Ch.248248. Nicholas

# Skill Info

[ Fall from Grace Seal: Modified ]

[ .

.

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Currently stored demonic energy

Violet Demon ( 95% )

Brown Demon ( 5% )

Blue Demon ( 100% )

Red Demon ( 5% )

White Demon ( 0% )

C̵̡̹̖̙̭͖̈́͐¾̸̧̥̬͈͇̹̘͕̠̮̩̙̎ð̸̞͖̋¾̶͕̻́̊̇î̸̙̪͎̥͎͍̲͔̔̈́̀̃͗́̚̚͠͠͝͠ ̵̨̛̠̟̲͔̟̔̍͛̈́°̶̨̙̠͆͋̔͛̒̀̾̆̉̏̕³̶̟̝̙͔̥̖̯̠̒̈̋̃̇̾̃̽̆̅͊͆̋̋ ( 0% )

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“…Hmm.”

Not bad.

After getting entangled with Riru, at least the Blue Demon’s magical energy is completely filled.

Just with this, I’ve already achieved a good part of my goal.

My objective was to definitely fill at least four magical energies before moving on. I thought that was the minimum requirement to handle any situation reliably.

[Then, aren’t you already halfway there? Last time you got deeply entangled with those Ain sisters too.]

“…That’s a bit ambiguous.”

I say that while looking at the Violet Demon’s magical energy filled to 95%.

The system requires it to be filled to 100% for me to use that magical energy. At least since part of the seal’s description was revealed, there hasn’t been any exception to that rule.

I don’t know what’s lacking for that remaining 5%…

< Tip! >

[ If the Demonic Vessel’s affection for you increases, magical energy supply will become smoother! ]

[ If affection is low, you may experience difficulties in supply work! ]

My eyes narrow at the window that seems to appear in response to my thoughts.

It sounds like that’s what’s missing, preventing the remaining 5% from being filled.

‘…It’s probably not an issue with Serath.’

It seems to mean that the problem is that I haven’t built up much affection with Victoria.

[So, what’s the problem?]

“…Victoria doesn’t seem to like me very much.”

[Then just seduce her.]

“…”

[She’s a woman, and a Demonic Vessel. What’s stopping you?]

I wish you wouldn’t talk about gaining someone’s deep affection as if it’s as simple as eating when you’re hungry.

[So, is that difficult?]

“…No?”

[…]

“Honestly, it’s not difficult, but right now she probably hates even running into me…”

Ever since I made her lose her senses and suck my fingers, she’s been running far away whenever she thinks she might encounter me.

Even if I want to improve our relationship, we need some point of contact—

“Ah.”

As I was thinking about this, suddenly.

An extremely unpleasant voice reached my ears.

“Found you.”

A somewhat dazed voice.

Someone who doesn’t know better might even think it sounds innocent.

But someone with better intuition would feel an ominous sensation crawling up their skin from the inexplicable “distortion” melted beneath it.

When I turned my head, a person with slightly droopy eyes as if sleepy was approaching me with a leisurely gait that matched his voice.

Black hair. Red eyes. Features so delicate he could be called a young noble.

“I am Count Nicholas. Pleased to meet you.”

“…”

Previously, I met someone who approached me in a similar way.

That was Marquis Riverback in Chapter 1. He pretended to have met me by chance to lure me into a trap.

This guy is similar in that his danger level is no less than that one.

They’re also alike in that they both come looking for me on their own at times I absolutely don’t want to meet them.

“I’ve been looking for you. The academy absolutely refused to hand you over. It was quite troublesome.”

However, the difference is:

Compared to Marquis Riverback who hid his sinister intentions that anyone could see, this guy is the type to charge straight ahead without hiding anything.

“Let’s have a chat, Darwood Campbell.”

Judging by the way he yawns with sleepy eyes, he doesn’t think I’ll refuse at all.

More precisely, even if I do refuse, he came with the intention of ‘forcing’ me.

“I’ve brought a proposal that should be appealing to you as well.”

