Chapter 140 |
Clatter.
A pristine white plate was placed on the table. Atop the plate lay a steaming hot Bangpae Manyeonseol*. The enticing aroma tantalized my sense of smell.
The server who brought the Mannyunseol spoke.
“The gentleman over there has covered the bill.”
The server gestured to a table across the room. Seated there was a burly man named Javillon, who appeared to have noticed his gaze and winked with a friendly smile.
In that moment, Raciel came to a realization.
‘…Oh, I must be dreaming.’
He remained in a state of bewilderment. It was possible that he was experiencing a 120-hour-long deep slumber as a result of some unusual aftereffects, savoring this peculiar dream in the interim.
‘Could this be a lucid dream?’
Yet, Javillon was just the beginning.
Wooosh!
Suddenly, the sound of a helicopter reverberated through the party hall. When he looked up, a colossal wasp, Queen Vesparos, the size of an elephant, was hovering. Someone leaped off from her back. It was Princess Adeline.
She approached and gave his cheek a slap, reminiscent of a scene from a morning drama.
“Here’s a celebratory cake to slow down the growth of your Asrahan Core Technique. Congratulations on reaching the Double Circle.”
“…Wow.”
“And here’s the bill.”
“….”
As she handed him a 10-meter-long bill, real-time text appeared. The contents were far from ordinary.
It was a detailed explanation of Asrahan Core Technique.
[Skill Name: Asrahan Core Technique]
[Stage: Double Circle Lv.1]
[Mana Amplification: 400%]
[Your Asrahan Core Technique skill level has increased.]
[With the skill level increase, your circle slot will be enhanced.]
‘…What?’
As his dream self widened its eyes, the guide continued.
[Skill Exclusive Option ①: Your Circle Slot has been enhanced.]
[Your Mana Circle possesses an independent growth history, with unique slot functions. With the addition of your second circle, the number of slots has also increased.]
[<Slot 2> is now open.]
[With the opening of Slot 2, the <Slot Fusion> feature is added.]
‘Slot Fusion?’
It’s a feature he had never heard of.
What could it be?
As he felt excitement, the explanation unfolded.
[<Slot Fusion> allows you to mix substances contained in each slot.]
[Example) ‘Water from Slot 1’ + ‘Salt from Slot 2’ = ‘Saltwater’]
[You too can do it. Take the challenge anytime. Become the world’s best cocktail creator! Yap Yap Chup Chup.]
“…”
Raciel closed his mouth. Slot Fusion, huh. The ability to freely mix substances between Slot 1 and Slot 2. This is truly…
‘A cheat?’
If used wisely, this could be an overwhelmingly advantageous function. However, he didn’t have the leisure to just admire his newly acquired option. Suddenly, someone tapped on his shoulder.
“Hey, Crown Prince.”
An incredibly familiar voice, yet the tone of speech never became familiar. He turned around to find Gardin leaning on his shoulder with an arrogant expression. He lifted his chin and looked down at him as he spoke.
“Prince, why no answer?”
“…Gardin, did you eat something wrong?”
“Tsk tsk! Are you being curt?”
“…”
“What could I have possibly eaten wrong? Don’t you remember it’s night study time?”
“…”
“So come on, brace yourself.”
Thwack!
Before he could react, Gardin’s flick landed on his forehead. It was ludicrous, even though he was aware it was a dream. However, there was no opportunity to retaliate.
In an instant, Gardin’s appearance transformed.
“…Demian.”
Demian, who gazed at him, wore no smile. Could a soul that had stripped emotion from its countenance display such an expression? Or perhaps, did the seed of evil sown by the absolute embodiment of darkness in this world weep in this manner?
Tears of blood, drop by drop.
Demian fixed his gaze upon him with crimson eyes, then gently bit his lips.
“What have you done to me?”
“…”
He hadn’t done anything.
“What are you meddling with in this world?”
“…”
“Did you know from the beginning?”
“…”
Raciel still couldn’t respond. He attempted to answer, but his mouth was entirely sealed shut. Gardin, who had materialized out of nowhere, held a suture needle and grinned. Javillon clung to his leg, imploring. Princess Adeline merely smiled faintly.
And Demian stared at him with tears of blood.
“Speak. Did you know?”
“…”
Now he understood.
