186
I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake.
Chapter 186
The moon had risen after the rain stopped. The moonlight was good enough to see far into the distance. Under the bright moonlight, the horrific battlefield was visible at a glance. The surrounding area was filled with corpses. The Red wing knights and Steel Lion knights who were fighting earlier were nowhere to be seen. Due to his battle with Elijah, Yan couldn't understand what had happened as he hadn't been able to perceive the surrounding situation.
Whatever the case, Yan knew he had to stop Elijah.
'But how?'
Would killing Elijah with his sword be enough to stop him? Or did it mean he needed to subjugate Elijah? While Yan knew he had to stop him, he raised his sword without knowing what exactly he needed to stop or how to do it.
"In my memories, Hero, you were an exceptionally model and good knight. A good knight who would carry out given orders without refusal and never reject them."
Elijah stood ten steps away from Yan. That distance seemed subtly long yet distant.
"That's why you were suitable to be my adopted son. I thought if you learned diligently under me, you could protect the Friedrich Border well. However, Hero, you left my embrace, swayed by that young woman's influence."
"I deeply regret refusing your offer, Margrave. However, I wanted to see the wider world. I thought that would become impossible if I became a member of the Friedrich family."
"Was seeing the wider world truly your dream? I mean, was becoming a Hero really your dream?"
"Yes, it was my dream."
"So how does it feel to have achieved your dream? Are you happy?"
Yan found it difficult to answer. He had thought becoming a Hero would feel fantastic, but that feeling lasted only briefly. As time passed, he felt like he would suffocate under the heavy responsibility. However, Yan couldn't say such things in front of Elijah, if no one else.
"...How could I not be happy after achieving my dream?"
"Don't lie. That decision only benefited Mitchell and Rose. Thanks to using you, Michelle could get closer to becoming the head of the Redfield family, and Rose gained power she couldn't obtain as a woman. They are using you."
"I don't think I'm being used, Your Lordship."
Yan raised his sword.
"If I had been bound to the Friedrich family, I wouldn't have known how beautiful the imperial capital's night view is. If I hadn't become a Hero, I wouldn't have known how joyful it is to receive people's expectations. These are things I fought for and wanted."
"This is the result of obtaining that beauty and happiness. The demon realm front line has collapsed, and you and I are raising swords to kill each other. Don't you regret this reality?"
Regret.
Since becoming a Hero, Yan had avoided using the word ‘regret’ easily. Because if he wavered and broke down, the other soldiers watching would break down too. However, Yan's true feelings inadvertently spilled out.
"...I do regret it."
Like a dam breaking, once the words started, they kept flowing.
"If I had known I would meet this end with Margrave Elijah, I wouldn't have left while arguing with the Margrave."
"Are you saying you would still have become a Hero?"
"What man would hesitate before such a brilliant dream?"
The hand holding Nameless trembled slightly.
"Even if I went back, I would choose to become a Hero. However, my shoulders are too heavy to accept this outcome."
Yan couldn't tell if it was his hand that was trembling or if Nameless was vibrating. However, that trembling caused Yan's heart to shake greatly. While acknowledging that his decision had many flaws, Yan wanted to cover those flaws with sword and blood. After all, that was what Yan did best.
"But I can't quit now. So I will cut off my regrets with my own hands."
The five top-grade magic stones embedded in Yan's armor began to shine. Those lights became five streaks, and those five streaks created their own magic circle. That magic circle attached to both of Yan's shoulder blades, chest, and both thighs, emitting a brilliant light. This was the finest collaborative work created by the mages of Gale Magic Tower and the blacksmiths of Shalibi, made exclusively for Yan alone.
This was Requiem.
With a humming sound, Yan's Requiem vibrated and washed away the dirty mud and rainwater. Yan raised his sword. Then the magic circle embedded in his chest shone brightly, coating Yan's blade with a blue barrier. This was the ultimate cutting magic that could only be manifested in Requiem, the Blade of Requiem.
Yan rushed at Elijah. Unlike before, Yan's speed had increased dramatically. This was because the 'Speed Buff Magic' shining from Yan's left thigh and the 'Sensory Amplification Buff Magic' shining from his right thigh were working to help Yan surpass his physical limitations.
Yan left blue lines in the air as if Nameless would slice Elijah's entire body into pieces. At a speed that transcended human limitations, Yan thought Elijah would be cut to pieces. Even if it was 'For Honor,' there was no way it could block Yan's sword with cutting magic added to the blade. Yan swung his sword intending to cut through Elijah's greatsword.
With a crackling sound!
However, Yan's sword was stopped. The reason was quite simple. Elijah's greatsword was coated with a yellowish-brown blade aura.
"How...?"
Yan couldn't understand at all. Elijah being a Sword Master? Moreover, Elijah's blade aura wasn't just coating his greatsword but his entire armor as well.
"Are you surprised?"
Elijah pressed down on Yan with force. Even with strength enhancement magic, Yan struggled just to withstand Elijah's power.
"There are always hidden strong ones in the world who remain unrevealed. That's why I always taught you to be humble, didn't I?"
Elijah's greatsword thrust forward mercilessly.
***
They say humans are animals that evolve, don't they?
Until now, Caesar had entrusted everything to Whitey during flight, but things were different now.
