Chapter 7: Demon King
Ronan's urge to find humans quickly faded as he asked the key question, "The new Demon King..." though he still wasn't quite sure what this so-called new Demon King was, "Have they found him?"
"He's already been killed," Kael said. Otherwise, the coalition wouldn't have left the Black Forest.
"I saw many animals in the forest," Ronan floated back a bit, signaling Kael to stand up. "Are they demonic creatures?"
"The Black Forest is home to many demonic creatures, but there are also normal animals."
"How do you tell the difference?" Ronan felt lucky to have come across a living creature here; there was so much basic knowledge he needed to understand.
"Demonic creatures and Demons both carry a demonic aura."
"Demonic aura?" It was probably some kind of energy, Ronan thought as he twisted the mist around himself, trying to observe. "Do I have it?"
"You?" Kael nodded vigorously. "You have a lot!"
"You can see it?" Was an aura something that could be seen?
"It can be felt," Kael ventured cautiously. "Can't you feel it?"
Feel it? Ronan squinted, trying to sense something.
Now that he was focusing, it did seem like the yellow-haired demon before him was surrounded by a faint black glow. Maybe the earlier darkness in this place had made him overlook it?
And as for himself? He was cloaked in pitch-black mist, so even if he had an aura, it would be hard to distinguish.
"My lord, your..." Kael looked confused. "Your demonic aura is strange."
"Strange? how?" The mist swirled as Ronan moved, making it easier for Kael to take a closer look.
"Your aura is extremely powerful, but..." Kael hesitated, "it comes and goes."
If that weren't the case, he wouldn't have been able to survive so long in this powerful being's presence.
Comes and goes? What did that mean?
Before Ronan could ask, Kael explained, "One moment, it's incredibly thick, and the next, it just disappears."
"Why?" Ronan was baffled.
Kael shook his head, unsure.
Could it be related to the moments when his own consciousness lagged? Ronan wondered.
After waiting a while and seeing that Ronan wasn't asking more questions, Kael cautiously inquired, "My lord, may... may I leave now?"
The oppressive atmosphere of the place was so intense that even a demon like him felt uncomfortable.
Ronan nodded, the mist swirling.
Noticing Kael still hesitating, Ronan finally spoke, "Go ahead."
Kael, as if granted a great reprieve, immediately scrambled down from the pile of corpses. He turned back and respectfully bowed to Ronan, who still floated above.
Just after leaving the area around the pile of corpses, Kael nearly lost his balance. Previously, the thick, foul miasma had blocked his senses, preventing him from feeling the overwhelming pressure of the powerful demonic aura. Now, standing at a distance and looking back, he saw the small black cloud of mist atop the corpse mountain, exuding such a strong demonic aura that it nearly dissipated the dark clouds formed by the miasma above.
At that moment, even someone as dull-witted as Kael had a terrifying thought emerge in his mind.
Could the one up there be... No, no! Impossible! The new Demon King had already been killed, and slaughtered by the coalition forces of the Four Races.
But this person...
Kael shook his head vigorously, and as if being chased by a deadly beast, he bolted forward at full speed.
Ronan who is top the corpse mountain: "..."
He had noticed the demon's nervousness and had let him go on purpose, but did he really have to run that fast?
Was he really that terrifying? Besides... Ronan silently followed him. Letting him go didn't mean he wasn't going to follow.
Elves, demons, giants, dwarves—all these races that had once only existed in fantasy novels and comics were now real. Compared to fumbling around in this strange place alone, following a native seemed like a much better plan.
Ronan moved incredibly fast, catching up with Kael in less than two minutes.
When Kael realized he was being followed, he dared not show his anger, though he clearly wanted to pretend he hadn't noticed. But when Ronan landed directly on his shoulder, forcing him to carry him, Kael couldn't keep up the act any longer. With a pitiful expression, he stammered, "Y-you... what do you w-want?"
"Let's be companions," Ronan said casually.
Kael felt like crying for real now and, trying to show weakness, said, "But I'm just a low-level demon."
"I don't discriminate."
"But..." Kael wanted to say something more.
Ronan cut him off, "You just said the new Demon King is dead? Do you know what the new Demon King looked like?"
Living in the Black Forest, even if Kael hadn't seen the new Demon King, he must have felt his aura.
"The new Demon King was definitely the most powerful demon in the Black Forest."
"The most powerful demon?"
"The most powerful demon in the Black Forest was Wind Serpent Ibushi."
"Is he dead?"
High-level demons usually have their own territories, and the most powerful demon in the Black Forest had always maintained an oppressive demonic aura over his domain.
But now, "I can no longer feel that aura, and..."
"And?"
"If he were still alive, the Four-Race Coalition wouldn't have left. They were determined to kill the new Demon King."
"The Demon King is born from demons?"
"Yes," Kael resigned himself to Ronan, realizing he couldn't get rid of him.
"Have you ever left the Black Forest?"
"No, I've lived here my whole life since I was born."
"And your parents?" Ronan, perched on Kael's shoulder, felt his hunger intensifying.
"Demons leave their parents once they reach adulthood."
Feeling bored, Ronan continued to inquire, "So you don't see each other?"
"We don't," Kael replied, as if the idea of meeting again was unimaginable.
"Do you know how many demonic creatures live in the Black Forest?"
"Maybe a few million," Kael answered uncertainly.
"And how many demons?"
"I've heard from older demons that there are around a thousand or so."
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