Chapter 243: Different After Knowing

“…Things are different now that I know.”

A grudging voice emerged, as if some of his frustration had finally eased.

Deon, who had been blankly staring at the game board, sat on the edge of the bed, swinging his legs. The sound of his feet splashing in blood echoed in the room.

How long had he been lost in thought, staring down with his gaze fixed, before he opened his mouth as if having sorted out his feelings?

“I’m going to send the 10th Corps.”

The words that came out held quite a double meaning.

“Since it’s a cavalry corps, their movement speed will be quite fast. They are tasked with guarding the major cities of the Demon Realm, but if we give the reason that it’s to quickly fill the troop gap and collapse Sanguo, we can pull them out easily enough.”

Guarding the cities can be sufficiently handled by other troops anyway.

Dan, who had been listening to his words quietly while tidying up the scattered game board, nodded. As if he had clearly grasped the other meaning contained in the ambiguous statement, his calm voice carried heavy content as he tossed out a reply.

“Another legion commander position will become vacant, I see.”

“I’m going with them this time.”

“It’ll be easier to manipulate things that way.”

“Exactly. Besides, in a situation where a legion commander has died, I can’t just sit back and do nothing, can I?”

His index finger tapped the bed.

A faint, mocking laughter laced his voice as he spoke as if whispering.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been with the mad dogs.”

***

As always, the Demon King was not flustered by the sudden visit.

“You’ve come.”

A welcoming allowance of entry and a natural greeting welcomed him.

Deon subtly frowned at the tone, which suggested he had been expected. Regardless, the Demon King rose from his seat with a relaxed smile and guided him to the sofa.

“I was thinking it was about time you came.”

“……”

Deon opened his mouth as if to say something, but paused when he saw the sofa.

A sofa wide enough that one wouldn’t fall off even if they tossed and turned while lying down. He alternated his gaze between the Demon King, who sat across from him, urging him to sit with his eyes, and the sofa before falling silent. His expression of surprise was fleeting, soon replaced by a languid arrogance.

He took off his shoes and climbed onto the sofa. He sat with his feet together, grasped both ankles in a butterfly position, and looked at the Demon King as if to say he was ready. The Demon King let out a hollow laugh.

“You’re quite impudent.”

“The sofa is too big.”

“You used to say it was too small.”

“At this size, it’s not a sofa but a small bed. More importantly, I plan to go to the Human Realm soon.”

“……”

The follow-up words were delivered almost as a surprise attack, disguised as casualness. It wasn’t a request for permission but a form closer to a notification.

The Demon King blinked for a moment, then smiled brightly. An equally cool answer came.

“Alright.”

“For your information, I’ll be going with the Lofty Knights, not the 0th Legion… or rather, the mad dogs. Bringing both would be bad for compatibility. And……”

Deon, taking his permission for granted, rolled his eyes. There was no surprise or question about the easy consent.

How long had he been observing the Demon King in the Demon Realm? He could at least predict this much. He was certain that the Demon King would readily permit it.

However, what he wasn’t sure about was the next matter he was about to propose……

He subtly lowered his legs from the sofa.

“I’m also thinking of dispatching the 10th Corps.”

“So, that’s why you called the 10th Corps back. Unexpected.”

“Because I need troops that can reach the destination as quickly as possible. I also considered using spatial movement with the 11th Legion Commander, whose main force is magic, but magic becomes useless near the castle walls.”

“Right. It’s more efficient to have the 11th Legion guard the Demon King’s castle and cities in the Demon Realm rather than the Human Realm.”

Above all, Deon hadn’t forgotten the charms he had put in the mad dogs’ epaulets.

He had given them out to prevent them from pointlessly bickering with the 0th Legion and dying meaninglessly… but if used well, they could become a pawn, so it would be better to hide them if possible.

Rolling his eyes, he cautiously brought up the topic.

“With the 10th Corps gone, there will soon be problems with the city wall defenses, right? Relying solely on the 11th Corps’ magic to defend all four cities will definitely have limitations.”

