✦ Chapter 115 – Wedding Night(?) (9) ✦
「Translator – Creator」
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The sight of Brogar slammed in the wall brought a moment of silence.
“Ugh…”
The blow had struck him right between the eyes, and it seemed to have been a perfect hit.
Brogar’s eyes rolled back into his head, leaving only whites visible; the impact to his head must have been enormous.
A sense of defeat spread among his followers.
“………….”
“So, who will die and become the next example?”
“Wha- what just happened?”
“Brogar, with his incredible toughness, taken down in one blow…!”
The followers hesitated, each muttering in disbelief.
They all shared a common sentiment; they were all astonished by Ezekiel’s unexpected prowess, some even praising his cold aura as greater than the ice of the North. Being so accustomed to the cold themselves, they could easily sense the extraordinary power of Ezekiel’s ice.
Ezekiel exchanged a glance with the First Princess, Ether. And she signaled for him to proceed without her interference.
“Come closer.”
*Step*
As he took a step forward, Brogar’s followers retreated; they were starkly different from the rumors of them being fearless even in the face of death.
The rumors were likely not completely unfounded.
There were indeed brave and respectable warriors in the North. It was just that the trembling ones in front of Ezekiel were pathetic cowards.
“Step up! Take the lead!”
“You do it!”
“He reminds me of Seolgwi…!”
“His cold aura is even more intense than the north. How is that possible…?”
Ezekiel looked at the warriors who supported Ether; they all bore faces that showed no fear of death. They were clearly different from the cowardly followers. ȓάɴо฿ЕꞨ
‘I need to clean this up.’
He had already heard the circumstances from the messenger, and since these men would definitely become a source of trouble if left alive.
*Swoosh─!*
Without hesitation, Ezekiel unleashed his ice magic.
In the first princess’s domain, snow fell heavily. It was an ideal setting for Ezekiel to move freely like a fish in water.
“Aaaargh!”
“Spare us! Spare our lives!”
“First Princess! Are you going to abandon us like this?”
“Brogar! Didn’t you guarantee that your plan would succeed? You said you had a way from the Demon Realm!”
However, what the last person shouted made everyone pause; Ezekiel was no exception.
He had dared to mention the Demon Realm.
A warrior of the North, in cahoots with the Demon Realm?
“Repeat what you just said. Is there any evidence that Brogar has colluded with the Demon Realm? Be honest if you want to live.”
As he froze the limbs, he pressed an ice spear tip beneath the man’s neck.
The follower shouted desperately.
“Y-yes, that’s right! Brogar said he gained power from the Demon Realm and couldn’t possibly lose. All the followers heard it!”
“And you merely stood by upon hearing that? Your sin is just as great.”
They had conspired with Brogar, who borrowed power from the Demon Realm, instead of reporting him; this couldn’t be overlooked.
“Spare me, please…!”
But the follower’s plea was cut short, as Ezekiel swiftly sliced through his neck with his ice-coated hand .
Even the blood froze, unable to splatter, at that moment.
*Bang─!*
“……….!”
Something akin to a cannonball targeted Ezekiel’s side with immense force.
*Crash─!*
The force was overwhelming, enough to shatter the makeshift ice barrier he had encased himself with.
The projectile? None other than Brogar himself.
“Brogar, did you sell your soul?”
“You withstood it? Inspector, you’re not just a title!”
“You sold your soul to demons for such pitiful power? Truly, both your power and soul are pathetic.”
Ezekiel replied calmly while inspecting the state of his opponent.
Brogar’s body, which should have succumbed to unconsciousness, was fueled by dark mana, keeping him forcibly upright. A familiar sight—power exchanged for a soul to the Demon Realm.
It was known as demonic mana.
“Demons? You’re wrong. The goddess who took my soul was human… a supremely pure maiden, she said. She only gathers souls for one man!”
“If you’re going to spout nonsense, then just…”
Just die.
As Ezekiel was about to utter his final judgment, he hesitated.
The tale was unusual enough to give him pause.
‘Could this be something to trade with the Emperor?’
He had come merely to address the First Princess’s matters, but now here was someone connected to the Demon Realm, spouting rare information.
‘A human-born executive in the Demon Realm?’
A human-born being, called a goddess, as an executive. This was high-level information. If brought to the audience chamber, the Emperor might value it highly.
Ezekiel then broke into a satisfied smile.
“Well, I suppose I ought to thank you.”
