Chapter 14: One Who Cannot Be Fully Trusted

“So, what do you think?”

“Excellent. This should be more than enough to satisfy the Great Demon Lord—ah, I mean, this should make him quite pleased.”**

“Fufufu… I thought so too. And as a bonus, we no longer have to worry about our food supplies running out.”

Before them lay a mountain of military supplies.

Every ship was overflowing with stolen goods, packed well beyond capacity.

Just looking at it filled the hearts of those present with a deep sense of satisfaction.

And in celebration of this bounty, the Demon Marshals and soldiers, with my permission, had broken into a massive feast.

After all.

The best-tasting meal is always someone else’s food.

And the stolen meat and wine, meant for Imperial troops, tasted even sweeter in the mouths of their enemies.

However.

Despite this moment of victory, I found myself deep in thought.

And the reason for my unease was sitting just a short distance away.

Mari.

There she was, laughing and drinking with Poltuga, her face relaxed in a way that didn’t quite fit my expectations.

‘Could it be… that I was wrong?’

Until now, I had been certain.

Certain that no matter what happened, Mari would never truly betray the Empire.

That was how it was supposed to be, according to the original story.

And yet.

The massacre she had committed without hesitation.

The looting of the supply ships, which would cripple the Empire’s forces in the north.

Each action pushed my beliefs into doubt.

Even as I carried out the plan, I had kept a close eye on her, searching for any signs of hesitation.

But.

‘There was nothing.’

Not even a flicker of doubt.

Even when I had left her ample chances to reveal her true intentions—

She had done nothing.

From the very beginning, this plan had been delicate.

If anything went slightly wrong, the enemy could have caught on and escaped immediately.

That’s why I had expected Mari to sabotage it in some way.

Even if it was something small.

Maybe she’d pretend to make a mistake.

Or perhaps she’d use the Great Witch’s sorcery to make a move that only she could see, disrupting the entire operation.

But.

She did nothing.

No interference. No hesitation.

Instead, she had calmly followed through, making sure the plan succeeded flawlessly.

She had even hacked into—no, manipulated the magic communication devices at Mevis Harbor to lure the enemy in.

She had even advised the demon soldiers, helping them perfectly disguise themselves as Imperial survivors.

And unlike before, when she had spoken so confidently,

This time, she had deliberately planted doubt.

She had told everyone that this mission had a high chance of failure, as if laying down an excuse in advance.

Even that had been a lie.

‘I need to talk to her about this when we return.’

Ever since I had entered this world, my choices as Kesar had altered the flow of the original story.

Minor details had shifted.

It was a low possibility, but.

Could Mari, too, have been affected by these changes?

I needed to find out.

And if.

If Mari really had turned her back on the Empire…

‘Then… I suppose I’ll have no choice but to confess my love first.’

A room of black marble.

The air heavy, the atmosphere cold, despite the luxurious furnishings.

There, a man sat before a chessboard, studying it with quiet focus.

His forehead bore two large, thick, jet-black horns.

A clear symbol of his demonic heritage.

His golden eyes flickered sharply, carrying the weight of authority and power.

A man in his prime.

One who ruled over all demons.

One of the Four Great Demon Lords.

And among them, the one who sat at the highest seat of power.

Adolf Gearman.

His hands, weathered by centuries of battle, covered in wrinkles and scars,

Moved slowly, deliberately, as he shifted a chess piece forward.

“Checkmate.”

“Damn it!”

At his declaration, his opponent gritted his teeth in frustration.

For a moment, the man clenched his massive fists, veins bulging—

Only to force himself to let go of his anger.

Alexander Hellenis.

Another of the Four Great Demon Lords.

Younger than Adolf, standing at the border between youth and middle age,

A warrior through and through, his fiery spirit still unquenched.

He hated losing.

And right now—

The annoyance on his face was undeniable.

“Didn’t I warn you?” Adolf spoke calmly, resetting the board.

“You charge too recklessly, without considering the battlefield.

Bravery is good for a general, but if you keep rushing forward without thinking—one day, you’ll suffer a great loss.”

“Hah… Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the advice.”

Alexander waved him off, but his expression clearly said otherwise—

‘Are you mocking me right now?’

Adolf merely smirked, silently tidying the pieces—

Until.

