WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B
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◈ Whispers of a Scheming Demon ◈
Chapter 39: Gawain (2)
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Gawain began to lose control. Holy Power burst endlessly from his body.
The entire cave was covered in a pure white glow. To a demon, it was no different from a sealed chamber filled with deadly poison.
Johan writhed in pain.
Even Kazan’s corrupted ring could not protect him completely.
Strands of holy light touched Johan’s body.
A terrible burning sensation struck his skin.
‘I can’t hold on for long.’
At this rate, he might melt away and die.
He had to escape the cave as quickly as possible, but there was something he needed to do first.
He needed to plant a Dream Demon in Gawain.
It was a power that infiltrates a target’s subconscious and disrupts their mind. Johan intended to use it on Gawain just as he had used it on Baron Gryan shortly after possessing this body.
Suppressing his pain, Johan condensed Demonic Energy.
Black smoke began to seep from his palm, taking the shape of a small fairy.
It was a Dream Demon, capable of controlling the subconscious of intelligent beings.
To use a Dream Demon, he needed a complete understanding of the target he intended to infiltrate.
That condition was not difficult for Johan.
Having thoroughly read the novel, Johan knew not only Gawain himself but also his hidden history and political circumstances in great detail.
Johan commanded the Dream Demon.
‘Hide somewhere safe. Once Gawain’s rampage ends, make your move.’
He could not set the Dream Demon on Gawain in his current state.
The creature would not be able to withstand that vast Holy Power.
Only once Gawain’s rampage ended could the Dream Demon perform its role.
The small black fairy flew up to the cave ceiling, avoiding the Holy Power.
As soon as the Dream Demon concealed itself, Johan spread his wings.
‘I should get moving too.’
The concentration of Holy Power was steadily increasing. He could barely even open his eyes now. Without Kazan’s Ring, Johan would already have become a handful of ash.
He immediately launched himself forward, beating his wings desperately to escape the cave.
──────
Gawain’s sense of self was gradually fading. Amid his hazy consciousness, only an unpleasant sense of familiarity welled up.
‘...That feeling from before.’
An overwhelming sense of omnipotence filled him. At the same time, dreadful helplessness began to consume him.
Two feelings that could not coexist struck him at once.
Just like back then. Just like the day he pierced his mother with the Holy Spear.
With the power to do anything, he would be unable to protect anyone.
Gawain was powerful, yet utterly helpless.
‘I-I have to stop. No more.’
He was afraid. His dying mother kept appearing in his mind.
“Son, it wasn’t your fault. This mother does not blame you.”
His mother had not blamed her child, but he found himself utterly detestable.
“Do not cry. Steel your heart. This is all a trial, so overcome it and use your strength for humanity. Never forget. You are a child chosen by the Great Saint.”
Gawain had no confidence that he could uphold his mother’s final wish.
He could not control his own power.
Whenever he tried to protect someone or felt hostility toward another, he inevitably lost control.
Each time, an irreversible tragedy occurred.
Gawain had no choice but to become someone who avoided everything.
He always ran away. He acted like an easygoing idler and turned away from every conflict. He had lived only to avoid losing control.
Today, all those efforts had collapsed.
“...Pathetic bastard.”
He had fallen for a demon’s scheme.
“Damn it.”
With nothing but despair left, his reason went dark.
──────
“He couldn’t have gone far!”
“Search every inch!”
Though it was deep in the night, the surroundings were as bright as dawn.
Holy light was bursting out from all directions.
Clergy gathered from across the region had completely surrounded the area.
They had come to investigate the strange phenomenon in the southwest. They had also come to execute White Horn.
As for the latter, success was nearly assured.
White Horn was a rat trapped in a jar.
A Holy Power Sealing Formation covered dozens of kilometers around the area, while countless clergy searched the inside of the barrier with fervent eyes.
The only variable was the possibility that everyone gathered here could be wiped out by White Horn’s overwhelming strength, but even that was highly unlikely.
The Twelve Sacred Radiances were coming.
They were superhumans who had surpassed the limits of humanity. Every one of them was among the strongest forces against demons.
The Great Saint Church had dispatched the Twelve Sacred Radiances because it understood the gravity of the situation.
Once the Sacred Radiances arrived, White Horn would meet his death.
Victory was certain.
Then an unexpected change occurred.
“...W-what is that?”
Pure white flames rose from the middle of a hill within the barrier.
They were Holy Flames of exceptional purity.
“It’s a Sacred Radiance! A Sacred Radiance has arrived!”
