Chapter 180

Chapter 180

I Proposed While Drunk and Now the Princesses are Obsessed.

Episode 180: Steeplechasing, Double-dealing, And Unfair Trade (2)

Screech!

The time it took to carve a silver trail through the air was truly but a fleeting moment. The movement of the arm, brimming with mana, was unimaginably fast.

It was a speed that most magicians wouldn’t even be able to perceive.

However, the sensation in his hand felt subtly off. Of course, the Demon Lord wouldn’t easily offer up her neck.

‘Clone?’

The sensation of cutting through her neck felt far too easy. Moreover, the Demon Lord’s demonic energy remained perfectly intact.

It wasn’t hard to understand. He hadn’t killed her.

Even in that brief moment, she had reacted.

Truly, she deserved to be called the ruler of the Demon Realm.

He had secretly hoped, since she had lost both eyes, that the Demon Lord had become significantly weaker.

That wasn’t the case. It was only her eyes that were gone; her physical condition still seemed excellent.

“Don’t speak her name.”

Jaekiel spoke with his gray eyes blazing with anger. The Demon Lord had somehow retreated again, standing in the air far away.

“Ahahaha…!”

The Demon Lord laughed loudly as she landed in front of Jaekiel.

With a snap of her fingers, a black cube instantly surrounded the two of them, creating a barrier that prevented anyone else from observing.

Valetta’s red lips curled into a smile.

“Han Shin, I see you’ve grown stronger.”

The Demon Lord seemed pleased as she lightly touched her neck, noticing a faint scar as if it had been cut.

‘It wasn’t completely ineffective.’

This was highly significant.

The fact that he had wounded the Demon Lord meant that Jaekiel’s training had paid off.

He had only just begun to wield three energies and had barely taken his first steps. If he overcame today’s crisis, he would later be able to fully face the Demon Lord.

Meanwhile, the Demon Lord seemed quite pleased.

“You’ve only consumed a single piece of the Eternal Blood Pearl, and yet you’ve already developed your own method of control? How is it that you’ve achieved something more beautiful than any demon…?”

She even cupped her face with both hands, as though savoring the moment.

“If you truly put your effort into the Demon Realm, something truly beautiful will happen. The demonic energy is beautiful. It’s beautiful!”

From Jaekiel’s perspective, it was frustrating.

‘Akne is still in a critical condition.’

Every minute and second counted, yet the Demon Lord was wasting time right before him. Jaekiel couldn’t help but feel angry.

“I’d appreciate it if you’d leave now.”

“No, I can’t leave until our conversation is over.”

The Demon Lord spoke in a voice thick with demonic energy, causing Jaekiel to widen his sharp gray eyes.

A razor-sharp tone escaped his lips.

“I’ve already warned you, haven’t I? And don’t even think of mentioning Akne again.”

The Demon Lord was the one who had put Akne in this state. How could he tolerate her mentioning it?

However…

“Really? Even if it’s an enticing deal, don’t speak of it?”

The Demon Lord spoke with a voice that dripped with allure.

“Han Shin, the Emperor wagered Akne’s life as part of the compromise. But I, clearly, left her alive… You still don’t understand why?”

She intentionally left the rest unsaid, as if to let Jaekiel figure it out himself. His mind raced.

A sudden thought crossed his mind.

“Did you deliberately save Akne?”

“Yes! Exactly! That’s the right way to think. I purposely left Akne’s heart intact.”

“So, you expect me to be thankful?”

Whether she had saved her or not, she had still reduced Akne to a near-death state. This was not enough to quell Jaekiel’s anger.

“Hahaha!”

But the Demon Lord burst into hearty laughter.

“You don’t have to thank me. I just want to offer you a deal in this situation.”

“A deal?”

Doubt filled Jaekiel’s mind.

There were several things he couldn’t understand.

First of all, the Demon Lord was stronger.

If she wanted something, she could easily capture Anes and Seina, or threaten him with an attack, yet she was speaking of a deal.

In other words, it meant that in order to get what she wanted, she had to frame it as a deal.

What in the world could the Demon Lord want?

Jaekiel was curious.

“Han Shin, let’s make a deal. What do you say?”

The Demon Lord spoke with an expression burning with desire.

So this is what a devil’s whisper really sounds like.

“We’ve discussed the deal, now tell me the details.”

