novelraw Chapter 140 : Chapter 140
Chapter 140 : Chapter 140
Chapter 140. Utilization
Raguel stared blankly at Yohan, rubbing his eyes over and over.
It did not feel real.
Yohan had appeared far too suddenly. At some point, he had simply been standing on one side of the office.
Raguel had not sensed even a trace of his presence. Even a High Elf’s keen senses had failed to detect Yohan entering.
Where on earth had Yohan come from? Confusion bloomed before delight.
Yohan gave a faint laugh at Raguel’s dazed expression and said,
“You don’t seem very glad to see me.”
The moment he heard Yohan’s voice, Raguel’s reason snapped back into place.
Raguel shouted at once.
“Of course I’m glad! You have no idea how much I missed you!”
He ran over and hugged Yohan tightly.
Yohan pushed Raguel’s forehead away with his index finger and said,
“What’s with this childishness? Disgusting.”
That was what he said, but Yohan was clearly smiling too.
To him, Raguel truly felt like a younger brother.
Raguel smiled awkwardly and scratched his head.
“Haha, I was just too happy to see you...... I’m sorry.”
Zal’karin shouted loudly.
“Raguel! You insolent fool! How dare you lay your hands so casually upon a peerless transcendental being who has overcome even space-time?!”
Zal’karin’s eyes were filled with awe.
The bastard was showing genuine reverence toward Yohan.
Normally, Yohan would have found it burdensome, but right now, even this felt welcome.
“You’re the same as ever, Zal’karin.”
Zal’karin raised his two slender arms high.
“I serve with undying loyalty at all times!”
Raguel shoved Zal’karin aside and said,
“But Yohan, what on earth happened?”
“What do you mean?”
“How are you in this room when you’re supposed to be in the royal capital?”
Just as Yohan was about to say something, a sweet voice sounded from somewhere.
“Like this.”
Zal’karin and Raguel turned their heads toward the direction of the voice.
Ilea was there.
To be precise, her image had appeared on the surface of the mirror.
Raguel’s eyes went wide.
Zal’karin flew into a rage.
“I-Ilea!”
“Gloomy witch! Were you hiding there and spying on us?!”
Ilea reached out.
The mirror glass rippled like a lake, and her arm slipped smoothly through it.
Raguel was so flustered that he could not even open his mouth.
Zal’karin also watched the sight, frozen stiff.
At last, Ilea came completely out of the mirror.
She smiled with her eyes and said,
“Lady Lumina really is an archmage. I didn’t think it would succeed this easily.”
Yohan nodded.
“Thanks to her, I’ve gained an extremely useful power. Things will become much easier from now on. I’ll have to repay Lumina in some way.”
Through mirror teleportation magic, the restrictions of space-time had nearly disappeared for Yohan.
He could now appear wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted.
Depending on how it was used, it would become a power close to omnipotence.
For Yohan, it was quite welcome.
Raguel said in a flustered voice,
“W-what is all this? How did Ilea come out of a mirror, and who is Lumina......?”
Yohan cut him off lightly.
“I’ll explain everything later. For now, there’s something else I need to do.”
Since he had come home for the first time in a while, there was one thing he had to check.
Ilea said,
“I’ll bring Grian. Go down below first.”
Yohan intended to go down to the Forbidden Archive.
He had to check the condition of the third prince, Gawain.
He had been eroded by the Cursed Spear and was falling into demonhood.
In truth, by now, he might already have become a complete demon.
Yohan nodded.
“Let’s go.”
He headed straight for the underground study.
***
The Forbidden Archive was scattering brilliant radiance, as always.
All kinds of holy relics greeted Yohan.
Within those dazzling colors, the thing exuding the most enormous presence was, ironically, a deep and dense darkness.
At the very center of the Forbidden Archive, there was a demon wrapped in purple Miasma.
Bound in all kinds of restraints, the bastard gave Yohan a thick, languid smile.
The third prince, Gawain. He was now a being who had completely fallen into a demon.
“......It has been a while, Sir Yohan.”
As that sinister voice echoed through the Forbidden Archive, Hakain, who had been dozing beside Gawain, stretched his body long.
“Your Highness, are you starting again? I told you, the baron is in the royal capital right now.”
Hakain was in charge of watching over the third prince, Gawain.
With the mental strength of Sword Demon Hakain, he was sturdy enough that he would never waver even while living with a demon.
As proof, Hakain had not been bewitched by Gawain even once and had faithfully carried out his duty.
It was the same now.
Hakain was treating everything Gawain said as nonsense.
Gawain’s purple eyes glowed as he said,
“Sir Hakain, can you not see Sir Yohan?”
Hakain let out a deep sigh and stared in the same direction Gawain was looking.
“What nonsense are you...... oh, dear!”
He was so startled that he rolled off his chair.
Yohan laughed faintly.
“Hakain, it’s been a while. Did your family arrive safely?”
Originally, Hakain’s family had been held hostage by Count of Staviana, but through Yohan, they had returned to Hakain’s arms.
In exchange, Hakain had become Yohan’s trusted subordinate.
He was a fairly capable and loyal subordinate.
“O-of course, sir. They’re living well in the village now. But Baron, didn’t you say you’d be staying in the royal capital for a while?”
Yohan spoke.
“Well, it’s a long story if I explain. More importantly, what is Gawain’s condition?”
Hakain glanced at Gawain.
“As you can see, His Highness has completely fallen, sir. He still has a bit of a human appearance left, but in truth, he’s a complete demon now.”
