Chapter 9: Three

Sein

“Aaaargh!”

A desperate scream echoed through the hall.

One of Sein’s supporting legs was helplessly severed.

She collapsed helplessly onto the cold floor.

She didn’t even twitch.

As if resigned to everything.

It was understandable.

Her main weapon was an incredible speed that no one could follow.

But it was the worst possible match for my ‘aura,’ which forcibly bound an opponent’s movements.

Furthermore, having lost a leg, which was like her life, it was nothing short of a death sentence for her.

“Shall I finish her?”

Yuriel, who had approached my side, asked nonchalantly.

Instead of answering, I looked down at Sein, who was motionless on the floor.

There was something I wanted to confirm first.

Sein.

In my memory, she was never the type of person to commit treason.

She was a resolute demon who stood at the forefront, fighting for the demon race more than anyone else.

I was curious why she had made such an extreme choice as rebellion.

I said softly.

“Finish her, you say.”

But, a traitor.

The more I thought about it, the more something felt off.

So I asked Sein a question.

“I have something to ask.”

Then Yuriel grumbled.

“Do you think she’ll just tell you if you ask?”

“She might.”

At that, Yuriel tilted her head in confusion.

It was the moment I was about to approach Sein.

Sein, who had been face down on the floor.

Suddenly, her upper body shot up with explosive force.

“…”

But that desperate movement was brutally blocked by Yuriel’s greatsword.

The heavy steel struck Sein’s body, slamming her mercilessly back to the floor.

“The match is already over.”

Yuriel spat coldly and subtly glanced my way.

It was a subtle expression, as if she was trying to gauge my reaction.

Perhaps Yuriel had instinctively swung her sword due to Sein’s sudden desperate attack.

But Sein was clearly my opponent.

She must have been subtly concerned about interfering so carelessly.

Of course, Yuriel’s action was something I was incredibly grateful for.

Because I hadn’t even reacted to Sein’s attack.

‘I almost died.’

I nodded lightly to indicate that I was fine.

Yuriel then smiled, seemingly satisfied.

Then, without a moment’s hesitation, she cut off Sein’s remaining limbs with a single stroke.

As if no further resistance would be tolerated.

“…”

I quietly resolved.

To keep as much distance as possible from this terrifying woman.

****

“If your rebellion had succeeded, what did you plan to do next?”

His low voice faintly echoed in her ears.

Even though she was preoccupied with focusing her magic on her severed limbs, that question pierced her ears with strange clarity.

Sein slowly raised her head.

“I would have… led all… the demons… and invaded… the Empire…”

A cracked voice escaped her lips with difficulty.

“And then?”

“…Nothing.”

She had never once thought about what came next.

The liberation of the demon race, and revenge against the Empire.

That was the only reason she lived; it was her everything.

“Nothing?”

It was a rephrasing, almost as if mocking her.

“If only it weren’t for you, you bastard…!”

Rage boiled like lava from deep within Sein’s chest.

“I would have fought at the very front!”

“You were determined to die.”

He still responded indifferently.

“Yes, it would be difficult to survive. But…!”

Sein gritted her teeth until they felt like they would shatter.

A metallic taste of blood was surging up from deep within her throat.

Suppressed emotions surged with it.

An unbearable sense of frustration erupted at her helplessness, sprawled on the floor with her limbs severed.

She had risked everything, solely for the demon race.

“Have you never once seriously thought about it? Why must we, the demon race, suffer simply because we are demons!”

He didn’t answer.

He merely looked down at her, fallen on the floor.

“If only we had attacked those Imperial bastards first, then all demons wouldn’t have to live in such agony!”

The dam wall broke.

As she spewed out the words she had buried deep in her heart, her emotions became overwhelmingly intense.

“For a Demon King to be so cowardly!”

Her last shred of pride burst forth desperately.

Sein panted, her face flushed as if about to snap.

“How dare you!”

The moment Sephiron raged and was about to rush at her.

“…”

The man raised his arm and quietly blocked Sephiron.

At that, Sephiron’s movement paused briefly.

Sephiron’s angry gaze was clearly felt.

But at this moment, Sein feared nothing.

Her limbs were already severed.

Even her life-risking rebellion had been exposed.

The will to live and practical courage.

They were cruelly inversely proportional.

“Why do you think that?”

Even amidst this, the man continued his questions with strange calmness.

At that, Sein’s face crumpled.

In this situation, what was the intention behind such a question?

“Why, what kind of question is that to ask now!”

“Stop.”

With that short word, immense pressure was exerted over Sein’s entire body.

