Chapter 60 - Expedition Plan
Upon returning to Iser, Tia immediately summoned Nael and Yeriel.
"So you've finally returned."
Unlike Yelena, who looked simply dazed, Nael wore a deeply displeased expression.
"Didn't you say you were going to war with Yafenon? This isn't the time to be wandering around…"
"I went to meet Clay."
At those words, Nael's eyes widened.
"What?"
"Clay has taken the throne of the Demon King and is leading the demons. He didn't seem to be a king in name only."
"Clay, was he really accepted as Demon King in the Demon Realm?"
"Yes."
It was only natural for Clay to feel betrayed by humans. After all, it was a human who killed him.
Looking at Clay's actions, it was also true that there were doubts about whether the accusation that he had colluded with the former Demon King was real.
However, putting everything else aside, the fact that Clay had begun to practically lead the demons meant the emergence of a whole new problem.
"How could he…?"
Nael knew that Clay was unable to properly use divine power due to the brutal torture he had received from the priests.
Although she had seen him overcome it to some extent, she never expected him to regain a strength befitting his status.
"If Clay has truly become strong enough to overwhelm the demons with the logic of power, this is no ordinary problem."
Nael gulped and said,
"The Holy Kingdom Alliance will soon officially recognize Clay as the new Demon King."
If that happened, Clay would become the undisputed enemy of all humanity. The Holy Krata would try to lead the continental situation again and would once more use everyone to eliminate Clay.
"It was Krata that played a leading role in Clay's execution. They must know that Clay won't let it go. He will try to punish them right away."
"I suppose so."
Tia sighed upon hearing Nael's concerns.
"Nael, what do you think?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean about Clay. To be precise, about the things he was accused of before the execution."
Clay was executed on the charge of colluding with the former Demon King. Her question was what Nael thought of that accusation.
"I don't know."
Nael admitted honestly.
"But after Clay was executed, I realized one thing."
Her voice was calm despite the content.
"That I am not righteous enough to live only for the greater good."
"You mean…"
"The accusation doesn't matter. If Clay said it wasn't true, I should have believed him. I…"
Nael's eyes trembled slightly.
"I was heavily indebted to Clay and never repaid him."
When her race was on the verge of extinction because of the demons, it was Clay who stepped forward to protect them more than anyone else.
In that way, he was accepted as a member of her race. She was proud of it. She knew how sincere the comrade she could always rely on was to her world.
"I was mistaken. I thought I was happy because everything was done for the greater good. But I wasn't. When Clay was gone, everything felt empty and hollow. Tia, don't you feel the same?"
"…"
Tia couldn't easily answer Nael's question. She wasn't someone who could be as honest as Nael.
However,
"You're right, Nael."
She, too, could admit it now.
"We shouldn't have let Clay go like that."
"Then…"
"Yes, let's hurry."
It was impossible to turn Clay, who had already become the Demon King, back into the hero he once was. As he said, he was already dead.
The Clay who lived now was just a vengeful spirit, carrying the wounds of death that would never heal and harboring murderous intent toward everyone.
But even a vengeful spirit like him was clearly a necessary presence for her. She now knew that for sure.
"Even if he doesn't return to us, I will make sure he isn't completely banished from this world."
Even if they ended up on parallel paths, she would find a way to keep him alive. If so, someday...
"Okay."
The reply wasn't from Nael.
"Include me."
Yelena.
Her gaze, from her swollen eyes, was directed at Tia.
"This time, I will create a place for him where he doesn't have to leave."
A home just for him, in a place where he could exist without anyone's permission.
"Yes."
Having confirmed her resolve, Tia said,
"It's late, but let's do what we want now."
Even if it was a selfish desire that heroes shouldn't have.
"Demon King."
Cardine reported to Clay.
"The elves have left the forest and are gathering."
"The elves?"
"Yes."
He placed a piece of paper on Clay's desk.
"They even informed us of this fact themselves."
The contents written on the paper, which had been delivered via carrier pigeon, were truly absurd from the demon's perspective.
To the newly appointed King of the Demon Realm.
