Whispers of a Scheming Demon - Chapter 139

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Whispers of a Scheming Demon ◈

Chapter 139: Mirror

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Serena heard Johan's true intentions through the Mind-Piercing Eye.

Johan wanted peace.

He was fighting alone to prevent the destruction that would come someday.

The nature of that destruction remained unknown, but at least Serena now knew Johan was not an Evil Spirit who wanted humanity to go extinct.

The Thirteenth Apostle of the End was, rather, the world's guardian.

That was the conclusion she had reached.

Serena was utterly bewildered.

Everything she thought she knew had collapsed over the past few days.

The Watcher of Narak, who held the Kingdom's political scene in his grasp, was a Half-Demon. On top of that, he was an Apostle of the End who wanted world peace.

And that Half-Demon was now Serena's fiancé.

Serena felt as if she were dreaming.

She looked at Johan with a slightly dazed expression.

Johan gave a quiet laugh.

“You look exhausted. You should go home and get some sleep.”

Serena had not slept a wink last night.

She should have been tired, yet her mind was strangely clear.

The shock had driven all sleep from her.

She opened her mouth.

“...I don't think I could sleep even if I went home now.”

She would be consumed by her thoughts and fail to sleep at all.

After a moment of thought, Johan spoke.

“Then would you like to come with me and meet Serin?”

Serena looked at him in disbelief.

“Meet my sister? How?”

There was no physical way to communicate with Serin.

Magic was absolutely necessary.

Johan was someone who dealt with an Archmage.

He shrugged.

“Well, just as you expect.”

“Surely...?”

Johan rose from his seat.

“You will have to get used to every kind of demonic phenomenon forbidden by the Great Saint Church, whether it is magic or sorcery. As long as you are with me, such taboos will become part of your daily life. Come.”

He held out his hand.

After hesitating for some time, Serena took Johan's hand.

The truth was, she wanted to see her sister too.

The two headed straight for Lumina's workshop.

* * *

Serena's eyes widened.

The very space around her was mysterious.

This was clearly indoors, yet there was no ceiling in sight.

It was so high that she could not see how far it extended.

The bookshelves scattered throughout the vast interior were strange as well.

Every single one was larger than most fortresses.

As if even those shelves could not contain all the books, countless Forbidden Books lay strewn across the floor.

This was Archmage Lumina's workshop.

The heart of Spatial Magic. A place that was itself an unknown realm to ordinary humans.

Overwhelmed with awe, Serena looked around.

She felt as though her reason were slipping away.

Just as the sight before her began to overwhelm her, a sweet voice came from somewhere nearby.

“Oh, she's even prettier in person? So calling you Gold wasn't an exaggeration.”

A snow-white figure slowly descended from high above.

It looked as though snow were falling.

Johan spoke to Serena.

“Say hello. This is Lumina, the White Mage.”

Serena immediately regained her composure.

“...So it was you after all, Lumina.”

Not long ago, Archmage Lumina had caused a terrible incident.

She had tried to offer the Royal Capital as a Sacrificial Offering and summon the Archdemon Muel.

Of course, her plan had failed.

The Thirteenth Apostle of the End had stopped Lumina's crime.

She had ultimately been put on the execution platform.

She had been burned at the stake and died.

Now that Serena thought about it, the entire sequence of events had been nothing but a staged act.

Lumina had survived and was now with Johan, the Thirteenth Apostle of the End.

In other words, Johan had deceived everyone in the Royal Capital.

That was what Serena thought.

Johan did not particularly deny it.

He said, “What you are imagining is not entirely correct. There are some differences, but I will not bother correcting you. The general context is similar enough.”

The Muel Summoning Ritual Incident had not been a staged event designed from the start.

This matter had been largely accidental, and Johan had merely linked those coincidences together.

In the end, Johan had gained considerably from it.

Put simply, he had made good use of a fortunate opportunity.

Lumina frowned.

“Serena, was it? Could you please not make assumptions or jump to conclusions about me based on your limited understanding? It is rather unpleasant.”

Lumina had always had a sharp temperament.

Ilea appeared from somewhere and gave a small sigh.

“Lumina, don't be rude. She is the Apostle's spouse now.”

The moment Serena saw Ilea, confusion filled her face.

“Lady Staviana?”

Ilea smiled with her eyes.

“I should introduce myself again. My name is Ilea. I am the last Witch remaining in this world.”

Today, Serena had faced the dark side of the world.

Demons, witches, and apostates in human guise were toying with the Kingdom's political scene.

Serena let out a hollow laugh.

“...This really is a shocking day.”

Johan's expression remained calm.

“It would be troublesome if you are already overwhelmed. We have not even reached the main point yet.”

Serena spoke with a resigned expression.

“What else is left?”

“Please wait a moment. Lumina, is it possible now?”

Johan turned his gaze toward Lumina.

Lumina nodded.

“I succeeded. You can enter whenever you want.”

As a master of Spatial Magic, she had spent several days dismantling and analyzing the world inside Serin's mirror.

She had already produced numerous results.

One of them was freedom of entry and exit.

