WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B
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◈ Whispers of a Scheming Demon ◈
Chapter 72: The Count's Domain (2)
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In Staviana’s direct domain, countless lines of people were crossing the drawbridge leading into the city of Beldana.
The crowds stretched on endlessly.
Merchants, ascetics, pilgrims, mercenaries, immigrants, travelers, adventurers, provincial nobles, and more. The line was filled with people from every walk of life.
Johan was among them.
He had already been waiting for his turn for several hours.
With so many people gathered here, the inspection was taking quite a while.
He was bored to death, but the others did not seem particularly bothered. This was probably ordinary for them.
Entering Beldana had always been difficult.
Johan yawned without realizing it.
Ilea smiled and lightly slipped her index finger into his mouth.
Johan’s expression crumpled slightly.
“Are you bored?”
“A little. No, actually, I’m bored to death.”
There could not be a bigger waste of time than this.
“It’ll be our turn soon. Bear with it a little longer.”
“Can’t we just show them the invitation and go in?”
Ilea pointed to the line beside them.
There was no one waiting there.
Only the occasional luxurious carriage entered through it, passing the inspection in an instant.
That line was likely for high-ranking officials or guests invited by the Count.
Johan had the right to use it as well.
He possessed the Count’s invitation.
Johan shook his head.
“The Count must not learn that we are here.”
If they used the other checkpoint, word would surely reach the Count that House Myatro had arrived.
Johan did not want that.
Ilea spoke.
“Is there something you need to do without the Count knowing?”
“That’s right. So I need a little help from you.”
Within the Count’s domain, Ilea’s very presence was a great asset.
With her, many matters could be handled more easily.
Ilea smiled.
“It starts now, then.”
It was Johan’s turn for inspection.
“I’m counting on you.”
A soldier clad in iron armor approached them.
“Present your travel permit.”
All they needed was an identification plaque, a family seal, or a travel permit.
Johan held out a blank white sheet of paper.
The soldier’s expression twisted.
“Are you mocking me? There’s nothing on this.”
Ilea spoke to him.
“Look more closely. You’ll change your mind.”
At the same time, her blue pupils flashed.
The soldier froze for a moment, as though time had stopped.
A short while later, he opened his mouth.
“Pass!”
Ilea glanced at Johan with a faint smile in her eyes.
“This is what you meant, right?”
Thanks to her, they could enter the city without exposing their identities.
Johan nodded.
“Well done. Keep doing that from now on.”
The two soon entered the city of Beldana.
* * *
Those who saw Beldana for the first time were often overwhelmed by its imposing presence.
The spires piercing the sky seemed like warnings not to even think of climbing them, while the intricately intertwined canals quietly imposed control.
Few cities in this age were as prosperous and organized as Beldana.
Every country bumpkin who came up from the provinces would stand there with their mouth hanging open in amazement.
Johan and Ilea were somewhat different.
Neither felt much about Beldana.
In the world Johan had originally lived in, a city like this appeared only in history books. Having lived in a far more advanced civilization, Beldana felt like a remnant of the past to him.
It was no different for Ilea.
She possessed fragments of the previous Witch’s memories.
Compared to the splendid ancient Witch civilization engraved in her mind, Beldana was insignificant.
Buildings raised by human labor could not move her in the slightest.
Johan and Ilea only regretted the time they had wasted.
Johan spoke.
“Let’s move quickly before it gets any later.”
“Where are we going?”
“To the Shadow Realm.”
The Shadow Realm was the shadow encircling the entire city.
A shadow hidden amid splendor. A place where desire and corruption, supporting the prosperity aboveground, had settled in layer upon layer.
All the malice excreted by wealth and power filled the Shadow Realm.
The filthier the Shadow Realm became, the brighter Beldana shone.
Without the Shadow Realm, the Beldana of today could not exist.
Ilea looked down at the city streets.
“The Shadow Realm. Going by the name, it must be somewhere beneath us.”
The malice churning underground touched her skin.
As a Witch, she could feel it.
Johan nodded.
“We need to find an entrance first. Can you do it?”
In this vast city, there were only a few entrances leading to the Shadow Realm.
They could eventually find one by recalling the original work, but that would be a waste of time.
Ilea said,
“Just follow me. I think I’ve already found one.”
She slipped through the crowd and began heading somewhere.
Johan immediately followed her.
* * *
On the outskirts of Beldana, the scenery was entirely different from its glamorous center.
Poorly dressed people passed between weathered stone buildings.
Their faces were filled with listlessness and despair.
Each of them seemed to carry a miserable story.
Debt, gambling, drugs, crime, epidemics, and more. Whatever the reason, they had all been driven out of the city center.
Their gazes followed Johan and Ilea like tails.
Desire, jealousy, and wariness could be felt in their sticky stares.
Ilea smiled.
“It feels like we’ve become prey.”
Johan and Ilea were dressed in a way that did not suit a slum like this.
Anyone would take them for provincial nobles who had only recently arrived in the city.
They probably looked like they had gotten lost and were wandering around.
They were perfect targets.
Wealthy nobles with no knowledge of the world, wandering through a slum without even bringing guards. Being attacked and killed would practically count as a natural death.
Johan clicked his tongue.
“I’d prefer to arrive quietly, without any trouble.”
“Aren’t we lucky? Nothing has happened at all.”
Ilea abruptly stopped before a narrow alley.
“Is this the entrance?”
“Yes. It should lead to the Shadow Realm.”
The inside of the alley was uneven, like the belly of a snake.
