CH 151

* * *

“Why did you call me? What else are you going to make me do? You demon!”

As soon as Deborah met Johann, she screamed like crazy. As soon as she entered the archduke’s residence, she rushed with great momentum.

However, the vigor to continue screaming at him suddenly subsided when she saw Johann’s dark eyes approaching her.

“I mean, I wonder why you’re calling me so often… gek!”

Johann’s strong hand gripped her chin in an instant.

Their gazes were tangled precariously. like mating snakes.

Johann tilted his chin at an angle and whispered softly.

“You really don’t learn to obey, Madam.”

The corners of his lips went up.

“Would you like some education?”

“!”

Deborah shook her head hastily. She softened her gaze as much as she could.

Because it was obvious that the ‘education’ that that madman offered wasn’t something she could accept with a sane mind.

Only then did Johann, who became cold-faced, let her go as if he had abandoned her.

“Oh, why did you call me here today?”

Deborah asked, clutching her tingling chin.

“You’ll have to go to the ‘Graveyard of Stars’ instead of me.”

“…The Graveyard of Stars?”

The Graveyard of Stars. It was a kind of ‘cemetery of the relics’.

Most of the holy relics found on this continent had the characteristic of diffusing and oxidizing the accumulated sacred energy.

Most of the time, it meant it was a one-time use.

The oxidized energy leaves a sacred stone called ‘divine core’, which people regarded and honored as the body or soul of the relics.

The place where the divine cores were buried was the ‘Graveyard of Stars’.

Relaxed, Johann gave the order with his arms folded.

“I want a divine core. Dig it up and bring it.”

“…If I get caught stealing a divine core from the Graveyard of Stars, I’m dead!”

Johann accepted it coldly.

“Should I care about that?”

“!”

‘What a f*cking bastard!’

‘Are you saying that whether I die or not, I just have to do what you tell me to do?’

It was Deborah who used to frequently use people as tools.

However, when she was in a position where she was being subjected to it, she was so frustrated that she could hardly breathe. 

Unexpectedly, it turned out to be like this.

Whether she was upset or not, Johann said what he wanted to say.

“The divine core you will bring is the one of the ‘Portrait of Madame Artingus’.”

With a divine core, Johann knew how to revive the energy of the holy relics by taking the life force of other relics.

There was something he wanted to confirm with the revived ‘Portrait of Madame Artingus’.

The reason he died in a previous life.

“Then did our plan succeed? Does that mean I have united and ruled the five continents?”

[…No, if it was successful, the regression would have stopped. In the end it failed. Because you died…]

Why the hell did he die?

Toulouse evaded answering the ‘reason of death’.

Wasn’t it weird?

Why did he suddenly die when he beat Rixus?

Just before reaching the goal!

…There was something grossly uncomfortable about it.

‘I’ll have to see the answer to that with my own eyes.’

Johann was sure. Now that even Toulouse, who would interfere with holy power, had left for Marsephone, this was the perfect opportunity to find out the truth.

Johann said, stroking his lips with his sensitive fingers.

“You can’t be late. Bring it tonight.”

“……Tonight?!”

Deborah’s face flushed with astonishment.

The words of ‘I can’t do that, you idiot!’ came up to her throat, but she couldn’t get it out.

The terror she had from Johann was not simply a sense of fear… Above all, there was something she had to get from Johann today.

‘Damn it!’

Deborah trembled, then changed her expression slightly.

“Then, could you pay me for the labor?”

“Labor?”

Johann’s lips rose as if he found it amusing.

“You’re being greedy, Madam. You know that the money in this world is just a piece of tissue anyway?”

“Even if it’s going to be a piece of tissue, I have to eat today.”

Of course, it was okay to starve a little. The only real problem was that even if the earth was destroyed tomorrow, there was a father who had to go gambling today.

Johann was surprisingly willing to open his mouth.

“If you bring the divine core, I’ll give it to you.”

“Really?!”

“Yes.”

As long as she brought the divine core well, Johann didn’t mind spending money on her.

Rather, it would be better if money motivated her to work hard.

Unsurprisingly, Deborah replied with a gleam in her eyes.

“I’ll definitely bring it!”

“Melfis, make a plan for Deborah to visit the Graveyard of Stars.”

* * *

I was reading the report brought to me by Spinel’s search team.

〈The source of the ‘frequency’ was found to be upstream of Molanto Valley.〉

‘So… Johann was telling the truth.’

‘Is Marsephone’s door really going to open there?’

‘How much time do you have left?’

‘How much time is the ‘immediately’ that Johann was referring to?’

I didn’t know right now, but… The quicker the response, the better.

‘The defense should be prepared to the extent that we can respond quickly even if the door opens tomorrow.’

Anyway, I made a call to Rixus a while ago.

I sent a secret message to the margrave to get the Ghost Army ready.

Spinel’s elite units were also awaiting my command while building a barrier to protect Spinel near the Illuminati Mountains. They were on standby so that they could cross over to Aktoum at any time.

Already, all this happened after the meeting with Rixus.

‘This is not enough.’

In ancient documents, it was written that Marsephone’s monsters were estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.

Among them, there would be first-class or second-class monsters such as the barbatus dragon.

It was impossible to slaughter them all.

I thought soberly.

‘In the end, we will have no choice but to eliminate the host of Toulouse.’

Johann, the door of Marsephone would be closed only if we kill the human who contained the power that Toulouse brought to Earth.

It was when I was in deep thought.

A voice came from outside the door.

