Chapter 220: The Black Demon (3)

Yuri and his group entered the castle of Valshard, receiving a welcome from Maryrose.

Dinner was served.

Francesco, seeing Maryrose for the first time, couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“I’m Francesco.”

“Yes. I am Maryrose Antret.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Oh, really? And what have you heard?”

“Well… praise, I think.”

“What kind of praise?”

“That…”

As Francesco didn’t respond easily, Maryrose tilted her head, intrigued.

“Did you just say that to say something? If so, then you’re quite…”

“S-Sorry…”

“You’re thoughtful.”

“Huh?”

“This is our first time meeting, but you wanted to say something nice, right?”

“Oh, yes. Hehe…”

“But it was a lie.”

“Hmm…”

While he didn’t know how to react, Yuri focused on the food.

Once she’d played enough with Francesco, Maryrose turned her shining gaze to Yuri.

“Prince? Should I call you Your Highness now?”

“Yes.”

“Have you been well, Your Highness?”

“Uh-huh. Maryrose.”

“Yes?”

Yuri took a gift from his chest.

“Here, take this.”

“What is it?”

“A gift.”

He handed her a butterfly-shaped headband he had bought from the Elaine Company.

“Oh…”

Jared, watching from nearby, thought Maryrose would be delighted.

After all, she had always shown interest in Yuri.

But surprisingly, Maryrose didn’t show a completely joyful expression. Rather, with a slightly bitter look, she accepted the gift and smiled.

“Is it because of the butterfly? Did you pick it because of my tattoo?”

“No, it just made me think of you.”

“Thank you. I’ll wear it well.”

Maryrose recovered her usual bright expression and immediately put on the headband.

The jewels on the accessory sparkled under the lights of the hall. Even Jared, who knew nothing about jewelry, thought it suited her very well.

“I’ll wear it gladly. After all, it was a gift Your Highness chose thinking of me.”

“Uh-huh.”

Jared tilted his head.

He could sense that Maryrose was disappointed about something, but didn’t know what. Maybe she just didn’t like the design of the ornament.

“Hmm…”

While he reflected, Simon whispered to him.

“What’s wrong?”

“I think the Mage felt disappointed.”

Jared had the rank of vice-commander in the Second Order, so he spoke informally to the other members.

“Ah…”

Simon smiled.

“Don’t you know why?”

“Do you?”

“More or less.”

“Could it be she didn’t like the gift?”

“Hahaha…”

Simon glanced at Yuri and Maryrose. Both were chatting, paying no attention to their surroundings.

Then Simon spoke quietly.

“Sir Jared. As an illegitimate child, I grew up learning to read the room.”

“I see.”

“Thanks to that, I’m good at romantic matters. Love depends on intuition.”

“And?”

“Think about it, Sir Jared. This isn’t just anyone, it’s His Highness. If he were really interested in the Mage, would he have given her a trinket like that?”

“Hmm?”

“It might seem like a sign of affection, but it’s nothing more than a polite gesture. Just like when he bought us those weapons. You get what I mean?”

Jared thought about it for a moment and understood something.

“I see…”

He tried to imagine what Yuri would be like if he were interested in someone.

From what he knew, Yuri wouldn’t openly show his feelings in a situation like this, in the middle of a war against the Empire. Rather, he’d pretend complete indifference and get closer when everything was settled.

The fact that he could give that gift so casually was proof he didn’t feel anything special.

“I think I understand.”

“That’s it. The Mage noticed it.”

Then Guinness, who was listening nearby, chimed in quietly.

“And besides, the gift was shaped like a butterfly. That’s also a problem.”

“Why would the butterfly be a problem?”

This time Simon also tilted his head.

“Wasn’t it because Maryrose has a butterfly tattoo?”

Guinness shook his head.

“Maybe, but there’s a superstition that giving something with wings makes the person fly away. It’s taboo to give winged items to someone you like. Even when eating chicken, people avoid giving the wings. Hehehe…”

Jared and Simon sighed.

“That sounds really outdated.”

“What era are you talking about…?”

While the three chatted, dinner came to an end. Maryrose rose from her seat.

Her red dress swayed gently, producing an elegant sound.

“It was a pleasant dinner. Shall we go, then?”

“Yes.”

Yuri also stood up.

Jared, Simon, and Guinness, who were whispering among themselves, didn’t understand what was going on and looked confused.

Yuri said,

“You all rest. I’m going to visit Maryrose’s workshop.”

“No, we’ll go with you.”

“Yes? It could be dangerous.”

“We’ll take the risk.”

The three stood up with firm expressions.

“We can’t let you go alone.”

They had vaguely heard that mages were gathering in Valshard to study black magic.

It was an enemy they would have to face later. No matter how dangerous, they had to see it with their own eyes.

“Then let’s go.”

Yuri and his group followed Maryrose down into the underground levels of Valshard Castle.

The temperature gradually dropped. With no sunlight, only the lamps on the walls illuminated the stairs.

As they moved quickly, the shadows on the walls shifted alongside them.

They finally reached the end of the underground passage. Something unpleasant could already be felt.

“Something…”

Jared, his heart pounding, pointed beyond the door.

“I feel like there’s something there.”

An inexplicable unease overtook him. He felt he shouldn’t go any farther. His heart was racing, and he couldn’t breathe deeply.

Yuri, standing in front of the door, looked at him and smiled.

“Hey, your face is pale.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Will you be okay?”

“Yes.”

“Good, then…”

Yuri opened the door.

A long corridor appeared, and at the end of it, someone’s presence could be sensed. Maryrose spoke.

“Hernando?”

Her voice echoed through the space.

Shortly after, a familiar face appeared.

“It’s been a while.”

Hernando had been waiting for them. He hadn’t changed at all.

“Oh…”

Everyone approached him.

