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

Chapter 28

It was a harrowing time. Demons are beings born to fight.

Searching for justification, as one might in Heaven, was so tedious and dull that it was infuriating. The nobles clung to their tiny books, busy scrambling to secure their own interests.

Since the Elector was chosen, the only figure who stood out as a candidate for the Demon King was the Duke of the East's daughter. It was a prime example of the stagnant state of the Demon Realm.

This couldn't go on. When had they started fluttering about like white-winged angels?

As demons, they should have resolved matters with strength befitting their nature. It was incomprehensible why they were handling things this way.

Thus, the soldiers of the castle decided to raise their voices when Durin stepped onto the training ground. Watching the private soldiers, divided by continent and locked in power struggles, was unbearable.

That moment was the perfect opportunity for Durin. He intended to strike when the castle's soldiers gathered and displayed their will for war.

"We will replace the vanished king and rebuild the lost authority. In these dire times, when even gathering all the continents for discussion would not suffice, failing to send a delegation is akin to treason."

As Durin descended the stairs from the King's Hall and spoke, the soldiers held their breath. The words they had been waiting for finally spilled from his lips.

"As of today, the West and the North will be excluded from the Demon Realm. They are enemies. All of them will be considered targets for conquest. The Chief Justice shall record this."

The castle would no longer protect them. Even if the Heavenly Army descended upon them, no troops would be sent. There was no protection for traitors. The castle had gathered its forces, leaving no room for fear.

"If you wish to elect a king, prove your worth. The heads of traitors will demonstrate your loyalty."

Furthermore, the war would serve as Serphin's trial. Her ability to manage followers and navigate the battlefield could either win the soldiers' favor or brand her as the worst candidate.

Thus, the Demon Realm moved. There was no resistance. On the contrary, seeing with their own eyes whom they should follow, they aligned themselves.

They, too, had been subconsciously yearning for war. Their instinctive fighting spirit boiled over, and they obeyed orders without complaint.

"Before the enemies can properly unite, we will subjugate as many as possible. We must gather forces to deploy in the upcoming Heavenly War."

The East had already begun to move. Spranches, who had hurried over, reported that clashes exceeding mere skirmishes were frequently occurring in the border regions.

Angels, the West, the North.

Before the enemies could recover from the shock of sudden war, it had to be concluded swiftly. An unexpected assault combined with the Duke's breakthrough power had to yield results.

"It's war! All soldiers of the castle, arm yourselves and gather at the Gate. Hurry, so that time may be on our side!"

A total of thirty thousand. The Demon Army, having scraped together every available force, pointed their spears westward following Durin's declaration of war.

A war to prove loyalty and competence had begun.

#

"The Demon King's Castle has finally made its decision."

"It seems the time has come for us to make our choice as well, my lord."

Unlike the harsh terrains surrounding the continents, the Central region enjoyed a mild climate. Its vast plains appeared to be a bountiful world where humans could thrive. If not for the Black Sun, it seemed it could have been buried in peace.

Perhaps due to such environmental factors, the demons living here were less belligerent. They preferred negotiations over battles and sought to maintain peace rather than engage in conflict. Despite being at the border with other continents, they chose coexistence over control, building their cities accordingly.

It was the way the nobles of the border regions, who lacked the Central region's protection, managed to survive in an era of decline. However, a new wind blowing from the Central region drastically changed the situation. A messenger from the Central region arrived before them, bearing the spark of war.

The contents of the message left the lord and his retainers, who had gathered in one place, groaning in distress.

"The Regent has declared the West and the North as enemies. The current leadership has chosen a path entirely different from the previous one, which at least maintained a loose alliance."

"This is a grave matter. A grave matter indeed. Our border region is inevitably tied to them for survival...."

"Is there no loophole in the orders? Let us take a closer look."

The border nobles scrutinized the orders for any flaws. If they could twist the justification somehow, they might avoid disaster.