“My lord!”

BAM!

The doors burst open as a breathless attendant rushed in.

Adolf, usually unfazed, could immediately tell—

For his calm, composed servant to lose his composure like this…

Something big had happened.

“Settle down.” Adolf’s voice was measured, steady.

“What happened?”

The attendant swallowed hard, then pulled out a set of documents from his robes.

“Urgent news, my lord!

Kesar has done it again!”

“Hmm? Kesar? What did he do this time?”

Alexander frowned, curious.

But instead of answering immediately, Adolf silently took the documents from the servant and began reading.

His expression darkened, an icy chill seeming to radiate from his presence.

The servant, sensing the rising tension, hesitated before speaking cautiously—

“After seizing Mevis Harbor, Lord Kesar went a step further.

He intercepted an Imperial supply fleet passing through.

Not only did he take all of the supplies, but he also captured all twenty warships transporting them.”

“Oh-ho! Our friend Kesar did all that?”

Alexander’s face lit up with genuine excitement.

“Now this is great news!

The situation in the North has been a headache lately, but once I return next week, it’ll be much easier to manage!”

The servant stole a glance at him, his expression clearly saying:

‘Read the damn room, would you?’

And then.

“…What were the casualties? How many of his troops did he lose?”

Adolf’s voice was calm—yet it carried a sharp edge.

The servant gulped, then answered in a trembling voice.

“It appears… that Lord Kesar’s forces suffered almost no losses.

We are unsure exactly how he pulled it off…”

“Ha! That’s our rising star for you!”

Alexander laughed heartily, completely oblivious to the shift in the atmosphere.

“Didn’t I tell you?

That guy can pull off the impossible—”

“…Enough. Leave us.”

Adolf’s tone was even, but the weight behind it was absolute.

The servant immediately bowed and scurried out—

Because he knew.

Though Adolf’s expression showed only a small crack in his usual composure,

A servant who had served him for centuries could recognize it for what it was.

This wasn’t mere annoyance.

This was deep, seething displeasure.

For any ordinary man, this would have been rage bordering on fury.

And that was terrifying.

Even as the door closed behind the servant,

Alexander, still cheerful, turned to Adolf with genuine curiosity.

“But seriously—why the long face?

Shouldn’t we be celebrating?”

“Hah! What’s with that face? We just got great news!”

Alexander laughed heartily, clapping his knee.

“Don’t tell me…

Are you jealous that Kesar pulled this off?

Are you upset that he accomplished something you couldn’t?

Come on, Adolf—surely even you wouldn’t be that petty!”

Adolf slowly turned to him.

His voice, when it came, was low and cold as death itself.

“Alexander.

Shut. Up.”

“…!”

A sharp chill filled the air.

Alexander snapped his mouth shut.

But inside, he smirked.

‘Yup. Definitely got under his skin.

Damn, old man. You should at least try to keep some dignity.

Jealous of a rising star? How pathetic.’

Unlike Adolf, Alexander had no interest in politics or power struggles.

All he cared about was the war—crushing the Leaf Empire and its so-called Free Races.

And every time Kesar defied the odds and triumphed,

It genuinely excited him.

‘A fellow Demon Lord should be proud.

But this old bastard?

All he sees is a threat to his position.’

Meanwhile.

Adolf’s fists clenched as he glared at the crumpled report in his hands.

‘Kesar… You slippery little rat. You escaped again?’

Adolf clenched his jaw.

Kesar.

The rising star of the war against the Empire.

A fellow Demon Lord, yes—

But one Adolf had been wary of from the very beginning.

It wasn’t because he feared losing his position.

No.

Adolf was old.

His strength wasn’t what it used to be.

If a younger, more capable Demon Lord could take the reins, strengthen the nation, serve the Demon King faithfully.

Then so be it.

That, he could accept.

But Kesar?

Kesar was different.

Adolf could see it.

‘This man… He is dangerous. If we do not remove him soon — It will be too late.’

A bitter heat burned in his gut.

And then.

A realization struck.

‘No—this isn’t the time to sit here. I must go to the Demon King.’

Without another word, Adolf rose from his seat.

Alexander, raising an eyebrow, stood as well.

“Where you go, old man?”

Adolf didn’t answer.

But Alexander followed him anyway.