that face she had missed countless times inevitably surfaced in her mind.
Young Master...
[My personal maid wouldn't give up just because of something like this.]
An's eyes snapped open, and the steel jungle roared once more!
"Ridiculous."
The Grand Duke of Bewitchment chuckled, ignoring the incoming steel as she continued to stroke An's dignified and perfect face, as if admiring a work of art.
But then...
Squelch.
"Hmm?"
The Grand Duke tilted her head in slight confusion.
Because at that moment, she saw an enchanting black flower bloom right before her fingertips.
That flower actually made her feel a sting of pain.
At the same time, a low, angry voice—one that sounded so beautiful to An it felt like a hallucination—echoed through the space.
"You fucking—get your—filthy hands—off her!!"