Chapter 159

“If I came off as arrogant, I apologize. It’s just that if I’m going to set a goal, I want to aim high. It’s not every day you get the chance to spar with someone as strong as you, Your Excellency.”

Marquis Shupen frowned.

But he didn’t say anything.

As a Magic Being, the will to challenge the strong wasn’t something to be criticized.

Even so, he couldn’t help but think this:

‘I’ll have to teach that cheeky brat his place. If only to fix that reckless attitude of his.’

“Fine. If you manage to land a hit on me, I’ll reward you as a senior of your family. But that’s only if you succeed.”

Marquis Shupen spoke coldly.

“Due to my schedule, the sparring will begin a week from now. Come prepared. Whatever you’re imagining, the training will be far more brutal.”

With that warning, the conversation ended.

As he stepped out of Marquis Shupen’s room, Christian wore a meaningful expression.

‘Everything’s going according to plan.’

Would Marquis Shupen ever realize?

That Christian’s true goal wasn’t to receive instruction in the first place.

It was the opposite.

‘This sparring session isn’t for me. It’s for Marquis Shupen.’

An incomprehensible thought.

Christian was thinking something that would make others doubt their ears.

‘Through this sparring, I’ll elevate Marquis Shupen’s level by one step.’

Christian’s outrageous idea didn’t end there.

‘I’ll make Marquis Shupen reach 8-star.’

Utterly absurd.

It was madness.

But he meant it.

‘If I can help him break through the wall he’s facing, it’s possible.’

Christian lowered his gaze.

He recalled all the signs Marquis Shupen had shown so far.

Christian’s irrational intuition told him exactly what kind of wall Marquis Shupen was up against, and why he couldn’t break through to 8-star.

‘It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve helped someone break through their limits.’

The reason the Hero’s party grew so explosively in the latter half of the Age of Ruins was because of Christian.

Christian instinctively perceived what kind of wall each member of the Hero’s party was up against, and always offered timely solutions.

‘If I want to save Marquis Shupen, I have to succeed.’

Marquis Shupen was killed without even knowing who had taken his life.

That meant the culprit had power far beyond his.

‘The culprit must have at least 8-star level strength, no doubt about it.’

So making Marquis Shupen stronger was the only way to increase his chances of survival.

‘I can definitely do this.’

It was time to show the ability he had as the “true mentor” who made the Hero’s party strong.

* * *

After that, his schedule was busy.

He carried out both the duties of one of the Five Commanders and the role of the Captain of the Guard at the same time.

‘Though, as a commander, I did dump most of the trivial work on Sanin.’

But the responsibilities of the Guard Captain couldn’t be passed on.

Because he had to catch the criminal’s tail.

Chris first approached the common people.

“Is there anything causing you discomfort?”

“N-No, Young Lord!! H-How could someone lowly like me…!”

“Lowly? What do you mean by that?”

Chris crossed his arms, clearly displeased by the man’s words.

“You are the proud citizens of our Dark Demonic House. Don’t ever call yourselves lowly again.”

The people who heard Chris’s words looked deeply moved.

They had already felt a sense of pride in belonging to the Dark Demonic House.

But hearing such words directly from Christian, the one considered the next Grand Duke, left them all deeply touched.

“As the one who will someday lead the Dark Demonic House, it is only natural for me to look after you. If there is ever anything you need help with, do not hesitate to let me know.”

“Th-Thank you!!”

“Lately, the movements of the Four Kings’ Castle have been suspicious, so if you see anyone unusual, report it immediately.”

“Of course! We’ll keep it in mind!!”

There was a reason Christian personally approached the people one by one.

Without the help of the commoners, it would be impossible to catch the culprit.

‘There’s the highest chance that the criminal has slipped in among the streets.’

The Marquessate of Shupen was a vast domain.

Second in scale only to the main family’s Baron Castle.

It was impossible to root out a criminal hiding in the streets with just the guard troops alone.

The cooperation of the people was essential.

‘Well, it’s also nice to win over public sentiment while I’m at it. That’ll all become my strength later.’

On top of that, Chris reorganized the patrol system of the guard force, strengthening security even in the corners of the territory that were usually out of public sight.

During that time, Melin and Alros also carried out their assigned tasks.

“We now carry out the orders given by the Young Lord.”

“Y-Yes! We’ll hide among the people and keep an eye out for anyone suspicious! But why would the Young Lord give such orders…? Was there some intelligence or something?”

“Who knows? I don’t either. But the Young Lord wouldn’t give an order without reason. Maybe a high-ranking Magic Being from the Four Kings’ Castle really did sneak in, so we’d better stay sharp.”

“A M-Magic Being from the Four Kings’ Castle…”

Even Jupien, saying she was bored just sitting still, went out to join the search.

The one who performed the most remarkably among them was, unexpectedly, Marie .

[Ohoho. Kids, who are we again?]

[We are the dashing, splendid, and absolutely awesome Ghost Guard that follows Young Lord Christian!!]

[That’s right. If you let even a single rat slip past, you’ll get to spend some deep, meaningful time with me, so keep that in mind.]

[We won’t let even one rat get away!!]

Marie subdued the countless ghosts lingering in the Shupen Marquessate beneath her feet and made them into a guard force to assist Christian.

