NOVEL NEXT Chapter 163
Chapter 163: The Demon Realm?
Si-hyeon stared blankly at Miriam, taken aback by the unexpected and bizarre remark.
He soon shot back with a question, as if urging for clarity.
“You’re saying ‘Demon Realm?'”
“Yes, the Demon Realm.”
“…What exactly does that mean?”
“Well… I’ve never been there myself. No one has, I suppose. So, there’s probably no one who can give a precise explanation about the Demon Realm. But one thing is for sure: It exists.”
Si-hyeon cocked his head, struggling to comprehend Miriam’s words, before asking,
“How can you be so sure it exists if no one has been there?”
“Because of that person.”
“That person?”
“Lady Ibraim.”
‘Ibraim?’
The name sounded vaguely familiar yet completely new at the same time.
However, Miriam seemed to expect Si-hyeon to know this name without question.
If he questioned something so seemingly obvious, it might provoke a reaction.
While he pondered how to respond, thankfully, Po-ahim stepped in to clear the confusion.
[Po-ahim speaks to you. The Ibraim she mentions is the Great Sage mentioned in both eyes. Po-ahim wants you to extract as much information from her as possible.]
Ah.
The look on Si-hyeon’s face changed to one of realization.
Now that he thought about it, William, the Paladin, had mentioned ‘Ibraim’ while explaining the Great Sage.
It was a complete coincidence, but he had finally uncovered a clue about the person Po-ahim had urged him to seek out.
Even without Po-ahim’s insistence, he couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.
Si-hyeon was determined to dig for as much information as he could.
“I see. So, she was in America. Then concerning the Demon Realm, that person—”
“Yes, Lady Ibraim informed us.”
After casting a glance at Max, who lay slumped from fainting, Miriam continued.
“And the reason we’re trying to take that human is also connected to Lady Ibraim.”
“What the hell for?”
Si-hyeon narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Miriam.
What could possibly justify the involvement of a Great Sage with such a criminal?
Honestly, he doubted there would be a valid reason.
It felt like a move akin to China utilizing the Human Butcher—using trash if it brought them profit.
“Um….”
Miriam paused, seemingly contemplating how to explain, her gaze drifting into the void.
After a moment, she seemed to gather her thoughts and returned her focus to Si-hyeon.
“You said earlier you aren’t sure about the Demon Realm. Still, I do know a few things. There is a Demon King residing in the Demon Realm. This Demon King bears a shocking resemblance to humans. Because of that, they hate humans intensely.”
“….”
As he listened to Miriam’s words, Si-hyeon recalled the king he met on Ganghwa Island.
That man definitely had the appearance of a human, further exhibiting utter disdain and contempt for human beings.
Everything started clicking into place as he understood the implications of what she was saying.
Her explanation continued.
“For them, a ‘good human’ consists solely of corpses or slaves. They absolutely cannot tolerate humans living freely. That’s why they seek to conquer the human nations and force them into submission as slaves.”
“…Could they possibly be…?”
Si-hyeon’s eyes widened in shock.
He had heard rumors from the Inspection Bureau that people from the Reiter continent had become slaves to monsters.
But the monsters weren’t the only threat; there was a darker agenda lurking behind them.
“Yes, they are the arch-enemy of humanity. They invaded the Reiter continent, killing all the humans who resisted, turning the survivors into slaves. And now, they are targeting Earth. It’s clear that they will replicate their actions here.”
“….”
Si-hyeon’s expression hardened as he processed this new information.
He was beginning to grasp the intentions of those aiming for Earth.
He felt something was off about the man he met on Ganghwa Island, but he never imagined he could be the mastermind hunting humans.
“They cannot coexist with humans. One side must perish.”
Miriam stated resolutely.
She locked eyes with Si-hyeon and continued,
“So, we need power. Even if it’s the strength of such trashy humans. I know it’s wrong. But please understand it as a sacrifice for the greater good. As I mentioned before, it’s a fight that will only end when one side is dead. Many lives will be lost in the battles to come. Utilizing such strength could potentially save numerous people.”
Listening calmly, Si-hyeon finally spoke up.
“I get where you’re coming from, but this feels off. Using death row inmates…”
Miriam brushed off his concern with a wry smile.
“Don’t inmates have to do forced labor? You could consider it that the government assigns them to different tasks instead.”
“What are you trying to justify? You think people will just accept that a guard like Po-ahim would be fine with releasing prisoners?”
Arthur, who had been silently observing, chimed in.
“Also, Po-ahim, if you keep meddling, that’ll be considered interference, so I suggest you step back. There are quite a few countries on this planet with atrocious penal systems. Do you plan to intervene in all of them? Certainly not. Besides, stop worrying about America. We’ll manage just fine.”
“I cannot simply stand by and watch such behavior in front of me.”
Si-hyeon and Arthur’s gazes locked in an intense standoff.
“This is absurd…”
Arthur grinned as if he found the situation amusing.
“It seems a madman hitting someone has made you lose your senses.”
“Cut it out already.”
As the atmosphere grew tense, Miriam intervened.
“Are you really going to turn the Lord against us just because of this one wretched human? Are you out of your mind?”
“My, how delicately you speak.”
Arthur smirked, scratching his cheek lightly.
Miriam shot him a glare.
“Ten of those trashy humans are worth less than the Lord.”
“Still, they’re not Americans.”
“If they’re Korean, aren’t they an ally of America?”
“Exactly. An ally, yes. America indeed has many allies. But at the end of the day, aren’t alliances usually for personal gain? Do you think they’d just hand over an S-Class Awakened Being like that?”
