Chapter 395: The Birth of Evil (12)

Click.
The door swung open, and Raon burst in.

“Human!”

Flap, flap!
He had been away from Cale for a while, and perhaps because this was one of the first times they’d been separated for a non-dangerous reason, his wing flaps were especially lively.

“Did you break it properly?”
“…I went to steal.”
“So you didn’t break it?”
“I broke it.”
“I knew it! Hehehe! Next time I’ll go to the Earth 3 too! I’m the best at breaking things! Hehehe!”

Since Raon wasn’t wrong, Cale simply stayed silent.
He didn’t know that Raon had already decided, on his own, that next time he would team up with Rosalyn to wreck things together.

“Cale-nim.”
And then came the real trouble—or, well, it wasn’t exactly trouble yet—but he found himself face-to-face with Clopeh Sekka.

“Eh… um.”
For some reason, Cale was left completely speechless.

[Hatching Rate: 99.31% (Remaining Time: 23:19)]

[Birth Ceremony Progress: 159%]

[Reward Rank: Undetermined]

Cale wanted to know why the mission progress had come to this.

“Did everything go well?”

But seeing Clopeh Sekka smiling like that, he didn’t dare ask.

…Could it be that I made a mistake?

After all this time, Cale regretted his choice.

“I have carried out the work entrusted to me with all my being.”

“Ah.”
A sigh slipped past Cale’s lips.

“With everything prepared, Cale-nim, you just have to wait one day.”

Clopeh Sekka’s smile.
His calm voice.
The happiness shining in his eyes.
And the excitement sparkling in them.

This is a disaster.

Cale realized that, no matter what, he was finished.

And then—
“Hahaha—”

He laughed.

“Yes. Well done!”

Yes, somehow everything will be fine! 

And besides, I’m not going to live inside the game, and even if that Dragon Half-Blood feels a little sad…

Yes, the birth ceremony will be forgotten in no time!

Honestly, look around. 

Even the family, who would remember the moment of someone’s birth and talk about it for more than a decade?

Exactly! It’s just an event! A mission!

Then!

I’ll sit back and wait to receive the mission rewards.

“Hahaha!”

Cale laughed.

“Human, why are you still smiling? I’ll laugh too! Hahaha!”

Raon also laughed.

“Haha—”

Aurora, seeing the reward in Cale’s hand, smiled happily.

“Hmm.”

And Clopeh Sekka let out a soft chuckle.

“!”

That laugh—so sinister it made Cale pause—didn’t stop him from focusing on what he had to do first.

“Clopeh, I’ll hear about the process later. Right now, I have something to take care of.”

“Yes, understood. I’ll head to the incubation room where Eden Miru is.”

An incubation room for Eden Miru too?
Cale sensed that a lot had changed during the days he was away, but he decided to feign ignorance.

“Ah, I’ll go there.”
“Yes, but, Cale-nim…”

Before leaving through the door, Clopeh Sekka spoke to Cale cautiously:

“Once the birth ritual begins, there will be something that, without forcing yourself too much, you will need to put some effort into, Cale-nim. It’s nothing serious, just something small.”

“Ah, yes. As long as it’s not excessive, there’s no problem.”

Cale replied without giving it much importance.

“Yes.”

Clopeh Sekka smiled broadly.

Eh?

Should I have said that this wasn’t right?

Just as Cale was about to think that—

“Then, I’m going.”

Clopeh Sekka retreated very quickly all of a sudden.

Click.

In the blink of an eye, the door opened and closed, and Clopeh Sekka was gone.

“Human, why the worried face?”
“…Nothing.”

Cale dismissed the sinister premonition and approached the bed.

The small glass vial he held in his hand. The liquid that was inside.

“They say you just have to sprinkle it on the forehead.”

Hearing Cale, Aurora clasped her hands, unable to hide her tension.

“Human, will the Dark Demon Lupe awaken?”

“Yes, shortly.”

