The Truth I Must Know - Part 2
The place known as Hell. Even the young Seere knew well what kind of realm it was. Yet knowing that fact and understanding why Nahen would go there were two entirely different matters.
Seere was so startled by Nahen’s declaration that he was heading to Hell that she completely forgot her anger. Worry for him surged forward first.
“T-Teacher, why would you go there!?”
“I told you. I have something I must do.”
“Then what is it that you must do!? How are you supposed to come back from Hell…!”
Ordinary demons could not enter Hell and leave at will. Seere knew that getting in was already difficult, but getting out was practically impossible.
Swarming evil spirits, powerful demons, and above them all, the ten transcendent beings who ruled over everything.
Archdemons.
They were unparalleled existences that stood above even the demon race. Demon Kings could not compare to their ancient strength. Having lived for eons, their knowledge and wisdom were unmatched, and their power was utterly terrifying.
Even the mightiest Demon Kings—such as Seir von Devata, who had once reigned at the absolute peak of the Demon Realm, or Belzebute von Deus, who had held the top position since the appearance of Demon Kings—could not guarantee victory against them. They were beings on an entirely different level.
It was only natural to fear what might happen if a demon carelessly set foot in the Hell ruled by such entities.
“It’s alright. I can return.”
Seere knew that too. She knew Nahen was monstrously strong. In fact, he was so strong that it made one wonder where he had been hiding all this time. Just the whale he casually commanded—Leviathan—was a monster so powerful that even Seere doubted she could defeat it.
Yet even so, the thought of sending Nahen to Hell filled her with unease.
She grabbed his collar tightly and spoke.
“You can’t! Absolutely not! Just go back to the Human Realm and work there instead. If you go to Hell, you might really never…!”
“It’s fine, Seere. Unlike what you’re worried about, I truly can come back.”
“But Teacher, that doesn’t make any—”
“I am someone who can return.”
At Nahen’s low, quiet words, Seere—who had been trying to dissuade him—widened her eyes. And this clever child immediately understood the deeper meaning behind his significant statement.
“Teacher… you don’t mean…”
“Seere, this is the first time I’m telling this story to you.”
First. Seere, who valued that word more than anyone, nodded unconsciously.
Nahen continued, speaking gently to her.
“You must not tell this to anyone else. Only then can I stay by your side forever.”
Nahen gave a faint smile. He extended his hand toward Seere and held out his pinky finger. It was a gesture that clearly showed he still saw her as a child.
“Can you promise me?”
“…Yes.”
Seere hooked her own pinky around his. Nahen nodded.
“From your reaction earlier, it seems you’ve already guessed… but yes, I am not an ordinary demon.”
Nahen fully released his demonic power.
In that instant, Seere was completely overwhelmed. It wasn’t just overwhelming—she could barely breathe. Faced with that vast and overwhelming mana, her body trembled slightly as cold sweat broke out. Nahen quickly withdrew his power.
“Hah…!”
“I am a demon. Among demons, one who stands above them all…”
Seere didn’t need him to finish. She could instinctively tell from that overwhelming power just moments ago.
With slightly trembling eyes, she looked at Nahen.
“An Archdemon.”
Seere’s expression was one of utter shock. That was only natural. Even the young Seere knew exactly what an Archdemon was. In truth, how many beings in Hell could possibly not know of the Archdemons?
To her, Nahen spoke honestly.
“However, I never intended to hide it from the beginning. Please understand that I only learned exactly who I am not long ago.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“For some reason… I had sealed my own memories. I only learned who I was and what kind of being I had been in the past after meeting the progenitor of my bloodline. Having lived so long, she knew a great many things.”
“……”
Seere stared at Nahen in a daze. Perched on his lap, turned toward him and clutching his collar, she didn’t even have the presence of mind to feel embarrassed by how compromising her position was.
“Through the progenitor’s story, I learned what kind of existence I am. And I wasn’t the only one who noticed.”
“Pardon?”
“You remember when a demon came looking for me before, don’t you?”
“On the 72nd Floor?”
“Yes. But actually, one had come even before that.”
“!?”
Unlike Demogorgon, whom he had sent away, Nahen had immediately thrown the previous visitor—Abaddon—into Leviathan as food. He had handled it extremely quickly at the time and believed he could resolve it himself, so he hadn’t mentioned it. But now that he judged it necessary to go to Hell in person, he decided to tell Seere everything while he was at it.
“I took care of it on the spot, but it ultimately led to demons and angels invading the 72nd Floor. That’s why I realized I couldn’t just leave things as they were. I’ve been thinking about it since then.”
