WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B

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◈ Whispers of a Scheming Demon ◈

Chapter 123: Muel

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『My child, you have endured much. Rest now.』

A sweet, beautiful voice came from the sky.

Mapheltan, Ilea, and Lumina looked up at the empty air at once.

A radiant mass of light was slowly descending.

The blinding glow had taken the shape of an angel.

‘...The fallen angel, Muel.’

Muel was a fallen archangel.

Five hundred years ago, during the Holy War, Muel had betrayed the Great Saint. Now, Muel was the eighth-ranked Archdemon of the Lower Realm.

Lumina cried out in rapture.

“Lord Muel! You came here in person for me!”

The enormous angel-shaped mass of light slowly settled onto the ground.

Four pairs of wings completely filled the space within.

Mapheltan was sizeable himself, but he looked terribly small beside Muel.

Tilting his head back, Mapheltan looked up at Muel.

‘Smaller than the original described.’

Muel’s true size was equal to a massive mountain.

Muel was currently in a greatly diminished state.

The details were very different as well.

Muel was covered in radiance now, without a precise form.

This was not a complete manifestation.

An Archdemon had to pay a great price to intervene in the Material Realm with its true body, and Muel had no intention of bearing that loss.

『My appearance is pitiful for a manifestation. Lumina, my child. In the end, I will not be able to show you my true form. I am sorry.』

The sweet voice pierced everyone’s minds.

Lumina rapidly shook her head.

“No. If I only advance today, I can bring you into the Material Realm, Lord Muel. So please wait just a little longer.”

The moment one reached a realm above an Archmage, one could truly summon an Archdemon into the Material Realm.

『Regrettably, that is a future that cannot come to pass. Lumina, you do not possess the talent to become a Ringbearer.』

A Ringbearer was a rank beyond an Archmage.

They were no longer human.

They were Transcendents equal to demigods.

Only one Ringbearer existed in the current generation.

Unfortunately, Lumina could not become the second.

The wall of talent stood in her way.

Her expression turned frantic.

“L-Lord Muel, what do you mean? You prophesied that I was ready, that if I merely found a point of contact with an Apostle, I could break through to the next realm.”

Muel’s calm, beautiful voice flowed out.

『It was the first lie I ever told you. You cannot become a Ringbearer. In none of my visions of the future do you surpass that realm.』

Lumina’s pure white pupils shook.

She doubted her own ears.

Muel had lied. Not once in one hundred and fifty years had that happened.

“N-No. That can’t be. Why would Lord Muel... It’s all a lie!”

To Lumina, Muel was both parent and friend.

From the moment she was born, Lumina had spent every moment with Muel.

It was difficult even to imagine being betrayed.

Mapheltan snickered.

“Demons are creatures that tempt and deceive humans by nature. Are you an Archmage who does not even understand a demon’s essence?”

Lumina glared viciously at Mapheltan.

“...Do not sow discord between us. Even if you are an Apostle, I will not tolerate any more.”

Mapheltan shrugged.

“Fine, I’ll keep quiet. The two of you should settle this quickly.”

Lumina sharply turned back to look up at Muel.

“Lord Muel, please tell me. Is this some sort of test? If not, there is no reason for you to suddenly do this to me.”

Muel’s voice pierced her mind.

『The Apostle has already given you the answer. Lumina, your usefulness is nearly at its end. Burn yourself up for me until the very end. Activate the summoning ritual.』

Mapheltan’s brow narrowed slightly.

‘...A summoning ritual?’

What was Muel suddenly planning to summon? Mapheltan spoke.

“Pardon the interruption, but I must ask. Muel, what summoning ritual do you mean?”

Muel’s massive form turned toward Mapheltan.

The angel covered in light began to convulse.

At the upper part of its body, where its head should have been, a black shadow opened.

There were four eyes in all.

Every one of them was dark as pitch.

『O Thirteenth Apostle of the End, my introduction is late. I am Muel, the Counter-Saint of the Lower Realm. Scribe Kaiaje has told me much about you. At last, I am able to meet you.』

Mapheltan’s expression twisted.

“You heard about me from Kaiaje, yet you still look down on me like this?”

Not long ago, Kaiaje had been scolded by Mapheltan.

It was because Kaiaje had looked down at Mapheltan as if from a master’s position.

『I have been discourteous. Please forgive me with your great magnanimity.』

Muel’s radiance suddenly faded.

The form immediately shrank as well.

Muel came down to Mapheltan’s eye level.

Clicking his tongue, Mapheltan said,

“Enough. Just answer me. What summoning ritual are you suddenly talking about?”

Muel’s voice entered his ears.

『I have laid a spell formula across the entire Royal Capital. It is the work of my child, Lumina. The moment the formula activates, every living being in the Royal Capital will become offerings, and I, Muel, will manifest upon this land.』

The Royal Capital’s population far exceeded one hundred thousand.

There were also countless sacred relics and treasures.

All of it would be offered to the Lower Realm.

It was enough to summon Muel.

The problem was who would activate the formula.

An Archmage could not dare control an Archdemon’s summoning ritual.

For an Archdemon to manifest, a mage at least as powerful as a Ringbearer was necessary.

Mapheltan spoke.

“Lumina cannot withstand the summoning ritual.”

Muel immediately answered.

