Novel

To be honest, Eugene wouldn’t have recognized Iris if he didn’t know she was behind all this. Iris’ change was shocking to that extent.

Iris had originally been an elven ranger, so she usually wore leather armor and a camo poncho for mobility. Even when she led the dark elves in field operations, Iris stuck to the same outfit.

She knew how to hunt elven rangers. Therefore, she trained her subordinate dark elves to be hunters that hunted the original elven hunters.

When she had begun to fight in front of the Demon King of Fury’s castle, she had worn black chain armor and swung a scimitar to block the hero’s party instead of her usual outfit.

Eugene could still recall the memory vividly — the Demon King of Fury’s children were adopted. Some children weren’t even demonfolks. However, they were one of the toughest enemies he had to fight against in Helmuth.

‘I should have killed her.’ Eugene silently gritted his teeth.

However, he couldn’t. Unlike the other Demon Kings, the Demon King of Fury had sacrificed his life to let his children escape, allowing Iris and Oberon to survive the hunt of the hero’s party.

Iris, whom Eugene couldn’t kill at the time, was sitting in front of Eugene after 300 years. She looked unrecognizably different now.

“Kid.” Putting her right foot on the table this time, Iris tilted her head. “Why aren’t you kneeling in front of me even though you know who I am?”

“You don’t look like the head of Bullshot Mercenaries. Are you a new mafia boss that reigns over this street?”

“Are you spouting bullshit because you want to pretend to be brave?” Iris gave a twisted smile.

Without answering, Eugene looked beyond Iris. Ten dark elves were standing behind the sofa, all wearing red suit jackets.

‘The organization must have undergone a major change over the past 300 years.’ Eugene assumed.

There were some familiar faces among those elves. They had been serving Iris as her right-hand elves for a long time. These were the dark elven rangers who ambushed elven rangers in dark mountains and forests.

‘Well, people will treat them like lunatics if they still wore ponchos in this city.’

However, he felt a group of dark elves wearing the same red suit jacket would be treated the same.FiNd 𝒖pd𝒂tes on n(𝒐)/v𝒆l𝒃𝒊n(.)c𝒐m

“Where is she?” Eugene cut to the chase.

“I have heard there are over 100 elves in your family’s forest. Why are you worrying about one elf?”

“Cut the bullshit.” Eugene strode toward Iris. Even though Eugene was shortening the distance between him and Iris, the dark elves behind Iris showed no reaction. That was also the same for Iris. Keeping her twisted smile in place, Iris just stared at Eugene.

It was understandable since she had no reason to stay on alert. She was the Rakshasa Princess Iris — the living legend who fought in wars 300 years ago and inherited the Demon King of Fury’s power. If Iris hadn't insisted that she was the second Fury and had given up on becoming a Demon King, no, if she hadn't been so obsessed with the purity of her supporters, then Helmuth would have four dukes instead of three.

‘Indeed, she is still the living legend.’ Eugene could see that. He felt how confident and relaxed Iris was. Some might say that was very arrogant of her, but she hadn’t completely lowered her guard. Not missing Eugene’s every move, her eyes were sharp like that of a predator, watching its prey’s move.

‘I won’t be able to win if I fight her right now.’ Eugene admitted, without making up excuses.

If Eugene fought Iris head-on, he would definitely lose. The possibility of Eugene winning in this fight was close to zero. He could run away, but that was all Eugene was able to do right now. 300 years was a long time, and Iris’ outfit was not the only thing that had changed.

“Didn’t you wanna talk to me?” Eugene spoke as he sat down on the sofa across from Iris.

“Kid.” Iris’ smile became more twisted. “You realized you wouldn’t be able to win if we fought, didn’t you?”

Although she had glanced at Eugene for only a very short moment, Iris figured Eugene out. As she smiled, her red eyes resembled blood-crescent moons.

“I like how you understood the situation quickly. I have heard several rumors about you… hmm. Rumors are bound to be exaggerated, but I guess it doesn’t apply to you.” Iris sat up straight.

Thump!

When she lightly pounded the table with her foot, the liquor bottle on the table flew up in the air. Iris chuckled as she caught it midair.

“The elf is safe.”

The light on the ceiling flickered. Actually, the light hadn’t flickered, but the room darkened for a moment. Iris had made more darkness with her Demoneye of Darkness. Her darkness didn’t mix with the darkness that originally existed. Instead, her darkness was a dark, thick lump that looked like darkness.

