Chapter 294
Chapter 294
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 294
Chapter Title: Sita (3)
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As Sita and Iota passed through the dimensional gate, a vast cave appeared.
Sita moved forward along the cave. Iota hurriedly grabbed her hand.
-Sita! Where do you think you're going just like that! I must hear your explanation!
“Explanation? What explanation?”
-Mother commanded us to capture Demian Haksen alive or kill him on sight! But you just let him go! If Mother finds out about this, she'll hand down a terrifying punishment!
Sita shook off Iota's hand and spoke.
“Then go ahead and tell her.”
-What?
“Whether you tell her or not, I don't care.”
“Are you planning to rely on Mother's mercy? Even Mother won't let this slide...”
“Judge as you will. Now that you understand, stop getting in my way. I need to go back and review the battle with Demian Haksen.”
Sita resumed walking along the cave. Iota silently watched her back.
-...Damn it, anyone but you, I wouldn't hesitate to report, but you're different.
Iota let out a deep sigh with a troubled expression.
-Sita, why are you so obsessed with that guy? You've never shown me that kind of interest...
Crunch.
Iota ground his teeth without realizing it.
-Demian Haksen, this is all your fault. You're the one shaking her up.
Iota touched half of his face.
Every time he thought of Demian Haksen, the pain from that day resurfaced.
-...Demian Haksen, I'll kill you myself.
Iota muttered in a voice thick with murderous intent and vanished into the darkness.
* * *
If asked which authority from his previous life Demian had used most frequently and effectively, he would unhesitatingly choose Pride.
Pride's authority manipulated space. It could twist space to deflect enemy attacks or leap across vast distances.
In his previous life, Demian had used Pride's authority to traverse the continent.
Of course, it hadn't been by his own will. Back then, Demian had been Dorgo's slave.
Whenever Dorgo needed to travel, he always ordered Demian.
“Of all things, the most troublesome one had to awaken.”
Demian couldn't be pleased that Pride's authority had awakened. Its usage was simply too tricky.
“You can't use it without a deep understanding of coordinates.”
In his previous life, Demian had only activated Pride's authority after Dorgo prepared everything. Thus, he didn't know how to use it right now.
“I'll have to practice it for a while.”
Demian examined the magic circle. Fortunately, the demonic energy was no longer backflowing from it.
Even so, to be safe, Demian destroyed the magic circle and climbed out of the pit.
“Lord Demian! We were worried!”
Bantadi rushed over immediately. Demian turned his gaze to check on the elves.
Fortunately, the elves lay on the ground with much more relaxed expressions.
“Where did the black mages and dark knights guarding the fortress go?”
“They all fled! They must have been terrified watching your battle with the demon kings!”
“We should have caught and killed them all. What a shame.”
Demian spoke regretfully. Suddenly, Bantadi raised his longsword to his own neck.
“What are you doing?”
“I failed to discern your profound intent in advance and let them escape! I shall atone for this sin with my death!”
“Stop clowning around and go free the elves locked in the prison.”
“Ahh... To forgive such an incompetent fool as I... Truly, Lord Demian, you are not only noble but also magnanimous!”
“Shut up and get lost already.”
Bantadi immediately led his subordinates toward the prison.
Demian watched him with a disgusted expression.
‘Next time, after using Lust's authority, I'll make him kill himself right away.’
It was then, as Demian resolved himself firmly.
“Hah... Hah...”
One of the elves struggled to rise. It was the female elf who had asked Demian to save her comrades.
“You look exhausted. Why not rest a bit longer?”
“Resting... I can do plenty of that even after death...”
Demian tilted his head at the elf woman's words. It sounded familiar, like something he'd heard before.
“More importantly... there's something I must do first...”
The elf woman forced herself upright. She placed her fist over her heart and knelt on one knee.
“Thank you... for saving us... my kin.”
“So now you're willing to believe I'm on your side?”
Demian asked with a smirk. But the elf woman shook her head.
“No.”
“...Are you messing with me right now?”
“I can't fully trust you. But... I do believe one thing: that you're an enemy of Pandemonium.”
Demian hadn't just attacked Pandemonium's fortress—he had even drawn his sword against their greatest forces, the Four Demon Kings.
No matter how insular the elves were, they had no choice but to trust Demian in this situation.
“Demian Haksen, I invite you to Elphheim. Great-grandmother will welcome you too.”
“...Great-grandmother?”
Demian momentarily doubted his own ears.
