Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 155

Chapter 155: Shallow Impression

A testament to the lofty status of the Adratan Empire.

Who would have thought the iron-blooded prince, closely tied to the military, would meet such an end?

The betrayal of a trusted general had sharpened his nerves.

'I will definitely return.'

He'd return and this time, fulfill his long-cherished wish by sending the necks of those who caused his downfall to the guillotine.

Grinding his teeth in fury, Kaldrach already knew.

He knew he was finished.

With nothing left to do and having lost everything the moment the coup failed.

"I told you, if you don't want to die, eat."

In the end, Kaldrach thought, what stayed by his side were the 'Wedge Knights'.

In North Pole, the bonds forged through fighting demons and barbarians side by side were not mere vague emotions across classes, but a brotherhood, Kaldrach thought.

Yet, the Wedge Knights left along with his downfall.

Only then did he realize.

'Why didn't I know earlier?'

It must have been only because they clung to him, thinking being near the 'prince' could earn them some scraps.

"Shut up."

Because of that, the witch in front of him seemed disgusting too.

He had only brought the 'witch' to keep her in North Pole, ensuring the barbarians wouldn't gain cooperation.

Unlike the Wedge Knights, she hadn't shown affection to him, and it was easy to see why she remained, cold as she was.

"You, too, get lost like the others. There's nothing left to fall off this body now."

"That's obvious. The only thing left to fall off now is the pus from your burns."

The witch laughed softly.

Kaldrach shuddered even more at her sight.

He, who had stained the snow-white Northern Front line crimson with the blood of barbarians and made even fearless demons tremble!

To endure such humiliation.

Yet, as time passed, Kaldrach's emotions began to change.

"It seems to be getting a little better? That ugly face of yours is coming back, isn't it?"

The witch's sharp taunts gradually became bearable.

'This life isn't all that bad.'

The iron-blooded prince who craved power.

He, who always chased after brilliant light, never imagined he would find satisfaction in this crude hut.

"Why did you stay?"

Despite everything, the question lingered.

Why did the witch remain by his side?

He hadn't particularly been kind to her or given her anything, but still she remained.

"Because you stayed first."

Her words were incomprehensible.

'I stayed first?'

"So, I stayed too."

But was it necessary to understand?

Kaldrach thought that in this world, there might be things that must be accepted even if they couldn't be understood.

Just as he was beginning to adapt to these times.

"Haha, you look terrible, Kaldrach."

Eulsis visited the hut.

Mocking laughter echoed, ridiculing Kaldrach once more.

It was clearly Eulsis' face, but his aura was unlike what it was before.

Even though they once competed over the succession to the throne, Eulsis was his own blood.

Kaldrach wasn't so broken that he couldn't recognize the change in his brother.

"Eulsis......."

It wasn't an imitation made through magic either.

"What are you?"

A foreign sensation traveled from his toes to the top of his head.

That resulted in words of doubt.

Yet, he received no answer.

Eulsis simply gestured to the two soldiers he brought.

When they removed their hoods, what was revealed was.

"...... Demon?"

Although they took human form, horns unmistakably adorned their foreheads.

The very 'horns' that symbolized demons.

***

With a rather serious expression, Kaldrach left me puzzled.

"Beware of Eulsis?"

What nonsense.

Frankly, even the actual 'Yulian' of the 'Blind Eyes' Imperial Institute would have looked down on the 4th prince.

A guy with neither authority nor power, he was of no use to Yulian, who sought recognition and success.

'In the story, he might have been somewhat helpful.'

After all, he was a 'prince' of royal blood.

For Yulian, who was blinded by greed, being an assistant to a 'prince' would have been helpful, if not outstanding.

But.

'That's all there is.'

From the start, Eulsis was a minor character who didn't even play a supporting role in the story.

Whether killed by Kaldrach's schemes.

Caught by the overarching plans of the Dawn Society.

Or if neither, perished amid the royal family's machinations.

He was notorious enough in the community to earn the nickname 'jellyfish prince.'

If I hadn't followed the Holy Kingdom escort, he probably would have indeed died.

'He'd either have been killed by the Dawn Society or by one of the throne's contenders.'

"And is that why the Holy Kingdom ordered Eulsis to be targeted?"

For a moment, I wondered.

When asked to clarify, Kaldrach nodded.

"I thought killing him would be beneficial for my future, not knowing how he was raising demons."

Kaldrach nonchalantly justified the decision to kill his 'brother'.

It seemed the Holy Kingdom's 'brainwashing' was their own independent decision.

'Raising demons.......'

There are methods aplenty for such things.

But the only one that came to me instantly was the 'Gu Poison Hall' I saw in the Holy Kingdom before.

Through the demon trench created by Sword Saint Hyde Reich, demon breeding was possible.

'In the previous timeline, "Demon King's Vessel" must have been Eulsis.'

Then, besides the currently maddened Tenelon, it was likely Eulsis hearing the 'Voice'.

Only those with the greatest chance of becoming a 'Demon King' could hear the voice of the Demon God.

