The Mad Dog's Rage
Dreaming is free, they say. At least that was how the saying went for the Holy Kingdom’s Holy Knight Commander, Luciel. Everyone acknowledged her skill. The representative of the non-humans, Elsir.
True to her role as Luciel’s older sister, she was formidable in her own right. Both were battle-hardened veterans who had faced down countless demons. Fear no longer held any meaning for them.
“Haaa…”
“Hiii…”
Yet right now, both women were paralyzed by sheer terror. They couldn’t hide their emotions, stumbling backward without realizing it. Just moments earlier, only strong humans had stood beside them.
Now a monstrous beast loomed—one that looked ready to chew up and swallow demons whole.
“Elsir.”
Even when Cain spoke her name, Elsir couldn’t muster a reply. She simply trembled. Dear gods. He’s insane. How can a human be like that? He’s worse than any demon. This isn’t mere strength—this is something else entirely.
“Elsir.”
“…Ah, y-yes! Cain. D-did you call?”
“Right now. This situation.”
Veins bulging on his forehead, Cain gestured toward the interior of the cave. The demons sprawled everywhere were unmistakably dead. A few might have tried playing possum, but these were beyond such tricks. Every last one had a gaping hole punched through the chest, heart utterly shattered.
“I. Require. An explanation.”
The way he bit off each word made the true meaning crystal clear: If your explanation isn’t satisfactory, I’ll lay you down right next to them.
Current Cain looked more than capable of following through. Elsir understood it on pure instinct.
“Did you deceive me?”
“No! No! Absolutely not! There’s no reason for me to do that!”
Deceive Cain? The demon slayer himself? Was she out of her mind?
The non-humans might be insular, but they weren’t deaf. They carried the painful history of having once been enslaved by humans. To avoid repeating that tragedy, they paid closer attention to information than anyone else.
“Please believe me, Cain. I truly wanted to give you a present. If I’d meant to trick you, why would I have come along myself?”
“…”
“If you want, ask my kin. Just days ago, demons definitely controlled the area. Several of our people who went searching were killed or wounded.”
“…”
“It’s the truth! Believe me!”
“…”
No matter how desperately she defended herself, Cain’s suspicious gaze never wavered. And it wasn’t mere suspicion in those eyes. There was something far more dangerous—the mad dog’s chilling contemplation of exactly how he should kill her.
She couldn’t handle this alone. Elsir glanced at Luciel beside her.
“Luci! Help me out here!”
“…You really didn’t trick Lord Cain, did you?”
The reply carried a faint note of suspicion. Elsir nearly exploded.
“Am I an idiot?! The opponent is that Cain!”
Her sister had always loved teasing others. Luciel worried about that habit, especially now when the person involved was Cain. It made taking her sister’s side feel incredibly awkward.
Still, mischievous as Elsir was, she wasn’t a fool. She knew the line between what could and could not be done.
“Lord Cain, my sister…”
“Why are you using her name? Call her sister!”
“You want to argue about that now?!”
Luciel let out a long sigh and continued.
“My sister can be frivolous, but she wouldn’t lie or joke about something like this.”
“…”
“Could you please believe her?”
“…”
“If not, maybe just beat her a little instead of killing her…!”
“What is this girl even saying?! I’m truly innocent here!!”
At Elsir’s outburst, Luciel transformed back into a fierce little cat. No matter what, they had wasted Lord Cain’s time. If he demanded compensation, her sister would have to pay it.
“Luci…!”
Elsir’s face crumpled as if she’d been abandoned. How much does she adore him that she’d throw away even her own sister?
Step—
At that moment, Cain broke his silence and began walking. Both women tensed, eyes locked on his every move. Was he really going to strike her? Did he truly believe he’d been deceived?
His footsteps halted before the scattered demon corpses. Cain crouched and began examining them closely—first their external appearance, then poking and prodding. He expanded his search to the surrounding cave, eyes gleaming with cold light.
“Over here,” Luciel whispered, pulling Elsir back by the shoulder. “You really didn’t trick Lord Cain, right?”
“I told you I didn’t!”
“If that was another one of your jokes, I will never forgive you.”
Not just anyone, but that Cain—the person she admired most in the world. And of all people, her own flesh and blood had supposedly deceived him? For Luciel, nothing could be more humiliating.
It must not be true. Absolutely, under no circumstances, could such an ending be allowed.
“I’m serious. I can bring every last one of my kin to prove my innocence.”
“Then what about those corpses? Did our people kill the demons?”
“Didn’t you hear what I said? Those creatures had seized total control of the area. We lost more than a few kin who were sent in. We were essentially trapped, so we avoided attacking hastily.”
If their kin had eliminated the demons, they would have told her immediately. Yet neither the elves, the beastmen, nor the dwarves had mentioned anything. No one in the north had known the demons were all dead.
“You reported multiple Middle Demons and even the possible presence of a High Demon.”
“Yes, Luci. That’s correct.”
