Bel-Terza.
He was death given form, a being every living creature could not help but fear. And he was right in front of Yuda. Yuda himself had written his settings and created him, but that was not something he could say.
More than anything, the moment Yuda actually met Bel-Terza’s gaze, his mind went blank and all he could do was stare up at him. Jeanne had fainted, and Yuda was the only one in this cavern still conscious and capable of speech, so the Monarch’s attention rested solely on him. From within the skull beneath the black shroud, a faint blue light seeped out.
『Let me ask you once again. Where were you going?』
His speech was a little fast, yet the weight in his voice made every word ring clearly. Yuda fell silent again. He knew he had to say something, but his stupid brain produced nothing. His mind was blank like white paper, not a single word coming to mind. Instinct told him that if he stayed quiet any longer, it would be bad, so he forced himself to speak.
“Ou… outside.”
『Why?』
“Because I have finished everything I came here to do…”
Even talking to Sian had not felt this heavy. Only now did Yuda realize how much Sian had been holding himself back. Just opening his mouth to say a single word meant pushing against the crushing pressure on his entire body. Bel-Terza did not answer right away.
Because of that, Yuda had no choice but to carefully watch his mood. The gap in power was so overwhelming that he did not even have room to feel offended about it. If this had been about status, he might at least have felt angry.
『……』
The silence pressed so hard it felt like his breath caught in his throat. Bel-Terza just stared down at him, one bony hand stroking his jaw as if lost in thought. Watching that, Yuda had no choice but to admit it.
Yes, this was what a Monarch was. Yuda felt like an ant, scurrying around as hard as it could, but doomed to die the moment a human finger pressed down. His mind kept ringing with one alarm: this being could kill him at any moment. Get out of here, run away now. That urge kept shouting, offering no solution, only direction.
『Do you acknowledge who I am?』
Yuda hesitated. He could not decide how much to say and how much to hide.
If he answered too simply, he might hear “So you did not even know who I was” and be killed on the spot, so he could not afford to bluff. He could not understand why Bel-Terza, who had never been summoned even in the game, had appeared here. If he died to this being, would it be right to simply give up on this dungeon? Was the problem that he had left the last wraiths alone? He did not have enough time to think it through. He felt cold sweat slick on his palms.
Suddenly, Bel-Terza lowered himself and thrust his face right in front of Yuda where he stood on the altar.
『You are tense. Understandable. But there is no need to tremble. I did not appear here in order to kill you. So speak. Do you acknowledge who I am?』
For him, those words were almost considerate. The fact that Bel-Terza did not intend to kill him, at least for now, lightened Yuda’s heart a little. It was not a promise, so he could certainly change his mind, but as long as Yuda did not do anything as suicidal as flipping him off to his face, it probably would not happen.
He rolled his tongue around his mouth so he would not bite it by accident, then finally spoke.
“…I know you as the Monarch in whom death has taken form, Lord Bel-Terza.”
『Not the most satisfying answer. Well, then I will ask my next question. Why do you think I have appeared here?』
“That is…”
‘Why indeed. Because he had a Fragment?’
‘Or because he had sensed someone stealing the sacrifices meant for him?’
As Yuda hesitated, the blue light in Bel-Terza’s eyes deepened.
『You do not know? It is because I sensed the power of two Monarchs within your body.”』
Yuda swallowed. Then he questioned the statement. Not one, but two?
That may have been because he was possessing Fernlern’s power through the Fragments. But then who was the other? Among the seven Monarchs, the ones with any connection to him were…
‘Blessing.’
He had briefly forgotten, but he carried the 〈First Monarch’s Blessing〉. At that moment, black currents of energy swirled around Bel-Terza, who had been leaning toward the altar, swallowed his form, and swept forward toward Yuda. Within the black torrent that flooded over the altar, a skull roughly two meters tall appeared, clad in an ornate robe.
Startled, Yuda stepped back, but since he was standing at the top of the steps, one more step would send him tumbling down. Feeling nothing under his toes, he flailed his arms, but there was nothing to grab and his weight had already tipped backward.
『What are you doing?』
Bel-Terza caught his flailing hand and pulled him forward. With an unreadable expression, he let go of Yuda’s wrist. Just as Yuda was about to thank him, a jolt of pain from his wrist made him look down. A bruise was forming there, in the shape of the Monarch’s grip.
“Thank you.”
『There is nothing to thank me for. I simply found you interesting and wanted an answer to my curiosity.』
“What kind of curiosity…?”
『For some reason, you bear Sian’s Blessing and wield Fernlern’s Fragments. Two of them, at that.』
“…Yes.”
Yuda felt a twinge of unease. It sounded like the prelude to a demand.
『I wish to make you an offer.』
“…Ye..s?”
『As far as I know, no one has ever gathered two of Fernlern’s Fragments. And among those who hold Fragments, none carry a Monarch’s Blessing besides.』
“…….”
『Artemia or Ibn-Haiyan have bestowed Blessings upon humans a few times. Sian, who keeps to neutrality, has blessed only a very small handful outside Lucifer and his loyal followers. I do not read fate, but by my judgment, the one most likely to become Fernlern’s successor is you. Though that will be far in the future.』
Was he supposed to say thank you for the expectation? Yuda wondered.
