DSB 125

“Is it because of me?”

“Since my wife hadn’t woken up yet, I couldn’t very well leave his side.”

“You worry about the strangest things.”

But Lebel smiled.

He thought that the meeting was in full swing, but it was delayed because of him. Come to think of it, Mahan was pacing impatiently outside the room.

In between, he heard murmurs about how good their relationship was, or how they couldn’t understand why Yutis was late for an important meeting just because Lebel hadn’t gotten up.

But it seemed no one could confront him directly; they only glared.

“Why did you come along?”

Damian’s anxious gaze, worried he might cause trouble again, turned to Lebel.

Lebel had heard about the Round Table meeting, but had no intention of attending. That’s why he had flatly refused when Damian asked for his opinion.

As Yutis had said, he knew exactly what kind of stares he’d get. There was no reason to go where humans were huddled together.

However, the situation had changed slightly.

“I am a member of the Hestro family. Since it’s an important meeting, I suppose I should attend. But…”

There was only one empty chair.

“Please sit.”

Yutis naturally offered his seat to Lebel.

“You sit.”

Even so, it was right for the heir, Yutis, to sit and discuss matters.

“My wife’s will is my will, so it’s fine.”

Yutis said as he seated Lebel. Damian gestured to the knight beside him, signaling not to argue needlessly.

“Just get another chair.”

“There’s an empty chair here; you can take that.”

The chair was available because the person who should have been attending the meeting as the Teruo family’s heir was kneeling on the floor as a criminal.

He was the very reason Lebel was attending the meeting.

Jorsen looked a complete mess, as if the handsome appearance he’d shown at last night’s party had been an illusion. His mind was in the same state. His emotions were visibly churning with anxiety.

“My lord, does he even understand the meeting’s content?”

One retainer spoke up, seemingly unable to understand why Lebel was attending such an important meeting at all.

“Hmm, I suppose so.”

He couldn’t understand the way humans thought. Conversely, these humans wouldn’t easily accept what he said either.

That was probably why it had been noisy outside.

When Lebel calmly agreed with the sarcastic remark from one retainer, another retainer shouted in disbelief.

“How can you utter such irresponsible words?! Lord, are you just going to stand by and watch this?!”

“Are you implying he lacks the qualifications to be here before me?”

“But!”

“The meeting is what matters now. I stated my opinion. All the spies we planted have gone silent.”

The spies sent to investigate the regions where demonic beasts had appeared and who had been reporting back regularly had gone silent.

“The last message said, ‘The cities trampled by the demonic beasts lie abandoned.’ Because of this, the border is in chaos. Since humans can’t fathom a demon’s thoughts, to resolve this situation, we must use another demon.”

Edmund’s gaze swept past Jorsen to the retainers.

So that was the kind of interesting opinion they had been exchanging.

Edmund’s words made sense. Lebel had been thinking along similar lines.

Yet the retainers’ expressions were filled with distrust and unease.

“Demons are untrustworthy beings. Since the young master killed the demon with the holy sword, shouldn’t it be gone now?”

“Who said it was dead? The demon that made a contract with that man is still alive.”

The retainer, not expecting an answer from Lebel, wore a blank expression.

“My wife is correct. The demon was not completely destroyed.”

“Then this is even worse! We must kill the demon immediately before it brings disaster upon the North! It might be eavesdropping on our conversation right now!”

“Does killing Sir Jorsen mean the demon dies too?”

“Even if not, killing Sir Jorsen would prevent the demon from watching us anymore.”

Jorsen swallowed dryly. It was hard to listen silently to discussions about his punishment. Especially when his father sat there, unable to speak, like a criminal.

“My lord, I deeply apologize for my worthless son causing this chaos by making a pact with the demon. However, yesterday’s interrogation proved Jorsen never harmed the North.”

“Wasn’t it Lord Teruo who conducted the interrogation? He might have shown leniency because it was his son.”

Another retainer spoke up.

Though the demon contract was Jorsen’s fault, one could argue that the lord bore joint responsibility.

The current turmoil in the North caused by the demon’s appearance, coupled with a rival’s blemish, was an opportunity for others.

