Episode 228: Full of suffering (1)
“I must kill you!”
The Deathbringer moved forward while hearing the cry. Took. The simple iron bars were within reach. Even though there was a shortage of labor, this is an iron grate that was made by craftsmen as a top priority.
“How do we know that the devil may be regaining his strength even at this very moment! “You have to kill me right now…!”
“how? How will you kill it? “What do we do now that the warrior has fallen and there is no sign of waking up and most of the wizards are also unconscious?”
“That somehow…!”
Also, inside there is a person who is tightly bound with chains and ropes and is breathing quietly.
“under. great. Let’s say we do it somehow. But what if instead of the adventurer dying, the devil awakens?”
“that…!”
“What are you going to do then? “What would you do if what the devil said back then wasn’t a lie whispered to gain time to regain strength, but was all the truth?”
Deathbringer knelt down to be at eye level with his opponent. But that didn’t really interfere with my vision.
The other person did not wake up, and even if he did, he would not be able to see his son-in-law as long as the consecrated cloth covered his eyes, so it was natural.
“Didn’t you see the bishop there too! The ability to recover from a half-cut throat in a matter of minutes! Do you think you can kill it?”
“But we can’t just leave the devil alone! Didn’t the Lord of Seong see it too! “If it wakes up again…!”
“Even those who barely survived will all die. yes. I know. However, I also know that the condition for the devil to awaken is to try to kill that adventurer. Bishop, do you really want to see all the citizens of Bemurgen die?”
“I didn’t mean to say that, Lord Seong!”
“That’s not what I meant! “What is the difference between what you just said and putting all the citizens of Bemurgen in a low-probability gamble?”
But Deathbringer was different.
“Bishop, do you know how critical the situation is right now?”
“…I also have eyes and ears. Do you have any idea how hard the Lord is trying, but how many places are still unreachable? But…”
“But? Don’t do it? Do you really know this? “If you really know, your words should not be ‘but’!”
“Lord Seong.”
“What we need now is faster cooperation and everyone’s unity! “What really threatens us at this moment is not the great evil he harbors, but the lack of food and medicine, Bishop!!”
He remembered the face wrapped in the consecrated cloth. Because of that memory, I was able to picture it clearly in my mind.
“Seonglord, I know that well, but—”
“It’s done! There is no need to say anything like that. Instead, I will make my position clear here as the lord of Bemurgen.”
Yes, he knew what face was down there.
“I never! I will never lay a hand on the author. “Even if God opposes my actions, he will not touch me, at least until the citizens of Bemurgen find stability!”
“Lord Seong!!”
…I also knew how that face slit its own throat.
Deathbringer’s face touched the iron bars. I wanted to cry.
“If you want to dismiss me as a heretic, feel free to do so. “But it will have to be right after all evacuations are over and citizens can breathe a sigh of relief.”
“…You might regret it.”
“It doesn’t matter. In addition, the Bemurgen Magic Tower branch has decided to take the same attitude as me, so I hope that we will avoid wasting our time by visiting them.”
In the meantime, the shouting going back and forth quietened down. If you hear the sound of clanging metal, you will immediately know that it belongs to Seongju and his knights.
“Franz.”
“yes.”
“I’ll attach five soldiers. Guard the front of the prison. So that no one can touch it!”
“yes!”
“Also, cut down anyone who touches you. “I will take responsibility for everything that happens afterward.”
“Don’t worry.”
The lord of the castle shouted loudly so that everyone around him could see and hear him, and one knight and five soldiers began to stand around the prison.
Of course, in the process, Deathbringer, who was sitting in front of the prison, received several glares. It’s a look that asks, “What are you here for?”
But in the end, he was not kicked out.
The reason is that Seongju knew his face and secondly, Seongju gestured with his hand and signaled to those around him to leave him alone.
Deathbringer was slightly grateful for that small consideration. A little more in that it protects the demon knight.
“Then I’ll just go. “There is no contact with the west, and criminals who took advantage of the chaos to escape are causing trouble everywhere. It must be a disaster to waste soldiers here.”
“…Don’t be too angry, Lord Seong. “Isn’t the temple doing that because they are worried about what might happen?”
