Chapter 336
[…What?]
The Murderer of Silence momentarily wore a blank expression.
For reference, an ‘Archlich’ is different from a regular lich.
Unlike liches, who are pure undead, they are beings who have obtained a half-life, so they do not need Life Vessels and also possess bodies covered in flesh and blood.
Although it is a corpse-like body, without circulating blood or warmth.
“I said, you are insolent. Is that the attitude of one who has come to make a request?”
[!!]
The Murderer of Silence emitted a wrathful presence.
[You bastard… how dare you.]
However.
Paaaaaaah!
Suddenly, a suffocating presence descended upon the meeting hall.
It was the presence emitted by Nordian, who was nearby.
Christian was supposed to be handling this meeting entirely on his own, but it seemed he had been worried about his grandson and had been staying nearby, and had now shown off his power.
‘Grandfather, honestly.’
Chris let out a smirk and spoke to the Murderer of Silence, who was being crushed by Nordian’s presence.
“It seems you can't grasp the situation because you're just an empty-headed tin-can skull. This is no time for you to be acting so high and mighty.”
[…]
“I am going to smash all of these Life Vessels and then use the full strength of our Dark Alliance to bring down your Four Kings' Castle. Do you bastards, in your weakened state, think you can possibly stand against our Dark Alliance?”
The Murderer of Silence bit his pale lips.
“Your Four Kings' Castle has two choices left. Either fall at the hands of our Dark Alliance as you are, or accept the conditions we demand.”
To say such a humiliating thing to the great Four Kings' Castle.
But it was not an overstatement.
Because the one holding all the cards right now was the Dark Alliance.
Chris spoke as if shooing away an insect.
“Relay my words to the Lord of the Four Kings' Castle. However, keep this in mind. If you show such an insolent attitude next time, there will be no discussion.”
The Murderer of Silence left, enraged.
Afterward, the Four Kings' Castle was silent.
It was a situation where they could neither accept Christian’s words nor use any other tricks.
Because if they made one wrong move and he smashed all the Life Vessels, it would be the end.
‘Let's see how long they can hold out.’
Chris whistled as he broke the Life Vessels one by one.
After breaking the seventh one the next day.
“An envoy from the Four Kings' Castle has arrived again.”
The Murderer of Silence had come again, but.
“Get lost.”
[…What did you say?]
“Did I not make myself clear? I said that if you do not show a polite attitude, there will be no discussion.”
The Murderer of Silence wore a dumbfounded expression.
He hadn't said a word yet.
But Chris looked down at him and said.
“Your expression is insolent.”
Crack!
He smashed a Life Vessel right before his eyes.
[Y-you… bastard….]
“Do not forget. A polite attitude.”
The next day, the Murderer of Silence came again.
This time, he stood with his head bowed, biting his lip hard.
He was trembling, his fists clenched tight with anger, but in any case, it was a polite attitude.
“Well, I don't like it, but I see you've made an effort. Your effort is commendable, so I will grant you a conversation. What will you do?”
[…We will negotiate as you say. The Dark Alliance and our Four Kings' Castle will sign a truce, and we will make an oath not to invade the territory of the Dark Alliance for the next 100 years.]
“Rejected.”
[…What?]
Chris spoke coolly.
“Did I not make myself clear? I told you to follow the conditions we demand. To dare push your own negotiation terms without knowing your place.”
Crack!
One more Life Vessel.
“Tell the Lord of the Four Kings' Castle this. To decide whether to follow the conditions we demand, or to be destroyed.”
Then, the next day.
The envoy came again.
This time, it was not the Murderer of Silence.
The First of the Four Kings and the Vice-Head of the Necromancy Demonic House.
It was the Holy Knight of Death, Drenne.
* * *
‘A real big shot has arrived.’
Looking at the white-haired woman with a demure impression, Chris's gaze calmed.
Drenne was a figure on a different dimension from the previous envoy, the Murderer of Silence.
