Chapter 116: To the Devils District - 1
The Rufus I remember wasn't this cautious. It means my level has risen to match his… no, it's actually ridiculous now.
You could say I've gained a perverted dignity that fits my brand after my body exploration with Verdia.
"Bior was right. You were a trainer destined for greatness."
"That's sudden."
"Don't you already see the reason for my visit?"
"It's fine, it's in the past. I didn't expect to grow this much either."
"Humble, aren't you? There's no trainer in the Beast District who doesn't know your name, and your fame is spreading to other districts too."
"…."
Other districts. I didn't have much information about them.
Wouldn't Rufus know more? He was a trainer during Master's prime.
Don't be impatient. He hasn't shown all his cards yet.
I know how risky it is to say what I want at a time like this.
"That's how it turned out. I'm indifferent now."
"When you reach the top, emptiness sometimes comes before joy."
When I made Verdia Chartreuse my slave, I felt a happiness unlike anything else.
I can do whatever I want in this district. I hold power and authority in my hands. But like Rufus said, after achieving everything, emptiness sets in.
At times like that, I... I grabbed Elizabeth and focused on training.
I pulled myself together and went looking for the next married woman.
Rufus saw right through my state but didn't show it.
"Emptiness… people would call it a good problem to have."
"No need to hide it. It's no secret that boredom hits a man who's achieved what no one else has."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I've been there. Both me and Bior."
"…."
"What's it like to have a life fulfilled just by staying home? Must be boring."
"It's a complete life. Do I look like someone who would throw that away for a married woman I haven't had yet?"
"Aren't you? Milf Hunter."
"…."
Sharp!! It felt like I couldn't hide my true feelings anymore.
"You're a beast hunting its prey. You might look good sitting on a throne, but if you rest too long… your wild instincts will stir."
"Yes. I want a new challenge."
"Ariella Raven."
I shuddered. To hear that name from Rufus' mouth was chilling.
Ariella Raven… Just thinking of her world-class breasts makes my heart race wildly. Thinking about her makes me… unable to stand it.
What else would you call it if not love?
"How did you know I was aiming for Ariella Raven?"
"Through an old friend of mine."
"…Master."
"Isn't she like a first love for you?"
It occurred to me it was a little different from first love. It's true that I'm head over heels for Ariella.
"Do you have anything to tell me about Ariella Raven?"
"Even if you leave right now, you know nothing about Ariella Raven or that district.
I'll tell you everything I know. Consider it a token of good faith." So the gift at the door was bait.
Rufus wanted a private talk too.
They say crows watch over everything in this city. Adding to what I already knew, Ariella is the Emperor's eyes, watching over everything here. It's no surprise she commands the Emperor's ruthless soldiers. He must know better than anyone how dangerous it is to speak of a woman like her.
"Alright."
I accepted Rufus' offer of reconciliation. For the great cause of breasts, I decided to bury the hatchet over our petty grudge.
I'd say things have gone exactly according to Rufus' plan so far. It doesn't matter.
"How much do you know about the Four Great Families?"
"As much as anyone else. Not in detail, though."
"We'll start there. Have you heard that the Four Great Families divide and rule Isil?"
"Yes. I heard it from Master."
"The Four Great Families all compete for the Emperor's favor."
Compete… In other words, they don't cooperate. Then something strange caught my attention.
"I recently saw the Grace couple preparing supplies to send to the Devil's District."
"Not everyone wants to compete. The Chartreuse family maintains friendly relations with the other families and earns the Emperor's trust by ruling their district smoothly."
"How peaceful."
That policy really suits Batino and Verdia's personalities.
"Each family thinks differently, but they all share the goal of gaining the Emperor's favor."
"What kind of person is the Emperor? I heard she's been alive for hundreds of years…"
"It's literally a story that's been told for centuries. Her Majesty has been alive since the city's creation to manage Otherworlders."
"Is she immortal?"
I wanted to ask if she was a shriveled old hag, but I stopped myself—didn't want to get struck by lightning.
"The Emperor is immortal. She doesn't age or die.
She's ruled the Empire for nearly a thousand years. Paradise, this city—it's all a system made to handle Otherworlders.
The wandering corpses are a side effect of the war with them."
"I see. Sorry for the unrelated question. Please continue."
"It's not irrelevant. Talking about the Four Great Families means talking about Her Majesty."
If the city was her creation… It occurred to me the city's training system might be a byproduct of the war.
If hundreds of people still wander in every day, they'd need a way to stop Otherworlders from forming groups or even eliminate them.
That's Isil, the training city. Like me, some survive by capturing and enslaving other Otherworlders—even though they're Otherworlders themselves.
It's not humane, but it's an effective control method. There could have been worse methods.
Like spraying poison gas where gates appear… But the Emperor isn't that cruel. Still, she holds absolute power to create a city like this.
"The Emperor must be like a god to the nobles."
"Over the years, opponents to her rule have become rare.
Except for Otherworlders who visit Isil as invaders."
"The attitude of invaders…"
"Enough introduction, let's get to the point."
Rufus's eyes tested me. As if asking if I could still leave after hearing this.
"Among Otherworlders, some have power enough to threaten the world.
They cross the gates. We call them… 'Collapsers'."
"Ariella told me."
"You heard directly? From Lady Raven?"
"I was suspected too. I was captured once… and we talked."
Right, even then… Ariella was working.
