I Was Abandoned by the Demon King I Served for 10 Years

Chapter 22

"Durin. I hope what I heard is wrong."

After dealing with Serphin's disposition and leaving the Spire, a group awaited the Regent. They all looked at him with pale faces. It seemed the rumor about him taking the Grand Duke's daughter had spread faster than expected.

"Isn't it?"

Chief Shaman Rudmila. She clutched her head as she asked. Amidst the murmuring commotion, she tried her best to remain calm.

It wasn't easy. The blood smeared red on Durin's hands provoked Rudmila.

She feared the worst might have happened, but fortunately, the Regent's answer was concise.

"No."

"Really?"

"You'll know if you look over there."

Following Durin's finger, Rudmila raised her head stiffly. In the distance, at the entrance of the Punishment Room, a corpse was hanging. Swaying on a pole was the body of a Succubus. Its head was crushed, and it dangled lifelessly in the blowing wind. At the sight, Rudmila let out a sigh of relief.

"Phew. I thought it was going to be a disaster when I heard you had taken the Grand Duke's daughter."

"Even in chaotic times, I don't make such unreasonable decisions. It seems trust in the Regent is lacking."

"I couldn't help but wonder. Acts of rebellion against the castle have always been dealt with harshly."

"I don't treat High-ranking Demons that way. The East is a precious continent that must stand with us."

"Hmm... Really?"

Rudmila glanced at Mateus. The Elder Demon smiled faintly and nodded. Confirming the Chief Justice's benevolent response, the Chief Shaman could finally relax.

"That's a relief, then. So, are you planning to release her now?"

"No. I intend to observe her a little longer. I will imprison Istria in the newly prepared prison in the Eastern Spire."

"There will be significant backlash. Even you won't be able to handle the consequences of putting a High-ranking Demon in a place like a dungeon."

"No need to worry. I've already arranged for her to stay in a specially equipped room. The Golden Guardians will secure the area, so there won't be any safety issues."

"I'm not talking about the facilities. Look over there. Do you see them? The nobles of the East are coming to find you."

Rudmila pointed to a distant spot. There, Green Horn Demons were striding toward Durin. They were all Elder Demons with white beards.

Members of the Senate. Among them were supporters of Serphin, who sought to enthrone the Demon King.

Having grown into a faction capable of dividing national opinion, they walked confidently to face the Regent.

Durin gestured for the Dullahans, who had been about to block them, to step aside.

"Regent Durin. We know you always strive for the normalization of the castle."

As soon as they faced Durin, they began with formal praise. It was a display of remarkable patience.

They must have struggled to suppress their anger upon hearing the news of the Grand Duke's daughter being taken. If they were younger Demons, they might have blurted out their frustrations and faced consequences. But these were nobles who had lived for over a century. They never let emotions control them.

"We are truly grateful for your dedication. However, we must address this unfortunate matter properly."

An experienced noble of the East asked Durin in a calm voice.

"Regent. Do you truly intend to turn the East into your enemy?"

"Of course not. Aren't we the only two continents in the thousand-year unified Demon Realm that have never shed blood?"

"Indeed. One could say we've maintained a bond stronger than a blood pact. But the path the Regent seems to be taking now appears to deny those years."

"It seems you think I threatened the Grand Duke's daughter. Let me clarify—it was merely a simple investigation. Unfortunate events are happening not only to you but to us as well."

"The times are chaotic, so I understand. However, the current situation doesn't seem like something the Regent can resolve with mere excuses...."

"There's no need to beat around the bush. I will meet the Grand Duke directly. I'll connect through the Shaman's communication, but I ask for time to send a letter beforehand."

Seeing no end to the conversation, Durin took the initiative. The Eastern noble, who had been preparing to say more, finally dropped the flowery language. He looked into Durin's crimson eyes and spoke.

"If the Regent insists, we will arrange a meeting. I hope it concludes amicably."

"I feel the same. Then I'll go ahead and prepare."

As the conversation ended, the nobles of the East and Central split. One group moved quickly to deliver information to the Grand Duke, while the other followed Durin to the King's Hall. At the forefront of the group, Rudmila followed closely behind the Regent, who strode forward.

"What is this? Did the two of you plan this together?"

Rudmila asked with a puzzled expression. From her perspective, it was incomprehensible.

She had expected a heated protest and a warning from the Grand Duke after Durin brought someone in like that. However, their conversation was utterly dry, like old friends exchanging greetings.

"Why didn't you give me any explanation? I always tell you everything before I plan something."

"It happened spontaneously. I didn't have time to explain it to you."

"Huh? Does that even make sense? Later, about the letter you're sending to the Grand Duke in the Hall, let's discuss it a bit more...."

"I need to write it immediately, so there's no time. We'll talk about the rest later."

