Chapter 249: Secret Recording

Lirinel gasped, seemingly having completely forgotten, and fumbled to pull out a communication stone.

Was the communication stone connected already? Her voice and distinctive way of speaking sounded quite familiar. Deon, watching with a subtle gaze, crossed his arms and touched his lips.

Who could it be? Before he could even ponder, his lips had already spoken the answer.

“…Sillua?”

– Yes, it’s Sillua!

An immediate, joyful reply came back.

…Why? Deon’s face turned sour as he looked at the communication stone.

“I thought you were at the border right now…”

Wasn’t she, the Commander of the 7th Corps, supposed to be in combat with the ‘Heroes’ at the border? From what he’d heard in her earlier exclamation, it seemed she had a purpose for him. If there was some issue, she could have contacted him directly, so why was she going through this roundabout way?

– Ah, it’s nothing special. There’s nothing really going on, so I wouldn’t dare bother Sir Deon with a direct call.

Her quick denial followed, as if she had read the meaning in his voice, which was as displeased as his expression. Her voice almost seemed to be waving her hands dismissively.

– It’s just that it’s been too long since I’ve seen your face, so I wanted to secretly catch a glimpse and maybe have a little chat.

“…Is that so?”

– Yes! Since you’re about to depart, I wanted to offer my support! Though, of course, with Sir Deon personally taking charge, victory is assured, so support might be unnecessary…!

Well, we’ve chatted, and with that last remark, you’ve offered your support, so that’s that.

She continued to prattle on, saying she originally wanted to come along, that she desperately wanted to see Sir Deon’s swordsmanship, starting with remarks about how lucky the Commander of the 10th Corps was, and even cursing at the Commander of the 9th Corps for leaving the border to her and returning to the Demon King’s castle alone. More chatter followed, but there was nothing particularly important, so he let it go in one ear and out the other.

“Then…”

Deon, who was about to roughly end the conversation like this, paused and looked down at the communication stone.

“….”

– …?

Something feels off.

There was something bothering him that he couldn’t just brush off. Tapping his chin as he pondered the conversation from earlier, trying to pinpoint the source of the unease, Deon suddenly stopped his hand and opened his mouth.

“…But you know,”

– Yes?

‘Secretly catch a glimpse of your face’ – what does that mean?”

– Ah.

Sillua on the other side of the communication stone fell silent, and Lirinel flinched, her hand trembling.

Definitely something’s up. Her reaction is honestly good.

Added to the comment about seeing his face, and the communication stone subtly moving away when he pointed it out… Judging by her reaction, Deon grinned, thinking he knew what was going on.

“Why are you being so wary about just seeing my face? It’s not that big of a deal.”

It’s not like she leaked my face to anyone outside the Demon King’s castle.

Ah, I guess it doesn’t matter if it’s leaked now. Everyone knows my face anyway.

He took a step closer and slightly lowered his head. Deon, bringing his face close to the communication stone as if to observe it closely, spoke with mischief in his eyes.

“You’re unilaterally transmitting someone’s face, aren’t you? Using this communication stone as a medium.”

Not bad ability. To think she’s using the lifting of the magic ban for this.

Silence returned instead of an answer, as if she was nervous.

Well, he understood. The Demon King’s army had been sensitive about leaking the 0th Legion Commander’s appearance for quite a while. Deon shrugged lightly, not minding.

Even though the other party was Sillua, the Commander of the 7th Corps, as long as she was out at the border, this could be seen as leaking the 0th Legion Commander’s appearance to the outside, so her reaction was understandable.

‘Even though it doesn’t matter now.’

He smiled, crinkling his eyes, at the communication stone. He felt the small hand holding the communication stone tremble slightly, but he was used to Lirinel’s reactions like this, so he let it pass.

“Next time, don’t do it secretly, connect bilaterally and openly. No one will say anything even if you do.”

– Ah…! Yes, I understand!

A slightly relieved, sheepish smile followed.

