The Butler of the Villainess Has Returned

Chapter 32

It happened in an instant.

A yellow-haired student was bisected by the sudden appearance of a Dullahan, and a girl engulfed in flames, who had been setting the whole area ablaze, also had her heart pierced.

"Stop the test immediately!"

It was Arista who revealed herself.

"Y-Your Imperial Majesty, I greet you―!"

"Open the gate first!!"

Only then did everyone regain their senses.

The mages, including the Magic Tower Masters, ran toward the gate, while the knights slowly drew out their aura in preparation for the upcoming battle.

However, the Gate Stone was causing trouble.

Sizzle...!

Dorothy's hand, placed on the Gate Stone, began to sizzle and cook.

It had been just a few hours since they transported over a thousand people.

The speed at which participants were being eliminated was several times faster than in previous tests.

It was during the process of bringing back the eliminated participants without even a moment to cool the overheated Magic Stone.

It was at such a time that the situation exploded.

Among the Magic Tower Masters who had been standing still, the Red Magic Tower Master shouted at Dorothy.

"Why aren't you opening it quickly?!"

"It's not that I won't open it; I can't open it!"

"What?"

Only then did they realize the problem.

"It's overloaded?"

"If you noticed, then do something about it!!"

"I was already doing something!"

Snap.

The moment the Red Magic Tower Master snapped his fingers, a massive amount of heat began to pour out from the Barrier Stone, which had been glowing red.

Air hotter than flames flowed out like water. All the heat that had seeped into the Barrier Stone was annihilated in the palm of the Red Magic Tower Master's hand.

"Is it fixed?"

"No, now we're short on mana."

"Unbelievable!"

There was no helping it.

This place was not the Magic Tower but the Academy.

It was not an environment where they could open the gate several times a day.

The Red Magic Tower Master shouted angrily.

"Hey, Blue! Aren't you coming quickly?!"

"...So uncultured."

The Blue Magic Tower Master, who had been quietly observing, approached and placed his hand on the Barrier Stone.

He stirred his mana to check the state of the Gate Stone and then looked at the people.

"Not everyone can go."

The state of the Magic Stone was unstable.

"I can only take three people."

If they tried to send more, the probability of the inputted coordinates being distorted was high.

"I'll go first."

The first to step forward was Kevin. It wasn't his usual sluggish demeanor. The moment the Blue Magic Tower Master's hand glowed faintly.

Flash!

Kevin's figure disappeared.

"Two people left."

The Red Magic Tower Master looked around.

"Ahem. I have a schedule after this...."

"If the opponent is of the Demonic Noble Class...."

"Even if we go, it won't make much difference...."

Those who claimed to hold high positions were quietly backing away.

"I'll go!"

"No, I want to go!"

"I'm also a graduate of Sion!"

The volunteers were weak.

There were some useful ones, like an Advanced Sword Expert or a 6th Circle Mage, but it was too much to face a Demonic Noble.

The Red Magic Tower Master,

Tania La Campanella, raised her hand.

"I'll just go."

"Are you serious?"

"Do you think I'm lying?"

The eyes of the Yellow, Green, and Blue Magic Tower Masters narrowed. Among them, Green asked.

"What can you gain by going?"

"Gain, my ass."

Pathetic bastards.

Even as Magic Tower Masters, they were calculating gains and losses in such a situation.

While mages are inherently curious and good at calculations, this was excessive.

Tania raised her middle finger.

"You have no right to blame Dorothy."

"What?!"

"Idiotic bastards."

Flash!

And so, Tania also disappeared. The Blue Magic Tower Master, with a displeased expression, declared.

"...The last person remains."

All eyes turned to one place.

Toward Rania.

Arista also looked at her and gently grabbed the hem of her garment.

"Please go, Rania."

"No."

"We must protect the students first!"

"For me, His Majesty's safety comes first."

She was resolute.

The absence of students could be compensated, but the absence of the Emperor could not.

She hated herself for calculating like this, as if on the battlefield, but it was inevitable.

Rania also wanted to go.

She wanted to resolve the situation faster than anyone else, save the injured students, and bring them back.

But it was impossible.

Since the Dullahan appeared at the testing ground without notice, this place wasn't safe either.

'Still, Kevin went.'

Kevin.

Though not as publicly prominent as other heroes, he was also an extraordinary strong one.

He had faced three Demonic Counts simultaneously and, even when reluctantly responding to challenges, rose to the Continent's Top 11 Strongest as a monster.

'The problem is here.'

Right after the Dullahan revealed itself, a musty demonic energy began to be felt here as well.

Like dust floating in the void, it wasn't overwhelming, but it was annoying if you paid attention.

The source was unknown.

The range was so wide it felt like everyone here was emitting it.

Rania remained silent.

And she focused.

Assuming the worst-case scenario, she thoroughly blocked Arista's front.

At that moment when only silence flowed.

"I will go."

Ringo stepped forward.

It was a cold and angry appearance, different from her usual bright demeanor.

The Blue Magic Tower Master placed a hand on Ringo's shoulder and infused mana into the Gate Stone.

"This ends here."

Flash!

Along with the light, the two disappeared.

"...Yuri."

Arista stared at the screen.

Claudia disappeared beyond the bushes, and Frey trembled, still impaled on the sword.

"...I'm sorry."

For not being able to do anything.

Rania also looked at the same screen.

Once again, she had lost talents.

Creak.

Though angry, she did not show it outwardly.

'Revealing yourself was a mistake.'

She simply resolved herself.

'I will find them all and slaughter them to the last.'

Silence returned to the Observation Room.

2.

- In the next life, please make it more intense.

