Chapter 825: The Forgotten One
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 825: The Forgotten One
It was night.
The Duke’s Estate.
The dining room.
The amber glow of candlelight reflected off the profiles of the beautiful young women, casting a soft, ethereal halo around each of them. Melodic classical music flowed like a murmuring stream, seemingly capable of soothing the very soul.
It was another candlelight dinner. This scene had played out more times than anyone could count, to the point where even the maids of the Duke’s Estate had the fleeting illusion that they were trapped in some bizarre time loop.
However, the atmosphere at the table tonight was no longer filled with the icy killing intent and hidden schemes of the previous two occasions. The tense confrontation and hostility had vanished, replaced by the melodious, bird-like laughter of the girls and Muen’s steady voice, occasionally punctuated by a witty remark.
After all, following several consecutive nights of "sincere and open" bonding, even the most bitter of rivalries had softened. Satiated and content, the three young women had entered a state of peaceful coexistence, their cheeks flushed like peach blossoms and their eyes shimmering like autumn pools.
A satisfied woman is always easier to talk to. If she’s being difficult, it simply means you haven't fully satisfied her yet.
Muen had clearly achieved total satisfaction. Aside from a slight ache in his lower back, there seemed to be no negative side effects.
"So, for all intents and purposes, the Demon Race has completely vanished from this world. Their souls have returned to the cycle of the Great World, which essentially means they’ve become human again."
Muen swirled his red wine glass, continuing the topic of conversation. He spoke eloquently at the fan-shaped dining table, which had been custom-built by the estate’s master craftsmen on short notice.
It wasn't that Muen had been infected by the Campbell family’s eccentric aesthetic, insisting on an "artistic" table. Rather, this specific shape allowed him to maintain an absolutely equal distance from each of the girls.
Don't try to argue that Liya is gentle and sweet, An is calm and obedient, or Ariel is optimistic and open-minded... that’s all a facade. In moments like these, even the slightest hint of inequality would cause the jealousy the girls had finally suppressed to boil over once more.
Balancing the scales—this was one of the most vital survival skills when facing a "shitshow" of a love battlefield.
In certain situations, its importance even surpassed having a sturdy pair of kidneys or strong knees.
"As expected of Muen, you're amazing."
Across the table, Liya, seated on the left, was completely absorbed in Muen’s storytelling. She occasionally clutched her bountiful chest in suspense at the mention of danger, and her eyes sparkled with stars at his heroic deeds.
To her, it seemed as though Muen—who had only recently broken through to the Fifth-Tier—was already the most powerful man in the world, capable of single-handedly sending the Divine Will Grand Duke or the Demon God’s Blood running with their tails between their legs.
"Don't make it sound like it was all your doing," Ariel, sitting in the middle, interjected. She crossed her arms and bared her teeth in annoyance. "Without me, you would’ve kicked the bucket ages ago!"
"Oh? Did I fail to mention our charming and powerful Miss Ariel in this story?"
Muen adjusted his cravat and adopted a mock-serious expression. "That was my mistake. I had planned to divide that part of the tale into three major chapters and nine sub-sections, using a full hundred thousand words to recount it in detail."
"Shut—shut up!"
Ariel’s face flushed crimson as she slammed her hand on the table. "Who wants to hear you drone on for a hundred thousand words? The sun would be up by the time you finished!"
"Is that not allowed?" Muen blinked regretfully. "I thought it would be quite interesting, wouldn't you agree?"
After all, when a strong, brave, and independent Child of Destiny like Ariel blushed, she was exceptionally cute.
It was a pity he couldn't get his hands on her diary from her "chuunibyou" phase. Reading that aloud right now would surely be hilarious.
Of course, that was assuming he could survive her Heavenly Fire Greatsword.
"If it were the Young Master speaking, I would listen even if the story were a million words long."
On the right, An was focused on cutting the steak on her plate. She didn't look up as she spoke, her fork and knife clinking against the porcelain as if the meat were a certain "pest" sitting nearby. "It’s just that the parts involving the pests are a bit hard on the ears. If the story were only about the Young Master’s heroic and handsome deeds, like it was just now, it would be perfect."
"Spare me, I can't do that." Muen gave a wry smile.
Long-winded self-aggrandizement... he wasn't Pink Bear, so he certainly couldn't pull that off.
"Eh? Why not?" This time it was Liya’s turn to be disappointed. "I think it sounds lovely. Don't you agree, Ariel?"
Liya nudged Ariel with her shoulder.
Ariel didn't answer directly, merely letting out a sharp huff. "Who knows? It’s not like I enjoy listening to it."
"Still playing tough, are we?"
