"You siblings are really the same. Annoying!"

Using her wisdom to outwit the Demon's riddle, the woman drew the magic gun from her pocket and aimed it at the Secretary.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out.

However, upon seeing the Secretary catch the bullet using her index and middle fingers like a pair of tongs, Deia shouted gruffly.

"Those bastards were planning to play with us from the start anyway!"

"Uoooooh!"

The gunshot was the signal.

Darius and Tyren, who had already exchanged looks and planned their move, charged forward simultaneously. Their sole objective was to rescue Saintess Lucia from the grasp of Magan.

If those two were truly demons, retrieving the Saintess alone would be enough to sustain the battle.

After all, Holy Power was the one thing demons feared the most and the most effective weapon against them.

That was why, even if it was just for a moment, the Demon Lord Magan took the trouble to personally capture Lucia.

"Huh?"

Watching the two figures charging at him, Magan smiled sinisterly.

However, that was it.

Black, shadowy arms sprang forth from the darkness, snatching up the two men simultaneously and slamming them into the wall.

Pained groans escaped the mouths of the two martial artists. And just like that, Tyren Ol Velocus, one of Griffin Kingdom's powerhouses, and Darius, the Giant of Norseweden, were subdued.

"No way."

It didn’t matter how strong a Demon Lord was nor how overwhelmingly powerful they were compared to humans.

How was Mage Tribunal Judge Tyren Ol Velocus defeated without even putting up a proper fight?

There was something strange here.

If Magan was that powerful, Deus’ trick of using Lemegeton to cause his self-destruction wouldn’t have worked in the first place.

Did he get stronger?

"Kik, kikikik."

Magan’s eerie laughter resounded through the darkness, echoing throughout the banquet hall.

It was the type of demonic laugh that would break a human’s will.

This Demon was a monster who had lived on this continent for centuries, always occupying the seat of the top predator proudly.

"I surrender."

Was it because his laughter destroyed their spirit?

Jordia of the Jerman Kingdom finally raised his hand and declared their surrender.

"I’ll smoke the cigarette."

Although they heard him say that he would willingly become the demon’s puppet, none of the other envoys from the Jerman Kingdom voiced out any complaints.

"We have already lost."

Jorida even asserted that the situation was unfavorable.

Who knew when the reinforcements from outside would arrive? No, in the first place, it was possible that preparations for reinforcement hadn’t even started.

The Han Empire was completely annihilated.

The Duchy of Valestan’s powerhouse, Tom, had already switched sides, with the heir trembling on his knees, having lost the will to fight.

If the Jerman Kingdom also surrendered, the only one remaining would be the Griffin Kingdom.

However, with Tyren and Darius defeated thoroughly, and Saintess Lucia in the hands of the Demon Lord…

All who remained were Princess Eleanor, Deia, and Deus Verdi.

The battle was essentially already over.

“It is a reasonable judgment.”

Jordia lit the cigarette offered by the Secretary without hesitation and put it in his mouth.

How many times did he puff?

“So this is the realization you spoke of.”

“Fufu, doesn’t the world look different now?”

For the first time, a smile appeared on the previously stern face of Jordia.

“Ah, do you have any more left?”

Following Jordia, who had completely switched over to the enemy's side, one by one, the envoys of the Jerman Kingdom began lighting the cigarettes offered by the Secretary.

The smoke from the cigarettes spread thickly in the already enclosed space.

From beyond the smoke, the Demon Lord turned his gaze to Deus.

“So, do you intend to fight this time as well?”

“…”

He couldn’t reply.

His body was stiff, his tongue felt tangled, and his mouth was dry.

“If it's you, you should have already realized it, right? The one you met before and the current me are completely different.”

Magn laughed as he tossed Lucia, whom he had been holding, to the ground. Recognizing that she was their master’s prey, the surrounding insects immediately avoided her.

“I am Magan, the Demon Lord of Gluttony.”

“…”

“This place is my banquet hall, my dining chamber. In this place, I am stronger than anywhere else.”

Thud!

“Keuaaaackk!”

A gigantic hand rose from the darkness once more, seizing Deia this time.

Her scream, wrought by the violent, crushing grip, reverberated through the banquet hall.

Magan slowly walked toward Deus. At the same time, the gigantic hands moved and brought two people before Deus.

Darius and Deia.

Both groaned in pain as neither could escape from the grip of the hands.

“Now, it’s a choice, Deus.”

“Ah.”

Having already anticipated what he would say next, Deus couldn’t help but clench his fists and tremble upon hearing that.

“If you could save just one person, who would you choose?”

He was unable to fight back.

Deus lacked the ability to break through the conundrum posed by the demon and forge his own path.

He lowered his head.

Who should he save: his older brother or his younger sister?

The Demon presented him with choices that were difficult to pick.

“The one you choose will smoke the cigarette and survive, and the one you forsake will become a feast for the bugs.”

