Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 298

298.

“How pathetic. You’re one of the dukes, yet your abilities are so lacking. If I had known, I would have kept Deron by my side instead of Serphis.”

“Deron is my subordinate. I won’t give him to you.”

“Saying that only makes me want him more.”

“You….”

“Master, it’s a provocation. Don’t respond.”

Deron spoke calmly to As, whose eyes had turned fierce. The deep furrow in As’s brow relaxed slightly. Karian, who had been watching the scene leisurely, chuckled weakly.

“Did you say I would lose things? Let me tell you, little one. I lose nothing. As much as disappears, I will refill it. No, even more than that. With things better than before.”

“……”

“You must feel like you’ve won against me now. But the day will come when you realize that this is just a part of the process. Until then, enjoy your short victory to your heart’s content.”

Each word he uttered felt like a curse. His face, stained with red blood streaming from his mouth and twisted with madness as he laughed, was so grotesque that I wanted to look away. But As didn’t take his eyes off him for a moment, as if daring him to do his worst.

「Let’s meet again soon.」

The last voice seemed to echo directly in my head. Judging by everyone’s hardened expressions, they all seemed to have felt the same phenomenon. As was also frowning. At that moment, Karian, his eyes wide, suddenly began to tremble convulsively. His chest heaved violently, and sweat poured from his body like rain.

“Huk! Haa! Keuheuk heuk!”

Before long, the twisted convulsions ended, and he gasped for breath. He looked as if he had barely regained his breath after his blocked airways were cleared. As, who still hadn’t lowered the blade he was aiming, wore a dissatisfied expression.

“He escaped.”

I quickly understood the meaning of the muttered words. It seemed that Karian had released his control of the consciousness. The change resulting from that was obvious.

“Aaaagh! Heuaaaack!”

Karian’s face, which had been fine just a moment ago, contorted violently, and he began to cry out in pain. It seemed that he was only now feeling the pain from his injuries. Karian, no, Serphis, who had returned, trembled and writhed. She seemed to be screaming with her whole body.

“Eueuk, euheuek, keureueuek!”

After some time, her rough screams gradually turned into sobs. Tears streamed down from her tightly closed eyes. Whether it was because of the physical pain, the sorrow of being used and abandoned by Karian, or the impending death, I couldn’t know anything because I couldn’t read her mind. She just looked very painful and miserable. However, As’s gaze as he looked down at her was indifferent.

“What should I do with you?”

At the quietly delivered words, Serphis’s eyes slowly opened. She looked up at As with a trembling gaze.

“Your connection with Karian is completely severed. If you don’t resist, I might spare you. Will you surrender to me? But I won’t take you in.”

“……”

A light flickered in Serphis’s eyes. She quietly heaved a breath and slowly turned her gaze elsewhere. That action, as if searching for something, stopped when she found Deron. *Keulleok*, a thick cough echoed, and she spat out a dark red lump of blood.

“I want to ask… one thing….”

“Speak.”

Deron nodded calmly. Perhaps pleased that he hadn’t ignored her and had accepted her words, a slight sense of relief appeared on Serphis’s unstable expression.

“Dezak… when he died… did he… resent me?”

The question that followed was unexpected. Deron seemed to be the same, as he flinched slightly. He looked at Serphis with a complicated face, and Serphis spat out blood again. It didn’t seem like her internal injuries were that severe; it seemed like there was some other effect. I didn’t even know what Karian had done as his consciousness left.

Deron looked at his lord with a hesitant face. When As nodded, he sighed and opened his mouth.

“Unfortunately, he didn’t even have time to resent you. There wasn’t enough time to die leisurely.”

The words that were spat out were cold enough to make one’s shoulders shrink. But Serphis smiled instead. “That’s… a relief. That’s enough.” A broken voice barely flowed out from between her trembling lips. Tears mixed with blood soaked into her long black hair, which was scattered beside her face.

“Have you decided on your answer?”

At As’s question, Serphis nodded. Her skin would be grazed by the tightly pressed blade, but she didn’t seem to care at all. She slowly took As into her eyes.

“It’s strange. It feels like… I’ve walked a very… long way.”

“……”

“Even though all my memories are so clear… why does everything feel so unfamiliar? But I… understand that. I probably… won’t be able to go… to the Demon God’s embrace.”

