626 Blatant Malice
Naboredisley? Lumian almost thought the ice-blue-eyed Demon was jesting with him.
However, he swiftly confirmed a crucial detail.
When it came to matters concerning the Love Incantation, he had never uttered the name Naboredisley!
Not only did he fear that Naboredisley and the ice-blue-eyed Demon were adversaries, but he also adhered to Madam Magician’s instructions to abstain from writing or speaking this name.
If so, why did the ice-blue-eyed Demon identify itself as Naboredisley?
Could it truly be the genuine Naboredisley?
Then, why did the repeated chanting of “Naboredisley” summon a different Demon and not the ice-blue-eyed one?
Or were they equals? Was Naboredisley scheming to manipulate someone else into killing me?
Amidst Lumian’s astonishment and confusion, a smile crept onto his face.
“I wouldn’t dare utter that name.”
He was testing the Demon with ice-blue eyes.
The Demon with ice-blue eyes turned towards Lumian.
“You’ve heard of Naboredisley and are aware of the concealed perils of uttering this name?”
“Yes,” Lumian replied with a grin.
From the Demon’s reaction, it seems unlikely to be the one propagating the Love Incantation… That’s intriguing… Lumian pondered.
Though this might unveil greater horrors and deeper secrets, as a Hunter, fear and curiosity didn’t contradict each other. It was akin to how everyone in the army feared death, yet it didn’t deter them from banding together for combat.
The Demon with ice-blue eyes nodded slowly and spoke, “Here, within Earth Mother’s cathedral, you needn’t fret about uttering the name Naboredisley.”
“That’s evidently not the name you typically go by. Why don’t you disclose your true name instead?” Lumian didn’t reply. Instead, he posed a query.
He had a persistent feeling that the other party intended to harm him.
Had he not encountered the Love Incantation and received guidance from Madam Magician, he might have inadvertently mentioned the concealed Demon on Hanth Island, Naboredisley, after leaving Earth Mother’s cathedral today. That could have been troublesome!
The Demon with ice-blue eyes fell silent for a few moments before stating, “The name I go by in human society holds no significance for you.
“Moreover, after learning the name Naboredisley and uttering it at least three times outside the cathedral…
At this juncture, the white-haired Demon’s visage twitched, and a pained expression surfaced.
“I will establish a connection with you. When I can no longer control myself, I may choose to end your life. Ending the life of an uninformed adventurer like you, seeking to uncover the truth of Hanth Island’s legend, would bring me greater satisfaction than harming ordinary people. I won’t feel as regretful or guilty.”
The ice-blue-eyed Demon gazed at the Sacred Emblem of Life once more, bowed its head, and expressed remorse.
“Oh, merciful Mother, I implore your mercy for my transgressions. I should not have harbored malevolent intentions…”
The corners of Lumian’s mouth twitched, and his expression darkened.
Did you genuinely intend to harm me?
He couldn’t afford to let his guard down for a moment when dealing with Demons. Vigilance was paramount, even if it was a Demon professing allegiance to Earth Mother!
Moreover, a seemingly innocuous conversation could clandestinely plant a time bomb. Any other adventurer would have fallen victim to it. Truly befitting the Criminal pathway, known for its high IQ crimes…
Cold, calculating, and overtly malicious…
After the ice-blue-eyed Demon, self-identified as Naboredisley, concluded its repentance, Lumian feigned a nonchalant smile and remarked,
“If you truly cannot control yourself and desire to take a life, target pirates. It aligns with a sense of justice.”
The ice-blue-eyed Demon’s expression darkened as it retorted, “This is my prison. I cannot depart until I have atoned. If any pirates enter Port Hanth, I will make them vanish into the forest outside the city.”
Lumian nodded and redirected the conversation.
“The Love Incantation I mentioned earlier was the name you brought up. The Demon who proposed a deal with me also identified itself with that name.”
The gray-haired, ice-blue-eyed Demon remained silent, gazing at the Sacred Emblem of Life for an extended period.
Rather than detecting anger and animosity, Lumian sensed surprise and bewilderment.
What… It can’t pinpoint the Demon’s true identity either? Is there no direct connection between the two parties? Lumian pondered inwardly.
After a while, the ice-blue-eyed Demon, self-dubbed Naboredisley, spoke,
“According to you, the Love Incantation has been clandestinely circulating for many years, yet I’ve never established a connection with anyone outside Hanth Island.”
“I’m puzzled by that too. Could it be that someone can intercept the direction of the name? Is it conceivable to assume your identity in the future?” Lumian feigned curiosity as an adventurer.
He believed that, based on Madam Magician’s words, Mr. Fool could accomplish such a feat. Amon was capable of it once too. Whether any Demon could do it remained unknown for now.
