Declared Dead, Exiled, and Betrayed— Now I Walk Away, but I'll Save One Who Cared - Chapter 81

A tremendous light erupted from my sword.

Yet, even in the face of it, Disemna showed no sign of panic.

“Hmph… Advanced Demon Search.”

“What!?”

That was Riofendarl’s power…

I see. So Disemna… no, Eranda’s body must have inherited it.

Was that why it had come all this way to obtain it?

“Gyuaa? What is this!? Meldor?! Gyaaaahhh—!”

A demon had been summoned. It was likely a high-ranking one, possessing significant power.

And yet, it was completely consumed by Demonic Godslayer.

But—Meldor?

What did that mean?

“Kukuku… This power truly is convenient. After all, it allows me to neutralize your trump cards.”

Even in death, the poor soul was still being exploited.

No… he had likely been used from the very beginning.

Captured in his youth due to intricate schemes, he had never been able to escape.

Perhaps he had been a man burdened by sorrow.

If only he had confided in someone, things might have turned out differently.

But now, whatever thoughts had crossed his mind would remain unknown forever.

Disemna’s body bore countless wounds, with bl00d seeping from several places—

But none of them were fatal.

Which meant, while not completely unscathed, it had managed to evade a direct hit from Demonic Godslayer.

“Heh… At last, I am freed…”

“What?”

Disemna’s reaction was… strange.

Freed?

What was it talking about?

“Kuhaha… I must thank you, warrior. You have slain the demon that bound me. And now—farewell.”

“What!?”

The moment those words left its mouth, Disemna raised its right arm and conjured the same red sphere that had appeared when it first arrived.

Without hesitation, it leaped into it.

A demon that served as a shackle?

Meldor—was that the name of this kingdom? Or the royal family?

Did they seal Disemna away and embed some kind of restraint to keep it bound?

But Disemna had no intention of giving us time to ponder.

“Lax, after it!”

To my shock, Claire was the first to react—she immediately leaped into the red sphere and vanished.

“What the hell!? Wait!”

“Shifa, stay here!”

I followed right after her.

But—

“No way!”

“I’m coming too!”

“You didn’t stop me, so I’m going as well!”

Shifa, Michelle, and Melia all jumped in after me.

They had no idea what was on the other side…

“Kukuku… You followed me, did you?”

Waiting for us on the other side was Disemna, still wearing Eranda’s form.

And—

“Lax… and the whole party, I see.”

“Your Majesty?”

Standing before us was none other than King Fanat of Meldor.

Why…?

“I see… So it has been unleashed.”

“Your Majesty! We—!”

“Kukuku… It finally ends. Here and now, my shackles are undone, and I will obtain my missing fragment. Then, I shall go to him, whom I have long dreamed of meeting.”

“Guh…”

The king’s expression held a sense of resignation, as though he had already accepted some inevitable fate.

But more importantly—Disemna suddenly released an overwhelming surge of magic and seized the king.

Did the king possess the fragment Disemna sought?

“So it was you all along… Meldor… At last, I am—”

“Hmph. That’s right. Just take it and go.”

With surprising ease, the king tossed a small black fragment from his hand.

“Ahh…”

The moment Disemna caught it, it tossed the fragment into its mouth—

And slowly began to rise into the air.

Simultaneously, an immense wave of magical energy surged forth.

“At last… I have reclaimed what was mine. I will never forget this, you who tore it from me and planted shackles in its place. Once I meet him, I will return for my vengeance. Mark my words!”

“Just go. Once you find him, you won’t even bother coming back.”

“Hmph… Farewell… Distonation!!!”

“Demonic Godslayer!”

The final strike Disemna unleashed as it departed—I intercepted it.

But my Demonic Godslayer never reached Disemna.

“Hmph… You will never find him. Wander endlessly with that counterfeit fragment in your grasp.”

King Fanat murmured as he stared at the spot where Disemna had vanished.

But… was this truly the king?

“……”

“Have doubts, do you?”

The king muttered, yet he offered us no answers.

The real question was—when had he orchestrated this?

If it had been done when Melvina sealed Disemna, then there would be no issue.

In fact, if the purpose had been to ensure that Disemna could never escape and cause havoc, then it would have been commendable.

But if that were the case, why had he remained silent all this time?

The strategy to corner Disemna had worked by operating outside human perception, so at that stage, secrecy was understandable.

However, when it came to Eranda’s execution and the pursuit of former Duke Horneld, there had been no reason to withhold such crucial information.

Why had he kept it from us?

Thinking about it that way, the nature of the shackles placed on Disemna became even more questionable.

And if those shackles had involved a demon—an upper-class demon at that—then it raised yet another issue.

How had he done it?

Did the royal family possess the power to command an upper-class demon?

If Disemna’s use of Eranda had not simply been to escape, but rather to break free from the constraints placed upon it by the Meldor royal family—then its actions suddenly made perfect sense.

On the other hand, the true intentions of the Meldor royal family had now become utterly incomprehensible.