[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]
Chapter 136
'Could that be...?'
Zeke recalled the subordinate wielding the staff of the Harbinger of Blood and Madness in the Hydra's cave.
Crack!
The blood and black smoke that had seeped into the ground gathered and clung to the dead mage's body.
Crackle!
The already dead mage's body twisted grotesquely and began to rise.
Then, with a cracking sound, his waist turned 180 degrees.
The robe covering his face was torn, revealing a bald head, and the back of his head wriggled, forming a human-like face.
Crack!
Sharp bones protruded from his twisted elbows, and his fingernails and toenails grew like those of a beast.
Groan!
The face that emerged on the back of his head started to scream.
Zeke realized that a demonfolk, a subordinate of a demon, had appeared, using the dead mage's body.
"Mace of Light!"
Zeke used the skill on the screaming subordinate.
Clang!
But the Mace of Light was blocked by the black smoke covering the subordinate's body and scattered.
'This one seems stronger than the one before?'
Growl!
The back of the mage's head split open, and a demonfolk with a beast-like face emerged from within.
[To dare touch a servant of the 'Lord of the Lowest Depths'...]
It seemed to be a subordinate of a different demon than the 'Harbinger of Blood and Madness.'
Zeke held up the Orichalcum sword and pointed it at the subordinate.
"Demonfolk, what are you trying to do with the Lubern bloodline?"
There was no way the subordinate would answer Zeke's question.
As if finished preparing, the demonfolk straightened its waist. Then, a giant body, unbelievable for something inhabiting the small mage's body, was revealed.
It looked like a giant werewolf with its skin peeled off, but the aura and feeling it exuded were completely different.
[You reek of those disgusting followers of the light.]
It seemed that light magic was indeed the nemesis of demonfolk.
A moment later, the demonfolk lunged at Zeke.
Whoosh!
Sharp claws swept past where Zeke had been standing.
The malice in each claw was as powerful as an aura blade.
'This isn't going to be easy.'
Zeke equipped the newly crafted Hercyon and put on Agamemnon's Mask.
The Purification Blade surged from the Orichalcum sword.
Woooong!
A golden aura blazed from the sword.
The demonfolk, startled by the energy emanating from the Purification Blade, retreated.
[What's that...?]
The demonfolk bared its teeth at Zeke.
[You're the key to the relic!]
Then, it opened its mouth wide and spewed out black energy.
Crash!
Zeke swung the Purification Blade at the black energy.
Dragon Slayer Technique, True Dragon Sword Art
Chapter 3 Verse 1
Half Moon Slash
The Half Moon Slash, imbued with the energy of the Purification Blade, split the black energy the demonfolk spewed.
Slash!
Zeke, enveloped in a golden aura, charged towards the demonfolk and unleashed the Dragon's Claw.
Slash!
The powerful Dragon's Claw skill struck the demonfolk's body.
[Cough!]
As the demonfolk, hit by the unexpected attack, retreated, Zeke spun his body in mid-air and swung the Purification Blade.
Slice!
Zeke's sword cleanly cut the demonfolk from its shoulder to its waist.
Thud!
The severed body fell to the ground.
Zeke used the Soul Body Technique to summon chains and tightly bound the demonfolk's upper body.
Sizzle!
Black ash scattered from the demonfolk's body where the chains touched.
[Kyaaaak!]
The demonfolk screamed in pain.
Zeke pointed the Purification Blade and asked,
"What is the relic? Are you looking for the Lubern bloodline because of that, not miracles?"
Zeke remembered the word 'relic' from the newly appeared main quest.
'It was a quest that appeared after the Lubern quest, so there might be some connection.'
The demonfolk, bound by chains, looked at Zeke and laughed maniacally.
[Krrk. I remember your soul. Now the 'Lord of the Lowest Depths' will send his subordinates to tear you apart.]
Zeke pulled the chains tighter.
[Kyaaaak!]
"This bastard, threatening me? You're asking to die."
