WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B
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◈ Whispers of a Scheming Demon ◈
Chapter 192: Deal (2)
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“...Very well. Watcher of Narak, I accept all your demands. I, Michael Valerion, shall issue an edict upon returning to the Imperial Capital and appoint you Grand Duke of Myatro.”
Emperor Michael spoke in the most solemn voice he could manage.
Johan stared at him before speaking.
“Your Majesty, excuse me for a moment.”
He turned around and removed a small badge attached to his collar.
The badge was an artifact specially crafted by Archmage Lumina.
Mirror Magic had been inscribed on it.
Serena’s face appeared on its surface.
She had already used the Mind-Piercing Eye to confirm the Emperor’s true feelings.
“Sir Johan, every promise His Majesty made is a lie. All he wants is to escape this situation.”
The moment Johan heard Serena whisper through the mirror, he snickered.
“I knew it.”
“Be careful. His Majesty... no, His Holiness considers you dangerous.”
Johan spoke in a very low voice.
“Right. Thank you. That helped a lot.”
Johan stood alone with his back turned, fidgeting with something. Shaperia, Michael, and Medein all watched him in confusion.
Why was the Watcher of Narak suddenly acting like that? What was he doing all of a sudden? They could not help but wonder.
Shaperia cautiously approached Johan.
“My lord, is something wrong? Did White Horn place a curse on you?”
Johan immediately slipped the badge into his pocket.
“I merely needed time to think. Shaperia, do you know everything that has happened?”
On the surface, Johan was the victim caught in a trap.
He had been behind everything, but Shaperia did not know that.
Johan needed to put on something of an act.
Shaperia answered at once.
“I have a rough grasp of the situation.”
“Tell me everything you know.”
“Understood.”
She began whispering into Johan’s ear.
She summarized the situation for him.
Johan slowly nodded.
“...I understand well enough.”
“I am not very eloquent. Please forgive me.”
“No, that was enough.”
Johan turned back to the Emperor.
Medein frowned.
“...Sir Johan, I believe you are being somewhat disrespectful. Do not forget that His Majesty is here.”
Johan slightly lowered his head toward the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, forgive me. There was something I needed to confirm.”
Michael shook his head.
“There is no need to apologize. More importantly, I must now return to the Royal Capital.”
“Of course. You should return.”
“Upon arriving at the palace, I shall issue an edict to King Roderic of Artelga and have you appointed Duke-King. At our next meeting, I shall have to call you ‘Your Grace’ instead of ‘Sir.’ I will be sure not to make that mistake. I shall be leaving now.”
The King of Artelga was Roderic.
Roderic was already in Johan’s grasp.
Johan only needed the Emperor’s approval.
He had just received it.
Most of the conditions needed for the title of Duke-King were now in place.
Just as the Emperor was about to leave, Johan spoke.
“Before you go, please leave behind one token of trust, Your Majesty.”
“...A token of trust?”
Johan nodded.
“I need insurance. You may set another trap for me, as you did this time.”
There was a barb in his words.
Though it was a fairly open accusation, Michael could not easily rebuke Johan.
Everything Johan said was true, and Johan held the upper hand.
Michael’s expression twisted slightly.
“Say directly what you want.”
Johan’s gaze shifted elsewhere.
‘Hans’ was leaning against a great tree with his eyes closed.
“I heard from Shaperia that someone named ‘Hans’ is responsible for all of this?”
Michael’s eyes trembled slightly.
“Hans is not an option. Hans is...”
“Your Majesty’s weak point. I will take Hans as my token of trust.”
Johan gave Shaperia a look.
Michael turned to Medein as well.
Shaperia was slightly faster.
In an instant, she seized Hans and brought him before Johan.
Medein swallowed a groan.
Michael’s face stiffened.
“H-Hans!”
Johan spoke calmly.
“The moment Your Majesty issues the edict, I will personally see Hans returned to your side.”
Michael flew into a rage.
“What treason is this?! No matter how great your influence may be, I am the Emperor! Do you dare make an enemy of the Empire?!”
Johan’s expression turned cold.
He spoke in an icy voice.
“Your Majesty, we do not stand in the relationship of sovereign and subject. Even if we did, if a sovereign does not uphold righteousness toward a subject, that subject cannot serve the sovereign. Since Your Majesty led me into a den of evil, do not expect loyalty from me.”
Johan’s words were entirely sound.
The Emperor could not refute them.
“Y-You truly...”
“We will simply exchange compensation through our deal. Your Majesty, make the right choice and reclaim Hans.”
Johan turned away and began walking.
Michael shouted in a trembling voice.
“Stop! I have not finished speaking!”
Johan ignored the imperial command.
Michael looked to Medein for help.
Medein slowly shook their head.
“...Your Majesty, there is nothing we can do for now.”
Right was entirely on Johan’s side.
He also held the advantage in force.
Now was the time to retreat.
Medein had already assessed the situation.
“This is an imperial command! Stop the Watcher of Narak at once!”
Medein dropped to one knee.
“I refuse. Upon our return to the Imperial Capital, please have this disloyal one hanged to pay the price.”
Medein valued the Emperor’s life above all else.
If the conflict continued, Medein would no longer be able to protect the Emperor.
It was best to settle matters here.
