214
I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake.
Chapter 214
Raum swam and came ashore.
"Huff... huff..."
Raum lay down, catching his breath heavily.
"Damn... What the hell is going on."
Raum was certain he had completely brainwashed Tatiana.
When Tatiana's mind was confused, he used his brainwashing ability to engrave 'revenge' in her mind and simultaneously engraved the 'image' that Raum was a helper who could assist Tatiana's revenge.
But after being shaken by Caesar's few words, she refused Raum's orders and even fled...
Blood vessels appeared in Raum's eyes.
"...I can't let you go like this. Tatiana."
Tatiana is just like Raum's trophy.
She was evidence that even the most noble knight could fall, and a living witness testifying to Raum's authority and ability.
And...
"Tatiana, you are my masterpiece...! No one can take you away."
Raum felt his connection with Tatiana gradually fading.
All of this was because of Caesar's vicious tongue.
No, even now, he must be destroying Raum's Tatiana with that cunning voice and making her his own.
Raum's whole body shuddered at the delusion that Tatiana might become Caesar's.
Raum's heart piece beat rapidly due to fear.
Raum was very bothered by this thumping sound.
"...I need to remove this thing quickly."
Raum couldn't stand having a heart in his body.
Having a heart inside makes him feel weak.
He wanted to find Tatiana quickly, remove the heart piece, and hide it somewhere else.
At that moment, river water rushed toward Raum.
"Ummph...!"
The river water wrapped around Raum's entire body and dragged him deep into the river.
Wondering what was going on, Raum used light magic.
Light magic exploded throughout the river, brightening the surroundings.
Fish scattered in all directions, startled by the sudden light.
However, there were some who didn't flee despite the burst of light.
'...Beast people?!'
The Shadow Otter tribe surrounded Raum and used magic.
Raum was caught in a whirlpool and hit the river bottom here and there, making it difficult to regain consciousness.
'Why are these guys...?'
How did these guys find Raum and why are they attacking him?
More urgent than those questions was breathing.
Gurgle...!
Raum mobilized all the water magic he knew to somehow escape from the otters, but he couldn't overcome the Shadow Otter tribe's magic.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
As his heart raced, Raum's consciousness faded.
Raum finally sank beneath the river water, unable to exhale.
When Raum showed no movement, the Shadow Otter tribe stopped their magic.
Then they came ashore and shook off the water.
Other beast people who were waiting on land approached the otters.
"What happened to the devil?"
"Caesar was right. He's weak against water."
Paro, the chief of the Shadow Otter tribe, recalled what Caesar had said a few hours ago.
-Raum prefers to hide heart pieces in water. Places like rivers or lakes are the best.
-Why is that?
-I don't know either. Anyway, look around nearby rivers and lakes. If you find a heart piece stored in a glass bottle, just break it without mercy.
-Understood. But what if we encounter Raum?
-If you meet him head-on, send me a signal and run away unconditionally. But if you meet him by the riverside, drag him into the river. He's never learned water magic, so he won't be able to stand against you guys.
Paro headed to the riverside.
"Let's look for the heart piece again. There's a high chance he hid another one somewhere around here."
At that moment, flames burst out in the southern sky.
"Looks like Raum is over there."
"What should we do?"
Paro prided himself on the Shadow Otter tribe being the bravest warrior tribe in the world.
So to prove that pride, they fought against Geotech the longest and most fiercely.
But what was the result?
Weren't they almost wiped out by the enraged Geotech, with barely 500 people remaining now?
Paro weighed the Shadow Otter tribe's instinct to fight to the death once they designated an enemy against the tribe's future.
"We'll focus on finding other heart pieces. There's nothing good about confronting the devil head-on. That will be helpful for everyone."
Paro smelled Raum's corpse sinking deep in the river.
The disgusting smell of him mixed with water was flowing from upstream as well.
His heart piece is nearby.
***
Tatiana ran without thinking.
She couldn't lose her little sister again.
"Lebelia, hang on just a little longer..."
Tatiana ran wherever her feet took her.
She didn't think about where she needed to go.
She just wanted to flee to a place without the dreadful Royder Order, as she had wished for all her life, and live peacefully together.
