First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 39

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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 39

 

If this was true, she must have been quite flustered as well.

 

The dimensional transfer itself was something Deront hadn’t wanted.

 

“Didn’t you accidentally touch something? Otherwise, there’s no way the passage would suddenly activate.”

 

“I swear I really didn’t touch anything. And in the first place, even if I desperately tried to activate it, it normally wouldn’t work. That passage is firmly sealed. It’s a seal that even gods can’t break carelessly, so how could someone like me possibly do anything…”

 

Deront complained as if truly feeling wronged.

 

A seal that even gods can’t break carelessly.

 

Then it must be that some other causality, not Deront herself, was at work in her being swept up in the dimensional transfer.

 

What could have happened.

 

There was no answer to be found by pondering it right now.

 

More importantly.

 

“Passages are basically bidirectional. If there’s an entrance in the Demon Realm, that means there’s also an entrance in the Intermediate Realm that leads to the Demon Realm. Right?”

 

Finally, I was getting close to the answer.

 

I thought I wouldn’t be able to find out until I took down the Pope of the Baal Sect.

 

But a jackpot hit from an unexpected place.

 

My heart pounded with excitement.

 

“Where is it. The passage entrance in the Intermediate Realm.”

 

Did she read the obsession and madness I was radiating with my whole body?

 

Deront opened her mouth with a tense expression.

 

“…Are you planning to cross over to the Demon Realm? For revenge?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“It’s too dangerous. From what I can see, you seem to have lost most of your power, and you won’t be able to subdue even the monsters lurking around the gate, let alone the Demon Realm itself.”

 

“I’m not saying I’ll go right away. I’m also planning to sufficiently recover my strength here before crossing over. And since when does a mere demon dare to object to a god’s will?”

 

As I glared with wide eyes, an intangible pressure began seeping out from my body.

 

The weighty dignity of a soul that once reigned as the strongest among the Eight Demons.

 

“Hurry up, speak.”

 

Breaking out in cold sweat, Deront answered with trembling lips.

 

“N-North.”

 

She pointed her finger upward.

 

“Beyond the wall of the northern Void Snowfield… there’s a gate leading to the Demon Realm. I’m certain of this. Because I came from there.”

 

Void Snowfield.

 

An unknown land located at the northernmost tip of the continent, still unexplored by humanity.

 

A place where all kinds of high-grade monsters appear with every step, threatening lives.

 

If you walk across the snowfield, you’ll come to a massive wall.

 

The wall rises majestically and grandly as if to say that the territory permitted to humanity ends here, perfectly dividing the land beyond from the human continent.

 

Among the travelers who boldly crossed over the wall, none have returned alive.

 

This was content I had read in books when I was in the Imperial Capital.

 

‘I was secretly curious about what was beyond there when I read it.’

 

It makes sense if there’s a gate leading to the Demon Realm.

 

However, my level is still far too low to head to the Void Snowfield.

 

Among the travelers who went missing after crossing the wall, there were even strong individuals at the Sword Master level or above.

 

My determination to recover my strength as quickly as possible welled up.

 

I had heard the information I wanted most, but there was still much more to extract.

 

“Now, tell me about that prophecy. What exactly did you say that made Vergil go berserk like that and try to kill me?”

 

“That’s…”

 

When Deront timidly continued her words.

 

I was so dumbfounded that I unconsciously clicked my tongue.

 

Unfortunately, Deront didn’t remember anything about the prophecy.

 

Since I confirmed it with my insight, it must be true.

 

When she opened her eyes in the Intermediate Realm, she first confirmed that the prohibition Vergil had placed to silence her had disappeared.

 

And that some memories had cleanly evaporated from her mind as well.

 

She herself estimates that her brain was strained due to the shock of dimensional transfer.

 

In any case, the prophecy about Pluton was included in those ‘evaporated memories.’

 

“Hah, damn it.”

 

I thought I might finally be able to satisfy my curiosity.

