DKIE CH38: Easter Egg

Luka was calculating the number of diaries and the opponent’s writing speed.

The Quill was unconcerned. “The more greedy souls, the better. I gave them a choice.”

As long as they stopped, they could receive the first half of the knowledge for free. But without exception, everyone who received a diary chose to offer a wisp of their soul.

Luka asked curiously, “Has no one ever refused?”

Seemingly hearing an interesting question, the Quill looked at him for a few seconds before saying, “Even if they resist the temptation at first, they will still walk this path when they hit a bottleneck in their breakthrough.”

The moment they chose to keep the diary, their fate was sealed.

The Quill suddenly whispered to itself, “Actually… I think there was one person who stopped.”

But he couldn’t remember clearly. He had a vague impression that the person had even taken the upper hand in the transaction.

“I have only integrated about forty percent of my past memories.”

That should be a memory closer to the present.

Luka suddenly felt some sympathy for him. The fall from a continental legend to redeveloping must have been huge, especially for someone who was ‘brain-damaged.’

He offered a couple of caring and comforting words. “Once the movie is successfully released, the resentment you need will come.”

The Quill said flatly, “As long as you’re not afraid of being cursed at.”

He was used to being awkward. In truth, he was genuinely a little worried about Luka’s situation. The movie was premiering simultaneously in the ten central cities, with the city lords personally promoting it. A conservative estimate put the viewership at over a hundred million.

But Luka said, “They won’t.”

After speaking, he looked out the window. His gaze appeared cold and clear in the dim light. “Didn’t we leave some little easter eggs?”

…

After the Lord of Red Banyan City met with Luka, he didn’t have a moment’s rest all day. First, he personally saw Princess Mary off. In the afternoon, the witch and the astrologer were also leaving.

Wrapped in the shadow of a black cloak, the chief witch glanced at the Lord of Red Banyan City. “Be careful when you drink water lately.”

The Lord of Red Banyan City didn’t understand at first, until the astrologer also gave him a reminder. Only then did he realize the witch was implying that he might be so unlucky recently that even drinking cold water would get stuck in his teeth.

They hadn’t issued any warning just last night.

Recalling his day, the Lord of Red Banyan City cursed under his breath, “It’s Princess Mary.”

Princess Mary was notoriously capricious. He feared that because the divination result did not favor the fifth prince she had bet on, she had instead come to resent him.

He couldn’t be bothered to think about such disheartening matters.

“It’s time to relax a bit.”

Old friends reuniting, watching a movie together, chatting, a small gathering after a meal, wouldn’t that be wonderful?

A harmless little matter progressed quite quickly. The Lord of Red Banyan City just had to send a message, and the opera houses in the nearby cities agreed to screen the movie.

After setting up the magic inscriptions to ensure projection, Luka personally delivered the film canister, saying mysteriously, “It’s absolutely worth the ticket price.”

The Lord of Red Banyan City was just taking a break from his busy schedule; he wasn’t genuinely interested in art and gave a perfunctory nod.

The invitations had been sent out, and within two days, the other city lords arrived one after another. Many local high-ranking nobles wanted to use the opportunity to build connections, and the price for front-row seats at the opera house was once hyped to the sky.

On the day of the premiere, the largest opera house in Red Banyan City was packed with royalty and nobility, in addition to the all-powerful city lords. Besides them, hidden in the nooks and crannies were reporters who had secretly come from the Dark City, ready to record the scene at the screening. The footage was sure to be thrilling!

When he saw the familiar opening scene, the reporter couldn’t help but grit his teeth, even though he had seen it once before. He forced his attention onto the audience.

Get angry! Curse! Be disgusted by the plot!

Just as the reporter expected, as the “universally despised” character setup unfolded with a plot that tormented the protagonist from beginning to end, every character in the movie seemed to have something seriously wrong with them. All the guests gradually forgot their original purpose, their faces growing uglier and uglier.

Only half an hour into the screening, the theater was in an uproar of curses.

“What is this garbage?” The Lord of Red Banyan City’s brow was furrowed to the extreme, and he regretted agreeing to the screening so much his guts turned green. The gazes from his side were about to shoot him full of holes. Thinking that he had specially invited his friends, he felt he had lost face and stood up to leave.

Beside him, the lord of another central city suddenly let out a soft “huh.”

