Chapter 214 |
Demon-kind
After the grand council.
After discussion, the party split into two.
First, Park Hyun-a and Sara Dunphy returned to Scolbon in the Kingdom of Mariette.
Since Park Hyun-a hadn’t recovered yet, they needed to stay in Scolbon to complete the treatment.
“I’ll see you in two weeks.”
“Just enjoy yourself while you’re there.”
“It’s not about enjoying myself.”
Choi Hyun-seok remained with the Demon King’s Army.
‘I still can’t perfectly control my strengthened body.’
When defeating Demon King Tegrad, his physical abilities increased to what could be called historic levels.
Until now, no matter how strong he became, Choi Hyun-seok had always shown perfect body control. But.
Even that was now approaching its limit.
Gradually, his changing body began to exceed his cognitive abilities.
Now, no matter how talented Choi Hyun-seok is, he couldn’t fully draw out his power without proper adaptation training.
“Good! Choi Hyun-seok, you’re welcome to join anytime if you feel like training with me!”
Reidrun readily offered a proposal.
Although they would soon have to clash greatly with the holy war’s army, his training wouldn’t stop anyway.
And if Choi Hyun-seok joined, it would be beneficial for Reidrun too.
“Choi Hyun-seok. There’s something I want to ask.”
During several days of continued training.
Suddenly Reidrun made a proposal.
“Have you thought about returning to the Demon King’s Army?”
“To the Demon King’s Army?”
“Yes. Looking at the situation, it seems you don’t have anywhere in particular to go.”
It wasn’t wrong.
Currently, Choi Hyun-seok didn’t have anywhere to call home in particular.
There was the Kingdom of Mariette, but while Abelson was there, it wasn’t a place directly related to Choi Hyun-seok.
“If you come to the Demon King’s Army, I’ll work to make you a Corps Commander.”
“A Corps Commander! Is that really true!?”
“It’s not that difficult since we’re just putting a suitable person in the vacant 2nd Corps Commander position anyway.”
“Hmm…”
“The Demon King’s Army is changing. Lady Sidriel needs new talent.”
After Sidriel became Demon King.
The Demon King’s Army, which had been stagnant for hundreds of years, began to change.
This included reorganizing the complicated Corps Commander positions.
First, Reidrun officially became the 3rd Corps Commander, and Motem became the Vice Corps Commander.
Motem resisted becoming Vice Corps Commander until the end but.
“Hmm~ I’d like Motem to do it?”
“I understand…”
He immediately agreed to one word from Hemis.
Hemis, who stepped down from the Corps Commander position, expressed wanting to move freely and didn’t take any particular position.
And Park Hyun-a also stepped down from the Corps Commander position, and Onyx was officially appointed to the vacant 4th Corps Commander position.
Actually, nothing had changed compared to before.
Anyway, Reidrun and Onyx were already performing Corps Commander duties.
The only change was removing the temporary label and being officially appointed as Corps Commanders by the Demon King.
However, these small things are important.
Though it seemed like nothing, it could be said to have great significance since these things play crucial roles at decisive moments like this demon-kind grand council.
“It’s not forcing you. Just letting you know the path is open if you want it.”
Reidrun said in a gentle voice.
He didn’t seem to want to burden Choi Hyun-seok particularly either.
“I’ll think about it.”
“That’s fine.”
Afterward, Choi Hyun-seok and Reidrun continued training.
Sometimes when Reidrun went to battle, Choi Hyun-seok trained alone.
It was because he hadn’t fully adapted yet, and his position was awkward for joining the battlefield to help.
Time passed like that until the promised two weeks had passed.
“Are you leaving?”
Reidrun said with a gloomy expression.
Choi Hyun-seok silently nodded.
“I hope we can meet again.”
“We’ll see each other again. The real war is just beginning.”
The Holy Empire of Gatren is still powerful.
They hadn’t given up their ambition to conquer the continent either.
As long as they shared a common enemy, the day would come when they would cooperate.
“Thank you for everything until now. Stay healthy.”
