DSB 137

“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!!”

A soldier spotted the enemy from the watchtower and shouted. The once-quiet ramparts erupted in commotion.

Those who had just finished fighting and thought they could finally relax jumped to their feet. Among those receiving treatment, those still able to move grabbed their weapons.

“They never stop! Don’t they ever get tired?”

“How could they be? They’ve all gone mad!”

“Proves they didn’t ally with demons for nothing.”

“If this drags into attrition, we’ll be at a disadvantage.”

Yutis stared at the advancing army. Corpses littered the ground from the nearby battle, but they trampled over them and kept advancing.

Yutis had no time to wipe the dust and blood from his face. He turned and barked orders at the soldiers.

“No need to panic! Secure the gates! Stop them from scaling the walls!”

Knights and soldiers quickly moved at Yutis’s command. Holding the ramparts made defense relatively easy.

The imperial soldiers, who knew only advance and kill, didn’t use a single weapon prepared inside the walls.

“Hurry up and prepare the crossbows and catapults!”

“Those who can’t move, shoot arrows!”

A moment later, the front was swarming with the empire’s troops, advancing like a swarm of ants. Arrows rained down, but even after hitting several, they kept advancing.

“They don’t even fall…!”

“More importantly, how many are there? Were the ones we killed just the vanguard?”

The soldiers spoke in voices filled with disgust and fear. The relentless enemy assault was enough to ruin their morale.

Blood from the corpses flowed down, mixing with the dirt, turning the ground into a black pool.

Whoosh-!

Luceris soared into the sky and unleashed a breath attack. The long-reaching flame engulfed the imperial soldiers approaching the castle walls.

“There’s no need to be afraid!! Don’t forget we have God and our guardian!”

Their morale soared at those words, and everyone rallied, but problems still abounded.

Not only humans, but they also had to fight demonic beasts. Humans burning in the flames, yet refusing to halt their advance unless completely reduced to ashes. Some soldiers moved even amidst the blazing flames. They kept advancing, oblivious to death.

The pungent smell was followed by the scent of burning corpses carried on the wind.

“Lord, we have no more arrows!”

With those words, the last stone flew from the catapult, which had been straining to keep firing. Yet half the enemy remained.

Now they were swarming against the castle gates and crawling up the walls.

“Damn it…!”

A knight cursed.

Yutis drew his sword. He had made his decision.

“Follow me.”

“You’re going down?! Even if you are the young master…!”

“What’s the problem? We’re just outnumbered. It’s the same as before. I’ll clear the way. With this sword.”

Yutis raised his sword. Though stained, the blade held aloft toward the sky glowed faintly, living up to its nature as a holy sword.

Even in the darkness where hope seemed absent, light shone. His silver hair, fluttering in the wind, shone brightly too.

The war had been a chaotic battle thus far. And they had always prevailed. The countless scars etched into his armor from past battles proved it.

Yutis had no intention of fleeing, nor was he afraid. Those who saw this gradually regained their calm. Their blurred gazes sharpened, and courage blossomed amidst their ragged breaths.

Then, Norman appeared.

“What? There are still this many left?”

“The demon…!”

“He has appeared.”

Norman, who appeared streaking across the sky, looked down haughtily upon the humans from atop the castle walls. He frowned as if he couldn’t stand the sight of the swarming humans.

Then, the moment he spotted Yutis among them, his face twisted into an even more vicious frown.

“I’ll deal with the demon. You go deal with those things.”

“Understood!”

As the knights withdrew, Yutis faced Norman.

“You think swinging your sword around will actually hit me? Isn’t it about time you gave up?”

“Someday, it will hit.”

Norman hadn’t appeared just once or twice. And each time he did, Yutis had clung to him, trying to reclaim Lebel.

“Today, that demon’s too busy dealing with the demonic beasts I brought along to help you, you know?”

Norman flew around, he spread his black wings as he mocked Yutis. Then he commanded.

“Get up quickly and kill every last one of them. You’re already dead, so war shouldn’t scare you. Why are you moving so slowly? Humans are weak, whether dead or alive.”

He couldn’t hit Norman, who was mocking him from a position where only his voice could barely be heard. Blindly unleashing sword aura would only worsen his condition.

