chapter_0137

‘Did he make this himself, or did he just happen to find a replica lying around somewhere?’

Either way, it made sense. If it was the former, then he was actively trying to deceive us. If it was the latter, then he was also being deceived, though that didn’t make me feel any sympathy for him. I would have mocked him for not being able to tell the difference between a real and a fake.

“It’s a lie! Our lord couldn’t have passed away!”

“You deny reality even with the evidence right before your eyes… Pathetic and weak…”

The First Commander was having his spirit chipped away at in real-time. It was about time I stepped in before it was too late. I took a few steps forward. The hollow eye sockets turned towards me.

“Don’t meddle in the affairs of demons… If you wish to be ruled by us, I can always use you as a subordinate…”

“I stepped in because I couldn’t stand listening to your nonsense any longer. Isn’t it embarrassing to wave around a fake Demon Sword and claim to be the Demon King? Prove that it’s real first.”

“A real Demon Sword… You’re desperately trying to deny reality… Are you saying there are two Demon Swords in this world…?”

“Then prove it. Don’t you know that Demon Swords have unique abilities that only their owners can use? If it’s real, show it to us.”

I had learned about the unique abilities of Demon Swords from Elysier. The ability to exude a killing intent that struck fear into the hearts of heroes was one such ability.

If this was a fake, he wouldn’t be able to exude that killing intent, nor would he know about the abilities I was referring to.

“Are you trying to order me around, human…? How unpleasant…”

“Well, isn’t it more unpleasant to be suspected of having a fake Demon Sword? If I were you, I would. As soon as you hold a Demon Sword, you instinctively know how to use its abilities. Any reason why you can’t show it to us?”

As I fired off questions one after the other, he seemed to hesitate a little. He could have dismissed my words as lies, but the fact that he didn’t suggested that he knew it was a fake.

He couldn’t come up with a proper rebuttal and kept rambling on about other things, indicating that he hadn’t anticipated being suspected like this. The aura he exuded was practically indistinguishable from the real thing.

In fact, if it weren’t for me, Dullahan would have been broken by now.

“Can’t do it?”

And yet, Elder Lich still did nothing. The hollow eye sockets remained fixed on me, but he had apparently realized that continuing the conversation would only amplify their distrust. He stayed silent, sitting on the bone throne.

Silence didn’t erase distrust; it only amplified it. The fact that Dullahan, who had almost lost his mind, drew his sword again was proof of that.

“So, the Demon Sword has such an ability… I should have put more effort into it…”

Then, he clicked his nonexistent tongue, essentially admitting that he had lied.

“What’s up? You’re admitting it pretty quickly.”

“A small crack can bring down a great castle… Once doubt takes root, it never disappears, only grows… There’s no point in dragging this out… This is indeed a fake that I created…”

He cackled, his bones clattering. The Demon Sword in his hand gradually lost its vitality and turned into mere bones.

“However, human… You know one thing but not the other… If I could create a replica so intricate that even a demon Commander couldn’t tell the difference, do you think I would have made only one…?”

“Ah, I get what you’re trying to say. So, what did you do with the others?”

“I carefully wrapped them and gave them to undead who seemed alive, and they spread them across the front lines… The one I crafted with the most care was destroyed by the hero, but the others are obediently carrying out my orders, slaughtering humans…”

Elder Lich threw away the replica, now nothing more than bones, and spread his arms wide.

“I shall see if you have any compassion left for your fellow humans… Will you help your own kind, or will you not…? Well… I’ve said what I wanted to say, so go ahead and kill me… I shall return after being reborn from my Life Vessel…”

Just as I was about to pull out the Holy Lance, rubbing my aching left hand,

“You noooooo good!”

Dullahan charged at Elder Lich with wind-like speed and sliced him and his throne to shreds. The lich didn’t even have time to laugh before turning into bone fragments.

The malevolent spirits that spread along with the slashes devoured reality and went berserk. Dullahan, along with the spirits, destroyed two-thirds of the room where the throne had been, and yet he still seemed unsatisfied, his shoulders heaving.

“…’

He slowly sheathed his sword back into his body, removed his helmet, and returned to me, once again without a head.

“You showed his true colors. I apologize.”

“It’s fine. We should worry about what to do next. Didn’t you hear? He said he spread replicas of the Demon Sword across the front lines.”

“Of course, I did! How dare he desecrate and insult the symbol of our lord…! I’ll tear him apart a thousand times if I could!”

