DSB 141

“Is this what humans call frightening?”

What is frightening about this? His eyes are round and the color is lovely, it’s nothing but a sight to behold.

Yutis opened his eyes. His large, round eyes blinked slowly, making him look almost shy.

[Only you would say such a thing.]

Just then, the attendant, who had been standing still as air, tried to approach Lebel. Yutis rose and lashed out his tail to block the attendant’s approach.

[…Should I not have killed him?]

“No. He was already dead. It’s for the best. It seems Biakin know you are here and tried to spy on the situation through this one.”

Yutis reacted to the name Biakin and stood up straight. They didn’t have time to waste.

[Let’s get out of here quickly. Norman will arrive soon.]

“Was it Norman who did this to you?”

[…Yes.]

“So that’s how it is.”

Lebel was upset and frowned.

“Yutis, bow your head.”

Yutis lowered his head as he wondered what was happening. Then, their lips met, Lebel’s demonic energy flowed through his body. Unlike Norman’s, it was a soft demonic energy that gently enveloped his body.

“What’s the point of taking someone else’s when I can give you more?”

[…It wasn’t intentional.]

“I know. It just bothers me. If you flew this far, other humans must have seen this too.”

I wanted to be the first to see it.

Lebel murmured softly as he looked at Yutis’s wings. Yutis’s face slightly turned red.

“Merick, do you know something? Yutis appeared like this, yet you don’t look surprised.”

Merick, who had been quietly waiting in the background without joining the conversation, swallowed dryly and spoke up.

“…I can’t deceive you, Lord Lebel. Norman once asked me what would happen if he passed demonic energy onto a human. I thought it was to use other humans or demonic beasts in war. I never imagined his purpose was to harm your husband.”

So he planned to transfer the demonic energy.

“It seems Norman designed from the start to use the demonic energy to reveal Yutis’s true form. That must be why he kept appearing to provoke Yutis on the battlefield.”

Transferring demonic energy requires contact. But as long as Yutis held the holy sword, his form wouldn’t change, so he must have been waiting for an opportunity.

[I’m sorry. I was weak… I lost the holy sword and my form…]

“Enough. If it’s a holy sword that loses all power just because it slips from your hand, then it’s the sword’s fault.”

Norman’s demonic energy was completely expelled by Lebel, but in exchange, his own remained within Yutis’s body.

“Yutis, can you return to human form?”

[That’s… not going well.]

Yutis answered gloomily.

He said his entire body had never changed except when he was young. Parts of his body transformed during his rut, but that happened when his mind was in chaos.

“It’s because too much demonic energy currently dwells within your body. Your human body simply cannot bear it all, so you’ve transformed into this.”

Lebel couldn’t take the demonic energy back. He possessed the same kind of human body.

He would need to expand the demonic energy.

“Good. Let’s use this to our advantage.”

Norman and Biakin had orchestrated this to turn the situation to their advantage. Then, simply turning it against them would suffice.

Yutis tilted his head, seemingly confused. Lebel turned to Merick and asked.

“Merick, how far along are you?” ”

“It can be done anytime you command, Lord Lebel.”

“Good.”

Either the Empire or the North was destined to be the loser. Lebel naturally assumed the Empire would be defeated.

Then, groundwork must be laid. Since the Empire and the North were not on good terms, it was necessary for the future.

“Lord Lebel, Norman has arrived.”

Yutis also sensed it and turned his head toward Norman. The latter, who had followed Yutis, was incredulous the moment he saw Lebel and Merick together.

“I followed that monster bastard here! Why are you with Lord Lebel?”

“What I do or where I am is none of your business.”

Merick shrugged nonchalantly as he mocked Norman. Norman turned his head, looking back and forth between them, then realized the situation and flew into a rage.

“You betrayed me?!”

“Betrayal? I helped you achieve everything you wanted. I helped refine your magic, gather human souls. Now I’m just doing what I must.”

“…You are… a spy?”

Merick smiled. Had he finally figured it out? Norman, who had been staring, grimaced.

