Chapter 331

Chris’s eyes snapped wide open.

Idrine gave a faint smile, then reached up to grasp the pearl earrings dangling from her ears.

They were the teleportation relics Chris had gifted her not long ago.

Ssshhh—

Responding to Idrine’s blood magic, the crimson patterns etched inside the pearl earrings began to swirl violently.

“Wait, stop!” Chris shouted urgently.

This necklace could only teleport one person.

In other words, Idrine intended to stay behind and save only Chris.

“It’s fine,” she said calmly.

“What?!” Chris exclaimed.

“Didn’t you tell me? Friends are meant to give endlessly to one another.”

The smile on Idrine’s face deepened.

“You know, in the short time we’ve known each other, I’ve truly enjoyed myself. I owe you a great debt. So now, it’s my turn to repay you.”

“What nonsense are you spouting—!”

But before Chris could react, the swirling vortex enveloped him.

At that moment, the Archbishop of the Mystic Maga furrowed his brow.

[You’re attempting a futile act. Do you think I’ll just stand by and watch you teleport?]

The Archbishop twisted the fabric of the pocket dimension to block the teleportation—but suddenly, something unexpected happened.

Clank.

His power froze, as if some immense force was holding him back.

‘Could it be…?’

His eyes widened in shock.

“I will not allow you to harm my friend,” Idrine said coldly.

And with that, Chris vanished through the teleportation.

Silence fell.

The Archbishop let out a bitter laugh.

“Truly remarkable. To save Duke Christian by calling upon the devil’s power.”

Indeed.

Idrine’s ability to get Chris out was thanks to demonic power.

She, too, was a demon contractor.

[But the contract you made wasn’t meant to be used like this, was it? You’ve overstepped.]

Idrine’s contract was made to protect the Blood Sword Maga.

Therefore, her power could only be used for the sake of the Blood Sword Maga.

What she was doing now was beyond the contract’s scope.

[It seems you’ve agreed to pay a heavier price to borrow this power. Aren’t you afraid?]

“It doesn’t matter,” Idrine said.

“I’m destined for ruin anyway. Becoming even more wretched won’t change that.”

Yes.

This choice would bring her an even harsher fate, but she had no regrets.

[Heh heh, foolish. No matter how much you struggle, Duke Christian will never escape our grasp.]

He was right.

The teleportation relic Idrine used wasn’t for long distances.

At best, it moved Chris nearby, so once the Mystic Maga started pursuit, he’d be caught quickly.

[Still, you’re a fine vessel yourself. We’ll capture you first, then go after Duke Christian.]

The Archbishop gestured, and the priests stepped forward.

They were also monsters bound by demonic contracts.

[The great demons will be pleased. Try not to injure them too much when you capture them.]

The priests charged.

But then, something unbelievable happened.

Idrine drew her sword.

Flashing brilliantly—

The Archbishop’s eyes widened.

A storm of blood erupted.

The priests’ blood spilled everywhere.

Severed limbs flew through the air, and the area was drenched in crimson.

Amid the flying blood, Idrine stared coldly at the Archbishop.

The foolish expression she’d worn toward Chris was gone, replaced by a chilling gaze.

“You think you can capture Christian? You? How?”

Step by step, Idrine advanced.

A dark, malevolent aura began to pour from her violet eyes.

She was manifesting demonic energy.

“You will all die here.”

Her voice was low and chilling.

The Archbishop’s face hardened.

Chris had overlooked this, but Ria—no, Idrine—was no fool.

That act was just a facade for Christian.

She was the one who had committed the most slaughter in the Demon King’s Castle.

The Blood Murderer.

The Vampire of Carnage.

The Bloodstained Princess.

Those were the names they called her.

Despite the Blood Sword Maga being vastly outmatched by the Demon King’s Curse, it had survived thanks to her.

Originally, she was an 8-star rank.

But with the demonic power she’d received, she could wield strength approaching the upper echelon of 8-star.

Of course, the more she used it, the closer she came to a terrible demise.

But she bore it all for her family.

Now, she had drawn her sword for Christian.

“I will never let anyone lay a hand on Christian.”

Flashing! The surroundings were stained blood-red.

The heretical priests screamed.

Idrine stood tall and proud like a noble rose, ruthlessly slaughtering them.

Suddenly, an anomaly occurred.

[Heh heh, such a beautiful sight befitting the original vessel. Very well. First, we shall make you into a vessel. There’s no such thing as too many vessels.]

Wooooooom!

The magic circle inscribed on the ground suddenly began to emit the energy of Gehenna.

“!!”

Idrine’s eyes widened, and the Archbishop’s expression twisted into madness.

[Praise the coming darkness. You and Duke Christian will both be the key players in a great undertaking.]

