Chapter 94

When Latri had somewhat calmed down, the crow spoke in a voice calmer than ever before.

“That’s not the truth.”

“I even got confirmation that he could come. So my husband waited endlessly. For a son who would never return!”

“…I said that’s not it.”

Once again, a black whirlwind swept through.

—

Upon hearing the news of his father’s critical condition, Raul hurriedly packed his belongings and prepared to return. The recent disruption of the enemy’s supply lines had given them some breathing room in the war, making it possible.

As Raul packed, his three friends each chimed in with their own comments.

“By the way, I still can’t believe it. That the Empire’s sage is in critical condition. Before he was a sage, he was the one who released thirty snakes into my bedroom.”

“…And he also put a scorpion’s corpse in my shoe.”

“You two are lucky. The day after he fought with my father, he released six bears, a three-headed lion, a man-eating elephant, and a six-foot venomous moth into our garden. It was quite the ordeal.”

“…He’s not the Empire’s sage, he’s the Empire’s beast tamer.”

They tried to lighten Raul’s somber mood, but his expression, more gloomy than usual, showed no signs of improving.

“……”

As they watched Raul maintain his silence, a messenger with a frantic expression stumbled into the tent and knelt.

“What’s the matter?”

“Urgent news! Urgent news! It, it, it…!”

“Calm down and speak clearly. What’s happened that has you looking like you’ve seen a ghost…?”

“The Demon King has appeared! It seems he’s come to reclaim the supply lines we took!”

“I’d rather it had been a ghost. Without Layla, what can we even do…?”

Meanwhile, First Prince Asel approached Raul, who was staring at them, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“…Don’t worry about the situation here. Go.”

“But if I leave…”

“It’s an imperial order, Raul. As a son, you have a duty to see your father off on his final journey. If you ride at full speed now, you won’t be too late. I’d like to use Penelope’s teleportation magic, but with the Demon King here, that’s impossible.”

Raul couldn’t accept it. It was clear that without him, dealing with the Demon King would be even harder.

At the same time, he wanted to leave. If he didn’t witness his kind father’s final moments, he knew he would be haunted by regret for the rest of his life.

Caught in this whirlwind of conflicting emotions, Raul drifted.

“But if I’m not here, someone might die. Then…”

“Then I’ll die.”

“That’s foolish…”

“Yes, it’s foolish. But isn’t foolishness better than being pathetic and cowardly? To call back a friend who’s going to see his father’s final moments.”

Raul couldn’t say anything.

“My mother died miserably, caught in the schemes of the Second Prince’s mother. I couldn’t be there for her last breath. I don’t want you to live with that feeling.”

Raul nodded quietly.

—

A few days later.

Penelope, standing in the drizzling rain, asked nervously.

“…Can we really defeat the Demon King without Raul?”

“It’s not a matter of whether we can or can’t. It’s that we must.”

In response to Penelope’s worried question, First Prince Asel tried to lighten the mood with a joke.

Yet, his hands trembled uncontrollably. The enemy was the Demon King, after all. A monster among monsters who had once toyed with them effortlessly.

Even now, after all their growth, Asel wasn’t confident they could withstand his attacks.

“He’s here.”

Camilla sensed the Demon King’s arrival not through sight or hearing, but through instinct.

The instinctual warning that life was in danger. The source of that warning was approaching, step by step.

He walked alone toward the army, showing no sign of tension or fear. He looked as calm as if he were out for a stroll at noon.

His Eastern-style robe was old and worn, but it didn’t look shabby.

He carried only three swords instead of an escort, but the lack of numbers didn’t seem to matter.

“Annoying.”

He drew his sword and took a stance.

‘Swift Sword – Flying Mandarin Ducks.’

As he swung his sword lightly and swiftly,

The dark clouds in the sky, pouring cold rain, vanished without a trace.

The sky cleared, and the heroes, shocked by the sword strike that even changed the weather, let their guard down.

Perhaps the sunlight was too bright. People’s eyes were momentarily blinded, and when they opened them again, the Demon King was standing in the middle of their ranks.

“Draw your sword. That one.”

He urged the soldier in front of him to draw his sword.

“Uh, uh, uh…!”

The soldier, frozen in fear, couldn’t bring himself to draw the sword.

“It’s simple. I won’t attack you. Just strike me with that sword, and you’ll become a hero. Go on, kill me.”

But the soldier, trembling in fear, could only sob, unable to draw the sword.

“…I’ll teach you swordsmanship.”

The Demon King approached the soldier from behind, kindly taking his hands as if to teach him.

“Grip the sword.”

As the Demon King commanded again, the terrified soldier gripped the sword.

Then the Demon King, holding the soldier from behind, moved his body. He swung the sword with the soldier’s arm, as if teaching him a dance.

The fluid movements, like a dance, instantly slaughtered the surrounding soldiers, creating a sea of blood.

“Relax your wrist a little and turn your waist slightly to the left. Then, put a bit of strength into your shoulder and fix your wrist as you swing like this.”

Even though it was someone else’s body being controlled like a puppet, the sword was powerful.

Other imperial officers nearby charged in, but they only became part of the bloodbath. None could withstand the sword controlled by the Demon King.

“You bastard!!!”

First Prince Asel, erupting in anger, charged at the Demon King using flames as propulsion.

“Nice flames.”