“Eternal Blood Pearl.”

The Demon Lord opened her mouth as if she had been waiting for those words. Her face was alight with joy.

“Eternal Blood Pearl.”

“Yes, the noble spirit that lives and breathes within you.”

Whoosh!

In the next moment, the Demon Lord teleported again.

Somehow, she had placed her palm over Jaekiel’s chest, closing her eyes as she savored the sound of his heartbeat.

“Yes, this magnificent spirit, one that not just anyone can hold… If you want to nurture it, periodic consumption of the Eternal Blood Pearl is essential. It’s only natural, right?”

The Demon Lord’s words were correct.

Just like how consuming Sun Water regularly enhances the Sun Water Spirit and heat intensity, the Eternal Blood Pearl would be needed to increase the strength of the Eternal Blood Spirit and demonic energy.

‘No, the Eternal Blood Pearl is absolutely necessary.’

It wasn’t just something that would be nice to have—it was essential.

The reason Jaekiel was able to awaken with the gray aura was that all three energies had harmonized at the same level.

If one grew too much or one fell too far behind, he couldn’t know what would happen. The imbalance in energy could cause a storm that might even tear his heart apart.

“I won’t stop you from punishing the Purple Tower or using their magical beings to save Akne… I’ll even give you the Eternal Blood Pearl.”

However, the Demon Lord had already mentioned the Eternal Blood Pearl.

In fact, she had promised that she would step aside and not interfere, right here and now.

What in the world could she possibly want that was so extraordinary?

But then, after a moment…

What the Demon Lord said next was truly an unexpected condition.

“From now on, don’t slack off in your training. Achieve success in handling demonic energy. And if necessary, even unite with the resurrected Akne.”

“…?”

Jaekiel furrowed his brow naturally.

Was she saying that as long as he trained hard and got stronger, he would receive immense benefits?

That was far from a deal.

It was more like offering support.

“Is that all?”

“Of course not!”

Naturally, it wasn’t the end.

Immediately after, Valetta parted her lips.

“Someday, you must clash head-on with the Emperor.”

Now, the Demon Lord’s terms were clear.

It was clear that she wanted Jaekiel to achieve mastery and then face the Emperor directly. That was the full extent of her desire.

“What?”

“Hahaha! Why? I just said it!”

The Demon Lord laughed heartily, thoroughly enjoying herself.

“Han Shin, I’m telling you that I recognize your potential. Consume the Eternal Blood Pearl, grow stronger, and someday, I want you to clash with the Emperor. What do you say?”

Jaekiel remained silent for a moment, and Valetta placed her hand on his shoulder, whispering softly.

“Han Shin, isn’t Akne precious to you?”

“…”

“In the Demon Realm, there is an unwritten rule. A traitor will never be allowed to be happy, nor will they be allowed to live, only endless, eternal suffering.”

Valetta’s voice, as she spoke of this unwritten rule, was rough, and Jaekiel quietly pondered.

Her voice, filled with the fury of the Demon Realm’s evil spirits, was likely similar to what they would sound like when enraged.

The whispers of fury from the demon continued.

“But this time, things are different… Even the Demon Lord, me, broke the unwritten rule to keep the traitor alive… Why do you think that is?”

Squeeze!

Valetta grabbed both of Jaekiel’s cheeks with a force so sudden he couldn’t even react.

“You, you, you… It’s only because of you… You are so radiant. I kept that worthless thing alive just so I could create a way to make a deal with you…!”

She rambled on madly by herself.

After a brief silence, she blinked several times.

And then, unexpectedly, she burst out laughing and pulled back.

“Hahaha! See? I’m this rough. My Demon God, don’t be too shocked. I’m just an ambitious woman. Now, you know what kind of deal this is, right?”

The Demon Lord slyly pulled Jaekiel into a brief embrace.

“From your perspective, it might seem like an unfair or double deal, but I’m fine with that. The Demon Realm prefers methods that are just a little bit underhanded rather than too straightforward.”

The distance between them shortened.

“The Emperor, who ordered Akne’s death, and me, who spared her… Isn’t it less blameworthy if you think about it? The terms of the deal aren’t bad either. My dear.”

Then, the Demon Lord asked in a sultry voice.

“So, what is your answer? Won’t you give me an answer?”

The abyss was whispering to Jaekiel, coaxing him.