The Northern Grand Duke’s Crazy Son-in-Law

34. The Demon Sword

‘Hmm, it’s gotten quiet.’

Galahad muttered softly to the Orb of Agony, which had grown notably quieter.

The Orb of Agony had fallen silent after he failed to deal a blow to Adrianna despite using all his might.

He had intended to crush its spirit once and for all, but its sudden quietude filled Galahad with an unwarranted sense of unease.

The Orb of Agony, which purified the blood of demons, was Galahad’s greatest asset. It was not ideal for it to feel so powerless and give up.

‘This time, she was at her best. If we increase the concentration of mana and strike when her guard is down, it might be different. Don’t give up.’

The Orb of Agony remained silent.

‘You can do it. Of course, it will be difficult, but if we work together, nothing is impossible.’

Galahad encouraged the Orb of Agony. To think that a mere setback would dishearten a remnant of the Demon War like this-. It was ridiculous.

‘We have the blood of demons in us, don’t we? We can go even further. It’s too early to give up.’

At his continued encouragement, the Orb of Agony trembled slightly.

Galahad brought the water flask to his lips. The Orb of Agony stealthily siphoned some blood.

As it did so, it seemed to vibrate slightly, as if asking. Can we really defeat that monster?-.

‘Nothing in this world is impossible. If we join forces-. But in return, you must trust me more. If you act recklessly like this again, you will only heighten her vigilance. We need to be extremely patient. The most important thing for a magician is composure.’

Galahad emphasized the word ‘trust’ several times. The Orb of Agony vibrated a little more vigorously.

Its spirits seemed to be rising again. Galahad drained the water flask in one gulp. The Orb of Agony siphoned the blood more vigorously than before.

‘We can do it. I will trust you, so you must trust me.’

As if in response, the Orb of Agony emitted a long burst of mana. It was denser and more voluminous than before.

However-.

‘It seemed like there was more just now. Are you still holding something back?’

The Orb of Agony vibrated violently. It seemed to be protesting. When Galahad did not respond, more mana gushed out.

The Orb of Agony trembled slightly. It seemed to be rebuking him, asking if he had to take even this.

‘That’s what trust is. We are literally one and the same now.’

The Orb of Agony stopped abruptly. After a moment of silence, it nodded slightly.

Galahad’s lips curled into a smile at his successful persuasion.

Just then, Adrianna, who had finished tidying up, approached.

“To use me as a medium to eliminate demons and evil spirits-. It was a brilliant tactic.”

Adrianna’s eyebrows were slightly furrowed.

“It was a tactic that could only be executed because I trust you.”

“Don’t worry, you can spit out as much as you want.”

The seed of pain in Adrianna, who didn’t even have a small scar, calmed down.

Inside, Galahad urged the seed of pain on. You can do it-. The seed of pain vibrated strongly. He was a fellow who secretly had many tricks.

“Oh, I should refill the water bottle.”

“Did you use it all up already? I’ll help you.”

“It’s easier to receive it on your wrist rather than your neck.”

“Oh, I see. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Like this, it really feels like a date.”

“It’s not a date.”

Because there were so many demons, even after filling all the water bottles he had, there was still blood left over.

“Why is that?”

“There aren’t enough water bottles.”

“Oh, would you like to borrow my water bottle?”

Adrianna fumbled and took something out. It was a luxurious looking water bottle. There was some kind of unidentified picture engraved on the front.

He examined it closely, but it was difficult to make out what it was.

“It’s a cat.”

“But it has eight legs?”

“It’s two cats.”

After hearing the explanation and looking closely, he could faintly see the shapes of cats.

“I don’t know who did it, but they have terrible skills.”

“······.”

Adrianna’s eyebrows slightly lowered.

“Did you engrave it?”

“······I did it when I was young.”

“Aha, I see.”

Galahad shook the water bottle slightly. It was filled with milk. Because it would be a waste to throw it away, he drank it and received the blood.

Before he knew it, Adrianna was giving orders from far away.

“Why do you keep drinking the demons’ blood?”

“If you drink it too, it’s good for your body.”

“Really?”

Galahad handed her the water bottle. Drinking from the spout-. Galahad frowned at her uncouth behavior.

“eeek-! It tastes awful!”

“Things that are good for your body don’t usually taste good. If something tastes good and is good for you, it would have disappeared a long time ago.”

