Chapter 224
Nordian had a look of disbelief on his face.
Nothing Christian had said up until now had been anything short of absurd, but this time was particularly extreme.
Subjugate the Venomous Demonic House with poison?
And in just two months?
“What kind of nonsense….”
But Nordian abruptly shut his mouth.
He had remembered that Christian had never once made an empty promise.
Chris had made every single absurd story a reality.
Chris grinned.
“So, put aside your worries and look forward to it. I will return with some very surprising news that will make you happy, Grandfather.”
It wasn’t an empty promise.
Because after these two months, the entire Magus Empire would be thrown into a clamorous uproar by what Chris had accomplished.
And that wasn't all.
‘I might even be able to give Grandfather a big present for himself.’
Chris’s gaze lowered and grew somber.
He couldn’t speak of this with confidence yet, so he only thought it to himself. Because the possibility of failure was still much higher.
“However, there is one thing I must ask of you.”
“What is it?”
“It is that no matter what news you hear in the meantime, please do not be surprised.”
“…What?”
“That’s because… I’m planning to cause a little trouble.”
Not just any trouble, but a major incident. And right as soon as he arrived at the Venomous Demonic House, at that.
They would be very surprised when they heard the news.
“No matter what news you hear, please don’t be surprised and just let it be.”
“…Christian, you, wait a minute?”
“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”
Before he could say anything more, Chris zipped into the warp gate, and Melin, Mari, and Alros followed behind.
[Ohoho, just thinking about spending some heart-pounding time with the Young Master in a strange place makes my chest flutter with excitement.]
“But why are you taking me?! Are you planning to do something bad again…!”
“Be quiet, Alros. It’s more special training for you.”
“Uwaaah!!”
Amidst the jumble of subspace, a chaotic scream echoed out, and a new scene appeared before their eyes.
The scenery of a massive manor covered in lush greenery.
It was Verdant Green Castle, the main house of the Venomous Demonic House.
* * *
As was proper for welcoming the Grand Duke of another house, there were people who had come out to greet them.
They were figures from Duke Huam’s faction.
At the head of the group, representing them, was Marisa.
“W-welcome to the Venomous Demonic House.”
Chris tilted his head.
There was something strange about Marisa’s appearance.
For some reason, she had an awkward expression, and unlike usual, she was extravagantly dressed up.
She was already a beauty with an intelligent impression, but now that she was all dressed up, she looked dazzlingly pretty.
But Chris asked with a puzzled look.
“Why are you so dressed up? I didn’t come here as a Grand Duke, but in the position of one seeking to learn, so there’s no need to be so formal.”
“…I didn’t dress up because of you, you know? I-I just wore this for a change of pace.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes!!”
Marisa raised her voice, annoyed.
You know how there are days like that? Days when you just feel whimsical for no reason.
She had just felt a whim to dress up today, and there was no other particular reason. Really, absolutely, definitely, truly.
“A-anyway, it’s been a while.”
“It hasn’t been that long, has it? Hasn’t it only been a month?”
“……”
Why was every single word he said so annoying?
Marisa held back her urge to snap at him again.
And yet, she had looked at the calendar quite a few times over the past month, looking forward to the day they would meet again.
Of course, she only wanted to see him because they were friends, and there was absolutely, definitely, truly no deeper meaning than that.
‘Anyway, I got my hopes up for nothing.’
But just then, Chris casually said, “Well, it’s good to see you, though.”
“…Good to see me?”
“Yes, of course it is. Because you’re my precious pushover… no, friend.”
At those simple words, Marisa’s mood melted away.
It seemed like a strange word starting with ‘pu…’ something had been mixed in, but when she heard the word ‘precious’ in front of it, a sudden blush rushed to her face and she couldn’t hear clearly.
“Ah, I’ll show you the way. Follow me. The place you’ll be staying is the Hall of Poison Arts, where disciples first begin their studies.”
Listening to Marisa’s various explanations, Chris tilted his head.
The house seemed a little empty.
“Where is His Grace, Duke Huam?”
“My father has gone to the border. Because those bastards from the Gold Cross have been making some disrespectful moves.”
“Hmm? The Duke himself? Did something serious happen?”
Chris had a puzzled look on his face.
“Not really. However, it seems some strange movements were detected from the direction of the Kalbern Kingdom. He went to check it out himself.”
Chris nodded.
‘This is something that didn’t happen in my previous life. Did Olivia’s pressure on the Kalbern Kingdom cause a butterfly effect? I’ll have to keep an eye on this.’
Marisa brought up another topic.
“But why did you really come here? You’re not actually thinking of challenging the Venom Source, are you?”
“But I am planning to challenge it.”
“What nonsense! The trial for the Path of Venom is less than two months away!”
Marisa’s expression changed.
“Be honest with me. Have you been learning the poison arts separately?”
“No, I only know the basics.”
“And yet?”
“I’ll just learn from now on. We have time, don’t we? Two months is more than enough.”
Marisa was at a loss for words and had a dumbfounded expression.
The magi of the Venomous Demonic House who had overheard the conversation nearby had a similar reaction.
The Venom Source was something that poison wielders who had practiced the poison arts for decades would typically challenge.
But to do it in just two months?
‘No matter how confident he is, that’s just too much.’
‘What does he know about the poison arts?’
