Kukuku...!
A tremendous wave of mana shook the mansion greatly.
Both Elric and Mephisto looked up at the ceiling simultaneously, then looked back down.
A smile was on Elric's face, while irritation was clearly etched on Mephisto's.
[Seems like it's about time to get going. Make your decision quickly.]
Trembling!
Mephisto's body shook violently as if he had been electrocuted, glaring at Elric.
But the more he did so, the bigger Elric's smile grew.
[Call?]
『It’s a call, you son of a bitch!』
[Hand it over.]
『Damn it! To use the Seal of Original Sin, you must first be qualified!』
[You always say that.]
『What exactly do you think that qualification is?』
For a moment, something flashed through Elric's mind.
When he obtained the Seal of Cruelty. He had to struggle a lot. He challenged the Snow Mountain King again and again. He died many times. But he gradually took parts of the seal and eventually won.
To properly use a seal, a deep understanding of it is necessary.
If the same applies to the Seal of Original Sin?
[A lower seal?]
『Yes. Acquire those that are hierarchically below "Original Sin." That will open the path to the trigger.』
The corners of Elric's lips curled up greatly.
Finally, the once daunting shadow had been lifted.
[So what is the hierarchy?]
『I don’t know.』
[You reveal this much and then start spouting nonsense...!]
『It's true! From the beginning, I have been a perfect being. Since I opened my eyes, I have stood by the Demon God's side, with all demons beneath my feet!』
His voice was full of power.
『Moreover, unlike that coward Azazel, I didn’t keep close aides by my side. I walked alone and lived alone. How could such a king know about low-ranking seals!』
Mephisto walked the path alone, achieving feats without anyone’s help, eventually becoming a 'legend', thus, the phrase "self-sufficient and sovereign" fits him.
Mephisto seemed to have immense pride in himself.
[So, you were just a loner? What's so great about that?]
『You fool!』
[Then give me another hint. There are countless demons in the world; I can't go after every single one of them.]
For a brief moment, Mephisto said nothing.
Elric stared at Mephisto, determined not to back down.
『The engraved pattern of the seal! Is that enough?!』
That was enough.
Elric quickly glanced at the Seal of Original Sin on his shoulder.
[A wolf?]
『Don’t ask for more!』
If he pressed further, things would truly go awry.
Elric thought he could pry more information out of Mephisto later when the opportunity arose. For now, he moved the fragment of the seal he had absorbed towards the Seal of Original Sin, as promised.
『Oh, oh! Finally…!』
Mephisto's face, which had been marred with irritation because of Elric, now brimmed with delight.
This was the fragment he had desperately wanted but couldn’t obtain due to Azazel’s interference and the other Great Demon Kings’ hindrances.
But the moment he acquired this, he could gather more information about Azazel.
Of course, this didn’t mean he immediately knew the secret to defeating Azazel or reclaiming the stolen demonic energy.
Still, even the slightest clue could prove invaluable.
This was the true reason Mephisto, unlike the other Great Demon Kings, didn’t build his own power base but still reigned as the mightiest Great Demon King.
‘Insanire, Insanire… It was called that, but it operated under such a mechanism? It’s not just sheer insanity; it includes a grandiose aspect as well.’
Mephisto’s eyes gleamed.
Though faint, it was Insanire.
‘If I could align this with my own seal, I would start by breaking their spirit… Huh?’
Mephisto had to tilt his head in confusion, interrupting his own thoughts.
The fragment of Azazel’s seal and the demonic energy that had been blending smoothly into the Seal of Original Sin suddenly stopped.
Then he saw it.
Elric was looking at him with a sly grin!
『You, no way?』
[I never said I'd give you everything, did I?]
『Hey!』
[I've given you as much as you gave me in hints. Let me know if you think of anything else.]
『You bastard!』
Mephisto, feeling something snap in his mind, grabbed Elric by the collar and shook him.
Of course, this caused no physical damage whatsoever.
Elric simply ignored Mephisto and withdrew his hand. The totem, robbed of all its demonic energy and seal fragments, crumbled into dust and collapsed.
‘As expected, no new seal.’
Elric nodded to himself, seeing that there was no change as there had been when he had taken seals from other demons.
