Let the Whales Fight, This Shrimp is Leaving! - Chapter 68

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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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Episode 68
“I’m feeling much better now! Let’s depart.”
Glay Holdin rose from his seat with a refreshed expression, his movements brisk and purposeful.
The sound of knights preparing their gear echoed outside, and soon the carriage began rolling forward once more.
Beval passed through the carriage wall as though it were mist and settled into the seat across from Glay, crossing his arms and closing his eyes just as before.
Glay fixed the seemingly composed demon with an unblinking, piercing stare.
[Hey. You’re a damned clever little contractor, aren’t you? Not even going to look away? I’ll rip your eyes right out.]
Beval growled with his eyes still shut, sensing the weight of that gaze, but Glay refused to back down.
‘You can read my thoughts too, can’t you?’
Please, let it work. Please.
Glay stared at the demon with intense fervor, desperately hoping for the miracle of wordless communication.
[I can read them. So what?]
Finally, Beval cracked open one eye just slightly, regarding him with a sidelong glance.
[How the hell do you know me so well?]
‘Did you know this?’
[Know what, you brat? I’ve got zero interest in learning anything about an irritating bastard like you, so stop spouting nonsense.]
Beval turned away roughly, preparing to close his eye again.
But Glay paid him no mind, continuing to glare intensely and press on with the conversation.
‘This forest likely belongs to Count Nemanic’s domain.’
[Look, you don’t have to make those ridiculous eyes at me. I can hear you just fine if I want to. Knock it off.]
‘Which means we’re in Count Nemanic. I know the way from here to the count’s estate.’
[So what? You want me to run off with you? I’m not interested. Why should I?]
Beval tilted his chin up, adopting a deliberately uncooperative posture.
Demons had no obligation to comply with demands that contradicted the essence of their contract.
The reverse held true as well.
A Demon Contract was surprisingly equitable; both parties were bound by appropriate constraints to maintain the agreement’s integrity.
Though the forbidden records suggested that humans were almost always the ones to break these constraints, and demons were always the ones who profited from it….
‘But I’m different. Because I’m clever!’
[Clever? Your skull will be clever once I bash it in. I need my daytime sleep.]
‘What’s with you and your obsession with sleep?’
[Want your neck broken?]
‘You couldn’t do it even if you tried.’
[Did this bastard just—]
‘Enough. Just listen to what I have to say.’
He’d been so sweet to Idir, yet here was his actual contractor being treated like this.
A wave of melancholy washed over him, but Glay swallowed his tears and explained his plan to Beval.
‘Take me to the count’s estate.’
[I said no.]
‘His Highness left behind traces of his contract with a demon there.’
[What?]
‘I’ve even stolen the records. I’m not sure exactly what demon it was, but there’s a document there with part of the demon’s name written on it.’
Within Beval’s crimson eyes, a bright red light flickered and danced.
The demon’s eyes widened in surprise, and he stared at Glay for a long moment, as if verifying the truth of his words….
‘I’m serious.’
[Heh.]
A grin spread across his face, revealing brilliant white teeth.
[Fine. I like it.]
‘I know the way.’
[So I just have to kill all those iron-clad soldiers out there, right?]
“What? No! Are you insane?”
Shocked by the demon’s sudden enthusiasm, Glay bolted upright and shouted.
Immediately, a knight outside rapped on the carriage wall in warning.
“Keep quiet in there.”
“Ah, y-yes. My apologies.”
Glay sheepishly settled back into his seat, pressing his rear firmly against the cushion.
Beval shrugged with a confused expression.
[Wasn’t that what you meant—clearing them all out so we could escape?]
‘That bipolar Ducal Princess will have my hide!’
From what I could tell, she’s extremely protective of anyone she considers her own!
[That’s your problem, not mine.]
‘Don’t you understand her personality? She’ll find some way to get revenge—maybe by convincing that Sariel or whoever to come after you too!’
Idir Hubert was the type who always repaid grudges with vengeance.
Even if her target was a demon, she would find some method to return the favor in kind.
[Yeah, actually. That does sound like her.]
Beval paused, considering Idir for a moment, and found himself agreeing with Glay’s assessment.
Then his cheeks flushed a deep crimson.
