Princess of the Fallen Kingdom (6)
It happened one day just before graduation.
"...What did you say?"
I stared at him in bewilderment at the sudden declaration.
"Even after graduation, I plan to stay on as chairman."
"What does that...?"
I couldn't make sense of his words.
He wasn't just any graduate—he was Chalseok, and purely in terms of raw combat power, he was rated higher than even the top rank.
For someone like that to abandon a flashy debut as a hero and hole up here instead?
"What are you thinking?"
If it were anyone else, I might think they were hiding from the battlefield out of fear. But the chairman I knew wasn't the type.
He dominated battlefields—he didn't run from them in terror.
It would make more sense if he had some unavoidable reason to stick with the chairman role.
"I can't reveal the details. But for the time being, I intend to manage Academy City and prepare for what's ahead."
That was... certainly necessary, sure.
But did it really have to be him doing it?
"What about the front lines, then?"
The front lines were already like a balloon stretched to its limit.
With tensions between the allied forces and the demonkin at an all-time high, incidents could erupt anywhere at any moment.
In that situation, for the chairman—who could undoubtedly be a massive asset—not to step up?
Honestly, it was an incomprehensible decision.
"The Hero Association, not to mention the senior heroes at the front, must all be hoping for you to join them."
"I've already convinced the Association. The heroes at the front know full well how important Academy City is—they'll understand."
Of course, understanding and accepting were two different things...
The chairman trailed off, then fixed his usual cool gaze squarely on me.
"What about you? What are your plans?"
"...Me?"
"Yes. What do you intend to do after graduation?"
"I..."
His question dredged up old memories.
People writhing in agony, moaning in pain.
My guard knights dying, drenched in blood.
My mother's trembling arms as she held me.
My father, gone before I could even see him, leaving only final words.
And my little brother, not even a trace left behind.
...As if I could forget.
The enemy who upended my entire life in an instant.
That's why I'd resolved myself long ago.
"I'm going to the front lines."
I had to go there.
The place where you'd clash with demonkin the most.
Where countless heroes fell, and just as many demonkin perished.
And where the strongest demonkin were most likely to appear.
No other option even crossed my mind.
Because...
"If I'm there, I might run into him..."
The front lines did see rare appearances from the Four Heavenly Kings.
If luck was on my side and I faced the Death Devil, then no matter what...
"As expected."
"...Pardon?"
"You're rushing off to die, aren't you?"
His words froze me in place.
"What do you...?"
"I know about the Death Devil too. Second of the Four Heavenly Kings. The demonkin who wields death. They say if he shows up, a small city falls without effort."
"...So what?"
I shot him a sharp glare at his baffling remark.
How dare he spout off when he didn't even know why I was after him.
I felt like a fool for ever thinking he was trustworthy, even briefly.
"You must already know, Chairman. That bastard killed my parents, my friends, my people, my kingdom. Just breathing the same air as him under the heavens makes my teeth grind."
Ever since he stole everything from me.
I've lived for revenge my whole life.
I honed my spirit arts to kill him.
I came to Academy City to kill him.
I built connections with promising talents to kill him.
Even joining the student council was part of that revenge—!
"Don't try to talk me out of it. I've already made up my mind."
Kill the Death Devil.
If my power fell short, I'd borrow others'.
That was my resolve, my determination.
At that moment, the chairman's ever-moving hands stilled.
"You plan to charge blindly to the front lines and just die there?"
"What do you know...!"
I know I'm not strong enough!
I know my power can't even scratch him...!
"Suppose the Death Devil shows up at the front lines. What could you do? What good would all those connections you've scraped together be?"
He's one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
A overwhelming powerhouse rivaling the Seven Powers.
Did I really think ordinary heroes could make a difference against an enemy like that?
I could say it with certainty.
Your so-called raid would just pile up more corpses.
"Then what am I supposed to do...!"
"......"
"You think I haven't tried?! I know full well he's one of the continent's top powerhouses!"
But so what!
I couldn't recruit the Seven Powers just to wait for some unpredictable appearance!
"They're the pillars of entire nations! The mere act of them leaving their homelands would cause massive ripples...!"
Of course, the enemy would go into hiding at the first sign of such movement.
Call in a horde of ranker heroes? Impossible.
The front lines held together thanks to those few elite rankers.
If they left to follow me, the lines would crumble.
The Hero Association wouldn't stand for it.
And who knows how the demonkin would react.
His fame worked against him here.
That was why even the Seven Powers couldn't just band together against a Heavenly King.
The rumors alone from their movements spread too far.
'He knows that, so why...!'
I glared at the chairman in fury.
No way he didn't know these obvious facts.
So why say all this to me now!
"At your current level, facing him would just be a dog's death."
"I can't just keep a powerhouse on standby forever until he shows."
His continued words ignited rage deep in my chest.
