Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 265

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Before I use my Authority, shouldn’t I at least make Cha Cha some protective gear?”
「Waaahhh! You’re so mean! The whole world hates me!」
Makina in his complete form, sleek and polished, barricaded himself in his room while spraying oil everywhere. Cha Cha tried to chase after the Machine King to pester him, but changed course and came running toward me instead, leaping into my arms.
“Hey, hey! Evan, I’ve got subjects in the Underworld now, right?”
“I just heard. Congratulations.”
“So here’s the thing—if you marry me, you’ll become the Queen of the Underworld! Isn’t that incredibly cool?!”
That title certainly had a cool, impressive ring to it. It gave the impression of being even more powerful and ruthless than the King of the Underworld itself. Honestly, the title of Queen of the Underworld sounded cooler to me than even King of Ten Thousand Demons.
“Hey, hey? I’ve got lots of delicious things stored up in the Underworld, right? You can go to the Underworld without any problems anyway, so come with me—”
“Evan. You’re back.”
When Gerth called out to me, Cha Cha’s expression immediately soured. Sensing that Gerth had something to discuss with me, I set Cha Cha down, but the little one clung to my arm and huffed indignantly.
“Evan and I weren’t done talking yet. Don’t butt into grown-ups’ business. Can’t you go away for a bit?”
“If the Underworld has gained subjects, that means Humanity has disappeared. Did you do this, Evan?”
Gerth completely ignored Cha Cha and fired the question at me. I tried to play dumb, but when Gerth asked again, I had no choice but to admit that yes, I had.
“I see.”
Gerth smiled thinly. He was smiling, but it wasn’t a smile at all. It was the face of someone absolutely furious.
“That’s not something that can be accomplished without a price. What did you sacrifice?”
“I had to sacrifice my Division skill to power the Skill Diffuser.”
“And?”
Should I be honest about this or not? If I openly told him that I’d planned to open a path for Humanity’s survival and return to my original timeline, Gerth would be angry. But if I lied… Gerth would see through a lie easily enough and stay angry until I confessed the truth.
It was better to face Gerth’s anger once than twice. For any human, that was the obvious choice.
“When I used the Skill Diffuser, the name Evan Laef was supposed to disappear, and I was supposed to leave this place and return to my original timeline. But strangely, the name Evan Neftis disappeared instead, and I remained.”
“The wedding is less than a month away. Were you planning to abandon me?”
“I’m sorry.”
The words came out that way again. I had to admit, I’d gone too far. No matter how much it was for Humanity’s sake, to do something like that to Gerth, my fiancé…
“…?”
That’s strange. Before I entrusted myself to the Skill Diffuser, I felt like I’d set up at least some safety measures. Why did I throw myself into it so recklessly?
I’m not someone obsessed with sacrifice, and there was something I seemed to trust… but it’s strange. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t remember what it was.
“What’s done is done. I’m simply grateful that you came back alive.”
“Oh, well then—”
“Your disappearance isn’t just a matter between you and me. Go apologize to everyone who cares about you and ask for their forgiveness.”
Gerth, how can you hit me with such a punishment? I could manage with other people, but Mother would wail in grief, and Cecilia would destroy me socially. If I became a stateless person without a registered identity, who would take responsibility for Ilam? As I made this argument, Gerth’s anger rose to the top of his head, and he spoke in an icy voice.
“If you’ve done something to apologize for, you should apologize. You found it easy to abandon me, but this is difficult?”
“Gerth, why do you have to say things like that?”
“You abandoned me once.”
“Oh, that’s right! You promised you’d forgive me no matter what I did!”
“Are you using that chance now?”
Gerth’s expression said go ahead and try. Damn it, I’m trapped. If I use my forgiveness card now, Gerth probably won’t talk to me for the rest of his life.
“…I’ll be back.”
“Make sure you return a week before the wedding.”
“Yes, yes.”
“I’ll broadcast your crimes throughout Serpent King’s Tower. Prepare yourself mentally.”
So this was my fate—to be ridiculed across every corner of the Empire. With a heavy heart, I made my way to the lobby of Serpent King’s Tower. On my way down after Gerth’s broadcast ended, I ran into Chirpy’s Father. While Father tried to comfort me, the chick in my head was absolutely furious with me.
As the elevator dinged and the lobby doors slid open, an enormous crowd had gathered to curse me out.
“How could you do such a thing without even discussing it with me first!”
