Chapter 137 How did Isadora end up in the Human Continent?
Character Illustrations are out now
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(POV: Akashic Records)
Central District, Silva Citadel.
"Still.." Lumiere stroked his chin.
Isadora raised an eyebrow, "Master?"
"Isadora, so where does the demon lord seed come into all of this?"
"To become a demon lord, there are several paths one can tread. One of these paths involves siring a substantial number of demons. And in this case, demon spirits."
"But you're the only demon spirit sired to me, and yet I'm a demon lord candidate."
With a small nod, Isadora elaborated further.
"That's where the demon lord seed comes into play. You see, as a demon lord candidate, I needed to willingly pledge my loyalty to you, my master. And in doing so, the laws of the world intervened, making you a demon lord candidate as well. This is to ensure that the balance of power within the hierarchy of demon spirits remains intact," she explained, her words resonating with a sense of profound truth.
With a dull voice, Lirien solemnly interjected.
"...Isadora here was already a demon lord candidate due to the inherent prospect within her. She possessed the largest mana capacity among our kind, making her a supreme demon spirit. It's because of this potential that she developed the demon lord seed, a manifestation of the demon lord element within her..."
Fasit, who had been following the conversation attentively, raised an eyebrow. "I think I understand most of what you've been saying."
"Indeed, it makes sense now." (Lumiere)
Still, there were some loose ends.
"What about the demon lord you were serving?" he inquired.
Isadora let out a weary sigh.
"After I discovered the existence of the demon lord seed inside me and the sinister plans Vyndariel had for it, I couldn't bear the thought of becoming a pawn in his twisted evolution project," Isadora began, her voice tinged with the weight of her past. "I made the decision to escape from the Abyssal Heights. I fled to the Demon Continent, seeking refuge and a chance to redefine my destiny," she explained, her words carrying the weight of her experiences.
Lumiere raised his hand, motioning Isadora to stop her explanation for a moment.
His gaze turned piercing as he shifted his attention to Lirien.
"Lirien... Are you telling me... that you planned to capture and bring Isadora back to Vyndariel, knowing full well what he intends to do to her?"
In his voice was slowly stewing rage.
Lirien's expression remained stoic, her eyes flickering with a hint of conflict.
"Just as your subordinates would never disobey you, I cannot disobey Vyndariel," Lirien replied with a steady voice.
Lumiere felt his temper flare for a moment, frustration built up.
"Isadora's your sister! Shouldn't that alone come before anything else?" he argued.
Lirien's tone remained unaffected, her words cutting through the tension.
"A sister would never have left the Abyssal Heights without a word to me. And even so, I never harbored any hatred towards Isadora for her actions," Lirien stated, disapproval and sadness stirred in her voice.
Though her anger was restrained by her dull self, the intensity of her emotions was unmistakable.
"Awkward," said Stellaria, feeling out of place.
Isadora's heart ached with guilt as she stepped between Lumiere and Lirien, knowing that the tension between them was her doing. With a heavy sigh, she looked into Lumiere's eyes and confessed, "It's not Lirien's fault. It's mine."
Lumiere's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he asked, "How can you say that? You were the victim, forced to become a puppet in Vyndariel's twisted evolution."
Isadora's voice quivered with regret as she revealed the depth of her transgressions.
"True, I was tangled up in Vyndariel's schemes, but in my escape, I abandoned not only Lirien, my sister, but also countless other demon spirits," Isadora admitted, her voice filled with remorse.
Lirien, though visibly affected by Isadora's confession, remained silent, her gaze dull and uninspired.
Lumiere couldn't help but feel a hint of mockery in her eyes, as if she found their situation trivial.
Lirien continued speaking, her tone devoid of emotion and oblivious to the tension in the air. "Vyndariel had found a way to extract the demon lord seed without harming Isadora. But, Lumiere," she said, her words piercing through the heavy atmosphere, "by injecting your potent semen into Isadora, you fertilized the demon lord seed, binding it to her entirely, like a womb."
Lumiere's eyes burned with anger as he glared at Lirien.
"So now you're saying all of this is my fault?" he demanded, his voice laced with frustration.
Lirien's response remained monotone and unphased. "Maybe," she replied.
