Chapter 274: Turmoil and Sacrifice

Born in the Human Realm, a place cherished by the world, yet imbued with the magic of the Demon Realm, from which the world recoils, the carnivorous plant transformed into an anomaly unlike any ordinary plant of the Demon Realm.

It wasn’t changed by the Demon King’s magic, nor was it created as material for the birth of demons or magical beasts.

A mutation, undeniably alive, its very essence abruptly shifted. Perhaps it was for this reason that the carnivorous plant was inevitably sensitive to the world’s currents.

Sensitive enough to provoke displeasure from even the Fairy King, had he known.

The world is fixated on Deon Hart.

Not merely because he was a Hero candidate, or simply because he was the Hero.

A gaze far deeper, denser, and more overtly purposeful constantly tracked Deon Hart’s every move. The carnivorous plant had its breath stolen the first moment it faced him, overwhelmed by the vivid presence of the world that openly, almost flauntingly, coiled around him.

Hatred and contempt for a Hero straying from his given mission. Yet, a gaze that couldn’t abandon him, watching over him because it knew he would ultimately move as it wished. Pressure to just hurry and end it all according to its will.

Separate from such a world, there was pity and… elation directed towards him.

The first mutation felt boundless goodwill towards the one who would prevent the birth of beings like itself, and then cheered for the mutated Hero who, heedless of the world’s will, advanced while destroying everything in sight.

In essence, mutations between the Demon Realm and the Human Realm were inevitably drawn to Deon Hart.

So don’t cry.

I did this because I wanted to.

***

The green plant unfurled its leaves wide, shielding against the ranged weapons pouring down on the mad dogs. It lashed out with vines, sending melee Heroes flying, and even fended off those who lunged at Deon Hart.

The plant he’d nurtured had suddenly become powerful, protecting him and the mad dogs. It was a situation he should have been glad about, but Deon couldn’t bring himself to feel joy.

“…No.”

Instinct, at times more accurate than anything else, made him realize it.

If the power it had drawn from somewhere ran dry… he would never see that plant again.

“No…!”

A voice choked with suppressed despair burst out.

The carnivorous plant glanced at Deon, then shook its vines once before turning back to the mad dogs. Only then did the mad dogs, finally catching on, carefully scoop up Deon Hart and start retreating.

Deon struggled, his gaze fixed on the carnivorous plant.

“What…! Put me down right now!”

“We can’t, Captain!”

“We have to live first!”

Instinct whispered to him. In that brief moment of eye contact, the carnivorous plant had smiled at him.

‘….’

Thud— His struggling ceased.

Even while fleeing, amidst sidelong glances filled with puzzlement, a weak murmur trailed after them.

“Please… please just put me down….”

His voice was laden with an intense, almost shattering emotion.

The startled knights exchanged glances, then cautiously set Deon down. Staggering a few steps forward, Deon drew his dagger.

The injuries he’d sustained in battle were already fully healed.

“I clearly told you….”

The dagger flew with terrifying speed, piercing the vital spot of a Hero who had been about to cut down the carnivorous plant. He’d launched two daggers at some point; the Hero who deflected the first was caught off guard by the second, which arrived immediately after, costing him his life.

Whether the Heroes tensed up or not, red pupils glared at the carnivorous plant.

“I warned you not to interfere.”

A suppressed voice echoed.

“Who asked for this? Why won’t anyone listen to me?”

Why, why, why?

He was confident he wouldn’t die. Just now, he might have had to sacrifice an eye, but he was sure he could protect his life. He briefly considered that even a Hero probably couldn’t restore severed body parts, so his burst eyeball might be beyond repair, but even so, it was cheap compared to his life. It would have been, or rather, was supposed to be.

“You didn’t need to do something like that.”

Even if he couldn’t win and escape immediately, he could have stalled for days, weeks even, until their stamina ran out or reinforcements arrived, eventually breaking free from this situation.

“…Ha.”

Even without this, his mind, already shaken by Dan’s recent reckless actions, showed signs of strain in this situation. His eyes felt hot, and his forehead seemed to burn. Deon slowly closed and opened his eyes.

The knight order members, reading his calmed red eyes and the atmosphere settling around him, urgently exchanged glances.

‘He snapped.’

‘Something snapped.’

Something emotionally significant had broken. If they fought like this, they would be dragged into the enemy’s scheme a hundred times out of a hundred. They had to get him out of here quickly….

“Cut off their retreat. Absolutely do not let them escape.”

It wasn’t just the Lofty Knights who noticed Deon Hart’s agitation.

Lindel, seizing an opportunity that wouldn’t come again, immediately issued orders.

“Cutting off retreat is priority number one, dealing with that monster is priority number two. Block their escape route, and the remaining forces will handle the monster.”

He didn’t know what the relationship was between that monster and Deon Hart, but judging by his attitude, killing the monster before his eyes would surely agitate him greatly.

‘It would be even better if he completely broke down.’

Only after the order was given did the light return to the red eyes that had been half-lost in distraction.

No, to be precise, sparks ignited in his eyes.

“Whoa, Captain!”

“No, you can’t!”

Come to think of it, it was all Lindel Riner’s doing, bringing these Heroes and causing this mess. If he hadn’t at least ordered the Heroes to focus on the mad dogs, this wouldn’t have happened.

