Chapter 294: Dan’s Gambit

Red pupils trembled as if about to shatter. Dan, who had unknowingly opened his mouth at the sight of Deon’s precarious state, glanced at the Demon King and paused. But only for a moment, as a voice, no different from usual, flowed out calmly.

“Looks like I got impatient without realizing it.”

…Or maybe I just gave up.

A sigh-like murmur followed. It was close to a self-deprecating joke aimed at Dan himself, but Deon, with his exceptional hearing, froze as if stabbed by a knife. The young man’s face, who knew very well that he was the cause, was turning pale.

“You…”

His unnecessarily sharp mind dug into the cause and deduced the reasons. The answers that were quickly narrowed down were all terrible.

Because Deon Hart had rejected Dan, Dan was reconsidering his usefulness. And to show his worth, he must have done something reckless like this.

Perhaps he had really given up on ‘everything’ and started this situation from the beginning, assuming this outcome.

“…”

He wanted to say something, but no words came out. His mouth opened and closed silently several times, before emitting a groan as if strangled.

“…I can’t save you.”

“I know.”

“You’re going to die.”

“I know.”

Because of the situation, he couldn’t pull him out.

The incident had just happened the day before, raising suspicion. If he were to protect the guy who instigated discord between legions, what would happen? Dan had to die.

And so, Deon finally couldn’t suppress his surging emotions and buried his face in his hands. His precariously trembling voice scattered faintly into the space.

“Why the hell would you do that…”

Why did you act on your own without even mentioning it to me….

I hate you. I’m going crazy with hatred. I didn’t like everything about you, and I really hate that you’re doing this to the very end.

Under the hand covering his eyes, red pupils sank, tinged with self-loathing.

“…”

The Demon King, observing Deon’s collapsed atmosphere, quietly turned his steps. He made eye contact with Dan in the middle, but instead of stopping, he tapped his head with his index finger and winked, pointing at Deon with his thumb. Dan, who noticed the meaning, nodded slightly.

‘Retrieve Deon Hart’s composure.’

That’s what I was going to do anyway.

If he collapses here, wouldn’t my actions to embrace everything be in vain?

The black shadow quietly left the basement, and Dan, in the place where the Demon King had left, turned his eyes back to Deon. He was still standing motionless with his face buried in his hands.

To avoid provoking his opponent, he called him as slowly and softly as possible. “Master.”

“Have you calmed down now?”

“…Yeah.”

Deon raised his head. His tearless face faced Dan directly, and as if saying he had no intention of leaning on him, or as if he had noticed something, a venomous voice fell from his clenched teeth.

“You’re a fucking bastard.”

“Oh.”

Once he calmed down to some extent, his mind started working again. And Deon became certain.

“You, you were expecting this situation from the beginning, weren’t you?”

“….”

“There’s no way you couldn’t have considered the possibility of failure. It’s even more absurd to say you didn’t know it was a reckless plan.”

He must have acted simply because he had nothing to lose even if he failed.

“You’re trying to take everything on yourself now.”

Because my current situation isn’t good. If he dies taking my sins, the suspicion towards me will subside to some extent.

From Dan’s perspective, if the plan succeeds, the relationship between the two legion commanders will be strained, which is a gain, and if it fails, he can get Deon Hart out of the swamp of suspicion, which is also a gain.

“Fucking bastard.”

As expected, he even considered his own life as a means. And that was for none other than me.

Blood surged. From under his feet, black shadows coiled up like snakes and strangled his neck, but Deon stubbornly glared at Dan. He didn’t want to collapse here.

Even in the face of eyes so fierce they made him flinch, Dan smiled indifferently. A playful voice popped out mischievously as if trying to smooth over the grim atmosphere.

“I wouldn’t bet something on a game I’m going to lose, would I?”

“Dog bastard.”

“My, my, such foul language.”

From the beginning, there was no ‘failure’ in the plan. Dan was satisfied.

As if deeply dissatisfied with that, Deon growled lowly.

“Want me to show you what real foul language is?”

“…Well, still, there was one miscalculation.”

Seeing him change the subject makes me even more annoyed. But Deon couldn’t even get annoyed at Dan’s following words and froze.

“I thought Master was completely disgusted with me. I thought even if I died, it wouldn’t be a big blow to Master. But…”

Dan openly scanned Deon, who still hadn’t completely recovered his composure. As if to say, ‘Look at this.’

“Looking at you now, it doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“…”

“Master. I’m telling you this in case you misunderstand.”

Unwavering eyes stared straight into the red pupils. A voice as firm and unwavering as his eyes followed clearly.

“I acted out of purely personal greed. Master’s emotions were sacrificed for that.”

I am not Cruel Hart.

I am too selfish to paint a picture of purely sacrificing myself for you. I moved according to a purely personal desire to see you completed as a disaster.

If I had prioritized you as a person, I wouldn’t have done what I did.

“Please do not mistakenly overlap my selfishness with the noble sacrifice of someone who is sincerely for you.”

Even though he had permeated Deon Hart like rain seeping into clothes. Even though he had started recognizing Deon Hart as ‘a person’ rather than ‘a disaster’ at some point, Dan ultimately prioritized his own desires without changing.

