Chapter 216: Gift of Sentiment

It was a thoughtless gift, really. Just something I gave on a whim, caught up in the moment. And now he says he’ll keep it just because it’s from me.

“Honestly…”

A low voice trailed off.

Deon Hart probably has no idea what kind of face he’s making right now. If he did, he wouldn’t be showing such a strange expression. Dan was certain of it.

“Thanks,” Deon finally said.

“……”

“Good work. You can leave now.”

“But the cleanup…”

“Just leave the cart. I’ll call you again later, so get going.”

After a few hesitations, Ed, unable to ignore the silent urging any longer, gave a polite bow and backed away. Dan glanced at the door to make sure it closed, then turned back to Deon.

Deon seemed lost in thought, idly fiddling with the carnivorous plant in its pot.

But his unguarded expression was plain as day. Dan subtly frowned, then spoke up, feigning a playful tone.

“You told me not to get attached to you, but aren’t you the one getting attached now?”

“…What?”

“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to take this situation…”

Dan shook his head, a playful smile dancing on his lips. Deon’s brow furrowed deeply.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Well, I figured you’d deny it. Say what you will, but you should probably fix your expression first.”

“…What’s wrong with my expression?”

“Not exactly attached, but… an expression that looks a little shaken?”

“……”

“You looked like you were about to be devoured by guilt, mixed with all sorts of emotions.”

“…Ha.”

Funny.

Without bothering to reply, Deon got up, still cradling the carnivorous plant. He walked to the window, pushing aside the blood-tinged water that pooled around his ankles as he went, and placed the flowerpot on the sill.

The plant, seemingly sensing the mood, didn’t let out its usual ‘squeak.’ Instead, it quietly tilted its head up, looking at him. Ignoring the creature, Deon turned around and flashed a deliberate smile.

“As if.”

“……”

“Looks like your eyes are finally going bad.”

Bright moonlight streamed down from above. In the backlighting, his red eyes, completely obscured in shadow, gleamed with an eerie light.

Dan, about to retort, faltered and shut his mouth. Deon seized the opening and smoothly hijacked the conversation, changing the subject to something completely unrelated.

“How’s your trading company’s influence these days? Still holding steady?”

“…It’s grown, if anything. In the first place, Lowfell Trading Company was the only real obstacle. The other companies are more concerned with not getting on our bad side.”

“You should thank Senior Stigma then.”

“……”

Even without any solid evidence, it was clear Deon was convinced Stigma Primiero was behind the Lowfell family’s annihilation.

Dan fell silent again, and Deon slowly approached the table. He picked up one of the many alcohol bottles piled there and shattered its neck with a strike of his hand. Dan stared, dumbfounded by the violent act.

“No, there are bottle openers right here…”

“This is easier.”

“But what if you get hurt? Wait, are you just going to drink straight from the bottle? You’ll cut yourself.”

“I’m a Hero, it’s fine.”

“Treating your body recklessly is a bad habit.”

“You’re getting naggy, Dan.”

As if he were genuinely concerned.

Deon chuckled, taking a swig of alcohol straight from the bottle. Dan’s expression tightened.

He moved his lips a few times, then pressed them firmly shut. The muscles in his jaw clenched for a moment, then relaxed.

A slightly deflated voice spoke.

“It’s inevitable when you’re serving Master. Even before you became a Hero, you always made my heart pound. You even said you couldn’t guarantee my life if you died.”

And what about right before he’d awakened as a Hero? He’d been caught in an explosion and almost died. It was no wonder Dan had become overprotective, even knowing Deon was a Hero now.

Even aware of this, Dan chose to push forward shamelessly rather than back down. If he backed down now, his pale and crimson Master would really start mistreating himself. Better to nip it in the bud.

So, a nagging reminder to be careful followed. But how much could nagging from someone he didn’t fully trust really mean? Deon shrugged it off and changed the subject.

“When you appear on screen, everyone will know who you are.”

“……”

A disgruntled look was his only reply.

Seeming unfazed by the silent response, Deon took another swig of alcohol and continued. His words were more of a mumble to himself than a conversation.

“Once your face is out there, anyone who knows your name will pop up, and once they do, your trading company will be linked to it. …No, anyone with decent intel in the Human Realm probably knows already. The moment your face hits the screen, they might send troops to your company without even bothering to investigate.”

“…So it’s time to pull out of the Human Realm.”

“Exactly.”

Time to withdraw.

Deon opened a fresh bottle, poured some into a glass, and offered it to Dan. His eyes crinkled in amusement.

“Start preparing to withdraw from the Human Realm. Complete evacuation… 20 minutes before you appear on screen should be enough.”

Too early is no good, too late is no good either.

If they withdraw too early, sharp-eyed leaders will catch on and prepare countermeasures in advance.

Those who’ve dug up everything about Deon Hart would surely realize ‘Dan’ and ‘Deon Hart’ were connected. Den Merchant Guild had even been permitted to distribute military supplies under Deon Hart’s name before; it’d be stranger if they didn’t know.

Den Merchant Guild, with a history of using Deon Hart’s name, its Guild Leader Dan, and Deon Hart himself.

They were already keeping a close watch. If the trading company that had been expanding in the Human Realm and raking in huge profits suddenly pulled out? With no reason to abandon future gains and retreat, they’d definitely suspect a connection to Deon Hart.