– Well, it’s been too long since I’ve seen Sir Deon’s face. I wanted to leave my duties to the Commander of the 9th Corps who is also in charge of the border and go see you in person, but…

That Commander of the 9th Corps is currently back at the Demon King’s castle, having returned without permission. Thinking about it again, he heard a grating sound, like teeth grinding, as if anger surged up again.

Although the initial intensity had subsided and it was settling into a stalemate, it was still the border, the front lines facing the Human Realm. No matter how relaxed things had become, it was still a situation of war with the Human Realm, so two legion commanders couldn’t leave their posts at the same time. She must have been trying to leave her assigned territory temporarily to another legion commander. But the other party had made a preemptive move.

Having been suddenly saddled with everything in reverse, it was understandable to be angry. Deon, silently turning his head to find the culprit, blinked for a moment.

‘…Not here?’

He looked around just in case, but indeed, he wasn’t there.

He wasn’t a legion commander who was always stationed at the Demon King’s castle, nor was he timid, so he thought he would have come to get another glimpse of a face he didn’t see often. Did something else pique his interest?

‘Well… it’s fortunate if he’s not here. Oel’s here too.’

Perhaps he didn’t come because of Oel. He couldn’t cause a commotion until the day Deon Hart departed.

There was no need to worry about something so unimportant. He cleanly erased the matter of the Commander of the 9th Corps, Trober, from his mind and turned his gaze to Lirinel, who was still holding the communication stone.

As if feeling guilty, it was clear that her eyes, meeting his, flinched and looked away.

“Anyway, Lirinel.”

“…Yes, yes! Sir Deon.”

“It’s unlike you to pointlessly go along with something like this…”

“….”

“It doesn’t seem like you did this for no reason…”

I can see your pupils trembling.

Deon grinned and tapped the communication stone with his index finger.

“Does this thing even have a function to record videos?”

“Heok…!”

In the end, the communication stone she lost slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor.

As expected. Deon, skillfully catching it, examined the object in his hand with a renewed gaze. Setting aside that the communication had been cut off, if it contained multiple layers of magic at once, there should be a crack or two somewhere, but no matter how he looked, it was perfectly fine.

‘This is just a waste of talent.’

It’s already amazing that it didn’t break, but there’s not even a crack? You used something made like this just to save my face?

Slightly dumbfounded, he looked back and forth between Lirinel and the communication stone. As if she knew she was embarrassed, she subtly avoided his gaze, unlike her usual self, where she would stare intently with shining eyes.

“Well… since you’ll be departing on an expedition this time, and we won’t be able to see each other’s faces for a while… so…”

Something like an excuse mumbled out.

But that was only for a moment, as her words were cut short and quietly buried by someone else who suddenly poked their head in from the side.

“A communication stone with a video recording function!”

Oel exclaimed in an admiring voice.

Lirinel’s eyes went cold in an instant. But Oel, like a demon lacking in tact, simply examined the communication stone with eyes full of curiosity and interest, and called her adjutant as if it were a habit.

“Derniban, have you ever seen something like this?”

“No, I haven’t. More importantly, Lady Oel, Sir Deon is in conversation with the Commander of the 11th Corps, so it’s inappropriate to interrupt.”

“But it’s fascinating.”

Hmm, Lirinel’s expression is getting increasingly sour.

Oel, that girl, she’s just going to make enemies. She can suppress most guys with her legion commander position, but it’s different if the opponent is also a legion commander. She doesn’t really have any malice though… really…

“I want it.”

“You have a lot of junk that you bring back like this and just pile up in the warehouse.”

“Again, again! Junk? It might be useful someday, you know?”

“….”

Derniban subtly avoided his gaze. His demeanor clearly showed that he didn’t agree.

He’s also suffering from meeting the wrong superior. …No, did he meet the wrong lover…?

‘More than that… Lirinel’s gaze is not normal.’

Her pout is getting more and more pronounced; it looks like she’s about to explode. How should he handle this?

First, he needs to get rid of Oel. Just as Deon was about to open his mouth, a familiar voice was heard from behind him.

“Lady Oel, the Lord Demon King is calling for you.”

…Ed!

