Chapter 254
Inferinos, who received my gaze, spoke first.
“First, I must congratulate you on completing your mission and returning safely. Would you like a cup of tea?”
“I’ll decline.”
I pushed my teacup aside. Knowing how that flower tea was made, I had no desire to drink it whatsoever.
Inferinos chuckled as if she had expected it, then leaned her upper body straight against the backrest.
With an arrogant posture, fingers intertwined and chin raised, she spoke.
“Report the results of your espionage.”
It was truly an imperious command, befitting a Demon King. In that case, I should respond with equal care.
I crossed my legs and raised my chin identically.
“I will.”
Inferinos and my gazes clashed in the air. In that state, I reported.
“The name of the building Carpheios is constructing is the Tomb of Chaos Gods.”
As soon as I spoke, Inferinos’s pupils dilated. Her greed for knowledge fueled the Demon King’s excitement.
“What kind of place is it? What did you see? What is ‘His’ purpose? Quickly, tell me, quickly!”
Gladly.
“In the deepest underground part of the Tomb, there’s a special place called the ‘Chaos Altar’. It’s connected to the place that is the origin of you demons.”
“The place of our origin, then…”
“‘Cradle of Chaos’.”
It’s what the 100th iteration Tesillid called the Final Dungeon he threw himself into.
It is a place where countless evils, malicious thoughts, and evil spirits gathered to form a black sea.
Originally, it was merely a jumble of various evils, but at some point, a singularity occurred, causing the clustered thoughts to coalesce into a mass.
And a single consciousness, representing the collective will of evil, emerged (創發).
In other words, a being whose will was born from the fusion of countless evils. That was called the Chaos Evil.
In the 100th timeline, the Chaos Evil lost its will and was refined into pure power, then absorbed by Reed.
However, this is the 17th timeline where time has been reversed. Therefore, the Chaos Evil still exists.
Here, Reed intends to use his authority to cause a Dungeon Burst to release the Chaos Evil into the human world, in order to destroy it.
The reason Reed doesn’t destroy it directly but takes a detour is simple: it was an absolute contract he made with the 100th iteration’s Chaos Evil.
In exchange, Reed was able to maintain his will without being consumed by the Chaos Evil.
In the original story, Reed faithfully fulfilled his promise with the Chaos Evil, causing a burst in the Final Dungeon.
What about the current Reed?
The current Reed, deviating from the original story, has the same basic plan. The only difference is that it has advanced one step further.
“The Tomb of Chaos Gods was a double dungeon. The altar was the entrance directly to the Cradle.”
“…”
“Reed is trying to cause a burst twice to pull out the true Chaos Evil, or as you demons would say, its ‘True Body (眞體)’ into the human world.”
“…”
“The reason for going through the process twice is obvious. Each time a burst occurs, the power and tier of the dungeon’s owner are amplified. So, the Chaos Evil’s True Body that emerges into the human world…”
There’s no knowing what kind of being it will become.
There’s no knowing what kind of disaster it will cause.
“…It will be terrible.”
Whether it can truly be stopped.
I can’t be sure.
My voice and gaze sank low, uncontrollably.
[
Inferinos opened her mouth as if mesmerized.
“That beautiful and wicked True Body, like the deepest darkness…”
“…”
“By exerting the authority to tear open a Gate twice…”
“…”
“Ah… Aaaah…!”
It was a moment when a long, praising groan flowed out.
“Such a magnificent plan! I admire and adore you (仰慕) with my whole being, Chaos Evil God!”
Inferinos leaped from her seat. Her excitement was enough to abandon all decorum and formality.
It was impossible to tell if it was true reverence for Reed or merely the satisfaction of her thirst for knowledge.
And it wasn’t my concern.
“Now, keep your promise, Inferinos.”
“Of course.”
It was time to receive the reward.
Since Inferinos was already standing, she stood upright facing the Pit of Solitude.
Seeing that she had no intention of sitting back down, I also rose to my feet.
Inferinos slowly opened her mouth.
“As I said before, the Pit of Solitude has a rule: one cannot leave until they become the final individual. This is an absolute rule that irreversibly consumed my authority.”
“…”
Her preamble was long. It was by no means a good sign.