“As you can see, I didn’t corrupt her either.” Iris shoved her hand in her squirming darkness. At first glance, her darkness resembled the darkness spirit which Eugene had seen back at Black Lion Castle. However, this wasn’t a spirit, mana, or demonic energy.

“I don’t want to make random elves into dark elves. I first ask their opinions and persuade them if they refuse…,” Iris spoke as she dragged the unconscious Lavera out of her darkness. As if Lavera was a piece of baggage, Iris threw her in Eugene’s direction.

Woosh!

Eugene summoned the rushing wind to catch Lavera. He checked for signs of injury on her, and finding none, he laid Lavera beside him, relieved.

Meanwhile, Iris opened the liquor bottle. She then pulled out an ice bucket and glasses from the darkness that hovered around her, but she suddenly frowned.

“Oh, yeah. I also had this.” With a nonchalant face, Iris pulled out the old man, who had previously disappeared along with Lavera, from her darkness. Upon seeing Iris grabbing the old man by his neck, Eugene instantly pulled out a dagger from the Cloak and stabbed the table.

“Easy, kid.” Iris chuckled as if she was amused by Eugene’s reaction.

Woosh…!

The darkness covered Iris’ right eye, and it also rose up on the table, swallowing the dagger.

When the darkness disappeared, the dagger was no longer on the table.

“I don’t intend to insist on killing a poor old man who got entangled in this matter.”

“Didn’t you just try killing him?”

“Well, I didn’t have a reason not to kill him. As a human, it is natural for you to protect another human’s life… but I couldn’t understand your situation since I am not a human. Do you get what I am saying?” Iris giggled away, putting big ice cubes in her glass one by one. “And as an elf, it is also natural for me to protect elves.”

“Aren’t you a dark elf?” Eugene sneered at her.

“They both have ‘elf’ in the names, right? Let’s think outside the box.”

“You have kidnapped my maid out of the blue.”

“I wanted to have a conversation.” After filling the glasses with liquor, Iris pushed a glass in Eugene's direction.

“But I didn’t think you would actually involve yourself in this matter if I took her, Eugene Lionheart.”

“…I guess it was difficult for you to visit the Lionheart’s main estate, huh?” Eugene picked up the glass, keeping his composed smile.

An elf protected by the Lionhearts had ordered her prosthetic eye and would be picking it up. Eugene didn’t know when Iris had settled down on this street, but it wouldn’t have been difficult for Iris to hear that much.

“Yes, you are right.” Iris didn’t deny it. “It was difficult… figuring out how to deal with the idiots who still believe they are high and mighty as they did 300 years ago.” Iris raised her glass to her lips. “It wouldn’t have been difficult for me to visit your house, sit in your drawing room, and drink tea as I smile and ask, ‘Could you let me take the elves under your care?’. But what about the Lionhearts?”

After refilling her glass with liquor, Iris drank up in one breath.

“I’m a dark elf and a leader of the Fury Independence Army. I’m also called the Rakshasa Princess. So… would you guys, the Lionhearts who are still high on their image of ‘the powerful Lionhearts’ without knowing your places, have let me take the elves if I had asked you? I don’t think so. You guys would continue to stand on your stupid pride and kick me out saying, ‘We don’t negotiate with dark elves’ or ‘We don’t plan on helping the second coming of the Fury,’ right?

Eugene didn’t deny that. Even if Eugene didn’t ask them to, no one in the Lionhearts would try to make deals with Iris. No matter how polite Iris was, the Lionheart clan would never negotiate with her as long as she was a dark elf and dreamt about being the second coming of the Fury so she could become a new Demon King.

“So, I decided to be considerate of you idiots.” Licking the liquor drops on her lips, Iris smiled with her eyes. “I was wondering about what method I should use… but I heard you were out in the city with the elf, kid. So, I opened a pathway in that smelly shop’s shadow.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not the Lionheart clan’s Patriarch.” Eugene shrugged.

“You, the very person who is called the future of the Lionhearts, are right in front of me, so why does it matter? Do you not understand the situation?” Iris chuckled as she put her hand in her darkness again.

Clink.

She pulled out a heavy iron lump, but Eugene wasn’t familiar with the shape. Still, that didn’t mean he didn’t know what that was. It was a gun — the portable cannon shooter that fired metal bullets with gunpowder.

It was easy to use, but the martial artists who were proficient in mana control didn’t really use them. The reason was simple: there were other weapons that were faster and stronger than guns. Instead of shooting bullets by blowing up gunpowder, martial artists could just swing their sword-force-coated weapons or shoot mana arrows with special-made bows.

Besides, that gun was useful in hunting animals but didn’t really work on monsters.