The people nearby were from Duke Huam’s faction and held a certain degree of goodwill toward Christian, but they all looked uncomfortable.
It was because Chris’s statement sounded as if he were looking down on the poison arts of the Venomous Demonic House.
Just then, an unfamiliar voice interjected.
“Haha, how full of confidence. It’s good to see. A magus should be just like that.”
“!!”
Turning their gazes, they saw a young man standing there.
He was a young man with great dignity, and behind him followed magi with extraordinary auras.
“Brother Fernan.”
The young man, Fernan, smiled.
The son of Marquis Goras, and the one who was, in effect, treated as the heir to the Venomous Demonic House.
“It is an honor to meet the renowned Grand Duke of the Dark Demonic House like this. My name is Fernan. It is a pleasure.”
Chris stared intently at Fernan for a moment.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“No reason, it’s just a name I’ve never heard before. I was just wondering if there was a young master like you in the Venomous Demonic House.”
“!!”
A statement that completely ignored his opponent from their very first meeting.
For an instant, the air in the area froze.
Fernan’s gentle mask also cracked for a moment, but he soon returned to his original expression.
“Haha, compared to the Grand Duke’s reputation, I suppose my name is insignificant. Still, I would appreciate it if you didn’t look down on me too much. After all, I am the one who has been tasked with teaching you, Your Grace.”
“Teaching? You?”
“Yes, as it happens, I’ve been assigned the role of temporary instructor at the Hall of Poison Arts.”
Unexpected news.
Fernan was currently under disciplinary action, so he had lost his position and was doing the same work as the common magi.
But for him to be assigned the role of instructor at the very Hall of Poison Arts that Chris would be attending?
It seemed he had deliberately taken on the role of instructor with the aim of targeting Chris.
Although Marquis Goras’s faction had been cornered recently, they likely still had that much authority.
But then Chris made another statement that would send the area into an uproar.
“You? Me?”
He let out a sneer.
“You don’t look like you have the skill to teach.”
At the repeated provocations, the mask Fernan had been wearing shattered.
His face grew cold.
“I had heard you were arrogant… but I think it would be best for you to choose your words more carefully.”
“What’s wrong with telling a half-wit that he’s a half-wit?”
“Take it back.”
Chris made an expression as if he found him pathetic.
“Take back what? Are you an idiot? After I’ve said all this, you still don’t get my intention?”
“…What did you say?”
“Let’s fight. You came here to pull some trick on me anyway, didn’t you.”
“!!”
Chris shrugged his shoulders.
“I can practically hear the gears turning behind that pretentious face of yours. Don’t think about pulling any underhanded tricks like those Alliance bastards; just fight me properly here and now.”
The area fell silent at this radical development.
They knew Christian was a madman, but to think he would cause an incident like this the moment he set foot in the Venomous Demonic House?
The bewildered magi of the Venomous Demonic House froze, and Marisa urgently whispered to Chris.
“W-wait a minute. What on earth are you thinking? Are you crazy? Why are you causing an incident like this? Brother Fernan is dangerous.”
It was certainly an unreasonable move in many ways.
First of all, unlike when he fought Count Cessia, he couldn’t use his Medical Saint techniques.
At that time, Chris had used Count Cessia’s barrier-type Will Construct against him to block outside view.
But Fernan’s specialty was poison for single combat, so that kind of fight was impossible.
In other words, he had to face him solely with his demonic energy, without any of the Alliance’s powers.
“Even if you happen to win, it won’t be good. There are already a lot of people who are grinding their teeth at you as it is.”
He was already in a situation where he was surrounded by enemies in the Venomous Demonic House, and if he caused an incident like this, it would be irreversible.
But.
“That’s all exactly what I’m hoping for.”
“…What?”
“I have a plan. Just watch.”
Leaving behind the confused Marisa, Chris beckoned at Fernan with his finger.
“What are you standing there blankly for? Are you scared? If you’re afraid, then forget it. I don’t want to waste my energy on a pathetic coward either. Instead, never appear before me again and go cower somewhere.”
At his endless provocations, Fernan’s face flushed red.
“Fine. I will duel you. But there’s a condition.”
“What is it?”
“It is that even if you lose your life in this duel, our house will bear no responsibility.”
Fernan said with menacingly blazing eyes, “Because my poison knows no mercy.”
It was an open declaration that he would kill Chris.
Melin’s and Alros’s faces hardened.
But Chris just let out a smirk.
“Why ask something so obvious? Can I add a condition of my own?”
“Speak.”
“I hate seeing a dark-hearted bastard cry, so even if it hurts when I beat you, you’re not allowed to cry, okay? Because my fists know no mercy.”
It was a taunt that threw his opponent’s words right back at him.
Fernan’s face turned murderous.
“Prepare yourself!”
Fwaaaah!!
A deep green toxic energy rose up.
It was Venom Steel.
A Black Steel Aura made of poison.
The surging, menacing aura showed that Fernan was a powerhouse who had reached the peak of 5-Star.
But.
Chris drew his sword.
“You’re not allowed to cry, remember?”
And then.
The unbelievable happened.
The darkness split the murky green poison.
In a single blow.
* * *
“……”
The area was submerged in silence.
All of the magi from the Venomous Demonic House were staring with wide, unbelieving eyes.
Even though they were seeing it with their own two eyes, an unbelievable scene was unfolding.
Thwack!!