V2 Chapter 153

Levelia was taken aback. “…hearing that from a Demon…It’s hard to believe,”

“What? You think humans are the only one who possesses a heart?” Sibylla sneered.

“Well, in any case, in my impressions from the Demons I have met in my life, they are bloodthirsty and cruel…thinking that they possess a heart is impossible.”

“Goodness can be found sometimes in the middle of hell… why is it impossible for a demon to act kindly and proper when Humans can be? Don’t think every demon is the same. What? Don’t tell me, that all humans are kindred spirits? That all of you possess a very good heart?” Sibylla retorted coldly. “Last time I checked, most empires declared slavery not only to Demons but also to other races, even theirs in that sense. Betrayal and Greed are common among you as well, worse enough that you even kill and slaughter your children and parents. Much less, your fellow humans, all in the name of your benefits and desires, disguised as honorable justice.”

“… …”

“In that aspect, humans are more demonic than us demons. At least us, only a small portion of demons are capable to betray their master, bite those hands that fed them—loyalty and devotion is our greatest strength as well as our weakness. Betraying our master and our race is the greatest taboo one can commit. We can even die without hesitation for the notion we believe in!”

"What about you? Can you do the same?" taunted by Sibylla.

Levelia paused. She looks at her, and after a while, she finally said; “…give me time,”

“Excuse me?”

Levelia and Sibylla stared at each other. Not one backing away. Then, suddenly after a few minutes of silence, Levelia said. She then stood up and turned around; “I don’t know what to think, my mind is full of a mess right now. You don’t need to worry, I won’t tell anyone about you—so you can keep that blade you’re hiding to yourself—you cannot kill me either way,” she smiled wryly.

Sibylla’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “You think I can’t?” she sneered and a dagger appeared in her hand.

Looking at it, Levelia smiled wryly. “So you really do have one.” they were talking for a long while already, but Levelia didn’t feel any killing intent or any bit of murderous intention. In fact, she had not even notice the dagger, she just said it as a test.

After all, Sibylla was a Demon… how could she let someone who knows of their identity go? Levelia thought Sibylla would kill her if she said something she didn’t like.

Even still, knowing this, Levelia said she needed time to consider.

This girl…although she looks like an expressionless statue of a goddess of beauty, she actually had the intent to kill her from the very start.

Levelia was confident of her perception but she had not noticed anything. It’s as if for her, the act of killing her was that kind of a routine act.

‘Women are like flowers with thorns’ this kind of saying should have been created because of someone like her existing.

She was like a beautiful flower with thorns that kill if one touches it.

Levelia once again reaffirmed those Demons, whether they are murderous beasts or not, they are still a race that can never be underestimated or look down upon.

“I don’t know how capable you are—perhaps, you can kill me with your strength…but Cian wouldn’t want you to kill me, isn’t that right?”

“…?!!”

Sibylla’s expression fell and her gaze turned even colder.

She was actually using her beloved as a shield? How gutsy…!

Seeing this, Levelia felt her displeasure and anger somewhat elevated and she looks at Sibylla, still a bit pale but her lips now turned into a smile.

“Since he approached me, it means he needed something from me. Whether it is my body he wanted or my heart, I already gave it to him, but he still saved us and not left us to die. It means, it’s not what he wanted…it’s something else entirely…” Levelia smiled bitterly. “I would be a fool if I still think he loves me truly…”

“… …”

“Now that I think about it, that bastard demon did indeed approach me forcefully… I don’t even know how or why in the world did I suddenly accept it without a second word… did he do something to me? Something like a Charm Magic?” she lamented.

Sibylla snorted in contempt; “I don’t know, and I don’t care.” But then again, she made a sigh. “However, as far as I know, Aanuel didn’t know any charm magic. He’s a dark magic user, but his affinity was much closer to Death…he’s closer to a Necromancer. Furthermore, if I’m not mistaken, Aanuel didn’t have any other elemental magic affinities…well, I guess I might be wrong. Nevertheless, I ever saw him use another elemental magic, instead of his dark Magic. In addition, although he’s a capable magician, he’s just starting as one, in fact, just starting to learn two years ago. So, contrary to his incredible physical and combat abilities, his magic is not as strong as you think it is. He had not yet even reached the middle tier of the magician intermediate standard. Him, capable of using Charm Magic is completely impossible.”

