296. Because you don’t ask about my happiness (6)
“Idelia!”
Ashild was horrified and called out to her. Idelia shrugged her shoulders calmly, as if she didn’t care.
“Why? Even so, I didn’t like the way you strutted around here with your tongue swinging three inches, but it was good, right? For a human being with no ability.”
“I guess it’s because I lost the last time I gambled. I lost everything.”
“shut up.”
Could that be the only reason? You seem like a clueless Ashild.
Although the apparent boundaries have been relaxed to some extent, that does not mean that suspicions have disappeared. Idelia was still suspicious of Deonhardt. Is it just suspicion? This was almost a certainty.
This is a conclusion I came to by investigating the situation and combining the information I obtained.
‘In the process, I learned that it was also likely true that the Demon King knowingly stood by and protected Deonhardt…’
Because the Demon King was that kind of person to begin with.
Even if a fight breaks out between corps commanders and one corps commander dies as a result, the Demon King stands by and protects the winner, unless it is a special case. So, we can say that there is no difference from before, except that the target is a human ‘hero’.
We cannot now say that someone who acted consistently is betrayal. At least that was what Idelia thought.
So she excluded the Demon King from the list of hostile targets to be wary of and suspicious of.
‘Then the remaining character is Deon Hart.’
We need something to change the word ‘doubt close to certainty’ to the word ‘certainty’. Idelia decided to touch Dan here.
Because I have doubts about whether Dan really did it on his own.
I knew that the conflict that occurred this time was not what Deon Hardt intended due to his attitude in the basement, but it was not like the previous ones. Rather….
“Think of that guy who shamelessly used his mouth even though he was caught in the middle of committing an Ashild crime. Wouldn’t it make you feel better if you cut off your tongue?”
“….”
“Or it wouldn’t be a bad idea to cut off the hand that committed the crime.”
Provocations continued based on the suspicions being true.
This is a declaration of war that they are convinced that Deon Hardt is the culprit and that they will fight him at all.
The corps commanders, reading her intentions, hold their breath. Idelia smiled proudly at Deon, who was frowning slightly.
‘React even if it’s just a little bit.’
Even if it’s just for a moment, it’s okay. The discomfort he showed would soon be seen as an intention to protect Dan.
Because there was no evidence, she couldn’t dare to be certain ‘outrightly’, but she decided that there was no harm in being wary and staying away from Deonhardt, so her actions were unrestrained.
It would be useless to keep a distance on your own, and it would only be effective if at least other corps commanders were alert. It seems like she decided to do it with great determination.
‘….’
Snap. The hand that was turning the cube stopped.
Deon lowers the hand that was resting on his chin and raises his head. Bright red eyes looked directly at Idelia, and an extremely low voice slowly flowed out as if oppressing her.
“It’s strange…”
“….”
“Idelia. Why do I think your actions are provoking me?”
Idelia covered her nose and mouth with an open fan. The only exposed eye drew a pretty line.
“Isn’t it because you got stabbed?”
“I don’t think so. You’re watching my expression the whole time I’m talking.”
unpleasantly.
Deon was irritated by the almost overt provocation, but he tried to straighten his face.
Whatever emotion I show here, it will be interpreted in relation to Dan. We can’t give an excuse to those who are looking for an opportunity to bite us.
“I’m not going to touch this matter anyway, so I don’t know why you’re trying to waste unnecessary emotions. There’s no way you wouldn’t know, Idelia.”
From the beginning, you must have read from the way he kept his mouth shut and was turning the cube around aimlessly that he wasn’t going to touch this issue. It makes no sense for a corps commander, whose specialty is combining given information to discover new information, to not know.
But does provoking me like this mean that you have decided on your attitude toward me? It doesn’t seem like a very good decision to me, but it’s comfortable because it’s certain.
Anyway, that’s it and this is this. He spoke in a lower voice as if warning.
“Don’t waste time trying to figure things out, but make a decision quickly.”
“…If you say so.”
Idelia smiled brightly.
“I will cut your tongue out. Right here and now.”
“….”
Deon pretended not to care and fixed his eyes on the cube again. Rather, it was other corps commanders who noticed him.
Ashild, the 3rd Corps commander, looked anxiously at Idelia, who was borrowing a dagger from the 7th Corps commander.
“…Are you sure you want to?”
“Then are you going to fake it?”
I’m glad I wore gloves. There are only corps commanders here.
An eerie murmur followed. Dan made eye contact with Idelia, who lifted his chin. The dagger in his hand shined sharply under the light, but the eyes looking at it were calm and without a trace of agitation.
A mocking voice spread through a space filled with tension and uncomfortable silence.
“Blame me for your foolish choices.”
Do you mean to blame me for daring to bring about discord between the legions or for following Deon Hardt?
Dan lowered his gaze without answering and Idelia raised her dagger.
…Deon didn’t even glance at them until the end.
The cube was never completed.
***
Faced with Dan’s death before his eyes, Deon left the scene as soon as the situation was over. He had a very calm face until the end.
He tried to shake his cold head and think.
‘Following Develania, even Idelia is an enemy…’
The two corps commanders who handle information are enemies. It’s going to be annoying. Well, as you deal with information, you have no choice but to be quick-witted.
‘Then what measures should we take now…’
Stand tall. The brisk steps stopped.
‘We need to take measures…’
I don’t want to think about it.
