In fact, the plan to attack the Demon King's Castle with Muller's men involved considerable risk.
"In the current situation, if we reveal the fact that we are human to the Demons, who are not key figures such as Muller Schert, we may be misunderstood."
Sylvia explained calmly, and Randall nodded in agreement. The demons were extremely excited by the fact that 'humans declared war on Kelvetia'. In such a situation, if news spread that 'humans' were in Kelvetia, nine out of ten demons would assume that they were spies trying to overthrow Kelvetia. Even if the opponent was a pacifist faction under Muller, there was no way to predict how they would react the moment they found out that they were humans. Before stopping Baynas, they had to prevent the other demons from hastily incurring resentment.
"First of all, let's use the ring that Muller gave us only when we really have no other choice. For now, we need to check outside."
So, right after Sylvia and Randall left the solitary cell, they planned to quickly attack the Demon King’s castle and climb up to the Demon King’s chambers by themselves. However, the plan was in vain due to the guards positioned every three steps, just as Muller had expected. If the security had been strengthened to this extent, it would not have been possible to reach the Demon King’s chambers with such shallow trickery as before.
'Your Highness...'
The Duke of Shert's closest aide, Billy Bort, looked at the closed gate with a nervous heart. Soon, as they had conspired during the day, the few pacifist faction demons that they had managed to plant inside the castle would open the gate. Then, his party would immediately invade the castle and half would go to rescue the Demon Lord Evelyn Hayden, and half would go to rescue Muller Shert who was imprisoned in the dungeon.
'I wanted to avoid civil war at all costs.'
Billy swallowed a sigh and closed his eyes. Although their opinions differed on whether they were hedonists or pacifists. In the end, they were the same demon tribe, and pacifism was ultimately a principle of not shedding the innocent blood of the 'demons', so he wanted to persuade the hedonist faction without a civil war until the end.
"The Duke gave me this ring and told me to come find you."
Billy tried to scream at the sight of two demons suddenly appearing through his office window, but his mouth was blocked by the darkness of the smaller one. After being forced to sit down on a chair and having them explain the situation to him, and even checking Muller Schert's ring, he was finally able to calm down somewhat.
"...The Duke has a subordinate I don’t know about?"
Billy promised not to scream, but he still remained vigilant. That was understandable because Billy was Muller Schert's closest confidant, close to his own son. Billy knew everything Muller Schert knew, and Muller knew everything Billy knew. But Muller had another subordinate that Billy didn't know about. And he was a demon who could manipulate darkness so well that he could subdue him in an instant.
'The Duke's ring and the darkness within it were real, but...'
Billy, who had been suspicious and wary, finally accepted their existence after hearing the new Demon King's announcement that he would execute Muller Schert the next morning. The two demons, who introduced themselves as 'Bia' and 'Der', covered their entire bodies with masks and hoods for some reason and did not show their faces.
'We're almost here.'
Billy guessed the time. It was soon time for the pacifist demons in the castle to open the gates. He took a deep breath and tried to control his nervousness. Then, Bia suddenly turned to look at him. Billy reflexively flinched.
“Billy Bort.”
"...Why."
Billy instinctively shrugged his shoulders, remembering Bia breaking the window and covering his mouth, and then he was embarrassed by his reaction and responded curtly. Regardless, Bia remained calm. She whispered softly to Billy.
“I’ll say it again just in case. Duke Shert... is in the innermost cell of the dungeon. However, the passage is straight, so if you use it well, you should be able to reach the cell without taking too much damage. Keep that in mind.”
“...I understand. I’m not stupid enough to forget something I’ve heard twice.”
“That’s fortunate.”
It seemed as if a hint of laughter had momentarily appeared in Via's voice.
'Did you just.... laugh? Bia, was that it?'
The moment he borrowed it, he blinked in confusion, but when 'Der' looked back at him without saying anything, he hurriedly turned his gaze away, feeling a strange sense of intimidation.
