First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 28

Even reaching 3-star and the demonic energy I’ve unlocked isn’t enough.

In a direct confrontation, I’m being pushed back.

I need to use underhanded tactics.

Meanwhile, Lipton was staring wide-eyed at the wall of demonic energy deployed in front of him.

“Demonic energy…? A human is wielding demonic energy…?”

I recalled an important fact.

The Imperial Capital where people gather isn’t far from here.

The superhumans there wouldn’t have missed the thunderous noise when Lipton destroyed the Empress’s Palace wall.

It means reinforcements will arrive soon.

No matter how late, it won’t take more than 5 minutes.

‘I need to change locations.’

It seemed Lipton had already dealt with all the knights guarding the Empress’s Palace.

If the Empire’s elite, including the Emperor and Grand Duke, arrive like this, even Lipton won’t be able to escape.

Not to mention the Imperial House would completely steal away the chance to learn about the Demon Cult information I’ve carefully invested in.

I might even be in danger myself.

‘The Empire will definitely question how I, officially just a 3-star Sword Runner, could hold out against a Demon Cult Cardinal until reinforcements arrived.’

In that process, there was a possibility my demonic energy would be exposed.

‘Good thing I prepared in advance.’

The reason I secretly set up tricks around the Empress’s Palace was for moments like this.

“Die!”

Sgagagagak-!

With Lipton’s shout, black blades flew toward me with the momentum to slice up my entire body.

I stared directly at the attack and activated the spell I had deployed around the area beforehand.

“…”

The surroundings instantly became quiet.

The blades that seemed ready to tear my entire body to shreds suddenly vanished without a trace.

As if someone had carved out the entire space where the blades existed.

“You-.”

Lipton frowned, noticing something strange.

“What trick did you pull, Prince Cael.”

Wooooong-

The ground vibrates.

A pitch-black magic circle appeared on the bedroom floor, emitting a fierce resonant sound.

I giggled as I watched the flustered Lipton.

“Did you think I wouldn’t prepare any escape route for raiding the Empress’s Palace?”

The magic circle’s resonance was intensifying.

The flow of demonic energy gradually took on purpose according to my preset intentions.

And befitting a high priest of the Demon Cult, he realized exactly what this magic circle meant.

“This is a spatial teleportation circle…!”

I bared my teeth in a grin.

This was the trump card I had prepared.

“Come on, let’s go to a nice place together, you bastard.”

Wherever the destination might be.

I was confident I could somehow deal with him alone once we escaped this space.

That’s when it happened.

Just when everything seemed to be flowing according to my intentions, an unexpected variable intervened.

“Cael…?”

On the ground visible beyond the wall Lipton had destroyed.

Discovering a woman standing below, looking up this way with a bewildered face, I could only mutter blankly.

“Mother…?”

Whoosh-!

The black rays of the spatial teleportation circle swallowed all three people simultaneously.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, what I saw was a dark forest.

A forest where giant trees soared high above my head.

It was a place I had visited just a few days ago.

The depths of Gerpelt Forest.

I had set this place, where people don’t come and go, as the arrival coordinates for the spatial teleportation circle, thinking it would be good for hiding in case of emergency.

“…Kuk, I don’t know what’s what.”

I raised my head.

Lipton was holding his forehead and laughing wickedly.

“Not only does a human wield demonic energy, but you casually use long-distance teleportation that only Arch Mages specialized in spatial magic can use.”

Lipton’s red pupils looked at me filled with madness.

“You, are you not human?”

“…”

I didn’t answer.

More importantly.

“Cough, cough! Cough!”

Ellia seemed heavily shocked by the spatial teleportation, continuously coughing and vomiting gastric fluid.

Lipton in front.

Ellia behind.

Fortunately, I was blocking between the two, so I avoided the worst situation of Ellia being captured as a hostage by Lipton.

“Cael…”

Ellia called me from behind.