With such desperate thoughts, they examined the words etched on the parchment one by one. However, the Regent's concise writing style contained only the core message with precision.

[Expel all barbarians. Refusal to comply will result in their designation as enemies and execution by beheading. Display the severed heads on the castle gates to demonstrate loyalty to the Expedition Force....]

There was no need to read further. Death or betrayal. The choices presented by the Regent were only two.

The border nobles clutched their throbbing heads and sighed deeply.

"It's easy to say, but how are we supposed to enforce this immediately? There are already thousands of demons from other continents within the castle. Not to mention the demon beasts they've brought along. Unless the Border Legion arrives immediately, we can't handle this on our own, can we?"

"If there's a will... it's not impossible. If we steer toward massacre instead of expulsion or persuasion, we can act in line with the Regent's wishes."

"Are you serious? If we do that, we'll make an enemy of the Great Warrior of the North! If they grow enraged and march down, how will we stop them?"

Just as Durin was in the Demon King's Castle, the North also had a figure who protected them like a guardian deity.

Warriors who lived on the icy lands, befriending demon beasts. Among them, a warrior with yellow horns, known as the strongest, commanded tens of thousands of nomadic tribes.

If conditions were met, they could even crush the Central region's solid infantry. It was said that if a hundred thousand Northern Warriors gathered, they could seize the Demon Throne, a testament to their terrifying power.

The border region had always avoided conflict with them, opening paths when necessary and offering feeble excuses to the Central region. During the era when the Demon King's Castle was too weak to send expeditions, they had been left alone, but now things were different.

The Regent was resolute, as if determined to exact the price for those times.

"Then what do you suggest? Die at the hands of the Regent or the Great Warrior? It's the same either way. Wouldn't it be better to swear loyalty and seek protection?"

"Even if they are fellow Red Horns, can they truly save us? If the Great Chieftain marches down, we won't last three days before we're wiped out."

"What about the angels? The Great Warrior has stationed his entire army in the Northwest Region to keep an eye on them, so there shouldn't be any immediate issues."

"Ha! A demon relying on those damned invaders and being pleased about it. What a disgraceful sight."

"Then come up with a solution! If all you can do is sneer, do you have nothing else to say?"

"Looking at this grim situation, that's all I can say! What do you expect me to do?"

The border nobles were thrown into chaos.

The Northwest Region, where demons with differing interests and the Angel Outpost coexisted, had always maintained a peculiar balance. Now that balance was breaking, leaving them utterly at a loss.

The fortresses stationed along the path to the Central region, meant to delay invaders, had forgotten their mission.

The complacency of those who chose survival over struggle had driven them into a corner in this era of war. Death loomed closer, no matter which path they chose.

As they floundered, lost in endless debates, news arrived to jolt them awake.

"The Great Chieftain's forces have begun marching south. It seems they have accepted the Central region's declaration of war."

"Weren't they in a standoff with the angels? And what about the Duke's army advancing from the East?"

"The defense forces are showing no movement. They have dispatched a mobile unit to the Northeast Region to block incoming attacks. The Duke seems aware of this and is not aggressively pursuing them. This has given the Central region the opportunity to seize the moment and march south."

"Then...."

"Kesik. The Great Chieftain's elite forces are personally advancing south."

Damn it.

Sighs of despair echoed everywhere.

The feared scenario had come to pass. Perhaps it was the Regent's intended outcome.

He was a warrior who had ended the Southern rebellion not with persuasion but with conquest.

"There's no choice. Order the soldiers to expel all barbarians."

The clash between two giants became an inevitable reality.

The situation escalated rapidly. The disaster they had tried so hard to avoid was now upon them, leaving them with one less option. They clung to a faint glimmer of hope, but their inner voices already told them it was futile.

"And urgently request reinforcements from the Regent. The outcome of this war will depend on who reaches the border first."

The Central region's heavy-armored infantry and the North's demon beast cavalry.

It was destined that blood would inevitably be spilled on the border, no matter which side it was.