Gawain’s skin and hair had changed to a deep purple.
His eyes were also an ominous violet.
No matter who looked at him, Gawain was a demon.
The bastard grinned and said,
“Sir Yohan, are you satisfied now?”
A low, sinister voice echoed.
Yohan said with a calm face,
“It’s not yet the stage where I can be satisfied. Gawain, you have not become my kin.”
Previously, Yohan had not killed Gawain.
Gawain was a transcendent being by birth, and even if he turned into a demon, that strength would not disappear.
Gawain’s abilities would surely be of help to Yohan.
Yohan wanted to draw Gawain to his side somehow.
Even now, that thought has not changed.
Gawain began to cackle.
“......Kin, is it? With Sir Yohan’s abilities, can you truly embrace me?”
The fallen Gawain likely possessed power comparable to a great demon.
The moment the bastard was released from this place, the world would be engulfed in disaster.
There were few beings in the present world capable of stopping Gawain.
Even Mapheltan would find it difficult to control him.
Yohan said in a composed tone,
“An uncontrollable bomb can only be disposed of. Gawain, if you will not bow, then I cannot keep you alive.”
Gawain shook his head.
The chains that bound him creaked along with the motion.
“No, no. Sir Yohan, you probably need my power. The fact that you have kept me alive like this says as much. In that sense, shall I make you a proposal?”
Yohan shrugged.
“Well, you’re not wrong. Speak.”
A peculiar light settled in Gawain’s purple pupils.
The bastard said in an eerie voice,
“How about the two of us stand shoulder to shoulder and trample this world together? If you and I join forces, even the moonlight will lose its glow.”
In a word, he was suggesting they build an equal relationship.
Yohan was not inclined to accept.
If he could not possess that military force, then disposing of it would be far better.
He opened his mouth.
“Gawain, you have only two choices. Die, or live as my slave. There is nothing else.”
Gawain wore a bitter sneer.
“Perhaps Sir Yohan is afraid of me?”
Yohan’s expression was calm.
“Think whatever you like. I’ve already told you my intent.”
Gawain began to cackle. His laughter grew louder and louder.
Soon, mad laughter echoed out.
Driven by malice and Miasma, the countless holy relics in the Forbidden Archive reacted.
Miasma and divinity mixed together.
Darkness and light tangled with each other and flickered.
The Forbidden Archive flashed as if day and night were repeating.
Yohan clicked his tongue.
“I’ll give you some time to think. Decide how you’ll conduct yourself by tomorrow.”
Just as he was about to move, Gawain said,
“Wait.”
“Do you still have something to say?”
Gawain leaned back against the backrest and put on a relaxed expression.
“Very well. Good. It seems I have no choices after all.”
“I’m glad you understand, even now.”
Gawain pretended to consider for a moment, then opened his mouth.
“I’ll become your kin, or whatever. Even rolling in a dung heap is better than the afterlife.”
Yohan frowned.
Gawain’s attitude had changed far too suddenly.
His decision was extremely fast.
Yohan felt a needless sense of unease.
‘......Something feels unpleasant about this.’
It felt as if some trick was being played on him.
He said,
“The moment we make the contract, you will be bound by a Prohibition. Your body will become one that obeys me. Do you understand that fact?”
A kinship contract was superior to every other kind of contract.
Unless one was someone on the level of Apostle Beris, who governed contracts, no one could fail to carry out a kinship contract.
The same went for Gawain.
The moment they shared the contract, the bastard would become Mapheltan’s servant.
Gawain wore a bitter smile.
“Of course. Now, hurry and draw up the contract. I want to get out of this tiresome place.”
Even if he ended up bound as Yohan’s kin, Gawain wanted to regain his freedom.
That was what the bastard was saying right now.
Yohan narrowed his brow and murmured,
“How strange.”
Gawain snorted.
“I said I’ll become your kin, didn’t I? Are you still afraid of me? What on earth can you accomplish with a liver that tiny? I’m disappointed, truly.”
Gawain was grating on a person like a demon.
His technique was more skillful than expected.
Of course, Yohan felt no emotional disturbance whatsoever.
Only rational thoughts still came to him.
‘There’s definitely something here.’
Yohan opened his mouth.
“Before the contract, I’ll confirm just one thing.”
Gawain said with a relaxed expression,
“Make it ten or a hundred, just be quick.”
Yohan looked at Ilea.
“Ilea, I’m sorry, but we need to bring Serena here.”
He needed the Heart-Piercing Eyes.
Even Yohan had not known he would use her ability so soon.
Ilea nodded.
“A most reasonable choice. I’ll bring her quickly.”
She immediately left the Forbidden Archive.
Before long, Serena came down to the archive.
The moment Serena saw the sight of the Forbidden Archive, she let out a hollow laugh.
“......At this point, I’m really not even surprised anymore.”
She had experienced far too many things over the past few days.
Serena’s mental strength had grown quite firm.
Yohan said,
“My lady, please check this bastard’s black heart.”
Serena looked at Gawain.
The Heart-Piercing Eyes began to activate.
The moment she heard Gawain’s true thoughts, Serena’s expression twisted.
Just as she was about to open her mouth, Gawain, sensing something, shouted,
“Get out of my head! You filthy, vulgar bitch!”
His words were converted into the demonic tongue.
『 Do not violate me, lowly being! (Vel drash’tar, nosh val’een!)』
At the same time, Serena coughed up blood.
Red blood burst from her mouth and splattered onto Gawain.