Lyriam’s Royal Library.
A treasure trove of wisdom, boasting a vast collection of books.
Julius, with his blond hair neatly cut short, seemed a little nervous as he hurried his steps, rubbing his hands anxiously. When he had first come to the capital from Kente, he had been distracted by Cecil—a kind-hearted girl—who had helped him find his way when he was lost and wandering, unable to locate Krail.
Today, Julius forced himself to visit the library, wearing unflattering clothes, to borrow the book she had requested. He remembered it was definitely a literary book. This massive building was an overwhelming environment for Julius, a man used to working the streets.
The fire in his heart, ignited when he was recently baptized, flickered within him. As he stood surrounded by rows of books, a sudden urge to play with fire rose in him, but he suppressed it.
Finally, the section he was searching for appeared before him.
[Literature]
Unlike Krail, Julius felt lightheaded just from being among so many books. If Priestess Emily hadn’t taught him the Scripture, he wouldn’t have dreamed of coming to the capital to take the inquisitor exam. The librarian gave him an indifferent glance as he searched the shelves, his hand brushing his mouth in thought.
After an hour-long search, he finally found the book. He wiped the dust off the cover and looked at the title:
[About My Wife Cecil]
It was a novel with a female protagonist sharing Cecil’s name. When he flipped to the back page, he found the two protagonists holding hands and getting married.
“So cliché,” he muttered, flipping through the book with an indifferent expression. As he did, a small note slipped from between the pages, falling to his feet.
Curious, Julius picked up the note. For some reason, it felt oddly familiar. With trembling hands, he opened it.
[Let’s date, Julius! — Cecil]
“…You could’ve just said it.”
Though he feigned annoyance at her repeated confessions, warmth filled his heart. And that was how the innocent, brown-haired girl became his girlfriend—a story of spring days and blooming flowers.
***
A soft groan escaped the lips of the brown-haired woman lying on the bed.
Cecil wasn’t groaning because of the k!ss they had shared earlier but from the bitter pain spreading inside her. It was the holy water burning through her throat and stomach.
To avoid suspicion, she had forcefully used her flames, and now her body was on the verge of collapse. Her organs felt as if they were melting, and her breathing grew weaker.
Death hovered over her, threatening to take her life away. But before it could claim her, a wave of black energy surged from within, pushing the specter back. Her damaged organs regenerated as if by magic. Blood rushed to her face, restoring its color, and her once-pale lips regained a slight pink hue.
“I just hate the way my mother-in-law glares at me the moment we meet,” Cecil whispered bitterly.
She wouldn’t mind dying—once, twice, or even over and over again—if it meant being with him. But that was a lie. All she truly wanted was to live a happy life with Julius. Yet, too many obstacles stood in her way.
The sacred flames she summoned at the bar had left behind a residue—an unsettling, sticky energy that made her skin crawl. It spread from her hands, and the air grew dense as an eerie silence filled the room.
Then, without a sound, a small bird materialized. Although it resembled the pure white bird from before, this one had glossy black feathers and eyes as cloudy as its mistress’s soul.
“Priestess Emily, keep an eye on her,” Cecil whispered to the bird.
The black bird flitted about the room a few times before vanishing as if it had never been there. She needed insurance. The creature she had summoned was an impeccable imitation of a high-ranking devil. As expected, Kente Village wasn’t an ordinary place—it was dangerous.
If she wanted a dream so perfect that waking from it was impossible, she would have to move carefully.
Smiling darkly, Cecil—no, Nightmare—thought of Julius, who stood outside, licking her lips.
The more she desired, the more she transformed from a devil into a human. In her heart, she had already accepted the name Cecil Lionelta. It had only been three days since she arrived here—how much would she change in a year?
Julius wasn’t the only one hoping for a happy dream that would never end. The one who wanted it the most was Cecil herself.
She heard the front door creak open.
Julius lingered in the living room for a moment before heading toward the bedroom.
Closing her eyes, she pretended to sleep. It would be a good night to try for a second child.
But what she expected didn’t happen.
Julius only stroked her hair lightly, tucked the blanket around her, blew out the candle, and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.
“I feel like an idiot,” she whispered into the dark.
Julius couldn’t see her for who she truly was. He only clung to a memory of the past, oblivious to the present.
She lay awake, staring blankly into the darkness until morning. Sleep wasn’t something she needed—she had slept enough for the past five years.
***
“Priestess Emily, I am facing a major crisis,” Brukin groaned.
The totem with the word ‘Emily’ scrawled clumsily across a piece of wood seemed to listen silently as Brukin sighed.
“I ran away because I was afraid, but now that I think about it, I’ve been abandoned like a stray,” he muttered.
Brukin sat atop something soft, grumbling to himself. Anyone watching from a distance would’ve been left speechless by the scene.
The large forest had been utterly devastated. The cause? A massive corpse lay sprawled across the landscape, its stomach ripped open.
This was the Pulsating Evil, one of the 24 high-ranking devils that mocked the heavens. A devil who, long ago, feasted on giants. Its life had ended with a single blow from the elderly priest, Brukin, during the Holy devil War.
Brukin, the hero of that legendary conflict, now rummaged through his belongings.
“I had money and clothes in here. Now I’ve lost the map and look no better than a beggar,” he grumbled.
The totem, though inanimate, seemed to look at him with pity. It had no eyes, yet he could feel its gaze—it must have been a spirit creature.
Brukin jumped down from the devil’s corpse, leaving it as a grim monument. As he landed, dark clouds gathered overhead. To make things worse, it began to rain.
He took a deep breath and walked down the road.
Julius’s wife—the brown-haired woman he had glimpsed before fleeing—smelled faintly of death. She was a high-ranking devil, making her a heretic inquisitor’s worst nightmare.
Brukin hadn’t told his apprentice about it—it was too troublesome and dangerous. What kind of strange taste had Julius developed during their time apart? Somehow, Julius had ended up with a truly powerful devil.
Goblin: If you like reading my translations you can become a Patron at Patreon to gain access to more chapters, or sponsor as many chapters you want from any of the novels you enjoy on Goblinslate here at BuymeaCoffee. Or if you just want to help, you can donate any amount at the Wishlist at BuymeaCoffee. You can also turn off you adb!ocker to support me. Thank you.