There was no other way to explain such a dense concentration of Holy Power.
Someone spoke with a puzzled expression.
“T-that can’t be. There’s no way they could have arrived here from headquarters already.”
“They must have been carrying out another mission nearby!”
“What would a Sacred Radiance be doing in some backwater village in the south...”
Before the person could finish speaking, a massive explosion shook heaven and earth.
Everyone covered their ears.
A grating ringing echoed through their eardrums.
But the noise was not the problem.
The exploding Holy Flames were swallowing everything around them.
“R-run!”
“Take cover!”
The flames crashed over them like waves. Many clergy who could not escape in time were engulfed by the Holy Flames.
Screams erupted from every direction.
Not because of burns.
Holy Flames did not burn humans.
The force of the explosion was striking them instead.
Crack! Thud!
Shattered rocks and severed trees scattered in every direction.
Amid the whitened surroundings, priests with little Sacred Power and young clerics were helplessly swept up in the blast force.
More and more people began to suffer critical injuries.
The moment the incident occurred, Yuri, a Royal Guard Knight, began taking control of the scene.
She had a procedure for this situation.
“Do not move more than ten steps from where you are! Use nearby objects to cover yourselves! Anything will do! Hide your presence! Under no circumstances can you draw His Highness the Third Prince’s attention!”
Several people swallowed groans upon hearing Yuri’s voice.
“The prince has lost control again...”
“Is that day’s nightmare repeating itself?”
“What was the Royal Guard doing?”
“This time, they must be held responsible!”
A tragedy like the one four years ago was beginning once more.
That day, the assassin who had infiltrated the Third Prince’s Palace, innocent palace attendants and knights, and even the queen, known as a wise woman, had all been killed.
And the culprit had been none other than the third prince.
Gawain the parricide. His rampage was happening again.
Fortunately, this time was different from that day.
There was a way to restrain the rampaging third prince.
Knight Yuri immediately ran toward the center of the explosion.
The Royal Guard followed after her.
‘That day’s tragedy cannot happen again.’
Several dozen elite soldiers rushed into the midst of the Holy Flames.
──────
‘One hour.’
That was how much time remained until sunrise.
Johan needed somewhere to hide for a while.
He searched from the sky for a new hiding place.
There was nothing.
‘There’s nowhere as good as that cave.’
It was terrible luck that he had encountered Gawain there. Yet, thinking about it again, it was not entirely an unpleasant situation.
He had gained the chance to use a Dream Demon against Gawain. He had gained the chance to control Gawain’s subconscious.
If he used it well, Gawain could become a useful card.
A card for dealing with Count Staviana.
The situation itself was not going badly, either.
Every eye within the barrier was fixed on Gawain.
The rampaging third prince had tied down the elite forces, while the other clergy were busy hiding themselves.
Almost no one was paying attention to Johan.
His plan had worked perfectly.
‘It’s fortunate this is an improvised vanguard.’
Once a properly organized unit joined them later, a distraction like this would no longer work. By then, however, the sun would have already risen.
Johan would become human, and the Holy Power Sealing Formation would not stop him.
He would be able to calmly slip out of the encirclement.
Certain of his survival, Johan landed on the branch of a huge tree.
‘I just need to hold out for one hour.’
The moment he made that resolve, a thunderous noise erupted.
A beam of light shot upward in the distance ahead of him.
Johan narrowed his eyes and stared at it. His expression immediately twisted.
“Gawain!”
Gawain was ascending at tremendous speed. Throwing off countless chains and shackles, he soared into the night sky.
‘He shouldn’t even be capable of flight yet.’
Johan let out a hollow laugh.
Was that a pure leap? His physical abilities were absurdly immense.
As Johan marveled at it, Gawain suddenly began whipping his head around in the air.
Before long, their eyes met.
It was chilling. A coldness ran up Johan’s spine and spread throughout his body.
The murderous intent and hostility in Gawain’s eyes pierced Johan like spikes.
“...This is insane.”
Gawain dropped. The moment he set foot on the ground, the earth shook.
Heavy footsteps began to ring out.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
The sound drew closer. One tree after another fell ahead of Johan. A streak of light raced through the dark sea of trees.
‘Damn it!’
He was coming.
Johan immediately spread his wings.
‘Just hold out a little longer. Sunrise is close.’
He flew into the air.
Immediately afterward, a pure white flash shot up from the ground.
Holy Spear Espada. The sacred weapon wrapped in Holy Flames tore through the air as it flew toward him.
