Chapter 385: Chapter 385

Tarak, located in the northern part of the Tulc Kingdom.

“Huu… Haa— The air here is amazing. I never get tired of it.”

A young man with black hair, strolling through the streets, took a deep breath and smiled with satisfaction.

Miyamoto Ken, a demon disguised as a human, his original form.

He walked slowly, enjoying the bustling city, his mood cheerful and relaxed.

‘I made the right choice coming here. I don’t want to go back already.’

The Demon World’s environment, filled with negative energy, was incredibly unpleasant for him, a former human and Earthling.

Of course, his current demonic body actually benefited from it…

‘But I still prefer this clean air.’

‘It’s been over twenty years since I arrived in the Demon World.’

And that meant it had been almost thirty years since he had been transported to that… hellhole.

…he stopped, a frown creasing his brow.

A sudden thought, a nagging question, had surfaced in his mind.

If he had returned to Earth properly, he would be living comfortably now.

He had the skills and abilities.

So how did he end up …?

“…Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ve found a valuable asset.”

But the burning resentment, the surge of anger, quickly subsided, as if doused with cold water.

His expression softened, and he recalled his recent encounter.

He had been gathering information in Auterica, on a mission, when he had discovered something… surprising.

Earth products, things he hadn’t expected to see in this world, were being openly traded.

It was still limited to the upper class, but even that was… remarkable.

‘And there were quite a few of them.’

It wasn’t just a few trinkets brought over by returnees.

It was a large-scale distribution network, operated by a major trading company.

And the products he had acquired weren’t ordinary either.

He entered a deserted alley and took out a metal lighter from his pocket, flicking it open.

A small flame ignited, accompanied by a faint scent of oil.

It was one of the ‘Earth products’ distributed by Hubert, the Awakened merchant.

“…To think he could even bring something … What a strange ability.”

It was a common item on Earth, but in this world, it was a novelty, a technological marvel.

He recalled Hubert’s casual display of power, conjuring a feast of Earth food right before his eyes, and smacked his lips.

“…I can’t just let him go.”

He hadn’t retreated out of goodwill the previous day.

He had simply been… unprepared.

‘That kind of ability has to be a unique skill.’

He, having become a demon, could no longer use his own unique skill.

And it wasn’t something he could just… steal.

The best option was to capture him and turn him into a slave… but there was a risk of him escaping back to Earth using ‘Return’.

And he couldn’t just follow him around and keep an eye on him.

‘Mental manipulation is the best solution in this situation.’

If he could brainwash him, make him completely subservient, then he wouldn’t have to worry about him escaping.

Of course, Hubert would eventually become a settler and lose his unique skill… but he had only been in Auterica for less than ten years. There was still plenty of time.

‘The problem is… I’m not very good at that kind of thing…’

That’s why he had needed time to prepare.

But he had finally found a solution.

Ken’s voice echoed through the alley.

“Tsk, do you really have to summon me in the middle of my busy schedule?”

An elderly voice, tinged with annoyance, replied from the shadows.

And then, accompanied by the sound of approaching footsteps, an old man appeared.

Dressed in a white suit, a polished wooden cane in his hand, he tipped his white fedora, glancing at Ken with a disapproving look.

“Even you can’t work for free. You know the price, don’t you?”

“We’ve already discussed this. I’ll fulfill my end of the bargain. Let’s go.”

Ken wasn’t the only demon dispatched from the Demon World.

There were others, including those skilled in mental manipulation, and he had a way of… requesting their assistance.

‘Well, I’ll have to help him with his… project… but it’s a small price to pay.’

He had been… deprived of Earth’s culinary delights for thirty years. He was desperate.

He wasn't planning to cooperate with Hubert and receive his… handouts.

He was a demon, an Earl-level aristocrat of the Demon World.

He couldn't just… beg for food from a human merchant.

‘And I don’t know when he’ll return to Earth.’

Hubert must have accumulated a massive amount of Karma through his business dealings.

