Chapter 555: The True Nature of the Demon Eye

I closed Vestaline’s eyes, who looked like she was in pain from just staying awake, and then spoke to Filaret, who stood behind me.

「So, you’re saying I’m going to die? I’m not going to die. Have I ever died before? 」

「Of course not. 」

Filaret shrugged in exasperation. But the ominous look in her eyes remained.

We had been comrades for quite some time. At times like these, Filaret harbored one or two strange resolutions in her heart. And so, she usually didn’t give in.

Come to think of it, weren’t there too many people around me who didn’t give in? I wished they’d understand the importance of compromise a little more sometimes.

Filaret quickly unfolded the parchment just as I turned around.

「I’ve read the strategy plan. It’s fine for Caria to lead a separate force and make a detour to attack from behind. I don’t mind Eldith continuing to act as planned and delay Zebrililith’s movement… But you…Why? It says you’re not in command of the main army, but of the front-line unit. What kind of joke is this, putting the most pivotal member of our cause in the most vulnerable spot? 」

I answered after a pause.

「It’s easier to see the big picture if I stick to that plan. You understand, don’t you, Filaret? The demon beast Baronuis is too powerful. But our goal remains the same: to destroy Zebrililith. Even if her demon eye can kill people with just a look, I’m sure it’s not enough to consume the entire continent. We’ll also need Shadraput and Leu to work together on the battlefield. Someone needs to be able to see the big picture, and isn’t that the job of the most pivotal member of our cause, the General? 」

「That’s a fairly persuasive statement, huh? 」

Filaret responded with her black eyes contorting.

I wasn’t lying. The only one who definitely had to be killed was the Great Demon Zebrililith.

I decided that we had to bring the situation under control, even if Baronuis’ attack caused huge damage to our party.

Matia, Philos, and Bruder were in the royal capital, and once things calmed down, the old man would join us. The nobles weren’t weaklings either.

But it would all be over if we let Zebrililith continue his march.

The royal capital wasn’t prepared to stand up to that catastrophe. No matter what happened, we had to make this plain its graveyard.

Filaret snorted and distorted her lips again.

「Anyway, you’ve become quite adept at lying, Your Excellency. As your comrade, I’m more than happy to be your accomplice. 」

「I’m not lying. And what’s with that tone? I’ve never heard you speak like that before. If you have something to say, just say it. 」

「I’m sure you’re just thinking, “I can’t stay safe in the rear while everyone else is on the brink of death.” I like that about you, but I’m not sure that’s what a good General would do. 」

That was surprisingly accurate. Well, how could she not have guessed it? I had done the same thing so many times before.

And, Filaret continued lightly, then placed her hands on my shoulders. A warm touch pressed down on my skin through the fabric.

「I need to say this clearly so that you can understand. Do you know what’s inside your body right now? The magical power I poured into you in Garoua Maria and Belfein, plus Eldith’s blessing… And I know what Caria does on a daily basis. You’re like a reservoir of magical power, so to speak. You’re receiving more of it than you’re releasing…That’s why that demon eye is truly fatal. There’s nothing you can do. 」

Filaret said with a serious look on her face, saying that this wasn’t an opponent that could be dealt with by simply repairing it with magical power, as in the past.

That made sense. It would be one thing if I could get close, but with the demon beast Baronuis around, I couldn’t even do that. If I could approach her, then I would be able to cut her down, but that would be the same as being in her field of vision.

「So, what is the alternative, staff chief Filaret? 」

I said this jokingly, and Filaret immediately responded.

「Yes, Your Excellency…I’ll go to the front lines. 」

「That’s the last thing I wanted to hear. 」

「Really? Actually, I don’t understand why you wanted to put me in a separate unit. There’s no other magic expert in this army. That demon beast isn’t an enemy I’d want to face, but… if I have to, then I’ll come up with a countermeasure or two. That’s pretty realistic, isn’t it?

She was right.

In an army composed primarily of Gharast soldiers, magic-wielding soldiers were a tiny minority. Filaret was probably the only one who could be called an expert.

After all, the Bolvat Dynasty, the center of the sorcerer training, suffered enormous losses in the recent Vrilligant War. Although they had deployed magic-wielding soldiers, the majority of magic experts were busy with the Bolvat Dynasty’s political affairs and rebuilding the military. None of them were willing to come here.

To be precise, Mastigius had been trying to come here secretly, but was discovered by his lieutenant and brought back.

「But if storing magical power is dangerous, then surely the same goes for sorcerers? 」

「Listen. Just storing it is completely different from being a sorcerer who can control it. 」

「…You’ll die if that demon eye sees you. 」

「I have an idea. Or is your accomplice not trustworthy? 」

Filaret’s black eyes stared at me, as if determined not to let me escape. Every word she spoke was filled with determination. She completely refused to give in.

Why were the people around me like this? Well, maybe it included me too.

「…You’re so confident. Give me a break. 」

「Oh my. Isn’t it like spitting in the face of the heavens when a talented person belittles themselves? 」

I couldn’t help but gasp.

Then, I let out a deep sigh and said. Somehow, it felt like sighing was becoming a habit.

「I’m counting on you, Filaret. But please, don’t die. 」

「Yes, of course…But I’ll also need countermeasures. There are various things I’ll need. Can I ask you to make those preparations and handle the aftermath, Your Excellency, General Lugis? 」

「…Yes, do as you like, Staff Chief Filaret. 」

I said, raising both hands. I was no match when it came to magic and sorcery. For now, I had no choice but to do as she asked.

