The Weapon Master's Transmigration 129 Pandemonium's Pandemonia Pt. 1

Lucille beckoned Cole to follow her as she started making her way down the long palace's corridors. Cole picked up Eva and placed her on his shoulders and followed after the〈Demon Realm〉's Queen.

It felt like it took hours due to the winding hallways but in reality, it wasn't that long.

Lucille had led them to a balcony that allowed them to see any peasants that have gathered in the palace's courtyard.

And there were quite a lot today. Wait no, that was an understatement. But they weren't carrying demonic pitchforks or torches. Nor did they have signboards preaching about Demon equality so Cole guessed that was a good thing.

There were so many people gathered in the courtyard. All of them had as man different characteristics as humanely possible. Red skin, pink skin, black skin, no skin because it was rotting or you were a ghost and was just... existing.

Small horns, big horns, horns that shouldn't have any benefit evolution-wise. Scales, rubbery skin, furry mammoths.

The point was that there wasn't only one single kind of race under the word 'Demon'.

As Lucille made her appearance, the crowd started going wild in excitement.

"There she is! The great Empress!"

"Lord Clyde is there as well!"

"Who's that person over there?"

"Is that a child or some vampire lord stuck in the form of one?"

Eva had quite the view from atop of Cole's shoulders. And while her eyes couldn't make out the finest of details, she could still tell that the ones below weren't the humans she was used to seeing.

"Papa..."

She called out to Cole with a bit of fear in her voice. Cole let her down and consoled her for a bit while Lucille had started to give out a grand speech in a language that Cole was not familiar with.

"〈Everyone present in this palace's courtyard today and the people waiting beyond these walls, I know that you have been antic.i.p.ating this day for a long time.〉"

Her voice echoed all throughout the realm. It held strength and unshakable confidence not just from being an authority figure, but from her own strong will. It felt natural that she was the one standing atop of all of these people.

While Cole didn't understand the contents of her speech, he could somewhat guess the meaning behind her words.

It would have been nice if his auto-translate function worked but it didn't have the language Lucille was speaking in its database.

"〈Today is the day where you are allowed to run wild to your heart's content! The day where you show the heavens why you and your descendants have been locked up in the inescapable h.e.l.l! The place where your soul is forever chained to!〉

The people became riled up at her words. Their eyes quickly changing with their sclera becoming black or their irises being dyed a bloodthirsty red. This change wasn't limited only to the people below. Its effects could be seen slowly appearing on both Lucille and Clyde.

And it didn't just stop there.

The demons below had started to cast away their humanoid sh.e.l.ls and were starting to take a much more sinister form.

Grossly disproportionate bodies.

Unnaturally bloated stomachs that wanted to eat the world.

Hands fidgeted at the slightest thought of something that wasn't in them.

Strangely creepy smiles that revealed the sin each demon had committed.

Even if some didn't change their forms, the aura that was oozing out of their bodies only reinforced that fact.

Lucille wasn't an exception to this. The aura around her started growing a lot more demonic and the black elbow-length gloves she was wearing started to merge with her arms.

Her arms started to look as if they were charred black, burned by the severe heat of a bursting star. They resembled claws that would rip your throat and let the blood spurt out like a fountain.

"And today, we have a perfect target. Somehow who'll be able to take all your hate and throw it back at you ten times strong!"

'...'

Lucille had reverted into using English and this made everything clear for Cole, even when she hadn't explicitly said anything.

Cole sighed inside his mind and handed Eva over to Clyde. Clyde hesitated but eventually reluctantly held the little girl in his arms.

"Eva, be a good girl and stay here with Clyde."

"Eh? Why?"

Cole tapped his head twice. This meant 'use your brain/imagination'. Eva felt that this task was a bit too hard for a young girl like her, ignoring the fact that that's what she's been doing whether she liked it or not.

But Clyde had a question for Cole as well.

"Why me and not Lucille?"