As she spoke, she spat out blood again. Serphis closed her eyes with an expression that swallowed her sorrowful feelings.

“Kill… me. Please… let me rest now.”

“That’s the answer?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Compared to the desperate emotions being spewed out, the answer that came back was too light. The end that followed was the same. As swung his scythe, and the trembling breath stopped immediately. It was only a second. It was only a fleeting moment, but in that short time, death descended on the living body. At the same time, the necklace hanging around As’s neck scattered a small light and crumbled away. I felt something scattering between his arms and fingers. But the shattered pieces didn’t just disappear; they gathered on As’s forehead.

White light particles slowly began to engrave a pattern on it: a picture of two leathery wings spread out on either side. It was the same form as the Demon God’s mark on the back of my hand. The difference was that mine was completely painted white inside, and the one engraved on As’s forehead was only the outline. But even that was momentary. As if the ink had run out, a red color appeared inside the outline and quickly spread out, filling it, as if the blood of Serphis, whom he had just killed, had seeped into it.

The proof of the throne.

I realized at this moment that As had become the Demon King, that he had taken the empty throne and ascended as the new monarch.

“Congratulations, Master!”

As if to prove it, Deron knelt on one knee with a face full of excitement. As simply turned to look at him, without expressing any emotion on his face. At his feet was still Serphis’s corpse, and the floor was soaking wet with blood flowing from her torn body.

While watching the scene, I was seized by a strange feeling that I couldn’t describe. It was definitely something to celebrate that As had become the Demon King, but it wasn’t a scene or atmosphere that I could wholeheartedly rejoice in. It was true that Serphis had been doing evil deeds, but it was clear that her will wasn’t fully reflected in them. If I had wanted to, I could have stopped her death, but I didn’t. It wasn’t for grand reasons, such as her sins being too great to keep her alive or that she might go back to Karian. It just felt like I had to.

Soon, As put away the weapon he was holding. The scythe, having finished its role, slowly began to crumble from the handle and completely disappeared into dust. As lightly shook his hand and approached me. The boy, who had been indifferent until the moment he won the battle, killed his opponent, and obtained the Demon King’s mark, had a slightly embarrassed expression when he stopped in front of me.

“Godfather, I’m sorry. I fought.”

“……”

An unexpected apology flowed from the boy, who had his head bowed. His gaze was full of concern as he carefully looked at me, worried that I would scold him. The cold dignity and the Demon King’s authority that had occupied his face just a moment ago were nowhere to be seen. It felt like he had finally returned to the boy I knew.

“Uh, um. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No. But I, did I make things difficult for you, Godfather?”

“No, it’s okay.”

To the child who was asking with an anxious expression, I stroked his head to mean that it was okay. I couldn’t say that I wasn’t surprised, but I also knew that it was inevitable. As was a being who had to be at the pinnacle of the Demon Realm. He couldn’t just grow up soft and gentle like a flower in a greenhouse, nor should he. I had to stop unnecessary slaughter, but I couldn’t interfere with the legitimate rights gained through victory in battle.

“You became king?”

At my question, As slowly nodded. He was still glancing at me and stammering, as if he thought I was angry. I lightly stroked As’s head.

“Amazing. Aren’t you the youngest Demon King in history? Our As is amazing.”

“Really?”

“Of course, really. You did well, As. You really did well. I’m proud of you.”

When I hugged him and patted his shoulder, the boy’s face, which had been stiff with tension, finally brightened. Then, as if he had thought of something, he became gloomy again.

“What should I do, Godfather? Actually, I shouldn’t be proud yet. It seems like I need more time.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“The authority is gone.”

“Authority?”

“The king’s authority. It’s the sense that connects to the heart of the Demon Realm. I need that to restore the royal castle. It was connected a while ago, but it’s not anymore. Look, the mark has disappeared again, right?”

At those words, I straightened my posture and checked As’s forehead. The red mark, which had been so clear, had really disappeared cleanly. Even the white outline that had appeared at first wasn’t left.

“*Heok*, really? Why is that? If you received the qualification, isn’t it over?”

“Yeah, that’s usually right. Maybe it’s because I’m young, because I’m not an adult yet.”

