Chapter 252
‘Fortunately, that bag of bones doesn’t seem to be an Elder Lich of 8-Star or higher.’
Chris assessed the Lich’s power with a hardened expression.
‘Still, I can’t let my guard down. Only the highest-ranking necromancers of at least 7-Star can become a Lich.’
In other words, that Lich also possessed power of 7-Star or higher.
Of course, if the forces gathered here from the Blood Sword Demonic House were to combine their strength, they would be able to face the Lich.
The problem was what would come after.
‘If we fight this Lich, reinforcements will swarm from the Four Kings’ Castle. In the worst-case scenario, I can escape with the Hall of Arches, but…’
Then, the plan to assassinate the Blood Drenched Demon King would come to nothing.
[You rat, who are you?]
The Lich stared straight at Chris, the demonic energy shimmering in its empty eye sockets flashing.
For reference, Chris was currently disguised with the Insignia of the Constellation, so it was difficult to discern his identity from his appearance.
The one fortunate thing was that it didn't seem to have come here knowing Chris's identity.
It seemed that it had appeared after a stranger showed up while it was secretly monitoring Idrinne.
“I am a healer from the Venomous Demonic House who has come to treat the Grand Duchess, Countess Idrinne.”
Since it had come to this, he could only hope to get through it without a conflict.
“According to the decree set by His Majesty the Demon Emperor, I understand that healers are free to cross borders for the sake of their patients.”
But the Lich did not back down so easily.
[I don’t believe you. For now, follow me. I will take you to the main castle for interrogation.]
A sinister voice continued.
[If I tear you to shreds, you’ll tell the truth, won’t you.]
Chris’s expression hardened.
‘No matter what my identity is, he has no intention of letting me live peacefully.’
Just then, Deborah, who was standing beside him, stepped forward with a cold gaze.
“Shut up, you skeleton. This person is an honored guest of our house, so stop your rudeness and get lost.”
[Kekeke, how amusing.]
The Lich let out a scornful laugh.
[Do you think this one cares about the likes of your Blood Sword Demonic House?]
“!!”
[Do not forget, the only reason your Blood Sword Demonic House has survived until now is entirely due to our mercy.]
It was a statement that completely looked down on the Blood Sword Demonic House.
The faces of the vampires, including Deborah, flushed with anger, and the situation escalated to the brink of an explosion.
Just then, a message sent by Deborah reached Chris’s ear.
-I am so sorry for this situation. I had no idea we were being monitored. This is all our fault. We will take responsibility and deal with that skeleton.
But Chris shook his head.
‘We can’t fight. If follow-up forces arrive, the situation will become uncontrollable.’
There was only one way.
He had to eliminate him in one blow before he could call for support.
Chris sent a message to Deborah.
-I will take care of that one, so please just stand by and watch.
-G-Grand Duke?
-I have a way.
Ignoring her bewildered voice, Chris stepped forward toward the Lich.
“If you cannot trust me, there is a simple way.”
[What is it?]
“Check my core for yourself, right here and now.”
Everyone flinched.
If he did that, his identity would inevitably be revealed. Because his Dark Demonic Energy would be exposed.
No, beyond that, it was an act no different from entrusting his very lifeline to another.
-G-Grand Duke? That’s…?
But Chris spoke to the Lich without wavering.
“I believe this should be enough to dispel your suspicions.”
[Kekeke, very well. Hold out your hand.]
To check a core, one must directly infuse their demonic energy to observe the opponent’s interior.
As mentioned before, it was an incredibly perilous act.
In truth, the Lich had no intention of letting Chris go peacefully, regardless of his identity.
He intended to destroy his core and lead him to his death.
But Chris held out his hand without hesitation, and everyone watched the scene with anxious eyes.
‘Should I stop him, even now?’
Deborah clenched her fists tightly. But she stopped herself abruptly because she recalled a story she had heard before.
-Nanny, do you know what one must do to make a friend?
It was something Idrinne had said.
-I want to become friends with Grand Duke Christian.
Deborah had served Idrinne for a long time, but it was the first time she had ever heard her say such a thing.
‘Grand Duke Christian is someone my lady has acknowledged.’
Therefore, Deborah did not interfere rashly and just watched Christian.
Finally.
The Lich’s bony hand touched Christian’s.
Fwoosh.
The white demonic energy entered Chris’s body, and the Lich let out a surprised sound.
[This is? Dark Demonic Energy? Don’t tell me, you are?]
The Lich grew agitated and raised its aura.
[How dare you come to the main castle so fearlessly!! I’ll kill you right now!]
“No!! Stop!!”
Deborah screamed.
But it was too late.
Once a struggle of demonic energy like this began, there was no way to undo it.
The demonic energy of the one with greater power would crush the opponent’s core.
[You fool. It seems you induced this struggle of demonic energy, trusting in the attribute of Dark Demonic Energy which holds superiority over other demonic energies, but it is useless.]
The Lich had been accumulating demonic energy for over 100 years.
No matter how strong Dark Demonic Energy was, there was an insurmountable difference in the absolute quantity of demonic energy.
Fwaaaah!
The profound white demonic energy surged like a tidal wave, and it was the moment the faces of all who were watching turned pale.
Something unexpected happened.
Drip.
Suddenly, the flood of white demonic energy stopped.
[W-what?]
A bewildered tone flowed from the Lich’s mouth.
An energy he had never felt before.
A bizarre aura was shattering the Lich’s white demonic energy to pieces.