At the same time, the Lord of Red Banyan City, who was about to leave, also seemed to have noticed something and froze in place.

Sitting in the row behind were also prominent figures, and one of them urged impatiently, “Sit down, you’re blocking the screen!”

This didn’t sound like anger.

The reporter, who was about to record the scene of them turning hostile, paused his hand, confirming that the movie’s plot hadn’t changed. It was now at the part with the end-of-term quiz. The true young master was framed; someone had tampered with his stationery, causing him to fail the exam. Another major torment for the protagonist—despite his efforts, he didn’t receive fair treatment and was instead ridiculed by everyone.

However, most of the audience in the front rows were staring intently at the tampered stationery.

The method of inscribing the runes was ancient, and the dense, wild magical patterns mesmerized some of the magic-obsessed viewers in the audience.

This shot only lasted for three seconds!

And the Lord of Red Banyan City had blocked it for two seconds.

Back when Luka was reminded by the Quill to wear a restraining item, he had a sudden inspiration to integrate some lost magic inscriptions into the universally despised character’s plot. Unfortunately, at the premiere in the Dark City, the audience was almost entirely made up of people looking for entertainment and faults. The Prince and the Crown Prince, because the story’s plot was too relatable to the royal family, overlooked the details.

But the audience sitting here today had almost all received a high-level, rigorous magical education. After one person figured it out and shared it with his companion, the news quickly spread throughout the theater.

Only then did they discover that there were many such details, and the screen time for them was very limited! Each time they had just managed to see two-thirds of it, the scene would immediately change. That feeling of seeing flowers in a fog was maddening for a magic user!

Until the movie ended, most of the audience refused to leave their seats. Their desire for magic made them demand, with pale faces, to watch it again in a back-to-back screening. But when they actually watched it again, they inevitably had to pay attention to the plot. It was as if they were being force-fed vomit-inducing herbs all over again!

At midnight, the audience members who had watched three consecutive screenings stumbled out of the opera house, feeling as if a lifetime had passed. A white-haired professor from a magic academy was even more disheveled in the wind. “No, I can’t take it anymore.”

The plot was going to be the death of him. Yet, with every viewing, he could discover magical details that were overlooked if not carefully sought. It was too much for him.

“It’s time to organize the students to come and watch it as a group for their studies.”

He could find some of his favorite students to write magical theses, guide them a little, and then just wait to see the results.

As the late-night crowd dispersed, the reporter squeezed through the flow of magic users, even more confused. He hadn’t noticed any movie easter eggs, muttering, “What’s wrong with everyone? It doesn’t feel like they’re identifying with the Demon King’s family.”

The Demon King’s family?!

Under the night sky, starlight shone on the poster of the true and false young masters. The entrance of the opera house fell silent in an instant. They seemed to have discovered something incredible.

…Not sure, they would watch it again tomorrow.

When he saw the Lord of Red Banyan City again a few days later, Luka, who was writing a book, was greatly surprised.

“Didn’t you rest well?” He even had dark circles under his eyes.

The Lord of Red Banyan City gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and retorted, “You sure know how to film.”

The more he spoke, the more he gritted his teeth.

“Did the dragons teach you that?” Heaven knew how many nights he had spent studying a single magic rune.

And that was not all. On one hand, he was impatient to see the next installment with the revenge and counterattack. On the other hand, as the movie’s popularity rose, discussions about the royal succession were rampant, and he had to organize his trusted magic guards to suppress them.

A theory was now circulating widely: the true and false young masters were a metaphor for the royal family, and Iliad couldn’t use magic before because he was under an ancient binding curse. This kind of talk was everywhere and couldn’t be stopped.

His birth was tampered with, and the president of the Rhine Chamber of Commerce was willing to cooperate with Luka because he knew about the binding spell. The few races that had ‘spied’ on Luka bathing in the hot spring immediately released rumors to clear their names, stating that they had also accidentally discovered this point and just wanted to confirm it. As he grew older, the curse’s power weakened, and Iliad successfully made a stunning debut in the dueling arena.

After finishing his explanation with a frown, the Lord of Red Banyan City asked, “Is this true?”

It must be true.

Luka and the Quill exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other’s eyes.

Who was doing this reading comprehension? And doing it so logically that he himself was starting to believe it.