The ice-blue-eyed Demon fell silent once more. After a few seconds, it spoke with a deep voice,
“Foreigner, you’ve inquired enough. Let’s conclude it here. Otherwise, you may meet your end unknowingly.”
Clad in a formal black suit, the Demon self-dubbed Naboredisley slowly rose. It positioned its feet apart, raised its hands adorned with black leather gloves, and whispered,
“Praise the Earth, praise the Mother of All Things!”
Then, it turned around, picked up its cane, and shuffled towards the cathedral’s door, bathed in the midday sun.
Lumian scrutinized the ice-blue-eyed Demon, realizing it wasn’t tall and appeared rather thin. It emitted a withered and feeble aura, resembling that of an elderly ordinary human. It hardly resembled a terrifying and mighty Demon.
Observing closely, Lumian sensed a dark, blatant malice expanding and contracting beneath the thin human skin and aged flesh. The Demon struggled to maintain composure, refraining from tearing through its fragile facade.
The frightening inner core sharply contrasted with its frail appearance, yet the overall aura seemed feeble and commonplace.
This is reminiscent of Ludwig… One is a child concealing an unknown monster beneath the skin, while the other is a pitch-black Demon concealed within an old man’s body… Lumian exerted great effort to refrain from fixating on scrutinizing the ice-blue-eyed Demon’s luck.
The gray-haired elder in black leather gloves, wielding a cane, slowly departed from the cathedral.
Lumian wasn’t in a rush to return to the Berries. He remained seated in the first row, contemplating the local Demon legends, which had recently become clearer yet were shrouded in numerous mysteries.
Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he spotted a brown clergyman’s uniform.
This was the attire of a clergyman from the Church of Earth Mother.
Lumian looked up and saw a middle-aged man with well-
defined facial features and thick eyebrows. He noticed a pair of bloodshot, ice-blue eyes filled with pain.
Ice-blue eyes?
Dammit! Lumian’s hair stood on end as he cursed inwardly.
The ice-blue-eyed clergyman sat beside Lumian, where the Demon had been.
He smiled warmly and said, “Don’t provoke Boselli or attempt his suggestions. His self-control diminishes with age.”
“Boselli? Are you referring to the old gentleman with ice-blue eyes?” Lumian feigned ignorance.
“Yes.” The ice-blue-eyed clergyman nodded slightly.
Lumian pondered for a moment and grinned.
“What about you? How’s your self-control?”
“I’m much better than him. I lose control only once every few years,” the ice-blue-eyed clergyman replied candidly.
Is he admitting that he’s also a Demon? I’m not in Earth Mother’s cathedral, but a Devil family’s dining room… Lumian felt a chill and couldn’t help but criticize.
Maintaining a composed smile, he said, “Are you acquainted with him? Are you from the same family?”
The ice-blue-eyed clergyman reflected for a moment and replied, “We’re all born in the Port Hanth Cloister.”
Children born in a cloister? The description made Lumian uneasy.
In other Churches, having a child in a cloister was a grave matter, deviating from the teachings of the deity, a symptom of succumbing to carnal desires and blaspheming faith.
Lumian pondered for a moment before reaching a realization.
This was the Church of Earth Mother. The more nuns and monks had children in the cloister, the more aligned with the doctrine!
He immediately understood why the ice-blue-eyed clergyman and Boselli were born in the cloister.
It would conceal their origins and identities well, preventing them from implicating ordinary families.
This shattered Lumian’s previous deductions about the local Demons.
Demons didn’t need to vanish to conceal their “corpses.” The Church of Earth Mother would assist in concealing them. For instance, replacing genuine holy water with distilled water during a wake and later providing new identities and legal origins.
My earlier deduction was based on the assumption that the Church of Earth Mother and the local Demons weren’t allies. No wonder there are so many errors… This is a factor I need to be mindful of when crafting conspiracies in the future. If I’m mistaken, any subsequent clever arrangements will lose their significance… It seems the Church of Earth Mother is directly offering protection to these ice-blue-eyed Demons, both resisting restrictions and cooperating to shield them? Lumian reflected on his investigations over the past two days.
This introspection couldn’t enable him to digest the potion completely, but he felt it was more beneficial than a complete digestion.
Lumian gazed at the clergyman with ice-blue eyes and inquired with a smile, “Could it be that you’re also using the name Boselli mentioned just now?”
The ice-blue-eyed clergyman responded with a warm smile.
“Yes, my name is also Naboredisley.”
Without waiting for Lumian to probe further, it continued, “I don’t know your background, but you can report Hanth Island to the other orthodox Churches. I believe they will advise you against delving into the truth of the Demon legends.
“Just as Boselli mentioned, Foreigner, let’s conclude this here. Leave Hanth Island.”
Lumian nodded, stood up, and departed from the cathedral.
Under the bright sunlight, he strolled along the street, his mind filled with pairs of icy-blue eyes and the name Naboredisley. He felt a little disoriented.
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