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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 86
On one side, a large log grill was set up to simulate the experience of eating meat.
Though it couldn’t actually fill anyone’s stomach, the illusion replicated the taste, smell, texture, and even the feeling of fullness as closely as possible.
It might still feel a bit off compared to reality, but overall, the result wasn’t bad.
"I don't know much about magic, but couldn't this be used as a training program too?"
"The human body isn't that simple. It changes constantly. This should be enough. Everyone, come out."
"Oh… is it over already?"
"We’ve finished adjusting the data, so now it can be deployed in the field."
At my answer, Melissa averted her gaze.
Then, hesitating, she mumbled something under her breath.
"Well… just in case, maybe we should test it for a few more days to prevent any accidents…"
"I can see right through you."
"Shut up. You enjoyed it too."
At Luna's teasing remark, Melissa clicked her tongue.
"I mean, it was better than I expected. Leon, do you have any extras of this?"
"No."
"Make one for me too."
She had clearly decided to be shameless about it.
"I'll test it for you."
At first, she had looked at me with suspicion, but after spending a few days using the test as an excuse for a break, she seemed to have grown quite fond of it.
Having watched her enjoy it more than anyone else, I shook my head.
"Melissa."
"Huh? Big brother, just one…"
She only calls me "big brother" when she wants something.
"Do you think I'll do something good for you or not?"
"Ah, please!"
At first, she had thought, What kind of crazy thing is this guy doing now?
But now, the situation had completely flipped.
Unable to shake her off as she clung to me persistently, I finally handed over a prototype I had secretly kept aside.
"Use it in moderation."
"Great! This is amazing!"
With an excited expression, she ran off to her office.
Since Melissa seemed satisfied, it was time to check the opinions of those stationed at the Demon Realm.
* * *
After Leon left, the knights and soldiers monitoring the Demon Realm collapsed like limp earthworms when they were off duty.
It was no wonder—they had already been suffering from boredom, and now the ruthless young master had confiscated the only hobbies they had managed to find.
It had been a week since that disaster struck.
"Ugh… I wish my shift would change already."
At the young knight’s grumble, a soldier polishing his spear gave a bitter smile.
"Sir Knight, don't you go picking up moonstones anymore?"
At the mention of "moonstones," all the knights turned their eyes toward the soldier.
Their gazes were filled with indescribable emotions.
"Uh… um…"
"Our young master, you see, has no heart."
"Heart? He doesn't even have blood or tears."
"He has no compassion at all!"
At the large lodge where the knights and soldiers stationed at the Demon Realm resided, Leon Cascadia had come to be seen as the Demon King himself.
Technically, his actions followed the rules to the letter, so there wasn’t much they could argue against—but people are creatures of habit and flexibility.
Outside of their shifts, they had little to do—exercise options were limited, and their only real diversions were lying around, doing simple physical training, or enjoying the occasional rations of meat and alcohol.
Since they were on duty, drinking was rare, meaning they were constantly starved for entertainment.
Things were so bad that they had resorted to collecting moonstones—basically just rocks—and arguing over whose was shinier or bigger.
Leon Cascadia had taken away even that final, desperate escape.
Naturally, their opinion of him had hit rock bottom.
"I knew it! He's completely ruthless! No wonder the former head of the family chose Lady Melissa as the successor instead."
"Exactly! Our lady has a kind heart, but the young master… geez."
The anger of those deprived of their moonstones!
Their misplaced urge to destroy something now turned toward Leon!
Once one person started, complaints erupted from all directions.
The lodge housed about 150 knights and soldiers.
Though they called it a "lodge," it was really just a massive barracks.
As soon as one person voiced their frustration, it spread like wildfire.
The new recruit awkwardly watched the scene unfold.
It was true that Leon’s sudden arrival had caused all this, but still…
"Uh… Sir Knights? Maybe you should tone it down a little…?"
"Tone it down? Do you even know how boring it is to stand watch here, kid?!"
"Join in! Our young master has no heart!!"
"He has no heart!!"
Their voices rose in unison like a chorus.
The new recruit could only smile awkwardly as he watched them.
"Uh… you guys are going to regret this…"
As the mood heated up, the senior knight shouted even louder.
However, he failed to notice just how eerily quiet it had suddenly become.
A hand suddenly rested on the shoulder of the knight leading the outburst.
"Doesn't understand people's hearts?"
"That's right! A real human wouldn’t act like this! It’s not even interfering with duty! We were just picking up some stones to fight off boredom! I mean—"
"Uh… um…"
"Honestly, isn't he being way too harsh?! He’s just some pampered noble brat who grew up soft and doesn’t understand real hardship—"
The knight, practically ranting like a drunkard, suddenly stopped.
A strange feeling crept over him.
He flinched.
And then…
Slowly, he turned his head.
"You… young master…?"
"Interesting. Please, continue."
Like the creaking of a rusty machine, the heads of all the knights turned toward the source of the voice.
