Chapter 10: Hero, Meeting, and…

The legionnaires watched with grim eyes as the intruder was dragged away unconscious, each silently chanting, ‘I’m dead today.’

Just moments ago, when one of them burst in during our after-meal rest, yelling for a quick assembly, we’d all assumed it was a prank.

After all, it was the legion commander. He only dropped by occasionally, very occasionally.

But the sheer terror on the guy’s face, ashen as a blueberry, left no room for doubt. The moment we realized the truth, we scrambled towards the training grounds like madmen.

And there, we came face-to-face with our legion commander.

“Just curious.”

That was his cryptic reply when someone dared to ask the reason for his visit.

Curious about what?

The question didn’t linger for long.

As casually as if taking a stroll, Demon calmly walked towards something.

Then, in a breathtaking flash, he dodged a sword aimed at his neck, bending backward with impossible speed, and in the same fluid motion, twisted his torso, slamming an elbow into his attacker’s solar plexus. Every movement was swift and natural, like flowing water.

Only then did we grasp the meaning of ‘curious’.

‘Just curious.’

—Did he really not know?

Had he really been unaware that an intruder had made it all the way to the training grounds?

And was that why he’d been relaxing so leisurely?

Oblivious to our shock, Demon casually raised the wooden sword, seemingly intending to knock the intruder unconscious.

Then, a sharp crack echoed through the training grounds.

Whack!

***

After finally managing to calm down the legionnaires, who kept bowing and muttering apologies, I retreated back to my room.

All my duties were done.

I’d taken a stroll in the garden, checked on the legion, and even endured the meal Ben had insisted on in the dining hall. I could comfortably stay inside for a while now.

Content with the rare peace, I was happily rolling around on my bed when a knock sounded.

“Lord Demon, it’s Ed.”

Ed? My aide? He’d gone to the Human Realm to find some unique puzzles and cubes for me, as I was utterly bored. Looks like he’s finally back.

My heart fluttered with anticipation, and I leaped out of bed.

“Come in.”

Ed’s expression was strangely stiff when he entered.

Had something bad happened to him out there? No, wait, the Demon King himself had appointed Ed as the 0th Legion Commander’s aide, picking him from the candidates for legion commander, no less. Ed could handle pretty much anyone…

“I’ve brought a new cube. It’s called a Mirror Cube, a rather unique one.”

“Oh.”

“And…”

He glanced nervously to the side, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

He was still standing in the hallway, only opening the door, so I couldn’t see what he was looking at.

Ed swallowed hard before slowly speaking.

“…The Demon King… has come to see you.”

“Oh.”

……Oh?

“If you’re not busy, do you have a moment?”

Thump. With heavy footsteps, a familiar figure entered the room.

His crimson eyes scanned the room before settling on me sitting on the bed, curving into a crescent-moon smile.

After a brief silence, the situation dawned on me. I tossed the pillow I was hugging aside and stood up abruptly.

The, the Demon King? Why is he here? I haven’t caused any trouble this time…

…Except for one thing that’s been bothering me.

“Is this about the intruder?”

“That’s right.”

As if meeting my expectations, he gave a pleased smile and gestured towards the door with his chin.

“I have something to discuss regarding that. If you’re free, shall we go see the prisoner together?”

Which meant he wanted to go to the underground dungeon.

What’s going on? Did that intruder say something strange about me? Since he’s human, his words might carry some weight.

Whatever it is, I’d rather not die in such a pathetic way. I subtly glanced at Ed, pleading for help.

And I clearly saw him avoid my gaze.

Damn him.

The underground dungeon was devoid of light, and even felt damp.

So, I really got dragged down here.

“Open it.”

At the Demon King’s word, the seemingly sturdy iron bars swung open instantly.

The soldier who opened the door bowed deeply and vanished at the gesture to leave.

The Demon King watched him go before turning his attention to the ‘human’ inside the cell.

The intruder, now covered in blood, glared at him fiercely, but the Demon King was unfazed, entering the cell and kneeling before him.

“Deon.”

My real name, spoken now that we were alone.

At the same time, the intruder’s gaze snapped to me.

His eyes held a murderous intent, as if he wanted to tear me apart. It felt like the hostility in his gaze was even stronger when he looked at me compared to when he looked at the Demon King. Maybe it was just my imagination.

Regardless, the Demon King roughly grabbed the intruder’s hair and, without turning his head, looked at me.

“Take a good look at this guy. Doesn’t he look familiar?”

Apart from being human, I, I don’t really see it…

Receiving silence as an answer, the Demon King began to explain, as if offering a hint.

“Despite being human, he possesses the strength to take down an average demon single-handedly. His power also seems to spike when facing ‘me’, the Demon King.”

Judging by the state he’s in, he must have been playing with him for a while.

But that’s not the important part right now. Hearing the Demon King’s explanation, my expression instinctively hardened.

“Could it be…”

“That’s right.”

The Demon King tossed the intruder’s hair aside and dusted off his bloodied hand with a grin.

