Episode 142

-The Spider Goddess will appear now!

-Finally…! Finally…!

The atmosphere was buzzing in anticipation of her appearance.

As if it was time to go, Akne gestured.

Jaekiel could feel it with his body without any further explanation. The seven Demon Gods, excluding the Demon Lord and Akne, had gathered nearby.

‘There’s a cut.’

A wound that felt as though it had been cut into his skin appeared. The different dimension’s demonic energy had surged and cut him.

Even though he was surrounded by cold energy, this was the result.

“You said that there isn’t much life left for the Snow Ghost, right?”

Akne nodded as if she understood everything.

“Don’t worry. The Demon Realm is filled with all kinds of mysteries. It’s a place full of phenomena that you could never even imagine on the small continent.”

“Mysteries?”

“Yes. There is certainly a way to fix that condition. The Emperor on the continent wouldn’t just give Sun Water as tribute without any conditions attached, right?”

Akne opened her arms wide as if to embrace him.

“Don’t you find it unpleasant, the way they act as if they’re trying to tame you, my husband? You won’t have to suffer anymore. I’ll fix everything with the Demon Lord’s help.”

Jaekiel paused to think.

Was the princess he sought to save truly someone like this?

The Akne from back then and now was the same person, but at the same time, she was completely different.

His feelings were becoming more and more complicated.

“Akne. You’ve killed so many humans.”

Jaekiel calmly spoke his words.

It was shocking to learn that the true identity of the Spider Goddess was the 0th princess, Akne, but at the same time, her deeply twisted madness was too much to bear.

She was no longer thinking like a human.

“That’s right. I did.”

Akne merely smiled with the corner of her eyes.

“I don’t feel guilt or shame… Is there anything more disgusting than humans? Those who envy and betray each other should be completely eradicated.”

“You…”

“My husband should live comfortably in the Demon Realm and lead the demons with that cold energy. Perhaps you could even take the position of commander. Everyone is eagerly anticipating the birth of a new Demon God.”

-Is the seat of a Demon God increasing?

-Make the Demon Realm’s power even greater!

“This is madness,” Jaekiel muttered.

The biggest issue was, of course, Akne’s hatred for humans. She wanted the annihilation of humans, which was completely at odds with Jaekiel’s beliefs.

“Akne, don’t forget that you were born human too.”

“Don’t mistake me for hating all humans… My husband, who makes me feel this overwhelming affection, is human, too, aren’t you?”

Akne smiled leisurely.

“I just wish for those insignificant humans to die.”

However, her next words were different.

“Ah, of course… I’ve never seen a human who wasn’t insignificant, except for you, my husband. Not once.”

This essentially meant that she wanted the annihilation of all humans on the continent, which was still shocking.

In the silence, Akne laughed.

“You must have many thoughts right now, but it’s okay. In the end, we’ll do everything step by step together.”

Jaekiel didn’t answer.

He was busy organizing his growing thoughts.

At some point, Akne reached out and locked her arm with his, as if declaring that she would never let go for the rest of her life.

Finally, it was time to go outside.

“Now, let’s go, my husband.”

Jaekiel quietly moved his steps.

-The Spider Goddess and her husband…!

-Radiant! It’s the Spider Goddess!

-Make the Demon Realm prosperous!

Jaekiel walked with Akne down the path cleared by the crowd that parted for them.

‘Should I try to gather as much information about the Demon Realm as possible?’

Living in the Demon Realm for life?

Jaekiel still had no intention of doing that.

He planned to return to the continent, wondering if he could gain something to negotiate with the Emperor.

He tried to mentally capture the immense progress the Demon Realm had made in such a short time. It would be crucial information.

“I’m so happy… The day has come when I get to serve the Snow Ghost as my husband. All my birth and the painful days I endured led to this brilliant result!”

Akne murmured in a voice full of ecstasy.

Meanwhile, Jaekiel felt a sense of discomfort as the ceremony progressed very differently from the weddings on the continent. All they did was walk.

No wedding songs, no officiant, no master of ceremonies… nothing.

“Are we just going to keep walking like this?”

“Yes. We’ll show ourselves to as many demons as possible, and in the end, we’ll meet with the Demon Gods and the Demon Lord. That’s how it concludes.”

For a long while, Akne kept looking at Jaekiel, not straight ahead. Matching his pace, she exhaled her excited breath onto his cheek.

“Ahh… Ahn… Huh, huff…”

At times, she squeezed her thighs tightly, trembling. She could not hide her excitement in this situation at all.

It was to the point where Jaekiel felt embarrassed.

How many hours passed like this?

Finally, they arrived at a massive building, where a huge coffin was placed vertically.

The moment they entered.

“…”

Jaekiel finally faced her after a long time.

The ruler of the Demon Realm, the master of the Demon Realm…

The Demon Lord, Valetta, was there with the seven Demon Gods.

“You said we’d never meet again.”

A deep, rumbling voice echoed.

“There’s hardly ever been a mistake in my statements over the centuries… Snow Ghost Jaekiel, you’re the one who became that ‘once.’ I never imagined we’d meet again like this.”

Her voice seemed like the whisper of the darkness itself.

Among the Demon Gods lined up on either side, there was a distant high-ranking figure, and the Demon Lord, her eyes gleaming, lazily continued speaking.

She rested one hand on her chin and placed her legs carelessly. It was the complete opposite of how the Emperor would appear in his Audience Room.

How much power has she stored up since then?

