Chapter 242
“It’s been a while since I’ve been here.”
After visiting the ninth floor, Nahun found himself somewhere alone this time, instead of with Seere. This place was the portal on the 72nd floor, connected to the human realm. The scenery had changed slightly from what he remembered.
“…Did I go a bit overboard?”
It was natural, as this was the location where the battle that would end the recent Heavenly Demon War had taken place. Nahun’s display of his true power had influenced the terrain of the level to the extent that it had changed, and due to the overwhelming magic power reaching the level of a dragon’s roar, several of the original portal locations had closed, leaving only three or four remaining.
Still, it was clear that this was the only level still connected to the human realm. Nahun was here not out of mere coincidence, but to return to the human realm as part of the business proposal that Seere had previously made to Phynox.
Though Seere had insisted on coming along, she was busy preparing for war with the 23rd floor. So Nahun had managed to come here on his own.
…To be precise, he wasn’t entirely alone.
“…Why are you trembling like that?”
“T-there are some unpleasant memories…”
“Nahun, what exactly did you do?”
He was with two others. Originally human, but now no different than Nahun’s extensions—these were Iris and Dein. Iris was unintentionally trembling as bad memories flooded back, while Dein looked at both Iris and Nahun with a slight frown.
To Dein’s question of what he had done, Nahun simply replied.
“I did cut off an arm, but… it was only natural since they were enemies at the time.”
“…It’s understandable to be scared then.”
There was nothing more to say. As Nahun watched Iris shiver, he decided to take the portal.
“Dein, you haven’t lost your combat senses, have you?”
“Of course not. Even if I’ve been resting for a while, I’ve been active up until then. A sensation ingrained in my body won’t be forgotten so easily.”
“Then that’s a relief.”
Nahun spoke to the two of them.
“Follow me. Your roles are important this time.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, sir.”
Nahun planned to make contact with human artists through Iris and Dein. Though Dein needed to be cautious due to past events, Iris didn’t have any such restrictions.
‘We should avoid the Holy Kingdom, though….’
If she was an exceptional Holy Knight to be chosen as a hero, it was highly likely that she would be recognized in her home country, the Holy Kingdom. If she suddenly appeared after having disappeared, it would certainly raise suspicions….
“We’re going to the Bismarck Empire.”
“Isn’t the Empire dangerous?”
“With this guy around, the Holy Kingdom is more dangerous. The Northern Alliance is barren and frequently at war, so there aren’t many people there who can enjoy the luxurious culture of art. There’s no reason for us to go there.”
“That’s certainly true.”
Both culture and art progress only when life is stable and abundant. The context for Phynox’s ninth floor being called a land of art was similar. The ninth floor was exceptionally safe and wealthy, allowing art to flourish.
“Let’s go.”
Nahun stepped through the portal to the human realm, with Iris and Dein following behind him. The three of them found themselves momentarily flustered as soon as they emerged.
“Intruders!!”
“…Huh?”
A whistle blew, and a drum sounded, seemingly warning of a threat, followed by the appearance of a considerable number of soldiers wielding spears. They aimed their weapons at Nahun, as if truly on guard against a great danger.
“…Ah.”
Nahun grasped the situation immediately.
This was exactly how the most recent Heavenly Demon War had unfolded: the Demon Kings had crossed over en masse from the Demon World through the portals, devastating the human realm. They had only been driven back with the intervention of the Heavens, but immense hostility toward the Demon World had arisen.
Naturally, there had been many discussions about sealing and managing the portals through which they had come, which led to all portals in the human realm being reinforced.
“Do not resist and surrender!!”
“…What would be the best course of action here?”
Nahun pondered for a moment. Judging by their attire, these were soldiers from the Holy Kingdom. The location of the portal was inside the Holy Kingdom, after all.
Should he comply and be taken to meet the Pope to be released, or should he remain silent and resist? As he thought between the two options, Nahun sighed.
“It’s going to take too long.”
The first option seemed like it would take a considerable amount of time. If that happened, Seere might get angry again. He generally didn’t want to cause a commotion, but since they were already here…
“…Is it just you guys?”
