Chapter 202: Teacher

A fresh wound slowly healed over the mark.

The fact that it’s visibly healing means his recovery rate is absurdly fast, but if the wound belongs to a Hero, that changes things.

‘Typical recovery for wounds… Instant healing is the norm, so let’s skip that.’

Not healing at all would be stranger. The important thing is this:

The Demon King idly pressed the wound, then released, observing the recovery rate of the magic-infused injury before finally concluding:

‘Compared to other Heroes I’ve faced, his recovery is merely average.’

To hear such things from the merfolk leader, and the result is just average? The world seemed to have put in some effort, but just how terrible was his condition to end up like this?

Given his poor starting condition, all physical talents are probably just average for a Hero. Meaning, his most crucial aspects as a Hero are unremarkable.

[The Demon King will die by the hand of this newly born Hero.]

Incomprehensible.

Why would the world, which values efficiency, specifically choose this human? And why did the merfolk leader make such a prediction?

At the time, hearing those words, he might have appeared to dismiss them lightly, confident they wouldn’t come to pass. But that was far from the truth. It was a prediction from the merfolk leader, who can see the future. Even if the Demon King projected confidence, he hadn’t ignored her words.

His gaze shifted, now focused intently on Deon Hart.

‘…Right, you’re my teacher, then.’

The Hero, born from the brink of death, after consuming ninety percent of my magic power…

…Ah. So many questions remain, but just looking at this, I think I grasp the world’s intent a little better. Having sorted through his thoughts, the Demon King refocused on the present situation.

So, what was it Deon Hart said again?

[…So.]

[Are you going to kill me?]

His beautifully curved eyes, almost flaunting themselves, filled his vision. ‘Ha,’ the Demon King chuckled.

He really has become a fox. Even when directly called one, he didn’t deny it.

…Cheeky little thing.

“No.”

I won’t kill you. Or more accurately, I can’t right now.

It wasn’t for nothing that I went out to greet the last Hero so far outside the Demon King’s castle. A full-power clash between a Hero and a Demon King would more than devastate Demon King’s castle, which is about the size of a small city.

Even with the last Hero, the clash’s aftermath was contained only because I held back, controlling my power. Otherwise, the demons who came to watch, and even Deon Hart hiding on the cliff, wouldn’t have escaped the fallout.

Well, even setting aside all those reasons.

“You’re still on my side, aren’t you?”

“…….”

“No reason to kill an ally.”

The Demon King flashed a grin.

Deon fell silent. The words that followed the brief pause held a static calm, as if he’d never smiled a moment before.

“…I was planning to conquer the Human Realm anyway.”

Though it was still just a vague idea.

Deon recalled the Demon King’s explanation in the meeting room. It concerned the restrictions on demons crossing into the Human Realm. He’d gleaned one piece of information from that.

The world values the ‘human’ race.

At least more than demons. The Demon King himself admitted that demons are a race loathed by the world.

‘The world tried to use me.’

Knowing the truth, the moment I made ‘that’ vow, the world’s goal was already halfway accomplished.

From the moment I was dragged into the Eight Years’ War until now, Deon Hart has been manipulated by someone’s will. But he had no intention of letting it continue until the end.

[Too much is as bad as too little.]

As the world intends, I will kill the Demon King—I will. Simply killing the Demon King cleanly is both difficult and not my intention. In the process, many demons will probably die too. But eliminating only demons would be unfair, so—

Deon smirked at his conclusion. The Demon King looked puzzled, a question mark on his face, but he ignored it.

‘Isn’t there a saying in the south?’

Burning down the house to catch fleas.

Before killing the Demon King, I’ll burn down the Human Realm first.

He wouldn’t cry and whine about why it had to be him. It was done. And he judged that nothing was as pointless as emotionally appealing to a transcendent being acting with purpose. So, he just quietly resolved himself.

‘You’ll regret choosing me.’

The ‘Hero’ smiled, pleased.

──The pool of blood beneath his feet widened.

***

The Demon King’s gaze flickered to Deon’s feet, just for a moment. Before the Hero’s sharp senses could register it, his eyes naturally lifted back to Deon’s face.

A gentle, soothing voice followed.

“I know your condition isn’t fully recovered yet.”

“I’m perfectly healthy.”

“Physically, maybe.”

The problem is your mind. You must know that.

The Demon King smoothly brushed aside Deon’s guarded words and slowly rose to his feet.

“It seems like you need a change of scenery. What do you say?”

He grinned, extending a hand.

“How about we go see the flowers in the central garden?”

“No.”

“Even though they’re flowers from the Human Realm?”

“…Huh?”

“I recently replanted it all. I heard you liked the Human Realm flowers Hien gave you before, so I got them ready.”

“…Never liked them.”

Though, it did lift my spirits a bit.

Deon recalled his past, before becoming the Hero, when he was constantly on edge, and answered grudgingly. The Demon King just shrugged, as if it were no big deal.

“It’ll help clear your head.”

“…If you insist.”

Deon Hart’s mind didn’t take the Demon King’s words at face value. Instead of being touched that the central garden was replanted with Human Realm flowers, he suspected the Demon King’s intentions, calculating his own gains.

And the thought that surfaced was this:

‘How much magic power did it take to bring Human Realm flowers to the Demon Realm, grow them, and maintain them?’

