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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 31
There were still a few days left until the Black Pill Hunt.
Chris spent that time fruitfully.
That is to say… he spent it indulging in pleasure without restraint.
“Go!”
“Drop!”
The demons who had followed him looked puzzled as they watched Chris engrossed in a card game at the arcade.
“Y-Young Master?”
“What?”
“Uh… Is this really okay?”
“Why not? We’ve got time anyway. Gotta rest when I can.”
“…This isn’t just resting, is it?”
Card games, various pleasures—Chris’s version of rest was far too excessive to be called mere rest.
Except for alcohol.
No one would serve alcohol to Chris since he was underage. In the end, he ended up holding a ginger ale while playing cards.
‘Damn it, why are all these demons so uptight? I hate ginger!’
At least card games weren’t illegal—that was a relief.
Historically, card games had always been a form of entertainment enjoyed by people of all ages.
“What’s the problem? I’m a scoundrel, aren’t I? What’s wrong with a scoundrel acting like one?”
The demons looked bewildered.
Right after showing such a cool and impressive side at the House of Count Tyramin, he was back to acting like a scoundrel again.
He was impossible to pin down.
Of course, Chris wasn’t doing this just to enjoy himself.
‘I have to make them let their guard down.’
Chris could feel the eyes watching him from all over.
It was the gaze of surveillance sent by the House of Count Tyramin, worried that he might be plotting something again.
Now that the final plan to steal the Black Pill was about to be set in motion, he had to make those watchful eyes relax.
‘Might as well have fun while I’m at it. Man, how long has it been since I’ve played like this?’
As he always said, Chris wasn’t the hardworking genius type.
He’d always been lazy by nature, and he absolutely loved having fun.
Since he was trying to make them let their guard down anyway, he went all in on enjoying himself.
Not as an act—but sincerely.
A scoundrel through and through, for anyone to see!
Sure enough, those who had been watching him shook their heads.
[Thought he’d changed, but he’s exactly the same.]
[Still a scoundrel.]
[To think Young Master Allos lost to someone like that.]
Of course, Chris’s skills were acknowledged.
No one could deny what he had shown in that duel.
But a scoundrel was still a scoundrel.
[He may have talent, but in the end, he’s just a scoundrel.]
[Not even worth monitoring. Let’s just write up a brief report.]
The watchful eyes didn’t completely disappear.
But they loosened.
And the moment he sensed that looseness—
Chris’s eyes snapped open.
It was time to move.
His destination was the Tyramin Count Family’s Forbidden Zone.
It was the place where the Black Pill Hunt ritual would take place.
* * *
The Tyramin Count Family specialized in controlling demonic beasts through beast-binding magic.
Accordingly, they had a vast demonic domain at their disposal.
The Kython Mountain Range, located in the southeast of their territory where the Dark Demonic Energy was dense, served as the main area of activity for the Tyramin family.
The demons of the Tyramin household roamed the Kython Mountains like it was their own front yard, hunting and dominating demonic beasts.
And at the entrance of the Kython Mountains was the Forbidden Zone.
A place where no one’s steps were allowed.
It only opened when the ritual of the Black Pill Hunt was held.
‘Guards are stationed.’
Chris observed from a distance.
The Forbidden Zone was a large cave, and there were sentries guarding it.
They were all demons who had mastered demonic energy, and the strongest among them appeared to be of 3-star rank.
An opponent still too difficult for Chris to defeat with his current demonic power.
‘But if it’s just about slipping past them, that’s a different story.’
Chris invoked dark magic using his demonic energy.
Veil of Secrecy.
A stealth-based dark spell that concealed one’s presence.
In addition to that, Chris used several more techniques.
First, he retracted his demonic energy inward.
Just hiding his form wasn’t enough—if his energy leaked out, those sensitive to auras could still detect him.
Suppressing demonic energy while using dark magic was a skill only mid-tier or higher demons could manage, but for Chris—
It was a simple trick.
To perfect it even further, he erased all traces of his presence.
He blended into the surroundings, leaving no sound or trace of movement.
It was a secret technique from the most prestigious swordsmanship clan outside the Magus Empire—he had stolen and learned it from a Hero.
Since similar techniques existed among demons, there was no worry someone might recognize it.
‘Let’s go.’
Amazingly, the demons guarding the entrance didn’t notice Chris at all.
Once he entered the cave, an empty chamber appeared.
There were no guards inside.
It was due to the nature of the Forbidden Zone.
‘An energy inside.’
Chris’s gaze turned sharp.
A chilling energy was flowing from deep within the chamber.
It was similar to demonic energy, yet different.
Even more ominous and malevolent.
It felt like a thick malice was surging forth.
And that was only natural.
“The Rift of Gehenna.”
This place was connected to Gehenna—
A rift linked to the Shadow Dimension, the world of demons.
‘A spot like this exists in a mere domain?’
Chris shook his head in disbelief.
This world was made up of multiple dimensions.
Among them, the one where humans and other races lived was called the Middle Realm.
As the name implied, the Middle Realm was connected to various other dimensions, with the most representative ones being the Heavenly Realm and Gehenna.
The Heavenly Realm—home to the Celestial Race and the Star Thrones.
And Gehenna—the world of demons and devilkin.
A Spot referred to a rift in the Middle Realm that connected to such other dimensions.
They were usually managed and protected at a national level.