Association with Deon Hart meant association with the Demon Realm. Naturally, they’d consider various possibilities, and ‘the screen’ would surely be among them.

‘The same thing can’t happen again.’

Deon frowned, remembering the man who’d barged in and argued last time.

‘Too late, and the withdrawing company gets caught and ransacked, obviously not good. 20-30 minutes before is about right.’

Deon, sorting through his thoughts, suddenly noticed his hand felt lighter and looked at Dan.

Dan, holding the glass, was smiling with an unreadable expression.

“You’ll be getting a lot of resentment,” Dan remarked.

“It’s their fault for knowing it was dangerous and doing nothing.”

Even knowing Den Merchant Guild was linked to Deon Hart, the leaders of various nations had let it slide.

Even before he turned to the Demon Realm, the company had already grown quite large.

War was rampant. The trading company played a vital role in supplying resources, so they couldn’t easily dismantle it. Especially with the war’s landscape completely flipped, the enemy now the Demon Realm, Den Merchant Guild was the only one braving the monstrous demons to deliver supplies. It was indispensable.

‘There’s an unspoken rule in the Human Realm wars not to touch trading companies, but the Demon Realm won’t abide by that.’

Self-supply had its limits, so swallowing their pride, they had no choice but to rely on Den Merchant Guild, protected by Deon Hart.

Deon set down the empty bottle. His red pupils fixed on the man before him.

“Or, are you scared now, after all this?”

Scared of having your face and name exposed to everyone, of being branded another traitor to humanity?

Dan met his gaze, as if understanding his meaning. Deon didn’t look away and continued.

“Even if you are, I understand. I recommended you on my own initiative, you might not have been prepared for this.”

“……”

It was a sarcastic question, but he wouldn’t criticize him even if the answer was yes. Bearing the animosity of countless people was more suffocating than he’d anticipated.

How much abuse had he endured in the Human Realm, on the road between the mansion and hyung’s grave? It wasn’t just simple insults; it was a blatant, unfathomable, deep-seated animosity and killing intent, impossible to ignore.

The blood and tears of those who’d lost loved ones in the war, at the hands of demons, dripping from their chilling curses.

Yes, it was a curse.

Thinking that if he hadn’t had a goal or had taken things lightly, he might have succumbed to the suffocating curse and taken his own life, Deon reached for another bottle.

“…But you’re the one who agreed. Can’t back out now, so you’d better brace yourself properly, even now.”

The neck of the new alcohol bottle was cleanly severed by a hand strike. Dan watched, a faint smile creeping onto his face.

“Scared, you say?”

“……”

“Hardly. It’s something Master is doing too, after all.”

Even if he was afraid, he’d never admit it.

Admitting it wouldn’t change anything, and how could a subordinate whine about being scared when his master was doing the same thing without a word?

Besides, he’d played a part in pushing things this far. Dan wasn’t so shameless as to complain or try to back out in this situation.

“I will prepare thoroughly and flawlessly.”

“…Good.”

Deon poured more alcohol down his throat.

A murmur followed, devoid of any hint of intoxication. Dan, who’d been about to take a sip, lowered his glass and looked at Deon, drawn by the quiet but distinct voice.

“Did I ever say my hatred was like a wildfire…”

“…?”

“That’s what the sorcerer said back then.”

[Your hatred, noble sir, is like a wildfire. It may seem small at first, but at some point, it will explode in size and eventually devour everything.]

“You were probably there too. I don’t know if you heard it.”

Because after that, he’d pointed to Dan, who was lurking nearby, and said this:

[And that child is more like a bomb waiting to go off.]

[When a bomb explodes, fire erupts, and conversely, when fire erupts, a bomb explodes. That’s why I hoped to avoid encountering that child as much as possible, but…]

As if finally remembering, Dan let out a soft ‘Ah.’ Deon leaned back in his chair at the table and idly spun the alcohol bottle.

A dry voice emerged.

“It would have been better if that person had been a little more explicit back then.”

“……”

Could he have avoided resenting Cruel if he had?

Unconsciously, he posed the question to himself. The answer was immediate. No.

If he’d been told not to resent hyung, he’d have retorted furiously, asking what they knew, brandishing a dagger. If he’d been told there might be a misunderstanding, he still wouldn’t have believed it and would have shown his anger. If he’d been told he’d regret it, he would have finally lost control of his emotions. The sorcerer’s words had been the best option.

If he hadn’t spoken vaguely, he himself would have been hurt.

As if he had no intention of protecting his own sanity, his mind couldn’t conjure a good answer even in a hypothetical ‘what if’ scenario. Deon finally let out a hollow laugh.

“Actually, I know. Back then, if anyone had defended Cruel, I would have been furious no matter what they said. I’d have dismissed it as nonsense from some superstitious quack and kept resenting hyung.”

The hatred that had once been directed solely at his family had now grown into a wildfire, his body swelling uncontrollably, threatening to devour the world. Even he couldn’t predict how far it would go.

If Cruel were alive, it wouldn’t have come to this. Even if he’d learned the truth and been driven mad, Cruel would have soothed or suppressed him, ultimately preventing him from going berserk.

He didn’t even consider the possibility that Cruel might have failed. Whether through force or gentleness, he would have listened to Cruel. Knowing the truth, he was Cruel’s complete perpetrator, a sinner.

“…Master,” Dan said quietly, having listened in silence.

Dan, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth.

“You are too kind, Master.”

“…Huh?”