Chapter 206 : Chapter 206

From ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the moment Victon began to recover his body, Muno was full of surprises.

'He goes into the water and comes out fine?'

It seemed like magic that defied providence at first glance, but as far as he knew, magic did not involve the recovery of living creatures in this world, so it was a completely incomprehensible sight.

Even more surprising was that the mass felt from the recovered body had nearly doubled compared to before.

As if the water equivalent to the lowered water level of the oasis had entered Victon's body.

Since his movements in the previous battle were no different from before, it meant he had grown again in the midst of that fierce battle.

'What on earth is this guy?'

Even the power of the Demon Devourer, which he had never envied anything else for, seemed slightly lacking compared to the guy's free movement and recovery ability.

'If he runs away again, I might not be able to catch him.'

So he watched over the unconscious guy all night.

But more than all those facts, the words of the awakened Victon were even more surprising.

The fact that the Deus Empire had begun to suffer from food shortages despite its vast territory.

"See! Isn't what I said correct!"

The statement that the reason for not starting a war of conquest lay there was even shocking.

However, there was also something slightly reassuring about it.

Because he had something on his mind lately.

The beginning was precisely the personality contamination caused by spirits.

After experiencing that incident, the anxiety that crept up while watching people living well amidst the overflowing demonic energy in the Empire.

- Perhaps even this feeling of loathing demonic energy and hating magicians is a kind of mental contamination?

- I can feel the demonic energy polluting the world, but the Imperial people are living just fine?

He was just starting to have such thoughts little by little.

But after hearing Victon's words, justification was added to that blind hatred.

The immense displeasure he felt from the demonic energy spread by magicians when hunting them in Ironheart.

It was proof that the feeling that demonic energy seemed to pollute everything around it was by no means an illusion.

That was why.

"......Still, it is my motherland, Sir Imadi. Is there no way, to resolve this peacefully?"

At Victon's words, a shout naturally burst out.

"Do you think that's possible!? In this situation!?"

"Still, the Empire doesn't want war right now, Muno."

"So? Are you saying we should tolerate doing such dirty deeds using guys like the Evil cult?"

At those words, Victon's expression distorted.

"Didn't your Empire start this in the first place!? But now you're talking about peace or whatever?!"

The answer didn't come easily. No, it couldn't come.

That was why, after a moment of silence, the words Victon barely managed to utter were.

"They probably used trash that would be disposed of after doing the job. Perhaps, the Evil cult will now be cleaned up at the Empire's level as well."

Even to his own ears, it sounded like nothing but an excuse.

"Well, I don't think that guy will be cleaned up so easily? Wait......."

While speaking to refute Victon's words, his thoughts reached another possibility.

"Lord Muno, why......?"

"Ah, no. I just wondered if that's why the guy disappeared. Still......."

If he disappeared knowing that, the reason for creating the Evil cult and causing chaos in the first place doesn't make sense.

And.

"......There's no way a magician at the level of a Seven-Star would obediently be used and disposed of."

"That is true."

"He disappeared?"

Victon interrupted the conversation with Lauel.

Only after seeing those red eyes filled with doubt did he remember the words he hadn't said.

"......That's how he killed the Great Warrior of the Desert, Marte, and faked his death. Of course, it probably didn't mean much since I neutralized it."

When he briefly explained what had happened, Victon frowned instead upon hearing the story.

"No, wait. You said it yourself. There's no way a magician at the level of a Seven-Star would obediently be used."

"So what?"

"Was faking his death really to deceive our Empire in the first place? Not his subordinates?"

"......What?"

"I suspect maybe the guy abandoned the Evil cult. And although I hate to admit it, from our Empire's perspective, a Seven-Star is a card too valuable to just throw away. And there's a fact you are decisively mistaken about......."

Victon seemed to hesitate for a moment, then sighed and shared his guess.

"In the first place, the world knows the Demon Cult Leader as a magician named Kraymal who died 10 years ago. Do you have any other evidence that this Exlam guy is the real Demon Cult Leader besides your memory?"

"Ah......."

Victon's point pierced sharply into his mind.

"He is a person who can sufficiently launder his identity even if he abandons the Evil cult. And if our Empire is really behind this, maybe that person is......."

As Victon continued speaking, the expressions of the group grew increasingly grim.

* * *

"......This, I came to see His Imperial Majesty, but the wrong person came out."

As the lower face with a long gray beard under the black robe smiled fishily, the old man with a benevolent impression wearing a relatively luxurious golden robe grinned and nodded.

"His Imperial Majesty is always busy, so it can't be helped. Is that a complaint? O member of the clan of gods who abandoned god."

At the words spoken by the old man with long white eyebrows while stroking his beard that hung down to his chest, the lower face of the black robe twisted even more.

"No roots, cannot be trusted....... Words said 18 years ago as well. The destruction of the clan that your Imperial Royal Family desired so much. Even though I brought the evidence."

At those words, the old man in the golden robe grinned and shrugged.

