70. Into the Primeval Forest (1)

Saturday morning. Chloe was unusually excited.

She woke up earlier than usual and checked her outfit and makeup several times. Thanks to that, the mansion’s servants were on edge from the morning.

“Hmm. The makeup on the tail of my eye. The line is subtly angled upwards. Redraw it.”

“Yes, Agassi!”

This was already the fifth time she’d had her small eye makeup redone. Chloe grumbled inwardly.

‘To firmly capture Yulian-nim’s heart, my makeup must be thoroughly perfect. That’s why I hired exceptionally skilled artists at great expense, but… I’m not satisfied.’

However, Yulian was scheduled to visit the mansion in the morning. So, even if it didn’t quite meet her standards, there was no helping it.

‘I’ll have them do my makeup just for today and fire them immediately…’

And Chloe mentally checked her elixirs and poisons. She hadn’t used poison much since the reserve squad’s group training, so the remaining amount was sufficient.

That meant the important thing today was the elixirs. To make Yulian completely fall for her, she needed the help of elixirs.

‘But I know very well that ordinary aphrodisiacs won’t work. So, I need to change my strategy.’

Reinhardt’s special bloodline. Perhaps because of that, aphrodisiacs didn’t work on the Count.

Of course, with her own charm… Yulian had embraced her as if he were intoxicated by an aphrodisiac.

Anyway, the strategy Chloe had devised this time was to drink a special elixir she had made herself.

‘If I drink it when my body temperature and breathing are moderately elevated… it’s an elixir that makes my scent even stronger.’

For this strategy, she had been consuming all sorts of foods considered natural aphrodisiacs for a while. And even herbs and teas with scents that men particularly liked.

That scent of a female, no, a woman, spreading intensely through the elixir. That scent would surely further arouse Yulian’s lust.

‘Euu… just thinking about it excites me.’

Chloe calmed herself. There was no need to rush. Starting today, for several days, Count Yulian had asked Chloe to make time for him.

That clever Count. He was surely making time for her because of important matters concerning the Reinhardt Margrave family and the Eitern family.

‘It will definitely be a great help to you, Chloe. Especially regarding the Eitern’s heir competition.’

He hadn’t explained specifically what would happen, but it was a long journey spanning several days, not just a one-day appointment.

The nights were long, and the two of them were at an age where their blood was boiling. It was the perfect opportunity to spend a hot night with the Count after a long time.

Besides, it had been a while since she had slept with Yulian, so she had been quite annoyed for a while.

“Please pay more meticulous attention. Today’s makeup is extremely important.”

“Y-yes, Chloe Agassi.”

Time passed as she did her makeup. During that time, Chloe thought about what had happened recently.

‘I’ve been too busy lately.’

The heir competition Yulian had mentioned. The reason Chloe was busy was precisely because of that. The empire’s political situation was unsettlingly turbulent.

So, her two older brothers were each joining hands with Cardinal Grius in the center and the Orhain family in the south, using this delicate timing as an opportunity to prepare for the final counterattack in the heir competition.

‘Hmph. It will never go as my brothers intend.’

Fortunately, her eldest brother had already grabbed a rotten rope. Choosing Cardinal Grius.

She had heard that there was quite a commotion at the anniversary banquet he hosted recently.

Cardinal Grius had kept it extremely secret to prevent word from leaking out, but if the assassination attempt on Grius was true, it meant that Grius, the de facto ruler of the empire, was also faltering.

‘Then I don’t need to worry about my eldest brother. So, the problem is my younger brother.’

Her younger brother had married a young lady with distant ties to the Orhain family. Through that connection, he was quite ostentatiously showing off his friendship with Duke Pedro.

‘The Orhain family has practically monopolized the path to the Primeval Forest. If my younger brother secures the distribution route for resources from the Demon King’s kingdom, it will become really troublesome.’

