93
I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake.
Chapter 93
Caesar watched Hudson crumbling.
Although he could only see the back of Hudson's head, his pain infected Caesar's mind.
Hudson picked up a fallen Black Shield Knight's shield and blocked the sword of the one aiming for Caesar's neck.
However, the enemy's sword, filled with purple energy, split the shield, cut through Hudson's armor, severed both arms while scraping through his chest and internal organs.
Why?
Why would he risk death for Caesar?
What kind of relationship did Caesar and Hudson have?
Hudson is Hilos's dog, assigned to watch over Caesar.
That must be it.
Caesar used psychometry deeply to understand Hudson, even as he was crumbling away.
The answer was simple.
Because he was a knight.
Because he was a soldier and knight who swore to sacrifice himself for others.
Hudson had resolved to be cut down in Caesar's place.
Something felt like it snapped in Caesar's head.
"You son of a bitch!"
Caesar's aura was nearly depleted.
And his physical strength was drained.
It was because he had used the Berserker Triple Stack for too long.
Even after eating the White Tiger's heart, he could only last 30 minutes at most.
Moreover, he had already used quite a bit of aura after going through one battle.
Now he only had about 1 minute left to use Berserker Triple Stack.
It's impossible to defeat him in this time.
But there is one thing possible.
To blast him away.
"Uriaaaaaaaa!"
Berserker Quadruple Stack.
Caesar's eyes became bloodshot and veins bulged all over his body.
Caesar's axe brushed past Hudson's crumbling body and aimed for Vigilante's empty flank.
Though Vigilante seemed surprised by the suddenly faster attack, he calmly blocked Caesar's axe with two swords and two metal skewers.
However, he couldn't prevent his body from floating up from the impact.
Vigilante's body flew through the air over the ridge.
Caesar charged toward where he disappeared over the ridge.
Fallen trees blocked Caesar's path but he ignored them all and ran.
He crossed the ridge in an instant.
Vigilante came into view.
Vigilante was spreading his four arms wide and smiling brightly.
"You were hiding such power!"
His purple pupils gleamed.
"Come! One who will reach the pinnacle of martial arts! I shall personally guide you to the King of Niflheim!"
Vigilante had decided to take Caesar no matter what.
He wouldn't kill him.
Once he becomes a new human like Vigilante, he would understand how valuable it is to reach the pinnacle of martial arts.
Caesar let go of Lefty from his hand.
"Fuck."
Caesar stumbled while running.
Vigilante blankly stared at Caesar who had slid right up to his feet.
"..."
Should he call it futile?
While feeling something was off, Vigilante thought it wasn't bad.
It was impressive enough to show such fighting spirit when both aura and stamina were depleted.
"Very well. As reward for your will, I shall spare your companions."
Vigilante put away his sword and tried to carry Caesar on his back.
But Vigilante tilted his head when he noticed Caesar's hand grabbing his ankle at some point.
He should have fainted, so when did he grab the ankle?
Before that question could fade, Caesar's body began to change.
His blood-red hair turned black, his already large build for a human grew even larger, and his body began turning bronze.
"...No way."
Vigilante's foot slipped and his gaze suddenly turned toward the sky.
Vigilante stabbed Caesar's body with the metal skewers on his wing joints.
Despite being imbued with purple sword energy, they couldn't pierce through Caesar's body.
They barely pierced the skin and dug into muscle, but that was all.
"This makes no..."
KWAAAANG-!
Vigilante crashed headfirst into the ground.
"Kuuuuurgh-!"
Vigilante's body, ankle caught, tumbled and crashed around like a toy.
Even during this, Vigilante tried to slash and stab Caesar with his swords and spears, but it didn't work.
"Kuk!"
Vigilante felt his breath being choked by the terrifying strength constricting his neck.
Vigilante barely opened his eyes to look at Caesar.
"You're..."
Even though Vigilante was so absorbed in martial arts that he had no interest in the demon realm war, he knew who this person was.
This one was Hero Yan's companion.
The natural enemy of all blades.
Barbarian Knight Barre.
Vigilante swung his sword.
Barre swung Lefty held in his left hand to deflect the sword at his neck.
The metal skewers dug into Barre's side but only went in about one finger joint deep.
What kind of impossible hardness was this?
Vigilante's mind went blank.
He thought he could cut and pierce anything through sword training, but it seemed impossible to cut through Barre.
