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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 97
"You’ve made a good decision. Ah, and Evan?"
Evan raised his eyes with a crooked look.
"What is it?"
"Isn’t that gaze a bit too disrespectful? I’m still your master, you know."
"…Shut up."
Chris chuckled softly and said,
"Once you escape from here, lie low for a while, then head to the Free City of Cainper."
"The Free City?"
"Yeah. Join the ‘Training Institute’ with the next intake. It’ll be a chance for you to grow."
Where Evan went after that wasn’t important.
No matter where he went, the Star Thrones who favored Evan would bless him.
But he had to go to Cainper.
It was because of the ‘Training Institute.’
It’s where the core members of the Hero’s party first gather.
‘The place where the stars of the continent come together.’
Cainper’s Training Institute was completely different from other academies.
Only those who graduated at the top of their class from academies across the continent were eligible to enter.
The cutoff scores varied slightly depending on the prestige of the academy, but at minimum, you had to graduate in the top three to even apply.
And even then, you couldn’t apply right after graduation.
Only those who had proven their capabilities in real-world experience after graduating could step into the Training Institute.
It wasn’t a place to nurture seedlings—it was a hall where only the most elite, already-proven talents of the continent gathered.
Because of that, anyone who completed the Training Institute was recognized as top-tier elite in all fields.
"Cainper’s Training Institute is a sanctuary even swordsmanship clans wouldn’t dare touch. It’ll be safe."
"…Alright."
"Then I’ll be going now."
As Chris turned after entrusting Evan to Ruina, Evan unexpectedly spoke.
"What about you?"
"I’ll stay here and deal with the pursuers."
Evan went silent for a moment, then asked,
"…Why are you risking yourself for me?"
Chris tilted his head.
‘I’m not really doing it for you, though?’
He was simply using the opportunity of Evan’s escape to deal with Mysak at the same time, but Evan seemed to misunderstand, thinking Chris was taking a risk for his sake.
"Won’t it be dangerous? I’ll fight with you."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s fine. Don’t worry about it and go."
Chris genuinely didn’t need any help, but for some reason, Evan frowned.
"I can’t go. I’ll fight with you."
‘Hmm.’ That was unexpected and a bit troublesome.
What Chris was about to reveal couldn’t be shown even to Evan.
"As your master, this is an ‘order.’ I won’t allow disobedience."
The moment Chris said that—
"!!"
Evan’s body froze with a snap.
It was the manifestation of dark magic!
‘I secretly modified the servant-master mark so I could issue simple commands. It’s not as forceful as a mark of obedience, but… there’s no reason not to make use of it since we’re already bound.’
He couldn’t fully trust Evan.
Though they were comrades in his previous life, that was then—now, above all else, he himself was a demon, standing on the opposite side of Evan.
He needed at least a minimal safeguard, so he planned to use this subordinate bond.
"You go your way. Leave the rest to your master."
Chris grinned, then leapt forward with a flash, using lightfoot technique.
"……"
Evan clenched his teeth as he stared at Christian’s back.
It wasn’t because of the unpleasantness of being forced by dark magic.
‘What is he thinking? Why is he taking such a reckless risk?’
As far as Evan knew, the demons currently chasing them weren’t the kind Christian could handle.
The Shadow Demon Unit.
An elite combat force known even among swordsmanship clans.
‘There’s no way he can take them on… Forget his command—I have to step in.’
Though dark magic was compelling him, it wasn’t engraved with a mark of obedience, so if Evan really wanted to resist, he could.
But Evan hesitated.
‘Why should I? What does it matter what happens to him?’
In fact, from Evan’s perspective, it would be more beneficial if Christian died and disappeared.
Leaving him be would be the wise choice.
‘Why is he taking this risk… for me?’
Evan wore a face of utter incomprehension.
That guy had left alone now for Evan’s sake.
And it wasn’t just this once.
From the very beginning until now,
Christian had gone to extreme lengths just to keep Evan alive.
He even reportedly petitioned Nordion, the absolute ruler of the Dark Demonic House, for mercy, and each time various demons came for Evan’s head, he protected him.
His treatment was rough, but if looked at closely, all of Christian’s actions had been focused on protecting Evan.
—It’s to make you my sword, as my slave.
That’s what he said, but honestly, it was hard to believe.
Frankly speaking, what were the odds Evan could grow enough to punish the detestable members of the swordsmanship clans?
Even Evan himself thought it was a slim chance.
‘Did he really bear all that burden for such a slim possibility?’
More than anything, there was something strange.
‘…Even with my Insight Eye, I didn’t feel a trace of hostility.’
A secret unknown to anyone in this world.
Evan possessed a power called the "Insight Eye," a gift from a Star Throne.
He hadn’t formed a contract with a Star Throne yet.
But exceptionally, he had received a blessing from one despite being uncontracted.
‘Though still immature, and I can’t read emotions with complete clarity… at least, the feeling he had toward me wasn’t hostility. Rather… it was goodwill.’
From the beginning, without change.
Every action Christian took toward Evan was rooted in goodwill.
More precisely, the emotion of concern.
‘Why?’
Evan frowned.
At first, it was confusing.
But now he was certain.
He simply couldn’t understand it.
‘Could it be… he pities my circumstances?’
