DKFTI 58

“Haha. It’s all old myths. Now it’s just an ordinary festival held every year.”

“I don’t believe it.”

“Hahaha, would I really bring Lord Sibel to a dangerous place?”

Suspicious. Very suspicious.

“Was the Demon King who died back then the Demon King of Valheim?”

“Yes. That’s right. In fact, at that time Valheim was notorious.”

It sounded like he had more to say, like, “unlike now.”

Seeing Sibel’s doubtful face, Ramiel shrugged his shoulders.

“But there had never been as many followers of the Demon King as there were then.”

“Why? You said he was a bad guy.”

“It was an age where good and evil weren’t clear. It hasn’t been that long since they started being divided so perfectly, like now.”

“Oh.”

So there had been an age when demons weren’t absolute evil from the start.

“But you know a lot about myths. Ramiel.”

“I have interest in everything in the world. Don’t you know that?”

“Well, you’re a human who stuck to the Demon King’s castle out of curiosity, after all.”

Ramiel was the kind of human who would wander into dangerous places regardless of his situation. He had no fear.

“In many ways, Asterion became a historically important turning point for humans.”

“He’s praised even after thousands of years. I envy that.”

“If you want, I can raise a statue of Lord Sibel for you.”

“Come on. It would be a blessing if people didn’t treat me like trash.”

Sibel shook his head as if it was ridiculous.

Anyway, since they had come, whether it was a festival commemorating the defeat of a Demon King or whatever, enjoying it was enough.

“Demon Kiiiing!”

Just then, from far away, Ruru came running while holding both hands full of food, calling for Sibel.

“No! That! That stupid fox!”

Sibel stared at Ruru, who was blatantly calling him Demon King, with a pale face.

Why not just hold a funeral rite and pray for my death!

As Sibel frantically raised his hand and put a finger in front of his lips, Ramiel laughed.

“It’s fine, Lord Sibel. Look around you.”

At Ramiel’s words, Sibel looked around. Now that he noticed, there were people in strange costumes.

“Those people are….”

“That’s right. In this festival, there are many people imitating knights’ armor or demons. The performance about the hero defeating the Demon King is famous here.”

“Phew.”

No wonder no one reacted to Ruru’s voice shouting Demon King.

“Try some jerky! This is insane!”

Ruru pulled jerky from his arms, puffed his nose, and shook it in front of Sibel’s eyes. His hopping up and down was cute, but Sibel flicked him on the head.

“Ow! Why did you do that! I bought a lot thinking of you!”

“Watch your mouth. No matter what, how could you shout Demon K… Kiiing that loudly!”

Sibel glanced around and then whispered the word Demon King quietly to scold him.

“Tch. Do you really think anyone would notice?”

Ruru rubbed his forehead and chewed the jerky noisily.

“Careful, always be careful!”

“Yes…”

When Ruru answered gloomily, Sibel grabbed a piece of jerky he had brought and put it in his mouth.

“It does taste good.”

“Right? Delicious, right? Let’s buy a lot to take back!”

Ruru quickly became cheerful again. He was simple.

Sibel looked at such Ruru and let out a small laugh. Just then, the sound of people murmuring grew louder.

“It’s starting!”

“Asterion! Asterion!”

The night sky was deep and still like black silk, but the voices of people chanting Asterion’s name filled the square like the wind.

Pushed by the crowd, Sibel’s group was slowly forced to move.

At that moment, a loud sound shot into the sky.

The first firework ripped the night sky and exploded.

Fragments of blue starlight swirled as the form of a huge dragon appeared.

The dragon circled the sky once and disappeared. Then, following it, a pattern of a spear and shield crossed in silver flames. That was the symbol of Hero Asterion.

“Wow.”

Sibel found the detailed shape of the fireworks amazing. Was it magic after all?

“Asterion! Asterion!”

Children and adults alike shouted his name.

The next moment, red flames exploded and a massive shadowy figure rose. It was the silhouette of the defeated Demon King.

Soon after, a golden flaming sword came down from the sky and tore through the shadow. The blazing trail across the heavens burned as if it was a perfect recreation of the moment Asterion delivered the final blow.

It was dazzling and beautiful enough to leave anyone’s mouth open, but for some reason it didn’t feel good.

