CH 145

Translator’s Note: The goal has been reached, and the bonus chapter will be uploaded tomorrow. I will also post a chapter of PDM since I wasn’t able to do it yesterday. 

Raw Provider: Jessica

TL: Ms MTLer

Erez: “You understood Ragibach’s intentions. This means you understand the situation to some extent. Then now, we can join forces. Back then, if I had told you I was on your side and you found out I was a demon, you wouldn’t have believed me.”

“…”

‘Joining forces with demons.’ 

Since she was born, she was taught that demons were evil, so as expected, her reluctance soared.

‘Can I really trust this man?’

Erez clicked his tongue as if he had read her thoughts.

Erez: “Yes, this is the problem of you guys. You will lose every time a battle occurs if you only see the demon race as a united community. You don’t know the enemy’s most fatal weakness. Don’t you know that the enemy of the enemy is your friend?”

Keira: “You mean…”

Erez: “Just as your maternal grandfather and Count Weinberg are of the same race and fight like enemies, so are we. I am not sitting here with you because I am particularly kind. It’s just that.”

He said so and chuckled.

Keira thought that, for some reason, that smile was different from the one before. It was as if he no longer felt the need to play the role of a noble young Lord because Keira already knew his real identity.

It was like seeing the devil’s face for the first time.

Erez: “You still don’t understand? You don’t need to have faith in demons. What matters is that I need to help you because I hate that old woman.”

“…”

Erez: “What do you think? Do you have the courage to work with me now?”

If he had planned to take advantage of her, he wouldn’t have taken this complicated approach.

She wouldn’t completely let her guard down, but it seemed they needed to talk more.

Keira nodded. 

Keira: “Somewhat.”

Erez: “Great. So, it’s a bit of a testament to trust, but if you have any questions, please ask. I’ll answer to the best of my abilities. You must have a lot of questions, don’t you?”

Keira: “Hmm…”

The problem was she had too many things she wanted to ask.

Keira vomited up the questions she had been worried about since he had just confessed that he had summoned the Demon Beast.

Keira: “You mentioned earlier that you summoned the beast during the hunting competition. Is it possible for that demon Ragibach to open the barrier at will?” 

If that was the case, it’s unimaginable what the cornered Cosette would do.

When Keira imagined demonic beasts pouring out in the middle of the capital, her body went cold.

Erez: “You don’t have to worry about that. The one I opened up isn’t a normal barrier. You probably didn’t feel any signs until just before it opened.”

Keira: “Right.”

She nodded her head slightly. She wondered why she didn’t notice the barrier opening right above her head, but it seemed to be because it wasn’t a natural phenomenon.

Erez: “In a nutshell, we demons have thirteen bloodlines. Each bloodline specialized in an ability. One of them is me, and my ability involves time and space. I’m the only one in the human world who can summon demonic beasts at will, so don’t worry. Ragibach can’t do it.”

Keira: “Time and space? So that must be why you were able to turn back time.”

Erez: “Right. I’m here right now because I transferred my soul into the body with that power.”

“…”

At that, Keira’s shoulders shook.

Erez: “What’s the matter?”

Keira “…You say you transferred your soul into that body?”

Erez: “I did.”

Keira: “Then where did its original owner go?”

Erez replied in a very calm tone as if he couldn’t understand why Keira had asked such a question.

Erez: “Dead, of course.”

Keira: “…Did you kill him?”

Then he laughed out loud.

Erez: “I was wondering why your complexion suddenly changed… The owner of this body fell into the water and died when he was five years old. There’s a brief interval before the soul exits and the body dies. I took that opportunity to settle down in this body. I don’t have the knack of killing a man who’s been living in good health.”

It was an uncomfortable conversation, but there was no choice but to trust him in that regard.

Keira tried to hide her reluctance and continued with the next question.

Keira: “Then Cosette… No, what about Ragibach? Did she also occupy an empty body?”

Erez: “I don’t know whether she used an empty body or used a familiar[1]. But one thing’s for sure– that old lady doesn’t have the same abilities as me. You can’t warp space-time and surpass the barrier.”

Keira: “That’s what I’ve been curious about for a while.”

The barrier existed to protect the human world from a demon invasion.

But weren’t two Great Demons roaming the human world right now? 

This was absurd.

It wasn’t even a low-level demon. Two Great Demons were living in the Empire’s capital!

Beatrice’s barrier filtered out beings with large souls.

In general, the lower the level, the smaller the soul, which was why most things that appeared through barrier were beasts that lacked intelligence.

If it’s a Great Demon, there’s no way Beatrice’s barrier could have left him alone.

Keira: “Let’s say you skipped the barrier with that ability or something. But how did Cosette get through? You said you don’t have the same abilities.”

His answer was clear as day.

Erez: “A contractor must have summoned Ragibach. You can summon one through black magic.”

Keira: “Ah…”

Erez: “Isn’t that why all knowledge of black magic has been lost since the country’s founding?”

Keira: “I didn’t know that. The black magic records are all gone…”

Erez: “The main body is in the Demon Realm.”

At that moment, something flashed in Keira’s mind. Finally, there was a clue to drive Cosette and Weinberg out.

Excited, Keira said.

Keira: “Then, if there is evidence that a contract was signed, it would be possible to execute Cosette. Is the contractor Count Weinberg? That sounds right. We need to search for the Count…”

Then Erez cut off Keira.

Erez: “Actually, there’s one thing I’ve been curious about for a long time.”

Keira: “Hmm? What is it?”

Erez: “Cosette–no, Ragibach’s manifestation will happen about a year from now. Regardless of the means she used.”

Keira: “Yes. What about it?”

Erez: “But you’re the Grand Duke’s real daughter. Isn’t there a way to awaken your skills a little faster? I’m asking because I really don’t know. If you manifest your skills first, you won’t have to do anything except look for evidence of black magic.”

Keira: “There isn’t.”

She shook her head, a bitter smile on her lips.

Why didn’t she find a way to do that?

In the past, she had done everything she could to make her skills manifest.

She read countless books and tried all superstitious methods.

The conclusion she came to after endless futile efforts was that awakening one’s abilities was a kind of ‘revelation.’

It was impossible to twist the will of God through human effort.

As she explained it, Erez scratched his chin and narrowed his eyes.

Erez: “I mean, it’s really weird. If this is a ‘revelation’ given by the goddess, how did that old lady, Ragibach, imitate it? Are there hidden abilities that I don’t know?”

Keira: “I thought you would know.”

Erez: “Well, that’s a problem we don’t know the answer to right now, but anyway, we need to get proof that they used black magic to drive out Cosette and Count Weinberg, and that’s the best way to do it at this point.”

Keira: “Yes.”

First of all, the option to manifest abilities was virtually impossible.

Erez looked out of the window in contemplation

Erez: “By the way, the Count is the contractor, right?”

Keira: “At the moment, nothing points to him. Did you have a hunch?”

Erez: “No, he didn’t look like a person who used black magic…”

What did it mean to look like someone who used black magic? 

Keira was a little skeptical, but it made sense. It seemed that demons could see something.

Erez: “It would be a good idea to come up with a different plan in case you can’t find evidence of black magic.”

[1] I’m not sure what he meant by this, but 패밀리어 could be translated as ‘familiar.’ According to Merriam-Webster, a familiar is a spirit or demon that serves or prompts an individual.