—

The interior of the tent was kept eerily clean.

It was natural that a certain amount of dust would normally add up, but it seemed that they had deliberately placed tarpaulins on the ground to prevent this.

Everything had been removed as much as possible, and magical measures had likely been taken, as there was not a trace of dusty smell.

Elven Queen Fin Eldith slowly stepped inside the tent, with her eyes widening.

Royal and noble tents sometimes went to such lengths, but even then it was only in the case of long-term camping trips. It was rare for such meticulous attention to cleanliness to be paid to a temporary tent.

Eldith frowned the moment she stepped inside. The silence was as if a magical ritual was about to take place.

「…Filaret. Lugis asked me to come here. What are you planning to do? 」

「Yeah, I’m sorry. I just wanted to take a few measures to counter the demons. 」

The owner of that tent was Filaret La Volgograd.

She usually wore clothes with a lot of fabric to store the tools and catalysts needed for magical arts, but now she seemed to be wearing only the bare minimum. Perhaps it was a measure to maintain cleanliness.

「…That’s right. There’s something I wanted to ask you, Eldith. You’ve also treated people who’ve been hit by the demon eye, right? …How? 」

Eldith couldn’t help but twist her eyes in confusion at the overly abstract question, so uncharacteristic of her.

What did she mean by “how”?

She’d thought that the demon eye was abnormal, and it seemed impossible to come up with any other impression other than that it was an incredible thing that could harm people just by looking at it.

So Eldith spoke honestly.

「Yes, it was unusual to mix magic with a little bit of sorcery. I thought it was strange. The demon eye is…」

At that point, Filaret cut her off. This was also unusual.

「…That’s right. I really did sense both magic and sorcery. 」

「…Filaret? 」

Eldith realized that Filaret seemed far from her usual self at this point.

There was something terrifying about her words, and she spoke way too fast.

But why? Eldith didn’t know. Even though she’d heard that Filaret would be facing a demon, that didn’t seem like the only reason.

「Can I ask one more question? 」

Eldith silently urged her to continue, allowing her to make the insistent question.

She had a feeling that something wasn’t going well.

Eldith hadn’t known Filaret, and Caria, for very long. Well, it was a different story compared to the lifespan of elves, but she had known them long enough to get to know them well.

That’s why she knew there was no telling what Filaret might do. She could sense that.

「Magical beasts…don’t use magic, do they? Even if they did, beings who can use magic wouldn’t bother to use it. 」

Magical beasts, Filaret said deliberately.

She wasn’t being self-deprecating. It was just that the fact was that even among humans, there were few who used both magic and sorcery.

Because magic was a talent, and sorcery was a science. There was a clear distinction.

Magicians influenced the magical powers of nature, gazing down on them and using them to their advantage. They were born with a connector that synchronized their own wavelength with the world. Therefore, they were destined to live alongside demons from birth.

Conversely, someone who was born without a connector couldn’t become a proper magician. They were the complete opposite of a sorcerer, who could only be born later in life.

No matter how talented someone was, it was impossible for them to be able to use magic from birth.

For this reason, magical beasts rarely used magic. They accepted what they were born with and didn’t pursue it.

But there were some magical beasts that did use magic. Being demons themselves and close to the nature of the world, they were far more skilled in magic than humans.

…That’s why the damage caused by the demon eye was so unusual.

At first glance, it was just magic. But they lost consciousness and lost their lives.

It was clear that it wasn’t just magical damage after looking at the symptoms of the survivors.

Each spell was carefully infused with magic.

It was a simple form of magic that simply went directional. For example, when firing a magical arrow, many sorcerers would aim for a certain degree of directionality in order to hit their target.

Baronuis imbued the magic emitted by her demon eye with this magic; that was all there was to it.

But that was precisely why she was able to kill everything that came into her sight. That directivity was a manifestation of overwhelming murderous intent. It was no exaggeration to say it was hideous.

But what Filaret felt wasn’t a moral or an ethical sentiment.

Filaret said.

「…She’s not a former magical beast. She’s a former human. And an exceptional sorcerer and magician, at that. 」

Filaret spoke, as if she’d been swallowing dry for the past several times.

「Huh? 」

Eldith was speechless, before finally speaking. It seemed like it took her a while to process what Filaret had said.

A scene that could only be described as a nightmare: people collapsing before they could even realize what they were saying.

A ferocious threat purely for the purpose of mass-destroying living things.

Once revered as the Queen of the Demon Eye, this monster could kill people just by “looking” at them, even before she became a demon beast.

Filaret’s guess that she was a former human was too heavy to swallow.

「Wait a moment. But her fellow tribesman, Doha Surah, spoke of her as if she were a demon beast, didn’t he? 」

Eldith opened her eyes wide, speaking unsteadily.

Come to think of it. Indeed, Doha Surah, in response to Lugis’ words, had said something that suggested that she was of the same tribe as his.

But he never explicitly stated that she was a demon beast. Whether that was coincidence or intentional was unclear.

Filaret replied, as if picking up on Eldith’s thoughts.

「You have an idea, don’t you? She can use magic and sorcery, and she has the demon eye…she’s a witch. 」

Previous | Next

😉

—————–

Support us on Patreon and get access to early chapters