◈ Episode 562. Attraction (2)

Magic Tower.

A rushing crowd.

Someone said.

“Do you all think this makes sense?”

The disbelief was evident from the first word.

“No, no, no. Let’s say there’s at least one Demon King of the Ten Thrones who’s lost his mind, so he might come out in favor of us. That doesn’t make any sense, does it?”

The Demon King, Barbatos.

He accepted the offer.

Arcana TV programs around the world.

An offer to appear on VBC’s Today Arcana!

A large tablet shoved in someone’s face.

On the screen was Barbatos, surrounded by reporters.

-“I’m happy to oblige. To restore the broken trust between humans and demons.”

Is it okay to be so shameless?

“Trust is bullshit. What the hell does that thing think it’s going to do……!”

“Isn’t that why we’re all gathering at the Magic Tower~?”

The words trailed off.

The distinctive voice gave away her identity without even turning her head. It’s Camilla from The Shining. The crowd’s eyes focused on the named player’s appearance.

“Crazy, Camilla. I’ve never seen you in real life.”

“Why, it seems like such a long time ago.”

Since the fall of Lox and his leaving.

“It’s been a long time for everyone~”

The Shining had been under siege.

Compared to the power she had lost, she had too many strongholds in Seoul, the Land of Anomalies.

The reason is that she owns many territories.

However, Camilla’s distinctive voice was still there.

“As you know, I’ve been busy, so I’ve been a bit absent, haven’t I?”

As you can see, the Shining hasn’t fallen apart.

Even without Lox’s return, and even without Camilla’s absence, the Shining’s victories were so overwhelming that no one could overcome them anymore.

“Bumping around in people.”

A series of experiences.

Camilla saw this situation as a complicated battle of numbers.

She continued talking while smoothing her cracked fingernails.

“Even if Barbatos has a motive, will he be able to do as he pleases inside the Magic Tower? Even if he wanted to take advantage of his unique demon status abnormalities, with cameras recording everything? Well, not without going insane.”

“Surely we’ll notice the change quickly!”

“Yeah, as soon as something suspicious appears.”

seueug.

“Tsk.”

Camilla made a mock throat-cutting gesture with her fingers.

From the perspective of others, it is no different from usual.

It was a mixture of leisure and playfulness.

This was an act of desperation.

At this moment, Camilla could barely contain herself.

‘……Maybe this is my chance.’

The thought replayed over and over in her head.

Into the heart of Barbatos.

The image of herself driving her arrow into his heart.

‘Dmitri.’

Demons, especially.

It was the Ten Thrones that had driven Dmitri to his death.

The monsters in the rift that were unleashed by their appearance.

They cost him his life.

The crowd chattered among themselves.

“From what you’ve said, Camilla, surely we have nothing to lose? After all, Barbatos has accepted all the terms, hasn’t he?”

“Well, we can get information from the back door, and…….”

“Aren’t you looking forward to the questions? I’m sure the mages of the Magic Tower, the players, and last but not least, Commander-in-Chief Lee Hoyeol will have a lot to say.”

……Yes, that’s what everyone is thinking.

Dmitri, I don’t think anyone remembers you, at least not here.

Camilla clenched her fists invisibly.

‘You’re really an unusual demon, aren’t you, Barbatos?’

Barbatos.

Ever since I remembered the update.

He had never once shown hostility to humanity, but Camilla was testing him, her insides shaking more than any enemy she had ever faced.

‘So watch over me.’

She, herself.

‘Please stand by me and stop me, Jesse.’

So much that it seemed almost dangerous.

*

The private chambers of the Healing School of Magic Tower.

“Nooo! Are you out of your mind, Senior Bensch?”

“Me, what? Vangrit.”

“You absolutely need to be at ease, aren’t you?”

The two senior mages were bickering to this day.

Even during the healing period.

It was their fault for not keeping their mouths shut.

“Then we’ll go first.”

“Alas, I’ll be right behind you.”

“Where are you going?!”

They were in the private room in the middle of the day.

Unlike the two of them, Kotein and Maia were in much better shape. They were able to stand on their own two legs without the aid of crutches.

Vangrit, who had been fuming, finally frowned.

“You realize this is all because I stayed up all night talking to Senior Bensch and opened up my wound and it didn’t heal? I mean, you can’t keep your mouth shut for even a few minutes of your waking hours!”

“Tsk tsk.”

“You’re clicking your tongue in a situation like this?”

“Vangrit, you are not a great mage.”

“……A great mage, all of a sudden?”

The essential quality of a great mage was curiosity.

To reach the abstract goal of Truth, the passion for exploration must never wane, so only an insatiable curiosity can lead you down the thorny path to Truth!

“Doesn’t Senior Vangrit even curious?”

But Bensch had gone too far.

Limping and grunting.

Bensch William begins to pull on his own clothing.

“Barbatos, what kind of bullshit will he say?”

Bensch’s pupils burned like fire.

“Surely, you didn’t say you would answer any questions, and now that he’s in the Magic Tower, this is the perfect opportunity to address my curiosity?”

“And what questions would you like to ask?”

“Well, for starters, I’m going to ask him how he feels.”

“……yes?”

Of course, the flame was not simply hot.

What was in Bensch’s pupils was hot yet cool anger.

“Do you truly feel thrilling joy when you deceive people?”

“……Senior Bensch.”

“When they take a child’s body and kill it with their own hands, does the voice of the parent wailing within them sound like truly sweet music to them.”