Through Lumina's magic, everyone could freely enter and leave the world within the mirror.

Johan looked pleased.

“As expected of an Archmage. Well done.”

Lumina replied in a deliberately haughty tone.

“This is nothing. Who do you think I am?”

Ilea gave her a pitying look.

“How should I put this... Lumina, regardless of your abilities, you are not someone it is easy to respect.”

Lumina flared up.

“W-What did you say?! You little brat who hasn't even dried the blood from her head...”

Johan suppressed a groan.

Before the situation worsened, he stopped Lumina.

“Enough. Take us to the mirror.”

Lumina trembled with anger, then sharply turned her head away.

Without a word, she flew off somewhere.

Ilea sighed.

“She is going to bring the entrance. Please wait a moment.”

Just as Ilea said, Lumina soon returned.

A white crack was slowly descending through the air beside her.

The crack was an entrance connected to Mapheltan's Ominous Book.

Since only Apostles could access the Ominous Book, Lumina had separately created a medium that could bypass that Prohibition.

The result stood before Johan.

Johan slowly approached the crack.

“Can it be used right away?”

Lumina answered with a sullen expression.

“Yes. You only need to place your hand on it.”

Johan nodded and looked at Serena.

“My lady, let us go. Serin is waiting for you.”

Serena swallowed dryly.

If that crack truly was the entrance to the world within the mirror, she would really meet Serin.

For the first time in her life, she would stand in the same space as her sister.

Anticipation, excitement, anxiety, and fear rose within her all at once.

Serena could not help hesitating.

As she did, Lumina cried out impatiently.

“Hurry up! Experience my masterpiece firsthand!”

Ilea spoke gently.

“It is safe, so do not worry. Johan and I will come with you.”

Johan took Serena's hand and led her forward.

Ilea watched their clasped hands with a strange smile.

There was something chilling about her expression.

After clearing his throat, Johan threw himself into the crack.

Johan, Serena, and Ilea were immediately transported into the world within the mirror.

* * *

Absolute darkness surrounded them.

They could not see in front of them.

Johan spoke.

“It is too dark.”

At the same time, a cluster of blue light rose into the air.

The surroundings brightened somewhat.

Ilea had used magic.

Smiling with her eyes, she looked at Johan.

“You arrived safely, yet you are still at it.”

More precisely, she was staring at Johan's hand.

Serena quietly released it.

“I-Is this my sister's world?”

Ilea nodded.

“Serin is at that glow at the end of the passage. Go to her.”

A faint dawnlight leaked from the far end of the dark space.

That was Serin's room.

Johan had already been there once.

He spoke.

“Serin must be waiting for you too, my lady. Go quickly.”

Johan did not want to interfere with the sisters' first reunion.

He also had something else to do.

Serena swallowed dryly and took a step forward.

Her pace gradually quickened.

Before long, she ran toward the light.

Serena vanished completely from sight.

Ilea spoke to Johan.

“Well, the nuisance is gone. Now let us do what we came to do.”

The two intended to try several experiments in the world within the mirror, which Lumina had readjusted.

The first was transportation to another mirror.

Johan opened his mouth.

“We must first find the mirror in Myatro Lord's Castle. I marked it before.”

Immediately, the blue light created by Ilea began darting rapidly through the air.

The countless mirrors hanging here and there flashed and flickered as the rushing light passed them.

Johan frowned.

His eyes hurt.

“I think I found it. Shall we check?”

Before Ilea had even finished speaking, she and Johan slowly rose into the air.

In an instant, they approached a mirror.

A blue band hung around its edge.

Johan spoke.

“This is the one.”

Ilea immediately drew up Mana.

An intricate formula emerged from her hand and seeped into the mirror.

At the same time, the mirror began to blaze brightly.

A boy appeared on its glass surface.

As always, he sat at his desk, reviewing countless documents.

It was Raguel.

Johan chuckled and placed his hand against the mirror.

* * *

Raguel had been buried in work for nearly a month.

He had not left his office.

He even slept and ate there.

His body, transformed into that of a High Elf, did not feel fatigue, but his mind was different.

He was truly suffering to the point of collapse.

“How does Johan live like this every day?”

Johan did not sleep.

He continued to work as a human during the day and as a demon at night.

His mind should have worn down, yet he never uttered a single complaint and was always in motion.

Raguel found himself feeling respect for Johan.

Meanwhile, he himself was still weak.

As he let out a deep sigh, Zalkarin, who was organizing documents beside him, clicked their tongue.

“A sparrow following a stork will tear its legs. Raguel, work within your limits. If you compare yourself to the Great End for no reason, you will not live out your natural lifespan.”

For once, Zalkarin was saying something sensible.

Raguel slowly nodded.

“The real Johan is...”

Before he could finish, a familiar voice came from somewhere.

“Truly, is he not remarkable?”

Zalkarin and Raguel sharply turned their heads at the same time.

Johan stood in one corner of the office, leaning against the wall.

Raguel sprang to his feet.

Zalkarin toppled backward.

Both their eyes shook.

“J-Johan...?”

“G-Great End! Have you transcended even space and time now?!”