“…”

It’s not a trap. He’s not the type to set one up in the first place.

But.

If I follow him, I’m certain I’ll have some unpleasant experience.

‘…Haa.’

However.

Despite that.

I just smile and answer readily.

“…I’m curious about that.”

When someone charges in so boldly like this, I can’t help but respond.

#

[…So, this guy is the one who’s killed the most humans in the Empire?]

‘Yes. It’s not easy for a high noble to earn the nickname “Slaughterer” in the first place.’

Such a negative title would normally be considered a huge dishonor for the family, so they should normally grit their teeth and deny it.

But this guy doesn’t even blink when such a title circulates officially.

Rather than calling him eccentric, it would be more accurate to call him insane.

[…He looks like he’s barely over twenty. Just looking at him, he just seems like a handsome guy who’s a bit depressed.]

‘That’s why everyone gets fooled.’

This guy is:

Human garbage whose level of trash can only be rivaled by the Pope of the Holy Empire.

I contemplate this information while walking through Elphante Academy as the sun begins to set.

It’s a quiet walking path. A cool breeze pleasantly tickles my ears.

In contrast, the words falling from Count Nicholas beside me clearly lacked any sense of charm.

“First, I should apologize.”

“Pardon?”

“I try to maintain courtesy as much as possible, but I’m not a patient person. So I’ll get straight to the point.”

…Indeed, this is the kind of action-oriented behavior you’d expect from someone who approached me so boldly.

As I inwardly sigh, Count Nicholas continued his words without delay, true to his word.

“I’m looking for something. I believe it might be around you.”

Saying that, Count Nicholas handed me a paper with someone’s description and a bounty written on it.

It’s a wanted notice issued by his family, and the person they’re looking for—

[…Hey, this.]

‘…Yes. It’s impossible not to recognize.’

Though the sketch is rough, it’s still clear who it’s pointing to.

It’s Serath and Victoria in their Furry forms.

“Surely… well, yes. It’s a bit difficult to explain, but… if you remove the tail and ears… don’t you have people around you who resemble this?”

I do.

Both of them.

“Well, it’s hard to tell just by looking at this.”

“Is that so? I was clearly informed that there are people who look similar around you.”

“…If I may be so bold, Count. May I ask why you’re looking for them?”

Count Nicholas tilted his head.

His expression suggested he was wondering why I would ask such an obvious question.

“I’m called the Slaughterer… it seems. That’s me.”

His dazed voice answered again.

“That name isn’t attached for nothing. It’s obvious what I intend to do when I find them.”

“…”

Anger crawls up my spine.

Without even blinking, he’s talking about killing these two right in front of me.

“…I’d like to hear the reason.”

At the very least.

I need to properly understand his motivation. Why he specifically came to me at this timing to directly demand I hand over these two.

“I’ve heard that Ain are similar to humans except for their race—”

“…Pardon?”

Count Nicholas questioned with a slightly dumbfounded voice.

With the same dazed atmosphere as before, over his languid expression.

“…Am I supposed to see those as human?”

—An insane statement came out.

A cold sensation washes over my entire body.

“It seems quite a few humans are deluded by their appearance and make such a mistake, but they are vermin. They are social misfits who have mixed into the superior genes of properly preserved Imperial citizens.”

This is content I’ve heard many times before.

The ideology worshipped by those who plunged the world into the abyss of war before I entered the Savior Rising world.

Eugenics, racism, holocaust, genocide.

And those who have fallen into madness, supporting such deranged ideologies.

Even as he spouts such insane delusions, Count Nicholas’s eyes remain infinitely transparent.

Eyes that only someone who has spent their entire life convinced they’ve been doing the right thing can possess.

It would be an admirable self-affirmation in another context.

In other words.

‘…Crazy bastard.’

This is the trace of fanaticism that has spread terrifyingly deep.

The eyes of someone who believes that the “extermination work” of countless Ain was the right thing to do.

No, beyond being right.

