NOVEL NEXT Chapter 279
Chapter 279
Nahun looked around.
Rea and Cecili were down. And there was someone new whom he had never seen before, seemingly dead. Leviathan was covered in cuts all over its body. And …
What caught his attention the most was Seere, collapsed with a large wound on her chest. As soon as Nahun appeared, Lin and his underlings rushed to take care of Seere.
“Your Majesty, hold on to consciousness!”
“Don’t close your eyes! You mustn’t pass out!”
Lin and the legion quickly supported Seere, Rea, and Cecili and moved them to the medical team. Lin glanced up at Nahun and then focused his attention back on Seere.
Nahun wanted to carry her himself right away, but he forced himself to endure by tightly closing his eyes. Whether he moved her or they did, she would get treated eventually.
What he needed to focus on was not that right now.
Nahun looked at Retee, who was staring at him with a rigid expression.
“Speak plainly.”
“…Because the Great One has inquired, I shall respond.”
Retee tried to get up to show respect. However, even though he was not struck by a lightning bolt just moments ago and was merely shaken, his legs trembled uncontrollably.
Realizing the gravity of his physical condition, Retee was internally horrified. He managed to get up, bow his head, and spoke while barely hiding his trembling body.
“It was Lady Gamaliel who ordered it.”
“…And the one who accepted that would be Taumiel, right?”
“Indeed.”
“Honestly, it’s good to hear that.”
Nahun’s grip on the sword tightened involuntarily.
“The fact that you answered honestly means you know what actions I might take.”
“…I regret to say, but I only carried out the orders of the Great Ones.”
Retee met Nahun’s gaze.
“Are you implying you will harm me, who is merely the servant of our master while we are pursuing a greater cause? Just for a mere Demon King causing discord with the master….”
“That’s a ridiculous statement.”
Nahun revealed a strong killing intent toward Retee.
“Do you think we need such weaklings for the conquest of the Heavens?”
At that moment, chills ran down Retee’s spine. The golden eyes seemed like they would devour him.
“I am here.”
He felt like a rabbit being hunted by a hawk.
“There would be no problem in disposing of you.”
“…You will regret this.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Nahun spoke.
“You are not worthy of my concern.”
Retee knew he shouldn’t fight back, but he intended to do so anyway. No one wished to die an excruciating death.
Even though it would be justified to strike down Retee immediately, Nahun thought differently. If he were to deal with it himself, it would seem too easy.
Having hurt Seere, the one of utmost importance to him, dying in an instant would be … too comfortable for her.
Nahun lowered his sword, which seemed ready to strike at any moment. Then he called for someone.
“Leviathan.”
Leviathan flinched at Nahun’s fierce voice.
“You’ve done well.”
“…Puu…?”
Nahun understood. He knew why Leviathan had not revealed its full form. It was not because it didn’t want to fight, but because it feared damage to Seere’s castle.
“But now, you don’t have to hold back.”
At that moment, black fog swirled around Leviathan. And the remaining two beasts began to unveil themselves.
“I shall protect the castle.”
The front paw of the enormous Behemoth that was as large as a spire.
“I command.”
The sharp and enormous beak of Gize, which seemed able to tear apart even the great Demon King’s castle, was revealed.
Then, Nahun, for the first time, specifically commanded how to kill someone within the body of the great demon.
“Tear her to shreds.”
Not for any other reason, but solely out of personal grudge.
“Kill her as painfully as possible.”
He ordered a cruel murder.
With every word he uttered, immense killing intent was contained. Each time he spoke, the latent bloodlust showed how sincere Nahun was. Retee couldn’t help but imagine.
“…Ha.”
The moment his body was torn apart and became prey for beasts.
Leviathan, too, was engulfed in the black fog, revealing its original form fully. The three beasts of apocalypse roared in unison.
—
Just moments earlier, Retee had been ready to fight to the death.
“…Indeed.”
He let his arm holding the sword drop. Then, with a slight movement of his eyes, he saw Nahun soaring above the roaring three beasts.
“That is truly terrifying… a living death.”
#
Hours passed.
The screams of agony faded away, and the horrific slaughter scene fell silent. The three beasts, showing their brutal nature, ceased their movements after revealing how much blood could flow from one person.
Despite the horrific scene, with one side of the floor and wall stained red, Nahun viewed it calmly. He slightly closed and opened his eyes before commanding the beasts.
“Return.”
The three beasts obediently complied. As they disappeared into the black mist, Nahun descended to the ground.
