Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 226

226.

“This is a very unique fabric.”

With each movement of my hand, the silver-white patterns fluttered as if dancing. It was as if living cells were spreading across the material. Even on Earth, where industrial and dyeing technology was far more advanced, I had never seen fabric of this quality. I stared intently, wondering how such a fabric could be made, when Sibelius revealed something unexpected.

“Ah, that’s not fabric. It’s leather.”

“Huh? Leather?”

“Yes, to be precise, it’s a mermaid’s scale.”

“……”

My jaw dropped. I never imagined that what I thought were patterns were actual scales. Moreover, they were the scales of a mermaid, a creature believed to be extinct in this era! Just calculating its potential value made my mind feel like it was evaporating.

“Isn’t this incredibly expensive? Is it really okay to use it so casually?”

“It’s fine. I acquired it with the intention of using it.”

“Still…”

“Haha, it’s really okay. Besides, it suits you perfectly. I knew it would be perfect from the moment I saw your hair, and I was right. It was worth the effort to find blue.”

“Huh? You went to the effort to find it?”

“Ah.”

Wasn’t he just pulling out something he already owned? I was bewildered by his tone, as if he had deliberately searched for the leather. When I looked at him, he wore a momentarily embarrassed expression. His eyes, filled with hesitation, darted quickly from side to side before he let out a soft groan, like someone making a confession.

“Sorry. Um, well, the former El… also wore gloves. So, I had it prepared. When I said I’d make you new gloves, you said you wanted blue.”

“Ah……!”

“Ah, but don’t misunderstand. It doesn’t matter who you are now. It just went to the right person at the right time. If you like it, that’s enough for me.”

I could tell he wasn’t lying just by looking into his gentle eyes. Still, I hesitated, feeling somewhat apologetic, and he quickly changed the subject.

“More importantly, you mentioned an evil god, so I’m curious, how is the Demon Realm doing now? I believe you said you were going to fight the Demon King as soon as you returned. It must have started by now, right?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. But could the Demon King really be trying to become an evil god? Could it be a misunderstanding?”

“The circumstances that have already been revealed are clear enough. If the Evil God is trying to intervene, it’s almost certainly true.”

“I guess so. What does Deron think?”

“Karian [Demon King’s name] would be capable of it.”

His tone was calm. Deron stroked the egg in his arms while crouching down. He didn’t seem as hostile as before, but he clearly seemed reluctant to even mention the Demon King’s name.

“He’s been dissatisfied with being ruled by the Evil God for a long time. He wanted to create a world that he alone could rule, a world where he alone could monopolize the glory. Most of those who ascend to the throne have excessive confidence, but he was particularly severe.”

“I see. What was his relationship with Lucarim [Another Demon Lord] like?”

“It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. Karian unilaterally kept tabs on him, but Lucarim didn’t care at all. Still, they used to be close at one time.”

“Oh? Really?”

“Yes, almost entirely during their infancy. Well, even such a Demon King was lovely when he was young. At that time, the Evil God’s revelations were often given through Lucarim. I never imagined that Lucarim would be the Evil God himself.”

Come to think of it, I think I’ve heard similar words before. The Demon King was also loved by the Evil God when he was young. I just thought it was a vague concept, but now I see that he cherished him so much that anyone could tell. So, I was a little worried.

‘Is Kanos okay?’

Even though he was smiling until the end, I didn’t think that was all there was to it. Actually, I can’t say that I know him well. It seems that I’ve grown quite fond of him while associating with Lucarim. I felt a little anxious, so I clasped my hands together. The Evil God’s mark, which was no longer visible, bothered me even more than when it was visible.

I hope everything goes smoothly. Knowing that it’s the most difficult thing to achieve, I couldn’t wish for anything else, so my mouth tasted bitter.

