"These thieves who steal my power…"
"What do you mean the Duke of Kashchey is an incarnation of Satan… can't you even tell who's the original and who's the copy?"
"That stubborn old Wendigo, that self-righteous Sarkaz King, those annoying cockroaches… and these insects using my name to line their own pockets!"
"Other than that silly shapeshifter and that vampire with decent taste, you Sarkaz are truly insufferable!"
"If not for Theresa and that Chimera child, the Sarkaz consciousness sea would have no choice! My control over it wouldn't be this weak!"
"And if it weren't for this so-called 'Three Kings' situation among the Sarkaz, I wouldn't need to seek recognition from that consciousness sea at all… Do you know how much money the 'Satan Foundation' burns?"
"…I don't even care what happens to you Sarkaz. If you refuse to join my duchy, then don't go around abusing my power!"
"The authority I worked so hard to snatch from Theresa…"
"Honestly, I still don't understand the Sarkaz well enough… after all the effort I spent persuading the Emperor to accept you."
"You only believe in the illusions you want to believe in. You don't care in the slightest about what your so-called 'faith' actually thinks!"
Satan fumed inwardly.
As if he had completely forgotten that he himself was the true thief.
The Sarkaz consciousness sea ultimately belonged to the Sarkaz, not to an intruder like the Black Snake.
It was not something fixed and eternal.
It evolved constantly, accumulating everything the Sarkaz had experienced over thousands of years… though most of it was hatred and suffering.
Once, the Sarkaz had everything.
Now, they had lost nearly all of it.
The cries and pain of the dead echoed endlessly, shaping this tragic race.
In theory, even if the Black Snake had taken advantage of an opening, if the consciousness sea chose to resist, then a fragmented "Sarkaz King" like him would simply be expelled, and the strange "contract network" he had built would collapse.
But as the status of "Satan" and "Kashchey" rose within the hearts of the Sarkaz, the consciousness sea no longer rejected him.
The contracts he created took root within it like seeds, slowly growing.
From the very beginning, the power of these "contracts" did not belong to Satan.
They were a form of sorcery he created by borrowing the power of the Sarkaz consciousness sea.
A case of using another's resources to produce his own results.
Yet now the consciousness sea had begun to recognize these contracts. If Satan did not want to be cast out, he had no choice but to relinquish some control.
In other words, he had to make the Sarkaz consciousness sea accept the "fact" that the Black Snake was Sarkaz.
After all, the consciousness sea connected every Sarkaz, living or dead.
And those most deeply linked to "Satan," in the absence of his intervention, could tap into his magic and even form new contracts.
Satan could not possibly verify every contract at all times. Gaps were inevitable.
And so, some contracts formed on their own, beyond his immediate control.
Because in the end, Satan was merely an administrator. The true authority over the creation and dissolution of contracts lay with the Sarkaz consciousness sea, and always would.
Unless… the Black Snake became its true master.
At present, there were three beings who could claim the mantle of the true Sarkaz King.
The former Sarkaz King who had once been acknowledged, only to be defeated by her own brother, Theresa.
The Chimera who wore the Black Crown, rings on all ten fingers, still immature yet designated as the successor by the previous king, Amiya.
And the one who seized authority by force, rejected by all past Sarkaz Kings, the "False King" - Satan.
'What a headache…'
Satan sighed, snapped his fingers, and stepped out of the alley, blending into the bustling crowd.
Not a ripple stirred.
___
"…You should rest, Margaret. That's enough training for today."
Zofia gently patted Margaret's back as she panted heavily, drenched in sweat, trying to steady her breathing.
Nearby, Shining adjusted her breath and sheathed her sword.
Her swordsmanship was formidable, but it was not suited for Margaret.
Her blade required the use of Originium Arts, and the soul-damaging techniques of an Confessarius were clearly not meant for sparring.
So she had only exchanged a few moves with Margaret, acting as a simple partner rather than a true opponent.
"…Shining."
Liz had been quietly focused on the plants in the dilapidated manor, but suddenly, as if sensing something, she looked into the distance.
That was the very place where Satan had been "summoned."
"What is it, Liz?"
"It's nothing… I feel like I sensed something familiar, but I can't recall anything."
The blonde girl shook her head.
Nightingale could perceive Satan's presence because of her unique constitution and… the connection she shared with him.
The Black Snake did not like to "kill" those who bore it no hostility.
So instead, Satan had buried Nightingale's pain, along with her memories of the "contracts," deep within the recesses of her mind.
Shining, however, believed this approach carried risks.
That was why she had taken Nightingale to Londinium, to the Confessarius's research facility, intending to treat her personally…
But afterward, certain unpleasant—indeed, disastrous—events occurred, forcing Shining to leave with Nightingale.
Along the way, the two met Margaret, who was also wandering.
And thus, the trio of wandering Followers came to be.
___
"…Boss, now that he has arrived at the Kawalerielki, what should we do?"
"Wait and observe, Czarny… what, the former spokesman now needs to consult me on something so trivial? I'm a very busy boss, you know."
"…I see."
"Czarny, the Chamber of Commerce may have abandoned you, but the Kept Group is not like those greedy, cowardly corporations. We value talent, and we don't allow our employees to be threatened by outside forces."
"…"
"During your time as spokesman, you refined the Infected Knight system quite well. The number of Infected Knights has more than doubled compared to that clown knight's era… you expanded the market for the Infected significantly. That kind of ability is exactly what we need."
"…You flatter me, sir."
"I never hesitate to reward capable employees. It's people like you, the foundation of the company, that allow the Kept Group to grow… right now, I've been hesitating for quite some time over the candidate for Kazimierz's 'Secretary' position."
"…"
"Prove your ability to me, Czarny. Show me your talent, your competence, and… that you are worth my forgiving you on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce."
"Yes, Boss."