Hundreds of insects swarmed around Magan, chattering eagerly for their share.

“Ponder over it carefully, Deus Verdi, that’s how you will mature.”

“…”

"Bear the burden, agonize over your choice. That's how you'll truly become a part of my feast."

After all, won’t your soul, which has comforted so many others, be a real delicacy?

With each word from Magan, Deus felt a surge of emotion as his head began to burn.

Why?

Why the hell are you still not showing up?

Kim Shinwoo. What the hell are you doing?

It has reached this point.

It’s time for you to wake up.

You know that it's impossible for me to resolve this situation.

How long are you going to remain asleep?

No, are you even sleeping?

Aren't you actually awake and watching all of this?

If so, why?

Why?

Why?

Why won't you wake up?

You promised me, didn't you?

You promised that you would become the second son people could be proud of.

Instead of me, who lacks a lot and is the worst person ever, instead of the pathetic and foolish addict that I was...

You said you would take responsibility and protect everyone, didn't you?

Even though it is impossible for me to do it, you've always made it possible.

So, why won’t you return to my body… huh?

He then realized that something was wrong.

And only now did Deus Verdi understand.

My body.

Yes, he was indeed the original owner of this body.

As long as he, the rightful owner, remained here shamelessly, how could Kim Shinwoo return?

Ah, I see.

After all, the body belonged to Deus Verdi.

And all decisions stemmed from Deus Verdi.

Because even Kim Shinwoo, who helped him to conduct his funeral, didn't take the body by force, but persuaded him to yield.

“Hahaha! Consider it! Struggle over it! Season your soul with human anguish and despair!”

Then, what could he do right now?

Only now did Deus Verdi clearly understand.

“Shut up.”

At Deus’ cold command, Magan’s expression twisted strangely. He looked both delighted and infuriated at the same time.

However, Deus ignored Magan and took out a small photo from his pocket and stared at it.

It was a picture of Illuania and her child, Sevia, smiling.

Holding it tightly, he looked alternately at Deia and Darius.

And then…

Thud.

He knelt.

“I offer myself.”

In order to summon Kim Shinwoo, he first needed to vacate this body.

However, Deus didn't know how to fall asleep again. Everything was always done by others, whether it was waking him up or even putting him to sleep.

This time was no different either.

By others.

In other words, he needed to borrow the power of the Demon Lord to vacate this body.

Therefore, Deus Verdi did his best to act like Kim Shinwoo.

He had to deceive the Demon Lord before him.

For the first time, Deus looked up at Magan with unwavering eyes.

He didn't feel any fear towards the Demon.

The trembling in his body had already stopped.

Courage surged through his entire body, heating it up.

This time, it wasn’t Kim Shinwoo.

It was...

The final stand of Deus Verdi.

“You idiot, what the hell are you doing!”

“Don't say unnecessary words!”

Upon hearing him say that he would surrender himself, Deia and Darius rebuked him despite the pain.

However, instead of dampening his spirit, it actually served to strengthen Deus' resolve even more.

As the bad younger and older brother who had gone astray, in the end, even now, all Deus Verdi could do was act like Kim Shinwoo for the sake of his family—just like how Kim Shinwoo had pretended to be him.

His unwavering gaze, filled with conviction, was directed towards Magan.

I look incredibly delicious, don’t I?

This is the soul of the Soul Whisperer you desire so much.

It looks tempting, doesn’t it?

What you've been yearning for is right in front of you.

You want to eat me, don’t you?

I have finally overcome all the pressure and agony and am willing to sacrifice myself for the sake of my family. Just as you hoped, I have perfectly matured in the manner you desired, haven’t I?

“I am the Soul Whisperer.”

So eat me.

“Ah.”

Looking down at Deus, who was willingly offering himself instead of choosing Deia or Darius, Magan let out a short sigh.

Then,

“I can’t hold it any longer!”

He opened his mouth wide and began to suck everything around him. Deus' hair fluttered, his clothes flapped, but the truly important thing was…

The fact that the soul within his body was being sucked by the Demon.

“I will chew and swallow your soul over and over again for years, and your body will be preserved to be licked for a lifetime.”

It was a delicacy he couldn’t afford to lose.

That was the method chosen by the gourmet called the Demon Lord, who wanted to savor Deus for a lifetime.

Thud.

Deus' body toppled forward. His soul was already being chewed on meticulously and savored by Magan.

It was agonizing, truly agonizing.

It felt like he could vanish at any moment.

However, his pupils were still fixed on his own body.

“Hm? The taste...?”

Magan realized that something was off. The taste of Deus' soul, tainted by pleasure and hedonism, was like chewing on flavorless gum that had lost all its sweetness.

“What is this?”

He wondered what in the world was happening, and just as he tried to confirm if the soul he was chewing on was truly the soul of Deus Verdi….

Thud!

From the body that was supposed to have already turned into an empty shell, Deus' left hand pushed against the ground and rose.