“Huaa!”
Lapis crossed over to the detour entrance while looking filthy.
A strangely refreshed expression.
Her entire body was wrapped tightly in what looked like thread bandages.
‘I almost got into big trouble.’
Although she had charged in with rolling eyes, she still had a long way to grow.
That meant, in other words, that she was still weak.
Since her growth hadn’t properly happened yet, winning against a 7th-rank black mage wasn’t easy.
It was fortunate that the 7th-rank black mage she faced wasn’t specialized in combat.
If he had been, it would have been Lapis who died.
Well, even so, she probably wouldn’t have died.
Even if being by Evan’s side allowed her to escape the fate of sin, her soul wasn’t completely freed.
Death cannot be liberation.
Because for sins, the concept of death does not exist.
The only moment they can die is a single instant.
The moment they fully awaken as complete sins.
Only when facing another destined one they must break can they die.
The sins called them heroes.
Killed by someone else before that?
Hmm, wouldn’t the heart just stop for a few minutes and then start beating again?
Severed limbs would reattach too.
Still, dying is unpleasant.
If things went wrong, she might have to part from Evan forever.
Evan is not a sin.
He sees through everything, but the probability that he doesn’t know death doesn’t exist for sins like them was high.
It’s information only the sins themselves can know.
If Evan thought she was dead and left her behind?
If they met again?
He might think she’s a monster raised by a necromancer.
If he looked at her with that meaning… she didn’t even want to imagine it.
Evan was already everything to Lapis, her world, the savior who granted her freedom.
She could never lose him.
She didn’t want to leave either.
‘The Devil of Victory… why did that guy help?’
Lapis pondered while treating her wounds.
The Devil of Victory.
She didn’t know much about devils.
Perhaps only someone like Frey, who studied all sorts of knowledge to make Evan a god out of pride, would know that much.
But one thing was certain: they were beings utterly faithful to their desires.
The Devil of Victory pursued only victory.
Defeat did not exist in a devil’s concept, and for that, he could twist even the laws of the world.
Such a devil used his power at the end.
It wasn’t a huge help.
He simply blocked one flying awl with his finger.
After that, the devil vanished as if satisfied.
But one thing was clear: the reason for helping wasn’t because of her.
He hadn’t taken her side either.
She wondered if he was interested in the fate of sin, but to a devil who lived eternity, sin wasn’t that special.
‘Evan.’
The reason the devil got involved was one.
Because of Evan Alkart.
No matter his current position in this life, he had attracted the interest of a devil that perfectly matched his desires.
He hadn’t shown even a hint of panic in voice or expression.
As if he had expected it from the beginning.
Wasn’t even the devil just one piece on the board he had set?
Honestly, she was curious.
What on earth had he done to draw in even a devil?
Why had he expanded the board to the point of involving a devil?
But she didn’t ask.
That was respect shown as Lapis.
Even with a personality that needed to know everything curious, she held back and respected Evan’s will without presuming.
Words Evan would have begged her to ask if he heard.
‘What board will he set next…?’
She couldn’t know.
That’s why he was even more lovable.
To ordinary people, the “unknown” might be fear, but to sin, it was love.
Not knowing anything also meant not being bound by fate.
‘Evan seems like a really famous figure in the underworld.’
Just how famous was he?
Lapis peeked out with an expectant expression.
There weren’t many people at the entrance.
Had everyone already moved?
So she headed toward where she felt a presence.
Now she could sense Evan’s presence, mana, even his scent with her eyes closed.
Following it step by step…
“Ah! We have been waiting for you!”
“Our future king!”
“Please lead us to a better place!”
“?”
She saw Evan being worshipped by countless people.
‘N-no way.’
Lapis’s eyelashes trembled.
‘Already… has he stolen the position of a god?!’
She thought he had been secretly hiding his fame all this time,
But he had already created a group to worship him?!
For the first time, Lapis felt danger.
It was the crisis that the orphanage full of followers behind Evan’s back,
And her plan to establish a sect solely for Evan, might be ruined.
‘I-I have to contact Frey quickly…!’
Evan saw her like that.
Evan quietly thought to himself.
‘…She doesn’t really think I’m a cult leader, does she?’
If she misunderstood it that way, it would be a big problem.
***
Lapis had arrived.
Lapis’s slightly dirtied eyes shook.
Because she saw Evan being worshipped by others.
‘She mustn’t think I’m a cult leader.’
Cultists existed in this world too.
To put it more medieval, heretics.
The empire acknowledged many gods, but it did not acknowledge those who couldn’t receive divine power or perform “miracles,” or those who worshipped living people as gods.
They were all heretics.
Frauds who tried to take money or power in the name of faith.
Lapis would know that, of course.
He had taught her so much.
She wouldn’t report him, but she might be disappointed.
Then favorability would plummet.
Evan’s death probability would skyrocket!
‘First, don’t show it.’
Greet casually and think later.
Evan calmed his trembling lips as much as possible and spoke to Lapis.
“Did the job finish well?”
“Yes? Y-yes… b-but who are those people?”
“That’s…”
How should he explain?
Just passersby?
“Evan?”
He should have left this place faster.
Evan blamed himself for being too late.
‘Damn it. I should have bolted before she came…’
The burdensome gazes pouring down dadada.
All of them were residents of the underworld.
Evan wanted to pretend not to know, but he couldn’t.
Even if they were citizens, they weren’t powerless ordinary people.
The king who ruled the underworld, Cabaro Alkart.
Those who swore loyalty and followed him.
They monitored who came and went here, and every number was recorded.
Time was inevitably spent just to process those procedures.
He never imagined that everyone gathered here would mistake Evan for a big shot.
There should have been people from Leo’s side…!
