Chapter 145: Demon One, Prisoner of Fate

Exchanging a glance with the composed Wang Yu, "Ciel" abandoned the pained expression he had worn while struggling with the cola. Instead, he adopted a placid look—one rarely seen on such a boisterous fellow—and took a seat in the chair before the desk, facing Wang Yu, who sat upon the bed.

"I never expected you to understand Ciel better than I do. Time truly changes a person; he is quite different from when he was a child."

"Ciel" picked up a small booklet from the desk. The handwriting was neat—Wang Yu recognized it as Ciel’s. The boy possessed a beautiful script that belied his personality, far superior to Wang Yu’s own, which looked like the scrawlings of a ghost.

"A diary?" Wang Yu asked casually.

"Yes. This fellow is quite meticulous. He rates you as very reliable, noting that you aren't the type to trick people like Edward does... I never imagined you would use something as foul-tasting as this 'co...la' to distinguish between me and him."

"Edward tricks people?" Wang Yu felt a flicker of doubt. He wondered if Ciel, being a habitual trickster himself, had fabricated these entries to bring others down to his own moral level.

Yet, reflecting on the times he had seen them together, he recalled how Edward would often maneuver Ciel into awkward situations—like that time he had arrived at Wang Yu’s home with Ciel tucked under his arm like a parcel. Could Edward be a closeted schemer?

"This drink called cola is actually quite good. It is something from my homeland that Alastair lacks. Unfortunately, my Void energy was insufficient to manifest a full glass, so I had to settle for mixing syrup with water. It seems a failure. Could you describe the taste?"

"Very sweet, with the distinct flavor of a cheap beverage, and bubbles that keep rising from the throat, leaving me with an urge to vomit." "Ciel" once again donned that look of disgust, describing the sensation in vivid detail.

"...In a sense, that is exactly what I intended to create. The characteristics are correct, but the final product is entirely different. My mastery of the Void is still too unrefined. What do you think?"

Wang Yu shrugged. He hadn't expected the Void to replicate the specific traits of cheap syrup-based cola so accurately, even if the intensity was a bit excessive.

"Where exactly is your homeland? Why would you enjoy such a bizarre concoction? But as you said, if you cannot even replicate a drink from your memory, you are hardly worthy of the title 'Wizard'."

"Ciel" teased Wang Yu about his Void manipulation skills, as if they were two ordinary friends chatting.

"Fair enough. I am not a native of the Void, so I certainly cannot compare to you—a creature from Hell with deep ties to the abyss. I am curious, though: how did a devil like you become entangled with the current affairs of Alastair?"

Wang Yu’s tone shifted, the conversation turning abruptly serious as he moved from idle chatter to the identity of "Ciel."

Although the peculiar aura surrounding "Ciel" was faint and masked by subtle anomalies, Wang Yu’s opened Ripples allowed him to confirm that the entity within was of the same origin as the devil that had once possessed Ponia Laird.

"...This truly surprises me. I had yet to detect anything from you, yet you have already pierced my disguise." "Ciel" looked at Wang Yu with a deeper layer of astonishment. Wang Yu’s blunt revelation had genuinely caught it off guard.

"Very well, I admit my identity. I am a devil, the First Devil. But that is merely a sequence; it does not mean I am the most powerful." Pointing to his own chest, "Ciel" acknowledged his nature and revealed his more specific standing.

"The First Devil? Never mind, I don't understand that. So, how did you get involved with Ciel and the current state of Alastair? Speak. I have much to do, and I am weak; I have no time for useless talk. Get to the point."

Wang Yu mentally sifted through his knowledge of devils. After his previous encounter, he had reported to Zieg and Shugin and consulted various archives.

However, records in the Night’s Edge and the royal libraries regarding these elusive, manipulative creatures were limited. Wang Yu had found little useful information.

Thus, his understanding remained confined to the traits reflected in their deeds: cunning, a love for amusement, and a penchant for chaos.

He certainly held no fondness for them. That he could maintain a neutral demeanor was merely a testament to his own unbiased nature. After all, in this incident, "One" had helped Ciel and, by extension, Wang Yu.