[I really want to ■■■■ ■■ ■■■■ and ■■■ her….]
Glay contorted his face in disgust, as though he’d heard something he wasn’t meant to, and plugged his ears.
He would’ve gladly severed them.
[Want me to cut them off?]
Beval, having caught that private thought, menacingly extended his long black nails.
“No!”
Terrified, Glay pressed himself against the wall and shook his head frantically.
[Shame. So what now? What’s your plan?]
‘Just create an opening for me to escape. Don’t harm any of the knights.’
[Huh?]
Beval questioned him irritably.
‘If it becomes clear that I tried to use your power against them, that mad Ducal Princess will have my limbs torn off.’
[But I keep saying, that’s your problem, not—]
‘Yes, yes! You’re right! Still, I’m your contractor—wouldn’t it be nice to side with me a little?’
Glay wasn’t trying to betray Idir and flee alone.
He hadn’t forgotten that Deyan’s leash was in her hands.
He simply wanted to uncover exactly what his father and the previous Count Nemanic had done to Deyan.
Besides, if he knew the name of the demon Deyan had contracted with, he might be able to break the contract—or do whatever else was necessary.
‘Once we know the demon’s name, it’ll be easier to find them, won’t it?’
[Better than that. With a name, I can summon that demon using a Forced Summoning Circle.]
‘Excellent. Then let’s do this.’
Glay laid out his entire plan to Beval.
Beval argued partway through, but ultimately heard him out to the end.
[Yeah, not bad. I like the part about finally getting that rat bastard’s tail.]
Beval agreed with Glay’s scheme.
‘Perfect!’
Glay cheered inwardly and turned to the demon with a determined expression.
‘Let’s get started!’
[Do what?]
‘What do you mean “what”? Didn’t you just hear me?’
[Ah. I can’t do that. Not right now.]
‘Huh?’
[Weren’t you listening? Demons have lost their power.]
The demon explained in a blasé tone.
[I got a bit of my strength back from contracting with you, but using power beyond a certain threshold requires a price.]
‘Isn’t that price the Sacrifice offered when you were summoned?’
Glay pressed him with the knowledge he possessed.
Beval nodded, regarding him with rare approval.
[You know your stuff.]
‘Then we already paid it! The Ducal Princess did!’
[Thirteen drops of blood? Hell, not even that—just some blood smeared on her hand, and I was the one who forced my way across dimensions with it. If it’d been anyone else, that wouldn’t’ve worked at all.]
Beval naturally displayed his superiority and pointed at Glay’s neck.
[So that’s why I can’t use Magic right now. If you want me to move according to plan, give me some blood.]
‘That’s insane! You want to eat me!’
[Keep saying gross things and I’ll pound you to a pulp and toss you out there for the beasts to devour.]
‘Damn it all!’
He despised pain with a passion.
Glay raked his fingers through his hair and sighed heavily.
‘Please be gentle. Make it painless.’
He finally made his decision and pulled his shirt down, exposing his neck.
He clamped his eyes shut and offered his pale throat to Beval….
[Ugh. No, I can’t. Eww, that’s gross.]
The demon recoiled in revulsion instead.
‘Wait, I made a real commitment here!’
[Don’t you have a knife?]
‘How could I? They took everything.’
[Then break the window. Even Idir wouldn’t fault you for that.]
‘With my bare fist?’
[Yeah.]
‘Then I’ll hurt myself!’
[That’s the whole point, isn’t it? You need blood. Hurry up.]
Beval pressed him forward.
‘You’re the one who won’t get hurt.’
Glay groaned and hesitated, but finally began preparing to break the window.
He took aim at the weakest point of the glass with his elbow and squeezed his eyes shut.
Crash!
The crystalline sound of shattering glass rang out, and the knights outside reacted immediately.
“Aaaaaaahhhhh!”
Seized by terror, he unleashed a loud, panicked scream instead of a battle cry.
Even as he cried out, he deliberately grabbed the broken glass and cut his palm, drawing blood.
“Ow! Ahhh! Aaaahhh!”
Beval scraped at his wound with his nails, coaxing out more blood, then let the drops fall onto his own tongue.
In that instant, the demon’s eyes flickered with deep darkness, and the carriage plunged into sudden shadow.

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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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