“Evan Alkart.”
“Butler.”
At that moment, a man stepped forward and bowed deeply to Evan.
An elderly man dressed neatly in a suit.
Butler.
That was both his position and his name.
A loyalist who discarded any other name given to him.
He claimed that the only thing given to him was duty, wanted neither family nor money, and followed only Duke Cabaro’s words.
And…
“Have you finally returned?”
He was also the one who misunderstood Evan the most.
“Have you returned?”
“No.”
“It is not yet time. His Grace the Duke is still in good health…”
The butler showed regret.
Goosebumps rose slightly on his arm.
He looked loyal, but his former job was assassin.
He had retired after being pushed back by the Assassin King and suffering severe injuries, but recovered thanks to Duke Cabaro’s grace.
Then Evan had cured him when he was addicted to drugs.
He had just passed by and treated him because he looked in too much pain…
He never imagined it would turn out like this!
“But what brings you here?”
“I just stopped by to see Butler-nim’s face for a moment.”
“Oh, ohhh…”
The butler started shedding tears from both eyes.
Seeing a fully grown man cry like that made him feel a bit burdened.
It’s not that big a deal…
“This grace… I will never forget…”
‘…I just discovered the detour and stopped by briefly. I’ll leave soon, so please don’t mind.’
“Already caring about the detour…! As expected of the one who will become king in the future.”
“No.”
He worshipped everything he did.
He felt like his mind would snap.
Please.
I don’t like that!
“…Lapis.”
“E-Evan.”
Lapis grabbed Evan’s sleeve while trembling.
When Lapis’s hand touched not Evan’s body but his “clothes,” the butler glared with furious eyes.
“You insolent!”
The butler thud thud approached with a growl!.
Perhaps because a muscular grandfather whose muscles showed even through his suit was coming, Lapis flinched.
Evan’s face hardened.
‘…Fuck. We’re screwed.’
He wasn’t sure if Lapis was scared or not.
But one thing was certain.
She must not get more scared or angry here!
If she did, the Sin of Wrath would truly descend!
‘D-don’t kill! You have to hold it in!’
In reality, it was to hold back her power.
Who was he to say anything about her touching Evan?
“How dare you touch the precious body of the future king?”
The butler said with genuine indignation.
“Do you even know who this person is! This person is…!”
“Butler!”
Evan hurriedly shouted.
His voice cracked from shouting too urgently.
Startled by the loud voice, the butler flinched.
He quickly stepped back.
Kneeling on the spot with a pale face.
“M-my future king…”
He doesn’t think I’m angry, right?
He hadn’t meant to yell, but the voice came out too loud.
Evan glanced at him, cleared his throat hm hm.
“Calm down. She is a child I am temporarily looking after. Please forgive her rudeness.”
“But…”
“This is an order.”
The butler flinched at the word order.
He eventually nodded.
“I understand. Since it is an order from the future king… I shall obey.”
…And I plan to slip away quietly from here. Please stay quiet.
“I understand. But reporting to His Grace the Duke at present…”
“That is fine.”
Nothing he could do about that.
The butler nodded.
Evan returned to the path.
Aegis and Lapis were staring with expressions asking what on earth that conversation was.
Evan pretended not to notice as much as possible and returned to the entrance he came from.
Fizz, fizzle.
‘…Oh no.’
The detour seemed highly unstable and was shaking.
Its original lifespan had run out just as they arrived.
He had planned to return here and take the carriage…
‘Two people are fine, but more than that and it’ll explode?’
If the detour exploded, they couldn’t return.
The entrance would completely evaporate.
The problem was Felix waiting outside.
If Evan or someone else crossed and the detour exploded…
‘No choice.’
He had originally planned to just erase it.
Since things turned out this way, he would change the plan.
‘Call Felix here too and return to the main house from here.’
This was the safest.
Who knew what incident they might get caught up in on the way.
Better to slip away quietly.
“Aegis. Please call Felix.”
“Alright. Just a moment?”
Aegis went outside the door and soon brought Felix.
He had sensibly brought the carriage too.
“You called, young master?”
“Come in. We will return this way.”
“Yes.”
As Felix, the carriage, and Aegis entered, pop! the detour entrance went out.
Its lifespan had completely ended with that.
“Future king. Who is that person?”
“He is my escort knight.”
“Hmm.”
The butler looked at Felix, crossed his arms, and scanned him up and down.
Then snorted as if disappointed.
“With that frail body, who do you think you can protect?”
“What did you say? Even if you are an elder, such nonsense…!”
Felix was about to shout in anger.
He saw the butler’s body bulging red even through the suit.
“||”
He glanced down at his own body and compared.
As if realizing the result, Felix instantly shrank into a corner.
Evan rubbed his forehead with a tired expression.
‘Just hurry back this way…’
Hurry back.
The moment he thought that and took a step.
“You have finally come.”
Flinch.
Evan’s foot stopped.
His head slowly turned.
There stood the third-in-command of the underworld.
And he supported Leo, not Evan Alkart.
“Drug Manufacturing King, Evan Alkart.”
The third-in-command looked at Evan and said.
“What business do you have here?”
Evan turned to the man with eyes and expression colder than ever, devoid of emotion.
‘…Still the same.’
The third-in-command clenched and unclenched his hand.
Drug Manufacturing King, Evan Alkart.
The alias attached only to him, the one who would succeed the Drug King.
The moment it left his mouth, it felt like electricity ran through his entire body.
Was this… killing intent?
Yet Evan himself.
…Fuck. Uwaaaaaagh!
My dark history scream!
In the end, as the scream escaped someone’s mouth, his face hardened and he shuddered.
Oof. It’s like being called by a cringy nickname in childhood…