I didn’t turn around and kept my gaze fixed on Lipton in front.

He wasn’t an enemy I could afford to look away from.

So I couldn’t see Ellia’s expression.

“I, mother… can’t understand what this situation is about at all.”

“…”

“Cael… am I dreaming right now? Who is that unpleasant man, and you… that power…”

“Mother.”

“That evil… cursed power that the wicked creatures of the Demon Realm are said to wield. Why do you have such an unholy power… Cael, why you…”

My heart ached.

She might have already watched the entire battle between me and Lipton from below the palace.

The stage where I could deceive or hide things had passed long ago.

“Cael… My son, my son…”

Ellia’s voice trembled violently.

She was crying.

Filled with immeasurable despair and sorrow, Ellia sobbed.

“Are you, are you really my son? Are you really my son Cael…?”

I had considered it inevitable that my demonic energy would be discovered someday as long as I continued activities in the Mortal Realm.

But I never expected Ellia would be the first to find out.

“You… you’re not my son! You’re a demon that devoured my son!”

“Mother.”

She already seemed to think I wasn’t even her child.

A human wielding demonic energy meant that much in this land.

“Give me back Cael! Give me back my son! You damn demon! You, you…!”

Ellia crawled toward me on her hands and knees, disheveling the grass roots, pressing both hands to the ground.

She pounded my back with both fists as I stood still.

The weak fist without mana naturally didn’t hurt at all.

“Huuung…! Cael, Caeeel…! My son…! Sob, huusob!”

No.

It hurt.

My body was fine, but.

Every time her fist pounded against me, it felt like a corner of my heart was being torn apart by a sharp awl.

‘Why am I feeling this way? What is this human to me?’

Had I become so immersed in the peaceful daily life of the Mortal Realm that I mistook this childish family game for my reality?

Forgetting my true nature, forgetting my essence.

Had I become too absorbed in this false performance?

Yet the sadness I felt now was real.

“…”

Yes, sadness.

I clenched both fists so tightly that they bled.

I was.

For the first time in so very long.

Perhaps for the first time since birth.

Feeling the emotion called sadness.

I was grieving that I could never return to those same cozy, ordinary days.

‘I knew this day would come.’

From this moment on.

My second life was entering a new phase.

Now that my demonic energy had been discovered, I had no choice.

Argent Imperial Palace.

The place where I had spent 13 years since my reincarnation, which now felt more like home than even the sanctuary of the Demon Realm.

I could never return there again.

Today would be the last time I saw Ellia and the children.

‘…If I had known it would end like this, I would have at least said a proper farewell.’

To think my last words were ‘I’m going to take a dump.’

It was so absurd I couldn’t even manage a bitter laugh.

“Huuuung! Cael…”

I couldn’t turn to look at Ellia, who was still sobbing at my feet, calling my name.

Because Lipton was still glaring at me with wide eyes.

There were final words I wanted to leave her.

I quietly opened my mouth.

“I’m sorry.”

For not being able to repay your caring heart.

And.

“I love you.”

Thwack-!

I gathered demonic energy into the form of a blade and struck the back of Ellia’s neck.

She collapsed onto the grass field like a powerless twig.

Since Ellia had always told me she loved me.

I simply wanted to return those words to her, at least at the end.

“This is too heartbreaking to watch.”

Lipton was staring at us with a face devoid of any humor.

Seeing his face made pure hatred boil up from within me.

It was all because of that bastard.

That damn son of a bitch had ruined everything.

“Hey.”

Separate from my hatred, my numerous battle experiences kept my head cool.

“What grudge do you have against me that you keep trying to kill me?”

I asked while preparing to counterattack his ambush at any moment.

“Huh? You little shit, because of you I can never go home again.”

“Kekeke, well that’s true.”

“Just answer what I’m asking. Why did you try to kill me? It’s about time you answered. I’m going crazy from frustration, damn it.”

