Chapter 108: Continental Crisis?

Was the air of the human world always this refreshing?

Compared to the damp and heavy atmosphere of the demon world, the air here was clear and clean.

The warm energy of living beings seemed to envelop my entire body, invigorating me.

It was the vitality of the human world, a sensation I hadn’t felt in five thousand years.

As I arrived in front of the Demon King’s castle, a colossal wall greeted me.

This castle, where Carpe had resided, still boasted a magnificent appearance.

The towering walls built of black granite, the spires that seemed to pierce the sky, and the demonic crests engraved here and there…

Though time had passed, with moss growing and some stones crumbling, its majesty remained undiminished.

“A rather fine castle.”

The moment I pushed open the castle gate and was about to step inside, a giant shadow emerged from the darkness.

“Welcome, Lord Abraxas.”

A deep, low voice echoed.

A massive demon covered in black scales was kneeling.

It was Drusilla, the current ruler of the Great Labyrinth beneath the Demon King’s castle.

“It has been five thousand years, Drusilla.”

“Yes. Upon hearing the news of your arrival, Lord Abraxas, I came up with all the followers from the Great Labyrinth and have been waiting.”

Her speech was concise yet polite, befitting her taciturn nature.

But her voice carried a sincere loyalty.

“Well done. And what of Carpe’s personal spaces?”

“I have not set foot in them even once. They have been preserved as per your orders, Lord Abraxas.”

“Excellent.”

A satisfied smile spread across my lips.

She was indeed a trustworthy subordinate.

“Wait outside the castle with all the followers. I will look around alone.”

“As you wish.”

Drusilla bowed deeply and retreated.

Soon, footsteps echoed from within the castle, and I saw several followers quietly exiting.

The corridors, once bustling with numerous demons, were now empty.

Only my footsteps echoed on the high ceiling.

It was a solitude I hadn’t felt in a long time.

But it wasn’t unpleasant.

In fact, it was comfortable.

The first place I headed to was Carpe’s old study.

In the spacious study, countless books were covered in dust on the shelves.

But one particularly ornate bookshelf in a corner was different.

The books on that gold-leafed bookshelf were stored spotlessly, without a speck of dust.

‘Did he use preservation magic?’

Among them, a few books caught my eye.

The Basics of Elegant Oratory

A Guide to Perfect Etiquette

Gemstone Appraisal and Valuation

An Introductory Guide to High Society for Beginners

“Carpe… was he very interested in human culture?”

These books were distinctly different from the others.

Judging by the worn covers and the bookmarks inserted here and there, it seemed he had read them frequently and diligently.

There were even small notes scribbled in the margins of the pages.

I carefully took out one volume and opened it, finding it full of notes like ‘This part is important’ and ‘Must try this in practice’.

“Interesting…”

To think a powerful Demon King was so engrossed in the sophistication of human society.

It was a taste difficult to comprehend for a demon.

Next, I went to the bedroom.

A bed with an ornate canopy, pillows with delicate embroidery, and elegant paintings adorning the walls…

“Carpe must have dreamed of conquering the human world from here.”

On the bedside table, there was a diary.

The leather cover was engraved with a small flower pattern, and the edges were decorated with gold thread.

I carefully lifted the diary.

Opening the first page, I saw beautiful handwriting.

‘The management of the Great Labyrinth went smoothly again today…’

Carpe’s daily life was recorded just as it was.

There were none of the ambitious plans I had expected, but I could glimpse the delicate and sincere side hidden behind the facade of the cruel Demon King.

Finally, I arrived at the throne room.

In the vast hall stood a throne made of black marble.

But what caught my eye more than the throne was a small flowerpot placed right next to it.

A single withered rose still remained inside it.

“He even grew flowers…”

This was another unexpected side of Carpe.

It seemed he had a heart that cherished life.

Unconsciously, I found myself thinking of Lycoris as I looked at the withered rose.

‘That child is a flower too…’

“I suppose that’s enough reminiscing.”

I must not forget the purpose of my visit.

Going behind the throne, a hidden passage came into view.

It was a very narrow and dark passage, but a dense magical energy was flowing out from within.

Following the passage deep inside, a spacious secret area appeared.

“Finally…”

My breath caught.

In the center of the room, countless meticulously arranged bone fragments and dried flesh were laid out.

Each was preserved on a special magic circle, so they had not decayed at all despite the passage of hundreds of years.

These were Carpe’s remains.

“Thousands of years of effort are finally bearing fruit.”

This skull fragment… was found in the belly of an ancient dragon.

It took Gatron 12 years just to slay that dragon.

This ribcage… had fallen into the depths of the ocean.

Drusilla had to search the ocean floor while avoiding Nis.

And to find this single finger bone, hundreds of followers searched the desert for 30 years.

Each and every one was a precious fragment.

“Now, all that’s left is to find the soul, and it will be complete.”

I extended my hand into the air and cast a soul-tracking spell.

Dark energy spread from my fingertips, enveloping the surroundings.

However…

“What is this?”

Nothing was detected.

I tried again, but the result was the same.

“Strange… I thought it would be detected once I came down to the human world…”

Until three years ago, I could definitely feel Carpe’s soul somewhere in the human world.

It was distant and faint, but it was certainly there.

But since three years ago, it had vanished without a trace.

