The Demon King Seems to Conquer the World

Once the moving of goods was complete, the adjacent room was emptied except for the shelves. In this room, there were additions. Thinly split firewood was stacked under the desk, interspersed with twigs and dry leaves to serve as kindling.

Preparations for burning were complete.

I approached behind Jura Lakramanus and removed the gag. This was the final opportunity. Surely, there were one or two things he wanted to say to me. However, Jura, after the gag was removed, said nothing and stared at me with a stern expression.

‘What’s this? Has he become timid from too much beating? She’s quite spirited now. Did getting stabbed remind her of his old self?’

I placed my hand on Jura’s chin, fixing his cheek to better inspect his face.

“Doing this reminds me of old times. That scar on your cheek, didn’t it heal nicely?” (Yuri)

Jura remained silent.

“Ah, Yuri-san, I almost forgot.” (Sharne)

Sharne Charleville interjected from the side.

“You might think we took the message to the Papal States from us, but that’s not the case. In the first place, it was that woman who brought the message. She said the Kuran had come to talk to her.” (Sharne)

‘…So that’s how it was. If the old woman’s words were to be believed, it was unlikely to be a coincidence that Jura was specifically targeted among these seven. Considering my personal history with her and the likelihood of personal grudges, it’s natural to assume they chose Jura. Understanding the internal affairs of the royal capital to such an extent would be impossible without extensive knowledge.’

“That’s good to know.” (Yuri)

It might be wise to extract more information.

“Hey, how were you connected to that person? Is he still in the capital?” (Yuri)

Jura remained silent, refusing to speak.

“It’s not like you owe anything to that guy. It’d be easier to talk now.” (Sharne)

“Are you stupid? You’re going to be killed anyway, so there’s no reason for me to talk.” (Jura)

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“Heh… Hahaha.” (Yuri)

‘At this point, what kind of misunderstanding are you making? There’s a limit to being optimistic.’

I pulled Jura’s chair away from the desk and moved it to a spacious area.

“Yuri, I’ll handle this.” (Tillet)

Tillet interjected from the side.

“What are you talking about? Don’t take away my fun.” (Yuri)

Tillet leaned close to my ear and whispered.

“It’s the wound on her thigh. You managed to avoid the artery, but she’s lost quite a bit of blood. If we don’t torture her in a way that doesn’t make her bleed, she’ll die easily. Maybe it’s best to take her back and apply a hemostatic agent.” (Tillet)

‘Ah… Well, she’s right. But…’

“It’ll be fine. She’s not that resilient of a woman.” (Yuri)

‘There aren’t any grand reasons like threatening to kill her lover or family if she talks. It’s just her cheap pride that’s keeping her silent. A little bit of pain, and she’ll spill everything.’

“In that case, use this.” (Tillet)

Tillet handed me a small piece of folded parchment. It was the kind of parchment that apothecaries wrap medicines in, and when I opened it, there was powdered medicine inside.

“It’s originally meant for blinding, but dropping it on a wound causes excruciating pain.” (Tillet)

‘I see.’

“Got it.” (Yuri)

I took the medicine and unfolded the paper. This was a good parchment.

‘It’s finely shaved, thinner than parchment for parchment but with more pages. It’s the finest parchment used when you want to make a thick book thinner. Parchment used for contracts or letters doesn’t need to be as thin at the expense of strength, so it’s a bit thicker. The parchment is coated with wax, and inside are tiny granules. It’s intentionally made into granules rather than powder because if it were fine powder, it would scatter and wouldn’t be effective for blinding.’

As I scrutinized the medicine, Tillet had tied Jura’s arms behind her back.

“What are you doing? If you’re going to kill me, just do it already, you monster!” (Jura)

‘She’s really spirited. Having lost everything and being freed from the Witch, she’s finally returned to her original self. Human nature really doesn’t change at its core, no matter how far you go. But it does make things easier on that front.’

I dropped the granules onto Jura’s leg wound.

“What are you—Ahhhhhh!! Owwwwwww!!” (Jura)

Jura screamed as if intense pain shot through her wound.

“It’s hot, it hurts! Ahhhhhh!!!” (Jura)

She screamed, becoming half-crazed, shaking her entire body desperately in agony. It wasn’t just a reaction like salt. it must be something strongly acidic or alkaline.

‘I’m curious how it was made.’

“Stop it, take it off! Please, take it off!!” (Jura)

“Then talk.” (Yuri)

“Just take this thing off already!!!” (Jura)

‘How am I supposed to take it off?’

“Alright, next is your eye.” (Yuri)

I circled behind Jura, wrapped my left arm around her head, and firmly held it in place. Using my right index finger and thumb, I forced her eye open and applied the medicine.

“Stop! I’ll talk, I’ll talk!!” (Jura)

‘Well, that was easy.’

