Chapter 231 – Side Story, Or (11)

At my request, Kaiden opened a portal and summoned the rest of our team.

The moment word reached them of the Demon King’s resurrection, they all came straight to the capital.

The army had been pulled back, and the flyers I had written were now scattered across the city.

He’d read them. He’d definitely come.

That guy valued honor far more than most people thought.

Scratch his pride, accuse him of cowardice, and he’d come just to prove otherwise.

And if he still burned for revenge, his likely targets were the capital and the members of the Demon King Slaying Task Force.

And now, all of that was in one place — the capital. He wouldn’t pass that up.

“Then we should deploy mages and imperial knights in ambush.”

“That’s pointless.”

I cut Mirelis off without hesitation.

“If he’s anything like the Demon King we knew, they’ll just be cannon fodder. It’ll be nothing but a distraction. They won’t even touch him before getting wiped out.”

In the end, same as before — it comes down to us and him.

The capital is just the arena.

If he dies here, it’s over.

If we lose, he’ll raze the palace to the ground.

And after that? I have no idea.

Anyway, just like ten years ago at the Demon King’s castle — we kill him.

“Dian is right,”

Linus said, standing beside me.

“And I don’t want to fight like that either. The Demon King may be our enemy, but he knows honor. If we call him here for a final battle, then setting traps is beneath us.”

“I’ll defer to you, you’re the only ones alive who’ve met him in person. But… one concern.”

She glanced around the palace’s high ceilings and marble pillars.

“If there’s a battle here… will the building survive?”

“It won’t, but there’s no better place.”

I explained.

“The Demon King’s power is overwhelming in open terrain. But in a structure like this, some of that power is naturally constrained. Not enough to stop him, but it helps. On the other hand, if the space is too tight, we could get wiped in one blow. Right now, the capital palace is the only location that checks all the boxes.”

“I see. Then we’ll evacuate everyone not directly involved.”

Everything moved quickly after that.

We assumed he was already inside the city — he could show up at any moment.

Standing atop the palace gate, watching the path across the drawbridge, Linus spoke.

“…Dian. Doesn’t this remind you of that time at the Demon King’s fortress?”

“Yeah. It’s exactly like it.”

Ten years ago.

We’d just arrived at the Demon King’s stronghold. And there he was — alone, waiting atop the wall.

Most of the front-line legions had already been destroyed. And to our surprise, there wasn’t a single defender in sight inside the fortress.

We hesitated, thinking it was a trap.

Then, the Demon King shouted down at us from the wall.

“Come in! There’s no one here but me!”

“You think we’ll just walk in that easily?!”

“I’ve already evacuated everyone! There’s no point in more bloodshed!”

At Linus’s shout, the Demon King bellowed back.

“I am a warrior of honor! I swear it on my name, I am the only one left inside! Come! Let us end this here!”

“Honor?! A man of honor doesn’t butcher innocents the way you did!”

“What does your doubt change?! Will you turn back now?! You’ll come for me anyway, won't you?!”

Linus turned to me.

“…What do we do?”

“We go in.”

If the story hasn’t changed from the original, then he’s telling the truth.

“And even if he’s not, like he said, if he’s just going to wait us out, we’ll have to go in anyway. Nothing changes.”

“…If you say so.”

Then the Demon King shouted again.

“Come to the Grand Hall! I’ve opened every door! I’ll be waiting!”

He vanished from the wall, and we slowly approached the gate.

Lormane activated her holy barrier, nervous. Celine’s knuckles went white as she drew her bow.

Kaiden quietly began chanting under his breath, magic ready to fire.

Linus kept his sword drawn and scanning the shadows — but nothing happened.

“…Dian. You’re not nervous at all?”

I just smiled.

All the doors to the central hall stood wide open.

So we passed through without a single interruption.

And inside, the Demon King waited — alone.

In front of him, a small round table. A teapot. Teacups. A simple plate of snacks.

