Dekan's Leisure Time

After the grand ceremony in the Vihart Kingdom concluded.

Both Dekan's return as Elector Duke and the emergence of the Red Legend have caused a stir among the people of the kingdom and the empire.

Of course, the scene of Dekan proposing to Princess Cornelia of the Vihart Kingdom was also recorded.

In the most widely circulated image, Dekan and Cornelia stand under the glittering starry sky of the Royal Capital. At their feet, a black cat lies on the ground crying, while their other friends run to their side, laughing and crying, to offer their blessings.

Finally, the king granted their marriage vows, and the wedding would be held in the Vihart Kingdom on an auspicious day several months later.

And so, the story came to an end.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

Dekan and his friends stayed in the Vihart Kingdom for several days before returning to the Norton Kingdom.

Now, Dekan and Cornelia don't need to go to school anymore.

Although Cornelia's studies at the Havenlit Academy were intermittent, the lenient Knight Academy still granted her graduation once she had accumulated enough credits.

Dekan was even directly recognized as an outstanding alumnus.

After returning to the Norton Kingdom, Cornelia stayed in a wooden cabin on the back mountain of the Havenlit Academy.

This is a room the school gave her.

Cat Teacher said she would definitely like it.

Dekan, on the other hand, became roommates with Clay and lived in a mansion in the Royal Capital that was relatively Happy Group.

After returning from the Vihart Kingdom, Dekan seemed to have developed post-traumatic stress disorder, and would do anything to keep Clay out of his sight.

Just like right now.

In the underground laboratory expanded by the Happy Group in the Norton Kingdom.

"Well, if you want the [Spatial Leap Gate] to not explode after each use, you'll probably need to let it rest for about three months after each use."

Mie, wearing glasses, spoke as she disassembled the magical device in front of her.

While maintaining the [Spatial Leap Gate], Dekan and Mie continued to study this artifact.

Forcibly using the [Spatial Leap Gate] repeatedly causes it to collapse, and the Spatial Star Stone, as the core material, will also suffer permanent damage.

In the Devil King Tomb Dekan could use the Demon King's Magic Power to control the machinery at any time, and he also had the assistance of the ninth-ranked Sion. However, upon returning to the mortal world, his power level was not as high.

For the sake of the safety of this magical device, they will not use other external researchers to participate in the repair unless absolutely necessary, even if it breaks down.

If it explodes, even with Mie, it would take the two of them several months just to repair it.

Therefore, even if they were to use the [Spatial Leap Gate] again, they would try their best to ensure that it was not used continuously and that this very convenient magical device was not used unless absolutely necessary.

"I'll have to study the barrier spell of the Devil King Tomb more thoroughly. Only if I can speed up the extraction of the Demon King's Magic Power will I have a chance to bring Sion and Ikatinos back."

Dekan sighed.

He knew that Mie was eager to rescue Ikatinos's true form from the Devil King Tomb as soon as possible.

But the current situation is like a ball stuck in a tree; the more you try to throw something to knock it down, the more things end up hanging on the tree.

Given Dekan's current rate of extracting Demon King's Magic Power, it would probably take an eternity to teleport the two ninth-tier demons back to the Devil King Tomb.

Mie shrugged.

She was at a loss.

However, Ikatinos seemed happy every day and didn't seem worried at all about temporarily losing her ninth-tier power.

Sion Royal Capital having a great time in Norton, seemingly in complete retirement.

Anyway, Norton Royal Capital now the safest place in the world.

After returning to the Royal Capital, apart from the occasional chaotic scene at Croix's place, everyone else lived a peaceful life every day.

Now, with the addition of Clay and Mie, the Beautiful Soul Squad is finally complete, but no one wants to fight in the Shadow World anymore.

If they all team up, they won't be able to find a match in the Shadow World.

They weren't even allowed to enter ordinary eighth-tier Shadow World.

It's probably because there's still one Shadow World of the Holy Kingdom Demon Realm that hasn't ended, and it's still connected to them.

Until this is the end of it, their group cannot enter other regular Shadow World.

However, that final Shadow World never appeared.

All they could do was wait.

And so it has become what it is now, a relatively leisurely daily routine.

"Alright, that's enough for today."

After reassembling the components of the [Spatial Leap Gate], Dekan stretched and looked at Clay, who was guarding the research room.

"Oh, time to go home."

