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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 78
“A teacher?”
Chris nodded.
“If I’m to take responsibility, I’ll do it properly. I’ll guide Alros in his lacking areas and turn him into a proper demon.”
“What, are you out of your mind…?! You haven’t even been learning magic control for half a year yet…?! Gah?!”
Alros shouted, only to get smacked on the back of the head by Kaysen’s fist and groaned in pain.
“You do mean it when you say you’ll make him into a proper demon, right?”
“Of course. I may not look it, but I’m a genius....and when it comes to working people... no, I mean teaching them, I’m good at that too.”
It wasn’t an empty boast.
Chris was good at everything, and he had a natural gift for teaching as well.
In the past, everyone who had received his ‘teaching’ had grown at an incomparable speed.
‘Though the problem was that they all suffered hellishly while doing it.’
Kaysen nodded.
“Understood. I’ll trust the Young Lord. Alros, from now on, you will serve Young Lord Christian as your teacher.”
“B-but…!!”
“Do it!”
With tears welling in his eyes, Alros bowed his head to Christian.
“I… I will serve you as my teacher from now on.”
“Good. Don’t think too hard about it, little brother. I just want to help your development, that’s all.”
“I’m not your little brother…! I’m older than y....you, no, the Young Lord…!”
Thwack!
Alros was struck by his brother again.
“He was spoiled growing up, so he has no manners. Please forgive him.”
“It’s fine. I’ll make sure to fix those manners myself, so don’t worry.”
“Then I’ll leave him in your hands. Please take care of him.”
After Kaysen finally left, Alros looked at Chris with a glare filled halfway with venom.
He didn’t look like he intended to follow obediently.
“You understand, right? From now on, you’ll need to follow my words carefully.”
“…What exactly are you planning to make me do?”
“What? Nothing big.”
Chris shrugged and said,
“Want to start with cleaning?”
“…What?”
“It’s only natural for a disciple to clean their master’s home.”
Chris pointed to his place, which still looked like a warehouse.
Though the ghosts were helping clean, it was still being done through spiritual means, so it lacked finesse.
“Sweep and wipe everything down.”
“……”
“But use demonic energy while doing it.”
And so, it was the moment when Chris finally gained a disciple....who was also a human servant.
* * *
“You’re crazy....I’m never doing it!!”
Alros protested like that, but after a heartfelt ‘conversation’ with Chris, he began to follow Chris’s words.
‘Don’t hate it so much. There’s a reason I’m making him do it....I’ve thought it through.’
The Count family of Tyramin was a family of Beast Art Users, the art of controlling magical beasts.
Honestly, for his age group, Alros’s Beast Art wasn’t bad.
But the problem with Alros was his severely lacking fundamentals in handling demonic energy.
Cleaning was an incredibly complex task.
Using demonic energy to carry out such a complex activity would help build a solid foundation.
‘I’ll have you know, I used to be called a great teacher back in the day.’
Chris had the instinctive ability to see through the core issues of any phenomenon.
That applied just as much to someone else’s progress. He could intuitively grasp which part was the problem, why they couldn’t surpass their limits, and what would be effective in achieving a breakthrough.
That’s why everyone who received his teaching saw rapid progress.
‘Even the hero’s party grew in leaps and bounds after meeting me.’
Of course, the heights that the hero’s party reached were still nowhere near Chris’s level.
But Chris’s insane intuition didn’t distinguish between high or low achievements.
Even with realms he had never personally reached, he could instinctively pinpoint what was holding someone back.
Chris would casually toss out advice as he passed by, and whenever the others received that timely advice, they were struck with sudden realizations like bolts of lightning.
What should have required endless frustration and repeated attempts was resolved like climbing a ladder, thanks to Chris’s guidance.
Alros wasn’t the only one who benefited from Chris’s help.
....To my most revered King Emperor Majesty Brother Sir. As you advised, I have been deepening the malice within the curse...
It was a letter sent by Tern.
The two of them exchanged letters from time to time.
Tender brotherly affection?
Not a chance.
....If you lack talent, then at least put in some smart effort. Try working the way I told you.
Chris hoped Tern would quickly grow into his lackey... no, his supporter.
So he often sent him letters filled with half scolding, half advice.
Thanks to Chris’s “affection”, Teren was rapidly improving.
‘He’s already about to hit 3-star in Ashen Curse Arts? That’s faster than I expected. Then again, even in my past life, Tern had reached a fairly high level in curse magic. Could this guy be an Aptitude Holder specialized in curses?’
Sometimes, such people exist.
Mediocre in all areas except one, where they achieve terrifyingly high levels of mastery.
It was slightly different from being simply talented.
It was closer to being “blessed.”
After writing a response to Tern’s question, Chris added a final line.
....When writing my title in letters, put a little more respect into it.
For reference, the whole “King Emperor Majesty” thing was something Chris had insisted on. He said he wouldn’t offer any guidance otherwise, so Tern had no choice but to obey.
Time passed in a whirlwind like that.
Busy, yet without heavy tension....a relaxed sort of time.
Just as he was starting to feel a bit drowsy, it happened. A crack shattered through the calm, like glass breaking.
“Are you Christian?”
