CH 92

When Enoch’s emerald eyes turned to me, I involuntarily flinched and slowed down. Then, the High Priest behind me walked ahead.

He looked at the object in Enoch’s hand and said with delight, “Your Highness, isn’t that the Bow of Chaos?”

“Yes,” Enoch answered briefly and looked down at the bow. Even at first glance, the silver bow looked precious.

“What’s that?”

Enoch closed his mouth tightly to my question, and the High Priest answered with a sneaking glance, “The Bow of Chaos was used to defeat the Demon Lord in the past.”

“It’s a very valuable item.”

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I tried to hold it, but Enoch returned the bow and handed it to the relic’s caretaker. I awkwardly withdrew my outstretched hand, and after that, the atmosphere became even more chilly.

The High Priest awkwardly explained, “I heard that the first priestess used that bow. After that, it was kept deep inside the temple. But, thanks to the appearance of the Demon King, it’s finally seen the light again.”

“I don’t think that will ever happen,” Enoch responded. Then he stared at me and said, “Count Spilet won’t become a priestess, will she?”

I saw the longing in his expressionless face. If it hadn’t been for that, I might have turned around after hearing such an assertive statement and disagreed with him.

“Haa, High Priest.”

“Yes.”

“Would you mind stepping out for a moment? I would like to speak with His Highness, the Crown Prince.”

“Of course.”

As if the High Priest had waited for that moment, he led all the other party members out the door.

After the door closed, Enoch and I stood there in the large, cool space.

“Huu.”

Before I could speak, I sighed once more. What I was about to tell him was a bit difficult for me as well.

Even if I could assume his intentions, I couldn’t carelessly guess what he hadn’t said honestly. Moreover, my own position was not yet clear. Still, a conversation was necessary.

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“Your Highness,” my voice echoed through the room.

I took a step closer to him, and his eyes trembled lightly.

“There’s something I want to ask you.”

“…What is it?” His voice was colder than usual, but he sounded more serious than ever.

“I’ve already heard it from Priestess Christina, but Your Highness, please tell me again.”

Enoch waited silently for my question. When I saw him in front of me, my confused mind calmed down.

His hair as black as the night sky, green eyes shining softly beneath it, long lashes, tightly closed lips, and strong arms and legs caught my eye.

And his sincere eyes stared at me. What was I worried about? Without this person, I probably wouldn’t have come this far.

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With that in mind, my confused mind continued to settle. Up until now, the emotions pushed aside by the recent events calmly surfaced.

As I calmed my pounding heart, I asked, “If I don’t become a priestess, what happens next?”

“We will mobilize an army together with the priests to attack the Demon King and his army.”

“Then…Can you win?”

Enoch stared at the ground with a calm gaze.

“It will be a tough fight, but.” He paused for a moment, then spoke with difficulty. He looked like he really didn’t want to say it. “If the Count doesn’t want to do it, you don’t have to. Defeating the Demon King is the Empire’s job, and it’s not something we can force the Count to do. For the Count… Isn’t a splendid single life important?”

His last words sounded like he was whining. No, he really was. I wanted to laugh out loud when I heard it but managed to hold it in.

“Then Rupert will die as the Demon King without ever using your hands.”

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“Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for him?”

Enoch’s voice was more subdued than before. I thought you might misunderstand like this.

“I’ll have to accept the momentary discomfort, but not necessarily because of Rupert. It’s just that the situation is… I have no choice but to do it.”

I deliberately shrugged my shoulders with a light sigh. Unfortunately, Enoch didn’t seem to understand right away.

“The life of a priestess is not that simple, maybe because of the stuffiness, but all the priestesses did not live long.”

“So, are you going to leave me like that?”

When I saw Enoch’s dumbfounded expression, I picked up the Bow of Chaos lying quietly on the side. It looked heavy, but it was lighter than I thought.

“Your Highness. In the carriage, that was, I just said it.”

I shuffled on my feet and glanced at him. Even though Enoch looked at me, it couldn’t be resolved with just that.

“I…”

I moved a little closer and tugged on his sleeve collar. He looked down at my hand for a moment before meeting my gaze.