“…”

It was the same power as before.

She wanted to rush him again immediately, but her body wouldn’t budge.

He slowly took a step forward.

“Do you know how many troops the Demon Realm has?”

As if daring her to answer, the pressure that had been suppressing her vanished instantly.

“…Roughly, about three million.”

“Then, the Empire?”

At that question, Sein was speechless.

“How would I know that…”

“Right, you wouldn’t know.

So I’ll tell you.

The Empire’s forces are ten million, yes, at least ten million.”

Sein’s face hardened at the answer.

It was an unbelievable figure.

Such a difference in military strength? It was absurd.

But his words didn’t stop there.

“It might even be more than that.”

“How do you know that?!”

Sein screamed in desperation.

Yes.

That man must surely be deceiving her with false claims.

“I’m not forcing you to believe me.

Just recall.

All those countless battles we’ve fought, shedding blood.”

His voice was remarkably calm.

The exact opposite of Sein, who was screaming desperately.

“The Empire always invaded the Demon Realm with armies several times larger than ours.

In all those countless battles, did the Demon Realm ever lose even once?”

“…No.”

Sein’s voice softened.

It was strange.

The Demon Realm had always won.

But the Empire continued to wage war tirelessly.

“You must have had many complaints, too.

Why we never pursued them to the end despite winning every battle.

Why we never crossed the Demon Realm’s border.”

Sein’s body trembled.

Every word he spoke was a question she had held within her.

As if he could see right through her.

“It was clearly a continuous string of victories.

Yet, the enemies were always overwhelmingly more numerous than us.

Didn’t you ever find that strange?”

“…I did think it was strange.

But I thought their forces would soon run out…”

Sein’s eyes began to waver.

The specific numbers from his mouth.

When she applied them to the past war situation, everything fit perfectly.

“Our numbers were always at an absolute disadvantage.

Do you know how we’ve managed to endure until now?”

“…”

“It’s because this is the Demon Realm.

We’ve been inducing the Empire’s repetitive wars of attrition, maintaining optimal conditions in terrain that is absolutely advantageous and familiar to us.”

Sein’s vacant eyes slowly turned back to the Demon King.

But the Demon King’s gaze was not on her, but elsewhere.

The Demon King, Lashian, was staring intently at Kyle with a meaningful look.

At that moment, Sein felt it.

A coldness spreading through a corner of her chest.

“If we keep enduring, and enduring.

And if the Empire’s endless forces finally reach their limit, then at last, we too will be given an opportunity to counterattack.

The Demon King is waiting solely for that moment.”

“…!”

Suddenly, something hot surged up from within Sein.

No words of refutation came from the Demon King’s mouth.

It meant that everything he said was true.

Overwhelmed by an unbearable sense of futility, Sein cried out desperately.

“Why didn’t you tell us beforehand…!”

But he cut off her cry with a single stroke.

“How can I trust you?”

His words were truly as cold as ice.

“How can you trust me, what does that even mean?”

“Even you, one of the Seven Great Demons, the pinnacle of the demon race, couldn’t grasp the Demon King’s will and attempted rebellion, didn’t you?”

Sein’s lips clamped shut.

It was because she couldn’t find a retort.

“And that’s not all, is it?

Just recently, an Imperial dog disguised as a demon approached the Demon King’s vicinity and attempted assassination.

Did you know that?”

“…”

Sein’s head bowed even deeper.

Every point hit home.

Unbearable guilt and despair.

They weighed heavily on her.

It was over.

The light in Sein’s eyes slowly faded.

“In this situation, do you think such information can be carelessly revealed?

What a naive thought.”

He took another step closer to her.

His shadow completely enveloped her.

“What have you truly done for the demon race, for the Demon King?

Oh, rampaging on the battlefield?”

“…”

“Who do you think allowed you to rampage so freely?”

Every word was a dagger.

They continuously gouged Sein’s heart.

“You should have trusted and followed the Demon King.

Even if you had complaints, even if doubts arose.”

A trickle of blood ran from Sein’s lips.

But that was all.

Confused.

I, what was I doing all this for?

Surely everything was for the demon race…

Sein’s body slowly collapsed.

Following him, his upper body leaned towards her.

Then he spoke softly, but clearly.

“Remember.

Who it was that always fought against the strongest opponents on the front lines of the battlefield.”

His head slowly turned.

Sein’s eyes instinctively followed him.

And at the end of that gaze.

“It was the Demon King, Lashian.”

Her sovereign, to whom she had sworn her life.

Lashian was looking at her with sad eyes.