He had to dodge it.
The moment it touched him, it would leave a wound that would never heal.
No, it might kill him instantly.
Johan stopped beating his wings. Like a gliding bird, he remained still in midair.
The Holy Spear passed right in front of his nose and shot into the sky above.
A sharp shriek of air followed.
He had barely avoided it.
Before he could feel relief, an enormous presence leaped into the night sky.
Johan moved his gaze to react.
It was already too late.
His vision caught only a white afterimage.
A scream-like shout came from higher above.
“White Horn!”
Johan tilted his head back. Holy Flames were approaching. His vision turned white.
‘This is dangerous...’
Smack!
A fist wrapped in Holy Power struck Johan in the face.
White ripples spread through the night sky.
Johan’s body fell in a straight line and crashed into the ground.
“Cough...!”
Black blood burst from his eyes and mouth.
His back ached as though it had been shattered.
He felt as though he might lose consciousness.
‘No. I need to stay awake.’
After enduring this much, he could not be defeated so meaninglessly.
Johan forcibly raised his upper body.
“Where is he...”
Before he could finish, a flash gleamed between the trees to his left.
Johan instinctively threw himself backward.
Whoosh!
The Holy Spear grazed past him and embedded itself in a rock to his right.
Fragments of shattered stone flew everywhere.
But Johan did not remain dazed.
He squeezed out every last bit of strength and began to run.
A cliff appeared before him. If he could get beyond it, he would gain time.
Gawain had no ability to fly, so he would have to go around.
Even with his physical abilities, he could not jump across the gorge.
Johan kicked off the ground and spread his enormous wings.
The moment he flew from the cliff, a shriek of air came from behind him.
A chill ran down his back.
He looked behind him.
The Holy Spear was rushing toward him.
Johan’s expression twisted.
‘I can’t avoid it. Then...’
He twisted his body in midair.
Crack!
Black blood scattered through the air.
The massive shaft of the spear had lodged in his shoulder.
Holy Flames burned the demon’s flesh.
Demonic Energy and Holy Power tangled wildly together.
Johan’s red eyes flickered madly. With every blink, they lost more color.
‘Sunrise...’
Even as his consciousness faded, his gaze turned toward the night sky.
The once-black sky was brightening into a bluish shade.
‘Have I passed the worst of it?’
His black wings folded weakly. His reason slowly faded. Sleep was approaching.
Without resisting, he closed his eyes.
Johan’s body slowly fell.
Into the gorge below.
──────
“Sir, are you awake?”
Beyond his hazy vision, Johan saw the silhouettes of two people.
They were an old man and a girl. Both wore ragged clothes, and their faces were dirty.
‘...Where am I?’
Johan braced himself against the floor and slowly rose.
“Here, some water. Have a drink.”
Taking the cup the old man offered, Johan looked around.
A small fire burned in the middle of the room. A wooden door stood before him, while old bedding occupied one corner.
It appeared to be a private home.
“Who are you? Why am I here?”
Johan could not properly grasp the situation.
The old man spoke.
“My grandchild found you collapsed by the river and brought you here. Forgive us, but we are itinerant slash-and-burn farmers.”
Only then did Johan come to his senses.
‘Gawain!’
He had fallen into the gorge while fleeing from Gawain, then been rescued by these people.
‘I survived.’
Johan let out a sigh of relief.
“You took care of me despite not knowing me. I owe you a great debt. I will certainly repay this kindness.”
He intended to reward them generously. As the heir to a vast territory, Johan could provide what itinerant slash-and-burn farmers lacked most.
The old man waved his hands.
“A debt? Not at all. You have not even been lying here for half a day, and we did not help you expecting payment.”
The instant the old man finished speaking, Johan’s expression stiffened.
‘Wait. Half a day?’
He abruptly rose to his feet.
Startled by Johan’s sudden behavior, the old man asked,
“W-what is wrong?”
If he had been unconscious for nearly half a day, it meant the sun would soon set again.
‘This is bad!’
Johan hurried to the door and flung it open.
His expression turned to shock.
The sun was setting.
Sunset had begun.
Several villagers turned their eyes toward Johan as he suddenly emerged.
From inside the room, the old man said,
“The day is ending, so for today...”
Johan could not hear him.
The coming tragedy consumed all his thoughts.
He would soon transform into a demon.
Everyone before him would witness it.
What was he supposed to do with all of them?
Johan could find no answer.
As he stood frozen in place, the sun completely disappeared.
Pitch-black darkness descended upon the settlement.
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