Chapter 339
A chill ran down his spine.

“Your complexion looks unwell. The journey must have been too taxing.”

“…No, I’m fine.”

“And what will you do now? There’s still time before you meet with His Excellency the Prime Minister. Would you like to rest at your lodgings, or perhaps take a stroll around the capital?”

Christian’s eyes snapped open.

“Is it really alright to wander around the capital?”

The Duke of Saint smiled warmly.

“Of course. The Grand Prince surely considers you a loyal subject of His Majesty the Demon King. Feel free to explore anywhere you like. The capital is safe; there’s no need to worry about your safety.”

“Then, I’ll take a brief walk.”

“Oh, but one thing—please be careful not to set foot in the ‘Painted Garden.’”

“The Painted Garden?”

“I don’t know its exact location myself.”

Christian frowned in confusion.

“The Painted Garden is a place only accessible to the four highest-ranking Demon Lords. You won’t accidentally wander in, but just in case, be cautious.”

Christian nodded.

It was likely a place hiding a very important secret, but the risk of seeking it out was too great.

Afterward, Christian wandered through the streets of the capital.

The bustling district was filled with shops, but unlike ordinary cities, there were no hawkers or street vendors pestering passersby.

In a calm atmosphere, people bought goods, drank, and enjoyed themselves.

‘It really feels like paradise,’ Christian thought sullenly.

‘I still don’t understand. Is there no sign of the Fire Dream Lord?’

Then, at that moment—

Christian’s body stiffened.

Across the street, he spotted a face he couldn’t believe.

“…Mari?”

A girl with pure, delicate beauty.

‘No, it can’t be Mari.’

This girl was no ghost.

She was alive.

‘But why does she look exactly like her?’

No, it wasn’t just a resemblance.

Her face, her build—everything was perfectly identical.

She looked just like Mari had before becoming a ghost.

“Wait!!”

As the girl suddenly turned to leave, Christian hurriedly stood and grabbed her hand.

“…What’s the matter?”

She tilted her head in puzzlement, looking back at him.

Her voice was clear and human—not the ethereal tone of a spirit.

“Do you know me?”

Her voice was filled with confusion, clearly not recognizing him.

Christian fell silent.

This was definitely not Mari.

It wasn’t just the difference between human and ghost.

Her eyes lacked that hollow emptiness.

Her voice was cold and distant.

Completely unlike Mari.

“…I grabbed you because you look like someone I know. Sorry.”

“Me?”

The girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“Are you trying to hit on me or something?”

“No, that’s not it…”

She spoke in a detached, indifferent tone.

“No need to be embarrassed. It’s not wrong to feel attracted to someone at first sight. I understand.”

“……”

Christian was at a loss for words.

“So, what do you want from me? A date or something?”

“…No, it’s not like that.”

“I thought you said it was okay? Oh, are you after my body?”

“No!”

Christian’s face twisted in shock.

This girl was different from Mari, yet somehow similar!

“Let me be clear—I’m not like that at all. So, can we just talk?”

“Hmm. You’re quite shy. Fine. Buy me a drink, then.”

“…A drink?”

“Isn’t it customary to loosen the mood with a drink in situations like this? That’s what I read in books.”

“…I don’t even know what kind of situation you’re talking about. Fine, let’s go.”

They went to a nearby tavern.

‘What on earth is going on?’

The girl ordered a beer, and since there was no ginger ale, Christian ordered strawberry juice.

She looked at the quaintly decorated strawberry juice in front of him and made a strange expression.

“Do you like strawberry juice?”

“…I ordered it because I can’t drink alcohol.”

“Oh? You can’t drink? That’s unusual.”

Was it a sense of victimhood?

She tilted her head as if mocking how someone could not drink alcohol, and Christian bristled slightly.

“Strawberry juice is nutritious and revitalizing—it’s good for mages.”

“Oh, really? That’s interesting.”

She nodded expressionlessly.

“But wouldn’t it be better if you mixed in a little blood to boost vitality?”

“!!”

Christian frowned.

‘That’s exactly what Mari used to say.’

Mari always brought him strawberry juice, talking about it being “virgin’s blood juice.”

‘Who is this girl, really?’

She was a strange being.

Clearly alive.

Yet, strangely, even while talking face-to-face, she felt lifeless.

Like facing a doll.

‘The complete opposite of Mari. Mari was a ghost, but she was full of life.’

Same face, but a completely different vibe.

Yet, somehow, there was a faint similarity.

Could it be a coincidence?

“…Let’s at least introduce ourselves. I’m Christian of the Dark Mage Clan. What’s your name?”

“I don’t have one.”

“…What?”

“I don’t have a name.”

He thought she was joking, but her indifferent eyes showed no sign of lying.

“…Then what should I call you? Surely people have some name for you? Or who are you?”

