๋ก๊ทธ์ธ๊ณต์
Chapter 28
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๋ฐ์ดํธ:
2022-05-10 18:17:53
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The Demonย ย ย Chapter 29
It all started when Uncle decided to hold a joust in honor of my return and in Count Torneโs memory. I would have offered him two barrels of moonshine for the latter, but nobody had asked me. Instead, Uncle told us the good news in a rather cringe-worthy tone. โAndre, Alex, there will be a joust in ten days. I hope you wonโt disgrace our familyโs honor?โ โOf course, Father.โ In public, Andre played the role of a dutiful son. โAs you command, Uncle.โ โCome on, boys. Doesnโt it make you happy?โ โWeโll be overjoyed,โ I said passionately. Both Tommy and Rene reacted the same way to the news about the joustโby swearing like a sailor at my uncle. Fair enough; a joust required a set of armor, a weapon, a horse... Getting them just ten days before a tournament, when half the capital was doing the very same, seemed impossible. Could one participate without that? One could. But judging by Abigailโs warm smile, there was going to
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-05-10The Demonย ย ย Chapter 30
Andre was clearly becoming more and more anxious, and when he tore off his helmet and threw it aside, I knew that it was time to act. Once again, I dodged his blow, and deftly scratched my cousinโs cheek. Blood started flowing, and Andre stopped, in utter disbelief.I sneered.โI hope I havenโt offended you, Cousin?โWith these words, I made a bee-line for the exit from the tiltyard.โAlex!โMy demon senses were tingling like crazy. I dropped down, rolled back, took a look around...A short crossbow bolt was sticking out of the crimson sand of the arena. If I hadnโt dodged, I would be done for. I traced the boltโs trajectory with my eyes. Someone was getting a good walloping over there.Good.Letโs hope they donโt kill him, but if anything happens.โAlex!โTommy and Rene ran to me. I quickly gave Tommy my instructions, and he disappeared from the arena. Meanwhile, Rene took me by the shoulder and started to examine me.โAre you alive?โโDonโt count on me dying just yet...โViscount Mo
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-05-11The Demonย ย ย Chapter 31
Should I even mention that nobody noticed me? I didn’t interrogate Chartreuse’s spirit that night, and the next morning, things got really messy.The marquise woke up in the same bed as a corpse and started screaming bloody murder, drawing the attention of the entire palace, including her husband, who pulled her out of Chartreuse’s bed by her hair, slapped her, and dragged her to their room.Alas, he didn’t make it, getting apprehended by the guards, who took the lady away. After all, she could have been the murderer. Abigail was weeping over her brother’s body, Chartreuse the elder was wiping a few tears from his face, while the rest of the family watched, and I was in stitches. It was a hoot.The bolt was the same. I remember it. It’s a conspiracy. First me, then the queen’s brother, who’s next?I’m so afraid.We need to assign guards to everyone—Uncle, Auntie, the cousins. This is a dis
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-05-11The Demonย ย ย Chapter 32
It happened on the sixth day of our journey. I remember it so clearly, those huge bright stars in the autumn sky, the last drops of the departing summer. It was already too cold for sleeping on the ground, and we decided to stay overnight in a roadside inn. It was called Golden Thistle.Sometimes, I dream about it, that low-hanging ceiling, beams stained with smoke, ropes of onion on the walls—and a scarlet dress against that squalor—coal-black hair…and her voice. I don’t hear anything except for that voice. Deep, a bit husky, flowing like honey and wine, it was fitting for a royal audience rather than that place.We had just sated our hunger when she came on stage, and I was lost. I held my breath as she sang, her voice flowing, enchanting, beckoning. As she passed through the hall, nobody dared even to move, let alone touch her or stop her. She dazzled, she ensorcelled, she bewitched. Don’t be angry with a bird who’s flying. For s
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-05-12The Demonย ย ย Chapter 33