Dissatisfied, Liya pouted and immediately reached out to tickle Ariel’s sensitive spots. "You were so proactive and blunt last night, you even opened yourself up... you little firecracker! Let's see if you can keep that tough act up now!"
"Who—who opened themselves up? It was clearly you... you big firecracker!" Ariel’s eyes widened.
She could tolerate it in bed, but there was no way Ariel would let Liya bully her here. In the past, she was the one who used to tease the soft and cute girl.
"Take this, you cow!"
Ariel’s hands moved with agility, instantly parrying Liya’s attack and launching a counter-strike.
"Eek! No, not there!"
"Hmph, did you forget? I know exactly where your weaknesses are. Take that!"
"Mmm... ah... it tickles..."
After their recent "sincere" encounters, the childhood friends' bickering had suddenly taken on a much more suggestive tone. Previously, Ariel had been constrained by her "slow-boil" strategy, and Liya had been too pure and shy. Aside from some light tickling, they never went too far.
But now, having seen the true nature of this "Silver Sword Saintess," Ariel had removed all her self-imposed limits. Her well-trained hands were incredibly nimble, and within moments, she had Liya panting for breath.
"Alright, alright, that’s enough."
Seeing the atmosphere in the dining room grow increasingly heated and suggestive—to the point where they might not see tomorrow's sun if he wasn't careful—Muen quickly called a halt.
"Let's talk business first."
"Business? What business?"
"It’s about Liya’s side."
Muen looked at Liya, who had escaped Ariel’s clutches and was smoothing out her clothes. "Returning to the previous topic, how does the Church plan to handle the Abyss?"
This was a question Muen had been wanting to ask.
The disappearance of the Demon Race didn't mean everything was over. The Abyss was still there—that ancient land symbolizing the world's scar still sat on the western edge of the Empire, marking the passage of a thousand years or more.
"The Abyss? Handling it?"
Though her face was still flushed, Liya had developed the poise and temperament of a true Saintess over this period. she quickly shifted into a serious mindset.
She pondered for a moment before saying, "I’m not entirely sure about the specifics. Nominally, I’m still on my Saintess Procession and haven't been involved in the Church’s concrete affairs... but I imagine it will be very difficult to handle."
"Difficult?"
"Yes. No one could have predicted this turn of events in the Abyss; it’s something no one would have even dared to imagine. An entire race, a population of millions, vanishing overnight without leaving a trace—as if they were simply erased from existence. Nothing like this has ever happened in recorded history."
Liya paused. "Therefore, even the Church wouldn't have a contingency plan for such a situation. They can only try their best to ensure it doesn't escalate into a pointless conflict."
"A conflict?" Muen’s gaze sharpened. "You think this could trigger a conflict?"
"Of course."
Liya nodded as if it were obvious. Having become the Saintess and met countless believers, madmen, and wretches during her procession, she was no longer the ignorant girl she once was. She had gained a preliminary understanding of human nature.
"Don't forget, no matter how barren it is, the Abyss is now... a completely unclaimed land."
"..."
Hearing this, Muen let out a long breath and instinctively leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the flickering candlelight.
Yes, Liya was right. No matter how poor the Abyss was, it was now a vast, masterless territory. Furthermore, it held the secrets of the Demon Race... and perhaps even secrets from a thousand years ago. No power on the continent could remain indifferent to such a choice cut of meat.
The undercurrents had already begun, though ordinary people hadn't noticed yet. Combined with the ongoing war between the Empire and the Kingdom, the entire continent was unknowingly drifting toward chaos.
The Love God had already made his move. Who would be next? The followers of another Evil God, or some other force hiding in the shadows?
"The Abyss cannot become the property of any single entity, not even the Empire, which has paid the highest price to hold back the demons. Most likely, under the Church's mediation, a plan will be negotiated that everyone can accept, or the Abyss will be designated as a jointly managed public zone. But before that, the Church will do its best to suppress news about the Abyss. As for the specific reason..."
Liya frowned slightly, tilting her head. "I only heard that it was a decision reached after His Holiness the Pope communicated with a certain ancient existence. Apparently, some things must be hidden through their intervention... I don't know much about that part."
"An ancient existence..."
Muen’s brow twitched.
Upon hearing those four high-status words, the image that immediately popped into his head was a loli face with zero dignity and a pink strawberry lollipop.
If he guessed correctly, that "ancient existence" was most likely Teacher Mela.
It seemed Teacher Mela had already spoken with the Pope personally. In that case, the remaining fallout wasn't something a small fry like him needed to worry about. If the sky fell, it would hit the tall people first... even if Teacher Mela’s height was only about 1.2 meters, a body that was one hundred percent loli.
But then again, needing to "hide something"... could these riddle-loving old fogies just drop dead?
