Chapter 63

“It’s been a long time since I breathed the air of the middle world.”

What… what is this?

“Refreshing.”

A dream?

“But it seems there are worms ruining my fun.”

Why right now…?

“Still, today I’m in a good mood, so I’ll grant mercy even to insects. Enjoy your last five minutes of life.”

Has Andromalius been summoned?

‘What do I do?’

What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?

My mind is blank.

A demon summoned just while I was setting the traps. I never even imagined that possibility existed.

Can we win?

‘What if Aint isn’t here?’

The core of all Fernan’s plans was Aint Armian.

The nemesis of demons. The direct heir of the Armian family.

The hero of prophecy who absorbed everything the First Emperor left prepared.

And yet, he wasn’t here.

And Andromalius’s aura far surpassed anything Fernan had ever imagined.

‘Could it be that what I saw in the prophecy was only a fragment…?’

It wasn’t the same Andromalius that had appeared in the book’s vision.

It was even more horrifying, denser, more terrifying. His body trembled uncontrollably.

He felt that no plan, no preparation, would be of any use.

“…What are you?”

At that moment, the one who broke the silence wasn’t Andromalius, nor Fernan, nor Aria.

It was Luina Bercheff.

The woman who dreamed of being the noblest and strongest of knights stepped forward without hesitation before the demon.

“Are you speaking to me?”

“Who else would I be speaking to?”

It wasn’t that she felt no fear. Her eyes and sword trembled. And still, the edge of her determination pointed straight at Andromalius.

“…I see. I suppose you’re right.”

Pfh. Andromalius let out a chuckle.

Pfhuhuhuhu. And that chuckle turned into laughter. Though he was only laughing, the air vibrated as if the world itself were shaking.

“Gh…!”

“Kyaa!”

Fernan and Aria immediately covered their ears. Luina frowned but did not lose her stance.

“Ah, forgive me. It’s just that it’s been so long since a mere insignificant insect spoke to me, it was refreshing.”

However.

“I have never given permission to such a lowly creature to question me.”

The smile disappeared from Andromalius’s face.

“You are a worm that does not know its place.”

─!

“Gh…!”

It was only a snap of the fingers. A single thread of cursed energy.

And still, Luina was pushed back several steps. Her aura cracked, and her sword trembled.

“Luina!”

“Senior!”

At her desperate struggle, Fernan felt ashamed of his own cowardice.

‘Damn it…!’

He was frozen, doing nothing. It was shameful, an absolute humiliation.

‘More than demons, what I fear is losing my money. Dying without spending what I’ve earned terrifies me. My fortune vanishing is the true horror!’

And was he going to cower before a mere demon? He had done all this to stop it, hadn’t he?

Yes, he had to be cautious, but there was no reason to let fear dominate him.

“Aria, prepare to fight.”

“…Yes. We can’t just sit and die. I’ve put on a shameful display.”

Fernan and Aria raised their staffs with effort, swallowing their fear.

But to Andromalius, they were nothing but irrelevant presences. Playing with his hands, he muttered,

“Hmph. Is this all? Tch. I suppose rushing caused more wear than I expected. But even so, it’s enough to exterminate these vermin.”

Let’s see.

“If I kill all the humans within the seal’s perimeter, then I can do as I please, right?”

Andromalius’s eyes swept over all those present.

Two humans, one elf.

And then.

“It’s you.”

At a short distance, a presence approached that had been unpleasantly brushing against his senses from before.

A human and a useless companion.

“Armian.”

Andromalius extended his black hand. A burst of cursed energy, incomparably more intense than the previous one, shot out in a straight line.

────!

White light and black darkness clashed. The shockwave expanded violently.

The ground trembled, the trees split, and dust rose as if the world itself were collapsing.

“…It’s Aint.”

And seeing that figure, Fernan’s eyes filled with life once more.

His assumption that the demon wouldn’t be summoned before Aint’s arrival hadn’t been wrong.

That meant there was still hope. That meant they could defeat the demon.

Because that was the original story.

Even if some things had changed, Fernan had prepared more thoroughly than ever.

“Luina!”

“Yes!”

“Go. Go to Aint and help him. Andromalius’s main target is him. If Aint dies, we all die!”

“But then you…”

“Run!”

“Understood!”

Luina dashed off.

“Aria, you too!”

“And you, senior?”

“I have something to do.”

“Something to do?”

“Yes. I never thought I’d have to use it so soon, but…”

If I installed the traps, then now it’s time to activate them.

***

— This makes no sense…!

It was never easy to summon a demon from hell to the middle world. To pierce the dimensional barrier required an equivalent price—an immense amount of mana or life force.

And to gather those elements, traces inevitably had to remain. But there were no signs anywhere indicating a demonic summoning.