Durin walked ahead without fully listening to Rudmila's words.

As she hesitated, he moved farther away. Rudmila hurried to follow, but a Demon suddenly blocked her path.

"I will escort you to the Hall. You must organize the chaotic castle quickly."

"The one who caused this mess is the Regent!"

Her pitiful cry went unheard by Verdia, his loyal confidant.

Verdia forcibly escorted the Shaman into the Hall. Rudmila, unwilling to back down, tried to step outside again, but the flood of tasks that poured in during that brief moment held her back.

The aftermath of the rumors spread by Durin began to fill the Hall.

Posthumous handling of the maid branded as a criminal, stabilizing the unsettled internal atmosphere, processing numerous petitions from the Reception Room....

In the end, she couldn't find the time to chase after Durin, who had gone to meet the Grand Duke.

#

The Regent accused the Grand Duke's daughter of being a rebel.

Sensational rumors quickly spread to the provinces. The content arriving through magical communication was outrageous.

- Torture was inflicted in the Punishment Room to kill the Eastern successor.

- Istria is already being treated as a rebel in the Central region.

- The military reform was a foundation for conquering the East. The tripled number of Dullahans will all join the Expedition Force.

The air was already tense. The rising tension between the East and Central continents suffocated the Border. Both sides' Legionnaires were ready to spring into action at any moment.

With just an order from the leadership, the curtain would rise on a blood-soaked war.

"Your Excellency! Now is the time. Sweep away the Central region!"

"Why fear those without a King? They are nothing but a ragtag group relying on the Regent."

The Grand Duke's palace also rode the wave. Unable to hide their excitement, they clamored for war. The number of those pleading with the Grand Duke increased.

"Please make a decision."

"......."

To an outsider, it might seem as though a great war was about to erupt. But Rukifel Astasha del Istria, the sole Duke of the Eastern Continent, remained indifferent.

He knew. The scene unfolding before his eyes was nothing more than a show.

-Lady Serphin is currently imprisoned in the noble prison. It has been confirmed that she is unharmed.

They already knew the information transmitted intact from Central. Although the relationship between Central and the East had become delicate since the King disappeared, it had not completely fallen apart.

Unlike the South, filled with Barbarians, or the West and North, home to entirely different species, the East was a continent inhabited by Demons most similar to those in Central. From politics to culture, they were so alike that severing ties was impossible.

Even so, there was only one reason for such outcries. It was to win the favor of the Grand Duke, who bore the bloodline of the Demon King.

A spectacle of exaggerated acts to display their petty loyalty.

Rukifel turned his attention away as usual. The moment he confirmed that his daughter was alive and safely confined in an appropriate location, this incident left his concern.

What mattered was not such formalities.

"Your Excellency. A carrier pigeon has arrived from Central."

What they would place on the negotiation table. That was Rukifel's sole interest.

As expected.

-Let us negotiate. I will yield land and power.

The short words, written in the Regent's handwriting, caught the Grand Duke's eye. There was nothing else. Only the magical bait that captured Rukifel's attention lay before him.

"Khh. Yes. This is it."

Central and the East.

Their coexistence had always been built on transactions.

Even if it meant giving up his daughter, it didn't matter as long as something greater was offered in return. For the sake of the grand cause, he could abandon a hostage at any time. Such was the nature of the Duke of the East.

"If I've given flesh, I should at least receive bones in return."

"...Your Excellency?"

The nobles prostrated before him cautiously raised their heads. Their voices, hoarse from shouting all day since morning, leaked out like deflated air. Rukifel, who had been consistently ignoring them, finally directed his gaze forward. The prepared nobles firmly pressed their heads to the ground and were about to shout loudly.

"Inform Central immediately that we will agree to the meeting."

"Pardon?"

"The King has fled to the Human Realm, and the Angel is on the verge of descending. Should we consider all those clamoring for civil war as mere pawns of those scoundrels?"

The Eastern nobles fell silent. The show they had been fretting over for so long came to an anticlimactic end.

When the Demons of the Green Horn all wore expressions as if they had bitten into something foul, Rukifel finally laughed loudly, as if satisfied.

"Hahaha! It's a joke. How could I possibly think of your loyalty in such a way?"

"Y-Your Excellency. Indeed, we only think of the safety of the East...."

"Then prepare. Regardless of the meeting with Central, gather the army."

For a moment, the Demons' eyes focused on the Grand Duke. They hesitated to speak.

This was because the curtain that had veiled the stage began to stir and tremble once more.

"Depending on the outcome, I will make my decision as well."

"Y-Your Excellency. Have you made up your mind?"

"Not me, but I will make the Regent decide. Of course, I know he is not such a foolish man."

The end of the negotiation is extreme.

As it had been for a thousand years, whether they would maintain this precarious peace or...

"Let us hope they make a wise choice."