The Heavenly Demon Is Just Stuck In My Head

Chapter 352 : The Red-Eyed Wandering Knight

"It's clear you haven't been well."

Ashuban said with a grin.

"This bastard, how did the dark circles under your eyes get even darker? Do you even sleep?"

The Black Crown Prince, whose tension had been released, laughed with a deflating sound.

"You're probably the only one who calls me 'this bastard'."

"What do you want me to do about it. If you're not happy, let's have a go, you bastard."

Hearing his curse, a smirk naturally appeared on his lips.

"It's been a while since you've been hit, right? You seem to have a lot on your mind, should I give you a good punch? Trivial worries will disappear far away."

"...You're the same as ever."

Having always lived surrounded by excessive honorifics, hearing his rough but friendly tone.

The Black Crown Prince felt his heart become incomparably at ease.

Perhaps he had been looking for someone who would treat him carelessly.

"..."

The Black Crown Prince looked at the man in front of him.

He was once called the Red Eyed Devil and had brought a storm to the calm Blake Kingdom.

Putting everything else aside, he was more than qualified to speak so carelessly to him, the king of the Blake Kingdom.

If it weren't for him, he would not have been able to sit on the throne.

Was that all?

The war with the fallen god in the Maia Kingdom.

If what he had heard from the royal knights who had participated in that war was correct.

With his current power, he could destroy a country single-handedly.

Not an exaggeration or a metaphor, but literally.

"What are you looking at?"

"...I've heard the news."

The Black Crown Prince leaned back in his chair in a much more relaxed posture and said.

"Thanks to you, the world wasn't destroyed, right? The hero who saved the nation. Truly amazing. I pay my respects."

Clap... clap... clap...

The sound of the Black Crown Prince's applause echoed emptily in the room.

Ashuban's head tilted to one side.

"For some reason, it sounds like you're teasing me. I feel bad."

"Of course not. Are you so twisted that you can't even accept a compliment at face value?"

Ashuban dragged a chair over and sat down, and the Black Crown Prince took out some expensive liquor from the display cabinet.

"Would you like a drink?"

"I never refuse what's given to me."

Gulp, gulp, gulp.

The two of them continued their conversation while drinking the expensive, golden-hued liquor.

"How is it, is being a king bearable?"

"Look at my face. Do you think it's bearable?"

"Hmm. You look like death. For some reason, you feel one step closer to death."

"..."

"Is being a king a job that grinds away one's lifespan?"

"It seems so."

Ashuban asked, swirling his glass.

"Do you like it?"

"I don't."

"Then why did you do it?"

"Because I felt like I would die of frustration if I didn't."

Ashuban smirked.

"Yeah, whether you die this way or that way. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You should live as you please, doing what you want."

"Hmm. Surprisingly, that's not wrong."

"So, do you regret it?"

The Black Crown Prince shook his head.

"I don't regret it."

"Then that's fine."

Ashuban said, sipping his liquor.

"If you had regretted it, I was going to beat you to a pulp. It's a shame."

The Black Crown Prince said, pouring liquor into Ashuban's empty glass.

"Can I take your visit as a sign that you've returned to be my sword?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? You think so?"

"Am I wrong?"

"You are. I just came on a trip down memory lane."

The Black Crown Prince tilted his head.

"Did I hear you wrong? A trip down memory lane?"

"You heard me right. A trip down memory lane."

"I didn't know you were such a sentimental guy."

"Well... I have other business too, so it's a bit of both."

"Other business?"

"It's personal. Mind your own business."

"I will."

Ashuban asked.

"I heard Uncle Hans is also staying here."

"That's right."

"He's doing well, right? Labor exploitation, unpaid wages, forced labor, workplace harassment and sexual harassment, discriminatory treatment, unfair contracts, threats of dismissal. If any of these apply, I'll destroy the entire palace."

The Black Crown Prince snorted.

"Sir Hans is the only remaining disciple of the master craftsman Ophosis. There is nothing more foolish than to instill hostility in such an irreplaceable talent."

"So? You're saying no?"

"We are providing the highest possible level of treatment, more than that of a noble or a royal knight."

"Are you sure?"

"As it is a matter I personally attend to, I can say so with confidence."