“Let’s meet again while we’re alive.”
Leaving Reidrun’s smile behind.
Choi Hyun-seok left the Demon King’s Army again.
***
Scolbon, capital of the Kingdom of Mariette.
Returning after a long time, Scolbon’s atmosphere had changed a lot.
“Don’t betray the faith!”
“In Deusis’s name, strike down the demon-kind!”
Loud voices could be heard from all over the streets.
People wearing all white clothes stopped passersby and spoke.
“Do you believe in Deusis?”
“The holy war has succeeded! The Demon King is dead! This is the first and last chance to drive demon-kind from the continent!”
A man shouting with half-crazed eyes.
It was unsettling just watching from the side.
Naturally, people who encountered fanatics before their eyes tried to leave with troubled expressions.
But not everyone was like that.
Some people rather spat in the fanatics’ faces or grabbed their collars.
“It’s an era of peace! We can’t keep fighting wars forever!”
“Religious fanatics! War maniac! Stop now!”
Naturally, when there was such extreme opposition, the atmosphere could only become more hostile.
“Heretic! I’ll bring divine punishment upon you!”
“You son of a religious fanatic!”
Fists and feet were exchanged between the two men.
The increasingly heated atmosphere burns uncontrollably.
“Die! Heretic!”
Finally, the person presumed to be a priest drew his knife.
A dagger emerged from within the pure white robe.
Just before it was about to pierce the opponent’s chest.
“Okay. That’s enough.”
A large man suddenly appeared and grabbed the knife.
“Who are you… Ack!”
Choi Hyun-seok lightly struck the back of the priest’s head.
The priest lost consciousness and collapsed onto the ground.
“Don’t worry too much. It’s probably just a mild concussion.”
Choi Hyun-seok said while breaking the confiscated dagger.
As if in response, foam bubbled up from the fallen priest’s mouth.
“Uh… Or maybe not…”
It probably wasn’t a mild concussion, but what does it matter?
Surely he won’t die.
Thinking this, Choi Hyun-seok headed toward the palace.
“What’s going on? When I left, the atmosphere wasn’t like this.”
Choi Hyun-seok said while furrowing his brow.
Scolbon wasn’t like this at all before he left.
Under Abelson’s rule, it was gradually finding stability.
Laughter was beginning to bloom again in the streets.
He thought that if time passed like this, it would surely regain its former vitality, but…
“This situation has gotten even worse.”
The current Scolbon is no different from before Abelson’s arrival.
In some ways, it could be seen as having gotten even worse.
“Hmm, there definitely seems to be a problem.”
Rachel also nodded in agreement.
“Unlike before, people don’t seem to be starving and struggling, or how should I put it… They look terrified.”
“Indeed. We should get to the palace quickly.”
Choi Hyun-seok quickened his pace.
Why were these things happening?
Rather than pondering alone, it seemed faster to meet Abelson directly and ask.
***
“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
“Yes. I’m always good.”
Choi Hyun-seok and Abelson, meeting after a long time.
They discussed recent events over refreshments.
“I see older sister and Sara aren’t here.”
“Yes. They’re still in treatment. I heard it’ll take at least another month before they’re fit enough for battle.”
“Ah.”
Park Hyun-a still didn’t seem to be in good condition.
Although it seemed she was having a hard time, it was also true that there were expectations that she would become much stronger than before if treated well.
“By the way, Abelson.”
“Yes?”
After some conversation had passed.
Choi Hyun-seok asked about what he saw in the capital.
“What’s happening here?”
“Ah, so you saw…”
Abelson let out a deep sigh.
“First, I should tell you that this isn’t happening only in the Mariette Kingdom.”
“Not just in Mariette?”
“Right now, this atmosphere is everywhere on the continent. It’s a state where the tightly drawn string of tension could snap at any moment.”
Abelson continued in an even lower voice.
“A great storm is coming.”
“Storm…”
“It’s the beginning of a war between humans in earnest, not like the previous wars with demons. What we’re seeing now is just the prelude.”
