◈ Episode 498. The Noble Ones (3)

The Western Demon World.

The Demon King of the 9th Throne.

Paimon’s territory.

A citadel of enormous scale that goes beyond grandeur.

Paimon wandered the halls of the citadel.

Paimon seemed to be pondering something.

A sense of intimidation, heavier than the citadel itself, radiated from him.

The other nonsense was not worth thinking about.

“Bael, you would consider all this useless.”

The glorification of worldly riches was meaningless to those who sat on the Ten Thrones.

Walking down the hallway.

Artwork flashed past Paimon’s vision.

From gold-embroidered paintings.

Dolls adorned with precious materials.

Sculptures carved from whole gemstones.

Each work of art had an aesthetic that could stir one’s emotions just by looking at them, but Paimon’s emotions as he looked at them were dull.

Had he grown accustomed to the emotional impact of art?

No, it would be more accurate to say that he could not feel it.

Because he was looking at them from a distant and lofty throne.

The western part of the vast Demon World is no different, and the loyalty of the demons who follow him is no different. Paimon recognized his own thirst for power.

But unlike Bael and the others.

Paimon’s reason for holding on to worldly power was simple.

It was his responsibility as a monarch.

“Perhaps you have the same reason.”

The Adventurer’s World and the Arcana Continent.

These two worlds that you would never have the slightest regret about.

Something you desperately protect.

“Perhaps that’s why I feel favor toward you.”

gugugung.

Paimon stopped in front of a massive door, and it opened of its own accord.

From floor to wall.

Even the ceiling was inscribed with magic circles of disparate shapes.

It was a curse that could be said to be the demon’s magic.

“So you can’t overlook it.”

Paimon stared at the flesh at its center.

A human corpse that had no place in the Demon World.

It was the body of Long Shenglac, captured from Antonium.

“From what I’ve seen of you, you seem to feel responsible for even the most insignificant of corpses, so in that sense……. perhaps I have acted foolishly.”

The purpose of the densely inscribed curse was the creation of incarnate bodies.

An incarnation.

It was the Ten Thrones that took tens of thousands of lives just by calling out the true name. Paimon did not overlook the fact that if such a Ten Thrones moved its main body, it could destroy a world contrary to its intention.

“I don’t intend to go on a rampage like a stupid horse.”

Paimon spat a sneer at the helpless Gamigin and infused his incarnation with magic, and the decaying corpse of Long Shenglac began to come to life.

“This is truly foolish, Paimon.”

With a little exaggeration, I have lived for eons. Moreover, even if it weren’t for your promise to me, you would have traveled through the Demon World to find this body.

“So this is what impatience feels like.”

Facing Hoyeol.

Paimon’s stopped clock began to tick.

Even more than the eons that had passed.

The present moment began to feel even longer.

“It must be because my second hand has finally begun to move.”

I could guess the reason myself.

“Because we are looking at the same place.”

I was waiting anxiously.

For my equal.

The Ten Thrones?

As I’ve said time and time again, Bael was far away.

The rest of them were just trash.

Duduk.

Soon, Long Shenglac began to move with a crackling sound.

No, Paimon’s incarnation.

Paimon opened his mouth, and the incarnation moved its own.

“I know you don’t approve of this behavior.”

But.

“I crave even that.”

Paimon’s eyes held an unmistakable glint of madness.

“Even your murderous intentions toward me.”

But there was no need to worry.

The moment you step into the Demon World.

All that stands between us will disappear.

“The moment the last obstacle, the ‘ray of light,’ is gone.”

He continues, meaningfully.

“We will be able to fully understand each other.”

*

Walag.

“Jesse! I missed you~”

“We saw each other yesterday.”

“If I see you every day, it means I miss you every day.”

Floating Garden.

Jesse Heinness, Adept Mage.

Camilla sat down next to Jesse and rolled her eyes.