[Th-this aura is?]
It wasn’t Dark Demonic Energy.
It was a type of energy completely unknown even to the Lich, who had lived for over 100 years.
It was an aura of darkness, yet it was as clear and pure as a righteous light.
“Ahh, this is called Heavenly Poison.”
[Poison… you say? This is?]
Chris let out a smirk.
“Yes, it’s a poison specialized in dealing with disgusting bastards like you.”
[!!]
The Lich struggled, drawing upon its power, but it was meaningless before the Heavenly Poison.
Life and death are the most absolute laws of the world. Therefore, the existence of a Lich was the pinnacle of impurity.
The Heavenly Poison instantly scattered the Lich’s white demonic energy, then seeped directly into its body.
And then.
Fwaaaaaah!
It burned the Lich away as if purifying it.
[Kuaaaaaargh!!]
With a horrific scream, the Lich was annihilated and disappeared.
It happened in such an instant that there was no time to call for help from the Four Kings’ Castle.
But it wasn’t the end.
Fwoooosh!
Suddenly, an immense power began to surge from the Lich’s corpse.
The vampires, pale-faced, shouted.
“It’s a spirit rampage!!”
“We have to get back!!”
The necromancers of the Necromancy Demonic House are beings who command spirits, evil spirits from Gehenna, and the undead as their familiars.
They keep their familiars bound within a special magical tool of the Necromancy Demonic House called a ‘Death Cube,’ and when the master dies suddenly like this, the Death Cube loses its function and the familiars trapped inside go on a rampage.
“Get back, Your Grace! We will stop it!”
But Chris once again did something incomprehensible.
“It’s alright. Calm down.”
“What?”
“I will handle this.”
Chris looked toward the Lich’s corpse, or more precisely, toward where the Death Cube was.
An immense power that looked ready to explode at any moment was surging, but when Chris extended his hand.
Fizzle.
Suddenly, the rampaging energy quieted down, as if water had been poured on a fire.
“…What?”
The vampires, including Deborah, stared with wide eyes.
Chris shrugged his shoulders.
‘I manipulated the scattering energy of the Lich with the dominating power of my Dark Demonic Energy to reinforce the formula and prevent the Death Cube from collapsing.’
It was too much to explain in detail, so he just said curtly, “Well, it was a simple matter for me.”
“……”
“In any case, I’ll be taking this.”
Chris snatched the Death Cube with his hand and whistled.
‘What a windfall! To think I’d get my hands on such high-level spirits.’
If this had been a proper battle, he wouldn’t have been able to acquire such spoils of war.
This was because the familiars that were outside the Death Cube were fated to rampage and then scatter and disappear the moment their master died.
But thanks to the fact that the Death Cube had been preserved intact, they had fallen squarely into Chris’s hands.
Since these were familiars that the Lich had gathered for over 100 years, an enormous number of spirits were contained within.
‘Of course, I won’t be able to control them right away.’
The dark magic of the Necromancy Demonic House was thoroughly shrouded in secrecy, so Christian was a complete layman on the subject.
But he planned to learn necromancy someday for sure.
After all, necromancy was a power that allowed a single person to exert the military force of an entire legion.
‘At that time, these high-level spirits will become a powerful force for me.’
Christian firmly placed an additional seal on the Death Cube with his own demonic energy.
He could feel the evil spirits inside, having lost their original master, raging and rampaging, but they wouldn’t be able to break through the seal.
Just then, Mari, who had been standing quietly beside him, suddenly spoke.
[Young Master. May I have a brief interview with the cute babies inside?]
“You?”
[Ohoho, I will go and bestow upon those babies a light lesson on just how wonderful and great you are, Young Master.]
“…Alright.”
Chris nodded, slightly bewildered.
When he thought about it, Mari was also a banshee, so she was of a similar kind to the evil spirits inside.
‘But I think there’s even a 7th-circle level evil spirit in here. She’s going to ‘educate’ a highest-level evil spirit like that?’
Chris found himself once again curious about Mari’s true identity.
Mari zipped into the Death Cube, and a moment of silence passed.
Chris spoke to the vampires who were sending him looks of astonishment.
“Let’s begin the treatment now.”
The fateful hour had arrived.
It was time to kill the Blood Drenched Demon King.
* * *
“The Grand Duchess is in the annex inside that barrier.”
Deep within the manor, an annex surrounded by a powerful barrier could be seen.
“Is it a barrier to prevent Grand Duchess Idrinne from rampaging?”
“Yes, as those afflicted with the Rending of Delusion eventually lose their reason and meet their end as madmen.”
Deborah quickly added.
“Of course, you don’t have to worry. Our lady is holding back the berserk state with her own will. You will not be harmed, Your Grace.”
That was a slightly surprising story.
‘I know it’s been quite some time since she was hit with the Grand Art, but to think she’s still holding onto her reason. Impressive.’
Did she notice Chris’s surprise?
Deborah said in a sorrowful tone, “Our lady is enduring bone-cutting pain with the will to never bring harm to us.”
“…I see. I’m going in.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
As he began to walk, Deborah hesitated and asked.
“There is hope, right?”
Chris frowned.
It was a voice filled with sincerity toward Idrinne.
‘I don’t like this.’
Every time he felt the heartfelt concern the people of the Blood Sword Demonic House had for Idrinne, he felt an uncomfortable feeling in his gut.
‘I’ll find out what the truth is soon enough.’
Chris stroked the medicine he had created through the Realm of the Medical Saint with his hand.