It seemed this was indeed related to the arrangements made by his ancestors.
‘Anyway, the objective is accomplished…!’
Elric looked back at Sean and Heize.
They, too, were looking at him, having apparently finished their own tasks.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“Think we can make it out?”
Sean glanced upwards.
A considerable number of soldiers could be felt rushing towards them. The ambush had succeeded, but escaping was an entirely different matter.
However,
“You think I didn’t plan for this? Chaos is best covered with more chaos.”
Elric turned to Heize.
“Sis, it's up to you.”
Heize silently nodded and began moving quickly through the basement, targeting only the main pillars.
Each one was something Elric had previously frozen solid.
Bang, bang, boom!
Rumble…!
As a result, the pillars shattered far too easily with every strike of her hammer.
The massive mansion collapsed in an instant.
“Run!”
With Elric's shout,
Rumble!
The already unstable mansion, weakened by numerous shocks, finally crumbled completely.
Of course, it took with it the remaining agents of the Inspection Bureau and demons inside.
***
“Thank you, old man! Thank you so much…!”
“What’s there to thank? Move quickly. There are others behind you.”
“Then, at least your name…!”
“Hey! How can I give my name while on official business? The moment you know, you'll end up on the Bureau’s blacklist. Is that what you want?”
“Eek! No, no, sir!”
On the road leading out of the village, Augustine was busy helping the villagers escape.
Naturally, he had to keep his identity hidden, so he wore the black mask of the Inspection Bureau.
‘Hehe. Playing the hero isn’t so bad. I get to mock the Inspection Bureau scum.’
Augustine and Gility weren’t just tasked with monitoring the Inspection Bureau.
The viscount’s estate was mostly populated by innocent villagers. The ruthless Inspection Bureau wouldn’t consider their plight, so their mission was to help as many as possible escape.
They couldn’t save everyone, but they could save a significant number.
Maybe it was because he had spent his life chasing the Demon King Yu and focusing on the revival of his family, the Nerester family?
Augustine found this to be quite satisfying.
[Hyung-nim, the mansion has collapsed.]
At that moment, a hawk flew overhead and conveyed a message to his ear.
It was Gility’s familiar.
[I’ll be there soon.]
Augustine nodded and spotted Elric, Sean, and Heize running towards him.
It was time to open the escape route.
***
“You crazy bastards…!”
Amidst the rubble of the collapsed mansion.
Patran was barely able to get up, irritated.
They had cornered the demons, but he never expected them to pull off something like this.
Burying everyone alive.
Did the demons not care about their own casualties and sacrifices?
Of course, this indicated just how valuable this mansion was to them, but it was still infuriating.
Because of this, even though Patran had almost captured Kaya, he had to let him go right in front of his eyes.
“Hel, Yott, Shannon!”
Patran called out the names of his subordinates who had been working with him.
Soon, the rubble shifted, and two figures managed to get up.
Neither of them were in good condition.
“…Shannon is dead.”
“Idiot! Leave the dead. Hel, quickly assess the damage and search for any vaults or hidden rooms in the mansion! Yott, you pursue Kaya immediately! He’s missing limbs, so he shouldn’t have gotten far.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Hurry! His Highness the Crown Prince is watching this personally! Failure will not be taken lightly!”
“Understood!”
“Understood!”
The two agents moved swiftly.
Although their faces were hidden by masks, they all had irritated complexions.
They knew very well that the "reprimand" Patran mentioned would not just be a simple reprimand or pay cut.
“…Things have been going wrong ever since Elric Melvinger.”
Patran managed to quell his anger.
The sudden collapse of the mansion had thrown a wrench into the works, but Patran wasn’t overly worried.
Kaya was severely injured from their encounter. No matter how much he struggled, he had his limits. The estate was surrounded by troops forming a tight siege, leaving no room for escape.
Given Kaya’s desperate retreat, he likely didn’t have time to smuggle out important documents or items.
Everything would fall into place soon enough, Patran thought.
‘And if the evidence we find here hints at a connection to Melvinger... Hah! Taking him down won’t be difficult.’
Evidence fabrication was a common practice within the Inspection Bureau, so this wouldn’t be a challenge.
Patran planned to use this opportunity to crush not only Elric Melvinger but also the entire Melvinger family.