It was a big mistake for the demonfolk to think Zeke would be intimidated by its threats.
Zeke scoffed and decided to test out the new skill he acquired after clearing the quest mission.
"Holy Flame."
As Zeke used the Holy Flame skill, a white flame appeared in front of him.
The flame circled around Zeke's body.
'Is this Holy Flame? It's just a warm flame, why is it an S-rank skill?'
But then, the demonfolk beneath Zeke's feet screamed.
[Kyaa! Get it away! Get that away!]
Surprisingly, the demonfolk's body, exposed to the light from the Holy Flame, turned to ash and scattered.
Zeke was startled to see this.
'Is the effect of light magic activated where the Holy Flame's light touches?'
If that was the case, even knights who couldn't use light magic could fight demonfolk and monsters where the Holy Flame was present.
Zeke brought the Holy Flame closer to the demonfolk and said,
"What is the relic? Tell me quickly."
Sizzle!
[Kyaaaaa!]
Zeke was torturing the demonfolk with the Holy Flame.
The demonfolk wanted to abandon its body and return to the demon world, but it couldn't move due to the Soul Body Technique.
The demonfolk was terrified as it saw Zeke burning only the painful areas with the Holy Flame.
"You're holding up well."
Zeke held up the Orichalcum sword and used the Light's Punishment skill.
Then, he brought it close to the demonfolk's side.
Tsssss!
[Kyaaaaa!]
While the Purification Blade disrupted and eradicated malice the moment it touched, light magic didn't eradicate malice but seemed to inflict pain on the demonfolk.
The pain intensified with the presence of the Holy Flame's light.
The demonfolk finally couldn't bear the pain and opened its mouth.
[Kyaaa! T-there was c-competition among the s-subordinates!]
"Competition? What do you mean?"
[Krrk. T-the subordinate who brings the r-relic is given a chance to i-increase their rank. If there's a L-Lubern descendant, they c-can find the relic!]
"What are you talking about? Speak clearly. What do you mean by increasing rank?"
The demonfolk, trembling in pain, barely managed to open its mouth.
[Huu. Huu. That means... even subordinates like us can have a c-constellation name.]
Zeke tilted his head at the demonfolk's words.
"Constellation? What nonsense is that? What are demonfolk doing talking about constellations?"
Just then, a loud noise was heard from behind.
'Are those the Hounds? Tsk.'
He couldn't waste any more time.
Zeke used Gluttony on the demonfolk.
Slurp!
Zeke's shadow slowly absorbed the demonfolk.
[W-what! What are you doing!]
The demonfolk's body was completely absorbed into Zeke's shadow.
A message appeared before Zeke's eyes.
[Consumed a corrupted demon completely consumed by malice.]
[Replenished consumed stamina, mental strength, and mana.]
[Partially consumed the corrupted soul of Griesmodal, a subordinate of the 'Lord of the Lowest Depths' residing in the corrupted body.]
[Absorbed the bloodline ability of the consumed subordinate, transforming the passive skill Combat Sense into Beast's Sense.]
[500 Karma points awarded as a bonus reward.]
Zeke had a satisfied expression as he saw the reward for consuming the demonfolk.
'Even the enhanced Hydra was only 1,500 points, but I got 500 points for a relatively easy opponent.'
It seemed that a much larger amount of Karma points were awarded as a bonus when catching demonfolk.
'Beast's Sense.'
Before leaving, Zeke tested out the enhanced sensory skill.
'Oh?'
It felt like information about all movements in the surroundings, beyond just his five senses, was being transmitted to him three-dimensionally.
Zeke sensed the Hounds approaching him and used stealth to hide.
After safely escaping the Hounds' encirclement, he wandered through the forest for a few days, luring the paladins and Hounds and using the Dragon Tooth Soldiers to make them fight each other, disrupting their net.
Meanwhile, the princess and her party were able to safely escape Tempel and arrive in Mycenae.
***
Zeke arrived in Mycenae a few days after the princess and her party.
