Chapter 438. …Can I keep it all? (1~)
Clopeh Sekka of Cale’s faction and Terosa of the Demon King’s faction.
‘Why is this so interesting?’
Cale watched the confrontation between the two with enthusiasm. The two silently looked at each other. Their gazes were fierce. But their faces held calm smiles or serene expressions.
‘Oh.’
As there are two madmen, this is also interesting. I want to bring apple pie, no, popcorn, and watch while I eat.
‘Hmm.’
But…
‘Is the silence too long?’
The two were silently facing each other. Cale thought about that silence:
‘Do madmen communicate through gazes?’
Both were a little crazy, weren’t they?
‘No. I don’t think so.’
Simply, both are thinking a lot and have stopped talking for a moment. Cale thought that. But his thought was wrong.
“Haha.”
Terosa, who had a serene expression, opened her mouth.
“What a funny character.”
Her tone changed.
“I don’t see any loyalty in your eyes when you mention the Demon King.”
Clopeh Sekka mentioning the Demon King. He didn’t show any respect or loyalty towards the Demon King.
‘Like young master Jimon.’
Young master Jimon, who was extremely disrespectful. Someone trying to seize this land the Demon King desired. He also had no respect or loyalty towards the Demon King.
“Still, it gives me confidence.”
Yes. Still, the guy called Kase gives me confidence. The reason was simple.
“You… trust me.”
Mischievous smile. Clopeh’s calm smile intensified.
‘As expected, it’s not easy.’
His strength was said to be mediocre, but as the top graduate of the Demon World Royal Academy, his intelligence was brilliant. Above all, his intuition was said to be amazing.
“Yes. I trust you, Terosa.”
Clopeh continued speaking in a more relaxed tone.
“To you, the Demon King must be a legend and a path.”
Yes. To me, Cale Henituse-nim is a path.
“And you have dedicated, are dedicating, and will dedicate your life to that path.”
I can know through Cale-nim’s path that my belief and my life weren’t wrong. That’s why I bet my life.
“I trust the life you’ve dedicated.”
Terosa felt a strange sensation upon hearing Clopeh’s words. She’s intelligent.
‘Are you crazy?’
Therefore, she knows people’s reactions to her well. She can’t not know.
‘Hey. You’re too much. We’re just servants, and the Demon King is just our lord. We should just follow his orders.’
Her loyalty to the Demon King. Her faith. She already knows it’s similar to that of a fanatic.
‘She’s doing everything she can to get attention.’
Some said she was crazy, others said she was doing everything she could to succeed as a commoner. Terosa knows everything, and understands its meaning. She knows how people see her.
‘Terosa. I’m tired of this world.’
But the Demon King really-
‘Wants to create a world he’s not tired of.’
He’s the only person who can become a Demon God. The moment Terosa saw the longing in the Demon King’s tired eyes, she decided to dedicate her life to him. That’s why she didn’t care what people thought of her.
‘Still, why-’
But why this stranger in front of her-?
‘Why do you look at me with that gaze that understands my heart so well?’
Terosa read the sincerity in Clopeh’s words and gaze. That’s why she responded:
“You must also have something you’ve dedicated your life to, something that makes you not care what others think.”
Clopeh simply smiled at those words.
“Ha!”
Terosa couldn’t help but laugh. Count Lupeh’s disappearance. She knows he’s dead and has become a New World NPC. Because he was a member close to the Demon King. That’s why they couldn’t find Count Lupeh’s corporation’s ownership certificate, and the lord’s selection is being delayed. Because the Demon King’s great plan can’t fail because of her. This stranger who suddenly appeared made her feel comfortable for the first time in a long time.
“You’re an interesting person.”
At Terosa’s words, Clopeh simply smiled. A strange sense of affinity enveloped Terosa. But soon, her expression returned to the same.
“If the mana engraved on the certificate is truly Count Lupeh’s, confirmed through a magic device, I will believe in this birth certificate.”
As she had a lot of work, she made a quick decision. No, this decision would give her a lot of work. And that didn’t seem bad.
“I will help buy young master Jimon’s mine. In exchange…”
In exchange…
“I would like young master Jimon not to run as a candidate.”
Her eyes turned to Clopeh.
“And I would like you to write a document saying that you also won’t run as a candidate.”
Terosa didn’t trust Clopeh. Her only faith was in the Demon King. She must be careful and consider everything. Because only the Demon King’s will must remain for her future.
“Yes. I will.”
Despite Clopeh’s docile response, Terosa didn’t lower her guard. She stood up, looked at Clopeh and his brother, whose name she didn’t even remember, and said:
“The faster, the better.”
“I can meet young master Jimon today.”
“Alright.”
Terosa went out and told her subordinate who was waiting outside:
“Prepare a place for these people to rest, and then come see me. I have something urgent to do.”
“Ah, wait a moment.”
Clopeh interrupted.
“I have more brothers, so I must go get them.”
“Ah. Then, come to the main castle with your brothers. I’ll arrange for them to come see me directly.”
