From a Broken Engagement to the Northern Grand Duke's Son-in-Law

“Grahhhh—!”

I steadied my breathing as I watched Maon writhe like a dying worm at my feet.

Despite bearing the prestigious title of one of the Twelve Nobles of the Demonic Realm, Maon crawled across the tavern floor without managing to unleash even a fraction of his power.

At this point, he looked no different from any common Demonkin minion.

Of course, this humiliating defeat stemmed from one simple fact: I held the advantage in terms of combat affinity.

Thank the gods it was a psychic-type attack.

I gazed down at him while purging the last traces of demonic energy from my body.

Maon, the Fear Marquis.

He was the Demonkin my master had once called the most troublesome opponent in all the realms.

Before my regression, my master had earned renown across the continent for his relentless campaigns against the forces of the Demonic Realm—and Maon had been among his most formidable adversaries.

Even my master, with his legendary Aura control, had admitted this particular demon was exceptionally difficult to handle.

What my master had failed to recognize was that my control had already surpassed even his own.

If I possessed his sheer volume of Aura, wouldn’t I have wielded the Divine Beast Invocation with even greater mastery than he ever managed?

That might actually be true.

Pride swelled within me as I pressed my boot down firmly on Maon’s abdomen.

“So, any last words?”

“Gragh—!”

Maon released a strangled groan while clawing desperately at my foot.

He’d probably never suffered such a thorough beating in his centuries of existence.

His teeth ground together audibly as he glared up at me with eyes shot through with blood.

“Little human...! Just you wait...!”

“Pretty scary words from someone who was running away with his tail between his legs just moments ago.”

“Grahh...! I’ll kill you...! I’ll kill you, I swear it!”

Maon’s screams echoed through the tavern, his voice thick with impotent rage as he remained pinned beneath my boot.

The raw fury in his voice shook the entire building to its foundations.

Then—

Maon’s face began morphing into something monstrous, his human features melting away like wax.

Soon his entire body started dissolving into a writhing mass of tiny insects that scattered in all directions.

Skitter skitter skitter—

The insects dispersed in an instant, only to swarm back together in a grotesque display of reunion.

They began clustering, growing larger and larger.

And finally—

“GRAAAAAAAAAH!”

Maon, having abandoned his human facade entirely, released a deafening roar as he expanded to enormous proportions.

He’d clearly lost all conscious control.

That would explain why he hadn’t resorted to this transformation until now.

Moreover, the insects that had scattered beyond the tavern’s walls seemed to have rejoined the mass, making his size absolutely tremendous.

THOOM—!

Maon’s massive foot slammed into the ground.

Simultaneously, an enormous eruption of demonic energy exploded from the earth like a volcanic detonation.

BOOM!

I launched myself away from the explosion, feet finding purchase against the nearest wall.

Thanks to the barrier around the tavern, the building survived the blast intact.

Clatter, ratta-tat-tat.

But countless stone fragments rained down like deadly hail, one grazing my cheek and drawing blood.

I scowled in annoyance and put considerable distance between myself and the transformed Maon.

The stories were true—each of the Twelve Nobles possessed a devastating second phase.

This was Maon’s true form unleashed.

Creak.

I drew my bowstring to its absolute limit and took careful aim.

BOOM!

The arrow exploded directly in front of him… but it was no use.

“GRWAAAAAAAAAH!”

He released another earth-shaking roar and simply swatted the projectiles aside like annoying flies.

This would prove impossible to handle alone.

I quickly shifted my gaze to Enoxia. She would be invaluable in this fight.

The logic was sound—the current incarnation of Maon was a purely physical combatant, no longer relying on mental attacks.

Her overwhelming strength would be far more effective than my precision techniques.

I need to wake her first.

But before that—

Crack.

BOOM—!

I rolled beneath another explosion and sprinted toward Martel.

Before rousing her, there was something more pressing that demanded attention.

Rescuing Martel.

I’d been waiting for the right moment anyway.

“Are you injured?”

“...I’ll survive.”

“Good. Then pardon the urgency.”

Rattle-clank.

Before I’d even finished speaking, I severed his chains with a precise strike and tucked him securely under my arm.

BOOM!

Another explosion erupted where we’d been standing moments before, but I evaded it with swift footwork and approached Enoxia’s unconscious form.

“Ugh...!”

Martel released a soft groan of discomfort.

But this wasn’t the time for gentle consideration.

Without sparing him a glance, I activated Willbreaker on Enoxia.

Whoosh—!

My Aura began applying targeted pressure specifically to the demonic energy clouding her mind.

