Chapter 256

That was why she had gone to the Imperial Library practically every day afterward, trying to uncover the true identity behind that name.

‘But I didn’t find anything.’

She had searched through the names of every evil god and demon she could find, but that name had been nowhere among them.

“There’s a high possibility that this being is connected to the demon race.”

If the demon race had spent such a long time and so much effort trying to awaken this being, then naturally, wouldn’t it have to be something of that sort?

‘A Demon God?’

Or perhaps the king of the demons? Whatever it was, the whole situation felt utterly unreal.

“The demon race, huh.”

Crown Prince Aseraian’s reaction was not much different from Ceres’s. His expression openly showed a mixture of disbelief and bewilderment.

The demon race? Was he really supposed to believe this?

Then again, the people gathered here certainly hadn’t come to him just to make jokes. Especially not Ceres and the Grand Duke of Persia.

“So you’re saying it seems like someone else has entered Alex’s body?”

“Apparently so.”

“And Veilks called Alex Herchaos?”

“Yes.”

The idea of another being inhabiting someone else’s body sounded absurd no matter who heard it, but Crown Prince Aseraian and Ceres could no longer dismiss it.

After all, the two of them already knew perfectly well that someone else was inhabiting Veilks’s body.

‘And that someone is even a demon.’

She had wondered what kind of being was wearing Veilks’s skin, and now she had finally found out.

The one who had taken over his body was a demon.

One mystery had been solved, yet she wasn’t the slightest bit happy about it. Knowing the truth only made the situation feel even more hopeless.

“You’re right. We should search through records concerning the demon race.”

Herchaos. First, they needed to find out exactly what he was.

After all, he seemed to be at the root of everything.

“Hmm.”

Crown Prince Aseraian tapped lightly on the armrest of his chair as he sank into thought for a moment, then turned his gaze toward Cheion.

He stared quietly at Cheion, who had been lost in deep thought without saying a single word for some time now.

“Cheion.”

“.......”

Even when Crown Prince Aseraian called his name, there was no answer. In the end, he gently placed a hand on Cheion’s shoulder.

Only then did Cheion turn his gaze toward Aseraian.

His eyes looked strangely empty.

“Are you all right?”

Even at that question, Cheion still couldn’t bring himself to answer easily.

Ever since hearing everything from Ceres, countless thoughts had been tangling together inside his head all the way here to see his brother.

Every single thing he had heard was difficult to believe.

“Why.......”

Why in the world.......

“Haa.”

A long sigh escaped Cheion’s lips.

‘Alex.......’

My little brother committed murder?

He simply couldn’t believe that Alex had been involved in so many of the incidents that had happened until now.

That kind, gentle kid.......

“I need to see Alex.”

“Cheion.”

“I need to hear it directly from him. How am I supposed to believe what someone else says? Ceres! That person... no, you said he was a demon, right? Let me meet him. You said he was at the Schweiz Ducal Estate, didn’t you?”

Cheion shot to his feet and tried to rush outside immediately.

“Wait.”

Crown Prince Aseraian hurriedly grabbed him.

Hadn’t they already heard that people had been sent to the location the demon had mentioned?

Duke Schweiz had acted quickly, but by the time his people arrived at the place Jutel had described, they had found nothing there.

“We need to find Alex first. There has to be a reason.”

Even though Cheion had clearly heard that information along with everyone else, he seemed unable to process it at all.

He forcefully shook off Crown Prince Aseraian’s hand and shouted even louder.

“You said that bastard is a demon! How can we trust the word of a demon?!”

“Cheion, calm down.”

“Brother! This isn’t the time to sit around like this! We need to find Alex right—!”

Crash!

At that moment, a heap of ice came pouring down over Cheion’s head.

Cheion froze in bewilderment after being completely drenched in freezing ice.

“Cool your head.”

It was Kainel.

He had used his freezing ability to create the ice and dumped it directly onto Cheion.

“.......”

Still looking dazed, Cheion turned toward Kainel.

“Why? Need more?”

Kainel moved his hand as though he would gladly dump another load on him if that was what he wanted.

“...No.”

Only then did Cheion slump back into his seat and lower his head.

Still, perhaps the freezing ice really had cooled his head, because much of the agitation he had shown moments earlier had disappeared.

“For now, let’s find out what kind of being Herchaos is.”

Teacher Daniel... no, the man named Jutel had said that he knew nothing about that name either.

“I think we’ll have to search through more ancient texts.”

At Ceres’s words, everyone present nodded.

For now, determining Herchaos’s true identity was their highest priority.

Silent sighs escaped everyone.

There was nothing more frustrating than fighting an enemy they couldn’t even see.

Meanwhile.

“Haa, thankfully, it didn’t turn into a huge fight.”

“Yes, fortunately.”

There were people who had been standing quietly in one corner of the office, watching everything unfold.

They were Secretary Luca and Aide Del.

Beside them was Gisel, Crown Prince Aseraian’s aide.

“Our Magic Tower Master has always been the type to act before he thinks.”

“Our Grand Duke isn’t much different.”

Luca and Del sighed simultaneously and shook their heads.

“It certainly seems that way.”

Secretary Luca looked at the thoroughly soaked Cheion and picked up a towel.

“I didn’t expect him to suddenly dump ice all over him. What was he planning to do if someone got hurt?”

Tsk.

As Luca clicked his tongue, Del’s brow twitched.

“Haha, he only did it to stop someone who was about to run off without thinking.”

“That’s only because our Master cares so deeply about his family. I suppose a Grand Duke as cold as ice would have difficulty understanding such feelings.”

Both men were smiling pleasantly, but their tones were becoming sharper by the second.

“He isn’t cold. He’s rational. Personally, I think being rational is far better than being someone who causes trouble everywhere he goes without thinking.”

“I suppose that excessive rationality is why he shut himself away for several hundred years. If he were any more rational than that, the people watching him would die of frustration. I’d say it’s much better to cause a little trouble now and then and at least prove that you’re still alive.”

Crackle.

Sparks practically flew between them.

The remarkable part was that neither man’s smile faded in the slightest.

“You two are impressive.”

Gisel, Crown Prince Aseraian’s aide, who had been quietly watching them from the side, continued in an even tone.

“If you like your respective superiors that much, you should serve them for the rest of your lives.”

“What kind of curse is that?!”

“There’s no way I could manage the rest of my life!”

The two men who had been trading barbs only moments earlier reacted identically to Gisel’s words, as though their argument had never happened.

“.......”

“.......”

They turned to look at each other at the exact same time.

“Shall we go have some tea?”

“Let’s.”

Thinking that they would probably get along surprisingly well, Luca and Del quietly left the office together.

“.......”

Watching the two of them leave, Gisel found himself somewhat impressed.

He had thought so from the beginning, but once again, he couldn’t help thinking that the two were remarkably alike.