“Your Majesty the Queen, the Knight Commander of Valderi is asking for an audience.”

My head raised slightly.

“Let her in.”

Soon the door opened, and a woman wearing dark red armor unique to the ‘Transnational Knights Valderi’ entered.

On her shoulder was the badge of the knights’ commander engraved with the symbol of Valderi, ‘Red Hawk’.

Only those who lead the strongest knights in existence could have it.

Lucia Hermes, her green eyes met mine.

The steps approaching me seemed full of heavy will.

‘She’s very dignified. How was she like in the past?’

“It’s been hard on you.”

As I spoke, Lucia went down on one knee in front of me and bowed her head.

Chuck! And the sound of heavy armor being folded was heard in moderation.

“To the lord who is like my life, Lucia Hermes, commander of the Knights of Valderi, greets you.”

I smiled at her.

“I’d like to welcome you more, but you must have heard of my condition. Fortunately, I heard about you from the maids, so I know… But, actually, I don’t have you in my memory.”

“….…”

“Can you serve a master that doesn’t even remember you?”

Lucia slowly put her helmet down and kissed the back of my hand.

I could see her healthy tanned skin and feel her rough, muscular hands.

She answered lowly and firmly.

“Even if I die a thousand times, my oath will not change.”

“….…”

“Until the day my soul is shattered, my lord… is only Her Majesty the Queen.”

My heart melted at the sight of her loyalty.

I already knew that there were no lies in the oath of the Knights of Valderi.

“The reason I called you…”

I explained everything to Lucia. I also revealed that I now needed the help of the Valderi Order.

Since the Valderi Order did not belong to any country, they took only the words of the knight commander as if it was an imperial decree.

So, Lucia’s decision was more important than anything else.

She, who had been silently listening to me without interrupting a single word, slowly lowered her head and said,

“We, the Knights of Valderi, will be with Your Majesty.”

“…Thank you so much.”

It was at the time when reassurance filled my chest.

Ires made an audience request and was told to come in.

“The Crown Prince says he has something to tell you.”

Ires, conscious of Lucia’s confused gaze, soon cleared his throat with a face that seemed to have given up on everything. 

“My cute little blue bird. You must have forgotten the date today.”

…What?! That fawning nickname!

“Haha.”

Lucia, who had been solemn, raised her eyebrows for a moment and laughed.

Ires didn’t even blink an eye, but imitated Rixus’ voice and way of speaking with a blushing face.

“I have a place to go with you today. Come out quickly… my cute little blue bird.”

“….…”

That bastard, what cute blue bird!

My face turned red when I heard it.

‘I’m not really crazy.’

There was a sense of playfulness that was deliberately trying to embarrass Ires.

In the end, only Lucia was having fun as it was shameful for both me and Ires. 

I said very firmly.

“…I’m leaving right now, but please send me a note instead from now on!”

“Yes, please, Your Majesty.”

Ires agreed with my opinion and withdrew.

* * *

“I really went through it! I really thought I was going to die!”

In the deep dawn.

Deborah cried out, saying that she felt like she was going to die after going to the Graveyard of Stars.

Melfis gave her a potion that could pierce the barrier, but it was difficult to get around safely with that alone.

“Even though you risked your life, I see that you’re still alive, so I think it was worth going.”

Johann sneered, raising the corner of his mouth and holding out his hand.

“Give it to me.”

“…Money?”

The shabby Deborah tightly clenched the pouch with the divine core.

It was a gesture to trade with money.

Johann threw a bag full of jewels with eyes of strange contempt.

Tuk!

Deborah caught the bag and quickly handed the divine core.

Johann was annoyed at the sight of Deborah’s eyes shining in the face of money even after suffering so much that her whole body was in tatters.

Deborah, who was hesitantly checking the bag, suddenly asked.

“…By the way, if the world turns upside down… Will everything in this world really change?”

As she was digging through the bag of jewels she got in exchange for her life, she suddenly became curious about such a thing.

‘If she goes to that new world, will she be free from her family and lead a new life?’

In that new world, there would be no damn gambling game.

It was clear that her father would not be able to live.

Having the world turned into hell was terrifying, but she was curious about a life that was not tormented by her family.

“Yes. Just go away.”

Johann answered carelessly, but the answer ‘yes’ was a small hope for Deborah.

“……Okay.”

Deborah answered, and disappeared, clutching the jewels against her form.

Johann immediately used the divine core to restore the ‘Portrait of Madame Artingus’.

After a while.

Madame Artingus, who had been reworked like rags, finally woke up in the painting.

Haaa—

With a brief scream of breath.

[…You broke the ‘sacred rule’ and woke me up again.]

“Yes.”

Johann laid his hand on the woman in the portrait and smiled shrewdly.

Madam Artingus spoke sadly, yet furiously.

[Those who restore relics must be cursed. Your soul will be ripped to shreds.]

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Rather, Johann laughed.

“So show me what I want…”

The whispering lips were sweet.

“And tear my soul to pieces.”

[…….]

“Or I’ll burn you, break up the divine core and sprinkle it in the stables.”

Madame Artingus’ eyes trembled miserably.

He was cruel. He didn’t even allow her to rest as a holy relic.

[Showing the past to the one who woke me up is also a ‘sacred rule’,]

A sighing-like whisper continued.

[I have no choice but to follow it.]

A maddening focus flashed in Johann’s eyes.

“Then show me. The past of Toulouse and I!”

At that instant, the painting twisted hideously and quickly dragged him into the deep past.