Chapter 170

"Isn't that right, 'Arsene Adel'?"

I flinched.

My face hardened as I quickly lowered my posture.

It felt like my head was about to explode.

How did Samuel know my true identity?

I had been hiding it so thoroughly all this time.

Even Diana, who had received information about my appearance from a spy in the human world, couldn't be sure.

Yet, now, Samuel was certain that I was Arsene Adel.

So, I couldn't help but be flustered.

How could Samuel know about my true identity?

Unable to even begin to guess, I wondered if Samuel was just testing me.

So, I decided to deny it for now.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Me, a descendant of Arsene? Even a passing Cerberus would laugh at that."

Haha....

I tried to laugh it off as if it were absurd, but the atmosphere only grew colder.

Samuel, with a sneer on his face, said,

"Denials are futile. I already know."

"......."

A voice filled with conviction.

But I couldn't help but be cautious, as it was such an unbelievable situation.

'Is attacking out of the question?'

If I drew my sword against Samuel or Miriam here and now, it would be an admission that I was a descendant of Arsene.

One, maybe, but I couldn't handle both of them.

Samuel had grown stronger since obtaining the book, and there was no telling what power Miriam possessed.

'What should I do?'

And so, caught between a rock and a hard place, all I could do was roll my eyes.

I couldn't even afford to stay silent.

The longer I didn't answer, the more his suspicion would grow and turn into certainty.

Unfazed by my flustered look, Samuel continued,

"This is a secret story involving the Demon Gods and your family. A being equal to the Seven Demon Gods betrayed the Demon Realm."

'Could that be it?'

Only then did I realize why the Demon God Bares and the Demon God of Gluttony had called me "the descendant of the traitor."

It was simple when I thought about it.

There was no reason for the Demon Gods to bring up the word "traitor" to a half-demon.

They were talking about the "betraying God" whom the Arsene family had chosen.

'...It feels like the puzzle pieces are finally fitting together.'

The god whom the Arsene family served was a being equal to the Demon Gods from the very beginning.

And then I realized what it was.

The moment Bares' mana cultivation method and Adel's mana cultivation method merged.

My consciousness was pushed away somewhere, and I came face to face with a certain divine being.

'The Abyss.'

An aggregation of darkness that expressed only unknown emotions towards me.

That was the true identity of the god who betrayed the Demon Realm.

'...Wait a minute.'

Why didn't I, the author, know such crucial information?

Information that could affect not just one character but the entire family and the world.

How could I, the creator, not have such vital information...?

'Could it be...?'

This world....

Hmm.

No, that's going too far.

I shook my head, dispelling the unnecessary thoughts.

It must have been a setting I discarded during the planning stage of the work.

Lost in such thoughts, I was deep in contemplation when...

"Judging by your reaction, you seem to be acknowledging the fact that you are a descendant of Arsene."

"Would you even listen if I denied it?"

"Hardly. Everyone knows you're from the Arsene family."

"......!"

My face stiffened at his words.

Samuel let out a small chuckle at my reaction.

"Just kidding. I'm probably the only one who knows you're a descendant of Arsene."

"......."

Could I believe that?

Even Diana wasn't certain that I was a descendant of Arsene.

She had only marked me as a strong suspect.

But it was incredibly unsettling that Samuel had suddenly seen through my disguise.

How did he know?

Could it be that the God of Gluttony had tipped Samuel off about my identity?

Samuel, seeing my continued contemplation, spoke up, "You must be curious how I know your lineage."

"I am curious as to why you would make such a 'guess.' Please, enlighten me."

"Hmph, still not admitting it, even after being caught red-handed. And what's with that disrespectful tone?"

Samuel clicked his tongue, seemingly annoyed that I was still denying being a descendant of Arsene.

Then, he began to explain how he had discovered my true identity.

"I found out about your identity quite a while ago. When my magical prowess increased due to the influence of the book."

"......."

"As my senses for mana amplified, it naturally became clear."

*Clank- Clank- Clank-*

At that moment, Samuel's thorns shot up from the ground near my feet.

"......!"

I froze in place, startled.

His thorns, darkened even further by their pitch-black nature, were pointed menacingly at my neck.

"The mark engraved on your neck, the way it looks..."

"......I see."

In the end, I had no choice but to admit it.

He even knew the location of my tattoo; there was no way I could deny it any longer.

Samuel had completely seen through me.

There was no turning back.

Denying it now would only make me look pathetic.

However, there was one problem.

"What do you plan to do with me?"

"Hmm, what should I do? Telling Diana isn't a bad idea. She'd tear you to shreds right away."

