〈 216th Episode 〉 Demon King’s Castle (2)

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“Creator God… Did you know that too?”

The First Demon King’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“Then let me ask you in return. How much do you know about it?”

What I knew about the Creator’s divine authority and the seal was nothing much.

I knew the rough identity of the Creator, that I had succeeded in killing her, but as a result, the world met its doom.

To prevent that destruction, I first sealed the Creator’s divine authority.

Lastly, that seal wouldn’t hold for long…

“That’s as far as I go.”

As I spoke up to that point, he interrupted me.

“I will explain from there. Until now, it has been a hidden aspect except for a few Demon Kings.”

Then, the Later Demon Kings began to murmur among themselves.

“Quiet down, I clearly said I wouldn’t warn you a second time.”

The First Demon King silenced them before continuing.

“The destruction of the world, which you so longed for, will come to pass soon enough, even if you just sit back and do nothing. The durability of the divine seal will wear out shortly.”

He was well aware of the divine seal’s details.

It was just that he had kept it hidden until now.

“The reason I didn’t tell you this is simple. There was a reason to bring about the world’s destruction before that.”

If he had told the Later Demon Kings this fact, they wouldn’t have put much effort into destroying the world.

And that means…

“The longer the destruction is delayed, the greater the damage to other dimensions will be. That’s why the early Demon Kings, including myself, have turned a blind eye to your eagerness to hasten the world’s downfall.”

It seemed he knew that much as well.

On the other hand, that story had created an odd atmosphere among the Later Demon Kings.

It was akin to saying that all their efforts to destroy the world were meaningless.

Due to that shock, they appeared unable to speak, whether because of the First Demon King or the realization itself.

Meanwhile, for me, the main point was just beginning.

“I also know up to that information. So, do you perhaps have more insights about the Creator’s divine authority or the seal? Especially any solutions to extend its lifespan?”

“A solution, huh…”

He chuckled bitterly.

The meaning behind that smile was clear.

“There’s none. However, it might be possible to extend its lifespan slightly. Besides, the High Priest seems to be aiming for that.”

“The High Priest, you say?”

Of course, I hadn’t ruled that out.

Nevertheless, the problem lay in her potential failure.

But right now, my curiosity went beyond just that.

“Do you happen to know how?”

“I’m not quite sure about the exact method either. But I do know that the deeds built up by a human like Beron serve as materials for the seal. And right now, the High Priest possesses a lot of such materials.”

“Materials?”

“I’m talking about the Apostles. You do know, right? Most of her Apostles were once renowned heroes.”

Yeah, I knew that.

But I had never considered that those Apostles could be used as materials.

“So you’re saying she’s going to use those Apostles to extend the seal’s lifespan?”

“Exactly, that was originally the purpose of the existence of heroes and Apostles.”

“What does that mean…”

“Were you not aware? Based on your actions until now, I thought you would’ve known.”

I didn’t.

No, in fact, I was starting to piece it together now.

If the Apostles were materials, then the significance of heroes became somewhat clear.

“So what you’re saying is, heroes are merely a means to extract the Apostles as materials?”

“Exactly. And we Demon Kings were just the experience points for her to evolve heroes.”

It started to become a bit clearer.

The reason the High Priest wanted to keep the Demon Kings alive.

Experience points.

She wanted to create stronger heroes using the Demon Kings.

It was obvious that if there were no enemies, the evolution of heroes would halt.

However…

“Are you just planning to watch her extend the seal? That would only increase the damage to other dimensions, you know?”

Even in the Hundred Braves, it ended that way.

In the preordained ending of destruction, the Demon Kings don’t show up in the Ice Valley.

If they were unaware of the seal, that could be excused, but even the First Demon King, who knew about it, didn’t seem to grasp that.

Yet he asked me in return.

“What would you choose? To minimize the damage to other dimensions or to slightly prolong this world’s existence for a few decades?”

And through that question, I realized.

Ultimately, he too was a being living in this world.

Unlike the Later Demon Kings.

If we had to label him, he was more akin to Luel.

He had no choice but to choose the early destruction of the world.

Yet now, when that was becoming challenging, he couldn’t help but struggle for a few more decades of life.

“I…”

It was hard to answer.

This place, Earth.

I knew both were precious worlds.

That’s why I had concluded to try and save both.

But… that might have been escapism.

I was merely running away from the choice before me.

Damn it.

If saving both worlds was impossible.

What choice should I make?

Of course, when I persuaded Luel, I had said I would destroy the world together.

But could I really do that?

Could I kill Elsie, Sara, and Miss Gwen with my own hands?

Perhaps it would be better to live happily together for a few more decades…

Damn it.

What a pointless thought.

I felt pathetic for even being momentarily lost in that contemplation.

After all, I already had one knowledge in my head.

“I’ll stop the High Priest.”

At that, the First Demon King’s eyes widened.

It was the first time I had seen him flustered.

“Allen Pleuk, are you serious? You’re not secretly wishing to become a Demon King, are you?”

“If necessary, I wouldn’t mind becoming a Demon King. But that’s not my purpose.”

The knowledge I had in mind.

It was something I had repeated in my head many times.

“The High Priest will fail to extend the world’s lifespan.”

