First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 38

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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 38

 

“What’s in the basement? Is it like a storage room?”

 

“Your Highness need not concern yourself with it.”

 

“Come on, why are you being like that? Tell me a little. Are you still sulking?”

 

“…I’m not sulking!”

 

Merry let out a shriek.

 

I think this is the first time I’ve seen this person raise their voice.

 

It’s a day full of rare experiences in many ways.

 

“Alright, I got it. Anyway, there’s nothing special there, right? Then I won’t bother being interested.”

 

* * *

 

That night.

 

I secretly came down to the first floor while everyone was asleep.

 

With my back to the darkness, I stood before the stairs leading to the basement.

 

‘What’s she gonna do if she won’t tell me.’

 

I’ll just check it myself.

 

I stepped on the creaking landing and went down.

 

After going down for about a minute, a library appeared.

 

The bookshelves contained scriptures with the sect’s doctrines, various miscellaneous books, and even novels and comic books.

 

I pulled out a book with ‘Pluton Scripture – West’ written on the cover and read it.

 

I had no particular memory of spreading doctrine to believers, so I was curious about what content they had written.

 

Some parts were nonsense, but surprisingly, there were passages that somewhat aligned with my values.

 

It seems they haven’t been running the sect carelessly all this time.

 

‘This makes me feel even more sorry.’

 

While I had no interest at all.

 

These guys had tremendous interest in me and struggled to write something about me.

 

‘I’ll make you guys truly successful.’

 

Though it’s somewhat late, I’ll make sure to put the entire world under your feet now.

 

Without fail!

 

‘Anyway, there’s nothing particularly special in this library.’

 

Whatever Merry was trying to hide while playing dumb must be further down, not in this library.

 

But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find stairs leading further down.

 

‘There’s something perfect to use at times like this.’

 

I immediately activated my insight.

 

When I examined it with insight, the secret spell hidden in the library finally became visible.

 

Let’s see.

 

‘Here and here and… here.’

 

When I tapped the surfaces of the books that insight indicated in order, the bookshelf began moving on its own with a rumbling sound.

 

It was the moment when the secret space hidden behind the bookshelf was revealed.

 

‘Bingo.’

 

There were stairs leading downward.

 

As I stepped on the stairs, security magic activated and a solid wall was created in the middle of the path.

 

I summoned my magic power and simply smashed through the wall.

 

The stairs continued downward for quite a while.

 

It felt like I had been going down for more than 10 minutes.

 

The air gradually became more humid.

 

It seemed certain there was water down here.

 

Finally, the stairs ended.

 

Though the surroundings were dark, to my eyes it was as bright as broad daylight.

 

The space was unexpectedly spacious.

 

In the circular space that appeared to be a renovated cave, stalactites and stalagmites sprouted here and there.

 

Shallow water had pooled on the floor, but when I smelled it, it wasn’t water but blood.

 

A pond made of blood.

 

In its center, a being was kneeling.

 

With limbs and torso firmly bound by chains connected to the walls.

 

“…What are you. Human? Are you a different entity from the humans outside?”

 

That being spoke.

 

It was a higher and more refined voice than expected.

 

A slender frame and curved body.

 

‘A woman?’

 

I could immediately tell that this was the reason Merry had played dumb about the basement.

 

Upon closer observation, it wasn’t human.

 

Though its appearance was similar to humans, it had cat-like ears on its head.

 

On its buttocks was a long tail with an arrowhead-like tip.

 

Its long straight hair was black as if it contained the night, and in contrast, its skin was pale.

 

Red bloodshot crimson pupils met mine.

 

“A human I’ve never seen before. Don’t tell me you came to save me? If so, please untie these chains quickly.”

 

It was a demon.

 

It seemed to be a member of a race within demonkind that looked particularly similar to humans.

 

That wasn’t the problem.

 

The point was that I already knew those facial features.

 

-There was a prophecy about you from the Great Seer of the Demon Realm. They said you were born with a somewhat special destiny.

 

Vergil’s voice seemed to brush past my ears.

 

Perhaps thinking I was scared as I stood there with my mouth agape, the demon hastily added.

