Ch.214214. Conquest (4)

●

Looking at an unfamiliar ceiling… no, that’s not right.

What I’m seeing isn’t even a ceiling.

“…”

I squint as I gaze up at the starry night sky.

It’s a normal scene, with the red energy completely dissipated.

If this is what I’m seeing immediately after being forcefully pulled out of Faynol Leiphec’s mental world, the situation is clear.

‘…Clear.’

So Elia Krisanax successfully subdued Faynol by unleashing the power of the Holy Sword.

“Professor. Professor?! Are you conscious?!”

“…I feel like I’m about to lose consciousness right now.”

As soon as I try to sit up, Elia suddenly appears beside me, grabbing my shoulders and shaking them while saying those words.

Judging by how my vision is trembling and shaking, she must be shaking me quite forcefully. I’m getting dizzy.

“…More importantly.”

I lower my gaze to look at the Holy Sword sheathed at Elia’s side.

Unlike the last time I saw it, the entire blade now has a soft glow emanating from it.

“Did you properly receive its acknowledgment?”

“…I think I managed to somehow.”

Elia smiles slightly as she looks down at the Holy Sword.

“I can even communicate with whoever is inside it now.”

“…There’s something inside?”

This is news to me.

In the game, there were mentions of the Holy Sword being blessed by angels, but I’ve never heard anything about some entity with a personality residing inside it.

“…There is. A rather creepy one.”

“…”

I’m momentarily at a loss for words seeing Elia’s expression of genuine disgust as she glares at the sword.

What’s that about?

“…Anyway. Congratulations.”

I brush off that topic and smile at Elia.

“You’re a proper hero now. Everyone will be proud of you.”

“…The person I wanted to show this to the most is someone else though.”

At Elia’s meaningful tone, I look up at her.

“Um, Professor.”

“Yes?”

“Actually, there’s a lot I want to ask you.”

As she says this, Elia’s gaze fixes on the Soul Linker on my wrist.

“…My brother is in there, isn’t he?”

“…”

I nod quietly with a bitter smile.

When she asks with such certainty, there’s no way to deny it. I’ve already shown her the Guardian’s Lion Breastplate right in front of her eyes.

Complex emotions cross Elia’s face.

A silence follows, with the air of someone who doesn’t know what to say.

“…You’ll explain it to me, right?”

“…In the not-too-distant future.”

I answer quietly.

But firmly.

“Not now.”

At my words, Elia quietly smiles.

There’s something sorrowful in her expression.

“If that’s your judgment, Professor, I’m sure you have your reasons.”

“…”

“I’ll wait. Because I know you’re not the kind of person who would do something to harm me.”

That’s heavy trust.

A statement so full of faith in me that I feel burdened just hearing it.

[…Why not now?]

‘…It’s not time yet.’

I answer Calivan Chrysanyx bitterly.

She probably already guesses that you’re dead. Once she knows that, the question becomes ‘why’ you died.

And that story is closely intertwined with the Emperor and the Tristan Dukedom.

There’s no point in explaining it all here, and it would likely only negatively affect Elia.

“…”

However.

I meant it when I said “not-too-distant future.”

That’s because it’s a story that cuts to the core of the very next chapter, “The Imperial Great Turmoil.”

“…Anyway!”

Elia beams as she helps me to my feet.

“We did it, Professor. We subdued the demon!”

< System Message >

[ You have cleared ‘Chapter 4 – Crimson Night’! ]

[ As a reward, additional functions of the ‘Fallen Heaven Seal’ have been unlocked! ]

[ As a reward, special events related to the leaders of each region have been unlocked! ]

And as if to prove her words, I can’t help but chuckle at the window that appears before my eyes.

Despite all the various troubles, it means I’ve survived once again.

Somehow, I managed to pull through this time too.

I sigh deeply as I get up.

And there should be something that always comes as a set with these windows…

< System Message >

[ You have successfully cleared the Main Quest! ]

[ The energy of the ‘Red Demon’ has been added to the ‘Fallen Heaven Seal’! ]

Right.

I carefully examine the system windows that follow.

< System Message >

[ Affinity with target ‘Red Demon’ has been unlocked! ]

[ You have updated a demon’s affinity through your own efforts. Additional function unlock conditions for the ‘Fallen Heaven Seal’ have been met! ]

< Skill Info >

[ Fallen Heaven Seal – Modified ]

[ For a certain period, direct ‘contact’ with demons becomes possible! ]

< !NEW! >

[ Due to your influence, targets can now communicate more directly with the ‘Vessels’! ]

[ As a result, special abilities are unlocked for all Vessels! ]

“…”

This is… peculiar.

If previous rewards clearly felt like they would help me in some way, this honestly feels like high-risk, high-return.

Of course, I understand that most demons are structurally inclined to favor me, but I’ve already seen exactly what happens when they go berserk through Elnore Erinarise la Tristan’s form in the Crucible of Struggle.

Right now, none of the demons besides the Grey Demon have gone berserk, but there’s no guarantee that won’t happen in the future.

[…So basically, you need to manage the affinity of all your girlfriends simultaneously without offending any of them, like an octopus spreading its tentacles. Isn’t that pretty much what you’ve been doing all along?]

“…”

When he puts it that way, I wonder how I’ve managed to pull this off so far.

But there is one thing that’s different now.

‘Before, it felt like I was managing them separately.’

At least not all of them knew about my crazy octopus-like situation.

But now, it sounds like they all vaguely know what I’m doing.

Fortunately, they didn’t immediately try to tear me apart when they found out, which is a relief.

‘…It’s going to be much harder to manage than before.’