"You've had a long journey, please, sit. You’re guests in my home. I must show hospitality.”

“We’re not here for idle chatter.”

Linus said coldly.

“I know, You wouldn’t come all this way just to negotiate. Not with the war already lost.”

He calmly lifted the teapot.

“Kaiden.”

At Linus’s cue, Kaiden fired.

Chiiiing—!

But the spell bent midair, distorting as if warped — sailing harmlessly past the Demon King’s side.

Just like the original story. That bastard was practically a cheat character.

BOOM—!

The deflected spell slammed into the far wall, shaking the chamber. The Demon King didn’t flinch. He just poured the tea.

“Enough. You’ll get dust in the tea.”

I held out a hand to stop Kaiden, who was already preparing his next spell.

“Might as well drink what he laid out. We’re all exhausted. No harm in catching our breath first.”

“There could be poison, Dian.”

“There’s not.”

“And how do you know?”

“I just do.”

Kaiden said nothing more and let the magic fade.

I walked over and took a seat.

The Demon King was strong.

Attacking now or waiting wouldn’t change the outcome.

Better to sit, observe, and study the layout of the chamber. The original story was mostly text — even I didn’t know exactly how this place looked.

The others slowly followed and took their seats as well.

Despite sitting across from the ones who brought about his downfall, the Demon King calmly played host.

But I could feel it — the anger. Radiating from his shoulders like heat.

Still, he kept it leashed. Smothered it with will.

Now that’s a real monster.

“As warriors, I respect you.”

He finally spoke.

“Even if you led my people to ruin.”

“I won’t apologize.”

Linus said.

“In war, reasons don’t matter. It’s kill or be killed.”

“I understand, Hero. Truly. We rose to escape our oppression. You fought to avoid extinction. Nothing more needs saying.”

The Demon King pushed a plate of snacks toward us. Then turned to me.

“But you, who are you?”

“I’m Dian.”

“I know your name. What I’m asking is: who are you? My sources say… you can see the future.”

I laughed.

“What, I read the future now?”

He didn’t smile.

“If that’s true… can you tell me something?”

“What?”

“What awaits my people, after this war ends?”

I couldn’t answer right away. His eyes, they weren’t pleading, but they were desperate.

A young demon who gave everything to save his oppressed kin.

He failed at the final threshold. Now he asks his enemies what fate awaits the people he couldn’t protect.

This wasn’t in the original story.

And I had no answer.

The world after the ending? Even I didn’t know.

The original tale ended with Linus slaying the Demon King and returning a hero.

No one knew what became of the demon race afterward.

But he and I, we could both guess.

That’s why he looked at me that way. Hoping. Just hoping.

“…Sorry. I don’t know.”

“…I see.”

Disappointment flickered in his eyes.

“Even if I win here… there’s no hope left for us.”

He spoke softly.

“Our legions are shattered. There’s nothing left to stop the fury of your alliance.”

When we finished our tea and snacks, the Demon King stood.

“From here on, this is not Demon King versus Special Ops. This is warrior to warrior.”

He drew his sword from its scabbard.

“I’ve always longed for this. To cross blades with fighters like you. Face me now, with honor.”

What followed, you already know.

He pushed us to the brink of annihilation.

As the final boss of the whole damn story, his strength and swordsmanship were ridiculous. He had a seemingly endless list of skills that hit like a damn omakase course of pain.

The worst was the psychic attack he used after Linus stabbed him in the gut.

I really thought I was going to die then…

“…Dian.”

Linus’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

“He’s here.”

One man stood at the end of the drawbridge, looking up at us.

His body was completely different from before, but I could tell.

It was him.

The Demon King.

“Well, look who finally showed. That must’ve been a long walk!”

“LINUS! You shameless, scheming bastard!”

He shouted furiously at Linus.

“You stole your comrade’s glory and played the hero! You think that makes you worthy of being called a hero?!”

…What the hell?

Where’d that come from?