His clenched fists trembled.

“You go and destroy those replicas. Along the way, kill the undead he mentioned. But do not kill any humans.”

“Do not kill humans? Hmm, understood. Is it because you’re human?”

Dullahan’s reaction reminded me that he was indeed a demon Commander. Still, his reaction suggested that he wouldn’t outright refuse.

“Why did he create replicas of the Demon Sword and spread them on the front lines against humans?”

“Obviously to kill humans, isn’t it?”

“You know well. So, if you go around killing humans, you’d be fulfilling his purpose, wouldn’t you? Are you going to act like him, someone who knows neither honor nor loyalty?”

“Absolutely not!”

Dullahan jumped, literally.

“So, don’t kill humans. It’s for your own good. Do you understand?”

“Understood! I will not kill any humans! Thank you for preserving my honor, my friend!”

The helmet tucked under his arm nodded vigorously up and down. Could he remotely control it too?

“If you understand, go ahead and start destroying the replicas. I’ll convey the message to the humans that they shouldn’t attack you either.”

“We won’t attack each other? It feels strange. It’s almost like we’re forming an alliance or something. Why would I do that with a species full of dishonorable and ignorant trash, unlike you, an honorable being?”

“Think of it as a dishonorable act for the sake of honor. Imagine a situation where you stand by your lord’s side, falsely accused. The situation itself may be humiliating, but can it truly be called dishonorable?”

“Oho! So that’s what it is!”

It was a relief that Dullahan was easy to understand.

Really.

.

.

.

“So, do not attack the First Commander and his ghost cavalry when they appear on the battlefield, is that correct…?”

“Currently, the Demon World is under the influence of Elder Lich. However, the First Commander is almost the only one who prioritizes killing undead over humans. So, we have no reason to attack him either.”

“I have heard the report. They said that he only dealt with the undead near the Demon Sword and disappeared without harming any humans.”

The Emperor, seemingly intimidated by the Chairman, glanced at the ghost horse on my right, licking his hand, and then asked another question.

“May I ask one more question? Does the Demon World being under Elder Lich’s influence mean that the Demon King, who should control the Commanders, is gone?”

“You’ve already come to your own conclusion, haven’t you?”

“…I understand. I’ll take it as an affirmative. What do you think, Chairman Erestika?”

“…’

“Chairman Erestika?”

“Hmm? Oh, my apologies. I was lost in thought. What did you ask?”

“I asked what you thought of the human’s proposal.”

“Ah… I think it’s fine to accept it as long as there’s no risk of the First Commander backstabbing us. At least until we declare the alliance dissolved.”

“I guarantee that won’t happen.”

“You don’t seem to be lying.”

Seeing that the Chairman was fully supporting my proposal, the Emperor said he would consider it and dismissed us.

I walked out first, followed by the Chairman. Several Royal Guards escorted us outside the Imperial Palace with uncomfortable looks. As soon as the Royal Guards left, the Chairman cast a soundproof spell and smiled.

“How did it feel to speak to the Emperor so informally, child?”

“……I don’t really feel anything. Ever since I met Laura, he’s felt more like a doting father than an Emperor.”

I put away the mask, took off the hood, and the ghost horse, now completely recognizing me as its master, melted into the shadows and disappeared. The Chairman’s smile deepened.

“Why did you come to see the Emperor looking like this? I was wondering if there was a reason…”

“Are you alright? You can’t get hurt, absolutely, absolutely not.”

The Chairman leaned down to examine my body. The ridiculously large breasts swayed in front of my eyes.

“I’m fine. I haven’t been hurt at all while traveling in the Demon World.”

“Good, good. You’re doing well, child.”

The Chairman smiled and vigorously rubbed my head with her large hands. I didn’t mention that even if I got hurt, I would just heal anyway, because the result was obvious.

The Chairman patted and hugged me several times before finally stepping back, satisfied. I still felt the soft sensation on various parts of my body.

“Do you have a plan for what to do next, child?”

“I’m thinking of how to find the Life Vessel. Once that’s resolved, I don’t think there will be any other problems.”

Back then, revealing the location of the Life Vessel seemed like the best choice.

Astaroth’s betrayal was largely due to Elder Lich knowing the location of his life-line. Otherwise, he might have pretended to be unaware and waited until he could confirm it later.

“The Life Vessel… Indeed. I have a good method for that.”

“What method is that?”

The Chairman smiled slightly stickily and hugged me again.

“Don’t you want to ride me, child?”