"Good job, Layland," a white-haired beauty says as she walks to me while uselessly hiding her mirth upon seeing me. "That stunt earlier ignited my battle spirit. I wonder if we can spar soon."
"Right after everything is settled," I answer simply, not planning to refuse her invitation. "Though, I have a feeling that we will spar even if you didn't ask."
"Ah, the Demon Kings Summit." Eliseus nods her head in understanding before looking at me curiously. "Your confidence in my being suspected as a Demon King Candidate is quite flattering. You may be disappointed though."
"The fact that you are aware of such a game already confirms that you are suspected."
Eliseus' eyes gleam as she wordlessly stares at me. I stare back coldly, causing a small smile to form on her face. My suspicion about Eliseus being one of the Candidates keeps growing as the day of the challenge is getting closer. The Demon King Generals seem to share the same sentiment as one of them has approached Eliseus.
Of course, it doesn't matter. I don't know how our relationship will turn out to be in the future, but I am sure that I will win. I have no other choice but to win. I may be benevolent and pragmatic enough to enslave my losing competitors for the Kingdom's sake instead of killing them, but I can't guarantee the other way around.
Living as a slave is not something I want to achieve, but what matters most is my survival. As long as I can keep my life, I can immediately bounce back. This is something that I want to prevent at all costs, but if push comes to shove, this is what I am going to do. Though, it is still under the pretext that my competitor spares me.
"Heuh…"
My attention is taken by the sobbing girl in my embrace. I was too focused on devising a way out of my imaginative predicament that I momentarily forgot her.
"Do you feel better now?"
"No, I don't. I need you to cuddle me for three days and nights and whisper sweet nothings during that time," Lunea answers firmly, preventing me from thinking it is a joke.
"…let's do that when it's over," I comply after much deliberation.
Lunea lets go of me and smiles brightly. The sheer innocence her smile radiates makes the twisted part of myself eager to taint her. Pushing the abhorrent thought to the back of my mind, I smile and pat her head. It is at this moment that Velucan, Lemius, and Decima arrive at my side.
"You may leave to the next battlefield, Commander," Lemius says as he steps forward. "We are slightly off the schedule, but the plan can still be executed without a problem."
I glance at Lunea who is busy wiping off her tears before looking at Lemius. "It's been some time, Lemius. I'm very glad that you could lead the army without a hitch despite the circumstances we didn't foresee."
Demons are known for their tendency to rush and destroy things. In a battle, it is very highly unlikely for them to resort to strategy. Leveling Cresundia to the ground wasn't a hard job for my army given the fact it has Lemius, Velucan, and Eliseus; however, doing as little damage to Cresundia as possible was my goal. Despite the tempting situation, Lemius, the brain of the army managed to persevere and chip the opposing army strategically.
The number of soldiers participating in the war was more than we had expected. Letting loose should have been the correct decision, but that would only push the Cresundia Army back to the gate behind, which would hamper our infiltration and might even force them to call for a backup.
We still would win the war in the end, but we wouldn't gain anything from it. By the time the war ended, we would have lost too many troops meanwhile Cresundia was ruined beyond repair. I commenced this war to gain a profit-generating land and new human resources, not to kill as many humans as I could. Therefore, Lemius' splendid performance is something that I appreciate.
"For such a brilliant mind to praise me, I am deeply touched." Lemius puts his hand before his chest before bowing humbly.
"Well, what a flattering experience to know that I am viewed so highly by my colleagues," I accept the implicit praise while also toning it down.
The growing instances of people sucking up to me these days are making me quite uncomfortable. It sounds even weirder coming from someone whom I might fight in one hundred days. Then again, Lemius is an oddball among the Demon King Generals. I have always been taking his praise at face value because of that.
Turning my gaze to Lunea, I remind, "Our goal is to kill as few as possible. Brainwash those who listen to you and banish those who don't. Don't force the Geas upon them. Let them decide to have the Geas. You are their new light. It shouldn't be hard."
"Leave it to me."
