They were so large that they couldn't be carried by one person. Three
people had to cling to each chest to barely manage transporting it.
It seemed that it was rare for the Demon Lord to offer such a reward. Even
the Demon Gods nearby couldn't hide their curiosity and stared at the
chests.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Each time the chests hit the floor, loud sounds echoed, proving that they
were filled with something valuable.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
It took quite a while just to carry the chests, and by the time they were piled
up like a mountain, the task was complete.
"Open it."
The Demon Lord spoke just two words, and the shadows moved swiftly.
Finally, when a chest was opened, its contents were revealed.
"Wait?"
"That's…!"
At the same time, the Demon Gods let out exclamations of admiration.
It was dazzling.
Jaekiel couldn't help but furrow his brow. The various jewels and
adornments reflected a strong light, making it hard to face them directly.
Each item seemed to be incredibly rare, but even more astonishing was the
quantity. The entire massive chest was filled with treasures.
But only one chest had been opened so far.
"Open the others. Don't stop, show them all."
"We obey the Demon Lord's command."
Before the shock from the first chest had even subsided, the next one was
opened. Another wave of astonishment appeared on the faces of the Demon
Gods, who had already been surprised.
"Demon Lord…?"
"Are you really giving that much to a human…?"
While the first chest was filled with decorative jewelry, the second one was
packed with equipment and artifacts that would be useful in real combat.
'To think they have accumulated this much wealth already.'
Jaekiel was surprised by this fact.
The Demon Realm had been completely devastated during the war, so it
was hard to imagine when they had accumulated such wealth.
This likely meant that there were many demons hiding and operating on the
continent. This was not good on many levels.
"Oh, especially that one. I think the Snow Ghost will really like it."
At the Demon Lord's command, one of the shadows lifted an artifact, and
the Demon Gods all gasped in awe.
"Wow…"
A single dagger. But it was no ordinary dagger.
"This is a dagger that can contain both vengeful spirits and cold energy. It
was made to combine the soul's han (grudge) and the cold han (chill),
merging them together… How beautiful is this?"
Among the Demon Gods, Jeungshin seemed especially covetous, her mouth
agape as she watched. She looked like she might even drool.
Everyone's gaze soon shifted to the next chest.
They had only opened two chests, yet this much had been revealed.
Naturally, they were curious about what was in the next chest.
The Demon Lord's lips curled up.
There was arrogance in her expression. She had the confidence that
whatever others imagined, it would exceed their expectations.
The shadows opened the next chest.
Clink!
At the same time, the distinct sound of glass bottles filled with liquid
rubbing against each other was heard. That sound alone was enough for
everyone to instantly realize what was inside the chest.
"Immense power is contained in that."
"To think of mixing it into liquid…"
Even the Demon Gods gulped nervously.
The types varied, but it was certain that consuming any of them would lead
to growth in one's level. The way the Demon Gods looked at Jaekiel
became even more disdainful.
They didn't like that Jaekiel easily accepted the items they themselves
desired.
In the midst of the tangled desires, the Demon Lord spoke.
"The Demon Lord bestows all of this upon Jaekiel."
A young expression of arrogance deepened on Valetta's face. She was
certain that the opponent couldn't refuse the conditions she had set.
However, Jaekiel quietly shook his head.
"I have no intention of accepting anything from the Demon Realm. Don't
push it."
"Don't push it?"
The Demon Lord reacted as if the statement was ridiculous.
"Snow Ghost, I am the ruler of the Demon Realm."
"…"
"Do you think these items in the chests are truly precious to me? They are
not. The Demon Realm is overflowing with luxury and mystery. To give
only this much to the Spider Goddess's husband is actually quite humble."
As soon as the Demon Lord turned her back, she returned to her elevated
position. It was a miraculous display of teleportation.
"I thought a simple celebration wouldn't convey my feelings, so I offered a
reward that is visually clear. It shouldn't be hard to understand, right?"
The shadows were still moving at that moment.
After closing the chests, the shadows placed them beside Jaekiel, as if to
say he could take them whenever he wanted.
'This is dangerous and suspicious.'
However, Jaekiel still had no intention of accepting them.
Firstly, the sheer amount was suspicious.
When poisoning food, do you fill it to the brim with poison? Of course not.
You add just a single drop of deadly poison to an appetizing dish, ensuring
the target meets their death.
To Jaekiel, the chests seemed exactly like that.
