Chapter 16 - Because the Hero Could Go to the End
Logram.
A territory governed by Marquis Rabit of Marpein.
Because Marquis Rabit frequently invited famous individuals to host banquets for flattery, Clay had visited that territory before.
'A banquet hall in Rabit's territory?'
However, despite being on fire, unlike usual, Clay immediately recognized it as Rabit's banquet hall thanks to the emblem hanging nearby.
Not long after Clay spotted it, the emblem caught fire and was soon blown away by the wind, turning into ash.
'What's happening?'
Logram was the northernmost territory in Marpein.
It had Holy Kratia, its blood-sworn ally, directly to its north, and to its south, one had to pass through numerous Marpein territories to reach it.
In other words, it was no exaggeration to say that Logram was located in the safest zone in Marpein.
'Who on earth...'
There were only a few people who could wreak such havoc on Logram's territory.
Currently, even the remaining demons were keeping a low profile, so those few remaining individuals could only belong to the Holy State Alliance.
'!'
Just then, part of the banquet hall's wall collapsed, revealing the view outside.
Clay's eyes widened at the figures he saw through the opening.
'Neville.'
Neville von Ragnaric, the Crown Prince of Holy Kratia, and...
'Yuru.'
An individual he never imagined seeing there was present.
Clay sighed, watching the situation unfold.
'Why is she...'
Yuru was the Tower Master of the Blue Magic Tower.
It was an unwritten rule that mages of the Magic Towers were to be noble researchers of magic and interfere as little as possible with the outside world.
What had drawn these mages out into the external world was, without a doubt, the overwhelming might of the Demon King across the continent.
Now that this threat was gone, the mages of each Magic Tower had returned to their places, and this was true for the members of the Blue Tower as well.
So, Yuru should have been at the Blue Magic Tower right now.
Not at the burning banquet hall in Logram.
'I can't hear any voices.'
What was visible through the beacon was only the visual aspect of the other side.
Sound was not transmitted.
Thus, it was difficult to grasp the situation, but Clay was certain that something abnormal had occurred.
'Yuru, what are you doing?'
With a face that looked completely ravaged, she was approaching Neville, who was sprawled on the floor.
Neville was crawling backward, his hands on the ground, as if trying to avoid her.
"...Clay!"
Suddenly, Clay turned around, startled by a shout from behind.
"I was wondering where you went, and here you are?"
Rin Ciart.
The petite magic scholar who had introduced herself as the woman who would make him the Demon King was walking into the beacon tower.
"You might not want to look too closely."
"...Why?"
"Because it'll mostly show the places where the humans who betrayed you are."
She wasn't wrong.
"It's already showing my old comrade."
"What? Really?"
Rin hurriedly ran over and checked the beacon.
"Yuru?!"
Perhaps because she was a magic scholar, Rin looked quite surprised seeing Yuru of the Blue Magic Tower.
"Why is Yuru here?"
"That's what I'd like to know."
Yuru should normally be at the Blue Magic Tower.
Yet, not only was she outside, but she appeared to have illegally infiltrated Marpein.
To even be threatening Kratia's Crown Prince?
'Did something happen with Marpein while I was gone?'
He tried to guess, but there were no particular clues.
What was clear was that because Yuru had touched Marpein, Iser would likely not be safe either.
After all, Iser also served as the base for the Blue Magic Tower.
Since the Blue Magic Tower and Iser were in a symbiotic relationship, the Holy State Alliance's blade was increasingly likely to turn towards both places.
"That's the Crown Prince of Kratia. Is she, by any chance, trying to kill him?"
Rin turned to Clay with eyes full of confusion.
Clay said nothing, merely staring at the beacon.
"Ah!"
The moment Rin gasped, Yuru seized the Crown Prince.
And then, stepping on air, she flew off and disappeared somewhere.
"She kidnapped him."
Even at Rin's foolish murmur, Clay remained silent.
He was simply confused about what was happening.
'...It has nothing to do with me.'
But the Blue Magic Tower and Iser were now places he had no concern for.
"Rin."
"Hm?"
"Can you find out what happened?"
Still, as someone who would become the Demon King, he ought to know what was happening outside.
After all, the previous Demon King had probably installed this beacon for that very reason.
"You'd be better off asking the Gargoyles for something like that than me."
Rin replied, tilting her head.
"If you want, I can help you talk to the Gargoyles."
"I'd appreciate that."
She was less trustworthy than Beatrice, but he decided to put his faith in her this once.
"You look like you don't quite trust me."
Rin muttered with a hint of dissatisfaction and led the way.
♧
Gargoyles.
The gatekeepers of Barungenia and envoys of the Demon King.
The Gargoyles here, whose duty was to protect Barungenia as the final refuge, would never become emissaries like their kin in other Demon King's Castles.
