Episode 137

“Hmm, this is troublesome. I can handle those filthy demons, but Princess Olivia being here too…”

[Why not just kill them all? And turn that princess into a doll.]

Suddenly, a chilling voice echoed from the empty air.

Before anyone could notice, a figure appeared as if tearing through a shadow.

The atmosphere in the room instantly turned cold with unease.

The figure wore a large mask painted with a single eye, their build and voice betraying no clear gender.

Recognizing the presence, Chris let out a suppressed groan.

“Could it be… an Executive Doll?”

At those words, the mask of the ‘doll’ shifted expression.

The lower part of the mask split open, revealing darkness that twisted into a sinister smile.

[So you know me. That’s right. I am the third doll of Elder Märchen of the Four Demon Kings’ Castle, serving as the ‘Administrator.’]

Chris clenched his fists tightly.

“Damn it. So Märchen really had dolls.”

He had expected someone from the Cursed Mage faction to be involved, but this was far bigger than anticipated.

“Märchen is an elder of the Four Demon Kings’ Castle and a 7-star demon.”

Though the master himself wasn’t here, Chris couldn’t afford to relax.

Märchen’s other name was ‘The Puppeteer.’

True to the nickname, she was the greatest doll master among the Cursed Mages.

Her dolls wielded power unimaginable for mere puppets.

“Though not designed for combat, the third doll would wield strength equivalent to at least a 6-star.”

Even Duke Vintz alone was no easy opponent.

And now, a doll with 6-star power was here as well. There was no chance of winning.

“For an elder to intervene personally… Has the Four Demon Kings’ Castle forgotten the pact with the Azure Demon King to avoid high-ranking interference in each other’s domains?”

[Heh heh. Such a cute notion. If I kill you all, there’s no worry about breaking any pact, is there?]

The mask’s mouth split wide open, revealing a monstrous maw as if ready to devour its prey.

[I’m looking forward to it, Prince Christian. I want to savor every scream you make, one by one.]

Suddenly, the doll stopped laughing.

The lower part of the mask closed, returning to its expressionless single-eyed visage.

[Still, today doesn’t seem to be my day. I must restrain myself.]

“…What do you mean?”

[Originally, I was only here to ensure the altar’s ritual was proceeding smoothly, not to fight anyone. Above all, my master wishes for you to live.]

It was an unexpected revelation.

‘Märchen? Why would she…?’

Märchen was infamous for her cruelty and madness.

She wouldn’t miss an opportunity like this.

[Well, you see, my master wants to test what kind of person you really are. To see if the rumors about you are true. And conveniently, there’s a perfect opponent here for that.]

The doll gestured politely like a jester toward Duke Vintz standing nearby.

[Give it your all and fight Duke Vintz here. If you impress my master, you will be spared.]

The mask’s mouth split open again.

[If you disappoint, I will kill you. Though, surviving Duke Vintz’s hands first will be difficult.]

With that, the doll slowly stepped back.

As it said, it intended to watch.

They had avoided the worst-case scenario of being attacked from two sides, but the situation hadn’t improved.

It was because of Duke Vintz.

“Are you joking right now?”

Vintz glared at the retreating doll with wounded pride.

He must have been displeased at being reduced to a test subject.

[Does it matter? With your power, killing them all shouldn’t be difficult.]

Vintz didn’t deny it.

“True, it won’t be hard.”

An unfathomable confidence.

Of course, Duke Vintz was a powerful 5-star Elder-class mage.

But Chris and his group were no pushovers either.

Considering Vintz’s manipulation attribute, which made his direct combat strength weaker compared to others of the same rank, Chris alone could probably win.

Yet—

Everyone’s faces stiffened.

They sensed it.

The power Duke Vintz was showing now was not that of an ordinary Elder-class.

“I’ll try to create an opening somehow. You find a way to escape.”

Evan said with a grim expression.

Before anyone could respond, Evan charged at Duke Vintz.

His 5-star aura blade gleamed brilliantly.

Far more radiant than the one wielded by Miek of the Ashdina Law Kingdom in their previous battle.

A pillar of unwavering willpower, as strong as Chris’s own resolve.

The blade’s destructive force could cut through any barrier.

“It’s useless.”

Vintz leisurely opened his spellbook.

A sudden snap!

The air thickened and transformed.

Like steel strong enough to block any sharp weapon.

But that wasn’t all—thousands upon thousands of layers of air formed a shield before him.

Evan’s aura blade was repelled helplessly.

‘A mind-level manipulation spell.’

Chris bit his lip hard.

Simply compressing air couldn’t produce such power.

This was a defense born from reaching the limits of the laws of magic.

In other words, magic infused with willpower.

But how?

Vintz chuckled and answered.

“Impressive, isn’t it? This power.”

