Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 187

Episode 187

So, naturally, his opponent would have been even more unprepared. The rigidity of the man’s body telegraphed the shock he was experiencing.

What followed was a largely one-sided affair. The opponent could barely parry El’s sword. It wasn’t a matter of speed, but rather that El’s attack patterns were so varied and unpredictable that they seemed impossible to counter. Clash! Clash! Each impact of their energies sent a thunderous boom and ground-shaking tremor through the area.

“Amazing…”

Isana, and even Alisa, who wasn’t accustomed to such intense combat, watched El in stunned silence. Beside them, Sibelius wore a triumphant grin.

“When El gets serious, few can withstand him.”

His tone, brimming with pride, made it clear how highly he regarded El. He was like a proud parent showing off their child. And no one could dispute his assessment. El was putting on a truly remarkable display.

“It’s over now.”

Clash! Crack!

As if Sibelius’s words were a cue, the cloaked man was soon slammed into the ground with a resounding crash, the result of being completely overwhelmed by El’s superior power. He skidded along the ground, leaving a long trail before finally coming to a stop some distance away.

“…Kugh!”

A groan escaped the crumpled, disheveled figure. He hadn’t lost consciousness, but he was clearly in no condition to move. His cloak was in tatters. El, landing gracefully, pointed his sword at the man’s head, marking the decisive moment of the battle.

“Hoo, I almost killed him. It’s always troublesome because I can’t hold back properly when the opponent is strong.”

“…”

It was a rather absurd statement, considering he was completely unscathed. El acted as if he had struggled mightily. It only highlighted how different his standards for a difficult fight were from those of ordinary people. I wasn’t the only one who felt dumbfounded; Isana and Alisa stared at him with expressions of disbelief. Only Sibelius remained unfazed.

“This guy seems to be a demon. Are you going to spare him?”

“Yeah, he’ll be needed from now on.”

‘Demon?’

Only after hearing Sibelius and El’s conversation did I detect a faint demonic energy emanating from the fallen man. It seemed that what I had sensed earlier was indeed the unique energy signature of a demon.

I thought everything was settled after Lucarim’s departure, but had I been under surveillance again in the meantime? My heart sank at the thought that I hadn’t noticed.

“Jihoon, heal this guy a bit. Just enough to keep him barely alive.”

“Ah, okay.”

I approached the man with mixed feelings. When I removed the tattered cloak, the demon’s characteristic jet-black hair was revealed, now disheveled and matted with dirt. Even with his face covered in blood and his eyes closed, I could tell he was handsome. But that appearance was strangely familiar. I paused as I reached out to heal him.

“…Deron?”

* * *

As we ventured deeper inland, the Barren Desert began to resemble a mountainous region. The flatlands gave way to steep slopes, and the path quickly became treacherous. Maps had long since become useless. Even without a compass, no one hesitated as they moved forward, trusting the man leading the way.

“Here, this way.”

The group followed him without question, relying on his monotonous and blunt directions. He could have been resentful of the fact that everyone was depending on him, but the man simply focused on finding the best route.

Jet-black hair and crimson eyes. His face, now fully visible without a hood, revealed the unmistakable features of a demon. He no longer bothered to conceal the demonic energy he had previously kept so carefully hidden.

When our eyes met, the man gave an awkward grimace. I had recently come to realize that he possessed a shy personality, despite his seemingly indifferent exterior. I chuckled at his hesitant gaze. He was Deron, the demon who had been unceremoniously captured by El not long ago.

“It’s been a while.”

As soon as his condition had stabilized, Deron greeted me with a calm demeanor. El had instructed me to heal him only enough to keep him alive, but I couldn’t bring myself to abandon someone I knew, someone I had even spoken with, so I had fully restored him. I had worried that he might resist and try to escape again, but based on my understanding of his personality, I didn’t think he would. As expected, he had adopted a resigned attitude from the start.

“The reunion came sooner than I expected, Deron. Although I didn’t anticipate it happening like this.”

“I’m sorry.”

He answered my smiling words calmly, but he avoided my gaze. He seemed genuinely embarrassed by the situation. Since I had held favorable feelings toward him from the beginning, I spoke gently.

“I didn’t expect you to be lurking around again. Were you ordered to monitor me this time as well?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“It hasn’t been long since Lucarim returned. Your demon lord is quite persistent.”

“…Why didn’t you kill me?”

“Hmm, that wasn’t my decision.”

I turned to El with a troubled expression, and he sat down in front of us as if he had been waiting for this moment. At the same time, Deron’s calm face hardened noticeably.

“Hello? I’m El. I’m sorry for using such a violent method. It’s not like I had any particular complaints about you.”

“…What do you want?”

His eyes, now filled with a wariness that was completely absent when he faced me, slowly scanned El. Watching this, I felt a strange mix of emotions. He was more wary of the spirit king than a human. I didn’t know whether to be pleased that he didn’t harbor hostility toward me, or to be concerned that he looked down on humans.

“Hehe, straight to the point? Still, I’m glad you’re a guy who’s easy to talk to. There’s one thing I want you to do for me.”

“Tell me.”

“It’s not a difficult request, so don’t be too nervous. I just want you to find a demon sword.”

“A demon sword?”

Deron, who had been listening passively, immediately glared at El with fierce intensity. It was the most passionate reaction I had seen from him so far.

“I can’t hand over my sword. Kill me instead.”

A voice that sounded like it was being forced through clenched teeth escaped his lips. Contempt and humiliation filled his red eyes to the point where they seemed to be overflowing. Everyone watching, including me, tensed at his vehement response. But El simply shrugged, unfazed.

