DSB 96

“So, what are you planning to do now?”

“Hmm?”

Lebel looked up at Illa’s question.

Was he talking about the Northern Demon? If he knew Lebel had received power from the gods, he would’ve heard about the rift too.

Lebel examined Yutis next to him. Illa had revealed Lebel’s identity, but Lebel didn’t know if Illa had explained everything about the Northern Demon or the rift.

Lebel still wasn’t planning to kill the Northern Demon. The Demon God had asked him to take good care of him. But he would seal the rift.

‘Michael will like this.’

Talking about the Northern Demon had only been to seal the rift. But there was something he had to do first.

“I need to kill Norman before that.”

“My wife, I’ll take care of that.”

“No. I’ll do it. He made you cry, so I need to kill him with my own hands. That’s the only way I’ll calm down.”

Illa and Karon both looked at Yutis at Lebel’s words, but he didn’t care. He was too busy trying to stop Lebel.

“My wife, your safety matters more to me. Fighting is dangerous.”

“What’s so dangerous about it? I told you I have become stronger.”

“Illa told you to be careful because you still have a human body. And that demon has eaten many souls and stayed in the Middle Realm for a long time, so he gained strength. I heard he’s strong.”

“…The three of you talked more than I thought.”

Well, it couldn’t be helped.

[I didn’t want to say anything, but this guy threatened my life and forced me!]

Karon jumped in outrage. Lebel’s eyes widened, he couldn’t imagine Yutis threatening Karon.

“They say that demon erased an entire country ty from the map.”

“…Did he eat it?”

There were many ways a demon could gain power. In the Middle Realm, he didn’t even need to use much strength, since there were plenty of things a demon could prey on.

“So how could I let you face him. Did you forget that day?”

“Yutis, I….”

“I don’t know much about vessels or divine power, but I know the wounds on your body haven’t healed.”

Yutis suddenly pulled up one sleeve of Lebel’s clothes. A bruise appeared where Norman had grabbed him because he couldn’t control his strength.

Lebel’s vessel had grown strong enough to hold his soul, but the limits of his human body still showed.

“My wife’s body is fragile.”

In the Demon Realm, Lebel might’ve been a great demon, but here he was in the Middle Realm and he was weak. And his body didn’t accept holy power well either.

Even Yutis was careful when touching him, as if he were handling a glass bead, but Norman grabbed him forcefully and left a bruise.

With his skin so fragile, how could he possibly even dare to fight him?

No matter how powerful a demon Lebel was, he still looked weak and fragile in his eyes.

“How could I not worry? My wife always says he’s fine, but there are so many times when he’s not.”

“Hmm….”

“You know what that demon was thinking when he approached you. If you go to him yourself, he’ll like it even more.”

Yutis spoke in a tone filled with venom. He looked so ferocious that Lebel stared at him in silence. Yutis stroked Lebel’s bruised arm, then slowly tightened his grip.

If he were powerless, Lebel might have been taken away from him. That was the thought that led him to accept Illa’s offer, even though he knew he had ulterior motives.

He had almost lost Lebel that day.

[That’s right! That bastard is targeting Lord Lebel! He’ll definitely be spouting nonsense again, saying he’ll serve Lebel and all.]

“I’ve found my strength, but do you think I’ll just be dragged along? Or, Karon, do you think I can’t kill that demon, like Yutis did?”

[That bastard can’t be a match for Lord Lebel now that you regained your strength, but….]

Lebel shrugged and looked at Yutis as if asking what he thought. He looked like he was bragging.

But Karon wasn’t done.

[I just imagine that bastard’s smug face if Lord Lebel goes to him yourself, and it makes me tremble…! Why give him the honor of dying directly by your hand.]

Karon shook his head, saying that couldn’t happen. Yutis agreed.

“If my wife is a great demon, then you could kill him. I don’t doubt your strength. But that bastard ignored everything you said and acted however he wanted.”

Lebel remained silent. When he thought of Norman’s madness, it sounded possible. But Norman was a demon, and Yutis was human.

