The Demonic Sword.

Unlike the Holy Sword, it did not originate from any known material. It appeared in the world like a mutation—an anomaly.

Naturally, apart from utilizing its innate properties, it was nearly impossible to refine or augment it through any traditional means.

Even so, if one could meet the legendary blacksmith from myth…

“Are we ready to go?”

Outside the bedchamber, upon hearing Clay’s voice, Syltanaro rushed out.

“Yes, I’ve packed everything.”

She carried a bag stuffed full of items.

“What’s all that?”

“I packed food for you to eat along the way, my lord. Dried goods like jerky, and some potions as well.”

“You kept that in my room?”

Syltanaro usually remained in human form unless she was sleeping in Clay’s bedroom or actively in combat—only then would she revert to her sword form.

She never seemed to need storage space, but she had continuously stashed things into the drawer Clay had given her, “just in case.”

Now he realized they were all supplies like these, and couldn’t help but let out a dry chuckle.

“You can leave the potions with Lin. She’s the one making them anyway.”

“Even so… we never know what could happen…”

Syltanaro trailed off, looking a little embarrassed.

“Well, it’s fine. You have a point.”

Given the unknown dangers that might arise in Barungenia, it wasn’t a bad thing that she was making these kinds of preparations.

“Syltanaro, wait for me outside Barungenia. I’ll stop by another room for a moment before we leave.”

“Um, my lord.” Syltanaro hesitated, then spoke up, “Will it just be the two of us on this trip, or will there be others?”

“No others. Why, is something bothering you?”

“N-No, not exactly…”

“You can be honest.”

Given that she was his personal weapon and always remained nearby, it was worth hearing her out carefully if she had something to say—it could be important.

“It’s not a big deal, but… I wanted to spend time with you, and lately there’s been so much interference…”

“Interference?”

Clay furrowed his brows, thinking of the growing number of people in Barungenia recently.

“Are they wary of you?”

“Eh? Ah, well… that’s part of it. I’m always near you, after all.”

“Then…”

“But more than that, I just want to spend more time with you.”

As Clay stood silently, Syltanaro quickly waved her hands.

“A-As your weapon, I mean! We need time to train together, that’s all…”

“I see.” Clay nodded, “You’re right. I’ve been negligent in our training.”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“It’s fine, Syltanaro. If I can’t even accept a suggestion like this, then I’d be unworthy of the Demon King’s title.” He declared right there, “Don’t worry. Once this mission is over, I’ll make time to train with you separately.”

“Y-Yes! Of course!”

Syltanaro beamed with delight.

“…Hmm?”

Clay turned his head at the sudden sense of several strong presences.

At the far end of the hallway—he could tell who it was by the entangled aura of cold, heat, and magia. Still, he chose to pretend not to notice.

‘So this is what it’s like to be a sovereign, constantly under watch.’

Noticing even Beatrice was among them, Clay smirked internally and moved on. He had never experienced this level of attention, even during his days as a Hero.

After sending Syltanaro ahead, Clay arrived at another room and entered alone—only to face a young man inside.

“Neville.”

The kidnapped crown prince of Holy Krata.

“Lord Clay.”

Neville approached with a bright smile that felt out of place for a hostage.

“I heard you’re leaving again. Are you not exhausted?”

“I’m fine.”

Clay, despite knowing Neville must have heard about the invasion of Yaphenon, revealed a sliver of his burden.

“I wondered if what I’ve been doing is too much for you to bear.”

“It’s not.” Neville replied with a bitter smile, “You made a promise, didn’t you? I’ll endure any suffering for the sake of saving humanity.”

“…I see.”

Clay parted his lips for a moment. No matter how much they tried to understand one another, there was no going back to how things used to be.

The word “suffering” from Neville’s mouth made Clay swallow quietly, but he steeled himself and spoke again.

“Neville. It’s time for you to leave Barungenia.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that…?”

“As the Crown Prince of Krata, it’s time for you to take power.”

Like a ruler placing a crown on his subject’s head, Clay gestured toward Neville’s head.

♧

“Your Majesty.”

In Ezer—

After their successful campaign, the allied forces of Ezer still remained in the capital of the empire.

“A letter has arrived.”

Lilien brought the letter that had flown into the royal palace and handed it to Tia.

“It’s from Emperor Lutan.”

The seal stamped on the envelope was unmistakably that of Krata.

Rip.

Tia tore open the envelope without hesitation and quickly scanned the letter inside.

“Hm.”

After reading the contents with a blank expression, Tia ripped the letter in two.

“Y-Your Majesty…”

“It’s just as expected,” Tia said calmly, “He expresses regret for what happened and says he hopes for our cooperation going forward.”

“Cooperation… you mean…”

“In the matter of eliminating the former Hero, who has now emerged as the new Demon King.”

The former Hero. The new Demon King.

Lilien swallowed dryly.

“Will you cooperate?”

“Do you think I would?”

Tia let out a hollow laugh.