Retee was nowhere to be found. The beasts had left not a single piece of her flesh or skin. What remained was only the blood that stained the floor and the walls.
Nahun bent down. He picked up a single lock of hair that lay on the blood-soaked floor and conjured enormous magical power.
The moment he unleashed his magic, the hair ignited and vanished without a trace. And Nahun grabbed the magical sword, ‘Oblivion,’ that Retee had wielded.
With a crack!!
He broke the magical sword in half with his bare hands. After breaking it again, Nahun repeated the process multiple times until he completely turned Retee’s sword into dust. He then burned even the remaining dust with his magic.
He erased every trace left by the existence named Retee. Even the floor and walls, which had already been stained, were the same. Nahun’s magic burned away the blood that had seeped into the walls and floor.
“…Taumiel, Gamaliel.”
A crunching sound came from Nahun’s mouth. It was so loud that he thought his molars might crack.
“I will remember. I will definitely….”
He couldn’t strike those two immediately. First, he needed to lift the taboo; he had to conquer the Heavens. Only by conquering the Heavens would the taboo be lifted, and while dealing with Taumiel and Gamaliel, he could also prevent an invasion from the Heavens.
“I will make sure to repay this.”
#
When Nahun entered the castle and heard from the medical team, thankfully, there was no threat to his life.
“Fortunately, it only punctured the lung, and it had no effect on the heart. The bleeding stopped quicker than expected… Moreover, since you are the Demon King, the lung injury is unlikely to leave any significant aftereffects.”
“…I understand. Thank you for your hard work.”
In the medical room, besides Nahun, Lin, Celestia, and Veronica were present. They knelt with their heads bowed. The other legion commanders and vice commanders, who could not enter the medical room, did likewise.
Lin spoke on behalf of them.
“Punish the disloyal and restore discipline.”
They were asking for punishment for their failure to protect their lord. However, Nahun simply commanded.
“Legion commanders, return.”
“Nahun!”
“It is an order.”
Nahun stated.
“It is not your fault in this matter. I, of course, do not expect Seere to make the impossible possible like a superhuman. This incident was beyond your control.”
Nahun spoke dispassionately, presenting only logical and objective statements. Like a machine.
Those words tightened the grip on Lin and the legion commanders even more. Although Nahun had no such intention, the implication that they could not handle it seemed to suggest that their power was limited.
“Did you not hear the order, Lin El Lazine Daejeong?”
“…I will comply.”
It was impossible for Lin, who seemed the most heartbroken, to defy such an order from Nahun. As Lin stood up, Celestia and Veronica, who were next to him, also rose. They bowed their heads in greeting and left with the other officers who had been waiting outside.
After seeing them off, Nahun wiped his face with one hand. Then he looked at Seere, who was unconscious.
“You held on well, Seere. You did well. What happened to you is… my fault for coming too late.”
With a crack, he heard the sound of bones twisting. It came from Nahun’s fist.
“I would like to repay you right away, but I cannot, and that is painful. However, I promise you this….”
Nahun stroked Seere’s cheek with the same hand he had used to wipe his face.
“When the time comes, I will repay you properly.”
Just then, there was a light knock on the medical room door, and it opened slightly.
“Nahun.”
“…Eldein, what is it?”
It was Eldein, a senior servant of the Debata residence.
“Before this incident took place, the head maid asked me to tell you something.”
“Rea, you say?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
At Nahun’s question, Eldein slightly bowed his head.
“He said to check whether the majesty is with child.”
“…With child?”
Nahun’s eyes widened. There was no way Eldein would joke in such a situation, so if his words were true, then Seere…
“…My child, you say?”
Eldein was surprised by Nahun’s unexpected expression. He nodded his head in response.
“There is no man but you, Nahun.”
“…I see.”
“I’ve heard that His Majesty emanated a sweet scent. It is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the reproduction instinct of a Demon King awakens.”
Now Nahun understood what the sweet smell he had sensed at that moment was.
“I will confirm it right away.”
“…Understood.”
He had a feeling of disbelief. He hoped it wasn’t true. Otherwise, he would feel too guilty toward Seere. She was in such a condition, yet he had left her alone…
Eldein gently grabbed Seere’s wrist and channeled a small amount of incubus magic. After examining Seere’s condition for a moment, Eldein’s eyes widened.
“Nahun.”
“What is it?”
“Congratulations.”
Eldein said.
“Her Majesty is with child.”