Just like in the Hundred Braves, it has always been that way.

Without even a day’s difference, the world meets its doom on that day.

So there wouldn’t be any variables this time either.

“I can guarantee that.”

Or perhaps.

“Maybe the High Priest isn’t even after extending the world’s lifespan.”

Was there some other goal the High Priest had?

“Allen Pleuk.”

The First Demon King’s expression had become completely serious.

“On what basis can you guarantee that?”

He seemed a bit angry, even.

Well, having been unaware of this fact, he had likely been pondering my previous musings for centuries.

However, what I had just said rendered his worries meaningless.

“If that basis is trivial…”

He raised his spear and aimed it at me.

“You’ll have to prove it by embracing chaos.”

Embrace chaos to prove it.

If I did so, I would either become a Demon King or die, depending on whether there was certainty about needing to destroy the world.

Of course, I couldn’t become a Demon King as I already had a pact with Earth.

But what I intended to say was not that.

“I said I’d stop the High Priest, not that I’d destroy the world.”

I hadn’t given up yet.

Perhaps I could find a way to prevent the world’s destruction in the trials near the Ice Valley.

Regardless of whether I found that method or not, I had to stop the High Priest from doing something.

Whatever she intended to do, it would lead to destruction.

And…

“I don’t think the High Priest is trying to extend this world’s lifespan.”

I had a clear piece of evidence for that.

“Miss Weiss, show me the Snowflake Vision.”

“Yes.”

Then, snowflakes began gathering on the conference table, forming a shape.

It was the outline of Schurz.

I asked Miss Weiss.

“Skip to the part where Freira appears.”

“Yes.”

Then, I heard Violet’s voice.

“Freira, you say?”

I didn’t respond to the question.

After all, she would see it soon enough.

Before Schurz, the Snowflake Vision revealed the vision of snowflakes.

It was faint, but a shape recognizable even to the Demon Kings.

“The fifteenth…?”

“Freira?”

Violet stood up as soon as she saw her.

“I must ask. Why did you send the heroes towards the Central Sea System?” “Didn’t Allen tell you to go to the Leim Kingdom?” “What are you… thinking?”

Freira’s faint voice came mixed with the howling winds.

“Freira!”

Violet called out to her anxiously.

I could guess how close the two were, but for now, I had to silence her.

“I’m sorry, but could you please be quiet?”

Then Violet bowed her head in regret and sat back down.

Thanks to that, I could barely hear the faint conversation between the two again.

“Veered off the plan… Just what was that esteemed plan of yours?”

The plan.

Yes, this plan was the most crucial part.

“Do you really want to know? About my plan. Of course, I won’t force you. I just hope you can agree with my plan.”

It was a sight rare to behold, yet I had to endure and keep my gaze on the vision.

“Yes, I want to know. Just what is your plan?”

Then, in the next moment, the High Priest whispered the plan to Freira.

The whispering sound wasn’t even audible to my ears, probably because Schurz had used the Snowflake Vision to recreate it, but one thing was certain.

“You’ve completely lost it.”

Freira’s expression turned serious as she heard the plan.

And she fiercely rejected it.

Even at the cost of her own life.

“This isn’t a bad death either.”

Violet, who had been watching the spectacle, finally spoke up.

A soft voice escaped her lips, audible only to me.

“Freira is… smiling… even in such a situation… foolishly…”

Yeah, she died smiling.

That wasn’t the smile or death I had wished for.

Damn it.

No, focus.

There was no time to indulge in sentimentality.

I had to explain why I showed this to the First Demon King.

However, just before I could speak, he opened his mouth first.

“I believe you. If Freira reacted like that… certainly the High Priest’s plan couldn’t be what I anticipated.”

Yeah, that’s it.

Now it was time to persuade him.

“First Demon King. I need the power of you and the other Demon Kings to stop that High Priest.”

By this point, he should be swayed.

… or so I thought, but that was a mistake.

“Well, I see. But do you really think we could match the High Priest? We’ve already lost too much power because of you.”

“We will somehow break through to the Apostles. Then you can confront the High Priest…”

“And I don’t know about the others, but the other Demon Kings have no reason to help you in the end. Most of them don’t care as long as the world meets its end.”

“That’s…”

For some reason, his suddenly twisted attitude felt strange, but I had no means to refute it.

“Then just you alone…”

At that moment.

“Allen.”

Luel called for me.

“Luel?”

“It seems he’s testing you. What he believes in right now is Freira, not you.”

That certainly was the case.

He had only confirmed Freira’s judgment so far; I hadn’t earned his trust yet.

“If so…”

“No, there’s no need for you to step in. If I believe in you, then verification is unnecessary.”

“Really?”

“There’s some degree of trust between him and me. I can utilize that.”

The tone of Luel’s voice lowered significantly.

It was the voice of her as the Water Sage.

“Tel.”

Tel?

That name sounded familiar.

I had heard it somewhere before.

It clicked.

The Spearman Tel.

A member of the party that fought alongside the Water Sage to defeat the Creator.

But why was that suddenly relevant?

Could it be?

“What? You’re the current Water Sage, aren’t you?”

The First Demon King responded to her call.
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