A war between humans and humans.
In other words, it meant that Gatren is officially moving to conquer the continent.
As his thoughts deepened, Choi Hyun-seok’s brow naturally furrowed.
“It’s strange that Gatren is moving. Weren’t they supposed to deal with the demons first before moving to the next step?”
“The situation has changed.”
“In what way?”
“Do you know about the peace declaration made by the demons?”
“Ah, if you mean that, I’ve heard about it too.”
The peace declaration by the new Demon King Sidriel.
Choi Hyun-seok had heard about it from Reidrun as well.
“I know that the war with demons hasn’t stopped even after the peace declaration. Hasn’t it actually gotten worse?”
The holy army didn’t retreat despite the peace declaration.
They had already achieved their goal of defeating Demon King Tegrad.
Even though the new Demon King raised the slogan of peace, their advance continued.
No, it became even more fierce than before.
As if someone was chasing them from behind.
They moved desperately to erase the demons from this land.
“So I naturally thought that Sidriel’s peace declaration had no meaning.”
“It’s actually the opposite. The new Demon King threw a spark. A spark that grows by feeding on human conflict…”
Seeing that Choi Hyun-seok didn’t understand, Abelson continued her explanation.
“The Drason Empire made the first move. They didn’t want the demons to disappear, so the peace treaty became a good excuse.”
Choi Hyun-seok’s eyes lit up as he finally grasped the situation somewhat.
“They tried to turn public opinion.”
“Yes. They tried to stop the war by inciting people. That worked surprisingly well, and the startled Gatren responded in the same way. Saying that this was the chance to erase demons from the continent.”
In one sentence, it was the unfolding of a massive public opinion war.
Who could better incite people and capture public sentiment.
Whoever won here could take both justification and practical benefits, so both empires were desperate.
“Then I understand why the holy army has become more urgent. They’re trying to crush the demons as much as possible now in case they lose the public opinion battle. Something like that, right?”
“Yes. Because of that, the conflict between the two factions is getting worse. As the war intensifies, the damage is also increasing.”
“Hmm… This is giving me a headache.”
Choi Hyun-seok sighed while running his hand through his hair.
Something that couldn’t be solved with force.
This kind of intellectual work didn’t suit him.
At times like this, he thought that the simple nature of demons seemed really convenient in some ways.
“For now, the kingdom is supporting the peace faction.”
Abelson said while sipping tea.
“After all, we need the demons just like the Drason Empire does.”
The demons needed to remain to keep the Holy Empire of Gatren in check.
If Gatren exterminated the demons and ended the war at this rate, there would be no way to stop them.
“Is there anything I need to do?”
“There’s nothing in particular I need to ask of you, Mr. Choi Hyun-seok.”
Abelson shook her head.
“Things could get bigger if we’re not careful. Unless the situation escalates into massive violence, I’m just going to watch too.”
“Hmm, I understand. Hopefully, nothing like that happens.”
“Indeed…”
Shadows fell across Choi Hyun-seok and Abelson’s faces.
Since this incident involved all humans on the continent either directly or indirectly, it could potentially escalate into violence of unprecedented scale if they weren’t careful.
But they say bad premonitions always come true.
“What do you mean!? A high priest was killed!?”
Just two days after Choi Hyun-seok’s arrival.
An incident occurred where a high priest was killed by mob lynching in Scolbon.
“What were the guards doing? I’m sure they were ordered to prevent things from escalating.”
“I’m sorry. It happened so suddenly there was no time to stop it.”
“Haah…”
Before Abelson’s sigh could even finish.
“Your Majesty! Urgent news!”
A new report came in.
Abelson raised her head with a tired expression.
“What is it this time?”
“Regarding the death of the high priest that just occurred, we’ve received word from Gatren.”
“Already…”
To receive contact just hours after the incident occurred.
At this point, it seemed like they had been waiting for something like this to happen, given the speed of their response.
“What did Gatren say?”
“Well…”
The person reporting swallowed hard before continuing.
“They say they’re sending a college of cardinals.”
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