Chapter 40: Chapter 40
Chapter 40 - The Devil’s Whisper
The head of Yuren that Zed had severed.
Before it could even hit the floor, Ferda fired a magic arrow and blew it apart.
Crash!
Fragments of the shattered head scattered in every direction.
"Argh!"
Zed instinctively covered his face.
Spitting repeatedly to make sure none of it had gotten into his mouth, he shouted at Ferda.
"Hey! Why did you suddenly blow his head up?!"
Ferda calmly wiped the blood from his cheek with his thumb and replied,
"We needed to make sure."
"Come on, separating the head from the body already kills him. Did you really have to finish him off like that?"
"The demon isn’t the problem. At the very least, it’s better than having people wonder how a Regent suddenly became skilled enough with a sword to behead someone."
"Ah... that’s true."
Zed looked at Yuren’s corpse.
The marks from the single stab followed by the clean decapitating slash were unmistakable.
It looked far too physical for a Third-Circle Mage’s messy fight.
To disguise it as a death caused by the explosion, Zed decided to damage the severed wound.
"So..."
After finishing the cleanup, Zed looked at Ferda with resentful eyes.
"You said you only needed the eyes."
"So, did you bring only the eyes?"
Zed let out a disbelieving laugh.
"You think I’d actually believe that?"
As expected of someone destined to become a Master Thief.
Even with vague instructions, he carried out the job flawlessly.
"By the way, you took longer than expected."
"A lot happened. I had to avoid people’s eyes while moving around, and my luck ran out for a bit..."
Recalling what had happened, Zed smiled.
"But thanks to meeting that guy, everything ended much more safely and cleanly."
"Who did you meet?"
"A man named Karl from the Extermination Squad. The one you lured in, Regent."
The moment Ferda heard that name, an involuntary sound escaped him.
"Karl."
The man whom Ferda had once fitted with a dog’s collar.
"Thanks to him, things became much easier. He’s inside now, posing as the replacement warehouse keeper."
"I see."
"More importantly, is your leg alright?"
Zed gestured toward Ferda’s leg.
The bleeding had slowed, but the wound was still open.
Before Ferda could answer, Zed leaned toward him.
"Let’s stop the bleeding first. At least wrap it tightly with a bandage."
"I have a handkerchief. I’ll handle it myself."
Everything had to be meticulous from beginning to end.
Thinking that, Ferda wrapped the cloth around his leg.
All that remained was tying the knot.
But the knot was sloppy.
Already physically weak, and now suffering from blood loss, Ferda lacked the strength to tighten it properly.
"Give it here."
Unable to watch any longer, Zed pushed Ferda’s hands aside and firmly secured the wound with the handkerchief.
"Let’s say you desperately stopped the bleeding with every last ounce of strength... A dying man can accomplish anything in his final moments."
"Yes. That isn’t a bad explanation."
"So what now? Should I carry you out of here? Though carrying extra cargo comes with an additional fee."
Ferda shook his head.
"I’d like you to complete the commission. Do you see that book with the black cover and silver chain?"
Following the direction of Ferda’s finger, Zed saw a book lying there.
"Yes, I see it. Should I bring it?"
"There should be the Golden Silk that was used when transporting Gamigin’s necromancy. Wrap the book in it and safely deliver it to the carriage we came here in."
Zed wrapped Barbatos’s Shadow Arts with the cloth he found.
Even then, his eyes never left Ferda’s injured leg.
"Are you really going to be alright? Shouldn’t I call someone?"
"There’s no need to worry."
"I mean... you’ve lost this much blood. I’m worried."
"People don’t die from this much blood loss."
Zed scratched his head, conflicted.
Ferda kept insisting he was fine, but the injury looked far too severe to simply leave him here.
"So, did you find the information?"
"Not yet. I heard all the commotion downstairs first, so I came to deal with that."
"Then stop wasting time and go find it."
"Is that really what’s important right now? Huh? You’re about to die, Regent..."
"Isn’t that information what you’ve desired enough to devote your entire life to obtaining?"
Zed had flirted with vulgar women, cheated nobles through gambling, and extorted money from them because he had a clear goal.
He had nothing left.
The Red-Eyed Clan had been exterminated.
He alone had survived as a child.
His last memory was watching his younger sister being dragged away by strangers.
With no family left, that single hope was everything he had.
"A contract is a contract. My helping you has always been on the condition that you obtain what you desire."
"..."
Zed looked unhappy.
Yet at the same time, he felt he couldn’t betray the determination behind those cold words.
Standing up, Zed earnestly pleaded,
"Please don’t die."
