DSB 138

Just as the retainers gathered for a Round Table meeting to exchange opinions, a letter arrived.

Biakin’s thinking might not have been wrong. There were retainers who, citing demons and such, sought to avoid war.

Though the Hestro family ruled the North, they weren’t dictatorial enough to simply ignore their retainers’ opinions.

This was partly because the northern nobles all had strong personalities, and partly because the Hestro family, having endured many rumors over the years, was cautious.

Thus, the Hestro family likely planned to accept Lebel as a bride, even though they weren’t particularly pleased about it.

Yutis eventually came to the Empire to refuse, but the fact that they had no choice but to accept during the initial discussions proved the retainers had significant sway.

Even now, at least one of them was probably itching to trip up Lebel, which is why neither Edmund nor Damian mentioned it despite seeing the contents of the letter.

“Did you think that if I lost affection for the northerners, I might reconsider our contract?”

“No. I was merely thinking about Lord Lebel and…”

“It would be best not to lie. I can’t use my power, it is not that I lack it; discerning the true intentions of someone like you is easy.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

Biakin flipped his palm like a card after he realized his lies wouldn’t work, and admitted it. His attitude was so bold it made Lebel blink in surprise.

For a human, it was a demon-like display of shamelessness.

“I thought it unlikely you would refuse, as you said. While I cannot ignore the hostility toward the Empire, the northern environment is too harsh for war. Moreover, to humans, Lord Lebel is simply the Empire’s prince. Yet my prediction was spectacularly wrong. Should I say it’s typical of you, Lord Lebel?”

Lebel replied with a subtle smile.

“I’m quite popular, you see. So I’d never dream of making a contract with you. Contract with another demon who’s more interested in you than me. You and Norman seem to hit it off, so contract with him instead.”

He should just summon another demon with all those offerings.

“I wish to contract with a demon of equal standing to myself. Ah, of course, I don’t mean I’m worthy of you, Lord Lebel. I’m far from it. That’s precisely why I want you. You’re a perfect being, unlike me. But aren’t you going to ask anything else?”

Lebel’s eyebrow twitched. He wondered what he was trying to say by beating around the bush like that.

“I thought you’d ask if the young master is safe.”

“…He’s obviously safe. No need to ask.”

“Norman is having a hard time. We tried to capture him, but it’s not easy.”

Talking about capturing a living person. He was treating him like a monster.

“So you’ll force a contract with me using Yutis as an excuse?”

“I only wish for Lord Lebel to live comfortably in the imperial capital. If the young master is needed in that process, I’ll simply bring him to you.”

He wished Yutis had inherited a fraction of that shamelessness.

They say power and position shape a person, but Yutis was far from someone who exuded confidence.

That didn’t mean he was weak. He was strong.

“Keep your word first, then talk. To me, it all sounds like empty words.”

“I see. Even after staying here, your thoughts haven’t changed?”

“Do you think they would?”

“Haven’t you been comfortable? The Empire is a far better place for Lord Lebel to stay than the North. As you saw just now, there won’t be any humans committing rudeness toward you either.”

In terms of physical comfort, it was indeed good. It was exactly the situation he had wanted when he first possessed a human.

Everything was arranged so no one touched him and he could live comfortably.

But it was boring. A life indistinguishable from his time in the Demon Realm was repulsive.

If he found himself longing for someone’s nagging, that said it all. Of course, that someone was Yutis.

“I won’t rush you. But you, Lord Lebel, will have no choice but to choose me.”

Lebel turned away and dismissed it as preposterous. Then, he felt something on his shoulder.

“Your attire is too light. It’s still cold outside; you’d be better off wearing at least a thin outer garment when you go out.”

Lebel frowned as he pushed Biakin’s coat away. It was an ornate garment adorned with glittering jewelry, and the trinkets fell to the floor.

Where did you pick up that habit of Yutis’s?

But Biakin just smiled.

Is he waiting for something again? Or planning something?

“It seems I’ll be able to see you sooner next time. I’ll come with the young master then.”

“Yutis will win. And do you think I’ll wear this collar for the rest of my life?”