"Because I have a feeling that she'll be joining the festivities."

"And I won't?"

Cole just shrugged his shoulders in response.

"...I wonder what drove you to make that decision?"

"You're not fully 'Demonized' or whatever the true name is and let's say I have a feeling."

"And what would that feeling be?"

"The feeling is that if you join the festivities and rampage like there is no tomorrow, your eyebags would appear once again in a single night. Bringing a tear to all the Madames who enjoy the boy-next-door look you have to your face."

While Clyde didn't like Cole's answers, he could see where it was coming from.

"P-Papa? What's going on?"

"Don't worry about it, Eva. Who am I?"

Eva wasn't sure how to answer. She pondered for a bit and decided to go with Cole's current name.

"Cole Ashwell?"

"Yes, I'm not the person who died off a cliff or died because of some strange circ.u.mstances. I am Evangeline Ashwell's father. And as long as you are a child, I promise to never leave you alone in the world."

Seeing that Eva's eyes were still laced with concern, Cole thought of what he could do to ease her worries.

'Hmm... I guess I can do that.'

He laid a kiss on Eva's forehead and softly whispered.

"〔Hollow: Blessing〕"

A black light enveloped Eva but it was only for a moment. While she still felt nervous, she decided to believe in her father. As Clyde watched such an interaction, he decided to call out to Cole.

"Cole."

"?"

"While you may not be sure of yourself now, I'm sure that you're slowly turning into a splendid father."

Cole just smiled at Clyde's flattery. He didn't need such kind words right now. What he needed was the cold face and unfeeling heart he usually wore. Lucille continued giving off her speech and directed the audience's attention to Cole.

"Meet Cole Ashwell! My beloved descendant and..."

...

"The monster of the〈Avant Zone〉!"

The yells and cries of excitement only further grew in intensity. Lucille put a hand on Cole's shoulder and whispered into his ear.

"Repay me this way instead, dear Weapon Master~"

Her voice was as if it was dripped with sickly sweet honey and her smile seemed the same. Cole just chuckled and responded with a mischievous undertone.

"Then, dear Ancestor..."

Cole put a hand on one of her shoulders as well.

"Don't hate me if I end up slaughtering all your people."

"...!"

Lucille felt s.h.i.+vers travel up her spine, even when she was partially Demonized. The smile that Cole left her was an eerie one, it made her think that Cole was really going to do it. His eyes momentarily glowed a haunting orange before fading into its usual black.

But Lucille then showed a proud smile. She was proud that at least one of her descendants was walking on nearly the same path as hers.

He walked past Lucille and stood on the balcony's rail. His body leaked confidence but there was something else. Something that all of the battle-hardened partic.i.p.ants in today's occasion could sense.

Bloodthirst and the intent to kill.

However, not a single cowered back in fear. This just made their warrior spirit grow in antic.i.p.ation. Their roars grew louder and louder which each second they had to wait. A few had even started salivating at the thought of being able to devour such a being.

"Shut up you mongrels."

Cole's voice boomed throughout the palace courtyard. It silenced the once rowdy crowd and made it so that all eyes were completely focused on him.

While Lucille had the bearing of an Emperor, regal, majestic, the aura of someone you would willingly pledge your life to serve and the charisma that would charm the hearts of many, both ally and enemy alike.

In comparison to that, Cole was...

A cold-blooded general.

All that mattered to them were results. Someone who wouldn't even flinch at beheading millions of people if it served to advance their goal. But while they were seen as a tyrant to those around them, they had the respect and admiration of their shoulders.

"Save your barking for when you want to beg for mercy."

Cole had an arrogant smile on his face meant to incite the ire of the onlookers. And the plan had worked splendidly, many had already wanted to disfigure's Cole's face until it was so mangled it was near unrecognizable.

Cole scoffed at their reactions which sparked their anger even more. He straightened his back and then--

Jumped into the crowd of hungry slaughterers