Vol 4 Chapter 31: Virana, the Demoness of Deceit
"This is unacceptable! You're going to just let a murderer go free?"
Meanwhile, back at the Relfatia Estate, a certain heated argument was underway, between none other than Crendell Relfatia (Victoria’s father) and Graham Bartholomeus. Inside the former’s study, the two were seated face to face with just the former’s work table between the two.
The merchant, using his own investigators, had finally discovered the identity of his alchemist partner's murderers. Hugo Greenwood and Felicia Myne.
"They are stewards of House Relfatia. I will not let them come to harm. Especially not at a time like this."
"Stewards? Don't make me laugh! You think you can control them? After what they did? No. You have to dispose of them. Now."
If not for the influence he had as the richest merchant in Arborea, speaking like that to a lord would’ve cost him his head. The lord needed him for his connections and influence after all.
Not to mention the fact that he owed him money as well. The lord had somewhat of a gambling problem. Frequently, he would join the closed door gambling clubs for all the other rich folks like him and he would put his money on the line without hesitation. They had to know that his family was the richest and most prosperous of them all.
Too bad he was never good at it.
"And how do you propose to do that? They’re the strongest adventurers in Arborea right now. Killing all the Ten Braves like that, they’re beyond the level of mere S-rank adventurers,” the Lord replied. He was aware of their real identity, of course, but he was not going to tell that to the chubby merchant.
"Tell your daughter to do it! She's this unbeatable mage, isn't she? Or are you saying she's not as strong as you make her be? She did lose to the demons after all." The merchant added with a small grin.
"Hold your tongue, Graham!" The lord slammed the desk in front of him. "I will not suffer such disrespect, even from you!"
"I'll go."
Their argument was suddenly interrupted by the entrance of a woman, wearing a dark hooded cloak that hid her face. None of them even noticed she was there until she spoke.
"V-Vasuvius? You?"
"Yes, me, Milord. I shall take care of your problem. You just sit here and take it easy, alright?"
With a wave of her hand, she made her way to the door.
The lord knew who she was—Virana, the Demon King of Illusions. Vasuvius was just one of the many disguises she used. He knew she would impersonate him whenever there was a meeting that interested her. There was nothing he could do to protest, as she was a Demon Lord after all.
But what did she mean about "taking care of them?" Would she really kill them all? No, she wouldn't do such a thing.
"Hmph, that woman. An adventurer of yours?"
"Y-yes."
He sighed inwardly, knotting his forehead in the process.
To be at the mercy of a Demon Lord… how low had his house fallen…
"There's one more person I would like you to arrest." The merchant continued. "And rest assured, this one is far easier to take care of."
"And who might that be?" He raised his eyebrows.
"An elf named Tira Elfiel, a maid in my mansion. She was part of the murder and robbery, as the money definitely went into her hands. She tried to pay her debt with it, you see. I know how poor she is. She'd never have that money on her own and she's acquainted with those two."
"You believe she is the mastermind?"
"Perhaps. It doesn't matter. Arrest her, give her the slave brand, and sell her to me."
"...Ah. I see how it is."
The lord knew of his friend's perversions, his fondness for young, attractive girls. With the slave brand, the elf would have no choice but to obey his words. It was a punishment given exclusively to grave criminals. Using dark magic, one could put a brand of obedience on someone. That brand was the slave brand. Why would he kill criminals if he could sell them off for profit instead?
"You should've spoken earlier then." The lord sighed. "My servant already—"
"I'm still here~"
The two men jumped again as the cloaked woman suddenly appeared in the corner of the room.
"I've heard everything. So for the two, you want them killed, but for the elf, you want her alive, correct?"
"Y-yes, you're correct, Vasuvius."
"Well, I'm leaving now. For real this time~"
With another wave of her hand, she left the room once again.
"H-how did she do that?" The merchant asked, wiping a drop of sweat from his brows. "You really have dangerous people working for you, Crendell."
The lord could only reply by taking a sip of his tea.
Only to find the cup was already empty.
If she really kills them… that's better for this city. Killing other adventurers is one thing but willingly robbing and murdering a civilian is unforgivable. They have stepped the line.
We don't need them anymore, now that the negotiation with the demons has been finalized.
It doesn't matter who attacks first, the Alliance or Balthazar. Marlene and her forces will betray the former in battle, switching sides to Balthazar's. The Demon Lord will be on her side and so, it doesn't matter how many adventurers she recruits to her cause. She will be victorious.
