Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 210

As El and his companions battled the Fire Buster, the Palace of Punishment buzzed with activity, resuming duties suspended during its master’s absence.

The documents that had accumulated formed a veritable tower on his desk. Eluien’s eyes flashed momentarily upon confirming that most originated from the Demon Realm (causing a tremor among the dispatched demons’ angels), but he silently devoted himself to his work, as always.

His true character—unusually diligent for a high-ranking god—was once again on full display.

The palace angels were pleased; a diligent master was a great blessing to those who served him.

The work progressed rapidly, and the disrupted routine quickly normalized. It would have continued smoothly were it not for an unexpected intruder.

“Lord Eluien!”

“…….”

Eluien sighed, setting down his quill at the sight of the male god who seemed to have burst through the door. He’d sensed someone approaching earlier but had firmly signaled his refusal by activating the intrusion alarm.

Most would not dare to enter his palace if he was determined to stop them. Unfortunately, the intruder was one of the few who could ignore the alarm and cross over.

That damned Supreme God.

Eluien suppressed a curse, glaring at Shanon, the God of the Underworld, who stood before him. Moreover, he wasn’t alone. A woman Eluien had never seen before accompanied him.

The woman was taller than most male gods, with rosy skin and sharp, cool features as elegant as a panther. Her blue eyes contained pupils of bright silver, as if moonlight had seeped into them. Her pastel hair was a rainbow of colors, swaying down to her waist even when tied up, making her appear to wear a huge fur coat.

She possessed a naturally flamboyant appearance, amplified by Shanon’s gloomy aura. Her revealing attire showcased her slender, well-trained physique, making her seem more like a threatening warrior than a seductress. She emanated a strong scent of sunshine with a hint of floral fragrance.

Such a bright and radiant appearance, coupled with the dry, sunny scent, were hallmarks of the Celestial Realm gods. But even without that, Eluien immediately recognized her identity. If she could appear alongside Shanon, it was obvious.

“What brings a Celestial God and the God of the Underworld here? If you’re looking for a friendly stroll, you’ve chosen the wrong place.”

Eluien didn’t bother to hide his annoyance. Since they’d ignored his warning and barged in, he had no intention of welcoming them politely.

Shanon looked embarrassed by his bluntness, but the Celestial God, Iowen, brushed it off, observing Eluien intently.

“Are you the Eluien I’ve only heard about?”

“That’s a pointless question.”

“……Seeing your rude answer, you’re definitely from Elquines [a family known for their eccentric and powerful members].”

She chuckled lightly, though not truly amused. It was her first time seeing the infamous God of Punishment in person. She’d expected him to be somewhat handsome, being a high-ranking god, but was surprised by his striking beauty.

Especially his coloring. Gods of the Demonic Realm often had dark colors, but his hair was a dazzlingly bright gold, rare even among Celestial Realm gods. His eyes were clear, like the transparent sky. His coldly subdued gaze suggested a difficult personality, but that only made him more captivating. It was a shame so few knew this.

‘Eluien Krino Lusate.’ A high-ranking god of the Demonic Realm, wielding the destructive powers of punishment and curses, and in charge of Vyton, the second Demon Realm, a major headache for the Divine Realm.

Iowen calmly recalled the information. The story of how Vyton, once on the verge of destruction, was quickly normalized under his leadership was widely known. But Eluien’s Elquines lineage garnered even more attention.

Other Spirit Kings weren’t much different, but Elquines was especially reluctant to become a god. Before Eluien, only two Elquines were high-ranking gods: the Demon God Kanos and the God of Hell Kraze, both overwhelmingly strong and notoriously eccentric.

Everyone focused on the birth of the third high-ranking god from Elquines, rumored to be the strongest Elquines of all time. The gods expected a terrifying monster, a belief reinforced when he pacified Vyton upon taking office.

However, Eluien didn’t cause as much trouble as his predecessors. He was too quiet, ignoring everything and never appearing anywhere. He’d never attended banquets or important meetings, so few knew his face.