Or perhaps they simply hadn’t noticed.

— How is it possible that such an important object was used as a catalyst to summon a demon?!

— There must have been signs!

Despite Gardner’s desperate cry, the situation had already unfolded.

“W-wait… Aint…!”

The moment he saw the demon, Aint left his fear behind and advanced. It was instinct. The natural rejection that the Armians felt toward demons.

The luminous energy of the Armian family cursed and abhorred demonic mana with visceral rage.

Following that impulse, Aint drew his sword and swung.

────!

The clash against demonic mana made Aint roll across the ground. The impact shook his entire body, making it crackle.

It was stronger than any enemy he had faced so far.

Even the corrupt ones he had fought recently could not compare.

“Cursed blood.”

Despite the distance, the demon and Aint locked eyes. Those abyssal eyes froze his skin. His whole body trembled.

“You are insignificant.”

A low voice, but clear, shook his eardrums.

‘Can I win? Really? This isn’t even comparable to that corrupt one!’

The abyss between them was made evident with a single strike. It was an overwhelming difference he couldn’t ignore.

His body trembled like a leaf in the wind.

— Calm yourself, Aint!

At that instant, his sword began to shine.

— This was completely unexpected, but that doesn’t mean you must lose.

The light pushed back the darkness, dispersing the crushing pressure.

— You are an Armian. An existence feared by demons.

— The one who should be trembling with fear isn’t you, but that demon!

A comforting warmth wrapped around him. His ragged breathing steadied.

“…Can I win?”

— It isn’t about whether you can or not.

— You must.

If he lost, there would be no future. For the peace of the continent, for his own life, Aint had to cut off the demon’s head and survive.

— Have you already forgotten your resolve?

— You’ve always fought against enemies stronger than you. And still, you’re alive!

— I’ll help you. Cut off that damned demon’s head and prove to the world that the Armians still stand!

Aint gripped his sword tightly.

Gardner was right. This wasn’t a matter of whether he could win. It was a battle he had to win at all costs.

Running was not an option.

— How repugnant… and even more so.

The demonic mana grew denser. Aint also activated his aura. A radiant light clashed against the darkness.

— As expected, Armians should not exist in this world.

And in that moment—

─!

──!

─!

The magic circles activated. A storm of mana erupted. Lightning, flames, ice, and spears of earth rained down on Andromalius.

“What nonsense.”

Nothing seemed to reach him.

Or so they thought.

“…Guh?”

Andromalius let out a muffled cry. Thick smoke rose from his body.

“What is that? Is it breaking down the demonic mana?”

Something hidden within the spells was disintegrating the mana and causing real damage.

“…Who was it?”

“Aint!”

A voice called to him.

“Luina? Aria?”

“Hello, Aint! I see Verian is here too!”

“What are you doing here? What’s happening…?”

“It’s a long story, no time for explanations.”

Luina stood beside him, and Aria raised her staff from behind.

“Right now, the priority is that demon called Andromalius.”

“You’re right.”

— Not bad. With them, especially with Luina Bercheff, you’ll have valuable support.

Aint felt relieved. It was different from bearing it all alone.

“Let’s strike before he regains his composure.”

“That spell was yours? Did you cast it?”

“It was Fernan.”

“Fernan is here too?”

Aint, slightly late, remembered that Verian had come to look for Fernan.

“Damn you…!”

But the conversation didn’t last.

Rumble!

A stone wall collapsed in an instant. No one needed an explanation to know what that meant.

“Fernan is in danger!”

“Go now and save your sponsor!”

Aint activated his aura, shining brightly thanks to the First Emperor’s sword.

He became a ray of light and crossed the distance like a wild steed. There was no time to test strength. It was all or nothing from the start.

Thanks to Fernan, the demon’s weak points were visible.

──!

The sword and the hand clashed. Demonic mana exploded, and luminous aura flew in all directions.

The impact was far more manageable than the first. Whether because of Gardner or Fernan, it didn’t matter.

Aint delivered his next slash directly onto Andromalius.

─!

The demon’s body was hurled to the ground. The earth shook and rocks flew.

Aint spun in the air and struck downward.

─!

A great explosion rocked the battlefield. Immediately, he unleashed more strikes.

“It’s always such vile, unbearable energy!”

But Andromalius was still unscathed. Covered in dense darkness, he roared furiously.

─!

Aint was repelled harder than ever. The demon lunged at him.

Though still staggering, Aint raised his sword. Fists fell like waterfalls.

“That sword…! That damned sword! Just as foul and disgusting as before! It should be erased from this world!”

The divinity of his sword gnawed at the demonic mana. That was the only thing allowing him to endure.

