Episode 111
The Demon King’s body became stiff and cracks began to appear all over his body.
Creak, crackle—
The darkness split into many pieces and began to crumble to the ground. Unexpectedly, the bewildered darkness screamed from all directions.
“What… What’s happening?”
“What happened?”
“It’s scary! It’s scary!”
The terrified darkness eventually gathered beneath Dianel’s feet. Dianel maintained a dry expression, but the darkness was desperate.
Observing them, I spoke to Dianel.
“Not just for yourself, but for them as well, you have to return with your body.”
After hesitating for a while, Dianel asked me.
“…Won’t you regret it?”
“I won’t. I felt quite fulfilled just now.”
“Fulfilled, you say.”
“Aren’t you worried about me?”
Dianel let out a breath and weakly smiled.
“Being in front of you, everything I’ve done so far seems meaningless. It feels like dust.”
“That’s how it should be. Don’t worry. I’m also going back.”
“…Are you going to lose your memories again?”
“Yeah, that’s the plan for this lifetime. But there’s something more important.”
Looking into his eyes, I uttered with a firm tone.
“You’re living with that body as a representative of them. This body isn’t just yours. Many others help you. So, Dianel, never gives up.”
Kneeling before me, Dianel spoke.
“I will remember.”
“That’s right.”
I smiled faintly. Dianel gazed at me for a while, then returned to his own body.
As Dianel’s soul gradually absorbed into his body, time started flowing again.
I carefully looked around. The sound of a ticking clock echoed in my ears.
Officials and secretaries, who were gradually starting to move, gathered around Dianel in surprise.
They held onto Dianel, who was lying on the ground, shouting, and then looked at him as he slowly opened his eyes, displaying shock.
“Your Highness!”
“You’ve awakened!”
“What is the physician doing?”
A physician who rushed over quickly examined Dianel’s body. At that moment, the Prime Minister seemed about to collapse. His usually composed face was filled with tears.
“I’m relieved to see you awake, Your Highness…”
However, amidst the chaos, Dianel’s gaze was fixed precisely on me. I closed my eyes slowly, meeting his gaze.
Now, my memories would be taken away by Eora once again. There were still many tasks to be done under the name Siara.
My mind became hazy. Just before closing my eyes, Eora’s voice resounded nearby.
“Aren’t you regretting missing the ‘end’?”
I nearly burst into tears at her incredibly gentle question. I shook my head gently and replied.
“No, if it ended like this, I would have regretted it.”
With those words, I fell into a deep slumber.
* * *
After Siara lost consciousness, Dianel immediately got up from his seat. He carefully hugged Siara, who was about to fall to the ground.
Her body felt weak and powerless. However, there were no wounds on her body. Instead, her body, filled with Eora’s blessings, sparkled.
She would wake up soon. He didn’t know how long it would take, but there was no doubt that Siara would wake up safely.
Yet, every action Dianel took was incredibly cautious. Holding Siara as if handling a fragile glass artwork, he took a step forward.
No one dared to block Dianel’s path with such caution as he, the cautious ruler.
As Dianel stepped out of his office, about to take a step somewhere, Adandito blocked his way.
With a chilling glare, Adandito warned Dianel.
“Stay back.”
“…Why should I?”
“Even after looking at your feet, such words come out of your mouth?”
Dianel lowered his gaze. Below, the stubborn darkness still clung to him.
While others couldn’t hear or see them, Dianel and Adandito could hear the sounds the darkness made.
“It’s scary, it’s scary, it’s scary!”
“Dianel, we made a promise.”
“Save me! Save me!”
As Dianel looked down at them screaming, he murmured.
“Is this the result of Eora’s power?”
Adandito didn’t answer. Instead, he intercepted and embraced Siara. As Siara was engulfed in Adandito’s rough embrace, Dianel’s eyebrows twitched.
Nevertheless, Adandito continued speaking without caring.
“I will take care of Siara until she wakes up. I do not doubt that Siara will be filled with divine power after me.”
Adandito walked away as if he didn’t want to say anything more. Dianel didn’t chase after him.
Instead, he quietly looked down at the swirling darkness beneath his feet and chuckled softly.