Jaekiel clearly remembered that during their battle, her right shoulder had been completely obliterated, but now, everything was intact, and no demonic energy was emanating from her.

Now that he looked closely, the other Demon Gods were exuding a sinister aura, but there was no demonic energy from the Demon Lord herself in the space.

This meant that the Demon Lord had reached a level of mastery where she could completely conceal her immense power. From the continent’s perspective, this was bad news.

It was then.

“The Demon Lord spoke, and yet you don’t bow and show proper respect. Did you bring such a disrespectful person as your husband, Spider Goddess?”

One of the Demon Gods in the lineup spoke gruffly, glaring at Jaekiel.

She wore a martial outfit like a sleeveless gi, and her hands were adorned with gloves.

She was a woman with muscles that one would expect from a man who dedicated his life to training. If the First Princess, Ether, was tall, this woman was wide because of her muscles.

She was the one emitting the most demonic energy in this place, and her power was formidable. Akne, standing next to Jaekiel, quietly whispered into his ear.

“It’s Jeungshin (God of Hatred). She’s always full of anger.”

So it was the god who governed hatred.

Of course, Jaekiel wasn’t scared.

He had fought with all his strength against the Demon Lord, Valetta, and he wouldn’t be frightened by a Demon God.

Even if he couldn’t guarantee victory, he had no intention of retreating.

Thus, he answered briefly.

“This is a conversation for those of high rank. Don’t interrupt.”

In other words, it meant, “Don’t interrupt while those of high rank, like Jaekiel and the Demon Lord, are talking.”

“Puh… Puhahaha…!”

“Jeungshin! You’ve already been hit from the start!”

The other Demon Gods immediately burst into laughter.

Despite one of their own being mocked, none of the other Demon Gods shared in her anger. Instead, they reacted as if it were satisfying.

This was what set demons apart from humans.

Jaekiel had attended countless meetings of higher-ups, but the atmosphere here was more like a rowdy gathering.

A rowdy group, but one with overwhelming strength.

Akne also covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed.

“Heheheheheh… Yes, my husband was trying to have a conversation with the Demon Lord, and yet, why dare interrupt? Stay quiet. If you do, you might at least avoid being treated like a fool.”

“Calling him ‘my husband’ already is really disgusting. Did you really bring a mere human here? Without the consent of the other Demon Gods or the Demon Lord?”

Jeungshin cracked her neck as she spoke.

To think that such lowly beings could speak so freely in front of the highest Demon Lord… If this were the Emperor’s Audience Room, this would be unimaginable.

The Demon Realm and the continent were so different.

Jeungshin massaged her fist as she spoke.

“I’ve heard from the Demon Lord what kind of man your husband is. He doesn’t seem to like the Demon Realm much, does he? He’ll need to undergo physical and mental modification with me every single day.”

“Modification? How dare you try to do that to my husband?”

Akne coldly glared.

“Jeungshin, don’t cross the line. Do you want me to slice that tongue of yours?”

“Enough.”

The voice of the Demon Lord, Valetta, came down with authority.

Her piercing gaze slid towards Jaekiel. Every black pupil felt like pure chaos, made up of all darkness itself.

Boom!

Suddenly, Akne grimaced in pain and knelt on one knee.

“Gah… Ugh…”

It was as though she was being crushed by strong gravity.

“The Spider Goddess should not interrupt for now.”

The cause was the Demon Lord. She was pressing her down with her energy.

“Now, first.”

The Demon Lord, Valetta, continued with a relaxed tone.

“It seems necessary to evaluate whether a Demon God is truly fit for marriage. A little test is in order. It seems Jeungshin is eager to take part, so it works out well.”

At the same time, Jeungshin loosened her body and assumed a stance, ready to deliver a blow.

“Jeungshin will land a blow. If he’s still breathing afterward, I will accept him as the Spider Goddess’s husband. It’s a simple and easy test for both parties, don’t you think?”

Rumble…

The energy around Jeungshin began to rise. Even the pebbles on the ground began to lift.

She was targeting the air with her fist.

Jaekiel tried to analyze Jeungshin’s strike.

It seemed like she was targeting the space itself with her fist, unleashing a tremendous wave of energy with a strike.

“Jeungshin~ Aren’t you going a bit too far?”

“What kind of human needs this much energy to be judged…? Anyway, he’s a man who’ll match your level.”

The other Demon Gods laughed while also admiring her.

Jaekiel had to admit it, too.

Indeed, demons who reached the level of Demon Gods were on another level. He couldn’t guarantee victory so easily.

Demon Lord Valetta, still resting her chin on her hand, spoke.

“Snow Ghost, I wonder how much your skills have improved since we last met. But if you succeed, I will promise you a proper reward. After all, you’ll be the Spider Goddess’s husband.”

Despite having fought so fiercely in the past, the Demon Lord casually promised Jaekiel a proper reward as if nothing had happened.

Indeed, the way demons thought was hard to understand.

It didn’t matter. Jaekiel thought about something else.

Sun Water.

If he was going to perfectly block and defeat them when they invaded the continent, he needed to become much stronger than he was now.

In other words, he needed more Sun Water than he currently had.

If he were treated well in the Demon Realm, perhaps he would have access to more important information. He could trade all of it with the Emperor for more Sun Water.

Jaekiel completed his calculations.

Now, only victory remained.

“Let’s change the method.”

Jaekiel spoke as he gathered the cold energy.

“Jeungshin, you’ll defend.”

Thud!

At the same time, brilliant ice shot out like shotgun pellets.

It happened in the blink of an eye.