While the gossip in high society might have ended as mere murmurs, here, words as sharp as blades flew back and forth.

“He was given a truth potion. I witnessed it myself.”

When Edmund intervened, signaling them to stop, the retainer cleared his throat and withdrew.

“Setting Lord Jorsen aside, the very notion of using a demon is hard to fathom. Would a demon willingly allow themselves to be used by us?”

“Did not the Lord himself say it? Just as humans have their society, it is entirely possible that demons have their own means of interacting.”

“Considering the period of conflict with the Empire, the abnormal behavior exhibited by the northern demonic beasts during that time could also be related to demons.”

Everyone opposed it, saying demons couldn’t be trusted. But Lebel knew why Edmund wanted to use the demon.

Because the very demon they fear was already empowering the North. And with him in command, it’s not an impossible task.

“I understand your concerns. But we need to know if the demon who invaded the North have allied with the Empire. While Yutis can kill demons, he remain hidden under the Empire’s protection. The Empire’s lack of reaction means they’re plotting something.”

“Before a full-scale war with the demons erupts, war will break out between the Empire and the North first.”

Edmund and Damian spoke next, and everyone fell silent, groaning. Their brows were furrowed, each deep in thought.

“Just as demons use humans, we use them in the same way. Consider this: though contracts with demons were condemned, their outcomes weren’t uniformly the downfall of nations. That’s precisely why the Empire could ally with demons.”

“True, but… there’s no guarantee they’ll support us.”

“Rather than the Empire and the demon joining forces, couldn’t it be that the demon has subjugated the Empire?”

“The Emperor definitely summoned the demon. He was enraged after his defeat and made a pact with the demon.”

It was the Crown Prince, not the Emperor, but aside from the different subject, the speculation was correct.

After all, the reason Biakin wanted to summon Lebel was ultimately to bring the North to its knees. And beyond that, other nations too.

Thus, he wouldn’t settle for just any demon, he wanted one eager to make a pact with him.

Though many words were exchanged, the meeting remained at an impasse. Most were uneasy about harnessing demonic power, and the mere possibility that the Empire could wield such force made them reluctant to confront it.

Damian suddenly burst out laughing and asked.

“Where did all those war-mongers go? You’re all quiet as dead mice.”

“Your Excellency, we do think. Engaging in a battle we cannot win is a pointless death.”

Even though the Empire might declare war first, no one could boldly advocate for war against the Empire because the very existence of the demon weighed heavily on their minds.

They had no sense of the extent of the demon’s power.

“Even if the young master can face the demon, the question remains: will the demon actually face him? As you said, the demon is cunning.”

“Before that, the difference in military strength between the Empire and the North is enormous. Frankly, I think we should have avoided the last war as much as possible. We won only because we fought defensively, in favorable terrain.”

” The Empire’s arrogance also tilted the odds in our favor.”

“But now, to capture the demon, we must enter the Empire.”

Lebel, who had been listening quietly, spoke up softly.

“There’s a difference in troop numbers, but the North is far stronger.”

When Lebel spoke words praising the North, the retainers looked bewildered.

“You seem wary of demons, but ultimately… well, demons vary in power. If they were all threatening, nations would have been in crisis every time someone made a pact with one.”

“No, what are you saying…”

It was as if he were saying demons were no big deal.

Lebel continued calmly, regardless of the retainers’ flustered reactions.

“And whether this or that, if demons are the problem, then Father-in-law’s opinion seems correct. Yutis possesses the holy sword, so he’ll win, but if the demon doesn’t appear, it’s useless. So, isn’t that what he meant by luring him out?”

“Luring him out is one thing, but why would that demon help us?”

“Why wouldn’t he?”

“Huh?”

“The holy sword Yutis holds can kill demons, and besides, we have a dragon by our side. If he values his life, he should cooperate. Demons value their own lives too.”

At Lebel’s calm remark, they recalled how he had burst out laughing during the party when they saw the demon suffering.

Finding no response from his retainers, Lebel fell silent for a moment before murmuring quietly, almost to himself.