Chapter 172: He Cherished Him

Before Deon could intervene, a demon servant announced his arrival with a glance, and he subtly adjusted his demeanor to appear nonchalant.

Stay sharp.

‘Complacency is death.’

Death wasn’t exclusive to blades. In the stillness of a room, devoid of weapons or even raised fists, intelligent beings could wield the invisible sword of politics, their tongues lethal enough to kill.

Stride, posture, tone, expression, even gaze and eye movements.

After a silent self-assessment, he stepped onto the soundless battlefield. As the servant announced him, the gazes of all the legion commanders, who had been waiting, pierced him like arrows.

‘…The Demon King is here too.’

Whether for surveillance or mere curiosity.

From the seat of honor, the Demon King smiled brightly and waved. Deon gave a curt nod before turning to face the legion commanders.

A composed and calm voice flowed out.

“You’re all aware of the general situation, as it was communicated in advance.”

A sudden change in the planned route.

Idelia began to speak, but Deon cut her off before she could get a word in.

“The Duke is no longer worth containing.”

“……”

“The Commander of the 11th Corps has tied down even his last pawn. With nothing left to worry about, we can ignore him and head straight for the capital.”

So now, we can proceed via the most efficient route.

Lirinel, suddenly praised, covered her cheeks with both hands, flustered. Deon glanced at Idelia. She seemed to have accepted it, her mouth shut.

Even the most troublesome opponent had silently conceded. Now, all that remained was to explain the route and discuss the strategy.

Just then, the Demon King added with a bright smile.

“So, is that why the Demon Church advanced into the Human Realm?”

“Yes, the most useful card left for the Duke, who has lost almost all his troops, is the Salvation Church. But since it’s just a pseudo-religion, I thought the Demon Church could handle it.”

“I see. I wondered why you advanced without telling me, but you’ve stirred up something more interesting than I thought.”

Lirinel, who was sitting at one side of the table, flinched. The color drained from her once lively cheeks.

Deon quietly raised his eyes to meet the Demon King’s gaze.

“Why the long face? I was praising you.”

“……”

“I’m serious. Thanks to you, every day is enjoyable. So, you’re changing the route, right? Continue.”

“…Among the several routes we are currently breaking through, Paras territory, which we just collapsed, is closest to the capital, so we will focus on pushing through there.”

After glancing at the Demon King as if to gauge his true intentions, his white finger pointed to a map on the wall. It drew a straight line connecting Paras territory and the capital.

Is that the route we’re taking? As the legion commanders nodded, about to accept, Deon spoke. ‘However’.

“However, if we take this route, the next place after Paras territory is Mantium Castle.”

“…Is that a problem?”

“Mantium Castle belongs to the Primiero territory. The territory of Stigma Primiero, the Empire’s second hero, that is.”

Commander of the 3rd Corps, Asild, lowered his hand, seemingly understanding.

Although it was quite far from Stigma’s southern territory, Mantium Castle was undeniably his property. Attacking it would inevitably mean confronting him.

“He is the most overwhelmingly powerful human in combat among the Empire’s heroes. Would it be accurate to describe him as forming a warlord faction in the south? If we clash, it will certainly become quite troublesome.”

More than anything, Deon Hart didn’t want to fight Stigma.

Not just because of his strength, but also because he was one of the few people who had treated him relatively well, befitting the title of senior.

So, he moved his finger to the territory next to Mantium Castle and willingly used his silver tongue. His composed voice dominated the space.

“I want to bring down the Empire as quickly as possible. So, rather than being tied down by him and wasting time, wouldn’t it be better to slightly alter our route?”

Feeling curious gazes directed at the newly pointed territory, Deon spoke.

“The owner of this territory is Tender Amiable. A Margrave.”

The territory name seemed to be a barony, but nobles with titles higher than Count could hold multiple titles and territories simultaneously, so it wasn’t unusual.

“Of course, he is also a troublesome opponent, but he will take less time than a ‘Hero’.”

Because he consistently mentioned ‘time’ as the reason for avoiding conflict, not ‘possibility of defeat’ or ‘friendship,’ no further questions were raised about avoiding a clash with Stigma.

Instead, Commander of the 1st Corps, Jaykar, raised his hand.

“Since it’s the territory right next door, isn’t there a possibility that Stigma Primiero might send support?”

“Of course, there is.”

How could there not be?

Deon raised both corners of his lips.

“That’s why I plan to go myself.”

I should take this chance to see my senior’s face.

***

Today again, the world was buzzing with stories about his junior, but should they be called the owner of those dogs?

Stigma wore a subtle expression, as if contemplating how to react upon seeing the protagonist of the rumors who had secretly come to find him.

After a silence that was neither heavy nor light, a faint sigh pushed through the stillness.

“…I don’t understand what your guts are made of, junior. What if I were to arrest you and report you, or even kill you?”

The man in the black robe sitting across from him smiled smoothly.

Watching his only visible feature, his lips, Stigma straightened his posture, crossed his legs, and tapped the armrest of his chair.

“It’s impolite to wear a hat indoors, especially when facing someone. Take off your hood. It’s been a while; let’s at least see your face.”

“……”

As if waiting for the cue, the hood fell back.

Snow-white hair was revealed, and red eyes seemed to capture Stigma before curving prettily. A nonchalant voice followed, as if asking about lunch.

“It’s been a while, senior.”

“Yes….”

A sigh-like reply came back.

“Indeed… it’s been a long time.”

