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TOAD – Chapter 67
TOAD – Chapter 67
The banquet had ended, and as soon as things calmed down, I had demanded that the Truthsayer take me to Oberon. I was a little surprised that he did so without complaint, considering he had often ignored similar requests in the past. I ended up being taken to quarters not particularly different than my own, except that it wasn’t even in the same mansion. Despite my original belief, Oberon hadn’t just stashed me away in a room. He had separated us by an entire mansion. It only reminded me that he had never intended to spend any time with me in the first place.
When I entered the Demon King’s chambers, he was sitting at a desk writing fervently, his back to the door and a cup with some hot liquid next to an enormous pile of papers. He was wearing something a bit less formal than at the previous event, but he wasn’t exactly in his pajamas either. He looked a bit like an accountant if a particularly broad-shouldered one. This hampered my image of him quite a bit. A demon king should be ruling from a throne of skulls, not quietly writing papers at his desk while drinking tea.
He was the demon king capable of ruling an entire realm. Even the humans couldn’t manage that, having broken up into countless countries that squabbled among each other almost as much as they fought the demons. The only thing the humans could agree on was that the demons were a greater threat, and it was the only reason that both sides had reached a stalemate. If the humans were more organized, they might have been able to overthrow the demons, and had there many more demon supporters, their coalition might have been overrun by the demons.
I had spoken without even introducing myself, but Oberon didn’t even turn back to glance at me before answering. He stopped writing for only a moment.
“How could I?” the Demon King answered.
“You can’t pretend you didn’t know anything!” I responded with a huff.
He let out a dark chuckle even as he continued to write, creating an audible scribble with each aggressive stroke. “I cannot see the future, Aria. I might have considered that things might go this direction, but I had no clue it would end up this way.”
I crossed my arms, trying to let him feel my anger through that rugged back of his. “You could have at least told me.”
He finally stopped, gently putting his pen down with more care than he was showing the scribbles on his page, and then turned around in his chair, looking at me with a raised eyebrow. “Would you expect me to tell you every possible outcome I considered for every decision I make? If this was the case, then I would have no time but to educate you.”
It would have been better if his voice was dripping with sarcasm, but he spoke in the same overbearing way he always spoke, showing very little emotion. His words were spoken so frankly that I couldn’t help but feel like I was the one being shameless and in the wrong. I dropped my arms, making a vexed noise.
“I read all of your books. I haven’t read anything about this queen’s trial.”
“They are exceptionally old. I had nearly forgotten they were a thing, as had most everyone else. I can’t imagine what book Tigon dragged those out of, although it’s not surprising a fossil as Sammuel would like them.”
“Is the queen’s trial a problem?” I asked curiously.
Although they told me that once I agreed to it, I could learn about what it was, the rest of the procession had given me no time to speak, and the result was that I was no more knowledgeable than I had been before accepting it.
“A problem?” He scratched his beard curiously. “That depends on your definition of a problem. In many ways, this could be a good thing. Sammuel has a great deal of influence still. He’s also a stickler for the rules and agreements. If you succeed in the trial, he will unquestioningly support you, and that will bring many houses to our side. Tigon has publicly differed from Sammuel’s judgment. This means that you will face no additional opposition on your rise toward being my queen.”
I frowned slightly, giving him a suspicious look. “You’re being a bit too enthusiastic. What are the negatives?”
His lips curled up, but they didn’t touch his eyes. “The trial involves an ancient artifact. It is notoriously insidious. Historically speaking, only ten people have ever entered the trial.”
“Yeah? How many succeeded?”
“I already have a lot of mana.” I continued to act resistant.
“It will also help you reach the 4th class.”
My ears perked with that one. “I’m not even level 90 yet.”
“It doesn’t matter. It is the way of this world. A person first acquires their class sometime in their teens. A few apprentices might acquire it earlier as long as their instruction starts young. Until you acquire a class, you are unable to level. Children remain at level 1. This class will carry you to level 30. Then, you must class up, and evolve your class to the next order. This always involves a revelation. You must come to realize and choose your path. For example, a swordsman must decide if they will learn magic, learn to use their sword with a shield, or rely on brute strength. Whatever they choose, it will shape the kind of swordsman they become in the future.”
“Yes, I’m well aware of all that.”
I had never heard any of this. It might have saved me a lot of time had I known these things back then. I had no one to teach me about leveling, and I had done it all on my own. I knew that every class had its unique ways to class up, and it was often a trade secret only shared between those already in the class. That meant it was difficult to even find their ways to give myself a hint on how it was done.
“Once you reach level 60, your next evolution is based on self.” The demon king continued. “You must understand who you are. Only by becoming one with yourself can you follow down your path farther.”
“And... what of level 90?” I asked, genuinely intrigued.
“The final evolution is known as the evolution of destiny. You must understand your place in the universe. This is why no mere blacksmith or swordsman can reach it. Only those with a higher purpose can truly realize their destiny.”
“Destiny...”
I had never heard about this before, but his words sounded convincing. Yet, what destiny did I have to play? I had come to this world from another. I had access to so many unique skills that I’d even make heroes jealous. Why was I here? What was I supposed to do?
“Typically, your class doesn’t change when you break through level 90. Rather, your class should have already matched your destiny. I am the demon king, and my destiny is to rule the demon realm.”
“This artifact... it helps you figure out your destiny?” I asked cautiously.
“It forces you to see your greatest weaknesses. It shows you your strengths. It helps you see the path more clearly. At least, that was what it did for me. I cannot say for certain whether you would have the same experience once you stepped through.”
“Stepped through? What is this artifact? What is this trial?”
“It’s not a secret.” Oberon coughed. “It’s a doorway. When you step through, you’re sent to a testing ground of sorts. There, you will be faced with seven trials. These trials will test... many things.”
“Why kind of things?” I narrowed my eyes.
“In ancient times, the test used to have another name. The trial of the seven cardinal sins!”
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