Chapter 291: Tough Guys (13)

The world moved slowly. The moment he was sprawled onto the floor, Cutlass saw the brilliantly shining chandelier. He saw the Hero and Lucius, laughing warmly together. Cutlass averted his gaze. Sibanne's figure was nowhere to be seen beyond the door. Lucius had said he was not the Demon King.

His body, which had collapsed onto the floor with a heavy thud, trembled from the impact of hitting the bare ground. Cutlass thought once more. Where had the plan gone wrong? This operation had been planned ever since the previous generation Hero appeared and the tide had turned heavily against them. Where exactly had the problem arisen? Cutlass closed his eyes.

"I have a good idea."

That was what Evangeline had said. At that time, Cutlass had been standing on the balcony. The site of this resurrection was a massive mansion in the Western region. The Hero's Party was cutting through the monsters that filled the foothills. Cutlass, who had been watching the Hero's Party mow down the monsters, lent his ear to her words. Evangeline explained.

"We've been trying to bring about the Demon King's descent in the wrong way all along. Stupidly, we gave those bastards too much time. We need to change our approach. Manifesting the Demon King's body creates too big a ripple. I have a better idea."

"What is it?"

This resurrection had turned out to be a bust as well. The Lamia Queen, a vital pillar of their fighting force, hadn't even been able to make an appearance as the plan fell apart, and both Lubian and Falkios had been wounded, barely managing to preserve their lives and flee. In a situation like this, the next plan Evangeline put forward was something Cutlass desperately needed. Evangeline looked around, let out a small chuckle, and spoke.

"We make the Demon King's soul possess a strong body. A human child who inherited an exceptionally powerful talent."

A smile spread across Cutlass's face. Just from Evangeline's words alone, Cutlass could be certain. This plan held enormous potential. He was filled with the conviction that it would succeed without fail and bring glory to the Demon King's Army.

From that moment, the plan was set in motion under the leadership of Evangeline and Cutlass. Cutlass ordered his most beloved female adjutant to seduce the Hero's Party. Evangeline stamped a brand onto the demon adjutant and led the operation, monitoring her in real time. Every part of the operation proceeded flawlessly. Though the descent had ended in failure once again, Cutlass did not weep. Filled with conviction in the new operation, he moved with even greater fervor.

The adjutant met Peta Sirius. The two fell in love, and at last reached a passionate union. An adjutant of the Demon King's Army and a priest of the Hero's Party. Surprisingly, it didn't take long for the two, who could never be together, to be joined. Sirius, hopelessly dense when it came to romance, couldn't push away the adjutant who actively pursued him. Cutlass let out a cry of delight as he watched the fierce sexual intercourse between Sirius and the adjutant.

"Oh! My adjutant! What an enviable sight this is! If I weren't the one commanding this operation, I would have personally become the Demon King's mother!"

"You insane bastard."

Evangeline grimaced and shook her head. But Cutlass paid no heed to Evangeline's disgusted reaction. What mattered was that the adjutant had received Sirius's seed. Peta Sirius was of an extremely noble bloodline even among elves, and as a member of the Hero's Party, he was a priest of outstanding talent. If the body carried that man's blood, no one would ever suspect even if the Demon King's soul came to dwell within it.

Already, Cutlass's body seemed to be heating up with excitement. Trembling, he asked Evangeline.

"Then! Are we to put the Demon King's soul into the child this very moment?"

"You fool. If we put it in right now, of course they'll be suspicious. We need to make that child blend into human society. Later, I'll go find the child myself and swap its soul."

"Ahhhh! I see! Evangeline! As expected, you are a truly great being! Evangeline! Evangeliiiin! When the Demon King descends! I will surely kneel before the Demon King and beg! I'll ask that a statue be erected for you! That a song be composed for you! That a city be built for you!"

At those words, Evangeline smiled, one corner of her mouth slightly raised. Then she said to Cutlass.

"Thank you."

"Hahahahahahaha! Evangeline! We are invincible! Evangeline!"

"Be quiet."

The plan flowed smoothly along like that. The child the adjutant gave birth to was safely handed over to Sirius. Though the mishap of the adjutant being killed by the Hero occurred, this wasn't a plan that would stop over something like that. Sirius raised the child with devoted care. Cutlass was busy sneering at the sight. Sirius, as if truly believing that his child would become some great sage or hero, raised the child with the utmost devotion.

That was how the child received the name Peta Lucius and entered the Archdeity Church as a trainee. Around that time, in order to aid the operation, Cutlass had kidnapped and murdered Mayhem, a Senior High Priest of the Archdeity Church, taken his place, and was posing as Mayhem. Cutlass asked Evangeline.

"Evangeline. I think it's about time we put the Demon King's soul in. What do you think? No one will ever imagine that an Archdeity Church priest could be the Demon King."

"Yes, that's right. I've confirmed he's a very healthy child. Now we should begin in earnest."

"A healthy child?"

"Hm? Did you want to see the Demon King dwelling in a sickly child, coughing and wheezing?"

