Episode 10

Melin wore a look of utter disbelief.

He was asking her to swear loyalty.

For a single duel—one that was even a simplified duel with restricted power—that demand was absurd.

More importantly, hadn’t she already pledged her loyalty to the Dark Maga’s main family?

The ‘Lord’ she served was none other than Nordian, Duke and head of the Dark Maga family, a level 8 absolute realm demon lord.

“You do realize that’s an impossible condition, right?”

“Well, I don’t see it that way.”

Chris shrugged.

“If I become a ‘Prince’ of the Dark Maga, then it wouldn’t be impossible for you to follow me.”

Prince.

Among the Dark Maga bloodline, this title was given only to those recognized as legitimate heirs.

There were currently five such princes, each building their own faction within the family, vying for succession.

All five were direct descendants—no collateral branches.

“You, a collateral branch, becoming a prince? That’s impossible.”

“Do you really think so?”

Chris smirked, lowering his voice.

“I think I can.”

Melin swallowed hard without realizing it.

Something about the atmosphere had shifted.

A sharp tension filled the air.

A heavy presence.

She muttered almost like a groan, trying to name the feeling radiating from Chris.

“Intimidation.”

Melin’s face twisted in disbelief.

She knew he had changed.

The person before her was no longer the reckless brat she once knew.

But intimidation?

This wasn’t just a matter of talent.

Intimidation required a certain stature, a weight of presence.

And this kid had no such qualifications.

So then—

“Born with it?”

Melin’s eyes trembled.

Sometimes, there were those born to rule over others from the very start—innate rulers.

They naturally develop an intimidating aura that makes others bow their heads.

“What on earth…?”

Melin was overwhelmed with confusion and shock.

Meanwhile, Chris watched her reaction and shrugged inwardly.

“Come on. My experience far surpasses yours.”

Deputy Commander Melin.

Though her youthful appearance was preserved by magic suppressing aging, she was likely close to forty.

Older than Chris in his previous life.

But Chris had lived through a decade of great wars.

He had faced countless trials and achieved many feats before the Light faction was destroyed by the Magic Empire.

Before joining the hero’s party, he had even briefly led a large group thanks to his exceptional abilities.

So intimidating someone like Deputy Commander Melin was well within his reach.

Seeing that Melin was halfway convinced, Chris decided to drive the point home.

“Of course, I know this isn’t a decision to be made lightly. It’s not something to settle with a duel where powers are restricted. So here’s what I propose.”

“…What do you mean?”

“A duel with me in one month. But this time, no restrictions—an all-out fight.”

Melin’s face twisted in confusion.

She couldn’t understand the proposal at all.

“If I don’t restrict my power, there’s no chance you’ll beat me.”

“Probably not.”

Chris didn’t deny it.

No matter how much of a genius he was, beating a level 4 demon in just a month was impossible.

‘It took me three years in my previous life to reach level 4.’

The higher the level, the exponentially harder it was to advance, and the skill gap widened drastically.

But—

“Sometimes, an egg can crack a rock.”

Melin’s eyes widened.

“Watch me for the next month.”

Chris looked her straight in the eyes.

“Observe how I grow, what I accomplish, and how I change by the end of it. Then decide if I’m worthy of your loyalty or not.”

Melin fell silent.

She couldn’t find words.

‘What could he possibly do in just one month?’

A month was a very short time.

No matter how talented, time was a limit.

That was common sense.

But—

“…Alright.”

She answered, almost against her own understanding.

“I’ll watch you for a month.”

For some reason, she had a feeling this impossible person might actually pull it off.

Chris grinned.

“I won’t disappoint you.”

---

“Good!”

Back in his room, Chris silently cheered.

He had achieved everything he intended in today’s duel.

He had shown his strength and shifted the demons’ perception of him.

He had also figured out how his ‘Mud Swordsmanship’ manifested.

And most importantly—

“I’ve shaken Melin’s heart.”

Melin was a crucial figure.

Unlike others, she was a demon of the Dark Maga main family.

Chris planned to swallow not just the Kazaar count’s house, but the entire Dark Maga.

Having her on his side would be a huge advantage.

“Besides, Melin is destined to become a very famous demon.”

During the great wars, she had already reached level 6.

Level 6—the ‘Master’ rank.

So he absolutely had to win her over.

“Of course, she’s not fully mine yet, but a month is enough.”

The month they agreed upon.

During that time, he planned to accomplish many things.

“First, the Black Swamp Archive.”

The Black Swamp Archive.

It housed the Kazaar family’s secret dark magic texts.