'What, what? Why are you looking at me like that?'
It seemed that the rumors among his subordinates that Bia and Der were lovers were somewhat true. Billy felt a sense of defeat for some reason and momentarily clutched his bitter heart. However, as expected of one of Muller Schert's closest associates, Billy soon shook off his distracting thoughts and looked around at the others to confirm the plan again.
“Group 1, including me, will immediately enter the castle gate and head to the dungeon to rescue Duke Schert. Group 2, including Bia and Der, will head straight to the top floor, Her Majesty’s bedroom, and wake Her Majesty. Any objections?”
"No."
The faces of the demons were covered with a solemn aura. Billy was no different. Among them, Bia and Der, who were as calm as when they first met, stood out. And their veteran-like aura gave the others a strange sense of calm.
“...It’s time.”
Derga, who had been mumbling softly, drew his sword. The eyes of the demons all turned to the gate. The large gate looked solid as if it would remain closed forever. However, after a while, a small noise was felt from beyond the gate, and the gate opened little by little.
The inside of the castle walls became a scene of chaos in an instant. Billy took advantage of the chaos as planned and went off to the side with Group 1 to look for the Duke, but before he did, he glanced at Bia and Der.
‘...Your skills are truly scary.’
Der went ahead and swung his sword silently. It was somewhat strange that he, a demon, did not use darkness, but when he saw the hedonistic demons screaming and falling every time he swung his sword, it seemed like he did not even need to use darkness. He was truly a great man whose skills were so great that his mouth would open, but even Der could not match Bia.
"In the current situation, if we reveal the fact that we are human to the Demons, who are not key figures such as Muller Schert, we may be misunderstood."
Sylvia explained calmly, and Randall nodded in agreement. The demons were extremely excited by the fact that 'humans declared war on Kelvetia'. In such a situation, if news spread that 'humans' were in Kelvetia, nine out of ten demons would assume that they were spies trying to overthrow Kelvetia. Even if the opponent was a pacifist faction under Muller, there was no way to predict how they would react the moment they found out that they were humans. Before stopping Baynas, they had to prevent the other demons from hastily incurring resentment.
"First of all, let's use the ring that Muller gave us only when we really have no other choice. For now, we need to check outside."
So, right after Sylvia and Randall left the solitary cell, they planned to quickly attack the Demon King’s castle and climb up to the Demon King’s chambers by themselves. However, the plan was in vain due to the guards positioned every three steps, just as Muller had expected. If the security had been strengthened to this extent, it would not have been possible to reach the Demon King’s chambers with such shallow trickery as before.
Furthermore, there were even rumors that Baynas Perun was personally guarding Demon King Evelyn. In the end, Sylvia and Randall had no choice but to sigh and go find the demon who was Muller Shert’s closest aide.
***
That day, late at night. Black shadows were secretly gathering beneath the walls surrounding the Demon King’s castle.
'Your Highness...'
The Duke of Shert's closest aide, Billy Bort, looked at the closed gate with a nervous heart. Soon, as they had conspired during the day, the few pacifist faction demons that they had managed to plant inside the castle would open the gate. Then, his party would immediately invade the castle and half would go to rescue the Demon Lord Evelyn Hayden, and half would go to rescue Muller Shert who was imprisoned in the dungeon.
'I wanted to avoid civil war at all costs.'
Billy swallowed a sigh and closed his eyes. Although their opinions differed on whether they were hedonists or pacifists. In the end, they were the same demon tribe, and pacifism was ultimately a principle of not shedding the innocent blood of the 'demons', so he wanted to persuade the hedonist faction without a civil war until the end.
However, the hedonist faction rebelled first and eventually announced that they would execute Muller Schert the next morning. In that situation, a battle was inevitable. Billy also knew this fact in his head, but his heart was heavy because he had to see the blood of his own kind.
He looked at the backs of the two people hiding in the shadow of the wall in front of him with anxious eyes.