“Spit it out.” (Yuri)

“There’s a man named Ryuk Mollet in District Seven! He’s an exile!” (Jura)

“That’s a lie.” (Yuri)

I applied the medicine to Jura’s eye.

“Ahhhhh!!! Noooo!!! Ahhhhhh!!!” (Jura)

Jura, in considerable pain, despite being bound, violently thrashed her upper body, banging her head around. If her hands were free, she might have gouged out her own eyes. It seemed much more painful than when I applied it to her leg, as she shook her foot violently despite the dagger stuck in her wound. The pain must be overwhelming, making the pain in her leg seem insignificant.

“It hurts!!! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!!!” (Jura)

If left alone, she would have knocked the chair over, so Tillet held the backrest, but she still thrashed so violently that the chair’s legs lifted off the ground. After about five minutes, she seemed to have cried out all her tears, completely exhausted and no longer moving.

“Now, there’s one eye left, isn’t there?” (Yuri)

“Hmph!” (Jura)

She looked at me fearfully. The eye into which I had put the medicine was so red that it was difficult to find the white part.

“Stop it! I told you! I told you, didn’t I!” (Jura)

“But it’s a lie.” (Yuri)

“It’s not a lie! It’s not a lie, I swear!” (Juri)

I firmly held Jura’s head again. This time, the resistance was much stronger compared to before.

“Stoppppp!!! Stop it!!!” (Jura)

“Tell the truth.” (Yuri)

I slowly tilted the parchment. Strangely, Jura didn’t close her eyes this time. Instead, she squinted as she watched the parchment tilt. She seemed to be panicking. Perhaps she thought keeping her eyes open was less frightening.

“It’s not a lie! It’s not a lie!!! Please stop!!!” (Jura)

Just before the medicine dropped from the parchment, I released Jura’s head. It seems like she was telling the truth after all.

“Ahh… Haha…” (Jura)

Once freed, Jura laughed like a shell of herself. She must be feeling a mix of tension and overwhelming relief, making everything seem nonsensical.

“You won’t talk anyway since you’re going to be killed… Isn’t that right? If only you had spoken from the beginning, we wouldn’t have had to do this.” (Yuri)

‘What a foolish woman. Well, even if she had spoken from the start, there would have been verification to do.’

“You… go to hell…” (Jura)

She said something amusing. I looked at Jura’s face once more from the front. It was a terrible face.

“Yeah, I’ll follow you there later. Just wait for me.” (Yuri)

As I said that, Jura spat at me. It hit my cheek.

“Heh.”

With a face that seemed to say she got her revenge, Jura smirked.

“Sigh…” (Yuri)

‘She really hasn’t changed at all.’

I straightened my right palm into a knife-hand and forcefully jammed it into Jura’s mouth.

“Agh!” (Jura)

Before she could apply biting force, my other hand joined in, forcefully prying it open. With a sudden snap, the resistance disappeared, and her jaw dislocated. Her mouth opened to an unnatural extent. Still exerting pressure, I twisted and snapped her jaw joint. Finally, I released my grip.

“Don’t you dare speak anymore.” (Yuri)

After that, Jura made unintelligible sounds a few times, realizing she had become a creature unable to speak, then fell silent with her mouth still wide open.

—

“Yuri, your hand…” (Myaro)

When Myaro mentioned it, I checked my hand and saw that the skin on the back of my right fingers had peeled back, likely from hitting her teeth. Blood was dripping.

‘I must have been too excited to notice. I’ll have to disinfect it with alcohol later to prevent infection.’

“We’ll deal with it later. More importantly, Myaro, it’s time for you to leave.” (Yuri)

“Why?” (Myaro)

“Just do it.” (Yuri)

‘Because I’m going to kill Luida Gudanvier. The loaded gun is already leaning against the edge of the room.’

“What are you talking about? Don’t say strange things.” (Luida)

The dying old woman said something.

“Myaro, you’re the one who’s going to shoot.” (Luida)

The dying old woman said something incomprehensible.

“Are you out of your mind, old woman?” (Yuri)

“Myaro, you’re going to shoot. Might as well take this opportunity to kill someone.” (Luida)

‘What kind of reasoning is this? Is this some form of Spartan education passed down in the Gudanvier family?’

“Yuri, let me do it.” (Myaro)

For some reason, Myaro seemed eager to do it.

“No, you can’t.” (Yuri)

“Please. It’s a matter of family honor.” (Myaro)

Myaro bowed his head.

‘Family honor? Hmm… If that’s the case, maybe I should let her do it.’

“Are you really going to do this? Won’t you regret it?” (Yuri)

“I won’t regret it. Please. I believe this is a trial to overcome my grandmother.” (Myaro)

Myaro continued to bow his head. It seemed like a very weighty request.

“Alright… Do you know how to use it?” (Yuri)

“I do.” (Myaro)

Myaro walked reluctantly to the corner of the room and picked up the gun. It seemed too large for Myaro’s stature since it wasn’t a cut-down barrel type.

