Chapter 172: He Cherished Him (3)
Deon glanced at the demon-race servant announcing his arrival, not given a moment to stop it, and composed himself as if he were perfectly unconcerned.
He steeled his nerves.
'A gap in your guard is death.'
Death didn't come only before drawn blades. Even in a still space where not a blade, let alone a fist, was exchanged, intelligent beings could well kill someone by wielding the sword of politics with that invisible hand called the tongue.
His gait, his posture, his manner of speaking, his expression, even his gaze and the direction of his eyes.
Having completed his inspection, he set foot onto the silent battlefield. At the sound of the servant's voice, the gazes of all the waiting Legion Commanders lodged into him like arrows.
'......The Demon King is here too.'
Whether it was for surveillance or out of simple curiosity.
Deon gave a slight inclination of his head to the Demon King, who smiled brightly and waved from the highest seat of honor, then turned to face the Legion Commanders.
A neat, composed voice flowed out.
"The broad details were conveyed in advance, so you should know them."
The sudden change in the movement route.
From one side, Idelia seemed about to say something, but Deon did not give her an opening and threw out his words.
"The Duke's worth in keeping us in check has vanished."
"......."
"The 11th Legion Commander bound his last remaining card. There is nothing left to trip us up now, so we'll be able to ignore him and advance directly toward the capital."
So now it was fine to move via an efficient route.
Lirinel, unexpectedly praised, cupped both her cheeks with her hands and didn't know what to do with herself. Deon glanced at Idelia. She had shut her mouth as if convinced.
Since the most disagreeable person present had signaled her acceptance with silence, all that should have been left was to explain which route to take and discuss the method.
It was then that the Demon King, smiling brightly, added a word.
"So the Demon Cult entered the human world, did it?"
"Yes, because the most useful card remaining to the Duke after he lost nearly all his forces is the Salvation Church. After all, it's nothing more than a pseudo-religion, so I judged it could be kept in check by the Demon Cult."
"I see. When you advanced into it without a word to me, I wondered what you were up to, but you've gotten into something far more amusing than I thought."
Lirinel, seated at one side of the table, flinched. The cheeks that had been full of life went pale.
Deon quietly raised his eyes and looked at the Demon King.
"Why that expression? I complimented you."
"......."
"I meant it. Thanks to you, every day is a delight. So, you intend to change the movement route? Go on."
"......Among the several routes currently being breached, the ruined Paras Territory is situated closest to the capital, so we will focus our breakthrough there."
He had only glanced at the Demon King briefly, as if gauging the truth, before a pale finger pointed at the map stuck to the wall. It moved straight along, drawing a direct line connecting the Paras Territory and the capital.
Was that the route they were to take? Just as the Legion Commanders nodded and were about to accept it broadly, Deon spoke. 'However,'
"However, if we take this route, after Paras Territory, the next stop is Mantium Castle."
"......Is there some problem with that?"
"Mantium Castle belongs to the Primiro domain. That means it belongs to Stigma Primiro, the Empire's second Hero."
The 3rd Legion Commander Asild lowered his hand, looking as though he understood.
Though it was a place quite far from the southern lands where Stigma resided, Mantium Castle was indisputably his property. If they touched that place, it was obvious they would end up clashing with him.
"He is the most overwhelmingly powerful human in combat among the Empire's Heroes. Perhaps it would explain things if I said he's built a personal military clan in the South. If we are forced to fight him, it will undoubtedly become extremely troublesome."
Above all, Deon Hart did not wish to fight Stigma.
His martial power was one thing, but he was also one of the few people who had, fittingly for the title of 'senior,' taken care of him in his own way.
And so, Deon moved his finger to point at the territory beside Mantium Castle, and gladly set his glib tongue to work. His nonchalant voice took command of the space.
"I want to destroy the Empire as quickly as possible. So rather than waste unnecessary time getting our feet tied up by him, wouldn't it be better just to divert the route slightly?"
