Welcome to the Café of the Dark Guild’s Successor - Chapter 164

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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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A café operated by the Dark Guild’s heir.
Chapter 164
“It’s clear they’re not on our side.”
“…So the Strophane Clan really was involved in this.”
Just then, Juliano turned to look at us. When our eyes met, he laughed with obvious delight and shouted.
“There they are!”
The demonic beasts turned toward us in unison, heeding his voice.
It was the same situation as a few days ago in the village.
“Again.”
“What?”
Biedler heard my murmur and asked, but I wasn’t sure what I’d meant, so I shook my head.
“Scatter and help where you can.”
On the first floor, mages weak at close range were being pushed back by the demonic beasts.
Because the battle was taking place inside the Mage Tower, they couldn’t use any magic freely, putting them at a disadvantage.
“Ahhh!!”
Especially those of lower classes failed to defend with magic and were forced to flee from the beasts charging at them.
“Sister, will you be alright? Come with me.”
“I can manage my own safety. You be careful.”
Seniel and I, unsure of each other’s true strength, exchanged worried glances.
But there was no time for hesitation. We moved at once.
I found the weak points of a demonic beast charging at a mage, slashed at it with my sword, and turned away.
Looking at Seniel, I could see Aura flowing from his sword as he fought the beasts.
‘He might be stronger than Biedler.’
Now I understood why Biedler seemed to care for Seniel so much. His skill was worthy of that regard.
I swung my sword relentlessly, dispatching the demonic beasts around me.
After engaging so many I lost count, I finally had a moment to catch my breath and survey the area.
“Sister….”
Seniel was looking at me from beside. His eyes were wide with shock.
I felt a bit embarrassed and pointed to the beasts.
“They use magic too, so be careful. You as well, Your Highness.”
The mages we’d rescued huddled together in a corner, forming their own group.
I widened the distance to give them space to cast magic and glanced toward the entrance.
“Is the Barrier still not up?”
“Seems like it.”
“The longer we drag this out, the worse our position becomes.”
I could already see mages whose Mana had been depleted, and the Holy Power used by the priests was steadily weakening.
I was beginning to think we might have to abandon the Mage Tower when—
“。。°。°°°。”
Juliano, who had been staring at nothing but my position, suddenly cried out in an incomprehensible language.
A dark space tore open in the floor, and a massive demonic beast erupted from it.
“What is that? It looks incredibly strong.”
“It’s dangerous. Let’s retreat for now.”
I pulled Seniel, who was showing keen interest in the beast, away with me, and we moved as far as possible from it alongside Biedler.
With a height tall enough to pierce the ceiling and skin covered in thick scales that looked impervious to sword cuts, it was a monster.
Merely swinging its fist brought destruction to various parts of the tower.
With just one step forward, several people were crushed beneath its foot—even one of its own kin was flattened alongside them.
But that wasn’t all.
When the demonic beast opened its mouth, human speech flowed out—specifically, the Imperial Language, which everyone present could understand.
“How long has it been since I’ve felt the ground beneath my feet? Where is Desikan?”
The beast’s sonorous voice echoed through the very earth where we stood.
“How could Juliano summon such a monster? Did he already learn Summoning?”
“I don’t know. I’d only heard he’d locked himself in the Mansion. This is the first I’m hearing of such an ability.”
The beast looked around, exchanged words with Juliano, then turned its attention toward us and took a step forward.
“Oh no. It’s coming this way. We’ll have to face it.”
Seniel stepped forward and braced himself.
“Sister, get back. To pierce that skin, we need Aura.”
“Rosia, get among the mages.”
Even Biedler blocked my path, drawing his sword.
Instead of arguing, I grasped my sword and concentrated. Then Aura enveloped the entire blade in luminous light.
“…Sister?”
“You can use Aura?”
I took my place beside them, seeing their stunned expressions.
“Yes.”
Though far weaker than theirs, this much should be enough to help pierce the beast’s hide.
Just as I was about to engage the demonic beast thundering toward us—
Cayden came running.
“Let us help. We can bind it so it cannot move.”
“How?”
At Biedler’s question, Cayden pointed to the Holy Knight and three priests who’d come with him.
“There’s a formation designed specifically for confronting high-class demonic beasts.”
Cayden gave a solemn signal, and the four of them positioned themselves in a square around the beast.
Each drove their sword into the ground, channeled Holy Power into it, and chanted something.
A translucent black wall rose up exactly where they stood, trapping the beast inside.
“What—what is this? Why are you caging me! I just crossed over—!!”