The eyes shedding tears of blood that now fixated on him did not belong to Demian. It was ‘that thing’ deeply embedded within Demian. It was interrogating him. What are you attempting? Why are you suppressing it? What is your intention?
‘My intention is evidently…’
He tried to reply. Attempted to tear open the thread sealing his lips. But it proved impossible.
Swooosh.
An eerie sound and sensation. The world tilted. No, his head detached and struck the ground.
He belatedly tried to open his mouth, but no words escaped. He could only gaze up with dim eyes, like a fish on a cutting board. He could only watch the one who severed his neck.
Demian was there. Finally, Demian, who had awakened ‘that thing,’ cried out sharply. He cried as well. The dream realm crumbled. The largest brick descended. It crushed his severed head.
“…Ah!”
Raciel involuntarily screamed. He bolted upright and immediately felt a sharp impact on his forehead.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
Stars danced before his eyes. Raciel clutched his forehead and fell back onto the soft bedsheet, cushioning his fall. Yet, while his forehead throbbed, he listened closely. The groan from the other person who had collided with him sounded very familiar.
Looking around, Raciel located the other individual.
“…Demian?”
Just like Raciel, Demian held his forehead. Had Demian been bumped because Raciel had abruptly sat up? It seemed probable. Demian appeared resentful as he peered through the gap between his fingers, which were clutching his forehead.
“…”
Raciel hesitated for a moment.
The dream he had just experienced rushed back to him. It was too vivid to dismiss as a mere dream, yet too eerie to accept as reality. Simultaneously, he recollected what had occurred before he had lost consciousness.
‘Yes, that’s right. I consumed the Red Sunflower Seed to thwart Javillon’s final secret technique, grew to an immense size, and then passed out. But what about Demian…’
He had awakened the Reversal Core Technique. This arcane art, unique to Demian, was the most potent and sinister in the novel ‘Devil Sword Emperor.’ It also marked the initial step toward his awakening.
So now…
‘This guy, he can’t possibly be in an awakened state, can he?’
The resentful glare Demian directed at him merged with the crimson eyes he had encountered in the dream. It left him with an odd sense of unease, his instincts tingling, sensing impending danger. Should he investigate?
Just then,
“Did you do that on purpose?”
“Huh?”
Demian seemed to inquire with resentment.
“Why the sudden collision?”
“…”
“I was just looking after you while you were asleep. Do you have a problem with that?”
“No, not that.”
“Then what is it?”
“Well, it’s just…”
Raciel paused for a moment before responding.
“Let me ask you something. Suppose someone accidentally or mistakenly harms you, like what happened just now. What’s the first thought that crosses your mind?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Let’s call it a psychological test.”
“…”
“Option 1, you want to retaliate immediately, regardless of whether it was the other party’s fault. Option 2, you seek fair compensation for the injury.”
“You want me to choose between the two?”
“Yes.”
“Obviously, it’s Option 2.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“What?”
Demian furrowed his brow, while Raciel broke into a wide smile. Demian’s immediate thought was to seek compensation, not revenge. This suggested that he probably hadn’t awakened yet. Finally, Raciel felt relieved.
But there was no time to fully relax.
“…Zuuuuunhaaa-!”
From the opposite side of Demian, which meant the left side of the bed, a deep, resonant voice echoed. Without even turning to look, Raciel instantly recognized from the scent in the air that it was Gardin’s shout.
“It’s truly a blessing that you’ve awakened, Your Highness!”
Gardin appeared as if he was about to embrace Raciel tightly. However, he stood at a slight distance, tears streaming down his face. Had he been extremely worried while Raciel was unconscious? His face had visibly slimmed down in just a few days.
Should Raciel express gratitude for this?
How should he put it?
Raciel pondered the awkward dilemma for a moment before settling for a wry smile.
“Are you unharmed?”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“Good. I’d like to hear a report then.”
“Pardon?”
Gardin looked surprised, his tearful eyes widening. Raciel couldn’t bring himself to say a direct thank you for worrying about him; it felt too sentimental. Instead, he smirked and spoke.
“I was lying down for about 5 days, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct, Your Highness.”
“So, please tell me, where is this bedroom where I’m resting? Who provided this place for our party? What happened to Javillon and the rebels after I passed out? Give me a full account of everything that transpired.”
