“Don’t mess with my brother.”
I pressed down on the creature’s head with all my might. Despite a slight resistance, I increased the pressure until I felt the skull of Belphegor give way beneath my foot. My foot sank deeper, crushing the head until it finally touched the ground. After a few more grinding motions, I lifted my foot to reveal the mangled remains of what was once its head.
Exhaling softly, I took a moment to admire my handiwork before bending down to place my hand on its chest.
Even with my hand on the left side of its chest, Belphegor showed no signs of life. Not a breath, not a twitch. It looked perfectly dead. With a calm expression, I plunged my hand into its chest.
Squelch.
The sensation of piercing through flesh tougher than human skin was oddly satisfying. I looked at the exposed chest cavity with a mocking tone.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have broken the horn. A bit of a waste… But hey, I summoned Skurep, so it was worth it, right, Belphegor?”
Of course, there was no response. As I rummaged around inside its chest, my fingers finally closed around something. A smile spread across my face. There it was. I stopped near the heart and yanked it out with force. Yet, even with its heart forcibly removed, Belphegor remained motionless.
I looked at the dark, round orb in my hand, covered in its blackish blood, and chuckled with satisfaction.
“Well, well. Being a high-ranking demon, you had something like this. Thanks for the sword and the heart. Farewell, Belphegor.”
I turned to leave, but then paused and sat down in front of its body.
“How rude. I said I’d make good use of it and even bid you farewell. Isn’t it polite to see me off?”
Silence. I sighed and reached back into its split chest.
“Don’t play dead. I know you’re still alive.”
At that moment, I felt a faint tremor within Belphegor’s body. I didn’t miss it. Laughing loudly at finally getting a reaction, I unleashed a surge of fiery magic into its chest.
“If you thought I’d just leave, you were mistaken.”
Whoosh!
The pure flames ignited from within, consuming its entire body. Black smoke began to pour out, and I laughed again.
“Haha. You sly creature. Your tricks are all in the palm of my hand. Hahaha.”
The black smoke wailed in frustration, but I merely watched with amusement. The flames quickly engulfed Belphegor’s body, turning it into drifting smoke.
I watched the process with my chin resting on one hand. Who would have thought I’d come this far? Dealing with Belphegor today was a significant step toward my ultimate goal of returning to Holplain.
As the smoke faded away, leaving no trace, I felt a sense of relief. With this, Belphegor, who had been a thorn in my side since the first encounter, was completely obliterated, soul and all. Just to be sure, I activated my third eye to thoroughly scan the area. When no information surfaced, I smiled with satisfaction.
Then, I lay back on the ground, savoring the emotions welling up inside me after my successful revenge. Who said revenge was hollow? It felt sweet and refreshing. I basked in the happiness that filled me, wearing a contented expression.
As the tension left my body and relief set in, a dizzying sensation hit me. The cost of using the flames with my low stamina was catching up. The strain on my body and magic had been building since I unleashed the technique on the third floor. I had been holding on with sheer willpower and the desire for revenge.
“Ha~ah.”
But it was fine. I felt good. Even my breath felt sweet. As I considered drifting off to sleep, I carefully tucked Belphegor’s heart into my pocket and reached for the direction where I had kicked the sword.
Swish, thud.
“Well, well.”
As if waiting for me, something flew into my hand and settled there. It was the cursed sword, Skurep, which Belphegor had summoned but never wielded against me. I spoke to the sword with a bemused tone.
“Heh. Don’t you think you’re switching masters a bit too quickly? Even if Belphegor is dead…”
The sword vibrated in response, as if understanding my words. What a funny thing. Skurep was a valuable weapon, even in the later stages of Holplain, so I decided to keep it. Perhaps sensing my intentions, or maybe pleading not to be discarded, Skurep let out a low hum.
“Alright, alright. I don’t plan to use you myself, but I’ll find you a good owner. Just be patient.”
At my casual muttering, the sword ceased its vibrations. Who would have thought I’d be dealing with a sword’s whims? Then again, being a cursed sword, it having a will wasn’t strange, but they usually didn’t choose just anyone as their master. I shrugged, but since it wasn’t a bad thing, I tucked Skurep into my pocket as well.