The once terrifying Demon King had fallen in an instant, becoming a trivial existence.
Though it was an event that should have been ignored, Dianel wasn’t pleased. He still hadn’t escaped from the dreamlike, vague memories.
He had met the savior who had regained all her memories. She was Siara, also known as Piasse, and she had been the savior he had been meeting since he couldn’t remember. But all of that had already ended. It was difficult to distinguish whether it was a dream or reality.
Dianel bit his lower lip until it bled. None of it had been a dream. The presence of the attendants who were now rejoicing behind him proved that, as did the disintegrated darkness.
So, the savior and the promise existed.
‘Dianel, never give up.’
He swore never to give up. To do that, he had to continue with this feeble life. A new life had started, whose duration was uncertain.
He clenched his fist and turned around. Dianel returned with his original expression of indifference.
“Capture Viscount Leven and his family immediately.”
First, he needed to deal with the unruly foals who dared to rampage without knowing the situation.
* * *
At that moment, Hierian was hiding and resting in a residence arranged by Adandito. He seemed to be sleeping, but to be precise, he wasn’t truly asleep.
The consciousness of the dragon had taken Hierian’s consciousness somewhere else.
Even in the world of consciousness, there wasn’t much difference from reality. Except that the laws of physics in the natural world didn’t apply, which could cause some confusing phenomena.
Hierian, who was proficient in mental magic at an advanced level, had no trouble adapting to this world of consciousness.
The problem was that what happened in the world of consciousness had significant repercussions in reality and the fact that the place the dragon led him to was the Demon King’s castle.
“…Isn’t this the Demon King’s castle?”
Hierian frowned. The dragon, who existed only as a voice even in the world of consciousness, calmly explained.
“You can’t live with that body, can you?”
“Are you telling me to fight and defeat the Demon King in the world of consciousness?”
“Seems impossible, doesn’t it?”
Hierian fell silent.
He was undoubtedly known as the best in mental magic. However, that didn’t mean he was invulnerable to all mental attacks.
Certainly, when he was at his peak, Hierian was strong. He had grown accustomed to wearing a mask that hid his face and lived, forgetting what caused him pain.
But it wasn’t like that anymore. Considering that the one who caused him the greatest trauma was Dianel and that the source of that power was the Demon King, it was even more so.
Unable to understand the dragon’s intentions, Hierian kept his lips closed. His ashen eyes, soaked in confusion and anger, darkened.
The dragon quietly told him,
“In history, there has never been a time when the Demon King was weaker than now.”
“…!”
“He could become even weaker or stronger in the future. But all of this is unpredictable. In other words, it could be the weakest moment right now. If you miss this opportunity, it means you’ll forever hold onto the Savior’s ankle. What will you do, Hierian?”
Hierian swallowed his breath.
The battle in the world of consciousness is determined by mental power. In reality, the Demon King wasn’t a person with exceptional mental power. Once the wall of solid hatred was broken, they became a chaotic existence filled with fear and confusion.
However, Hierian’s trauma wasn’t to be underestimated either.
As Hierian frighteningly recalled that incident, the Demon King’s castle began to distort, revealing shadowy figures. Then a chilling voice echoed.
“Hierian, how does it feel to be betrayed by those who trusted you?”
The younger Dianel cowered before Hierian. Surrounding him were attendants, officials, and maids, even high-ranking nobles who looked at Hierian with blame.
They all whispered as they shot accusatory gazes at Hierian.
“Oh my, seeing the nanny being called ‘mother’ by the child?”
“Madam, it must have been truly disgusting.”
“Indeed, children who grew up without manners can’t even distinguish their place with a little kindness.”
“Why in the world did the matriarch send such a child to the prince…?”
“I heard he was born by devouring his mother, so Madam should be careful too.”
With mocking laughter, thick darkness loomed before Hierian. It transformed into Dianel’s figure and stood in front of Hierian.
“Hierian, obey me. If you sign this contract, I won’t torment you anymore.”
Gripping Hierian’s hair as he took a step back unconsciously, Dianel asked with a dry voice,
“Or do you want to lose another friend?”