His expression clearly shows absolute conviction that it was the “natural thing” to do.

It’s obvious he’s never even considered whether it was good or bad.

Ain are not the same as humans. They are closer to vermin like cockroaches or mosquitoes.

Therefore, “exterminating” them is only natural.

Such logic.

[…What the hell is this bastard saying?]

Even Calivan in the Soul Linker opened his mouth with a murky voice.

It’s the first time I’ve heard this tone since meeting this person.

The atmosphere was terrifying, condensed with “killing intent” enough to make one’s spine stand on end.

It’s an intimidating atmosphere to a degree he never showed even when meeting the Red Demon who killed him.

[So he went around killing everyone for that ridiculous reason?]

Of course, since Count Nicholas couldn’t have felt that,

Words that made my vision flicker with rage just from hearing them continued to pour out.

“It’s my mission to exterminate such vermin without leaving any behind so they don’t harm the Empire. I’m asking you directly because I thought you would understand how glorious this work is.”

“…”

If I think about it calmly.

I should hold back here.

“You can rest assured. If they are not Ain, I will return them immediately.”

“…And if they are Ain?”

“As punishment for daring to deceive you, an honorable Imperial citizen, I will torture them as painfully as possible, applying every torture I can, before executing them. You need not worry about that part.”

“…”

I should hold back. Definitely.

“Especially these… two.”

I repeat that to myself as I watch Nicholas rubbing his forehead with an expression that suggests even thinking about it irritates him.

I shouldn’t cause trouble unnecessarily.

“Among all the Ain I’ve encountered during my extermination work, they have parents who were the most stubborn. I crushed their limbs one by one while asking where they had hidden their offspring, but they refused to answer until the very end.”

“…”

“I burned the entire village and killed everyone regardless of age or gender. But I missed just these two. I must have had bad luck that day.”

He speaks as if he’s complaining about disliking the menu that came out for breakfast this morning. He talks like he’s whining.

“Since they were both children at that time, I thought they might be lured out if I used their parents’ corpses as bait, so I displayed their severed heads in the square. But they didn’t take the bait.”

“…”

“Usually, young Ain would come running out crying ‘Mommy, Daddy’ and such when I did that. I’ve killed many that way.”

“…”

“Being the children of such stubborn ones, they seem to have inherited the talent for clinging to their filthy lives. Monstrous.”

Count Nicholas is the person with the highest authority in the Council of Elders, except for Marquis Bogart and his secretary role, Count Rebel.

The moment I touch him—someone who has political connections to both the Emperor and the Chancellor—it would be a major incident that could lead straight to civil war.

The main villain of the next main scenario is most likely this guy. If I charge at him here, unlike with the previous Pope, things are likely to go in a bad direction.

I just need to wait a little. Until I’m properly prepared and can crush this guy. That time will surely come.

“…”

I know.

I know that, but.

‘Calivan.’

[…Yeah.]

Calivan answers with a voice mixed with laughter.

Indeed, perhaps because we’ve been together for a long time, we understand each other with just a hint.

[Calling it out?]

‘Please do.’

While we were having this conversation, Count Nicholas rolled up the wanted notice he had handed me and put it back inside his pocket.

His mouth is still spouting insane words.

“It’s a shame you don’t know. They’re so tenacious that I need to catch them as soon as possible—”

“Count Nicholas. I apologize for interrupting, but.”

I say with a grin.

“Would you please shut your mouth.”

“…”

Count Nicholas closed his mouth.

His dazed face seems to become even more vacant.

“…Pardon?”

“No, just.”

I continue speaking, turning toward him with an even bigger smile than before.

And.

The seal engraved on my chest glows with a deep blue light.

< System Message >

[ Consuming the magical energy of the ‘Blue Demon’! ]

[ Copying the target’s power ‘Crush’! ]

“I don’t even want to grant you last words.”

The next moment.

My fist, surrounded by blue magical energy, crashed into Count Nicholas’s face.

#