Game of Divine Thrones

Ferdinand ended up being quite cooperative with Woohyuk. It was because he considered him to be quite skillful. After all, he was the only one in Black Morris to have faced off with that woman who bore the Princess’ face and her strength, so at the very least he would treat Woohyuk as his equal.

‘Thanks to him I’ve learned a lot.’

The Rogue Guild excelled at gathering information.

They will be very useful in solving his quest.

While they took a carriage to the capital city of Marlene, he summarized in his mind what he learned from Feridnand.

‘God Slayer.’

He was also the Ravenna Empire’s first Emperor, Leonard Valencia.

He was chosen by the Heavenly God, then slayed the Demon God becoming a hero and putting an end to the chaotic times.

Later, when peace reigned, his weapon was sealed in the basement of the Beatrice Cathedral.

This was in order to prevent any of his descendants from abusing its divine power.

That’s all that was known publicly, and he would have to investigate what the royals were hiding regarding this treasure

“It looks good on you.”

“Truly?”

Leifina blushed as he commented on her stunning blue dress.

They were currently on their way to the Imperial Banquet, impersonating nobles to gain access.

“What did you say my name was again?”

“You’re Dorothy Serpin, Count Quint’s wife.”

They still needed to work some more on their acting skills and had the whole ride to practice.

Woohyuk leaned in to whisper into her ear, as he held he placed his hand on her waist.

Leifina’s blue eyes froze like a startled deer.

“It might take awhile for you to get used to this, but then again we are still a long ways from the capital.”

Woohyuks placed a kiss on Leifina’s cherry red lips, causing her eyes to widen in surprise once more.

“Ah!”

The gazes met, one was cold like a desolate field of ice and the other hot like a burning flame.

In the end Leifina gave up, closing her eyes as she lost any strength in her arms.

“In order to not arouse any suspicions in the nobles, you need to be able to act as naturally as possible. 

“... I’ll be more careful next time.”

Getting their names on the list hadn’t been an easy feat. It was only possible due to Andrew, Etrona’s Prince. He was Elizabeth’s fiance and the patron who paid Ferdinand to investigate.

Upon receiving a report from Ferdinand, he was the one who got in touch with Woohyuk.

“According to Andrew, the security at the event will be very thorough. We need to be careful. ”

They weren’t able to respond instantly to sudden threats, because all of their equipment was being held in his Sage’s Pouch.

“Even if it gets dangerous, I’ll be standing next to you Lord, I’ll…”

“Right now I’m not your Lord, but your husband.”

“Oh, right… sorry.”

“We have to make sure that you remember that by the time we arrive.”

“Huh? Again?”

Leifina stammered and blushed deeply as the indecent man sitting beside her attempted to kiss her once more.

* * *

The Banquet’s hall within the Imperial Palace was decorated to demonstrate their opulence.

Woohyuk and Leifina got a glimpse into the everyday life of the high nobility.

“I’m worried about the fact that the price of fox furs has been on the rise lately.

“Really? Is it the same in the Etrona kingdom?”

“If I had known this would happen, I would have bought another spare shawl ahead of time.”

Ridiculous stories that were far removed from any regular person’s lives.

Nothing that was of interest to them. 

‘I haven’t seen the Count.’

Although they weren’t able to confirm whether or not he had received an invitation, it was more likely that he simply decided not to attend.

Perhaps he was just biding his time outside, waiting for an opportunity.

[How are they going to break in?]

[Probably using their Demonic powers.]

Entering a contract with a high level Demon would grant one a ridiculous amount of power.

There were sure to be some remnants from the Demon faction left over from the time the Demon God once reigned.

[Elizabeth looks under the weather.]

[No woman would be happy knowing that she was being sold to a neighboring country.]

An age old tale of a political marriage to strengthen the ties between two countries. It was the fate of those born to royalty, one that they couldn’t escape.

Probably the reason she hadn’t shown her face recently was due to such unhappiness.

As Woohyuk was observing the young princess Elizabeth, a handsome well groomed young man approached Leifina.

“You are breathtaking, may I ask your name?”

It was Prince Joffrey.

Leifina grabbed both sides of her dress and gave a curtsy.

“I am Dorona Serpin, and this here is my husband Count Quint.”

“Oh, so it’s Count Quint. I’ve heard quite a lot about you, it’s nice to finally meet you.”

A pretentious greeting.

Count Quint was a foreign noble that served Prince Andrew, so his face was unknown to the Royal family.

It was clear that Joffrey wasn’t at all interested in him.

“I am honored to make your acquaintance, Prince.”

Woohyuk did his best to fit, as he looked at the jewelry on his hand. 

A ring with a large blue sapphire.

