Ch.7473. Omens (2)

# 73. Omen (2)

That mask had always accompanied the most unfortunate memories in my mind.

The identity of that mask, which had never appeared in a good context, only emerging in unhappy and sad memories.

‘The Executioner.’

That mask is the trademark of an organization called the Executioners.

The Executioners are a secret organization of the Babylon Kingdom, a very powerful group composed of a small but elite force.

The people of the Executioners, who hold a position similar to the Empire’s Special Forces, always wear those masks when carrying out their missions.

Looking at that photo, it seemed the person from earlier was also wearing that mask.

‘But why would an Executioner…?’

I wondered why an Executioner would infiltrate the Academy and appear before me.

What purpose could they possibly have for such actions?

“Do you know what this mask is? Witnesses of various crimes have reported seeing masks like this…”

“It’s the symbol of an organization called the ‘Executioners’ from the Babylon Kingdom.”

Given the situation, I didn’t consider my position and told her the truth.

“The Executioners?”

“Yes, they’re equivalent to our country’s Special Forces.”

“And you’re saying someone from such an organization was here earlier?”

When I quietly nodded, her expression turned serious.

She too seemed to realize the gravity of the situation.

Indeed, having a Babylon Kingdom Executioner hiding in the Empire’s capital was an extremely dangerous matter.

I spoke to her as she maintained her serious expression.

“The person I saw earlier also had that mask…”

But at that moment, the air around us suddenly distorted, and an unnaturally cold sensation spread throughout my body.

A chill different from her [Bitter Cold] was felt along my entire nervous system.

‘This is bad…’

This feeling.

I had experienced it quite often before.

The identity of this chilling sensation was the instinctive fear felt in the presence of an overwhelming superior—what might also be called “intimidation.”

Of course, unlike my skill, this was simply me being intimidated by the overwhelming presence emanating from that being.

The source of that overwhelming presence finally spoke, and a somewhat enchanting yet cold female voice was heard.

“How do you know about that? Our identity is classified information unknown even to people from our own country.”

I forcibly moved my body, which refused to respond, and looked in the direction of the voice.

There stood a person wearing the same black robe and “that mask” as before.

“It seems you’re too scared to even speak to me.”

Indeed, as she said, I was too intimidated by her presence to say anything.

Of course, that was just “me.”

The woman beside me, glaring at the newcomer, spoke.

“Who exactly are you?”

“This kid just told you, didn’t he? An Executioner. By the way, unlike this boy, you don’t seem intimidated? You two seem to have similar abilities.”

She appeared unaffected, probably thanks to [Michael’s Blessing].

Mental defense protects not only against skills but also against instinctive mental attacks like this one.

I couldn’t be the only one paralyzed, so I reluctantly activated [Mortal’s End].

-Woong!-

After activating [Mortal’s End], I could move normally again.

Perhaps because our mental attacks collided and canceled each other out, the woman wasn’t fazed by my intimidation at all.

“Countering a mental attack with another mental attack… quite clever, aren’t you?”

“Why are you here?”

“I was curious about how you know that information.”

Obviously, that couldn’t be her only reason.

I activated [Sword of the Distant Abyss] and said to her:

“Would someone like you reveal that information if asked?”

“You’ve got guts. I like that.”

After saying this, she removed her mask and robe, revealing her identity.

‘I had some idea from her voice, but…’

Seeing her in person gave a different impression.

The small horns on her head and the bat wings proudly displayed on her back.

And her remarkably sensual, voluptuous figure with captivating features—a being I knew very well. Not human, but a succubus.

Lilith.

A member of the Babylon Kingdom’s Executioners and the second strongest among succubi.

However, contrary to the common image of succubi, she wore a rather modest dress with none of the exposure one might expect.

“A succubus… I’ve never seen one before.”

“You’re surprisingly calm. How about this then?”

The crimson eyes looking at me began to glow and sparkle.

“Albert! That’s [Enchantment]! Don’t look into those eyes!”

