I Asked You to Kill Him
“I asked you to kill him for me.”
“I know. That was my initial plan too. It was a chance to fully claim the spirit stone of a high-ranking demon, after all.”
Adel said.
“But things change if it’s not just a demon, but a Demon King. Belkan, you played a clever trick on me that doesn’t suit your brute size.”
The place he’d returned to was none other than the savages’ barracks.
“I figured it was at least a second-hierarchy or higher based on the spirit stone fragment embedded in your body, but a Demon King? Really...”
Grip—!!!
Adel grabbed Belkan by the collar and yanked him down. It was quite the sight, watching that rock-like massive frame get dragged by Adel’s arm.
“Kuh?!”
Adel spoke to Belkan, whose head had been pulled down nearly to the ground.
“You knew, didn’t you? I actually like people, you know. When Bill first came here and told me how you saved Piz Gwahl, I was dead set on helping you all.”
“L-Let go and talk.”
“For a deal, we both need to be straight with each other. That means no lies, Belkan.”
Crunch...
Adel tightened his grip on the collar.
“I’ve been looking at you favorably because we’re both human, but remember this: anyone who isn’t honest with me—human or not—dies.”
“Hah, huff...”
Releasing Belkan’s collar, Adel turned to Jin. It wasn’t just a warning for Belkan.
“As expected of an ancient god’s contractor. You come off as arrogant, but that changes when you’ve got the power to back it up.”
Jin said.
“Still, you’d better watch yourself. Keep that up, and you won’t die a natural death.”
“Oh yeah?”
“You just got lucky. If this were the North Sea instead of here, you’d be fighting over a thousand demons.”
But unlike the warning Jin issued, Adel simply stared at him impassively.
“So?”
“So what? I’m saying...”
“Nothing changes. Even if I’d been there, I would’ve fought the demons.”
“You really are the type who lives on the edge. No wonder you strode into the Demon King’s castle so boldly.”
Jin, who had lived for ages, stuck out his tongue as if he’d never seen a human like this before.
“Why’d you bring this guy? He treated us like slaves for ages. We can’t just make nice now.”
“But he can give you what you want. You want to escape the Cove. The fog wall’s blocking you, though.”
Belkan nodded at his words.
“Kill the one controlling the fog wall—the master of this Cove, the Demon King—and the wall vanishes naturally. That’s your conclusion.”
“Right. But we don’t need to rehash it.”
“We do. The one who can dispel the fog wall is right here—Jin.”
Adel pointed at him.
“He’s the Demon King’s direct descendant. If the Demon King’s bloodline ends, the demon realm vanishes too. It’s unfair, but that alone isn’t enough reason to kill him.”
“Wouldn’t vanishing the demon realm be better for humans? Demons just eat them.”
“In that sense, aren’t you savages the same? You eat humans too.”
“You mad bastard. Don’t spout nonsense. I won’t deny we did it to survive in the past. But after we could hunt monsters, we stopped eating our own kind.”
Belkan growled.
“We’re better than those filthy demons.”
“Oh really? Want me to rip out that spirit stone in your chest right now? Make all your hearts burst from my demonic energy?”
Smack—!!
Adel smacked Jin on the back of the head.
“What are you two doing? Acting like kids.”
“Hey!!”
“What? Since when are we buddies for you to ‘hey’ me? I get you’re happy to have someone to talk to, but use your judgment.”
“Tch... That guy...”
Jin muttered, rubbing the back of his head where Adel had hit him.
“Belkan, you’re not wrong. But right now, they’re a necessary evil to me. I need their power. And yours too.”
“Sounds like greed. You’re telling us to ally with our enemy?”
“Jin.”
At that moment, instead of any explanation, Adel simply called his name.
Jin, who’d been grumbling, clicked his tongue and stood up.
Twitch.
Belkan’s muscles instinctively tensed.
“...?!?”
But shockingly, Jin knelt before him. Belkan stared at him in stunned silence.
“What the hell is this?”
“I’m sorry. In my desperation, I abandoned reality and fled. In doing so, I caused you all pain.”
Jin said to Belkan.
“I’ll lift the fog wall and let you leave. I don’t think it’ll earn forgiveness... but it’s the only atonement I can offer now.”
“Ha...”
Belkan ground his teeth in disbelief at the kneeling Demon King.
“...You!”
He grabbed Jin by the collar and hoisted him up.
Crack...!!
At that instant, the spirit stone automatically constricted his chest, twisting his arms holding the collar in grotesque fashion. Yet Belkan didn’t let go.
“Because your father died and you got chased from the demon realm? All that childish whining... and you tormented us for centuries?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? You know what the world calls us. We became savages to survive the torment—and it’s all because of you!!!”
“I have nothing to say but that. I had no time to consider you.”