We, the elves, have decided to leave the forest to uphold our pact with Iser. We will first eliminate Yafenon, who first attacked Iser. If you have any interest you wish to seize, we suggest you take this opportunity, and if not, we hope you do not get needlessly involved.
Please keep in mind that this is solely a unilateral statement from our elven race, hoping that you will not interfere with our affairs.
The tone sounded as if they were saying, "Let's not have any misunderstandings."
Furthermore, they had even included information that could be beneficial to their side.
"Hmm."
Seeing that they had specified the date for their attack on Yafenon, Clay let out a small sigh.
"Demon King?"
Cardine asked worriedly, but Clay shook his head.
"It's nothing."
If it were just the contents, the possibility that someone had made it up couldn't be ruled out, but Clay had spotted the seal at the bottom.
'Yelena's seal.'
After the death of the previous Elf King, the elves had virtually served his daughter, Yelena, as their queen. Of course, Yelena didn't particularly like moving the elves. Most of the elves were individualists who simply liked to live in nature.
But when a directive from the highest authority was issued, they acted as powerful fighters for the whole.
'It was a truly empty slogan.'
The fact that Yafenon, a member of the Holy Kingdom Alliance, had attacked Iser meant that the wall of peace that Tia had tried to protect had collapsed.
In a way that made his own death utterly meaningless, nothing had been protected.
"They have a knack for putting off what needs to be done and then doing it later."
"Pardon?"
"I'm talking about the elves."
Clay put down the paper he was holding.
"It might have been different in the past when they were considered a mysterious race, but the Holy Kingdom Alliance has already considered the possibility of the elves becoming enemies. Under the pretext of helping the hero, they thoroughly investigated the hero and all members of the hero's party. At the time, I believed their words implicitly."
"You mean…"
"If they attack without a plan, the elves will suffer a great blow from Yafenon."
Of course, they wouldn't be defeated if Tia and Nael were with them, but their fighting force would have a gap.
"Cardine."
Clay asked him,
"Do you know why the elves sent me a letter?"
"Perhaps they hoped we would attack Yafenon together because of some unknown factor?"
"That hope must exist. But…"
Clay let out a hollow laugh.
"But the desire to test the waters was probably greater."
The elves were not a race that meddled in others' affairs. With Yelena's word, they would have moved at the time of the execution, but if you look at the elves separately from Yelena, it was hard to say they had a big connection to Clay's revenge plot.
So they tried to check.
To see how he would react when people who he had been close to in the past were about to walk into a danger zone.
They were trying to find out how far Clay had turned.
'But it's foolish.'
No one would move for a race that did nothing during his execution, just for the sake of old friendships.
However, if they thought there was a possibility that Clay still had a remnant of the hero who couldn't simply stand by and watch their sacrifice, it was a worthwhile attempt.
'It's unpleasant.'
The very existence of such an attempt didn't make Clay feel good.
'It's truly unpleasant.'
His brows furrowed deeply, and Cardine looked flustered.
"Demon King, if I said something wrong…"
"You didn't. I just don't like this letter."
Clay's voice was firm.
"Cardine, is there any news from Beatrice yet?"
"Not yet."
"When you hear from her, tell her to come back quickly."
Cardine subtly looked at Clay's hand as he said that.
'He must be really angry.'
His hand was trembling slightly. Cardine thought it was due to Clay's rage.
'She really needs to come back soon.'
Although he hadn't said anything before, Clay often looked in the direction of Beatrice's quarters. It was clear that her presence brought him great peace of mind.
"Demon King. I don't know if this is the right time to say this, but…"
"Speak."
"Beatrice asked me to give you something in case something happened that made you uncomfortable."
At those words, Clay's eyes widened slightly.
"What is it?"
Then Cardine fumbled in his pocket and pulled out an envelope.
"That is…"
Clay, who had looked surprised, relaxed a little after holding the envelope Cardine handed him.
"This is ridiculous."
The envelope Cardine handed him was filled with white marshmallows. The same kind of snack she had roasted for him the day they met.
"I'll have to interrogate her when she gets back."
On Clay's lips, a faint smile appeared, one that didn't match his words.