Chapter 247
The elders of the Four Kings’ Castle flinched.
“But… with Marquis Langham’s power alone, it will be impossible to eliminate that cunning Christian.”
It wasn't as if the Four Kings’ Castle hadn't thought of using Marquis Langham.
But they had judged that it wouldn't be easy.
Of course, Marquis Langham is a powerful, high-ranking magus, but there was no way that villainous Christian would go down so meekly.
It might be a different story if Christian entered their territory, but as long as he remained in the lands of the Dark Demonic House, there was a limit to how much they could support Marquis Langham.
[Our side will figure out the method, so just you wait. We will bring you the head of Grand Duke Christian.]
The strange figure from the Mystic Demonic House rose from his seat.
* * *
Afterward, the strange figure from the Mystic Demonic House left the council chamber and entered a deserted forest.
As he stopped as if waiting for someone, another strange figure appeared from within the forest.
On the face that was briefly visible, an inverted cross was engraved.
[Have you secured custody of Idrinne?]
[Yes, they have agreed to hand her over.]
[Good. Idrinne is an important secondary tool for the great work of our Mystic Demonic House, so we absolutely must not lose her.]
A secondary tool. A curious statement.
The strange figure with the inverted cross continued.
[Of course, the best option would be Grand Duke Christian, but we must prepare for the possibility that he is not the foretold ‘chosen one’. Idrinne will be the backup plan.]
An astonishing revelation. It meant the Mystic Demonic House was aiming for something through Christian.
The two from the Mystic Demonic House continued their conversation.
[Your Excellency, the Bishop, do you truly think that Grand Duke Christian is the foretold one?]
[We will find out when we test him through Marquis Langham.]
The strange figure with the inverted cross, called the Bishop, looked to the southwest.
The Southern Magus Nation.
To be precise, in the direction of the Dark Demonic House.
[If Grand Duke Christian is indeed the foretold one, then he will be able to survive.]
* * *
At the Venomous Demonic House, a lavish banquet was being held.
It was a banquet to commemorate the defeat of the Jinok Serpent, and in reality, a venue to express their gratitude to Christian.
“Thanks to you, our Venomous Demonic House was saved. Thank you so much. You are the benefactor of our Venomous Demonic House.”
Duke Huam expressed his gratitude for what felt like the umpteenth time.
It wasn't just Duke Huam. Everyone from the Venomous Demonic House bowed their heads toward Christian.
If it hadn't been for Christian, the Venomous Demonic House would have shed terrible blood and fallen to ruin.
“I certainly did accomplish something great.”
Even when he boasted like this, no one gave him a disapproving look.
Compared to when he first arrived and was treated like a crazy braggart, the way they treated him now was like the difference between heaven and earth.
“Here, have a drink. I’ve prepared the finest liquor of the Venomous Demonic House for you.”
“…I must decline the drink.”
“Why is that? Is it because of your age? What does age matter to a hero like you? I’ll take responsibility, so drink to your heart’s content today!”
“…That’s not it. I just don’t feel well.”
“Nonsense, on a day like this, shouldn’t you get completely drunk? Come on, have a drink! This is the finest liquor, containing the pride of the Venomous Demonic House!”
“…No, gulp, it’s just….”
Chris frowned deeply.
‘Stop it! I want to drink too, but I’m forcing myself to hold back!’
What good was it if it was the finest liquor? The moment he drank it, he would get drunk and pass out.
You ask why he doesn’t just use the ability of Heavenly Poison Immunity?
‘Damn it, if I do that, what’s the point of drinking alcohol.’
Alcohol is delicious because of the buzz. A drink that has its intoxicating effects forcibly removed is nothing but strange, bitter water.
‘I’d rather drink strawberry juice; it's more delicious than drinking alcohol without the alcohol.’
Chris clenched his fists.
‘Since it has come to this, there’s only one hope. If I reach the 8-Star absolute realm, my alcohol tolerance might get stronger.’
It was because of the Dominion.
‘If I unfold my Dominion, I’ll be able to exert authority like an absolute being within it, so I might be able to control the alcohol metabolizing process in my body as I wish.’
It wasn’t a far-fetched idea.
In fact, superhumans at the 8-Star absolute realm, whether knights or martial artists, could control their bodies at will within their Dominions.
…Of course, the idea of unfolding his Dominion just to drink a glass of alcohol was absurd, but Chris was serious.
‘I can’t live a life without alcohol like this! Why do you think I’m suffering through all this hell?!’
Chris swallowed a sigh and brought up another topic.
“By the way, are you sure about this decision?”
He was asking about the Venomous Demonic House joining the Dark Alliance.
Duke Huam nodded.
“Yes, it was a decision I made after much thought.”
A surprisingly straightforward answer.
“Do you know why I—no, why our Venomous Demonic House—readily agreed to join the Dark Alliance? It’s not simply out of gratitude to you.”
In truth.
No matter how great their debt of gratitude was, they weren't necessarily obligated to join the Dark Alliance.
Even though they had made a promise, if the Venomous Demonic House shamelessly refused, there was no way to force them to join.
But surprisingly, Duke Huam had meekly accepted joining the Dark Alliance.
“It’s because I decided that it would be impossible for our Venomous Demonic House to overcome the coming storms in the Magus Empire with our strength alone.”
Duke Huam had a heavy expression on his face.
“The situation is so dire that even the Demon King of Azure Flow is targeting our Venomous Demonic House.”
This was the decisive reason why Duke Huam had hardened his resolve.
Would the Demon King of Azure Flow give up on extending her demonic grasp after just one attempt?
There was absolutely no way she would.
‘Moreover, the Demon King of Azure Flow isn’t the only torrent that will crash upon the Venomous Demonic House in the future.’