“Hmm.”

What is he trying to say, laying the groundwork like this?

Actually, he seemed to know. The Demon King narrowed his eyes. His lips, still carrying a smile, moved.

“So?”

“Last time, you said you wouldn’t leave your post because the Hero was here.”

“……”

“I was wondering if you could handle the magical beasts while I’m away.”

Not just moving other troops, but directly, in person.

It was fine if he accepted, and fine if he didn’t, but preferably, he would accept.

Had he noticed that feeling? A snicker was heard amidst a brief silence. Just like before, a cool reply returned.

“Alright.”

He hadn’t expected him to accept so readily. Deon’s eyes widened.

The Demon King smiled, crinkling his eyes as if to show off. As if sharing a secret, he lowered his voice and called the Hero’s name.

You know, Deon.

“I’m not planning to fill the vacant position of the 8th Legion Commander. The same will go for the 10th Legion Commander.”

“……”

He knew.

Yes, there was no way the Demon King wouldn’t know. Deon’s shoulders stiffened, feigning ignorance.

“That would be the best-case scenario for you. Above all, the priority of means and purpose has changed within you, so filling them would be pointless, wouldn’t it?”

Since they’ll probably just die again soon anyway.

He could see a small beast bristling, wary of him. The Demon King looked into the other’s red eyes and wore a smooth smile.

“Unless it’s a special situation, I won’t be filling any legion commander vacancies in the future. So go ahead and run wild to your heart’s content.”

I wonder how far you can mess up my territory; I’m curious myself.

‘It’ll be fun to watch.’

Just as even the Demon King would be burdened if multiple ‘Heroes’ teamed up, even a Hero would be troubled if multiple ‘legion commanders’ joined forces. So, he must be taking precautions for the future. Or perhaps, to protect his last identity as a human, he intends to destroy the Demon Realm fairly as well.

Whichever it is, there’s no reason why he can’t humor the whims of his prospective teacher who is trying so hard to teach him.

With a benevolent face, he offered his own form of encouragement.

“If there’s a plausible reason, I’ll listen to whatever the request or hidden agenda is, so keep working your brain like you are now.”

“……”

“Oh, and it’s probably best to be careful of the other demons’ eyes.”

Irritation filled his red pupils.

He thought encouragement alone might be insufficient, so he added advice from the heart, but it seemed to have backfired. Time to change the subject.

“Well… then, now.”

The Demon King flicked Deon’s forehead with his finger.

Deon, caught off guard and falling onto his back, looked up at the Demon King with questioning eyes. A blanket was thrown over him.

“Get some sleep.”

“……?”

“It’s been a while since you’ve had a proper night’s sleep. There’s no way you’ll suddenly get to sleep once you go to the Human Realm.”

There was no reply. Deon, struggling irritably and escaping from under the blanket, clamped his mouth shut and glared at the Demon King. The Demon King shrugged, unfazed by the rather sharp gaze.

“I’ve said it many times, haven’t I? Physical fatigue and mental fatigue are separate. Forget about nightmares and get some sleep now, alright?”

“I don’t need it.”

“Coincidentally, I just recently replaced the sofa on a large scale. It’s about the size of a small bed, as you said, so you won’t fall off even if you toss and turn.”

“……”

Deon, completely ignoring him as if he wasn’t worth replying to, silently pushed the blanket aside and stood up. Red eyes fixed on the Demon King, and a question clearly intended to change the subject was thrown out.

“Before going to the Human Realm, may I take a short vacation?”

“Vacation?”

“Yes. I don’t need long, about a day will suffice. I’m thinking of going to the First City.”

First City, huh…….

The Demon King smiled faintly.

“Planning to gamble or something?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.”

A lie.

“Well… alright. Surely you’re not thinking of going alone?”

“I was planning to go alone.”

“No. Given your position, that would be troublesome. How about taking troops? Ed and Ben are essential.”