Michael raged, but Medein only kept his head lowered in silence.
Johan gradually grew distant before finally vanishing from sight.
* * *
Inside the moving carriage, Johan quietly stared out the window, lost in thought.
From the moment he boarded the carriage until now, he had not spoken once.
Shaperia spoke with a worried expression.
“...My lord, what are you thinking about so deeply?”
“After going through so much, my thoughts are a little complicated.”
Johan was genuinely exhausted.
Things had gone according to plan, but the result was not ideal.
His relationship with the Emperor had become strained.
Now that Johan had kidnapped ‘Hans,’ the Emperor would forever hold a grudge against him.
‘If he had simply granted me the title of Duke-King, there would have been no conflict.’
Michael, no, Valerion I, had lied to Johan until the end.
The moment he returned to the Imperial Capital, he would likely have put political pressure on Johan.
He would not have kept his promise to appoint Johan Duke-King.
Since Serena’s Mind-Piercing Eye had confirmed his true feelings, Johan had no choice but to take out insurance in the form of Hans.
As long as Johan held Hans, he would certainly become Duke-King.
‘The problem comes after that.’
The moment Hans returned to the Emperor, that insurance would disappear.
The resentful Emperor might crush Johan.
Johan did not yet have the strength to oppose the Empire.
Even a duchy was like a candle before the wind when facing the Empire.
The Empire was far too powerful.
‘I need shackles to bind the Emperor.’
From now on, the Emperor was an enemy.
As always, Johan intended to dig into his enemy’s weakness.
Hans would likely be the tool for that.
There was no better card than Hans.
How would it be best to use him?
As Johan remained deep in thought, Shaperia spoke.
“White Horn is the root cause of all this. As long as White Horn is targeting you, my lord, incidents like today’s will continue.”
Because of Mapheltan, everyone continued to suffer.
That was how Shaperia saw it.
Johan spoke.
“I agree, but there is no way to deal with him. You know how elusive he is.”
Mapheltan could appear anywhere and disappear again like smoke.
No detection-based ability meant anything before Mapheltan.
Shaperia understood that better than anyone.
After all, Shaperia was the human who had encountered Mapheltan most often.
She nodded.
“With ordinary methods, we will not even be able to touch a hair on his head. Everything about White Horn, including his abilities, is unknown to us. However, there is one thing we know.”
Johan looked interested.
“What is that?”
“For some reason, White Horn is targeting you, my lord.”
It seemed she had given White Horn much thought in her own way.
“Certainly, he wants me.”
“What if we use that fact?”
“How?”
“Let us set a trap. This time, we will lure White Horn into one, just as he does to us.”
Johan snickered.
“You mean to use me as bait to draw White Horn in.”
Shaperia lowered her head.
“Forgive my boldness. It is dangerous, but it will surely be effective.”
“Tell me your plan.”
“At the Great Saint Church headquarters, there is a first-grade sacred relic called the Great Saint’s Grasp. It is a Holy Relic that seizes all impure beings. No matter how powerful Mapheltan is, he will not be able to escape the Great Saint’s Grasp.”
The Great Saint’s Grasp. It was a Holy Relic that had been used several times in the original story.
Saint’s Grasp, the Great Saint’s Grasp, held every sentient being that was not human and never released them.
Once caught by Saint’s Grasp, no being could escape.
Even Mapheltan would be rendered helpless.
Johan slowly nodded.
“That certainly has potential.”
“If you wish it, my lord, the Great Saint Church will gladly lend us Saint’s Grasp. I will contact them.”
Shaperia was desperate to capture Mapheltan.
In her view, Johan could not be safe as long as White Horn existed.
Johan fell into thought.
‘...Wait. Saint’s Grasp?’
Apart from subjugating Mapheltan, Johan thought of another good idea.
Saint’s Grasp seized everything the Great Saint Church deemed impure.
That included ghosts.
Valerion I, Michael’s guardian spirit, was a ghost.
If Valerion I were caught by Saint’s Grasp... Michael would no longer be a threat to Johan.
‘Why did I not think of this before?’
Johan’s lips curled into a broad smile.
He could use Saint’s Grasp to place shackles on the Emperor.
He spoke with a satisfied expression.
“Shaperia, that was very good advice. I need Saint’s Grasp immediately.”
Shaperia’s expression brightened.
She was happy to have been helpful.
“I will contact the Great Saint Church right away.”
Johan shook his head.
“No one can know that we borrowed Saint’s Grasp.”
Valerion I would naturally know about Saint’s Grasp’s abilities as well.
The moment word spread that Johan had borrowed Saint’s Grasp, Valerion I would prepare for it.
Johan had to act in complete secrecy.
Shaperia murmured softly.
“...I see. If White Horn learns that you possess Saint’s Grasp, my lord, there will be no point in setting a trap.”
She had no idea what Johan truly intended.
All her attention was focused on White Horn.
“For that reason, Shaperia, I have a request.”
Shaperia answered immediately.
“A request? Please give me your command.”
Johan gave a somewhat sinister smile.
“Can you secretly take Saint’s Grasp from the Great Saint Church?”
Shaperia’s eyes shook.
“You mean... steal it?”
Johan nodded.
“I will give you ten days. Can you do it?”
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