Zed moved.
Even as he sprinted at full speed, not a single footstep could be heard.
Just as expected... extraordinary from the very beginning.
Thinking that, Ferda leaned against the wall.
Resting against a display cabinet, he steadied his breathing.
His mana was completely exhausted.
The blood loss had left him dizzy, and his consciousness was on the verge of fading.
It had already been recorded that Yuren had entered the Sealed Vault.
If he failed to emerge on time, an emergency response team would be dispatched.
Judging by the timing... about twenty minutes?
Even a single minute was precious now.
Twenty minutes felt unbearably long.
Especially in a place like this.
Ferda had grown weak.
And weakened prey was irresistible to predators.
The ominous aura of the cursed grimoire began trying to consume him.
-Won’t you come play with me?
-How about making a contract with me? I’ll give you the power to destroy the world.
-Come to me. I shall personally take you in.
From childish voices to solemn ones, they crept over his entire body, trying to worm their way inside.
To anyone merely hearing them, they would sound like beings possessing immense and mysterious power.
But Ferda knew better.
These were nothing more than insignificant demons whose names weren’t even known.
Their prices were pitiful.
Their conditions were pathetic.
Even the power they granted was worthless.
Do I really have to listen to trash like this?
Perhaps that was why...
Even in such a tense situation, he found himself yawning.
The malice they carried simply wasn’t enough to exploit any weakness in Ferda.
A moment later, all the voices suddenly fell silent.
It wasn’t because they had retreated before Ferda’s iron will.
Something far higher in rank than they were was approaching.
You’ve arrived.
Soon, the darkness in Ferda’s vision deepened.
Before he could even process the instinctive sense of dread, a chilling cold enveloped him.
Then someone appeared before him.
-You damned mortal.
An old man with blue skin and a long white beard.
His cloudy white eyes stared directly at Ferda.
It was Marbas, the Great Demon who had made a contract with Yuren.
-How dare you lay a hand on my property immediately after I finished making a contract? Do you understand what it means to earn a demon’s hatred?
Ferda looked at him and asked,
"What does it mean?"
-You shall pay dearly for humiliating me, Marbas! At the deepest pit of Frozen Hell, your flesh shall blister and your blood vessels shall freeze. You will endure that agony for one million years!
Marbas roared.
Then he tapped the floor with the staff he leaned upon.
The frost of Hell spread across the ground.
-I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself. Make a contract with me. Fill the vacancy left by my new contractor. What do you say?
A contract with Ferda.
That was the true reason he had come here threatening him.
"I refuse."
-So you choose to bear my hatred? No one who angers a Great Demon returns alive.
"Hatred?"
Ferda already knew what Marbas was after.
"You’re just looking for an excuse. You made a contract with that nobody only to pretend you’ve formed a grudge, didn’t you?"
It was one of the classic tricks demons used to deceive people.
At the same time, they tested a person’s potential while trying to lure them into becoming their true contractor.
Instead of shouting again, Marbas smiled.
-Heh heh heh... You’re no ordinary man. Still, won’t you make a contract? I’ll even offer you a special discount.
He talks like he’s clearing out old inventory.
"Absolutely not."
-What a pity. If an exceptional soul like yours became mine, it would bring me great joy. But when the day comes that you truly need me, you’ll have to pay a far greater price.
For someone supposedly nursing a grudge, he departed surprisingly coolly.
Ferda’s vision remained narrow.
The constant chatter had disappeared.
Something lurking within the darkness stirred and slowly approached.
-The power Your Grace displayed was truly remarkable, Duke Ferda Valdrova.
A sticky, slimy voice.
Emerging from the darkness was a toad dressed in an elegant suit.
-My name is Morax. Why not come and make a contract with me? I shall place power and authority into your hands. I shall lend you everything you need to build a magnificent Grand Duchy.
The toad’s enormous mouth curved into a sinister smile.
-Of course... you will pay the price someday.
Morax.
One of the Seven Great Demons of Hell, the demon of contracts and compensation.
Among demons, he granted the greatest power, making him exceptionally tempting.
Even a frail weakling could become a Sword Master.
Someone completely devoid of magical talent could instantly become a Grand Mage.
But the ending always led to an unspeakable tragedy.
That is Morax’s curse.
Ferda had already witnessed those tragedies countless times.
All that remained on his face was a mocking smile.
"I already know exactly what you’re planning. You’re boring, so leave."
-Heh heh heh... I shall withdraw for now. But someday, you will call upon the name Morax. I shall await that day.
The gentlemanly toad tipped his hat before returning to his own domain.
