Chapter 331
Chris’s eyes widened.
Idrinne gave a faint smile, then took the pearl earring on her ear in her hand.
It was the spatial teleportation relic that Chris had gifted her a short while ago.
Swoosh.
Reacting to Idrinne’s Blood Progenitor Arts, the blood-red crest engraved inside the pearl earring began to swirl.
“Wait, stop!”
Chris shouted urgently.
This necklace could only teleport a single person.
In other words, Idrinne intended to stay behind and save only Chris.
“It’s alright.”
“What are you!”
“Didn’t you tell me? That friends are beings who give to each other endlessly.”
The smile on Idrinne’s face deepened.
“Do you know? The short time I spent with you, I was truly happy. In a way, I have received a great grace from you. So, now it is my turn to give to you.”
“What kind of damn nonsense are you…!”
But the vortex enveloped Chris.
Just then, the Cardinal of the Mystic Demonic House frowned.
[You are trying to do something futile. There is no way I would just stand by and watch a spatial teleportation, is there?]
The Cardinal was about to twist the phase of the subspace to block the teleportation, but suddenly, an anomaly occurred.
Jolt.
The Cardinal’s power stopped.
As if something massive had seized him.
‘Don't tell me, this is?’
The Cardinal’s eyes widened.
“Trying to harm my friend is something I cannot forgive.”
Idrinne said in a chilling voice.
And at the same time, fwaat! Chris's form disappeared, having teleported.
A stillness descended.
The Cardinal let out a hollow laugh.
“How truly remarkable. To think you would receive the help of a devil to save Grand Duke Christian.”
That's right.
The reason Idrinne had been able to get Chris to escape was thanks to the power of a devil.
Because she, too, was a devil contractor.
[But the contract you made was not one that could be used in this way, was it? You have overexerted yourself.]
The contract Idrinne had made was a contract ‘for the sake of protecting the Blood Sword Demonic House’.
Therefore, there was a restriction that she could only use her power for the sake of the Blood Sword Demonic House.
A situation like the current one was outside the scope of the contract.
[It seems you borrowed this power by promising to pay a greater price. Are you not afraid?]
“It doesn't matter.”
Idrinne opened her mouth.
“I am fated to be ruined anyway. Nothing will change just because my situation becomes a little more horrific here.”
Yes.
With this choice, she would face an even harsher fate, but she did not regret it.
[Kukuk, how foolish. No matter how much you struggle, Grand Duke Christian will not be able to escape our grasp.]
He was right.
For a start, the spatial teleportation relic Idrinne had used was not for long distances.
It had only moved him to a nearby location, so if the Mystic Demonic House were to begin their pursuit, he would be caught in no time.
[In any case, you, too, are an excellent vessel. I suppose we will have to capture you first, then go and capture Grand Duke Christian.]
As the Cardinal gestured, the priests stepped forward.
They, too, were monsters who had made contracts with devils.
[The great devils will be pleased, so capture her with as few injuries as possible.]
The priests charged.
However.
Something unbelievable happened.
Idrinne drew her sword, and.
Paaaaaaah!
The Cardinal’s eyes widened.
A storm of blood bloomed.
It was the priests’ blood.
Severed hands and feet flew into the air, and the surroundings were thickly dyed in blood.
From within the scattering blood, Idrinne stared coldly at the Cardinal.
It was a chilling gaze, with the ditz-like appearance she had shown to Chris having vanished without a trace.
“You’re going to capture Christian? You? How?”
Step.
Idrinne took a step forward.
From her violet eyes, a deep, evil energy began to flow.
She was manifesting the power of a devil.
“Because you are all going to die here?”
A low, heavy voice.
And for that reason, an even more hair-raising voice, at which the Cardinal’s expression hardened.
Chris had overlooked it, but.
Lia, no, Idrinne was no ditz.
That was a side she showed only to Christian.
She was the one who had committed the most slaughter of anyone in the Four Kings' Castle.
The Murderer of Blood.
The Vampire of Slaughter.
The Princess of Bloodletting.
Those were the nicknames she was called in the Four Kings' Castle.
The reason the Blood Sword Demonic House, which was incomparably inferior to the Necromancy and Curse houses, had been able to maintain its existence until now was precisely because of her.
Her original level was that of entering 8-Star.
However, when she used the authority received from the devil, she could wield a power that approached High 8-Star.
Of course, the more she used it, the harsher the ruin she would face. But she had endured it all for the sake of her house.
And this time, she had drawn her sword for Christian.
“I will never let you touch Christian.”
Paaaat! The surroundings were dyed in blood-red.
The priests of the Heretical Order screamed.
It was as Idrinne stood tall like a noble rose, carrying out a brutal slaughter.
Suddenly, an anomaly occurred.
[Kukuk, as expected, a beautiful appearance befitting the original 'vessel'. Excellent. For now, we will make you the vessel first. There's no harm in having many vessels, after all.]
Wooooooong!
The magic circle that had been installed on the floor suddenly began to emit the energy of Gehenna.
“!!”
Idrinne’s eyes widened, and the Cardinal wore a fanatical expression.
[Ah, praise the advent of darkness. Both you and Grand Duke Christian will become the protagonists of our great work.]
With that declaration, the energy of Gehenna that had bloomed from the magic circle descended upon Idrinne.