“I can kill you right now.” Iris pointed her heavy revolver at Eugene. “It is easier to understand your situation this way, right? Kid, bring the elves who are being protected in your family’s forest to me if you don’t wanna die. ”

“…They wouldn’t want to be dark elves,” Eugene spoke, still looking at Iris.

“I will persuade them until they wish to be one of us. I am very good at persuading elves into doing so.” She spun her giant revolver. “How about you? I know you are strong, but are you strong enough to kill me? Well, I know the answer — you aren’t. You have no chance of winning if you fight against me.”

“…Threatening a Lionheart, huh?”

“Hahaha! You are really naive, like a kid. Didn’t I tell you just now? To me, the Lionhearts are a bunch of assholes who are deluding themselves, thinking they are still high and mighty as they were 300 years ago. Your ancestor, Vermouth, was nightmarishly strong, but has anyone as strong as him born in the Lionhearts after he died?”

Without answering, Eugene set his glass to his lips.

“There is no one. That would be impossible. Vermouth was a real monster. Threatening a Lionheart… haha… hahaha! So what? You know, you guys should actually thank me. I have been respectful toward the Lionhearts. Or else I would have slammed your heads on the floor!” Iris laughed frantically, her shoulders trembling. The entire time she laughed, her darkness wobbled, pressuring Eugene with its immense power.

Eugene drank the liquor while feeling his skin tingling and his hair standing on end. His throat turned hot as if he had swallowed a ball of fire. That ball of fire warmed Eugene’s body from the inside.

‘I should have killed her then.’ Eugene tightly clenched his fists.

He wasn’t sure how many times he had regretted this matter. Had he killed her 300 years ago, he wouldn’t have to deal with this fucking bitch now. Clicking his tongue, Eugene put down his glass. “…I need time to think.”

“I have given you time since you have stepped into this place, kid. I let you sit in front of me and gave you a drink. I have done all that for you while not killing you. All of that was time given to you.”

Instead of coming up with an answer, Eugene was going through an internal conflict.

‘Should I just fight head-on? What are my chances of winning? Won’t it be better to attack her first and retreat later than listening to her bullshit?’

Various thoughts crossed his mind. Eugene would definitely have gone through with his thought if Lavera and the old man from the shop weren’t here. The unconscious duo was lying beside him, limiting Eugene’s options. The situation made him frustrated, boiling up from the inside.

‘Is it not the time yet? I don’t want to get Lavera and the old man entangled in this.’ Eugene thought as he crossed his arms, clicking his tongue.

“…Do you remember Signard?” Eugene decided to buy time for now. “He is at the Lionheart’s forest, too. He grinds his teeth every night, wishing to kill you someday.”

“I remember. He is the elf who is full of vengeance even though he is pathetically weak. Kid, I don’t like talking about the old time.” Iris spoke discontentedly.

“I have heard a lot about you from Signard, too. The traitor of elves. You are the elf who killed the most elves. Is it true you made your elven prisoners kneel and slit their stomachs? Oh, right. You also left them to die after you pulled out all of their intestines, am I right?”

“It is ancient history now. Your parents weren’t even born — no, one of your ancestors must have been a sperm in Vermouth’s testicle at the time.” Iris twisted her lips. “Of course, I regret my actions during the period. I went too far, but those regrets give me more reason to make elves lead better lives.”

“You just want to increase the number of dark elves.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to be a dark elf and gain freedom instead of worrying about when they will die from the demonic disease? I’m going to become a Demon King someday. When that day comes, every dark elf will be revered,” Iris spoke as she turned the revolver’s cylinder. “Do you wanna talk about the old times with me or something? If you become my friend, I will tell you as much as you want.”

“Who would win if Vermouth and Hamel fought?” Eugene asked out of the blue.

Iris’ giggling stopped for a moment. She must not have expected Eugene to ask such a random question in this situation. Her pathetic madness mixed with her rationality.

“…What?” Iris asked, dumbstruck.

“Vermouth versus Hamel. Who would win?” Eugene calmly repeated.

“You are asking… a random question. Of course, Vermouth will win.”

“Won’t Hamel win?”

“Hamel… haha! He is an idiot who is called stupid by future generations, so how can that wuss win? You are talking nonsense.”

“You are pretty harsh on Hamel. He might win, you know.” Mumbling, Eugene picked up the liquor bottle. “Then I will ask you another question. Who is more handsome? Hamel or Vermouth?”

“…Are you crazy?” Iris tried hard to not gape.

“I’m just curious, that’s all.”