His physical abilities were also quite impressive, and judging by his casual use of his unique skill, he must have spent a considerable amount of Karma points… but he would still have enough for his return trip.

This was their chance, while their target was still relaxed and unsuspecting, after their friendly meeting the previous day.

…the two demons entered Hubert’s office.

The same office where they had shared a meal and exchanged information the previous day.

“…What is the meaning of this?”

A cold, hard voice, a tone of controlled anger, echoed through the room, its floor now covered in scattered documents.

Hubert, jumping to his feet, glared at the intruders, his teeth gritted.

“What does it look like?”

Ken, grinning, shrugged casually, his words a stark contrast to the murderous intent radiating from him.

The attack had been swift and decisive.

He had already infiltrated the office once, unnoticed.

The security measures seemed to have been reinforced since then, perhaps because of his previous visit… but it hadn’t made much of a difference.

“Oh ho? This child…? This is… interesting.”

The old man in the white suit, standing behind Ken, looked down at the unconscious girl lying on the floor, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

Diana, Hubert’s secretary, who had been working downstairs.

She was here because of her sharp sense of smell.

Unlike yesterday, when she had been slow to react, she had immediately sensed the intruders’ presence and rushed to warn Hubert…

…only to be caught in the crossfire.

“Why? Is there something special about her?”

“…Ah, she has… exceptional potential for a human. She could become a valuable asset with proper training. Hehehe.”

“Tsk, we’ll deal with that later. Let’s finish this first.”

The old man shrugged casually, his words a blatant lie.

He wasn't planning to treasure with anyone.

‘To think I’d find a child with a divine fragment in such an unexpected place. Thanks to that fool, I’ve stumbled upon a gold mine.’

Unlike Ken, a young and impulsive warrior, he had spent over a thousand years studying magic and sorcery.

He was still a Viscount-level demon, due to his lack of combat prowess, but his knowledge and experience were far superior.

He suppressed his excitement, maintaining a calm facade, and approached Hubert, who was frozen in shock and confusion.

‘Excellent. If I can just… frame him for this and acquire the divine fragment…’

A dark desire, a burning greed, flickered in his eyes.

And at the same time, he felt a strange… fondness for the human merchant.

After all, it was thanks to him that he had found this treasure.

‘Well, I’m not going to spare him. But I’ll make it quick and painless.’

That was the most he could offer.

He tipped his fedora, his eyes gleaming with a purple light.

“Hehehe, don’t resist. It’ll only make it more painful.”

Hubert’s mental defenses, including 「Clear Mind」, crumbled effortlessly.

He stumbled and collapsed onto his office chair, his body limp.

A sinister energy, invading his mind, tore through his defenses, penetrating deep into his inner self.

‘Impressive. His mental fortitude is comparable to a high-ranking mage. He could have reached transcendence if he had dedicated himself to cultivation.’

His mental strength, despite his lack of combat abilities, was exceptional, at the peak of the Master Realm.

If he hadn't been a sorcerer, his mental attack would have backfired, damaging his own mind.

It was an extraordinary level of mental resilience, a testament to his ability to build and manage such a large trading company.

‘…A shame, truly a shame. Such a talented individual, reduced to this. If it wasn’t for me, if he had more time, he could have become a hero. A tragedy, indeed.’

But despite his seemingly sympathetic words, his face was filled with a subtle amusement, a hint of… pleasure.

He was, after all, a demon, and he enjoyed the suffering of others.

‘…Now then, let’s begin…’

But his smile didn't last long.

Having effortlessly broken through his defenses and entered his inner world,

…he was greeted by a sight he had never seen before.

He couldn’t comprehend it.

A massive wall, extending endlessly in both directions, its height reaching the sky,

…like a boundary between dimensions.

‘…How is this even possible?’

He instinctively knew, the moment he saw it.

It wasn't just its size.

He couldn't even scratch its surface. He would be destroyed before he could even make a dent.

An impenetrable barrier, a fortress without a single weakness.

Even in this intangible world of the mind, it was something beyond his comprehension.

