novelEvan D. Sherden, End of the Play (4)
| ← Ch.365 | Ch.367 → |
―You are special. A child who was born in the middle realm and not the Demon realm, while being able to move outside the dungeon despite being bound to it. A child most gifted with my power ever since the creation of the dungeon.
When she first opened her eyes, she was in a dark place deep within the ground, a place far down below the dungeon. It was a mysterious place where any adventurer had yet to enter, the'75th floor' of the dungeon.
The cradle of the boss monster, the elite among the elites that is protected by the special barrier. She was born as the Succubus Queen in that place, along with her companion, the Incubus King.
―The 'gap' in the dungeon is created.
The father who created their bodies...the Devil, directly told her of his plans.
―Escape the dungeon using that gap.
Vast knowledge flooded her newly created head. While letting out a painful groan, she accepted it willingly.
Nobody could go against the Devil; that was the destiny of those bound to the dungeon. There was a reason why the Devil wanted to send her out of the dungeon.
―The name of the boy is Gradreka, and the girl Maybellika.
After binding them once more with the names after the dungeon shackles, the Devil started talking restlessly.
―Gradreka, ally with those children who are active outside. Your ability was created to do such, so charm everyone to have my will be engraved on humanity. Have the Demon King resurrected, and let him bring down the chaos he promised to the world.
―And Maybellika, you.
The Devil spoke to her with the darkest of dreadful intentions while she was blankly staring at her twin brother, who gained consciousness faster than her and stood up.
―Get involved with the humans. Hide your identity without anyone knowing, and be kind to them. Act like a human, so no suspicions rise.
―Then, when you encounter my enemy, 'my curse' will be activated, and you will know your tasks.
―You will be the dagger that will stab the heart of the only enemy who can harm me, then you will fulfill your goal.
―That's why, my loving child, until then, act like an innocent girl that knows nothing.
She nodded her head without speaking. Other actions weren't allowed. Then, she escaped from the boss room with her twin brother, and she headed to the gap of the dungeon which the Devil created. For some reason, the moment they escaped to the '3rd floor' of the dungeon, they realized they became 'irregulars. ' Existences that were endlessly free except for the shackles of the dungeon and the Devil onto themselves.
―Great, I'll unite all the Demon tribe and wipe out the human race as my father has commanded! I'll resurrect the Demon King and use him as my subordinate, for I am the direct subordinate of my father!
Gradreka quickly left the dungeon confidently, but she was hesitant on what to do, which made her get involved with the Dungeon Backflow. Thanks to the chaos which allowed her to go to the ground naturally amongst the monsters, she charmed one of the knights who was fending off the monsters and managed to become one of the maids in the house of Sherden's Marquis as a daughter of that knight. This was what the Devil wanted, but there was one thing that even the great being who created two irregulars while twisting the law of the dungeon wasn't aware of.
There was a being who not only could nullify the charm of the Succubus Queen but also deflect it, as his charm level was too high.
* * *
As the Great Backflow grew bigger when compared to the original scale when she first came above the ground, in a distant outskirt of Sherden, which was far away from the incident...she met with her twin brother after a long time.
"It's been a while since I saw you in person, Gradreka."
"I've been informed about you, Maybellika."
He was a 'beautiful' gentleman who wore a refined suit with a necktie and polished shoes. However, the black bat wings at his back give him an odd sense of distinction. The two bent goat horns above his head surely showed that he was no ordinary human. Likely he thought that there was no need to hide his identity.
"I've been told that you've become a person of quite a high position amongst those who earned the trust of Evan D. Sherden. I have to say; I was quite surprised by you taking control of a large market."
"Well, I had to use some of the given power I had for that...but your achievements, they aren't that superb considering the abilities you have."
She was also not in her human form. Like Gradreka, she had similar bat wings and two horns at each side of her head. Moreover, the normal attire she was always wearing was replaced with the demon warrior equipment as the Succubus Queen. That was some sort of skill-like equipment created by the mana she had as Succubus Queen. That's right. The unique weaponry which ancient humans were using was mere replicas of the ancient Demon tribe's demon warrior equipment. Of course, her weaponry consisted of leather clothes with high exposure, fishnets, and a whip that amplified her abilities as a succubus, so people who look at it for the first time wouldn't understand how such an outfit was demon warrior equipment...
"I was very surprised when I heard that you were gathering the Demon tribe in Sherden."
Gradreka spoke while he stared at her as if he were trying to read her mind.
"I considered it as my role. So, I felt that someone cut in my line."
"But it was successful. Compared to what you poorly nurtured by mimicking someone."
"I agree. I wasn't aware that the world could be changed by controlling not just the abilities of the Demons but also the human race. I was lost in admiration when you gathered the Demon tribe by utilizing humans."
Gradreka pounced on her words by saying 'so' with a glare.
"I admitted that I fell behind you, so I created this Great Backflow using the powers of children whom I've risen. To create the most appropriate timing when our comrades who gathered in this small city can show their fangs, and to create the perfect window of opportunity for you to do your 'task'! And they worked, so I've come to hear your words of appreciation for me. But..."