“Lord Lebel, why…?”

“If you’re targeting the North, then I have no choice.”

“I’ve become far stronger than that thing!”

“I do favor the strong, but that’s not all. I am stronger than anyone else. What does it matter if the one I cherish is a little weaker?”

“You told me to trust you, but that convinced me of nothing! What did that human even do?! Enough! I’ll show my power so you’ll change your mind, Lord Lebel. If I kill all of them, you’ll have no choice but to choose me!”

Norman gritted his teeth; his hostility toward Yutis burned fiercely.

[As if you get to decide.]

Yutis didn’t back down either. As the two engaged in a war of nerves, Lebel chuckled softly.

Both pairs of eyes turned to Lebel.

“Your determination toward your goal is commendable, but you need to look around you.”

Just then, Biakin appeared, accompanied by his knights. Unlike Norman, he immediately noticed the necklace around Lebel’s neck had been removed.

“Norman! The shackles…”

“Too late.”

Biakin likely intended to warn Norman, but it was already too late. After a moment’s hesitation, Lebel set the stage to draw everyone’s attention.

The light slowly faded.

“…Huh?”

“Your Highness! The sky…!”

The sun was obscured, and night fell in the middle of the day.

Biakin frowned while looking at Lebel, who wore a relaxed smile.

“Isn’t it a phenomenon worthy of a demon’s appearance”

Lebel could have killed Norman immediately, but he didn’t. The humans here needed to realize who their true enemy was.

“Yutis, go win.”

Yutis was startled by the sudden darkness, but at Lebel’s command, he spread his wings and charged at Norman. The latter hastily took flight as well.

The two, wings spread, collided midair. Merick cautiously inquired about Lebel’s intentions.

“Lord Lebel, what are you planning? Even using only what I prepared will ruin the Empire’s reputation.”

“The Empire’s reputation is important, but so is Yutis’s.”

At that moment, Biakin tried to approach Lebel.

“So now, who will be called the demon?”

Lebel moved with Merick to a spot where people could see them.

People panicked as the sun lost its light and darkness fell. Everyone stared up at the sky, stunned.

Then they witnessed something colliding in that sky. It was a clash between something pure white and something with black wings spread wide. Even in the darkness, Yutis’s pure white scales shone brightly.

Soon people recognized the demon faster than the dragon.

“A demon! A demon!”

The citizens who recognized the demon were startled to see the dragon confronting it, but began shouting that the pure white creature was a divine messenger.

This was the exact opposite of what they had been shouting about Yutis being a demon.

“Merick, we must retrieve the holy sword. Ah, and the other preparations too.”

“What are you thinking…?”

As Merick vanished, Biakin asked, he was on edge. With his shackles gone, it was impossible to predict what Lebel might do.

He swallowed dryly as he recalled his conversations with Lebel.

“Instead of asking that, shouldn’t you explain things to those people?”

They were following the Crown Prince’s orders, yet none knew his true intentions. The fact that Lebel, who should have been in the north, was staying in the imperial palace was also confusing, but to save their own lives, they pretended ignorance and silently obeyed the commands.

Now Hans was suddenly called a demon. Faced with this sudden turn of events, none could hide their confused expressions.

“Quite a few recognize that man. You probably didn’t expect giving that body to Norman would become a problem. Well, spreading his wings foolishly beforehand was the real issue.”

As Lebel spoke, the knights, who had been holding back their curiosity started asking questions.

“Your Highness, is Sir Hans truly a demon? Then who exactly is Norman? Do you know something…?”

“…Don’t be fooled. It’s the North’s doing.”

“Do you think the word ‘North’ is a magic word? No one seems convinced.”

Those plunged into chaos would no longer heed orders. Biakin knew this. And now, the truth had even surfaced that the man he kept by his side was a demon.

If only that fool hadn’t stupidly spread his wings, the very mark of a demon…!

“You failed to kill Yutis, and you failed to persuade me. What will you do now?”