And then, the other city-states will fall, one by one. For none can stand the might of two Demon Lords working together.
Only Arborea will remain.
He poured the empty cup with more tea before taking a long sip.
And with Victoria marrying one of Balthazar's sons, we'll prosper even further. No longer would we suffer the Church's suffocating influence. We'll be free to spread our wings however we wish.
The Demon Continent belongs to the demons from the start. Why shouldn't we coexist with them?
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Hugo
Leaving the Starswept Observatorium, my prediction was quickly proven to be correct. The sun was still high in the sky, and my stomach was still rumbling—the perfect opportunity to go and have lunch.
Well, it's less my prediction and more like my watch's…
We decided on one of my favorite restaurants—a steakhouse that sold the most delicious roasted beef. Meat was pretty expensive in this world so I figured Theo would be really happy to be able to eat as much meat as he wanted.
"Look! Guys, there's the restau—"
They were gone.
E-eh? Where did everybody go? Did I walk too fast? They were just behind me, right?
A chill landed on my spine.
Something… someone… was right behind me now.
I jumped and flipped my body around, drawing my wand in the process.
I was right. I was now face-to-face with a woman. A beautiful one, I might add, with large breasts, long, black hair that went down to her waist, and a pair of fox ears and tails. A small smile adorned her red cherry lips.
"Nice reaction. I see now how you were able to dispose of the Ten Braves."
This woman… somehow, there's a really dangerous aura coming from her.
"Greetings. My name is Virana. I am the Demon Lord of Illusions. It's a pleasure to meet you."
My blood froze.
I had heard that name before, from that book that talked about Demon Lords.
Virana, the Deceitful Demon Lord. The Demon Lord of Illusions. A nine-tailed fox demon. Responsible for slaughtering one hundred thousand human soldiers 200 years ago by making them fight each other. She singlehandedly prevented humanity's incursion deeper into the Demon Continent.
A-A Demon Lord? Here? H-how? Why?
"Nice expression. Your fear of mine is wise, little one. You know it, don't you? You can't ever possibly hope to win against me."
Her aura flared—fright taking hold in my heart. My legs began to shake violently. It took all I had just to remain standing.
"Y-you… what did you do to—"
"Oh, I did nothing to them. Yet. You see, after this, I shall take that little elf girl with me. Unless, little boy, you take my offer."
"Y-your offer?"
"Come with me. Become my servant. I am in search of a strong underling and you fit the bill perfectly."
W-what?
"Now, before you refuse, consider this. If you don't accept my offer, I'll kill you and that lady friend of yours. And you know you can't stop me. Even now, you're barely standing as it is. I'm surprised you haven't wet your trousers with how much fear you have in your eyes right now."
I tightened the grip on my wand, aiming it squarely at her head.
"Fire ahead. If you do, I'll take it as your refusal."
Her smile widened, and her terrifying aura intensified even further.
G-gah!
I fell down. My entire body was now shaking violently.
This is… her murderous intent… she really is… going to kill me…
But… with this range… a Boom Cannon would be almost instantaneous… there's no way she can't dodge…
No… she's a Demon Lord… and of Illusions at that… that body I'm looking… it can be a fake…
...Hold on. Calm yourself down, you idiot! You're going back to your cowardly ways! Her illusions are just magic and you can dispel magic, can you not?!
Closing my eyes, I began to concentrate.
"Oh? What's this? You're trying something, little boy? Go on ahead. It better be interesting though."
I need to… focus… use my Sight… to see the magic in the air…
I opened my eyes, and there, I saw it, networks of mana floating around me. I couldn't decipher them, as I never knew any illusion magic, being one of the so-called miscellaneous magic only a very few could even employ, but it was enough to see that the person standing in front of me was the real one. Her flow of mana was black and thick, much thicker than the illusions surrounding me. She wielded Demonic Mana, and I could see it emanating out of her, empowering the illusions constantly.
My surroundings… they are all illusions…
But… most likely… she's the real one…
I re-aimed my wand at her, gripping it with both hands to stabilize my shaking grip.
Let's try hitting her with my Deconstruct spell, in case it's an illusion.
As stealthily as I could, I began sending my raw mana to disturb her own.
"Ah, you're capable of that trick. Too bad it won't work on me. My mana control is just too good for an amateur like you to disturb."
Damn it! She knew!
And she's right! It's completely ironclad! I can't disturb it in the slightest!