Cale opened the glass vial.

The liquid it contained had neither scent nor color.

…… 

Count Lupe, who seemed to be sleeping soundly,
Cale tilted the vial, letting the liquid pour out.

Tap!
The instant the liquid touched Count Lupe’s forehead—

Flash!
“Ugh!”
“How dazzling!”

A light so intense that even Aurora and Raon shielded their eyes burst forth.

Cale narrowed his eyes, but emptied the vial completely anyway.

Tap!
The moment the last drop fell from the vial—

“Human, the liquid is gone!”

With a radiant glow, the liquid was completely absorbed into Count Lupe’s head, leaving no trace.

Ding!

Cale heard a notification sound, a sound only he could hear.

[Reward Used!]

[The Dark Demon Lupe has regained the lost memories of the Count Lupe.]

“Hmm.”

Lupe whimpered, contorting his face.

“Count!”

Aurora called out, her voice trembling.

……

Slowly, Lupe opened his eyes.
He blinked several times, then looked around.
His gaze landed on Aurora.

“Ma—”
Ahem.
He cleared his throat and regained his composure.

“You’ve grown.”

“Ah.”
Aurora sank back into the chair.
As if all her energy had drained away, she leaned back, and then, slowly, a smile spread across her face.

“It’s been a long time, Count.”

Count Lupe.
The memory returned vividly.

Despite his youthful appearance, Aurora could sense the imposing presence of the Count Lupe she remembered in his words.

…

Lupe’s gaze shifted to Cale.
He studied him for a long moment before speaking.

“Thank you.”

Then he added,
“You are the worst.”

At that moment, the corner of Cale’s mouth lifted slightly.
As expected.

Lupe’s true nature leaned more toward that of a Dark Demon than a Count of the Demon World.
He had simply regained the memories he had lost.

Confirming this, Cale opened his mouth.

“There will be many things to talk about between you, so I’ll just leave you a message and withdraw.”

“Eh? Aren’t you going to stay?”

Aurora, who believed there would be much to talk about between the three of them, showed her disappointment, but Cale pretended not to notice.

I can’t get involved in Demon World affairs any further.

Although Aurora wanted to discuss the Demon World, Cale considered that he had already fulfilled his mission by capturing Viscount Deshuran, commander of the 6th army among the eight under the current Demon King.

He pulled a handful of papers from his coat.

“These are the reports on the experiments conducted on the captured demon slaves by Transparent. There are also documents proving that these slaves were provided by the current Demon King.”

“……!”
Aurora’s eyes widened.
With trembling hands, she grabbed the documents Cale had handed her.

“This—”

“Yes. I think you can decide among yourselves how to use this.”

Gulp!
Aurora’s eyes narrowed as she swallowed hard.

In a word,
Cale’s voice cut through her racing heart.

“When we attacked the Transparent laboratory, we pretended to be Arm the devotees of the God of Chaos. The current Demon King believes that the Arm has taken his subordinates and is interfering in his affairs.”

Seeing the sharp gleam in Aurora’s eyes as she listened, Cale fell silent.

I guess they’ll know what to do.

Aurora—the leader of the Mediators, and the sole descendant of the former Demon King—still had a long way to go before she could face the immense power of the current Demon King.
But depending on how she leverages the advantage she has finally gained, she stood to gain a great deal.

“We’ll have to rely on the help of the Arm, right?”

Aurora’s mischievous smile prompted Cale to respond with a faint smile of his own.

Yes, that’s right.

The Demon King, the Hunters, and the God of Chaos.
Provoke a rivalry between them until the conflict reaches its peak.
Meanwhile, expand your own influence and, in a single decisive move, turn the situation around—wielding the truth as your weapon.

“I think it would be perfect to make them face each other.”

Cale expressed his modest desire.
Just as he was about to leave the dormitory with Raon, he paused.

“Ah, and you remember this, right?”
He reminded Aurora of something he had told her earlier.

