Ch.176Blood Memory (2)

# Nothing Lasts Forever

Watching the fall of the Red Horns, Istria declared they would become the successor to the Eternal Throne, but they too eventually faced the same decline.

What replaced the primordial bloodline was the magic of dominion.

It was a system where golden storms would sweep up lesser demons, transforming them into loyal legions of the Demon King’s castle. This proved highly effective on battlefields where morale greatly influenced outcomes. When battle lines were about to collapse, it forcibly held soldiers in place, creating opportunities for reversal.

However, this also led to desperate struggles in battles that couldn’t be won.

The legions were the foundation of the Demon King’s castle.

Once they were depleted, authority collapsed instantly.

The most notable example was the series of failures by successive kings after the death of the progenitor Belial in battle against the Archangel.

With all the soldiers loyal to Istria sacrificed and no one left to step forward, other horns who had previously bowed their heads began to emerge to the forefront.

“Your Majesty, if you’re considering an expedition, please reconsider.”

“We barely have enough soldiers to defend the castle, let alone conduct military operations.”

“If necessary, we Red Horns will take your place. Please hand over command to us.”

Internal strife always preceded the decline of the demon realm.

The old king Etarna, who had held his position longest after the deaths of many kings, had to endure all these moments throughout his life.

He painfully overcame these situations.

“Istria’s commanders still hold their positions.”

“Death comes in an instant. We are always ready to step forward when the castle faces crisis, so please make use of us.”

Though they spoke respectfully, they couldn’t hide their fangs.

A sharp energy targeted Etarna’s heart.

“I may do so someday.”

It was lamentable that he couldn’t suppress them due to consecutive failures.

The king, glaring at Killahal, the current leader of the Red Horns, ultimately couldn’t make any retort.

“I’ll be waiting for that day.”

Though the battle of nerves wasn’t long, it greatly depleted his mental strength. Etarna leaned back on his throne.

Thud, thud…

The footsteps faded away. Only then did his mind and body relax, finding some stability. But he couldn’t shake off the heavy pressure weighing on him.

-The Red Horns are eyeing the throne.

Watching his increasingly powerful adversary, he was consumed by anxiety. It felt as if destruction was approaching.

Istria, which should have supported the king, was struggling with consecutive defeats.

He had to face it alone.

To prepare for the inevitable doom.

“…”

Suddenly, Etarna found himself thinking thoughts he shouldn’t.

The fall of the Istria dynasty.

A catastrophe that absolutely must not happen during his reign.

He didn’t want to leave a disgraceful mark in history. How could he become known as the king of defeat?

Above all else.

“Father, we absolutely must not leave them be.”

He had to endure for his son’s sake.

“The legion hasn’t yet recovered from its losses, but we still have loyal guards remaining. If necessary, use their power to suppress them.”

His voice exuded vigor. Only then could Etarna manage a slight smile.

“Caldrago, the guards are not to be moved carelessly.”

The king gently instructed his son.

“How can we use talents meant for decisive battles for the sake of power?”

“We are already at war with the Red Horns. We must act before they make the first move.”

“There’s no need to act. We only need to withstand their pressure. Once the legion recovers, we can restore our authority.”

Dissatisfaction showed on Caldrago’s face. It seemed more like frustration than defiance.

The Demon King understood his son’s feelings.

“You probably know the reason without me having to tell you.”

“Durin. You’re referring to the castle’s great warrior.”

The strongest warrior in the castle.

Rising from humble gladiator origins to serve as the captain of the guards during Belial’s time, he now reigned as the most powerful being. Though he stepped down from his position as guard captain after losing a king in war, his power remained formidable.

“He’s one of the strongest in the demon realm. If we entrust the legion to him again, stability will surely return.”

“You understand well.”

“But he is also a Red Horn. Moreover, he’s of the primordial bloodline.”

In a way, it was like entrusting their heart to the enemy they should be most wary of.

“Though the thread of fate established by the progenitor connects him to Istria, we don’t know when it might break. He might come to usurp the throne after confirming the Demon King’s duties.”

“If that time comes, we may have to surrender it.”

“Father!!”

Caldrago was shocked that his father would readily agree to what was meant as a warning.

“How can you say such things so easily!”

“If Durin turned against us, we would already have fallen. We would self-destruct before we could even act.”

It was a self-deprecating remark. Caldrago bit his lip hard, as if he had much to say.

But he couldn’t speak it aloud. He too acknowledged it to some extent.

“I understand your feelings, Caldrago. You want to talk about the many factions still unfavorable to him.”

“…”

“At the same time, don’t forget that if he decides to become king, many factions would gladly follow him.”

Etarna always faced reality.

“That’s why we must bide our time. Until the legion fully recovers and can defend the throne against any challenger.”

This was the one bastion that had allowed Istria to endure alone for 100 years even when calamity struck.

It was also an ability that Caldrago had yet to acquire.

#

“Damn it.”

Young Caldrago left the great hall.

He was visibly irritated. Feeling powerlessness more acutely than anyone, no good words came to him.

“Interfering at this crucial moment. Those cursed Red Horns.”

They were only looking for opportunities for civil war when post-war recovery should be the priority.

If only the legion had been intact, he would have immediately taken command and eradicated them all. Killahal and his clan were a great threat to the Demon King’s castle, so swift elimination would have been right.

“First, I’ll tell the guards to make minimal preparations…”

“A futile act.”

Caldrago stopped in his tracks.

A familiar voice had caught him.

“The guards move only for the king. They shouldn’t be used for personal matters.”

Durin. The guard captain who failed to protect the king during wartime.