“…You didn’t tell me in advance again.”
“I’m sorry.”
Seere was clever. She instantly understood why Nahen had to go to Hell. The reason he kept paying attention to the Human Realm was to prevent the outbreak of the Heavenly Demon War. If Hell interfered now, it would ruin everything. It seemed he intended to cut off that possibility in advance.
The sharp-minded Seere clearly realized why Nahen had to head to Hell. And since his reason for trying to stop the Heavenly Demon War was solely for her sake, she couldn’t stop him.
“Then… you don’t even know when you’ll return?”
“…I don’t know how long it will take. Still, I’ll do my best. I will try to return before the Demon Realm General Assembly begins.”
Nahen gently stroked Seere’s hair. She lowered her head slightly. Normally, his touch always felt good, but for some reason, right now it felt a little unpleasant.
“Dane will regularly send letters reporting on the situation in the Human Realm. Ideally, you should only need to hear progress reports… but since the civil war must last at least a year, if there are signs of an early end, have Dane and Eri intervene in the Human Realm.”
Nahen calmly told her what she needed to do.
“Be especially careful of Charlotte von Bismarck of the Bismarck Empire. Even I cannot easily underestimate that princess’s intellect. It would be best to create a situation where she has only one choice before she can devise any schemes.”
“…Are you saying I shouldn’t kill her?”
“If a demon kills a human in the Human Realm, the Heavenly Gods will detect it, and that would cause problems.”
The reason Nahen had been able to eliminate Schwarze’s army was thanks to the excellent cleaner known as Leviathan. Seere nodded without arguing.
“Seere.”
“…Yes.”
“I know very well that you are still young and need my care. But this is something that can no longer be delayed. It’s because you are young, and this faction is not yet stable.”
“I know.”
Even as she answered, Seere’s eyes were filled with reluctance. The childish obsession of not wanting to part from him even a little was clear on her face.
Nahen lightly cupped her cheek with his hand. Then he gently pinched it, softening her expression.
“If my disciple cannot solve something, then I must solve it for her. Only then can I call myself a true teacher, right? So that you can focus on the affairs of the Demon Realm without worry, I will take care of all the complicated matters. I’ll leave your training recorded in the Training Journal, so make sure you don’t skip a single day.”
“…I train hard even without the Training Journal.”
“Mm, that’s true.”
It really was. These days, Seere took care of her personal training on her own without Nahen even needing to tell her. Not a single day was missed.
“Can you do well until I return?”
Nahen asked with trust in his eyes. Seere pressed her lips together tightly. Faced with Nahen looking at her with such faith, she simply could not answer “no.”
“…Yes.”
Seere tightly grasped the hand resting on her head. Then, with all her heart, she spoke to Nahen.
“You must come back.”
“Where would I go without you?”
“I’ll wait for you.”
Her sea-blue eyes sparkled. The eyes of a child filled with determination shone brighter and more nobly than anything else.
“Everything you’ve taught me, everything you’ve shown me… I will use it all to build a respectable faction.”
Nahen smiled softly. He gave her a light hug and patted her back. Like a parent sending off a child they had been raising.
“Just hearing that makes me happy. You don’t have to overdo it. Show the world your skill and ability only to the extent that you can.”
“…Yes, Teacher.”
Nahen gently straightened Seere’s posture, then stood up. He seated his disciple back upon the throne. Standing before her as she sat there, he spoke in a firm voice.
“I believe in you. No matter what anyone says, you are…”
The one I personally taught and raised.
“My one and only disciple.”
Because you will become the greatest Demon King.
Nahen left.
Left alone, Seere remained seated on the throne for a long time, savoring the lingering warmth he had left behind.
“…The reason Teacher left.”
It’s all because I’m weak.
The reason Teacher had to go to Hell was entirely to protect his weak self. If I weren’t weak, there would have been no need for him to avoid the Heavenly Demon War, and no reason for him to head to Hell.
Seere carved that truth deep into her bones. She placed her hand on the armrest of the throne and stood up.
If things stay like this, I’ll only ever receive protection from Teacher. He’ll never see me as a woman.
Seere looked down at her own hand for a moment. The hand that had foolishly, childishly clung to her teacher.
Slowly, she closed that hand into a tight fist.
I have to change.
By the time Nahen returns, she would build a far more dignified faction and become much stronger herself. And…
I have to become more mature.
She wanted to become a little more adult-like, someone her teacher could lean on.
Seere made that vow to herself and left the audience chamber, giving up on sitting any longer on the throne that still held Nahen’s warmth.