He chose complete isolation, refusing interaction. Rumor had it he’d hung the Demon God Kanos upside down on the wall for forcibly invading as a joke. Consequently, no one dared visit his palace. In some ways, he had the most eccentric personality.

Iowen wouldn’t have bothered visiting if not for Shanon’s words. She’d come feeling deceived, though knowing it wasn’t true, but seeing him in person… it was. His annoyed frown, indifferent tone, and light-filled hair and eyes reminded her of someone from the past, causing her heart to sink with a mix of longing and discomfort. She blurted out,

“You really look a lot like the old Kanos.”

“……Did you come here to pick a fight?”

Seeing his face contort, Iowen laughed again. He resembled Kanos but didn’t hide his emotions as well. Iowen liked this side of him better. She regretted not visiting sooner.

“Why don’t we become drinking buddies?”

Eluien and Shanon frowned. Eluien’s expression conveyed annoyance, while Shanon’s was a sigh of ‘here we go again.’

The Celestial God Iowen was a natural-born drinker, despite her elegant appearance. She needed a big drinking party several times a day, often leaving her acquaintances in a drunken stupor for days. Shanon, a frequent victim, wasn’t happy about a new target being chosen.

But it also meant Eluien had caught her eye. Iowen liked to drink, but she didn’t associate with just anyone. Many gods considered it an honor to be invited to her parties. Of course, that didn’t apply to Eluien.

“Stop talking nonsense and tell me why you’re here.”

“Haha! Amazing! You’re the first god to openly call my suggestion nonsense. I think I like you even more!”

He couldn’t communicate with her.

Eluien quickly decided to stare at Shanon without a word. Shanon, understanding, smiled awkwardly.

“Um, I’m sorry. Please forgive our sudden visit. I couldn’t stand by and do nothing… Ah, but bringing Iowen was definitely not intentional. I said I would go alone, but she insisted…”

“I get it, the reason.”

“…I heard you met Kanos.”

So that’s what it was.

Eluien lightly clicked his tongue.

The Underworld, gathering the dead from everywhere, was a warehouse of information. As its master, Shanon was well-informed, even without spying, especially if the target was someone he wanted to investigate.

He knew he was being watched, but the information was faster than expected. As expected of the first ‘Wind’ [likely a reference to Shanon’s information-gathering abilities]. Eluien muttered indifferently, pleased that Iowen had quieted down. But one thing needed correcting.

“I went to see my son, not that guy.”

“But isn’t it true you met Kanos? I also know you had a conversation alone.”

“If you know, why bother coming? Couldn’t you figure out the conversation’s content?”

“Are you saying the obvious? Even I can’t find out that far.”

“So you’re just going to ask me outright?”

“…I wouldn’t do such a rude thing at other times.”

Eluien stared at Shanon, who couldn’t deny it, with curious eyes. It was absurd, but he didn’t feel unpleasant because of the honesty. Since the content was obvious, Eluien decided not to waste time.

“Kanos seemed to be investigating something related to the Evil God. He said he was looking for evidence of the curse.”

“……! Is that true? Did he really say that?”

“That’s what I heard.”

Shanon took a deep breath, disbelief evident. Iowen also had an unreadable expression. It was the answer they wanted, yet they couldn’t easily accept it. Seeing their faces brighten, Eluien recalled the situation.

Sensing his son’s abnormality, he’d moved and been greeted by Kanos, waving as if waiting. Seeing his smiling face, Eluien understood. He immediately kicked Kanos and grabbed his collar as he collapsed.

“What the hell are you thinking? Have you lived too long and gone crazy?”

“Keueung, if you know I’ve lived a long time, won’t you treat me a little better as an elder, Eluien? Do you know the word ‘insubordination’?”

“If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll show you what real insubordination is.”

“Ah, how sad. That’s why it’s a disadvantage to be born first.”

“Shut up. Tell me properly what you’re doing.”