Yuri's insides twisted.

- If only I could sleep deeply for just one day, I'd have no other wish!

No.

Twisting wasn't enough; it burned.

No words came out. He simply threw himself toward the Young Lady.

"[Don't worry. Not yet―]"

"Shut up."

Nothing beyond this mattered. As long as he could cut down that bastard, nothing else was important.

Iai.

He aimed for the head and slashed.

Baalphegor raised its gripped head to avoid the sword.

It was an evasion driven by the instincts of its original body.

Though he had thought the severed head was merely a weakness and a burden, it allowed for diverse movements.

"[A more usable body than I expected.]"

Smiling in satisfaction, it pulled out the greatsword embedded in Frey.

"[Let's have a quiet conversation.]"

Slither.

Black demonic energy surged from the writhing greatsword, engulfing the surroundings.

"[This amount... Your master is as greedy as you are.]"

From the place the sword had pierced, black aura seeped out, completing the sealing barrier.

Flinch.

Immediately after, Frey's body jolted.

"Young Lady!!"

The sword fell from Yuri's hand.

Baalphegor was disappointed.

"[...Blinded by rage?]"

Grabbing and shaking what he desired, he only seemed desperate to retrieve it.

He had expected him to rush in, but to abandon even the sword that was like his life?

Even after forcing possession, he wasn't much different from the ordinary people he had seen so far.

No, he didn't seem different at all.

"Get your filthy hands off."

It wasn't that he had dropped it.

He had intentionally let it go.

Yuri imbued aura into the tip of his foot. He strongly kicked the dropped sword handle.

Bang!

As the handle shattered, the finely honed blade flew toward Baalphegor.

Slash!

Though he barely turned his body to save his head, he lost his entire left arm.

Frey, who had been held captive, also fell to the floor along with the Dullahan's head.

Just before Frey hit the ground.

Thud.

Yuri, who barely caught her, pushed off the ground and widened the distance.

"Young Lady! Please open your eyes!"

Shaking her, he checked Frey.

And then he panicked.

"There's no wound...?"

There was no trace of injury on the chest that had been pierced by the greatsword.

"[Don't worry. I didn't kill her.]"

Slither.

Baalphegor, who had regenerated his severed arm, picked up his head and approached Yuri.

Grin.

The severed head gave an unpleasant smile.

"[First, let me introduce myself―]"

"There's no wound."

Just as he was about to introduce himself, his words were interrupted by the revived voice.

"[Ahem, ahem!]"

Clearing his severed throat to draw focus, he opened his mouth again.

"[First, let me introduce myself―]"

"There's no wound!!"

"[No, let me just―]"

"She can be saved!!"

...Should I just kill him?

The moment he felt ignored, the blood of the demonic tribe within him reacted.

But he endured it.

Even in the brief moment he had scanned that body, he saw countless talents lying dormant.

After joining the Demon God Cult and going through numerous bodies to reach this point, it seemed better than any he had encountered.

Baalphegor's greed surged.

Each time he stole another's body and grew, he gained more things to hold in his hands.

They say one reaches a point of satisfaction, but for Baalphegor, there was no such thing.

He endlessly coveted.

Especially bodies, and among them, those with exceptional talents.

Now, having risen to the position of one of the Seven Bishops, he planned to surpass the others.

After surpassing the Archbishop, he intended to devour even the Demon God and take over the world.

However, there were no suitable bodies.

By their standards, they were extraordinary, but to one who had received baptism, their talents were insignificant.

While he had filled reserves with usable bodies, he discovered this one.

"I'm sorry, Young Lady."

That man, stained with talent.

"First, I will escort you to a safe place."

The man wearing the mask was undoubtedly the rope that would pull him to the next stage.

After persuading him with appropriate words, it would end by using his unique trait, Unfair Trade, to steal his body.

Yuri was walking toward the barrier. Baalphegor shouted at Yuri.

"[You absolutely cannot pass!]"

Though it was merely the body of an Ordinary Priest, he channeled demonic energy through the engravings he had made.

While it wasn't at the level of a High Priest, it was likely close to that level.

Worried it might fall short, he even converted the greed he had absorbed into demonic energy to use for creating the barrier.

Compared to his original power, it was insignificant, but the barrier was said to be solid.

"[If you can break it, then try!!]"

Bang!

"[Huh?]"

It broke like a dog.

And that wasn't all.

"Escort carefully."

"Are you sure the Captain will be okay alone?"

"Don't worry and just focus on protecting the Young Lady."

Even the yellow-haired student, who had been cut down as an example, was completely revived and waiting in the atmosphere.

"Ask Dorothy to take a look."

"Who's that?"

"...The Black Magic Tower Lord."

"Ah!"

"And this is...."

As if nothing had happened, they exchanged various conversations and then returned alone.

"Hey."

"[It's not 'hey,' it's Baalphegor.]"

Baalphegor had finally succeeded in introducing himself.

Yuri nodded and corrected him.

"Hey, Bug Porno."

"[?]"

"Where was your house again?"

"[House?]"

"Ah, I remember now."

Beyond the mask, a red glow shone.

"It's between Duke Richmond's Territory and the Capital City, right? Underground, in that Abandoned Temple."

Flinch.

Baalphegor was shaken. That was because Yuri's words were accurate.

"I sent you a gift there."

"[...A gift?]"

"You like talented people, don't you?"

So I sent one.

-And this is for Ian.

-What is it?

-That bastard's home address.

-Ah!

The greatest talent I know.

Yuri smiled.

"In the meantime, let's have a chat."

Just as you mentioned,

"[But you keep your mouth shut.]"

Very quietly.