"Of course, we should choose the Five Demons here!"
The one-armed old man with a fierce expression shouted, slamming his fist on the table.
"The Five Kings don't even treat us as humans! The Five Demons are pushing them back across the continent, so choosing them is the right move now!"
He lowered his white eyebrows, saying the Five Demons were the answer for the Five Divine Orders to regain their strength.
"The Five Demons are evil beings beyond mere ugliness."
The golden-haired woman with sharp eyes calmly shook her head.
"Trusting those two-faced devils is tantamount to suicide. They'll surely discard us after using our power."
She closed her eyes, stating that the Five Demons couldn't be trusted.
"I don't care which side we choose, as long as I can fight fiercely."
The middle-aged man with blue hair and a carefree appearance caressed the spear resting on the table, licking his lips.
"I've been feeling deeply unsatisfied lately."
He muttered about his frustratingly dull life as he took a swig straight from the bottle.
"That's the problem with battle maniacs. They don't think at all."
The one-armed old man clicked his tongue and turned his gaze to the center of the table.
"Thespian Emperor. What do you think?"
He nodded towards the silhouette shrouded in darkness.
"All three of your opinions are valid."
Thespian Emperor Ariel, whose beauty was so radiant it could make sunlight seem dim, leaned forward with a smile.
"We can't remain idle, and we must choose one of the two factions. However..."
She raised a finger as she looked at the other leaders of the Five Divine Orders.
"Let's postpone our decision for now."
"But we don't have much time, do we?"
Queen of Swords Bridget narrowed her eyes.
"Right now, the Five Kings and Five Demons are holding an auction to gain the power of the Five Divine Orders."
Thespian Emperor Ariel met the eyes of Demon Slaying Spear Kern, Queen of Swords Bridget, and Demonblade Dreg in turn. (E/N: todo if I remember - check the names match. But those character have not appeared for 300 chapters...)
"In an auction, the time keeps extending until a final bid is made."
She curled her lips as she looked at the map of the continent divided between the Five Kings and Five Demons.
"We won't be too late if we move after confirming which side offers the greater reward."
* * *
"Hah..."
As soon as Raon heard Helen's words, he rushed to Federick's mansion. But instead of opening the door immediately, he caught his breath in front of it.
-What are you doing? Why aren't you going in?
Wrath muttered that he wanted to see his mother, flapping his hands.
'I'm a bit nervous.'
Raon was at a loss for words to say to Rector and Edgar, let alone Sylvia. He felt his mouth and mind freezing up.
-Family issues are resolved just by meeting!
Wrath pushed Raon's back, urging him to go in quickly.
'Ah, alright.'
Raon nodded dazedly and entered Federick's mansion.
"You're here."
Federick smiled, pointing to the room where the three were, as if telling Raon to go in.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed to Federick and entered Sylvia's room. Though he had been very nervous, the scene he encountered upon entering was far from what he had expected.
"You damned fool!"
Sylvia was stomping on Edgar's back with a scowl on her face.
"How could you think of dying alone? You should have thought of ways for us to live together!"
"Ah, well, that's..."
"What were we supposed to do if you died alone? How were we supposed to live after losing you again?"
She continued stomping furiously, not listening to Edgar's words.
"I, I had no choice. I couldn't think of anything else but saving you and Father! You threw yourself in danger to save me and Sia too! It's the same thing!"
Edgar shook his head, saying he still didn't regret choosing to save Rector and Sylvia.
"That's not all! If you were alive, you should have contacted us somehow! Raon, me, or Father!"
Sylvia now glared at Edgar with her fist raised.
"That's really not fair! I couldn't move my body, and monsters were everywhere, so I couldn't do anything. I'm still fighting the soul of that damned Death Knight!"
Edgar shook his head vigorously, saying he had his own circumstances.
"Edgar. Shut up. She's completely right."
Rector frowned, taking Sylvia's side instead of Edgar's.
"You heard Father. It's all your fault. All of it..."
Sylvia collapsed, unable to extend her fist, tears streaming down her face. It seemed she didn't truly want to blame Edgar, but was overwhelmed by the fear of losing her family again.
"I'm sorry..."
Knowing how she felt, Edgar repeated his apology and hugged Sylvia.
-Mother! Don't worry! This king will protect you from now on!
Wrath flew over and perched on top of Sylvia's head.
"Heh."
Raon couldn't help but let out a small laugh. With Sylvia's hair disheveled, Wrath looked like a baby bird in a nest.
"R-Raon!"
Rector's eyes widened as he finally noticed Raon.
"Raon! Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Sylvia pushed Edgar away and rushed to Raon, examining him from head to toe.
"You didn't do anything strange for my sake, did you? I couldn't live with myself if you did."
Edgar clasped his hands together, pleading for Raon to say he hadn't done anything unusual.
