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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 89
This time, what Chris held in his hand was ginger ale.
- “Sorry, but our shop doesn’t sell alcohol to minors.”
Even in the taverns of the Destruction Demonic House’s territory, they were just as strict.
The others also showed troubled expressions.
- “Young master? It’s a bit early for alcohol.”
- “Hmph. Still a child.”
- “Try calling me a man.’”
‘Damn these magic bastards. What kind of madmen are more honest and uptight than the damn Alliance!’
And so, with Chris excluded, they drank merrily, and this was the result.
Everyone was suffering from a hangover.
‘They drank all kinds of alcohol like maniacs. Serves them right.’
As expected of the precious children of prestigious noble families, every liquor they drank was top-tier. Chris, who had only ever dreamed of tasting those drinks in his previous life, was in a foul mood as he watched them disappear into others’ stomachs.
Among the drunk was Simon as well.
Simon had disappeared, saying he was going to drink cow’s blood as a hangover cure.
Apparently, cow’s blood was the best for hangovers?
‘They’re all something else.’
Chris twitched his lips as he approached Kashmir.
They would be parting ways soon, so he needed to finish his business.
“Young Master Kashmir.”
“C-Christian… I apologize for my disgraceful behavior… urgh.”
Christian forced a smile, suppressing his furrowed brows.
“This is a medicine that’s good for hangovers. Please try it.”
“Aah, even something like this… How can you be so kind, young master? I, Kashmir, will never forget the grace you’ve shown me.”
…Though hearing that from someone in a wrecked, hungover state didn’t really move the heart.
It wasn’t out of jealousy. Truly.
‘Damn it, I want to suffer from a hangover too. I hate ginger.’
Chris swallowed his true feelings and spoke.
“…And I have something else to give you.”
“What is it?”
“It’s the Fire Fan Pill of the Iseon noble house.”
“!!”
Kashmir’s eyes widened to the point they looked like they’d tear apart.
It was the medicine he had so desperately longed for.
The only cure that could save his mother, whose life force was being drained by intense Yin energy.
“H-How did you get this medicine…?”
“I happened to get it at an auction a while ago. I didn’t have any use for it, so I just kept it, but after hearing about your circumstances during yesterday’s drinking party, I’m giving it to you.”
He had obtained it at an auction.
It was made from materials Ruina had acquired.
“Y-Young master…”
Kashmir’s voice trembled.
Tears welled up in his eyes.
‘How can someone like him exist in this world?’
From the very first moment they met, Christian had endlessly shown grace to him.
Even though he had once tried to kill him.
“I-I… I don’t deserve to receive something like this from you, young master.”
Christian shook his head.
“Of course, it’s not for free. Even if we’ve become friends, I can’t just give away something this valuable without any return.”
“R-Right! If there’s anything you want, just say the word. I’ll even give my life if I must!”
Kashmir replied in a hurry.
But then—
“Survive.”
“!!”
Christian looked at Kashmir with a heavy gaze.
“You probably already have some idea of the great trials that are coming your way.”
Chris knew.
He knew what kind of hardships Kashmir would face.
“I won’t ask for anything else. Just… no matter what happens, don’t collapse. Endure it and survive. And one day, strike back at those who once trampled you. That’s all I ask.”
“……”
Kashmir closed his mouth.
He could feel it.
Chris’s sincerity, his genuine concern for him.
Unable to suppress the emotion that surged within him, Kashmir bit his lip hard and bowed his head.
“…I will remember your words. And… thank you. I’ll never forget the grace you’ve shown me, young master.”
It was sincere.
In that moment, Kashmir made a vow.
That someday, he would offer even his life to Christian.
Thus, Kashmir gave his whole heart to Chris.
Next was Marisa.
“You… mm. Have you sobered up a bit? Do you remember anything from last night? You were pretty wild.”
Marisa’s face flushed bright red.
She remembered.
Yesterday, completely drunk… she had bawled her eyes out while cursing and hurling insults at Christian.
—“Y-You bastard! You horrible man! You piece of trash!!”
Chris crossed his arms.
‘…Marisa still seems to hold a lot of resentment toward me.’
Aside from the insults, she had also said a bunch of other things, but it was so slurred and incoherent from the alcohol that only the curses were understandable.
“Here, this’ll help with the hangover.”
“…Thanks.”
Marisa, unlike usual, meekly accepted the medicine.
“…Sorry about yesterday. I was drunk.”
“It’s not like you just started hating me yesterday. Nothing new.”
“……”
Marisa’s lips twitched.
But she didn’t say anything, just turned her head away.
"Anything else you want to say?"
"Yeah. Be careful."
"...Where’s that coming from all of a sudden?"
"Because someone in the Venomous Demonic House seems to be trying to kill you. Just so you know."
Marisa's expression hardened.
"What happened in the underground garden—I'm sure the Venomous Demonic House is involved."
Most likely, this time it was the Marchioness, Presia who instigated the Destruction Demonic House.
The target was Christian’s life.
But was it really that simple?
‘If the Venomous Demonic House hadn’t given approval, the Destruction Demonic House wouldn’t have dared to act so rashly.’
It meant that even within the Venomous Demonic House, there were those who wanted Marisa dead.
