A scream burst out of Sylvia's mouth a moment too late.
“Randall!”
She reflexively used her magic to pin David to the ground. The force was so strong that a crack formed around him as he fell to the ground, making a cracking sound.
“Cough!”
“Ugh, euaaaah!”
“Ugh, my hand...!”
David groaned, spitting out blood. Several dark bugs and allied forces around him, who had been caught in the spell, screamed, clutching at their wounds.
Bam!
David smiled softly and let out a soft call. But immediately afterward, his hand cupping Sylvia’s cheek tightened. He whispered with sparkling eyes.
“What are you doing, without going wild?”
“...”
“Spread your wings and show your strength to the people, just like you did when you cut off my neck. If you do that, I will give back what is yours.”
Only then did Sylvia's thinking return to normal.
'...Ah.'
She wondered why he was making such a pointless fuss. She never thought he would abandon his goal of reclaiming the Demon King's throne and go after her alone.
'If I reveal darkness in front of people, I will be considered an enemy of humanity regardless of the outcome of this war.'
Sylvia grabbed David's wrist tightly as if she was going to tear his hand that was holding her face. Her nails dug into the already wounded skin. She spat out her words as if she was chewing them.
“...Was this what you were planning from the beginning?”
"Yes."
“You’re crazy.”
“Originally I would have said no, but ever since my neck fell into your hands... Well.”
David trailed off in a free tone. He lowered his eyes. His purple gaze wandered around Sylvia’s lips and the nape of her neck.
“Every time I see you, I want to wring your neck right away, but sometimes I want to hold you in my hand and play with you until I get sick of you.”
“...”
“Whenever you look at Randall Belfort, my heart twists. Maybe this too is love. Wanting to spend eternity with you.”
"...Ha."
Sylvia finally burst into laughter as she listened to David. She roughly slapped his hand away and stared at him with contempt.
“Don’t talk nonsense, Basis.”
“...”
“It’s just a twisted obsession with revenge against me and hatred for Randall.”
“...Obsession.”
David's mouth twisted unpleasantly. He smiled sharply as if he didn't like Sylvia's words or her gaze. In fact, it seemed closer to despair than laughter.
“If you say so.”
As David spat out his words, darkness rippled around him. His eyes turned blood red and his skin turned purple. Sylvia, sensing something unusual, changed her expression.
"...What are you doing."
“Well, let’s show Randall Belfort the sight of you and me mingling. Wouldn’t that be the best revenge if he goes crazy and breaks, leaving you with only the broken pieces?”
“What the... !”
Sylvia reflexively tried to use magic to strangle David but then hesitated. If she attacked David rashly, he would lose his life.
'What about Randall?'
What happens to Randall? What if... what happens when David dies, and Randall disappears with him? What if David, who wrote the magic, dies and there is no way to get Randall out?
'No.'
It can't be. Sylvia desperately racked her brain while frozen. Just a moment ago, seeing David use darkness to say he would lay hands on Randall, she had a fleeting thought that it might be a trick to use darkness.
‘...But other than that, I don’t know anything.’
Even David wasn't completely sure that he had used darkness to imprison Randall. Sylvia was a demon lord, but she had never come into contact with the things that had been handed down to the demon lords of Kelvetia, and she was busy suppressing humans with overwhelming darkness.
“Randall!”
She reflexively used her magic to pin David to the ground. The force was so strong that a crack formed around him as he fell to the ground, making a cracking sound.
“Cough!”
“Ugh, euaaaah!”
“Ugh, my hand...!”
David groaned, spitting out blood. Several dark bugs and allied forces around him, who had been caught in the spell, screamed, clutching at their wounds.
Even though his entire body felt like it was being crushed by a huge mountain, David raised his head dizzily and looked around. The sight of enemies and allies alike in pain. And in the middle of all of them, he saw Sylvia walking towards him with a murderous expression and let out a bloody laugh.
“Ha, haha! Huh, ha...!”
“Ha, haha! Huh, ha...!”
Bam!
But David's laughter was cut short because Sylvia, who had arrived in front of him, kicked him in the stomach with a blank expression.
“Ugh, ugh...”
David writhed in pain, spitting blood once more. Sylvia grabbed him by the collar as he lay half-lying on the ground. She spoke in a cold voice.
