Chapter 137 – Scandal
"Oh, Gemma—you're back. It seems the execution went smoothly."
Gemma exchanged a smile with Alden, then suddenly lowered her head, her tone turning dejected.
"…Sigh. I originally intended to carry out the execution publicly, but that man resisted desperately and refused to submit. I had no choice but to deal with him on the spot. Lord Alden… you won't blame me, will you?"
"—Something like that happened?"
Alden stroked his chin for a moment before waving it off with a smile.
"No, you did well."
"If someone that desperate had been brought before the citizens, who knows what madness he might have caused."
"Gemma, not only will I not blame you—I should reward your decisiveness and judgment!"
"Now, what should I reward you with…? Hmm, nothing comes to mind immediately."
"—Lord Alden, I have a suggestion."
Enrique suddenly interjected, producing a deep-blue crystal sphere.
"This is a treasure I confiscated from a previous prisoner. I had intended to present it to you, my lord—but perhaps…"
"—Good, good! Enrique, how thoughtful of you! Let this crystal sphere be given to Gemma!"
The moment Gemma received it, her eyes lit up with curiosity as she examined it.
"So, Enrique—what does this crystal sphere do?"
"Of course."
Enrique's gaze lingered on her, as though deliberately observing something.
"Its effect is… to trigger an explosion that dispels disguise magic."
—Boom!
With a sudden explosion, the smoke cleared—
And Elias stood there, completely expressionless.
The moment Alden saw his face, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"You… you look like that man from yesterday…"
Enrique, too, frowned slightly.
After such an explosion, that man looked far too calm.
Alden suddenly slapped his forehead.
"Ah! You're the one who stood beside Flamme yesterday—the servant!"
At that, Elias couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
A servant?
Perhaps compared to Flamme's striking appearance, his own attire had seemed too plain.
Enrique stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Alden, his lips curling in mockery.
"I was wondering from the start—why would Flamme bring along an unknown mage like you? Your mana is so weak it's almost negligible…"
A smirk spread across his face.
"My intuition was right. She didn't even teach you how to conceal your mana, did she?"
"You must be nothing more than a disposable pawn—a stand-in meant to die in her place."
Elias closed his eyes, saying nothing.
So… I'm being underestimated?
And that assumption—that he was some expendable object—
was impressively vicious.
Seeing his silence, Enrique grew more confident, his smile turning even more arrogant.
"Gemma was careless—letting someone with such weak mana slip past her and even disguise himself as her."
"—She was careless."
Elias opened his eyes, smiling faintly.
"And the price of that carelessness… is that she's now nothing more than a cold corpse."
The moment those words fell—
Enrique's expression darkened, his gaze locking onto Elias.
At the same time, Elias noticed—
The cross-shaped mark on Enrique's head flickered briefly with a faint red glow.
"Heh… You walk straight into your own death, yet still dare to bluff—"
"—Thud!"
Something suddenly dropped out of thin air—
Landing limply in front of Alden and Enrique.
Both of them instinctively looked down.
It was…
Gemma's corpse.
A heavy silence fell over the hall.
Elias, however, began speaking as if nothing had happened.
"Enrique… go on. Use whatever tricks you have left—including that mark on your head."
"I'm rather curious to see what kind of power that cross-shaped seal holds."
"But before you die, do me a favor—tell me who created your so-called 'Peace Plan.' Someone I know is quite interested."
Enrique clenched his fists tightly.
"So… Flamme really does know."
"She deliberately left you behind in Hel City. Do you really think you alone can shake the entire Hel Mercenary Corps?!"
"Guards!!!"
At his command, over a dozen mercenaries rushed into the hall from all directions, surrounding Elias completely.
Elias glanced around.
Every single one of them bore the same cross-shaped mark.
"All of you—release your power!"
The moment the order was given, the marks on their bodies began glowing with a deep red light.
Enrique's mark, in particular, shone the brightest—erupting with an abnormal surge of power.
Elias paused slightly.
He had sensed something that should never come from humans.
That feeling…
Demonic mana?
His sharp gaze pierced straight into Enrique.
"That mark contains the power of demons… Have you all gone mad? Have you forgotten that you're human?"
Enrique twisted his face into a grin.
"We're strengthening ourselves to protect Hel City—what's wrong with that?"
"As long as no one finds out, what does it matter if we use demonic power?"
"Instead of worrying about us… you should worry about yourself."
"Attack!"
Before even making contact, the mercenaries charged forward like blood-crazed beasts, roaring as they rushed Elias.
Elias let out a cold laugh.
"Demonic power…?"
"Heh. Amateur tricks."
—BOOM!!!
A violent surge of force exploded outward.
The mercenaries were all blasted away, crashing into the walls like ragdolls.
Enrique stood in front of the trembling Alden, barely managing to hold his ground.
When the shockwave settled, his face had turned pale.
Because he saw—
Two sharp horns protruding from Elias's head, radiating a terrifying aura.
"Y-you… you're a demon!"
Only then did Enrique realize—
The demonic energy within his mark was nothing more than a flickering candle before Elias—like a dying flame in a raging storm.
His mind spiraled into chaos.
And only now did he truly understand—
Flamme… was traveling with a demon.
"Wait!!!"
"Flamme is the most revered mage among humanity, yet she travels with a demon—this is a scandal of the highest order!"
"And you dare question me?! Has Flamme forgotten she's human too?!"
"…Indeed."
Elias nodded calmly.
"In the eyes of ordinary people, what Flamme is doing would certainly be considered a scandal."
"But Enrique…"
His smile grew darker.
"Didn't you just say it yourself?"
"As long as no one knows… it doesn't matter."
Those words struck like a hammer.
Enrique fell completely silent.
—Crack—crack—crack—!
A blur of motion flashed through the room.
When it ended—
Elias stood amidst a pool of blood.
Only the city lord remained.
Collapsed on the ground.
Crying softly in despair.