Karon was busy fending off the other demonic beasts, and Luceris was occupied sweeping away the army with bursts of flame.

What good was wielding the holy sword? In the end, he had to land attacks on the demon to defeat him.

“Don’t you have any intention of facing me fairly?”

“Do you think I’m crazy enough to fight you head-on? “

“…Didn’t you want to kill me?”

“My life is precious too. If I get slashed by that holy sword, I might die, so I have to be careful. If Lord Lebel stays at the imperial palace, I must serve by his side. What good would I be if I died?”

At the mention of Lebel, Yutis’s face stiffened. Then Norman sneered and said to Yutis.

“But you don’t look so good.”

“…That’s none of your business.”

“Humans are humans after all. You’ve reached your limit. Those things were useful after all. Your death is near. I’ll make sure to kill you with my own hands. Once you’re dead, Lord Lebel will have no choice but to acknowledge me.”

Yutis stared at Norman with a murderous gaze. The frustration was unbearable, the target of his rage was right before his eyes, yet he could do nothing.

“You can’t afford to be so relaxed either.”

Lately, Norman had been repeatedly disappearing and reappearing, he was constantly monitoring the war’s progress. He, too, was growing impatient. Imperial forces were steadily dwindling, and their supply of troops couldn’t last forever.

“Me? Can’t you see this massive army?”

“You must have your limits too.”

Norman’s triumphant expression twisted slightly. Seeing Norman’s face contort, Yutis burst into laughter.

[I’ll finish this quickly and be on my way.]

Yutis heard Karon’s voice echoing in his mind and lifted the corners of his mouth.

“If you’re scared, just wait. I’ll kill all these first, then I’ll kill you.”

***

Lebel watched Biakin’s antics.

He appeared three days after their last conversation and acted even more shamelessly.

He was a man wrapped tightly in pride, yet seeing him relentlessly accommodate himself, even at the cost of his dignity, showed just how strong his desire to make a contract was.

Moreover, it seemed he had overheard Lebel’s complaints to the attendants, he suddenly appeared and altered the form of the collar.

The iron collar prepared for demons was not designed with the wearer’s comfort in mind. While bearable for a few days, it clanked and slid down with every movement. The chain attached to the collar hung over his back and shoulders, causing discomfort.

It wasn’t light either. Because of that, his shoulders and neck ached. But not anymore. The hideous iron collar had transformed into a necklace.

“I apologize for the discomfort, as it must have been inconvenient to restrain a demon that once was free. It seems to have changed, but how is it? Is it still heavy and uncomfortable?”

“It’s fine.”

“That’s a relief. I paid special attention to the necklace design. It suits you well, Lord Lebel.”

It was a choker-style necklace that clung tightly to his neck, reminding him it was still a collar, but he appreciated that it wasn’t heavy.

Lebel looked at the human who had enchanted the collar.

It seemed Viakin hadn’t killed the mage because mages were valuable, but he was trembling in fear.

He must knew who had killed the people in the imperial palace.

“You may leave now. You’ve done well. Oh, and keep everything you saw today to yourself.”

The mage fled as if his life depended on it. Lebel stared at his retreating back.

“You spared the mage.”

“Wouldn’t it be a waste to kill him? He is valuable.”

He only spared those who were beneficial to himself. At the same time, he treats the lives of humans, except his own, as worthless.

“If you wanted to silence him, wouldn’t it have been better to call Norman?”

“Norman was busy.”

“It sounds like things aren’t going well. Is that why you’ve been away so long?”

“Were you worried about me?”

Lebel was so dumbfounded he didn’t even bother to reply.

Biakin, perhaps not entirely serious, laughed.

“I thought the northern nobles didn’t care much for you, Lord Lebel, but they seem quite enthusiastic.”

“They’re fighting for the North, not for me.”

Ah, the knights of Hestro Castle might be different. They might have announced my abduction by the Empire to boost morale.

Hmm. If I return to the North again, I’ll have to put up with their fuss for a while.

“Now that I think about it, you must have believed the northerners would hand me over first to avoid war.”

Lebel understood why Biakin had specifically mentioned him in the letter. Thinking back, the timing of the declaration of war was rather convenient.