“What?”
“Your life may be worthless, but the information was valuable.”
Ezekiel then immediately summoned his ice magic.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
Six spears of ice rapidly formed above his shoulder; they were launched almost simultaneously. The projectiles, tracing various paths, crashed into Brogar’s body.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Even though the attack was swift, the demonic barrier was quite formidable, successfully blocking the ice spears.
‘That goddess, her rank must be exceptional.’
Though he didn’t know her exact identity, the goddess who granted Brogar power was clearly not a mere low-ranking official; the dense demonic mana was proof of that. For such a small portion of power to be this potent, she must be incredibly strong.
However.
Taking on Brogar, who had only received a fraction of this power, was an easy task.
Ezekiel still held a significant advantage.
‘I see it.’
As he infused his retinas with ice mana, his vision turned blue, revealing the weak points in Brogar’s demonic mana.
He crafted an ice spike and targeted the weak spot precisely.
*Stab—!*
The area was small, but the strike hit its mark perfectly; the target was the center of the forehead.
“Ugh, ugh…!”
The demonic mana dissipated into nothingness in an instant.
Ordinarily, this would have been fatal, but perhaps due to him already having pledged his soul, Brogar did not die immediately. He had offered his soul to a well-regarded goddess from the Demon Realm and gained power. Accepting defeat would be hard for him.
Ezekiel could feel the depth of Brogar’s resentment. It was written all over his face.
Filled with questions, Brogar stammered.
“Why, how… can a mere Inspector…?”
“Shut your mouth.”
*Swoosh—*
In that moment, he severed Brogar’s head with a swift chop.
From the severed head, something resembling a black mist eerily rose and whispered into Ezekiel’s ear.
— My man, I’ll come get you soon.
— You must quietly wait!
“……….?”
Ezekiel scrutinized the enemy again, but Brogar was already lifeless.
Looking around, he realized that only he could hear the voice. Everyone was puzzled, wondering why he had suddenly paused.
‘…My man?’
No, for now, he shook his head.
There was no time to dwell on other thoughts with Brogar’s followers still alive.
“There’s no point in running.”
Ezekiel declared as he unleashed more ice.
Now, the annihilation of those who had plagued the North was imminent.
• • • ₪ • • •
In the First Princess’s domain, a grand celebration was taking place.
Although the deaths of those who were once comrades were mournful, the brighter future for the North was certainly a positive outcome. Moreover, they had gained Ezekiel as an ally.
“Drink up! Drink!”
“A truly great benefactor is among us!”
“As expected, the First Princess has excellent judgment! A true warrior!”
The clinking of glasses, the joyous chatter, and the sound of cutlery clashing filled the air. The atmosphere was lively and bright. It was indeed a day of celebration for them.
Perhaps it was due to Ezekiel’s specialty in ice magic.
“Inspector! Show us the ice one more time!”
“Such beautiful ice! It’s dazzling!”
“Ooh! Ice! Ice!”
“He isn’t just the Inspector anymore. What should we call him… He’s both the First Princess’s man and our leader!”
Ezekiel’s popularity soared.
Possessing great power, ice colder than the North, and the favor of the First Princess… To the Northern warriors, Ezekiel was a perfect combination of everything they admired.
Of course, he himself was not entirely thrilled.
‘At least I’ve completed the task I promised the Emperor regarding the First Princess.’
Now, he had to neutralize the Sun Elixir and deal with the five checks. Having crossed one mountain, he felt as if he faced two even larger mountains ahead.
“………..”
He kept drinking for some time afterward.
What should he do?
No, it wasn’t a matter of what to do.
To acquire the Sun Elixir, he had no choice but to be intimate with the First Princess; the other tasks could be dealt with later; it was a matter of survival.
*Gulp—*
And another drink.
Then another.
Eventually, he lost count of how many drinks he had drunk.
By the time Ezekiel’s face was completely flushed, the First Princess had approached and draped an arm over his shoulder.
Leaning in, pressing her chest against him, she whispered softly.
“Master, shall we go and acquire that Sun Elixir?”
Normally, he would have left immediately.
But whether it was the desire to live, the influence of alcohol, or some long-suppressed desire as a man, he wasn’t sure.
“…Alright. I understand.”
Finally, the man nodded calmly.
His composure surprised even the First Princess.
Yet Ezekiel had a feeling.
He knew he could no longer escape this now.
END σϝ CHAPTER
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