Chapter 250
“Ah, and I’d like to receive my payment in advance.”
“…Pardon?”
“Since I’m planning to give you a big opportunity, isn’t it only right that you compensate me separately? I’ll take it upfront.”
Ruina gaped, looking dumbfounded.
But Chris, without a care, shamelessly held out a list of documents.
“I’m in the process of strengthening the retainers of the Dark Demonic House, and it seems we’re short on elixirs. So, I’ll be accepting a little ‘sponsorship’ from your merchant guild.”
“……”
“Here, procure the items written here and send them to the Dark Demonic House. Well then, I’ll be on my way.”
After Chris vanished in a flash, Ruina, who had been staring blankly at the list of elixirs Chris had demanded, spat out a curse.
“You crazy devil bastard!!”
* * *
‘Well, this much should be fine. It’s not an amount she can’t procure.’
It wasn’t just one or two elixirs he needed, since he was going to distribute them among the high-ranking magi of the Dark Demonic House, but Ruina was the owner of the auction house.
She would be able to get them for much cheaper than the market price, so the blow to her merchant guild would be smaller than one might think.
‘If we clean out the Holy Empire, she’ll make an amount of money that makes the cost of these elixirs look like nothing. If anything, she should be grateful to me.’
And, among the medicinal ingredients he had requested from Ruina, there were also materials for the poison he would use on the Blood Drenched Demon King.
However, he had requested a large quantity of medicinal herbs used for healing, not poisonous ones, and there was a reason.
‘I need to create a poison using the secret art of the prestigious House of the Medical Saint, the Realm of the Medical Saint.’
The poison Chris was now planning to use on the Blood Drenched Demon King was no simple poison.
In essence, it could be called an elixir.
A supreme elixir, at that, one that could even cure the Rending of Delusion that the Blood Drenched Demon King had been afflicted with.
‘However, the subtle principles of the Realm of the Medical Saint will make it act as a poison that deals a more fatal blow than any other toxin to an evil person.’
In other words, it was a medicine that would act as a supreme elixir for a good person, and as a poison more fatal than any other for an evil person.
‘There’s no way an ordinary poison would work on the Blood Drenched Demon King, so I specifically prepared this kind of poison.’
But, in that moment, some bothersome voices flashed through his mind.
The voices of Simon and the True Blood vampire, Baltrak, whom he had met a short while ago.
‘Both of them believed in the Blood Drenched Demon King steadfastly.’
Chris shook his head.
The truth will be revealed once she takes the medicine.
‘The greater the evil harbored by the target, the more fatal the effect will be. If the Blood Drenched Demon King is the horrific devil I know her to be, she won’t be able to escape death.’
Afterward, Chris went to see Count Khazar and told him that he would be visiting the Blood Sword Demonic House.
Count Khazar tried to dissuade Chris with a worried look.
“You’re going to the Four Kings’ Castle? It’s too dangerous.”
“It is something that is absolutely necessary for the future. Don’t worry too much. I will return safely.”
Count Khazar sighed.
“I understand. You wouldn’t listen even if I tried to stop you anyway. In that case, you must be careful.”
After preparing to leave, while he was waiting for Baltrak, an unexpected person came to see Chris.
“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
“Sister.”
It was the refreshing woman, Yulian!
“Weren’t you at the barrier, Sister?”
Yulian had been monitoring Marquis Langham, who was exiled to the barrier under Chris’s orders.
“Ahh, something came up.”
“What is it?”
Chris instantly felt a sense of foreboding.
“I think it would be best for you to cancel your trip to the Blood Sword Demonic House.”
“Why is that?”
“Langham’s movements are suspicious.”
“!!”
Yulian said with a heavy gaze.
“He secretly met with someone. It’s clear they’re targeting you. Entering the territory of the Four Kings’ Castle in this situation is dangerous.”
“Did you confirm who he met with?”
“I tried to peek with the Eye of the Spirit, but I failed. However, it was a person who was emitting a powerful demonic aura.”
Meaning a Devil contractor.
‘Someone from the Four Kings’ Castle?’
The place where Devil contractors were most concentrated in the Magus Empire was the Four Kings’ Castle.
But there was something that didn't add up.
‘But if it were someone from the Four Kings’ Castle, they wouldn’t expose their demonic aura so openly, would they?’
