Volume 10, Chapter 39 – Interlude

The western sea region of Wilfred City.

At first glance, it was a sea region without any danger. Birds skimmed the surface, and sunlight penetrated the water, clearly revealing the sword-shuttle fish and stone turtles swimming below. However, this was only the surface. On the deep seabed stood a building made of coral, shaped like a hill. No one just passing by would discover its true nature, but anyone who dived deep and approached it would surely find a great secret hidden within.

This was the “springboard” from the pact between the Demon Lord Styx and the late Norta Emperor. The emperor was to use the Tower of Alexia to create a magic-rich sea region, and the demons would use that magic to create a teleportation point connecting two distant lands. Although it had the flaw of massive consumption, requiring at least half a year to charge, this was far better than the years it originally took the demons to reach the Empire from Styx’s palace, a journey that cost nearly two-thirds of their numbers. The sea was dangerous not only for humans; the demons suffered from it as well. Otherwise, Styx would not have chosen to negotiate, but would have simply sent an army to conquer the Norta Empire.

Now, inside this massive, hill-sized coral, a large, burly demon was kneeling on one knee before another demon who had a human body but the head of a catfish.

“Lord Babafu, we have completed our mission. It is time to return to Lord Styx’s side.”

The catfish demon, sitting on a simple stone chair, stroked his whiskers. If Styx was the ruler of all sea monsters, then this catfish demon, Babafu, was the king of this sea region. He had been appointed by Styx to guard this place, and all demons nearby were under his command.

“So soon? Tsk tsk. It will take at least five or six years to get back to Lord Styx’s palace from here. The journey is arduous. Cons, you should stay here a while longer. Wait until the portal is fully charged before you go back. As it happens, I have something I need your help with.”

“F-Fully charged?” The large demon named Cons suddenly looked up, crying out, “Lord Babafu, isn’t the portal something we can use whenever we want!?”

“Hm? It seems the Fallen Angels didn’t explain it to you. Every time the portal is activated, it drains the magic of this entire sea region. When there’s not enough, I have to have the low-level demons find magic crystals to supplement it. It’s been less than two months since you last came with Lord Xipu. If you don’t want to cross tens of thousands of miles of deep sea with your subordinates, Cons, you’ll just have to wait here patiently for a few months. As it happens, I’ve been too busy researching the ‘divine messenger’ lately to negotiate with the human monarch. You can go to my place. I trust your abilities.”

The catfish demon beckoned to the dark cave behind him. Immediately, a large monster, shaped much like a plesiosaur but with five heads and four limbs better suited for swimming, walked up to him. It affectionately nudged the catfish demon, then, shaking its five heads, stared at Cons.

Cons’s scalp instantly tingled. This was a monster called a Hydra. Normally, an adult Hydra only had three heads. It would only grow another head for every ten levels it broke through. Five heads meant it was at least Level 60. Plus, with the heads’ ability to coordinate, Cons was certain he was no match for it.

Non-existent beads of sweat formed on his brow. Cons lowered his head even further.

“As… as expected of Lord Babafu, the “Second Magic Researcher.” Only a wise man such as yourself could raise a five-headed Hydra.”

“No, Cons, this is just the smallest one I’m raising. The others are too large to fit in here. When I’ve cultivated the legendary nine-headed Hydra, I expect the title of “First Magic Researcher” will change hands. But that’s not what I wanted to say. I mean, Cons, take this Hydra with you. As your mount, it will intimidate the human monarch. If you want to go back sooner, get the human monarch to increase the Tower of Alexia’s magic supply to this region. If she is unwilling, you can repeat my words to her. She’s not the only royal left. If we swapped in her eight-year-old sister, she would be much easier to control.”

“Yes…”

Rеaԁ оn KаtRеadіոɡСаfe

As he agreed, Cons secretly glanced at the catfish demon, a hesitant look on his face. The catfish demon’s fishy eyes widened slightly.

“What, something else to say?”

