novelraw Chapter 123 : Chapter 123
Chapter 123 : Chapter 123
Chapter 123. Muel
『My child, you’ve done well. Now rest.』
A sweet, melodious voice descended from the heavens.
Mapheltan, Ilea, and Lumina all simultaneously looked up at the sky.
A radiant stream of light was slowly falling.
The blinding brilliance took the form of an angel.
…The Fallen Angel Muel.
He was a fallen archangel.
Five hundred years ago, during the Holy War, he betrayed the Great Saint—a defector. Now, he was the 8th-ranked archdemon of the Lower Realms.
Overcome with rapture, Lumina shouted out.
“Lord Muel! You’ve descended in person—for me!”
The massive angelic figure of light slowly touched down to the ground.
Four pairs of wings entirely covered its form.
Mapheltan was fairly large himself, but compared to Muel, he looked utterly tiny.
Mapheltan craned his neck to look up at Muel.
“Smaller than he was in the original story.”
Muel’s original size was said to rival that of an enormous mountain.
Now, he was drastically reduced.
Even the details of his form were different.
At present, Muel was cloaked in light, lacking a defined shape.
This was not a full descent.
For an archdemon to intervene in the physical world with their true body required a heavy price—and Muel had no intention of paying that cost.
『It’s a pitiful form to be called a descent. Lumina, my child, I’ve failed to show you my true self in the end. Forgive me.』
The dulcet voice pierced into everyone’s mind.
Lumina shook her head rapidly.
“That’s not true. Once I ascend today, I’ll be able to bring you into the material world. Please, just wait a little longer.”
Upon reaching the realm beyond archmage, one could indeed summon an archdemon into the world.
『It’s unfortunate, but that future cannot come to pass. Lumina, you do not possess the talent to become a Ringbearer.』
Ringbearer —a rank beyond Archmage.
They were no longer human.
Transcendents on par with demigods.
In the current era, only one Ringbearer existed.
Sadly, Lumina could never be the second.
It was a wall of innate talent.
With a troubled face, she asked,
“L-Lord Muel, what are you saying? You told me I was ready. That I only needed to make contact with the Apostle to break through. That’s what your prophecy said.”
Muel’s gentle voice rang out again.
『That was the first lie I ever told you. You can never become a Ringbearer. In all my foresight, not once did I see you surpassing your limits.』
Lumina’s pale pupils trembled.
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Muel had lied? Not once in 150 years had that ever happened.
“N-No… that can’t be. Why would you lie to me… This is all a lie!”
To Lumina, Muel was a parent, a friend.
From the moment she was born, she had shared every moment with Muel.
She couldn’t even imagine being betrayed.
Mapheltan snorted.
“Demons are, by nature, beings that seduce and deceive humans. You call yourself an archmage and still don’t understand that?”
Lumina glared at Mapheltan with venom.
“Don’t you dare try to drive a wedge between us. Even if you’re an Apostle, I won’t forgive it.”
Mapheltan shrugged.
“Fine, I’ll shut up. You two go ahead and settle things.”
Lumina turned her gaze back to Muel.
“Lord Muel, please. Tell me—am I undergoing a test right now? Otherwise, there’s no reason you’d be doing this to me all of a sudden.”
Muel’s voice entered her mind once again.
『The Apostle has already answered. Lumina, your usefulness has reached its end. In your final moments, burn yourself away for my sake. Activate the summoning ritual.』
Mapheltan narrowed his brow.
“…Summoning ritual?”
What did he plan to summon now? Mapheltan spoke up.
“Sorry, but I’ll have to cut in here. Muel, what summoning ritual are you referring to?”
Muel’s massive form turned toward Mapheltan.
The light-cloaked angel began to tremble.
From the top of its body—its head—dark shadows opened up.
Four eyes formed there.
All of them were pitch black.
『Thirteenth Apostle of the End, I apologize for the late introduction. I am Muel, Heretical Priest of the Lower Realms. I’ve heard much about you from Kaiaze. It is an honor to finally meet you.』
Mapheltan’s expression darkened.
“You heard about me from Kaiaze, and yet you still look down on me like this?”
Kaiaze had previously been reprimanded by Mapheltan—for looking down on him like a superior.
『I have committed a rudeness. Please, forgive me with your generous heart.』
The brilliance around Muel suddenly dimmed.
His size rapidly shrank.
Muel lowered himself to eye level with Mapheltan.
Mapheltan clicked his tongue and spoke.
“Enough of that. Just answer the question. What summoning ritual are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Muel’s voice seeped into his ears.
『A ritual circle was laid over the entire capital. It is the work of my child, Lumina. Once the ritual is activated, all living souls in the capital will be offered as sacrifices—and I, Muel, shall descend into this world.』
The capital had a population of well over a hundred thousand.
There were countless holy relics and treasures as well.
All of it would be offered to the Lower Realms.
As a sacrifice to summon Muel—it was more than enough.
The problem was the one who would activate the ritual.
Even an archmage lacked the power to control a summoning ritual for an archdemon.
To bring an archdemon into the world, at least a Ringbearer-level magician was needed.