Deon’s face contorted.

“It’s just a day trip, there’s no need to take such a grand entourage, is there? Besides, it’s also more convenient to travel alone for quick movement. It’s not like a Hero would be harmed by magical beasts, so there’s no need to go that far….”

“Puh-ha!”

The Demon King finally burst into laughter.

To think he would be so desperate just because he had played a small prank out of spite. At this point, he had no choice but to relent.

The Demon King chuckled softly, regardless of Deon’s annoyed expression, then waved his hand dismissively. His voice, still laced with laughter, came out.

“Alright, do as you please.”

He was about to engage in direct combat, so he couldn’t refuse him a light diversion. Knowing better than anyone about the exhaustion of the battlefield, he couldn’t possibly block his scheme to get medicine.

‘Of course, there won’t be a next time though.’

The Demon King decided to pretend not to know about Deon’s plan to get medicine in the First City and let it slide.

***

Meeting the Demon King always left him feeling disgusting. Deon furrowed his brow deeply, expressing his displeasure as he strode through the hallway. Every demon he passed flinched, bowing their heads and observing his mood, but he paid them no mind.

He wasn’t hostile, and he moved as he was expected, yet the feeling that he was being played from above was….

If not as much as the Demon King, he remembered the Duke also gave off a similar feeling; they must have met and contracted because they were so well-matched. They were a match made in hell.

‘……Just how much does he know?’

He fiddled with his lips, then clicked his tongue—tch.

Being ‘played along with’ despite knowing it was quite unpleasant. He felt even worse because he seemed to know what it was that the Demon King truly desired from such actions.

I warned you not to get caught.

‘It’s gotten even worse than before.’

He just didn’t bring it up directly, but how many things were they pretending not to know while knowing?

There’s a limit to playing ostrich; at this point, it was practically revealing it outright. Even so, he had no choice but to turn a blind eye and plug his ears because pretending ignorance was more advantageous.

That cunningness—knowing that he wouldn’t act unless there was a direct mention—was also irritating. Deon shook off his emotions by clenching his jaw and consciously shifted his train of thought.

‘……Now, what needs to be done… is probably telling the mad dogs to prepare for departure.’

But before that, he should go back to his room and somehow fix his messed-up mental state.

Just now, the Demon King had suggested sleep, worrying about his mental fatigue. His concern was appreciated, but unfortunately, most of his mental fatigue was accumulated from facing the Demon King. Just facing that face and having a conversation drained his mental power.

So, as he hurried his steps towards his room, a voice reached him from somewhere.

“──.”

“──!”

A faint but familiar voice. He reflexively stopped walking.

The keen senses of a Hero told him that the source was outside the window. If it were a completely unfamiliar voice, he would have just ignored it, but…. Deon sighed.

‘Of all times……’

It was the 10th Legion Commander and Hien.

Grasping the situation wasn’t difficult. There had been a similar situation a long time ago.

Back then, too, the 10th Legion Commander, Gaisitel, had been oppressing Hien. Probably just because he found him annoying.

‘How long has it been since I called him back, and he’s already causing trouble.’

From the corner of his eye, he saw Hien being thrown out of the window. A shred of conscience grabbed at his ankle, preventing him from just passing by.

It felt like he was responsible for this situation because he had called Gaisitel back! He knew the fault lay with Gaisitel’s terrible personality, but he felt inexplicably uneasy.

‘……Come to think of it, I hadn’t even said hello after receiving the carnivorous plant.’

He had received it as a gift of sorts, but he almost just brushed it off and ended it there.

……Right, this is just compensation for not saying a single word of thanks after receiving the carnivorous plant.

Creak— He opened the window. The demons who had been glancing at him covertly widened their eyes, but he paid them no mind and placed his foot on the windowsill.

“Gaisitel.”

“Hmm? Did I just hear Sir Deon’s voice from somewhere…?! Huh-urgh?!”

“Sir Deon-niiim?!”

In the end, Deon jumped down towards them.