Was it because he empathized more with the Demon King struck down by the sword than with the victorious hero? Bitter. Bitter.

At the end, fireworks of all colors burst one after another, filling the sky with a massive star pattern.

The star sparkled as if symbolizing Asterion’s name and lingered in the night sky for a long time.

The once completely black sky was now covered with thick blue smoke. It was a mysterious sight.

“Wow.”

Even though he lived in the Demon King’s castle where magic ran rampant and fire and lightning spread wildly, seeing fireworks arranged this beautifully felt different.

Maybe it was because there was no threat to his life and no debris flying around.

Sibel gazed at the sky endlessly. Ruru and Ramiel also couldn’t take their eyes off the sky for a long while.

“Humans really do develop in the blink of an eye. This festival is getting more and more splendid.”

Ruru spoke.

“Maybe their short lifespan forces them to live intensely.”

Ramiel answered.

“Do long-lived races not feel the need to develop because they have too much leisure?”

“But Lord Demon King, you live quite intensely yourself!”

At Ruru’s words, Sibel nodded. Shanti had said that the previous Demon Kings often left the castle full of holes and ruins unattended for decades, even centuries.

Surely, as a Demon King, Sibel had unusual traits.

“It seems like it’s getting noisy again?”

The surroundings, which had grown quiet after the fireworks, were lively again.

“A parade? Did they change it to hold it at midnight?”

At some point, Ruru was chewing on some unknown meat as he spoke.

The crowd in the square grew restless and then began to scatter.

“Hm?”

As people spread apart, Sibel’s group was pushed to the side. As the crowd parted left and right, the main road of the square came into view.

Then, in the distance, knights on horseback appeared.

“Paladins.”

“Paladins?”

Why the hell are they here?!

Sibel was startled. He recalled memories from the past.

“Since the festival is meant to praise the hero, paladins are sometimes mobilized for it. It’s symbolic, isn’t it?”

“I really don’t like it. Do they not even think about demons living in the next town over?”

As Sibel grumbled, Ramiel let out a low laugh.

“When have humans ever cared for demons?”

“At this rate, they’ll start raiding the Demon King’s castle at every festival!”

“Well… if the Demon King were treated like a punching bag, such events might come to be.”

“You’re joking?”

Sibel asked with a horrified expression.

“Yes. It’s a joke.”

He said it was a joke, but it didn’t feel like one at all.

Humans grew and changed quickly, and if he didn’t prepare thoroughly, he really might end up as a punching bag.

“Having a big population really is power. Tch.”

“That seems true as well.”

Ramiel smiled and carefully shielded Sibel, who was being slowly pushed forward by the crowd. The two were swept along by the crowd.

“It’s an Apostle! An Apostle has come!”

“Is that really an Apostle?”

“Ha, have you lived fooled until now? Look at that golden cloak and banner!”

“Is that the symbol of the sun?”

“To see one of the only seven Apostles on the continent while I’m alive….”

“His presence surely feels different from ordinary people.”

“Wow! It’s an Apostle!”

The murmuring of the people was turning more and more into cheers.

As the word Apostle was heard here and there, Sibel’s eyes were inevitably drawn to the procession.

A great white horse, silver armor. And in the middle of them, a golden cloak.

‘I’ve seen that clock.’

It was the cloak he had seen whenever he faced an Apostle. He was so sick of it. Sick of it.

Though it was three years ago, the memory of that intense event was carved deep in his mind.

What if it was the same Apostle, or one of the Apostle captains he had seen then?

He suddenly started to worry. So Sibel pulled his hood low to cover his face tightly and stepped back into the crowd.

“An Apostle. It seems they really put effort into this festival this time.”

Ramiel spoke calmly, not knowing how Sibel’s insides were burning.

“Why didn’t you tell me there was such an event?”

“Normally, it only happens during the day. It looks like they were just late on the way here.”

“So relaxed, huh? It’s because you’re human?”

“Hahaha. Why glare at me so sharply. You’ll stab me like that.”

“If I had something in my hand right now, I would stab you.”

“Such violence doesn’t suit Lord Sibel.”

“Would a Demon King who came to a festival celebrating the death of Demon Kings and now faces an Apostle really be gentle?”

“Don’t worry. Who could possibly recognize you hidden in this massive crowd?”