Whispers of a Scheming Demon - Chapter 31

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B

◈ Whispers of a Scheming Demon ◈

Chapter 31: Holy Relic (1)

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Silence settled over the once tumultuous hillside. The explosions and thunderous crashes had vanished completely. No mountain birds sang, and the cries of beasts had disappeared as well.

The mountains were as quiet as death. Every sound made by living things had evaporated.

Would nature look like this if all life were stripped from it? Looking over the devastated surroundings, Ilea spoke.

“It turned into a wasteland in an instant. It was quite beautiful before.”

The green that had made up the forest had become black ash and pale smoke. The fragrant scent of the trees had long since been swallowed by the smell of death.

Most of the plants and animals were dead or gone.

It was because two transcendent beings had clashed.

Gaf spoke.

“...In the end, they’ll make the whole world like this. Johan, along with that demon bastard.”

“That can’t be. Nothing can grow in a wasteland like this. Humans couldn’t survive either. Without them, demons would have no reason to exist. Do you really think Johan would want such an ending?”

“The Apostles desire humanity’s extinction. Demons are nothing more than their underlings. Do you think Johan is any different?”

Ilea gave a strange smile and pointed ahead.

“Doesn’t he look a little different?”

Johan was walking toward them. Lifeless ancient trees stood all around him, creating a chilling sight.

Johan’s appearance added to the grim atmosphere.

Gaf stared in shock.

“D-don’t tell me that in your hand is...”

Ilea smiled with satisfaction.

“Johan isn’t an Apostle’s underling.”

Beris was being dragged along by the hair in Johan’s grasp.

It was a sight too incredible to believe. Having experienced an Apostle’s presence firsthand, Gaf could not accept it as reality.

Johan snickered.

“What’s with that stupid look?”

Gaf could not answer. He was too shocked to do anything but stand there stiffly.

Ilea said,

“You’re being too hard on Father. This is a situation worth being surprised by, isn’t it?”

Johan shrugged.

“Yet you’re calm.”

“Do I look that way? I was terribly surprised too.”

She added while dramatically stroking her chest.

“I thought my heart had sunk.”

Johan scoffed.

“Enough. Let’s finish this.”

He intended to collect the pieces of the Great Saint’s corpse first.

Just as Johan was about to move, a scream-like shout echoed through the mountains.

“You wretch! Will you not let go of me?!”

Beris thrashed wildly while being held by the hair.

“This is sacrilege! You’ll pay for it!”

Beris struggled like mad but could not escape Johan’s grip.

Shaperia had carved up Beris’s entire body, leaving Beris in a state beyond recovery.

Johan curled his lips into a long smile.

“Before I bear your anger, don’t you have something you need to answer for first?”

Beris had failed to fulfill the contract with Johan. Having failed to erase Shaperia, Beris would have to pay a terrible price.

“H-how dare you!”

“I’m very much looking forward to seeing what you look like after you turn back into an Imp.”

Beris would regress into a young demon. In the original work, Beris had suffered the same humiliation after failing to honor a contract with a mortal.

Beris’s already large eyes swelled much wider and trembled.

“You... from the very beginning...”

Ilea gave an innocent smile.

“An Imp with the potential to become an Apostle. Could I make them my familiar? If you permit it, I’ll train them to help Johan on his path.”

Ilea had lost her Crone Spirit because of Shaperia. She did need a familiar.

However, Johan could not give Beris to her.

Beris was the Apostle who governed contracts.

‘Beris may secretly interfere with the contract I made with Ilea.’

It would not be difficult for Beris to do so.

Johan spoke in a slightly cold voice.

“Impossible. You know the reason well enough.”

Ilea pretended to be crestfallen.

“It’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped.”

“Are you upset?”

“No. I rather like Johan’s caution.”

Her tone made it sound as though she were evaluating him.

Just as Johan was about to respond, Beris interrupted.

“...How laughable. Do you truly think insignificant creatures who cannot even overcome their own lifespans are capable of taking this body as their familiar? You are a thousand, no, ten thousand years too early!”

Black blood streamed from Beris’s eyes.

“I will not forget today’s humiliation. I will dwell on it again and again until it is carved into my bones.”

Beris’s resentful voice sank low. It was cold and so sharp that it felt as though an awl were boring into their eardrums.

Johan reflexively released Beris’s hair.

At the same time, Beris’s body shot into the sky. Beneath the full moon, Beris’s malice began to churn as if it were about to erupt.

Like a dying star, Beris swelled grotesquely. Black Demonic Energy continuously spewed from each red, swollen bulge.

“I swear upon the name Beris. I will grant you an end more terrible than death. You will scream and regret it for eternity!”

A blood-red magic circle decorated the night sky.

Contract Magic was being engraved upon the worldline.

Gaf, who had been watching, vomited a mouthful of blood. Ilea’s expression turned cold.

Johan clicked his tongue.

“Even split into ten pieces, an Apostle is still an Apostle. Beris won’t be easy to obtain.”

Beris let out a final scream.

“Await Judgment Day, and repent! Repent again and again!”

