Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: The Saint's Inner Thoughts
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The lifelong enemy of my parents, whom I searched for all my life, is right before my eyes.
The knight in jet-black armor I saw within Velamora's Illusionary Dream. And the image of such a being cruelly ravaging everything precious I had overlapped.
"Dullahan…."
I sealed my lips against the rising anger and glared at my opponent.
My heart pounded, screaming to cut that bastard's throat right now, but in contrast, the reason in my head grew colder and more precise than ever before.
The hairs all over my body stood on end, a prickling sensation climbing up my spine from the sharp killing intent.
The intuition that if I let my guard down even a little or moved rashly, the comrades here with me could die.
"Welcome to my territory. Astal Caisaros. No, should I call you the Harmless Mage now?"
Dullahan looked at me, seemed to ponder for a moment without moving, then readily extended a hand, offering a handshake.
Looking at Dullahan's hand, I had the illusion that blood was smeared on it. Even though it was just a jet-black gauntlet with nothing special about it.
It seemed stained with the dreadful scent of blood and the blood and flesh of the people dear to me, just as I saw ten years ago, so I just glared at him with a look that could kill.
"…This isn't our first meeting, is it? Now that you've become a sufficiently strong person and come here, I thought there was no reason not to accept a handshake?"
"Don't put on airs. Don't act like some noble warrior. You're just the Demon King's lackey in the end."
Dullahan made the blue flames flickering above his neck grow larger, as if he didn't understand, and I spat out bitter words while watching.
If Dullahan truly cared about pride and called himself a warrior, he wouldn't have set a trap like this, using innocent people as hostages.
And he wouldn't have killed the people of my hometown who couldn't even resist in the first place. What kind of warrior ravages the weak who can't even properly wield a weapon?
Even considering the Beastfolk, a race that worships the Beast God Penrith, the God of War and Survival, such an act didn't match the word 'warrior'.
"Hahaha! Quite cold and precise. I thought you'd go on a rampage, tearing things apart to avenge your parents, or kneel down crying, begging for your life alone…."
Then a loud laugh came from the head Dullahan was holding. Thus, even with his head and body separated, they could each move independently, making this possible.
"…I have a chance to smash your skull myself, why on earth would I do that?"
I let out a hollow, incredulous laugh toward the helmeted head.
Unlike my powerless childhood, now I had attained a realm of magic and comrades around me who could help.
"I like that guts of yours. Seems I was right to ignore the Demon King's order and spare you back then."
Dullahan tightly gripped the horse's reins and slowly approached me, then mentioned past events in an excited voice.
He, who horrifically killed everyone in my hometown village and even made sure no one survived with a finishing blow.
Why on earth did he let me escape and flee the village? He was readily providing the answer to that question with his own mouth.
"…So it was the Demon King's order after all."
"Yes. We went to kill because word was a hero who would kill the Demon King would appear in that backwater village called Mavilos, but I saw quite an interesting fellow."
Dullahan chuckled as he said that. Shaking his body as if unable to hold back laughter, he was toying with me.
In the end, Victoria's speculation, which she pondered day and night, was correct. A being that could threaten the Demon King's life was born, and they tried to eliminate that sprout in advance.
"Well, because of that incident back then, you've become such a strong mage and come looking for me, haven't you? Even killed Velamora, one of the Four Heavenly Kings."
"……."
Dullahan's thoughts and mindset were twisted in every direction to the point I didn't want to exchange words anymore. Originally, demons and monsters live in ways humans can't comprehend, but….
"…Disgusting. Is that all you have to say?"
Watching Dullahan, who didn't feel even a shred of guilt or sorrow for the humans he killed, made my heart boil with the desire to crush that face right now.
"No. Now that a new challenger has appeared, we must proceed with the arena as originally scheduled. My other comrades won't pose any particular threat even if you reveal your identities within my territory."
Then Dullahan raised his hand high toward the sky, making a gesture to withdraw the hordes of monsters and demons surrounding us.
The sounds of ropes being cut—*scritch, slither*—echoed here and there, and the people detained within the crowd were seen being released.
"Do you think I'd believe that?"
"…A promise is a promise. If I can fight you, I'm confident I'd agree even if it cost me a fortune."
Dullahan nodded his head up and down as if showing magnanimity, but I could instantly tell it was disgusting hypocrisy.