The body with the demon spirit stone embedded forced it not to rebel against Jin instinctively. Beyond his twisted arms, Belkan felt his organs tearing apart.
“Enough.”
That was when Adel spoke softly, placing a hand on Belkan’s arm.
“Belkan, your words right now are no different from whining. No matter the reason, entering the Forbidden Zone was your choice.”
“...What?”
“We overlooked something.”
“What’s that?”
“Think about it. If you’re going to blame someone, it should be Ragol who implanted the spirit stone in you, not the Demon King who came late.”
“Why?”
“In ancient times, the Forbidden Zone wasn’t demon territory.”
Adel pointed to the fragment embedded in Belkan’s chest.
“Not being demon territory means demonic energy didn’t originally fill this place. And yet, he implanted spirit stone fragments in you all.”
“That’s...”
“Spirit stones withstand rift power, but as you just felt, demons instinctively cower before higher demons.”
Belkan’s eyes wavered at that moment.
“The one who implanted the spirit stone in you—Ragol—used stones from lower demons than himself. Why?”
“...”
“Insurance. In case things went wrong later, he could clean you up.”
In the end, there are no good ones among the demons.
Of course. How could we trust scum like that.
Kalderet and Garon’s barbs made Jin’s face harden.
“I don’t trust this guy either. And he won’t trust me. Trust isn’t needed in our relationship.”
“What?”
“Only mutual benefit. A relationship to get what we each want. Nothing more solid than that.”
“...And if he betrays us?”
“He’ll pay the price.”
Belkan said nothing. It was a generic answer anyone could give, but somehow, he felt it wouldn’t come to that.
“You want us to help someone we don’t trust open the demon realm gate? That’s leading us to slaughter. You and Ragol—what’s the difference?”
“Big difference. Huge.”
Adel said to Belkan.
“When opening the demon realm gate, I won’t send just you all like Ragol did. I’ll stand at the forefront myself.”
“...”
“I’m not saying conquer the demon realm right now—that’s absurd. Even with the spirit stone fragments, you’re no match for demons yet. You need to get stronger.”
Adel turned to Jin.
“And your forces need to grow strong enough to devour demons. Taking the demon realm with just three, as you said, is impossible.”
“...How?”
He didn’t want to admit it, but it was true. The Cove savages were strong in the human world, but their prowess had limits.
“Not far from the Cove is the Black Magic Palace. It’ll suit you fine. Hone yourselves there.”
Belkan nodded.
“Its lord knows black magic better than anyone—he’ll understand demon spells too. He’ll help.”
“Fine.”
“So lighten up. Your dream of leaving the fog wall is coming true, isn’t it?”
“I know. I’m just pissed this isn’t the ending I wanted. I didn’t want an apology—I wanted him dead.”
“Think the other way. What if I’d sided with the Demon King and killed you all?”
“...What?”
“Could you have stopped me?”
“So you’re saying we’re weak, so be grateful for this half-assed peace?”
Adel shook his head.
“No. If you’re getting peace, make it real peace. Killing Jin gains you nothing.”
He continued.
“True freedom isn’t just stepping beyond the fog wall. You need to remove the spirit stones themselves.”
“...I’ll remember that.”
Belkan said, then looked at Binraka.
“Tell everyone to prepare to leave.”
“Really... we’re going?”
Binraka, who’d dreamed of the continent, asked in an excited voice. Before Belkan could answer, he dashed out of the barracks.
“Excited?”
“O-Of course. Finally... the fog wall...”
Binraka’s voice trembled.
“To me, you’re sharp. Those with a thirst for knowledge don’t get weeded out. In a new environment, someone like you might lead the tribe someday.”
“Nah... we have you, Chief.”
“Learn and master much. The continent ahead isn’t just about fighting like here.”
Binraka nodded at Adel’s words.
“Leviathan guild members are all aboard. We finished repairs on Sea Wave Island with the materials we brought.”
“Good. Tell them we’ll meet in the Zen Kingdom.”
“Huh? You’re not coming with us?”
Squeee—!!!
That was when Adel pulled a small horn from his bosom and blew it. Blocked by the fog wall, it shouldn’t carry far, but Binraka just watched blankly, not understanding.
Roooar—!!!
Then, incredibly, the dark clouds filling the sky parted, and something plummeted from above.
Booom—!!!!
A massive boom erupted, sandstorm surging up.
“Cough, cough...!!”
Not just Binraka—the savages in the village rushed out in shock at the sudden uproar.
“W-What’s that?”
“No way...”
The savages couldn’t hide their astonishment.
“Jin, see you again soon. Before then, clean up the succubi. We need to finish our talk.”
“...”
Jin stared at the creature Adel casually mounted, speechless.
Thud—
Adel kicked off as if riding a horse.
It was a balrog.