Feeling the curious gazes directed at the newly indicated territory, Deon spoke.
"The lord of this territory is Tender Amiabl. He holds the rank of Frontier Count."
The territory's name sounded like some barony or other, but since nobles of count rank or higher could originally hold multiple titles and territories at once, there was nothing strange about it.
"Of course, he is a troublesome opponent as well, but he will consume less time than a 'Hero'."
Because he had consistently only mentioned 'time' — not 'the possibility of defeat' or 'personal ties' — as the reason for choosing his opponents, no other words were raised about avoiding a conflict with Stigma.
Instead, the 1st Legion Commander Jeikar raised his hand.
"It's the territory right next door. Is there no possibility of Stigma Primiro coming to support it?"
"Of course, there is."
There was no way there wouldn't be.
Deon pulled the corners of his mouth upward.
"Which is why I intend to go personally."
I'll take this opportunity to see my senior's face once.
***
The world was abuzz with talk of his junior once again today, and perhaps it was a case of like master, like hounds.
Stigma wore a subtle expression, as if contemplating how to react, as he looked at the talk-of-the-town protagonist who had secretly come to see him.
After a silence that was neither heavy nor light, a faint sigh pushed the stillness aside.
"......I don't know just what your liver is made of, Junior. What would you have done if I seized you and reported you, or killed you?"
The man in the black robe seated across from him smiled smoothly.
Stigma, who had been observing the only exposed part — the line of his mouth — straightened his back, crossed his legs, and tapped the armrest of his chair.
"It is discourteous to wear a hat indoors with a person before you. Take off your hood. It's been a while; I should at least see your face."
"......."
As if he had been waiting for it, the hood was thrown back.
Pure white hair was revealed, and crimson eyes seemed to capture Stigma within them before soon curving prettily. A voice as calm as if asking about the lunch menu followed.
"It's been a while. Senior."
"Yeah...."
A sigh-like answer came back.
"It really has... been a long while."
Contrary to his composed expression, a complicated emotion flickered through his brown eyes.
He remembered their last conversation being on the battlefield. They had been separated while in a dangerous situation after falling into a demon-race trap.
It had been a situation where Stigma bought time while Deon and the rest of the troops retreated.
[Then, Senior, you...!]
[Oh my, did I look so weak as to warrant your worry?]
[......Still, please be careful.]
It was the second nice thing he'd heard from him.
[Alright. See you later.]
And for the first time since then, the situation they now faced looked like this.
Officially, they were enemies. Stigma suppressed a sigh that tried to break free again.
"To use a trading company — it was a decent attempt, but the likelihood was far too low. It was fortunate that I noticed and let you inside. What would you have done if I hadn't recognized you?"
Deon simply smiled.
He had shaken off the mad dogs clamoring to follow him and entered Stigma's domain using Dan's trading company. Then, as a representative of the company master, he had submitted a request to meet Stigma directly for trade. If Stigma hadn't remembered here that the Den Trading Company had a track record of obtaining a permit under Deon Hart's name, he would not have even seen a shadow of him, let alone gotten a private audience, and would have had to return.
But Deon had been certain he would remember and recall it.
'Because he was always focused on me to the point that he'd notice the subtlest changes in my expression.'
Seeing Deon's smooth smile, Stigma corrected his posture.
"You've changed a lot since I last saw you."
"It's thanks to you, Senior."
"Your eyes have changed."
He stretched out his hand as if to trace his face.
As he squarely faced those murkily deadened crimson eyes and stroked the corners of them, Deon did not refuse, but he couldn't stop the eyelid on the side touched by the unfamiliar sensation from reflexively closing.
"I liked that look you had before better."
"......So."
Deon, who had been listening quietly, smiled brightly.
"Do you dislike me now?"
"......There's no way that could be."
Withdrawing his hand, Stigma smiled back.
"As long as you are my 'junior'."
That is to say, as long as he called me 'senior'.
"There will never come a day when I dislike you."