“…….”

“When they tear apart a human being begging to be spared, do they really laugh with happiness. I can’t wait to find out, Vangrit.”

Nash William, Imperial Mage.

-“I’m sorry, but father…….”

Bensch heard the news of the family indirectly through his brother. He’s now a senior mage in the Magic Tower. Though he had severed ties with House William, such was the bond of blood.

Bensch smiled at Vangrit’s serious face.

“I know what you’re concerned about, Vangrit. But I’m literally just curious. Barbatos, since he mentioned the trust between humans and demons.”

Bensch spoke and thought at the same time.

‘If, if he meant it.’

How am I supposed to treat demons.

My ability to burn something to the ground.

Where and how should I use it.

‘And the debts of the Magic Tower and the family…….’

I must find the answers.

“So come with me, Vangrit. To the Crystal Hall.”

“……You’re getting more and more convincing by the minute.”

“It’s a compliment, right? By the way, if you were dressed like that, would you just walk away and pretend not to notice? Barbatos isn’t enough, and crowds are coming from all directions. As a senior, shouldn’t you be careful? The way you dress.”

.

.

.

.

In front of the mirror, I straighten up as usual.

The Six Sight Brooch glinted in the mirror.

I thought as I sorted out the brooch.

‘That’s a whole new pattern.’

A demon that holds no grudges against humans.

And the Ten Thrones, too.

Something’s been different since Paimon.

Barbatos felt like he’d taken another step forward.

‘Just as Paimon favored me.’

Does Barbatos have a favor beyond me, to the entirety of reality and the Arcana continent? This is where demonic knowledge comes in. I quickly picked up the spoils.

[The True Necronomicon, a holy book of the Demon World]

[Rank: Epic]

[Restriction : Only beings of the Demon World can read it].

[Effect : Upon understanding, you gain knowledge of the Demon World].

[Description : A book written by the Demon Lich, Discus. It describes how to survive in the demon-ravaged Demon World. It also grants access to Discus’ sanctuary in the dangerous Demon World].

Discus.

An undead that was powerful enough to threaten the Tenth Throne Demon King, Buer. Discus knew a great deal about the Tenth Throne, as he coveted its seat.

‘Just.’

There was no information about Barbatos.

The reason was simple. Barbatos hadn’t caught Discus’s attention. In this thick tome, Discus’s assessment of Barbatos was a mere line.

──────

A coward worthy of the name of the Ten Thrones.

──────

Certainly a coward, isn’t he?

‘To be a demon.’

A demon does things you wouldn’t believe a demon could do. But I didn’t overlook it, because it’s an occupational disease, and I couldn’t let my guard down even if I wanted to.

[Class: Demon Hunter]

A smell lingers on the tip of my nose.

It was unmistakably the scent of the Ten Thrones.

It was a different kind of malice.

‘Never forget, the Battle for the Demon King.’

No matter how innocuous it may seem.

Barbatos was the 8th in the hierarchy.

Even if that is the case with Paimon.

That meant he was even more powerful than Buer.

‘You can tell when you see it from the beginning, right?’

Can we put aside our subjective assessments and look at the objective facts? Barbatos had single-handedly crossed from the Demon World to the Arcana Continent, and from the Arcana Continent to Reality.

‘Without a worthy offering.’

Right under the noses of the Holy War Alliance.

As if that weren’t enough, he even offered to appear on Today’s Arcana, brazenly interviewed by reporters. I can see why your appetite has been ruined, Grandfell.

‘More unpleasant than any demon.’

At this moment, the world was being told.

-Barbatos’s decision.

-Barbatos, “Not All Demons Are the Same.”

-Barbatos, “What is the standard of evil?”

-Barbatos, “I Want Peace”.

-AAU, “Keeping an eye on the current situation……. Don’t let down your guard.”

The possibility of a new era opening through Barbatos.

You can’t blame the world for being fooled by demons again.

Barbatos was the only demon to ever show such an attitude.

Even.

‘Even the system that doesn’t lie.’

You’ve proven Barbatos’ innocence right?

That was why I understood Grandfell’s feelings one hundred percent.

I gritted my teeth inwardly.

‘He took the initiative without a fight.’

Why, look at it now.

Just as Barbatos intended.

A huge crowd was gathering at the Magic Tower.

‘So, you’re the Demon King of the Ten Thrones?’

You’ve been called a coward, and yet you’ve managed to keep your seat on the Throne. But you’ve overlooked one thing, Barbatos.

ttogag.

If nothing else, it means that it was your mistake to accept the offer of 100 questions and 100 answers at the Magic Tower Crystal Hall. Okay, thanks to you accepting that ridiculous offer, I…….

“If it’s formal, I’ll respond according to the procedures.”

And I’m not being formal.

I can see through your inner thoughts.

I’ve got a golden opportunity!

If you ask me how I can do that.

I will kindly recite the rules of the thick Magic Tower.

‘No matter how much you voyeurized me with your Evil Eye.’

You didn’t catch me reading the Rules, did you?

That is to say.

You don’t know the procedures of the Magic Tower!

That’s right.

Only those qualified to answer questions in Crystal Hall.

It is only given to those who have passed the ordeal of the Topaz Hall.

It means I’ll show it to you, too.

Worse than demons.

Perhaps even more vicious than those at the broadcasting station.

Amongst the mages before the regular conference.

Our Grandfell’s notoriety……!!!

“We will begin preliminary verification from this time.”