Just as she warned, the succubus was using [Enchantment] on me.

[Enchantment].

A fearsome skill exclusive to succubi and incubi that could turn anyone with even the slightest attraction into their prisoner.

But it didn’t work on me, and I continued to look at the succubus with a composed face.

“[Enchantment]… I’m sorry, but that doesn’t work on me.”

Both she and Lilith were surprised by the fact that I could look directly into the [Enchantment] eyes without any effect.

“Why on earth…?”

“Doesn’t [Enchantment] only work on those who have at least some sexual attraction?”

No matter how beautiful this succubus might be, I wouldn’t lose control of myself so easily.

Besides, I couldn’t show such an unseemly side in front of her.

Pointing my abyss sword at the arrogant succubus who thought I would be so easily enchanted, I said:

“Did you think I would display such shameful behavior in front of my girlfriend? You’re quite arrogant.”

“…This is honestly a first for me, that there’s someone I can’t enchant…”

“For a succubus, you speak boldly for a virgin…”

“Eh? How did you know that!?”

Looking at Lilith’s horns as she became flustered with a reddened face, I said:

“Typically, the size of a succubus’s horns is proportional to the number of their encounters, isn’t it?”

Ordinary succubi don’t have horns as small as Lilith’s.

Usually, they’re about 5 times larger, and some even 10 times larger.

“But yours… are quite small.”

The power of a succubus, that overwhelming strength, usually comes from the life force they’ve taken from men.

But Lilith was different.

Born between a succubus and a human, Lilith valued her body more than others did, yet still wanted to become strong like the rest.

That’s why, despite having a succubus body, Lilith adopted human methods.

“Who the hell are you to know even that?”

“I also know that you didn’t come here to fight us, Lilith.”

Lilith lived according to her half-human ways and, in the process, came to admire humans.

Humans who endured and persevered through hardships that even she, with demon blood flowing through her, found difficult.

“But you still can’t live in the human world.”

However, humans would never understand Lilith’s feelings.

“Humans aren’t as kind as you think. They might reject you simply because you’re a succubus, or they might judge you as an evil demon and hunt you down.”

Breaking human prejudice is nearly impossible.

Especially for Lilith, being a succubus.

“Unlike the Babylon Kingdom, which accepts any race as long as their ideology and abilities align.”

“…This is surprising. You’re far more impressive than I expected…”

Lilith gave a seductive smile characteristic of succubi and asked me:

“Then what’s your purpose in telling me all this?”

She was quick-witted, so the conversation progressed rapidly.

“I want you to join our side.”

Hearing my words, she looked at me with a surprised face, while Lilith couldn’t hold back her laughter.

After laughing heartily, Lilith said:

“Are you asking me to betray the Babylon Kingdom?”

“Yes.”

My answer was so resolute and serious that Lilith couldn’t help but become serious as well.

“Didn’t you just say I can’t live in the human world?”

“You don’t necessarily have to live with humans in this country.”

“Are you asking me to be a spy? You’re quite fearless to make such a request to a demon you’ve just met.”

From Lilith’s perspective, it was understandable to think that way.

“I’m saying this because your goal and mine are the same.”

“Goal?”

“Yes, like you, I want to live in and create a world where demons and humans coexist.”

Hearing this, Lilith’s eyes filled with sadness as she spoke:

“That’s nearly impossible. You must know it’s just a far-fetched dream?”

“Nearly impossible isn’t the same as impossible, is it? In fact, there are quite a few demons like you who have a positive view of humans.”

In my previous life, after countless wars, we eventually created a world where demons and humans coexisted.

Of course, it took an enormous amount of time and countless sacrifices from both humans and demons.

“In the end, the reason demons attack humans is because of that cursed leader, isn’t it? Even those who like humans can’t speak up because they fear Bael.”

Even powerful demons like Lilith trembled before Bael and had no choice but to obey his words.

“For that goal to be achieved, that damned Bael needs to die first.”