Chapter 394 – Triumph (8)
Such a direct hit with a cake could have only been staged in a rehearsed comedy, yet even then, it wouldn't have landed as perfectly as this did. But if it were a comedy, one might have expected the ambiance to be filled with laughter and applause. However, the room was now completely silent.
It was difficult to even hear the cautious breaths of those anticipating Noir’s retaliation.
Yet they only thought so because they knew little of Noir…. On the other hand, Eugene was begrudgingly familiar with Noir. He knew her nature and believed she wouldn't erupt in rage over such a slight.
This very thought irked him even more.
Noir Giabella, the damned night demon, had always been this way. Since three hundred years ago, she had invaded his dreams and caused endless torment. No matter how much Hamel cursed or threatened her, she had only ever responded with a carefree laugh.
Throughout all their interactions, Eugene had never witnessed genuine anger from Noir Giabella.
“Ehem…,” Noir cleared her throat. As the cake she had prepared slid off her face, she gracefully caught the fallen remnants with her hands.
Her face was a mess. It was utterly smothered with cream, and her hair was clinging together due to the frosting.
Deftly, her lips parted, and her tongue emerged. Then she licked the cream off her lips with her pink tongue. But she didn't stop there. She stretched out her long finger and slowly wiped off the cream smeared on her cheek before savoring it as if it were the finest candy.
Eugene's face twisted at her audacious display of sex appeal. However, she spoke before he could interject, "You know, there's a variety of cakes out there."
He merely glared at her in response, waiting for her to continue.
She giggled, "It might surprise you, but I'm not too fond of overly sweet desserts. However, if I were to pick a favorite cake, it would be this one. A classic strawberry shortcake. Layers of soft cake interspersed with strawberries and cream, and a fluffy layer of cream on top."
What was her point? Eugene continued to glare at her without verbalizing his thoughts.
Noir continued to giggle. Carrying on with her display, Noir gleefully picked a bright red strawberry from the cake and bit into it. Her eyes twinkled mischievously as she slowly savored the fruit.
"Eugene. Had I known your cake preference, I would have tailored it to your taste. Hmm, maybe it’s still not too late. Eugene, tell me, which cake do you favor?" she asked.
"Shut up," Eugene retorted.
"Do you not like any?" Noir teased, then continued, "My goodness! We are so alike! Like you, I'm not a fan of cakes either."
Her laughter rang out as she flippantly tossed the cake behind her. The cake magically disappeared mid-air, ensuring no unfortunate soul would be caught in its messy trajectory. Likewise, every trace of cream vanished from her face, leaving it pristine once again.
"As I thought, we do seem to pair well, don't we? What do you think?" Noir's voice oozed mischief.
Eugene stayed silent, his patience wearing thin.
Noir continued, her eyes dancing with amusement, "Well, with the kind of relationship we share… there’s no need for many words. We can discern each other’s thoughts with only a single glance. To prove it, I know what you are thinking right now, Eugene. Do you want me to guess?”
"No, don’t," he responded tersely.
"You don’t want me to…? Do you wish to keep our shared secrets between us?" Noir cooed.
A surge of fury rose within Eugene, and his shoulders trembled. He wanted to kill her. He wanted nothing more than to silence her permanently. Yet the knowledge that acting upon such desires was impossible only fueled his anger further.
The ever-observant Noir saw his frustration and laughed heartily after placing her hands on her waist.
"I’m disappointed that I couldn’t give you that cake or have you blow out the candle. Still, it doesn’t really matter. After all, I got to enjoy the cream meant for you,” said Noir.
"Why do you always talk like that…?” Eugene gritted out.
"Well, what do you mean, why? It's fun, especially when you react to every single thing I say," Noir replied, her tail swishing playfully behind her. Gavid watched their interaction not far from her. The emotions surging through him weren’t very different from Eugene’s.
"…Duke Giabella," he began with a measured tone, "we're here as emissaries of Helmuth. Please, do not tarnish the name of Helmuth with these trivial and unbecoming conversations."
"What does it matter?" Noir retorted, "There's no need for such stiff formality now."
She leaned towards Eugene and whispered with a smirk, "Truly, Eugene, this isn't mere jest. We're here not just to compensate for the foolery of Iris… of the Demon King of Fury but also to congratulate you."
What was she on about? Eugene shifted his gaze between Noir and Gavid with a crumpled expression. If this was some sort of jest, Gavid would have stepped forward to deny it. Yet Gavid remained silent, only grinding his teeth in frustration.
"I’m really telling the truth," Noir continued, her tone more solemn, "The Demon King of Incarceration wishes to convey his congratulations to you, Eugene Lionheart, for your heroic feat of vanquishing the newly risen Demon King."
A murmur spread among the gathered guests at her words. All had come prepared for a potential showdown between the representatives of Helmuth and Incarceration. Instead, they were met with words of praise and honor.
‘What's the game here, you bastard?’ Eugene cursed the Demon King of Incarceration internally.
There was no reason for the Demon King of Incarceration to send emissaries to congratulate him like this.
But Eugene’s train of thought changed gears, ‘No, does that mean that there’s something for him to gain by congratulating me like this?’