"Since you know I am a devil, do you not feel even a shred of awe or fear? To be honest, I do not like being spoken to with such an overbearing attitude."

"Every devil is a natural favorite of the Void. Moreover, any sentient being is inherently in a position of submission before a devil, and you are no exception. Just because I am not the most powerful does not mean I am weak."

"One" expressed dissatisfaction with Wang Yu’s unshakable composure. As it spoke, the light in the room dimmed significantly, as if something had enveloped it.

In the feedback of his Ripples, Wang Yu felt a thin but dense layer of Void energy surrounding the room, trapping him within. He recognized this barrier—it was similar to the one the Lord of Extinction had cast over the manor. Truly, a favorite of the Void.

"I suggest you do not threaten me... it is meaningless. Your wizarding level is far above mine, but if I wish to leave, you cannot stop me." Wang Yu showed no emotion in the face of the Void-energy trap.

Darkness began to spread from behind him, wrapping around his body like water. The power of the Lady of the Night sheltered him; as Wang Yu had said, "One" could not hold him.

"As for my mind? If you wish to try, go ahead." His calm eyes now held a dangerous glint.

Wang Yu rarely wore such an expression, as he was not skilled in using his gaze to exert pressure. But at this moment, the look—tinged with a hint of disdain and absolute self-confidence—made his presence overwhelmingly oppressive.

"!" The body of Ciel, possessed by "One," shuddered violently. When the power of the Lady of the Night had appeared, "One" had felt it was expected, given that Wang Yu was her Archbishop.

But when Wang Yu spoke that second sentence, the look in his eyes told "One" that Wang Yu was truly capable of killing it. If it dared to touch Wang Yu’s mental space, he would ensure its demise within. The premonition that it would be utterly annihilated if it tried left "One" trembling with an uncontrollable, visceral fear.

Wang Yu’s current power composition was strange. His overall strength was that of a mid-tier formal knight, as his lack of Battle Qi was offset by his wizarding power and the Book of Weavers. A high-tier formal knight could defeat him by simply dragging out his Blood-Burning Drive.

Yet, in specific areas—like the mental realm where devils excelled—Wang Yu’s strength was absurdly high. In many cases, no matter how powerful the force, it was ineffective against him.

To rashly intrude into Wang Yu’s mental space was to risk being extinguished by a nobody.

"..." The room fell into a brief silence. The high-density Void energy slowly receded. Without a doubt, "One" had backed down.

That instinctive premonition had instilled in it an irrepressible dread. In truth, its own nature was not particularly aggressive.

"I apologize for my rudeness and my probing. I merely wished to test if the person Ciel called a 'variable'—the one he believed could change the fixed future—was truly as he described. Now I am convinced. Though the hope is slim, you may indeed change the future."

"One" dropped the haughty tone it had feigned, shedding its hostility. Wang Yu also returned to his calm demeanor, the power of the Lady of the Night retreating into the void from whence it came.

"Let me begin by explaining my relationship with Ciel, otherwise I doubt you will trust me..."

"One" cleared its throat, intending to recount their history so that Wang Yu might trust this sudden arrival.

"Stop. Why does everyone who talks to me love telling me their life stories? I’ve wondered about this for a long time. Do I look like a good listener?"

"One" had barely begun when Wang Yu, rubbing his forehead, interrupted.

"Listen, I have neither the time nor the interest to hear your stories. I don't know if what you say is true or false. Does anyone actually trust someone because of a story they can't verify? Anyone can mix nine truths with one lie... What matters is not what you say, but what you do."

"You undoubtedly helped me during this incident. The tarot card Ciel hid was likely under your influence as well. Without it, entering would have been unrealistic."

"You helped me. I don't know your motives, but I can grant you temporary trust. Ciel chose to believe in you, so as his friend, I choose to do the same."

Wang Yu stated bluntly that he had no interest in hearing stories from someone he had known for less than half a day. His trust would not be swayed by a narrative.

"One" opened its mouth, momentarily at a loss for words. Such directness made the cunning creature feel uncharacteristically uncomfortable, yet it could not deny the logic.