“······Hey, isn’t that Adrianna-nim’s water bottle? That water bottle is quite expensive.”

Adrianna’s statement that she engraved it when she was young seemed to be a lie.

‘It seems she doesn’t have any other talents.’

Galahad muttered quietly and filled the water bottle.

“We’ll help too.”

The other knights approached. They each had their own water bottles in their hands.

“Oh, thank you. Please press here so that the blood flows well.”

The knights nodded with subtle expressions.

Sounds of retching were heard here and there.

“Weak stomachs.”

From noble mtl dot com

Galahad clicked his tongue lightly.

Gilbert, who tried again, threw up everything he had eaten.

****

Perhaps because he had been defeated by Adrianna, the pain beads did not rebel even though he stored more blood than before.

It only stopped to the extent that his heart beat violently whenever he saw Adrianna.

Thanks to that, he was able to store mana that was purer, even though its concentration was similar.

Galahad’s magic casting speed, which had been fast already, became a little faster.

‘This is a jackpot.’

Galahad was genuinely amazed by the Demon Realm.

How much longer had he walked?

The smoke that had been pushed away lightly by Galahad’s magic resisted.

The smoke in the distance was thick. Like a wall made of smoke.

From here on, it seemed like a different realm, even though a line had been drawn.

“What is this place?”

“The real Demon Realm, the Demon Territory. High-ranking demons appear from here on. And starting with high-ranking demons, they form groups.”

Adrianna answered. Her eyes were still indifferent, but he felt a strange ripple.

“Groups?”

“Demons basically don’t move together. At most, it’s ten. However, high-ranking demons have lower-ranking demons as their servants. That’s called a group.”

It seemed like groups were formed starting from high-ranking demons.

“Demons that have formed groups are called high-ranking demons.”

“Is there a rank above that?”

“Yes, demons that have high-ranking demons under them are called high-level demons. There’s a vast difference in strength among high-level demons, but they don’t have separate ranks.”

Galahad recalled Adrianna’s explanation. So, demons were a form of network organization, and the higher the rank, the larger the scale of the organization?

“Then is there a king?”

Galahad nonchalantly asked the question he was most curious about.

Adrianna’s eyebrows hardened. It was a very brief and very small movement, but Galahad did not miss it.

“There is no king. High-level demons fight among themselves.”

“I see.”

A brief silence descended.

“The Demon Territory is a place where you normally need to have twenty direct subordinates to enter. However, I think it will be enough since you have Captain Galahad.”

Adrianna said as she stared at Galahad.

“That’s not possible. We are short on personnel. Please remember that.”

The objection came from Gilbert. Gilbert, who was refuting Adrianna’s words. Galahad looked at Gilbert with newfound eyes.

“That incident?”

“There was a time when Adrianna-nim was isolated after she entered the Demon Territory without sufficient forces.”

Gilbert replied, narrowing his eyes.

“It’s safer now than ever. The most dangerous thing is the smoke obscuring our vision, but Captain Galahad will clear a path for us. No high-ranking or superior demons appear at the entrance of the Demon Realm. We’ll just go in as far as the entrance and check the extent of Captain Galahad’s abilities.”

It was a valid argument, but Adrianna’s voice was unusually raised.

‘She’s excited.’

The other knights nodded in agreement.

“It’s true that no demons of superior rank or higher appear at the entrance of the Demon Realm, but-“

Gilbert took a step back. Adrianna didn’t seem to be arguing out of stubbornness.

“It is dangerous, indeed. I will not force you.”

Adrianna’s gaze turned to Galahad once more. Her eyes were filled with a strange longing.

Considering that all she had done until now was raise an eyebrow, it was clear that she was quite excited.

Galahad shook his finger. The wind struck the wall of smoke but failed to budge it. It was heavier than the smoke they had encountered so far.

Only when he compressed his mana and released it did the smoke finally give way.

‘This won’t be easy.’

He felt a strange sensation as he looked at the wall of smoke. It wasn’t dangerous –

‘For some reason, it feels like home.’

Galahad swallowed a rough mutter.

He suppressed it with effort and slowly calculated the situation.

‘The smoke is heavy, but it’s not impossible to push through. There’s no need to get impatient.’

There was no need to rush, even in the Demon Realm.

