Chapter 182: For You

The moment I heard those words, I knew exactly who was behind it.

“For salvation,” how blatant and cult-like. It seems not only the Emperor but even the Duke has lost his mind.

Deon let out a soft, breathy sound, somewhere between a scoff and a disbelieving chuckle. He glanced down at the communicator in his hand.

“Are you going to keep your mouth shut forever?”

– …….

“I know you’re connected. There’s no one around, so speak freely, Duke.”

The one who handed over the communicator had long disappeared, and it had been quite a while since he had distanced himself from the demons.

Dan was present, but he was fine. After confirming that the quick-witted Dan was pretending to be absent and suppressing his presence, he spoke again.

“If it were someone unfamiliar with communication stones… no, communicators, they might not realize they’re connected, but that doesn’t apply to me. We both know this well, so stop pretending you don’t.”

– Haha.

A light chuckle was heard, seemingly to soften Deon’s sharp tone.

– I couldn’t speak easily because someone else might be listening. But your reaction is quite sharp.

“We’re not exactly on laughing terms, are we?”

– Well, no.

“So, what is it you wanted to say…?”

– Before that, your marching speed is unbelievably fast. You seem to be sleeping only minimally; are you eating properly?

The conversation was circling around the main point. Deon frowned slightly, revealing his discomfort without holding back.

“You really didn’t expect me to answer that, did you?”

– ……well….

“Seeing as you even used a Salvation Church member to deliver the communication stone, there must be a reason, yet you’re hesitant to speak. How much longer do I have to wait here?”

– You have little patience. I was trying to ease the tension a bit because the topic I’m about to bring up is quite heavy, but it seems unwelcome.

“Don’t bother pretending to be considerate. You’re obviously stalling for time. If you make me wait any longer, I’m hanging up.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a clear scoff flowed from the communicator.

Deon’s brow furrowed, and Dan quietly rolled his eyes. Regardless, a voice laced with mockery spoke softly, as if muttering.

– You’ll regret this.

“……I’m going to hang up.”

– But since you insist on getting to the point, fine.

A voice dripping with cruel amusement reached his brain through his ears. Information hammered in like blows from a mallet.

– You’re trying to take down me and the Emperor, yet you’re happily by the Demon King’s side.

“…….”

– Deon Hart. How much of the truth do you know right now?

Deon offered a faint smile.

“Duke, how much do you think I know?”

– ……Well. I can’t be certain, but judging by your hostility, you at least know that I’m behind those targeting you and killing Cruel. Perhaps you know more than that.

In a dimly lit space, the Duke smoothly curved his lips into a smile.

Though he said that, personally, he believed Deon only knew up to the ‘mastermind’ part. If he knew more, he wouldn’t be advancing towards the capital where the Emperor was, but would have targeted Illuster territory first.

The Duke’s sins were far greater than the Emperor’s.

– But I don’t think you know everything. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be so nonchalantly leading the Demon King’s army at the forefront.

“…….”

– Shall I briefly revisit the past for the sake of truth? During the 8-Year War, I dragged a child from a noble family, who was too weak to leave his mansion, onto the battlefield. A peculiar child with white hair and red eyes, making one wonder if he was even human.

Dan, realizing what story was being told, quietly trembled his pupils.

Thoroughly suppressed shock passed between Deon and the communicator. However, Deon himself remained unfazed, focusing on the words that followed.

Red pupils, as smooth as glass beads, remained fixed on the communicator without wavering.

– I didn’t particularly harbor ill feelings towards that child. But why I did it, aren’t you curious?

“Why.”

Finally, this topic had surfaced. A question he could never get an answer to in the Demon Realm. A question that even the Demon King, who commanded all demons, and the capable Commander of the 2nd Corps, Develania, couldn’t answer, was coming from the Duke’s mouth.

But Deon scoffed. There was no tremor in his pupils. His eyes didn’t smile, only the corners of his mouth lifted, and he spoke calmly with a hint of laughter.

“Is this all you have to say?”

– …….

“You’re wrong, Duke. Completely wrong. I can’t even fathom how much of a fool you take me for. I’m not arrogant enough to call myself intelligent, but that doesn’t mean I’m foolish.”

Did you think I wouldn’t know?

Now, the initiative of the conversation had shifted to his side. Deon pressed down on the communicator in his hand, pressing his advantage.

“In the past, under His Majesty’s command, I carried out an operation to suppress the Salvation Church.”

It was a somewhat unexpected remark, but the Duke would have understood immediately upon hearing it.

“At that time, magic was used within the Salvation Church.”

– …….

“It seemed to be disguised as sorcery, but a skilled sorcerer noticed.”

And the mastermind behind that religion is you, Duke.

Dan, listening from the side to the added remark, belatedly seemed to realize something and widened his eyes. Even Dan, who had never directly accompanied the suppression of the Salvation Church, noticed it, so how could the Duke not?

The Duke, who had been listening silently, opened his mouth. A slightly disappointed, slow voice spread through the communicator.

– I’ll admit I was underestimating you. I’ll also admit you might know more than I thought.

But.