'But....... the current Eulsis showed no such inclination.'

Kaldrach must have decided to antagonize Eulsis because of the memory of what happened before.

No, even if that wasn't the case, he likely would have killed Eulsis for the throne.

'...... Whatever it is, I hope I don't get entangled in it.'

As I thought that, Kaldrach coughed.

"I apologize. I treated you that way at the wall because I thought you were a spy sent by Eulsis."

"Is that so?"

Though Kaldrach sincerely apologized, I felt no particular thought about it.

"So, what will you do?"

The issue was Kaldrach's future actions.

While I knew he'd be helpful to some extent, knowing the 'future', I wasn't sure he'd fully side with me.

I, too, know the future, but I'm burdened with the Achilles' heel known as the 'Dawn Society'.

And Kaldrach was aware of it.

If a picture of cooperation between us is improbable, I vaguely know what needs to be done.

Though there would be pangs of conscience.

'A decision must be made.......'

"I intend to remain at the North Pole Wall."

What?

For a moment, I thought I misheard him.

...... A man who staged a coup out of his lust for power?

"I will no longer pursue power. I've decided to remain here and watch the world unfold."

Because of repeated 'cycles', Kaldrach's tone carried resignation and despondency.

"Moreover, I heard I wouldn't be able to 'repeat' this time. I must focus on the life remaining."

Kaldrach shifted his gaze to the witch as he spoke.

"You've changed."

The peculiar sensation I felt from him at the 'North Pole' wall was explained.

His newfound 'ease' was now understood.

"They say people change after experiencing death, don't they? And I've died several times. Haha— it's only natural I've changed."

Kaldrach smirked.

"And the same goes for you, Yulian."

His words shifted my gaze.

"Didn't... die once?"

Did I die?

Indeed...... I did die once.

***

The strange feeling I'd perceived from Kaldrach was finally resolved.

The reason he intended to insert me into his 'Wedge Knights' was to gather information, suspecting I was a 'spy' rather than for cooperation.

'Although the reasoning is somewhat understandable, what if I were a real spy, what was he planning to do?'

Bringing a potential spy close posed a risk, didn't it?

But perhaps he was just that wary of 'Eulsis'.

'Even considering the risk of a tri-horned demon emerging, did he plan to take the gamble?'

No. Probably not.

He prioritized eliminating 'Eulsis'.

'Now, I understand Kaldrach's intentions.'

But if you ask whether he's completely trustworthy as an ally?

'No, he isn't.'

Both of us seek protection from risks.

Yet, our approaches are different.

"Though you're not an enemy, it's indeed a tricky situation to call you an ally."

Kaldrach accurately addressed the tricky situation.

He wasn't as aware of the 'future' as I was.

And he wasn't one to make efforts to eliminate dangers upfront either.

"Should you command loyalty, Your Highness, I'll obey unconditionally. The duty to the royal family lies in my duties as a subject."

"That's unnecessary. What's needed isn't pawns but entities that can autonomously remove dangers."

Kaldrach offered a faint, exasperated smile as he spoke startling words.

"I'll handle the two-headed demon."

Two-headed demon?

Although the One-armed demon had undergone 'corruption' without following standard procedures, traditionally, the first 'corrupted' demon in the scenario, was the two-headed demon Kaldrach referred to.

Knowing the danger of tri-horned demons, he declared he'd handle it himself.

'...... Is something being hinted at here?'

His tone suggested he had a purpose, and I was beginning to grasp that 'purpose'.

Eulsis?

No, there's a more tangible premise.

"...... You want Tenelon's head."

"We're both taking on risks here, so shouldn't you also bear some risk?"

'It's only fair to share risks.......'

It was a valid point, though he didn't know one thing.

'It's something I already have to do.'

Others, too, including the bishops, were preparing beneath the surface.

He didn't know that I had long been prepared to deal with 'Tenelon'.

Now that Kaldrach resided in the north, his access to information about the capital was limited.

"It's difficult alone."

"It doesn't seem like it."

Despite my negative response, Kaldrach once again offered a faint smile.

"If you truly need help, contact Secretary Sedn. Say I sent you, and he'll provide support in every possible way."

Secretary Sedn Orbian?

Was he secretly aiding Kaldrach behind the scenes even as the secretariat should be neutral like the Blind Eyes?

"Alternatively, use the Wedge Knights deployed in the capital."

I started feeling a sense of strangeness as I listened to him silently.

Why the sudden favorable treatment?

Isn't he supposed to be wary of someone who knows some of the 'future'?

"I must say, I'm impressed. You've come to the north not out of personal desire, but simply to eliminate demons undergoing 'corruption', aiming for the Empire's peace."

Kaldrach's smile deepened.

"So different from the actions of the 'Smiling Executioner'. While others pay lip service to royal loyalty, you're completely different."

Well, it's understandable.

The real Yulian and I are two entirely separate entities.

Though, he seems to misunderstand.

I'm already moving quite a bit for personal gain as well, after all.