Chapter 167

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As a result, the chimeras chirped with jealousy, and those around him took a step back.

A gaze of social criticism enveloped the back of Morifis’ head.

Morifis, who came to his senses after a while, turned around and asked.

“Marquis Lecandro, why do you look at me like that?”

“What’s wrong with my eyes?”

“The same eyes of looking at the magical waste product that’s been sitting in your lab for half a year.”

Romina didn’t deny it. Instead, she moved on to what she had started to say earlier about the mirror.

“Anyway, this mirror seems to show our ideal type.”

Durururu!

As if to signal the correct answer, the wall opened up, revealing a new path.

“Is it a rule that if we guess the mirror’s purpose, the door will open?”

Raywin had a blank face after discovering his ideal type, which he had never even imagined before.

Meanwhile, Frintz’s expression was gravely displeased.

This was because Morifis was stuck in front of the mirror, as he couldn’t stop eyeing the werebeast’s reflection

If the mirror weren’t a dungeon artifact, Frintz would have smashed it long ago.

Romina urged on.

“Let’s get moving.”

“I will stay a little longer, Marquis.”

“......Well, as you wish.”

Romina left a scornful look and moved first, leading the others.

Morifis didn’t know how to fall from the mirror, and only Odellit remained by his side.

“Did you like it that much? Come to your senses and let’s go, Great Grandfather.”

“Wait, Grand niece, there is still something to do in this room.”

Before long, Morifis had worn a look of fascination on his face.

He approached the wall where the dream demons were draping curtains.

“This place has been bothering me for some reason since some time ago.”

“Come to think of it......”

Odellit felt a belated sense of puzzlement.

This is because it was odd to hang curtains on a wall that had no windows.

The demons said they were doing it because of the head maid’s orders, but is there something that needs to be hidden here?

Shururu!

The hummingbird grabbed the curtain with its beak and pulled it back, revealing the half of the wall that had been hidden.

Odellit found something special among the various mirrors.

“A painting?”

What caught her eyes was a grotesque portrait. This is because a beautiful, black-haired noble young lady was chained to a chair and stretched out as if she was exhausted.

“This is not a painting. It’s a mirror.”

“What?”

She asked back in disbelief. The young lady lifted her head slightly and looked at them both.

Odellit was startled by the eeriness, but Moriphis remained calm.

“It looks like they trapped someone inside the mirror. It’s a prison mirror, how interesting.”

Morifis’s eyes shone with academic curiosity while Odellit had a sudden thought.

‘Doesn’t this young lady...... look a bit like the woman who was said to be the ideal of that commoner cadet?’

Any demon would have fallen to his knees and bowed his head in respect. However, Anaxia had the daring honor of sitting down at eye level with ‘Newborn Chaos and Evil’.

Around the two, many large and small mirrors were floating in the air. Those were surveillance mirrors summoned by Anaxia, each reflecting a different group of heroes scattered throughout the castle.

Reed just rolled his eyes and looked in the mirror. His decadently red lips curled as he spoke to Anaxia.

“Are you afraid?”

Anaxia blasphemously asked back, not immediately understanding the meaning of the question.

“Uh, well, you mean that I...am afraid of these warriors?”

“Yes.”

“That can’t be.”

Anaxia spoke with a bit of aggravation, wondering if her evaluation was only that much for ‘Newborn Chaos and Evil’.

“The thought of plucking the screams of the royals before the warrior’s eyes excites me greatly.”

“I see.”

Reed’s tone in response was indifferent, like a distantly noble being. He had no particular interest in Anaxia or the like.

The indifference made Anaxia silently excited, thinking that this was indeed ‘Newborn Chaos and Evil’.

But as soon as she closely studied Reed’s face, she realized that the only thing indifferent was his tone. Reed’s gaze was fixed on a mirror, staring so obsessively at the reflection that he forgot to even blink.

A gaze she never thought she’d see from a being who always had empty eyes that had seen the true end of everything.

Who on earth could monopolize the attention of ‘Newborn Chaos and Evil’ for so long?

Out of sheer curiosity, Anaxia carefully looked at the mirror, as if to steal a glimpse. Sure enough, there was a familiar face in the mirror.

“It seems like the Vanquisher of Evil has piqued Lord Reed’s interest.”

What was reflected in the mirror was a pink-haired paladin wielding a sword.

“Interesting......”

Reed rolled the words on his tongue as if savoring them.

After a long consideration, he corrected himself.

“Such words are not enough.”

Then what was it?

Was it desire and obsession, the purest of a demon’s virtue?

Anaxia was very curious. However, because she was a wise ruler, instead of satisfying her curiosity, she chose to say something else that would please her honored guest.

“Shall I bring her here right away?”

“......”

“Please just give me your orders. I will dedicate her to you, Lord Reed.”

Reed’s eyes twinkled for a moment at the subtle encouragement.

However.

“Anaxia Pelhemstein.”

“Yes, Lord Reed.”

“Shouldn’t we go get ready to welcome the warriors?”

A relaxed voice carried the order to leave, but Anaxia smiled. Because that was also good enough for an answer.

“Of course, Lord Reed.”

She would do as he wished.

It just so happened that she had something to prepare. As the lord of the castle, she had just come up with a special event to entertain her guest of honor.

Anaxia bowed politely and retreated along with the mirrors floating in the air.

Reed was left alone at the shrine-like spire observatory.

Dusk was falling in the sky of the Demon World. He looked out into the purple horizon for a while and then closed his eyes.

He was always tired as his long life had worn him down.

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