Chapter 277: Dekan’s Enemies and Friends |
In the real world.
“Damn! I'm really impressed with this old schemer!”
The audience had originally thought that Dekan and his companions would bring about some thrilling and great reversal.
They had not expected the style to become so bizarre in the next second.
And it had actually worked!
“I always feel that the Frenzy Bishop has also been led astray by them. Which side has the problem?!”
“Anyway, none of these four guys are normal!”
“But they are really so handsome! Can they form a group and debut!”
What was ridiculous was that there were even cries of screaming for the Beautiful Mind F4 in various places.
Until the Chief Warden finally fell onto the sofa with blurred vision.
The four who were originally polite and courteous all had wretched expressions on their faces.
It seemed they had been putting up with this Chief Warden for a long time.
However, they did not choose to take revenge, nor did they hesitate much, and began to call for Cornelia to carry the Saintess of Darkness and run.
The Chief Warden's health was too high, and the risk of killing her was too great.
If they woke her up and failed to kill her, they might really be wiped out.
It was better to take advantage of the fact that she was successfully paralyzed and escape safely!
So, under the Saintess of Darkness' gaze of questioning her existence, Cornelia carried her on her back and ran out of the Demon Realm Prison with the others.
Afterward, a ten-day-long travelogue of escaping the Demon Realm began…
…
Twelve days later.
The northern border of the Holy Kingdom.
Even though it was not winter, the climate in the northern part of the Holy Kingdom was still very harsh. Regardless of the season, it was almost always a world of ice and snow, with goose-feather-like snowflakes falling.
The northernmost part of the Holy Kingdom was also the extreme north of all human kingdoms. After passing the last few towns, it was a no-man's land, with only a vast and boundless snowfield, where even magical beasts rarely survived.
Further north was the Demon Realm, where the environment was even more bone-chilling.
Several figures were treading on the snow, their footprints sinking deep into the snow, and the sound of their footsteps echoed throughout the empty snowfield.
They walked further and further away.
They were the Beautiful Mind Squad and the Frenzy Bishop Clay.
Dekan and his group had spent ten days escaping from the Demon Realm.
And another two days to leave the front line of the war and find a relatively safe main city-state.
Now they had finally reached a snowy hill not far from the city gate of this city-state.
During this journey, Dekan had also finally confirmed one thing—
Beyond the Demon Realm was the Holy Kingdom!
The worldviews of the Demon Realm and the Holy Kingdom were unified.
In other words.
The four Shadow Worlds he had experienced so far were actually several periods of history in the same world!
Even the timelines were in chronological order.
Because Dekan had found out.
Back in the third Shadow World, 【The Secret Tale of the Waning Holy Rite】, the age of Cardinal Lun of the Holy Rite Church, who had a great connection with Dekan and Shijiang, was 25.
And now.
Lun was already 37.
12 years had passed.
Dekan did not know if he would be able to enter a Shadow World under the worldview of the Holy Kingdom and the Demon Realm again next time.
If he could enter again.
How many years later would it be?
Dekan shook his head, stopped thinking about it, and decided to finish the last task at hand.
Safely send the Saintess of Darkness back to the human city-state.
At this time, in the team.
Although the Saintess of Darkness did not speak, her expression was filled with disbelief.
She had never dreamed.
That the direction this group of people was taking her to escape in the Demon Realm was actually the border of the Demon Realm!
And they had really taken her across the Demon Realm and brought her to the territory of the human kingdoms.
She could not help but begin to suspect.
Could it be that the den of these demons was actually hidden in the human kingdoms?!
The more the Saintess of Darkness thought about it, the more despairing and terrifying she felt.
She was drugged and tied up by them, with no possibility of escape.
These few guys were a gang that could even take on and take down the Chief Warden.
And the Saintess of Darkness knew that even if she recovered her full strength, she was only Rank 8.
Not only did she have no hope of transmitting this crucial information back to the Holy Kingdom, but she would also be treated in a way that she could neither live nor die.
“It should be fine to send her here. If we send her into the city and she turns on us, our only remaining day off will be ruined.”
Dekan discussed with his companions.
“Anyway, she has at least recovered to the combat power of Rank 5 or 6 now, so she should be quite safe.”
“The mission is completed, why bother with her?”
…
Saintess of Darkness: “???”
Listening to this group of people saying inexplicable things, the Saintess of Darkness was confused.
Let her go?
Although she had heard these few people occasionally mention saving her along the way.
But she had always thought it was just their nonsense.
Were these people really planning to let her go?
This was the only thing that was impossible!
They must be humiliating her!
“What is your purpose?!”
The Saintess of Darkness shouted at Dekan with anger and unwillingness.