The trapped beast thrashed violently, striking the wall with its fists, but nothing happened.
“The formation doesn’t affect people, so we can pass through the wall. But we can’t maintain it long, so let’s hurry.”
Hearing Cayden’s explanation, I rushed toward the trapped beast.
Biedler and Seniel, both channeling their Aura to its maximum, severed the beast’s limbs from opposite sides, carving through its restrained body.
Cayden and I found the beast’s weak points, thrusting our blades at its back and neck.
As the beast was pierced in the lower back, it released a terrible cry and collapsed to the side.
“That’s it.”
“Phew….”
I watched the beast’s corpse fade, wiping sweat from my brow, when my eyes fell on Biedler.
The way he stood there, breathing heavily, his sword wrapped in Aura, looked quite reassuring.
But then Biedler suddenly turned his head, and our eyes met.
His crimson eyes widened slightly as he stepped closer and asked.
“Are you hurt?”
“…No. Seniel, how about you?”
“I’m fine too. That formation was remarkable.”
“It certainly was.”
While we were catching our breath, Cayden returned from checking on the priests who’d maintained the formation and looked toward Juliano, who was clearly furious.
“We should capture that summoner first.”
“Could he possibly summon again?”
Summoning consumes tremendous power.
Just calling forth a beast like the one we’d just faced was an incredible feat.
“Given that he summoned something that large, he might be hiding other abilities. He could even use a potion to recover his strength.”
“True. We’ve dealt with the beasts faster than expected, so he’s panicking. Let’s take advantage of that.”
I nodded and moved quietly so Juliano wouldn’t notice.
But then—
“Rosia! Look up!!”
“Move!”
“Sister!!”
All three of them cried out in alarm and rushed toward me.
Something flew overhead, and I instinctively rolled to the side to dodge. A net fell with a soft thud right where I’d been standing.
It was Juliano’s doing.
“He aimed precisely at me.”
I stared at Juliano, feeling a chill run through me.
Juliano grinned darkly and cleared away all the demonic beasts between us, creating a path.
“We already know each other, don’t we? Shall we have a proper conversation? It’s even more pleasant seeing you here.”
“Why are you targeting me?”
“Because you’re special.”
It was definitely Juliano, yet his face had changed, transformed like a demonic beast’s. He could hardly be called human anymore.
“What on earth have you done? Did you sell your soul to the Demon Realm?”
“Heh. Soon everyone will envy me.”
“Look in a mirror and see what you’ve become.”
Juliano continued laughing, his tongue—now serpentine and grotesquely long—flicking across his lips.
“I liked you from the moment I first saw you. That face of yours. Anyway, congratulations on being chosen. You’re one of us now.”
“Stop talking nonsense!”
Juliano didn’t approach me directly; instead, he commanded the demonic beasts.
But I quickly withdrew and those around me blocked the beasts from reaching me.
Juliano’s face twisted even more grotesquely as he extended his hand forward.
“Enough playing around.”
A black mass shot forth from his hand and unfurled in midair.
It was the same net as before.
Flying directly at me with unmistakable accuracy, my instincts screamed that I absolutely could not let it catch me.
I dodged to the side and tried to cut the net with my sword, but it wasn’t something that could be severed.
“Ugh.”
The net wrapped around my blade and moved as if alive, reaching for me again.
It crawled up my arm and adhered to my body.
“Sister, it won’t come off!”
“Don’t struggle. Stay still.”
Seniel and Biedler rushed to help, but the net wouldn’t budge, tightening around me relentlessly.
Especially where it gripped my sword hand, it dug in and blood began to bead.
Then Cayden, having finished with the remaining beasts, came running and severed the net with his Holy Sword.
“Are you alright?”
“Thank you.”
“This is likely an artifact from the Demon Realm. Using something like this means he’s accepted the Demon Realm’s power. He’s no longer human.”
Seeing Juliano reach toward me once more, Cayden quickly drew his Holy Sword across the ground.
A long, shimmering line appeared.
“This will buy us some time. Everyone, come this way.”
I followed him, moving backward.
Juliano threw the net again, but it couldn’t cross the line. Even the demonic beasts that tried to cross screamed and burned as their bodies were incinerated.
While we were contending with the monster, the elders had returned.
Just as we were about to join them—
Boom!!
An enormous roar thundered from above.
Something had happened upstairs; a large hole had been torn in the ceiling.
The collision had been so violent that through the hole, I could see all the way to the very top floor of the Mage Tower.

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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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