Chapter 193
Marchen’s gaze turned icy cold.
“Sherard, I think you’d make a fine doll too. Not exactly my type, but your face is pretty enough to craft a plaything. I could have some fun torturing you whenever I get bored.”
“Likewise. I have no real interest in you, but I’ll play along. Even as a doll, with this level of synchronization, you’d feel the pain just as sharply.”
By some cruel twist, their tastes aligned perfectly—both took pleasure in others’ suffering. Though, in detail, one was a taxidermy fetishist, the other a psychopathic killer.
Their intensity escalated.
But the surprising thing was Sherard’s side.
Marchen’s original form was a top-tier 7-star demon, and the doll she wore was the first she’d ever made, crafted from her own kin’s flesh, containing power equivalent to a 7-star. Yet Sherard’s presence was no less formidable.
Sherard had also reached 7-star status!
The effect of his demonic contract.
More precisely, it was the power of the “Soul-Eater” ability granted by the demon.
Sensing something amiss, Marchen’s expression hardened, while Sherard twisted his lips into a sinister smile.
“Let’s see, then.”
A chilling demonic brand appeared on Sherard’s temple.
“Even if I ‘eat’ the doll, will it satisfy my hunger?”
In a place unknown to anyone, Marchen’s doll and Sherard clashed in a decisive battle.
The outcome: Sherard’s victory.
Marchen’s doll barely escaped destruction, fleeing with its life, but Sherard was not unscathed—he suffered grievous wounds.
In a bizarre twist, the enemies had effectively destroyed each other.
Christian, unaware of any of this, merely tilted his head in confusion.
“Is that it? I thought there’d be more.”
This operation had been fraught with danger on many levels.
Especially since he had stepped out from under his family’s shadow and into enemy territory—if anyone wanted to target him, this was the perfect opportunity.
“I did prepare some countermeasures.”
Christian ran his hand over the sword at his waist.
It was Andril.
“After partially unsealing it at the Gold Cross, I can now use some of its powers.”
Of course, it was a one-time, extremely limited use.
The moment he activated it, Christian himself would face mortal danger.
That’s why he had never used Andril’s power before, but if an overwhelming crisis arose unexpectedly, he was ready to unleash it. Yet, all remained quiet.
“Well, that’s for the best.”
Christian shook his head.
There was no time for needless thoughts.
“The battle’s over, but the situation isn’t resolved.”
In fact, the real fight was just beginning.
Now, through a victory treaty, he had to make Marquis Goras pay for his crimes.
No, simply extracting a price wasn’t enough.
Christian planned to use this opportunity to lay the groundwork for bringing the Venomous Maga under his control.
News of Christian’s feat spread quickly.
Both families were thrown into turmoil.
First, the Dark Maga.
“Did Grand Duke Christian really seize the Venomous Maga’s territory?”
“Yes. While the main house hesitated, he secured evidence and secretly mobilized the Dark Maga forces to strike swiftly.”
“What about the rumors that people in the western territories collapsed from poison?”
“That was obviously a ruse to lull the Venomous Maga into complacency. I believed in the Grand Duke from the start. As expected, our Grand Duke is insane!!”
“Who was it that doubted him back then?”
“Long live Grand Duke Christian!!!”
Cheers erupted.
Every demon of the Dark Maga, without exception, praised Christian’s name.
“This isn’t the time to hesitate! Let’s all go support Grand Duke Christian!”
“We’ll send all our forces too!”
“I’m coming as well!”
Demons flooded toward the occupied territories to back Christian.
Meanwhile, the Venomous Maga were in disbelief.
“What nonsense is this? Four territories lost? Valment, Rodrak, and even Sesia and Kalia?”
“That can’t be! It must be false news!”
Their first reaction was denial.
Understandable, since four territories had fallen in the blink of an eye.
But when the news proved true, shock took hold.
Especially when the details emerged, no one could believe it.
“How on earth?”
“Even if it was a surprise attack?”
These were heavily fortified poison traps.
Even lords of the 6-star master class were stationed there, yet all defenses were breached.
All because of a single person.
“Is it true that it was Grand Duke Christian alone who broke through Groben’s poison traps and defeated the Count of Sesia?”
Though it was admiration for the enemy, what Christian had accomplished was so shocking it felt unreal, leaving the Venomous Maga stunned into silence.
Especially those who understood the complexity of the poisons were horrified at how impossible Christian’s feat was.
“We must send reinforcements immediately!”
“We have to make those who invaded our lands pay!”
“Deploy the Poison Assassination Squad!”
Such angry calls arose, but it wasn’t easy.
“Have you forgotten what Sesia and Kalia are? If we mobilize troops and Grand Duke Christian pulls some mad stunt?”
Sesia held the core poisonous plants, storage, and refining facilities; Kalia had the dam supplying their water.
Christian wouldn’t hesitate to destroy those if needed.
