Chapter 70: The Mask Comes Off

“DETECT MANA.”

“Ha, haha… Why are you doing this…?”

Viscount Baxien’s eyes darted back and forth even faster, frantically scanning the room.

‘As expected, this much isn’t enough.’

Detect Mana.

It was a spell that read the surrounding mana patterns.

There was no magic more useful for finding those hiding or those concealing their identities.

Those who handled Demonic Qi were masters of hiding.

They wouldn’t reveal themselves easily with just a basic spell like this.

However.

‘I don’t just know the theory.

I already knew this wouldn’t work.’

There were marks shared among those who wielded Demonic Qi.

These signs were created because users of Demonic Qi had to hide their identities from one another.

‘Black Mages and Necromancers both use Demonic Mana.

Both are treated as public enemies on the continent.’

The entire continent was their enemy.

They had no choice but to cooperate with each other to survive.

They needed someone to trust, so they created these marks.

Normally, one might never figure it out until the day they died.

Even if someone did, it was a spell that couldn’t be used without Demonic Qi.

Those who used Demonic Qi used that very same energy to verify one another.

If you didn’t have Demonic Qi, it was an impossible method.

‘But I can do it.’

I just had to mix in my internal energy.

I had already devised a way to mimic Demonic Qi long ago to deal with the Demonic Cult.

Just like now!

“I don’t know why you’re doing this, but I am purely…”

“DETECT MANA.

IMPACT!”

I mixed my internal energy with mana, mimicking the Demonic Qi of a Black Mage.

That power then…

Whoosh!

The energies blended, forcing Viscount Baxien to reveal his true form.

“Wh-what is that!”

“What in the…”

Viscount Baxien’s body turned mushy.

It spread out like smoke before returning to a physical form.

And the body that returned…

“He’s someone who has been completely consumed by Demonic Mana.”

“H-how!

You!”

He was completely black.

In the Demonic Cult, those who were consumed by Demonic Qi took on that form.

If they regained control over the energy, their reason would return, but their outward appearance would remain like a mark.

“What on earth is that!”

Everyone nearby was shocked.

It was only natural, as Viscount Baxien had transformed into some unknown entity.

“A-a Demon!”

“He tricked us!

That’s right!

That’s what happened!”

Oh, really?

In an attempt to survive, someone had already started spinning a plausible story.

‘Viscount Baxien is a member of the Demon Race.

That Demon lured us in.’

To think they could come up with such a convenient scenario in just a few seconds.

They were quick-witted.

‘Baron Oven.

I will definitely remember you.

You’re a natural at manipulation.’

He was someone who knew how to exploit a gap in the situation.

He was quite sharp, so it was a mystery why he had joined in such a stupid charade with Viscount Baxien.

Unlike the chaotic situation around us, Baxien was staring straight at me.

“Could it be that you’re also… on our side…?”

Even though his identity had been revealed, his eyes were full of hope.

It was the hope that I might be someone who also wielded Demonic Mana—the hope that I might be one of them!

‘What nonsense.’

Would I live a new life just to be consumed by Demonic Qi?

Vain hope is best when crushed.

“As if that would happen, you idiot.”

“Then!

How did you use this magic!

It’s impossible to use unless you’re one of us!”

“There are beings in this world that exist beyond your imagination.”

For example, people who remember their past lives or someone who devours the knowledge of a Black Mage.

Like me.

‘It wouldn’t even be strange if there were a few more people like me in this world.’

The world was a place where things beyond imagination always happened.

I had experienced such things several times.

And…

“I also know from experience that you can’t give an opening to guys like you.”

“Wh-what…

Gack!“

Thud.

I struck the fake Viscount Baxien hard in the solar plexus.

Vroom.

My energy dug into the imposter’s body.

‘Bingo!’

Through a rough search, I found the target.

The place where the danjeon should be was filled with Demonic Mana.

‘There’s no place where energy accumulates as easily as a danjeon in a human body.

He figured it out well.’

Wham!

I threw another punch.

“*Gack!

Hack!

Argh!*”

This time, it wasn’t a search; it was destruction.

The energy that had penetrated him shattered Baxien’s internal Demonic Mana.

“Aaaaah!”

The shock of having his accumulated energy ripped away at once was a pain worse than death.

It was entirely possible to die from the shock.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

*Tap.

Tap.*

I tapped his pressure points to alleviate the physical pain.

At the same time, I drew up my mana.

“HEAL!

HEAL!”

I made sure his condition didn’t worsen.

He just had to stay alive.

If he lived, there was quite a lot I could learn from him.

I had completely destroyed the Demonic Mana in his danjeon, along with the Forbidden Seal inside it.

“Aaaaaah!”

“Let’s have a proper chat later.”

Thud.

I completely knocked out the imposter, who was staring at me with eyes full of despair.

Leaving him sprawled out, I looked around at the surroundings.

‘It’s a mess.’

Some were staring at me with hollow eyes.

“N-no!

It wasn’t us!”

Meanwhile, Baron Oven was still trying to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes with his lies.

“Th-that’s right!”

There were also idiots who agreed without a single thought of their own.

“Argh!”

And then there were those who just screamed in pain, not thinking about the consequences.

It was a total disaster.

And this disaster…

‘I need to clean this up properly.

I’m going to change the game completely.’

I intended to flip everything upside down.

