Chapter 239
The Sword of Annihilation pierced straight through Maximus’s heart.
A brief silence followed.
“Gyaaaaaaah!!!”
The sacred fire imbued within the Sword of Annihilation flared up like a holy flame, engulfing Maximus’s body in searing light.
Victory was theirs!
“Lighting a sacred flame? What on earth…?”
Evan stared at Chris in shock.
“It’s just a little trick,” Chris said casually.
Evan didn’t buy it.
No matter how much of a genius Chris was, that kind of sacred aura couldn’t be faked by talent alone.
‘As expected, Christian carries a nobility that surpasses even the saints.’
Evan even found himself thinking something unexpected.
‘Maybe the hero destined to save the world isn’t me, but Christian.’
Evan had been blessed by various celestial orders as the chosen hero to prevent the coming apocalypse.
His rapid growth was all thanks to the blessings he’d received.
Yet, he still found it hard to believe he was such an extraordinary figure.
If anyone fit the role of hero, it was Chris.
‘Though the celestial orders told me some incomprehensible things…’
Previously, the celestials had warned that Christian would become the “Great Darkness” that would one day destroy the world.
It sounded absurd.
How could someone with such nobility be the harbinger of destruction?
‘The celestials aren’t omniscient. They sometimes make wrong prophecies. This must be another mistake.’
At a glance, Chris did seem like a dark seed for the future.
His terrifying growth suggested that if he continued, he’d become one of the strongest Demon Lords in history.
‘Still, there’s no way Chris would become such a terrible being. If anything, he’ll be the savior.’
Evan’s gaze toward Chris was filled with unwavering trust.
Chris cleared his throat at the sight.
‘Evan’s probably misunderstanding something again. Well, whatever.’
Since he planned to keep using Evan as his loyal pawn, a little infatuation wasn’t a bad thing.
“Is there anything else I can do?”
“No, that’s all for now.”
“If you ever need my help again, just say the word. I’ll be there for you.”
Chris hesitated for a moment.
‘Evan’s growing steadily.’
Perhaps meeting Chris had accelerated his progress far beyond his previous life.
‘The real problem is someone else. I need to help Lanya grow.’
Archmage Lanya.
She was just as important as Evan.
A member of the hero party who, like Evan, would one day reach the transcendent ninth star.
‘A prodigy in magic. Especially in elemental magic, she’s second only to me.’
Lanya’s talent even surpassed Evan’s.
While Evan’s growth took off after being chosen by the celestials, Lanya had already reached a certain level on her own merit.
‘She’s already at the sixth star, without any blessings from the celestials. That’s impressive.’
The problem was that after reaching the sixth star, Lanya had fallen into a slump, her progress stalled for a long time.
She would only awaken after the Age of Destruction began.
‘I can’t wait that long. I have to help her grow quickly.’
“Do you know Lanya of the Sky Tower?”
“Lanya? The next Sky Tower master? Of course, I know her well.”
“Have you met her?”
“We used to meet often when we were kids.”
As expected, Evan had connections to the famed swordsmanship family.
“That’s good. Approach her and deliver a message.”
“A message?”
Chris nodded.
“If she wants to tear through the web of delusion, tell her to challenge Black Rock.”
Evan frowned, confused.
Chris shrugged.
“Just deliver the message. She’ll know what to do.”
Evan gave him a strange look.
He sensed Chris was planning some unknown assistance for Lanya.
“Why help her?”
“It doesn’t hurt to owe a favor to the next Sky Tower master. I might be able to use it later.”
Chris’s explanation was vague, but Evan thought to himself,
‘It’s probably some noble purpose again. Truly, the hero isn’t me, but Christian.’
Evan nodded resolutely.
“Understood. I’ll deliver the message, even if it costs me my life.”
“No, don’t do that. You’re my precious pawn—I can’t have you dying.”
With that, they wrapped up the matter concerning Lanya.
Ruina, standing nearby, asked,
“What’s next?”
“What else?”
Chris looked down at Maximus’s fallen body.
“We’re going to overturn the Kalbern Kingdom.”
The next day, something unbelievable happened at the Kalbern Kingdom’s royal castle.
Maximus’s severed head was hung from the tower!
Beneath it was a message:
—One who fell prey to the devil’s temptation and committed grave sins. Executed in the name of the Dark Mage.
—Christian de Baron
A declaration that Christian, the Dark Mage, had beheaded Maximus!
What made it worse was the phrase “devil’s temptation.”
It implied Maximus had made a pact with a demon.
“This is nonsense!”
“His Majesty the Lion King would never do such a thing!”
But it was the truth.
The instruments found on the corpse were proof.
Olivia, the Law King who inherited the blood of the celestial order, confirmed Maximus’s demonic contract.
The Kalbern Kingdom was turned upside down.
Using memories from his past life, Chris had Ruina expose the crimes of Kalbern’s influential figures.
The kingdom’s leadership collapsed overnight, and Olivia, the Law King, took control.