Galahad had already shown his abilities. Adrianna had acknowledged them too. Now, Galahad could follow the demons into their territory whenever he wanted.

However –

‘Demons also set traps. It’s safer to go in now than to turn back and come again.’

The demons weren’t the kind to just let them be. There was no telling what kind of defenses they would have prepared the next time they came.

And their current condition was good. There were no casualties.

Galahad was in even better condition than before he had entered.

Returning wouldn’t give them any more information about the Demon Realm.

The enemy was unprepared, and they were in good condition.

Considering that, now was the best time.

It was a bit of a shame that they could only go as far as the entrance, where no high-ranking demons appeared –

“I think we should go in.”

Galahad nodded.

“Thank you.”

“Why thank me? We’re practically family.”

“What kind of relationship is that?”

“Aren’t we getting married? You’re so mischievous.”

“······No, we’re not.”

Unlike before, Adrianna’s reply was short. Her gaze was already fixed on the Demon Realm.

“The Demon Realm is dangerous. Even skilled knights can disappear in an instant if they’re not careful. You must not go beyond the entrance.”

Gilbert stuck close to her side.

“It’s unbecoming for a man to be clingy.”

“Do you think I like being this way?”

“Everyone will see me, after all.”

“You never know.”

Just then, Adrianna looked back.

“You must be careful.”

“With you here, what is there to worry about?”

Adrianna nodded, her face slightly taken aback.

“We will proceed.”

Tension appeared on Adrianna’s face, which had been expressionless until now. The other knights exhaled sharply.

‘It’s gotten more concentrated.’

Galahad muttered softly.

With each breath, the seed of pain throbbed. The seed of pain expressed joy.

This much mana-.

It was incomparable to the outside. Mana overflowed in all directions.

A sense of inexplicable joy made the corners of his mouth turn up on their own. He felt a sense of warmth, as if he had entered his mother’s womb.

Galahad shook off the numbness and opened his hand. The wind swirled around his fingers. Soon, the smoke that had filled the surroundings slowly receded.

“The smoke is heavy. This is the best.”

A distance of about seven steps was Galahad’s best.

“This is enough. You are amazing.”

Adrianna said, adjusting her sword. The eyes of the surrounding knights grew even deeper. They were somewhat burdensome eyes.

“Galahad’s safety is the top priority. If a demon appears, I will deal with it. Do not leave Galahad’s side.”

Adrianna gave the order in a firm voice.

The knights nodded. The knights who had come a step closer were quite uncomfortable.

“Did something happen in the Demon Realm?”

At Galahad’s question, Gilbert turned his head slightly.

Adrianna was walking a little further ahead. She was focused on the frontal alert.

“The former 1st Battalion Commander went missing in the Demon Realm. He was like a parent to Lady Adrianna.”

“Isn’t he already dead?”

“I think she’s trying to find his body.”

“She’s quite emotional.”

“Anyway, the Demon Realm is dangerous, even at the entrance.”

Gilbert’s face was full of tension. Beads of sweat ran down his greasy hair.

“There is no place that is not dangerous.”

Galahad chuckled.

“Then let’s confirm your abilities-.”

At that moment, a strangely familiar feeling brushed past him.

‘This is-.’

His eyes closed right away.

****

‘I shouldn’t get excited. Just a little. Just a little-.’

Adrianna muttered and shook her sword.

Adrenaline coursed through her, but Adriana desperately tried to maintain her composure.

It wasn’t just the excitement of finally stepping into the Demon Realm,

but the biggest reason was still Galahad. Thanks to him, she had secured her vision. As long as she had her vision, there was no way she would lose to the demons.

Besides, the entrance to the Demon Realm didn’t seem that threatening.

So, she had planned to just confirm whether Galahad’s abilities worked in the Demon Realm from the entrance.

Adriana, who had been focused only on the front, suddenly felt something strange.

“Excuse me? Why are you curious about my taste in women? Are you going to introduce someone to me?”

“Oh, my name is Robert!”

The conversation behind her was chaotic. The knights’ replies continued one after another. Adriana turned her head to look and froze.

Where Galahad should have been, a red-eyed demon was cackling.

The surrounding knights were talking to the demon as if it were Galahad.

The demon’s head suddenly turned.

The demon, whose eyes met Adriana’s, had a wide, twisted grin.

The demon’s eyes didn’t smile, only its mouth did.