Unlike his composed expression, a complicated emotion flickered in his brown eyes.

He remembered their last conversation being on the battlefield. They had parted ways in a dangerous situation, caught in a demon trap.

Stigma was buying time while Deon and the remaining troops retreated.

[Then, senior…!]

[Oh dear, did I look weak enough to worry about?]

[…Still, please be careful.]

The second time he heard pretty words.

[Alright. See you later.]

To think their reunion would be in this situation.

Officially, they were enemies. Stigma suppressed another sigh trying to escape.

“Using a trading company was a decent attempt, but the chances were too slim. It’s fortunate I noticed and let you in; what would you have done if I hadn’t?”

Deon simply smiled.

He had left behind the mad dogs clamoring to follow him, using Dan’s trading company to enter Stigma’s territory. And as a proxy for the trading company owner, he requested a meeting with Stigma for a trade, but if Stigma hadn’t remembered that the Den Merchant Guild had obtained permits under Deon Hart’s name before, he would have been turned away without even seeing a shadow.

But Deon was certain he would remember and recall it.

‘Because he was always focused on me, enough to notice even subtle changes in my expression.’

Seeing Deon’s smooth smile, Stigma straightened his posture.

“You’ve changed a lot since I last saw you.”

“Thanks to you, senior.”

“Your eyes have changed.”

He reached out a hand, as if redrawing his face.

Stigma met his dull, dead red pupils directly, stroking the skin around his eyes. Deon didn’t resist, but at the unfamiliar touch, the eyelid on the side touched reflexively.

“I preferred your eyes from before.”

“…So.”

Deon, who had been listening quietly, smiled brightly.

“Do you dislike me now?”

“…Of course not.”

Stigma withdrew his hand and smiled back.

“As long as you are ‘junior’.”

In other words, as long as he called him ‘senior’.

“There’s no way I would dislike you, junior.”

“…What is your criteria for a junior, senior?”

“Well. First of all, not touching my territory would be important. If my territory is attacked, I would have no choice but to fight back.”

“…I have no intention of touching Mantium Castle.”

“That’s a relief.”

It seemed so.

Stigma, his eyes curving gently, said in a whisper.

“If not Mantium Castle, then you’re planning to pass through Miller Barony, right? The land belonging to Margrave Amiable.”

“……”

“The reason you came to meet me in person, taking such a risk, must be because of the possibility of me sending support.”

He knew from the start. At the sharp point, Deon raised his hand and touched his lips.

He had no intention of hiding it in the first place, so there was no problem. Before the brief silence could be perceived as hesitation, he readily nodded in affirmation.

“I do not wish to fight you, senior.”

“Likewise.”

“Then….”

“But it’s not entirely up to me to decide.”

Stigma arched his eyebrows, looking regretful.

“I have honor and purpose to uphold. For that, as a noble of the Empire, I must faithfully follow His Majesty’s orders.”

“……”

He understood what he meant.

If the Demon King’s army attacked Miller territory, the Emperor would order him to send support. In that case….

Towards Deon, who was subtly frowning, Stigma softly raised both corners of his lips. So, ‘junior’.

“I cannot guarantee that I will not send support. At least as a noble of the Empire, I will surely go to Miller territory to stop the Demon King’s army.”

“…I understand.”

It wasn’t like he had a grand ambition to protect humanity from the Demon Realm. Nor was he loyal to the Emperor.

For Deon, Stigma was an opponent he could avoid fighting if things went well.

He touched his lips again and stood up from his seat.

“I hope we can meet again in a peaceful setting next time.”

“Me too.”

He calmly greeted and turned to walk towards the door when Stigma exclaimed ‘Ah!’ as if something had just occurred to him.

“Junior, relying on drugs is not good.”

“……”

He paused for a moment, then continued walking out without a word. Watching his retreating figure, Stigma slowly sighed.

Did he think he wouldn’t notice? His eyes, the shadows under his eyes, his complexion, even the habit of touching his lips—all of these were telling.

He couldn’t understand why he had turned to the Demon Realm, but he didn’t think it was entirely of his own free will. If he had truly killed Cruel Hart and fled to the Demon Realm as rumored, he would be showing relief, not looking like he was barely alive.

‘Come to think of it, there were many assassination attempts.’

Could it be related to this?

If he had known this would happen, he shouldn’t have glossed over it and properly investigated the mastermind.

Now, there was no chance to catch the assassin targeting his junior, Stigma regretfully sat there for a long time.

***

According to the orthodox approach, the biggest obstacle, Stigma Primiero, should have been killed. But instead of finding a way to kill him, Deon thought of another method.

As he said, he was an opponent he could avoid fighting if things went well. With a little digging into his memories, a solution easily came to mind.

‘During the hunting competition before, in the outdoor garden outside the terrace.’

Stigma had argued with Margrave Amiable about the treatment of the Barbai.

Stigma advocated for annihilation, while Margrave Amiable was in favor of appeasement. In the end, Stigma’s opinion prevailed.

What happened afterward was only heard through rumors, but Stigma personally led his knight order, wielding swords, and set out to suppress the Barbai.

‘But it wasn’t completely successful, they said.’

The Barbai were skilled at using the terrain of the south. True to their guerrilla warfare expertise, their ability to escape was considerable, and as a result, some survived and fled. They were still hiding somewhere in the southern forests, occasionally raiding nearby villages to eke out a living.

‘They’re probably burning with revenge, aren’t they?’

With a little prodding, it would be easy to make them rampage again.