For a start, unlike the other Four Kings, she was a living human, not a lich.
Despite that, she reigned as the First of the Four Kings with a level that had reached the end of High 8-Star.
Even though she was not a House Head, she was a supreme powerhouse who was discussed on the same level as the strongest heads of the other twelve prestigious Magus houses, such as the Ghost Sword King, the Vengeful Spirit, and the Obsidian King.
Furthermore, she was not that old.
She was only in her forties.
Thanks to her powerful demonic energy, her appearance was only that of someone in her mid-twenties.
She was a figure who was considered a strong candidate to reach the 9-Star Demon King level in the near future.
‘It means they intend to negotiate properly.’
Chris, too, did not show a humiliating attitude to Drenne.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Christian.”
“So you are the Demonic Radiance. I have heard much about you.”
Drenne said in a calm voice.
“It seems you gave such insults to the Murderer of Silence in the hopes that I would come. I am curious as to what you wish to discuss.”
Words that saw right through Chris’s intentions.
In truth, he had been hoping that Drenne, or to be precise, the true decision-maker who could decide everything for the Four Kings' Castle, would come.
“First, let me say this. I would like you to know that the fact we are even engaging in these negotiations is, in itself, our castle enduring a great humiliation. Please do not test our patience too excessively.”
It was a statement that the negotiations would break down if he made an unreasonable demand.
“It would be troublesome if you were under the illusion that you could overwhelm our Four Kings' Castle just by smashing all of the Twelve Legion Commanders' Life Vessels. The latent power of the Four Kings' Castle is not so shallow that we would collapse over something like that. The reason we are engaging in these negotiations is simply because we wish to avoid harm to the liches, who are important beings to our house.”
It was not a bluff.
Of course, if all the Life Vessels were to be destroyed, the Four Kings' Castle would suffer enormous damage.
But even so, the strength of the Four Kings' Castle would still not fall behind that of the Dark Alliance.
Even if the Dark Alliance were to miraculously win, the Dark Alliance, too, would suffer damage close to mutual destruction.
“I assume that you, the Demonic Radiance, also know that fact, which is why you are even speaking of negotiations. So, speak. What are your conditions for our Four Kings' Castle?”
Chris shrugged his shoulders and spoke.
“Well, I have no intention of demanding territory or any other great price. However, in a way, this might be a much more difficult demand. First, what I want is a firm truce and an oath of non-aggression.”
Chris continued.
“However, I want a firm guarantee, not just a hollow oath.”
“Please speak precisely.”
“I want an alliance between the Four Kings' Castle and our Dark Alliance.”
“!!”
Drenne’s eyes widened as if they would tear.
It was a story she had never even considered.
“What… kind of nonsense?”
“Why is it nonsense? It's not as if the Four Kings' Castle and our Southern Magus Nation have no history of joining hands in the past, is it?”
Of course, there had been such times.
The history of the Magus Empire was long, after all.
But in the current situation, it was a ridiculous story.
“Of course, a mere alliance in name only would lack trust. How about we establish 'branch families' in each other's territories?”
“…Did you say a branch family?”
“That is correct. As a sign of friendship, we will establish a branch family of our Dark Alliance in the Four Kings' Castle, and a branch family of the Four Kings' Castle in our Dark Alliance.”
A branch family was a nice way of putting it; it was a proposal to exchange hostages.
Drenne narrowed her eyes and asked.
“…A branch family… no, let's speak plainly. If we are to exchange hostages, who does the Dark Alliance plan to send?”
If they were to send a person of no consequence, they would be meaningless as a hostage.
However.
The name Chris brought up was a person Drenne had never imagined.
“I will go myself.”
“!!”
“It has to be someone of my stature to be a proper sign of friendship between our two powers.”
Drenne was silent.
“…I do not know what you are thinking. Are you saying that you, the most important figure in the Dark Alliance, will come as a hostage yourself?”