“Ah yes. “Their concerns are not wrong.”
But that fondness did not go beyond a certain point.
“Actually, I wonder if I’m good at it. “If this is exactly what the devil wanted… then there will be no chance to attack.”
Cancer In his view, the castle lord’s attitude of protecting the demon knights was ultimately possible because they had not suffered any direct damage.
“But you can’t help but worry about other types of what-ifs. “There is also something the great sage said.”
“Lord of the castle…”
“Hehe… I hope that adventurer doesn’t betray my expectations.”
If the devil who took over the body of the devil knight, rather than the devil knight who was running away, had touched the citizens… he would never have reacted like that. It’s like shouting loudly in front of the bishop, but now showing skepticism.
“Anyway, please. “Franz.”
“yes.”
Still, favor is favor. Deathbringer lifted his forehead from the iron bars, hoping that his thoughts would not change until the end.
“…Knight. Is this really true? “Is it really right to protect the devil… the devil?”
“quiet. “Our job is to obey orders, not question them.”
“But…”
“If it really bothers you, change your mind.”
“…?”
“Your doubts about the order ultimately come from fear of the beings within. “You must follow this command even if you do not want to face that fearful thing again.”
Suddenly, a conversation between a knight and a soldier standing nearby pierced his mind.
“The act of trying to kill that person is an act that awakens the evil within him.”
『I will inform you that the moment you try to plunge a blade into this guy’s heart, I will jump out.』
The scene that came to mind several times last morning complicated my mind again.
『Of course, from my point of view, it is better if you guys do that. Then, I will win the bet and this bowl will be mine.』
The devil with the face of a devil knight showed unexpected behavior in many ways. When he introduced himself as ‘anger’, his voice was relaxed and languid.
It’s hard to say this, but if you look at the voice and the way he speaks, it seems like the normal devil knight is closer to anger than the devil.
『But…yeah. Giving a warning like this is a condition of the bet.』
Confusing people with things they don’t know whether it’s a lie or the truth is the same.
『…How can you believe that?』
『If you don’t want to believe it, don’t believe it. As I said earlier, I also like it if you don’t trust me and attack me. “There’s nothing more convenient than killing all cancer, right?”
The guy seemed to know how his words would divide people. Those who believed what he said and those who did not… he intentionally did it knowing that they would be divided into two groups and fight sluggishly afterwards.
『Actually, if it weren’t for the bet, I would have killed you all right away…』
To be honest, it doesn’t fit the name ‘anger’ at all. Inciting lies, deception, fraud, and jokes. Well, it’s closer to something like that.
『Look… how the bet with Gretchen is going to stop me…』
But is there anyone who wouldn’t be fooled by that trick even if they knew that?
The humans who couldn’t even react, let alone respond, the moment the devil tried to grab the head of the castle?
…If the devil hadn’t stopped it himself, or if the bet with Gretchen hadn’t stopped it, assuming what it said was true.
Those who would have watched Seongju die in real time before their eyes?
『Aren’t you really so pitiful? I just want to kill you all and live comfortably… Why is Gretchen stopping me?』
The ‘bet’ was not something visible to the naked eye. However, everyone saw how the devil’s hand, which was trying to rip off the castle lord’s neck, trembled with a gap of a piece of paper and could no longer move forward.
It was the same thing, not only was he begging for sympathy, but he was also giggling.
It worked hard to make the veins on the back of its hand, which were not covered by the glove, bulge, and finally pulled it back and rolled the corners of its eyes.
『What happened? Gretchen loves humans to the point of pity… but she won’t do that to you.』
He was truly a cunning devil to the end.
“yes? You will, right? Gretchen’s dedication and sacrifice. Are you going to ignore everything and execute me? “Are you going to let me win the bet?” He
is a truly cunning devil who advertises his own dangers, but knows how to create a structure that prevents him from attacking carelessly by making it difficult to know whether there are really limits to it or not.
『I trust you. So, if possible, please ask as soon as possible.』
Even so.
It croaked and laughed silently before lowering its head.
『…is it the lord of the castle? Is the hero alive?』
『…?』
『If he is still alive… tell her.』 The
person who emerged from that was one of the people who was in the most pain at the moment.