Chris went to see his father, Count Kazaar.

“Here is the recommendation letter from Deputy Commander Melin. I won the duel against her and received it.”

“…”

Count Kazaar looked taken aback.

Understandably so.

He had been considering removing Chris from the family registry, and now his son had completely changed.

“You defeated the demons of the Black Swamp Knights in a duel?”

“Yes. They lacked basic skills, so I won easily. The Black Swamp Knights aren’t much. They need to train harder.”

Count Kazaar shook his head.

“Not much, you say?”

The opponents Chris defeated were well known to the count.

Though their magic levels weren’t high, they were no pushovers.

They had trained diligently and had solid fundamentals.

Among those Chris defeated was the impossible—Deputy Commander Melin herself.

“I can’t believe it.”

Even with restricted power, it was unthinkable.

When the count heard the news, he couldn’t believe it.

Melin herself admitted she lost.

And she added—

“That guy’s a genius?”

She even added a phrase.

A talent so unbelievable, it’s hard to believe with your own eyes.

Count Kazaar gave a skeptical look.

“Why do you look at me like that?”

“I remembered the rumors I’ve heard about you recently.”

“Rumors about me being a genius? That’s true. I didn’t know before, but I really am a genius.”

“…”

Not a hint of humility.

Count Kazaar chuckled bitterly.

“Judging by that arrogant attitude, maybe you haven’t changed at all.”

No, no.

The arrogance was the same, but he was definitely different.

The old Chris was a spoiled brat who couldn’t even meet his father’s gaze properly.

But now, the son standing before him was confidently arrogant to the point of recklessness.

If he had to compare, it was like the pride of a wild beast.

“Am I crazy? Calling him a wild beast?”

Count Kazaar forced himself to think that way.

He had been disappointed too many times before, so he tried to think the worst.

But—

“…Maybe he really has changed this time.”

Count Kazaar narrowed his eyes.

How long had it been since Chris pretended to change?

A week? Ten days? Two weeks?

Regardless of the time, there was one decisive difference from before.

His eyes.

His son had never looked at him with those eyes before.

“Here, the key to the archive. You know the texts inside must never be taken outside, right?”

Chris nodded.

“Then I’ll be going.”

“…Alright.”

As he turned to leave, a hesitant voice came from behind.

“…Can I trust you this time?”

Chris looked back at his father.

Count Kazaar’s eyes flickered faintly.

A father’s love.

“Even demons have family bonds.”

Though their values differ, demons were still human in many ways.

“Maybe he’s even a better father than my real one.”

Chris recalled his previous life’s real father, who had abused him terribly.

Though famous outside, he was garbage in reality.

Until Chris escaped the family, his childhood was a living hell because of that man.

Compared to that trash, even if Count Kazaar was a demon, he was a far more fatherly figure.

That’s why—

When these thoughts crossed his mind, Chris smiled.

“Expect great things.”

“I’ll surprise you.”

He wanted to see those eyes filled with shock.

---

Chris headed to the Black Swamp Archive.

The librarian, a banshee, greeted him.

“Oh ho ho… young master… welcome…”

Chris frowned.

‘Why is the librarian a ghost banshee?’

And this banshee was the same one who served as his maid!

“You weren’t my maid? When did you become the librarian?”

“Uh… could it be… possessiveness toward me? My heart… flutters…”

“Shut up.”

“Such rough words… so thrilling.”

“…”

The banshee chuckled.

After hearing the explanation, Chris learned she had originally been the guardian and librarian of this place.

Count Kazar had made Christian’s servant attend to him as a form of punishment for the way Christian kept mistreating the servants.

[If… my lord… wishes to have me all to himself… I will serve only him… right by his side… oh ho ho…]

“No, that’s enough. Go back.”

[Just imagining being monopolized by my lord… makes my heart race… thump thump, so thrilling.]

Christian scowled in disgust.

‘Once I shed this wild reputation, I’ll get a new servant. One hundred percent pure-blood human! No vampires! This isn’t the privileged life I dreamed of!’

Before returning, he had imagined that as a noble, he wouldn’t have to lift a finger—others would cater to his every need.

And, in a way, that was true.

The problem was that it was a ghost doing all the serving.

Every morning, the ghost woke him with strange whispers that felt more like curses than alarms. During meals, poltergeist activity served his food, and a chilling spectral touch helped him change clothes.

It even tried to help him bathe. He barely managed to refuse.

This was not the kind of luxury he had in mind for a silver spoon life.

‘The ghost might be pretty, but that just makes it worse!’