Chapter 26 : What ?

The Demon King.

A title that, even after countless ages, remains a name of terror across the continent.

A thousand years ago from now, a figure who had subjugated hordes of demons declared themselves the Demon King and swept across the land.

In the midst of a bloodbath where not only humans but demons who resisted were slaughtered,
one person alone stood against that overwhelming force.

“That person was the founding Empress of the Jadenbium Empire.”

Sibellius spoke in a detached tone, like a history professor lecturing to a bored student.

“According to legend, she was a half-blood—born of a red dragon and a human. No one knows if it’s true, but looking at her descendants in the imperial family, their unusual bloodline and the power it grants them… well, it’s not hard to believe.”

It was the first time someone had fought the Demon King as an equal—not with numbers, but with sheer might.

The founding Empress eventually defeated the Demon King and, alongside her followers, established the Empire.

She cleaned up the destruction and dark legacies left behind, and among those cursed remnants…

“…was the sword you’re holding now—Black Pain.”

Black Pain.

A demon sword that drank the blood of countless lives.

A weapon infused with wicked darkness—wielded by the Demon King himself.

After obtaining it, the founding Empress entrusted the sword to the ancestor of the Hyperion family.

“Didn’t they seal it away, in a place only the head and heir of the family knew about?”

“Exactly. Only Ceres and I knew where it was sealed.”

“…May I ask why you brought it out?”

Sibellius, calm as ever, kept questioning her.

Ares Hyperion, without a blink, stared her down and answered coldly:

“To kill you.”

“…You and Alios might get along better than I thought.”

Sibellius let out a breath like she was talking to a lunatic.

“Why exactly are you trying to kill me?”

“Are you seriously asking? Give me back my Ceres!”

“Ceres isn’t here right now.”

Sibellius explained the situation as composedly as she could :
How Ceres had fallen ill during captivity, how they brought him here for treatment, and how he was now in the Arsen Kingdom.

“And you think I’ll believe that nonsense?”

Ares snorted.

“You’re saying the Empress threatened you to heal him?”

“It’s the truth.”

“Then why, if he’s so precious, would she send him off to another kingdom?!”

“Because Ceres wanted to go—even if it meant pushing himself.”

“Why would a sick child willingly go to some foreign kingdom he knows nothing about?!”

To Ares, who had no idea about the circumstances, this was all a cruel trick to deceive her.

“So you won’t answer me. Fine, then I’ll kill you and find him myself!”

“If you weren’t going to believe me, why even bother asking?”

Tension exploded.

The woman wielding the Demon King’s sword and the woman who could have become a Demon King herself clashed.

Black Pain.

This weapon doesn’t appear in the original story.

Originally, Ares was captured before ever retrieving it from its seal, and dragged to the palace by a traitor’s report.

But because Ceres succeeded in turning Hurion into an ally—

Ares now had access to this terrible sword.

And it unleashed terrifying power.

‘It cut through my defensive spell…’

Sibellius frowned as the spell she’d casually thrown out to test the waters vanished against Black Pain.

‘As rumored… a real nuisance.’

On high alert now, she switched to offensive magic.

She aimed for Ares’ arm, hoping to disarm her.

The moment the slicing spell severed the tendons in Ares’ right arm—

The wound sealed itself. Instantly.

‘It really does have healing functions for its wielder…’

If it healed that fast, disarming her by injury wasn’t an option.

Sibellius launched a barrage of spells in rapid succession, mixing styles and affinities to overwhelm her opponent.

And then—
the sword began shifting.

The blade of Black Pain morphed to counter each spell.

Another of its terrifying features.

Legend said it was forged using the body of a demon known for its shape-shifting abilities.

A weapon in the form of a sword—no less than a complete biological weapon.

But—

“Let’s end this.”

Unless it was wielded by the Demon King himself, even Black Pain couldn’t break Sibellius.

After a prolonged exchange, she activated a new spell.

White tendrils snaked out, binding around Black Pain.

Ares immediately tried to slice through them—but it was like hacking thick cloth with a dull knife.