“Please ensure the cooperation of some demons.”
Demons who use gray mana.

They would be perfect to pose as devotees of the God of Chaos.

“Soon, when I take something from the God of Chaos’s sanctuaries, I plan to pose as a saint. Haha!”

“Human, are you going to cheat? Hehe!”

With a carefree smile, he waved goodbye and disappeared with Raon, who was equally cheerful.

Click.

Aurora, staring at the closed door, finally turned her gaze.

Count Lupe, watching her, met her eyes and spoke.
“We must plunge the Demon World into chaos.”

Lupe—the Dark Demon.

“The current Demon King is the King of Boredom.”
Because he is bored with everything, that is the name he has earned.

“That’s because he hasn’t tasted hell.”

Lupe remembered the time he was experimented on and nearly died.
He had succeeded in the experiment and was reborn in the game as Count Lupe, but his family perished amidst that pain.

That terrible hell.

“In hell, you can’t be bored.”

Behind his small smile, Lupe concealed a silent fury.

…

Looking past Aurora, who couldn’t utter a word, Lupe fixed his gaze on the ceiling and spoke in a very low voice:

“There must also be a being who governs both chaos and hell.”

“Eh?”

Aurora, not fully understanding, repeated,
“It’s nothing.”

He simply smiled.

The Demon King, the God of Chaos, and the Hunters. 

To make these three colossal forces clash…
Truly, you must be the Most Evil One.

“…So, I suppose I’ll have to believe it.”

Count Lupe—or rather, the Dark Demon—harbored a clear expectation, even amidst his desire for revenge.

* * *

“Has the God of Chaos faction also appeared on Transparent’s side?”
“That’s right.”

The Demon King of Boredom.
He tapped the armrest and let out a low chuckle.

“And they still haven’t found those who dared to touch my soldiers?”
“…That’s correct.”

The kneeling subject trembled all over.
But the Demon King’s gaze wasn’t on him.

Looking out the window, he spoke.
“How interesting.”

Tap, tap.
As he struck the armrest again, the motion revealed genuine enthusiasm.

“Really, it’s fascinating.”

The subjects couldn’t tell where the Demon King’s gaze was focused.
All they perceived was a flicker of enthusiasm emerging in his usually apathetic eyes.

The Demon King of Boredom had only one way to rid himself of boredom.

“Gather the soldiers.”

And also—
“Summon the seven generals as well.”

With Deshuran absent, the Demon King’s Eight Army had been reduced to Seven.

“Also, contact the God of Chaos and those from Transparent.”

War.

The Demon King of Boredom could only rid himself of tedium by unleashing war.
And only then—when facing ordinary citizens—did he seem truly alive.

* * *

Eden Miru—the Dragon Half-Blood.
A soul that, after living for more than nine hundred years, had transformed into a dragon to continue its existence.

The time remaining for that soul to be reborn in a new form was—

“…10 hours and 29 minutes.”

Cale calculated.
Noon.
After tonight passes, when dawn breaks and the sun reaches its zenith, it will be noon.
At that moment, Eden Miru will be born.

…

Cale closed his eyes tightly.

In the incubation room, there were only Cale and Eden Miru. 

On his knees lay Clopeh Sekka’s report.

…

Opening his eyes, he fixed his gaze on the egg wrapped in a flower cloth.

“…I’m sorry.”

…Wiggle—wiggle—

It was a gesture of understanding and resignation.

<About 100 scouts have been detected sent from the Eight Evils (excluding 3 Evil and 7 Evil). However, they pretend not to know.>

<It is expected that, from at least Four Evils, personnel of intermediate or higher boss level will visit, either officially or covertly, to spy on the birth ritual.>

<Security has been reinforced on the borders of the Western and Eastern Empires. From various magic towers, magic scouts have begun to be sent towards the Seventh Evil.>

<A hint of birth has been sent to all the forces of the New World: the 3 Greats, the 5 intermediates, and the 10 minors.>

<The hint of birth consists of provoking various irregular phenomena—not through invitations or texts, but they hint the birth of evil— making it clear that a legend is being formed.>

[The irregular phenomena are, for example, “a dark red sky covered in crows”, “skeleton soldiers emerging from the earth”, “sudden whirlwinds, storms, lightning in a clear sky”, among others, that manifest periodically in 39 different patterns on a certain scale.]

