Chapter 339

Chapter 339

The first thing that came to mind when Garuel heard those words was not the naïve sentiment of being overwhelmed by the paternal love of a faceless father.

If he had descended to the Demon Realm through his father’s pleas and grown up with only one father, wouldn’t he have been able to live without suffering, never daring to dream of helping humans, never deciding to worship the Gods, never hiding his identity, never resenting the power he had, just accepting it all and being normal? He could have lived in harmony with his surroundings, without betraying anyone, without disappointing anyone.

Yes, he was disappointed. The moment he realized the faint regret in his heart, he felt an unbearable revulsion, even more so than when he first discovered his demonic powers.

The idea of saving people? The cause of world peace? There was no such thing from the beginning. This lowly, insignificant hybrid just wanted to belong, to feel comfortable. That was the reason for all the anguish, guilt, and boredom that had plagued him up until now.

He was afraid if Cadel, the man he had hoped would set him on the right path, the man who had always overrated him, would see through this, would recognize the disgusting feelings he harbored. Garuel couldn’t handle the disappointment and pity he would feel.

So he couldn’t let Cadel get close to the very essence of Garuel Monzasi.

“Garuel! What are you doing?!”

He must not allow Lawrence to talk about his parents in front of Cadel. Garuel interrupted the healing spell he had been preparing with only that one thought in mind. Quickly drawing his sword, he unleashed a blast of concentrated light mana. Lawrence returned the attack with an unpleasant chuckle.

“Garuel!”

Cadel was stunned by Garuel’s sudden change in demeanor. The calmness with which he had endured Lawrence’s attacks and deployed his healing techniques a moment ago was nowhere to be seen. Beneath the mask, his face contorted into an unhinged devil, and it was hard to believe he was the same smirking man Cadel had known.

“What on earth are you doing this for, Garuel?! Even if your identity is revealed right away, there will be no harm!”

Cadel continued to call his name, trying to calm him down, but to no avail. Garuel swung his sword frantically, as if he couldn’t hear anything, and unleashed a blast of demonic energy. Garuel’s mask began to crack as the razor-sharp demonic energy enveloped his half-body.

He struck at Lawrence, who staggered as if mocking him, without the slightest calculation as to whether his attack would work or not. If he could just shut him up now, he could wield his sword for the rest of his life. He was desperate, like a child hiding a wrong that shouldn’t be found out.

Cadel tried to calmly talk him down, defending Lawrence’s attacks on Garuel in between, but Garuel’s sudden actions threw the plan off-kilter, and soon the repercussions were too much to bear.

“Commander Cadel! Hurry up!”

Cadel’s gaze shifted at Ector’s shout echoing across the battlefield.

“This is crazy......!”

He and Ector’s tactics were designed to turn the tide of victory in their favor, and the plan was based on Garuel’s area healing. The longer the healing was delayed, the more the plan would be compromised.

“Escort the magicians!”

The magicians, who had been disarming the summoning circle behind the barrier, were nowhere to be seen. Ashvka, now whole again, unleashed a massive wave of energy-sucking insects that engulfed the summoning party. Beneath the high pile of energy-sucking insects, the magicians’ tearing screams could be heard.

The knights followed Ector’s orders, slashing at the energy-sucking insects with their swords, but it was no use, for Ashvka, who had moved, began to crush them.

Cadel peered through the thick layer of dark mana, searching for his subordinates. Van, Lumen, and Yozen were in different places, slashing at the endless swarms of insects, while Lydon created a vortex of cold air from above, freezing them in their tracks. All seemed unharmed, but it was clear that they were growing weary of the pointless defense.

‘If we can’t kill Ashvka, annihilation is only a matter of time.’

To prevent defeat, they needed to heal their exhausted allies so they could charge at will. Like Ashvka, who could regenerate indefinitely under the healing field.

But it was doubtful the others would be able to hold out while Garuel regained his senses. It would be better to have Garuel keep Lawrence in check, while the rest of the group took care of Ashvka’s restraints and offense.

‘I don’t know what’s got Garuel so worked up, but even if Lawrence reveals his identity to our allies here, it won’t interfere with the battle if we dismiss it as a distraction.’Diiscover new stories at nove/lbin(.)c/om

No man would be so brave as to dismiss the healer who had given them their lives in the first place, nowhere else but in the middle of the battlefield.

It was at this point that Cadel gave up on persuasion and considered a change of tactics.

“Battalion Captain Dreyfe!”

The desperate cries of the knights assaulted his ears. Only then did Cadel shift his gaze to Ashvka’s front. And there, lifted into the air by the whirlwind created by the bloodsuckers, was Dreyfe.

“Dreyfe!”

Ector spotted Dreyfe before Cadel did, and became contemplative, sending out a sword blast, but the bloodsuckers deftly dodged, rising higher and higher. Trapped in the vortex, Dreyfe lay limp, unconscious, and unable to move.