‘...I can trust them, right?’
In front of Billy, the demons wrapped tightly in hoods and cloaks... claimed that Muller Schert had sent them.
‘...I can trust them, right?’
In front of Billy, the demons wrapped tightly in hoods and cloaks... claimed that Muller Schert had sent them.
"The Duke gave me this ring and told me to come find you."
Billy tried to scream at the sight of two demons suddenly appearing through his office window, but his mouth was blocked by the darkness of the smaller one. After being forced to sit down on a chair and having them explain the situation to him, and even checking Muller Schert's ring, he was finally able to calm down somewhat.
"...The Duke has a subordinate I don’t know about?"
Billy promised not to scream, but he still remained vigilant. That was understandable because Billy was Muller Schert's closest confidant, close to his own son. Billy knew everything Muller Schert knew, and Muller knew everything Billy knew. But Muller had another subordinate that Billy didn't know about. And he was a demon who could manipulate darkness so well that he could subdue him in an instant.
'The Duke's ring and the darkness within it were real, but...'
Billy, who had been suspicious and wary, finally accepted their existence after hearing the new Demon King's announcement that he would execute Muller Schert the next morning. The two demons, who introduced themselves as 'Bia' and 'Der', covered their entire bodies with masks and hoods for some reason and did not show their faces.
Although there were some suspicious aspects, Billy cooperated with them because he was certain that they were sent by Muller due to the ring.
He contacted the pacifist faction nobles who followed Muller Schert and secretly contacted the pacifist faction demons that were hidden in the Demon King's castle just in case. It wasn't easy because the security personnel had doubled, perhaps because Baynas was worried about Muller Schert's escape.
Billy barely succeeded in ordering the forces inside the castle to open the gates at midnight. Thus, Billy led Bia, Der, and the pacifist faction demons and hid under the castle walls.
'We're almost here.'
Billy guessed the time. It was soon time for the pacifist demons in the castle to open the gates. He took a deep breath and tried to control his nervousness. Then, Bia suddenly turned to look at him. Billy reflexively flinched.
“Billy Bort.”
"...Why."
Billy instinctively shrugged his shoulders, remembering Bia breaking the window and covering his mouth, and then he was embarrassed by his reaction and responded curtly. Regardless, Bia remained calm. She whispered softly to Billy.
“I’ll say it again just in case. Duke Shert... is in the innermost cell of the dungeon. However, the passage is straight, so if you use it well, you should be able to reach the cell without taking too much damage. Keep that in mind.”
“...I understand. I’m not stupid enough to forget something I’ve heard twice.”
“That’s fortunate.”
It seemed as if a hint of laughter had momentarily appeared in Via's voice.
'Did you just.... laugh? Bia, was that it?'
The moment he borrowed it, he blinked in confusion, but when 'Der' looked back at him without saying anything, he hurriedly turned his gaze away, feeling a strange sense of intimidation.
'What, what? Why are you looking at me like that?'
It seemed that the rumors among his subordinates that Bia and Der were lovers were somewhat true. Billy felt a sense of defeat for some reason and momentarily clutched his bitter heart. However, as expected of one of Muller Schert's closest associates, Billy soon shook off his distracting thoughts and looked around at the others to confirm the plan again.
“Group 1, including me, will immediately enter the castle gate and head to the dungeon to rescue Duke Schert. Group 2, including Bia and Der, will head straight to the top floor, Her Majesty’s bedroom, and wake Her Majesty. Any objections?”
"No."
The faces of the demons were covered with a solemn aura. Billy was no different. Among them, Bia and Der, who were as calm as when they first met, stood out. And their veteran-like aura gave the others a strange sense of calm.
“...It’s time.”
Derga, who had been mumbling softly, drew his sword. The eyes of the demons all turned to the gate. The large gate looked solid as if it would remain closed forever. However, after a while, a small noise was felt from beyond the gate, and the gate opened little by little.
