Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 216

Chapter 216: Return to Nature

Gulp.

I felt a rush of blood reflux.

At the same time, I sensed mana flowing endlessly through the mana vein.

I tried my best to recall the 'mana operation method' and suppress it, but it wasn't easy.

"Demonic energy... is mixed in too?"

Currently, demonic energy was also flowing in my mana vein.

I couldn't be sure why.

Although I had accepted 'Angelica' into my body, demonic energy had never coursed through my mana vein before.

"Calm down."

No matter how much I considered myself a 'vessel', having demonic energy directly roil within the human body was dangerous.

Didn't it already feel like a volcano was erupting inside my body?

"Kuh...!"

In the midst of the pain that threatened to make me lose consciousness, I slowly shifted my gaze to the 'Bell of the Silent Night', which lay atop the sink.

"Somehow...!"

If I could get my hands on the 'Bell of the Silent Night', it would make handling demonic energy much easier. Driven by this single thought, I somehow tried to reach for it.

===

⇒ The power within the relic has disappeared from the 〈Bell of the Silent Night〉.

⇒ The relic, 〈Bell of the Silent Night〉, has vanished.

===

The 'Bell of the Silent Night' turned to dust and disappeared.

"What the...?"

Could a relic really just crumble into dust like this?

In 〈Kill the Demon King〉, 'relics' were objects with power far superior to ordinary magical tools.

No, in fact, it was strange to even compare them to 'magical tools'.

Relics belonged to the realm of 'miracles' rather than 'magic'. That's why relics rarely lost power or broke.

Yet...

"Why did it break!?"

With the only way to overcome this painful situation gone, the pain began to intensify.

"Ugh..."

A hideous groan escaped my lips due to the intense pain.

If it were Yulian, such a bizarre moan wouldn't have escaped. But since the pain was mine, it was possible.

"I need to return..."

In that moment, a homing instinct kicked in.

Circulating the demonic energy gathering in my core was possible in this location, but I might lose consciousness if I'm not careful.

Yulian has many enemies. If I'm attacked while unconscious...

No, that's too rational a thought.

Currently, a single thought, fused with Yulian's instincts, was lingering prominently.

"Losing consciousness in the bathroom is something I'll avoid, even in death!"

With that resolution.

I adjusted my attire and headed back to the mansion.

Amidst pain that felt like I might faint, I forced a pathological smile.

***

Returning to the mansion, I immediately headed to the office, sat cross-legged, and took my seat.

"Phew..."

Then, I exhaled deeply and began to focus on my core.

"I feel a sense of déjà vu."

I seemed to have experienced something like this in the past.

Although I was going by the name 'Sombra' back then, it was when I absorbed a Soul Stone and accepted a demon into my body.

Back then, just like now, demonic energy was the problem.

"Of course..."

It's more dangerous now.

At that time, I had anticipated the risks of absorbing the Soul Stone, so I could manage it easily.

But not now.

Even demonic energy was coursing through my mana vein now, so it's not an exaggeration to say it's more dangerous.

"Phew..."

I took a deep breath.

It was a process to clear my mind as much as possible to keep death at bay.

"I won't die."

I couldn't die. How could I die after coming this far?

Moreover, both my understanding of mana and my capacity to absorb demonic energy had increased since I accepted 'Angelica'.

If I could just identify the nature of this anomaly occurring in my body, I could resolve the situation easily.

"What is it?"

I tried to look at my body from a third-person perspective.

Pain, the state of my mana vein, and my consciousness.

To find the 'reason' as quickly as possible, setting everything else aside.

"... Ugh?"

Fortunately, finding the 'reason' for the pain wasn't that difficult. However, it was disconcerting.

"Angelica?"

The presence of the demon 'Angelica', who I had nurtured inside my body, was gradually fading.

The reason?

"Angelica is permeating my mana vein."

Had it been an external influence causing demonic energy to seep into my mana vein, even I would have noticed.

But since it was happening internally, with a demon like Angelica that had become a Trait, it was inevitable that I wouldn't notice.

"So this was it."

The reason why Angelica suddenly became like this was something to be addressed later.

For now, I began to concentrate on my core, activating all my mana veins.

It was to expel all the energy that had seeped into my mana vein to the outside.

"Hmm..."

Redirecting all the mana in my mana vein to the outside is actually a dangerous thing to do.

It could potentially cause my mana veins to twist, and evacuating mana means I won't be able to use aura for a while.

"Haaa."

