Chapter 167: The Trap in Tarun

Adela doubted her ears for a moment.

She wondered if she had heard wrong.

Understandably, Graxios was now saying that the golden-haired man was a dragon.

But thinking about it, if he was a dragon, everything about the current situation was explained.

Why the golden-haired man suddenly joined the conversation.

Why Graxios was being so cautious.

And why Graxios said they would handle all the troubled areas.

-Haha, you have a face that doesn’t believe.

Right then, Ferbeng laughed heartily and said.

Adela composed herself, fixed her expression, and answered.

“I’m sorry. It was an unexpected situation.”

-Ah, no need to be sorry.

-I just wanted to see your face.

-I was curious about the child Violet mentioned.

“……!”

Adela couldn’t help but be surprised.

Understandably, the Violet Ferbeng mentioned was definitely the previous-previous Saintess.

That’s why it was even more surprising.

Adela had no acquaintance with Violet.

Violet had passed away right before Adela was born.

Yet, how Violet had told Ferbeng about her existence was something Adela couldn’t understand.

It wasn’t a lie, at least.

Ferbeng had no reason to lie.

……Could it be!

At the sudden thought, Adela’s eyes flashed.

An oracle……?

Adela had received an oracle.

Perhaps Violet had received one too?

Right then, Ferbeng disappeared from the crystal orb.

He had left the place.

Adela, who had been lost in thought, flinched.

She wondered if she had kept her mouth shut too tightly, if she had made a mistake.

-Yes, I’ll relay it.

Right then, Graxios said.

Adela looked at Graxios with a puzzled face.

Graxios was looking elsewhere.

The words just said were probably to Ferbeng.

And following that, Graxios said to Adela.

-Lord Ferbeng said he will contact you directly next time.

-He said there is a story left by Saintess Violet.

“……Ah!”

Adela let out an exclamation.

As expected, Violet had definitely received an oracle.

“Understood.”

Adela answered with a much more relaxed face.

And Graxios continued.

-Back to the main topic.

-We plan to handle all of them, but is there any issue?

“……There shouldn’t be. We’ve even made an agreement in case of unexpected situations.”

-Then I’ll proceed with confidence.

-And you don’t need to worry about the Rios Empire.

“……?”

Adela couldn’t help but be puzzled.

Don’t worry about the Rios Empire?

-Gaon-nim said he would handle it personally.

-It should be mostly sorted out by now.

“Ah! Then there won’t be any problem.”

It wasn’t just anyone, but Gaon going?

Then no need to worry.

As Graxios said, there was a high possibility the problem was resolved by now.

That’s a relief.

She had decided not to think about it right away, but that didn’t mean she could completely forget.

One corner of her mind had been uncomfortable about what to do, but now she could completely let it go.

-Then I’ll contact you next time.

“Yes, see you next time.”

Swaat!

Soon, Graxios disappeared, and the light of the crystal orb also vanished.

And Adela rose from her seat and headed back to the Eye of God while thinking.

I just need to monitor Tarun.

The demons’ holy land ‘Tarun.’

The grand banquet hall in the center of Tarun.

Currently, demon marquises were gathered in the grand banquet hall.

“Very nice.”

“I was feeling stuffy, but now it feels refreshing.”

The demon marquises were thoroughly intoxicated by the even denser demonic energy.

Of course, not all were intoxicated.

“You all seem satisfied with this much.”

Demon Marquis Kaserin said in a very dry voice.

“Perhaps you’re hoping the Demon Kings won’t cross over?”

The reason the demonic energy had densened was because the demonic rift established in the holy land had expanded.

Now it was enough for dukes to come and go.

But only up to dukes.

It was still insufficient for Demon Kings to come and go.

“As if.”

“Hmph, don’t delude yourself that you’re the only loyal one, Kaserin.”

At Kaserin’s words, several marquises showed irritation or anger.

And Kasus, who had seen this lead to fights several times, immediately mediated.

“Talk about loyalty later and handle the agenda first.”

At Kasus’s words, as if waiting, the demon marquis ‘Kellin’ who followed the Gluttony Demon King Babup opened his mouth.

“We received a report that it started a while ago. Probably slaughtering by now.”

And starting with Kellin, representatives of each faction began speaking.

“Same for us.”

“We’re scheduled to start in 30 minutes. Damn celestial scum are quite numerous there.”

“We’ve already started and received a report of recapture. Should we continue recapturing like this?”

“No.”

Kasus, who had been listening, shook his head.

“Maintaining the current situation is most important.”

Recently, humans had been pushing in fiercely.

As a result, the demonic energy concentration had thinned overall.

To a level that would be a problem for future plans.

That’s why they sent demon counts.

To reorganize the front lines.

To not be pushed back anymore.

Just maintaining the status quo was enough.

No need to expend energy to expand territory.

Getting pushed back after expending energy would be a bigger problem.

And right then, Kellin opened his mouth.

“But what about the Rios Empire side? Maintaining the front is important, but isn’t that the most crucial?”

“Yeah, for the Demon Kings to cross, that needs to be resolved well…….”

“Still no contact?”

“Shouldn’t there be contact by now?”

“Perhaps something went wrong?”

At Kellin’s words, the demon marquises each said a word while looking at Kasus.

Kasus smiled bitterly.

“It seems to have failed.”

A while ago, Abyss sent contact.

That the curtain surrounding the capital of the Rios Empire was destroyed.

“Is there a reason for failure?”

“Did they have a change of heart?”

“What a shame. If that had been resolved well, the Demon Kings could have crossed immediately.”

