WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B

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◈ Whispers of a Scheming Demon ◈

Chapter 94: Exploitation

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“If you feel sorry, would you grant me one request?”

A request out of nowhere? Shaperia was puzzled, but inwardly pleased.

An opportunity had come to lighten the burden on her heart.

She answered bravely.

“Please, tell me anything. If it is within my abilities, I will do my utmost to help.”

Johan smiled in satisfaction.

“I am grateful for your goodwill, my lady. First, let us move somewhere else.”

There were too many ears in the hall.

They needed somewhere quieter.

Johan and Shaperia left the hall.

* * *

There was no suitable place to receive Shaperia.

Ordinarily, he would have used the reception room in the lord’s castle, but that was impossible now.

The castle had been completely wrecked.

He could not show Shaperia the half-destroyed castle.

‘Where should we go?’

After some consideration, Johan chose the village church.

The church was empty.

There was no priest assigned to it.

Hardly anyone would come and go there now.

Johan and Shaperia sat side by side on the chairs in the prayer room.

Shaperia looked at the pentagram on the platform and made the holy sign.

“Saint Marziel. May the Great Saint’s Blessing be with the Baron’s house.”

Johan made the holy sign as well.

“Saint Marziel.”

Shaperia looked at Johan.

“But Baron, has something happened at the castle?”

Entry to the lord’s castle had been completely restricted.

Even the castle servants were living in the village.

They were speaking not in the castle’s reception room, but in the village church.

Anyone would think something had gone wrong at the castle.

Johan’s face abruptly darkened.

He began to act.

“...There was an attack.”

Shaperia’s eyes widened.

“What? W-Who would dare commit such a sacrilege?”

House Myatro was now no more than a baronial house on the frontier, but in the past, it had been the continent’s greatest noble house.

Five hundred years ago, the Moon had personally entrusted House Myatro with a sacred duty.

As the Moon’s eyes, they were to watch over Narak.

Those who bore such a sacred duty possessed several privileges.

The foremost was the Treaty of Absolute Nonaggression.

No group on the continent could ever attack House Myatro under the Moon’s sacred command.

Originally, even applying political pressure had been forbidden.

The treaty had become largely nominal, but its framework remained.

At the very least, no one had used physical force against House Myatro for five hundred years.

According to Johan, that treaty had been broken.

Shaperia was utterly shaken.

Johan spoke.

“It was an attack by a demon.”

Shaperia shot to her feet.

“I will contact the central church at once!”

A subjugation force would be organized immediately.

This was something that should never have happened.

Johan gently pulled on Shaperia’s arm.

“Lady Shaperia, please calm down and hear me out first.”

“But...”

“Please.”

The moment she saw Johan’s composed expression, Shaperia regained her calm.

She sat back down.

“Very well. Please continue.”

Johan nodded.

“The demon that attacked the castle is dead.”

Relief spread over Shaperia’s face.

“As expected of the bloodline that watches Narak. You have driven back that wicked breed.”

Johan spoke with a bitter expression.

“This was not resolved through our family’s strength. Fortunately, His Highness the Third Prince was at the castle during the attack, and he slew the demon.”

“The Third Prince, do you mean His Highness Gawain?”

“That is correct. Without him, House Myatro would likely have suffered a fatal blow.”

Shaperia let out an exclamation.

“The Great Saint truly aided you. The Moon must have guided His Highness Gawain to the Baron’s house.”

She connected everything to the divine. It was truly the mindset of a fanatic.

Impressed inwardly, Johan spoke.

“I agree. Yet cruelly, the Moon also gave me a trial.”

“A trial?”

“Yes. A grave problem has arisen. Just before the demon died, it left a terrible curse upon His Highness the Third Prince.”

Shaperia swallowed dryly.

“A curse? What kind...?”

“His Highness is turning into a demon.”

Shaperia’s pupils widened sharply.

“Is that true?!”

Johan calmly nodded.

“It is the truth, without a trace of falsehood. Even now, His Highness is fighting against the evil within him, but honestly, his condition is poor. It is only a matter of time before he is consumed by his demonic nature.”

Shaperia could not hide her agitation. She spoke anxiously.

“W-We must contact the central church at once. They must have a means of treating him.”

Johan shook his head.

“Absolutely not. The moment his corruption becomes known, His Highness will not be allowed to live.”

Shaperia looked unable to understand.

“Why would that be?”

“Because of political circumstances. Count Staviana will use this opportunity to kill His Highness the Third Prince for good. As you know, the kingdom’s central church is in the Count’s grasp.”

It was profoundly sacrilegious for the sacred Great Saint Church to be manipulated by a Count, but Shaperia could not bring herself to deny it.

Her expression darkened.

“Why would His Excellency the Count wish to kill His Highness?”

Shaperia knew little about politics.

Johan answered calmly.

“The Count drove out His Highness the Third Prince to make his grandson on his daughter’s side, His Highness the Seventh Prince, the heir. But he failed to kill him. This time, the Count will seek to finish what he started.”

Gawain was a monster who had killed his own mother.