“Now, should I proceed?”
“Why not? Should I ask someone else?”
“No, no. I’ll tell you.”
“Good. Summarize it as succinctly as possible.”
“Yes, sir.”
Gardin quickly wiped the corners of his eyes. Demian quietly nodded, perhaps giving him courage. Clearing his throat, Gardin began.
“First and foremost, the civil war officially concluded five days ago. Javillon has been imprisoned on charges of rebellion, and the rebels surrendered immediately. The various lords, officers, and knights involved will face court-martial.”
“What about the rebel soldiers?”
“We have no intention of holding the soldiers accountable. They were conscripted and sent to the battlefield without free will.”
The final response didn’t come from Gardin but from someone else. A voice, deep and steady yet commanding, intervened. Raciel turned his head to see an elegantly attired elderly man. He recognized his identity instantly.
“… I greet the King of Anbouaz.”
“I welcome the Crown Prince of Magentano.”
His hunch was correct; it was King Merovingian of Anbouaz. He glanced around, gesturing for his nearby guards and Princess Adeline to step back. Then, he approached them slowly.
Gulp.
Unconsciously, Raciel swallowed hard and gripped the blanket. Meeting the King of Anbouaz without any mental preparation made it difficult to anticipate his demeanor. To be honest, it made him a bit uneasy.
‘Sigh, this is intense.’
Suddenly, memories from long ago resurfaced.
It was the time when he had sent a letter to Anbouaz to treat Princess Adeline’s illness. What had he written to deceive the King of Anbouaz back then?
‘Father-in-law, please give me your daughter!’
…He had probably written something like that.
‘Ah, why did I do that.’
Raciel felt incredibly awkward. He was embarrassed. He wished he could hide somewhere. No, he wished he could escape. At that time, all he had been focused on was bringing Princess Adeline to the empire at any cost. Therefore, he had acted as recklessly as he wanted.
Of course, he had never dreamed that he would one day directly face the King of Anbouaz like this.
‘Even that letter was crafted with a lie Ticket.’
Thanks to that, the King of Anbouaz probably still firmly believed the contents of that letter. Just thinking about it made sweat pour from his pores. His prefrontal cortex was working in overdrive.
‘Think. Recall the contents of the letter sent at that time and come up with a way to rectify it!’
He might face some kind of reproach at this rate. Perhaps he would be asked to take responsibility. Seeing the stern countenance of the approaching king, it seemed quite likely. What should he say? Nothing came to mind.
Furthermore, wasn’t this situation, where a foreign royal was intervening in Anbouaz’s civil war, technically an internal interference?
‘I’m doomed…’
There were so many issues he had to address to excuse himself for both the Lie Ticket letter and getting caught meddling in Anbouaz’s civil war. Consequently, he became even more anxious.
Meanwhile, oblivious to his emotions, the King of Anbouaz approached. Before he could even organize his thoughts, the king stood by his bedside. The king gazed down at him with his customary stern expression.
“Prince of Magentano.”
“……Yes?”
Thump! Thump!
At that moment, when his heart was uncontrollably pounding.
The king knelt down, bent one knee, and looked into his eyes. He graciously took his hand.
“On behalf of our royal family, I express our heartfelt gratitude for your role in punishing the brutal rebels who were inflicting suffering on our people of Anbouaz.”
The king’s solemn voice reached his ears. Simultaneously, a pleasant notification sound chimed.
Ding dong!
[You have made a significant impact on the ‘Anbouaz Civil War,’ a historical event in the Lorasian continent, through your selfless actions.]
[The royal family of Anbouaz has officially conveyed their gratitude for your accomplishments.]
[Your organs are hosting a celebration.]
[Your heart is dancing wildly.]
[Your lungs are setting a rhythmic pace for your breaths.]
[Your intestines are forming a splendid string quintet with their muscles.]
[Your liver is mobilizing an alcohol detox team.]
[Your stomach is rumbling as it searches for ramen, feeling light-headed.]
[Your stomach growls, causing a minor disturbance.]
[A new organ awakens due to the commotion brought about by the disturbance.]
[A kidney, the source of life (封藏之本), celebrates its birth.]
[Kidney: ……Incredible!]
(To be Continued)
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