Chapter 305

EP.305 The Qualification of a Queen

“Hue… Huue…”

Adel, wiping her blood-stained mouth, let out a weary groan.

Her white nightgown had already turned a deep red.

The cute puppy printed on it was now painted with blood, transforming into a hellish guard dog.

If Silvia saw this scene, she would be utterly shocked.

And she’d probably put me on her hit list as a bonus.

“Did you enjoy your meal?”

At my question, Adel licked her lips and nodded.

Then she smiled weakly.

That look of hers, treating this abnormal situation as normal… the more I see it, the more I like it.

I showed her the back of my hand.

“Look. The wound is healing.”

The deep bite mark, which had been down to the bone, was now squirming and closing up in a truly grotesque manner.

Adel, frowning, jumped onto my lap.

“That’s gross… I want to see Jihyuk’s face… But what did you say earlier?”

As I moved her back and forth like a swing, I brought up the main topic.

“What do you think about Tairat?”

“He’s a bad guy. A sneaky coward who hides behind his minions. If I meet him, I’ll give him a good beating.”

That’s disappointing. From the very first meeting, he reached out to you and Silvia…

And you didn’t even notice…

“Is that so? I think Tairat is a victim…”

“Huh…?”

Adel’s mouth dropped open.

She looked incredulous.

“Why would you say that…?”

“Until now, we thought the target of the oracle was Tairat, so we’ve been dealing with the demons he sent. But the real target was Helix.”

“Jihyuk…! Those demons were purely evil beings that only sought destruction…! Even without the oracle, they needed to be purified…”

“Really? We never even tried talking to them, so how would we know? Don’t you think Tairat might have had a reason for sending them? According to the statistics so far, a lot of the civilians killed by demons were actually criminals. Almost half of them.”

“R-really…?”

No, that’s not true.

“Yes. Maybe Tairat’s goal is to quell the chaos on Earth. Just like us.”

“Even so… sacrificing civilians is still a crime.”

“I didn’t know Adel cared so much about insignificant humans. But you’re a god now, aren’t you? A god who shares the same goal as me.”

Even if people are sacrificed for the sake of peace, it’s something we have to accept.

Adel agreed with this value.

Even if it was in a dazed state, my words would have been deeply imprinted in her mind.

And now, with so much malice inside her…

“Umm… I guess so…”

Yes, this is the reaction I want—genuine agreement.

Adel tilted her head at a 15-degree angle, rolling her eyes.

She’s so cute I could just bite her.

After admiring her for a moment, I was startled when she asked a rather sharp question.

“But suddenly, I’m curious. That woman I saw at the airport last time… the one I said I purified. Was she caught in Helix’s scheme or Tairat’s? I’m confused.”

She was talking about my retainer, whom I had dropped off with Boyeong at Gimpo Airport.

I didn’t expect her to ask this… surprising.

The name Helix popped up, and I tried to use it, but the gears were grinding.

But it’s fine.

Why? Because Adel absolutely trusts me now.

“Ah, that minor celebrity? Of course, it was Helix’s doing. Only that scoundrel would do something so despicable.”

“I knew it…!”

Adel’s eyes were filled with trust in me.

But it’s better to convince her further.

“I understand your confusion, Adel. It’s natural to be confused. But…”

“But?”

“Think about it this way. Silvia’s heart is far too pure to be compared to a minor celebrity. And Helix, wary of your previous purification, would have been more cautious in approaching Silvia. Don’t you think?”

“Yes…”

“Think about it. You sensed the malice in that minor celebrity right away, but you didn’t sense the malice hidden within Silvia, did you?”

“Ah! That’s true…!”

Adel, exclaiming, pulled my cheek.

“Helix really is a despicable guy. How dare he approach my sister like that… He deserves to be thrown into the depths of hell.”

“Of course.”

This time, Adel pressed my cheeks with both hands.

The dried blood on her lips stood out.

She’s full of malice, acting spoiled, and listening well… Why does she look so pretty today?

Well, she’s always pretty.

I carefully removed her hands and called her.

“Adel.”

“What?”

I’m nervous. I’m afraid Adel might get furious when she hears this question.

But let’s try it.

I trust Adel, and I trust the malice inside her.

“Let’s get back to the main topic. I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“What if… I were Tairat, and just like Helix secretly approached Silvia, I had systematically approached you?”

“Huh…?”

Adel’s already large eyes widened even more.

I coughed and moistened my dry lips with my tongue.

“What if I approached you from the beginning because I wanted to make you mine?”

“…Jihyuk, why are you saying this all of a sudden?”

“Just curious. Answer me.”

“Uuuh…! That’s terrifying.”

Terrifying…? Are you about to cry?