Moreover, he could hold the Nerester family, which has built a close relationship with Elric, accountable as well, thereby gaining political leverage over the Magic Tower.
And if he credited Crown Prince Jericho for all the successes?
He could secure a firm foothold for the Crown Prince's future reign.
‘If we have the Crown Prince personally lead the ongoing subjugation of Gregori, it would be perfect.’
Patran was already excited at the prospect of securing the position of the Fourth Bureau Director… or even the Chief Director.
All that remained was to present the evidence found here to the Crown Prince and gain his trust. Everything would fall into place smoothly.
As he was lost in thought, a sudden commotion jolted him back to reality.
“Sir, there’s a problem!”
Patran felt a pang of unease seeing Hel return, his face pale.
“What is it? Did you not find the hidden rooms?”
“No, we found them. But...!”
“Speak clearly!”
“The vaults are all empty! There’s evidence of third-party involvement…”
“What?”
Something entirely unexpected.
Behind his mask, Patran's eyes hardened.
And then.
“…I apologize. We lost track of Kaya and his group midway,” reported the agent who had been chasing Kaya, his voice trembling.
“Could it be… Was there a third party involved?”
“Yes, sir. There was a sudden attack on the perimeter, creating a breach. Because of this, it seems Kaya and some of the estate’s residents managed to escape through that gap.”
“How could you handle this so poorly?!”
The bright future that seemed within reach was dissipating like a mirage.
“Pursue them! At all costs! Don’t even think about returning until you’ve found them!”
“Y-yes, sir!”
The agents, fearing their superior's wrath might turn on them, hurriedly ran off.
But no amount of running could alleviate the shock Patran had experienced. A furious shout escaped his tightly clenched lips.
“They knew about our ambush…! Otherwise, there’s no way they’d have someone ready to assist them so promptly!”
His eyes twisted into a menacing glare.
“Ha! There is a spy of the demons within the Inspection bureau!”
Just as Kaya had miscalculated, Patran had also made a grave error in judgment.
However, by the time he realized this, the situation had already become so convoluted that uncovering the truth would be nearly impossible.
Kukuku...!
A tremendous wave of mana shook the mansion greatly.
Both Elric and Mephisto looked up at the ceiling simultaneously, then looked back down.
A smile was on Elric's face, while irritation was clearly etched on Mephisto's.
[Seems like it's about time to get going. Make your decision quickly.]
Trembling!
Mephisto's body shook violently as if he had been electrocuted, glaring at Elric.
But the more he did so, the bigger Elric's smile grew.
[Call?]
『It’s a call, you son of a bitch!』
[Hand it over.]
『Damn it! To use the Seal of Original Sin, you must first be qualified!』
[You always say that.]
『What exactly do you think that qualification is?』
For a moment, something flashed through Elric's mind.
When he obtained the Seal of Cruelty. He had to struggle a lot. He challenged the Snow Mountain King again and again. He died many times. But he gradually took parts of the seal and eventually won.
To properly use a seal, a deep understanding of it is necessary.
If the same applies to the Seal of Original Sin?
[A lower seal?]
『Yes. Acquire those that are hierarchically below "Original Sin." That will open the path to the trigger.』
The corners of Elric's lips curled up greatly.
Finally, the once daunting shadow had been lifted.
[So what is the hierarchy?]
『I don’t know.』
[You reveal this much and then start spouting nonsense...!]
『It's true! From the beginning, I have been a perfect being. Since I opened my eyes, I have stood by the Demon God's side, with all demons beneath my feet!』
His voice was full of power.
『Moreover, unlike that coward Azazel, I didn’t keep close aides by my side. I walked alone and lived alone. How could such a king know about low-ranking seals!』
Mephisto walked the path alone, achieving feats without anyone’s help, eventually becoming a 'legend', thus, the phrase "self-sufficient and sovereign" fits him.
Mephisto seemed to have immense pride in himself.
[So, you were just a loner? What's so great about that?]
『You fool!』
[Then give me another hint. There are countless demons in the world; I can't go after every single one of them.]
For a brief moment, Mephisto said nothing.
Elric stared at Mephisto, determined not to back down.
『The engraved pattern of the seal! Is that enough?!』
That was enough.