Clay had somehow gotten hold of a sofa and was lying on it, reading the latest magazine and eating snacks.

Upon hearing Dekan say that work was done, he immediately stood up, straightened his collar, and exuded the air of a successful man.

"..."

Mie was once delusional.

Who is the boss and who is the secretary between them?

But Clay wasn't very good at Magic Engineering, so he couldn't help Dekan and Mie at all.

In particular, the [Spatial Leap Gate].

The other magical artifacts were fine, but this one was different; neither of them dared to let Clay touch it.

Who knows what unexpected tricks Clay might pull!

Dekan wouldn't allow Clay to leave his post without permission.

And so it turned out that Dekan was working in the lab while Clay was resting, and he even looked like a supervisor.

Clay stood outside the door, gazing at the sky with satisfaction.

Just as Dekan was about to lock the door to the underground laboratory, he suddenly seemed to remember something.

"By the way, let's take a look at the search radar."

Dekan looked at Mie and asked.

Mie frowned, but quickly understood what Dekan meant by "search radar".

Without a doubt, the one with the search capabilities was none other than the high priest Cosmo of the Church of Calamity.

Dekan's number two hater Astrologer.

He was initially sent from prison to the Norton Kingdom by the Empire.

Then he was imprisoned in the Norton Kingdom's prison.

To capture Adair Dekan and Mie's archenemy, before Sion's true form is retrieved, they will have to rely on Cosmo.

"Speaking of which, how come the three of us are together again? I really don't want to get called the 'Three Bishops of Gambling, Prostitution, and Drugs' by Sion every time I'm with you guys."

Mie reluctantly agreed.

She's now somewhat reluctant to be with Decancre as part of a trio.

The main reason is because of a comment that Sion made in the Happy Group back then.

As a result, everyone started calling them the Third Bishop.

Although Sion works at Happy Group out of interest, he spends most of his time dealing with colleagues' attitudes.

Even Mie couldn't help but sigh that Sion and Clay were not from the same family.

As the sun set, the three bishops, after having dinner together after work, headed to the underground prison of the Royal Capital.

This is a world shrouded in darkness.

A few beams of light flickered in the corridor, only to be swallowed up by the boundless darkness.

The steel walls remained completely still, and the heavy iron door, adorned with magical symbols, sat like a coffin in a secluded corner—this was the deepest part of the underground prison.

There should have been no hope left here.

As soon as the three bishops entered the underground prison, Dekan heard a clear and stirring chorus, just like a choir.

"Holy, holy, O Sovereign! At dawn our songs soar through the clouds to the Supreme One, mercy and omnipotence, glory and praise, to the wondrous body of the Holy Lord!"

"All the Holy Capital revered Him, setting down their golden crowns, and circled the shores of the Crystal Sea. Millions of heavenly soldiers prostrated themselves, chanting the Lord's name in unison. He was there then, and is there now, and will live forever for countless springs!"

"Darkness obscures the holy light, and sinners cannot look up to the majestic and vast wondrous body! Only the Lord is the origin, only the Lord is supreme, the all-powerful and all-loving, the all-good and all-powerful God!"

"Demen."

Clay and Mie both looked at Dekan, as if questioning whether there was something wrong with him.

Even the Resurrection Church at its peak wasn't this sinister!

"Cough cough cough!"

Dekan was extremely embarrassed and could only keep coughing.

The last time he came to prison, things weren't this outrageous!

This doesn't look like a prison for death row inmates; it looks more like the Cathedral of Dekan!

To say who started it...

Without a doubt, it's Cosmo the Blackie!!

Dekan and Ikatinos had already given the captured Cosmo a good beating back in the Empire.

They even forcibly stripped him of his epic card [Netherbright Star Signs].

Logically speaking, this should already be considered a blood feud involving the murder of one's father.

As a result, Cosmo not only showed no fear of Dekan, but became even more fanatical, and became hopelessly superstitious about Dekan!

It seems that Dekan's multiple identities, his ever-changing image, and his ability to control his acting skills better match Cosmo's fantasy of the Lord of Calamity!

When he discovered that a fictional existence was actually real, he went completely insane.

Later, when Cosmo was first imprisoned in Norton Royal Capital Prison, the first thing he did was try to preach in the prison!

Dekan didn't realize the seriousness of the problem at the time and even laughed at Cosmo for being an idiot.

