Ch.44Blood Feast (3)

The sky was pitch black as night fell. The only light came from the fiery torches of the Demon King’s Castle.

As the banquet’s atmosphere grew livelier, the lights grew brighter. With the stars that could foretell the future hidden from view, the guests simultaneously enjoyed music and the scent of blood.

“You’ve worked hard. We won’t forget Your Excellency’s sacrifices for the castle.”

As Durin took the seat of honor, the leaders of each faction approached. The first to speak was Alberto from the East. He poured wine while reminiscing about the past.

“I wanted to see how the deep emotional divide between our Eastern region and the Central region could be resolved. To be honest, I thought it would be impossible.”

“It was a struggle for the throne. The divide was bound to be deep. But now that Istria has ascended to the throne, I’d like to say the past has been settled.”

“The Grand Duke will think the same. He will come the day after your successor receives the crown, so please wait for him.”

“I’m well aware the Grand Duke is busy with the northeastern border issue. I’ve already taken note of it, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you.”

The conversation flowed smoothly. This had been the expected course of events from the moment Serphin stepped forward. Having acknowledged the previously severed bloodline while promising a new future, they were enthusiastic. Some hot-blooded youths crossed the line by mocking the Red Horns, but fortunately, the situation didn’t escalate.

“……”

As Alberto withdrew, several demons exchanged glances. Stepping forward first could bring glory, but a single mistake could result in banishment from the castle.

“Your Excellency. I hope you will accept my sincerity.”

In the hesitant atmosphere, Elder Council member Killahal was the next to approach. When the old demon appeared and sat before Durin, the situation settled. Everyone abandoned their lingering desires and returned to their seats.

“Killahal. You seem to have been busy lately as well.”

“Preparing to serve the king has been overwhelming. It’s been difficult having to take the lead with this old body of mine.”

Glug.

The glass filled with wine. The old demon’s eyes reflected on the clear surface.

Even with the faint ripples spreading, it remained serene.

“Still, you handled matters excellently, as expected of the only demon who has served four Demon Kings. Thanks to you, we were able to conduct the war smoothly.”

“If Your Excellency wishes, you could obtain even more troops. We Red Horns are always preparing for war against the angels. Please call upon us whenever you desire.”

“Angels. Yes. We now have angels before us.”

Thud!

Durin set down his glass. The untouched wine sloshed and spilled onto the floor.

“Killahal. Do you remember the fate of the Black Army a hundred years ago?”

“I remember it vividly. It was the greatest crisis the Demon King’s Castle had faced since its establishment.”

“Yes. It was truly perilous.”

Their conversation drifted to the past. A battlefield where angels and demons killed each other with blind hostility.

Blood spilled ceaselessly and screams erupted. The distinction between holy power and demonic energy became blurred. Only corpses piled up. The two races entangled in a cloud of dust so thick one could barely open their eyes.

“We fought endlessly to follow the Demon King’s last will. It was a succession of days washing blood with blood.”

“It was painful. I don’t know how many died to protect the castle.”

“Forty thousand. All those troops died trying to stop the angels advancing toward the center.”

“I recall the angels suffered even greater losses. The large army that came to conquer the demon realm numbered only a few hundred when they returned.”

A battle approaching myth. To humans, it was the defeat of the god they served.

The high demons of the demon realm believed this was the most glorious time for warriors. But that was all.

The Black Army was never reorganized. Even when the next Demon King appeared, only the royal guard and the protective force defended their master.

No one wanted to come forward for the glory they proclaimed.

“Killahal.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“The day the hero sent by the angels took the Demon King away. Do you know what I thought?”

“Forgive me. This old one dares not guess.”

“It wasn’t betrayal or desperation, but emptiness.”

Durin calmly recalled that time. A dry emotion flowed out, not even eliciting a bitter smile.

“When the king, the last bastion of the demon realm, disappeared, I finally saw it. The wound barely held together by force finally bursting open. The breath that barely clung to life vanishing in an instant.”

“But you revived it. That is solely your achievement. Only you could have done it.”

“Killahal.”

Durin called the old demon’s name once more. But this time, it felt different.

The untouched wine glass remained still, but Killahal’s eyes reflected in it trembled. He couldn’t handle Durin’s suddenly leaking demonic energy.

“If you recognize my efforts, then cooperate. I will rebuild the Black Army. Before waging war against the angels, I intend to create a unified legion.”

“Wouldn’t the time be too tight?”

“I don’t think so. Thanks to gathering this Elector Prince council, a great number of troops have assembled. Moreover, what were they called? Volunteer forces? There are so many outside the castle who want to fight angels.”

Durin pushed the glass aside. Then, he gestured.