“…Truly remarkable, Duke Christian.”
Olivia sighed softly.
She had been troubled by the Kalbern Kingdom for so long, and now it was resolved in one fell swoop.
Ruina pouted.
By the way, the two had grown somewhat close since the previous Law King incident.
“…That demon fellow is certainly powerful. Just unlucky, rotten, and mean.”
Unexpectedly, Olivia responded.
“Please don’t speak ill of Duke Christian.”
“…Huh? What?”
“Well… Duke Christian is our benefactor at Gold Cross. As Law King, I cannot allow such words.”
Ruina’s eyes widened.
Olivia’s usually gentle face was now clouded with displeasure.
‘What’s going on? It doesn’t seem like she’s just upset for that reason. Could it be that Olivia, like Sir Evan, is under some spell from that demon fellow?’
It seemed so!
Olivia didn’t stop there. She placed a hand on her hip and said primly,
“Apologize for speaking ill of Duke Christian.”
“Ah… I’m sorry! Long live Duke Christian! Long live!”
Olivia sighed quietly.
She thought she’d overreacted in a moment of irritation.
‘Why am I like this? I have no connection to Duke Christian.’
In fact, this wasn’t the first time Olivia had reacted this way whenever she heard about Christian.
There was a reason.
‘My older brother.’
Why was it that thinking of Christian made her chest ache, and brought to mind one person?
Her brother, Chris.
Lately, it had been even worse.
‘I was going to meet him this time.’
But Christian had already left for the Extreme Poison Mage faction.
“Anyway, Lady Ruina, you did well with this.”
“Hehe, it’s nothing. I was just following the orders of the magnificent, noble, and graceful Duke Christian.”
Ruina glanced at Olivia and quickly praised Christian, then flashed a greedy smile, hoping for some reward.
“Of course, it was a bit of hard work, but I trust our benevolent Lady will repay me! Loyalty! Loyalty! Loyalty!”
Olivia, seemingly used to Ruina’s antics, nodded calmly and then said something unexpected.
“But there’s a condition.”
“Huh? What kind?”
Olivia looked Ruina straight in the eyes and spoke firmly.
“Keep an eye on Duke Christian from now on.”
“…What?”
“Specifically, if he appears again on the Alliance side, you must inform me. I need to meet him.”
Ruina’s eyes widened in surprise, but Olivia didn’t back down.
‘No matter what.’
She was determined to uncover the cause of the sharp pain in her heart.
Meanwhile, others were also talking about Christian.
“Heh heh, as expected, he’s amazing. So captivating. Ah, I can’t wait to turn him into a doll.”
A strikingly beautiful woman spoke.
Merchen.
An elder of the Four Demon Kings’ Castle.
“How beautiful Duke Christian will be as a doll. Don’t you think so?”
Merchen’s gaze landed on a girl.
A cute nine-tailed fox with bright sky-blue hair.
But her eyes were pitch black, as if something was terribly wrong.
Merchen chuckled and gently stroked the girl’s head with a dreamy look.
“You’re quite my type too. Once this is over, I’ll turn you and Duke Christian into dolls together.”
Merchen turned her eyes away.
In the distance, the ancestral fortress of the Extreme Poison Mage faction, Jinnok Castle, came into view.
Licking her red lips, Merchen murmured,
“It’s almost time.”
Returning to the Extreme Poison Mage faction, Christian was met with a completely different kind of gaze.
One filled with shock and awe.
And rightly so.
Not only had he single-handedly stopped the war, but he had also beheaded the enemy king.
“So, what do you think? Didn’t everything go just as I said?”
Christian shrugged casually, and the staunch opponents from the Geukdok family who had initially opposed his actions were left utterly speechless.
Duke Huam stepped forward and spoke.
“Thank you. On behalf of the Geukdok family, I offer my deepest gratitude. Truly, this is an immense favor.”
“Favor.”
A word far too grand to come from the head of a prestigious magical family.
Yet it was no exaggeration.
If it hadn’t been for Christian, the Geukdok family would have suffered a devastating loss.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Our Amheuk family and the Geukdok family are like brothers, aren’t we? It’s only natural to help.”
Christian answered with effortless ease.
In reality, we will become brothers soon enough. Of course, the Amheuk family will be the elder brother.
But naturally, this incident alone didn’t mean the Geukdok family would kneel beneath the Amheuk banner.
That will only happen after the Jinrok transformation is complete.
This event was merely laying the groundwork for that future.
“I will make sure the Amheuk family is properly rewarded. Is there anything you desire in return? Speak freely.”
Of course, there was something.
I must complete the Cheondok.
Just as Christian was about to speak, the door to the study suddenly burst open, and a messenger rushed in.
“My lord, I have urgent news!”
“What is it?”
“Vice Duke, Marquis Goras, has returned to the family!”
Everyone’s eyes widened.
His return was far earlier than expected.
This is the work of the Blue Stream Demon King.
Christian let out a low breath.