Chapter 157: Deon Hart, the Betrayer of Humanity

“A long time ago… about two or three hundred years ago, there was a major war between the Human Realm and the Demon Realm. Back then, these formations were a standard installation in every city of the Human Realm.”

That made sense. The ‘jin’ was a part of sorcery, and sorcery was developed to counter magic.

Humans had finally found a way to restrain the demon race’s most threatening weapon.

“Those installed back then might still be around, or the methods haven’t been lost, so they’ve been reinstalled… something like that.”

With this, another set of shackles was placed on the demons.

The more Deon Hart pieced together the situation, the more limited the demons’ options became, yet he remained calm.

No, rather, he was impressed.

‘I shouldn’t have complained about the city falling later than planned.’

It was almost a miracle they managed to capture it at all, given the orders from a commander-in-chief so ignorant about demons.

He habitually tapped the desk with his fingers.

He didn’t bother wondering why they hadn’t mentioned it sooner. He needed to prove his worth to the Demon King and his competence to the legion commanders. It was his fault for not asking in the first place.

Instead, he posed a question.

“…Since we need to consider the worst-case scenario, it’s best to assume the methods haven’t been lost. What’s the range of these ‘jin’ you mentioned?”

“It varies depending on the sorcerer’s skill and intent, so I can’t say for sure… but most of the ones installed in cities could suppress magic within a radius of two to three kilometers.”

“So, we can’t rely on magic during sieges. Are they truly impossible to use? Even with very powerful magic to break them…?”

“Unless you’re me or my contractor, you won’t be able to use magic at all inside them. Breaking them is even more impossible. But other methods, besides magic, would work.”

“Other methods…?”

“If you know the core, breaking a ‘jin’ isn’t difficult. It can be broken by simply disturbing the object or place serving as its focus.”

Because of that, he’d seen several instances where the core of a ‘jin’ was broken by a clueless passerby tripping over it.

“Of course, finding the core is another matter entirely.”

“…So, it’s difficult to find. I understand. Let’s get back to the contract issue.”

“Before that, you might want to hear this too.”

“…What….”

Deon noticed the faint hint of playfulness in the voice and was about to ask when he stopped himself. He knew he’d be told without needing to ask.

Sure enough.

“Formations aren’t the only way to suppress demon magic. If individuals carry specific charms, demons within a certain radius can’t use magic. To be precise, it affects demons within a three-meter radius.”

The information was tossed out as if granting a favor.

“Whether this method has been lost or not, it’s still useful for you to know, wouldn’t you agree?”

The Demon King’s eyes crinkled into a smile.

When navigating the delicate balance between the Demon King and the Emperor, Deon never volunteered information he wasn’t asked for. Was this revenge for that? Like Deon back then, the Demon King meticulously answered only the information Deon ‘asked for’ after he sided with him.

Even though Deon Hart was the commander-in-chief, and information was paramount for his role.

This free information was given in that context. It shouldn’t be a bad situation for Deon. It could even be considered beneficial….

Deon couldn’t bring himself to accept it purely.

He knew this benefit was given solely for the Demon King’s amusement and interest.

“…Yes.”

The emotion drained from Deon’s eyes.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“…….”

There was no point in saying anything to that grinning face. He wasn’t even given the right to.

After glancing at the Demon King for a moment, Deon returned to the original topic.

“If there are fewer restrictions on entering the Human Realm through contracts, wouldn’t it be easier to win by sending regular troops to the border and core forces like the legion commanders through contracts? What do you think?”

“Ah, that….”

The Demon King trailed off, offering an awkward smile.

“Contracts are only possible if the human side initiates them, but now that the border exists, we can enter the Human Realm freely without contracts, right? In a way, it’s more convenient without the burden of a contractor.”

“Don’t tell me….”

“Yep, the method for summoning demons has almost disappeared in the Human Realm. Even when summoned, they all refuse the contract.”

In exchange for granting a human’s wish, they would receive legitimate permission to stay in the Human Realm.

That was the traditional way for demons to enter the Human Realm, but no demon would bother with such an annoying method when the border existed.

From a human perspective, summoning demons was difficult, and even if they managed, the demons would refuse the contract, so it was natural for the methods of summoning and contracting demons to disappear.

‘It seems it hasn’t completely disappeared, though….’

It was said to be an ancient and forbidden text hidden deep within the royal palace, and it was burned when he made the anti-contract, so it shouldn’t exist anymore.

The Demon King, remembering Duke Illuster, who had summoned him, quickly feigned ignorance with a smile.

Deon pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Then, wouldn’t it be beneficial to create instructions on how to contract with demons and spread them in the Human Realm…?”

“It’ll be tough.”

The Demon King cut off his suggestion. A lengthy explanation followed.

“First of all, you need a suitable vessel to contract with a legion commander-level demon, and there aren’t many humans like that. Besides, if the method to contract with demons becomes known in the current situation, the intentions will be too obvious, raising suspicion. Of course, there are always crazy humans, so there might be some lunatics who try it anyway, but can they escape the gaze of the increasingly wary Emperor? And summoning a demon requires a significant sacrifice: another human life.”

“…….”

The environment was harsh, and even if they managed to summon a demon, it would likely be a weakling.