“Gotcha.”

It grabbed its own neck and pulled it out.

Plop.

The spinal cord dangled. The gushing red blood drenched Gilbert who was right next to it.

Even at that moment, the demon’s grin remained wide.

Adriana’s sword, which had been aimed at the demon that had pulled out its own neck, lost its target and stopped.

“Ah.”

Adriana’s voice cracked.

A familiar cigarette butt was rolling on the floor.

Galahad was nowhere to be seen.

****

“Hmm.”

Galahad looked around and let out a small sigh.

He closed his eyes and opened them, and he was in a banquet hall of an aristocrat that looked like it had been abandoned for a hundred years. Dust was everywhere, and the objects were not just old, they were crumbling.

Galahad was surprised that there was such a place in the Demon Realm.

Didn’t this seem like a trace of humans?

Just then.

“Nice to meet you.”

Suddenly, a woman appeared before him. No, maybe she had been there all along.

‘Psychic Force User. This is bad.’

Galahad hurriedly moved his mana. He moved his mana to his head as naturally as flipping his bangs.

“Oh, I’ve already erased your power.”

The woman said calmly. Galahad didn’t believe her and circulated his mana once. Just as the woman had said, there was no trace of it.

As he used his psychic powers, he felt something stronger than any of the demons he had seen so far.

“So, are you him?”

“You’ve met Amanda, I see. Oh, he’s not here. He can’t come out this far. Mother.”

The woman covered her mouth as if she had made a mistake. At that detestable action, Galahad frowned.

‘She can’t come out here-.’

Was it a lie? Was it the truth? Galahad’s head grew complicated.

“Normally, I would just take you with my authority, but then everyone would get hurt, right? They can’t get hurt.”

The woman shrugged. It was an exaggerated movement. As if it had been calculated-.

The woman’s voice was sweet, like it was scratching at his ears. Galahad nodded and subtly put his finger in his pocket.

“Ah, don’t do anything strange?”

“Can’t I?”

Galahad lightly shook the cigarette. The woman shook her head.

When he put the cigarette in his mouth and lit it, the scent of lemon wafted deeply.

The demon didn’t kill Galahad and sat him down. Galahad expected the woman to suggest something.

It must be something that requires him to be intact. Since they knew of Galahad from the Intelligence Agency, there was a possibility that it was related to him.

“I’m Marlie. I didn’t intend to bring you here like this, but there was that crazy woman. I couldn’t help it.”

“A crazy woman.”

It was clear that she was referring to Adrianna. A crazy woman-. It was a nickname that didn’t suit Adrianna very well.

“Anyway! You’re Galahad from the Intelligence Agency, right? Your agent name is-.”

“That’s enough. I’m sorry, but it’s a name I’ve discarded.”

Knowing his agent name meant that there was someone connected to the core of the Intelligence Agency. A demon or a traitor-. It was the moment his assumption became a conviction.

Galahad’s eyes sank.

“Anyway, I’m going to make a suggestion now, so don’t get mad and listen to the end. Humans get mad at the drop of a hat.”

The woman said, grimacing. Galahad nodded.

“Let’s get to the main point—.”

The woman wet her lips for a moment. It seemed like she was choosing her words. Or maybe she was imitating that kind of human behavior.

“Would you kill the Emperor for me? Ah, for you guys, he must be retired. Please retire him for me.”

At the unexpected suggestion, Galahad let out a low laugh.

“Ah, wait a minute. I’ll explain it to you in detail. First of all, you’re a wizard, right? That means you’re ultimately on our side. No matter how long you’ve worked for the Intelligence Agency-.”

Galahad exhaled smoke with a hardened face, and the demon let out a small sigh. That’s why humans are-.

He’s a wizard, but he still wants to side with humans. Could there be anything more foolish than that?

“I’ll say it in advance, so don’t get mad. I might kill you.”

The demon warned seriously.

At that moment, Galahad’s mouth opened.

“Kill the Emperor-.”

The demon prepared his authority subtly.

If he got mad, he planned to shut his mouth right away.

However.

“What’s the reward?”

He continued speaking, the corners of his mouth raised.

The demon tilted his head.

What is that guy saying right now?

“I asked what you can give me in return.”

The demon, who had been blinking his eyes for a while, smiled brightly.

“You, are you speaking like a demon?”