“It’s not worth answering.”

“You mean it’s hard to choose, right? That must mean Hamel and Vermouth were equally handsome.”

“Hamel was an ugly bastard. A piece of rugged clothes would be more handsome than him.”

She was being too harsh on Hamel.

Holding back the rising fury inside him, Eugene poured Iris a drink. “Still, Hamel is more handsome than Molon, right?”

“…What are you doing?” Iris glared at Eugene.

“I’m trying to be your friend. So, friend. Why don’t we hang out later? Can you just go home today?”

Thump!

She slammed her right foot on the table, wrecking the table. The liquor bottle and the glasses flew in the air. Eugene leaned back to avoid getting drenched in alcohol.

“You are truly something.” Iris looked at Eugene coldly. “So, a 20-year-old human bastard is acting this shamelessly in front of me, huh? I never thought one of Vermouth’s descendants would act like you.”

“300 years is a long time.” Eugene shrugged.

“Yes, it is a long time for humans. There must be dozens of ancestors between you and Vermouth in the family tree, right? If that wasn’t the case, I would have considered you a descendant of Hamel, not Vermouth.” Iris muttered under her breath, opening her revolver’s cylinder. “Since you are having a difficult time choosing, I will help. Why don’t we have a fun game?”

When she opened the cylinder, the bullets dropped on the floor. Iris put one of the bullets in the cylinder and spun it in front of Eugene.

“It’s a simple roulette game. We are going to take turns pulling the trigger. If the bullet goes through your head, I won’t be considerate of the Lionhearts. I’m going to bring your body to the main estate right away and bring all the elves with me.”

“What if the bullet goes through your head?” Eugene asked.

“Then I will let you return. I won’t try to negotiate with the Lionhearts regarding this matter anymore,” Iris spoke as she put her finger on the trigger. As she put her revolver against her temple, she continued to look at Eugene.

“You can give up now if you are afraid. But you must bring the elves to me, just like we discussed. How does this sound? You don’t have to gamble with your life.”

“Shoot.” Eugene crossed his legs as he interlocked his fingers on top of his knee. “You pull the trigger once, and I pull the trigger once. That’s how this game goes, right?”

Click!

As soon as Eugene had finished talking, Iris unhesitatingly pulled the trigger and beamed as she handed Eugene her revolver.

“Don’t delude yourself, kid.”

“What?” Eugene asked back.

“I’m saying don’t delude yourself… by thinking a bullet made from lead won’t be able to go through your head. I created the bullet with my demoneye. No matter how much mana you have, you won’t be able to stop my bullet from going through your head.”

“Then how about you?”

“I won’t get shot.”

“Aha…. So this wasn’t a fair game from the start, huh?” Eugene pulled the trigger, chuckling.

Click!

The sound of the hammer hitting an empty chamber echoed in the air. Eugene returned Iris’ revolver to her.

“Shoot,” Eugene spoke concisely.

“Are you out of your mind?” Iris asked in shock.

“Well, it’s true I will die in this game, and you won’t. But all I need to do is make a bullet go through your head, right?”

“So you will be the only one to bet your life?”

“I said shoot,” Eugene repeated.

Iris was right. This was a simple roulette game. If a person put a bullet and spun a gun’s cylinder, an ordinary person wouldn’t know which chamber held the bullet.

But Eugene did. He checked how many rounds the cylinder had turned. When he held the revolver, he could feel the bullet’s location by the slight difference in weight. The bullet was created by Iris’ Demon Eye of Darkness, but it existed like an object, meaning Eugene could feel its weight.

Eugene concluded that the bullet would be fired if Iris pulled the trigger this time.

“…Hmm.” Iris tilted her head sideways and pulled the trigger.

Click.

Another sound of the hammer hitting an empty chamber echoed in the air. The bullet wasn’t fired. Instead of being shocked, Eugene burst into laughter. “Wow, do you really want to win this way?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Iris handed him the revolver with a twisted smile on her face.

It was simple — the bullet’s location had changed. Since the bullet was made with Iris’ power, she could always make it disappear or appear again.

If Eugene pulled the trigger this time, the bullet was bound to go through his head.

Chuckling, Iris gestured to her dark elves, who were standing behind. One of the dark elves came up to her and put a cigarette between her fingers.

Iris used her golden lighter to light the cigarette and inhaled the smoke deeply.

“You can give up now,” Iris spoke as she enjoyed the smell of cigarette smoke inside her mouth. “But I do want to see your brain popping out of your he—”

Before she finished talking….

Boom!

…the door to this basement got crashed.