‘Isn’t this being way too poorly guarded?’
Chris frowned in disbelief.
Of course, that wasn’t actually the case.
Complex magic circles had been inscribed all around the rift.
Even at a glance, it was clear they were made with top-tier dark magic.
They functioned as a barrier to prevent malicious entities from Gehenna from crossing over, and if anyone tampered with the magic circle, it would immediately trigger an alert to both the Tyramin Count Family—who oversaw the Forbidden Zone—and the main Dark Demonic House.
‘Anyway, let’s do what I came here for and leave quickly.’
The aura of Gehenna was making him feel sick.
Chris pulled out a bottle he had prepared in advance and scattered its contents around the chamber.
“Pheromone agent, applied.”
Chris grinned with a wicked smirk.
It was his trump card, set to be the grand finale of the Black Pill Hunt.
After carefully setting the trap, Chris once again cast the Veil of Secrecy and slipped out of the cave.
Silence returned to the interior of the cavern.
But some time after Chris left—
A quiet voice echoed from deep within the chamber.
“Oh? How remarkable. Fascinating.”
Amazingly—it was a bat!
The bat giggled like a human, then transformed into a man amid a cloud of blood-colored mist.
Sharp fangs. A crimson sword crest engraved on his temple.
He was the vampire tasked by Duke Nordian to observe Chris!
“To think the young master cub would be this interesting.”
The vampire, Simon, let out a low chuckle.
“More than I expected.”
He hadn’t thought the boy would be ordinary—
After all, even the picky Merian had spoken highly of him.
But this wasn’t on that level.
Simon recalled everything Chris had done since arriving.
He provoked the Tyramin Count Family and shattered Alros.
Not only that, he acted like a mad dog to lower the watchers’ guard, then secretly came to the Forbidden Zone and pulled this stunt?
Isn’t this basically toying with the entire Tyramin Count Family in the palm of his hand?
“That little punk of a young master is this capable? This is troublesome.”
Simon grinned, revealing his fangs.
“Makes me want to play an even nastier prank.”
Originally, he had only intended a small prank—
To assess Chris’s abilities.
Of course, whether Chris would have considered that prank “small” was questionable, but at the very least, Simon hadn’t intended to cross any lines.
However, what Chris had shown stirred Simon’s curiosity far too much.
“Ahh, this is quite the dilemma. Young master, this is your fault, you know.”
Humming a tune, Simon made his way toward the rift with light steps.
The closer he got, the more Gehenna’s vile malevolence pricked at his skin, but instead of recoiling, he smiled as if savoring it.
Simon extended his hand toward the rift. The skin on the tip of his finger split open, and blood began to drip.
Drip. Drip.
His blood fell past the magic circle and into the rift. As the number of drops increased, the Blood Sword engraved on his temple glowed deeper red.
[De…generate… what is it you seek?]
A terrifying voice echoed as if from a deep abyss. Simon’s lips curled upward.
It was the beginning of the prank.
* * *
At last, the Black Pill Hunt had begun.
The high trumpet of the Tyramin Count Family rang out.
“Is everyone ready?!”
“Yes, my lord!!”
“The beaters will drive Karazov into the Forbidden Zone! Begin!!”
“Understood!”
The demon soldiers dispersed with precise coordination.
Now, they would guide Karazov into the Forbidden Zone.
“We’ll wait there,” Chris said to Alros.
As the centerpiece of the ritual, Alros and the escorting demon soldiers had to remain on standby in the Forbidden Zone.
Alros didn’t respond. He simply clenched his teeth and glared at Chris before turning on his heel and marching ahead.
The other escorting demons also shot daggers at Chris.
For the record, all of them were around the same age.
This Black Pill Hunt itself was like a coming-of-age ceremony for the Tyramin Count Family, so veteran demons with experience didn’t participate.
Perhaps because they were all young and full of hot blood, they didn’t bother hiding their hostility toward Chris.
“Keep this in mind. This Black Pill Hunt is a matter of the Tyramin Count Family.”
“We’ll handle it ourselves, so don’t overstep your bounds.”
Chris simply shrugged in response.
When they arrived at the Forbidden Zone, the rejection became even more blatant.
“This is where Lord Christian will be stationed.”
“Hm? Isn’t this spot too far from the altar where the ritual is being held?”
The role of an escort is to respond to any unforeseen incidents during the ritual.
Chris’s assigned spot was at the far end of the chamber.
Practically the opposite side of the rift where the altar was located—hardly a place from which he could respond to emergencies.
It was clearly an intentional snub.
“Don’t worry. There won’t be any need for you to step in, Lord Christian.”
“Do not leave your post unless we give the order.”
It was pure containment—filled with wariness and hostility.
It was obvious they were trying to prevent Chris from gaining any merit during this Black Pill Hunt.
But Chris casually nodded as if it didn’t matter.
‘They all look like beasts, but they’re petty as hell. Not that I care.’
Since he’d already been pushed aside, Chris just made himself comfortable and laid down.
He got so relaxed, he even dozed off for a bit, snoring lightly.
Tsk. That punk really is...
If I get the chance, I’ll show him what’s what.
Snide remarks like that floated around now and then, but Chris ignored them.
The climax was approaching soon anyway.
‘It should be about time.’
As he yawned groggily—
A sharp shout rang out from outside.
“We’ve driven Karazov here!!”
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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