Chapter 241
‘So, it’s a trial of mechanisms and formations.’
It appeared to be a place that tested one's mastery of the poison arts through a series of formations, traps, and mechanical devices.
‘This doesn’t look easy.’
Chris surveyed the inside with sharp eyes.
As expected of the Venomous Demonic House's sacred ground, a poison formation of a level incomparable to the one he had dealt with during the past conflict was spread out before him.
“I have something to ask. Does the poison formation here on the Path of Venom share a core with the guardian poison formation of Jinrok Fortress?”
“…That’s one of my house’s most protected secrets.”
“It’s necessary to save your father.”
Marisa hesitated for a moment, then carefully opened her mouth.
“Your guess is right. The poison formation in Jinrok Fortress and the one here on the Path of Venom share a core.”
“I see.”
“But why do you ask? It’s not like the guardian poison formation of Jinrok Fortress can be manipulated at will.”
Chris didn’t offer a detailed explanation.
“…But is it really true what you said, that you can save my father?”
Chris nodded.
“Yes. Are you perhaps unwilling to go along with it? I admit, it is a difficult request.”
Marisa’s face flushed bright red.
Chris’s request was none other than a ‘fake engagement’!
“Well, it’s just for show, so don’t worry about it. As soon as this situation is resolved, I’ll make sure it’s called off immediately.”
“We don’t necessarily have to cancel it… Ah! No, that’s not what I meant. I mean…”
Marisa stammered, her words getting twisted.
“But why do we have to pretend to be engaged?”
“Because I need to be related to the Venomous Demonic House by marriage to have the authority to intervene in the Patriarchal Duel.”
“!!”
Marisa’s eyes widened.
She had realized Chris’s true intention.
“Don’t tell me… you’re planning to step in yourself during the Patriarchal Duel to stop my uncle?”
“Yes.”
“That’s impossible! With your power, it’s absolutely impossible! You’ll die too!”
Marisa raised her voice, then flinched.
She saw the firm light dwelling in Chris’s eyes.
It was a gaze filled with conviction.
“I can do it. Just trust me.”
Chris grinned.
“I’m going to save your father and make the Venomous Demonic House my loyal follower.”
Marisa bit her lip hard.
It was utterly unbelievable, but for now, she had no choice but to believe in the miracle Christian would create.
“Promise me. That you absolutely won’t die.”
“Hmm, are you worried about me?”
“I’m just worried because we’re friends! You’re annoying to look at, so just go already!”
Chris chuckled and turned his back.
“Alright, I’ll be back.”
Left alone, Marisa gazed at the spot where Chris had disappeared and let out a soft sigh.
* * *
The Path of Venom was a maze-like ruin.
Once inside, he was met with a barrage of harsh trials.
‘Still, this is manageable.’
Tests that required a deep understanding of the poison arts. Tests that required pure toxic energy. Tests where the precise handling of poison was crucial, and so on.
Though countless obstacles stood in his way, Chris advanced without faltering.
‘In the first place, this is a trial that any 6-Star poison wielder should be able to pass. There’s no way I would fail.’
Among those who had reached the same 6-Star level, Chris could display an ability far more overwhelming than anyone else.
‘The fact that no one is paying attention to this trial is also an advantage.’
Originally, the trial for the Path of Venom was an important event that drew the attention of everyone in the Venomous Demonic House.
But because of the incident Marquis Goras had caused, no one was paying it any mind.
Thanks to this, Chris was able to use his other powers from time to time, allowing him to break through the Path of Venom with relative ease.
‘The Path of Venom is just a stepping stone, anyway. What’s important is the Venom Source.’
He had to perfectly absorb the Venom Source to obtain the Thousand Venoms.
‘I need to hurry. It will take time to complete the Thousand Venoms, and if I’m late, I might not make it in time for the Patriarchal Duel.’
With a burst of speed, he moved forward and quickly arrived at the heart of the hidden area.
The Venom Source lay just inside.
‘I heard an examiner guards the final stage.’
Chris looked around.
A high-ranking magus from the Venomous Demonic House was known to serve as the final examiner, testing one’s poison arts.
‘Given the circumstances, I wonder if they’ll skip the final test? Not that it matters. I won’t fail no matter who the examiner is.’
He was thinking this with a somewhat relaxed mind when a soft footstep echoed from behind.
Thud.
Chris flinched.
It was a clear, feather-light footstep. The sound had a different quality from a normal step.
‘Somehow… it feels familiar?’
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Chris’s body went rigid.
He had just recalled whose footsteps they resembled.
‘…No way.’
Swallowing hard, he turned his gaze, and an unbelievable figure came into view.
A lovely face with sky-blue hair.
Nine tails.
‘Impossible.’
Lena.
The Chatterbox of Darkness had appeared before him.
* * *
The Hero's party consisted of four members.
Hero Evan.
Archmage Rania.
Guide Chris.
And the Chatterbox of Darkness, Lena.
Although a few others, like Saintess Istanya and Shield William, joined and left at various times, these four were the main members.
Was it because Chris and Lena were both lonely outsiders, cast out from where they belonged?
The two of them shared a particularly deep bond, even among the Hero's party.
Lena, especially, was very fond of Chris.
- Do you know what I saw today? Listen, Chris…!
- As expected, your cooking is the best. Chris, can’t I just eat your food for the rest of my life?
