Chapter 168: Weary Times

“Shouldn’t we use magic suppression charms?”

You must know who the most perceptive demon in the Demon Realm is and who uses magic the most often.

……Oh.

Deon, more than any other demon or human, frequently confronts the Demon King.

Carrying a magic-suppressing charm is a quick way to get caught.

The Demon King has never crossed into the Human Realm through the border—no, scratch that, he *can’t*. So, possessing one of these charms shouldn’t be a problem, right?

“……It sounds like you don’t trust the Demon King.”

“Well… of course not…”

“……Master?”

……

“Are you asleep?”

It had already been a tiring day because of those mad dogs. If only he could have gotten through it with some drugs, but even those had been taken away…

Deon readily gave in to his fading consciousness.

‘…Honestly, him.’

To assign work to others and then just drift off to sleep so peacefully…

Dan grumbled inwardly, watching Deon, who was already fast asleep and breathing evenly.

Despite this, knowing that Deon Hart’s sleep had become severely lacking since arriving in the Demon Realm, Dan couldn’t help but quietly approach and cover him with a blanket, even as he grumbled to himself.

***

Rweche declared the alliance was over.

Actually, this situation had been anticipated ever since they received intelligence that the Empire’s support was subpar.

It wasn’t that he didn’t understand the Empire’s position or Rweche’s, but the moment he heard the news, he couldn’t help but sigh.

The Demon Realm is powerful. For some reason, they aren’t using their full strength, but even at this level, they’re formidable. If they were to unleash their full might, they could easily crush the Human Realm, which is already teetering on the brink.

‘There’s nothing we can do about an alliance that’s already broken.’

Paul, who had become the undisputed leader of the Revolutionary Army before he even realized it, sank into deep thought.

‘I don’t want to, but I have to help the Empire.’

The Human Realm can only survive if the Empire endures, and revolution is only possible if the Human Realm survives.

Paul decided to prioritize repaying Daniel—the man who’d taken him in, raised him properly, and educated him—over his now-faded personal grudges. That was why he’d even engaged in that public debate with Deon Hart.

“Are you even listening to me?!”

“……”

“Helping the Empire? Is that really something a leader of the Revolutionary Army should be doing?”

“Too loud.”

Pulled from his thoughts, Paul frowned almost imperceptibly.

Daniel, hyung, must have dealt with most of the brainless trash, so it’s unbelievable that *these* are the humans left.

“It’s not like I helped the Empire.”

“Don’t try to deny it! Everyone saw you defending the Emperor!”

Ah, I need to keep calm.

Bang! Unable to suppress his rising irritation, he slammed his fist on the table. His voice naturally rose.

“It’s not that I was defending the Emperor!”

“……”

“I was protecting the Human Realm!”

Now I understand why Daniel, hyung, slammed his desk back then. There’s no better way to calm his churning insides and simultaneously shut their frivolous mouths.

“When did I ever say the Emperor wasn’t trash during that debate? No way! I simply pointed out and attacked Deon Hart for being even *worse* trash! To prevent more traitors from siding with the Demon Realm and to protect the Human Realm from the Demon Realm!”

“……”

“Our revolution is predicated on the very existence of the Human Realm! Revolution is only possible if the Human Realm remains intact! And the Demon Realm is a formidable enemy. Internal divisions within the Human Realm will make it impossible to withstand them. That’s what I prevented!”

I know why they’re acting like this.

They must have been trying to put a leash on their young and easily manipulated leader, using this opportunity as an excuse.

But Paul, as Daniel’s successor, had also learned how to handle them. He wasn’t about to be intimidated by something so trivial.

“……”

Those who sensed Daniel’s presence in Paul shut their mouths.

The realization that this new leader was also not someone to be trifled with struck them, and as they swallowed their groans, someone weakly protested in a near-whisper.

“…But acting unilaterally without even informing us…”

“I didn’t have time to inform you all. I apologize for that.”

To be precise, there wasn’t time to persuade each of them individually after informing them.

Foolish individuals who took his apology as an admission of defeat were about to speak up. Paul continued without giving them an opening.

“But if the same situation arises again, I will act the same way. As executives within the Revolutionary Army, you must all possess foresight and flexible thinking. If so, you surely understand that I had no other choice at that time.”

Several of them flinched and fell silent.

Another person who had been quietly observing the situation slowly raised a hand.

“Alright, alright, everything’s fine. But what about the revolution?”

“It should happen after the war with the Demon Realm ends, once the Human Realm has regained some stability.”

“So, that means…”

“Revolution probably won’t happen in our generation.”

It’ll have to be left to the next generation.

Now, this was crucial. He had to keep hold of those who were disappointed by the fact that they were unlikely to see the revolution in their lifetimes, so they wouldn’t leave.

‘What should I emphasize?’

Paul recalled the debate between the Demon King and the Emperor that he’d witnessed alongside Daniel.

‘Sublimity.’

Rather than the benefits of the revolution itself, he needed to focus on their pride in participating in something grand and momentous. He had to cultivate that.

“…Because we need to focus on something bigger than that right now. Our role is to lay the groundwork, to pave the way for future generations to ignite the revolution and create a better world.”

“So, that means it’s about protecting the Human Realm.”

“Yes, it’s something we can be truly proud of, even greater than the revolution itself. We are, after all, protecting humanity!”

The previous generations who fought for humanity through adversity and ultimately left behind the spark of revolution.

How many would reject such a magnificent title? Paul smiled.

“Don’t you want to make your mark on history?”