Instead of answering, Deon quietly pulled out a handkerchief and held it to his mouth. A soft cough, *khuluk*, echoed, and the black handkerchief became damp with the metallic scent of blood.

Unlike his bleeding mouth, his crimson eyes, burning with anger and irritation, caused the legion commanders watching him to quietly lower their gazes. After a brief silence, a voice attempting to sound calm dripped out, low and agitated.

“Thank you for the explanation.”

“…….”

“The conclusion is that we can’t rely on tricks and have to face them head-on with troop movements. Very well. Let’s do that.”

He calmly folded the handkerchief and put it in his pocket, then turned to the legion commanders.

“First… I think I owe an apology to everyone gathered here.”

His voice, though devoid of emotion, was extremely calm.

As commander-in-chief, he spoke formally.

“Because of my ignorance, a mishap occurred where two of us had a private conversation in front of everyone. I apologize for wasting your precious time.”

“Ah… no, it’s not like that!”

“There’s no need to apologize!”

“Rather, we are sorry! For not informing you beforehand!”

A fervent reaction came back.

As expected, Deon responded with a faint smile. He heard Lirinel muttering admiringly about his portrait.

“Now that we’ve obtained the necessary information, let’s go back to the beginning and discuss the sluggish battles we’re currently engaged in.”

“Are you referring to the battle taking place in the Paras territory?”

“Yes, we need to break through that to advance into the Amiable territory, which is the shortest route to the Illuster territory.”

Idelia, who had been following his words and tracing the routes on the map of the Human Realm placed on the table, paused.

Her four eyes on her cheeks, usually closed like green cat whiskers, slightly opened.

She wondered if she had misread the names of the territories on the map, leading to a strange route. She opened the eyes on her cheeks, which were usually closed, and rechecked the names of each territory, but it wasn’t a mistake.

A cautious voice, as if testing the waters, emerged.

“I understand about Paras… but going through Amiable and Illuster territories will take us a bit out of the way to the imperial capital….”

“So?”

“Yes…?”

Deon tapped the desk with his fingertips and curled his lips into a smile.

“It’s not that much of a detour.”

It was a viscous, eerie smile, far from refreshing.

The atmosphere instantly turned heavy. Idelia flinched and fell silent under Deon’s bloodthirsty aura.

Even the Demon King watched silently as Deon scanned the legion commanders before slowly opening his mouth.

“…Well, fine. It’s not like I don’t understand. But think about it. Do you think Duke Illuster will just stand by and watch the Demon King’s army march towards the imperial palace? Huh? Idelia, answer me. Do you really think so?”

“…….”

“No, right? The Duke isn’t the kind of person who would just watch the Empire fall. Our goal is to occupy the Human Realm, and if we simply bypass him, he’ll undoubtedly become a very troublesome enemy. And most importantly—”

Of course, all those words were excuses, and revenge was the main purpose, but what did it matter? It wasn’t entirely wrong either.

Even if it was wrong, he couldn’t back down here with so many eyes watching. Authority had become Deon Hart’s lifeblood.

Deon remembered Stigma’s teachings.

‘…Make the other party read the atmosphere and submit on their own.’

Hold your chin up just enough, keep your voice even and calm.

Look at the other person, but make sure your tone is elegant, not condescending.

“I am the commander-in-chief. So, don’t focus on irrelevant things and concentrate on the agenda I’ve presented.”

She showed signs of trying to argue, so he needed to nip it in the bud.

Having sided with the Demon King, Deon was focused on not appearing weak and was sensitive to his own vulnerabilities, so he reacted sharply.

It was an unexpected reprimand for Idelia.

“…Understood… I apologize.”

Pale, she obediently backed down. Develania, who had been watching the situation with a languid gaze, slowly curled her eyes and raised her hand.

“Before focusing on the current battle, shouldn’t we deal with Rweche first? The Rweche kingdom is currently supporting the Paras territory with a certain amount of troops and supplies.”

“…So that’s why they’re holding out longer than expected… As Develania said, we should eliminate Rweche first. It might be a good opportunity to make an example.”

Warning the allied humans wouldn’t be enough to make them break their alliance. If it were, they wouldn’t have formed the alliance in the first place. They would likely scoff and ignore it.

Nevertheless, there was a reason why he was personally issuing the warning. To shock humanity by revealing his identity, to damage the Emperor’s alliances and his power struggle with the internal nobles—and to lay the groundwork.

The warning was bait. Rweche would be made an example for ignoring it.

“There was a rumor about the king of Rweche….”

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

He habitually tapped the desk with his fingers.

He was sure he had heard some useful information, but he couldn’t quite recall it. Deon’s brow furrowed slightly.

“…Develania, recite the family relations of the king of Rweche. I think there was a family member he cherished.”

“A family member he cherished….”

Develania rolled her eyes for a moment before answering immediately.

“He has a half-sibling with a different father. It’s officially a secret, and he’s the current general of Rweche.”

“Ah, right. That’s it.”

To be precise, it was an open secret.

Officially a secret, but everyone who mattered knew and whispered about it. They only refrained from speaking openly in front of the person, but otherwise, they talked about it so much that even he, who wasn’t interested in rumors, remembered it.

…It was a remarkably deep bond of siblinghood.

A twisted smile appeared on Deon’s lips.

“Let’s make him a sacrifice.”