 

“But Vergil should remember it. You must have delivered the prophecy to Vergil.”

 

“That would be true…”

 

“Good. Then I’ll meet him later and hear it directly.”

 

It’s not urgent right now.

 

Even if I knew what that prophecy was, it wouldn’t change my goals.

 

I had already obtained more than enough information.

 

I had only headed to the basement out of curiosity about what might be there, but it was an unexpectedly huge harvest.

 

“But after going through all the trouble of coming to the Intermediate Realm through the Void Snowfield, why were you imprisoned here of all places?”

 

Deront began tearfully complaining as if she had been waiting for just that question.

 

It wasn’t a metaphor – tears were actually welling up in her red pupils.

 

“As soon as I crossed the wall and came out to the snowfield… someone attacked me.”

 

“Attacked? Are you saying you were assaulted?”

 

“No, I mean they literally attacked me as if to kill me.”

 

He introduced himself as the ‘Mediator,’ she said.

 

As if he wasn’t real but a shadow, he was a human whose entire body was black without any color.

 

That person seemed to know in advance that she would cross over from beyond the wall.

 

Since he attacked Deront first, she also counterattacked.

 

She was defeated in just one exchange.

 

“Actually, it wasn’t even one exchange. My attack couldn’t reach him. It was a single blow. I’ve never seen such a strong being in my life. I even thought he might be stronger than the Demon Lords.”

 

If such words came from Deront’s mouth, it was no ordinary matter.

 

The reason she was respected in the Demon Realm was largely due to her future prophecy ability, but she was still a high-ranking demon.

 

Her combat power was by no means weak.

 

Yet such a Deront was defeated in a single blow.

 

‘That human called the Mediator must also be one of the Top 10 Strongest of the Continent.’

 

If a human who could knock down a high-ranking demon in one blow wasn’t among the Top 10 Strongest of the Continent, that would be stranger.

 

The Count was 4th place, the Leader was 3rd place.

 

Perhaps he was in the highest ranks, surpassing even those two.

 

He could have been 1st or 2nd place.

 

“The problem is that most of the power I possessed was lost during the battle with him. Like that, I was captured by him without being able to resist even once and sold to a slave auction. And the humans who purchased me at that auction were…”

 

Kise and Diago.

 

“Actually, those humans did nothing wrong. Even though they bought me as a slave, they treated me very well. They even helped me recover some of my strength.”

 

“But why are you imprisoned here now?”

 

“My pride was the problem. It was hard to bear receiving help from mere humans. So I caused some trouble.”

 

Even so, Nicolaus, Kise, and Diago forgave her several times.

 

But Deront continued causing trouble as if she took their continued kindness for granted.

 

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she was imprisoned in this basement by Merry’s hand.

 

“What? Then it’s your fault.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

It was her own doing.

 

Deront hung her head low.

 

She seemed to regret it.

 

The darkness of the basement was a familiar environment for demons, but being imprisoned here with her freedom taken away couldn’t be pleasant.

 

‘The reason those guys purchased Deront is… obvious.’

 

Just like the reason they brought me was to try to attract the attention of Pluton, whose connection had been severed.

 

In the same context, if they brought a demon captured as a slave and took good care of her.

 

They must have thought the departed Demon Lord would show interest in them again.

 

She probably lived being treated almost like a master, but seeing how it ended with confinement, she must have caused quite a terrible ruckus.

 

“I’ll get you out of here, so when you go up, apologize to those guys first.”

 

“Really?!”

 

Deront’s eyes sparkled brightly.

 

It was the most lively expression I’d seen from her today.

 

“But it’s not free.”

 

I summoned my demonic energy.

 

Black mist began rising and enveloping the space.

 

Soon the demonic energy started gathering in the air, taking the form of a book.

 

The black book opened with a rustle as its pages turned.

 

“You’re a demon too, so you know about contracts, right?”

 

“I… I do.”

 

A look of ‘please no’ crossed Deront’s face.

 

Her eyes pleaded for mercy just this once.

