The Hero Who Returned From Death Quits

EP8. The Coming Doom

Malekidus swung his whip wildly. Ainzel was not pleased with the situation.

Malekidus was stronger than expected. Sein had a hard time blocking the whip, but Peria helped Sein block Malekidus.

The remaining subordinates were Lena and his share, but it was impossible to easily defeat several strong men who were just below the commander’s level.

However, even so, the situation itself was ultimately moving in a favorable direction.

Even if they had not yet won, their comrades had also reached the realm of transcendence. No matter how wild Malecidus was, he would eventually reach his limit, and when he reached that limit, he would fall.

Ainzel knew that fact, and so did Malekidus.

Knowing that, Malecidus chose to rampage further.

It was to create even a small variable. Malecidus’ face was distorted.

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way.

He was always the one who trampled on his enemies from the position of the strong. But fighting in a situation where he knew he would lose… It was like the time in the past when he had fearlessly charged at Grandis and been overwhelmed.

But that doesn’t mean we can just wait helplessly for defeat.

He was already loyal to the Demon King. The proof that he was the most trusted subordinate was that he was put in charge of this facility. It was he, not Grandis! However, if he were to allow this facility to be destroyed, he would never dare show his face to the Demon King even after he died.

Malecidus had an inferiority complex towards Grandis.

It wasn’t simply because Grandis had more status and territory than him. The reason Malecidus felt inferior was because Grandis was a subordinate that the Demon King personally recruited.

That insolent woman did not dare to submit to the Demon King, and only added strength to the Demon King’s army for her own interests. That was why Malecidus felt angry at Grandis’s attitude, and challenged her to a duel.

And he was defeated miserably. Unlike the Demon King, who seemed so divine and noble that he seemed completely unbeatable, Grandis was clearly within the realm of life in Malecidus’ eyes.

And yet he lost. He felt from the beginning that he would lose.

In the face of that humiliation, Malecidus gave his all and grew stronger. However, he still could not bring himself to think that he could defeat Grandis.

Malecidus was disheartened, and instead he devoted himself completely to the Demon King. That was the only thing he could do better than Grandis. His loyalty to the Demon King was his raison d’etre.

But, but. If we lose here and lose the facility, which is the biggest plan in the Demon King’s plan, what advantage would Malecidus have over Grandis?

Of course, that wasn’t Ainzel’s concern.

Malecidus decided to change his mind.

If we continue to attack the Saints like this, it will only be a waste of time. In that case, it would be better to first target the warriors and cause the enemy to become unstable. That is what I thought.

Of course, if it failed, the loss would be great, but it was not the kind of thing that could be ignored in a situation where defeat was certain.

Malekidus leapt in front of Ainzel and began swinging his whip.

And Ainzel smiled as if he had expected this.

Beatrice’s shield shattered under Malecidus’ attack.

But that was enough. To take the breath away from Malecidus.

Sein cut off the inner joint of Malecidus’ knee from behind.

Malecidus sank to the ground, feeling his tendons snap.

Ainzel said with a deep, blood-scented smile.

“How does it feel to have fallen into the struggle?”

Malecidus’ face distorted and he began to scream.

“Hero… Hero, how dare you…!”

Ainzel smiled and pointed his sword at Malekidus.

“What is your reason for being here? No matter how much I think about it, you are considered the second strongest among the legion commanders, so there is no need for you to rot away in a place like this.”

Second. At those words, Malecidus began to cry out in anger.

“Because I am the Demon King’s most trusted subordinate! That Grandis girl doesn’t show proper loyalty to the Demon King and acts however she pleases. She won’t even understand that the Demons are being turned into ashen soldiers! How can a girl like that, who isn’t even prepared to sacrifice her own insignificant subordinates for the Demon King, play a proper role in the Demon King’s grand plan…!”

The moment Malecidus shouted, the air froze.

Knock, knock. The sound of footsteps echoed through the stillness of the time.

“That’s—an interesting story.”

Grandis smiled, smoking his pipe.

However, there was no warmth or joy in that laughter.

Rather, what was contained in that laughter was closer to murderous intent, to the point where it even gave the illusion of smelling blood.

Grandis smiled brightly and spoke to Malecidus.

“Why don’t you try making an excuse?”

Malecidus’ eyes became bloodshot and his expression became blank.

…

Grandis, furious to the core, chased after the warrior and his companions.

There was definitely something there. She was sure of it.

However, she could not follow at close range. The fairy princess’s senses were not something that could be ignored, and she chose a method that would definitely get the children back rather than taking risks.

So, she advanced, following the trail of the warrior and his companions.

After several days, she finally entered the facility where the warrior and his companions had entered just a few hours before.

And what she found was a terribly, terribly shocking sight.

The corpses of demons were strewn all over the place, and the smell of blood filled the air.

But that wasn’t something she cared about.

The problem was that… not only the demons, but also the corpses of the gray soldiers were strewn about, and among them was a face she recognized.

A gray figure appeared, identical to one of her ‘children’, with its throat cut and its eyes blank.

Why, why does it turn out like this?

Her skin was pale and ashen, and her hair was a different color, but she could clearly tell,

The corpse lying there now, with its throat cut, is the child she was looking after.

My senses are ringing alarm bells. My vision seems to be turning red, and my mind’s chaotic thoughts are becoming clearer, colored only by anger.

She was the most angry she had ever been in her life, and because of that, she felt even colder.

Her expression hardened coldly.

And then I looked at the broken equipment.

As she snapped her fingers, a memory of what kind of device it was came to her mind.

Using the Demon King’s magical power, he forcibly dominates and controls the souls of the demon race. In the process, the victims writhe in terrible pain, losing themselves.

Grandis, who realized the truth, clenched his hands tightly.

Blood flowed from his fist.

Why did he cooperate with the Demon King?

I was interested in her words that she would help all the demons, so I cooperated with her, and she achieved more achievements than anyone else.

And now that she knew that all the words the Demon King had said to recruit her were blatant lies, she felt extremely angry at the Demon King.

I’m going to kill you.

Whether he’s the Demon King or not, I will definitely kill that guy who dared to deceive me, fool me, and even sacrifice the children I cared for.

Grandis’ face twisted in thought.

No power to win? What does it matter? She had never been this angry since she was born, and even if she couldn’t defeat the Demon King herself, she was ready to do anything to relieve her anger.

She smiled coldly, filled with anger, and began to descend the stairs.

And finally, when she reached the bottom.

“Because I am the Demon King’s most trusted subordinate! That Grandis girl doesn’t show proper loyalty to the Demon King and acts however she pleases. She won’t even understand that the Demons are being turned into ashen soldiers! How can a girl like that, who isn’t even prepared to sacrifice her own insignificant subordinates for the Demon King, play a proper role in the Demon King’s grand plan…!”

I heard the words of the foolish Malecidus.

She felt her sanity snap at those words.

“That’s—an interesting story.”

She was ready to kill everything in this place.

“Why don’t you try making an excuse?”