The people of Agamemnon Castle welcomed Zeke.
"It's been a while, Lord."
Rufus Agamemnon, the lord of Agamemnon, who had been contacted in advance, hugged Zeke.
"Welcome, Zeke."
Zeke could feel familiar affection from Rufus, who welcomed him.
"It's been a while, Lord."
"Oh my, call me grandfather."
Zeke grinned at Rufus.
"Yes, grandfather. Did Princess Arina arrive safely?"
"Yes, I prepared in advance after receiving your contact. I've escorted her inside, so let's go together."
Zeke and Rufus headed to where Princess Arina was.
The princess was with Clone, dressed in a nun's habit.
She rushed towards Zeke as soon as she saw him.
"Sir Zeke! You're safe."
Princess Arina held Zeke's hand with a truly relieved expression.
"Didn't I tell you I'd be fine? I'm glad you arrived safely, Princess."
Rufus looked at Zeke and Princess Arina with a strange expression.
Zeke sat facing the princess and Clone on the sofa with Rufus.
"Are you comfortable here?"
The princess replied with a smile,
"The lord is treating us very well. I had the most comfortable sleep in a long time."
When they were in Tempel, they always had to be anxious, not knowing when they would be attacked.
But if they were in Agamemnon Castle, neither the Holy Kingdom nor the Empire would dare to intrude.
Rufus said to Princess Arina politely,
"Please make yourself at home and relax, Princess."
The princess smiled at Rufus.
Zeke asked Clone,
"Did the Rose Knights arrive safely?"
"Not all of them have arrived yet, but they will be here soon... Yes, they will."
Sister Clone, who was speaking comfortably with Zeke, became formal, noticing the princess and Rufus, the lord.
Zeke, looking at Clone, said,
"Don't do things that don't suit you and speak comfortably."
"Should I?"
Clone, while still being cautious, immediately switched back to speaking informally.
After hearing the whole story, Zeke asked Rufus and Clone to excuse themselves for a moment.
Rufus whispered to Zeke as he got up,
"Zeke, grandpa approves."
"...?"
Rufus gave Zeke a thumbs up and went outside.
Zeke was flustered and shook his head as he watched Rufus.
'Grandfather, do you not know the princess's age?'
Zeke pulled himself together and told Princess Arina about meeting the demonfolk.
"Demonfolk? I thought those were just in stories."
"Princess, have you ever heard of relics?"
The demonfolk said they could find relics through the Lubern bloodline.
But Princess Arina tilted her head.
"Relics? That's the first time I'm hearing about it."
If even Princess Arina, the inheritor of Lubern magic, didn't know, then no one in the Lubern bloodline would know.
Just then, Princess Arina clapped her hands.
"Ah, maybe those relics are what they're talking about."
"What do you mean?"
"There's a story my mother told me when I was young. A story about the Elf King."
"The Elf King?"
"Yes. The Elf King is a being born from the first tears shed by the primordial light that created this world. So the Elf King, unlike other constellations, possesses the primordial power."
"W-wait a minute. Primordial light? Are you referring to the Sun God?"
"No. The Sun God, the Moon Goddess, and all other constellations are those who split off from the primordial light."
"I know that both the Holy Empire and the Holy Kingdom worshipped the Sun God. This is the first time I'm hearing about the primordial light."
"Lubern's light magic was created based on that primordial light. The god originally worshipped in the Holy Empire wasn't the Sun God, but the primordial light."
"I see."
The princess continued her explanation.
"It's said that the Elf King, the only being who possesses the power of the primordial light, gave three gifts to humans, who were weaker compared to other races. It's a legend that humans were able to prosper like this thanks to those gifts."
"Three gifts containing the Elf King's power. Those could be the relics."
"I think that's the closest guess."
"Then do you know where those relics are?"
The princess shook her head.
"I also heard it from my mother, so I only thought of it as a legend and never thought it was real. But..."
She looked at Zeke and said,
"The Hermit of the Story might know about the relics."
[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]