“Once a sacrifice has entered the Pit of Solitude, even I, a Demon King, find it difficult to nullify. However, you don’t need to worry. The contract is absolute. Promises are always kept.”
“…”
Her mouth spoke of reassurance and trustworthiness. Yet, at the same moment, her eyes scanned me with a sadistic glint.
The ominous feeling soon became reality.
“However, I must resort to a trick. The role of the fallen sacrifice can simply be replaced by another sacrifice.”
At this point, I couldn’t stop myself from snorting.
Ah, I knew it would come to this.
The reward for my successful mission, guaranteed by the quest, was ‘Tesillid Argent’s Survival’.
I had expected to be betrayed from the moment I read the ambiguous wording.
“Therefore, become the sacrifice, Evil’s Bane Executor.”
Kwa-rururung!
The ground beneath my feet crumbled.
[
As a dizzying sensation overwhelmed me, messages appeared. [‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’ laments that it was bound to happen.] [‘Scales that Judge Souls’ sighs at the predetermined development.] [‘Heavens’ Secret Overseer’ clicks its tongue, saying this couple never passes by a cliff without doing something.]
A force stronger than gravity pulled my body down. For a moment, I thought.
Of the black-haired man.
Reed.
‘So that’s why he synthesized the Holy-Demonic Sword with the Lily Cross Scythe.’
If all of this is according to his plan.
Then.
‘Is my choice now also part of your plan?’
I’ll soon find out.
Shwiiik!
The rushing sound created by the fall deafened my ears.
Around that time, a hot energy imbued my right hand. The distorted blue crescent moon pattern etched on my palm was burning away.
The moment the contract was established, the symbol disappeared.
Drrrddddk!
Inversely to my fall, the ground beside me rose in a long column. A man was crouching atop the raised earth, like a pillar.
He turned his head, which had been facing the ground, and looked towards me.
Our gazes met for a fleeting moment.
“Ail…?”
You’re safe, Tesillid.
Seeing your face is enough.
“Ail…!”
The second call rapidly faded away towards the sky.
I confirmed that he had finally ascended to the surface.
The transaction was complete.
Then now…
‘It’s time for me to hit you back, Inferinos.’
Kwaak.
I tightly clenched my right hand into a fist. The wires that had been wrapped around my five fingers earlier glinted silver, revealing themselves.
“You know something, Inferinos?”
I met the gaze of the Demon King who was looking down at me from above ground.
As I smiled faintly, I saw her flinch. If she sensed something was amiss, I’d commend her good intuition.
“My specialty is wrapping wires around other people’s bodies.”
The moment the taut tension transmitted through my hand.
“Kugh…?!
Only then did Inferinos realize the presence of the silver thread (銀絃) wrapped around her neck.
Before the Demon King’s immense demonic energy, the Spirit King’s Harp String wouldn’t last even a second before being shredded. But.
That fleeting moment, less than a second, was enough.
Because the moment her body’s balance tipped into the cliff, she would be judged as having entered the Pit of Solitude.
Hadn’t it been said that this place was a space of absolute rules where even a Demon King couldn’t arbitrarily make exceptions? Good.
“Let’s go together, Inferinos.”
In response to my words, a shout echoed from above.
“Evil’s Bane Executor!”
Bloodshot red eyes glared at me as if to kill. It was a face worth appreciating.
I was certain my eyes were shining just as sadistically as those of you demons. In that state, I let out a full, mocking laugh.
Then.
“No, Ail!”
“…”
The desperate shout from the surface made me turn my head slightly.
The moment my gaze connected with the sea-colored eyes, I had no choice but to change the way I smiled.
May the bright smile I’m giving with all my might, please…
“I’ll be back, Terry. You don’t have to worry.”
Be able to reassure him.
Soon, dead blackness, devoid of light, enveloped my vision. A single cry pierced the darkness and reached my ears.
“Come back, Aillet Rodelain-!”
I’m sorry to Tesillid, but it seems it’s better to be the one causing worry than the one worrying.
Satisfied with the reversed situation, I gently closed my eyes. That was when system messages flooded my vision.
[
The last message to stick to my eyelids was as follows:
[
A Privilege for the Possessor