Then Beris’s body exploded. It became black Demonic Energy and scattered into the night sky.

Gaf collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.

“W-what in the world just happened?”

Ilea let out a quiet sigh.

“Unfortunately, Beris chose annihilation.”

“Beris still has nine souls left. It cannot truly be called annihilation.”

“They will all target Johan.”

“I’m not afraid at all. Beris will never again be whole.”

One of Beris’s ten souls had certainly been annihilated.

Even if all nine remaining souls returned, Beris would not be able to wield full power.

That gain alone was enough.

‘Making Beris a familiar was asking too much.’

Leaving his regret behind, Johan walked toward the coffin.

“Let’s finish this.”

The aftermath of what had just occurred still lingered, but Ilea spoke as calmly as she could.

“I’ve undone all the seals.”

All that remained was to open the coffin lid.

Johan nodded and opened it.

His face twisted severely. A vast concentration of Holy Power coiled within.

Had he not possessed Kazan’s Ring, Johan would have collapsed on the spot.

“Gaf, I need to borrow your hand.”

The light was too strong for demon eyes to even see inside.

Gaf swallowed a groan as he stepped forward.

“What should I do?”

“There should be a golden model shaped like an eye. Take it out.”

Gaf’s arm moved slowly. His hand trembled violently.

Johan clicked his tongue.

“Why hesitate after coming this far? Stop wasting time and bring it.”

“Damn it!”

Gaf grabbed something and handed it to Johan.

A holy relic rested in the demon’s black hand.

It was the gilded left eye of the Great Saint. It looked exactly as it had been described in the original work.

Johan immediately took a long glass tube from his backpack.

‘Polymorph Slime.’

It was a treasure that could imitate any object designated as its target.

Ilea let out a small exclamation.

“It seems the Forbidden Archive truly has everything.”

“House Myatro is called the kingdom’s treasury for a reason.”

As he spoke, Johan poured the liquid from the glass tube over the golden model.

Thick slime covered the Great Saint’s eye. It clung tightly to it and began to wriggle.

A moment later, the slime bounced into the air.

When Johan caught it, the slime was nowhere to be seen.

Only a model that had perfectly copied the Great Saint’s eye remained.

“Gaf, you know what you need to do.”

A swap.

With a complicated expression, Gaf carried out Johan’s instructions.

Ilea spoke.

“It’s a good ending. They’ll discover that the coffin was opened, but they won’t be certain that anything was stolen. There’s no appraiser who can identify a Polymorph Slime. At least, not in this kingdom.”

“However, it will be discovered someday. We’re only buying time.”

“The question is how we use that time.”

Johan silently nodded.

Ilea gripped her broom and said,

“Then shall we return quickly? We can’t waste even a moment.”

“Before that, where is Rail?”

Johan had told Ilea and Gaf to find Rail.

Gaf answered,

“I couldn’t even find the body. It seems he was caught in the clash and turned to dust. The horse too.”

Regret flashed across Johan’s face.

‘He was useful.’

As if she had suddenly remembered, Ilea asked,

“Ah, what about Shaperia?”

“Our objective has been achieved.”

A faint shadow fell over her face.

“It appears you spared her.”

“Well, she’s as good as dead.”

Gaf silently stared at Johan.

As if changing the subject, Johan spread his wings wide.

“Let’s go.”

Ilea relaxed her expression and playfully asked,

“Will you carry me again, like before?”

“Stop saying nonsense and take care of your father.”

With that, Johan rose into the night sky.

* * *

Dawn began to break. The time had come for warm sunlight to melt the cold night and fill frozen nature with the sounds of life.

Today was different.

The sun had risen, but the hillside remained quiet and cold.

It was even more hopeless than the night. Under the sunlight, the previous night’s tragedy was laid bare.

Animal corpses were scattered everywhere, and uprooted ancient trees blocked the paths.

Because of the Apostle’s malice, the land and water were rapidly rotting.

The only thing with color was the red hair glittering beneath the sun.

Shaperia. Leaning on an iron sword, she walked through the wasteland.

“...I-I need to find the coffin first.”

The Apostle and the Horned Demon must have attacked to seek the Great Saint’s corpse.

There was no other explanation.

There was no reason for high-ranking demons like them to appear in this southern backwater for anything else.

“Is anyone there?! Archbishop! Holy Knight!”

Because the terrain had changed so much, it was difficult to find the campsite. No survivors were in sight either.

Had everyone died?

“Damn it!”

Shaperia crumpled to the ground. Her stamina had long since run dry. If only she still had Sacred Power, things would have been different. Without God’s grace, she was nothing.

Tears flowed from her eyes in despair.

She hated her own helplessness.

She struck the pile of rocks before her hard.

At the same time, the gravel stirred.

Shaperia’s eyes widened.

A rough hand protruded from between the stones.

“A-are you alive?!”

Using every last bit of her strength, she began digging through the pile of rocks.

“Please wait a moment! I’ll get you out soon!”

After digging for some time, the interior was exposed.

There was a man inside. A young man with blond hair. His appearance was somehow familiar.

“You...!”