“What?”
“I asked if it’s just you.”
When Nahun said this, the guards momentarily flinched. The overflow of magic power and a terrifying aura started to overwhelm the soldiers.
“B-block! Stab him now!”
Feeling an inexplicable dread from the command of the watchtower captain, the tense guards all launched their spears at once. However, the sharp spear tips didn’t even graze Nahun.
“…W-what…?”
“The spears broke….”
The spears that hadn’t touched him simply bent. The dense magic power that had blocked the spear tips gathered in the palm of Nahun’s hand, and he spoke to Dein and Iris.
“Stay still behind me. It’s dangerous to move.”
“Yes.”
The magic power coalescing in his hand rapidly transformed into magic through the circuit engraved on his palm.
“Annihilate them.”
『Cătástrŏpha』
After reciting a brief incantation, massive hands erupted from beneath the soldiers’ feet. The gigantic hands, larger than a person’s body, seized the soldiers.
“Ugh, ah!”
“Let me go…gag…cough!!”
The soldiers, who were becoming increasingly agonized under the grip’s crushing force, soon felt their bones shatter and their muscles tear.
“Ugh…cough…cough…!”
The watchtower captain, who had just commanded the soldiers to stab Nahun moments ago, met the same fate. The countless hands that had seized every last soldier grew tighter, and eventually….
Boom—!!!
A bursting sound erupted. It was not an illusion; the hands literally exploded the bodies of the soldiers. Surprisingly, bl**d gushed out, but there were no splattered remains. It was as if the place had never contained any humans, reducing them to dust.
“……Hik….”
Upon witnessing this, Iris trembled, while Dein maintained an indifferent expression. Observing that the surroundings had quieted, Nahun retracted his magic power.
“It’s quiet now.”
Satisfied, Nahun spoke to Dein and Iris.
“You can move now. Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
“…Alright.”
#
Nahun felt a sense of nostalgia as he returned to Germanium in the Bismarck Empire after a long time. The last time he had been there was on the day he encountered Charlotte von Bismarck.
“The pace of human advancement is truly remarkable.”
Germanium had grown to an extent unimaginable compared to the past. Not only Germanium but the Bismarck Empire as a nation had expanded tremendously compared to before.
This change came after more than eight years. The saying that even a hundred-year-old place changes in ten years was not without basis; this was clearly the power of its ruler, Charlotte von Bismarck. Nahun murmured with a somewhat regretful expression.
“…You’ve accomplished quite a feat, despite the difficulties.”
“Nahun.”
“What is it?”
“Is it really okay for us to be walking around so openly? I’m sorry to say this, but my face must be known in Germanium as well.”
There was a high possibility that he had been recognized by Adelbert Granz during the chase they had back then. Although he had been wearing a hood, he seemed to have been recognized. While that incident had occurred in a neighboring country, there was no way news wouldn’t have spread to Germanium, the center of the continent.
Moreover, since it was unlikely that Adelbert Granz was acting independently but rather under orders from Charlotte von Bismarck, it made the situation even more sensitive…
However, Nahun replied.
“It’s fine.”
“Really?”
“Your face will appear different to others now. The same goes for me, and it applies to you, Iris.”
To ensure this, Nahun had already cast a spell that altered the appearances of the three of them, so that they would appear differently to others. It was a sort of disguise magic.
“Oh, in that case…”
“Yes, you don’t have to worry. More importantly, have you prepared?”
“Yes, I’m ready, but…”
Dein glanced sideways. Iris looked particularly awkward in her appearance. Unlike her usual armor, she was clad in clothing resembling that of an artist, complete with a beret, and her hair was tied into pigtails to give her a younger look.
“At my age, with this hairstyle….”
“Is there a problem?”
“I’m already over twenty; to be told to look this way is too much!”
“It’s not ugly, but isn’t it true, Dein?”
“It’s just normal. A stranger might even mistake you for a teenage girl.”
“Hik! Even if you raise my spirits, it won’t change anything! Even with sweet words, you can’t take my body!”
““No one has ever wanted that!!””