It was like a sword hanging over their necks.
Moreover, opposition within the Venomous Maga was fierce.
First, the family head, Duke Huam, voiced dissent.
“Before raising troops, we must first identify who spread the poison in the Dark Maga’s territory.”
Christian had started the campaign because of the poison spreading in the Dark Maga lands.
After seizing the territory, he quickly revealed evidence that Marquis Goras’s faction had distributed the poison, leaving the Venomous Maga in disarray.
This wasn’t fabricated evidence.
The Counts of Sesia and Kalia were implicated, and all proof was secured.
“Are you saying Marquis Goras himself did this?”
“No, it was led by the Counts of Sesia and Kalia.”
“But isn’t that the same? They only follow the Marquis’s orders.”
Many in the Venomous Maga were loyal to Marquis Goras.
Still, even his followers didn’t approve of this.
Poisoning civilians was clearly wrong.
“…I never imagined the Marquis would stoop this low.”
“No matter who he is, this crosses a line.”
If it was proven that Marquis Goras was behind this, the political fallout would be severe.
At that moment, deep within the Venomous Maga’s main hall, a demon knelt.
“My subordinates are unsettled, Your Grace.”
From the shadows, a figure turned his gaze.
It was Marquis Goras.
A chilling aura radiated from his cold eyes, pressing down on the room.
“My subordinates are unsettled?”
“Yes, sir. Some even dare to doubt you…”
“Filthy vermin, how dare they?”
His aide flinched.
Goras wore a smiling face, but his eyes were deadly cold.
‘He doesn’t care about his reputation anyway.’
Goras’s reign over the Venomous Maga wasn’t due to popularity.
It was his overwhelming power.
And his ruthless nature, willing to use any means to achieve his goals.
He forced his opponents to choose: death or submission.
Refuse to obey, and not only you but your loved ones would perish through secret, cruel schemes—making refusal impossible.
In other words, Goras ruled through absolute terror.
“Pathetic worms. To be shaken by such trivial matters.”
“…Yes, sir.”
“Still, we must prepare a plan. Otherwise, my scheme will fail.”
Originally, Goras planned to bring down Duke Huam with this incident.
But a wild card appeared and completely upended everything.
The problem was, even Goras found this situation difficult to handle.
Because the opponent was the Dark Maga.
And a sharp blade was pressed against Goras’s own neck.
But he was unfazed.
He had a plan.
“How are the Dark Maga moving?”
“They remain silent, holding the occupied territories. It seems they’re waiting for us to bow first.”
Neither family could afford an all-out war.
They had to settle through negotiation, but since the Dark Maga held the upper hand, the Venomous Maga would be forced into humiliating terms.
“Contact the Dark Maga. Propose negotiations to end this.”
“…They’ll surely demand impossible conditions.”
His aide spoke with concern, but Goras said something unexpected.
“No, it’s the other way around. The ones who will bow are the Dark Maga.”
“…How?”
“We’ll ask the Azure Demon King to mediate.”
“!!”
His aide flinched.
“But… if the Azure Demon King mediates, won’t that make things even harder for us?”
The Demon King is the representative of the Dark Emperor.
Therefore, whatever decision the Demon King makes must be followed without question.
In particular, before the Demon King of Cheongryu pledged allegiance to the Magic Empire, his former identity was none other than the illustrious Fairy King.
Because of this, he is still known to possess a just and honorable character.
In this case, since the Marquis of Goras’s side is clearly at fault, it’s certain that the Demon King of Cheongryu will rule against them.
“It’s fine. I have a plan,” he said.
“…Understood.”
His aide bowed and withdrew, unable to say more.
Left alone, the Marquis of Goras let out a bitter chuckle.
“The illustrious Fairy King, huh? How laughable. Now he’s nothing but a grotesque, fallen monster.”
But the true power behind this incident wasn’t the Marquis of Goras.
It was the Demon King of Cheongryu.
‘And this isn’t the only time.’
The Marquis knew exactly what kind of ‘purpose’ the Demon King harbored.
He knew the terrible schemes she was plotting to achieve it.
There was no way she wanted this matter to end so simply.
The Demon King of Cheongryu would ultimately side with the Marquis of Goras.
News that the Demon King of Cheongryu would mediate the negotiations quickly spread to both families.
The reaction was one of surprise.
“Why would the Demon King of Cheongryu get involved?”
“She hardly ever interferes in the affairs of noble houses.”
Each Demon King across the various provinces had their own governing style, but generally, they followed a policy of non-intervention.
This was in accordance with the Dark Emperor’s will, and the Demon King of Cheongryu was known to be especially indifferent.
In nearly ten years, he had never once stepped into the affairs of any noble family.
So the Demon King’s sudden involvement sparked suspicion and wariness among everyone.
All except one.
Only Christian remained calm and unfazed.