Chapter 150
Chzzik.
The cigarette that Marquis Shupen had only been holding in his mouth lit up.
Chris had used his powers while no one noticed to light the cigarette.
“Y-Your Excellency!”
The adjutant cried out in shock.
“…Stay calm. It’s nothing serious.”
He responded nonchalantly, but Marquis Shupen had to work hard to hide his surprise.
‘In that fleeting moment, did he cast an illusion to subtly disrupt my perception while using the dominative nature of Dark Mana to apply physical force and ignite the tip of the cigarette?’
Of course, this was also because Marquis Shupen had allowed a certain amount of leeway. Judging that it posed no threat to him, he hadn’t reacted when he first sensed the irregularity.
Even so, it was hard to believe.
Even if it was just for an instant, the fact that Chris had managed to disturb the perception of a 7-star high-rank Demon like him—even partially—was extraordinary.
It showed that Chris's mastery over illusion techniques was on a whole different level beyond mere attainment.
And the fire itself.
The flame that had just ignited was not from dark magic.
If it had been, Marquis Shupen would’ve blocked it immediately.
Amazingly, it had been a pure natural ignition caused by physical force.
To be precise, Chris had used the dominative nature of Dark Mana to interfere with physical force and trigger combustion.
It was unimaginable how insane one’s mana control had to be to interfere with the physical properties of an untouchable space and cause combustion like that.
“As you can see, I’m not an ordinary Demon.”
“……”
Chris continued calmly.
“More than anything, wouldn’t I be more useful to the Dark Demonic House than Marquis Langham?”
“!!”
“I’m sure Your Excellency suspects it as well. What kind of dark intentions Langham is hiding.”
Marquis Shupen’s face hardened.
“That’s none of my concern. No matter what Langham’s intentions are.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. The House of Shupen is nothing more than a watchdog that obeys the head of the family’s orders and protects the family from outside threats. We are strictly forbidden from getting involved in internal matters of the main house.”
The House of Shupen had been with the Dark Demonic House since its founding.
While countless branch families rose and fell, it had never wavered and had always stood tall as the foremost among them.
There was only one secret to their longevity.
The House of Shupen only fulfilled their duty. They never interfered in the politics of the main family.
No matter how filthy or horrific the chaos within the main house, they never looked at it, never got involved—remaining solely focused on defending the Dark Demonic House from external enemies.
It was the correct, respectable stance to take.
“But can turning a blind eye to obvious wrongdoing really be called an act of loyalty to the Dark Demonic House?”
“!!”
Marquis Shupen’s face stiffened.
“Of course, I understand. Everyone has their own duty to fulfill. The House of Shupen’s duty is to defend the Dark Demonic House from outside threats. The faults of the main house should be corrected by someone from the main house.”
“……”
Chris looked straight at Marquis Shupen.
“Then at least, please watch me properly. I won’t just become the Grand Duke—I will set the Dark Demonic House on the right path. No, beyond that, I will make sure the Dark Demonic House stands tall in the coming calamity.”
“…You think that’s possible with your strength?”
Chris grinned.
“You’ll see soon enough.”
“!!”
“I’ll prove that I’m worthy of being the master of the Dark Demonic House. No, more than that—I’ll prove that I’m the one who will transform it. Under my rule, the Dark Demonic House will be reborn.”
Marquis Shupen frowned.
Absurd. Nonsensical words.
And yet, why?
Why didn’t those words sound like mere bravado?
Yes.
Just like the one he saw in his youth.
As if he were looking at Lord Nordian in his prime.
Overflowing with ambition and confidence for the sake of the Dark Demonic House.
“You’re all talk. And yet, you’re not even qualified to be the Deputy Commander.”
Marquis Shupen sneered.
“By the rules of the Dark Demon Army, you must be able to overpower at least one of the Five Generals to become Deputy Commander.”
He was referring to the five generals who led the Dark Demon Army.
All of them were at the 6-star level.
With Chris’s current level, he couldn’t possibly compete with them.
“I’ll give it a try.”
“…What?”
“Just give me two months. Within that time, I’ll defeat one of the Five Generals.”
Marquis Shupen looked dumbfounded.
“Aren’t you just at the upper 4-star level? And you’re saying you’ll defeat one of the Five Generals in two months? There’s a limit to how much nonsense one can speak.”
It was the natural response.
More than that, Marquis Shupen felt a cold chill in his chest.
Chris’s earlier declaration now felt like empty boasting from a fool.
But—
“It’s not nonsense.”
“!!”
“If I can’t defeat one of the Five Generals in two months, you can expel me.”
There was no bravado or resolve in Christian’s gaze—just calm certainty.
As if he were talking about something inevitable.
“…What the hell are you thinking?”
“It’s nothing much.”
Chris replied nonchalantly.
“Two months is a long time. Especially for a genius like me.”
“!!”
“Like I said—watch me. See what kind of person I become in two months.”
Marquis Shupen frowned.
That strange feeling again.
It was an absurd story, and yet it didn’t sound like mere bravado.
In the end, Marquis Shupen scoffed and brought the conversation to a close.
“Fine, I’ll be watching. Let’s hope the outcome is at least half of what you claim.”