The Primeval Forest was a treasure trove of valuable resources that couldn’t be found anywhere else in Island. And even if it wasn’t the Primeval Forest, the Demon King’s kingdom had many useful resources.

Unlike humans, demons, except for dwarves, had no interest in resource development. So, Chloe had been having a complicated time lately.

‘My younger brother has definitely planned something big… If that succeeds, the tower I’ve built might collapse.’

Chloe suddenly looked in the mirror. Her beautiful face seemed to have become slightly haggard recently due to her heightened nerves.

‘And I have to worry about the Yeonmajeon as well. I can never lose to that damn witch.’

Thinking of that arrogant red-haired witch made her angry again. But Chloe calmed her anger.

Because a servant had brought news that Chloe had been waiting for.

“Count Yulian von Reinhardt has arrived!”

---

Chloe got into my carriage. And I was a little surprised by Chloe’s appearance.

‘She put in more effort than usual.’

Chloe, as a noble young lady of high status, always dressed up, but today she looked like she had put in even more effort.

The system’s artist trait was telling me that Chloe’s makeup was close to a painting.

“I’m so glad I can spend such a cozy time with you, Count-nim… Euhm?”

And the moment she fully boarded the carriage, her expression crumpled as she discovered Tricia in the carriage.

“Oh my. Who is this? Is she a maid to attend to Count-nim and me?”

“No. This is Tricia, who will be with us on this matter. It’s our first meeting, but you’re not without ties. She’s Cecilia’s older sister.”

“Hello. I’m Tricia.”

Tricia greeted Chloe politely.

Even though Tricia’s attire was casual, like when she wasn’t working, her greeting was very dignified, as expected of a Demon King’s race.

Chloe seemed to recognize that instantly.

“Hmm. A dignified greeting. Come to think of it, Cecilia-ssi also has a certain grace for a commoner. Nice to meet you, Tricia.”

Chloe responded to the greeting. Cecilia was an excellent artisan she directly managed, so Chloe seemed to be showing consideration for Cecilia’s sister, which was unusual for her bad-tempered self.

After the greetings were finished, Chloe clung to me.

“Anyway, is this matter that Count-nim mentioned something we’re doing with just the three of us? A good thing for the heir competition. I’m very much looking forward to it, but I have no idea what it is… I’m curious, huhuhu.”

And she gently pressed her voluminous upper body against me. Tricia watched that scene with interest.

Then, suddenly, Tricia said.

“Are Count-nim and Chloe Young Lady a couple?”

Chloe’s face lit up at those words.

“Oh my. Was it that obvious? Yes. That’s right. Count-nim and I are already… lovers who are deeply in love with each other.”

“I see. I thought you seemed to be getting along well. But isn’t Count-nim engaged to Princess Lilia Jeonha?”

“Hmph. That’s true, but it’s just an engagement due to a political marriage. The only woman Count-nim has in his heart is me.”

“Wonderful. Such a romance. It’s like a story from a romance novel.”

Tricia smiled slyly, as if she was really interested. Tricia seemed to have a mischievous side.

I brought Chloe, who was making a blissful expression, intoxicated by Tricia’s words about being lovers, back to reality.

“Now. Enough with the small talk. As I said before, I didn’t gather the two of you here just to play. Chloe, you’re busy, and Tricia also had something she was originally doing. Let’s start talking about what we need to do.”

Then Chloe’s eyes changed.

“I was wondering about that too. First of all, where are we heading?”

I hadn’t told Chloe the destination yet. I answered readily.

“We’re going to Pantheon.”

“Pantheon… Hmm. I see. Are we perhaps preparing for the Yeonmajeon?”

“No. If it was just that, I wouldn’t have come to pick you up in person like this.”

“Then…”

“Pantheon. To be exact, I’m thinking of finding the hidden portal there.”

Chloe’s expression froze for a moment.

---

Chloe spoke in a flustered manner.

“A portal. Portals are extremely rare relics of the ancient empire even in Islan… And I’ve never heard of a portal in Pantheon. No. More than that, if we’re going to find a portal, that means there’s obviously a destination beyond it, right?”

