The Villain's Second Time

Chapter 24

The audacious creature that dared to touch the window of the Northern Duke's Residence in the Demon Realm turned out to be an innocent-looking pigeon. A small letter was tied to its ankle.

Leonard knew the identity of the pigeon.

"...A messenger pigeon? Who could have sent it?"

The appearance of the pigeon, known as a messenger pigeon, filled Leonard with an ominous sense of curiosity. However, the unease he felt soon turned into a pleasant emotion.

It was because he had caught sight of the sender's name on the letter tied to the pigeon's ankle.

"Lilith Clanaein! The Grand Duchess of the Western Duke Family!"

Leonard's crimson eyes widened as if they were about to burst. Although he hadn't yet checked the contents of the letter, Leonard could roughly guess its purpose just by looking at the sender. It was likely a proposal to strengthen the bond between their families through interaction.

The interaction between the second son of the Lucifer Family and Lilith Clanaein was no simple matter. It meant gaining the backing of the Western Duke Family, which would be a significant advantage in the succession competition. Perhaps the Clanaein Family, the Western Duke Family, had chosen him after keeping an eye on the Northern Duke Family, which was in the midst of its own succession competition.

This was a good thing. A truly good thing. Nothing could be more auspicious.

The intense emotions of passion and anger that had dominated Leonard just moments ago melted away like snow in the face of this unexpected good news. Although old resentments occasionally resurfaced, the overwhelming joy of this news crushed such negative feelings in an instant.

Though it was somewhat humiliating to rely on the power of the Western Duke Family, what did it matter? Even if he had to share the power of the Northern Duke Family after officially becoming the Duke, it was a hundred, no, a thousand times better than being pushed out of the succession competition.

In the Demon Realm, the succession competition was not something that could be seen as a simple 'competition.' Why do you think none of the current Dukes have siblings left? They were all purged under the guise of punishment after becoming adult demons. Demons, being inherently greedy, never shared power with others.

It was a choice between becoming the victorious winner who had everything or the defeated loser who lost everything. There was only one path to pursue. Leonard wanted to hold onto the title of winner.

Moreover... there was something else that filled Leonard with hopeful imagination.

'Ha... Lilith Clanaein, they say her beauty could even bring down a wyvern. Just thinking about her gives me strength.'

Leonard, with a flushed face, sniffed the letter and ran his fingers over its surface. To an outsider, it might have looked like the behavior of a pervert. But anyone who knew the sender was Lilith Clanaein would nod in understanding.

Lilith Clanaein, whose beauty was said to make the moon hide and flowers blush, was already renowned throughout the Demon Realm. Despite being around the same age as Leonard, her dignified charm had already made her one of the leading figures of the next generation.

Her prestige and power alone made her a worthy marriage candidate, but she also possessed beauty? It was a match that wouldn't come again even if he lived for thousands of years.

Of course, there was no need to get too excited yet. He hadn't even properly checked the contents of the letter.

"Huu... What is this? My hands and feet are trembling."

Tap-

Leonard's long nails peeled open the seal of the letter. Soon, the letter inside revealed its contents to Leonard.

He took a deep breath and unfolded the letter with a tense expression. Moments later, his face was filled with joy. A euphoric feeling, as if walking on clouds, took over Leonard.

Flutter-

The now-useless letter fell helplessly to the ground. Like a falling cherry blossom petal, it drifted down in a slow descent.

What he had only imagined had now become reality. At least, that's how it felt in Leonard's mind. The young demon, filled with excitement to the tips of his hair, covered his face with both hands and reveled in the ecstasy.

Was it just his mood, or did the Demon Realm's sky seem particularly clear today? He felt like he could soar through the vast expanse of the sky. Bright future prospects kept filling the canvas of his mind.

Just as Leonard was fluttering between heaven and reality over a mere letter.

"Young Master, it's time for dinner."

The voice of a servant calling from outside the door reached him. The call was dry and monotonous, contrasting sharply with Leonard's current mood.