It wasn’t a threat that could be removed carelessly. Luciel bit her lip. Even she would struggle to handle it quietly without support. Most suspicious of all was the complete absence of battle traces. Not inside the cave, nor anywhere along the path here.
“Luci. Over there.”
Having finished his inspection, Cain emerged from deeper within the cave. The murderous glint in his eyes had subsided slightly, though the savage aura radiating from his body remained unchanged.
“Elsir.”
“Yes! Elsir, reporting for duty!”
She dashed forward and snapped to attention. Watching her, Luciel felt suspicion rising again. She said it wasn’t a joke. Couldn’t she hold back for even a moment?
“Did your kin truly cease all attacks against them?”
“Yes. I confirmed it myself before coming down.”
“How many individuals on your level exist among the non-humans—judging purely by personal combat strength?”
“On my level?” A faint smile touched Elsir’s lips. “If we’re talking pure individual strength, there are none. Beastmen specialize in guerrilla tactics, dwarves in frontal assaults. They all focus on coordination with allies, so their solo capabilities are comparatively lower.”
“Which means there are virtually no individuals capable of attacking this place alone.”
Cain glanced at the cave, clicked his tongue, and stomped his foot in irritation. The ground trembled from the surge of mana. Elsir let out a tiny “Hik!” while Luciel’s eyes sparkled with open admiration.
“Um, Cain. What exactly happened inside—”
“From my examination, these demon bastards were all killed by one entity.”
“One? All of them?”
At first Cain had assumed some powerful being had stolen his prey. But closer inspection revealed too many odd details. And according to them, the non-humans had no one strong enough to accomplish this. That left only one realistic conclusion.
“A High Demon.”
“…Wait. Hold on. You’re saying all those dead Middle Demons were killed by a High Demon?”
“There are no signs of resistance. Every heart was destroyed cleanly. That leaves two possibilities: an overwhelmingly superior opponent, or an existence they had no reason to resist.”
He couldn’t fathom the reason. Not even a guess.
“Could the Middle Demons have rebelled against the High Demon?”
“The problem is there was also a High Demon’s corpse deeper inside.”
It had been sitting arrogantly, as if displaying itself for whoever came looking. The same massive hole in its chest. Its own heart clutched in its hand.
“Commander. Have you ever witnessed demons killing their own kind and then taking their own lives?”
“No, Lord Cain. This is a first for me as well.”
“Elsir. Your side?”
“What is there to say? I can state with certainty that this has never happened before.”
The shared opinion of Luciel and Elsir—both renowned veterans of the demon wars. Even Cain, with over a decade of experience, had never encountered anything like this.
Demons were creatures that would try to drag others down even in their final moments. Their tenacity was so extreme that even Cain had to admire it. That was why he always performed confirmation kills—so that those pretending to be dead, and those not yet dead, would have no chance.
Elsir didn’t deceive me. From the state of the bodies, they were alive until recently. Why they killed each other and ripped out every heart, I cannot say…
Had they suddenly decided this was unacceptable and chosen suicide? The same foolish method many had taken in the early days of the demon war. Were the demons now choosing the final end as their only escape?
How dare you. How dare you die among yourselves instead of by my hand.
No. Absolutely not. It could not be allowed. Even in death, they had to die by his hand. Only he had the right to kill them. Didn’t they share plenty of mutual hatred? Were they really planning to leave without resolving it? Was the bond between them truly this shallow?
“Fuck!”
He had come expecting another High Demon, only to find them all dead. If someone had stolen them, he could at least understand. But for them to kill each other? It was disappointing. Demons, you’re really hurting me here!
In a fit of irritation, he clenched his fist and swung at the cave behind him.
The cave collapsed instantly.
One second. That was all it took for the concentrated mana inside his body to erupt. The blazing power completely demolished the cave, sending up a massive cloud of dust.
“Let’s head back.”
There was nothing more to learn from the demon corpses. He couldn’t even chase down the one responsible to complain—the culprit was already dead.
He wanted to rush to the nearest demon sighting and vent his frustration. But lately, the only creatures appearing were remnants of Lower Demons. The alliance considered that level manageable and was handling them independently.
When the hell is the Academy’s second attack arc supposed to happen? Demons, I’m begging you.
Suppressing the ferocious aura leaking from his body, Cain returned. Checking his next schedule, he could only sigh again.
Today was the day he had to attend the ducal house party for Kiara’s birthday.
No matter how I look at it, this is the political arc of a painfully boring romance fantasy…
Maybe he shouldn’t have agreed to go. Cain was already drowning in regret.
At the same time.
“Everyone, I’ve just received word.”
One noble stepped forward with a bright expression, eager to share the news.
“Cain—that mad dog—is attending a party!”
“Ooooh!!”
“Is that true?”
Where? Where was the place this mad dog would finally foam at the mouth and collapse?
“The Marcello Ducal House is hosting a small gathering for their young lady’s birthday. That bastard Cain will be there. I myself received an invitation, so isn’t this the perfect realization of justice?!”
If Justice itself had heard those words, it would have clutched its forehead and let out a world-weary sigh.