Chapter 291: A Favor

Derniban, holding the useful position of the current 5th Corps Commander, didn’t panic or become agitated at Deon’s question. He simply bowed his head in obedience and spoke.

“There is something I desire.”

Just as he thought. Doubt faded from Deon’s eyes, replaced by caution.

“What is it?”

“Allow me to kill the 9th Corps Commander… Trober, with my own hands.”

“Ah.”

Derniban still couldn’t let go of his desire to kill the 9th Corps Commander. Was it because he was a demon born from a wolf? The anger and hatred stemming from his single-mindedness had only intensified with time, showing no signs of diminishing, even after becoming the 5th Corps Commander and becoming busier than before.

How could he remain indifferent when her last moments still vividly flashed before his eyes whenever he closed them?

‘…They say late bloomers are terrifying.’

The emotions he had finally awakened were now raging uncontrollably.

Thus, he bowed his head to the one who would become his master, as if sensing the reason behind Deon’s exclamation.

“I don’t care how many people you kill, Sir Deon.”

“…….”

“I will simply follow your orders, so please, yield the 9th Corps Commander to me.”

From Deon Hart’s perspective, it was a minor request, nothing difficult. There was no reason to refuse, so he would surely agree.

‘Of course, I’m not entirely certain that he’s completely unrelated to Oel’s death…’

He knew that if the 8th and 10th Corps Commanders were subtly killed in different ways, there was no reason for the 5th Corps Commander to be an exception.

‘But unlike those two Corps Commanders, Oel’s death has a clear, different cause.’

Trober.

Having the one who ‘directly’ killed Oel right in front of him, there was no reason to target someone whose culpability was uncertain, especially someone against whom revenge was nearly impossible. Even if Deon Hart had orchestrated the situation, wasn’t the final choice and action Trober’s? He certainly had other options.

Above all, Derniban was originally single-minded. His vision was far too narrow to encompass and assess someone whose connection to his revenge was uncertain.

‘And… there’s the debt to the Lofty Knights…’

When he desperately sought them out to save the dying human baby—more accurately, for Oel’s sake—he had promised to repay them if they just saved her. And Derniban had not forgotten their reply.

‘Just take good care of our Captain,’ they had said.

It was a very light tone, but he wasn’t foolish enough to take it lightly. Their concern for Deon Hart was undoubtedly genuine.

Therefore, Derniban, who had been watching Deon Hart since the successive deaths of the 8th and 10th Corps Commanders, gained certainty through this incident and sought him out.

With the intention of serving him with utmost loyalty if his single request was granted.

“…First…”

Deon, who had been listening to Derniban’s words silently, seemingly lost in thought, nodded.

“I understand.”

“Then…”

“Well, then.”

Understanding and accepting are two different things.

He approached the other, glass in hand, as if to pressure him. He peered into the eyes of the demon, who remained silently downcast, and spoke as if testing him.

“Assuming I grant your wish, how far are you willing to go?”

“Anything you command, Sir Deon.”

“Even death?”

He paused, perhaps not having included that in his expected range.

“I said ‘anything.’”

An unwavering answer returned.

“…Good.”

No lie flickered in his eyes. Deon stepped back as if giving him room to breathe.

As if seeking confirmation, the loyal dog raised his head and looked at him. Deon curved his eyes into a smile and nodded.

“Please, take care of me from now on.”

“……!”

“I’ll call for you if needed, so you can leave now.”

Originally, he had come to rest. He also needed time to organize his thoughts.

Before Derniban could even reply, he issued an order to leave. Derniban’s lips twitched as if to say something, but he excused himself and left the terrace. A hint of pausing was felt as he drew back the curtain and went out, as if he had seen something, but soon he moved away as if nothing had happened, so Deon paid it no mind.

Deon found out what Derniban had encountered when he finished organizing his thoughts during a short rest and stepped out onto the terrace.

“…….”

“……Oh.”

Ed and Jaykar were right near the terrace entrance.

Perhaps because he had come out so soon after Derniban left, Ed, who had been standing there blankly even after Derniban left, as if not expecting him to come out this quickly, made direct eye contact with Deon and flinched—turning his head away. Jaykar remained composed.

There was no need to wonder from where they had heard it.

‘They must have heard everything important.’

Ed’s attitude alone made it clear. Jaykar’s demeanor didn’t reveal much, but seeing Ed watching him carefully, they must have heard it together.

“…Ed, why are you here?”

“Th-that…”

Unable to voice an answer, he could only move his lips, then slowly shifted his eyes to the side. In his eyes, filled with panic and fear, Deon noticed a faint hint of worry and guilt, and instead of pressing further, he shifted his gaze to Jaykar, who had started walking.

He was approaching this way with an unreadable expression.

As the distance closed, the tension in the air grew thicker. Ten steps, five steps, three steps, two steps… Tension peaked to the point where something could break out at any moment.

“……!”

Jaykar walked past Deon.

Pretending not to see or hear anything, he calmly passed by him and continued walking without stopping.

In the space he had just occupied, a small voice, like a whisper, lingered like an afterimage.

“Let’s meet again soon.”

“…….”

And silence fell.

Deon lowered his gaze as if lost in thought, and Ed, who was suddenly left alone with Deon, trembled his eyes. Only for a moment, though, as he opened his mouth as if to say something….

“Sir Deon.”

