Chapter 154 : Chapter 154

Chapter 154 : The North (7)

The sound of her biting her nails and her legs shaking stopped at once.

Bitelleanus stopped all her actions and turned her gaze towards me.

The anxious air she had until just a moment ago was completely gone.

“There are advantages. Now that the Demon King is dead, if you accept my mana, Lady Bitelleanus……”

“Like that demon who was next to you earlier?”

She seemed to be talking about Derix.

I hadn't even started what I was about to say, but I nodded at her words.

I was curious what Derix looked like to her, and also curious what decision she would make if I didn't persuade her.

But Bitelleanus didn't say anything to me. She just lowered her head.

She gently rested her forehead against the Shield of Red Shadow and fell silent in thought.

I watched such a Bitelleanus quietly.

The red light emanating from the red shield cast a soft glow on her face.

After being like that for a long while, Bitelleanus, still with her forehead against the shield, spoke softly.

“I am greatly indebted to the Demon King. He bestowed great glory upon a high-rank demon whose Power was insignificant. Do you know what my Power is?”

I already knew about Bitelleanus’s Power.

But I also knew this was not the time to show off my knowledge.

“……I’m not sure.”

“My Power is truly insignificant. It’s a Power that allows me to sculpt any object I desire, as long as the materials are provided. It wasn't a very helpful Power in battle.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“You thought there might be a way to apply it in battle now, didn't you? Actually, you're not wrong. It's a Power with an infinite range of applications. But I didn't want to use the power given by the Demon King for mere combat. It was enough to create beautiful sculptures and offer them to the Demon King.”

“Did the former Demon King rejoice when he received the sculptures?”

“He always accepted them with a benevolent smile. He was, in fact, a god who had lived for a very long time, longer than anyone. He must have seen countless sculptures, yet he never once showed any dislike.”

It seemed Bitelleanus also knew the fact that the Demon King was a primordial god.

“I still don't know why the Demon King entrusted the Shield of Red Shadow to me. I asked him countless times, but he always answered with just a smile.”

Bitelleanus’s voice gradually became submerged.

It was a voice that seemed to be trying hard to swallow its own emotions.

“There must have been countless demons to whom the Demon King entrusted the Shield of Red Shadow before me. However, I am the only shield of the Demon King who has outlived the Demon King.”

“……It’s probably not because you were weak, Lady Bitelleanus.”

“No, it's because I was weak. I was too weak for a shield, so I made many subordinates. I used to sculpt things and give them as gifts to them as well. Those people saved me by sacrificing their lives. Their loyalty was directed more towards me than to the Demon King. I still often regret creating the legion.”

“No. You survived, so there must be something you have to do.”

I did my best to comfort Bitelleanus.

But as soon as I spoke the words, I also realized that my comfort did not reach her at all.

Even though it was something that had happened over 300 years ago, she still seemed to be regretting it.

“There is much I don't know about the Demon King. It's hard to imagine why he entrusted the Shield of Red Shadow to me, or how such a powerful being met his death. I can't believe that the Demon King was killed by a mere half-human, half-dragon.”

Adjak too had spent an immeasurable amount of time and effort to kill the Demon King.

I knew this fact, but I listened silently to Bitelleanus's words.

“……There's only one thing I have firmly resolved, and that is to never have this shield, which the Demon King gave me, taken away.”

“……”

“The followers of the newly born Demon King seem to covet this shield more. In that case, I can’t just sit still and wait for them to come.”

Bitelleanus slowly lifted her buried face.

And as if she had made up her mind, she said.

“Inject your mana into me. However, do not touch the source that the Demon King has given me. Can you adjust it like that?”

In front of the determined Bitelleanus, I answered firmly so that no regret would arise from her decision.

“Yes, I can.”

Bitelleanus, with a resolute face, nodded along.

“Will you do it here?”

“No, let's go down from the floating castle and do it. For you, wouldn't it be better to inject mana into as many demons as possible?”

“That is correct.”

“If I receive the mana injection, most of my legion will follow without being forced. Instead, explain to them clearly. Every single advantage and side effect.”

“Yes, I promise.”

“Then let’s go down right away.”

Once she made up her mind, Bitelleanus walked towards the outside of the floating castle without hesitation.

I fell into thought.

Does it have to be now? After thinking and thinking, I blocked Bitelleanus's path.

“What is this?”

“Uh… how about going after just a little while?”

“Why? Are you not ready?”

“That’s not it……. The shield mark on your forehead, Lady Bitelleanus……”

Perhaps because she had relaxed her body completely and leaned against the shield.

A neat mark from being pressed by the shield was on her smooth forehead.

It was a mark I couldn't help but be conscious of even while she was speaking with dignity.

Because at a glance, it also looked like a wrinkle.

Bitelleanus looked at her reflection on the smooth surface of the Shield of Red Shadow.

After confirming it, she let out a hollow laugh, as if in disbelief and embarrassment at the same time.