Nonetheless, I started redirecting all the energy to the outside.

Survival is the priority.

Shiiiiii──.

A sound like a boiling kettle.

At the same time, a bluish mana vapor began emanating from my body.

"Ugh."

As the mana drained out, a sense of exhaustion washed over me. But I must concentrate even more during times like this.

If I lose focus in this situation, Angelica wouldn't be expelled, and I'd only face the backlash from 'mana expulsion'.

"Ugh..."

The intense pain was brief.

Soon, the bluish vapor streaming from my body began to turn black.

Angelica, who had been permeating my mana vein, was slowly being expelled.

"Good."

Just a bit more.

Once I exhausted the mana in my vein, Angelica became a black cloud, spreading across the ceiling of the office.

Rattle, rattle.

Eyes began to appear within the 'black cloud', clear evidence that it was indeed 'Angelica'.

"Come down."

Looking at those eyes, I spoke softly.

Normally, I wouldn't say such things, but the pain seemed to have slightly frayed my nerves.

"It probably won't listen."

It's more effective to speak gently to Angelica rather than harshly.

Contrary to my thoughts, Angelica sank to the ground and started gathering.

The multiple eyes it bore were glancing at me cautiously.

"... Why so?"

Normally, this playful creature was now showing such passivity. Perhaps it's because I got angry?

No, this was the creature that had laughed even when scolded, which made this situation even more baffling.

"Hmm?"

On closer inspection, Angelica's state seemed strange. Its fragments were bristling towards my direction.

As if iron filings were being drawn to a magnet.

'My body is drawing Angelica in.'

It wasn't merely an issue of accepting it as a Trait. Regardless of Angelica's will, my body was beckoning her.

Just like when the Demon God's Chalice absorbed the power of demons.

"Could it be..."

I directed my gaze towards Angelica.

"Did Angelica absorb a portion of the Demon God's Chalice when Angelica got absorbed by the Demon God's Chalice?"

The relic known as the Demon God's Chalice contained residual thoughts most resembling the Demon God Barbatos, allowing it to capture demons.

Following that rationale...

"If the Demon God's Chalice absorbed a demon with a stronger residual thought, then the chalice would be absorbed instead."

Of course, no demon could defy the power of the Demon God's Chalice, because the residual thought contained in a relic was immense.

"I see..."

Likely, the relic 'Bell of the Silent Night' that was within Angelica had exerted its power.

The Bell of the Silent Night had a strong repelling force against demonic energy, which led to the weakened Demon God's Chalice getting absorbed by Angelica.

Then, having expended its power, the Bell of the Silent Night crumbled to dust.

"So the reason Angelica escaped wasn't because the Sword Saint freed her."

The Demon God's Chalice had expelled her before it got drained completely.

"Is that right?"

I asked Angelica, uncertain if my hunch was correct.

It simply blinked at me in silence.

What would you know?

"So that's why Angelica was permeating my mana vein."

The Trait I possess, 〈True Vessel〉, holds superiority over relics related to the Demon God. That's why the fragment of the Demon God's Chalice residing in Angelica was being absorbed by me.

"Horrifying."

If I hadn't managed it properly, I might have just died, right?

Anyway, the reason was now clear.

"Hmm."

Though knowing the reason didn't mean a solution was apparent.

Given that my body is a 'vessel' and Angelica has become something akin to a 'relic of the Demon God', returning to how things were isn't straightforward.

"... Should I kill it?"

A demon with abilities nearly akin to a relic. Leaving it unchecked isn't wise as a human.

The issue is that although I could rationally reason out this decision, there was no sign this thought would translate into action.

"I thought I was quite the rational guy."

Had I been rational, I would have abandoned it at the monastery long ago.

"Letting you go might be an option too."

Considering this, I felt a mix of emotions at the idea of parting ways.

Looking at it, Angelica now is a demon uncharacteristic of her kind.

Having trained her to survive on regular meals and ambient mana instead of humans, releasing her into the wild shouldn't harm anyone.

"Is it farewell..."

While contemplating this.

Angelica squirmed, her body expanding and contracting repeatedly.

A kind of protest, it seemed.

"Do you not wish to part?"

At my question, Angelica shook violently. The many eyes on her body welled up with moisture.

"Hey, are you crying?"

Seriously?

I almost burst into laughter at the absurdity of it all.

Clacky's Corner:

So the Demon God's Chalice wasn't fully destroyed and now Angelica has a portion of its power.