Then, after thinking for a moment, she quickly continued.

“Even though the empire is vast, if we hurry along the empire’s roads and carriage stations, there’s no place we can’t reach quickly. Nevertheless, the fact that we have to use a portal means… that it’s a place we can only go through a portal. Isn’t that right?”

“You know it well.”

And Chloe was silent for a moment. She seemed to have reached a conclusion, and asked me with a surprised expression.

“Perhaps the destination Count-nim is talking about… It’s not the territory of the Demon King’s kingdom, is it?”

But Chloe already had a convinced expression. As expected of the smart Chloe. I nodded readily.

“That’s correct. To be a little more specific, I’m thinking of entering the Primeval Forest.”

“The Primeval Forest… I suspected it. It’s an even more unexpected place.”

The Primeval Forest was a sacred place for demons. So, according to the Holy Empire, it was an impious place that shouldn’t be mentioned carelessly.

But the moment she heard my words, Chloe made her red eyes shine even more.

“Hmm. The heir of the great Reinhardt family. And Count-nim, the son of the Great Saint Agnes, is going to enter the Primeval Forest. Are you perhaps thinking of massacring all the demons living there?”

Tricia’s ears perked up at those words. She made a surprised expression.

“No. I don’t intend to do that.”

“Hmm…”

And Chloe closed her mouth for a moment. No doubt her mind was spinning faster than the rotation of my Mana Heart.

Then, as if she had organized her thoughts, she said to me.

“If that’s what Yulian Count-nim says, then that’s what it is. In the first place, you said it would be helpful for my heir competition, so I believe you. And Count-nim wouldn’t recklessly jump into danger. I won’t ask for details. I’ll find out little by little.”

“Hoo. Invading the territory of the Demon King’s kingdom is something that would get you interrogated for heresy in itself. But you’re okay with that?”

“Oh my. Is that so? But Count-nim couldn’t possibly not know that fact. And it doesn’t seem like a bad idea to go once.”

And after pausing slightly, she covered her face with a fan and said.

“Well… It’s a place that Count-nim asked me to go with him. So, that’s why I’m going.”

It was a very desirable answer. As expected of Chloe, whom I had tamed well.

But still, Chloe, in whose essence flowed the blood of a cold alchemist and merchant.

‘She must have already run all the calculations.’

As expected, Remegeton floated in the air. I could feel the Archduke of Gluttony, his name watching Chloe.

Chloe was now very much looking forward to what would happen in the Primeval Forest, the income she would get from there.

I said.

“Thank you for saying that. But it might be a matter of taking a precious young lady from someone else’s house to a place of death. Shouldn’t I show my sincerity too?”

I took out a lump from my pocket. Chloe recognized it immediately.

“Isn’t this arsenic?”

Arsenic. The very substance commonly used as poison. Chloe soon realized my intention.

“Are you perhaps going to make an alchemist’s oath?”

“That’s right. You trusted me, so I should repay you in kind, right? From now on, what will happen in the Primeval Forest will definitely be helpful to you, Chloe. I swear in the name of Istia Goddess.”

After placing arsenic in my hand. After a while, that place turned into light. If this oath was false. The toxic arsenic would turn into an even more intense toxin and spread throughout my body.

Of course, nothing happened. My words were true, so the Immunity to All Poisons was not activated either.

“It’s true. No matter how strong you are against poison… the alchemist’s oath is different. Even if Count-nim becomes fine, the poison of that arsenic will fill this carriage.”

And I saw an unexpected expression. For a moment, Chloe made a shy expression like a girl, unlike her usual self.

I quickly covered that face with a fan so I couldn’t see it properly.

After completing the alchemist’s oath, the carriage arrived at Pantheon, Istia Hall.

And in a place that no one in that Istia Hall had ever imagined. The three people opened the portal and entered the Primeval Forest.