“The remnants of the hero. What the Empire fondly calls the shards of the hero—”

“…Hero.”

“Isn’t it laughable?”

***

A hero has two choices upon death.

Let’s focus on one for now. It involves scattering the ‘hero’s power,’ which would otherwise shatter and vanish upon death, across the continent to create individuals capable of, however weakly, opposing the Demon King.

It would be ideal to transfer the power entirely to one person, but that’s impossible in life, and upon death, the hero’s power begins to crumble. So, the only option is to sacrifice one’s life to scatter fragments of that power, creating those who possess a fraction of the hero’s strength.

The Empire seeks to gather those who possess such fragments, calling them ‘heroes’.

Of course, the title of ‘hero’ isn’t given to just anyone. Unofficially, all those who possess ‘shards of the hero’ are called heroes, but officially, the Empire bestows the title ‘Hero’ only upon those with exceptional abilities and significant achievements, granting them extraordinary honor.

The bloodied human before me was, unfortunately, the former.

‘A shard of the hero who failed to become an official hero.’

Still, he was once considered a ‘hero candidate.’ Too valuable to be used and discarded carelessly.

And that kind of individual infiltrated the Demon King’s castle.

‘Why, though?’

His crimson eyes gleamed with a chilling light.

The emotion briefly visible within them was none other than confusion and doubt.

Not a simple curiosity about why or how he infiltrated this place. It was a bewilderment at something incomprehensible.

There was no reason for a hero candidate to come here. He carried no message, seemed to have no particular goal other than eliminating the Demon King and his demons, and, most importantly, he attacked Deon himself.

‘Why did he attack me? What was the reason behind it?’

—What on earth is ‘he’ thinking?

“…Therefore, there will be a legion commander meeting this afternoon. I’ll come to get you personally, so I’ll see you later.”

“……”

Receiving no response, the Demon King stood and turned to face Deon.

He hadn’t even blinked.

He seemed lost in thought. His usually stern expression was even more rigid and still.

‘Looks like he doesn’t intend to come up with me.’

Shaking his head inwardly, he decided to try asking anyway.

“Thinking of staying longer?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, I’ll wait outside then.”

The Demon King left the cell and slowly disappeared.

……The deliberation was over.

Deon, gauging the distance by the fading footsteps, lowered his gaze to the intruder.

His dry eyes, unreadable, the red in them shimmering as if filled with blood, focused on the intruder.

But the intruder didn’t look away. He actually raised his head defiantly, glaring at Deon.

His eyes were filled with clear hatred and rage, laced with the bitterness of betrayal.

Finally, his scabbed lips parted slowly.

“Deon Hart.”

It had been a while since he’d heard his full name.

A flicker of surprise crossed Deon’s eyes.

The intruder gritted his teeth, spitting out words thick with boiling anger, hatred, and a chilling resentment.

“You traitorous bastard.”

“……”

Ah.

That explained it.

His eyes, which had narrowed intensely, relaxed as if a weight had been lifted. His voice, similarly losing its edge, was almost dismissive.

“So, you’re a discarded pawn.”

“What?”

He wasn’t worth the effort. Just a waste of time.

Ignoring the bewildered question, Deon’s gaze was openly contemptuous as he asked.

“What crime did you commit?”

“What nonsense are you spouting! Discarded pawn? Crime?!”

“What did you do to fall out of the Emperor’s favor?”

“Nonsense! His Majesty entrusted me with a vital mission! If I were out of favor, he wouldn’t have given me such a task!”

Even as he spoke, a flicker of unease betrayed him, his eyes trembling almost imperceptibly.

Deon, whose keen eyes caught the tremor in the dimly lit cell, stepped over the bars and entered the cell.

Unlike the Demon King, he didn’t lay a hand on the intruder.

He simply stared at him,

—and spoke.

“No, your calling me a ‘traitor’ is proof enough. You’ve fallen out of the Emperor’s favor, and now you’ve been abandoned.”

“That can’t be….”

Deon, having laid out the reality as if teaching a child, decided there was no more time to waste here and stood up.

The conclusion had been reached.

There was no real need to keep this guy alive. In fact, killing him would probably be better.

But knowing he didn’t have the authority to make that decision, Deon looked down at him and smirked.

Then, with deliberate intention to be heard, his voice, laced with power, echoed through the underground.

“His Majesty knows everything.”

“!”

With the widening of the intruder’s eyes as his final sight, Deon turned away.

A desperate outburst erupted behind him.

“That Emperor son of a bitch!!”

Such fragile loyalty.

A smirk playing on his lips, Deon continued walking and stopped when he saw the Demon King waiting for him at the entrance of the dungeon.

His usual impassive expression scrutinizing Deon’s face, the Demon King slowly spoke.

“I heard that.”

He let out a defeated chuckle.

“That’s harsh. Saying it like that leaves me no choice but to kill him. Even though he might have been useful somehow. You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“……”

“Alright, fine. Like I said inside, but you didn’t seem to hear, I’ll say it again. There’s a legion commander meeting this afternoon. I’ll come to get you, so wait in your room.”