Charm magic is a generic term for those types of magic which control and manipulate the target's mind and/or take over control of their body. It’s a branch of magic in the Dark System. However, it was a bit special as it also related to Light Magic. Knowing Dark Magic doesn’t mean one can use Charm Magic as it has very strict and difficult requirements to use. In fact, most known Charm Magic Spells are considered Advance Magic, so only Advanced Mages could use it.

Although it has no offensive abilities and has very little known spells, which most are already lost in time, even already considered a Lost Magic, it is still considered one of the scariest and most sinister Magic Spell in the Continent.

If Cian was placed in a category of Magic, he is a Necromancer, a Death Magic-User no doubt…after all, he learned most of his magic in the hands of Grea Ovsburn, a Necromancer. Just that, rather than turning the monster he killed into Undead, he rather ate them instead. So Sibylla can’t really call him a Necromancer either. He rarely makes an Undead…

The Death Temple, the strongest Organization consisted of Necromancers, is widely hated and despised because of their powers that are claimed to be disturbing and humiliating the Dead. However, they still fall short for Charm Magic-Users in terms of infamy.

Necromancers only use your body after you died—only a few capable high-level Necromancers can enslave souls and even in the Continent, there are only less than five of them. And this can be resolved easily using Purification Magic or Holy Spells. However, Charm Magic-Users use you without you knowing it, and make you their slave.

Between the two, Charm Magic-Users is one of the Continent’s most Taboo Magic, worst than Necromancer.

For additional information, most users of this kind of magic belong to the [Black Gardern] which is currently at odds with the Death Temple. The latter despised the former, as they look down on Charm Magic.

Hearing Sibylla’s answer, Levelia’s expression somewhat lightened. If she learned that she was controlled or manipulated, she would surely doubt her heart and perhaps may even turn this love into hate. Although she doesn’t have any proof of the validity of Sibylla’s answer, she doesn’t need it—or perhaps, deep inside her heart, she doesn’t want to hear any answer other than this.

Indeed, Sibylla didn’t lie. Cian didn’t know any Charm Magic. However, she had withheld something from Levelia—Cian might not know Charm Magic, but he was most proficient in Illusion Magic.

In terms of Illusion Magic, Cian was one of the strongest users in the Continent. However, Sibylla didn’t say anything.

Well, Levelia didn’t ask about it, as she only asks about Charm Magic. She didn’t lie at all…!

Sometimes, Charm Magic was seen as some sort of an Illusion Magic given that illusions are able to infect and manipulate the minds of many people. What Charm Magic can do, there’s a chance that Illusion Magic can do it as well. And she already witnessed firsthand how Cian used Illusion Magic to conquer someone’s heart as if he was using a Charm Spell. Hence, she had no doubts that Cian did something to Levelia for him to fall to him like this.

And since he did give this much effort, it means Cian needed Levelia for something.

This is also the main reason why she was having second thoughts in killing Levelia and even went her way to try pulling her to their side, wasting this much time. As much as possible, she doesn’t want to disturb Cian’s plans…whatever it is!

“… Just what are you planning? What is Cian planning? What is that guy trying to do? Just because you said that he was not participating in this war, it doesn’t mean I would believe it.” Levelia hesitated for a while before finally steeling her heart and ask. Although she had already known about his true name, she seems to have some misgivings about calling him by that name.

She still didn’t like to see him as the Prince of the Demons!

In this aspect, she shared a similar concern to Ezra Redhawk…wanting to preserve the identity and persona of the man they know, not the Prince of the Demons.

Seeing her asking questions like this, Sibylla seemed to have understood what she was thinking.

It seems like Aanuel had penetrated through her heart deeper than I thought. Sibylla took out the familiar coin Levelia had given her. This was the golden coin that Cian had given Levelia to give to Sibylla as some sort of proof.

“Do you know what this is?”

“…??”

“This is the mark of the Organization founded by him. [The Garden of Eden]…”

A Gamble…

Sibylla made her move and placed her cards on the table.

“Truthfully, the [Garden of Eden], I treated it as the gathering of people and forces that will help elevate him and support him to the top. However, Aanuel seemed to have other thoughts than mine. What he wanted was to gather people he trusts, to stand against enemies and perhaps make a place of his own and his people, where they can live peacefully.”

“That’s hard to understand…” Levelia furrowed her brows. Confused.

“Perhaps, it’s completely out of character for the Prince of the Demons. It’s hard to believe, I can’t blame you. Everyone thinks as such…at first. However, after a while, they started believing it. In the Organization, it’s not only the Demons existed. There were other races as well, including humans such as you; elves, dark elves, beastmen, demi-humans, and many more. Of course, most of these people are slaves bought by him…but now, they are not. Aanuel gave them choices…and you should be able to imagine where they are right now…all over the place while bearing his banner.” Sibylla smiled proudly.