And finally, Enoxia blinked slowly, consciousness returning to her eyes.

“...Martel?”

I addressed her bluntly.

“Get up. How long do you plan to sleep?”

“...What?”

“Pull yourself together quickly. I don’t think I can handle that thing alone.”

Intelligence flooded back into Enoxia’s gaze.

Fortunate indeed.

She appeared ready to engage in combat immediately.

His demonic energy is steadily climbing toward Grand Master level. This is becoming dangerous.

I clicked my tongue in frustration as I watched Maon preparing to charge toward us.

At this rate, we’d be completely overwhelmed.

I needed to pin him down as quickly as possible.

And Enoxia will be the one to do it.

Fortunately, she seemed to have fully recovered her faculties, steadying her breathing as she rose to her feet.

“You said you could kill Duke Artezia alone?”

Hmm? Why would she bring that up now?

Confusion washed over me, but I answered regardless.

“I did. What about it?”

“Right. That’s good enough.”

Enoxia nodded with grim determination.

“I’ll handle this creature.”

Leaving those words hanging in the air, Enoxia charged directly at Maon.

“GRAAAAAAAH!”

She roared with primal fury as she launched her fist forward with everything she possessed.

RUMMMMMMMBLE—!

The entire world began trembling as if subjected to crushing gravitational forces.

Air rushed inward, Aura spiraled toward the epicenter, and even the fleeing insects were inexorably drawn toward Enoxia’s approaching fist.

And then—

KWAAAAAAAAAAAANG!

Enoxia’s fist collided with Maon’s massive appendage, creating a thunderous roar that shook the heavens themselves.

“Come at me, you parasitic vermin.”

* * *

This is exhausting to hell…

I caught my breath while observing the titanic battle between Maon and Enoxia.

A clash between a colossal monster and humanity’s strongest warrior.

Each exchanged blow generated visible shockwaves, and every gesture seemed to shake the very foundations of heaven and earth.

Maon bore no resemblance to the creature who’d been employing psychic attacks just moments earlier.

He must have received significant enhancements upon transformation.

That explained why even Enoxia—that formidable old bat—couldn’t finish him with a single decisive strike.

Of course, if this battle continued, Enoxia’s victory remained certain.

The problem was that waiting for that inevitable conclusion would waste precious time.

I’ll finish him while Enoxia keeps him occupied.

I gripped my bow and drew the string taut.

Creak.

Then I selected an arrow and began modifying it.

Maon—that bastard was a Demonkin who would regenerate and return to life regardless of how many times you killed him.

Did that make him truly immortal?

Hardly.

I shook my head with firm conviction.

He wasn’t immortal. He simply utilized countless insects to reconstruct his physical form.

That meant permanent death was absolutely possible.

I just need to incinerate every last one of those creatures.

Clink.

I retrieved a bottle of strong liquor from inside the tavern and doused the arrowhead thoroughly.

Then I struck a match and set it ablaze.

Whoosh.

A brilliantly burning arrow.

I gripped the flaming projectile and took careful aim at Maon.

Then I channeled every remaining drop of Aura within my body.

This was a technique I hadn’t employed much recently—Full Bloom.

There existed no better method for dealing with multiple enemies simultaneously.

“GRAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Just then, Maon turned his compound eyes—grotesquely similar to a fly’s—directly toward me and fixed me with his stare.

He must have instinctively sensed the approaching danger.

“Good instincts, if nothing else.”

I shot him a mocking smirk and released the bowstring.

Twang.

Whissssssssh—!

The arrow flew forward and immediately began branching out in all directions like a tree bursting into magnificent bloom.

One stem spawned another, and flower buds began forming throughout the air.

The delicate scent of camellia blossoms drifted through the battlefield.

The petals began opening in their full glory.

Whoosh.

Incidentally, every single petal was composed of living flame.

“GRAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Maon screamed in agony as fire engulfed his massive form.

He appeared to be attempting to shed his burning outer layers, but such efforts proved futile.

After all, what was currently burning wasn’t merely the exterior surface, but the interior essence itself.

Smack! Smack!

“GRWAAAAH! GRAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Maon continuously clawed at his own body, releasing sounds of pure anguish.

As if consumed by unbearable torment, he began tearing at his own flesh with desperate savagery.

Enoxia turned to regard me with obvious surprise.

She was probably wondering why I hadn’t employed this devastating technique from the beginning.

But there was no time for lengthy explanations.

“Now!” I shouted to her.