Dan approached, and he closed his mouth again and stepped back.

An attitude of resignation, as if being pushed aside was now natural. Red eyes glanced at him before focusing on Dan.

Their eyes met for only a moment, and with a gaze that habitually avoided his, Dan didn’t waste time with idle talk and presented him with the gift Develania had given.

“Lady Develania asked me to deliver this.”

“…Develania?”

Deon chuckled hollowly at the sight of the red hair tie. Unlike the meaningless laughter, his hand accepted it and gripped it tightly. Turning his head to Ed, he noticed the demon fidgeting, feeling his gaze, and straightened his posture.

“I can go rest now, right?”

“Ah… Yes! This banquet lasts for three days, day and night, so you are free to rest and come back whenever you wish.”

In fact, staying until late on the first day was an unspoken rule, but… there had been an incident, and the book related to the most recent banquet was quite old.

Ed swallowed the unnecessary information and nodded.

“Is that so? Then.”

He was going to rest even if he was told no, so it worked out well. In the first place, having coughed up blood, no one could keep him here today anyway.

Even without that, too many things had happened in a single day, and he was tired. Deon passed Dan, then passed Ed, and then paused—stopping in his tracks.

He felt questioning gazes from behind but didn’t turn around, opening his mouth. A quiet voice dropped a short message.

“Today, nothing was your fault.”

“……!”

In that instant, Ed’s expression crumbled.

Deon Hart left, and Ed, whose master had returned to his room and had no more tasks for him, moved to a place where no one was around. Dan’s gaze followed him from behind, but he had no luxury to care.

And as soon as he was alone, he collapsed to the ground as if breaking down.

“…Rather…”

A voice filled with despair echoed.

“If only you were truly a bad person…”

If he were a consistently cold and cruel person from beginning to end. If that were the case, there would be no reason for such agony.

His eyes, lowered, wandered aimlessly.

“…You’re too much.”

The occasional moments of warmth and consideration prevented him from choosing either side.

That’s why it was even harder.

Ed didn’t want to lose Deon Hart, and he couldn’t imagine a Demon Realm without the Demon King.

“What should I do?”

That’s why, even though he had heard something truly serious today, he ended up agonizing without choosing either side.

Sir Deon must have noticed that I overheard the conversation. Yet, he just let it pass without saying anything.

“…….”

That’s why, even more so, Ed couldn’t move.

***

“Hellooo, Sir Deon.”

On his way back to his room, Deon’s face contorted mercilessly at the unwelcome voice.

Develania, who had popped out from somewhere, blocked his path.

“I thought you had already gone in, but it seems you’re going to rest now.”

“…….”

“For your information, I’m on my way back from meeting Myers.”

“…Why.”

He was already tired and didn’t want to deal with her right now, so he remained silent.

She continued talking smoothly on her own. Realizing it was difficult to ignore her, Deon crookedly raised one corner of his lips.

“Trying to coax Myers too?”

“Coax?”

Develania smiled slyly with her eyes.

“I was merely comforting the heartbroken Myers.”

“Right, if you have any conscience, you shouldn’t touch Myers.”

Deon smiled back, narrowing his eyes.

“After coaxing an innocent adjutant and driving him to his death, you’re now going to touch his heartbroken superior.”

You think I don’t know you coaxed Dahar?

That was the meaning behind his smile.

At the perfect deflection of responsibility, Develania’s eyes narrowed for a moment, then returned to normal as if nothing had happened.

“Well, I wonder if you can call this coaxing. All I did was list the facts.”

His adjutant moved because there was a reason to do so. If there hadn’t been a legitimate reason, he wouldn’t have moved no matter what I said. In the end, you are the culprit.

That was roughly the meaning of her words.

Deon’s brow furrowed. He opened his mouth as if to retort, but—

“Well, more than that—”

Develania changed the subject faster.

“Did you receive the gift well? I asked Dan to deliver it.”

“…Yeah. The color is just like blood.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

I didn’t say I liked it.

But it was too childish to even say this out loud. Keeping his true feelings to himself, Deon waved his hand lightly to end this irritating conversation.

“Then, I’ll be going now. I’m tired.”

“I apologize for intruding. Please, go ahead.”

Deon Hart walked away.

Develania watched his back and hummed, tilting her head to the side. A murmur, tinged with genuine regret, followed.

“His looks are such a waste…”

It was fun to dress him up. Now I can’t anymore.

That was a bit of a shame.

***

Back in his room and alone, Myers quietly thought.

‘Could Develania’s words be true?’

The conversation with Develania, who had come to him not long after Deon Hart disappeared, floated in his mind. That conversation, more like a one-sided information dump, could be seen as an act of fueling suspicion.

[If you think about it, your adjutant died ‘because he suspected Deon Hart,’ wouldn’t you say?]

The content itself was nothing new. It was all things Dahar had already said at the banquet. It’s not like he believed everything Develania said.

But.

‘I have been loyal to the Lord Demon King until now.’

The legion commanders who were now dead flashed through his mind. The current situation, where vacant legion commander positions were left empty except for the 5th Corps Commander, also came to mind.

Before the 8th and 10th Corps Commanders died, Deon Hart, who had given the orders, was now a clear suspect.

Then, what about the Lord Demon King?

[The Lord Demon King choked Dahar when he tried to say something. In the end, he couldn’t say anything until the end.]