“Clyde, but….”
“Even if we stop Father this time, there’s no guarantee the same thing won’t happen again. The issue with Giyu remains unresolved too.”
“…….”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure not even a strand of my father’s hair is harmed.” Clyde stated, as if making a pledge. With him saying this, it became even harder to dissuade him.
“…Okay.”
When I nodded, he gave me a small smile and stroked my cheek.
“Then let’s go.”
I held Clyde’s hand, and we began to recite the spell.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
“Welcome, Your Majesty. It’s been a very long time since we last met like this.”
Giyu welcomed Dioclyde with open arms, an elegant smile gracing his lips.
“You don’t need to address me like that anymore. You are well aware that I have long since abdicated my throne.”
“Yes. However, once a king, always a king. Moreover, it might be inappropriate to refrain from using such a title when considering you’re the current king’s father.”
Dioclyde looked at Giyu with an expressionless face before taking a seat opposite him.
“So, what brings you all the way to Zataia today?”
“I have something I want to discuss with you.”
“What might that be? Perhaps a request from our current king?”
“No. He doesn’t even know I’m here.”
Giyu’s gaze subtly sharpened. He maintained a smile while flicking his fingers.
“All of you, stay back.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The attendants left the room, leaving only Dioclyde and Giyu in the vast reception room.
“Speak your mind.”
“How do you feel about my son?”
In response to this question, Giyu hesitated in his answer, tapping the table with his long fingers.
“It’s quite an ambiguous question. If you could be more specific, it would be easier to answer.”
“I’m aware that my son’s recent actions have garnered opposition from many, starting with declaring a ceasefire with the human realm, the upcoming wedding… and even bringing me back to the Demon King’s Castle.”
“…….”
As if probing Dioclyde’s intention, Giyu silently stared into his eyes.
“Are you here to gain my support for our current king? Don’t worry; I’ve sworn unwavering loyalty to him. Well, there might be some noise from a few quarters for now… but we’ll find a way to resolve it. After all, there’s no guarantee that His Majesty’s sentiments won’t change in the future.”
“Is that truly your sincere sentiment?”
“What do you mean….”
“In this Demon Realm, can there be anyone who wishes to stop the war with the human realm? Especially for someone like you, a high lord with much to gain and much to lose.”
“…….”
With narrowed eyes, Giyu carefully chose his words.
“As I mentioned earlier, my loyalty is firm. I don’t quite understand why Your Majesty is saying such things.”
“Do you know why my son, who had been in hiding, found me and brought me to the Demon King’s Castle?”
“Well, isn’t it because you’re his father?”
“I didn’t even know he existed until I met him this time. He thinks I abandoned him and his mother. I feel no attachment to him either. He’s just a child born out of curiosity, from some human woman I happened to mess with.”
Dioclyde spoke with an emotionless voice.
“…Then?”
“On the surface, your assumption is correct. But it was not my son’s will; it was instigated by that human woman, and he is extremely obsessed with her. Maybe he sees her as a substitute for his mother. Frankly speaking, I don’t like it either.”
“…….”
“For my son, I am nothing more than an enemy who caused the death of his mother, a thorn in his side. Soon, he will try to seize an opportunity to deal with me. And for others, it might be explained as an accident or reaching the end of my lifespan.”
“I understand what you’re saying. However, it seems I haven’t heard an answer about why you came to find me.”
“I want to propose a deal with you.”
“What kind of deal?”
“Help me bring my son down. In return, I promise to give you my position afterwards.”
“…….”
At that moment, Giyu’s eyes flickered.
“…If I’m not mistaken, are you expressing your intention to rebel?”
“You heard me correctly.”
“…….”
Giyu stared at Dioclyde with sharp eyes, then rose from his seat.
“You’ve come to the wrong person.”
“Giyu.”
“The mere fact that we had such a conversation right here, right now, could land us both in extreme danger. I’d like to avoid such a situation. Let’s pretend we didn’t have this conversation today. You can leave now.”
