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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 88
The Alliance’s foremost noble house.
The Swordsmanship Noble House, the House of Mayer.
That was where Christian’s name had been delivered.
For reference, the Swordsmanship Noble House was also the family of the Hero, Evan.
* * *
The Magus Empire was located at the very center of the continent.
More precisely, the central-northern region.
To the west of the Magus Empire was the Holy Empire.
To the south, the Gold Cross.
To the east, the Carn Empire.
Thus, the three major forces of the Alliance surrounded the Magus Empire in a near-enclosing formation.
Far to the southeast of the Magus Empire—
Between the Gold Cross and the Carn Empire—there lay a dense forest.
It was the private forest of the Swordsmanship Noble House, the House of Mayer.
Entry by outsiders was strictly forbidden.
Within that forest, a middle-aged man with a solemn impression was walking.
An 8-star transcendent, and the Vice Head of the Swordsmanship Noble House.
One of the strongest individuals in the Alliance, a man of noble standing—yet his expression was rigid.
As if he were going to meet someone extremely difficult to face.
Naturally so.
The one he was going to meet was the Prophet.
One of the great pillars who upheld the Alliance against the threat of the Magus Empire.
As he went deeper into the forest, a wondrous sight appeared.
A lake shining crystal-clear like glass, without the slightest trace of blue.
It was the Glass Lake, the hidden realm of the Swordsmanship Noble House, where present, future, and past were said to intersect.
The Prophet was in seclusion here.
[You’ve come.]
“Yes, I have come at your summons.”
At the voice resounding from the air, the Vice Head respectfully lowered his head.
The Prophet’s figure was not visible.
Because the Prophet always observed the future through heavenly sight (shallow divine foresight), it was rare for her to reveal herself before others.
[A dark omen has appeared. That is why I summoned you.]
“!!”
A dark omen?
The Vice Head’s expression turned grave.
[You are aware that a great calamity will soon come from the Magus Empire, are you not?]
“Yes, I am well aware.”
The Prophet had foretold this disaster long ago.
But no one had listened.
Peace had lasted too long.
Everyone had grown complacent.
‘The Magus Empire has long since surpassed the Alliance in strength.’
While the Magus Empire steadily built power from within, the Alliance had grown decadent and was in decline.
If the Magus Empire hadn’t been divided and fighting among themselves, the world would’ve already fallen into the hands of the Devilkind.
[I was able to glimpse a more specific future. Who in the Magus Empire will bring about the world's destruction. Where the ‘Great Darkness’ resides.]
Originally, the Prophet had pointed to the Castle of the Four Kings.
She said that the flames of disaster would rise from there.
But some time ago—less than a year ago—the prophecy changed.
It was true that the calamity would begin from the Castle of the Four Kings.
But the one who would truly bring about the world’s end was someone else.
The so-called Great Darkness.
According to the Prophet’s heavenly sight, the world would one day be destroyed by the hands of this Great Darkness.
“Where does this ‘Great Darkness’ reside?”
[The Dark Demonic House.]
“!!”
The Vice Head's eyes widened in shock.
It was an unexpected revelation.
“But the Dark Demonic House? Isn’t that a place we didn’t need to pay much attention to?”
Aside from the Head, Lord Nordion, there was no one particularly noteworthy.
A family slowly rotting from within—that was the Alliance’s general assessment of the Dark Demonic House.
[It is certain. The Great Darkness is someone from the Dark Demonic House. In the not-too-distant future, he will become a new Demon King.]
The Vice Head was again taken aback.
“You mean, a new Demon King will emerge from the Dark Demonic House?”
For nearly a hundred years, the Dark Demonic House hadn’t produced a new Demon King.
‘Who could it possibly be?’
The Vice Head dug through his thoughts.
The House Head, Nordion? He was certainly under watch.
But his life was already nearing its end.
‘Then perhaps Marquis Langham, the acting Head, or Marquis Shupen, strongest among the branch families?’
They were the strongest figures in the Dark Demonic House aside from the Head.
But neither of them had the qualities of a Demon King.
‘The young heirs of the next generation? But they’re all far too young.’
The Prophet said it would be someone who becomes Demon King in the not-too-distant future.
He couldn’t fathom who it might be.
“Were you unable to see exactly who it is?”
[I could see no further. As if someone—someone great—was obstructing my vision.]
“Obstructing you…”
The Vice Head’s expression grew heavy.
Only one kind of being could deliberately block heavenly sight.
A Celestial or a Devil.
That meant the Great Darkness named by the Prophet was already being watched by both the Heavenly Realm and Gehenna.
[However, it’s not that there are no clues.]
“What are they?”
[A signal came to the Glass Lake. Information about someone named Christian von Baron Khazar.]
The Vice Head looked puzzled.
‘Baron’ is the name of a branch in the Dark Demonic House.
However, the name Christian didn’t ring any bells.
‘Ah, was he the one who recently became a young lord? I recall hearing he used to be a delinquent but turned over a new leaf.’
The Vice Head recalled a passing report he had once heard.
‘I remembered because his name was similar to the Cursed Prince of Gold Cross.’
The Cursed Prince.
A child born from the noblest bloodlines.
A seed conceived from the union of the most exalted lineages in this world.
But even before birth, he was branded with the sin of being a Devil’s seed and suffered endless persecution—a prince of misfortune.
‘He died not long ago, didn’t he? Now that I think of it, it’s strange. The timing of Christian von Baron Khazar’s transformation coincides with the sudden death of the Cursed Prince. Well, it’s probably just a coincidence.’