What on earth could hide Carpe’s soul so perfectly?

Carpe was the core of my plan, the final boss for Lycoris to defeat…

“For now, the plan can proceed even without Carpe.”

It was then.

Tiring!

With a sudden sound, a selection window appeared.

[ 1. Deliver a one-minute revelation to Cecilia. (100,000 Divine Power consumed)
2. Do nothing.
※ Current Divine Power: 2,371,503 ]

“It appeared again.”

The Divine Power required to deliver a solo revelation to Cecilia was unusually low.

‘Is it because of Cecilia’s immature language skills?’

That child still can’t form proper sentences.

Therefore, since I can’t deliver complex revelations, the Divine Power consumption must be low.

In the quiet basement, I chose option 1.

[ Delivering the revelation. ]

Is this the fourth revelation?

I focused my consciousness on Cecilia.

This time too, her pure and clean inner self welcomed me.

“Cecilia, can you hear my voice?”

Abwaxas!

But hearing her voice full of pure joy made me smile.

“Are you well?”

Uh-huh! New howse is so cool! Ewything spawkly-spawkly!

‘She means she really likes the new house.’

She must have arrived at Frostia’s new lair, newly built in the Jenes Kingdom.

I was quite surprised when I saw the large-scale construction process from the demon world.

“I am glad that you, my apostle, are happy. Are Frostia, Nis, and Lycoris with you?”

Uuuh~ Gwamma and Auntie Gwamma awe here, but Mommy went to tell secwets wif a pwetty unnie!

“Grandma and Auntie Grandma…?”

‘Don’t tell me she means Frostia and Nis.’

Uh-huh! White one is Gwamma! Bwack one is Auntie Gwamma!

‘Well, well…’

‘What a set of nicknames.’

But what was more important was another part.

‘Secret talks with a pretty unnie?’

‘Does that mean Lycoris is having an important conversation with someone alone?’

“Cecilia, our time is up, so we’ll stop here. I will send another revelation when the opportunity arises.”

Okay! Bye-bye!

“Truly… my apostle is lovely.”

I broke the connection with Cecilia and moved my consciousness to the Serenade Acadene brooch.

Then, the voices of a young girl and Lycoris began to be heard.

“There’s a rumor that Lady Lycoris’s true form is a man-eating plant with hundreds of eyeballs and octopus-like roots…”

“What kind of nonsense is that! I’m a totally beautiful flower, you know! I’ll show you later! What other rumors are there!”

‘Rumors?’

‘Was she investigating the rumors about herself?’

‘It wasn’t an important conversation.’

“There’s also a rumor that Lady Lycoris immediately draws the blood of anyone she sees and kills them…”

“What!? I like blood, but I don’t just draw it like that!”

“And a rumor that you appear in the villagers’ dreams every night and give them nightmares…”

“No! I don’t have that kind of ability!”

“Uh… there’s also a rumor that His Highness knelt because Lady Lycoris was trying to eat the prince…”

“Ugh…! I saved this kingdom! Why are the rumors like this!”

‘Tsk, such ungrateful humans.’

I shook my head.

Lycoris had clearly wiped out my followers hiding in the Jenes Kingdom and saved the kingdom.

She was their benefactor who blocked the followers’ ritual and averted the kingdom’s crisis, and yet…

“Oh, right! Have you heard that nonsense about me being Abraxas’s best friend?”

My name came up, and I tensed for a moment.

“What…? Abraxas…? You mean the famous evil god?”

“Yeah! Him!”

“No, I’ve never heard that before.”

“Phew…”

‘Don’t worry, my dear friend.’

‘I will keep that secret for now.’

‘Because I’ll reveal it after you become the savior of humanity.’

‘The betrayal and despair the humans will feel then…’

But strangely, hearing Lycoris’s aggrieved voice made a part of my chest ache in a peculiar way.

‘No, get a grip.’

I returned my consciousness to the Demon King’s castle.

Back in the dark basement where Carpe’s remains lay.

The fact that Carpe’s soul couldn’t be detected even in the human world was an unexpected variable.

But the core of the plan remains unchanged.

Let’s start by making Lycoris the savior of humanity.

It won’t be too late to think of another final boss to replace Carpe later.

I left the secret space and headed outside the castle.

As I stepped out of the castle gate, I saw a group waiting in an orderly fashion, centered around Drusilla.

They were massive demons and human followers gathered from all over the continent.

“Lord Abraxas, how was it?”

Drusilla asked cautiously.

“Execute the plan.”

At my voice, everyone focused.

“Send appropriate threats to each kingdom. Not too strong, not too weak.”

“What level of threat are you referring to?”

Drusilla asked in her deep voice.

“Difficult for ordinary adventurers to handle, but easily dispatched if a special being appears.”

“Understood.”

“And never leave any trace that connects it to us. It must look like a natural monster appearance.”

The followers nodded.

They did not question.

They simply followed my orders.

“Drusilla, you will be in charge of the two empires, and Valen will take the Eastern Kingdom Union. Morgan will be in charge of the elves and dwarves.”

I assigned roles to the demons and human followers respectively.

“Understood!”

Everyone answered in unison.

“Each of you prepare an appropriate threat, but never overdo it.”

They didn’t need to know what I was planning.

“I will head to the Dragon Kingdom.”

A Dragon King would be a fitting final boss.