There was no one in sight. Only a foul stench occasionally drifted out.
This was one of the entrances to the Shadow Realm.
“Let’s go.”
The moment Johan finished speaking, an old woman approached from behind them.
“Young people, that is not a road. Turn back.”
Ilea wore a gentle smile.
“You’re a kind person. We gratefully accept the sentiment.”
A Witch could sense malice.
There was no evil in the old woman.
She was genuinely worried about Johan and Ilea.
Johan took a silver coin from his pocket.
“This is repayment for your kindness.”
The old woman accepted the coin, flustered.
“S-Such a large sum…”
It was an amount comparable to a month’s living expenses.
Before anyone could see, the old woman quickly hid the silver coin in her clothes.
When she looked up again, Johan and Ilea had entered the alley.
Watching their backs, the old woman made the sign of the cross.
“Saint Marziel. Please watch over those young lambs.”
* * *
The atmosphere changed as soon as they entered the alley.
First of all, it was far too quiet. There was not a single sign of life.
The stench grew stronger, and a chilly coldness filled the air.
It felt as though low screams were mixed with the sound of the wind.
Was it just his imagination? Johan felt an inexplicable chill and looked at Ilea.
She looked utterly relaxed. She even wore a faint smile.
“I can feel eyes on us.”
Johan turned his head again.
“Not yours, Johan.”
There was clearly no one in the alley, yet it felt as though someone was watching them.
A chill ran down his spine.
Johan slowly looked around.
“Are they watching through the windows?”
Every building in the alley had windows. Dust clouded the glass so heavily that nothing could be seen beyond it.
“I think so.”
The entrance to the Shadow Realm was a den for thugs, drug dealers, and vagrants.
From time to time, they targeted lost outsiders.
If they kidnapped humans and brought them deeper underground, they could earn a great deal of money.
Heretics and Mages purchased living humans at high prices.
Johan spoke.
“Let’s ignore them. We did not come here to deal with thugs and drug addicts.”
“Then what did we come here for?”
“To obtain a weapon against the Count. We will probably have to descend to the deepest part of the Shadow Realm.”
Interest flickered in Ilea’s eyes.
“The bottom of the Shadow Realm. I’m already looking forward to it. I want to go quickly.”
The farther they walked, the denser the malice became.
They were still only at the entrance, yet concentrated evil was already rising from below.
For a Witch, this was an exceedingly fascinating place.
Johan let out a low groan.
“It seems that will be difficult.”
Two men were sitting off to one side ahead of them.
They snickered as they looked at Johan and Ilea.
“Are you lost nobles?”
“Tsk, tsk. How did you end up all the way down here?”
Johan and Ilea ignored them and walked past.
The two men rose from their seats.
“Damn, she’s gorgeous up close. Is she a doll or what?”
“Let’s have some fun before we sell her.”
“Idiot, it’ll never be our turn.”
“I don’t mind the boy either.”
The men, cackling to themselves, followed Johan and Ilea.
Ilea smiled.
“It’s nice to be invisible.”
A whistle sounded behind them.
“Hey, miss, you like that? You’re fiery!”
“I’m first!”
“Turn around and let us see!”
“They say she’s that pretty?”
“They say she’s almost too pretty to sell?”
The voices kept multiplying.
The sound of footsteps increased with them.
There were likely countless thugs gathering behind them.
Johan clicked his tongue.
“So much for arriving quietly.”
“Since it has come to this, let’s gather them all and deal with them.”
“Let’s do that.”
A hunt was more efficient when the prey had been herded together.
The two continued walking for quite some time.
Only after a while did they stop.
They could go no farther.
Dozens of people blocked the path ahead.
Johan looked behind him.
Thugs were swarming there as well.
They were completely surrounded.
A huge man sitting alone in a chair at the front opened his mouth.
“Strip.”
He looked at Johan and Ilea with a cruel smile.
The thugs shouted.
“Don’t you know what strip means? Strip!”
“Take your clothes off, bastards!”
“Everything, even your underwear!”
“Hurry up already!”
The thugs were highly excited.
The huge man raised his hand, stopping his subordinates.
Then he spoke.
“This is your last chance. Strip.”
Ilea looked at Johan.
“I think they’ve mostly gathered, right?”
“Probably.”
“I’ll begin.”
The moment Mana began to gather in her hand, Johan grabbed Ilea’s arm and lowered it.
“Wait. We should get what we can first.”
He pointed at the sky.
The sun was setting.
Ilea nodded as if she understood.
“Practicality matters.”
The huge man shouted in a fit.
“Strip!”
At that moment, the sun completely sank below the horizon.
Darkness descended.
Johan’s figure suddenly vanished.
The huge man sprang up from his chair, eyes wide.
“Where did he go?!”
Something touched his shoulder. He immediately turned his head.
A pitch-black hand rested on his shoulder.
A chilling voice entered his ear.
“Sit.”
An overwhelming force pushed him back into his chair.
“B-Boss…?”
“B-Behind you!”
The expressions of his subordinates were strange.
They were terrified.
When the huge man tried to turn around, the chilling voice spoke again.
“No, no. Do not turn your eyes. I will begin a play for you.”
Ilea smiled and clapped her hands.
“I’ll be looking forward to it!”
Mapheltan’s red eyes flashed.
At the same time, strange demonic words slipped from his mouth.
“From this moment onward, kill one another. (Z’thar Vek’tor Mhaal)”
The Word of Authority pierced everyone’s minds.
The huge man’s pupils shook.
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