"You are right. I will state what I know and my assessment..." Adjusting its approach, "One" stopped dwelling on its own history and focused on the essentials.

"There are many things wrong with the war between Alastair and Sewentan. Have you noticed?" "One" posed a question.

"Some, but not much." Wang Yu admitted. He was not a local; he only had a general understanding of the kingdom's situation. He did feel, however, that Sewentan’s declaration of war had been too sudden and lacked sufficient justification.

"The war came abruptly. The two nations, previously only in minor conflict, suddenly went to war. Sewentan was the aggressor. Their goal is not merely territory or resources; Sewentan—or rather, certain people within it—desires something they value far more than wealth or power."

"As for how I see this, it relates to the ability I lent to the Laird family. You know of the Laird family’s specialty, do you not? The foresight of the future."

"By communicating with the Void, I can see the future within limited constraints. And this future is... extremely difficult to change."

"Because the Laird family’s ability is an incomplete fragment of my own power, they only see broken shards. I never expected them to learn how to collect and separate information from these shards to perform their own deductions, thereby achieving foresight similar to mine to avoid disaster."

"Among them, Ciel—whom you find unreliable—is actually quite skilled, though he often refuses to use this ability."

"My observation of the future is relatively clear; I can see the results and processes of many events. But this time, regarding the war between Alastair and Sewentan, I can only see a blurred result. Alastair’s outcome will not be good. To put it bluntly, it may lead to total annihilation."

"The more blurred the result, the more immense the power involved—so immense it exceeds my ability to influence. The degree of ambiguity this time forces me to wonder what kind of power is at play to make my observations so chaotic."

"I do not want Ciel involved. It is not something he can change; it will only bring him harm. But he refuses to give up. That is his temper, and I cannot dissuade him."

"And you are a variable I observed. I saw no part of you in those futures, nor did Ciel. Thus, you may be the one to change a future that would otherwise be immutable."

"But you are too weak. In the eyes of truly powerful and wise beings, manipulating you is too simple. Your influence on the future is negligible. I do not believe you can change this—a future that may be the beginning of an era, merely occurring here in Alastair."

"One" spoke of a blurred, grim future—the most important message it had for Wang Yu.

"Sounds terrible. But even without me, I doubt what you say is unchangeable." Wang Yu listened calmly, his tone remaining flat.

"In my homeland, there is a game called 'Tabletop Roleplaying.' You could understand it as a play with variables. The moderator holds a 'script' to guide the characters, steering the story in the direction they desire."

"But often, even with a script, the moderator cannot control the flow. The players take the story off-track, leading it in directions no one could have foreseen."

"In reality, who possesses a 'script'? No one. If stories with scripts can go off-track, how can a future without one be considered unchangeable?"

"And most importantly, the prophecies and observations you speak of would be laughed out of the Stevenson Academy of Magic. In fact, I think you are doing worse than the Laird family."

"At least they analyze the situation from fragments, rather than believing them outright. A few went mad, but Ciel certainly doesn't believe them."

"Have you ever investigated the nature of your own abilities? Have you searched for the source of this foresight? Have you questioned whether these things are deliberately guiding you?"

Judging by your words, it seems you have never once harbored a doubt; the future is the future precisely because it has yet to unfold.

To believe only what is laid before your eyes—that is the very sort the charlatans of the Royal City crave most, luring you to the gaming table with their so-called prophecies until you are convinced the outcome is known, only to leave you drowning in debt.

If you were to present this gift to any professor at the Stevenson Academy of Magic, they would exhaust every faculty to dissect its principles and mechanics, pondering how best to harness it, yet have you ever truly contemplated the nature and function of this power yourself?

The results provided by the Void’s reaction? The trouble is, can you honestly claim to grasp what the Void truly is? If you had truly fathomed it, I suspect you would have no need to waste breath on me, and even Roland, the greatest wizard in human history, would likely pale in comparison.

To my eyes, this foresight is less a power you possess and more a tether by which it leads you; you are, in truth, nothing more than a prisoner of fate.