WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B
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◈ Whispers of a Scheming Demon ◈
Chapter 33: Evil Book (1)
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Shaperia was confused enough to feel dizzy.
It was because of the unfamiliar emotions she felt toward Johan.
An inexplicable affection kept rising within her.
She felt drawn to him as if by a magnet.
Was she truly developing feelings for a boy barely ten years old? No. A young lady who would undergo her coming-of-age ceremony in a few years could not possibly take an interest in a child who had not even reached puberty.
Shaperia was not twisted enough for that.
These feelings had to be a misunderstanding.
She took a deep breath.
After collecting herself, she spoke.
“...I made a fool of myself. I apologize.”
Johan snickered and spoke jokingly.
“You told me not to come closer, so I thought I was a pile of shit.”
Shaperia hurriedly waved her hands.
“N-no! That’s not it. I merely...”
“It was a joke. Just a joke. You were so tense that I decided to tease you a little. Your reaction is quite amusing, though.”
“That’s rather cruel of you.”
Her voice was barely audible.
Johan wanted to tease her more, but he restrained himself.
There was a far more important matter to discuss.
He spoke.
“Haha, I took the joke too far. Shall we return to the matter at hand? You said you had a favor to ask.”
What could Shaperia possibly want? Johan could not guess.
Shaperia calmed herself and said,
“I know this is presumptuous, but I would like to stay at the lord’s castle for a few weeks. I would be grateful if you would permit it.”
Had she been cast out of the Great Saint Church because she had lost her power? Even so, coming all the way to Myatro territory, where she had no connections, to seek shelter was strange.
The Shaperia Johan knew was not that shameless.
Hiding his confusion, he said,
“It isn’t difficult, but I would like to hear the reason. It feels as though you left with the Pilgrimage Party only yesterday, yet you have returned alone and are making such a request. I’m a little taken aback.”
Shaperia let out a deep sigh.
“The Pilgrimage Party suffered a serious incident.”
“What sort of incident?”
“It isn’t truly a secret, and the world will learn of it soon enough. I will tell you.”
She explained the situation during the attack in detail.
Except for anything concerning the knight Rail.
Johan pretended to look troubled.
“A Horned Demon was not enough, and now an Apostle has appeared as well. If everything you have said is true, does that not mean the Ominous Book’s prophecy has begun?”
The Ominous Book was the demons’ bible. It was also called the Apocalypse of the End.
According to its prophecy, the reappearance of an Apostle marked the beginning of the end.
Shaperia spoke with a grim expression.
“It’s not as though I believe in the prophecies of some Ominous Book, but this incident is undeniably a sign of misfortune to come.”
It had been the same five hundred years ago. Beginning with the appearance of an Apostle, the world had fallen into great chaos.
Had it not been for the Seven Holy Heroes and Great Saint Marziel, the world would have perished long ago.
Unfortunately, they were not here this time.
Johan said,
“Then to stop that misfortune, we must first determine the Apostle’s goal.”
“It remains unclear. Even the Holy Relic is unharmed, so the Great Saint Church’s investigation party is having difficulty with the case.”
Johan slowly nodded. He remained silent for some time, as though lost in thought, before speaking.
“I understand the situation. But one thing is missing. Why exactly do you wish to remain here?”
“As I said, I lost my Sacred Power during the battle with the Apostle. My position as a Holy Knight has been revoked, and for the time being, I must travel to Holy Sites as an ascetic.”
There was a superstition that visiting every Holy Site would restore lost Sacred Power.
It was nonsense.
There was no way to regain Sacred Power.
Shaperia added,
“The nearest Holy Site lies in Narak.”
She turned toward the door through which Baron Gryan had left.
“If the Watcher of Narak permits it, I would like to visit that Holy Site.”
In short, Shaperia wished to stay at the lord’s castle, then depart for the Holy Site once Narak opened during the full moon.
Johan felt uneasy.
She was likely one of the few survivors of the attack. At a time when she should have been summoned everywhere to give testimony, she intended to live comfortably as an ascetic? It was somewhat unnatural.
Johan lightly tapped the armrest with his index finger as he quietly stared at Shaperia.
Perhaps burdened by his gaze, she lowered her eyes and cleared her throat, showing visible discomfort.
After a moment of silence, Johan spoke.
“Very well. I will have a room prepared for you. I will also open Narak during the full moon.”
“R-really? But as for Narak, the Watcher of Narak should...”
“I’ll speak to Father. Do not worry.”
Shaperia felt a strange sense of dissonance. At some point, she had begun to treat Johan as though he were the head of the house.
The lord was clearly present, yet a child barely ten years old held the authority to make decisions. It should have felt unnatural, but everyone accepted it as a matter of course.
Even Shaperia.
‘He is no ordinary boy.’
She felt she needed to treat him more carefully.
She said,
“Thank you for your kindness. May the Great Saint’s blessing be with you.”
“Helping a messenger of God is a noble’s duty. Make yourself comfortable.”
Johan rose from his seat.
“I will assign a servant to guide you to your room. Rest well today.”
After a few more formalities, they went their separate ways.
