Chapter 249
Come to think of it, this was an opportunity that would never come again!
‘If I kill the Blood Drenched Demon King this time, I’ll be able to achieve my goals much more easily.’
The fact that the Four Kings’ Castle was able to overwhelm not only the Magus Empire but also the Alliance was largely due to the contributions of the Blood Drenched Demon King.
The Blood Drenched Demon King, who possessed overwhelming power even among the 9-Star Demon Kings, brutally massacred the Seven Sages, the 9-Star superhumans of the Alliance, leaving the Alliance completely helpless.
‘The Southern Magus Nation was also brutally crushed because of the Blood Drenched Demon King. She was strong enough to bring the Dark Demonic House to its knees all by herself.’
If it hadn’t been for the Blood Drenched Demon King, the Southern Magus Nation would not have fallen so easily, no matter how much it had been weakened by the Demon King of Azure Flow.
‘I have to kill her.’
Although it was a decision that would betray Head Butler Simon, who was full of worry for his younger sister, this was no time to be considerate of such trivial matters.
If he didn’t kill the Blood Drenched Demon King, the people of the entire continent would suffer a tragedy.
The problem was the danger.
‘I have to infiltrate the Four Kings’ Castle.’
He would have to risk his life.
But it was something that had to be done, even if it meant risking his life.
‘I need to think of a method. A way to kill the Blood Drenched Demon King and then escape safely.’
Just then, Baltrak, the True Blood from the Blood Sword Demonic House, remained kneeling and shouted with his head bowed to the ground.
“If you save our Grand Duchess, the Blood Sword Demonic House will never forget your grace!! We will also take responsibility and guarantee your safety!”
Chris tilted his head skeptically.
“How can I trust your words?”
“Pardon?”
“Isn’t it possible that your Blood Sword Demonic House has set a trap to lure me in?”
“Th-that’s not true. W-we really came to find you to save our Grand Duchess. Please believe us.”
Head Butler Simon also shook his head with a desperate look on his face.
“It’s true, Your Grace. I’ll stake my life on it.”
Chris also thought it probably wasn’t a lie.
But he pressed them more harshly.
“And you’ll take responsibility for my safety? How? I doubt your Blood Sword Demonic House even has the strength to withstand the clutches of the Curse and Necromancy factions.”
“……”
If the Curse and Necromancy factions tried to harm Christian, the Blood Sword Demonic House would be powerless to stop them.
“W-we will do our best, staking our lives on it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think I would go to the Four Kings’ Castle with such an unreliable guarantee?”
Baltrak was rendered speechless.
Chris clicked his tongue as if finding him pathetic, then spoke.
“Where is Grand Duchess Idrinne right now?”
“…She is in the ‘Black Forest,’ where her villa is located.”
It was a relief that she wasn’t staying in the ‘main castle’ of the Four Kings’ Castle.
‘Not that it isn’t still dangerous, though.’
Chris roughly estimated the location of the Black Forest.
A method came to mind.
“Go and bring me the artifact, the ‘Hall of Arches’.”
“!!”
It was a famous artifact.
One that allowed a one-time spatial teleportation to a predetermined location.
Its range was limited to about 100 km, which would allow him to travel from the Black Forest to near the barrier of the Dark Demonic House, ensuring his safety even if a problem arose.
“B-but, as for where the Hall of Arches is, even we…?”
“Go to the Rudolph Merchant Guild.”
Ruina had it.
‘I’ll have to contact Ruina and tell her to rip them off for at least five times the price. I’ll take half of the profits from the overcharge.’
Since it had come to this, he planned to squeeze out everything he possibly could from the Blood Sword Demonic House.
“What reward will you give me in exchange for treating Grand Duchess Idrinne?”
He wasn’t actually going to treat her, but Chris made his demands confidently.
“We will give you anything you desire!!”
“Teach me the ‘Blood Cross,’ the True Essence of the Blood Sword Demonic House’s direct lineage.”
Baltrak flinched.
“Th-that is… the essence of the Bloodline Arts, passed down only to the highest-ranking members of the direct lineage… of the True Blood Tribe….”
“It seems you’re not that desperate. If you refuse, I have nothing more to say.”
“Th-that’s not it! It’s just that it’s impossible for anyone who isn’t of the highest True Blood lineage to learn it!! As you know, the Bloodline Arts are secret techniques specialized for us vampires.”
Chris tilted his head up.
With an arrogant expression that said he didn’t care about such things.
“I’ll handle the learning part myself.”
“…Understood.”
Chris cheered inwardly.
‘Excellent. Normally, this is a True Essence I would never have been able to obtain.’
Dark Demonic Energy was a power that ruled over other forms of darkness. The more types of dark powers he learned, the stronger his Dark Demonic Energy would become.
Especially to broaden the horizons of his Blooming Realm, he had to master powers from as many different fields as possible.
“There’s something else I want. Hand over the True Blood Serum.”
“!!”
Baltrak flinched.
The treasure of the Blood Sword Demonic House, which he needed for Nordian.
“Understood. We will prepare everything.”
“Good, hurry up. I will also prepare the medicine to cure the Rending of Delusion.”
“Yes, we will return as soon as the preparations are complete!”
Fwoosh, Baltrak disappeared.
Afterward, Head Butler Simon bowed his head toward Christian.
“Thank you for granting our request, Your Grace. I will repay this grace with my life.”
Chris gave him a puzzled look for a moment.
‘Does Simon really not know Idrinne’s true nature?’
It was strange.
Simon wasn’t one to be easily deceived, no matter how well his opponent wore a mask.
‘It’s not just Simon. Everyone I’ve met from the Blood Sword Demonic House seems to think well of Grand Duchess Idrinne.’