“Where is he?”
“Ugh, uh, uh...”
“I asked where he was.”
Sylvia gritted her teeth and spat out each word, her voice dripping with anger. At the same time, she searched his shadow with her magic and darkness without leaving a trace, but strangely, she could not feel anything. It would have been better if she had felt something blocking her. It was hard to believe, but if by any chance her ability was inferior to David's and she could not find Randall, she could try and surpass David over and over again, dozens of times.
“Ugh, ugh...”
David writhed in pain, spitting blood once more. Sylvia grabbed him by the collar as he lay half-lying on the ground. She spoke in a cold voice.
“Where is he?”
“Ugh, uh, uh...”
“I asked where he was.”
Sylvia gritted her teeth and spat out each word, her voice dripping with anger. At the same time, she searched his shadow with her magic and darkness without leaving a trace, but strangely, she could not feel anything. It would have been better if she had felt something blocking her. It was hard to believe, but if by any chance her ability was inferior to David's and she could not find Randall, she could try and surpass David over and over again, dozens of times.
However, she could not feel anything around them. As if Randall had been wiped clean from this world. Her fingertips trembled with anxiety. Sylvia ground her teeth, pulling the hand holding his collar closer.
“What have you done?”
“You have quite a face to look at. You...”
David laughed, his lips wet with blood. Sylvia let go of his collar and threw David to the floor. She looked down at David with an emotionless face that was even more terrifying because it showed no emotion. Goosebumps ran down his spine at that gaze. It was a natural reaction for any living creature to be intimidated by such pressure. David gasped for breath and laughed at Sylvia.
“Are you that upset that that punk disappeared?”
“Take him out, now.”
“Try it.”
Thud.
“What have you done?”
“You have quite a face to look at. You...”
David laughed, his lips wet with blood. Sylvia let go of his collar and threw David to the floor. She looked down at David with an emotionless face that was even more terrifying because it showed no emotion. Goosebumps ran down his spine at that gaze. It was a natural reaction for any living creature to be intimidated by such pressure. David gasped for breath and laughed at Sylvia.
“Are you that upset that that punk disappeared?”
“Take him out, now.”
“Try it.”
Thud.
Sylvia, who was on one knee on the floor, slapped David’s mouth as he let out a sneer. The hand that had hit his face throbbed and went numb, but she didn’t even blink.
“Take him out.”
Looking at the expressionless face and voice alone, it was almost as if time had gone back a little while. However, David's mouth, where the blood flowed more, and Sylvia's hand, which was red, proved that what had happened a little while ago was not fake. David turned his head, spat out the saliva mixed with blood, and raised the corners of his mouth again. He answered in a very affectionate voice.
“I can’t take him out.”
Puck.
“Take him out.”
"I can't..."
Puck.
“Take him out.”
“Take him out.”
Looking at the expressionless face and voice alone, it was almost as if time had gone back a little while. However, David's mouth, where the blood flowed more, and Sylvia's hand, which was red, proved that what had happened a little while ago was not fake. David turned his head, spat out the saliva mixed with blood, and raised the corners of his mouth again. He answered in a very affectionate voice.
“I can’t take him out.”
Puck.
“Take him out.”
"I can't..."
Puck.
“Take him out.”
Puck!
“Take him out!”
Eventually, blood began to flow from Sylvia’s hands as well. She raised her voice as if screaming and gasped for breath. She lowered her head and grabbed David’s collar with both hands. A suppressed voice leaked out between her gasping breaths.
“...What on earth have you done, you?”
A smile appeared on David's lips, perhaps because he saw it as surrender. He supported himself with one arm and raised his upper body up diagonally. However, even that seemed too much for him, and his words came out intermittently.
“Don’t worry too much... It’ll be fine. It’s just a brief glimpse of something that might have happened. For example...”
David slowly extended his now noticeably trembling hand toward Sylvia. His blood-soaked fingertips lightly touched her white cheek.
“...The way you look, not loving that kind of guy.”
"...What?"
“Or maybe it would be nice to see you fall in love with me and leave him behind.”
Sylvia’s thoughts stopped for a moment. The words that had penetrated her ears could not be interpreted by her thoughts or common sense. David closed the distance as if to kiss Sylvia and cupped her face with one hand. When he pressed his bloody thumb against her lips, the smell of blood swept across her nose.
