Chapter 183: For You

“Cruel Hart’s head is in my possession.”

Dan gasped, finally losing his composure. Even Deon couldn’t hide his shock this time.

His wide eyes trembled violently. The hand gripping the communicator paled and shook.

“Th-that…”

His tongue, usually so smooth, turned stiff as if oiled.

“That is…”

The words he tried to utter kept slipping out as meaningless groans. After several attempts, Deon finally stammered, his voice strained.

“What… what do you mean?”

– You know that I am the one behind Cruel Hart’s death. So it’s only natural to assume I would have his head as well. I just wanted to let you know it’s here, perfectly preserved and fresh thanks to my magic.

“Crazy bastard,” Dan muttered under his breath, glancing at Deon.

Deon was struggling to breathe, clearly losing it. They couldn’t afford to reveal their agitation. To help him regain composure and as a sharp reminder, Dan clapped his hand over Deon’s mouth and patted his back.

Deon’s breath hitched, finally escaping Dan’s hand.

– Come to the Duke’s residence in Illuster territory. You can bring your troops, but you must come in person.

“…”

– And be warned, if you’re too late, you’ll never see your hyung’s head again. Surely you won’t abandon the man who died protecting you, will you?

“…You sick fuck.”

Deon, finally regaining his breath, cursed through gritted teeth. Thankfully, his voice was steady, not trembling.

Crack.

Could the sound of grinding teeth be this distinct? The Duke smiled cruelly at the unseen figure.

Cruel Hart’s head was the proof he’d received for the commission. A commission to kill Deon Hart, with an added clause to eliminate Cruel if he showed any sign of protecting Deon.

What was it like when he first saw Cruel Hart’s head in the box?

[Why are there so many fools in this world?]

He seemed to have scoffed.

The 1st Prince, and now Cruel Hart. What was it about family that made them throw away their lives?

Cruel was quite useful, and he’d valued him to some extent, but now, he felt no particular attachment. He was about to dispose of the head, finding it unsettling to keep looking at it, when—

[…Deon Hart survived and escaped, didn’t he?]

Their fierce battle had taken place near the entrance of a mountain range. The moment the Duke heard that, he knew.

[He went to the Demon Realm.]

Cruel had evacuated Deon Hart to the Demon Realm.

He probably wouldn’t return here. He had faced a threat to his life greater than any before, and his hyung had sacrificed himself to help him escape. More importantly, if he wanted revenge on the Duke who killed his hyung, the Demon Realm offered far better prospects than the Empire.

The Emperor was a ruler who looked at the bigger picture, not just one person’s grudge. Although he valued Deon Hart, he wasn’t soft or foolish enough to risk significant losses to take down the Duke just because Deon asked.

[He will surely return as a major threat.]

It would be ideal if he just lived and died in the Demon Realm, but he knew that was wishful thinking.

Even now, with the Human Realm and Demon Realm in conflict, Deon Hart had completely turned to their side. The Demon King would definitely exploit this.

That’s why he spent a portion of his precious magic power to cast a preservation spell.

Cruel Hart had died protecting Deon Hart. Even for a ghost, or rather, especially for a ghost, Deon Hart would be vulnerable to traces of his hyung.

If he dangled a part of his hyung’s body—a hyung whose entire corpse couldn’t even be recovered—as bait, Deon would have no choice but to bite, even knowing it was a trap.

And now.

The Duke’s prediction was right.

Instead of a positive reply, the call ended with a low curse and the sound of grinding teeth. This was the signal that he was coming. The Duke was certain Deon Hart would change course.

So now, he could afford to move with a bit more leisure. Pushing aside the now-useless communicator, he thought of Cruel, his greatest contributor.

Using a corpse was still a bit unsettling, though.

“While alive, you stubbornly hindered me and protected Deon Hart, so it’s only fair you help me now that you’re dead, isn’t it?”

Isn’t it?

***

After disconnecting the call, Deon silently rummaged in his pocket. The intense emotion that had overwhelmed him to the point of stopping his breath seemed like a lie now. His expression was set, like a mask, revealing no emotion.

Dan, noticing what he was reaching for, prepared a light. Deon expertly lit the cigarette, then slowly closed and opened his eyes.

“…Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

He had long since regained his composure.

He stared blankly into the air for a long while. In the quiet stillness, Deon finally spoke, his voice low.

“I was told never to hate anything.”

Dan instantly understood what he meant. It must be something his shaman grandmother had rambled on about. But he didn’t answer.

He didn’t know what to say, and his voice sounded too weary to dismiss it lightly.

The voice continued.

“It feels like fate is pushing me to hate the world.”

“…If that’s the case…”

His expression showed no emotion, which was fine, but his weary voice bothered Dan. He seemed more alive, more himself, when he was consumed by hatred and rampaging for revenge.

So Dan dared to speak. If fate insisted on him hating someone,

“How about showing them a hatred they never expected?”

“…What?”

“If they expect a fistful of hatred, Master, you show them a hatred that engulfs the whole world. There’s a saying in the south, ‘Excessive is as bad as deficiency.’ This would also be an act of defiance against fate.”

“…”

Silence fell.

