NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Several days had passed since the letter arrived from the 71st floor, and the long-awaited time had come. Nahun and Cain were at the castle gates to welcome a special guest.
Cain’s expression as he waited was filled with palpable tension. Nahun wanted to ease his unusual apprehension.
“Cain, relax a bit. You’ll end up getting caught.”
“Yes, understood.”
He had met many significant figures during the previous generation, so it was strange for him to be anxious about their current visitor.
Nahun couldn’t help but internally lament whether it was the mere two years that had changed him so much.
Clop, clop.
Hearing the distant sound of hooves, Nahun looked beyond the castle gates. Moments later, a splendidly adorned black carriage appeared. It was being pulled by two special horses known as “Bicon,” which only resided in the Demon World.
“Finally, they’ve arrived.”
Nahun couldn’t suppress a joyful smile. Considering the massive amounts of funds about to enter this impoverished Demon King Castle, he couldn’t help but chuckle silently.
“Hehe.”
Seeing Nahun laugh alone caused Cain, as well as the attendants, to exchange uneasy glances. Nahun realized that he had smiled too strangely and cleared his throat to regain his composure.
The carriage led by the Bicons halted before the castle gates. Cain firmly commanded the attendants in his clear voice.
“Open the gates!”
Despite his nervousness causing his tone to rise slightly, it was still acceptable. Nahun thought that experience certainly hadn’t left him as he stepped forward to greet their guest.
“Oh ho.”
Upon closer inspection, the coachman guiding the Bicons was also not an ordinary individual. He was someone very close to the Demon King currently in the carriage.
While others might not recognize him, Nahun, who had played the game dozens of times, knew immediately. He decided to take the initiative.
“What an honor.”
“Are you speaking of me?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t understand what makes meeting a mere coachman an honor.”
“A coachman? That can’t be right.”
With a questioning look, the coachman glanced towards him. Nahun then bowed in a grand manner, making his respect apparent.
“I did not expect to meet the wise sage Baphomet. It is a pleasure; my name is Nahun.”
The coachman’s expression hardened in an instant at Nahun’s greeting. Seeing Nahun mention the renowned name of the sage, Baphomet, Cain also stiffened.
“N-Nahun!?”
How far would this man’s antics go? Cain urgently called to him, but Nahun kept his gaze lowered as if he was waiting for the coachman to respond first.
“…When did you figure it out?”
“Wouldn’t it be strange if I didn’t?”
“I had thought everyone else was unaware.”
Nahun regarded Baphomet with a questioning look, then glanced around. Baphomet’s words seemed to hold true.
Cain and the attendants were still gazing at Nahun with bewilderment, as he, seemingly deranged, was the first to offer courtesy to the coachman before any guests had even disembarked. He willingly acknowledged Baphomet’s words.
“I see.”
“Ho ho.”
Baphomet laughed lightly before directing a question towards the carriage.
“How was it?”
“Interesting.”
Suddenly, the carriage door opened on its own, even though no one had helped it. It was a manifestation of magic, a powerful movement of magical energy that had been felt earlier.
As the door swung open, an alluring woman with a voluptuous figure stepped out of the carriage. She was so captivating that the male attendants gasped in awe without realizing it. Her flowing blonde hair, cascading over her shoulders and curves, and her mesmerizing green eyes were incredibly attractive.
Nahun observed her, offering a significant smile as he willingly bowed his head. Following his lead, Cain and all the attendants of the Demon King Castle bent at the waist.
Nahun represented them as he greeted.
“It is an honor to meet you.”
He bowed his head in respect towards the current 71st-ranked Demon King.
“Your Majesty Citri.”
Citri. That was her name.
“To see through Baphomet’s disguise, it seems you are no ordinary individual?”
“An ordinary person cannot mentor a Demon King, can they?”
“…Ha!”
Citri snickered, but Nahun remained completely unfazed. If one had accumulated knowledge enough to mentor a Demon King, they would know the significance of a hierarchy difference.
On the other hand, Cain was in shock.
‘What kind of insolent attitude is this?’
No matter how much Nahun was an outsider, he was technically a person from the 72nd floor. Displaying such audacity towards a higher-ranking Demon King—Cain began to worry if Seere would be angry because of this.
Fortunately, Citri did not think the same. Instead, she found it intriguing.
