“……?”
Hanette paused mid-sip from her teacup, startled. Despite Lesia's newfound strength, could she really make such claims about the Demon God?
Zion had seized a fleeting moment to strike with his sword aura, but the Demon God had deftly evaded, sustaining only a minor cut. If he hadn’t immediately pinpointed the Demon God's location, delivering a fatal blow would have been impossible.
“Can you match his speed?” Zion asked.
“Hmm… it might be tricky. But who knows until I try,” Lesia pondered for a moment before tilting her head slightly.
Using the Dragon Magic Sword, Duran Calgonis, would transform her body, augmenting her physical power. Additionally, her magic would become sharper, her senses more acute, and her reaction speed would increase. If she attacked with full force, she could potentially counter the Demon God’s movements.
“If I help you, can we do it?”
“Definitely. Just hold him off for a bit.”
Zion didn’t doubt her words. Lesia was undoubtedly strong and had proven it by wounding the Demon God. Moreover, unlike Zion, she wasn’t bound by the constraints of darkness, offering more strategic flexibility.
“…Can you kill the Four Calamities?”
“We’d have to fight to know for sure, but based on my gut feeling… I think we could,” Lesia replied.
“You’re not completely sure?”
“Of course not. I haven’t fought them before.”
“I think it’s possible. If you can cut down the Demon God, you can reach the Four Calamities,” Zion reasoned.
Enrite had a similar opinion. He speculated that the Demon God’s immortality might be nullified by the combined power of the dragons. After all, the Demon God had likely used dragon-related materials to create the artificial Magic Sword.
“Is killing the Four Calamities the end?”
“That’s hard to say. The Demon God is still alive,” Lesia reminded him.
“Is he really worth worrying about? He’s so weak now.”
“……”
Lesia’s point was valid. The Demon God had significantly weakened. With no means to reclaim the powers of the Three Demon Kings, he couldn't grow stronger. However, the Demon God had created three artificial Magic Swords, and one still remained. Zion couldn’t afford to be complacent.
‘The last artificial Magic Sword must be his last resort…’
The Demon God had nearly been obliterated by two Magic Swords long ago, and more recently, he had lost artificial Magic Swords and suffered repeated defeats. If he feared defeat, he would have prepared a contingency plan. The existence of the artificial Magic Swords might symbolize his fear.
‘Seals, dragons… what’s next?’
La Bler and Duran Calgonis had distinct features and corresponding abilities. Sealing the seven Magic Swords posed a significant threat, and even partially replicating a dragon’s power made opposition futile. If the first two artificial Magic Swords were this powerful, the last one would undoubtedly have even greater impact.
‘How would one destroy this world?’
Zion pondered the Demon God's plans from his perspective. Sealing the seven Magic Swords to neutralize formidable foes and using a dragon's power to press Alain Kingdom to its brink. Eventually, there would be only one remaining enemy to deal with.
‘…The Four Calamities.’
Other beasts could be easily swept away with minimal effort, but the Four Calamities would be a formidable challenge even for the Demon God. They, too, possessed immortality, rendering them nearly impossible to kill.
‘If you can’t own it, break it… but this is the opposite.’
If the Demon God couldn’t kill the Four Calamities, he might try to steal their power. Absorbing their strength could potentially eliminate the Four Calamities themselves.
‘Was the last artificial Magic Sword made solely to counter the Four Calamities?’
Standard methods couldn’t nullify their immortality, so the Demon God must have devised a different approach using the artificial Magic Sword. He might have perceived the Four Calamities as a greater threat than humans, making them his ultimate adversary.
‘What’s the Demon God’s next move…?’
“Why did you stop talking and start thinking?” Lesia interrupted his thoughts.
“I always have a lot on my mind,” Zion replied.
“That’s true. You do think a lot,” Lesia conceded, lifting the teapot to pour more tea. But the pot was empty. Zion naturally took the teapot and stood up.
“Why don’t you tell me more about your thoughts?”
“I don’t want to get scolded.”
“You don’t know everything I’m thinking, do you?”
“I only know what you think about often.”
“So you know the important stuff?”
“I don’t know the details. I just get a sense of your feelings.”
“You only know what you can perceive.”
Zion left the room with a faint smile. As he departed, Lesia was enveloped in silence, waiting for more tea.
‘I should stay quiet. I don’t want to get scolded again.’
Once, she had teased Hanette about Zion’s thoughts and had been sharply rebuked. She couldn’t even argue since Hanette had pointed out her mistake correctly. That incident taught Lesia the importance of respect, and she had since been more cautious with her words.
“…Do you know what emotions Zion feels?” Hanette hesitated but eventually asked.
Lesia looked at Hanette and then replied, “I thought I wasn’t supposed to tell you.”