After establishing a route where Whitey could receive maximum lift along the wind path, he guided Whitey there.
With Raven's wind resistance magic and rain-blocking magic added, they could cross the demon realm at practically jet-like speeds.
Eventually, on the evening of the 16th day since Caesar left the main force.
Caesar and Raven were able to reach Eagle valley.
Of course, the state of Eagle valley was not good at all.
"...What chaos is this?"
Artillery fire was occurring in the Loran Plains area occupied by the 5th Division.
Of course, artillery fire on the demon realm front line wasn't particularly strange.
However, it was very strange that the direction of the artillery fire was not toward the Beast-people's Forest, but in the opposite direction, toward the Loran Plains area.
Caesar confirmed the point of impact.
The shells were landing where division-level forces were moving in lines.
"Has Baker, that crazy bastard, finally lost it?"
Why are they suddenly firing artillery at friendly forces?
Caesar changed his direction from Eagle valley toward the Loran Plains.
Although the Gloria issue was important, he couldn't just stand by and watch the tragedy unfolding before his eyes.
Caesar headed toward the artillery units that were busily firing.
"I'll go!"
"You're trying to leave me behind again!"
As soon as Caesar dismounted from Whitey, Raven immediately followed.
Caesar destroyed a towed artillery piece as soon as he landed.
"Stop, you crazy bastards!"
The artillerymen immediately turned their gun barrels upon seeing Caesar appear out of nowhere.
"W-what! Ce... Caesar? Even Lady Raven?!"
They immediately lowered their gun barrels upon seeing Raven.
Caesar grabbed the collar of the soldier right in front of him and growled.
"What the hell is this nonsense?"
"Uh, what?"
The soldiers stammered, unable to speak properly.
Right.
This was Caesar's mistake for asking the low-ranking soldiers who just do what they're told.
Caesar looked for someone who could properly explain this situation.
Caesar rushed over and grabbed the collar of a soldier of moderate rank.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
"Y-you're the one who should explain what you're doing! Even if it's you, we can't let this slide!"
Caesar used psychometry on the lieutenant colonel.
"Why are you firing artillery at friendly forces?! Did General Baker order this?!"
"Uh, what? What do you mean, friendly forces?"
-What are you talking about? We received observation reports of Orcs appearing in the rear and we're firing based on that.
The color drained from Caesar's lips.
"We suddenly got reports of Orcs in the rear..."
"Where are the bastards who said they saw Orcs? Which observation post?!"
"Th-the observation hill..."
As soon as Raven heard this, she waved her wand.
Instantly, Caesar and Raven space-jumped to the top of the observation hill.
The observation post was near the peak, and as soon as they arrived, Raven and Caesar immediately frowned.
This was because an intense smell of blood permeated the air.
Caesar entered the post.
Inside were observation post soldiers who had been shot dead.
And there was one observation officer holding a telephone.
Despite seeing Caesar and Raven, the observation officer did not remove the phone from his hand.
"Charlie observation post reporting. Orcs currently advancing to Charlie observation post. Requesting volley fire..."
Slash!
Caesar swung Lefty and cut off the officer's right arm.
The observation officer didn't even blink despite having his right arm severed.
"So you're Caesar."
"You bastard..."
"Elijah had a message for you."
The observation officer aimed the revolver in his left hand at his own chin.
"This is your mistake for giving me enough time."
Bang!
He blew his own head off.
Caesar gritted his teeth as he looked at the dead doppelganger.
"...Damn it."
What was Elijah's reason for showering artillery fire on friendly forces?
And on units composed of their own private soldiers, no less.
The reason was very clear.
"He's establishing grounds for rebellion."
This wasn't from Caesar's mouth.
Raven also understood this situation very clearly.
Elijah wasn't planning to stop at collapsing the demon realm front.
Beyond just clearly breaking with the Empire, Elijah intended to wither away and kill the Empire's main forces.
"Right. He deliberately made the Empire's soldiers attack Elijah's soldiers to create the justification that the Empire tried to strike at Elijah first."
The current demon realm front was a front line that was barely holding together due to the greed of the pig-like powerbrokers, including the Emperor.
But now it had reached its limit, and Elijah had just ignited that powder keg early.
However, what Caesar had wanted was simply to minimize the sacrifices of the soldiers fighting in the demon realm.
That's why he negotiated with Elijah and fought the Black Horn tribe, but...
Wheeeeeeee!
Caesar heard the sound of artillery shells passing overhead.
Wheeeee!
Wheeeeeeee!
Not just one shell, but dozens flew by.
Caesar and Raven left the observation post and looked toward the 5th Division.
Kwaaaaaang!
Kwaaaaaang!
Dozens of artillery shells rained down on the 5th Division's main force, turning it into hell in an instant.
Then artillery shells flew from the 5th Division's side as well.
The shells flew toward the 11th Division, composed of Margrave Friedrich's private soldiers.
"...No."
Caesar mounted Whitey who had flown to the observation post.
Raven also grabbed Caesar's hand and mounted.
"Let's go, Whitey!"
"Where are you going?!"
As Whitey took off, the observation post exploded from artillery fire.
Caesar turned Whitey's reins toward Eagle valley where Margrave Friedrich was.
"To Elijah!"