"Well, time for me to give my countdown~ If you don't answer my demand with a yes in the next three seconds, you and your lady friend are going to die. Three."
Shit! I have to make a decision now!
"Two."
Do I attack or do I go along with her?!
"One."
...No. I won't bow down to her. I won't make the same mistake again. She might be stronger than me but she gravely underestimates how fast and hard my Boom Cannon can hit at this range.
"Zero. Well, time's up. I suppose that's a—"
I fired.
It hit her right on the face. She wasn't fast enough to block or dodge.
Her headless body fell, blood pouring out from her neck.
I…
I did it! I actually did—
A hand pierced through my back, resurfacing right out of my chest.
"G-gah!"
Blood coughed out of my mouth.
"Oh dear, do you really think a Demon Lord of Illusions will be that naive? Tsk tsk tsk."
She was right behind me. It was her hand that just went through me.
Whatever I just killed, it wasn’t her in the slightest.
I looked back at the corpse.
It was Felicia.
“N-no… no… nooooooooooooo!”
“Ah, yes, such a lovely scream you have. I do love it when my plaything does that. Especially when I just pierced their lungs and heart.”
She withdrew her hand from my chest. “Sleep now, little boy. Sleep. Rest easy. The rest of your entourage shall not be harmed. Well, except for the elf. She’ll be a sex slave to a fat old man for the rest of her long life. Isn’t it wonderful?”
I could say nothing. I could do nothing. I could only let my body slump down to the ground as blood pooled all around me. I couldn’t even curse her as darkness swallowed me.
Damn it…
DAMN IT DAMN DAMN IT!
Is this… is this how my second life will end? Dying unceremoniously by some Demon Lord that comes out of nowhere?
Not only that, I dragged Felicia and Tira down with me... I’ve sworn to protect them and yet...
Ha.. aha.. Ahahahahahahahahahaha… AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I really am just a worthless, weak, pitiful fool…
???
He failed…
At this rate, he really is going to die...
A Demon Lord… a highly evolved species of demonkind… a great anomaly…
To think one will appear out of thin air and hunt him down… Is this part of Her accursed scheme as well?
No matter. I cannot let the Unchained One perish. Even if it means facing off against a Demon Lord.
With the facility’s power, I should be able to manage.
A sphere of light manifested out of thin air at the outskirts of the town. Unbeknownst to Hugo and Felicia, they had both been led out here by Virana’s illusion, separated from anyone that could save them.
There, the cloaked elven woman appeared. Right in front of the still warm corpse of Hugo.
Oh yes, he had died. No man could survive having such wounds.
But, it had only occured not even five minutes ago. And with the Demon Lord carelessly believing her job was done, the cloaked elf was free to save him.
She reached out with her right hand. A small yet complex magic circle appeared on the edge of her palm.
“Rewind”. It was a spell with the capability of turning back time.
It was the only way she could revive him. No healing spell can return someone from the dead after all.
As she worked her magic, the sight of his tears returned to her mind.
He has suffered much… and he shall suffer more…
Such is the destiny of an Unchained One… As long as he doesn’t give to Her… calamities will follow him to the ends of the earth…
All I can do now is to give him whatever comfort I can.
That is my purpose. That is what Master commanded.
Hugo
When I opened my eyes, I was neither in hell or heaven.
It didn't look like I was in the Sanzu River either.
No, I was staring at that familiar cloudy, light red sky—the sky of the Demon Continent. Looking around, I saw that I was somewhere in the outskirts of Arborea.
I was still here.
I was alive.
H-how? How am I still alive?
I rubbed my chest. Nope. No hole there. My shirt wasn't even torn. There was no blood either.
Was it just… a dream? A hallucination?
Slowly, I sat up.
And then, I saw her.
No, not the Demon Lord.
It was her—the mysterious elf who called herself the Administrator.
She was standing in front of Felicia's corpse, with her right hand outstretched towards it.
W-what? What is she—
No… That can't be… She's… healing her?
No. It wasn't healing. Her splattered, decapitated head reassembled itself, piece by piece, before reattaching to her neck. Her blood entered back into her veins and her wounds closed themselves.
It was as if she was rewinding time itself.
When she finished, Felicia was restored perfectly.
Just like I was.
"You… you saved us?" I croaked.
She turned to face me, still having the same stoic expression when I first met her. "I did. I cannot let you die. You are an Unchained One, a precious existence in the war against the True Enemy."
"T-thank you! Thank you so much!"