Soon, another figure revealed itself before Ferda.
-Hello there, darling.
A sticky, seductive voice whispered into his ears.
Blonde hair.
Blue eyes.
A voluptuous chest.
She looked exactly like Olivia Arken.
But she wasn’t Olivia Arken.
Her lower body was that of a serpent instead of a human.
-What you showed today was absolutely wonderful. I never imagined you’d strike Marbas’s contractor like that.
Sitri.
The demon of lust and illusion.
"I see."
-Why do you look so uninterested? You’re standing before the most beautiful woman in the Empire. Don’t tell me I’m not your type?
Twisting a lock of her hair around her slender finger, she smiled seductively.
Her enchanting appearance was more than enough to set any man’s heart ablaze.
But not Ferda’s.
Even at an age overflowing with youthful desire, standing before her flawless naked body stirred nothing but calm within him.
Compared to Morax and Marbas, the power she offered was by far the most insignificant.
-Looks like you really aren’t interested. You said you married a dragon, didn’t you?
"Yes."
-If you like that dragon so much... how about having two of her in your arms?
Ferda thought for a moment before looking at Sitri.
"Go on."
-Do you know why I was able to take on Olivia Arken’s appearance? For a demon like me, something like this is as easy as breathing.
She whispered with a deep smile.
-My dear... are you saying you’d rather see Valdrova’s appearance?
Ferda’s desire stirred.
In the end, that slight temptation swayed him.
"Take Valdrova’s appearance."
-Hehe, what a cute man. Very well.
Sitri covered her face with both hands.
As her hands moved, everything about her changed.
Her blonde hair turned crimson.
Two pairs of horns emerged from her head.
Her eyes became golden with white sclera.
-Well? What do you think of my beautiful appearance?
Sitri had recreated the appearance of the Valdrova whom Ferda had longed for in his dreams.
After silently staring at her for a long moment, Ferda finally spoke.
"That’s not it."
Only disappointment filled his face.
-What?
"My fiancée didn’t have such sharp features. Her eyes should droop a little more."
-Hmm, is that so? Like this?
Sitri adjusted her face according to Ferda’s instructions.
Ferda stared at her once more before shaking his head again.
"That’s still not it. Her eyes were much gentler. And her lips weren’t that full."
-Wait a moment. Like this?
"Why can’t you understand what I mean? Am I asking for something that difficult?"
-Like this?
And so the Great Demon Sitri continued changing her face over and over while the two argued for quite some time.
After many failed attempts, Sitri abruptly stood up.
Her eyes were filled with utter disgust.
-You’re insane.
"Why? I’ll make a contract with you if you want! You just have to recreate exactly what I want. It isn’t difficult."
-Get lost! If I get involved with a pervert like you, my future will be ruined!
Even Sitri, the Great Demon of lust, disappeared with a thoroughly disgusted expression.
So... no one really can replace Valdrova.
To be honest, Ferda had almost fallen for the temptation.
He had briefly thought that if he missed her, perhaps seeing someone else with her appearance wouldn’t be so bad.
But even that kind of substitute proved impossible.
I shouldn’t have bothered.
Thanks to Sitri’s terrible disguise, Valdrova’s face only lingered in his mind even more vividly.
He missed her so deeply that loneliness welled up inside him.
Ah... my Queen.
Ferda called out to her silently.
You love this world so dearly... yet this world only seeks to use you.
The reason Yuren had attacked Ferda was to provoke Valdrova’s wrath.
A scheme that could potentially overthrow the Empire could never have been driven merely by Yuren’s personal grudge.
But please don’t worry.
Ferda already knew who was behind it all.
And that sorrow only hardened his resolve.
Every single one of them will be held accountable.
Those who hid the Empire’s Black Magic rats beneath the underground capital...
Those who ordered Yuren to assassinate the Regent...
Those who sought to bring the already crumbling Empire to complete ruin...
Those who prayed for the deaths of every blood relative they had...
A single beautiful flower that bloomed from the seeds of catastrophe.
Olivia Arken.
At that moment—
Ferda’s vision completely cleared, and his dulled senses returned to normal.
He heard someone rushing down the stairs.
It was undoubtedly the Knights and Mages responding to the emergency.
"Damn it, Alte! What happened here?!"
"Isn’t that... Regent Valdrova?!"
"Is he still breathing?"
"Yes! He’s still alive!"
"Hurry and bring a priest! This is an emergency!"
"Your Grace, Regent! Can you hear my voice?"
He could hear them perfectly well.
So... I suppose it’s time to sleep now.
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