“Haha, it seems like you’re misunderstanding something. Don’t worry. I know that demon swords are precious too. I also know that many demons cherish their swords as if they were their own lives. I have no intention of forcibly taking something like that.”

“…You’re not asking for my sword?”

Deron looked surprised, and I also glanced at El with a questioning gaze. To be honest, I had also assumed that he was after Deron’s sword. Since he had captured a demon while searching for a demon sword, it seemed like the most logical conclusion. El continued to smile with an inscrutable expression.

“Of course, if you offered it to me, things would be easier, but that’s not what I’m asking. I’m just asking you to find it, literally.”

“What does that…”

“Somewhere in this area, a demon sword without an owner is sealed. But I have no idea where it is. Demons resonate with other demonic energy, right? I thought you might be able to get a rough idea of its location.”

Only then did I realize why El had bothered to capture him. He had intended to use him as a guide to find the demon sword from the beginning. Deron seemed to have understood as well, as his face returned to its usual expressionless state.

“Is that all I have to do?”

“Yeah, will you do it?”

“You’re saying it as if I have a choice.”

“Of course, I don’t intend to force you to do this either. But wouldn’t it be beneficial for both of us if I gave you a reason to be grateful for sparing your life?”

“…Okay, I’ll do it.”

His tone was mild, but it was essentially a veiled threat. Deron sighed and nodded briefly. He seemed reluctant, but he had apparently decided to accept the situation. He was indeed quick to resign himself to things.

The situation progressed smoothly after that. As El had anticipated, Deron was able to sense other demonic energy in the vicinity. However, the term ‘vicinity’ was a bit of an exaggeration, as the actual distance was quite considerable. The presence was also very faint, so there were many days when we wandered around without being able to pinpoint its exact location. Still, it was clear that he was a more reliable guide than a blank map.

“How is it, Deron?”

“The energy is getting stronger. I think we’ll be able to arrive soon.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Around that time, I found myself spending more time with Deron, away from the rest of the group. I was tired of feeling like an outsider in the El-centric atmosphere, and I struggled to find common ground with the others. I didn’t yet feel comfortable enough to try and integrate into the close-knit group that had formed around El.

Deron was a welcome companion in that regard. Perhaps because of his initially fierce demeanor, he seemed to particularly dislike El and avoided getting close to him. As a result, he rarely interacted with the other members who were constantly in El’s company. This made it easier for me to relax and get along with him.

“It seems like we’re finally nearing the end of this journey. It’s all thanks to Deron. Thank you so much for your help. I feel even more guilty because it’s like I’ve forced you to do this.”

“It’s okay. It’s not that difficult. But now that I think about it, I’m curious. May I ask why you’re looking for the demon sword?”

It was a natural question for someone who was being used in this way. It wasn’t something I needed to hide, so I answered readily.

“It’s to break a curse.”

“The curse of the priest of the demon god? It must be a powerful curse if you need a demon sword to break it.”

“That’s what I’ve heard.”

“Hmm, if it’s for breaking a curse, then the demon sword will be completely consumed. It’ll be hard to recover.”

Deron’s face clouded over as he muttered to himself. It was clear that he was lamenting the loss of the demon sword, so I asked with a slightly puzzled expression.

“Are demon swords precious to demons too? I thought they were common in the demon world.”

“They’re not uncommon, but they’re not easy to obtain either. Demon swords are only made from special minerals imbued with the power of a demon god, and these minerals themselves are hard to find. Our demons are a race that would shed blood to obtain a good sword, so the value of a demon sword is high.”

“I see. I didn’t know. Lucarim was very willing to hand it over. Ah, of course, he presented a contract, so maybe he wasn’t so willing.”

“…Is that so. I’m more surprised that he had a demon sword. I’ve rarely seen him carry a weapon.”

“He had a lot? He had daggers and long swords.”

“…Damn demons.”

“Yes?”

“No, it’s nothing. It’s just that I was reminded of a hateful face who would sneer at me whenever he saw my sword, saying he was jealous because he didn’t have a good weapon.”

…He’s talking about Lucarim.

I immediately realized who he was grinding his teeth at and smiled awkwardly. Somehow, it felt very Lucarim-like. It seemed that his annoying personality was universal.

“By the way, is Lucarim okay? I felt bad because he went back with severe injuries. Ah, don’t misunderstand, but there was a reason for those injuries.”

“I know. It was probably his own fault anyway. He said so himself. He’s the kind of guy who would give up his life to trick someone.”

“…I’m sorry to say this, but I don’t understand what Lucarim is thinking at all.”

“It’s normal not to understand that man’s thoughts. It’s better not to try to understand him in the future. There’s no need to lower yourself to his level by trying to understand him.”

His words were openly venomous, so I broke out in a cold sweat again.

“Do you hate Lucarim that much?”

“Me, Lucarim? Don’t be ridiculous. If anything, I respect him.”

“Oh? Really?”

I blinked at the unexpected answer. Based on the previous conversation, it seemed like he harbored a lot of personal resentment. Deron nodded calmly.

“He’s a being with the magic to captivate others. Anyone who knows his true worth will admire him. His annoying sarcasm and seemingly kind face are very irritating, but the power that makes you shiver just by looking at him is something you can’t help but revere. Ah, of course, sometimes I want to kill him when I see him abusing it.”

…No, the things you’re saying don’t seem to align.

I felt like I had opened Pandora’s box. I decided to quietly remain silent at that point, as it seemed like I shouldn’t delve any deeper.

“But right now, that El guy is more annoying.”

“…”

I couldn’t open my mouth when I heard the following words. Deron’s gaze flickered toward the group behind us.