Ch.62. She Never Makes a Bet She Can’t Win (3)

After returning home, around dusk.

“So, you’re not just recklessly running away from home, are you? Our young master who knows nothing of the world. How do you plan to survive out there with nothing but the clothes on your back?”

The Demon Lord suddenly addressed Kariel, who was deeply focused on his studies at his desk.

“…Are you mocking me?”

“Half and half?”

The Demon Lord’s mischievous expression showed an utterly one-sided demeanor.

It was the exact kind of haughtiness one would show when looking down on the weak and powerless.

“You’re submitting and surrendering now because you have no power, right? Do you really think your life will change if you leave this place?”

“So I should accept your power?”

What a pathetic ploy.

But.

Instead, she snorted and waved her hand dismissively.

“The ship has sailed, little one. Didn’t you say you didn’t want power without a price? It’s quite amusing to me that you’ll come to regret what a tremendous opportunity you’ve missed with your privileged complaints.”

“……”

“Your father has relied on holy swords and sacred relics—do you think those powers came without a price? This just proves how ignorant you are about the world. Tsk, tsk…!”

The Demon Lord clicked her tongue with exaggerated disappointment.

“…So what exactly do you want me to do?”

She probably wasn’t just mocking and ridiculing him without purpose.

“Well then, would power with a price be acceptable?”

“Why? Are you suggesting a conditional contract? Do you want my soul? Or perhaps my body?”

At that, the Demon Lord whistled as if it were a brilliant idea.

“Ah, I hadn’t thought of that. Come to think of it, other Demon Lords have attempted resurrection that way, haven’t they? How petty. No matter how shameless a ruler might be, that’s going too far. Such disgusting creatures.”

“…?”

“As I said, I have absolutely no reason to resort to such pathetic tricks. You’re still too young to understand.”

I don’t get it.

What is this woman, this Demon Lord, thinking?

“Don’t tell me that by ‘power with a price,’ you mean you’ll raise me… right?”

“Why would I do that? You’re not going to become a Demon Lord, and you’re the son of the man who killed me. Are you insane?”

“……”

Logically, this makes sense.

If she had shown goodwill, claiming some kind of connection and offering to teach me, that would have been suspicious in its own way.

Besides.

The Demon Lord had likely already figured out his personality.

Such shallow tricks would never work on him.

“But watching my observer being trampled like a worm and taken advantage of like a fool, and knowing it will continue—it irritates me.”

“W-what did you say?”

“I find it disgusting to watch you squirm like a worm. So I’ll just provide you with opportunities to struggle. No special treatment.”

However.

“If you can’t overcome it, this will become another hell for you.”

“What are you talking about? What nonsense are you—ugh?”

Suddenly, his consciousness became hazy.

Without even realizing he had collapsed, he found his body sprawled helplessly on the floor.

‘What are you doing….’

His consciousness gradually faded.

As if sinking into a deep, deep quagmire.

Like being pulled into a pitch-black abyss without a single ray of light.

How much time passed like that?

Suddenly, his vision cleared.

“…?”

Where is this?

A wasteland filled with ash and sand storms.

He found himself thrust into the middle of it.

AAAAARGH!!

WAAAAAAAH!!

Fierce battle cries and heat that pierced his ears, nearly numbing his hearing.

And with it.

Black dots filling the sky.

One second passed.

Another second passed.

Now those dots had multiplied countless times and rushed toward him.

“Gack!”

Something pounding his entire body.

No, piercing, digging in, and impaling.

By the time he realized what was happening, his entire body was in tatters.

“Ugh—?”

Without even knowing what had hit him.

His vision went dark.

“Keek?”

And then again.

“Huh?!”

After catching his breath for a moment.

He quickly turned his head to look around, then behind him.

Countless people were desperately running forward, shouting all kinds of battle cries.

Crude leather armor.

Not a single person was properly equipped or fully armed.

In their hands were various non-standardized weapons.

And.

When he turned his gaze forward again.

Once more, dots filled the sky.

That was…

…a massive barrage of arrows shot from long range.

Only at the moment of death did he realize it again.

‘What the—?!’

Before he could voice his confusion, scream, or express his bewilderment.

Arrows pierced his body all over, and he collapsed.

Or rather, at this point, he was knocked down by the sheer force of the arrows.

Even the terrible pain quickly subsided.

However.

This was only possible because he had been extremely lucky.

By the time his third death approached, he couldn’t die cleanly.

The sensation of an arrow halfway through his neck, and others lodged in his thighs, shins, abdomen, and eyes—the remnants of that violence pressed down on his consciousness with excruciating pain.