With that, silence fell over the surroundings.
Before going to bed, Christian thought to himself.
‘Marquis Shupen. He’s someone I can’t underestimate in many ways.’
They’d exchanged sharp words, but he was a man worthy of respect in his own way.
Only one thing lingered in Chris’s mind.
‘Just who is it that kills Marquis Shupen?’
Marquis Shupen would soon meet his death.
‘My memory’s not perfect, but it happens before this year ends. Not right away, but not far off either. Probably about three months from now. The problem is—I don’t know who kills him.’
Chris recalled what the Chatterbox of the Dark once said.
—Marquis Shupen’s death was full of questions. He went on a solo mission and ended up murdered. How could a high-level magus like him be killed without anyone noticing? Everyone suspected the Four Kings Star, but there wasn’t a single trace of them on his body.
It was an unsolved case—the killer never revealed until the end.
‘In any case, I have to stop it.’
Chris closed his eyes, deep in thought.
He didn’t know exactly what would happen, but in order to prevent it, he had to become Deputy Commander without fail.
The time remaining: two months.
It was time to grow stronger.
Meanwhile, at the main house, someone was watching the northern direction where Christian and Marquis Shupen had departed.
It was Marquis Langham.
In the dim room lit only by a lantern, his eyes gleamed coldly.
Just then, someone emerged from the darkness and spoke to him.
[Everything is proceeding according to your plan, Your Excellency.]
A flat, mechanical voice.
A figure wearing a single-eye mask that completely covered its face—it looked exactly like the “Execution Doll” Christian had encountered in Gold Cross.
Marquis Langham glanced sideways.
“You’ve come.”
[Yes, I greet the acting head of the Dark Demonic House. I am the ninth doll of Lord Märchen, serving as a ‘Messenger.’]
A shocking scene.
Marquis Langham was truly colluding with the Four Kings Star.
“No need to act like a clown every time we meet. This isn’t the first.”
[Hehe. Quite right. Since my presence here can only bring trouble, I’ll speak plainly.]
The lower part of the doll’s mask twisted into the shape of a smirk.
[Preparations are going smoothly. As scheduled, Marquis Shupen will meet his end. Just as you wished.]
A horrifying revelation.
Marquis Langham had commissioned the Four Kings Star to assassinate Marquis Shupen.
The reason was simple.
‘He’ll become an obstacle to my plans.’
Marquis Langham’s eyes glinted coldly as he thought.
In truth, Marquis Shupen wasn’t his enemy. Rather, they were close enough to be called “friends.”
But Marquis Shupen pledged loyalty solely to the Head of the House.
He would become an obstacle to Marquis Langham’s “plan,” so Langham intended to remove him preemptively.
“You’ve made the proper preparations, I trust? Not a single trace of your Four Kings Star must remain.”
[Heh heh, don’t worry. We’ve no intention of provoking a war with the Southern Magic Nation by carelessly tossing sparks while we haven’t yet subdued the Bloodsword Demonic House. The one to handle Marquis Shupen will be a tool provided by ‘them.’]
‘Them.’
Those same unidentified figures that Lady Idrinne of the Bloodsword Demonic House had once spoken of now came from the doll’s mouth.
[They’re jokers—no, more like natural disasters. Marquis Shupen will not escape death.]
If they got involved, there was truly nothing to worry about.
But then Marquis Langham added something chilling.
“When you deal with Marquis Shupen, could I ask you to take care of one more person?”
[Hmm?]
“Kill Christian as well.”
The doll’s mouth split wide into a grotesque grin.
[Kikiki, now that’s an interesting request. We’re quite intrigued by Young Lord Christian ourselves.]
“……”
[Apologies. But I can’t grant that request.]
Marquis Langham frowned.
“Why not? It shouldn’t be difficult.”
[Of course, it would be simple. However, this particular operation is entirely commissioned to ‘them.’ If you want to designate an additional target, you’ll have to offer another tribute.]
Marquis Langham understood what the doll meant.
“You mean we’d have to pay additional commission from our side as well?”
[Kukuk, as expected of a wise man. You catch on quickly. Yes, placing another request with ‘them’ is extremely costly. It’s not something that can be done for just any compensation.]
The doll chuckled as if amused.
[Offer your son, Ashid, to my master, Lord Märchen.]
“!!”
Marquis Langham’s eyes hardened.
“What are you talking about?”
[Ah, no offense intended. It’s just that my master, Lord Märchen’s cherished third doll, was ruined by Young Lord Christian, and now we must craft a new one.]
“……”
[We thought the body of Ashid, once a highly promising scion of the Dark Demonic House, would be quite suitable as the base for a new doll.]
A horrifying proposition.
No matter how heartless Marquis Langham was, he was still a father—yet here he was, being asked to turn his own son into a doll.
[Besides, Ashid is now a total wreck, an irrecoverable shell. So I believed it a reasonable offer…]
“Fine. Do it.”
Marquis Langham responded curtly.
“But in return, make sure you get rid of that bastard Christian.”
The doll blinked its single eye wide in momentary surprise at the unhesitating choice.
[Kukuk, no matter how I look at it, you seem far better suited for the Four Kings Star than the Dark Demonic House.]