CH 423

-Clash!

Luna's swing of her Moonlight Crescent Blade collided with the blue magical sword summoned by Eleris.

"…!"

However, just by touching it, the moonlit blade shattered Eleris's blue magical sword.

It was difficult to accept the fact that Eleris was an Archdemon, but what I saw was that Eleris was not only skilled in magic but also excelled in close combat.

-Crash! Clang! Screech!

Eleris summoned a sword made of magical energy and engaged in a battle with Ellen's mother.

It was surprising that Eleris had considerable skill in close combat, but Ellen's mother, Luna, overwhelmed even that.

That wasn't all.

The abnormally enlarged moon's appearance was beyond any illusion.

Was it even magic to begin with?

And the Crescent Blade, seemingly drawn from the enormous moon, emitted a faint, chilly moonlight.

Above all, the movements of Ellen's mother, Luna Artorius, were peculiar.

It was hard to find a way to describe them.

Luna Artorius had a human form, but she didn't move like one.

"…"

She didn't run, charge, or perform any conventional swordplay movements like striking with force. It didn't seem like there was great power behind each motion either.

However, Eleris was utterly unable to respond to her slow movements.

Attacking would mean hurting Ellen's mother.

But such concerns were unnecessary. I knew all too well that intervening in that situation would be tantamount to a suicidal act.

-Clang! Scrape!

Each time Eleris's summoned magical sword met the moonlit blade, it shattered into pieces, forcing Eleris to continue summoning more swords.

Eleris struggled to fend off the seemingly slow strikes.

-Bang! Crash! Clash!

After dozens of exchanges, Eleris was merely focused on retreating.

It was an unbelievable spectacle that Eleris's tremendous close combat skill was so easily surpassed by Luna Artorius.

Slow yet fast, Luna Artorius attacked with a sensation that seemed to transcend perception.

Struggling to hold on, Eleris, at a considerable distance, spoke.

"I don't know who you are, but… We don't need to fight."

Eleris, of course, had no choice but to know that Luna Artorius was Ellen's mother.

However, Luna slowly shook her head.

"Archdemon. No one in this world desires to fight."

"The last Demon War was not born out of the desires of demons and humans, but out of mutual fear."

"All conflicts arise in such a manner."

Luna Artorius, wielding the Moonlight Crescent Blade, slowly walked towards Eleris.

"Whatever you all want, it has nothing to do with me. It doesn't matter what the previous Demon King wanted or what he tried to do."

"I could not determine whether the ancient Demon King, Valier, was good or evil, and I still don't know. Moreover, I don't care."

"However, the existence of the Demon King sparked a great war, and that war ultimately resulted in the death of my son."

"Even now, I don't know whether you are good or evil. You may be good, and the humans may be evil. Or perhaps, both of you may be good, or both evil. Even the actions of my son, who killed the Demon King, may have led to an ultimately evil outcome. But none of this is important."

"What is important is that fear, not desire or greed, is what leads to conflict."

"Fear between Darkland and humans gave birth to the great war that took my son's life."

"The fear of the current Demon King will give birth to another conflict, and this time, it may take away my daughter as well."

"I don't know what you want, nor do I know what you are trying to accumulate through these actions. But it doesn't matter even if I knew."

"Your mere existence is a symbol and embodiment of fear. As long as you exist, your existence alone will lead to conflicts, and my daughter will be caught up in them."

"Like all other conflicts rooted in fear, I am no different."

"I fear that you will take my daughter away."

"So, it is not for some trivial reasons like good and evil or the legitimacy of existence. It's because my daughter is precious to me that I intend to kill you."

"An action borne from simple fear, beyond good and evil."

"As a mother."

"I want to protect my remaining child."

Whether I am Ellen's friend or whatever, what I truly want doesn't matter.

Ellen's mother believes my mere existence is already a seed of conflict, so she intends to kill me.

Neither persuasion nor sincerity will work.

Luna Artorius speaks with the moonlight behind her.

"So, die."

Shwick!

In the blink of an eye, she had crossed the distance and appeared right before Eleris.

Her movement was slow, but she traversed space so swiftly that Eleris had no chance to react.

Swoosh!

"Ugh!"

Eleris, struck in the chest by the Crescent Moon Blade, was thrown back, rolling several times on the ground.

"Ugh...ugh..."

Though it seemed as if she had avoided a fatal blow by somehow putting up a barrier, Eleris clutched her chest and gasped for breath.

"Kuh! Cough!"

