<CHAPTER 77>
Sad Ending Cliché
A fishy smile rose at the corners of Mikhail’s mouth upon hearing the news of Rek’s departure.
“The merciful God always takes my side.”
These days he was extremely pleased.
He enjoyed watching the stupid Fake Saintess manipulate not only the Order but even the Emperor.
Mikhail chose to watch despite knowing all the facts.
Because of the reason he habitually muttered.
“Everything is according to God’s will.”
He didn’t care what became of the Empire.
What he desired was only for the real Saintess to fall into his hands.
Mikhail had investigated Rek during that time.
In the process, he found out that the House of Edmond had fallen quite some time ago.
The problem was that no information about Rek Edmond came out at all.
It was the first time nothing came out to this degree.
But so what.
Mikhail prayed to God.
That the one who dared covet the Saintess would meet a miserable death in war.
Time passed with frustrating speed.
The morning to send him off.
Ehilie went out to see Rek off, sniffling.
“Rek……”
“I shall return. Ehilie.”
“……Shall we just run away? If we go to where you originally lived and hide……”
“I do not wish to do so. Even if not for me, Ehilie must live comfortably and peacefully.”
“But……”
“Do not worry. Ehilie. I shall certainly return safely.”
A large hand enveloped Ehilie’s cheek.
The affectionate gesture of gently brushing back her hair was more tender than usual.
“With such a lovely wife waiting at home, of course I must return, must I not?”
His lips descended upon the corner of Ehilie’s eyes, glistening with tears.
Smack, smack.
He pressed against her nose, then her cheek in succession, and soon took her lips.
The sweetness that was always in his lips was steeped with bitter sorrow.
Their breaths entangled as if it were the last time.
Ehilie came to her senses with a start and pushed him away.
This was completely a sad ending cliché.
If the opponent were a male lead with protagonist buff, he would never die and would return, but Rek was an ordinary person.
Just my kind and frail husband who loves Ehilie very much.
Ehilie wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and asked.
“Rek, you don’t have any gift to give me, do you?”
“Not particularly, but is there something you desire?”
“No! Not at all.”
‘I have prepared a gift to give her when I return safely’—she had avoided setting such a death flag.
“And we’re already married.”
‘When I return, I shall marry her’—of course she had avoided that too.
Since they were already married.
Finally.
“I’m not pregnant.”
“……What?”
Even to these incomprehensible words, Rek had answered composedly, but this time alone he wore a bewildered face.
Regardless.
Ehilie was serious.
“The cliché of tragic romance is when the husband goes to war and dies, and the wife left alone later finds out there is a child in her belly and grieves. So I’m telling you in advance.”
Rek, who had been listening quietly, laughed handsomely.
He looked at Ehilie with desirous eyes and whispered softly.
“Then, shall we make the child when I return?”
Ehilie’s face flushed red.
“D-don’t say such things!”
“Ah, is this also a cliché?”
“Yes! So go normally, as if you’re just going somewhere for a moment, casually.”
“Understood.”
Finally, he lightly touched his lips to Ehilie’s lips and spoke.
“I shall return. My wife.”
“Yes. Take care. Dear.”
Ehilie waved her hand with a casual smile.
Praying that he would return safely.
***
Silence flowed inside the carriage heading to Terbaon.
Herond gauged Redemberg’s mood in the heavily subdued atmosphere.
In places where Ehilie was not present, he returned to the cold face of the Demon King.
His gaze quietly looking outside the carriage contained a deep anguish that dared not be approached.
‘As expected, Your Majesty’
***
Finally, the Imperial army departed.
Some questioned this expedition.
Whether it was right to stir up trouble to reclaim useless northern land during this peaceful period when the demons were quiet.
But they could not defy the Emperor’s command, so they trudged toward the north.
The cold grew increasingly severe as they went, and not a single blade of grass grew on the barren land.
“Why in the world would they want to reclaim such land?”
“What can we do. It’s the command of the high and mighty.”
“Shh, watch your words. The high and mighty are here too.”
Amidst suppressed resentment, they arrived at the northern border.
“Break it!”
At the commander’s order, the soldiers charged.
Swords and spears filled with divine power broke the barrier.
Beyond the barrier, a black wall blocking the Demon Realm appeared.
It was an extremely old wall.
There was not a single guard around it.
“What. There’s no one here?”
“Guess the demon bastards couldn’t live in such a place either, so they just left it abandoned.”
As confusion spread, a black shadow appeared atop the high castle wall.
At the same time, black crows covered the sky.
Caw, caw-!
Ominous cries echoed as if to tear their ears.
Soon a demon with pitch-black wings spread revealed himself.
“It’s a demon! Everyone, prepare for battle!”
At the commander’s order, the knights raised their swords.
“The opponent is alone! Don’t be afraid and charge!”
The courageous vanguard surrounded the demon as if to envelop him.
Even as swords filled abundantly with divine power through the priests’ blessings were pointed at him, the demon did not bat an eye.
With violet eyes flashing, he swept back his black hair and opened his mouth.
“Noisy.”
A heavy voice filled with intimidation.
At the cold gaze, the knights faltered.
At that moment.
The demon lightly waved his hand.
At the same time, a black gust of wind whirled and struck the knights.
“Uwaaack!”
“Everyone, run!”
The knights caught in the storm fell helplessly.
The blades touched by sharp demonic energy broke like toys.
The sight of the elite knight order scattering like fallen leaves was truly despairing.
Before this overwhelming gap in power, the soldiers’ will to fight was broken in an instant.
The demon who had been looking down arrogantly gestured again.
Crack!
Following the movement of his fingers, the ground split and a massive line was carved.
A deep, pitch-black trace remained, so deep the bottom could not be seen.
This was a warning.
A warning that those who crossed this line would be miserably torn apart.
“Don’t be troublesome and get lost.”
The ominous demonic power enveloping his entire body and his arrogant, leisurely attitude.
From him emanated the dignity of one who reigns supreme.
“D-Demon King. It’s the Demon King!”
Everyone present was certain.
That the one with black hair and violet eyes was unmistakably the Demon King.
***
The fact that the Demon King had finally revealed himself spread throughout the Empire.
“This is perfect! Let’s cut off that bastard’s head this opportunity!”
“That’s right. The Demon King is overconfident now. The fact that he came out alone without guard troops is proof that he completely underestimates us. Now while he is off guard is the opportunity!”
“Let’s kill the Demon King this opportunity and sweep away those detestable demon bastards!”
The nobles spoke with passion.
They who raised their voices were in the safe conference room of the Imperial House, not the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Clarisse trembled as she desperately sought the Goddess.
“Goddess, what shall we do! You didn’t say the Demon King would appear!”