Johan immediately summoned Gaf and Ilea.
It seemed there was something he had overlooked.
* * *
Gaf and Ilea sat side by side across from Johan.
Ilea met Johan’s eyes comfortably, but Gaf stubbornly stared at the floor.
Johan snickered.
“How long are you going to avoid my gaze?”
Recently, Gaf had never looked Johan directly in the eye. He always looked toward distant mountains or lowered his gaze.
It was because of the Great Saint’s Eye.
Ilea smiled gently.
“Father, you know the secret of that eye. The effect of mental powers like that is usually weakened when the target understands them. It isn’t complete immunity, of course, but you’ll fare better than most. You cannot keep avoiding Young Master forever, so try practicing looking directly at that eye. In the end, it’s a contest of willpower, and Father knows that field inside out.”
Persuaded by his daughter, Gaf slowly raised his head. The moment he met Johan’s gaze, he immediately lowered it again.
“Damn it. It feels disgusting.”
“You really have no trouble saying such things to someone’s face.”
“Person, my ass.”
Ilea let out a small sigh as she watched them, then immediately changed the subject.
“Why did that woman come here?”
Johan briefly told them what Shaperia had said.
Suspicion filled Ilea’s face.
“They haven’t even uncovered the circumstances of the attack, yet they are sending their most important witness away? That’s rather strange.”
Ilea had voiced the same doubt Johan held.
Johan nodded.
“We should look into her. Gaf, that’s probably your specialty?”
A mercenary would have experienced all kinds of dirty work.
Following someone and gathering intelligence should be familiar work.
“What do you want?”
“Watch Shaperia’s every move and report everything to me.”
“So this is the price for sparing that child’s life. Shouldn’t you have killed her then?”
“Do you truly wish I had?”
Gaf did not answer. He only frowned.
Johan snickered.
“Now move. It’s time to work.”
Gaf was unwilling, but he had no choice but to follow Johan’s order. Like it or not, they were in the same boat.
He immediately left the room.
Once they were alone, Ilea spoke.
“The Great Saint Church’s investigation party must be spread all across the south by now.”
“It was expected. An Apostle has appeared, after all.”
“The appearance of an Apostle is the beginning of the end. The public will connect this incident to the Ominous Book’s prophecy.”
“That’s what I wanted. Humanity must prepare for the end.”
In the original work, their response had come far too late. Five hundred years of peace had made humanity dull.
Johan had instilled a sense of urgency in them.
By deliberately causing an Apostle to appear.
Ilea formed a strange smile.
“In the end, House Myatro will gain power again.”
She was right. House Myatro had declined alongside the demons’ fall, but once fear of evil surfaced again, the Watcher of Narak would reclaim their past authority.
Johan nodded.
“You are clever. You understood the point exactly.”
“Thank you for the compliment. But is that all Johan intends?”
“What do you mean?”
“I was suddenly wondering whether the reason you planted a sense of urgency in humanity, even while walking such a dangerous tightrope, was only to strengthen House Myatro.”
By creating a major incident in the south, Johan had drawn the public’s attention.
For Johan, a Half-Demon, it was a great risk.
If he only cared about survival, he should have avoided such actions.
Unless he had another reason.
“What are you trying to say?”
Ilea smiled playfully.
“For example, perhaps Johan is actually playing the villain while acting for humanity’s sake.”
Johan frowned.
“Why would I, a demon, do that?”
“More precisely, you’re a Half-Demon. Neither demon nor human.”
Talking with Ilea often made Johan uncomfortable for no reason.
He wanted to end the conversation here.
Just as he was about to change the subject, Ilea said,
“But it doesn’t matter. I’m neither human nor demon either. When you think about it, we have a lot in common, don’t we?”
As though trying to escape the conversation, Johan rose from his seat.
“The sun will set soon. I should return underground.”
“I’ve already prepared it.”
“Prepared what?”
“Something we can only do at night.”
Johan’s brow furrowed.
“What are you talking about?”
“You promised me.”
“What promise...”
“That we would study Johan’s true nature.”
Johan let out an incredulous laugh.
“You haven’t been imagining anything strange, have you?”
Ilea kept chuckling as though she found it terribly amusing.
“If you keep saying pointless things, I’ll withdraw my promise.”
“Ah, that’s not fair!”
“I clearly told you last time. I can stop the research whenever I wish.”
Ilea mimed pinching her lips shut.
“Keep them that way.”
The two left the room together.
The closer they came to the underground chambers, the more anticipation filled Ilea’s eyes.
Johan grew increasingly tense. He was about to entrust his body to a Witch. Anyone would be afraid.
‘Should I stop even now?’
No. Johan also wanted to know his true nature, and this was a task he would have to face someday.
Better to take the beating sooner rather than later.
He steeled himself.
“Don’t be so tense.”
At some point, they had arrived underground.
“I won’t hurt you.”
At the same time, tiny flames flickered to life one by one in the dark study.
The surroundings grew bright.
Johan could not help but be startled.
“Ilea, you...”
She gave him a radiant smile.
“It will be a very long night, Young Master.”
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