Chapter 321
A startled change.
And then.
[Ohoho. Sadly, it is impossible. Although my heart desires to be completely possessed by you, Young Master, you are not yet qualified.]
An astounding story.
Chris was currently on the verge of reaching 8-Star.
His soul's rank was not inferior to that of a titled devil.
And yet, he was still not qualified?
‘Just what is Marie’s true identity?’
Chris hid his confusion and gave a smirk.
“It seems I must try harder.”
[Aah, my heart tears to see you so disappointed, Young Master. Instead, I will grant you one request.]
“A request?”
[Yes, within the limits of what I can grant.]
There was no way she could use her power for Chris's sake, anyway.
‘Should I ask her what she is?’
But he shook his head.
He remembered what Marie had said before.
[I don't remember exactly why I became a ghost.]
Even if he asked, he would not get a proper answer.
Instead, Chris asked a question that Marie could likely answer, and from which he could guess the truth.
“Marie, why did you come to Count Khazar’s manor?”
He had overlooked it, but it was strange.
Why would a being like Marie be situated in Count Khazar’s manor, of all places?
Furthermore, Marie had said she was there even before Count Khazar had established himself as a collateral branch and moved into that manor.
Why? Of all places?
[Mmm. Someone brought me to that manor.]
“…Who?”
[I don't remember who it was very well. I think it was someone I was familiar with before I became a ghost, but my memories of before are hazy.]
Marie looked as if she were trying to recall a memory.
[When I was lost in endless pain, that person brought me out and moved me to that manor. They said that it was enough now.]
‘Enough?’
Chris committed those words to memory.
[Ah, there’s something else that person said to me. They said that I was a being that was ‘a fake, yet real, and real, yet a fake’.]
Chris frowned.
‘What?’
As he had thought, it was a story whose meaning was difficult to guess.
“Have you ever met that person again since then?”
[No, I haven't. However, they said they would come to see me again when the time comes, so I think they will visit soon.]
“…Soon?”
[Yes, I just have a feeling that will be the case. That we will meet again soon. Though I have no basis for it.]
Marie gave a strange smile.
[Ohoho. Don't tell me you're jealous? That I might be taken from you?]
“Yes, I am jealous.”
[…W-what?]
“You are my property, so I can’t have you taken from me.”
‘I have a bad feeling about this.’
Chris narrowed his eyes.
He didn’t know what Marie’s true identity was, or who had brought her here.
However, after hearing Marie's story, there was one conjecture that he could vaguely guess at.
It was just a guess, and a story so absurd that the possibility was low, but.
In any case, whether his guess was true or not, he had a feeling that he shouldn't just stand by and watch.
[Ohoho. Oh my, how embarrassing. For you to show such a possessive side, Young Master, my girlish heart is fluttering so much I don't know what to do with myself… In that case, shall we have a hot night? I'm always a yes?]
Just then, a voice that cut off Marie’s chattering was heard.
“Your Grace the Grand Duke, a guest has arrived.”
Marie clicked her tongue as if Merian had spoiled her fun.
“A guest from where?”
“A guest from the Blood Sword Demonic House.”
“!!”
Chris’s face hardened.
[Grand Duchess Idrinne said she wanted to see you.]
‘Don't tell me?’
Soon, a figure entered the barracks, and Chris’s face fell.
It was his ditzy, idiotic friend, ‘Lia’.
“…What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?! I came right away because I heard my friend had returned! As my friend, did you not miss me?”
“Yeah, not at all?”
“…I know you missed me. Even if you pretend not to….”
“But it's true? Why would I miss you?”
To be honest, he didn't think he had thought of her for even a single second while she was gone.
‘No, did I think of her for a second?’
What was certain was that he didn't think he had thought of her for up to a minute.
“Th-that… I missed you every day. How can you say that when we're friends?”
“…What on earth do you think a friend is? Isn't it enough that we're both living well?”
“No, still, the friends I've heard about aren't like that… They miss each other, rely on each other, as soulmates….”
“Are you going to keep talking like you're in elementary school?”
“S-sorry.”
At the sight of Lia, who had become dejected in an instant, Chris let out a chuckle.
‘Well, I am happy to see her in my own way.’
She was the type to make him want to tease her when he saw her, so he felt an even more mischievous urge.
“I-it's alright! I am generous, so I will embrace your heartless view on friendship!”
“You don't have to embrace it, it’s fine? You can quit if you don't like it.”
“…Huk, does that mean you want to cut ties with me? How could you?”
“…Can you not overreact?”
“It's not that? Then we are still the closest of friends?”
“Not that close.”
“Ah! Weren’t we best friends?”
“Well, I suppose we’re reasonably close.”
“You… did you just say we’re close? I didn’t mishear you, did I?”
Lia's expression repeatedly went from sullen to bright.
‘It’s like watching a roly-poly toy that keeps getting back up after being knocked down.’
He wanted to keep poking and teasing her, but he brought up another matter.
“By the way, I heard Grand Duchess Idrinne has decided to cooperate with the Dark Alliance. Do you have any news about her?”
“!!”
Lia's eyes darted around.
“Let me ask you one thing. Do you still dislike Grand Duchess Idrinne?”
“Yes, I do.”
Chris nodded.
Of course, he now knew that Idrinne was a different person than she was in his previous life. It was now questionable whether the sins of his past life were even committed of her own free will.
‘Still, it’s not easy to shake off the memories of the past.’
As if sensing Chris’s thoughts, Lia wore a cautious expression and spoke in a timid voice.