Hernando extended a hand to Yuri, who was in front.

“It’s been a while. Are you ‘Your Highness’ now? Looks like you’ve grown.”

“You haven’t changed at all.”

They shook hands. But Hernando’s face twisted in pain.

Yuri had squeezed his hand tightly.

“Ah, that hurts…”

“Were you relaxing here peacefully while I was breaking my back out there?”

“W-What are you talking about? I’ve had my own share too.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Uuugh…”

Yuri gave a small laugh and let go of his hand.

“Then you’ll have to prove it.”

“Seriously…”

Even though it had been a long time since they last saw each other, there was no awkwardness between them.

Hernando pointed to Francesco, who was standing next to Yuri.

“And this one?”

“Sir Francesco. Known as the Holy Knight.”

“The Holy Knight of the Ten Greats?”

“Yes.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m the mage Hernando.”

“Ah, yes. I’m Paladin Francesco. An honor to meet you.”

Francesco greeted Hernando respectfully.

Yuri’s brow twitched.

Somehow, he seemed to be the only one treating Hernando indifferently. Everyone else treated him with a certain degree of care.

“Sir Francesco, why so respectful all of a sudden?”

“What do you mean?”

He tilted his head, confused.

“A mage of this level deserves respect.”

“Of this level?”

“Can’t you feel it?”

Yuri looked at Hernando and also tilted his head.

Now that he thought about it, even Moyongchan had treated him with reverence the first time they met, calling him a great warrior, and his father, Fiore, had also spoken to him with respect.

And now Francesco was doing the same.

“Hmm…”

Yuri knew Hernando was a talented mage, but he didn’t feel anything overwhelming about him like Moyongchan or Francesco described.

When Yuri looked closely, Hernando smiled.

“No need to think too hard. My ability doesn’t work on Your Highness.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“There’s a saying that someone who’s eaten meat before knows how to eat it properly.”

“Huh?”

“For example, to judge whether someone has a good or bad personality, one must have some standard. How could someone without manners judge others’ behavior?”

“Are you insulting me?”

“Quite the opposite.”

“Oh yeah? How’s that?”

“People as upright as myself sometimes envy those without manners.”

“That was definitely an insult.”

“It was a metaphor.”

“Metaphor or not, it was an insult.”

“Oh, come on…”

Maryrose scolded them as she watched them argue right after reuniting.

“What are you doing? Enough, both of you! Your voices are echoing all over the corridor!”

“It wasn’t an insult, it was a compliment!”

“He said I had no manners…”

“Enough already!”

Hernando let out a small laugh as he watched Maryrose drag Yuri away.

Fiore, Moyongchan, and Francesco were all powerful members of the Ten Greats. Those who possess such strength are inevitably bound to a very strong Celestial Mandate.

That’s why they felt such an overwhelming presence from Hernando, who wielded the technique “Observation of the Celestial Mandate.”

The stronger one was, the more intensely one perceived that inexplicable “something” in Hernando.

But Yuri Briol was an exception. A transcendent of the Mandate.

To someone who had escaped the net of heaven, the Mandate had no meaning.

To Yuri, Hernando would always just be a decent mage. And Hernando found that deeply satisfying.

“Hey! Admit you called me rude!”

“Yes.”

“See, Maryrose! He admitted it!”

“I heard you already!”

Hernando burst into laughter.

The news that Cedric was an abomination of black magic had shocked Hernando as well. He feared that Yuri might fall into despair.

But the Yuri Briol he now faced was still the same. Giving up didn’t seem to be in his nature.

Hernando led the rest forward.

“Come, everyone.”

Yuri, who had entered first, stood inside the workshop with Maryrose holding his arm.

“This is my workshop.”

There were all sorts of tools and substances, unidentifiable at first glance. The smell was peculiar as well. But what stood out the most was a book floating in the center of the workshop.

“That is…”

“A copy.”

“Copy?”

“Of the demonic grimoire.”

Maryrose extended her hand and pointed to the magical book. Its cover opened, and the pages began to turn on their own. But most of them were blank.

Hernando, who had entered after, explained.

“The demonic grimoire we obtained had only a few pages, but the thoughts contained within were so profound that we were able to create a copy. Although compared to the original, its power is far inferior.”

Hernando and Maryrose had reconstructed the scroll they obtained after defeating Okua and Gert, thus replicating a demonic grimoire.

“Now, Your Highness. It’s your turn.”

Hernando brought Yuri before the copy of the grimoire.

“Only Your Highness can do this.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Hernando’s eyes were filled with conviction.

“We did everything we could to extract information, but it wasn’t enough. The demonic grimoire is a creature with a will of its own. Only someone who has mastered Cut the soul and the heart can face black magic. Only Yuri Briol can resist its manipulation and discern the truth.”

Yuri looked at the demonic grimoire floating in the air.

It was nothing more than a leather-bound book. Only a few parchment pages had been added. In reality, it was a completely different book from the original grimoire.

And yet, it had awakened as a weakened version of the true demonic grimoire.

What exactly was a demonic grimoire?

“Go ahead.”

At Hernando’s signal, Yuri stepped forward without hesitation.

It wasn’t because he was confident. He didn’t even have time to question whether he could do it.

He simply had to do it—and so he did.

“When you enter the magic circle, everything will begin.”

Beneath the copy of the demonic grimoire was a circle composed of a six-pointed star, surrounded by magical symbols of unknown meaning.

All patterns were arranged according to geometric calculations and repeated in precise order, thus forming the magic circle.

Though Yuri wasn’t an expert in magic, he could sense how powerful the circle was.

And he understood how dangerous this copy was, that it could only be sealed with such a circle.

Yuri drew Guilty.

A chilling energy flowed.

He threw the sheath to the ground, gripped Guilty firmly, and took another step forward.