Chapter 30: The hidden route of the Demons of the Chasm (1)
Exactly after David had finished his evolution paths did the village shake with terror.
Looking outside his window, Beelzebub instantly spotted a cloud of black smoke billowing and stretching toward the blue sky. The black pollution made an appearance in the official area, where the official stuff of the village was taken care of. It was also the street where the village head lived.
Beelzebub calmly closed the window and headed to his friend.
Just like the villagers, Bruno and his mother were shaken by what had occurred in their hometown. It couldn't have been any business going on fire because the official street didn't have any production businesses at all! For such an explosion, a few smithies had to suddenly burst into flames, right?
Therefore, it was nothing but paperwork there and, naturally, the dwelling of all wealthy people, making it the safest area of the Williard Village.
Only something malicious could have happened there.
"I'll go and take a look. You two, please close the doors and be careful." Beelzebub reassured his friends with his smile, his words doing wonder on Bruno's mother.
Her womanly intuition had told her to believe in David, which she listened to. "Please, be careful. And if you see Aric, stop him from doing anything stupid!"
Bruno wanted to protest, but his mother's glare shut him down.
"Understood."
Beelzebub donned his usual simple clothes and left the house. He went up the street, where many villagers were gawking at the smoke and tremors sweeping from the official street. Many of them had closed their windows and doors, pulling curtains to obscure the interior of their houses and stores.
A few were so scared that they ran as further as possible from that zone, sometimes nearly running into Beelzebub.
A few corners ahead, Beelzebub was stopped by no one other than Wetherell, whose presence was guarded by a few guards. He was their important person, after all.
But he discarded all of them to privately speak with Beelzebub.
"I knew you would get interested in this, Master David." Living most of his life in the Williard Village, Wetherell read the road Beelzebub would take and waited for him. "The demons must have attacked at last… I'll go with you there, and those guys can act as bodyguards. Even though you surely don't need them."
Beelzebub nodded. "They are a good cover. I'll be able to take a look at the scene with you by my side, so let's go here without further ado. I'm interested in what they have done."
Not saying any word, just nodding in appreciation, Wetherell guided his master to the guards, then had them escort them both to the danger zone. More chaos expanded as villagers wanted to know what had happened and who it could possibly be — all were concerned about monsters inside their village.
No one even suspected that it could have been someone more dangerous…
The chaos subsided when Beelzebub entered a rich street made out of marble. On his both sides, he had houses made out of bricks, designed by someone from afar, possibly even Earth. Each house had tall and intricate fences, towering so high that even monsters of the forest wouldn't be able to easily jump over them.
On the other side of those fences were gardens decorated and taken care of by the ladies of each house. Every house had a different but beautiful green vista, for neighbors ladies loved competition. Of course, they also were familiar with each other, for Beelzebub had noticed many guests' seats and tables for parties.
It would have surely smelled nice here if it weren't for the black smoke rising not too far away from them.
And that was as far as Beelzebub could explore the life of rich villagers, for he entered the street with three flat buildings lining up sides of it. At the end of this street was the highest building, where the most formal stuff was being accepted by the village head.
Beelzebub didn't have a chance to see how it was since it was now nothing but burnt debris.
He also didn't have a chance to meet the village head, for he was dead.
Beelzebub and Wetherell went past many guards and officials who couldn't be bothered to suspect someone close to their best alchemist. They all had their shaking eyes cast on the crime scene, and some couldn't hide their anxiety as their bodies shivered.
Some guards had their armors clinking from fear…
"The village head is dead." Aric whispered to his close business partners. "His burnt body is… too much even for someone like me. His face, especially, is beyond horrifying… I might have nightmares."
Probably only Beelzebub was someone who wouldn't bat an eye on that corpse.
And that was the truth.
He was in his gaming mode now that he had a clear goal related to someone. In his gaming career, in a game as real as real life, David had seen many atrocities. In the back of his head, he always understood that it was nothing but a game… which was not the case now.
However, it had been this way ever since the start.
Everything was real.
What mattered most was that his maids were real people, and he had someone he could deeply trust. His and their sins were real just so they could live together. And that was something he would bear to the end of his life. He wouldn't let the consequence of his gaming choices halt his happiness now…
… nor his growth.
Thus, David's gaming mode was more than just gaming mode… it made him into the demon, the young expert, and more…
Perhaps, at the end of his new adventure, he would truly become… Beelzebub, the Lord Of The Souls, in both body and mind.
"They couldn't have just targeted his life, right?" Wetherell asked.
"Yes… they also… destroyed the means to call the heavenly lineage…." Aric replied.
"Smart of them… and now everyone will soon know that the demons are plotting something in the shadows." Wetherell sighed.
Hearing their talk, Beelzebub inwardly nodded.
He couldn't have the heavenly lineage descend before his plan fruited.
And now that everyone despaired on the fact that they had no way of calling the higher levels to fix the scar their legendary battle had left close to their village, the village ended up drowned in despair.
No way they could rely on nobles to repair their predicament, too.
Who would send powerful forces to the village close to the chasm?
'I am the only one who can call the heavenly lineage… which is great. You have my condolences, the village head whose name I didn't have the pleasure to learn… but your demise is beneficial for me.' Beelzebub believed that everyone of a high status should be ready for death in this fantasy world.
He hoped that the village head had a good time in this position, then cast his thoughts of him aside.
"It's our turn to damage the demons." Beelzebub's voice drew Aric and Wetherell's attention. "Give your people time to find a replacement for the village head… and then we will equip them with means to fight the demons. Only you can raise your weapons to protect your land."
Even though only two heard him, that declaration was grand.
Beelzebub finished it in his soft voice, sounding more confident than ever before. "Your battle shall call the heavenly lineage to aid you… if not, I'll call them here."
He shall call them.
That was given.
No one shall stop Beelzebub.