After saying that, she fell silent for a moment and asked:
“It seems you’re not blood relatives.”
At the gaze towards Clopeh and Cale, Clopeh smilingly answered:
“We are a family united by a faith deeper than blood.”
Terosa nodded at those words. They’re not blood relatives. Only Kase is Count Lupeh’s blood relative. Only that is what she must remember.
“See you later.”
Terosa left first.
Tac tac. Her expression instantly hardened as she turned around.
‘Young master Jimon’s mine?’
Ironic smile. That guy might have come here for that. But it’s not his real objective.
‘Count Lupeh’s secret vault.’
That’s what he wants. Because that’s how he’ll become the owner of the main corporation of the Demon World. Definitely, that guy said he wanted money. He wouldn’t settle for a mine.
‘As expected, he’s a madman.’
Terosa planned to find out the location of the secret vault through that guy.
‘I’ll use that guy to destroy young master Jimon and Count Lupeh’s family, and I’ll obtain the secret vault.’
And she’ll become the lord and provide financial support to the Demon King. A smile spread across Terosa’s lips.
‘Things that were blocked will clear up a bit.’
Waiting outside the room, she ordered her knight:
“Bring Lord Mol.”
“Are you referring to the Third Corps leader?”
“Yes. We must assign guards to those two people.”
The Demon King’s Eighth Corps or Division. Currently, the Sixth Corps commander, Viscount Deshuran, is missing. And currently, the Third Corps leader was here. Normally, he would also leave soon.
‘As he’s someone who usually lazes around, I should give him work.’
As someone of the Third Corps leader’s level is lazing around alone, leaving his body, shouldn’t he do his job?
‘He’ll like it.’
As he’s a strange demon, he’ll surely enjoy escorting two ordinary merchants.
‘As he’s intelligent, he’ll surely do it well.’
The Third Corps’ presence here is a secret. If they can hide their identities, they’ll be able to infiltrate the heart of young master Jimon’s family.
‘Good.’
Terosa welcomed the sudden change of events.
And…
“Human, are we going to pack and head to the small castle?”
Cale, back in the house, put his little luggage into his dimensional space pouch and nodded.
“Yes. Clopeh did a good job.”
Raon furtively looked at Clopeh at Cale’s words. He flinched. Clopeh stopped and couldn’t hide the smile on his lips. Cale didn’t see that smile and was only packing his luggage, and Raon opened his mouth:
“Then, what do I do?”
Cale opened his mouth. But Clopeh answered first:
“As Terosa will probably send someone to watch them, it would be better for you to hide using invisibility and follow them.”
Cale closed his mouth.
‘It’s convenient for someone to say it for me.’
This guy Clopeh. He’s really convenient.
“I wonder if we’ll simply follow them!”
At Hong’s question, Clopeh answered with a calm smile:
“On and Hong can go together. Because they’re the fourth and fifth brothers.”
Hong tilted his head.
“I wonder who the third brother is if my sister is the fourth and I’m the fifth!”
“It’s Lord Sui Khan.”
“Hmm?”
Sui Khan, who was sitting in a corner, showed an expression of disbelief.
“I’m the third?”
“Sui Khan, I’ll also dye you my color!”
Raon cheerfully approached and dyed Sui Khan’s white hair black. Although blood was still flowing from the bandage on his arm, the flow was slowed to the maximum using potions and medicine. Cale looked at this sideways and opened his mouth, but Clopeh was faster:
“Yes. We must move together.”
“No, that’s not the problem. I’m the third?”
“Then, you’ll be the youngest?”
Clopeh was confused, and Sui Khan couldn’t say anything.
Ironic smile. Cale looked at Sui Khan with an ironic laugh. At that gaze, Sui Khan stuttered with his mouth open and finally tightly closed his eyes.
“This…”
His sigh didn’t reach anyone. Cale opened his mouth:
“As Clopeh will handle most of the demons, we’ll focus on hiding our identities and preventing them from discovering who we are.”
Cale asked Clopeh:
“Can you handle Terosa and the members of the Demon King’s faction?”
“Yes. Please leave it to me.”
Clopeh handled Terosa with more skill than Cale expected.
‘Do madmen understand each other?’
That’s when Cale thought that.
“Haha.” Clopeh chuckled and murmured:
“Terosa is still immature. I overestimated her.”
“Eh?”
When Cale asked incredulously, Clopeh answered as if it were no big deal:
“Simply, she’s more superficial than I thought.”
After saying that, Clopeh didn’t continue. Cale was curious about what he meant by “superficial,” but didn’t ask.
‘I don’t think I’ll get good answers if I ask more.’
Clopeh Sekka. It’s better not to have long conversations with this guy. Cale ignored Clopeh based on his past experience. And Clopeh, who was packing his luggage for Cale’s comfortable trip, thought about Terosa.
‘Her faith is weak.’
She said she had dedicated her life to the Demon King.
‘It’s insufficient.’
It was insufficient by Clopeh’s standards.
‘She’s observing.’