"I'll tear you apart."
Barre let go of Lefty.
His brutish left hand broke Vigilante's right arm.
"Kuaaaaaaa!"
Barre then ripped off the broken right arm.
Purple blood spurted out.
"W-why! Why are you a d-doppelganger!"
"Why? Feeling wronged? You think I'm the only one? I didn't want to reveal this form if I could help it either. Taking the easy path doesn't lead to growth."
Barre ripped off the hand protruding from the right wing joint.
"Kuaaaaaaaaaa!"
Barre looked behind him.
His senses detected Black Shield Knights coming over the ridge.
It would be troublesome if this form was discovered.
"But since I've ended up taking the easy path anyway, I'll exterminate all those prophet bastards in the Empire."
Barre pushed off the ground and flew into the sky.
***
Eligos received a piece of intelligence.
It was reported that prophets were being attacked by an unknown monster, and both the prophets and the demons they were leading were being completely wiped out.
"How many have been taken out?"
"...Already 4 people, they say. And there are 2 more prophets we can't reach."
Eligos closed his eyes pensively.
Who could it be?
It's not a group.
Since the prophets were being taken out in order, it was likely an individual or a very small group.
The average level of the prophets was between 3-4 horns.
Moreover, they were ones who had been devils for more than 10 years on average.
To kill such powerful prophets completely.
'Could it be Yan?'
No.
Eligos was receiving Yan's location in real-time.
Yan was currently taking the heads of 'false prophets' according to Eligos's plan.
Then could it be Mitchell?
Not Mitchell either.
He heard Mitchell was moving together with Yan.
Then Raven?
Not Raven either.
Raven hadn't left Sapientia.
'Could it be Barre...?'
Only Barre's location wasn't specified.
If the prophets had somehow twisted Barre's mind...
'No, it can't be Barre.'
Barre is a stupid barbarian.
He couldn't possibly have the tracking skills to find the locations of well-hidden prophets.
'Just who could it be?'
Could the Emperor perhaps have a secret unit?
Or could it be the 'Baptized Ones' of the Dre Order?
Or the Grail Knights of the Royder Order?
'It seems right to avoid them for now.'
Looking at the pattern of this unknown being, they clearly had some special technique for tracking prophets.
In that case, they would eventually arrive here.
It wouldn't be right to face them without knowing their capabilities.
But... Could that person perhaps give some enlightenment to the stagnant Eligos?
Given that they could defeat prophets in one go, they must be a powerful being on par with Yan.
If he could just fight them briefly, he felt he might gain some insight...
Eligos suppressed his excitement.
Now is not the time.
While Eligos is one who pursues the extreme of nothingness, he is also a knight serving the King of Niflheim.
It's only natural that the king's orders should always take priority.
"Turn the ship around."
Eligos decided to give up what needed to be given up.
"Cut off contact with all prophets in Goldmile. We abandon them all."
All members of 'Mugeuk' bowed their heads at Eligos's words.
"We obey."
***
Caesar clicked his tongue while watching the calmly flowing winter river.
"...Sharp bastards."
From looking into the prophets' heads, they were supposed to meet here and take a ship to cross over to the Kingdom of Dior.
But because Caesar... No, Barre had taken out all the prophets so quickly, it seems they had become wary.
Caesar looked behind him.
Behind were the prophets who had been torn to pieces and killed.
At first, he started because he was angry about Hudson's death, but after about a week, it just felt empty.
People die eventually, and when he thought that Hudson's turn had just come a bit early, his heart just became bland.
Don't people die in war?
Someone you were joking with yesterday might have their head blown off, and someone who gave you candy telling you to eat it sparingly might explode and die without even leaving a body to find.
Come to think of it, there was no reason to get so worked up just because Hudson died.
However... Because it had been so long since someone he considered a comrade had died... It seemed his emotions had gotten too stirred up.
Caesar strapped the Lefty to his waist.
"Time to go back now."
The problem is how to answer if they ask why he was missing for a week...
***
Caesar received a welcome as soon as he arrived in the imperial's capital.
While it wasn't a welcome with a massive crowd, it was treatment that some might consider excessive.
As soon as news arrived that Caesar had reached the palace gates, Hilos personally came with a carriage.
"You look better than expected."
"Can't you see the bandages? I'm not fully healed yet."