—The discarded puppet prince of a swordsmanship clan.
He recalled the look on Christian’s face when he said those words.
It looked like a mocking expression, but Evan’s Insight Eye saw through it.
The hidden thoughts completely contradicted the expression.
‘…How ridiculous.’
Evan let out a bitter chuckle.
After his father died, and his mother took her own life in disgrace, there was no one left in the world who worried about him.
Even the blood of his own clan only wished for his death—yet now, a demon he had never met before showed concern for him.
A feeling stirred in his chest, one he didn’t know how to put into words.
‘…How arrogant.’
Evan’s eyes burned blue.
Yes, it was too arrogant for him to just let this go.
He’d go after that smug bastard, if only to punch the back of his head.
‘Yeah, I’m not doing this for him. I’m going to crush that arrogant nose of his.’
With that said to himself, he summoned his strength and tried to resist the dark magic.
But then Ruina grabbed him.
“Wait, stop. Sir Evan. Where do you think you’re going?”
“…To fight alongside him.”
“No. Leave him be.”
“Leave him? He’s going to die. Or… do you want him dead?”
Ruina shook her head.
“Lord Christian? No way. He’s not someone who would die so easily.”
“…Why’s that?”
“Because Lord Christian is the most cunning—no, the smartest person I’ve ever met.”
“……”
“He would never walk into death on his own. So stop worrying, and just do what he asked—get ready to leave.”
Evan hesitated, then ultimately stopped walking.
Ruina’s words made sense.
It was possible, knowing that Christian, that he had prepared some unknown move.
If so, going back might only end up dragging him down.
‘…I’ll have to hide and grow stronger first.’
Evan clenched his fist tightly.
He may not like the guy. He might even be a demon.
But as the rightful heir of the Great Mayer House, Evan did not forget grace or grudges.
What he received this time—he would be sure to repay someday.
To do that, he needed to grow stronger.
“Now, come quickly! I’ll activate the relic!”
A brilliant light burst forth from Ruina’s relic.
As he was enveloped in that light, Evan had one last thought.
He was a guy Evan couldn’t understand at all.
But there was one thing he was certain of.
There was absolutely no chance that guy was the “Great Darkness” that would bring about the end of the world.
* * *
At that moment, in the forest near the Brexis River—
A group was cutting through the trees.
It was Mysak and the Dark Ghost Unit.
“This way, my lord.”
“How far?”
“Not much farther. We should catch up soon. I’ll confirm the exact direction.”
Mysak ground his teeth.
Finally, the moment had come to hunt down and kill that arrogant bastard Christian.
‘I’ll never—never let him die an easy death. I’ll make him suffer unbearable pain until he begs to be killed.’
“Hurry and confirm which way he went!”
“Yes, I’ve confirmed it. Southeast.”
“Let’s go!”
Mysak shouted triumphantly.
His heart raced with the urge to tear the bastard apart.
And finally—
A human figure began to appear in the distance.
‘That sword clan’s slave bastard!’
“Hit that one first! But don’t kill him!”
He couldn’t let either of them die so easily. He planned to torture them both before killing them.
Flash!
Members of the Dark Ghost Unit rushed in.
The sword clan’s dog flinched in response—but it was too late.
Their blades flashed and sliced through his arms and legs.
Blood sprayed.
Severed limbs flew through the air.
With a short scream, the man collapsed to the ground, his face twisted in agony.
“Well done!”
“Something’s not right.”
“Hm?”
“Why didn’t he resist at all?”
Now that he thought about it, it was true.
He’d heard the guy was a powerful knight, yet he hadn’t made a single move.
‘Why?’
Just then, a faint snicker rang out.
“Oh, that? It’s a homunculus. And a really expensive one. Handmade by a High Meister—so precise that it’s impossible to distinguish it from a real human body with the naked eye or magic.”
Whoosh—from atop a tree, a detestably familiar face was looking down on them.
“Christian!”
“Yep, that’s me.”
Christian lightly leapt down from the tree.
“Still, to think you’d chase me this eagerly. I doubt it’s because you missed me.”
Christian swept a cold gaze across them.
“You’re here to settle this, right? You sure you won’t regret it?”
“……”
Why was that?
Mysak and the Dark Ghost Unit instinctively flinched.
It was fear, triggered by instinct, though they weren’t consciously aware of it.
After all, objectively speaking, their strength was overwhelmingly superior.
Mysak, shaking off the strange unease, spoke in a dark tone.
“You’re the one who’ll regret this. You’ll repent for every slight you’ve shown me—in the torment of hell.”
“Is that so? Heh… then there’s no need for more talk. Come on.”
Christian drew his sword.
The strange thing was—it wasn’t the standard-issue sword of the Dark Demonic House he usually used, but rather the sword of that sword clan guy.
The Dark Ghost Unit members looked at one another.
“We’re going all out. Form the Dark Ghost Formation.”
“But? The Dark Ghost Formation is our strongest combined technique. He’ll die instantly.”
One of the members questioned.
Mysak had intended to capture Christian alive, to kill him slowly in agony.
“Follow orders! We can’t afford to be careless.”
The Dark Ghost Unit’s sub-leader furrowed his brow.
‘Something feels wrong.’
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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