Great-grandmother meant grandmother's grandmother. Even elves lived long lives, but it didn't make sense for a great-grandmother to still be alive.
“You doubt me. But if you hear my great-grandmother's name, you'll understand.”
“Who is it that you're beating around the bush for?”
“You humans call her Milene.”
Demian couldn't help but be stunned.
Milene of Dreamflame.
A member of the Salvation Corps and a hero of old.
Demian had encountered Milene's illusion at the port and learned how to reach Elphheim.
“Wait, you're Milene's great-granddaughter...?”
As far as Demian knew, at this point in time, Milene had only one living descendant.
“You, what's your name?”
“You're asking early. I am Cynthia.”
At the name Cynthia, Demian felt his words catch in his throat.
There was only one elf who was Milene's great-grandchild and bore the name Cynthia.
The Queen of Elphheim, who in his previous life had fought Dorgo to the very end before meeting a gruesome death.
She stood before him now.
* * *
Cynthia was the first spiritist in Elphheim's history to contract with two Spirit Kings.
The power of a single Spirit King surpassed natural disasters with ease.
Cynthia could summon two such Spirit Kings. There was no need to elaborate on how formidable she was.
Even when Dorgo invaded Elphheim, she had been the greatest obstacle.
The undead Dorgo prepared were all annihilated by the Spirit Kings. His black mages and dark knights couldn't perform properly either.
-Demian! Kill her! Kill that damned wench, I said!
The longer the battle dragged on, the greater the losses. Dorgo's hatred grew accordingly.
After a prolonged fight, Demian extinguished the Spirit Kings and subdued Cynthia.
-I won't let her die easily!
Dorgo ordered Demian to sever all of Cynthia's limbs.
Then, in front of all the elves, he ripped out her heart and killed her.
The elf queen spewed blood from every orifice as she died pathetically.
“...You're Cynthia?”
Demian eyed her suspiciously.
In truth, Demian didn't know what Cynthia looked like. The Cynthia from his previous life had severe burns on her face.
But if she was the Cynthia he knew, she could have easily conquered a fortress like this.
Yet he sensed no such power from this elf woman.
“You don't believe me, huh. Well, Great-Grandmother is such an extraordinary figure, I understand.”
Cynthia misinterpreted the direction of Demian's doubt.
“You don't have to believe me right now. Everything will be clear once you come to Elphheim.”
“Fair enough. Then lead the way.”
Though he didn't show it, Demian was in a hurry now.
He had much to ask Milene. He needed to meet the Empire's Greatest Sword, protect the elves from Pandemonium, and above all, kill Dorgo.
“I want to, but... there's actually one problem.”
“Problem?”
Demian couldn't help but look puzzled.
If she was Milene's great-granddaughter, bringing one Demian into Elphheim should be no issue. What problem?
As he moved with Cynthia, Demian understood what she meant.
“Kill them! There are elves inside!”
“Where are the ogre undead? Ram the gates now!”
Elphheim's royal palace was surrounded by an undead army.
The undead legion unleashed by Pandemonium was enormous in scale.
Tens of thousands of undead densely encircled the royal castle.
Demian turned to Cynthia. She avoided his gaze.
“So that's the problem you mentioned?”
“...Yes. To enter Elphheim, we have to break through Pandemonium's army.”
Only then did Demian realize why Cynthia had tried to rescue the elves alone.
Elphheim was too busy repelling Pandemonium's invasion to send reinforcements.
“Why were you, who claims to be Milene's descendant, at the fortress instead of the royal castle?”
“Th-there are circumstances that would take too long to explain here.”
Demian shot Cynthia a displeased glance. It was absurd, but not something to hear right now.
“It's a bit annoying... but not a big deal.”
“Is there a way to sneak past that army into Elphheim?”
“Sneak? What are you talking about?”
Demian pointed Dawn at the main gate.
“I'm an invited guest. I should enter through the front gate honorably.”
Cynthia shifted her gaze to the main gate.
To reach it from here, they had to plow through the field packed with the undead legion.
“...You don't mean... no, right?”
Cynthia asked with a stiffened face. Instead of answering, Demian ordered Bantadi.
“Bantadi. From now on, protect the elves and follow me.”
“Yes! I shall guard them with my life!”
“Good. Make sure of it. You lot can die for all I care, but not the elves.”
“Ahh... Lord Demian has given the order himself...! I shall fulfill this command without fail...”
Ignoring Bantadi, Demian charged toward the undead legion.