However, they were swift in flight and skilled in stealth, enough to be mobilized to go outside and secretly assess the war situation.
"This is Goet, the leader of the Gargoyles."
Rin, who had brought Clay out of the Demon King's Castle, pointed to the leader of the red-winged Gargoyles.
The first time he came, it was a standoff, so Clay only remembered the leader's red wings.
"My apologies for the late greeting, Goet. I am Clay, who is to succeed the Demon King's position."
"I have heard the stories."
Goet spoke, standing before numerous Gargoyles.
"I, and the Gargoyles who follow me, acknowledge the authority held by the Pitch-Black One's proxy. If she intends to enthrone a new Demon King with that authority, we have no complaints."
"Is that so? I appreciate that."
"However, you should not assume that the demons outside Barungenia will be like us."
Goet said with a stern expression.
"Demons inherently follow the strongest demon as their king. Aside from a few demons who follow rules, they will surely challenge you."
"Yes, that's true."
Clay had been prepared for that.
Most of the demons he encountered during his time as the hero had such tendencies.
"For now, the Pitch-Black One's proxy will assist you in resolving issues, but ultimately, you yourself must become stronger to rule as the Demon King."
"I will keep that advice in mind."
But that wasn't why they exchanged greetings; he wasn't here to debate such matters now.
"First, I'd like to confirm the situation outside. Is there a suitable Gargoyle for that?"
"You mean reconnaissance."
Goet said in a low voice.
"The suitable individual depends on the region."
"Depends on the region?"
"The section you need to break through differs depending on the region. You must choose the right individual for it."
Places where temples were concentrated or where the terrain was rugged were certainly worth considering. Clay nodded in response.
"I want to know what happened in Marpein's Logram territory."
"Is that something our Gargoyles can find out?"
"What do you mean?"
"We can fly and perform reconnaissance, but we cannot deeply infiltrate human settlements and uncover their true intentions."
"I heard that Gargoyles have sharp ears, enough to eavesdrop while flying."
"It is true that using magic allows us to hear distant conversations. However, such information is usually mere rumor. Is that still acceptable?"
"Yes."
Since he had already confirmed some parts visually, he could combine it with rumors.
"Please find out. It's fine."
"Understood. Then I will send one skilled in changing body camouflage. They will be superior to anyone in gathering rumors."
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Clay entrusted the task to Goet and moved on.
"But hey."
As they walked back together, Rin asked Clay.
"You're not holding onto any lingering feelings for your old comrade, are you?"
Stop.
Clay stopped moving and gazed into the air for a moment.
"Hmm, did I ask something I shouldn't have?"
Clay turned to Rin, who had a slightly troubled expression.
"Rin."
"Uh, yeah?"
"I don't intend to live without lingering feelings."
That was an emotion Clay, born as a human, couldn't completely erase.
"But those lingering feelings exist only in the past. Do I have lingering feelings for my old comrade? Yes, I do. Literally only for my old comrade."
"Then..."
"It's irrelevant now."
The inequality sign had already flipped.
Lingering feelings chasing the past had been completely pushed back by current hatred.
Clay was no longer the Hero.
His old comrades were just old comrades.
They were not figures that flickered before Clay's eyes, as he had chosen a completely different path.
"So, don't make any mistake."
Clay said, his eyes as cold and hard as a stone from a snow-covered mountain.
"It makes me shudder."
"Oh, okay."
Rin flustered, looking surprised.
"I just asked. It wasn't because I suspected anything."
"Right."
Clay turned his head and started walking again.
Rin watched his retreating back and sighed.
"I thought I was going to suffocate."
Although he had lost his original power, the Hero was still the Hero.
As if the claim that he had instilled fear in countless demons was no empty boast, Clay's momentum was truly sharp.
'I like him even more.'
She had been briefly surprised by Clay's expression, but it was only for a moment.
One couldn't simply become the Demon King.
Only by grasping the kind of depravity that would not flinch at death could one truly become the Demon King.
That distortion.
There was a reason the Demon King suffered from solitude.
The Demon King had to possess something that no one could fully understand, something that had to be borne completely alone.
Becoming the number one on the opposite side of light was like that.
It wasn't glorious or honorable, but as darkness, it couldn't be more sublime.
'Don't worry, Clay.'
Rin slowly followed Clay, who was walking away.
'I'm not doubting you.'
The Demon King was an existence who empowered the demons, who were forced to live in hiding due to human oppression, to live proudly.
In other words, the hero of the demons.
'You have talent.'
A will he had never seen in the previous Demon King could be felt in Clay's depths.
It wasn't composed solely of anger or hatred.
'That must be why you were chosen as the Hero.'
He definitely possessed it.
The talent to keep going to the very end, even while falling, despairing, and floundering.
"Clay! Let's go together~!"
Recalling the glint she had felt from the gaze that had fallen upon her, Rin waved her arms and ran after him.