Chapter 1621 A Demon’s Etiquette <TOC> Chapter 1623 Trace
Translator: SumTLMan
Angel only posed one question; the rest came from Sanders and Gloria. Sanders was concerned with the nature of the demon itself, whereas Gloria was hesitant on how to deal with Azaz.
The demon’s response was incredibly crafty. While he appeared to divulge quite a bit about himself, none of the information provided was of any critical substance.
As for Azaz, the demon’s comments were noncommittal, passing over the issue with a bland indifference.
The tables then turned, and the demon had his chance to ask questions. He was still quite keen to understand the relationship between Angel and Gruff. However, this time neither Angel nor Sanders offered any further explanation.
The demon’s answers were veiled in secrecy. Though they could make educated guesses about the situation, this was far from a “quid pro quo” dialogue.
Left with no other choice, the demon disappeared tinged with a shade of regret.
After the demon’s departure, Azaz still appeared visibly uneasy. Although he had been forthright about the facts — that he had indeed made offerings to the demon — he was uncertain of his own fate. Even if he were to now seek refuge in the arms of Sebastian, he didn’t believe he’d have the means to escape someone of Sanders’ caliber.
Thus, Azaz was left in a state of restless anticipation, waiting for Gloria’s ultimate decision.
The atmosphere in the hall was thick with silence. However, in their mental link, Angel and the others were quite animated.
“What are you planning to do with Azaz now?” The question was still from Sanders.
This time Gloria didn’t immediately suggest killing Azaz. Sanders had a point; Azaz could be easily eliminated, but that wouldn’t end the demon. Given that the demon had already reached the Southern Region, he could just as easily tempt another gourmet wizard into making offerings to him.
Could the next gourmet wizard, like Azaz, persist in resisting the demon based on firm convictions? Gloria herself didn’t believe so. That’s because, within the Southern Region’s gourmet circles, the concept of making offerings to demons is entirely alien, making them easy prey for demonic temptation.
Gloria dared not speak out at this moment about the dire consequences of making sacrifices to demons. Such a proclamation would be heard not only by gourmet wizards but by other wizards as well. If it became known that sacrificing to demons would bring misfortune to non-gourmet wizards, this could actually exacerbate the oppression faced by gourmet wizards in the Wizarding World.
She thus found herself caught between a rock and a hard place: killing wasn’t an option, yet neither was sparing lives.
“If you really decide to kill, you’ll have to eliminate the Fire Rune Demon behind Azaz as well, or else you’ll face endless troubles,” Angel advised.
Gloria understood this reasoning all too well. More importantly, even if the Fire Rune Demon made its appearance, she wasn’t certain she could defeat it.
“I need to think about how to handle this,” Gloria suddenly felt backed into a corner, like she had set herself on a precarious path with no easy exit.
As Gloria furrowed her brow deep in thought, Angel casually struck up a conversation with Azaz.
Perhaps it was the soothing power of Angel’s voice, or maybe Azaz recognized that Angel had spoken in his favor several times before; either way, he didn’t dare, nor would he, reject Angel’s attempts to initiate conversation.
Angel’s discussion topics were simple — things like Azaz’s life in Winsbills, his opinion on Tubal, how he viewed gourmet wizards… and so forth.
Initially, Azaz wasn’t quite sure what Angel was getting at, but as the conversation deepened, he came to understand that Angel was probably analyzing his character through these questions.
Gloria even paused her deliberations to quietly listen to the dialogue between Angel and Azaz.
Upon realizing this, Azaz became somewhat nervous. He wasn’t sure if his answers would satisfy Angel, but he chose to respond based on his own set of values.
Time trickled by, and a glimmer of satisfaction flashed across Angel’s eyes. He had been questioning Azaz to glean insights into Azaz’s personal values, his perspective on the world, and his fundamental principles for dealing with people.
So far, Azaz had performed quite well, even showing a bias toward being an academic white wizard. However, when it came to common knowledge within the Wizarding World, he had some noticeable gaps. This was understandable, as he was born in Winsbills, and although he had a mentor, his formal instruction was limited. He still leaned more towards the mainstream of Winsbills——namely, being a wandering wizard.
After careful consideration, Angel posed his final question: “Was the matter with Carvelyn your idea?”
