novelraw Chapter 217 : The Demons (2)
Chapter 217 : The Demons (2)
The demons, who had barely survived the dragons' attack, were living day by day, relying on each other's warmth, without even a proper place to sleep.
"Tedras-nim..."
On top of that, their leader, the Demon King, had also died.
"Right."
Tedras, who was the Demon King's faithful subordinate and was no different from his right-hand man, was also unable to escape from his grief.
"What should we do now?"
Matisak, who had also become exhausted from comforting the children who had been crying all day looking for their parents, collapsed next to Tedras.
"We'll have to find a way."
He had also lost countless things when he had been driven out to the demon world.
He had lost his honor, and he had lost the one he loved.
He had had his home taken away, and he had experienced a living separation.
Now there was really nothing left.
"It's sad."
Although he had returned to the forest where he had walked with his lover, he had regained nothing.
"I've lost everything."
"..."
"We've lost everything we loved."
Tedras's empty voice echoed sadly.
"But... as Tedras-nim said, we have to find a way."
Matisak's gaze, as he spoke weakly, rested on the temporary shelter where the children were sleeping.
Although it was a place roughly built by weaving together the surrounding branches and large and small leaves, if it weren't for this, not only the children but also they themselves would have had a hard time staying alive.
"Right. You're right."
"How about we go and see the dragons?"
"..."
It wasn't that Tedras hadn't thought of that.
"Didn't you say that the Demon King had a last word for Tedras-nim?"
"...Right."
The Demon King Yastan, who had returned after meeting someone, had called Tedras and had spoken with a sad face.
"What did he say?"
Tedras, who had taken a deep breath at Matisak's question, answered with difficulty.
"He asked me to take good care of the kinsmen even if he were to be gone from the world."
"Then..."
"Right. He might have already foreseen it. That he would die."
"Then are you saying that the dragon harmed the Demon King?!"
As Matisak shouted and got up from his seat, Tedras slowly shook his head.
"No. That's not it."
There was no reason for the dragons to assassinate Yastan.
"If they were going to harm the Demon King, there would have been no need to use such a method."
"Then who did it? Who on earth..."
The last person the Demon King had seen before he died was Tedras.
That was why when he had first realized the Demon King's death, Tedras had also not been able to escape from the line of suspects.
But the result of the thorough investigation of the small hut where the Demon King had been by skilled mages was only the faint mana felt from the crystal ball.
'Who on earth did such a thing?'
He had also thought that Yastan might have taken his own life, but that also did not make sense.
'He said he was waiting for the last answer. If he had intended to take his own life, he would not have made a promise.'
Yastan was a person who valued promises.
There was no way he would have taken his own life without hearing the last answer.
"Matisak."
Tedras carefully got up from his seat and took a fighting stance.
"Yes."
"It seems someone has come."
***
"That house is still there."
Hasel said, looking at the roof of the hut that was faintly visible in the distance.
"Right. It is."
And as they walked a little further, the small tents set up here and there in what would have been the yard came into view.
"And the people we were looking for are also here."
Two figures appeared in front of Hasel and Lucas, revealing their killing intent.
"Are you going to kill us?"
Hasel stepped forward leisurely in front of them.
"...Even if we can't, we'll have to try if we can."
Tedras clenched both his fists and corrected his posture as if he were about to jump forward at any moment.
"Stop."
Lucas, who had been standing behind Hasel, stepped forward and stopped them.
"We came to talk, not to fight."
"..."
"I will send you back to the demon world."
At Lucas's words, Tedras's two clenched fists loosened for a moment.
"Is that really true?"
Matisak asked as if he couldn't believe it.
"Did you get in touch with Giestio-nim?"
It was a name that made his anger flare up just by hearing it.
"...No. I found another way. So will you talk to me?"
Lucas suppressed his anger and spoke as gently as possible.
At that, Matisak glanced at Tedras.
"I understand."
Tedras nodded his head.
***
Lucas, who was sitting across from Matisak, spoke first.
"It's been a while."
"...Do you know me?"
Although he was a human Lucas, since the aura he exuded was not ordinary, no one dared to speak carelessly.
"Right. I've seen you before."
"I see."
Tedras did not ask any further and just nodded his head quietly.
"I know about Yastan's matter."
At that, Tedras's eyes instantly became fierce.
"How could you..."
Lucas raised one hand and stopped Tedras's words.
"It was Giestio's doing."
"That's absurd."
It was Matisak.
"It's your freedom to believe it or not."
"Lord. What freedom is there?"
Hasel said in an annoyed voice.
"Absurd? Then I'll throw you into the Siren's territory right now. If you all want to become fish food together."