He could feel that she was being influenced by others’ reputation and gazes. Therefore, she must have found comfort in Clopeh’s words.
‘How funny.’
If her faith in her path were firm, she would never have wavered like this. Clopeh’s gaze turned to Cale, who was examining Sui Khan’s bandage.
‘Cale-nim…’
Clopeh was beside Cale and knew others were looking at him. He knows they see him as a madman. But he didn’t care.
‘I can only see the gazes directed at Cale-nim.’
Cale, who has gone through many worlds. Many people’s gazes towards him were full of amazement and respect. And I’m walking beside him on the path he follows. Clopeh couldn’t hide his emotion.
“Haah-”
With a deep sigh, he barely managed to suppress his emotions. And he thought:
‘Secret vault.’
As I think I have that vault, Terosa will send someone to watch me. That will also be useful. I might be able to give the vault to Lord Cale.
“Haha-”
The moment he couldn’t help but laugh…
‘Hmm?’
Then, he made eye contact with On. He also made eye contact with Hong beside him. Raon was also there. The children averaging 10 years old were looking at him.
“…….”
Clopeh calmed down, and On sighed slightly.
* * *
“The New Business Division head you saw before will go with us as a guide. And here, to prepare for any threats, there are two of my subordinates who will be your guards.”
He had assigned two guards. A serious middle-aged man and a young man who seemed to be about 20 years old.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you!”
Cale could see the young knight energetically greeting, unlike the serious knight’s formal greeting, while calmly standing beside Clopeh. The blond knight, wearing a knight’s uniform, kindly smiled. Then, Raon, who was a little far away, invisible, spoke:
-Human, that knight seems strong.
The knight Raon was referring to was the young knight. And…
-Sniff sniff.
Suddenly, The Sound of the Wind reacted.
-Strange. Why do I smell the scent of a Sacred Object I’ve never smelled before on that knight?
Cale reached a conclusion through Raon’s reaction and the sound of the wind.
‘An ordinary, rookie knight wouldn’t have a Sacred Object.’
This young knight, assigned by Terosa, is strong, regardless of his identity. And it’s very likely that his position isn’t ordinary. Because he carries a Sacred Object that not even Terosa has. But this knight-
“Then, let’s get on the carriage! I’ll drive the horse! Please take care of me! He he!”
His laughter is really silly. He seemed too clumsy.
-Human, that knight seems like he’s going to scam someone!
That’s right. A different warning from the one he received when he met Prince Alberu Crossman hit Cale’s intuition.
‘Unlike His Highness, this guy smells like a scammer!’
Cale’s expression changed. Without realizing it, he said:
“Me too, please take care of me! Ha ha!”
-Human, why are you laughing like you’re going to scam someone?
Oh dear. I reacted without realizing it.
And the young knight, who received that greeting, kindly or clumsily smiled and thought:
‘This guy is really foolish despite his appearance. Should I get information from this guy?’
The Demon King’s Eighth Corps. The Third Corps leader, called ‘The Hand Behind the Back,’ had a big smile on his lips. The Hand Behind the Back. It was a nickname given to him because he was very good at attacking from behind, but Mol enjoyed it and openly introduced himself like that.
“Ha ha ha!”
“Ha ha!”
Cale and Mol. They looked at each other and laughed.
Dag dag dag dag. The carriage Cale was riding in headed towards the small castle in the north where young master Jimon was staying. And the Chaos God sect’s Pope was in that small castle.
* * *
The Pope showed surprise upon seeing young master Jimon, who urgently opened the door. Young master Jimon urgently said:
“They say Terosa is sending a merchant who will buy the mine here! It must definitely be one of her subordinates, what should I do?”
Jimon couldn’t hide his anxiety.
“Anyway, the sect’s knights have suddenly started gathering here, and it’s already difficult to hide them. The lord’s position, the great plan, is about to begin, damn it! Why is Terosa taking this risk…?”
The Pope, with a smile, told Jimon, with whom he had a cooperative relationship:
“They say the Demon King’s faction suddenly sent someone here?”
“Yes!”
A strange smile appeared on the Pope’s lips.
* * *
And the two people were looking down from a high mountain.
“Does it seem Choi Jung Soo went there?”
“Yes. I think so.”
Choi Han, with the marks left by Choi Jung Soo in his hand, looked at the small castle in the distance. The Heavenly Demon also looked at the small castle and said with his arms crossed:
“Should we infiltrate?”
“It seems the Chaos God sect has established itself there, so I don’t think we should infiltrate recklessly.”
“Hmm. We must disguise ourselves.”
Disguise themselves. Choi Han, hearing the Heavenly Demon’s words, examined the map.
“Dioruel.”
“Hmm?”
“The city below this small castle is Dioruel. It seems it was Count Lupeh’s city.”
Choi Han sighed and made a decision.
“First, let’s secretly infiltrate the small castle. Is it possible?”
“That’s easy.”
The Heavenly Demon and Choi Han quickly headed south. In the direction they were heading, was young master Jimon’s small castle.
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