Chapter 725: Traces of Sin

1: Skin speckled and discolored.

2: A crown of thistles wrapped around the head.

3: A dagger made of flesh, shaped like a spike.

4: Various rings, belts, shoes, bracelets, etc. Items stolen from other Prince candidates…

5: Unbent Knee looked exactly the same as the last time he saw him.

6: Of course, he wasn’t exactly the same. There were changes.

7: Some of the items were slowly merging with Unbent Knee’s body, and one leg, which had seemed like a lump of flesh, had a more solid form now. The aura emanating from it wasn’t ordinary either.

8: However, there was something more noticeable to Oliver than all of that.

9: It was the fact that, despite Oliver’s ability to see through nearly everything, Unbent Knee’s sins and related details weren’t visible.

10: “…”

11: It was similar to Puppet.

12: Just like how Puppet’s information had parts blacked out by a demon, Unbent Knee’s information was similarly obscured.

13: In fact, it was even more obscured than Puppet’s.

14: He could infer one fact from this.

15: At least at this moment, Unbent Knee had received even more blessings from the demon than Puppet.

16: It was quite a terrifying situation.

17: It meant that Unbent Knee’s plan to become a Prince of Hell in the apocalypse was progressing smoothly.

18: Yet, Oliver felt no fear or concern about this.

19: In fact, it felt natural.

20: After all, Oliver not only knew about Unbent Knee’s plan—he had even made a deal with him.

21: In a village near the Empty Seat, in secret.

22: ‘I. Want. To. Make. A. Deal.’

23: ‘What kind of deal?’

24: ‘Please. Do not. Interfere. With. Us.’

25: The deal was that since Unbent Knee would become the Prince of Hell in the apocalypse, Oliver wouldn’t interfere.

26: It was a deal that wasn’t bad for either side.

27: If things went well, Unbent Knee could satisfy his grudge, and Oliver could escape his long-avoided destiny.

28: So, it was strange to worry now that Unbent Knee’s plan was going smoothly.

29: In fact, he should have been happy.

30: Now that Unbent Knee was on track to becoming the Prince of Hell, Oliver could finally escape his fate.

31: There could only be one Prince of Hell, and if someone filled that role…

32: Oliver had made the deal to ensure that, even if the world ended.

33: But Oliver couldn’t feel worried or even happy about it.

34: That’s because Oliver was already the Prince of Hell.

35: There was doubt about the plans of Puppet and Unbent Knee, who sought to artificially bring about the apocalypse. And, Unbent Knee’s condition only added to that doubt.

36: The demon’s blessing emanating from his body was tremendous, but compared to the standards of a true Prince of Hell, it wasn’t satisfactory.

37: Something was missing.

38: While he did manage to land a small scratch on Oliver during the sudden assault, that was all.

39: A mere tiny scratch.

40: Then it happened.

41: Unbent Knee, who had attacked from thin air just moments ago, slowly lowered his stance and put down his dagger.

42: “…”

43: Oliver looked at him with a sense of surprise.

44: Although the demon’s power obscured certain information about Unbent Knee, some details and emotions were still visible.

45: And the emotion Unbent Knee felt toward Oliver was intense hatred.

46: Bottomless, unfathomable hatred.

47: Considering the depth of that hatred and the situation, Oliver had expected Unbent Knee to attack him immediately. But instead, he suppressed his hatred and tried to speak.

48: As one of the Prince candidates of the White Swan Sect, he wasn’t able to talk directly, so he resorted to using hand signals.

49: [Let us go.]

50: Oliver understood what Unbent Knee was saying just by watching.

51: “No, I can’t.”

52: [If it’s about the kidnapped people-]

53: “No, not just that. I can’t let Puppet go.”

54: Oliver cut off Unbent Knee’s words.

55: Surprised by the response, Unbent Knee paused briefly before attempting to continue the conversation.

56: He was displaying immense anger, hatred, and patience all at once.

57: […We made a deal.]

58: “Yes, we did. But you were the ones who broke the deal first.”

59: It was true.

60: After Oliver reneged on his promise with the Pied Piper, Puppet tried to restrain him by making the first move. But it didn’t really matter anymore.

61: Those were just minor details. The important part was the bigger picture.

62: [We still need Puppet. To bring about the apocalypse.]

63: “You might not. By now, you’ve prepared quite a lot, haven’t you?”

64: [How do you…]

65: “I can see more than you think. Not everything, but enough. So I can’t let Puppet go.”

66: [Why?]

67: “Because I have no idea what he’ll try to do if I let him go. Who knows what tricks he’s pulled.”

68: [If it’s just that…]

69: “Does the reason even matter? I could give you many reasons. Or none at all.”

70: [What do you mean?]

71: “I just don’t feel like letting Puppet go… And don’t take this the wrong way. At first, I did think about releasing him. But the more I think about it, the more it annoys me.”

72: […]

73: “When I went to confront the Pied Piper, you attacked Randa, kidnapped Kent, relentlessly went after my people, and even refused when I came back and asked you to stop. All of it annoys me.”

74: […]

75: “I also don’t like how you went about it. Forcing suffering on those around me.”

76: The more Oliver spoke, the more the calm surface of his emotions was disturbed.

77: A very minute disturbance.

78: But even such a small ripple was enough. Oliver’s heart wasn’t truly peaceful or at rest. It was just forcibly suppressed.

79: So even a small ripple could cause a huge wave.

80: “And besides, you mocked me for being a ‘half-baked’ Prince, didn’t you? Honestly, I don’t want to let you go.”

81: [Is this out of spite?]

82: “I won’t deny it completely.”