“Did you know? Grand Duchess Idrinne is a very good person.”
“Is that so?”
“Y-yes! She's incredibly kind, incredibly beautiful, and incredibly… I mean, she would be a great match for you!”
“A match for me? In what way?”
“Well… that is… as a friend?”
Chris let out a smirk.
“As for friends, you alone are more than enough….”
…to be tiring.
Is what he was about to say, but Lia jumped in.
“D-did you just say I was enough?”
“No, that’s not it. If you’d let me finish….”
“I knew it! I knew you also considered me your closest friend! It’s a good thing I brought a gift for you!”
Surprisingly, it was a relic.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a demonic artifact called the ‘Scream of the Dead’. It's difficult to use repeatedly, but it neutralizes Necromancy of 6-Star or lower in the vicinity.”
It was a formidable relic.
It wasn't something to be dismissed as ‘only 6-Star or lower’.
Especially on a battlefield like this one, where they had to fight the Necromancy Demonic House, it could be of tremendous help depending on how it was used.
“Thank you. I’ll make good use of it.”
“By any chance… do you have anything for me?”
“Hm?”
“W-well… it’s not that I expect something in return… I-it’s just, I read in a book that friends sometimes exchange gifts.”
“So you want a gift, too?”
Her face red, she flapped her hands frantically.
“N-no, it’s not that I’m asking for a gift, but. W-well…”
“Then there shouldn't be a problem. You can go now. I’m tired.”
“……”
As if she had some fantasy about exchanging gifts, her face fell like a cat caught in the rain.
Chris chuckled and tossed something to her.
“Here. I don’t need it.”
“This is?”
Lia’s eyes widened.
It was a pearl earring with a swirling, blood-red vortex inside.
A bewitchingly beautiful piece of jewelry.
“It's an artifact that allows a one-time, short-distance spatial teleportation using Blood Progenitor Arts.”
It was a demonic artifact he had picked up in the Holy Empire, but since it could only be activated by a Vampire True-Blood, it was useless to Chris.
“I’m giving it to you because I don’t need it, so it’s not a gift. Don’t get too excited.”
“Th-thank you. I’ll treasure it for the rest of my life and never use it!”
“…No, I’m giving it to you so you can use it.”
“How could I possibly use a gift from you?”
“No, it’s not a gift, I’m just throwing it away to you because it's useless.”
“It’s a symbol of our friendship, so I’ll wear it forever!”
Excited, she paid no attention to Chris's words and disappeared in a flash.
‘Honestly.’
Chris shook his head.
It was all so hectic, but thanks to her, his heart felt a little lighter.
‘Tomorrow, it begins for real.’
Chris closed his eyes.
From now on.
He would begin to bring down the Four Kings' Castle, one step at a time.
The first step was the endless wheel battle that would take place tomorrow.
* * *
Night passed and day came.
The surroundings were still dim and dusky.
It was a characteristic of the Eastern Magus Nation, where the Four Kings' Castle was situated.
In particular, the Corridor of Death, the setting for the battle, had an ominous aura swirling about it, as if covered in a thick fog.
Creeak. The fortress gates opened, and a single figure on a black horse rode forward.
It was Christian.
The eyes of the entire battlefield were fixed on him.
In the midst of the blade-like gazes, Christian twisted the corner of his mouth and spoke.
“Let the challenger step forward.”
His arrogant voice continued.
“I will kill any one of you.”
“!!”
The atmosphere of the Four Kings' Castle turned ice-cold.
[Insolent fool. Shut your mouth. I will turn you into an undead and make you kill your own kin with your own hands.]
A figure in the shape of a skeleton wearing plate armor stepped forward.
It was a Knight Lich.
A lich that specializes in direct combat using its immortal body.
The magi on the Dark Alliance's side stirred.
“It's one of the Twelve Legion Commanders, the ‘Scythe of the Abyss’!”
The Necromancy Demonic House possesses a great number of high-ranking magi. This is because they use the secret art of lichdom to turn themselves into undead, allowing the greatest magi of past generations to accumulate over time instead of dying off.
Among them, the core of their power is the Twelve Legion Commanders and the Four Kings.
For reference, the Twelve Legion Commanders are all liches who have reached the High 7-Star level.
“No matter how great Grand Duke Christian is, facing a Legion Commander is too much. He must withdraw from this duel at once!”
It hadn’t even been a few months since Christian was known to have reached 7-Star.
Thus, facing a High 7-Star should have been impossible, but.
“It's alright. Everyone, be silent.”
Nordian, sitting atop the fortress walls, spoke in a low voice.
“My grandson will win.”
“!!”
Everyone wore expressions of disbelief.
‘Why? Has his judgment been clouded because it is his precious grandson?’
But that wasn't the case.
Nordian let out a hollow laugh.
‘Crazy bastard.’
Nordian could see it.
In the short time he hadn't seen him, he could see how much Christian had changed. The insane growth he had achieved.
‘All of you, watch closely. That boy is my grandson.’
Just then, the Legion Commander, Scythe of the Abyss, stretched out his hand.
[Blame your own arrogance.]
Undead appeared in droves.
On top of that, the Knight Lich cut through the air and flew toward Christian.
Fwoosh! A white-glowing Black Steel Ki, imbued with the energy of undeath, surged toward Chris.
However.
Thwack.
The Black Steel Ki was blocked by Chris’s sword. With unbelievable ease.
Chris twisted the corner of his mouth.
“Is this all you've got?”
And at the same time.
A miracle began to happen.