Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Interview with the Demon King - 1
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The screen appeared, and time froze.
I observed Ophelia on the screen so intently that veins bulged in my eyes.
And then I noticed it.
Twitch. Twitch.
Her right index finger was lightly trembling.
Snap.
As if it had shown everything it needed to, the screen vanished.
Trail let out a groan.
[Ugh. No idea. It’s just a replay of that previous scene.]
‘......’
[Want me to show it again?]
‘......’
[Hey? What’s wrong? Your face looks really weird.]
Drip.
I could feel cold sweat trickling down my forehead too.
No way.
That ability belongs to ‘that monster.’
Why is Ophelia using it?
The unexpected shock made my vision go dark.
David slowly turned his body.
His rigidly tense frame gradually loosened as he took a few steps forward.
It was so natural, just like David’s usual gait.
He ascended the platform in that state.
It was the spot prepared for Count Akain’s speech that afternoon.
“Everyone, please pay attention for a moment!”
The noisy territory folk halted their steps one by one and looked up at David.
He even wore a soft smile on his lips.
“Is everyone enjoying the festival?”
“Yes!”
“Wahaha.”
“No choice but to enjoy it. Now that Ophelia’s back.”
“Isn’t David enjoying it the most?”
The responses coming back were extremely friendly and warm.
It seemed the policies David had shown in this territory had won their hearts.
Neril spoke.
“Is it okay to just watch like this? He was acting weird just now.”
“Of course we need to prepare.”
I gripped my sword and took my stance.
My target was unmistakably David on the platform.
Jenia opened her mouth in surprise.
“Maide. Why David?”
“Don’t worry. I’m not trying to kill him.”
“That’s a given for you, Maide.”
“Neril. On my signal, use magic to clear the crowd in front of us. They’re in the way.”
Neril nodded, though she didn’t understand.
I continued issuing orders.
“Serein, prepare healing spells. Jenia, protect the nearby territory folk with shield spells.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Got it.”
“The rest of you, approach Ophelia. Capture her and bring her back if possible, but retreat if it seems difficult. Don’t push yourselves.”
Everyone nodded.
From the party members’ perspective, these were utterly incomprehensible orders, but no one questioned the reason.
It made me feel good even in this situation, knowing it meant they trusted me that much.
That was when it happened.
David spoke.
“I’m afraid I’ll have to show something unpleasant from now on.”
“Huh?”
“If you ate a big breakfast, feel free to turn away.”
With those words, David’s body began to swell.
“Huh?”
“David?”
“Gasp, w-what’s that!”
“Uwaaak! Monster, it’s a monster!”
At first, it just looked a bit pudgy.
But as the flesh tore open and the skin cracked, it was no longer something that could be described that way.
It looked as if something inside David’s body was endlessly expanding.
In the end, David had transformed into something that filled the entire platform.
“M-Maide. What the hell is that......”
Even my companions, who had seen it all, could only gape in shock.
Meanwhile, David’s body continued to inflate even more.
Now it was spilling over the edges of the platform.
No time to hesitate.
“Neril!”
Neril had already opened the heirloom spellbook of the Enerica family.
“Toren Brian!”
Toren Brian, which created physical force from intangible mana.
Back in my hometown of Hasfil, Neril had used that spell to hurl territory folk around.
Now, it was parting the crowd between me and David, creating a path.
“Ugh. What’s this?”
“S-something’s pushing me away!”
“Mommy. Scary.”
Neril’s Toren Brian shoved all the people between me and David to the sides.
It felt like a wide road had opened up in an instant.
“Grrrr.”
I need to hurry.
I imagined the ‘bug’ that would be in its head.
[Bug?]
‘Ophelia’s ability plants bugs in people’s heads. Through those bugs, she can control the target like it’s her own body.’
[......]
‘I confirmed it just now through the Eye of Omniscience. A bug that burrowed into David’s ear in the blink of an eye.’
[I didn’t see it.]
‘I’m just that good.’
I felt a bit embarrassed after saying it.
Bragging like that in front of the true first Hero, who predated even Grade.
But Trail replied with a hollow laugh.
[Yeah. You seem like it.]