“Will you not regret it?”
Giyu, who was turning away, paused.
“You’re the first person I’ve come to see. If you refuse, I’ll have to seek another High Lord. Is that okay with you?”
“…I’m surprised. Are you truly not afraid of the current king? What will you do if I tell him what I heard today?”
“I know you’re not going to do that. It would put you in danger too.”
“…What do you mean?”
“There are rumors that you spoke disrespectfully to my son several times during recent meetings. It got to the point where you almost got killed by him in a fit of rage. What do you think he’d do if I told him you accepted my offer, but we fell out while we were negotiating the price of your help? Do you think he’d believe your loyalty as much as you say?”
“…….”
Giyu’s gaze rapidly turned cold.
“…Are you trying to blackmail me now?”
“I’m just saying that I didn’t come here so casually, either. I may be aging, but I haven’t lost this much sense and discernment.”
Dioclyde continued slowly.
“I chose you in the first place because there was no one else like you in terms of ability and ambition. You killed your own father to attain your current position. Frankly, it was disappointing. I expected you to be somewhat ruthless, but I didn’t expect you to talk about something as meaningless as loyalty when you’ve killed your own blood to get what you want.”
“…….”
“This is your chance—a golden chance that won’t come again while my son is on the throne. What are you going to do—seize it or let it miss and regret it?”
“…….”
Giyu remained silent, firmly keeping his lips sealed.
After a long while, he returned to his seat.
“Do you have a concrete plan?”
Giyu asked in a low voice.
“I know that the current king’s magic power is unmatched in history. Even if Dioclyde joins forces with me, the chances of winning are extremely slim. Surely, you’re not unaware of that fact.”
“Of course not. Didn’t I mention that I didn’t come here without any thought?”
Dioclyde spoke quietly.
“I know my son’s weakness—a weakness that only I can exploit.”
“And what is that?”
“I can nullify his magic power with my own. When my son first came to find me, I thought of him as an enemy and attacked. At that moment of magical collision, I realized. It was a brief moment, so he probably didn’t notice, and I was quite weakened at the time, so I easily succumbed in terms of magical power.”
“…Is that true?”
In a skeptical tone, Giyu asked.
“But now I’ve regained much of my strength. I should be able to hold my son in place for at least 5 minutes, if not 3. At that time, your attack should be enough to kill him.”
“I need a solid guarantee. If things don’t go as you think, I won’t be able to avoid execution either. I cannot take such a risky gamble.”
“It’s not you making the gamble; it’s me.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“After my son’s wedding, at the moment the marriage is declared, I will attack that child. You can verify with your own eyes whether my son’s magic is nullified at that moment. Prepare to attack at that moment. If I fail, you don’t have to intervene. Then, only I will die.”
“…….”
Dioclyde placed his clenched hands on the table.
“Now, I’ve laid all my cards on the table. It’s time for you to give a clear answer. Will you join me?”
“…….”
Giyu remained silent for a while, then finally spoke.
“All right. Let’s go along with that plan.”
A subtle change flickered in Dioclyde’s previously expressionless eyes.
“You’re not going to tell them, right?”
“Of course. As your Majesty said, I have harbored considerable dissatisfaction with all the things you mentioned. Letting him ruin the Demon Realm like this is not acceptable.”
“As expected, I picked the right person.”
Giyu smiled faintly and offered Dioclyde a drink. The glasses clinked with a sharp sound.
‘…He says he’ll make me the next king. What a foolish old man to think I’d actually wait until then.’
Giyu thought as he took a sip of the drink.
Knowing that Dioclyde could nullify the magic power of the new king also meant that Dioclyde himself would be vulnerable at the same time. Giyu planned to deal with both the new king and Dioclyde simultaneously.
Once he handled them, the position of the Demon King would be his. After dealing with them, there wouldn’t be any demon in this realm who could defeat him one-on-one.
A twisted smile appeared on Giyu’s lips, hidden behind the glass of alcohol.