This couldn't possibly be the inner world of a mere merchant…

‘…I have to retreat.’

He didn’t fully understand the situation, but he didn’t hesitate. His instincts screamed at him, a chilling premonition, a sense of danger he had never felt before.

…he had gone too far.

Something blocked his path.

And as he faced it, his soul trembled.

This was a world where mental strength was paramount, where one’s mind was at its most vulnerable.

And as he met its gaze, two crimson eyes, gleaming like rubies, his very essence, his identity as Frances the demon, began to unravel and reshape itself.

He tried to resist, but his struggles were futile, his efforts scattering like dust in this timeless space.

And after what felt like an eternity,

“…Why don’t we have a chat, since you’ve come all this way?”

…a sweet voice, a melodious tone, echoed in his ears.

The old man, his voice filled with a strange mixture of awe and excitement, as if he had been… entranced, replied.

He cautiously called out to his companion again.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen? Did you finish the job?”

His voice was filled with annoyance rather than concern, but Frances didn't react, his body trembling slightly.

No, wait. There was a change.

He was swaying, his movements unsteady, as if he was… drunk.

His wooden cane had fallen to the ground, and his fedora, perched precariously on his head, seemed about to fall off.

Ken finally realized that something was wrong.

Mental manipulation was a powerful technique, but it also came with significant risks.

He couldn’t believe it, but it seemed like the old man had failed.

Against an ordinary, non-Awakened merchant.

‘I’ll have to eliminate him.’

His gaze shifted towards Hubert, who was still slumped over in his chair, his head bowed.

It was a shame, but he couldn’t leave such a dangerous variable unchecked.

As he hesitated, his hand reaching for his weapon,

…Frances suddenly stopped swaying.

His body stiffened, as if frozen in place.

And then, as if thawing, he straightened his posture, picked up his cane, adjusted his fedora, and smoothed his suit.

“…Frances? Are you alright?”

“Yes, don’t worry. I’m perfectly fine now.”

“The mental manipulation? Did you finish it?”

“Hehehe, of course. There weren’t any problems.”

Ken stared at him, his eyes narrowed.

As if his previous unsteadiness had been an illusion.

“But… what happened? Why were you acting like that?”

He couldn't help but ask.

What had happened during the mental manipulation?

What had caused such a reaction from a powerful demon like Frances?

…Ken frowned at his casual reply.

“I just… met my Lord.”

“Ah— Are you jealous? Hehehe, don’t worry. He’s our Lord, so you’ll meet him soon enough.”

A nonsensical answer, a strange and unsettling non sequitur.

A chill ran down Ken’s spine as he looked at Frances again.

A white fedora, a white suit, white gloves, white shoes, and a polished wooden cane…

He looked like his usual, impeccably dressed self…

…but there was one thing that was different.

It wasn't his usual… unreadable mask.

His eyes were soft and gentle, his lips curled into a slight smile.

His face, flushed with excitement, radiated a pure, unadulterated joy, as if he had just met his idol.

Ken cursed under his breath.

He wasn't just… strange.

And the cause… was Hubert, the merchant he had been trying to manipulate.

‘I have to eliminate him now!’

He turned his head towards the office chair…

…and gasped, his eyes widening in shock as the world around him shifted and changed.

…was now a desolate wasteland.

A purplish sky, blackened earth, a barren plain stretching as far as the eye could see, and a dry, biting wind.

And the air was thick with negative energy.

It resembled the most desolate and abandoned region of the Demon World.

“What do you think? Of my ‘Heavenly Demon’s World’?”

…accompanied by a captivating voice that seemed to resonate with his very soul,

…a figure materialized in the center of the wasteland.

Its presence, somehow… fitting.

“Welcome. To my world.”

The impossibly beautiful woman, her elegance and grace otherworldly, her presence so captivating that he wanted to rip out his own heart and offer it to her…

…like a single flower blooming in the desert.

The King of the World smiled.

“Kneel. Before I kill you.”

Her gentle voice, her sweet tone, a stark contrast to her… slightly aggressive words.