It was highly likely that it was an inherited family heirloom because he wore it on his right index finger.

“You are quite the fortunate man, Count Quint. To be able to spend a lifetime accompanied by such a beautiful woman.”

Joffreys eyes burned holes in Leifina’s dress as he stared at her curvaceous body.

Eyes filled with lust.

Leifina avoided his gaze, appearing all innocent, when suddenly.

“Oh my God!”

“Fire!”

A large fire suddenly broke out in the middle of the hall.

The frightened nobles jumped around endlessly while the Royal Guards stormed the place to put out the fire.

[It’s begun, get ready.]

[Yes, Count]

The only person their enemies would be aiming for was Princess Elizabeth. The whole ordeal with the fire was only a distraction.

‘Your majesty, this way please.”

The guard proceeded to escort the Royal family to safety.

At that very moment, a gust of black smoke blew by, and Princess Elizabeth was gone

“Huh, Elizabeth?”

“What happened to her?”

While everyone was confused, Woohyuk grabbed Leifina by the wrist and ran towards the window.

[On my signal, come to my side.]

[Lord, don’t jump…]

Before Leifina could even finish, he was out the window.

He quickly equipped the Naga Chief’s Ancient ring, and in a flash of light , teleported in pursuit of the assailant.

‘As expected.’

Woohyuk followed the traces of corrupt energy as he jumped along the treetops.

Definitely a Demon.

Although it seemed to be a rather High level one based on how easily it had managed to grab the Princess hostage right under the noses of the Royal Guards.

‘I only need to find out what are the forces working behind the scenes.’

Clearly it would only be in the next chain of this quest that he would actually be required to put a stop to them.

Based on his past experiences in the tower, it was sure to get complicated.

Taahc

As Woohyuk dropped down to the ground, he was surrounded by a group of Warlocks. They weren’t willing to let him pursue his target so easily.

“Move, you are just in the way.”

Woohyuk swung Grandia with an annoyed expression. Blood began to flow under the dim moonlight.

* * *

The long pursuit continued deep into the forest outside of the capital, until before him stood the silver haired woman holding a dark scythe.

“Where’s the Princess?”

“...”

Rather than answering, she attacked with her scythe.

Calang! Calang!

Their metal weapons continued to clash against each other, drawing streaks of light through the air.

As the battle reached its peak, gold pupils shone brightly, causing her entire scythe to be  bathed in a menacing black flame.

‘She is using demonic powers.’

A Demonic energy poured out of her body on a level he hadn’t expected.

It was a natural ability and not obtained from a contract. A chimera experiment that had used the corpse of a High tier Demon as its base.

“Who created you?”

Woohyuk asked the silver haired woman while parrying her attacks.

It was a true masterpiece. Her appearance was identical to Isabella’s, who had died of an incurable disease, but the inner organs had been completely switched out.

“Haven’t you heard that curiosity killed the cat?”

A red head appeared in the air and exclaimed. Her identity was quite clear from the small pair of horns protruding from the top of her head.

“You are a follower of the Demon God?”

“Let’s say I once was.”

“Are you trying to challenge for the vacant Throne?” 

If the Demon God had perished, there would naturally be a succession battle to decide who would take his place. 

“You’ve deduced so much, quite impressive for a human. I, Demon Aris can acknowledge as least that much.”

With a single glance from Aris, the silver haired woman backed off.

“This is Irene. She’s one of my better works,so I felt it was worth naming.”

“How did you mask her Demonic energy?”

“Well.. I found the right vessel.”

Saint Marina was Leonhardt’s wife, and her descendants had a chance of inheriting her divine powers.

She had managed to hide the Demonic magic on the inside, by choosing a vessel whose corps had a trace of Divine power.

“You’ve truly done quite the sacrilegious thing.”

“Actually this success only came after 665 previous failures. Although she is still a bit unstable, she’s at least played her part in this plan.”

For Higher tier Demons, Chimera specimens were very much disposable. Regardless how well they were made, they would only ever be nothing more than a hybrid.

Even if the vessel held traces of Divine power, it would still be discarded once it's served its purpose.

“If you’re trying to break into the Royal’s Treasure room, she won’t be enough. There are many magic arrays to prevent any demons from breaking in.

 Irene’s beautiful body only needs to hold up until I manage to obtain his power.”

“As expected, the hidden treasure is indeed the Demon God’s legacy ”

From the very beginning he didn’t fully believe in the legends. Now that he stopped to think about it, all the Quest he had completed in the previous floors were somehow connected to Demons.

Although there were varying levels of difficulties, that was the one point they always had in common.

He now better understood why Nakron had instructed him to head to the top of the Twilight Tower.

“I will exterminate this world after having his power. All hypocrites and people who always put on pretenses deserve to die.”

