Kind Demon King

“Humans….”

Wolf shattered into thousand pieces. I cursed under my breath.

“Hey, asshole!”

I tried to rush towards Duncan. My goal was the punch his stupid face in. However, Blanche held my arm. Duncan looked back at me.

“What? That was a monster. Killing it was our goal from the beginning.”

Stupid fucker ruined my chances of getting more information about my existence here.

“We could have got tips from it! It was already defeated!”

Duncan spat on the ground.

“And? Do you think a monster that defends the entrance would give tips about the inside?”

He pulled a blue gem bigger than my head from the rock shards.

“I also don’t have to answer to you, skinny brat. You are nothing but a skinny kid who was just lucky.”

I felt my left eye twitch with rage. Getting called skinny really got on my nerves.

“Other one must have a mana stone like that. Duncan, come with me to find it.”

Blanche walked forward to the rock pile. She looked back at me and nodded. I nodded back. I understood. She probably found me in right but Duncan was too much of a powerhouse to offend just for me. I watched somberly as they walked forward. I turned around when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“I was too busy struggling for my life but I think you were the key to defeating those wolves. Don’t let it get to your head. Also, how did you tank that Instant Kill Howl?

Percavel tried to console me.

“Instant Kill? Oh, that howl? Well, I don’t know. Luck, I guess?

Of course, I knew the reason. I had 32 percent resistance against it. It was a good thing that this time I was fully wearing my armor rather than the armor given to me. Otherwise, the resistances I had would been reduced in effect and I would be dead. Percavel looked unsure but ready to accept my answer. Agatha on the other hand looked ready to bombard me with questions. Thankfully, I was too quick to draw.

“What about you Madam Agatha? You were also close to us. How did it not affect you?”

Hahah! You can’t accuse me of something if I accuse you first! I knew that if I allowed her to speak first, she would bring up the topic of accusing me of being a heretic. So, I moved first. She raised her necklace.

“Protection of Anshar is with me.”

I put my hand on my chin and tilted my head.

“It would have been nice if you shared that protection with Percavel.”

I said as I slapped Percavel’s back, laughing. My hand hurt. Like a lot of. And he looked unfazed. Because of that, I kept laughing. Agatha looked frustrated. Percavel tried to console her this time.

“I am sure you tried, Madam Agatha! It is just I lack the training!”

I got slightly away from them as they talked. I opened my status:

(Indomitable Marksmanship: Marksmanship is a skill that allows one to shoot, fire, and throw everything with immense focus and precision. However, with exhaustion and wounds said focus and precision can be broken. Not for you. As a warrior who fought through exhaustion and wounds, your aim will never falter.)

(Grants correction to every Marksmanship skill.)

(When wounded or exhausted your Marksmanship will not degrade. At level 1, when you are wounded or exhausted attacks made with Marksmanship skill will increase by 10 percent in effectiveness.)

Well, that’s a lot of words.

“Correction?”

I tilted my head. Does that mean I will just be better at it? I looked up at the sky.

“Thanks, I guess?”

Still, something like “Eternal Flames of Darkness Dragon” would be better.

“Guess beggars can’t be choosers.”

Blanche and Duncan returned. Blanche held a yellow gem. Other one's mana stone?

“Get into formation. We will be continuing.”

Without any words, we got into our positions. Duncan pushed the gates open. Cold air coming out of inside the dungeon nearly threw me off balance. Percavel held Agatha. Thankfully, the wind didn’t last for long.

“Detect Life.”

“Bring us light, Lord Anshar.”

Blanche and Agatha chanted. Inside the dungeon was dark but with Agatha’s chant, it lit up.

“My magic didn’t detect anything. Still, be on your guard.”

Duncan moved forward and we followed him. When all of us were inside, the gates were closed by themselves. I looked back first and then Blanche but she seemed unfazed. Did she know this would happen? This didn’t happen in previous dungeons. Seeing nobody react to it, I also didn’t say anything. Especially, because I didn’t want Duncan to make another comment toward me. We walked for a while. The inside looked more like a temple. Runic writing covered the walls and there were drawings. I stopped in front of one particular one. A giant wolf biting a man covered in armor. Biting his hand, more specifically. Hold up. That’s just Norse mythology! If this were a story, the writer writing it was uninspiring.

“Fenrir?”

“You said what?”

Agatha nearly shouted, as she came to my side and looked at the drawing. She covered her mouth with her hand as if she was shocked.

“Calamity!”

She turned to Blanche.

“This place is an offering to one of the Calamities!”

She sounded angry. Why? Also, Calamity. Wolf King introduced himself as one when I talked to him.

“Yes.”

Blanche answered coldly.

“And we will destroy it and take everything this place holds. I am sure this is what you would want.”

Agatha stepped towards her.

“If this place belongs to one of those demons then Knight Order of Anshar must be informed! They will destr-“

“Madam Agatha. This dungeon belongs to the Silverfox family. If your faction wants it, they will have to buy it from me.”

Hmmm. So, is this why Blanche was being like that? Believers of Anshar want this place?

“After we conquer it, you or one of your superiors can make an official offer, of course, that's only if you have the skills to survive here or if your superiors have enough money to buy it. For now, I hope you focus on fulfilling the role I paid you for. At least if you follow my orders you can get out here alive.”

Damn. Stone cold. Maybe a little bit too cold. Maybe the Silverfox family had some problems with the Believer of Anshar? I noted the possibility. Anything that could help us. Though it could be just the bad blood between religious people and mages Blanche mentioned before. Agatha looked beyond frustrated yet she couldn’t say anything. Blanche looked at the rest of us.

“Do you guys have any problems with that?”

Duncan looked disinterested with his arms crossed. Percavel and I just shook our heads.

“Good. Keep moving then.”

Blanche’s behavior reminded me of my past. I also took command in many dangerous operations and… I can’t say I like the way she treats her underlings. Being harsh and strict was necessary for a leader on the battlefield but those people aren’t the right group of people. As a soldier, all of my underlings were in a chain of command. They were trained and loyal. They were disciplined and shared the same goal as me- serve and protect. But this group wasn’t like that. I was pretty sure the only reason they were here was because of the reward. Hell, Duncan was here because he was forced by a Geass.

“If she is too harsh it may backfire.”

I wasn’t sure if this world had some kind of court-martial. Even if it did this group probably wouldn’t be taken to it. With no cameras, betrayal comes to my mind. I slapped my cheeks.

“I am overthinking it.”

Also, I probably didn’t have the right to judge other people’s leadership. I was usually seen as a soft leader, both to my soldiers and civilians we interacted. Looking back I still don’t regret giving my man the freedom they deserve. If they risked their lives on a regular basis they deserve to do things like wearing whatever they want!

“What a load of bullshit. Your lax behavior killed them.”

No. No. NO. Simply no. I stopped thinking.

“Even now you are trying to escape the truth.”

I am not. I already know my own guilt. My own incompetence. I don’t need a voice in my head to repeat it. I can’t change the past. I can’t take it back. The only thing I can do is look forward. And forward is saving this world.

“Of course, you can look away from the past. Like how you looked away from your dying comrades.”

Goddamnit, why are you starting again? I thought I got past this second year I was alone on Earth. Or was it the third year? Why did it start again?

“Enemy, incoming!”

Oh finally, something to distract me from my crippling mental problems. I pulled my sword.

“Growl!”

Werewolves? Each one of them was around 2 meters long. Hunched over two meters, I may add. Runic writing shone on their fur.

“They look malnourished.”

I said. Hmm. No, not just malnourished. It was like they were… mummified?