The Hero’s Brother Is Bound To Be Depressed - Chapter 443



444 – Meeting the Demon King

I have had such an experience. When you revisit a famous street or department store, you may feel unfamiliar yet familiar due to remodeling or store changes. Star Fallen, who came to visit after a long time, was exactly like that. Although nothing had changed on the outside, it was very obvious to an outsider that the atmosphere had changed a lot.

Not wanting to answer, I muttered whatever came to mind, and Raelan, who was on the other side, answered quietly.

“The change in atmosphere must have been largely due to the war. Citizens are simply relieved and happy that the war is over and the danger beyond the border has disappeared. “Those who experienced the war directly are said to be cultists, but they show a strange sense of heterogeneity as they feel guilt and regret for slaughtering millions of people.”

Suddenly, the answer aroused my curiosity as to what it would have been like to be a madman.

“Would anything have changed if you had made the plan?”

I don’t know what my question satisfied Raelan, but Raelan twitched his lips with a look of satisfaction, leaned his upper body forward, and placed his arms on his knees.

“Yes, the reason the soldier feels guilt and regret is because it is a one-sided massacre in the name of war. When a person doesn’t lose something, he gets emotional. ‘Should I go this far?’ Don’t think like that. “I masturbate because it is a good, rational act of a human being.”

Is it advice, or is it an opinion about me? I smiled bitterly and listened to the explanation that followed.

“This is a war waged in the name of Chaosism being a cult. A soldier with no religious affiliation simply buried a living person alive as ordered. They say that the Chaos Cult terrorized the capital, but it doesn’t seem realistic to the people in the east who are distant from the capital. Therefore, a consensus should have been created before the war. “It’s not about following, it’s about making people take action.”

“How do you get them to come forward?”

At my question, Raelan stretched out the corners of his mouth like a snake and rested his chin on his hand.

“We have to find a way to empathize with the cause. This clearly shows that they can be a threat not only to the capital, but also to the east, and that you will definitely regret it if you do not kill them. “If you disguise yourself as a believer and cause terrorism in Star Fallen, kidnap citizens and make it look like you performed a sacrificial ritual, everyone will agree that the Chaos Cult should disappear from the continent.”

“… “It’s extreme.”

“Yes, but for the people of the East, the unjust deaths of a few hundred people can only give them a justification for massacre. That’s the most important thing. Giving plausible reasons to rationalize one’s actions. A cause is an excellent shield that can prevent guilt and regret that comes later. “It is an essential skill for a tactician to use people as objects.”

I was lost in thought as I looked out of the carriage, trying to organize the explanation I had heard from Raelan in my mind. After a while, the carriage arrived at its destination and Raelan got out first. He followed him out and found himself in front of an old building.

When Raelan, who had sent the coachman away, knocked on the door, a male guild member of Modest who was waiting for a guest opened the door. The man stuck his face out and looked around, nodded his head and let us in.

“… “I was waiting.”

When the man who closed the door said that, Raelan answered calmly.

“Amber said preparations are complete.”

“Yes, everything is ready in the basement.”

“Okay, make sure no one has access to the basement.”

“yes!”

Raelan took me to the basement. He noticed that the light was already on so as he went down the stairs he could see inside the basement. A magic circle was drawn throughout the basement except the ceiling. The red color looked as if it had been painted with blood.

There was a cage-like cage hanging from the ceiling on chains, and inside were women wearing nuns’ clothes. Her hands and feet were bound, her mouth was gagged and her eyes were covered. It was clearly alive, showing slight movement at the sound of footsteps. Not being able to get an explanation of what the preparation was, I looked at Raelan for an explanation.

“It is an offering that will help us have a brief conversation with the Demon King. There were many nuns left in Star Fallen to spread the church’s influence. “I kidnapped six of the devil’s favorite virgins.”

As Raelan explained, the imprisoned nuns moved in a fit of convulsions, and the sound of their chains echoed loudly in the basement. Raelan spoke to me as if he had no interest.

“I bet you didn’t forget the explanation about the deal with the devil. “You just have to follow the plan.”

I nodded, remembering the conversation we had in the carriage. Raelan turned her body and approached the boss beneath the nuns. Raelan took out a book with black energy flowing out of it, showed it to me, and explained briefly.

“It was something I obtained with great difficulty from a demonic follower.”

Raelan took a few steps back and moved to a position where he could see the offering at a glance. He opened the book and began muttering what was written in it.

“Lacrolumu- Rosenk Aus- La Sor Allato…” .”

It’s my first time hearing this language. Although they could communicate with demons using human language, these sacrificial rituals seemed to use an ancient, now extinct language. I was able to imitate the pronunciation to a certain extent, but in the latter part, there were strange pronunciations that couldn’t be made by a human mouth. I wondered how that was possible, but I couldn’t see Raelan’s mouth because his back was turned.