* * *
“!!”
Chris’s eyes shot open.
Shaking off his dizziness, he saw he was near the ruins.
‘Damn it, I didn't tell her to do that, and she goes and pulls a foolish stunt on her own!’
Chris decided to go back.
It wasn't just because he couldn't stand by and watch her sacrifice.
‘Idrinne, too, is a vessel for the Mystic Demonic House. If she's caught instead of me, I don't know what might happen.’
In the worst-case scenario, the ‘Blood-Drenched Demon King’ could be born into the world again.
However, Chris paused at the entrance of the ruins.
Something about the presence felt strange.
‘…Is this the energy of a devil?’
He could feel a demonic energy so intense that it could be felt even from the surface far away.
‘It’s not the energy of those bastards from the Mystic Demonic House.’
The Mystic Demonic House was different from ordinary devil contractors, so the demonic energy felt from them had its own unique quality.
‘It’s the energy of the devil Idrinne contracted with.’
Chris’s expression turned heavy.
She was even using the power of a devil to save him.
But then, the situation changed again.
Rumble!
“!!”
Suddenly, the surroundings vibrated as if an earthquake had struck.
Following that, an explosive energy from Gehenna began to leak out, as if a volcano had erupted.
‘The magic circle in the ruins has activated!’
He didn't know exactly what kind of magic circle those bastards from the Mystic Demonic House had installed.
However, it was clear that if he left it as it was, something irreversible would happen.
‘I have to stop it at once!’
But suddenly, a ghastly voice was heard.
[…St…op.]
“!!”
It was the devil of the 7th Circle, Mefina!
Chris wore a surprised expression.
She hadn't appeared for a long time, so he had thought she had lost interest.
“What is it?”
[I came to stop you. If you go in there… you absolutely must not.]
“Do you think I would listen to the words of a bastard like you?”
Chris scoffed, but Mefina spoke in a heavy voice.
[This time… you must listen. The moment you set foot in there, you will become a tool for the world's end.]
They were words that were difficult to ignore.
“Speak clearly. No, what is it that you devils want?”
Chris asked what he had been curious about for a long time.
[The details, I cannot tell you, due to the law of causality. In any case, you will naturally come to know the entire truth as you walk your own fated path.]
“……”
[What fate you will meet depends on what you do. Infinite possibilities are open to you. But as things are now, you will be reduced to a mere tool for the world's end.]
Chris was silent.
‘What kind of devil is Mefina?’
A devil who was originally of a great rank but fell to the 7th Circle for some reason.
He had a guess that Mefina’s fall to the 7th Circle was related to this ‘fate’ she was speaking of.
‘In any case, this isn't something I can just ignore.’
Even if it weren't for Mefina's warning, his soul was screaming.
That he had to get out of this place at once.
That the moment he set foot inside, it would be irreversible.
However.
“No, I'm going.”
[…You bastard?]
“I have to go.”
Yes.
It would be horrifically dangerous.
But at the same time, he had this intuition.
That if not now, it would be irreversible.
That he had to endure any danger.
[Fine. I understand. I knew there was no way you would listen to my words anyway. You have not followed them even once.]
But then, Mefina said something unexpected.
[I, too, will grant you my aid. This much intervention should be fine.]
“Aid?”
Chris frowned.
[Your opinion does not matter. The fate you will face is important to me as well.]
“Wait?”
But Mefina disappeared without answering.
‘What is she planning to do?’
Chris frowned.
Help from a devil. He was wary, but it didn't seem like it would be harmful.
Mefina was also somewhat different from other devils.
‘Let’s go in.’
Chris took a deep breath.
He could feel a terrifying energy flowing out from within.
He had made his decision, but a sense of crisis overwhelmed him.
‘…Can I survive this?’
This time, he had an intuition that he truly couldn't guarantee it.
But just then, he heard a voice he had never imagined.
“Christian.”
“!!”
Chris’s eyes flew open in surprise.
It was Evan!
“No, how are you here?”
“It seemed like you were in danger, so I borrowed a relic from the money-grubber and rushed over.”
An astounding story.
Since the two had a master-vassal relationship, they could sense when the other was in danger, and he had rushed over to help.
It wasn't just Evan.
“I have come as well.”
A woman with a haughty impression.
It was Ranya.
She was dressed even more splendidly than usual.
Chris spoke with a surprised expression.
“Were you at a banquet or something? You seem so relaxed. If I were as untalented as you, I don't think I'd be able to sleep at night. Or, have you realized your own shortcomings and decided to quit being a mage?”
“Jeez, I went to all the trouble of coming here, and this is how you greet me? Are you going to keep spouting such rude nonsense?”
“Ranya, Christian is deliberately acting like that because he's worried about you. It's because he wants you to strive even harder.”
“Have you lost your mind, Brother Evan?”
Ranya shouted at Evan as if he were the most infuriating person in the world, but Evan paid her no mind and gave an expression that said, ‘Christian, I know your true heart.’
“In any case, you should consider it an honor that this genius mage has graced you with her presence. This time, I'll be sure to crush that arrogant nose of yours.”
At the sight of Ranya snapping open her fan and raising her chin haughtily, Chris let out a chuckle.
‘Ah, it feels like the old days.’
For some reason, it felt nostalgic.