"Ah! Evangeline! To think you'd concern yourself with even such trivial details! As expected, you are truly amazing! When will the soul-dominating ritual begin? I wish to witness the moment the Demon King descends with my own eyes!"

"No. This is an extremely delicate and important ritual, so others cannot interfere. Just make sure no obstacles wander around. You're a High Priest, aren't you? You can manage at least that much, right?"

"Ahhh! Understood!"

And then Evangeline added.

"This isn't a method like the elves' necromancy that swaps the soul in an instant. It's a technique that slowly erodes the soul itself and, at some point, swaps it completely. That's why it takes time. Since he's a half-demon, half-elf, we're giving the soul a period to adapt. Even after we put the soul in, for a while he'll continue to act under Peta Lucius's personality. Don't recklessly call him 'Demon King!' in front of him or pretend to know him for no reason."

"I see! Certainly, the Demon King would be uncomfortable using a body he isn't familiar with! So! How long will it take?"

"I'm budgeting for at least around ten years."

At those words, Cutlass was startled. Was it because of the Demon King's power? Was there some kind of problem with being a half-elf? Cutlass pressed once more.

"It takes that long, you say?"

"We've already waited so long. Ten years or so is nothing."

Evangeline did not give a clear answer to Cutlass's question. But Cutlass thought it over and smiled once more at her words. Because what Evangeline had said was true. The years they had already waited were so long that ten years or so was nothing.

"......I'm sorry. For doubting you."

"If you're sorry, then go back and do it just one more time, to commemorate defeating the Demon King."

"Ah, no. Doing anything more than this would be a betrayal of Erina. You promised, didn't you?"

"That's true, but......"

Cutlass blinked. The chatter between the Hero and Lucius drifted over from beside him. Even as they conversed, they were on guard against Cutlass, who lay sprawled on the floor. The furtive sidelong glances they stole and the weapons clenched tightly in their hands proved it. Cutlass thought once again. No matter how many times he retraced his memories, there was no part where he had made a mistake. The plan had been perfect.

His adjutant had given birth to the child flawlessly, and Peta Sirius had stupidly raised the child for him. For the child who had entered the Archdeity Church Training Ground, Evangeline had pulled strings and swapped his soul with the Demon King's. There wasn't a single irregular part. There wasn't a single slip. There was no way the humans could have noticed a child whose soul had been swapped. Where exactly was the problem? What on earth had been the problem?

Cutlass's finger twitched. AA and Lucius raised their weapons at the same moment. Cutlass thought. What was it? Where had the problem arisen? The world was moving slowly. In that gap, only Cutlass's thoughts raced at a maddening speed.

From the very beginning—no matter how many times he retraced it, there was nothing strange. Following Evangeline's proposal, Evangeline had put the Demon King's soul into Lucius.

[Manifesting the Demon King's body creates too big a ripple. I have a better idea.]

Cutlass's eyes shot open. The premise itself had been wrong from the start. Evangeline had 'proposed' it, and Evangeline had put it in. It wasn't a plan that had gone wrong somewhere along the way. It was a plan that had been twisted from the very beginning.

[This isn't a method like the elves' necromancy that swaps the soul in an instant. It's a technique that slowly erodes the soul itself and, at some point, swaps it completely. That's why it takes time.]

"Ah, ahhhh......!"

A sword was flying toward him. The mace reflected the chandelier's light and glinted. Cutlass's body began to move.

[Since he's a half-demon, half-elf, we're giving the soul a period to adapt. Even after we put the soul in, for a while he'll continue to act under Peta Lucius's personality. Don't recklessly call him 'Demon King!' in front of him or pretend to know him for no reason.]

Boom!

The combined strike of the Hero and Lucius split the bare floor. Cutlass rolled his body, narrowly evading their attack. With flustered faces, the two stared at Cutlass. His face was flushed crimson. Grinding his teeth, he rose to his feet. His bloodshot eyes were not the result of his wounds. He was gnashing his teeth in fury.

"Ah, ahhhh......! Ahhhhh......!"

[No. This is an extremely delicate and important ritual, so others cannot interfere. Just make sure no obstacles wander around. You're a High Priest, aren't you? You can manage at least that much, right?]

Cutlass rose to his feet. Clutching his wounded head, he gritted his teeth and screamed. It was a scream in which pain and rage were tangled together.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!"

Neither AA nor Lucius could bring themselves to move easily. Cutlass snatched up a sword that had been cast aside on the floor and shouted into the air once more.

"Evangeliiiiiin!! You deceived us!"

"What?"

Both Lucius and AA tilted their heads in surprise at Cutlass's declaration. Before them, taken aback by the unexpected outburst, Cutlass reverted to his original limp, pliant form. His expression couldn't be seen, but Lucius felt that his face was contorted.

"She deceived us, deceived us......! It was Evangeline who deceived us!! Uwaaaaahhhhh!"

Cutlass shouted, leveling his weapon at the two of them.

"I cannot forgive! I will never forgive! Evangeline! I don't know what your intentions are, but things won't go the way you want them to! Uwaaaaah!"