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[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 32: Rebecca (2)
If we assume the girl is a demon, then there's something else to consider.
Summoning a demon requires a summoner and a contractor.
Like Beatrice, one can be both, or they can be separate roles.
In this case, the girl must be the latter.
There are no signs of technical alterations in her internal mana circuit.
In other words, the demon was summoned by someone else — a group.
This means the girl is an infiltrator, sent into the Empire for some organization’s purpose.
That was why I dragged my wounded body into battle.
‘A summoned demon’s strength generally corresponds to the body it inhabits.’
So, the plan was to neutralize the girl and trace her back to whoever was behind her.
But that wasn’t possible.
The situation was far more serious than I had thought.
“What are ‘you all’...?”
[We’ve been found out! Found out!]
[Ahh, what do we do now?]
[Your Highness~ Your Hiiighness~! It hurts so bad! Please save me! Hahaha!]
[Such a shame... I wanted to play a bit more.]
[But isn’t that that thing?]
[Ahh, so this is still in the lower world, huh.]
It’s not the girl.
Inside that body is a collective — not a single demon, but a group of them.
Only now, through the resonance between the rod and my eyes, do I fully realize it, and horror washes over me.
Neutralize her?
Interrogate her?
Ridiculous.
Unless I decapitate that thing immediately, we might be the ones destroyed.
Cold sweat trickled down my spine.
I felt chills.
Not from anything else, but—
“Who the hell summoned that many demons?”
The price someone would’ve paid to summon and control those demons —
The madness of that group was incomprehensible.
“…Demons.”
The Crown Prince muttered blankly.
Meanwhile, that pink-haired one just kept laughing maniacally.
I felt sick.
The voices echoing violently in my mind made me dizzy.
I tensed up.
Steadied my breathing.
‘Not even a sliver of carelessness.’
From now on, this was a negotiation with demons.
“…Tell me. Who’s behind you? Who summoned you and planted you here?”
There’s no reason they wouldn’t answer.
Demons don’t ally themselves with mortals — they are summoned strictly to fulfill contracts.
The reason demons descend to this land through the process of summoning and contracts is purely for “entertainment.”
As long as they can enjoy walking this world in a mortal shell, they don’t care who they deal with.
That’s why they’re considered taboo.
Pure evil.
The kind who consider chaos and despair in the world mere “fun.”
Each individual one is capable of creating that level of devastation.
‘Even the one playing the spy must have done it as part of their game.’
To them, it’s all just entertainment.
So it made sense to assume their caprice might lead them to spill something.
But—
[…For free?]
—of course, nothing’s ever easy.
[Hmm, that won’t do.]
[Child, we have a reputation to uphold in our dealings.]
[Right. Who would summon a demon that carelessly leaks contracts?]
My face twisted in a scowl.
[Maybe if you renegotiated the contract?]
I clenched my teeth.
Their intent was obvious.
[Hah! That’s it! Kid, how about making a contract with us? We won’t ask for much! Just a suitable body to settle into, and a soul for anchoring! And then…]
[Termination fees! We have to collect the penalty!]
[Aah, yes. Good idea! Let’s say... 1.5 times the value of the original contract! How’s that?]
[Not bad, a bit of a loss, but staying in the lower world longer would be worth it...]
I couldn’t let myself be swayed.
‘This is a demon’s bargain.’
They pretend to offer fair deals, only to bring the most unfair outcomes.
I stayed silent.
[Not interested? You could learn so much.]
[Aren’t you curious about the monster? You’ve always had your doubts.]
[Aah, remember the festival street? It was so chilling. “Must be nice for you. Just luck, huh?”]
[Don’t you want to know what their goal is?]
[This doesn’t even scratch the surface.]
Then, one of the demons whispered:
[If you just made the contract… we could even give you back all the memories we altered…]
There was a jolt.
Not from me, but from the Crown Prince.
“…Your Highness.”
“……”
“Your Highness.”
I looked at him.
His wavering eyes made it clear — the words had hit home.
‘Is he doubting his own memories?’
Well, it makes sense.
He wasn’t himself from the moment we entered this place and tried to kill the girl.
He knows better than anyone that his memories were tampered with.
Beyond that, there was another implication that troubled me:
‘…Even if we send these demons back, the other three remain.’
That’s what it meant.
Even if we eliminate them here, the Saint, the Duke’s heir, and the Underworld boss will still be crying out for Rebecca.
‘Is there nothing that goes smoothly…?’
A sharp sting yanked at the back of my neck.
The demons were still bargaining.
[So, how about it? Feel like making a deal?]
[This isn’t some lowball offer!]
[Just your body is enough! That’s all we need for a happy trade!]
[You fool, the termination fee.]
[Huh? That’s obviously included with the body.]
[Screams and despair can always be harvested later.]
Ridiculous.
I closed my eyes.
Still, I was sure of one thing:
There’s nothing I can gain from these bastards.
Therefore—
‘…I’ll kill them.’
Even if it makes the future uncertain, it’s still better than leaving them in the lower world.