Cadel darted out of the dark mana and called to Lydon.

“Put Dreyfe down, Lydon!”

Lydon recognized Cadel’s voice instantly, even through the noise, and flew after Dreyfe.

Cadel slowly stroked his unbruised cheek with the back of his swollen hand. It was a touch so tender Garuel wanted to cling to it, so painful he wanted to cry.

“Fight for me. I’ll be your meaning.”

His love should torment Cadel. But he only knew how to pour it out, and Cadel gently urged him to do so. The emotion that rushed through him at this moment was anguished joy.

“No matter what you doubt, no matter what you’re tormented by, you’ll be okay as long as I’m here. Fight to keep me from falling.”

No words of refusal escaped his closed mouth. The meaning of his life that he would never abandon. If only that person would swear to be that meaning.

「Knight ‘Garuel Monzasi’ ’s favorability has increased by 6.」

「Current favorability: 93/100」

“......I’m sorry, Knight Commander. There’s nothing charming about a man who’s self-centered, is there?”

“I don’t care if that face is charming or not.”

He knew a few words wouldn’t melt away Garuel’s long-standing pain. But Cadel believed that Garuel’s clear eyes, devoid of dark hatred, and bright smile, devoid of malice, were the real him. So Cadel’s job was to remind him, again and again, not to lose himself.

“The mask is.......”

Garuel frowned as he picked up the tattered mask from the ground. Carefully placing the mask on, he turned his masked gaze to Cadel.

“No one here has the presence of mind to look into your face. You can take it off if you’re uncomfortable.”

“No, I won’t. I don’t want to do anything to embarrass you any more than I already have, especially now that I’m in the right frame of mind.”

The return of reason sent a cold chill down his spine. Right. A damned sense of belonging, with Cadel by his side. He’d promised to stay, and Garuel could count on that. So no matter what Lawrence said, no matter what his own birth story was, it was probably fine now.

What he had to live with was the dazzling end of life that would arrive with Cadel. In anticipation of the euphoria he would feel then, Garuel channeled his demonic energy.

“Please restrain Lawrence for a little longer, Knight Commander.”

“Not for long.”

It was already taking a considerable amount of mana to keep Lawrence bound. Cadel couldn’t afford to waste any more mana if he wanted to kill Ashvka. As if aware of this, Garuel quickly increased the amount of demonic energy he was using.

“Don’t you realize it’s useless, Garuel, no one will ever recognize you! Don’t you realize that everything in this world is against you, from the moment I refused to accept you in Lewin’s arms, to the reason Lewin had no choice but to bring you to me, everything!”

Lawrence’s venomous words came from far away. But Garuel was unmoved. He didn’t even need Cadel to shut Lawrence’s mouth; his blade flowed with pure demonic energy.

And the moment the blackened blade emitted a low resonant sound. Grasping the blade with both hands, Garuel dropped to one knee and plunged the blade deep into the ground.

An explosion of demonic energy centered on the blade and began to soak the ground. Silent and swift, Garuel’s demonic energy covered the scattered remains of blood and fallen humans.

Humans who stepped into his demonic energy regenerated their shriveled skin and restored their depleted energy. Garuel’s healing powers awakened even the unconscious wounded, quickly replenishing the power of his allies.

[Land of Eternal Life].

His energy swept across the land, delicate and gentle as a wildflower in a green meadow. Garuel’s energy was so warm that it was a waste to cover it with dark mana to conceal his identity.

Cadel wanted to show them all, this warm healing they had just received, belonged to Garuel Monzasi and no one else. It was the kindness of a man who was more righteous than anyone else in this world, a man who spent his life saving people and yet was tormented by guilt because he had demon blood. Someday, in the distant future, he would be able to say with pride.

“......Thank you, Garuel.”

Though inaudible to Garuel, who was concentrating on deploying his healing technique. Cadel thanked him for getting back up again and again after falling so many times. He turned to Lawrence, increasing the power of the [Fire Chains].

“The humans can’t handle Garuel. My killing Garuel here is my nephew’s only chance at an honorable death, and your inability to see that is proof that you will end up ruining his life!”

He looked into Lawrence’s eyes. Unlike Garuel’s, the whites of both pupils were blackened. Nothing in them resembled Garuel. No wonder. He and Garuel were different from the very core.

He would never be able to care for his own gluttonous roots, never be able to think about what it means to fight the right war to save someone.

“Garuel doesn’t need your kind of honor. All he wants is a life full of pride. A man like you has no idea what true pride is, and that’s why you’ll only die as someone’s enemy.”

Cadel snapped back, his gaze fixed on Lawrence, took a few steps back, and then called out.

“Van, Lumen, Lydon! Tie him up!”