"......What are the standards of a junior in your mind, Senior?"
"Let's see. First of all, not laying hands on my territory would be important. If my territory is attacked, I have no choice but to fight back."
"......I have no intention of touching Mantium Castle."
"Well, that's a relief."
It figured.
Stigma, who had gently curved his eyes, spoke as if whispering.
"If not Mantium Castle, you intend to go through the Miler Barony, don't you? The land belonging to Frontier Count Amiable."
"......."
"And the reason you took the risk to come meet me in person is because of the possibility that I might go to support it."
He had known everything from the start. At the sharp remark, Deon raised his hand and fiddled with the corner of his mouth.
Since he hadn't intended to hide it in the first place, there was no problem. Before the brief pause could be perceived as silence, he nodded readily in affirmation.
"I don't want to fight you, Senior."
"The feeling is mutual."
"Then...."
"However, it's not something that is decided solely by my wishes."
Stigma angled his eyebrows as if regretful.
"I have honor and a purpose I must uphold. And for that, as a noble of the Empire, I must faithfully follow His Majesty's orders."
"......."
He understood what he meant.
If the Demon King's army attacked the Millere territory, the Emperor would order him to provide support. If that happened....
Toward Deon, who was subtly furrowing his brow, Stigma gently lifted both corners of his mouth. So then, 'Junior'.
"I cannot guarantee that I won't go to provide support. Once it comes down to it, as a noble of the Empire, I will surely go to support the Millere territory and stand against the Demon King's army."
"......Understood."
He didn't have some grand aspiration to protect humanity from the demon world. Nor was he loyal to the Emperor.
To Deon, Stigma was an opponent with whom, if things went well, it was plenty possible not to fight.
After fiddling with the corner of his mouth, he rose from his seat.
"Next time, I hope we can meet in a peaceful atmosphere."
"I, too."
He calmly gave his parting words, turned around, and had just taken a step toward the door when Stigma, as if something had occurred to him, let out a short 'Ah' of exclamation.
"Junior, relying on drugs is not good."
"......."
After only a brief pause, Deon watched the back walking away as if nothing were wrong and slowly let out a sigh.
Did he think I wouldn't know? His eyes, the shadows under his eyes, his complexion, even the hand habit of touching the corner of his mouth — all of this told me the situation.
He couldn't know why he had turned to the demon world, but he believed it was not entirely of his own volition. If he really had killed Cruel Hart as the rumors said and fled to the demon world, he would have shown a look of relief, not this half-dead, just getting-by appearance.
'Come to think of it, there were many assassination attempts.'
Could this be related to that?
If I had known it would be like this, I shouldn't have glossed over it and properly rooted out those behind it.
Since there was now no chance to catch the assassins targeting his junior, Stigma sat there for a long while, inwardly regretting.
***
If he were to follow the textbook approach, he should have killed Stigma Primiro, the greatest obstacle. But instead of seeking a way to kill him, Deon recalled another method.
Like he said, he was an opponent he might not have to fight if he handled it well. After sifting through his memories only briefly, a solution came to mind easily.
'Back during the hunting competition, in the outdoor garden beyond the terrace.'
Stigma had gotten into a dispute with Frontier Count Amiable over the treatment of the Barbar tribe.
Stigma had taken the stance of extermination, and Frontier Count Amiable the stance of conciliation. In the end, they had pushed through with Stigma's opinion.
What happened after that was only hearsay, but he had heard that Stigma personally took up the sword with his knight order and set out to sweep the Barbar tribe.
'But they said he didn't completely succeed.'
The Barbar tribe were ones who skillfully utilized the geographical features of the South. True to their nature of being specialized in guerrilla warfare, their skill at extricating themselves was considerable, and as a result, some had survived and fled. Rumor had it they were still hiding somewhere in the southern forests, intermittently raiding nearby villages and barely scraping by.
'They are probably burning with vengeance, aren't they?'
It would be no trouble at all to get them rampaging again with just a bit of instigation.