NOVEL NEXT Chapter 148
– Psyche.
– Psyche.
– !
At the sound of a man’s voice calling out in a restrained tone,
the platinum-haired, crimson-eyed saint finally opened her eyes.
– Psyche, please.
– Say hello to Sinatis for me.
Memories of weakening the Demon King and the final battle with the demons…
A wave of emotions surged forth as recollections flooded back.
– I failed… but for the sake of the next heroes…
– I’m sorry for placing such a heavy burden on you…
– Return… to the Empire… without fail.
‘Kroon!!’
As Kroon’s voice faded, what appeared before her was a child and her father.
– Do we have to go again today…?
– I’m sorry. I’ll be back soon.
A silver-haired girl, slightly younger than Psyche.
– It’s okay, Aria.
Having lost her parents to a Great Demon,
– Aria Bluebell, you are accepted.
She came to the academy and walked the path of a faithful cleric,
– Thud!
At the end, she plunged a dagger into the shadow resembling a Great Demon…
Perhaps the child who will follow in her footsteps and become a saint.
“Ah…”
Psyche knew.
Having been asleep for far too long, her body was not as it once was.
In fact, nearly half of her power had already been passed on to Aria Bluebell.
Yet time and again, the girl who inherited that power neglected her own body.
Is becoming a saint perhaps a curse?
“I’m sorry, Aria.”
Psyche could not bear to watch the child entrusted to her lose her light.
– Aria.
– Aria, can you hear me…?
Thus, she whispered.
…
– Shah!
In the celestial voice, Aria’s dark, negative thoughts vanished in an instant.
– I thought you must have been very… surprised.
‘Saint…?’
– I am… Saint Psyche. Unfortunately, divine words can only be transmitted unidirectionally from my side to the candidates…
Aria shook her head.
‘P-Psyche…! I… I…! I’m not qualified…’
How could someone guilty of killing a human, especially the one she loved most, be a candidate for the saint meant to save many?
Aria was engulfed in guilt.
Thus, she poured her emotions out in a clean, pure appeal.
She was a bad child unworthy of being a saint, bearing an irredeemable heavy sin…
Of course, none of this could be perfectly conveyed to Psyche,
– It’s okay, Aria. You’ve had a lot on your mind, haven’t you…?
After a moment of pause, she continued, as if anticipating Aria’s heart.
– But even in this situation… you must not lose hope.
– The hope that blooms amidst pain and despair is truly our role as saints.
– You will meet soon. I’m looking forward to it.
‘Psyche…!’
– !
Aria opened her eyes.
Had she fallen asleep without realizing it,
her lips were dry, but her eyes still glistened.
‘…’
The evening air and the dim moonlight entered through the window.
Another day was coming to an end.
Though Lev was not around, time passed relentlessly.
‘Lady Yeriel…’
Yeriel would be preparing dinner downstairs.
Perhaps she was struggling more than anyone else.
Especially since she hadn’t even seen Lev’s face in the end.
“Selena, Edwin, Lily…”
Everyone struggled because of that.
‘I was really a nuisance…’
Truth be told, Aria was scared.
‘But I have to say…’
The bond formed through Lev.
Everyone was too kind and considerate.
Especially Yeriel and Edwin; the trust they placed in Aria was beyond that of mere companions.
They would believe her instantly if she said that she hadn’t killed Lev.
Or? They might not even think that the one who killed Lev was herself.
Aria wished to deny this disastrous causal relationship,
but she couldn’t.
Lev helped her take revenge on Andras, as promised,
and Aria was beginning to awaken to her powers as a saint.
It was clear evidence.
‘Atone…’
First, let’s seek forgiveness from everyone.
Face her wrongs properly.
Whenever she thought of Lev,
tears would immediately flow, but,
she must accept that as well.
And save as many people as possible…
This was the only reason Aria had to live.
…
‘Surely you will rise again… Aria.’
When Psyche finished her communication with Aria and regained full consciousness,
– !
Her field of view had suddenly widened.
A red and dusky place.
‘This foreign magic power…’
This was likely Pandemonium.
Due to Kroon’s sacrifice, she was sealed within the crystal eye.
‘What should I do?’
Though she had hoped for the meeting day, Psyche thought she might not be able to pass on her powers to Aria.
As half of the saint’s power was already divided, opening a divine dimensional gate to escape at once was no small task.
While Psyche hesitated for a moment,
a man’s back came into view before her.
‘Is there a person here…?’
A mixed aura of magic and mana.
That could only belong to…
“K-Kroon?”
*
In the center of the Crystal Palace.
Yellody Latashia, whose hair color blended well with the color of this place, was munching on the chocolates I had given her.
“Yum… this is delicious…”
‘At this rate, I could really believe she was Lily’s sister.’
Yellody’s sweet-tooth setting was certainly effective.
Once she became my subordinate, she was all over the place, but now that I gave her something sweet, she seemed to have calmed down.
Even her usual way of speaking was…
‘She’s so similar to Lily…’
Perhaps it was the first time I’d seen someone calling me like “Lord Lev” and “Junior.”
When she’s cursing me out, though, there were still clear differences.