Now, he was even a blasphemer turning into a demon.

It was perfect material for piling on every possible accusation.

With only a little effort from the Count, Gawain would be sent to the Empire without receiving treatment.

As royalty, he would likely keep his life, but he would never again be allowed into the world.

He would live a life worse than death.

Shaperia denied reality.

“I-If we accurately explain the circumstances, the Great Saint Church will surely find a way. No matter how great the Count’s influence may be...”

Johan cut her off in a firm voice.

“Blind faith resolves nothing. Face reality. The Great Saint Church’s leadership is rotten. You must have felt that yourself many times.”

Johan was right.

The Great Saint Church was not so pure.

They had made deals with countless politicians.

Shaperia swallowed a groan.

“...I will not deny it. But Baron, please understand that there are still faithful people among them.”

Johan clicked his tongue.

“The problem is that the more virtuous they are, the harder it is for them to exert influence within the Great Saint Church.”

Shaperia’s expression sank in gloom.

“It sounds as though there truly is no way to treat His Highness.”

Johan spoke evenly.

“No. I mean that we need not borrow the Great Saint Church’s help. A moment ago, I asked for your assistance, did I not?”

Shaperia gave him a puzzled look.

“Do you need my help to treat His Highness?”

“That is correct. If you lend me your strength, the curse within His Highness can be lifted.”

Shaperia lacked confidence. Her voice grew small.

“As you know, Baron, I have lost all my power. How could someone like me help His Highness?”

Her Holy Power and Authority had all been taken from her. Now, she was little different from an ordinary person.

Johan shook his head.

“You are one of the Great Saint’s favored children. That alone is enough for you to help His Highness.”

There were several people in this world who had been born with the Great Saint’s Blessing.

Shaperia and Gawain were among them.

In the latter half of Inmarok, there had been an episode in which favored children shared their bodies and souls.

If he used that setting well, he could stop Gawain’s corruption.

Doubt appeared on Shaperia’s face.

“I cannot even imagine what method you mean.”

“There is no time to explain in detail right now. First, I must confirm your resolve. Lady Shaperia, are you prepared to help His Highness? You may have to sacrifice something of yourself.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Shaperia answered.

“Of course. Please tell me my role. I will help with all my heart.”

He had known she would agree.

Johan was quite satisfied.

Holding back a laugh, he spoke calmly.

“First, you will come to Narak with me. There is a way to treat His Highness in the Second Zone.”

Tension crossed Shaperia’s face.

“Narak...?”

Johan smiled gently.

“Are you afraid?”

Shaperia immediately denied it.

“No. As long as the Moon endures, I have nothing to fear.”

Johan gave a faint laugh.

“Good. Let us go see His Highness first.”

He needed to show Shaperia Gawain’s condition.

That way, she would believe Johan completely.

Johan rose from his seat.

Shaperia stood as well.

“Where is His Highness now?”

“I have him staying at the castle. Do not be too shocked when you see him.”

The two headed directly for the lord’s castle.

* * *

“W-What in the world...?”

When Shaperia saw the inside of the castle, she could not close her gaping mouth.

The castle was half-destroyed, as though a war had swept through it.

“This area is in better condition.”

Johan led Shaperia to the underground library.

The library was at least mostly intact, but it carried an eerie atmosphere.

“...So there was a place like this in the castle.”

She had not gone underground two months ago either.

For some reason, she had not been able to make herself go down then.

In truth, it was the same now.

The space itself made her uncomfortable.

Perhaps because it was underground, damp moisture clung to her skin, while the thick darkness filled her with needless unease.

Was it only her imagination? She thought she could smell blood, too.

As she kept looking around, Johan snickered.

“The atmosphere will change once we go down another level. Please bear with it a little longer.”

“There is somewhere even farther below?”

Johan stopped before a strange round table.

“That is right. You may have heard of it. The Forbidden Archive of Narak.”

Shaperia was deeply startled.

“It is a real place?”

──Somewhere in Myatro territory lies the kingdom’s treasury.

It was now little more than a superstition.

Johan snapped his fingers.

“The Forbidden Archive is our destination.”

At the same time, a man stepped out from the darkness.

He was a gaunt middle-aged man.

With a somewhat servile expression, he spoke to Johan.

“Ah, my son. I was waiting for you.”

It was Gryan. Once the Watcher of Narak, he was now no more than Johan’s puppet.

Johan smiled warmly.

“Yes, Father. I have business in the Forbidden Archive.”

“Come up here.”

Sitting at the round table, Johan said to Shaperia,

“Lady Shaperia, come over here.”

Shaperia was seized by a strange unease.

Why had Gryan grown so thin, and what was that ominous-looking round table for?

Shaperia could understand none of it.

Hesitantly, she approached Johan.

Johan abruptly grabbed her and pulled her onto the round table.

“W-Wait a moment!”

Gryan placed his palm against the Gold Mirror Stone.

Now that Raguel had become a High Elf, only Gryan could activate the Gold Mirror Stone.

The moment the Myatro bloodline was recognized, the round table dropped.

Shaperia’s scream rang out thunderously.

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