At Lunea's confident answer, I can't help but smile, albeit faintly. I pat her head for one last time and then walk toward Aurelia who has been waiting for me in her Dragon form. Millonia wordlessly follows after me. As if taking that as a cue, the Warriors lower their heads as if sending me off. I wisely ignore the phenomenon and keep walking.
"Let me join you!" Eliseus shouts rather frantically, forcing me to stop in my tracks. I quirk an eyebrow as I turn to her and she awkwardly fidgets in her place. "I…also want to help Haletha."
I turn my head back to the front, faintly catching the disappointed look Eliseus has on her face. It might be just my imagination, but the radiance in her smile is undeniable as I say, "Hop on."
We soar to the sky and fly toward our destination: the second battlefield, the Light Elf Empire, Lithandrel.
***
[Eryn Galhador's POV]
Equipped with his green armor which is famous for being indestructible, my father, the Emperor of Light Elves stands a few steps away from me while gazing at me with disappointment. The sword I am wielding shakes as my hand trembles. I am not nervous or afraid. I am outraged—extremely so.
"What did you say?" I growl through gritted teeth.
ραndαsΝοvεl ƈοm "It's a pity that you have to end like your mother," the figure clad in green armor whom I have called father for the last century nonchalantly repeats.
"You killed Mom!?"
"I thought that wench had already told you."
My father gestures at the Dark Elf not far away from me who is weakly panting while using her knee as a support. She is my late mother's closest friend who also happens to share some of her blood, the Dark Elf Queen, Haletha Envenaddle—in other words, my aunt. The always mighty Dark Elf Queen has been reduced into such a pathetic state after two days of constant confrontation against my father.
Haletha is far from weak. My mother had more than once told me the story of how many times Haletha beat my father in a spar in their younger days. The fact still hasn't changed but, now, unlike my father, Haletha isn't well-equipped. My father is equipped with the best Magic equipment this world has to offer which is more than enough to make up for his shortcomings.
"To think that my suspicion turned out to be true…you, despicable vermin!" Haletha snarls hatefully, taking me out of my stupor. "For what is it worth for you to kill your wife!?"
"So, you don't know?" my father…Eagnor mutters thoughtfully as if what he heard was surprising. "Well, I would like to keep this a secret just like what my predecessors did, but I think it is all right to tell you both since you are soon to part from this world."
"What the hell…" I mutter in disbelief.
My mind races, thinking about what Eagnor might reveal to us. For some reason, I don't want to hear it. My heart beats faster and my stomach churns as I watch him open his mouth. What is supposed to be mere seconds feels like an eternity. My hands become shakier and I don't think I can hold my sword long.
"Glóredhel knew too much. She knew that Dark Elves weren't cursed or punished for what they did as the Legend says. The truth behind the ordeal is only a jealous chieftain who couldn't help feeling threatened by another, more prominent chieftain. One day, he sneakily made a trade with the Goddess of the Darkness, Nyx. In return for Aether, the eternally shining Divine Relics that bestows abundant life force to anyone nearby, the Elf gave away half of his kin to the Goddess."
Following the outrageous revelation, the air suddenly turns so thick that it is hard to breathe. The surroundings also get quiet, but maybe it is just me. Of all the possible scenarios I concocted in my mind, I didn't think about ever hearing this revelation. Curiosity gets the better of me, so I turn to look at my aunt. Surprisingly, she is taking it calmly.
"We used to be just Elves until half of us were surrounded by light whereas the other half was surrounded by darkness. It happened overnight and no one knew why. The oblivious Elves whose souls had been sold to Nyx would have been fine if a certain Elf didn't say anything about them betraying Freya, their creator. Judgment soon came from the Elves who believed they were acting on Freya's behalf and Nyx's Elves were soon banished."
"So that is the truth…" I mumble with a trembling voice. "We are the villains all along!"
"Ckckck. History is written by the victor, my daughter. The victor was Galhador, our ancestor and we shall keep it that way. If anyone wants to change it, then I shall grant them death."
Eagnor Galhador smiles. It is not my first time seeing him smile, but it feels so foreign. He looks like a different person. At this moment, I realize that I finally see the true face of Eagnor Galhador which has always been obscured by the shadow cast by the light surrounding him.
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