In the quiet space, seemingly cut off from the world, something cold landed lightly on his forehead. Deon looked up. His calm gaze took in the snowflakes falling against the gloomy sky.

They must have spent a lot of time in Miller territory. When did winter come?

“It’s already snowing.”

Chzzk.

The cigarette, barely smoked, was carelessly stubbed out on his thigh. Cleverly missing the belt, it melted the fabric again, leaving another burn mark on top of the scar.

Deon ignored Dan’s gaze and muttered to himself.

“I hate snow.”

“…”

“…I’ll keep your words in mind. Let’s go back. Our route has changed, so we need to move faster.”

Let’s pretend I didn’t hear that last part.

…

What route should they take to reach Illuster territory as quickly as possible?

To save time, they shouldn’t just take the shortest path. The Demon King’s army had already advanced this far and occupied several cities, so it would be best to utilize them. Minimizing combat during travel was crucial.

Deon thought of Paras territory. Passing through Paras and Amiable territories would open the shortest route to Illuster territory. Paras territory was already conquered, and Amiable territory’s margrave had died in Miller, so it shouldn’t be difficult to breach.

Going back through Paras territory meant they wouldn’t waste time on battles.

Every minute of sleep was precious. Demons had good stamina, so they could endure, and Dan… well, he’d manage.

Once he made the decision, he didn’t hesitate. Deon immediately returned to the demons and told them the plan had changed, and they would move out right away. The demons obediently followed their commander-in-chief’s orders. The Demon King contacted him to confirm the route change, but it was just a confirmation, not a questioning or reprimand.

“Master… You seem out of your mind and don’t feel tired, but I do.”

“Ah, at this rate, someone’s going to die…”

“Saying ‘rest’ isn’t enough, people need to rest!”

“Sir Deon, Sir Deon! Wait…! It’s me, Ben…!”

“Hero… I need a fragment of the Hero’s power… Becoming a Hero would be less tiring…”

Someone was making dying noises, but he ignored them. They think they’re the only ones suffering. He was also running while tied to his horse because his own damn weak body was about to give out.

…There seemed to be a voice mixed in that wasn’t Dan’s, but it must have been his imagination.

And so, the Demon King’s army, at a speed that shocked everyone, raced to Amiable territory in an instant.

He later heard that the Demon King had clutched his stomach laughing every time he checked their position, which kept changing rapidly. “That’s Deon for you,” he’d chuckled.

Deon rubbed the even darker circles under his eyes with his thumb and looked up. Soldiers armed and ready stood on the city walls, but…

‘A territory without its margrave is a toothless tiger.’

As expected, there was a battle, but it didn’t last long. The Demon King’s army easily breached the walls of Amiable territory, which was without its margrave, and continued their march.

They quickly covered the remaining distance and arrived at Illuster territory.

“This is… insane…”

Dan muttered in a dazed voice. His face looked serene, as if he had burned everything to ashes.

The demons, equally stunned, wearily raised their heads to look at the walls of Illuster territory.

“Huh…?”

Someone made a questioning sound.

Had their wish for an easy battle reached the heavens? There was no one on the city walls. Not even the sentries who should have been on duty!

A familiar sense of déjà vu arose. Deon casually uttered a word.

“Same as the territories along the route after Miller.”

“…!”

“Alright, someone go over and open the city gates. After things are settled, we’ll take a break here. …No, not just a break, let’s rest for half a day.”

“!”

They must have been very exhausted. The demons’ eyes lit up, and they shoved a nearby comrade to go over quickly. Someone stepped forward to climb over the walls, and after a while—

The gates opened quickly.

What if the demon who went over was ambushed by hidden troops, and the open gates were a trap to lure the Demon King’s army inside? Narrowing his eyes, Deon watched the demon emerge unscathed before slowly leading his horse into the city.

‘It really is empty.’

The inside was deserted, as if most people had evacuated. …Though, not entirely empty, it seemed.

Red eyes flicked sideways. Someone flinched as their eyes met, then quickly hid among the houses.

Dan subtly tilted his head towards Deon.

“Shall I bring them here?”

“…No, it’s fine. Looks like commoners.”

If it was just one person, it would be suspicious, but judging from the clumsy signs of life felt here and there, quite a few people hadn’t escaped in the hasty evacuation.

Their grimy clothes confirmed it; they were probably commoners who hadn’t been taken care of.

“Instead of that, keep a sharp lookout for any suspicious presences.”

“I am already on it. It certainly doesn’t seem like there are any troops.”

“I see…”

Then the Duke probably isn’t here either. And whether hyung’s head… is even here is uncertain.

Still, going to the Duke’s residence was the priority. They couldn’t come all this way and leave without checking.

Finding the Duke’s residence wasn’t difficult. Deon rode towards the most lavish and largest mansion. The massive main gate, unguarded, came into view.

‘Just as I thought.’

The residence also seemed deserted.

Demons stepped forward to open the iron gates. Deon watched them silently, then took a step inside the main gate and said,

“You guys wait here.”

The demons flinched and stopped immediately. In contrast, Dan seemed to suggest he was fine to go with him, but Deon, instead of refusing, turned his head.

No refusal meant permission. Dan confidently followed.