In the judgment of the Four Kings' Castle, the two core figures of the Dark Alliance were Nordian and Christian, and if they had to choose one, it was Christian.
Because the Dark Alliance of today was built solely by Christian.
But for Christian, who was as good as everything the Dark Alliance had, to come as a hostage to the lion's den that was the Four Kings' Castle?
“Did I not say? It is to prove our friendship.”
But Drenne did not let go of her suspicion and thought.
‘There's no way that cunning bastard would make such a proposal without any intention. He definitely has some scheme.’
It was a correct assumption.
The reason Christian had made such a proposal was because he had an intention.
Christian recalled his plan to himself.
‘I will make the Four Kings' Castle collapse from within.’
As mentioned before, bringing down the Four Kings' Castle with a frontal assault would require too great a sacrifice.
So, the method he had thought of was this.
To legally infiltrate the Four Kings' Castle and then cause its collapse from the inside.
Of course, it was dangerous.
But there was a safety measure.
“Establishing branch families in each other's territories will receive the sanction of the 'Center'. His Majesty the Demon Emperor will surely be pleased as well.”
“!!”
If he received the recognition of the Center, the Four Kings' Castle would not be able to touch him carelessly.
Because it would be as good as the Demon Emperor’s command.
‘Of course, I can't be at ease with just this measure.’
It just meant they would have to be somewhat wary; it didn't mean that those bastards from the Four Kings' Castle would just stand by.
Still, they wouldn't be able to harm him openly and head-on.
Chris asked Drenne.
“How about it? It doesn't seem like a proposal where your Four Kings' Castle has anything to lose?”
“……”
Drenne was silent for a long time, then nodded her head.
“Very well. We will follow your proposal.”
It was an acceptance!
Drenne rose from her seat.
“However, keep this in mind. That I have not accepted this proposal without knowing your dark intentions, Demonic Radiance.”
Before she left, at the last moment, Drenne’s deep eyes, containing a ghastly aura of death, looked at Christian.
“Whatever scheme you are harboring, the Four Kings' Castle will become your grave.”
A declaration that she would kill Christian openly.
After Drenne left, Chris thought to himself.
‘It won't be easy.’
In truth, it was a reckless act.
No matter how great he was, to think of bringing down the Four Kings' Castle by himself.
‘But I have to do it. No, I can do it.’
Chris turned his gaze.
It was toward the south.
The place where the Alliance's 'Round Table' and 'Celestial Magic Tower' are located.
‘Before I go to the Four Kings' Castle, I have to become stronger than I am now.’
He wouldn't be leaving for the Four Kings' Castle right away.
There were procedures to follow. He had some time.
He planned to stop by the Alliance and grow his strength further.
‘I’ve already made the preparations.’
Chris took a document from his coat.
-A letter of appointment as a professor.
He planned to visit the Keinper Training Center as a temporary professor.
‘The Keinper Training Center is no ordinary academy. It is a place where the most outstanding talents in the Alliance gather to improve their skills.’
For reference, the Keinper Training Center is also called this:
The Cradle of Stars.
The Hope of the Alliance.
It is a place where not just promising rookies, but only those who are actually performing at the highest level in their respective powers can set foot.
In other words, an educational institution for the stars of the Alliance.
As such, it was filled with enormous opportunities for fateful encounters.
‘Of course, they are not fateful encounters that will be of great help to me at my current level, but.’
What Chris desired was the vast knowledge that existed in the Keinper Training Center.
Because the Keinper Training Center was the place where the most vast secret arts and knowledge in the entire Alliance were gathered.
‘For me to truly become the ‘Demonic Radiance’, I must obtain the secret arts of the Keinper Training Center.’
That wasn't all.
‘If I go to the Keinper Training Center, I should be able to get my hands on the secret arts of the Round Table and the Celestial Magic Tower as well.’
Chris thought to himself.
‘Because it's about time I made the Round Table and the Celestial Magic Tower kneel.’