A voice so familiar that it was impossible to mistake. Deon, turning around with a welcoming heart, paused for a moment at the faces that came into view.

“…Ed?”

He was sure he had said he was going to check if anything was missing.

‘What in the world did he do…?’

Just checking the inventory list, how could a person become like that? He’s about to depart soon, but his face looks like he’s about to collapse from exhaustion any second.

There, he saw Ed with a relieved expression and Dan with an exhausted face.

‘Explanation, no, an excuse seems necessary…’

His gaze, filled with bewilderment, naturally turned to the person who seemed to be the cause. As if he himself felt guilty, Ed subtly avoided his gaze. Shifting his gaze again to his side, he saw Dan taking steps and approaching this way.

It was quite fast, as if he was trying to quickly escape Ed’s clutches.

Regardless of that, Oel, who was not interested in anything other than her own interests and orders, simply focused on what Ed had said.

“The Lord Demon King…?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… hmm…”

As if she couldn’t bring herself to ask why this time, she just tilted her head in confusion.

No matter how much she pondered, there was no way an answer would come. Not long after, Oel, giving up on guessing, turned her body.

“…We’ll find out when we go! Derniban, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Finally, she’s gone.

Deon, watching the two demons walk away, looked down at the communication stone he was still holding in his hand, and then turned to look at Lirinel. Her still sulky expression came into view.

…Due to time constraints, he should send her away now, but if he sends her away like this, something will definitely happen later.

It didn’t matter if Lirinel’s emotions accumulated and erupted in her relationship with Oel, but if the aftermath reached him, it would be a problem.

“Lirinel.”

“…Ye, Deon…niiim?!”

He took Lirinel’s hand and turned it palm up. Lirinel, suddenly having her hand taken, jumped in surprise, but he ignored it and placed the communication stone on top of it.

“I have to go now.”

“Yeees… yes!”

“I have things to check here and there anyway. I’ll gladly accept your kind gesture of seeing me off, so why don’t you go inside now? It’s cold out.”

“……!”

Deon, folding her fingers one by one to make her hold the communication stone, looked into Lirinel’s eyes and smiled gently. Lirinel’s face burst into bloom.

“I, I won’t wash this hand… no, that’s not it… I’ll treasure this communication stone forever… ah, that’s not it either… Yes yes! I’ll go in right away!”

Swoosh! The Commander of the 11th Corps disappeared from the spot as if teleporting with magic. Dan, who had been watching the whole scene from behind, let out a sigh.

‘Where on earth does he learn things like that…?’

He showed signs of it even before becoming a Hero, and now that he’s a Hero, he’s really gotten a taste for using his looks. It seems like it’s even more so because the Commander of the 11th Corps reacts so well. He can’t tell the Commander of the 11th Corps not to react.

He just kept sighing deeply, then turned his head at the touch of a hand tapping his shoulder. His gaze met with shaking eyes.

“Da, Dan… that…”

A trembling finger pointed at Deon Hart.

Ah. Dan sighed briefly to himself.

“That… is that really our captain…?”

“……Unfortunately, yes.”

“Why…?”

“Even if you ask why…”

Come to think of it, was this the first time the mad dogs were seeing the Master like this? He had said that Deon Hart had seen him since childhood, so it was quite shocking.

…No, it wasn’t just ‘quite shocking,’ as the Lofty Knights were tearing at their hair and shouting.

“That’s clearly a player, no matter how you look at it…! Why? Where did our pure captain go, who only knew how to kill and survive?!”

“Is that really a communication stone? Not a bomb?”

“Could it be that we misheard? Maybe he originally said ‘die with a smile’ or something!”

“Or ‘kill someone’ or something!”

Gaisitel, the Commander of the 10th Corps, who was listening to this commotion nearby, muttered blankly.

“The concept of ‘pure’ that I know seems to be different… Is there a different homonym for ‘pure’ in the Human Realm…?”

“……At least, it’s probably not what you’re thinking right now.”

Homonyms might exist, but it’s definitely not used in that sense…

Dan quietly wiped his face.”