"Hmm. I'll be conducting a surprise inspection in the future, so don't be complacent yet."

"Do as you please."

Suddenly, Ashuban looked towards the outside of the door and asked.

"By the way. Where's Fluffy?"

"Fluffy? Ah, you mean Sir Roetgel."

"Yeah, Roe-something."

"He's out on a mission for a while."

"When is he coming back?"

"Well. It's not a very long mission, so you'll be able to meet him if you wait a few days."

Ashuban nodded his head.

"Hmm. Then I'll be staying for a while, so provide me with a place to stay."

"..."

To treat the solemn royal palace as a lodging.

It wasn't a difficult matter, but for some reason, out of a sense of resentment, the words just slipped out.

"Why should I?"

Ashuban replied shamelessly, tapping his leg.

"I'm your knight."

"Only my knight at times like this."

The Black Crown Prince snorted.

"Anyway, take care of it. So that no unnecessary commotion arises."

"Alright."

"I hate noisy things. I want to stay quietly."

"I said alright."

The two of them occasionally clinked glasses and talked about various things.

They weren't originally very talkative, but since it had been so long since they had met, the conversation flowed naturally.

Suddenly, Ashuban said abruptly.

"Are you worried about something?"

The Black Crown Prince blinked his eyes.

"I'm always worried about something."

"I'm not talking about those trivial worries."

Trivial worries about the important affairs of the nation.

Then what was an important worry?

"Then?"

"You seem to have a lot on your mind, is it related to the funeral today?"

"..."

At the question that hit the core, the Black Crown Prince was at a loss for words for a moment.

It was a personal worry.

A personal worry that he had not confided in anyone, and had no intention of doing so, a trivial worry because it was personal.

And this guy was calling it the most important worry.

After a moment of thought, the Black Crown Prince obediently confessed.

About his father.

Ashuban listened quietly.

And then, he said a few words and went out the window.

"..."

Silence fell in the dark office.

Tadak, tadak—

The sound of the fireplace burning was heard.

"...Was that it?"

The Black Crown Prince, left alone in the room.

Stared out the dark window in silence for a long time.

***

Early dawn, when the sun had not yet risen.

While the dew on the blades of grass still remained.

A knight stood alone in front of a tombstone.

It was a truly shabby tomb, no different from that of an ordinary person.

So much so that no one would think it was the tomb of a king.

This was the last will of the former king, Eskel.

Jeobeok—

Next to him, a man approached.

Serkov said without turning his head.

"You've come."

The red eyed man, Ashuban, placed the flowers he had brought in front of the tombstone and answered.

"My condolences."

"...He was a great man."

"Is that so?"

A moment of silence fell between the two.

"There was a last will he wanted me to convey to you."

The Devil Knight looked at the Knight Of Eternal Winter.

"Thanks to you, I was able to go peacefully. Thank you."

"..."

Ashuban stood next to him in silence and looked at the tombstone.

***

The garden within the royal palace.

It was a considerably large and peaceful sight.

There, I was chatting with Duke Herman Starvenger.

When I had suddenly approached him as he was passing through the corridor and spoken to him, his expression when he saw me was quite impressive.

"It seems you've stopped by the Starvenger family."

"Something like that. It's late, but congratulations on becoming a duke."

"Don't mention it. It's all thanks to you."

Herman smiled.

It was still a benevolent, good-natured smile.

"By the way. Not much has changed even though it became a ducal family."

"Whether it's a faction or a family. In the end, it's made up of people. The members may have increased a little, but everyone is still guarding their own place, so isn't that natural?"

"Hmm. I see."

Over there, Rutie and Ashley were getting along with Shushuruta and Linda.

Seeing them talking happily after meeting, it seemed they had become close in the short time they had spent together at the Sherwood Mercenary Corps.

When I had arrived here and went to see the Black Crown Prince and Sir Serkov.

They had gone to the royal knights' quarters to find those two and were playing.

—Rutie! Look at this!

—Oh my, what is this?

—Yeah, this is the compass that Shushu always carries in her bosom. I secretly stole it while she was sleeping! I did well, right?

—Uh, um...

At that, Shushuruta, who was looking at flowers with Ashley a little distance away, turned her head sharply, and what followed was obvious.

—Give it back!

—Run away!