 

“There’s nothing to fear. I won’t harm you. As for me, I am the renowned Great Seer of the Demon Realm. Deront Ikulain…”

 

“You fucking bastard, I finally caught you.”

 

“…Huh?”

 

I am a demon.

 

No, I walked with large strides toward Deront Ikulain, the Great Seer of the Demon Realm.

 

“I don’t know why the hell you’re locked up here, but first let’s get you beaten until you die. You fucking piece of shit bastard.”

 

Deront Ikulain’s red pupils wavered.

 

“W-wait. When did you ever see me to say that? Do you know me?”

 

“Yeah. I sure do.”

 

When you think about it, this guy is practically the source of all the trouble.

 

The reason Vergil killed me.

 

There could be various reasons.

 

He might have found it annoying that I, with a demon’s body, ascended to the pantheon.

 

He might have been burdened by my martial prowess, being the strongest among the Demon Lords despite ascending to the pantheon last.

 

Even without Deront’s prophecy, he might have eventually plotted to kill me anyway.

 

But.

 

It’s an obvious fact that Deront’s prophecy ignited his plan.

 

Didn’t he say it directly with his own mouth.

 

-I originally had no intention of killing you… but what can I do. It’s best to prevent sparks before they start.

 

That’s what he said.

 

“Ugh, uaaaah!”

 

Thwack! Thwack!

 

I struck Deront’s face and abdomen refreshingly hard.

 

From this guy’s perspective, it might feel unfair.

 

Getting beaten up by an intruder who suddenly barged in without knowing why.

 

But what can I do.

 

Thwack! Thwack!

 

Right now, it doesn’t look like my anger will subside unless I beat this bastard to a pulp.

 

There’s no helping it.

 

“Huh, huuugh.”

 

Deront drooled from his mouth while desperately begging.

 

“I, I’m sorry. Please spare me…”

 

How ridiculous.

 

Does he even know what he did wrong?

 

“Then tell me once.”

 

“What?”

 

“You said you did wrong. Tell me with your own mouth what you did wrong.”

 

“That’s…”

 

I can hear the sound of his eyes rolling around from here.

 

“Of course you don’t know. You don’t even know who I am.”

 

“…”

 

Deront’s eyes became like night as he glared at me.

 

His expression seemed quite resentful.

 

His face looked like he wanted to ask who the hell I was to come here and torment him when being captured here was already miserable enough.

 

“I am Pluton. That Pluton who died because of your damn prophecy, you bastard.”

 

“What…”

 

Deront’s expression changed.

 

If until just now his expression was resentful and miserable, now he was looking at me like I was crazy.

 

“Want to get beaten more?”

 

“No! I believe you! Of course I believe you! For Lord Pluton to come all the way here, what brings you…”

 

When I raised my fist threateningly, Deront switched his attitude like a blade.

 

Even though he said that, he didn’t look like he believed it at all.

 

I’ll need to give him more definitive proof.

 

Information that I couldn’t know if I weren’t Pluton.

 

“13 years ago. Vergil, Lucifer, Baal, Aderzhen, Asmodeus, and finally Zagan. Six Demon Lords excluding Nevilos came to find me. Taking advantage of the gap when I had already used Mugan in a previous battle.”

 

“…”

 

“Those bastards said you had made a prophecy about me. That I was born with some special destiny. That’s how I died. With my chest pierced through by Vergil’s spear.”

 

The sensation of the wound I suffered then remained in my chest even now, after reincarnation and changing bodies.

 

“The humans of this Intermediate Realm still seem to think Pluton is alive, but well, that’s not entirely wrong. I reincarnated. In a human body, and I’m living here perfectly fine now.”

 

“…”

 

“Do you understand why I beat you? Then now it’s your turn to speak. Why are you here when you should be in the Demon Realm? And that damn prophecy… what exactly was it?”

 

Deront’s mouth gradually opened wider.

 

At first his expression was resentful, and earlier he looked at me like I was crazy.

 

Now he had a face filled with genuine shock.

 

“Could it be… really Lord Pluton?”

 

“If I were a fake Pluton, how would I know the information I just told you?”