I liked Altverin—an old castle of huge grey stones, sharp spires, roofs of scarlet as if stained with blood, and ivy that climbed up the walls. It was a breathtaking sight. Inside, however... Is this noble poverty?Yeah, right.More like utter destitution. Still, everything was scrubbed so clean that you could see your reflection in the stone walls—not a fleck of dusk, not a cobweb. There were half a score of servants, all looking like they were forced to wear corsets. As for the steward, Sharen Clate was a tall, silver-haired man in his fifties who welcomed us on the doorstep of the castle, bread and salt in his hands. I broke off a snug of bread, like I was supposed to, and ate it, pretending I was content. I didn’t really want to start acting up before I knew what was what.The bread was the cheapest one could find, grey coarse flour with lumps—at royal court, they wouldn’t even feed the dogs with such stuff.And then the
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-05-12The Demonย ย ย Chapter 34
Naturally, we got attacked two days away from Altverin. After all, my lands had peasants living on them, and peasants could simply beat the bandits with their clubs, not giving a care about nobility and honor. We also had some idiot minstrel singing songs about a noble thief who stole from the rich while completely forgetting that stealing was a crime no matter who you stole from. And of course, we could never put up any resistance, with only a score of guards.Therefore, the bandits—almost two hundred strong—surrounded our carts, aimed crossbows at my people, and ordered them to throw all they had on the ground and disarm themselves. Tommy did disarm, followed by Rene, and then the others.“Where’s the prince?” the bandit leader, who had been cautious enough to put on a mask, asked, finally noticing my absence.“He had to return to the castle for a bit.”The bandits paused to think. Apparently, they had been orde
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-05-13The Demonย ย ย Chapter 35
The fourth act was started in the prison. I broke the lock and set my people free. Their reactions varied, from Tommy’s friendly and worried.“Are you all right, Alex?” to a guardsman’s respectful and admiring.“Your Highness!”I shrugged and clapped Tommy on the shoulder. Apparently, that annoying gesture was contagious.“You couldn’t break me if you threw me against the wall. Do you think that a bandit castle is worse?”Tommy calmed down and started to smile. Rene, however, was looking around in surprise.“Alex, how did you manage to do that?”“I can be quite persuasive sometimes.”He was surprised even more when he saw bodies scattered across halls and corridors, their faces frozen with horrified expressions.Everyone was dead... or mostly everyone. Some had simply gone mad, two or even three people.“Alex, how the hell did you
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-05-14The Demonย ย ย Chapter 36
The frump was waiting for me in the bedroom, apparently mindful of her failed attempt with Tommy’s intervention. She was sitting on the bed, and I silently unleashed a stream of earsplitting profanities, trying not to say anything out loud.If anybody stumbled upon that scene, I would never be able to wipe that stain away. What were my options?“Ruthie? What’s wrong?”“Alex, we need to talk.”It all looked so fake that I barely stifled a laugh. Even brothel girls looked more sincere, and Ruthina was making such a face that I really wanted to splash her with water to bring her to her senses. I couldn’t, however, or she’d bleed makeup all over the place.Mistress Eliza had told me a lot about that, summoning her girls and showing how a shark could be turned into a mermaid. A dash of paint here, a trinket there...all in all, an interesting experience.“I’m listening.” I didn&rsqu
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-05-14
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The Demonย ย ย Special Chapter
