Ch.345114. If That’s the Case, I Hate It Too! (2)

When the massive demon appeared, everyone’s emotions were clearly divided.

Yet even after it vanished, the chaos of the situation persisted.

Even after Iriel and Günter had drawn close enough to see each other’s faces.

The battles and conflicts continued.

Because nothing had ended yet.

But even this would be temporary.

“What were you thinking, driving matters to this extreme?!”

Besides Günter, everyone present was a leader or representative of a tribe, faction, group, or organization.

But not all of them were exceptional enough to respond to overwhelming military force or actual violence.

However, some had that potential, which is why they included royal guards and knight escorts who had stormed in with Iriel,

as well as a small number of elite knights who had newly joined under their commander’s orders while charging the enemy lines.

The rebel forces here also included elite troops, but perhaps because they had intended to summon demons for defense, non-human entities had already filled the surroundings by the time they rushed in.

Nevertheless, when the giant demon unexpectedly disappeared, the rebel forces were instantly backed into a corner.

Yes, it was in this moment.

It was in this moment that the two princes finally faced each other.

“Have you come before me to make small talk?”

“…Brother!”

“You be the king. I no longer need it.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“Have you heard the truth from Mother?”

“Truth? What truth are you talking about?!”

“…I see. So that was Her choice.”

She remains thoughtful as always.

“I believed in her, but that makes it all the more sorrowful and wearisome.”

“Are you getting emotional now that the situation is ending?! You, who know exactly what you’ve done!”

“How much blood has been spilled? If that’s what you want to talk about, save it. The throne is inherently a path of blood.”

“I want no part of such a thing!”

“For me it was a path of blood, but it might be different for you. That’s for you to decide.”

“…Let’s talk. Stop spouting these strange things that only you understand!”

“I have no intention of being understood.”

Only I understand myself.

No one else dares.

“No one can understand me.”

“……”

Iriel finally gave up on conversation.

“I will capture you and escort you to Mother.”

“Stop. That cannot happen as you wish.”

“…The victory in this battle, this war, is mine. Do you believe you have the right to disobey me?”

“Heh heh heh.”

As Iriel approached, Günter simply shook his head without any other reaction.

“Your instincts are good, but you’re still lacking. You need to study military strategy and tactics more. Even so, yes. You seem to have the capacity to both give and receive advice, unlike me, which is reassuring.”

“……”

Iriel had already approached to just in front of him.

As he finally pointed his sword, all the commotion of the battlefield and even the distant disturbances seemed to fade away.

Among those witnessing this scene, some—especially those who had committed themselves to the rebel cause—were making desperate, frantic outbursts in this insane situation.

“Your Highness! What are you doing?!”

“We believed in you! We believed, yet how could you bring matters to this state!”

“If we had achieved a great victory this time, all of Lutania would have been in our hands!”

And.

Iriel glanced at them with disgust.

Also.

Günter clicked his tongue in contempt at their ugly desperation.

“Salvation is something one achieves for oneself, not by wishing and hoping for it from others, much less from demons and vain delusions.”

“……”

“You heard that well just now, didn’t you? With your own ears? There are many such malicious villains within Lutania. But the core of them will be purged through this incident, so you must make good use of this opportunity.”

“…I just don’t understand.”

“Also, embracing and utilizing them is also the ruler’s role. Whether you use them, reform them, execute them, or exile them, that is entirely up to you.”

“What exactly were you trying to accomplish? Or are you just spouting this nonsense as advice to salvage some minimum of pride?!”

“I’m merely waiting.”

“For what?!”

“…I made a contract with a demon.”

A contract.

“What I sought was a single truth. And now that I know it, my path is set.”

You sing for the living.

“I, as always, will sing for the dead.”

“……”

“They have already been cast into the abyss, yet even such people need salvation—that is the sorrow of this world.”

Conversely, if I don’t do it, who would care about such things?

“But in this life, there is no answer for them. So they must die. Justly.”

“……”

“Don’t try to understand. If you really want to understand, ask Mother directly.”

Perhaps even she won’t understand.