* * *

The Demon Realm’s night has a deep Prussian blue hue. Above the sky, reminiscent of a deep sea, was a giant Milky Way that never truly disappeared. Countless stars, like scattered shards of glass, constantly changed their positions within it, and the sight of the stars actually flowing caused many gods to call the Demon Realm’s night the ‘Evil God’s Aquarium.’

This splendid dance of stars originates from one place in the Demon Realm: Karten, the Forest of Life. It was the only sacred ground in the Demon Realm where killing was forbidden, and thus a forbidden area. There stood a man, stock-still. Strong magic emanated from the well-trained body and tall height of the man. His long hair, which billowed behind him, sparkled as if it would shatter under the moonlight. Its color was a deep blue, as if it had absorbed the Demon Realm’s night itself. Among the many demons, only one person was allowed to have this color: the owner of the northern territory and the forest keeper of Karten, Dezak Rune.

Dezak scanned his surroundings with a heavy face. Unlike the breathtakingly beautiful sky, the inside of the forest was desolate to the point of being gloomy. Originally, it should have been emitting light as brilliant and full of life as the night sky. But now, it was like a land of death where the god of death resided. This was because all the eggs that the forest held were destroyed. All that remained were the remnants of the shattered shells; nothing was intact. Most were about to hatch.

“Damn Karian bastard.”

Dezak couldn’t contain his resentment and spat out a curse at the sight that made him angry no matter how many times he saw it. He impudently called the Demon King by profane words, but he felt no guilt about it. He originally had no loyalty, but as the leading suspect in destroying the eggs, the Demon King was nothing more than an enemy he couldn’t wait to chew up and swallow. No, now it didn’t matter if it wasn’t really the Demon King’s doing. The fact that he benefited from the destruction of the eggs was enough to make him a target of hatred.

“Damn it, huh. Our Duke of the North must be very angry.”

“……!”

At that moment, Dezak was startled and turned around at the leisurely voice. Against the backdrop of the forest, which was covered in a bluish color due to the influence of the night sky, he saw a familiar figure standing.

“Lucarim-nim!?”

Dezak hurriedly collected his emotions and bowed his head. After returning from the intermediate realm with injuries, Lucarim had been holed up in his home for a while, refusing to go out. He was already anxious because he had no way to hear news, but his heart was pounding at the fact that he had come all the way here.

“Welcome, Lucarim-nim! How is your body……”

Dezak, who was about to check on his well-being with a welcoming feeling, soon trailed off. He could see Lucarim, who was smiling playfully, was crossing his arms. Dezak recalled his last appearance. Both arms had been severed, and because they missed the window to reattach them, he had to leave it as it was. He was the one who stayed until the end to help with the treatment, so there was no way he could misremember. How much did he grind his teeth that this happened because the Demon King dragged out the time to report it? But Lucarim’s two arms, which had disappeared at that time, were now perfectly attached to his shoulders.

Reading his confusion, Lucarim waved his hand as if to show off. He swung both arms around and stretched languidly. Dezak couldn’t help but be astonished again at the sight. Even if they had succeeded in suturing them at that time, not enough time had passed for him to be able to move properly yet. But there was no unnatural movement in Lucarim’s actions. It was as if they had never been cut off from the beginning.

Instead of asking what happened, Dezak simply smiled. In the first place, he had long given up on daring to judge him. What did it matter if an impossible thing happened when the other party was Lucarim? Rather, it would have been more strange if nothing had happened. This was the reason why he constantly trusted him, and it was also the reason why he couldn’t help but revere him.

Dezak, who was approaching with a sense of relief at his healthy appearance, stopped in his tracks at what he discovered the next moment. A black, round ring was hanging on Lucarim’s right arm. It looked like an ordinary bracelet on the outside, but it was a form in which magic was condensed. Dezak knew better than anyone what that thing was and who made it.

“Did you meet Deron?”

Lucarim smiled and shook the bracelet at the question he asked in a fluster.

“This is the first time I’ve properly seen this certificate of consent [A magical artifact signifying allegiance], but isn’t it quite tacky? It’s just sturdy and clumsy; should I say it’s like Deron.”