"If you can move your arms and legs, you're fine."
Well, it's worth coming back alive.
Getting to ride in a carriage inside the palace and all.
Originally, I would have had to walk hard.
Hilos handed Caesar a cigar and said.
"Can I hear what happened during that time?"
This gentleman seems quite urgent.
Well, it's natural that he would be.
-A series of incidents occurred where prophets and devils were dying in large numbers suddenly within Goldmile Province.
-No one knows exactly what happened.
-From the battle traces, it seems they were killed by a giant mace or barre hands...
-Ironically... Only Caesar might know the whereabouts of someone who could so easily kill square devils.
Caesar is officially known to have been captured by the square devil 'Vigilante' and returned alive.
They would think that Caesar must surely know the truth about the serial killings of square demons.
But Caesar decided to play dumb.
"I was knocked out, and when I woke up, Vigilante was dead."
"What nonsense is that?"
"It's not nonsense... Haven't you heard from the Black Shield knights? I was kidnapped while fighting that guy. And when I woke up, he was dead. Here's the proof."
Caesar showed Vigilante's sword and iron rod from a long bag.
Hilos frowned.
"You didn't take care of him yourself?"
"If I could have, I would have done it before Sir Hudson died. I was about to die myself, how could I?"
"...Sir Hudson died?"
Caesar tilted his head.
"He didn't?"
"Ah, well, you would have thought he died. Sir Hudson didn't die."
This actually surprised Caesar.
How could he survive with both arms cut off and such a large wound in his chest?
"Fortunately, Hudson had a potion containing 50% holy water that he carried for emergencies. He used that to heal his internal injuries and reattach his right hand. Of course, the left hand couldn't be reattached because there wasn't enough potion."
"So no one died at that time?"
"There were injuries. But only Hudson received permanent physical disability status. The others survived after being healed with potions."
Caesar didn't know whether to feel relieved or sad.
The wounds that Hudson and the knights suffered would ultimately be engraved on the Saint's body and soul.
Nevertheless, Caesar felt wretched about feeling relieved that Hudson and the knights had survived.
Because this emotion would surely resurface when people from the Royder Order came saying the current Saint must die and Gloria must become the Saint.
That's why the word 'fortunate' just wouldn't leave Caesar's mouth.
"...So what happens to Hudson's left arm?"
"Hudson headed to Sapientia on medical leave to get a prosthetic arm. Of course, I'm not sure if he'll be able to properly perform his role as a Dawn Knight even after getting the prosthetic."
"Wouldn't he be able to handle the duties of a Dawn Knight just fine? There are plenty of knights with prosthetics."
"Well... That's true."
-His Majesty the Emperor doesn't like the creaking sound of prosthetics.
-He also thinks knights who guard the Emperor should be physically complete.
Where is the bottom of this bastard Emperor's character?
Where else could you find a loyal knight like Hudson?
No.
Please just throw him into the FM market.
I'll buy him even if it costs me a fortune.
"By the way, do you really know nothing about who hunted the square devils?"
"Absolutely nothing."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Hilos's eyes turned quite cold, probably thinking there was nothing more to extract.
"Well, get your treatment then. You'll receive honors soon, so take care of yourself until then."
"Weren't we on our way to have an audience with His Majesty?"
"Today I'll report to His Majesty myself. So you just get your treatment at the court physician."
Prime Minister Hilos.
Pardon my rudeness, but discarding people like this when they're no longer needed is somewhat sociopathic.
No matter what, treating someone who nearly died and came back so coldly isn't right.
...These words came up to his throat, but Caesar knew this was just how Hilos was, so he decided to let it go.
Caesar got out of the carriage.
"Then I'll see you at the victory ceremony."
Hilos coolly waved once and went on his way.
Caesar didn't go to the court physician and just turned back the way he came.
Actually, Caesar's body was mostly healed already.
Caesar looked back at Hilos's departing carriage.
"Still feels pretty bad though?"
I abandoned both the Dre Order and Royder Order to save His Majesty's face.
And now you throw me away because I'm no longer needed?
This won't do, it's too offensive.
Lord Hilos seems to not know what kind of person I am, so I should show him how I respond when treated with disrespect.
Caesar caught a passing servant and asked.
"Do you know where the Dre church is inside the palace?"
Shouldn't look down on me.
After all the information I extracted from the prophets' heads.