"We never desired it. In fact, we didn't even know it still existed. Until you appeared."

"So I proved it with results. But the fact that the Emperor did not appear at this place, can I take it as a sign that you will not keep the promise?"

Along with those words, a thick, shudder-inducing demonic energy flowed out from the entire body of the black robe.

Creepy demonic energy that would make an ordinary person faint just by facing it.

However, the smiling old man only continued to smile calmly even while looking at such demonic energy.

"Results? You talk about results now after ruining the most important matter regarding Iron?"

"The matters of Deluna and Trey were completely successful. Deluna's national power was completely split due to civil war, and Trey's Seven-Star has entered the road to the underworld from which he can never return. Is that still not enough?"

Even at the black robe's continued provocative tone, the old man just smiled and stared piercingly at the opponent.

Then soon, he let out a scoff.

"......You have changed."

At those unexpected words, the black robe's lips parted, slightly revealing his teeth.

Before he could say anything, the old man continued immediately.

"The position of the Master of the Gray Tower that was originally promised, honestly, you didn't seem to have much lingering attachment to it either. Weren't you rather more interested in that northern country, Iron? You just hoped for our support using the promise as an excuse. Isn't that so?"

"......."

"For us, whatever your purpose was, as long as you overturned Iron's royal family and installed a pro-Empire regime, we didn't care, so we supported you......."

When the black robe didn't react even to his quiet gaze, the old man's smile gradually deepened.

"The Dragon Sword was tougher than expected. Right? Puhahaha. Or did something else go wrong? For example, 'failing while trying to disappear' from our sight. Kukukuku."

The moment he laughed revealing his throat, the impression of the old man who seemed benevolent changed grotesquely.

The sight of a snake-like forked tongue flickering between the few remaining teeth.

And the yellow pupils split vertically, as if seeing through all your ulterior motives.

At that, the gray beard also opened its mouth, revealing sharp fangs.

"Bad things tend to overlap in succession. A lingering attachment left by me when I was human, somehow kept holding me back."

"Lingering attachment?"

"I mean there is an adversary in Iron besides the Dragon Sword. One who can make even the Empire troubled."

"Ho-oh?"

"Well, since I've told you, I consider my moral obligation fulfilled. So the promise must be kept, right?"

Those blade-like teeth also didn't look like those of a human.

However, the two seemed to think nothing strange of each other's appearance.

"Kuhahaha. The member of the clan of gods who chose demons. For that arrogant and haughty you to talk about promises and desire the position of Magic Tower Master now, what are you planning to do this time......?"

"You people didn't have high expectations for me either, did you?"

"Hmm?"

"The death of one Seven-Star who opposes the Empire. And the subversion of one country. Those conditions have already been fulfilled overflowingly. If you don't keep the promise, I intend not to stay still either......."

Demonic energy pouring out from the entire body of the black robe. The old man, who returned to the appearance of a benevolent human at that, scoffed.

"Right....... We have no choice but to know each other well. Because we cannot trust each other......."

The black robe received those strangely lingering words.

"......Promises must be fulfilled."

WOOOONG.

As the demonic energy between the two intertwined and reacted to something, sending out strange waves in the room, soon the old man smiled again first.

"Well, fine. But you know, right? The Gray Tower belongs to the Imperial Royal Family because it hasn't produced a Seven-Star for a hundred years. Even if you become the Magic Tower Master, you cannot officially disobey Imperial orders. So other Magic Tower Masters will probably ignore you too."

"Ignore? Hmph. That has been daily life since you spread false rumors."

"False rumors? Shall we have a proper match? It's always good for the hierarchy among demons to be clear."

At those words, the black robe revealed his blade-like teeth again.

But the moment the eerie demonic energies were about to clash, he hid his teeth first, smiled brightly, and turned around.

"Ah. Just in case different words come from the Emperor, I'll give you one more piece of good information."

"Hmm?"

"You are aware that the Ruler of Dark Green is absent, right?"

"Naturally."

"I see it as him being killed by the Dragon Sword."

"......What?"

The smile of the old man, who had been smiling all along, broke for the first time.

"I mean, prepare to take over the Green Tower as well. Kukuku. With this much, even the Emperor won't be able to say otherwise."

It felt as if he was packaging the fact that a corner of the Empire had been chipped away as an achievement of confusing an enemy nation, but surprisingly, the old man affirmed.

"......I see. However, know one thing. His Imperial Majesty is by no means an easy person."

"Hmm?"

"Now that we are barely in the same boat, wouldn't it be troublesome if you get on the wrong side of the highest authority and get forcibly disembarked?"

"Ho-oh?"

Empire, the country of the Emperor.

Although it was a natural statement in Deus, the black robe turned around again as if to grasp the authenticity of those words and examined the old man's face closely.

Then.

"I will keep that in mind. Then I will go straight to the Gray Tower, so......."

"I will pass on the word. Since gray matches your fur or skin color, it fits perfectly."

"......Hmph."

With that snort, the figures of the two disappeared from the room simultaneously.