Side Story Chapter 194
Feeble voices drifted out of the heavy metal cage.
“Why did you mention the north? Does getting revenge matter so much that you’re willing to give up your honor and pride as a member of the Agnus Family?” Babel asked sarcastically.
For the first time, Carmen responded.
“Shut... your mouth.
She was the sister to Aden von Agnus, which technically made her Babel’s aunt.
“Hey, you, demon, over there. Answer me.”
“What do you want?”
“Is... Joshua’s real body actually on the mountain?” Babel asked.
The demon, tied up just as tightly as the Agnuses, slowly emerged from his thoughts and grinned.
“...All of them must be dead by now,” the demon murmured.
“...What?”
This demon was the last of those powerful enough to wield one of the Seven Evil Sins.
“I’m just talking to myself. Don’t worry about it too much. Even I don’t have my hopes up.”
“What in the world are you talking about? Who’s ‘they’ who’ve all died, and why don’t you have your hopes up?”
“I’m saying that there is a high chance that the monster outside won’t be able to do much about the ice boulder.”
The lonesome demon’s name was Meric. He was the fourteenth strongest demon and was titled the “Absorption Demon”.
“Several of the most powerful demons alive couldn’t put a scratch on it, so even if he’s locked up inside the boulder, it’s hard to imagine the Shining Darkness getting defeated by a human,” Meric explained.
Babel agreed with Meric somewhat; it wasn’t easy to imagine Joshua losing to anyone, but that was only until Babel had seen the monster outside. Otherwise, Babel’s conviction would have remained steadfast.
“...Come to think of it, you speak differently from other demons.” Babel remarked, tilting his head thoughtfully. It had been on Babel's mind for a while now because demons’ voices would usually echo around his ear, but Meric’s was similar to a human’s.
Meric smiled mysteriously. “You’re sharp, human. But, well, does it matter now?”
“What?”
“I only mentioned the ice boulder; she’s the one leading them to it. If you have something to say about it, I believe that it’s her you should be talking to.”
Babel fell silent. Meric was right—was Carmen suddenly burning with desire to get revenge? Why was she trying to harm Joshua now?
“...I finally realized that defying Bel is equivalent to helping that fucker, Joshua,” Carmen finally said.
“I’m greatly indebted to him, so I want to repay that debt before I die. For the sake of my pride, if nothing else.”
Babel let the shackles binding his arms fall to the floor of the cage with a quiet clank.
“How... did you...?”
“There is a saying among knights that you should hide thirty percent of their abilities when you go out into the world.” Babel clenched and unclenched his fists a couple of times before he slowly stood up. Although he could move his arms freely now, the inside of the metal cage was still so dark that the only thing he could pick out was the silhouette of a person in front of him.
“Now, how should I escape and tell Joshua what’s going on now...?” Babel muttered to himself as he stretched.
“Wait! There’s one thing that you don’t know. Once you hear this, I’m sure that you’ll have a change of heart!” Carmen whispered, her voice urgent for some reason.
“What...?”
“There is a reason why Joshua Sanders didn’t reveal the fued, and it’s not for you nor the Agnus family!”
“...What is that you want to say?” Babel asked.
“Aden told me himself that Joshua von Agnus is the one who takes after him the most, although Joshua pretends that he doesn’t!”
Babel’s eyes narrowed, although Carmen’s story wasn’t enough to change his mind. Even if it were true, it was an undeniable fact that Joshua had helped Babel in many ways.
“...Whatever the case may be, I don’t want to waste the rest of my life like you.” Babel shook his head.
“What?”
“Carven von Agnus, you’re so blinded by your lust for revenge that you’ve forsaken your honor and your life. Ending up like you is the last thing I want,” Babel said, before turning to Meric. “At least I’m not so weak that I have to borrow a demon’s help. ”
“H-Ho-How dare you...!” Carmen’s chain rattled as she tried to rise to her feet.
Just then, a series of loud explosions rattled the cage. Since the people inside the thick metal cage could hear them, it was easy to deduce how powerful the detonations were.
“Heaven must be helping me, for a commotion to take place right now...”
Babel felt at the lining of his clothes for a moment and then ripped a piece out, producing a fingernail-sized stone.
“Is that...?”
“It’s a miniature mana stone engraved with a magic formula for teleportation.”
“Th-That small stone has a spell engraved on it?!”
“It’s disposable, and the teleportation range is short, but it’s one of Queen Consort Iceline’s recent masterpieces,” Babel explained. He stroked the mana stone, which released a faint light. The treasure was given to him by Icarus Sanders, the Second Queen consort. “She told me to take it in case of an emergency, but I never expected it to be so useful... Hah—I guess I have one more debt to repay,” Babel murmured.
“W-Wait!”
“I’m sorry. This is only for one person, so stay here and think about what you’ve done. Keep in mind...” The stone began to hum as Babel was enveloped in the light. “...Joshua said that there is nothing more meaningless than revenge.”