“It doesn’t matter. My path is one I must walk alone.”

Iriel.

“This war is yet another conspiracy. That is, if all the living beings on this battlefield, bleeding and struggling against each other at this very moment, are considered sacrifices. And if striking me down here would prevent the sacrifice of those victims, would you dare cut off my head?”

The sky was already darkening, beyond that, turning blood red.

Moreover, over there, after the massive demon disappeared, Eileen was fighting someone in a one-sided battle more desperate than ever seen before.

Even Venus couldn’t overwhelm Eileen now.

Moreover, the fact that she had drawn out white flames showed this was serious.

Yet her opponent was consuming those white flames with black flames, swallowing them without restraint.

As if facing a natural predator, Eileen was being overwhelmingly pushed back in every aspect.

‘What is that?’

“Iriel. Are you making her a sacrificial lamb? If she dies there, she too will become a slave to demons. Those who die here will be no exception.”

“Then stop this! The mess you’ve created! This unidentified madness! Clean it up yourself!”

“That’s why I told you, cut off my head.”

Or do you want her to die?

“Brother. Please don’t do this. She is our half-sister.”

“Unfortunately, I know everything. I know more than you do.”

And I know you harbor dark desires for her.

“……”

“So I ask. Will you let her die like that? It seems she won’t last much longer.”

At that moment.

The iron mace in her hand was knocked into the air by someone’s sword strike.

Instantly, Iriel’s grip on his sword tightened.

“Kill me, and that one will withdraw. So, Iriel, fulfill your duty.”

Iriel gripped his sword with both hands, gritting his teeth.

But the voice that finally escaped his lips was close to a broken, powerless sob.

“…Brother.”

Hah, how can you not harden your heart at this final moment!

“Iriel! What are you hesitating for! Quickly! Quickly bring down that sword! Quickly!”

Turning his head, he could vaguely see a sword seemingly piercing through Eileen’s back, appearing to run through her entire body.

‘No, it can’t be!’

“Oh my. She’ll die at this rate. Is that truly what you want? Does your obsession require the death of the sister you adore?”

“Aaaaargh!”

Though knowing it was cheap provocation, Iriel had no choice but to respond.

Reflexively, Iriel raised both arms holding the sword.

…And.

His hands traced a diagonal line, striking down firmly upon the earth.

CRACK!

****

…Several days earlier.

To put the final point on his grand plan, Günter had finally reached this place to receive the remains that Morgane had repeatedly mentioned, venturing into forbidden territory.

But there was already a visitor in place.

Moreover, they had already seized what he was supposed to collect.

Naturally, could pleasant words flow from Günter’s mouth?

“Kael. This isn’t right. You’re stealing what’s mine?! You dare?!”

“……”

The remains of the Immortal Demon King.

Before such remains.

Kael was holding them, suppressing them unilaterally with a jet-black sword.

Already Kael’s entire arm was turning pitch black.

It was truly the sight of the Demon King’s remains transferring to him.

And that was equivalent to completely destroying all the hope and fruition that Günter had so desperately desired.

It was hardly strange that Günter, unlike his usual self, was raging with anger.

But.

“I need to know the reason, Günter.”

Kael’s inner thoughts were equally complex.

If not, would he have done such a crazy thing?

“I need to know the truth.”

What you’re thinking, trying to extinguish your existence.

And what you’re trying to accomplish by dying.

“It’s not simply that you want to be sacrificed and exalted. You clearly want something, and you’ve figured it out through demons, and you’re trying to achieve it. Isn’t that right?”

“…Kael.”

“I already know from the Queen that we’re not brothers. So I’m asking this as a friend, not a brother. What are you trying to do?”

“Why should I tell you that?”

“Let me ask the opposite. Why shouldn’t I know?”

“It’s none of your business! I am neither a prince! Nor of Endraig’s bloodline! I am nothing!”

“That doesn’t give you the right to unilaterally defy the Queen’s will and intentions.”

“Kael!”

“You don’t want to die. I can understand this much for certain.”

Though I didn’t understand, I came to know something.