It was an answer that deviated from the point, but it was no different from an affirmation. Dezak’s eyes widened.

“Certainly. Deron doesn’t have that kind of aesthetic sense. He only needs clothes to cover his body, and he says he doesn’t know why he wears accessories.”

“Oh dear, I didn’t realize he was in such a serious state. But he was wearing quite decent clothes, wasn’t he?”

“Fortunately, the servants seemed to have excellent taste. I heard that he wears whatever they recommend.”

“That’s really fortunate.”

Unlike the light small talk, the eyes of the two people standing face to face were serious. A precarious tension that seemed ready to break at any moment was overflowing. In the air, which was so still that it was silent, even the sound of the stars moving seemed to be heard.

“Zak’s was quite cool. I’ve wanted to receive it once before.”

“…….”

The moment he saw the outstretched hand, his whole body trembled. Dezak suppressed the feeling of wanting to roar like a beast and looked at Lucarim. The Duke’s certificate is used in many ways, but there was only one case in which the same Duke collected the certificates of other Dukes.

It’s time to challenge the Demon King’s sovereignty.

Dezak placed his hand on Lucarim’s outstretched hand as if possessed. He tried to calm down, but his trembling arm was clearly revealing the agitation in his heart. Lucarim, who would be feeling it more clearly than anyone else, was nonchalant as if he hadn’t noticed anything.

Soon, the magic that arose from Dezak gathered on Lucarim’s hand, leaving a ring with a deep navy blue hue. It was a sophisticated form with simple yet delicate carvings and patterns.

“As expected.”

Lucarim smiled lightly.

“Deron still has a long way to go to catch up with Zak.”

Dezak took a deep breath as he watched him put the ring on his hand. He tried hard to suppress his excitement, and he felt a slight dizziness. It felt similar to wanting to cry. He doesn’t know how many years he has longed for and longed for this moment: that the only demon he worships will one day reign over everyone; that the day will come when he can call Lucarim his lord. Every time he saw the demons who came to him and received the certificate, he desperately wished for it, but he had to swallow his regret because he knew it was impossible. But the sight that he thought he would never see in his life was unfolding before his eyes. It wasn’t even a dream; it was reality.

“I’m not trying to become king.”

Lucarim, who had clearly read his thoughts, said as if to stop him. Dezak paused for a moment, but he was not disappointed. In the meantime, Lucarim had mostly been a thorough bystander in any affairs of the Demon Realm. Especially when it came to what the Demon King was doing, he had never tried to get involved in the slightest. It was more important that he had decided to step in himself, whether it was a warning or for punishment. At least he didn’t seem to have any intention of keeping Karian on the throne any longer, so the Demon King would be replaced.

All that needs to be done is to bring the current Demon King down from his throne. Then, whoever becomes the next king will have no choice but to be a puppet. Everyone in the Demon Realm will know that the true ruler is the Southern Duke Lucarim. His greatness, which has been known only to a few, will be revealed to the surface.

“You’re really someone I can’t help. Don’t you think I’ll lose?”

Lucarim burst out laughing at his blatant inner thoughts. Dezak replied with a serious face.

“That can never happen.”

“What if I lose?”

“Then Karian will no longer be a demon.”

The answer, without a moment’s hesitation, was making the most accurate judgment. Lucarim looked at Dezak with a purely admiring gaze. He was a man who had hardly ever left Karten as a forest keeper throughout his life, but there was no demon in this Demon Realm who knew more than Dezak. He is more instinctive than anyone else, and his judgment of the situation is also quick. Perhaps he is the closest to the truth. That is why his loyalty was close to ingrained obedience. The fact that he doesn’t even realize it or try to doubt it, is that what makes him different from Karian? Lucarim raised his hand and stroked Dezak’s head. The gruff man’s face revealed embarrassment at the unexpected event.

“Lu, Lucarim-nim?”