Now he was fulfilling his duty as the defense captain of the Demon King’s castle.

“Personal matters? There are traitors right before us, and you want us to do nothing?”

“If you use force against something that hasn’t happened yet, the other side will retaliate in kind.”

“With the power of the guards, there won’t be a next time.”

“Are you willing to sacrifice the future of the demon realm as well?”

Durin was resolute.

He blocked the emotionally driven Caldrago.

“Right now, you only see the Red Horns before you. But remember that the authority of the castle is coveted by the entire continent.”

“How dare they…”

“Would the northern nomads remain idle? They would raise armies for guaranteed autonomy. The uncontrolled southern barbarians would also cry for freedom. And that’s not all. Other Green Horns who don’t support Istria might emerge from the east. If they come forward with the same logic used to bring down the Red Horns, do you truly believe you can defeat them all?”

He felt suffocated. Caldrago couldn’t answer.

He had been angry precisely because he knew all this himself.

The legion loyal to Istria was still tied up with the angels in the northwest.

They were trapped in a quagmire due to consecutive mistakes by previous kings. In reality, the only forces Istria could deploy were the ten thousand troops supporting the family and the guards protecting the king.

Even then, the ten thousand had to defend territories in the east, leaving only one option.

“If the guards are diverted elsewhere, creating a gap in the Demon King’s castle, it’s over that very day.”

“…”

“Think wisely. As befits the heir.”

Durin didn’t show any mockery.

He simply offered his advice calmly and left.

Clank, clank-

The sound of military boots echoed through the corridor. After listening to the sound for a while, Caldrago turned around.

“What would you do in this situation?”

He shouted out of desperation.

“There’s nothing we can do.”

Durin stopped walking. However, he didn’t turn around.

“Cultivate your own power.”

His advice was simple.

“In the demon realm, that’s all that matters.”

It was a straightforward answer following the law of the strong.

Some might have raged at how difficult that was, but Caldrago took it seriously.

“Power.”

After all, such concerns stemmed from an un-demon-like attitude of relying on the legion.

Where does the source of Istria come from?

The magic of dominion that rules lesser demons.

-I must lay the foundation that becomes the source for rising authority.

Having reached this conclusion, Caldrago moved swiftly.

“The young king will be busy.”

Durin quietly observed him before slowly continuing on his way.

#

Only one person witnessed this scene.

It was Azmosa, the Golden Milky Way who was active as a sorceress at that time.

Now she was guiding Serphin, who had come to explore the past with the goddess’s fragment.

“Demon King Caldrago and Durin didn’t start off well.”

While Serphin was the subject in the previous past, this time Azmosa herself was in charge of the movement.

She showed her determination to clearly explain this important part of demon realm history.

“Caldrago thought of Istria’s high authority, while Durin only looked at the Demon King’s castle.”

-He’s still the same, then and now.

Serphin inside her consciousness clicked her tongue.

If he had spent those long years with the progenitor Belial, he should have had some affection for Istria.

Comparing his attitude to when Serphin had not yet ascended to the throne, it was remarkably similar, leaving only a sense of awe.

It wasn’t a negative emotion. It was literally reverence.

-How can he look only at the demon realm like that…

“I think it’s the last thing left for the cursed primordial bloodline.”

Azmosa paused for a moment. She briefly looked at the corridor where Durin had disappeared.

“Carrying on the will of his predecessors to protect the demon realm. That must be everything to him.”

Serphin was momentarily at a loss for words.

Reflecting on his too tragic life, she couldn’t figure out how to respond.

Unlike herself who grew up in comfort, Durin never had a day for himself.

He was already cursed when he was born.

When he grew up as a warrior, he lived for Istria who had taken him in.

When he served as the guard captain, he lived for the Demon King’s castle.

“This is when you should comfort him.”

Azmosa said in a bright voice. Serphin inside listened silently to her words before expressing doubt.

-C-comfort?

“The obstacles ahead are rough and difficult, but a brief consolation will be a great help.”

-W-wait a minute.

Sensing something was wrong, Serphin hurriedly stepped forward. But it was already too late.

Snap!

When Azmosa snapped her fingers, the world flipped.

They were near the observatory of the Demon King’s castle, not the king’s great hall.

The balcony where successive Demon Kings sought respite when burdened by duty was nearby.

Which meant…

“Azmosa.”

Durin, who was always with the king, would be nearby.

“Uh…”

Serphin rolled her eyes. Though in Azmosa’s body, her consciousness had been brought to the forefront of the past world by Azmosa’s power.

Having seen all of Azmosa’s narrative, it was awkward to stand before Durin.

Because she knew his tender feelings better than anyone.

“Hello?”

“It’s Serphin.”

She tried to create an atmosphere, but it was immediately cut off. Sensing something different in her tone, Durin immediately recognized her identity.

“You’re looking into the past together.”

“The Mother of Night is with us too.”

Durin gave Serphin a glance. It was simply a reaction to the goddess, but Serphin was startled and avoided his gaze.

“I don’t sense your energy right now.”

Durin turned his body to look outside. A space where the Demon King would be alone. He seemed to guess that the Night Goddess would be there.

“I hope she’s not just suffering in her heart.”

His calm voice carried various emotions.

Though Caldrago’s era was certainly the greatest golden age throughout demon realm history, it also faced many great trials.

“Mother. Please bless your other child as well.”

Contrary to her worries about how to handle their first meeting, the atmosphere had become gloomy.

“…”

Even though she wanted to offer the comfort Azmosa had mentioned, there was no opening. She could only look on with sad eyes.

Just as she had done before.