Damn Reincarnation

any hesitation.

Noir was actually very pleased with this answer, “You really are a freak, Balzac.
Well, if you were just a wizard, then you would be just another guy, but since you’re a black wizard, you’re pretty damn unusual.
That’s why you’re so interesting,” Noir complimented him.
She tilted her head and chuckled.

Balzac Ludbeth, Edmund Codreth and Amelia Merwin — these three black wizards were called the Three Mages of Incarceration.
The Demon King of Incarceration had signed the same contract with each of these three black wizards, but the power held by each of them was a different matter altogether.

If one simply looked at them in terms of strength, then Amelia Merwin, who had lived for over two hundred years, was undoubtedly at the top.
Edmund Codreth, who had been bestowed with Vladmir, was at the top in terms of his capabilities as a black wizard.

So…what about Balzac Ludbeth? There wasn’t really anything that particularly stood out about him.
Although he was known to be a genius in magic, to the extent that he had once been considered for the position of Tower Master of the Blue Tower of Magic, when compared to Amelia or Edmund, Balzac didn’t really have any advantages.

Nevertheless, the Demon King of Incarceration had signed a contract with Balzac Ludbeth.
In addition, Noir Giabella also supported him.
The Demon King of Incarceration’s true intentions for signing Balzac were unknown, but Noir was amused by Balzac’s aspirations.

“Since that’s the case, allow me to tell you something that you will be interested in.
Edmund Codreth left for Samar ten days ago,” Noir informed him.

[As expected,] Balzac muttered.

“You know of them as well right? Among the tribes of Samar… were they called the Kochilla? The ones who are humans but eat their own kind and act like demonfolk.
The tribe that Edmund has been dealing with.
He said that he would be going to Samar for something to do with them…”

Noir stopped speaking for a few moments, and her eyes widened, her face taking on an innocent expression.
“He didn’t tell me his exact reasons.
Well, not that I ever asked him for them.
Balzac, do you know why Edmund is going to Samar?”

[What a nasty question to ask.
After all, you already know the answer to that,] Balzac accused her.

Noir didn’t deny it.
“I have no intention of stopping him.
The same goes for Gavid, and probably even the Demon King of Incarceration as well.
Although we don’t know what exactly Edmund might be planning to do there, he’ll probably succeed in it.
If he didn’t have the confidence to succeed, a prudent black wizard like him wouldn’t have gone there in the first place.”

[That should probably be the case,] Balzac replied calmly

Noir was curious as to the basis for Balzac’s calmness.
However, she didn’t pursue any details.
Rather than knowing what would happen in advance, it was definitely more enjoyable for her to maintain a certain degree of ignorance and receive a surprise.

“…My body is itching,” Noir muttered in a low voice as her toes curled giddily.
The itching sensation rose from her toes and caused her chest to pound in excitement.

“Hey Balzac, I’m currently considering something,” Noir idly mentioned.

[What could you be considering?] Balzac politely inquired.

“I’m just saying, aren’t I the Queen of the Night Demons? That means I have countless Night Demons serving under me.
I’m also a Duke of Helmuth, the Lord of Vaniris, the Master of the Black Duskwoods, and now, the mayor of Giabella City,” Noir listed her titles.

Balzac nodded.
[Yes, I know all that.]

“So wouldn’t it be inappropriate of me to move without an entourage[1]? However, since I’m used to moving around without a large entourage, shouldn’t it be alright for me to move around as I please?”

[Who would dare to judge you for doing what you want to do, Your Grace.]

“It’s about Eugene Lionheart,” Noir’s voice lowered as she said his name.
Shooting glances at Balzac like a shy little girl, she continued speaking in that same low voice.
“This is against the rules, but let me just tell you a secret.
Do you want to know what I discovered about Eugene Lionheart’s use of the warp gates today?”

[…]

“What’s with that silence?” Noir demanded.
“I am a Duke of Helmuth.
It’s alright for me to bend the rules a little, no? In any case, I took a look… he arrived at the Malera Fief today.
Do you know where that is?”

Balzac paused.
[The Malera Fief….
Yes, I do know it.
It’s in the southwest of Helmuth.]

“It’s right next to Karabloom,” Noir clarified.

Karabloom was the fief ruled by the Black Dragon Raizakia.
The Dragon-Demon Castle floated in the skies above the fief.

Balzac forgot to respond for the moment as he searched his memories.
He couldn’t understand why Eugene Lionheart had arrived at the Malera Fief.

“It seems you don’t know the reason either?” Noir assessed.

Balzac admitted, [That’s right.]

“I have a slight hunch, but… since I haven’t heard Eugene’s intentions from him personally, I can’t be sure.
That’s why I’m so curious.
That’s also why I keep considering my earlier question,” Noir said as her smile changed.

Her expression no longer had the shyness of a bashful girl; instead, it was the wicked grin of a rascal who had discovered the opportunity for a funny prank.