“Mother! Without you, I’ll become a motherless fox again! You didn’t just abandon Father! You were trying to abandon your son too!”
“Honestly, Evan Laef was in the wrong here.”
“I don’t think Her Majesty Sera, who was willing to commit suicide alongside an old woman, should be saying such things.”
Everyone cursed me, and some even threw stones. I was the King of Ten Thousand Demons who saved Humanity, yet here I was, wandering the Empire and being insulted.
「Hey! How dare you try to disappear without even settling things with me!」
Machine King Makina threw a metal ball at me while oil streamed from his eyes. But shouldn’t we have settled this long ago? I was far stronger than the Machine King.
As I left the Tower, Iyongi’s father came running from the shack and started patting my chest. While crying his eyes out, he threatened that if I ever had such thoughts again, he’d die too.
“Since Father and that woman are still alive, why don’t you just go home and handle Duke duties?”
“About that, daughter—what if I retire from being Duke and pass it on to you and Rael?”
“I’m becoming the King of Ilam. And I’m marrying Rael off to Cecilia.”
“Oh my! My daughter is so ambitious!”
Pack your things and go home quickly. Rael’s going to work himself to death. After saying that much, I headed to what had become the Demon King Castle—our house. When I confessed everything to Thomas, he was shocked but worried that Mother would beat me to death.
Out of everyone I’d met so far, only Thomas cared about me. If I were to get a stepfather, I’d want it to be Thomas.
I was cursed at throughout Ilam, and when I visited Kanna’s house in Ismail Territory, I nearly died from poison and got locked up. The poison was so potent that even I, who was immune to all toxins, felt my entire body go numb after consuming it. What kind of poison had Kanna created? Maybe Kanna had more talent for humanity’s destruction than Cha Cha?
I barely escaped from Kanna’s screams to return and finally arrived at Crownpolis, where I was cursed at Count Letem Residence and again at Brandenburg Townhouse.
And when I went to Neftis Townhouse and confessed what I’d done, Mother and my siblings wailed all day long, keeping me trapped there for a day or two. After they’d cried their fill, Mother picked up a broom and beat me until dust flew.
“So it’s come to this….”
Looking at the Imperial Palace’s main building, which was even more ominous than our house, the Demon King Castle, I trembled with fear. Part of me wanted to just not tell Cecilia, but I realized that once Serpent King’s Tower moved to the Capital, Gerth and Cecilia would inevitably meet, so I couldn’t hide this forever.
Let me take a deep breath first. They say that even if you enter a tiger’s den, you’ll survive if you keep your wits about you. Of course, what lies ahead is an abyss, and once you fall into it, there’s no escaping, but since I couldn’t avoid it, I decided to think optimistically.
Maybe Cecilia would just beat me with a whip and let me go. If beating me would ease her anger, I was willing to take as many blows as needed.
“Hey.”
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
I heard a man’s voice, but I caught a glimpse of what looked like Cecilia’s silhouette and screamed, running away. I even used my ice wings to rapidly reverse, and I could see the person who’d called out to me standing there with an awkward expression.
“Why are you so startled?”
Oh, it was Seian Crowell. I let out a sigh of relief and looked around. Surely Cecilia really wasn’t here. She definitely wasn’t here, right?
“Come here for a moment. I need to talk to you.”
Yes. Since it’s come to this, let me confess to Seian first! Being cursed at or hit by him would actually be a reward. It’s like getting a piece of candy before a shot—a reward for myself.
I flew to Crown Prince’s Palace following Seian’s guidance. This guy had seemed to fear Cecilia less over time, but apparently he was still indebted to Sera.
We passed through the Black Rose Garden, which had a completely different atmosphere from when Cecilia lived here, and headed to the annex, where a child about young Seian’s age—Mark Four—greeted us. Sera lives in the Palace but still uses Cecilia’s people. How absurdly ridiculous, like a dark-furred weasel.
“Please make yourself comfortable. I’ll bring you some tea.”
“Ah, I’d prefer wine….”
“I’ll bring you some tea!”
So that’s why Cecilia assigned this person to him. Though I suppose Seian does drink excessively.
“Look, I know this might sound strange, but….”
Young Seian Crowell had brought tea, and after a long while of lifting the cup to his lips and setting it back down repeatedly, he finally forced the words out. Still uncertain whether he should speak at all, Seian maintained his silence for a moment longer before taking a deep breath and speaking softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Do you happen to know Mitchell Neftis?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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