Standing there, carrying a large bundle, was Leon.
His sky-blue eyes gleamed with an icy sharpness.
His gray hair and sky-colored eyes had once seemed ordinary, but for some reason, they now carried an eerie intensity.
Standing near the darkened entrance, the only thing that seemed to glow was his piercing gaze.
“Oh. So you were that upset.”
“Y-Young Master?”
“You must have thrown that tantrum because you've never suffered before.”
“T-That…”
“But I felt bad for taking away your only hobby, so I barely slept for a week to make this.”
“Please, just kill me!!”
The senior knight dropped his head straight to the ground.
But Leon wasn’t the type to back down so easily.
Shiiing.
“Alright. Then you’ll have to die.”
As Leon’s chilling aura flared up, the knights all rushed forward to stop him.
“Y-Young Master! Please calm down!”
“Get a hold of yourself, Young Master!!”
“Let go, unless you all want to die together.”
It was only a while later that Leon, who had drawn his sword in a frenzy, finally calmed down.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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* * *
The suffocating atmosphere lingered.
Sitting with my legs crossed, I chewed on the jerky in my hand and thought to myself.
It doesn’t taste as good as I expected.
I should fix that sometime.
Morale, above all, was the key to military operations.
But seeing this place in person, it was in a worse state than I had imagined.
Since reducing personnel wasn’t an option due to financial struggles, they had gradually downsized everything else instead.
Tyvel Cascadia, is this your doing again?
What a wretched bastard.
Gathering everyone except those on duty, I finally spoke.
“So you all hated it that much?”
“No, sir!!”
The knights and soldiers shouted in unison, almost desperately.
They seemed far more disciplined than usual.
It wasn’t like this before.
Ever since they saw me casually slice jerky with my Aura Blade, they had been walking on eggshells, faces pale.
“Why do you all look like that? I’m not the kind of person to hold grudges. I’m not here to take out my anger on you.”
“No, sir!!”
Their eyes flickered toward my side.
I slowly turned my head.
The senior knight, drenched in cold sweat, was kneeling in a posture of absolute submission.
The knights of Cascadia weren’t like the typical knights of the continent, who obsessed over honor.
They were closer to trained soldiers.
“Stand up.”
“Stand at attention!!!”
The senior knight, now standing with stiff discipline, was the very man who had been badmouthing me before getting caught.
“Senior Knight.”
“Yes, Young Master!!”
“Nothing to say?”
“I sincerely apologize!!”
“Return to position.”
At my short command, he immediately slammed his head back onto the ground.
“Return to position!!”
I understood their frustration.
Neither Melissa nor I had any intention of berating them over collecting moonstones.
No one questioned why someone who didn’t care had confiscated every last moonstone.
They were too busy sweating over the aura blade I had been using to cut my jerky.
The knights who had been stationed here for months without returning to the territory couldn’t hide their confusion toward me.
“Senior Knight, how long have you been serving here?”
“Twelve years, sir!!!”
His voice cracked as he forced out a reply.
I slowly stood up.
Then, I asked.
“Stand up.”
“Stand at attention!!”
He shot to his feet, and I stared at him.
“I feel like I’ve seen quite a few senior knights come and go…”
“I sincerely apologize!!”
“I thought I treated you well, but I guess not. You have no faith in me at all.”
“I sincerely apologize!!”
“Does apologizing mean your time under surveillance is over?”
“No, sir!!”
“You look full of complaints. What’s with the expression on the back of your head?”
“I sincerely apologize!!”
“Stand up.”
“Stand at attention!!!”
I verbally pummeled him until he was nothing more than a shivering wreck.
Only then did I return to the main point.
“I know everyone is frustrated about the moonstones.”
Silence fell around me, but I continued speaking.
“Let’s be honest. Isn’t everyone exhausted?”
Some of the knights hesitated before finally nodding.
“W-We are, sir.”
“That’s right, Young Master!!”
As soon as the first voices spoke up, more followed, and I smiled.
“All those who just spoke—get down.”
“Get down!!”
They were instantly pinned down.
The older, more experienced knights, quick to read the situation, paled.
In the suffocating silence, I sighed.
“Stand up.”
“Stand at attention!!”
Scanning them, I smirked.
Then, I pulled something from my bundle—a peculiar-looking string and a large rectangular board.
“I guarantee this will be far better than running around collecting moonstones. You’ll envy those who aren’t on duty.”
* * *
Most of them were simply trying to gauge the situation.
Others were curious—just how amazing could something be to warrant this reaction?
The knights lay on their bunks, holding the artifact in their hands.
A vacation, huh?
Lying in bed and holding onto this thing, what were they supposed to do?
If he started spouting nonsense about spiritual enlightenment or something, it would be infuriating—but their opponent was the Young Master of their household.
Playing along until it was over seemed like the safest bet.
But the moment they pressed the button on the artifact, all thoughts vanished.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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