The fact that he was desperate meant, conversely, that he wanted to live.

He was desperately struggling because he wanted to live.

“To live eternally, was it? If we assume this isn’t just empty talk, I can somewhat guess your actions.”

“……”

“Günter, are you actually focusing not on this moment of being alive, but on what comes after death?”

Just like me.

“…What?”

Günter’s eyes widened for a moment, as if he had misheard.

Because there had never been anyone who seriously spoke such words before.

Though everyone dreams of the afterlife, it was all vague.

If you live virtuously, you go to heaven; if you follow His words, you go to heaven.

Some to utopia, some to the hall of immortality where endless war and training continue, reaching the final battlefield with glorious achievements…

All delusions and useless nonsense.

Above all, I’ve never seen an angel.

Much less received divine revelation.

Then, isn’t there only one thing we can actually grasp?

…Demons.

Given that hell’s existence is confirmed by the demon realm and demonkind,

When those who are wicked, sinful, or burdened with inexplicable sins are driven into the abyss of hell without exception after death,

…Perhaps what we should prepare for is that moment of destruction.

Günter thought seriously.

Very seriously.

Thinking this way, life became extremely simple.

This place is a resting place, and that place is the real world, our main base, our… original world? Perhaps that’s correct?

If the body is just a temporary garment and the soul is immortal, isn’t the place where the soul resides the true world?

Günter studied all kinds of faiths.

He seriously delved into the heaven described by the Irenis religion.

But why, when even the most revered angels in heaven, even the archangel whom He cherished, were cast into the abyss,

Do such lowly creatures assume that once they enter that place, they will dwell there forever?

Can we even go there in the first place?

In my view, humans are beings who conceive sin in every moment of their lives.

Therefore, our true home must surely be hell.

Not paradise, not utopia, but clearly hell.

…Even if God loves us and provides a resting place, in the end, except for the noble and exalted who will stand by His side, like separating the precious from the common,

Isn’t it normal for everyone else to walk through the sewers?

When Günter became convinced of this, everything felt futile.

I am noble.

And I want to become noble.

Even if that nobility were false, if I continue to be noble… isn’t that another truth?

So I was determined that it would be so.

But…

…What about my mother? Mother? Our revered Queen?

Her life, achievements, everything she had accomplished… suggested she would fall into hell.

Realizing this, I could no longer bear it.

“…So you’re going to hell ahead to lay the groundwork?”

“Yes.”

“…That’s insane. Do you think that’s possible?”

“That’s why I need that.”

The Immortal Demon King. Those remains.

Wearing them, I will walk through hell as a living being who does not perish.

“I’ve learned through various dealings that this alone can give me an advantage in hell.”

“What if that’s a lie? Are you believing the nonsense demons tell?”

“I don’t believe it. But I cannot ignore the possibility.”

Therefore, I will surely succeed.

“…That will be my greatest act of gratitude and my pride.”

“……”

“And my people should rightfully be included in that.”

If I couldn’t embrace them because I was weak.

“I will embrace it all and become powerful. I don’t care if I myself disappear. But my will and intention will continue. I will engrave it into the remains of the Immortal Demon King, making it act that way for eternity.”

“…Hah. What an ambitious dream.”

Kael felt dizzy.

Beyond madness, this deranged crown prince had completely lost his mind.

No. Rather, because he was intelligent, because he was brilliant, he had thrown his life away on this insane option with a sliver of possibility.

That in itself was the end of someone frustrated and resentful, his only solution or response.

“……”

Yet, this doesn’t sound like someone else’s problem.

“Günter. If there were a righteous method and path to heaven… would you still choose to walk through hell?”

“……”

“If you could ascend to heaven and pull up those who wander and struggle in hell and on earth. Would you still… throw yourself into hell? Do you think your weak body and mind can endure that near-infinite pain for nothing?”

“……”

Was that unexpected?

For a long time, truly for a long while, Günter couldn’t utter a word.

For nearly hours, Günter remained motionless, deeply immersed in silence and contemplation, pondering again and again.