83: [To become the true Prince of Hell, I need Puppet.]

84: Still trying to suppress his hatred, Unbent Knee asked again.

85: He had a clear goal, and the patience to try achieving it. But that patience was quickly running out.

86: “Honestly? It doesn’t matter anymore if your plan or our deal goes through.”

87: [Is it because you’re already the Prince of Hell-]

88: “No. It’s because I’ve lost faith in you, Unbent Knee.”

89: […]

90: “I’m not denying the efforts your anger has fueled. Your fury is immense, and you’ve made some progress. Perhaps it’s because of the massacre during the demon summoning ritual.”

91: [It wasn’t everyone. There was one survivor.]

92: “Is that so? That wasn’t clear. Anyway…”

93: Oliver shrugged it off as if it was nothing.

94: Whether it was due to heightened emotions, a shattered facade, or having seen too many sins, nothing moved him anymore.

95: He just felt tired.

96: Unbent Knee was filled with rage, but Oliver continued.

97: “My point is, I’m aware of your wrath and the blessings you’ve gained from it. But, I just don’t see any potential in you now.”

98: Oliver dismissed him.

99: He dismissed the fury of a man who had lost his entire tribe. The efforts fueled by that fury were trivialized.

100: Arrogantly and cruelly.

101: Grip!

102: Unbent Knee trembled so hard that his fists clenched tight.

103: And just like with Puppet, one by one, the demon’s obscurities over Unbent Knee’s information began to reveal themselves.

104: But there was nothing remarkable.

105: It was all too common.

106: Born as a Red One, subject to oppression and scorn,

107: Unable to withstand it and learning Dark Magic in response,

108: Then launching a terrorist attack to fight for his rights.

109: A tale you could hear anywhere.

110: Then, deceived by Eternal Child Fen, he tried to summon a demon…

111: But there was no need to look further. Oliver already knew how it ended.

112: The demon summoning by the Red Ones succeeded, but it was practically a failure.

113: The Red Ones didn’t understand what summoning a demon entailed, and during the Burned One’s descent, they were sacrificed as offerings.

114: They became the wood for the pyre, the dancing puppets, the vessel for the Burned One’s body.

115: There was no reason to look back.

116: Yet, against his will, Oliver’s eyes showed him that past anyway.

117: So, despite not wanting to, Oliver saw it.

118: He saw crusading Holy Knights and the piles of burned corpses alongside them. Unbent Knee rising from those corpses.

119: ‘Aaaaaaaah… AAAAAAGH…!!’

120: The shriek he let out was horrific, a mixture of wailing and screaming.

121: His skin was burned and patchy, one leg made entirely of flesh, and in his arms, he held a boy.

122: ‘AAAAAH!! AAAAAAAH!!!’

123: The Holy Knights moved to subdue him, but Unbent Knee waved his hand, and a knight’s head fell.

124: In the center of it all, Unbent Knee screamed desperately while holding the boy who was on the verge of death.

125: ‘Don’t die! Please… don’t die!! You damn God!!! AAAAGH….!!’

126: The boy in his arms was his younger brother.

127: Always slow, never good at anything, a brother he hadn’t looked after properly.

128: The boy had been caught up in the disaster brought by the Burned One, and now he was dying. And then-

129: Swish!

130: A spike-shaped blade flew right toward Oliver’s face, snapping him out of his thoughts.

131: Unbent Knee had jumped through space to strike.

132: Oliver effortlessly caught the blade.

133: The two faced each other at the distance of the spike dagger’s length.

134: Thanks to this, Oliver could get a close look at Unbent Knee’s face.

135: The face of a man who had lost everything. A man whose world had burned away.

136: Despite his rage and hatred, Unbent Knee desperately tried to pierce Oliver with the spike dagger, but Oliver effortlessly pushed him to his knees.

137: For all his rage and hatred, Unbent Knee knelt far too easily.

138: He might have scratched Oliver, but that was all.

139: The fact that Oliver said he didn’t expect much wasn’t an insult. Just the truth.

140: As Oliver prepared to speak, holding Unbent Knee in check,

141: BAM!!

142: Something brimming with magical power and emotions flew in from a distance and struck Oliver’s arm, holding the spike dagger.

143: It was Lilith.

144: One of the three Eves created accidentally by Oliver, the weakest of them, taken in by Puppet.

145: She had come here using the body of Gretel, the Flesh Cook’s sister, and relentlessly assaulted Oliver’s arm.

146: BAM! BAM! BAM!!

147: The deafening sound was reminiscent of an avalanche, a testament to how hard Lilith was fighting, and eventually, Oliver lost his grip on the spike dagger.

148: As soon as Oliver let go, Unbent Knee withdrew to create more distance, and Lilith also retreated to Puppet’s side.

149: She helped Puppet stand up.

150: “Did you really manage to get past Eve and Pandora? That’s impressi-”

151: “-Cross King Hotel, room 444.”

152: Lilith cut Oliver off, saying the room number of a hotel.

153: “Kent is there.”

154: “…So you’re asking me to let you go?”

155: “Yes… And, you owe me.”

156: Owe her? He couldn’t say she was wrong.

157: “So please, just this once. Let me and Puppet go, Oliver.”

158: Lilith pleaded desperately.

159: Oliver looked at Lilith, the dazed Puppet, and Unbent Knee, who was staggered by having his fury denied.

160: To the naked eye, they seemed completely unrelated. But Oliver noticed one thing they all had in common.

161: They were all outcasts and forsaken beings.

162: Oliver hesitated for a moment, then left silently. He was off to meet Kent.