"Hmm? Ah, yes, yes. I should go. I must joyfully savor the precious meal prepared by my mother!"

However, Leonard did not scold or reprimand the servant. He didn't want to spill blood on such a good day. Even thinking about his youngest brother, for whom he had planned murder, didn't bother him much.

"Young Master, has something good happened?"

"Hahaha, does it show?"

"Yes, you usually don't smile much..."

"You wouldn't understand. It's not certain yet."

'But it will be soon, kekekeke!'

Leonard recalled the Endros' Cliff mentioned in the last line of the letter. Although it was known to be quite eerie, the thought of having a secret meeting with Lilith Clanaein there made his mouth water.

"Come on, let's go. The food will get cold."

"Yes, and by the way, the youngest Young Master won't be joining us for dinner today."

"The youngest? Hmm, well, that's possible. I heard he got hit on the head and something went wrong. Maybe it's the aftereffects? Haha, that would be great."

'If he's become a fool like my sister... I'll release the Scattered Demon Poison I've been saving and make him my subordinate. I could use a strong but stupid minion. He's got our father's blood, so his talents shouldn't be bad.'

Feeling generous in his good mood, Leonard decided to show mercy to his pitiful younger brother, though it was uncertain how long it would last.

Chatting idly with the servant, Leonard trudged into the dining hall. The long dining table was filled with ambitious demons, except for the seat of the family head.

Unlike usual, there was one more empty seat that caught Leonard's eye. Given the high energy consumption of demons due to their intense activity, it was generally better to participate in meals. Leonard inwardly mocked his absent younger brother.

"Leonard, come and sit down."

The eldest son, Retavis, spoke to Leonard. For some reason, he was smirking.

"Brother, has something good happened? You seem to be in a good mood."

Leonard repeated the words he had just heard from the servant. In response, Retavis feigned a serious expression and answered solemnly.

"It's nothing. Just eat your meal."

"Yes, the food looks especially delicious today."

"Aunt's cooking skills have been improving day by day."

"Oh? Retavis, this is the first time I've heard you give a compliment."

The second wife of the family head and Leonard's mother, a female demon, covered her mouth and smiled. It was a gentle smile, uncharacteristic of the warlike nature of their race, but it fit perfectly in the peaceful dining setting.

Clatter-

"By the way, why isn't the youngest joining us today?"

When Leonard asked, his mother moved her fork and answered.

"He's not feeling well."

"The youngest is sick?"

"Yes, he has a high fever, so he said he can't come out. Maybe he got poisoned by some poisonous herb or something."

"Hmm... Well, that's possible. You can't stay healthy all the time. Maybe this illness will be a good experience for him."

'Mother must have added a new poison to yesterday's meal. Kukuku, revenge for her son should be done by the mother!'

Slurp-

While Retavis was inwardly cheering, the eldest daughter, Adela, who had been silently eating, suddenly stood up. She was sweating profusely, looking uneasy.

"I'll excuse myself first."

"Adela? This meal was prepared with great care by your aunt. Are you going to leave without even finishing half of it?"

"I'm sorry. But I'm worried about Oscar, so I can't eat."

"It's just a fever, what could possibly happen? Sit down."

"...I'm sorry. I must go. I bear the most responsibility for Oscar's condition..."

Despite her aunt's plea, Adela straightened her chair and left the dining hall. Everyone at the table knew it was an informal action, but considering Adela's deep affection for her younger brother, they let her go without protest.

No one had the courage to block the path of Adela, the de facto strongest in the room.

Clatter-

Clatter-

Clatter...

The lavish dining table prolonged the dinner time today. Leonard wasn't pleased with this.

He needed to get to Endros' Cliff before nightfall. He couldn't be late. He didn't want to become a fool who threw away a lifeline given by the heavens.

"Mother, I think I've eaten enough. I'll excuse myself now."

Slurp-

Thus, he hurriedly finished his meal as quickly as possible. Without even wiping his mouth, Leonard stood up and said,

"Ah, then I'll excuse myself as well. I'm too full, haha."