Hasel also seemed to have a hard time holding back any longer.
"Do you even know that we are making an effort we don't have to, just to save you? There's a limit to being shameless."
A growling sound escaped from between Hasel's teeth.
"Hasel. Stop it."
"Isn't it right? Half of our kinsmen have died. Their souls have been annihilated, and even the path of reincarnation is blocked. But why are you doing this to these bastards? These bastards don't even know gratitude!"
At Hasel's sudden anger, Lucas also frowned as if he were a little flustered.
"Get lost to the demon world or die."
Hasel warned for the last time.
"Since when have you been beings who can sit in the same place as us and talk? You lowly things."
"Your words are excessive."
Lucas stopped Hasel's rampage.
'If this continues, he'll really kill them all.'
Although he might be less so than the Red clan, Hasel was also a person with a fiery temper.
"Stop it."
"...I understand."
As if he still had some reason left, Hasel obediently stepped back.
"The day you can move is two days from today. They said all preparations will be finished by then."
"...I understand."
Tedras also did not add any more words after facing Hasel's transparent anger.
"Right. Let's go."
Lucas also forced himself to put away what he had been about to say and got up from his seat.
'A chance to talk will come someday.'
The goal of sending them back to the demon world was somewhat successful.
'Right. That's enough.'
The remaining demons would somehow live on again.
So now there was only one thing left.
'Giestio.'
He felt that he would only be relieved if he caught and killed him.
***
Giestio, who was playing chess with Pamela, frowned as if he were cornered.
"Hmm... it's difficult. It's very difficult."
"..."
Pamela just sat there with a blank expression, looking at Giestio.
'Why does he keep looking for me?'
No matter how well she played chess, it was strange.
'It would be better if he just killed me or kicked me out.'
When she faced Giestio like this, it was like sitting on a cushion of thorns.
The words he threw, as if he were subtly testing her, and the moves he made, gave her a headache.
"I heard the Demon King is dead. Did you hear that story?"
Pamela's hand, which had just picked up a piece, flinched.
"It seems you haven't heard."
Giestio's fins, which had been still, began to shake.
"What does that have to do with me?"
At Pamela's flustered words, Giestio shouted 'that's right' inwardly.
"I was just talking about a passing rumor. I didn't say it because I thought it had anything to do with you."
"Whatever. I don't know."
At Giestio's piercing words, Pamela's heart pounded.
"Since you said you didn't know the demons last time, you must not know. Ah, but by the way."
Pamela's trembling hand struggled to move the piece.
"I heard that most of the demons are also dead."
"I know that story because you told me last time."
Pamela said, trying her best to hide her expression.
"Oh. I see. This is..."
Giestio moved a piece.
As the piece was placed on the chessboard with a 'tak' sound, Pamela's expression hardened sharply.
"How could you make such a mistake?"
A sense of intoxication appeared on Giestio's expression as he smiled faintly at Pamela.
"I can't always be perfect."
Pamela bit her lower lip.
"But how do you know the situation on the land so well, Giestio-nim?"
Pamela tried her best to show a calm tone and gesture.
'She's trying hard.'
The pitiful thing was that Giestio also knew that Pamela was trying hard.
"Ah, I didn't tell you that."
"...?"
'What on earth does he want to talk about?'
Pamela swallowed hard.
"There are a few people who give me information on the land."
"Is that so?"
It was when Pamela had nodded her head as if it were not a big deal and had turned her gaze back to the chessboard.
"But this time, it's not information given by someone else."
"What do you mean by that?"
Pamela asked, having picked up a piece after much deliberation.
"Because I killed him."
The piece in Pamela's hand fell onto the chessboard with a 'tuk' and knocked over a few other pieces.
'He killed him with his own hands? How...?'
Giestio had definitely not gone out to the land.
'Did the person who gave him the information kill him?'
Yastan was one of the few people who had shown her sincerity.
The favor she had received from another race was also the first from Yastan.
"Oh dear! Oh no. We'll have to play again."
"..."
"Although you can play chess again like this..."
Giestio quickly organized the pieces.
"A life is not like that."
Pamela's complexion turned pale.
'That's a threat. A clear threat.'
Giestio was now warning her.
That her life could not be played again like the chessboard now.
"So you always have to be careful."
Giestio's fins, which had been enjoying Pamela's flustered appearance, stopped abruptly.
"If you don't want to lose your sister forever."
Pamela was now trembling all over.
"I'm done putting up with your petty tricks, Pamela-yang."
Tears welled up in Pamela's eyes.
"If you touch even a single hair on my sister... I'll kill you too."
A black whirlwind arose from Pamela's body.
[End of Chapter]