“I’m sorry, that splendid single life… I mean. I just hated the thought of becoming a priestess.”

“But wasn’t it the Count’s sincere desire to meet handsome men?”

Seeing him so jealous brought butterflies to my stomach. How could this person be so ignorant of himself?

“When I say handsome men, who could be better than His Highness, the Crown Prince?”

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I turned around and muttered in a low voice that only he could hear. Then I heard the sound of breathing change behind my back.

“Count Spilet,” his voice as he called me trembled. No matter the situation, I was a little embarrassed to talk like this.

Hiding my blushing face, I halfway turned to him.

In the dark cellar, only dim lights illuminated his face.

People around him watched with bated breath for several days after the ceremony. But gradually, those who were tired came out.

“Samael’s slave, do you think this failed? Why is it taking this long?” Nimas, in Chloe’s body, asked in concern, and Breiman tried to hide his nervousness.

“Records say the previous summons took four days. Today is the third day, so just a little more…”

Nimas was about to say something about it when the lamp’s flame on the wall suddenly flickered as if it were about to go out.

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A cold wind blew from the basement. Then the black magicians began to shudder in the chilly, eerie energy.

“… It’s here.” At that moment, Nimas was the first to speak. With bated breath, they looked at Rupert lying on the floor.

Dark blue smoke flowed out of Rupert’s body. Breiman, excited to see his achievement, raised the corners of his mouth even as he trembled.

After a while, Rupert’s eyes flashed open as he lay there like a corpse. At the same time, a black storm blew from all sides, and some weak magicians were blown away by the wind and crashed into a wall, where they died.

Breiman and Nimas lay flat on their stomachs and remained motionless until the wind died down.

Soon after, the storm subsided, and ‘he’ stood up with Rupert’s face, Rupert’s body, and Rupert’s voice.

“It’s been a long time since I came out to play.”

When the Demon King opened his mouth, the energy around him disappeared instantly.

Only then did Nimas and Briman exchange glances, then glanced up at him.

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“Lord of darkness and evil, Balinos, this lowly slave greets you.” Breiman’s tone was thicker than before. Because he used a lot of strength while summoning the demon king, the voice of the demon servant Samael became stronger.

“King of kings, it is good to see you like this… ”

Rupert’s shell walked past Nimas, still on her stomach. However, Nimas, who had been confident until just now, couldn’t say anything in front of him.

In fact, the difference in status between Nimas and the Demon King Balinos was so far away that they did not encounter each other in the demon world.

Breiman quickly stood up and draped the gown over Rupert’s naked body.

And Breiman gulped. Looking closer, he couldn’t feel the devil’s energy at all.

At first glance, he seemed no different than the original Rupert. However, it was proof of his strength.

The lower the devil, the more he couldn’t hide his demonic energy when summoned and would leave an afterimage of the demon’s main body.

So Nimas only maintained Chloe’s face, but her eyes had turned bright red, and the skin hidden under her clothes was dark blue.

The Demon King looked behind him and glanced at him. He was terrified at the moment, but since the one looking at him was a familiar face, he didn’t feel as frightened either.

Breiman was in a more advantageous position now than the real demon species Nimas, who responded more to magic than to appearance.*

“You must be hungry, so we should go outside. I’ll tell them to prepare the food.”

Balinos raised the corners of his lips as he looked at Breiman, bowing his head. “Samael’s slave, you put a lot of effort into luring this guy.”

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“You flatter me.”

Balinos walked up the stairs ahead and exited the cellar.

Breiman made a hideout in a cottage in the woods.

As Balinos went outside, the clear morning light shone over his blond hair, blue eyes, and stocky shoulders. On the contrary, Rupert looked much more alive than when he was still Rupert.

‘As expected, from the outside, it looks like an angel has descended, not a demon king.’

“Then please wait a moment,” Breiman said, about to turn around and do his job.

“Wait.”

Balinos, speaking using Rupert’s voice, called Breiman. Even his tone of voice was similar, and it gave Breiman goosebumps.

“Please speak.”

“Who is Erin Spilet?”