In that moment, Nahun and Dein shared the same mindset. Iris looked at the two with an embarrassed expression and eventually settled down.
“As I mentioned earlier, you’ll be acting as the injured young artist and her patron.”
“Yes.”
So, Dein was also dressed sharply in a formal outfit. Dein gave a simple answer but felt a bit uncomfortable internally.
‘It’s quite cruel to use something like the arm Nahun personally took off….’
Though he himself had no complaints, he was worried that Iris might not feel the same way. He couldn’t help but wonder if she would eventually snap under the stress.
As he thought this, Nahun spoke to Dein.
“Dein, focus.”
“Ah… yes, my apologies.”
“You’re to visit art shops and buy artworks under the pretense of ‘acquiring pieces to inspire the young girl.’ Here is your funding.”
Nahun produced a large pouch of gold coins from his possession. This was Nahun’s personal asset, brought along to use as initial capital for the business since he didn’t have extra funds readily available in the Demon King Castle.
‘Since I won’t need it otherwise.’
Aside from occasionally going on dates with Seere or sending Dein to do something, there was rarely a need for him to spend money personally. Nahun’s salary had been piling up steadily in the treasury, which he now intended to utilize for business purposes.
Having saved for several years, the amount had accumulated considerably. Receiving the heavy pouch of gold coins, Dein nodded.
“Should I acquire them without regard for the price?”
“Visit various art shops, and if you find a place trying to rip you off, steer clear of them. And make sure to bring back receipts for all items.”
“Yes. Is there anything else you’d like to order?”
“I will look for fixed trading partners; you just handle that.”
“Understood.”
Dein cleared his throat, lowered his voice, and called out to Iris.
“Iris, let’s go.”
His tone had changed completely, as though he was genuinely a patron of a young girl. Iris was the alias Iris had decided to use while disguising herself as a girl.
“Oh…”
“What’s wrong?”
“…Um, you sound like an old man.”
At Iris’s candid remark, Dein furrowed his brow, while Nahun chuckled lightly and spoke to the two of them.
“Don’t argue; just come back in one piece.”
“……Yes.”
Following Nahun’s orders, Dein and Iris headed towards the ‘Cultural Road,’ lined with art shops. As they walked, Dein asked Iris.
“How old are you?”
“…Huh?”
“Didn’t you just call me ‘old man’ earlier?”
Although Dein wasn’t particularly narrow-minded, as a father with a child, he couldn’t easily overlook being called ‘old man.’ While he could have brushed it off in his younger days as a joke, being addressed as a true ‘old man’ felt different now. Though, looking at his age, Dein was still not quite at the age to be called that…
“I’m twenty-one.”
“…….”
Dein had no response. She was younger than he expected. Dein was twenty-five this year and would soon turn twenty-six, making her four years younger.
“…I don’t think there’s enough age difference to be called ‘old man,’ though.”
“Are you still holding onto that?”
“It’s your fault!”
“Ah, I see; I just need to apologize. I’m sorry.”
Iris unexpectedly apologized coolly, making Dein more uncomfortable and narrow-minded. He thought to himself that it shouldn’t be like this, but there was no turning back.
“Oh, there it is.”
“…Then let’s change the way we speak. I’ll talk like an ‘old man,’ so you talk like a little girl.”
“You’re still hung up on it, aren’t you?”
“Just change it already.”
As Dein changed his tone and speech, Iris looked at him with a slightly baffled expression before clearing her throat.
“Yes, old man.”
“…….”
#
With the two in charge of their tasks, Nahun briefly left Germanium. Even if he searched for trading partners in Germanium, the perceptive princess… no, now the empress might find it strange, so he preferred to find somewhere else for continuous trade and to gather items for the immediate transactions.
Thus, Nahun headed toward the Holy Kingdom. He traveled straight to the capital of the Holy Kingdom, the sacred city of Babylon, without stopping anywhere else. The first place he was headed to was none other than…
“!!!”
“It’s been a while. You’ve really survived with that old body of yours.”
It was the chamber where Pope Sernius III resided.