As Raelan muttered, the mysterious energy flowing from the book slowly flowed towards the sacrifices. The sacrifices, who were groaning with their faces buried in the iron bars, seemed to be feeling the excruciating pain of twisting the blood vessels of their entire bodies, completely melted almost at the same time.

Sigh—!

Everything except clothes and skin fell to the floor like a torrential rain. The endless amounts of blood that poured out seemed to be connected to each other like a curtain made of blood. The moment Raelan finished speaking and closed the book… The pouring blood stopped in the air and a face appeared from the curtain of blood.

It is the face of a woman wearing a crown. The woman slowly lifted her eyelids and observed us for a moment before opening her tightly closed lips.

[Foolish human being, what do you want?]

It feels like the voice is coming from far away. But there is power in that voice, and it undeniably resonates in your head. Unlike me, who felt strong resistance to that, Raelan opened his mouth in a calm manner.

“What should we call you?”

[You know etiquette. But you are not worthy of hearing my true name. Just call me Demon King at your convenience.]

“All right. “Then, devil, we want to make a deal with you.”

As soon as Raelan finished speaking, the curtain of blood began to ripple noisily. As if something invisible was pressing down on Raelan, Raelan, who had been standing quietly holding a book, suddenly got down on one knee and dropped the book on the floor.

[You humans are so arrogant that you dare to make an equal deal with the king. You can only offer it to me.]

Although I couldn’t see his face because the curtain of blood was rippled, I could feel that the devil’s gaze had shifted to me. Something weighed down my very soul with a tremendous sense of intimidation. But suddenly the intimidation disappeared, and the feeling that my soul was being weighed down disappeared. I thought the Demon King had retreated, but the waves disappeared and the Demon King’s surprised face appeared.

[How do humans resist my power?]

Raelan, with blood on his lips, glared at me over his shoulder. It’s unfair. As Raelan explained in advance, I did not offer any resistance to the Demon King’s pointless nonsense.

“… “I didn’t do anything.”

There was silence in the basement for a moment. I felt the Demon King glaring at me with his persistent gaze. As I gazed at him quietly, the blood curtain finally rippled loudly and the Demon King spoke.

[…] Ah, I finally figured it out. You are the younger brother of my nemesis, the warrior! I never thought you were the arrogant person who called me out! As expected, since I am having demonic thoughts, I know that this is how good luck comes to me! Do you know how hard I tried to talk to you! You are such an arrogant person to tease me like this!]

“… ?”

For some reason, it feels like the Demon King’s voice tone has suddenly become a little higher. Unlike just now, when I was holding my weight with the feeling of ‘I am the ruler of the demon world!’… Should I say it feels a bit luxurious? It felt similar to Aria, who forced us to sit alone in front of a portable blackboard and talked non-stop for four hours, saying she was going to rank dessert shops.

Suddenly, the curtain of blood rippled, and the Demon King’s face turned back. We couldn’t hear any voices, but it felt like we were talking to someone. As she was staring blankly at the back of the Demon King’s head, Raelan must have sensed her strangeness as she slowly raised her knees and gave me a look. Well, what should I do… ? When she shrugged her shoulders with that expression, Raelan scratched the bridge of her nose.

The conversation seemed to be getting longer, as the Demon King’s face suddenly disappeared from the bloody curtain. After waiting for a while, looking at the bloody curtain with a dirty face, scratching his head and touching his chin for no reason, a voice finally came from the bloody curtain.

[…] You must protect the majesty of the Demon King!]

[Ah, I got it! I’ll take care of it! Get out of the room, really!]

With the sound of something being thrown, the blood curtain rippled and the Demon King’s face reappeared.

[…] Hehe, the nanny still thinks I’m a devil. Now that I am old enough to have children, why am I being told to be careful around men? Okay, let’s go with a low voice and dignity. Ububbubb- Ah, cringe! Ah, first drink a glass of water.]

Gulp – The sound of water being swallowed echoed in the basement. Soon the Demon King opened his mouth, accompanied by the sound of putting something down and the sound of the Demon King clearing his throat.

[―――]

The mouth was clearly moving, but no sound was heard. Raelan, who had been watching quietly, quietly raised his hand and said.

“I’m sorry, but… “We cannot hear the Demon King’s majestic voice.”

Soon the curtain of blood rippled tremendously and then calmed down. The Demon King reappeared a little later and this time spoke properly.

[Are we weak humans barely able to recognize words of this magnitude? By the way, I’m sure you haven’t heard any other strange noises, right? I am a little worried that a weak human may have been hallucinating in vain due to my strong presence.]

Raelan and I made eye contact without saying a word and nodded quietly.

“… “We couldn’t hear anything.”

[Thank goodness!]

“… .”