“Hmm… Yutis, I’m not ignoring you, but it’ll be difficult.”

“It’s fine. I’ll never fail.”

As Lebel looked at Yutis’ confident expression, Illa intervened as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Lord Michael will give the young master a holy sword as a sign of his blessing.”

“…Michael?”

Just like Michael had given Illa strong holy power, a blessing meant giving a portion of his strength. And now even a holy sword?

Lebel understood Michael wanted to kill the demon, but he didn’t like it at all. It was the same as Michael marking Yutis as his.

“There have been many times when demons appeared in the Middle Realm and caused damage. It seems the gods decided to give humans the power to stop them.”

“And Yutis is the one who’ll receive it?”

“Isn’t the young master the most suitable person to receive Lord Michael’s strength?”

Lebel understood it. Even if someone received divine power, a human who could defeat a demon wasn’t common. But if it was Yutis, it was possible.

“When demons appeared before, the world nearly fell apart each time. A country across the sea was destroyed by a demon a few decades ago.”

Lebel pursed his lips. He couldn’t deny it. Many demons boasted about the disasters they had caused in the Middle Realm.

When he heard about the disasters caused by demons like himself, Lebel ended up looking at Yutis.

“I don’t have any thoughts about destroying human countries. The young ones ran wild.”

“I know. My wife works for the sake of the North.”

“Good. As long as you understand. A demon like me values other people’s lives.”

He didn’t value their lives, he simply didn’t care whether they lived or died. But Lebel had never killed someone over something petty.

“Lord Michael settled in the North, so he wants this place to remain peaceful. There’s no one more suitable to help with that than the young master.”

“If my wife dislikes it, I’ll refuse.”

Illa wouldn’t have spoken to Lebel without getting Yutis’s agreement first. A holy sword wasn’t only effective against demons. In a place crawling with demonic beasts, it would help Yutis greatly.

“…Alright. If you agreed, then it isn’t my place to interfere. Power is always good to have. But…”

Lebel gave Illa a warning glare.

“Don’t meddle with Yutis.”

His red eyes shone like he was saying he’d always be watching. It wasn’t aimed at Illa, but at Michael behind him. Illa lowered his head calmly.

“…Of course.”

It was obvious Michael had another reason for approaching Yutis aside from him being strong.

“If he receives divine blessing and a holy sword, the benefits will outweigh everything.”

“Well, being called chosen by the gods sounds better than being called demon spawn.”

He just didn’t like it.

Even if people called Yutis demon or monster, Lebel didn’t care. But if Yutis himself cared, then it changed things.

A demon like Lebel knew well that the word demon wasn’t a good comparison. If that name disappeared, it wouldn’t harm Yutis, just like Illa said.

“By the way, what happened that day? Did the envoys believe Norman was a demon. I’m sure they insisted he wasn’t.”

Even though Lebel had been unconscious, he spoke like he could clearly picture the scene. He wasn’t wrong.

“They couldn’t deny it since traces of demonic possession were left on him.”

Yutis explained what happened then. When Bron woke from the spell and came with people, it was after Yutis had already cut off Norman’s head.

The envoys saw the bloodied sword and Norman lying on the ground and started shouting that Yutis killed him and had to take responsibility. But Norman had been the one who escaped prison and came to the annex first.

Then the envoys began making excuses. They claimed Norman had gone to Lebel’s room after escaping and that since there had been no uproar or cries for help, it must’ve been a secret meeting.

They used Yutis as the reason. They shouted that Norman had gone there to help Lebel because he couldn’t live with his monster husband.

The envoys had a simple reason for assuming Yutis had turned into a monster: the fallen trees bore marks of something large crushing them, and other unidentifiable marks littered the surrounding area.

Yutis ignored everything the envoys said and went to find a physician first. Lebel looked peaceful as if he was sleeping, if anyone had looked at the bloodstain on his chest, they would’ve known something was wrong, but no one paid any attention.