Before the knight order members could stop him, Deon dashed out, charging at Lindel Riner.

Of course, the Heroes weren’t going to stand idly by and watch…

“Where do you think you’re…!”

“Kieeeek!”

They had no choice but to pause, their ankles ensnared by green vines that either coiled around their bodies or lashed out fiercely.

The Hero didn’t miss the opening.

“You must be the highest-ranking one here.”

Reaching Lindel in an instant, he immediately grabbed his face, slammed his head against the ground, and drew his dagger.

“Most of the troops will retreat on their own if we just kill the commander.”

“…….”

“This is unavoidable.”

The dagger aimed at his neck and descended.

But just before piercing his neck, his eyes met those of the guy he was holding, through the gaps between his fingers.

Eyes the same color as someone in his memories, a gaze unwavering and upright.

“…Damn it!”

The dagger abruptly changed direction.

Thunk! The blade, leaving a small scratch on his neck, lodged itself in his shoulder. A low groan escaped.

Deon released his face and looked down at him. Lindel, wincing at the sharp pain, also lifted his eyes to meet his.

Silence fell, before Deon groaned.

“Ah.”

“…….”

“…Sir Lien.”

Why do you keep hindering me at times like these?

His face contorted as if about to cry, and he placed his hand on his neck. He could clearly feel the pulse beating beneath his hand. And Deon realized.

That this current setup was the same as when he had faced Lien in his nightmare.

The only difference was that Lien was in his position now, and he was in Lindel Riner’s position.

“…If you had said revenge was your main goal, I wouldn’t have been able to lay a hand on you rashly.”

“…….”

If he had prioritized personal revenge over the greater cause, Deon Hart wouldn’t have been able to harm Lindel Riner.

Staring blankly at the unanswering man, he slowly lowered his upper body. He whispered softly into his ear.

“This is a warning.”

“…….”

“If you don’t want to follow in your brother’s footsteps, stop here.”

He slowly straightened up, removing his hand from his neck. Lindel, who had been watching Deon as he rose, finally opened his mouth.

“…That day.”

Deon paused.

“What was the reason my brother had to die?”

“…Because he was too upright.”

“…Is that so.”

A bitter smile spread across Lindel’s face.

“Figures. My brother was obsessed with chivalry, so he must have risked his life, unable to just stand by and watch his lord go astray, as a knight.”

A futile act.

He spat out a murmur close to cynicism, then gave himself a self-deprecating smile.

“You said if I had said revenge was my main goal, you wouldn’t have been able to harm me rashly. How could I dare say such a thing?”

“…….”

“I respect my brother’s choice.”

Even if he didn’t understand it, he was in a position where he had to respect it. The reason she became obsessed with chivalry was because of him.

Her healthy older brother who was skilled with swords to the point of taking swordsmanship as a hobby went to the Eight Years’ War instead of himself, the younger, weaker brother. The words of the adults soothing her, saying that swordsmanship was just a hobby and wouldn’t help him survive on the battlefield, must have been quite a shock to young Lien.

[Then what about my brother? What about our brother who has never even held a sword?]

And she must have realized. That the adults in the family had already decided on the eldest daughter as the successor instead of the eldest son who might die at any moment.

To refute the adults’ contradiction, swordsmanship had to be more than just a hobby. Thus, she must have aimed to become a knight.

Hoping that her brother would return alive and take back the successor position, so as not to hinder the succession or to atone if her brother could not return, she would have tried to become a true knight who even abandoned the family name. In that way, contemplating and striving for the posture of a knight, chivalry, she caught the eye of the current late Emperor, and that led to a connection with Deon Hart.

‘In the end, it’s my fault.’

Therefore, Lindel Riner, who had to respect his sister’s choice, couldn’t outwardly claim personal revenge. Doing so would mean he wasn’t respecting her choice.

“However, I am also human, so my emotions are separate.”

“…….”

Glancing sideways, Lindel’s eyes swept past Deon’s shoulder.

“Although I cannot dare to call it personal vengeance….”

“Captain!!”

“…I sincerely hope you die.”

The guy who had been silent all along suddenly opened his mouth.

Red pupils, which had briefly glanced down at the hands firmly gripping his knees, turned to the rear. Heroes were swinging weapons from behind.

The attacks precisely targeted vital points, but Deon, already aware, was unfazed. He was about to casually twist only his upper body to dodge when….

Clang clang clang!!

…A spear flew in from somewhere.

“What…!”

“Who is it!”

How strongly was it thrown? It knocked away all the weapons aimed at Deon Hart, and still with power to spare, it buried itself deeply into the ground, as if showing off.

Not quite as strong as when Deon had shattered a boulder with a thrown spear, but a scene that was reminiscent enough to make the mad dogs widen their eyes and look towards where the spear had come from. The Heroes, caught off guard and flustered, were about to turn their gaze there as well, but—

“Sir Deon!!”

“Master!”

The sudden intrusion of new figures forced them to shift their attention again.

The expressions of the Heroes twisted strangely at the appearance of Dan, whom they had seen on screen, and a demon with a blood-stained bag and a face partially covered in snake scales.