With that declaration, the Gehenna energy rising from the magic circle engulfed Idrine.

---

“!!”

Chris snapped awake.

Shaking off dizziness, he found himself near the ruins.

‘Damn it! She did something reckless without telling me!’

He decided to go back.

Not simply because he couldn’t stand her sacrifice.

‘Idrine is also a vessel of the Mystic Maga. If she’s captured instead of me, who knows what will happen.’

In the worst case, the ‘Blood King of Carnage’ could be reborn into the world.

But Chris hesitated at the entrance to the ruins.

Something felt off.

‘…Is that demonic energy?’

The demonic aura was so strong it could be felt even from the surface.

‘It’s not from the Mystic Maga.’

The Mystic Maga’s demonic energy had a unique signature, different from ordinary demon contractors.

‘It’s the demon energy from the one Idrine contracted with.’

Chris’s expression darkened.

She was even using demonic power to save him.

But then, the situation shifted again.

Rumble!

“!!”

The ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck.

Then, like a volcano erupting, explosive Gehenna energy burst forth.

‘The magic circle in the ruins has activated!’

Chris didn’t know exactly what kind of magic circle the Mystic Maga had set up.

But if left unchecked, irreversible disaster was certain.

‘I have to stop it!’

Suddenly, a chilling voice echoed.

[…Stop…]

“!!”

It was Mephina, the demon of the Seventh Circle!

Chris looked surprised.

She hadn’t appeared for a long time; he thought she’d lost interest.

“What’s going on?”

[I came to stop you. If you go inside… you must not.]

“Do you think I’ll listen to you?”

Chris scoffed, but Mephina’s voice remained grave.

[This time… you must listen. The moment you step inside, you will become a tool of annihilation.]

Those words were not easy to dismiss.

“Be specific. What exactly do you demons want?”

Chris asked the question he’d long wondered about.

[I can’t say due to causality. But all truths will reveal themselves naturally as you walk your fate.]

“……”

[What fate you meet depends on your choices. Infinite possibilities lie before you. But as things stand, you will only become a tool of destruction.]

Chris fell silent.

‘What kind of demon is Mephina?’

Once a great rank, she had fallen to the Seventh Circle for some reason.

Chris suspected her fall was connected to this ‘fate’ she spoke of.

‘Either way, this isn’t something I can ignore.’

Not just Mephina’s warning—his very soul was screaming.

He had to get out of here.

If he stepped inside, there would be no turning back.

But—

“No. I’m going.”

[…You?]

“I have to.”

Yes.

It would be terribly dangerous.

But he had a strong intuition.

If not now, it would be too late.

He had to risk whatever came.

[Fine. I understand. I knew you wouldn’t listen to me. You never have.]

Then Mephina said something unexpected.

[I will help you. This level of interference is acceptable.]

“Help?”

Chris frowned.

[Your wishes don’t matter. Your fate is important to me as well.]

“Wait—”

But Mephina vanished without another word.

‘What is she planning?’

Chris frowned.

Demonic help made him uneasy, but it didn’t seem harmful.

Mephina was different from the other demons.

‘Let’s go.’

Chris took a deep breath.

He could feel the terrifying energy leaking from inside.

Though he’d made his decision, a wave of dread washed over him.

‘…Can I survive this?’

This time, he truly couldn’t be sure.

Then, an utterly unexpected voice called out.

“Christian.”

“!!”

Chris’s eyes snapped wide.

It was Evan!

“How did you get here?”

“I sensed you were in danger, so I borrowed a relic from the money grubbers and rushed over.”

An astonishing revelation.

Because they shared a master-servant bond, they could sense when the other was in danger—and that was why she had rushed over to help.

It wasn’t just Evan.

“I’ve come too,” said a woman with a proud, commanding presence.

It was Lanya.

She was dressed more extravagantly than usual.

Christian looked at her, surprised.

“Did you just come from a banquet or something? You seem so relaxed. If I didn’t have your talent, I don’t think I’d be able to sleep at night. Or have you finally realized your shortcomings and decided to quit being a mage?”

“Hey, after all the trouble I went through to come here, you’re going to talk like that?” Lanya snapped.

“Lanya, Christian’s just worried about you. He wants you to push yourself harder,” Evan said, trying to smooth things over.

“Have you lost your mind, Brother Evan?” Lanya shot back, clearly annoyed, but Evan just ignored her and gave Christian a knowing look, as if to say, I understand how you feel.

“Anyway, consider it an honor that this genius mage has come to help. This time, I’ll be the one to knock you down a peg,” Lanya declared, fanning herself dramatically and raising her chin.

Christian chuckled softly.

Ah, it feels like things have gone back to the way they were.

For some reason, it made him feel nostalgic.