Should I really think about it now? Deon turned his head and looked out the hallway window.
The open sky and three moons are still the same, but why do I feel so sick? The thick bloody smell made me sick, so I covered my mouth with the back of my hand, but then lowered it again, conscious of the gaze following behind me.
At least for now I should be okay until I’m completely alone.
‘…’
I closed my mouth and resumed my stopped steps.
I don’t want to go back to my room, but I don’t know where to go. Not wanting to stop, Deon just started moving as far as he could.
Ashild, who was looking at the back, turned to Idelia.
“Did it really have to go that far? You ended up having to fight with Deon.”
Idelia timidly smoothed her fingernails.
“Then would I have done this without thinking? Honestly, it’s true that Deon is suspicious.”
“….”
“It is true that I respect and follow Deon-nim, but my life and the Demon King are above that. How can I heartlessly follow Deon-nim when things at a higher level are threatened?”
Not even a nerd.
“In the first place, didn’t you follow Deon, who has ‘outstanding skills’, ‘because he was a member of the Demon King’s army’?”
It’s not just because they have ‘excellent skills’. Because he improved the power of the Demon King’s army by being under the Demon King’s command, they respected him and followed him.
Idelia, who pointed out that point mercilessly, turned away, leaving Ashilde silent as if she had nothing more to say. We weren’t on good terms and the conversation was over, so there was no reason to stay together any longer.
‘It’s a bit awkward to go to the banquet hall in this mood… I should go back to my room and rest.’
It was only when I went up one floor that I noticed a familiar demon.
“Ed?”
“Ah, Lady Idelia.”
Likewise, Ed, who stops walking at the familiar call, spots her and immediately lowers his head. It was a truly consistent attitude of being polite yet distant.
A mischievous look flashed through Idelia’s eyes as she looked at his smooth face.
“Now that I think about it, I guess I should congratulate you.”
“Huh? What are you talking about…”
“Now that Dan is dead, I can go back to my job. I was upset because I kept losing the opportunity to serve Deon by my side.”
“…yes?”
For a moment, Ed’s expression became blank.
“I’m sorry… I guess I misheard. Could you say that again?”
“Congratulations on being able to go back to your day job?”
“That’s not it…”
“Dan’s dead?”
“….”
You mean you didn’t hear it wrong?
But that guy is dead…. Ed pondered Idelia’s words with a puzzled expression.
‘…Did I touch it too much?’
If you look closely, he is quite delicate.
Idelia shook her head, looking almost lost, and muttered with a regretful expression to end the conversation with what she always said.
“I would have been really nice to you if you had come to me.”
“….”
“Well, that’s your choice too.”
Again. I resumed my stopped steps and passed Ed.
As if to leave room for an unexpected situation, an unacceptable offer that had always been rejected fell in front of him.
“If you change your mind, come see me. Any time is fine, but I hope it’s not too late.”
“….”
Even after Idelia left, Ed could not move easily. It was quite overwhelming for him just to accept and sort out the shocking news he had received a moment ago.
I heard about Dan’s accident a long time ago. I thought he had in mind that he would die because the situation was not good, but it seems that was not the case.
I know that the 4th Corps Commander couldn’t lie, but I can’t believe it.
Ed, who was left alone, muttered absently.
“Really… that guy is dead?”
So vain?
***
Deon slowly walked out, pushing away the blood that had reached his waist. In a situation where there was no one around, he had a surprisingly expressionless expression.
All the expressions that had been put on his face were shattered and broken several times, revealing an expressionless expression.
Just as the expression and atmosphere give a risky feeling, it also gives the feeling of stumbling with each precarious step. There was no way the Knights of Lofty would ignore this because it was Deon, not anyone else, who was walking with a gait that made the viewer unable to take their eyes off of anxiety.
“Leader?”
“ah.”
It seems I came here without knowing. Deon looked up from the blood.
The members of the Lofty Knights, who sensed an unusual atmosphere from his gait and the facial expressions and atmosphere he faced, flock to him and stand in front of him. Familiar worries poured out.
“Why do you look like that, Captain?”
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“Isn’t it because you haven’t slept?”
“…”
Only then did an expression appear on Deon’s face.
In addition to all the emotions that come to mind, the confusion of not being able to express what one is feeling and not even knowing what expression to make is all displayed on the face in a raw, mixed form.
“…why.”
Deonhardt collapsed without a sound.
“why.”
“Leader…?”
“….”
“Captain!”
The pupils were empty. What is this…!
Milan, who quickly grabs Deon’s shoulder, realizes that the situation is more serious than he thought and looks at Cleter. Cleter seemed to have noticed this as well, frowning slightly, straightening it again, and approaching, taking off his outerwear.
This is a place where demon users often come and go. I can’t show the captain in his current state. The robe covered Deon’s head.
The other guys, who read the meaning, also surrounded Deon and covered him with their coats one by one, as if blocking outside gaze. Cleter’s expression became subtle when he saw the result.
‘…If someone passes by and sees them, they’ll think they’re holding a pile of clothes and performing some kind of ritual.’
Putting aside his foolish thoughts, he quietly reached out his hand and patted the back of the captain, whose mental strength was at the level of an ice craft.
Our captain may seem cold and heartless on the outside, but he is such a delicate person that he could break if he was hit, so I wonder what kind of bastard messed with him.
