Chapter 85
Srrrrk―
An unseen wall crumbled within the darkness, and from the dense black—its depth impossible to gauge—a creature erged.
The monster that had lived, settled into one side of Yuwon’s heart. The very one Yuwon had called the Black Serpent.
‘…Right. This was my inner world, but for that thing it was a nest. There was no reason for to try to force it open from my side. After all, the creature I knew had been living inside.’
Yuwon’s reflections did not last long.
Responding to his summons, the creature that ca to et him opened its mouth.
“Yurion Aphahiel… To think you would co all the way here.”
A heavy voice that seed to resonate not through the ears but through the soul itself.
From within the darkness, a massive serpent-shaped shadow approached Yuwon and spoke.
“Good to see you. Black Serpent.”
“Black Serpent… Now that I think about it, you truly have kept calling with such a trivial na.”
Apparently, it had never liked the na.
“If you don’t like ‘Black Serpent’, you should have said so.”
“…Did you co all the way here just to banter with , Yurion?”
“If I had leisure for that, it wouldn’t be bad—but that isn’t why I ca today.”
“…I expected as much. What do you want.”
“I ca to collect rent from the thing that took up residence in my heart without permission.”
“Rent, rent… You say amusing things. I thought lending you my power was paynt enough.”
“I thought so too, but thanks to you I got dragged into sothing troubleso. Because of that, I need to recalculate our accounts.”
“Sothing troubleso… Now that is interesting. But did you think I would simply comply?”
“If you don’t like it, then I suppose it’s ti we redefine our relationship.”
“Our relationship?”
To the doubt the Black Serpent hurled, Yuwon responded with a smile tugging at his lips.
“Landlord and tenant.”
“…And if I dislike that?”
Srrrk―
It did not end with a simple rejection. Its massive presence surged, coiling tightly around Yuwon like a snake constricting its prey.
“Hm, you dislike it?”
Of course, Yuwon did not simply accept it.
Whoosh―
He raised his own force, scattering the creature’s presence in an instant.
“If you don’t like it, then you need to vacate the room.”
A showdown with the Black Serpent—sothing Yuwon had expected ever since he noticed its existence and accepted its power.
A razor’s edge.
A chilling tension flowed between Yuwon and the Black Serpent.
The atmosphere was such that a battle could break out any mont. But ultimately, the fight never happened. In their clash of pride, the one who yielded first was the Black Serpent.
“You truly look like you’re willing to fight in earnest. Enough. Yurion, if the two of us fight, the one who’ll be happy is soone else entirely.”
“…So it is because of that beast.”
Ever since Yuwon absorbed the inner core of the massive monster captured in the South, his eyes had begun to carry a fierce killing intent he could not fully suppress. His inner strength had increased, but troubleso side effects followed—and here was the result.
“Yes, it’s because of the thing you summoned. Of course, I am responsible as well. I won’t say it was all because of that creature. But as you know, I’m not the sort of being that drags you into trouble without your consent.”
“Right, you never were. I understand your point. So then—where is it now? I thought it would be here.”
The answer the Black Serpent gave was exactly as Yuwon expected.
“It’s here right now. I am suppressing it at the mont.”
“Seems consuming it wasn’t enough.”
“It was a guardian of the river in the Southern Great Jungle. If you had simply killed it, maybe. But did you really think swallowing its essence would end pleasantly?”
At the question, Yuwon lifted a shoulder.
“I did think eating it might cause problems. I just didn’t expect it to manifest like this.”
“Then you’ve learned a lesson—not to eat anything you find.”
“Alright, enough of that. You said you’re suppressing it, right? Then I want you to step aside for a mont.”
“Don’t rush, Yurion. If I step aside, you may be in danger.”
“You’re worried it will devour ?”
“Like soone said—I may be a freeloader, but I can’t ignore the well-being of my host.”
Yuwon saw only a massive serpent-shadow, but he could sohow feel it.
The Black Serpent was laughing.
“Don’t worry. I won’t lose to a creature I already killed and swallowed once.”
“…If you say it like that, then fine. But do not lose, Yurion. I won’t forgive you if you let yourself be eaten by so pathetic snake.”
“Hm, a snake calling another snake ‘pathetic’… Is that allowed?”
“Oh? So I look like a snake to you?”
To the cryptic remark, Yuwon answered casually.
“I know you’re not an ordinary snake. You just talk too much.”
At that response, the Black Serpent fell silent.
‘It seems he still has a long way to go before he reaches the level of the one who turned into this. Still, he’s the first in centuries who can even converse with like this. Maybe I can expect a bit more.’
“Then, as you wish, I will step aside. Do well.”
This ti, the Black Serpent truly retreated quietly.
Srrrk―
With a strange rustle like a serpent passing his ear, its presence vanished. And through the empty space it left behind, the creature appeared.
Hiss, hiss―
A massive body and scales as black as pitch covering it.
The enormous maw that looked as if it could gulp down a person in a single bite remained the sa.
The creature that had already died to Yuwon and beco nothing more than equipnt now reappeared before him exactly as it had existed in his mories.
“Been a while. You look well.”
Screeeeech―!
To Yuwon’s familiar greeting, the creature answered with a fierce roar. It had once beco excellent armor for him. Yuwon felt glad to see it again, but apparently it did not feel the sa.
“Hoo, as expected, talking won’t work. Must I co all this way just to exert myself again.”
It was different from the Black Serpent that had chosen coexistence rather than devouring Yuwon when Yuwon had no strength whatsoever.