If they won't die, they should at least scurry back to Gotham. Batman would be thrilled to have them.
"But regardless... the Abyss has nothing to do with us for now. I need to focus on more immediate matters."
For instance, the war between the Empire and the Kingdom. With Her Majesty the Empress still fighting on the front lines, if he, the future Prince Consort, spent all his time in the manor doing "love-related" things with beautiful girls, the furious Empress might just abandon the war and come back to peel his scalp off to see how many lives he thought he had.
Muen suppressed his irritation toward the old fogies and his fear of the Empress, offering a small smile. "The world is truly a surreal place. In just a few months, it seems the war between the Empire and the Kingdom is about to lose its spot as the continent's top news story."
Muen had looked at today's newspaper. The headlines were about the skyrocketing price of durians in Belland and the strange, eerie screams occasionally heard from the palace... Setting the former aside, the latter was already turning into an urban legend used to scare children into eating their vegetables.
It seemed the mysteriously expensive durians hadn't ended that particular matter yet. He hoped the Pink Bear was alright; after all, a city as large as Belland still needed him to watch over it. It wouldn't be good if he died before Celicia returned.
"Aside from the Empire and the Kingdom, not many people cared to begin one," Ariel added matter-of-factly. "What ordinary people in this world care about most is the price of bread."
Just like her former self... she knew the price fluctuations of Belland’s black bread better than anyone.
"..." The dining room suddenly fell silent.
"W-what? What’s with those looks?" Ariel asked, her voice a mix of embarrassment and anger.
"It’s nothing..."
The kind-hearted Liya placed her own steak onto Ariel’s plate. "We just hope you can eat a bit more, Ariel."
"..."
Ariel looked utterly stifled. Her lips parted as she muttered something under her breath, but in the end, she said nothing and took a huge, aggressive bite of the steak.
Fine! If you're giving it away, I'm eating it!
I'll eat you out of house and home!
I'll make it so you can't even afford black bread in the future!
"What about you, Liya? The Church seems completely indifferent to this war." Muen cut his own portion in half and handed it to Liya. "Most people in the Kingdom do believe in the Goddess, after all."
"Of course. According to the teachings the Goddess left when she walked the earth, the Church cannot casually interfere in mortal affairs," Liya said earnestly.
"Is that so?"
Muen’s lip twitched.
They say they don't interfere, but in some smaller nations, the word of an Archbishop carries more weight than the King’s.
Only a powerful nation like the Empire could effectively keep the Church’s influence at bay.
After all, faith... in a way, was synonymous with the word "Deity."
"In short, the Goddess’s love for the world is equal. Why would she vent her wrath over what amounts to a squabble between children?"
Liya clasped her hands together in silent prayer.
So, Goddess above, please—and I ask this of the Archbishops and His Holiness as well—please equally ignore this little Saintess who is currently playing hooky.
She hadn't had nearly enough intimate time with Muen yet. The thought of having to go back to her Saintess duties while those two little firecrackers, Ariel and An, got to do whatever they wanted in Muen’s bed made her so frustrated she felt like ants were crawling all over her skin!
"Right, speaking of which..."
But... just as Liya finished her prayer, before the Goddess could even respond to her little Saintess, Muen shattered the moment.
"Liya, did you come here alone?" Muen asked curiously. "You are the Saintess, after all. Is the Church really comfortable letting you run around by yourself? If something happened to you, it would be a massive problem for both the Church and the Empire."
"..." Liya’s face froze.
"What is it?" Muen asked, confused. "You look a bit... off."
"..."
Liya slowly lowered her hands and puffed out her cheeks. "Muen, you big idiot!"
"Huh?" Muen was stunned by the sudden insult. "Did I say something wrong?"
"Of course you did! You shouldn't have woken me up from my beautiful fantasy!"
With that, Liya bolted out of the room like a streak of light.
"Waaaah... I’m so sorry, Lin! I forgot all about you!"
Muen: "..."
Ariel: "..."
Silence fell over the dining room once more.
"Heh."
Only An, who had been quietly eating, continued to slice her steak. Her knife and fork clattered rhythmically. "As expected of a brainless pest."
*
Sprinting out of the Duke’s Estate—and scaring several little maids so badly they turned pale—Liya reached the spot where she had parted with Lin as fast as she could.
According to their agreement, Lin was supposed to be keeping watch for her here.
"Lin?"
Liya circled the area. The powerful experts secretly guarding the estate were still diligently at their posts, but there was no sign of Lin.
"Did she go back? Well, that makes sense. Who in their right mind would keep watch for two days and three nights straight?"
Liya hurried back in the direction she had come, praying sincerely in her heart.
"I hope Lin isn't mad at me, waaaah..."