The fact that he immediately discerned Baphomet’s hidden identity and displayed such confidence indicated he was far from an ordinary man. Citri found enough amusement in him to be curious.
“That is true.”
As Citri’s reaction was positive, Cain felt relief. Meanwhile, Nahun raised his head with a relaxed smile, as if he had anticipated this. He then asked Citri.
“May I ask what brings you here?”
“You are in quite a hurry. We could just discuss this inside, couldn’t we?”
“That is not acceptable if the reason is not valid.”
“What did you say?”
Citri frowned slightly. Cain’s jaw dropped in response to her behavior. However, Nahun continued speaking without a care for Citri’s change in expression.
“Excuse me, but this area is the domain of Seere von Debata.”
Nahun slightly closed his eyes and then opened them.
“Even a high-ranking Demon King cannot intrude on another Demon King’s territory without cause. I wish for you to provide a valid reason. There was nothing mentioned regarding it in this letter either.”
Citri snorted in disbelief. She thought inwardly.
‘Am I now being disrespected by someone like this?’
In the past, someone of this caliber would have been…
Sighing as such, Citri spoke up.
“As the ruler of the 71st floor, I have matters to discuss with the ruler of the 72nd floor.”
“Oh, is that the reason for your visit?”
On the other hand, Baphomet grasped the intention behind Nahun’s actions. He was attempting to assert his position here.
He was reminding everyone that Seere von Debata, who had previously held an unstable status even in the Demon World, was now the Demon King, and doing so by leveraging the higher-ranking Demon King Citri.
“…A clever one.”
Hearing Baphomet’s muttered words, Nahun suppressed a chuckle. He then returned to his previously polite demeanor as if nothing had happened.
“Please forgive my rudeness earlier. As I serve as the protector for the Demon King, I hope you understand I must be cautious.”
“…Very well, if you understand, then guide me to the reception room. Bring that little one along as well.”
“Understood.”
Nahun exchanged glances with Cain. The experienced Cain quickly grasped what was needed from his look.
“I will bring Seere to the reception room.”
Before Seere’s arrival, Nahun prepared and guided Citri to the reception room. Baphomet stayed behind in the carriage per Citri’s orders. Grateful for the reprieve, Nahun happily opened the reception room door, where the attendants bowed their heads to welcome them.
“There are fewer attendants than before.”
“I heard it was due to difficulties in the economy.”
“Is that so? How unfortunate.”
Nahun thought inwardly that it was ridiculous. The reason Seere’s Demon King Castle had fallen into poverty was undoubtedly because of Citri’s influence.
“Please, make yourself comfortable.”
“Thank you.”
As Citri alluringly crossed her legs, Nahun maintained a smiling facade on the outside but inwardly spat. Her intentions were too blatant, making her actions disgusting.
‘She thinks she can seduce me just because I’m a man.’
Not a chance. You’re just a money bag.
Meanwhile, oblivious to Nahun’s thoughts, Citri internally laughed.
‘He can’t take his eyes off my legs. This is why males are so easy.’
As they both smiled leisurely with differing thoughts, Nahun decided to make the first move before Seere arrived.
“Your Majesty Citri.”
“What is it?”
“You came to discuss the security costs with Seere, didn’t you?”
“…You know well. That’s right, our soldiers who aided in defending the 72nd floor from the previous human adventurers faced significant casualties. Thus, compensation and additional personnel deployment costs must be addressed.”
“Might I ask under whose authority those soldiers were placed?”
“Huh? That was my benevolent consideration. There’s no way the 72nd floor’s military could block the invasion of humans alone.”
At Citri’s response, Nahun grinned. Maintaining his smiling expression, he spoke with a tone that contrasted sharply.
“Quite the scoundrel you are.”
“What… what did you just say?”
“No matter how much you talk to Seere, you will gain nothing. I hold the financial authority over the Debata Castle. Therefore, if Your Majesty wishes to obtain the costs you desire…”
Turning the conversation smoothly, Nahun pointed to himself.
“You need to make a deal with me.”
Citri felt as if she had been struck in the head with a hammer. After saying “scoundrel,” he was now trying to slip away like an eel.
Nahun’s demeanor had been annoying for a while, but he aggressively threw a bomb in their conversation.
Citri had no reason to hold back.