Drrruk-.

The eldest son, Retavis, also stood up and spoke. He hadn't eaten much, though.

"Everyone seems to be in a hurry today. Well, I prepared a lot of food, so it's understandable."

Aunt surprisingly accepted it readily, and Leonard and Retavis left the dining room as soon as they got permission. Both seemed to have something urgent.

Aunt stared intently at the backs of her biological son and adopted son. She waited quietly until their figures completely disappeared from view, then stood up as if she had been waiting for this moment.

When the others at the table asked why she suddenly got up after eating so well,

"I'll just go to the restroom for a moment."

She answered curtly and then walked out of the kitchen with confident steps.

Jjeok-.

A female demon walks through the corridor of the Northern Grand Duke's Residence.

Jjeok-.

She is a middle-aged female demon with a slightly bent back and two lines of wrinkles on her face.

Jjeok-.

Her hair, despite the passage of time, had not lost its luster. Her shiny, flowing hair fluttered vigorously as she removed her hairpin.

Jjeok-.

There are two red eyes. Eyes that shine brilliantly like two rubies set in place. Burning pleasure, desire, and anticipation bloom within them.

Jjeok-.

The female demon continued walking unhesitatingly until she reached the end of the corridor. Her steps were mischievous like a fox and refreshing like a water strider. She had passed the restroom a while ago, but the female demon paid no attention to it.

Jjeok-.

At the end of the long corridor was an old-fashioned window. Moonlight flowed freely through the window. Standing under the radiant moonlight, the female demon cast a long shadow toward the corridor and smiled slyly.

Sssss-.

The shadow slowly changes. The body shrinks, and the height decreases. The shadow's mouth was still torn wide enough to reach both ears, but the shape of the face changed into various colors. It was more like degeneration than evolution or hatching.

Sssssss-.

White smoke billowed out like cigar smoke. Her long hair shortened, and the wrinkles on her skin smoothed out. Each time, the smoke rose as if evaporating, decorating the high ceiling of the residence.

Poof-!

At the end of the process, a boy stood there. A boy with white gloves covering his hands. His hair was too short to even cover his ears, and his back was straight.

Bathed in blue moonlight, the boy reveled in the thrill.

'Phew! I almost got caught! It's a good thing I finished eating just before the transformation time ran out. Otherwise, I might have been caught! Isn't eating too long bad? Too short meals aren't good for the body, but neither are too long ones!'

Unlike someone who had just escaped a crisis, the boy smiled brightly like a blooming sunflower.

'Haaa... This is fun, so much fun. What would have happened if I got caught? I would have been sent straight to a demon trial, right? Then I would have been thrown into prison... Good thing I didn't get caught! I hate being locked up again! It might have been fine if it wasn't Tartarus! Maybe I should have tried an escape show this time?'

No, he seemed to enjoy the thrill and danger. While most demons would never relate, the boy muttered to himself and quickly changed his clothes.

"They prepared a feast as if it were the last supper. Did it suit your taste? Kyahahaha-."

After changing his outfit, he put on a white mask. A mask that, under the blue moonlight, appeared even bluer than its original color.

His movements became erratic. A sign that the boy was excited. He wriggled his legs as if tap-dancing, put on new pants, and draped a white suit over his upper body that matched his physique. From somewhere, he pulled out a stylish white magician's hat and placed it on his head.

Oscar, now ready, began to move. His eyes, gleaming under the moonlight, filled the corridor with madness.

The cheerful tap-dancing harmonized oddly with his humming upper body. Oscar's whistling and humming were completely out of sync. Chaos danced joyfully as he walked.

The destination was Endros' Cliff. A place where a villain had summoned a young man and a boy. Tonight, it would also be the stage for the villain's favorite magic show.

Given the circumstances, the scale of the magic show might be a bit smaller, which was a bit disappointing.

But it was enough to deal with two demons. No need to use an orc-slaying sword to kill a goblin.

"Showtime has returned."