"So...! So what do you want me to do...! Even if I'm weak! Even if the odds are slim! I can't give up when I think of all those who fell!"
I spat my burning fury at him raw, and he met my gaze steadily, expression unchanged.
"Let's make a deal."
"A deal...?"
"I'll help you."
"What...?"
"You want to kill him."
I'll make it happen.
His sweet offer left me staring in disbelief.
"You, Chairman...?"
"Yes. If that's what you want, I'll join you in subjugating him anytime."
"If it's someone of your caliber..."
Even now, his strength placed him in the top tier among active heroes.
And with experience and growth, becoming a ranker would be swift.
'Not quite the Seven Powers, but...'.
A near-ranker ally would still be...
"But there's a condition."
Of course.
No way he'd offer this for free.
And sure enough, he followed with something outrageous.
"Stay with me."
"What!?"
Trading power for me?
'Th-that devilish...'
Was it the sheer impropriety of it?
Images flashed through my mind of what accepting would mean.
The chairman mercilessly claiming my body in exchange for revenge support.
'Ugh...!'
To think the chairman was this inhuman!
But contrary to my thoughts, my heart pounded relentlessly, harder than usual, heat rising to my face.
As I rubbed my feverish cheeks to cool them, the chairman spoke again.
"As I said, I'll continue as chairman for a while after graduation. I'll need fitting executives for that."
"Ah..."
"I'd like you in that role."
......
......
......Oh. Right.
He meant for me to keep handling student council finances.
I rubbed my flushed cheeks in embarrassment and bowed my head slightly.
Then I closed my eyes, weighing my options.
Take his hand and plan for the future together.
Or graduate and wander aimlessly hunting him down.
"...Understood."
The decision came quickly.
It shattered my original plans, but an astonishing relief washed over me.
'Was I anxious too?'
It made sense, really.
My foe was a Heavenly King.
Ranked second, no less—a monster.
Challenging that alone...
"I'll gladly join you."
"...I see. Good."
The chairman let out a low sigh.
Was he tense too?
Seeing him relieved like that felt oddly pleasing.
"But I have a condition."
"A condition...?"
"Yes. If you won't accept it, then forget my earlier offer."
I stated it firmly, and he straightened up, eyes on me.
"Let's hear it."
"Kill the enemy who took everything from me. The Death Devil."
"Hm."
"No chasing him off or sparing him. Absolute subjugation. I want nothing but his death."
"Hmm..."
His brow furrowed slightly at my resolute words.
Was he refusing?
Sudden anxiety gripped me, and I blurted out a shocking counteroffer.
"I-if you do that, I'll stay with you for ten years, a hundred—forever."
"......"
Not just time—my everything, pledged to him.
How would he take that?
Silent for a moment, he pondered, then sighed deeply and nodded slowly.
"Very well. I swear it. If we encounter the Death Devil, I'll kill him."
"...Deal."
I offered my all.
He offered his power.
Our life-staked bargain sealed in secret.
───
And years later, now.
I stared straight at him, unflinching.
"Gahk...?!"
Honestly, even during the deal, I hadn't truly believed he'd pull it off.
"Kuhk...!"
My heart thundered wildly.
Before my eyes, my long-dreamed-of enemy sailed powerless through the air.
Unable to react.
Just bouncing across the ground repeatedly, collapsing in ruins.
The Death Devil.
I watched every second of the chairman's fight with him, eyes glued.
"Grk! To think there was a powerhouse like this beyond the Seven Powers..."
Staggering to his feet, he spat blood and muttered.
"I didn't want to use my trump card here, but no choice."
With that, he pulled a small black stone from his pocket.
"Wh-what's that...?"
Everyone around gaped at the unfamiliar item.
But I alone reacted in horror.
"No, that's...!"
I bolted toward the chairman.
I couldn't let him use that.
The spirit corrupted by demonic energy, barely sealed long ago in the Kingdom of Crim.
"Chairman! Be careful! That's...!"
───the Dark Spirit.
"Too late...!"
Krunch—!
Before I reached him, the enemy acted first.
Crushing the stone with force, he seized the emerging spirit and rapidly absorbed its power.
Kyaaaaah──!
The seal broke; the Dark Spirit manifesting into this world crumbled and was sucked into him.
Explosive demonic energy enveloped him.
I charged desperately at him.
'I can't let him finish absorbing it!'
My instincts screamed.
If he took it all in, something horrific would happen!
───
Meanwhile, Yeon Je-seong watched the Death Devil's actions calmly, arms crossed, waiting for his preparation.
'Gotta let him transform.'
The ominous signs screamed phase two.
A gamer's duty was to wait for it.
'I was gonna attack if it looked tough, but nah, this is fine.'
Of course, he wasn't risking his life.
It just didn't seem threatening enough to interrupt.
Roooar──!
Finally, the demonic storm subsided, revealing the enemy's new form.
'Come on...!'