"Raon. I heard you've done a lot."
Rector raised himself from the bed.
"Tell us what has happened all this time."
He lowered his white eyebrows, more concerned about Raon's well-being than his own.
"And Sia! What happened to Sia? She's alive, right?"
Sylvia clasped her hands together, as if begging for confirmation that Sia was alive. Despite just waking up, seeing the three people worry about him and Sia first, Raon drew a faint smile.
'So this is what family is.'
Rector, Sylvia, and Edgar thought of their family before their own condition or aura. He felt once again what true family meant.
"Since there are many questions, I'll answer them all at once."
Raon took a step back, meeting the trembling eyes of the three.
"Please follow me."
* * *
Raon entered the audience chamber with Sylvia, Edgar, and Rector.
"I've been waiting."
Glenn rose from his throne as if he had expected them to come.
"Father."
"F-Father-in-law, it's an honor to..."
Sylvia and Edgar lowered their posture as if about to kneel before Glenn.
"Greetings are done. Follow me."
Glenn nodded to Rector and headed down to the basement first.
"Let's go."
Raon guided the three to the basement where Sia was staying.
"Ah! Sia! Sia!"
As soon as Sylvia saw Sia, she ran to the bed and hugged her tightly.
"I never thought I'd be able to touch Sia with my own hands again..."
Edgar also stuck close to Sylvia's side, holding Sia's hand who had not yet awakened.
"To think this child is my granddaughter..."
Rector just watched, biting his lip as if feeling the pain Sia had endured.
"Hm? Wait! The fierce Fighting Spirit that Sia had is gone?"
Edgar's chin trembled as if he had noticed the change in Sia.
"Could it be that you pushed out the Green King?"
He turned to Raon with expectant eyes.
"Y-Yes, it's true."
Sylvia also swallowed hard, feeling the pure aura emanating from Sia.
"Raon. What happened all this time?"
She bit her lip as if begging him to speak.
"It's going to be a bit of a long story."
Raon told Sylvia, Rector, and Edgar to sit down, then stood in front of the three.
"Thanks to Rector stopping the explosion of the jewel, we survived, but Mother was badly injured because the aftershock wouldn't disappear. After that..."
He briefly explained what had happened, making eye contact with each of the three in turn.
"...and that's how we were able to revive Sister's soul. Actually, it wasn't me who did it, but Murkada."
Raon stepped back after explaining how Murkada had saved Sia's soul.
"A benefactor and a saint."
Edgar exhaled heavily while holding Sia's hand.
"To leave such an unpayable debt and depart like that..."
He gritted his teeth, seeming regretful that he couldn't thank Murkada in person.
"If only we had met a little earlier..."
Sylvia also sighed, regretting not being able to meet Murkada.
"Raon. There's one thing I'm curious about."
Rector, who had been quietly watching Sia, finally spoke.
"The Fallen wouldn't have been caught in the explosion, so how did you overcome him?"
He narrowed his eyes, as if not understanding what had happened to The Fallen.
-Hmm...
Wrath swallowed dryly, seeming to think it was now time for his story.
"I'll explain that part now."
Raon took a step back. He began to speak, looking at the four people, including Glenn who had waited despite knowing about the demon king's existence.
"When The Fallen tried to kill us while we were defenseless, I borrowed power from a friend."
Raon licked his lips while fiddling with the ice flower bracelet.
"A friend?"
"What kind of friend could possibly overcome The Fallen?"
Rector and Sylvia opened their eyes wide in disbelief.
"..."
Edgar, seeming to have some idea, closed his previously chattering mouth.
-I-It's a bit embarrassing...
Wrath squirmed, feeling the attention focused on him.
'You don't need to be embarrassed.'
Raon shook his head as he stroked Wrath's head.
'Thanks to you, the people here were able to survive.'
While many people had helped in this war, Wrath undoubtedly played the biggest role. If it weren't for him, everyone except Glenn would have been kidnapped or killed by The Fallen, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the number one contributor to the victory.
"It's a demon king."
Raon revealed Wrath's identity after steeling himself.
"A d-demon king?"
"A demon king, you say?"
Sylvia and Rector's eyes widened so much they looked like they might tear.
"Yes. I borrowed power from my demon king friend to fight The Fallen."
"N-No. If you borrowed power from a demon king, you'd have to offer your soul!"
Sylvia ran to Raon and hugged him, wailing.
"No! I absolutely won't let you go! Take mine instead!"
She cried out that she would die in his place, despite having just woken up.
"Hmm, it seems you didn't offer your soul."
Rector exhaled deeply, seeming to regain his composure at Raon's calm demeanor.
"Yes. Not my soul, but..."
Raon chuckled as he looked at Wrath, whose face had turned red.
"I just need to give him delicious food."
"F-Food?"