“That’s a secret. I’m not allowed to tell anyone who I am.”

“……”

He couldn’t understand her words.

Christian asked a few more questions, but the answers were all the same.

She gave no clues about her identity.

Then, she suddenly asked him directly.

“Who is the person I resemble? Are they important to you?”

Christian was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

“…Yes, they are precious to me.”

A ghost who was more trouble than help, but still.

Christian affirmed her question.

“…I see.”

She looked puzzled for a moment, then stood up.

“It’s time for me to go now. Goodbye.”

“!!”

Before he could say anything, she turned and disappeared.

“Wait!”

Christian rushed outside, but she was already far down the street.

‘How did she get so far so fast?’

Flash!

If he lost her now, he couldn’t say when he’d see her again.

Christian quickly activated his light-foot technique, but something strange happened.

No matter how fast he ran, he couldn’t catch up.

She seemed to be walking slowly, yet the distance never closed—as if using the legendary shrinking technique.

She zigzagged, as if trying to shake him off.

‘I can’t lose her.’

Christian gritted his teeth.

The capital’s scenery blurred past him, and before he knew it, he was lost.

At an archway between tightly packed buildings, the girl stopped.

She glanced back at Christian, then swiftly slipped inside.

Christian followed through—and then—

The surroundings changed suddenly.

A gust of wind swept through.

The buildings that had filled the area vanished without a trace, replaced by an open space lush with trees and flowers.

‘We’ve been transported to another place.’

Christian swallowed hard.

‘I need to get out of here.’

A primal sense of danger surged through him.

But when he looked back, his face fell.

The entrance they had come through was gone.

“Where is this place?”

Flowers, trees, fountains—all lavishly decorated.

Suddenly, a name he’d heard from the Duke of Saint came to mind.

“…The Painted Garden?”

The forbidden area of the capital, accessible only to the four Demon Lords.

---

‘Is this really the Painted Garden?’

Christian’s face was wary.

On the surface, it was just a beautifully arranged garden.

But his soul screamed a frantic warning.

Danger.

‘The garden feels artificial.’

He noticed the absence of any insect sounds.

The flowers and trimmed trees were picture-perfect, but utterly lifeless.

‘Even Lenin’s Scissors can’t cut through this space.’

The entire area was sealed by a powerful barrier.

Reluctantly, he stepped forward—and then a horrifying creature appeared.

A twisted face oozing pus.

Wings sprouting from its back. Multiple arms and legs.

A humanoid monster!

“…A demon?”

But he shook his head.

There was no trace of evil energy.

‘It’s a pure human. But why does it look like that? Like a chimera—a synthetic monster?’

A chimera was a species artificially created by combining multiple monsters.

But such magic only worked on monsters, not humans.

Then the creature lunged at Christian.

[Kraaaaah!]

Clang!

Dark magic blocked the monster.

It was a fairly strong force.

About three to four stars in power?

But the monster did something unexpected.

Tears streamed from its distorted eyes as it spoke.

[Please… kill me.]

“!!”

Christian’s face hardened.

Flame burst forth!

His sword sprayed blood.

The monster collapsed, eyes closing peacefully.

But it wasn’t over.

Perhaps alerted by the commotion, more monsters appeared.

All humanoid, behaving just like the one he had slain.

Clearly once human, they wept and begged for death.

[Kill… me…]

[Please…]

Christian gritted his teeth.

‘Damn it.’

The monsters charged, and Christian’s sword sprayed blood again.

This was different from simply slaying monsters.

It felt filthy.

After slaughtering the endless wave of monsters, silence finally fell.

“What on earth is this?”

There was no way these monsters had appeared naturally.

This was the work of Ma-hwang.

“Why would Ma-hwang do something like this?”

There had to be a reason.

“I need to find out.”

As he ventured deeper inside, Chris suddenly came to a halt.

“This is…?”

An even more horrifying sight unfolded before him.

Children were hanging from the garden trees—like fruit.

Branches had pierced their bodies like tentacles, and their screams echoed through the air.

Blood-red magic circles etched into the trees pulsed with an eerie glow in response to the children’s cries, as if absorbing their pain and anguish.

“Insane.”

Chris’s hand trembled uncontrollably.

He had witnessed countless brutal scenes in his past life, but this was among the most grotesque.

Then, a low voice spoke behind him.

“Well, this is troublesome. I thought a mere rat had wandered in. But it’s Christian of the Dark Mage?”

“!!”

A strikingly handsome man with fiery red hair appeared.

Chris’s body stiffened.

Though this was their first meeting, he immediately recognized who he was facing.

“Could it be… you’re the Demon King of Jeokcheon?”

The fourth-ranked Demon King, known as the ‘Great General of Magic.’

A being of nine-star mastery, possessing power equal to that of the Bloodthirsty Demon King at his prime in Chris’s previous life.