Chapter 263: Chapter 226: Harvest Festival (2)

The terrace on the second floor of the banquet hall was less crowded than I expected.

It had a different vibe from the first floor, which was crowded by people who were busy introducing themselves.

Also, I could see everything happening down there clearly from here.

“...Whoa.”

Upon seeing the Empress entering the banquet hall, that exclamation came out of my mouth naturally.

She actually came, huh?

I understood that the Tristan Duchal House had a high status, but getting the ruler of the Empire herself to appear here in person was a whole other matter entirely.

‘This is how much the Empress cherishes the Duchal House’, ‘This is how strong our relationship is’, or ‘Both of you, Upper Noble Associations, and Chancellor Sullivan, who’s holding enmity towards us, watch yourselves’.

Those were probably the messages they were trying to convey.

“...”

In other words…

Currently, the internal situation of the Empire was so tense that they dared to provoke each other like this.

They were trying to threaten each other with mutual assured destruction, as if saying, ‘our force is this strong, so don’t you dare mess with us carelessly’.

…Well, that mutual destruction will happen regardless…

Chapter 5, the Empire’s Great Turmoil.

The main theme was about a national-level civil war, in which the Upper Nobles Association, the Chancellor’s Faction and the Empress’ Factions were all involved at once.

This was the part when the story started to get serious.

Because this was the chapter where Eleanor began to awaken as the ‘Final Boss’.

In this chapter, she’d lose her human nature as her sense of self got encroached on by the Gray Devil. This was also the chapter where Gideon and Sullivan would die.

As for the Empress…

I think, whether she lives or not, it’s determined by the players’ choice…?

In any case, she wouldn’t get it nice either.

Of course, I’d need to do my best to prevent all that from happening.

[By the way, I’ve been having this question—]

Yeah?

[Those Devils…aren’t as bad as we all think, no?]

Such a question came out of the Soul Linker out of a sudden.

[Sure, most of them caused a lot of damage to their surroundings, but that was only because they were too preoccupied with you, not because they were doing evil deeds on purpose.]

…Ah, I see.

Well, at a glance, it might seem to be that way…

But, I could explain that.

You saw how I was a while ago, right, Caliban?

I was talking about the me before Eleanor hit the back of my head and got me to come back to my senses.

[Yea?]

You know, back when I treated everyone except the people important to me like bugs?

When I treated people merely as ‘means’ to achieve my goals.

For example, Tatiana, whose soul I ended up enchanted into the Lion’s Breastplate.

“...”

You know, I really should apologize to her for doing that…

Well, she was still inside that breastplate, so maybe I should return her to her original state soon and do that…

I thought as such as I continued…

The devils are like that too.

[What?]

To them, humans, except for their Vessels and me, the target of their obsession, are no better than bugs.

[...]

They didn’t hate humans or anything.

Rather, they just didn’t care about them. To them, humans were just a bunch of bugs that wasn’t worth dealing with.

As my words sent Caliban into a silent fluster, I continued my words.

Right now, they’re unable to unleash their power since they are all trapped inside the Vessels’ bodies, but, if they were to get out… Well, it’s obvious what will happen…

I had said this repeatedly already…

There was a reason why those guys were called the Devils.

Just look at what I did as soon as my ‘way of thinking’ became slightly similar to theirs for a moment when the Fallen’s Seal changed my species.

Or what the Red Devil was trying to do with all the deals about the Crimson Night Incident.

She literally tried to burn the whole world and recreate it the way she wanted just because of Faenol.

In other words, this world itself was like a toy for the Devils. In which, everything except for the things they were interested in could be changed to their taste.

That’s why the Devils must not be released, at least until we have the proper means to deal with them.

Hearing what I said, Caliban stayed silent for a while before replying with a groan.

[...I heard they’re the strongest being in all the dimensions. What kind of means do we need to have for it to be safe if they were to be released?]

Well, one of the means was Iliya wielding the Holy Sword.

Though she wouldn’t be able to fight a life-or-death battle with the Devil’s main body with it, she was probably the only means available to us to restrain the Devils in the Material Realms, along with ‘Dragon’.

Also…

“...”

I looked down at my chest with a smirk. It was where the Fallen’s Seal was.

This would be the best means to control them the way I ‘like’ it.