I bowed down in front of her, lowering my head until it touched the ground.
Before I realized it, tears rushed through my eyelids.
It was firmly one of joy.
"Oh thank you! Thank you thank you thank you! Thank you for saving Felicia!"
"Unchained One, there's no need to—"
"No, you don't understand! I killed her! I foolishly believed I was skilled enough to avoid her trickery! I was… I was overconfident! Naive! Careless! And Felicia had to pay the price!"
I continued to sob. I didn't know how long I did it, until I felt a hand on my head.
"Do not blame yourself, Unchained One. Her illusions are strong. Your Mana Sight will not suffice as she could manipulate her own mana flow to augment her deception. And interrupting her enchantments is impossible as well at your current level. I believe you did as best as you could."
I looked up and saw her staring down at me.
And she, to my surprise, was smiling.
BA-DUMP
I was rendered speechless.
Her smile… it's beyond beautiful… never before I saw a smile as beautiful as hers… it’s so warm and comforting too...
U-urghhh, what am I doing? I shouldn't be crying like this. What am I, a kid? I'm embarrassing myself in front of her...
I wiped my tears, replacing them with a blush.
"How… how do you know so much about me? Were you watching when she was here?"
Sadly, as she withdrew her hand, her smile disappeared. She returned back to her stoic look. "I'm always watching you, ever since you entered the Observatorium. I watched over every adventurer who came. Of course, once I ascertained you are an Unchained One, I watched you even closer."
"But this is outside the Observatorium."
"I am capable of traveling a certain radius away from the place."
"Wait, does that mean you've been stalking me?"
She didn't answer, opting to turn her back towards me and taking a few steps away.
"Climb to the end of the fifth stratum. I shall explain everything there. You're not safe here anymore so you should hurry."
"Wait, don't go! My friend, Tira! The Demon Lord said she's going to kidnap her!"
She paused, facing me once again. "Do you wish for me to help her as well?"
"Yes, of course! You're really strong, right? Whatever that healing magic was, I've never seen anything like it!"
"My duty is to keep you safe. Not your friends and companions."
"Then why did you save Felicia?"
She fell silent for a few moments, before replying, "Your heart will break if she perishes. I've seen you with her every night inside your tent."
"H-hold on, you were peeking? Y-you can't do that!"
"But the elf, you don't really need her, do you?" She completely ignored my remark. "So you shouldn't bother going out of your way to save her. Especially against an enemy you can never hope to beat."
"I've promised to protect her! If you think I'm just going to abandon her, think again! I'll go and rescue her, whether you like it or not!"
I know I'm way over my head here. If I face off against that fox again, it'll only end up the same if I can't do anything against her illusion.
I have no idea either why she would kidnap Tira. Is she really employed by her former employer, that rich merchant guy? Why would she just willingly do the bidding of a human?
As for why he wants to make Tira his sex slave… well… I can imagine a few reasons why. She lied when she said she quitted the job because it was too hard. No, she must have been sexually harassed by him.
She's just like me. She didn't want to worry Theo so she hid it from him.
"...Very well. I suppose I have no choice. It is my mission to aid the Unchained One however I could."
...Wait, really? She just changes her mind like that?
I still have no idea what she's talking about, but hey, I'm not complaining!
"I shall not fight the Demon Lord directly. However, I can aid you in taking Tira back. Currently, she's in the center of the city, at x coordinate 35.67 and y coordinate 67.45. In your language, she's inside an area which you call the Noble's District."
So she's bringing her right to that merchant's mansion.
Wait, how can she figure out her location in an instant like this? Maybe she just has a tracking ability for anyone that’s inside a certain radius from her dungeon? That explains how she can easily find and stalk me.
“Her illusions will not work on me, so stay close to me at all times.”
“Really? How come it doesn’t work on you? Is it because of that tracking ability of yours?”
“Yes. My Soul Track ability allows me to track the souls of anyone around a certain radius of the Observatorium. She can’t hide her soul and she can’t create false souls as part of her illusions either.”
Whoa, I was right! She really does have that ability! That’s really cool!
Though tracking down souls like that… it’s ancient magic, if I have to guess. If she really is the Administrator of the World Dungeon, she must be related in some way to its builders, the Progenitors.
I still have no idea what such an ancient being wants with me though.
“U-urghh…”
At this point, our conversation was interrupted by Felicia’s groan. She sat up, looked around, and stood up once she noticed me.
“M-Milord, w-what happened?”
Guess it's up to me to explain.