“Now, go ahead.” (Yuri)

Myaro slowly aimed the gun, tightened his grip, and placed the muzzle against Luida’s head.

“Very well, Obaba-sama.” (Myaro)

Myaro’s finger hovered over the trigger. At that moment, I felt a fierce chill, like a centipede crawling up from under my feet, and instinctively grabbed Myaro’s right hand holding the gun.

“Ah!” (Myaro)

I forcefully pulled Myaro’s right hand away, pushed her back, and grabbed the gun. I swiftly turned the gun around, aimed it at the brainstem of Luida, who was trying to figure out what happened, and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The sound of gunpowder exploding echoed, and Luida’s head was blown back as if struck. A large hole appeared, blood splattered on the desk, and the old woman’s body collapsed onto the desk.

“What are you doing, Yuri-kun?!” (Myaro)

“…It’s no good. I can’t let you do it.” (Yuri)

‘There’s no way I could let her do it. Why did I even consider letting her do it in the first place? I had completely fallen under Luida’s influence. It seems like I’ve lost my mind too.’

“Why?” (Myaro)

“If you desire to be a Witch who can do such things without hesitation, then you don’t need something like that.” (Yuri)

‘Perhaps it was some kind of curse-like influence. I’m glad I stopped it. If I had gone through with the killing, Myaro might have been burdened with some kind of karma or resentment. Myaro shouldn’t be here anymore. It’s clear that something is influencing him.’

“Tillet, take Myaro with you.” (Yuri)

“Understood.” (Tillet)

“W-wait, please! We’re not finished talking!” (Myaro)

Myaro was forcibly taken away by Tillet.

“Yuri-kun!” (Myaro)

The door slammed shut.

‘Now, it was just me, the six witches, one dead body, and… Enrique. That was all that remained.’

*Sigh*

‘What a tiring day.’

“…This is the end. I apologize for showing you all this family dispute at the very end.” (Yuri)

I addressed the six of them.

‘I may be losing my mind, but it’s not like they put a curse on me.’

“By burning this house down, the Witches will realize that their time has come to an end. There will likely be those who refuse to accept it, but there won’t be many.” (Yuri)

‘The main purpose of burning the house was not execution but a demonstration. By watching this house burn, the Witches will understand that their end is near.’

“After the remnants of the Second Army are hunted down, this place will be made public to the citizens. They will also learn here that the era of Witches has ended.” (Yuri)

“What are you trying to say?” (Vivila)

Vivila Marmasset asked.

‘What am I trying to say? They’re going to die soon anyway. Let’s end this.’

“Myaro said it, but you all did something grand at the end of the Witch era. Whatever treatment awaits you, your names will be remembered in history. You can die in peace.” (Yuri)

I lit a fire using a lighter on an oil-soaked cloth and gently tucked it into the gaps of the firewood at my feet. The excess dried leaves caught fire and quickly spread.

“If I had been drinking at that time, it would have been over for me. You all were quite formidable.” (Yuri)

With those parting words, I left the hut.

—

“It’s finished, isn’t it?” (Dimitri)

Observing from outside the hut, Dimitri Daz, who had been supervising the operation, stood nearby and spoke. From inside the hut, I could still hear the screams of agony.

“Yes. Everything will change now.” (Yuri)

“Indeed… Your Excellency doesn’t seem relieved, though.” (Dimitri)

Apparently, he could tell just by looking. The soldiers surrounding us were jubilant. They had overthrown the king, killed the leaders of their enemy, and now their foe was burning in the fire. They had accomplished this. They had scattered the army like chaff and were now roasting the ringleader over the fire.

I felt differently.

“I thought I would feel better… after all this.” (Yuri)

“Is revenge not satisfying?” (Dimitri)

“Revenge won’t bring back Father and Mother. I inflicted pain on them, but even seeing their agonizing expressions brought me no solace…” (Yuri)

In my heart, the void left by Rook and Suzuya when I saw their bodies in the morgue had only grown larger. There was nothing in their suffering and screams that could fill that void. I thought revenge might fill it, but it only passed through the hole without filling it.

“Wouldn’t it have been better not to seek revenge?” (Dimitri)

“No, that’s not it. I couldn’t just leave them be, carrying that burden in my heart. It was something I had to do.” (Yuri)

‘I couldn’t quite put it into words, but revenge is a different kind of act from something enjoyable or happy. Even if one revenge is carried out, it doesn’t fill the void left behind. It’s an act that feels significant to throw the lives of enemies into that empty hole, even though it’s just emptiness… But if that doesn’t end, nothing else can begin. Revenge isn’t over yet. There’s a man in the Papal States who incited the Witches. It’s likely this man named Epitaph.’

“For this country as well, we must make something good of it.” (Dimitri)

‘Perhaps Dimitri is expecting a new era to come, but I don’t think that will happen. After all, the Knights are still stagnant.’

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