Bel-Terza was not finished.
『I intend to let you live.』
“Did you just say you have no intention of killing me?”
『Of course. I am not so petty as to be angered because you stole sacrifices meant for me. What I mean is that from now on, once and only once, when death reaches for you, I will aid you.』
Yuda was confused. He understood the words clearly, but not their meaning.
He would help at the moment death approached?
Does he mean he will revive me once if I die? That is not so great, Yuda thought immediately.
After all, thanks to Sian’s power, death already sent Yuda back to the moment he first obtained the Fragments. Coming back from the dead was incredible, but for him it did not sound that great. At that moment, a hologram window appeared in front of his eyes.
[You have acquired the one-time skill 〈Sixth Monarch, Bel-Terza’s Descent〉.]
[The moment you activate this skill, it will be deleted.]
[This is a favor granted to you by him.]
[At the single moment of your choosing, should he descend to the Middle Realm, Bel-Terza will help you regardless of the situation.]
[However, you must be extremely cautious in using this skill. The Celestial Realm’s influence on the Middle Realm is stronger than that of the Demon Realm, and their wariness of the dead is especially great.]
[If you were to call him down in the lands of men, well… you might become the enemy of every living being.]
[Sixth Monarch, Bel-Terza’s Descent] Rank: SSS / Workmanship: Master
Allows you to summon the Sixth Monarch of the Demon Realm, Bel-Terza, once.
Once descended, he will aid you no matter the circumstance.
When the skill is activated, it is permanently removed.
You have got to be kidding.
This was far more outrageous than he had imagined. Only then did Yuda truly grasp what “I will help you” meant. Even if it was only once, Bel-Terza was one of the seven Monarchs of the Demon Realm. Being able to summon such a being without sacrifice or offering even a single time was enormous. He had never expected a gift like this, and yet it was not over.
『And as Sian did, I too will grant you my Blessing.』
Black energy gathered at Bel-Terza’s fingertips as he sat on the altar and shot toward Yuda’s heart, sinking in without resistance. His heart throbbed.
[You have acquired the trait 〈Sixth Monarch’s Blessing〉.]
[Sixth Monarch’s Blessing] Rank: S / Workmanship: Master
You have received the Blessing of the Sixth Monarch of the Demon Realm, Bel-Terza, he who walks with death.
Even if death comes for you, you will revive once more.
It removes all abnormal statuses and instantly restores 50% of Health and Mana.
However, because this power runs counter to the natural order, once it activates, it cannot trigger again for a long period of 30 days.
Good grief. What on earth was he planning to ask for in exchange for all this?
As if reading Yuda’s unease, Bel-Terza spoke.
『It seems you understand what my Blessing is. My proposal is simple. If you become Fernlern’s successor, give me the Tenth Fragment. That is my request. Consider my gifts an investment in that future.』
Of course.
Yuda recalled the lore tied to him.
Thinking back, Bel-Terza had wanted several of Fernlern’s Fragments. He had shown particular interest in Altemia, which was tied to life force, but Fernlern had refused and he never got it. One of the item tooltips even recorded a conversation between them.
‘Hmm. I like this. Will you not give it to me?’
“And what would one of the dead do with a weapon that absorbs life? No. You cannot have it. Get lost.”
“You are cruel.” – From a conversation between the Fourth and Sixth Monarchs.
For a Monarch to want something and still be unable to have it must have stung. It was no wonder he bore a grudge over it. Handing Altemia over would be a shame, but Bel-Terza was not asking for it now. He wanted it only if Yuda became the successor. That was no real problem. Yuda slowly nodded, accepting the offer.
“Thank you for a generosity far beyond what I deserve. I promise you this. If I become the successor… I will absolutely hand over the Tenth Fragment to you.”
Speaking under that crushing presence was still not easy, but now that he understood what kind of favor he was receiving, it was easier than before to get the words out. Bel-Terza seemed pleased by the answer and nodded in satisfaction.
『Good. Do not ever forget.』
———= Author’s Note ———=
I noticed some strange blisters on my knee and thought, what is this, could it be shingles, so I went to the hospital.
Thankfully, they said it was something like herpes, nothing too serious, so that was a relief.
Apparently it can even show up around your lips.
I have to go to school. Damn it!
Q. In your previous work there was an item that mentioned a race called purebloods. Are they related to the Demon Realm Monarchs?
A. No, they are not. The concept is similar, but they are separate beings. They will not appear in this novel.
Q. What are the names of the Demon Realm Monarchs?
A. They will appear one by one later, but just the names…
-(1) First Monarch: Sian
-(2) Second Monarch: Sereno
-(3) Third Monarch: Ibn-Haiyan
-(4) Fourth Monarch: Fernlern
-(5) Fifth Monarch: Vango
-(6) Sixth Monarch: Bel-Terza
-(7) Seventh Monarch: Artemia
That is all of them.
Q. Jinmu is a Blue Lance Knight? In chapter 86, he was called a Count of Baekje, so please correct that.
A. Reader “Hundred-year-old Socks” wrote, “Jinmu is indeed a Count of Baekje. It is just that one of the wraiths possessing him was a Blue Lance Knight.” That is correct. One of the wraiths possessing Jinmu was a Blue Lance Knight. It had taken him as a host.