Like their encounter in front of Agaroth’s statue, Eugene could not fathom the Demon King of Incarceration’s intentions. He remained silent while contemplating, and Noir scanned the lavishly decorated hall.
She spoke, her voice dripping with delight, "Such a grandly adorned feast hall. We did come from a distant place. It should be fine for us to also indulge ourselves a bit, right?”
"Duke Giabella," Gavid interrupted her in a stern voice. He did not agree with Noir’s words.bender
"Our duties as envoys are complete. Lingering here would only breed discomfort among the guests. If I were to be a bit more extreme, I might even say that the feast isn’t beginning because of our presence,” he stated dully.
"Hmm, well," Noir mused, "Maybe, Duke Gavid, it’s because you're taking this all too seriously?" While locking eyes with him, she said, "I did mention before that one should dress according to the occasion.”
A rush of thoughts flooded Gavid's mind, and at least a dozen retorts to her nonsense emerged one after another.
It was evident to everyone in the hall that almost all the men wore attire similar to Gavid's formal wear. Only Noir Giabella dared to attend in swimwear. Melkith was wearing a revealing dress, but it did not even come close to the audacity of Noir’s revealing bikini.
So what was she saying? Appropriate attire? Gavid wished to retaliate against such nonsense immediately, but knowing that logical discourse would have no effect on this audacious woman, he held his tongue.
In the first place, debate with such a thoughtless woman was meaningless. No matter what he replied with, he would end up ensnared in her web of twisted logic. And he was loathe to reveal such vulnerability in front of the lowly humans.
"…If you wish to indulge, do so at your leisure," Gavid said curtly while turning away from her. There was no hesitation in his actions.
"Will you leave me here alone?" Noir's voice held a note of mischief.
He responded, "I'm still contemplating if I can."
"Hmm…. If you want to do so, then it’s fine with me. After all, I can find my way back on my own. Well, no, why don’t I linger and travel a bit more before returning? It has been quite some time since I've been so far from home."
Gavid gave a long sigh in response. While it seemed unlikely that Noir, a workaholic, would leave Giabella City to gallivant on a whim, one couldn't overlook the potential. He couldn't simply abandon her, given how unpredictable she was. Who knew what she would get up to?
After a pause, Gavid said, "We'll return together. However, I have no desire to revel in the feast here."
"Hmm, very well. You can wait for me outside. I’ll come find you after,” responded Noir.
Noir didn't protest his unwillingness to stay. In her eyes, it was far more convenient without Gavid's presence.
Before departing, Gavid's eyes found Eugene.
He thought for a fleeting moment, ‘Such arrogance.’ But he pushed that thought away.
Regardless of his temperament, Eugene Lionheart had earned his stripes. He was a human strong enough to be arrogant. Even though it had been with external aid, he had defeated a Demon King.
‘It wouldn’t be inappropriate to call him the strongest in the continent,’ Gavid observed.
Many of the renowned knights attending the feast were reputed figures in their own right:
Carmen Lionheart.
Alchester Dragonic.
Raphael Martinez.
Not to mention the Beast King of Ruhr Kingdom and the head of the Lionheart family.
These figures were always mentioned when discussing the strongest warriors of the continent.
Yet, to Gavid, Eugene's aura dwarfed them all. He felt Eugene was even more formidable than Vermouth, who had attempted to challenge the Demon Kings three hundred years ago.
‘He’s stronger than Vermouth during his prime at Babel's ascent…,’ Gavid concluded.
The thought made Gavid chuckle silently. Stronger than Vermouth? That wasn’t very threatening. After all, even Vermouth had failed to conquer Babel three centuries ago…. Gavid felt his mood improving as he raised his head.
“It’s been a while, Sienna Merdein,” Gavid said.
He found himself face-to-face with Sienna. Their eyes locked just before he passed through the castle gates. Sienna had been standing near the gates as if to guard them. She tilted her head slightly as her eyes filled with disdain.
“Don’t exude such a menacing aura. I’m not here to pick a fight,” said Gavid.
"Your words ring with arrogance as if you’re something. Quite hilarious, considering you fled by yourself," retorted Sienna.
“You say the exact same things as Molon Ruhr,” Gavid commented.
"Meaning even that fool could see how low you fell,” Sienna retorted with a smirk as she stepped aside. Although she had granted him passage, Gavid stared at Sienna before continuing on his way.
"What are you staring at?" Sienna’s voice held a touch of irritation.
"…Three centuries have passed, yet your penchant for foul words remains. Shouldn’t you mature after aging?” Gavid shot.
"Why not save those words for that brazen whore over there?" Sienna retorted while gesturing over to Noir with a scoff.
Gavid found himself at a loss for a response. He stormed past her and exited through the castle gates while trying to keep himself composed and his anger contained.
Boom.
But even as the gates closed behind him, the feast did not resume. The aftermath of the sudden intrusion lingered, and Noir was still present in the hall.
"Shall we begin with resuming some music? A lively tune might set the mood," Noir suggested while holding two champagne glasses. Offering one to Eugene, she asked, "Care for a drink?"