Starting from here, and moving through the entire territory!

Two days later.

Esty, whom I had contacted via a communication device, returned.

“Territory Administrator!

How on earth…!”

“Young Master!

How could you leave us behind!”

Esty was completely shocked, and the knights who had been guarding me looked miserable.

‘It’s no wonder.’

I had moved to settle things at Maim Castle.

I had suddenly vanished from the Bailiff’s house, only to contact them a short while later from the Holy City.

It was natural for them to be frantic.

“Explanations later.

First, search the Baxien estate.”

“Pardon?”

“Didn’t I say the explanation comes later?

I’ve uncovered their corruption.

So, we’ll talk after we’ve done a thorough search.”

“……I will trust that you’ll definitely explain it later.

I believe I’ve at least earned that much.”

Esty looked at me with a serious gaze.

‘Even if he joined late, he’s still a vassal.’

He deserved to hear it eventually.

I gave him a crisp nod of affirmation.

Only then did Esty, looking satisfied, lead the frantic Administrative Officer and the assistants toward the Baxien estate.

“What are you doing?

Why aren’t you going to help?”

“B-but the Young Master’s protection…”

“Who would target me in the Holy City?

Go.

It’s an order.”

“Yes, sir!”

Now that the knights had joined, no amount of guards from the Viscount’s house could stop them.

‘Well, I already half-cleared them out myself anyway.’

Before they arrived, I had personally turned the Baxien estate upside down to find evidence.

There would be no one left to stop them.

“Then this place is settled.

Shall I go see him now?”

Leaving the cleanup for a moment, I moved.

I headed toward the mansion.

The mansion was quiet on the outside.

However, the inside was bustling with activity.

It was no surprise, given that the prison was filled with nobles.

Among those moving busily, I saw my older sister for the first time in a while.

As soon as she saw me while commanding the knights, she came running over.

“Rayrn!

I heard you caught them all?”

“……It was a coincidence.

A coincidence.”

“Don’t give me that nonsense.

You don’t just catch nobles by coincidence, do you?”

“Well, I suppose so?”

“What are you planning to do?

If you make one wrong move, it’ll be a disaster.”

My sister’s eyes were full of concern.

She wasn’t on the side of the nobles; she was worried about me.

She likely feared that even if I acted for the sake of the family, I might end up making enemies of all the nobility if I wasn’t careful.

‘……It doesn’t matter to me if I become their enemy, but she wouldn’t understand.’

She might seem reckless usually, but she wasn’t a fool.

Having been raised as a child of a Noble Family, she was capable of this much thought.

“I’m securing clear evidence.

Evidence they won’t be able to escape.”

“……You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“Fine.

If anything happens, come to your sister first.

Got it?”

Whir.

My sister released a faint trace of energy.

‘Whoa.

She reached a higher stage in that short time?’

I had passed on martial arts to her as well.

But unlike my brother, my sister had wanted to learn it on her own.

I had assumed there wouldn’t be much progress, but I was wrong.

To think she reached this level of attainment so soon after reaching the Protection stage.

I felt like she might even reach the Expert level soon.

‘A swordsman in her teens…

That would be the Peak Realm in the Murim.

A speed that leaves me speechless.’

As expected, she was a monster.

“You’ve made great progress.

Congratulations.”

“……Yeah.

So make sure to come to me.

Your sister is on your side.”

She nodded as if to reassure me.

Then, I asked.

“Is Father out?”

“Yes.

He went to the prison first.

He said he’d come to see you soon…”

“You’re here.”

Behind my sister, Father appeared.

After receiving martial arts from me, Father had entered secluded meditation for training.

He had cast aside all territory business to focus solely on his cultivation.

‘He’s a monster, too.’

He looked haggard on the outside, but the energy contained within him was abundant.

In particular, his danjeon was overflowing.

The energy I felt was denser than before.

Refining energy in such a way was impossible without complete control.

Like a Knight of this world, the energy that had been spread throughout his body had completely moved to his danjeon.

This meant only one thing.

‘Has he read and understood the Hyeon-cheon Divine Art on his own?

Is he even applying it?’

The martial arts I had handed over…

He had somehow understood the manual that summarized the insights.

If he hadn’t, the energy that had filled his entire body couldn’t have been settled in his danjeon.

To think he could carve out a new path for himself when I had only given him a few clues, concepts, and insights.

‘……I don’t know what kind of family this is.’

It was insane talent.

Both the father and the daughter.

Then again, with this much talent, they probably could have maintained the Count’s family even if the administration and territory management were a mess!

“Father.

Have you been well?”

“It was thanks to you.

But it seems the territory has become even more complicated thanks to you, as well.

Haha.”

Father, who had gone from being an Aura Master to a monster.

His laughter contained a fairly strong power, even without him intending it.

“Hmm…

I’m sorry.

I still haven’t managed to control it completely.”

“Even so, it’s impressive.”

“It’s thanks to you.

First, let’s go inside and talk.”

“Yes.”

Stepping into his office for the first time in a long while, Father naturally sat in his seat.

After gesturing for me to sit across from him, Father…

…stared at me for a long time without saying a word.

I could see the complicated emotions in his eyes.

Then, he asked.

“I want to ask what it is you truly want.

How much do you want to change, and to what extent?”

That question held a lot of weight.

My answer to it was already prepared.

“I…”