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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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Chapter 213: Summons for the Vassal Clans Banquet
"..."
The silence that filled the room wasn't solely because my act of grabbing Hodgkin by the neck was shocking.
Though individuals renowned across the continent were gathered, barely anyone had properly perceived the Spatial Acceleration combined with footwork.
They had only seen a flash of light, and then it seemed as if I had disappeared with an afterimage and reappeared.
Hodgkin was no exception.
"What..."
A look of bewilderment, not even properly registering the series of events where he was grabbed.
It was only a moment later that Hodgkin's face flushed red.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
The moment Hodgkin grabbed my wrist with one hand, trying to pry my hand off his neck, I quickly seized his lapels and met his eyes face to face.
"Seeing how uncooperative you are, you might actually be the traitor. Tell me. Have you been colluding with demons?"
"You crazy bastard, how dare you insult Cecilia?"
The moment Hodgkin tried to draw his spear from his waist, I made the dozens of strands of Dark Lightning gathered at my fingertips surge as if I would detonate them on his neck.
Saaa—
"If you swing that, you'll die. Who will be faster?"
Hodgkin had no choice but to stop moving.
He was a rough mercenary who had crossed the line between life and death countless times and wouldn't even flinch at most threats, but precisely because of that, he stopped moving in an instant, as if his entire body had frozen.
It was an almost instinctive action.
"You..."
Hodgkin couldn't speak properly.
The strange energy he felt on his neck was ringing alarm bells in his mind like crazy.
Even Altair, who was watching, had a fleeting expression of surprise in his eyes, but he soon nodded and slightly raised the corners of his lips.
"Lesser Demon Spear has become quite docile."
A mocking laugh.
Hodgkin's face swelled as if it would burst, but he still couldn't say a word.
The thought that his throat would be cut the moment he moved his tongue kept swirling in his mind.
"Answer me. Are you the traitor?"
"…Let me go."
I kicked the back of Hodgkin's discolored knees hard.
Thwack—
As Hodgkin knelt as if collapsing and glared at me, the conference room was still filled with silence.
"Tsk."
It was then that Bahten, the Third Young Master of the Ziek clan, who had been watching the situation, looked around with a displeased expression.
"Let's stop this. We're showing a disgraceful scene after gathering for the first time in a while. It's true that Vice-Commander Hodgkin's tone was aggressive, but he didn't say anything particularly wrong. Dark Light. Stop this. Are you trying to make an enemy of Cecilia?"
"Who the hell are you?"
"What?"
"These bastards don't even know how the situation is unfolding and are full of privilege. Didn't you hear what I just said?"
"You're insane, Dark Light. Do you realize you're uttering words that insult the Ziek clan?"
I was starting to get annoyed.
He was one of those who had released his aura towards me.
He had been silent while Hodgkin was causing trouble, and now he was trying to act polite and give me advice.
I was about to rush at Bahten the moment I released Hodgkin's neck, but...
"Ho ho."
Loren's soft laughter was faintly audible.
As if by prearranged signal, everyone's gaze in the room focused on Loren.
"Third Young Master. It sounds like you're implying that our Ardehain didn't handle things properly. Is that correct?"
Instantly, the composed expression on the Third Young Master's face turned into one of bewilderment.
"What are you saying? That wasn't what I meant."
"Then what do you mean when you say that Vice-Commander Hodgkin didn't say anything wrong?"
"That, that's..."
The Third Young Master was now visibly flustered.
After all, Fichte, representing the Ardehain clan, was the one who managed the aftermath of the Keplan incident and organized this meeting.
Defending Hodgkin was essentially criticizing Ardehain.
I, at this point, released my grip on Hodgkin's neck and looked at Fichte.
'He's sharp. Definitely.'
Loren's timing was quite appropriate.
It was likely Fichte's intention.
He had deliberately waited for this situation.
Even as the Third Young Master of the Ziek clan, his position within the clan, excluding the Clan Head, wouldn't even be among the top ten.
No matter how much they were from the same Vassal Clan, there was a vast difference in rank between him and Loren, who was Ardehain's best swordsman and the de facto second-in-command.
"…I misspoke."
"Lord Hodgkin."
Loren then looked at Hodgkin.
"Do you have a complaint about Ardehain?"
Hodgkin, straightening up, replied in a suppressed voice,
"It was merely that I couldn't readily believe the words of someone whose origins haven't even been properly verified."
"Ho ho. You don't know the value of your life, do you?"
"..."
Six Dominion Sword, Altair, interjected.
"If it weren't for Dark Light, Keplan would already be a wasteland."
"I've already heard that. I know Crimson Flame was involved, but why do you keep..."
Thwack—
Altair slammed his scabbard heavily on the ground, cutting off Hodgkin's words.
"That was after the fact!"
Altair glared at the Ziek clan member, the Gaion clan member, and then at Hodgkin.
"Listen carefully, everyone. It was incomprehensible. A sight I had never seen before. It was so desperate that even I, Altair, had no choice but to stand by. Dark Light stopped it, Dark Light did. If you witnessed that scene, no one, absolutely no one, could utter such words to Dark Light."
Mahon Sirius nodded.
"The White Magic Tower agrees. The incantation the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad manifested..."
Mahon hesitated for a moment, then carefully continued,
"At the very least, it cannot be interpreted with the current level of the White Magic Tower."
Silence fell again.
