WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B
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◈ Whispers of a Scheming Demon ◈
Chapter 140: Application
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Raguel stared at Johan in a daze, rubbing his eyes again and again.
It did not feel real.
Johan had appeared too suddenly. At some point, he had simply been standing in one corner of the office.
Raguel had not sensed a thing. Even a High Elf’s keen sensory perception had failed to detect Johan’s arrival.
Where on earth had Johan come from? Confusion rose before joy.
Johan gave the dazed Raguel a faint smile.
“You don’t seem very happy to see me.”
The moment he heard Johan’s voice, Raguel came to his senses.
“Of course I am! Do you know how much I missed you?”
He ran over and pulled Johan into a tight embrace.
Johan pushed Raguel’s forehead away with one finger.
“What’s with the clinginess? Gross.”
He spoke that way, but Johan was clearly smiling as well.
Raguel truly felt like a younger brother to him.
Raguel scratched his head awkwardly.
“Haha, I was just so happy to see you... Sorry.”
Zalkarin shouted.
“Raguel! You rude fool! How dare you lay your hands on a great Transcendent Being who has overcome even space and time?!”
Zalkarin’s eyes were full of reverence.
The imp was showing Johan sincere respect.
Normally, Johan would have found it burdensome, but even that felt welcome now.
“Zalkarin, you haven’t changed.”
Zalkarin raised its slender arms high.
“I always serve with utmost loyalty!”
Raguel shoved Zalkarin aside.
“But Johan, what is going on?”
“What do you mean?”
“How are you here in this room when you’re supposed to be in the Royal Capital?”
Just as Johan was about to answer, a sweet voice came from somewhere.
“Like this.”
Zalkarin and Raguel turned toward the voice.
Ilea was there.
More precisely, her figure had appeared on the surface of a mirror.
Raguel’s eyes went wide.
Zalkarin grew furious.
“I-Ilea!”
“You creepy Witch! Were you hiding there and watching us?!”
Ilea extended her hand.
The mirror’s surface rippled like a lake, and her arm slid smoothly out.
Raguel was so startled that he could not even open his mouth.
Zalkarin also stood frozen, watching her.
At last, Ilea stepped completely out of the mirror.
She smiled with her eyes.
“Lady Lumina really is an Archmage. I didn’t expect it to work this easily.”
Johan nodded.
“Thanks to her, I have acquired a very useful power. Things will become much easier from now on. I should repay Lumina somehow.”
Through Mirror Transfer Magic, the limits of space and time had almost vanished for Johan.
He could now appear wherever and whenever he wished.
Depending on how he used it, it could grant him power close to omnipotence.
Johan was quite pleased.
Raguel spoke in a flustered voice.
“W-What is all this? How did Ilea come out of the mirror, and who is Lumina...?”
Johan cut him off.
“I’ll explain everything later. We have something else to do now.”
Since he had returned home after so long, there was something he needed to check.
Ilea said, “I’ll bring Gryan. You go down to the basement first.”
Johan intended to visit the Forbidden Archive.
He needed to check on the Third Prince, Gawain.
He had been corrupted by the Evil Spear and was turning into a demon.
By now, he might have undergone a complete demonic transformation.
Johan nodded.
“Let’s go.”
He headed straight for the underground library.
* * *
As always, the Forbidden Archive scattered a brilliant radiance.
Countless sacred relics welcomed Johan.
Yet among those splendid colors, the presence that stood out most was, ironically, a deep and dense darkness.
At the very center of the Forbidden Archive stood a demon wrapped in violet Demonic Energy.
Bound by all manner of restraints, the creature gave Johan a slick smile.
The Third Prince, Gawain. He had now fully fallen into demonhood.
“...It has been a long time, Lord Johan.”
As his gloomy voice echoed through the Forbidden Archive, Hakain, who had been dozing beside Gawain, stretched.
“Your Highness, are you at it again? I told you Baron is in the Royal Capital right now.”
Hakain had been assigned to watch over the Third Prince.
The Sword Demon Hakain’s mental strength was firm enough that even living beside a demon could not shake him.
As proof, Hakain had never once been ensnared by Gawain and had faithfully carried out his duty.
This time was no different.
Hakain dismissed all of Gawain’s words as nonsense.
Gawain’s violet eyes glowed.
“Sir Hakain, can you not see Lord Johan?”
Hakain let out a deep sigh and looked in the direction Gawain was staring.
“What are you talking about now... Good heavens!”
Startled, he fell from his chair.
Johan gave a quiet laugh.
“Hakain, it has been a while. Did your family arrive safely?”
Hakain’s family had originally been held hostage by the Count of Staviana, but Johan had returned them to Hakain.
In return, Hakain had become Johan’s loyal subordinate.
He was capable and faithful.
“O-Of course. They’re living well in the village now. But Baron, didn’t you say you would be staying in the Royal Capital for a while?”
“It would take a while to explain. More importantly, how is Gawain?”
Hakain glanced at Gawain.
“As you can see, Your Highness has completely fallen. A little of his human appearance remains, but he’s a full demon now.”