“If you defeat me, I’ll tell you.”

I knew he’d say that.

There’s no way he’d tell me easily.

“I don’t know how old you are, but I’m still only thirteen. Aren’t you embarrassed picking on a kid at your age?”

“I don’t think of you as an ordinary brat. You’re definitely hiding something more. Show me everything you’ve got.”

Saaaaa-

Black demonic power gathered around Lipton like clouds.

The demonic power quickly transformed into the shape of tiny blades.

This time, instead of rushing toward me, they clung to his body.

Stab! Stab!

Like a porcupine.

Lipton’s eyes flashed red with blades stuck all over his body.

‘So it’s close combat this time.’

The blades embedded in Lipton’s body would serve as vicious weapons while simultaneously acting as full-body armor.

‘This got troublesome.’

Swoosh-!

Lipton kicked off the ground and charged at me.

I also activated my demonic energy while releasing my aura to cover my entire body.

The technique of wrapping aura around the body like armor, only usable by those who had reached 3-star Sword Runner.

I added demonic energy on top to double-protect my body.

Black and blue colors swirled roughly, emitting radiance.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

“You slip away like an eel!”

The pattern of Lipton swinging his fists and me dodging repeated.

Though I had enhanced my body for protection, direct collision would be disadvantageous for me.

My level was still insufficient compared to his.

I continued dodging while firing demonic energy when I found openings.

‘Pluton-style demonic energy application.’

Nest of Sharks

Dozens of spikes were generated in mid-air as if jaws were clashing together.

The spikes crossed each other and charged with the momentum to pulverize any enemy caught between them without a trace.

They closed in on Lipton like a giant shark’s mouth.

Lipton instantly released demonic power, adding blades to both fists like gauntlets.

Crash-! Crash-!

Lipton swung his fists like lightning, methodically smashing the spikes that rushed at him like a beast’s maw.

That wasn’t the end.

Blades shot out from Lipton’s fingertips.

The target was naturally me.

Pababaak!

I created a barrier with demonic energy to block them, but the impact was still transmitted.

While I was briefly off-balance trying to steady myself.

Lipton didn’t miss that opening.

He instantly closed the distance of at least 10 meters and launched a roundhouse kick.

“Kugh!”

Due to my slightly delayed defense, Lipton’s blade on his shin tore through the barrier, sending red blood spattering.

Fortunately, the wound wasn’t deep.

However, the fact that I had allowed an attack was what mattered.

His consecutive attacks continued.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whisk!

Fists, feet, elbows.

Lipton utilized every part of his body like a weapon, pressuring me.

In reality, due to the blades embedded throughout his entire body, allowing a hit meant suffering both blunt trauma and blade wounds simultaneously.

Even when I was lucky enough to create distance, he would project blades from long range, leaving no answer.

Meanwhile, all my attacks were deflected by the blades covering his entire body like armor.

‘Damn it…’

Perfect in both offense and defense.

This type required overwhelming with sheer power difference, but the demonic energy unlocked upon reaching 3-star was insufficient.

When I was already outmatched in total power from the start, overwhelming him was out of the question.

‘Star creation is… impossible.’

That uselessly massive technique would sweep up Ellia the moment I cast it.

The Calamity Fire Void Destruction that had pressured Gabriel at the baptism ceremony was beyond even dreaming of at my current level.

‘Something to break through this situation…’

There was one thing.

But.

‘Is it possible? I’m only at 3-star level?’

Possible or not, right now I had no choice but to try.

If I didn’t, I was going to die horribly, so I had to grasp at any straw – there was no time to hesitate.

“More! More! This isn’t the end! Reveal everything you’re hiding, Prince Cael!”

Thud! Thwack!

Even in this moment, wounds were accumulating one by one.

I calmly parried Lipton’s attacks while listening to the pulse of my soul.

‘Here I go.’

Pluton-style demonic energy application.

Authority manifestation.

Avici.

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