Creak.
A face Billy knew popped out through the gap in the open gate. It was one of the vassals following Muller Schert.
'Now!'
As soon as Billy saw the other person's face, he sent a signal. Then, the pacifist faction including Bia, Der, and Billy ran towards the gate as if they were flying.
“What’s going on!”
“The gates are open!”
A shout erupted from the demons who had been standing guard a little late. They tried to hurriedly close the gate again, but Billy’s forces had already completely stepped inside the walls.
“Intruder! Intruder!”
“The pacifist faction has rebelled!”
“Stop it! Your Majesty... Keuk!”
'Now!'
As soon as Billy saw the other person's face, he sent a signal. Then, the pacifist faction including Bia, Der, and Billy ran towards the gate as if they were flying.
“What’s going on!”
“The gates are open!”
A shout erupted from the demons who had been standing guard a little late. They tried to hurriedly close the gate again, but Billy’s forces had already completely stepped inside the walls.
“Intruder! Intruder!”
“The pacifist faction has rebelled!”
“Stop it! Your Majesty... Keuk!”
The inside of the castle walls became a scene of chaos in an instant. Billy took advantage of the chaos as planned and went off to the side with Group 1 to look for the Duke, but before he did, he glanced at Bia and Der.
‘...Your skills are truly scary.’
Der went ahead and swung his sword silently. It was somewhat strange that he, a demon, did not use darkness, but when he saw the hedonistic demons screaming and falling every time he swung his sword, it seemed like he did not even need to use darkness. He was truly a great man whose skills were so great that his mouth would open, but even Der could not match Bia.
Kwajik!
“Kwaaah!”
Bia used darkness differently than Der. However, the skill with which she handled darkness and the size of that darkness were creepy. Bia's gestures were as smooth as conducting music. However, what echoed in response to those gestures was not a beautiful melody, but a sharp scream. Billy felt a tingling sensation in the well-crafted darkness. Even though he was not the one who committed that murder, he felt fear as if his neck was going to snap.
'Where on earth did that guy come from?'
The demons are naturally aggressive and have a strong competitive spirit. It would be natural for a demon with that much power to already be a high-ranking noble. No, actually, seeing Bia handle the darkness, he thought of the Duke of Schert, or...
'...Adversary.'
It was quite a blasphemous thought, but it was true. Billy's objective judgment was that 'that demon named Bia is as strong as the Duke of Shert or the Demon King.' In the end, Billy watched Bia struggle until he heard the urging of the servants, and barely managed to step into the dungeon.
“Kwaaah!”
Bia used darkness differently than Der. However, the skill with which she handled darkness and the size of that darkness were creepy. Bia's gestures were as smooth as conducting music. However, what echoed in response to those gestures was not a beautiful melody, but a sharp scream. Billy felt a tingling sensation in the well-crafted darkness. Even though he was not the one who committed that murder, he felt fear as if his neck was going to snap.
'Where on earth did that guy come from?'
The demons are naturally aggressive and have a strong competitive spirit. It would be natural for a demon with that much power to already be a high-ranking noble. No, actually, seeing Bia handle the darkness, he thought of the Duke of Schert, or...
'...Adversary.'
It was quite a blasphemous thought, but it was true. Billy's objective judgment was that 'that demon named Bia is as strong as the Duke of Shert or the Demon King.' In the end, Billy watched Bia struggle until he heard the urging of the servants, and barely managed to step into the dungeon.
Meanwhile, Bia, or 'Sylvia', led the group and arrived in front of the main castle in an instant. She mercilessly struck down the demon that was rushing at her with her claws raised and glanced at Randel.
'I told you, it's a real monster. I can't even use a sword for fear of my identity being revealed, and yet it's like that.'
