VIP Chapter 92: The Demon’s Gaze
“I never expected you to also pray for attention at the Crowning Festival.”
In the darkness, only a wisp of silver hair was in the center of Treya’s vision. The moment her silver sword entered, it transformed into the right leg of the doll she had crushed that day. She held up this doll’s right leg, the dangling teddy bear pointing at the back of the silver-haired figure.
*Did I… Not? Was I not practicing sword dancing? Wasn’t I at the Crowning Festival site?*
“This is the inside of the Demon’s Pot… Praying to a demon for a contract is a sacrificial activity that requires the correct attire to complete the ritual.”
As if it could understand her, it spoke. “Ah, but from which generation did they start hiding this? It’s so brilliant how they compete for the demon’s favor through concealment, suspicion, and even betrayal. It’s my favorite kind of play.”
Then… turning halfway around… Treya saw that it looked just like her. It sat on the black floor, its body seeming to blend with the ground. But its age… seemed younger, by ten years. It was like her as a child.
“The Demon’s Pot…” Treya murmured the name. “Isn’t it divinely bestowed…”
“That’s what you call it. But it doesn’t matter…” The next second, Treya saw it lean in front of her. Its eyes, identical to hers, looked at her. From its voice came a mixture of sounds like many people, men and women, old and young—”I don’t care.”
And from within, Treya seemed to hear the gentle voice her father used when speaking to her, and she instinctively took a step back.
“You’re not me… You are…” she asked. But before she could finish, a black shadow flashed in Treya’s eyes. From her father’s generation, to her grandfather whom she had never met, and then to the portraits of previous Entak Royal Family kings displayed on her family’s wall… Finally, her eyes widened as these people converged into the… five-year-old version of herself before her.
“A demon nurtured by you, a demon that has nourished the Entak’s gradual growth.” It changed forms, but ultimately became herself. “Every legitimate bloodline of Entak can become ‘me’. Don’t worry about ‘my’ identity; ‘I’ and you have already coexisted for a long time.” Its voice also changed, but eventually became her own childish tone. “Since you’ve come here…”
The demon… or rather, the collective of demons, stood up. It crossed its arms and took two steps back. It was then that Treya noticed it was barefoot. “You must want to take power from me and seize the throne. Hmm, the time is almost right, isn’t it time for the Entak Family to become emperors?”
However, before it could finish speaking. *Clang.* A silver flash streaked through the darkness. A strand of the demon’s hair at its temple was cut off. It disappeared into the darkness beneath its feet. The doll in Treya’s hand once again transformed into the slightly worn silver sword, which had been aimed at its hair.
“Let… let me go back.” “I still need to continue… to promise the best sword dance for the Crowning Festival.”
“Hahahaha… It’s… it’s the first time someone has come here and directly refused.” And the demon let out a strange laugh, a mix of the voices of all previous Entak kings.
“Stop laughing, let me go. The Crowning Festival is very important…” “Hahaha, are you serious?” Along the sharp silver sword, she watched as the demon suddenly leaned in front of her, her eyes wide as she looked at it. Its pale blue eyes reflected her own image. Extremely strange.
“Very good, very good, how interesting. I’m starting to get interested in you. Speaking of which, it’s strange that Will, who had you wear these clothes, especially those stockings, didn’t tell you anything about what you would see?”
Will. The name was very sensitive to Treya. She stared into the blackness before her, and Will’s figure flashed through her mind.
“Oh, it’s him. Did he send you? Little Princess Treya?” “I should be. But he asked me to complete the Crowning Festival, so I’m leaving.” Treya turned around, as if believing that by simply retracing her steps, she could return to her original world. But…
“It’s rare to see someone come here without understanding their own heart and desires. You’ve piqued my interest.” “After all, I am a demon…” “I am existence that is best at guiding your disgust.” “Since you chose to step in here, don’t even think about leaving.”
The demon snapped its fingers. Before her appeared a colorful, hollow space in the shape of a teddy bear. Looking out from this hollow, she could see the incredibly real scene on the other side— Will… wearing prison clothes. He was on the guillotine. He looked up at the sky and showed a look of disappointment. Then… *snap.* As the blade fell, the colorful hollow in the shape of the teddy bear, like the discarded doll Will had held up to her, fell and smashed onto the ground… shattered. The colorful corner that had been exposed sank back into the darkness.
Treya didn’t open her mouth, but the pounding of her heart in her chest proved the words she couldn’t speak. —*What… what’s happening?* —Anger… sadness… fear… these complex emotions surged.
“You might not want to take the throne. But… think about it, think carefully, about what Eugenie said to him—what you heard.” “What would happen if you failed?” “What would happen in a ‘blackened’ Entak dynasty?” “What would happen when even your sister betrays you?” “What would happen to the one who saved you, taught you, and supported you…?”
Listening to these words, Treya slowly turned around. “Think again about his dreams…” “What is your desire?” “WHAT IS IT?” The demon leaned in, tilted its head, grinned, and looked at her.
“What… what should I do?” Treya faced the demon and spoke.
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“Her sword style… has changed…” Even Will, who was not skilled in swordsmanship, could tell. On the stage, after a noticeable pause of a few seconds, Treya’s sword style was no longer the precise and very simple basic forms. What had been merely a “sword dance” had transformed into her swinging her sword as if facing a real enemy. The force had completely intensified.
Will was thinking… His report had told him that as long as Treya wore the correct attire for the Crowning Festival, she would gain the demon’s favor and learn Demonic Sword Arts—at least, that’s how everyone had done it before, and even in the original work, it was similar. So… he had let her wear this outfit with peace of mind. After all, demons sounded like beings very close to “blackening.” Then, he would subtly nudge Treya about her “selfish desires”—this girl was probably only thinking about revenge right now, it couldn’t possibly escalate to love, right? It would just be a natural progression for the demon!
… Right?
For some reason, as he looked at Treya, Will felt a chill. “Mmm… Treya…” “It should… be within the normal… process… right?”