“No, you won’t. It was made to subdue another demon, not you, Lord Lebel.”

“You know that well. If you dawdle, I might just kill you. Hmm, come to think of it, then the Empire would naturally become mine.”

If there is no emperor and no Biakin, then the emperor’s bloodline is only Lebel. Then wouldn’t that naturally give him the justification to inherit the throne?

Biakin had never considered that point, he froze.

“I thought Lord Lebel disliked being the focus of attention.”

“Well, that’s true. But as you said, human life is short. It’s just a few decades of dealing with troublesome matters. And seeing the likes of you constantly causing trouble, I rather think having the empire under my control wouldn’t be so bad.”

“It seems my words have displeased Lord Lebel.”

“Did you think I wouldn’t be displeased?”

“…I anticipated that mentioning the young master would inevitably lead to this… I hope you understand I cannot back down either.”

“Who do you think you are?”

Lebel had planned to live quietly in the North. It was Norman and Biakin who stirred things up.

“We shall meet again. Next time, I shall come with the young master.”

He walked away without picking up his fallen outer garment. A servant who appeared out of nowhere took care of clearing it away.

‘He’ll come with Yutis.’

He definitely has something in mind. Since he said he’d come, Biakin might head to where Yutis is.

Norman often appeared on the battlefield. The soldiers and demonic beasts were likely the forces Norman brought with him.

Then that means Biakin prepared something separately. What did he prepare that made him so certain it would affect Yutis?

When Lebel touched his neck, he felt only the touch of a necklace, not shackles.

Was it something like this? Yutis was human, but a special human who possessed demonic energy.

“I should get out of here quickly.”

Lebel stared at something in the distance.

***

Norman watched Yutis standing steadfastly on two legs and clicked his tongue in disgust. He was a human, yet not human.

“Did you inherit demon blood?”

“No.”

“That’s even stranger.”

Yutis wiped the blood off the holy sword, but the dried-on bits wouldn’t come off.

His surroundings were littered with the corpses of those who had charged to stop him, but Shati easily stepped over them and approached Norman.

“The ones you brought along died without even getting a chance to fight. If you want to stop me, overwhelming numbers won’t work.”

“…It seems that way. Seeing the same thing happen time and again.”

Norman looked around. The northern forces had taken hits, but ultimately, they were the victors. The forces Norman had brought along with such bravado were defeated.

“Do you know how difficult and intricate it is to extract a soul from a human body while keeping the flesh intact? And you ruined it all.”

All the suffering endured in the empire had been for naught. But there was a certain achievement, nonetheless.

Then the sky flickered strangely. Norman flapped his wings and dodged the lightning bolts falling from above. Karon was glaring at Norman nearby.

[Hmph. You dodged that again?]

“I got hit last time because I didn’t know. If I’m careful, I won’t get hit. And you’re not entirely useless. Aren’t you exhausted? That’s enough for me.”

Yutis took a deep breath. He couldn’t help but be exhausted.

The battle had lasted for hours. Soldiers and knights rotated in the fight, but Norman relentlessly focused solely on Yutis, leaving him no chance to rest.

[I’m here now.]

“You aren’t in perfect condition either. I put more effort into demonic beasts than into humans. So how are they, my masterpieces?”

[ They’re still just demonic beasts.]

“Not exactly what I wanted to hear from you, who suffered at the hands of those demonic beasts…”

Norman, who had always been fascinated by demonic beasts, toyed with the northern Demonic beasts, creating strange powers, even he had never seen before.

[It must’ve been hard to get magic stones in the Middle Realm. Did you kill demons?]

“It wasn’t hard. They’re weaklings who can’t even use their power properly in the Middle Realm.”

[You talk big, considering you were the same.]

“I’m different now. Well, whatever. This is what I wanted. One side is already exhausted and falling apart.”

Norman didn’t think he could handle them all with just the demonic beasts he’d conjured and human troops.

But human stamina has its limits, and the demon who crossed the Empire’s border had left the north, where abundant Demonic energy flowed. The more power he used, the more he’d inevitably struggle for demonic energy.

Karon realized who Norman was pointing at and clicked his tongue.