Previously uncertain, the Lord of Red Banyan City now sneered inwardly. Still pretending in front of him? Iliad didn’t show much emotion even during the divination, so how could he so easily show surprise? Indeed, the truth pointed directly to a binding spell!

But who was the one who cast the spell on him?

Luka really couldn’t stand this ridiculous speculation and took the initiative to change the topic. “I heard Princess Mary has left.”

It was a bit strange for that demoness to leave so decisively.

With that, the Lord of Red Banyan City completely understood everything. “So it was Princess Mary.”

Princess Mary and the old Demon King did not get along. She was a member of the Demon King’s family and also an avenger, casting a curse on an innocent child…

Luka felt that this city lord was also entering his senile phase, his mind wandering several times while talking.

“Speaking of the movie, if anyone is traveling on business or leaving the Demon Realm soon, could you hint for them to say a few good words about it?”

The Lord of Red Banyan City finally came back to his senses, almost laughing in anger.

Luka promoted it earnestly. “The movie is going to be shown in other places later. Do you think it’s bad?”

“…Then let’s trick other audiences into the slaughter.”

The Lord of Red Banyan City’s eyelid twitched.

Equally harming every region?

He overlooked that Luka had chosen to premiere it in the Demon Realm first. By the time it became widespread in other places, it wouldn’t be long until the next installment with the fiery revenge plot. They wouldn’t have to suffer for as long as his people did.

Luka didn’t give him time to think. “Thank you for your care these past few days.”

The Lord of Red Banyan City’s expression returned to its usual majesty. “Preparing to leave?”

Luka nodded. The fate observation was over, and his fame in the Demon Realm was now thoroughly established.

Instead of welcoming him to visit again, the Lord of Red Banyan City said, “Cover your face when you go out. Be careful not to get beaten.”

And be even more careful not to be stuffed in a sack and carried away. In the past two days, some academy professors had tried to extend an olive branch, asking Luka to be a teacher of magic inscriptions.

With this warm reminder, Luka first went to call Berlanie and the others, then chose a side path to the teleportation array. He planned to go to Tayas Island to canvass for votes. It was a lawless zone, perfect for promoting his new book, and conveniently, Red Banyan City had a teleportation array connected to it.

The Lord of Red Banyan City personally saw them off. Noticing the teleportation array’s light was a bit dim, he called a soldier to add more magic stones. Each teleportation consumed a large amount of magic stones. He remembered adding them not long ago, but he didn’t think much of it. The teleportation array had been used frequently recently, so it was reasonable wear and tear.

To prevent enemy attacks, the teleportation array was limited to three people at a time. Luka, the Quill, and Berlanie stepped onto it first.

Looking at the figures on the teleportation array, just like when they arrived, they were travel-worn yet elegant and noble. The Lord of Red Banyan City thought for a moment and said the most common blessing in Red Banyan City, “May fate bless you.”

Luka nodded.

There was only one path forward, and now he could finally see the dawn of victory in the Return Hunt.

Light burst forth, and Luka was already familiar with the teleportation process. But this time, it was a bit long. Was Tayas Island that far from Red Banyan City?

“There’s a problem with the teleportation array.” The Quill’s voice came through, somewhat distorted by the high-frequency spatial jumps.

Did the Lord of Red Banyan City tamper with the teleportation array?

After the initial shock, Luka almost instantly dismissed the idea. The Lord of Red Banyan City had no reason to act against him. Besides, regardless of whether he was involved, it would easily anger the Dragon Clan. The man couldn’t possibly be foolish enough to shoot himself in the foot.

The other crown princes, including Alec, had left in a huff on the night the divination ended. To show off, most of them had come in beast-drawn carriages and left the same way.

“Princess Mary and Alicia.”

Luka’s mind raced, quickly locking onto the biggest suspects. Accurately tracking his movements and ensuring this teleportation array wasn’t used by others recently would require a large number of spies. The mastermind’s status was definitely not low; only these two fit the profile perfectly.

In the ripples of the spatial turbulence, Berlanie had Luka stand closer to him. “The overall teleportation is still stable.” Otherwise, they would have noticed from the beginning.

Luka seemed to have thought of something, and his face darkened. “It’s the destination point!”