Well, I guess that’s how the characters and setups created by the author work.
Thanks to this chocolate, I gathered a lot of information.
There’s a saying that in front of food, people open their hearts and become honest, right?
As she looked better after solving her hunger, I asked her various things.
I learned about Yellody’s main plan, the reason she helped Caeran, and the general situation of Pandemonium…
I got a rough idea.
Of course, thinking about how much I had suffered because of that Caeran, I felt like I wanted to smack her, not spare her, but,
the only one I could rely on to escape here was her right now.
More importantly…
“So we’re agreed then?”
“Uh-huh… if you give me one more…”
“Okay, okay.”
– Crinkle.
I peeled the chocolate wrapper and popped it into her mouth.
– Munch, munch…
“Okay, I’ll cooperate with Lord Lev.”
Yellody decided to join my cause.
“Anyway… being a subordinate of a junior isn’t changing anything.”
“Good. That mindset.”
“Now everything’s becoming a hassle…”
“Thinking everything is a hassle isn’t good.”
“I don’t know…! You made me like this, so keep your promise!”
Yellody’s sudden change of heart struck me as a bit abrupt…
After all, she dreamed of defeating the current Demon King and becoming the new Devil, and Caeran intended to use her solely to kill the Demon King,
now I had become that pawn in the game.
‘Who would have thought I’d end up aiming for the crown too?’
I had only one condition left to graduate from Claris Academy safely, but with the mess I’d stirred up hunting great demons and the demon realm being a hive, a confrontation with the Demon King was inevitable.
Somehow, I’d found myself walking the same path as Yellody.
‘I’ll need to rely on this girl until we defeat the Demon King.’
Even if it’s a one-sided betrayal, I needed her cooperation right now.
Yellody looked my way with a glint in her eye and asked again.
“Are we really making a promise? If you don’t create a new Demon King for me, I will curse you. A curse. Got it??”
“Ah…”
Her last words were quite chilling.
“Yes. It’s fine if I just command you as my subordinate, so why should I promise you this?”
“Hmm…”
“We’re just helping each other. Let’s keep it simple.”
With my nonsense, Yellody looked displeased but seemed to understand, munching on the chocolate.
“… you’re really wicked. I might just change your title to Trash Lord.”
“Trash…? That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?”
“Then, Flirt Lord. Die.”
“…”
Who’s calling whom trash here.
“Oh? There are two more nearby. I’ll lure them away so they can’t come close.”
“…Okay.”
Thanks to Yellody’s persuasion, I hadn’t been discovered here until now…
But she was also part of the demon race raised by Caeran.
Given the situation, it’s best to act cleverly.
*
Psyche, who had been watching this unfold, muttered somewhat sadly.
‘I thought it was Kroon…’
The ash-haired boy was not Kroon.
Although the fluctuations of magic had momentarily felt similar,
his appearance was completely different.
‘Is it due to his thoughts…?’
Kroon had risked everything to protect Psyche herself.
For such an extended time… to create a sanctuary in the heart of Pandemonium.
‘Kroon…’
Just as Psyche began to think about Kroon again…
“Ah!”
Something she had overlooked came to mind.
‘B-By the way! What the heck are those two talking about?!’
The ash-haired boy and the sky-blue-haired girl who looked like a demon.
Psyche’s pupils trembled violently as she quietly listened to their conversation.
Though she understood that her physical stability and the current situation were not good,
it was entirely incomprehensible that a human boy and a demon girl were lounging together, enjoying snacks as if they were on a picnic.
– “We’re making a promise, right? If you don’t make me the new Demon King, I will curse you. A curse. Got it??”
– “Yes. I mean, I can just command you as my subordinate. Why would I go through the trouble of promising this?”
To defeat the Demon King and sit the demon girl in the new Demon King’s seat,
and the human boy was her subordinate master?
Her head couldn’t keep up.
‘D-During my slumber, did something happen?!’
Time might have altered the world while she slept.
Demons and humans.
Originally self-evident truths might have changed.
‘Anyway… I can’t just let this slide…!’
– Shah!
A little premature, but at Psyche’s will, her body began to materialize here.
The moment she manifested in this place, she immediately spoke behind Lev.
“I’m here…!”
“?”
Having not spoken for a long time, she faltered slightly but soon cleared her throat and continued.
“I am Saint Psyche. The idea of making a new Demon King is something I cannot ignore…!”
“Ah, you woke up quickly.”
“!”
The ash-haired boy rose from his seat and approached her.
“What a surprise…? If your target was my body, that’s too bad. You won’t get it so easily…”
“Saint.”
“…!”
Psyche shut her eyes tightly and recoiled, but… after that, there was no rough action as she expected.
Instead…
“Let’s go back.”
“Eh…?”
– Psyche, return… without fail.
Only Kroon’s final words overlapped softly.
The boy smiled gently as he added,
“I’ll escort you. I think we need to help each other to return.”
“…!”
“…Flirt Lord. Die.”
The demon girl beside him began to grumble,
“Here we go again… Oops!”
“Ha ha…”
He forcibly covered her mouth.
Psyche could only be perplexed.
‘Who is this person…’
How did he know and been waiting here…?