There’s also this thing. Though, it’s still incomplete since I haven’t collected all of them yet.

[...What are you talking about?]

While we were having such a conversation…

A familiar voice came from beside me.

“Dowd Campbell!”

My face muscles instantly wriggled.

Although the voice sounded familiar, it wasn’t a voice that I was glad to hear.

“...Marquis.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

I greeted him with a sigh.

Marquis Bogut. The Lionheart.

The leader of the Upper Nobles Association.

It was already impossible to have a peaceful atmosphere the moment this person and the Empress were in the same place.

Considering that the System Message warned me about something that was about to happen today, I’d bet money that this punk over here would be the main cause of that.

“Nice to see you! You’re here, as expected!”

“...”

After staring at the hand he offered to me, I just gave him a silent nod.

This was a way for me to express my reluctance and unwillingness to act all buddy-buddy with him.

Obviously, he noticed my intention, but that wasn’t enough to wipe that grin off his face as he put his hand down.

“You aren’t accompanying Lady Tristan?”

He said, as if he was sure that Eleanor was with me.

“...Yeah, well.”

“I assume that she’s planning for something special? Considering your relationship, I don’t think there’s a reason for you two to come here separately!”

“...”

I furrowed my brows as I sent him a glare.

This was something that had always been on my mind,

Many times, I felt an unpleasant feeling whenever I faced him, similar to the feeling I got whenever I faced the Prophet.

It was probably because of his attitude that made it seem as if he knew everything; Both about me and about ‘other things’ that I didn’t know.

And…

What he said after proved that assumption of mine.

“If that’s the case, you’d need to make your move quickly.”

“...What?”

“C’mon, you can’t just let an unwelcome visitor ruin the event that the Lady had prepared with her best effort, can you?”

At the same time as this punk said those words…

A window suddenly popped up before my eyes.

System Message

[ The presence of the ‘White Devil’ can be felt! ]

[ ‘Fallen’s Seal’ reacts! ]

I instantly widened my eyes.

White Demonic Aura emerged from the surroundings.

I remembered seeing it once before.

Because I had used this Aura once.

The White Devil’s Authority, ‘Seduction’; The ability to control all sentient beings around her.

In an instant, the eyes of everyone inside the Demonic Aura’s sphere of influence went blank.

Everyone stopped moving in a moment. The chatters, musical performance, all the noise inside the banquet hall stopped as the whole space fell into a shuddering silence.

“...!”

As I hurriedly leaned out of the railing to check, I could see the source of this White Aura, Yuria..

She was sitting at a table, glaring at the Empress.

Her gaze was clearly fixed on the Empress, who was looking around in bewilderment, wondering what was going on.

And her hand…

Was placed right on the hilt of the Severer.

That punk…!

What the hell was she doing?

I knew that Yuria was here, but I didn’t know that she would cause so much trouble like this!

“She must have been reacting to what’s inside Her Imperial Majesty.”

While I was checking out the situation, Marquis Bogut suddenly said that to me.

“What—!”

“You also know what’s inside Her Imperial Majesty, no?”

This time, his voice lacked the usual playfulness.

Though he was smiling as usual, the look on his face was the most serious one I had ever seen. If it wasn’t for his smile, I swear I could see him narrowing his eyes.

“That must be why you aren’t affected by the Demonic Aura, unlike the other people. You’re fine while the other people are all losing their minds.”

“...”

I silently glared at Marquis Bogut.

“I’m just trying this out there so that you won’t get the wrong idea. This isn’t something that I had planned.”

Then, he added…

“This is bound to happen at least once when the Devils meet each other. Especially since the one inside Her Imperial Majesty is ‘Brown’, the one who’s particularly hostile towards you.”

“...You, what the hell are you talking ab—”

“I’d be more than happy to explain it to you, but do you think you have the lenience to listen to me?”

Marquis Bogut pointed down the terrace while grinning.

“If you let that be, an actual incident will happen, you know?”

In the direction he pointed at…

With white Demonic Aura wrapping around her whole body and her hand on the hilt of her sword…

Yura got up from her seat.

“...”

I looked at Marquis Bogut while gritting my teeth.

“...My Lord Marquis.”

“Yes?”

“I think we need to have a proper conversation later.”

“...”

