Maxwell's ability to twist reality had hidden every piece of evidence against Aldarp, leaving Nero with suspicions but no proof. Yet for Nero, evidence was secondary—what mattered was Maxwell, the true source of Aldarp's power.
To address this, Nero had returned to Axel and consulted Banir.
At first, Nero wondered why such a powerful entity would serve someone as incompetent as Aldarp. Banir had provided the answer: Maxwell, despite his immense power, was somehow even more dimwitted than Aldarp.
Demons didn't mind fulfilling human wishes, but they required a price in return. Maxwell, however, often forgot whether the price had been paid, allowing Aldarp to exploit him repeatedly. With Maxwell's power, Aldarp committed numerous misdeeds without facing consequences.
Initially, Nero worried about whether Maxwell would become an enemy if she took action against Aldarp—and whether she could defeat such a foe. But Banir reassured her that Maxwell's abilities likely wouldn't affect her.
Even so, Nero took no chances. The moment she arrived, she knocked Aldarp unconscious to prevent him from making any last-minute wishes to Maxwell.
"Finding this place was simple. I only needed Alice to spread the news that the artifact necklace was stolen. Panicked, you ran straight here," Nero muttered, her voice echoing in the damp, shadowy basement.
She considered how to deal with Aldarp but quickly dismissed the thought—he could be handled at any time. The more pressing matter was Maxwell.
"…Aldarp… Aldarp…"
Maxwell crouched in the corner, his murky gaze fixated on Aldarp's unconscious form. He didn't even acknowledge Nero as she approached.
"Umu. Being ignored, as expected," Nero mused, tapping her chin. "A Hell Duke who offers no resistance… This presents an excellent opportunity for an experiment."
Raising her hand, Nero gripped her uniquely forged, massive greatsword. Despite the imposing weapon, Maxwell didn't spare her a glance.
Perfect. Nero needed total focus for what she was about to attempt.
Her right hand tightened around the hilt, while her left steadied her arm. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.
"Let's see if my [Imperial Privilege] can manage this," she murmured.
[Imperial Privilege—Full Activation!]
A solemn and resounding bell rang through the basement—a death knell.
On Nero's blackened and red blade, ghostly blue flames erupted. They weren't warm, but cold as death itself, chilling to the bone. Even a fleeting glance at the flames would evoke a visceral shudder in one's soul.
When Nero opened her eyes again, her gaze was icy, the eerie blue fire flickering faintly in her pupils. Behind her, a tall, shadowy figure materialized—vague yet imposing. The figure gripped a bloodstained, rusted sword, and its face was obscured by a skeletal mask.
Through the mask came a raspy, magnetic voice.
"Without death, there is no life. Only in death can one truly live."
The shadow's piercing gaze fell upon Maxwell, shrouding the demon in an oppressive aura of death.
Nero's lips parted.
"Duke of Hell who twists reality, Maxwell. What has your world-shaking power brought you? Humiliation, as you allow yourself to be deceived and commanded by a mere human? Fool! Prepare to offer your head!"
Her blade, wreathed in spectral flames, was raised. Behind her, the shadow mimicked her movements with its rusted sword.
The bell's chime grew louder, reverberating through the basement.
"Have you heard it… the toll of this bell?"
Without an explosion or burst of light, Nero swung her sword. The strike appeared unremarkable, yet it was anything but.
In the next moment, the gray-black mist of death dissipated, replaced by pristine white feathers—symbols of salvation.
Maxwell's head rolled from his shoulders, tumbling across the floor before coming to a stop near Nero's feet.
Planting her sword into the ground, Nero stood motionless as the shadow behind her vanished into the air. Silence engulfed the room, heavy and suffocating.
"…It failed," Nero muttered, watching as Maxwell's severed head and body dissolved into black mist.
She sighed in frustration. "So it was just one of Maxwell's lives… a mere avatar."
Her lips curved in a faint frown. "I'd hoped to mimic the Old Man of the Mountain's decisive strike and follow this thread to his true body. But it seems Maxwell's fate has yet to meet its end."
Though the strike didn't destroy Maxwell's core, it wasn't without merit. Nero had severed Maxwell's influence on the world. The twisted reality he had created was undone, restoring the natural order.
As a result, all the evidence and clues Maxwell had hidden about Aldarp's crimes would now resurface.
Nero didn't know how many misdeeds Aldarp had committed, but she had no doubt it was substantial. With the veil of distortion lifted, others would soon uncover the full extent of his wrongdoings.
Having accomplished her task, Nero prepared to leave.
Taking a single step, Nero stumbled, nearly falling. She steadied herself against the wall and sank to the floor, her breathing uneven.
"Tsk… Seems I can't use that move too often," she muttered.
Her head throbbed as if a billion insects were gnawing at her brain. The pain was so intense that she almost wished she'd pass out. Instead, the agony sharpened, refusing to let her escape.
She didn't know how much time passed before the pain dulled enough for her to stand. Wiping at her lips, she felt a sting and realized she'd bitten through them during the ordeal.
Though she had no remedy for her headache, healing her lip was simple. A quick spell left her lips as good as new, without a trace of injury.
"Alright, time to leave. Aldarp's crimes are bound to surface now, and I imagine the authorities are already on their way. I'd rather not waste time dealing with them. Right now, all I want is to collapse into a thick, soft bed and sleep for days…"
Muttering to herself, Nero activated [Presence Concealment] and vanished from the basement.
Before leaving, she erased all memories Aldarp had of her and modified the unconsciousness spell she'd cast on him. It would automatically release when someone arrived.
When the authorities came to arrest Aldarp, they would find him just waking up, disoriented and unable to comprehend his downfall.