‘No. Ahem.’
‘Anyway, it controls them with that bug? Like a puppet on strings from the theater troupe.’
‘Exactly. Actions, words, eye movements, expressions—all controlled. Even exploding its body like that.’
I need to kill that bug.
According to my memories from before regression, it was stuck to the skull like a leech.
Cut out only the bug in the head without killing David.
‘Quick Dash!’
I charged straight at David.
Then I kicked off the ground and leaped onto the platform.
I activated the technique immediately.
‘Cut what I desire.’
Whoosh! Slash.
My sword sliced through David’s head with exquisite precision.
Touch nothing else.
Carefully incise and crush only the necessary part.
Focus on the sensation in my fingertips until I find the bug in its head.
‘This is it.’
The feeling at my fingertips changed slightly.
I applied force without hesitation.
-Slash.
“Kieeeek!”
A horrific screech echoed, as if ripping the bug’s ears.
I landed lightly and shouted.
“Jenia! Shield spell. Serein, treat David!”
“Yes!”
“O-Okay.”
The bug I’d sliced from me escaped David’s ear as black smoke.
It rose above his head.
It gathered in midair and then...
-Kaboom!
It exploded with a deafening roar like a volcano erupting.
The black smoke turned into sharp arrows raining down amid the territory folk.
“O God of the Heavens, grant your shield here.”
“O God of the Heavens, we beseech your merciful hand!”
Jenia hurriedly protected the territory folk from the explosion with her shield spells.
Serein healed David, who had been on the verge of death from having his head sliced.
“Uwaaak.”
“Save the man.”
“What the hell was that? What just happened?”
“Why did David turn into that...”
The territory folk prostrated themselves on the ground without needing instruction.
The divine shield spread above their heads, successfully blocking the bug’s final suicide explosion.
I checked on David, who had returned to normal under Serein’s treatment.
Unlike moments ago when he’d been grotesquely bloated, he was back to his original build and unconscious.
Serein wiped sweat from her forehead and said.
“I didn’t know the God of the Heavens could heal even that state. Impressive.”
“Jenia slips in irreverent words during prayers sometimes, but she means no harm.”
“Yes. I do.”
“Don’t say it so proudly, priestess. Anyway, wake him up.”
“He won’t wake with ordinary methods right now. Do we have to wake him now?”
“The situation’s urgent. It’s okay to use rough methods...”
Thud.
Before I could finish, Serein kicked David.
“Guhk. W-what? Ophelia?”
David bolted upright in panic.
That wasn’t quite what I meant by rough.
I asked.
“Is your head alright?”
“M-my head? No, more than my head, my solar plexus hurts...”
I glanced at Serein.
She was whistling at distant mountains.
Meanwhile, Neril and Jenia approached us.
“Maide! What should I ask first?”
“The most urgent thing.”
“Yeah. You’re not hurt anywhere?”
That was the most urgent?
I scratched my head and said.
“Was there any spot where I could’ve gotten hurt?”
“It was such an outlandish scene. Cutting a bug out of a person’s head, the bug turning to smoke and exploding in midair.”
“Anyway, I’m fine. Let’s explain to everyone once the other party members return.”
“Right. The rest went to catch Ophelia. We can hear it from her directly.”
“We’ll see.”
Serein tilted her head at my mutter.
“We’ll see? What do you mean?”
“I wonder if our three party members can capture Ophelia.”
“No. Risel and Adwin went too, right?”
“Offense went as well.”
“Ah. Right.”
Then Jenia spoke.
Her voice was unusually low, rare for her.
“Maide.”
“......”
“What happened to Ophelia? Besides her body being a fake.”
“That’s......”
That was when it happened.
Offense’s voice rang out.
“I’m back.”
He had appeared behind us via shadow magic before we knew it.
Jenia asked with a grave expression.
“Offense? You don’t look good.”
“Yeah. We lost Ophelia.”
“What? Her skill level...”
“I don’t know how she was before, but her presence now is too vicious. I judged we’d lose in a frontal fight, so I called the retreat.”
Everyone broke into cold sweats.