"......."

My face hardened.

If that happened, it would truly be the end for me.

Diana was already wary of me, suspecting me to be a descendant of Arsene.

If she were to actively move against me, there was a high probability that the Headmaster, a key figure in Sytan, would cooperate with her.

It would be over before I even became the Headmaster's dog.

As I was having such dreadful thoughts, Samuel chuckled again.

"Now, what should I do? You already know the answer, don't you?"

"That's..."

I hesitated to answer.

Should I attack Samuel now and make my escape?

If luck was on my side, I might be able to get away from both him and Miriam.

But...

'...Let's think about this.'

I didn't think that was the right answer.

I could easily get out of this situation by using the scroll the Headmaster had given me.

However, that meant Samuel and Miriam would die.

It was true that using the scroll would eliminate the two people who knew my identity.

But I was hesitant.

It wasn't just because I had become somewhat attached to Samuel.

There was another, more significant reason.

'Samuel discovered my true identity while we were inside Sytan.'

Even if it was clinging to me, it wouldn't have been able to stop Samuel from revealing my identity as a descendant of Arsene while we were in the classroom.

Yet, Samuel had kept my secret and only revealed it to me now.

This meant...

'...That even though he knows I'm a descendant of Arsene, Samuel has no intention of harming me.'

Why?

Why wouldn't Samuel attack me, a descendant of a family that had committed a grave sin against the Demon Realm?

I didn't have a definitive answer.

All I knew was that Samuel had no intention of killing me.

"Well? What's your answer? What should I do with you?"

Samuel asked me with a smirk.

To which I replied with a straight face,

"Please don't tell anyone."

"Hmph, and why should I do that?"

"If you kill me, it might bring temporary solace to those who lost loved ones because of Arsene, but it will ultimately lead to more deaths. A Demon Realm without me would be doomed."

"...How arrogant. Did you pick up that way of thinking from living as Bares's dog?"

"Think what you will. I'm simply stating the inevitable future."

I chose to confront the situation head-on.

Since my identity had already been exposed, it was better to explain my value and why I should live.

"......."

"......."

After finishing my piece, I silently stared at Samuel.

He, in turn, looked back at me with an intrigued gaze.

Then, suddenly...

*Thud-*

Out of the blue, Miriam smacked Samuel on the head.

I blinked in surprise at the unexpected turn of events.

Samuel teared up and yelled at Miriam,

"That hurt...!"

"That's what you get. Why are you trying to fight again after we just made up?"

"......Tsk."

Samuel clicked his tongue.

Then, he gestured towards me with his chin.

"You can relax. Like Miriam said, I have no intention of revealing your identity."

"So, you're saying..."

"I'll keep it a secret. If you don't believe me, I'll even write you an oath."

An oath.

As soon as those words left Samuel's mouth, I was finally convinced that he held no hostility towards me.

However...

"Why?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why won't you reveal my identity?"

"Hmm."

Samuel paused, seemingly lost in thought, before speaking again.

"Let me ask you this."

"What would you like to know?"

"Why should I tell others about your true identity?"

"Because my family massacred demons during the war..."

"That's your father's story, isn't it? Do you also plan to massacre us?"

"Absolutely not."

I shook my head vehemently.

If anything, my current plans would undoubtedly save the lives of countless demons.

I was going to uncover the secrets hidden by the six noble families and see things through to the very end.

At my firm response, Samuel spoke in a serious tone,

"Then don't ask again."

"......."

I met Samuel's gaze.

His eyes were heavier than usual, filled with gravity.

Under his intense stare, I couldn't help but swallow nervously.

Samuel's cold voice rang out,

"Are you a descendant of the Arsene family who wishes to repeat their past, or are you just a foolish boy who struggles with the concept of 'righteousness' with that dull head of yours, like so many I've seen before?"

"...That's harsh. 'Foolish boy'?"

I countered Samuel's question with a hint of complaint and a weak laugh.

Only then did Samuel relax his stern expression, a smile gracing his lips as he said,

"I've witnessed the ideals you pursue by your side. They may be unstable, but there's no doubt that you strive for what's right."

Therefore...

"I've decided to make an investment."

Samuel's grey eyes fixated on me.

Perhaps due to the influence of his new body, his once vibrant eyes had turned a cloudy grey, matching his hair.

But although the color was now dull, the emotion within them was clear.

Trust.

That's what I saw in Samuel's eyes.

His grey eyes scanned me from head to toe as he finished his last sentence.

"I'll put my faith in the ideals you, the descendant of the traitor, are trying to draw."

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