Clopeh Sekka’s report reached almost one hundred pages. 

It is so large that it is difficult to hold.

“…39 types of phenomena… and he manifested them all over the continent…? This madman!”

Wiggle, wiggle.
“Have you been baffled too?”

Wiggle, wiggle.
 “Good job, friend.”

Wiggle, wiggle.
 “Anyway, tomorrow everything will be fine. Hm.”

Wiggle?
“Hmm. Sure, it will be fine.”

…Wiggle… wiggle… wiggle…

Cale made an effort not to look at the report detailing the order of the birth ritual—or rather, the legend of the birth.

“Hey, just make sure you’re born well. We’ll take care of the rest.”

…Wiggle… wiggle… wiggle…

Eden Miru also avoided looking.

<Birth Concept: The worst birth.>

<It is intended that all who witness it tremble in fear at the imposing, dark, and grandiose scene of the birth.>

<Essential Elements: Cale-nim’s energy, Heavenly Demon’s energy, Choi Han’s energy, the magic circle of three dragons……>

Cale realized that he really didn’t have to overdo it tomorrow.

- Cale, I want to celebrate the birth with all my might!

His dominating aura expressed itself in a grave and solemn voice.

“Hmm.”

Well, we’ll see what happens.

Cale took it indifferently. 

After all, it’s just a mission.

* * *

As noon approaches. 

The time when, of course, it must dawn in the Land of Fairy Tales.

“…The… the sun has disappeared…!”

The gaze of the one who screamed in fear focused on a single direction.

The White Castle, also known as the Cotton Candy Castle. 

The place where Eden Miru will be born. 

There, the gazes were concentrated.

Plop.

Cale placed the egg he was carrying at his side and looked at the screen.

[Hatching Rate: 99.31% (Remaining Time: 23:19)]

[Birth Ceremony Progress: 197%]

[Reward Rank: Undetermined]

…At a time when there was less than an hour left for the birth ritual. 

The progress rose to almost 200%. 

Cale seemed to sense the reason.

Caw, caw—

The crows brought the news.

The shaman of the tiger tribe, Gashan, exclaimed:

“The supreme mage of the Eastern Empire has infiltrated the Seventh Evil!”

“It also seems that the group of the Sword Master of the Western Empire has arrived!”

“Members have been detected in three magic towers!”

The human world is also in turmoil.

“Oh, the second boss of the Second Evil has arrived!”

“The shadow of the Sixth Evil has been found!”

Those of the Eight Evils are also in an uproar.

“All the inhabitants of the Seventh Evil and the boss-level mobs are breaking into the Cotton Candy Castle! With that number, estimated at around 100,000, they will soon surround the castle!”

The vast field that covers the surroundings of the Cotton Candy Castle. 

There, the residents of the Seventh Evil gathered, waiting for the birth of the new master of the Seventh Evil.

“It will soon begin, hehe.”

Cale, seeing Clopeh Sekka smile, narrowed his eyes.

Pat, pat.

Unexplainably, he gently stroked Eden Miru’s egg.

Wiggle!

The egg, as if rejecting that touch, shook vigorously.

“Hehe.”

Clopeh Sekka’s laughter silenced the atmosphere.

Soon the boss baby of the Seventh Evil would be born. Although almost a curse in itself, that birth would shake not only the Eight Evils but the New World.

 -----

P/R Thoughts: The Demon World stirs, Clopeh smiles too brightly, and Eden Miru’s birth draws empires, Evils, and armies—Cale can feel disaster closing in.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Mayank]