The Demon King abandoned the soldier he was controlling and drew his own sword to block Asel’s flames.

“Good enough to split a sword.”

At that moment, a slash from the side forced the Demon King to take a step back.

“Impressive, soldier. To challenge me even with a body that’s lost its mobility. How did you manage to drag that cumbersome cart…”

The Demon King looked at the frozen ground and smiled with interest.

“Frozen the ground with magic, huh? Using the slippery surface to compensate for imperfect mobility. Interesting.”

The Demon King simultaneously blocked Penelope’s slash and Asel’s flaming greatsword with a single sword.

“Not bad. Show me more. Struggle harder. Show me even a bit more potential.”

As the Demon King laughed while fighting the two, a blue flash flew toward him.

Sensing the attack, the Demon King tried to twist his body to evade, but Asel grabbed his arm, and Penelope froze his legs.

As a result, the blue spear grazed his cheek, and red blood streamed down.

“That arrogant disciple’s daughter, huh? You’ve inherited your father’s sharp spear.”

“Raul used to read novels with lines like that. Three against one to beat someone to death.”

Raul would have sighed if he heard, but Camilla didn’t care.

“Well, I suppose it’s rude to call you rookies now.”

He drew two swords from his robe and smiled.

“I’ll acknowledge you as true warriors.”

Dual swords were usually weapons for dual-wielding techniques, combining offense and defense.

But common sense didn’t apply to the Demon King.

He could simultaneously execute different sword techniques with his left and right hands.

‘Gentle Sword – Roots of Love.’

‘Cunning Sword – Winged Bird.’

A fierce storm of sword energy swept through the battlefield, and Camilla and Asel did their best to deflect the slashes to protect the soldiers.

But that created an opening, and the Demon King leapt high into the sky.

“How foolish. You don’t even realize that such stupidity will cost you everything.”

He swung his sword with genuine intent.

‘Killing Sword – The Net.’

Like a net to catch minnows, a dense web of slashes covered the sky.

The gaps in the net were so small that only the tip of a pinky finger could fit, and its range extended beyond the horizon, leaving no room to dodge or escape.

“Hahaha…”

In the end, the soldiers dropped their weapons, giving up.

There was no way to defeat a monster who could unleash such an attack.

“…Everyone, bow.”

At the same time, someone who had leapt high into the sky blocked the slashes head-on.

Jet-black hair, a face devoid of any motivation, and eyes so deep they seemed endless.

Such an appearance was rare.

“Seems there was one more true warrior.”

The Demon King looked at Raul and smiled bitterly. Then, in a voice so quiet no one else could hear, he whispered.

“You can only be a warrior, poor child.”

Raul deflected the slashes with his cane as if brushing aside a net, then took a deep breath.

Blocking the Demon King’s genuine attack was clearly taxing.

First Prince Asel approached Raul, who had just saved his life…

And punched him in the face.

Then, grabbing Raul by the collar, he spoke with genuine anger.

“I told you to go and see your father’s final moments.”

“…I was worried.”

“These slashes… I could’ve blocked them if I pushed myself a bit.”

“You would’ve died instead. Horribly.”

“And now you’ll live with that horrible memory. The ridicule and scorn for not being there at your father’s deathbed will be a bonus. Do you know how much regret that is…!”

“I’ll live, Asel. The regret of not being there at his deathbed is better than the pain of losing you all. My father would’ve said the same.”

As Raul spoke casually, as a friend, Asel gritted his teeth and let go of his collar.

“Fool. Did you smear honey on the battlefield?”

“I promised some soldiers I’d return.”

“Worse than honey. You’ll get diabetes, sweet Raul.”

“I swear, if you give me one more weird nickname, I’ll give you one based on your… condition.”

“Whatever, eunuch or maiden, it’s all good…”

Asel calmly pointed his sword at the Demon King, who was watching them.

“Don’t you think we should at least land one hit on that bastard to feel better?”

Raul also pointed his cane at the Demon King.

“Your ambition is small. Settling for just one.”

“I meant one wound two meters in diameter.”

The two charged at the Demon King simultaneously, unleashing a fierce assault.

If not for Raul, the battle would’ve ended in a crushing defeat.

But thanks to Raul, who carried a lifetime of regret, the sacrifices were minimized.

—

Five days later.

The heroes and imperial officers, bandaged from their injuries, were eating and planning their next move.

As the gloomy Raul tried to scoop some stew with his bandaged hand, Kyle entered the tent with a grim expression and delivered the news.

“Raul. Count Arthur Berze… has passed away.”

Everyone at the table was shocked, their eyes wide, but Raul showed no change in expression as he brought the stew to his mouth.

Seeing this, the other officers cursed Raul in their hearts. How could he remain so calm after his father’s death?

Some even wondered if the reason he didn’t go to see his father’s final moments was because he lacked familial affection.

“……………”

First Prince Asel, who was the first to notice the subtle trembling in Raul’s expression, stood up abruptly and approached him.

He then shoved Raul’s face into the plate of stew.

“You’ve been scowling since morning. Must’ve lost your appetite. Let’s all go for a run to work up an appetite.”

Asel led the officers outside for a jog.

Penelope and Camilla also left the tent, looking at Raul with worried expressions.

—

Raul remained with his face in the plate for a long time.

Without saying a word or moving, he stayed there quietly.

Only the slight trembling of his shoulders proved he was still alive.

“Father…”

—

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