『That Witch can. Using Lumina’s soul and body as a catalyst, the Witch will certainly be able to activate the summoning ritual.』

Mapheltan glanced at Ilea.

“Ilea, is Muel telling the truth?”

Ilea nodded.

“Yes, it is possible. Lumina’s life would make up for my lacking ability.”

She had yet to enter the ranks of the Ringbearers herself.

Activating the summoning ritual with her own power would be difficult.

After considering it briefly, Mapheltan spoke.

“Muel, what do I gain by summoning you?”

Muel’s gentle voice flowed out.

『I, Muel, will become your Thrall.』

Mapheltan was slightly surprised.

‘Muel wants to enter into a Contract of Subordination with me?’

An Archdemon ranked in the single digits of the Lower Realm was a demigod.

They possessed a stature comparable to an Apostle.

Yet Muel was offering to become an Apostle’s slave.

Moreover, Mapheltan was still a fledgling. He had not yet fully acquired the majesty of an Apostle.

Muel must have known that well.

Mapheltan spoke.

“It appears you have seen a particular future. Otherwise, you, Muel, would never willingly bind yourself to another being.”

Muel’s black eyes gleamed.

A low, beautiful voice followed.

『That is correct. I see you and I, Muel, burning the Great Saint’s soul together. Every hypocrite will kneel at the feet of chaos and deception, praying in your name.』

Muel’s foresight was remarkably accurate.

The future Muel saw would come to pass with high probability.

The moment Mapheltan summoned Muel, the end of the world would surely arrive.

It had been the same in the original work.

The trigger that began the End was Muel’s manifestation.

Mapheltan fell into thought.

‘...An Archdemon as my Thrall.’

Muel would certainly be an immense force.

If Muel became his subordinate, Mapheltan could rival an army of a thousand troops and ten thousand horses.

Mapheltan spoke.

“Good. I will accept you as my Thrall.”

Muel’s four black eyes curved like crescent moons.

Lumina muttered repeatedly, denying reality, while Ilea remained expressionless.

『Let us perform the ritual at once. Once Lumina stands upon the altar, all preparations will be complete.』

Lumina clutched her head and sobbed.

“...No. It is all a lie. It is all a lie.”

Muel’s voice was gentle.

『Do not cry. Within the Transcendent Being made from your soul and body, we will live together. For all our lives, forever.』

Bright radiance brushed Lumina’s cheeks.

It wiped away her falling tears.

Lumina did not stop crying.

She wept bitterly as she tightly held Muel’s hand.

She looked like a small child.

Mapheltan could only be impressed.

‘An Archdemon is truly an Archdemon.’

Muel had completely conquered the mind of a human, and an Archmage at that.

Muel must have put in tremendous effort over one hundred and fifty years.

The patience and skill were truly impressive.

There was much to learn.

Mapheltan spoke.

“It is a touching moment, but I must say what needs to be said. Muel, there is no need to part with Lumina yet.”

Muel’s black eyes slowly turned toward Mapheltan.

『Lumina’s life is absolutely necessary for the summoning ritual.』

Mapheltan shook his head.

“I will not summon you. Of course, the Contract of Subordination is separate. If you wish, I will enter into it with you.”

The four black eyes each changed differently.

They conveyed emotions such as confusion, surprise, anger, and suspicion.

『May I ask why you will not proceed with the ritual?』

Mapheltan immediately answered.

“I still need the Royal Capital. That is all.”

Using this incident as leverage, Johan could pressure the king.

He would gain greater influence in human society than before.

There was no reason to overthrow the Royal Capital.

Furthermore, Mapheltan did not have it in him to sacrifice so many lives.

Muel’s eyes began rolling around.

A low voice flowed out.

『...Is that so? The Apostle intends to accept me, Muel, as a Thrall without paying any price at all.』

Mapheltan shrugged.

“Well, I will pay the price someday.”

Muel stared intently at Mapheltan, then looked at Lumina.

『My child, the situation has changed somewhat. There is one thing I need you to do.』

Lumina met Muel’s gaze with tearful eyes.

“Please tell me anything. If it is my mother’s request, I will obey it all.”

She had already given up on everything.

She did not even feel any desire for revenge against Muel.

Lumina’s mind had already been completely consumed by Muel’s corruption.

In truth, she was no different from an Archdemon’s slave.

『Activate the summoning ritual. Right now.』

Lumina’s eyes shook.

“I-I will fail. Most likely.”

The Royal Capital would vanish, but Muel would fail to manifest.

Mapheltan’s expression twisted.

“Muel, what do you think you are doing?”

Muel spoke gently.

『I am giving the great End a choice. The Royal Capital will disappear anyway, so would it not be better to discard it and choose me?』

Mapheltan was dumbfounded.

‘Muel is pushing this hard?’

Muel was forcing a dilemma upon Mapheltan.

Mapheltan gave a hollow laugh.

“You are an interesting one.”

He glanced at Ilea.

Mana erupted from Ilea’s body.

Countless spell formulas formed within it.

Mapheltan and Ilea intended to kill Lumina.

Without her, the summoning ritual could not be activated.

Numerous high-level spells flew straight at Lumina.

At that moment, the surroundings of Mapheltan and Johan changed.

The two had been teleported into the sky above the Royal Capital.

Pure white Demonic Energy spread throughout the entire Royal Capital.

The summoning ritual for the Archdemon Muel had begun.

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