The Four Kings’ Castle was the most lenient toward Devil contracts in the Magus Empire. But that didn’t mean its members went around proudly revealing that they were Devil contractors.
Across the entire continent, there was only one group that proudly displayed their demonic aura.
‘Could it be… the Mystic Demonic House?’
The moment he thought of that name, a chill ran down his spine.
It was a possibility.
‘The Mystic Demonic House and the Four Kings’ Castle are on the same side, after all. And I have a bad history with them because of the patera incident.’
Of course, it wasn’t certain.
But it seemed he couldn’t rule out the possibility.
Chris’s face grew serious.
‘If Marquis Langham really did meet with someone from the Mystic Demonic House, this is a big problem.’
The danger posed by the Mystic Demonic House was incomparable to that of the Four Kings’ Castle.
“I have a bad feeling about this. I think it would be best for you to lay low for a while.”
She was right.
He was already heading into the lion’s den, and if Marquis Langham was targeting him from behind as well, he could fall into a life-or-death crisis.
But.
“No, it’s fine. I will go to the Four Kings’ Castle as planned.”
“You…?”
Yulian had a surprised look on her face.
But Chris thought with determined eyes.
‘This is my chance to kill the Blood Drenched Demon King. I have to accept any risk.’
There was also another, more important reason.
‘In any case, Marquis Langham is an enemy that must be eliminated. I can’t drag this out any longer.’
In the first place, the reason he had sent Marquis Langham to the barrier was to lure him into a trap and make him self-destruct.
Of course, him meeting with the Mystic Demonic House was unexpected, but that didn’t mean there were no countermeasures.
‘The one fortunate thing is that those bastards from the Mystic Demonic House have restrictions on using their power.’
It was because of the checks from the Celestial Realm.
If I aim for that weakness, there should be a way.
Chris looked straight at Yulian.
“In any case, don’t you also want to get revenge on that damn bastard, Langham, Sister?”
“!!”
In that moment, a horrifying killing intent filled Yulian’s eyes.
There was only one reason Yulian was living now.
Revenge.
“…Of course I do.”
“Let’s finish it.”
Chris declared coldly.
“I will eliminate Langham with this opportunity.”
Afterward, Baltrak arrived, and they immediately left for the Four Kings’ Castle.
Simon couldn’t follow as he had many enemies in the Blood Sword Demonic House.
Since they had the Hall of Arches anyway, bringing other escorts would only attract attention, so only Mari came along.
The first destination was Marquis Shupen’s territory, where the barrier was located.
Fwoosh!
After traveling through the gate connected to the main house, a familiar face was waiting for them.
“It’s been a while. Greetings, Your Grace.”
A magus with an aura like a sharpened blade.
It was Marquis Shupen!
‘He’s properly reached 8-Star.’
It seemed Marquis Shupen had made great progress while he was away. He possessed an incomparably intense aura compared to before.
“Congratulations on your achievement.”
“It is all thanks to you, Your Grace.”
Unlike before, Marquis Shupen was now using polite, formal language.
He looked as if he had pledged his complete loyalty to Chris.
“By the way, did you say you are going to the territory of the Four Kings’ Castle? Won’t that be too dangerous? Of course, I believe in you, Your Grace, but…”
Marquis Shupen glanced at Baltrak, who was wearing a hood.
In that moment, a grim and imposing aura pressed down on Baltrak.
“Keep this in mind. If you pull any tricks on His Grace, I won’t leave a single one of you disgusting bloodsuckers from the Blood Sword Demonic House alive.”
“!!”
Baltrak’s face turned white, and his fingertips trembled.
Even though Baltrak was also at the 6-Star level in his own right, he was completely overwhelmed by the aura.
“D-don’t worry. I swear on our house’s Blood Cross that I will protect His Grace thoroughly, so that not a single hair on his head is harmed.”
“Hmph. The smell of blood is irritating. You, get out. I have something to discuss with the Grand Duke separately.”
When the two were left alone, Marquis Shupen spoke.
“By the way, Your Grace, you are truly incredible. To be 6-Star already.”
Marquis Shupen observed Christian with a look of admiration.
And he wasn’t just any 6-Star.
Marquis Shupen realized that Chris had achieved a level of mastery incomparable to any other ordinary 6-Star.
“You are also incredible, Marquis. You are now a complete 8-Star.”