 

“You mean, you really reincarnated? As a human?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Kwarruk-

 

I manifested demonic energy in my palm.

 

Humans cannot handle demonic energy.

 

Common knowledge widely spread in both the Intermediate Realm and Demon Realm.

 

Moreover, Deront, being a demon, would know.

 

That even with the same demonic energy, the concentration and destructive power varies drastically depending on who the caster is.

 

It was a sight sufficient to instill certainty in her who had been half-doubting.

 

“This is impossible…”

 

Perhaps due to experiencing something beyond common sense.

 

The long black-haired demon looked extremely confused.

 

Great Seer of the Demon Realm, Deront Ikulain.

 

She was a very special existence even in the Demon Realm.

 

She was the only demon among ordinary residents who hadn’t ascended to the Pantheon to receive respect from the gods.

 

That wasn’t because Deront’s military power was strong.

 

It was because of the unique ability she possessed.

 

‘Future foresight.’

 

Although she could only know fragmentary and vague information.

 

Being able to know the future, even partially, was a tremendous ability.

 

As far as I knew, Deront’s prophecies had never been wrong even once.

 

That’s why the Demon Lords including Vergil were very concerned about her well-being.

 

‘Though I don’t know why such a Deront is captured in the Intermediate Realm, and in the basement of Pluton’s Temple at that.’

 

I called out to Deront who was still spacing out with her mouth agape, unable to come to her senses.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Yes, yes!”

 

Deront immediately snapped to attention.

 

The irreverent attitude she had shown until just now was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a disciplined appearance.

 

“Tell me. Why are you here?”

 

“Th, that’s…”

 

Deront hesitated and trailed off, then answered in a shrinking voice.

 

“I, I don’t know either.”

 

“What the hell?”

 

I’m already desperately searching for a way to cross over to the Demon Realm.

 

Deront’s insincere answer, who must surely hold the solution, pressed my rage button.

 

“Are you joking right now? You really want to die, don’t you.”

 

It was when I raised my arm to really make her into a bloody pulp without mercy this time.

 

“It’s true! I was definitely in the Demon Realm, but when I came to my senses, I was in the Intermediate Realm! Please believe me! Lord Pluton must have divine insight too!”

 

Deront looked so desperate as she trembled and shouted that I held back for now.

 

As she said, I could just use divine insight to check.

 

Surprisingly, what divine insight determined was that Deront’s words were true.

 

However, I also had to keep in mind that divine insight was still incomplete since my previous life’s power hadn’t fully returned.

 

Because if it was superficially true but she was deliberately hiding important information, my current divine insight wouldn’t be able to detect that.

 

“Explain the situation at that time in detail.”

 

I crossed my arms and stared intently at Deront.

 

Deront gulped and began her explanation.

 

“The other Demon Lords don’t know this, but… actually there is one passage in the Demon Realm that connects to the Intermediate Realm. Only two in the Demon Realm know of this passage’s existence – myself and Lord Vergil.”

 

“What?”

 

Major information burst out from the very beginning.

 

The dimensional portal I had been searching for so desperately actually existed.

 

‘Vergil, that damn bastard!’

 

How detestable that he had been hoarding such information all to himself.

 

“Lord Vergil has been managing this passage alone for an extremely long time. The fact that no one else discovered the passage’s existence despite eons passing could be seen as proof of his ability. …Until I noticed the passage’s existence through future foresight.”

 

Vergil was flustered by the first situation to occur in tens of thousands of years and originally tried to kill Deront to silence her.

 

However, upon reconsideration, he judged that Deront’s foresight ability was quite useful.

 

So he spared her life for now while placing a prohibition to prevent her from revealing the information.

 

“After that, I was entrusted with managing the passage during times when Lord Vergil was attending to other matters.”

 

Since Vergil only had one body, he couldn’t cling to the passage all day long.

 

The passage’s managers had increased from one to two.

 

“It was probably not long after Lord Pluton passed away. That day too, I was inspecting the passage as usual, when suddenly the passage flashed with light…”

 

“And when you came to your senses, you were in the Intermediate Realm?”

 

“Yes….”

 

I rubbed my chin while letting out a contemplative hum.

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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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