At the rendezvous point.
At Clay’s comnt, Beatrice shrugged a little sheepishly.
“I had no choice. I had to flee before Yaphenon’s soldiers arrived. You didn’t want anyone finding out I was there, right?”
“Right.”
Clay gave a short reply, then turned his head.
There, leaning against a rock, was Neville—who had been set down for a mont.
It really is her.
Neville glanced sideways at Beatrice, watching her converse with Clay.
At first, he hadn’t realized. Who would expect that Beatrice to be traveling with Clay?
Besides, he had never seen her this close before. He only knew the na, so it hadn’t clicked right away.
What’s going on?
But now, the evidence was undeniable.
The na. The powerful fire-based magic. Even if soone imitated her spell structure, no one could radiate such pure, overwhelming fire mana like her.
“What are you staring at?”
Beatrice noticed Neville’s gaze and turned to ask.
“First ti seeing one of the Four Generals?”
“!”
She’d confird it herself. That she was the Beatrice—pillar of the Demon King’s army.
“I’d give you more ti to process this, but we don’t have that luxury.”
She turned her attention from Neville back to Clay.
“Clay, if there’s nothing else we need to do here, we should move.”
“Alright.”
He gave another curt response. Though his eyes were still fixed in the direction where he’d last faced Yuru. Neville couldn’t begin to guess what he was thinking.
All he wanted was to understand what was going on. But not a single piece of this made sense.
“Let’s go.”
At Clay’s signal, Beatrice unfolded her wings of fla.
“To stay out of sight, this is the only way to move.”
She walked over and held out a hand to Neville. Surprised, he was lifted effortlessly by her left hand.
“Clay, we’re ready.”
At her words, Clay stepped in. Beatrice wrapped her right arm around his waist.
Fwoosh!
And just like that, the three of them soared into the sky, leaving the canyon behind.
Urgh…!
The incredible speed made Neville’s stomach churn, but thankfully, his body held up. His divine blessing protected him, allowing him to withstand the velocity.
Ti passed.
And when they finally reached their destination, Neville let out a much heavier sigh than he expected.
What is that?!
Barungenia—the hidden fourth Demon King’s Castle.
The mont the ominous, massive fortress appeared before his eyes, its spires crowned with ever-watching eyes, Neville trembled.
Weren’t all the Demon King’s Castles destroyed?!
According to the Holy Alliance’s proclamations, all had crumbled with the Demon King’s death.
Then what… what the hell was he seeing right now?
『An uninvited presence is here.』
『A force opposite of the Dark One.』
『Disgusting! Vile!』
Suddenly, the gargoyles around the fortress flew in, snarling and grimacing as they stopped just inches from Neville’s face.
“H-huh!”
『Stand down.』
Beatrice spoke in the ancient draconic tongue
『Dark One’s Agent, that one is dangerous.』
『A light-born power taints him. It tries to erase us.』
Still, the gargoyles didn’t retreat easily.
Of course not—Neville’s body was drenched in layers of divine blessings. To monsters, he radiated the stench of their greatest natural enemy.
『That’s precisely why we need him.』
Beatrice responded calmly.
『If we’re to defeat the Holy Alliance, we must understand their blessings as well.』
There was no need to dominate the gargoyles by force.
Her logic was simple—but irrefutable.
『…Indeed. That makes sense.』
『We’ve never had such a specin before.』
『Acknowledged, Agent of the Dark One.』
The gargoyles murmured among themselves, then parted to make way.
『But we request—no, beg—you to bind him securely so he cannot harm us.』
『That won’t be a problem.』
Beatrice, still speaking in the ancient tongue, reassured them.
『I won’t allow even a speck of danger.』
Her voice was filled with unshakable confidence, and the tension among the gargoyles soon faded.
“Well then.”
After exchanging glances with Clay, Beatrice looked at Neville.
“Welco to the Demon King’s Castle.”
♧
The Demon King’s Castle.
The stronghold of the most powerful of demonkind, humanity’s ultimate nesis.
This is insane…
Walking through the corridors of Barungenia, Neville swallowed dryly.
A fully intact Demon King’s Castle still exists…
Of the three castles associated with the Demon King, two had long since been destroyed by the Holy Alliance.
The last had collapsed in the aftermath of the Demon King’s death.
That made three total—supposedly all gone.
I’ve never heard of a fourth one.
