Episode 49: Escape (2)
She couldn’t believe he was using the fragment directly.
He’d gone insane. She couldn’t understand why he was doing something so reckless.
Sharan’s eyes must have found Kaiton.
He’d split the sculpture into seven pieces all this time to avoid this, and yet with this, they must have found the successor to the Demon King, who had been carefully avoiding Sharan’s gaze. The kingdom’s portals will open, and Sharan’s knights, who have been waiting to strike down the Demon King at any moment, will gather here.
“This madness…”
Muriel was confused. She knew how much Kaiton had suffered to avoid Sharan’s eyes. Living under the false identity of Crawford, becoming Sharan’s court wizard, and enduring Sharan’s words of contempt and anger towards the Demon King every day.
But to act so recklessly. So foolishly. Showing himself to Sharan like this.
“Stop it…”
Kaiton looked at Muriel as if mocking her. He didn’t care about Jaron, who was turning white. He was simply greedily plundering Jaron’s pacio, his eyes filled with madness.
“Stop it!!”
Muriel screamed and dug between Kaiton and Jaron. If this continues, it seemed like Jaron would soon turn into a demon.
“Are you going to kill him?”
“…You’re not surprised.”
Muriel thought she would hear a loud outcry, but Kaiton spoke in a low, subdued voice. So Muriel’s hand, which was about to grab Kaiton, froze and dropped. She felt strangely familiar with her reflection in his black eyes. It was almost eerie.
“…Like someone who knows who I am.”
“It is because I know… that I said I would help.”
Kaiton stared intently at Muriel.
And so, while knowing she needed to save Jaron quickly, while knowing she had to get Kaiton away from here, Muriel gave the answer he wanted.
“Demon King Ur.”
“…I see.”
Click. Kaiton let out a weak smile, then turned his head away from Muriel as if nothing had happened. Looking at that strange expression, Muriel felt a mix of sadness and anger. How could he show such an expression, devoid of any guilt, after taking away Jaron’s pacio, his very life’s flame?
She felt like she should despise him.
Yet somehow she felt sorry for him.
She admitted there was something wrong with her head. It wasn’t for no reason that Muriel could have become a villain…
“I’d rather… you do it to me.”
Muriel covered Kaiton’s hand, which was tightly held above Jaron’s heart.
“Take my pacio.”
Squeeze. Muriel tightly clasped that cold, firm hand. I’m telling you. It’s fine. She wanted to say that to those black eyes hiding their wounds.
The moment Kaiton’s hand, which seemed like it wouldn’t let go until Jaron became a demon, followed Muriel’s hand, she was flung to the side. It was Jaron who’d evacuated Muriel.
“…I’m fine.”
Jaron, who had been losing the will to live, regained his senses the moment Muriel’s touch reached him. He was a knight. And protecting the fearless and reckless young lady was his duty and his honor.
“I will protect you.”
“…How amusing.”
“So, you were the Demon King. Honestly, it’s surprising, but not unexpected. I always did think there was something rotten about you when I looked at your pathetic face, Crawford. No, should I say, Demon King Ur?”
“…I was considering listening to Muriel’s wish to die first, but it doesn’t matter. Impatient dogs like you have no patience.”
“Muriel won’t fall into your hands. I’m going to hold on until the knights of Sharan arrive!”
Clang.
With a brilliant flash, the two of them fiercely began their battle. Jaron launched a relentless barrage of attacks as if he would rather burn all his pacio than let it be taken away. Kaiton seemed to have no intention of escaping. He didn’t even seem to consider hurrying. Kaiton acted as if he didn’t care at all that Sharan’s knights were coming.
“…No.”
As the stubborn fight dragged on without either of them backing down, It was Muriel grew anxious.
“…Run away.”
Muriel’s faint voice couldn’t break through the deafening explosions. Muriel struggled to get up, her body rattling as if something was broken.
“Run away!”
Muriel leaped once again. This time, she was in the midst of a deadly trap where even a slight touch could cost her life.
“…Kaiton!”
It was Kaiton that Muriel was worried about. Jaron might lose his life, or worse, he might turn into a demon. But Muriel was afraid that Kaiton would be captured by Sharan’s knights.
Ignoring the attacks that narrowly missed her, Muriel ran towards Kaiton and shouted.
“Kaiton! Run away now!”
Time seemed to stand still as a silent stillness enveloped the space. The gazes of the two men closed on Muriel.
“…Muriel.”
While Jaron was confused about why Muriel was siding with the Demon King, Kaiton came running to Muriel.
“Me.. Do you remember me?”
His voice trembled.
With each trembling breath, emotions that he didn’t express filled the air, pushing towards Muriel.
Affection.
Desperation.
Resentment.
Happiness.
Muriel wished she could feel pain in the shoulder that Kaiton was clutching at the moment. Whenever she couldn’t feel the pain that should be there, Muriel felt like she was detached from reality. She even felt as if an invisible curtain was separating her from the world.
“Do you remember me?!”