“How dare you speak to a higher-ranked Demon King like that!”
At that moment, a powerful magical force enveloped the area. The might of the Demon King dominated the space.
“You have lost your mind.”
Citri was genuinely angry. The expression that had been relaxed in a smile now revealed her emotions plainly.
Because of the overwhelming magical pressure, some attendants couldn’t endure and collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath. Yet something odd occurred.
‘What is this?’
Nahun appeared unaffected. Not just unaffected, but it seemed he was entirely immune to the pressure. He still wore a calm smile as he spoke to Citri.
“Why are you so angry?”
“Are you seriously asking me that?!”
“Is it because I called you a scoundrel?”
“You know that very well and you still keep running your mouth!?”
“Then why not refrain from such behavior? Forcing surplus troops on a weaker Demon King and taking the money—that is what a scoundrel is, is it not?”
“How brazen!”
Some of Citri’s scattered magical energy converged back together. A spell was rapidly formed, aimed straight at Nahun, yet he merely cast a brief glance at it.
“It’s your own doing!”
【Hell Spear】
In an instant, magical energy gathered into a spear, targeting Nahun. It was a life-threatening situation, yet Nahun still held his head high, keeping his composed smile.
“I was trying to refrain from hurting Your Majesty’s pride during this display of skill.”
Snap!
As the spear drew near, Nahun flicked his finger, causing the spear Citri had created to disperse into vapor.
Seeing this, Citri couldn’t believe her eyes.
“It vanished…?”
“Your Majesty Citri.”
Citri looked at Nahun. Then, she gasped in shock.
‘Wh-what is this…?’
Although Nahun still looked like an ordinary demon, Citri could feel it. There was something immense and ferocious hidden within. So much so that even the Demon King, Citri, could not voice a word and was rendered motionless by its presence.
Nahun quietly inquired towards Citri, whose expression had stiffened.
“May I make one proposal for you to consider?”
“What?…A proposal in this situation?”
“Yes.”
“Why should I listen to that…?”
Her voice began to tremble. Citri no longer perceived Nahun as an ordinary demon but as something beyond. Something vast and terrifying… yes, should there be a harbinger of doom, it would appear like this.
What she saw in Nahun was a colossal entity that could encompass not just this immense Demon Castle but the entire tier. The massive white whale slowly opened its mouth.
“You will have no choice but to heed it.”
“What… what do you mean?”
“It’s about the seal placed upon Your Majesty.”
At that moment, Citri’s thoughts came to a halt. The tremor in her voice vanished, and she appeared steadier, having forgotten her fear.
“Do you… do you know what that means for me?”
What Nahun mentioned was Citri’s reverse scale.
Citri had originally been a Demon King ranked 12th, known as a “high-ranking Demon King” before a certain incident. To bring up the event that caused her to fall to rank 71 in an instant was a taboo for her.
Though she had glimpsed Nahun’s true nature, her anger now overshadowed everything else. As her emotions overtook her reason, the fear she felt dissipated.
“What do you know that gives you the right to mention that!”
“I know. How could I not know about the incident that caused Your Majesty, who was ranked 12th, to fall from power due to a sealed force?”
Citri ground her teeth and shouted.
“If you are going to talk about something everyone already knows, then drop it!”
“And the sealing stone that seals your powers is scattered among the layers governed by mid-ranking Demon Kings and above.”
Nahun’s words made Citri doubt her ears. That fact was known only to a few Demon Kings who had been at the meeting when her power was sealed.
“How do… how do you know that?”
“Lifting your seal means you must conquer the upper layers, does it not? I can assist you with that.”
“…What?”
“Instead, please transfer the surplus troops Your Majesty sent to the 72nd floor to our side. Also, it would be great if you could support operational funds as well. I hope we can strengthen our alliance going forward.”
Citri was dumbfounded by Nahun’s demands. It wasn’t that the requests were absurd, rather it was preposterous to confidently state that he would help conquer the upper layers.
With every floor down, the scale of power drastically changed. Just how would he overcome that?
“How do you intend to assist me?”
“You just witnessed a portion of my power.”
“…!”
Citri was internally shocked. What she had seen moments ago was just a fraction of his strength?
“W-what are you?”
Hearing Citri’s question, Nahun chuckled softly. He then answered simply and directly.
“I am the mentor of the Demon King.”