“Thanks to my Jesse, I’ve gotten to explore all the Floating Garden has to offer. What’s good here? Lattes? Cakes? Do they sell fresh fruit juices or something? I’m getting old, I feel like I’m lacking vitamins…….”

“Green tea.”

“……Huh? What? What kind of tea?”

Jesse replied firmly.

“Just green tea.”

Two teacups on the table.

The one hanging shamelessly.

Green tea tea bags, of course.

Camilla giggled.

“Is this what they add to the menu when you’re Chief?”

“Camilla, I have something to tell you.”

“What? I’m not complaining, I’m just curious, curious, curious!”

Shaking head.

“It’s not that.”

The Cone Hat shakes its head. Camilla breathed a sigh of relief but shook her head. I thought it was just her mood, but is there a reason for her deeply pressed hat today?

Camilla was about to ask, but Jesse interrupted.

“I wonder if I can get back into the Shining.”

……Am I dreaming?

Camilla prided herself on knowing Jesse’s personality better than anyone.

But a return?

She never thought she’d hear Jesse say that.

It’s her.

“Coming back?! Jesse, you did whatever you wanted when you were in The Shining, and of course, you did whatever you wanted when you left. You never had the personality to be tied down in the first place…….”

“So you’re saying no?”

“No, absolutely not!”

Camilla quickly threw up her hands.

“I’m a yes, I’m a yes!”

Now I can’t even ask for your opinion.

Dmitry, surely you’re in favor, right?

And.

‘……Lox, you too.’

I met up with guild masters from the Great Alliance and other Seoul-based guilds in the Magic Tower. I was surprised, to say the least. Even Camilla, the Shining’s executive, had heard of competitive quests.

‘They must be serious. To the Holy War Alliance.’

Camilla grinned at Jesse, who still had not shown her face.

‘Well, how could I not go along with that?’

Lee Hoyeol.

Camilla shook her head slightly because this resurrection proclamation had shown that he was a noble hero, unblemished by reality, the Arcana continent, or anyone else.

‘Whatever it is, I won’t be able to do it.’

That death is not a fear that can be overcome.

Because I realized it indirectly through Dmitry’s death.

Camilla clenched her fists to control her trembling hands.

‘But what do we do, Jesse?’

It was the Shining’s recent behavior that made her heart ache just thinking about it, but Camilla looked back at the memory nonetheless, and then at Jesse.

‘You never show your face, do you?’

You, the one who demanded everything.

The fact that you can’t even look me in the eye.

You must be hiding something from me.

‘You’ve grown up, but not enough for me.’

No matter what I think.

There was no reason for Jesse to return to the Shining.

But Camilla shrugged.

“Well, I’m sure Lox will definitely agree.”

“……really?”

“If Lox was the kind of man to leave such a mess behind, he wouldn’t have picked us to run amok in the first place and put us in charge of the Shining, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I see.”

Jesse bit her lower lip at Camilla’s steadfastness.

The cone hat comforted her.

-The original mage is a liar, Jesse. Exploration, Intervention, and Manifestation. The whole process of magic is a lie to begin with, isn’t it? It’s just a plausible addition.

Not that it’s any consolation.

She didn’t want to deceive Camilla.

But she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Jesse spoke to the brim of her hat.

‘……I can’t say I’m going to keep an eye on Lox.’

Jesse Heinness.

Magical accomplishments rivaling those of an adept mage, plus the twilight powers of the Mage clan and the training of Mary. The qualities of the [Archmage] that came with being a Chosen Player.

Jesse’s eyes and ears were sharpened by her early entry into the realm of anomalies.

She could see.

Lox, what temptations are being extended to him.

-“The future of the United States depends on you, Lox.”

-“It’s necessary for world order!”

-“People change. Is Lee Hoyeol an exception?”

-“Do you think Dmitry would want you weakling?”

The cone hat comforted the disciple.

-Haven’t you given him enough chances already?

His voice was not exactly kind.