“No, it is not enough.”
Marquis Shupen shook his head.
“I must become much stronger than I am now. To protect the Dark Demonic House.”
It wasn’t humility.
Marquis Shupen’s current level was low 8-Star.
Although it was a great achievement on par with Duke Huam, the Patriarch of the Venomous Demonic House, it was not enough to face the storms that would soon rage.
“That is why I have something to say to you, Your Grace.”
“What is it?”
“Please, help me become stronger.”
“!!”
Marquis Shupen said with blazing eyes.
“I heard that you helped the magi of the main house with their achievements, Your Grace. Please help me as well.”
Chris had an expression of surprise.
In fact, Chris did have a plan to help Marquis Shupen with his achievement.
However, a master at Marquis Shupen’s level typically has a firmly established world of their own and doesn’t easily listen to others’ advice, so he had been wondering how to bring it up, but the Marquis had spoken first.
“As it happens, I have prepared a gift for you right here, Marquis.”
“Is this the famous ‘Illusion Stone of Enlightenment’ from Your Grace?”
“…Well, I don’t remember giving it such a grand name, but that should be it. And while you are training with the Illusion Stone, please take this medicine midway through.”
“What is it?”
“It is a poison that will inflict a fatal wound on your core.”
“!!”
After examining the poison, Marquis Shupen’s eyes widened.
“Isn’t this a 7-Star miracle-level poison from the Venomous Demonic House? Even for someone like me, I wouldn’t be able to survive taking a poison like this.”
“I know. Even a Marquis like you would suffer a fatal wound.”
“And yet?”
“Marquis, becoming stronger in a short period of time is no easy task.”
“!!”
“Especially for someone who has achieved as much as you.”
Even for Chris, it was not possible to easily raise the achievement of a magus at the 8-Star absolute realm in a short time.
A drastic prescription was needed.
‘Only a crisis on the verge of his core collapsing would allow him to achieve a breakthrough.’
Chris shrugged his shoulders.
“I believe in you, Marquis, but if you don’t have the confidence to succeed, you don’t have to do it. It is certainly true that it is dangerous.”
Marquis Shupen chuckled at the transparent provocation.
“…Now that you’ve put it that way, I can’t back down. Very well. I will definitely achieve a breakthrough and knock that arrogant nose of yours down a peg.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“However, I will postpone taking this medicine for a little while. I must prepare for any unforeseen circumstances until you return safely, Your Grace.”
Marquis Shupen sighed.
“If I could, I would like to accompany you myself, but if I, the commander of the barrier, were to move, it would only attract more attention from the Four Kings’ Castle, so it can’t be helped.”
Chris brought up another topic.
“By any chance, how is Langham doing?”
“As per his punishment, he is being treated as a common soldier.”
“He must be having a hard time.”
“He’s getting what he deserves. It was merciful enough not to cut off his head. However, we are keeping a close watch on him, as we don’t know when he might cause trouble.”
Marquis Shupen said with concern.
“Perhaps he might even target you during your visit, Your Grace. I will ensure strict control so that no news of your activities reaches Langham’s ears.”
“No, there’s no need for that.”
“Pardon?”
Marquis Shupen had a puzzled expression.
“Your Grace, surely you don’t mean…?”
Chris lowered his voice, then explained his plan regarding Langham.
Marquis Shupen’s eyes began to widen as if they would tear.
* * *
Before crossing the barrier, Chris decided to throw out some ‘bait’ to lure Marquis Langham.
“Who is in charge of Langham?”
“I am.”
Baron Sanin, the youngest of the Five Captains, stepped forward.
He was Marquis Shupen’s son, and a figure who had once suffered a harsh defeat at Chris’s hands.
“Take me to Langham.”
They headed toward the barracks where the common soldiers of the Dark Demonic Legion were staying.
“Salute the Grand Duke!!”
“Sir!!!”
The soldiers froze stiff and saluted.
Chris patted the soldiers’ shoulders.
“As it happens, I had business at the barrier, so I came by to commend you for your hard work. You are all working hard.”
“Thank you!!”
It was a grateful occasion to be commended by the Grand Duke himself, but the unit commanders had tense expressions.
There was a reason.
Everyone swallowed hard and carefully averted their gazes.
Standing in the unit’s formation was a figure with a presence completely different from the other common soldiers.
It was Langham.