Elric quickly glanced at the Seal of Original Sin on his shoulder.
[A wolf?]
『Don’t ask for more!』
If he pressed further, things would truly go awry.
Elric thought he could pry more information out of Mephisto later when the opportunity arose. For now, he moved the fragment of the seal he had absorbed towards the Seal of Original Sin, as promised.
『Oh, oh! Finally…!』
Mephisto's face, which had been marred with irritation because of Elric, now brimmed with delight.
This was the fragment he had desperately wanted but couldn’t obtain due to Azazel’s interference and the other Great Demon Kings’ hindrances.
But the moment he acquired this, he could gather more information about Azazel.
Of course, this didn’t mean he immediately knew the secret to defeating Azazel or reclaiming the stolen demonic energy.
Still, even the slightest clue could prove invaluable.
This was the true reason Mephisto, unlike the other Great Demon Kings, didn’t build his own power base but still reigned as the mightiest Great Demon King.
‘Insanire, Insanire… It was called that, but it operated under such a mechanism? It’s not just sheer insanity; it includes a grandiose aspect as well.’
Mephisto’s eyes gleamed.
Though faint, it was Insanire.
‘If I could align this with my own seal, I would start by breaking their spirit… Huh?’
Mephisto had to tilt his head in confusion, interrupting his own thoughts.
The fragment of Azazel’s seal and the demonic energy that had been blending smoothly into the Seal of Original Sin suddenly stopped.
Then he saw it.
Elric was looking at him with a sly grin!
『You, no way?』
[I never said I'd give you everything, did I?]
『Hey!』
[I've given you as much as you gave me in hints. Let me know if you think of anything else.]
『You bastard!』
Mephisto, feeling something snap in his mind, grabbed Elric by the collar and shook him.
Of course, this caused no physical damage whatsoever.
Elric simply ignored Mephisto and withdrew his hand. The totem, robbed of all its demonic energy and seal fragments, crumbled into dust and collapsed.
‘As expected, no new seal.’
Elric nodded to himself, seeing that there was no change as there had been when he had taken seals from other demons.
It seemed this was indeed related to the arrangements made by his ancestors.
‘Anyway, the objective is accomplished…!’
Elric looked back at Sean and Heize.
They, too, were looking at him, having apparently finished their own tasks.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“Think we can make it out?”
Sean glanced upwards.
A considerable number of soldiers could be felt rushing towards them. The ambush had succeeded, but escaping was an entirely different matter.
However,
“You think I didn’t plan for this? Chaos is best covered with more chaos.”
Elric turned to Heize.
“Sis, it's up to you.”
Heize silently nodded and began moving quickly through the basement, targeting only the main pillars.
Each one was something Elric had previously frozen solid.
Bang, bang, boom!
Rumble…!
As a result, the pillars shattered far too easily with every strike of her hammer.
The massive mansion collapsed in an instant.
“Run!”
With Elric's shout,
Rumble!
The already unstable mansion, weakened by numerous shocks, finally crumbled completely.
Of course, it took with it the remaining agents of the Inspection Bureau and demons inside.
***
“Thank you, old man! Thank you so much…!”
“What’s there to thank? Move quickly. There are others behind you.”
“Then, at least your name…!”
“Hey! How can I give my name while on official business? The moment you know, you'll end up on the Bureau’s blacklist. Is that what you want?”
“Eek! No, no, sir!”
On the road leading out of the village, Augustine was busy helping the villagers escape.
Naturally, he had to keep his identity hidden, so he wore the black mask of the Inspection Bureau.
‘Hehe. Playing the hero isn’t so bad. I get to mock the Inspection Bureau scum.’
Augustine and Gility weren’t just tasked with monitoring the Inspection Bureau.
The viscount’s estate was mostly populated by innocent villagers. The ruthless Inspection Bureau wouldn’t consider their plight, so their mission was to help as many as possible escape.
They couldn’t save everyone, but they could save a significant number.
Maybe it was because he had spent his life chasing the Demon King Yu and focusing on the revival of his family, the Nerester family?
Augustine found this to be quite satisfying.
[Hyung-nim, the mansion has collapsed.]
At that moment, a hawk flew overhead and conveyed a message to his ear.
