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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 49
"Yeah, he suffered internal damage to his core and went into seclusion for treatment. I heard the damage was severe. They say he has to remain in complete isolation and receive treatment for at least a year."
One year.
Normally, the higher one’s star level, the stronger the core’s regenerative power becomes.
Ashid is at the level of 4-star high rank. Most core injuries could be quickly healed at that level.
Moreover, since he would be receiving full support from the Dark Demonic House, his recovery should be much faster than other ordinary demons. The fact that it will still take a year means the damage Chris dealt to his core was extremely serious.
"How is that possible? Even if his dark energy is highly refined, isn’t Young Master Christian only 2 stars? And yet he inflicted such a critical injury to Lord Ashid, who’s 4 stars?"
"I heard it from a colleague who visited the Khazar Count's household—apparently, Young Master Christian has incredibly high proficiency in manipulating demonic energy. He even defeated Deputy Commander Melin in a duel once using a broken holy sword."
"Deputy Commander Melin? Is that true?"
"Yeah, and that’s not all. Ever since he regained his senses, he’s been showing nothing but impressive feats."
In fact, this wasn’t the first time such rumors about Christian had reached the main house.
Many demons had witnessed what he accomplished at the Khazar Count's estate and the Tyramin Count's territory. Quietly, rumors had made their way back to the main house.
But the demons of the main house never cared to listen to such rumors.
Because they looked down on Christian.
That was their mistake.
“…Has he really changed?”
“Who knows.”
The demons trailed off.
But one thing was certain.
Christian was no longer someone they could belittle at will.
* * *
Christian lay on his bed lazily, listening to the rumors.
With a grin, he thought to himself.
"A year for Ashid to recover, huh? It’ll probably take even longer than that."
At the last moment, he had taken measures to make recovery even harder.
He triggered a resonance phenomenon to shake Ashid’s core violently, adjusting it to ensure the strongest shockwaves struck the core’s central point.
Once treatment begins, it will be riddled with complications.
"At least a year and a half. Maybe even two years."
That would be more than enough.
Even after just one year, Chris would no longer be the same person.
Whether in terms of skill, or his standing within the Dark Demonic House.
He’d be more than capable of facing Ashid head-on.
[Ohoho… Young Master. Truly, you are incredible. So brilliant, so charming, so wonderful. This girl’s heart is pounding with excitement.]
The banshee maid, Marie, fluttered her ghostly tail as she attended to him.
As always, her ridiculous nonsense came as a bonus.
[This girl… while waiting for you, has realized the depth of her feelings for you. Do you know how desperately I waited? Every single day felt like an eternity.]
Christian quietly stared at Marie for a moment.
With that innocent, pretty ghost girl’s face saying all that, it really did feel like a lovesick ghost had latched onto him.
“Thanks.”
[…Huh?]
"Thank you for waiting. Truly."
Christian spoke sincerely.
Was Marie caught off guard by Christian’s unexpected gratitude? She stared blankly for a moment.
‘I’ve always been weak to this sort of thing.’
The past.
In other words, his previous life.
Maybe it was because of his harsh circumstances, but he had lived a life far removed from meaningful bonds.
Even in childhood.
Even when he escaped the hellish family and wandered the streets.
Even during the age of ruin that came in adulthood.
He mostly had enemies, and few people he formed deep connections with.
In the end, the hero’s party was the only relationship he had left with any warmth.
Especially before being cast out by his family as a child—everyone had wished for his death.
So, having someone worry about him like this… he wasn’t used to it, and he was thankful to Marie.
[Ohho… you finally understand my feelings… But… when you look at me so intently… my heart pounds so hard. It feels so good… like my heart is about to burst.]
“…It’s not like that. And you don’t even have a heart.”
[Do not worry… I’m already prepared… to be with you, Young Master. From now on… I shall be with you forever.]
“…That’s enough.”
Christian shot her a sideways glance and told her to bring him some juice. Marie giggled and vanished, saying she’d go prepare some virgin’s blood juice.
‘The past, huh.’
Christian fell into brief reminiscence.
There was one person.
Someone who worried about him like Marie did.
His younger sister.
‘I miss her. I wonder if she’s doing well.’
A thought that came to him suddenly.
She was probably doing well.
Because in her current life, there was no "Christian." Compared to before, it had to be a much better life.
‘She’s not far from here, either.’
The place where his sister was.
That is, his former family from his past life wasn’t far from the Southern Magic Kingdom of the current Magus Empire.
Far from being distant, they were actually part of the Gold Cross Federation—formed to oppose the Southern Magic Kingdom.
If one followed the river flowing beside the Dark Demonic House’s Duke Baron’s territory, it would lead straight to his former family’s domain.
‘No use thinking about pointless things. I can’t reveal myself to her anyway. I need to focus on what I need to do.’
The Gold Cross Federation where his sister lived was one of the first regions to fall during the Magus Empire’s invasion.
Rather than wallowing in nostalgia, preventing the coming catastrophe was the best way to protect his sister—and everyone else.
‘First, I need to become a lord.’
Just then, the call he’d been waiting for arrived.
"Young Master Christian. The Marquis Langham is summoning you."