Mapheltan spoke.
“Lumina wouldn’t be able to handle the ritual.”
Muel replied immediately.
『That witch can. Using Lumina’s body and soul as the catalyst, the witch should be able to activate the ritual.』
Mapheltan turned to Ilea.
“Ilea, is what he says true?”
Ilea nodded.
“Yes. It’s possible. I can make up for my lack of skill by using the archmage’s life.”
She had not yet reached the level of a Ringbearer either.
She couldn’t activate the ritual with her own power alone.
Mapheltan fell silent for a moment, then asked,
“Muel, what do I gain by summoning you?”
Muel answered in a gentle voice.
『I, Muel, will become your servant.』
Mapheltan was a little surprised.
“You’re offering to form a subordination pact with me?”
An archdemon ranked in the single digits of the Lower Realms was a demigod.
They were nearly equal to Apostles.
And yet he was volunteering to become a subordinate to Mapheltan.
Especially when Mapheltan was still a novice—not fully established as an Apostle.
Muel surely knew that as well.
Mapheltan spoke.
“So you’ve seen a particular future, haven’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be offering yourself like this.”
Muel’s dark eyes gleamed.
He spoke in a calm voice.
『Correct. I see you, together with me, incinerating the soul of the Great Saint. All hypocrites will kneel beneath the Seat of Chaos and Deceit, praying in your name.』
Muel’s foresight was highly accurate.
The future he saw had a very high probability of coming true.
If Mapheltan summoned Muel, the end would certainly begin.
So it had been in the original story.
The trigger that began the End was ‘Muel’s descent.’
Mapheltan fell into thought.
…To have an archdemon as a subordinate.
Muel would be an enormous asset.
With him as a servant, Mapheltan would need to fear no army.
Mapheltan spoke.
“Very well. I’ll accept you as my servant.”
Muel’s four dark eyes curved into crescents.
Lumina muttered in denial, repeating herself endlessly, while Ilea remained expressionless.
『Let us begin the ritual at once. With Lumina on the altar, all preparations will be complete.』
Lumina clutched her head and sobbed.
“…No. It’s all lies. All of it is a lie.”
Muel’s voice remained tender.
『Don’t cry. Inside the transcendent body made of your soul and flesh, we will live together. For all eternity.』
The bright light caressed Lumina’s cheek. It wiped away her falling tears.
But Lumina didn’t stop crying.
She wept like a child, clinging tightly to Muel’s hand.
It was a pitiful sight.
Mapheltan was impressed.
“An archdemon is still an archdemon.”
Muel had completely conquered the mind of one human—an archmage at that.
He must’ve invested a century and a half into this.
His patience and technique were truly remarkable.
There was much to learn from him.
Mapheltan spoke.
“Touching moment, but I have something to say. Muel, there’s no need to part with Lumina just yet.”
Muel’s four black eyes slowly turned toward Mapheltan.
『Her life is essential to the summoning ritual.』
Mapheltan shook his head.
“I’m not going to summon you. Though the subordination contract is a separate matter. I’ll grant that if you wish.”
All four of Muel’s eyes shifted into different expressions.
Curiosity, confusion, anger, doubt—each one carried its own emotion.
『May I ask why you’re refusing the ritual?』
Mapheltan replied instantly.
“I still need the capital. That’s all.”
With this incident, Yohan would gain leverage to pressure the king.
He would hold greater influence in human society than ever before.
There was no reason to overthrow the capital.
Moreover, Mapheltan wasn’t confident he could sacrifice all those lives.
Muel’s eyes began to roll.
He spoke in a low voice.
『…Is that so. The Apostle intends to take me as his servant without offering any price in return.』
Mapheltan shrugged.
“Well, I’ll pay you back someday.”
Muel stared at him, then turned his gaze to Lumina.
『Child, the situation has changed a bit. I have something I need you to do.』
With teary eyes, Lumina met his gaze.
“Anything. If it’s Mother’s request, I’ll do it all.”
She had already given up everything.
She felt no resentment toward Muel.
Her mind had been completely consumed by him.
In truth, she was little more than a slave to the archdemon.
『Activate the summoning ritual. Right now.』
Lumina’s eyes wavered.
“I-It’ll fail. Most likely.”
The capital would be destroyed, but Muel wouldn’t descend.
Mapheltan’s face twisted.
“Muel, what are you trying to pull?”
Muel’s tone remained gentle.
『I’m giving the great End a choice. Why not abandon the capital and choose me instead? It’ll be lost anyway.』
Mapheltan was speechless.
“He’s really going this far?”
Muel was now presenting him with a dilemma.
Mapheltan chuckled.
“What an entertaining bastard.”
He glanced at Ilea.
Mana burst from Ilea’s body.
Countless spell formulas formed inside.
Mapheltan and Ilea were planning to kill Lumina.
Without her, the ritual would never activate.
A barrage of high-level spells flew straight toward Lumina.
At that moment, the scenery around Mapheltan and Yohan shifted completely.
The two of them had been transported above the capital.
White miasma spread across the entire city.
The Summoning Ritual for the Archdemon Muel had begun.