Risel and Adwin weren’t exactly fighters, but Offense was an assassin excelling even in direct combat.
Offense said.
“Sorry.”
“No. Not at all. Good call.”
Then Risel spoke in a somewhat dejected tone.
“We need to find Ophelia quickly.”
“Of course. She holds the key to this incident.”
“No. That too, but...”
She trailed off, glancing around cautiously.
Then Adwin picked up her words.
He looked at Jenia.
“Ophelia sis was crying.”
Swoosh.
Idria opened her eyes.
Her face held a rare tension—perhaps the first I’d seen.
Kaild asked.
“What’s wrong?”
“Maide cut the bug.”
“What?”
“So casually. As if he knew the ability of my limb.”
She stood and clasped her hands behind her back.
Pacing the cave, she muttered.
“I originally planned to send Ophelia to sow discord in Maide’s party. Since there’s someone with deep ties.”
“......”
“But that knight didn’t budge? He didn’t even think in that direction.”
“Hey.”
“I think I need to meet Maide myself.”
Kaild was greatly startled by the sudden declaration.
“What? Why?”
“Ophelia can’t properly check Maide. But failure is failure. I plan to meet him directly and find out.”
“Find out what?”
“What kind of guy Maide Mohan is. How he blocks my path everywhere he goes.”
Kaild sneered at Idria.
“That guy has Bion. Aren’t you not supposed to meet Bion?”
“Bion doesn’t overcome my power or authority. If he did, I couldn’t observe Maide’s group with my authority, right?”
“Then?”
“He’s simply the absolute counter to the existence called ‘Demon King Idria.’ As long as I don’t face him directly, there won’t be much impact. Since I have a limb there, I’ll borrow her body.”
Idria waved him off dismissively.
Meaning their talk was over—get out.
Kaild’s face twisted once more.
No one suggested continuing the festival leisurely when knights from the Knights of Light were fully mobilized and short-handed.
Especially since it was his own son who’d nearly died.
Count Akain halted the festival by lordly decree.
With bloodshot eyes, he pressed David.
“What the hell happened? Tell me.”
“Father.”
“Your body swelled like it would burst. If not for...”
He paused there and looked at me.
Then he cleared his throat, his face slightly flushed.
“Ahem. The Unyielding Sword Emperor here hadn’t saved you, you’d be dead.”
It was far more respectful than when we’d first met.
I interjected softly.
“David didn’t choose that himself.”
“Hmm. Could you explain in detail?”
His tone had changed too.
Kaild had saved the count’s life.
I had saved the count’s son’s life.
To me, the count seemed more grateful for the latter.
“This incident was Ophelia’s doing.”
“......!”
“Of course, even Ophelia probably didn’t choose it herself. The true mastermind is the Demon King.”
The count looked baffled.
“The Demon King? No oracle has come down yet.”
Oracles descend with the Demon King’s arrival.
It was common knowledge on the continent.
As I opened my mouth to speak, the count continued.
“No, it’ll come soon. To you or Kaild, one of you.”
He evaluated me much higher than before. Me too.
His expression grew cautious.
My previous attitude and actions toward him were starting to weigh on his mind.
I scratched my head and changed the subject.
“Anyway, we plan to search for Ophelia.”
David then fidgeted and spoke up.
“Maide. Please...”
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of killing Ophelia.”
“But.”
“You know my moniker, right? And even if not...”
I swallowed the rest.
I had no particular interest in upholding the Unyielding Sword Emperor title.
But in that strange dream before, the mysterious man had said this.
To please keep that unkill upheld.
That it would be good for both me and him.
‘I’m not saying I’ll definitely listen.’
No need to ignore it deliberately.
I continued.
“Anyway, will you entrust this matter to me?”
“Heh heh. Wrong choice of words.”
“Huh?”
“Entrust would mean handing over my authority to you. But I have no authority to meddle in such matters. Nor the ability.”
Count Akain bowed politely.
“I can only ask.”
“Count.”
“Please forget all my initial rudeness. With Ophelia like that and strange events in the territory, the only one I can rely on is the Hero.”
I bowed in return.
“Leave it to me.”
I’d just thought of a way to save Ophelia too.