Gawain’s skin and hair had turned a deep violet.
His eyes were an ominous purple as well.
Anyone could see that Gawain was a demon.
He smiled broadly.
“Lord Johan, are you satisfied now?”
His low, sinister voice echoed through the archive.
Johan spoke calmly.
“It is not time to be satisfied yet. Gawain, you have not become my Thrall.”
Johan had not killed Gawain before.
Gawain had been a Transcendent from birth, and his strength had not vanished even after becoming a demon.
Gawain’s abilities would surely help Johan.
Johan wanted to bring Gawain to his side somehow.
That had not changed.
Gawain began to giggle.
“...A Thrall. Do you truly think you can contain me with your power, Lord Johan?”
The fallen Gawain likely possessed power comparable to that of an Archdemon.
The moment he was released from here, the world would be swallowed by disaster.
There were few beings in the Material Realm capable of stopping Gawain.
Even Mapheltan would likely find him difficult to control.
Johan spoke evenly.
“An uncontrollable weapon is only discarded. Gawain, if you refuse to submit, I cannot let you live.”
Gawain shook his head.
The chains binding him creaked.
“No, that is not it. You will probably need my power, Lord Johan. I can tell just by the fact that you kept me alive. In that case, shall I make a suggestion?”
Johan shrugged.
“Well, that is not entirely wrong. Let me hear it.”
A strange light entered Gawain’s violet eyes.
He spoke in a chilling voice.
“What if we stand side by side and trample this world together? If you and I join forces, even the moonlight will lose its glow.”
In short, he was proposing an equal partnership.
Johan had no desire for that.
If he could not possess that power, it would be far better to dispose of it.
“Gawain, you have only two choices. Die, or live as my slave. There is nothing else.”
Gawain gave a bitter sneer.
“Could it be that you fear me, Lord Johan?”
Johan’s expression remained calm.
“Think whatever you like. I have already made my intentions clear.”
Gawain began to giggle. His laughter grew louder.
Soon, mad laughter echoed through the archive.
The countless sacred relics in the Forbidden Archive reacted to his malice and Demonic Energy.
Demonic Energy and Holy Power mixed together.
Darkness and light intertwined and flickered.
The Forbidden Archive flashed as though night and day were alternating.
Johan clicked his tongue.
“I will give you time to think. Decide how you will conduct yourself by tomorrow.”
Just as he was about to leave, Gawain spoke.
“Wait.”
“Do you still have something to say?”
Gawain leaned back in his chair with a relaxed expression.
“Fine. Fine. It seems I have no choice.”
“It is fortunate that you understand, even now.”
Gawain pretended to consider it before speaking.
“I’ll become your Thrall. Even rolling in a field of shit is better than the afterlife.”
Johan frowned.
Gawain’s attitude had changed too suddenly.
He had made his decision far too quickly.
Johan felt an uneasy sense of dissonance.
Something felt wrong.
“Once we make the contract, you will be bound by a Prohibition. You will be compelled to obey me. Do you understand that?”
A Thrall Contract surpassed every other kind of contract.
Unless one was someone like Beris, the Apostle who governed contracts, no one could violate a Thrall Contract.
The same went for Gawain.
The moment they entered into the contract, he would become Mapheltan’s servant.
Gawain wore a bitter smile.
“Of course. Come on, write up the contract. I want to get out of this tiresome place.”
Even if he became bound as Johan’s Thrall, Gawain wanted to regain his freedom.
That was what he meant.
Johan narrowed his eyes.
“How strange.”
Gawain snorted.
“I said I would become your Thrall. Are you still afraid of me? What could you possibly accomplish with such a small heart? I am truly disappointed.”
Gawain was provoking him like a demon.
He was more skilled at it than Johan had expected.
Of course, Johan felt no emotional disturbance.
Only rational thoughts filled his mind.
There is definitely something behind this.
“Before the contract, I will confirm just one thing.”
Gawain wore a relaxed expression.
“Ask ten questions or a hundred. Just hurry up.”
Johan looked at Ilea.
“Ilea, I’m sorry, but we need to bring Serena here.”
He needed the Mind-Piercing Eye.
Even Johan had not expected to use her ability so soon.
Ilea nodded.
“That is the proper choice. I’ll bring her quickly.”
She immediately left the Forbidden Archive.
Before long, Serena came down to the archive.
The moment she saw the Forbidden Archive, she gave a dry laugh.
“...At this point, I’m not even surprised anymore.”
Too much had happened over the past few days.
Serena’s mind had grown quite resilient.
Johan spoke.
“My lady, please take a look inside this bastard’s black heart.”
Serena looked at Gawain.
The Mind-Piercing Eye began to activate.
The moment she heard Gawain’s true thoughts, Serena’s expression twisted.
Just as she was about to speak, Gawain sensed something and shouted.
“Get out of my head! You filthy, vulgar bitch!”
His words changed into Demon Language.
『 Do not peek into my mind, lowly creature! (Vel drash’tar, nosh val’een!)』
At the same time, Serena coughed up blood.
Red blood burst from her mouth and splashed across Gawain.
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