Muriel calmly replied, even though she thought the shouting Kaiton seemed about to cry.
“…I’ll distract the knights, so run away in the meantime.”
“Answer me.”
“I’ll see you again. I heard there’s an abandoned estate to the east. Go there. I’ll find you.”
“…Since when-.”
“You know you don’t have time for this. You’re not trying to be captured and killed by the knights, are you?”
“Answer me. Since when… did you know?”
“Kaiton.”
In frustration, Muriel called firmly to silence him, but Kaiton was visibly agitated and motionless.
Sigh…
He meant he wouldn’t move until he heard the answer. Muriel couldn’t understand why he was so fixated on her response in this situation, but even in this situation, she felt sorry for him.
“From the beginning.”
Kaiton let out a gasp, as if he had been struck by a ship, and tightened his grip on Muriel’s shoulders even more fiercely. It would definitely hurt. If Muriel had felt the pain, her arm would probably hurt like it would fall off now.
“…That can’t be true. There’s no way you remember me.”
Kaiton recalled Muriel, whom he had met in the chamber of subconsciousness. She didn’t remember him. He confirmed that the plateau, himself, their past, everything had been erased from her mind.
“…I know you’re lying. Why do I keep falling for your…?”
“I know more about you than you think. It’s just that what you expect and reality are slightly different.”
“…”
“We’ll figure out what kind of relationship we had before later. For now, focus on staying alive. Your hands are really cold.”
Muriel placed her hand on top of Kaiton’s hand, which was resting on her shoulder. There was no pain, but she could feel the chill emanating from his hand. It was a sign that his pacio was on the brink of collapse.
“Don’t die.”
Muriel took off her earring and forcefully placed it in his hand. It was the blue-crystal talisman that she had obtained while robbing the perverted collector’s house.
Kaiton stared at the pair of talismans that rested in his hand. After looking at Muriel with a complex and subtle expression, he turned around, his black cloak fluttering.
Fen came running to him as if he’d read his mind and Kaiton mounted the back of the white Fenrir that ran like the wind without a sound and disappeared.
“Sigh…”
She was nervous he might stubbornly not go, so when Kaiton vanished, a sigh leaked out of Muriel.
But it was still too early to be relieved.
Since Sharan’s eyes had seen the Demon King, it was likely that the knights were chasing after him. Muriel hastily ran in the opposite direction of Kaiton. She had to shake off the pursuit.
But Muriel didn’t get far before she was grabbed by the hand. It was Jaron, wearing a bewildered expression.
“What’s your relationship with Ur?”
Jaron frowned heavily, looking sharply at Muriel as if he didn’t understand.
“…Jaron.”
“Are you a traitor? Were you a follower of the Demon King?!”
“…It’s not like that. Let me go. I have to go.”
“Why? Are you trying to help the Demon King escape by evading the knights? …By what means? Sharan has already seen the face of the Demon King. He found out it was Crawford, who was hiding under his nose like a rat!”
“…What if he doesn’t know?”
“What?”
“The Sharan you know… he’s not really the Sharan. Sharan Kasal doesn’t deserve to bear Sharan’s name.”
“…Are you saying that while claiming you’re not a traitor? Are you trying to make me point my sword at you, Muriel!”
“The real Sharon is locked up in an underground prison. For all his life. That person doesn’t know Crawford’s face…!”
“Nonsense.”
“There’s a way to confirm it.”
“…”
“Jaron, I’m begging you. Don’t tell Sharan, your lord, what you saw today. If you don’t mention Crawford’s name, he won’t know. Just say he was an unknown man with black hair and black eyes. He will not notice your lie since he doesn’t have Sharan’s eyes.”
“Are you asking me to risk my life?”
And all for the sake of saving the Demon King? Jaron said, grinding his teeth. He clenched his jaw, the muscles twitching relentlessly, and each time,his unmasked disgust and anger leaked.
“Give me time to change Kaiton.”
She knew it was a cruel request.
Jaron was Sharon’s knight. She was asking him to help deceive his own lord, claiming that he was a fake.
“I can protect you. If you hand over all of Ur’s fragments and promise never to help the Demon King again, I won’t expose your crime to Sharan.”
“I have only one thing to ask of you.”
Muriel shook her head and spoke firmly. The fragments were essential to helping Kaiton; She never had any intention of giving them to Sharan in the first place. At Muriel’s resolute and cold words, Jaron widened his eyes. His face turned red with anger, and he burst out in a loud voice.
“If you don’t hand over the fragments, no matter what I say, you’ll just become a follower of the Demon King!! Do you know how followers end up? they suffer torture until they die a miserable death in the underground prison!”
So she had to run away.
The sound of hooves approaching from a distance could be heard, the knights were coming.
“Sorry, Jaron.”
Muriel held Ur’s fragment in her hand and shot an ice arrow towards Jaron. Muriel slipped out of Jaron’s grasp too easily. She knew he had let her go. Muriel ran. She had to divert the knights pouring out from all the nearby portals to another location to block them.
How intense aaa
