Chapter 64: Plan in Motion (Patreon)

Cocytus, Victim, and Shalltear stepped into the black portal. They surrounded the captive Sebas, who now wore specialized handcuffs—designed to suppress most of his strength.

Sebas wore a lifeless expression and bowed his head in resigned acceptance of his fate. The weight of the impending punishment caused the once-proud Butler to limp with a slumped posture.

Meanwhile, Demiurge remained behind alongside Aurelius and Albedo, watching as the group departed.

The portal vanished into the air, and silence settled over the room until Aurelius spoke.

"Demiurge. There’s a place you’ve been wanting to visit, correct?"

Caught off guard for a moment, Demiurge blinked before bowing deeply. Awe and admiration flickered in his sharp gaze.

Once again, Aurelius had seen through him, as though reading his very thoughts.

"Yes, Aurelius-sama. If you permit me, I would very much like to attend to that matter."

In response, Aurelius waved his hand in a casual way.

"Go. Why not? Everything you do is for the good of Nazarick. You have my full support."

Demiurge bowed deeper, his voice full of gratitude.

"Thank you, Aurelius-sama."

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Aurelius’s lips.

"Then let's meet later."

"Understood."

Demiurge nodded one final time before quietly excusing himself, the door closing behind him.

The room was now empty, save for Albedo and Aurelius, who rose from his throne and stepped toward the large window, gazing at the sky.

His expression remained neutral, but the twilight hues of the sky reflected in his crimson eyes emphasized his contemplative gaze.

Behind him, Albedo approached quietly, and without a word, she slipped her arms around his waist and embraced him from behind.

"You did the right thing, my lord," she whispered, her head resting against his back. "I know it must have been hard for you."

For a brief second, Aurelius did nothing before slowly nodding. He turned around to face her, gently pulling her into his arms. 

Their gazes locked, and with a soft kiss, he sealed his acknowledgment of her loyalty.

"Come. Let's go sightsee."

In an instant, as he held her hand, they vanished in a flash of light, reappearing in another part of the capital.

Now no longer the supreme ruler and his Guardian Overseer, they were an ordinary couple, seamlessly blending into the city’s evening bustle, savoring the simple pleasure of being together.

…..

Time passed, and the sun set.

"Good to see you all arrived on time."

As he saw the people gather in the house to discuss their mission to destroy Eight Fingers and lay the groundwork in the capital for their future conquest of the Re-Estize Kingdom, Demiurge spoke seriously.

Shalltear and Mare had been dispatched from the Floor Guardians, led by Demiurge himself. Entoma and Solution of the Pleiades battle maids were also there, along with many of Demiurge’s high-level vassals—the Evil Lords.

"Before we proceed, let me make one thing absolutely clear: not a single mistake will be tolerated. Failure, however minor, is unacceptable."

Demiurge’s gaze swept over everyone, pausing deliberately on each face, causing even the lax Shaltear to straighten up.

"You must already be aware of Sebas' betrayal. This incident has left us all burdened with Aurelius-Sama's disappointment. Even if he hasn’t said it aloud, the trust he once had in us may now be uncertain."

Uneasy glances passed between the Guardians. They fully understood the implications.

"We cannot afford for Aurelius-Sama’s trust to waver. We must prove our loyalty—our unwavering dedication. And most importantly, we must display our competence. This is our chance to show that we, the servants of Nazarick, will never falter."

Following Demiurge's declaration, one by one, nods of acknowledgment rippled through the room, and everyone had a fierce determination.

Mare, who had always been quiet and shy, muttered in disgust.

“How could Sebas be so blind? Betraying Aurelius-sama..." 

His eyes flared with anger as his fists clenched. 

"If Aurelius-Sama begins to doubt me because of that... I’ll never forgive Sebas."

For once, even Shaltear found herself in agreement with Mare. She nodded sharply.

"Indeed. I will not allow Sebas’s stupidity to taint my Lord’s trust in me."

Demiurge watched them with satisfaction. 

"Good. Now, let’s move forward with the preparations. I will first explain the critical details. Listen carefully. Entoma, can you use illusions? There’s something I need you to create based on my specifications."

"Understood." Entoma nodded.