Even with Baltrak just now, he could feel the deep respect and affection he held for Idrinne.
‘Just how perfect a mask has she been wearing?’
Chris shook his head.
‘In any case, I feel sorry for Simon. But it can’t be helped.’
He felt a sense of guilt, as he had grown somewhat fond of Simon in his own way.
But Simon probably wouldn’t want his younger sister to turn into a devil in the future and commit terrible sins either.
Meanwhile, Simon, unaware of Christian’s inner thoughts, spoke with a look of relief on his face.
“Idrinne is a good child, so she won’t forget the grace she has received from you, Your Grace. She has also wanted to get to know you, so it would be good if this becomes an opportunity for you to become close.”
“…Did you say that Grand Duchess Idrinne wants to get to know me?”
“Yes, that’s right. She often mentioned it in the letters she sent me.”
“…I see.”
Chris had an uncomfortable expression.
‘…I don’t know what she’s thinking. There’s no way she genuinely wants to get close to me. Is she saying that because she’s wary of me?’
In any case, he had no intention of actually doing Idrinne a favor, nor would they ever become friends.
‘I need to prepare a poison to assassinate Idrinne.’
Assassinating her didn’t mean he was going to cut her throat with a knife.
Even if she was afflicted by a curse, with Chris’s current level, there was a high chance he would be the one defeated.
His plan was to pretend to treat her, but instead poison her to death.
‘The problem is, she’ll likely be resistant to any ordinary poison.’
On top of that, there was a difficult condition.
He couldn’t have her die immediately after administering the poison.
Because the magi of the Blood Sword Demonic House wouldn’t let him get away with it.
‘On the surface, I have to create the illusion that the Rending of Delusion is being cured, while in reality, she is slowly being led to her death.’
Only then could he safely collect his reward and escape from the Blood Sword Demonic House.
A condition that was beyond difficult—it was absurd.
‘But I can do it. Because I have both the power of the prestigious House of the Medical Saint, which deals with healing, and the power of the Venomous Demonic House, which deals with death.’
It was an operation that only Chris could pull off.
He hurried with his preparations.
He contacted the Venomous Demonic House and received the necessary items, and also procured ingredients from the Rudolph Merchant Guild.
“Ohoho, please take as much as you like, Your Grace. I’ll give you a special discount today.”
Ruina greeted Chris with a seductive laugh.
This was because she was in high spirits, having ripped off Baltrak from the Blood Sword Demonic House for an enormous sum when selling him the ‘Hall of Arches’.
“You know that half of the amount you overcharged the Blood Sword Demonic House is my share, right?”
“Tch.”
Ruina’s expression instantly turned cold.
“What?! After all the trouble I’ve been through, can’t you just let me have this much as my share?!”
“I don’t think I’ve ever made you work for free.”
“W-well, that’s true, but….”
Ruina’s voice trailed off.
Whatever she said, it was an undeniable fact that Chris always compensated her with more than enough to make up for the hell he put her through.
“Don’t get hung up on such petty cash. An opportunity to make an incomparable amount of money will be coming soon.”
“Wait, what are you talking about?”
Ruina’s eyes went wide.
Up until now, Chris had always orchestrated things on an enormous scale.
But a money-making opportunity that was incomparable to all that?
It was the moment an ominous feeling surged up Ruina’s spine.
“Ahh, it’s because I have a plan to clean out the Holy Empire.”
“!!”
Ruina’s face turned white.
“W-what?! You’re joking, right? Come on, surely, hoho, even you, Your Grace, wouldn’t think of messing with the madmen of the Holy Empire?”
“I’m serious. Have you ever seen me joke?”
“……”
Chris thought to himself.
‘It’s necessary to bring the Destruction Demonic House to its knees.’
The Destruction Demonic House is different from the Venomous Demonic House. I’ll have to completely crush their pride to make them kneel.
His plan was to use the Holy Empire.
‘It’s more than possible. I just have to reverse-engineer the scheme that the Demon King of Azure Flow has set in motion.’
The Demon King of Azure Flow had also extended her demonic clutches to the Destruction Demonic House.
Chris planned to use that conspiracy to achieve his own goals.
“I’m not doing it! Who are you trying to kill?! You’re just going to make me do something dangerous again! Even if I am crazy about money?!”
“Even though you might be able to win the favor of the Holy Emperor?”
“……”
Ruina shut her mouth abruptly.
The Emperor of the Holy Empire.
“I think this is an opportunity that could be of decisive help in achieving your ‘goal,’ don’t you?”
Ruina’s expression, unlike usual, hardened.
“Your Grace, how much do you know about my goal?”
“Well, I don’t know the specifics. However, I know about your origins and what your clan went through, so I’m just guessing based on that.”
Ruina bit her lip hard.
Chris shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, don’t be so wary. I’m cheering for your goal, after all.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. Aren’t you cooperating with me in the hope that I will become a source of strength for you when I rise to the top of the Magus Empire?”
That was right.
The reason Ruina always followed Chris’s words, despite her constant grumbling, wasn’t just because of the money, but because she was betting on the possibility that Chris would one day take control of the Magus Empire.
“…I understand. In exchange, you can’t make me do another dangerous job, okay?”
“You seem to worry too much. For a merchant, aren’t you overly timid? You need to think bigger.”
“Eek! How can you say that! If I do something like that in the Holy Empire, I could really get killed!!!”
Chris didn’t deny it.
‘Since I’ll have to mess with the Fanatic Order, it’s true that she could really die.’
Well, there was no need to tell her the unnecessary details in advance and make her tremble with anxiety