But there were limits.

Blood escaped from his mouth.

At that moment.

─!

Another sword intervened, stabbing into the demon’s back. Andromalius roared. Black blood stained the blade’s tip.

“Damn filth…!”

“What demonic vocabulary.”

The owner of the sword, Luina, panted.

Fwoosh! The hidden elven wind struck the demon, forcing him against the ground.

Clang! Her sword clashed against the demon’s hand.

Crack! Her blade slid along his arm and cut his chest.

Or so she thought.

─!

A small shadow blocked Luina’s sword. A black serpent, coiled around Andromalius’s right arm.

“Very well. I admit I underestimated you.”

A murderous energy filled the air.

“To have to exert myself against insects… In hell, I never would have suffered this humiliation.”

Crack. His face twisted with fury.

“Rejoice. I’ll grant you a death that will not exactly be death.”

Whoosh!

A storm of blades fell. Another knight, overcoming fear, rushed with a strike.

“Insolent insects who dare interrupt me…!”

Verian was thrown into the air, screaming.

“Well done, Aria, Verian!”

The two knights attacked in succession. Sword against hand. Sword against serpent.

Light against darkness. Aura against demonic mana.

Aint and Luina coordinated like veteran battle companions.

They covered each other’s backs, striking the demon’s openings. The wind reinforced their power.

But Andromalius wasn’t easily defeated.

“How dare you…!”

The demon opened his mouth and spewed a torrent of mana.

A direct shot at Aint. Though blocked, it pushed him back.

The serpent followed, trying to bind him.

Luina, attacking from the rear, was forced to twist her body grotesquely to divert her sword.

Crack. Her muscles tore as she shifted her strike, plunging the blade into the demon’s side.

“Damn…!”

Clang!

A punch crushed her armor and sent her flying.

“Pathetic.”

The wind tried to restrain the demon, but a snap unleashed blazing mana orbs.

Explosions. Aria’s scream echoed among them.

“Cursed Armian blood. There is no one left to aid you.”

The serpent returned to the demon’s right arm. A spear of mana fell upon Aint.

And with it, another punch.

“I have waited so long for this moment…”

Before that overwhelming power, the light of aura faded.

“This is the moment I erase the cursed lineage.”

The aura shattered, the armor torn to pieces.

“Let that wretch spit blood from the beyond. At last, after a thousand years, the victors will be us.”

“I won’t let you!”

“You won’t?”

Rumble!

Aint staggered.

“Do you truly think you can defeat me with just that sword?”

Thud!

The demon’s foot crushed him.

“Perhaps, had we waited longer, I wouldn’t have been able to defeat you this way.”

But everything was already decided.

“From now on, I will exterminate all who bear the name Armian…”

──!

Andromalius was hurled through the air.

“How stubborn you are.”

He rolled across the ground, then stood.

“I value your resolve. To have those eyes, even before me.”

With shattered armor and blood streaming from his body, he admired Aint’s gaze.

“Aint Armian.”

It was Luina.

With a pale face, she stood in his path.

“I’ll distract him. Find an opening and drive your sword into his heart.”

The demon was strong. But not invincible.

“My sword managed to wound him.”

Twice, even.

“Then yours will harm him even more.”

An Armian’s weapon was the natural enemy of demons.

“I’ll hold him back. You strike his weakness.”

That was the only way to win. And Aint was more suited than she.

“I should…!”

Aint’s eyes trembled.

Anyone could see Luina wasn’t in condition. Distracting the demon was basically a death sentence.

“Forget your personal emotions. If we keep going like this, we’ll all die.”

Defeat the demon or die. There was no other choice.

“And I am a knight. Even if now I have no lord to serve.”

This Empire, this world, were her lord.

A knight.

“Does not flee, leaving her lord behind.”

She would not allow the Empire to fall to a demon.

A knight.

“Does not die after her lord.”

If the Empire fell, living was meaningless. She would do whatever it took to protect it.

That was.

“My knight’s code.”

And this was the only way to protect the Empire. Luina gripped her sword tightly.

“Remember this, Aint.”

There would be only one chance.

Luina prepared to charge Andromalius.

“No.”

Someone suddenly stopped her.

“I won’t allow you to do this, Luina.”

With what right?

“Fernan?”

Fernan’s eyes gleamed.

“Do you have any idea everything I did to get here?”

All he sacrificed, all the money he spent.

Did you really think I would let everything happen just as the prophecy said?

“Look closely, Luina.”

Crack! The space tore open.

“This is…”

A massive hand emerged.

Then shoulders, torso, legs.

“An Ego Golem!”

A colossal steel giant, with its master mounted on its shoulder, entered the scene.

GWOOOOOH!

The golem roared.