“Yes, I wanted to ask Lord Babafu, what about the ‘divine messenger’ we captured some time ago? And the matter of Lord Xipu. Lord Xipu was sealed in the Demon Lord’s Castle by Tartaros and there has been no news. I’m afraid that when I return, Lord Styx will be furious…”

Before Cons could finish, Babafu held up his palm, his whiskers twitching. “The seal Tartaros used sealed herself in as well. It’s a seal that freezes even time. Unless Lord Styx goes personally, no one can get them out. So you don’t need to worry. I suspect Lord Styx’s reason for launching the surprise attack was to prepare for the final battle. Every person who could threaten Lord Styx is another variable. Lord Styx wanted to put Tartaros to death from the very beginning. Although we can’t bring Tartaros’s corpse back right now, with that seal, she is no different from being dead.”

“But what if Tartaros isn’t dead and escaped? Some of my subordinates reported seeing something fly out of the seal.”

“I know what you’re worried about. My answer is only this: even if Tartaros escaped, she has no capital to make a comeback. I personally investigated that seal. It was a barrier forged by burning her own power, using the Demon Lord’s inheritance as fuel. The moment that barrier was completed, Tartaros lost all of her strength. She no longer has the right to call herself a Demon Lord.”

At this, the catfish demon seemed to remember something and began to pace the room.

“However, as Lord Styx’s subordinates, we cannot be negligent. We must see Tartaros’s corpse. Contact our human followers on the surface. Have them pass a message to the Holy Council of Humanity. Tell them the powerless Tartaros may be hiding in the human world. Have them keep an eye out for any suspicious, horned girls. If they find a match, there’s no need to confirm. Strangle her immediately.”

“Yes. Then, the matter of the divine messenger…”

The “divine messenger” was the flame jellyfish his group had gone to great lengths to capture. Although, no matter how he looked at it, it seemed like a mindless, inanimate object, and his subordinates had said it had none of the “presence” of a divine messenger, an order was an order.

“I will keep the divine messenger for now. I see infinite potential in it. It’s not a living body with consciousness, but more like a familiar. No, that’s wrong. A familiar cannot compare to it. If used properly, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it could boil the entire sea dry. If I can analyze its structure and change its fire elements to water elements, it won’t be long before I can create a monster even more terrifying than the nine-headed Hydra.”

Babafu didn’t say that when he’d first seen the divine messenger, he’d felt as if he’d found a long-lost treasure. He had spent his life cultivating Hydras to create an army loyal only to him, one stronger than the demon army. But Hydras were low-intelligence monsters and grew slower than humans. If he could use this divine messenger as a prototype to create an army of water elementals… perhaps even the goat-headed Xipu would have to bow to him. The divine messenger had the trait of devouring and growing from like-elements. Who knew what level it could reach? It had infinite potential.

Sometimes, Babafu even thought this flame truly deserved the name “divine messenger.” It was a treasure gifted to him by God. Of course, he could only think that. For those loyal to Styx, it should be called a “demon messenger.”

Cons relaxed slightly. “Then I am relieved. Lord Styx instructed me that I must bring the divine messenger back. Lord Babafu, in this environment full of water, please be careful.”

Rеαd οո KatRеаⅾіոɡСafe

I cherish it more than you do.

Grumbling inwardly, Babafu flicked his sleeves. “It’s getting late. Go. Someone will show you the way for the negotiations.”

“Yes.”

The lights gradually dimmed, and the coral palace returned to silence.

◇

“I knew it would be crowded, but I didn’t expect the Adventurers’ Guild in this city to be this lively.”

Yisi, who had entered the Adventurers’ Guild alone, marveled silently. Supported by Wilfred’s dense population, the guild was much larger than she’d imagined. The moment she opened the door, a wave of chatter and cheering washed over her, along with the faint smell of sweat and cheap ale.

Aside from the adventurers sitting around tables, talking loudly, there were also beast-kin and elven girls dancing on a second-floor balcony, which was the source of the cheering she’d heard.

Is this more of an underground tavern than a guild?

The girls’ dancing was quite bold, and their clothes were revealing. On Earth, this would definitely be an adults-only establishment.

After letting her gaze linger for a moment on the cat-eared girls and the elven “big sisters,” Yisi shook her head.

Well, I’d better find a place to sit.

She’d been in this world for two years and knew a few of the rules. For example, if someone dressed like her—clearly not an adventurer—sat down, an information broker would soon “sniff” their way over, for a small fee.

