"I'm very sorry, Kons."
"Viscount Lierson" said with a regretful expression, using his fingers to straighten the hair on the two heads on the plate, making them look more presentable.
The mansion was empty.
The usually busy servants were nowhere to be found. Apart from the two headless corpses in their seats, only this "father and son" pair remained present.
"You..."
Kons's body was rigid, his feet seemingly nailed to the floor, unable to move.
He couldn't comprehend the current situation, couldn't accept what he was seeing.
He felt as if he'd fallen into an incredibly real nightmare from which he couldn't wake.
He could only stand there helplessly, looking at the corpses of his mother and brother, and at his "father" who had become utterly strange and twisted, listening to him ramble on as he always did:
"According to my original plan, we would have maintained our family relationship for a long time.
I would have secretly manipulated the people and events around you, making you encounter various difficulties, setbacks in your career and interpersonal relationships.
For example, making your colleagues look down on you, having that noble lady you secretly admire get involved with someone else..."
"Viscount Lierson" said indifferently, "Then at that point, I would appear in the form of a mysterious entity and establish a contract with you.
I would grant you the power to change your situation, but would also guide you bit by bit, gradually leading you to betray the deity you worship and the organization you serve."
"And when you gradually fell into painful contradiction, I would, in my role as your father, discover your change.
During an argument, I would be accidentally killed by you in front of your other family members... thus causing you to fall into complete despair."
In other words, everything "Viscount Lierson" had originally planned to do was to cause Kons's spirit to completely collapse!
"Why...?"
Kons's head was buzzing. He asked almost instinctively.
"Because..."
The "Viscount" was about to explain when he saw the other party still standing in place.
He switched to an apologetic tone, "Oh my, how rude of me. I should have let you sit down first. Please sit, Kons. Next to your mother and brother."
Kons certainly didn't want to sit, but some invisible force propelled his body, making him walk to the dining table and sit down.
"That's better. A family should be together like this, all neat and tidy."
The "Viscount" praised, then continued with the previous topic, "Don't misunderstand.
There's no grudge between us. I'm doing this entirely for the needs of acting."
"Acting...?"
"That's right, my acting as a Sequence 4 'Demon.'" The latter chuckled softly.
"By establishing contracts with humans, deceiving humans, toying with humans until they fall into complete despair and willingly offer up their own souls..."
Speaking to this point, he showed a regretful expression once again.
"But unfortunately, because of that person's commission, I have to interrupt this acting.
I've only just advanced, and quickly acting to digest the potion is extremely important, but I still decided to do this.
After all, the compensation that person offered was simply too generous."
As he spoke, he took out a card from his person and showed it to Kons.
The main subject depicted on the card was a massive demon with horns on its head, bat wings on its back, beast hair covering its lower limbs, one hand pointing upward, the other holding a torch pointing downward.
A pair of men and women stood at the demon's feet.
They seemed to have become the demon's slaves, with chains around their necks bound to the altar where the demon crouched, their bodies also showing signs of demonization.
A Tarot card?
Kons, who had some understanding of mysticism, immediately recognized this as one of the Tarot cards invented by Roselle: the Devil!
However, what was astonishing was that the demon's face on this card wasn't the typical male goat but was replaced by Roselle's own face. At the top of the card were written a few words:
[Sequence 0, Abyss]
"This is the 'Blasphemy Card' invented by Roselle."
"Viscount Lierson" said this, his gaze burning hot as he caressed the card.
"Such generous compensation, even advanced to me ahead of time, makes it truly impossible to refuse... So, sorry Kons, our family relationship can only end here."
He reached out to caress Viscountess Lierson's face. "Dear, don't you think so too?"
So the so-called family was just a false act, all for the purpose of completing some ritual...
"Who exactly are you!"
Kons couldn't help but shout.
"Just a low-key Demon."
The latter chuckled. "I come from an ancient Demon lineage, the Noss family."
"You're not my father..."
"Of course not."
"Viscount Lierson," no, the "Demon" Noss laughed dumbly. "I merely replaced your father."
As he spoke, his hand pressed against his own face. With a "rip," a crack opened on his face. Like an insect molting, he emerged from Viscount Lierson's shell.
Appearing before Kons was an unfamiliar young man with light green eyes and a thin face, his hair combed meticulously. What Kons had originally thought was his father had become a shed skin, fallen on the ground.
"During the time I was disguised, you didn't discover anything at all. I don't know whether to celebrate or feel sorry for your father."
The young man shook his head.
"Bastard..."
Seeing this scene, Kons murmured.
He should have been angry. He did indeed feel angry. But somehow, his emotions maintained an eerie calm, as if an invisible hand had forcibly smoothed down his psychological fluctuations. His rage had nowhere to vent, and this stifled pain was driving him nearly mad!
"All right, don't be so angry."
Kons heard the demon say lightly, walking around from the other side of the dining table.
He wanted to resist, wanted to fight desperately with the other party, but the gap between their levels was simply too vast, utterly insurmountable.
"The routine House of Lords meeting is the day after tomorrow, right? Perfect. That Duke Negan will also be in attendance."
The "Demon" Noss asked, reaching out to press Kons's shoulder, making the latter shudder involuntarily.
"I need to borrow your body to infiltrate the crowd and complete the assassination."
Is he going to kill me?
Kons couldn't help but think.
"Oh, don't misunderstand. I won't skin you directly like I did to your father.
There are detection items at the House of Lords, so I plan to only infiltrate into your body."
The "Demon" Noss said seriously, "I'm very merciful. I'll try to minimize harm while accomplishing my goal."
"Liar..."
Kons glared at him, squeezing out two words from between his teeth.
After the distance closed, he could clearly see that this demon's eyes constantly revealed a pleased expression, carefully observing his subtle changes and becoming increasingly delighted.
This bastard was enjoying himself.
"Hehe, did you notice?"
Noss couldn't help but laugh, then reached out and pressed his hand against Kons's chest.