“…But why is everyone so scared of you?”

[Ohoho, I merely told them how deeply and utterly I adore you, Young Lord. I couldn’t possibly overlook anyone who slacks off on a task you personally asked for.]

“…Right.”

Chris looked bewildered as he watched ghosts wandering the streets, their faces pale with contemplation.

Anyway, just as they were all working meticulously to catch the criminal’s trail—

Something suspicious happened.

A mysterious figure had infiltrated the Shupen Marquessate.

“Hoo…”

The figure, having entered a secluded alleyway, let out a deep breath.

A breeze brushed past, gently pushing back the hood of the robe.

And the revealed face was a surprising one.

Crimson hair, violet eyes.

A vampire girl of extraordinary beauty.

It was Idrinne, the Grand Duke’s daughter of the Blood Sword Demonic House.

* * *

It was an unexpected development.

Idrinne, coming to the enemy territory of the Shupen Marquessate?

‘I have to warn Prince Christian about the danger approaching him.’

Just a short while ago—

Idrinne had received intelligence.

Information that they were really going to make a move.

‘Prince Christian is going to be killed for sure.’

There was only one reason she was concerned.

Like the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend—Idrinne wanted Christian to act as a check on her enemies in the Four Kings’ Castle from the outside.

‘The best outcome would be forming an actual alliance.’

Idrinne shook her head.

Considering the relationship between their two Houses, that was still too much to hope for.

‘Still, if I deliver this intel, it might soften his hostility toward the Blood Sword Demonic House—just a little.’

So in a way, this was also a gift.

For future reconciliation.

‘Still… the security is unusually tight today. It won’t be easy to get close.’

As a vampire princess, she possessed unparalleled stealth abilities.

She had come herself because she was confident that with her abilities, she could enter and leave the Shupen Marquessate without being detected.

But her confidence felt misplaced. The security around the fortress wasn’t just tight—it was excessively tight.

‘I’ll need to be careful.’

In the worst-case scenario, even if she was discovered, she could still escape.

That’s how exceptional her skills were.

But if that happened, she wouldn’t be able to deliver the information to Christian.

‘I need to hurry.’

Idrinne quietly moved between the shadows.

She still remembered Christian’s scent from before, so she had a rough idea of the direction.

‘It should be around here.’

But then, a low voice echoed in her ears.

Deep and dark.

A chilling tone, as if rising from the abyss.

[Idrinne.]

Idrinne felt a chill crawl down her spine.

It was the voice she despised and feared the most.

The voice of the devilshe had made a contract with.

She could never defy that voice.

“…Speak.”

[Are you going to meet that human, Christian?]

Idrinne was taken aback when the devildirectly mentioned Christian’s name.

Still, it wasn’t entirely unexpected—this devil had often interfered directly in her affairs.

“That is my intention.”

[It would be best to hide your identity from that human, Christian.]

Idrinne tilted her head slightly.

She didn’t understand what the devil was getting at.

“Why is that?”

[It’s for your sake.]

“…Is there a specific reason?”

[The exact reason cannot be disclosed due to causal law.]

Idrinne instinctively sensed that the devil was hiding something.

But she knew asking more wouldn’t get her an answer.

‘It’s not like it’ll harm me directly.’

Though the devil ultimately sought her ruin—

It would never act in a way that would directly harm its contractor.

‘It’s true that revealing my identity would be risky.’

The Houses of Darkness and Blood Sword were in a state of open hostility.

The idea of improving relations was solely her own—no one else in her House shared it.

So if Christian found out she was the Grand Duke’s daughter from an enemy House, there was no chance he’d treat her kindly.

Nine times out of ten, he’d try to take her head.

“Understood. I’ll do that.”

[Good. I’ll lend you my power to conceal your identity.]

Idrinne’s appearance transformed.

Her crimson hair and violet eyes—the marks of the Truebloods—remained, but the overall impression she gave off was completely different.

‘…What’s the real reason he’s going this far?’

Idrinne frowned slightly.

But she didn’t have time to ponder it further.

She sensed Christian’s presence nearby.

‘Inspecting the castle? How diligent.’

Idrinne studied Christian’s figure with renewed eyes.

In the Four Kings’ Castle, no one paid attention to the lives of the people.

It was a place filled only with fear.

‘I once dreamed of becoming a ruler who looked after the people like that too.’

Idrinne thought bitterly.

But in her current situation, simply surviving was already too much—those dreams felt far too luxurious.

‘I have to approach Prince Christian in secret.’

It wasn’t time yet.

Too many eyes were around.

As she watched for the right moment, something unexpected happened.

“...Hup?”

Idrinne flinched.

Christian’s figure vanished from the street!

‘Did I lose sight of him?’

Vampires are a clan of hunters.

And she was one standing at the pinnacle.

Losing sight of her prey—something like that should never happen. It must not happen. But he had vanished like a mirage.

‘No way—?’

A sudden, chilling sense of danger brushed past the back of her neck.

She quickly turned her head—darkness flickered behind her.

It was Black Steel Energy!

“!!”

Idrinne gasped and hurriedly pulled her head back.

The Black Steel Energy narrowly missed her.