Then Tatiana's eyes caught sight of a small cave.
Tatiana stopped and entered the cave.
The cave was somewhat cold but cozy.
Tatiana went into a corner of the cave and held Gloria in her arms.
"Your body is so cold... Lebelia, you're too cold... What should I do?"
Tatiana held Gloria tightly, not knowing what to do.
Cold sweat kept flowing and her lips were getting parched.
Her eyebrows were furrowed as if having a nightmare, and blood flowed from the wound on her neck.
Her sister's blood was so precious that she kept trying to collect it, but it wouldn't stay and slipped through her fingers.
Tatiana could only cry, not knowing what to do.
"My little sister... What should I do? My little sister. What should I do... Aagh..."
Tatiana's head felt like it was about to split.
The deeper she thought, her teeth grinded from the terrible migraine.
Unable to even think of the simple idea that she needed to make a fire to raise Gloria's body temperature, Tatiana could only cry while holding Gloria in her arms.
Then, there was a presence outside the cave.
Tatiana instinctively drew her sword.
The movement was so fast it was hard to follow with the eyes and very concise.
"...Don't come closer. Who is it?"
Step! Step!
Two figures revealed their faces in the red moonlight as they headed toward the cave.
"It's me. Remember my face?"
"You're..."
It was Caesar and Raven.
Tatiana's sharp sword point turned toward Raven.
"Who is that woman?"
"Our comrade."
"...Comrade?"
"An enemy of the Royder Order."
At Caesar's words, Tatiana lowered her sword.
And holding Gloria, she started crying again.
"My little sister... My little sister is sick... She shouldn't be sick..."
Caesar carefully approached Tatiana.
"May I help?"
"My little sister... She was in so much pain. So much pain..."
"I know."
In this world, Caesar is the only one who knows Lebelia's pain well.
Because he had to endure that terrible pain Lebelia experienced every time she used a potion.
Caesar held Tatiana's hand, which was damp with Gloria's cold sweat.
"I can help."
"...How?"
Caesar pointed to Tatiana's Flawless.
"Lend me that a little. I'll save her."
***
A water drop fell on Gloria's forehead.
The ice-cold water drop forcefully awakened Gloria's consciousness.
"...No."
Gloria didn't open her eyes.
This place is an inescapable hell.
A world full of only musty mold smell, darkness, and despair.
Through the middle of that cave of despair, an infinitely bright voice pierced through.
"Gloria!"
That voice again.
Gloria tried to cover her ears.
But her hands were tied with leather belts and she couldn't cover them at all.
All Gloria could do was just close her eyes and shake her head.
"No... I don't want anymore..."
A man who rushed into the cave undid Gloria's leather belts.
When freedom came to her hands and feet, Gloria curled up like a worm and covered her ears.
"Don't come... Please don't come..."
"Gloria! It's me! Caesar! Come to your senses!"
"Don't do it! Please don't...!"
Gloria had already been saved by Caesar dozens of times.
She had escaped this moldy cave dozens of times after killing Raum and all the puppets.
But the end was always hell.
Caesar's heart was ripped out and he became Raum's puppet, strangling Gloria's neck.
"Please don't come to me...! Master...! Please...!"
"Gloria. You've woken from the nightmare! I've come to save you! Gloria!"
"Lies! They're lies!"
"Gloria! We don't have time! Let's get out quickly!"
"Nooooo!"
Gloria had a seizure and avoided Caesar's touch.
"Get awaaaay!"
Gloria wildly waved her hands to push away Caesar's touch.
While twisting her body frantically and reaching out her hand, something got caught in Gloria's hand and...
Stab!
Gloria stabbed something.
Gloria opened her eyes trembling and looked at her right hand.
"Glo... ria..."
A scalpel that she didn't know when it got into her right hand was stuck in Caesar's neck.
Caesar's hot blood flowed along the scalpel.
Gloria screamed.
"Aaaaahhhh!"
"Why..."
Gloria wiped Caesar's blood from her hands onto her clothes.
But the more she wiped, the more the blood spread.
Gloria pulled at her hair and covered her eyes and ears.