『I did not repay your faith, so prepare for certain execution.』
It was truly a devil who knew all too well how to make people suffer.
『As you will see soon… it won’t be easy to kill the devil. So be sure to tell them that more solid preparations will be needed.』
Yes, I know very well.
『…I’m sorry.』
So damned.
Suddenly!
The Deathbringer suddenly raised his head at the sound of something being cut.
“Oh sorry.”
The subsequent apology brings into view the blade of the dagger that cut off half of the neck and the gushing blood.
The memory that remained like an afterimage made Deathbringer scared for a moment.
“Cut it properly.”
“I said I was sorry.”
“If you’re sorry, you can eat something small!”
“What are you doing, you bastard?”
However, that was not the cause of the sound heard this time. The culprit was the cutlery of the soldiers who had to eat their meals here because there were not even enough people to shift.
“Stop both of you. “Do you want to fight over it when there are so many people who can’t even get this?”
“I’m sorry.”
Deathbringer consoled his pounding heart at the sight. My stomach was complaining of hunger as I hadn’t eaten anything until this time, but it was still good. I didn’t want to leave this place just to get something to eat.
Saenim and the warrior Nari fell and couldn’t get up, and the Archmage was busy saving people, so he was the only one who would stand by the Demon Knight’s side.
…If that man wakes up and tries to kill himself again, the only one who can stop him is himself.
“Great Sage.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“What brought you here?”
“First of all, this.”
But did he stay curled up for that long? A new presence was added. Judging by the voice and the knight’s call, it looked like the Great Sage Cheongsanho.
“He asked me to tell you.”
“I see.”
“Secondly, the Lord of Seong asked me to look after his condition.”
“I will escort you.”
“as you please.”
Now that I think about it, it was said that Cheongsanho sees the essence of people. I don’t know what the essence is… I hope that the result he sees does not lead to the death of the demon knight.
Or, more accurately, a demon knight…
“Listen.”
The thoughts were cut off in an instant. This is why the Great Sage’s presence stopped right next to the Deathbringer.
At the same time, a fragrant smell wafted out. It smelled like… food…?
“My hands are falling off. “Take it quickly.”
“…?”
As soon as Deathbringer raised his head to understand the situation, he was handed something by Cheongsanho.
It was a half-pushed handover. Before he could reach out, a bowl was pushed towards his face.
“Thank you…?”
“Tsk.”
Deathbringer looked at the soup in the wooden bowl, which seemed to have been hastily carved and was not finished properly, and saw the great sage. Somehow something is wrong with his body, and he is riding on someone else’s back.
I got a little nervous.
Thank you, but… Why the Great Sage?
“This is what your guardian asked for, so don’t look suspicious. “I just brought it for convenience.”
Fortunately, Deathbringer’s doubts were quickly resolved.
Actually, Seongju came to appease me after seeing my condition. And unless the lord of the castle is crazy, the person asking him to look after his condition would be a demon knight… It seems he literally accepted it as a favor. The guardian… is probably an Archmage.
“…It’s spectacular.”
Separately, Deathbringer felt antipathy as soon as he heard what the great sage said.
I really can’t fathom his essence, but no matter how much I think about it, I don’t think the Great Sage will see anything good in the essence of a demon knight—since there is a demon—to say things like ‘you’re amazing’ to someone who harbors a demon is honestly just teasing. That was because I couldn’t hear it outside.
“It’s been a very long time since I became disillusioned with the human species…”
However, before Deathbringer could say a word out of anger, Cheongsanho cleared his throat first.
“For the first time, I wanted to look back at human potential.”
I don’t know, but… it seemed like an affirmation of the Demon Knight, unlike the temple.
So, beyond simply insisting that the demon knight should be kept alive, it seemed like a statement that acknowledged how much effort the demon knight had put in.
“There could be people like this in the world.”
But that’s why it’s sad.
Even if the great sage offered such praise, it was clear that most of the people here would equate the devil knight with the devil.
Because in this world, your dedication was not even reciprocated, let alone recognized.
Since he couldn’t shake the thought that you would even be happy for him…
he couldn’t help but feel sad.
It was truly sad.