Demiurge provided her with detailed instructions, and within moments, Entoma conjured some illusions in the empty space. Demiurge inspected it closely, pleased with its flawless execution.

"Remember this: killing these individuals is forbidden. Some injuries may be acceptable, but I want this rule clear—no killing. Especially you, Shalltear."

"You don’t have to keep harping on it!" 

Shalltear puffed her cheeks, her frustration barely contained. Mare gave her an awkward smile, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

"Oh, by the way," Mare suddenly chimed in. "Aurelius-sama gave me a specific request."

Demiurge’s eyes narrowed. "What is it, Mare?"

"I was instructed not to kill the blonde woman among the Eight Fingers. She’s to be delivered to Ms. Neuronist."

"Is that so? A direct order for you, then. Mare, I’ll leave that responsibility to you."

"Yes! Understood!" 

Mare responded, nodding vigorously, and Demiurge’s eyes gleamed as he surveyed the room once more. The pieces falling into place perfectly.

Everything was in order.

"This operation is part of a larger plan that will greatly benefit Nazarick. One significant mistake could delay our progress toward world conquest—our ultimate goal, as decreed by our Master Aurelius Nova Lucifer, the Supreme One."

His tone became colder. 

"Failure is not an option when the Master has entrusted us with the entire plan."

Demiurge raised his hand, silencing the room. 

"Now, I will explain the plan—Operation Gehenna. This is the most critical part of our mission in the capital, so I expect your full attention."

…..

Following the conclusion of the plan discussion, the group split up to complete their assigned tasks.

Unlike the original timeline, where Sebas played a key role, his absence this time altered the course of events. Climb's group, which had originally intended to raid the Eight Fingers' strongholds, retreated upon discovering that all six arms were present in a single location.

They wisely chose not to engage, understanding that victory was impossible against such overwhelming power. This allowed Solution and Shalltear to eliminate the Six arms silently, controlling the entire Eight Fingers without leaving any trace of their involvement.

Elsewhere, Hilma Cygnaeus, the head of the Eight Fingers' drug trade division, stirred from her sleep. As she blinked awake, she was shocked to see her manor overrun with unnatural shrubbery and Mare standing in the mansion’s center, staring at her with an innocent gaze.

"Are you Hilma?" Mare’s soft voice broke the silence.

Hilma, trying to mask her anxiety, nodded and attempted to approach him in a friendly manner, hoping to coax some answers from the mysterious elf.

"Y-Yes, that’s me. You’re quite the little—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Mare cut her words in the middle.

“Good. I was looking for you.”

Although Mare was relieved, Hilma's calmness quickly evaporated when she caught sight of Entoma in the corner, munching on the still-twitching arm of one of her dead servants.

Her blood ran cold, and her body trembled with fear. Before she could react further, Mare’s expression hardened. Without a word, he shattered her leg with a swift blow.

"AHHHH—"

A scream escaped her lips as he dragged her by the hair across the room, indifferent to her pleas.

"Stop screaming. You’re needed elsewhere." Mare muttered flatly.

As Hilma was dragged away, Entoma continued devouring the severed arm, unfazed by the scene. She was left to loot the manor and collect all valuables.

However, as Entoma enjoyed her snack, Gagaran, one of Blue Rose’s warriors, appeared behind her.

"What the hell are you eating?"

Gagaran was shocked as she witnessed the grotesque sight before her.

Noticing the stranger, Entoma turned to face her, her mouth still smeared with blood. Gagaran, visibly disturbed, readied her weapon for a fight.

Entoma, however, remained calm.

Aurelius had already briefed her, and she knew that although she could defeat Gagaran, an even more troublesome woman would soon join the battle.

Despite this knowledge, Entoma did not flee. Her orders were clear. The Supreme One, Aurelius Nova Lucifer, had commanded her to hold her ground. And she would not defy his will.

Moreover, with Aurelius already present on the scene, watching everything from a distance, she wasn't worried about her safety. All she cared about was not letting down Aurelius.

Subsequently, as the fight between Entoma and Gagaran began, a pair of crimson eyes scanned the battlefield and calmly observed the unfolding events.

Aurelius was floating in the air, hiding in the darkness of night with a spell, waiting for the right moment to make his first entrance into the Re-Estize Kingdom in his true form, fully prepared to reveal his presence in this world.