He ordered Killahal to come closer. The old demon hesitated but had no choice. He bowed his head, indicating his willingness to listen to Durin.

“Give it all up. All the troops you possess.”

There was force in his whispered voice. With the surrounding demons’ gazes upon them, Killahal dared not show any reaction. Being told to surrender his power, fear and anger surged simultaneously.

“Your Excellency.”

The old demon raised his head. His dim eyes, like his faded red horns, looked at Durin.

“I have already dedicated everything I have to the castle.”

“I have no interest in your old carcass.”

“Though old, I still possess fangs sharpened by time.”

“That sounds like a challenge to me.”

Durin removed the wine glass completely. As if the banquet had lost its appeal, he rose from his seat.

“Soon, a time will come when you must give your answer again. I’ll be watching to see if you can say the same thing then.”

“I will await the day when Your Excellency acknowledges my devotion.”

Amidst the flowing music and the demons’ joyful laughter, the two glared at each other.

Even without meeting each other’s eyes, their resolve to never yield was strong. The meeting between the two powerful figures ended thus.

As Durin left the banquet hall first, the dissipated tension made the demons relax.

Killahal watched the regent’s back until he disappeared, then rose from his seat.

“So he intends to turn against us after all.”

“To deny the history of the Red Horns. This is unacceptable.”

A young demon serving wine expressed indignation. Despite the cheerful music playing continuously, they couldn’t enjoy it at all. Even pleasure was a thing of the past. They gradually descended into chaos.

“We must protect our private army. We have volunteer forces, so we can pressure him sufficiently.”

“How can we pressure him! If Durin swings his sword once, we’ll all fall!”

“That’s right. We should show our sincerity while Durin is still giving us leeway.”

“Then shouldn’t we give him everything! Stop talking nonsense and come up with a plan!”

“A plan? Is that even possible against Durin? If you want to fight, you should challenge Durin yourself first! Bah! A coward with so many words.”

As the Red Horns’ quarrel grew while the banquet was pushed aside, the atmosphere became strange. The Green Horns didn’t engage with them. Since the balance of power was inevitably tilting their way, they simply avoided the unsightly scene.

A banquet hall without music, laughter, pleasure, or anything else.

Killahal, racking his brain there, suddenly felt something odd. He paused as he lifted his glass and looked around.

“Elder. What’s wrong? Is it because we raised our voices too much?”

“No, that’s not it. This banquet is strange.”

He rolled his eyes incessantly. Though it appeared normal on the surface, the sense of discomfort persisted.

Then he realized what it was.

“Where is the king?”

Killahal looked up at the mezzanine railing. The lights were on in the waiting room where the king should be. Normally, Serphin should have appeared when Durin arrived. But there was no sign of her.

Despite the Red Horns ruining the banquet atmosphere and creating chaos, she never appeared.

Which meant…

“She wasn’t here from the beginning.”

It didn’t make sense. There had never been a case where the king didn’t appear at a banquet attended by all high-ranking demons.

If they wanted to win the coming war against the angels, they needed to receive soldiers from them.

In that context, Durin’s earlier words took on new meaning.

-Give up your private army.

“Hmm.”

This space was for nobles only, while outside was the gathering place for soldiers.

A demon who needed support to become king had to choose one of the two. And Durin and Serphin had chosen outside the castle without a moment’s hesitation.

“……”

At that moment, Killahal could read Durin’s intentions.

The Elder Council, which had grown its power by feeding off the interests of the Demon King’s Castle for ages.

They had no place in the world Durin envisioned.

They were to be discarded.

#

In the distance, the red moon is visible. When it rises above the horizon, it will become a new light illuminating the demon realm.

Serphin advanced with the royal guard. Each time the wind blew through her black hair, golden demonic energy flowed out.

The Demon King. The supreme warrior who would reclaim the glorious era from the white wings that stole the heavens.

The duty that only the strongest in the demon realm could shoulder would be given. But she was not alone. With each step the young demon took, countless demons knelt in formation.

Green-horned Serphin, heralding the return of Istria. She received the demons’ endorsement.

“My King. Our King. May you reign eternal.”

Grand Magistrate Matheus’s low voice resonated. Though there was no grand music or ministers’ oaths of loyalty, Serphin didn’t mind.

The distant scene. Tens of thousands of soldiers lined up below the castle walls.

“Reign eternal!”

“My master!”

The southern army, led by Verdia, shouted until their throats were raw. A scene where a king ascends to the throne endorsed by lower demons rather than high demons.

Just as the first Demon King ruled the world by the hands of the demons who followed him.

The time had come to overturn the castle’s rigid system.