At this moment, Azaz was clearly on edge. When he heard the question, he seemed momentarily bewildered before snapping back to reality: “What matter concerning Carvelyn?”
“You don’t know about Carvelyn?”
Azaz nodded, “I only encountered her once during the Novastar Competition. I have had no other dealings with her.”
“Have you forgotten what you did to her on the competition stage?”
Done what? Azaz looked utterly confused, retracing his memories, it seemed he had done nothing out of the ordinary.
Azaz’s puzzled expression prompted Angel and Gloria to exchange glances.
It wasn’t an act; Azaz truly didn’t know anything about Carvelyn. It seemed that Angel’s earlier suspicions were correct: Carvelyn was simply unlucky, having wandered into the void using the Space-Time Witch Attire, where Sebastian had made a move against her.
With this revelation, all suspicions surrounding Azaz were dispelled.
Gloria looked at Azaz as if she had made up her mind: “Wizards don’t care about morality, but they do care about their self-interests. Making offerings to demons may just be a different alignment of your choices. However, it could likely harm the interests of wizards.”
“The example of your mentor, you shouldn’t forget,” she concluded.
Tubal became a target of public criticism in the Northern Territory, and that’s why he fled to the Southern Region. It’s all because his demon offering practices were taking a piece of everyone else’s cake.
“I don’t mind the path of demon offering,” Gloria said gravely, “but once you’ve chosen to offer tribute to the demon, there’s a high chance that you could harm the entire gourmet circle in the Southern Region.”
Gloria’s words carried weight, and indeed, they reflected a genuine concern.
“So, when I brought you back here today, don’t think for a second that you are entirely innocent. The moment you made that choice, you forfeited any right to sympathy. Humans and demons have never been on the same path.”
Upon saying this, Gloria paused for a significant period. What would follow was clearly going to be the fate-deciding plan for Azaz… life or death hinged on her next words.
Gloria had already spoken sternly, seeming to predestine the outcome, which left Azaz in a state of despair, utterly disoriented and even unsure how to counterargue. After all, Gloria’s harsh words were rooted in a hard truth.
Just when Azaz thought he might be condemned to death, Gloria took an unexpected turn in her discourse.
“… However,” she hesitated for a moment, “I’ve observed your resilience and your convictions.”
“Maintaining your beliefs even under the temptation of the demon is something I can admire.”
“Out of consideration for this, I can spare your life, giving you another chance.”
In the midst of Azaz’s anxiety, Gloria presented him with a choice.
“Either die now or join my Barbie Restaurant as an employee.”
Due to the unique circumstances surrounding Azaz, Gloria couldn’t simply let him wander off; the future was uncertain, and who knows, Azaz might succumb to demon temptation at some point.
So, the only option Gloria had was to keep Azaz close, within her sphere of influence.
At least, when she’s around him, Gloria can continuously monitor Azaz’s situation. Consider it a long-term observational study, a project of sorts.
Azaz was entirely taken aback; he hadn’t expected Gloria to offer such an option.
Perceiving Azaz’s silence as reluctance, Gloria paused before continuing, “I understand that people who’ve spent a lot of time in Winsbills tend to seek what they call ‘freedom.’ However, what they’re really pursuing is self-indulgence, not true freedom.”
“But I get you,” she added. “I won’t keep you tied down forever. If you become my employee, I’ll offer you fair compensation. Once I’m convinced that your convictions can’t be swayed by the demon’s silver tongue, I’ll grant you the freedom you desire.”
“Are you willing?”
“Are you willing?”
Upon hearing Gloria repeat the question for the second time, Azaz snapped out of his reverie and eagerly nodded.
“I’m willing!”
His initial hesitance stemmed from the sudden realization that the woman before him was none other than the legendary ‘Diamond Barbie’——Gloria. In his younger days, his dream had been to further his education in the ‘Candy House’ and eventually make his way into the Barbie Restaurant. However, due to his involvement in demon offerings, he had avoided going to the Candy House.
Now, through a series of twists and turns, and just when he thought he was on the brink of plummeting into the abyss of death, his path took an unexpected turn for the better. His youthful dream was unexpectedly presented to him once more. How could he not be thrilled?