“Take him out!”
Eventually, blood began to flow from Sylvia’s hands as well. She raised her voice as if screaming and gasped for breath. She lowered her head and grabbed David’s collar with both hands. A suppressed voice leaked out between her gasping breaths.
“...What on earth have you done, you?”
A smile appeared on David's lips, perhaps because he saw it as surrender. He supported himself with one arm and raised his upper body up diagonally. However, even that seemed too much for him, and his words came out intermittently.
“Don’t worry too much... It’ll be fine. It’s just a brief glimpse of something that might have happened. For example...”
David slowly extended his now noticeably trembling hand toward Sylvia. His blood-soaked fingertips lightly touched her white cheek.
“...The way you look, not loving that kind of guy.”
"...What?"
“Or maybe it would be nice to see you fall in love with me and leave him behind.”
Sylvia’s thoughts stopped for a moment. The words that had penetrated her ears could not be interpreted by her thoughts or common sense. David closed the distance as if to kiss Sylvia and cupped her face with one hand. When he pressed his bloody thumb against her lips, the smell of blood swept across her nose.
David’s eyes, seen from a distance close enough to mix their breaths, were not purple but rather chaos itself. A madness mixed with anger, joy, and obsession.
“Alyssa...”
“Alyssa...”
David smiled softly and let out a soft call. But immediately afterward, his hand cupping Sylvia’s cheek tightened. He whispered with sparkling eyes.
“What are you doing, without going wild?”
“...”
“Spread your wings and show your strength to the people, just like you did when you cut off my neck. If you do that, I will give back what is yours.”
Only then did Sylvia's thinking return to normal.
'...Ah.'
She wondered why he was making such a pointless fuss. She never thought he would abandon his goal of reclaiming the Demon King's throne and go after her alone.
'If I reveal darkness in front of people, I will be considered an enemy of humanity regardless of the outcome of this war.'
Sylvia grabbed David's wrist tightly as if she was going to tear his hand that was holding her face. Her nails dug into the already wounded skin. She spat out her words as if she was chewing them.
“...Was this what you were planning from the beginning?”
"Yes."
“You’re crazy.”
“Originally I would have said no, but ever since my neck fell into your hands... Well.”
David trailed off in a free tone. He lowered his eyes. His purple gaze wandered around Sylvia’s lips and the nape of her neck.
“Every time I see you, I want to wring your neck right away, but sometimes I want to hold you in my hand and play with you until I get sick of you.”
“...”
“Whenever you look at Randall Belfort, my heart twists. Maybe this too is love. Wanting to spend eternity with you.”
"...Ha."
Sylvia finally burst into laughter as she listened to David. She roughly slapped his hand away and stared at him with contempt.
“Don’t talk nonsense, Basis.”
“...”
“It’s just a twisted obsession with revenge against me and hatred for Randall.”
“...Obsession.”
David's mouth twisted unpleasantly. He smiled sharply as if he didn't like Sylvia's words or her gaze. In fact, it seemed closer to despair than laughter.
“If you say so.”
As David spat out his words, darkness rippled around him. His eyes turned blood red and his skin turned purple. Sylvia, sensing something unusual, changed her expression.
"...What are you doing."
“Well, let’s show Randall Belfort the sight of you and me mingling. Wouldn’t that be the best revenge if he goes crazy and breaks, leaving you with only the broken pieces?”
“What the... !”
Sylvia reflexively tried to use magic to strangle David but then hesitated. If she attacked David rashly, he would lose his life.
'What about Randall?'
What happens to Randall? What if... what happens when David dies, and Randall disappears with him? What if David, who wrote the magic, dies and there is no way to get Randall out?
'No.'
It can't be. Sylvia desperately racked her brain while frozen. Just a moment ago, seeing David use darkness to say he would lay hands on Randall, she had a fleeting thought that it might be a trick to use darkness.
‘...But other than that, I don’t know anything.’
Even David wasn't completely sure that he had used darkness to imprison Randall. Sylvia was a demon lord, but she had never come into contact with the things that had been handed down to the demon lords of Kelvetia, and she was busy suppressing humans with overwhelming darkness.