-Lox, I vowed that if that man appeared in the Magic Tower, I would neither return to the Shining nor keep watch over him, so consider it all his fault for not showing his face in the Magic Tower.

For a brief moment, the cone hat showed the demeanor of her former master.

-In the end, he failed to prove his pride.

Camilla turned to Jesse, who was silent.

“So when are you coming back to the Guild House, Jesse?”

“Right now.”

“Really? That’s great! I left you your private room!”

Dalkag.

It’s a waste.

Camilla wasn’t about to ignore Jesse’s rare favor.

She drank the green tea, which was not to her taste, but she drank it anyway.

“Ugh, put it down.”

Jesse said as Camilla set her mug down.

“Well, let’s go.”

The two rose from the Floating Garden and descended the stairs to the Magic Tower.

The reason for not manifesting the portal was simple.

They wanted to take in the atmosphere.

Camilla threw her arm around Jesse and clung to her.

“So, who will be the lord of Seoul? I don’t know who it will be, but doesn’t it make your head hurt just thinking about it? I’m sure there’s more than one thing to worry about~”

“First of all, it can’t be Camilla.”

“Me? Why, not me?”

“You’re too squishy.”

“Too much~”

For a while, Camilla felt like she had regained a sense of normalcy that she had lost.

Of course, it didn’t last long.

Camilla’s brow finally furrowed.

“Wait, Jesse.”

She looked away, desperate not to interrupt their brief meeting, but the vibration didn’t stop. Sure enough, it was The Shining’s executive.

“Why are you calling me because I can’t catch you like that?”

This was before the answer came.

“……!”

Camilla’s vision snapped into focus.

She was dazed and confused.

The players stood at attention.

Their sharp gaze.

jeobeog.

All eyes are focused on her pretense.

An urgent voice in her ear.

Camilla removes her arm from around Jesse.

-“Camilla, Guildmaster Lox……!!!”

Ding.

Camilla ended the call.

Jesse asked.

Finally, the face she’s been waiting to see, Jesse.

“What’s going on?”

But this time, Camilla hid her true feelings.

“I’m sorry, Jesse.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t think it’s going to work.”

“……What?”

“Your return to The Shining.”

Camilla clenched her fists so hard they dug into her flesh.

“No matter how much I think about it, I can never forgive a traitor.”

*

Wudangtang.

“Then, if you’ll excuse me…….”

Leonie, a Berserker who is far from magic.

There’s nothing familiar about Leonie’s place in the Magic Tower.

There was no place to change clothes.

There was only the Healing School’s spare room.

“Come back another time!”

Does asking me to come again mean dying halfway again?

‘No, of course not.’

Leonie responded with a crooked smile.

“Oh, yeah. I owe you.”

With Klee’s nonchalant dismissal, Leonie put on her ragged combat gear properly. Yeah, I wasn’t expecting this. I should have seen the player assholes do this a time or two.

“……The Shining.”

I didn’t think Camilla’s visit to the Magic Tower would make much of a difference, but I hadn’t realized that Lox had single-handedly wiped out the Bohemian Guild House on the next street over.

“So, you’re saying Camilla put up a smokescreen……?”

……At least Camilla wouldn’t do that.

“Shit, so is Lox that kind of person?”

Leonie ruffles her complicated hair.

She ran her fingers through her hair to calm it down.

A familiar head appeared on the stairs of the Magic Tower.

“?”

A cone hat, to be exact.

“……Jesse Heinness?”

What are you doing here…….

“!”

Leonie stalked over to Jesse and swallowed hard.

It was a change from her usual tastelessness.

Jesse’s face reflected agitation.

Of course, the Berserker had no time for delicate emotions.

“You don’t believe me?”

“……?”

“Well, if you don’t believe me, you can see it with your own two eyes.”

“……!”

“Open the portal, I need to check something out.”

Leonie gritted her teeth.

“Camilla, how much do you know about that?”