Is there not enough malice? How much more do I need to put in?

Or did I start off on the wrong foot?

“Terrifying?”

“Yes… The Jihyuk in my heart can’t be anyone else. Tairat… I really hate that…”

Ah, so she’s completely separating me and Tairat.

There’s a bit of hope here…

“Tairat is me, and I am Tairat. What if Tairat borrowed the name Song Jihyuk to approach you?”

“Nothing would change…?”

“No, nothing at all. The face, the voice, the personality, the actions—everything is the same.”

“Still, I’d hate it… It means you deceived me.”

“Adel, you have divine power. If I had revealed my true identity from the start, I would have been purified immediately. You should understand my feelings.”

Adel stared straight into my eyes.

“Did you just say ‘I’? Why are you equating yourself with Tairat?”

“It’s method acting.”

“Jihyuk, you’re really something. That side of you is lovable, though.”

“So, what’s your answer?”

“This isn’t something I can answer easily. Give me some time.”

“Is this something that requires time? Just say what’s on your mind.”

“I’m not sure. You’ll understand, right?”

One step.

The corruption is almost complete, but this one step is keeping Adel from falling.

It’s quite difficult to break through.

But there’s a way.

The process of aligning Adel’s heart with my values is already well underway.

So, after meeting Sehwa and Yuria, I’ll have her kill someone.

I’ll give the now-malicious Adel the pleasure of slaughter.

I need that decisive blow.

I reached into Adel’s shirt and answered.

“Of course, I understand.”

“Ah, Jihyuk…! Kiss me first…”

Has she become more affectionate, or is it just my imagination?

I smirked and practically devoured her lips.

“Hyuep…!”

Adel let out a cute gasp and closed her eyes tightly.

Tasting the faintly metallic blood still in her mouth, I lost myself in the kiss.

**

“How’s Pur?”

“He woke up an hour ago, but when he saw his severed limbs, he started screaming.”

Dr. Jennifer Cash said this as if it were nothing, something that would make anyone else shudder.

“He woke up? Is he unconscious now?”

“Yeah. He passed out. He must be pretty despairing.”

Pur appeared covered in wounds.

Excessively so.

This is proof that Sehwa and Yuria had abused him.

The sense of defeat must be overwhelming, being forcibly sent to Earth in that state, and then getting beaten by Adel and Silvia…

I’d be furious too.

“How’s the clone Aiter progressing?”

“Marcella is experimenting on the fourth subject today… Want to go see?”

“No. It’s too cruel for me to watch.”

Dr. Cash looked baffled.

Then she realized I was joking and let out a weak smile.

After staring at me for a while, she spoke.

“Sehwa sent a message.”

“Really? What did she say?”

“She said not to worry about the Demon Realm.”

Ah… She understands my cause. That’s Sehwa for you.

But I feel so guilty.

Even though I have faith in her as my wife, it’s only right to take care of the closest people first…

I let out a long sigh and felt a pang of guilt at Dr. Cash’s continued grumbling.

“Don’t just focus on Adel and Silvia, take care of the four of us too. Earth’s conquest is almost complete. Frankly, we could swallow the whole world in an instant as we are now. The Demon Realm is still a work in progress, but Adel and Silvia can’t sense your malice anymore. So…”

So, she’s saying I should stop by the Demon Realm to boost morale.

I had already decided to go to get a firsthand look at the situation, but for Dr. Cash to bring it up… She must really feel neglected.

Feeling the sting, I apologized readily.

“Sorry.”

“It’s good that you’re aware.”

I silently stroked Dr. Cash’s plump thigh and picked up my phone.

Then I called Silvia.

-Hello?

“I’m going abroad for a bit.”

-Okay. Business trip?

“Yeah. Something like that. It shouldn’t take too long, but keep an eye on Adel until I get back.”

-Got it. Did you tell Adel?

“I’m about to.”

-So… you told me first?

Silvia’s voice tone rose.

She seemed quite pleased that I contacted her first.

Well, since I told you first, can you fight with Adel again?

I want Adel to become even more malicious.

So she can kill humans out of anger, and relieve her stress that way.

“That’s right.”

Not denying it, I heard Silvia’s low laughter through the phone.

-Don’t worry. I’ll keep a close eye on her. If anything happens, I’ll contact you right away.

“Okay.”

After exchanging a few more words with Silvia, I smiled and looked at Dr. Cash.

“Let’s go.”

Dr. Cash, who had been silent until then, asked.

“Let’s go? Where?”

Where else? The Demon Realm.

But without Dr. Cash, the lab won’t function, and I can’t keep an eye on Silvia…

I’ll just let her feel the unique energy of the Demon Realm and then send her back.

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