It was Gility’s familiar.
[I’ll be there soon.]
Augustine nodded and spotted Elric, Sean, and Heize running towards him.
It was time to open the escape route.
***
“You crazy bastards…!”
Amidst the rubble of the collapsed mansion.
Patran was barely able to get up, irritated.
They had cornered the demons, but he never expected them to pull off something like this.
Burying everyone alive.
Did the demons not care about their own casualties and sacrifices?
Of course, this indicated just how valuable this mansion was to them, but it was still infuriating.
Because of this, even though Patran had almost captured Kaya, he had to let him go right in front of his eyes.
“Hel, Yott, Shannon!”
Patran called out the names of his subordinates who had been working with him.
Soon, the rubble shifted, and two figures managed to get up.
Neither of them were in good condition.
“…Shannon is dead.”
“Idiot! Leave the dead. Hel, quickly assess the damage and search for any vaults or hidden rooms in the mansion! Yott, you pursue Kaya immediately! He’s missing limbs, so he shouldn’t have gotten far.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Hurry! His Highness the Crown Prince is watching this personally! Failure will not be taken lightly!”
“Understood!”
“Understood!”
The two agents moved swiftly.
Although their faces were hidden by masks, they all had irritated complexions.
They knew very well that the "reprimand" Patran mentioned would not just be a simple reprimand or pay cut.
“…Things have been going wrong ever since Elric Melvinger.”
Patran managed to quell his anger.
The sudden collapse of the mansion had thrown a wrench into the works, but Patran wasn’t overly worried.
Kaya was severely injured from their encounter. No matter how much he struggled, he had his limits. The estate was surrounded by troops forming a tight siege, leaving no room for escape.
Given Kaya’s desperate retreat, he likely didn’t have time to smuggle out important documents or items.
Everything would fall into place soon enough, Patran thought.
‘And if the evidence we find here hints at a connection to Melvinger... Hah! Taking him down won’t be difficult.’
Evidence fabrication was a common practice within the Inspection Bureau, so this wouldn’t be a challenge.
Patran planned to use this opportunity to crush not only Elric Melvinger but also the entire Melvinger family.
Moreover, he could hold the Nerester family, which has built a close relationship with Elric, accountable as well, thereby gaining political leverage over the Magic Tower.
And if he credited Crown Prince Jericho for all the successes?
He could secure a firm foothold for the Crown Prince's future reign.
‘If we have the Crown Prince personally lead the ongoing subjugation of Gregori, it would be perfect.’
Patran was already excited at the prospect of securing the position of the Fourth Bureau Director… or even the Chief Director.
All that remained was to present the evidence found here to the Crown Prince and gain his trust. Everything would fall into place smoothly.
As he was lost in thought, a sudden commotion jolted him back to reality.
“Sir, there’s a problem!”
Patran felt a pang of unease seeing Hel return, his face pale.
“What is it? Did you not find the hidden rooms?”
“No, we found them. But...!”
“Speak clearly!”
“The vaults are all empty! There’s evidence of third-party involvement…”
“What?”
Something entirely unexpected.
Behind his mask, Patran's eyes hardened.
And then.
“…I apologize. We lost track of Kaya and his group midway,” reported the agent who had been chasing Kaya, his voice trembling.
“Could it be… Was there a third party involved?”
“Yes, sir. There was a sudden attack on the perimeter, creating a breach. Because of this, it seems Kaya and some of the estate’s residents managed to escape through that gap.”
“How could you handle this so poorly?!”
The bright future that seemed within reach was dissipating like a mirage.
“Pursue them! At all costs! Don’t even think about returning until you’ve found them!”
“Y-yes, sir!”
The agents, fearing their superior's wrath might turn on them, hurriedly ran off.
But no amount of running could alleviate the shock Patran had experienced. A furious shout escaped his tightly clenched lips.
“They knew about our ambush…! Otherwise, there’s no way they’d have someone ready to assist them so promptly!”
His eyes twisted into a menacing glare.
“Ha! There is a spy of the demons within the Inspection bureau!”
Just as Kaya had miscalculated, Patran had also made a grave error in judgment.
However, by the time he realized this, the situation had already become so convoluted that uncovering the truth would be nearly impossible.