As for why she was here, besides looking for a monster-dense, not-too-harsh hunting ground, she also needed to buy a ship and recruit sailors. If possible, she’d like to learn about that “Holy Council of Humanity” organization—not to destroy them, but to avoid them.

Pretending to watch the dancers, Yisi tapped a gold coin on the table. In less than five minutes, a figure appeared on the opposite side. To Yisi’s surprise, it wasn’t a short person hidden in a hood, but a very mature, fox-eared woman, dressed like a noble lady in a white, round hat. The open-chest design of her dress, combined with her bewitching aura, made Yisi unsure where to look. Her composed attitude instantly became guarded.

Rеad οո KαtRеαⅾіոɡСαfе

The fox-eared woman smiled. “I thought you were an old hand, but you’re a rookie? That’s a rare sight here. Your chest is a bit small, but your face makes even me feel ashamed. You’ll be very popular when you’re a little older.”

I don’t care about my chest size, but please watch your words. If you said that to Camilla or Pepe, I can’t imagine what would happen.

Glancing at the dancers, the fox-eared woman leaned forward, her hands on the table, and studied Yisi. Her face was suddenly very close, and the smell of her perfume made Yisi instinctively scoot back. If an innocent boy were in my place, he’d be bright red right now. Fortunately, after all the… stimulation from her companions (Evelyn in the holy bath, Laxy changing in front of her), she had built up some immunity.

“So, what does the little lady want to know? This isn’t your first time, is it? This isn’t a trick a rookie would know.”

“I want to know where the monsters are most dense.”

“Hoh… Let me be clear, I’m not the kind of fox who’ll do anything for money. What’s your adventurer rank?”

“Orichalcum.”

Yisi laid her adventurer’s tag on the table. In the underground labyrinth, Pepe, out of competitiveness, had taken a huge number of monster-hunting quests. Their party had already reached Orichalcum-rank.

For just a moment, Yisi caught a flash of surprise on the woman’s face.

“Orichalcum… There are only three Orichalcum-rank teams in all of Wilfred. Maybe it’s possible…”

“Possible?”

“No, just thinking aloud. Orichalcum is high enough to warrant dangerous information. Unscrupulous brokers used to give dangerous locations to any adventurer just to make money, wiping out whole teams. That’s why I had to check. Now that I know, everything’s simple. There are three places around Wilfred where monsters are concentrated…”

As the woman described them, Yisi scanned each location with the [Omniscient Map]. The results: none of them were suitable. In all three, monsters over Level 30 were rare, and even those were hidden on the seabed, hard to reach.

Yisi chose her words carefully. “Mhm… are there no other places? I heard the monsters in these three spots are extremely weak.”

Rеаⅾ оո KatRеαdіոɡCαfе

“Weak? Those are places adventurers call the ‘Vortex of Graves’ and the ‘Beach of Death.’ Just how strong are you…” The fox-woman looked at her as if she were a monster, then sighed. “If those three won’t do, then I can only recommend the open sea.”

“No, the open sea is also…”

My companions have almost no experience on an ocean-going vessel. Fighting sea monsters in the open ocean right away is too difficult. It would be a one-sided slaughter, not an effective way to level up.

Looks like I’ll have to find a spot with the [Omniscient Map].

Yisi changed the subject. “I’d like you to help me find a reliable crew of sailors. And, if possible, buy a sturdy ship.”

“Wait, you’re not really planning to go to the open sea, are you? That’s a death sentence. Not even one in ten comes back alive.”

“No, I’m just planning a trip to Fairy Land, probably in about two months. You don’t need to worry about the money.”

Yisi placed a heavy pouch on the table. Before coming here, she’d gone to an auction house and sold a magic sword she’d made while working on the wings. Letting them auction it would have brought in more, but that would take time. A quick sale is better.

At the clink of gold, the fox-woman’s ears twitched. She leaned in, pulling down the collar of her dress, making her already-exposed cleavage even more eye-catching. She definitely does this a lot.

“Oooh!! With this much gold, I can find you a crew in less than two months. But how do I contact you?”

“Go to the North District—”

BANG!

Just as Yisi was about to continue, the guild’s main door slammed open. A frantic man rushed to the counter, shouting.

“Help! It’s a Hydra!”