“What is this?!”

“A suppression spell—specifically made for Black Pain.”

“You made something like that?!”

“By order of the emperors.”

No ruler would sit comfortably while a subordinate kept such a dangerous weapon.

The emperors had ordered Sibellius to study Black Pain and devise a way to counter it.

“I never thought I’d actually use it… but now, you can’t fight. So why not give up?”

“Don’t make me laugh!”

Ares didn’t back down. She drew her original sword with her left hand, gathered aura around it—
and cut through the binding spell.

What?

Sibellius was visibly shocked.

The spell was specifically calibrated against Black Pain. While it could be broken through… aura wasn’t something she’d expected.

“Since when have you been a swordmaster?”

“If it’s for Ceres, I’ll do anything.”

‘Did she… awaken as a swordmaster purely out of devotion to save him?’

Was this maternal love?
Or something more—obsession?

Sibellius was both impressed and deeply annoyed.

‘This makes subduing her nearly impossible… I mean, sure, Ceres could heal her, but maybe I should just slice off her limbs?’

She’d thought the sword couldn’t regenerate entire body parts.

But she couldn’t do it.

‘She’s Ceres’s mother…’

She hesitated, unsure how Ceres would react if she crossed that line.

And then—

“Stop!”

A familiar voice rang out, golden light flashing between the two women.

A knight in golden armor broke through the fight—
Ceres.

He’d figured out where Ares would go and raced back as fast as he could.

He asked the Arsen King for permission, borrowed the kingdom’s teleport gate,
and—swallowing all pride—clung to Alios for speed.

Even Hurion had been left behind.

And now—

“We’re not too late!”

Ceres dropped from Alios’s arms and ran between the two.

“Mother! Are you alright?”

“Ceres?”

Ares stared at him, stunned.

“You’re okay?!”

“I’m fine. I even sent word through the Empress—didn’t you get it?”

“You call that word? ‘Ceres is doing fine by my side.’ That’s all the letter said!”

“…Oh.”

“I had no idea what was going on! Do you know how worried I was?!”

So that’s why she went on a rampage…

“Technically it wasn’t a lie. I was with her, and I was doing fine… but yeah, that was way too brief.”

“So—she didn’t defile you?”

“She didn’t! Can you calm—”

Ceres tried to calm her, but someone grabbed his shoulder and forcibly turned him around.

“You see your mother, but not me?”

Sibellius.

“Not even a glance—just rushing to her first?”

“Of course. She’s my mother.”

“Then what am I? I got attacked because of you, without even knowing why—what am I to you?”

“I’m sorry. You got caught up in my mess.”

“Damn it!”

Even when he apologized, she cursed.

She was about to yell again when she noticed not one, but two blades aimed at her.

“Enough.”

“Stay away from my son.”

Alios and Ares, side by side, had turned their swords on Sibellius.

She took a deep breath.

“…I suppose I got a bit carried away.”

She acknowledged her loss of control and backed off.

The chaos finally began to settle.

“I’ll speak to the Empress and ask her to let you return home.”

Now that things were calm, Ceres moved to resolve the root cause of it all—his detention by the Empress.

Even without Ares, he’d already planned to ask for his release.

He couldn’t stay in the palace forever.

But even after he explained everything, Ares remained stubborn.

“Ceres, you can’t trust that woman. No questions—just come back with me.”

“She’ll send soldiers to our land, Mother.”

“Then we’ll disappear. Just the two of us, somewhere no one can find.”

“She’ll hunt me down.”

“Let her. I’ll protect you for the rest of my life.”

No. That wasn’t realistic.

What was wrong with her today?

“Mother, you’re strong—but not strong enough to outrun an Empress’s pursuit.”

“I have Black Pain now.”

Black Pain?

That was a new one.

She must’ve meant the strange sword she carried, but…

It didn’t exist in the original story.

Was this her trump card?

“And where exactly did you get this Black Pain?”

The moment Ceres asked—casually, out of curiosity—

“What?”

Ares paused, eyeing him with a strange look.