 

“What we’re making now is a master-servant contract. The servant must absolutely obey the master’s words, and in all actions, the master’s will takes priority over their own. There are various other clauses as well… but the details are written in that book, so take a look.”

 

“Um… Lord Pluton?”

 

“In this world, I’m not Pluton but Cael. You can call me Lord Cael. Or you can call me Master.”

 

“Um… Lord Cael?”

 

Deront made a tearful face and kept appealing to me.

 

She’d behave well even without such a contract, so please forgive her just this once.

 

I scoffed at her words.

 

“Whether you make the contract or not is naturally your freedom. But if you won’t make it, I’ll kill you.”

 

“Whaaaat?!”

 

“That’s right. I’ve already extracted all the information. You’re damn well one of the enemies who caused my death. Is there any reason I should let you live?”

 

Actually, the hatred I feel toward Deront isn’t that great.

 

Keeping her alive by my side would be much more beneficial.

 

‘Deront’s future sight will definitely be helpful.’

 

Being able to know the future, even fragmentarily, was an enormous variable.

 

She wasn’t called the Great Seer of the Demon Realm for nothing.

 

This was worth utilizing.

 

However, if I couldn’t completely possess her, it would be better to destroy her instead.

 

If she ever became an enemy, she’d be the most troublesome opponent.

 

“Sob, sniff. Mommy…”

 

In the end, Deront accepted the contract while crying tears and snot.

 

If it was a choice between death and slavery, becoming a slave would be better.

 

I had no intention of completely rolling Deront around like a slave anyway.

 

Crack! Clang-

 

As soon as I confirmed the contract was established, I cut the chains that had been binding Deront.

 

Though she was free for the first time in a while, Deront didn’t look happy at all.

 

“Hey, why are you crying?”

 

“…Sob.”

 

“Stop crying, damn it.”

 

I patted Deront’s shoulder lightly.

 

The more I did so, the more pitifully Deront wailed.

 

Her apparent age was at most a girl in her late teens, so depending on the person, it might be a scene that would cause pangs of conscience.

 

Of course, that didn’t apply to me.

 

“Let’s go up quickly. I’m hungry.”

 

We climbed the stairs together and came out to the 1st floor.

 

Dawn was breaking.

 

* * *

 

“Uh… so.”

 

As soon as day broke, Merry, Kise, Diago.

 

And even Pope Nicolaus.

 

All four priests belonging to the Pluton Sect had gathered in the sanctuary.

 

They looked back and forth between me and Deront with bewildered faces.

 

“What are you doing, bow your head.”

 

I pressed down on the back of Deront’s head with my hand, making her lower her head as she stood there blankly.

 

Only then did Deront shout loudly enough to shake the sanctuary.

 

“I’m sorry for causing a ruckus!!”

 

“…”

 

A moment of silence descended upon the sanctuary.

 

Nicolaus just laughed gently as always.

 

Kise scratched his temple with his index finger, and Diago just blinked with a dazed expression.

 

Merry let out a long sigh and glared at me.

 

“When you asked about the basement yesterday, I had a feeling, but it seems you couldn’t contain your curiosity and went in after all. Even though I told Your Majesty there was nothing you needed to know.”

 

“Sorry, I was curious and couldn’t help it.”

 

“I don’t know what that demon told you, but we had our reasons for keeping her locked up. It was all that brat’s own doing.”

 

“…I’m not a brat!”

 

Deront, who had been listening quietly, squeaked in protest.

 

Even if her appearance was that of a girl in her late teens, inside she was a high-ranking demon thousands of years old.

 

It was understandable she’d feel wronged being called a brat.

 

“I know, Merry. I heard everything from this one. She caused quite a serious ruckus, didn’t she?”

 

“…At least it seems she told you the facts without fabrication.”

 

Merry shuddered as if she didn’t even want to imagine it.

 

It seemed there was still some resentment left.

 

Time heals all wounds, so things would get better after a while.

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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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