Cupping her mouth, Eleris coughed up blood.

Though she hadn't been impaled by the sword, her body seemed to have been damaged just from the impact.

Once again, Luna Artorius took a step forward.

If she crossed space again.

Eleris would die.

Can I do it?

Can I stop her?

As numerous thoughts tangled in my head, my actions outpaced my thoughts.

Swoosh!

In the next moment, I had already summoned Alsebringer and attacked Luna Artorius before she could take another step.

Although I was repelled by the tremendous resistance when I attacked, she narrowed her eyes as she looked at the sword in my hand.

"…Alsebringer?"

For the first time, an expression appeared on her face.

Luna Artorius does not know me. However, she must have heard my story from Ellen.

Ellen would have told her mother about what kind of person I am.

She must have also heard that I am the master of Tiamata.

And she must have known that I, as the master of Alsebringer, became known to the world.

The expression on Luna Artorius's face hardened as she pieced together the puzzle of her thoughts.

"Could it be… you are Reinhardt…?"

It was inevitable that I had to reveal it, as it was clear that only a sacred artifact could withstand the Moonlight Crescent Moon.

It was not good for her to know that I was Reinhardt.

"Did you toy with my daughter all this time?"

Naturally, such a reaction was bound to occur.

Until now, she had been moving slowly, but her eyes sparkled as she sprang towards me.

Swish!

"!"

Clank!

"Ugh…!"

A single strike.

I endured it, but my wrist broke and Alsebringer slipped from my hand.

"Did you find that amusing, Archdemon?"

Luna Artorius's eyes were filled with murderous intent.

She must have thought I was toying with Ellen's heart.

If she found out that the Reinhardt Ellen spoke of was actually the Demon King, her thoughts would inevitably lead to such a conclusion.

That's why Luna Artorius, who had tried to kill me emotionlessly, was now feeling anger.

Alsebringer slipped from my grasp and my chest was wide open. Whether she thrusts her sword or twists my neck, I will die in the next moment.

Both I and Eleris will die.

Is this how I die, at the hands of Ellen's mother, when I came here to capture Cantus Magna?

However, was it fortunate that her anger was provoked?

Thump!

"Urgh…!"

She grabbed my neck with her left hand and lifted me into the air. Her eyes, filled with rage, stared at me.

Her right hand held the moonlit sword, which emitted a dangerous light.

"Archdemon, why did you play with my daughter's heart?"

She glared at me. With just a little force on her grip, my neck would snap. Magic Body Strengthening, Word Magic, and self-suggestion were all useless.

At least equal to, if not greater than, Saviolin Turner

This absolute being could treat my life as less than that of a fly.

"Is this your revenge? Did you gain anything by mocking the heart of the sister of the one who killed your father? Is this your pathetic revenge? Just this kind of act?"

She could only think of it that way.

It would be unfathomable for her to understand how the son of the Demon King could meet and grow close to the younger sister of the hero.

Luna Artorius, who seemed to lack some human qualities, could not abandon her humanity as a parent and was trying to kill me.

And so, there was no way she could not think like this once she found out the truth about my relationship with Ellen, which could only be a deep wound to her.

That all my actions were for the sake of revenge.

"Did you enjoy imagining the pain my daughter would suffer when she learns the truth? Do you think you'll have won if you die by my hand here, knowing that your death will bring sorrow to my daughter as well? Why? Why to my daughter, who is not part of the empire, the royal family, or even humanity... Why to my daughter...!"

Gulp.

"Speak, Archdemon."

Unable to fully control her emotions, the boiling rage in her eyes intensified, and the grip of her left hand around my throat grew tighter.

Revenge?

For someone like me who holds no grudges, to take such revenge?

In reality, that could never be revenge.

And so, in Luna Artorius's eyes, there was as much rough suspicion as there was anger.

As the choking pain tightened, threatening to break me.

I barely managed to lift my broken hand and grasp the hand that held my throat.

"So... is it not allowed?"

It's not like it's not allowed.

This can't possibly be revenge.

You don't understand my actions either.

"Is it not allowed... for me to... like your daughter... just a little...?"

"...What?"

So what?

In the end, it was just a simple reason: I liked her.

That's the only reason, as plain as it can be.

Luna Artorius's grip weakened, surprised by my words.

I desperately pushed her grip away and shouted.

"Yes... I'm the Demon King, but I like your daughter! So what! What are you going to do about it!"

"Uh... what?"

Following her anger, I saw Luna Artorius's bewildered expression as well.