Dekan, who was still talking to his companions, was attracted by the hostage Saintess' voice.
He turned his head and answered without blushing or his heart skipping a beat:
“For love and peace.”
“You let go…!”
The Saintess of Darkness felt she had been humiliated again.
These few words, coming from Dekan's mouth, seemed particularly ironic.
As if mocking her ignorance.
“If you have the guts, then really let me go. Don't underestimate me!! I will one day destroy the Demon Realm and kill you too!”
The Saintess of Darkness roared with a somewhat choked voice.
She knew she had been completely defeated.
This was just a show of bravado.
“Hmm? Okay.”
Dekan nodded and said.
Then Cornelia immediately untied her, and Cloix dispelled the poison for her.
Amidst her confused expression, the Saintess of Darkness found that she seemed to have really regained her freedom!
Dekan: “You can go.”
The Saintess of Darkness suddenly retreated and looked at these few people warily.
Because she knew that if these few people did not want to let her go, she would have no chance of escaping even if she was untied and detoxified.
These few people probably wanted to play with her some more.
Giving a little hope, and then granting despair, was the favorite method of demons!
Dekan naturally understood the Saintess of Darkness' reaction and sighed with some regret:
“I thought that after all this time together, you would at least trust me a little bit. We've been taking care of you like a friend, uh, although for your safety, we might have looked a little like we kidnapped you.”
“You? Treat me as a friend? Hehe… What's the point of saying such absurd things?”
The Saintess of Darkness sneered as she retreated warily.
“How is it absurd? I promise you, we won't see each other again. You can go back to the human kingdoms in peace. You are really free.”
Dekan seemed to feel that he had been misunderstood and said with a somewhat sad look.
Dekan had exchanged some opinions with his companions earlier and had decided to go to another, more prosperous city-state further away from the battlefield later.
Just like that, the few of them no longer paid any attention to the Saintess of Darkness.
They actually ignored her and walked in another direction.
“…”
The Saintess of Darkness forgot to escape for a moment and was completely stunned on the spot.
She was really…
Free??
The Saintess of Darkness felt that this demon was somewhat incomprehensible.
PART 2
She still firmly believed that all of a demon's actions were a disguise to deceive humans.
But she really couldn't figure out what this guy was after.
Could it be that his intentions towards her earlier were purely benevolent?
If all of this was fake.
Then what was real.
The truth she firmly believed in—that demons could not have goodwill—was even beginning to waver a little.
“Putting aside whether you're playing a big game of chess, or if you, a demon, really have a problem with your brain, you're just too fanciful! I won't remember your kindness, and I won't be used by you!!”
The Saintess of Darkness clenched her fists and shouted at the backs of Dekan and his group, who were already far away, with some exasperation.
She felt very pained.
She was a person who clearly distinguished between kindness and enmity.
But she had never dreamed.
That she, who hated demons the most, would one day be saved by a demon.
This was a humiliation to her, and also a torment.
“Perhaps what I hoped for was not peace, but did all this for my own selfish desires. But I have never treated you as an enemy. Whether you believe it or not, let's just leave it at that.”
Dekan waved his hand casually at the Saintess of Darkness, as a final farewell.
He still had some respect for the Saintess of Darkness, this epic hero who would save the human kingdoms according to the background story of the Shadow World.
“Even if you do more! No matter what tricks you have! I won't be foolish enough to believe in a demon! You will always be my enemy!”
The Saintess of Darkness' loud shout, it was unknown whether it was for Dekan to hear, or for herself.
Dekan heard the Saintess of Darkness' words and sighed helplessly.
In fact, being spoken to like this by the Saintess of Darkness, he would also feel hurt.
Because he had roughly figured out who the Saintess of Darkness corresponded to in the real world.
Dekan gave a bitter smile, turned his head, and from a great distance, looked at the Saintess of Darkness and said:
“An enemy is an enemy then. Anyway, I consider you a friend.”
Saintess of Darkness: “Absurd! If we are enemies, we are not friends.”
Dekan: “Can't enemies also be friends?”
The Saintess of Darkness was a bit choked by Dekan's sophistry, but she quickly changed her wording:
“Demons can never be true friends with humans.”
“Why not? Although there is a risk of betrayal, if both sides don't change, the relationship will never change.”
As Dekan spoke, he seemed to recall the days when he had just picked up 【Shijiang】 in his childhood, and the daily battles of wits with her. A smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.
“Even if I might be betrayed, I will still believe in the guys I am willing to believe in. Over time, even if I am really a demon, I will make true friends, won't I?”
Dekan looked as if he were seriously speaking nonsense, his eyes incomparably clear as he finished this sentence to the Saintess of Darkness, then turned his head.