“That’s not the point…”
Miriam bit her lip in frustration.
Then, she stomped her foot and suddenly turned her head to face Si-hyeon.
“Don’t mind that odd king. I’ll take responsibility and throw that man back into his cell.”
“That’s just ridiculous. What are you saying to a king right now?”
Arthur scoffed, dumbfounded, but Miriam ignored him.
“Miriam… if you insist that much, I’ll trust you. I’ll step back.”
Having slipped the title out without thinking, Si-hyeon found himself pondering what to call her since he had no idea what would sound natural: Sir, Ma’am, Lady… He decided on ‘Ma’am’ based on her status as a knight and thankfully, she accepted it without any discomfort.
It must’ve matched what Po-ahim usually referred to her as.
“Thank you.”
Miriam bowed her head slightly.
“I never knew you were this willful.”
From behind, Arthur shook his head disapprovingly.
“It’s not willful; it’s wise negotiation.”
Miriam made a slight grimace at his comment.
“Um…”
Si-hyeon called out to her.
“Yes?”
“Is there no way to meet Lady Ibraim?”
“Oh, that… it’s for her own safety. The fact that she is such an important person is classified information. Her whereabouts must not be revealed to outsiders. I’m sorry, but even for you, Lord, it would be difficult to meet her.”
“Sorry for that. It can’t be helped.”
Si-hyeon waved his hand dismissively, showing he was fine with it.
It seemed meeting the Great Sage wouldn’t happen, as Po-ahim had suggested.
However, he couldn’t just leave it at that.
Opportunities to glean information from an S-Class Awakened Being from a mighty country like America didn’t come every day.
If it weren’t for the connection to the other world, he would’ve certainly been driven away coldly.
“Hmm… may I ask a few questions?”
Si-hyeon spoke up.
“Of course. Ask away.”
As expected, Miriam nodded readily.
“Thank you for that. So, my question is this: how many of these Demon Kings are there?”
“Not many, I suppose. Each one rules over a region. The Demon Realm is vast but probably doesn’t have that many kings.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Indeed. Each Demon King possesses immense power. Additionally, they command numerous monsters. If there had been more of them, it would have undoubtedly been a very difficult battle.”
“Did you gather all this information about the Demon Realm from the Great Sage?”
“Yes, I’m merely reciting what she mentioned.”
She spoke naturally as if it were her own thoughts, but it seemed it was just her method of speaking.
“Then the Great Sage sounds as if she has been to the Demon Realm herself.”
“She can see through everything from her sitting position.”
William had stated he was the wisest man in the world, one who knew the truth.
And now, Miriam was describing her as someone who could herald such truths while seated.
For two S-Class Awakened Beings to converse with such confidence about it indicated just how extraordinary Ibraim’s abilities were.
“I see. Hmm… so when are they planning to invade in earnest?”
“Nobody knows for certain. It could be very soon or could take a lot longer.”
“Then we must remain vigilant at all times.”
“Haha.”
Just then, Arthur burst into laughter.
Both Si-hyeon and Miriam turned their gazes toward him.
“Well, that may be the case, or we might consider it from the opposite perspective.”
Opposite?
Si-hyeon raised an eyebrow, curious about Arthur’s words.
He believed they needed to prepare for an attack.
But did he mean they should launch a counter-offensive?
Sensing Si-hyeon’s confusion, Arthur continued.
“Who says we must only defend our territory? It could be quite entertaining to invade their home turf.”
“Invade? Are you saying we should venture into the Demon Realm?”
Si-hyeon asked, his face riddled with disbelief.
“Haha, of course, that’s only if we have the means to do so.”
Arthur answered with a smile, closing his mouth again.
“….”
Si-hyeon rested his chin on his hand, diving deep into thought.
Even if such means existed, he felt no positivity about the proposal.
It was far too risky.
It would be a gamble with humanity’s fate at stake.
Even a dog can be fierce when defending its territory.
Let alone a Demon King.
Of course, if the battlefield shifted to enemy territory, the civilians here would be spared from harm, which was an advantage.
But that single advantage could not outweigh the potential danger.
As Si-hyeon prepared to ask Arthur another question, Arthur spoke first.
“Let’s call it a day for questions. I can’t remain silent any longer. Don’t forget he’s an outsider.”
Though Arthur wore a smile, it was evident to everyone that he meant business.
Miriam also stayed quiet this time, knowing how much Arthur had conceded thus far.
“Miriam says she’s personally responsible for putting that madman back in his cell, so let’s trust her and part ways.”
Arthur gestured towards the exit as if giving a command.
It was an incredibly ridiculous demand from the one who had forcibly dragged him in, but Si-hyeon merely accepted it.
Confronting him here wouldn’t yield any good outcome.
But still…
Another troublesome issue arose.
The fact that the S-Class Awakened Beings from America now knew he was Po-ahim.
If that became known in Korea, it would leave him with no way out.
That was not something he wished for at all.
Si-hyeon frowned slightly before addressing Arthur.
“Can I ask a favor?”
“What is it?”
“I’ll keep everything that happened here a secret, but you need to keep my identity as Po-ahim confidential.”
“Well… then let’s agree on that. No one stands to gain from spilling.”
Arthur replied without hesitation.
Miriam nodded in agreement as well.
Finally, Si-hyeon let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
“Then.”
As he turned to leave, giving Miriam a subtle nod, she quickly approached him.
She discreetly handed him something like a business card.
Leaning in, she whispered,
“This is my contact info. Reach out if you need anything.”