"You just need to give him food?"
"W-What do you mean..."
This time, not only Sylvia and Rector, but Edgar and Glenn also gaped in surprise.
"He especially likes Mom's cooking from the annex building."
Raon waved his hand, saying the demon king only needed his appetite satisfied.
"Huh? What?"
Sylvia blinked blankly, as if not understanding the current situation.
"Wait! So I came back to life thanks to the demon king's power too?"
Edgar rubbed his chest, as if finally understanding how he had survived.
"Ah, that one was a different demon king."
"T-Two demon kings..."
Sylvia collapsed into a chair, seeming dizzy.
"To think our son is friends with demon kings. Two of them, at that..."
"Kuh!"
In contrast, Edgar raised his fist with an exclamation.
"Father! Did you hear that? Your grandson is friends with demon kings! I've never even seen a demon king, but he's friends with them! This is historic!"
He grinned broadly with his arms spread wide, seeming pleased.
"Oh, you fool!"
Sylvia frowned as she smacked Edgar's back.
Despite being separated for over 20 years, they gave off the air of a couple who had lived together all along. It made Raon smile involuntarily.
"Raon."
Rector approached Raon.
"Is your friend here now?"
"Yes."
Raon nodded calmly.
"He's watching from beside me."
As he said this, he nudged the slightly trembling Wrath with his shoulder.
"I see."
Rector adjusted his clothes and knelt on his left knee before Wrath.
"In the name of the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance, Rector, I offer my thanks to the demon king."
He bowed his head, expressing gratitude even after hearing that Wrath was a demon king.
"That's right. That should come first."
Edgar slapped his own cheek and assumed the same posture next to Rector.
"Demon king. Thank you for saving my son and daughter."
He conveyed his gratitude to Wrath with a grin.
"If there's any food you'd like, please let us know anytime."
Sylvia also expressed her thanks, bending her knees and bowing.
"Thank you for protecting everyone. Really..."
She reddened her eyes, thanking him for helping her son.
"Thank you."
Glenn knelt on one knee between the three.
"In the name of the head of house Zieghart, I wish to convey my gratitude to you."
He too bowed his head, saying he was simply grateful.
-T-This king just...
Wrath's lips trembled as if he hadn't expected such a greeting.
-I just did what I could! Because it was bothersome!
He turned his body abruptly, his nose turning red.
'Are you crying?'
-W-What crying! I'm just surprised because it's the first time so many humans have known my identity and still thanked me!
Wrath sniffled, shouting that he was merely surprised. Raon had expected him to proudly accept the greetings, declaring it was only natural. What a peculiar demon king indeed.
'You deserve it.'
Raon smiled as he patted Wrath's back.
"...And to you too, Raon."
Glenn rose and gave Raon a warm smile.
"What? Why me..."
"Even with a demon king's power, defeating The Fallen is no easy feat. You've been through a lot."
He said this as he stroked Raon's head. It wasn't the appearance of a cold head of house, but that of a family man who wanted to protect his family.
"I feel the same."
Rector looked at Raon with warm eyes and held his hand.
"You must have been more exhausted than anyone, but thank you for fighting to the end without giving up."
He smiled gently, just as he did when teaching Raon swordsmanship.
"No, I... No, it was just what I had to do."
Raon waved his hands and bowed his head to Glenn and Rector.
"..."
Sylvia watched Raon exchanging greetings with his two grandfathers and let fall the tears she had been holding back.
"Well, we can't just thank you with words. Both Raon and the demon king. Is there anything you need?"
Edgar raised his hand as if asking Raon to inquire about Wrath's wishes.
-What's the point of asking!
Wrath raised his head, wiping the snot that had run down.
-Food! And not just any food, but a mountain of dishes so large that even this king can't finish it all! Bring the entire store of bead ice cream!
He pounded his plump belly, saying to fill the Lord's Manor with food.
"He says he wants to throw a party. With lots of dishes."
Raon nodded, saying that was all.
-Don't simplify it like that! Say it properly!
Wrath grabbed Raon's hair, telling him to convey his words exactly.
"Ah, so he must be the demon king of gluttony!" (E/N: It is true that the Demon King of Gluttony saved you. There is no lie in that, but...)
Edgar grinned as if he finally understood.
-No!
Wrath shouted at Edgar.
-Don't compare me to that glutton! I am the Monarch of Wrath!
He shook his head vigorously, telling Raon to say it properly.
'Gluttony. Actually, gluttony fits too.'
Raon smirked as he watched the excited Wrath and Edgar, who was muttering about gluttony.
-Ugh, I want to freeze them all, but since I received thanks, I'll hold back just for toda-
Just as Wrath was saying he'd restrain himself for just one day, a whooshing sound filled the air. Silver Frost appeared out of nowhere and enveloped Wrath.