***

Ultimately, things unfolded exactly as Paul intended.

The leadership agreed that protecting the Human Realm took precedence over the revolution and, furthermore, agreed to make Human Realm protection their top priority.

With this, they could no longer object even if Paul aided the Empire, because if it was for the sake of the Human Realm, they’d have no grounds to argue.

‘Since it’s already out in the open because of the debate, I might as well operate openly.’

Paul’s face was now known. Anyone with decent intelligence would already be guessing his identity. In this situation, he’d just become a weapon for those in the know. In that case, he might as well reveal everything.

So, the first step was to reveal that the person who had debated Deon Hart was none other than the leader of the Revolutionary Army.

‘Before, it was the Demon King and the Emperor clashing. This time, it was me and Deon Hart, the ‘representative of the Demon Realm.’

Someone from the Human Realm who had faced the Demon Realm’s representative.

It was almost inevitable that he would be seen as the ‘representative of the Human Realm.’

Unintentionally, Paul, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, had taken on the role the Emperor should have played. The leader of the Revolutionary Army had become the representative of the Human Realm.

‘Thanks to this, the Revolutionary Army will gain recognition.’

Although it meant constantly watching his back.

The Revolutionary Army, an organization representing the Human Realm.

Paul, returning to his office with a light step, smiled faintly as he faced the person waiting inside.

“Iram, you were waiting. I know I said I had something to discuss, but you didn’t have to wait here like this.”

“……”

“Ah, the reason I called you, Iram, is that I think we should decide on a successor in advance. These are chaotic times where no one would be surprised if someone died at any moment, and from our perspective of entrusting the revolution to future generations, maintaining the lineage is paramount. So…”

“Paul.”

“Huh?”

Paul’s face, which had been full of questions as he faced Iram, slowly hardened.

He’d called him here, yet seemed unable to speak easily. Paul had initially thought his strange expression was just fatigue, but now it seemed something serious had indeed occurred.

In the meantime, Iram, who had opened and closed his mouth a few times, sighed deeply and rubbed his temple.

“Listen carefully, and stay calm.”

“Huh? Why are you being so ominous…”

“Sia is missing.”

“……”

Paul fell silent. Iram sighed again, noticing his pupils shaking violently as if an earthquake had struck.

Knowing Sia was like Daniel’s mother to Paul, Iram had been so careful. But it seemed she’d vanished while the guards had momentarily taken their eyes off her. He could understand their lapse in vigilance—Sia was always curled up in the same spot, still as death—but…

This was the Revolutionary Army leader’s Achilles’ heel. Iram watched Paul anxiously, unable to imagine what his reaction would be.

After a deafening silence, Paul slowly opened his mouth.

“…I-I see.”

A calm voice, as if he’d regained his composure.

Iram’s eyes widened at the completely unexpected reaction. Even now, Paul was quickly regaining control of himself.

“Given the circumstances… we can’t launch a large-scale search.”

“……”

“As quietly as possible, without revealing we’re looking for someone… find her.”

Paul had learned a great deal from Daniel.

He’d been a great teacher in the truest sense, and also a valuable negative example.

What to absorb and what to reject. At least Paul had learned that a Revolutionary Army leader losing his composure in a crisis involving someone dear to him was wrong.

“Then, please proceed as I instructed… Would you excuse me now?”

“…Alright. Don’t push yourself too hard today, and get some rest.”

Iram, still looking back with concern, finally left the room.

Paul, hearing the door close and Iram’s footsteps fade away, buried his face in his hands. Tears of despair streamed from his eyes, visible between his fingers.

A voice, like a sigh, echoed emptily in the room.

“Where on earth did you go, Sia…”

***

“Just as I expected.”

Shortly after the news of Rweche’s alliance withdrawal arrived, Deon spoke indifferently, leaning against the corner wall of the training grounds, having just heard that Paras Territory, which had stubbornly resisted, had finally fallen. A cold sneer touched his lips.

“Just in case, I should reiterate the order not to touch Rweche, now that they’ve broken from the alliance.”

Rweche was an example for everyone. The reactions of other kingdoms, who were watching cautiously, would depend on how the Demon Realm treated Rweche after they broke the alliance.

The Demon King probably understood this as well and had likely already ordered them not to touch Rweche, but just in case, it would be wise to reiterate it to each legion commander.

“In any case, this makes dealing with the Empire much easier.”

Military might is only effective when supplies are readily available. With Rweche, who handled supplies, now gone, the Empire’s formidable military strength would surely lose its edge.

Deon, watching the mad dogs snap and snarl at the 0th Legion members in the 0th Legion’s training grounds, epaulettes on his shoulders, lightly exhaled smoke, as if sighing.

Blinking a few times, still languid, he turned to Ed after extinguishing the ember in his hand against his thigh, just before the mad dogs noticed.

“Now, let’s head back to my room…”

“Lord Deon.”

Ed’s expression was rigid.

“I asked you to stop extinguishing embers against your thigh.”

“Ah, right, right. Messes up my clothes, doesn’t it? From now on, I’ll use my neck or hand. Forgive me just this once.”

“…Clothes aren’t the issue, Lord Deon. Minor injuries don’t even trigger Ben’s necklace anymore. If you keep harming your esteemed self like this…”

“Esteemed?”

A flash of utter contempt flickered in his red eyes.

But then, as if nothing had happened, his gaze hardened again, glancing at Ed’s hand holding the communication stone before meeting his eyes. An elegant smile graced his lips.

“That’s far too kind of you.”