"Please... Please stop. Please..."
Thud! Thud!
At that moment, unfamiliar footsteps were heard from outside the cave.
Gloria thought it might be Caesar's footsteps again, so she covered her ears and trembled.
"How pitiful."
Gloria's eyes flew open at the sound of scraping metal that she could hear even with her ears covered.
A demon wearing a black hood stood before Gloria.
It was Raum.
Raum stepped on Caesar's severed head.
"To think you'd go as far as killing your master now. Tsk tsk tsk..."
"P-please stop... Stop..."
"Oh, You really want it to stop?"
Raum's sultry voice tickled Gloria's ears.
"Really? Do you want to be at peace now?"
Gloria saw the purple eyes glinting within the black hood.
"Then follow my orders. Obey my words, Gloria."
Raum gestured.
Then Caesar walked in from outside the cave.
Caesar was smiling brightly at Gloria.
Gloria closed her eyes and trembled, unable to bear that smile.
"Kill Caesar, Gloria."
"...What?"
"You only need to kill him once. You've already killed him once anyway, right? It's a very very easy thing to do, Gloria."
Gloria suddenly noticed the scalpel in her hand.
Raum forcibly stood Gloria up and placed her in front of Caesar.
Caesar had his chest wide open.
"Follow my orders Gloria. Show me your resolve to obey by killing Caesar."
"N-no. I don't want to."
"You don't want to?"
Raum's hand touched the back of Gloria's hand.
"Right. It might still be difficult. Relax, Gloria."
Raum guided Gloria's hand toward Caesar.
"I'll help you. You just need to hold the knife."
"Don't. Please don't..."
"Gloria. You're not the one killing him. I'm the one killing him. Think of it that way. Then I'll help you escape this nightmare."
Gloria's hand gradually lost strength at Raum's sweet whispers.
"That's right. Yes. You only need to kill him once. Just stab the knife into Caesar's heart once."
The tip of the scalpel slowly advanced toward Caesar.
"Yes. Slowly. Slowly."
Gloria's consciousness was gradually fading away.
If she gave up now, she could find peace.
No more nightmares.
Thump!
Just then, someone stopped Gloria's hand.
"Huh?"
"Gloria, you did well enduring."
Gloria looked at the owner of the hand.
It belonged to Caesar whom she was about to stab just now.
"W-why!"
Raum backed away in shock.
But Caesar didn't let go.
"Where do you think you're going."
A pure white sword was somehow in Caesar's right hand.
Stab!
That clean blade passed by Gloria and deeply pierced Raum's side.
Raum reached for Caesar's neck who had stabbed him.
"H-how did you enter my nightmare... This can't be..."
Raum looked at the Flawless that had pierced his side.
"...Wait, could you be..."
Caesar knocked away his hand.
"Leave without unnecessary words."
Caesar pulled the sword from his side and with one stroke cut off his head.
The afterimage left by Flawless was smooth and sharp like a crescent moon.
Gloria dropped the scalpel and backed away.
"N-no. T-this isn't..."
Gloria thought this was the start of another nightmare.
Gloria pressed herself against the cave wall and avoided Caesar with fearful eyes.
"Master, don't come. Please don't come... I'm scared... So scared..."
"I know. How scared you were."
"You don't know. You definitely don't know. You don't know how many times I've watched you die. You'll die this time too! Next time I might kill you with my own hands again!"
Gloria covered her face with her blood-stained hands.
"Please don't come. Please... Don't give me hope..."
Despair is deeper the greater the hope.
Gloria had been trapped in that pit of despair for far too long, far too deeply.
Then, Caesar wrapped Gloria's small shoulders.
"I'm sorry. For coming so late."
Gloria trembled like a baby bird.
"It's too hard... I'm so tired now..."
"I know. I know too."
Caesar gently held Gloria's hand.
Gloria couldn't possibly reject Caesar's gentle hand.
"So rest well for now. I'll help drive away your nightmares."
"...Really?"
"Yes. Just rest now. I'll resolve everything."
The cold touch of Flawless against her hand.
Gloria closed her eyes as if falling asleep at Caesar's warmth touching the sword's end.