But why? Gradreka smiled viciously while twisting his lips. The dark spear in his hand was trembling as if it was representing his mind.
"Why are you confronting me?"
"If you truly don't know the reason, then you are a fool. It's because you've caused so much trouble to our Master."
She also showed a fierce expression and pulled her whip. In her sensuous pinkish whip that could reach wherever she wished through her power lay a tremendous strength that could destroy any Demon.
"'Our Master. ' What a funny expression. Are you perhaps referring to Evan D. Sherden? The 'enemy' of the Devil, our father!"
"I understand you mean; there's no need to scream. Yes, that man. The only person I've sworn my loyalty to. The one I...love the most."
"How peculiar. The Devil ordered you to pierce his heart. How can you go against it? No way...how can you deny the order?"
Gradreka sincerely wanted to know the answer. She smiled a bit while looking at her twin brother, who was still bound to the dungeon until now.
"I was released."
"But you!"
"Even the Devil wasn't able to predict the dungeon fusion. The forbidden magic circle that was created by the Demon tribe aims to hasten the resurrection of the Demon King...and you've contributed to it since you have vast knowledge about the dungeon. Right?"
"Argh, so what? Although it failed due to the intervention from the damn Mahwa Tribe, the attempt was excellent! The energy required for the resurrection is being gathered at a much faster pace than before!"
"Whew...with you people intervening with the dungeon as you please, the constraint on us, the irregulars, became loose."
"What...?"
There was some instability in the shackles of the dungeon that bound them both. But as the dungeon fusion happened, the deep floors of Sherden and Pellati intertwined, and the power that bound them, the beings that existed in such an area, got severely twisted.
"But, but I can still feel his will! I strongly recognize that I belong with him!"
"So did I. What's more, the Devil is ordering me to kill him as he felt nervous about the unstable connection. I've resisted it to the fullest, but it was impossible for me to disobey the will of the Devil completely."
"Then how do you still resist it?"
"Because I love him. Are you that dull that I have to explain it to this extent?"
"You, a Succubus Queen, speak of love...?"
That's right; there existed a human whom even the Succubus Queen fell in love with. Perhaps Gradreka would understand if he met Evan, but he wouldn't have that opportunity.
"That night that I finally tried to kill him according to the will of the Devil..."
"That night?"
"...No, I don't need to explain further. Just keep in mind that a kind fairy undid the curse on me."
A truly kind fairy who blocked the Devil's voice to protect her mentality and personally entered the dungeon to cast ancient magic, which severed the connection between her and the Devil.
"How peculiar. I can't understand. Then why did you gather the Demons? What's with your scheme on taking over Sherden?"
"Haha, I think the scenario is just perfect since even you were completely fooled."
Maybellika swung her whip as she smiled stunningly. The tip of the whip contained massive purple-colored mana, which not even Gradreka had seen. Gradreka lifted his spear instinctively and created a magical barrier, yet his body trembled.
"You, when did you..."
"Not everyone causes an uproar and shows himself to everyone in order to become stronger, Gradreka."
After speaking in a chilly tone, her eyes sparkled as she formed several spheres from the mana she gathered at the tip of her whip.
"Now, please die. If you ever get resurrected in the Demon realm, say 'Hi' to the Devil for me."
"Don't joke around; you can't beat...!"
The magic spheres bombarded him. Gradreka tried to deflect some of them with his spear and barrier while casting attack spells, but they were no use. The overwhelming number of spheres ripped through his barrier, wings, body, and horns. Maybellika used her whip to strike his spear, breaking it into two in an instant.
"Krgh, Arrrgh...!"
As someone who was born on the same day as him, she knew that just like her whip, his spear was his life force.
"Well, the Devil will die soon anyway."
It was a blasphemy that no Demon could ever speak, but the person who should punish her wasn't there right now. His connection with the Devil was severed, and Gradreka's soul, who called himself the proxy of the Devil, got obliterated the moment his spear broke.
"Ha, I should've leveled up."
Her existence became even more complete by the death of her companion with whom she was born and shared the Devil's power. It felt like a voice from the Devil was heard for the short moment when she absorbed the power of Gradreka, but that could no longer affect her.
"Now then, I have to go to master's side."
Maybellika, no, Maybell, undid her demon combat weaponry to wear her usual maid uniform. Her hair that reached her waist by unleashing her mana returned back to its original length. Maybe she shouldn't reduce her breast size...no, but for now, she would keep it that way.
'Perhaps Master would have noticed it already. '
But not just yet. That stupid Gradreka seemed to have died without knowing it till the end, but she wasn't completely free. The Demon King that would be resurrected in this era would temporarily have the 'ability to rule over all Demons. ' Therefore, she would only be completely free after killing him.
'Then I will confess my love to him. '
She left while imagining the most romantic scene she could have with him. The corpse of Gradreka, his mana completely absorbed by Maybell, crumbled as the wind blew, and it disappeared without a trace.
| ← Ch. 365 | Ch. 367 → |