In any case, the Vice Head, who gathered every bit of information about the world’s affairs, had at least heard Christian’s name—but no one else in the Alliance knew of it.
[They say he accomplished something extraordinary in the underground garden of the Southern Magus Kingdom—a feat impossible for his age and level of mastery.]
“Are you saying this person could be the ‘Great Darkness’? But isn’t he far too young? I heard he’s only around sixteen years old.”
A minor who hadn’t even undergone his coming-of-age ceremony.
The Prophet responded in a voice lacking confidence.
[It’s not certain. This is only speculation based on information sent through the Glass Lake. If he’s really that young, the chances are low.]
There were only two things that were certain about the Great Darkness.
That he was someone from the Dark Demonic House.
And that in the not-too-distant future—within five years at the earliest, ten at the latest—he would become a Demon King.
[Still, I think it would be wise to verify this dark seed named Christian. I have a bad feeling.]
The Vice Head bowed his head.
“I will see to it.”
After finishing the meeting with the Prophet, the Vice Head exited the Glass Lake, deep in thought.
‘This is troubling. Christian von Baron Khazar…’
Contrary to the Prophet’s speculation, the Vice Head believed there was absolutely no chance that Christian was the subject of the prophecy.
He was simply too young.
‘I heard he only recently reached 3-star. They say he’s a genius, but still, becoming a Demon King is out of reach.’
Maybe in the far, far future.
Say, several decades from now.
But in the near future, as the prophecy described—it was utterly impossible.
‘Still, it’s not like I can ignore it.’
Since the Prophet had insisted, he had to confirm it.
The problem was that this mission was extremely dangerous.
‘He’s a young lord of the Dark Demonic House, after all.’
Even though it was said to be in decline due to the lack of new top-tier powerhouses, that didn’t mean the Dark Demonic House’s strength was weak.
The Dark Demonic House possessed a military force comparable to the combined might of several kingdoms within the Alliance.
‘Whoever takes on this mission will almost certainly lose their life.’
It was hard to justify wasting the family’s manpower on something so unlikely.
‘Who should I send? Someone skilled enough to handle the mission… but whose death wouldn’t matter…’
The right person quickly came to mind.
He was exceptional.
But there was one person whose death would actually be better for the swordsmanship noble house.
“Bring that child.”
The retainer understood the order.
Soon, a young man appeared.
He was a handsome youth with a firm impression.
But his eyes, sunken as if dead, stood out.
“You called for me, Uncle.”
“Yes. I summoned you because I have a mission for you.”
“Command me as you will. I am nothing but the family’s ‘shadow.’”
A voice laced with self-mockery.
Just as he said, the man was the shadow of the swordsmanship noble house.
Those who handled the dirty work of the family—never to appear under the sun.
The man’s bloodline was never meant to live in the shadows, but a cruel fate, ordained by the heavens, had led him to tragedy.
“Investigate a person named Christian von Baron Khazar.”
“Baron… That would mean he’s from the Dark Demonic House?”
Did he understand that it was a death sentence?
The man fell silent for a moment.
Perhaps feeling guilty, the Vice Head gave additional explanation.
“This is an important mission ordered by the Prophet. It’s to prevent the world’s destruction.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes.”
The Vice Head briefly conveyed what he could about the conversation with the Prophet.
That someone known as the ‘Great Darkness’ would one day bring ruin to the world. That there was a possibility that this boy named Christian was that Great Darkness.
“So, if possible, eliminate him.”
“…….”
To assassinate a figure of the Dark Demonic House, regardless of reason.
It was no different from being told to go die, but the man nodded as if accepting his fate.
“I will follow your command.”
“Good. Depart at once.”
After parting ways with the Vice Head, the man looked up at the sky.
The piercingly cold moonlight stung his eyes.
‘So this is where my life ends. I guess it’s fortunate that I can at least give my life for something meaningful, for the world.’
The man thought bitterly.
And so, the man—
The shadow of the swordsmanship noble house, Evan de Mayer, departed for the Dark Demonic House.
He was a man who would one day be called a Hero.
* * *
Meanwhile, at that moment, Chris and his party—who had attended the Young Lords’ Meeting—were in serious trouble.
“Urgh!”
“Blech!”
Everyone was clinging to toilet bowls and vomiting.
Jupien, Marisa, Kashmir—all of them.
They looked as if they had been struck by some kind of foodborne toxin.
The only one unaffected was Chris.
‘…With how much they drank, this was inevitable.’
Chris looked at them with an exasperated face.
The incident unfolded like this.
Originally, Chris had planned to return immediately to the Dark Demonic House.
But the others hesitated.
— Um… Are we parting like this? We didn’t even get a proper chance to thank Lord Christian.
— Hmph. It’s not that I’m reluctant to part with you. It’s just that I feel like I didn’t fulfill my mission because the meeting didn’t go properly.
— I’m fine with leaving.
In short, they wanted a second round… a follow-up party!
‘…What is this, some magical land of dreams and hope? What kind of afterparty nonsense is this?’
Still, their reasoning wasn’t entirely wrong.
The Young Lords’ Meeting was fundamentally a gathering for building camaraderie. If they hit it off during the meeting, follow-up parties were sometimes held.
“Fine. Let’s do the afterparty.”
So Chris agreed.
In truth, he had ulterior motives.
‘This is my chance to drink too! Beer, whiskey, wine! You’re all going down! I’ll drink until I’m a barking drunk!’
But nope.
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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