All I could see was the faded, old ceiling. I felt no desire to get up. My companions were likely still waiting on the third floor. Who knows, they might have come looking for me. I considered getting up, but the urge to just sleep was strong.
It wasn’t just simple drowsiness. My body, affected by the backlash, was crying out for rest. With Belphegor dealt with, the ruin was effectively conquered. Lying there, I glanced at the rooms on the first floor where we had first entered.
Before my technique bombarded the third floor, Belphegor had used his specialty, the dark assimilation, to escape. But knowing he was still within the ruin, I had tracked him down. Before pursuing, I had glanced at my companions, protected by a barrier.
<I’ll track him alone. Wait here.>
They had all shouted at me, but pressed for time, I had only thrown out a quick word before leaping down the stairs. Using my third eye, I confirmed he was on the first floor. Rushing down, I found him frantically searching the floor of a room, as if trying to escape. Was there a secret passage there? I’ll have to check before leaving.
More tasks came to mind. But the most pressing was the explanation. I planned to reveal my abilities upon returning to Mulo through a clan application. The timing was just moved up a bit. Suddenly, the face of Jeong Ha-yeon popped into my mind. Discussing things with her wouldn’t be easy. I chuckled at the thought.
In the end, I decided to rest for now. The events would unfold naturally, and there was no need to rush. Besides, my body felt as heavy as waterlogged cotton. I made a mental note to seriously consider allocating points to stamina soon. With that last thought, I cleared my mind. As I closed my eyes, I felt the darkness slowly envelop me.
How much time had passed? It wasn’t a restful sleep. More like a forced slumber. But the dizziness was gone, so I slowly opened my eyes. Darkness greeted me.
Even after blinking, my vision remained dim. At the same time, I felt something soft and squishy against my head and cheek, making me tilt my head in curiosity. Wondering what it was, I rubbed my face against it, feeling it squirm beneath me.
But it didn’t feel unpleasant, so I rubbed my cheek against it again, enjoying the sensation. Then, suddenly—
“Ah…!”
A soft gasp accompanied the squirming beneath my head.
The obstruction over my eyes was lifted, and a cool touch met my forehead, snapping me to full alertness. I had a suspicion, and as I looked up, I met the eyes of a woman with short, shimmering hair and a clear, serene face. It was Jeong Ha-yeon.
For a while, I locked eyes with her, trying to make sense of the situation. I had fainted, and my companions must have found me. Somehow, in the midst of it all, Ha-yeon had ended up giving me a lap pillow. So far, so good.
But two things puzzled me: why Ha-yeon, of all people, had decided to give me a lap pillow when others were around, and why my head was nestled so deeply into her robe, resting against the inside of her thigh.
Seeking answers, I spoke in a calm voice.
“Hello.”
”…”
“Your lap is surprisingly comfortable.”
Sensing the unusual tone in my voice, Ha-yeon took a deep breath through her elegant nose before speaking.
“Let me clarify something.”
Her voice was as clear as a bell. She moved her hand from my forehead to the back of my head, applying a slight pressure. I took it as a sign to get up.
“It wasn’t my intention for you to end up there. You did that all on your own.”
After pondering her words, I replied evenly, “Well, couldn’t you have just moved my head away?”
“No matter how many times I moved that cheeky head of yours, it kept finding its way back. I gave up after the eighth attempt. Congratulations, you succeeded on the eighth try.”
”…I’m sorry. It wasn’t intentional. But… um.”
There was a subtle edge to her words. At a loss for what to say, I quickly apologized and tried to sit up. But as I did, my strength gave out, and I lost my balance. The world tilted 90 degrees, and I was about to fall backward.
Thud, squish.
Ha-yeon quickly caught my collapsing body, and I unintentionally ended up back in her arms. The unexpected softness against the back of my head left me speechless. Her chest was surprisingly firm and… substantial.
”…Just like that.”
“I was willing to believe you until a moment ago. But this situation makes it hard to trust you.”
Her tone was sharp, yet she didn’t seem genuinely angry. I managed to sit up, my back against the floor. I wanted to say, “Then you shouldn’t have given me a lap pillow in the first place,” but I kept my mouth shut, sensing it might actually upset her.
However, her perceptiveness was sharper than I expected.
