Ch.138138. Struggle

Why on earth did they use such a bastard as a chief of staff?

I couldn’t understand Bynessa’s thinking, bringing only two subordinates on this outing.

Of course, bringing a few more wouldn’t have changed the situation, but it might have at least bought time to escape. Multiple high-ranking demons could have at least played the role of buying time.

But just three.

I couldn’t tell if he simply thought of the beastkin as fools, or if he believed he wouldn’t be in danger even when moving with so few.

‘Well, I’m grateful for it from my position.’

I didn’t come here to engage in some grand battle in the first place. If I had been interested in that, I would have come alone with the holy sword and challenged him to a duel.

The only thought dominating my mind now was a single goal: to kill him as quickly as possible and turn him into black pudding. His purplish skin would make for just the right color.

However, as I faced him, I could understand why Bynessa had flown in so carelessly.

He seemed to have confidence.

Confidence that he could save his own life in any situation.

He even seemed to have grounds for that confidence.

“…Disgusting bastards!”

While trying to maintain distance from me, he released powerful dark green magical energy.

Though I deflected it with the holy sword, I felt both considerable impact and heat that seemed like it would scorch my skin.

And immediately after, when the knights in my party launched a simultaneous aura slash, he evaded them all at an astonishing speed.

Regardless of his intelligence, he was truly powerful. I couldn’t understand why such a being had been cooped up in the Demonic Land.

However, no matter how fast and strong he was, it was meaningless.

Because I could easily accomplish anything Bynessa could do. Plus, I had the holy sword in my hand.

And I was even receiving help from my companions.

“Great Purification!”

The Saintess and Elder Priest Edin simultaneously cast holy magic. It was holy magic for attack, not healing.

Originally a technique used to purify objects or areas contaminated with demonic energy, it could also be used to temporarily hinder the movements of demons like Bynessa. Perhaps because they cast it simultaneously, its effectiveness was even more remarkable.

And it wasn’t just the clergy who were present.

The Beast King, who had been dealing with other demons, suddenly struck Bynessa from behind.

As a sword the size of a small child swept across Bynessa’s back with a thud, dull-colored blood sprayed into the air. It was more like the claws of a giant beast scratching than a sword strike.

Seeing Bynessa’s face contort in bewilderment after being stabbed, he seemed to be thinking, “These bastards, attacking dishonorably from front and back…!” as if feeling wronged.

‘Idiot.’

Ignoring his sense of injustice, I simply delivered a strike.

I didn’t use any special technique; I just charged forward with all my might while swinging the holy sword with full force.

Just a fast and powerful horizontal slash.

The only difference between my sword strike and that of ordinary knights was that it was impossible to block or deflect.

Even if the opponent was one of the Tetrad, it would be the same.

“……!”

With the sound of fabric tearing, the fight—no, the hunt—came to an end.

Bynessa, with his entire chest in tatters, stared at me blankly.

It was amazing that he was still alive; a human, or even most demons, would have died instantly.

Moreover, seeing that he still had strength left, it seemed like he might somehow heal himself if given time. Truly a worm-like vitality. His face, looking at me as if he couldn’t understand, was still stained with humiliation and anger.

I didn’t deliver the final blow to end his life either.

Bynessa, thinking he had a chance to leave last words, mumbled something.

“His Majesty…!”

Seeing that he was about to say “His Majesty,” I figured there was no need to listen, so I swung the hammer (which Katie had picked up and handed to me) and touched his scalp with it.

Soon after, with a dull sound, Bynessa collapsed.

Since he was unnecessarily trying to get up, I hit him three or four more times to completely incapacitate him. Then he just wriggled like a worm.

It was the moment when the last of the Demon Lord’s Tetrad was reduced to a lump of meat.

***

Immediately after the hunt ended, I turned to look at the Beast King.

The Beast King was busy controlling the wyverns, which were excited by the smell of their master’s blood.

Perhaps because they looked similar, the three wyverns were also docilely accepting the Beast King’s touch. It was right to properly manage the valuable transportation we had secured.

However, there was something else the Beast King could do for me besides soothing the wyverns.

“Leoneo. Can you communicate with the Demon Lord’s army right now?”

“I can. But why?”

“Tell them now. That the Demon Lord’s chief of staff is dying, and that you, Leoneo, have defected. By notifying them honestly like this, the Demon Lord might prepare properly and come out to intercept us, but…”

I was about to add an explanation in case he thought it was unnecessary provocation, but Leoneo nodded as if no explanation was needed.

“Understood. I’ll do that.”