"What are you playing at?" Eugene rejected the glass with evident distaste.
Noir simply shrugged while taking back the glass, "A token of gratitude for this realm and a toast to your accomplishments."
"I never asked for any of this, but what can I do? You came of your own accord and gave these things to me," Eugene spat.
“That’s why it's a surprise," Noir replied while taking a sip from her glass.
"Isn't your business here concluded? Surely, you're not staying to genuinely enjoy the party?" Eugene inquired.
"I've always craved to attend a party with you. I’m asking just in case, but would you grant me a dance?" asked Noir.
"Don't spout such nonsense," Eugene spat.
"I expected as much,” said Noir as she brought the champagne to her lips once more.
[I wish to speak with you privately,] she projected directly into Eugene's mind. [I have a story that might intrigue you,] she added.
Her words caused a shift in Eugene’s expression. He did not want to deal with Noir. But regardless of his distaste for her, he was curious about what she wanted to say.
"I've no patience for roundabout conversations," Eugene declared.
He had received assistance from Noir in the past. He had infiltrated the Dragon Demon Castle to find Raimira, and Noir had taken care of everything after he caused the Dragon Demon Castle to crash into the ground. Naturally, Eugene bore no gratitude towards Noir, not even a tad. Regardless of why she had chosen to help him, he felt only one thing towards her — an intent to kill.
He had no reason to feel gratitude just because she had helped him. It would’ve been different had she been human, but she was a demon.
It might have been a different story if he were dealing with a demon he had absolutely no connection to, a demon who was born very recently. However, he could never make such an exception for Noir Giabella, no matter what.
It was the same now. He didn’t know exactly what her “intriguing story” would entail, yet he knew there would be no harm in listening to it. He realized that what she had in store for him might prove helpful to him in the future. In other words, Noir Giabella would be helping him.
Even so, Eugene would kill Noir.
"Speaking here is hardly appropriate.… Shall we find somewhere quiet? A bedroom, perhaps?" Noir teased as she sensed the animosity rolling off Eugene.
Eugene had no intention of following her to such intimate quarters. Without uttering a word, he pointed to a towering spire within the palace. Noir let out a gleeful squeal when she saw him point.
"A man and a woman climbing and sharing a private moment atop a tower? How romantic. Do we get to gaze at the stars together now?" Noir teased, her voice dripping with insinuation.
Eugene still found no merit in responding to her words.
He merely shot her a glare before briefly looking around. He made note of the watchful eyes trained on them. Knowing that his family might be worried, Eugene gave a wave in their direction.
"Sir Eugene,” said Kristina as she approached. Her face was a mask of concern.
"It's fine," he assured her before leaping into the air from where he stood.
Although the tower soared high, a single bound took him to the terrace. He looked down and watched as a bat-winged figure — Noir — gracefully ascended towards him. After landing softly on the balcony and taking a seat on the railing, she flashed him a cheeky grin.
"Everyone seems concerned. Do they think I'll devour you here and now?" asked Noir.
"Get to the point,” said Eugene.
"Well, we’ve ascended this high. Can't we indulge in a touch of romance? Look at this view, Hamel, isn't it magnificent?" queried Noir.
Below them, the banquet hall shimmered brilliantly. The glass ceiling revealed a blanket of stars, and further away, beyond the castle walls, the city's lights twinkled beautifully. The sky was alive with fireworks, a testament to the ongoing festival.
"I said, get to the point,” repeated Eugene.
"It's difficult to explain in words….” Noir crooned while crossing her legs seductively. “What about this? I won’t explain it in words and show it to you instead. That should be better for you in any case.”
"…You’re going to show it to me?" questioned Eugene, his words laced with suspicion.
"We'll dream it together," said Noir, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous light. Yet Eugene's eyes sank coldly.
Noting his growing fury, Noir added with a playful tone, "You already despise me deeply, and while I revel in your disdain... I won't force you into anything you don’t like, not now, at least."
Eugene remained silent with weary eyes.
"I promise, Hamel. I'll share this dream with you, but I won't pry into your deepest secrets,” assured Noir.
That was the root of Eugene’s, or Hamel's, enmity towards Noir. Three centuries ago, Noir had peered into every facet of a man named Hamel Dynas.
She had seen the memories of the past, fleeting or long-buried emotions, his animosity towards the demon race, complex feelings for allies, envy towards Vermouth, dread for the Demon King, and self-loathing.
Noir had seen all, even feelings he hadn't acknowledged or known himself. She had dug through every trench and dived into every pore of his identity. Noir had seen everything.
"…What exactly do you wish to show me?" asked Eugene after a moment of silence.
"Ravesta," Noir replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
She leaned closer to Eugene, her lips curling into a sly smile. "I visited the realm not so long ago."
The territory where the Demon King of Destruction had secluded himself.
"I'll only tell you this much. The rest... you'll have to see in the dream,” said Noir.
"I doubt there's any need for me to see it,” replied Eugene.
"No." Noir firmly shook her head. "Trust me, Hamel."
Her voice dropped to a whisper, imbued with a weighty sincerity.
"If you choose not to see it, I assure you, one day, you'll regret it deeply."
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