Everyone knew that the Four Kings’ Castle was preparing for war.
On top of that, there was the Mystic Demonic House, which had been making unsettling movements recently.
The Magus Empire was about to be shaken by a great, turbulent wave, and the Venomous Demonic House lacked the strength to overcome the crisis alone.
“But how are you going to persuade the Destruction Demonic House?”
For the Dark Alliance to possess true authority, they absolutely had to bring the Destruction Demonic House to its knees.
“The Destruction Demonic House is different from our Venomous Demonic House. They will never accept it.”
Chris nodded.
“I know. But it’s alright. I have a plan for the Destruction Demonic House as well.”
Of course, Chris wasn't taking it lightly either.
‘First, just winning the Dark Rite is a problem. No matter how much I’ve taught them recently, the difference in power between the two houses is drastic.’
And even if they barely managed to win, would the prideful Destruction Demonic House meekly bow its head?
Absolutely not.
‘There’s only one way. Starting with the Dark Rite, I have to completely break the pride of the Destruction Demonic House. To the point where they can never raise their heads again.’
The Destruction Demonic House, likely drunk on the joyful anticipation of crushing the Dark Demonic House in the Dark Rite, probably had no idea.
They had no idea what kind of humiliation they were about to face.
‘After the Destruction Demonic House, it’s the Demon King of Azure Flow.’
Chris’s gaze hardened.
“By the way, Your Grace, do you know why the Demon King of Azure Flow desires the Three Primordial Wells?”
“Hmm, I don’t know for sure. However, I do have one guess.”
“What is it?”
“The Demon King of Azure Flow might be trying to free herself from a curse she received from a Devil through the Three Primordial Wells.”
Chris had a puzzled look on his face.
“A curse?”
“Yes, during her time as the Fairy Queen, the Demon King of Azure Flow made a contract with a Devil to save the World Tree. She received some kind of curse at that time and has been suffering from it ever since. Perhaps she is causing all these incidents because of that curse.”
Chris nodded.
It was information worth remembering.
“Ahem, anyway, since when did you and Marisa get into that kind of relationship again…? An engagement?”
“We called it off.”
“…What?”
“It was a fake. We pretended to be engaged so I could intervene in the Patriarchal Duel, but since I arrived so late, it ended up being meaningless.”
“…I see.”
Duke Huam’s expression turned complicated and subtle.
He had been so happy on the inside, and it was just a fake?
‘What, this scoundrel? He used my daughter? I hope Marisa didn’t get her hopes up for nothing, did she?’
Just then, Marisa appeared.
“You, you, what are you doing?”
“What do you mean? I’m talking with His Grace.”
“Come have a drink with me. I’ll get you a drink. A-as friends, of course!”
“…I can’t drink. You know that. Are you teasing me?”
“Ah, just follow me anyway.”
“Why?”
“Hurry up!”
Marisa dragged Chris away, and the leftover Duke Huam bitterly downed his drink.
“He may be the benefactor of our house, but he’s still annoying.”
* * *
Chris, who had been dragged to the balcony by Marisa, had a puzzled look on his face.
“What’s this all of a sudden?”
“I-I have something to say.”
Marisa stammered with a reddened face, and Chris tilted his head.
“Are you sick? Your face looks strange.”
“Th-that’s not it! It’s not… it’s not….”
Her raised voice suddenly trailed off.
“A-about the fake engagement from last time. I….”
“Ahh.”
Chris realized why Marisa was acting this way and nodded.
“Don’t worry. It was literally just a fake. You don’t have to be concerned, I have absolutely no intention of getting engaged to you again.”
“……”
At the sight of Marisa’s face rapidly darkening as she abruptly shut her mouth, Christian tilted his head.
“What’s wrong?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Marisa hurriedly shook her head.
“I brought you here to say thank you for what you did. Thank you so much.”
Chris tilted his head.
“What’s there to be so formal about? If you’re thankful, then develop a medicine that can strengthen my alcohol tolerance.”
For reference, Marisa’s specialty was the development of poisons and medicines.
“In your dreams! A Non-Alcoholic Constitution is an incurable disease, you know?”
“…No. I will definitely overcome it someday.”
“Anyway, I’ve said what I needed to, so you can go now. I want to be alone.”
“Hmm?”
“Hurry up!!”
Chris frowned and left, and Marisa, left alone, let out a long sigh.
“You scoundrel.”
* * *
Afterward, Christian returned to the Dark Demonic House.
“Waaah!!”
“All hail the Grand Duke!!”
Fervent cheers, as if welcoming a triumphant general, greeted Christian.
It was beyond just achieving a great feat; he had made the Venomous Demonic House stand under the banner of the Dark Demonic House.
It was an achievement that no Patriarch since the Demon King of Annihilation had ever accomplished.
“The Grand Duke might become a figure no less great than the first Patriarch, the Demon King of Annihilation.”
“Of course, for our Grand Duke, that’s more than possible.”
There were quite a few magi of the Dark Demonic House saying such things.
After all, judging by the path Christian had taken so far, he had already surpassed the Demon King of Annihilation’s youth.
It wasn’t just the regular magi who greeted Christian with fervent cheers.
“Christian.”
“Father.”
Starting with Count Khazar, all the important figures of the house had come out to greet Christian.
“I’ve returned.”
Count Khazar shook his head, as if at a loss for words.
“You, what on earth….”
He couldn’t decide whether to rebuke him for his reckless actions at the Venomous Demonic House or to praise him.
In the end, Count Khazar said this:
“I’m glad you returned safely.”
Chris grinned.
Seeing the look of relief on his father’s face, for some reason, he felt like he had come ‘home’.