“They turned a blind eye to Yaphenon, which nearly drove Ezer to ruin. Krata is our enemy now.”

“Then…”

“Yes, we must find a way to survive in response to the Demon King’s movements.”

Lilien showed signs of hesitation at those words.

“Your Majesty, are you truly considering joining forces with the Demon King?”

“That’s not quite the right phrasing. You know who the Demon King is, don’t you, Lilien?”

The former Hero.

The relationship between Clay and Tia was already shattered beyond repair.

“Your Majesty,” Lilien said with a hardened face, “I know it sounds hard to believe, but if what you say is true—that the Demon King is indeed the former Hero, Clay—then even if you don’t join hands with him, he may still stir your heart.”

“You’re worried that I’ll waver because of Clay.”

“I…”

“You’re right, Lilien.”

Tia didn’t bother to deny her own feelings.

“I’m not strong enough to be unaffected by seeing Clay alive again.”

“Your Majesty…”

“But I’m not so weak that I can’t tell right from wrong.”

Clay no longer saw Ezer—or her—as an ally. If anything, he likely considered them adversaries now.

However, the odds of Clay targeting them first were low.

“Lilien. The one who poses the greatest threat to Clay isn’t us.”

Holy Krata.

Setting aside the betrayal of his former comrades, there was no way Clay didn’t know who was behind it all.

“He’ll go after the ones pulling the strings. The ones who move this world from behind.”

“You mean he’ll attack Krata before he comes for us?”

“Yes.”

Tia looked straight at Lilien.

“And Krata is our enemy too. If we want to survive, they must be eliminated.”

“But Your Majesty, once the Demon King destroys Krata, he’ll come for us next.”

“Which is why we can’t sit idly by.”

Between Lutan and the Demon King—

There was only one way to survive.

“We won’t cooperate… but we’ll pretend to.”

They would feign support for Lutan while secretly helping the Demon King expand his influence across the continent.

They would carefully balance the scales—driving both Krata and the Demon King’s army into mutual destruction.

“My plan is to side with both, and yet with neither. What do you think, Lilien?”

Tia’s question was met with silence.

‘She really intends to walk that tightrope?’

It wasn’t just that walking the line was dangerous. Lilien couldn’t even read Tia’s heart with certainty.

‘Wouldn’t it be better to actually cooperate with Krata?’

Since Lutan had flown all the way to Yaphenon, he probably wouldn’t dare oppose the Saintess now. From his perspective, it made more sense to blame everything on Yaphenon, work with Tia to eliminate the Demon King, and then rebalance the power afterward.

Trying to bring a force like the Demon King onto the scale to achieve the optimal outcome… it felt reckless no matter how she looked at it.

“Lilien?”

Had my thoughts shown on my face?

“Is there something you’re dissatisfied with?”

“N-No, Your Majesty.”

Even if she did have reservations, Lilien was the commander of Ezer’s Royal Guard. She had to remain loyal to Tia until the end.

“I will follow your decision, Your Majesty.”

Lilien finally bowed her head, then left after wrapping up the conversation.

Now, only Tia remained in the office.

‘She doesn’t seem suspicious.’

Tia cast her gaze in the direction Lilien had left.

‘Though it seems she still has doubts.’

Tapping her fingers on the desk, Tia recalled the sight of Clay—brought back from the dead.

She had tried to protect the peace of Ezer at all costs, yet in the end, she had pushed him into that corner and thrown herself into the pit of war.

‘If this was how it was going to be anyway…’

She should’ve chosen a different path from the start.

But time had already passed. Tia no longer had the ability to piece together what was broken.

And yet—

‘Clay… You can’t entirely sever yourself from the life you lived before death either, can you?’

She had seen it clearly.

Clay had not yet become someone completely of that world.

There was still a flicker of hesitation in him. The remnants of his memories… holding onto his will.

‘I won’t ask for forgiveness.’

But if there was still a way to stand in the same world as him—

‘I have to try something.’

Boom!

Just then, a sudden explosion echoed through the palace.

Tia rose to her feet and ran toward the source. There, she found soldiers surrounded by a cloud of dust.

“!”

As her gaze searched for answers, she caught sight of something very familiar.

『Tia de Mezelef.』

From within the slowly clearing dust, embedded in the ground, was the Holy Sword—Excalbren.

『I heard you became the Saintess.』

“E-Everyone, get it together!”

“We’re under attack!”

The soldiers scrambled to raise their weapons again, but Excalbren paid them no mind.

『You bear a duty.』

“Duty?”

『Clay has fallen into evil and become corrupted.』

Excalbren’s blade trembled as if unable to contain its grief.

『He must be stopped. So that he will no longer suffer. I must lend my strength as well.』

It was a declaration, Excalbren was offering to become Tia’s weapon.

“…Ah.”

Realizing the situation, Tia suppressed her smile and responded.

“Thank you. For offering your strength.”

But—

Excalbren would not be used to stop him.

…My apologies.

(End of Chapter)

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