If I hadn't been suspected as a Collapser, I wouldn't have met her again.
No, from the start… Ariella wasn't interested in me as a person. Whether I was a Collapser or not—that was all that mattered.
"Collapsers are the Emperor's only real threat.
The Four Great Families prove loyalty by capturing and handing over these Collapsers."
"So that's how they earn favor."
"Ariella Raven is the woman who has delivered the most Collapsers to the Emperor."
Chills ran down my spine. If Rufus was telling the truth, Ariella wasn't just a cute noblewoman who hated Otherworlders.
She's a hunter. A capable woman who has captured more Collapsers than anyone else in the city.
"The Latex Girls… No, the Imperial Hunters weren't always under her command, right?"
"That was granted by the Emperor herself, impressed by Lady Raven's achievements."
"Good heavens…"
So… She originally captured and turned in Collapsers without the Latex Girls' help?
"Lady Raven wasn't recognized as a Watcher from the start. It was her husband who was famous."
"Husband… Ah, he's dead now, right?"
"To be precise, he's missing."
"Missing?"
Damn it! That means he could come back anytime! If her husband returns, they'll have incredible sex!
Jealousy made my head spin. She wasn't even mine, but my fate wouldn't allow it.
"I know it'll be awkward if her husband comes back, but calm down."
"Whew…"
"It's actually more accurate to assume he's dead. He was a skilled swordsman praised as the Sword Saint, but he went missing during his second expedition to subjugate the third Collapser—the 'Nine-Tailed Fox'—and never returned."
"The third Collapser…"
The 'Nine-Tailed Fox'…?
"Until Sword Saint Kusley went missing in the Nine-Tailed Fox incident, Ariella was only known as the beautiful wife of the Sword Saint."
"Did she change after her husband went missing?"
"She became the nightmare of Otherworlders. She made a name for herself as a Watcher and earned the Emperor's favor. Rumor has it she even acquired her bloodline's secret art."
"Bloodline?"
"It's a foreign concept to you, an Otherworlder."
Rufus paused, choosing his words carefully. Even I, who knows little, have heard rumors.
The Branding Magic I use is said to be a blood technique called 'Blood Magic.'
"To put it simply, the clan that inherited the Emperor's blood is called the 'Blood Clan.'"
"Not the Imperial Family?"
"It's because the Emperor's blood holds special power. You can join the Blood Clan if chosen by the Emperor. They're said not to age or die like the Emperor. Whether the rumors are true is unknown—except to humans who have met the Emperor."
"…How many Collapsers did Ariella catch to become like that?"
"Twenty-nine in 480 days. After the first three Collapsers, it's no exaggeration to say she prevented disasters in the city."
That's truly remarkable. I understand why she's feared and respected at such a young age, even younger than Verdia.
Ariella is extraordinary. So much so, it feels like a sin for a bastard like me to imagine touching her skin.
"I thought you'd be scared, but your eyes show innocence."
"I made a promise to Master."
A promise I'll never forget.
"Even after hearing all this, most would see how absurd it is to try training Ariella—the Watcher, Judge, and Executioner of this city."
"Rufus, help me. You know something that could help, right?"
"Hahaha!"
Rufus laughed heartily—just like Master that day.
"I'm ashamed I didn't see your beastly nature sooner."
"What's the best way to reach Ariella?"
"Ariella is too busy governing the Devil's District to meet with you."
"Is the Devil's District that difficult to govern?"
"The gate."
"The gate…?"
"The gate where Otherworlders come through. Gates have levels. Based on that, we predict the strength of incoming Otherworlders."
"Then…"
"The Devil's District hosts the most dangerous gate in the city.
That's why it's the most active and dangerous place for hunting Otherworlders."
If each district has a practical danger level… It explains why the city is divided into four districts.
I recalled the view from outside with Cren.
If the districts were just for convenience, why would walls block each one?
What if difficulty changes every time you cross a wall? That would make sense. The Beast District is where only the weakest Otherworlders appear…
And I'm one of them. However, since my gate was randomly generated, I'm not sure if I fit this theory.
There's enough evidence to suspect I'm a Collapser.
"Rufus, so you're saying the fight for the Emperor's favor still rages in the Devil's District?"
"That's right."
Damn it! I was naive. Naive…!
To think I was sitting here believing that if I led the training trend, Ariella would have no choice but to meet me.
It's pathetic that I even thought that. This approach has worked so far with milfs who can't control their desires.
However… This won't work on Ariella. She isn't superficial.
She's probably filled with thoughts of revenge against the Otherworlders who killed her husband.
In that case… What if I catch a Collapser first and use it as leverage?
"You seem to have found your answer."
"Yes."
"I can't let my new friend die, so here's some advice.
Start in the relatively weaker districts, gather high-level Otherworlders, then challenge her."
"No. I'm going straight to the Devil's District."
"Did you not hear a word I said?"
"Hearing you only strengthened my resolve.
No one knows if the situation will stay the same while I gather strength."
"That's true, but…"
Ariella is fighting Collapsers.
I hope her abilities continue to surpass them, but what if one day they don't? What if she, like her husband, is consumed by a Collapser she can't handle?
Hoping the gates, which haven't closed for hundreds of years, will suddenly close is too optimistic.
A crisis is bound to come someday. And there's also the possibility her missing husband could return.
I couldn't waste any more time.
"I'm going. To the Devil's District."