This time, it was a real farewell.
“Naive…!”
Watching Dekan's departing figure.
The Saintess of Darkness bit her lip tightly, her hands once again trembling uncontrollably.
Her pupils, which were originally as dark as an abyss, were now full of conflict and struggle.
At this moment, she did not know whether to call Dekan's words naive, foolish, crazy, or magnanimous.
She did not understand, and she could not tell what this demon really wanted.
However.
If she followed her truest impulse at this moment.
This immense kindness.
She could not trample on it.
Even if it might be a conspiracy, a trap.
She should also be naive once, foolish once, crazy once, and show her magnanimity once!
Since she had already admitted that she did not understand.
A creature she could not understand at all, did she really have the right to assert its nature?
If she easily asserted some things, leading to her repaying kindness with enmity, distinguishing not between right and wrong, it would be equivalent to her completely denying the principles she held as gospel!
“Tell me your name!”
The Saintess of Darkness shouted loudly as if she had made up her mind.
“Talomati.”
Dekan answered rather lazily, too busy leaving to even turn his head to look at the Saintess of Darkness.
Just like that, dozens of seconds passed.
Until the figures of Dekan and his group were about to completely disappear from the Saintess of Darkness' sight.
She began to look up and shout:
“Talomati! If I ever meet you again one day, even if we are enemies then, even if you are a demon, I will choose to try and believe you once! Just as a repayment for your kindness, to be even with you!”
The Saintess of Darkness took a deep breath, placed her hand on her chest, as if swearing to a god:
“In the name of Milia—I promise you!”
…
In the distance.
“Hmph hmph.”
Dekan just smiled and shook his head.
He no longer paid any attention to the Saintess of Darkness, whose figure he could no longer see clearly even if he turned his head.
This time, it should be a real act of kindness and accumulating merit, right?
No.
What kind of talk was that?
He had always been doing good deeds and accumulating merit!
Dekan thought this in his heart, but as he walked, he found that Clay had begun to deviate from their group and was walking in another direction.
“Hey, you can't see the road again. Don't walk back to the Demon Realm!”
Dekan shouted to Clay.
Upon hearing this, Clay's footsteps paused for a moment.
“We are not on the same path. I will find a safe place to stay until the Shadow World ends.”
Clay's tone suddenly became exceptionally cold as he answered.
However, what Clay did not expect was that Dekan actually trotted to his side and asked him cheerfully:
“Clay, are you interested in having some fun with us?”
Dekan's tone was as if he were inviting him to a celebration banquet.
Although it was a chaotic world, with their group's skills, wherever they went was a scenic spot.
“Don't forget, once we leave the Shadow World, we will be enemies…”
Clay retorted Dekan impolitely, but halfway through his words, he seemed to recall Dekan's previous conversation with the Saintess of Darkness, frowned and asked again:
“Don't tell me you're going to say that naive 'can't enemies also be friends' line again?”
“No, no, that was something a friend gave me.”
Dekan wagged his finger and corrected Clay's words.
“Hmph, whether you are my enemy or friend, you will regret it. It's for your own good to stay away from me now.”
Clay still said coldly.
“Haha!!”
Hearing Clay's words, Dekan seemed to be amused.
Indeed, whether you were an enemy or a friend of the Corrupt Bishop, death was inescapable.
But for Dekan, whether Clay was on his side or on the opposite side, he was unexpectedly a benefactor.
“You're surprisingly interesting, Clay! Don't worry, I've already cut off the live broadcast. Even if I go and gamble a few rounds with you, the Kingdom Federation won't find out!”
To Clay's surprise, Dekan suddenly put his arm around Clay's shoulder and said to Clay with a mischievous smile.
His other hand picked up a bag full of concentrated magic crystal stones and shook it, making a "clinking" sound that smelled of money.
These were extremely rare circulating materials they had exchanged for with Demon Realm currency before leaving the Demon Realm.
Just by listening, you could tell that these magic crystal stones could be exchanged for a lot of money, and they would surely have a great time.
“…”
Clay was silent.
But his silence clearly indicated that he was moved.
Damn it!
How could he refuse this!
“Only for one more day as your friend…”
Clay said with a look of reluctance.
“Oh oh, Clay, you mean we are already friends? Friends should go through thick and thin together!”
“Go away, go away!! I haven't forgotten how you three bastards sold me out! Don't let me run into you in the real world!”
“Lalala, you clumsy fool, you still want to catch me~~”
“Don't run if you have the guts! Take my punch!”
This long journey.
Finally came to an end amidst the helpless laughter of the team and the playful fights between Dekan and Clay.