“This isn’t something to just regret and move on from?”

“Then what? Go and handle it yourself?”

“Why are you snapping at me? Did I handle it?”

“What? Snapping? You bastard.”

The atmosphere suddenly started turning hostile again.

Knowing that if this continued it would become a mess, Kasus quickly opened his mouth to mediate as before.

“Now, now, of course there’s a plan prepared for such times. Everyone calm down.”

“What plan?”

“As expected of Kasus! Worthy of the demon world’s top brain!”

At Kasus’s words, the heated atmosphere subsided as if it never was.

And Kasus smiled and continued.

“Soon, humans will arrive one by one. And with quite high-level mana.”

“……?”

“……?”

At Kasus’s words, some made puzzled faces.

“……!”

“……!”

Some who understood flashed their eyes.

And one demon marquis with a puzzled face opened his mouth.

“Why them? To sacrifice or something…….”

The demon marquis speaking paused.

And with a realizing face, he smiled as widely as possible.

Kurshum headquarters.

Latun blankly stared at the letter.

It was a letter sent by Urt, the Tower Master of Galion Tower.

The story written in the letter was very long.

But to summarize, it was simple.

The intention to withdraw from Kurshum.

“Hoo…….”

Latun let out a sigh and put down the letter.

And he looked at the letters next to the put-down letter.

Most were letters with content of withdrawing from Kurshum.

Damn…….

Latun inwardly cursed.

Numerous executives died to Gaon.

And the important plans in progress were ruined.

As a result, withdrawals started appearing.

The current situation was the worst itself.

He had no idea what to do.

Should I start over from the beginning?

He wondered if it was better to disband Kurshum and start from the bottom again.

It wasn’t a futile thought from being too hard.

The current situation might really be better to start from the bottom.

Right then.

Knock knock.

“A special letter has come from Tarun.”

A voice came with the knock.

“……!”

Latun couldn’t help but be surprised.

Tarun was the holy land of the demon world demons.

A special letter from the holy land?

It was a letter that hadn’t come even once except when Kurshum was first founded.

“Come in!”

Creak.

At Latun’s shout, the door opened, and adjutant Estok entered.

In Estok’s hand was a sealed black letter.

Latun immediately took the letter from Estok, unsealed it, and unfolded it.

“……!”

Upon checking the letter, Latun’s eyes flashed.

It was content to come to the holy land immediately as a meeting was scheduled to devise countermeasures for the current situation.

He had been troubled, and now a path appeared.

But why?

However, there was one puzzling point.

The content to bring as many as possible who had crossed the wall or faced the wall.

Why bring them?

Perhaps not just us?

The current situation didn’t refer to Kurshum’s situation.

In other words, numerous forces were involved.

Perhaps to bring as many as possible in case of unexpected incidents.

“Estok.”

“Yes.”

“Relay to Katran, Moskal, Rustiel to prepare to leave. Destination is Tarun. Tell them it might take several days.”

“Yes! Understood!”

Estok bowed deeply in greeting and left.

And after Estok left, Latun immediately took out the communication crystal orb and injected demonic energy.

-What’s up?

A while later, a voice flowed from the crystal orb.

“Bagelina, by any chance, did a letter come from Tarun?”

-From Tarun?

-Did you get one too?

“Did Abyss get one too?”

-No, we didn’t.

-I heard several nearby places received letters.

“Hmm.”

At the words that Abyss didn’t receive, Latun let out a groan.

The place that suffered more failures and damages than Kurshum was Abyss.

Yet they didn’t call Abyss?

Something felt off.

-Later, contact me~

“Got it.”

Latun ended the communication.

And a while later, he left the office.

The three who had finished all preparations were gathered.

“Depart immediately.”

Latun took the lead, and the three followed behind.

Like that, after traveling for a while, the four were able to arrive at the holy land ‘Tarun.’

“You’re Latun-nim of Kurshum. I’ll guide you immediately.”

The demon in charge of guiding smiled welcomingly and started guiding.

And Latun followed behind the demon while thinking.

A count guiding?

Surprisingly, the one guiding wasn’t a demon without title.

It was a titled one, and not low rank, but a count.

No matter how much the demon world demons valued the holy land, a count guiding was very unusual.

“You can enter inside.”

Soon, having arrived at the destination, the demon count stopped and stepped aside.

And he tapped the door twice.

Grgruk!

Then, the door opened, revealing a passage.

“……Where is this place?”

Latun didn’t immediately step forward and asked the demon count.

Then, the demon count answered while maintaining the smile.

“It’s the grand conference hall. So many have come. The marquises are inside, so ask any questions there.”

” “

Latun shut his mouth, nodded as if understanding, and stepped inside.

And when he reached the middle of the passage, he secretly said to the three who came with him.

“Don’t answer, just listen. Don’t let your guard down. If anything happens, escape immediately.”

The three, who had already felt something off, flashed their eyes at Latun’s words.

Soon, upon arriving at the end of the passage, Latun paused briefly, swallowed, and stepped out of the passage.

Step!

And upon arrival, Latun could see.

Numerous demons sitting at the opposite end.

The problem was that all the sitting demons were ‘marquises.’

Why are the marquises…….

He knew there were demon marquises.

Because the demon count had said so just before.

But he didn’t expect this many.

Not three or four, but enough to think all the marquises who crossed from the demon world were gathered.

“Wow, 8th-Circle?”

“The rest seem at least 7th-Circle masters?”

“Nice, the previous ones lacked nutrition.”

Soon, the demon marquises smiled slyly and said.

And at that moment, Latun realized.

That it was a trap.