There was surely something in the chests that could be poisonous, and the
Demon Lord would be the type to do such a thing. The extravagant items
were most likely meant to conceal it.
"Snow Ghost, you look like you have too many worries. I can almost hear
your brain turning."
Valetta laughed as if finding Jaekiel's troubled expression amusing.
"Hey, Snow Ghost. Isn't this interesting?"
"What is?"
"The Demon Realm went through war, was devastated, and suffered greatly,
yet still, we offer such kindness to you, a human. Yet you still hate us and
reject us. How disappointing!"
Jaekiel instinctively furrowed his brow.
These treasures originally belonged to the continent. Was she pretending to
offer them generously after stealing them through illicit means?
"The Demon Realm embraces the world with such generosity, yet the
continent always thinks selfishly. As the ruler of the Demon Realm, it's
truly frustrating."
"Valetta!"
Unable to hold back any longer, Jaekiel shouted.
"How dare you utter the Demon Lord's name?!"
"This is utterly disrespectful!"
"I'll tear you apart right now!"
Immediately, the Demon Gods reacted intensely, ready to strike. The act of
speaking the Demon Lord's name in the Demon Realm could not be
tolerated.
However, none of them stepped forward.
Valetta quietly raised her hand.
"Calm down, my Demon Gods."
Even though her name was spoken, Valetta showed no sign of being upset.
On the contrary, she wore an even more pronounced smile, one that was
clearly mocking.
'Damn it.'
Jaekiel felt anger rise within him.
He wanted to rush out and slit her throat immediately, but for some reason,
Valetta had grown stronger than he could understand. He felt like his entire
body would be crushed as soon as he released his cold energy.
His thoughts were racing.
'If I return to the continent, how much more training will I need? How
much power will I need to gather…?'
Even though the Emperor and princesses were still strong, if the Demon
Realm invaded, it was clear the continent would suffer immensely.
Jaekiel realized it was time to grow stronger more quickly, and to come up
with a more solid plan.
At that moment, Valetta parted her red lips once again.
"Well, anyway… enough. I've lost interest now."
Valetta casually shook her hand, dismissing the mockery, and gave a slight
shake of her head.
"I wanted to see the Snow Ghost waver, but you're still so stubborn. The
Emperor of the continent is truly fortunate. The wedding ceremony ends
here."
The Demon Gods immediately tried to disappear.
However, at that moment,
"Didn't you call it a reward?"
"…"
Jaekiel's words halted Valetta and the Demon Gods in their tracks.
All eyes instantly turned to Jaekiel.
"How can something offered just to mock the opponent be called a reward?
I haven't received anything from the Demon Lord or the Demon Realm
yet."
"Hmm~?"
Valetta raised an eyebrow.
The Snow Ghost's words seemed quite interesting to her, and she shifted
her position from resting her chin on her hand.
"Snow Ghost. So, do you have something specific you wish for?"
"As I said, I don't need stolen goods from the Demon Realm."
"Then?"
"Reveal your thoughts. What do you plan to do moving forward?"
Suddenly, the space around them began to tremble as though it might
collapse at any moment.
The Demon Gods' energy, ready to punish Jaekiel's disrespect toward the
Demon Lord, was instantly scattered by Valetta's power. Everything seemed
to be mixing together.
Nevertheless, it seemed that Valetta was in a better mood.
"Indeed, every time we meet, you say something interesting."
The Demon Lord smiled cheerfully.
"You want me to tell you about my future plans? To you?"
"Yes."
"My plans… plans, plans, plans…"
Valetta, muttering to herself, appeared to be in a great mood, as if she were
a young girl contemplating where to go for fun.
"Oh, right. I just thought of one now."
"I'm listening."
"Snow Ghost, you really…"
Her deep voice resonated as her red lips parted.
"Your existence is truly fascinating. What would you do if I said I wanted to
align you with the Demon Realm?"
"Such nonsense…"
"No, listen to me until the end."
Her powerful tone cut off Jaekiel's words.
"If I examine your body, it's clear. The Emperor has only given you a few
drops of Sun Water, hasn't he? It seems he's been training you like that, but
will you continue living as his lapdog?"
Valetta shook her head.
"No, it's not right. I'm not like the Emperor. I'll offer you another choice."
Valetta pulled out a single pearl from her robe.
It was a red pearl, no bigger than a fingernail.
"It's a pearl that will grant you immortality the moment you swallow it."
Valetta gave a truly wicked smile.
"How about it? Isn't this a real reward?"