โHow do you know about the charm spells?โโHow could I not! Innis, do you know that your mother had an elder brother?โInnis grew pale.โY-yes. But heโs...โโDisappeared without a trace. Why would Sidon Andago need him?โI caught the girl so she wouldnโt faint.โTell me more, you corpse!โThat tone finally made him pay attention. The ghost looked at me once more, I released my power, and it was his turn to become paleโor, rather, translucent.โBy the Bright! YouโโโYep. Me. And if you donโt answer me right now, I will burn your chicken coop to the ground!โThe spirit sighed and began telling his story. He was also a necromancer, who, by a cruel twist of fate, had become a healer.If you make a drawback your advantage, you can heal with the power intended to destroy, that was true.I had never been taught that, but the Andago family seemed no stranger to experimentation.Anyway, Tidann had died like he was supposed to. But during his lifetime, he had conducted trials in that same labor
The Demonย ย ย Special Chapter
I was barely moving my lips, but she definitely heard me, as she ran her hand over her hair and all of a sudden, broke down in tears. It had been a while since I had felt myself that stupid.Still, Martha didnโt cry for long. She raised her head high.โAlex, boy, yer alive!โAnd there was so much love and happiness in her voice. She didnโt care about herself at all, the main thing was my safety.I couldnโt help but blurt out, from the bottom of my heart, โMotherโฆโTruly, the mother is not the one who gave birth.โI was so scared for you. After we spoke, I ran off here, yer snake led me. Everythingโs quiet, but the ghosts are all afraid. Lots of templars in the palace, all tip-toeing โround yer wifey. Methinks, โtwas the bitched viper who started all this, mark me word!โโMother, but whereโs Tommy? Rene?โโTommyโs on the lam, heโs taking his wife to Rick. Rene and his pa high-tailed, too. Probably hiding somewhere, โlest they lose their knobs in the heat.โโDid somebody getโโโYep. The
The Demonย ย ย Special Chapter
During dinner, I felt like I was the main course.The local residents questioned me about everything, starting from silk prices in Tevarr to my family, from weather to the royal palace.I squirmed like I was in a hot pan, trying to avoid telling too much. I was pretty good at that.By the end of dinner, Amorta graced me with a smile and a suggestive look from her thin eyelashes, while Sidon thawed out and started to tell me his hunting stories. If they had been true, all the beasts in Radenor wouldnโt be enough for him.I listened to them, nodded, and was finally rewarded with seeing the heir: Sidonโs complete copy. He had Amortaโs ears, but was the spitting image of his father otherwise.Maybe that was why he cherished the child so much. Innis was way too smart, sharp, and independent, not to mention, entirely Andago in her appearance.Blood couldnโt be locked away. I had to coo for a bit, while discreetly collecting a few stray hairs from the babyโs clothes.Letโs see if heโs truly
The Demonย ย ย Special Chapter
Summoning Ak-kvir was easy.He appeared almost right away and sniffed the air.โYou again, necromancer?โโDo you object?โโDo you have the payment?โI sneered viciously.โIโll figure something out.โโGet comfortable, then.โI sat down on his back, and Ak-kvir darted off straight ahead. Eight hours to the town?Dear Innis, just twenty minutes...and thatโs taking into account that the demon had grown very lazy.We passed the town wall in a few rough leaps.Good thing that Ak-kvirโs claws were saber-sharp and could pierce any stone three feet deep. And finally, I was left standing in a narrow street. Monsignors bandits, come on.I canโt believe nobody wants these easy pickings!Yeah, that was rhetorical.Five minutes later, a three-man group stumbled upon me.They were so delighted that it was even funny.โOh, look whoโs come to visit!โโA noble boy, bless his heart!โโYou there, stand and deliver!โThey tried to surround me; how naive. Did they want me to speak?Like dark lightning, I d
The Demonย ย ย Special Chapter
Tommy was blissfully sleeping inside his house with Henrietta nestled against his shoulder, snuffling and smiling in her sleep. But when an ice-cold wave came over them, both had to rise up, their peace disturbed.That wind was something they could never hide or shield themselves from; it was a death wind, and it brought cold from the grave, making him feel as if he were in a coffin.Even dead men could wake up after feeling something like that...and sometimes, they did.โWhat!โThe darkness in the room grew thicker and took on Marthaโs shape, smiling with her mouth full of shark teeth.โItโs me, Tom. Martha.โInstantly, Tommy was relieved. He had seen that many times before.No big deal, Alex had pulled stunts much worse than that. When you live with necromancers, do as necromancers do.โWhatโs wrong?โโTreason. Take your wife and hide, I will warn the Morinars, so...try to get to Torrin. You are the most vulnerable of us all.โโHowโs Alex?โโAlive.โTommy breathed out.โGood. But wh