The destination point might have been changed. Once teleported outside the Demon Realm, they would no longer be restricted by the Return Hunt rules left by the Demon Ancestor, and anyone could attack him. The Dragon Clan’s only weakness was spatial magic. Forcibly cutting off the teleportation could easily cause a spatial backflow, and they would likely be separated.

Luka was quite decisive, still preparing to use a space scroll to forcibly counteract it. He wasn’t afraid of being separated. With his current strength, as long as he wasn’t outside the domain, his chances of survival were very high.

“Wait.” Berlanie waved his hand, and a set of treasured armor flew out of his storage ring, automatically fitting onto Luka’s body.

Almost at the same time, a dark red blood glow appeared in the Quill’s palm, and countless blood patterns covered Luka’s remaining exposed skin. Seeing the blood patterns, Berlanie seemed thoughtful, but his hands didn’t stop. More treasured armor was taken out and layered on top.

Luka: “…” So heavy, my shoulders are about to collapse.

How many layers of armor was this?

“Forty-nine layers,” Berlanie said, as if he knew his question.

“!!!”

Before Luka could say anything, he was reprimanded by Berlanie in a rarely severe tone. “It’s not like you have no one to rely on. Why is your first thought in a dangerous situation to seek survival on your own, instead of asking for help?”

This time, the Quill didn’t side with Luka and said coldly, “Indeed.”

Berlanie: “You should use leverage when you need to!”

Quill: “Exactly.”

In the middle of the spatial teleportation, Luka’s head was spinning. “…”

Berlanie repeated to Luka, “Don’t forget, you’re still a child.”

The Quill faltered for a moment. “…He’s an adult.”

A serious critique session continued.

Luka knew clearly that a terrifying round of assassinations was surely waiting for them near the altered teleportation point. But right now, he felt both embarrassed and mortified, like a primary school student who had made a mistake, so eager for the scolding to end that he almost wished they would arrive sooner.

One thousand meters outside the border of the Demon Realm.

In a desolate area of yellow sand, an air of desolation permeated everything. At this moment, a large number of death warriors were lying in ambush. They were fearless in the face of death, absolutely loyal to Princess Mary from soul to body. These death warriors were the best of the best. Strong as they were, they naturally couldn’t fight against the Dragon Clan.

Fortunately, the teleportation array had a quota. According to previous intelligence, Iliad had a bodyguard with him, so at most, only one dragon would be accompanying him. With a group self-detonation, the target would be dead or crippled even if not killed outright! They could all imagine how terrified Iliad would be the moment he found himself outside the Demon Realm.

The teleportation array lit up.

“Finally here.”

Before the light faded, a relieved voice came through, as if anticipating something. The leader of the death warriors was slightly stunned for a moment, then immediately barked, “Charge!”

His subordinates, ready to die, asked, “Charge which one?”

None of the three looked human.

Under the skin of the silver-haired youth’s arms and neck, countless gears could be seen turning. Another was tall, nearly two meters, not matching the target’s description at all. And between them was an iron tower!

Eliminating all impossibilities, the leader of the death warriors didn’t hesitate. “Charge the tower.”

Swoosh! Swoosh!

They burst forth with their top speed.

Space trembled. Under their soul contract, death was a reward to them. The immense pressure from the self-detonations caused the ground to crack, and the vast majority of the death warriors rushed towards Luka.

Die!

Several pieces of treasured armor were shattered at once, and a huge explosion rang in Luka’s ears. The terrifying suicide attacks continued. This level of assassination could even send the chief of an ordinary race to his death. Now, used on a junior, there was no reason for it to fail.

The dissipation of the soul is slower than that of the body. The last wisp of consciousness of the death warriors eagerly awaited the sight of shattered blood and flesh. However, they couldn’t even see Luka’s face.

Within their blurry field of vision, there was only an unshakable ‘iron tower.’

A moment later, an ethereal voice came from inside the ‘tower,’ and the death warriors heard the last words they would ever hear in this world:

“So noisy.”

The sound of your self-detonations is too noisy.

Author’s Note:

Excerpt from Luka’s diary:
The Demon Realm will be mine sooner or later. In residential homes, 60 decibels counts as a public nuisance. @DeathWarriors

“…”

A crowd of death warriors passed by, leaving behind six dots before dissipating.

Luka: What the hell! Why are ghosts appearing in my diary?