She clicked her tongue inwardly as she watched Randall, who was destroying the demons with only the martial arts and swordsmanship he had honed so far, without using magic or darkness. Sylvia was not the only one who was shocked by Randall. The demon soldiers pouring out of the castle were also shocked by Randall, who was sweeping the surroundings with a single sword.
“Where on earth did that guy come from...!”
“Ugh!”
They desperately summoned darkness to attack Randall, raised their claws and rushed at him, or summoned monsters to block him, but none of them could reach Randall. Sylvia felt both admiration and envy for his skills, but in the end, she looked away, relieved that all of it would be to protect Randall from harm.
'More demons are guarding the castle than I expected, but if we keep going like this, we'll be able to enter the castle soon. Is Baynas Perun still in the Demon King's chambers?'
Sylvia kicked away the monster that was trying to bite her leg, carrying the darkness, and looked up at her true self. And at that moment.
“...!”
The figure of Baynas standing on a balcony located high up in front of the main building came into view. Baynas was standing on the balcony with his two subordinates behind him, looking down at the battlefield with cold eyes.
“Kwaaak!”
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty...protect...”
Baynas looked at his soldiers being helplessly defeated by Randall and the pacifist demons with displeasure and clicked his tongue.
'You idiots.'
The moment she read the shape of Baynas's mouth as he muttered, something inside Sylvia sank. While he was standing there without moving a finger, countless hedonistic demons were dying for him below. And in that situation, what?
'Idiot?'
The red aura that had been filling the center of Sylvia’s eyes suddenly increased in volume. Sensing the ominous aura, Baynas looked down with a startled shrug.
'What?'
Just now, he felt as if a huge shadow was looking down at him...
'I told you, it's a real monster. I can't even use a sword for fear of my identity being revealed, and yet it's like that.'
She clicked her tongue inwardly as she watched Randall, who was destroying the demons with only the martial arts and swordsmanship he had honed so far, without using magic or darkness. Sylvia was not the only one who was shocked by Randall. The demon soldiers pouring out of the castle were also shocked by Randall, who was sweeping the surroundings with a single sword.
“Where on earth did that guy come from...!”
“Ugh!”
They desperately summoned darkness to attack Randall, raised their claws and rushed at him, or summoned monsters to block him, but none of them could reach Randall. Sylvia felt both admiration and envy for his skills, but in the end, she looked away, relieved that all of it would be to protect Randall from harm.
'More demons are guarding the castle than I expected, but if we keep going like this, we'll be able to enter the castle soon. Is Baynas Perun still in the Demon King's chambers?'
Sylvia kicked away the monster that was trying to bite her leg, carrying the darkness, and looked up at her true self. And at that moment.
“...!”
The figure of Baynas standing on a balcony located high up in front of the main building came into view. Baynas was standing on the balcony with his two subordinates behind him, looking down at the battlefield with cold eyes.
“Kwaaak!”
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty...protect...”
Baynas looked at his soldiers being helplessly defeated by Randall and the pacifist demons with displeasure and clicked his tongue.
'You idiots.'
The moment she read the shape of Baynas's mouth as he muttered, something inside Sylvia sank. While he was standing there without moving a finger, countless hedonistic demons were dying for him below. And in that situation, what?
'Idiot?'
The red aura that had been filling the center of Sylvia’s eyes suddenly increased in volume. Sensing the ominous aura, Baynas looked down with a startled shrug.
'What?'
Just now, he felt as if a huge shadow was looking down at him...
Baynas leaned on the railing and lowered his gaze. Then, during the chaos of the battlefield, he found someone standing alone and still, looking up at him.
He was clearly covering his entire body, including his face, with a cloth, but for some reason, the thought crossed his mind that their eyes had met.
“...Come down.”
Kwarung!
He was clearly covering his entire body, including his face, with a cloth, but for some reason, the thought crossed his mind that their eyes had met.
“...Come down.”
Kwarung!
A soft murmur pierced his ears, and at the same time, the balcony he was standing on shattered with a loud noise.
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