The reason I was doing this was to spread the news of the Demon Lord’s misjudgment and the disaster it caused throughout the Demon Lord’s army.

An incompetent Demon Lord who had wastefully lost all four of the Tetrad. I wanted to let the demons know that there was no need to desperately protect such a leader.

Of course, it wasn’t that the current Demon Lord was completely incompetent.

In terms of the harm done to humanity, he might even be superior to the previous Demon Lord.

This was because he had exploited the wounds of humanity, which had been weakened because of Gwon Heejin, to the point of irreversible decline.

However, I didn’t think the demons would highly regard the current Demon Lord.

Many wouldn’t understand that humanity could be struck by methods other than hitting, destroying, and killing, and many wouldn’t recognize the value of Iclit, who had contributed to the Demon Lord’s army with cunning rather than strength.

Moreover, now that even the succubi had deserted, their intelligence had weakened.

It didn’t seem like there would be many demons who would blindly be loyal to the Demon Lord, though they might not be able to openly rebel. They might rather treat him as a dark army that had lost its strength while playing childish games.

‘The number of demons willing to risk their lives to protect the Demon Lord must be decreasing accordingly.’

I was just trying to encourage that desertion. It was something I was doing to lower the difficulty of subjugating the Demon Lord, even if just a little.

Because that way, I could return to the Empire as soon as possible.

I had no intention of breaking my promise to Ember (not to interfere in the Empire’s political affairs). In fact, I hadn’t communicated with the imperial palace at all since departing.

However, regardless of that promise, worry about the Empire always occupied a corner of my mind. Not because of loyalty to the Empire, but because I feared that my work would increase.

It was unavoidable. My position was different from the heroes from other worlds who could just cleanly kill the Demon Lord and leave.

Returning swiftly to the imperial capital was as important as, if not more important than, subjugating the Demon Lord.

So, as quickly as possible…

“Marquis.”

It was Garland, who was also my vassal, calling me.

When I turned around, he was shaking the blood off his blade while looking at me with concern.

Behind him lay two high-ranking demons, so mutilated that their forms were hard to recognize. The knights seemed to have worked together to finish them off.

“What is it?”

“I think you can set aside your worries about the Empire at this point.”

“…?”

“It’s been barely a week since we left the imperial capital. We’ll soon be engaged in a tedious battle at the Demon Lord’s castle, but still…”

“You mean nothing will go wrong in the meantime. I understand what you’re saying.”

“Yes. You even made arrangements in case something goes wrong. They’ll probably manage well even without you, Marquis.”

Was Garland really saying this out of faith in the Empire?

Probably not, but since he was saying it for my sake as his lord, I decided not to argue.

And it was true that things had been going as I had expected so far.

‘Right. This should be enough.’

Moreover, we had secured transportation thanks to Bynessa.

Three trained wyverns. One of them was a large specimen that could carry five or six people.

It wasn’t that humans hadn’t tried to tame wyverns before. The imperial family or adventurer’s guild had captured wyverns by offering high rewards. It’s just that none of them had ever carried humans, only consuming meat.

But this time, it seemed we wouldn’t have to worry about that. Because we had the Beast King, who seemed even more eager than me to subjugate the Demon Lord.

“Hero. Are we departing right away?”

“There’s no need to delay. But will they carry us?”

“If it comes to it, we can force them with strength. I’ll take responsibility, so just wait a few hours.”

That was fortunate.

I instructed my party members to prepare to leave, then sighed.

Although we were essentially going to hunt the Demon Lord right after virtually annihilating the Tetrad, I didn’t feel much pressure.

The pressure being exerted on the Demon Lord, and the demons standing blankly beside him right now, was nothing compared to my impatience.

“Um, Hero.”

“Hmm? …Ah.”

Only after a party member pointed it out did I notice Bynessa still wriggling like a worm at my feet.

It was impressive how he was still trying to survive, twisting his body even with half his torso blown away and his skull cracked.

But that wriggling didn’t last long.

The next moment, the hammer I swung with all my might struck the center of his parietal bone.

It felt several times sturdier than the skulls of Gwon Heejin or Iclit, but the result was the same. After one twitch, he stopped moving. Since there was no time to set up a separate pyre, I just instructed Professor Weaver to burn him.

“Is he completely burned? We’re departing soon. Get ready.”

I turned to my party members and gave instructions.

Now it was time to enter the Demonic Land.

***

…

At the same time, at the Imperial Palace.

“Oh?”

An exclamation escaped from the lips of Prince Simon, who was receiving a report about the second round of the Empire’s lottery, which was about to be drawn.

It wasn’t just because it was selling well.