- Pat my tail more! You want me to go to Evan and Rania? No way! They’re scary! I like you the best!
She would hover around him, chattering endlessly, and he often found her incredibly bothersome.
But perhaps because her chatter had been so constant, Chris felt an especially large sense of loss after she was gone.
- I'm okay. You have to live, Chris.
- Still, I'm glad I got to meet you.
- I lived a good life, so if only I could meet you again in my next life…
Chris shook his head, snapping out of the memory of Lena’s voice echoing in his ears.
‘Why is Lena here?’
This was no time for a happy reunion.
Something was wrong with Lena.
‘She has no will of her own?’
The vibrant eyes from his past life were gone, replaced by a vacant stare.
‘Her mind is being controlled. Puppetry? Don’t tell me…’
A chill ran down Chris’s spine.
And just then, a chilling laugh echoed.
“It’s been a while. You seem to have become even more beautiful than the last time I saw you.”
“!!”
It was Märchen, an Elder of the Four Kings' Castle!
She licked her lips as she stared at Chris.
“I simply couldn’t contain my love for you, Your Grace, so I came to see you like this.”
“…I have no interest in the disgusting affection of a necrophiliac pervert.”
Chris said, his expression hardening.
“How did a dog of the Four Kings' Castle crawl its way in here?”
“Huhu, who knows? I thought someone like you would have a rough idea.”
Chris swallowed his saliva.
‘She was in contact with Marquis Goras.’
Marquis Langham wasn't the only one with ties to the Four Kings' Castle.
Marquis Goras had also been secretly joining hands with them from behind the scenes.
“In a place like this, no one can interfere with my love.”
Madness began to fill Märchen’s eyes.
“I shall fill you with my love and turn you into a doll that gazes only at me. Just imagining you as a doll makes my heart flutter so much I can hardly bear it.”
“That’s disgusting. Shut up.”
“Huhu, even your defiance is lovely. It’s quite alright. After all, you’ll soon be gazing only at me for eternity.”
Märchen bent her fingers downward, as if manipulating an invisible marionette.
“Now, Lena. Go and bring me Grand Duke Christian.”
It would be troublesome if traces of the Four Kings' Castle were left behind, so it seemed her plan was to subdue Chris by controlling Lena with her puppetry.
It was a life-or-death crisis.
‘I don’t know exactly how strong Lena is at this point, but she must be 7-Star or higher. The level of an awakened Gumiho is usually around there.’
On top of that, there was Märchen, another high-ranking magus at the peak of 7-Star.
With no one coming to help him, the situation seemed hopeless, yet Chris said something unexpected.
“If you don’t want to die, back off.”
“…What did you say?”
“I’m saying I’ll show you mercy if you back off now.”
For a moment, a look of disbelief crossed Märchen’s face.
“Did I hear you correctly just now?”
“Don’t make me waste my breath repeating myself. If you want to live, get lost now.”
Märchen let out a laugh.
“Your spirit in a situation like this is another one of your charms, but I think it’s necessary to make you understand your predicament.”
She flicked her finger.
“Make him kneel.”
Fwoosh!
Lena rushed at Chris like a flash of light.
Dark demonic energy shot out from her fingers and swept toward Chris’s body.
Chris drew the Holy Sword, Ernhild, and countered the attack with the power of its holy radiance.
“How can he use the power of holy radiance? And it's even Radiant Mana, which is said to be permitted only to the legendary Hero?”
Märchen’s eyes widened.
“No wonder. So this was the secret behind the miracles you've performed that couldn't be explained by your mastery of dark magic alone.”
“……”
“But are you sure that’s wise? If the fact that you, the Grand Duke of the Dark Demonic House, can use the power of light is revealed, you’ll find yourself in a very difficult position, won’t you?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Chris answered curtly.
“Because you’re going to die here anyway.”
“!!”
Finally, the smile vanished from Märchen’s face.
“It seems you truly need to be taught a lesson. First, I’ll engrave upon you the proper etiquette toward your future master.”
As Märchen moved her finger, Lena moved again.
Chris, his expression hardened, met Lena’s attack.
‘As I thought, it’s impossible for me to face Lena with my current power.’
Unlike Evan or Rania, who were still in the middle of their growth, Lena was already halfway to completion as a Gumiho.
Märchen’s puppetry was also a problem.
Normally, a controlled puppet couldn’t even use half of its own abilities properly.
But Märchen’s miracle allowed her puppets to perfectly exert their own power even while their will was suppressed.
‘Still, there is a way.’
An incomprehensible thought.
He was serious.
‘Märchen might not know it, but this fight is absolutely advantageous for me.’
The first advantage.
It was the fact that his opponent was the Chatterbox of Darkness, Lena.
Chris had spent over three years with Lena.
He knew perfectly what habits she had and how she would react in any given situation.
Chris narrowly dodged Lena’s attack, then suddenly thrust his free left hand toward her neck.
Lena quickly tilted her neck back to avoid the attack, then opened her mouth wide and tried to bite down on Chris’s hand.
‘You fell for it!’
Dark demonic energy blossomed from Chris’s hand, transformed into poison, and shot straight into Lena’s mouth.
“!!”
Märchen urgently pulled Lena back.
“What kind of poison did you use?”
“Well, you’re about to find out.”
The moment he finished speaking, the unbelievable happened.
Lena lunged at Märchen, who was standing right beside her.