While Sylvia was frozen in place, unable to do anything, David staggered up. The darkness gathered his remaining vitality and gave him the strength to stand up. He spat out blood-mixed saliva once more and smiled, showing his teeth.
“Why? Are you afraid that he will believe what I show him and look at you with contempt?”
"...You."
“Yeah, that’s how it should be.”
David's provocation and Randall's absence caused a fierce atmosphere to ripple around Sylvia, who had become restless. David, who noticed a red light in her eyes, showed his teeth and laughed. A rake-shaped darkness emerged from his hand. When he was young. He was briefly happy to regain the darkness he had lost when he was born as a human.
"Damn it! What on earth can you do with this kind of power...!"
David, who was furious at the ridiculously small amount of darkness, began to research ways to effectively subdue his opponents with a small amount of darkness. The result of that research was the prison that currently held Randall. It was an illusionary prison that combined brainwashing, in which David was particularly talented, and an imaginary space created by densely pushing darkness into his shadow.
“Why? Are you afraid that he will believe what I show him and look at you with contempt?”
"...You."
“Yeah, that’s how it should be.”
David's provocation and Randall's absence caused a fierce atmosphere to ripple around Sylvia, who had become restless. David, who noticed a red light in her eyes, showed his teeth and laughed. A rake-shaped darkness emerged from his hand. When he was young. He was briefly happy to regain the darkness he had lost when he was born as a human.
"Damn it! What on earth can you do with this kind of power...!"
David, who was furious at the ridiculously small amount of darkness, began to research ways to effectively subdue his opponents with a small amount of darkness. The result of that research was the prison that currently held Randall. It was an illusionary prison that combined brainwashing, in which David was particularly talented, and an imaginary space created by densely pushing darkness into his shadow.
The opponents trapped inside it became part of David, so they could not be found with darkness or magic. All they could do was suffer and go crazy while watching the illusions he showed them. David smiled like an evil spirit as he looked at Sylvia, who was furious as if she would swing the darkness and cut off his head at any moment.
“Come with me.”
Sylvia finally admitted it after seeing that smile.
'I can't explain that.'
David's obsession cannot be explained by common sense. If he had been a person with common sense in the first place, he would not have talked about love or anything like that when he was beheaded by Alyssa.
'Did you eventually go crazy because you couldn't stand yourself being defeated by me?'
Unable to accept the fact that he lost his life to a worthless human, he must have brainwashed himself into thinking that Alyssa was not a worthless human. Eventually, he was consumed by his own thoughts and forgot his true nature. He couldn't even tell what his true feelings were. That was the current David de Kelmar Lochlen.
“Or this method would be fine too.”
At that moment, David laughed and raised his clawed hand, aiming at her stomach. Sylvia's sanity completely flew away as she realized that he was trying to take her life and make Randall disappear as well.
“Get your hands off me!”
A red aura filled Sylvia's eyes, and David's mouth twisted with joy at the sight.
“Come with me.”
Sylvia finally admitted it after seeing that smile.
'I can't explain that.'
David's obsession cannot be explained by common sense. If he had been a person with common sense in the first place, he would not have talked about love or anything like that when he was beheaded by Alyssa.
'Did you eventually go crazy because you couldn't stand yourself being defeated by me?'
Unable to accept the fact that he lost his life to a worthless human, he must have brainwashed himself into thinking that Alyssa was not a worthless human. Eventually, he was consumed by his own thoughts and forgot his true nature. He couldn't even tell what his true feelings were. That was the current David de Kelmar Lochlen.
“Or this method would be fine too.”
At that moment, David laughed and raised his clawed hand, aiming at her stomach. Sylvia's sanity completely flew away as she realized that he was trying to take her life and make Randall disappear as well.
“Get your hands off me!”
A red aura filled Sylvia's eyes, and David's mouth twisted with joy at the sight.
Pfft-!
"...Uh?"
A dumbfounded sound escaped David's mouth. Blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. He looked down blankly. However, his hand was still in place. So who was this blade that pierced his heart...
“Ugh...”
Then, in addition to his heart being pierced, he was struck by a pain that felt like his whole body was being torn apart.
'Prison...!'
David, who realized what it was, glared at her with bloodshot eyes in disbelief.
“Uh, how...”
He must be struggling with the illusion he created, but how. Randall, who stabbed David in the heart with his sword from behind, met his gaze coldly. As he pulled out the sword, David's body staggered and fell to the floor.