“Kack! Kuk!”

Blood burst, gushed, and drained from his entire body.

He even had visions of the grim reaper passing by with a sneer.

Everything stretched out as his perception of the world gradually dimmed.

As vitality drained away and death’s shadow fell cold and harsh.

Truly…

It was a terrible feeling.

“Kugh!”

He returned.

Once again, he stood in the middle of the wasteland.

Instinctively, he lowered his body and crouched as much as possible, but.

…That alone wasn’t enough to survive.

“Argh!”

He managed to pick up a shield from the ground and block for a moment.

But the arrow barrage was so overwhelming, and it wasn’t just a single volley but continuous waves.

He miraculously endured once or twice, but he couldn’t escape his fate of becoming a target.

After holding out, trying to flee, and even using corpses as shields multiple times.

‘It never ends…’

He counted as he endured as much as he could.

10 times, 20 times.

In reality.

…It felt like the arrow shower would continue until he died.

‘Why is this happening?!’

Was it because he had a moment of respite?

Or had some of his reason returned despite this hellish situation?

How did it come to this?

‘Demon Lord—!’

This must be her doing.

But why?!

Just to survive, he endured and endured.

Dying and dying again.

How long did this cycle continue?

Just when he had completely given up on thinking.

Suddenly, his eyes opened.

“Huh!”

He instinctively curled up.

The momentary relief of being in an enclosed space was short-lived.

‘Where am I…?’

“How is it? Doesn’t it clear your foggy mind right up?”

With the familiar voice, the golden woman appeared, hovering in the air.

A mischievous smile.

But now more than ever, Kariel acutely realized…

…that it was no different from that of a demon.

====

“Sleep disorder is just an excuse. Rather than lying awake all night, isn’t it more reasonable to rest your body and train your mind this way?”

“……”

What an utterly selfish idea.

One that clearly showed no concern for others’ well-being.

“You said you didn’t want power without a price, right? So I personally prepared a training ground for you to gain power while accepting the consequences. You could at least be grateful.”

“That’s… a training ground? That thing?”

Not a slaughter field where I’m unilaterally turned into a target and killed?

Not malicious harassment or torture?

“Your father and mother went through that kind of thing as naturally as breathing or eating. Why are you being so childish about it?”

“Do I look like the same kind of person as them to you?”

“That’s what you’ll constantly see if you run away later. Even without being on a battlefield or in the military, random combat groups can dispose of civilians, travelers, and wanderers at any time. You still don’t truly understand how frightening the world is. At least those arrows are visible. What will you do when they come from where you can’t see?”

“Why should I have to—!”

Knock, knock, knock!

“Y-young master? Are you awake?”

“……”

The Demon Lord grinned.

As if daring him to continue speaking.

As if daring him to keep showing his anger, her upturned lips provoked not just annoyance but murderous intent.

“Yes.”

Kariel gritted his teeth.

After he managed to maintain his composure and give that brief answer, the door opened a moment later.

“It’s been a while since you’ve woken up this early. You must have been very tired yesterday?”

“……”

The girl smiled brightly, showing her delight.

He wondered how she could smile so innocently every time they met.

Her neat black bob haircut.

Her simple maid uniform showed no signs of disarray.

Despite the early morning, she had already gotten up to look after the house and check the surroundings.

Though there was a butler and head maid, the total number of employees, including the girl before him, was less than five.

It was a small number considering the noble family and the size of the residence, but the household was frugal in such matters, so it wasn’t unusual.

Kariel stared intently at the girl’s light brown eyes.

“Sylphia.”

“Yes?”

“…I’m planning to go to school early, so please prepare something light for me to eat.”

At Kariel’s request, the girl nodded vigorously with a sunflower-like smile.

“Of course! Right away!”

====

Damn it all, his body was indeed in perfect condition, just as she had said.

His consciousness, which had always been hazy and sluggish, was now as sharp as if walking on a knife’s edge.

No, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but…

‘After dying so many times like that.’

Even now.

The sensation of his entire body being pierced like a helpless target, reduced to tatters, remained vivid.

‘Damn it.’

He was used to having a clouded mind and sharp consciousness from always staying up all night.

But this kind of acute, razor-sharp awareness… it brought a different kind of discomfort.

Moreover.

“Kariel. Today… it seems you actually got some sleep.”

Even the Imperial Princess made such a comment about his condition.

Had he really looked that tired before?

“……”

He felt irritated for various reasons.

“Kikikik!”

Especially because of that damned malicious Demon Lord!