Isn’t he truly a repulsive human being?

‘It’s ridiculous that I’m even thinking this now, considering I said I hated you and only saw you as a ‘disaster’ from the beginning.’

If this is how it would be, I shouldn’t have said those words.

His consciousness, flowing arbitrarily, recalled a certain conversation they had in the past. Was it when they were using the secret passage to open the Hart-affiliated city gates?

[I hate Master.]

[I feel quite resentful, and a little bit hateful.]

In fact, unlike what I said back then, I was already seeing you as a person.

‘The word ‘disaster’ was already like gum that had lost its flavor.’

Even so, the reason I said those words must have been a statement uttered by inertia, like habitually moving my jaw even though the gum had lost its flavor.

If my words back then were sincere, I wouldn’t have been able to joke around with Deon Hart so casually afterwards. Rather, I would have recalled and ruminated on my emotions again, keeping an appropriate distance. However, I joked with him, who was trying to go out of the secret passage, not long after that conversation. The conversation that could never be called light was easily forgotten afterwards.

‘Well, whatever, it’s just hypocrisy and disgusting rationalization now.’

He lightly shrugged his shoulders and looked at Deon Hart.

“So breathe.”

“…Nonsense.”

Only then, as if he could finally breathe a little, did Deon utter a curt voice.

“If you don’t want to die twice later, don’t come looking for me later asking why I didn’t cry for you.”

Dan chuckled as if he had heard something absurd. But Deon was serious.

He would get angry, but he wouldn’t cry. I won’t feel guilty either. Someone like you can’t harm me. Red pupils glistened, tinged with blood.

“Of course not.”

“…Damn bastard.”

“You really have a diverse vocabulary of curses.”

Just as the flustered Deon was about to retort, footsteps were heard.

The sound of shoe heels deliberately echoing loudly, as if to announce his descent. Deon and Dan immediately closed their mouths.

The Demon King then appeared. He was accompanied by the Commander of the 9th Corps.

“Did the conversation go well?”

“…”

How could it have gone well in this situation?

Deon opened his mouth in annoyance, but paused when he saw Trober by his side. After a short silence that was not awkward, he glared at the Demon King once and turned his body.

“I’m going to rest. Do whatever you want with that bastard, whether you kill him or let him live.”

“Does that mean you won’t intervene?”

“Yes. He’s out of my hands.”

It was a resolute answer, as if he had completely cut ties.

At that, Dan laughed silently. The Demon King, alternating between looking at Deon, who was leaving without any regrets, and Dan, who had even started chuckling, narrowed his eyes and then smiled brightly. A very small murmur scattered into the air as if whispering.

“Deon, you really are a loved being.”

If this is also luck, it’s luck. I’m even envious watching you.

“Excuse me? What did you say? I didn’t hear you well.”

“It’s nothing. More importantly, Dan said he wanted to see you.”

“?”

Eyes filled with question turned towards Dan as if urging him to speak. Dan glanced at the Demon King instead of answering right away. The Demon King, noticing the meaning of the gaze, burst into a chuckle.

“Shameless.”

“…”

“I’ll be going now, so you two have a good conversation. First of all, Dan is a sinner, so Trober, after the conversation, lock him up somewhere suitable.”

“Understood.”

The Demon King waved his hand and went upstairs. Trober looked at Dan as soon as his figure disappeared, but Dan did not open his mouth right away.

Ignoring Trober’s impatient prodding as noise, Dan silently calculated the distance when descending and the Demon King’s walking speed, and only opened his mouth when he thought he was far enough away that his voice wouldn’t be heard.

“Ah, I apologize. I took some time to organize my thoughts. It’s not that, but I wanted to request the reward for the bet back then, so I dared to ask Sir Trober to come. I wanted to visit you in person, but the situation is what it is.”

“Well, I understand why you called me here….”

Wish tickets promised to be granted by magic power.

…Damn it. If I hadn’t come here, I wouldn’t have had to grant it. Trober, who already knew about Dan’s news from the rumors that had spread throughout Demon King’s castle, soon frowned.

“What do you want? If it’s a request to get you out….”

“Please take Deon Hart’s side.”

“…”

It was an unexpected answer.

Trober, who had been stiff for a moment as if trying to understand the situation, asked back with a bewildered look.

“What, really? That’s it? Not save me, get me out, or anything like that?”

“Even if I escape through Sir Trober, I’ll be caught and killed again before long. Unless you’re planning to make companions in escape, why would I make such a request? A meaningless life as a fugitive is worse than death for me.”

“…Okay!”

I thought it was going to be a bigger request!

It seems he was worried about Sir Deon being left alone after he died. He usually acts like he wouldn’t be, but he’s so naive. A pleasant laugh leaked out.

‘If it were me, I would have wished for something more.’

Anyway, this is a gain for us.

Lest his mind change, Trober quickly accepted it as a ‘wish ticket’ and hammered it in.

“I will definitely take Sir Deon’s side!”

The contract in his mind reacted. Dan smiled, feeling that he had really stamped a seal on the contract, not just empty words.

“That’s reassuring. Thank you for readily accepting.”

It was a smile like looking at an opponent who had drawn a joker card in a game of thief-catching.