She immediately regained her focus as if nothing had distracted her and channeled concentrated Aura into her fist.

She launched her attack.

BOOOM—!

One strike.

With that single, perfectly executed blow, Maon’s head separated from his body entirely.

Thud thud thud.

Skitter skitter—

Maon’s constituent insects attempted to regenerate his head once more, but the continuing flames made such reconstruction nearly impossible.

The insects looked like moths diving helplessly into an open flame.

Soon, unable to achieve complete regeneration, he reverted to human form.

Cough—!

Maon spat up blood as he gasped desperately for air.

Half his face had melted beyond recognition, and no other part of his body appeared remotely normal.

Death would claim him soon.

Sure enough—

“...Lord Demon God, forgive me.”

Maon reached one trembling hand toward the sky and whispered his final words.

His arm fell limply to the ground, and he met his inevitable end.

Thus, the Demonkin rampage that had terrorized Diva came to its conclusion.

It was humanity’s victory.

* * *

When everything finally ended, I collapsed onto the ground with a heavy thud.

“This is killing me…”

My hands trembled uncontrollably.

This was the inevitable result of squeezing out every last drop of Aura I possessed.

Desperately craving a smoke, I fumbled through my coat pockets, only to release a disappointed sigh.

“Damn it… I didn’t bring any.”

That’s when Enoxia approached me. “You all right?”

“...I’m dying.”

“Hah, you certainly look it.”

Enoxia burst into laughter for some inexplicable reason and plopped down beside me.

“...Shouldn’t you check on Master Martel?”

“Why bother? My presence would only bring him misery anyway.”

...Must be the lingering effects of the Nightmare ability.

I studied Enoxia carefully.

She was smiling, but profound sadness lurked somewhere beneath her expression.

“...Are you planning to leave?”

“As if I have anywhere else to go.”

Enoxia kicked a small stone with her foot and continued speaking.

“I’m just... going to maintain some appropriate distance. That would be better for Martel, and it suits my nature better anyway.”

...This woman wins a fight and then wallows in self-pity afterward.

“Ask Master Martel before making any decisions. Choosing for others? That’s never a good habit.”

“...Is that so?” Enoxia asked weakly.

An answer came from somewhere nearby.

“Indeed, making one-sided decisions is a terrible habit.”

When I turned my head, Martel had somehow approached us without being noticed, supporting his injured leg.

“May I join you?”

“Oh! Of course!” Enoxia yelped, bewildered.

This seemed to be the first time Martel had approached her so directly.

“Ah. This belongs to you, Lady Enoxia.”

Martel withdrew a pipe from his pocket. It was broken cleanly in two and looked completely unusable.

“Ah!” Enoxia cried out with genuine dismay. She looked as if she’d lost a cherished piece of her soul.

“My pipe...!”

“Take this opportunity to quit. Why do you insist on smoking something that’s terrible for your health?” Martel said bluntly.

Martel settled down next to Enoxia with a groan and slowly continued.

“Haven’t we been through this before? I told you to quit smoking, and you told me to get lost.”

“...That was when we’d barely met.”

“But you don’t tell me to get lost anymore.”

Martel smiled slightly. Then he quietly gazed up at the ceiling.

The ceiling bore a gaping hole courtesy of Maon’s transformation.

“...I understand your feelings perfectly.”

“What...?”

“Even so, I cannot accept them. Accepting someone’s heart out of mere gratitude and sympathy wouldn’t show proper respect for such genuine emotions.”

Martel spoke with calm conviction.

Enoxia bit her lips tightly.

“...I see.”

“Yes. I still love my wife, and I still miss my child and grandchild terribly.”

“...I’m glad to hear that,” Enoxia answered with obvious bitterness. “I won’t bother you anymore.”

“Is that your decision?”

“...Yes.”

“That would be unfortunate. I was hoping we could remain friends.”

Friends?

Enoxia turned her head sharply. “What?”

“Friends, I said. My wife still resides in my heart. She’d curse me to death if she heard this, but I find it difficult to even consider other women.”

Martel smiled faintly.

“So I was hoping we could begin as friends. Let’s get to know each other gradually.”

“...What exactly do you mean?”

“Don’t go anywhere. I’ll make an effort as well.”

Enoxia’s face flushed crimson. Her flustered look made her look exactly like a young girl experiencing her first romance.

“...All right.” Enoxia nodded.

I watched the exchange between Enoxia and Martel and slowly closed my eyes.

...This is too nauseating to witness.

Why not have this conversation in private?

I slowly covered my ears, wishing everything would just fall silent.