It was while he was heading back to the mansion after being told the Marchioness Presia had business with him.
He had been walking pleasantly under the blazing sun, enjoying the warmth.
Then, an unexpected voice called out.
‘…This voice?’
A chill shot down Chris’s spine.
It wasn’t a voice he was hearing for the first time.
No....this was a tone he could never forget.
High-pitched for a man.
Playful, yet laced with madness....a uniquely twisted voice.
‘No, it can’t be. There’s no way that guy’s voice would suddenly show up here.’
Like a trauma-triggered flood, old memories surged up, and his heart pounded.
Chris slowly turned his head.
Hoping it was just a mistake.
But....
“Nice to meet you. I’m your first brother, Sherad.”
The moment he saw the face of a beautiful youth perched on a tree branch....so lovely it could be made of glass....Chris’s vision darkened.
The worst lunatic of humankind.
The nemesis of the hero’s party.
The horrific nightmare of the Age of Ruins, and the tenth Demon King....
The Blood Shadow Band Master was smiling brightly at Chris.
Blood Shadow Demon Band.
A group made up of madmen.
Originally, they claimed to have ambitions of changing the world, but now, they were nothing more than a slaughter gang of psychos.
Even within the Magus Empire, they were a criminal syndicate under a nationwide extermination order.
Fortunately, up to this point, they had remained just a pack of crazed criminals.
But with the onset of the Age of Ruins, the Blood Shadow Band grew strong enough to shake the entire balance of power.
All because of their leader.
A lunatic among lunatics.
A slaughter maniac who lived solely for the thrill of killing.
That was the Blood Shadow Band Master.
He committed terrorism and murder at whim, distinguishing neither between the Magus Empire nor its enemies.
As chaos spread, all manner of human scum gathered beneath him, and wherever the Blood Shadow Band passed, the mortal world became hell.
One saving grace....
He didn’t commit massacres indiscriminately.
He mostly targeted the strong.
He was a madman who found ecstasy in killing.
Especially when it came to strong opponents, his bloodlust burned even more fiercely. He claimed killing the strong brought him the greatest pleasure.
The one he obsessed over most was the hero, Evan.
Because of him, the hero’s party faced countless brushes with death.
The one who killed the chattering shade....the one who had been especially close to Chris....was also the Blood Shadow Band Master.
‘Why is he here?’
The identity of the Blood Shadow Band Master was never fully revealed.
He always wore the blood-red mask that symbolized the Blood Shadow Band.
Only in the final moment, when he met his death by the hero’s blade, did the mask crack....briefly revealing his face.
A face so beautiful it seemed impossible that such a person could have committed those massacres.
And now, that exact same face was smiling sweetly at him.
‘He’s from the Dark Demonic House…?’
Thump, thump.
Chris’s heart pounded like mad.
Heat surged to his head, and his face turned pale.
Was it rage, or murderous intent? A distant, unidentifiable sensation consumed his thoughts.
“Hmm? Why are you so stiff? Isn’t this our first time meeting?”
The Blood Shadow Band Master....no, First Young Master Sherad....lightly jumped down from the tree and tilted his head right in front of Chris.
“Or is there something you wanted to say to me?”
“!!”
In that instant, Chris’s reason snapped.
‘I have to kill him. No matter what.’
He recalled the people dying because of him.
The screams of those trapped in hellish carnage.
And....
The final smile of the chattering shade, who had died.
There was no time to think of anything else.
All that filled his mind was the intent to cut the bastard’s throat immediately.
Gritting his teeth with a crunch, he tried to draw out his demonic energy....
“Hmm, you.”
Sherad’s eyes met Chris’s.
Those half-open blood-red pupils calmly stared into him.
“!!”
Chris felt as if he had been doused with ice water.
His hand wouldn’t move forward.
It was like his soul had frozen over.
And the reason was simple.
‘…He’s strong. Incomparably stronger than I am now.’
If a fight broke out, it would be over in an instant.
Chris would die.
That’s how vast the gap between them was.
“I heard I had a new little brother, so I came to check it out, but you seem absolutely horrified. Still, if you bare hostility out of nowhere like that…”
Sherad smiled faintly.
“Then I’ll have to kill you, little brother. I’d prefer to keep things quiet within the family, you know?”
“……”
Chris clenched his teeth hard.
His breathing turned rough.
Even if it cost him his life, the urge to sever the bastard’s throat surged uncontrollably.
‘No. I have to endure it. Now isn’t the time.’
There was still time.
Just learning the identity of the Blood Shadow Band Master was already a massive gain.
He only needed to grow stronger....and kill him before he left the Dark Demonic House.
“Hmm, by the way…”
Sherad spoke lazily.
“With all the fuss in the rumors, I was excited to see how great you’d be… but you’re not much. Far below my ‘expectation.’”
“!!”
Expectation.
It meant his urge to kill.
Chris’s blood ran cold as he recalled what the bastard had once said.
....“Chris, was it? What a shame. If you’d properly trained in swordsmanship or magic, I might have wanted you more than Evan. I’d have had so much fun watching you slowly die as I cut off your limbs piece by piece.”
Enough pointless thoughts.
Chris calmed his mind and forced the corners of his lips up.
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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