She rubbed her forehead with her fingertips and turned away sharply.

“You go down first.”

***

I spread the [Wings of Ainsitel] wide and slowly glided down from the floating castle.

Then, the demons who were in front of the floating castle approached me.

“Is Lady…… Bitelleanus coming?”

Everchen, who still disliked demons, started to say Bitelleanus's name, but then he glanced at the legion surrounding them and hurriedly raised his tone.

“Haha, she’ll be here soon.”

Not long after, Bitelleanus slowly descended from the sky.

The way she slowly landed from mid-air without wings looked elegant.

But my gaze was fixed only on her forehead.

Fortunately, her forehead was smooth without a single wrinkle.

As a high-rank demon, and one who had reached the 3rd rank of the Demon King's army, she must have been able to erase a mark on her forehead in no time.

‘She must have come out later because she was embarrassed.’

Bitelleanus was trying her best to maintain a dignified appearance in front of her legion.

She noticed my gaze was on her forehead and slightly wrinkled her expression.

“Polarin, from now on, explain to everyone what you are about to do.”

“Yes, I will inject my mana into Lady Bitelleanus. The effects of doing so are……”

The explanation itself was not difficult.

It was a story I had already told several times when persuading the Remnants.

I explained the effects of receiving the mana injection without hiding anything.

The demons listened to my story with serious expressions.

All the demons gathered here were from the previous generation, so they must be at least 300 years old.

Changing the foundation upon which one has lived would by no means be an easy task.

But Bitelleanus stepped forward first.

“Inject your mana into me first. As promised, never touch the source that the Demon King has given me.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Bitelleanus glanced at Derix.

The handprint I had left on Derix’s forehead was still faintly white.

Shaking her head, she knelt on the ground and showed me her back.

“Lady Bitelleanus……”

It wasn't directed at me, but at the sight of her lowering her posture, a stir arose among the demons.

But that too was brief; the demons followed Bitelleanus and knelt facing the same direction.

As if her will was their will.

“Then I’ll begin right away.”

I placed my hand on her back and began to inject my mana.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

While everyone held their breath, only the sound of the Dragon Heart pulsating and drawing up mana echoed.

***

Bitelleanus clenched and unclenched her fists, raised her shield, and felt the changes in her body.

A clear white handprint remained on the back of Bitelleanus, who was even hopping up and down.

It would fade like Derix's, but it would never disappear.

But she was poised, as if she didn't care about the handprint at all.

As promised with her, I did not touch the demonic energy that was the source of the Demon King.

Perhaps because of that, Bitelleanus’s state and Derix’s state were completely different.

Her thoughts were not transmitted to me, nor did she show me infinite loyalty.

Nevertheless, I could sufficiently guess that she held a faint goodwill towards me.

Now, Bitelleanus would breathe and build her strength based on my mana instead of the Demon King who could no longer grant her power.

“You look tired.”

“It wasn’t easy. The amount of demonic energy inside your body, Lady Bitelleanus, was certainly enormous.”

I wasn't just being polite.

The demonic energy inside her body was probably far more than that of several high-rank demons combined.

Thanks to that, not only did I consume a huge amount of the mana I had gathered, but I also had to receive assistance from the Dragon Heart.

I could feel the energy being drained from my body.

“Can you do more? My entire legion wishes to receive your mana injection.”

Derix also stealthily approached and reported to me.

“Among the members of the Remnant, more have expressed their wish to receive mana from you, my lord.”

Bitelleanus raised an eyebrow upon hearing Derix's words.

“I’m just saying this just in case, but don't expect to hear me call you 'lord'.”

“Of course, I know that your lord is only one person, Lady Bitelleanus.”

Derix’s lips twitched as if he wanted to say something to Bitelleanus, but he held it in.

Because even though they both had my mana injected, there was a gap between them that could never be overcome.

“It'll be too much for today.”

“I think I can do one or two more people……”

“No, rest well today and we will start again tomorrow.”

And Bitelleanus shouted thunderously to her legion.

“As of today, we are reborn. A difficult path is ahead of us. We will have to fight against the New Demons.”

“We are prepared!”

“But when the journey is over, we can return home!”

“We will always follow you, Lady Bitelleanus!”

They were the demons of a legion that showed a loyalty that could be seen as madness.

I was glad that they had become my comrades, not my enemies.

“The cold history in the North ends today.”

Bitelleanus stretched her hand towards her floating castle and she clenched her fist so hard that it made a cracking sound.

Then, the floating castle began to distort.

Kukukukugugugung──!

With a deafening roar, it fell to the ground.

Bitelleanus looked at the sand and dust rising from the fallen floating castle and said to me.

“Do you see our resolve?”

“Yes, I see it all too well.”

“When we go to Myeolji together, I will show you something even more certain.”

I smiled brightly at her and said.

“I’m already looking forward to that day.”

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