“Then do you have to wait until you become an adult to become a real king?”

I had heard that it takes 10 years for a demon to become an adult. It was an absurdly short time compared to humans, but right now, it was a distant future. If he hadn’t obtained it, it would have been one thing, but to think that the waiting period after already having the qualification would be long enough for the landscape to change. Thinking about that bleak time, I felt even more wronged. But then Deron interjected in the conversation.

“Excuse me, but I think I need to correct you. First of all, the lord is already an adult.”

“Yes? Even though he’s not even ten years old yet?”

“Actually, the number of years since birth doesn’t mean much. The reason why that age became the standard for adulthood is because they awaken their powers around that time. Demons are adults from the moment they awaken their powers. It’s just that there have been no cases like the lord who awakened so quickly until now.”

“Ah, is that so? Then why did the king’s mark disappear?”

“I guess it’s because the lord’s energy is not stable. It must be because the body is still growing. I think it will be fine once that part is resolved.”

“Hmm, you mean the physical development has to be completely finished? When is that?”

“Although there are individual differences, the development of demons is generally completely finished in about a year. The lord is faster than average, so it will probably be a few months.”

“Really? That’s right, As. Then we just have to wait a little longer.”

“Yeah.”

As, who was nodding his head greatly with a proud face, was so cute that I stroked his head again. Sibelius, who was watching the scene, had a very displeased expression.

“If you’re an adult, don’t act so cute, okay? Aren’t you embarrassed to be doing that yourself?”

“As is originally cute.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You were wielding a huge scythe with a ferocious momentum a while ago. And what’s with calling yourself by your own name? Are you planning to overwhelm the world with a mental attack?”

“As doesn’t understand what you’re saying at all.”

“Ugh! Don’t do that!”

Seeing As blinking his eyes and tilting his head, Sibelius scratched his body frantically as if he was having a seizure. I quietly shook my head at the sight. To expose his weaknesses so completely, it was like encouraging him to do more, but he was the only one who didn’t know it. It was a pity for him, but it was a match that had already ended before it even started. The possibility of Sibelius winning against As in words seemed like it would never come in the future.

“Damn it, no matter how I look at it, he’s still a kid! And he’s already the Demon King! A demon who hasn’t even been born for a year becoming an adult is unheard of! How can this happen? What on earth is going to happen to the world!”

“It’s proof that I’m that great.”

Lapis leisurely praised himself next to Sibelius, who was lamenting. Sibelius gave him a dumbfounded expression at the sight of him taking credit without any gaps.

“Don’t you ever get tired of bragging like you’re breathing?”

“I’m more surprised that you can get tired of that?”

“……Okay. I shouldn’t have said anything. Anyway, this is nothing to be proud of. Demons are bound to have unnecessary greed when they gain power. Kid, you! You better not have ambitions like starting another Great War of the Millennium because you’re crazy with overflowing power, or conquering the lands of humans. Live with your wits about you from now on! Don’t follow in the footsteps of the previous Demon King. Got it?”

“As doesn’t do that. The blue elf really has no eye for people.”

“I told you not to call me a blue elf!”

The meaningless debate started, and the sounds of bickering continued. Meanwhile, Deron was doing something in front of the dead Serphis’s corpse. When I went closer, I saw that he was putting blood into a small glass bottle. Even in this situation, it seemed that he hadn’t forgotten the purpose of finding a contractor with her blood. Seeing him preparing on his own without me telling him, I felt a sense of diligence that I had never experienced before, and I was touched.

“Are you done?”

When I asked after seeing him seal the mouth of the glass bottle, Deron nodded silently. Even after completely hiding the glass bottle in his arms, he knelt down in front of Serphis and stared at her for a while. He gazed at her beautiful face, which was no longer breathing, and her body, which had turned cold.

I looked at Deron with a worried heart. He and Serphis were of the same status and were colleagues who moved together. They didn’t seem to have a close relationship, but I didn’t believe that the relationship they showed on the outside was everything. He always grumbled about the North Duke, but when he died, he had empty eyes for a while. His attitude towards Serphis didn’t seem to be much different. As much as the time they had known each other, the emotions that filled this moment must have been very complicated, perhaps even more so because her last appearance seemed to be fading away in vain.