The prisoners on this floor are all vicious and ruthless.

Missionary work?

You can spread rumors about evil gods and nobody will listen to you!

Unexpectedly, just over a month passed.

Most of the prisoners on this level have become followers of Dekan!

Even the art style gradually became distorted by Cosmo, becoming increasingly bizarre!

"I think this guy would have been an invaluable asset back when the Resurrection Church was still standing."

Clay looked at Cosmo and couldn't help but sigh.

If Dekan had had such a capable general under his command back then, he probably could have turned the Resurrection Church into an empty shell company in no time.

Unfortunately, Cosmo now only evokes a feeling of "the birds are gone, the bow is put away."

There is no longer any room for them to utilize their talents.

Besides, he can also be a younger version of Sion, namely the Astrologer Radar.

"Cosmo, report back to me: have you found any trace of Adair?"

Dekan reluctantly walked to Cosmo's cell and asked the man locked inside.

"Lord! You've appeared again!!"

Cosmo burst into tears. Whenever he heard Dekan's voice, it was as if the most devout believer had seen their god with their own eyes.

"Just answer whatever they ask you."

Dekan was already very impatient.

Besides Isabel, Cosmo is undoubtedly the second most annoying person in the world to him.

"Yes, my lord! I have searched the entire territory of the kingdoms that were not annexed by the empire, but I have not found any trace of Adair..."

Cosmo gave his report with the earnestness and ingratiation of a student asking the teacher for a red flower.

"Alright."

Dekan turned around, covered his ears, and quickly walked towards the exit of this level of the prison.

When Cosmo reported to him last time that he had not found Adair's trace in several of the key locations that Dekan had deduced, Dekan already had a new guess.

Now, even after Cosmo has spent a long time conducting a thorough and repeated search, he still hasn't found Adair.

Meanwhile, Pritzker on the Empire's side has been unable to find any trace of Adair within the Empire's territory.

The answer is then obvious.

"That guy really knows how to escape."

Mie, who had been listening nearby, already knew the conclusion.

If Adair is neither within the kingdom nor within the empire, then it can only mean that he has hidden in the Shadow World.

Adair must already know that he'll be caught no matter where he hides in the modern world.

Maybe I should spend some time in the Shadow World.

The eighth-tier Shadow World that he can challenge are mostly quite long.

"No problem. He can't stay in the Shadow World forever. An eighth-tier Shadow World only lasts for a year or two at most. After that, there will be a cooldown period during which he won't be able to enter the Shadow World again."

Dekan gave a cold laugh.

Now that we've confirmed Adair has gone into the Shadow World, things are much easier.

There aren't many eighth-order Shadow World.

Thoroughly investigate all fixed and temporary entrances to the Void Gate in the kingdoms.

By screening suspicious individuals within a specific timeframe, it's possible to quickly pinpoint where Adair entered the Shadow World from.

The Shadow World always enters through the same Void Gate and exits through the same Void Gate it entered through.

Adair is probably still fantasizing that by gaining new power in this Shadow World, he might have a chance to continue living.

But he made a mistake.

Even if Adair is hailed as an imperial genius and spent a year leveling up in the Shadow World, so what?

As we all know, this world isn't like those low-brow fantasy novels where, as soon as the protagonist levels up, all the teammates and enemies on the old maps start leveling up at an illogical speed to keep up with the version.

Comparing growth rate to Dekan? Even the Chaos God wouldn't dare to do that.

Back then, Agamemnon, the former Pope of the Resurrection Church with the power of the ninth rank, used his teleportation ability to bring the full strength of the Resurrection Church to block the gate and kill Dekan, who was only at the fifth rank. In the end, he was still killed by Dekan.

In another year, even a seventh-tier Dekan would be a force to be reckoned with, enough to make even the Chaos God flee for his life.

Even if Adair uses cheat codes in the Shadow World, he'll only find himself several versions behind Dekan when he comes out.

When Dekan and Mie come out, they'll block the entrance and give Adair a huge shock!

******

Author's Note:

I'm still feeling really bad today. My cough hasn't gotten any better, and to make matters worse, I've started having a low-grade fever again... I need to go to the hospital for a CT scan tomorrow, but I don't know if I'll even be able to get an appointment... This chapter might have some paragraphs, sentences, and words that need revising; it's a bit messy. I'll revise it after I wake up tomorrow...