“!!”

A fierce maelstrom of mana swirled from Vintz’s hands.

It tingled against the skin.

A force so intense it was unimaginable for a 5-star.

At the same time, the souls trapped within the altar’s orb screamed.

[Kyaaaah!!]

[Stop it!! Aaaah!!!]

Everyone’s faces turned pale.

He was converting the trapped souls into power by sacrificing them.

Olivia’s voice trembled.

“W-Why would you do such a terrible thing?”

It was even more horrific than human sacrifice.

Human sacrifice offered the death of a living being.

As commonly known, offering a soul was different.

Dead souls would move on to their predetermined afterlife.

The absolute law of the world dictated that the dead would face consequences based on their deeds in life.

But what they were doing now was capturing the dead souls, preventing them from reaching the afterlife, inflicting torment, and converting their negative emotions into power.

Those souls would suffer terrible pain until they were freed.

Vintz looked down at Olivia with a strange expression.

“Princess, you really don’t know anything, do you? You weren’t tipped off at all?”

“…What do you mean? Tipped off beforehand?”

“Hah, how amusing. I wonder what that person is thinking. Well, it’s none of my concern.”

Vintz sneered, as if speaking to someone unseen.

Olivia swallowed her rising fear and shouted.

“Why would you do such a horrible thing?!”

“It’s simple. To gain power.”

“…What?”

Vintz smiled as he looked at the swirling power in his hands.

“Our duchy has grown wealthy, but our military strength is weak, so we’ve been looked down upon by the other nations of the Gold Cross.”

The Gold Cross was a coalition of dozens of small states.

But the nations were far from equal.

A few with strong militaries dominated the Gold Cross, while the rest were mere followers.

Some weaker states even paid protection fees under the pretense of being guarded.

“You know this, Princess. The Law Kingdom’s situation is similar. Though they claim to revere the Law Kingdom, many act arrogantly. The Law Kingdom’s lack of military strength is due to their constant suppression. So even the Law King…”

Vintz stopped mid-sentence and fell silent.

“This isn’t my story to tell. You’d better hear it from the Law King himself. I’ll make sure you’re sent back safely.”

“W-What…?”

Leaving a confused Olivia behind, Vintz turned to the others.

“Of course, don’t expect to leave here alive.”

“!!”

“I won’t spare a single one of you. You’ll all be sacrifices for the altar.”

A chilling declaration.

Considering the power Vintz wielded, it was no empty threat.

“There’s no chance in a straight fight.”

At that moment, Jupien approached.

“How much time do you need?”

“…What?”

“You have a plan, don’t you?”

Chris remained silent.

Yes, there was a plan.

But he wasn’t sure if it would succeed.

‘If it were something I could do alone, I’d manage somehow.’

But this wasn’t something he could handle by himself.

Olivia’s role was absolutely crucial.

So, though he couldn’t guarantee it—

‘I have to make it work.’

“Hold out for three minutes. I’ll try something within that time.”

Jupien nodded and said magnanimously,

“I’ll give you five minutes. If you can’t pull it off by then, I’m going to give you a good smack on the backside.”

With a swift motion, Jupien leapt to stand beside Evan.

He glanced at Evan.

“By the way, who are you?”

“…”

“Well, never mind. You seem tougher anyway, so take the front line. I’ll support from behind. We have to hold him off for five minutes.”

Evan seemed slightly put off by Jupien’s unusual way of speaking, but he said nothing.

He didn’t have the mental space for it anyway.

Soon, Archduke Vintz’s magic surged forward, and the desperate struggle between Evan and Jupien began.

We won’t hold out for long. We have to succeed as quickly as possible.

Chris hurried over to Olivia.

She stood frozen, dazed—probably still reeling from what Archduke Vintz had said earlier.

“Princess? Olivia!”

“!!”

“This isn’t the time to be lost in thought. Forget everything else for now—we have to stop Archduke Vintz.”

A faint light flickered in Olivia’s eyes.

“With the power of the Princess’s Soul Authority, I can exorcise the spirits on that altar. If I do, he’ll lose his strength.”

“But my Soul Authority isn’t strong enough yet…”

“You can awaken it right here, right now.”

“!!”

That was it.

This was exactly what Chris had been thinking.

To awaken Olivia’s power on the spot.

It sounded impossible.

Awaken her power in less than five minutes?

Of course, awakening one’s power isn’t strictly about time.

If the right catalyst is given, it can happen in an instant.

Still, it was incredibly sudden.

Chris spoke firmly.

“I’ll help you. You can do this.”

“…How exactly do you plan to help me?”

“I intend to artificially create the right environment to trigger the awakening of your power.”

There was a way.

The moment she heard that, something strange happened—Olivia’s heart stopped trembling.