“The master of the Dragon-Demon Castle has already changed, but that fact hasn’t been announced to the world.
That’s why the Dragon-Demon Castle, Karabloom, and all the laws set by that damned Raizakia have remained as they are,” Noir grumbled.

Raizakia was a terrible hater of all humans.
It wasn’t just the Dragon-Demon Castle; humans weren’t even allowed to cross the borders of the Karabloom territory.

“If Eugene Lionheart is going to Karabloom… does that mean he wants to enter the Dragon-Demon Castle? If so, then I should be able to help with that.
If I were to make a move, I could send Eugene Lionheart into the Dragon-Demon Castle very easily,” Noir mused.

[…If it’s Your Grace, then it’s certainly possible.
However, there’s no real need for you to provide any assistance, is there? As far as I’m aware, the atmosphere in Karabloom has been rather unusual as of late.]

The Malera Fief wasn’t the only territory next to Karabloom, where the Dragon-Demon Castle was situated.
The lord of the nearby Ruol Fief, Count Karrad, was from the Giant Demon line, and although he was young, he was a talented and strong nobleman.
In recent years, Count Krrad had been in a feud with the Dragon-Demon Castle, which had been keeping silent for hundreds of years.

Perhaps it was out of fear for the name of Duke Raizakia, but he had yet to directly apply for a rank challenge or a territory war.
However Count Karrad continued to intrude into Karabloom’s borders.
If the trend continued, then a territory war was bound to break sooner rather than later.

[I don’t know why Sir Eugene wants to enter Karabloom.
After all, it’s not even certain yet that there is something that he wants to see in Karabloom.
However, from the rumors floating around, there is a little something that I know for sure,] Balzac revealed.

“What is it?”

[From what I’ve heard, Count Karrad has hired Lavista’s Devil Beast in preparation for his war against the Black Dragon Raizakia.]

“It seems that you can hear rumors about Helmuth even in Aroth?”

[It’s not like I don’t have my own eyes and ears in Helmuth, just like you do.]

The Devil Beast from Lavista, the fief of the Demon King of Destruction.

There was only one existence that name could be referring to.

Three hundred years ago, there were four demonfolk who were called the ‘Children of Fury.’ Among them, alongside the leader of the dark elves — the Rakshasa Princess Iris — was the Depraved Oberon, who ruled over his pack of beastfolk as the alpha predator.

The sinner who ripped Oberon’s throat and killed him, the predator who had succeeded Oberon to become the new leader of his pack of beastfolk, was the one and only Jagon.

“…Other demonfolk wouldn’t want to face the uncertain risk of fighting with Raizakia, but Jagon…he’s just a beast without any ability to reason.
I don’t know how much Count Karrad needed to pay to hire him, but Jagon has to be the strongest amongst all the forces that can be recruited for money within Helmuth,” Noir recalled.

[There are also a few other rumors.
They say that the Black Dragon is dealing with a huge personal problem.
He might even be dying.
Apparently, this is the reason why the Black Dragon hasn’t been seen in the past two hundred years….
Has the Black Dragon truly died?] Balzac asked tentatively.

“He’s probably not dead…yet?” Noir said in an uncertain tone.

[So you’re saying that even you don’t know for sure, Your Grace?]

Noir didn’t reply and just grinned brightly.

Staring at her smile, Balzac continued speaking, […If Jagon really has been hired by Count Karrad, Karabloom will be far too dangerous for Sir Eugene.
If Jagon truly is the madman that the rumors paint him as, he will definitely pick a fight with Sir Eugene, who’s said to be the second coming of the Great Vermouth.]

Noir nodded.
“That could also prove quite interesting.”

[…Huh?]

“Don’t you agree? Jagon is Oberon’s descendant.
He’s also a vassal of the Demon King of Destruction.
Eugene Lionheart is Vermouth’s descendant and the hero….’

For a few moments, Noir pictured the two of them in her head.
Then she leapt up from her chair.
She couldn’t stand it any longer.

“I want to go see Eugene Lionheart,” Noir declared.
“Even if he disagrees, I’m sending him to the Dragon-Demon Castle.”

[Huh?] Balzac repeated himself.

Noir said optimistically, “Perhaps this opportunity might even spark off a friendship between Eugene Lionheart and myself.
I’m helping him, after all! In that case, wouldn’t it be possible for me to request an immature Dragonheart in exchange for my help? Also, I could make these small buds of friendship eventually blossom into love, leading to the forbidden love between a Hero and a demonfolk….
Mhm, that’s also quite nice in its immorality.”

Balzac picked up on something she had mentioned.
[Did you just say an immature Dragonheart…?]

“Ah, that was meant to be a secret… you can’t tell anyone, okay?” Noir warned him with a smile as she shook her finger in Balzac’s face.

Balzac changed the subject.
[Are you heading there now?]

“There’s no reason why I should go any later, right? I also happen to be free at the moment.
Well then, bye-bye, Balzac,” Noir said as her eyes curled up in a smile.
“Dead or alive, see you next time~”

1.
The original text uses a funny idiom to describe moving without an entourage as ‘moving her butt lightly’.
☜