I began channeling mana into the rod—
Tap!
“Yuren.”
The Crown Prince’s arm blocked me.
His face was obscured by his hair.
Was he tempted by the offer?
“…Your Highness, you mustn’t. This is a demon’s deal.”
“I know. I’m well aware.”
Then why—
“I just want to ask a few things.”
I couldn’t hastily protest.
I knew better than anyone how confused he must be.
Two options ran through my mind:
‘I explain everything. Or I let him experience it himself.’
The latter is far more efficient.
Letting him feel that he’s been dealing with demons all this time.
I stepped back.
Still clutching the rod.
I’d act if things went south.
The Crown Prince took a deep breath.
Then, with a trembling voice, he asked the demons:
“When did you start being... you?”
[Hmm? From the beginning?]
[I liked Your Highness the most. Felt like I was a princess.]
[Ah, I’m Shufe—]
“…So all my memories… were made with you. All those moments were just a game.”
[I was sincere, though? I was really happy with you!]
“Ha... ha…”
The prince wiped his face with his hand.
I was on edge.
My grip on the rod tightened.
“…Where does the tampering of my memory begin and end?”
[If you want to know—]
“You have to make a deal?”
[Aha...!]
The Crown Prince was being pressed.
"Your Highness."
"Just a little more."
Crack…
The ground dented.
The Crown Prince's mana was manifesting.
His emotions?
Anger?
Despair?
Doubt?
None were good in this situation.
The tension was rising.
"What are the terms of the contract?"
"Your Highness!"
"What did they give you?"
Mana wrapped around the rod.
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[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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I stepped forward to strike.
And then—
[Ten thousand souls!]
I froze.
The staggering number momentarily paralyzed my thoughts.
[We took ten thousand! It was a complicated matter for us too.]
[Doesn’t have to be exactly ten thousand. If you use lower-plane knights, three hundred experts or three masters will do!]
[Or just give us a hefty dose of despair! We can manifest in any form, you know!]
Ah, what lunatics.
Even the barbarian tribes, the primary suspects, were no longer plausible with a number like that.
Ten thousand civilians?
That number would mean sacrificing the entire population of a major city.
‘I have to kill them.’
The Crown Prince wasn't in his right mind.
So I had to act.
Just as I took a determined step forward—
"I heard enough."
Squelch!
The Crown Prince's sword pierced the demon's forehead.
[Ah…?]
Only then could I see the Crown Prince’s face.
A bitter smile.
With a trace of anger.
“They don’t die easily.”
…No, it was seething rage.
Behind that faint smile was nothing but fury.
Crunch, crunch.
The Crown Prince twisted his sword, grinding the demon’s brains.
The demon looked up at him as if to say, What are you doing?
“Yuren, how do you kill these things?”
“…They must be burned with a ritual.”
“Can it be done here?”
“I know something similar.”
“Then do it.”
Swoosh!
As the sword was pulled out, black blood streamed down the blade.
I stepped forward.
[Hmm? Planning to banish us back?]
[Ah, that might work.]
They didn’t seem the least bit alarmed.
Yet something became clear in that moment.
“…You know what this rod is, don’t you?”
They knew.
But they had no intention of answering.
Even when the rod was driven into the pierced forehead, they stayed silent.
“Your friend seemed to be in pain.”
[Amorio? He’s… rather uptight. Probably doesn’t like pain.]
[It’s just pain, really. Why fuss over it? It’s not like he was complete anyway.]
Another irritating remark.
I frowned.
But I couldn’t let it shake me.
‘It’s negotiation. All of this is.’
These creatures knew that revealing what I didn’t know was an effective bargaining chip.
There had to be another way to learn about the rod.
“…Fine then, go.”
As mana was released, the threads became visible.
The Crown Prince had struck precisely.
Where the rod was embedded, their essence converged.
The demon kept smiling till the end.
[See you again.]
“Let’s not.”
Crackle!
Mana surged like lightning, incinerating the demon’s head.
* * *
Callios exited the cave.
The sky had already begun to brighten.
Neither the pale blue dawn nor the crisp morning air could soothe him.
He had just confronted the fact that his memories were altered and what he believed was a lie—so perhaps it was only natural.
He was confused.
More than ever.
But above all, he felt anger.
"Your Highness."
Yuren followed behind and spoke, but Callios didn’t respond.
He regretted the things he did while under the demon’s influence.
He was ashamed that such a lowly creature had swayed him.
In that emotion, Callios muttered,
“…Pathetic.”
It was a vulgar word that didn’t suit him.
It stuck in his throat, unfamiliar, but he forced it out.
“Reincarnation of the great founding emperor, I called myself. Yet I was seduced by a mere demon. I couldn’t even distinguish truth from illusion—and I still can’t.”
“……”
“This pathetic fool is the Crown Prince, Yuren Pharos. The one you tried to teach.”
Callios gave a twisted smile.
“I’m sorry.”
His fist clenched.
His head burned with fury, making rational thought impossible.
He wanted to let go of everything.