It was time to receive a recommendation for the Lord Qualification Test from Marquis Langham.
* * *
“I greet Your Excellency, the Marquis.”
Christian went to the office at the top floor of the main house.
For a branch family member to become a lord, he had to take the qualification test.
It wasn’t an easy process.
First, he had to find a sponsor from among the main family elders—someone at least at the elder level or higher.
Would someone from the prideful main family easily recommend a child from a branch family? Not a chance.
But that issue was already resolved.
In exchange for a bet he made with Ashid, Marquis Langham had agreed to be his sponsor.
‘He probably isn’t thrilled about it.’
Christian smirked inwardly.
Marquis Langham had tried to cut him off, but now had to act as his sponsor. There was no way he found that pleasant.
However, Marquis Langham didn’t show any sign of displeasure.
“A promise is a promise. As I said back then, I’ll act as your sponsor. Under my recommendation, you’ll take the lord qualification test.”
He spoke in the same indifferent tone with a businesslike expression.
What was he really thinking?
‘No matter what he thinks of me, there’s no need to flinch.’
As long as he remained under the umbrella of the Dark Demonic House, Marquis Langham—acting head of the house—couldn’t openly harm him.
Of course, that didn’t mean he could let his guard down.
Langham was the acting head.
Even without moving directly, there were countless underhanded methods he could use to put Christian in danger.
Like the test for lord qualification he was about to face.
“There’s almost no precedent for a branch family member taking the lord’s test, so there’s no fixed format. Therefore, I’ll determine the content of the test at my discretion as the acting head.”
Christian nodded.
It was as expected.
‘He’ll surely come up with something nearly impossible to achieve.’
In the history of the Dark Demonic House, there had been rare instances of branch members attempting the lord’s test.
But none had ever succeeded in becoming a lord.
That was because they were intentionally given impossibly cruel tests.
It wasn’t just about failing—many had died during the exams.
‘This one will probably be the same. He might use this as a chance to push me to the brink of death.’
Just as Christian braced himself, wondering how brutal the test would be, Marquis Langham said something unexpected.
“The test will be divided into two parts. The first is to assess your qualifications. The second is to perform a merit-worthy deed necessary to become a lord.”
“And by assessing my qualifications, you mean…?”
Langham looked up from his documents and locked eyes with Christian.
For a moment, his eyes behind the iron-rimmed glasses gleamed coldly.
“Reach 3-Star within three months.”
Christian looked surprised.
‘That’s it?’
Of course, it wasn’t an easy task.
No—rather, it was nearly impossible.
Usually, it takes at least three years to go from 2-Star to 3-Star, even at a fast pace.
Especially since moving from upper-rank of one level to the next tier—like from upper 2-Star to 3-Star—requires a vastly greater effort than simply progressing within a single tier.
So, reaching 3-Star within three months was an absurd notion.
“…Will that really be enough?”
Marquis Langham frowned.
“Did you just say ‘enough’?”
“No, I meant… it doesn’t seem all that difficult.”
Not difficult.
He meant it.
At least, for Chris.
“Your Excellency, didn’t you also notice? That I’m no ordinary genius.”
“……”
Marquis Langham was silent for a moment before he spoke.
“Is it because you’re from a branch line? You really don’t know anything.”
“…Sorry?”
“Do you know why none of the direct line ever absorbs more than 70% of the Sacred Darkness during the Sacred Darkness Ceremony?”
It was the first Chris had heard of it.
“Most people wouldn’t know. Ordinary branch bloodlines struggle to absorb even 30 or 40 percent of the Sacred Darkness. But it’s different for the direct line. They receive rigorous support from childhood to expand their Mana Core, so they easily absorb over 50%, and though rare, some can even absorb more than 70%.”
Marquis Langham continued.
“Ashid too could’ve absorbed more than 70% of the Sacred Darkness if he wanted. But he stopped deliberately at 70%. Because anything beyond that becomes poison.”
An unexpected explanation.
“If the purity of Dark Demonic Energy exceeds a certain point, raising your level becomes exponentially more difficult. That point is 70%.”
“……”
“That’s the only reason I also stopped at 70%.”
Marquis Langham spoke coldly.
“But you absorbed over 90% of the Sacred Darkness. Completely ignorant of your place.”
In other words.
Even if someone from the direct bloodline had the capacity, they deliberately refrained from absorbing over 70% of the Sacred Darkness.
Because raising one’s level afterward would become unimaginably difficult.
Even going slightly over 70% made it so. But Chris had absorbed over 90%.
No—the others assumed it was a little over 90%, but in truth, it was 100%.
It was impossible to imagine just how overwhelmingly difficult things would be for him now.
Even so.
“Understood. I’ll do it.”
Chris replied with a wide grin.
At that confident smile, Marquis Langham’s brow twitched.
“You clearly didn’t understand what I just said. From now on, you—”
“No, I understood perfectly. That I’ll be facing an insurmountable wall in raising my level from here on out.”
Chris didn’t stop smiling.
“That’s exactly why I’m smiling. Truth is, I’ve never run into a wall before. So honestly, I’m looking forward to it.”
“!!”
Everything had always been easy for Chris.
That’s why learning and mastering things had never been fun. It was boring.
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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