The Demonย ย ย Special Chapter
I had two options: either promptly summon Ak-kvir and get to the capital, wherein I would clean up the mess, but the schemers would have time to get away, that was as clear as day.The other option...Fine, youโve gotten rid of the rightful king.Now what?Oops.Well, you can sit on the throne of Radenor, you would even stay there...for like twenty seconds. After that, prepare a dust tray and a broom. No need for a coffin, the remains could be poured over a flowerbed in the palace garden. If I held off my return, I would get the chance to reveal the plotters.But what about my family?Well, that was a moot question. If I were a plotter, I would first kill the kingโmeโand then, if everything worked out well, switch to his entourage.Yet, I suspected that no templars had survived. Generally, I was a nice guy, but they had managed to really piss me off. I still had some time before they would attack Martha, Tommy, Rene, Dariola... Although, why would they attack Dariola?Her child was th
The Demonย ย ย Special Chapter
Surprised, Innis stared at the demon who had appeared in her pentagram. He wasnโt quite what she had expected. Visually, he seemed a proper demon: claws, scales, and a tail.But should he really be all bloody and unconscious?Grandpaโs diary never said anything like that. Too bad I couldnโt find any other notes.But...what am I to do with it? Try to call him? Shake him awake?No, reaching inside the pentagram was forbidden.What if I poke him with a stick? He canโt just lie there in my tower, can he?I have enough problems on my plate without a dead demon!**I was in agony. Every bit of my body that was still there was emanating with pain, even my tail. โDemon, are you alive? Demon! Damn you, youโre a rascal, not a demon!โIt was clearly a girlโs voice. She seemed young and quite upset. She had a throaty contralto, clear and singsong, like hot chocolate.I definitely wasnโt in a temple.Where then?I focused and tried to prop myself on my elbows, then open my eyes.Yeah, they had gi
The Demonย ย ย Special Chapter
After Martha told me that my wife was likely with child, I wasnโt even surprised or worried.She isnโt saying anything to me?There could be lots of reasons!Maybe she didnโt know so herself or wanted to make sure. What was there to discuss? I just had to charge the court healer with a task.Alas, I was wrong, and I had to pay for that mistake sooner than I had expected. Two days later, I found myself on the way to a small town called Livaren.I was still traveling around the country so the officials I had appointed would stay on edge. When the king shows up on your doorstep and demands an answer...or just shows up...it can really shake you up.Bad news came from Livaren.Somebody destroyed ten of my ghosts. I had to visit and figure out what was happening there. That was exactly what I did. I was used to nobody ever standing in my way. Have I already mentioned that sometimes, I can be a real idiot?The mayor, Baron Fagin, was cheerful. He had clearly screwed up. But considering that
The Demonย ย ย Special Chapter
Princess Dariola.What did she look like?Not a beauty, or at least I didnโt think so. She was tall, half a head taller than me, and thin as a rail.She had blonde hair and blue, watery eyes, and her lips were so pale they seemed almost white. She did have nice hands, with long thin fingers, worthy of an artist or a musician.I also liked her voice: high-pitched, clear. She would probably sound great singing merry songs somewhere in a meadow, during summer.Alas, but during our introduction, I didnโt seem to attract her much, either. I guess she thought me too weak and fragile, and I had no wish to disprove her.So, I just kissed her hand.โYour Highness.โJust a neutral phrase. No โMy princessโ or โWelcome to my kingdom.โThey made me an offer I could hardly refuse, and that was enough.Oh, I had divorced soon after getting crowned.The church granted me my request, even if they did try to negotiate. Your Majesty, of course, weโre ready to help you in any way you want, but weโve gott