“What am I doing?”

After a puzzled expression, Kanos smiled as if understanding.

“Ah, you mean that Shanon has been digging into me lately? Did he tell you that? That I seem to be contributing to the awakening of the Evil God?”

“If you know, explain yourself.”

“It’s not me.”

The answer came quickly. When Eluien didn’t drop his suspicious gaze, Kanos smiled awkwardly.

“It’s really not me. I admit I have a lot of suspicious things about me. What can I do if I’m naturally mysterious? But it hurts if you treat me like a villain. I was also looking for evidence in my own way.”

“Then you should keep looking for evidence. Why bother my son?”

“Um, there’s a pretty complicated story about that…”

“Say it briefly.”

“I was just curious.”

Eluien narrowed his eyes. Kanos smiled, staring back.

“I wanted to see what would happen when a Spirit King who had lost his nature regained his full power and opened his eyes to the world.”

“That’s not something you can interfere with…”

“Whether that child would still consider you his father.”

“…….”

“What kind of expression would you make when you lost what you had given your heart to.”

“…….”

The lowered voice contained a clear provocation. Eluien’s expression didn’t change. He released the collar and took his hand away.

“If you want to know that, look in the mirror.”

“……What?”

“Wasn’t it that you didn’t have the courage to confirm it?”

Kanos’s eyes shook. He had a blank expression, then began to laugh like crazy.

‘He really seemed like a madman.’

Eluien frowned, feeling unpleasant even thinking about it. Of course, Kanos was mercilessly beaten after Eluien confirmed El’s condition. Eluien still gritted his teeth, remembering how flustered he’d been when his son wouldn’t wake up. He wanted to chew Kanos up and spit him out, thinking of the terrible things his son had gone through in the illusion.

He didn’t care what Kanos was thinking but refused to let himself and his son get caught up in his antics. If not for the Evil God investigation, he would have dragged Kanos back and locked him in his office forever. He still regretted not doing that the most.

“Jeo…”

Eluien raised his eyebrows at the presence nearby. Shanon was staring blankly.

“What is it? Isn’t the business over?”

The gaze meant ‘why don’t you get lost,’ coldly sweeping over the two high-ranking gods. Shanon and Iowen exchanged awkward glances at the treatment they’d never received.

“I thought Lord Eluien should know. I learned some interesting facts while collecting information about the Evil God.”

Eluien put down the document and crossed his arms, signaling him to continue. Shanon quickly continued, as if fearing being kicked out.

“First, about the sacrifice: the blood of a child born with supernatural powers acts as a catalyst, accelerating the awakening more than an ordinary child. The same goes for a special fate or soul, and I confirmed that there was a god’s soul among the sacrificed children.”

“A god’s soul…”

“There are two of them. It’s difficult to quantify the total amount needed, but the power obtained from them alone would have already satisfied considerable conditions. At this rate, awakening is only a matter of time. Perhaps finding a way to destroy the born Evil God is more realistic than preventing the awakening.”

His face, covered by thick glasses, looked gloomy. Iowen frowned and grumbled.

“A way to destroy it? An Evil God rivals the Main God in power. How can we match him?”

“It’s difficult, but not impossible if we aim for right after the awakening.”

“Right after the awakening?”

“He’s in an incomplete state for a while before and after awakening. If we join forces, we can temporarily seal his movements before he starts rampaging. That’s the only moment we can try something. The problem is the conditions needed for his destruction…”

“Is there such a thing?”

Eluien asked. Shanon slowly nodded, looking thirsty.

“Just as you can become an Evil God by meeting conditions, you can destroy him by meeting certain conditions in reverse. This needs more accurate investigation… I found the most important condition.”

“What is it?”

Not only Eluien and Iowen, but all the nearby angels paid attention. Before answering, Shanon swallowed hard, unsure if he could handle the repercussions. But he couldn’t remain silent. He sighed and announced,

“…The life of one of the high-ranking gods.”