 

“You have a dangerous way of thinking.”

“Dangerous? It’s completely normal in this system.”

Aris let Woohyuk in on a little secret that humans weren’t aware of. That this was a world that underwent a cycle of Destruction and Creation every five thousand years.

Only the Heavenly God and Demon God were outside of this cycle, and human history would repeat itself over and over again.

When one day, the Demon God began to question its purpose.

What is the point of a world that can’t progress?

“He tried to put an end to such a system, but was instead struck down by the Heavenly God and the humans that sided with the Creator.

Demon God’s power was sealed within his own sword, and the first emperor, Leonhardt hid it under the Beatrice Cathedral in accordance with Heavenly God’s orders.

That way, when the time came the world would be destroyed once more.

“Why are you telling me all this?”

“Just on a whim. It’s my first time meeting a human that is aware of the existence of the Thrones. The preparations are all in place anyways so there isn’t anything that you can do to stop it.”

She wanted people to know the truth behind what Leonhardt had done.

Not even his wife Marina or his descendants knew the specifics about what had gone down, nor what the secret treasure actually was. 

Just what kind of expression will they have in their final moments?

It was something that Aris, who had been in love with the Demon God, was truly looking forward to seeing.

“Can you become a Demon God by obtaining the sword?”

“Eventually, but first you’d have to escape the cycle of reincarnation.”

“Interesting.”

“Unfortunately that is impossible for you, because I hold the key.”

Aris smiled like a mischievous kitten, as she pulled out a ring with a large red ruby set upon it.

It was the same style as the one Prince Joffrey had been wearing.

“It’s known as a Key Stone.”

“Leonhardt split the actual Key into three different pieces, as a precaution.”

Rather than taking control of the entire continent, the Valencia family was tasked with protecting this Divine Treasure, generation after generation.

A man who thirsted for power, yet wasn’t brave enough to challenge for his right to sit on the Throne. Hiding the weapon which could put an end to this ridiculous system.

Leonhardt, who had been praised as the Hero in a chaotic world, had been such a man.

“Then there are still two more out there.”

“They will be in my possession soon enough. I’ve always kept an eye on them, and have prepared the perfect stage for the end of the world.

As Aris finished speaking, an earthquake struck, causing a huge tremor

At the same time, Demon energy began to flood in from the capital’s outskirts. It was on such a scale, that it looked like countless Demons had been awakened from their slumber.

Quazizic

The Earth itself began to crack, as the entire capital city began to rise into the air.

Woohyuk summoned Leifina to him, and quickly grabbed hold of a nearby tree to stabilize himself

“Ha Ha! Do you understand now? The Marlene Capital was built upon the Demon God's eye

The epicenter where the world’s destruction would begin.

Leonhardt had built the city upon the injury where he had struck to kill the Demon God, despite knowing that it would eventually be the first place to be destroyed. 

“This is on a completely different level.’

Beyond anything he’d ever seen, even when he had clashed with Solomon’s 72 Demon Kings.

Be it the time he captured Delpheon, the capital of the Holy Epherian Empire from the Central Plains, or even when he had gone up against the three Goddesses of Urdabrun. None of it could compare.

“The time has come. I no longer require the Princess, so you can have her back.”

As Aris finished speaking, a black portal appeared and Princess Elizabeth fell out.

 She was in quite the predicament since her hands and feet were bound.

“The Imperial Palace’s magic defenses are so strong that I couldn’t capture multiple people.They no doubt increased their defenses even more since the attacks so, I’ll need to send in this little girl of mine.

By sending in Irene that would pose as Elizabeth, obtaining the remaining rings was a foregone conclusion.

As Woohyuk moved to catch the falling Elizabeth, his Quest was updated.

---

[New Chain]

Name:         Prophesied End

Type:         Chain (2/3)

Content:    Protect Princess Elizabeth  and prevent Aris from getting her hands on the Demon God’s Sword.

Other:        If failed, can not be retaken

---

‘Those are some extreme requirements.’

Still, there must be some reason for saving Elizabeth, perhaps the divinity within her could be of some use in completing this Quest.

“Lord, it’s dangerous here!”

Leifina shouted as she held onto a large rock.

As the entire capital city of Marlene broke off from the ground and rose into the air like a floating island, the air currents threatened to throw them off.

“Don’t worry.”

Woohyuk stabbed Grandia into the tree in order to not be blown away.

He held on tight, barely able to keep his balance.

“What the hell is going on?”

“This world is about to be destroyed.”

He didn’t know if everything Aris said was true, but he would have to find a way to stop her.

Woohyuk calmly began exploring his options as the smaller trees around him were being uprooted by the savage winds.

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This chapter was really hard to translate :(