– Surely you didn’t think I could use magic for just that reason, did you? If so, I’m disappointed. If you want to pick out culprits for the Salvation Church’s magic use, you could pick countless candidates….

“Of course, up to this point, we can assume that. A demon might have come and used magic, or someone might have made a contract with a demon and used it. However.”

The problem was what happened next, when he returned to the Demon Realm and reported to the Demon King.

“When I returned to the Demon Realm and reported to the Demon King that magic had been discovered in the Human Realm, how do you think the Demon King reacted?”

– …….

“Initially, it was questioning, then confusion. If someone other than himself dared to use magic in the Human Realm, he should have been enraged, but he was just purely confused and evasive.”

In other words, the magic used in the Human Realm was related to the Demon King, directly or indirectly.

At first, he didn’t immediately grasp the meaning and showed a brief question. That it wasn’t something the Demon King had intended or orchestrated. In other words, it wasn’t that the Demon King had directly crossed over to the Human Realm and used magic or ordered a demon to use magic.

What remained then?

‘Someone who can freely use magic in the Human Realm at will, and about whom the Demon King wouldn’t express any anger.’

The Demon King’s contractor.

Then who is that contractor?

“My hyung died in my place, and because I truly couldn’t understand it, I once asked for an investigation into the reason. I asked the Demon King and even the Commander of the 2nd Corps.”

– …….

The Duke rested his arm on the armrest of his chair and fell silent.

If he had made such a request, he would have known long ago that I was the one who dragged him into the 8-Year War. It was pointless to explain it.

…But drawing out the time was useful.

Even though there was no reaction, as if reading the Duke’s thoughts and answering, Deon naturally continued.

“Yes, it was you, Duke. So, for revenge, I requested another investigation into you.”

– …….

“Information about your weaknesses, and everything else, came into my hands so easily that I could assemble them readily. If even I, burning with revenge, was bored throughout the process of organizing it, would that be enough of an explanation…? But.”

Strangely enough.

“There was not a single piece of information about ‘why’ you did such a thing.”

Perhaps because he knew Deon Hart was good at solving puzzles, there wasn’t even a single clue.

Therefore, conversely, he could understand.

—’The Demon King is involved in the ‘why’ information. The Demon King and the Duke are connected.’

“The Duke, the mastermind behind the Salvation Church, and the magic used there, the Demon King’s lukewarm attitude upon learning about this fact, and the Demon King trying to hide specific information about you.”

– …….

“Isn’t it obvious? You two must have some kind of contract.”

And now, thanks to the Duke taking the trouble to contact him and specifically mentioning that fact, he was certain.

“Am I perhaps a sacrifice for that contract?”

– ……Correct. Impressive.

And yet, you only describe yourself as not foolish, that’s too modest. The Duke expressed admiration.

Some of them were things that were long past and easily forgotten as trivial. To have remembered them and be able to take them out and combine them appropriately.

– You are the sacrifice of a bet. Back then, the Demon King was weary of everything and reluctant to make a contract easily, so a unique sacrifice was needed to pique his interest.

Cruel and blatant remarks continued.

Dan, who even heard about the fact that a bet was placed on the life of a mere fourteen-year-old child, turned his head away as if he hadn’t heard anything.

He shouldn’t have listened. This was not content he could hear and handle.

Although he had guessed the answer correctly, it was only based on speculation, and he couldn’t possibly know the detailed content, so it was clearly the first time hearing the truth, yet Deon didn’t even express anger and silently listened to the Duke’s words.

Then, at some point, when the Duke was wondering whether to continue speaking due to the lack of response.

– The Demon King showed blatant interest and participated in the bet. He enjoyed it throughout the bet.

“……I don’t need to hear any more.”

Deon cut him off.

Dan turned his head to observe Deon’s expression at the composed tone. He was clearly smiling.

“You must have sensed failure as well, Duke.”

– …….

“Regarding the truth, I had somewhat anticipated it, so I’m not particularly shocked, and knowing your purpose, there’s no need to be swayed.”

The Duke’s purpose was probably to make an enraged me turn my troops back towards Illuster territory, or to cause discord by making me argue or attack the Demon King.

But Deon, having regained his composure, was cold.

“The priority is clear. Revenge against the Demon King comes after revenge against you, Duke. And as I said, I received so much information that ‘your weaknesses can be readily assembled.’ I will not change my course.”

Until now, it was only speculation, and he didn’t know in detail how much of a sin the Demon King had committed against him, so he postponed the order of revenge, but now, the reason is different.

Considering his position and various situations, but above all, after hearing the Duke’s words, Deon imprinted the Demon King as a clear target for revenge and had one thought.

‘……I’ll think about this later.’

Also, to inflict maximum damage on the Duke, he needs to kill the Emperor, not the Duke himself. So, he will not go to Illuster territory as the Duke wishes.

The Duke, reading this resolve from Deon’s firm attitude, let out a faint sigh.

– ……Unavoidable, I suppose.

It was a good thing he had prepared a second plan just in case.

In this world where sorcery exists to counter magic and even use evil spirits, he didn’t want to disturb the deceased if he could help it….

‘But it’s already too late.’

He slowly opened his mouth.

– Don’t you want to get your hyung’s head back?

“……!”