“...How?”
Randall looked down at him with an unwavering face, holding the bleeding sword in one hand. He let out an absurd laugh as if he truly could not understand.
“There’s no way she wouldn’t love me.”
"...Haha."
At those words, David wanted to burst out laughing like a madman. Alyssa. And Randall. The people who had trampled on his life, which he had never known defeat in his entire life. When the word 'eternity' came out of their mouths, it was just funny.
'You too will become like me.'
Now, since it’s in front of him, he'll pretend like nothing happened. The deeper you love, the deeper the wounds. Although he failed to expose Sylvia’s true nature to humans and banish her from human society, the illusion that David planted in Randall will remain in his heart as an indelible scar.
"...Uh?"
A dumbfounded sound escaped David's mouth. Blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. He looked down blankly. However, his hand was still in place. So who was this blade that pierced his heart...
“Ugh...”
Then, in addition to his heart being pierced, he was struck by a pain that felt like his whole body was being torn apart.
'Prison...!'
David, who realized what it was, glared at her with bloodshot eyes in disbelief.
“Uh, how...”
He must be struggling with the illusion he created, but how. Randall, who stabbed David in the heart with his sword from behind, met his gaze coldly. As he pulled out the sword, David's body staggered and fell to the floor.
“...How?”
Randall looked down at him with an unwavering face, holding the bleeding sword in one hand. He let out an absurd laugh as if he truly could not understand.
“There’s no way she wouldn’t love me.”
"...Haha."
At those words, David wanted to burst out laughing like a madman. Alyssa. And Randall. The people who had trampled on his life, which he had never known defeat in his entire life. When the word 'eternity' came out of their mouths, it was just funny.
'You too will become like me.'
Now, since it’s in front of him, he'll pretend like nothing happened. The deeper you love, the deeper the wounds. Although he failed to expose Sylvia’s true nature to humans and banish her from human society, the illusion that David planted in Randall will remain in his heart as an indelible scar.
Even if it’s okay now, as he lives, he’ll occasionally recall the illusion David showed him. Sylvia will constantly ask herself if Randall is doubting her based on that illusion, even if it’s deep inside. Every time that happens, like water drops wearing away a rock, their relationship will crack little by little.
'Alyssa, can you bear to see the very reason you decided to live being eroded away?'
David turned his head towards Sylvia as if to confirm that thought. But.
"...Ah."
The moment his eyes met Sylvia's, the smile on David's lips disappeared without a trace. Instead, what took place on his face was fear as if he were facing a huge wall... or despair.
'Alyssa, can you bear to see the very reason you decided to live being eroded away?'
David turned his head towards Sylvia as if to confirm that thought. But.
"...Ah."
The moment his eyes met Sylvia's, the smile on David's lips disappeared without a trace. Instead, what took place on his face was fear as if he were facing a huge wall... or despair.
Sylvia met David's gaze with eyes like mountains that silently held their place even as they were swept and worn by the wind. As if she were certain that Randall would not believe what he saw. The moment David took that face in, he wanted to scream at her to stop pretending to be calm.
“Cough.”
But instead of a scream, what came out of his mouth was a clot of blood. When that happened, he didn't want to realize it, but he couldn't help but realize it.
'...How?'
No matter what method he uses, he will never be able to vomit out even a drop of faith.
“Cough.”
But instead of a scream, what came out of his mouth was a clot of blood. When that happened, he didn't want to realize it, but he couldn't help but realize it.
'...How?'
No matter what method he uses, he will never be able to vomit out even a drop of faith.
Forever.
David could not utter a word. His upper body slowly fell to the floor.
Thud.
With a small sound, David's movements completely stopped. In the end, what was in his wide-open eyes, unable to perceive anything, was emptiness.
“...The sun.”
At that moment, someone muttered softly. Randall and Sylvia paused at that and turned their gazes together toward the other side of the plain. The sun, which had suddenly appeared above the ground, dyed everything brightly. The beginning of winter.
“...The sun.”
At that moment, someone muttered softly. Randall and Sylvia paused at that and turned their gazes together toward the other side of the plain. The sun, which had suddenly appeared above the ground, dyed everything brightly. The beginning of winter.
Finally, the war was over.
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