Udadada!

I looked at the two who were running around the garden diligently.

Herman also looked at them with a pleased smile and said.

"How is it, did you use the token you had?"

"I used it well. The Starvenger family's wine cellar will probably be empty when you go back."

Herman laughed heartily.

"You should have at least told me you were coming."

"I prefer surprise visits."

"You have a bad hobby."

Herman smirked.

"By the way, I heard you gave the Lightning Sword to Sir Ashley."

"The Lightning Sword?"

"You know, the one. Ophosis's seventh masterpiece, the yellow masterpiece. It's also called the Thunderclap Sword because it summons lightning."

"Ah, that one."

I had forgotten.

"It's just that Sir Ashley was the first one who came to mind. I was busy at the time, so I just threw it to her and left. Is she using it well?"

"Well. Sir Ashley originally used a smallsword, so she seems to be struggling to adapt."

When I followed his gaze, I saw Ashley chasing after Shushuruta and Linda in the distance.

She was carrying a large two-handed sword on her back.

"Well, if she doesn't like it, tell her to give it to someone else. I don't really care."

Come to think of it, including Sir Ashley, there are two of the Eight Sword Masters in the Blake Kingdom.

No, if you include Sir Fluffy, would it be three?

A smirk escaped me.

Even that Kingdom of Sorrow, where kids play with swords while using aura, only has two of the Eight Sword Masters.

Of course, as of now, neither of them are proper Eight Sword Masters.

But since they are both talented knights, you never know what the future holds.

A slight smile appeared on my face as I thought that I might have provided the stepping stone to make the Blake Kingdom a superpower without even realizing it.

"Come to think of it, the royal knights were eagerly looking for you."

"Me? Why?"

Herman smiled brightly.

"Why else? It seems they are eager to clash swords with the strongest knight."

"Really?"

I smirked and stood up from my seat.

"I guess I'll have to show them the taste of the Half-Sword. I'll be right back."

Herman also stood up, following me.

"Let's go together. I'll guide you."

I followed Herman to the training ground where the royal knights were training.

As soon as I entered, all eyes gathered on me.

I saw familiar faces.

The giant, Vandyke of the Iron Spear, holding a huge spear diagonally behind his back.

The silent Victor, who had fiercely pushed me back with his flaming twin axes in the decisive battle.

Aaron, who had cheerfully provided commentary and MC'd during the decisive battle, but whose skills seemed by no means ordinary.

Besides them, other royal knights who were exuding an unusual aura.

I grinned and looked around at them.

Then, I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword and said.

"Come at me all at once."

Silence spread.

"..."

They looked at each other once, and then, all at once, they rushed at me with a terrifying momentum.

I didn't back down, but rather, I used my lightness technique and approached one of them, then.

Possessed by a prankster, I froze his scabbard with ice magic before he could draw his sword.

"Heehee."

"What...!"

Thwack!

After sending the instantly neutralized knight flying, I shouted.

"Come on!!"

***

A moment later.

Only one person was standing completely in the training ground.

"Ah, how boring. Is this all?"

Groans could be heard from here and there.

"...!"

Herman, who was watching, couldn't close his mouth.

He couldn't easily believe it even after seeing it with his own two eyes.

Thanks to the breathing that Ashuban had taught them, their skills had become even stronger than before.

They were the Blake Royal Knights, whom everyone called the strongest generation in history.

And yet, those strong knights.

The sight of them all being knocked down like autumn leaves by a single person was a very unrealistic scene.

It was as if the common sense he knew was being overturned.

'Is that really a human like us...!'

Whether he was or not.

Ashuban muttered nonsense as he looked at the knights who were scattered around the training ground like rags.

"Indeed... is this the loneliness of a one-man army. I think I know how my master felt."

At that moment.

There was a knight entering the training ground.

He saw the knights lying on the training ground and doubted his own eyes.

"...What is this?"

At the familiar voice, Ashuban turned around.

There stood the red-eyed wandering knight who had returned after completing his mission.

Fluffy's eyes widened when he saw him.

"...Devil?"

Ashuban smiled and aimed his Half-Sword.

"Shall we see your skills after a long time?"

Sreung!

Sir Fluffy also smiled and drew his sword.

"Gladly."

(End of Chapter)