If I lost, that bastard would kill all the people he took hostage, and even my precious comrades, saying they were unnecessary.
"I was right to spare you."
"……."
Watching Dullahan spreading his arms as if satisfied while looking at me, I felt nausea rising inside.
"Everyone here, listen—! A new challenger has appeared for the arena! His name is Astal Caisaros, the mage of the Hero's Party, famous under the epithet Harmless Mage!"
"Waaaaaah—!"
Dullahan raised his voice and announced to the surroundings that I would participate in the arena, and countless people in the crowd shouted back with enthusiastic cheers.
The demons and monsters with faces and hands stained blood-red as if they'd just fought, and bodies covered in wounds, had faces laughing more joyfully than anyone.
"…It really is a den of madmen."
The fact that all demons and monsters must be killed once again passed strongly through my mind.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "No matter how I think about it, it was too reckless. Kyle."
The day before Dullahan's arena opened, after wrapping up the commotion, we entered a tavern with our identities hidden and talked.
Dullahan said we could move around with the Perception Hindrance Magic lifted, but since we couldn't so easily trust a demon's words….
"What was?"
"You anticipated what Dullahan wanted and guided my actions in advance. What if I hadn't noticed?"
I spoke while taking a sip of alcohol for the first time in a while. Even now, just thinking about that time makes my hands tremble uncontrollably, so I barely got Victoria's permission.
If Kyle hadn't made the first move, the worst situation could have occurred where someone here would have lost their life to Dullahan.
"…That's what trusting a comrade is, isn't it? Besides, you're quick-witted about everything except romance."
"……."
Kyle gave an awkward smile while sharing a drink. Beside me, Victoria nodded strongly, showing she agreed.
"Still, I'm not pleased with the current outcome. What if Sir Astal loses and dies while fighting in the arena?"
Victoria then spoke while glaring at Kyle. Her gaze was cold and sharp, unlike what one would expect from a Saint.
Like a furious snake opening its mouth to spray venom because its possession was touched, she showed a stance that didn't yield even against the Hero.
"If that happens, I will abstain from food and drink, spend my whole life longing for just one man, and meet my death voluntarily."
- I'm not joking. Do you even know how much I cried and grieved when you collapsed last time? You bad man….
Victoria linked arms with me and rubbed my chest strongly. She seemed dissatisfied that I chose drinking over physical contact with her to calm down.
"At least I won't die before avenging my parents. Victoria."
I expressed my resolve to such Victoria. I couldn't die carelessly with my parents' enemy right before my eyes.
"I don't believe such empty promises. If you want to reassure me, show me with actions. Sir Astal."
"Actions like…."
"Leaving your seed, making me conceive, and spreading your descendants far and wide. Even if I cease to be a Saint."
"……."
She carefully stroked her lower abdomen with her hand. Simultaneously, Victoria's inner thoughts that reached me were so lewd and vulgar that I erased them from my mind.
"Wouldn't that be more certain to believe? No matter how you are, once you have a child, paternal love will blossom, and you'll value your life more dearly."
"…That's a bit much no matter how I think about it. We haven't even defeated the Demon King yet."
"I'm suggesting we plan for the future. Wouldn't it be safer if the children born between you and I grow up to become adults, and then kill the Demon King?"
Victoria spoke while looking up at me from below. Her eyes were red as if tears would pour out any moment, and a slight tremble in her voice carried sorrow.
"Besides, I don't like pushing onto my children what I couldn't do myself. If we can finish it in our generation, we should do our best."
I tried to reassure Victoria by stroking her head, attempting to persuade her with the calmest tone possible.
"No matter how I think about it, you two should just get married right away and live happily in the countryside, shouldn't you? I'll take care of the Demon King…."
Kyle sighed enviously while downing his drink as he watched. Unlike others, his feelings of not having a lover by his side were reflected in his eyes.
"…Absolutely not."
"That won't do. Ultimately, the Demon King must be killed for Sir Astal to avenge his parents and spend the rest of his life happily with me, right?"
I felt rather frightened by the aspect of Victoria not immediately choosing to kidnap me to the countryside but planning for the distant future instead.
"Now that I know you're considering the child born between us that I mentioned earlier, I also wish to follow the opinion of the man who will become my husband."
No matter how I thought about it, Victoria's love seemed to be an emotion greater than I had speculated.