“I don’t want to know his thoughts. I just want to know what he feels when he fights.”
“Feelings? Hmm…”
Lesia contemplated for a moment before grabbing a snack. Hanette patiently waited until she had finished eating.
“Feelings are similar to thoughts, aren’t they?”
“You’re right. I should ask Zion directly. But… he won’t tell me.”
“……”
For a moment, Hanette’s emotions seemed to come through. Lesia had heard Hanette’s pleas when Zion nearly died fighting the Abyssal King. She had a vague understanding of Zion’s thoughts and emotions, making it harder to refuse Hanette’s request.
“It’s not usually right to share these things, but… you might be different. Maybe you should know.”
“I’m not trying to do anything with it. I just…”
Emotion overruled logic, and she couldn’t steady her restless heart. She wanted to forget the horrific sight, but it lingered in her mind.
“I understand how you feel. Just remember, I don’t know everything. I only have my own perceptions and assumptions.”
“So you might be wrong?”
“I can’t be certain. But I’m confident in what I felt, so I hope you can judge for yourself.”
Lesia glanced at the door before turning back to Hanette, who listened attentively.
“Zion… feels fear when he fights. He hesitates, sometimes suffers, and occasionally seems frantic.”
“……”
Hanette felt reassured. Zion wasn’t different from her. Despite wielding his sword calmly, he likely suppressed his emotions, managing them through sheer willpower.
“But that’s not always the case. Sometimes I don’t feel anything from him during a fight. Do you know when that is?”
“……”
“It took me a while to realize it. There’s a pattern.”
“What pattern?”
Lesia lifted her left hand, extending one finger as if pointing at someone. Hanette blinked in confusion.
“What do you mean?”
“…You are the pattern. When you’re there, I sense emotions, but when you’re not, I feel nothing. What do you think that means?”
Hanette stared at Lesia’s finger, then slowly understood.
Lesia fell into silence for a moment before continuing.
“This is just my guess, but Zion sees fighting as a necessary task. When he’s alone, he focuses solely on defeating the enemy.”
“……”
“When you’re there…”
“I understand. You don’t need to say more.”
Hanette forced herself to speak and bit her lip. She didn’t want to hear anymore. If she did, she feared overwhelming guilt.
Lesia’s thoughts might be incorrect, but why did they feel so true?
“Lastly, let me say one more thing. It’s just a guess, but… Zion tries his hardest when you’re with him. Maybe he’s endured this long because of you.”
“That’s…”
A knock on the door interrupted them, and Hanette adjusted her posture, clearing her throat.
Zion entered with a maid, surveying the room.
“Nothing happened, right?”
Zion sat down, looking at Hanette. Her expression was dark, and her eyes seemed troubled. What had they discussed in his absence to leave her in such a state?
“…Lesia, did you fight with her?”
“We didn’t fight.”
“Or did you say something bad?”
“I think I said something good.”
“What did you say?”
“Well… that…”
Lesia struggled to find an excuse. Zion narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
“Zion, nothing happened.”
“Sis…”
“I’m fine.”
Hanette forced a smile and tugged at Zion’s sleeve. Zion wanted to ask more but reluctantly kept silent.
‘Hanette probably has her secrets too.’
Even Zion had secrets he couldn’t share. Hanette likely had her own, and so did others. Probing too deeply might only make her uncomfortable.
‘What could they have talked about to make her like this…?’
Borderlands of Alain Kingdom, Sevnir Fortress.
Scarlet light spread from somewhere, engulfing the surroundings. Craters formed wherever it touched the ground, and the few trees and weeds withered instantly. The fortress walls crumbled continuously, and the fortress interior was filled with corpses and blood.
No one could withstand the attack, and even the mages trembled in fear.
“Should we abandon the fortress now…?”
“Don’t talk nonsense! If we flee, who will defend it?”
The lord spoke resolutely but couldn’t bring himself to move. A massive beast with a gaping maw was launching scarlet spheres. The distance and destructive power made it nearly impossible to counter.
“It appears to be one of the Four Calamities attacking!”
“No, none of the Four Calamities look like that!”
The Three Demon Kings and the Four Calamities had existed for so long that Alain Kingdom had clear distinctions for them. While the beast’s size resembled the Four Calamities, its color and form were different, suggesting it was another creature.
“Did you contact the Violet Archer?”
“Yes! We also sent a message to the capital!”
“And to the other fortresses…”
Suddenly, a scarlet beam struck. The lord and the knights tried to dodge, but the energy had already spread. The area turned red, inner walls and buildings shattered, and debris flew everywhere. The soldiers, gripped by fear, began to flee the fortress.
“How could humans be the only ones to use this! I will never be defeated. As a true dragon, I will destroy everything!”