"...I know. That kind of thing."
Marisa answered calmly.
"There are so many people who want me dead, I can't even narrow it down. It's nothing new."
Chris nodded.
Whether it was the Destruction Demonic House or the Venomous one, all the noble houses were complicated in their own ways.
"Anyway, thanks for the concern."
Marisa said quietly, and Chris shrugged his shoulders and walked away.
When he reached the carriage, he found a pale-faced Jupien waiting.
"Aren’t you giving me a hangover cure?"
"We’re rivals. Why would I give you medicine?"
"I don’t like you."
"Here. Instead, take this candy I found on the way."
Jupien glared at Christian sharply, then bit into the candy—and his eyes opened wide.
The hangover was instantly gone.
Chris smirked and climbed into the carriage.
Now it was time to return to the Dark Demonic House.
‘Will Kashmir be able to endure it?’
Chris thought to himself.
It was no longer something he could interfere in.
Still, he believed Kashmir wouldn’t fall apart as miserably as he had in the past.
‘That said… there's someone else I need to worry about besides Kashmir.’
Chris muttered the name in his mind.
‘That bastard Evan the Hero.’
It was when Evan was still being mistreated by the Swordsmanship Noble House.
The problem was, in the near future, a major crisis would befall Evan.
‘He barely survives… but ends up almost ruined, suffering terribly.’
If not for that incident, Evan could have grown much faster.
‘If I could intervene, that would be best—but the Swordsmanship Noble House is too far. And he’s probably operating from the shadows, making it hard to even meet him.’
There was another problem.
‘Isn’t this around the time Evan was a total scumbag?’
In the future, Evan would be upright and just, like a true Hero.
Of course, that persona was largely an act for others to see. In reality, his inner self was rather sharp-edged—but at the very least, the personality he showed to others matched the name of a Hero.
But at this point in time, Evan was said to be twisted and defiant about everything in the world.
He wouldn’t easily listen to anything anyone said.
—Chris, if I’d had a friend like you back then, if you had been by my side, maybe things wouldn’t have been so hard for me.
Evan had once drunkenly said something like that.
Still…
Chris was doubtful.
Right now, Evan wouldn’t accept anything he told him. That’s just how bad his situation was.
‘Even so, if I could interfere for the sake of the future, it’d be best to do so. He’s the type who never forgets a favor once he receives help.’
Evan also had the qualities of a loyal hound—one who never forgot grace.
Though he was a bit different in style from Kashmir.
‘If Kashmir is like an obedient and gentle hound that listens well, then Evan is… well. He’s a lot harder to handle. Still a hound, but a prickly one?’
Chris shook his head.
It seemed there was nothing he could do about Evan. Even if he wanted to help, there was no way to get involved.
Right now, he needed to focus on what was happening in the Dark Demonic House.
Chris narrowed his eyes.
‘Once I return, a lot will have changed.’
Just as Chris expected.
After taking the carriage and returning to the Dark Demonic House through the gate, the place was in an uproar.
Everyone was talking about Christian.
His reputation had skyrocketed.
* * *
The underground garden was a well-known ancient site across the entire Southern Magic Kingdom.
Any magic practitioner passionate about their training would have visited at least once.
So everyone knew just how outrageous Christian’s achievement this time truly was.
“They’re saying he decapitated the Spider Queen? How? Isn’t Lord Christian still at the 3-star level? Didn’t Chief Butler Simon take care of it?”
“Apparently not. Chief Butler Simon said he only provided assistance—the one who actually vanquished the Spider Queen was indeed Lord Christian.”
“That’s… hard to believe.”
“That’s not all. They say he became a Pathfinder? That he cleared the 27th floor alone? And what’s with that title, ‘The One Who Mocked a Devil’?”
“There was an accident during the trial, and he got transferred to the 27th floor. They say he was tested by a devil there and passed the trial.”
Since he couldn’t explain in detail, Chris roughly glossed over the story of the 27th floor like that.
Those who heard it all had stunned expressions.
“A devil’s trial?! Is that even possible? You’d lose your mind just by facing a devil!”
“But isn’t Lord Christian no ordinary person?”
“Well… true.”
The magi of the Dark Demonic House nodded.
From the moment he appeared until now—
Christian had always caused overwhelming upheaval and miracles that seemed impossible.
“But even so, passing a devil’s trial? Just what kind of trial was it?”
“They say he can’t speak of it due to a pact made with the devil. What’s certain is, it must’ve been as difficult as clearing the 27th floor.”
It was a reasonable explanation.
If it hadn’t been an extreme trial, it wouldn’t have been recognized as clearing the 27th floor.
“Just who is Lord Christian?”
Everyone looked toward Christian as if staring at some unfathomable monster.
In that moment, the thought that floated into everyone’s mind—
‘Could there really be an upset in the heir succession?’
It was unthinkable.
Christian was still far behind all the other heirs.
But gradually, more and more people began to have that thought.
That Christian was someone worth keeping an eye on.
Meanwhile, Chris flashed a sly smile at the stares of the magi.
‘Great reaction. Thanks to Marchioness Presia’s schemes, I got the perfect opportunity.’
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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