But here it was. Another castle still standing.
If Father finds out about this…
The entire Holy Alliance would explode.
The Demon King’s Castle wasn’t just a base—it was a sacred site for demonkind. It housed the Demon King’s power and ca with facilities designed to protect and sustain demonkind.
This one was no different.
Even the ever-watchful eyes atop the towers had proven that.
“Neville.” While Neville wandered in stunned silence, Clay spoke up, “As you can see, not all of demonkind’s foundations have crumbled.”
“Hero—no, Mr.Clay… Why are you here? What are you and Beatrice trying to do…?”
“I plan to bring justice to those who caused my death.”
Clay turned to look at him.
“Too petty of a reason?”
Neville held his breath.
Justice… alongside demons?
There could be only one aning to that.
He plans to beco the Demon King…
Clay had been the Hero. Mankind’s shield. A man of unwavering faith who carried out his duties in silence.
Neville had respected him more than anyone.
When Clay died—no, when he was executed. Neville had begun to feel disgust toward the world.
“…Mr.Clay.”
But even if his death had been unjust—this was not simple revenge.
“Do you… understand what you’re saying?”
He was about to beco humanity’s enemy.
“You can’t do this! You mustn’t!”
“Why not?” Clay’s response was calm, “Isn’t this the most natural outco?”
“It’s not because of others!”
Neville understood him. He even believed Clay had every right to do this.
“But the pain you’ll face will be far worse!”
Clay would be hunted down.
Reviled as the new Demon King, mankind would co for him—burning even his soul to ash if they could.
“There are people who know exactly how to torture a man, even better than demons. If you reappear now, they’ll all—!”
“Don’t you think that’s the real madness?” Clay’s voice was quiet, “The ones who claim to protect humanity are the best equipped to torture it.”
“Mr.Clay!”
“Neville. I’ve decided—I won’t trust people anymore.”
Yet even as he said that, Clay extended a hand.
“But I still know those who’re worth walking beside. And you, Neville… you’re the first.”
The one who had voiced dissent at his execution.
Even though it risked his own status, Neville had spoken up.
“You brought food to in prison. I rember.”
“That was…”
“Neville, let ask you sothing important.”
Clay’s eyes glead sharply.
“What matters more to you—your position, or your beliefs?”
It was the first ti Neville had ever feared Clay.
♧
Whooosh…
Nael pushed through the howling winds, trekking across the barren land.
“…The scent.”
She wrinkled her nose. She could sll soone who wasn’t there—no, it was a mory.
“Damn it…”
She had clung to it so tightly. Yet the more ti passed, the fainter Clay’s scent beca.
“Damn it, damn it, damn it!”
In sudden anger, she punched a nearby boulder.
It shattered to pieces.
“…I learned everything from you.”
Clay had been her teacher.
Of course, he had never officially said so. It was one-sided—she had decided it.
Nael had been born weak. And her life had been anything but normal.
Her wolfkin tribe had been destroyed by an unknown nomadic clan. Declared weak, she was cast aside and left to wander with nothing.
But she didn’t die.
She chose the path of hardship. She trained, and trained, and trained until she grew strong—so strong she could barely recognize her forr self. Yet, in her first battle with a true monster, she had nearly died.
She didn’t know how, but she collapsed.
When she awoke, a man was there.
—You’re awake?
It was Clay.
He’d moved her to a cave and watched over her.
Of course, she hadn’t known who he was. So the mont she got up, she picked a fight and swung her fists.
And she was utterly defeated.
—Even beasts don’t fight like that.
Back then, Clay hadn’t been kind. Not even close.
—That’s not how you use strength.
She challenged him again and again.
And lost—again and again.
But sothing strange happened.
—Yeah, that’s better.
The first ti he praised her… sothing warm blood in her chest.
She’d been acknowledged.
That single mont sparked a desire to be acknowledged again. That desire built up… and eventually beca admiration.
“Clay…”
Staring out across a wasteland like the one where he’d found her, Nael whispered,
“Should I… have done sothing then?”
She’d let him die—guided by the very beliefs he had taught her.
She let him be judged for not using his power to protect humanity.
Because she thought that was her duty as his disciple.
“…I don’t know anymore.”
She lowered her gaze and clenched her fist.
Then she drew in a deep breath.
The lingering trace of Beatrice’s scent pricked at her senses.
(End of Chapter)
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