Feeling the tension rise within Lumiere, Fasit, ever the calming presence, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Great Lumiere, calm yourself," she advised, her voice soothing.
Lumiere let out a deep exhale, his anger subsiding.
"You're right," he conceded, his voice softer.
The room fell into a momentary silence.
Stellaria yawned.
"Please, Isadora," she prompted, her tone light and eager. "Continue with the story."
Isadora recounted her time among the demons.
"I found myself serving under a low-ranking demon lord, Berijin" she began, her eyes distant, as if lost in old memories. "There were others like me, demons who had made similar deals."
A flicker of amusement danced across Stellaria's face, her lips curling into a mischievous grin. "So, essentially, you found yourself in a demonic office job?" she quipped.
However, no one laughed or even chuckled.
"Wow, tough crowd." (Stellaria)
Isadora's smile was bittersweet as she continued her tale. "Yes, something like that. But the demon lord I served under couldn't fulfill his end of the [Skill Trade] and, unfortunately, paid the ultimate price," she revealed, her voice tinged with sorrow.
This part, Lumiere knew of. But it came with more clarity now.
Lirien, her expression solemn and unchanged, interjected. "If you'd just trusted me enough to ask for help, I would've done everything in my power to assist you. We're sisters, after all," she murmured quietly, her voice almost lost in the hushed atmosphere.
Isadora's smile grew warmer and she reached out to grasp Lirien's hand. "I know, Lirien. And I'm truly sorry for not turning to you sooner," she confessed, her voice filled with gratitude.
Lumiere rolled his eyes. "Sure."
"...Initially, when Vyndariel found out about Isadora's escape, he was infuriated. By all means, he wanted to bring her back even if it meant crossing the mortal realm. However, I pleaded with him and promised him that if he could find another way to extract the demon lord seed from Isadora, then I'd do everything in my power to bring her back..." (Lirien)
As much as the name Demon King came with fear, death and tyranny, Vyndariel was a chill guy.
As the group absorbed Lirien's words, Fasit leaned forward, her face etched with concern. "Lirien, are you suggesting that if you hadn't pleaded with Vyndariel, he might have ventured into mortal realm and maybe... killed Isadora?" she inquired in disbelief.
Lirien's pointy ears twitched, a sign of her reluctance to speak, but she nodded slowly.
"Yes," she finally replied, her voice laden with resignation. "My full dedication to finding Isadora and carrying out all his tasks was the bargaining chip I used to convince him to give me the time to find Isadora on his behalf."
There was a flicker of rage in Lumiere's eyes, but he restrained himself.
Lumiere took a moment to absorb the information, exhaling a deep sigh as he tried to process it all. "So, let me get this straight," he began, looking at Isadora with a raised eyebrow. "After the whole ordeal with Berijin, you fled to the Human Continent and decided to hide yourself away in a labyrinth, huh?"
Isadora nodded. "Yes, that's correct. I knew I had to stay hidden to avoid being found, and the labyrinth was the perfect place since it suppressed magic power so well."
"Lirien, is there anything else you think would be beneficial for Isadora to know?" (Lumiere)
Lirien's pointy ears twitched once again, a sign of her hesitance. "No, I've shared all the information that could be of use. Isadora now knows everything," she replied softly.
Lumiere nodded, his hands finding their way into the pockets of his overalls, a customary pose of his. He turned to Stellaria, a calm feel in his eyes. "Stellaria... do you think you could do me a favor and send me to Vyndariel?"
Stellaria's eyes widened with excitement, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Ooooh," she exclaimed, barely containing her enthusiasm. "In other words, you want me to send you right into enemy territory? Sounds fun."
Serena couldn't hold back any longer and calmly barged into the conversation. She cleared her throat before speaking. "Lord Lumiere, are you serious? You can't just waltz into enemy territory like it's a picnic. It's suicidal. Do you even have a plan?"
Everyone else exchanged amused glances, their eyebrows raised in surprise.
Serena coughed awkwardly, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"Um, well, I was a little lonely outside, so I may have overheard a bit of your conversation," she admitted, avoiding eye contact with anyone in the room.
The room fell into a brief silence, broken only by the stifled laughter from Isadora.
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