“Lord Demon King, you…”
Kurei’s face showed a complicated expression. She thought she had misheard and blinked her eyes.
Her wrist was still gripped by the Demon King, and the other party had no intention of letting go.
“This is Sylvia’s daughter. If we let her go and allow her to grow, she could become the next Sylvia—an endless disaster for us demons.”
“I have no intention of repeating myself a third time.”
Via’s tone left no room for Kurei to argue.
Logically, she should have just watched as Kurei killed Sophie right here.
What was wrong with her?
She had actually acted in direct opposition—this was completely unlike a Demon King.
Yet she simply did not want to see Sophie die here.
“Please tell me the reason you are doing this.”
Kurei’s voice already carried clear dissatisfaction. She urgently needed a reasonable explanation.
“I merely wanted to test your loyalty, Kurei,” Via said, unable to think of a better excuse. “Or are you going to disobey my command?”
“…Understood.”
Kurei’s gaze sank. Her eyes changed, turning cold.
She voluntarily lowered her hand.
Sophie, who had been suspended, was released and collapsed to the ground. Having endured intense pressure earlier, she had fainted and was now unconscious.
“The Demon King spared Miss Sophie?” The holy knight captain wondered if he was hallucinating.
The other holy knights were stunned as well, unable to understand what game the demon maid and the Demon King were playing.
However, the terror of Demon King Ville had long been etched deeply into every human’s mind through the war of the past.
No one would believe that this villain, guilty of countless atrocities, would suddenly show mercy and spare a human.
Perhaps the Demon King didn’t want Sophie to die so easily—he might want to torture her personally, which was why he interrupted the demon maid.
“Protect Miss Sophie and leave this place…! No matter what, we cannot let Miss Sophie die here!”
The holy knight captain’s spirit was exceptionally resilient. Even gravely injured, he forced himself to command the holy knights.
“Understood!!”
The holy knights who could still move rushed forward, launching attacks to snatch Sophie away from Kurei. They then formed up, collectively releasing a holy light barrier to escort the unconscious Sophie out of the area.
“They’re gone.”
Kurei stood in place without moving. She tilted her head, looking at the Demon King, and spoke in a cold voice.
If the Demon King gave the order, she could easily chase after them, shatter the holy light barrier, and execute Sylvia’s successor.
None of that would be difficult.
But the Demon King said nothing more, simply remaining silent and motionless, watching the Holy Land team disappear from view.
…
The Demon King and the maid walked one in front of the other.
After what had just happened, the atmosphere between them had become delicate—no longer as warm as it had been at the beginning.
The maid followed beside the Demon King, staring at his back without a word.
The Demon King himself was in an extremely complicated mood.
Via truly didn’t know how to explain this to Kurei. Any explanation would seem utterly pale.
She could have simply given one command to have Kurei slaughter everyone, yet she hadn’t.
Perhaps because…
She hoped the holy knights would truly escort Sophie to safety.
“Lord Demon King, do you still remember what you once told me?” Kurei suddenly asked.
“What did I say?”
“You… have already forgotten?”
“Which matter are you referring to?”
Via couldn’t figure out Kurei’s intent.
This little maid had been silent since earlier—she didn’t know what she was thinking. Now she suddenly asked a strange question and started talking to herself.
“I see. So that’s how it is.”
A bright smile bloomed on Kurei’s previously gloomy face.
It was as if she had finally understood something that had deeply puzzled her, releasing all her pressure.
“…As long as you understand.”
Via had no intention of probing further.
It would be best if this matter could be glossed over.
“Lord Demon King, look up. There seems to be something strange on the ceiling.” Kurei pointed at the ceiling of the Demon King’s Castle ruins.
“I don’t… I don’t see anything?”
Via saw nothing strange on the ceiling that Kurei mentioned.
Just as she was about to ask what Kurei meant, she felt bone-chilling killing intent coming from ahead.
Boom!!
Kurei swung her giant hammer, smashing it fiercely toward the black-clad Demon King without holding back—using a killing move outright.
Although Via had looked up and didn’t see Kurei’s action immediately, she still used the Demon King Armament to condense an Abyssal Shield in front of herself.
The massive impact forced her back several steps.
“Kurei, what are you doing?”
Via’s volume rose several notches. She hadn’t expected Kurei to actually attack her.
“Lord Demon King deeply hates humans. He once told me that no human can ever be trusted—believing a human’s words only leads to betrayal.”
Kurei spun the giant hammer in her hands.
“If it were the Demon King of the past, he would never spare a single human. He would use Abyssal Force to instantly erase them all!”
Via couldn’t refute it—these were indeed words she had spoken before.
“What I asked earlier was precisely your attitude toward humans. It’s completely different from the Demon King of the past. I could feel it—you showed incomprehensible concern for Sylvia’s daughter just now. That is not an emotion a demon should have.”
Kurei pointed at the Demon King. She no longer displayed the worship and respect she had shown before—now there was only killing intent.
Abyssal Force surged around her.
“So, I’ve figured it out. You are not Lord Demon King at all. You’re just an impostor wearing his identity.”
“You’re doubting me?”
“Exactly. You do possess Lord Demon King’s legendary armament, but in the past, Lord Demon King never wore his mask all the time. Unless absolutely necessary, he was very happy to show his handsome face!”
Kurei was fully prepared for battle.
If the Demon King before her refused, that would prove he had something to hide.
In that case, there would be nothing left to discuss.
Anyone daring to impersonate Lord Demon King must disappear from this world.
“…”
Via glanced at the status information of the Demon King Armament.
Its energy was about to run out. She probably wouldn’t even need to fight—her true form would be exposed soon.
Humans cannot be trusted.
Those were words she had personally taught Kurei.
“Take off your mask. Let me see—since you’re siding with the humans, are you a demon… or a human?!”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.