Chapter 237

Chapter 237 – Leaving Behind

Ian said nothing. He simply gazed at the calmly swaying black hair. He knew this was not a will that could be stopped by prevention, nor a fate that could be defied by resistance.

As Gale forcefully pushed the sword towards the heart, Arsen spewed out his rage.

“You’ll die! You’ll die!”

Swoosh!

The sword’s tip eroded due to the poisonous energy. Bit by bit, ever so slightly, it was being eaten away by Arsen’s desperate struggle.

Gale clicked his tongue and put his upper body weight into it. The sword stopped in mid-air and disappeared. It was the result of the balance between the force trying to pierce the heart and the force pushing it away.

“Arsen. To be honest, now that we’re here, I never liked you.”

“Aaaaargh!”

“For a child, you knew you were a child.”

“Gaaale! Fuck! Fuck!”

How dare such a lowly creature hide here for ten years, carrying out its wicked schemes? To think this was the extent of its actions after living in suppression due to the grown Mariv and Gale. It was truly astounding.

As he clenched his teeth, dark red blood poured from between them.

“Kuhek.”

Gale instantly recalled what this sensation was. It was the feeling of coughing up blood when Ian’s slave had infiltrated the palace to assassinate him. He smiled palely and shouted fiercely.

“Yes, go ahead and try!”

Saaaah!

“I fear nothing!”

Rather, he felt an inexplicable surge of euphoria.

This is what he had lived for. He could fully preserve everything he had lived for as a prince of the Bariel Empire. His reputation, pride, and mission. Though they would wear away with time, Gale could clearly feel it. Everything was alive and breathing in his hands right now.

Boom! Thud!

Zzzzing!

Ian raised his hand into the air. The incantation circles covering the floor, ceiling, and walls activated once again. One by one, warm and bright lights gathered and undulated, creating day and night as they mingled with Arsen’s dark energy.

Majestic celestial bodies. Gale, standing between light and darkness, life and death, cried out powerfully.

“Perish! Perish and perish again, and let us meet at the bottom of the distant hell!”

“Uwaaaaah!”

“I will kill you again! Gladly!”

Kwak-!

Gale’s sword, half-remaining, finally pierced Arsen’s heart. The concentrated poison that had been pooled burst forth vigorously, and the evil energy it contained also exploded.

Ian drew out his magic power with all his might. For a moment, he felt as if his head and nape were severed, but it was just for an instant. There was no time to even perceive it.

Outside were Jin and other people. They were those who must not die. Ian gritted his molars and held onto his consciousness.

Pueok! Puk!

Even covered in poison, Gale continued to hack at the heart. Once, twice, three times... With each slash, dark red, sticky blood spurted out. He felt the pain of his flesh burning, but he couldn’t stop either. A demon that had persisted since the nation’s founding. Would its breath stop with just one or two cuts?

“To future generations-!”

Arsen tried to leave a curse. Like the demon killed by Roberside, he too tried to postpone his defeat eternally by vowing revenge on future generations.

But.

“No. You can leave nothing behind.”

Ian immediately intervened and replied. Light gradually seeped in through the gap Gale had created. Like the dawn pushing away darkness, magic power condensed along his touch. It contained the divine power of the priests and the determination of the mages. A force granting Arsen an infinite abyss.

Paaaah!

It was so bright that nothing could be seen ahead. Ian covered his eyes with his sleeve and heard a clear scream fading in his ears.

After some time passed, only the faint breathing of Ian and Gale remained in the hall.

“Haa, haa...”

“What about the demon? What happened to the demon?”

“Wait, hold on! Didn’t they say the demon had mind control abilities? Don’t approach! Be careful!”

Everyone was worried and climbing the stairs, but they hesitated at someone’s shout. Right. Ian himself had said so. That Arsen had the ability to brainwash. So, what if he was controlling Hielo?

Tat!

“Ian! Aaah! Ian!”

But one person broke through the halted crowd and ran forward. It was Philea. Without a shred of doubt, she stretched out both hands and opened her arms to Ian. She grabbed her son’s face with swollen eyes.

“Ian, are you alright? There’s so much blood, so much blood.”

“...Mother.”

“You’re alive, you’re alive. Thank goodness. Really, really thank goodness.”

In a short time, Philea had experienced several hells. Every time she heard a loud noise from inside, she wanted to scream for them to kill her instead, to take her breath away.

But to have her son return alive like this.

She shed tears and pressed her forehead against Ian’s.

“Ian, thank you. Thank you so much for being alive.”

Ian patted her back. He wanted to say some words of comfort, but he was truly at his limit now. It was the moment when Ian broke out in a cold sweat and tried to catch his breath.

“...Lord Ian.”

Jin, who had run following Philea, called out to him. The child too had shed considerable tears, as his face was wet. Jin approached Ian with an indescribable expression.

“Your Highness. Are you alright?”

The child’s lips quivered. There was much he wanted to ask. What had happened to the demon, whether his mother was still alive, and everything about the ‘royal family’ Arsen had mentioned.

But instead of questions, Jin vigorously ran up the stairs and rushed to Ian.

“...Your clothes are dirty.”

“I am dirty too. Everyone here is.”

Jin murmured softly and finally embraced Ian. His small hands tightly gripped Ian’s collar, expressing relief at his safe return. Ian patted him while breathing heavily.

“Ian, are you badly hurt? What happened inside? His Highness Gale went in too, did you see him? Oh my, the blood, just how...”

As Romandro also anxiously inquired about his well-being, Ian straightened his body and looked down the stairs. The nobles and officials were focused solely on his words. Please, tell us the demon has perished, they seemed to plead.

“...The demon is dead.”

At Ian’s declaration, everyone let out sighs of relief and felt reassured. Applause erupted here and there, and close acquaintances lightly embraced each other, welcoming the peace.

“Haa! It’s done, it’s done.”

“As expected of Minister Hielo!”

“That’s right. No matter how much of a demon it was, it couldn’t move an inch before a mage, especially the Minister! It’s truly amazing! You’ve done a great deed!”

“If we hadn’t killed it today, ah, just imagining Bariel’s future is terrifying.”

Ian slowly raised his hand and waved it sideways. It was a signal for everyone to be quiet. As the noise gradually subsided according to his gesture, Ian proceeded to announce his death as well.

“Also, the Second Prince of Bariel, Gale Verocion, has passed away.”

“...!”

“The Imperial Guard, escorts, and mages, enter the hall and manage the situation. If there are any survivors, quickly transport them and-“

Ian paused for a moment. Like his breath was cut off, his instructions stopped abruptly. As Romandro looked at him quizzically, Ian composed himself and continued his instructions.

“Recover the bodies of the deceased, including His Highness Gale. That is all.”

Tap tap tap!

At his command, soldiers rushed past Ian and up the stairs. While everyone was busy running around, Ian quietly slipped away behind the building. Despite Romandro, Jin, and Philea following and calling out to him in concern, he didn’t stop.

“Ian!”

“Lord Ian!”

“Oh my, the blood!”

And as soon as he turned a corner where there were few people, Ian collapsed against the wall. He had an obligation to collapse where no one could see him.

With his white shirt soaking through with blood as the last thing he saw, Ian lost consciousness.