The respect Six Dominion Sword Altair and 13th Floor Head Mahon were showing was not just praise, but the utmost reverence.
Loren suddenly looked at Hodgkin.
"There's always a reason for Ardehain's actions. Of course, we would be willing to answer any questions from other Vassal Clans, but..."
Loren slowly extended her ivory-like index finger and pointed at Hodgkin.
"Since when has your mercenary corps been on par with the Vassal Clans?"
"..."
"It seems Cecilia's shoulders have risen quite high. You need to know your place."
A calm tone, like a gentle ripple.
The atmosphere in the room hadn't changed, but Hodgkin's complexion began to turn a deep shade of purple, as if he were suddenly suffocating.
An intense killing intent, concentrated solely on Hodgkin's area.
"..."
Hodgkin's face swelled as if it would burst, but as soon as the killing intent was released, he gagged and breathed heavily.
Loren looked around.
"It seems the time has come."
"..."
"On behalf of the Black Lotus, I hereby convene the Vassal Clans Banquet."
Instantly, the pupils of those gathered widened in disbelief.
***
The sun was shining brightly.
Under the blue sky, throngs of people were bustling through the downtown streets of Keplan, as if nothing had happened.
"…I never imagined the Alliance Head would be one of the Seven Demons."
"Me neither."
"It was my mistake."
On the sixth floor of the Magic Tower Alliance Headquarters.
Fichte, who was admiring the scenery from the window frame of a wide-open private room overlooking the city, muttered as if reproaching herself.
"I only realized it after hearing that the barrier was breached."
I looked outside and replied,
"That's still impressive. So that's why you handled the aftermath so quickly."
"What I did was only a small part."
Loren, who was sitting next to me with her eyes closed as if meditating, murmured softly,
"...You did a great job, Ruin."
The feeling of the wind brushing coolly against my cheek.
Among the mercenaries passing through the streets, I saw some familiar faces.
My heart sank heavily.
'That was close.'
If I hadn't stopped Vassago, in the worst-case scenario, that massive crowd could have been massacred or turned into demonized beings.
As I had feared, the demons were proving to be the greatest threat to humanity.
The only difference from 300 years ago was probably...
'The bystander.'
My mindset.
I still vividly remember the moment I used levitation magic for the first time on the outskirts of Khaoto.
That moment when I went high enough to see the cityscape of Khaoto at a glance to find the base of Bayern and Dark Soul.
The emotion I felt as I looked at the locals of Khaoto going about their business was nothing.
But now…
Suddenly, the faces of Pelleer and Kazen popped into my mind.
With a surge of bitterness, I shook my head and looked outside again.
Saaa—
A strong wind blew.
The airships of the Ziek and Gaion clans, having finished the meeting, were crossing the sky, leaving the city. The Overlord's Steed of the Hyark clan was also visible.
I turned my gaze again, staring blankly at the sky to the west of Keplan, when a question suddenly crossed my mind.
"They said Crimson Flame handled the aftermath. What does that mean?"
"...You didn't know?"
Fichte asked back, sounding surprised.
I glanced at Loren, who still had her eyes closed, and then looked back at Fichte.
"I naturally assumed you were aware."
"I couldn't be. Hector, that guy didn't even show his face."
"…Excuse me?"
A strange feeling began to creep in at Fichte's question.
"Lord Hector wasn't there?"
"He wasn't there as long as I was. Why didn't you call Crimson Flame during the meeting?"
"We were going to bring him after the situation was settled, but in the meantime, he disappeared without saying a word."
"..."
I briefly recalled the situation when the westernmost barrier was breached. At the time, I was too preoccupied to notice, but thinking about it now, it didn't make sense.
"Don't tell me… he was just watching?"
A response came from behind.
"He came almost as soon as the commander disappeared."
Zion, who had been quietly watching the conversation until now, interjected.
I looked at Zion and asked,
"And?"
"He used magic almost identical to what the commander used."
"Meteor?"
This time, Arin answered.
"The red sun instantly incinerated the remnants of the demon realm, and completely crushed the center of the demon realm where the commander disappeared."
"Hmm."
I understood the meaning of Crimson Flame handling the aftermath.
But it was too coincidental. The timing was too coincidental.
Fichte's eyes also grew serious as she read my expression.
"It's best not to make hasty assumptions, Lord Ruin. It could lead to prejudice."
"It doesn't hurt to be cautious. There can be traitors anywhere."
"If you're referring to the Alliance Head… I understand."
Silence flowed.
I stared at the cityscape without saying a word, and Fichte also gazed out the window, lost in thought.
The other members also approached me one by one, looking out the window.
I could read their inner turmoil.
It was my turmoil as well.
Even though the entity threatening humanity was right before our eyes, there was no one we could truly trust.
In the end, overwhelming power was needed.
We continued our respective musings until the sun slowly disappeared behind the crimson sunset and the moon rose.
It was Loren who broke the long silence.
"I'm curious about what happened inside. I heard a rough summary from Fichte."
I nodded and looked at Loren.
I was planning to bring it up when I had the chance.
"A high-ranking demon. To be precise, a Demon Marquess, Vassago."
"An interesting title. Did that demon reveal his identity like that?"
When I shook my head, Loren's expression turned questioning.
"Then how?"
"Because he was someone I already knew."
Instantly, everyone's gaze, including Fichte's, focused on me.
"A demon the expedition encountered 300 years ago has reappeared."
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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