“How do you think we are able to have human identities and able to pass through the gate of this City that easily…?”

“…Why are you telling me all of this?”

“Listen to your heart on the answer for that. I won’t force you to do anything…I’m telling you this without Aanuel knowing about it. Just that, before you judge anything…remember the time you and he were together. I can assure you; he’s not acting nor fooling you. I know without seeing it myself. After all, Aanuel was not the type to act kindly towards people he doesn’t like. He doesn’t have any motivation to go that far…he might not truly love you, as much as you expect him to be, but he truly wanted you. That much is for sure… reason unknown,”

“… …”

“He might be a Demon…but he’s completely different from any Demon you know of…And besides…” Sibylla stared at Levelia, her eyes narrowed dangerously; “If you hurt him, even the slightest, I would kill you—no matter where you hide, I will find you and hunt you down myself! Don’t you forget that… you might as well be mindful of your next step, human.”

Levelia’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Sibylla.

Sibylla’s cold voice was so horrifying that she felt as if there was a cold scythe placed on her neck.

“As I thought…I can’t bring myself to like you…”

Sibylla gave her a dirty look and indifferently said; “They do tell me that often…or maybe not…”

When she spoke, she seemed just like a little girl.

…. …

Demonic beasts, what a herd of terrifying Demonic beasts!

Cian’s expression had already turned from calm to aggrieve.

Killing the Manticores and picking up the Crimson Blood Fruit, although not easy, not difficult either. With his abilities, barely anything in this world can baffle him. However, at this moment, Cian realized his arrogant confidence had become somewhat displeasing in the eye and bad in the health because he suddenly found himself being surrounded by a huge herd of Demonic beasts.

Right now is not a problem of how to kill the remaining Manticore, but how to stay alive!

At this moment, he was surrounded by a herd of Silver Scaled Apes, which are also known as one of the smartest Ape-type Beasts in the Continent.

Silver Scaled Ape’s height isn’t too high, usually, at around 2-3 meters, even the biggest one among them isn’t taller than 3 meters. They have thick muscles, its upper limb is most prominent, arm length is almost equal to the entire length of their body. Then, there's also their claws, each is at least half meter long, like a row of hooks forged by alloy. Their power is terrifying, claws are sharp, and they are also equipped with high agility and wisdom.

Not only that, there were beautiful silver-colored Scales on their backs and limbs, brown fur, blue eyes gleaming with faint light and oversized hands covered with silvery scales that look like big gauntlets. They acted like heavy shields, as they can block any attacks, and even [Imagis Realis] can only cut shallow wounds. Not only because they are extra hard, but also because of the fact that they negate magic powers!

The [Imagis Realis] ability to able to cut anything in this world was reduced to a minimum because of this ability!

While he was fighting with the Manticore, perhaps because he had killed most of the Manticores, suddenly out of nowhere Apes, dozens of Apes appeared out of nowhere and started attacking them.

Some of them were standing around the Crimson Blood Tree, so perhaps they share the same goal with him. Previously, they were all scared of the Manticores but now that most of the Manticores were killed, they suddenly took the opportunity!

One of the two remaining Manticores, heavily wounded by Cian was besieged and killed in no time. While the last one, seemingly the leader of the Manticores were being attacked currently, it’s body battered as it spews poisonous mist and tried to survive and fight till its last breath.

Retreat and escape seemed to be absent in its soul as it fought bravely, not taking a step back, even with its body covered in ugly wounds and blood painted the beautiful green underneath.

Despite being his enemy, Cian can’t help but felt somewhat appreciate it. It deserves to be a Lion; the known King of the Jungle and a relative of Aslan.

Cian kicked an Ape attacking him, sending it flying away and then, with a slash of his sword, decapitated another one. The weakness of the ape was quite clear with Cian’s [Night’s Eye]. A small part which was not covered in silver scales around their neck. It’s their Achilles Heel!

Cian spread his bone wings covered in black translucent flames and flew in the sky where the Ape couldn’t reach. The Ape who couldn’t fly could only drum their chest in fury. Cian smiled mockingly, then, his eyes landed on the struggling Manticore. It was already on its last stand, and for some reason, Cian felt somewhat badly.

That should have been his prey…

They should have fought a good battle if not for these shameless apes.