If he didn’t know what had changed, maybe doing nothing would be easier.
That thought kept swirling through his mind.
“I’m not worthy. More than anyone, I wasn’t worthy.”
Self-loathing tangled with rage.
He had no idea what to do.
And then—
“I know. Your Highness is pathetic.”
Flinch.
Callios’s fingertips trembled.
He turned his head.
There stood Yuren, with his usual grumpy, unimpressed expression.
“I know better than anyone. Your Highness is a fool.”
Yuren walked closer and continued.
“Others may praise you, but I don’t see it. You’re oblivious, egotistical, and completely unhinged. Honestly, I don’t know why people admire you so much.”
Every word was outrageously disrespectful.
But at this moment, Callios couldn’t deny a single one.
How could someone who couldn’t even find an answer in himself be considered superior?
Callios bit his lip hard.
He couldn’t lift his head.
But—
“There is one thing I do know.”
Yuren’s words made Callios raise his head.
“The one I know never falls. He never runs, and never stops.”
“What are you…”
“He’s too dense to fear, too arrogant to accept defeat. And he’s so off-kilter that he ends up doing the impossible.”
Callios’s eyes wavered.
Yuren added,
“That’s why the one to inherit the throne must be you. The one who never backs down and always charges forward to win. In this era where demons eye the Empire, the Emperor must be you.”
How could he say that?
Even when Callios didn’t believe in himself, Yuren did.
That stirred something deep inside.
“…Can I really do it?”
“You said you didn’t know where your memories went wrong? So what? I don’t remember half the stuff I do drunk. You’re scared because you don’t know what went wrong? Don’t be.”
At that moment, Yuren tapped Callios’s forehead with the rod.
“That’s why I’m here. That’s why this rod is here.”
Yuren smirked crookedly.
“People or beasts, they usually listen when you beat ‘em. If you try to pull some bullshit, I’ll smack you upside the head with this thing.”
Solid.
The rod felt indestructible, and beyond it, Yuren’s gaze was even firmer.
The look of someone who would bend but never break.
And in that moment, Callios realized—without meaning to.
That it was those eyes—the reason he had appointed him as the Grand Master.
If one were to learn from another, it had to be someone with such unwavering conviction.
“Ha……”
Callios let out a hollow laugh.
Amidst all the uncertainty, he realized one thing for sure.
It was his own will that had chosen Yuren Pharos.
That decision, at least, had been untouched by pressure or doubt.
As certainty settled in, a loud laugh burst out of him.
“Hahaha!!!”
He had found just one thing, and that made everything possible.
“How blasphemous! Truly blasphemous!”
“Don’t break apart on me. I’m getting attached.”
“What if we do get attached!”
“I think I’d feel absolutely like shit.”
“That hurts!”
“Already feels like shit. Can I hit you?”
“You may not!”
His chuckling wouldn’t stop.
His stomach ached.
It was all just too ridiculous—not only the doubts he had, but the fact that he found his answer amid them.
Only after a long moment did Callios finally stop laughing and, catching his breath, said:
“…You’re right. You’re absolutely right.”
Callios von Ortaire is dogmatic.
He sees himself as more exceptional than anyone else in this land, and if the entire world were placed on the opposing side of a scale, he would argue that he still weighs more.
That elitism is his very identity.
He believes himself to be the vessel of peace and prosperity, so the idea of giving up the throne is unthinkable.
If something blocks his path, he will simply break through it.
So his current dilemma struck him as absurd.
If there’s a wall, break it.
Even if he were to lose his way, his best compass—the one he had chosen—was right there beside him.
Callios had finally realized this.
“You’ve taught me something again.”
“Feeling better now?”
“Completely. More perfectly than ever.”
With a bright, satisfied smile, Callios regained his composure.
If he was hesitating, it wasn’t because of some identity crisis.
There was only one thing to do now.
“Then, let’s talk.”
About how to solve the crisis at hand.
“Tell me what you've learned—and what we must do from here.”
He retraced his memories of the cave, piecing together known facts and new discoveries.
“The enemy is a group. They intend to bring down the Empire from within.”
However…
“The demon won’t be showing up again anytime soon.”
This answer had been hidden in the demon’s own arrogant words.
Yuren nodded.
“Yes. The sacrifice within the girl numbered ten thousand. Unless the enemy has endless soldiers and civilians, replicating such a monstrosity would require great effort.”
“Then we’ve earned ourselves a reprieve. We’ve overcome their biggest threat.”
“Though they’ll surely strike again by other means…”
“At least now we can prepare for them.”
Callios began setting priorities.
In such matters, he was quicker than anyone.
Though honestly, anyone could have figured this one out.
“The urgent task is to reinforce our forces.”
“And it just so happens, there’s something that needs doing in that regard.”
At Yuren’s words, Callios gave a sly smile.
Certain faces had come to mind.
“Yes, those three. We’ll have to deal with them before they go wild now that Rebecca’s gone.”
The standard-bearers of a golden age who would become the Empire’s greatest strength—
They had yet to awaken from their slumber.
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[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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