Marquis Bogut gave me a big nod with a smirk.

“I’ll be waiting.”

I glared at that hateful face for a moment before sighing in annoyance inwardly.

My shitty fate… Followed around by incidents wherever I go…

“...Fuck my life.”

I said as I jumped down the terrace.

●

While jumping down the terrace, I organized my plan.

[What are you going to do?]

…I’m going to do what I have to do.

[What?]

Like I’ve said earlier, there are proper means to handle the Devils.

I said while looking at the seal on my chest.

Honestly, I didn’t want to do it.

Even though it would work in theory, I had never done it, so I wasn’t sure if it would work or not.

And most of all…

“...”

I threw a glance at the confused-looking Empress.

There was an ‘audience’... I didn’t want to do it in front of one…

But…

…Things that I have to deal with after…

I felt sorry, but there was a high chance that I’d have to leave it all to the person I had called through my father…

Skill Info

[ Fallen’s Seal - Transformation ]

[ After a certain period of time, direct ‘contact’ with the Devils becomes possible! ]

This was the thing that I planned to use.

Because of this I was squeezed dry by the Gray Devil, but it wasn’t all bad. I had a way to use it in situations like this too.

Being able to ‘touch’ the Devils would be a requirement for me to assert a stronger control.

“...”

I took a deep breath while putting my hand into my inner chest pocket. This would be the most important key item to control this punk.

Ever since I got the information from the System Window that this punk was ‘someone I needed to keep an eye on’, I had prepared this thing in advance.

“...Hmph—”

As soon as I landed down the terrace, the white Demonic Aura around whisked. An extreme ‘impact’ shrouded my consciousness for a moment as if I got a brain fog.

System Message

[ ‘Skill: Pandemonium King’ is activated! ]

[ Resisting the ‘White Demonic Aura’! ]

But I had the means to resist this at least for a moment.

The Demonic Aura around me retreated in an instant, splitting to both sides as if opening a way in front of me. I walked through it to quickly approach Yuria.

Huh… She was wearing the Starsteel Circlet? Thank God.

That meant I wouldn’t be split in half even if I was within three steps away from her.

“...”

And, as soon as I got closer to her...

I could see it.

The White Devil on top of Yuria’s shoulder.

She was suppressing this punk’s consciousness and moving Yuria’s body the way she wanted. She was fiercely glaring at the Empress with a burning gaze.

“...”

Right…

Well, I had expected it, but this white punk was actually a little harsher on her Vessels.

I said that the Purple Devil was the one who wouldn’t care the slightest about her Vessel’s ‘autonomy’, but honestly, every single time, this punk was the one who caused the biggest trouble compared to Purple.

It was because of her that Yuria was overwhelmed by the guilt and gradually became more and more depressed as she got caught up in more and more of such situations.

I had lost count of how many times I tried to meet and talk with Yuria after the Crimson Night Incident, but Lucia had always told me that Yuria couldn’t even look at my face because she was sorry.

However…

Even after making her like that…

The White Devil was now even trying to cause a huge incident by stabbing the Empress.

“...”

My honest thought towards this was…

…It’s pissing me off.

No, I wasn’t joking.

I was actually pissed.

How much more harm would this white punk need to cause before she’d stop making Yuria feel miserable?

I thought as I approached Yuria and placed my hand on her shoulder.

“White.”

[...!]

The White Devil was immediately about to pull out the Severer from the scabbard as her eyes widened, but before she could do that, I grabbed her wrist and pushed the sword back into the scabbard.

At the same time…

I took out the item I had prepared from my inner chest pocket in a flash.

“If you keep causing trouble—”

This was a familiar item to me since I had used it a few times before. I immediately ‘put it on’ the White Devil.

After being squeezed dry by the Devil, I became used to coming in contact with a Devil, so doing all this wasn’t really hard for me.

“-I have no choice but to punish you.”

I said while smiling.

But, I could feel the veins in my face bulging.

That showed how angry I was and how little ‘guilt’ I felt over the thing that I was about to do to this punk.

[...]

The White Devil blankly looked at me and the item I just ‘put on’ her alternately.

She looked as if she couldn’t understand what had just been done to her.

Her stunned voice proved it.

[...Uh?]

With a dog collar on her neck, the White Devil…

Looked at me with a stunned gaze.