“Just to clarify, I did volunteer to look after you. But I had no choice.”
“Why?”
“I couldn’t trust An-sol or Yu-jeong to handle it.”
Ha-yeon finished with a bitter smile. The convenience of talking to her was that we didn’t need to explain everything in detail, much like with Han-byeol.
This situation was no different. We were exchanging light banter, but it was all just a prelude to the main conversation. From Ha-yeon’s reaction, I could tell she was being considerate of me.
Understanding her subtle intentions, I accepted the situation. I scratched my head a couple of times and looked around the room. It seemed they had brought me to a room on the first floor. This meant we were still in the ruins of the research facility. I had worried they might carry me back to the mule, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case. It would have been a waste not to explore the secret passage.
But the others were nowhere to be seen. After a quick scan of the surroundings, I turned to Ha-yeon.
“Where are the others?”
“On the third floor. There wasn’t much left but ashes, but they’re checking if there’s anything salvageable.”
Her clear answer prompted a groan from me as I mustered the strength to stand. Unlike before, I found it surprisingly easy to stand upright once my head cleared. I could feel Ha-yeon’s gaze growing more intense.
”…I misunderstood.”
“Well, it’s possible. An-sol did use healing spells quite liberally.”
“Sigh.”
I took a deep breath and assessed my condition. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been out, but it didn’t seem like it had been too long.
As I moved around to check myself further, I heard footsteps approaching from beyond the door. As they drew closer, I instinctively composed myself.
Turning to Ha-yeon, I found her looking at me with a calm expression. Yet, her eyes held a depth that was hard to miss.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yu-jin.
Ah, is it just me, or is Skurep really cute?
It seems that all actions related to the sword have positive effects, including things like this. Haha.
Now it’s time for Su-hyeon and the group to talk again.
Look forward to their conversation in the next chapter. :)
And… unfortunately, Belphegor cannot be included in the achievements. Although he is a high-ranking demon, the achievements in Hall Plain must influence the overall flow. (The rite of passage is unique due to its first-time nature and circumstances. It’s a kind of event. Remember, Su-hyeon achieved only about twenty achievements in his first ten years, which might help you understand.)
Even if Belphegor’s actions significantly impact Hall Plain in the future, Hall Plain currently doesn’t recognize the threat. They see him as just another high-level demon. He doesn’t pose a significant threat at the moment. If he were a demon lord, he might be considered an achievement. Haha.
PS. How do you like the new cover? I love it. :D
『 Reader Comments 』
MT Bear: Congratulations on being first. I see you often in the top spot these days! You might become a legendary first commenter like Saramin. And… thank you so much for your support.
hohokoya1: I’m also surprised these days. Ah, after reading your comment today, I thought I should try a triple update, but I got home late, and the writing didn’t flow as expected. I’m sorry. (__)
Devil’s Temple: Su-hyeon’s experiences so far would be in vain! Our Su-hyeon is a truly meticulous guy. With this, Belphegor is completely done for. Haha.
Yumu Check: Ah, thank you so much for your interest in Memorize. I will always strive to meet the expectations of readers looking forward to the next chapter. Bow.
Mega Cannon: Yes, yes? Who did you say got injured? @[email protected] Please don’t hate me. Sob sob.
Face Value: Hmm. Currently, the setting is that <you haven’t seen anything good.> If you’re curious, send me a message. I’ll explain briefly.
Resonating Soul: Hahaha, I laughed for a long time after reading it. It’s really good. Can I quote this in a future note? Hahaha. It was a really witty comment.
Kaarm: I thought the nickname was familiar, and it turns out you’re an author on Tube! I’m enjoying your current works. Please continue to write great novels. :)
ㄴㅇㅇㄴㅇㄵㄷ: Hmm. This is related to the ending. To give a brief answer, I can say that the Zero Code
Blami: Long time no see! Did you enjoy the camp? :) Thank you for the coupon. Haha. Memorize has already surpassed 100 chapters. I feel proud when I think about it.
Your recommendations and comments are the driving force for continuous updates. (This is the truth.)
I always read all the comments repeatedly.
Please don’t be too disappointed if you’re not in the comments section.
If you’re really curious, send me a message, and I’ll reply!
I’ll take my leave for today.
I hope you always read the story with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.