Probably because now they’re all aware of the existence of their “competitors.”

In other words, the catfight is going to intensify dramatically.

“…”

A catfight between demons.

Considering what almost happened when Madam Minister and Elnore nearly clashed last time.

That sounds like hell.

In many ways.

“Darwood!”

As I’m thinking about this and looking around, I see people running toward me to check on my condition.

They’re all Demonic Vessels. Elnore, Riru, Yuria, Serath.

‘…Come to think of it, it’s strange.’

[What is?]

‘That the demons cooperated obediently this time without causing trouble.’

The main reason we were able to suppress this Crimson Night incident relatively easily is because the Vessels this person gathered didn’t cause problems and instead “cooperated” to help me.

If that hadn’t happened, I honestly don’t know what would have happened in the middle. Things progressed in a somewhat hands-off manner during crucial crisis points.

[Well, when there’s a definite reward, even those who normally growl at each other can pretend to get along if there’s something they’re drooling over.]

“…Excuse me?”

[You haven’t forgotten, have you?]

Calivan chuckles and continues.

[You promised someone would get the first night, remember?]

“…”

Ah.

Right.

I break out in a cold sweat as I watch the women approaching me.

Only now do I notice each of their expressions.

They all look frustrated. Except for one.

“…So, Darwood.”

Elnore looks down at me as she speaks.

She seems uncharacteristically tense.

Although everyone else is glaring with displeased expressions, she continues regardless.

“…You haven’t forgotten your promise, have you?”

“…”

Can we…

Call it a draw?

Please.

●

After these major incidents, the routine I follow has become somewhat standardized.

Atalantemon. Clean up after me.

“…”

“…”

I try to ignore Atalante’s murderous glare from across the principal’s office.

Come on, I worked hard this time too. I should be able to make such requests with some dignity.

“…I’ll acknowledge it.”

Atalante sighs deeply and opens her mouth.

“Minister Sullivan, the Imperial Palace, the hero selection, and now a demon incident… You’ve had no time to rest. This semester has undoubtedly been difficult, even by your standards. It’s fortunate that vacation is coming soon.”

Atalante shuffles through some documents as she continues.

“Despite all the complications with the hero selection, it seems Elia Krisanax has been finally chosen… I’ll handle the aftermath of the incident somehow. However, there are still a few matters that require your direct input. I need to hear your personal opinion on these.”

I receive a document that she passes to me.

To summarize its contents:

It concerns Faynol’s treatment.

“…It’s quite remarkable.”

Atalante continues with a stiff expression.

“Technically, she caused a major incident. Although you somehow worked your magic again to prevent casualties, this was no joke—it could have escalated into a continental-scale disaster.”

“…”

“As the primary cause of such an incident, she would normally face immediate execution, but…”

Atalante adjusts her glasses and looks up.

“There are several groups fiercely advocating for her protection. Especially the Tribal Union.”

“…”

“The risk they’re taking by sheltering someone who nearly caused a demon-related incident is unimaginable. For them to go this far…”

Atalante glares at me and continues.

“This is your doing, isn’t it, Darwood?”

“Yes.”

I admit it readily.

I’m cashing in a favor I previously established with the Chief of the Tribal Union.

Specifically, this:

< System Log >

[ Special interaction with the ‘Tribal Union’ has been added! ]

[ You can request ‘Special Support’ from the target once! ]

[ ‘Special Support’ grants you authority to make nearly unlimited requests regardless of field or target. As this can have tremendous repercussions, use it wisely! ]

This is the reward I received after clearing Chapter 3.

I’m using it to save Faynol.

“She’s a woman I’ve claimed.”

“…”

“Do you think I’d let her be harmed?”

Seeing my confident demeanor, Atalante clutches her forehead as if she’s about to die.

It was quite a while before another sentence came out.

“She will be released. However.”

Her gaze sharpened.

“…Are you prepared to take responsibility?”

“Even if I weren’t, I would. Though it might take some time.”

The issues entangled with her past are matters that must be unraveled slowly from now on.

‘…It’s necessary for late-game progression too.’

Faynol is connected to the Demonic Spire, a key group in the latter part of the story.

Resolving her grudges is directly linked to clearing the main quests of the latter half related to that faction.

And beyond that.

“I will make her happy.”

“…Happy?”

“I promised.”

The words I left with the Red Demon weren’t empty.

If I’ve made such promises, I need to take responsibility.

Hearing my words, a smile spreads across Atalante’s face.

She looks like a parent satisfied with a child who has grown up well.

“If you intend to take proper responsibility, that’s good, but.”

Atalante sighs and hands me another document.

“…What is this, Darwood?”

“…”

My expression immediately freezes when I see it.

Cold sweat follows.

“Why are you reacting like that? You look even more serious than before.”

At her words, I briefly close my mouth.

Where should I begin explaining this…

“…It seems they made a bet among themselves.”

“A bet?”

“The person who helped me the most would get my… first time.”

“…”

A confused despair appears on Atalante’s face.

As an educator, she doesn’t know whether to despair at her students making such a destructive bet, or at my predicament of being caught up in it, or simply at the fact that these beings are among the strongest entities across all dimensions.

“…So this is what arrived?”

“…”

“An invitation to share your first experience at the family home?”

“…It seems so.”

I answer while looking down at the document Atalante handed me.

It’s an invitation. To the main house of the Tristan Dukedom.

They’re requesting that I stay there during the upcoming vacation.

Of course, it’s phrased as a request, but there’s no way I could refuse it.

In other words.

I have to spend this vacation at Elnore’s house.

“…”

Ah.

Shit.

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