This creature was a beast with whom words could not be exchanged. If he had never known of its existence, that would be one thing, but now that he did, it was not sothing he could quietly carry within his arms.
Hiss, hiss!
Poison swelling within it, the creature exuded murderous intent as if it would attack Yuwon at any mont. Its bluish-black venomous fangs stood out.
“So co back to life even after dying, yet I must fight barehanded without even a single weapon. Truly fair conditions.”
Yuwon mocked the utterly unfair battlefield. But that was all.
There was not a trace of fear or hesitation in him. Clenching both fists tightly, he faced the creature head-on. Yuwon adjusted his stance.
“Right, what need is there for any conversation between you and . Co. This ti, I will devour even your soul.”
As if those words were a signal, the creature spread its jaws wide and lunged at Yuwon.
Bang―!
A sudden blood-soaked battle erupted deep within Yuwon’s inner world.
A rumor that began sowhere within the Imperial Palace.
‘The Holy Kingdom of Lehl has designated the Fifth Prince as a heretic!’
“How dare they…! What gave them the nerve to utter such blasphemous words…!”
Marquis Carson, currently considered Yuwon’s strongest supporter, ground his teeth, insisting it was utterly preposterous.
The reactions of others were not much different. It was naturally dismissed as baseless gossip. But it did not take long for that rumor to be proven true.
“There is intelligence that an envoy dispatched by Lehl was found at the border where Aphahiel and the Holy Kingdom et. It seems… the rumor surrounding His Highness is likely true.”
“What…!”
Aphahiel’s political world was turned upside down.
The news spread like wildfire across dry grass, eventually reaching even the distant south to the ears of Count Valaris.
“Hrmm… Have you heard? Word says the Lehl Papacy singled out His Highness the Fifth Prince and dispatched an investigation unit. What we thought was impossible turned out to be true.”
“Unless one lives with eyes shut and ears plugged, there’s no way one could miss such news in tis like these. Isn’t that so?”
“Well, if it’s reached even my ears, then everyone who should know must already know.”
“Know? Of course they know. And that’s not all. The factions of the other princes, who see Prince Yurion as a thorn in their eyes, are gleefully spreading the rumor everywhere they go. Vile n, they are.”
“…To think this is the reward His Majesty receives after bringing peace to the continent while ruling over Aphahiel. A religious trial against His Highness the Prince? Ten years ago, such a thing would have been unimaginable.”
“Indeed. Which is why we must steel ourselves. We had no chance winning in a straightforward contest, but now they have found sothing to blemish His Highness. The result is obvious as fire. Those enemies lurking outside will try to blow this out of proportion to overturn the situation.”
“Hm… His Highness must overco this ordeal well.”
“Do not worry. He will soon. Let us keep faith and wait.”
But matters did not proceed as Count Valaris had predicted.
Yuwon, who should have stepped forward publicly to deny the accusations, instead disappeared.
In truth, Yuwon was working to resolve the matter directly, but so completely misinterpreted his absence. With his disappearance, suspicion grew day by day.
“What has he done that a prince of all people would run away? Look at it. Isn’t it strange that that wastrel White Dog beca the so-called White Dragon overnight? I knew it. The Fifth Prince sold his soul to a demon. He must have seen sothing forbidden in the Imperial Library. That’s why he went in and out every day.”
“Hm… True, he did change after he started visiting the library he never used to go to.”
“What book in this world could change a man like that? As I said earlier, there is only one answer. A deal with a demon. Caught red-handed by the Holy Knights of Lehl, the Fifth Prince is now paying the price.”
Gossips who loved to speak of others, having sohow held themselves back until now, pounced like wild dogs the mont Yuwon exposed the slightest opening.
While such uproar swirled around him, a day or two passed quickly. The longer Yuwon remained absent, the darker the rumors grew.
‘The Fifth Prince suddenly beca a different man—all due to a deal with a demon. The Fifth Prince sold his soul to a demon!’
‘No, the Fifth Prince did not sell his soul to a demon. He is the demon. He is the incarnation of the Evil God!’
‘The Fifth Prince….’
‘The Fifth Prince is….’
Rumors that he had surely sold his soul to a demon soon escalated into claims that Yuwon was the incarnation of the Evil God, the Evil God reborn.
Those who had followed him rely because he had beco strong now turned their backs on the Fifth Prince’s faction and flocked to other princes—one misfortune after another.
“Hey, Bernid, where did Yurion go? We’re supposedly on the sa boat, but it feels like our boat is sinking.”
“Please wait. The youngest surely has plans. Even if he had sold his soul to a demon, that child would deceive everyone before ever running away.”
“Well, I suppose that’s true….”
Feeling uneasy about Yuwon’s absence, the Second Prince sought out Third Prince Bernid, but did not receive the reassuring answer he hoped for.
Even within such unease, days passed, and before they knew it, six days had gone by.
“We have finally arrived. Everyone, steel your minds. Without a doubt, the Fifth Prince, incarnation of the Evil God, will attempt to deceive us with his tongue. Do not waver.”
At last, Lehl’s envoy stepped into the Capital. The commander appointed to lead this envoy encouraged his companions at the front. And at that very mont—
Srrk―
Yuwon, who had sat with eyes tightly shut for days, fasting without taking a single bite of food, finally opened his eyes.
Having sohow completed the task he needed to do, Yuwon’s eyes shone clear and transparent like still water—no longer filled with raw killing intent but with refined, purified energy.
Yuwon had returned.
It would not be he who paid the price—they would.
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