The previous Demon King might not have expended so much magic power, but after using ninety percent of his to save me, it’s different. Yet, he still went to such lengths…

‘He must know I’m gauging his remaining magic power.’

In other words, it’s a show of magic power.

It’s a display to show he still has plenty of magic power to waste on such things, but now that I’ve seen through it, his actions are just empty boasting.

He stifled a laugh, swallowing it down, and seized the casually offered clue.

He must have noticed before this conversation, since the garden is already finished, whenever he replanted it.

‘Well, no way he wouldn’t notice.’

Since I’ve been gauging and calculating his magic power for quite a while now.

Pretending not to notice, he took the Demon King’s hand. Meeting the Demon King’s smiling gaze, Deon returned a bright smile.

“Of course, we should go.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

The Demon King, his smile unwavering, gently led him forward.

…….

Unlike before, the central garden was overflowing with vibrant Human Realm flowers, almost unrecognizable as the same space.

From flamboyant, famous flowers like roses to small, nameless blossoms you’d see by the roadside, all of it harmonized together, a sight worth seeing even for the Demon King, who hadn’t expected much.

‘Anyone can see he used quite a bit of magic power on this.’

The Demon King’s magic power was used, yes. But far less than it appeared.

Most of it relied on mana stones, and Lirinel handled the finer magic, so the Demon King barely lifted a finger. He hadn’t completely avoided using magic power, but it was cost-effective for a magic power display, and as a bonus, he could also manage Deon Hart’s mental health. No downsides.

The Demon King glanced away absently, then saw Deon nestled among the flowers and fell silent.

‘…Come to think of it, there was a Hero who seduced demons and infiltrated the Demon King’s castle before.’

As if to say, ‘Don’t underestimate human imagination,’ Heroes have infiltrated Demon King’s castle in diverse and ingenious ways. Seduction was just one method.

If Deon Hart weren’t part of the Demon King’s army, he might have easily infiltrated that way. A chuckle escaped him at the absurd thought.

‘If Lirinel saw him like this, she’d faint from delight.’

In any case, Deon Hart’s mood seemed to have softened, perhaps because he liked it in his own way.

It was probably time to say it. The Demon King, meeting Deon’s gaze, who seemed to wonder about his sudden chuckle, glanced down, fixed his eyes on Deon’s feet, and slowly began.

“You know you’re cursed, right?”

“…….”

Deon had frozen the moment the Demon King’s gaze dropped to his feet.

“If you don’t want to drown in guilt and die, it’s best not to feel guilty at all.”

“…This.”

Deon, momentarily frozen, took a step forward. With each step toward the Demon King, a squelching sound came from his shoes. Moving away from the flowers that had calmed his sense of smell, the stench of blood returned.

Still, he didn’t stop. As if not to miss a single detail, he steadily closed the distance, his eyes fixed on the Demon King’s, and asked:

This. This bothersome curse. This goddamn irritating curse.

“Can you see it?”

“No, I just sense it. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve encountered this.”

“If it’s not the first time…”

“It’s a common curse from the age of war. Usually, it’s not intentionally cast by someone, but arises naturally from lingering, powerful grudges. In simpler terms… vengeful spirits. That’s why those who’ve committed a lot of killings often get this curse.”

“Then mine is…”

“Ah, yours was definitely intentionally cast by someone.”

The Demon King chuckled softly, recognizing the familiar magic power in the curse.

“Setting guilt as the condition is a bit unusual. Usually, the conditions are different, like the curse strengthening with each kill.”

“…Is there a way to remove it?”

“No.”

“Why not…?”

Isn’t it your magic power?

The Demon King’s contractor damaged the Demon King’s strongest pawn. This happened because you gave magic power to the Duke, and you can’t even fix it?

He bit back the words that almost spilled out. He clamped his mouth shut, but the Demon King, as if knowing everything, placed a hand on Deon’s head, now close to him.

“It’s true I used magic power, but the caster must have been really determined. They sacrificed not just magic power, but even their soul after death as a vessel for the curse.”

“…Ha.”

“Well, though it doesn’t seem like they knew or intended that part.”

Something’s missing from that sentence. It should be, ‘It’s true *I* used my magic power…’

The Demon King probably realized Deon Hart knew about his contract with the Duke. Still playing dumb likely means he understands the difference between Deon merely ‘suspecting’ in the shadows, and bringing it out into the open, forcing him to acknowledge it.

Though, by admitting it was magic power, he’d already shown he wasn’t trying to hide it.

Perhaps misinterpreting Deon’s silence, the Demon King continued in the same even tone.

“Why not just separate your memories again, like before?”

The method young Deon Hart, fresh from the battlefield, had once used to escape guilt.

What nonsense is he spouting now? For a fleeting instant, killing intent flared in Deon’s eyes.

‘…….’

The surge of emotion, spiraling out of control, was only momentary. Before the Demon King could see it, his strong reason forced his head down, hiding his eyes, and he steadied his voice. A dry voice, utterly devoid of killing intent, emerged like a sigh.

“…My hyung’s last words…”

“Oh.”

“I won’t look away anymore.”

Looking away? I’ve done plenty of that already. For over a decade, until I lost the last of my family.

Cruel’s last words before he died were to stop looking away. How could I ever dare to do that again?

So, I have to find another way. Deon lowered his gaze.